Get Ready For Spring 2011

It's hard to believe but spring is just around the corner!

Norwood Neighborhood Association is planning ahead and hoping to have another successful Spring Clean up on Saturday, April 30th, 2011. So please mark your calendars (rain day May 1, 2011). Let's show we can do it again**, come on out and help make our neighborhood look beautiful.

In an effort to do more in spring 2011, NNA has applied for a Love Your Block award to provide funds for basic materials: Steel fencing for 39 tree pits - to keep doggies off the newly planted trees provided by the city this past spring - as sadly not every pet owner picks up; 5 flats of 50 ivy plants for tree pits that have enough dirt for planting - plants help absorb excess water run off from heavy rains as well as provide greenery; non- latex gloves for our volunteers and lastly "Pick Up After Your Dog" signs for our community to encourage awareness and cleaning up with local pet owners. NYC Parks Department will provide mulch, sanitation will provide cleaning supplies and trash removal, and there's even the possibility the the city can provide graffiti removal to our crews.

Have a well maintained block will help encourage those visiting our community to respect our streets and not leave behind so much careless trash. A cared for street also encourages those who are not picking up after their pets to be more conscientious. Creating a more beautiful neighborhood will encourage others to help us sustain a more cared for and livable community.


So, keep your fingers crossed and send some magic, body English and let's hope NNA will be awarded a Love Your Block Award, because "We Love Our Blocks!"

** See last Year's (2010) successful clean up!

Dear Neighbors,

Identity theft can be the cause of major problems and a nightmare to fix. Document shredding is a headache too. Who has the time to sit and shred piles of sensitive papers? There are document shredding services but they usually start at about $80.

Costa Constantinides and Anne Marie Anzalone of the Powhatan Democratic Club and ProShred Security have generously invited the community to a free paper shredding and recycling event this weekend. Their invite with date, times and place are below.
This is a great opportunity to finally get rid of those mountains of documents you're too afraid to throw in the regular trash.

____________________________________________________

Free Community Shredding This Weekend!

Saturday November 6
10 AM - 1PM
Powhatan Democratic Club
41-05 Newtown Road
Astoria, 11103

Join Democratic District Leaders Costa Constantinides and AnneMarie Anzalone along with the Powhatan Regular Democratic Club and Proshred Security for a FREE community shredding and recycling event to help combat identity theft and increase paper recycling.

Sponsored by Democratic District Leaders Costa Constantinides and AnneMarie Anzalone and Powhatan Democratic Club

The federal trade commission estimates that as many as 9 million Americans have their identities stolen each year. Almost 70 percent of those cases are from paper documents getting into the wrong hands.

Keeping important documents that contain personal information such as social security numbers, bank statements, and other financial forms may put you at risk of identity theft. Shredding your personal papers is an easy way to make sure you are not victimized and recycle this paper.

This provides you with a safe, environmental sound way to dispose of these papers.

For more information call 917-716-4540 or powhatan01@gmail.com

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Go Green!

Demapping 36th Street @ 35th Avenue

Astoria residents are very unhappy with the city's plan to close (demap) 36th Street between 34th Avenue and 35th Avenue for the benefit of private enterprise: Kaufman Astoria Studios. Loss of street parking and removing a main thoroughfare will cause additional problems for residents as well as for students attending nearby schools; congestion and more congestion. Then there's inconvenience and the certain quality of life impact on residents resulting from an even bigger, more active studio.

Bringing big business to Astoria is positive and optimistically will provide services benefiting the residents and community at large. As long the studio is a good neighbor and realizes people live near the studio and that late night spots for crews working around the clock and noise from production units would be unwelcome.

If NYC is leasing the street and sidewalks - essentially public easements - for an undisclosed amount until 2049, for the exclusive use and benefit of private enterprise then some of the revenue the city makes should benefit the residents of Astoria by giving back in ways that will improve quality of life. If public areas are taken away a beautiful public space could be provided.
If 40 street parking spots are removed perhaps above ground parking facility will help in a heavily congested area. How about studio tours for families? Currently Kaufman Astoria is not open to the public.

If the demapping is approved, residents hope the studio will be a considerate neighbor.