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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012
Tavern Targets
November Launch
Owners Promise Mix
of Old and New
By GREG ABEL
[email protected]
On a recent hot and humid July
afternoon, Rob Frisch and his wife, Holly,
worked side by side within a building
once nearly consumed by flames,
patiently painting one gold letter at a time
on a large sign that read, “Mt.
Washington Tavern.”
In early November, the sign will hang
over the doors of an entirely new
restaurant following a year of rebuilding
from a blaze that started in the early
morning hours of Halloween 2011, nearly
burning the iconic eatery to the ground.
While Tavern co-owner Frisch has not
set an exact date for the re-opening –
construction will be about 75-80 percent
Mt. Washington Tavern Owner Rob Frisch and his wife Holly work on the restaurant's sign in advance of
the planned reopening in November. photo: Greg Abel
complete by Labor Day – he is confident
that guests will enjoy the new restaurant
and bar before Thanksgiving. In all Frisch
estimated that the final cost to rebuild
will be in excess of $4 million.
It’s been a long, grueling year.
“The first six to eight weeks after the
fire we were consumed with demolition
and trying to find the cause of the fire,”
Frisch said, adding that the cause remains
undetermined, though the fire
department has ruled it accidental.
These days Frisch and co-owner Dave
Lichty are more excited to look forward to
what the new Tavern, which will employ
about 60 people, will offer. The menu will
remain familiar, Frisch said – new
American with a seafood twist. He said
See Tavern, page 11
“Spirit” Rallies Despite Record Heat, Storm
By HOLLY COLEMAN
[email protected]
“... Yet we have this consolation with us, that
the harder the conflict, the more glorious the
triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem
too lightly: it is dearness only that gives
everything its value.”
— Thomas Paine, The American Crisis.
It is called the Spirit of Mount
Washington Independence Day Parade,
and in this, its 13th year, that spirit could
not be dampened. With many in the
neighborhood still without power and all
of us facing a day in the 100’s, who would
have been surprised if folks didn’t show
up? And that’s why this year’s parade was
so inspiring: despite the heat and the lack
of power and the pool being closed, we
gathered together in the spirit of the day
(and, if you were reading the listserv,
with a hint of revolution in the air)
and celebrated together.
What is that spirit? It is a bit corny, but
I’d suggest it is the spirit of a great
hometown.
It was the people who volunteered to
help put the event together, and stuck
with it -- even through the added
complexity of managing their own lives
and the parade without having power.
It was why bakers offered to make
cupcakes, fretted when the power went
See Spirit, page 9
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. M W I A . ORG
Messag e from th e Presi d ent
Recently, I received a telephone call from
a neighbor who related a sad story of what
happened to the community where he had
lived many years ago before moving to
Mount Washington. With no improvement
association looking out for the community’s
concerns, his old neighborhood gradually
fell into disrepair. There was no monitoring
of land-use or zoning issues, no pursuing of
traffic and public safety problems, no
concern for architectural and historic preservation, no creation and maintenance of parks
and recreational areas, and no organized
community effort to improve schools. On all
these counts, my neighbor’s old community
lacked what we sometimes take for granted
here in Mount Washington, and he wanted
me to know what a crucial difference our
neighborhood association makes.
As I begin my second two-year term as
President of the Mount Washington
Improvement Association, I see my
neighbor’s story as both a warning and a call
to action for the vital work of the association.
The MWIA, led by a dedicated volunteer
board of directors, has done all of the above
and much more. We have established important relationships with local institutions such
as Springwell, The Chimes, Johns Hopkins,
The Mount Washington Pediatric Hospital,
the Village Merchants’ Association, the
Northern and Northwestern Police Districts,
and City Hall.
Through our work, we have earned a
respected voice among government
decision-makers. We have negotiated
binding agreements with local restaurants
regarding alcoholic beverage sales - agreements that are requested and honored by the
City’s Liquor Board. In fact, I have been told
on many occasions that the City views the
MWIA as one of the strongest and most
effective community associations in Baltimore. Working with the Northwest
Baltimore Presidents’ Council, the MWIA
secured $60,000 in slots revenue allocations
for our school and will
continue to work for
additional funding for
Mount Washington
projects.
Dr. Ira Kolman
These efforts,
though volunteer-driven, are not free. We
have invested our members’ dues in important local organizations such as the
Preservation Trust and our school (whose
strength pays dividends to all community
residents, whether they have children
enrolled or not). We pay for welcome baskets
for new residents of our community, for
clean-up materials for our parks and
streams, and for community-building events
such as the 4th of July Parade, the Community Picnic (which we hope to renew next
spring) and our Holiday Tree Lighting. We
publish and mail a newsletter to every Mount
Washington household at least four times a
year. Finally, the MWIA maintains a Legal
Contingency Fund that has helped us stem
the tide of encroachment by big developers
or other entities and protect the nature of our
neighborhood that we all value so much.
