Articles written by Margaret Smyka
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By Margaret Smyka 
Front Page 
October 16, 2012 Slopes Assoc. president steps down, membership elects new board members
A board election, an update on the prior Saturday's Pittsburgh StepTrek 2012, and an overview of the city's 311 non-emergency line were the highlights of the October 9 meeting of the South Sides Slopes Neighborhood Association (SSSNA). In the board...
By Margaret Smyka Front Page October 16, 2012 Planning Forum hears about new Hello Bistro, Neighborhood Plan update
The October 9 meeting of the South Side Planning Forum began with the new manager of the South Side branch of Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Susie Waldo, introducing herself. The branch, which underwent a nearly year-long capital improvement...
By Margaret Smyka Front Page October 9, 2012 Be prepared for coming bad winter weather
Preparing yourself for the winter weather was the focus of the Oct. 1 meeting of the Carrick/Overbrook block watch. Discussion was led by Raymond V. DeMichiei, deputy director of the city's Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security. He...
By Margaret Smyka Front Page October 9, 2012 Greening projects proposed for Hilltop
A draft of Green Toolbox recommendations for the Hilltop was unveiled at a community meeting at the Knoxville Elder-ado on Oct. 4. Priorities and strategies for greening for10 Hilltop communities -- Arlington, Arlington Heights, Allentown, Bon Air,...
By Margaret Smyka Front Page September 25, 2012 Music as a deterrent to loitering, cameras discussed at Zone 3
The Zone 3 Public Safety Council meeting of Sept. 19 began with birthday wishes and cake from attendees for crime prevention Officer Christine Luffey. Commander Catherine McNeilly was also in attendance. There will be no Zone 3 Public Safety Council...
By Margaret Smyka Front Page September 25, 2012 Resignation, football topics at Mt. Oliver boro council meeting
The neighborhood success of the new youth football league, and the resignation of Melvin Pollard as volunteer assistant ordinance officer, were the highlights of the Sept. 17 meeting of Mt. Oliver council. Council member Pat Malloy was absent. In...
By Margaret Smyka Front Page September 18, 2012 Block watch members learn how surveillance cameras can help
Video surveillance cameras, block watch kits, and free Thanksgiving meals for those without meals on the holiday were among the topics at the Sept. 10 meeting of the Carrick/Overbrook block watch. The guest speakers were police Lieutenant Larry...
By Margaret Smyka Front Page September 18, 2012 Planning Forum asked to take on permit parking
A request for the South Side Planning Forum to become involved in a proposed residential permit parking district plan was the focus of the organization's Sept. 11 meeting. The proposed district is the South Side Flats from 10th St. to 17th St. along...
By Margaret Smyka Front Page September 11, 2012 Not everyone is on board with more S.S. permit parking
Residents in a proposed residential permit parking district in the South Side will have to wait until the Pittsburgh Planning Commission's Sept. 18 meeting to learn its recommendation. That was the outcome of the Sept. 4 Planning Commission meeting o...
By Margaret Smyka Front Page August 28, 2012 Boro residents question hiring of volunteer enforcement officer
The hiring of an assistant code enforcement officer in Mount Oliver once again drew the ire of council meeting attendees, this time for the man's record of driving with a suspended or revoked license, and outstanding balances on traffic and parking...
By Margaret Smyka Front Page August 21, 2012 Wheatly town meeting discusses issues with Hilltop area residents
A town hall meeting conducted by state Rep. Jake Wheatley, Jr., drew about 10 residents to the St. Clair Athletic Association in Arlington on Aug. 14. Public employees who contributed to answering questions posed by residents were: Zone Three Crime...
By Margaret Smyka Front Page August 14, 2012 Proposed South Side service station has neighbors concerned
A meeting about a proposed service station offering compressed natural gas (CNG) as well as conventional gas at 700 E. Carson St. elicited more skepticism than neighborly welcomes. The presentation by the development team was held on August 7 at...
