News Around the Neighborhood
AWCC Informational Meeting – March 9, 2021
Via Zoom (details)
March 9th at 7:30 pm
- 7:30 – Gather, Say Hello, Make Trivia Contest Side Bets
- 7:35 – Update: City of Pittsburgh Zone 1 Police (Officer Burford)
- 7:40 – Update: City of Pittsburgh Mayor’s Office (Leah Friedman)
- 7:45 – Update: Councilman Wilson’s Office (Sally Stadelman/Mohammed Burny/Faith Mudd)
- 7:50 – Update: Representative Wheatley’s Office (Thomas Graham)
- 7:55 – Update; Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy (Erin Tobin)
- 8:00 – Iron Deer Playground
- 8:10 – Treasurer’s Report (Aaron Bryan)
- 8:15 – Executive Committee Reports
- President (Bob Griewahn)
- Past President (Ann Gilligan)
- 8:30 – Conclude
Memorial Tree Planting
Submitted by Fran Barbush
In the past, we have planted trees in memoriam of departed neighbors and friends of the neighborhood. We recently learned of the passing of our long-time neighbor, Mrs. Patricia Rooney. She was a champion and fundraiser for the Allegheny Commons, and a positive spokesperson for the North Side. We also learned of the death of Greta Coleman. Her husband, Moe, and she were neighbors for many years. Moe passed away last year.
We did not purchase any trees last year, due to the pandemic. If you would like to make contributions toward memorial trees, you can prepare a check and make it out to AWCC, and put it through the mail slot at 806 Western Avenue; or contact treasurer@alleghenywest.org. Thank you for your consideration.
Sponsor a Western Avenue Flower Basket
We’re delighted to announce that Western Avenue in Allegheny West will once again be beautified by hanging flower baskets provided by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (WPC). The WPC will provide the baskets, flowers, installation, watering and maintenance, “take down” and storage of the baskets. We had 40 baskets sponsored in 2020, but with 32 double poles, there is plenty of room for others to help in this worthy endeavor! We want to ensure that all who would like to participate be given the chance to do so.
In 2021, WPC is providing a discounted rate of $355/basket — including the sign! — for the initial year, which includes purchase of the basket, as well as plants, hanging, maintenance, take-down and storage. Sponsors will be subsequently reassessed at a $280/basket rate thereafter for plants, hanging and take-down, maintenance and storage. If interested in sponsoring a basket, please respond to Trish Burton (tdburton3@gmail.com) by March 21 to be included for 2021.
Wednesday Night Bowling at the Elks (Poetry)
A few of the Allegheny West bowling regulars, known in some corners as The Alley Cats, were recently reminiscing about pre-pandemic Wednesday nights at the Elks. As often happens on a cold winter night, sitting by the fire with a glass of wine and missing old friends, a limerick contest broke out. Below is what happened next. (Thankfully, most of us are better at bowling.)
There was an old man in the alley
Whose score no one could tally
Every frame, you see
Was marked with a ‘G’
The gutter was his hidden valley
– Ann Gilligan & Bob Griewahn
There once were some cats o’ the alley
Who thought bowling would be a right sally
So the Elks lent them a lane
Then the cats, the cats they all came
And the kitties framed a 300 rally.
-Trixie Burton
Of strikes at the Elks I’ve been dreaming
While pints of beer I am drinking
And banjo tunes are prevalent
Alas, my dream is irrelevant
As a vaccine shot , I still am awaiting!
-Fran Barbush
There once was a man named Bob Griewahn
Who’s hook was described as a mean one
His style never boring
Quite excellent at scoring
’Twas the best in my humble opinion.
– John Engle
Ten pins and a ball.
The pressure mounts. Need a strike.
Where is my whiskey?
– Mark Fatla
When asked what was bowling’s worst chore
John Engle said “Keeping the score”
“Do I carry the ten?”
“And add it again?”
At the lanes two and two don’t make four
– Bob Griewahn
When the goose poop was covered in snow
And the bone-chilling North Wind did blow
We’d head to the lanes
And bowl a few frames
While the Banjo Club played down below
– Bob Griewahn
’Twas in years before the virus
That lanes and banjos inspired us
The food was quite fine
And bourbon poured like wine
Of the Elks on Wednesdays, we are so desirous
– Tom Cihil
There once was a bowler named Bob
Who, concerned ’bout the poetry squad,
Did not work on the law
But limericked—hee-haw—
And told Laura, “No money, no prob!”
– Trixie Burton
Tomoko Omura + Glenn Zaleski Quartet
Tomoko Omura + Glenn Zaleski Quartet from Alphabet City
Thursday, March 4
7:00 pm
Recently, you may have seen Glenn Zaleski, James Johnson III, and Jeff Grubs perform on our stage (with Yoko Suzuki), tackling the complicated music of Geri Allen. They return, this time with Glenn’s wife, Tomoko Omuro, in a pre-recorded broadcast from Alphabet City. (Run time: 60 minutes)
The Tomoko Omura + Glenn Zaleski Quartet is an improvisational, modern jazz group, featuring two in-demand NYC musicians and two top-talent Pittsburghers. Listen as they play original compositions with touches of classical, folk, and traditional Japanese music. You won’t believe your ears as you hear genres mixing delightfully and effortlessly. You won’t hear anything like this anywhere else.
Broadcast from our stage are jazz favorites: Tomoko Omura (5-string violin); Glenn Zaleski (piano), James Johnson III (drums), and Jeff Grubbs(bass).
