Recycling Community Discussion

Happy New Year, NECKO! 

Please see the following message from April regarding a community meeting on recycling that's taking place in our area...

RECYCLE COLUMBUS

What: City of Columbus Recycling
Where: King Ave Methodist Church (299 King Ave)
When: January 19, 2010 at 7:00 pm
How: Entrance on the west side of the building and up steps to parlor
Why: Because we have needed a Citywide recycling program for some time

Recycling, once a luxury, is now a necessity - and Columbus is behind the times. Community leaders and stakeholders are meeting to brainstorm what a City of Columbus recycling program might look like. We need your help to generate these ideas. Because this is a grassroots movement, it is about people, and the more we have the greater voice we have to our public servants. Please join us Tuesday, January 19th, 2010 at the King Ave United Methodist Church (299 King Ave) at 7 pm. We will have a presentation to set the stage and then have multiple activities to generate discussion. These ideas will then be taken before City Council and the Mayor's office in multiple avenues. The City is approaching us in February, and the January meeting will help us prepare. Now is our opportunity to be heard about recycling. We hope to see you then.

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Pop Bottles needed for Next Year's Neighborhood Garden

Hi neighbors! It's getting close to that time again - seed starting time! I know last year we started seeds but didn't get to plant them in our own NECKO Garden and that was disappointing. Happily, the seedlings were sold at the Urban Farmer's Market and given to the other gardens in the University Area, so they didn't go to waste at all. But, this year we are even closer to having the go ahead from OSU and I am confident we will be digging in the dirt by March. So, I'm asking for your help to collect 1500 2-liter pop/juice bottles by Martin Luther King Jr. Day to build a plastic bottle greenhouse to start our seedlings. The greenhouse will live outside the Summit on 16th United Methodist Church where it will have sun all day. Here is the link to the project we are completing on Community Commitment Day, January 18, 2010:
http://www.reapscotland.org.uk/reports/greenhouse%20v1.pdf

If you have 2-liter bottles, please save them and I will sweep the neighborhood at noon on Saturday, January 16th to pick them up from your front porches. Feel free to shoot me an email at aprilcalkovsky@gmail.com to let me know if you have any bottles, or just set them outside. Please feel free to call me if you have any questions OR if you know where I might find a gold mine of empty 2-liter bottles - 614-477-8610.

Thank you NECKO!!
april calkovsky

Holiday Safety

Hello, NECKO -

Courtesy of Officer Smith from the Columbus Police Department, here are some important safety tips for the holidays:

National Crime Prevention Month

Safety Tip Topic:

Holiday Safety-Shopping

The Columbus Division of Police reminds everyone that the holiday season brings with it the potential for an increase of certain crimes.  Citizens can reduce the opportunity for criminal activity by raising their level of awareness and taking a few basic crime prevention measures to protect themselves and property.  The Division offers the following practical tips for your holiday safety.

HOME SECURITY

*If you are traveling during the holidays, have a trusted neighbor(s) pick up your mail, newspaper, and deliveries.  If this is not possible, have them canceled or held.  Never discuss your holiday plans with strangers,  Call Police at 645-4717 to request a house watch.

* When away from home, don't advertise your absence.  Keep your garage door closed and locked.  If you have an automatic opener, consider changing the code if you have never done so since its purchase.  Leave inside lights and decorations on timers to activate when it gets dark.  Never leave a note on the door saying you're out and will return later.

* This is a good time to install excellent locks, and use them!  Remember an extra lock for the sliding glass door.  Deposit extra cash and safeguard expensive items.

* Start a buddy system with your neighbor(s) to watch each other's home.  Report suspicious persons or activity in your neighborhood to the police at 645-4545.  For a life-threatening emergency, call 9-1-1.

* Outside lighting is a good deterrent to prowlers.  Consider porch or yard lights (40-60 watts) for good year-round security.  Light sensors or motion detectors are a good idea.

* Every family member should have his or her own key.  Don't leave keys in the mailbox, under the doormat, or in other traditional hiding places.  Burglars know them all.

HOLIDAY SHOPPING TIPS

* Safeguard your money when shopping.  Carry no more cash than you absolutely need.  Better still, pay by check or credit card.  Never display large amounts of cash around the register.

* Carry your purse securely.  Never leave it unattended in shopping carts or on counter tops or in the car.  Don't get separated from it in a crowded restroom or dressing room.

* Never leave your car unlocked even for a minute.  Always take your keys.  If you must use your vehicle to store packages or valuables, place them out of sight in the trunk.  Park in well-lighted areas.  (When using a parking lot where keys must remain in the car, leave only the vehicle keys.  Take your other keys with you).

* Have your keys ready when you walk across a parking lot.  Be alert for suspicious persons prowling around parked vehicles.  Report suspicious activity to the police at 645-4545.

* Walk with a companion whenever possible.  Confine your routes to well-lighted, populated areas.  The flimflam and con artist step up their activities during the holidays.  If you are approached by a stranger with a deal that sounds too good to be true.  It is.

* Report thefts immediately, no matter how insignificant it may seem.  Police use crime reports to determine how to serve you better.

* After you place packages in the trunk of your car, consider moving your car to another location if you have more shopping to do.

Visit the Columbus Division of Police website at www.columbuspolice.org for information on forming a block watch in your community and for safety tips to keep you and yours safe!