Unload unwanted items at the Eastside Community Cleanup

What’s this cleanup all about?
Eastside community organizations are partnering with the City of Tacoma to cleanup our community because clean neighborhoods are safer neighborhoods. Through this cleanup, neighbors will be given an opportunity to unload unwanted items into dumpsters from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on June 30 at the Sacred Heart Church parking lot (enter via G Street), 4520 McKinley Ave.

Who can participate?
Those who live in a single family home or duplex between East 38th Street and East 56th Street and McKinley and Portland avenues (bring a driver’s license or utility bill to show for proof of residence), and have not used their two City of Tacoma Call-2-Hauls by June 30.

Eligible Items

• Mattresses, couches and chairs
• Carpeting
• Appliances: Empty and doors securely closed and duct taped shut.
• Furnaces: Free of all hazardous material (asbestos, oil, etc.)
• Tanks and Barrels: Completely empty, triple rinsed with no hazardous materials, liquid or residue. Tanks must be cut in half so they can be easily inspected.
• Power yard equipment: Completely emptied of oil and gas. All residue must be cleaned off. Riding lawn mowers will not be accepted.
• Large items can be no longer than nine feet or wider than four feet. Large items cannot weigh over 300 pounds.

These items will not be accepted:

• Tires
• Construction, remodeling or demolition debris
• Items from businesses
• Daily household garbage (Items that go in the kitchen can)
• Liquids, paint or oil based products Call (253) 591-5418 for information regarding proper disposal of liquids and hazardous waste
• Vehicle or vehicle parts: Including car, motorcycle, camper or boat parts, truck canopies, trailers, boats or RV vehicles.
• Recyclable items: cardboard, newspapers, glass, pop cans, etc.
• Yard waste

If you require assistance getting items to the site, if you’d like to volunteer for this event, or for more information, contact Edwina at (253) 474-7083.

Meet HB Top Soil - A true Eastside asset

The Eastside Neighborhood Council is proud of our local merchants and businesses.

Each month Eastside Pride News will spotlight an Eastside business that you should visit and love just as much as we do.

This month we'll shake hands with none other than Luke Becker, owner of HB Top Soil, 4810 Portland Ave. E.

So, Luke, what does your company specialize in?
Rock, dirt, material, landscape supplies, equipment rentals, anything a landscaper needs. What are some of your products? Slates, custom blends for nurseries, compost, special yard blends and gravel. We also still carry some kerosene and propane.

What sets you or your company apart from your competition?
We have a great product and we offer exceptional service. It’s a perfect little store.

How long has your company been in business on the Eastside?
In 1928, we started as a fuel company. In 1946, as H&B fuel, we got our first business license for $1. Then we sold stove oil and appliances and some aggregates like top soil. We’re now focusing and the soil business, and it continues to grow. What has your company done to grow or improve? We work hard at building personal relationships with our customers. We’re always improving customer service. One of our values is integrity. We do what we say we’ll do.

Describe one of the best days you’ve had since you opened your doors on the Eastside.
The best day is every Saturday when families bring all their children. People are waiting in the yard, loading rock and the kids get a quarter for the vending machines. We also volunteer and we bring material and equipment for any Habitat for Humanity project on the Eastside. We help with Young Life projects, too. That’s very rewarding.

Fighting crime is easy - Get to know your neighbors!

Research has shown time and time again that criminals are less likely to frequent areas where neighbors are unified.

You don't have to be best friends with your neighbor, heck, you don't even have to like 'em that much because there's one thing we can all agree on:

Criminal activity on our streets and in our community is completely unacceptable.

To show these hooligans that we mean business, make a concerted effort to get to know your neighbors. Trade phone numbers with them. Keep an open dialoge with them about positive and negative activity in your neighborhood.

WATCH OUT FOR ONE ANOTHER.

There are thousands of Eastsiders, and we simply can't allow criminals, who are in the minority, to continue to remain comfortable in committing crimes on OUR streets, or ruining the beautiful Eastside for the rest of us.

Neighbors that boldly stand together can beat any and all of the odds.

Hillsdale Lumber update headlines Eastside Neighborhood Council agenda

Helllooooo Eastside residents and fans!

To get right on down to the heart of the matter, our Eastside Neighborhood Council meetings are not to be missed.

Our gathering on June 18 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Pool at Stewart Heights is no exception to this rule.

