Person of Interest

Our home was broken into on New Year's Eve day followed by our car being broken into in the early morning of January 19th. My husband caught this person in the act of breaking into our car confronted him and reported to the police his description and license plate number. He was arrested a short time later.

In talking to neighbors this person has been seen "stalking" our neighborhood. I would like everyone to be aware and be on the look out for him. He is a danger to our homes and vehicles.

Jordyn Pierce dob 6-30-90

he drives a 1989 blue 2 door toyota license plate DV62XK. He has been seen wearing a tan carhart khaki work jacket.

This is a picture I obtained from his MySpace page.

We feel this person also broke into our home as he was seen in front of our home the day it was broken into however, the dectective said that is not his normal MO and will not question him concerning the break in.

Neighborhood Leadership Institute Accepting Applications

Release Date: January 20, 2009

Contact: Kathleen Riggs, NLI Co-Coordinator, 333-3671

Applications are now being accepted for the 27th annual Neighborhood Leadership Institute, sponsored by the City of Dayton and Sinclair Community College.

The Neighborhood Leadership Institute is a 12-week program designed to educate Dayton residents about local government, City of Dayton resources and community leadership. The 2009 program kicks off on Thursday, March 12. It is comprised of workshops, skill-building components and a day-long bus tour of Dayton neighborhoods. Participants hear presentations from community, business and government leaders on topics such as Dayton’s history, the roles and responsibilities of local government, the criminal justice system and cultural diversity. Class members also complete field assignments and a practicum requiring development of a grassroots project within their community.

Anyone interested in participating must complete and submit an application no later than Thursday, February 12, 2009. Application forms are available at all City of Dayton Priority Board offices, at the Division of Citizen Participation (101 W. Third St., 6th floor), at www.cityofdayton.org, or by calling 333-3671.

THE DAYTON MINORITY CONTRACTORS BUSINESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (MCBAP) TO HOST LENDING RECEPTION

Dayton, OH, January 14, 2009 – The Dayton Minority Contractor’s Business Assistance Program will host the first of quarterly lending receptions for small businesses. The reception is designed to allow small businesses to build a relationship with banks and other organizations that provide financing, bonding and other financial services to small businesses. The lending reception will be held at The Entrepreneur Center, 714 Monument Avenue, on Thursday, January 29 from 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.

MCBAP is a component of the Dayton Human Relations Council and is a beneficiary of the resources, expertise, and experience of the Council. MCBAP receives funding from the State of Ohio and was established in 1978. The Dayton MCBAP provides the following services:

· Management and Technical Assistance

· Procurement Information

· Organizational Assessment

· Bonding Information

· Business Plan Preparation

· Training Sessions

· Seminars/Conferences

· Cost Estimating Services

· Plan Room Services/Dodge Reports

· Loan Packaging

For more information on MCBAP services or the lending reception, contact Goodloe Gillispie at (937) 223-2164 or via email at mcbaphrc@dayton.net.

MLK Day March Information

My name is Laura Arber and I am the South Quadrant Chair for the Martin
Luther King March Rally.  Below is a letter from my committee inviting
you to join us at the MLK March/Rally on January 19, 2009 starting at
11:00am at Dayton Fairgrounds.

I would appreciate your including this event in your announcements. This
site gives you more information about the march
http://iis.stat.wright.edu/MLK/

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me by email or at
937-298-7367

Laura L. Arber
South Quadrant Chair

On January 19, 2009, we will again have the opportunity of honoring Dr.
Martin Luther King, his values, his contributions and his legacy.

There will be a number of events on the weekend, and during the
preceding week, but we particularly want to bring to your attention the
Martin Luther King March on Monday, January 19, 2009.

Over the years, the Dayton community has created an event that reflects
the best of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s values and hopes - the need for
a community to come together in good will and reconciliation.  This
year, it seems even more important that the Martin Luther King message
be observed by all of us - Christians, Hindus, Jews, Muslims, persons
from Dayton, Oakwood, Kettering, Centerville, Huber Heights, Trotwood,
Clayton, the youth and the elderly, -representatives from all the parts
of the world who comprise the Dayton community.