In the coming year there are big
challenges and opportunities for Mount
Washington, e.g., the implementation of the
Northwest Baltimore Strategic Neighborhood Action Plan (SNAP), the development
of the Jones Falls Trail, slots revenues
increases, and leadership changes continuing at City agencies.
As my neighbor learned, we can’t take
any of our successes for granted. Success
comes from the hard work of many volunteers, from our modest dues structure, and
the collective voice of our membership. I
hope you’ll agree that for a $40 membership,
you get a “big bang for your bucks.” I feel
very privileged to serve our neighborhood,
and I know that with your help, we will
continue to make Mount Washington the
best place to live in Baltimore and possibly all
of Maryland.
2
Board of Di rec tors
Officers
Ira Kolman
President
Bryce Butler
Vice President
[email protected]
410-664-5078
[email protected]
Teia Hendricks
Secretary
[email protected]
Eric Seaberg
Treasurer
[email protected]
410-466-1548
Directors
Bonnie Adachi
Bryce Butler
[email protected]
[email protected]
Stuart Caplan
Anne Chamberlain
[email protected]
[email protected]
Holly Coleman
[email protected]
Alberto Alejandro Garrido [email protected]
Teia Hendricks
[email protected]
Ira Kolman
[email protected]
Jason & Kate Kortte
[email protected]
Paul Levine
[email protected]
Curtis McKnight
[email protected]
David Nemerson
[email protected]
Susan Pierce
Brooke Redgrave
[email protected]
[email protected]
Naomi Goldstick Rosner
Eric Seaberg
Sally Staugaitis
Elina Toole
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Honorary Director
Mac Nachlas
[email protected]
Area Director
Roberta Strickler
[email protected]
Area Captains
1) Grace Murdick
[email protected]
2) Jere Morrel
[email protected]
3) David Conn
[email protected]
4) Mary Beth Dyer
[email protected]
5) Susan Manning
[email protected]
6) Eileen Steinberger
7) Robin Klein
[email protected]
[email protected]
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012
St. John's Weighs Sale of Property
By DAVID CONN
[email protected]
St. John’s Mt. Washington Church,
facing financial challenges associated with
maintenance of a building too large for its
needs, has moved its worship services to the
nearby Springwell Senior Living Community
and is considering options that include
selling its building at 1700 South Road.
The church, founded in 1868, is offering
its 84-year-old building for lease to other religious congregations. It is listed by KLNB
Commercial Real Estate in Ellicott City.
St. John’s made the move “to better serve
our primary purpose to be a worshipping
community with concern for the needs of our
neighborhood and city,” Rector Lori Hale
Babcock said in a written statement. “In the
fall, St. John’s leadership will determine if the
building will be offered for sale. We anticipate that another church would be most
likely to purchase the property, as this would
not require any zoning changes.”
She said to use the building for other
purposes would require “expensive upgrades
to meet building codes,” a prospect St.
John’s cannot afford with a congregation of
about 100.
“Toward the end of 2011, it became clear
to the leadership of St. John’s that we could
only afford to operate for another two years,
at the most,” wrote the Rev. Babcock, who
came to St. John’s in February 2009 from her
position as Priest-in-Charge at Trinity Cathedral in Easton. She said the church needs
about $200,000 annually for staff and maintenance. Capital needs can add at least
$25,000 more each year.
“For many years, we have operated at a
deficit and the gap was covered by funds
endowed by past generations,” she
explained. “The recession and ongoing
capital needs (we spent $25,000 on a new
furnace last year and $60,000 for various
repairs and improvements over the past three
years) has rapidly brought an end to this
practice.”
In May the church moved its services to
the Springwell Faith & Fellowship Chapel, on
West Rogers Avenue. This allowed Springwell community residents to satisfy a desire
to worship with St. John’s congregants.
Springwell offers services for other faith
traditions as well.
St. John’s rental listing offers its 4,000
square foot facility for $2,200 a month, with
weekly or daily rental options for less. The
sanctuary provides seating for more than
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See St. John’s, page 10
Kelly Avenue Bridge Bicycle Plan In Neutral
By ELINA TOOLE
[email protected]
Baltimore City has put the brakes on a plan
to convert two lanes of the Kelly Avenue
Bridge to bike lanes, after hearing from the
Mount Washington Improvement Association
in August.
