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PAIDPITTSBURGH, PAPermit No. 2403

A Publication of The Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation

Serving Bloomfield, Friendship, Garfield, East Liberty,Lawrenceville and Stanton Heights Since 1975

Volume 39, Number 4

APR 2014

See Housing | page 3

Questions Raised About Dearborn HouseBy Julie Collins Bloomfield-Garfield Corp.

Garfield – Tensions ran high at a community meeting held onFebruary 24th at the BGC Activity Center on North Pacific Ave.The topic was 4926 Dearborn St., a property that owner Kamar 5

See page 5

MWFA Gallery HostsArtist ResidenciesBy Ross Hackett The Bulletin

Penn Avenue - Owner of Most Wanted Fine Art Gallery (MWFA),Jason Sauer, has assembled a group of 12 artists to be a part of aresidency program that will take place throughout the year at the 9

See page 9

ABOVE: More than 70 volunteers turned out for the March 15th workday to expand the Kincaid Street Community Gardens in Garfield. Here, volunteerspaint benches for the Little Free Library that will become part of the garden. Read the related story on page 8. Photo by James Souder

More Affordable Housing Coming to

the CommunityBy Joe ReubenThe Bulletin

ABOVE: If you remember the undefeated 1964 Garfield Rebels, you won’t want to miss their reunionthis fall. Read the story on page 4. Photo courtesy Jim Kohler (no. 30, top row)

Bloomfield/Garfield – With the ever-tightening rental housing market in theEast End, there was a dose of good newsfor those pushing to see the constructionof more affordably priced units tobalance out the recent splurge in market-rate developments.

In a Feb. 13th announcement, thePennsylvania Housing Finance Agency(PHFA) said it has awarded federal taxcredits to assist three developments in theEast End, two of which are in the Garfieldand Bloomfield neighborhoods.

The tax credits make it possible fordevelopers to seek cash from investors tofinance the project, rather than turn tolenders for loans. Without a heavy debtburden, rents can be set at levels belowthe market rate than would otherwise bethe case for new housing. The unitsproduced must then be leased for aminimum of 15 years at the lower rentalrates.

A second phase of Garfield Glen,which to date has resulted in the devel-opment of 45 single-family homes for

2 | The Bulletin | APR 2014

Public Invited to Assess Lawrenceville’s TreesLawrenceville – Many of the recommendations in the Pittsburgh Urban Forest MasterPlan revolve around increasing tree canopy in low-canopy neighborhoods throughconnecting and engaging the community. To better work with the unique challengesthat exist in Pittsburgh's diverse neighborhoods, Tree Pittsburgh decided to focus onthe neighborhood of Lawrenceville in 2014 to increase programming in that area andcreate an urban forest plan specific to the community’s needs.

The first step in the Lawrenceville Urban Forest Initiative is to create a communityvision for the needs and desires of Lawrenceville residents. Tree Pittsburgh formed aproject steering committee that includes members from Lawrenceville United,Lawrenceville Corporation, Friends of Arsenal Park, City of Pittsburgh Forestry Divi-sion and City of Pittsburgh Planning Department. The end goal of the planning processis to create a road map that will guide Lawrenceville into the future to enhance andmaintain the urban forest.

The public is invited to give input on the neighborhood’s trees at a series of publicmeetings, the first of which will be held on April 16th at the Stephen Foster CommunityCenter, 286 Main St., from 7 to 8 p.m. Participants who come to the public meetingswill learn about the state of Lawrenceville's urban forest, and will have the opportunityto provide specific input into the plan. All meetings are free and open to the public, andrefreshments will be served.

Additionally, Tree Pittsburgh is collecting information about residents’ views onLawrenceville’s urban forest through a neighborhood-wide survey. Residents are encour-aged to share the survey with their neighbors and friends who live or work inLawrenceville.

For a complete schedule of community events, meetings and planning schedule, orto take the survey, please visit the Tree Pittsburgh website at www.treepittsburgh.org,call 412-362-6360 or email jen@treepittsburgh.org. – Jennifer Kullgren, Tree Pittsburgh

.NEWSBRIEFS.

Shadyside – On March 8, AHair Boutique, 5510 CentreAve., partnered withCitySTYLE, a local fashionshow producer, to present aprogram for high schoolgirls called “True Beauty.”

The program was a basicskincare and makeupseminar designed to helpbuild the confidence ofyoung women ages 14 to 17,educating them on age-appropriate skincare,makeup tips and techniques. It alsofeatured a panel discussion on what itmeans to be “Be-YOU-tiful,” withpanelists in the fields of beauty, jour-nalism and motivational speaking.

The nine teens who attended arestudents at Pittsburgh CAPA, Obama andWestinghouse, and Imani ChristianAcademy. The event featured giveaways,tutorials, DIY sessions and a discussionabout the importance of inner beauty andconfidence.

Learning To Be “Be-YOU-tiful”

True Beauty was sponsored by SistersBeauty Supply, Salon Blue, Wine & Words,Bella, Artistry, Paparazzi Photography andPosh Nail Boutique. A Hair Boutiqueproprietor LaToya Johnson-Rainey saysshe hopes to host more True Beauty semi-nars in the future. – staff, The Bulletin

ABOVE: “True Beauty” was designed to buildthe confidence of teen girls. Photo by NicoleBastide/Paparazzi Photography

3APR 2014 | The Bulletin |

The deadline for the May issue is Tuesday, April 15.

Editorial and Advertising Offices • 5149 Penn Avenue • Pittsburgh, PA 15224412.441.6915 • (Fax) 412.441.6956 • Bulletin@bloomfield-garfield.orgTotal Circulation • 21,000 Copies • 18,000 Mailed • 3,000 DroppedStaff • Paula Martinac, Editor • Ross Hackett, Editorial Intern • Martin Pochapin,Advertising • Ross Hackett & Rick Swartz, Proofreading • Mary Anne Stevanus,Bookkeeper • Trib Total Media, Printing & Mailing • CISP, Distribution Board Meetings are held by the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation on the secondMonday of each month at 7 p.m. at 5321 Penn Ave. and are open to the public.The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the publisher.The Bulletin is made possible in part by funding from PNC Bank, Dollar Bank, TheHeinz Endowments and Allegheny Valley Bank.

www.bloomfield-garfield.org © 2014 by Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation

Volume 39, Number 4

Serving Bloomfield, Friendship, Garfield, East Liberty, Lawrenceville and StantonHeights Since 1975 with the mission of reporting on activities affecting those communitiesand offering an opportunity for residents to express opinions and exchange ideas.

A Publication of Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation

rent, will receive credits to help withraising the funds from investors needed toconstruct another 19 townhouses andsingle-family homes. The units, a mix of2-, 3- and 4-bedroom houses, will be scat-tered along Kincaid, Broad and DearbornStreets, between N. Mathilda St. and N.Atlantic Ave. The partners in the projectare S & A Homes and the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation (BGC).

“We’re pleased the state recognizes thehousing crunch that has come to the EastEnd,” said Andy Haines, a vice-presidentwith S & A. “We have a waiting list ofalmost 600 applicants just from Phase I. Sowe know the difficulties working-classhouseholds are having trying to finddecent housing that won’t also sap theirbudgets.” Haines estimated constructionshould be underway by March of 2015,with leasing to open in the late fall.

The look of the new homes under PhaseII will differ in some respects from thosein the first phase. Lami-Grubb Architectsof Swissvale was willing to incorporatesome new design elements to help avoidthe sameness that sometimes definesaffordable housing developments,according to Haines.

A second project at 4800 Penn inBloomfield, to be known as the Penn-Mathilda Apartments, also received anaward of tax credits from PHFA.ACTION-Housing, a Downtownnonprofit agency, intends to build a three-story complex that will feature 39apartments on the second and third floors.They will be a mix of 1- and 2-bedroomunits. A set of brick garages now occupies

the site and will have to be demolishedfirst.

The first floor of the new building willoffer commercial storefronts for rent. TheBGC is a partner with ACTION-Housingin the development and hopes to be ableto raise the funds needed to build out thecommercial spaces. Tax credits are ineli-gible for financing anything other than theresidential units, according to LindaMetropolus, a development official withACTION.

“These units will be available to recentveterans of the military, particularly thosewho may have served in either the Iraq orAfghanistan wars,” Metropolus confirmed.“We’ll have support services on site toassist those tenants. Whatever units arenot filled by veterans will be available forrent to the general public.” She said shebelieves the construction of the newbuilding should be underway by nextspring.

Andrew Moss of Moss Architects inLawrenceville has been tapped to do all ofthe necessary design work and construc-tion supervision for the project.

