SPEAKUP! NORTH JONESBORO NEWSLETTER Issue 1 11
SpeakUp! North Jonesboro Newsletter
July/August FOCUS GROUP FORMED BY JONESBORO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
IN THIS ISSUE
Want to connect with your neighbors in a
At the May gathering, Barry Phillips
welcome. Bring your ideas, your
very real and meaningful way? Want to share a meal and a great conversation with people who think like you do?
spoke to the group about the development he is putting in at Main and Johnson. The development will consist of a Bills Fresh Market, a pharmacy, a clinic, and plans are in the works to also house a bank in the structure.
concerns and your thoughts; and let’s find solutions together. After all, improving the quality of life in North Jonesboro improves the quality of life for the entire City.
Then you should join us for our community gathering. Community gatherings are held at the E. Boone Watson Community Center (1005 Logan St., near the corner of Matthews and Patrick) each Third Thursday of the month at 5:30 p.m. The July meeting will be held on July 24th. The meetings are potluck-style, and residents bring a dish to share with their friends and neighbors—new and old. It is a time for interaction, organizing for action and just plain fun. Emma Agnew, NJNI Coordinator, started one gathering by inviting everybody to stand up and sing/do the Hokie Pokie. “It was always fun for me as a child” stated Agnew, and I felt like it would be fun for the group-and I was right. I have had requested by residents to "do the Hokie Pokie again!”
One of the discussions at the last gathering focused on homelessness and transitional housing. Out of the discussion, a Transitional Housing Committee was organized. Margaret Ijidakindro, Ashley Williams, Sis. Elaine Willett, and First Lady Rosena Branch (Church of the Living God, Temple #98) have organized a committee to explore transitional housing in Jonesboro. If you would like to be involved with this project, please call Emma Agnew at 870336-7210. The Gatherings belong to the residents. Anyone interested in improving the quality of life in North Jonesboro is
The Gathering of a Community
SPEAKUP! NORTH JONESBORO NEWSLETTER | Issue 1 2
North Jonesboro Gets Splash Pad Page 2
North Jonesboro Gets Splash Pad
Speaking of NeighborCircles . . . Two new NeighborCircles have organized to discuss issues concerning the North Jonesboro neighborhood with the goal to make positive impact in the community.
Page 3
On May 26, 2014, the City of Jonesboro officially opened its third splash pad, located at Parker Park Community Center in north Jonesboro. Splash pads are already located at Allen Park Community Center in east Jonesboro and at Craighead Forest Park in south Jonesboro. Out of several community meetings held in North Jonesboro in FY 2012, residents of North Jonesboro expressed how the children in North Jonesboro need a water outlet for the summer. The City agreed and made the intentional decision to allocate $200,000 of CDBG funds in the FY2013 Action Plan for the splash pad. The City is excited to offer another water outlet to North Jonesboro residents, specifically for the children.
working beside residents to meet the needs as equal partners, These are the exact results of which we go after daily.” - Heather Clements, Grants Administrator .“I am very excited to offer a water feature at Parker Park. This is the largest splash pad in the city featuring 62 below ground nozzles and 4 above ground water components. The kids are going to love this splash pad because they will not know of where the water is coming. I think this is going to be a huge
asset to the north Jonesboro community…” Wixson Huffstetler, Parks Director.
“This is what CDBG funds should be used for – providing needs in low income areas – needs defined by residents. In fact, the primary goal and purpose of the NJNI (North Jonesboro Neighborhood Initiative) is to get residents organized at the grass roots level around common interests, needs, and concerns; then provide a pathway of communication to local government for these concerns, needs, and interests to be heard, and then local government
Youth relaxes at the close of Youth Fest
Youth from North Jonesboro and Jonesboro High teamed up to host a youth fest, which took place April 26th at the Parker Park Community Center. The festival was arranged to provide information on how to “engage and
unify the community”, along with having a little fun. According to the youth, who are now under the title “Focus”, the procedure was an eye-opener as well. Stephanie Stevenson, a member of Focus, stated, “The process of making it
Youth Host Successful Event - Katelyn Thompson
SPEAKUP! NORTH JONESBORO NEWSLETTER | Issue 1 3 happen was nerve-wrecking”; she later states, “None of us could have expected the outcome”. Children participated in positive, informative seminars about education and engaging in discussion. “We want the kids to realize how significant it is to focus on the little things in life that will put them in that direction toward success,” states Ashanti Dobbins, a speaker in one of the seminars. The festival also incorporated tailgating, face painting, bouncy house and slide, music, a basketball tournament and Greek entertainment. The festival was truly a success. Focus plans on making this event an annual affair; currently, however, the group is busy planning summer service projects and activities.
168
Residents taking the survey
FOR MORE INFORMATION Emma Agnew, Coordinator North Jonesboro Neighborhood Initiative eagnew@jonesboro.org 870-336-7210
NeighborCircles are one way of jumpstarting the long-interrupted, neighborto-neighbor conversation our parents and grandparents once enjoyed. With NeighborCircles, we are rebuilding community trust block-by-block, starting with something easy, enjoyable and that we all know how to do – eat and talk. (Excerpt taken from Lawrence County CommunityWorks)
HEADING 4
First NeighborCircle dinner. (Left to right) Jarvis Brody, Katrina Dillehay, Robert Bowen, Jolene Mullet (Host), Jason Kirby, and Angy Abaunza (Facilitator).
