Christmas Decorating Contest Results!

The votes are in and the Walnut Hills Christmas Decorating Contest judges are proud to announce the 2007 winners!

3RD PLACE:

$10.00 Prize.
A very creative and well designed arrangement located at 240 Indiana Avenue.

2ND PLACE:

$15.00 Prize.
A large, fun arrangement located at 117 Medford Street.

1ST PLACE:

$25.00 Prize.
I must say that it was a unanimous decision by the judges that the spectacular display located at 1242 Carlisle Avenue was the obvious winner this year. The scope and beauty of this arrangement must truly be seen to be believed, a very nice job!


The judging was conducted on two nights, December 23rd and December 30th, 2007. Decorations were judged on creativity, complexity and consistency (the 3 C's of holiday decorating).

Waste Collection

City of Dayton offices will be closed Monday and Tuesday, December 24 and 25, 2007, and Tuesday, January 1, 2008.

Waste collection services will occur on the following schedule:

Monday, December 24 – Normal collection schedule

Tuesday, December 25 – No waste collection service

Wednesday, December 26 – Tuesday’s waste will be collected

Thursday, December 27 – Wednesday’s waste will be collected

Friday, December 28 – Thursday’s waste will be collected

Saturday, December 29 – Friday’s waste will be collected

Waste collection will resume its normal schedule on Monday, December 31. Waste will be collected on New Year’s Day (Tuesday, January 1).

Through January 11, 2008, Division of Waste Collection crews will collect overflow garbage without a special bulk pick-up request. Overflow should be placed in plastic bags outside of the 90-gallon rollout container, boxes should be flattened and Christmas trees should be placed at the normal place of collection. Waste collection customers still needing a bulk pick-up should call 333-4800.

Candy Cane Dance for Youth

Candy Cane Dance for Youth Ages 12 to 17: December 21

Featuring Angel O’Shea from Hot 102.9 and A Best-Dressed Contest
Released: Thursday, December 13, 2007

Contact: Dr. Donnell Gregory, Dayton Commission on Youth, 333-3644

Dayton-area youth ages 12 to 17 are invited to join the Dayton Youth Council for the Candy Cane Dance, a holiday celebration featuring Angel O’Shea from HOT 102.9.

There will be plenty of holiday fun and food, with prizes for the best-dressed male and female in red and white.

The event is scheduled for Friday, December 21, from 7:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., at the Bomberger Teen Center, 1306 E. Fifth St., Dayton.

Admission is $5 plus two canned goods, or $7, per person. Proceeds and donations benefit the House of Bread. For more information, call 333-3644.

Zumba Class

Just an update - we have changed the time of our Zumba class to accommodate work schedules better. We are now having it from 5:30-6:30PM on Thursday evenings at Cleveland School. Please join us for this fun work out! If you have any questions, feel free to contact Kym Beasley at KBeasley@dps.k12.oh.us. Thank you!

Correction - Winter Pancake Breakfast

Hello everyone - I am sorry for the confusion, but after trying to get the pancake breakfast at Cleveland this coming Saturday, we were not able to get space reserved. As it turns out, too many people are using the school building (which we are very pleased about)! We are planning on doing a pancake breakfast after the holidays sometime in the winter of 2008.

An update on activities we are currently having - Kym is currently doing Holiday Arts and Crafts (making candles, soap, etc.) in the evenings, contact her for more information. There is a minimal cost to cover supplies, but it is a great parent-child activity and they have had a lot of fun! We have also moved Zumba to a later time on Thursdays so more people can participate. Please contact Kym or myself for the exact times as the holiday schedule may change slightly because the school building will be closed. We are also planning to have a book club for kids during the winter break, but have not determined the particulars. Stay tuned for more information.

Thank you for your continued support and we look forward to seeing you or hearing from you soon. Please do not hesitate to contact myself (Erin - aldricee@notes.udayton.edu) or Kym Beasley (KBeasley@dps.k12.oh.us) with questions, comments or ideas.

Pancake Breakfast at Cleveland School

Next Saturday, December 15, Cleveland School will host a "Winter Wonderland" Pancake Breakfast at the school from 9 to 11 am. Donations are $4 or $2 if you bring in a canned good item. Proceeds will benefit the school.

Cleveland School is part of the Neighborhood Schools as Center of Community project under the direction of the Dayton Foundation and the University of Dayton Fitz Center for Leadership. Their vision is that the new public schools are "centers" of their Dayton neighborhoods. serving as healthy places of learning for children and families and the center of life in the neighborhood.

There originally were four schools in this project. Cleveland School was added last year as a direct result of a UD master's level class that focused on the Walnut Hills Neighborhood. They were so impressed by the neighborhood leadership and the energy and passion of some of the residents that they rearranged the budget to provide for an on-site coordinator to work with the Principal, Ms. Daniel, on creating opportunities for community use of the school. Kym Beasley is that person and she works for the YMCA who is the lead institutional partner for Cleveland School.

Come out on December 15, meet Kym and let's talk about ways that Cleveland School can become the center of our Walnut Hills neighborhood.

Dog Owners Reminded to Renew

Dog Owners Reminded to Renew
Their Dog’s License

Date: November 28, 2007 Contact: Faith Dickerhoof
496-7405

Montgomery County Auditor Karl L. Keith along with the Montgomery County Commissioners would like to remind Montgomery County dog owners that the time is upon us to renew your dog’s license. Each year, between December 1 through January 31st, dog owners register their dogs with local authorities to ensure a safe trip home if their dog is lost, stolen, or missing. State law requires that every dog over the age of three months old needs to be licensed.

For 16 dollars per license, dog owners have the peace of mind that with 24 hour identification, their puppy will return home safely and quickly. This also enables the dog owner to avoid a potential $150 ticket for failure to license their pet. Finally, if the dog cannot return home quickly, the Animal Resource Center provides a safe shelter, food and emergency care if your lost dog requires such attention.

The Auditor’s office provides many reasonable, easy opportunities to purchase your dog’s license. First, starting on December 1st, visitors to www.mcohio.org will recognize the icon for dog licenses. With one click, surfers can navigate to the Auditor’s website and purchase up to five dog licenses per transaction. A $2.00 fee is attached to each transaction. Second, various vendors or outposts around the county, such as municipal buildings, pet supply stores and veterinarian’s offices, sell the dog license. Third, previous dog owners will receive a postcard in the mail from the Montgomery County Auditor’s office reminding them to renew their pet’s license. Please mail back to Auditor’s office a check or money order made out to the Montgomery County Auditor Karl L Keith for the total number of licenses required and a self addressed stamped envelope. Please make corrections to the card such as if a dog is deceased or changes in address.

Finally, the Montgomery County Animal Resource Center, located at 6790 Webster St, is available to sell licenses and arrange adoptions of pets Monday thru Friday from 10:00am to 6:00pm and Saturday from 10:00 am to 4:00pm. Credit Cards are accepted at this location. For questions concerning adoption, please call the Animal Resource Center at 937-898-4457 ext 8. For questions regarding the purchase of dog licenses, please call the Auditor’s office at 937-225-4314.

