2012 January

Volume 28 No. 1 January 2012

4

-Chef Alfredo 9

-The Chronicle’s Daily Blog

-Event flyers and photos-Weekly real estate transfers-Cooking with Cans 7

-Holidays on the Northside

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Work on the T tunnel that runs under the river continues as its March opening date draws closer and closer. The Stadium Authority and ALCO Parking voted to sponsor free rides.

Photo courtesy The Children’s Museum

St. Nicholas application of economic hardship denied

North Side station finds sponsorship for free ridesBy Kelsey Shea

See T Station, page 6

On December 21, The Stadium Authority voted to sponsor free rides from the North Side T Station, which will open in March of 2012, to Downtown Pittsburgh for the next three years.

The Stadium Authority, who owns much of the land the T runs through, and ALCO Parking, a private parking company that own lots on the North Shore, have agreed to pay Pittsburgh Port Authority a lump sum of $160,000 this year to cover the cost for riders departing or arriving at the North Side Station adjacent to PNC Park.

The three-year deal will increase

by $5,000 annually, and the Stadium Authority and ALCO will have the option to expand the contract beyond the initial three years.

Though ALCO and the Stadium Authority hope that free fares will utilize parking space on the Northside for Downtown workers and visitors, Jeremy Waldrup, CEO of the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, predicts it will bring more people, business and foot traffic to the Northside.

“A free, frequent and fast transit link will have the effect of essentially extending the borders of

By Kelsey Shea

Last week, the city Historic Review Commission denied St. Nicholas Croatian Catholic parish’s application for economic hardship, which would have allowed for the demolition the old church.

The parish, which is now located in an historic church building in Millvale, was denied permission to demolish the old church because it had a buyer with plans for its reuse.

The Northside Leadership Conference is interested in purchasing the church and turning it into a Croatian immigrant museum, a project supported by the Preserve Croatian Heritage Foundation and the Croatian Ambassador. NSLC marketing studies show that the museum would see around 25,000 visitors a year.

The NSLC’s plan for the site also includes a bike and pedestrian loop trail that will go through Troy Hill and Historic Deutschtown as an extension of the North Shore trail. The marketing study estimates that the trail would attract an additional 25,000 visitors.

“If we are able to pull this off, it’s 50,000 visitors to the Northside,” said Mark Fatla, executive director of NSLC. “And the beautiful thing about 50,000

people is that they all have wallets.”Father Dan Whalen,

administrator of the St. Nicholas Croatian Catholic parish in Millvale, said he was not shocked by the Historic Review Commission’s decision and is focusing on moving forward, noting that “you have to live with the decisions that were made.” He said that a museum would be an acceptable reuse of the church.

“We’re still, and always have been, negotiating with the Northside Leadership Conference,” said Father Whalen, but noted they are “keeping all legal options open” as well.

The old church sits along Route 28, where it was once the center of Pittsburgh Croatian community on the Northside. It became an historic landmark at the wish of several parishioners in 2001, but was vacated in 2004, when the church moved to Millvale due to dwindling size of the parish.

Initially when Whalen took the position, he said he hoped to make a profit for the parish by selling the old church, but that is no longer the case.

“At this point, I’m just trying to stop the financial bleeding,” he said. He estimates that maintaining the church costs the parish about $1,800

Scan here with smart phones to read The Northside Chronicle online.www.thenorthsidechronicle.com

See St. Nicholas, page 6

January 2012The Northside Chronicle

THE NORTHSIDE CHRONICLE 922MiddleSt.•Pittsburgh,PA15212

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Allegheny West Civic Council2nd Tuesday, monthly, 7:30 p.m.Calvary United Methodist Church412.323.8884

Brighton Heights Citizens Federation2nd Thursday, bi-monthly, 7 p.m.Morrow Elementary School412.734.0233

Brightwood Civic Group3rd Tuesday, bi-monthly, 7 p.m.Pressley Ridge, 2611 Stayton St.412.732.8152

Brightwood Community Emergency Response Shelter3rd Thursday, monthly, 6 p.m.3219 Central Ave.

California-Kirkbride Blockwatch3rd Thursday, monthly, 7 p.m.1601 Brighton Rd., 3rd floor

California-Kirkbride Neighbors2nd Thursday, monthly, 7 p.m.1601 Brighton Rd., 3rd floor412.758.3898

Central Northside Neighborhood Council2nd Monday, monthly, 7 p.m.Allegheny Traditional Academy412.231.7742

Charles Street Area Council1st Monday, monthly, call for timesPittsburgh Project, 2801 N. Charles St.412.321.5567

Community Alliance of Spring Garden/East Deutschtown2nd Tuesday, monthly, 6:30 p.m.Fuhrer Building of St. Michael’s Church412.977.1979

Deutschtown New Hope Council3rd Thursday, monthly, 6:30 p.m.Community Center, 623 Suismon St.

East Allegheny Community Council2nd Tuesday, monthly, 7 p.m.Bistro Annex412.321.1204

Ex-offender Aftercare Support GroupSaturdays, 4-5:30 p.m.Allegheny Center Alliance Church801 Union Place

Fineview Citizens Council3rd Wednesday, monthly, 6:30 p.m.Reformed Presbyterian Home Pennsylvania Ave.412.231.0330

Mexican War Streets Society3rd Tuesday, monthly, 7 p.m.AUU Church, Resaca Pl. and North Ave.412.323.9030

Manchester Citizens CorporationQuarterly meetings, call for timesMCC Center, 1319 Allegheny Ave.412.323.1743

Manchester Public Safety MeetingQuarterly meetings, call for timesNorthside Leadership Conference412.323.1743

Northside Rotary ClubEvery Friday, noonCardello Building, 2nd Floor

Northside Coalition for Fair Housing Board2nd Monday, monthly, 6:30 p.m.1821 Brighton Rd.412.321.5527

Northside Coalition for Fair Housing MembershipMonthly, call for times1821 Brighton Rd.412.321.5521

Northside Leadership ConferenceCall for times4 Allegheny Center, Suite 601412.330.2559

