Tree Pittsburgh is helping the Oakland Green Team educate and prepare residents about fruit tree maintenance to ensure this community orchard in South Oakland is sustainable and successful. Saturday, March 14 at 10:00 am Tree Pittsburgh will lead a pruning and maintenance workshop at the orchard; 3213 Parkview Avenue, all are welcome.
Education
Zone 4 PSC meeting is held the first Thursday of each month at 6:00 pm at the Jewish Community Center at 5738 Forbes Avenue in room #307
February’s meeting is going to be a First Aid presentation by Pittsburgh EMS. It may also include a CPR demonstration and they are also going to provide information on The Envelope of Life as well.
Seating may be limited so please RSVP to Zone 4:
01/14 2015
Twice a year, the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police sponsors an opportunity for members of the community to become closely acquainted with the roles and responsibilities of the Police Bureau. The Pittsburgh Citizen’s Police Academy brings the police and the community close together in a setting that offers a sample of police training to each participant.
Participants receive three hours of training one evening each week in many of the varied functions of law enforcement. They experience some of the highlights of police training and are exposed to the operations of the police bureau. Participants are taught the basics of criminal law, search and seizure, patrol tactics, firearms and many other subjects. They learn about the processing of a crime scene, how police canines are used, and are exposed to many of the specialty police units. CPA participants meet and talk with many of the street officers as well as the command staff and training staff that serves them. All this takes place in a safe and entertaining training environment.
Instructors are law enforcement professionals who teach both veteran and recruit police officers. Students leave this training with a greater understanding of the police mission and with an increased ability to see how the police serve the community.
This program is not an accredited certification course to become a sworn police officer.
Class size is limited to 30 participants. All interested persons must give permission for the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police to conduct a background check to determine if they have a criminal record.
The next session of the CPA will begin on Tuesday, February 10, 2015, at the Pittsburgh Science & Technology Academy 107 Thackeray Street Pittsburgh, PA 15213. The program will be held each Tuesday evening, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. for 15 weeks. Please return applications by U.S. mail or hand-deliver to the Pittsburgh Police Training Academy. All applications must be received by February 3, 2015.
Visiti the original post on City website for application.
Central Page with Research Project Links
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UPDATE 2/18/15
The hydroponics workshop will be 3-4pm Sunday 2/22 at Frazier Fieldhouse.
Workshop Flyer============================
UPDATE 2/13/15
Check out update to specifications with pictures at new post
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UPDATE 2/9/15
We are asking for input on the Hydroponics Workshop date and time. Please contact SONG through the contact page to request the link to those choices.
Click here for SONG Contact Page
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UPDATE 1/18/15
We have received a couple of inquiries about being a host site. Obviously the more the merrier, but also the better to help improve the project, so if you are interested, definitely let us know.
Several changes or clarifications that came from questions so far on the installations and introductory workshop:
- The installations will assume using fluorescent grow lights since there are very limited windows with enough direct sunlight.
- The plants grown will be a last minute decision of Bib, Romaine or similar lettuce that does just fine with artificial light.
- The design can be somewhat smaller area than originally thought, and some customization for each site. If you are interested, let us know and the students can discuss with you in more detail.
- The workshop “Hydroponics 101” will be delayed till later in January or early February. Please let us know if you or someone you know would be interested in attending.
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Hi everyone!
Recently, a group of students at Pitt has been accepted into the Honors College Community-Based Research Fellowship program for the spring semester and the community group they chose to partner with is SONG! The project is focused on implementing hydroponics, or the growing of plants without soil, in our community over the winter. Developing an effective way to cheaply grow food over the winter can begin to empower and assist communities with limited fresh food access.
How does it work?
Plants are started as seedlings in a growth medium within a greenhouse tray for a few days and then transplanted into a PVC piping system for culturing and harvesting. This hydroponic piping system carries a mineral nutrient-rich solution within water to stimulate plant growth. With a few weeks of good water circulation, the plants will be ready for harvesting. The specific plant we’ll be using is bibb lettuce, because it’s been proven as a successful hydroponic plant.
What role does SONG play?
From early February to early April, three SONG community members (see below) will have one of these hydroponic systems installed in their residences. Every week, at a time of the residents’ choosing, one of the students will visit and make sure the equipment is running properly and get feedback about system improvements. If you’d like to get involved, here are a few ways to engage:
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Introductory Workshop “Hydroponics 101”: Tentatively January 20th at 6pm. The students will be presenting an introductory workshop for the community to learn about hydroponic cultivation and growing their own food!
