Issuu

Volume 30 No. 1

January 2014

Art museum reflects on anniversary By Alyse Horn

Zukin said plans for the Masonic building are complete and he is waiting for approval from the National Park Service to grant historic status. Zukin has until June to close on the building. The Central Northside City of Asylum signed the lease for the Masonic Building, where they plan to build a literary center, bookstore and café called Alphabet City. Recently, Zukin’s exclusive time period on the Bradberry

It takes truly creative minds to see something in nothing. Take Barbara Luderowski, founder and co-director of the Mattress Factory art museum, 500 Sampsonia Way. When she first moved to the Northside in the 1970s, she bought a condemned house on Monterey Street. “I don’t walk into houses and see crap,” Luderowski said in a 2009 interview with Pittsburgh Quarterly.” I see what I want to make out of them,” The same goes for the worldrenowned art museum she founded 35 years ago. Before it was the Mattress Factory, it was a mattress factory. The abandoned Sterns & Foster mattress warehouse caught Luderowski’s eye in the mid1970s when it went up for sale. The building was located along the walk Luderowski would make between her Monterey Street house and Sampsonia Way studio. Luderowski said she tried to get several other people to purchase the warehouse with her, but no one accepted the offer.

See Garden, page 7

See Mattress Factory, page 8

Photo by Alyse Horn Construction workers renovate The Garden Theater on December 6. The theater was built in 1915.

Garden Theater rennovations continue into the New Year By Alyse Horn

Construction for the Garden Theater Building, 10 W. North Ave., is underway. Wayne Zukin, Zukin Realty president, said with the Garden Theater in progress construction should move more easily and quickly. “[The Garden Theater Block] is a complicated series of buildings,” Zukin said. “Restoring the buildings is much more expensive than tearing them down and building them new, so it becomes that much more complicated to

INSIDE

find financing and grant money.” Gigi Saladan, chief communications officer for the Urban Redevelopment Authority, which is involved in the development of the Garden Theater Block, said Zukin is waiting on funding for the Masonic building, 12 W. North Ave., in the form of Historic Tax Credits from the Department of Interior’s Parks Service. Generally, if the Masonic building is certified to be a historic structure, it will give the developers a 20 percent tax credit.

-News briefs 6 -Foundation matches donations 14 STORIES, COLUMNS, FEATURES & MORE -Condors at the Aviary 22

ONLINE

-The Chronicle’s Daily Blog -Weekly real estate transfers WWW.THENORTHSIDE CHRONICLE.COM -Event flyers and photos

The Northside Chronicle

Page 2

THE NORTHSIDE CHRONICLE 922 Middle St. • Pittsburgh, PA 15212

January 2014

Community Meetings 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

Managing Editor Alyse Horn editor@thenorthsidechronicle.com Advertising Manager Jena Ruszkiewicz advertising@thenorthsidechronicle.com www.thenorthsidechronicle.com Phone 412-321-3919 • Fax 412-321-1447 Mail Subscriptions are available at a rate of $35.00 per year. Distribution: 8,000 copies 2013 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 2008

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

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

2nd Monday, monthly, 7 p.m. Allegheny Traditional Academy 412.231.7742

North Side Lions Club 2nd and 4th Tuesday, monthly, noon Max’s Allegheny Tavern

Charles Street Area Council 1st Monday, monthly, call for times Pittsburgh Project, 2801 N. Charles St. 412.321.5567

North Side Public Safety Council 1st Thursday, monthly, 5:30 p.m. Northside Leadership Conference 412.330.2559

Community Alliance of Spring Garden/ East Deutschtown 2nd Tuesday, monthly, 6:30 p.m. Fuhrer Building of St. Michael’s Church 412.977.1979

Observatory Hill, Inc. 3rd Wednesday, monthly, 7 p.m. Byzantine Seminary, 3605 Perrysville Ave. 412.231.2887

Deutschtown New Hope Council 3rd Thursday, monthly, 6:30 p.m. Community Center, 623 Suismon St.

Perry Hilltop Citizens’ Council 4th Monday, monthly, 6 p.m. Triangle Tech,1940 Perrysville Ave. perryhilltop@gmail.com 412-223-7144

East Allegheny Community Council 2nd Tuesday, monthly, 7 p.m. Bistro to Go 412.321.1204 Ex-offender Aftercare Support Group Saturdays, 4-5:30 p.m. Allegheny Center Alliance Church 801 Union Place Fineview Citizens Council 3rd Wednesday, monthly, 6:30 p.m.

Upper Rooms at Reformed Presbyterian Home

Perrysville Ave. 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

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 May 7, Sept. 10, Oct. 1. Nov. 5 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

January 2014

The Northside Chronicle

Page 3

Mission serves the masses on Thanksgiving in 14 local high-rise buildings. The week leading up to Thanksgiving, volunteers also helped gather and package food that was delivered to families in need so they were able to cook dinner in their homes. Over 260 nonprofit churches and organizations were involved and helped delivered the baskets of food to the families the Monday before Thanksgiving. Over the course of the Courtesy of Light of Life Rescue Mission week, Wadsworth said the Volunteers take a break from preparing and serving food for a photo organizations “gave out a opprotunity together. Mayor-elect Bill Peduto total of over 1,000 meals.” By Alyse Horn In addition to the meals served the first meal of the day Light of Life Rescue Mis- at the mission, which included served that day, a tent was open sion hosted their annual Great an assortment of turkey, stuff- outside the Mission where men, Thanksgiving Banquet on ing, gravy, sweet potatoes, green women and children in need Thanksgiving, serving thousands beans, applesauce and dessert. could pick out a warm winter of meals to neighbors in need. Light of Life Public Relations coat. The coats were donated Food preparation began at Manager Kate Wadsworth said that by people in the community. 5 a.m., and over 100 volunteers along with serving meals through“We couldn’t have done donated their time to make the out the afternoon, volunteers this without the volunteers day meaningful for everyone. delivered hot meals to residents and donors,” Wadsworth said.

