In this message you'll read about some opportunities to get involved in your community and read about concerns some residents have about things going on around them. If you ever have anything you'd like to let your Highland Park neighbors know about, consider submitting it here or to the HPCC newsletter. SUGGESTIONS FOR USING THE FARMHOUSE? HPCC President Lisa Williams will meet with Citiparks on Monday to discuss potential uses for the Farmhouse by the community. Right now it is used by the Community Plan for office space, and is also used for Summer Day Camp. If you can think of additional uses for the Farmhouse, please call Lisa at 412-665-3933 by Monday. PUBLIC SAFETY The HPCC Public Safety Committee chair has resigned. If you are interested in this position, please contact Lisa Williams. HOUSE TOUR Dana Thomas, the HPCC House Tour Committee chair since 2001, is looking for help in organizing this year's house tour. The last tour was in 2001 and was a great success. The success of this year's House Tour depends on getting additional volunteers to help out--and soon! Please let me or Lisa know that you're interested in helping out with advertising, coordinating with home owners, etc., and we'll pass your note on to Dana. NOISE ON BRYANT STREET Residents have reported incidents of noise and police calls on Bryant Street related to underage drinking. If you see anything like this and it is a continuing problem, please take notes so that there is additional documentation and by all means report the problems to the police. TOW TRUCKS ON KING AVENUE AND OTHER AREAS NEARBY Residents on King Avenue have reported suspicious activity involving tow truck drivers in their area. Please take notes of this kind of activity and make sure to call the police if you see anything illegal occurring. Also, it has been suggested that local ordinances prohibit the parking of tow trucks in residential areas overnight. ACTIVITIES EXPLAINED AT FORESTRY FACILITY ON STANTON AVE Residents on Stanton Avenue along the stretch leading to the park entrance have reported unwanted construction activity which they believed was the installation of a new yard debris collection area for Public Works. HPCDC President David Hance and District 7 Councilman Len Bodack Jr. investigated and reported their findings at the HPCC meeting on Thursday. A "berm" and visual tree barrier are being put up in an area where downed trees and other plant debris will be handled at that site. Initially workers were working at night in order to complete the project, but Len reports that there will be no further night-time work. Still, residents are uneasy about the consequences of this type of activity going on right across the street from their houses. There is a petition concerning the opposition to this plan circulating now among neighbors on Stanton Avenue. Anyone concerned about this problem is also strongly recommended to contact Len Bodack Jr. at 412-255-2140. POLLEN IN RESERVOIR CAUSES BRIEF SCARE The morning TV news has been reporting today that a yellow film was reported in the water in Reservoir No. 1 and that the reservoir has been partly shut down for testing. Initial reports indicate that the substance is just pollen and is no cause for alarm. The new Microfiltration Facility or Membrane Filtration Plant opened last year and is supposed to be the largest of its kind. Its construction resulted from local efforts to keep Reservoir No. 1 from being covered. Reservoir No. 2 was covered in 1998. The new plant screens out impurities in the water so well that the reservoir is allowed remain uncovering despite a 1984 state law requiring the covering of such reservoirs by 1995. NEED ITEMS FOR COMMUNITY CALENDAR There is nothing on the calendar for the coming week. If you can contact local organizations such as schools and the Zoo to find additional community events to list, your help would be quite welcome! Rudy