The City Department of Transportation
announced in July that an east-west bicycle
route was being planned between Mount
Washington and the Belvedere Square center
on York Road. The proposed route would
convert the four-lane road over the Kelly
Avenue Bridge to two bike lanes, two vehicular
lanes and a turn lane at the Falls Road and
Sulgrave Avenue intersections. It would
proceed toward Belvedere Square by way of
Bellemore Road and Lake Avenue.
The MWIA Transportation Committee
immediately voiced the community’s
concerns and opposition to the proposed
route, citing the already tense traffic
conditions on the Kelly Avenue Bridge. Councilwoman Rikki Spector and DOT Director
Khalil Zaied acknowledged the community's
concerns and agreed that the plan would not
See Bike Plan, page 10
3
HOME BUILDING & REMODELING
Your Neighborhood
Green Builder
(410) 424-0630
www.ZahlerConstruction.com
MHIC#127849
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. M W I A . ORG
Photo Contest Winner Announced
Congratulations to Katie Vaeth, whose
photo of her daughter, three-year-old Jane
Weiss, at the July 4th parade, won the
grand prize in the first-ever MWIA Photo
Contest. Her prize is a handmade cedar
picture frame, crafted by Mount Washington artisan John Wells. Myles Norin won
second place for his shot of two classic
roadsters in the parade. This month’s
theme was “The Spirit of Mount Wash-
1
GARDENING By RICK KINGSBURY
ington.” The November/December theme
will be “Autumn in Mount Washington.”
Submit entries to http://tiny.cc/mwiaautumn (or use the QR code below). The
deadline for submissions is October 1.
Contact [email protected] for information.
st
[email protected]
plant with cool (not hot) water and soap within 15 minutes of
contact may reduce or prevent the rash. Several products are available to treat a poison ivy rash, and there are dozens of home
remedies that can be found through a quick Internet search.
So, what is the safest and most effective way to remove the
plant? Pulling it out by the roots is not recommended, as all parts of
the plant carry the toxin, and every last bit of the roots must be
removed to prevent it from growing right back. Keep in mind that
even dead plants can cause the rash. Using a weed eater is one of
the worst methods, as the toxin can be spread to your clothes and
around the lawn. Burning the plant can be very dangerous as the
toxin can be inhaled from the smoke.
Recommended methods include using an herbicide such as
Round Up to spray the plant, being careful to follow label directions.
There are a few products that are marketed as being “natural” or
“plant based”; one of these is Saint Gabriel’s Poison Ivy Defoliant. It
may be necessary to spray several times over a period of years to
completely kill the plants. It will help to cover the sprayed plants with
black plastic or newspaper to smother them. There are also companies that specialize in poison ivy removal. Websites for identifying
poison ivy and suggestions for treatment and prevention include
www.poison-ivy.org and www.poisonivy.aesir.com.
Enjoy the fall colors in Mount Washington, and hopefully next
year we’ll see fewer of those “leaves of three.”
One Native Plant You
May Not Want
Autumn in Mount Washington, now just
around the corner, offers an enormous variety of
beautiful flora to appreciate – and a few species
we’d just as soon do without. Boasting a lovely
range of fall colors from red to bright yellow, sprouting interesting
winter berries, and offering food and shelter for a variety of native
birds, poison ivy is still probably not something you want growing
on accessible areas of your property.
This plant typically grows at the edges of wooded areas, or in the
shrub border, and left unchecked it can climb trees and reach the
size of a large shrub. Most of us know it by the old rhyme, “Leaves
of three – let them be.” But while poison ivy always has pointed
leaflets, the leaves can vary greatly in size and shape. There are
several facts regarding this plant that are useful to know.
First of all, the rash is caused by direct contact with the plant, or
indirectly from clothing, garden tools or family pets. The toxic oil
urushiol in poison ivy can remain viable for years on garden tools
and gloves, and can even be spread through the air on windy days.
Although it can seem so, the rash is not spread by scratching. It
appears at different times and places on the body where the plant
was contacted. Washing areas that have come in contact with the
4
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012
Above and Beyond
This month’s edition inaugurates a new feature, recognizing the good works and citizenship of
Mount Washington residents. Several nominations were submitted – and can be read at
http://mwia.org – and the winning entry was this one, submitted by Debbie Andrew and Doug
Barrick of the 2200 block of Crest Road. To nominate a neighbor for the November/December
issue, please send a short “Above and Beyond” essay to [email protected].
