Author: Tom Eblen

Mayor Linda Gorton’s office issued this press release today about another special yard waste pickup:

The City is once again planning to provide curbside residential yard waste pickup this month to its waste management customers.

On Wednesday, May 13, crews will pick up yard waste for everyone who has City garbage pickup on Mondays and Tuesdays. Residents who have city collections on Thursdays and Fridays will have their yard waste picked up on Wednesday, May 20.

The City temporarily halted curbside residential yard waste pickup on March 23 to protect City Waste Management employees, who also pick up garbage, a service that is critical to the community.

“We have reviewed our supply of personal protective equipment and are happy to let residents know that we have adequate inventory to schedule a second yard waste pickup this spring,” says Nancy Albright, commissioner of the Department of Environmental Quality and Public Works. “We appreciate that, over the years, many citizens have taken to heart the program that diverts yard waste from the landfill. To the extent that we can support that program while protecting our Waste Management employees from COVID-19, we are pleased to continue to offer collection services.

Until routine yard waste collections resume, residents have several disposal options:

• Hold material until collection resumes.
• Grass clippings can be left on your lawn and late-falling leaves can be mulched with a mower and left on the ground. Both grass and mulched leaves help naturally fertilize your lawn.
• Start a compost pile. It’s probably easier than you think. The same materials that would go in your yard waste bin are great for compost piles. You can even add plant-based food scraps like coffee grounds, banana peels and apple cores. (No meat, cheeses or fatty foods.)
• Take the material to the Haley Pike Waste Management Facility at 4216 Hedger Lane. Hours for Haley Pike are 8 a.m. – 6 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. No limit and no charge for Fayette Co. residents during the collection suspension. ID required.
• Put material in your green trash cart. Make sure to limit the material — the lid to your trash cart should close when you set it out for collection.

Here are some government resources and reliable news sources you may find useful as we all cope with the coronavirus pandemic. (Many news organizations with pay walls on their websites are lifting them for some or all coverage related to COVID-19.)

Remember to maintain social distance as you take walks to enjoy our neighborhood’s beautiful spring blooms. Stay safe. Be kind. Look after your neighbors.

Lexington COVID-19 resource page.

CivicLex COVID-19 Community Info Hub.

Kentucky COVID-19 resource page.

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Lexington Herald-Leader/Kentucky.com

Kentucky Educational Television

WEKU-FM

WUKY-FM

WLEX-TV

WKYT-TV

WTVQ-TV

The New York Times

Washington Post (free live coronavirus updates).

Wall Street Journal (free resources).

 

 

News from The Warehouse Block Business Association:

Dear Neighbors,

Spring has sprung and Easter is just around the corner!  Since you can’t go and see the Easter Bunny, the Warehouse Block Business Association would like to bring the Bunny to you.  On Saturday, April 11th, the Easter Bunny will board his special Egg-mobile and begin his tour of the Mentelle and Kenwick neighborhoods.  Starting inside the Warehouse Block around 11 o’clock, the Bunny will begin his loop.  He plans on driving down as many streets as possible inside both neighborhoods, so be patient and make spotting the Bunny a game unto itself.

The Bunny will be accompanied by a photographer who will snap lots of pictures, then will post those photos on Facebook and Instagram where you will be able to hunt for your pictures like a “virtual” egg hunt.  Participants will have chances to win gift cards from one of the Warehouse Block businesses, and every child that tags himself/herself in the post will receive an invite to a secret Pizza Party (once things have returned to normal.)

To ensure the ABSOLUTE safety of our neighbors, and the Easter Bunny, any photos of the Bunny should be conducted at a safe distance.  If you would like the Bunny to stop for a picture, the Bunny will gladly accommodate.  He will only go as far as the sidewalk, and you can take pics of your kiddo from the porch or yard.  If anyone approaches too close, the Bunny will hop immediately away till next year, so please be respectful of our only rule.

We really miss all of you.  Our neighbors keep us motivated through their strength and perseverance.  This is our way of spreading a little sunshine to say: “thank you.”

On April 11th, plan on finding a comfy spot in your yard or front porch and wait for the Easter Bunny to race through your neighborhood.

PS: Feel free to create chalk art on the sidewalks. The Easter bunny loves colorful decorations.

Dear Neighbors,

While speaking with Mentelle Neighborhood Association President Ann Olliges last week, she recommended that I write an update on the current state of the Warehouse Block.  The challenges posed by COVID-19 have made continuing business difficult for some and impossible for others.  Fortunately, our tight-knit business community has rallied to ensure the Block will persevere.

Here are a few stories about how creative businesses have been these past few weeks.  Mike with Seasons Catering was responsible for creating several heart-shaped ice sculptures with the words “we are all in this together” written on the face, and placing them around town, gaining the attention of several news organizations.  Natalie with Decorators Warehouse has been posting  “virtual shopping” videos for those looking to satisfy the shopping bug while confined at home. And Varsity Print is still cranking out their wares.  Its newest design: “I was social distancing before it was cool.”

