Dear Leaders,
This week, as young people throughout the city of Baltimore commemorated
the 45th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, showing that “We Are The Dream”, Baltimore reached a monumental point in the
current and future lives of its young people. Tuesday night, the House of
Delegates gave the final approval for a billion dollar plan for construction and renovation of Baltimore City
Public Schools. This historic legislation highlights
a renewed commitment to Baltimore’s students. I would like to personally
thank Governor O’Malley, the entire Maryland General Assembly, Mayor
Rawlings-Blake, Council President Young, Baltimore City Public Schools CEO Dr. Alonso and
everyone involved with the Transform Baltimore campaign for their relentless
effort. The fruits of this plan will allow our students to learn and play at
modern facilities that eliminate some of the learning barriers they have faced
for decades.
As a young man who has not so distant memories of being in
school buildings without proper heating, lighting or water, I have a deep
understanding on what new and improved schools will mean to our young people.
However, I ask that we all realize that this is just one pivotal pillar in
the ongoing saga of obtaining better lives for our youth. We must now all come together and work as one to help rebuild strong communities and families for these young
people to live in. Not until we have rebuilt the bridge of strong families and
communities throughout Baltimore, will we see a city without the ills that plague
the lives of so many of our young people. Accomplishing this most important goal will allow them to fully make Dr. King’s
“Dream” a realization.
Thursday, April 4, 2013, marked the 45th Commemoration Anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's assassination. On this day, the Baltimore City Youth Commission hosted the "We Are the Dream" Awards Ceremony. The “We Are the Dream" Award
recognizes young people between the ages of 18-30, in the City of Baltimore who
serve the community and emulate Dr. King’s dream and passion of empowering the
community.
This award signifies the
importance of honoring our young people for their contributions to society, in addition to changing the stigma that is often placed on Baltimore City youth by creating a new positive image.
I was honored to be one of the recipients of the award and and I look forward to the many great things to come as we work together to move the city of Baltimore forward and continue to live out the dream of Dr. King.
Check out this quick video to see the list of people who were awarded last night!
|
Recently, the Intersection, invited Baltimore City Police Commissioner Anthony Batts, and I to speak with teachers and student leaders about gun violence in the city of Baltimore and how we can work together to combat some of the issues surrounding it. We had a great conversation, and each person left inspired and ready to work on solutions!
The Intersection is a non-profit organization that helps to "transform students from underserved areas into leaders with the skills to go to and through college, to engage in civic action, and to articulate and solve challenges facing themselves and their communities." To learn more about their organization, you can visit their website here. |
|
 |
 |
|
This week Councilman Scott joined Council President Young,
Mayors Office of Employment Karen Sitnick and the entire YO! Baltimore family to
celebrate 13 years of Youth Opportunity in Baltimore. YO! Baltimore provides
academic, career/job training, advocacy, mentoring,
health and social support services to thousands of out-of-school, out-of-work
city youth. YO! has served nearly 7,000 Baltimore residents between the
ages of 16-22, linking them with more than 150 community-based educational,
workforce preparation and personal development services. Councilman Scott is a
former YO! participant at the Westside center. Please be sure to take a look at
the statistics below that highlight some of the impact YO! has had on Baltimore
Youth.
- the average
math level was fifth grade
- the average
reading level was seventh grade
- 31 percent
had been involved in the criminal justice system (adult or juvenile conviction,
or case pending)
- 8 percent
were in foster care
- 6 percent
were homeless or in transitional housing
- 67 percent of
participants who were unemployed at the time of registration found a job after
registering with YO!
- 344 YO!
participants have enrolled in college
- In recent years, the program has consistently achieved its goal
of having more than 90 percent of enrolled participants avoid criminal
activity
|
Monday, April 8, 2013
City Council Meeting
4:00 PM Du Burns Council Chamber, 4th floor,
City Hall
PLEASE NOTE TIME CHANGED FROM 5:00 PM TO 4:00
PM
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Hearing: Judiciary and Legislative Investigations
Committee
9:30 AM Du Burns Council Chamber, 4th floor, City
Hall
13-0186 Soliciting - Prohibited Places
Rescheduled from April 2, 2013 (to be announced at April 8th
Council meeting)
Work Session
9:45 AM
12-0155 Stormwater
Remediation Fees
Please note time change from 9:30 AM to
9:45 AM (to be announced at April 8th Council meeting)
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Hearing: Land Use
and Transportation Committee
2:00 PM Du Burns Council Chamber, 4th
floor, City Hall
12-0108 Rezoning - 1101 North Patterson Park Avenue
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Hearing: Urban Affairs and
Aging Committee
4:00 PM Du Burns Council Chamber, 4th floor,
City Hall
12-0135 Baltimore City Landmark List - Frederick Douglass
High School
4:05 PM
12-0173 Baltimore City Landmark List - Old
Douglass High School
Monday, April 15, 2013
City Council
Meeting
5:00 PM Du Burns Council Chamber, 4th floor, City Hall
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Hearing: Land Use and
Transportation Committee
2:00 PM Du Burns Council Chamber, 4th
floor, City Hall
12-0107 Rezoning - 235-239 North Gay
Street
Hearing: Judiciary and Legislative Investigations
Committee
5:00 PM Reeves Conference Room, 4th floor, City
Hall
12-0155 Stormwater Remediation Fees
Cable TV
Northeast Baltimore Co-Ed Softball Team
Ron Lindsay the Healthy
Neighborhoods Organizer for the Coldstream Homestead Montelbello Community
Corporation is organizing a Northeast Co-ed Softball Team, and he is looking for
a few good men and women. No special skills are required but you must
demonstrate a willingness to have fun with your fellow residents of Northeast
Baltimore. He will provide most of the equipment, but he asks if you have a
glove to please bring it. Practice times will be determined by what works for
the majority of the team.
