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WALTHERSON IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION
Twitter: Facebook:
P.O. BOX 3622
BALTIMORE, MD 21214
www.waltherson.org
Tweet: @WalthersonAssoc
WALTHERSON IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION MONTHLY MEETING
When: April 4th, 2012 @ 7:45 PM
Where: Harbel 5807 Harford Rd
Get Involved Join WIA today! With membership your vote is counted and your voice heard in the community. Receive your monthly WIA newsletter to stay on top of what is happening in your neighborhood. Please complete the form below and send with your payment to: Waltherson Improvement Association P.O. Box 3622 Baltimore, MD 21214
April 2012
Bottles Cans and Paper Every Tuesday! Trash every Thursday! Bulk Trash (Call 311 to schedule)
Waltherson Membership/Renewal Form:
Name: __________________________________ Address: ________________________________ City, State: ______________________________ ZIP: ____________________________________ Phone: _________________________________
E-Mail: _________________________________
Please Specify: □ Renewal □New
Newsletter: □ E-mail □ Paper Mailing*
_____ Individual/Family/Business $10 _____ Senior $7
*Paper mailings are for our elderly and disabled members, please choose this option only if needed.
The Walthersonian April 2012
2
Next Meeting: Our next meeting will be at 7:45 PM on April 4th at Harbel. We will be discussing a BMZA
hearing that will be coming up for Visions Catering at the request of some neighbors along our northern
boundary. There will likely be a vote calling on whether or not to oppose a request to allow a banquet
hall at 5503 Richard Ave which boarders our northern boundary just above 3308 Hamilton Ave.
Residents nearby Visions are approaching neighboring associations asking us to oppose their
request to have a banquet hall on site. The location purchased their building from the American Legion
which did have banquets as a supplemental use, however the residents are complaining that the new
business is holding loud events that start at 10 PM and run until midnight, include drinking, loud music
and results in parking problems, blocked driveways, public urination, and littered yards.
The residents tell us they have tried going to mediation with the owners last year. They mention
the business is unwilling to set hours and are worried that the establishment will continue to be used as
a night club and continue to negatively impact their quality of life. While most residents live in
Glenham-Belhar, some residents live on Hamilton Ave which puts them in the Waltherson neighborhood
according to our bylaws.
President’s Letter
Wow! Spring time is here and the flowers are blooming. I would like to thank all the board
members in being diligent to the community issues and listening to residents. Keep up the great
work. And please, residents of WIA, feel free at anytime to join our community meeting. We are
looking forward to seeing you.
Appreciatively,
Ronnie Lesperance
IN AND AROUND WALTHERSON
Note about Styrofoam Recycling
If you want to recycle Styrofoam but cannot make it to the sanitation yard, Waltherson member
Louise Harmony has offered to drop it off. Please get in touch with Robert Walshe at a meeting
or by e-mailing us at [email protected] if you are interested. Please be patient, we will
reply to e-mail towards the end of the month. You can also leave a message for us on Facebook
or tweet us @WalthersonAssoc.
Lauraville CRP: For those interested here are some links for the Harford Road CRP in Lauraville. This is for the community review panel that reviews and votes new businesses along Harford Rd from Herring Run park to Echodale Ave as mandated by the Lauraville Urban Renewal Plan. Wikispace: http://harfordroadcrp.wikispaces.com/
Permits or Projects Pending Review are found here at http://pendingreview.wikispaces.com Blog: www.harfordroadcrp.blogspot.com
The Walthersonian April 2012
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Waltherson Community Meeting Minutes: March 7th
2012
Nancy urged Waltherson to fight the closing of the Hamilton Post Office. A vote was held
calling for WIA to write letters to the Post Office and our State Representatives asking them to
keep the Post Office open. The motion passed.
The Community Law Center spoke about the services they offer community associations. They
encouraged us to call 311 repeatedly for nuisance issues and code violations. If issues are not
resolved they can be presented to the association and we can work with the community law
center to address the issue. A question was asked whether houses with boards over the doors and
windows qualified as a nuisance property and we were told that if the boards are put up properly,
boards alone were not a code violation.
The police spoke about crime in our neighborhood. Crime is down in the district overall.
District wide there were 200 burglaries a month back in October and those have reduced to about
70 a month. Waltherson had approximately 5 residential burglaries last month and overall our
crime was about 20 incidents in the month, most of these affecting larcenies from businesses
along Harford & Belair Rds.
Mike Hilliard reminded us the primary is coming up on April 3rd
and that there is a scam where
people are posing as Comcast employees going door-to-door trying to fraudulently obtain
money.
Mike Hilliard also mentioned preliminary plans for a Royal Farms at Harford Rd & Glenmore
north of us. It is unclear whether the Royal Farms at Harford & Echodale would close if these
plans come to fruition. He also mentioned a man is interested in purchasing the liquor license
and establishment at 4825 Belair Rd, the location previously occupied by Club Uzo.
