Matt Nurkin ECA president 704 617 8610 mnurkin@cogdellspencer.com
Peter Tart zoning 704 372 4147 petart@carolina.rr.com
Kara Gooding cankerworm/trees 704 604 5660 Kara_gooding@hotmail.com
Maya Packard home tour 704 334 2196 mpackard@carolina.rr.com
Amy Williams social 704 491 8240 awill@catocorp.com
Beth Haenni social 704 332 7992 beth.haenni@gmail.com
Ruffin Pearce vice president 704 331 4989 rpearce@wcsr.com
Dana Inge crime 704 968 3234 kayak1010@hotmail.com
Susan Plott treasurer 704 575 2259 splott@carolina.rr.com
Terry Lett block captain/advertising 704 377 0052 terryp.lett@gmail.com
Todd Rubenson secretary 704 386 4401 todd.rubenson@bankofamerica.com
Amanda Loftus race 704 608 9089 aemloftus@yahoo.com
Melanie Sizemore zoning 704 335 0909 msizemore@realindex.com
J O I N THE E C A Sometimes a neighbor whom we have disliked a lifetime for his arrogance and conceit lets fall a single commonplace remark that shows us another side, another man really; a man uncertain, puzzled and in the dark like ourselves” – Willa Cather
Habits are at first cobwebs, then cables. – Spanish proverb
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cover photo by Nancy Albert, back cover photo by Kris Solow
Nancy Albert newsletter 704 779 0932 noalbert@carolina.rr.com
It’s a small world by Nancy Albert
Terry Lett, Little Shiva and Nancy Albert + Babak Emadi (inset) – photos by John Albert
Did you know that Elizabeth’s quarterly is compiled in Elizabeth, travels to Belgium for layout then comes back to Charlotte to be printed and hand-delivered to your doorstep? Here’s the story.
Emadi, then on the ECA board, approached Little Shiva to take on the job and model it after her popular zine, QZ.
When Babak stepped down, he needed to find someone else to handle the newsletter; I became the editor in the summer of 2006, less than a year after I moved here from Connecticut. Little Shiva, our designer, I’d worked for Wesleyan moved from NYC to Charlotte University, done a good bit of in 1999, then to Charleroi, free-lance photography and Belgium in 2007. She’d been was photo-editor of the Hog designing the newsletter for a River Journal, a regional history number of years, and as most magazine. I now work at CPCC’s of the work is done on the Halton Theater. My part of the computer and online, we saw job is to encourage and collect no reason to let a few thousand submissions for each issue. The miles get in the way of a great content of each usually reflects working relationship. Here’s a the seasonal activities of the little about the newsletter team ECA; the road race, the Home and how it all comes together. tours, etc. or topics we feel The newsletter important and want to bring to took on its the attention of the community. current format I also provide most of the when Babak photographs.
deadline fall 2010:
August 15th editorial content:
noalbert@carolina.rr.com advertising:
terryp.lett@gmail.com ------------------------------------full page ad
size: 6.53” x 7.53” (1306 x 1506 pixels) half page ad
size: 6.53” x 3.715” (1306 x 743 pixels) quarter page ad
size: 3.205” x 3.715” (641 x 743 pixels) biz card ad
size: 3.205” x 1.8065” (641 x 361 pixels) classified ad
1 column wide, 4 lines deep with 1 line bold, 3 regular specs: full size b&w jpeg or pdf, 200 dpi, NO WORD DOCS! to shivita@mac.com Ad placement is at the designer’s discretion.
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Little Shiva’s credentials include a degree in communication design from Parsons NYC and years of work in the field for clients ranging from the United Nations Population Fund and the Cooper-Hewitt Museum to the Mingus Big Band. Although she was known in Charlotte for her outrageous appearance, irreverent zine and the polkadotted BMW she drove, she’s a pro and is able to tone down her personal style to create a newsletter in synch with the more classic Elizabeth neighborhood. To see more of her work, check out www. littleshiva.com.
