Neighborhood Groups

Students and staff at Calvin M. Rodwell Elementary are abuzz over the arrival of WeatherBug Science Curriculum, a program that will allow the city school to feed data to meteorologists and give students a better appreciation of science, math and literacy. "Our students are very excited," said Saundra Adams, the school's principal. "They have the opportunity to experience in-depth learning. They are going to use this as a way to springboard off their own learning." The curriculum is supported by a $50,000 grant the school received through a partnership that urges schools and neighborhood groups to work together to improve neighborhoods - therefore encouraging families to move back to the city.

A hearty spaghetti meal is just the ticket for these cold winter evenings. Two neighborhood mens' groups are planning spaghetti dinners for Saturday.The United Methodist Men of the Linthicum Heights United Methodist Church is sponsoring a pasta repast from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday in the church's Fellowship Hall, 200 School Lane.The price is $6 for adults, $4 for children ages 12 and younger.For information, call 859-0990.The United Methodist Men of Ferndale United Methodist Church invites everyone to its spaghetti sit-down at 6 p.m. Saturday in the Fellowship Hall, 117 Ferndale Road.

What to do with a closed library was the question at a planning meeting attended by two dozen Charles Village community leaders and Enoch Pratt Free Library officials last night.While no answers were reached regarding the closed library branch at 2521 St. Paul St., an "initial concept" of reusing the Victorian building as a community-run library and learning center was presented in a statement of intent from nine neighborhood groups."This is not the end, but a beginning," said Frank Jannuzi, vice president of the Charles Village Benefits District, who chaired the meeting in the organization's office.

The Neighborhoods of Greater Lauraville, with support from the Greater Baltimore Board of Realtors, is launching a grass roots advertising campaign to lure Washington homebuyers to the more affordable Baltimore City neighborhoods. The initiative is designed to promote the neighborhoods of Lauraville, Beverly Hills, Arcadia, Moravia-Walther and Waltherson. According to Joseph T. "Jody" Landers III, executive vice president of the GBBR and a Lauraville resident, the homes are a good value when compared with the high price of housing in the Washington metro region.

With less money to spend, the Glen Burnie Improvement Association is planning a $148,647 budget for next year, down from the current $185,000 spending plan.Donations to community organizations would be cut by more than half -- down to about $14,300 -- under the budget proposed Tuesday night. Money for maintaining the association's property and paying legal fees also would be cut, but not as drastically.The smaller budget is the result of plummeting return rates on investments and reduced profit from the association's annual summer carnival, said Don Gibson, treasurer.

One of Arlene Hodges' mottos is that safety begins at home.Sinceshe considers her entire neighborhood an extended home, the president of the Brooklyn Park Improvement Association has decided to spread the word. She's encouraging her neighbors to start a crime watch unit.Residents will meet Feb. 19 to discuss launching a Neighborhood Watch group in Brooklyn Park. The idea faltered in previous years whenfew neighbors expressed enough interest, Hodges acknowledged. But she hopes to drum up enough support this time.

Helen M. McMahon, a volunteer and founder of the Poplar Ridge Neighborhood Association in her former Anne Arundel County community, died of a heart attack Feb. 25 at her home in Merritt Island, Fla. She was 76. Born in Baltimore and raised in Locust Point, Helen Merstof attended city public schools. She worked in the accounting department of the Procter & Gamble plant in Locust Point from 1940 until 1954. A longtime resident of Poplar Ridge, Mrs. McMahon helped establish the neighborhood association during the 1950s.

Creative energy zooms through a room in West Baltimore where some 30 members of WombWork Productions high step, spin and dance with arms outstretched in a series of African dance moves, all to the beat of live drums. In the far corner, Sean Keelan, the only white guy present, does his best to keep pace with the Park Heights-based troupe, gathered on a Wednesday night to rehearse performance pieces that deliver a potent HIV-prevention message to city audiences. Keelan is a candidate in a new graduate degree program at the Maryland Institute College of Art. The yearlong master of arts in community arts pairs students with city nonprofit groups to learn how to use art as a catalyst for social justice and how to see the community, itself, as a medium for their own artwork.

Twelve Baltimore community groups were recently awarded more than $42,000 in grants to improve conditions in their low-income neighborhoods.Grants ranging from $500 to $10,000 were awarded to the Druid Heights Community Development Corp., the Brooklyn Homes Tenant Council and other organizations by the Baltimore Community Foundation's Neighborhood Grants Program.Druid Heights in West Baltimore was awarded $8,300 -- the organization's second grant from the foundation -- to continue Korean language classes for black youths.

Waving photographs of rodent-infested garbage and chanting "Trash Brings Rats, Can Your Trash," 110 rat-weary Baltimoreans staged a loud and light-hearted demonstration in front of City Hall last night.The rally's organizers -- members of a new coalition group, Baltimoreans Against Rats, which includes at least 20 neighborhood associations -- said the event was meant to remind officials and residents of the virtues of rat control.During the hourlong event, participants playfully taunted passing city officials and read from a list of demands, including closer supervision of city sanitation workers, stronger enforcement of city codes on trash cans, and an increase in the number of employees dedicated to rat baiting.