FLOCKing TO MELLON ARENA

Official Home of the Pittsburgh Penguins: PENGUINS FANS CONTINUE TO FLOCK TO MELLON ARENA

Team says it doesn't need a new arena. Asks city for decade worth of five annual parades instead.

The city's Labor, Veterans, St. Pats, First Night and the Great Race events are all on the table for possible name changes and possible sponsorship windfalls to the Penguins.

From Pens Village

Development rights to land around the Civic Arena isn't nearly as attractive to the Pens management and owners. The team has more confidence of getting cooperation and cash by collecting tolls from both participants and parade marchers at the big annual events.



Projections of five parades for ten years gives the Pens 50 events to capitalize upon. If each event nets the team $3-million, they'll be able to bankroll a savings account with compounded interest, seeing its nest egg grow for a future down-payment on a new parking garage and escalators. Plus the team will still be able to splurge in the expected purchases of refrigerators to chill beer at Mellon Arena by the face-off of next season, despite the extended warranty of the present units.

Should the Pens make the NHL playoffs, all post-season games for the next 10 years are to be played in Kansas City. This clause, negotiated by Luke Ravenstahl, will save the city of costly overtime expenses.

In related news, Don Barden, owner of Majestic Star slots parlor, pledges his $350-million investment to the Hill District to go into a new trolly line. "We'll build on the idea first floated by the late mayor, Bob O'Connor, as he launched his successful 2005 mayor campaign." The line will connect the edge of Oakland, to Oak Hill, and the rest of the Hill District to a turn-around at the edge of Downtown.


The back and forth line will be built in the street along with stops, bike path and lighted sidewalks. All homeowners and students who live in the city can obtain a lifetime pass to ride the new trolly without charge after paying for a one-time $100 fee and getting its assocated retina scan.

New trolly will provide a new backbone for increased development to the Hill and core of the city.

From Pens Village

Guy takes fall in Highland Park. So sorry. South Side's next BAR BILL for pedestrian quality of life.

A posting to the neighborhood email discussion list in Highland Park:

I slipped on the packed snow/ice on your sidewalk while walking the dog this morning. It's nothing serious, but my ankle is sore. Unfortunately, it's not the first time this has happened on your sidewalk.

You take great care of your home and your yard, so I'm asking you to extend that care to the sidewalk around your house.

Did you know that it's a city ordinance to remove snow and ice within 24 hours of a snowfall? (see the code below) Granted, the chances of actually getting a ticket are slim, but there are other ways your bank account could take a hit. Imagine how your insurance company might react if I were injured enough to file a claim for medical treatment.

Forget the legalities and cash costs, though. Cleaning the sidewalk should be something you do as a courtesy to the kids going to/from school, your neighbors walking to/from the bus stop, folks walking their dogs, or someone just enjoying a walk in the evening.

Am I asking you to clean the snow as it hits the concrete? Of course not! But it has been a couple days since the snow fell and your sidewalk is still covered with it, all of it now packed down and slick.

Maybe you're thinking "Did you slip in front of my house?" If you have to ask that question, then the answer is "yes!"

So why not shovel the snow today. And maybe toss down some salt or other de-icer. It's the neighborly, safe and legal thing to do.

City of Pittsburgh Code #419.03 REMOVAL OF SNOW AND ICE.
Every tenant, occupant or owner having the care or charge of any land or building fronting on any street in the city, where there is a sidewalk paved with concrete, brick, stone or other material shall, within twenty-four (24) hours after the fall of any snow or sleet, or the accumulation of ice caused by freezing rainfall, cause the same to be removed from the sidewalk.

Those of us that live on the South Side see folks fall on the sidewalk every weekend, generally between the hours of 1 and 3:30 am. They are drunk, of course.

The first snowfalls of the year generally don't stick to our sidewalks due to the Ph values of the pavement -- thanks to a year's worth of urine build-up.

Furthermore, if a guy falls around here, he has to pick his spot with care to avoid the vomit. Vomit is very slippery in and of it self. Folks have been seen doing cartwheels just to avoid stepping in vomit -- making graceful dodges risky.

Our neighbors with dogs, like the guy who wrote this post, are always great at keeping a tidy neighborhood, so no need to mention poop.

I'd like to make a new city ordinance about those that would leave human waste on our sidewalks and private property. We don't really need, nor are we going to get, an ordinance that limits the number of bars in commercial business districts. We need to curb the bad boy behaviors from the patrons of these bars. It isn't the bar that comes and drops its pants or leaves its lunch. Those without the respect are the half-brained drunks.

If you puke on the sidewalk, and don't clean up the mess within 30 minutes, pay $500. And, the friends in your party each pay $100. And, the place that served you that night, recently or prior, pays $200.

Furthermore, none of the money collected from the fines goes to the city. It goes to the property owner who files the complaint. And, that money goes as a tax free grant to be used only on on property upgrades and property enhancements.

Paint your house. Buy a refrigerator. Install a new video camera.