Helene asked if anyone was interested in participating in a two hour disclosure review for Home
Owners Insurance to make home owners aware of what was covered by their policies. She asked
for those interested to contact her.
A question was raised about Bike Lanes on Walther and whether or not both lanes were still
travel lanes. Once the bike lane was painted the area between the bike lane and the curb became
parking only. The city is putting in measures to make this clearer and prevent driving in the
shoulder. Currently posts have just gone up in the lanes to prevent driving on the right side. We
explained that Nate Evans told us the plan the city presented to us was that the bike lanes would
be extended to Eastern Parkway & Walther with a single lane of traffic between Harford Rd and
Frankford Ave.
Meeting was adjourned.
The Walthersonian April 2012
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Tribute to a local Waltherson Hero On February 25, 2012, 48 year old U.S. Army Major Robert J. Marchanti, II of the Maryland National Guard was killed in Kabul, Afghanistan. He joined the Army in 1984 and the Maryland National Guard in 1986. Major Marchanti was a resident of Waltherson and a long time physical education teacher in the Baltimore County public schools. He leaves his wife Peggy; their four children; and a grandchild.
Heinz Park Project Work on the Heinz Park project has begun. Shortly the Recreation & Parks will be felling dead trees serving as a background to the Columbus Monument, a historic structure, and will take down overgrown trees abutting the Monument to make it more visible. Later this spring and summer, John Kovacevich will be seeking volunteers to begin invasive species and non-native understory removal on the Walther side of the park. The Herring Run Park Advisory Board recommended the project move forward last January (attached), and the city has responded. Our pathway to a dynamic valley stream park is through such partnerships. Howard Aylesworth President, Friends of Herring Run Parks Project: This is a multi-phased plan to highlight the Police and Columbus monuments in both daylight and with nighttime lighting, develop sweeping garden areas, and open up the overgrown, invasive rich forested areas to present a scenic entryway to Hamilton and Herring Run Park. There is potential for a future art garden. Permitted activity would be limited to the Lauraville Fair. This would be the first of several gateways to the park, including Belair Road and Sinclair Lane.
New Herring Run Sewer Line Blasting Ahead
Beginning on Monday, March 26th, controlled blasting will be used to clear the way for the new
line. This intermittent work will occur for approximately one week between the hours of 7:00
a.m. and 5:00 p.m. This phase of blasting will be concentrated on the east of the Harford Road
Bridge between Harford Road and Parkside Drive adjacent to the Herring Run. At a later date
this will occur at a location west of Harford Road and it is possible that more blasting will be
required as construction moves northwest towards Argonne Drive.
Nearby residents will hear a siren prior to the blasts and may hear some muffled echoes from the
explosives. Vibrations should not be felt by nearby homes. The explosives used in the work are
not stored on site.
This work is part of over $1 billion dollars in sewer upgrades throughout Baltimore City. This
$12 million phase of the Herring Run sewer replacement work began in August 2011 and is
scheduled for completion in January 2013. It consists of 2300 linear feet of micro-tunneling for
the 54 inch sanitary sewer, 650 linear feet of open cut installation for the same line, 1200 linear
feet of open cut for 8-36 inch connecting pipe installation and 15 new pre-cast manholes.
The Walthersonian April 2012
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Scam Alert
There appears to be individuals going around
posing as employees of Comcast Cable attempting
to scam unsuspecting folks out of their
money. Comcast’s Corporate Security Office has
been notified of this threat. A flier that has been
used by some of the scammers is shown here…it
should be easy to spot if seen in person due to its
poor quality.
If you have any information related to this scam,
please contact our office so we can forward any
additional information out to the public &
Comcast’s Security Office. If you encounter
someone with this flier or something similar
attempting to get you to hand over money, refuse
and contact the authorities.
Maryland’s Primary Election: April 3, 2012
Do you know what is happening on April 3rd? It
is Maryland’s Primary Election Day. Yes, the Primary Election Day has changed this cycle and
is being held on Tuesday, April 3, 2012.
Early voting for 2012 Primary Election Cycle will start on March 24, 2012 and continue through
March 29, 2012 from 10 AM – 8 PM except on Sunday, March 26, 2012 the hours will be 12pm
to 6pm. If you live in Northeast Baltimore the closest early voting location is:
The League for People with Disabilities 1111 E. Coldspring Lane
Here are some important dates to remember:
1. Primary Voter Registration Deadline (9 pm) – Tuesday, March 13, 2012
2. Deadline for receipt of Absentee Ballot Applications by Mail – Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Mayor’s Spring Cleanup The Mayor’s Spring Cleanup will be held in Waltherson on the 5600 block of Benton Heights Ave on April 21st from 8 AM to 1 PM. If you can’t make it please consider doing a street cleaning on your own block by cleaning your sidewalks, gutters, storm drains, yards and alleys. Remember, trash should never be swept into storm drains. Rob Walshe is interested in doing a street clean-up the 3200 block of Ailsa. Please contact him if you would like to help at [email protected] or 443-939-6243.