All license fees generated go to support the work of the Animal Resource Center. Donations to the Animal Resource Center such as $5 for a bone shaped dog tag or $10 or more for a heart shaped dog tag go directly to the operation of the Animal Resource Center for the rescue, care and housing of our community’s lost and homeless pets.

Meeting on the Kroger Development

The meeting last Thursday was well attended by neighbors from Walnut Hills, Twin Towers and South Park. Shelly Dickstein announced that the City had identified money to bridge the gap the developers had shown and would begin real estate assessments and negotiations with homeowners before the end of the year. There are 88 properties that need to be acquired to fulfill the requirements for acreage for a new Kroger. Of those 88 properties, 21 (?) are owner occupied. Several are in foreclosure, the remainder are rentals or have been boarded up. This is the next step in the process, but there is yet no guarantee on a new store. Shelly did indicate that something would happen in that area, but I got the impression they are not putting a lot of effort into a Plan B until they are sure Plan A won't work.

Kroger Meeting

When: Thursday November 15th 6:30 PM

Where: Twin Towers Place 250 Allen street

Winter Raffle

To those who missed our October meeting, you should be excited to know that we've decided to raffle off a laptop computer to raise some funds and have some fun this winter! This year's computer is a truly impressive Compaq Laptop that includes a powerful dual core processor, a gigabyte of ram, a massive 120GB harddrive and a dvd burner!

Tickets are just a $1 each or SIX for $5.


For more info or to buy tickets call Chad @ 937.258.2392!

Mega Clean-Up Planned in Southeast Priority Board Area

Mega Clean-Up Planned in Southeast Priority Board Area

Release Date: Thursday, October 11, 2007
Contact: Paula Powers, Citizen Participation Coordinator, 333-7373

The Walnut Hills Neighborhood is spearheading a joint, three-and-a-half-mile volunteer litter clean-up effort through the heart of the Southeast Priority Board area on Saturday, October 13.

Last year Southeast Priority Board member and Walnut Hills resident Mike Schommer saw an article in the Spring 2006 issue of a City of Dayton publication, The Dayton Update, about the “Adopt an Area Program” sponsored by the Montgomery County Solid Waste District.

At that time he organized volunteers to take advantage of the program, which supplies free trash bags, gloves, safety vests, and litter grabbers for volunteers willing to adopt an area to clean up. Identifying Wyoming Street from Hyland Park to the intersection of Wayne Avenue as their adopted area, the volunteers picked up and hauled away 1,400 pounds of litter in May of 2006, 400 pounds in October of 2006, and 800 pounds in May of this year.

The initiative has gathered momentum and the cleanup scheduled for Saturday October 13 will include four Southeast neighborhoods, additional streets, many more volunteers, donations from local businesses, and will encompass a total of 3.5 miles of roadway.

The Fairgrounds, Linden Heights, and Twin Towers neighborhoods are joining Walnut Hills. The clean-up area will cover the entire stretch of Wyoming Street from Main Street to its terminus near Cleveland School on Purcell Avenue.

The Twin Towers Action Coalition, under the leadership of Barbara Bauer, another Southeast Priority Board member, was in the process of organizing a separate collaborative clean-up effort with volunteers from the Twin Towers Community Council, Twin Towers Block Leaders, East End Community Services Corporation, East End Community Church and support from Wayne Avenue Twin Towers Business Association and Dabel Eagles #3031. They planned to clean up Xenia Avenue from Steve Whalen Drive to Keowee Street. Schommer offered to expand the use of his pickup truck to collect the litter gathered by the Twin Towers neighborhood under the voucher issued by the County, which allows him to dump the refuse without a fee. This removes the trash from the neighborhoods the same day of the clean-up, instead of waiting for a scheduled weekday pick-up.

Approximately 30 volunteers from Walnut Hills, Linden Heights and Fairgrounds will gather at Hyland Park at 11:00 a.m. to start their clean-up and will celebrate afterwards at the Pizza Factory, 1101 Wayne Avenue, which is donating pizza for their hard work. The Twin Towers neighborhood will begin its clean-up effort at East End Community Services, located at 624 Xenia Avenue at 9:00 a.m. Organizers will reward the approximately 75 volunteers afterwards with a cookout in the lot across the street.


“Without the City of Dayton, I wouldn’t have known about the County’s Program,” Schommer said. “Montgomery County is supplying the necessary materials. Without the Priority Board, I wouldn’t have known who the neighborhood contacts were in order to organize this thing. We need to send a strong message from Dayton to outlying communities that we have pride in our neighborhoods. So many people have no idea of all the great stuff that goes on in Dayton neighborhoods all the time. We’re taking positive action because we just aren’t going to tolerate attitudes of those who feel our city streets can be used as trash cans.”

Volunteer interested in helping with the clean-up efforts may call Mike Schommer at 256-2516.

School Board Candidates at Walnut Hills meeting tonight

Several school board candidates will be at the Walnut Hills meeting tonight at 6:30 until about 7:15 and will be available to answer questions on the issues facing the school district. Election day is Nov. 6. Take this opportunity to find out where these candidates stand on issues important to you, your children, and your neighborhood.

Stewart Street Bridge

Stewart Street Bridge Informational Meeting Set for October 16



Release Date: Friday, October 5, 2007

Contact: Steve Finke, City of Dayton, 333-4070

Melissa Rasnic, Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce, 226-8269



The City of Dayton and the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce will conduct an informational meeting regarding the Stewart Street Bridge on Tuesday, October 16, from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., at the Dayton Daily News corporate offices, 1611 S. Main St.



The purpose of the meeting is to inform affected citizens, employers and motorists of the timeline related to the planned closure, demolition and reconstruction of the Stewart Street Bridge. The bridge, which was constructed in 1911, is a vital transportation corridor for Dayton residents, businesses, and visitors. The bridge will be replaced beginning in the spring of 2008.



Anyone wishing to attend the meeting is asked to call Melissa Rasnic at the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce at 226-8289 to RSVP and for parking information.

Beggar’s Night

Beggar’s Night Scheduled for Tuesday, October 30

Release Date: Tuesday, October 2, 2007

The City of Dayton will observe the annual tradition of Beggar’s Night on Tuesday, October 30 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the city of Dayton. Parents are encouraged to dress children in brightly-colored and reflective clothing. Also, as always, motorists are encouraged to use caution when traveling during that time.

Trade & Skills Fair

City Recreation and Youth Services Department to Sponsor
Youth & Young Adult Trade & Skills Fair


Release Date: Monday, October 1, 2007

Contact: Roma Stephens, Recreation & Youth Services, 333-3322



The City of Dayton’s Department of Recreation and Youth Services is hosting a “Youth & Young Adult Skilled Trades Fair” on Tuesday, October 9, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Dayton Convention Center, 22 E. Fifth Street.



