The NECKO Neighborhood

NECKO Street Sweeping Schedule!

2011-10-07T22:06:00.001-04:00

Good evening, NECKO - Looks like the City will be coming through to sweep the streets at the end of next week!

For Immediate Release Contact: Steve Cordetti, 645-2695

October 6, 2011

City of Columbus Regularly-Scheduled Street Sweeping

In German Village and OSU Areas Set For October 11-14

Department of Public Service street sweeping crews are scheduled to sweep several streets in German Village. The west sides of the following streets will be swept on October 11, and the east sides of the following streets will be swept on October 12, with sweeping both days between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m.:

· South 3^rd Street, between East Livingston and Reinhard avenues

· Mohawk Street, between East Livingston and Reinhard avenues

· City Park Avenue, between East Livingston and East Stewart avenues

Street sweeping crews are also scheduled to sweep streets in the Ohio State University area on October 12 between 4 a.m. and 7 a.m.:

· Parking areas on East 13^th, East 14^th, East 16^th and East 18^th avenues between North High Street and North Pearl Street

Within the following boundaries, street sweeping crews will sweep the north and east sides of streets on October 13, and the south and west sides of the streets on October 14, with sweeping on both days between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.:

· North: Arcadia Avenue

· South: Frambes Avenue

· East: Railroad tracks east of North 4^th Street

· West: Olentangy River Road

· North: Frambes Avenue

· South: East and West 5^th Avenue

· East: Railroad tracks east of North 4^th Street

· West: Olentangy River Road

The street sweeping schedule is subject to change due to weather, emergencies requiring Street Maintenance personnel to be reassigned or equipment maintenance.

The city of Columbus asks residents on the above streets to move their parked cars off the street before the restricted parking hours on the sweeping dates to allow street sweeping crews room to clean streets. The OSU area and German Village are two of five areas in Columbus with permanently signs posted that identify street sweeping related parking restrictions. Vehicles that are not moved to allow street sweepers to work in these areas will be impounded and towed at the owner's expense. In addition to this segment of Neil Avenue, other neighborhoods with the permanently posted signs are:

· Italian Village

· Harrison West

· Neil Avenue between Goodale Street and West 9^th Avenue

Scheduled street sweeping on all other Columbus streets with curbs outside the above listed areas with posted parking restrictions and the Downtown Business District is completed for 2011. The boundaries of the Downtown Business District are:

· North: Nationwide Boulevard

· South: Fulton Street (between South 4^th South Front streets)/West Mound Street (between South Front and South 2^nd streets)

· East: North and South 4^th Street

· West: Civic Center Drive/South 2^nd Street

The City sweeps only streets with curbs. The purpose of sweeping streets is to remove dirt, litter and debris from curbs to prevent the materials from being washed by rain into storm sewers. Litter and debris washed into storm sewers subsequently is carried to our waterways.

Contact the city of Columbus 311 Customer Service Center at 311 or 645-3111 or online at www.311.columbus.gov for general information about street sweeping in Columbus. Street sweeping and other Department of Public Service information is also available on the department's Facebook site at www.facebook.com/ColumbusPublicService and Twitter account at http://twitter.com/ColumbusDPS.

-30-

Rick Tilton

Assistant Director

Department of Public Service

109 North Front Street

Columbus, Ohio 43215

Phone: (614) 645-7263

Fax: (614) 645-7805

Medical Center Tour Featured on OSU MC Blog

2011-08-23T21:38:00.006-04:00

Good evening, NECKO -

Thanks again to everyone who attended last week's guided tour of the Medical Center construction. It was a great tour of the major expansion occurring next to our neighborhood and of the new Spirit of Women Park installation.

Thanks especially to OSU officials for arranging the tour and fielding all of our questions - from the impact on the neighborhood to just how long it takes the crane operator to climb all of those stairs!

Please check out their post about the tour.

OSUMC Neighbors Get a Bird's Eye View of Construction

Their presentation is also available by clicking here.

Have a great evening!

News Item: Spirit of Women Park Construction Moving Along

2011-08-17T21:49:00.001-04:00

Good evening, NECKO - We're looking forward to seeing you tomorrow at
the OSU Medical Center tour! (5 p.m. at the Ross Heart Hospital)

Until then, here's a link to a new post on the Spirit of Women Park
Construction.

http://projectoneblog.osumc.edu/2011/08/17/spirit-of-women-park-construction-moving-along/

Looks like the new park is really coming along!

Reminder! - Thursday Tour of OSU Medical Center Construction

2011-08-14T15:24:00.000-04:00

Good afternoon, NECKO Neighborhood: Don't forget about this Thursday's tour of the OSU Medical Center construction! Join us around 5 p.m. in front of the Ross Heart hospital for a guided walking tour.

This is a unique chance to hear about these projects firsthand from Dr. Dave Schuller, Vice President of Medical Center Expansion and Outreach and Jay Kasey, Chief Operating Office of The Ohio State University Health System.

Here are the details:

If you'd like to join us, please email your name and the number of guests to info@necko.org

OSU Medical Center Construction Tour

Thursday, August 18th @ 5:00 p.m. (tour departs at 5:15 p.m.)

Meet in the Ross Heart Hospital Lobby

Here's a link to a map of the meeting location:

http://medicalcenter.osu.edu/pdfs/maps/OSUMC_gray.pdf

If you'd like to join us, please email your name and the number of guests to info@necko.org

Feel free to share the invitation with your neighbors, family, and friends.

Thanks again to the OSU Medical Center for the great invitation!

Neighborhood Tour - OSU Medical Center Construction

2011-07-28T23:03:00.000-04:00

Good evening, NECKO Neighborhood:

The OSU Medical Center has extended an invitation to a walking tour of the Medical Center campus and of the major construction projects underway. Join your neighbors for a unique chance to hear about these projects firsthand from Dr. Dave Schuller, Vice President of Medical Center Expansion and Outreach and Jay Kasey, Chief Operating Office of The Ohio State University Health System.

Here are the details:

If you'd like to join us, please email your name and the number of guests to info@necko.org

OSU Medical Center Construction Tour

Thursday, August 18th @ 5:00 p.m. (tour departs at 5:15 p.m.)

Meet in the Ross Heart Hospital Lobby

Here's a link to a map of the meeting location:

http://medicalcenter.osu.edu/pdfs/maps/OSUMC_gray.pdf

If you'd like to join us, please email your name and the number of guests to info@necko.org

Feel free to share the invitation with your neighbors, family, and friends.

Thanks to the OSU Medical Center for the great invitation!

Spirit of Women Park Construction Update

2011-07-11T20:51:00.001-04:00

Good evening, NECKO - Please see the message from Dr. Gabbe and Dr. Schuller from the OSU Medical Center regarding the construction of the new Spirit of Women Park. It looks to be a beautiful space! You can find more info on the park and the other construction on their blog page: http://projectoneblog.osumc.edu/

And don't forget our neighborhood meeting this Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Creative Living. See you then!

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Bontrager, Erin
Date: Mon, Jul 11, 2011 at 9:41 AM
Subject: Spirit of Women Park Construction Update

Dear NECKO neighbors,

While the construction fences have gone up and earth is being moved, we wanted to provide you with an update on the reconstruction of the Chlois G. Ingram Spirit of Women Park, which will now be located adjacent to your neighborhood on the Medical Center Plaza.

We are thrilled that the new Park will occupy a more prominent and visible site, welcoming visitors to the Medical Center campus and our neighbors in the surrounding community.

The former Spirit of Women Park was deconstructed in the fall of 2009 to accommodate the work on the new James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute and Critical Care Tower. In January, we shared concepts and renderings for the new Park with you, a special place dedicated to extraordinary women who impact the lives of others.

The Park's new design includes attractive and expansive space for relaxation, reflection and play. Design features include glass tiles that will be etched with the artwork from the tiles of the former Park. These glass tiles will be integrated into the Park's beautiful, soothing water feature. The calming setting will be conducive to healing and rejuvenation. The park will also provide wireless Internet access.

A majority of the park's construction will be complete by fall 2011, while the installation of the glass will take place in spring 2012 prior to the official opening.

We encourage you to visit the Spirit of Women Park when it is completed. In the meantime, you can view a rendering of the new Park and photos of the tiles from the former Park on the Medical Center's Facebook page. Enclosed are two renderings of the park.

Thank you for your patience and friendship; your continued support and your involvement in our expansion plans are critical to our success. We want to be a good neighbor to you, and we welcome your thoughts and ideas. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have questions or concerns.

Sincerely yours,

Steven G. Gabbe, MD

Senior Vice President for Health Sciences

Chief Executive Officer, OSU Medical Center

Dave Schuller, MD

Vice President, Medical Center Expansion and Outreach

Medical Director, Expansion Campaign

Neighborhood Meeting - 7/14 @ 7:30 p.m.

2011-07-01T16:10:00.001-04:00

Good evening, NECKO -

Mark your calendars for the next scheduled neighborhood meeting on Thursday, July 14 at 7:30 p.m. at the at the Creative Living Center (West 8th & Perry) to discuss a few major items going on in the neighborhood including a Medical Center tour, the Neighborhood Garden, the new park space on West 8th Ave, parking issues, and more.

See you then!

PS Don't forget to check out our website at www.necko.org.

4th of July Holiday Will Affect Refuse Collection Service Schedule In Columbus

2011-06-29T22:44:00.001-04:00

Good evening, NECKO - Please see the important message regarding trash collection service below. Thanks to University Area Commissioner Susan Keeny for passing this along!

---------- Forwarded message ----------

For Immediate Release Contact: Steve Cordetti, 645-2695

June 28, 2011

4^th of July Holiday Will Affect Refuse Collection

Service Schedule In Columbus

City trash service in Columbus will not be provided on Monday, July 4, in observance of the 4^th of July Holiday. Observance of the holiday will prompt changes in the collection schedule for City regular trash, yard waste and recycling in Columbus as noted below.

For residents assigned a collection color:

· Collection of trash in color-coded collection areas will rotate forward one day, the week of the 4^th of July Day Holiday as follows:

§ Monday, July 4: No Collection

§ Tuesday, July 5: Gold

§ Wednesday, July 6: Gray

§ Thursday, July 7: Navy

§ Friday, July 8: Pink

§ Monday, July 11: Ruby

The color-coded schedule will rotate again on Labor Day, Monday, September 5

Zone-Area Collection Schedule

· Customers who live in zone-schedule areas have a two-day collection window

· Customers with dumpsters or other non-wheeled collection containers receive collection within their two-day window throughout the year

· Zone customers with a wheeled container and a Monday-Tuesday window for pickup will receive their 4^th of July Holiday week collection on the second day of their window

Curbside Yard Waste and Subscription Recycling Collection

· Yard waste and curbside subscription recycling service will be collected on their own schedule

· Collection of curb-side yard waste and subscription recycling scheduled for the 4^th of July Holiday, July 4, will be delayed one day, with collections taking place Tuesday through Saturday

Columbus residents can also dispose of their yard waste at any one of nine free yard-waste drop-off locations (please call ahead for hours of operation):

· Com-Til, the City's compost facility: 7000 Jackson Pike, Columbus (614) 645-3152

· Kurtz Bros. and Mulch Manufacturing Inc.: Residents may be asked to show proof that they are a Columbus or Franklin County resident.

§ 2850 Rohr Road, Groveport (Kurtz Bros.); (614) 491-0868

§ 6055-C Westerville Road, Westerville (Kurtz Bros.); (614) 882-0200

§ 6279 Houchard Road, Dublin (Kurtz Bros.); (614) 873-2000

§ 6747 Taylor Road S.W. (Mulch Manufacturing, Inc.); (614) 864-4004

· Ohio Mulch: Please be prepared with a driver's license or some form of documentation identifying you as a Columbus resident, otherwise you will be charged

§ 4120 Roberts Road, Columbus (Ohio Mulch); (614) 921-9330

§ 4665 Westerville Rd. (Ohio Mulch); (614) 891-3242

§ 1600 Universal Rd. (Ohio Mulch); (614) 445-4455

§ 537 Reynoldsburg-New Albany Rd. (Ohio Mulch); (614) 863-0445

· For more information on trash, recycling and yard waste pickup, residents can:

§ Call the Columbus Call Center at (614) 645-3111 (311 from many home phones) for information about trash pickup

§ Call Rumpke at 1-800-828-8171 for information about the collection of yard waste and subscription recycling

§ Can look up their collection days on the Columbus 311 website: 311.columbus.gov

Rick Tilton

Assistant Director

Department of Public Service

109 North Front Street

Columbus, Ohio 43215

Phone: (614) 645-7263

Fax: (614) 645-7805

It's gardening season... NECKO Neighborhood Garden plots now available!

2011-05-02T21:58:00.001-04:00

Hello, NECKO neighborhood -

It's time to grow veggies, flowers and fruit - are you ready?

The NECKO Community Garden is kicking things into full swing on May 14th at 10 a.m. (rain date May 21st). Join us to plant veggies in the community plot.

Interested in having your own plot? Learn about the garden and read over the garden rules and registration here. Also, be sure to check out the neighborhood website at www.necko.org.

Email April Calkovsky, Garden Coordinator, at garden@necko.org for more information about the event and/or to discuss reserving a garden plot for this year.

See you on the 14th!

- April

Reminder - House Rep. To Hold Community Office Hours - 3/26 10am

2011-03-24T19:40:00.001-04:00

Good evening, NECKO:

As a reminder, NECKO's state representative, Michael Stinziano, is holding community office hours this Saturday, March 26th from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at King Avenue UMC at 299 King Avenue. Should be a good chance to meet our local representative and discuss local concerns. More info is here.

In addition, Rep. Stinziano is hosting a Small Business Advisory Council Meeting on Thursday, April 7^th at 6 p.m. also at King Avenue UMC.

Thanks to UAC Commissioner Susan Keeny for passing this along!

As always, don't forget to check out www.necko.org for neighborhood information!

