Volume 27 No. 6 June 2011
Two neighborhoods see housing revamps; One plans a change to community landscape Cal-Bride must decide on its future
Woodland Avenue construction begins
But even something as simple and easy as filling those lots with Neighborhood planning firm sunflowers would make a dramatic CZB gave California-Kirkbride two improvement. options to improve their community: Buki suggested creating a Aggressively take over properties and six acre park in the center of the demolish most of them to create open neighborhood that would close spaces and urban forests, off a few streets and or wait until properties expose the underlying Construction of are vacated to take them cobblestone on others. Columbus Square over and allow areas to He would also underway, “return to nature.” like to see a section Page 18 CZB Principal by Kunkle Way that Charles Buki presented borders Manchester his recommendations become an urban forest. to a “pretty relaxed” small group Right now, it looks like a “dark, of Cal-Bride and Central Northside dismal hollow” with overgrown lots residents May 25. and abandoned houses. The biggest challenges Cal-Bride If the community chooses the face are a general weak housing slower approach, it would wait until a market in the region, city and that house became vacant, gain site control, particular neighborhood, as well as demolish it and then plant native community capacity, Buki said. species on the lot in order to turn the “There’s just so many really good area into a welcoming green space. houses at really reasonable prices Another area that needs to be anywhere else in the city,” Buki said addressed is the city steps throughout in a phone interview. the neighborhood. Currently, they are And even if CZB or another overgrown, littered with trash and company invested millions in debris and falling apart. the community tomorrow, there “We think the steps … look aren’t enough engaged residents to pretty scary,” Buki said. maintain the improvements. His plan calls for replacing them One of his recommendations is with a new, more welcoming design to create 4,000 square feet gardens that would fit into the neighborhood’s on 70 parcels throughout the new, open aesthetic. neighborhood, but again, capacity is a Despite the challenges, CZB’s major concern, he said. in-depth study of the neighborhood “The community garden fairy turned up some positives. doesn’t come dead head your tomato plants. You guys have to do it.” See Cal-Bride, page 18
By Ashley Goodsell
By Kelly Thomas
INSIDE
-News briefs 2 STORIES, COLUMNS, -Coffee bean prices on rise 6 FEATURES & MORE -Outside Guide 13
Two major revitalization projects by the Brightwood Civic Group in Brightwood will make significant progress this summer. Construction on the first house in the Woodland Avenue revitalization project began on May 18, and the completion of a park behind the three-unit Washburn Square housing development should be finished by the end of June, weather permitting, according to former BCG president Ed Brandt.
For the past few years, BCG has been purchasing properties on Woodland Avenue in order to renovate and re-sell them to revitalize the troubled street. The Northside Leadership Conference is project manager for the revitalization efforts. The BCG met with the Urban Redevelopment Authority on May 12 to negotiate funding and expand the Woodland Avenue project onto other under-developed Northside streets.
See Brightwood, page 18
A run, a stop and a gulp
Photo courtesy Robin Rosemary Miller
Volunteers hand out water to marathon runners at a fluid station along East Ohio Street on May 15. The Pittsburgh Marathon’s course highlighted 13 different neighborhoods, including a few on the Northside.
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THE NORTHSIDE CHRONICLE 922 Middle St. • Pittsburgh, PA 15212
June 2011
Community Meetings To have your community meeting included, email editor@thenorthsidechronicle.com Allegheny West Civic Council 2nd Tuesday, monthly, 7:30 p.m. Calvary United Methodist Church 412.323.8884
Manchester Citizens Corporation Quarterly meetings, call for times MCC Center, 1319 Allegheny Ave. 412.323.1743
Brighton Heights Citizens Federation 2nd Thursday, bi-monthly, 7 p.m. Morrow Elementary School 412.734.0233
Manchester Public Safety Meeting Quarterly meetings, call for times Northside Leadership Conference 412.323.1743
Managing Editor Emily Leone E-mail: managinged@thenorthsidechronicle.com
Brightwood Civic Group 3rd Tuesday, bi-monthly, 7 p.m. Pressley Ridge, 2611 Stayton St. 412.732.8152
Northside Rotary Club Every Friday, noon Cardello Building, 2nd Floor
Assistant Editor Kelly Thomas E-mail: assistanted@thenorthsidechronicle.com
Brightwood Community Emergency Response Shelter 3rd Thursday, monthly, 6 p.m. 3219 Central Ave.
www.thenorthsidechronicle.com Phone 412-321-3919 • Fax 412-321-1447 Mail Subscriptions are available at a rate of $30 per year.
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
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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
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 Annex 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. Reformed Presbyterian Home Pennsylvania Ave. 412.231.0330 Mexican War Streets Society 3rd Tuesday, monthly, 7 p.m. AUU Church, Resaca Pl. and North Ave. 412.323.9030
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, 7:30 p.m. Angel’s Place, 2605 Norwood St. 412.321.4632 The Promise Group Every other Tuesday, 6 p.m. Western Pa. Humane Society 412.321.1019 Troy Hill Citizens Council June 16, Sept. 15, Dec. 15 North Catholic High School 412-321-2852 Spring Hill Civic League Sept. 12, Oct. 3 and Nov. 1 Spring Hill Elementary School contact@shcl.org Summer Hill Citizens Committee 3rd Tuesday, monthly, 6:30 p.m. WPXI Television Station community room
June 2011
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Harris, Holley and Brentley come out on top in local city council, school board races By Kelly Thomas City Council District 1 incumbent Darlene Harris squeezed past mayoral pick Vince Pallus to win the Democratic primary election May 17. Final results put Harris with 41 percent and Pallus with 39 percent of the vote. Two other candidates, Bobby Wilson and Steve Oberst, came away with 13 and 7 percent respectively. “I want to move forward now,” Harris said. “There are a lot of projects that aren’t finished on the Northside and I look forward to finishing some of those projects.” One project in particular is bringing suburbanites back into the city. To do this, she said the city needs to spruce up its infrastructure a bit with repaving streets and housing projects. “[Suburbanites] want to be able to walk to our business districts,” Harris said.
School board races For Northside Pittsburgh Public School Board District 2, challenger Regina Holley beat out incumbent Dara Ware Allen for the Democratic race. “[Voters] want someone with experience in education,” Holley said. “They want someone who has proved themselves to be an advocate for children.” Holley has more than 30 years experience as a teacher and principal in Pittsburgh Public Schools. She currently works as a consultant for the State Department of Education. Holley is “firmly” against a tax increase despite looming budget cuts, she said. “If elected to the school board, I would make it a priority that we, as a district, scrutinize closely the personnel in central administration and cut non-essential positions, the money spent on consultants, the programs that are sapping resources,
yet are showing little to no results in student achievement,” Holley said on her website. Allen cross-filed as a Republican and ran unopposed, meaning the two could face one another in the November general election. Allen was appointed to the District 2 seat in 2009 by Mayor Luke Ravenstahl when Heather Arnet vacated it. Allen said she is weighing her options for November. She said the biggest issue facing the school district is how to make "prudent cuts" to the budget and maintain the progress they have achieved with fewer resources. "I'm very thankful for all the people who came out and voted for me, and who believe in what I have and what I can continue to offer," Allen said. In District 8, incumbent Mark Brentley, Sr. won over three challengers: Lisa Freeman, Arita
Gilliam Rue and Deloris Lewis. Brentley also cross-filed for Republican and ran unopposed. “I am extremely honored that a majority of voters in the district spoke loud and clear and that they are supportive of my service on the board,” Brentley said. Brentley was first elected as the District 8 director in 1999 and has since been on the board for 10 years, and said he looks forward to continuing his service. His opinions have often run contrary to the board majority. According to a voter’s guide published by nonpartisan group A+ Schools, Brentley said “Most major decisions are made based on race, politics, or classism. It seems as though the wealthier communities’ issues are addressed immediately while issues in poor communities go unaddressed and rarely are they resolved in a timely fashion.”
