Prairie Hills Neighborhood Association

From PHNA President Tania Banak:

Hello Prairie Hills neighbors,

Reminder:  Neighborhood Safety Meeting
April 14, 7-8:30 pm, West Police District, 1710 McKenna Blvd in the Community Meeting Room.  Come find out how you can keep your property safe, and what sorts of activity you should be on the look-out for to maintain safety in YOUR neighborhood.

Join us in an April 23 Earth Day Clean-Up
Winter has receded at last, and under the snow piles are some left-over trash.  Help us beautify our neighborhood by participating in clean-up efforts on Sat. April 23 at 3 pm.  We will meet at the corner of Westbrook Lane in the 2000 block, at the greenway just south of 2032 Westbrook Lane.  We’ll pull trash from the greenway, north to Raymond Road.
Can’t make it?  Please help out by picking up your own yard, and encouraging your neighbors to do the same!  (Or be a dear, and pick up trash along your block).  Need more info?  Contact us at prairiehillsna@yahoo.com
Still Need Block Captains!
Several folks have stepped forward, and we now have block captains for 6500 block of Piedmont, 6400 block of Putnam, 1400 block of Theresa Terrace, and the 2000 block of Westbrook Lane & Westbrook Circle.  That’s a lot of blocks to fill yet!  Would YOU be willing to serve as YOUR block’s captain?  Duties include: gathering contact info from folks on your block and disseminating neighborhood news to your neighbors.  Value-added benefit:  you get to know your neighbors and build community, which yields a friendlier and safer surrounding!  If you’re interested or curious, please contact Tania at prairiehillsna@yahoo.com or 278-1093.  Thanks!

Parks Watch Opportunity
To better protect Madison’s beautiful parks system, the park system, in cooperation with the police, launched a Parks Watch program in 2008.  Neighbors joined together to learn how to organize a watch program, what to look for, and how to communicate concerns to city officials.  Would you like to be involved?  If so, attend one of the following training sessions:
April 12, 7 pm, Warner Park Community Recreation Center, 1625 Northport Drive
April 13, 7 pm, West Police District, 1710 McKenna Blvd.

Help Remove Garlic Mustard from Elver Park
Garlic mustard, an invasive weed that takes over native vegetation and can even choke out existing trees with a chemical it releases into the soil, is taking over at Elver Park.  Would you be willing to join a group of “Weed Warriors” and pull the pesky plant?  If so, contact Tania at prairiehillsna@yahoo.com

Brush and Yard Waste Collection Begins
Starting April 4, the city resumed collecting brush and leaf/garden waste from private properties.  Learn more about how to place materials for collection at www.cityofmadison.com/spring or for the latest update on the collection schedule, call 267-2088.  Remember:  do NOT mix garden waste and leaves with brush!  Mixed materials will not be collected.

Need Mulch?
Free wood mulch is available at Elver Park on a first-come, first-served basis.  Please, private individuals only—no contractors.

Free Hair Cuts at Meadowood Community Center
The Meadowood Community Center is offering free haircuts on April 12 (by appointment only).  A hairstylist wants to give back to the community by offering haircuts for those facing financial hardship.  Daytime appointments are available by calling the center at 467-8360.

West District Police Newsletter
The latest West District Police newsletter can be viewed here:  http://www.cityofmadison.com/police/west/newsletters/

District 20: Alder Thuy’s Final Newsletter
By the time you read this, Alder Thuy’s term as Alder of District 20 will be over, but you may still be interested to read her final newsletter:  http://www.cityofmadison.com/council/district20/documents/0311finalnews20.pdf

Congratulations to Newly Elected Alders
Prairie Hills is served by three different Alder Districts.  Retaining his District 7 seat is Steve King (district7@cityofmadison.com).  Newly-elected Alder for District 1 is Lisa Subeck (district1@cityofmadison.com) and for District 20 is Matt Phair (district20@cityofmadison.com).  We look forward to working with all three individuals and congratulate them on their victories!