The event is free and open to all youth and young adults (ages 16 to 23 years) and will focus on two areas of interest: obtaining a GED and post-high school training for those interested in trades.



The fair’s GED section will offer information to youth and young adults who have attended high school but did not receive a diploma. Representatives of several schools and agencies will be present to discuss GED options with those seeking a second chance at earning a high school education and improving career possibilities.



The trade careers section is for individuals who are on track to earn a high school diploma but are interested in skilled trade careers rather than pursuing a four-year degree. Representatives from more than 30 career areas including electrical, plumbing, trucking, health and beauty, and even creative fields will be present to offer information on opportunities and requirements for the trades.



Currently enrolled students should contact a school guidance counselor regarding attendance. Dayton Public Schools will send interested Junior and Senior level students to the trade careers segment.



For more information, call 333-8400.

Oktoberfest

St. Anthony school is having an Oktoberfest on 13 Oct from 6-midnight (carry out from 5-6) att he school. Tickets are $10 pre-event and $12 at the door. All you can eat cabbage rolls, brats, metts, etc plus drinks at the event. Call CHris Emmerich at 258-1191 for tickets or information.

Volunteers Still Needed

South Park is having their Rehabarama event next week and still need some people to assist at some of the houses. Please contact Karen Manovich at kmanovich@usa.net if you can help out.

Count Week October 1-5

This coming week (October 1-5) is Count Week in Dayton Public Schools. It's HUGELY important for kids to be at school this week because school funding is based on attendance records during Count Week. Please help us by getting your children to school. Attendance has been dropping and poor attendance during this week is extremely detrimental to schools. Thank you for your help!

Halloween and the YMCA

At Cleveland PK-8
Neighborhood School Center
You are invited to Join us for

Trunk-or-Treat is a fun and safe way to celebrate a family tradition. Instead of going from house-to-house, families will have the opportunity to go from trunk-to trunk in search of fun treats! We will be using Cleveland Pk-8’s parking lot for all of the participating vehicles. We are currently looking for families, organizations, and business to sponsor a vehicle to decorate and pass out candy. This is a fun event for everyone!

Where: Cleveland PK-8 School

When: Tuesday Oct. 30th
6:00pm-8:00pm
Who: Everyone!!!

If you are interested in sponsoring a vehicle, a game, or treats, please fill the form out below. If you have any questions, or you are interested in being a sponsor, please contact:

Kym Beasley 937-474-2091, KBeasley@dps.k12.oh.us , or you can turn in the bottom portion of this form to Cleveland PK-8 School

______Yes, I am interested in decorating a vehicle and passing
out candy.

______Yes, I am interested donating candy, prizes, or coupons.

______Yes, I am interested in sponsoring a fun game.

______Yes, My family will be attending Trunk-or-Treat.

Include your name and contact information on the back of this form. Please respond by Wednesday October 24th. Thank You!

Spray Park Working

The spray park is up and running in Walnut Hills Park for the next couple of weeks to work out any bugs in the system.

The official grand opening should be next year but in the meantime stop by and have some fun! If you put your hand on the black button at the back of the orange speaker the jets will come on.

$8000 Reward

The Walnut Hills Association voted unanimously to set aside $1000 from our treasury as a reward for information leading to the conviction of the person responsible for the ARSON fire at 260 Indiana Ave on July 16th, 2007.

This raises the total reward to $8000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for this crime.

Call 222-STOP if you have any information regarding this crime.

Wednesday in the Park

The basketball court was being re-surfaced

AND the spray park is so almost done that there is a possibility that it may be open for use in the next two weeks!

More Yard Sale Details

I promised to post this because I think people should be using this site much more than they are doing. I am also trying to make people who are participating in the yard sale this coming weekend realize the true value of this site.
If there is an unusual or specific item that you feel should be promoted, there is nothing to stop you from uploading the URL and sending us a link to your site so that people who visit this web site from the newspaper advertisement can see some of the great items available in our neighborhood yard sale.
That being said, 1418 Phillips Ave will be running their yard sale on Friday and Saturday since they are unable to be available on Sunday.

Unique items at Neighborhood Yard sale Saturday

Hello,
I will be participating in the neighborhood yard sale on Saturday, September 8th only. I will be selling mostly collectible Barbies (I have about 100 all together) in new condition all in their original boxes. I have them priced quite reasonably and you can see some of the pictures of them here, Charity's Barbies for sale. So be sure to stop by my house at 1322 Epworth Ave. to check them out. It's not too early to be thinking about gift ideas and these dolls would make excellent presents!

Yard Sale reminder, Septemeber 8th!

A reminder to all you crazy yard-salers, this year’s fall yard-sale extravaganza is coming up in a little less than two weeks. If you’d like to participate contact Chad at 258-2392 or Gary at 253-1359 to sign up or get details. The official date is Saturday, September 8th.

You can find more details or sign up digitally here, or check out the map here.
Don’t miss out!

Property Tax Savings Deadline: October 1

Homeowners 65 years of age and older or who are disabled are eligible for a property tax reduction under the Homestead Reduction Program. Applications must be submitted by October 1. Get more information from the office of the Montgomery County Auditor.

Foreclosure Assistance is Available

Dayton City Commissioner Dean Lovelace urges Dayton residents who may be the victim of predatory mortgage lending to seek help through various community agencies. Dayton ranked 16th among the 100 largest metropolitan areas in the United States for home foreclosures during the first half of 2007. Many of these foreclosures can be attributed to predatory lending practices.


"Predatory lending continues to be a serious issue, not just in Dayton, but across the country," Commissioner Lovelace said. "I urge anyone who is in danger of losing their mortgage to contact one of the agencies below for help and advice."


· Montgomery County Recorder's Office - 225-4275
· CountyCorp - 225-6328
· Home Ownership Center of Greater Dayton - 853-1600
· Homeownership Preservation Foundation - 888-995-HOPE
· Ohio Housing Finance Agency - 888-362-6432

Kroger Development Public Meeting

Please join city staff at their next public meeting where they will provide more detailed information on the status of the Wayne and Wyoming development project and listen to your concerns.

Tuesday September 4th, 2007 at 6:30 PM
Fish Gate Community Church
424 Hickory Street
Historic South Park

Residents, Please Pay Attention & Be Aware!

At around 11:30 PM last night, there was a suspicious fire at the apartment complex near the corner of Illinois & Wayne. 5 of the units were completely destroyed & a number of residents went to Miami Valley with smoke inhalation.
This is the third suspicious fire in our neighborhood in the last two months.
Below you will see reports from the Dayton Daily News & WHIO-TV, as well as a link to pictures of the fire. Please check them out & Please, everyone, let's be more concerned & diligent about the safety of OUR Neighborhood & it's residents.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/ap/mediahub/media/slideshow/index.jsp?tId=30958

Dayton Daily News
Fire breaks out in Dayton apartment building
By Ryan Justin Fox
Staff Writer
Friday, August 17, 2007

DAYTON — Firefighters are battling a fire in an apartment building in the 2300 block of Wayne Avenue.