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The Northside Chronicle
June 2011
News Briefs Propel selects location on NSide Propel Northside Inc. recently signed a one year lease to start a charter school in the building where Columbus Middle School used to be. The lease was approved by the Pittsburgh Public Schools board, and specifies that Propel pay $10,000 a month to use the bottom three floors of the building. “I think it makes sense for the taxpayers to put a building back to use,” said Propel Executive Director Jeremy Resnick. “It’s centrally located on the Northside and I think it’s a good place to start.” Resnick said that this would only be a temporary location, however, because the building is so large. Propel Northside has hired Ariane Watson, an employee from one of the other Propel charter schools, to be the principal at the new location. It is still hiring other staff members. The school’s application period ended on May 6, although parents
may still submit an application on a first-come, first-served basis. Currently, there is room for 200 students and the school has already received “quite a few” applications, Resnick said. Propel Northside is now in the process of letting parents know that there is a place for them at the school. They will begin kindergarten screenings in June. Warhol appoints new director of development The Andy Warhol Museum has appointed Patrick Moore as the Museum’s new Director of Development. Moore comes to The Warhol from his most recent post at The Persad Center where he was the New Business Development Director. Moore began his new position at The Warhol on May 2, 2011. Eric Shiner, acting director and Milton Fine curator of art at The Warhol said, “We could not have hoped for a more perfect fit for our head development officer here at The
Warhol. Patrick is a consummate arts professional, a talented writer, a seasoned traveler and an all-around great guy.” Moore is also an author of several non-fiction books and has worked as a professional journalist. His work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Philadelphia Inquirer, the New York Times, Newsday and The Advocate. Moore received a 2005 GLAAD Media Award Nomination as Outstanding Newspaper Columnist for work in the Los Angeles Times and Newsday. Moore was also an “Expert Blogger” for Yahoo! Health. Moore received a BA in English Literature/ Theater Direction from Carnegie Mellon University in 1985. Priory honored by SBA John Graf, 46, who joined the Priory Hospitality Group full-time in 2002, will be honored by the U.S. Small Business Administration as the Family Owned Business of the Year. Graf and eight other local small
business owners and advocates were lauded on May 27 at the Western Pennsylvania SBA Awards Luncheon at the Sheraton Station Square Hotel Pittsburgh. While his parents assembled collections of Victorian-era furniture for the rooms of the former St. Mary’s Church and monastery, and added bathrooms to each guest room, as the monks shared a single bathroom, Graf has put his own touches on the thriving destination. “In addition to the Grand Hall, I’ve updated operations by utilizing the internet to boost reservations,” he explained. “Also, when a fire destroyed a nearby apartment building and parts of The Priory, I purchased the building and added a 17-room handicap accessible addition.” The new rooms offer a seamless transition to the original Priory Hotel, which now is complimented by The Monks Bar — an intimate pub for guests and residents to frequent. Graf also has plans for an outdoor urban garden and bike parking area.
June 2011
The Northside Chronicle
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Coffee shops sidestep rising bean prices By Jeanette Lee
The rising cost of coffee hasn’t forced Northside coffee shop owners to increase their retail prices yet, but it has required them to make some adjustments to the way they do business. In one year, the price of coffee, one of the most traded commodities in the world, rose from an average of $1.27 per pound in April 2010 to more than $2.30 in April 2011. That translates to an increase of 82.2 percent. Muddy Cup coffee shop owner Renee Tokar says that she hasn’t raised her prices yet because she wants to stay competitive. She tries to minimize waste by brewing coffee in small batches or focusing on other drink options such as smoothies and teas to offset the price increase. But if prices continue to rise, Tokar might have to pass on the increase to her customers. “Do I foresee [having to raise
“We never compromise taste or prices]? Probably. It’s not as dramatic as people are making it out quality.” With this method, Jones is to be. I might have to raise a coffee confident that she will be able to by five cents,” Tokar said. keep her prices the same, even if the Terra Jones, the owner of Amani Coffeehouse & Café, has also cost of coffee rises further. “I think managed to there are avoid increasing enough coffees her prices thus to choose from far. Amani to still have began roasting that flexibility,” its own coffee she said. last year. Rising Jones’s strategy is to coffee prices have choose less “absolutely” pricey kinds of affected coffee to create Photo by Kelly Thomas business at blends. If she notices that the Coffee beans, like the unroasted ones La Prima above, have risen steadily in price. Espresso, a cost of beans Strip Districtfrom Costa Rica based coffee distributor that raised is getting high, for example, she’ll its prices in September 2009, opt for a less expensive kind. “There might come a time when October 2010 and May 2011. “We try to absorb the prices we change the blend because the coffee is really expensive,” said Jones. [but] it reduces our margins,” said
president and owner Sam Patti. “In most cases, it’s by 45 or 50 cents. To put it in perspective, a 45 cent increase is a penny per cup,” said Patti. According to Ric Rhinehart, executive director of the Specialty Coffee Association of America, the rising cost of coffee can be attributed to the depreciation of the U.S. dollar, a rising demand for coffee compared to a stagnant supply and “tremendous liquidity in the U.S. financial markets.” At the same time, Rhinehart still considers coffee to be a fantastic value. “Coffee is still a largely handcrafted product, grown by dedicated small farmers, picked by hand most of the time and then processed, shipped to the U.S., roasted, ground and finally brewed, and still available to you at just a couple of dollars,” he said. Jeanette Lee is a graduate student at Carnegie Mellon University.
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The Northside Chronicle
June 2011
Manchester students step into Warhol’s world
Photo by Jeanette Lee
Eileen Viloria, a tour guide at the Andy Warhol Museum, talks about Warhol’s art with a group of seventh graders from Manchester K-8.
By Jeanette Lee At the Andy Warhol Museum, a group of seventh graders watch as their tour guide holds up a T-shaped tool. “This is what we call a squeegee,” says tour guide Eileen Viloria.
“A what?” one student asks. They listen as Viloria goes on to explain how Warhol used the tool to create his unique and famous silkscreen paintings. Led by Viloria, 19 seventh graders from Pittsburgh Manchester K-8 school were given
an opportunity explore the Andy Warhol Museum and learn about the artist’s life and career on May 24. On each floor of the museum, the students were given a brief introduction to Warhol’s work and then a chance to take a closer look at the paintings that particularly inspired them. The students learned that Warhol always made multiple variations of his artwork and sold them at discounted prices to the people who commissioned them. They also discovered that he created more than 600 time capsules, but died before he had a chance to exhibit them. For 13-year-old Ashley ClarkJordan, the time capsules were the best part of the tour. “It was interesting,” she said. Clark-Jordan’s classmate, Keona Berry especially enjoyed looking at Warhol’s paintings. She said she also likes to paint, especially selfportraits.
“I liked the different colors,” said Berry, who said she wants to be a pediatrician when she grows up, but “do art on the side” as well. According to Ronniece Sirmones, an instructional teacher/ leader at Manchester, the students had been working on creating self-portraits in the style of Andy Warhol in class. After taking pictures of themselves, the students created multiple frames of the same picture and used different mediums, such as colored pencils, oil crayons and watercolors, to color them in. “We are trying to do more things with the arts,” Sirmones said. As the students left, Viloria, who regularly gives tours of the museum to groups of students, expressed her hopes for leaving an impact. “The biggest challenge [with working with kids] is hoping that they actually appreciate and
See Warhol, page 9
June 2011
The Northside Chronicle
A helping hand available during tough times By Ethan Cohen Part two in a two-part series on adult social services. In part one of The Chronicle’s adult services series, intern Ethan Cohen reported on two non-profits that are helping families and individuals when times are tough: The Pittsburgh Project and Bountiful Blessings. With 20 percent of Pittsburghers living below the povery line, two additional non-profits are ready and willing to help: Northside Common Ministries and Grace Period. Northside Common Ministries As an affiliate of Goodwill Southwestern Pennsylvania, Northside Common Ministries provides food, shelter and counseling to disadvantaged Northside adults. NCM organizes and operates Pleasant Valley Emergency Shelter for more than 600 homeless men each year, a Permanent Housing Program and the Northside Community Food
Pantry, said Executive Director Jay Poliziani. According to Poliziani, the organization is dedicated to providing shelter and aid for people with mental and physical disabilities. Through their Permanent Housing Program, NCM helps the disabled with financial assistance, case management and employment and education referrals. “There are a dozens of men living in apartments around the Northside and other neighborhoods through the help of our Permanent Housing Program,” said Poliziani. The Food Pantry, which is located in the same building as the shelter, is open every Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. to noon, as well as on the third Saturday of every month. NCM provides food assistance to over 750 individuals and families per year through donations from corporations, churches and the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.