The third development financed by thePHFA is in the Larimer neighborhood,and will consist of 81 townhomes andwalk-up apartments that a St. Louis-baseddevelopment company, McCormickBaron, is spearheading. The FairfieldApartment complex in East Liberty – amix of townhouses and multi-unit build-ings located between Broad Street andEast Liberty Boulevard – was an earlierdevelopment by McCormick Baron. t

Housing from page 1

ABOVE: Artist’s rendering of the coming Penn-Mathilda Apartments. Photo courtesy Moss Architects

Bottom Dollar Hiring Process BeginsBy Wesley Davis

Eastside Neighborhood Employment Center

Penn Avenue – The Bottom Dollar grocerystore at 5200 Penn Ave. is currently underconstruction. The supermarket is slated toopen June 5, according to Bottom Dollarexecutives. To staff the new store, BottomDollar Foods and Eastside NeighborhoodEmployment Center (ENEC) are part-nering to host a series of hiring events.

Two orientation sessions will providethose interested in working at BottomDollar with insight into the applicationand hiring process, along with tips andstrategies to impress recruiters.

The first session will be facilitated byErin Ziegler, Associate Relations Specialistwith Bottom Dollar Foods. Ziegler willprovide information on Bottom DollarFoods’ expectations of associates (dresscode, punctuality, etc.), open positions,and the supermarket’s culture and values.This event will take place on April 1 at11:30 a.m. in the Bloomfield-GarfieldCommunity Activity Center, 113 N.Pacific Avenue.

The ENEC’s Lead Employment Coordi-nator, Usama Al-Teraifi, will conduct thesecond session on April 3 at 11:30 a.m.,also at the Community Activity Center.This second workshop will prepare appli-cants for interviews with Bottom Dollarexecutives and help them develop resumes

to highlight their skills for the hiringevent.

Al-Teraifi will also review professionaletiquette, workplace communication anddispute resolution skills, and how to navi-gate Bottom Dollar’s online applicationprocess.

Applicants who attend both preparatoryworkshops will receive a pin to wearduring the hiring event to acknowledgethey took part in these sessions.

Finally, on April 8, from 8:30 a.m. to 6p.m., Bottom Dollar representatives willconduct interviews with applicants at St.Maria Goretti Activity Center, 140 N.Atlantic Ave. Their intent is to identifypotential employees for all open positions.

To register for the two orientationsessions and the hiring event, call 724-230-6495 or email ENECBottomDollarHiring@gmail.com.

Those interested in applying to BottomDollar can find additional assistance indeveloping a resume and navigating theBottom Dollar online job application byvisiting the ENEC, 5321 Penn Ave.,Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., orSaturday from noon to 6 p.m. Visit theENEC online at www.enecpittsburgh.org.t

4 | The Bulletin | APR 2014

What’s Next for This Gateway?By Aggie Brose

Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation

Rebels Rise AgainBy Paula MartinacThe Bulletin

Garfield – This year marks the 50th anniversary of the 1964 undefeated championshipseason of the Garfield Rebels, a youth football team that was once a part of Pittsburgh’sMetropolitan Football League.

To commemorate the winning season, Jim Kohler, who played offense for the Rebelsthat year, is organizing an October reunion – of team members and their families, butalso of anyone who lived in Garfield at the time and fondly remembers the team.

Kohler grew up on the first floor of the Montana Apartments on Penn Avenue andattended Friendship School. He says he played just one season for the Rebels, when hewas 13, because the league had “serious weight restrictions. You could only be 125pounds … with all the pads on…. They’d weigh us before the games.”

Being part of the Rebels, Kohler says, was “the ultimate. If you walked down Pennwearing a Rebels jacket, you were ‘cock of the block.’”

Kohler now lives in Washington, Pa., and says he has lost track of most of his team-mates. Several of the coaches have died in recent years, including head coach Jim Bulger.

Plans for the Rebels reunion are still taking shape, and the exact date and venue willdepend on the level of interest he gets from the community, Kohler noted. But he saidhe knows for sure that “it’s going to be a great time.”

If you have information about team members and their whereabouts, or to find outmore about the reunion, please call Kohler at 412-853-1895.

.EYESORE OF THE MONTH.

Penn Avenue – The eyesore for April is thevacant lot at Penn and Negley Avenues –the gateway to Friendship, Bloomfield andGarfield.

Along with the vacant Babyland prop-erties across the street, this lot givesvisitors the wrong impression of theneighborhood. When you travel furtheralong Penn, you see millions of dollars ininvestment – Salt of the Earth, VerdeMexican Kitchen + Cantina, UPMC St.Margaret Family Health Center, Pitts-burgh Glass Center, the Children’s Homeand the Fairmont Apartments, to namejust a few.

According to the Allegheny County realestate website, the recorded owner of 5531Penn is Monro Muffler and Brake(MM&B), which acquired the property inJune 1999 for $750,000. The tax billing andowner address is 200 Holleder Pkwy,Rochester, NY 14615-3808, and the taxesare paid.

Many residents and businesses havenominated it as an eyesore over the pastyear and have called the city’s 311 lineabout it. In addition, MM&B was taken bythe city to Housing Court on October 24,2013, because it was leasing the site forstorage of construction materials without

a valid occupancypermit. The defendant’sname recorded on theHousing Court calendarwas Hamoodey M.Swadan. At that time,MM&B was required toput a lockable gate at theopening of the property.

Recently, the propertywas leased to DuquesneLight to store equipmentwhile the utilitycompany worked in Bloomfield. Neigh-bors reported to the Bloomfield-GarfieldCorporation (BGC) that it was ahazardous situation each time DuquesneLight moved its equipment on and off thesite. There was no flagman directing vehi-cles, and they rarely paid attention to thetraffic signal.

Penn and Negley is a busy intersection,with Penn narrowing to one lane just a fewblocks to the west. Additionally, there is atransit stop at that intersection and a stopfor several school buses.

The BGC called the Bureau of BuildingInspection (BBI) and was told thatMM&B had been ordered to empty the lotby March 2014. The property was on a BBIwatch list, with an inspector checking it ona regular basis. BBI informed BGC that allthe large machinery and debris was finallyremoved in early March, and the file wasclosed. At press time, though, thereremains a small trailer, a large electricalboard and a small dirt pile on the site.

The BGC contacted the local MM&Bmanager, Ken Nicholson, to see what thereuse of the site would be. At one point,the BGC was told they might want to sell.But Nicholson’s response was, “Not sure– possibly an extended parking lot for thegarage.” He suggested that BGC call thecorporate office and speak to Jason Hiseabout the reuse of the lot. Hise did notreturn two calls before press time.

The community groups representingthe four neighborhoods are anxious tosee what happens next – will it remain aneyesore or finally be transformed tocomplement all the other investmentalong the avenue?

Neighbors can contact Hise at 1-800-876-6676 x 6117 with their concernsabout the property. If he does not returnthe BGC’s calls, he will receive a copy ofThe Bulletin with a request to respond. t

ABOVE: Community groups want to knowwhat’s going to happen with this lot. Photo byPaula Martinac

5APR 2014 | The Bulletin |

Williams is attempting to turn into acommunity house.

The Bloomfield-Garfield Corpora-tion invited Mr. Williams to attend themeeting to explain his plans for theproperty. Fourteen people were inattendance, including residents wholive near the property, delegates fromthe BGC Public Safety Task Force andWilliams’ general contractor.

Williams is seeking to house sixunrelated people in the property. Hesaid he plans to remodel the single-family house to have six bedrooms,one kitchen and one bathroom.

However, in order for this propertyto house more than three unrelatedpeople, a zoning variance must beobtained. The BGC’s official policy,explained deputy director Aggie Brose,is to hold a community meeting beforea Zoning Board of Adjustment hearingto inform the community about therequested change to their neighborhood.

Williams owns several propertiesaround the city, most of them in theHomewood and Larimer neighbor-hoods. He said he offers “transitionalhousing,” which “provides shelter andtherapy so that people can matriculateback into the community.” According tothe drafted room rental regulations – anabbreviated lease – for 4926 DearbornSt., each tenant must pay $400 a monthwith a $150 security deposit. The regula-tions also make the eviction processclear:

“A typical residential Pennsylvania evictionprocess consists of several notices and ahearing before the landlord can physicallyremove the tenant from the home. In thesituation of a rooming house, however, theland lord can simply lock you out of theroom unless a different eviction process isspecifically detailed in the lease agreementor oral agreement provided by the landlordto the tenant.”

******You do not have the same rights andprotection that a regular residential tenanthas due to the nature of your housing situ-ation******

Many residents attending the meetingexpressed concerns about who would behoused at 4926 Dearborn, due to theprogress this block has made inimproved public safety and housing.Williams stated that no ex-offenderswould be placed in the house. But aprobation and parole officer who worksin Garfield was present at the meeting toreport that she had spoken that day withthe property manager, a woman identi-

Dearborn House from page 1

fied as Virginia Humphreys, who isattempting to place four ex-offenders inthe property.