Page 4

The Northside Chronicle

January 2014

The Northside Chronicle

Page 5

Doug’s Market closes its doors after 18 years By Alyse Horn After 18 years serving the Northside, Doug’s Market, 1327 Arch St., closed its doors for good on Saturday, December 7. Doug Nimmo, owner of the market, said the lack of business was the main factor in deciding to close. Nimmo said with the neighborhood changing over the years, the business has seen a drop in sales with customers going to big discount stores for lower prices that he can’t match. “I’m not bitter, I’m just grateful for the run we had,” Nimmo said. In 1995, Nimmo was working at Brilliance Market when he found out his future store was for sale. As the story goes, one night over a glass of wine he was talking to friend Randy Gilson about how it would be “cool” to own the store and Gilson told him, “just do it.”

Courtesy of Doug Nimmo

Due to lack of business, Doug Nimmo, owner of Doug’s Market, was forced to close shop for good on December 7. After taking out a loan and putting everything on the line, he did. “We had a heck of a thing going for many, many years,” Nimmo said. “It was so much fun seeing people every day, a lot have been like family to me. I got to watch their kids grow up.”

Lydia Lindsay, a regular shopper at Doug’s since 2003, said between shopping at the market and her weekly community supported agriculture box she was able to greatly reduce her need to shop at larger stores. Lindsay said there are many

things she will miss about Doug’s once it is gone, from the convenience of walking distance to the care Nimmo showed for customer’s special orders. “They even asked what type of whole bean coffee I liked and started carrying that,” Lindsay said. “Customer service of that nature is really hard to find these days.” Lindsay and Nimmo both agreed that with a tight economy, they do not blame customers going to big discount stores. Nimmo said the week leading up to the store closing was extremely emotional with a lot of hugs and tears, but it’s time to slow down a little bit and enjoy life. The store closed the exact date it opened 18 years ago. Nimmo still owns the building and is hoping to lease it to someone with a new business idea.

The Northside Chronicle

Page 6

Public Safety As of December 18, 2013, 244 incidents were reported throughout the Northside, which led to 79 arrests. The Northside Public Safety Council wants to remind people to not leave gifts or items of any value visible in their vehicles. Visible items of any value in vehicles are easy targets for criminals. If necessary to leave items in the car, it is best to lock items in the trunk. 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 Conferenceâ€™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. For questions or concerns regarding crime or police presence, contact the Zone 1 Community Relations Officer, Forrest Hodges at forrest.hodges@pittsburghpa. gov.

January 2014

City of Pittsburgh may owe some residents money

City Council President Darlene Harris is leading efforts to refund thousands of dollars, owed by the city, to area residents. Nearly 900 people are owed money by the City of Pittsburgh in amounts ranging from $1 to $6,500. Residents have until February 15, 2014 to claim these funds. The list of people to claim these funds is posted on the District 1 City Council website at

www.pittsburghpa.gov/district1/. If your name appears on the list or you do not have access to the internet, contact Council President Harrisâ€™ office at 412-255-2135. Unclaimed money will, by law, be returned to the state of PA. This is the third year in a row that Council woman Harris is leading the effort to return this money to the people.

January 2014

The Northside Chronicle

Page 7

Garden Theater developer continues work From Garden, page 1 building expired. Zukin said the URA will be reimbursing his company in exchange for turning over the drawings and consultant work that was done for the building, including the ultimate approval of Part 2 Historic Designation from the Department of Interior’s Park Service. According to a newsletter released by the Allegheny Central City Association, “A new developer will be sought for the Bradberry so construction on the Garden and Masonic can continue to move forward.” “We’re excited to move forward,” Zukin said. “If there are other folks who think they can help with the project, we are glad to have them on board.” The newsletter released by the ACCA on December 13 contained the following information:

“At their meeting on December 12, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) voted to detach the Bradberry Building on Reddour Street from the Masonic Temple and Garden Theatre. Since last month, 12 properties had been under the control of Philadelphia developer Zukin Realty and Pittsburgh-based Collaborative Ventures. The Bradberry has turned out to be more costly to develop than anticipated, the financing environment shifted during the project, and funding has fallen short. A new developer will be sought for the Bradberry so construction on the Garden and Masonic can continue to move forward. ACCA believes these changes will help better position us for success and allow us to build

on the momentum we have with construction currently underway at the Garden Theatre. It allows Zukin’s team to focus on the retail anchor of the block and opens the potential for additional developers to work simultaneously on other buildings. Allegheny City Development Group has been granted an extension until June 10 to complete their plan for the Masonic. They are awaiting National Park Service historic approval. The URA also voted to issue an RFP for development of properties at 1113-1115 Federal Street. The URA has already completed major stabilization and exterior work on the building. Photo by Alyse Horn This, along with other recent improvements along Federal Construction crew working on Street, should make these prop- the Garden Theater building on erties attractive to developers.” December 6, 2013.