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Photo courtesy Northside Common Ministries
Northside Common Ministries has a 30-bed shelter for homeless men, which Director Jay Poliziani says has a direct impact on the community. “What separates NCM’s food pantry from other food pantries is that we offer our food in a unique grocery style setting where each customer is allotted a certain amount of food based on individual need.” Poliziani said. “Most of the people we service are allotted around 20 pounds
of food.” NCM also provides a certified nurse on Tuesdays and Fridays in the morning hours to conduct primary check-ups for the men at the shelter. The organization also offers tax
See Adult Services, page 19
The Northside Chronicle
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May 2011 Chronicle Blog Highlights For full stories go to www.thenorthsidechronicle.com/blog The Northside Chronicle Blog is updated daily with photos, event previews, interviews, videos and more. Weekly News Roundup Each Friday The Chronicle posts links to Northside news stories from other local media outlets. This weekend on the Northside Each Thursday the The Chronicle highlights a few of the weekend happenings in your neighborhood. May 25 The U.S. Small Business
Administration named the Priory Inn the local family-owned business of the year. May 18 The Carnegie Science Center presented its third talk on the Marcellus Shale, this one addressing energy potential May 17 Chronicle intern Jeanette Lee spoke with Northsiders at the polls about the election, the issues and why they voted. The Chronicle presented other election coverage on the blog leading up to the election.
Angry? Perturbed? Fired up? Annoyed? Irate? Slighted? Send us a letter to the editor! email editor@thenorthsidechronicle.com Or snail mail to 922 Middle St., Pittsburgh, PA 15212
June 2011
John Canning
Neighborhoods as canvasses While canvassing for political candidates before the November 2010 election I discovered a whole row of mosaic artwork on Yetta Street in Spring Hill. Spring Hill is known for the castle-like stone walls on Damas Street, but these fantastic mosaics did indeed catch my eye. As luck would have it, Linda Wallen, a French teacher at the Campus School of Carlow College came by. Linda, who also teaches art at the Carnegie Museum and has founded an art school in France, provided some insight to these street artworks spanning the walls of five properties. Linda began the mosaic masterpiece and then it was picked up by her daughter Casey along with some of Casey's students at the Manchester Craftsmen Guild. Plans are in place for a terrific "Spring Hill" mural at the intersection of Damas and Homers streets. Perhaps one of the most well known pieces of Northside public art is Randyland, at the corner of Arch and Jacksonia streets. Randy Gilson's decades of painting and planting brought him to national attention, when his home and adjacent garden were featured on one of the country's popular morning television programs. For many years Randy paid little heed to any naysayers who would seek to put a seal of approval on
his creative impulses. In fact Randy was one of the original gardeners at the highly successful Old Allegheny Garden plots along Arch Street and Sherman Avenue. Having gardened there a few years back, I often recall how Randy and friends would help some of the older residents prepare their garden plots for spring planting. Randy is a true mensch. Presently, Randyland is at the center of a growing flock of magnificently molded flamingos that have landed along Jacksonia Street. This bit of brilliant tropical flair in the heart of the Northside was most welcome during the past grey and stormy springtime rains. Not far from Randyland is a growing gallery of fascinating houses that are part of the City of Asylum/Pittsburgh colony along Sampsonia Way. Under the leadership of Diane Samuels and Henry Reese, this narrow street has several houses painted to make statements about some of the people whose lives have been changed by the international City of Asylum program, particularly those authors and thinkers who have lived on Sampsonia. Last September several of these homes were seen when a team from PBS Newshour came to the Northside to prepare a feature
See Canning, page 19
June 2011
Students peek into Warhol’s world of art From Warhol, page 6 understand what they’re looking at, because it’s such a big idea.” The students were the first class from their school to take a trip to the museum. “We want to stimulate their creativity and get them exposed to outside the community. We want them to think outside of the box,” said Assistant Teacher Patricia Garnett. Wallace Sapp, a volunteer at the school, hopes these kinds of experiences will inspire the students to pursue higher education. “A lot of the kids are raised to survive in their environment. We’re trying to teach them there is a world outside of the hood,” Sapp said. Jeanette Lee is a graduate student at Carnegie Mellon University.
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JROTC cadet honored by Rotary By Jeanette Lee A JROTC cadet from Oliver High School was honored May 18 by the Rotary Club of Pittsburgh for his willingness to help others, responsible and ethical conduct and active community participation. Killian Redman, who will be graduating in the top 10 percent of the class of 2011, came before the Rotary Club of Pittsburgh at the Omni William Penn Hotel to accept the Student of Distinction Award and express his gratitude. According to board member Ben Luffey, the monthly award is handled by a special committee within the Rotary, which chooses a recipient every month based on recommendations from teachers and guidance counselors. “I have to admit, I was overwhelmed and honored to learn I was going to be the recipient because I suspect I am just one of many deserving Oliver students,” said Redman.
Redman is not only a Platoon Sergeant within the Junior ROTC Bear Battalion at Oliver, but also captain of the varsity wrestling team and an Oliver Student Ambassador. He is involved in several community service programs, including “Changes,” where he works with team of students to break down stereotypes between suburban and city youth. Redman was introduced by Lt. Col. Michael Cassetori, a senior army instructor at Oliver High School, who described Redman as “quiet by nature” and “a role model.” “Killian Redman [is] a superb example of someone that firmly believes in the care and welfare of others before oneself,” Cassetori said. “I was so impressed by his willingness to lead by example and teach others that this year I opted to … make him a platoon sergeant, something quite unusual for a cadet in just their second year of Junior ROTC.” Redman recently qualified for
Photo by Jeanette Lee
Killian Redman, above, recently enlisted in the Air Force. and enlisted in the Air Force, and will begin training to become a security specialist after graduating. His ultimate goal is to become an Air Force security officer, he said. “Many times, we hear bad things about young people, but these are really great people,” said past Rotary Club president Richard Dixon. Jeanette Lee is a graduate student at Carnegie Mellon University.
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The Northside Chronicle
June 2011
Entering the month of May, the Pirates were 12-14 and looked to be in an early season uphill battle once again. The team’s new, revamped offense seldom produced the numbers it needed to, and the pitching was inconsistent at best. However, May did bring some relief for a team that hasn’t had a winning season in two decades. To take a little closer look at the Pirates team two months into the season, we’ll look at the good, the bad and the ugly.
here, so it’s not tough to find some things to complain about. Firstly, the Bucs’ bats have gone cold a few times this year. I don’t mean that they’ve had a few games here and there where they are scoring less than three or four runs, I mean this: In the month of April, the team was held to two runs or fewer ten times. That includes three shutouts. In the month of May (up until the last week), they were held to two runs or fewer seven times, including three shutouts. That same hot-cold pattern has been a reason for the Pirates inconsistencies. Immediately after touching .500, the team crashed and burned on their way to a six-game losing skid that left everyone clueless about who this team was. Who knows, maybe they celebrated the big win with too much champagne. Whatever it was, they proved their inconsistencies are still there. What makes this all the more frustrating is that during the preseason much of the talk surrounded the Bucs “new” and “bolstered” offense, but it has yet to show. In terms of run support for good pitchers…well, that’s just ugly.
Saul Covers the Bases
The Good The Pirates logged series wins against some top teams so far this season. They took down the NL West leading Rockies, they beat up on the NL Central leading Reds, and they made a climb to .500. T h a t landmark was huge for the Bucs. It was the latest point in the season that they had been .500 since June 11, 2005. What was most impressive for the Pirates was that they were doing it as a team. It wasn’t flukes, it was solid pitching and strong outings at the plate that were producing wins. In fact, in mid-May, the Pirates bullpen was second in the league in ERA. On top of that, the management has made some key acquisitions in Kevin Correia and Brandon Wood, who have both made important contributions this season. Correia, who came to Pittsburgh from San Diego on the heels of his younger brother’s death, is having a great season. Joining company with Roy Halladay and Trevor Cahill, Correia entered the last week of May as one of 10 starters with six wins. He has four losses and a 3.84 ERA.
By Isaac Saul
The Bad We are talking about the Pirates
The Ugly
Two words: Paul Maholm. And no, I don’t mean he’s ugly. And I certainly don’t mean he’s a bad pitcher, because he isn’t. What I mean is that anytime Maholm is slated to start, the Pirates leave their bats at home. Maholm, who was 1-7 and holding onto a 3.65 ERA at the end of May, has pitched 10 starts. The
See Saul, page 11
The Northside Chronicle
June 2011
Sunday, Sundae, Sunday!
