SEVENth District Magazine

PublisherCouncilman Nick J. Mosby

Editor-in-ChiefCandance L. Greene

ContributorsEli Lopatin

PhotographyEli Lopatin

Copy EditorHarbinger Communications

Art DirectionChris Thomas, Peculiar GFX Inc.

SEVEN is a Baltimore City 7th District quarterly publication.

To receive a copy of SEVEN, request writers guidelines,

or to send letters to the Editor, Send emails to

[email protected] Or send mail to:

SEVENOffice of Councilman Nick J. Mosby

Baltimore City Council, District 7100 N. Holliday Street, Room 404

Baltimore, MD 21202

© 2012 All rights reserved.All articles, except those identified as having their own authors, are

property of SEVEN and cannot be reproduced without written permission.

@councilmanmosby

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PublisherCouncilman Nick J. Mosby

Editor-in-ChiefCandance L. Greene

ContributorsEli Lopatin

PhotographyEli Lopatin

Copy EditorHarbinger Communications

Art DirectionChris Thomas, Peculiar GFX Inc.

SEVEN is a Baltimore City 7th District quarterly publication.

To receive a copy of SEVEN, request writers guidelines,

or to send letters to the Editor, Send emails to

[email protected] Or send mail to:

SEVENOffi ce of Councilman Nick J. Mosby

Baltimore City Council, District 7100 N. Holliday Street, Room 404

Baltimore, MD 21202

© 2012 All rights reserved.All articles, except those identifi ed as having their own authors, are

property of SEVEN and cannot be reproduced without written permission.

Greetings 7th District Family, We are offi cially near the end of summer, and what a summer it has been! Many exciting things have happened since the inaugural edition of the SEVENth District Magazine. We hosted our fi rst ever meet-and-greet in City Hall chambers, bringing together representatives from every neighborhood in the 7th District in one space. That night, we featured some amazing food that the 7th District has to offer, with The Avenue Bakery, Woodbury Kitchen, Grateful Deli, Café Hon, Carver Vocational Technical High School, Golden West Café and Hip Hop Chicken showcasing what keeps customers coming to their establishments. That night, we also launched our One Piece litter campaign (Recap in SEVENth Over the Summer on pages 11-14). Please don’t forget to contact our offi ce at 410.396.4810 to take the One Piece pledge. Once you do, pick up your one piece of litter a day, and post your photos on the One Piece Facebook (www.facebook.com/onepiecebmore) page and Twitter (@OnePieceBmore) feed. This summer also brought with it reasons to celebrate. Our Liquor Ordinance, which prohibits corner liquor store owners from selling food and goods to youth under the age of 18, became law. We had an awesome experience during Baltimore’s Star Spangled Sailabration, the statewide celebration of the 200th Anniversary of the War of1812 and the penning of “The Star-Spangled Banner”. During that week, I also had the opportunity to spend time with the United States Navy aboard the USS San Antonio (24 Hours Aboard the USS San Antonio pages 7-9). Our offi ce also celebrated groundbreaking initiatives throughout the City of Baltimore including the partnership between Whitelock Community Farm and Linden Market to sell fresh produce to surrounding neighborhoods. My staff and I are still eager to continue to work with you to develop innovative methods to push our District forward. If you are not already, please follow me on Facebook (www.facebook.com/councilmannickjmosby) and Twitter (@councilmanmosby), and send us your email addresses (to [email protected]) to be added to our eBlast list to remain abreast of what we are doing for you. I look forward to continue to serve the wonderful people of the greatest District in the City, the 7th District! Sincerely,

Councilman Nick J. Mosby, 7th District

Sincerely,

Councilman Nick J. Mosby, 7th District

@councilmanmosby

Councilman Nick J. Mosby

Councilman Nick J. Mosby

www.issuu.com/SEVENthmag

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SEVENth District Magazine Contributors

Eli Lopatin7th District resident Eli Lopatin is Council Assistant to Councilman Mosby, One Piece Coordinator, and staff photographer. He has a Bachelor of Journalism degree in photojournalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia, and is currently pursuing his Master of Social Work at the University of Maryland Baltimore. If you are interested in learning more about One Piece, or taking the One Piece Pledge, contact him at HYPERLINK “mailto:[email protected]” [email protected].

The Editors at the SEVENth District Magazine are looking for contributors. If you are a writer interested in contributing to future issues of SEVEN, send us an email at [email protected].

Calling all 7th District Merchants! Don’t you want to share the SEVENth District Magazine with your patrons? If you are a writer interested in contributing to future issues of the SEVENth District Magazine, send an email to [email protected].

Share Your News With UsShare what’s happening in your part of the 7th District with us by emailing [email protected].

