Volunteers Needed!

RAP still has needs for volunteers to help with the Arts Festival in the following areas:

• Assist Artists
• Assist with Silent Auction
• Work in the Children's Zone
• Sell T-Shirts

Three shifts are available:

1. 9:30am to Noon
2. Noon to 2:30pm
3. 2:30pm to 5:30pm.

Please respond to Carmen Godwin, RAP Executive Director and provide your name, email, phone, day and time availability. Elaine Burnett, Volunteer Committee, will assign a spot for you and will confirm it with you. You may email her directly or call her at 389-4517.

Your help is very much appreciated and you are sure to have a great time.

It's YOUR Neighborhood!

NW CPAC MEETING NOTICE AND AGENDA
Date: Thursday, August 14, 2008
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Bradham*Brooks NW Library Auditorium
1755 Edgewood Ave. West
Guest Speaker: Mayor John Peyton

Riverside is part of CPAC#5. This would be an excellent time to attend the next CPAC meeting, and hear what the Mayor has to say. It may also be a rare opportunity to tell the Mayor of your pressing concerns for this area.

The Bradham Library is west Lem Turner and Edgewood Avenue. I-95 North has exit at Edgewood Avenue, take a left onto Edgewood, cross Lem Turner and go 3 blocks, a short right takes you to the Library ample parking area on the left. The community meeting room is large and entry is at ground level, with the doors open.

You are strongly urged to share this information and make plans to attend.

Jacksonville's more than 500 neighborhoods are divided into six planning districts each with a Citizens Planning Advisory Committee or "CPAC". The primary purpose of the CPAC is to maintain open and effective communication between Jacksonville residents, businesses, neighborhoods, community organizations, educational institutions and city government. To find out more, visit the City of Jacksonville's website.

Living the Green Life

Back in 1978 when Tom Merten's electric water heater need to be replaced, he and wife, Ila Rae decided to go solar. The owner's of the Jenk's House, a 1925 Prairie School bed and breakfast are celebrating their solar hot water heater's three decades of use. It has provided 90-95% of the family's hot water needs ever since, saving about $12,000 in energy bills versus that cash going down the drain.

The solar water heater isn't the only thing that makes Tom and Ila Rae "green", the Jenk's House also has a wood-burning stove, an organic garden featuring oranges and papayas and freshly ground organic coffee. And you should see the original natural wood trim inside their home!

For the full story, check out the article at First Coast News. If you know someone in the District that should be featured send me a note.

Take a Walk!

While Jacksonville is huge land-wise (once the largest on the planet in terms of mass) and generally seen from the inside of an automobile, there are a few great places where walking is easy. The Times-Union article explores the recent ranking as "" by Walk Score. The city came in a dismal 459 out of 501 places in a survey of best walking cities by the American Podiatric Medical Association and Prevention magazine. Keep in mind that Walk Score doesn't examine crime statistics in its calculations. The program also doesn't consider weather, hills or bodies of water. It's no surprise, given their urban density, that San Francisco, New York and Boston topped the standings as the three best cities for walking.

I checked my address at the site and my house was rated a 62 or "Somewhat Walkable". They obviously haven't walked through my neighborhood! The study has Riverside and Avondale listed as "walking havens" – imagine that!

Steamworks now Open in Five Points

Laura Capitano of the Times-Union reviews the new night spot in Riverside and talks to club manager Mike Kennedy.

The pub, basically a hybrid destination of a dance spot-British pub combo, was inspired by Jacksonville clubs of yesterday – The Milk Bar and Art Bar. While food is served there, what the club is basically serving up is a great place for the 18 and over crowd to dance, hear music and meet friends.

The spot has themed nights: Thursday and Friday nights feature an indie rock DJ and are the club's biggest dance nights; Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays feature "eclectic" music;
and Tuesday is the bar's rockabilly night. No mention of Mondays but the pub/club is open 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily with $3 cover from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday and Friday. It is located at 822 Lomax Street across from Hair Peace.