Despite a rainy start to the day, vendors sell their wares at the first Sundae Market on May 15 in East Park. A project started by former Northside resident Benjamin Falvo, the market featured craft, clothing and jewelry vendors. Sundae Market will return to the Northside in June, July and August. For the full story on Sundae Market, as well as information on farmer’s markets and other local events this summer, check out the Outside Guide, page 13.
The good, bad and ugly of the Buccos’ play in May From Saul, page 10 Pirates have lost nine of them. They are 21-15 in games he hasn’t started. Most recently, the Bucs blew a great pitching performance by refusing to put a single run on the board on their way to a loss against the Tigers on May 22. The game, which ended at 2-0, stopped a fourgame winning streak. Simply put, Maholm is pitching the best baseball of his career. He allowed three or fewer earned runs in eight of his starts. It's hard to believe he is the same guy who went 9-15 with a 5.10 ERA last season and was 47-59 with a 4.48 ERA for the Pirates before this season. Even May 22, when he was far from his best, he gave up just two runs and six hits in five and one-third innings. At this point, Maholm will certainly be the most sought out
1-7 pitcher in the Majors. In fact, he could be the most coveted 1-7 pitcher in MLB history. The saddest, ugliest part? Only catcher Ryan Doumit has been with the team longer than Maholm. He’s seen it all. He’s lost a ton of games. In fact, the team has lost 536 games since he arrived in Pittsburgh. And now, he is almost certainly down to his final starts in the black and gold. Come the July 31 trade deadline, the team will most likely give up the option on his contract and opt out of the $9.75 million dollars they owe him for next season. For a guy that has made more starts (163) than any left-handed pitcher in the National League and pitched more innings (1,001 and 2/3) than any lefty in the league but the Philadelphia Phillies' Cole Hamels (1,007), it’ll be sad to see him go.
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The Northside Chronicle
June 2011
Indecisive? Try Pikimal Electric cars: Give the green light or proceed with caution? By Joseph Reznik With the automotive industry recovering and returning to profitability, car manufacturers are looking for projects that will keep them in the black. One idea that has gained a lot of momentum recently is the electric car. The band They Might Be Giants even has a very catchy song titled “Electric Car.” On the surface it may seem that this is a simple solution to gas powered cars and the environmental, economic and social issues caused by the politics of oil. But that is only if you assume that the electricity you need to power an electric car really does come out of thin air! In the Pittsburgh region, most of our electricity comes from either coal or nuclear power. So the choice of an electric car does not eliminate the environmental, economic and social issues associated with oil; it just redirects those issues to a different and still unsustainable energy source. So how do we decide the best course of action for our region? We lay out all the issues and then decide as a community what we are and are not willing to live with. If the interest is to reduce the amount of local air pollution and smog generated by all the gaspowered vehicles on the road, then moving to electric vehicles makes a lot of sense. Considering that most of the energy in the Pittsburgh region comes from coal and nuclear energy, then the increased demand of electricity will increase the amount of water and air pollution that come from both the mining of these resources and the generation of electricity at these power plants. And as for being fair, is it ethical to just push off on our rural neighbors (where most of these power plants are located) the pollution from our energy demand.
Considering the carbon and pollution footprint of coal is greater than gasoline, I do not like the movement from gas-powered vehicles to electric vehicles. I feel that I should live with the pollution I create and I do not feel that I’m being fair to my rural neighbors to switch to an electric car. One way I would support the movement to electric cars would be if we generated the electricity needed to run these vehicles from sustainable sources. And while the City of Pittsburgh is working to increase the amount of energy from sustainable sources that is used by the area, until this infrastructure is in place, we should stick to the gaspowered vehicles. When the region has a good foothold in the sustainable energy market, it will also be an economically good time to buy an electric car. While electric cars have a higher sticker price than nonelectric cars, the Federal government does give a $2,500 tax credit to those who purchase one. Converting gas-powered cars to electric is also a technology being developed by the CREATE Lab of Carnegie Mellon University and their ChargeCar program. They are beginning to train mechanics and so this technology has the potential to create local jobs. In addition to changing the fuel source of the vehicle (currently restricted to 2001-2005 Hondas), by applying this technology to used cars, they help to extend the lives of these vehicles and keep these materials from going to the landfill. As you can see, there are a lot of issues to juggle, so what is the balance you’d like to see in your community? And are these tradeoffs fair and equitable to everyone? Joseph Reznik teaches sustainability at the Community College of Allegheny County’s main campus. You can reach him at greenmanpgh@gmail.com.
New search engine gives users reviews, results based on price, ratings & more By Jeanette Lee If you’ve ever tried to research a product online only to be frustrated by biased or inconsistent reviews, you might want to try a new Northside-based decision engine called Pikimal. Pikimal works like a product search engine, but is unique in that it provides users with just the facts, said company founder Eric Silver. That means that users can make well-informed shopping decisions online, without having to wade through marketing-biased results. The site already has a considerable list of pikis — or web applications — that pool data from actual product specifications and statistics. The pikis rank items according to a customizable set of priorities such as price or performance. Users can find rankings for a variety of products in topics ranging from pro sports to health and beauty. There’s a piki for the “Best 2011 MLB Team for Power Rankings,” for instance, and the “Best Bathroom Scale for Small Spaces.” Silver, a California native founded Pikimal in January 2010. The site is currently in beta testing, which means there may still be a few glitches. Silver used to work at McKinsey & Company and was the former chief marketing officer and interim chief financial officer at ModCloth before moving on to Pikimal. “We’ll bring it out of beta when we’re confident that it’s working well for all our users,” Silver said. “Since we’re still building our understanding of how users use the site, we can’t give a hard date on when we’ll have completed it.” Silver, now 34, first got the idea for Pikimal in 2006 while studying at the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University. He noticed that the quality of online search results was worsening because of internet marketing and saw a need for a search engine that
was truly objective. Some companies use a process called search engine optimization to improve the visibility of their websites in search engines. It is a marketing strategy that can sometimes involve deceptive tactics such as padding content with relevant keywords. “It seemed to me there must be a better way. We allow facts to be prioritized by users so that [other consumers] get factual results instead of an article that has been paid for by somebody,” Silver said. “It was a combination of being exposed to marketing tools and, at the same time, seeing how they were making us worse off.” Silver hired a programmer to help him develop his idea, but at the time, didn’t have the resources to make good work of it. He took another swing at it recently and was able to get the site up and running early last year. “It has been a magical experience. I was in a motorcycle accident before that and I wasn’t moving around much. I turned off all the clocks in my house and spent a lot of time sitting and programming,” he said. “It was an exciting day for us to realize that we would be able to operate.” Moving forward, Silver hopes to build local connections and improve content on the site. “I’ve only lately been reaching out to other businesses in the area. I think that Pittsburgh has a strong set of mentors. They’re in Pittsburgh because they want to be here, and want to help their community,” he said. “We want to connect to more and more local sources and be able to have all the research available and prioritized [for our users]. Then we want to get into more content areas.” Using Pikimal is pretty straightforward. To find the best art museum, for example, you can
See Pikimal, page 20
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Dust off your lawn chairs, raid your piggy bank and make room in your refrigerator. It’s summer on the Northside, and that means flea and farmers markets, Cinema in the Park and outdoor concerts. Northside Farmers Markets Despite restoration efforts underway in Allegheny Commons Park along Cedar Avenue, the Citiparks North Side Farmers Market’s normal location, the market opened its season May 13. Vendors set up where construction ends along Cedar Avenue and circle around to North Avenue so that the market is still highly visible, said Mirella Ranallo, manager of farmers markets at Citiparks. This early in the season, shoppers can expect potted flowers, vegetable seedlings, baked goods and some hydroponically grown produce like tomatoes, cucumbers and potatoes, Ranallo said. “Each week you’ll probably see more coming in,” she said, but shoppers won’t see a full selection of produce until the end of June. Because of the construction, Ranallo chose not to take on any new vendors, but is looking forward to the improvements, like access to electricity. Farm Fresh Fridays, a program sponsored by the Charm Bracelet Project that brings chefs and live music to the market, will return later this summer as well, Ranallo said. The market runs every Friday from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. The Charles Street Farm Stand, which opens in June, will run each Thursday from 2 to 6 p.m. The Farm Stand accepts food stamps, WIC and nutrition vouchers, and is sponsored by the Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank and the Pittsburgh Project. Northside Flea Markets One thing that won’t return to Allegheny Commons Park this year is the Deutschtown flea market. In
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previous years the East Allegheny Community Council sponsored a weekly flea market on Saturday mornings in the park. This year, lack of volunteers coupled with the park construction has sidelined the market, said EACC member Barbara Burns. Northside flea market aficionados don’t need to lose hope yet, as a monthly market centered around arts and crafts is moving in. The Sundae Market, a project started by former Northside resident Benjamin Falvo, debuted in Allegheny Commons Park at East Ohio Street and Cedar Avenue May 14 for the Pittsburgh Marathon. T h e n e x t Sundae Market occurs June 19 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and will recur monthly. T h e first market had 40 vendors selling mostly arts and crafts, as well as clothing and jewelry. Falvo said 40 is light for them, but he was worried about permitting issues and did not market as much as he normally would have. Unlike a traditional flea market, the Sundae Market solicits sponsorships so that it can offer artists and vendors free space. Vendors still have to apply and be approved by Falvo, but the idea is to give “starving artists” a real chance to sell their work, he said. The North Side/North Shore Chamber of Commerce and the North Side Cultural Collaborative partnered with Falvo to bring the market to Allegheny Commons Park. “We hope this will help reactivate the business corridor,” Falvo said, and show business owners that the Northside is a good place to do business. Future dates for the market will be announced later.