We would like to nominate Jay Sakai, our next door neighbor. In the big storm that
took out most of the power in the neighborhood, a tree landed on our house punching a
hole through the living room, allowing in huge amounts of water. I was at a meeting in
Greece and flying to Rome at the time to meet with my son and husband who were flying
there from Baltimore. My husband wanted to return home immediately, but the cost
would have been enormous, and we would have missed the event that motivated our trip Jay Sakai
the wedding of a close friend. That's where Jay stepped in. He contacted our insurance
company, got the tree removed from our roof, had a tarp put on to prevent more water from coming in with later rainstorms,
organized the clearing out of the wet drywall, carpets, furniture, clothes, shoes, etc., and helped organize getting in the blowers to
help dry out the house. As you can imagine, this took an enormous amount of time and energy on Jay’s part. Without his help, we
either would have had to abort our trip immediately or come home to a far greater disaster than it was. We are so lucky to have Jay
and his family as our close friends and neighbors.
— Debbie Andrew and Doug Barrick
Gentle Chiropractic
for All Ages
THE PARK SCHOOL OF BALTIMORE
Where Children — Age 4 through Grade 12 — Learn to Think
2425 Old Court Road
Baltimore, MD 21208
410.339.4130
www.parkschool.net
Dr. Margaret Winters
305 West Chesapeake Ave. Suite 101
Towson, MD 21204
410-832-8888
www.greatriverchiro.com
5
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Mount Washington School Report Card
By SUE TORR, Principal
The Mount Washington School
[email protected]
(410) 396-6354
In the past year The Mount Washington
School has accomplished all that it set out
to do in the first year of our three-year
expansion.
The partnership with the Shrine of the
Sacred Heart Church has flourished. The
Lower Building, formerly The Shrine
School, has been a perfect location for our
younger students. The renovations
completed by Baltimore City Schools
helped create a nurturing and academically
oriented building. The Upper Building also
had many renovations, including a science
lab, a computer lab and now a refurbished
porch. We successfully applied for candidacy as an International Baccalaureate
Middle Years Programme (IBMYP) School
and every teacher who teaches sixth or
seventh grade has received the first level of
training in the program.
Although test scores are not the only
criteria for an excellent school, these
results show that our students participate
in an outstanding academic program, in
large part due to the strong support of the
community and parents. Mount
Washington School students continue to
exceed the targets set by the City and State
in both the Maryland School Assessment
(for students in grades 3, 4, 5 and 6) as
well as the Stanford Ten standardized test
(for students in grades 1 and 2).
Congratulations to all teachers &
students for our terrific 2012 assessment
results.
Our attendance exceeds the overall
attendance for middle grades in City
MSA Results 2012
Reading
Grade 3, 4, 5 & 6
92.15%
Math
90.3%
Stanford Ten 2012
Reading
81%
76%
Math
86%
75%
Grade 1
Grade 2
Schools by 4.4 percentage points (98% for
MWS vs. 93.6% for City Schools).
Word is out that the school is a vibrant
and exciting place for students, demonstrated by a waiting list for every grade!
We anticipate another successful year and
invite you to contact us to find out more
about the school and how community
members can provide support.
410.BRO
410.BROTHER
THER
BrothersServices.com
BrothersSer
vices.com
6
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012
Architecture, Landscape Projects Honored for Design Excellence
By RALPH RAPHAEL
[email protected]
Mount Washington residents were
honored at the Improvement
Association’s annual meeting in June for
residential design and landscaping projects that ranged from a salvage-based
home renovation to a garden project that
created a series of outdoor “rooms.”
The MWIA Excellence in Design
Awards are presented annually to recognize architectural and landscape
enhancements to the Mount Washington
community. All projects, big and small,
are eligible for consideration. The awards
started in 1993 and have been presented
almost every year since then.
Each year two kinds of awards are
presented: Honor Awards and Merit
Awards.
The Honor Award is a crystal trophy;
the Merit Award is a certificate. This year,
as always, we had entries in both
landscape and architecture. On June 2nd
the judges toured the neighborhood to
view the entries. This year special thanks
go out to Mac Nachlas who put forth a
great effort to help recruit judges for the
awards and made several nominations
based on his travels around the neighborhood. Three judges participated: Alex J.
Kramer, a principal at Arris A Design
Studio; Mark Mobley, at Mark Mobley
Architecture (who designed one of last
year’s Honor winners); and Ellen O’Brien
(who stepped up at the last minute to help
round out the panel).
The judges balanced several criteria:
• Design concerns such as aesthetics and
function (the things you hire
professionals to get advice about)
• Personal passion, enthusiasm,
commitment (commitment to the
community, to a personal vision)
• Green concerns (recycling, reusing
original materials)
David Noble’s renovation
included salvaged and
hand-made materials, and
earned his Sulgrave Avenue
home the Merit Award for
Architecture.
Jaana Myllyluoma and
Jim Burns’s Manhattan Avenue
landscaping project
transformed the exterior of their
house, and earned the Merit
Award for Landscaping.
