Central Avenue updates

Check out "The Naked City" for a post about zoning and urban design. You'll have scroll down for the moment to "The Central Avenue Challenge." Direct hyperlinks don't seem to work as The Charlotte Observer blogs prepare for a site redesign.

And also check out CLT Blog for a wrapup of the Central Avenue International Corridor work through the Knight Creative Community Initiative. The post has links worth bookmarking to a new creative community Google group as well as news about Garinger High School's involvement in planning improvements along Central Avenue.

Taming the feral dogs

Rebecca Jones and others in the neighborhood have managed to reunite the mother and pup feral dogs who previously roamed the greenway off Masonic Avenue.

Great story, great happy ending, but it's not over yet. Rebecca's looking for a permanent home for the dogs, and hopes they can stay together. Cate Martin has helped by making phone calls and thinks she might have some help.

But if you know of a special home that could take both dogs, comment here. Mother dog is on heart worm medicine; the pup is scheduled to be treated for heart worm in August. Rebecca's walking the pup with her other dogs in the neighborhood. Say hi if you see them.

Save the date -- MONA turns 10

The Merry Oaks Neighborhood Association turns 10 this year, and the group plans a celebration on Saturday, Oct. 18.

So save the date. Get out and meet your neighbors. Many original group leaders would love to pass on the leadership opportunities to a new generation of neighbors, so think about the possibilities and how you can make a difference.

Act locally.

Charlotte East community meeting

Charlotte East Community Partners meet on Tuesday, July 15th from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Plaza United Methodist Church at 5600 The Plaza.

On the agenda:
Updates on Independendence Boulevard, Eastland Mall, Coventry Woods, the Novant Health project at I-485 and Albemarle Road, the Historic Hezekiah Alexander bed and breakfast at the corner of Shamrock and Sharon Amity and police reports.

Darrell Bonapart, president of the group, says in an email that he's concerned about strengthening media coverage of the area and strengthening ties to the real estate community.
"There has been a tremendous amount of news covering the Independence Blvd construction or destruction, the Eastland Mall site renovation, the dozens of empty big boxes in our area and crime," he said.
"Some of the media coverage is justified, but I feel that in a lot of cases the negativity towards East Charlotte has gone overboard."

Thoughts? Talk with him at the meeting.

Other planned events for the group:
Saturday, July 26: Eastside Community Cookout at the Sheffield Neighborhood Park from 11 am until 2 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 11: The East Charlotte Black Tie Gala, at the Charlotte Museum of History. The event is planned as a fundraiser for a nonprofit organization that counsels abused and neglected children. Details at the July 15 meeting.