Why call 311? by Kris Solow
I’m not sure why I’m writing this article, but I guess it’s in hopes that others will make use of 311 for the neighborhood good. 311 is the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County’s Public Service & Information Line. I’ve had great success in calling 311 to report various situations in which I felt that an improvement would be beneficial to the community. When you talk with a representative, be specific in what you want them to do: fill the pothole, repair the sidewalk, send an inspector out and report back to you. Make Terry Lett moved into Elizabeth sure you have an exact street 14 years ago to be closer to her address or intersection. 311 job as the General Manager will give you a confirmation for what was The Bayou number of your report. Kitchen (now Philosophers What kinds of things would you Stone). She has participated call in? Well, most recently, with several ECA committees for example, I reported the over the years and took over narrowing of the sidewalk as the ECA Business Liaison in the 2500-2700 block of and the newsletter advertising Randolph Road due to silt and and billing in 2008. She also weeds. Many pedestrians use coordinates the block captains this stretch of sidewalk near the who handle delivery of the Mint, and the sidewalk width newsletters on her side of the has been reduced to a “one neighborhood. lane” path. This team runs like a well-oiled I also notified 311 of the 2’ machine now, and we look sink hole under the sidewalk forward to producing many on Park Drive which is making more issues. But as dedicated the sidewalk sink and crack and hard-working as we all in two. I call 311 if there’s are, we can’t do it without you, a stray animal roaming the so please make your voices streets, to report dead tree heard! If you have story ideas limbs in a street tree that or something to say, write to I feel may fall on someone noalbert@carolina.rr.com. 4
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walking by or on someone’s car, if I see mushrooms at the base of trees, street lights out, sidewalks in need of repair (cracked, impassible, uprooted, non-existent), potholes (Note: Randolph Road and 7th Street are maintained by NCDOT, not CDOT), or high weeds that need to be mowed, just to name a few. So, instead of wishing someone would call about that sunken manhole your car tire hits every time you drive by, give 311 a try for yourself. It’s really easy. Elizabeth Area Plan Meeting by Peter Tart The second public meeting to present and discuss the Elizabeth Area Plan will take place on Wednesday, June 9, 2010 from 6 to 8 p.m. at St. John’s Baptist Church, 300 Hawthorne Lane. The Charlotte Mecklenburg Planning Department will make a presentation on the progress of the effort and will hear public input. Please make plans to attend this important meeting and come prepared to discuss the Elizabeth Neighborhood of the future. There is useful information on the Planning Department web site at: www. charmeck.org/Departments/ Planning/Home.htm On the right hand side of the page you’ll find the “Elizabeth Area Plan” link.
photo by Amanda Loftus
Elizabeth 8K a great success by Amanda Loftus Elizabeth residents should be proud to have hosted the Elizabeth 8K presented by Presbyterian Orthopaedic Hospital and to be a part of its success! The 24th annual event took place on Saturday, April 17 with perfect spring weather and a record turnout of 910 participants. More than $15,000 was raised and will be used for tree planting and beautification of the common areas of Elizabeth.
Danielle Walther was the overall women’s winner in 31:03, and John Fillette took the men’s title with a winning time of 30:11. Participants in the 8K race and 3K fun run/ walk ranged in ages from five to 77 years old. As usual the event had a festive spirit, and post-race music, refreshments, yoga for kids and adults, chair massage, and even an Elvis impersonator enhanced the atmosphere.
Caroline Anderson, Cheryl Brown, Michelle Dagenhart, LorĂŠ Hunsicker, Jen Hurd, Linda Nash, Tom Patch, Britt Pursley, and Emily Zarbatany all played a tremendous role in bringing the race together. We also want to recognize Ken Magas for lending his creative genius to the race logo, brochures, t-shirts and signs. In addition to the planning committee, a team of more than 60 volunteers were on hand on race day to ensure a fantastic A special group of people experience for the runners deserve a big thank you from and walkers, and we are very the community for their months grateful for their contribution. of dedication and planning. the people pages
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Finally, the event would not be possible without the support of our area businesses. Despite the difficult economic climate, we were able to secure nearly $12,000 in sponsorship revenue and the value of donated goods and services. We encourage you to in turn lend your support to these businesses to show your gratitude for how they have benefitted our neighborhood.
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Our 2010 partners include: Presbyterian Orthopaedic Hospital, Fitness Together, Hawthorne’s Pizza, Loco Lime, Nothing But Noodles, Crisp, Elizabeth Square, Ken Magas Designs, Harris Teeter, Common Market, The Law Office of Annemarie Pantazis, Launch Your Kid, Fuze, Brixx, One2Tri, Huffman Law, T.R. Lawing, Great
Harvest Bread Company, T1 Tapas, Breathe Organic Massage, Smoothie King, Asana Activewear, Pasta & Provisions, Topz, 8th Street Studio, Fennebresque & Company, DoubleTree Guest Suites at SouthPark, Philosopher’s Stone, Race Management Systems, Charlotte Running Company, and Carolina Snapshot Photography.