House Rep. To Hold Community Office Hours - 3/26 10a.m.-1p.m.

2011-02-10T23:20:00.001-05:00

Good evening, NECKO:

NECKO's state representative, Michael Stinziano, is holding community office hours on Saturday, March 26th from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at King Avenue UMC at 299 King Avenue. Should be a good chance to meet our local representative and discuss local concerns. More info is here. Thanks to UAC Commissioner Susan Keeny for passing this along!

As always, don't forget to check out www.necko.org for neighborhood information!

Neighborhood support

2011-02-02T21:37:00.001-05:00

Good evening, NECKO: Hopefully everyone is coping with the ice storm, but please see the message from Susan Keeny below if you're having any difficulties...

Begin forwarded message:

Subject: neighborhood support

William,

I wanted you to know that if any of our NECKO neighbors and friends are experiencing a power shortage and would like to warm up, charge cell phones, etc. King Avenue UMC at King and Neil is open all day and evening. Call the church office at 424-6050, or just stop by.

Thanks,

Susan Keeny

OSU Medical Center "Project One Update" Presentation

2011-01-12T20:40:00.002-05:00

Good evening, NECKO -

OSU Medical Center officials came out to present to neighbors last Thursday evening about the major "Project One" expansion of the OSU Medical Center.

Their presentation included new information and timelines for this major construction project. Discussion covered topics ranging from the new greenspace on West 8th and community garden space to construction of the 18 story hospital tower and future realignment of Cannon to open up space along the river and for future expansion.

The presentation is available on their website http://projectoneblog.osumc.edu/ and also as a PDF here:

http://projectoneblog.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/necko-presentation-jan-2011-1-11-d.pdf

The presentation includes new renderings of the new Chlois G. Ingram Spirit of Women Park and Phyllis A. Jones Legacy Park.

Thanks again to OSU for the outreach!

PS Don't forget to check out the neighborhood website at http://www.necko.org.

Reminder! Tomorrow's Special Event: OSU Medical Center Expansion Update

2011-01-05T20:10:00.000-05:00

Good evening - Hope to see you at tomorrow special event!

Please join us for a special presentation from the OSU Medical Center expansion project on Thursday, January 6 at 7 p.m. with guest:

David E.Schuller, M.D.

Vice President, Medical Center Expansion and Outreach

Medical Director, ProjectONE Campaign

Meeting Details:
Thursday, January 6 at 7 p.m.
King Avenue United Methodist Church
299 King Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43201

Dr. Schuller will be updating neighbors on the progress of the OSU "Project One" Medical Center Expansion. 2010 saw a lot from the new neighborhood garden and greenspace to major construction on new infrastructure and buildings, so we're looking forward to an update on what to expect for 2011.

Information on previous meetings and other neighborhood goings on are at http://www.necko.org and also on the Project One blog at http://projectone.osu.edu/

Special thanks to the King Avenue United Methodist Church and University Area Commissioner Susan Keeny for hosting the meeting!

Special Event: OSU Medical Center Expansion Update 1/6 @ 7 p.m.

2010-12-22T19:54:00.001-05:00

Good evening -

Please join us for a special presentation from the OSU Medical Center expansion project on Thursday, January 6 at 7 p.m. with guest:

David E.Schuller, M.D.

Vice President, Medical Center Expansion and Outreach

Medical Director, ProjectONE Campaign

Professor, Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery

John W. Wolfe Chair in Cancer Research

CEO Emeritus, The James

Director Emeritus, Comprehensive Cancer Center

Meeting Details:
Thursday, January 6 at 7 p.m.
King Avenue United Methodist Church
299 King Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43201

Dr. Schuller will be updating neighbors on the progress of the OSU "Project One" Medical Center Expansion. 2010 saw a lot from the new neighborhood garden and greenspace to major construction on new infrastructure and buildings, so we're looking forward to an update on what to expect for 2011.

Information on previous meetings and other neighborhood goings on are at http://www.necko.org and also on the Project One blog at http://projectone.osu.edu/

Special thanks to the King Avenue United Methodist Church and University Area Commissioner Susan Keeny for hosting the meeting!

We'll look to see you at the 1/6 meeting. Until then, have a great holiday season and happy new year!

Reminder: Neighborhood Holiday Get Together

2010-12-07T10:52:00.000-05:00

Good morning, NECKO!

Just a reminder about the neighborhood holiday gathering this Thursday at 7:30. It's a potluck focused on desserts and treats and drinks, so please bring something to share if you'd like!

Here's the info: Thursday, December 9th at 7:30 p.m. at Creative Living (1531 Perry St.)

Thanks to Creative Living for hosting!

Neighborhood Holiday Get Together

2010-11-20T09:13:00.000-05:00

Hello, NECKO -

It's time to mark your calendars for this year's Neighborhood Holiday
Get Together...

Mark your calendars for Thursday, December 9th at 7:30 p.m. at
Creative Living (1531 Perry Street).

More details to follow, but feel free to share any ideas!

Have a great weekend!

NECKO Garden Volunteer wins "Outstanding Community Volunteer" Award!

2010-11-07T19:24:00.002-05:00

Good evening, NECKO -

Join us in congratulating NECKO Volunteer and Neighborhood Garden Coordinator, April Calkovsky!

April is the recipient of the "Outstanding Community Volunteer" Award of the International Voluntary Organizations and UNA-USA Columbus Chapter. The award recognizes her leadership and effort in coordinating the NECKO Neighborhood Garden implementation this year. She was honored among other Columbus residents at this weekend's International Festival.

Great job, April!!!

Also, congratulations to NECKO Resident Marlinda Iyer for also being recognized today for her work on the festival!

Pilot Project: Dumpster Info

2010-11-04T21:26:00.002-04:00

Good evening, NECKO -

Some you may have noticed that a few dumpsters in the neighborhood have been spray painted with "DO NOT BLOCK" and other helpful information. This is a pilot project launched by some folks in association with the University Area Commission and spearheaded by Susan Keeny in our area.

If you're interested in helping to finish the painting or in having yours painted, please email us at info@necko.org.

Photos of the dumpsters and more neighborhood info are at www.necko.org.

Thanks!

Putting the Community Garden to Bed

2010-10-31T13:14:00.000-04:00

Hello NECKO Community Gardeners,

It's time to wrap up the 2010 garden season!

I would like to use next Saturday, November 6 to put the entire NECKO
community garden to bed. I will be there (barring rain) from 10am to
3pm working in the community plot and would appreciate the help of as
many volunteers as possible. If you have your own shovels, hoes,
rakes, and gloves, please bring them. Unless there are plants which
are still producing (eggplant and maybe radish, greens and chard), I
plan to remove all of the plant material, do some soil turning, and
Thanks to Butch, there is straw to lay down to help in the amending of
the community plot.

thanks so much!

april

garden@necko.org

Service Event: Dumpster Info Project

2010-10-13T22:14:00.001-04:00

Good evening, NECKO -

Please join your neighbors on Saturday at 1 p.m. for a pilot service project. Area Commissioner and neighbor, Susan Keeny, will be leading us in an effort to add information to the 300-gallon dumpsters in the alleys. The project will involve spray paint, so be dressed appropriately. The idea is to add contact and other info to the dumpsters to help with trash and litter problems in the area.

Neighbors will be meeting behind the house at 358 King Ave to get started.

See you Saturday!

P.S. Feel free to share this email and our website with your list, neighbors, or friends at http://www.necko.org

Garden Cookout on Friday!

2010-09-30T20:52:00.001-04:00

Good evening, NECKO:

Our garden coordinator, April, has invited everyone to an End of Season Cookout at the NECKO Garden this Friday, October 1st from 5:30-7:30pm. If you'd like to bring a dish, please do so, but it is not necessary.

It's been a great first year for the NECKO community garden, so feel free to stop by to meet your neighbors, see the garden, and celebrate the hard work of the gardeners!

See you tomorrow!

For more info, please email April at garden@necko.org or see the website at www.necko.org

Meeting Reminder - 9/27 @ 7 p.m.

2010-09-26T10:26:00.001-04:00

Good morning, NECKO -

Just a reminder to please come and join us at a neighborhood meeting tomorrow, Monday, September 27 at 7 p.m. at the at the Creative Living Center (West 8th & Perry) to discuss a few major items going on in the neighborhood including a neighborhood cleanup in October, a season ending report on the Neighborhood Garden, the new park space on West 8th Ave, and more.

See you then!

PS Don't forget to check out our website at www.necko.org.

Residential Parking Permit Renewals Not Mailed

2010-09-24T20:56:00.001-04:00

Good evening, NECKO -

A few folks have informed us that the City of Columbus is not mailing residential parking permit renewal forms to University Area Districts such as the "NK" parking district this year. Instead, residents are required to go to the City's Service Center to purchase the permits. Apparently, the new approach is to cut down on permits being issued to former residents.

The current permits expire on 9/30, so if you depend on one, you'll need to go for a new one soon.

Here's the link: http://columbuspvb.com/Residential-Parking-Permit.htm

Please note that the facility is open Saturday from 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. You'll need $25, a driver's license, your car registration, and some proof that you live in your house (i.e. utility bill, mortgage statement, etc.). The website also has more info and a form you can fill out in advance.

Good luck!

PS The info will be up on http://www.necko.org as well, so feel free to forward or share!

New Green Space on West 8th!!!

2010-09-18T09:43:00.004-04:00

Good morning, NECKO - -

If you haven't walked past the intersection of West 8th and Michigan Ave. lately, be sure to stroll down to take a look at the new green space!

As promised by the OSU Medical Center, this former longtime gravel parking lot has been converted to a grassy landscaped area.

Here is a photo from earlier this week and at our website at www.necko.org:

New NECKO-Area Green Space

Since the photo was taken, a whole row of shrubs and several more trees were planted. It looks great!

Kudos to OSU and the Medical Center for the great work in beautifying this corner of the neighborhood!

Have a good day!

NECKO Meeting - Neighborhood Issues & Garden Update Monday 9/27 @ 7 p.m.

2010-09-16T21:11:00.001-04:00

Good evening, NECKO -

Please come and join us at a neighborhood meeting on Monday, September 27 at 7 p.m. at the at the Creative Living Center (West 8th & Perry) to discuss a few major items going on in the neighborhood including a neighborhood cleanup in October, a season ending report on the Neighborhood Garden, the new park space on West 8th Ave, and more.

See you then!

PS Don't forget to check out our website at www.necko.org.

Labor Day Holiday Will Affect Refuse Collection Schedules In Columbus

2010-09-06T11:57:00.000-04:00

Good morning, NECKO!

Please see the important message below regarding trash pick up from Susan Keeny.

Happy Labor Day!

---------- Forwarded message ----------

Labor Day Holiday Will Affect Refuse Collection Schedules In Columbus

For Immediate Release                          Contact:   Melanie Crabill, 419-0790
September 1, 2010

Trash, recycling and yard waste in Columbus will not be collected on Monday, September 6, in observance of the Labor Day Holiday. This will prompt changes in the collection schedule for trash, recycling and yard waste in Columbus as noted below.

For residents assigned a collection color:

Collection of trash in color-coded collection areas will rotate forward one day, the week of Labor Day as follows:

Color-Coded Area Trash Collection
September 6 Monday No Collection
September 7 Tuesday PINK
September 8 Wednesday RUBY
September 9 Thursday GOLD
September 10 Friday GRAY
September 13 Monday NAVY

The color-coded schedule will not rotate again until Columbus Day on October 11.

Zone-Area Collection Schedule

Customers who live in zone-schedule areas have a two-day collection window. Customers with dumpsters or other non-wheeled collection containers receive collection within their two-day window throughout the year. Zone customers with a wheeled container will receive collection on the second day of their window, the week of September 6.

Curbside Subscription Recycling and Yard-Waste Collection

Yard waste and recycling, are collected on their own schedule. Collection of curb-side subscription recycling and subscription yard waste will be delayed one day, the week of

September 6, with collections taking place Tuesday through Saturday.

Columbus residents can also dispose of their yard waste at any one of nine free yard-waste drop-off locations (please call ahead for hours of operation):

Com-Til, the City's compost facility: 7000 Jackson Pike, Columbus (614) 645-3152
Kurtz Bros. and Mulch Manufacturing Inc.: Residents may be asked to show proof that they are a Columbus or Franklin County resident.
2850 Rohr Road, Groveport (Kurtz Bros.); (614) 491-0868
6055-C Westerville Road, Westerville (Kurtz Bros.); (614) 882-0200
6279 Houchard Road, Dublin (Kurtz Bros.); (614) 873-2000
6747 Taylor Road S.W. (Mulch Manufacturing, Inc.); (614) 864-4004
Ohio Mulch: Please be prepared with a driver's license or some form of documentation identifying you as a Columbus resident, otherwise you will be charged.
4120 Roberts Road, Columbus (Ohio Mulch); (614) 921-9330
4665 Westerville Rd. (Ohio Mulch); (614) 891-3242
1600 Universal Rd. (Ohio Mulch); (614) 445-4455
537 Reynoldsburg-New Albany Rd. (Ohio Mulch); (614) 863-0445

Residents can call the Columbus Call Center at (614) 645-3111 (311 from many home phones) for information about trash pickup and Rumpke at 1-800-828-8171 for information about the collection of yard waste and subscription recycling. Residents also can look up their collection days on the Columbus 311 website: 311.columbus.gov <http://311.columbus.gov>

Melanie Crabill
Public Relations Specialist
109 N. Front Street Columbus, OH 43215
Cell:    (614) 419-0790

Student Move-Out Plan from UAC

2010-08-09T22:12:00.000-04:00

Good evening, NECKO - Please see the important information below regarding student move-out and furniture donation. Feel free to share with neighbors or other groups. Don't forget that 3-1-1 can assist you in scheduling bulk pickup.

- William

---------- Forwarded message ----------


					SPECIAL COMMUNITY NOTICE

Student Move-out/Move-in Starts this Month

Here is what you can do to help your community and be green.