Brose made it clear that the BGCbelieves “everyone deserves a secondchance.” The proposition made toWilliams, however, was that he scale backthe plans for the house to include no morethan three unrelated people as residents.This would create a better environmentfor those living at 4926 Dearborn, Brosesaid, expressing the position of the BGC.Williams did not agree to change theproperty plans.

Another suggestion, as proposed by amember of the city’s Nuisance PropertyTask Force, was to have a staff memberpresent at all times on site to monitor theproperty and the tenants. He alsosuggested a common room for tenants togather and relax in order to foster a senseof community. At present, Williams’ plansdo not include common space inside theproperty.

In response to these requests, Williamsstated he is “willing to do whatever neces-sary to accommodate the community.”

The Zoning Board of Adjustment meton February 27th to hear Williams’request for a variance. However, ShawnCarter, chief of staff to City CouncilmanRev. Ricky Burgess, asked the ZoningBoard to issue a continuance.

A new hearing, which is open to thepublic, is scheduled for April 3rd at 10a.m. on the first floor of the John P. RobinCivic Building, 200 Ross St., Pittsburgh,PA 15219. t

ABOVE: The owner of the single-family house at4926 Dearborn wants to turn it into a commu-nity home. Photo by Paula Martinac

6 | The Bulletin | APR 2014

Program Attracts International VolunteerBy Rachel Zadnik

Neighborhood Learning Alliance

East Liberty Addresses Walking and Parking IssuesBy Ross HackettThe Bulletin

East Liberty – With increased populationand commercial activity in the neighbor-hood of East Liberty, walkability,accessibility and parking have been recog-nized as critical issues. In February 2014,East Liberty Development Incorporated(ELDI) addressed these by releasing adraft report of its “East Liberty Circulationand Mobility Action Plan Phase One:Walkability, Accessibility, and Parking.”

In order to understand these issues inthe neighborhood, ELDI teamed up withthe Remaking Cities Institute (RCI) atCarnegie Mellon University to study walk-ability and accessibility, and WalkerParking Consultants (WPC) to studyparking.

The Walkability and Accessibility Studyaimed to locate areas in the neighborhoodwith the most need for pedestrian-oriented improvements. The RCI teamidentified the five primary variables thatprovide a safe and enjoyable walking expe-rience for pedestrians: destinations thatare frequented by pedestrians, safety fromcrime and accidents, an aestheticallyappealing and enclosed walking environ-

ment, streets with separate rights of wayfor various means of transportation, andvarious parking options.

The team analyzed and mapped thestreets in the neighborhood that fail tosatisfy the five variables but have thepotential to readily attract pedestrians. Acommunity survey, distributed both elec-tronically and via hard copy, alsocontributed to the selection of HighlandAvenue, Penn Avenue and Centre Avenueas high-priority routes for pedestrians inEast Liberty.

Projected short-term improvements forthese three routes include slowing trafficby adding additional on-street parking,providing incentives for owners to repairand maintain sidewalks, adding trees andremoving graffiti to increase visual appeal,and improving key intersections byinstalling crosswalks and pedestriansignals. Increased utilization of vacantbuildings and lots and the reconstructionof Penn Circle North and West as two-waystreets are among the long-term improve-ments for the action plan.

According to the report, parking is

currently a barrier to theneighborhood reaching its fullpotential as businessescontinue to open. An ampleparking supply was identifiedas necessary to assist commu-nity stakeholders in ensuringthat East Liberty remains agreat place to live, work, shopand ultimately, park.

WPC worked with ELDI onthe East Liberty Parking Studyto define current parkingconditions, analyze futureparking needs of the neighborhood andprepare a number of strategies to meetthese needs.

The analysis for the study involvedtaking inventory of parking assets by type,ownership and accessibility, inventory ofpolicies and regulations for differentparking areas, and hourly occupancycounts of parking assets during weekdaysand weekends. Using the informationfrom this analysis, ELDI was able to calcu-late parking surpluses or deficits atdifferent hours of the day and begin to

determine future parking needs.

The study revealed that the parkingissue in East Liberty is not a lack ofsupply, but a lack of access to supply. Thereport suggests a shared parking programto improve access to underutilizedparking areas by reaching out to privateparking lot owners to communicaterevenue opportunities. t

ABOVE: Map showing high-priority routeshighlighted in the Walking and AccessibilityStudy. Courtesy ELDI

Garfield – Marina BaldisseraPacchetti is NeighborhoodLearning Alliance’s (NLA)Volunteer of the Month forApril. A native of Milan, Italy,Pacchetti is a doctoral student atthe University of Pittsburghstudying History and the Philos-ophy of Science.

Pacchetti, 28, volunteersthrough NLA’s afterschoolprogram at PittsburghAllderdice. She switched fromPittsburgh Sci-Tech thissemester to better accommodateher schedule. She says she haslearned a lot about American culture justby working with the students.

“Students can spot my accent and some-times ask questions, which I am veryhappy to answer,” she says. “One day a girlasked me what sort of currency we had inEurope. I showed her some coins, and wehad a very interesting conversation aboutthe differences and similarities betweenmy home and hers, and what it is like tolive in a different country.”

Pacchetti says she enjoys volunteering

with NLA because “it's a very fulfillingexperience and it's a great way tocontribute to the community in one's freetime.” She says she especially likes to helpstudents recover failed credits.

If you’re interested in volunteering withNLA, email Zadnik@neighborhoodlearning.org or call 412-363-1910. t

ABOVE: Marina Pacchetti has learned aboutAmerican culture from her afterschool students.Photo by Rachel Zadnik

7APR 2014 | The Bulletin |

Please support Penn Avenue shops and eateries throughthe difficult period posed by the reconstruction project

from Mathilda to Evaline!

K-2 Convenience Store @ 4900 Penn * Calabria’s Pizza @ 4911 Penn *Pho Minh Vietnamese Restaurant @ 4917 Penn * Garfield Artworks @4931 Penn *Artisan Tattoo @ 5001 Penn * Kraynick’s Bike Shop @ 5003 Penn * Most Wanted Fine Art @ 5015 Penn * All Appliance Parts@ 5023 Penn * Carl’s TV @ 5025 Penn * Spak Brothers Subs & Pizza @5107 Penn * Eastland Hairlines @ 5114 Penn * Mostly Mod/ARTica @5110 Penn * All God’s Creatures Pet Grooming @ 5121 Penn * Little Angels Day Care @ 5122 Penn * East End ri Store @ 5123 Penn *People’s Grocery @ 5136 Penn * e Diva Den Salon @ 5138 Penn *People’s Indian Restaurant @ 5147 Penn * Princess Hair & Beauty Supply @ 5152 Penn

For a free, fold-out map of all of the businesses (with phone numbers), con-tact Samantha at the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation, 412-441-6950, x 16.

Thank you! The Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation would like to acknowledge its main corporate partners, PNC Bank, Dollar Bank and

Allegheny Valley Bank. Thanks also to BNY Mellon, First Niagara Bank, WesBanco, Allegheny Health Network, Citizens Bank and all of The Bulletin’s advertisers.

Green + Screen Continues Under New Leadership

By Ross HackettThe Bulletin

Penn Avenue – The Green +Screen Initiative, started byEcoDesigners Guild in 2010to beautify vacant lots alongPenn Avenue, is under newleadership. Moving forward,Green Through Energy andCommunity Health (GTECH)in Larimer will manage theinitiative. According to MeganZeigler, ReClaim Director atGTECH, “Green + Screen is aprogram that we have alwaysbelieved in.”

Starting in 2010, Green +Screen implemented a seriesof artistic and educationalinstallations on Penn Avenueto beautify ugly vacant lotsand other missing teeth along the businessdistrict corridor. The volunteer-driveninitiative, which began in the Garfieldneighborhood, is a chance for local artistsand volunteers to give back to the commu-nity by filling vacant gaps along businesscorridors.

When Minette Vaccariello, head of the

ABOVE: High school kids from “StudentsToday, Leaders Forever” on their work day withGreen and Screen. Photo courtesy GTECH

EcoDesigners Guild, decided to becomeless active in Green + Screen projects inorder to start a family, she approached

See Green and Screen | page 16

8 | The Bulletin | APR 2014

NeighborhoodFOCUS

Continued on page 9

ABOVE: Neighborhood elementary school children helped put together the Little Free Library for Garfield. Photo by Jess Gold

Growing a Library inGarfieldNeighborhood Partnership Produces “Little Free Library” for Young People of GarfieldBy Paula Martinac The Bulletin

Garfield – You may have seen tiny depositories for books cropping up in neighbor-hoods around the city. Now Garfield is getting its own “Little Free Library,” thanksto a collaboration of PULSE and Garfield Community Action Team (GCAT) withAssemble’s Saturday Crafternoon program.