Planning for the 2011 race is already under way, and your help is always welcome. If you want to be a part of the planning committee, volunteer on race day, or lend your business support as a sponsor, please contact Amanda Loftus at aemloftus@yahoo.com. Home Tour coming up fast by Rosalie Spaniel October 2 and 3 – it’s closer than you think! In fact, on May 15 (the deadline for this article) there were only 200,160 minutes left to get ready for the Elizabeth Home Tour, scheduled those two days. So it’s definitely time to start planning!
photo by Nancy Albert
This year’s tour will feature six residences, a studio, and several beautifully landscaped outdoor areas. Hawthorne Lane United Methodist Church will open their doors for the tour, and one of the featured homes was built as the original parsonage for the church. The Charlotte Council of Garden Clubs will again showcase their talents with a unique floral show.
biggest fundraisers, and it takes a lot of volunteers to prepare for it and to help the generous homeowners who’ve put their homes on tour. Each home needs volunteers to greet visitors and answer questions about the house. Please consider becoming a tour volunteer. For longtime residents it provides an opportunity to see old friends and for newcomers it’s a great way to meet your neighbors. If you would like to volunteer, please email Tammy Herrmann at tammyh@carolina.rr.com. Maya Packard is chairing the tour again this year and questions can be sent to her at mpackard@carolina.rr.com. Yard Yak 3 by Kay Minor Through the 1990’s, I worked in a hardware store. It was one of those local gathering places, post office in back, small garden center to the side. Customers came and went, our meetings mostly businesslike but a few regulars became friends.
chickens; the plain jane kind. My mother’s job was to gather the eggs, grade the eggs and place the eggs in cartons. Each carton was marked with a stamp that read “Produced by James Pendleton”. Having a house full of four young children, no airconditioning and my father out tending the fields, family life could heat up in a hurry. One late afternoon, the children full of pep and vinegar, my Dad hollered to my Mom “Can’t you get these children under control?” Stamping egg cartons at the time, my mother lined us all in a row stair step style and stamped each forehead “Produced by James Pendleton” “You produced them” she said, “you get them under control!” Why Mulch My Tree? by Kris Solow
Now that all the yellow stuff has fallen from the sky, it’s prime time for mulching. Define and create a bed around your tree(s) and put a good 2”-3” layer of mulch in it. The mulch Checking my answering will retain moisture, keep the machine one evening after Neighborhood businesses have tree roots cooler during the work, I found a message from always supported the tour and one of my favorites. She wanted hot summer months, and keep we look for many of them to weeds at bay. The bed adds to know if goats and chickens again be sponsors and to join needed full sunlight to survive. an attractive element to the residents and volunteers in landscape, helps condition the While educating her that only welcoming tour visitors to the soil, and protects tree roots from plants photosynthesize, neighborhood. the ravages of your lawn mower I learned about Martha blade. And the larger the bed, The tour is one of the Elizabeth Stewart’s fancy chickens. the less grass there is to mow! Community Association’s As a child, my family raised the people pages
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Ancient medicine for the modern world by Adrienne Wei, Licensed Acupuncturist, MSTOM
depression, allergies, infertility, and herbal treatments are anxiety, and digestive disorders. cumulative. By correcting the underlying imbalances, How do acupuncture and the results are usually longer herbal medicine work? This lasting. Traditional Chinese Medicine holistic medical system focuses (TCM) is one of the oldest on treating each individual for When selecting an medical systems in the world. physical, mental, and emotional acupuncturist, it is important Created thousands of years concerns rather than isolating to inquire about his or her ago, it is in wide and growing one particular symptom. By educational background and use throughout the medical recognizing that each person licensure. Acupuncturists in profession today. TCM is unique, treatment plans are the United States are regulated encompasses various treatment customized according to the by the National Certification modalities with the most needs of the individual. This Commission for Acupuncture common being acupuncture restores and maintains optimal and Oriental Medicine and Chinese Herbal Medicine. health by promoting the (NCCAOM). To obtain a license circulation of Qi (pronounced from any state to practice In the last three decades, “chee�), or energy, throughout acupuncture, the acupuncturist acupuncture and Chinese