If you are a University District resident moving-out and have any of the following items that you will not be taking with you to your final destination:
o Furniture in good condition
o Mattresses that are not stained or ripped
o Couches that are not stained or rippped
o Kitchen Utensils
o Bedding
o Clothing

These items can be donated to Volunteers of America and you can schedule a pick-up with them and they will send out a truck to pick the larger items up. They also may have a smaller truck scheduled to pick up the smaller items on your street.
Call (614) 272-2363 today to schedule a pick-up! - They do not accept televisions.

You can also request a pick-up of good, clean, reusable furniture and household items from the Furniture Bank of Central Ohio. They do accept televisions, but you will need to have them pick-up at least one piece of good furniture if they are to pick-up smaller household items and tvs. They will schedule a pick-up within one week of your call to (614) 272-9544. Click here for details.

What should I do with items that cannot be donated?
Items that cannot be donated should be set out next to your dumpster (DO NOT BLOCK THE DUMPSTER) and a Bulk-Item Pick-up Request must be made to (614) 645-3111 or online at http://311.columbus.gov/COCOBS/. This service is free of charge, but a request must be reported before they will schedule a pick-up.

Starting in late August, Bulk Collection Sites will be located throughout the University District. To help the City of Columbus, and to keep our neighborhood cleaner, please transport bulk-items (like damaged furniture, old carpets, unusable mattresses and old appliances) to the Bulk-Item Collection Sites. A map of the drop-off locations will be distributed shortly.

Please remember to place trash and litter in your regular refuse container, and make sure not to block the containers with Bulk-Items. BLOCKED REFUSE CONTAINERS WILL NOT BE PICKED-UP.

Thank you for your continued support of the University Area Commission and our neighborhood.

Election Issues House Meeting

2010-07-19T20:20:00.001-04:00

Hello, NECKO - Susan Keeny asked me to forward this to our list about an upcoming neighborhood area meeting. Have a great evening!

-------------------

ELECTION ISSUES HOUSE MEETING

July 26, 2010

7 - 8 PM

358 King Avenue

Susan and John Keeny will host an information gathering regarding the upcoming elections and issues affecting our neighborhood. The event is one of numerous house meetings occurring throughout Columbus to identify issues and situations in our lives of which candidates running for office in the November election need to be aware.

The event is sponsored by the non-partisan organization, FaithVote Columbus. For more information on this organization, please visit their website at www.ohio-iaf.org .

We hope to see as many of our neighbors and friends as possible. Dessert and beverages will be served. Please call either 614-716-8284 or 937-479-0201 to RSVP.

Many Thanks,

Susan and John Keeny

Update on CPD Redistricting

2010-07-12T22:04:00.001-04:00

Good evening, NECKO - Please see the important update on the Columbus Police Redistricting below from Area Commissioner Susan Keeny.

---------- Forwarded message ----------

Subject: Update on CPD Redistricting

Hello Everyone,

I wanted to let you know that the Columbus Police Department will be implementing their redistricting plan this Sunday. This will impact the University District in that Precinct 3 will now extend south from Clintonville to Lane Ave and 4 Precinct will shift from Arcadia south and now start at Lane Ave and extend south into the Short North area just south of 5th Ave (to I believe 3rd Ave). 1st Precinct that has served the Short North south will now be served by 16 Precinct south of 3rd Ave.

For simplicity sake it is safe to say that Olde North Columbus is now served by Precinct 3, and the rest of the University District is served by Precinct 4. Please share this new information with your fellow neighbhors, business owners and area stakeholders. And as always continue to ask them to support our police officers and thank them for keeping our community safe.

Here is a link to the Dispatch article that has the proposed precincts

http://www.dispatchpolitics.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/02/21/copy/police_plan.ART_ART_02-21-10_A1_6JGL2HO.html?sid=101

(edited for length)

Respectfully,

Ian MacConnell, President

University Area Commission

NECKO Garden Fundraising at ComFest 2010

2010-06-22T22:15:00.000-04:00

Good evening, NECKO - The NECKO Neighborhood Garden has a great fundraising opportunity at ComFest this weekend. Please see the note from April below. You can email her at garden@necko.org. Don't forget to check the website for more garden information at www.necko.org!

----------Message ----------

Date: Mon, Jun 21, 2010 at 9:15 AM

Hello Volunteers, Supporters and Gardeners!
ComFest is this weekend, June 25, 26, & 27 in Goodale Park. ComFest draws thousands of people from all over to celebrate this wonderful community of people, share great music, interesting food, and various local vendors and artisans. As you can imagine, it takes a big, organized effort to clean up at the end of each day's celebration. To encourage volunteers to help in the clean up efforts, the folks at ComFest have created a fantastic fundraising program for community folks like us!

Here's the deal:
Join the cleanup crew from 10pm to 2am on Friday, Saturday or Sunday evening and $$$EARN MONEY$$$ for the organization of your choice!! Working Sunday evening earns you a slightly higher rate of pay. I'll know the exact figure tomorrow, but I believe you earn $10/hour for your organization! How can we do this since the NECKO Garden isn't its own 501(3)(c)? Because we are part of the University Area Garden Collective, organized by the University Area Enrichment Association (UAEA). Catherine Girves, Director of UAEA, has offered to designate funds you earn specifically to the NECKO Garden. These funds will be UNRESTRICTED - this means we can spend them on anything garden related. We could purchase fencing for the community plot, pay the water bill, plan a community garden picnic celebration, save money for next year's expenses, or if necessary - buy an insurance policy :) Isn't this exciting??
Here's what to do:
Go to www.comfest.com Click on Volunteer and complete the form. Where it says "I would like to donate my hours worked to the following group:" type in University Area Enrichment Association. You will receive a confirmation email later that day or the next day. Make sure you tell me that you are donating your hours to the NECKO Garden so I can report that to UAEA. I will have full and complete details about check in after I go through a supervisor training session on Tuesday. I will be working the 10pm-2am shifts on Friday and Saturday.

If you can't work the 10pm to 2am shift but still want to help out with ComFest, there are lots of other ways to volunteer. Volunteers for other shifts and other types of work receive beer/food tokens and a t-shirt. For instance, if you'd like to help out with bike parking at ComFest, please go to www.comfest.com - this is my favorite place to volunteer during ComFest!
You'll get the tokens and the t-shirt for helping out! Last year we parked almost 2500 bikes over the 3 days! It's tons of fun and encourages people to bike instead of drive :)

To learn more about the good work that the University Area Enrichment Association is doing in the University Area, visit www.uaea.org or ask me :)

Thanks to everyone for making the garden a success!!

April Calkovsky

Update: Route 315 Construction Information

2010-06-09T18:00:00.000-04:00

Good afternoon, NECKO - Construction season is upon us. This is an incredibly helpful update on what to expect...

Route 315 construction information

via onCampus by JeffMcCallister on 6/9/10

The second phase of the State Route 315 construction project is scheduled to begin the day after Spring Commencement, June 14 and run through early September. During this time, traffic will be shifted to the northbound lanes so that construction crews can work on the eight bridges and three miles of highway in the southbound lanes between I-670 and Ackerman Road.

Several 315 entrance and exit ramps will be closed throughout the construction, including those at Lane Avenue. (Only the exit ramp from SR 315 north to Lane Avenue will be open at the beginning of construction. It will close on July 12 for about 30 days.) Faculty, staff, students, patients and visitors are encouraged to pay close attention to detour signs and expect some delays.

Below are specific directions to reach central campus, the Medical Center and the Veterinary Medical Center as well as directions for exiting campus:

Central Campus:

To reach central campus, motorists should take the Ackerman Road exits. Southbound motorists should turn left while northbound motorists should turn right onto Ackerman Road, then turn right onto Fred Taylor Drive and then left onto Woody Hayes Drive. Woody Hayes will connect motorists with Cannon Drive, College Road and High Street.

Medical Center:

Northbound motorists should take the Medical Center Drive exit, and turn left onto Cannon Drive. Southbound motorists should take the King/Kinnear exit and then turn left onto Olentangy River Road. Turn left off Olentangy onto King Avenue and then left again onto Cannon Drive. The blue "H" hospital signs will help to guide you.

NOTE: There is heavy construction in the Medical Center area, especially on 10^th and 12^th Avenues. Pay close attention to detour and construction signage and expect delays.

Veterinary Medical Center:

All motorists should use the Ackerman Road exit to reach the Veterinary Medical Center.

Southbound motorists should turn left while northbound motorists should turn right onto Ackerman Road. Then turn right onto Fred Taylor Drive, (past Lane Avenue) turn right onto Woody Hayes Drive, left onto John Herrick Dr. and finally left onto Vernon L. Tharp Street.

Exiting Campus:

To State Route 315: To get to 315 northbound, take the Ackerman Road entrance ramp to 315 north. To get to 315 southbound, take Cannon Drive to King Avenue. Turn right on King Avenue and proceed to Olentangy River Road. Turn left or south onto Olentangy — the entrance ramp to 315 south is on the left just before Goodale Street.

To I-670: To reach 670 east, take Olentangy River Road south to Goodale. Turn left on Goodale, then left on Neil Avenue and then right onto 670 east.

For more information about the SR315 project, visit www.buckeyetraffic.org/315

Construction Map:

The occurrence of road closures/detours and the loss of surface parking spaces during summer construction will impact daily travel and may create a ripple effect in other areas of campus as customers use alternate roadways or relocate to new parking areas. For a list of current construction projects, visit: www.osu.edu/map/construction.php

Alternative Travel Options:

Congested roads might offer the opportunity to try new travel modes to and from campus.

COTA offers several bus routes to campus. Visit www.cota.com.
MORPC VanPools are available. Visit osuvanpooling.morpc.org.
Bicycle information and support can be found through the Mid Ohio Regional Planning Commission. Visit www.morpc.org/transportation/bicycle_pedestrian/main.asp.

Volunteers Needed for UAC Election Day

2010-05-18T19:35:00.001-04:00

Good evening, NECKO -

Susan Keeny of the University Area Commission is looking for volunteers for the commission's neighborhood elections on Saturday, June 5th. Volunteers will work two hour shifts and will staff the voting table at the Northside Library. If interested, please contact Susan at slmkeeny@hotmail.com or see the UAC website at www.universityareacommission.org.

Thanks!

City Recycling Survey

2010-05-03T22:02:00.001-04:00

Good evening, NECKO - Please see the important City of Columbus survey below regarding the proposed recycling program. The survey results will be used to tailor the program. Thanks to Area Commissioner Susan Keeny for forwarding!

_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

Mayor Coleman Issues Resident Survey To Shape Comprehensive Curbside Recycling Program

Today, at the home of Columbus resident Judy Kress, Mayor Michael B. Coleman announced the availability of a recycling and yard waste survey online at www.RecycleColumbus.org. There, residents can respond to the mayor's proposal to bring a new curbside recycling program to all single-family homes at no direct cost to residents.

"This is the beginning of a community process to engage our residents about the best way to implement a comprehensive curbside recycling program in the City of Columbus," Mayor Coleman said. "This can't just be my recycling program. It has to be our resident's recycling program. Because it won't be successful if they don't use it."

Combining the collection of recyclables on an alternating schedule with a modified yard waste collection program would offer the most cost-effective, energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly design. However, the Mayor wants to understand and incorporate residents' preferences into the formulation of the program.

"The survey will help Columbus tailor a recycling program that best fits the needs of our residents," said Hearcel F. Craig, chair of the Public Service & Transportation Committee. "Recycling is key to making Columbus an attractive 21^st century community to live and raise a family."

The online survey will be available until July 31. Additionally, a random sample of 1,200 homes was mailed a hard-copy of the survey. Recipients of the mailing are asked to respond as soon as possible, and no later than June 30.

Community Garden is a Reality!!

2010-04-30T21:32:00.002-04:00

Good afternoon, NECKO -

We did it! The NECKO Neighborhood Community Garden is in place! April 17, 2010 was our groundbreaking day. 38 volunteers from the neighborhood, from Xenos, Creative Living, OSU, and Battelle came together to build this amazing wheelchair accessible garden. Can't wait to grow some veggies and continue building relationships in the community! You can check out photos of this great day here.

We will be working in the garden May 15th and probably May 22nd or 23rd as well. There is still so much to do!

We agreed to mow the property so that individual plots wouldn't be harmed by large mowers so, I'm putting a call out to the community for the use of a simple walk behind lawn mower. It shouldn't take much time at all to mow the property - we've turned most of it into food production space! We need to mow the grass early next week, after the rain passes, so if anyone has a mower we can borrow, please send me an email.

Thanks to everyone who helped with the project in any way. It has been a long time coming and I think everyone should be proud for their part and proud of the community as a whole.

Please feel free to email April at garden@necko.org with any questions - or if you have a mower for me to borrow soon!

- April

Updated Neighborhood Website

2010-04-25T17:56:00.001-04:00

Good afternoon, NECKO -

The neighborhood website has been updated!

Please check out the new and improved site at www.necko.org.

Let me know if you have any comments, suggestions, or problems.

Thanks!

Yard Waste Service to Return!

2010-04-16T21:21:00.001-04:00

Good evening, NECKO - Please see the important information forwarded by Susan Keeny about changes to yard waste pick up with City of Columbus.

_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
City of Columbus To Restore Free Weekly Curbside

Yard Waste Collection Monday

The City of Columbus will restore free weekly curbside yard waste collections Monday, April 19. The service, provided through a contract with Rumpke, will pick-up yard waste at 227,000 single family homes, the same as in 2008. The city's budget crisis in 2009 forced weekly free yard waste collections to be cut and replaced with a less expensive subscription-only service through Rumpke.

"We must continue to keep yard waste out of the county landfill," said Mayor Michael B. Coleman. "Yard waste recycled into compost can be used to beautify neighborhoods and it saves taxpayer dollars that would have been paid to dump at the landfill."

Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio rules prohibit the city from knowingly dumping yard waste at the Franklin County landfill. Yard waste includes grass clippings, leaves, branches, twigs, shrubbery and other organic waste generated during home gardening and landscaping activities. Residents can contact the city's 311 Customer Service Center at 311 or 645-3111 to learn which day is their yard waste pick-up day.

"The restoration of weekly curbside yard waste collection is a priority for City Council," said Hearcel F. Craig, chair of the Public Service Committee. "It is a service that our residents have told us time and time again they depend on to improve the quality of life in Columbus."

Yard waste must be put in biodegradable paper bags or rigid containers with the words yard waste on the container's side. Cut branches should be cut to no more than four feet in length and bundled with string or twine.

The contract with Rumpke is a three-year agreement that runs through March 31, 2013, with two one-year renewals following the end of the third year of the contract.

City of Columbus Yard Waste Fact Sheet

¨ Free weekly yard waste pick-up will be restored to 2008 levels on April 19, 2010

¨ Residents can contact the city's 311 Customer Service Center at 311 or 645-3111 to find out which day of the week is their yard waste collection day

¨ The weekly yard waste pick-up service will be provided to 227,000 single-family homes, the same level of service as in 2008 before the city's budget crisis forced the program to be cut

· The 227,000 single-family homes includes households that use 90 and 300-gallon regular trash containers (NOTE: Yard waste should never be mixed with regular trash)

¨ Yard waste includes organic waste generated during regular household gardening and landscaping activities, including:

· Grass clippings

· Leaves

· Twigs

· Branches

· Shrubbery

¨ Items that will not be collected with yard waste:

· Rocks

· Dirt

· Plastic bags

· Food waste

(Please call Rumpke at 1-888-786-7531 if you have questions about what materials are acceptable)

¨ To prepare yard waste for pick-up:

· Place yard waste in biodegradable (paper) bags or rigid containers marked "Yard Waste"

§ Bags are generally available for purchase at home improvement or grocery retails stores. Please do not line the paper bags with plastic bags.

· Cut branches to less than four feet in length

§ Tie the branches into bundles with string or twine

§ Each bundle should not be wider than two feet

¨ There is no restriction on the number of bags a household can put out for pickup

· Each container, bag or bundle must weigh less than 50 pounds (Containers meeting this requirement will likely have a 30-35 gallon capacity)

¨ Recycling yard waste saves tax dollars and is green:

· It saves tax dollars that would have otherwise been needed to dump yard waste at the landfill (NOTE: Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio rules prohibit the City of Columbus or others from knowingly dumping yard waste at the Franklin County Landfill)

· Extends the life of the County landfill

· Increases weekly refuse container capacity for residents

· Recycled yard waste can be composted and used in home gardens and landscaping to beautify our homes and neighborhoods

¨ The contract with Rumpke:

· Is a three year contract running through March 31, 2013, with two one-year renewal periods following the end of the first three years

· The first year totals up to $3,677,400.00 in funding from the City's General Fund

· Was approved by City Council at its February 22, 2010 regular meeting

¨ City of Columbus residents may still drop-off their yard waste, free-of-charge, at any of nine locations if they wish to do so. Please call ahead for hours of operation.

· Com-Til, the City's compost facility (no grass clippings): 7000 Jackson Pike, Columbus (614) 645-3152

· Kurtz Bros. and Mulch Manufacturing Inc. (leaves, small branches, grass clippings):

§ 2850 Rohr Road, Groveport (Kurtz Bros.); (614) 491-0868

§ 6055-C Westerville Road, Westerville (Kurtz Bros.); (614) 882-0200

§ 6279 Houchard Road, Dublin (Kurtz Bros.); (614) 873-2000

§ 6747 Taylor Road S.W. (Mulch Manufacturing, Inc.); (614) 864-4004

· Ohio Mulch:

§ 4120 Roberts Road, Columbus (Ohio Mulch); (614) 921-9330

§ 4665 Westerville Rd. (Ohio Mulch); (614) 891-3242

§ 1600 Universal Rd. (Ohio Mulch); (614) 445-4455

§ 537 Reynoldsburg-New Albany Rd. (Ohio Mulch); (614) 863-0445

-30-

Rick Tilton

Assistant Director

Department of Public Service

9th Ave. Parking Garage: Street and Alley CONSTRUCTION NOTICE

2010-04-06T21:38:00.000-04:00

Good afternoon, NECKO - Please see this update about alley construction north of West 8th.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Gerhart, Glenn <gerhart.1@busfin.osu.edu>
Date: Fri, Apr 2, 2010 at 1:51 PM
Subject: 9th Ave. Parking Garage Expansion Project #315-2006-925: Street and Alley CONSTRUCTION NOTICE
Dear Neighbors and Interested Parties;

Please note that construction activities will be commencing the week of April 12, 2010 in 9^th Avenue and in the alleys east and south of the new parking garage( 9th Ave. East Parking Garage). This work will be performed in response to the City of Columbus Street Construction Inspection Services.

Most of the work will take place in two specific locations. One site is at the intersection of 9^th Ave. and the east alley. This work will consist of repair and placement of asphalt roadway pavement.

The second location is in the south alley. A section of the concrete pavement will be removed and re-poured. This section adjoins the apartment parking lot at 338 W. Eighth Avenue.

The work should be completed within the week.

If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know.

Sincerely,

Glenn R. Gerhart, Construction Manager

The Ohio State University

Facilities Design and Construction

gerhart.1@osu.edu

Census: Ohio Behind Rest of the Nation

2010-04-02T17:52:00.000-04:00

Good evening, NECKO - Please see this important reminder from Susan Keeny...

A reminder to all our neighbors to fill our and send in your 2010 Census forms, if you haven't already. That includes all OSU Students living in the campus area. Unless you are currently living at the home of your parents, you should fill out the census form that you receive here at your Columbus address. It is vital to our neighborhood and our state!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: TUESDAY, MARCH 30, 2010

2010 Census Mail Participation Rates in Parts of Ohio Behind Rest of the Nation

Contact:
Public Information Office
301-763-3691

Census Bureau Director Robert Groves noted today that some areas are lagging behind the rest of the country in mailing back their 2010 Census forms. With Census Day on April 1, parts of Ohio still have some of the lowest rates of mail participation. Nationally, 50 percent of households have mailed back their forms. But in parts of Ohio, the participation rate is significantly lower, with Cleveland one of the farthest behind at 32 percent.

"We're concerned about the relatively low response from Ohio," said Census Bureau Director Robert Groves. "Every household that fails to send back their census form by mail must be visited by a census taker starting in May - at a significant taxpayer cost. The easiest and best way to be counted in the census is to fill out and return your form by mail."

The emphasis on encouraging mail participation in the census is a practical one. For every percentage point increase in mail response, taxpayers will save an estimated $85 million in federal funds. Those funds would otherwise be required to send census takers to collect census responses in person from households that don't mail back the form. After the 2000 Census, the Census Bureau was able to return $305 million in savings to the federal Treasury because mail rates exceeded expectations — a move the Census Bureau would like to repeat in 2010.

"The 2010 Census is easy, important and safe," Groves said. "It's only 10 questions and should only take about 10 minutes to complete."

Some of the cities in Ohio with low mail participation rates as of Tuesday, March 30, 2010, are listed below, along with the mail participation rates they ultimately achieved in 2000. The national rate in 2000 was 72 percent.

Cincinnati = 39% (Census 2000 = 67%)
Cleveland = 32% (Census 2000 = 63%)
Columbus = 39% (Census 2000 = 70%)

The Census Bureau is urging communities nationwide to take charge of their census mail participation rates.

Michael S. Brown

Office of Mayor Michael B. Coleman

Urban Ventures Coordinator

614-645-6428

Garden Meeting - March 23rd @ 7:30 p.m.

2010-03-15T21:59:00.000-04:00

Hello, NECKO Neighbors!

We will have a garden meeting Tuesday, March 23rd at 7:30pm at Creative Living.

It's time to start planning the garden FOR REAL this time! New partners from Chadwick Arboretum at OSU are going to be helping us with planning for this first year, so we need everyone's input and ideas about what you envision for the garden. We can start discussions about rules for our community garden, and decide on methods for allotting individual plots.

We will also nail down a time line to start digging, preparing seedlings (another planting party!), and the spring work days for actually planting veggies and flowers!

If you have any questions, please feel free to call or email me. In just a couple of months we will all be enjoying the fruits of our labor and the last few years of disappointment will wash away!

April Calkovsky
aprilcalkovsky@gmail.com

614-477-8610

PS Don't forget to check out our neighborhood website at www.necko.org

Neighborhood Documentary

2010-03-06T10:01:00.001-05:00

Good morning, NECKO - Here's some information passed along by Susan Keeny on a documentary on the area's neighborhoods. Enjoy!

WOSU TV is helping pave the way for celebrating our 200 years of history as we approach 2012 with a great series of neighborhood documentaries. The first premiers on Monday, March 8 at 8:00 p.m.

Check out their website for more information, stories and great historic photos from all over the community.

www.ColumbusNeighborhoods.org

Watch WOSU Public Media's series premiere of:

COLUMBUS NEIGHBORHOODS

The Short North

Monday March 8 at 8pm on WOSU TV

Be a part of history on www.ColumbusNeighborhoods.org

Michael S. Brown

Office of Mayor Michael B. Coleman

Urban Ventures Coordinator

614-645-6428

Neighborhood Garden - Meeting Reminder for Tonight

2010-02-23T08:22:00.001-05:00

Good morning, NECKO -

Even though the weather outside says otherwise, it's really time to start planning our garden!

Don't forget tonight's meeting!

We are holding a potluck and meeting for all of NECKO and Dodd Hall to join together and talk about plans for the gardens this year.

The meeting will be:

Tuesday, February 23, 2010
6pm-7:30pm (includes time for eating - discussion will begin at 6:30pm)
in the Dodd Hall Blue Gym - just enter Dodd Hall through the sliding doors that face our neighborhood/Medical Center Drive, and follow the signs to the Blue Gym

An oven and a stove are available for use if anyone needs them. Coffee, Tea, water and table service will be available.

Please bring dish to pass - don't worry about feeding the whole crowd. Students with no access to create a "dish" just bring yourselves!

Agenda:

6:00 Potluck Dinner and Introductions

6:30 Review of 2009 Garden Activities

6:40 Plans for 2010

Women's Service Board Fund Raiser – Sunday May 23

NECKO Project & Garden

Dodd Therapy Garden

7:15 Rallying the garden team

Identifying volunteer sources

7:30 Wrap –up

Let's get growing !!

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns! Tell your neighbors! We want this to be the best community garden ever!

April Calkovsky
formerly of Belmont Ave

UCA Community Breakfast

2010-02-11T21:31:00.001-05:00

Hello, NECKO - Please see the information from Susan Keeny about the upcoming UCA breakfast. Great opportunity for networking with our neighbors!

---------- Forwarded message ----------

UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION PANCAKE BREAKFAST

This Saturday Morning 9-11. Serving pancakes from 9-10AM.

When - 2/13/2010
Where – Room 100 Northwood Building
Time - 11AM
There's no charge! If you'd like, bring a breakfast item to share (it makes it a better breakfast)
There will be speakers and other community announcements!
Hope to see you there!

Questions? Contact:
Sharon Young, CRS

Dooley & Company REALTORS®
252 W. 5th Avenue
Columbus, OH 43201
614-297-8600x104

Hotmail: Trusted email with Microsoft's powerful SPAM protection. Sign up now.

Neighborhood Garden - Exciting News & Upcoming Meeting

2010-02-07T07:11:00.001-05:00

Good morning, NECKO -

Even though the weather outside says otherwise, it's really time to start planning our garden!

Yes, it's true! The NECKO Garden has been officially approved by Ohio State to begin IMMEDIATELY!! I just got the word this week, so I met with Lynne Genter, Assistant Director of Dodd Hall Rehabilitation Hospital and OSU Dept. sponsor for the garden, to discuss how to proceed.

We are holding a potluck and meeting for all of NECKO and Dodd Hall to join together and talk about plans for the gardens this year.

The meeting will be:

An oven and a stove are available for use if anyone needs them. Coffee, Tea, water and table service will be available.

Please bring dish to pass - don't worry about feeding the whole crowd. Students with no access to create a "dish" just bring yourselves!

Agenda:

6:00 Potluck Dinner and Introductions

6:30 Review of 2009 Garden Activities

6:40 Plans for 2010

Women's Service Board Fund Raiser – Sunday May 23

NECKO Project & Garden

Dodd Therapy Garden

7:15 Rallying the garden team

Identifying volunteer sources

7:30 Wrap –up

Let's get growing !!

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns! Tell your neighbors! We want this to be the best community garden ever!

April Calkovsky
formerly of Belmont Ave

ProjectONE: What the Coming Year Will Bring

2010-01-20T19:49:00.001-05:00

Good evening, NECKO - Please check out the latest communication from the OSU Medical Center on upcoming construction. It's also at their blog at projectoneblog.osumc.edu.

Sent to you by Will via Google Reader:

ProjectONE: What the Coming Year Will Bring

via ProjectONE Blog by bont07 on 1/20/10

A Look Back at 2009
As 2009 drew to a close construction of ProjectONE was well underway. The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) 8T research scanner was removed from the MRI Building so that the building could be razed; the glass connector between Means Hall and the Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute was taken down; and demolition of Emergency Department space within Means Hall, as well as Means Hall itself, started.

What's Next for 2010?
For the coming year, faculty and staff can expect to see continued infrastructure preparation and an official groundbreaking this summer.Already changes have been made to accommodate demolition, construction and infrastructure upgrades.

Construction fences run along the north side of Cramblett Hall and surround the ProjectONE construction area. Upham Drive roadway access to Harding Hospital has been rerouted to 12th Avenue.

During summer and autumn 2010, infrastructure upgrades will be made to utilities that run under and along 10th and 12th avenues and Cannon Drive. Preparations will also begin during the second half of 2010 to move faculty and staff from Cramblett Hall so that it can be demolished.

