Volume 31 No. 8
August 2015
Deutschtown Music Festival celebrates another successful year
Local screenprinter wins entrepreneur award, praised By Erika Fleegle
Easy. Efficient. Enjoyable. Now, Sidney Jake Huffmyer can add a new description to his line of work at 3E Studios; Young Entrepreneur of the Year presented by the U.S. Small Business Association (SBA). On Thursday, July 2, SBA’s Pittsburgh District awarded Huff-
Photo by Erika Fleegle
Local group Gypsy and His Band of Ghosts entertains the crowd at Arnold’s Tea on East Ohio Street during this year’s Deutschtown Music Festival on July 11. By Erika Fleegle They say the best things in life are free, and this year’s Deutschtown Music Festival was no exception. Hundreds of music fans flocked to several Northside neighborhoods July 11 for a day full of free music, great food and good company. The festival kicked off at 11 a.m. at the Park Stage in East Park, with attendees drifting in and setting up blankets and folding chairs on the grass. Cody Walters, co-founder of the music festival, noted how the event has grown in three years. “It’s grown like crazy,” he noted. “We started with 46 bands
INSIDE
the first year, 97 the second year, and we’re up to 130 today.” Thanks to a fundraiser this past April, bands that had previously played the festival voluntarily were able to be paid for their performances. After the opening act at the Park Stage, Northside came alive with the movement of people and the sounds of music from all genres. Stages were set up at 24 locations in Historic Deutschtown, East Deutschtown, Spring Garden, Troy Hill, Allegheny Center and North Shore to accommodate the 125 bands on the day’s itinerary, many of which centered Historic Deutschtown’s East Ohio Street. Smaller venues, like
-NS/NS CC Awards, Page 9 STORIES, COLUMNS, -BH gardens, Page 20 FEATURES & MORE -Education, Page 26
Arnold’s Tea and Bistro to Go, hosted local coffeehouse-type acts while larger acts were delegated to the main stage on the corner of Middle and Foreland Streets. Gina DeAngelo, a volunteer stationed at Bistro to Go that afternoon, was pleased with the turnout of the event. “I think it’s very important for the community,” she said. “We’re getting people to cross bridges that they wouldn’t have otherwise and see all the venues we have to offer here. It’s great for the area.” Wigle Whiskey Barrelhouse in Spring Garden was another popular spot as guests enjoyed their music with a side of handSee DMF, Page 16
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THE NORTHSIDE CHRONICLE 922 Middle St. • Pittsburgh, PA 15212
Managing Editor Justin Criado E-mail: editor@thenorthsidechronicle.com Advertising Manager Jena Ruszkiewicz E-mail: advertising@thenorthsidechronicle.com www.thenorthsidechronicle.com Phone 412-321-3919 • Fax 412-321-1447 Mail Subscriptions are available at a rate of $30 per year. 2015 Advertising rates: SIZE Black & White Color 1/8 page $56 $68 1/4 page $118 $157 1/2 page $229 $295 Full page $452 $585 Back Page $616 Center Spread $965 Discounts of up to 20% off rate card price for multiple-insertion contracts
DISCLAIMER: The viewpoints and opinions of the writers and contributors that appear in The Northside Chronicle do not necessarily reflect the viewpoints, opinions, beliefs or positions of The Northside Chronicle’s publishers, editors, staff and/or affiliates. The Northside Chronicle is not affiliated with any formal political, social, religious, educational or philosophical organization or party of any kind. The materials comprising The Northside Chronicle are provided by various organizations, community groups, advertisers, entities, writers and contributors and are provided as a service to the readers of The Northside Chronicle on an “as-is” basis for informational purposes only. The Northside Chronicle assumes no responsibility for any copyright infringement, errors or omissions in these materials and expressly disclaims any representations or warranties, express or implied, including, without limitation, any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose regarding the correctness, accuracy, completeness, timeliness and reliability of the information provided. The Northside Chronicle is not responsible for damages of any kind arising out of use, reference to, or reliance upon such information. Reference herein to any commercial product, process or service does not constitute or imply endorsement or favoring by The Northside Chronicle. © The Northside Chronicle 2011
August 2015
Community Meetings To have your community meeting included, email editor@thenorthsidechronicle.com After Jail & Prison Ministry Support Group Mondays, 6-7 p.n. Allegheny Center Alliance Church 412.321.4333 ext. 127 801 Union Place, first floor Allegheny West Civic Council 2nd Tuesday, monthly, 7:30 p.m. Calvary United Methodist Church 412.323.8884 Brighton Heights Citizens Federation 2nd Thursday, bi-monthly, 7 p.m. Morrow Elementary School 412.734.0233 Brightwood Civic Group 3rd Tuesday, bi-monthly, 7 p.m. Pressley Ridge, 2611 Stayton St. 412.732.8152 Brightwood Community Emergency Response Shelter 3rd Thursday, monthly, 6 p.m. 3219 Central Ave. California-Kirkbride Blockwatch 3rd Thursday, monthly, 7 p.m. 1601 Brighton Rd., 3rd floor California-Kirkbride Neighbors 2nd Thursday, monthly, 7 p.m. 1601 Brighton Rd., 3rd floor 412.758.3898 Central Northside Neighborhood Council 2nd Monday, monthly, 7 p.m. Allegheny Traditional Academy 412.231.7742 Charles Street Area Council 1st Monday, monthly, call for times Pittsburgh Project, 2801 N. Charles St. 412.321.5567 Community Alliance of Spring Garden/ East Deutschtown 2nd Tuesday, monthly, 6:30 p.m. Fuhrer Building of St. Michael’s Church 412.977.1979 Deutschtown New Hope Council 3rd Thursday, monthly, 6:30 p.m. Community Center, 623 Suismon St. East Allegheny Community Council 2nd Tuesday, monthly, 7 p.m. Bistro to Go 412.321.1204 Fineview Citizens Council 3rd Wednesday, monthly, 7 p.m. 21 Lanark St. 412.231.0330 Mexican War Streets Society 3rd Tuesday, monthly, 7 p.m. AUU Church, Resaca Pl. and North Ave. 412.323.9030
