Neighborhoods

Youngstown Neighborhood Development is a city-wide neighborhood planning and development non-profit located in downtown Youngstown.

The organization's goal is to stabilize and revitalize Youngstown's neighborhoods.

Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation is working on a new effort: the South Side Revitalization Project. The project is funded by the U.S. Department of Justice, and its aim is to reduce crime and improve community safety. The area targets the south side of Youngstown based on to years of data and crime statistics. The organization, which focuses on neighborhood stabilization and revitalization in the city of Youngstown, is worked with a number of area partners to target hot spots of criminal activity.

The initiative is underway with projects such as work days, working with landbanks and grant submission. YNDC is also coordinating data evaluation with Youngstown Police Department, Youngstown State University and others.

To read the full story from Boardman Rotary, click here.

Chemical Bank has donated $15,000 to the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp.’s housing programs.

This donation will increase the number of successful and sustainable homeowners in neighborhoods throughout the City of Youngstown by providing prospective home buyers with a comprehensive portfolio of services beginning with YNDC’s HUD Approved Housing Counseling services.

The Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation is citywide planning and development organization working to stabilize and revitalize neighborhoods throughout the City of Youngstown.

To read the full story from the Vindicator, click here.

Chemical Bank has donated $15,000 to the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp.’s housing programs.

This donation will increase the number of successful and sustainable home-owners in neighborhoods throughout Youngstown by providing prospective home buyers with a comprehensive portfolio of services beginning with YNDC’s HUD Approved Housing Counseling services.

The Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation is a citywide planning and development organization working to stabilize and revitalize neighborhoods throughout Youngstown.

Appreciation day at Hollywood Gaming

AUSTINTOWN

Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course will have its second Racing Fan Appreciation Day on Saturday, marking the end of the 2016-17 racing season.

The activities include: 10:30 a.m., question-and- answer seminar with the leading jockeys and trainer; Noon to 3:45 p.m., any racing fan using a Marquee Rewards card to wager on the day’s races will have a chance to be randomly selected for a free gift voucher; 12:15 p.m. to 3:45 p.m., T-shirt tosses in between each live race of the day; and at 3:45 p.m., a mandatory payout of the Buckeye Pick 6.

New business filings in Ohio

COLUMBUS

Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted on Thursday announced 12,827 new entities filed to do business in Ohio during March, an increase of 2,349 when compared with the same month in 2016. Today’s announcement makes March the best month for new-business formation in Ohio’s history.

US jobless aid applications fall

WASHINGTON

Fewer Americans sought unemployment benefits last week, which is evidence of a stable job market and greater security for workers.

Weekly applications for jobless aid dipped 1,000 to a seasonally adjusted 234,000, the Labor Department said Thursday. Requests for benefits in the prior week were revised up 1,000 to 235,000. The four-week average, a less volatile measure, fell to 247,250 from 250,250.

Over the past year, the number of people collecting unemployment benefits has fallen 6.9 percent to 2 million.

Applications are a proxy for layoffs. They have stayed below 300,000, a level linked with broader job growth, for 110 weeks. That’s the longest period at such a low level since 1970, when the U.S. population was much smaller.

Staff/wire reports

Selected local stocks

STOCK, DIVIDENDCLOSECHANGE

Alcoa Inc., .1231.00-1.05

Aqua America, .71 32.70-0.10

Avalon Holdings,2.32-0.07

Chemical Bank, .2746.76-1.29Community Health Sys. 9.10 0.22

Cortland Bancorp, .2818.650.05

Farmers Nat., .1612.90-0.05

First Energy, 1.44 31.27-0.34

Fifth/Third, .5223.93-0.40

FirstMerit Corp.,21.610.37

First Niles Financial, .1210.000.00

FNB Corp., .4813.85-0.36

General Motors, 1.5233.39-0.55

General Electric, .9229.56-0.21

Huntington Bank, .28 12.59-0.2

iHeartMedia Inc.,3.300.35

JP Morgan Chase, 1.9284.41-0.99

Key Corp, .3417.00-0.16

LaFarge, .34-0.00

Macy’s, 1.51 29.170.00

Parker Hannifin, 2.52 153.57-1.85

PNC, 2.20115.80-0.20

Simon Prop. Grp., 6.60173.810.53

Stoneridge 17.17-0.21

United Comm. Fin., .12 8.06-0.13

Selected prices from Thursday’s 4 p.m. close.