North Side Lions Club2nd and 4th Tuesday, monthly, noonMax’s Allegheny Tavern

North Side Public Safety Council1st Thursday, monthly, 5:30 p.m.Northside Leadership Conference412.330.2559

Observatory Hill, Inc.3rd Wednesday, monthly, 7 p.m.Byzantine Seminary, 3605 Perrysville Ave.412.231.2887

Perry Hilltop Citizens’ Council4th Monday, monthly, 7:30 p.m.Angel’s Place, 2605 Norwood St.412.321.4632

The Promise GroupEvery other Tuesday, 6 p.m.Western Pa. Humane Society412.321.1019

Troy Hill Citizens CouncilSept. 15, Dec. 15North Catholic High School 412-321-2852

Spring Hill Civic LeagueSept. 12, Oct. 3 and Nov. 1Spring Hill Elementary [email protected]

Summer Hill Citizens Committee3rd Tuesday, monthly, 6:30 p.m.WPXI Television Station community room

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January 2012The Northside ChroniclePage 3 January 2012The Northside Chronicle

News BriefsMLK angel tree

Last month, Martin Luther King school angel tree organizer Julie Peterson worried about the lack of presents underneath the school’s tree for neighborhood kids in need.

After two weeks, there were only 80 donated gifts, but volunteers’ pleas for donations for the 480 students at MLK were quickly answered. By this morning, they had nearly quadrupled the amount of gifts they needed.

Allegheny General Hospital responded to its neighborhood school’s need by taking 200 angels off the tree and replacing them with toys. Soon after, South Fayette School District donated 1,500 brand new toys to MLK’s tree, creating an excess of donations.

“It’s all about letting these kids know they’re appreciated, and we want them to keep coming to school,” said Peterson, who noted that this was an excellent supplement to the school’s first year as a teaching academy.

Chamber of Commerce GalaLast week, Northside

community members dressed up in their holiday best for The Northside/Northshore Chamber of Commerce Holiday Gala.

About 250 people attended the formal event at the Priory Grand Hall on Thursday for dinner, drinks and dancing to the music of Uptown Rhythm and Brass, who performed live.

“It’s our signature Northside event,” said Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Robin Rosemary Miller.

Many guests also brought unwrapped toys for Urban Impact, who will distribute them to local children in need.

Rev. Ed Glover told the audience Urban Impact had an “attitude of gratitude,” for their donations and also promoted a performance Urban Impact hosted on Friday, called Light the Night. A soloist from the program performed as well.

The Northside Chamber of Commerce promotes, maintains and provides services to local businesses and business owners in the Northside.

“This has been a wonderful year for the NorthSide/NorthShore chamber of commerce,” Miller

wrote in her greetings. “We have had an increase in membership and an increase in attendance to our North Side programs. I am thankful for all of your support throughout the year and am happy for all that you do for the entire community.”

Neighborhood leaders take a tunnel tour

This month, a handful of representatives from Northside cultural entities saw a different side of the neighborhood – underneath it.

Representatives from The Children’s Museum, Saturday Night Light Brigade, The New Hazlett Theater, Venture Outdoors, Carnegie Libraries, The Allegheny Commons Initiative and Riverquest got a unique tour of the station and the underground tunnels that were recently built for the Port Authority’s North Shore Connector, which will open in the spring.

The tour was arranged by the public relations and marketing department of the Port Authority during discussions regarding a collaborative project for the new T stations.

The Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh and the Carnegie Science Center reached out to the Port Authority with the idea that Northside and North Shore cultural organizations could partner with the Port Authority of Allegheny County to develop, design and install promotional pieces of art at the North Side Station and the Allegheny Station. As a first step, the Port Authority offered the organizations an exclusive tour of the underground tunnels.

“The intent is to enrich the station’s appearance as well as promote the range of cultural attractions on the North Side / North Shore,” said Chris Siefert, deputy director of the Children’s Museum. “Optimally, this partnership would include artistic and design oriented enhancements reflective of the high quality, family oriented cultural offerings of the North Side.”

Though the project discussions are still in initial phases, the Port Authority is in the process of developing more specific plans for the opening of the station.

January 2012 The Northside Chronicle January 2012 The Northside Chronicle Page 4

Holidays on the Northside...

Some familiar faces were seen in Brightwood last month when City Council President Darlene Harris stopped by along with Mr. Clause himself ! Woods Run Library hosted an open house that featured a life-sized candy land with about 50 local kids in attendance. The Brightwood Civic Group arranged for the visit from Santa to the Brightwood business district and the Woods Run fire station where Santa greeted the children and heard all their Christmas gift requests. Photo Courtesy Brightwood Civic Group

Above: On Friday, December 9, Urban Impact had its annual holi-day concert, Light the Night, at Allegheny Center Alliance Church. The concert included multiple choir performances, this one led by Mathew Mason, and had an audience of almost 1,000 people. Photo courtesy Urban Impact volunteers

Last month, the Northside had great music, fun parties and Northsiders coming together to help those in need for the holiday season.

Pittsburgh paramedic and contestant on TLC’s “Next Great Baker” Megan Hart dropped off a holiday cake she made to share with Light of Life’s guests on December 23. The decorated three-tier cake looked like three presents stacked on top of one another. Megan said that she is happy for all that has happened for her this year so she wanted to pay it forward and give to a cause for the less fortunate.

In addition to meals and cake, over 1,000 winter coats were available to anyone who stopped by a tent located outside of the North Avenue mission. Men, women and children could also get winter hats, gloves and blankets that were available.

Photo courtesy Light of Life


Historic Deutschtown shook up their holiday party at Bistro Soul with schnapps sampling.

Photo courtesy East Allegheny Community Council

Light of Life Rescue Mission served over 1,000 tur-key dinners during its Thanksgiving Day festivities to homeless and those who could not afford a meal.