The Dayton March begins in four separate locations.  As each march
proceeds, it gathers in more people until the truly joyous moment when
east, west, south and north join tumultuously at Third & Main and four
streams of people become one community.

This is not just an invitation but also a call to the community for all
persons and organizations to be with us on January 19, 2009. Youth and
youth organizations are particularly called but everyone in the
community is welcome. Banners recognizing any of our marching
organizations will be very welcome.  We would appreciate your including
this event in your church, university, or school bulletin announcements,
starting after December 18, 2008.  The starting point of the march for
the South Quadrant is Dayton Fairgrounds , and we will begin marching
downtown at 11:00 am. Please feel free to join us for the march and
celebration.

We look forward to seeing you on January 19th in the march, and at
Courthouse Square.

Sincerely,



Laura L. Arber
South Quadrant Chair

Notices of Final Property Values to Hit Mailboxes

Notices of Final Property Values to Hit Mailboxes

Date: January 2nd, 2008 Contact: Sam Braun 937-224-8722

Montgomery County Auditor Karl Keith’s office will be mailing final notices of new property values this week to local property owners. The values reflect the results of the 2008 reappraisal and the informal reviews conducted this fall. The notices should hit most mailboxes the week of January 5th.
Property owners wishing to challenge their new values may file an appeal with the Board of Revision between now and March 31st, 2009. Applications are available on the website at www.mcrealestate.org, in the Auditor’s office or by calling 496-6856.

Enrollment Opens Again for Homestead Program

Enrollment Opens Again for Homestead Program
Homeowners Turning 65 in 2009 Have Until June 1st to Signup


Date: January 5th, 2008 Contact: Sam Braun 224-8722

Homeowners who turn 65 at some point in 2009 are now eligible for the Homestead program and are encouraged to sign up with the Montgomery County Auditor. Enrollment is now open until June 1st and applications are available in the Auditor’s office or by calling 225-4341.
The Homestead exemption program brings property tax relief to homeowners age 65 and older and the permanently disabled. There are no longer any income requirements, but newly eligible recipients (those turning 65 any time in 2009) must sign up with the Auditor’s office. Homeowners already enrolled in Homestead do not need to reapply.
"We want all eligible senior homeowners to take advantage of this tax break," said Auditor Keith. Last year the average homestead recipient in Montgomery County saved $517 on their tax bill."
Qualified applicants who missed last year’s deadline may also sign up before June 1st and still get a reduction on last year’s taxes, as well as this year’s. Current homestead recipients do not need to reapply or do anything unless they have moved or had some change in their status.
Potential new applicants are encouraged to call 225-4341 or log on to www.mcrealestate.org for more information.

Wind and rain in December; takes its’ toll on our houses and neighborhood, trash flies out of the trash cans and down the streets; we can only hope into another trash can. That does not seem to happen; so how can we help? By being neighborly and picking up the trash that we see on the street or maybe while cleaning up your yard extending a helping hand to your neighbor and picking up the trash in the yard next door. I know that when I walk our dog in the neighborhood I take one of the many shopping bags that we collected before going greener by using reusable shopping bags; and pickup the trash on my path to and from our walk. I know it not a big area but I can fill a plastic bag with trash and make our neighborhood look a little better.

Jim
Residential Committee Chair

Some Walnut Hills News!! We have received a Christmas present from the City of Dayton!! We found out the lot that we are in the process of using the Real Estate Acquisition Program (R.E.A.P) offered by the City of Dayton is going for the first Sheriff’s sale. For those who don’t now the REAP program is offered to City of Dayton residents the opportunity to acquire abandoned lots for minimal cost, it can take up to 18 months from start to finish but in the end the resident ends up with more land and the city loses an eyesore win/win.

The Judge signed the paper on 23 December. We are very happy!!!! Now we are starting to plan for the new house. How big, how many rooms? How green do we go? All the fun questions as we plan for the present and future.