The concept behind Little Free Libraries is simple – a resident or group builds asmall, weatherproof shelter for books, which is then placed on a sturdy post in anoutdoor space and filled with books to share. Anyone can take a book, as long asthey give another – or the same – book back. Across the country, people areemploying this community-friendly way to recycle books they’ve already read andgain access to new ones they might enjoy.

“It was a dream we had,” explained Leah Thill of PULSE, talking about conversa-tions she had with Minette Vacarriello of GCAT about a Garfield library. “Severalyears ago, PULSE wanted to have a Little Free Library at each of its houses [inGarfield, Highland Park and East Liberty].” But the missing link, she said, wascarpentry skills … as well as energy and time.

Enter the Saturday Crafternoons program. Assemble, located at 5125 Penn Ave.,runs the drop-in program for elementary school children, in which local artists,craftspeople and community groups engage the kids in various creative projects.

“We want to get kids excited about learning new skills,” noted Jess Gold, who over-sees the program. Plus, by working on a community-based project, children learnthat “they can be agents of social change.”

It took about three months of planning for Garfield’s Little Free Library to cometo fruition, explained Gold. She was able to engage Ben Johnson, a carpenter wholives in the neighborhood, to design the depository. In his design, Johnson includedall recycled materials, including doors donated by Construction Junction throughits ReGives program. Even the green and purple paint used to finish the library wasleft over from another project.

Johnson prepped the building materials “for kid-friendly carpentry,” Gold said.“They got to screw the pieces together.” The bulk of the actual construction tookplace in one day. In addition, the children made book plates to affix to the booksand brightly colored wooden circles that will adorn the library frame. Because thedepository is destined to sit in the Kincaid Street Community Gardens, the kidspainted pictures of plants on the circles.

The library, Gold said, will be geared primarily toward children’s books. Neigh-borhood youths will be able to borrow a book to read, with the idea that they willbring it back when they’re finished and borrow another. The library has already hada significant number of books donated to it, she noted.

The brightly colored seating that GCAT built for Kite Hill Park several years backhas been moved down to the Kincaid garden, where the blocks will serve as benchesfor kids who want to read while their parents and guardians work in the garden.“We wanted a fun, but passive activity for kids,” Thill said. The hope, though, is thatkids who hang out reading books will also have their interest in gardening piqued.

At press time, a few finishing touches still remained, including creating a sign and

9APR 2014 | The Bulletin |

Growing a Library continued

gallery, located at 5015 PennAve.

Sauer explains that he andhis wife, Nina Sauer, spent ayear reaching out to localartists they are “connectedto through the Pittsburgharts scene.” The artists wereencouraged to propose aproject they would carry outif they had $1,000.

The artists were selectedby invitation to create theirown individual shows thatwill each display in the base-ment of MWFA for onemonth. According to Sauer,the selected artists have awide range of preferredartistic mediums. Includedin the program are fine artists, digitalartists, a DJ and even a chef.

In addition to submitting a grant appli-cation to The Heinz Endowments tofund the residencies, Sauer says that hehas reached out to various businesses tosponsor different projects by donatingsupplies and money.

“The artists are very proud to be a partof this project,” says Sauer.“They wereselected because their projects have asense of purpose, integrating art with theblight of the neighborhood.”

Pittsburgh DJ J. Malls is one of the resi-dent artists who will display at MWFAthis year. Malls says he has always beeninterested in local history, which explainswhy a happenstance discovery becamethe inspiration for his project.

While listening to a CD of Rev. MartinLuther King Jr.’s speeches in January2013, Malls noticed a description on theliner of the case indicating that the coverartist, Mozelle Thompson, was fromPittsburgh. According to Malls,Thompson grew up in Garfield andgraduated from Peabody High School in1944 before moving to New York City,where he became a notable artist for aplethora of album covers.

“I’ve identified over 80 albums that hehas done artwork for,” says Malls. “Thenext eight months will involve a lot ofcalling around, talking to people to getinformation about Thompson that isn’ton the Internet.” The goal is to acquireand frame as many albums as possible forthe show.

Malls asserts that the resident artistprogram is a great way to promotecommunity engagement. After the show,Malls says that he would like to donatethe albums to the Garfield community sothey can be accessible to people on an

giving the depository a final coat of sealant. Thill estimated that the library wouldbe in place by the end of March. Eventually, Gold and Thill plan to register thelibrary on the official Little Free Library website.

Asked if there would be more tiny libraries dotting the neighborhood in thefuture, Gold said Assemble would be open to it, “as time and energy present them-selves.” She also noted that the design of the first library allows for expansion, withadditional shelves to be added at a future time. t

For more information about Little Free Libraries across the country, visit littlefreelibrary.org.

“We Love Woolslair” Brings School Together By Dave BreinganLawrenceville United

Bloomfield – Student-made luminaria –paper bags with votive candles inside –twinkled outside of Pittsburgh WoolslairK-5 on March 6th, bearing decorationsand notes of appreciation like “Woolslairrocks” and “Woolslair has great teachers.”

Inside the neighborhood elementaryschool, 200 people participated in “WeLove Woolslair,” a family fun night organ-ized by Woolslair parents and staff thatincluded activities like luminaria-crafting,bingo, face-painting, mask-decorating andbutton-making from the Carnegie Libraryof Pittsburgh Lawrenceville branch, andtennis from CitiParks. A free dinner wasoffered thanks to donations from localvenues like DJ’s Butcher Block, PiccoloForno, Spak Brothers and Fazio’s Pizza, aswell as American Beverage Company.

“This is the best family fun night I’veever been to!” declared one child.

Prospective families were also invited tosee the kindergarten classroom and meetWoolslair teachers. Woolslair is currentlyaccepting enrollment for the 2014-2015school year for elementary-aged childrenwithin its feeder area.

The idea and much of the planning forthe night came from parent volunteers likeValerie Allman, in the midst of a schoolyear that has seen Woolslair targeted forclosure. “I just wanted to do something tobring the school together and highlightwhat we all love about this school,” saidMs. Allman, who has a second grader atWoolslair.

In November 2013, district staff at Pitts-burgh Public Schools recommended thatthe Board of Education close Woolslair forthe 2014-2015 school year as part of a planto grapple with the district’s impendingbudget deficit. The process to close theschool was opened by the school board

shortly after that recommendation, butthen rescinded in December when fournew members were sworn in to theboard. As a result, the school will remainopen for the coming school year.

The family fun night was also a chanceto learn what current and prospectiveparents want to see at the school thatcould bolster enrollment. As theyentered, parents were asked to fill out asurvey, the results of which will inform aplan to bring in new programming toenrich student learning and attract newfamilies.

In the meantime, the “We Love Wool-slair Night” successfully broughtWoolslair families, staff and the commu-nity together for a night of fun. Theparents who organized the evening saidthey hope it will kick off a new Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) atWoolslair.

To get involved, call 412-802-7220 oremail Dave@LUnited.org. t

BELOW: Woolslair’s family night included facepainting. Photo by Lauren Byrne

Residencies from page 1

ongoing basis. “It would be great if youngkids that are interested in art could see thispiece of unacknowledged local history.”

Tara Sherry-Torres is another Pitts-burgh resident featured in the residencyprogram. Though she is not a chef by day,Sherry-Torres explains that she comesfrom a long line of cooks and has “longhad a passion for bringing people togetherwith food.”

Sherry-Torres’s initiative is called “Cafécon Leche.” The name, she says, reflectsher Puerto Rican heritage and the culture’stradition of serving coffee with milk tohousehold guests. At each of the Café ConLeche events, Sherry-Torres will preparefree traditional dishes for residents.Through her initiative, she says she hopesto bring the community together and“spark a dialogue between guests aboutthe connections they may have with oneanother.”

The first event, “Herencia Africana,” willtake place at MWFA from 12 to 3 p.m. onSunday, April 6. Sherry-Torres explainsthat the event will “celebrate African rootsin Latino culture.” The event will includetraditional food, live music, live danceperformances and a short film, all ofwhich are free for guests.

“This [residency] program is a greatplatform for Pittsburgh artists,” Sherry-Torres states. She says she thinks it’s greatthat MWFA is lending a helping hand toartists who can use support. “Pittsburgh isan accessible city with so many talented,creative people that believe in each other.”t

ABOVE: Designed by Garfield native MozelleThompson, this album cover was nominated fora Grammy Award for Graphic Design in 1967.Courtesy J. Malls

10 | The Bulletin | APR 2014

NLA Initiates Technology Education ProgramBy Ross Hackett The Bulletin

Garfield – After being “challenged byGoogle to come up with an interventionin schools that would teach technology toyoung students,” Stephen MacIsaac andhis team at the Neighborhood LearningAlliance (NLA) originated the TechWar-riors program.