More than 100 volunteers, including Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, served the meals at the North-side Mission from noon to 6 p.m. Volunteers also assisted in a coat giveaway and delivered turkey dinners to over a dozen area senior care facilities. Photo courtesy Light of Life

Rivers Casino donated 70 hams for New Years cel-ebrations that were picked up by volunteers from the Spring Garden Community Food Pantry.

Photo by Kelsey Shea

Business owners and community members got dressed in their very best for the Chamber of Commerce’s holiday gala at the Priory Hotel on December 1.

Photo courtesy North Side/North Shore Chamber of Commerce


Historic church along Route 28 will remain standing

Downtown Pittsburgh,” said Waldrup, who noted that the ride from Downtown to the Northside Station is only four minutes which makes it easy for people Downtown to cross the river for lunch breaks, happy hours or special events on the Northside.

The free fare will only apply to riders traveling to and from Downtown and the Northside Station, though Waldrup noted that they hope to find a sponsor for free rides to the Allegheny Station by Heinz Field as well.

It will cost the standard $2.25 fare to travel from the North Shore to Station Square.

Port Authority of Allegheny County’s board will vote to approve the sponsorship at its January meeting.

“Free T rides between North Side Station and Downtown will encourage more people to use public transit, provide a convenient link between these two areas and contribute to the continuing development on the North Shore,” said Steve Bland, CEO of Port Authority.

The two North Shore stations and the extension of the T are expected to open in March of 2012.

The Port Authority expects trains to leave from the stations every 4 minutes at peak hours.

Stadium Authority and ALCO parking sponsor free rides from North Side Station to DowntownFrom T Station, page 1

the church costs the parish about $1,800 a month.

Under the current general sales agreement states the two organizations are discussing, the NSLC would purchase the church for $1, contingent on a geotechnical study of the hillside where the church sits.

“Part of the problem is that everything has always been contingent on other things,” said Whalen regarding the hillside study.

Once a sales agreement is signed, engineers can begin the study, which will be paid for by the Preserve Croatian Heritage Foundation.

If the hillside is stable, the NSLC will purchase the property.

The NSLC estimates that the study could take 6 to 9 months, and is heavily dependent on weather.

“It’s a continuing saga,” Whalen said. “Stay tuned.”

From St. Nicholas, page 1

St. Nicholas’ old church is a daily sight for many communters using Route 28. The Northside Leadership Conferences hopes to transform the vacant building into an immigrant museum.

Photo by Blaine Zehmisch

Members of local arts organization got an exclusive tour of the T tunnel and tracks being built along the North Shore.

Photo courtesy of The Children’s Museum


An average can of corn has around 21 grams of sugar and over 600 mg of sodium, making it more sugary, salty and starchy than its fresh produce counterpart.

Northside Common Ministries’ Food Pantry, which distributes similar canned and preserved food to 950 clients monthly, saw this as a problem which sparked the idea for its innovative Cooking Well with Cans program that just received a $25,000 grant from the Walmart Foundation.

Cooking Well with Cans is an initiative to help clients learn to cook healthily using items commonly found in the food pantry.

“The low-income community is disproportionately affected by obesity and diabetes --- and clients of food pantries even more so,” said Jay Poliziani, director of Northside Common Ministries. “We not only want to ensure we’re feeding the

hungry. We also want to be sure we’re helping them eat in a manner that helps them get healthy and stay healthy.”

NCM plans to bring local nurses, nutritionists and dietitians to create healthy recipes, tips and cooking videos using canned and

preserved food often donated to food pantries that will be made available for clients.

“The goal of the program was to come up with ways to help our clients eat healthfully in culturally respectful ways,” said Poliziani.

NCM is located in the

Northside’s California-Kirkbride neighborhood and operates the largest food pantry in the city of Pittsburgh.

It relies on local food drives and the Pittsburgh Food Bank rather than government money. In the past year, like other food pantries across the country, NCM has seen about a 30 percent increase of clients in need.

The grant from Walmart Foundation was part of nearly half a million dollars Walmart distributed across the state to fight hunger.

See Cans, page 17

NS food pantry wins grant to Cook with CansBy Kelsey Shea

NCM will built healthy diet plans using canned food commonly found in food pantries. Photo by Kelsey Shea


Habitat for Humanity renovates a home in Observatory Hill

Habitat for Humanity is on the lookout for a Northside family, who needs a home and isn’t afraid of a little hard work.

One of Habitat for Humanity’s first projects in the Northside area, a house in Observatory Hill, recently became available, and Habitat is accepting applications.

Though the house was planned for a family that was previously selected by the board, their financial status changed, and because Habitat requires their homebuyers to have a steady salary, the house at 3219 Orleans St. is now available.

“It’s a good neighborhood,” said Jeremy Martin, community outreach & faith relations coordinator. “This is a good step towards having a presence in the Northside. We’d like to explore opportunities there and help families there.”

The estimated sale price of the Observatory Hill home is between $78,000 and $82,000, and an estimated 30-year mortgage, which will be interest free, of between $470 and $493 each month.

Habitat for Humanity is

a nonprofit Christian housing ministry that works to eliminate poverty housing in over 100 countries and across the United States.

The organization renovates and builds homes and sets up affordable, interest-free mortgages for families in need. Habitat Pittsburgh has built homes for about 70 families since 1986.

The 1,254 square foot and three bedroom house will be finished and available to move into by spring of 2012.

Interested buyers may submit an application online. If selected by the family selection committee, they will set up interest-free mortgage payments which must be approved by the board.

If selected, families are required to put in 350 hours of work on the house that Habitat calls “Sweat Equity.”

According to Habitat, the labor gives new owners “learn to maintain their new home and fosters a sense of pride, accomplishment and responsibility to their community.”

Applications and qualification requirements are online at pittsburghhabitat.org.

By Kelsey Shea

Habitat’s Observatory Hill house, located on Orleans Street, still needs an owner for Spring 2012.

Photo courtesy of Habitat for Humanity


It was a Wednesday, but customers continually asked the clerk at Bistro Soul if Chef Alfredo’s $10 New Orleans Buffet was available.

