Baltimore City Council website
"Investing Where Baltimore Lives"
May 2, 2008

Dear Friends:

I have often shared with you in this newsletter my sincere commitment to strengthening Baltimore’s neighborhoods, directing the City’s resources and energy toward "Investing Where Baltimore Lives." Over the past few weeks, my office has received a great number of nominations for our 2nd Annual “Baltimore’s Top Neighborhood Moms” contest, and I look forward to honoring the winners at a luncheon this week.

And today I am pleased to announce the 2nd Annual “Top Neighborhood Dads Contest.” The contest honors dedicated men who have given selflessly to keep Baltimore’s neighborhoods strong, clean, and safe. I am asking Baltimore neighborhood associations to nominate their "Top Neighborhood Dad," along with the reasons he should be recognized for his work. Each winner and a guest will be invited to join me at a special luncheon in June. Nomination forms will be made available through neighborhood associations, or by visiting www.baltimorecitycouncil.com. The deadline for submitting nominations is May 23, 2008. For details on the contest and nomination forms, please visit our website.

Last year’s events were a rousing success, as so many honorees expressed to me how much they appreciated being publicly acknowledged for their contributions to their communities. But all of us who enjoy any measure of quality of life in Baltimore owe them a tremendous debt of gratitude, especially my colleagues in government. These community leaders are vital partners in our efforts to move Baltimore forward. I consider it one of the great honors of my office to be able to recognize the men and women who put in the time, caring and hard work to keep their communities strong. So much of the progress we are making in the City is because of committed neighbors in our communities working at the grassroots level, block by block, family by family, to make the city the best it can be.

Stephanie Rawlings-Blake
President, Baltimore City Council

Each week in the President's SchoolSpot,
Council President Stephanie Rawlings-Blake highlights the outstanding accomplishments of Baltimore City Schools students and staff.

Seven BCPSS High Schools in Los Angeles this Weekend for Robotics Event

Robotics teams from Carver, Dunbar, Homeland Security, Mervo, Poly, W.E.B. Dubois, and Western are competing in the inaugural Vex Robotics World Championships at California State University, Northridge today and tomorrow. Baltimore City Public School System teams earned nine spots at the elite competition and will compete in the ‘Bridge Battle” against winning teams from state and local competitions and more than 30 teams from Asia. The teams’ selection to the invitational was based on their high performance ratings in earlier competitions as well as the quality of their robotic designs.

Last December, the BCPSS Robotics Program and Morgan State University collaborated to host the first “Bridge Battle” competition in the continental United States. Innovation First, Inc. created “Bridge Battle.” It is played on a 12’ x 12’ square field divided into two sections with two teams on each side and teams on each side work together to maneuver their robots to place tennis balls in respective red and blue colored sections of a bridge platform.

“The success of the Baltimore City Robotics Program is evidence of what happens when the raw talent so many of our students possess is nurtured and refined by dedicated mentors and coaches,” says BCPSS CEO Dr. Andres Alonso.

Baltimore City has eight high school robotics teams – the largest contingency in Maryland. The program’s success is attributed to partnerships with Morgan State University’s Summer Institute of Robotics, the Maryland Space Grant Consortium, and the National Aeronautics Space Administration/Goddard Space Center.

Have an exciting news item on achievements
in Baltimore City Public Schools?
Let us know so that we can feature them in the President's SchoolSpot. Call Council President Rawlings-Blake's office at 410-396-4804 or send an e-mail to Marva Williams at marva.williams@baltimorecity.gov

 

CITY SCHOOL SYSTEM LAUNCHES
SIX TRANSFORMATION SCHOOLS
Application Fair to be held
Saturday, May 3 and Monday, May 5

This week Baltimore City Public Schools System CEO Dr. Andres Alonso announced the launch of the district’s first six Transformation Schools. These schools will target students in grades 6-12 and are slated to open Fall 2008. The Baltimore community is invited to learn more about the district’s new Transformation Schools and their program offerings at the Transformation Schools Application Fair.

Transformation Schools Application Fair
Saturday, May 3, 2008 - 9 am-1pm
Monday, May 5, 2008 - 5pm-7:30pm
Dr. Alice G. Pinderhughes Administration Building
200 E. North Avenue

More information

City Council This Week

Monday, May 5, 2008

City Council Meeting
5:00 PM Du Burns Council Chamber, 4th floor, City Hall
The Council meeting will be broadcast live on TV25.
Draft agenda

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Hearing: Judiciary and Legislative Investigations Committee, Jim Kraft - Chair
10:00 AM Du Burns Council Chamber, 4th floor, City Hall
08-0087 Mayor's Commission on Disabilities - Members and Associates