MacIsaac, executive director of NLA,explained that the organization has devel-oped a strong relationship with the Googleoffice in Bakery Square because “they aresupportive of our efforts to bring tech-nology to underserved, lower-incomecommunities in Pittsburgh.” He said thatGoogle was immediately receptive toTechWarriors and provided a “generousdonation” for the program.

Tech Warriors will resemble ReadingWarriors, a successful program started bythe NLA in 2013 that employs high schoolstudents to coach elementary students onreading skills during after-schoolprograms. According to MacIsaac, themodel for the Reading Warriors program“has a great deal of appeal” given the posi-tive impact it has had on young students.

MacIsaac said that the NLA is built on avast network of staff members andcommunity partners that work with Pitts-burgh Public Schools and communitiesand will be able to identify viable studentsfor Tech Warriors. A group of 25 highschool students will be hired and trainedas mentors who will teach students in

Pittsburgh public elementary schools tech-nology applications they are unfamiliarwith.

For example, Tech Warriors will teachstudents Scratch, a program that enablesthem to create interactive stories, gamesand animations. Nick Jaramillo, an NLApartner who is based at the Hilltop YMCA,will be developing a curriculum for theWarriors to teach.

This program is a “dual-learning oppor-tunity,” according to MacIsaac. Not onlywill elementary students learn necessaryskills, but the Warriors will experience asense of value for their work.

Training will be a two-step process.NLA assistant director Katy Frey will leadthe first half of training. Frey will train thehigh school students in the properapproach to teaching elementary kids.The second half of training will be anongoing process, tailored to the technolog-ical aspects of the program. Every otherweek, Tech Warriors will meet for twohours to learn the newest projects thatthey will be training their students on and

to reflect on the progress of the initiativeas a whole.

MacIsaac outlined why technologyeducation is important. First, he explainedthat technology’s progression in society isinevitable. If families and children fallbehind technology’s advancement, it willput them at a disadvantage and make themless competitive to employers.

Second, MacIsaac said it is crucial to“spark curiosity and creativity in theminds of young people.”

“Some people consider themselves asproducers while others simply think ofthemselves as consumers,” he said. Thegoal of the program is to inspire kids torealize that they have the ability to beproducers of their own ideas, or themakers of things that other people want toconsume.

According to MacIsaac, there is no dateyet for the commencement of the Tech-Warriors program, which is still in theplanning stages; a start date will not befinalized, he said, until “something great isready.” t

11APR 2014 | The Bulletin |

Lawrenceville – On February 4, 37 Pittsburgh Arsenal 6-8 students were invited to visitSlippery Rock University along with their teacher, Robert White, and student servicesstaff, Monica Tillman and Mark Johnson.

White, a Slippery Rock University alumnus who teaches 6th-grade math and scienceat Arsenal, was invited to be a guest speaker for the university’s Black History MonthKickoff Celebration. When White accepted the guest speaker spot, Laura Carroll, auniversity employee, offered his class the opportunity to attend his talk and spend timeon campus. Students were selected to attend the trip based on if they were “Pittsburgh-Promise-Ready,” which means a 2.5 GPA and 90 percent attendance.

At Slippery Rock, Arsenal students talked to staff about potential career paths, andgot an introduction to college life, the college application process and graduationrequirements. Afterwards, all of the students went on a short campus tour, whichincluded an all-you-can-eat lunch buffet in the campus cafeteria.

The day concluded with students learning about the history of the university and howit has changed over the past 125 years, striving to become more inclusive and respectfulof people of color. Slippery Rock students performed several gospel songs and dances,including a tribute to former South African President Nelson Mandela, who died inDecember.

On returning to Pittsburgh, each Arsenal student showed appreciation for the expe-rience by writing a thank-you card to Laura Carroll and the students of Slippery RockUniversity. t

Arsenal 6-8 Takes Trip to Slippery Rock Interactive Exhibit Flows into AssembleBy Ann Payne

Chatham University

Garfield – Every lastdrop of water on Earth isall the water it has everhad. When you pouryourself a glass of it,George Washington oreven a TyrannosaurusRex may have consumedthose same water mole-cules hundreds of yearsago – or millions of yearsago, in the case of the T-Rex. This is the magic ofthe water cycle – andone of the many qualities that make waterthe life-giving resource it is.

From April 4th to 26th, the Assemblegallery space for arts and technology at5125 Penn Ave. will host “The DropProject.” This interactive exhibit celebrateswater as a precious resource, generateslocal stewardship and – most of all – getspeople to have a good time while gettingtheir “feet wet” learning about watersystems. It is directed and built by Dr.Molly Mehling, Professor of Ecology at theChatham University Falk School ofSustainability, and two graduate students– myself, and Kristen Reynolds. Theexhibit is the first installment of “WaterConnects,” an art-science approach tosharing information on local aquaticecosystems.

The exhibit is designed to be fun andengaging, while exploring the “visible andinvisible” qualities of water that people canaffect with their everyday lives – from thetiny animals living among stream rocks todevelopment of the local landscape. Head-waters, or the hundreds of tiny streamsthat flow from the hilltops fed fromprecipitation and underground springs,make their way down through fields,farms and neighborhoods into the city,where they eventually join together tobecome mighty rivers. Along its journey,

water passes over, under and througheverything in its path: soil, lawns, stormdrains, fields, dog poop, oil, trash –anything people or nature place in frontof it.

Visitors to the exhibit will find it trans-formed into a life-sized world of a smallstream where they can try on waders andlearn how to use a “gravel-o-meter”; seePittsburgh and East End area topographyfrom above; escape into local artists’photography stories of a stream; meetlocal water professionals; relax in ahome-styled space while consideringhow much “hidden” water goes intomaking their morning coffee and favoritepair of blue jeans; and come to know howsimilar water flow is to their own body’ssystems.

The exhibit will be open duringAssemble’s regular hours: Tuesdaythrough Friday from 4 to 7 p.m., andSaturdays from 12-4 p.m. The DropProject is supported by Chatham Univer-sity, the Awesome Foundation and localpartners. t

ABOVE: Dr. Molly Mehling and her graduatestudent assistant Kristen Reynolds look forsmall insects in one of Pittsburgh’s local head-water streams. They are working together tocreate the upcoming exhibit, “The Drop Proj-ect.” Photo by Ann Payne

12 | The Bulletin | APR 2014

Business Owner Sponsors Prom Contest By Paula MartinacThe Bulletin

Penn Avenue – Dar Jones, proprietor ofThe Diva Den at 5138 Penn Ave., says shedidn’t really have anybody pushing orencouraging her when she was growing upin Wilkinsburg, so it took her a while tofind her footing in life.

The 30-year-old credits her own drive –and a lot of trial and error – with helpingher go from being a teenage mother to theowner of a hair salon.

“I’m very happy with what I’ve made ofmyself,” she says. And now she’s decidedto give back.

This spring, Jones is sponsoring acontest called “Show ‘Em What You Got,”in which high school seniors compete towin prom tickets and outfits by writing anessay about themselves and their goals.

“Kids value things they’ve gotten ontheir own,” she notes.

Why prom? Jones says that prom is animportant part of youth culture, and waswhen she was in school, too. “There werekids I wouldn’t see for half the year, butthey’d show up for prom,” she laughs.

She decided to make the prize acomplete prom package for two winners,a girl and a boy – prom tickets, a gown ortux, a hairstyle or cut, make-up, shoes andphotographs.

Sponsors include The Diva Den, PoshNails Boutique, Little’s Shoes, SomethingBorrowed Boutique and Men’s Wearhouse.Jones is trying to get the high schools todonate the tickets.

Although she herself went to prom,Jones says her mother couldn’t afford thebasic prom necessities. “My cheerleadingcoach bought my gown,” she notes. “Itmade me feel so good that someone sawwhat I had going for me.”

According to the guidelines, seniors atPittsburgh Obama, Pittsburgh Westing-house and Wilkinsburg High Schools areeligible to enter. All they have to do is writea 250-word essay discussing their careergoals and life aspirations, and how theyhope to carry them out.

Students should also relate what theirstrengths are, and strategize about howthey can surmount any negativity or diffi-cult circumstances around them.

“I want them to do their own thinkingand research so they can see their ownself-worth,” Jones explains.

The judges will be Jones, her husband,Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation boardmember Joe Ciotti and an English teacherfrom one of the high schools.

What would a winning essay look like?Jones says she’s looking most of all forpassion.

“I want to see someone who’s passionateabout doing better. But I also want themto pay attention, to make their essayspresentable.” That’s why she stipulated thatthe essays be written in American Psycho-logical Association (APA) style.

