News Around the Neighborhood
Join Us This Weekend for a One Water Celebration!
Join Us This Weekend for a One Water Celebration!
Iraqi Poet and Translator in Conversation
Dunya Mikhail
Monday, July 8th
7:00 pm
Iraqi poet, memoirist, and journalist Dunya Mikhail writes in both Arabic and English. Arabic is the language she thinks and dreams in but, Dunya notes, English has made her more sensitive, more aware of her word choice. Translating between languages allows her to better understand her own words, her own thoughts.
“The popular phrase is ‘lost in translation’ but I think, really, things are found in translation.” —Dunya Mikhail
Dunya will read from a selection of her newest works, discuss her process of self translation, and reflect on the strange and sometimes emotional experience of external translators working on her most personal pieces.
Dunya last read for a pack City of Asylum crowd in 2015. We’re excited to welcome her back for the fourth installment of our Art of Translation series.
Dunya Mikhail was born in Baghdad. After graduation from the University of Baghdad, she worked as a journalist and translator for the Baghdad Observer. Facing censorship and interrogation, she left Iraq in 1996, first to Jordan and then to America. Mikhail’s honors include the Guggenheim Fellowship, the Knights Foundation grant, the Kresge Fellowship, and the United Nations Human Rights Award for Freedom of Writing. She is the co-founder of Michigan-community-based Mesopotamian Forum for Art and Culture. She currently works as a special lecturer of Arabic at Oakland University in Michigan.
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Northside Brewery Bike Crawl
Join us for a bike crawl of the Northside’s breweries led by Bear Dog Bicycles. We’re getting all lit up and going full Christmas in July.
About This Event
On Sunday, July 21st, we celebrate X-mas in July with a festive, themed brewery bike tour of the Northside led by Bear Dog Bicycles. This social, low-key ride covers a short distance and includes trail ride time, some use of protected bike lanes and some street riding. Get in the spirit by decking out your bike in some holiday decorations. Lights, ornaments, garland, wreaths, Santa hats, ugly sweaters are all encouraged. We don’t discriminate, Hanukkah decorations are encouraged, too. Best bike (both Judges Choice and People’s Choice) wins a gift package that includes a bike tune-up.
We kick things off at 412 Brewery, then ride to the Roundabout Brewery pop-up, Penn Brewery, Allegheny City Brewing and War Streets Brewing.
Your ticket cost includes a small pour to get your day started at 412 Brewery, a handpie from Prohibition Pastries for breakfast, and a full pour of your choice from all four remaining stops on the tour.
Additional food is available for purchase at most stops, and there’s a full menu for refueling at War Streets Brewing/Bier’s Pub at the conclusion of the ride.
Check in at Bear Dog Bicycles by 11:30, then head around the corner to 412 Brewery. We will be leaving 412 Brewery promptly at noon. Must be 21 to participate, please bring ID.
Rain date: Saturday, July 27.
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PHLF: Abandoned America. States of Disrepair.
Location: Landmarks Preservation Resource Center, 744 Rebecca Avenue
Date: Thursday, June 25th
Time: 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Contact: marylu@phlf.org or (412) 471-5808 ext. 527
Join author and photographer Matthew Christopher for an exploration of ruins across our cities and countryside, as he shares a hauntingly beautiful portrait of the abandoned America around us. From steel mills and industrial sites to schools, churches, prisons, homes and more, Matthew’s work provides a glimpse into lost worlds that few get to visit firsthand.
With his travels broadening to ancient sites in Romania, Greece and India, we’ll learn more about the phenomenon of abandoned sites across the globe and discuss why preservation of our heritage is a concern everywhere, not just in our own communities.
About the Presenter: Matthew Christopher has had an interest in abandoned sites since he was a child, but started documenting them a decade ago while researching the decline of the state hospital system. His two books, Abandoned America: Dismantling the Dream and Abandoned America: The Age of Consequences and his website, also titled Abandoned America, have chronicled the stories of modern ruins across the United States and gained international attention. He recently expanded his scope to document abandoned locations across the globe. Matthew has an MFA in Fine Art Photography from Rochester Institute of Technology and has taught photography at a college level and now teaches photography workshops.
This lecture is FREE and open to the public. RSVPs are appreciated: marylu@phlf.org or (412) 471-5808 x 527.
Celebrate a Jazzy Pre-Independence Day with Yoko Suzuki
Yoko Suzuki Trio
Wednesday, July 3rd
7:00 pm
What better way to kick off the July 4th holiday than with crowd favorite Yoko Suzuki Trio?
A musician known both locally and nationally, and an ethnomusicologist, Yoko’s playing is deeply informed by jazz across the globe, especially Japan where she trained. Yoko’s concerts are not only a musical treat but also deeply informed by her rich historical knowledge.