A centralized valet program, operating from the drive in front of Rhodes Hall and the Ross Heart Hospital was unified earlier in the month for parking services for patients and visitors. This service incorporated valet options previously offered at the entrances to The James and Cramblett Hall.

What doesn't change in 2010?
Road access to the University Hospital Emergency. Department will remain the same in 2010. Cramblett Hall and the Cannon Parking Garages will remain open during the coming year. 10th and 12th avenues and Cannon Drive are expected to remain open, with some lane restrictions during utility work.

Things you can do from here:

Subscribe to ProjectONE Blog using Google Reader
Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites

NECKO Garden Bottle Pick Up Reminder

2010-01-14T19:27:00.001-05:00

Hello NECKO!

Don't forget to put your empty 2-liter bottles on your porches or on your curb this Saturday morning by noon! I'll be walking the neighborhood to pick up used 2-liter bottles for use in the creation of our pop bottle greenhouse. The greenhouse will be used to start seeds for the NECKO Community Garden this May!

Please email me at aprilcalkovsky@gmail.com or give me a call at 614-477-8610 if you have any questions or concerns.

Thanks a bunch!
april calkovsky
recently of Belmont Avenue...

PS Don't forget check out the Necko Neighborhood website at www.necko.org

Medical Center Expansion - Ways to Learn More

2010-01-09T11:55:00.001-05:00

Good afternoon, NECKO... Here is part three of our communication from the OSU Medical Center. This includes a link to their new project information website at http://projectoneblog.osumc.edu. We will be following up with them to have another meeting update in the coming months to keep us all up-to-date on this major project. Have a great weekend and stay warm!

---- Section Three of Three ---

To:       Our Neighbors

From: Steven G. Gabbe, MD
            Senior Vice President for Health Science
            Chief Executive Officer, OSU Medical Center

(continued from Section Two)

We invite you and other members of your group to stay connected with the project by visiting our blog at http://projectoneblog.osumc.edu. The blog is updated frequently with the latest construction updates and comments from our Medical Center teams involved in the project.

We welcome the opportunity to speak to your group again in the future. Please feel free to contact one of us at any time to make arrangements.

Thank you for ongoing support.

---

For more information about the neighborhood, please go to http://www.necko.org.

Medical Center Expansion - New Greenspace on West 8th & Community Garden Update

2010-01-09T11:48:00.000-05:00

Good afternoon, NECKO... Here is the second part of the communication from the OSU Medical Center. In summary, it appears that the neighborhood's longstanding request to address the gravel lot on West 8th at Michigan will be addressed this year! And, the community garden project off of Perry is also moving forward. Great news for the neighborhood!

---- Section Two of Three ---

To: Our Neighbors

From: Steven G. Gabbe, MD
Senior Vice President for Health Science

Chief Executive Officer, OSU Medical Center

(continued from Section One)

During the meeting one of the NECKO residents commented on the amount of dust originating from the gravel parking lot on Eighth Avenue adjacent to our parking garage. We have looked into this matter and feel that we can go forward with removing that parking lot and creating a green space that will enhance the aesthetics of our Medical Center campus and be enjoyed by NECKO residents. We will start the design activities during the winter and try to begin the construction in the spring. It is also my understanding that progress is being made to finalize your efforts to create a community garden on the University property nearby. We at the Medical Center and throughout the University are interested in demonstrating that we do want to be good neighbors and work together to create mutually beneficial initiatives. (emphasis added)

(continued in Section Three)

----

For more information about the community garden project, please see our website at: http://www.necko.org/necko/Garden.html

Medical Center Expansion - Follow Up & Presentation

2010-01-09T11:47:00.001-05:00

Good afternoon, NECKO... Hope you're enjoying the snow! We received a bunch of great information from the OSU Medical Center this week to share with all of you. This is the response to the meeting in November on their major expansion plans. It was a long communication so we'll break it up into smaller parts starting with the presentation and letter below. You can access November's presentation directly here: www.necko.org/necko/MedCenter11-09.pdf

---- Section One of Three ---

To:       Our Neighbors

From: Steven G. Gabbe, MD
            Senior Vice President for Health Science
            Chief Executive Officer, OSU Medical Center

Thank you for the opportunity to allow us to share our exciting plans for ProjectONE with you.

All of us here at the OSU Medical Center appreciate our relationship with our neighbors and we look forward to ongoing dialogue with you as we further our plans.

David Schuller, MD, and Jay Kasey mentioned the great feedback and questions that you provided during the presentation they made to your group last month. We value your input in making the Medical Center and surrounding neighborhoods the best they can be.

Please do not hesitate to contact Dr. Schuller, Jay or me if you have additional questions, or you would like to share your thoughts with us. I've included our contact information at the bottom of this message. If we are unable to answer your question, we will make sure to find the right person on our staff who can help address it for you.

In the meantime, we have attached the PowerPoint presentation so you can share it with your neighbors. As Dr. Schuller and Jay mentioned, this is a plan in progress, so some of the renderings you see in this presentation may change.

(continued in Section Two)

---

To download presentation, go here: www.necko.org/necko/MedCenter11-09.pdf

To go to the neighborhood website, please go to www.necko.org.

Neighborhood Get-Together - This Thursday!

2010-01-04T18:32:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year, NECKO!

To kick off 2009, we are having a neighbors' get-together at the
Keeny's house at 358 King Avenue this Thursday, January 7th at 7 p.m.
All are welcome to attend, but please bring a dessert or snack to
share.

See you Thursday!

Recycling Community Discussion

2009-12-30T23:09:00.001-05:00

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.

Pop Bottles needed for Next Year's Neighborhood Garden

2009-12-19T09:49:00.001-05:00

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

2009-12-04T22:08:00.001-05:00

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!

Citywide Block Watch Coordinators Meeting

2009-11-25T08:21:00.001-05:00

Hello and Happy Thanksgiving, NECKO - Our District 4 University Area
Commissioner Susan Keeny asked me to forward this important info about
a Block Watch Training Meeting. All interested neighbors are welcome
to attend.

Here's the info:

Citywide Block Watch Coordinators Meeting
Saturday 12-5-09
9:00 am – 11:00 am
Columbus Police Training Academy
1000 N. Hague Ave.
Columbus, Ohio 43204

For more information contact your Community Liaison Officer:

WEST – Sgt. Ron Kemmerling @ 645-4140 or
rkemmerling@columbuspolice.org

Report on 11/12 Meeting with Medical Center

2009-11-22T21:27:00.001-05:00

Good evening, NECKO Neighborhood -

Thanks again to all the folks who attended our meeting with the OSU
Medical Center on November 12th! We had over 20 folks in attendance
from resident in NECKO and the Circles to various leaders from the
University Area Commission.

Our OSU presenters agreed to provide a copy of the meeting's
presentation, which we will share as soon as it is provided.

For those who missed the meeting, here's a review:

OSU Medical Center VP for Expansion, Dr. David Schuller and Project
Manager Jay Kasey gave an in-depth presentation on the major expansion
plans for the Medical Center in both the short-term and long-term.
This included a review of the recently removed green spaces, plans for
new green spaces, major new facilities, road realignments, and the
strategic plan and philosophy of the Medical Center. They then
fielded questions and shared in an engaging discussion about
greenspace, housing, community gardens, further expansion plans, and
more.

Here are the major takeaways we learned from the meeting:

1) OSU has an impressive expansion plan that will remake the Medical
Center and its physical presence over the coming years.
2) There are no plans for acquisition into the NECKO neighborhood or
road realignments/widenings in the existing neighborhoods.
3) The fields on King Avenue will be lay-down and construction space
for the expansion activities for several years.
4) A new Spirit of Women Park is planned to be integrated into a
redesigned Health Sciences Quad. Eventually, the space the park
originally sat on will be transformed into a "great lawn" leading up
to the new hospital building.
5) Long-term plans call for the realignment of Cannon Drive and the
expansion of a new green space corridor along the Olentangy River.
6) Community gardens may be in the long-term plans for the re-imagined
medical center, but in the short term there appears to be strong
interest in assisting with our efforts to get a garden space off of
Perry.
7) No specific plans were announced for the gravel lot along West 8th
Avenue, although neighbors pressed OSU officials to push for
beautification of the space.

Dr. Schuller and Mr. Kasey pledged to be engaged and connected to our
neighborhood groups as the expansion gets underway, so we're
optimistic and excited about the partnership opportunities that could
result. Tentative plans are to have a follow-up session next spring.

We'll share more details as we have them via the email list and the
website at www.necko.org.

Have a great week!

Reminder: Special Meeting with OSU Medical Center Thursday at 7:30 p.m.

2009-11-11T19:46:00.001-05:00

Good evening, NECKO neighborhood -

We hope to see you at tomorrow's Special Meeting with OSU Medical
Center Officials. In light of the major plans for hospital expansion
and the recent loss of green spaces such as the King Avenue Fields,
this is an important opportunity to hear their plans and ask your
questions.

Here are the details:

Location: King Avenue United Methodist Church @ 299 King Avenue
(corner of King & Neil)

Date: Thursday, November 12th at 7:30 p.m.

See you then!

PS Don't forget to check out our website at www.necko.org !

Location Change! Thursday's Meeting with OSU Officials now at King Ave United Methodist Church

2009-11-08T08:55:00.001-05:00

Good morning, NECKO -

Please note that this important meeting's location has been moved to:

King Avenue United Methodist Church @ 299 King Avenue (corner of King & Neil)

Here's a reminder on the details:

Thursday, November 12th at 7:30 p.m.

OSU officials will be joining us to discuss their major expansion plans, specifically addressing the major changes to greenspace adjacent to the neighborhood.

See you then!

PS Don't forget to check out our website at www.necko.org ! And, thanks to King Ave. UMC for providing meeting space!

Important Neighborhood Meeting: OSU Officials to Discuss Expansion & Replacement of Greenspace

2009-11-03T21:09:00.001-05:00

Good afternoon, NECKO - (updated to include new meeting location)

Come join us at an important neighborhood meeting next week Thursday, November 12th at 7:30 p.m. at the King Avenue United Methodist Church (King & Neil) to discuss a few major items going on with the OSU Medical Center - especially about greenspace and housing.

OSU officials will be joining us to discuss their major expansion plans, specifically addressing the major changes to greenspace adjacent to the neighborhood. As many of you know, in the last few weeks, the fields on King Avenue have begun their conversion to construction parking and the Spirit of Women Park was removed. The neighborhood has also faced continued frustrations with the community garden proposal and the gravel lot along West 8th Avenue.

This is a major opportunity for you and your neighbors to connect to OSU with your questions and concerns, so please plan on attending.

See you then!

PS Check out our website at www.necko.org !

9th Ave. Parking Garage Expansion Project: Alley work and 9th Avenue construction schedule

2009-09-19T20:09:00.001-04:00

9th Ave Parking Garage Construction Update...

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Gerhart, Glenn <gerhart.1@busfin.osu.edu>
Date: Thu, Sep 17, 2009 at 2:51 PM
Subject: 9th Ave. Parking Garage Expansion Project: Alley work and 9th Avenue construction schedule

Dear Property Owners and Neighbors;

Starting Monday, Sept. 21^st , the 9^th Avenue Parking Garage Project will be increasing construction activity in the alleys east and south of the new garage and in 9^th Avenue.

The alley east of the new garage will be used by several concrete trucks accessing from 9^th Ave. to pour the concrete pavement in the alley south of the garage. The east alley will also be closed at 8^th Avenue to start the demolition and preparation for reconstructing the entire alley between 8^th and 9^th Avenues. The completion date for the alley construction is Wednesday, Sept. 30^th.

On Tuesday, Sept. 28^th, the asphalt pavement in 9^th Avenue, between Neil Ave. and Medical Center Drive, will be milled off. There will be some areas of full-depth repair of the sub-grade during the week. The street will be repaved on Friday, Oct. 2^nd. Traffic will be maintained.

Please notify your residents and neighbors to be aware of this activity. Thanks.

Glenn

Glenn R. Gerhart, Construction Manager

The Ohio State University

Facilities Design and Construction

gerhart.1@osu.edu

Closed: Spirit of Women Park

2009-09-17T21:16:00.002-04:00

Good evening, NECKO - As the song goes... "They paved paradise and put up a parking lot..."

Earlier this week, OSU closed the Spirit of Women Park just around the corner from NECKO. The park closed on Monday and by yesterday ALL of the trees were cut down. We've heard that the official plans are to relocate the park; however, nothing definitive has been announced. The most recently announced plans called for a parking garage. Yes, this is in the same area in which two very large garages have been recently constructed. It is indeed a sad time for green space in Central Ohio.

This beautiful park was short-lived, but was an inspiring place while around and will surely be missed for those of us who enjoyed the calm tranquil space. Dedicated in 2001, this park was full of hand painted tiles inspired by and for the memories of over 1000 women complete with gentle fountains and dozens of maturing trees. It's not clear when the park will be reconfigured, but the neighbors will be asking Ohio State to consider a permanent location connected to the neighborhood.

Recently announced plans call for the conversion of the remaining recreational fields at King & Cannon along the river. This space too is to be lost to another parking lot as early as this fall. We are encouraging folks to contact OSU to protest the conversion of the last major green space along this section of the river into yet another parking lot.

Here are some photos starting with the park on Monday before the deconstruction through the removal of the trees at Spirit of Women Park - if they don't come through email, they'll be on the website at www.necko.org:

Before:

After:

Update on North High Street Paving

2009-09-03T21:18:00.001-04:00

Hello, NECKO - This update comes from University Area Commissioner and NECKO resident Susan Keeny. It describes the construction traffic situation affecting North High Street this month. It is originally from Roger Betts of the Paving the Way program. See below...