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WE NEED VOLUNTEERS: February through April – Three interested South Oakland residents will be housing a hydroponic system. Participants will get to keep any of the lettuce harvested, gain valuable hydroponics experience and help with the research and development of more affordable, easy-to-use hydroponic systems and food production. The only major requirements are:
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a 3’ x 6’ floor space near a window (preferably facing south, but not required)
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room temperatures over 60°F
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Able to meet one hour weekly so the students can check the system, collect data and feedback.
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Let us know if you have any questions. We would like to hear from those willing to volunteer to host these systems as soon as possible to go over other details of the project and plan for the installations. If you know any other South Oakland neighbors that might be interested in learning more about hydroponics, or this project, please let them know and have them contact us to get involved.
Check back for any new details.
Sincerely,
South Oakland Neighborhood Group
Pittsburgh Public Schools parents and other members of the community are welcome to attend the fourth meeting of Mayor William Peduto’s Education Task Force tomorrow evening, and share their thoughts about public education in Pittsburgh.
The public testimony will be used to help compile a report to Pittsburgh City Council on the task force’s findings. Before the report is issued, a fifth and final meeting of the task force is planned with Mayor Peduto.
The task force, named in February, brought together all education stakeholders in Pittsburgh for the first time in decades. It has grown into a collaborative and positive effort among elected officials, leaders in education, representatives from the foundation community, community members, the teachers union and others.
It also includes three current and former Pittsburgh Public Schools students. One of the students, Stephen O’Brion, suggested that Tuesday’s meeting be held at a PPS facility, the Pittsburgh Science & Technology Academy, in North Oakland.
WHAT: Mayor’s Education Task Force Meeting
WHERE: SciTech Academy, 107 Thackeray St., North Oakland
WHEN: 4:30-7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2014
PITTSBURGH RECEIVES GRANT FROM NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES FOR SUMMER AND AFTERSCHOOL MEAL PROGRAMS
The National League of Cities is awarding Pittsburgh a $50,000 grant to create programs providing children with afterschool and summer meals.
Using the NLC grant, the city hopes to build visibility, drive participation, promote a healthy relationship with food, and broaden awareness among families who qualify for meals programs but are not currently enrolled. By introducing attractive programming, and through an aggressive citywide campaign, the city of Pittsburgh will increase the number of children participating in Summer and Afterschool Meals programs.
Read the full press release:
Starting with the 2014-15 school year, all students in Pittsburgh Public Schools will receive free breakfasts and lunches regardless of family income, courtesy of the Community Eligibility Provision.
Though the program is new to Pennsylvania, it has been in a pilot stage in 10 states and Washington, D.C., since the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act passed in 2010. The act aimed to provide nutritious food to the 32 million students who eat lunch and 12 million students nationwide who eat breakfast at school each day, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
08/21 2014
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
AROUND THE CORNER
An event newsletter sponsored by The Corner community center at 200 Robinson Street in Pittsburgh’s West Oakland neighborhood.
AROUND THE CORNER
An event newsletter sponsored by The Corner community center at 200 Robinson Street in Pittsburgh’s West Oakland neighborhood.
THE EASIEST WAY TO KEEP UP ON CORNER EVENTS? “Like” us on Facebook as TheCorner200
And check out our website …www.CornerPgh.org
**FEATURED EVENTS**
The current version of The Corner Café will host its final café hours today, Tuesday Aug. 19th, and Wednesday Aug. 20th from 3pm-7pm. Come have a cuppa joe and a piece of buttercake as we celebrate all that this outreach has done for our community over the last 16 months! And watch for updates on upcoming renovations of The Corner building.
Conscious Media: Back to School Edition – Screening of the film Freedom Writers on Thursday, Aug. 21st at 6:30.This film chronicles struggles endured by at-risk youth and a passionate teacher’s dedication to their education. We’ll take a look at and discuss the state of America’s public school system. Free event. Light refreshments provided.
FREE HOMEBUYING WORKSHOP – The Corner is partnering with Dollar Bank to host a FREE Home Buying Workshop on Monday, Aug. 25th at 6pm at The Corner. Learn how you can improve your credit, access home buying programs, and become a first-time homebuyer. Meal and refreshments provided. To register, contact Julie @ 412-683-1400 orjmh206@pitt.edu.