This would be a citizen vs. citizen case in front of the district magistrate.

Grant S has started a new blog

http://grantsstreetreport.blogspot.com/

Friends, if you are going to start a new blog, it might be much easier and better to just "Come With Me" and join my blog as a Running Mate.

Of course you can form a new blog. Even Jim Motznik can do it twice in one week. And I encourage you to form you own new blog if you are going to go out to the bleeding edge in terms of nameless or wreckless content.

However, if you want to think, ponder, react, and offer solutions of our shared spaces, there is plenty of room for more running mates here, on the front page of this blog.

Community news roundup gets ink for M. Lamb

Community news roundup for Palm Beach County: South Florida Sun-Sentinel Michael Lamb wrote a letter chastising the mayor and the City Council for considering 'the wholesale slaughter of these creatures.'

At least this Michael Lamb is doing something -- and it is colorful.

Reporter shared recording

Say what?

MiamiHerald.com | 02/01/2007 | Reporter shared recording ``My recorder was on the table in front of Coach Saban, in plain view, and he knew the conversation was being recorded. However, I never initially reported the material because he indicated to the three reporters present that it was not intended for print.''

Whistleblowers, slurs, emailed comments, and nothing to do with players on Grant Street. Just football coaches.

Life saving tip for Marty Griffin

Weather drama is hitting the airwaves.

Marty G on KDKA-Radio had some fun with the hype.

From family - travels

Councilman Peduto wants ethics board activated - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Exactly.

Councilman Peduto wants ethics board activated - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Former Mayor Sophie Masloff created the board in the early 1990s.

This board never met for the duration of Bill Peduto's entire career on Grant Street. Now we have two meetings next week because there is a campaign.

We should cut the length of term of each elected office in half as long as there are overlords running the city. The term of the Mayor's office, and the term of the city council members, as well as controller, should be two years, not four, as long as the I.C.A. and Act 47 team is in town.

Port Authority urged to move to less-expensive office space

Jack opens up a new front in the war against PAT.

Port Authority urged to move to less-expensive office space The Port Authority could save money by moving out of rented office space in the Heinz 57 Center, Downtown, and going back to its partly vacant former administration building in Manchester, state Auditor General Jack Wagner said.

Jon Delano news flash: JD admits: "Truth is, you have to think!"

Jon Delano opened a blog. But it wasn't too long ago, see link below, when Jon said Pittsburgh political bloggers were a dime a dozen.

Mark Rauterkus & Running Mates ponder current events: Jon Delano news flash: JD admits: "Truth is, you have to think!" My message to 'Dime a Dozen Delano:' Pittsburgh should be so lucky to have political bloggers at dime a dozen rates.

If we are a dime a dozen, and he has one blog posting, what does that make him?

Jon, what became of the PSF e-mail newsletters and talkshoe conversations?

WQED Multimedia offers turn back the clock specials

WQED Multimedia The WQED Multimedia Board of Directors is a volunteer group of people from the community who set the mission and strategic direction of WQED.

Due to demand and budget constraints, WQED's board meetings in 2007 will be re-runs of past meetings of the 2005 and 2006 season.

With luck, James C. Roddey and Elsie Hillman will narrate in sweeps week.

Still scratching my head on the decision of our neighbor to the west: Don't ax Ohio's men swimming!

Ohio State got blitzed in footballs big bowl game in January 2007. The OSU band got creative with its on-field message, so goes the joke.



I'm still feeling the same with the news that the other Ohio University, my O.U. Bobcats. The bad news: Ohio University's President wants to drop men's swimming. "Oh shit!"

Now I know I'm not to lash out. So, I won't. But I really want to.

Gaming board says Barden's casino 'best fit' for city

The slots parlor didn't fit into the fabric of the lower Hill District, so says the Gaming Board.

Furthermore, I'd say that the new arena does NOT fit into the fabric of the Hill District either.

The existing civic arena should stay where it is for more modest events that don't require corporate box seats. More development can enclose around the civic arena, and that facility can be used for other activities around the clock on a daily basis.

A new venue should be built, with private money, within Allegheny County, such as at the old airport site. The Penguins should be able to build with seat licenses, corporate boxes, and 500 acres of development rights on property that isn't as confined as is in the Hill District.

Gaming board says Barden's casino 'best fit' for city: "'The board finds that PITG's facility design was, in the board's opinion, better than IOC's facility, that PITG's North Shore location boasts great potential for the rebirth of development and economic stimulus in that area and that PITG's ability to manage traffic was better than that of Station Square Gaming,' the opinion said."

2 Political Junkies: Lukey says "Jump" Jimmy says "How high?" Motznik blog goes bye-bye!

Within the comments of another blog comes some props and some hits. I give my reply there. But, I might as well re-post it here too.

2 Political Junkies: Lukey says "Jump" Jimmy says "How high?" Motznik blog goes bye-bye! 3. Mark R., sometimes you bring up good points, but ...

See the comments for the rest, or go to that blog.

