Mid-City Neighborhood Organization

Chow Down on Barbecue and Raise Money for Community Gardens!!!
Barbecue Rib Plate only $5.00!!!
Mid-City Community Garden Barbecue Fundraiser
Saturday, April 25th from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
514 S. Salcedo Street, New Orleans, LA 70119
www.MidCityCommunityGarden.com

Stop by for a plate of yummy barbeque on your way to Jazz Fest or come out even if you are not going. This barbecue fundraiser will help pay for more soil and plants for the Mid City Community Garden. Please RSVP to info@midcitycommunitygarden.com

I wanted to extend an invitation to MCNO members and their friends and families to join HandsOn New Orleans for an upcoming day of service on Saturday, March 21, 2009. Our focus will be projects in Mid-City and Central City. We’ll be posting project locations and start times on our website. Be sure to check there for information about project sites and more information about HandsOn New Orleans Day. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Have a great day!

Heidi Mallis
Volunteer Coordinator
HandsOn New Orleans

To sign up for HONO’s weekly volunteer e-newsletter, please visit our website, www.handsonneworleans.org

Kyle Franklin from the Zulu Social Aid Pleasure Club came to the MCNO meeting last night to advertise the 1st ever Zulu Anniversary 5K Run/Walk. It will be held on May 9th 6:00 PM. It will begin and end at the Zulu Headquarters. The run will be co-hosted by the New Orleans Track Club and it looks like proceeds will go to NORD. Every registrant will receive a t-shirt and there is also a poster for sale. You won’t get a 2nd chance to be part of HISTORY! So join Zulu for this fun day!

You can get the registration form online. (You must be logged in to the Mid-City Discussion Group on Yahoo.)

Please pass this on to your neighbors, especially those who live in close proximity to Comiskey Park. It is important that residents & business owners provide input to the process.

WHAT: Community meeting to discuss upcoming streetscape enhancements.
WHERE: Grace Episcopal Church, 3700 Canal St.
WHEN: January 28, 2009 6:30 p.m.
Boundaries:
Baudin Street (S. Clark Street to N. Jefferson Davis Parkway)
D’hemecourt Street (S. Clark Street to N. Jefferson Davis Parkway)
S. Clark Street (Tulane Avenue to Banks Street)

A streetscape is a public improvement project that will enhance the public area and trigger subsequent recovery and investment in surrounding neighborhoods. This development is designed to help create additional and continued private investment in the City’s key recovery areas. Streetscape projects enhance the area surrounding the actual roadway, but do not include roadway repair or reconstruction. Project options include improvements to sidewalks, walkways, bike paths, vehicular and pedestrian signalization and signage, landscaping and public art.

Below is the letter from Mayor Nagin extending an invitation:

Dear Resident,

I am inviting you and your neighbors to participate in the final steps of the streetscape process before construction begins in your neighborhood. Before I go on, I want to thank you for your input and patience in this historic recovery planning process. As you know, since Hurricane Katrina, I committed to the full recovery of our city and with your participation in the many planning meetings; it is because of you that we are making progress everyday. In May of 2008, we received the funding from the State to move forward with construction of neighborhood streetscapes. Therefore, on Wednesday, January 28, 2009, at 6:30 PM, at 3700 Canal St., we need you to finish this process so that we can break ground!

At this meeting, we will discuss the Tulane/Jeff Davis Streetscape project Baudin Street from S. Clark Street to N. Jefferson Davis Parkway, D’hemecourt Street from S. Clark Street to N. Jefferson Davis Parkway and S. Clark Street from Tulane Avenue to Banks Street. The project, which has a construction budget of approximately $300,000, is funded by Community Development Block Grants. The current scope of work for the facility is:

· Sidewalk, bikeway, driveway and other pedestrian surface walkway improvements
· Traffic and pedestrian signalization and signage
· Landscaping
· Lighting
· Public Art
· Pocket park improvements
· Minor utility modifications and improvements

For this community meeting, we ask that you come prepared to give your ideas on the design of this project. We are allowing groups with specific plans to give a 10 minute presentation. If your group is interested in presenting, please call Lavon Wright at 504.658.8411 to have your group placed on the agenda. Any group not on the agenda will not be able to give a formal presentation. Please provide copies of all materials to give to the project team. Those community groups and residents that would like to provide input on the project, but do not have specific plans are also welcomed to participate. Each person or group will be given three minutes to voice their opinions following the formal presentations.

