WALNUT HILLS ANNUAL EASTER EGG HUNT

WALNUT HILLS ANNUAL EASTER EGG HUNT
And BREAKFAST
Saturday April 15, 2006
WALNUT HILLS PARK
Breakfast served in the shelter from 10:30 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

Plans for Park Program

Exciting plans are definitely in the works for a 2006 Summer Park program. The details are being ironed out, but there should be daily activities Monday through Friday and lunches provided for the children. T-Ball may become a reality in our park. Also, we may try to initiate a weekly activity for those parents that home-school their children. However, we need volunteers to help out with the events. Volunteers will be thoroughly screened to ensure that our children are protected. If you are interested in volunteering with the activities at the park this summer, please call Theresa Wendell, the executive director for the YMCA Neighborhood Development Center at the East End Community Center at 259-1898 or email her at twendell@east-end.org

Meeting the Challenge

The Belmont Chili Cook Off was a success. There were around 40 people at the Lohrey Center to try the offerings. Including two city commissioners, one Mayor, one mayor's assistant and a former commissioner! There was plenty of chili to feed all. Of the 4 entries, three were from residents of Walnut Hills! Needless to say we placed 1st, 2nd and tied 3rd places. Maybe next year we should have a Walnut Hills Chili Cook Off and challenge Belmont!

Dayton Evaluating Urban Renewal Options for 12-Acre Site

As part of long-term community planning efforts, the City of Dayton is working to consolidate commercial nodes along the business corridors. One area identified as a concentration point is the Wayne Avenue and Wyoming Street intersection.

A recent study concluded that a 12.25-acre area near the Wayne and Wyoming intersection is blighted and has potential redevelopment value. As a result, City officials are moving forward with an urban renewal process that could lead to redeveloping the site for future commercial development.

Pierce Street, Wyoming Avenue, Hawker Street and Wayne Avenue generally bound the targeted area. It contains 86 parcels of property. According to the study, 44 percent of the buildings in the area show major deterioration or are substandard. Only 10 percent of the principal buildings in the study area were found to be sound.

To fully evaluate the redevelopment potential of the area, the City of Dayton intends to seek out interested developers and proposals. From there, an Urban Renewal Plan may be developed, and redevelopment plans will be shared with the community for feedback. The City Commission would ultimately be required to approve a formal Urban Renewal Plan. The entire process could take several months.

What They Sold For!

Here is a list of last year's sheriff sale properties and what they sold for. This information is from the www.mctreas.org web site listing real estate tax information. If there is no deed transfer (NDT) on this web site and the owner has not re-negotiated the lien then it can be assumed that the bank has acquired the property and not changed the deed to avoid responsibility.

1420 Holly Ave. ($32,100) 317 Gunckel Ave. ($37,100)
1134 Arbor Ave (Fannie Mae) 1528-1530 Wyoming ($50,000)
31 Erie Ave. ($16,700) 1517-1519 Wyoming ($40,000)
137 Illinois Ave (NDT) 16 Gebhart St. ($32,000 by bank)
12 Virginia Ave (HUD) 1521-1523 Wyoming ($30,000)
15 Utah Ct (no sale) 1210 Arbor (NDT)
21 Anderson St. ($83,700) 1200 Wyoming ($26,000 by bank)
107 Edgar Ave (NDT) 243 Indiana Ave (NDT)
24 Edgar Ave ($30,000 by bank) 1101 Carlisle Ave(NDT)
1230 Highland Ave ($37,100) 2329 Wyoming (HUD)
1254 Phillips ($40,000) 405 Gunckel Ave ($29,000)
129 Heaton Ave ($30,000) 339 Illinois Ave (NDT)
1325 Arbor Ave, (NDT) 28 Lucerne (NDT)
1146 Carlisle Ave ($51,000 by bank) 1127 Highland Ave(HUD)
1039 Wyoming (VA) 340 Illinois Ave (NDT)
52 Illinois Ave (NDT) 19 Illinois Ave (NDT)
230 Edgar Ave (NDT) 1903 Alice $34,000 by bank)
1034 Walnut Hills Pl.($28,000 by bank) 238 Virginia Ave (Fannie Mae)
51 Missouri Ave ($47,844 by bank) 1808-1810 Wyoming ($61,000)
227 Illinois Ave (HUD) 29 Utah Ct. (NDT)
1314 Creighton Ave (NDT) 2310 Wayne Ave (NDT)
1127 Pritz Ave ($36,000 by bank) 1217 Creighton Ave ($40,100)

13 of the 44 properties (30%) have actually sold and most were to people who own several rental properties. Some reverted to HUD and the VA. The bad news is that 34% of the properties (those marked NDT) will most likely continue to sit vacant for some time.