WE WANT TO

SHARE YOUR GOOD NEWS!

The Editors at the SEVENth District Magazine are looking for contributors. If you are a writer interested in contributing to future issues of SEVEN, send us an email at [email protected].

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FEATURES

06 What YOU Need to Know About the New Corner Store Law

10 Urban Farming: Inside Whitelock Community Farm

11 SEVEN Over the Summer: Best of the 7th District Review

IN EVERY ISSUE02 District Resources

03 The Councilman’s Corner

04 Contributors

Cover Story

07 24 Hours Aboard the USS Antonio

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WHAT IS IT?: The new Corner Store Law prohibits youth under the age of 18 from entering corner liquor stores without a parent or guardian. Introduced by 7th District Councilman Nick J. Mosby in March 2012, it is designed to stop the normalization of alcohol to youth by reducing their exposure to it.

WHO DOES IT EFFECT?:Youth under the age of 18.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU?: If you are under the age of 18, this law prevents you from entering corner liquor stores to make purchases, including chips, candy and soda.

CAN I MAKE PURCHASES FOR A PARENT? If you are under the age of 18, the answer is NO. You are not allowed to enter a corner liquor store to make purchases without a parent or guardian. AS A LIQUOR STORE OWNER, WHAT CAN I DO TO ENSURE THAT I AM IN COMPLIANCE WITH THIS LAW? As a store owner, you should become familiar with the law and advise youth under the age of 18 that they cannot enter your store without a parent or guardian. You can contact the Health Department, Liquor Board and the Police Department to address youth under 18 who do not want to follow terms of the law.

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More than 40 ships from around the world came to Baltimore the week of June 13-19 as part of the Star-Spangled Sailabration to kick off the Bicentennial of the War of 1812. That same week, Councilman Mosby was invited to spend 24 hours aboard the United States Navy’s USS San Antonio, an LPD 17 Class Amphibious Dock Transport Ship.

Councilman Mosby wanted to share this once-in-a-lifetime experience aboard the USS San Antonio with you in pages of SEVEN. Sit back and enjoy the journey.

24 HOURSABOARD THEUSS SAN ANTONIO

Looking at the USS San Antonio’s vehicle stowage space, which boasts 2,400 square feet of space for the Marine Corps to store vehicles.

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Councilman Mosby speaks with Petty Offi cer Chris Shapiro, Air Crewman of the Navy’s HSC-9

squadron, at Martin State Airport in Baltimore County before embarking

on the journey.

Preparing to board the HS-60 helicopter with the

other Distinguished Visitors (DVs).

Deboarding the helicopter that took him from Baltimore County’s Martin State Airport,

fi rst landing at Naval Base Norfolk and later aboard the

USS San Antonio.

The Councilman with crew

members of the USS San Antonio.

Councilman Mosby speaks with the Commander

Koprowski, Commanding Offi cer of the USS San

Antonio.

Councilman Mosby with students from Baltimore

City’s Maritime Industries Academy High School. The students also spent

the night aboard the USS San Antonio on its trip into

Baltimore.

Flying over the Chesapeake Bay

aboard the HS-60 helicopter.

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Preparing to board the HS-60 helicopter with the

other Distinguished Visitors (DVs).

Deboarding the helicopter that took him from Baltimore County’s Martin State Airport,

fi rst landing at Naval Base Norfolk and later aboard the

USS San Antonio.

Deboarding the helicopter that took him from Baltimore County’s Martin State Airport,

fi rst landing at Naval Base Norfolk and later aboard the

USS San Antonio.

Councilman Mosby meets Rear Admiral Greg Nosal, Commander, Carrier Strike

Group Two, who oversees the USS San Antonio.

Learning about the engine system of the USS San

Antonio from Enginemen First Class Petty Offi cer

Robert Boone.

Boatswain Mate Chief Petty Offi cer Michael Tucker explains

the system for lifting smaller boats from the deck of the USS

San Antonio using cranes.

Information System Technician Third Class Petty Offi cer

Bryan Roller (left) and Airboss, Lieutenant Thomas Butts (right), of the USS San Antonio watch

from the helo tower as two Blackhawk helicopters land on

the fl ight deck.

Councilman Mosby poses with

members of the fl ight deck crew of the USS San

Antonio.

The Councilman with crew

members of the USS San Antonio.

Councilman Mosby at a radar

screen on the bridge of the USS

San Antonio.

(left to right) Lieutentant Matt McCullough (Aide to Rear

Adm. Greg Nosal),Command Master Chief Michael Hart from the USS San Antonio,

Councilman Mosby, Lieutenant Commander Herlinda Rojas, and Rear Adm. Greg Nosal, Commander, Carrier Strike

Group Two.