About 11:47 p.m., police and fire radio communication voice traffic indicated that some of the people believed to live in the building have not been accounted for.
Extra firefighting equipment has been dispatched to the scene, according to the radio voice traffic.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2263 or rfox@DaytonDailyNews.com.

WHIO-TV
Suspicious Fire Breaks Out In Dayton

Fire crews were called to the 2300 block of Wayne Avenue on an apartment building fire after 11 p.m. Friday.
Fire crews said heavy fire and smoke filled both ends of the building and some residents were trapped inside when the flames broke out. Several residents were taken to the hospital because of smoke inhalation.
Investigators said they are not sure what caused the fire, but are calling it suspicious.
stephanie.dutton@whiotv.com

Please, if anyone saw or heard anything out of the ordinary in the part of Walnut Hills last night, aroung 11PM, contact Dayton PD at 333-COPS. This is our neighborhood & it is up to us to keep it a safe place to live!

SID Service Plan

If you click the link on the left, you can view the most recent draft of the Special Improvement District service plan. Please feel free to comment in the comments section of this post.

Spray Park Update

This was taken last week but you can see for yourself!

Wanted For Stupidity

If you know the whereabouts of the "937 Boyz" please let us know. They have some cleaning up to do.

No Really. What About That Kroger Development?

There has been a flurry of activity regarding the Kroger development at Wayne and Wyoming Avenues in the last two weeks. Without boring everyone with details a group of neighborhood leaders met to discuss ideas that would push this project along. A letter was written and sent to the city leaders with some questions and ideas. The letter asked if the city had been in communication with Kroger directly instead of their developer Midland Atlantic. We felt that it was important that Kroger was aware of the support that they would have in the community. Letters have been sent by neighborhoods to the CEO of Kroger and an appeal went out for others to follow suit. The response from the city manager was swift and is as follows;

Dear Concerned Citizens:

I want to take the time to thank you for your interest in the redevelopment of property at the Wayne and Wyoming intersection. We share your interest in moving this project forward and are committed to bring new investment to East Dayton. City staff have been working with the Midland Atlantic development group to bring in a new development opportunity that will provide an important amenity and job generator to the neighborhood. Those discussions continue, but there are some critical issues that we are still working through.

The biggest challenge is the amount of public investment that is appropriate for a development of this size and nature, particularly in a city that is facing significant funding challenges. While financial assistance may be appropriate and some funding has been preliminarily committed to facilitate this new development, the City has limited resources. As you are aware, property acquisition costs are a significant concern given prior negotiations that homeowners and businesses had with Midland Atlantic. The City and Midland Atlantic have both worked to identify additional funding sources for the project, but we are still trying to address a funding gap that has grown threefold since the project was first proposed.

Some people have expressed concern that the reason this project is not moving forward is due to the Ballpark Village project. I can assure you that the two projects are unrelated and that Krogers is not contemplated for Ballpark Village.

I also want to assure you that this project is a priority for the City Commission and staff is working diligently to bring this project to fruition. Funding sources, such as tax increment financing, have been part of the project for quite some time and we continue to look for other alternatives.

Our immediate next step is for me and my staff to meet with the Developer to discuss project financing and refine our strategic acquisition plan in an effort to move the project forward. We certainly want to include the citizens and other stakeholders as the development evolves. As soon as we get a firm and workable financing and acquisition plan in place, we will come to the community and provide updates to and solicit feedback from our stakeholders.

I appreciate your commitment and continued interest in our community.

Sincerely,


Rashad M. Young
City Manager

I will keep you posted as I get information.

Little Lambs Private Daycare

Little Lambs Private Daycare

269 Virginia Ave.

Dayton, OH 45410

Open House

August 1, 2007

4p-6p

Normal Business Hours

Monday-Friday

7a-6p

Open for Business

August 6, 2007

Owner and Director: Blythe Williams

Phone # 937.305.0957

Neighborhood Security

Security and quality of life issues are our responsibility. By our, I mean the residents of this community. If we fail to live responsibly then we shouldn't complain when others around us act irresponsibly. In the past, law enforcements motto was "to protect and serve" but this is no longer the case. Law enforcement should be there to enforce the law. This doesn't seem to be the case any more either. It seems that our police force reacts to crimes in progress or after the fact and is forced to focus on felony crimes that a jury will convict. If this is the case then WE have to become responsible for "Crime Prevention" in our neighborhood.
Walnut Hills is not a high crime area when it comes to quality of life issues. Most police calls are domestic disputes or petty thefts and vandalism. Petty crime however should be curbed because it can cause good residents to move away because they feel that nothing can be done to prevent it.
The problem is that we still expect the police force to "protect and serve" at a time when their job is to arrest criminals. They can't arrest criminals in Walnut Hills if we actively make an effort to prevent crime. If we can prevent crimes from occurring then the criminal element will reside and do their deeds elsewhere.
We are going to make an effort to form active and organised block watch groups. Blythe Williams has volunteered to spearhead this effort and can be contacted at blythewilliams@earthlink.net

A tentative plan is to divide the neighborhood into at least 7 sectors as follows. Section #7 may need to be divided into two managable areas.



We would hope to find one responsible person per block to be block captains and one of those captains should be a sector leader. People can report anything unusual to the block captains who can convey relevant information to the sector leader who could broadcast to the neighborhood via this web page or through email.
We don't expect miracles overnight and some sectors will exhibit more volunteerism than others, but it is a start. A block watch group is only as good as it's best leader. If we only establish this in 4 sectors then at least half the neighborhood is a safer place to live in.

We need to locate block captains and sector leaders so if you know the name of the most likely candidate on your block, please submit the name to Blythe. We won't take just anybody. I tend to do criminal and civil record searches on individuals on a regular basis. We may also consider a residency requirement for captains and sector leaders to ensure longevity of the block watch group.

In the last two years we have done a lot of exciting things and this is just one more to make this a more tightly knitted community.. The ultimate goal here is to make Walnut Hills the most desirable neighborhood to live in within 2 miles of downtown Dayton. I think that is an achievable goal.

Another Park Event

I received an email from the Teens of Promise Youth Ministry announcing this event for Saturday July 28th at the park.

PRESENTING
Celebrate Jesus!
A FREE Neighborhood Community Event

Celebrating the Lord Jesus Christ and His Love for Us!
WHEN: Saturday, July 28, 2007
From 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM
WHERE: Walnut Hills Park
FOOD MUSIC FUN
Entertainment
Skits
Puppets
Illusions
Trinkets

Wading Pool? What Wading Pool?

This morning at the park!




Start thinking "Spray Park!"

What About That Free Pizza?

