City Wide Clean-up and Perennial Plant Exchange

Youngstown Litter Control and Recycling in conjunction with the Keep America Beautiful Program is sponsoring a city-wide litter cleanup of Youngstown's public lands, roads and neighborhoods on May 16, 2009 from 8:00 AM - 12 noon. Gather a team from your family, work place, church, social clubs or neighbors. Register your team by calling (330) 744-7526 or go here. Choose an area to cleanup, or ask for one to be assigned to you. Youngstown Litter Control will provide trash bags and gloves for your team. They will then pick up and dispose of or recycle the trash your team collects.

Treez Please will have a team cleaning up the Common Ground and adjacent properties on the corner of Kensington and Broadway Avenue on Youngstown's northside. Please feel free to join our team. Later, at 1:00 following the clean-up Treez Please will be hosting a Perennial Plant Exchange. Treez Please will also have several trees to give away. Bring your extra perennials and trade for something that you don't already have. If you are interested in gardening or just want your yard to look better with minimal effort,come to the plant exchange. Invite friends and family to participate as well. You may also bring trees,seeds, shrubs, and bushes, indoor and outdoor plants, and yard art and garden pottery. Bring along your no-longer-needed gardening items to help beautify the world one yard at a time!

Anyone in the surrounding area may participate in the exchange. Seating will be limited so don't forget to bring along a lawn chair if you are planning to stay a while. Treez Please will be providing cool drinks as well.

We will look forward to seeing you there!

Shots Fired!

First of all, let me start this article with a caveat. I love Youngstown, and I do not believe that generally speaking it is a dangerous place to live or work. Let me repeat...I do not share the typical suburban perception of crime in Youngstown. However, we do have a problem with people shooting guns in the city. The other morning about 1:30 AM I awoke to the sound of automatic gun fire very near my bedroom window. I looked out the window and saw a Ford van traveling down my street without headlights or tail lights. I immediately called the YPD. Some time later several cruisers responded to a location on the street behind my house. Several officers then began searching for something with their flashlights. I imagine they were searching for bullets.

This is not the first time that I have heard gunfire in my neighborhood. In fact, it was but a night later that I once again heard automatic gunfire. This must stop! This is not the Welcome Wagon that we want to greet new residents.

A young couple I know that recently moved here from Brooklyn with their infant told me that they too had recently had a similar experience with gunfire. They told me that although they love the city and want to reside here; the one thing that will make them move will be the sounds of gunfire ringing out in the night. I can't say as I blame them. What parent wants their child to grow up in fear? What's more, this is not unfounded fear. There were recently two incidents involving semiautomatic rifles within days. A house on the 100 block of Cleveland Street on Youngstown's South Side was hammered by more than 40 bullets Tuesday, the majority of them from an AK-47 assault rifle. In Warren, there was a drive-by shooting in the 2000 block of Wick Street Southeast in Warren. This incident left one child injured and two dead according to the Vindicator. My guess is that this is but the tip of the iceberg as warm weather is approaching and combined with the poor economy this could lead to more crime.

There are a few solutions to the problem available. One of them is something called ShotSpotter Gunshot Location System. The system detects real time gunfire. A picture of a city street is displayed on a police dispatcher's computer screen and red dots pinpoint the location where there was open fire seconds before. No one in the neighborhood has to call 911 to report the gunfire. The technology zeroes in on the precise location, sends the information to dispatcher and sounds an alert. More about the system can be read here.

The Vindicator reported about the system several months ago and indicated that the system "could" be in place by summer. The operative word in the article is "could". As residents who love this city I think it is time to let city government know that "could" is not good enough. We need the Vindicator to report that the city "shall" put this system in place. Please contact your city council representative and let him or her know that they must address the problem of gunfire in the city. For contact information please look here.

In addition to,or in lieu of, ShotSpotter, I believe we should push for implementation of Citi-Stat, technological crime fighting tool. I have written about this program before and I still believe it offers the best solution to our problems. To read more about this program go here.