Page 8

The Northside Chronicle

January 2014

Mattress Factory celebrates 35th anniversary From Mattress Factory, page 1 “There it was in the middle of the neighborhood, somebody had to do something with it,” Luderowski said. It wasn’t easy to obtain, but her persistence in purchasing the warehouse paid off. She lived in the building and also had a studio there. Luderowski said a co-op ended up forming in which people from all over the city would come together during the week and take turns making each other vegetarian dishes. At the same time, Luderowski, friends and some Carnegie Mellon University students and instructors were constructing exhibits on the upper floor. Co-director Michael Olijnyk was one of the CMU students involved, and as he puts it, “[I was a guest] who came to dinner and never really left.” The Mattress Factory became a legal non-profit in 1977 and Olijnyk has been with the museum since 1978. Over the years the museum has grown, acquiring nine noncontributing properties and converting them into galleries, artist residences and program spaces. Luderowski said she could have chosen to “build a big lump in the neighborhood,” but instead she preferred to build around it. “I chose to live here because I love the individuality,” Luderowski said. “[The Northside] has a bad reputation in peoples minds… this encourages people to come find us and move from gallery to gallery on foot.” The Mattress Factory draws over 75,000 people to the Northside annually, with 49 percent from western Pennsylvania, 45 percent across the country and six percent from around the world. With world-renowned recognition come art-

Courtesy of Felice Cleveland

A young girl stands inside The Walls, which are portable and collapsible canvas walls used for educational purposes. ists from all over the globe. Olijnyk said that some artists have traveled from Japan, China, Cuba, Taiwan and Eastern Europe to show their work at the museum. While the foreign artists are in Pittsburgh, they stay in artist residencies that the museum owns, just a few blocks away from the Mattress Factory. Luderowski and Olijnyk said the museum has worked with over 600 artists since it was founded. “The hardest thing to do is take down a piece, but the most exciting time is starting one again,” Olijnyk said. “We’re about the process and the partnership with the artists, we work through the ideas and the possibilities [of the exhibit].” What’s unique at the Mattress Factory is that it has changed the game in showcasing exhibitions. It was the first museum in the United States to focus its collecting on installation art, which means the work is created for the space it will be presented in. A lot of work goes into creating installation pieces, and a lot of work the artists cannot do themselves. Olijnyk said the Mattress Factory hires local carpenters, plasterers or metalworkers to help build whatever the artist requires.

Olijnyk said when possible, all materials and equipment are obtained from Pittsburgh-area businesses. In 2007, CMU Center for Economic Development did a study on the impact that the Mattress Factory has on the community. The conclusion was that the museum “makes important contributions to local workforce development, neighborhood redevelopment, cultural tourism, artists entrepreneurship and economic growth.” According to the study, the museum has helped boost the economy in Allegheny County by $2.8 to $3.2 million through spending by the museum, its employees and visitors. The Education Department at the Mattress Factory serves more than 17,000 people a year through programs such as Installation Labs, Teacher Professional Development, Family Day, ArtLabs and Factory 14s. The Mattress Factory has recently added a new after school program called Afternoons @ the Factory. Luderowski said these programs are more about creative problem solving, and are meant to help the children in the neighborhood

realize that they have the ability to change the environment they’re in. “We’re not making artists, but community activists,” Luderowski said. The CMU Economic Impact Survey said that while art helps kids develop creative talents, emerging research also shows that “direct instruction, as well as arts-integrated subject instruction, can lead to increases in academic achievement,” including math and reading. The Mattress Factory has worked with numerous schools to help students improve academically. One outreach project is called, “The Space I’m In.” The museum website states, “This project creates connections between our memories, sensory understanding and physical spaces.” The project is a series of interactive projects that are portable and adjustable to different situations. Instead of students traveling to the Mattress Factory, it can come to them. The Walls are four lightcolored portable and collapsible canvas walls, including inflatable balls of various sizes. A plethora of images, including student’s work, can be projected on the three-dimensional space to alter the experience of the space. Olijnyk said one school that was lacking in math scores used The Walls to help the children improve their grades by using rulers and protractors to create images that were then uploaded onto a computer and projected on The Walls. Olijnyk said as a result, the children’s math scores went up. It has taken a lot of time, energy and funding to create the environment the Mattress Factory radiates, but it has grown into something that influences and helps better the community. “Art is not about art, art is about life,” Luderowski said.

January 2014

The Northside Chronicle

Page 9

Chamber of Commerce radiates spirit of giving By Alyse Horn On December 12, Northside business owners and residents gathered in the Grand Hall at The Priory for the annual Northside/North Shore Chamber of Commerce Holiday Gala. The night was filled with jazz music by Michele Bensen and The Bensen Burner Band, as well as a silent auction and a special raffle for attendees who brought a toy or non-perishable food item. The food was collected and donated to the Northside Common Ministries Food Pantry and the toys were given to Urban Impact, which distributes the toys to Northside youth in need. Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Robin Miller said the night was “splendid” and filled with positivity. “It’s all about the spirit of giving,” Miller said. “People [donated] toys and food, and we celebrated the evening together.” Sara Van Kirk, director of

education at the Urban Impact, said approximately 45 toys were donated from the gala. “[We are] so excited and so grateful for the opportunity to collect those toys,” Van Kirk said. “We want people to know we are so thankful.” Van Kirk said in the week following the gala, Urban Impact wrapped and delievered the toys to families in need. The Northside/North Shore Chamber of Commerce is a service organization that creates, develops and fosters a supportive climate that serves the interest of its members. As a partner with business, the Chamber is a resource that promotes, maintains and enhances business activities. As a member of the community, the Chamber collaborates with other groups to promote the interests of the Northside. For more information, visit northsidechamberofcommerce. com.

Photo by Joe Renckly

Gala goers mingle and enjoy the music at the Priory Grand Hall for the 2013 Northside/North Shore Chamber of Commerce Holiday Gala.

Page 10

The Northside Chronicle

Courtesy of Jay Poliziani

Above is Northside Common Ministries Food Pantry. NCM is the largest single client of the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. Donations are most needed in January, February, and summer months.

January 2014

Did you know you can receive the weekly online edition right in your e-mail inbox each Thursday? To sign up, email editor@thenorthsidechronicle. com, or go to www.thenorthsidechroncicle.com.

