All Community Meetings will be held at Calvin Presbyterian Church, 6125 Cadieux (next to Chase Bank).

August General Meeting: Wednesday,  August 13^th – 7:00 pm, Guest speakers will be Lois Nelson, Metro Housing and Dennis Costello, Alger Theater

August Recap Meeting: Saturday, August 16^th – 9:00 – 10:00

Individual street meetings:

Outer drive/Whittier: Saturday, August 16^th 10 – 10:30

Kensington: Saturday, August 16^th 10:30 – 11:00

Yorkshire: Saturday, August 16^th 11:00 – 11:30

Bishop: Saturday, August 16^th 11:30 – 12:00

Grayton: Saturday, August 16^th 12:00 – 12:30

Harvard: Saturday, August 16^th 12:30 – 1:00

Cadieux: Saturday, August 16^th 1:00 – 1:30

Chandler Park Drive: Saturday, August 16^th 1:30 – 2:00

This Month

East Warren Cleanup: Saturday, Aug 2^nd, 9a-1p

Neighborhood’s Day: Saturday, Aug 2^nd, 11a-2p @ Waveney & Outer Drive

Drop-off Recycling: Saturday, Aug 9^th, 8a-12p @ East Warren & Farmbrook

Bulk Trash Pickup: August 13-14, (check bulk pickup date for your address at www3.ci.detroit.mi.us/CityServices)

Garden Club: Sunday, August 24, home of Sue & Ron Mikulak, 3893 Harvard (between Rosewood and Wallingford, info at gardenclub@eastenglishvillage.org

Farmer’s Market: Saturdays,10a-3p @ E. Warren & Bishop

Calendar:

September EEV Community Meeting: Wednesday, Sept 10

September Garden Club: September 28, home of Beckie Themer

September Drop-off Recycling: Saturday, Sept 13^th

Celebrate Neighborhoods Day

The Next Detroit Neighborhood Initiative (NDNI) is working to lead the transformation and restoration of Detroit as a center of economic, social and cultural prosperity. In collaboration with Arise Detroit and community stakeholders, NIDI will host a neigborhood celebration in each of its six targeted neighborhoods, including East English Village.

 The EEV community celebration will take place on Saturday, August 2^nd on Waveney between Outer Drive and Yorkshire from 12:00 to 3:00 pm.

 NDNI is excited about the opportunity for residents to gather, organize and build safe, strong neighborhoods in the city of Detroit. This will be a time to celebrate and take pride in our homes, our blocks, our neighborhood, our city and our selves. Food, drinks and entertainment will be available as well as information about joining our neighborhood block captain program and resident security patrol.

 With the partnership of the residents, we can change the face of Detroit, one neighborhood at a time.

Summer greetings,

At this past June meeting, I had the pleasure of having many Yorkshire residents in attendance, so after the general meeting I hosted a “Yorkshire” meeting. We discussed issues only pertaining to Yorkshire and we were able to band the attending residents together for multi-tasking many issues. The real plus was that we had great residents from Mack to Harper actively helping and communicating with each other. With that in mind, we want to host a Saturday meeting after the general meeting this month as a test. We will recap the regular Wednesday meeting agenda and to have individual street meetings. We know many people have church, school, family functions and work etc on Wednesday night.   Please note the times and dates for the general meetings and the Saturday recap and individual times for your street.

Please remember to keep your porch lights on and get to know your neighbor. We have had car theft issues in the middle of the month – please use your garage when you are able and use locking log nuts on any car tire.

Catalytic converters were also taken from city cars as well as suburban ones; they house precious metals and are located in the engine compartment. Remember to lock your garage.

We continue to have late night noise and basketball hoop placement complaints that go late into the night. FYI – basketball hoops are not allowed by city ordinance in the street and the police have confiscated the units when called. Hoops located at empty homes will also be cleared...

I hope to see you at one of the meeting this month.

Enjoy the summer,

Bill Barlage

President

Bike Safety & Registration

The Detroit Police Department now requires registration for all bikes ridden in the city. Tickets for unregistered bikes start at $55. Registration costs only $1 and the sticker will be good for five years. Registration can assist with recovery in case of theft.

Bikes can be registered at any Detroit Police precinct office between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. For information, call the Detroit Police Office of Public Information at (313) 596-2200. The Eastern District office is located at 11187 Gratiot, east of Connor and the Central District office is at 7310 Woodward at Grand Blvd.