Chili Cook Off

Belmont-Eastmont-Hearthstone Community Council is having a Chili Cook Off and has invited the Walnut Hills Association to participate. The cook-off will be on Monday, March 20 at 6:30 pm in the multipurpose room at the Lohrey Center located on Glenarm Road in Belmont. It is an open event to discover who makes the "Best" chili. You need to show up with your pot of chili and allow yourself to be judged. With some luck the Dayton Mayor and/or some commissioners will serve as judges, so go easy on the hot sauce!

State of the Community Address

Things are looking up for the Walnut Hills neighborhood. Last year we initiated a playgroup and it has grown from 2 adults and 2 children to 5 adults and 7 children meeting every week at the Colorado Ave Church during the winter and at the Walnut Hills Park in the summer. A network for home-schooling parents was started and will become better established over the course of the coming year. Lela Estes has initiated a 2006 summer parks program for children in our park by working with the Department of Recreations, Twin Towers neighborhood, the YMCA and the East End Community Center. We are also going to have our annual Easter egg hunt in April in conjunction with a breakfast provided by the neighborhood "Church on the Rock.” Plans are in motion to have a neighborhood picnic at the park on the 4th of July. We would like to be able to have movies in the park on weekend evenings in the summer. Members of the fund raising committee are attempting to put together an organized, annual neighborhood-scale yard sale event that may materialize in 2007 in conjunction with a neighborhood-scale open house/garden tour. Now that the ball is in motion, it would be nice if a few more people would step forward to help in these endeavors.

Wilmington Ave/Wayne Ave Intersection Meeting

Thursday February 23rd 6:00 PM
10 Wilmington Place

There is $1.9 million in funds set aside for a project to align Wayne Ave. with Stewart Street. The goal is to make Stewart a two-way street and to widen the road to reduce traffic congestion at this intersection. To acquire the funds needed from the State of Ohio, a proposal was submitted that was devised in the early 1960s when NCR and DESCI were two major employers, and at a time that the population of the city was considerably higher.
The 1960s proposal is now considered obsolete but the funds have been allocated and changes are supposed to begin in 2009. The Walnut Hills Association and the Southeast Dayton Priority Board have expressed concerns about the proposal and the way the funding has been acquired. It is very important that residents, as many as possible, attend this meeting to provide their input because there are many who feel that this project is a waste of public money that could be better spent in another area of the city. It could also invoke eminent domain issues. Please plan to attend. If you drive through this junction at rush hour then your input is crucial. If you live on Stewart Street, your input is required. If you live on Wayne Ave. or if you live, work or have family residing at 10 Wilmington Place, your input is extremely important. The meeting should be informative and very interesting to say the least.

Wyoming Theater Building to get a Face Lift

The owner of the old "Wyoming" Silent movie theater building on the corner of Wyoming Ave and Gunckel has enthusiastically agreed to allow a group of volunteers from the neighborhood to repair and make-over the facade of the building. The building was built in 1914 as a movie theater. Around 1929, after talking pictures were all the rage, it became the "Silver Slippers" and later "Kellys Bar". It has sat unoccupied for many years. The work to restore the facade will involve some stucco/masonry finishing, brick tuck pointing, wood refinishing, some gutter work and of course painting. The material cost for the work will be between $200 and $300 and will probably take 3 weekends to complete depending on the number of volunteers.
The members at the January meeting agreed that the cost was minimal when compared to the impact this would have on property values near this location. None of the work requires any trained skills and can be learned. If you are interested in participating in this neighborhood improvement project, call Gary at 253-1359. The work should start in April.