Hearing: Budget and Appropriations Committee, Bernard C. "Jack" Young – Chair
4:00 PM Du Burns Council Chamber, 4th floor, City Hall
08-0103 Supplementary Special Fund Capital Appropriation - Department of Housing and Community Development - $8,000,000
08-0104 Supplementary General Fund Capital Appropriation - Mayoralty-Related - $5,000,000
08-0105 Supplementary Parking Enterprise Fund Capital Appropriation - Department of Transportation - $2,400,000

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Hearing: Executive Appointments Committee, Robert Curran - Chair
10:00 AM Du Burns Council Chamber, 4th floor, City Hall
EA08-0082 Leonard G. "Bud" Schuler, Jr. Chair - Wage Commission
EA08-0083 John P. "Buddy" Cefalu Member - Wage Commission
EA08-0084 Lisa Harris Jones Member - Wage Commission
EA08-0085 Linda Toyo Obayashi Member - Wage Commission - 11th District
EA08-0086 Harold F. Scott Member - Wage Commission - 6th District

Hearing: Land Use and Transportation Committee, Ed Reisinger - Chair
5:00 PM Du Burns Council Chamber, 4th floor, City Hall
07-0002 Zoning - Group Homes - Nursing Homes - Emergency Shelters
This hearing will be broadcast live on TV25.

Community Events

MARYLAND FILM FESTIVAL
May 1-4
Charles Theater
MICA Brown Center
University of Baltimore Student Center
www.md-filmfest.com

91st ANNUAL FLOWERMART
May 2-3 11am-8pm, Washington Monument, Mt. Vernon
Celebrate spring in Baltimore at the Flowermart! Flower vendors feature glorious bedding plants, hanging baskets and gardening supplies. Arts and crafts vendors, great food and live entertainment, and the Flowermart trademark lemon peppermint sticks. www.flowermart.org

CINCO DE MAYO FESTIVAL
May 3-4 Saturday, 11am-9pm Sunday 11am-7pm
South Broadway, between Pratt and Lombard Streets
The Hispanic Business Asociation of Baltimore and The Hispanic Institute present The Cinco de Mayo festival of Baltimore. www.cincodemayobaltimore.com

HAMILTON ART CRAWL
May 1-3. The Hamilton Art Crawl features live music, a craft market, order a drink from nationally renowned artist and guest bartender Tony Shore, feast on local restaurants' fare, and create your own artwork! The second annual Hamilton Art Crawl features all of these events and more, as well as a raffle with great prizes from area businesses. For more information, visit www.hamiltonarts.org

DATE CHANGE!
Baltimore City Human Services Commission trip to see

Tennessee Williams'
"Cat on a Hot Tin Roof."

Broadhurst Theatre, New York City

Sunday, June 29, 2008 matinee

Saturday, June 7
evening performance

New departure times to be announced.

For more information, contact Rowena Chandler
and/or Theresa Scott
at 410-396-3228

Saturday, May 3

Baltimore Kinetic Sculpture Race
American Visionary Art Museum, 800 Key Highway, Opening Ceremonies, 9:30 am
Celebrate one of Baltimore's unique annual traditions. Baltimore's Kinetic Sculpture Race features human-powered amphibious all-terrain works of art. The 13-mile race begins with morning opening ceremonies and the start at AVAM on the south side of the Inner Harbor, continues past Federal Hill, the Maryland Science Center, Harborplace, the National Aquarium, and Fells Point, has a water entry at Canton, an obstacle course at Patterson Park, and then returns through the city to the finish line at AVAM in the late afternoon. www.kineticbaltimore.com, 410-244-1900

Station North Flea Market
Load of Fun Studios, 120 W. North Ave. 9am-2pm
The market is now in a new location at the Howard Street Bridge. The Station North Artists Flea Market is a community based flea market open to individuals and neighborhood groups as well as dealers. The market is open First Saturdays throughout the spring/summer/fall seasons. For space and table reservation or general information infofleamarket@loadoffun.net
www.loadoffun.net

Charm City Roller Girls Season Opener
Du Burns Arena, 1301 S. Ellwood Ave.
Come join the excitement of Maryland's premiere all-woman, flat-track roller derby league at their first season at Du Burns Arena. $10
www.charmcityrollergirls.com

BUGS Farmers Market
Living Classroom Foundation, 802 S. Caroline St., 10am-1pm
Baltimore Urban Gardening with Students (BUGS) after-school program's student-run farmers market. www.bugsprogram.org 410-952-1148

May is National Asthma Awareness Month
Please stop by the GBMC booth at the Towsontown Spring Festival, Saturday, May 3 from 10am-3pm for asthma screenings.