Page at Etchison Company continues to create new floral designs daily.  Graves + Graves Construction is busy finishing two new projects, in Hamburg and downtown.  And Mirror Twin Brewing is still, well, brewing.  I am working on completing a listing of businesses still in operation and their hours and will try to post them on the Warehouse Block’s facebook page once completed.

I am truly astounded by the support that Lexington has offered to its struggling and sometimes shuttered businesses.   Mentelle has always been a good neighbor and our biggest supporter.  I appreciate your concern and, on behalf of all the businesses inside the Warehouse Block, thank you for your support.  If any corner of Lexington can pull through this tough time, it is us.  I hope this letter finds you all well, and I hope you are all staying in your pajamas a little longer each day.  If I can be of assistance in any capacity please don’t hesitate to call.

Sincerely,

Chad T. Walker

(859) 227-0774

Jim Ryder took these photos Thursday evening when neighbors on the 700 block of Aurora Avenue had a “Six-foot Block Party.”  People came out on their porches and into their yards to visit and have (loud) conversations while staying a safe distance away from each other.

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This is from Hannah Maple, who with her husband is the new owner of the long-neglected house at 18 Mentelle Park. Because there has been much neighborhood interest in the house’s fate, she provided this update:

I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce myself, and my family, as the newest members of your wonderful neighborhood. We are the Maples, Hannah and Corey, and we have three children — Hazel (5), Sam (3), and Max (19 months). I  know many of you have been quite concerned, and interested in, the future of the notorious 18 Mentelle Park home. And, I still can’t believe we are able to share this news, as it’s been a very long-awaited victory for our family, but, as of last Wednesday, we are incredibly excited new owners!

I, Hannah, was born to an architect father, and an appreciation for architecture and historical preservation runs deep in my blood. I have a background in interior design, having run a design business for 10 years, and I have quite a bit of experience with construction and renovation. My husband, Corey, owns a marketing company, and together we own Wilson’s Grocery + Meat, from which we currently live just across the street.

To say I have been obsessed with the 18 Mentelle property for years is really a bit of an understatement. And, although it’s a longer story than this introduction really calls for, Corey and I have been tenaciously pursuing that house for the past four months, and our efforts finally paid off when Heritage Baptist Church voted two weeks ago to accept our offer, which we made in early December. We are so very grateful to be the lucky recipients who have been given this incredible chance to bring life back to this property once more!

I know just how many people have wanted to purchase this home, and I still can’t believe it ended up in our hands, though we truly feel it was meant to be. (Eighteen is our “lucky” number, and we have felt deeply connected to that home for years.)

Fun fact: we ended up purchasing this property sight unseen. So, last Wednesday (March 18th), Corey and I left the closing table with the home’s keys, and set foot inside, and our eyes upon its interior, for the very first time. And I have to tell you, we were nothing short of blown away!

We had heard rumors that the interior was just as dilapidated as the exterior. And although it does need quite a bit of work, as most homes built during that era at some point do, it’s structurally sound, and much of the 1907 bones are preserved and intact. The interior is incredibly grand, with large-scale rooms, very tall ceilings — the second story has an 18-foot ceiling at its peak — and beautifully detailed interior architecture.

As we begin to clean up the expansive yard, we expect to uncover even more treasures! Just last week we found a limestone and brick patio that had been completely grown-over with grass and weeds.

Now that you know a bit about our family, I want to reassure you that this home is now in the most appreciative of hands. It has been such a dream of ours to own this property, and although we will be incredibly sad to leave our beautiful home on Cramer, which we recently renovated and added onto, we know that this home on Mentelle Park was meant for our family, and we are beyond excited to raise our three children there.

We very much intend for this house to be our “forever” home, and we very much intend to take the most wonderful care of it. After all, we are only the third family to have owned it, and we do not take that lightly — we feel it’s our responsibility to bring a much-needed light to this property once more, and ensure that the home’s history and integrity are preserved for this neighborhood, and all of Lexington.

I am in awe of the thought, integrity, and time that went into the design and construction of this house nearly 113 years ago, and we will put just as much thought, integrity, and energy into rehabilitating those wonderful bones. Corey and I sincerely look forward to joining your neighborhood, and establishing our family’s roots at 18 Mentelle Park. And we’re still pinching ourselves that she’s actually ours!

We wish you all the best — that you’re enjoying this beautiful weather, and staying safe. If you see us in the yard — we’re often out gawking at our new home — please say, hi! We look forward to meeting you.

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With so much shut down to help stop spread of the coronavirus, many Mentelle Neighborhood residents are trying to support local restaurants by ordering takeout meals when they can. Mentelle Park resident Selma Owens wants you to know that her shop, Selma’s Catering  (corner of Henry Clay Boulevard and Liberty Road), is open for call-in (859.971.2763) and online ordering for curbside pickup.

Selma’s serves lunch sandwiches and salads, hot lunch specials and soup-of-the-day. The shop also has dinner entrees, salads and desserts and is updating menu selections several times a week. Wine and beer are available with food orders. To see the menu, go to  Selmascatering.com .  Hours for pickup are 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.