Happy Halloween, everyone!

Here are some tips for Trick-or-treating from the Post Gazette .

Last Thursday, October 25, the Pittsburgh City Council and a handful of East Liberty Stakeholders met in the City Council Chamber to discuss the potential of a Neighborhood Improvement District. This proposal, if passed, will use funds from an assessment of 304 East Liberty residential and commercial property owners to improve the neighborhood’s street cleaning, trash pick up and overall beautification.

The NID received some opposition from residents of the Loft Condominiums and scattered businesses in the area, saying they do not feel included in the planning process. The city of Pittsburgh has three other NID projects in Downtown, Oakland and the North Side. These privatized trash pickup and cleaning services seems to be proving worthwhile.

The final decision date for East Liberty’s NID is expected by the end of this year. To read more about the NID check out the Post Gazette.

Conducting community engagement is music to East Liberty’s ears. Join Conductor Daniel Meyer and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra this Thursday, October 25 beginning at 7:30 pm, for an East Liberty Community Engagement Concert at Peabody High School. The concert will feature a horn duet from Ronald Schneider and Joseph Rounds.

All ticket proceeds will stay in the community, benefiting music education initiatives in local Pittsburgh Public Schools – Rogers CAPA and Dilworth Traditional Academy. Music and recreation are often the first programs to go during budget cuts, and musical education offers valuable lessons in creativity, self-expression and responsibility.

The costs are $10 in advance, $15 at the door, $5 for students (18 and under) and seniors, as well as group discounts. For tickets or more information, call 412.361.5662. Tickets are also available for purchase at Enrico’s Tazza D’oro and the Square Cafe in Highland Park.

Check out what the post gazette had to say.

Photo courtesy of Rick Flanagan.

Pittsburgh Public School students are looking forward to a bright future with the Lights On Afterschool initiative. At the student development presentation last Thursday, speakers, such as Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, Superintendent Mark Roosevelt and State Representative Jake Wheatley emphasized the importance of investing in extra-curricular activities. Currently, 26% of Pennsylvania’s K-12th-graders are responsible for themselves after 3 pm, according to research by the Afterschool Alliance.

The event also highlighted current after-school programming with a Peabody cheerleader pep-rally, CAPA student dance performance and Bethany House Ministries African drumming. The audience was filled with youth-oriented, service and development organizations, as well as 500 enthusiastic elementary school students.

Special thanks to hosts State Representative Jake Wheatley, Wireless Neighborhood and Peabody Principal John Vater.

Read more about the event in the Post Gazette and Tribune Review

Take Back the Night, a rally against sexual abuse and violence, will be TODAY, OCTOBER 18 beginning at 4:30 at East Liberty Presbyterian Church.
Come support Pittsburgh’s survivors and advocates for empowerment. The rally is sponsored by Pittsburgh Action Against Rape, Men Against Sexual Violence, the Center for Victims of Violence and Crime, Spirit Care Ministries and the YWCA of Greater Pgh.
Get more info from the Post-Gazette article. If you have any questions about the event, contact Ellen Sankovich at 412.431.5665.

For Peabody students, it pays to get the grades.
Thanks to a donation from Keith B. Key, a successful Peabody alumnus, the Challenge Program will award monetary incentive to the sophomores through seniors with the best grades, attendance and community service records.

Key, founder of KBK Enterprises, a development company based in Columbus, Ohio, attributes his success to hard work, ambition and leadership experience as the captain of Peabody’s football, track and basketball teams.

Also this week, on Thursday, October 18 from 3 to 5:30 pm, Peabody High School will house the Lights On Afterschool Pittsburgh celebration. Hosted by State Representative Jake Wheatley and Wireless Neighborhoods, over 500 Kindergarten through 5th graders from area elementary schools, their teachers and parents will participate in performances and activities to highlight their after-school programming.

For more information, call 412.363.1914 or email macisaac@wireless-neighborhoods.org.