To read the full article from the Vindicator, click here.

Chemical Bank has donated $15,000 to support housing programs organized by Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp., the community improvement group announced Thursday.

The funds will be used to expand YNDC’s housing counseling services, the group said in a release, which will in turn boost the number of homeowners in Youngstown.

“We are very grateful for the support of Chemical Bank and the commitment they have shown to our collective work to stabilize and revitalize neighborhoods throughout the city,” explained YNDC Executive Director Ian Beniston. “This investment will allow us to continue to grow our housing programs by counseling more clients and further strengthen neighborhood housing markets.”

Among the services available through the housing counseling program at YNDC are education programs for those who are either looking to buy houses in the city or have recently purchased a home. Topics include money management, mortgage workshops, down payment assistance, energy efficiency and housing code enforcement.

Added Chemical Bank Regional President Mark Wenick, “We are committed to giving back to the communities we serve. The YNDC does an outstanding job of contributing to the renewal and development of Youngstown neighborhoods. … We are pleased to assist in the advancement of our proud city.”

To read the full story from the Business Journal, click here.

Monday, April 17, 2017

On April 15, Farm Manager Corey Maizel taught a class on building hoophouses. Over 30 people participated in the workshop, which focused on affordable season extension.

The class built a simple 10' x 20' hoophouse with a cost of around $250. Hoophouses can allow for year-round harvest of greens and provide a great environment for early fruiting crops, such as peppers and tomatoes. They are also great environments to start seeds without having to purchase costly lights or other equipment.

Monday, April 17, 2017

YNDC is pleased to announce the winners of the 2017 Youth Greening Grant program competition.

The Youth Greening Grant program is part of a 3-city study of youth violence prevention operated by the University of Michigan and funded by the Centers for Disease Control. This year’s projects include an orchard, community gardens, and other beautification projects.

Winners for 2017 are:

Metro Assembly – Metro Adopt a Lot

Boys and Girls Club of Youngstown – Team Up to Clean Up

Mt. Gilead Baptist Church – Renew Team

Cardinal Mooney High School – Flint Hill Neighborhood Revitalization

People’s Chapel Church of God – Beautification Project

West Princeton Block Club – Peace Plots

Know Your Neighbor Block Watch – Cordova Community Garden

Martin Luther Lutheran Church – Hope Orchard

KANDUTHISINC – Garden of Eden

Republic Gardens – Republic Youths

Hattie Wilkins – Forest Ave. Youth Program

Truth Transport – Getting to the Root of It

Northeast Homeowners – Lots of Pride Greening Project

Randall Nuby Jr. – Increase the Peace Nonviolent Movement

Tuesday, April 18, 2017

On Saturday, April 15, more than 50 volunteers from AmeriCorps NCCC, AmeriCorps REVITALIZE, Hope for Renewal/Tabernacle Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Metro Assembly of God, NOW Youngstown, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Progress MV, US to U.S., YSU Honors College, and YSUscape helped clean out a vacant home at 960 Bonnie Brae Avenue for the Idora Neighborhood Workday.

YNDC will rehabilitate 960 Bonnie Brae. Volunteers removed brush and debris, scraped the sidewalks, removed wall coverings, cabinets, and carpeting, cleaned up the landscaping, and much more! 40 Cubic yards of debris was removed from the property and 307 linear feet of sidewalk was scraped. Many thanks to all of the volunteers and Hope for Renewal/Tabernacle Evangelical Presbyterian Church for providing snacks!

The Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation’s (YNDC) Iron Roots Urban Farm is starting a new program this year called Community Supported Agriculture.

The idea behind the program is for the community to come together and invest in the farm. At the beginning of the year, members pay an upfront fee that will cover the costs for the growing season.

By investing in the program through a subscription, customers will get locally-grown produce all summer. The subscription lasts for 20 weeks from June 13 through October 31. Each week, shareholders get five to seven different seasonal items. The cost to join the program is $650 – about $33 per week.

Pickup locations are at the Warren Farmer’s Market, Idora Farmer’s Market, and Catullo Prime Meats in Boardman.

