Westview’s commercial area continues to see development along Ralph David Abernathy Blvd. The newest addition to the Westview neighborhood is The Big Apple Inn, a take-out restaurant making headlines for its pig ear sandwiches.

However, The Big Apple Inn brings more than just a new business to the neighborhood, it brings family history. April Patton, the owner of The Big Apple Inn, is a fourth generation family member of the business that originated in Jackson, Mississippi. April’s cousin, Geno, still runs the family restaurant in Jackson. To watch more about the history behind The Big Apple Inn watch this video: http://vimeo.com/7439544

To view photos of the opening of The Big Apple Inn please visit the “Development Photos” folder on our Westview Facebook page.

The Westview Community Organization held a successful kick-off to the “April Clean-Up Month.” Neighbors came together on Saturday, April 7, 2012, to tackle two tasks:

One team roamed the streets to collect tires that have been dumped throughout the neighborhood. Thanks to Liberty Tire Recycling, the 100 collected tires (!) will no longer be littering the Westview neighborhood.

The second team set out to start constructing a picket fence around the new Stokes Avenue Community Park (or at least park to be!). Thanks to the “NPU-T” grant the neighborhood was able to fund a picket fence. The fence is yet to be completed, but good progress has been made.

Thanks to all the volunteers who made it out! We hope to see you out for the next two clean-up days on Saturday, April 14, and Saturday, April 21.

To view more photos of the tire clean-up and fence construction please visit our Westview Facebook page.

Sometimes progress appears slow, but patience and hard work show that good things come to those who wait.

A property at 1556 Stokes Avenue, commonly referred to by neighbors as “the blue box,” was an eyesore for years. The 1980s infill construction was a bland looking two story box with a faux roof, siding falling off the walls, and overgrown grass. As with many code enforcement issues, the owner of the property was hard to track down, but was eventually found and a court date was set for March 2010.

The story turns out to be quite a bizarre one. When members of the community showed up in court to fight against the owner it became known that the property, among others, had been left in the woman’s name by her estranged husband. Only recently being made aware of the properties she was quick to come to an agreement of signing the property over to the community so the house could be torn down and turned into a pocket park.

With the help of the University Community Development Corporation (UCDC) the property was demolished in October 2011 and turned over to the community. And thanks to two grants, the “NPU-T” grant and the “Love Your Block” grant, the land will be turned into a pocket park for neighbors to enjoy!

Stay tuned for updates on how this sad house will be turned into a community spot.

April has been marked as the spring “clean-up month” for Westview. Three clean-up’s are scheduled for Saturday, April 7th, 14th, and 21st. Each day will focus on a different task. Come help out one day or all three days! Neighbors will meet up at KIPP STRIVE Academy (1444 Lucile Avenue) at 9:00am on each clean-up day and dispurse into the neighborhood from there.

Saturday, April 7th – Tire Recycling Day
Saturday, April 14th – Trash/Junk Day
Saturday, April 21st – Weed Control Day

A “I Am America” special report by CNN featured KIPP STRIVE Academy principal Ed Chang. Watch the video to hear Ed explain why he switched from his previous career as a physical therapist to the education field.

“Education is the civil rights movement of today.” – Ed Chang

The Westview Community Organization is proud to announce the launch of its new newsletter, “Westview Neighbor“. The first issue contains articles about neighbor and a New Orleans Saints NFL player Leigh Torrence, the beginning of the “Westview Youth” program, an opinion piece about whether businesses can survive in Westview, tips on keeping up with your new year’s resolutions, and a lentil soup recipe.

If you have recommendations for future stories, would like to contribute an article, would like to pass out the newsletter on your street, or would like to inquire about advertising possibilities please email westviewnews@yahoo.com.

Download an e-version of the “Westview Neighbor” newsletter: January/February 2012 Issue

KIPP Metro Atlanta is pleased to announce the completion of a $10 million capital campaign to fund the construction of our first elementary school in Atlanta, KIPP STRIVE Primary. Thanks to the $5 million challenge grant issued by one of our greatest advocates, the Kendeda Fund, we were able to leverage this support and raise the remaining funds required to construct the facility on the campus of KIPP STRIVE Academy Middle School. Funders include the Joseph B. Whitehead Foundation, the David, Helen, and Marian Woodward Fund, the Tull Foundation, the Besse Johnson & George Blanton Allen Foundation, two anonymous donors, and numerous individuals.

Securing the funds at this time will allow us to begin construction this spring. The founding class of KIPP STRIVE Primary Kindergarten students will share space with KIPP STRIVE Academy Middle School during the 2012-13 school year. The new facility will be completed in time for the begining of the 2013-14 school year.

Such local philanthropic support would not be possible without the hard work and dedication of all our teachers, staff, students and parents who work each and every day to ensure our students have the knowlege and skills necessary to successfully climb the mountain to college.

Taken from KIPP Metro Atlanta E-newsletter (February 8, 2012)

When 5th/3rd Bank decided to open a branch in the Kroger CitiCenter shopping complex they did not simply renovate and start work, they actually came to the community. Future 5th/3rd bank manager Shaylah Richburg attended Westview Community Organization meetings months before the store was set to open and immediately asked “How can 5th/3rd Bank contribute in the community?” Shaylah continued to attend meetings and brought a ham to the annual Holiday Luncheon at Fire Station 17, mingling with the community like a committed neighbor. Through her attendance and communication with residents she soon found an issue that has become close to the heart for many residents in the past year – the work Pat and John Perdew have done with neighborhood children. The Perdew’s have opened their home to children where they can be in a loving, encouraging environment, where neighbors stop by to help the kids with homework after school, and where the kids can work together to cook a family meal. For their grand opening 5th/3rd Bank wanted to once again show their commitment to the surrounding area and chose the Perdew’s “Youth of Westview” children as the organization they would like to support. We are therefore proud to announce that the “Youth of Westview” were awarded $500 through fiscal agent “Next Steps Youth Entrepreneur Program” (from neighboring Beecher-Donnelly) to help fund future projects for the children.

Westview can be excited to have gained such a community-based bank at a time when most banks leave a bad taste in people’s mouths. Welcome to the neighborhood Shaylah and 5th/3rd Bank!

To view more photos of the 5th/3rd Bank grand opening please visit our Westview Facebook page.

The Westview Community Organization held a game night for young and old. Monopoly, chess, Uno, and Othello were some of the games played. Prizes were additionally given away to those able to answer quiz questions, which was especially fun for the children.

Would you have been able to answer one of the challenging but informative quiz question – “Who was the first man killed during the Revolutionary War?”. (The answer is “Crispus Attucks”.)

To view more photos of game night please visit our Westview Facebook page.

You can bring a check payable to the “Westview Community Organization” to the January WCO meeting. If you can’t make it to the meeting you can arrange to drop the check off by emailing info@westviewatlanta.com or pay online via PayPal.

Dues go to a wide variety of activities designed to improve the quality of life in the neighborhood, so your contribution is greatly appreciated.

Here are just a few things the members of the Westview Community Organization did in 2011:

• Organized neighborhood clean-ups
• Planted seasonal plantings in the traffic triangles
• Worked with Trees Atlanta to plant trees throughout the neighborhood
• Organized Thanksgiving baskets for the women’s shelter
• Continued to develop the community garden
• Developed a program for the neighborhood children
• Hosted National Night Out
• Completed a master plan for the neighborhood
• Hosted the Summer Solstice Celebration
• Organized an open house event
• Worked with the police on public safety issues
• Acquired land to create a new pocket park
• Partnered with Code Enforcement and non-profits to demolish dilapidated houses