---------- Forwarded message ----------

FYI:
I wanted to pass on this information to our NECKO and Circles Neighbors. It looks like traveling on North High Street will be a bit difficult this month, due to construction.  Note Sept. 27th when that portion of High will be closed to all traffic.
Thanks,
Susan Keeny

________________________________

<Edited for Length>

-----Original Message-----
From:            Betts, Ralph (Roger)
Subject:        North High Street Paving

The final paving and striping of the construction project on North High Street between Arcadia and Lane is planned for the week of September 14th. There will parking restrictions on High Street, Hudson (from Neil to East Street) and on all the side streets to the first street or alley. This has been a difficult area for parking restrictions and past experience has found it necessary to tow many cars. We want to mitigate this as much as possible and would appreciate the help of the community groups in the area to inform people. This work is expected to take about 6 days if the weather is good. The contractor will be working most of the daylight hours to get this done ASAP.

Three days before the work starts the no parking areas will be posted that advise the dates and times that parking is prohibited. We will also be have message boards at each end of the project advising that vehicles will be towed if they are parked in the restricted areas. The contractor is only interested in moving the vehicles out of the work area, so many times they are only towed to the nearest open parking spot. If this is not possible they may get towed to the city impound lot and be subject to charges.

Another event that will impact the area is planned for Sunday 9/27, when arches will be installed at each end of the project. This work will require a complete closure of High Street from about 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Parking close to where the arches will be installed will be restricted. Messages boards will direct traffic to Neil and Indianola avenues during the closure. If there is bad weather, the work will be done the following Sunday.

Anyone that needs additional information can call me.

Thanks,
Roger Betts
Traffic Specialist
Paving the Way Program

Work: (614) 645-3970
______________________________
Don't forget to check out the NECKO Neighborhood website at www.necko.org

OSU Game Day & SR 315 Construction Traffic Update

2009-09-02T19:37:00.001-04:00

Hello, NECKO Neighborhood - Football season is here again and OSU has provided important traffic information.

Click on the link below regarding the traffic situation before and after OSU football games this year. There is also an updated parking map and links to ODOT's Buckeye Traffic website… It looks like delays will impact neighborhood residents as well.

http://www.osu.edu/news/newsitem2511

Go Buckeyes!

- William

PS Don't forget to check out our neighborhood website at www.necko.org

Great links about the NECKO neighborhood

2009-08-14T19:07:00.001-04:00

Good afternoon, NECKO:

NECKO is featured on several local and national websites about Columbus neighborhoods. Several houses are displayed, so you might see your house. Some great information is available, so enjoy!

Here's a local website: http://columbus-ite.com/columbus-neighborhood-guide/necko/

Check out our little mention on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neighborhoods_in_Columbus,_Ohio

And on the University Area website: http://www.universitydistrict.org/necko.php

And the group on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=253585730569

And this one's really great... on the Historical Marker Database at http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=17424

Finally, don't forget about our own http://www.necko.org!

Have a good weekend!

- William

Reinstalled! Missing NECKO Welcome Sign is back up!

2009-08-12T20:27:00.003-04:00

Good evening, NECKO -

Good news! The missing neighborhood historical sign has been reinstalled by the City of Columbus. This is the historic marker plaque on the brick pillar by the intersection of Belmont and West 8th. Kudos to OSU Maintenance Personnel who had found it and were keeping it safe and to the City of Columbus staff who arranged for the crew who did the reinstallation. Thanks again to everyone who had looked for it, talked to neighbors about it, and expressed concerns!

Be sure to take a stroll down to Belmont and W 8th to see the plaque and have a great week - William

PS Don't forget to check out the neighborhood website at www.necko.org

9th Ave. Parking Garage Expansion Project Update

2009-07-29T19:08:00.001-04:00

Good afternoon, NECKO -

Please see the update on the 9th Ave. Parking Garage Construction below. The project is nearing completion, but one last major piece of alley work remains.

- William

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, Jul 29, 2009 at 3:30 PM
Subject: 9th Ave. Parking GarageExpansion Project: Alley improvement work, Aug. 3rd to Sept. 21st, 2009

Dear Project Neighbors;

Please know the new parking garage is nearing completion and the final construction activities are in progress. Those items include preparing the surrounding landscape, alleys, and roadway to better enhance the final product.

Beginning Monday, Aug. 3^rd, the General Contractor will start work in the east-west alley, south of the new parking garage. The alley will be closed to through traffic during this period of time. Trucks and equipment will be accessing this site by way of Eighth and Ninth Avenues.

The initial work will be to install a new storm sewer line followed by the re-construction of the alley roadway. The east-west alley construction work , south of the new garage will take approximately three to four weeks.

On Sept. 1^st, the General Contractor plans to start the north-south alley improvement work, east of the new garage. Construction will go from Eighth Ave. to Ninth Ave. and last about three weeks. The alley will be closed to through traffic during this period of time. The work will have a direct impact on the vehicular access to the adjoining properties along the alley in this stretch. The University has considered this impasse and has the following plan for those adjoining property owners requiring parking spaces along the north-south alley.

The University and the Transportation and Parking Services Dept. will provide the necessary parking passes to the residents and property owners for access into the new parking garage while the alley improvements are under construction. The new 9^th Avenue Parking Garage will be opened on Aug. 31^st.

Please contact this office with your request for parking passes and the number of passes required. The passes will be for a period beginning Sept. 1^st and lasting about three weeks to Sept. 21^st.

If you have any questions please let me know.

Sincerely,

Glenn R. Gerhart, Construction Manager

The Ohio State University

Facilities Design and Construction

400 Central Classroom Building

2009 Millikin Road

Columbus, OH 43210-1243

Phone 614-688-5606

FAX 614-247-2132

Cell 614-312-7627

gerhart.1@osu.edu

FOUND! Missing NECKO Welcome Sign has been recovered!

2009-07-18T09:09:00.002-04:00

FOUND!

Good morning, NECKO -

I have some great news to start off your weekend... As many of you know or have noticed, one of the neighborhood historical signs has been missing for about a month. It's not clear what exactly happened to the historic marker plaque on the brick pillar by the intersection of Belmont and West 8th, but the good news is that it has been found!

I'm very happy to report that OSU Maintenance Personnel had found it and were keeping it safe. Special thanks to Paul Walsh and the team at OSU Facilities, Operations, & Development for their help and for contacting us! Thanks to everyone who had looked for it, talked to neighbors about it, and expressed concerns!

We'll be in contact with the City to get the plaque reinstalled, but there is no timeline and it may take a little while. Look for updates soon!

Have a great weekend - William

PS Don't forget to check out the neighborhood website at www.necko.org

New Columbus Police online reporting system

2009-06-25T20:28:00.001-04:00

Good afternoon, NECKO neighborhood -

In an important safety update, the Columbus Police have announced they are now accepting certain types of police reports on-line. Here's the press release:

For Immediate Release: For further information, Contact: Sergeant Rich Weiner at (614) 645-4593

Public Information Office

June 19, 2009

MA# 24-2009

Columbus Police Unveil New Internet Reporting System

The Columbus Division of Police announces the implementation of a new online reporting system.

The online reporting system, known as COPLOGIC, is a fast and simple way for citizens to file police reports. COPLOGIC will allow citizens with Internet access to file reports anytime, anywhere, without having an officer present. All information is securely transferred to the servers through an encrypted channel. Once the report is approved it will be saved as an official report and citizens will receive a copy of their report in PDF format.

The following types of reports can now be filed online:

Telephone Harassment
Identity Theft
Lost Property
Property Damage
Theft (Involving an amount less than $3,000)
Theft from a Motor Vehicle
Attempted Theft of a Motor Vehicle
Vandalism

The new technology allows citizens to file a police report without the hassle of waiting for an officer to show up at their homes or businesses. It will also save the Division of Police hundreds of man-hours every month. COPLOGIC has been operational since March 2009 and has accepted well over 400 reports.

For more information, or to make an online police report please visit www.columbuspolice.org .

315 Construction Project - Ramp Closures

2009-06-14T08:30:00.001-04:00

Good morning, NECKO - This is an FYI about a major project on 315 that effects us directly starting tomorrow and involves the shutting down of most of the highway ramps near the neighborhood. Here is a link to the webpage with project information: http://www.dot.state.oh.us/projects/315/Pages/default.aspx

See below for a handy summary of the details provided by the Area Commission.

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From June 15-Nov. 1, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) is making improvements to keep State Route 315 and its ramps safe and comfortable for driving. Please allow yourself additional travel time as you may experience some construction delays.

Construction Detail
Open Exit Ramps
315 North to North Broadway
315 North to Lane
315 North to Goodale
315 South to Ackerman
315 South to Lane
315 South to Kinnear
315 South to Goodale

Open Entrance Ramps
Ackerman to 315 North
I-670 West to 315 North
Goodale to 315 South

Closed Exit Ramps
315 North to Ackerman
315 North to Medical Center Drive

Closed Entrance Ramps
Olentangy River Road to 315 North
Lane to 315 North
Goodale to 315 North
670 East to 315 North
North Broadway to 315 South
Ackerman to 315 South
Olentangy River Road to 315 South
Lane to 315 South
12th Avenue to 315 South

Don't Forget! Vote Today 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

2009-06-06T01:49:00.001-04:00

Hello, NECKO - Just a reminder to take a few minutes today to vote in
the University Area Commission Elections.

The election is for University Area Commissioners - the voice for the
neighborhood to City Council. As a reminder, the NECKO neighborhood's
own Susan Keeny is running for one of two seats that are open - a
three-year term position for the highest vote getter and a one-year
term position for the runner up. Current Commissioner Rebecca
Sterrett is also a candidate.

Here are the election details:

When: Saturday, June 6, 2009 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Who: Residents of the Neighborhood

Where: Nearest location is Northside Branch of Columbus Metropolitan
Library at corner of McMillen & High

All locations are below:

North- 2563 N High St @ Hudson & High, Jack & Benny's Restaurant
North- 2231 N. High Street, Northwood & High Building, Election Headquarters
South - 303 E. Sixth Street, The Godman Guild
South - 1423 N. High Street, Columbus Metropolitan Library, Northside Branch

For more information about the commission's election, please visit
http://www.universityareacommission.org/elections.htm

Neighborhood Garden "Vision" now up on website!

2009-06-04T22:44:00.001-04:00

Good evening, NECKO -

The plans for the neighborhood garden are rolling along! Check out the updated webpage at http://necko.org/necko/Garden.html for all the information.

You'll also find the vision for the garden from our community meetings on the site as a PDF. Check it out!

Kudos to April and Susan for working on this and to everyone for their ideas!

Have a good week - William

Remember to Vote! - University Area Commission Elections - This Saturday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

2009-06-02T21:15:00.001-04:00

Good evening, NECKO - Let's get out the vote this Saturday!

This Saturday is the election for University Area Commissioners - the voice for the neighborhood to City Council. The NECKO neighborhood's own Susan Keeny is running for one of two seats that are open - a three-year term position for the highest vote getter and a one-year term position for the runner up. Current Commissioner Rebecca Sterrett is also a candidate.

Here are the election details:

When: Saturday, June 6, 2009 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Who: Residents of the Neighborhood

Where: Nearest location is Northside Branch of Columbus Metropolitan Library at corner of McMillen & High

All locations are below:

North- 2563 N High St @ Hudson & High, Jack & Benny's Restaurant
North- 2231 N. High Street, Northwood & High Building, Election Headquarters
South - 303 E. Sixth Street, The Godman Guild
South - 1423 N. High Street, Columbus Metropolitan Library, Northside Branch

For more information about the commission's election, please visit http://www.universityareacommission.org/elections.htm

See you this Saturday!

CIty of Columbus Citizen Survey (on-line)

2009-05-04T20:45:00.001-04:00

FYI: The City has asked that this be passed along...

Changing Times: City of Columbus Citizen Participation Survey

The City of Columbus needs your help in setting its priorities for the use of funds for community development issues in our city.

Your responses will be included in the citizen participation portion of the 2010-2014 Housing and Urban Development Consolidated (HUD) Plan to be submitted to the federal government.

In these difficult economic times, the Consolidated Plan has even greater importance. The Consolidated Plan is a collaborative process to identify housing and community development needs and to establish goals, priorities and strategies to address those needs, especially for low and moderate income households. Your input is needed to help identify how the City of Columbus will spend its federal HUD dollars over the next 5 years. Any City of Columbus resident is asked to complete the survey. We need to hear from all communities for the continued strength of our city.

Have Your Voice Heard Here!

Please take about a few minutes of your time to complete the survey by clicking the link above or visit

www.rama-consulting.net/surveys. If you have any questions, contact:

RAMA Consulting Group

info@rama-consulting.net

614-245-0451 ph

FORWARD TO A FRIEND!

Survey design and management by:

In partnership with Community Research Partners

Seed planting for Community Garden - Saturday, May 2nd

2009-05-01T23:54:00.001-04:00

Hello, Necko -

The seeds are growing like crazy and many need to be transplanted to larger containers and individual pots! Join my son, Mohamed and I at my apartment, 1479 Belmont Ave Apt 2 (come up the stairs at the back of the building, facing the alley), to help with transplanting at either of the following times tomorrow, Saturday, May 2nd:

10am-noon
6pm-8pm (I'll have pizza for this group!)

I know this is terribly short notice, but Mohamed and I started doing it ourselves and were completely overwhelmed! Our seeds did so well that there is just too much for two people to do. If these times don't work but you would like to help, please send me an email at aprilcalkovsky@gmail.com or call me at 614-477-8610.

Thanks!
April

Neighborhood Cleanup & Volunteer Event This Saturday Morning!

2009-04-16T22:18:00.001-04:00

  Hello, NECKO Neighborhood!
    
On Saturday morning, there's a neighborhood cleanup and volunteer event starting at 9 a.m. finishing by Noon.   Come early if possible, but join us at any point!