January 2014

The Northside Chronicle

Page 11

Page 12

The Northside Chronicle

January 2014

Men retread the road to Gettysburg

By Alyse Horn Sometimes people make questionable purchases. Take Jim Smith, a military veteran and drum aficionado, who said he once bought a snare drum that looked like a piece of coal. “It had been stored in an attic. It was covered in soot and bird dropping,” Smith said. When he took the drum home he noticed a strange rattling noise coming from inside, and discovered a single silver-tipped drumstick. This single drumstick led him to unveil the previous owner of the drum, Peter Guibert. Guibert was a soldier in the civil war, part of Company F and the 74th Infantry, and fought in the Battle of Gettysburg. Guibert also resided in the Northside. For the 50th anniversary of the infamous battle, Guibert and Jon Conroy left West Park and walked all the way to Gettysburg following the Lincoln Highway. The pair left on May 26 and arrived on June 13, 1913. It took the two 18 days to make the 200 mile trip, and at the time Guibert was 70 years old. The Pennsylvania Railroad offered a free ride to Gettysburg 50th Anniversary Reunion for Union and Confederate soldiers, but mysteriously, Guibert walked. “I was marveled of the thought of this old man marching over these hills to Gettysburg,” Smith said. “A few years ago it really sunk in.” Smith was talking about Guibert’s story with a few friends and how Gettysburg 150th Anniversary was coming up, and “the fella’s just looked at me and said, ‘Well?’” After that, Smith was committed to making the same trek Guibert did 100 years ago. Smith set out from West Park on May 26 with friends Ray Zimmerman as Conroy walking beside him and Len DeCarlo

following the duo in a car. The three traveled the route of the old Lincoln Highway, Smith beating Guibert’s drum during the walk. Zimmerman said the first week of the walk it was 90 degrees. “With every step, at least once a day, we would ask ourselves why in the world [Guibert] would do this,” Smith said. Arriving at Gettysburg on June 13, 2013, Smith and Zimmerman had recreated Guibert and Conroy’s journey 100 years later, even down to the littlest details. On the tail end of the 1913 journey, Guilbert and Conroy hitched a ride on a horse-drawn wagon with a Bell Telephone logo, so Zimmerman arranged for that to happen near the end of the 2013 journey, without telling Smith. Upon approaching the wagon, Smith said he was “speechless.” Taking a step back and looking at the journey, Smith said “it was one of those things that had to be.” Guibert was born on January 4, 1844. Smith was born February 2, 1944. The two men were born almost an exact 100 years apart and both made the 200 mile walk to Gettysburg at age 70. Before Smith and Zimmerman left for Gettysburg in May, they stopped at Guibert’s grave in Highwood Cemetery and grabbed a handful of soil. “We interred the soil from Peter’s grave at the 74th PA monument in the National Cemetery [when we arrived] on June 13,” Smith said. Smith has tried to find out more information on Guibert and Conroy, and a reason as to why the pair made the walk, but most clues lead to dead ends. Smith has his speculations, but without a journal from either man, nothing can be confirmed. Smith and Zimmerman are veterans and members of the Armbrust Veterans Association Honor Guard.

Courtesy of Jim Smith

On their trek to Gettysburg, Jim Smith portrayed Peter Guibert and Ray Zimmerman portrayed John Conroy. Guibert and Conroy walked from West Park to Gettysburg in 1913. If anyone has information on Guibert or Conroy, contact Smith at yankeedrummer1@hotmail.com.

January 2014

The Northside Chronicle

Page 13

Page 14

The Northside Chronicle

January 2014

Donations to food banks matched by foundation By Alyse Horn On December 10, The Pittsburgh Foundation launched a major community-wide appeal to help food banks in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties meet a critical upsurge in demand during the holiday season. The Northside Common Ministries Food Pantry is just one of the 16 food banks and pantries that are to benefit from these donations. Until midnight on December 31, credit card donations of $25 or more were being matched dollar-for-dollar by The Pittsburgh Foundation. Contributions could be donated directly to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank or Westmoreland County Food Bank, or to any of the local neighborhood food pantries listed on the site, including Northside Com-

mon Ministries Food Pantry. The foundation initially established a $100,000 fund to match all donations made until the end of December. Luckily, additional contingency funds were set aside by the foundation to boost its match pool, because donations have already surpassed $100,000, said John Ellis, Vice President for Communications for The Pittsburgh Foundation. “The spike in hunger in our region is startling, that is why we decided to act,” Ellis said. “We know there are a lot of requests for donations at this time of year, but this is the most essential of human needs and if [people] can help, please do.” Jay Poliziani, director of Northside Common Ministries, said the donations received will

be put in reserve to help the food pantry, “So months where there is less giving we aren’t scrambling quite as much.” Poliziani said January, February and the summer months are particularly hard on the pantry. Northside Common Ministries is the largest single client of the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. Poliziani said in November, NCM served 1,062 people. Even if the money wasn’t donated directly to NCM, Ellis said the pantries listed receive its food from the two main food banks, so “either way the money [people] give will go to help people who need the support of food assistance.” The total donation amount was not available at press time, but Poliziani said it is definietly over $200,000.

According to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, demand in some local neighborhoods increased in November by up to 40 percent compared with November 2012, and the Westmoreland County Food Bank – which reports that one in six of the population in its service area now qualifies for food assistance – is experiencing an overall rise in demand of approximately 13 percent. Food bank officials believe that the sharp rise in demand last month was prompted partly by the expiration on November 1 of a boost to the Federal Supplemental Assistance Nutrition Program (SNAP/food stamps) that was introduced as part of the U.S. Government’s stimulus package in 2009. Of those receiving SNAP benefits, 43 percent are children.

