October 2022 Newsletter

Newsletters are now posted on the TCNA Website

In This Issue

Liquor License for the Hopkins Market

General Election Specific Information for Tuscany-Canterbury

Neighborhood Committees

• Public Safety: 0 Crimes in past 28 days
• Calvert School Project Committee: Cooling Tower and Conservation Signs
• Streets Committee
• Greens Committee
• Calvert School Liaison

Neighborhood News

• Repair of Retaining Wall
• Mattress Dumped on Linkwood Road
• Councilwoman Odette Ramos Update Highfield Road Sign
• Water Bill
• Transit Survey
• Recycling Pick-up Dates

Johns Hopkins University

• The Imagine Center on University Parkway
• Police Accountability Board 

Neighborhood Restaurants Updates

• Hopkins Market plans to move into Hopkins House
• What's Really Good at One World Cafe by Lois Schenck

Home & Condo Current Sale Prices 

Events In and Around Tuscany-Canterbury

• Goats on the Hillside are back. October 14-October 16
• October 15 and 16, Greens Committee working on Tuscany Oval
• October 16, 10-12. Bird Fun Linkwood Park
• October 24 7:30 PM, Fall Street Committee Zoom Meeting 
• November 9 7PM, TCNA Zoom Board Meeting
• November 16 7PM, TCNA General Meeting

TCNA: Are you a member? We’d ❤️ to have you join us!

CLICK HERE to join or renew your TCNA dues.

First Touch of Autumn in Tuscany-Canterbury

Neighborhood photographer, John Robinson

TCNA General Meeting

November 16 7PM

Broadview Apartments

105 W 39th Street

Agenda

• Update about the Hopkins Market and liquor license hours
• 39th Street calming plans
• Calvert School updates about the Woods and the two story addition to the lower school

General Election Voting Information

Voting by Mail Options

US Mail or Drop Box

November 1 - Last day to request a mail in ballot (and have it sent to you). 

You can request your ballot here if you prefer to vote by mail.

Drop Boxes Available for Mail-In Ballots

Any time before 8pm on November 8*

Drop Boxes are secure and available 24 hours a day and are now available to use. Nearest drop boxes for Tuscany -Canterbury:

• Western High School (Coldspring Lane & Falls Road)
• Baltimore Museum of Art (10 Art Museum Drive) The drop box is located on the circular drive at the main entrance. It used to be in front of the museum.
• List of all drop box locations click here.

US MAIL *Must be postmarked by 8PM November 8.  Don't wait to mail your ballot. Mail it early. Putting your ballot in a mailbox on Election Day does not mean it is postmarked that day.

In Person Voting

Early Voting Option

October 27 through November 3 

 7AM to 8PM

Early Voting Location near Tuscany-Canterbury  

THE LEAGUE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

1111 E COLDSPRING LANE BALTIMORE, MD  21239

Primary Election Day Option

November 8, 7AM to 8PM

All regular polling places will be open. 

First English Lutheran Church (Charles and 39th Street) is the polling location for Tuscany-Canterbury

Question K is on the November ballot and is getting a lot of attention. The Baltimore Banner explains the issues.

CLICK HERE to read the article

Baltimore City School Board Candidates

This is the first time there has been an election for some members of the Baltimore City School Board. Eight 9 members and a student member have already been appointed by the mayor to the school board. And for the first time two more will be selected by the voters. This is a non-partisan election, that is, the candidates are associated with no political parties and you need not be registered as a member of a political party to vote.

Tuscany-Canterbury Crime Updates

Great News. We did it!!

0 crimes of any kind in Tuscany Canterbury for the past 28 days.

Tuscany-Canterbury is one of the safest neighborhoods in Baltimore. Tuscany-Canterbury is home to 3800 people in 1700 homes, condos, and apartments.

Thanks to everyone who looks out for anything suspicious. And the large number of neighbors who walk through the neighborhood daily also discourages crime from happening. Be sure to keep your outside lights on throughout the night.  

