Thank you Gary Dunn

No, I haven't used them yet. I've thought about it and even talked about it. But my inability to get over to Independence Park and play on the ping-pong tables that Gary Dunn donated  doesn't mean I don't think it's a really cool thing he did. Thanks Gary.

Charlotte: an extreme deviation from the mean?

Our fair city -- I had no idea:  “Charlotte's an outlier" -- this from no less an expert than Elizabeth's own Dan Clodfelter, a Democratic state Senator. On occasion I've felt like an outlier in Charlotte, but the city is so plain it's hard to see it outside the norm. What could this mean?

The Queen City: a person who lives away from his place of work?  An extreme deviation from the mean? A portion of stratified rock separated from a main formation by erosion?

Me,  I wanted to think of Dan's comment as a reference to Malcolm Gladwell's book of the same name because I wanted to think the city is full of  "exceptional people, especially those who are smart, rich, and successful, and those who operate at the extreme outer edge of what is statistically possible." Certainly we have our share of smart and rich people, but that doesn't explain Dan's comment.

Unless you recall the Great State of Mecklenburg. You know, the theory that there's Charlotte and there's the rest of North Carolina. Charlotte goes its own way and doesn't care about other areas of the state. And other areas of the state don't care about it. Reckon that's the definition of an outlier.

Running time

The 23rd annual Elizabeth 8K Road Race is Saturday. The proceeds benefit the beautification of our neighborhood. The 8K starts at 8 a.m., the 3K at 8:05. As always, there there will be festivities after the race at Independence Park. Sign up online by Friday, March 27.

Dang it's good

You wonder about what's happening to the businesses on Elizabeth Avenue while the street is all torn up. You have questions about why that lovely old house on 7th Street at Louise is gone -- just like that. You can't remember when the Elizabeth road race is -- or the Elizabeth recycling event or the Elizabeth Easter egg hunt.

You are in bad need of the Elizabeth Spring 2009 newsletter. It's got all this and more -- stuff you can't get elsewhere (least of all here at UTWT, which has obviously dropped the ball on coverage the last few months). Also, there's a coupon for $3 off a large pizza at my favorite Elizabeth pizza joint. I'd link to the newsletter, but I can't find it on the Elizabeth Community site .

Such a snow

Peaking in 28204

The Observer reports that for homes in ZIP code 28204, last year brought the highest average sales price of the last six years. If you take a look at the interactive map, you'll notice that 2008 also saw the fewest number of homes sold in the ZIP: 98, or about 10 fewer than the average sold each of the last six years. Having fewer homes sold in a year could affect the average price, but it's difficult to say which way.

So at least up until 2008, home prices were still rising in Elizabeth. Is that still the case? Too early to tell, I guess. Homes seem to linger on the market longer than they used to, but that's just based on my limited observation. I've always maintained that as long as downtown Charlotte remains a viable office park, property values in Elizabeth and other close-in neighborhoods should do well. Can downtown Charlotte prosper with two banking behemoths reeling?

'Lizbeth legs

Register now for the 23rd annual Elizabeth 8K, or if you prefer the slower pace of the 3K, go for that. As always, the proceeds benefit the beautification of our fab hood. 

Watch your mailbox

Crime Dudette writes:

A 5th Street resident placed two envelopes with bill payment in her mailbox last week. One was a utility bill, the other was a tax bill. On Saturday she received a phone call from a woman residing on Perrin Place who told her she had found a bunch of opened mail near her house. The Perrin Place resident retrieved the mail and saw our Elizabeth neighbor’s return address on one of the envelopes. Having the presence of mind to check the phone book, this woman contacted the Elizabeth resident, who then reported the incident to the police. She also contacted her bank.

Apparently the thieves who stole her mail were able to obtain her checking account information from her check, and they proceeded to order electronic funds transfers to be made. One such transfer was made to a local WalMart in excess of $500. The crime committed here was quite sophisticated and far more serious than a misdemeanor. Our neighbor wants residents to be advised this type of crime is occurring in Elizabeth. 

Dudette's report also said this happened to two other Elizabethans. CD says: "While outgoing mail hasn’t been confirmed to be the culprit of all the above, we know it’s happening. Either hand your mail personally to our mail carriers or take it yourself to the post office."

Renew renew renew renew renew

The lovely and talented Maya Packard reminds us that the start of the new year (ok, I'm a month behind) is time to renew your ECA membership:

This year, the ECA needs your involvement more than ever, especially during these tough economic times. Our theme this year is LIZ GOES GREEN! Not only are we intent on preserving our tree canopy, but we are also keen on supporting our neighborhood’s many unique restaurants and businesses -- all within walking distance!

It's only $20 per household. It's worth it for the Progressive Dinner and the Christmas party alone.

Do the doggie do

Crime Dudette writes:

The neighbors have noticed, as have I, that the 'hood appears to be more lax than previously with picking up dog droppings. PLEASE make sure that when you walk your dog, you pick up what they leave behind! It’s becoming quite an issue – when one dog leaves a present, all the other dogs leave a present in the same place. We know how competitive the little ones can be about territory!

I would like to add a big shout out to the folks who do bag the poo. Thank you for taking responsibility for fido.

LizBizPromos

Maya Packard writes:

The ECA has created an email mailing list to help encourage support of our neighborhood businesses.  Sign up for LizBizPromos today, and you will begin receiving occasional emails from Elizabeth restaurants and other businesses offering special promotional deals to Elizabeth residents.  To subscribe to this list, send an email to majordomo@elizabethcommunity.com with "subscribe lizbizpromos" in the body of the email.  If you have trouble subscribing, send an email to owner-lizbizpromos@elizabethcommunity.com and ask to be added to the list.