Chef Alfredo Russell has been cooking at Bistro Soul and Bistro To-Go since 2007, but it was not until this past December owner Nikki Hechman decided to spotlight his cuisine with a buffet from 11 to 2 on Thursdays and Fridays.

Chef Alfredo cooks up Cajun buffet for the NS

By Elaine Short

“Where did Chef Alfredo go? That was good, tell him,” a man said at the counter as he and his dining partner exited the restaurant.

“We’ve been getting some good responses from [the buffet],” said Nate Wigfield, a coworker of Chef Alfredo’s, who promised several customers that he would tell Chef Alfredo they had stopped by. The buffet, which features Chef Alfredo’s special-blend cuisine of Caribbean, Cajun and Creole, has even been accompanied a few times by a jazz band performance, said Wigfield.

Bistro Soul is a restaurant where customers get a meal and meet the owner, the clerk and the chef. A conversation happens, usually about food and, so, Chef Alfredo’s name seems to come up a lot. He is always respectfully referred to as Chef Alfredo.

Originally from Andros, a small island in the Bahamas, Chef Alfredo came to America to cook at the New Orleans Houlihan’s Old Place on Bourbon Street. He came to Pittsburgh on an offer to cook at a restaurant that was never realized.

“I was stuck,” he said. But over the years he has spent

cooking in Pittsburgh, Chef Alfredo has turned his predicament into an opportunity. He says he has worked so much in Pittsburgh, he is “known all over the city,” and customers come to Bistro Soul for a buffet that features his special-blend style of Caribbean, Cajun and Creole cuisine.

After working at several restaurants in the area and operating his own catering service in Homewood, Chef Alfredo built a name for himself that has

culminated into signature dishes and a following.

The buffet includes dishes like red beans, gumbo and Chef Alfredo’s famous Chicken Isabel and salmon with fried rice.

Chef Alfredo brought his unique cooking perspective to the Northside in 2007 when a friend introduced him to Hechmen, the Bistro’s owner. “She like me, I like her,” he said.

Other trials have challenged Chef Alfredo, including a car accident in 2009 that required 17 months of rehabilitation. “I had to learn to walk all over again, but here I am, cooking again.”

Chef Alfredo personally serves at the buffet, altering the spice of his cuisine according to the customer’s taste. “A lot of people say Cajun meaning hot,” but, “in the bayou,” the cuisine indicates a richness and variety that developed from an influx of immigrants in New Orleans in the 1700s. His own weightily named spice, “The Gold Dust,” helps him adjust the spice and flavor on the buffet line.

Now recovered and with the current spotlight on his cuisine at the New Orleans Buffet, the chef is focused on expansion. He has demonstrated two of his signature dishes at a Shop N’ Save, and hopes to put his products on the market soon, first locally and then nationally. With 54 years of cooking experience, Chef Alfredo is confident and ready for the next climb.

“People are looking for something different,” he said of his buffet’s cuisine. “I’m quite positive it’s going to be a hit.”

Chef Alfredo sautées shrimp at Bistro Soul.


A local nonprofit group is looking to bring a handful of representatives from Northside neighborhoods to work towards a common goal – making the Northside a greener place.

GTECH Strategies, a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit, is recruiting community members from 13 Northside neighborhoods to act green organizers in a leadership development program they hope to kick off in early 2012.

“By bringing together folks from different neighborhoods, we hope to spark cross neighborhood conversations and build a stronger, more cohesive Northside,” said Claire Miziolek, education and outreach programs manager of GTECH Strategies.

GTECH Strategies works to better neighborhoods with green practices by reclaiming vacant land

and creating local green jobs. They also run a program that helps restaurants recycle used cooking oil into fuel.

GTECH has reclaimed vacant lots throughout the city, including two unused lots in Perry South and one in Manchester, and turned them into sunflower gardens.

Neighborhood leaders will be paid a small stipend to continue these initiatives and are free to create some of their own. They will be expected to hold neighborhood meetings and forums and identify areas of improvement and even host local green job fairs.

Local nonprofit will recruit community leaders to help bring some ‘green’ practices to the NorthsideBy Kelsey Shea

GTECH reclaimed this Northside lot and created a sunflower garden. Photo courtesy GTECH

See GTECH, page 17


A nonprofit loan fund for many small businesses on the Northside received a $250,000 award grant from the State Small Business Credit Initiative this month.

The Northside Community Development fund, a subsidiary of the Northside Leadership Conference, was notified of the award grant by the Pa. Department of Community Economic Development.

“We are thrilled to be recognized as a leader in our field,” said Mark Masterson, executive director of the NSCDF. “This is very exciting news. We were able to leverage our resources so that we can provide more financing to small businesses on the Northside of Pittsburgh.”

The money comes from the Small Business Jobs Act, which President Barack Obama signed into law in September of 2010. The Act created the State Small Business Credit Initiative, which supports

lending to small businesses and manufacturers. It is expected to spur around $15 billion of lending.

More than 29 million dollars in federal funds have been allocated to the state of Pennsylvania to help leverage private lending, $250,000 of which will go to the Northside.

The Northside Community Development Fund finances many Northside Staples like Bistro To Go, Rita’s Italian Ice, J Francis Company and Bookminders Inc.

“All of these funds will go into low-cost loans to small businesses here on the Northside. The best source of hope in a neighborhood is a decent job,” said Masterson. “By supporting and investing in Northside businesses, we can help entrepreneurs and grow living wage jobs for Northside residents.”

Since 2000, the NCDF has financed over 120 Northside businesses and eight real estate projects and created over 700 jobs in the Northside.

Northside Community Development Fund receives $250,000 grant

By Kelsey Shea


How kids make things

This winter, The Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, has taken kids’ intuitions of tinkering with Legos and Play-dough and turned it into a new exhibit that explores how things are made.

How People Make Things is a new installation at the Children’s Museum. Running through February, the exhibit features hands-on activities to show children how products are manufactured. Hands-on experience allows visitors to create actual products using equipment from the factories.