By Margaret Smyka Front Page August 7, 2012 
Reapportionment will change area council districts
A July 18 meeting in Knoxville to inform the public of proposed changes to city council representation attracted more public officials than residents. Five members of the nine-member Reapportionment...
By Margaret Smyka Front Page July 31, 2012 First Planning Forum meeting without the SSLDC in decades
A brief meeting of the South Side Planning Forum on July 24 nevertheless addressed a variety of topics ranging from the neighborhood plan revision to clarification of the forum's voting structure to Christmas in July. It began with Peter...
By Margaret Smyka Front Page July 31, 2012 Project aims for wow factor in lighting the 18th Street steps to the S.S. Slopes
There is a simple way to gauge the effectiveness of the pending new lighting of the 18th Street steps, architect Peter Kreuthmeier said. "If we did it right, people will slow down and take notice of it," he said. The year-long project is expected to...
By Margaret Smyka Front Page July 24, 2012 Mount Oliver Borough to raise parking fines, swears in new assistant code enforcement officer
The unveiling of proposed, new parking violation rates, and the swearing in of the new assistant code enforcement officer, were among the actions at the July 16 Mount Oliver council meeting. Council members Pat Malloy and John Smith, Sr., were...
By Margaret Smyka Front Page July 17, 2012 Communities Against Crime block watch topic
A call for residents to attend the "Communities Against Crime" event of July 25 was one of the topics at the July 9 meeting of the Carrick/Overbrook block watch. The gathering is designed to show community support in the face of drug dealing and othe...
By Margaret Smyka Front Page July 10, 2012 
Warrington Avenue will be getting a new facelift
Construction work will begin this September Reconstruction plans for East Warrington Ave. were discussed at a June 28 meeting at the Allentown Senior Center sponsored by the Allentown Community Develo...
By Margaret Smyka Front Page July 10, 2012 S. S. Community Council in store for some welcoming and challenging responsibilites
In her opening remarks at the June 25 annual Open Meeting of South Side Community Council, Cathy Mitchell talked about her first year as president and its challenges, such as the disbanding of the South Side Local Development Company (SSLDC). It resu...
By Margaret Smyka Front Page July 3, 2012 Pets, stolen packages, quality-of-life issues discussed at Zone 3
The June Zone 3 Public Safety Council meeting began with a reminder from crime prevention Officer Christine Luffey to make sure pets have plenty of water and are protected from the sun in extreme summer temperatures. She is currently filing charges...
By Margaret Smyka Front Page July 3, 2012 Beltzhoover residents consider ‘60s style protests over bus cuts
The proposed plan by Port Authority Transit (PAT) to eliminate the 44 Knoxville bus drew about 60 Beltzhoover residents opposed to the action to the Beulah Baptist Church on June 26. An upshot of the meeting was the scheduling of two additional...
By Margaret Smyka Front Page June 26, 2012 
A garden grows in South Side
When participants in Public Allies Pittsburgh's ten-month apprenticeship program graduate on June 29, it will be with more than pleasant memories of the Steel City. As the program is designed to...
By Margaret Smyka Front Page June 26, 2012 Boro hires assistant for code enforcement, bypasses proccess
The hiring of an assistant code enforcement officer was the lead story from the June 18 meeting of Mt. Oliver council, and it was not without controversy. Councilwoman Christine Brendel was absent. By a 4-2 vote, with council members Pat Malloy and...
By Margaret Smyka Front Page June 19, 2012 Phillips' principal, new parking meters, introduced at forum
The new -- parking meter system; principal at Pittsburgh Phillips K-5 -- and the old -- aftermath of last month's Neighborhood Improvement District (NID) vote -- were among the topics at the June 12 meeting of the South Side Planning Forum. There was...
By Margaret Smyka Front Page June 12, 2012 Ways to deal with the neighborhood violence discussed at block watch
"Violence" was the theme of the June 4 meeting of the Carrick/Overbrook block watch meeting, held in the Pittsburgh Concord K-5 auditorium. Before the guest speakers discussed various aspects of the topic, Carol Anthony, who conducted the meeting,...