What"s Happening With the SID? Updated

Last year we were featured in the local news because we were considering setting up the neighborhood as a Special Improvement District. Something that hasn't been done before in Ohio for a residential neighborhood. Since then not much has happened. The main reason being that I didn't have much time to produce petition forms and go out into the neighborhood to get signatures from residents. We were also faced with a school levy late in the year which required an outcome before I could ask property owners to put up money to take care of their own neighborhood. With something like 2500 properties within the neighborhood boundaries, in order to obtain the assessment, we require that 1200 owners (60%) agree to the special assessment which was $50 per property per year with a five year term. In order to continue beyond the five year term we need to go through the signature process again. There is still some paperwork to finalize also before proceeding at full tilt. Since this signature gathering phase is truly a monumental task, I decided that the best thing to do was talk to the first two hundred property owners myself and have them sign a petition that states whether they are in favor or opposed to the idea. This will give us actual results that indicate whether there is support for the concept beyond the neighborhood association. If the support exists than I will seek a team of volunteers to get signatures from property owners on their own streets and finalize the service plan which also needs to be approved by signatures from 60% of the owners.

I will update the results as I proceed but here is what we have so far. These results will determine whether or not we proceed with the process.

As of 12/29/08 Total number of property owners consulted = 97

In favor = 79 (82%)
Opposed = 9 (9%)
Undecided = 9 (9%)

Although this is a "tax" attached to our property, most owners are viewing it as an investment in our neighborhood. Those opposed to the assessment so far are elderly on fixed incomes and the few people who don't want to pay any taxes for any reason. The numbers could adjust dramatically once we start talking to the owners of rental properties and bank owned foreclosures.

I have been informed that the city commission and planning department are 100% behind this initiative now that they fully understand that this would make Walnut Hills a very desirable neighborhood to reside in. Basically we would be generating some $100,000 a year which can only be used for improvements in our neighborhood. By taking care of many of our own problems and having the ability to fund our own projects we should find that numbers of vacant properties become reduced as desirability increases. Rents should become more competitive also which will filter out many of the irresponsible tenants.

We should all be proud to be willing to attempt this. Especially in the current economic climate. We have been called "pioneers" and "trailblazers" by other neighborhood associations which follows in the tradition of the first settlers in this neighborhood.

City Advises Extra Caution for Winter Driving

City Advises Extra Caution for Winter Driving

Rise in Costs Will Limit Road Salt Use

Release Date: Monday, December 15, 2008

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

“Ice & Snow, Take It Slow” is the approach advised by the City of Dayton Division of Street Maintenance for the 2008-2009 winter driving season.

City of Dayton crews will work to keep roadways as clear and safe as possible, despite limited supplies of road salt caused by a significant cost increase over previous years.

The price per ton for road salt paid by the City of Dayton is $144 for the winter of 2008-2009, compared to $44 for the previous winter.

The City is starting the winter maintenance season with a beginning inventory of 12,000 tons of road salt, somewhat lower than the usual beginning inventory of up to 19,000 tons. Last winter, City road crews applied 20,836 tons of salt in order to maintain safe roadways.

The Division of Street Maintenance is equipped with 46 plow trucks that apply salt to 1,800 lane-miles throughout the city.

As a result of smaller salt inventories, drivers may encounter more snow-covered or slushy roads. Residential streets will be plowed and salted only following snowfalls of four inches or more.

Roadways in the city of Dayton will be prioritized as follows for plow and salt operations:

Primary

Highways/freeways and ramps

Thoroughfares (such as Salem Avenue, Main Street, Smithville Road, Third Street, etc.)

Hills and bridges

Arterials (such as Catalpa Drive, Hoover Avenue, Troy Street, Patterson Road, etc.)

Secondary Residential streets

The Public Works Department page at www.cityofdayton.org now includes an interactive map showing whether particular addresses are located on primary or secondary routes.

Hazardous road conditions can be reported by calling the Dayton Public Works 24-hour Call Center, at 333-4800.