Manchester Citizens Corporation Quarterly meetings, call for times MCC Center, 1319 Allegheny Ave. 412.323.1743 Manchester Public Safety Meeting Quarterly meetings, call for times Northside Leadership Conference 412.323.1743 Northside Rotary Club Every Friday, noon Cardello Building, 2nd Floor Northside Coalition for Fair Housing Board 2nd Monday, monthly, 6:30 p.m. 1821 Brighton Rd. 412.321.5527 Northside Coalition for Fair Housing Membership Monthly, call for times 1821 Brighton Rd. 412.321.5521 Northside Leadership Conference Call for times 4 Allegheny Center, Suite 601 412.330.2559 North Side Lions Club 2nd and 4th Tuesday, monthly, noon Max’s Allegheny Tavern North Side Public Safety Council 1st Thursday, monthly, 5:30 p.m. Northside Leadership Conference 412.330.2559 Observatory Hill, Inc. 3rd Wednesday, monthly, 7 p.m. Byzantine Seminary, 3605 Perrysville Ave. 412.231.2887 Perry Hilltop Citizens’ Council 4th Monday, monthly, 6 p.m. Triangle Tech,1940 Perrysville Ave. perryhilltop@gmail.com 412.223.7144 The Promise Group Every other Tuesday, 6 p.m. Western Pa. Humane Society 412.321.1019 Troy Hill Citizens Council Second Tuesday of the month , 7 p.m. 1619 Lowrie St. 412.321.2852 Spring Hill Civic League March 2nd, May 4th, Sept. 14th, Oct. 5th, Nov. 2nd. 7 p.m., Spring Hill Elementary School contact@shcl.org Summer Hill Citizens Committee 3rd Tuesday, monthly, 6:30 p.m. WPXI Television Station community room
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Historic Deutschtown hopes for exposure with promotional film do to make their neighborhood a better place. Booth and Strothman were two of those locals. “We wanted to help change the perception of East Ohio Street as it continues to transition,” Booth said of the group’s community improvement efforts, which began with the art board project along the street. “We wanted to do something small and manageable that would make an impact,” Photo courtesty of Dylan Priest Strothman continued. “I think Photo Antiquities and Allegheny Antiques will be two of several it works because (the buildlocal businesses featured in the Historic Deutschtown film. ings) don’t look so abandoned.” ters, among others, have been The art boards, which feature By Erika Fleegle leading an effort to create a short artwork by the Manchester CraftsWhile gentrification may be promotional film that will show- man’s Guild and photos from Phoa source of worry for many long- case the best of what the neigh- to Antiquities, have been well retime business owners in Pittsburgh borhood has to offer in hopes of ceived by the community, providing neighborhoods, several Historic attracting more businesses and a “diversity in imagery” that, for Deutschtown residents are using it potential residents to the area. Strothman, reflects the personality The project began within a and history of the neighborhood. to create a more positive frame of However, for the next project, mind for the community. For the group of concerned citizens that past few months, Rachel Booth, would occasionally meet for cof- the group wanted to do something Randy Strothman and Cody Wal- fee and discuss what they could that would build on the momen-
tum of the neighborhood’s current development. Inspiration came from an unlikely place; Wilkinsburg. Several months ago, the Wilkinsburg Community Development Corporation released a promotional video for the area highlighting the fact that there is “something good around every corner” that most people passing through tend to miss. Something clicked, and Booth and Strothman decided that Historic Deutschtown needed a video of its own. “Now that the project’s begun, our video’s going to tell such a bigger story. Looking back at the video now, I’m realizing how much cooler stuff we have here,” Booth noted, reflecting on the video’s creative process so far. The short film, which is estimated to run at a maximum of four minutes, will focus on four See Film, Page 19
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Northside Public Safety
On the first Tuesday of August, Pittsburgh residents won’t be turning their lights off– they’re leaving them on for a reason. Pittsburgh’s Northside communities, along with more than 16,000 other communities nationwide will host “America’s night out against crime,” more recently known as National Night Out on Tuesday, August 4, 2015. Northside Public Safety President David Stacey wants to encourage Northsiders to get out in the streets, turn on their lights and sit on their stoops in support of NNO. On National Night Out, Pittsburgh residents may attend any of the neighborhood events going on throughout the city from 5-8 p.m. Events typically
include symbolic front porch vigils and candles left in front windows when residents are home. This year five Northside neighborhoods (Central Northside, East Deutschtown, Spring Garden, Brighton Heights and Brightwood) will be holding NNO events. For more information about the NNO events please visit the Public Safety site on the city’s website. Last year Mayor Bill Peduto attended East DeutschtownSpring Garden’s event. For questions or concerns contact officer Larry Crawford at larry.crawford@pittsburghpa. gov. The Northside Public Safety Council is a nonprofit corporation composed of community leaders, businesses, government officials, the Housing Authority, property owners and the Zone 1 Pittsburgh Police. The Northside Public Safety Committee meets the first Thursday of each month at 5:30 p.m. on the mezzanine level of The Northside Leadership Conference’s offices at 4 Allegheny Center. All are welcome. A useful resource for the community is the Zone 1 website at www.communitysafety.pittsburghpa.gov.