January 2014

The Northside Chronicle

Page 15

Page 16

The Northside Chronicle

January 2014

The Northside Chronicle

Special education report is a good first step, but education in PA needs more By State Reps. Mike Sturla, Jim Roebuck and Mark Longietti

Nearly 270,000 Pennsylvania children -- one out of every 6.5 students – receive special education services in our public schools. While the number has steadily grown over the years, funding for special education has been stagnant since 2009. Many school districts around the state struggle to deliver the services that they’re mandated by law to provide. The shortfall is partly due to an antiquated state funding formula, which assumes that a blanket 16 percent of students – the statewide average -- require special education programs regardless of the actual number. In reality the percentage of special education students served in school districts across the state ranges from 8 percent to 26 percent. Recently, the Special Education Funding Commission, established under Act 3 of 2013 and consisting of lawmakers and officials from the governor’s administration, released a report with recommendations to address the chronic underfunding of special education, including instituting a new formula to distribute funds. By adequately investing in special education we aid our students in meeting academic standards, as well as transitioning into higher education, employment, independent living and community participation. The recommendations in the commission’s report provide a blueprint on ways to address the challenge of more equita-

bly funding special education. In reality, inequitable, and in many cases insufficient funding, for special education is just a symptom of a larger ailment in securing adequate funding for all education in the commonwealth. The reductions in education dollars over the past three budget cycles have already begun to have a negative impact on test scores, and tuition at our universities has surged. Every dollar we cut from education has an impact on a child somewhere: whether it’s in Philadelphia, where at one point this fall there was one guidance counselor serving 3,700 students; or the dozens of jobs cut from Mercer County’s school districts; or, the program cuts due to fewer Accountability Block Grants in Lancaster. The same inequity and inefficiency that plagues special education funding is a problem across the board with the state education budget, where wealthier districts often receive smaller per-pupil cuts than the painful, damaging cuts endured by districts in lower-income neighborhoods. The Special Education Funding Commission was a truly bipartisan effort aimed at benefiting Pennsylvania students. We hope that the same spirit of bipartisanship sweeps through the legislature in the upcoming year’s budget, and that we invest in all of Pennsylvania’s students regardless of their special needs or their zip code.

Page 17

Page 18

The Northside Chronicle

Pittsburgh Banjo Club celebrates 25 years

January 2014

By Alyse Horn After 25 years of keeping “America’s native instrument” alive, Pittsburgh’s Banjo Club shows no sign of slowing down. On Wednesday, December 18, the banjo club played for a packed house at the Elks Lodge #339, 400 Cedar Ave. Banjo club founder Frank Rossi said the week before Christmas is always one of its biggest nights during the year. The club played at the Elks Lodge, as they do every Wednesday, from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., with the tunes ranging from Dixieland, polka, sing-alongs, vocals, banjo solos and music from the 1920s and 1930s. The club is a non-profit organization that was started in in 1988 by Rossi after he moved to North Hills from Long Island. In New York, he had been part of the Long Island Banjo Club and upon moving said he had the urge to start a prominent banjo presence in the area. “I put out some newspaper ads that [promoted starting] a banjo club, and 15 people contacted me right away,” Rossi said. Today, Rossi said the club has about 80 members ranging in ages from 13 to 90 years old. Out of those members, about half are able to show up on Wednesday night’s for the public practices at the Elks Lodge. This year the banjo club raised $13,000, and over the course of its 25 years the club has collectively gathered and donated over $90,000. Rossi believes that by the end of 2013, the club will have managed to raise $100,000. Rossi said all of the money is donated to different charities that club members find worthwhile.

Courtesy of Frank Rossi

More information on the banjo club can be found on its website: home.earthlink. net/~pittsburghbanjoclub. According to the website, the club is able to raise the money from its performances at banquets, parties, concerts and “any other gathering where the happy sound of the banjo is needed.” Rossi said that the Pittsburgh Banjo Club consists mostly of the four-string jazz banjo, but all musicians are welcomed. There are currently trumpets, bass, a clarinet and a tuba that accompany the banjos, making the Dixieland and march music all the more enjoyable. Rossi said that banjo night is so successful because it’s something to be enjoyed by an older and younger crowd. “Older people like it because it brings back memories of the song when they were young and young people like it because they’ve never heard it before,” Rossi said. Nicole Sinwell, who recently moved to the Northside, would be who Rossi considers part of the younger crowd. Sinwell said she has been to banjo night about five times thus far and keeps coming back because of the fun atmosphere. “It’s a place to hear awesome music that can’t be heard anywhere else in the city,” Sinwell said.

Courtesy of Carole Malakoff

Victorian Christmas Tours sold out by November By Alyse Horn The Old Allegheny Victorian Christmas House Tour sold out quickly this year, but visitors were still able purchase items from The Holiday Shoppe and tour the famous Toy Train Museum. Those who were hoping to go on the house tour in December and missed out on purchasing tickets should plan ahead to get tickets for next year’s tour. Carole Malakoff, the Ways and Means Chairman and Tour Coordinator, said that tickets for the Victorian Christmas House Tour went on sale online at the beginning of October and virtually all tickets were sold out by November 1, with over 1,700 tickets being sold. Malakoff said the tours have always been fruitful, but this December the tours were overwhelmingly successful. Malakoff said the tour was started 32 years ago by a group of neighbors. It takes about three hours to visit the six homes on the tour, with groups leaving the church every 12 minutes with a tour guide. Malakoff said houses are cho-

sen by a combination of who is willing to open their home for the tour and how often their house has been featured on the tour, because people return year after year. The Toy Train Museum, 719 Brighton Ave., houses the largest toy train collection in the world. Owner John DeSantis said that he has been collecting toy trains since he was 2 years old, and his collection is only open to the public once a year during this tour. “You couldn’t ask for a better way to meet thousands of strangers in your home,” DeSantis said. DeSantis has over 8,000 trains on display that take up the top two floors of his house. The Holiday Shoppe that was included on the Old Allegheny Victorian Christmas House Tour was located in the basement of Calvary United Methodist Church, 954 Beech Ave. Martin Fuess from Calvary United Methodist Church said there were 14 vendors at the holiday shop selling a plethora of items including antiques, jewelry, holiday décor, and a variety of hand-made artisan gifts.