Safe Driving Tips:

Don’t Crowd the Plow: A snowplow driver’s field of vision is restricted. You may see them, but they don’t always see you.

Watch for Clouds of Snow: Snowplows can throw up a cloud of snow that can reduce your visibility to zero in less time than you can react.

Keep Lights and Windows Clear: Clear snow from you vehicle’s windows and lights (clear snow from lights with the lights turned on).

New Kroger Project Dead

I saw this on WHIO.tv's website Friday, Dec 12. Apparently, Kroger has backed out of the deal to build a new store at the corner of Wayne & Wyoming streets.

Kroger No Longer Interested Building New Store

Thursday, December 11, 2008 – updated: 6:15 am EST December 12, 2008
DAYTON, Ohio -- Dayton City Manager Rashad Young said he is tremendously frustrated with what has happened between the city and Kroger.

Young said Kroger is no longer interested in building a new store at the corner of Wayne and Wyoming streets in Dayton.

According to Young, the project’s price tag was too costly. He said Kroger was $4.5 million away from making this a reality and the city must start working on plan B.

Laura Chism and her husband agreed to sell their home to the city to make way for Kroger’s proposed new 57,000-square-foot store. On Thursday, they and others in the neighborhood got letters from the city, telling them the project will not be moving forward as planned.

“Everyone thought it was a done deal and now we receive this letter it not a done deal,” Chism said.

“Here we are able to acquire virtually all these properties. Then to have Kroger tell us their circumstances have changed, it is very frustrating,” Young said.

Many others who live near the east Dayton intersection did not like this latest news.

The city said it still wants to buy the homes in this area and wants to extend its option on those homes to March of next year.

The city is planning a meeting to meet with residents on Dec. 16.

Copyright 2008 by WHIOTV.com.
All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

For The Homeschoolers

HOMESCHOOL PHYSICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM: Come join the YMCA staff and other home school children in a fun and exciting environment for physical activity. This program will be offered every Wednesday beginning January 14th and running through May 27th. Activities will include, but not limited to; Basketball, Volleyball, Weight Training, Presidential Challenge and Team Building. Please contact Karisa Steed, Program Director at 937.223.7711 with any questions.
Begins: January 14th Wednesdays
Time: 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Fee: $3/child/visit with the Max. A family will pay is $10/visit
Location: YMCA Downtown 316 N. Wilkinson St.

Basketball League at Community Schools

Hello!

I am very excited to inform you that Cleveland PK-8 and the Neighborhood School Centers will begin a fun basketball league for pre-school kids up to 12-13 year olds! We are currently looking for volunteer basketball coaches. We are hoping to start practicing in December and start games in January. If you, or you happen to know anyone that might be interested in helping us out, please send this message to them or let me know.HAVE A WONDERFUL THANKSGIVING!!!

Kym BeasleySite Coordinator
Cleveland PK-8 Neighborhood School Center
1102 Pursell AveDayton, OH 45420
937-474-2091

Historic Huffman needs volunteers

The Historic Huffman Home Tour being put on by the Historic Huffman Neighborhood Association on December 12/13/14 needs volunteers to help as tour guides and hosts at some of their locations. If interested send an email to Galeheller@woh.rr.com and certainly consider supporting their event!

Missing Teen

FOUND!

Thank you to everyone who helped in any way!

“Mayor’s Day” in Southeast Dayton

“Mayor’s Day” in Southeast Dayton Scheduled for October 20

Release Date: Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Contact: Mayor’s Office, 937-333-3653

Mayor Rhine McLin’s next Mayor’s Day event is scheduled for Monday, October 20, from 10:00 a.m. to noon, at the Lohrey Recreation Center, 2366 Glenarm Ave. The previously scheduled Mayor’s Day on October 16 is canceled.

Citizens will have an opportunity to meet with Mayor McLin for up to 15 minutes. Mayor’s Day meetings are conducted by appointment only and can be arranged by calling 333-3653 in advance. Mayor’s Day is designed to make City government more accessible to the citizens of Dayton.