Recently, I have noticed many references in the press to Jane Jacobs' The Death and Life of Great American Cities. This is because her work is as timely today as it was when printed in 1961. To quote,"...the public peace - the sidewalk and street peace- of cities is not kept primarily by the police. It is kept primarily by an intricate, almost unconscious, network of voluntary controls and standards amongst the people themselves, and enforced by the people themselves. In some city areas - older public housing projects and streets with very high population turnover are often conspicuous examples - the keeping of public sidewalk law and order is left almost entirely to the police and special guards. Such places are jungles. No amount of police can enforce civilization where the normal, casual enforcement of it has broken down".

We must take this to heart. We,as residents of Youngstown, must be vigilant and keep watch in our neighborhoods for illegal activity, and report it when we see it. With the recent increase in foreclosures and abandandoned properties this is especially important as abandoned properites often serve as havens for those with criminal intent. Report suspicious activity and encourage the city to have these buildings boarded up. In addition, there are many block watches in the city. Please join the one in your neighborhood. For a list of neighborhood organizations please look here. Together we can fight crime.

When I Knew and How it Saved Me

April 6, 2009: Local performers will tell the stories of local GLBT individuals, friend, and allies on the theme “When I Knew…and How It Saved Me” at the Oakland Center for the Arts. The show, scheduled for 8:00 Friday April 17 and Saturday April 18 with a 7:00 reception each night, is the work of Robert Dennick Joki, a director and performer who is well known in the local theater community.

Joki collected these stories by approaching friends and GLBT organizations and by spreading the word through the online community. These inspirational testimonies will be part of a performance that also features music and spoken word. Stories that are not performed on stage will be showcased in the Oakland Star Gallery.

Along with Joki, performers include Maxine Factor, Nicole Zayas, Ric Panning, Joyce Jones, Molly Makselan, Kage Jonas, Beth Farrow, Kelly Bancroft, Natalia Hagan, Kerri Rickard, Rick Morrow, Carlos Rivera, and Nikita Jones.

All proceeds from “When I Knew…and How it Saved Me” benefit Pride Youngstown, specifically Youngstown’s first gay pride celebration, scheduled for Saturday June 6th.

It is not too late to submit a story for “When I Knew…and How It Saved Me.” Please send, as a Microsoft Word attachment or as a rich text file, your submission to wheniknewshow@yahoo.com. Include in your cover email a brief biography with your name, contact information, age, gender or gender identity, and anything else you would like us to know. Anonymous submissions will not be accepted, but names may be withheld from the performance at the author’s request. Submission deadline is Friday April 10.

To make reservations, call 330-746-0404. The Oakland Center for the Arts is the only community theater in downtown Youngstown and is located at 220 West Boardman Street.

For more information, contact Robert Dennick Joki at robertjoki@aol.com or 330-503-2671.

Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009 -And How It Will Effect Your Family

The Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009 appears on its face to be a good bill in that it will supposedly protect the food supply. Is serves as a response to the recent outbreaks in salmonella in peanut butter and the likes. This type of problem certainly needs to be addressed, however this bill is not the appropriate way to do so.

This bill is essentially a one size fits all bill and that size is large food producers. This bill should not apply to small farmers and organic producers but the language of the bill doesn't exclude them. It would appear that the bill does not face debate in the Congress and that without some outcry it will likely pass. This bill could potentially put an end to farmers markets and organic food production. The bill is being sponsored by some giant agricultural industries including Monsanto.

We must always be cognizant of the unintended consequences of even the most benign appearing legislation. Under HR 875 all participants in farmers' markets will be forced to register, otherwise the market will be shut down as an illegal operation. Failure to comply with the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009 would result in a fine of up to $1,000,000 per violation. Specifically, the law would apply to any food establishment including farmers' markets. The term food establishment is defined in the bill as follows:

(A) IN GENERAL: The term 'food establishment' means a slaughterhouse (except those regulated under the Federal Meat Inspection Act or the Poultry Products Inspection Act), factory, warehouse, or facility owned or operated by a person located in any State that processes food or a facility that holds, stores, or transports food or food ingredients.