The contest deadline is April 18, andwinners will be chosen April 24. Jones saysshe’s hoping it will become an annualevent.

“But if I could encourage just one teen,that would be great,” she says. “Maybe ifthey get this encouragement early on, theycan be productive citizens in their 20s and30s.” t

For more information, call 412-378-7546or email thedivadenpgh@gmail.com. Essayscan be emailed, or mailed to/dropped off atThe Diva Den, 5138 Penn Ave., 1st floor,Pittsburgh, PA 15224.

Debating the Facts on Video GamesBy Brianna Watson Reading Warriors

and Karen JuengPittsburgh Woolslair

Bloomfield – On March 5, the 5th-gradestudents in the afterschool program atPittsburgh Woolslair Elementary Schoolheld a debate on a very controversial topic:"Do Violent Video Games Create ViolentBehavior in Children?"

After several weeks of researching andpreparing, the teams presented their argu-ments. The Pro team argued that violentvideos games do cause violent behavior,citing various experts who have conductedresearch with adolescents and children.The Pro team members were Navaeh Best,Jamal Bigstaff, Damesha Porter, JaimarGilbert and Destiny Smeadley.

The Con team argued that studies haveshown violent video games have no impacton violent behavior and are protectedunder the First Amendment right tofreedom of speech. The Con teammembers were Amir Wind, DamerePorter, Rico Harper and Keon Cross.

Both teams prepared thoroughly and

worked very hard to develop their argu-ments and statements. Each team wasrequired to be fact-based and cite theirreferences. In the end, the Pro team wonthe debate, but both teams were wellprepared in their arguments.

The debate was held in the library atWoolslair with an audience of parents andstudents from the afterschool program.The main purpose of this debate was togive students the opportunity to improvetheir writing and speaking skills and gainexperience participating in a debate, whichstudents will continue to use in school.

The Woolslair afterschool program hasbeen a part of the school for the last threeyears and is a partnership program of theBloomfield-Garfield Corporation andNeighborhood Learning Alliance. Thisprogram is designed to help studentsimprove their reading and math skills, andprovides additional programming – likethe debate – throughout the year. t

ABOVE: 5th graders at Pittsburgh Woolslair practiced debating during a special afterschool program.Photo by Dave Breingan

13APR 2014 | The Bulletin |

Sign Up for Summer FunBy Becky ThatcherLawrenceville United

Lawrenceville – Lawrenceville’s SummerCelebration Day Camp will be back thisJune and is expected to be better than ever.

The Summer Day Camp was launchedby Lawrenceville United (LU) in 2007 tokeep local families connected to eachother and to exciting programs throughthe summer months. The camp hasevolved and developed over the past sevenyears. LU staff has worked hard to identifyand recruit innovative program partnersand invest in a strong coordinating andcounselor staff to facilitate a safe andenjoyable camp.

Program partners include CitiParks,Reading Is Fundamental, 3 Rivers Rowing,MGR Foundation, the YMCA, the Boysand Girls Club, Carnegie Library, thePITT Mobile Science Lab and local artistsand musicians.

The camp, as always, will celebrate

community. This year, camp locationsinclude Pittsburgh Arsenal Middle School,the Boys and Girls Club, Carnegie Libraryand other local community spaces.

Camp will run June 23rd throughAugust 1st from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., withlunch and an afternoon snack included.At press time, LU was still finalizing regis-tration fees and applications, but iscommitted to keeping the costs low againthis year so that camp remains accessiblefor all. The camp is open to all residentsof Lawrenceville and neighboringcommunities.

Summer Celebration Day Camp ismade possible by PNC Bank, UPMCHealth Plan, Duquesne Light and Citi-Parks. To learn more about the camp orthe registration process, or to sponsor anactivity or the camp in general, please call412-802-7220 or email becky@lunited.org.t

Art All Night Reflects Community Spiritby Carrie Patterson Reed

Art All Night

Lawrenceville – People are constantlytalking about the “cool” and “hip”Lawrenceville community. While recentdevelopment growth in this small slice ofPittsburgh may have enlivened the area, it’sthe diversity and community spirit, andnot just the trends, that makeLawrenceville something special.

A perfect example is the 17th AnnualArt All Night, which takes place this yearat 40th and Willow Streets from Saturday,April 26th at 4 p.m. until Sunday, April27th at 2 p.m. It’s a community arts eventthat started humbly in an empty storefronton Butler Street before Lawrenceville was“the place to be.” At its start, Art All Nightexhibited just 100 works of art, but hasgrown to be an impressive event, featuringapproximately 1,200 pieces of art andattracting 15,000 visitors.

With a motto of “No fees, no jury, nocensorship,” the event showcases anamazing diversity of art with varying skilllevels, content, genres, and media – morethan you could ever imagine seeing in a

single art gallery or even some museums.

And while the art is remarkable, thecommunity spirit that goes into the eventis equally inspiring. From beginning toend, Art All Night is put on completely byvolunteers. The palpable feeling ofcommunity and festivity at the event ispart of what brings people back year afteryear.

There will be art activities for everyone,from chalk sketching to group improvsessions and memory drawing to livemusic. Artists will be performingthroughout the space, making music andart for most of the night. Children's activ-ities will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. onSaturday and again from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.on Sunday. Art activities for kids will givethe next generation of artists the chance tobuild their own cardboard city, weave withrecycled materials and create silkscreenprints.

For more information, including thehistory of Art All Night, the activities, andhow to volunteer, visit artallnight.org. t

ABOVE: Bubble painting was one of the kids’ activities at last year’s Art All Night. Photo by KristenBatao

“Like” the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporationon Facebook for the latest neighborhood information and community photos.

14 | The Bulletin | APR 2014

ClassesLocalEventsFundraisersAnnouncements BOARD

The Bulletin Board publishes listings of volunteer opportunities, free or low-cost eventsand classes, fundraising events and services that are of particular interest to our neighbor-hoods. Listings published on a space-available basis; we cannot guarantee placement. Announcements for the May issue are due Tuesday, April 15, via email to bulletin@bloomfield-garfield.org.

Sorry, we do not accept listings by phone.

April 1

GARFIELD

Free Homework HelpAssemble offers free homework help sessions foryouths in grades 1 to 8 every Tuesday from 3:30 to5:30 p.m. at 5125 Penn Ave. Volunteers provideone-on-one homework assistance to participantswho need it, but kids may choose to work inde-pendently. Youth participants can bringhomework, a book or a personal project to workon. Snacks provided. Also offered on April 8, 22and 29. Contact jess@assemblepgh.org or 412-540-5349 for more details.

April 3

BLOOMFIELD

Ballroom DanceJoin the Pittsburgh Dance Center at 4765 LibertyAve. for a ballroom dance lesson at 7 p.m. and stayfor the open ballroom dance party from 8 to 10p.m. The event costs $10 a person and refresh-ments will be available. Call 412-681-0111 formore information.

April 4

PENN AVENUE

UnblurredThe first Friday of each month, from 6 to 11 p.m.,various venues in the Penn Avenue Arts District,4800-5500 Penn Ave., open their doors to show-case the work of a variety of artists and performers.This month’s Unblurred coincides with the fifthannual GA/GI Fest – for information, visitgagifest5.blogspot.com.

BLOOMFIELD

Festival NouveauThe first Pittsburgh Festival Nouveau, a celebra-tion of dance and circus arts, will be held atPittsburgh Dance Center, 4765 Liberty Ave.,through April 6. For more information and toregister, visit www.hakandances.com.

April 5

GARFIELD

Workshops for KidsAs part of its Saturday Crafternoon program,Assemble hosts free drop-in workshops forelementary school-aged kids on Saturdays from 1to 4 p.m. at 5125 Penn Ave. Each week, kids willhave the opportunity to work with local artists,

makers, and community organizations on make-and-takes or community-based projects. Allmaterials provided. Also offered on April 19 and 26.Please contact jess@assemblepgh.org or 412-540-5349 for more details.

Free Tech TalksCome to Most Wanted Fine Art, 5015 Penn Ave.,from 12 to 5 p.m. for free lectures by technologypioneers. Call 412-328-4737 or visit www.most-wantedfineart.com for details.

Eco-ILL-LogicalJoin Most Wanted Fine Art, 5015 Penn Ave., from7 to 11 p.m. for a free salon-styled installation eventfocused on creative individual interpretations of theterm “illogical ecology.” The event will feature futur-istic garments with audio and video performances.Call 412-328-4737 or visit www.most-wantedfin-eart.com for details.

April 7

BLOOMFIELD

Yoga for EveryBODYMarlene Fritsch, a Yoga Alliance certified instructorand 16-year cancer survivor, will hold an introduc-tion/information session on yoga at the CancerCaring Center, 4117 Liberty Ave. from 6 to 7:30 p.m.She will talk about the importance of breathing andalso discuss future yoga classes that will offer count-less benefits to cancer survivors and their families.Dress comfortably; bringing a mat is optional.Friends and family members also welcome. Call412-622-1212 to sign up.