Meditation at Monona Terrace
Free meditations at Monona Terrace from noon to 12:45 on Mondays between April-May 23 in the Community Terrace (level two).  For more information visit communityevents.mononaterrace.com

Tania Banak, Prairie Hills Neighborhood Association president

From PHNA President Tania Banak:

Hello Prairie Hills neighbors,

As spring approaches, your neighborhood association board is renewing its efforts to get residents to connect and form community.  We believe that the more people get to know each other, the more safety and respect will be generated.

If you share this vision, would you be willing to serve as a Block Captain?  We would like one individual on each block to volunteer to be the association’s link to their street.  Duties include going door to door to obtain contact info for your block, then sharing updates on neighborhood events (e.g. resource fliers, 4th of July parade, community supper, area garage sale, Halloween bonfire, etc.)  If you like, this would also be a way to initiate block parties or a neighborhood watch.

If you are interested in serving as a Block Captain (or even just curious about what’s involved), please email us at prairiehillsna@yahoo.com or call 608-278-1093.  We thank you in advance for helping make our community a better place!

Community Garden Registration
Community Gardens registration for Prairie Hills Community Garden, Hammersley Park Community Garden, and Meadowridge Community Gardens will be held Saturday, March 26, at the Meadowood Neighborhood Center from 10 am to 12 noon.  Contact Karen Deaton at 278-8480 or karendeaton@tds.net for information.

Mark Your Calendar:  Neighborhood Safety Meetings
Please mark your calendar for upcoming Neighborhood Safety Meetings on Thurs. April 14, Thurs. July 28, and Tues. Oct. 18, hosted by the West Police District (1710 McKenna Blvd).  Meetings will be held in the Police District’s Community Meeting Room from 7-8:30 pm.  Come find out how you can keep your property safe, and what sorts of activity you should be on the look-out for to maintain safety in YOUR neighborhood.

Be Informed for April 5 Alder Elections
Local elections are coming up on April 5.  Prairie Hills is represented by three Aldermanic Districts (1, 7 and 20).  Please inform yourself about candidates running in YOUR district!  After our last e-newsletter went out, a District 1 resident informed us that Lisa Subeck is the other candidate running for District 1 Alder.  Her website is:  http://lisasubeck.com/  She is running against Brian Driscoll www.DriscollforDistrict1.com

Hear District 20 Alder Meeting on New Southwest Side Radio Station
If you can’t make it to the March 19 District 20 “Meet the Alder Candidates” meeting, you can hear a recording on a Southwest Madison low power radio station, WIDE-LP at 99.1 on the FM dial.  For more information on the station visit: http://citywidelpfm .org/ or if you have questions email Robert Park (station manger and Orchard Ridge resident) at loonfoot@gmail.com

Citizen Advocacy Training on March 31
How does government work, and how can citizens become involved as advocates and serve on boards and committees?  Citizen Advocacy Project (funded by the area Agency on Aging) will host a training session on March 31 at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, 1701 McKenna Blvd, from 10-11:30 am.  For more information, contact Mary Stamstad, Coordinator, Triad, In-Home Safety Project, DANE-Citizen Advocacy Workshops, RSVP of Dane County, 608-441-7897, Fax: 608-238-7931, mstamstad@rsvpdane.org .

Tania Banak, Prairie Hills Neighborhood Association president

From PHNA President Tania Banak:

Hello Prairie Hills neighbors,

Keep Your Home SAFE This Holiday Season!

Don’t give thieves a chance.  Please be sure to keep your windows and doors LOCKED, even while you are home!  That includes the door to your garage.  There have been numerous break-ins in the Madison area recently where thieves have entered through an unlocked door and made off with valuables, sometimes even driving away in the victim’s car.  If you see suspicious individuals or vehicles in your neighborhood, or if you have been victimized, call 911.