Featured Musicians
Yoko Suzuki: Alto saxophone
Cliff Barnes: Organ/piano
James Johnson III: Drums
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Free Water Pitcher + Filter Event
Priority given to: expecting families, families with young children, and households inside and outside the PWSA service area with children who have elevated blood lead levels
Letter from the President – June 2019
Every year the Northside Leadership Conference hosts a Scholarship and Awards Dinner to celebrate students, neighborhoods and lifetime volunteers. Each Northside neighborhood selects a “Neighbor of the Year” and this year’s Allegheny West Neighbor of the Year is Holly Pultz. There is an article in this issue of the Gazette that highlights the many reasons Holly is receiving the award and when you read it, I think you’ll agree that it is much deserved.
Holly joins an impressive group of Allegheny West Neighbors of the Year, many who continue to contribute their time and talents. Last years honorees, Greg Coll and Doris Short, had a busy May with the opening of the Allegheny West Historic Timeline Exhibition, as well as Greg’s efforts as the Membership Committee Chairperson in pulling off another stellar Memorial Day Picnic. Dr. Daniel Strinkowski, 2017 Neighbor of the Year, still works relentlessly to keep litter off the streets of Allegheny West. Another Neighbor of the Year alum, Trish Burton, serves as Communications Chairperson and volunteers her time to make sure we’re all informed of community activities and announcements.
The journey to becoming a future Neighbor of the Year starts with a single step. I encourage everyone reading this to join one of the committees that do the legwork for Allegheny West Civic Council business. Below are some very active committees always looking for new members. Chairperson contact information is included. If you need some help finding the right volunteer opportunity, please reach out to me at President@AlleghenyWest.org.
- Housing and Planning Committee works on matters related to the physical planning and housing conditions in Allegheny West. Some topics on the H&P agenda are: Western Avenue Neighborhood Improvement District, Allegheny West Historic District expansion, Norfolk Southern Railroad double stacked train project and Code Enforcement concerns. The committee meets every 3rd Tuesday, 7:30 pm at 806 Western Avenue. All are welcome to attend.
Chairperson: Ashley Webb (housing-planning@alleghenywest.org) - Ways and Means Committee is responsible for all fundraising activities of the Council. Upcoming tours are Wine and Garden Tour (June 21st-22nd), Alleys, Axles and Ales (Date TBD) and the Victorian Christmas Tour (December 6th-7th).
Chairperson: Annette Trunzo (ways-means@alleghenywest.org) - Finance Committee works with the Treasurer to manage the Allegheny West Civic Council Budget – including managing assets, liabilities, revenues, and debts. The Finance Committee is looking for new members with accounting and/or financial management experience.
Treasurer: Cathy Serventi (treasurer@alleghenywest.org)
Ann Gilligan
President, AWCC
AWCC Membership Meeting – June 11, 2019
Calvary United Methodist Church, 971 Beech Avenue
Tuesday, June 11th at 7:30 pm
- 7:30 – Guests
- 7:50 – May Membership Meeting Minutes
- 8:00 – Treasurer’s Report
- 8:20 – House & Planning Committee Report
- Western Avenue Neighborhood Improvement District (WANID)
- Historic District Expansion
- Norfolk Southern Double-Stacked Trains
- 8:45 – Committee Announcements
- 9:00 – New Business
- 9:10 – Adjournment
Allegheny West 2019 Neighbor of the Year
Holly Pultz, Allegheny West’s Neighbor of the Year 2019, moved from the country to Beech Avenue thirty-two years ago with Dan, her husband, and their daughters, and that’s when the neighborhood beautification project began. At that time, Irish, a lady of the streets, yelled at Holly for weeding and cleaning up the streets, but that didn’t stop her. She loved the diversity of the neighborhood. An award-winning artist, Holly quickly put her creativity to good use in Allegheny West, designing and painting the facades used for the AW miniatures, sold at early Christmas house tours. She also has led art classes & programs for children and several Paint Monkey-type events to raise money for a neighborhood church choir to sing at Carnegie Hall.
If you’re driving past the Triangle garden at North & Brighton at 7L00 am, you might catch a glimpse of Holly pulling weeds and tidying the garden. It is just one of the many quiet acts of service that Holly provides and that has led to Holly’s nomination as Allegheny West Neighbor of the Year. Holly’s fierce determination has meant that beautification projects aren’t just discussed, but are realized, thanks to Holly’s researching and then cajoling local suppliers, leading fundraising efforts and, finally, literally getting her hands dirty as tree wells and empty lots are weeded, planted, mulched and maintained.
There are many other activities that Holly has cheerfully helped with over the past thirty years, such as block parties, pancake suppers, monthly clean-ups and flower baskets. She always appears with a smile on her face and a great attitude. No one can resist her laugh. But perhaps most impressive is that Holly shares her many gifts and talents, her time and energy, with graceful, elegant humility.
Holly will be honored at the Northside Leadership Conference dinner on Thursday, June 13th, at the Priory Grand Hall.
Congratulations, Holly!!