At 9 a.m., we'll meet at the corner of Perry and West 8th (by Creative Living)  and provide all the tools folks need.  The first part of the event will be a sweep of the neighborhood to clean up any litter.  After, volunteers will be spending time across the street with the Dodd Rehabilitation Center to assist with spring cleanup of their patient gardens.  Special thanks to Dan Emch and April Calkovsky for preparing for this great event!!  There will be t-shirts and tokens for this weekend's Goodale Park Earth Day event also available.

  Please let me know if you have any questions, otherwise, we'll see you Saturday morning.
  
- William

PS Don't forget to check out our great neighborhood website at www.necko.org!

Attention NECKO Neighborhood Gardeners!

2009-04-14T22:32:00.001-04:00

Hello, NECKO - This is a message from our Neighborhood Garden Leader, April:

This Thursday, April 16th at 6:30pm is our Seed Planting Party at Creative Living!!

Gather up your planter materials and plan to get a little dirty while we get the seeds nestled in their new starter homes!
I've been reading up on cheap ways to start seeds, and composed the following list of items that are great for starting seeds. Please bring as many of these household items as you'd like, to avoid spending money in the store:

Berry containers from the store (the clear plastic kind with lots of holes, used to package strawberries, raspberries blueberries & blackberries)
Cardboard egg cartons
Coffee cans with a plastic lid
Plastic take out containers (be sure to wash with a bleach/water solution before Thursday)
Newspaper - we can create seed starter containers simply with a couple of staples!
2-liter bottles
Milk jugs (again, be sure to wash with bleach/water)
brown paper grocery bags - we can use the bottoms as seed trays!
tin cans, especially tuna cans (make sure to wash them well with bleach!)
Old planters, vases if they are smaller - seeds need less soil, these will be helpful for things that need to be transplanted to bigger pots later

Bring anything you have that you think may be used to start seedlings. You may also feel free to purchase the cheap black plastic seed starter trays and/or the Jiffy Seed Starters I showed the group two meetings ago.

If anyone has an old set of miniblinds no longer in use, PLEASE bring them!! We can use them to make identifying tags for our seeds!

I will bring the seeds and the soil, plus things we may need such as towels, scissors, forks, knives, a can opener, and a stapler. If anyone has tin snips, please bring them.

We can store all of the seeds in my apartment for their first two weeks (a very tender time!). Anyone who has room to spare in a quiet, warm, dark corner/closet is welcome to help me keep them safe during this delicate time. Afterward, they will be transported to Dodd Hall - they have a great space for us to use to keep the plants going.

Also, for the next several weeks, you can save coffee grounds, egg shells, used nylons, newspapers, plastic take out containers with lids, chopsticks, popsicle sticks, scratched cd's, scrap wood, tinfoil, and 2-liters - all for later implementation in the garden. I've got a great magazine that provides a lot of tips for using household items in the garden to save money and time!

I'm super excited!!! If anyone is able to stay and help clean up, as well as walk the seedlings over to my place - 1479 Belmont Ave, just an alley way away from Creative Living - all help is much appreciated!

Thanks to everyone for their enthusiasm and excitement about our garden. It will be great!

Please feel free to email me at aprilcalkovsky@gmail.com or call me at 614-477-8610 if you have any questions!

University Area Commission Elections

2009-03-23T20:25:00.001-04:00

Hello, NECKO -

Ian MacConnell, President of the University Area Commission, forwarded along information regarding upcoming Area Commission elections.

NECKO is a part of District 4 in the Commission, which is the area's official voice to Columbus City Council on issues like zoning, safety, refuse collection, transporation, and more.

Here is the general information:

University Area Commission 2009 Elections
June 6, 2009

For more information, please see their website at http://www.universityareacommission.org/elections.htm

Also, any interested candidates are encouraged to attend the UAC Committee Potluck:

Wednesday, April 1, 2009 at the Northwood High Building, 2231 N. High St., Columbus, Ohio 43202

- William

PS Don't forget we have a NECKO Neighborhood Garden Meeting this Thursday at 7:30 p.m. For all the details, go to www.necko.org.

Neighborhood Garden Sessions Coming Up!

2009-03-14T11:28:00.001-04:00

Good morning, NECKO -

We had a great meeting last Tuesday walking around the proposed location for the neighborhood garden!

Next up, a visioning session to lay out the garden and then a seed planting session.

Mark your calendars!

Garden Visioning Session - 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 26th

Seed Planting Session - 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 16th

See you then!

William

PS Don't forget to check out our website at www.necko.org!

Battelle's new child development center opens enrollment to NECKO residents

2009-03-09T20:56:00.003-04:00

Good evening, NECKO neighborhood - Battelle has extended open enrollment to NECKO neighborhood residents and their children for the brand new "Battelle Discovery Center" on Perry Street just south of West Fifth Avenue. According to Battelle, the child development center is for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years. An open house has been scheduled and all are invited.

Here's the information:

OPEN HOUSE
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Time: 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Location: Battelle Discovery Center
1199 Perry Street

Contact Information:

Lisa Sharp, Director
lisa.sharp@brighthorizons.com
614-754-7023 (office)

For information on the open house and the new center, I've posted the info flyer as a PDF here.

Have a great evening!

William

PS We'll see you tomorrow (Tuesday) at the special meeting about the neighborhood garden at 7:30 p.m. at Creative Living. As always, all the details are at: www.necko.org.

Re: Community Garden Update

2009-03-01T15:10:00.001-05:00

Good afternoon, NECKO -

We're holding a special discussion and working group on the community garden and area greenspace coming up on Tuesday, March 10th from 7:30-9:00 p.m. at Creative Living at 1531 Perry Street.

April Calkovsky's made a lot of progress on the garden project, so we'll be spending time envisioning, planning, and getting ready for the garden.

Also, we're going to be talking about greenspace issues in the area as well.

Hope to see you next week Tuesday!

- William

PS Don't forget to check out our neighborhood website at www.necko.org!

Community Garden Update

2009-01-22T21:48:00.001-05:00

Good evening, NECKO -

In preparation for the NECKO Neighborhood Garden, April passed along an invitation for folks interested in attending some free classes and planning sessions .

If you're interested, please respond to this email and we can set up a car pool.

Here's the information:

2009 Scotts Miracle Gro Urban Garden Academy

The Scotts Miracle Gro Urban Garden Academy is a comprehensive series of courses designed to provide community gardeners with the skills and resources needed to successfully implement and sustain a community garden. The Academy is presented as a partnership between the Columbus Foundation, The Scotts Miracle Gro Company and the Franklin Park Conservatory.

All classes listed below will be held in the lower level classrooms on

Wednesdays 6:00-8:00 pm at Franklin Park Conservatory, 1777 E. Broad St.

Classes are free and open to the public. Call 614-645-5952 to reserve a space.

Organizing Your Community Garden 1 - February 4th

Organizing Your Community Garden 2 - February 11th

Garden Programming - February 18th

The Sustainable Community Garden - February 25th

Area Updates: Free Self-Defense Classes for Women & New High Street Bike Initiative

2009-01-12T20:44:00.001-05:00

Two important neighborhood area updates to pass along from Campus Partners and the City of Columbus that affect NECKO neighborhood residents:

"Share the Road" Initiative on Biking Issues on High Street

We're looking for a volunteer interested in biking issues! The City of Columbus "High St. Share the Road" initiative, an outgrowth of the Bicentennial Bikeways Plan, needs a volunteer from NECKO to help plan an educational "Share the Road" campaign to help bike riders, pedestrians and drivers stay safe. The City plans to kick off Share the Road in 2009 during Bike to Work Week in May.

If anyone from NECKO is interested, the first meeting is:

Thursday, January 15, 2009, 3:00 p.m.– 5:00 p.m.
North Central Mental Health Services
1301 N. High St.

The Advisory Board will meet twice between January and May, 2009. Most other work will be conducted by e-mail and by phone. Please e-mail mkeister@columbus.rr.com to confirm your participation as a NECKO neighborhood resident.

Free Self Defense Classes for Women in the University District (includes NECKO)

Women seeking information and training on self-defense may choose from among a three-hour afternoon workshop and two intensive five-week training courses. The workshop and the two courses are free and open to all women whether or not they are employed or enrolled at The Ohio State University. Spaces are limited, however, so advance registration is required.

University Area Crime Stoppers, The Ohio State University Police Division and South Campus Gateway are sponsoring the self-defense workshop on Saturday, Jan. 24, from 1 to 4 p.m. in The Event Place at South Campus Gateway, 1534 N. High St. Parking is available in the Gateway garage. University Police Officer Don Cornwell, who has extensive experience in teaching self-defense and rape prevention classes, will lead the workshop, which is open to women 16 years of age and older. For information and to register for the workshop, visit the South Campus Gateway website at www.southcampusgateway.com.

The Sexual Violence Education and Support program of Ohio State s Student Wellness Center is offering the Self-Defense Course for Women beginning Thursday, Jan. 22, and continuing each Thursday through Feb. 19 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the third floor gymnasium of Pomerene Hall, 1760 Neil Ave. For information and to register, call (614) 292-4527 or send an e-mail to sves@osu.edu.

The Ohio State University Police Division offers on a regular basis the Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) Systems course. The RAD Systems is a program of realistic self-defense tactics and techniques for women that begins with awareness, prevention, risk reduction and risk avoidance, then moves to the basics of hands-on defense training. RAD offers practice with a padded attacker. The RAD course is taught by certified RAD instructors, who are police officers. The course is open to women 10 years of age and older. The website is www.ps.ohio-state.edu/police/rad/.

Central Ohio Crime Stoppers also is sponsoring a series of free, three-hour self-defense classes during January and February in Dublin. For information on these classes, visit the website of the Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at www.stopcrime.org.

New Welcome Signs & Historic Markers Installed

2008-12-28T17:18:00.004-05:00

Good afternoon, NECKO -

If you're out for a stroll this week, make sure to walk over to the corners of West 8th/Perry and West 8th/Belmont. The last stage of the years-long beautification project in this area was completed last week.

Five neighborhood welcome signs and history markers were installed on the brick pillars and the stone monument in this area. Take a look in person or see photos below.

This beautification project started with a City of Columbus Urban Infrastructure Revitalization Fund grant from 2001 - which in cooperation with Ohio State - resulted in the closure of the dangerous intersection at West 8th & Perry, the installation of accessible ramps throughout the neighborhood, the replacement and upgrade of two blocks of sidewalk from Michigan to Perry, and the pedestrian-oriented welcome and history signage along the border with the OSU medical center. Combined with the new island on King Avenue and the planned pedestrian signage at West 8th/Michigan for 2009, the whole neighborhood has been redefined. Special thanks to all neighbors involved, to Creative Living, and to the professional help, patience and perseverance of City of Columbus staffers Drew Bobay and Susan DeLay and OSU Landscape Architect Steve Volkmann!

Have a great New Year's Week -

William

PS Be sure to check out the neighborhood website at www.necko.org!

Lighting Contest Winners Announced!

2008-12-25T15:41:00.001-05:00

Hello, NECKO neighborhood - We're excited to announce the winners for our 4th annual holiday lighting contest. We had a great time looking at lights on Tuesday night.

If you get a chance to stroll through the neighborhood, you should definitely check out the great displays.

Here are the two winners:

The "Martha Stewart" Award (most festive)

450 King Avenue

The "Clark Griswold" Award (most lights)

303-305 West 8th Avenue

First Place winners will each receive $25 in gift certificates and our 4 honorable mentions will receive $5 in gift certificates. Certificates will be delivered this weekend.

Thanks again to everyone who did a great job making the neighborhood look great this holiday season!

- William

PS Don't forget to check out our website at www.necko.org. Enjoy!

Reminder: 4th Annual Holiday Lighting Contest Tomorrow Night!

2008-12-22T21:53:00.001-05:00

It's almost time... anyone who'd like to gather for cookies, hot cocoa, and a walk around the neighborhood to look at all the holiday lights, be sure to meet at 421 W 8th Avenue at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow (Tuesday).

Don't forget to turn your lights on to be eligible to win! This year we have gift certificates for each winner!

So... Let's make our neighborhood shine this holiday season! Here are all the details about our fourth annual Holiday Lighting Contest complete with prizes for the most festively decorated house and the house with the most holiday lights.

The details:

All residents of NECKO are eligible.
Houses will be judged on the evening of December 23 - lights must be on by 6 p.m. to be eligible.
Categories:

Most Lights – The "Clark Griswold" Award

Most Festive – The "Martha Stewart" Award

Prizes: Gift Certificates to Great Area Restaurants! (for each category)
Other Info: Winners will be announced via our email list and website on December 24, 2008
Questions? Email info@necko.org.

Thanks to our holiday planning team for putting this together!

Happy Holidays!

William

PS Don't forget to check out the NECKO website at www.necko.org

Neighborhood Garden Update

2008-12-17T21:15:00.001-05:00

Good evening, NECKO neighborhood -

Here's an update on the NECKO Neighborhood Garden from April Calkovsky:

Plans are still moving forward with the proposal for the NECKO Neighborhood Community Garden. We have now joined the University Area Community Garden Collective. This Collective, sponsored by the University Area Enrichment Association, is a collaboration created specifically to provide resources for the community gardens in the 3 square miles around the University. Currently there are 16 gardens involved in the Collective. Resources that will be accessible include: potable water, tools, labor, and inclusion in grant requests that contribute to funding for the gardens.

Additionally, because we have just learned of the planned removal of the Spirit of Women park located on 10th Avenue to make room for a parking garage, we will work toward saving the benches, plaques, and the fountain from the park for inclusion in spaces around the NECKO Neighborhood. These items could make beautiful additions to the green space along 8th and Medical Center Drive, and the proposed garden. It will also help us preserve the memories of these brave women and their families.

If you're interested in helping out with the garden, please feel free to email April at aprilcalkovsky@gmail.com

---------------------------

Don't forget to check out our website at www.necko.org!

4th Annual NECKO Holiday Lighting Contest!

2008-12-14T22:47:00.002-05:00

Happy Holidays, NECKO!