The 2012 MWIA Excellence in Design
Award winners are:
• Honor Award Architecture: Minu
Aghevli and Brian McTernan on Cross
Country Boulevard. Brian and Minu
have done a complete renovation of the
interior and exterior of this one of a
kind house in Mt. Washington. They
opened up the interior and preserved
much of the original material, (cement
floor, cinderblock walls) making it a
warm, open and inviting home.
• Honor Award Landscape: Gail Ritscher
and Pieter Kuypers on Rusk Avenue.
Gail and Pieter entered a few years ago
and received a Merit Award. The
gardens have been expanded and
matured. The judges noted how the
gardens create a variety of outdoor
“rooms.” They also added a pool.
7
• Merit Award Architecture: David Noble,
on Sulgrave Avenue, who totally gutted
the inside of the house and rebuilt using
salvaged and hand-made materials. This
was clearly a labor of love. He opened
up the space in the house and respected
the original design.
• Merit Award Landscape: Jaana Myllyluoma and Jim Burns, Manhattan
Avenue, for the landscaping transformation around their house. They
removed trees, opened up the front and
sides of the house and installed rain
barrels.
Congratulations to all the winners.
More photos can be found at
http://mwia.org.
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Jones Falls Trail Moving Forward
By MAC NACHLAS
[email protected]
State and City agencies are conducting
their final reviews before seeking
construction bids for Phase V of the Jones
Falls Trail. The MWIA Trail Committee
submitted comments at the end of July
that suggested ways to improve
pedestrian access to the trail as well as
information on techniques that would
minimize damage to the woods during
construction.
The City Department of Recreation
and Parks expects to finalize its
drawings this fall and seek bids on
construction by the end of the year.
Construction could begin as early as next
spring. It is estimated the project will take
18 months to complete.
The Jones Falls Trail, part of the “Bike
Baltimore Master Plan,” will create a
continuous hiking/biking route from
Mount Washington to the Inner Harbor.
Details of the Mount Washington section
are available at www.mwia.org.
Save the Date!
The Mount Washington Village Fall Block
Party is on again this year, sponsored by
the Mt. Washington Village Association.
Sunday September 30 from 11am - 6pm
in the Village. Live music, fashion show,
food, wine, beer, kids’ activities, vendors,
and even a dunking booth. Proceeds will
benefit the Mount Washington School.
For Sale
On The Move
Highlighting the comings and goings of Mount Washingtonians. Please help make our new
neighbors feel welcome. (Information obtained from public sources. Please contact
[email protected] to provide information, or correct any errors.)
1807 W. Rogers Avenue
2200 South Road
On June 5, sold by Christine Corbitt to Eduard
and Jane Berlin.
On July 3, sold by Cassie and Jim Carroll to
Michael and Amy Millin.
2415 Everton Road
5504 Wexford Road
On June 8, sold by Leonard and Joyce Skolnik
to Bert and Rachel Rosenheck.
On July 9, sold by Kalman and Myra Hettleman
to Michael Duvall and Cheryl Price Scungio.
2103 Sulgrave Avenue
2408 Rockwood Avenue
On June 11, sold by Rebecca Hyman to
Amelia Conlon.
On July 11, sold by Stephen Smolka and
Jeanne Clark to Lawrence Canner and
Elizabeth Whitner.
2119 Sulgrave Avenue
On June 13, sold by Joseph and Vera Sturm to
Lowell and Annabelle Crusan.
5733 Greenspring Avenue
On July 12, sold by Russell and Pauline Jacobs
to Rachel Elliott and Ray Hall.
2020 Greenberry Road
On June 14, sold by Robert and Ewa Stevens to
Paul Bigeleisen and Laurie Farber.
5514 South Bend Road
On July 12, sold by Desmond and Adrienne
Bannon to David McMurray and Lindsey White.
2207 South Road
On June 22, sold by Harriet Gold to Jennifer
and John Husson.
2001 West Rogers Avenue
On July 18, sold by Allen and Michele Jacobs
to Alex and Evelyn Sanchez.
5601 Greenspring Avenue
On June 27, sold by Sean Skeuse to Jermaine
and Susan Reed.
1907 Fairbank Road
On July 27, sold by Lisa Cohen to Howard
and Martha Cohen.
2710 Sulgrave Avenue
On June 28, sold by Peter Marvit and Patricia
Suyemoto to Nickolas and Lindsay Vollentine.
8
Know anyone looking to move?
Here are homes for sale in Mount Washington.
(With thanks to Joan Goldman of Coldwell
Banker Residential Brokerage,
www.JoanSellsBaltimore.com.)