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Birds of a feather flock to annual Aviary fundraiser experience, a flight show occurred twice during the evening, with aviary staff showcasing the flight patterns and particularities of ravens, vultures, and eagles. Following the first flight show, the aviary’s executive director, Cheryl Tracy, was joined by event co-chairs Jane Dixon and Happy the African penguin, who collectively welcomed patrons to enjoy the rest of the evening. The parking lot and adjacent Photo by Erika Fleegle Jane Dixon (left) and National Aviary Executive Director Cheryl Tracy, rose garden had been transformed pose for a photo with Happy the Penguin at this year’s Night at the Tropics into the perfect tropical oasis in fundraiser July 11. the middle of the Allegheny Centhe Allegheny Center space and ter, with brightly colored tables, By Erika Fleegle were greeted by all sorts of feath- tents and decorations cropping up The National Aviary ered friends. Exhibits were open like hibiscus flowers. Noël Quinbrought a little Latin flair dur- as usual, though some birds not tana & The Latin Crew kept guests ing its annual Night in the usually displayed to the public grooving in the rose garden, while Tropics fundraiser July 11. made an appearance, including DJ Loyal and members of local The evening, themed as a owls, Conure parrots, and hawks, dance company Salsa 412 providFeathered Fiesta, began with a attached to the arms of handlers. ed salsa dancing demonstrations VIP reception as guests filed into For a more awe-inspiring and lessons in the outdoor lot.
Inside, guests mingled with flamingos inside the Helen M. Schmidt FliteZone Theater and later witnessed a feeding of the aviary’s Malayan Flying Foxes. The flamingos are a fun experience for the attendees, Laura Smith noted, though the flamingos have their share of the fun as well. “The flamingos really like the guests that have long, sparkly, dangly jewelry. It gets really entertaining,” Smith said. Many guests that evening were first-timers to the event, though the aviary held a special place in many guests’ hearts. “I met my wife here,” said Johno Prascak, a local artist whose work has been exhibited at the aviary since October 2014. “It’s the first time we’ve been to this event, but we love the aviary. We
See Aviary, Page 19
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Annual Northside/North Shore Chamber of Commerce awards welcome new neighbors By Justin Criado The 2015 Northside/North Shore Chamber of Commerce (NS/NS CC) business awards started with a sing-along to one of Pittsburgh’s most beloved neighbors, Mr. Fred Rogers, which went along with the day’s theme of welcoming new neighbors. “We’re all very proud to be part of this business community with the diverse neighborhoods,” Scott Pipiton, NS/NS CC president and CEO of Pipitone Group, said. Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald and Mayor Bill Peduto were guest speakers, while Jane Werner, Children’s Museum executive director, served as MC. “We’ve got a lot of good things happening and let’s just continue to work together,” Fitzgerald said. Peduto added: “We’re in the living room of an entire region right now, and how people see this is what they think of Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania.” The neighbors to be welcomed were Faros Properties and Innovation Works, which now both call the site of the former Allegheny Center Mall home. Faros Properties announced the Allegheny Center complex purchase, renamed Nova Place, in March, and Innovation Works became the new tech-hub’s first major tenant, moving from its East Liberty quarters. “It’s progressive leadership like that (of Mayor Peduto and Fitzgerald), and local leadership like Councilwoman Darlene Harris and organizations like the Northside Leadership Conference that make our lives easier when we’re trying to put these pieces together,” Jeremy Leventhal, Faros Properties managing partner, said. Both Levanthal and Terry Glueck, Innovation Works Director, Communications & Community Development, both re-
ceived red sweaters like Mr. Rogers became synonymous with, complete with “Northside” embroidered on the chest. “It’s hard to imagine a better place for us to be,” Glueck said of Nova Place and Northside. The following won awards: • Legends of the North Shore (Favorite Restaurant). • Huntington Bank (Chamber Community Champion-Large Business). • October Development (Chamber Community Champion-Small Business). • The Sarah Heinz House (Chamber Community Champion-Non-profit). • Erin Conley of AMCOM (Salesperson of the Year). • David Burns of 3E Studios (Most Visible Professional).
Photo by Justin Criado
Scott Pipitone (left), Northside/North Shore Chamber of Commerce president, with Faros Properties managing partner Jeremy Leventhal in matching Mr. Rogers sweaters.
*The awards were voted on by NS/NS CC members. Paul Hoyson received special recognition for his years of work with the NS/NS CC board, which he’s currently President Emeritus of. The Buhl Foundation was also recognized with a special award for its OneNorthside initiative.
For a full picture gallery please visit nschronicle.com. For more information about the NS/NS CC and how to become a member please visit the official website at northsidechamberofcommerce.com.
Photo by Justin Criado
Award winners from left to right: Diana Bucco of the Buhl Foundation, Danyelle Bartow of Legends of the North Shore, Paul Hoyson, Greg DiGioia of Huntington Bank, Erin Conley of AMCOM, David Burns of 3E Studios, and Jennifer Cairns of the Sarah Heinz House. (An October Development representative was not present.)