Melrose Place Circle meeting Latisha Dollison assists meeting facilitation by taking notes
SpeakUp Door-to-Door Campaign NJNI volunteers have been conducting door-to-door surveys inviting residents to speak up and be heard. Our goal is 1300 addresses . to date, 685 addresses have been visited, 168 surveys have been completed, 470 were not home or property was vacant, and only 28 of those survey said they were not interested, which is less than 2%
FAST FACTS
685
Of 1300 addresses visited
communications breeds distrust, bigotry, and lost opportunities to improve our lives and our communities.
What is a NeighborCircle? A NeighborCircle is pretty much a good conversation over dinner with neighbors. Why NeighborCircles? Well, there are a couple of reasons; first, getting to know our neighbors can be difficult and a bit uncomfortable. We may all live on the same street or even the same block, but we have different journeys and different stories of how we got there. Secondly, with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media, face-to-face communicating is becoming a lost art. Poor
A NeighborCircle is hosted by a North Jonesboro resident who invites his/her neighbors (7-10 people) into their home (or a close by location) for three consecutive gatherings. This is where the invited neighbors gather in a friendly and relaxed environment to have dinner, a great discussion, and get to know each other. The host/hostess will have a Facilitator from the North Jonesboro Neighbor -hood Initiative to assist with navigating the meetings. The goal for the NeighborCircle is to get to know our neighbors over dinner and conversation. Two new Circles were hosted in the month of May. Jolene Mullet and Angy Abaunza hosted a Circle in Jolene’s home, and Lillian Cobbs and Eugene Holloway hosted a Circle at ASU Care on Marshall. These Circles have begun to narrow down ideas to a focus area and are developing a strategy for successful implementation. Jolene and Angy’s Circle is planning to target beautification of Aggie Road along with addressing traffic speed, car accidents, and
Speaking of NeighborCircles
SPEAKUP! NORTH JONESBORO NEWSLETTER | Issue 1 4 crosswalk markings on Johnson Ave. Lillian and Eugene’s Circle will target cleanup and beautification in the Melrose and Marshall area. If you would like to join or support these efforts, please contact NJNI.
What’s Happening ?
@ 5 :00 p.m. E. Boone Watson Center August 28 – NJNI Community Gathering, E. Boone Watson Center @ 5 :30. Food, fun, great conversation.
July 2 – Aug. 1 – NEA Center for Healthy Children free summer sessions. Call Jennifer
August 31 – MFBNJ 5th Sunday Service
Martinez @ 870-336-1760
Location and speaker to be announced.
July 3 & 17 – Downtown Jonesboro hosts Alive After 5, Huntington and Church July 5 – Crowley’s Ridge nature Center ‘s Create a Bug Jar. Materials will be provided July 13 – 17 – Help for elderly homeowners : painting, ramps, minor repairs, hand rails, yard cleanup. Contact Jeanette Dotson, EAAA at 972-5980
The Hispanic Community July 24 – NJNI Community Gathering E. Boone Watson Community Center. food, fun, Great conversation ! 5 :30 p.m. August 7 & 21 – Downtown Jonesboro Alive After 5. Music, movie, Farmer’s Market & more. August 21 – NJNI board meeting
In February, HCSI invited a group of Hispanic residents to participate in an NJNI Focus Group. NJNI requested 1012 participants, and nineteen Spanishspeaking residents came out to express their concerns and ideas on improving their neighborhood. Resident concerns included the language barrier between
population in integrating into their community. HCSI is located at 311 W. Huntington Ave., where they provide assistance with social, educational, legal, health, and other services for the Jonesboro community. To promote this integration into the community, HCSI
July 17 – NJNI board meeting @ 5 :00 p.m. E. Boone Watson Center.
is collaborating with NJNI to enhance its efforts to ensure all residents of North Jonesboro are included in the initiative.
by Yaoska “Angy” Aubaunza
According to the 2010 Census records, the count for persons of Hispanic or Latino origin is 3,503, which is 5.21% of the Jonesboro population (CensusViewer, 2012). The Hispanic Community in Jonesboro has been increasing in the past years; many of these Hispanics are residing in the North Jonesboro area. The Hispanic Community Services, Inc. (HCSI) is a local non-profit organization which provides various services and supports the Hispanic
Those Hispanic residents that don’t have transportation believe that the neighborhood will improve by having more public transportation and/or nearby businesses such as grocery stores, banks, pharmacy, and restaurants. Currently HCSI is offering Spanish classes for adults, Summer Spanish Camp, and Afterschool Program. Also, coming up in the month of August, they will host the Annual Hispanic Celebration on August 9. For more information call 870-931-1884 Police Officers and non-English speaking residents; the crime, cars speeding on Small streets and children playing signs.