**FEATURED COMMUNITY PARTNER: Ujamaa Collective**
Poetry Reading and Book Signing by CATHLEEN BAILEY, author of Split Rock/Cracked Cave and Wild Howling Woman. Thursday, Aug 21st, 6-8pm at the Ujamma Collective Boutique, 1901 Centre Avenue.
Word of Mouth: Open Mic, Music, and more. Black August Edition. Friday, Aug. 22nd, 9pm-midnight. Sign up atujamaacoop@gmail.com or 412.228.5160. Hosted by artists and activist Blak Rapp Madusa. $5 cover. Refreshments.
**OTHER EVENTS**
Rock The Mic: Open Mic Series @ The Corner, Saturday, Aug. 23rd at 7pm. Doors open at 6:30pm. Admission is $5. An epic night of spoken word, music and poetry. Please contact Nadine Masagara-Taylor at halisi.pr@gmail.com or call412.683.1400 for more details or to perform.
The next meeting of the West Oakland Neighborhood Council is Tuesday, September 2nd from 6:30-8:00. Contact The Corner to add an agenda item.
GOOD NEIGHBOR CAMPAIGN. On Saturday, Sept. 6th, The Corner will be partnering with Oakland Planning and Development Corp to participate in the 3rd annual Good Neighbor Campaign! We’ll welcome new student neighbors with gift bags and information on the community. Meet at 9am in front of Friendship Community Church (181 Robinson St.) if you want to be part of this welcome team. Contact Julie Hudak @ 412-683-1400 or jmh206@pitt.edu for info or to let us know you’ll participate.
Last year TreeVitalize brought 20 new trees to West Oakland (and more will be planted this fall). Residents can now participate in a Tree Care Day, a 2-hour effort to clean and weed tree pits and remulch. With interest and for details, contact Barb Brewton, 412-606-9692.
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AROUND THE CORNER is sponsored by The Corner, 200 Robinson Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, a program of Friendship Community Church. Please forward this email to neighbors, friends, and family who’d be interested in these events. If you wish to unsubscribe from this email list, please email info@CornerPgh.org.
To learn more about The Corner, visit www.CornerPgh.org or www.facebook.com/TheCorner200 or call 412-683-1400.
Tree Pittsburgh and Grow Pittsburgh are partnering together to offer a urban fruit tree workshop. This workshop will bring in Susan Poizner, Director of Orchard People, a Toronto-based fruit tree organization, to speak about her lessons learned from starting many urban orchards. She will be joined by local Pittsburgh fruit tree knowledge for an interesting discussion on urban orcharding. This event will be hosted at the ECCO Center (200 Larimer Ave.) on Wednesday, August 13th from 6:30pm to 8:30pm and will include a walk to the Larimer Community Garden to learn about fruit trees that were planted on site. Class cost is $5. Register here!
Barbara Brewton of the Green Team is planning on driving to this workshop if people need rides or want to carpool. She is planning to be at the Career Center on Semple St by 5:45 and to leave by 6. Her car fits five other people; if anyone is interested in a ride please let them so that there is enough room for everyone. Barb can also borrow a van if necessary.
For more info on the Green Team visit
PITTSBURGH CITIZEN’S POLICE ACADEMY
Twice a year, the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police sponsors an opportunity for members of the community to become closely acquainted with the roles and responsibilities of the Police Bureau. The Pittsburgh Citizen’s Police Academy (CPA) brings the police and the community close together in a setting that offers a sample of police training to each participant.
Participants receive three hours of training one evening each week for 15 weeks in many of the varied functions of law enforcement. They experience some of the highlights of police training and are exposed to the operations of the police bureau. Participants are taught the basics of criminal law, search and seizure, patrol tactics, firearms and many other subjects. They learn about the processing of a crime scene, how police canines are used, and are exposed to many of the specialty police units. CPA participants meet and talk with many of the street officers as well as the command staff and training staff that serves them. All this takes place in a safe and entertaining training environment.
Instructors are law enforcement professionals who teach both veteran and recruit police officers. Students leave this training with a greater understanding of the police mission and with an increased ability to see how the police serve the community.
This program is not an accredited certification course to become a sworn police officer.
