Living in the Neighborhood
Get Out and Vote!
The election on November 4 this year is expected to produce one of the largest turn-outs ever! Please get out and vote! Your vote does count.
REMINDER: All campaign signs throughout the neighborhood MUST be removed no later than the day following the election.
October 4 — OktoberFest 2008 — A great party! A huge suggess!
At the suggestion of many residents, new Neighborhood departed from the traditional SPINN (Spring Party in New Neighborhood) this year and went to a fall format. No complaints were heard from the gathering of over 200 neighbors and guests. We owe many thanks again this year to Adria & Woody Appleby for the organization and planning of this event. This dedicated couple also chaired SPINN 2007. Many other neighbors helped to make this a success: Barbara & Tom Doster, Norma Stewart, Tamara Dietzel, Lemie & Norman Richards, Cathy & Alan Sterling (our photographer), and the many great people who helped with clean-up. The burgers and dogs were cooked by expert chefs Norm Richards & Woody Appleby. The crowd was entertained by Kent Dowell & Friends, the Bluegrass Band that also played at last year’s party. The Association would also like to express thanks to the following companies for their donations to our successful party:
Ross & Witmer Inc. (Heating & Air Conditioning)
in Huntersville: Free use of their super grill and propane
Pepsi: drinks
and sodas [A special thank you goes to Leslie Swartz for arranging this
donation again this year.]
Harris Teeter: Balloons [Thank you Barbara Doster
for arranging this treat for the kids (and some adults).]
Many more pictures from OktoberFest 2008 will be posted to the website in November.
Head chefs: Norman Richards and Woody Appleby “This one looks a little burned. Give it to the group at table #3.”
Our new Association President, John Williamson, relaxes. But only for a moment – his new job will pick-up speed!
What a great gathering of wonderful neighbors! “We’re just waiting for the appearance of the great pumpkin!”
Bluegrass music is always a hit at any time of the year. But wait . . . Does that little boy have his hands over his ears?
Newsletter Delivery
I want to express my apologies for the delay in delivery of the October Newsletter due to vacation plans and family problems. A combined October/November newsletter was originally planned to be ready by the week of October 19. However, since the Council of Stewards was scheduled to meet on October 22, it seemed best to wait until October 27 and include the minutes of that meeting.
In order to best use your Association dollars, alternate delivery options and dates will be considered for 2009. Any changes will be noted in the newsletter and Association Calendar. I welcome any thoughts and comments you may have regarding newsletter content and delivery. Please call at 704.987.1472 or e-mail at davidbsmith@bellsouth.net.
Neighborhood Directory Survey
Early this year, Mary Lib Richards agreed to chair a committee to update directory information on the website so that Steve Lee, neighborhood webmaster, could program an option to print a full neighborhood directory. This committee has been working hard to update this data. There is a yellow survey sheet inserted in your newsletter this month. Please complete this information and drop off your sheet at one of three locations: Mary Lib Richards (440 O. Henry Avenue), Barbara Dillman (230 Caldwell Lane), or Betsy Norvell (158 Clemens Avenue). This information will allow the committee to complete their task. Thanks go to these committee volunteers for their hard work and to Steve Lee for his efforts to pull all this together. Your updated neighborhood directory is almost ready for printing!
If you don't have a paper copy of the survey, you can just go to the Members' Area and choose View and Update My Directory Information.
Yard of the Month, November, 2008
Although the month is nearly over, the Landscape & Grounds Committee congratulates Kelly George and daughter, Grace Spencer, of 210 Caldwell Lane as the October 2008 winner of the “Yard-of-the-Month.” If you turn left at the front fountain at St. Alban’s Square, you will not miss this pastel blue Charleston home as you drive down Caldwell. It is the first home on the left as you pass the business units. The George home takes advantage of the huge trees in the wind-chime park next door. The shaded setting adds a bit of “Southern charm” to the house. All that is needed is Spanish moss hanging from a few selected limbs.
The front yard is well kept. The stone edging around the front flower beds adds a nice touch to the late-summer and early-fall color. The front porch is neatly arranged and also displays fall color with several pots of mums and orange pumpkins. Crepe myrtles accent the front and driveway. All shrubs and trees are well tended. It is obvious that much time has been spent by both mom and daughter on making this yard and home a winner.
Residents and visitors to the neighborhood are in for an added treat if you drive by to investigate. Beware! The house is well protected for a Spooktacular Halloween night, complete with ghosts and a flying witch on the porch. The spider webbing hides some of the fall color, but, make no mistake, the goblins want to make you welcome! The Star-of-Excellence will reside proudly at this second Caldwell Lane address in as many months.
This concludes the Star of Excellence awards for the year 2008. The Association plans to continue this recognition for single-family homes again from May through October of 2009. The criteria for selection are established by a Selection Committee. If you have questions or suggestions regarding this plan, call Judy McLean (chairperson of the Landscape & Grounds Committee) at 704.895.0940.
The early-October shot was missed. However, the ghosts, witches, and goblins add a special touch to a special home. Boo! Don’t be frightened away from this one!
Congratulations to the Kelly and Grace!