We'll be receiving a Hillsdale Lumber update. Now that Tacoma Housing Authority has become the new owner of this property, we're all so excited to hear about the cleanup of this eye sore, and what type of development will follow.

The Board and all of you attendees will also hear from the City of Tacoma's Dan Soderlind who will give us information about the Portland Avenue overlay construction project.

Some of the VERY BEST news of all is that the Eastside will be home to a community cleanup thanks to the City of Tacoma. Our own board member Edwina will give us the low down on that, and keep your eyes peeled for a separate post regarding this very important event.

As we've previously reported here in Eastside Pride News, several of our board members attended the Neighborhoods U.S.A. conference. They grew and gained from this conference, and they'll share some of their key learnings with all of you.

Another reminder: Don't you DARE miss the April 11 Mixed Use Center meeting from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Pool at Stewart Heights. This movement is all about the future of our Eastside, and your input in this process is critical.

Your Eastside Neighborhood Council cares about you and your thoughts - so be certain to participate in our June 18 gathering so we can get to know you.

The Eastside needs you now more than ever!

The June 11 Mixed Use Center meeting is on - Come one, come ALL

The follow-up meeting to dicuss Mixed Use Centers on the Eastside will take place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on June 11 at the Pool at Stewart Heights on East 56th Street.

We need any and every Eastsider to attend this informative meeting about these potential land use and zoning changes for our area.

Mixed Use Centers are areas of the city that are planned for high density residential development, commercial revitalization and are pedestrian friendly and supported by frequent transit service.

City Planning staff will discuss proposed boundaries and zoning for two new mixed use centers and potential changes to other mixed use centers.

Come learn more about proposed new Mixed Use Centers for:

• McKinley Hill
• South 34th and Pacific

And possible zoning and boundary changes to:

• 72nd and Portland
• 72nd and Pacific Avenue
• Lower Portland Avenue

The Planning Commission and the City Council may consider the proposed changes this year as part of the Annual Amendment to Tacoma’s Comprehensive Plan and Regulatory Code.

For more information, contact Peter Huffman, Community and Economic Development Department, at (253) 591-5373 or check the City’s website at http://www.cityoftacoma.org/planning

YOUR COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME.
The Community and Economic Development Department does not discriminate on the basis of disability in any of its programs or services. Upon request, special accommodations will be provided within five business days. Contact (253)591-5365 (voice) or (253) 591-5153(TTY).

Board meeting update

In our board meeting on May 21, we heard from our Sector Commander, Lt. Kathy McAlpine, who gave us information on, and was soliciting opinions regarding where our new police substation should be. If you'd like to weigh in on this issue, please email Lt. McAlpine at kmcalpin@cityoftacoma.org or call (253) 591-5182.

Tacoma School District Superintendent Charlie Milligan was unable to meet with us this month due to a family concern. Instead, we heard from Miguel Villahermosa of Tacoma Public Schools and Kurt Miller, School Board Member.

Villahermosa updated the board on various existing Eastside programs that work to address issues with Eastside students, including the GREAT program, the Gang Steering Committee, and the Pro-Teen Program. He also let us know that a school that would be built to house both Gault and McIlvaigh middle school students would not start to be constructed until year '09 or '10.

Also of specific interest, Board Member Miller let us know that in the future, the school district will work with the City of Tacoma on the marketing and sales of school property. This may have led to a more successful outcome in solicitating community input regarding the sale of Rogers Elementary since the City has the expertise in involving neighbors and concerned citizens via community meetings and public hearings.

However, bear in mind that your Eastside Neighborhood Council is now committed to staying on top of and keeping you informed about any potential Eastside school sales in the future.

Kathleen Merryman, a columnist from the The News Tribune, was at our meeting, and she wrote the following column: Milligan misses a shot to speak - and listen.

In other business, we learned that the $500 we contributed to a consultant for the Alcohol Impact Area we're working to create won't be needed after all. Our sincere thanks goes to the City of Tacoma for deciding to cover the cost of this consultant.

We'll be discussing and deciding upon the Innovative Grants that so many of you applied for in our June meeting.

Be there or be square! :)

We've changed our name!

At our latest board meeting, we jointly decided to change our name to the Eastside Neighborhood Council, and we've moved away from ENACT.

We want the word Eastside to be on the lips and in the hearts of everyone in Tacoma, and the universe.