A streetscape is a public improvement that will enhance the public area and trigger subsequent recovery and investment in surrounding neighborhoods. This development is designed to help create additional and continued private investment in the City’s key recovery areas. The streetscape is designed to benefit the surrounding neighborhood residents, business owners and visitors by providing amenities that contribute to economic vitality. Streetscape projects enhance the area surrounding the actual roadway, but do not include roadway repair or reconstruction.

Representatives from Buchart Horn, Inc., the design firm hired by the City of New Orleans to work on this project, will be present to note all input on the design of this facility.

Please call Lavon Wright with any questions regarding this meeting. Thank you for your continued commitment to the recovery and rebuilding of New Orleans.

Sincerely,

C. Ray Nagin
Mayor

The next MCNO Monthly Membership Meeting is on Monday, December 1st. Two big items on the agenda include:

1) ELECTIONS!!! Several board positions are open for the 2009-2010 term. We hope to welcome new faces and fresh ideas! Please see below for additional info.

2) POT LUCK!!! Just like last year, come one, come all, and bring a dish to share. The food was great last year and the company was even better. Great occasion to meet and greet fellow mid-citizens. We’ll keep the meeting short so there is able time to eat and conversate.

Several board positions will be coming to term at the end of this year. We are actively seeking new candidates for several open positions. Please review the info below and consider joining the team!

• helping support the mid-city library
• fighting for more public green space
• weighing in on zoning & planning issues
• writing grants
• boosting preservation efforts
• supporting Mid-City schools
• making Mid-City a safer place
• communications to help keep all Mid-citizens informed

If you would enjoy activities such as these, please consider joining the MCNO Board!

YOU’D PROBABLY MAKE A GOOD BOARD MEMBER IF YOU CAN:

• discuss issues calmly;
• retain your own viewpoint while respecting the right of others to disagree;
• work as a member of a team; and
• remember that the good of the neighborhood is our goal.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO RUN?

Candidates must be a member of MCNO at the time of the election and must reside within the organization’s boundaries (see map).

WHAT IS REQUIRED OF BOARD MEMBERS?

Board members are expected to attend monthly meetings and MCNO events and to chair a committee or perform another equally important assignment (examples: publishing the newsletter, acting as a liaison to other civic organizations, serving as an officer of MCNO). Board members are not compensated for their service.

For complete requirements and more details, see the bylaws.

HOW DO I NOMINATE SOMEONE ?

Nominations are made at the November Board meeting or at the December general membership meeting. Nominating yourself is perfectly acceptable! Before you nominate someone else, check with them to be sure they’re are willing to serve if elected.

HOW DO MCNO MEMBERS LEARN ABOUT THE NOMINEES?

Beginning now, anyone interested in running for a Board seat should supply a brief profile of themselves which MCNO will publish on its Yahoo discussion group and on its website. Please include the following in your profile:

• Name & Home Address; Contact email and phone
• A brief bio highlighting your service to MCNO/other non-profit/civic causes
• A brief summary of the skills and expertise that you can bring to the Board

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO VOTE IN THE MCNO BOARD ELECTION?

All members in good standing (dues paid up) are eligible to vote. You will be able to join MCNO or renew your membership at our election meeting prior to the start of voting.

WHEN AND WHERE WILL THE ELECTION BE HELD?

Elections for the Mid City Neighborhood Organization’s 2009 Board of Directors are coming up Monday, December 1st, 6:30PM at Grace Episcopal Church (3700 Canal St.).

QUESTIONS?

Please address questions and send profiles to Angela Brenneke, MCNO Secretary

Email (preferred): angelabrenneke [*] gmail.com
Phone (evening): 504-606-2584
Postal Mail: 3019 Banks St., NOLA 70119

MCNO is proud to join the Big Easy Roller Girls for a cleanup of the Jeff Davis overpass this Sunday. Read on for details.

Hi,

My name is lacy smith, also known as lacy underalls of the Big Easy Roller Girls. We are organizing a clean up of the S. Jeff Davis Parkway overpass by Xavier and would love for you to join in.

Although the bike path running in the middle of the overpass is a great way to connect uptown and mid-city, it is often littered with trash and glass, making it dangerous for cyclists. As a group that understands the need to have a hazard-free surface to roll on, we rollergirls want to clean it up!

The clean up will take place on October 19 at 11 am. We will meet at the statue at the foot of the overpass on Tulane Ave. We’ll bring some push brooms and trash bags, but encourage everyone to bring their own brooms, bags and dustpans. (In the event of rain, we will reschedule).

We’re inviting Critical Mass, NolaCycle, Tulane Law School’s Environmental Law Society, Metro Bicycle Coalition and you! Please pass this along to anyone that may be interested.