International Walk to School Day

Cleveland School will be celebrating International Walk to School Day. This event is important for many reasons. There was an incident with a Belmont student getting hit by a car in our neighborhood. We are looking for volunteers to assist kids and families walking to school on Wednesday October 8th, 2008 between 7am-8:30am. There will be an informational meeting on Monday Sept. 6th at Cleveland school @ 5:30pm. This will also support our Safe routes to school grant. We made it through the first round of applications!!! The $250,000 would improve the safety of Walnut Hills Neighborhood!

Attention Walnut Hills Residents! We may have thieves amongst Us!

Sometime between Labor Day, late afternoon & the morning of Sat., Sept. 06, our garage was broken into. We had over $5000 worth of personal & professional tools stolen, as well as some outdoor equipment. The professional tools are unique, marked, and can be easily identified!

We think, as does Dayton PD, that this was done by person(s) from our area. The individual(s) had to have watched the house & known whether or not we were home. Also, the only way that the person(s) could have known what was in the garage, was if they had been by when the door was open. That only happened when we were working out in the backyard area.

Above is a picture of the major item stolen. We would appreciate any help in identifying the person(s) responsible for this act. If you saw, or have seen something like this being rolled around the neighborhood streets within the last week, please call 333-COPS, & then notify us by e-mail at mitchell.kearns@gmail.com.

We really hope that our suspicions are not true. We have lived in Walnut Hills now for over three years, and have never had a problem. However, this is now two(2) separate incidents over the last three months involving our immediate location of Highland & Buchanan. We as a neighborhood must stand up & take back what is ours!

Thank you ahead of time for any assistance given in this matter,

Mitch & Meg
1311 Highland Avenue

Conference Pre-Registration Extended Through September 10

Neighborhood Conference: Saturday, September 13, Dayton Convention Center
Release Date: Friday, September 5, 2008Contact: Shenise Turner, Division of Citizen Participation, 333-3688
Discounted pre-registration for Dayton’s first annual Neighborhood Conference is available until Wednesday, September 10, at 5:00 p.m. Pre-registration is $20 per person, available at 333-3670 or online at www.cityofdayton.org.
The conference, “Neighborhood Treasures: Discovering Our Assets,” is presented by the Department of Planning and Community Development and will be held at the Dayton Convention Center on Saturday, September 13, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Late or on-site registration is $40 per person.
Twelve workshops will be presented throughout the day, with topics including Recognizing Assets, Marketing Neighborhoods, Working in Partnership With Investors, and Recruiting Volunteers. Keynote speaker John Gower, Director Planning and Community Development, will discuss “Crafting a Vision for a New Dayton.”
More information is available at 333-3670.

Residents Urged to Attend Conference To Boost Dayton Neighborhoods

Residents Urged to Attend Conference To Boost Dayton Neighborhoods

Early Registration Deadline is September 5

Release Date: Friday, August 29, 2008
Contact: Shenise Turner, Division of Citizen Participation, 333-3688

Registrations are now being accepted for Dayton’s first annual Neighborhood Conference. The September 13 event will bring together community leaders, residents, volunteers, developers, planners and City of Dayton officials for a one-day exploration of neighborhood assets, revitalization goals and strategies, resources, and opportunities for collaboration. Early registration is $20 per person, with a September 5 deadline. Late or on-site registration is $40 per person.

The conference, “Neighborhood Treasures: Discovering Our Assets,” is presented by the Department of Planning and Community Development, Division of Citizen Participation. The event will be held at the Dayton Convention Center on Saturday, September 13, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Twelve workshops will be presented throughout the day, with topics including Recognizing Assets, Marketing Neighborhoods, Working in Partnership With Investors, and Recruiting Volunteers. Keynote speaker John Gower, Director of Planning and Community Development, will discuss “Crafting a Vision for a New Dayton.”

More information and registration forms are available at 333-3670 and www.cityofdayton.org.