“This exhibit brings children close to the real stuff, the nuts and bolts of how products are manufactured, which is very easy

to feel removed from these days,” says Jane Werner, the executive director of the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh’s Mister Rogers, who featured a factory tour segment on his show, inspired the series.

The exhibit takes the complex engineering of manufactured items and makes it accessible to children. Visitors have the opportunity to use a vacuum former to make a bowl, assemble parts of a golf cart, and a die cutter to make a box.

Locally made products are also featured, with a display of 10,000 Crayola Crayons and an “exploded” bicycle from Cannondale Bicycle Corporation.


By Karin Baker


Program connects Northside men to Marcellus Shale jobsBy Kelsey Shea

November NSC Blog HighlightsFor full stories go to www.thenorthsidechronicle.com/blog

The Northside Chonicle Blog is updated daily with

photos, event previews, interviews, videos and more. Don’t forget to subscribe to

the blog, find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

December 5- Reading volunteers needed

December 7- Santa visits Brightwood

December 14- Children’s Museum’s “How People Make

Things” exhibit

December 20- Aviary recieves Silver LEED Certification

December 27- Elks Lodge Banjo club video

A recent initiative of Mentors Consulting and Training is connecting young Northside men to jobs in the natural gas industry.

Mentors, a career training company headquartered on the North Shore, along with the Initiative for High Priority Occupation are offering a six-week program for young, primarily African American men with high school educations who are looking for jobs.

Though the two companies are usually competitors, both agreed that connecting job seekers in low-income communities throughout the city of Pittsburgh to jobs in the emerging Marcellus Shale gas industry in Western Pennsylvania.

“It’s shameful, but we have one of the highest poverty rates among African-Americans in Pittsburgh,” said Mentors President and Owner Kris Kirk who noted that this was a wealth building program that would help individual families and the community. “That’s why we’re targeting this demographic. This is a real solution.”

The jobs the program will place graduates into pay between $50,000 and $55,000 per year, and only require a high school education. Kirk noted that there is longevity in the jobs, unlike similar construction work.

“These jobs are going to be around for 50 years,” she said.

There is no initial cost for the classes. Once graduates are placed

in industry jobs, they will pay back 10 percent of their $8,000 scholarship back into the scholarship fund. Candidates must pass a drug test.

January will kick off the pilot year for the initiative, and Mentors plans to train 40 individuals for these jobs in classes of 10. The first four weeks of training will focus on the gas industry,

while the last two will address wealth management and jobs skills.

The first round of classes will start this month, and there is already a waiting list for the next session. Mentors will be actively recruiting through the next year and starting by focusing on the Northside. They are working with the POISE foundation to find grant money for more scholarships.

“These jobs are going To

be around for anoTher 50

years.”-Kris KirK

MenTors owner and presidenT


Jazz returns to James Street with new restaurantBy Kelsey Shea

James Street Gastropub and Speakeasy is a restaurant, full bar and live music venue.

Inside of 422 Foreland St. in Historic Deutschtown, there are old photos of The Boilermaker Jazz Band, Bo Diddley Jr. and Kenny Blake hanging on the wall.

The black and white photos, found in an upstairs room of the historic building, commemorate Pittsburgh Jazz artists who played there there over the years when the building was the home of the James Street Tavern, a center of Pitts-burgh’s Jazz community.

Though James Street Tavern closed several years ago, and several other restaurants have since opened and closed, the venue’s new owners are looking to recreate the vibe and culture of James Street Tavern with the brand new James Street Gastro-pub and Speakeasy, which opened last month.

“The James Street Tavern use to be a haven for jazz,” said Tony Mo-wod of the Pittsburgh Jazz Society. “It’ll be an advantage to draw people

back to James Street.” The new owners, Lisa Saftner

and Adam Johnston, left their jobs last year with the intention of star-ing their own restaurant, but the idea of a jazz venue only came when they saw the James Street venue in the Northside.

“It’s almost what the buildings beckons us to have,” said Johnston. “This is such a rich, rich area for jazz. It’s unbelievable.”

Saftner and Johnston said they researched neighborhoods carefully before choosing the James Street location, and have been welcomed

warmly by their neighbors, who they say are “almost as excited for us to be here as we are.”

“We want to be a part of the neighborhood,” said Saftner.

There will be live jazz music every Friday and Saturday, and the Pittsburgh Jazz Society will play at James Street Gastropub and Speak-easy every Sunday night from 6 to 9 p.m.

Saftner and Johnston said that though it’s a music venue, it’s pri-marily a restaurant. They offer a large menu with traditional pub food and several special items ranging in price between $8 and $30.

The restaurant officially opened in late December, and live music will begin the second weekend in Janu-ary. The final project the owners are working on is a banquet space that will accommodate 120-150 people, which they anticipate will be finished in summer of 2012.

“We want to do right by this building,” said Saftner.


Poliziani said representatives from Walmart were particularly impressed by NCM’s proposal and granted them the full amount they requested.

The money will be used to hire a temporary nutrition intern to help develop a program which will

encourage local restaurant owners to offer cooking classes and recipes, distribute nutrition information in the pantry, create healthful cooking videos and build an on-site garden that will encourage growing and using fresh produce said Poliziani.

“Walmart is unwavering in

its commitment to help people live better, healthier lives,” said Nick Bertram, Walmart Regional General Manager for Pennsylvania. “As a company, we operate globally but give back locally, and there is no better way to do that than by providing direct support to the organizations that are working so hard to improve their communities and strengthen their neighbors in need.”

The Cooking with Cans program will kick off on March 24 with a cook off at Bistro Soul where local chefs will compete to create the best brunch using food pantry items.

Cooking with Cans on the NS

Once chosen, community leaders will undergo four months of leadership training to give them the skills and preparation they need to engage the neighborhood and complete relevant projects.

Miziolek said the ideal candidates would be long-time residents who are invested in their communities and want to make a difference.

“Our ideal candidate would be someone who’s lived in the community a long time, who sees problems, wants to makes a difference, wants to do great things, but just doesn’t have the training or skills to do so,” said Miziolek. “We’re looking to really capitalize on caring community members to make a

difference.”GTECH worked with another

nonprofit on a similar and successful project in the Hill District that engaged neighborhood leaders to pursue green initiatives, and they decided to bring the concept to the North Side.