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Book signing at gallery
Photo by Justin Criado
Dan Rooney (center) and Carol Peterson (right) promoted their latest book “Allegheny City: A History of Pittsburgh’s Northside” (University of Pittsburgh Press, 2013) July 15 during a book signing at the Allegheny City Historic Gallery in Historic Deutschtown.
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Local entrepreneur receives award
Photo by Erika Fleegle
Jake Huffmyer of 3E Studios
From Huffmyer, Page 1 myer with the distinguished Young Entrepreneur of the Year award during a reception at his screenprinting studio in Allegheny West. For Huffmyer, the award encompasses more than just selling t-shirts. After pursuing a music career and signing with a local record label at the age of 16, he went on to earn a degree in audio engineering from Full Sail University with the intent of signing on another label, touring with his band and selling t-shirts. “There was always that creative aspect to it that I enjoyed,” Huffmyer said. It wasn’t until he attended the University of Pittsburgh, majoring in electrical engineering, that his plans took another detour. To further their creative endeavors selling t-shirts for local bands, Huffmyer’s cousin, Dave Burns, purchased some basic printing equipment from a retiring t-shirt maker. The rest is history. After running 3E Studios in Huffmyer’s parents’ basement, the pair have moved around the Pittsburgh area several times over the past eight years before settling into their current space in Northside. While the original printing equipment is still in the shop, it’s only on display in the front room. The newer equipment, which was secured with help from the Northside Community Develop-
ment Fund, is kept in the back and can crank out 500 custom shirts an hour. A number of these shirts could be seen around the studio as guests drifted in and out. Huffmyer prints everything from shirts for family reunions to contract jobs for Giant Eagle and the Pittsburgh Penguins to gear for Pittsburgh-based band Rusted Root. During the ceremony, speakers had nothing but praise for the work that Huffmyer and other area entrepreneurs have done. Dr. Mary McKinney of the Western Pennsylvania Small Business Network welcomed the crowd, noting that, “Small businesses really are the engine of growth of the region.” “It’s just so exciting to see young people out here doing something,” Kelly Hunt, director of the SBA Pittsburgh District, said. The Pittsburgh District covers a large portion of Western Pa., from State College to Erie to Greene County. Catherine Tyson of the University of Pittsburgh’s Small Business Development Center, who nominated Huffmyer for the award, also stressed how important it was to create relationships within the community. “I first met Jake (and David) when he was an engineering student. Even now, they’re always coming back for help and advice.” Huffmyer couldn’t be happier with where all this advice and support has led him today. While screenprinting is certainly a departure from engineering, he notes that “There’s the design aspect incorporated with precision and physics, all just to make a t-shirt.” In terms of growing the business further, 3E Studios plans to offer a design and ordering service for customized shirts through an interactive website, according to Huffmyer. Erika Fleegle is a student intern from Pitt.
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Ghost hunting in Troy Hill
Photo by Brady Langmann
Fred Broerman scans a tombstone in Troy Hill’s Voegtly Evangelical Church Cemetery By Brady Langmann Ghost hunter Josh Shelton just put fresh batteries in his camera, but it keeps shutting off as he nears the site of several unearthed graves. “It’s cool, but bad,” he says. His partner, Fred Broerman, cautioned beforehand, “They always say when you disturb someone’s grave, that’s not a very good thing to do. A lot of nasty stuff can come out of that.” Broerman’s third-grade son Carl is unfazed by the suspicious activity or previous warnings. He’s running in circles around the men, fueled by a sugary can of Pepsi. Shelton, Broerman and Carl are the three chief members of East Hills Paranormal of Pitcairn, a society that defends Pittsburgh from demons, ghosts and evil spirits, according to the group. Since 2010, the group has explored potential hotbeds of paranormal activity around Pittsburgh, investigating leads given to them from concerned citizens and historical societies, as well as findings from their own research. The group tracked down ghouls in Troy Hill’s Voegtly Evangelical Church Cemetery along Lowrie Street and Michael Flynn Memorial Field on
Spring Garden Avenue June 30. Broerman’s supernatural interests began when he worked as a security guard for the GNC headquarters downtown, where he often felt like he was being watched during late-night shifts. At the same time, he watched popular ghost-hunting shows like “Paranormal State.” During that time, Broerman had the idea to go on his own supernatural quests with friends. By 2010, he had a group of seven hunters, a name for the squad, an arsenal of spirit-detecting gadgets and a fleet of Chevy Caprices rigged with yellow sirens. “I’d always watch that show and never thought I’d have my own group that I lead in Pitcairn,” Broerman says. Since then, East Hills Paranormal has faced countless ill-intentioned spirits in places across Western Pa. like Uniontown, the New Castle Playhouse and North Versailles. On separate occasions, a demon possessed a crew member for about 25 minutes, a bat flew at a journalist’s head and a phantom child hacked into Broerman’s radio, asking to play with them, according to Broerman. The adventure at Voegtly EvanSee Ghosts, Page 23
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Deutschtown Music Fest rocks Northside once again From DMF, Page 1 crafted cocktails and snacks from the Burgh Bites Cart and the Second Breakfast waffle truck. Hugh Twyman, creator of HughShows, a blog detailing Pittsburgh’s local music scene, hosted the stage at Wigle. “I’m really happy about the way this is affecting the community,” he said of the turnout. It was also Twyman’s first time working with the Deutschtown Music Festival. “I really hope this is the start of something forever,” he said. The festivities were just as fun for the performers. Paul Luc,
a Pittsburgh native, performed with his band that afternoon. “I think it’s a great day to be a fan,” he said. “I get to see a lot of friends play, which is nice because we’re always booked in different places on the same day.” The party didn’t end after the sun went down. The main stage, and its adjacent beer garden and lineup of vendors kept festival-goers energized as the night wore on, culminating in a fun, funky final performance from Cleveland, Ohio’s Tropidelic. Several other venues hosted acts until 2 a.m., when the festival closed the books on yet another successful year.