Neighborhood Leadership Institute

Applications are now being accepted for the annual Neighborhood Leadership Institute sponsored by the City of Dayton, Chase Bank and Sinclair Community College.
The Neighborhood Leadership Institute is a 12-week program designed to educate Dayton residents about local government. The 2006 program kicks off on Thursday, March 16. It is comprised of various workshops and skill-building components, such as public speaking. It also includes a day-long bus tour of Dayton neighborhoods. Workshops are held at different locations where participants hear presentations from community, business and government leaders on topics such as Dayton’s history, the role of City government, the criminal justice system, and cultural diversity. Class members also complete field assignments to expand their knowledge of Dayton, City government and the community at large. Participants will also be required to complete a practical program that requires them to develop a grassroots project within their community.
Anyone interested in participating must complete and submit an application no later than Monday, February 13. Application forms are available at all City of Dayton Priority Board Offices, the Division of Citizen Participation, located on the 6th floor of City Hall or via the City’s web site at www.cityofdayton.org.

Crime Watch Links Site Added

I have added a link to a page that I created that will give you access to public information that may help you find who owns a property or if someone you suspect of illegal activity has a criminal or court record. It is with the other links in the sidebar to the left.

A Note on Neighborhood Crime

Crime increases in this neighborhood when schools are closed for breaks or holidays. Crime can also increase when new tenants occupy rental properties, especially when there are older children present in the home. If you notice an increase in vandalism or thefts from motor vehicles it is generally a result of these two factors.
Teenagers commit most car thefts in the City of Dayton. Burglaries often result in theft of items that are easily sold or pawned for cash to support a drug habit. It is unwise to leave power tools in your garage. On another note many burglaries and home invasions occur in homes where drugs are present due to the fact that it is unlikely that the crime will be reported.
If you suspect drug activity you can call the drug hotline # 333-DRUG to report your suspicions but you might want to record some vehicle license plate numbers and note the days and times of the activity before you call.
A recent crime in this neighborhood has been the stripping of aluminum siding from the backs and sides of vacant properties. This crime causes blight and reduces the fair market value of surrounding properties. If you see this happening, report the crime to the police.

Public information as a resource

If you have a home computer and Internet access, there are some tools that you can use to know what is going on in your block.
If you want to know who owns a property or if taxes on a property are delinquent you can check this at the Montgomery County Treasurers site http://www.mctreas.org. If taxes are at least two years in arrears any person who deposits $1000 with the county can initiate a sheriff sale. This money is applied to the sale price if that person buys the property at auction or is refunded if another bidder purchases the property.
If a property owner is a business or fictitious name, then you can check the Secretary of States web site to find the articles of incorporation filed with the State of Ohio. This will list the name and address of a contact person and often the name of the company president. You can locate that information here http://serform.sos.state.oh.us.
If you are interested in finding out if there any mortgage liens exist you can check that out at the County Recorders web site http://www.mcrecorder.org where releases and deed information is also available.

This next site is most effective though (http://www.clerk.co.montgomery.oh.us/legal/records.cfm) because it will allow you to access civil and criminal record information on file with the county and the City of Dayton. This information can indicate whether a property owner has a history of housing or zoning code violations or whether they frequently have to evict tenants. It will also indicate if someone you suspect of being involved with the sale of drugs has a criminal record that would substantiate your suspicions. It also informs you if a person has an outstanding warrant for their arrest.

The Dayton Municipal Court site (http://www.daytonmunicipalcourt.org)
allows you to view the housing and general docket information telling you which cases are to appear before the judge on a given day.

If anyone is interested in expanding their block watch into a court watch or want some tools to assist with probable drug activity then these web sites may prove useful. The fact that I am disclosing this means that most residents in Walnut Hills now know that they have free access to this information. This also means that we have just become a safer neighborhood. The chronic criminal element and drug dealers don't want you to know who they are and what they are doing and now you have a window into their past.

NOTE. If your property values were assessed by the county and increased more than you feel is fair, you can use the treasurers web site to check the values of all the properties on your street to see if there are any discrepancies. This site lists recent sales history as well as tax information.

Dayton Day Camps Provide Winter Break Activities

Release Date: Friday, December 9, 2005
Contact: Department of Recreation & Youth Services, 333-8400

Got to work over the Holidays? Kids out of school? What will you do with them?

