calling for blockwatch captains

Councilman Paul Drennen coninues to use to blog to promotes events and get public participation. bravo!

Now is is looking for "Block Watch Captains in these areas on the West Side and South Side":

find out more here.

OMG, it's the RJW.

The Raymond John Wean Foundation is stepping up big-time to the plate to assist the urban communities in the Mahoning Valley. You can go to their website for more information about this great organization and the grant programs they offer, especially for neighborhood development.

Here are some highlights of their recent March 2008 awards:

"A group that has created a national model fighting foreclosures will receive $50,000. The group, based in Cleveland and known as the East Side Organizing Project, brings subprime lenders to the table through organizing. Homeowners who have mortgages with ballooning payments are then offered an opportunity to renegotiate their loan. The money will be used to hire an organizer for the Mahoning Valley.

Lien Forward is Mahoning County's effort to return vacant lots to usage. After the properties become abandoned, the County Treasurer is able to pass the lots on to local residents who own adjacent property and are seeking to use the lots. A grant of $50,000 will allow Lien Forward to expand its outreach capability.

Three groups in Youngstown will receive funding to hire community organizers. These grants are part of a neighborhood organizing initiative that the Foundation is supporting. The Northeast Homeowners and Concerned Citizens Assn. will receive $65,000, and on the North side a group of stakeholders will oversee an organizer ($60,000), as well as the 7th Ward Citizens Coalition ($60,000) on the City's Southeast side.

The Youngstown-Downtown Revitalization Committee is a project to bring residents and stakeholders together to discuss improving Wick Park. A grant was made to support Youngstown Cityscape's involvement in the process. The Kent State Urban Design Coalition will also be a resource to the group in its efforts ($70,000)."

more here.

this should be a good one

hoo-hoo-hooray.

Lincoln Avenue is back for another season, since it kicked ass during sweeps.

For the upcoming show Wednesday at 7:30pm streaming at www.wysu.org:

"This week on Lincoln Avenue, I’m talking with the Wean Foundation’s still-fairly-new President, Joel Ratner, about the Foundation’s new directions, including a series of programs aimed at helping area non-profits work better and work together. Starting with a community summit last fall and continuing with a very well-attended set of workshops on strategic planning in January, Wean is providing training, opportunities for networking, and grants to support capacity building, all aimed at helping organizations serve the local community better.

The other half of Wean’s new strategy is a focus on neighborhoods through small grants of $500 to $5000 to small local groups, especially neighborhood organizations that want to pursue concrete projects to improve their community. This project is still getting organized; the Foundation is establishing two community review boards, one for Youngstown and one for Warren, who will evaluate applications for these small grants. This approach goes hand-in-hand with the neighborhood focus of Youngstown 2010, putting resources in the hands of ordinary people. It also works as another form of capacity building, helping people develop the skills and experience to become community leaders."

read more on how YOU can get YOUR IDEAS funded here.

tits and tats from the Stage

the Stage @ the Oakland provides us with two recent entries:

On the Inside

"They interview people (or "personalities") about their city of residence (in this case, New York). These interview subjects give little sound bites and photos highlighting and explaining their favorite spots in the city.

While their would certainly be a limit to the amount of favorite places listed in Youngstown, the amount of reasons offered would undoubtedly be different. And such a website, as Youngstown struggles to find its footing again, would be a neat way to keep track of the best of the best the city has to offer.

We have a lot of hidden "gems" tucked around the city. Small, family-run restaurants and the like...and we have more than enough personalities to go around."

Cleveland Artist on LA Ink

"Perhaps more importantly: anyone know of any awesome Youngstown tattoos? Or have ideas for future tats?

You know what a cool contest would be: the best Youngstown-themed tattoo design wins a free session at some Yo-based tattoo parlor."

HB 138 passed 90-2

"I really hope that this bill makes it through the Senate. Organizations like Lien Forward Ohio have already done to help citizen reclaim vacant properties and this will continue that effort.

The Southside is one vacant property after another. Anything that can be done to get this land into the hands of responsible citizens gets my vote. My parents are considering buying the two vacant properties adjacent to theirs."

So what's HB 138? Find out more here at The Wizard of Yo blog.

5th Avenue neighborhood now on 2010 site

New on the Youngstown 2010 site is a description of another neighborhood:

"Fifth Avenue is referred to as the crown jewel neighborhood of Youngstown. The area was home to some of the most influential families of Youngstown’s glorious past - captains of industry and retail.

Today, the neighborhood is home to a diverse mix of professionals, scholars, independent business owners and retirees. The majority of homeowners have lived in the neighborhood for many, many years. Stores, banks, healthcare and medical facilities are within a 10 minute walk of the neighborhood. Other city assets such as Youngstown State University, the downtown, The Butler Institute of American Art, McDonough Museum of Art and three city parks are within a scant two miles.

Situated within the Crandall Park – Fifth Avenue Historic District, these homes were built between 1913 and 1940 in an era which has become known as Youngstown’s Golden Age. Known for their ample size and set on spacious, landscaped lots to reflect the wealth and prosperity of the time, the high quality brick and stone homes were and still are marvels to look at and are rarely duplicated in today’s era. Most of the 52 single-family homes are in the architecture styles of English Revival, Colonial Revival, Dutch Colonial Revival, Spanish Colonial Revival, Craftsman, Chateauesque or Norman."

You can download a powerpoint presentation of homes in the 5th Avenue neighborhood here.

two days of spring in winter

Meditations in an Emergency writes about the feel of his north side neighborhood during the recent warm weather. You can read more here.

"It was that sort of day when neighborly love comes up like the buds on trees and returns like the sighting of a robin on my back fence. In these two days, I’ve felt so spoiled, I will probably feel jilted and rejected when winter returns again very soon. It’s one of those whirlwind romances, a weekend affair, when spring blows through winter for several days, and makes you feel young and full of possibilities again."

news: 3 Jan 2008

Market-Rate Housing on the move in Smoky Hollow

Read about Wick District-Smoky Hollow Developer Nate Zaremba's outlook, the plan for gaining needed city council approvals for the development in early 2008 and a new vacant property initiative in Youngstown - plus much more about the Wick District - in the latest Wick Neighbors Review.

Sauerkraut Soup

Sold Out Vilija Dinner Keeps Growing Every Year

Shout Youngstown reviews the vilija dinner held recently.

"Last Sunday at St.Matthias' Hall in the southside neighborhood of Lansingville, hundreds and hundreds of people joined together in the celebration of Vilija: the traditional slovak christmas eve meal.

All people - those of Slovak decent and new visitors to the neighborhood - are welcomed into the community for a great feast with flowing wine and traditional slovak entertainment.

What's amazing about all of this is that the Slovak community in Youngstown continues to hang in there, some might say even thrive. People continue to donate their time and gifts for auction (like the signed boxing gloves by Lansingville native and resident, World Champion Kelly Pavlik). The language continues to be spoken, and the traditions continue be passed down to even younger generations."