See Summer, page 15
June 2011
Gardening tips from the Urban Gardener The Northside Chronicle sat down with Lynne Weber and Joan Kimmel of the Urban Gardener to talk about growing green things in flower beds and those ubiquitous — and versatile — flower pots. If you’ve never gardened before, try starting with easy to plant and maintain annuals like impatiens, geraniums, begonias, marigolds and petunias. Also check out the Phipps Conservatory website at www.phipps. conservatory.org for a list of native plants and tips on sustainable gardening. For flower beds: •Dig up the soil and mix in compost, manure, leaf mulch or top soil. “It’s going to feel like they’re digging in hard clay, because that’s what it is,” said Kimmel. The soil needs to be looser than clay for a healthy garden, so compost or leaf mulch is an important addition. •Check the flower bed throughout the day to see how much sunlight it gets, and plant appropriately. Different plants have different light requirements. •Plan your garden. Choose native and sustainable plants, as they will grow better and require less care. “Read. The. Label,” Weber said. Make sure you know how tall and wide each plant will grow. “Be sure it’s appropriate for where you want to put it …, [because] things look much better when you allow them to grow naturally.” •Fertilize perennial trees and shrubs once in the spring and once in the fall, as those are the times they require the most energy. •Water in the morning, as watering in the evening will attract slugs and give fungi a chance to grow. •Don’t over- or under-water your garden. “If the dirt feels moist, don’t water it,” Kimmel said. For trees and shrubs, turn the hose on low and let it run for a half hour to ensure water soaks deep into the soil — that will ensure that roots grow downward rather than horizontally.
•Identify bugs before you try to eliminate them. Some bugs are helpful. “You can sacrifice a couple leaves to bugs” without harming the plant, Kimmel said. For flower pots: •Don’t use soil from your garden. Buy potting soil or potting mix. •Make sure the pot has good drainage, or the plant’s roots could drown. If the pot has a pan to catch water, don’t let water sit inside it — always dump it out. •Use fertilizer to keep the plants healthy. Something like Miracle-Gro works fine. •Large pots are better than small pots. “We firmly believe in packing stuff in there” to get the largest impact, Weber said. Most potted plants will only last one season, so you don’t need to allow them as much room as you would in a traditional garden. •Don’t over- or under-water your pots. Generally, you will need to water potted plants much more often than ones planted in the ground. Check to see if the soil is moist each day, and water when it feels dry. •”Dead head” your flowers. This means removing wilted or dead blossoms before they turn into seed pods. Weber suggests removing not only the dead blossoms but the green part beneath them because the plants will bloom more if you prevent them from producing seeds. •Don’t be afraid to put multiple plant varieties in one pot. Create texture and interest by using plants of different heights, colors and shapes. “You are only limited by your own creativity,” Kimmel said. If gardening is still a mystery to you, Kimmel and Weber suggest purchasing an already-planted hanging pot — all you have to do is water it. The Urban Gardener also offers gardening help, planning and landscaping services. For more information, call 412-232-GROW or stop by at 1901 Brighton Road.
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June 2011
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SUMMER 2011
www.thenorthsidechronicle.com PARKS/BALL FIELDS
Clemente Memorial Park Allegheny Commons Fineview Park Fowler Park Manchester Park Riverview Park Brighton Heights Park Northview Park Spring Hill Park Young Park Troy Hill Park
PLAYGROUNDS
Spring Hill Playground Fowler Playground Manchester Playground Fineview Playground Cowley Playground Marmaduke Park
TRAILS
North Shore Trail Several trailheads and parking areas. For detailed map, visit www.friendsoftheriverfront. org Riverview Park Trails Several trails and parking areas. For detailed map, visit www.pittsburghparks. org
DOG PARKS
Allegheny Commons Riverview Park
POOLS
http://www.city.pittsburgh. pa.us/parks/ Fowler Pool – Perry Hilltop Jack Stack – Brighton Heights Riverview Pool – Observatory Hill Sue Murray – Central Northside Spray Park – Troy Hill
FARMER’S MARKETS North Side Farmers Market, Allegheny Commons Along East Ohio Street and North Avenue N. Charles Farm Stand, Fowler Park River Avenue, Northshore Visit www.friendsoftheriverfront.org Kayak Rentals at Lake Elizabeth, Allegheny Commons. Visit www.kayakpittsburgh.org
Summer on Northside: Park events, concerts and more From Summer, page 14 Citiparks events in Riverview Park You might notice something a bit different about the schedule for this year’s Dollar Bank Cinema in the Parks. There are quite a few older movies, like “Jurassic Park,” the 1989 “Batman” and “Duck Soup.” Part of the reason for that, said event coordinator Vanessa Bashur, is that older PG-13 movies are more family-friendly than newer ones. They don’t usually contain excessive violence or the “f ” bomb. Another reason for some of the
older selections is that Bashur wanted to connect Cinema in the Parks with the Stars at Riverview Jazz Series. Stars at Riverview features a live jazz performance each Saturday from 7 to 8:30 p.m., and Cinema in the Parks sets up immediately after. So movies like “Heat of the Night” and “Duck Soup” that are more in the “jazz genre” will hopefully entice concert-goers to stay for the movie, Bashur said. For the full Stars at Riverview and Cinema in the Parks schedule, visit http://www.city.pittsburgh. pa.us/parks/ and click on “Events”.
Safety tips from Bike Pittsburgh Ride Safe! Even the most experienced cyclists can get into a crash. Remember, there are many levels of experience for drivers as well. Be sure to check out our Ride Safe section to see the most common car and bicycle crashes and some tips on how to avoid them. 1. Ride predictably and obey the law. 2. Stay out of the door zone and scan ahead for
opening doors – especially in bike lanes. 3. Stay vigilant. Many drivers are distracted and aren’t looking out for cyclists. 4. If riding at night, the law requires that you must have a front headlight and rear reflector. Bike Pittsburgh recommends you also have a red blinking tail light! 5. Don’t ride on sidewalks in business districts. It’s against the law and dangerous for pedestrians.