“It’s got a pretty wide variety that is going to change each week based on what is in season, what’s fresh and what’s the best quality for the week,” said Liberty Avila, Land Reuse director for YNDC.

Avila said the program is a commitment to eating healthy with the freshest food possible – basically farm to table.

“Having it grown here and knowing where it came from, especially if it’s organic, you know you can’t go wrong,” said Steven Gatte, Youngstown resident.

The Community Supported Agriculture not only helps bring fresh foods to the table but also helps the economy by providing jobs.

“It’s going to allow us to really grow our farming options as well as employ people,” Avila said. “This model really lets us invest in the farm and lets you invest in the farm so you can be part of the revitalization in Youngstown and eat healthier and feed your families.”

The goal is to have 100 shareholders signed up for the service. Right now, there are 25.

The deadline to apply for the program is June 2.

For more information on Community Supported Agriculture and Iron Roots Urban Farm, call (330) 480-0423. Use extension 2 or ask for Liberty Avila.

To read the full story from WKBN, click here.

The summer job market might be a little tighter this year.

The Ohio Summer Youth Employment program helped hundreds of teens in the Mahoning Valley get summer jobs.

It helped local governments, too. Teen workers filled in the gaps when full-time city employees went on vacation.

They were paid through federal money, but Columbiana and Mahoning counties are losing more than $1.5 million for workers through the program.

The State of Ohio is using the $40 million from the summer program to start a new “case management” system. That program is supposed to help low-income teens find jobs in the private sector.

“It’s hard to argue with that part of it, in terms of what the state is trying to do. I understand that, but selfishly, we’d like to have our kids be working this summer and that’s not going to happen,” said Columbiana County Commissioner Mike Halleck.

Halleck said Columbiana County will receive about $111,000 as opposed to the $800,000 the county received before. And, they can only hire 14- and 15-year-olds.

Those workers can’t run landscaping equipment, can’t drive to job sites and have to work shorter hours.

Columbiana County used to hire hundreds of teens and now only 30 can be hired.

Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation Director Ian Beniston said the change will affect hundreds of kids in the city, from 16- to 24-years-old, that were gaining real skills from the work.

“We do have them doing real hard work here,” he said. “They are out eight hours a day cutting grass or boarding up houses in the heat. It’s not easy work they were doing.”

Supporters say the youth employment program did a lot of good, and now teens and young adults from disadvantaged families won’t have those work opportunities.

“The important thing, not only did it give them some spending money, but it taught them a work ethic, so it was beneficial on both sides of the equation,” Halleck said.

To read the full story from WKBN, click here.

The Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation’s (YNDC) Iron Roots Urban Farm is starting a new program this year called Community Supported Agriculture.

The idea behind the program is for the community to come together and invest in the farm. At the beginning of the year, members pay an upfront fee that will cover the costs for the growing season.

By investing in the program through a subscription, customers will get locally-grown produce all summer. The subscription lasts for 20 weeks from June 13 through October 31. Each week, shareholders get five to seven different seasonal items. The cost to join the program is $650 – about $33 per week.

Pickup locations are at the Warren Farmer’s Market, Idora Farmer’s Market, and Catullo Prime Meats in Boardman.

“It’s got a pretty wide variety that is going to change each week based on what is in season, what’s fresh and what’s the best quality for the week,” said Liberty Avila, Land Reuse director for YNDC.

Avila said the program is a commitment to eating healthy with the freshest food possible – basically farm to table.

“Having it grown here and knowing where it came from, especially if it’s organic, you know you can’t go wrong,” said Steven Gatte, Youngstown resident.

The Community Supported Agriculture not only helps bring fresh foods to the table but also helps the economy by providing jobs.

“It’s going to allow us to really grow our farming options as well as employ people,” Avila said. “This model really lets us invest in the farm and lets you invest in the farm so you can be part of the revitalization in Youngstown and eat healthier and feed your families.”

The goal is to have 100 shareholders signed up for the service. Right now, there are 25.

The deadline to apply for the program is June 2.

For more information on Community Supported Agriculture and Iron Roots Urban Farm, call (330) 480-0423. Use extension 2 or ask for Liberty Avila.

To read the full story from WYTV, click here.