Dig they must

I think they're almost done with the work under 7th Street in front of Fig Tree restaurant. Looks like they were fixing the drainage under 7th Street, although I can never seem to find someone to ask. Cut up a good slice of Independence Park while they were at it. I'm sure they'll make it as good as new when they're done.

Conformity in Dilworth

Who's behind the cool new project in Dilworth known as Southborough? Elizabeth's own Conformity Corp., of course.

Hermitage report

Don't we all want the kind of close-knit neighborhood they have over on Hermitage Court? A deep sense of history, a sense of belonging, a sense of ownership not just of an individual property but of a piece of the place where you live. Former Bay Street Elizabethan Ian Kutner is amont the people who have found it there. Don't we also have it here?

Lambla's British Tradition

Elizabethan June Lamblas' show "The Figure: A British Tradition" has opened at the McColl Center for Visual Art uptown. The Observer takes a look at it.

UCLA

It's the state's largest community college, with 2,100 employees, 70,000 students and six campuses -- and a huge impact on the city. Yet it rarely feels like CPCC's main campus is a part of the neighborhood, despite the visionary leadership of Tony Zeiss. Is that a fair statement? Do we need to start a dialog?

Allan Reed

Many of you may remember Allan Reed, the piano teacher who for a time lived and taught on Clement before moving to Chambwood in our neighbor Plaza-Midwood. I'm sorry to say Mr. Reed passed away Jan. 25. He was a fantastic man, an excellent piano teacher and he will be missed.

Thousands perish in neighborhood disaster

The Tanglefoot is doing its job, capturing thousands of cankerworm moths as they try to climb trees in Elizabeth. I see the moths everywhere -- on sidewalks, porches, trees -- and I have to say I'm snuffing out as many of their lives as I can (while feeling somewhat guilty about my naked agression). It certainly seems like they had a fruitful mating season. More on cankerworms here.

Elizabethans on parade

There was Jennifer Roberts on the Local front of the Observer Sunday and Dan Clodfelter on page 2 on Monday. I'm sure you noticed.

Brixx bits

Perhaps the successful Brixx Wood Fired Pizza restaurants got their start in Dilworth in 1998, but co-owner Eric Horsley chooses to live in Elizabeth. The Charlotte pizza chain has expansion plans.

Surreal streetcars

The continuing saga of mass transit in Elizabeth now enters its surreal phase. How else can you describe the decision to lay the tracks now but not use them for 12 years? This decision makes no sense. If we don't have streetcars we don't need track. Twelve years is an eternity when it comes to public policy. Will laying track now guarantee a route will go up Elizabeth Avenue? No. Will it guarantee we'll even have a streetcar? No. So what's the point?

Dilworth break-ins

Note the brief item in The Observer (can't find it on the Web site) on page 2 of the Local section about a series of break-ins in nearby Dilworth. People were home during the break-ins. I think this is rare -- and I certainly hope it stays that way.

Who's next for a booth?

If you really miss Anderson's restuaruant, buy one of the old booths from the Habitat Restore.

Gorman in the 'hood

CMS Superintendent Peter Gorman will talk on "The Mind of Charlotte" from 6:45 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 10 (pdf), at St. John's Baptist Church on Hawthorne Lane at 5th Street. It's free. (Thanks Andria.)

More ink for Roberts

More nice comments for our own Jennifer Roberts, this time from Creative Loafing: "In a county that has grown politically stale, Roberts is a fresh new face to watch." (scroll down)