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June 2011
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The Healing Space by Ayeshah A. Bulls
“I’m starting with the one in the mirror” I had the opportunity to read a great literary piece this semester by a well known writer named Naguib Mahfouz. Mahfouz wrote a short story called “Zaabalawi.” “Zaabalawi” is about a wealthy man that faces a crisis in life and refers to someone by the name of Zaabalawi that he heard his father speak of many times as someone who can solve all problems in the time of struggle. As the wealthy man’s father had previously passed away he was unable to ask specific questions about Zaabalawi. Therefore, this man spent countless days, nights, time, money and energy on the quest to find the great Zaabalawi that he heard his father speak of throughout his life. He sought the rich, the poor, the wise, the high, the low and all in between. All had many stories about Zaabalawi, yet none could tell where he could find him. It wasn’t until he exhausted all of his resources and
submitted to the fact that he may never within. That root that is under the hurts, meet the Zaabalawi that his father met; that he was visited by this entity the pains, the disappointments, the that brought him understanding, lies, the fears and anything that is holding us back from our purpose. healing and peace. There have been many Often times we movies produced, spend so much time e spend so such as the Indiana asking, searching Jones series, which are and struggling for much time reflective of our quest answers that we are in search of that we miss searching for to find that which is hidden, yet we know the ones right in front answers that that it is there. Our of us, in the mirror. There is a Biblical we miss the journey is to go beyond the things that appear scripture that quotes ones right in “I knew who you to be obstacles to reach our highest potential in were before you were front of us this life. formed in the womb.” We can ask our Whether you are mothers, fathers, Christian or not we must believe that we are born with spiritual or academic teachers, an individual purpose and destiny scholars, religious leaders and all in that we are to fulfill during our short between, yet there comes a time in time on earth. This destiny was our walk that we must stop, look and predetermined and the quest in this listen to that which lies within. Zaabalawi exists for each of life is to go back to that root that lies
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us, individually, holistically and collectively. There are times that we need to not always look outside of ourselves for the answers that we are in search of, but look within as we know our ultimate truth, yet we must dig for it. We are all uniquely and distinctively made, therefore, we at times must do a self assessment to determine whether our actions are contributing to the better of our society and world or the worse. Zaabalawi is a vibration, an energy, a rhythm that creates a ripple effect of positivity, love, unity, justice and that which brings life. This season tap into your inner Zaabalawi and add it to others in fellowship so that the vibration, energy and rhythm of that which is good outweigh that which is not good. “Take the time to retreat to that quiet place within the pit of your soul and unleash your right to decide what is best for you.” - Iyanla Vanzant
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June 2011
MCC: Columbus Square Park behind Washburn construction underway Square nearing completion By Kelly Thomas By late summer, the first four homes of Manchester’s 31-house Columbus Square development on the former American Electric Co. site will be ready for their new owners. Construction on the first phase of the project began in the spring and will include the infrastructure necessary for all 31 houses, landscaping, reconnecting Juniata Street where it is currently a dead end and the first five homes, one of which will serve as a model for potential buyers. Sally Flinn, a principal in the Columbus Square developer Fourth River Development, LLC, said they have two deposits on homes already. Once the first five are completed, construction on subsequent units will begin as people purchase them. Manchester Citizens Corporation Executive Director Ahmed Martin said the size of the project will help in their efforts to re-brand the neighborhood and provide a variety of housing
products. “This is a catalytic project for the neighborhood,” Martin said. “We hope to see [new] Manchester residents who want to live in a vibrant community and a neighborhood of choice.” Houses range from two to three bedroom single-family homes, and buyers can choose their floor plans based on a number of options. Buyers also have the option of a brick or cement plank siding exterior, and each home comes with a garage and private yard. Prices range from $179,000 to the mid-$200,000, depending on options chosen. The houses also will be EnergyStar certified, Flinn said. EnergyStar certification indicates that a home meets certain energy efficiency standards. West Penn Energy Solutions will evaluate the homes’ efficiency to ensure they meet those standards. Once buyers put a deposit down, See Columbus Square, page 20
2 possible approaches to revitalization in Cal-Bride From Cal-Bride, page 1 So far, Buki said he’s been impressed with many of the residents from both sides of Brighton Road. Another positive is that the neighborhood groups would not have to spend years acquiring properties, because the Northside Coalition for Fair Housing, City of Pittsburgh and URA already own more than 350 between them, which is more than a third of the 857 lots in the neighborhood. Now, the residents have to think about which aspects of the plan they like, and which they don’t. Ronell Guy, executive director of the Northside Coalition for Fair Housing, said the community will come together on June 8 to discuss
the plan and come up with their own recommendations. “I think the community needs to come up with some basic principles,” Guy said, like preservation and affordability. While she thinks the plan is innovative and has merit, her concern is that many Cal-Bride residents have invested a lot of time and money into their homes, and that’s important to them. On June 9 CZB will meet with residents again and then incorporate the community’s ideas into the final plan. Ideally, Buki said the community group would then hire someone to work directly with residents to build to the neighborhood’s capacity. “We don’t think that capacity is just going to happen,” he said.
From Brightwood, page 1 After the BCG recognized the dire need to solve the public safety issues on Woodland Avenue four years ago, they enforced a block watch program to keep the crime and danger to a minimum, Brandt said. The Woodland Avenue housing project began one year after the block watch. Currently BCG owns 1324 and 1407 Woodland Avenue and has a sales agreement on 1208 Woodland. The city has given BCG site control over three properties on Woodland and one on Brighton. Those properties will go through a Treasurer’s sale where BCG can purchase them, said Woodland Avenue Project Manager Jonathan Huck of the NSLC. Other sales are pending. “We are almost through predevelopment,” Huck said. “We have acquired parcels, some level of design, we hired an architect and we are now looking to gain the financing package.” Funding for the project comes from the Northside Community Development Fund, Rivers Casino grant money and Fidelity Bank. Huck estimated the project would cost several million dollars, but did not have a concrete number at this time. Although the Washburn Square housing project has been in the works for more than a decade, and three houses were built last year, it is
not completely finished. “The project is a 15-year project,” said BCG’s current president, Diane Annis-Dixon. “It’s a slow process, but I think it is a definite improvement for that little niche in Brightwood. It’s a unique neighborhood.” David Howe of the Pittsburgh Housing Development Corporation of the URA served as project manager. The homes for this project, which include the complex between Superior Avenue and Hodgkiss Street, were completed last June and sold accordingly. The excess land behind the three homes is being transformed into a park that will include walking paths, trees and small flower beds. Howe called the entire project an “innovative model” that he would like to reproduce across the city. “Right now people who come from Downtown and pass through Brightwood to go out of the city wouldn’t give us a second look,” Dixon said. “My intent is for them to pass by and see something that grabs their attention and say, ‘What happened here?’ We’re hoping to push the riffraff out and bring wholesome people in for a lot of change in the Northside.” Ashley Goodsell has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Point Park University. Assistant Editor Kelly Thomas contributed to this story.
June 2011
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Need food or financial help? From Adult Services, page 7 prep services for people who need assistance. For more information on NCM’s services or to volunteer, contact 412363-1163. Grace Period The payday lending is a $59 billion industry, according to Grace Period’s website. The organization is built on the belief that the industry is unfair to the lender and needs to be reformed. Dan Krebs, CEO of Grace Period, works with the President Tony Wiles to provide safe and secure loans to Northsiders who are in need of financial relief. “Predatory lenders take advantage of people with exploitive business practices,” Krebs said. “Tony and I are here to offer people a more reasonable alternative to borrowing money than other cash advance and payday loan operations.” Since the economic downturn, “cash till payday” or “payday lender”
Canning: Our rich urban landscapes
From Canning, page 8 story about City of Asylum’s annual celebration of poetry and jazz. Along with the mosaics of Spring Hill, Randyland and the City of Asylum houses on Sampsonia Way there are several public art murals scattered throughout our Northside neighborhoods. These artworks, along with the many flowering garden plots at intersections throughout the Northside, add to the beauty and diversity of North Side life. The commitment of neighbors who take the time and put forth the effort to add vibrancy and color to the urban landscape is a gift. We Northsiders can enjoy, talk about and definitely say thanks to those who often paint and plant outside the lines.
financial services have become more and more popular. These services offer loans at extremely high interest rates, and lend to customers knowing the customer will not be able to pay the loan off in a timely fashion, he said. Wiles said that because their organization is a nonprofit, the ultimate goal is to help the borrower, not to make money from loan interest like most loan companies do. Grace Period not only provides safe loans to their customers, but educates customers on financial responsibility in order to help borrowers become financially independent. “One of the most helpful practices we teach our customers is the importance of systematic transfers,” Wiles said. Systematic transfers are regular transfers from a checking account to a savings account. “Making these transfers a habit makes taking out loans unnecessary,” he said.
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June 2011
Surf the web with Pikimal From Pikimal, page 12 indicate the importance of five different criteria, such as cost of admission, popularity, tours available and activities available. However, there’s no way to define a criterion of your own. So if you’re also looking for the best art museum for modern art, you might still have to comb through the results yourself. Some users might also find that there isn’t a piki for the product they’re looking for yet. Pikimal asks those users to contact them with a request so that they can add it to their list. As of April, Pikimal is run by 13 full-time employees at its Northside office. Together, the staff works towards a mission to “help consumers make the best buying decisions.” Jeanette Lee is a graduate student at Carnegie Mellon University.