Miziolek said that GTECH is using multi-level recruitment and collaborating with the Northside Leadership Conference to reach out to the community, and they are using their office as a temporary hub for their organizations.

Community members interested in becoming a GTECH green leader should contact Claire Miziolek for an application and more information at [email protected] or412.361.2099 extension 5.

GTECH recruits on the NS


From Cans, page 7

From GTECH, page 6

January 2012The Northside ChronicleJanuary 2012 The Northside Chronicle Page 18


Allegheny WestNS Parking Inc. to NS Property L.P. at 1010 Beech Ave. for $1 (state deed transfer stamps indicate a value of $43,758).

Brighton HeightsDeutsche Bank National Trust Co. trustee to Charles Beck at 3533 Campus St. for $37,099. Brian Weck to David McGee Jr. and Monique McGee at 1824 Perrott St. for $135,000. Robert Meta to Michael Berry at 316 Lamplighter Circle for $92,000. Gertrude Ann O’Brien to John Buggey II at 3824 Atkins St. for $70,000. Nicolle Ferris to Michael Joseph Murgi at 1835 Viruth St. for $105,000. Pittsburgh City to Todero Corp. at 3811 Bonaventure Way for $8,900.Dayday Properties LLC to Two Left Shoes LLC at 3571 Elmhurst Ave. for $7,800.Matthew Goodworth et al. to

Ricardo Lopez at 3531 Simen Ave. for $144,720.Dayday Properties LLC to Two Left Shoes LLC at 3571 Elmhurst Ave. for $7,800.Matthew Goodworth et al. to Ricardo Lopez at 3531 Simen Ave. for $144,720.

BrightwoodShawn Hennigan to Gilbert Kowalski and Andrew Hinzman at 1330 Gifford St. for $48,000. Barbara Vioral to Elizabeth Davis at 1303 Ingham St. for $57,000. Estate of Rose Lawyer to Slam Home Properties LLC at 12 Mitchell St. for $27,000. Grace Bonant Murtha to Peter Blatt and Eileen Byrnes at 1200 Superior Ave. for $50,000. Henry Jones to US Bank NA at 1116 Hodgkiss St. for $1,659 by sheriff ’s deed.Bruce Walter trustee to Diana and Dennys Horn at 3230 Mitchell St.

for $50,000.Doreen Fleming to Sandra Jordan at 2615 Shadeland Ave. for $79,000. California-Kirkbride Pittsburgh City to Project Destiny Inc. at 1318-1320 Sigel St. for $4,000. Pittsburgh City to Project Destiny Inc. at 1324 Sigel St. for $2,000.

Central NorthsideMelinda Miller to Michael Cole at 1203 Filson St. for $72,000. John Serak et al. to Erin Powers at 103 Sampsonia Way for $175,000. Karl Owens et al. to Susan Christensen at 124 Carrington St. for $17,500. Deutsche Bank National Trust Co. trustee to Thomas Berna at 1534 Garfield Ave. for $80,000. Literary Ventures LLC to City Asylum Pittsburgh at 1406-1408 Monterey St. 1410 for $18,400. David Kelley et al. to CAMA FBO Karen Perry’s IRA at 530

Armandale St. for $25,000.Blue Moon Capital LLC to Nizar Dayoub at 1616 Buena Vista St. for $50,000.

East DeutschtownRobert Lutz to Holdings Ltd. LLC at 811 Peralta St. for $1 (state deed transfer stamps indicate a value of $54,756). Youcef Djedid to October Real Estate Holdings LLC at 815 Phineas St. for $42,000. Edward Myers to Marc Anthony Management Co. L.P. at 821 Lovitt Way for $33,000. Madison Avenue Assoc. L.P. to Marc Anthony Management Co. L.P. at 824 Lovitt Way for $3,300. Madison Avenue Assoc. L.P. to Cassique Properties L.P. at 818 Madison Ave. for $513,700. Pittsburgh City to Cornelius Poillon at 836 Concord St. for $2,900. Pittsburgh City to Cornelius Poillon at 840-842 Concord St. for $3,500.


FineviewDonald Marshall to Michael Erdlen at 1938 Meadville St. for $10,000. Historic DeutschtownLaura Cummings to Christopher Haselhoff at 510 Cedar Ave. for $150,000. Team Properties LLC to Jessica DeYoung at 1206 Middle St. for $85,000. Kimble Hicks LLC to Candice Kobetich and Patrick Scott at 533 Tripoli St. for $148,971.

ManchesterATL Holdings LLC to Ahmed Martin at 1327 Liverpool St. for $105,000. Mariners Strategic Fund 2 LLC to Robert Maravalli at 1103 Sheffield St. for $60,000. Julia Scrivens et al. to Federal National Mortgage Assn. at 1215 Juniata St. for $2,378 by sheriff ’s deed.

Ann Arbor Assoc. LLC to Peter Wright LLC at 912 Behan St. for $225,000.

Observatory Hill Kenneth Peindl to Richard Lehtonen at 319 Venture St. for $75,000. Judith Morello to Stuart Barish at 3747 Baytree St. for $78,000. William Troy Duncan to Joseph Patrick O’Malley Jr. and Erin Adams at 3827 Evergreen Road for $29,000. Visio Capital 2 LLC to Mba Ogochukwu at 1 Semicir St. for $2,000. Kara Reid to Timothy Benz at 3108 Norwood Ave. for $139,000. Ashcroft Holdings LLC to Regan Thompson at 3425 Delaware St. for $69,400. AA Holdings 2005 LLC to Evan Mendenhall at 3931 Vinceton St. for $57,578. S & G Holdings 2004 LLC to D & B Investments LLC at 4031 Vinceton St. for $60,000.

Jay Mowery to Greg Broskey Jr. at 297 Venture St. for $34,000. Charlotte Ebert to Michael Miller at 240 Bascom Ave. for $45,000.