The City of Dayton’s Department of Recreation and Youth Services will sponsor a day camp during the Winter Break at the Stuart Patterson Recreation Center, 238 Baltimore Street. The theme of the program is “A World’s Christmas,” and it will target youth ages 6-11. The program will allow children to explore how the Christmas holiday is celebrated in selected countries around the world. Each day, through crafts, cultural activities, games, snacks and field trips, children will learn about people in far away places and how their families and communities celebrate this time-honored holiday. Below is a summary of the program details:

Program Dates: Week 1 December 19-22, 2005
(The City is closed on December 23, 2005 in observance of Christmas Eve)

Week 2 December 27-30, 2005
(The City is closed on December 26, 2005 in observance of Christmas Day)

Program Time: 9:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.
AM Extended care is available from 7:30 a.m- 9:00 a.m.
PM Extended care is available from 4:30 p.m. -5:30 p.m.
All children must be picked up by 5:30 p.m.

Program Cost: $40 per child, per week
Cost includes breakfast, afternoon snack and field trips. Each child must bring a healthy lunch daily.

Program Registration: Interested Parents/Guardians must complete a registration form by December 14, 2005. Registration forms can be completed at the following locations:

Stuart Patterson Recreation Center
238 Baltimore Street
937- 333-5400

Recreation and Youth Services Administration Offices
101 W. Third Street
Mezzanine Level
937-333-8400

Space is limited to 30 participants; only paid registrations will hold a place for your child(ren).

For more information, please call either of the locations listed above.

Want Your Newsletter even faster?

Would you like to get your newsletter at the same time it is sent to the printer and shaving as much as 2 weeks off the delivery time? Send your email address to GaryLeitzell@AOL.com and I can add it to the growing list in my email address book and you will receive your newsletter via your computer at the same time it is emailed to Kendall Printing!

Our First Two Fundraising Events.

We have two offerings as a way to raise money for the neighborhood association. I would expect EVERYONE to participate in the first one. It is a raffle drawing for a 27" RCA Flat Screen TV with input and output. Output is in the front of the TV. Tickets are $1.00 each or 6 for $5.00. They can be acquired through contacting one of the association's officers or sending an email message to GaryLeitzell@aol.com or LFEstes@aol.com. Please state your name, address and # of tickets wanted so that someone can deliver them to you and collect your money. The TV was donated by Robert Lipps and can be viewed at the November 14th meeting where you may also buy tickets. The drawing will be held at the December meeting on December 12th, 2005.
The second way to raise some money is this;
If you are a resident of Walnut Hills and you make a donation of $100 to the Walnut Hills Association, I will research the documented history of your home through library and county records and present you with a ring bound booklet of my findings. Having done this for my own place, I know exactly where to go for information. Besides, it helps me keep the trivia section going! All money goes to the Association. Contact Gary if you have any questions at 253-1359.

Leaf Collection Begins in Dayton Neighborhoods

Release Date: Monday, October10, 2005
Contact: Jim Brinegar, Street Maintenance Manager, 937-333-4809


Beginning the week of October 24, the City of Dayton’s Division of Street Maintenance will begin its annual neighborhood leaf collection, which will continue through December 31.

Residents will have two opportunities to have their fallen leaves cleared by City workers. Leaf collection can occur on any day of the designated collection week. It is important for residents to have leaves ready by Monday of their designated week.

Leaves are to be raked to the gutter at the curbline in front of the residence prior to 7:00 a.m. on Monday of the week scheduled for collection. Leaf collection is provided at the street only. Leaves must be loose in order for leaf collection equipment to operate properly. Other yard waste should not be mixed with the leaves, and cars should not be parked over the leaves.

Area 1 – Leaves will be collected October 24-28 and November 28-December 2. Area 1 neighborhoods are: Burkhardt (east of Findlay); College Hill; Dayton View Triangle; Eastern Hills; Greenwich Village; Midtown (south of 35); Northern Hills, Roosevelt; Shroyer Park; South Park; Springfield (east of Findlay); University Park; Wesleyan Hill; Westwood (east of Walton); Wolf Creek; and Wright View.