the body. When the flow of Qi must be certified by the Herbal Medicine have grown is disrupted, pain or illnesses NCCAOM. The certification in popularity in the United can result. Acupuncture process includes a 4 year post States since their introduction therapy stimulates the body undergraduate education from in the early 1970s. A Harvard naturally to encourage the an accredited school as well as University study published smooth flow of Qi. This is passing the required national in 1998 estimated that done by inserting very fine examinations. Americans made more than needles into specific points five million visits per year to The key to wellness resides on the body. These points acupuncture practitioners. in restoring harmony to the are connected to the energy This number is steadily original perfection of the pathways throughout the body growing and is attributed to human body. This ancient and influence the internal the fact that acupuncture medical system has been organs. Most people find the and herbal medicine provide around for over 2000 years. treatment to be extremely relief of symptoms naturally, It is a natural, drug-free relaxing and painless. Chinese and without the unpleasant and effective alternative to Herbal Medicine supplements side-effects associated with treating many conditions. the acupuncture treatment conventional drugs. The For more information about by providing nourishment for National Institute of Health acupuncture and Chinese the body. Chinese herbs are (NIH) has funded numerous Herbal Medicine, a great source never prescribed singularly research projects, and is www.acupuncture.com. If but rather in a formula. Each concluded that acupuncture you are ready to begin your formula contains 10-12 herbs and Chinese Herbal Medicine acupuncture treatment, please and each herb has a particular are effective in treating over visit www.acufinder.com or function. These range from 40 disease categories. Some www.healthprofs.com to find an correcting imbalances of the of the most common ones acupuncturist in your area. internal organs to moderating include pain management, the effects of other herbs. stress management, headaches, The effects of acupuncture 8
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She has an enormous asparagus plant set to one side and I saw a Carolina wren fly in and enter the middle of the plant with some food in her mouth. I heard a loud response from her two or perhaps three chicks. Then in a flash she was gone only to return again and again.
photo by Dennis Betts
Lydia, my friend, said that the bird has become less cautious as she tested Lydia’s presence on the balcony and this morning the mother bird decided that I must be ok too and she just went about her feeding routine. She also sat on the balcony ledge near the nest and called to her brood. We thought she was trying to encourage them to fly but didn’t see any response from the fledglings.
Summer fun by Frances L. D’Amato
some of them and add your own.
Summer has come and for once it has followed a beautiful spring. All the flowers appeared on time and in succession starting with a lovely crocus. The weather was cool some days and warmer on others. We didn’t go from winter to summer and forget the coolness of spring nights. I say this to acknowledge that all this has made the coming of summer all the more fun.
One day my new cat Jeselle, who replaced Elizabeth, the Siamese who passed away on August 1, 2009 found her own chipmunk. You may remember an article I wrote about the Siamese and the chipmunk. This time I had the patio door closed and watched as the two play catch and release on the patio. The chipmunk did get away and Jeselle sat in wonder as if to say, “Where did he go?
I’m going to recount special moments of my summer and hope you can identify with
Lydia did recall a summer day walk in the woods near a pond. She and her husband and her oldest son Benjamin, who was about 10 at the time, were walking along the lake when they heard a plop. In a flash Ben was in the water and holding a baby robin. Lydia tried to encourage Benjamin to leave the baby bird near the nest.
He refused, saying the bird would die here. So instead they cut their walk short and returned home. Ben made a nest in his room. Putting the bird in a cardboard box filled with leaves and cotton and On a warm summer morning, my covering a light that would friend and I sat on her balcony be near the nest to keep the and enjoyed a leisurely brunch. little bird warm. Benjamin the people pages
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enjoying the reflecting pool and when I came home I delighted in seeing robins taking turns bathing in my birdbath. Jeselle seems to know birds are not on her list of prey and sat with me watching. She did play with a June bug. She would pounce on it, then retreat to watch it move they pounce again. After several rounds the June bug was still and Jeselle returned to my lap.