Let's make our neighborhood shine this holiday season! We proudly announce our fourth annual Holiday Lighting Contest complete with prizes for the most festively decorated house and the house with the most holiday lights.

The details:

All residents of NECKO are eligible.
Houses will be judged on the evening of December 23 - lights must be on by 5 p.m. to be eligible.
Categories:

Most Lights – The "Clark Griswold" Award

Most Festive – The "Martha Stewart" Award

Prizes: Gift Certificates to Great Area Restaurants! (for each category)
Other Info: Winners will be announced via our email list and website on December 24, 2008
Questions? Email info@necko.org

Thanks to our holiday planning team for putting this together! If you'd like to join us for the judging on the 23rd, just drop an email.

Happy Holidays!

William

PS Don't forget to check out the NECKO website at www.necko.org

No Neighborhood Meeting Tonight

2008-12-09T07:22:00.000-05:00

Good morning, NECKO -

The neighborhood meeting scheduled for tonight has been canceled. Another meeting will be announced soon regarding important issues such as the neighborhood garden. Also, there will be an updated on the lighting contest later this week.

Have a good Tuesday!

William

Neighborhood Meeting Followup

2008-10-20T23:22:00.002-04:00

Good evening, NECKO - Thanks to all who attended our neighborhood meeting last Tuesday!

Our main topic was an update on the parking garage being built north of the intersection of West 8th and Michigan.

We were very grateful to have had Charlie Conner from OSU at the meeting for the update.

Here are the basics:

- The garage is expected to be completed by early September 2009
- Work has progressed quickly and the underground work is mostly finished
- The North-South Alley just west of Neil will be replaced as part of the project between 8th & 9th
- All construction traffic is being routed away from the NECKO neighborhood
- A new stormwater pipe will be installed along the east edge of the existing garage in the coming weeks

A major issue we discussed involved the gravel lot at Michigan and West 8th Avenue. The lot is currently slated to remain
as a gravel parking lot after the construction. Neighbors were particularly concerned about the lot and whether it was necessary.
There was extensive discussion about how to screen it, whether it could be converted to a greenspace, and if the project could
include new neighborhood markers similar to those further west on 8th.

Mr. Conner said that a neighborhood marker could be a possibility and that he would check into it. He directed us to OSU Traffic and Parking to
explore the possibilities for the parking lot. Several of us are following up to find out about this and will report back to the list as soon as we hear more.

It was also mentioned that the "Spirit of Women" Park at OSU is going to be replaced with a parking garage for the Medical Center next year.
More information on that project will be discussed at a future meeting.

Other topics:

- April gave an update on the community garden (more info on that in a separate email)
- The Holiday Lighting contest will take place again this year (more info on that coming soon)
- There was a discussion about recent car thefts in the neighborhood and loud parties
- The drainage issue on Perry at the alley north of King was discussed

Next meeting will be a Holiday "Garden" Get-together on December 9. Mark your calendars!

Thanks - William

PS Be sure to check out our website at www.necko.org!

Neighborhood Meeting: OSU Officials to Discuss Parking Garage Plans

2008-10-08T22:54:00.001-04:00

Good evening, NECKO -

Come join us at an important neighborhood meeting next week Tuesday, October 14 at 7:30 p.m. at the Creative Living Center (West 8th & Perry) to discuss a few major items going on in the neighborhood.

OSU officials will be joining us to discuss the on-going construction of the new parking garage just north Michigan and West 8th. This will include plans for what will be done with the small parking lot there.

Also, we're going to discuss the community garden plans and the upcoming holidays.

See you then!

- William

PS Check out our new website at www.necko.org !

Brand New Neighborhood Website

2008-09-14T13:13:00.001-04:00

Good morning, NECKO -

Our website has been updated to a new format! Check it out at http//:www.necko.org

It contains lots of new information on neighborhood history, the community garden, and more.

There's room to expand with more neighborhood photos and information, so if you'd have things to
contribute, send them to me. Comments, questions, and additions are welcome!

Have a great weekend -

William

Community Garden Update

2008-08-18T18:58:00.001-04:00

Good morning, NECKO Neighborhood -

Thanks to everyone who attended the neighborhood meeting about the proposed community garden last Tuesday and thanks to Creative Living for again hosting our meeting! It was a great discussion!

Here are the details:

1) The Community Garden has a name: "The NECKO Neighborhood Community Garden" and would have Phase I implemented in Spring 2009
2) Through the hard work of our neighbor April Calkovsky, Lynne Genter at OSU's Dodd Hall Rehabilitation Program, and others, we appear to have the support and potential partnership of the Rehabilitation program as our OSU partner! This is a major accomplishment and would be an great asset to the neighborhood!
3) The current plan for starting the garden is to finalize our community's needs, to achieve a design, and to gain final OSU backing.
4) The preferred site is still the triangle shaped piece of OSU land south of Creative Living.
5) A major task to work on in the coming months is to secure additional community partners.

A helpful resource on the garden is the initial letter proposal and map to OSU from NECKO:

Click here: NECKO Garden Proposal

Next up? April's spearheading our efforts and will be providing an update in September. We'll set up another meeting in the fall as warranted.

Anyone interested in joining the garden effort? Contact April or just reply to this email.

We also continued our discussion about an idea for a new "NECKO park" along West 8th Avenue near Michigan as part of the OSU parking garage project. We'll have representatives from OSU at a neighborhood meeting in October to discuss the project and the idea.

Have a great week!

William

PS Don't forget to check out our website at www.necko.org!

Project Update: 9th Avenue Garage Expansion

2008-08-17T11:29:00.001-04:00

Good morning, NECKO - Here's an update on the parking garage project happening just north of West 8th. - William

---------- Forwarded message ----------

		FOD Project Update
9th Avenue Garage Expansion Medical Center Facilities Plan (MCFP) Enabling Project
August 11, 2008


Project Updates	Summer Overview: June Contractors Mobilized Dugan & Myers Construction – general trades and lead contractor Aggressive Mechanical Services – plumbing, fire protection contractor J.A. Guy, Inc. – HVAC contractor Accurate Electric – electrical contractor July Mass site excavation was completed and work progressed on the building foundation systems. The south alley utilities were re-routed and abandoned as required. The south alley was closed to through traffic until the alley surface is replaced later in the project. August 9th Avenue, in front of the site, will be reduced in width to allow installation of a tower crane at the front of the site. Two-lane traffic will be maintained on 9th Avenue. As part of an approved Maintenance of Traffic (MOT) plan, new concrete barriers and fencing will be installed along 9th Avenue as an additional traffic safety measure. September 9th Avenue to be closed to erect tower crane on Sept.13-14. Signage and MOT plan prepared by Transportation & Parking and Sgt. Bissett. Alternate routes provided along King Avenue to Cannon Drive.
Next update	The next update is anticipated during the next quarter of construction. This will allow us to include pertinent project update information.
Contact	For questions or comments, please contact Charlie Conner, Project Manager, 292-3341, conner.26@ osu.edu; or, Glenn Gerhart, Construction Manager, 688‑5606, gerhart.1@osu.edu.

Meeting Reminder: Community Garden Meeting

2008-08-11T19:42:00.001-04:00

Good afternoon -

There will be a special topic neighborhood meeting at Creative Living (corner of 8th & Perry) at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, August 12th on the Community Garden.

The plan to implement a community garden in our neighborhood is moving forward and we'll be meeting with some representatives to discuss.

At the meeting, we'll also discuss plans for the fall in the neighborhood.

If you cannot attend, we'll try to get any details or plans posted to the website after the meeting if available.

We'll see you tomorrow!

William

PS Please feel free to forward this notice to any interested friends or neighbors. And don't forget that all of the information is also available at www.necko.org.

University Area Commission Election Poll Workers needed - Sat. June 7, 2008

2008-05-30T10:02:00.001-04:00

SPECIAL COMMUNITY NOTICE

Hello University Area Neighbors,

The University Area Commission is in need of UAC Eleciton Poll workers
to volunteer Saturday, June 7, 08 between 10:00am - 4:00pm to work two
hour shifts.

If you are interested in volunteering, please email Lissa Warncke at
lisabeth.warncke@gmail.com.

More information on this year's election can be found at
http://www.universityareacommission.org/elections.htm

If you are interested in running for the UAC, you can download a
candidate packet here.

OFFICIAL Candidate WRITE-IN Declaration of Intent form is due next
Monday June 2, 2008 4:30pm to the UAC Office - Northwood High
Building, 2nd Floor, 2231 N. High Street.

If you would like to arrange to drop off the form or election packets,
please email Lissa Warncke at lisabeth.warncke@gmail.com.

Please share this email with anyone that might be interested in
helping or is interested in running for the UAC.

Thanks

Ian MacConnell, President
University Area Commission

UAC Elections to be held June 7, 2008-

Community Garden Update

2008-05-17T12:09:00.001-04:00

Good morning, NECKO -

Sean Cunningham has posted a letter with all the details of the neighborhood community garden at this link.

"NECKO Garden Proposal":
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dfqhzbt3_2gcqn96c9&invite=

In sum, it's an idea for a pilot garden this summer with bigger plans for next year. Take a look!

Have a good weekend - William

Project Update: 9th Avenue Garage Expansion

2008-05-13T22:50:00.001-04:00

FYI...

FOD Project Update
9^th Avenue Garage Expansion (MCFP)
May 12, 2008
The 9th Ave Parking Garage Expansion is the addition of a second 1000-car garage east of the existing parking garage located on the corner of 9th Avenue and Medical Center Drive. This garage will occupy the site of an existing university surface parking lot along 9th Avenue. The construction is slated to begin in the summer of 2008 and to be completed in late summer 2009. The alleys adjacent to the project will be resurfaced or replaced, depending on underground conditions. Traffic flow in and around the site will be temporarily interrupted at times as construction and utility work commences.


Project Updates	May 7 The contracting team has been selected by public bid process and the contracts awarded. The electrical contractor will begin mobilization soon and be working in the north-south and east-west alleys within the next two weeks. Look for temporary closures of the alleys around the construction site.

Project Status Report	The target date to begin construction is June 9, 2008 after spring quarter Commencement. Look for further detailed information updates as construction begins.

Next Update	We anticipate issuing the next update in mid-July. This will allow us to include pertinent information from the early construction excavations and below grade work.

University Contacts	You can contact the FOD project manager or construction manager if you have questions or comments: Charlie Conner, Project Manager, 292-3341, conner.26@ osu.edu Glenn Gerhart, Construction Manager, 688-5606, gerhart.1@osu.edu Glenn will be our primary representative in the field as this project moves into the construction phase. Please direct all construction-related questions/comments to Glenn.

Join us for the Neighborhood Cleanup - This Saturday 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

2008-05-01T18:51:00.001-04:00

  Hello, NECKO!
  
The annual Spring NECKO neighborhood cleanup is this Saturday, May 3rd from 10 a.m to 2 p.m. Come early if possible, but join us at any point!

We'll meet at 1471 Michigan Avenue  and provide all the tools folks need along with cookies, hats, and lemonade!  Special thanks to Dan Emch for coordinating things again this year!!

  Please let me know if you have any questions, otherwise, we'll see you 
  Saturday morning.

- William

Fwd: Area Commission Green Plan Draft Now Online

2008-04-23T18:50:00.000-04:00

Hello, NECKO - The University Area Commission has an update on the neighborhood green plan and a meeting has been scheduled to review it, please see below...

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <uac_news@universityareacommission.org>
<edited for length>

The Green Plan Draft is now available for download. The University Area Neighborhood Green Plan was started in June '07 and after several open meetings with area residents, business owners and area stakeholders, the first draft is now available for download and additional comments. There will also be a Green Plan open house to discuss the next steps as we prepare to present the plan to Columbus City Council.

Green Plan Open House
When: Wednesday, April 30th 6:30pm to 8:00pm
Where: Northwood High Building, 2231 N. High Street
Directions

If you plan on attending, please read the Green Plan Draft in advance as it is a 60 page document. You may comment at the meeting or online.

If you have any comments or questions please email University Area Commissioner Elan Daniel at elandaniel@gmail.com

Community Garden Information

2008-04-21T00:31:00.000-04:00

Hello, Neighbors!

I want to thank everyone who attended the NECKO meeting about the Community Garden on April 15th, I am really excited that this is starting to come together. For those of you who missed the meeting, we discussed some options for starting a community vegetable garden in the NECKO neighborhood.

The site we are looking at is located behind Perry St. between the alleyway and the parking lot for the county morgue. The property is managed by OSU and for permission to use this area for a community vegetable garden we will need to put together a site plan and get it approved by OSU. I asked everyone to come up with some ideas on how we would like this project to progress, and to just start thinking of some cool ideas on how to pull it all together.

Some major hurdles to clear include water sources, compost, funding, membership options, volunteer management, a name for the garden, what to do with any produce, and things we'll need such as tools, seeds, etc. There are quite a few resources available to us, especially here in Columbus, so if anyone has any ideas or suggestions I encourage and welcome you to send me an email @ seancunningham2000@yahoo.com or call my cell phone @ (330) 715-7259.

The next meeting will be this Thursday, April 24th at 7pm, at Creative Living on the corner of Perry St and 8th Ave.

See you Thursday!

-Sean Cunningham

Special Neighborhood Meeting on April 15th: Community Garden & Spring Cleanup

2008-04-06T17:04:00.001-04:00

Good afternoon -

There will be a special topic neighborhood meeting at Creative Living (corner of 8th & Perry) at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 15th.

Sean Cunningham, a neighborhood resident and University Area Commissioner, will be talking about ways to get a community garden in our neighborhood. Don't forget to fill out the neighborhood survey on community gardening by clicking here: NECKO Gardening Survey

At the meeting, we'll also discuss plans for a spring cleanup event.

If you cannot attend, we'll try to get any details or plans posted to the website after the meeting.

We'll see you on the 15th!

William

PS Please feel free to forward this notice to any interested friends or neighbors. And don't forget that all of the information is also available at www.necko.org.