Ron can be
reached at either 410-961-7739 cell or 410-235-6715 office.
Herring Run Nursery Plant Sale
At the nursery at 6131 Hillen Road in the Mt.
Pleasant Golf Course
Herring Run Nursery which has Baltimore's Best
Selection of Native Plants announces its spring sale hours. The nursery will be
open for sales on Saturday-April 6th, Sunday-April 14th, Saturday-April 20th,
Sunday-April 28th, Saturday-May 4th, Sunday-May 12th, Saturday-May 18th,
Sunday-May 26th, and Saturday June 1st from 11 AM – 4 PM. For more information
email: nursery@blueowaterbaltimore.org
or call: 443-682-1331.
YSP Summer Camp registration
The registration for YSP (Youth Sports Program) summer camp
registration will be Friday, April 19,
2013-EARLY REGISTRATION is $25.00 OFF. Registration
time is 6:30P.M.-7:45P.M. For more details, and registration information, please
contact: Shantel Thigpen, Executive Director at 443.423.2442
New Number for BGE
BGE will be retiring its local customer service number
(410.685.0123), and it will be requiring all customers to use its new toll free
number (800.685.0123). Please be reminded that the number to report power
outages to will remain the same (877.778.2222)
BGE Offering 9,000 Free Trees to Customers
This season BGE, through a partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation
is providing a limited number of free trees to customers — first come, first
served — to help save energy, reduce energy bills and improve community tree
canopies. Customers can request up to two free trees atwww.arborday.org/BGE.
They must call Miss Utility at 811 before planting, to avoid damaging
underground utility infrastructure.
Rec and Parks Hiring Seasonal Employees
The
Baltimore City Recreation and Parks is seeking dependable and qualified
individuals to fill various
2013 seasonal/temporary non-civil service
positions
Recreation and Parks Summer Camp
Registration
Registration is now open for Baltimore City
Recreation and Parks summer camp programs. Camp Baltimore (ages 5-12) offers
art, fitness, swimming, trips, and more. Specialty camps (ages 5-14) allow youth
to focus on a particular area of interest. Basketball, karate, RecTech,
swimming, and tennis are just a few of the specialty camps offered. Therapeutic
Camp (ages 5-21) offers youth with disabilities the complete summer camp
experience. Most camps offer before- and after-care and participate in the
summer meals program. For more information, call 410-396-7900.
Free Community Tax Preparation
Families and individuals can have their taxes prepared for free at one of more than 13 CASH Campaign locations in the City. Qualifying families and individuals can claim the Earned Income Tax Credit and other valuable tax credits. Call for an appointment at 410-234-8008 or visit http://www.baltimorecashcampaign.org/
2013 Baltimore
Online Citizen Survey
The annual
Baltimore Citizen Survey aims to identify trends in behavior and attitudes
regarding quality of life indicators and City services. Survey results will be
used to inform and enhance program planning and policy development across all
City agencies, to create more focused, responsive, and efficient government
services. The survey randomly selects approximately 1,800 residents to complete
the telephone survey and is being conducted from April to June for 2013. There
is an online survey available that acts as a supplement to the phone survey. The
online survey is an unscientific collection of responses. Please
visit our website anytime between April 1st and June 1st for a link
to the online survey. We want to hear your feedback on the city services you
rely upon every day.
Saturday, April 6 from 5:30 PM to 9:30
PM
Scrabble Fundraiser for Literacy
Roland Park
Country School, 5204 Roland Avenue
Every year, more wordsmiths
from across Baltimore gather in the spirit of fun and games to support Greater
Homewood Community Corporation's (GHCC) Adult Learning Center. This delightful
event features live music, delectable food and drink, a silent auction, and (of
course) Scrabble! For more information or to purchase tickets, visit the
event's site. To learn more about GHCC and its programs, head
to www.greaterhomewood.org.
Tuesday, April 9, 5:30 pm
Board of Estimates
Taxpayers’ Night
War Memorial Building, 101 N. Gay Street. Taxpayers’ Night allows
citizens an opportunity to voice their thoughts and concerns about the City’s proposed
Fiscal Year 2014 budget. Members of the Board of Estimates will meet
to listen to residents and gather feedback.
