BUSINESS MANAGER JANUARY 2015 DeAhn Hicks-Smith Gazette BOOKKEEPING Chinnel Cross Cami Martin LEASING DEPARTMENT Leasing Consultants Gloria Crook Diana Thomas Frances DeJesus Dermont Bogard Data Administrator Cyndi Sanchez MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT Maintenance Director Humberto Saucedo Maintenance Supervisors Cliff Maslanka Mike Williamson Kenny Hinkle Ezekiel Lopez MAINTENANCE COORDINATOR Kim Johnson Special Projects Jose Valenzuela Maintenance Staff Lonnie Caldwell Clayton Fritz Jerry Marsh Creg Presco Joseph Gruss Leroy Harris, Jr. Jerald Kaye Robert Kennedy Grounds Kendall Fountain Christopher Grino Brent Hopper David Hutchins PAINTERS Adam Rapka Housekeeping Eloisa Vizcarra FRONT DESK Dorris Wilkins Krashania Commings Tracy Suggs Kelly McKemey 1818 N Mansard Blvd., Griffith, IN 46319 (219) 923-5800 TheMansards.com Leasing Hours: Mon - Fri: 9 am - 6 pm Bookkeeping Hours: Mon - Fri: 8 am - 4 pm Sat: 9 am - 5 pm Maintenance hours: Mon - Fri: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm Sun: 11 am - 5 pm Clubhouse Hours: Mon - Sat: 8 am - 9 pm Sun: 11 am - 9 pm Dear January Throughout history, civilizations around the world developed increasingly sophisticated calendars, typically pinning the first day of the year to an agricultural or astronomical event. In Egypt, for instance, the year began with the annual flooding of the Nile, which coincided with the rising of the star Sirius. The first day of the Chinese new year, meanwhile, occurred with the second new moon after the winter solstice. The early Roman calendar consisted of 10 months and 304 days, with each new year beginning at the vernal equinox; according to tradition, it was created by Romulus, the founder of Rome, in the eighth century B.C. A later king, Numa Pompilius, is credited with adding the months of Januarius and Februarius. ANIMAL CONTROL NEEDS YOUR HELP Griffith Animal Control is in need of cleaning supplies - bleach, laundry soap, Mr. Clean, paper towels and dish soap. You can always drop off at the Police Station 24 hours a day which is located at 115 N. Broad St. THANK YOU! Over the centuries, the calendar fell out of sync with the sun, and in 46 B.C. the emperor Julius Caesar decided to solve the problem by consulting with the most prominent astronomers and mathematicians of his time. He introduced the Julian calendar, which closely resembles the more modern Gregorian calendar that most countries around the world use today. As part of his reform, Caesar instituted January 1 as the first day of the year, partly to honor the month’s namesake: Janus, the Roman god of beginnings, whose two faces allowed him to look back into the past and forward into the future. Romans celebrated by offering sacrifices to Janus, exchanging gifts with one another, decorating their homes with laurel branches and attending raucous parties. In medieval Europe, Christian leaders temporarily replaced January 1 as the first of the year with days carrying more religious significance, such as December 25 (the anniversary of Jesus’ birth) and March 25 (the Feast of the Annunciation); Pope Gregory XIII reestablished January 1 as New Year’s Day in 1582. (Courtesy of History.com) KEEP OFF all ponds in the community THIN ICE ATTENTION Your dog did his duty PLEASE DO YOURS. CLEAN UP AFTER YOUR PET Pet Tags reminder! Griffith Pet Tags are available from now through February 27th. The cost is $5 for neutered and $7 for non-neutered animals. Starting March 1st, a $10 penalty will be assessed. Please stop by the Clerk’s Office at 111 N. Broad St. to purchase the tag. Please remember to bring official paperwork showing a current rabies vaccination. We ask all residents to be mindful when parking in front of the sidewalks: try not to park too close to the sidewalk as the overhang from your car’s front end can impede snow removal from the sidewalks. After any major snowfall we ask residents to move their cars to a cleared parking spot so we can plow previously occupied stalls. Fridge warming tips Check that windows are closed correctly, that the storm windows are shut, and inner windows locked in place. Matters Keep the area around your apartment’s zone valve free and clear of obstructions. The fridge is full of blind spots, shadowy places where half-eaten jars of marinara sauce go to ripen. Making the fridge more user-friendly starts with reclaiming it from its science project past: toss out the funky, foul and forever unused items. Furniture, draperies, carpeting and other obstructions in front of baseboards will restrict heat radiation and increase resident heating costs. Residents should consider repositioning furniture and removing obstructions to maximize heating efficiency. Draperies should be at least 6” above the baseboard. Any furniture with a full skirt should be at least 6” from the baseboard. Keeping meats separate from other foods makes good sense. Paper or plastic wrappings often leak, creating a messy and potentially unhealthy situation. Place meats on a meats-only tray to catch liquid and prevent contamination. Direct contact with plastic produce bags causes lettuce and parsley to go bad quickly. To preserve the life of leaf lettuce or parsley, try wrapping them in paper towels, then place them back into plastic bags and put them in the crisper. Apples release ethylene gas that can cause produce to spoil faster; store apples away from the vegetable drawer. EARN Refer someone to $300 AVOID FROZEN PIPES! When leaving your apartment for long periods set your thermostat to 54 degrees and above. The Mansards (219) 923-5800 JANUARY 2015 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 1 Rent is due 2 3 4 5 Rent is late after 5 pm 6 Town of Griffith Council Meeting 7 pm 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Town of Griffith Council Meeting 7 pm 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31