Annual Termite Inspection Underway
If you live in a townhome unit, it is time for the annual termite inspection. The Association carries insurance for damage from termites and has contracted with Termitech South of Charlotte for this service. Once a year, an inspection is required to maintain this policy. Inspections of external areas of each townhome block were checked in early-October. Termitech now needs to inspect first floor interior walls, patio areas, and garages.
All townhome residents received a flyer in mid-October explaining this requirement. The inspections began on Monday, October 20. Please call Rob “Da Bug Man” Bukaweski at 704.658.5796 to make an appointment for inspection of interior walls and garages and patios that are not assessable. Termitech hopes to complete all units by the end of November. This is an important service covered by your assessment fees. Thank you for your help and cooperation.
This inspection does not involve any actual spraying for pests. It is a termite inspection service only. However, since the neighborhood does have this contract, Termitech offers a $45 special to townhome owners for interior pest (ants, spiders, roaches, etc.) control. If interested in receiving this additional service at owner expense, please contact Termitech at the number above.
Fall Lawn and Garden Tips
The NC State Cooperative Extension has issued some fall gardening tips:
Lawns
- Newly seeded grass needs to be mowed three times before it is considered established for a pesticide application to kill broadleaf weeds.
- A leaf blower is more likely to remove leaves without disturbing the mulch when the leaves are dry. Run the blower on low and remove the leaves often before they pile up.
- This is still a good time to fertilize fescue and bluegrass lawns if you did not do so in September. Use high nitrogen, slow-release fertilizer unless a soil test indicates the need for other nutrients.
Perennials, Bulbs, Roses, Etc.
- Divide spring-flowering perennials in the fall.
- After the first killing frost, remove dead or yellowed foliage from perennials. Clean up your perennial beds and apply clean mulch to reduce the outbreak of diseases. While cleaning up the perennial bed, remember that some seedheads will provide winter food for birds.
- If the weather has cooled, plant spring-flowering bulbs. If not, wait until November.
- Winterizer fertilizer is more of a marketing term than a horticultural term. Without a soil test, the need for certain nutrients is strictly a guess.
- Do not deadhead your spent flowers on your roses. Instead, remove the petals with your hands to allow the rose hips to form. This helps trigger the rose into winter dormancy.
- Clean up your rose bed. Remove any leaves or flowers that may be on the ground.
- Keep falling leaves out of your water garden, especially if you have fish. Decaying leaves can rob fish of the oxygen in the water.
- If you removed your bird feeder during the summer, now is the time to put the feeder back out.
This is also a good time to remind single-family homeowners that mulching of trees in front of the house (between the sidewalk and the street) is the responsibility of the homeowner. This improves the health of the tree and maintains a pleasing neighborhood appearance. The Council of Stewards plans to review the possibility of another tree trimming project throughout the neighborhood in 2009 if landscaping funds permit.
The landscaping contractor is planning to replace dead and damaged shrubs and plantings in townhome areas this fall. The continued renovation of landscaping on Twain Avenue is also still planned for November.
New Community Assistant at Abbott
Vera Victorino, Community Manager for New Neighborhood at Abbott Enterprises, has a new assistant, Maureen Floyd. Cindy Wagner, former Community Assistant, is still with Abbott, but has taken a different position to pursue her goals. Maureen will have Cindy’s former extension number 114. When calling Abbott regarding questions or maintenance problems, you may ask for Vera or Maureen. Phone numbers for Abbott and appropriate extensions are listed on page 11.
St. Alban’s Square Neighborhood gives a warm welcome to its new Community Assistant, Maureen!
Winter Holiday Decorations Contest
The Landscape and Grounds Committee invites all residents (single-family and townhomes) to participate in the New Neighborhood Third Annual Winter Holiday Decorating Contest. The contest will be judged in two separate categories:
- Best Overall for Single-Family Homes
- Best Overall for Townhomes
The Yard-of-the-Month Committee will judge all entries. Judging will take place at night between 6:00 and 8:00 P.M. on December 15 and 16. Entries will be evaluated upon creativity, originality, thematic elements and overall design quality and not just on quantity of lights. Winners will be awarded a blue ribbon and photographed for the newsletter and website.
All participants will be asked to remove decorations no later than the third Sunday in January, 2009.
Begin planning now. Everyone is invited to participate and we encourage all to get in the spirit!!
HOT TIP: You can get a head start on greenery at the St. Alban’s Church Sale. [See page 10 of newsletter.]
Newsletter Delivery Volunteers
Thanks go to all of our delivery volunteers! Our September team included Adria & Woody Appleby, Barbara Dillman, Barbara & Tom Doster, Tom Fischer, Sherman & Nancy Kahn, Norman Richards, Dave Smith, Norma Stewart, and John & Marcia Williamson. We also welcome our first-time delivery volunteer, Anne Jerands, to this dedicated group! Thanks are due to many of these same folks for helping with distribution of the OktoberFest flyers at the end of the month. Special thanks go to Norman Richards for helping to organize the flyer distribution.
If you wish to volunteer, please call Dave Smith at 704.987.1472
(e-mail at davidbsmith@bellsouth.net).
“What I know for sure is that what you give comes back to you.”
-- Oprah Winfrey