Our May website promotion was a smashing success, we were able to attract new visitors to our blog and add a few names to our mailing list! I'd like to congratulate William Herzog of Virginia Avenue as our winner, he takes home a $15 coupon for free pizza from Dewey's @ UD.

Thanks to all of those who entered!

What About That Krogers Development?

I got this emailed to me today.


July 2, 2007

Dear Neighborhood Organization Leader,

For literally years now the City has been talking with an agent of Kroger’s about building a new, larger, better positioned, Kroger store at the corner of Wayne and Wyoming in East Dayton. East End Community Services along with many of our friends from surrounding neighborhood associations and community councils have expressed our strong support for such a development. We share the notion that a new Kroger store would add high quality retail services to the City, support inner ring neighborhood vitality, add a significant number of new jobs, and help catalyze much needed new development along the Wayne Avenue corridor.
The proposed Kroger development requires a significant investment in property acquisition and public infrastructure dollars by the City. Unfortunately, Dayton and Kroger’s development agent, Midland Atlantic, seem to have come to an impasse in their negotiations and the project appears to be stalled. The possibility exists that the project could be abandoned entirely. In our view losing the Kroger development would be a huge blow to the continued growth and redevelopment of many of our inner ring neighborhoods.
If you agree, and are interested in voicing your concerns over the stalled talks, please join us for a meeting with the leaders of other inner ring Dayton neighborhoods who would benefit from a new Kroger Store at Wayne and Wyoming Streets. The agenda is simply to brainstorm and come to consensus about actions we could take as concerned residents to encourage the City and Kroger to take the steps needed to make the proposed new Kroger a reality. Paul Woodie will chair the meeting.
The East End Community Services Board of Trustees is hosting the meeting, which is scheduled for Thursday July 19 at 7:00 PM. The meeting will be held at the East End Community Center, located at 624 Xenia Avenue Parking is in the rear, off Steele Avenue.
Please call Jan Lepore-Jentleson, East End Community Services’ Executive Director, at 259-1898, if you have any questions or comments. We hope to see you on the 19th.

Sincerely,

Frank Surico
East End Community Services Board President

The Festival Was a Success!

The first Southeast Festival at Walnut Hills Park was a huge success despite a few faux pas that crept up on us along the way. Here are some pictures of the event. I may add some more later. We even got a visit from the mayor!











Here is the list of people who should be thanked for their roles in making the event a success.

Harold Ayres
Ed Ayres
Mike Schommer
Doug Schommer
Beverly Dunnington
Kent Lyon
Lela Estes
Bob Lipps
Chad Snoke
Kelly Claypool
Sarah Abernethy
Ben Abernethy
Mitch Kearns
Meg Malcolm
Shawnte Shepherd
Stephanie Llacuna
Koa Llacuna
Krissy Mayes
Josh Mayes
Ella Smith
Billy Stevenson
Steven Dalton
Joe Lacey
Kate Good
Brian Good
Ashley Wilcox
Jim Trickey
Jane Fries
Nicki Craft

There are at least four more who helped on the day but I didn't get their names so thank you too!

Southeast Festival

Feel free to download a printable version of this poster in color or black & white and place it where many people will see it!

We are going to have a baked goods booth at the Southeast Dayton Day Festival. If you would like to donate any baked goods, please call Beverly at 253-6266. This will be a fund raiser for our Association.

Getting Ready For The Festival

Here is a picture of Mike Schommer cleaning out the old wading pool at the Walnut Hills Park this week. If the weather is hot we will set up a misting station in the pool where the water can drain.



Here is Harold Ayres emptying a garbage can before the big day!

Some of the executive board members will be at the park this week getting a few last minute things ready. Stop by and say "Hi" if you see any of them working near the storage shed and restrooms.

An Invitation from South Park

I wanted to extend an invitation to you and your Walnut Hills neighbors from South Park. We are hosting a concert in our gazebo on Park on Saturday, June 23rd at 7 PM. A popular local group will be performing, and we are going to gather with blankets, lawn chairs, and refreshments to listen (everyone is bringing their own seating and refreshments).

Please invite your membership to attend. The group Disconnected is supposed to be pretty good--they play rock, Blues, Pop, Country covers and original songs. They play at the Fraze! Read about the band at http://disconnectedband.com.
Best regards,
Karin

Proposed Spray Park Picture

Here is a picture of the proposed spray park to be constructed in Walnut Hills Park. You can click on the picture for a larger image.

East Dayton Vikings Youth Football

Will be holding early sign-ups for football players and cheerleaders entering grades 3rd-6th for the 2007-2008 school year. Registrations will be accepted at Lohrey Center 2366 Glenarm Ave.
Cost is $75.00 per participating child.

Sign-up Dates are:

Saturday May 19th 11am-2pm
Saturday June 2nd 11am-2pm
Saturday June 9th 11am-2pm

These are early sign-up times. We will also be accepting registrations our 1st 2 weeks of practice starting Monday July 30th at the football field behind Belmont High School. Any questions please call.

Robert Delong @252-0311 Cell 657-4722

Mark Santos @781-4158

Brian Cooper @259-0269

Online yard sale sign up & map

With the spring Walnut Hills Community Yard Sale less than two weeks away... now is the perfect time for you to join in the yard sale fun. To make it easier to sign up, we've created an online form so that you can submit your information for the sale. The web form and additional info can be found HERE.

Once you sign up and contact me, we'll get your info and address on the official map. To view the current list of yard sales, check out the map HERE.

Then, to help you advertise your sale, we'll provide you with one of our new signs for your front yard... very cool.



All that for just $5! So what are you waiting for? Sign up now!

SOCCER 2007

www.daytonsoccer.org

SIGN –UP NOW UNDERWAY
FOR 2007 FALL SOCCER

• Enrollment for the Dayton Area Soccer Association (DASA) Fall Soccer season is now underway.

• Kids 4–18 years of age can register to play in this recreational soccer league.
• Dayton SAY is the official soccer league for the City of Dayton.
• See reverse side for registration form, deadlines, and fees.
Facts about Dayton SAY Soccer
• The SAY Soccer program emphasis is on kids having fun! Every player is guaranteed to play at least 1/2 of every game.
• Registration covers the cost of a soccer jersey, socks and a team photo. You supply the shorts, shoes and shin guards. No additional fundraising required!

• Season starts in late August and concludes in mid October. There are approximately 10 games in the season.
• Most games are played at the Gateway Sports Complex on Stanley Ave. near Route 4. Teams with kids ages 8 and above play some away games.

• Most games are played on Saturdays. Teams with kids ages 6 and above will play some evening games as well.
• Players ages 4–7 will receive a participation trophy at the end of the regular season.

Register early and save $5.00 for each child!

‘Building Safety Week’

Discounted Bill Payment Options Offered
During ‘Building Safety Week’
Release Date: Friday, May 4, 2007
Contact: Bill Nelson, Director of Building Services, 333-3883

As part of “Building Safety Week,” the City of Dayton’s Department of Building Services is offering a special amnesty program that will allow citizens to repay some outstanding bills at a discounted rate.