The Central District will host a “Come Take Back the Night” event on Tuesday, August 5^th from 5pm to 10pm. One hundred free bike licenses will be given away on a first-come basis to kids under fifteen. Officers will be available for licensing and bike inspections. The event also includes free bike helmets, games, music, food and beverages.

Another solution for registering bikes in case of theft is to use the National Bike Registry, http://www.nationalbikeregistry.com/ Since the advent of craigslist and eBay, stolen bikes are less likely to stay in the city where they were stolen. Cyclists can register their bike on a nationwide basis. It’s also critical that cyclists record the make, model, color, and serial number of their bikes. This is invaluable information will make it more likely that a stolen bike can be found. Bike serial numbers are typically found underneath the bottom bracket, where the pedals go through the bike frame. Finally, if you have a camera, you may want to take some photos of the bike and serial number. They may come in useful in case it’s ever misplaced or stolen.

East Warren Farmer’s Market

In spite of rain showers, the first day of the East Warren Farmer’s Market was reported to be a success. See video of coordinator, Ryan Hertz, recapping the day in EEV at

http://www.michiganmessenger.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=1565

Property Matters

By Latisha Johnson, 2^nd VP EEV Assoc.

We hope you’ve been able to take advantage of the previous articles about keeping your property if you have had difficulty paying your mortgage or your taxes.  When it comes to having a house, paying the bills is just the first step. It’s great to be able to say you are a homeowner but, if we are to do our part on these beautiful blocks, we also need to maintain our homes.

EEV has been a neighborhood of choice for many years. People ask how we continue with so many economic issues and the onslaught of properties going into foreclosure.  It’s all because of YOU!  We’ve always had awesome neighbors engaged in the community and the quality of the area.  We know there are more of you than we know about!

In the challenging times we’re facing, we NEED not just a few good neighbors, but everyone, to be more vigilant and actively involved in maintaining EEV.  Get to know all your neighbors around you, not just the ones on either side of you.  Mow the lawn of a vacant property near you and/or remove litter from the front porch; meet and greet new neighbors; keep your property free of debris and litter – in the front and back yard; talk to your elders – you’d be surprised how much you can learn about the neighborhood; and keep an eye on your neighbor’s house when they’re on vacation. Those are just some of the neighborly things you can do.

If you see a house being vandalized (vacant or otherwise); someone walking down the street in the middle of the night pushing a lawnmower; or you suspect squatters are living in a vacant house by you – that’s when it’s time to call for assistance.  If there’s a serious issue going on near you, we need you to keep the association informed by calling the neighborhood hotline at 313.216.1729 so the issue can be addressed.  Don’t forget to call the police at 911 or the Northeastern District at 313.596.5900.  We need YOU to help keep EEV a neighborhood of choice!

New East-side Bulk Drop-off

The City of Detroit Department of Public Works has closed the bulk drop-off location at 5580 Concord at E. Grand Blvd.  However, residents can still take bulk items to the other five locations in Detroit. They are:

·               Davison Yard – 8221 W. Davison, Tues - Sat

·               Southfield Yard – 12255 Southfield Service Drive, Mon-Sat

·               State Fair Yard – 19715 John R, Tues - Sat

·               5840 Anthon between Cavalry and Campbell, Tues - Sat

·               NEW - Waste Management Transfer Station – 1550 Harper, enter on Ferry Street, Mon-Sat

The drop-off locations are open April – October from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and November – March from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. All locations (except Waste Management) are closed from noon - 1 p.m.

Drop-off locations are open to Detroit residents only - proper identification is required. For more information on bulk collection, go the City’s Web site at www.detroitmi.gov

 (photo) map to Waste Management Facility

Recycle and Raise Money

The environmental 3R’s motto, “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”, encourages us all to consume and throw away less, reduce the amount and toxicity of trash we discard, reuse containers and products, repairing broken items or donating serviceable ones, and to recycle as much as possible, which includes buying products with recycled content. Knowing that you are acting in a sustainable way brings its own reward, but now EEV residents can bring paper, cardboard, plastics and other recyclable goods to the new drop-off center on East Warren and our neighborhood will earn money!