Address
1900 DIXON RD
2200 CHILHAM RD
5862 PIMLICO RD
1820 GREENBERRY RD W
2217 CROSS COUNTRY BLVD
2311 ROGENE DR
2401 CROSS COUNTRY BLVD
2435 EVERTON RD
6228 WOODCREST AVE
1718 SULGRAVE AVE
1903 ROGERS AVE W
5705 ROCKSPRING RD
5706 GREENSPRING AVE
5805 MERVILLE AVE
5805 PIMLICO RD
2011 KELLY AVE
5800 STUART AVE
2304 BRIGHT LEAF WAY
2709 GLEN AVE
5605 WOODCREST AVE
1702 MT. WASHINGTON CT #M
1218 NORTHERN PKWY W
List Price
$735,900
$639,000
$475,000
$472,500
$429,900
$399,000
$349,000
$330,000
$319,000
$274,900
$265,000
$245,000
$239,900
$239,000
$239,000
$235,000
$229,000
$225,000
$215,900
$210,000
$133,000
$109,000
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012
MWIA Annual Meeting: The Highlights
June 12, 2012
MONEY: Treasurer Eric Seaberg reported
that in the past year your MWIA dues
supported The Mount Washington
Preservation Trust, the Mount Washington
School (MWS), four newsletters; the Spirit
of Mount Washington parade, and the
holiday tree lighting, among other events.
... The MWIA helped secure $60,000 in
slots revenues for MWS renovations.
Those funds should grow as more onearmed bandits come to town.
SHELTER: The winners of this year's
coveted Mount Washington Excellence in
Design Awards, orchestrated by Ralph
Raphael, were announced. Read the full
story elsewhere in this newsletter.
NEWS: Bryce Butler, newsletter editor,
produced four stellar issues this year,
selling local ads for the first time, to defray
the costs. He was ably assisted by designer
and printer Mike Schmelyun, of Dixon
Hill, who received a certificate
of appreciation for his volunteer efforts.
DUES: Membership Committee Chair
Sally Grant Staugitis announced a Call to
Action Campaign to grow MWIA
membership from the current 400
member households to 814 (out of 1600
total) by 2014. Make Sally happy by joining
right now, at
www.mwia.org/membership.php.
Next Open Board Meeting:
Tuesday October 9th, 7:30 p.m.,
at The Mount Washington School.
TRAFFIC: Committee Chair Elina Toole
reported City Police will crack down on
cars speeding and blocking driveways near
the school. Consider yourself warned. ...
The committee is asking the City for a
traffic calming study, which could produce
permanent devices (e.g. traffic islands,
bump-outs) on all bordering streets
around the 'hood. ... Finally, Falls Road
will be resurfaced by autumn.
PARKS AND REC: Parks Committee Chair
Jason Kortte noted that a major Luckman
Park facelift has begun. Plans include
erosion and sediment control, circular
walking paths, bioswales, demolition of
the existing pavilion, a new tot lot and
restrooms. The work should take 6-9
months.
SEEING TRAILS: Jones Falls Trail
Committee Chair Mac Nachlas said the
City submitted a new set of drawings to the
state, with a response expected in two
weeks. Construction should start in early
2013, with strollers, walkers, bikers and
possibly unicyclists inaugurating the trail
in summer 2014.
For a list of questions and answers, and
to see detailed drawings, go to
http://mwia.org/trail.php.
9
“Spirit,” continued from page 1
out, and blanched at the thought of
buying them.
It was the scores of bicycles decorated
and pedaled, and wagons decked out and
pulled. It showed in our spark to innovate
-- from a vertical bicycle, to a boat built
around a wheelbarrow.
It is why we hula-hooped and bounced
to the rhythm of a band, even though we
could barely breathe for the heat.
It showed in our larger business
community who provided watermelon
and lemon sticks and ice cream and
helped sponsor our coming together.
It shone in the creativity of songs sung
in harmony, using the word “derecho.” *
And it is that spark of whimsy that
makes someone walk around with a
watermelon balanced on his head.
I know no one does this sort of thing
for the thanks, but to everyone who
volunteered, contributed, marched,
watched, or showed up and celebrated,
THANK YOU. We’re a diverse community
and sometimes we chafe over our
differences, but there is little better than a
community coming together in the spirit
of the kind of neighborhood we’re all
striving to have.
* Go to http://mwia.org to see the lyrics.
WWW
. M W I A . ORG
“St. John’s,” continued from page 3
250, space for a choir and an organ for live
music. There is dedicated parking with 50
spaces.
St. John’s was founded in 1868 as a
missionary outpost of the Church of the
Redeemer, on North Charles Street, Rev.
Babcock said. In 1869 a building was
constructed for worship at its current site,
and it was replaced with the present one at
South Road and Kelly Avenue in 1928.