Yard Waste

The City of Madison Yard Waste Sites will be open M-F 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. and until 8 p.m. on Thursday.  The sites will close for the season at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday December 5th.  Starting Monday December 6^th, the Streets Division’s regular drop off sites at 1501 W. Badger Rd and 4602 Sycamore Ave will be open winter hours M-F from 7:30 a.m. until 3 p.m.

Snow Removal, Winter Parking, and More

The City has updated its snow removal technology to make street-clearing after a snow storm more efficient.  For more information about this or about winter parking, winter recreational opportunities, etc. visit: http://www.cityofmadison.com/residents/winter/

Verona Road Construction Plans

Verona Road will be the topic at a Long Range Transportation Committee meeting on Dec 9 at 5:00 p.m., in Room LL-110 Madison Municipal Bldg.  A group of local residents have problems with the proposed road construction due to environmental/pollution concerns.  They plan to meet on Sun. Dec. 5 to decide how to address their issues at the meeting.  For more info, contact Kim Zinski (kimzinski@gmail.com) or Marla Powell  (mariapowell@mejo.us).

Cases of Norovirus in Dane County

Public Health Madison and Dane County has received sporadic reports of norovirus, an illness that comes on quickly and produces vomiting and/or, diarrhea.  It spreads very quickly from person to person, often through touching a surface contaminated with the virus, and through food that is contaminated by the infected person who prepares or serves it.  For more information about norovirus, please visit http://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/communicable/factsheets/norovirus.htm

A fact sheet on proper handwashing technique can be found at: http://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/communicable/factsheets/Handwashing.htm

Neighborhood Waterway Issues

City Engineering is looking at ways to reduce flooding at the intersection of Homestead & Pilgrim and at the end of Frisch Road by the greenway.  They play to install a rain garden in Pilgrim Park to solve the problems at Homestead & Pilgrim, and to correct the erosion occurring on the bike path.  They also plan to increase the inlet capacity by installing a larger pipe at the Frisch greenway, hopefully without impacting any trees.

Westgate DMV Moving

The Dept. of Motor Vehicle office at Westgate Mall is relocating to the 6500 block of Odana Road, effective Dec. 7.  The new location is larger, with easier access.

Newsletter from Alder Thuy (District 20)

For those of you in District 20, here is a link to Alder Thuy Pham Remmele’s fall newsletter: http://www.cityofmadison.com/council/district20/documents/1010webnewsfinal20.pdf

Save the Date:  Holiday Blood Drive

The American Red Cross will hold it’s 25^th annual holiday blood drive at the Alliant Energy Center on Thurs. Dec. 23, 2010.  For more information, contact Debbie Borman at bormannd@usa.redcross.org

Volunteer for the Salvation Army?

In these tough economic times, the need is great.  Want to help ring the Salvation Army red kettle bells?  Volunteers are needed between Nov. 19-Dec. 24 between 8 am and 8 pm at various locations.  You can volunteer at www.ringbells.org or call 250-2235 to reserve a shift.

Volunteer for RSVP

RSVP of Dane County, Inc. is recruiting seniors 55+ who are interested in making a difference in their community through volunteer service.  RSVP volunteers contribute their talents and energy working in a variety of non-profit agencies in the community.  If you are interested in volunteering, please contact info@rsvpdane.org or 238-7787.

Apply to be a Firefighter

City of Madison Fire Department is accepting applications for the position of firefighter thru December 3rd.  Applications can be downloaded here:

http://www.cityofmadison.com/employment/firefighter.cfm

Written exam is Jan. 24.  No alternate dates or times.

Operation Fresh Start

Do you know of conservation/habitat restoration projects that need to be done?  If so, visit http://www.operationfreshstart.org/program/index.php?category_id=3882 to see if the project can be worked on by young adults who are learning job skills.

Happy Holidays to all from your neighborhood!

Tania Banak, Prairie Hills Neighborhood Association president