Thanks!

lacy underalls
Big Easy Rollergirls

The following comes from our “neighboring neighborhood” of Parkview. The property in question is right on the border of Mid-City Neighborhood Organization’s boundary. We encourage all concerned residents to take action on this matter.

Neighbors,

THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. WE HAVE A REAL CHANCE TO KEEP ANOTHER INAPPROPRIATE BAR FROM OPERATING AT 3841 ORLEANS AVENUE. ON BEHALF OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, I AND OTHER NEIGHBORS HAVE WORKED HARD ON THIS BEHIND THE SCENES. WE NOW NEED YOU TO SUPPORT OUR EFFORTS AND OUR NEIGHBORS WHO HAVE HAD TO LIVE NEAR THESE BARS BY ATTENDING THE HEARING IN BATON ROUGE NEXT WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 27, AT 10 A.M. PLEASE DO WHAT YOU CAN TO ATTEND. IF YOU CAN NOT ATTEND, PLEASE SEND A LETTER, AS STATED BELOW.

On June 20, 2008, a company named “Scotto’s Cafe, LLC” posted signs on the door and window of 3841 Orleans Avenue, the former site of Lyric’s Cafe and Tyler’s, announcing that Scotto’s had applied for a high and low alcohol content permit. The city application states that Scotto’s planned to begin operation by July 18, 2008. We originally went to the city with our objections, which at least seemed to slow the city permitting process down. Councilmember Shelley Midura’s office assisted in setting up a meeting with one of the owners of the property and someone who is supposed to “operate” the business. The owner of Scotto’s did not attend. This meeting confirmed that yet another bar was in the making, despite the fact that the application is for a restaurant, not a bar. However, the city officials at the meeting indicated that they might not be able to stop the new business from getting a city permit.

So, we turned to the state. On behalf of PNA, on July 24, 2008, I filed a Petition with the State Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control stating our opposition to the state granting a liquor permit to Scotto’s Cafe. Among other grounds, I allege that the property has been run by a number of “businesses,” but that the property owner is the true operator, and that the people seeking the permits are not really operating the business. This is against state law. I also stated the history of Lyric’s and Tyler’s with illegal live entertainment, illegal parking and noise, and customers loitering, intimidating neighbors, causing property damage and selling drugs, etc.

The state has subpoenaed the owner of the property, the owner of Scotto’s Cafe, LLC, and the intended “operators” to appear and provide evidence that Scotto’s is a valid company that will operate a restaurant at the location. I must also provide evidence that the facts that I allege in the Petition of Opposition are true.

We need your support. If you experienced any of the problems with Lyric’s and Tyler’s, if you have any knowledge of the number of operators that have been involved, if you attended any of the meetings between the owner, previous operators, neighborhood organizations and/or the city, please reply to this email and take the time to attend this hearing. If you did not experience these events, but want to show your support for your neighbors’ struggle on this serious quality of life issue, please reply to this email and attend to show our solidarity. If you can not attend, please send a letter by fax or mail to Commissioner Murphy J. Painter at the below address. The fax number is 225-925-3975.

The public hearing will be held at the Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control, 8585 Archives Ave., Ste. 220, Baton Rouge, Wednesday, August 27, 10:00 a.m.

Thanks to all who helped get us to this point and to all who will help us going forward.

Susan Guidry
President
Parkview Neighborhood Association

MID-CITY LIBRARY FEST!!!
Sat., April 5, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
At our branch library (330 N. Carrollton, at Conti St.)

EVENTS: Crawfish boil & BBQ, Musical groups, Storyteller, Hornets bookmobile giving away kids’ books, Trivia games for all ages, Activities for kids, Booksale, Raffle items … (more details later)

Attendance at the Fest is free, with tickets sold for food, drink, and some of the activities.

This event is to raise funds for our Mid-City branch library (part of the New Orleans Public Library system)

ADD TO YOUR CALENDAR NOW — COME AND JOIN IN THE FUN ON APRIL 5th!!

OK, now that you’ve got the event on your calendar, please think about volunteering! We need help in all areas: serving food & drinks, help with kids’ activities, ticket sales, used booksale & raffles… Two-hour shifts are available (11-1, 1-3, 3-5) as well as help with setup and cleanup. Free food & drink will be provided for each shift worked. To sign up to volunteer, please contact: Stephanie Martin redstick49 [at] cox [dot] net.