Happy Groundhog Day

I don't think a groundhog is going to predict the arrival of spring, given the weather forcasting for the days ahead, unless he looks like this.

The People's Republic of Pittsburgh: Motznik Claims He's The Victim of a "Hacker"

I didn't do it.

But, I blogged elsewhere that it would happen. Jim, if you had only asked me what to do yesterday when I was in council chambers. You should have put up a 'gone fishing' sign.

The People's Republic of Pittsburgh: Motznik Claims He's The Victim of a "Hacker": "The political laugh-track that is Pittsburgh City Councilmember Jim Motznik seems to be stuck on a continuous loop. According to a report on WTAE, Mr. Motznik is now saying that the resurrected archive version of his now-defunct blog, 'Jim Motznik Strikes Speaks Out', has been put in place by an unknown 1337 h4x0r (elite hacker)

Peduto calls for ethics meeting: Good News vs. Bad News

Humm. Here is another weird twist.

Peduto calls for ethics meeting - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review City Councilman Bill Peduto today called on members of Pittsburgh’s long-dormant Ethics Hearing Board to meet next week for the first time since it was created in July.

Great to have some talk of the ethics hearing board.

However, this board was not formed in July 2006. Hardly. The ethics hearing board was around for a long, long time. It was born more than 10 years ago -- if not longer. Historians, how long ago did that come into being?

For years, while Bill Peduto was on city council, there were no members appointed to the ethics hearing board, including the slots that should have been forthcoming from City Council.

Same too with the Citizens Police Review Board. For months and months, that organization was made nearly worthless as there was a shortage of members. The board couldn't even meet -- as there were not enough members to fill the seats and have a meeting.

Some of the members were known to occupy a seat yet refused to go to its meetings.

Crippled by design by the democrats.

Now there is an election and Bill Peduto wants to put on his reformer mask and call for action, action, action. We need action. But genuine action would have been years ago. And, it would have been relentless.

Hat tip to the City's Republicans for keeping this board alive in the minds of some. Hat tip to the late mayor, Bob O'Connor, for putting his effort, finally, into getting the board into a re-birthing phase.

We don't need more stinking boards and authorities. We've got too many of them already. We don't need Propel Pittsburgh. Well, we should not start up another board or task force or authority until we take away an dysfunctional board.

More: Platform.For-Pgh.org

National Fatherhood Initiative - National Responsible Fatherhood Capacity-Building Initiative

National Fatherhood Initiative ::: National Responsible Fatherhood Capacity-Building Initiative National Responsible Fatherhood
Capacity-Building Initiative
Request for Proposals – Deadline: March 6, 2007

CollegeSwimming.com::Show Some Dignity

CollegeSwimming.com::Show Some Dignity Talk about striking a blow - a low blow.

Getting more involed in schools -- call to committees

Parents,
An open opportunity exists to engage more parents by participating on one of the committees listed below. If you are interested, please indicate which committee you are interested in working on and send me an e-mail with your name, address, telephone and e-mail by Friday February 2, 2007.

More information regarding dates and times of these meetings will be provided to those who sign-up.

Remember, your thoughts, ideas and suggestions should represent all children in the Pittsburgh Public Schools.

Donna

---

* Advanced Placement (AP)/International Baccalaureate(IB) / Centers for Advanced Studies (CAS)
** Examine data on student participation in existing programs; make policy recommendations to expand or improve

* Career and Technical Education (CTE)
** Examine quality of current CTE programs; make recommendations to expand or improve career readiness programs

** Magnet Programs
** Examine success of existing Magnet Programs; make recommendations on other types to be offered

* Middle and Early College
** Examine data on current dual enrollment program; determine potential for expanding partnerships with local colleges and universities; make recommendations on a district-wide program

* Policy
** Work with current high school principals to determine priority areas for streamlining district policies across all high schools; make recommendations

* Alternative Education
** Examine statistics for truancy and drop-out populations; make recommendations on how to expand and improve alternative education

* Student Services
** Review existing counselor, social worker, and developmental advisor roles and responsibilities; make recommendations for changes that effectively service students; review current SAP offerings; provide strategies to personalize attention to all students and families; align community partnerships with needs of schools

* Grade Promotion and High School Readiness
** Examine data on current feeder patterns; make recommendations on how to increase enrollment in middle grades, improve consistency across 6-12 curriculum; look at transition from middle to high school.

* 9th grade Civics Course
** Create a new 9th grade Civics Course with Kaplan; examine ways to introduce Pittsburgh’s cultural arena through partnerships.

Donna Vlassich, Assistant Director of Public Engagement, Pittsburgh Public Schools
341 S. Bellefield Avenue, Room 207, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
412-622-3619 - 412-622-3624 (fax) - dvlassich1@pghboe.net

Connecting the dots

Jim Motznik trivia: Did you know he collects political buttons?

Back at ya.

The People's Republic of Pittsburgh Raising A Glass to My Fellow Bloggers