Recy-Clean, the company that has developed the “Recycle Here” drop-off recycling centers in Detroit since 2005, is funded by a grant from the Greater Detroit Resource Recovery Authority (GDRRA). As part of their agreement, the organization returns the profits from each drop-off center to the community. Since it’s inception, the group has redirected 1,300,000 pounds of materials from incineration and returned $11,000 to the neighborhoods it serves.

Matthew Naimi of Recy-Clean explains that their program is designed to educate residents on how to recycle, to build recycling efforts in the communities where their statistics show participating residents live, and to build a first step towards ramping up to a curbside recycling pilot program.

An active member of his Cass Corridor community, Matthew started the business when a student came up his driveway asking to start up a recycling program. The “2^nd Saturday on 2^nd Avenue” recycling received a great response, quickly building up to 100 visits per month. Zip code data was collected for a half year and the group approached GDRRA, receiving a six-month grant to develop a drop-off facility on Holden, south of Grand Blvd.

The second phase of the grant, from July 07-June 08, covered expenses to develop mobile drop-off facilities in Corktown, Rosedale and Creekside. The Rosedale community had been running their own paid recycling program for years and now brings in $300-$700 per month for their community. Other new drop-off centers generate $100-$200 per month on average.

This summer, the Recycle Here program expanded to four additional drop-off centers: Eastern Market, EEV, Palmer Park and Clark Park. All centers are within city boundaries, since the organizational goal is to make a difference here in Detroit. The group works with eleven paid Saturday staff and 9-14 volunteers and partners with other companies who process the goods.

The recyclables should be dropped off clean, but labels do not need to be removed. The various products are sorted by category at the drop-off site and then collected at the Holden facility. Truck loads are then shipped to various destinations: plastics #1 and #2 end up in Toronto, books are donated to the Michigan Correctional Library, paper ships to Marquette and glass goes to Dearborn where it is ground up for use in road paint.

For questions on recyclable products, check www.recyclehere.net The mobile recycling truck will be at East Warren and Farmbrook every second Saturday of the month. Park, sign in, separate and help your neighborhood make money!

Pet of the Month

Meet Blue Girl, a two-year-old whippet mix who is full grown at 20 pounds. Blue Girl already knows her manners and enjoys the company of other dogs and cats. She would be a great addition to a family who already has furry-friends at home. Blue Girl is very smart, inquisitive and friendly. She is waiting to amaze you with her intelligence and melt your heart with her loveable doggie kisses. The adoption package includes sterilization surgery, age-appropriate vaccinations, and the Michigan Humane Society 10-day health plan. For more information, please visit or call the Michigan Humane Society Detroit Center for Animal Care at 313-872-3400 and ask about Blue Girl, Pet ID# D174942.

P.S. Would you consider becoming a short-term foster caregiver for an MHS animal who needs a little extra TLC? Fostering an animal is a rewarding and life-saving experience. Foster classes are forming now! To get started, please visit: www.michiganhumane.org/foster

Detroit Children’s Choir

The Detroit Children’s Choir is a vehicle to help Detroit area children grow -- gaining self confidence, social and political awareness, and academic skills – while setting the stage for continued active involvement in the arts throughout their lives.

East Side Neighborhood Choir rehearses Tuesdays at Wayne County Community College District’s Eastern Campus and is now accepting applications from children interested in participating in the 2008 – 09 choir program. Both beginning and intermediate level choirs are offered on the East Side.

The organization’s mission is to use the power and discipline of choral singing to bring together Detroit area children in grades 3-8 - representing a wide range of ethnicity, religious beliefs and socioeconomic levels – to strengthen team building, creativity, social interaction, understanding, and connection.

The chorus goal is to develop young leaders to bring about positive change in our community – now and in the future.

It’s members will become ambassadors to their own communities, the city of Detroit and beyond, as they share their inspired music at local public events and on tour. The group creates an environment for learning through performance and performance through learning and seeks to provide hope for a positive future and opportunity for an alternative experience, while creating a world class children’s choir in the city of Detroit.

Interested children should register on Tuesday, September 16th 4:30 - 7:30 p.m. Experience is not necessary. Choir placement will be determined at the time of registration after the singer's interview. Tuition for the season which runs September 23 – December 9^th is $50. No child will be excluded for financial reasons. Payment plans are available.

Wayne County Community College Eastern Campus is located at 5901 Conner,  Detroit MI 48213. Please call Carol M. Schoch at 248-661-9881 or visit the choir’s website at www.detroitchildrenschoir.org for additional information.