Mid-City resident Mr. Brock writes the following:

Myself along with others have notice a growing number of ant homes on the Jeff Davis bike path. I walk my dog every morning on Jeff Davis. Today I notice a larger number of ants homes up and down Jeff Davis. This creates a large problem, from our dog, to people standing too long in one area trying to talk to one another and child trying to play. Therefore I am ask for your help on Saturday October 27 @ 8am! I am looking for volunteers to help me purchase ant killing powders and spray, then help with placing the powder and spraying on the ant homes.

We will be meeting at 8am on Jeff Davis & Bienville.

If your interested in volunteering/ or donating ant killer powder or spray on Jeff Davis at 8am, please call me Brock at 504.758.6899

Neighborhoods Partnership Network is sponsoring a forum which will try to answer the question “How Can We Participate Effectively in Our Neighborhood Schools?” The forum will take place at Warren Easton High School, 3019 Canal Street, on Wednesday October 24th from 6-8PM. Participating education advocates include: Karran Royal (Oak Park Civic Improvement Association), Hal Brown (Board Chairman of NO College Prep), Shakoor Aljuwani (St. Luke’s Homecoming Center), as well as MCNO. For any questions, call NPN at (504) 940-2207.

Mid-City Neighborhood Organization is co-sponsoring a candidate forum for the upcoming City Council At-Large election.

Date: Thursday, October 4, 2007
Time: 7:00pm
Location: Nunemaker Auditorium, 3rd Floor, Monroe Hall, Loyola University
Free parking available in the West Road Parking Garage (enter from St. Charles Ave.)
Click here to download a PDF map of Loyola Campus

Moderator: Lee Zurik, Anchor/Reporter WWL-TV

Mid-City Neighborhood Organization is co-sponsoring this event with a lot of other groups.

We are gearing up for our big free community BBQ on Monday, July 2 (6:30 PM at Grace Episcopal, 3700 Canal). I hope you’ll be able to make it. The main idea behind this event is to broaden the circle of inclusion, to foster a sense of community in the Mid-City neighborhood.

Our goal is to get a flyer to every occupied household in Mid-City. However, our Block Captains do not yet provide coverage for all of the Mid-City neighborhood. Therefore we are organizing a brigade of volunteers to distribute flyers in the areas we don’t cover too well yet.

In short, WE NEED YOUR HELP to distribute these flyers around Mid-City. Mostly we will focus on the area between Banks and Pontchartrain Expressway.

TIME: Saturday June 30, 10 AM
PLACE: Banks and Jeff Davis, by the statue of Jose Marti

We will spend a couple hours distributing flyers. If people are interested, we may meet again for lunch afterward.

The following list of helpful phone numbers and information is adapted from a mailing from Councilmember Stacy Head.

Debris Removal:

Homeowners should take their storm-related debris to one of the citizen drop off- sites for disposal. These locations are: 2829 Elysian Fields between 8 and 5:30pm or Crowder Blvd. at the I-10 Service Road between 6am and 5:30pm.

If you are unable to bring the debris yourself, call 311 to schedule an appointment to have the debris picked up. It should be removed within approximately 21 days.

Illegal Building:

If you notice that building construction is taking place that looks sub-standard or potentially outside of zoning laws, contact 658-7200 to report the problem and demand an investigation.

Illegal Dumping:

If you see anyone dumping illegally, please get as much information as you can, such as license plate numbers, and contact the Sanitation Department at 658-3800.

Street Lights:

Report any dark street lights to 1-800-ENTERGY.

Traffic Signals:

The Department of Public Works is now creating a punch list for missing or incorrect signage, lamps out, fixtures turned or missing. Please assist by providing such information to 311.

Illegally parked cars:

To have an illegally parked car towed, call 658-8100 until 11pm.

Pot Hole Repairs:

You can report pot holes by calling 658-2299. Please have the address of the location or the intersection where the pot holes can be located.

Public Schools:

Check out this guide to the confusing world of New Orleans Public Schools.

From our friends at Silence Is Violence:

SilenceIsViolence an anti-violence campaign City Walk #3: Mid-City to Gert Town Sunday, April 15, 7pm SilenceIsViolence City Walks are weekly evening strolls from one New Orleans neighborhood to another. The walks take place each Sunday evening and are intended to establish a positive, sustainable anti-violence presence in our neighborhoods. We walk 1-2 miles each week and hold a small reception at our destination establishment. Transportation is provided back to the departure establishment.

City Walk #3 will take place on Sunday, April 15, departing at 7pm sharp!

