Colonial Place/Riverview Civic League
COMMUNITY NEWS
Guest Speakers at this Month's Meeting: Neighborhood Authors
NEXT BOARD MEETING will be Monday, April 21, 2008, at 7:00 pm.
DEADLINE for the May issue is Tuesday, April 22, 2008.
THIS MONTH'S MEETING AGENDA: Monthly police report - Neighborhood authors night
The form of this month's President's Notes will be in the form of a poetic greeting
As this is National Poetry Month, I thought I would use a sonnet as my forum
I will make the usual request that you attend our next civic league meeting
We always have lots to discuss and never have difficulty obtaining a quorum
But without your presence and involvement, our meetings are somewhat lacking
I know you have other pressing commitments – an evening hobby or a random chore
Trust me, now that weather is getting nice, I would rather be kayaking
But make it a point to come out this month, I challenge you to find it a bore
We have committees for you to join and PACE reports for you to hear
Our guest speakers are arranged by Sheila, our hard-working Vice President
Abducted plants, traffic, dog parks and schools – we discuss what we hold dear
This is what it takes to be a fully informed citizen and a responsible resident
Life on and around the Lafayette River is worth a smile
It's not just a neighborhood, it is, my friends, a lifestyle…
Steve Earnhart
searnhart@gmail.com
This month we are going to highlight some neighborhood authors. When I heard that the famous writer, Leon Uris, who lived on Gosnold in the 1930s, wrote about some of his CPRV experiences in his book QB VII, I started looking around and noticed that our neighborhood is home to many notable authors. Several neighborhood authors will be at the April CPRV Civic League meetings to share information about their books and offer a short reading:
The Annual River Ride will take place place on Friday, May 2nd. Take a paddle along a scenic, historic waterway. Discover the history, commerce and ecology of the Lafayette River and learn how urban life impacts the river and what you can do to restore it. Time is noon depending on the launch site. You can rent a kayak or bring your own and choose your paddle route. The ride ends at 4:30pm at the Lafayette Park Boat Ramp followed by the Eco-Fiesta. For more information call 441-1347.
I have been composing the Up From The Soil article for about 4 years now and I have loved every minute. It has been a challenge for me to keep it fresh, do the research and especially meet the many different deadlines. As a certified horticulturist, I have enjoyed communicating with other gardeners, pros and novices, through e-mail. Unfortunately, I regret to say that I have to make this my final submission.
My schedule at work, although rewarding, is all consuming especially this time of year. I have not been able to meet some of your deadlines for the newsletters and fliers and I just can't seem to get the article out early enough. Try as I might, I just have too much on my plate at this time and it has been difficult to keep it consistent.
I hope the articles have been informative and an honest contribution to your various clubs and organizations. Please feel free to re-publish any past articles if you see fit. I also invite you continue publishing my e-mail address or use it as a reference in case anyone has any gardening questions. I'll be happy to answer any questions that my fellow gardeners may have I wish you all well and let's keep in touch!
Happy Gardening, Jim Hoffmaster
On Saturday, May 3, from 11am to 2pm, City Parks and Recreation will be putting on another Bicycle Safety event at the Safety Center next to the Ernie Morgan Center. Children will be given free bicycle helmets. Can't wait? Contact Officer Jackson. You can also take your bike(s) to the Police Operation Center on Virginia Beach Blvd. and have it registered. Remember, bikes cannot be registered without out a serial number.
The way we beat criminals who are breaking into cars is by keeping all property out of your vehicle and keep vehicle doors locked. Items of interest may include cameras, laptops, portable DVD players, books, backpacks, weapons of any kind, clothes, jacket, money, tools. Laptops, iPods and GPS systems are the items most often taken from vehicles – do not attach them to your windshield! If you have one of these in your vehicle, make sure to write down the serial number(s) and keep it in a safe place at home; in the event of a break-in, you can provide this for the police report. If you do have an item taken from you, please report it. If you catch someone in the act, or see your item (bike, pansies, etc), please do not attempt to stop them or take your item back into possession. For your own safety, please call the police, and file a report. If you would like a copy of our crime prevention brochure please call Officer Jackson at 831-3484.