Now THAT'S Eastside Tacoma Pride :).

How cool -- The McKinley Street Festival is on mySpace

Those masterminds behind the McKinley Street Festival have created a mySpace Web site for the function.

Bookmark this page, mark your calendars for August 11, and watch your festival grow!

www.myspace.com/topoftacoma

Yah, that's right....we're the Top of Tacoma!

Light up the Eastside! Porchlights unite!

One of the most effective ways to fight crime in our community is simple:

KEEP YOUR PORCH LIGHT ON!!!!!

Imagine how bright your neighborhood would be if everyone did so.

Criminals are less likely to disrupt an area that's well-lit, so replace those bulbs that have gone out, and be sure to encourage all of your neighbors to do the exact same thing.

Our community deserves to shine in the light.

McKinley Street Festival planning meeting - May 23

The next McKinley Street Festival planning meeting will take place at 6 p.m. on May 23 at Celebration Hall, across from Fergie's on McKinley Avenue.

This year's function is shaping up to be one that everyone in our region will want to attend, especially with the integration of the Animalocity pet parade. Plus, here's a little secret: We might also be able to integrate a parade of Harley Davidsons. The South Sound Harley Owners Group devotes so much of their free time to giving back to the community, and they want the Eastside to be as vibrant as we do.

We need all kinds of volunteers, big and small, for the McKinley Street Festival planning committee. Any contribution that you could make to this effort would be so greatly appreciated.

For more information, contact Jesse Hart at jeshart@harbornet.com.

Save the date: June 11 - Mixed Use Center review discussion

Thank you so very much to all of you who attended the Eastside's Mixed Use Center Review discussion on April 2. Now we need you to keep on keepin' on with this process.

Those in attendance on April 2 were supportive of the City of Tacoma's interest in adding Mixed Use Centers to the Eastside as a development incentive. And now that the City has a better idea of the recommendations they'd like to make to the City of Tacoma's Planning Commission, they're seeking a follow up meeting to go over plans for the Eastside and how the review process will proceed.

We need any and all of you to save June 11 on your calender so your views can be represented. We'll be sure to follow up to provide additional details about this meeting as they develop.

For now, for more information, visit http://cityoftacoma.org/Page.aspx?hid=4614.

Eastside Neighborhood Council board members head to NUSA conference

Several of your Eastside Neighborhood Council board members will be venturing to Baton Rounge, La., next week for the annual Neighborhoods U.S.A. conference from May 23 to 25.

NUSA provides opportunities for diverse organizations to share their ideas, values and experiences to build stronger communties.

The Eastside Neighborhood Council board is looking forward to this opportunity to network with fellow community leaders and learn about neighborhood improvement best practices across the country.

We'll be sure to share our key learnings with you when we return.

For more information, visit http://www.nusa.org/.

Salishan Redevelopment project receives national awards

The Eastside Neighborhood Council is so happy to report that the Salishan Hope VI Redevelopment project is garnering national awards:

Tacoma Deputy Mayor Rick Talbert, the Tacoma Housing Authority, Lorig and Torti Gallas and Partners, accepted two national awards from the American Institute of Architects and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development honoring the housing and neighborhood design of New Salishan on May 3 in San Antonio. Later in May, Salishan will also receive an award from the Congress of New Urbanism. For more information, visit the Salishan Hope VI Redevelopment Web site.

We're so proud of this Eastside development, and we know that good things will continue to evolve from it.

Eastside Neighborhood Council board meeting: Meet Tacoma School District Superintendent

We hope you'll be sure to attend the May 21 Eastside Neighborhood Council board meeting from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Pool at Stewart Heights, 402 East 56th Street.

Amongst so many other interesting topics, we'll be meeting with Tacoma School District Superintendent Charlie Milligan who will discuss the future of Tacoma schools. This topic is of paramount importance with Eastside school closures that have occurred, or that the Tacoma School Board is considering. This will be your chance to interact with our superintendent to express your views.

We'll also be discussing several applications that Eastside Neighborhood Council has received for City of Tacoma Innovative Grants. We've received a great and exciting mix this year that our board will consider, including applications for a Portland Avenue Park performance center, an Eastside community cleanup, a neighborhood speed hump, a refencing project and a lighting improvement project. The Eastside Neighborhood Council would sincerely like to thank those grassroots organizers who have submitted applications. It's their dedication to Eastside improvement that continues to make our community a great place to be.