*For a full photo gallery visit nschronicle.com
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Local television station continues YINZ! COMICS tradition of quality programming By Nils Balls
Photo by Erika Fleegle
Cameras sit prepared to shoot in one of PCTV’s green rooms at their studio on Western Avenue. By Erika Fleegle In today’s age of modern media complete with streaming services and apps immediately delivering daily news to whatever screen we choose it could be argued that public access television is going out of style. Pittsburgh Community Television (PCTV) in Manchester is proving that argument wrong. Following the FCC’s deregulation of media ownership in the early 1980s, Pittsburgh’s local access television station was collectively broadcasted from five separate stations. Today, those five stations have consolidated in to its current location on Western Avenue; the home of PCTV. Recently, the station’s space has undergone major renovations, making for more professional, diverse programming. “In the beginning, there was a lot of grassroots political activism,” Special Projects Director Carl Cimini said of the early days of the station. “Over the years, it evolved and changed into a broader audience and a broader group of producers.” The station has reached out to local residents and nonprofits in hopes to create original content. The station now boasts six original programs, including reli-
gious programming, a sports talk show and an indie film forum. “So far the community response has been great,” he said. “People use it as part of their marketing.” PCTV also functioned as a form of marketing for the Deutschtown Music Festival that took place only a week ago. For the first time ever, the station hosted a live remote broadcast for five hours of the day’s festivities. Next year, they plan to broadcast several more hours of concerts. Exposure isn’t the only way PCTV services the community. In addition to allowing community members to become producers of their own shows, PCTV offers internships for college students in communication-related fields as well as volunteering opportunities, classes, and workshops in copyright, video editing, Adobe Final Cut Pro and field editing. Summer camps for children are also available in which kids are taught the basics of camera operation and by the end of the week are able to produce their own PSA fit for broadcasting. Executive Director John Patterson shed a little more light on one of the station’s more recent renovation. Since the stations were consolidated and relocation was next to impossible, the station worked
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closely with the Northside Community Development Fund to design spaces more conducive to creating quality programming. Now, seven months later, instead of awkward spaces and a cluttered storage room, PCTV’s hub now hosts polished front offices, an editing lab, an equipment room, classrooms, a future dressing room and
two separate green-screen-style studios prepared for shooting. All of these renovations, however, would mean nothing if it weren’t for the community and PCTV staff working together. For Cimini, the most rewarding part of working in public television is giving back to the public. See PCTV, Page 23
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Film in works to promote Historic Deutschtown From Film, Page 3 key themes for the branding of the community; historic, real, surprising, and developing. Montage reels and interviews from local residents and business owners will highlight all of these aspects and show the diversity and developing potential of Historic Deutschtown and the East Ohio Street business district. Since the project began, Strothman, who has over 30 years of experience in film, has been collecting video footage from local residents and business owners, and cites the film-making experience as one of his favorite parts of the project. “This is part of a tradition in my career,” he said. “Coming back into it and tapping into what I’ve learned… It was fun to sit around and figure out what this could be. It’s kind of exciting.” For Booth, the best part has been getting to know ev-
eryone in the community and express her own pride for the community she lives in. “If you go anywhere in Pittsburgh and ask people about their neighborhoods, there’s a lot of neighborhood pride,” Booth said. “One of the things I really like about working with this group is that everyone has good ideas and is open-minded. I’m able to make some sort of impact.” In terms of funding, the group has received funding in the form of a Neighbor-to-Neighbor grant through the Sprout fund and is currently collecting donations through an Ioby kickstarter online. Though the fundraising goal is close to being met, donations are still being accepted and will be matched dollar-for-dollar (up to $1,000). Following the video’s production wrap in September, the group plans to host a community screening at Bistro To Go.
For more information on the project or to donate, check out the Ioby kickstarter at https:// www.ioby.org/project/historic-deutschtown-live-workplay-invest-here or visit the story on the Northside Chronicle website for a live link.
Latin flair comes to Aviary
sway to salsa music, members of the National Aviary’s board reflected on the success of the evening. “This has been fantastic,” Dixon said. “This is my eighth year working with this event, and I’ve loved seeing it grow.” The National Aviary’s Night at the Tropics boasted a record attendance of 1,250 patrons.