The next session of the CPA will begin on Tuesday, September 9, 2014, at the Pittsburgh Police Headquarters 1203 Western Avenue Pittsburgh Pa 15233. The program will be held each Tuesday evening, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. for 15 weeks.
Class size is limited to 30 participants. All interested persons must complete an application and give permission for the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police to conduct a background check to determine if they have a criminal record. The CPA application can be found at
http://www.pittsburghpa.gov/police/citizens_police_academy.htm
Please return applications by U.S. mail or hand-deliver to the Pittsburgh Police Training Academy. All applications must be received by September 3, 2014.
Free assistance with PA Property Tax/Rent Rebate forms- deadline extended to 12/31/14
The State has extended the deadline for people to file forms to receive rebates from the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program until December 31.
People who would like assistance (at no cost to them) in completing the form should contact Pitt Outreach.
The rebate is available to income-eligible people who are:
-65 years of age or older
-widows or widowers 50 years of age or older
-people with disabilities 18 years of age or older
Thea Young
Outreach and Enrollment Team
Department of Family Medicine
University of Pittsburgh
PittOutreach2013 @ gmail.com
412 – 383 – 2359
07/03 2014
Check out the many varied events, educational and training workshops available at the Carnegie Library.
Mayor William Peduto giving high school students full voting power on public schools task force
PITTSBURGH, PA – City high school students, don’t miss your chance to tell Mayor Peduto what to do.
The deadline is next week for Pittsburgh Public Schools high schoolers to apply for a spot on Mayor William Peduto’s task force on public education. The 21-member body will meet through the spring and summer to study and recommend ways to strengthen our public schools and surrounding communities, and issue a report at the start of the next school year. For more information on the task force, click here.
School officials, community leaders and parents are part of the task force but the mayor wants students to help as well. He’s reserved three spots for Pittsburgh high school students, each of whom will serve with full voting power. Here’s how to apply:
Go to http://pittsburghpa.gov/mayor/education-task-force and fill out an application form. You also need to submit via the website a resume and a one page letter to the Mayor explaining why they would like to serve on the task force. Applications and all materials are due by March 7, 2014.
BLACK HISTORY MONTH CELEBRATION AT THE THELMA LOVETTE YMCA
A Celebration of Black History Month to be Held at the Thelma Lovette YMCA this Saturday
Greetings Friends and Neighbors-
This upcoming Saturday, at the Thelma Lovette YMCA in the Hill District, a Black History Month Celebration will be hosted which will be open to all:
Where: Thelma Lovette YMCA, 2114 Centre Ave
When: Saturday, February 15, 12pm-2pm
Councilman Lavelle will be present to kick off festivities which include:
- Black Pittsburgh Historic Presentation/Black Civil War Enactment Group by John Ford
- Centre Avenue Historic Presentation by Leon Haley
- Wylie Avenue Days Film Documentary
- Presentation of the Hill District Historic Wall
- NAKA Entertainment
- Miller School African Dance and Drum Troop
- Presentation of Black Genealogical Study
- Children and Family Activities
- Teenie Harris Collection by Carnegie Library
For more information on the festivities, you can visit the Thelma Lovette Y site by accessing this link, or by calling them at 412-315-0990.
City Council District 6
SUMMER EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY FROM THE URA FOR TEACHING ARTIST
Urban Matters -URA Request for Project-Based Summer Residency
Sent 01/30/2014 @ 7:42 pm
Dear District 6 Constituents:
The Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh (URA) seeks an
experienced digital visual media Teaching Artist to conduct a
project-based summer residency with high school age Pittsburgh youth for
its Urban Matters Pilot Program. For a copy of the full RFP Contact:LeTaj Tinker – 412-255-6689; ltinker@ura.org
Urban Matters is an arts- and design-based program for youths, ages 14-18, who live in Pittsburgh’s distressed neighborhoods. It was developed to teach them how to examine and communicate URA and other key civic processes in order to gain an understanding for themselves, and to be able to communicate these processes to their peers, community residents and other stakeholders.
RFP Issued:January 24, 2014
RFP Information Session: February 6, 2014 from 6-7 PM
URA, 200 Ross Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219; 13th floor
RFP Due:Friday, February 14, 2014 at Noon
*Applicant Notification:Friday, February 28, 2014
Primary Contact:Karen Abrams – 412-255-6425; kabrams@ura.org
Inquiries Contact:LeTaj Tinker – 412-255-6689; ltinker@ura.org