Perry SouthLarry Lobster International LLC to Adriana Garcia Duran and Marcelo Castano Garcia at 2713 Norwood Ave. for $11,000. Rienzi Suero to John and Sarah Lozecki at 157 Marshall Ave. for $67,000. David Kelley to Michael Cutler at 6 Matson St. for $12,000. Cheryl Morris to Patricia Pullen at 2524 Maple Ave. for $30,000. Taras Yatsishin to Jamie McElroy at 444 W. Kennedy Ave. for $60,000. Housing & Urban Development to Claudette Hogan at 315 Elsdon St. for $6,000. Spring GardenFederal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. to Robert Moore at 58 Schubert St.

for $8,000.

Summer HillEstate of Gloria Gross to Matthew Meeder at 4208 Harpen Road for $83,000.

Troy HillNicole Theresa Kaib to Brittany Rall at 2014 Ley St. for $75,000. Nancy Schlicher et al. to US Bank NA trustee at 1420 Claim St. for $3,594 by sheriff ’s deed. Brian Bonidie et al. to Derek and Heather Soose at 1845 Ley St. for $33,000. Kathryn Borman to Kyle Pratt at 2009 Straubs Lane for $8,000. First National Bank Pennsylvania to JHS Goodlads Corp. et al. at 2123-2127 Straubs Lane for $55,000.

Real Estate Transactions provided by <RealSTATs>. Contact <RealSTATs> at 412-381-3880 or visit www.RealSTATs.net.


EITC Eligibility I recently introduced Senate

Bill 1347 (SB 1347), legislation that would require employers to post and provide written notification to employees of their potential eligibility for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). The EITC is a federal tax credit for low to moderate income working individuals and families. SB 1347 is aimed at raising awareness of this program so those who are eligible for this tax credit claim and receive it. If you make less than $49,000 annually you should inquire as to your eligibility.

It is important to raise awareness about the EITC as this is the time of year when we begin seeing advertisements for refund anticipation loans. These loans often times charge consumers high interest rates and administrative fees. The

EITC can put money back in the hands of families, without having to worry about high interest rates and fees, or going into debt while awaiting your tax return as individuals who take out refund anticipation loans often times do.

My hope is SB 1347 will be considered in the very near future. In the meantime, it is important that employers

provide information about EITC to their employees now to help make a positive difference in the lives of their hard-working employees and their families. Each year, millions of workers risk not receiving the credits they’ve

earned because they don’t know they have to file and claim the credit to receive it.

Many people will qualify for EITC for the first time this year because their income declined, their marital status changed, or they added children to their families. In Allegheny County, the Money in Your Pocket Coalition will be assisting eligible working individuals and families with free tax preparation in the coming months. Through their work, $23.8 million in tax refunds have been claimed for Pittsburghers, including $9.2 million in EITC.

For more information about EITC eligibility, and to learn about where to find free tax help, please visit www.pghfreetaxes.org.

Senator Wayne D. Fontana42nd Senatorial Districtwww.senatorfontana.com

From the office of State Sen. Wayne Fontana

“It Is Important to raIse awareness about the eItC as thIs Is the tIme of year we begIn seeIng advertIsments for refund antICIaptIon loans.”

January 2012 The Northside Chronicle Page 22 January 2012The Northside Chronicle


The Game Page SudokuLast Month’s Puzzle SolutionsW

1A

2S

3H

4S

5L

6E

7E

8P

9R

1 0A

1 1T

1 2E

1 3

A1 4

R I A P1 5

E N N A I1 6

L A YC

1 7A R R Y

1 8O D E L B

1 9O R E

O2 0

B E A H2 1

S2 2

M I D2 3

G E NR

2 4U N

2 5S

2 6Y

2 7S E R

E2 8

N2 9

V3 0

E L O P E3 1

H3 2

E A D3 3

Y3 4

R3 5

A E A3 6

T I L T3 7

P3 8

S H A W3 9

R4 0

I N D4 1

I4 2

N A W E4 3

S4 4

O H OS

4 5L A I N

4 6S

4 7T I R S

4 8T

4 9O R

S5 0

L A C K5 1

E5 2

X A C T5 3

I O NM

5 4A I L

5 5T

5 6S A R

C5 7

H5 8

E A P I E5 9

M6 0

I S6 1

E6 2

R6 3

S6 4

U I T P6 5

A G E6 6

S6 7

B6 8

A R AE

6 9T R E E

7 0N A C T A

7 1B L Y

S7 2

E E R R7 3

A D O N L7 4

E E S

Across1. Cleanse5. Bed down10. Appraise, charge per unit14. Horne solo15. Contour feather16. Now ___ me down...17. Singer Vikki18. Warble19. Drill a hole20. Belief involving sorcery22. Very small amount24. Flows27. Belgian river28. Wrapper32. Intoxicating35. Actress Charlotte36. Inclined38. Nonsense!40. Orange cover42. Floored44. London district45. Killed47. Agitates49. Rocky hilltop50. Loose52. Extortion54. Letters, e.g.56. Boris Godunov, for one57. Less expensive item60. Skinflint64. Diamonds, e.g.65. Senate attendants68. Vamp Theda69. French 101 verb70. Make into law71. Skillfully72. Clairvoyant73. Radioactive gas74. Bottom of the barrel

Down1. Baylor's city2. Bedouin3. Beget

4. Capital of Zimbabwe5. Bond, for one6. "Seinfeld" uncle7. Finishes8. Adversary9. Somewhat pale10. Plantain weed11. Drug-yielding plant12. Small mountain lake13. Needle hole21. Hawaiian native dance23. Abstruse25. Words of denial26. Rotates28. Goes astray29. Metal spikes30. Open to bribery31. Delight33. Loincloth worn by Hindumen34. Lout37. Between, old-style39. Threadbare

41. Distance across a circle43. Ages46. Final Four org.48. Con51. Herring53. Concerning Comanches,e.g.55. Woody vine57. Adorable58. Bring on board59. Mild oath61. Kemo ___62. Della's creator63. Beams64. Paris possessive66. Green prefix67. RR stop

BestCrosswords.com - Puzzle #3 for August 27, 2010

Copyright Pyromod Software Inc. For personal use only. Not for publication.