The extra requirements and inspections required of small family farms under the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009 would be a burden. Interestingly enough this bill was introduced by Rosa DeLauro whose husband Stanley Greenburg works for Monsanto.

This act could potentially criminalize seed banking. It establishes prison terms and confiscatory fines for farmers, requires 24 hour GPS tracking of animals, easements onto farm property to allow for warrantless government entry, and it could strip away property rights. This Act is a corporate ag-business dream come true.

The full text of the Act can be read here.

I have posted a couple videos from several different sources about the farm bill. I have also included a video about how food production has changed over time. I have included material from the left and the right in order to show that generally speaking this bill is a nightmare.

I'm angry about this Act that is disguised as a consumer protection. I'm getting deje vu as I recall how upset I was by the Patriot Act before it was passed. At that time people often told me that I was wrong, and that the Patriot Act wouldn't limit citizen's civil liberties,but rather only those of terrorists. Well, we all know how that turned out. Once again in HR 875 we are about to lose our rights to food production. It is time to stand up for our local family farms. Please contact your congress person now! You can contact Congressman Tim Ryan here. You can also sign a petition in opposition to this bill at Leave My Food Alone

Treez Please in Wick Park

Yesterday was a splendid day for tree planting. The sun was shining and it was a warm spring day. This was the first of several tree planting events to be hosted by Treez Please. Yesterday,seventeen trees were planted along the Park Avenue side of Wick Park. The trees were planted as part of the overall plan to revitalize the park. Among the trees planted were Honey Locust, and several Autumn Glaze and October Glory Maples. There were about forty people in attendance including a bus load of kids from First Friend's Church of Salem Ohio. The young people were doing community service in order to bring attention to world hunger. One young woman from the group explains their mission in this short video.



Below is a short video about planting trees:



Treez Please wishes to thank all of those who came out to plant trees yesterday. We would also like to thank Second Nature Landscaping for their assistance as well as the city forester David Sturtz for auguring the holes. We had a wonderful time and hope all those who joined us did as well.

Treez Please will be hosting several other events in the near future. If you or someone you know would like to participate go to www.treezplease.org and send us a message. We will add your name to our contact list.

Spring Time Happenings in Youngstown

Well Spring time is here and there is a lot to do. It is time to clean up winter debris and start planting things. Last weekend's permaculture course presented by Grow Youngstown, and taught by Josh Benniston was a wonderful learning experience and a great social one as well, because it brought together people from Columbiana County, Mahoning County, and some from as far away as Oberlin, OH.

Grow Youngstown is once again offering an opportunity to participate in a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) For information on costs go the website. The deadline for getting your contract to Grow Youngstown is April 1, 2009.

This weekend is busy as well. Treez Please is doing a tree planting in Wick Park tomorrow morning at 9:00 AM. The tree planting will take place on the Park Avenue side of the park. I'm told the weather will be fine until tomorrow evening so come on out, get your hands dirty, and join the fun!

Also tomorrow, Judge Dellick of Mahoning County Juvenile Court and Tony Budak of the Time Bank of the Mahoning Watershed, are having a public meeting at St. Augustine's Episcopal Church at 514 Parmalee Avenue, Youngstown to discuss the development of a Teen Court. The meeting begins at 1:00 PM.

In addition a series of very important public hearings will be held by the Community Development Office of the city of Youngstown. The purpose of the hearings is to receive public comment regarding the City of Youngstown's One Year Action Plan. The Plan to be submitted to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) includes estimated funding of $5 million of community development monies.