People who still owe money to the City of Dayton for demolition or boarding/securing costs can repay those costs at a 40 percent discount. But the time to take advantage of the discounted payment option only lasts through the end of May, so individuals with outstanding bills are encouraged to act fast. Payments can be made in the Department of Building Services’ One Stop Center, 371 W. Second Street, or in the Department of Finance at Dayton City Hall, 101 W. Third Street.

The discount does not apply to any bills that have been turned over to UCB Collection Agency or that have been attached to a property through Montgomery County. In these instances, customers must contact those agencies directly and will not be eligible for the 40 percent discount.

Each year, the City of Dayton joins other communities around the world to celebrate Building Safety Week, May 6-12. Building Safety Week raises public awareness of building safety and promotes the use, enforcement and understanding of building safety and fire prevention codes to protect lives and property.

“During Building Safety Week, I encourage the public to stop by our offices at the One Stop Center to learn more about the work that the Building Services Department does,” said Bill Nelson, Director of the Department of Building Services. “Building code enforcement is the job of professionals who work right here in the City of Dayton. Inspectors, plan reviewers and others in our department work to ensure that the structures you and your families live, work, and play in are safe by issuing building permits and inspecting buildings during and after construction.”
Nelson added, “Our department is using Building Safety Week to educate the community about the importance of obtaining proper permits and maintaining their properties. It is an opportunity to increase public awareness of the role that building safety and fire prevention officials, local and state building departments, and federal agencies play on the front line of defense to protect lives and property. They are the ‘silent defenders’ who are seldom seen but work daily to ensure safety in the community.”

Building Safety Week, first observed in 1980, is sponsored by the International Code Council Foundation, an organization dedicated to changing the devastating effects of natural disasters and other building tragedies at home and around the world. The International Code Council is an association that develops building safety and fire prevention codes that are used in more than 15,000 jurisdictions across the nation.
For any building safety concerns, contact the Building Services Department at 333-3883. For housing questions, contact the Division of Housing Inspection at 333-3977.

Found!!!!!!

I found a set of keys at the Walnut Hills Park earlier today. They were located on one of the picnic tables under the roofed area. There are four (4) keys attached to a ring, along with a Speedy Rewards ID tag & a Kroger Plus ID tag.
If you lost a set of keys & can identify them, give me a call @ 937-479-1965. Otherewise, I'll leave this post up for a few days, then send them USPS back to Kroger so that they may ID the owner.

Grass Cutting

If you need someone to gut your grass in the neighborhood and don't have anyone in mind then you can contact Billy on his cell phone at 718-0753. He is already cutting grass for several residents in the area and may be able to help you out.

PORCH LIGHTS

Now that the weather is changing and more people will be out and about, it would be a great idea if everyone in Walnut Hills would keep their porch light on. It costs only about $5.00 per month to leave it on 24/7. This would help your area along with the entire neighborhood by discouraging auto break-ins and other types of vandalisms. LIGHT UP THE STREETS!

Sherwin Williams Discount

We now have the cards for the discount at all the Sherwin Williams stores. All you have to do is present the Walnut Hills card and you will be given a 20% discount on all regular priced merchandise and a 5% discount on all sale priced merchandise. The cards will be available at our meetings or you can contact Beverly at 253-6266 and she will arrange for you to receive one. Spring is a great time for sprucing up your homes and this will make it even easier. HAPPY PAINTING!

Abandoned Properties - Article

This is an interesting article that describes what Buffalo, New York is doing to make banks assume ownership of their abandoned properties.
http://www.knowledgeplex.org/news/254265.html

Sorry it isn't Walnut Hills related but it certainly applies to Dayton! I know our city administration is currently working on getting similar legislation on the books to deal with the same problem.

Don't Forget This!

WALNUT HILLS ANNUAL EASTER EGG HUNT
And BREAKFAST

Saturday April 7th, 2007
WALNUT HILLS PARK
Breakfast served in the shelter from 10:45 AM to 11:45 AM
Easter Egg Hunt begins at NOON

Hey everybody, it's that time of year when those bunnies lay those funny colored eggs and leave them in our neighborhood park! We invite the local children to search for them. The Church on the Rock is providing breakfast. This is a FREE event! A great time for everyone! We need 5 volunteers to help hide eggs and supervise, please contact Ella at (937) 256-3855 after 1:30 PM

Egg hunt is limited to children ages 0 through 12 only
and will begin at noon. Meet at sidewalk beside the tennis courts for egg hunt.

Neighborhood Yard Sale Plans

The neighborhood yard sale event is planned for May 12th – 13th, 2007. If you wish to be identified as a yard/garage sale location on the handout map and benefit from association advertising of the event, then you need to contact the following people this week and submit your name and address and whether you will be having a one day or a two day sale. Residents living west of Illinois and west of Wayne Avenue should contact Gary at 253-1359, while those between Pursell and Indiana Avenue should call Sarah at 252-2210. The fee is $5.00 payable to Walnut Hills Association and will be used to offset costs of advertising and promoting the event. We are looking into providing standardized yard signs for all participants. Don't wait until the last minute to call because the maps have to be printed before the event. When we know who the participants are we will post a map on the Walnut Hills website. Just before sale day someone will collect your fee and leave some map handouts and some balloons for identification purposes on the big day and possibly some signs. Remember anyone can have his or her own sale on this weekend but we won't know who you are and therefore can't help you with promotion. We learned from last years event that being on the map helped those locations with a large number of sales. So get your neighbors involved if you want to have a yard sale! It will help with the traffic flow. Any business owners should consider doing sidewalk sales on this day and it may be a good day to have an open house if you plan to sell your home.
Last September there were some 65 paid participants and another 20 or so that joined in on the day. It would be great if we could advertise over 100 locations!
If you don’t want to have a sale at your home you may be able to put up a table at the Colorado Ave Baptist Church. Call 256-1051 for details or if you would like to donate saleable items to the church. Please check this web site for updates.

20% Off Paint

The Walnut Hills Association has signed up with the Sherwin Williams program that will allow residents of Walnut Hills to purchase paint at a 20% discount of regular prices or 5% off sale prices. This discount is available immediately at the Walnut Street location. If you wish to use the Linden Avenue location then you might want to ask before you make a purchase. Just tell them you live in Walnut Hills. We are waiting for cards to be issued that will allow purchases at any Sherwin Williams location. For details or questions, contact Beverly at 253-6266 or check this web site for updates.

Dayton's Neighborhood Assistance Officer program seeks volunteers

The following story is from the Dayton Daily News, on Sunday, 03/25/2007. I feel that this is an important program and could be very beneficial to our neighborhood. The contact info is included in the article.

Dayton's Neighborhood Assistance Officer program seeks volunteers

By Kelli Wynn
Staff Writer
Sunday, March 25, 2007

DAYTON — If you want to go beyond attending a meeting to show that you care about your neighborhood, then you may want to consider becoming a Dayton Police Neighborhood Assistance Officer.