Columbus Square will be marketed to large employers From Columbus Square, page 18 they will work with a builder to pick their options and develop a sales agreement, Flinn said. Fourth River plans to market Columbus Square to large employers in the surrounding area, like Rivers Casino, the U.S. Postal Service, CCAC and others, because many employees could then walk to work. “Just with the price of gas these days…” Flinn said. “It’s location, location, location.” PNC Bank will offer discounted mortgage rates and down payment assistance for those buying in Columbus Square. PNC also financed the construction of the model home, Flinn said. The Northside Community Development Fund also provided funding. Although Fourth River broke ground on Columbus Square in January 2010, Flinn said
finalizing plans took awhile since they are working with the Urban Redevelopment Authority, the city Department of Public Works and the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority, each of which has its own process. “It does take some time but they’re our partners so we’re excited to work with them,” she said. In addition to Columbus Square’s first phase, MCC is nearing completion of the first phase of its Renaissance Housing Project that renovated seven dilapidated homes in the neighborhood. Two of those buildings have an apartment that could be rented out, Martin said. Six of the seven are under contract, and all should be finished by the end of May. Martin said MCC is already preparing for the next phase and its next Great House Sale, but that no date has been chosen yet.
June 2011
The Northside Chronicle
From the office of State Rep. Chelsa Wagner
Fresh produce plentiful on Northside Summer is here, and it is a great time to get out and get healthy, including picking up farm fresh foods for your family at one of our local farmers markets. These markets bring the freshest, healthiest produce right into our neighborhoods, often at prices far below the supermarkets. They support our hardworking local family famers, an important part of the economy in our region. And they are often fun community events that add vibrancy to the neighborhoods where they are held. As we all know, rising fuel prices have caused the cost of foods shipped over great distances to spike. Purchasing locally produced foods from the Farmers Market saves on these shipping costs. According to the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture, if each Pennsylvania household spent $10 a week on food
produced in our region, $15 million would stay in our region’s economy every week that otherwise goes to other states and countries. That’s more than $700 million per year. I encourage everyone to check out one of our area markets: -The Citiparks North Side Farmers Market and -Charles Street Farm Stand, which accepts EBT/SNAP. Individuals 60 years of age or older and meeting income requirements ($20,036 annually for a one-person household, $26,955 for a two-person household) can receive Farmers Market Nutrition Program vouchers that can be used at local markets. These vouchers will be distributed on a first-come, firstserved basis on Tuesday, June 28 at local Senior Community Centers. For more information, call Allegheny Area Agency on Aging at 412-350-4219.
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Allegheny West Jacqueline Troiani to BPPD LLC at Ridge Ave. Brighton Heights Dario Barisic et al. to Karen Russell at 122 Bookbinder Circle Kristin Joliat et al. to Tiffany Durett at 1214 Benton Ave. f Mary Petitta to Bank New York Mellon trustee at 3718 Wapello St. by sheriff ’s deed. Michael Chumbley et al. to Joseph and Poppy Vignale at 4050 Cambronne St. Lawrence Saitta to Marvin Green at 1421 Eckert St. Lex Special Assets LLC to ECO Engineering Inc. at 3257 McClure Ave. Donald Friedline to Deutsche Bank National Trust Co. trustee at 4023 Shoreham St. by sheriff ’s deed. Jerome Russell to Joseph Balint at Lecky Ave. Housing & Urban Development to Lawrence Stephen Wilson at 3528 Massachusetts Ave. PNC Mortgage to Realty Choice Investments LLC at 1514 Orchlee St. Northwest Savings Bank to Dylan and Timothy Cole at 2058 Stonelea St. Brightwood Kevin Schmitt to Amy Lau at 1139 Woods Run Ave. US Bank NA trustee to ECO Engineering Inc. at 2316 Colorado Way Richard Holloway et al. to Benjamin Shopland at 1411 Dickson St. Federal National Mortgage Assn. to Marion Cherry at 1512 Forsythe St.
June 2011
Homesales Inc. to Triple A Investments LLC at 2927 Stayton St. Federal National Mortgage Assn. to David Myers at 3011 Wadlow St. California-Kirkbride Leah Bord Coccaro to Sally Barrett and Stuart Muchkivch at 1227 Island Ave. Central Northside Ronald Webster to Darlene Bigler and Gary Lefebvre at 520 Jacksonia St. CPCA Trust 1 to Flying Dragon L.P. at 538 W. Jefferson St. Jeffrey Stasko et al. to Patrick Ryan and Susan Costello at 1604 Buena Vista St. Chateau Jeffrey Sikirica trustee to Pittsburgh Urban Redevelopment Authority at 801 Kroll Drive. Deutschtown Stonecrest Income & Opportunity Fund 1 L to Original Resource Inc. at 1102 Linden Place. Patricia Carothers to Sherri Randolph at 1004 Middle St. Manchester Neighborhood Housing Services America to Mariners Strategic Fund 2 LLC at 1103 Sheffield St. --CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE--
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--CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE-Pittsburgh City to Lillian Reese at 1417 Adams St. Observatory Hill Deana Hager to Brian Jon Cosgrove at 3334 Portola St. Pittsburgh City to Joseph Vlakancic Jr. and Sharon Vlakancic at 339 Bothwell St. Equity Trust Co. Custodian FBO William J to Andrea Cuda at 3361 Portola St. Spring Garden Mary Deutsch to Eleanor and Andrew Deutsch at 2925 Spring Garden Ave. Estate of Maryann Zetwo to GLX Properties 1 LLC at 220 Venture St. Parkvale Savings Bank to Realty Choice Investments LLC at 27 Bonvue St. Perry Hilltop ATL Holdings LLC to John Churay at 1950 Lithgow Ave. Glenn Fuller to Robert and Dorrie Smith at 303 Elsdon St. fPittsburgh City to George and Nona Vogel at 2121 Federal Street Ext. Debbie Whitson to Brian Griggle at 131 Lafayette Ave. Federal National Mortgage Assn. to Seed Investments LLC at 2818 Veteran St. Martha Lou Schove to Southern Tier Envioronments for Living I at 2724 Ellis St. Matthew Widurski to American Eagle Properties LLC at 833 Marshall Ave.
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Spring Garden Russell Paulik to Alysha Thornton at 1326 Tell St. Elsie Frazee et al. to Mark and Angela Kuss at 2917 Spring Garden Ave. Spring Hill Joseph Juracko to Joseph and Amber Vinciguerra at 1823 Rhine St. Pittsburgh City to Samuel and Ruth Dickerson at 54 Rostock St. Beal Bank SSB to Landmark REO Club LLC at 1004 Leister St. Mark Dragisity to Connie Mars at 1610 Walz St. Troy Hill Matthew Dean to Callen Wallace at 1911 Tours St. L & H Investment Properties LLC to Nicholas Kissel at 1605 Wickline Lane. RD Property Holdings L.P. to Stacy Berry at 1505 Hatteras St. Nadejda Kirkov to Olesya Novikova at 1330 Lowrie St. Realty Choice Investments LLC to Neomi Tova Angel at 1432 Lowrie St. Deborah Marvit McGlothlin to William Wakeley at 2163 Lowrie St. Real Estate Transactions provided by <RealSTATs>. Contact <RealSTATs> at 412-381-3880 or visit www.RealSTATs.net.
Read all about real estate on the Northside at our website
www.thenorthsidechronicle.com
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June 2011
From the office of State Sen. Wayne Fontana
Eliminating Delaware loophole first stop on road to tax fairness As I write this, the House has just introduced the Governor’s budget proposal from his March budget address and the House Republicans have just announced their version of the 2011-2012 budget. There are not any details yet, but I am certain that we will be sorting through a great deal of information and making some difficult decisions in the next month or so. One of the most difficult items to deal with this process is that approximately 85 percent of the budget is beyond our control — it includes contractual and debt obligations, has mandates from the federal government and contains required expenditures as well. That makes our jobs even more difficult as we try to address growing needs within only 15 percent of the budget. Please don’t misunderstand
me, we all acknowledge that we must live within our means, but I disagree with the Governor and House and Senate leadership about how we accomplish that. My caucus has proposed budget savings that could provide more in this year’s budget without any service cuts and without new taxes; we have identified smart investments in the programs and services that we believe are important to the voters; and, we have highlighted key restorations that we hope to make during this budget process. The Delaware loophole continues to be one of the first policies that I believe we should be looking at in this discussion. The Senate Democrats have long been advocates of this effort — it is part of the Tax Fairness component in
the PA Works Plan. Pennsylvania has one of the highest corporate net income taxes in the nation, but 70 percent of our corporations do not even pay it because of the Delaware loophole. Imagine how competitive we could be if all corporations paid their fair share in the Commonwealth? Sources estimate that PA loses $450 million a year because of this loophole. The Delaware loophole works like this: A company in Pennsylvania transfers the ownership of its trademarks, copyrights, patents, etc. to an investment company in Delaware. The PA company earns $100 million at its PA locations, but then pays the investment company in Delaware $100 million for the use of the trademarks, copyrights,
patents, etc. Now, the PA company has no income — and, therefore, no tax liability. And the Delaware company? An exemption in Delaware law provides that the company does not pay any state income tax in Delaware either. The loophole forces the state to rely more on taxpayers and small business owners — all of whom are already struggling to recover from a recession. Supporters say that the loophole is a tool that allows the companies to avoid that high corporate net income tax rate and claim that it allows a company to reduce taxable income. They also believe that use of the loophole makes the business more competitive and makes it financially viable for it to stay in PA. Isn’t that what we want all residents and small businesses to
See Fontana, page 26
The Northside Chronicle
June 2011
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From the office of State Rep. Jake Wheatley, Jr.
