Susie Byrd's Office Spearheads Scenic Drive Clean-up on May 2

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District 2 of the City of El Paso (Susie Byrd) is sponsoring a massive clean-up of Scenic Drive this Sunday, May 2, beginning at 7 a.m. on the east side (Richmond entrance) and at 8 a.m. on the west side (Rim Road/Robinson entrance). Keep El Paso Beautiful and the Newman Park Neighborhood Association are co-sponsors.

The clean-up will include picking-up litter along the drive as well as “off road” trash stuck on plants and debris scattered down the slopes. Keep El Paso Beautiful is providing bags and gloves. Those who wish to participate may pick-up a bag at either end of Scenic Drive. Filled bags will be collected at both ends and the City of El Paso Environmental Services will collect them after the event.

Volunteers include individuals, several Scout troops, members of the Unitarian Universalist Community of El Paso and the Trans-Pecos Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists. All El Pasoans are welcome to help.

Representative Byrd pledges: “I'll buy breakfast for the person who collects the most bags of trash.”

Scenic Drive is closed to motorists every Sunday morning so that walkers, runners, bikers, skateboarders and skaters can come out and enjoy the mountain and the spectacular view. Scenic Sunday hours are 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. April – September and 7 a.m. to Noon October – March.

Speed Control for Richmond Avenue?

Although the above pictures are really from an advertising campaign for Pioneer Suspension, they are making the email rounds as Canadian speed control devices. Of course, the use of such graphics could cause serious accidents if someone should swerve - especially "challenged" drivers (and you know who I mean).

The tongue in cheek suggestion for their use to slow vehicles nearing the end of the "Indy 500" off of Scenic Drive onto Richmond or vice versa demonstrates the continual frustration that many Newmanistas have with speeders on neighborhood streets.

"I say we commission the artist for Richmond," quipped Paco Dominguez.

Miguel Torres remarked that the fake potholes "might not help us on those Saturday nights when our cars are getting hit by the boarachos coming over Scenic because of poor light conditions." Instead, he humorously suggests a cardboard cutout of deer or elk or a Sasquatch just on the side of the road. "Anyone would slow down for that, either out of an appreciation for God's creatures or abject fear."

Support Animal Rescue Organizations

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You can donate to a rescue organization this Sunday at 3 p.m. when you and your pet participate in the animal blessing at Highland Presbyterian Church, 9210 Dyer Street

Global Youth Service Day

United Way of El Paso County will host a number of events on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Newmanistas To Participate in the Great American Clean-up

Bailey Chew helps clean-up the Mayfield Wildscape

It's that time again. Newmanistas will participate in the Great American Clean-up this Saturday, April 10. Neighbors can gather trash, junk, litter and yard waste and put it in a roll-off that will be available at Newman Park from 8 until Noon.

Saturday's clean-up will be followed by a Scenic Drive litter pick-up on Sunday, April 11, during Scenic Sunday 6 to 11 in the morning.

GAC is sponsored locally by Keep El Paso Beautiful in partnership with the El Paso Fire Department, Environmental Services Department and the El Paso Street Department.

KEPB Director, Katherine Gunter-Palafox, says: "The 2010 GAC reminds us that a better environment for all of us starts in our own communities. The volunteer work we do close to home affects our entire planet."

Blog Post Sends Scores to Egg Hunt

Video courtesy of Lisa Degliantoni and the LisaD Show

According to Lisa Degliantoni, 99.9% of those who came to the Third Annual Easter Egg Hunt at Newman Park this past Saturday did so because they found out about it online at this blog! Of course, that percentage is probably a bit of an exaggeration since a flier was distributed throughout the neighborhood just days before the event.

Mando Castaneda saw nearly a hundred kids at the hunt. "I don't know where so many came from," he said. "I know there aren't that many in the neighborhood."

Lisa and fellow NPNA Board member, Abbie Majerczyk, and their children got together last Wednesday evening and put the eggs and prizes together. On Saturday, two other Board members helped them with the event: Lynn Coyle and Becky Ayala along with Hannah Hollandbyrd.

The event was made possible by the generous donations of Michael and Becky Friesenhahn, Representative Susie Byrd's office and the Newman Park Neighborhood Association.

A Trip Down Memory Lane

"Our Lady keeps watch over this special little barrio de chivas town"

Donna Stephens sent me this note along with the images displayed here. You can see more of those images by going here.

Jim,

On my way home this spring morning, I stopped for a minute to admire the restoration of the Gas Station on Grant & Elm. Then driving up Piedras memories came in to vision. As I slowed down a warm and peaceful feeling of nostalgia took me back to our neighborhood as it once was.

The round house on Idalia and Louisiana

I kept driving and passed up my house remembering the round house on Idalia that at one time was a water tank, an artist bought many years ago and made it his home studio. The Esparza grocery has been in that location for many years and back when we could drink whole milk I used to go there to buy Lane's milk. I noticed they still had the sign up, the sign that was so prominent was the sign above the front door: " We appreciate your business". No wonder they are still there.

The building at Elm and Porter I do remember as a TB hospital. The sad one for me is the Sanitary Plumbing building. It was the place every one called when you needed a plumber they did build many of the houses in this area as well.

The Sheldon Grocery Store Building

The dance studio next to Carter's was once Sheldon's grocery store; and, of course, Manhattan Shoe Repair. Who hasn't taken a pair of shoes there? Hill Top Barber shop is an over looked spot in our area it has been there for as long as I can remember. San Vicente is where Gunning Casteel drug store was.

The Big "A" overlooking the village as the Church tower and blue lit cross of Our Lady keeps watch over this special little barrio de "chivas town" holds a extra special place in my heart.

I continued my 5 mph drive home seeing all the buildings still standing and thinking of all the people that came before us that lived and did business in these places. Standing and waiting to be lit again is the Natural Gas Company weather flame that was a reference point along with the star on the mountain.

Just wanted to share.

Donna

Thanks, Donna. I remember getting Popsicles at Mr. Sheldon's. Gunning Casteel was a daily stop for a 5¢ or 10¢ candy bar on the walk home from Crockett School. Mr. Lane and his family were fellow members at our church - St. Alban's. I do remember that "when the flame is red, warm weather is ahead".

When I'm walking that way, I always stop at the shrine at Esparza's Grocery. It was erected in honor of artist and muralist, Charlie Zavala, a classmate of mine from 1st grade through high school graduation. He lived just a block down from us on Frankfort.

Our Lady has been watching over us for a very, very long time.