Farewell Design Center

Whether it was the right concept at the wrong time or simply the wrong concept to begin with, the Home Depot Design Center underneath Target at midtown is shutting down. Home Depot spent a lot of money over the years to train me on what a Home Depot store is. I'm just stupid enough that if you tag "Design Center" on the end of it, I still kind of expect a hardware store inside. That's not what I found. What I found I liked, but it wasn't a Home Depot.

At least I figured out a positive aspect of the choice developers made to emphasize parking over retail at the Home Depot/Target site: Now that the Design Center concept is dead, we're not stuck with a massive empty big box store at that corner. Because the store is so well hidden, it's vacancy will be hard to notice.

Goodwill drive

Maya Packard writes:

Dear Neighbors,
Clean out those closets! The Elizabeth Goodwill Drive is coming! As a 5th Street neighbor says, "It's the time of year to pass along some  of our past blessings to get ready for new ones this holiday season."

When: Saturday, December 6, 9-12 noon
Where: Goodwill truck stationed at 2125 Greenway Ave. (empty lot)
What: furniture, clothes, baby items, home goods, small appliances  in working order, books, etc.
Who: We welcome any Elizabeth neighbors, friends and families
Why: Goodwill needs our donations more than ever.
What else: Goodwill attendants will be on site with receipts.
Hungry?  Morning snacks and coffee for all donors!
Questions?  beth.haenni@gmail.com
Let's fill up the truck!

BB makes the All Star list

I was remiss by not drawing attention to longtime Elizabethan Byron Baldwin when he was featured as one of the All-Stars of the Arts in the Observer. If you see him, congratulate him on recently becoming a grandfather.

Janet on the economy

There's Elizabeth's own Janet Woodson on the Observer's Business page, featured in a story about how companies are cutting back on parties. Woodson's business, La-tea-da's, is -- like most businesses -- being hit by the economic downturn. "Woodson has been in the business 12 years and has never seen scaling back on this level, she said."

Centers, corridors and wedges

Dana Inge writes:

There’s an "emergency" ECA meeting next week. Note from our ECA president Melanie Sizemore: We will have a community-wide meeting Nov. 10 at 6:30 p.m. at Hawthorne Lane United Methodist Church to discuss a very important planning document which is being proposed by the planning office. The plan is on a fast track approval process so we need to make our comments heard as soon as possible. You can go to this link to read more about this proposed plan. In addition, the city has a survey at this link which will only be available online until Nov. 7. We need as many people as possible to attend this meeting so we can discuss this plan and how we will respond as a community.

The City of Charlotte's Office of Planning is updating their "Centers, Corridors and Wedges." Per the planning website:

"The 'Centers and Corridors' development framework was originally introduced in 1994 and is the City of Charlotte's adopted overarching policy for organizing and guiding growth and development within the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. The framework is currently being updated and is expected to be adopted by the Charlotte City Council in the spring of 2009. The updated framework – referred to as the Centers, Corridors and Wedges Growth Framework - broadens the original transportation oriented focus to include other aspects of planning and development, such as public facility needs and environmental concerns. The update also provides more specific definitions and guidance for Centers and Corridors and expands the concept to provide recommendations for Wedges, as well."

Carving commenced

The carving at the Elizabeth Pumpkin Wall has more than commenced -- it's almost done, as you can see ahead of the official lighting on Wednesday. Among the carvers Monday night were Hughes (left) and McLean Maddrey of East 8th Street, who fashioned a scary one.

Pumpkin wall returns

The Elizabeth Pumpkin Wall returns to 537 Lamar Ave. this year, site of the original wall in 2004. (The above photo is from two years ago, on Clement.) Carving starts Oct. 24 and the official lighting is Oct. 29 at 7 p.m. The project is put on by the Woodpeckers, a group of mostly Elizabethans who like to work with wood. And pumpkins. My guess is that, like past years, there will be a political component to the wall. In the past that has rubbed some people the wrong way. The wall is on private property, and the ECA has nothing to do with it. All are welcome to attend.

Don't forget to vote

Yes, that's Elizabethan Donna Bise with James Taylor at his concert at Ovens today for Barack Obama. No matter who you support, don't forget to vote. In Elizabeth, you can vote early at CPCC:

CPCC Central Campus Facilities Building
Located at 1325 E. 7th St., Charlotte
October 16 – 31 (Weekdays) 8:00 AM - 7:00 PM
October 25 (Saturday) 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
October 26 (Sunday) 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
November 1 (Saturday) 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM (Final Day)

Charlotte on 60 Minutes

Ok, it's got nothing to do with Elizabeth specifically, but it's fun to see 60 Minutes' Lesley Stahl walking down Tryon Street with Bank of America's Ken Lewis and hear her say things like "B of A seems to own Charlotte" and hear him say things like "We need to cut back compensation in this industry." Elizabeth is home to lots of BofA employees, so there you go.

Minor at Burning Man

Hope you got to see Elizabethan Hardin Minor's take on the Burning Man festival in The Observer.

TJ and HT

I'd never been to a Trader Joe's before ours opened in Midtown, so I thought it was going to be like a regular grocery store, one that could replace a Harris Teeter. And it could, I suppose, but it's not really a regular grocery store. JT veterans already knew that, but I didn't. I love the stuff at Trader Joe's, stuff I didn't know I could get. But I'll still wander over to Central and The Plaza, although probably not as often as I used to, for more commonplace items.