START: Parkway Bakery and Tavern, 532 Hagan Ave. at Bayou St. John. Proceed up Jeff. Davis Pkwy. to Tulane Ave. Walk across the overpass; at the bottom, turn RIGHT onto Drexel Dr. Walk across Xavier University campus on Drexel Dr. Turn LEFT onto the last footbridge and cross the canal. Cross Washington Ave. and continue straight on Pine St. Turn RIGHT onto Stonelitz and LEFT onto Short St. Continue up Short St. to Earhart; cross Earhart to Daquiri Island.

STOP: Daquiri Island, 7908 Earhart Blvd. (2 miles total) Reception with music by the Soul Rebels Brass Band. Transportation will be provided back to Parkway between 8 and 9pm

Last night, our good Capt. Colin staged a drug bust at 3031 Banks Street.

Six people were arrested. A shotgun, pistols, cash, pot and 75 rocks of crack were seized. This was combined effort of DEA, FBI and NOPD.

Capt. Colin gets a big round of applause. Standing ovation.

Capt. Colin and I are working on bringing civil actions to shut down drug properties and to force the owners to post bond of up to $10,000 as insurance to prevent the property owner from continuing to rent to criminals.

However, in order to make a case against these landlords, we need your assistance.

At 3031 Banks, despite Capt. Colin receiving numerous complaints about the property which led to this undercover operation and raid, when he went NOPD’s complaint register he found only one call. He was very surprised.

In order to put on a case against the bad landlords, Capt. Colin has asked that you notify him, but also that you call NOPD’s non-emergency number to report drug activity, prostitution or whatever criminal acts that you might see — however minor.

We need a record of complaints to introduce into evidence in court.

The number to call is 821-2222.

Since a lot of us live in House District 94, I wanted to remind you of these important dates and how to register/change address if you need to.

Election:

March 10 Primary Election
March 31 Run-off

Voter Registration Information

February 28 last day to register or change address for the March 31 run-off.

To change your voting address, write a letter with the following: name printed and signed, old address and new address, day of birth, phone number.
Change address: at City Hall, or mail or fax.
Register to vote at City Hall or mail form.
Form is available on internet at the Secretary of State’s website.
www.sos.louisiana.gov

Early voting Information:

February 26-March 3 for the March 10 primary.
March 19-March 24 for the March 31 run-off.

Here’s where to go to vote early:

Registrar of Voters
City Hall, Room 1W23
1300 Perdido St.
New Orleans, LA 70112
Phone: 658 8300 Fax: 658 8315
Parking: LaSalle and Perdido Streets where covered meters saying “voting”.

Not sure if you are in District 94? Check this map.

Update: The League of Women Voters has posted a candidate guide.

The City Council has called the Superintendent and the District Attorney to appear before them to answer some questions. I hope that concerned neighbors can make this meeting on Monday, February 12, to show that the community is paying attention.

Here’s the fax: (more…)

After seeing this house listed on Squandered Heritage, I had to ask FEMA not to spend our public money to demolish it. It’s a classic New Orleans shotgun single.

I would like to suggest an alternative to demolition for 314 N Gayoso Street, New Orleans LA 70119.

The specific alternative I would like to suggest is: renovation.

The owner should feel free to contact the Mid-City Neighborhood Organization if he or she needs help figuring out alternatives to demolition. MCNO is forming a housing committee to address helping property owners who may be confronting difficult problems renovating historic properties such as this. The MCNO website is at http://mcno.org/

This house is part of the distinctive housing stock of a national historic district. Please don’t tear it down. I live two blocks from here and feel that tearing this house down would diminish the neighborhood.

It’s easy to leave comments for FEMA on their website. Do it here. Do it today.

FEMA has asked neighbors to critically examine certain properties which are slated for demolition with public funds, including numerous historic buildings in the Mid-City area. As always, Squandered Heritage is doing an excellent job of documenting. But it’s up to neighbors to challenge the demolitions — this means you.

This one has roof damage that the owner has done nothing about. So it’s in good shape if they would have tarped it.

This one has little damage and the whole block is renovating. It would be a huge gap.

Also look at this one.

You can see more at-risk Mid-City buildings on Squandered Heritage.

And you can make your comments known to FEMA here.

On Feb. 6, 7, 12 & 13, volunteers are needed to prepare the site and install Kaboom playground equipment at Dibert Elementary on Orleans Avenue, the only elementary school open in Mid City. The work day starts at 8:30 a.m. and lasts until approximately 3:00 p.m. If you can volunteer a few hours during that time, you are welcome to
join in the effort.

I know that the dates are weekdays, but those are the dates in which Kaboom selected. If you can make it or have any questions, please email Phil Costa at zbigez – yahoo – com.