Banking Safety Tips: 

Beware of Payment Scams

Be on alert for these common payment scams.

• Fraudsters may impersonate employees of your bank and tell you they have noticed suspicious activity on your account. The fraudster may ask you to send a Zelle^® payment to yourself, but the payment will go to the fraudster's account.

• Fraudsters may pretend to be specialists, such as tech support, from established companies like Microsoft or Apple, and may request remote access to fix an "issue" with your account. After you give them access to your device, they may lock you out so that you will not be able to use it.

• Imposter scams may also include fraudsters posing as employees of well-known businesses such as Amazon or Walmart, or as your utility company, or another service provider to gain access to your personal and account information.

• Fraudsters may use social media platforms such as Facebook or Instagram to "friend" you to gain your trust; or pose as a romantic match met through a dating service.

• Purchase scams involve fraudsters selling goods or services which are never received, such as cryptocurrency, concert tickets, pets, property rentals, and other deals that may seem too good to be true.

• Why and when to get a bivalent booster? The newly available COVID-19 boosters offer the best protection against current strains. But who needs a booster and when should they get it? Click Here to read full article by Johns Hopkins' virologist Andy Pekosz, professor in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. 

• Rapid at-⁠home tests: If you have health insurance through an employer or Marketplace, your insurance will pay you back for 8 rapid at-⁠home tests each month for each person on your plan.  CLICK HERE for Information about Insurance Reimbursement for At-⁠Home Tests

• Where to get tested in Baltimore (Daily updates) CLICK HERE

• Updated data and graphics for Maryland COVID cases, vaccinations and other metrics. CLICK HERE

October 2022 Updates

The Cooling Tower

The installation of the camouflaging fence around the cooling tower should be completed by October 21st. Calvert is still waiting to hear back from their general contractor about when the trees that died during the summer will be replaced and the new evergreens around the cooling tower will be planted.

Streets Committee

Brian ten Siethoff, Committee Chair

CLICK HERE to contact Streets Committee or Visit TCNA Website for information about all the Streets On-Going Projects

The TCNA Streets Committee Fall 2022 Zoom Meeting

Monday, October 24

7:30-8:30 PM

Lots of projects happening in Tuscany-Canterbury

Get involved.

Agenda:

• Update on Linkwood Road project implementation options and next steps
• 39th Street traffic calming progress and proposed design modifications
• University Parkway resurfacing and safety improvements update
• Tuscany Road traffic calming - Calvert School request and TCNA response
• Tuscany-Canterbury street lighting
• On-street and off-street vehicle charging: IIJA and IRA provisions
• MTA North-South Transit Corridor Study (time permitting)
• Other business (time permitting)

A summary of the committee meeting will be presented at the TCNA General meeting on November 16, in the November newsletter, and on the TCNA website

Click here to contact Brian at the Streets Committee

Electric Vehicles Are Here.

How Will We Charge Them?

Electric vehicle (EV) sales have reached a critical point in their trajectory, making up an estimated 1 percent of all vehicles sold in the U.S. in 2022, year to date. In Maryland, EV sales have historically been stronger than the national average thanks to more dense development (and shorter trips) and state excise tax credits for EV sales. By the end of 2021, EVs already made up more than 1 percent of vehicles registered in Maryland--a share that is expected to grow as more affordable EVs become available here in the 2023 model year and more battery manufacturing and vehicle assembly capacity come online in the U.S. Sales of all EVs are up 60 percent year to date; Tesla alone reported more than 100 percent year-over-year growth in sales in the third quarter.

Two recently-passed Federal laws, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), contain incentives for electric vehicle purchases that are expected to further boost sales. You can qualify for up to $7,000 in tax credits starting in January 2023 depending on where your new car is manufactured, where the battery is manufactured, and what percentage of materials and parts are sourced from the U.S. That's in addition to the $3,000 vehicle excise tax credit available to Maryland residents.