SPEAKUP! NORTH JONESBORO NEWSLETTER | Issue 1 5
Did you know? Voting precincts in Jonesboro have changed. Call the County Clerk’s office @ 933-4520 to find your assigned precinct. ASU Farmer’s Market accepts EBT benefits. Go get your fresh produce, baked goods, and fresh meat from local farmers. You can pick up Blue Bags for recycling at 806 Burke Ave and the Collections Department inside the Municipal Center. The Jonesboro public library has kicked off ‘Fizz Boom Read!’ If interested, call the library at 935-513
The Older Americans Act -Jeanette Dotson Congress passed the Older Americans Act (OAA) in 1965 in response to
development projects, and personnel training in the field of aging. The law also established the Administration on Aging (AoA) to administer the newly created grant programs and to serve as the Federal focal point on matters concerning older persons. Although older individuals may receive services under many other Federal programs, today the OAA is considered to be the major vehicle for the organization and delivery of social and nutrition services to this group and their caregivers. It authorizes a wide array of service programs through a national network of 56 State agencies on aging, 629 area agencies on aging, nearly 20,000 service providers, 244 Tribal organizations, and 2 Native Hawaiian organizations representing 400 Tribes. The OAA also includes community service employment for low-income older Americans; training, research, and demonstration activities in the field of aging; and vulnerable elder rights protection activities. The East AR Area Agency on Aging would like to encourage you to call us to assist your neighbors orfFamily who are in need of the services that we provide. We have served 12 counties in the eastern Arkansas area for over 35 years. We are the Leader in Senior Services! We offer: Home Care Services – For those who need help in the home with personal care, home maker,
The Older Americans Act -Jeanette Dotson Congress passed the Older Americans Act (OAA) in 1965 in response to concern by policymakers about a lack of community social services for older persons. The original legislation established authority for grants to States for community planning and social services, research and
Personal Emergency Response Systems – we install units in home so that if you loved one falls or have an emergency, they can push a button and get help.
Wellness Programs – Exercise classes, support groups, and more Case Management Services – Case Managers visit clients in home to assess need for services, complete Food Stamps, Medicaid, and other applications, and counsel Medicare recipients with Prescription drug plans We are located at 2005 E. Highland Drive in Jonesboro. For more information, call us at 870972-5980
Volunteers Rock!! Lillian ‘Toni’ Cobbs is this issues voluneteer of the month. Lillian can be found conducting door-to-door surveys, serving dinner at community gatherings, serving at the registration table, encouraging others to become involved and anything else that needs to be done. ‘ I enjoy it !’ she says. Lillian and Eugene Holloway have also started one of our newest NeighborCircles at Melrose Place. We look forward to great things from them. THANKS LILLIAN ! YOU ROCK !!
SPEAKUP! NORTH JONESBORO NEWSLETTER | Issue 1 6 AROUND TOWN
KLEK 102.5 FM -Lillie Fears, PhD A new radio station will soon be broadcasting the very best in music that appeals to R&B, soul, gospel, blues and jazz music lovers in the Jonesboro listening area!
Because it is a listener-supported station, Kale said tax-deductible financial contributions are welcome and will be used for a variety of purposes such as purchasing needed equipment and
That station is KLEK 102.5 FM, a noncommercial educational station, which general manager LaGanzie Kale says promises to fulfill a unique void in the community, particularly the undeserved or minority community. "We will strive to uphold our motto of educating, entertaining and empowering the community by providing educational and informative programming that focuses on black history, health, financial literacy, technology literacy, and women's issues," Kale said. KLEK is owned and operated by the Voice of Arkansas Minority Advocacy Council, new a non-profit organization. KLEK-LP is a low power FM noncommercial radio station authorized to operate at a power of 100 watts. This provides enough power to broadcast to the city of Jonesboro. However, KLEK will also broad-cast on the Internet and on mobile phones. fact, Kale said that individuals may audition to be disc jockeys. The station is located at 1411 Franklin Street, Suite No.1, in Jonesboro. Persons wishing to make financial contributions should contact the KLEK staff by calling 870-277-1080, or by emailing the staff at amacklek@gmail.com.
ongoing licensing fees and operating expenses. Volunteer assistance is also welcome. In fact, Kale said that individuals may audition to be disc jockeys. "Our mission also includes performing community service to help our fellow man and woman," Kale said.
SpeakUp! North Jonesboro is a bimonthly publication for the Jonesboro community and specifically for North Jonesboro neighborhoods. Please email your articles, concerns, story ideas and encouragement to: speakupnjn@gmail.com.
SpeakUp Editorial Board Yaoska ‘Angy’ Aubaunza Jolene Mullett
Lillian ‘Toni’ Cobbs Lillian is a graduate of Jonesboro High School and an active member of Carter Temple CME Church.
Qubilah ’Q’ Harden
SPEAKUP! NORTH JONESBORO NEWSLETTER | Issue 1 7 Also, interested individuals and fans are encouraged to show their support by logging onto the KLEK Facebook page and hitting the "Like" button.