First published in a U.S. puzzle magazine in 1979, Sudoku caught on in Japan in 1986, and became internationally famous in 2005.

The aim of Sudoku is to enter a number from 1 through 9 in each space on a 9×9 grid made up of 3×3 subgrids (called “regions”). Some of the numbers have already been given. You may not use the same number twice in a single row, column, or region of the grid. Completing the puzzle requires patience and logical ability.

Chronicle Crossword1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 0 1 1 1 2 1 3

1 4 1 5 1 6

1 7 1 8 1 9

2 0 2 1 2 2

2 3 2 4

2 5 2 6 2 7 2 8 2 9 3 0 3 1

3 2 3 3 3 4 3 5 3 6 3 7 3 8

3 9 4 0 4 1 4 2

4 3 4 4 4 5 4 6

4 7 4 8 4 9

5 0 5 1 5 2 5 3 5 4 5 5

5 6 5 7 5 8 5 9 6 0 6 1 6 2

6 3 6 4 6 5

6 6 6 7 6 8

6 9 7 0 7 1

Across1. Aha!5. Horrors!9. Dull finish14. Dissolve15. Listen to16. Pertaining to birds17. ___ breve18. Commedia dell'___19. Leases20. Where you find teachersand pupils22. Small stream23. ___ kwon do24. Devotee25. Indian millet29. Soup utensil32. Willows34. Celestial body39. Whistle blowers40. Come together42. Some are pale43. False show45. Plunder47. Grind together49. "See ya!"50. Small three-legged table54. Surgery sites, briefly56. Convocation of witches57. Message sent by mirrors63. Pong maker64. Earthen pot65. Ambience66. Judges' garments67. Observed68. Blind part69. Sudden convulsion70. Fruit-filled pie71. Soccer legend

Down1. Apple product2. Exchange for money3. First name in scat4. Greek letters

5. Butler's love6. People of courage7. Defense grp. since 19498. City near Provo9. Radio pioneer10. Deflect11. Fungal infection12. Spud13. Exalt21. Celestial body24. Nose bone25. A small town26. Consumer27. Widespread28. Breather30. Layers31. Escape33. Nice days, usually35. California wine region36. Came down to earth37. Actor Auberjonois38. Belgian river41. Code-breaking org.

44. Conceit46. "______ sprachZarathustra"48. Shout50. Rips51. Bar, legally52. Addis ___53. Trims55. Cheerful57. Party-thrower58. Zeno's home59. Breathe convulsively60. Dominion61. Asian sea62. Spouse

BestCrosswords.com - Puzzle #4 for August 27, 2010

Copyright Pyromod Software Inc. For personal use only. Not for publication.

Across1- Aha!; 5- Horrors!; 9- Dull finish; 14- Dissolve; 15- Listen to; 16- Pertaining to birds; 17- ___ breve; 18- Commedia dell’___; 19- Leases; 20- Where you find teachers and pupils; 22- Small stream; 23- ___ kwon do; 24- Devotee; 25- Indian millet; 29- Soup utensil; 32- Willows; 34- Celestial body; 39- Whistle blowers; 40- Come together; 42- Some are pale; 43- False show; 45- Plunder; 47- Grind together; 49- “See ya!”; 50- Small three-legged table; 54- Surgery sites, briefly; 56- Convocation of witches; 57- Message sent by mirrors; 63- Pong maker; 64- Earthen pot; 65- Ambience; 66- Judges’ garments; 67- Ob-served; 68- Blind part; 69- Sudden convulsion; 70- Fruit-filled pie; 71- Soccer legend; Down1- Apple product; 2- Exchange for money; 3- First name in scat; 4- Greek let-ters; 5- Butler’s love; 6- People of courage; 7- Defense grp. since 1949; 8- City near Provo; 9- Radio pioneer; 10- Deflect; 11- Fungal infection; 12- Spud; 13- Exalt; 21- Celestial body; 24- Nose bone; 25- A small town; 26- Consumer; 27- Widespread; 28- Breather; 30- Layers; 31- Escape; 33- Nice days, usually; 35- California wine region; 36- Came down to earth; 37- Actor Auberjonois; 38- Belgian river; 41- Code-breaking org.; 44- Conceit; 46- “______ sprach Zarathustra”; 48- Shout; 50- Rips; 51- Bar, legally; 52- Addis ___; 53- Trims; 55- Cheerful; 57- Party-thrower; 58- Zeno’s home; 59- Breathe convulsively; 60- Dominion; 61- Asian sea; 62- Spouse;

Crossword puzzles provided by www. bestcrosswords.com / Used with permission.

Hard

9 4

5 4

1 4 7 3 5 2

1 9

9 6 1 5

2 8

2 8 6 1 3 4

3 7

5 8

www.sudoku-puzzles.net

3 6 2 9 5 4 8 7 1

7 9 5 8 1 2 4 6 3

1 4 8 7 6 3 9 5 2

8 1 7 3 4 5 2 9 6

9 3 6 2 8 7 1 4 5

5 2 4 1 9 6 3 8 7

2 8 9 6 7 1 5 3 4

6 5 3 4 2 9 7 1 8

4 7 1 5 3 8 6 2 9


Hard

2 8 5 3

8 1 4

1 2

8 9 6

6 7

2 4 9

9 8

1 4 5

4 7 3 6


4 2 6 8 7 5 3 9 1

9 8 3 2 1 4 6 7 5

5 7 1 9 3 6 4 2 8

7 4 8 3 2 9 5 1 6

6 3 9 5 8 1 2 4 7

2 1 5 4 6 7 9 8 3

1 9 7 6 5 2 8 3 4

3 6 2 1 4 8 7 5 9

8 5 4 7 9 3 1 6 2


January 2012 The Northside Chronicle

2012 January

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