Welcome to Our Neighborhood

Public Meeting Tonight- June 27, 2009

2009-07-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

FIVE POINTS/EAST END

Public Meeting

6:30 p.m., Monday July 27, 2009

Grace United Methodist
101 Logan Street

Everyone's welcome

Better, Cleaner, Safer, Greener

View From the Neighborhood

2009-02-05T20:09:00.000-08:00

As a new resident in the Neighborhood, I'd like to report some things about the experience so far:

My family was able to buy a beautiful home with a lot of room and character at an amazing price
We are able to walk to work (and to stores, restaurants, movie theater)
We've met a few neighbors and most have been welcoming
It's been quiet and peaceful
While some neighboring properties are beautiful, some are neglected and empty

To date, we love living here. In addition to being extremely pleased with the affordability of the house, we are happy with the neighborhood and its proximity to the downtown. I would encourage people to consider taking a look at the Neighborhood- especially young couples and families. There's work to be done and room to grow. Possibilities abound. There are some great features to build around and some obvious concerns to address.

It's Time.

Better, Cleaner, Safer, Greener

Resolutions for the New Year

2009-01-07T08:18:00.000-08:00

Invariably, one of the most desired resolutions is to lose weight. While that may be a most admirable and hopeful goal, we offer a unique twist on this common objective: placing your mail on a diet. Through the leadership of Senator Jake Corman, we were able to register on a No Call List to eliminate or reduce calls from telemarketers, potentially keeping us and our loved ones safe from fraud and other malicious schemes. Now, through sites like optoutprescreen.com we can register with the Consumer Credit Reporting Industry to "Opt Out" or if you prefer "OptIn" for receiving offers of credit or insurance. You can also call a toll free number 1-888-567-8688 to register to stop receiving prescreened offers of credit. I have registered my mail through this service and have cut my amount of "junk" mail substantially. The choice is yours entirely but it is thought and widely communicated through Neighborhood Watch efforts that cutting these offers and other articles containing personal information can decrease the likelihood of identity theft while also decreasing your impact on the environment.
Forest Ethics, a non-profit organization believing that individuals can make a positive impact to stop harmful impacts on the environment, estimates that it takes 100 million trees to make the amount of "junk mail that arrives in American mailboxes each year, an amazing amount of waste that could be stopped with our individual actions. Even if you are skeptical of these numbers (I am personally outraged at this senseless use of precious resources!), think about your own family and how this simple action may make a positive difference in saving time to sort, or toss this unwanted intrusion on our lives not to mention the cost of disposal.
Resolve to make your life simpler and greener, you will be pleased with the results.
Let us know if you have taken similar steps and the outcomes of those initiatives.

Posted by JZ

Better, Cleaner, Safer, Greener

Happy New Year!

2009-01-02T08:07:00.000-08:00

Lewistown rang in the New Year in grand style with a replica bag of local favorite Hartley's Potato Chips being dropped from the United Fire & Rescue ladder at Monument Square on New Year's Eve. The second Annual celebration, organized by Community Partnerships RC&D featured a proclamation by Lewistown Mayor Deb Bargo with recognition to Hartley's Potato Chips and special thanks to the Lewistown Fire Department for their participation. A large crowd braved the frigid and windy conditions to ring in the New Year replete with fireworks over town.
Now, It's Time to live up to those resolutions we set for 2009! We will be sharing some of these with you and how you can make a difference in your own life and that of the Neighborhood and community.

Posted by JZ

Better, Cleaner, Safer, Greener

Neighborhood Residents Recognized for Their Decorative Displays

2008-12-30T07:31:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to the following Five Points/East End Neighborhood Residents who received awards from the Mifflin County Garden Club for their decorative door displays. Elmer and Nancy Charles, Jr. of 23 Chestnut Street - winners of the Carrie Dreese Award; Linda and John Price, 206 Logan Street receiving a red ribbon for their efforts and Karen Leopold, 71 Chestnut Street with an Honorable Mention award.
Your efforts at decorating your homes extends to the entire Neighborhood and community instilling pride in all of us. Thank you for making your Neighborhood a better place!

Posted by JZ

Better, Cleaner, Safer, Greener

Neighborhood Banners developed through work of residents

2008-12-29T08:33:00.000-08:00

The Neighborhood banners that now adorn Montgomery Avenue Extended represent the work of a sub committee that was formed from the Image & Identity Committee of the Five Points/East End Neighborhood. This committee is working with Downtown Lewistown Incorporated and the “Elm Street” Project for the sole purpose of solidifying an identity for the neighborhood and its residents. This logo design was developed by identifying and highlighting specific characteristics and qualities of our community. This logo will be visible throughout the Five Points/East End Neighborhood and will be used on literature, publications, correspondence and other promotional pieces. The banners were designed by Media X Creative incorporating the ideas of the following neighborhood residents:

Rhonda Walters – Chair
Sam Price
Kris Bradley
Robert Jim Clark

The banners are a tangible result of the good work of these residents and is representative of the creativity and spirit of the Neighborhood.

Posted by JZ

Better, Cleaner, Safer, Greener

The Great Chip Drop

2008-12-24T14:34:00.000-08:00

New Year's Eve is close.

The Great Chip Drop serves as a community celebration for the Juniata Valley as we welcome 2009.

Like the Riverfest, Kid Connection, Ice Festival, Embassy Festival, etc., it's a great event to walk to from the East End Neighborhood.