The purpose of the program is to have Dayton residents volunteer to act as a support unit for the police department. NAO volunteers are trained to handle duties such as traffic control at emergency scenes, special events, nonenforcement calls, missing person searches and noise complaints. They also patrol at least four hours a week.
"It's a unique opportunity to be a little pro-active in your neighborhoods," said Cindy August, NAO supervisor. "You're doing something more than attending a meeting. You're out patrolling your neighborhood."

Starting April 1, current Dayton Police NAO volunteers will work 100 days to get 100 applications from Dayton residents. NAO volunteers will visit numerous neighborhood meetings, events and churches while performing regular duties to accomplish recruiting goals. This recruiting effort is in conjunction with National Volunteer Month.

NAO volunteers will be present during the Dayton Dragons' opening-day fireworks and Tax Day at the main post office on East Fifth Street.

Right now, the program currently has 20 volunteers. This is a great decrease compared to the late 1970s and early 1980s when the program had about 80 volunteers. August said she doesn't know exactly why the numbers have dropped, but thinks the decrease may have something to do with people being busier than in the past. "People don't know their neighbors and they don't get outside their own little world," she said.

For more information on the NAO program, contact Cindy August at (937) 333-1350.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2414 or kwynn@DaytonDailyNews.com.

Criteria for being an NAO

Must be at least 21 years old

Must live in the city of Dayton

No felony convictions or misdemeanor convictions involving a weapon or violence

Must possess a valid Ohio driver's license

Must have automobile insurance

Must be people-oriented

Ability to attend five weeks of training from 7 to 10 p.m.

Chili Cook-Off Results!

The 2nd annual Belmont Vs. Walnut Hills Chili Cook-Off that was held this evening was a huge success! We had around 80 people in attendance and a total of 14 entries from the two neighborhoods.

The proud winner of First Prize is Ms. Lynn Burchill-Phillips from Belmont.

Second place was awarded to Bill Brashear of Walnut Hills who's secret ingredient was sun dried tomatoes.


Third place was awarded to Josh and Krissy Mayes of Walnut Hills who used lentils and pineapple in their secret recipe.

The event was organized by Bev Dunnington and Bob Lipps who did an excellent job with providing all the extras and putting together the prizes. We would also like to thank all the members of the "Church on the Rock" for their support and without whom this event could not have taken place. Thanks to all the people who entered and all who attended. I'm sure this will be a repeat event next year.

Monthly Meetings Information

Monthly neighborhood meetings are held on the second (2nd) Monday of EVERY month EXCEPT in July and August at the Church on the Rock located at 321 Edgar Ave., Dayton OH 45410

The format for our monthly meetings are going to be changed beginning with the April meeting. We will now have a social and refreshment period beginning at 6:30. We encourage everyone to try to attend this time. We are having everyone wear name badges and the street that they live on so we can get to know our residents better. This will give you a chance to chat with your neighbors and also enjoy some good refreshments.

This will be followed by a normal meeting at 7:00. That meeting should be approximately 1/2 hour long. We will then break up into specific committees and anyone can participate in one or more of these committee meetings.

We now have a Park Committee, a School Committee, a Fund Raising Committee, and a Housing Committee. Our goal is to get more residents to participate in what's going on in the community. If you have a concern about a particular issue, you can be a part of that committee meeting and discuss your issues. It's very important to get your voice heard and we are making it easier for you to do just that.

Come out and be a part of your neighborhood.

PARK PROGRESS

Several representatives from the neighborhood met with the City directors for Recreation and Youth Services and Public Works to discuss some changes at the Walnut Hills Park that would be beneficial to the community. These changes are as follows:

1. The 200 amp. electric service near the shelter should be installed in early Spring.

2. The restrooms will be accessable for community events. A key(s) will be given only to specified people including the Park Committee chairperson.

3. The pool will be turned into a great spray area. This should be completed around July. They will have a designer come to a meeting and discuss it before it is put in.

4. We will have a walking path around the tree area in the top section of the park. After some discussion, it was agreed that having it around and near the ball diamonds was not feasible.

5. They are going to install basketball hoops.

6. They are going to install two poles for volleyball.

7. They are working with a resident and employee of the Public Works Department regarding the resurfacing of the hockey rink. 20 gallons of paint will be donated for the painting of the sides.

8. Discussions are in progress regarding a youth program this summer. We may receive support or services from the YMCA and East End Community Services as well as some assistance from the University of Dayton. The lunch program will begin following the summer break.

10. Regarding the tennis courts, it was suggested that we partner with Belmont or Cleveland School to see what can be accomplished about getting them worked on. It is being investigated.

It was a very productive, successful meeting. Harold Ayres and his son Ed, who are very familiar with the park, have accepted the position as chairpersons for the park committee.

Mayor McLin Delivers State of the City Address

Mayor Rhine McLin delivered her annual bright and peachy "State of the City" Address on Wednesday, February 14. The city has provided a pdf copy of her address and it can be found by clicking the link below.

Link!

McLin touches on a number of positive economic developments in the city but skips past pretty much all of our problems, in the end concluding that "The bottom line is this: for all of the struggles that virtually every major Midwest city has had to face in recent years, Dayton is in excellent shape. We are poised to emerge stronger for the adversity we have shouldered and overcome. I am proud to be a Daytonian, and I am excited about our city’s future." So there you have it.

Mentors Needed

East End Community Services mentoring program is looking for mentors to mentor young people ages 16-22 years. You will be connected to a young person who matches your interest. Some of our youth desire opportunities to learn about different careers, homework help, or even maybe interested to connect to different events within our community. Spending time with a teen or young adult provides them with a new perspective and the chance to experience new opportunities. So, think about who mentored you. For more information please contact Teresa Wendell at 259-1898

And any youth or young adult would are between the ages of 16-22 years who would want to participate, please call Teresa at 259-1898.

The Chili Challenge is on!

Last March the Belmont Neighborhood Association challenged us to a chili cook off. Of the 4 entries, Walnut Hills had 3 of them and managed to take 1st, 2nd and 3rd place! This year we are reciprocating the challenge and it will take place in lieu of our regular March meeting and will be at the regular location at 321 Edgar Avenue starting at 6:30 PM. Anyone can enter. There will be prizes for the winners. Be sure to check next month’s newsletter for any updates. Call Gary if you plan to enter at 253-1359 so that we can anticipate the level of participation and ensure adequate space in the room that we plan to use.

Oh, if you are reading this and live in Belmont here’s a taunt;
"We make better chili than you. Nyah, nyah, nyah, nyah nyaaaaah!"

Twin Towers Citizens Cellular Patrol

The Twin Towers neighborhood has established a patrol group to monitor and report suspected illegal activity within their neighborhood. The patrol area overlaps into Walnut Hills to include Wyoming, Glencoe, Mannette and Gunckel Avenues. If you would like to get involved call (937)542-9468 or meet with the group at Wendy's on Friday evenings at 6:30 PM.