On another day, I was walking in our park, smelling and admiring the roses. I caught the glimmer of something fluttering We also go out to my vegetable and to my joy it was a butterfly garden every morning and lighting on the roses. are rewarded by the early girl tomatoes. But now the big boys In Wing Haven, I noticed birds 10
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are turning red and ready for the best tomato sandwiches. I just love cutting into a warm tomato, spreading mayonnaise on the bread and covering it with slices of tomato and leaves of fresh picked lettuce. Ah yes, the simple pleasures of summer are the best. Elizabeth residents show their green side by Craig Miller The second annual Elizabeth Recycles Day, held on April 24th in Independence Park, was an overwhelming success. Around 75 Elizabeth residents
photo by Craig Miller
also investigated the early development of robins and found some worms in the back yard, which he cut into little pieces and fed to the bird with tweezers. After a time the feathers appeared, the bird got stronger, and soon it was the day to let him go. To Lydia’s surprise Benjamin was able to let his charge fly away.
brought items to be recycled or reused – everything from paint to computers and even some old vials containing mercury. The goal of the event was to make it easier for Elizabeth residents to recycle items that aren’t picked up in municipal recycling bins, thus keeping those items from being thrown out or piling up at our homes. Starting in July, residents will be able to recycle more items in the large green rollout bins we recently received, but the additional items being collected by the City still won’t include what was collected during the event.
train photo (centerfold) by Nancy Albert
At the end of the day, here’s what was collected: Two large pick-up trucks full of household hazardous waste – paint, pesticides, cleaners, solvents, etc.; 100 lbs of batteries; 300 hangers; one truckload of electronic equipment including TVs, computers, printers, DVD players, etc.; two dozen fluorescent lights; two dozen cell phones; fifteen eyeglasses; 30 ink cartridges; a large box full of hard plastic bottle caps and various arts and crafts materials
given to 2001 Cleaners right in our own neighborhood. Arts and crafts supplies will be given to public school art teachers. Printer cartridges were taken to a local office supply store. The remaining items were delivered to a county recycling center where parts of the items will be recycled and the remainder will be appropriately managed and disposed. Many thanks to the volunteers who helped out at the event and to those who donated use of their trucks to haul items in. Volunteers included Kris Solow, Maggie Macomber, Zach Current, Jen Brewer, Sama Esmail and Craig Miller! Thanks also to Ed’s Tavern and Fuel Pizza for donating gift certificates that were handed out to all participants. Elizabeth sign project by Kris Solow This is being written to let everyone know that Tim Cleveland and I are working on getting the Elizabeth community signs redone. There are 31 signs in our neighborhood, all of which are faded and needing to be replaced.
signs that we thought would be good locations for new signs. The Charlotte Department of Transportation and the ECA would have to approve of these new locations, and any changes in the design, size or color of the signs which is also open for discussion. The ECA board is currently reviewing the plan for approval, so stay tuned for good news! Kris Solow ksolow@carolina.rr.com 704-333-6713 Tim Cleveland timdcleveland@aol.com 704-332-4070 Editor’s note: After this article was written Kris presented the sign proposal to the ECA board. The project was approved and funded. Look for the new signs soon! Thanks from all of us to Kris and Tim for their good work. Goodwill Drive by Beth Haenni It’s not too early to start saving your stuff now for the year-end
Goodwill Drive. The recession hasn’t slowed the generosity of our neighborhood! Over the past two years, Elizabeth families have donated 19,000 Volunteers diverted some of We’re working with some local items worth more than the items to organizations and sign companies to get quotes to $40,000 to fill up the Goodwill businesses that will reuse them. present to the ECA board for trailer. Thank you, Elizabeth! Cell phones were donated to approval. After driving through the Cell Phones for Soldiers the neighborhood to identify program. Eyeglasses were the locations of the existing donated to the Lion’s Club signs, Tim and I have also eyeglass program. Hangers were identified 9 locations without the people pages
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Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely. – Auguste Rodin
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Year-round tennis programs for all ages and abilities. Competitive, recreational youth swim and dive teams. Our 2009 Gators swim team was League Division III and All-Star Champion! 6 lane 25 meter swimming pool with diving well, Blue Monster slide and roped shallow area for beginner swimmers. Separate wading pool with water feature for the little ones.
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Social programs, camps and members-only events. Convenient South Park location in walking distance of shops, restaurants and services. Come join other Elizabeth neighbors in our welcoming family atmosphere!
On the courts or at the pool... FXE is the place to be!
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