All interested citizens are encouraged to attend one of these meetings. Citizens will be provided the opportunity to offer input on how the City should allocate, within the Consolidated Plan, resources it receives from HUD. Audience dialogue is strongly encouraged, however these particular meetings are not designed to resolve general complaints. The meetings will remain focused on allocating resources within the plan. For further information, contact the City of Youngstown's Community Development Agency (330) 744-0854

Monday, April 6, 2009, 6:00 pm
ITAM
115 S. Meridian Road, Youngstown, OH

Tuesday, April 7, 2009 6:00 pm
OCCHA
3660 Shirley Road, Youngstown, OH

Wednesday, April 8, 2009 6:00 pm
Park Vista Gathering Room
1216 Fifth Avenue, Youngstown, OH

Thursday, April 9, 2009 6;00 pm
Associated Neighborhood Center, Auditorium
1649 Jacobs Road, Youngstown, OH

Also, for those who are anxious to know when the Grey to Green Festival will be taking place; it has been scheduled for September 12, 2009 at Wick Park on Youngstown's north side. Further information will be made available at a later date.

Homegrown Revolution

This wonderful little film is about a matter that is near and dear to my heart. Although, the film is about a family in California, it could just as well be about a family in Youngstown Ohio. There are of course numerous differences in the type of produce that can be grown, the growing season, and the need to learn food preservation, but do not doubt it, we too can grow our own food.

Grow Youngstown is presenting a two day workshop in permaculture on March 21 and 22, 2009. It will be held at the Davis Center in Mill Creek Park. If you too have an interest in the freedom that can come from growing your own food please contact Elsa with questions at csa@growyoungstown.org. Information about the course is posted below the film.




Introduction to Permaculture Design Instructor - Josh Benniston
A Weekend Workshop, March 21st and 22nd, at the
D.D. and Velma Davis Center, 123 McKinley Avenue, Yo. OhioWe will learn about:

* Practical design methods for gardens, farms,
buildings, organizations, communities, etc.
* Productive Edible Landscapes
* Principles of Ecological Design
* Urban Sustainability

Workshop cost is $70 per individiual for the weekend,
$60 ea. for two people and $50.00 ea. for three
people or more from the same organization. Depending
on enrollment, scholarships will be made
available based on need and community involvement.

Checks are payable to: Grow Youngstown
and should be mailed to
PO Box 1191,
Youngstown, Ohio 44501.

IMPORTANT: Please indicate the
names and number of people attending as well as
your email contact information.

Downtown Development Project - Where Less is More

Press Release from the Ohio Arts Council

The Federal Plaza Corridor is nothing short of “the key to revitalizing downtown Youngstown” Raymond John Wean Foundation

MAHONING COUNTY Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown in Mahoning County is shrinking. It has less than half the population it did 40 years ago. Where bustling mills once churned out sheet metal and tubing there are now abandoned buildings; busy streets once filled with children are now blighted neighborhoods of empty homes. But after waiting decades for boom times to return, the city is now trying a different strategy: through an initiative dubbed Plan 2010, the city is embracing contraction –“shrinkage,” with fewer residents, services and physical size – as a road to sustainability. Green space is being created. Incentives are offered to homeowners in sparsely populated areas to move to more densely populated ones. And the arts and cultural assets of the area, many of which receive operating and project support from the Ohio Arts Council, are being positioned to be at the center of the recovery.

The city’s rich past means it has abundant treasures worth celebrating. Federal Plaza and Federal Street are home to an amazing array of architectural jewels of early 20th century architecture, including the classical Sky Bank Building (1909), the neo-classical revival Reality Building (1924), and what was once a grand theatre. And today, the Raymond Jean Wean Foundation is funding “an exploration of the arts and culture in Mahoning County” – specifically the Federal Plaza corridor, once a thriving retail hub in downtown Youngstown. A large-scale project is being developed in the warehouse of nationally-known artist James Pernotto, where planners envision an adaptive re-use facility featuring artist live/work space, studios and shops. The Butler Institute of American Art is even considering a satellite exhibition space there. Nearby, over $12 million has been invested in a Tech Block business incubator for technology companies and other start-ups.