Area picnics serve to enrich communities
Both Manchester and Central Northside’s Light of Life mission held separate community support everything they do.” picnics on July 18 & 23, respecAs the evening drew to a close, tively. For full coverage see the guests waited eagerly for the win- stories on nschronicle.com titled: ning raffle tickets to be drawn. Two large prizes were up for grabs Manchester community in a trip for two to Hawaii and a festival all about giving back luxury box for a Pirates game complete with other certificates Annual picnic brings hope from local companies valued at and fellowship to Northside $5,400. Other prizes were availresidents able through a silent auction. As guests continued to spin and From Aviary, Page 6
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BH volunteers, students dig gardening
Photo by Justin Criado
The BHCF & SCA cleaned-up and planted new flowers in the garden on the corner of Termon and California Avenues in Brighton Heights. By Justin Criado Brighton Heights is receiving a facelift thanks to the Student Conservation Association (SCA) in partnership with the Bright Heights Citizens Federation (BHCF). The gardens at the California and Termon Avenues corridor as well as the greenspace along Brighton Heights Boulevard have been the areas of focus for a group of nine area Pittsburgh Public Schools students participating in the SCA program. “The Student Conservation Association gets (students from) Pittsburgh Public Schools to help with these beautification projects, but it also helps them get ready for life after high school. There’s job readiness,” SCA project co-leader Katherine Yoho, of Brightwood, said. The program began at the end of June and will continue into August, when the students return to school. Numerous new flowers were planted in addition to new rock walkways and a rock garden, which is against the building of State Rep. Adam Ravenstahl’s office. “(The students) take a lot of ownership in the projects when they’re complete,” SCA program coordinator Rick Southers said. “Once they get in
to it they’re really in to it.” BHCF volunteers also said the community has taken notice, even if it’s simply beeping their horn as they drive by, but there’s always work to be done on the community’s 10 gardens. This is my front yard extended,” BHCF volunteer Ed Gergerich said of his home on the opposite corner. “I can look out my bedroom window and see the flowers. “…We can always use more volunteers. Anybody that can spend an hour or two or three can come over and pull some weeds.” Al Deurbrouck took a break from working on the large North American Rock Garden Society Allegheny Chapter rock garden in front of the National Aviary to check out the progress on Brighton Heights’ newest one. “The biggest thing about the rock garden is it’s a 12-month a year garden and that’s really cool,” Deurbrouck said. “It’s a type of gardening that you use a lot of sandy soil and that sort of thing. It’s kind of freelance.” Deurbrouck has been working on rock gardens for over 40 years, and a group of society members maintains the Allegheny Center space on the second and fourth Thursdays of every month.
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PCTV revitalizes public access television From PCTV, Page 19 Having worked in documentary film and owned his own production company for 10 years, he notes that, “you never get tired of doing something you really love.” “The idea of being able to help people in the community get the word out for themselves, that’s a very valuable thing for them and for their organizations,” he said. “It’s important that our content stays community-oriented.” Like Cimini, Patterson also notes that the most rewarding part of being involved in public access television is the impact that can be seen within the community. “Something really wonderful happens when people find new ways to communicate,” he said. “It can be anyone who’s struggling with a community issue or it can be someone who just wants to come in and express themselves.” Over the last four years, Ci-
mini noted that there’s been an interesting shift in attitudes toward public access television. “People are realizing that it’s valuable, but also that it can be fun,” he said, likening it to the early days of Wayne’s World and comedian Zach Galifianakis’s Between Two Ferns series. “What happens is that people are looking at cable access as fun and goofy, and there’s good stuff you can do there. People are looking at it as grassroots, and when done right, it’s a powerful thing.” In a way, PCTV occupies a space as a media underdog. While top news networks and syndicated sitcoms compete for the highest ratings, public access television is a welcome change from the same cookie-cutter plot points we watch every day because of its appeal to and inclusion of area residents. “When one of our programs pop up on screen, they
think, ‘Hey, that looks like my neighbor! Oh my God, that is my neighbor!’” Cimini said. It’s this neighborly attitude that keeps PCTV and the community in perfect harmony. To see all the programming PCTV has to offer, tune in to channel 21 (for Comcast customers), channel 47 (for Verizon customers), or watch online at www.pctv21.org.
Troy Hill paranormal investigation From Ghosts, Page 12 gelical Church Cemetery began when a neighboring man claimed he saw a white figure in the unkempt graveyard. When East Hills came to investigate during that evening’s rainstorm they come away only with a few mysterious technical glitches from the heat radar. Afterward, the trio drove to nearby Michael Flynn Memorial Field. There, they explored a hill behind left field, where an unknown group dug up six graves in the 1980’s or 90’s, according to Broerman. Supposedly, the adjoining residents frequently come across shadows and strange activity. Beside the malfunctioning camera, the team only found some discarded bits of gravestones and an abandoned pile of clothes. Ghost encounter or not, East Hills Paranormal never leaves an expedition in low spirits. Broerman, specifically, appreciates the interest the group gets from the public. “I enjoy myself when we have our uniforms on and people see the name ‘Paranormal’ and they just surround us,” he said. Shelton revels in the behind-the-scenes detective work.
August 2015
“I enjoy the excitement that other people get out of it too, as well as the genealogy research behind it. Just putting different families and names and disasters and stuff together.” As for Carl? Out of all of his adventures, he said he saw one ghost in a graveyard, and he’d like to keep it that way. “It was real scary,” he said.
Free basketball camp about more than jumpshots and dribbling By Erika Fleegle
In the middle of summer, most schools are silent; no students roaming the halls listening to ghost teachers give hollow lectures. But recently, the gymnasium of the former Oliver High School in California-Kirkbride is filled with the sounds of screeching sneakers and thumping basketballs. But it’s that time of year again when native son Jakim Donaldson hosts his annual free basketball camp. In its fifth year, the Protecting and Restoring the Order of Mankind with the Initiative of Serving Elders (P.R.O.M.I.S.E.) camp, which ran July 29-31, aims to get local youth off the streets and onto the court by improving their basketball skills, while teaching them important life lessons. “I encouraged him to do a camp because no one’s doing anything like it on the Northside,” Jay Donaldson, Jakim’s father, said. The three-day camp follows a basic schedule of basketball fundamentals and more complex moves, like rebounding and jump shots. The overall goal, however, is teamwork. For the full story and pictures please visit nschronicle.com.