Area 2 - Leaves will be collected October 31-November 4 and December 5-9. Area 2 neighborhoods are: Arlington Heights (north of McCall); Belmont (west of Smithville); Burkhardt (west of Findlay); Cornell Heights; Downtown; Historic Inner East; Little Richmond; McCook Field; Midtown (north of 35); Old Dayton View; Old North Dayton (west of Brandt); Oregon; Patterson Park; Princeton Heights; Residence Park; Southern Dayton View; Springfield (west of Findlay); University Row; Webster Station; and Westwood (west of Walton).

Area 3 - Leaves will be collected November 7-11 and December 12-16. Area 3 neighborhoods are: Arlington Heights (south of McCall); Bartley Estates; Belmont (east of Smithville); DeWeese; Eastmont; Fairlane; Fairview (south of Fairview); Five Oaks; Germantown Meadows; Grafton Hills; Hearthstone; Highview Hills; Kittyhawk; Lakeview; Madden Hills; McPherson; Miami Chapel (west of Randolph); Mt. Vernon; North Riverdale (south of Fairview); Northridge Estates; Pineview; Riverdale; Santa Clara; and Stoney Ridge.

Area 4 - Leaves will be collected November 14-18 and December 19-31. Area 4 neighborhoods are: Carillon; Edgemont; Fairview (north of Fairview); Five Points; Forest Ridge; Gateway; Hillcrest; Linden Heights; MacFarlane; Miami Chapel (east of Randolph); North Riverdale (north of Fairview); Old North Dayton (east of Brandt); Pheasant Hill; Philadelphia Woods; Quail Hollow; Twin Towers; Walnut Hills; and Wright Dunbar Village.

Residents can also visit the City’s website at http://www.cityofdayton.org/ to view the schedule for their neighborhood.

Beggar’s Night Scheduled for October 31

Release Date: Monday, October 10, 2005

The City of Dayton will observe the annual tradition of Beggar’s Night on Monday, October 31 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.

Rental Property Owners Must Register Properties During October

Its time once again for rental property owners who do not live in their buildings to register their rental property with the City of Dayton.

According to Daytons Rental Registration ordinance, all non owner-occupied residential structures whether rented or not must be registered with the Citys Division of Housing Inspection by the end of October in odd-numbered years. This includes property owners who have registered their properties in previous years. Anyone who re-registers their rental property with the City by October 31 will avoid paying a $50.00 late fee.

Registration forms can be obtained by calling or visiting the Citys Division of Housing Inspection at the One Stop Center, 371 W. Second Street, 333-3977; visiting any Priority Board office or Montgomery County Library location; or via download from the City of Daytons web site.
Rental property that must be registered includes any single- or multiple-dwelling unit (MDU) and vacant structures not currently condemned by the City and not occupied by the owner. Exceptions to the registration ordinance include rooming houses or structures where the owner is prohibited by law from receiving rent or compensation for the use of the property.
New rental property owners are required to register within 24 hours after obtaining legal possession of the property. In cases involving multiple owners, only one owner is required to make the application for registration, although all owners must be included on the application. If the property is not registered within 90 days after legal possession, a $50 per structure late registration fee is required. When the structure has been owner-occupied and becomes vacant, the owner must apply to register the structure within 90 days after vacating.
For additional information, contact the City of Daytons Division of Housing Inspection at 333-3977, or visit the City of Dayton's Web Site.

Events in October

St. Anthony is having a fundraiser for the school on Oct 8 from 7 until midnight. It all takes place in the gym on the school grounds (820 Bowen). Dinner is $12 at the door ($10 presale up until Oct 5) and includes all you can eat German food (cabbage rolls, grilled brats, metts, etc) and beverages. There will be a live German band, raffles, a Silent Auction, and areas for smoking and non-smoking gambling. We will also sell cabbage roll take out dinners from 5-6:45 for $6. For tickets or info call Chris Emmerich at 258-1191.



10 Wilmington Place Oktoberfest
Sunday, October 9th, 2005
11:00 am to 3:00 pm
German Brunch, The Impossibles, Pumpkin Carving, Clown for the children and Hayrides!