January 2014

The Northside Chronicle

Page 19

The Northside Chronicle

Page 20

Allegheny West

Hampton Professional Building to Kenny Realty Investments at 900 North Ave. W and Galveston Ave. for $340,000.

Brighton Heights

Richard Larkin to R & A Laughlin Properties LLC at 806 Benton Ave. for $130,000. William Thornton to Alex Schatzman at 4132 Gittens St. for $71,000. Lenora Davis to Patricia Kelly at 1811 Marmaduke St. for $91,000. Global Premier Asset Servicing Inc. to Jamie O’Neil at 3450 Sipe St. for $12,900. Pittsburgh City to Dennis and Karen Ammer at Wabana St. for $800 (state deed transfer stamps indicate a value of $20,760). Alane Whitman to Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. at 3410 California Ave. for $1,593 by sheriff ’s deed. Joseph Campisi III to Richard Quigley Jr. at 25 Flora St. for $58,000.

Chrisann Saunders to PNC Bank NA at 3545 Massachusetts Ave. for $1,593 by sheriff ’s deed. Karen Reddick to Deutsche Bank National Trust Co. trustee at 3806 California Ave. for $1,593 by sheriff ’s deed. Erik Lowe to Nicholas Corbett at 3607 California Ave. Unit 1 for $102,500. Kimberly Martin to Sherry Clarke at 908 Davis Ave. for $109,000. Estate of Theodore Malay to Mryna Reaves at 3340 Harbison St. for $88,000. Edna Surenda to Clinton Clegg and Jacklyn White at 3508 McClure Ave. for $75,000. Estate of Peter Derbish to Keller Morgan Property Solutions LLC at 1216 Termon Ave. for $22,000. Yelva Trevant to Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. at 4022 Wilksboro St. for $1,822 by sheriff ’s deed.

Brightwood

Kevin Donahue et al. to Three Rivers Property Development Group at 2406

California Ave. for $50,000. Harry Caskey III et al. to Heather Elizabeth Caskey at 1236 Woodland Ave. for $8,000. George Nolan to Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. at 2805 Frederick St. for $2,824 by sheriff ’s deed. Orestes Paras to Richard Willett at 1200 Ingham St. for $117,500. Federal National Mortgage Assn. to Pittsburgh Landmark Group LLC at 1411 Forsythe St. for $28,000.

Central Northside

Estate of Robert Jones to Penn Pioneer Enterprises LLC at 400 Jacksonia St. for $4,589. Central Northside Neighborhood Council to Frank Quinn Construction Corp. at 1529 Saturn Way for $6,612. Pittsburgh City to Central Northside Neighborhood Council at 1531 Saturn Way for $2,000. Pittsburgh Urban Redevelopment Authority to Garden Theater ACDG LLC at 12 W. North Ave. for $73,757. Mary Beattie to Penn Pioneer

January 2014

Enterprises LLC at 1432 Loraine St. for $5,057 by sheriff ’s deed. Spencer Hagler to Penn Pioneer Enterprises LLC at 1444 Loraine St. for $5,582. Central Northside Neighborhood Council to John Hancock III at 1527 Arch St. for $1,555. Pittsburgh City to Lee and Susan Bruder at 714 Armandale St. for $4,000. Andrea Fridley to Andrew Reichert and Shannon Reath at 1501 Boyle St. for $254,000. Karen Hardy to Bradley and Lisa Fisher at 1521 Buena Vista St. for $370,000. Linda Burse Glover to William Florijan at 224 Jacksonia St. for $125,000. David Shllapak to Steven and Holly Pisanelli at 1235 Palo Alto St. for $265,000. Jerome Cypher to Warrior Development 2 L.P. at 1226 Sherman Ave. for $83,000. Supra Private Real Estate Fund LPA

January 2014

to Todd and Kaitlin Meyer at 1520 Brighton Road for $32,500.

Charles Street Valley

Federal National Mortgage Assn. to Robert Deitz Jr. at 2570 N. Charles St. for $34,900.

East Deutschtown

Ryan Matthew Heddleston to Norpit40 LLC at 831-833 Peralta St. for $45,000.

Historic Deutschtown

Mark Morgan to Mark Anderson at 1213 Linden Place for $70,000. Bank New York Mellon trustee to ARN Properties LLC at 1009 Constance St. for $19,500. Schellhaas & Son Funeral Home Realty to East Allegheny Community Council Inc. at 621 Foreland St. for $30,000.

Manchester

Jason Byrd to Joseph and Patricia Juliano at 1111 Liverpool St. for

The Northside Chronicle

$220,000. Joseph Lamatrice to Deborah Doucette at 1411 Page St. for $180,000. Arthur Ralph estate et al. to Federal National Mortgage Assn. at 1223 Pennsylvania Ave. for $2,511 by sheriff ’s deed. Pittsburgh City to Albert and Betty Walker at 1327 Warner St. for $250 (state deed transfer stamps indicate a value of $10,000). Manchester Citizens Corp. to Manchester Housing Development LLC at Fulton St. and Warner St. for $1 (state deed transfer stamps indicate a value of $4,900).