In addition to weekly services, the church
continues to run a feeding ministry, Feed my
Sheep, which serves a weekly meal to the
hungry in partnership with the Salvation
Army, and makes sandwiches at Springwell’s
Terrace Grill once a month. To participate,
email [email protected].
Rev. Babcock said St. John’s partners with
the Women’s Housing Coalition and with
Ochan Self-Help Alliance, a Maryland
nonprofit working to redevelop the village of
Opac, Uganda.
“Bike Plan,” continued from page 3
“Although no decision has been made yet
about our annual holiday bazaar, we are
hopeful to be able to offer our neighbors a
way to gather for fellowship and fun in late
fall,” she said, referring to the church’s
popular December “Holly Daze” event. In the
meantime, community residents can help the
church by looking after trash around the
building, and keeping schoolchildren safe by
preventing them from hanging onto the
church’s railings while waiting for buses.
“We appreciate our neighbors’ interest in
the life of our faith community,” the Rev.
Babcock said. “Our future in the historic
building at 1700 South Road might be uncertain, but our God-directed call to be in and
part of Mt. Washington is very clear. We are
offering our sanctuary for rent to other
churches and if this proves financially sound,
we may return to the building and continue
to share it with our new tenants.”
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10
go forward as originally proposed.
The Committee met in Mount
Washington with City Bicycle and Pedestrian
Planner Nate Evans and Transportation
Liaison Kohl Fallin in early August to discuss
how a bike route might be created that would
accomplish the goals of both the Bicycle
Master Plan and the residents of Mount Washington. The City officials said the proposed
bicycle route is still in the planning stages and
traffic studies will not likely begin until the fall.
The timing coincides well with the
MWIA’s requests for traffic calming studies of
the area as well as the completion of plans for
and the beginning of the construction of
Phase V of the Jones Falls Trail. Going forward
there will be ongoing communication
between these DOT divisions, the Baltimore
City Department of Recreation and Parks
(BCRP) and the MWIA throughout the planning for the trail, bike route and traffic
calming.
"We are all in favor of better bike routes,
but this was not well thought out,” said MWIA
President Ira Kolman. “We will work with
them to try to find a solution that benefits the
community."
The MWIA discussed route alternatives
during the meeting and the City planners are
open to ideas. If you would like to help, the
Planning Division of the DOT is in the process
of updating the 2006 Bicycle Master Plan and
has a survey page set up to solicit community
input: http://www.bmorebikes.com/bikeplan-survey/.
Kirsten Mackin contributed to this article.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012
Dun k le b i t s
By NED DUNKLEBERGER
BTW, what’s up with all the Hard Lemonade over on Uffington?) and
I hear a strange sound. Moving closer I see it’s CHICKENS! What is
the deal with all the chickens? At least three different backyards have
chickens! I’m thinking VooDoo. That has to be it. Eggs are $2.97 at
Whole Foods and there is no poop to clean up. Gotta be VooDoo.
I’ve been working on my first DunkleBook. It’s a Coffee Table
Book, “The Garages of Mt. Washington: A Tribute in Instagrams.”
As you may know, we have a large, but not illegal, number of
cats under our care. Most are leash trained. I’m working on a sixlead leash that is attached around my waist so I have a cat every 60
degrees all around me. It’s gonna be so cool!
Meanwhile back in the garden, the Tomatoes and Basil are doing
great! Sadly the experiment with Cat’s Milk Mozzarella is not going
well at all. I finally got the little milking machine working but the
texture just isn’t right. Any ideas? Drop me a line.
[email protected].
September 2012
Howdy Neighbors! It’s your old pal Ned
Dunkleberger. I'm always around the neighborhood, walking my cats, riding my unicycle,
tending to your gardens without permission, or
just strolling the alleys looking for insight, inspiration, evidence of wrong-doing and fresh herbs.
Many of you who have contacted me via the Mount Washington
Google Group (I hate the term “listserv,” it’s so 1990’s) seem to think
that “Ned” is not my real name. Well, you are correct.
It’s Edwin. Ned’s a nickname.
We’ve probably met before. I'm that guy you see walking along
and you know he's from around here, you’ve seen him before, and
you wonder, “What's his name? It’s Dave or Chip or Dale or something like that, right?”
Nope. It's me, Ned Dunkleberger.
As a former Boy Scout leader and Wilderness Explorer, I enjoy
roaming the alleys and monitoring the wildlife and, occasionally, the
wild life. You know who you are. Anyway, I’m out doing my weekly
Thursday night recycling bin inventory of who’s drinking what (and
Don’t forget to floss.