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Allegheny Center Allegheny Center Assoc. to Faros Canal Parking LLC at 320 Federal St. for $10 (state deed transfer stamps indicate a value of $309,015). Allegheny West Fortune Foreclosures LLC to Cotton Acquisitions LLC at 832 N. Lincoln Ave. for $660,000. Brighton Heights Roseanna Lee Irwin to David and Gretchen Marker at 3994 Drexel Road for $1 (state deed transfer stamps indicate a value of $90,860). Hattie Burchlaw to Vincent and Teresa Pallus at 4100 Kleber St. for $249,900. Mark Jensen to Kirk Sanderson and Jason Reed at 1024 Davis Ave. for $141,500. Edward Ballinger to Emily Franco and Kristopher Kaminsky at 1541 Pennock Road for $80,000. Lucille Nicotra to Jonathon Denson at 1150 Woods Run Ave. for $8,000. Penn Pioneer Enterprises LLC to Catherine Gittings at 322 Lamplighter Circle for $130,000.
The Northside Chronicle
Federal National Mortgage Assn. to Penthouse Properties LLC at 3441 Brighton Road for $41,000. David Lach to US Bank NA trustee at 3967 Brighton Road for $2,034 by sheriff’s deed. John Connelly to Evan Fitzpatrick at 3655 Harbison Ave. for $139,900. Scott Brandon to Michael and Katherine Mirobelli at 3558 McClure Ave. for $165,000. Estate of Marianne Elizabeth Schmitt to Jordan Coyne at 1524 Davis Ave. for $79,000. Lynn Finn to Jennifer Brown and Michael Pease at 1911 Morrell St. for $132,000. Raymond Chester to Ralph Chester at 1402 Orchlee St. for $231,000. James Mash to Bruno Properties LLC at 1447 Orchlee St. for $100,000. Jennifer Kenny to Carly Dobbins Bucklad and John Fritz at 4000 Oswald St. for $100,000. Brightwood Michael Addo to Federal National Mortgage Assn. at 2839 California Ave. for $4,223 by sheriff’s deed.
Jill Chetoka to Jian Wang and Shelly Xu at 1311 Hodgkiss St. for $110,000. Federal National Mortgage Assn. to John and Ryan Donovan at 13131315 Malden St. for $12,000. James Bishop Fitzpatrick to David Centner Jr. at 1308 Ingham St. for $149,000. Elizabeth Jupinko aka Mikulich to Stacy Properties LLC at 1 Lecky Ave. for $17,500. California-Kirkbride Pittsburgh City to Thomas Corcoran at 1110 Sunday St. for $400 (state deed transfer stamps indicate a value of $7,700). Central Northside Stephen Novick to Rochak Chadha at 1201 Palo Alto St. for $275,000. Eric Polkis to Federal National Mortgage Assn. at 130 Parkhurst St. for $2,912 by sheriff’s deed. Lynnette Wright to US Bank NA trustee at 1200 Sherman Ave. for $2,036 by sheriff’s deed. Mark Lovelis to Michael Carnicella and Elizabeth Germana at 1514 Mon-
August 2015
terey St. for $279,000. Justin Crickenberger to National Residential Nominee Services In at 1362 Federal St. for $287,000. National Residential Nominee Services In to Faye and Christian Hans Haral Pedersen at 1362 Federal St. for $287,000. Bruce Harshman et al. to Robert Ferguson at 108 E. Jefferson St. for $222,000. Penn Pioneer Enterprises LLC to Dewei Ai at 1432 Loraine St. for $32,000. Edward Massucci to Jason Coppula at 1223 Buena Vista St. for $300,000. Allegheny City Central Assn. to October Real Estate Holdings LLC at 1511 Arch St. for $25,000. Estate of Norman Humphries to Champion Mortgage Co. at 524 Armandale St. for $3,673 by sheriff’s deed. Charles Street Valley Robert Williams to Steel City Observer Investment Group LLC at 617 1/2 Danbury St. for $12,500. East Deutschtown
August 2015
Devline Inc. to Kurt and Alexandra Schaefers at 818 Suismon St. for $130,000. Junwei Li to Xijie Guan at 814 Blossom Way for $12,000. Fineview Benjamin Glaser to Patrick Young at 124 Henderson St. for $179,000. Historic Deutschtown Estate of Robert Sexton to Isaiah Billek Sawhney at 1002 Middle St. for $231,000. Eric Ellsworth to Philip Hake and Leslie Sargent at 418 Tripoli St. for $260,000. Manchester Erica Anne Frick et al. to Nicholas Robert Griffith at 1422 Page St. for $1 (state deed transfer stamps indicate a value of $72,050). Dean Scott Hastings et al. to James and Mary Tegowski at 1224 Juniata St. for $330,000. Observatory Hill Randy Brodsky to James and Celeste Rhodes at 230 Bonvue St. for $20,000. Estate of Patrick King to Chad Joseph King at 36 Waldorf St. for $1 (state deed transfer stamps indicate a
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value of $53,130). Clifford Foster to B Wiles Property Resource Group LLC at 109 Watson Blvd. for $1 (state deed transfer stamps indicate a value of $12,000). Robert Burke Jr. to Laura Ann Fox at 345 Dalton Ave. for $1 (state deed transfer stamps indicate a value of $41,800). Donald Keller to Jared and Kristen Pauli at 262 Waldorf St. for $192,000. Amanda Miller Bower to Timothy Kotzman and Mallory Macy at 3911 Dewey Ave. for $88,000. Brian Zyskowski to Patrick Capperis at 3008 Perrysville Ave. for $154,900. 3931 Ventures LLC to Scott Pipitone trustee and Anthony Aulicino trustee at 3931 Perrysville Ave. for $10,000. Robert Megahan to Christopher Bell and Kristen Bixby at 125 Marshall Ave. for $100,884. Perry Hilltop Wells Fargo Bank NA to David Dean at 2221 Holyoke St. for $1 (state deed transfer stamps indicate a value of $34,100). Joseph Kissane to Justin Weigle at