The Wean Foundation sees the Federal Plaza Corridor as nothing short of “the key to revitalizing downtown Youngstown.” The project is still in the conceptual stages but is gaining momentum and support. Change won’t happen overnight, but the mood is shifting – and you can feel it. Today Youngstown remains an example of rust belt glory days gone by, where streetscapes turned to eyesores and once-proud homes became empty lots. But tomorrow, with the vision of community leaders and an economic revitalization plan that embraces the arts, innovation and imagination, Youngstown’s best days may yet be ahead of it. YOUNGSTOWN DEVELOPMENT PROJECT Where Less is More We’re Building Ohio Through the Arts The Ohio Arts Council is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally and economically.

Ohio Arts Council
727 East Main Street
Columbus, OH 43205-1796
614/466-2613
General Information:
614/644-9624
info@oac.state.oh.us
www.oac.state.oh.us
Ted Strickland, Governor
Susan Saxbe, OAC Board Chair
www.oac.state.oh.us/MakingTheCase Julie S. Henahan, OAC Executive Director

Riding on the WRTA

This photo by Tony Nicholas

















photo of the smiling bus driver by Tony Nicholas

















A good time was had by all who participated in the bus trip organized by Shout Youngstown. The Vindy did an excellent piece on the event, check it out here. Approximately 25 or 30 people met at the WRTA station in downtown Youngstown to take the Buckeye 33 to Casa Fiesta on Midlothian Blvd. The Casa Fiesta serves a wide range of Mexican dishes, in a bright and cheerful environment. (The pina coladas are to die for by the way)
















Yesterday's gathering was similar to a flash mob only on public transit. It was organized to show support for the WRTA and to bring attention to the fact that Saturday service has been restored thanks to the levy that recently passed. WRTA's current goal is to provide county wide service.

Bus schedules can be found at the WRTA website here. Riding the bus is for everyone. I have often heard people remark that riding the bus is for people in poverty, or disabled. Actually, riding the bus is not a "class" issue but rather an environmental issue. The more people using public transportation the better for our environment.

Yesterday was a first for a few of the participants. Some were a little nervous about the experience because they were uncertain how to ride the bus. The WRTA anticipating this feeling has posted a rider's guide to the bus system here.

More flash mob events on the WRTA are in the planning stages, the bloggers of Y-town will keep you updated. Hope you can join us next time! It is our hope that more and more people will become aware and make use of this wonderful asset in the Mahoning Valley.

The WRTA will be receiving 3.51 million dollars infunds from the Federal Stimulus Package to make needed improvements to the station and to expand service. WRTA can get a head start on making needed improvements by placing bus schedules in the station and fixing their change machine. It would also be wonderful if the WRTA window could be open on Saturday as well.

We do hope to see you all next time. It was a great way to get together with friends old and new, explore Y-town by bus, and have a wonderful lunch!

Cornel West - The Jazz Man of Ideas

I was blown away by Cornel West on February 26th at Stambaugh Auditorium. I personally think this was mutual as I think that Dr. West was also blown away by the crowd and the venue. It is not often that we are privileged to hear intellectual discourse such as that Dr. West provided the other evening. The philosophical conversation is something that is often missing from our day to day lives. After listening to his lecture the positive energy in the auditorium was palpable. The issues he discussed are those that concern many of us. If you missed it,I'm sorry. However, you may have another opportunity to hear Dr. West.

Dr. West is in a new documentary coming soon called The Examined Life Philosophy is in the Streets. If urge you to seek it out. It would be wonderful if we could get a showing of the film in Youngstown - perhaps we can work on that. After the theatrical opening dvds will also be available and you can get information about that here. There are special rates for schools and institutions as well. Here is a clip from the film.