The big question most people have when considering an EV is: Where and how will I charge it? If you have a driveway and an easy path to your electric panel, you can have an electrician install a new 240 Volt plug or (better) a hardwired Level 2 fast charger for home use. If you live in a condo or apartment building and have access to off-street parking, your building can install EV charging stations, similar to those you've probably noticed at Giant on 41st Street, in the garage at the Rotunda, or at the DoubleTree hotel garage here in Tuscany-Canterbury. Many people also have access to EV charging stations where they work. 

Both the IRA and IIJA contain massive subsidies for the public sector, private sector, and homeowners to install EV charging infrastructure. Federal and state tax credits combined will cover up to 70 percent of the cost of EV charging starting in January.

For the rest of us who rely on on-street parking, the solution to home EV charging is more complicated. Baltimore City prohibits charging cables from crossing sidewalks and other public rights of way. Neither Baltimore City nor BGE currently have a comprehensive strategy to install charging stations on public streets, although there are some pilots underway. Some questions include whether private companies should be able to use public rights-of-way to generate revenue from their charging stations, how to address equity implications of reserving on-street parking for EV charging, given that up-front costs of purchasing EVs are considerably higher than internal-combustion engines, and what threshold of EV sales and registrations in a region or neighborhood, if any, would be appropriate to consider reserving some on-street parking for EV charging. 

More broadly, some transportation equity and environmental justice advocates have questioned whether EV subsidies will encourage more driving and energy consumption and whether the city and state should prioritize infrastructure and services to encourage use of mass transit, biking, and walking.

TCNA Streets Committee will be looking into these questions in the months ahead. If you have any suggestions or thoughts, please email us at TCNAStreets@gmail.com, or attend the upcoming Streets Committee meeting on Monday, October 24 at 7:30 PM. Email us for details.

For more information on tax credits and incentives for EV purchases, and for information on EV charging station availability and installation:

Maryland Department of Environment

Baltimore City Parking Authority

CLICK HERE For BGE EV SMART PROGRAM

Greens Committee

Bonnie Boland, Committee Chair

Committee Members: Alison Moliterno, Pat Hawthorne, Pat Mutch, Pat Loker, Fred Chalfant, Will Snyder, Chris Whitaker

Calvert Liaison Committee

Amy Mutch, Chair

Committee Members: Ferd Latrobe (Canterbury Road), Ned Lewison (Gardens of Guilford), Arna Margolis (Tuscany/Lombardy)

Calendar Events for Calvert School

• October 31: School is closed half day for professional development
• November  11: School Closed - Parent/Teacher Conferences 
• November 22: School Closes at 12:30 P.M. - Grandparents’ Day - Thanksgiving Break begins 

Neighborhood News 

Your Questions, Comments, or Messages

Ridgemede/Ridgewood Condominiums Retaining Wall Project 

After over 80 years of weathering rain, snow, freezing temperatures and the subsequent effects of all of that, a section of the retaining wall adjacent to 310 Ridgemede Road needed repairs and rehabilitation to ensure that it continues to function for another 80+ years.

The Condominium Association, in coordination with Tony Morabito of Morabito Consultants and working with Harvey Construction is in the process of doing just that. The section of the wall needing repairs, in addition to the entire parking lot surface, is currently being worked on so that a new system of water dispersal will be installed to ensure that the wall, when reassembled will be stronger than when it was first erected. The surface of the parking lot will be upgraded to concrete. The project is expected to be finished before the end of this year.

Please contact Diana Deveraux, Thornhill Properties Property Manager for the Ridgemede/Ridgewood Condominium Association if you have any questions or concerns. She can be reached at diana@thornhillbaltimore.com or 410-296-2877

Thank you to Hope Ratner for this update.

TCNA at Work

The mattress on Linkwood Road was removed within 24 hours after a call was made to 311 explaining the dangerous position of the dumped mattress for cars on Linkwood Road.