Wheatley working for you on Northside and in Harrisburg I would like to remind everyone that, each month, I provide mobile office hours for Northside residents to access state services and information. The mobile office hours are held the last Wednesday of each month from 1 to 4 p.m. in the Allegheny City Room at the Carnegie Library Allegheny Branch, 1230 Federal St. A notary public is available during these hours, by appointment only. The state services my office can help you with include: PACE/ PACENET prescription-drug cards for seniors, the Children's Health Insurance Program, which provides free or low-cost insurance; and the state Property Tax/Rent Rebate — the deadline to apply is June 30. My main office is also available to help you. The People's Office is located on the first floor of 2015-2017 Centre Ave.; the telephone number is 412471-7760. The mobile office hours are just part of my ongoing Northside outreach. For example, I have recently
visited the Pittsburgh Allegheny PreK-5 and Northview Heights K-5 schools, and have an upcoming visit planned to the Pittsburgh King PreK8 School. In addition, this summer I will be hosting informational sessions regarding legislative, budget and community updates. These take place at various senior homes district-wide, as my office arranges ice cream socials or spaghetti dinners. On the Northside, I will be visiting: Arch Court, Steelworkers Tower, West Park Court, Northview Heights Senior Center, Pennsylvania Bidwell and Perrysville Plaza. Other interested centers should call my office to arrange a date. It has been a busy legislative session so far in Harrisburg. I was able to work with representatives from both parties to win House passage of my bill that would help to reduce the number of abandoned properties in
Pennsylvania communities. This bill (H.B. 1022) also passed the House last session, but it expired in the Senate. It would change state law on "adverse possession," a process that allows a person who lives in a home that's considered legally abandoned to take ownership of the property. You can learn more about this bill by contacting my office or visiting my website at www.pahouse.com/Wheatley. As of this writing, the state budget debate is about to get under way. The House Republican majority's budget proposal would cut $26.6 million, or 14.7 percent, from current state funding levels for Pittsburgh Public Schools, and Gov. Tom Corbett’s proposal includes even deeper cuts. The Corbett and House Republican budgets also propose deep cuts to Pitt and other universities and to hospitals and nursing homes. All
those cuts would be especially bad for Pittsburgh because the education and health care sectors are such a large part of our economy. At the same time, the governor and House Republicans plan to sit on the $500 million surplus the state now has, instead of using it to prevent cuts that will hurt students and cost jobs. I will continue to advocate for a more responsible budget. In closing, I would like to invite Northside residents to my annual Community Appreciation Day, which will be held Sept. 10 at Kennard Field in the Hill District. This free, fun event draws more than 2,000 people annually, and last year we had more than 250 sponsors, vendors and participating organizations. I will provide more details to constituents as the date gets closer. I also invite you to participate in volunteer opportunities at Community Appreciation Day — for more information, please call my office at 412-471-7760.
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From the office of State Sen. Jim Ferlo
Electric supplier shopping: Powering choice in your home Summer is coming, and with that, higher electricity prices for some of us as fans and air conditioners begin to hum. You may have received pieces of mail from new companies on choosing an electricity supplier. I certainly have. It may be a prudent time of year to look into your options on electricity choice. Utility rates are governed by the Public Utility Commission. Over the last few years, established rate caps expired, allowing utility companies to petition the PUC to raise their rates based on their costs. Alternate suppliers were empowered to enter the market and give consumers more choices. The PUC has created
PA Power Switch (http://www. papowerswitch.com/) as a guide for consumers to use in making informed choices. There are three parts to your electric service: generation, transmission and distribution. Generation is the production of electricity and the companies who produce it are called suppliers. Transmission is the movement of that electricity from where it is produced to a local distribution system. Distribution is the delivery of electricity to your home or business. In most of my district in Pittsburgh city limits, Duquesne Light serves as your electric company. Duquesne will continue
to deliver your service, provide maintenance, and handle your billing, but you are now able to choose the electric supplier who generates the electricity that you use. Once you enter your zip code, you can see all the available suppliers, their price to compare, and contractual terms. You are welcome to stay with Duquesne Light as supplier or you may elect to switch. A quick search for zip code 15201, home of my Lawrenceville district office, pulled up seven different options for residential properties. I urge you to visit PA Power Switch online or to call the PUC at 1-800-692-7380 and research carefully. If I can be of any assistance in this or any other matter, please contact my district office at 412-621-3006.
June 2011
Fontana: Fix tax loopholes From Fontana, page 24 be able to do? Isn’t it in the best interest for all taxpayers in the Commonwealth to be competitive? Don’t we want it to be financially viable for everyone to stay in PA? We would all like to avoid high tax rates — but the reality is that there is a cost to providing state services and programs, maintaining our roads and bridges and protecting the health, safety and welfare of our residents. Shouldn’t that cost be spread across all parties so that it is as fair as possible for taxpayers? In order to improve our economy, and our Commonwealth, we must strike a balance between fiscal responsibility and a fair tax system. Eliminating the Delaware loophole is the first step in that challenge.
June 2011
The Northside Chronicle
The Game Page Last Month’s Puzzle Solutions First published in a U.S. puzzle magazine in 1979, Sudoku caught on in Japan in 1986, and became internationally famous in 2005. 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.
Crossword puzzles provided by www. bestcrosswords.com / Used with permission.
Chronicle Crossword Across 1- Blind as ___; 5- Angry; 10- Appropriate; 13- Ornamental fabric; 14- Tabs; 16- Form of poem, often used to praise something; 17- Device for controlling speed; 19- Cartoon dog; 20- Heavy book; 21- Abyssinian; 23- ___ Aviv; 24- French 101 verb; 26- Chip in; 27- Visible spirit; 29- Twitter; 32- Helps; 33- In a faint; 36- Mechanics of gases; 41- Muscle; 42- Boxer Max; 44- Least difficult; 48- Hong Kong harbor craft; 50- Dirty Harry’s org.; 51- Air bubble; 53- Pothook shape; 54- Patronage; 58- This, in Tijuana; 60- Crone; 61- Approximations; 64- Comedian Philips; 65- Gun; 66- Affectedly dainty; 67Rainy; 68- Coming down; 69- Finishes; Down 1- According to; 2- One-celled organisms; 3- Laudatory notice; 4- Abound; 5- Land in la mer; 6- Less common; 7- Become less intense, die off; 8- 9th letter of the Hebrew alphabet; 9- “The Time Machine” race; 10- Monetary unit of Hungary; 11- Think; 12- Two fins; 15- Hit sign; 18- Internet writing system that popularized “pwn3d” and “n00b”; 22- Touch lightly; 23- Defunct airline; 25- English river; 28- Neighbor of Leb.; 29- Silver salmon; 30- Husky; 31- B & B; 34- Dispatched; 35- Loos; 37- Suffix with Capri; 38- Big Blue; 39- Legislative capital of South Africa; 40- Weathered; 43- Hosp. workers; 44- Shun; 45- Blazing; 46- Faucet; 47- Chemical ending; 49- Assist, often in a criminal act; 51- Small yeast-raised pancake; 52- Yellowish citrus fruit; 55- Japanese computer giant; 56- Boris Godunov, for one; 57- Gas burner or Sicilian volcano; 59- Locale; 62- At all; 63- Paris possessive;
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Sudoku