Reading Jamboree

Saturday, Feb. 2, Dayton Public Schools will host the 5th (?) annual Reading Jamboree at Sinclair Community College, Building 12, from 10 am to 3 pm. This is truly an amazing event, jam-packed with activities for kids, opportunities to meet with national and local authors of children's books, and participation by more than 13 local organizations (Cox Arboretum, Booneshoft, and others). There will be musical performances throughout the day featuring students and DCDC2 will perform at noon. Lunch is provided. There are free books and prizes for kids, and Scholastic is holding a Book Fair. I have gone every year, and every year it is better. The reason for the event is to promote reading and by the reaction of the kids and their parents, it does just that. It is a great day out for families, whether or not your kids attend DPS. For further information, please call 542-3527.

For Our Neighbors in Twin Towers

Click on image to enlarge.

Pinewood at Belmont Park Baseball Sign-up

Pinewood at Belmont Park Baseball Sign-up
Pinewood Atlética Asociación Baseball Sian-up


Fri. Feb. 8, 2008: 5pm-8pm.
Lohrey Center 2386 Glenarm Ave.
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Sat. Feb.9, 2008: 12pm-2pm.
Lohrey Center 2386 Glenarm Ave.
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Sat. Feb. 16, 2008: 12pm-3pm.
Lohrey Center 2386 Glenarm Ave.

FEES:
T-ball ages 5-6 $35.00 F-minor ages 7-8 $35.00
F-ball ages 9-12 $40.00 E-ball ages 13-14 $55.00 + DABC Fee
C –ball ages 15-16 $75.00+ DABC Fee B-ball ages 17-18 $85.00+ DABC Fee

Please bring a copy of child’s birth certificate to be kept on file.
Can’t be older than the listed age on or before May 1st
Questions: Call James Walker 256-8000.

More School News

Tuesday, January 22, Cleveland School will host the Dayton Board of Education meeting. This is an initiative to bring the School Board into the community and make it more convenient for community members to attend. It starts at 6pm. I have been told there will be a presentation on the Neighborhood Schools as Centers of Community project. Cleveland is one of the schools in the project. The Kindergarten Fair is Thursday, January 24 at Patterson Career Center on River Corridor Drive - just take Webster Street past the markets, Requarth Lumber and turn left right before the river. You can meet with teachers, get an idea of what kindergarten is like in the 21st Century and learn what to do to enroll. This event is from 4-7pm.

Check Cashing Store in Walnut Hills

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but it seems that our friendly neighborhood Family Video Store is currently putting in a partition and will be leasing about one third of their space to a check cashing business. I have been informed that Family Video builds their stores larger than is needed and once Family Video establishes itself in a neighborhood and has a regular clientelle that they divide the store and lease a portion off to another business. I doubt that this was disclosed when they bought the property from the City of Dayton and promises were made. In our particular store this will be to a check cashing business which ultimately sends a message as to what type of neighborhood we are to become unless we do something about it. I don't think there is anything that we can do in this case but it might be time to discuss turning Wayne Ave from South Park to 10 Wilmington Place into a historic district which could put restrictions on what happens in the future. It will also offset the impact that this business is going to have on property values.

Thank you!

Thank you so much to the Walnut Hills Neighborhood Association for your generous donation towards Cleveland School's pancake breakfast. We could not possibly hold this breakfast in the school without your help. Thanks for your enthusiasm and support for Cleveland School and the Neighborhood School Centers project.

SAVE THE DATE!

Please see attached invitation for more information about the following event:

You are cordially invited to attend East End Community Services' 10th Anniversary Open House Celebration:

Celebrating Community
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
624 Xenia Avenue
Dayton, OH 45410
4 - 8 PM

We will be celebrating the beautiful diversity of the Twin Towers/East Dayton community with high quality folk arts performances, including our local Mexican folkloric dance troupe, Sol Azteca; Cincinati’s award-winning, Comet Bluegrass All-Stars; and world-renowned violin & Oud virtuoso, Simon Shaheen. Plus cultural crafts, ethnic cuisine tasting, and much more!

Sexual Predator Alert

Police Release Composite Sketch From Bus Stop Assault
POSTED: 4:21 pm EST January 15, 2008
UPDATED: 4:58 pm EST January 15, 2008

From WHIO Channel 7
DAYTON, Ohio -- Dayton police have released a composite sketch hoping that someone will recognize a suspect in a sexual assault. The suspect attacked a 13-year-old girl at a bus stop earlier this month.
The morning of Jan. 8, the girl was on her way to the bus stop when police say she was groped by the man. She was able to run away and flag down her bus driver.
Police were called and combed the area, but the man wasn't found.
The attacker is described as a white male, 30-40 years of age, 5 feet 10 inches to 6 feet tall, 160-180 pounds, with black curly/greasy shoulder length hair. He has a goatee or mustache that is unshaven on the sides. The man was wearing a blue or black bandanna, black puffy coat, and blue jeans.
If you have any information or know who this suspect might be, call Dayton police at 333-COPS.

Safe Routes to School

Safe Routes to School is a federally funded program to assist communities in enabling and encouraging children to safely walk and bike to school. It is administered through the State Department of Transportation. The City of Dayton is applying for a grant to implement this program around four schools. One of the schools targeted for the grant is Cleveland School. The grant provides money for infrastructure (sidewalks, hazardous conditions, etc) and program opportunities (safety education, traffic control, etc.)

Kym Beasley, site coordinator at Cleveland, is asking for members of the Walnut Hills and Linden Heights neighborhoods to come to a meeting on January 23, 6 pm at Cleveland School, to learn a little more about the program and to offer suggestions of what we would like to see to make it safer and more attractive for our kids to walk to school. This is a great opportunity for our neighborhood. Please come out and give your input.

Cleveland School Activities

Just an update on activities at Cleveland School:
Zumba - Thursday at 5:30, $2 a session
Dad's Night - this is a family night for all neighborhood kids and their parents with open gym, games and crafts. Held the 2nd Friday of every month from 6-8PM (January's was this past Friday January 11). Please join us in February!
Thanks!

Mayor McLin Schedules “Mayor’s Day” To Meet With Citizens

Release Date: Monday, January 7, 2008
Contact: Mayor’s Office, 937-333-3653

As a way to meet one-on-one with Dayton residents, Mayor Rhine McLin has scheduled a Mayor’s Day for Tuesday, January 15, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., at the offices of the Family Services Association, 184 Salem Ave.

Mayor’s Day meetings are conducted by appointment only. Anyone interested in meeting with the Mayor should call 333-3653 in advance. Citizens will have the opportunity to meet with Mayor McLin for up to 15 minutes.

Remaining Mayor’s Day events for the first half of 2008 are:

· Thursday, February 14, Huffman Place, 100 Huffman Ave., 10:00 a.m. to noon.

· Tuesday, March 18, Dayton Cultural Center, 40 S. Edwin C. Moses Blvd. noon to 2:00 p.m.

· Thursday, April 17, Belmont Library, 1041 Watervliet Ave., 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

· Tuesday, May 13, Wesley Community Center, 3730 Delphos Ave., 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

· Thursday, June 19, Life Enrichment Center, 425 N. Findlay St., 10:00 a.m. to noon.

Mayor’s Day is designed to make City government more accessible to the citizens of Dayton.

Firewood Anyone?

I promised to post this for a guy living in the neighborhood who needs to move all the wood before spring so he can tend to his back yard gardening!

SEASONED FIREWOOD
MIXED KINDS
WALNUT HILLS RESIDENTS $100 A CORD

CALL JOE @ (937)718-6919

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.