April 8

EAST LIBERTY

Gubernatorial DebateA gubernatorial candidate debate, hosted by the PAInterfaith Impact Network (PIIN) and Yinzercation,will take place at 6 p.m. at Pittsburgh ObamaAcademy, 515 N. Highland Ave. Doors open at 5p.m. All of the Democratic candidates areconfirmed and this will be the only debate in thestate focused exclusively on education issues.

GARFIELD

Allegiance StaffingAllegiance Staffing will be holding a recruitmentsession at the Eastside Neighborhood EmploymentCenter, 5321 Penn Ave. Sample positions availableinclude the following: welders, fitters, machinists,warehouse workers, contractor’s helpers, banquetservers, production workers and more. To registerfor the event please call 412-362-8580.

April 9

GARFIELD

Weeding WednesdaysKincaid Street Gardeners invite communitymembers to lend a helping hand on Wednesdayevenings starting from 6 p.m. to dusk, as we tend toour vegetables and try to keep the weeds undercontrol. Young people are welcome. The garden islocated in Garfield on Kincaid between N. Aikenand N. Graham.

Public Safety Task ForceThe Public Safety Task Force has convened monthlyin Garfield since 2000. At the table are representa-tives from the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation, theBureau of Police, other neighborhood organiza-tions, the offices of the Mayor and City Councilmembers, various city and county departments andthe state. Community members are invited to bringspecific concerns to PSTF’s monthly meeting duringthe first 15 minutes. The meeting starts at 4 p.m. atBGC’s Community Activity Center, 113 N. PacificAve. For more information, call 412-441-6950 x15.

April 10

BLOOMFIELD

Guided RelaxationThe goal of guided relaxation is to consciouslyproduce the body's natural relaxation response,characterized by slower breathing, lower blood pres-sure and a feeling of calm and well-being. EllenRodwick, a retired teacher, has used relaxation tech-niques extensively in her career and will lead asession at the Cancer Caring Center, 4117 LibertyAve., from 6 to 7 p.m. Participants can either sitcomfortably or lay on a mat (bring your own) witheyes closed. Cancer survivors, friends and familymembers are welcome to attend. Light refreshmentswill be offered. Call 412-622-1212 to register.

GARFIELD

Ex-Offender WorkshopThe Eastside Neighborhood Employment Center isholding an Ex-Offender Expungement Workshopfrom 2 to 3:30 p.m. at the Bloomfield-GarfieldCommunity Activity Center, 113 North Pacific Ave.The presentation will address the following: barriersto employment in Allegheny County, steps that canbe taken to remove those barriers, criminal records,employment discrimination, unemploymentcompensation and more. To register for the AARPRecruitment Event please call 412-362-8580.

April 11

GARFIELD

Word CircusMost Wanted Fine Art, 5015 Penn Ave., will host amonthly reading series presented by the ChathamUniversity MFA Creative Writing Program from7:30 to 11 p.m. The free event will feature a mix ofpoetry and prose writers from Chatham andwelcomes attendees to perform during an open mic.Call 412-328-4737 or visit www.most-wantedfin-eart.com for details.

April 12

LAWRENCEVILLE

Community Service FairLawrenceville United is hosting a communityservice fair at Arsenal Park on from 9 a.m. to 12p.m. This event will be a great opportunity to getto know the volunteer community groups workingin Lawrenceville, including the Bernard Dog Run,Lawrenceville Farmers’ Market, LawrencevilleOrganic Community Garden, and more. Come tolearn what work they are doing and find ways toget involved. For more information, please contactLawrenceville United at info@lunited.org or call412-802-7220.

Film ForwardInternational touring program “Film Forward” willscreen the Academy Award winning documentaryfeature, “Twenty Feet from Stardom,” at 2 p.m. atCarnegie Library – Lawrenceville, 279 Fisk St. Thefilm spotlights the often overlooked lives andcontributions of the backup singers to legendaryperformers.

GARFIELD

Weird Paul and ParentsJoin YouTube famous and legendary local, WeirdPaul Petrosky and his parents as they present homevideos from the 1980s. The event will take placefrom 7:30 to 11 p.m. at Most Wanted Fine Art,5015 Penn Ave. and will include a potluck. Call412-328-4737 or visit www.most-wantedfineart.com for details.

April 13

GARFIELD

Easter ProgramMorningside Church of God in Christ, 5173 Dear-born St., welcomes residents to their Easterprogram at 3:30 p.m. All are welcome.

April 19

BLOOMFIELD

Literary ReadingJoin Literary Arts Boom for a special literaryreading in honor of National Poetry Month and incelebration of our fabulous and talented volunteers.The event will take place from 7 to 9 p.m., atAssemble, 5125 Penn Ave. Find details on theliterary reading and other LAB events online atwww.literaryartsboom.org/calendar.

STANTON HEIGHTS

Easter Egg HuntAll children (ages 0 - 12) and parents are invited toValley View Church, 601 N. Aiken Ave., for ourfirst annual Easter Egg Hunt. The egg hunt willstart at 11 a.m. and conclude at noon, with a freelunch to follow. All are welcome. For more infor-mation, please call the church office at412-361-0870.

15APR 2014 | The Bulletin |

& ServicesVolunteer

OpportunitiesGARFIELD

Burlesque Academy After weeks of training, the students at the SteelCity Burlesque Academy are ready to show youwhat they’ve learned. Come to Most Wanted FineArt, 5015 Penn Ave. from 8 to 11 p.m. to watch theperformance. Call 412-328-4737 or visitwww.most-wantedfineart.com for details.

Resurrection Egg HuntMorningside Church of God in Christ, 5173 Dear-born St., welcomes residents to their ResurrectionCommunity Easter Egg Hunt at 11 a.m. All arewelcome.

LAWRENCEVILLE

The Big HuntEncounter Church and Lawrenceville Unitedinvite residents to attend the biggest Easter EggHunt in Lawrenceville. Come to the 2nd annualfree event at Arsenal Park in Lawrenceville from11 a.m. to 1 p.m. This year will be even bigger with3,000 eggs, tons of candy, food, crafts, the EasterBunny and more. All free. Visit www.encoun-terpgh.com for more details.

April 20

LAWRENCEVILLE

Easter Sunday ServiceThis Easter, start a new tradition and experiencemore than just chocolate bunnies and egg hunts.Mars Hill Church, 3832 Mintwood St., invitesfamilies to come to a service that features a come-as-you-are atmosphere, live music and a relevantmessage about the miracle of the first Easter andthe risen Savior. Arrive at 10:30 a.m. for a conti-nental breakfast and hot drinks prior to service.After service, kids up to the ages of 10 are invitedto join in the annual Easter egg hunt for prizes andcandy-filled plastic eggs. For more information:www.marshillchurch.net.

April 21

LAWRENCEVILLE

Imagination BuildersChildren and caregivers are invited to use theirimagination to build Lego structures. Buildingblocks are more than fun toys; they are valuableeducational and creative tools. Join us for thisfamily program for children of all ages at 7 p.m. atCarnegie Library – Lawrenceville, 279 Fisk St.

April 24

GARFIELD

Senior Care JobsCome to the Eastside Neighborhood EmploymentCenter, 5321 Penn Ave., from 1 to 3 p.m. for theHome Instead recruitment session. Home Insteadis looking for a team of compassionate caregiversfor one-on-one home care for seniors. A nursingcertificate is not required, but prospective

employees must have access to a car. Call 412-362-8580 for registration and details.

April 25

GARFIELD

Dollar Bank RecruitmentDollar Bank is holding a recruitment session from1 to 2 p.m. at the Eastside Neighborhood Employ-ment Center, 5321 Penn Ave. Meet with DollarBank’s Human Resources representatives to learnabout current open positions and their locations,availability of full- and part-time jobs, pay rate andbenefits and how to apply. To register for the event,call 412-362-8580.

LAWRENCEVILLE

ObservartionsCome to the opening reception of Gallery on 43rdStreet’s (187 43rd St.) newest exhibit, “Observations.”Observations is a collection of small watercolors byMaura Doern Danko that emphasize observationsof the familiar world: kitchen objects, toys, familysettings and landscapes. Danko recently moved toNYC after making a home in Pittsburgh for 15years. The opening reception will go from 7 to 10p.m., but the exhibit will run from April 25 to June6. For more information, call 412-683-6488 or visitwww.galleryon43rdstreet.com.

