Grafitti—How to Handle in Our Neighborhood

by Bonnie Anderson

Grafitti is at the top of a lot of peoples lists for giving a neighborhood a black eye.

But thankfully, the city of Albuquerque has this problem handled. Getting rid of grafitti is a simple as dialing 3 digits—311. The City promises to get reported graffiti covered within 24 hours.

When you call, they will ask you for a street address. If it's not on a house, pick the house closest to the graffiti. They will also ask you what the surface is….like wood, metal, cement block, stucco, brick, etc. 

At the urging of Ann and Cindy Carson, I took a little tour around my part of the neighborhood over the holiday armed with a notepad.  I found about 20 places where light poles, traffic signs, trash collection areas, mailboxes, and abandoned buildings had been tagged.  I know some of you regularly report graffiti because you told me about it.  Please help keep our neighborhood graffiti-free.
Bonnie

January Meeting Cancelled

The regular neighborhood association meeting for January 2013 has been cancelled. The next meeting will be February 6 at 6:30 pm at Preservation Station (NE corner of Coal and Walter).

If you have issues you wish to bring to the attention of the neighborhood or if you want to become involved in planning for the neighborhood, please join us February 6.

Annual Dickens of a Dinner Lighting Contest—Sunset, Sat Dec 1

I know. I know! Christmas isn't here so why drag out the lights?! Here's a possibility for you.

Imagine the Dickens of a Dinner guests coming to our neighborhood Saturday night, December 1. Imagine them coming in Victorian era costume pretending like little children that it's another time and place.

Imagine the impact of the streets decked in Christmas finery as they are guided from house to house for the moveable feast. Imagine them telling their friends what a great time they had walking through our tiny historical enclave, visiting our homes, munching on traditional holiday favorites. Imagine what that might do for our fundraising, and for our next Dickens feast.

AND—imagine yourself winning a prize for decking the outside of your house with lights and Christmas cheer!

1st prize $50 to the Artichoke; 2nd prize $25 to The Grove; 3rd prize $25 to The Daily Grind OR we'll make a donation to your favorite charity on your behalf.

Come on! Plug'em in!

Dickens of a Dinner, Saturday, Dec 1, 2011

Our neighborhood's Dickens of a Dinner is happening soon!

Visitors come year after year for a walk through our neighborhood, a look at our homes, and belly full of Victorian-era favorites. Neighbors who never see each other the whole year connect to make it happen. They volunteer to decorate, prepare food, serve, wash dishes, host, guide and put it all away again for next year.  Their efforts bring them closer to each other and to the community and earn money for our community garden, Easter Egg hunt, newsletter printing, and annual block party.

If you'd like to know more, or volunteer in any way, contact Ann Carson the old-fashioned way. Pick up the phone and dial 242-1143. Although she's been organizing this since its inception, she always appreciates an extra hand.

When the Canvas Is a Wall

Anyone walking at Edith and Coal, or driving east on Coal, can’t help but notice the colorful artwork on the empty buildings there. I was at home one spring day and noticed a small crowd gathered on the corner. I walked over to see the urban artists at work spray-painting a mural on the exterior wall of the vacant building there. It turns out the artist is the renowned aerosol artist and muralist John “Slip” Lorne of the legendary Morris Park Crew from the Bronx, which got its start spray-painting graffiti murals on freight train cars by night. Now he’s legal and well-known and in demand. He’s done installations on dozens of walls, alleys, buildings, and established businesses around

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Election 2012

Huning Highland Historic District Association will hold its annual election for board members on August 19, 2012. Board members agree to serve for two year terms and this year the following volunteers have agreed to serve for the upcoming term:

Bonnie Anderson
Jesse Arneson
Moises Gonzalez
Steve Grant
Amberley Pyles
Lee Spittler

The Board members above

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Annual Report

Since out last annual meeting on September 7, 2011, the Board has worked on the following major activities:

•Ongoing input to the government (city, county, etc.) regarding the impact of various development projects on the neighborhood (i.e., surface parking, parking meters, Lead/Coal project, zoning requests, park renovation); no expenses were charged

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Here's the Dirt

by Bonnie Anderson

Bigger and better! That’s our message for the 2012 growing season. We have expanded the area for the chickens and have widened each planting row so that there are now two drip lines per row. We have constructed filtered shade over the whole garden and have incorporated two cubic yards of compost. We are also growing vertically in one area of the garden.

While fees from our gardeners and “chickeners” cover the water bills and the feed bills, we could not make this dramatic progress in the garden this year without gifts: the neighborhood association donated $500 and Ann Carson donated $200.

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The Gaslite At the End of the Tunnel

Our family moved to 111 Walter NE (just north of Central) about eight years ago. At that time the house faced the old Gaslite Motel. The motel was in bitter decline slipping from derelict eyesore to full-on nuisance and safety disaster. The concertina wire did little to keep people out. On cold nights fires were made to keep warm with the expected results. Sirens were a familiar sound. On warm nights smaller flames licked the underside of spoons and glass tubes while Dark Eyes Vodka/Robitussin cocktails flowed. Needless to say, the parties often ended badly. Sirens of a different sort. So, it was with dry eyes that we watched the building demolished. No love was lost. A blank lot doesn’t catch fire and there’s nowhere to hide to shoot up. Unfortunately, as time has passed we are starting to remember the Gaslite with some

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Coop and Garden Tour a Big Hit

By Kathy Grassel

Our second year as participants in the 5th annual Coop and Garden Tour was a huge success. As many as 200 guests came through to view and learn about our chickens and garden. Once again, we were the only community coop and garden among the 30+ backyard stops on the two-day tour held on June 9th and 10th. Bonnie Anderson presided over the garden, making sure that every first-time visitor

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