Yoko Suzuki: The Music of Geri Allen
Yoko Suzuki Presents
The Music of Geri Allen
Thursday, February 25
7:00 pm
Audience favorite Yoko Suzuki is back to celebrate and showcase The Music of Geri Allen, broadcast from Alphabet City. (Run time: 90 minutes)
A concert featuring all new arrangements of Geri Allen’s original compositions.Yoko Suzuki (a former student and colleague of Geri Allen’s) wanted to ensure Geri’s music is still heard, most especially because of its complexity. Yoko has created new arrangements of Geri’s work in the 2nd concert of the series, a collaboration with local musicians. You won’t get to see something like this anywhere else.
This concert is a rare chance for audiences to hear Geri’s challenging music live, and understand from the musicians just what an intricate puzzle the work presents. Geri first performed at City of Asylum in the 2009 Jazz Poetry festival alongside Oliver Lake’s Trio 3.
Joining Yoko live from our stage are jazz favorites Tommy Lehman (trumpet), Glenn Zaleski (piano), James Johnson III (drums), and Jeff Grubbs (bass).
Celebrating Caribbean Filmmakers, Music and Culture
Presented by Sabira Cole Film Festival and JouvayFest Collective
Three Caribbean Shorts
Sunday, February 21
6:00 pm
In honor of Carnival traditions around the world, and as a way to celebrate the season together, JouvayFest and Sabira Cole Film Festival present Mout’ Open, Story Jump Out!, a film series exploring and celebrating Caribbean culture.
The second series installment, Sunday, February 21, features three short film screenings: Limeru Barana Short (2019), La’ DiaBlesse Curse (2020), and Paradise Lost (2015). These short films are closely tied to Carnival traditions in Trinidad and Tobago, and attempt to capture the complex history and dynamic energy of the art form.
The screening is followed by an expert panel discussion: “Global Caribbean Culture: Resistance and Spiritual Fusion.”
Featured panelists:
- Paradise Lost director Chris Laird
- La’ Diablesse Curse director Jared Prima and producer Millicent Johnnie
- Cultural producer Janera Solomon
- Moderated by Ogechi Chieke of SCFF & Sandra A. M Bell of JouvayFest Collective.
Read more about our panelists here.
Run time: 120 minutes, including panel & audience Q&A
Made Local: Ron Donoughe
Presented in Partnership with University of Pittsburgh Press
Thursday, March 18, 2021
Virtual Event
Free, with registration
Closed captioning will be available
For over thirty years, Western Pennsylvanian painter Ron Donoughe has been trying to capture the look and feel of a landscape, at different times of the day and through all four seasons. Starting with iron, brass, tin, and glass production, the river towns of the Pittsburgh region – from Brownsville to Braddock – ultimately helped make the city the one-time steelmaking capital of the world. With this industrial legacy in mind, Donoughe set out to document the small towns in this region, one painting at a time.
Brownsville to Braddock provides key insight on a forty-mile stretch of river towns. The post-industrial economy led to a decline in manufacturing, and with it, substantial job losses. These towns face many significant challenges, yet there is still beauty to be found. Donoughe finds it as he paints the human spirit through the mills, factories, parks, and homes. The people he meets share their stories of family joy and sorrows, along with a genuine love for the area they call the “Mon Valley.”
Ron Donoughe’s paintings can be found in the Westmoreland Museum of American Art, the Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art, the Heinz History Center, the Duquesne Club, the Pennsylvania Convention Center, and numerous corporate and private collections. He has taught painting at LaRoche College, the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, and at workshops throughout the United States and France. His previous books include 90 Pittsburgh Neighborhoods and Essence of Pittsburgh.
Invitation to Riverlife’s Virtual Public Meeting on 2/25
I’m excited to share that Riverlife and evolveEA are co-hosting a virtual public meeting on February 25th from 6:00-7:30 pm to share an update on Riverlife’s efforts to “Complete the Loop”. Your feedback during a Riverlife focus group or interview last summer has been essential to our work and has contributed to the design recommendations that will be presented during the meeting.
We hope you can join us. Click here to register for the webinar via Zoom. Pre-registration is preferred. The meeting will also be streaming simultaneously on Facebook Live at facebook.com/riverlifepgh
Unable to join on February 25? We’ll have a recording of the presentation available after the meeting at RiverlifePGH.org/Loop
In addition to joining us on 2/25, we hope that you can share information about this webinar with your circles and contacts. Feel free to use the Facebook, LinkedIn, Email, and/or Twitter buttons on the Zoom registration page to get the word out about this event.
Thank you again for your contributions to Riverlife’s “Completing the Loop” efforts and we hope to see you on the 25th!
Thanks,
Anna Rosenblum
LEED AP EB O&M, EcoDistricts AP
Associate | Senior Project Manager
evolve environment :: architecture
Reel Q Presents a Regional Premiere of The Many Lives of Kojin
Film Screening and Talkback Presented by Reel Q
The Many Lives of Kojin
Wednesday, February 17
7:00 pm
Join us for the regional premiere and unreleased screening of The Many Lives of Kojin, hosted by ReelQ. This program includes an exclusive interview with director Diako Yazdani.
Film synopsis: Diako Yazdani, an Iranian Kurd and political refugee in France, goes to Irak where accompanied by Kojin, a 23-year-old gay friend, he confronts his devout family, friends and other members of the Kurdish community with their prejudices on homosexuality. Through humor and poetry, the director presents a powerful portrait where encounters between people are an invitation to a universal reflection on being different.