The Walthersonian April 2012
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Man wanted for a Home Invasion in 3300 block of Moravia Road On March 15, 2012, at 12:00pm, an 84-year-old woman was approached by an unknown suspect, outside of her home in the 3300 block of Moravia Road. The suspect was armed with a handgun and demanded money from the victim. The victim then entered her home and the suspect forced his way inside. The suspect took money from the victim before assaulting her. The suspect then fled from the location on foot. The victim was transported to an area hospital and later released. The suspect is described as a black male, 30-40 years old, and approximately 6’1 in height. Anyone with information is asked to contact Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7-LOCKUP.
Men sought in Royal Farms robberies in Hamilton and Hampden
The incident depicted in the video occurred around 4am on March 6th at
the Royal Farms store located at 1119 W. 41st. Street. The suspect
entered the convenience store and brandished a silver revolver while
demanding a store employee open the cash register and give him
money. The suspect then walked behind the counter, discharged a round
from his firearm and took an unknown amount of US currency from the
cash register before fleeing eastbound on W. 41st Street on foot.
The suspect is described as an African American male,
approximately 35 years of age, approximately 5'7" tall,
approximately 200 pounds, wearing a black coat with a
hood, blue jeans, black shoes, and black gloves. This suspect is also wanted in
connection with a February 21st shooting and robbery incident at a Royal Farms store
located in Northeast Baltimore. At approximately 9:40 p.m. on February 21, 2012, two
black males entered the Royal Farms, 5232 Harford Road, Baltimore, MD and committed
a commercial armed robbery and shooting. The suspect was wearing a hood and dark
jacket with orange or maroon markings brandished a silver revolver and stole cash and
cigarettes. He then approached a store customer and demanded the customer’s
wallet. As the customer tried to retrieve his wallet, the suspect shot the victim.
A $2500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspects depicted in the
attached photographs is being offered by the FBI. Anyone with any information should contact FBI
Violent Crimes Task Force at 410-265-8080. Any calls will be kept strictly confidential
YouTube Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZyj9J_WpQw
The Walthersonian April 2012
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Public Works Reminds Citizens:
Recycling Should Not Be Placed in Plastic Bags
The Baltimore City Department of Public Works, Office of Recycling, reminds residents that
items set out for recycling collection should not be placed in plastic bags. When single stream
recycling was initiated in 2008, recyclables could not be accepted in plastic bags.
Plastic bags get wound up in collection and processing equipment, requiring maintenance that costs money and time, and creates inefficiencies for processing all the recyclables. When they wrap around the sorting equipment at the Materials Recovery Facility, the equipment must be shut down to cut the bags and remove them. Recyclables can be placed in cardboard boxes, paper bags or any container such as a laundry basket, bin or trash can as long as the containers are marked “Recycling.” Plastic bags can be recycled at many grocery stores and supermarkets. The Bureau of Solid Waste will initially collect recycling in plastic bags but will leave a flyer and/or a sticker informing residents to please discontinue using them. For additional recycling information, citizens can go online at www.baltimorecity.gov or call the Office of Recycling at 410-396-4511. To report a missed collection or to find out what your recycling day is, call 311.
Baltimore Citizens 2012 Survey
mplemented for the first time ever in 2009, the Baltimore Citizen Survey aims to identify trends
in behavior and attitudes regarding quality of life indicators and City services. Survey results will
be used to inform and enhance program planning and policy development across all City
agencies, to create more focused, responsive, and efficient government services. The survey will
be implemented yearly; these year over year trends will be especially useful in tracking
performance.
Take the online survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/6C3NV5J
Biking in Baltimore Survey The Transportation Dept. is updating the 2006 Bicycle Master Plan. Bikemore is offering this quick
online survey for your input in the new plan.
B'more Bikes | 2012 B’more Bike Plan Survey Is Now Open
www.bmorebikes.com
The Walthersonian April 2012
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Lauraville CRP: For those interested here are some links for the Harford Road CRP in Lauraville. This is for the community review panel that reviews and votes new businesses along Harford Rd from Herring Run park to Echodale Ave as mandated by the Lauraville Urban Renewal Plan. Wikispace: http://harfordroadcrp.wikispaces.com/
Permits or Projects Pending Review are found here at http://pendingreview.wikispaces.com Blog: www.harfordroadcrp.blogspot.com
The Walthersonian April 2012
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Please visit our sponsors:
Proud Member of:
WIA Volunteers
Officers:
President 1st
Vice President
2nd
Vice President
Secretary Treasurer Parliamentarian Sergent at Arms
At-Large Member
Ron Lesperance
Helene Quinn
Frank Williams
Everly Brown
Francis Beane
Vacant Tavon Braxton
Paul McCartney
Standing Committees and Representatives:
CRP Rep. Garden Sign & Projects
Membership NECOP Chairman
Main: Sue Kessel Alt: Rob Walshe
Ron Derr Pat Parks Robert Walshe