Also, remember to lock your shed, garage, and house. Make sure to write down the make, model and serial number to your property inside your home and place it in a safe location. This is how police locate the owners (who made a police report) to property that was recovered from a crime. Call Crime Prevention at 664-6901 they can assist you with engraving your property if need for identification purpose. You can also call this number to have them come out to conduct a security home survey to see how well your home is secured.
The next Red Sector P.A.C.E. meeting will be Friday, April 11, 2008 from 11am to noon. We'll have a speaker and light lunch. If you need a bicycle license you can stop by the Third Patrol Division at Tidewater Drive on Goff Street, Monday through Friday 8am to 4pm. You must be 18 and have the bicycle(s) with you.
GraffittiRemember to call the Norfolk Cares Call Center 664-6510 if you have a complaint about street repairs, street signs, reports of high grass and weeds, rats, animals, abandoned vehicles in the street or on private property, vehicles and boats in yards, driveways or streets, house or apartment in need of repairs, possible rooming house, bulk waste, trash on private or city property, graffiti, rats and animal issues (non-emergency) and health and environmental issues.
Sec. 27-46. Incentive payment for abatement by property owner or occupant where graffiti not caused by property owner or occupant; reward for information leading to conviction. Where the property owner or occupant of the property where the graffiti is located complies with the notice to abate within five (5) days and removes the graffiti, the property owner or occupant shall be entitled to an incentive payment not to exceed fifty dollars ($50.00) payable by the city upon presentation of satisfactory proof of the cost of abatement and upon verification by the city of the cost expended for graffiti removal, as long as the graffiti was not caused by said owner or occupant. In addition, a reward in an amount not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500.00) is authorized to be paid to any person, not charged with graffiti offenses, who provides information leading to conviction of any person for applying graffiti in violation of this article.
2007 real estate data is now loaded on www.cprv.org and available through a link on the home page. I have started a new table for two reasons – no room on the old table and a change in how the statistics are reported. This should serve as a reminder (as those of us familiar with book entitled: “How to lie with statistics" know) that statistics are only statistics. Take a look at the 2007 numbers and keep in mind the following definitions for median and average/mean. Previous to this year the reports used average; this year they use median.
Promote CPRV by displaying the CPRV sticker on your vehicle, bike, and even lawnmower. Perhaps these items will stay in the neighborhood if they bear an identifying sticker. The regular size black and white oval sticker costs just $1.00; the mini size goes for $.50. Even at these low prices the Civic League reaps some income. Stickers will be available at the April meeting (please bring exact $$). Get your “Stickers-by-Mail by sending a check made out to CPRV to: Jeanne Ullian, 4400 Mayflower Road, Norfolk 23508. Be sure specify the number/size and your delivery address as I usually hand deliver these on my neighborhood walks.
Every month some neighbors from CPRV get together to enjoy vegetarian and vegan dishes. You do not have to be vegetarian to come, in fact quite a few folks come just for the great food and company! The potlucks are usually on Sundays at 5 pm, but the day and time may vary depending on who is hosting. You can join the Veg Club listserv by going to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cprv_veggies/ or sending an email to: CPRV_Veggies-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. If you would like to join us or have any questions, contact Tara or Kristie at 627-1176.
The Riverview Village Businesses would like to welcome Paul, owner of the new Bent Fork Express! The Bent Fork Express is located next to A & J Cleaners and the Riverview Coffee Parlor. They specialize in freshly made burgers, pulled BBQ, real-steak-cheese-steak subs, wings, along with hotdogs, NY hot sausage, hot Italian sausage and beer brat with toppings that include cheese, chili, hot peppers, sweet hot relish, sauerkraut, onions, sweet relish, mustard, coleslaw and whatever else we have to offer. Lucky Vet Specials and soups are made fresh - subject to change. They are open Monday through Saturday 11am to 4pm. So be sure to stop by and treat yourself to this great summer fare!!
The Colonial Place/Riverview Civic League
P.O. Box 6130
Norfolk, VA 23508
WEB PAGE: www.cprv.org
Community News Editor: Stephanie Hale, Phone 622-6999
Community News Distribution: Buddy Petzinger, Phone 622-0233 and Mary Hormell, Phone 627-2392
Advertising: Stephanie Hale, Phone 622-6999
Please deliver typewritten newsletter items to:
Stephanie Hale
Phone: 622-6999
e-mail: cprvnews@gmail.com