April 26

BLOOMFIELD

Poetry Reading Join us for a poetry reading and mini-fundraiserfrom 7 to 9 p.m., at Assemble, 5125 Penn. Ave, inhonor of National Poetry Month. There will be acurated line-up interspersed with teen poetry work-shop participants. You can find other LAB eventsonline at www.literaryartsboom.org/calendar, andmore details on this reading athttp://bit.ly/LAB_Read_Poetry_2014-04.

GARFIELD

Burlesque and Belly-dance It’s all about the hips! Come to Most Wanted FineArt, 5015 Penn Ave. from 1 to 3 p.m. for a burlesqueand bellydance hip movements class with award-winning burlesque performer, producer andinstructor, Viva Valezz. Advance sign up is $100 forall 5 classes or a $25 walk in. Call 412-328-4737 orvisit www.brownpapertickets.com/event/587142.

April 27

LAWRENCEVILLE

Pancake BreakfastThe Holy Name Society of Our Lady of the AngelsParish will hold an “All the Pancakes You Can Eat”breakfast from 9 a.m. until noon in Saint AugustineAuditorium, 37th Street. Cost for adults is $6 andfor children 12 and under, $3. Proceeds benefit theparish and local charities.

OAKLAND

Writing Workshop6th -12th grade students are invited to a LiteraryArts Boom [The LAB] writing workshop from 1 to4 p.m. at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh – Main,Teen Department. There will be a mini lesson,prompts with lots of writing time, and a chance toworkshop your piece(s) with peers and mentors.Participants are invited to share their writing aloudat our May literary reading (details TBD). You canfind this workshop and other LAB events online atwww.literaryartsboom.org/calendar. Complete theregistration form (http://bit.ly/LAB_write-read-series) or call 412-906-9522.

April

LAWRENCEVILLE

Computer Classes: E-mailDo you want to get an e-mail account or learn howto manage your account better? Come to CarnegieLibrary – Lawrenceville, 279 Fisk St., everyWednesday from 12 to 1 p.m. for assistance with anyof your e-mail needs.

Puzzle SaturdaysCome to the Adult Reading Room at CarnegieLibrary – Lawrenceville, 279 Fisk St. every Saturdayat 12 p.m. to work on a jigsaw puzzle. Whether youonly place a couple of pieces, or see it all the way tocompletion, the puzzle will be available to everyonewho wants to work on it.

FRIENDSHIP

f4 Vendors NeededThe annual Friendship Folk and Flower Festival(f4), which takes place on May 10, is looking forvendors of crafts, jewelry or anything handmade(no garage sale items, please). The fee to participateis $15. Vendors receive a place for one table and 5raffle ticket vouchers, vouchers for a sandwich anddrink, a plant (excluding hanging baskets), and anitem from the membership table (excluding T-shirts). Please respond by April 15 to KathyFarrington at farringtonk@me.com or 412-362-0862 to reserve a space at this popularneighborhood festival.

BLOOMFIELD

Kids’ YogaA 6-week series, Kids’ Yoga, will be held from April6 through May 10 at Clay Yoga, 4519 Liberty Ave.,for kids in grades K-8. This fun, exciting and all-outawesome series will meet on Saturdays from 2 to 3p.m. For more information or to register, call 412-335-1332 or visit www.clayyoga.com.

May 1

HIGHLAND PARK

How Sweet It Isn’tAre you hooked on sweets? Does it feel like you can’tget by without sugary baked goods, regular or dietpop and other sweet stuff? At the same time, haveyou gained weight, or has your doctor warned youabout your blood sugar levels? Learn the differencebetween natural and added sugars and their effectson your body, and what you can do to break free ofyour reliance on sweets. Free talk by Paula Martinac,MS, BCHN, at the Nuin Center, 5655 Bryant St., 6p.m. For more information: 412-760-6809.

May 2

GARFIELD

Garfield Night MarketThe Garfield Night Market will be returning withfood, crafts and fun for families. Interested in beinga vendor or a volunteer? Visit garfieldnight-market.org, email garfieldnightmarket@gmail.com, or call Samantha at 412-441-6950.We’re also looking for a manager to help run themarket this year; find more information and howto apply at garfieldnightmarket.org/job-opportu-nity.

Further Out

STANTON HEIGHTS

Freedom CampLooking for a great way to spend your summer? Ifyou are between the ages of 6 and 12, we have theprogram for you. Valley View PresbyterianChurch, 601 N. Aiken Ave., will once again offerFreedom Camp. Freedom Camp begins on June23rd and will continue through July 24th. Thecamp will run 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Monday throughThursday. Camp includes breakfast, lunch,academics, crafts, bible studies, weekly field tripsand a variety of activities. For additional informa-tion or to obtain an application, call 412-361-0870.

LAWRENCEVILLE

Calling All GardenersThe annual Lawrenceville Garden Tour is tenta-tively scheduled for Saturday, June 21st from 11a.m. to 3 p.m. All Lawrenceville residents whoengage in any kind of outdoor efforts are invitedto participate. All types of gardens welcome: tradi-tional, container, herb, water and even art orsculpture gardens. If you would like more infor-mation on how you can participate, contact Kateat 412-621-2573 or kateb1950@gmail.com.Homeowners and renters are all welcome toparticipate, and the tour will be free to visitors.

Classifieds

A Hauling Job?We clear basements, yards, garages,

attics, estates

Fast, Reliable, Reasonable

Also demolition work, minor repairs,grass cutting, salvage credit.

412-687-6928 Call Walt 412-773-0599

Services

Your ad would look great here!Call 412-441-6915 for rates.

Real EstateNewlyweds seeking older house, fixer-upper or vacant lot in Lawrenceville.Please call Rich at 412-290-7069.

16 | The Bulletin | APR 2014

GTECH about absorbing the program. “Itwas the ideal time for transition,” saysZeigler. “We have the volunteer and designexperience to continue the initiative.”

In line with the mission of Green +Screen, Zeigler and her ReClaim Teamregularly works to find new and innova-tive strategies for addressing vacant landin the city. Having worked with Green +Screen on a project at 4903 Penn Ave.,Zeigler says she is familiar with the oper-ations of the initiative and is prepared tokeep it afloat.

“We were drawn to Green + Screen atGTECH because of its ability to reflect aneighborhood's unique character by acti-vating underutilized spaces,” Zeiglerasserts. “It’s a way to create a more cohe-sive corridor.”

The latest Green + Screen project wasconceived by Matthew Zambelli, the artistwho designed the bench at the corner ofPenn Avenue and N. Winebiddle Street.The new installation will fit in the space infront of the Eastside NeighborhoodEmployment Center at 5321 Penn Ave.and will have a similar aesthetic to thebench.

Sixty high school kids from the“Students Today, Leaders Forever”program in Illinois helped with Zambelli’sproject when they came to Garfield for aservice leadership trip in February.Students worked to cut 4-x-4 wooden

posts that will form an undulating, wave-like structure in the space. “Theinstallation will spark your interest when[you’re] traveling down Penn Avenue,”says Zeigler.

Moving forward, Zeigler says thatGTECH will be open to proposals fromany neighborhood in Pittsburgh interestedin launching a project in their businessdistrict. “The Green + Screen Initiative isa great model that can be taken to otherneighborhoods.” Penn Avenue has proventhat Green + Screen is a great activator andsupporter of redevelopment for businessdistricts, Zeigler says.

According to Ziegler, the Urban Rede-velopment Authority has been and willcontinue to be the main funder of Green+ Screen.

Despite the plans to expand theprogram, Zeigler notes, “Maintaining astrong partnership with Garfield residentsand the Garfield Community ActionTeam (GCAT) is really important to us.”

Zeigler says she feels strongly that Green+ Screen projects “can reflect the ambi-tions and goals of a neighborhood withfun, aesthetically pleasing installations.”Under the new direction of Zeigler andGTECH, the Green + Screen initiative isbound to continue to be a successful toolfor adding color and inspiration to vacantspaces. t

Green and Screen from page 7

Follow the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation on Twitter @BloomGarCorp!

Truckin’ for Affordable Healthcare

Garfield – The Eastside Neighborhood Employment Center (ENEC) hosted the High-mark Direct Truck on March 17 for a day-long event aimed at signing up neighborhoodresidents for affordable health insurance.

Under the Affordable Care Act (popularly called Obamacare), U.S. residents wererequired to enroll in a health insurance plan by March 31 or face possible penalties.

According to Rick Flanagan, manager of the ENEC, “A steady flow of applicants metwith the Highmark enrollment people.” In all, 44 visitors came to the truck, which wasparked on North Pacific Avenue next to the Bloomfield-Garfield Community ActivityCenter. Some sought to enroll in a plan on-site, while others just wanted to collect infor-mation about available plans.

“The application process went well,” said Flanagan. “Seven people left with insurancecoverage, and an additional 15 had just a few more steps to finish their enrollment.” t

Photo by Rick Flanagan