And as always, the ENACT board meeting is your chance to meet and talk with your Eastside Neighborhood Council board members. Let's work together to bring the Eastside to the Top of Tacoma.

For more information, visit http://www.eastsidetacoma.com/default.asp.

We'll see you there!

Eastside Neighborhood Council applauds upcoming Hillsdale Lumber cleanup efforts

The Eastside Neighborhood Council heard positive news about the Hillsdale Lumber property at last night's public board meeting.

Several community members have expressed concerns to the Eastside Neighborhood Council regarding the former Hillsdale Lumber site at 628 E 60th St., which has been abandoned and an eye sore for several years.

Tacoma Housing Authority is now the official owner of that land, and last night they announced that work will begin immediately on continually cleaning up the site until redevelopment of the property begins. This news was greeted with applause from the board and community members alike.

Tacoma Housing Authority is in the process of setting up their financing and creating a development plan for the site, which will include input from the Eastside Neighborhood Council since one of our board members serves on the steering committee for this project.

We'll keep you updated through Eastside Pride News on how this development is shaping up, along with the ways you can provide input during the process.

During the meeting, the Eastside Neighborhood Council also heard an update from Tacoma City Manager Eric Anderson on the City's nuisance code changes and that the City is working with the community to consider how City processes could improved related to rental units in Tacoma.
In addition, Metro Parks Tacoma described master plans to improve four of the Eastside's key parks and recreation areas: Stewart Heights, The Portland Avenue Community Center, McKinley Park and McKinley Playfield. These plans include a total of more than $4 million of improvements to and investment in these Eastside assets.

Through its own investment, the Eastside Neighborhood Council approved a $500 contribution to go toward a consultant that will work with the Eastside and the Tacoma Police Department to create an Alcohol Impact Area that spreads throughout our community. We need EVERY Eastsider to participate in the research that will occur over the next six months, and we'll provide information on how you can participate through Eastside Pride News.

Lastly, Habitat for Humanity offered information on two new Habitat communities that will go in at approximately 48th and Pipeline and East T and Gregory streets. Habitat will be in need of volunteers for these two projects and all of the others they coordinate. For more information, go to http://www.tpc-habitat.org/

Hearing this great news in person and interacting with the representatives from these organizations are excellent reasons to attend our Eastside Neighborhood Council meetings that take place on the third Monday of each month. For more information, go to http://www.eastsidetacoma.com/.

The McKinley Street Festival needs your help

All Eastsiders are invited to join a volunteer party in preparation for this year's McKinley Street Festival. The festival will take place on Aug. 11 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and the volunteer party will occur on April 25 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at Tacoma Christian Center, Celebration Hall.

Pizza, salad and beverages will be served.

The planning committee is in need of section managers and team members for this year's function. An estimated 10 section managers and 75 volunteers will be required.

The great news is that the 2007 festival will be even larger than ever with more activities, including a school supply giveaway, which served over 1000 children in 2006 as well as the Animalocity Pet Parade and Auction, which was held on Opera Alley last year and included hundreds of participants.

With your invovlement and ideas, we know there will be even more exciting news to come about this important festival.

Be sure to attend the volunteer party to learn about the plans underway and how you can be involved with either planning or day-of activities. Several types of skills are needed, from finance, organizational, clerical, set up and tear down, marketing, etc.

This is one of the most positive events on our Eastside and the community needs your help to make it happen!

RSVP via e-mail to jeshart@harbornet.com with Volunteer Party in the subject line or call 253-230-4867.

Welcome to Eastside Pride News!

Hello Eastside residents, activists, business owners and fans!

Welcome to this very first post to your Eastside Pride News publication.

Please allow me to introduce myself as your editor.

My name is Roxanne Murphy, and I'm one of the many dedicated board members from your Eastside Neighborhood Advisory Council of Tacoma, commonly known as ENACT.

We're working to unite the Eastside and we want you to keep you informed on how our Eastside is changing, how your involvement can truly make a difference and the important steps you can take right away to make our neighborhoods safe and vibrant.

We hope you'll add this publication as one of your favorites and check back here often as we become your trusted resource for frequent updates on the news that will continue to foster more and more Eastside Tacoma Pride.

To submit feedback or story ideas, contact me at eastsidetacomapride@hotmail.com.

Thank you for reading, and stay tuned!