Midnight fireworks may even be visible from some porches in Our Neighborhood.

More information:

www.chipdrop.com

Better, Cleaner, Safer, Greener

2008-12-17T06:22:00.000-08:00

Adopt a Neighborhood Begins

A partnership effort of Downtown Lewistown, Inc. (DLI) and the Borough of Lewistown along with several community-minded individuals has resulted in organizations and businesses "adopting" public spaces in the Downtown and Five Points/East End Neighborhood.
Bolstered by the Annual United Way Day of Caring, four businesses have stepped forward in "adopting" key landscape areas. Caretaker LLC with offices in Downtown Lewistown along with Bushmen Landscaping and Metzler Forest Products have begun providing maintenance to the landscaped banks along Montgomery Avenue adjacent to Rec Park.
Concentrated maintenance work details provided by the Mifflin-Juniata United Way Day of Caring Program and participating employee volunteers from local businesses has been a positive force in the community. In 2007, Mifflin County GIS and Planning Departments along with employee volunteers from Mifflin County Children & Youth provided extensive maintenance at the Rec Park location with on-site expertise facilitated by Penn State Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Program. Once again, in 2008, the United Way Day of Caring with 28 employee volunteers from GE Inspection Technologies provided maintenance at the Rec Park Overlook and adjacent areas. Visit the United Way of Mifflin-Juniata website at www.mjunitedway.org for more information.
In addition to these concentrated work parties, Borough employees, interns, Neighborhood and Community residents assisted with periodic maintenance throughout the summer. Geoff Burke, Rhonda and Matt Walters, Ron Napikoski, and Jon Zimmerman of Downtown Lewistown, Inc.- Five Points/East End Neighborhood lent a hand to weed select areas and Kevin Morgan of Community Partnerships RC&D provided technical assistance in identifying a problem weed at the site. Our thanks to each of these individuals for helping to revitalize the Downtown and Neighborhood.
On the other side of town, the "diamond" at the corner of Juniata and West Market Streets and the intersection of the River Bridge is an important entry into the downtown. The evolution of this project began in 2000 when DLI and the Borough identified this key intersection as a target for improvement. Working through the Borough of Lewistown, DLI leveraged funding through PennDot to consolidate highway directional signing, add soil, provide plants, and finish with a river stone mulch. The planting, completed in Summer 2003 by Moon Brothers Landscaping, has become established and provides an attractive entry into the Downtown.
Since this early planting, several individuals and organizations have helped with the maintenance of this area including Bible Baptist Church and Downtown Lewistown, Inc. Earlier this Fall, Barger's Landscaping has "adopted" this area pledging to maintain this site as a beautiful entry into the community.
We encourage others to "adopt" an area and help make this community better, safer, cleaner and greener. We look forward to your comments.
Posted by JZ

Welcome to the Neighborhood

2008-12-11T12:04:00.000-08:00

We have created this site as a place where you can find out news of what's happening in the Five Points/East End Neighborhood of Lewistown, Pennsylvania, learn about activities of your friends and neighbors and learn of strategies you may embrace to make a real change in your life, and make your Neighborhood and community a better, greener place.
We invite your input and comment as we develop and implement improvements in the Neighborhood intending to always follow our vision to:
Continue to provide a secure, clean, tranquil, and pedestrian friendly Neighborhood with a diversified type and income mix of attractive housing, a blend of small businesses and services, pockets of green space, and access to the adjacent revitalized Downtown business and commercial center and Rec Park - all complemented by pride in the Neighborhood's revitalized character, appearance, property values and sense of community.
Join us as we implement this vision.
-Posted by JZ

It's Time ...

2008-07-28T20:08:00.000-07:00

to learn more about the Five Points East End Program and the Elm Street Community.

This is a place where friends and neighbors decide how to make local life better.

The Blue Juniata

2008-07-28T19:46:00.000-07:00

A song about the local Juniata River was one of the most popular songs in the era of the Civil War. It was sung by both Yankees and Rebels.

"The Blue Juniata" was composed by Marion Dix Sullivan, arranged by Edward L. White and published in 1844. The last verse gives the song a sympathetic leaning toward the plight of Native Americans at a time when they were being pushed across the continent.

The composition was also featured in Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder and is still performed today. Residents of Decatur Township should enjoy the Alfarata reference.

Lyrics by Mrs. Marion Dix Sullivan

Wild roved an Indian maid
Bright Alfarata
Where flow the waters
Of the blue Juniata

Strong and true my arrows are
In my painted quiver
Swift goes my light canoe
A down the rapid river

Bold is my warrior good
The love of bright Alfarata
Proud wave his sunny plumes
Along the Juniata

Soft and low he speaks to me
And then his warcry sounding
Rings his voice in thunder loud
From height to height resounding

So sang the Indian maid
Bright Alfarata
Where sweep the waters
Of the blue Juniata

Fleeting years have borne away
The voice of Alfarata
Still flow the waters
Of the blue Juniata

New Energy

2008-07-28T19:34:00.000-07:00

And the power's out in the heart of man,
take it from your heart and put it in your hand.

-The Arcade Fire

Local Motion

2008-07-28T19:14:00.000-07:00

“The slow one now
Will later be fast
As the present now
Will later be past
The order is
Rapidly fadin'.
And the first one now
Will later be last
For the times they are a-changin'.”

- Bob Dylan