If you see a problem,

DO SOMETHING. Don't WAIT Call 311

If Baltimore City doesn't solve the problem, email presidentTCNA@gmail.com the confirmation number and the issue and TCNA will follow up.

The sign at the corner of Charles and Highfield is wrong. It should say West Highfield not East. 

How can this be fixed?

When we need help with the City and TCNA can't resolve the issue, TCNA turns to our Councilwoman Odette Ramos for help.

Councilwoman Odette Ramos responds

Yes we have a request in to fix this, the challenge is the backlog in sign requests.   I will continue to follow-up on this request.

Street Gutter Reminder

Fall means beautiful leaves, but they fall in abundance and clog the tops of gutters on our streets! A little reminder to be a good neighbor and rake leaves, sticks, and other debris off the gutters so water runoff can flow!

New Online Bill Pay for Baltimore City 

Starting October 1, Baltimore now offers online billing through a new customer portal that allows residents to switch things like water billing to automatic payments.

The new website is hosted through Paymentus and includes enhanced customer service features designed to improve the overall customer experience for residents seeking to pay their bills online. Features include improved security, expanded payment options (Amazon Pay, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, and Venmo), enhanced customer experience through a Customer Payment Portal, and additional walk-in locations starting in December 2022.

Customers with future or recurring payments scheduled through the City’s current portal will need to take action to reschedule payments through the new website. To schedule future or recurring payments, residents need to set up an account through Paymentus’s customer payment portal. The City has compiled a list of Frequently Asked Questions to assist customers with the transition.

Baltimore Region North-South Corridor Study

The online survey is available now through November 7.

The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) and Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) are working with Baltimore City and Baltimore County to determine the best way to serve passengers traveling between Towson and Downtown Baltimore. The North-South Corridor Study will help determine what combination of bus, light rail, heavy rail, and commuter rail best fit the community; where stops and stations should be located and how close they should be to each other; what operating hours and frequency should be; and what types of physical improvements need to be made.

MDOT/MTA is requesting the public’s feedback on seven potential routes. Transportation between Towson and Downtown would expand access to jobs and services and support economic growth and sustainability goals.

Tuscany-Canterbury Curbside Recycling Schedule

October 27, November 10

EVERY OTHER WEEK

Go to the DPW website:for the latest information about the schedule.

Last year the Lacrosse Hall of Fame building was torn down on University Parkway. The new Imagine Center has opened this Fall.

Inside the Imagine Center Johns Hopkins students have a new home for their explorations, curiosities, and immersive learning experiences. The Imagine Center is where they'll dream up their next big adventures.

Click Here for more information about the Imagine Center

JOHNS HOPKINS POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD OPENS CALL FOR NEW MEMBERS

Baltimore and university community members can apply to help shape the development of a model campus police department; applications due by November 7.

CLICK HERE for more information

Neighborhood Restaurants Updates

Call or check website (listed below) for LATEST information

This space is provided free for our neighborhood restaurants.

Latest Information about Our Neighborhood Restaurants

Kathryn Gallagher, Restaurant - What's Happening 

Lois Schenck, Neighborhood Reviewer - What's Really Good

The new Hopkins Market has requested a new liquor license for 110 W 39th Street (the former Hopkins Deli). TCNA found out this information when the sign was posted on their window. The Hopkins Market LLC was created on May 31, 2022.

The Hopkins Market has requested a Class B Restaurant license that allows liquor to be sold between 6AM- 2AM. They have also requested a license to deliver alcohol. The Liquor Board hearing was scheduled for November 3 at 10:30. It has now been postponed at the request of Councilwoman Ramos and TCNA until the owners and TCNA resolve neighborhood concerns.

The TCNA Board had an emergency meeting on November 10, 2022 to discuss the issue. They have been in touch with Councilwoman Odette Ramos, Delegate Maggie McIntosh and former Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke. The following action items were unanimously decided.