April 12-14
Johns Hopkins Spring
Fair
Johns Hopkins University Homewood campus, 3400 N. Charles St. Johns Hopkins
celebrates the 42nd annual spring fair, the nation's largest, entirely
student-run fair. Great food, arts and crafts, kids activities, community
marketplace, beer garden and great live music. www.jhuspringfair.com
Saturday, April 13th, 9am –
12:45pm
Activate Your Inner Citizen: Spring
University
Health and Human Sciences Building at Coppin State
University, 2500 West North Avenue. The Activate Your Inner Citizen: SPRING
University is co-sponsored by CPHA and the Coppin State University Urban Studies
Program. Workshops and resources for Baltimore residents to learn the skills
needed to manage a community association, and coordinate neighborhood
improvement projects! There will be a PRIZE for the community association that
brings the most members! Be sure to share the event with your neighbors, and
community association board members! The event is free, but pre-registration is
required. All ages are welcome. To
register, click here or call CPHA at (410) 539-1369 x107.
Saturday, April 13, 2013, 7 AM – 3 PM
Hamilton Lauraville Main Street Spring Yard Sale
Tuesday
Farmer's Market Lot
It's yard sale time again! Time to clean out the
basement, attic and closets. Oh joy. Spaces are STILL $10 and they go fast.
Please let us know of your intention to participate. You can send your payment
to HLMS, 5500 Harford Rd, Suite 201, 21214 or drop your payment off at the
Hamilton Vacuum at 5421 Harford Rd.
Monday, April 15, 9 am - 2 pm
Congressman Elijah
Cummings’ Annual Job Fair
Fifth Regiment Armory, 29th Division Street. Dozens of
employers are scheduled to attend, including Towson University, Home Depot,
Maryland Dept. of Education, UPS and many more. The event will include
information on apprenticeship programs, ex-offender options, green jobs skill
development and veteran affairs. Workshops will include question and answer
sessions on federal employment and using social media to get a job. Photo ID
required to enter Armory. Dress professionally and bring resumes. Call
410-685-9199 for additional information.
Friday, April 19, 2013, 9 AM
Hamilton St. Michael the Archangel School and Parish Annual Health Fair
Location: 10
Willow Avenue, Baltimore, MD
The fair will kick off with a Fire
Department Demonstration at 9am. The booths will open at 10am. This year's theme
is "Follow the Yellow Brick Road to Health, Health fair 2013! There will be free
BMI, Bone Density and Blood Pressure screenings and over 20 tables of activities
and information. From 11:00am-4:00pm MedStar will have a Blood Drive with a Free
Lifestyle Profile (Glucose, Cholesterol, Triglycerides). The homeroom that
sponsors the most blood donors receives a tag day. For more information or
questions please contact Barb Maher at bmaher@smoverlea.org or
410-668-8797.
Saturday, April 20, 9:00 am to 1:00
pm,
Mayor’s Spring Cleanup
Communities
are encouraged to "Clean up Baltimore" by clearing debris in their
neighborhoods. Community representatives should call 311 to register and confirm
their designated pick-up point. Sidewalks, gutters, storm drains, yards and
alleys all need care. Remember to keep trash out of storm drains while cleaning
up.
Tuesday, April 23, 6 pm - 8 pm
Baltimore Builds
Workshop Series: Small Developers Workshop
Cylburn Mansion and
Arboretum - Vollmer Center, 4915 Greenspring Avenue. Free Admission!Seating is
limited and pre-registration is required. Register today. Call 410-396-4111 or
email V2V @baltimorecity.gov For more information, please visit the Vacants to
Value page at www.baltimorehousing.org or find us on Facebook.
Saturday, April 27, 9 am - 1 pm,
Prettyboy Day:
A Celebration of Our Reservoir and Watershed Lands
Prettyboy
Dam, 18100 Prettyboy Dam Road, Parkton, Md.
Exhibits - Plantings -
Tours - Scales & Tales. This free event is a participant of the 10th Annual
Baltimore Green Week. For more information contact 410-545-6541 or
publicworks@baltimorecity.gov.
Saturday, May 4, 2013, 9 AM – 2 PM
Event: Epiphany Lutheran Flower Mart, Flea Market, & Craft Show
Epiphany
Lutheran Church, 4301 Raspe Ave, one block east of the 6100 Blk. Belair
Rd.
Epiphany Lutheran invites you to join them at their Flower Mart, Flea
Market, & Craft Show for beautiful flowers, great fleas, and wonderful
crafts. Tables are available for $15. For more information or to purchase a
table call Linda at: 410-526-5216.
Fridays & Saturdays through May 18, 1:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Salvage:
A Waste of Materials, A Wealth of Art
Baltimore Public Works
Museum, 751 Eastern Avenue
Come explore
Salvage: A Waste of Materials, A Wealth of Art and see over 30 works of
art created from Baltimore’s curbside recyclable materials by local and regional
artists. The event runs through May 18 and is sponsored by Waste Management.
Admission to the museum is free. To learn more about the exhibition or Baltimore
City's recycling efforts, visit publicworks.baltimorecity.gov or
call 410-396-4511.
|
|
|