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Every Saturday morning, residents of Reservoir Hill congregate at the northwest corner of Whitelock Street and Brookfield Avenue to purchase fresh vegetables and converse with neighbors. That corner, now the Whitelock Community Farm, was once the location of a pharmacy and later sat as a vacant lot for more than 15 years. Avon Newman has been living in the area since his father bought a house in the neighborhood in 1957. He said he has seen a lot of changes over the years. “This whole block used to be nothing but stores on both sides,” Newman said. “There’s nothing around here anymore, but this farm is a great thing to have.”

Instead of waiting for developers who had promised for years to invest in rebuilding businesses along the stretch, nine neighbors decided together they could convert that vacant lot to a working farm, one that could provide fresh, low-cost, and natural produce for their neighbors, in an area where access to such fresh, healthy food is limited.

With its rows of flourishing vegetables and large, plastic “hoop-house”, that allows some vegetables to grow during the cooler months, the Whitelock

Community Farm might seem out of place in a city neighborhood, but many neighbors have come to see it as an important asset on a block once known for its proliferation of crime and illegal drugs. Neighborhood groups regularly come to volunteer at the farm, and numerous other revitalization projects have been started along the Whitelock Street corridor. Farm Manager Elisa Lane said neighbors often stop while she is working at the farm to talk to her. “A lot of them tell me how proud they are of this farm, that they’re proud of their neighborhood,” Lane said.

Urban agriculture has been growing in recent years in Baltimore City and throughout the United States, but the approach of the Whitelock Farm is somewhat unique. Whereas many other urban farms are focused solely on utilizing vacant land to grow food to be sold in area grocery stores, the Whitelock Farm’s primary focus and mission is to provide food to residents within the Reservoir Hill community. The farm, and other revitalization efforts along Whitelock Street, also serves to bring the community together. “I think it has become a place where neighbors get to enjoy each other,” Lane said, “That’s

something the neighborhood has been missing since the stores went away.”

Residents are able to work on the farm in exchange for produce, and can support the farm by becoming Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) members (a program that allows customers to pay an upfront cost at the beginning of the season and receive a bag of produce every week), and can also purchase freshly harvested vegetables at the weekly market stand. This year, for the first time, customers are able to use their debit, credit, or EBT cards to purchase the produce.

If you would like to become involved with the Whitelock Community Farm, or want more information, go to the farm’s website www.whitelockfarm.org, or contact the farm at [email protected] or by calling 410-205-OKRA.

The stand is located in front of the farm at Whitelock Street and Brookfield Avenue every Saturday from 10 AM to 1 PM. You can also purchase fresh produce from Whitelock Farm every day at Linden Market, located at 2435 Linden Avenue.

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The Summer of 2012 was very eventful for the 7th District.

We wanted to share with you some of our greatest moments from the

SEVENth Over the Summer.11

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From appearing on award-winning television shows to being named “Best of” in Baltimore Magazine, this summer, the 7th District garnered quite a bit of press.

In March, Councilman Mosby introduced an Ordinance to the City Council that would prevent corner liquor store owners from selling food and merchandise to youth under 18. The purpose of the Liquor Ordinance was to distance youth from environments that would cause them to become desensitized to liquor, as well as other items marketed toward adults. Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake signed the Ordinance into law on June 26th, the same day a story about the new ran in the Baltimore Sun.

Gordon Ramsey returned to fi lm the follow-up to his Kitchen Nightmares feature on Hampden restaurant Café Hon. Councilman Mosby made a surprise visit to the restaurant to give owner Denise Whiting a Resolution.

In late June, Councilman Mosby received word that he had been named one of The Daily Record’s Infl uential VIPs Under 40.

At the end of June, a storm, called a derecho, powered through the Mid-Atlantic. Though the storm was brief, millions of people from New Jersey south to Virginia were without power in the middle of a record-breaking heatwave. The offi ce of the 7th District used social media, specifi cally Twitter, to keep constituents informed about where to go to keep cool, heat advisories, and BGE service updates. After the storm, Technically Baltimore, a publication discussing how innovation impacts Baltimore, featured Councilman Mosby’s Twitter usage.

Hampden celebrated when a whopping 10 merchants

received “Best of” nods in Baltimore Magazine’s Best of Baltimore 2012 issue. Congratulations Baltimore Burger Bar, Gypsy Queen Café, Luigi’s Deli, Twenty20Cycling, Denise Whiting from Café Hon, Hunting Ground, The

Bottom Drawer, Sixteen Tons, K Staton Boutique, and Trohv!

Courtesy of the Baltimore Sun

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@OnePieceBmore OnePieceBmore OnePieceBmore