1. Oppose the request to grant the liquor license at the Liquor Board at the hearing on November 3 unless the the hearing is delayed and TCNA has time to work with the Hopkins Market and Hopkins House to resolve the potential issues.
2. Create a Hopkins Market Committee who would gather additional information, communicate to impacted areas of the neighborhood, meet with necessary people, agencies, and elected officials. They would keep the TCNA board and membership updated on a regular basis. (Past TCNA co-presidents will chair the committee.
3. Meet with the owners of the Hopkins Market and also the Hopkins House Apartments as soon as possible.
4. Approved funding to hire a lawyer if necessary.
5. Notify neighbors to email Liquor Board and attend November 3 hearing if it is not postponed.
6. Send out Email Blasts to our 604 neighborhood emails about new information, updates, and Call to Action if necessary.

The concerns raised by the Board and neighbors so far:

1. The hours of operation for the restaurant and liquor sales
2. The plan for the market
3. Additional traffic for deliveries to the restaurant
4. Additional traffic for liquor deliveries to residences

CLICK HERE for more information.   

LATEST UPDATES (October 15). Regular updates will be posted on the TCNA website.  Go to NEWS: On-Going Projects: HOPKINS MARKET every weekend for the latest information. TCNA just got a sketch of the floor plan. It appears that there will seating for up to 72 customers with 8 tables seating 8 people each. There will also be a section for packaged goods including beer, wine, and liquor as well as a section for grocery and other merchandise. This drawing is now available on the TCNA website.

Click the red button below to get regular email updates and to let us know your questions and comments.

What's Really Good at One World Cafe

Sisters Cindy and Susan Novak have owned One World Cafe for twenty-one years but today they say they are struggling. Their customers have always drawn from the Hopkins campus and a wide range of nearby residents but they are coming back from the pandemic slowly.

The day I stopped by, they were offering their soup and burger of the day as well as their temptingly varied menu. The day's special included a Vegan Special Bowl with "chicken" fajita and quinoa bowl with roasted beets, black beans, grape tomatoes and avocado and a Vegan Tofu Special with herb crusted baked tofu, mashed sweet potato and a sun-dried tomato cream sauce.

Let's hope the regulars- reappear soon and that they will make new friends as well.

Lois Schenck, author of Desperate Gourmet and former food editor of a magazine in San Francisco, will giving regular reports about the latest specials and other great things happening at the restaurants in Tuscany-Canterbury.

Recent Sale Prices of Homes & Condos

in Tuscany Canterbury

Tuscany-Canterbury Neighborhood Sales:  September & October 2022

Events & Happenings

In and Around

Tuscany-Canterbury

The Goats are back this weekend

Goats on the Slope are coming to Wyman Park Dell on Friday, October 14th  They will stay through the weekend. 

In addition, the Friends of Wyman Park Dell and Charles Village Music Series are hosting two music events to add some music ambiance while we watch the goats:

Saturday at 3pm: Goat Jazz. Jazz musicians from around the area will come together to play jazz while the Goats munch on the foliage. 

Sunday at 3:30pm: Remington Rounders. Blue grass and classic country music for the afternoon with the Goats.

BIRD FUN

Linkwood Park

Sunday, October 16

10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Calling all bird enthusiasts! 

Please join us for a bird banding demonstration with Birds of Urban Baltimore (B.Ur.B), a bird-themed craft activity,  and to learn how you can protect birds in our community with Lights Out Baltimore. We will gather in Linkwood Park next to the playground. Register on Eventbrite and we'll be in touch if there are any updates.

Email friends.stony.run@gmail.com for more information. 

Charter Amendment- QUESTION H FOR LOCAL CONTROL OF BALTIMORE POLICE DEPARTMENT

See Fly Dates

On November 8, 2022, Baltimore City voters will have the opportunity to vote FOR or AGAINST Charter Amendment Question “H” to make the Baltimore Police Department a city agency instead of a state agency. Join the representatives of the Local Control Advisory Board for a series of in-person community meetings to learn more about the local control Question "H" Charter Amendment.