Observatory Hill

Mba Ogochukwu to Richard A Moll & Penn Assoc. LLC at 1 Semicir St. for $15,000. Deborah Santucci to Kathleen Hoblik at 235 Watson Blvd. for $45,000. Cheryl Wilds estate et al. to Citimortgage Inc. at 115 Bonvue St. for $2,079 by sheriff ’s deed.

Page 21

Raymond Bruder Jr. to Megan Carle at 30 Bonvue St. for $54,000. Thomas Wenger to Ronnie Lee and Jenifer Lynn VanVoorhis at 3000 Marshall Road for $20,000. Mark Caton to JPMorgan Chase Bank NA at 218 Venture St. for $1,662 by sheriff ’s deed. Pittsburgh Landmark Group LLC to Yelena Zilberstein at 3865 Perrysville Ave. for $54,000. Philip Hetzel to Mulango and Elisa Akpo Esambe at 3329 Portola St. for $94,000. John Mullins to Matthew Coulston and James Rosendale at 16 Richey Ave. for $212,400.

Perry Hilltop

Navy Federal Credit Union to Catherine Best at 651 Chester Ave. for $27,000.

Spring Garden

Pittsburgh Landmark Group LLC to Itamar Ben Shalom at 11 Lopella St. for $45,000. Pittsburgh Landmark Group LLC to Reuven Katz at 1001-1003 High St. for $75,000. Colleen McCary Reyburn to Matthew and Jacqueline McDowell at 1212 Voskamp St. for $65,500. Spring Hill David Russell to Shirin Asgharzadeh Fozi Jones and Thomas Jones at 1208 Haslage Ave. for $248,176. Estate of Catherine Crawford to Monica Morrissey at 2103 Rockledge St. for $55,000. Danny Polito et al. to Kenneth Sweeney at 2213 Rockledge St. for $1 (state deed transfer stamps indicate a value of $26,250).

Summer Hill

Anita Roberto to Florencio Ibarra Vazquez at 367 Ivory Ave. for $127,500. Cheryl Billinger to Robert Stackhouse Jr. at 4442 Morefield St. for $55,400.

Troy Hill

Rudolph Cicolini to Marc Benoit at 1326 Goettman St. for $50,000. Leonard Stidler Jr. to Edward Gallagher Jr. at 1701 Lowrie St. for $52,500. John Lombardozzi to James and Melissa Casson at 1625-1627 Hatteras St. 1629 for $100,000.

Bernard Fedak to Russell and Sheila Miller at 41 Waterside Place for $640,000. Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. to William Florijan at 2034 Eggers St. for $6,000. Mark Monahan to Happy Hour Holdings LLC at 1720 Harpster St. for $33,500. Deutsche Bank National Trust Co. trustee to Happy Hours Holdings LLC at 12 Heckelman St. for $20,500.

Page 22

The Northside Chronicle

January 2014

Aviary welcomes new pair of condors By Alyse Horn Outside The National Aviary, dog walkers may have noticed a change in the Condor Court. Lianni, a popular female condor at the aviary, was moved inside to make room for a new pair of condors, Lurch and Precious, who were officially welcomed to the family on December 2. “This is an exciting [time],”said Kurt Hundgen, Director of Animal Collections at the National Aviary. “While Andean Condors are popular and charismatic birds because of their impressive size and unique appearance, they are also an important species from an animal management standpoint.” Before being released into the outdoor Condor Court, Lurch and Precious were quarantined for two month to ensure health and a good transition into the new surroundings. Both birds are from zoos in Texas, so they settled in quite easily at the aviary, Hundgen said. Hundgen said the condors are one of the few birds at the aviary that have the capability to be

very aggressive and hurt the keepers, but the birds are already very comfortable being around people. “With some birds we put out front we have issues with the dogs [that pass by], but these birds aren’t phased at all,” Hundgen said. Hundgen said the next step is to get the two birds to bond and reproduce. He is optimistic, because both are proven breeders at their previous zoos. If Lurch and Precious happen to not get along, Hundgen said the aviary is fortunate to have Lianni as a possible match for Lurch. The aviary is also looking forward to adding another male condor to the exhibit in January. “Having two pairs will really work for us, because if a pair isn’t pair bonding you can mix and match. So far what we’ve seen has been good,” Hundgen said. The possibility of breeding condors is a very exciting idea for the aviary. There are currently 71 Andean Condors living in 36 institutions nationwide, and last year those 71 produced just one chick.

Courtesy of The National Aviary

One of the two new condors at The National Aviary get used to its new surroundings. The aviary has previous experience breeding condors, hatching offspring in 2003, 2007 and 2009. The first two hatchlings were released into the wild, while the third was sent to the Cincinnati Zoo. Lurch and Precious are both condors who were caught in the wild; therefore there exact birth dates are unknown. Lurch is estimated to be about 43 and Precious about 36. In the wild, condors are known to life 40 to 50 years, but in captivity

their lifetime can be extended to 70. Andean Condors are among the largest flying birds in the world, with a wing span of over 10 feet and a body mass of 20 to 25 pounds. Hundgen said The National Aviary is interested in making the condor one of its high priority species, and will hopefully be able to upgrade the Condor Courts next year. Currently the project is in the designing phase and the aviary is looking for financial support to help back the project.

“Feed Four More” campaign ends successfully By Alyse Horn In synch with the holiday spirit, Northside Common Ministries Community Food Pantry was working with Whole Foods Market in Wexford to collect food donations as part of their “Feed Four More” campaign. A $10 donation by shoppers purchased a bag of food that will be given to the Ministries food pantry and then distributed over 1,000 families and individuals who use the pantry each month. Essentially, the bag is filled with enough food to feed a family of four. Director of Northside Com-

mon Ministries Jay Poliziani said the food drive started on December 1, but he knew it was going to end a success because the drive was going much better than last years only a few days in. “It comes at the perfect time, because around Christmas people are amazingly generous,” Poliziani said. Marketing Team Leader Annie Nelson said that all Whole Foods locations select a local nonprofit recipient, the past two years the Wholes Foods in Wexford has chosen Northside Common Ministries.