Sunday, May 4

Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off Day
Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, Cold Spring Lane and Falls Road, 9am - 3pm. Spring is in the air, and it's a great time to rid your home, basement and garage of unwanted hazardous material. Let the Department of Public Works help you safely dispose of materials such as bleach, pesticides, car and household batteries, pool chemicals and other items. Must be a Baltimore resident and have proof of residency. For more information call 311.

Upcoming/Ongoing

Artscape Applications
Artscape, the nation's largest free public arts festival, will be running for the 27th time in 2008. Seeking applications from artists, cultural, fashion, and children's exhibitors, as well as dance and theater companies. Newly added are the Chick Web Jazz Combo Competition, a Sound-Off! competition for local bands to become part of the line-up, and Indie-spensible, a DIY program. Application deadlines vary on a case-to-case basis. For more information visit www.artscape.org or call (410) 752-8632.

Mayor Dixon Convenes Red Line Community Summit

Baltimore Convention Center
Saturday, May 10, 2008
9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
www.mayorsredlinesummit.com

The Red Line Community Summit is free and open to the public.
Registration and continental breakfast begin at 8:00 a.m.

The Red Line is a proposed 12-mile transit corridor that will operate from the Social Security Administration building in Woodlawn to the Johns Hopkins Bayview Campus in Southeast Baltimore. Construction of this historic project could begin as early as 2012, pending review and approval by the Federal Transit Administration and a funding plan agreed upon by the state and federal government.

Mayor Dixon is bringing together the resources and expertise of many different City agencies to help the Maryland Transit Administration develop the best possible Red Line alternative for the region. Community activists, transit experts and business leaders from around the country will lead workshops that demonstrate how Baltimore can leverage the Red Line project for neighborhood revitalization, job creation, minority business participation and environmental preservation. Members of the Mayor’s cabinet, city elected officials, representatives from the Maryland Department of Transportation, and Congressman Elijah Cummings are scheduled to participate.

Art in the Park presented by Mill Valley Cultural Arts Umbrella, Open Air Art and Eclec-tiques Market, Every other Saturday starting April 12, 9am-2pm, www.millvalleyarts.org

The National Women's Prison Project Annual Mother's Day Luncheon, May 9, 12pm -2pm, Calvary Baptist Church, 3911 Garrison Blvd. Keynote Speaker is Tonier Cain, National Trauma Advocate. Free, but registration is required. 410-233-3385.

Baltimore Rising’s Mentoring Children of Incarcerated Parents Program (MCIP) needs mentors for youths whose parent or guardian is in jail and is taking referrals for children who need mentors. Kamala Green at 443-984-1013.

Looking For Junior Achievement Alumni! Junior Achievement is celebrating 50 years in Maryland in 2007. Did a JA program lead you to where you are today? Tell us about it! Visit http://maryland.ja.org or contact JoAnn Goldberger at 443-394-7211 Ext. 226 or jgoldberger@JAKids.com

The Community Law Center provides free legal services and technical assistance to improve the quality of life and economic viability of communities. Community-based organizations, nonprofits, and churches are eligible for assistance with forming new nonprofit organizations and gaining 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, reviewing contracts, acquiring property, addressing drug nuisance properties, addressing the zoning/environmental impact of properties/development projects in the community, confronting problem liquor establishments, resolving tax issues and many other legal issues. Call 410.366.0922 x15 or email danielled@communitylaw.org. www.communitylaw.org

Baltimore Healthcare Access, Inc. is announcing a new initiative to protect the health and well-being of city residents. Through this initiative, city residents can call 311 for screening and referral to a range of health insurance programs and low-cost healthcare options. www.bhca.org

The Bar Association of Baltimore City is pleased to offer its Lawyer Referral and Information Service (LRIS) to the general public. This service features a panel of attorneys who provide a wide range of legal assistance ranging from Asbestos to Worker's Compensation. Those referred to private attorneys will be able to receive a reduced fee half-hour consultation, which is waived for certain case types. This service also occasionally features volunteer attorneys who are able to answer basic legal questions over telephone for no charge. For those who qualify, the LRIS also offers reduced fee legal services for the elderly. For more information call 410-539-3112 between 9:00am and 4:00pm Monday-Friday, or email info@baltimorebar.org.

Also, small community-based nonprofits working to strengthen low income communities are eligible for pro bono legal help from the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service Community Development Project. Get help with reviewing contracts, negotiating leases, preparing employee manuals, and many other legal issues. Call 443-451-4064 or email jocarol@mvlslaw.org

Baltimore International Academy, a public charter school, is now accepting applications for students interested in full immersion education in one of four tracks: French, Chinese, Russian or Spanish. An Open House will be held at 7 pm on May 20 at 3515 Taylor Avenue – the campus of the Maryland School for the Blind. More information is available from the school at 410-426-3650 or baltimoreinternationalacademy@yahoo.com.