Community Concerts at Second

WORLD-CLASS CONCERTS, FREE TO ALL

4200 St. Paul Street

For More Concert Information 

SEASON AT-A-GLANCE

Oct 23, 2022, 7:30pm Chamber Music by Candlelight

Nov 13, 2022, 3:30pm Poulenc Trio

Jan 8, 2023, 7:30pm Chamber Music by Candlelight

Jan 22, 2023, 3:30pm Berta Rojas, guitar

Feb 5, 2023, 7:30pm Chamber Music by Candlelight

Feb 19, 2023, 3:30pm Morgan State University Choir

Mar 5, 2023, 3:30pm Seraph Brass

Mar 26, 2023, 7:30pm Chamber Music by Candlelight

Apr 16, 2023, 3:30pm Wynona Wang, Piano

Apr 23, 2023, 7:30pm Chamber Music by Candlelight

May 7, 2023, 3:30pm Wonderlic Competition Vocal Recital

May 21, 2023, 3:30pm Sean Jones, Trumpet

Jun 4, 2023, 7:30pm Chamber Music by Candlelight

Community Day

Sunday, October 30, 1-5 pm

Celebrate the public opening of A Movement in Every Direction: Legacies of the Great Migration with free admission to the exhibition.  This exhibition explores the impact of the Great Migration through new works by 12 contemporary artists. 

An afternoon of free, family-friendly activities including:

• Pop-up card storytelling art-making with artist Safiyah Cheatam,
• A sampling of southern and immigrant food with Mera Kitchen Collective and H3irloom Food Group,
• A performance chronicling the evolution of African American music and dance with Moving History,
• and more to be announced!

Modern-Day Migration Stories

Thursday, November 3, 6:30-8 pm

The Stoop Storytelling Series presents true tales of escape, opportunity, and the profound act of making a home away from home inspired by A Movement in Every Direction: Legacies of the Great Migration. Free with registration.

Reserve your free tickets here

Free Docent-Led Tours

Every Wednesday-Friday, 11 a.m.

Learn more about the works in A Movement in Every Direction during a one-hour tour led by a BMA docent. Tours begin November 9 through January 13 and are free with ticket purchase. Register now.

Friends of Stony Run

FINAL Lower Stony Run Strategic Plan

Community Presentation & Celebration

Thursday, November 3 7PM

Mason Hall, Johns Hopkins University

with Tom McGilloway, Mahan-Rykiel Associates

We will celebrate approval of $1.5 million in State Capital Bond Funding for 5 projects to improve connections, safety and signage along the Stony Run Walking Path. 

Light refreshments following the presentation. Paid parking available in garage below Mason Hall. Please register on Eventbrite

What will October look like this year in Tuscany-Canterbury!

Send your pictures to presidentTCNA@gmail.com

TCNA Officers and Board Members

President: Julia Frazier (Canterbury Road)

Vice President: Garth Thompson  (Ridgemede Road)

Past Presidents: Andrew and Luciene Parsley  (Tuscany Road)

Treasurer: Bill Bass (Cloverhill Road)

Secretary: Sam Park (Tuscany Court)

Board Members:

• Bonnie Boland (The Colonnade, Canterbury Road)
• Ann Christopher (Tuscany Court)
• Josh Cohen (Cloverhill Road)
• Linda Eberhart (Tuscany Road)
• Paul Gallo  (Tuscany Court) 
• Gard Jones (Tuscany-Lombardy Co-Op, Stony Run Lane)
• Pat Hawthorne (Gardens of Guilford Condo, Stony Run Lane)
• Nancy Lamotte (Ridgemede/Ridgewood Condo, Linkwood Road)
• Mat Leffler-Schulman (Cloverhill Road)
• Rosalyn Mansouri (Winthrop House Condo, Charles Street)
• Amy Mutch (Tuscany Road)
• Jo-Ann Orlinsky (St. James Condo Charles Street) 
• Brian ten Siethoff (Cloverhill Road)
• Lauren Urbanek (Tuscany Road)