1870 Clayton Ave. for $15,000. Clifford Foster to B Wiles Property Resource Group LLC at 111 Maywood St. for $1 (state deed transfer stamps indicate a value of $5,000). Perrysville Properties L.P. to 2403 Perrysville Plaza L.P. at 2403 Perrysville Ave. for $10 (state deed transfer stamps indicate a value of $4,400,000). Landry Jr. & Assoc. LLC to OGR Realty 3 L.P. at 318 Elsdon St. for $10,000. Pittsburgh City to Chandler Wolf at 2610 Norwood Ave. for $12,000. Spring Garden Estate of Philip Catalano to Daniel Rhodes Jr. at 1117-1119 Spring Garden Ave. for $40,000. Spring Hill Deborah Bakowski et al. to Luke Moskal at 1526 Homer St. for $79,000. Wesbanco Bank Inc. to East Side Property Management LLC at 1526 Rhine St. for $90,000. Patrick Carothers to Jonathan Martin and Hannah Dobbs at 21 Solar St. for $10,000. Ronald Hamm to Ashley Snyder at
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2133 Harbor St. for $87,000. L & H Partn. LLC to Kissel Moving & Storage LLC at 1121 S. Side Ave. for $260,000. Summer Hill Estate of William Marra to Amarracan Real Estate LLC at 4113 Evergreen Road for $1 (state deed transfer stamps indicate a value of $27,003). Sarah Paulik to James Rosvanis and Dana Marie Hroblak at 4444 Valley View St. for $100,000. Alan Kroniser to Samuel Matthews at 168 Ivory Ave. for $152,000 Estate of Ralph Stotts to US Bank NA at 4305 Harpen Road for $3,607 by sheriff’s deed. Troy Hill David Alcantara et al. to Margaret Anne Jayson at 51 Waterfront Drive for $340,000. Elizabeth Graham estate et al. to Eileen Brown at 1911 Lowrie St. for $1 (state deed transfer stamps indicate a value of $10,908). Joyce Karel to Troy Hill Homes LLC at 2181 Lowrie St. for $47,500.
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The Northside Chronicle
August 2015
Education on the Northside Free library boxes throughout Northside help promote literacy
Photo by Erika Fleegle
A free library box in the garden next to Northside Common Ministries in California-Kirkbride is on of several such boxes in the Northside. By Erika Fleegle In a “blink-and-you’ll-miss-it” sort of way, the small box situated in the garden next to Northside Common Ministries in California-Kirkbride could be mistaken for a birdhouse. But upon closer inspection, the brightly-painted box houses books, not birds. This little free library, along with others cropping up around the city, is just one way locals are improving literacy in the community. Debra Smallwood, the project’s pioneer, had been working with students from Brashear High School’s Be There Ambassadors, part of the United Way’s “Be There” campaign promoting academic excellence through
great attendance. The students were looking for more ways to get involved in their community, but weren’t sure how. While walking through her neighborhood, Smallwood found an answer. “After seeing a library box in the Mexican War Streets, I went to the construction tech teacher at Brashear and he took on the project of building the libraries in his classes and making it a student project,” she said. Little free libraries like these are a growing trend in urban areas as the boxes are typically stocked with books of varying genres, which eager readers can take and leave to read at their leisure Initially, 40 boxes were built, designed by students, and distrib-
uted throughout different neighborhoods. All box locations were chosen by businesses and community members who requested a box. Smallwood noted that she has been working with One Northside and the Buhl Foundation to put a box in every Northside neighborhood. For Smallwood, the most rewarding part of the project, aside from improving literacy within Pittsburgh Public Schools, is the engagement between the students and the community. “Having the students speak about the project and interact with community members and business owners is inspiring,” she noted. “I love to see the excitement that the students have.” And it’s not just students who
are excited about the little free libraries, community members, business owners and politicians have all showed interest in becoming involved with the project. During a kick-off event at the Mattress Factory, over 700 books were donated. Following that, wordof-mouth alone has brought those numbers up to well over 1,000. Jay Poliziani, Director of Northside Common Ministries on Brighton Road, has been thrilled so far with the response to the little free library. “I went into this thinking that no one would ever actually use the library, but that it had great value in providing a visible sign to our neighbors of our organization’s commitment to the community as well as our strong focus on education,” he said, “However, I was pleasantly surprised!” Poliziani noted that within the first day on site, the library box attracted two readers who took books that interested them. The box is regularly refilled by contacts at the Carnegie Library in Central Northside and the North Hills Library. Those interested in putting a little free library in their neighborhood should contact Debra Smallwood at debra. smallwood0163@gmail.com.
Have an Education tip? Please email the editor at editor@thenorthsidechronicle.com
August 2015
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The Northside Chronicle
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