Nelson echoed Poliziani in saying that the drive did very well and she expects a large number of meals to be donated at the end of the month. By December 27, 373 meals had been sold, Nelson said. The types of food included in the meals were pasta, marinara sauce, vegetable soup, canned beets and apple sauce. Nelson said that Whole Foods orders the donated food in bulk and then the food pantry will pick it up to distribute to the families in need. “As a company, [helping

Courtesy of Annie Nelson

The “Feed Four More” campaign ran until December 31, 2013.

our community] is just something we do,” Nelson said.

January 2014 9

8 5

Page 23

Hard Sudoku

The Game Page 2

Last Month’s Puzzle Solutions 4

www.sudoku-puzzles.net

Puzzle #4 for September 22, 2010

The Northside Chronicle

S A N

K N A

17 20

M A C

N A

5 6 7 8 www.sudoku-puzzles.net

P L A

18 21

E P

E L

A G E D

E T 53

B L

R E N A

G R A

C K

A C

N G U

P E

4. Steeple 5. Laxative 6. One with a bullet? 7. Antiquing agent 8. Drive-___ 9. Indonesian cigarette 10. Birthmark 11. Actor Epps 12. Remain 13. ___-Foy, Quebec 21. Bay window 22. Desert bloomers 25. Sherpa's home 26. Maxim 27. Graduated glass tube 29. Senate attendants 30. Hosp. area 31. Plant fluid 32. Roman god of the underworld 33. Moisten while cooking 35. Bounder 37. RR stop

B E T

64 67

S E S S

J O B

S U I

R A S

U N C U

L A

R E

E S S E D 51

S T

E M P O R A N

O V E R T

S E E

S E A

E X T

E S

R A

E V A D T U

P A

R E M

E D

The aim of Sudoku is to enter a number from 1 through 9 in each space on a 9×9 grid made up of 3×3 subgrids (called “regions”). Some of the numbers have already been given. You may not use the same number twice in a single row, column, or region of the grid. Completing the puzzle requires patience and logical ability.

1 4

2 2

3 9

E N

39. Religion of the Muslims 40. Born 41. Largest country in Africa 46. Firefly, e.g. 47. Alarms 48. Thrills 50. Leash 52. Long 53. At any time 54. Lawless character 55. Gives a bad review 56. Off-Broadway theater award 57. Mayberry moppet 58. Not new 59. Juniors, perhaps 60. Assn.

BestCrosswords.com - Puzzle #1 for September 23, 2010

www.sudoku-puzzles.net

Across

Crossword puzzles provided by www. bestcrosswords.com / Used with permission.

1. Andean country Chronicle Crossword 5. Annoy 8. Ball game Across 12. Desktop picture 1- Andean country; 5- Annoy; 8- Ball game; 12Desktop picture; 13- Like a rock; 15- Off-broadway theater award; 16- Gator’s cousin; 17- Home 13. Like a rock___; Culkin Movie; 18- Ink spot; 19- Self-antigen; 22- Actress Balin; Tolkien ogre; 24Breather; 15.23-Off-Broadway theater 26- 4th letter of the Hebrew alphabet; 29- Be worthy of; 31- Highly respectful way of addressing a man; 32- Jacket material; award 34- Turkish palace; 36- At any time; 16. Gator's cousin 38- Pond insect; 40- Lacking; 41- Babbled; 43-Stem; 45- Rocky hilltop; 46- Floating; 48- Closer; 50- Attention; 51- Actor Gulager; 52Not for a Scot; 54The 17. Home ______; Culkin Christian world; 61- Golf club which can be number 1 to 9; 63- Totaled; 64- Rusmovie sian parliament before 1917; 65- In addition to; 66- Below; 67- Optical device; 6818.Leaguers; Ink spot Slammin’ Sammy; 69- Small child; 70- Some Ivy 19. Self-antigen Down 22. Actress Balin 1- Size of type; 2- Beige; 3- Underground part of a plant; 4- Not self-assured; Tolkien 5- Electrical unit; 6- “The Time Machine” race;23. 7- Walk sign;ogre 8- Lump; 9- Destroy; 10- Hero; 11- Goat’s milk cheese; 13- Sacred place; 14- Caterpillar rival; 24. Breather 20- Ancient Athens’s Temple of ___; 21- Capone’s nemesis; with; 26. 4th letter25-ofGoes the out Hebrew 26- Sofa; 27- Sandlike; 28-Robbery; 29- Started; 30- Feudal Estate; 31- Sun. talk; alphabet 33- Banned spray; 35- Neighbor of Leb.; 37- Roster; 39- Voter; 42- DEA agent; Be worthy of of a ladder; 5244- Cabbagelike plant; 47- First prime minister29. of India; 49- Rung Bites; 53- He sang about Alice; 55- Tirade; 56-31. ___-European; 57Editor’s mark; Highly respectful way of 58- Shootout; 59- Old Dodge model; 60- Aggregate; 62- Code-breaking org.; addressing a man 32. Jacket material

sonal use only. Not for publication.

P S O

E S E

E O U

First published in a U.S. puzzle magazine in 1979, Sudoku caught on in Japan in 1986, and became internationally famous in 2005.

K N O B S

R U C

E R

G H

Y S E R

R O S T

E D U C

2 26

1 2

61 65

7 28

4 42

590

7 9

42 4

33 3 88

8 2

63 9

63 66

75 1

22 25

8 7

6 30

4 35

3 55

3 65

64 67