Dayton Announces Rate Change in Combined Waste Collection Fee

Release Date: Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Contact: Fred Stovall, Director of Public Works, 333-4070



The City of Dayton is combining its current Waste Collection Disposal Fee and Waste Container Fee into one charge that will appear on the quarterly water utility bill. The City Commission today approved an Ordinance combining the current $5.00 monthly disposal fee and the 89-cent monthly container fee into one new $7.00 per month Waste Disposal Fee.



The rate change is effective January 1, 2007, which means Dayton water customers will see the new amount on quarterly water utility bills received in April 2007. The annual cost for waste collection services will increase slightly from $70.70 to $84.00. For comparison, most other area cities charge higher annual waste collection fees: Englewood - $278.00; Oakwood - $220.00; Centerville - $216.00; Kettering - $173.00; Union $162.00; West Carrollton - $152.00; Miamisburg - $144.00; and Trotwood - $134.00. The new rate change is estimated to result in approximately $731,000 of additional revenue for the City.



In 2002, the City of Dayton instituted the $5.00 monthly waste disposal fee to help cover costs associated with disposing of waste at the Montgomery County transfer station. That Ordinance was set to expire later this year. The Ordinance approved by the City Commission today replaces the 2002 Ordinance. In addition, the new Ordinance includes an annual escalator, which will be applied based upon the Consumer Price Index (CPI).



“As much as we would prefer not to change our rates at all, the escalating costs associated with waste collection operations make it necessary,” Fred Stovall, Director of Dayton’s Public Works Department, said. “It now costs more to dispose of our waste at the county landfill and to provide the containers that enable the City to maintain such a high quality of service. Unfortunately, that means we must increase our rates slightly to cover those outside costs.”



Bulky Waste pick-up service will continue to be provided at no charge.



“This is a good time to remind residents to recycle their household trash as much as possible to reduce the waste stream going to the landfill,” Stovall said. “The more we recycle as a community, the less we pay for disposing of waste in the landfill.”

VALENTINE’S DAY JAM FOR TEENS

MAYOR RHINE MCLIN TO HOLD
VALENTINE’S DAY JAM FOR TEENS

Begin Date: Tuesday, January 23, 2007

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Cathy Shanklin, 333-8400
Donnell Gregory, 333-4021

Dayton Mayor Rhine McLin will hold a Valentine’s Day Jam on Friday, February 9, 2007 from 8:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. at Bomberger Teen Center, 1306 E. Fifth Street. The event will target teens 13 through 17 years of age. The theme of the jam is “Giving Back…Caring and Sharing from the Heart.” The cost for entry is either $5.00 or five canned goods. All proceeds and donations will benefit Daybreak Runaway Shelter for teens.

“I believe youth can have a good time and still provide an important community service,” says Mayor McLin. “With our youth from the Citywide Teen Council involved with planning the event, I know it will be a success.”

This event will offer Dayton area teens an opportunity to celebrate Valentine’s Day with great music, free refreshments, dance contests and more.

For more information, contact Cathy Shanklin at 333-8400, or Dr. Donnell Gregory at 333-4021.

Attend if interested.

The January 31, 2007 Dayton City Commission Meeting will be held at 6:00 PM at the University of Dayton's College Park Center, 1529 Brown Street. The highlight of the meeting will be the adoption of a Participation Agreement between the City, Miami Valley Hospital, and University of Dayton. The Agreement calls for UD and MVH to each contribute $125,000 toward the implementation of the Fairgrounds Traffic Plan.

Vandals on ATVs

I took a long walk Sunday morning in the snow and right at the corner of Heaton & Gunkel two vandals drove past me on ATVs. The grass in the little triangle park there had already been torn up by them and I believe these two may also be the one's responsible for destroying parts of the Walnut Hills Park. I snapped these photos of them and then called the Dayton Police at 333-COPS. If you see them out I urge you to do the same - their behavior is dangerous and illegal. They're destroying public property and risking lives.







The youths were traveling south in the alley between Colorada Ave. and Walnut Hill Pl. If you recognize them but don't want to get involved you can contact me at 271-3477 and I'll be glad to get more involved.

Arson

It appears there was a fire at 1015 Epworth Ave on Wednesday morning (January 17, 2007). The building is a double and has been boarded up already. There is an arson notice on the front of the building. If you have any information call the police department.

I see this didn't make the news at all, not that I want it to, but if it would have occured in Twin Towers there would have been a story!

East Branch Library Activities

East Branch

Coffee Gourmet International Month
Monday, January 15, 2007 - Saturday, January 20, 2007
8:00 AM - 9:00 PM for Kids - All Ages details

Gamer's Night- Video Games in the Library?

Thursday, January 25, 2007
4:00 PM - 8:00 PM for Teens - Ages 10-18 details
Gamers Night- Game on at the East Branch
Thursday, January 25, 2007
4:00 PM - 8:00 PM for Teens - 10-12 details

Homeschool Connection

Tuesday, January 9, 2007
1:00 PM - 2:15 PM for Kids - Ages 7-13 details
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
1:00 PM - 2:15 PM for Kids - Ages 7-13 details

Infant/Toddler Storytime

Wednesday, January 3, 2007
9:45 AM - 10:15 AM for Preschoolers - Ages 2-3 details
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
9:45 AM - 10:15 AM for Preschoolers - Ages 2-3 details
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
9:45 AM - 10:15 AM for Preschoolers - Ages 2-3 details
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
9:45 AM - 10:15 AM for Preschoolers - Ages 2-3 details
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
9:45 AM - 10:15 AM for Preschoolers - Ages 2-3 details

Preschool Storytime

Wednesday, January 3, 2007
10:30 AM - 11:15 AM for Preschoolers - Ages 4-5 details
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
10:30 AM - 11:15 AM for Preschoolers - Ages 4-5 details
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
10:30 AM - 11:15 AM for Preschoolers - Ages 4-5 details
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
10:30 AM - 11:15 AM for Preschoolers - Ages 4-5 details
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
10:30 AM - 11:15 AM for Preschoolers - Ages 4-5 details

Take and Make Winter Craft

Tuesday, January 16, 2007 - Saturday, January 20, 2007
8:00 AM - 9:00 PM for Kids - All Ages details

Cleveland Dedication and Open House

Saturday, January 20, 2007
Dedication Ceremony - 3:00 p.m. Open House to follow
Cleveland PK-8 School. 1102 Pursell Avenue, Dayton Ohio
Please RSVP - 542-3704

Congratulations Detective Bo Bilinski!

On Monday, January 8th, the Walnut Hills Community Association conducted the drawing for this year’s Winter Raffle. We’re proud to announce the winner of the laptop computer was Detective Bo Bilinski of the Dayton Police Department! We’d like to thank everyone who purchased and helped to sell tickets and we look forward to next years raffle!