Ned
“Tavern” continued from page 1
the biggest improvement will be the flow
of the building. Diners will be able to
enter the main dining room through a
new, handicap accessible entrance on
Sulgrave Avenue without the need to
weave through the front bar, as before.
Many of the walls will be adorned with
Chesapeake Bay-inspired artwork, while
the bar areas will pay homage to horse
racing, lacrosse and other local sporting
passions. Gone will be the downstairs
bathroom signs that read, “Hens” and
“Drakes.” Back will be the much loved
shuffleboard table.
The front bar that patrons enter from
Newbury Street will feature a large open
space on one level, rather than two bars
separated by a few steps. Upstairs,
accessible by steps or a new elevator, a
seasonal deck will enhance the new
Skybar, while a large, separate dining
room will host private parties and special
occasions.
As part of its rebuilding and
connection to the community, the Tavern
has launched a Brick Project to support
the Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital.
For $75, individuals or businesses can
purchase a brick at the entrance to the
Tavern and include three inscribed lines
with 15 characters each. Several hundred
have been sold to date with a goal of
1,000. To purchase a brick, visit
http://mtwashingtontavern.com/mtwashington-tavern-brick-project.
Another community connection,
Frisch made sure to point out, is that the
general contractor for the project is
Kodiak Construction, owned by longtime
Mount Washington resident Jim Macko.
When asked what he would want the
Mount Washington community to know,
Frisch said, “Just that we miss ‘em and
we’ll be back and better than ever for
many years to come.”
The Annual Neighborhood
HALLOWEEN PARTY
Sunday, October 28, 2:00 PM
5528 Rusk Avenue
(Rusk & Ken Oak, black fence, white arbor)
• GAMES & CRAFTS (and prizes!) for kids of
ALL ages.
• Scary venture into the SPOOKY ATTIC for
more treats.
• A HAY RIDE around the neighborhood for
trick-or-treating.
• A MAGIC SHOW by JASON, our young
local MAGICIAN, after the ride
• REFRESHMENTS: Potluck – bring
something to share, or order pizza,
no obligation, nothing formal
HELP WANTED ... PLEASE CONTACT ME IF:
• You can bring or run a game, activity, or craft
(I have lots of materials).
• You'd like to be a stop in Area 1 on the hay
ride (we typically have over 75 kids).
We hope EVERYONE comes IN COSTUME
(nothing too gory, please)!
RSVP to 410-664-0304 or [email protected]
— The Grove Family
11
September 19
Cylburn Arboretum:
Monarchs, Milkweed and Migration
6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Join Cylburn Naturalist Kathy Kadow for this
family program about the Monarch Butterfly.
October 6-November 10
Baltimore Clayworks: Shirts and Skins
This exhibition features a group of artists
who participated in the Arrowmont School
for the Arts Surface Symposium. Opening
reception Oct. 6, 6-8PM, free.
September 23
Cylburn Arboretum: Cylburn Folktales Series
1 pm – 3 pm
Join professional storytellers from the Baltimore Folk Music Society for an afternoon of
stories related to nature.
October 9
Mount Washington Improvement
Association Open Board meeting
7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
At The Mount Washington School. All
community members are welcome.
September 1-September 22
Baltimore Clayworks: Lavish and Lush
An exhibition possessing a lavish and lush
aesthetic, creating prolific works wrought
with sumptuous surfaces, ornate renderings,
and sensual textures that are both visual and
tactile feasts. Visit
www.baltimoreclayworks.org for info.
September 29
Baltimore Clayworks: 2012 Clay Ball
6pm – 11pm
Help Baltimore Clayworks celebrate 32 years
as one of Maryland’s leading non-profit arts
organizations, at the 2012 Clay Ball, at the
B&O Railroad Museum. Visit www.baltimoreclayworks.org for info.
October 20
Baltimore Clayworks: Autumn Blaze
Saturday
6pm-10pm
Cozy up with Baltimore Clayworks at their
infamous outdoor wood kiln! Enjoy delicious
food, beer and beverages provided by local
vendors. $20 non-member, $15 member.
September 15
Cylburn Arboretum: Practical Vegetable
Gardening
10 am – 11 am.
Putting your garden to bed/composting.
Part of the practical vegetable gardener
series. Call 410-367-2217.
September 30
Mount Washington Village Fall Block Party
11am - 6pm
Live music, fashion show, food, wine, beer,
kids’ activities, vendors, dunking booth.
Proceeds benefit the Mount Washington
School.
October 28
Annual Neighborhood Halloween Party
2pm
5528 Rusk Avenue. Games & crafts, hay
ride, magic show, refreshments (potluck –
bring something to share, or order pizza,
no obligation, nothing formal.)
C ommu n i t y
C a le n d a r