RCI Creates Virtual Community Platform For Tenants, Clients and Constituents

We are excited to announce the creation of our new Virtual Community Platform based off the VillageNode project.  Over the Summer, RCI Staff worked with one of its certified minority-owned start-ups, Acuta Digital, Inc., to design, create and implement an interactive platform that enables Riverside Center for Innovation and its stakeholders i.e. tenant; clients and constituents to easily and effectively manage information between one another.

This Virtual Community Platform offers mass email newsletter distribution and real-time information sharing capabilities with our stakeholders.  In our  strategic re-visioning process, our Board of Director's have asked the staff to create some sort of forum where our stakeholders can make announcement of activities such as any discounted services, events and more importantly the services of our start -up and existing companies have to offer. 

Please follow the steps below to access the Virtual Community Platform:

1) Go to RCI’s website (http://www.riversidecenterforinnovation.com) and click the RCI’s Village Node –Virtual Community Platform link located on the left navigation bar, then click the Create new account tab and create a new account.

2) Once your account is approved, you will receive an email with login info.   You must login to your account to activate it.

If you have difficulty logging into the Virtual Community Platform, please contact Carla(cj@riversidecenterforinnovation.com) or Juan(jg@riversidecenterforinnovation.com) or call at 412-322-3523.

If you have any other suggestions or ideas, please let us know.

RCI Receives $3.4 Million In EPA Community-wide Brownfield Assessment Grants.

RCI receives $3.4 million in EPA Community-wide Brownfield Assessment Grants.

The EPA estimates 450,000 brownfields--abandoned gas stations, derelict mines, shuttered factories--litter the country. Contamination at such sites from trash, oil, or industrial activity won't make the Superfund list but does deter redevelopment and lowers property values even in otherwise desirable locations.

Pennsylvania has invested over $518 million to help 1,200 sites and retain over 87,000 jobs. The PA Department of Environmental Protection is collaborating with the Team PA Foundation to inventory brownfields and their characteristics to facilitate companies' finding sites that suit their needs. Nationally, EPA's brownfields program since its inception in 1995 has disbursed almost $900 million to reclaim 25,000 acres and assess another 16,000 sites.

Some brownfields, such as the former Bethlehem Steel mill, can stretch for miles. Others may cover only the corner of a block. By focusing on smaller sites in western Pennsylvania, the non-profit North Side Industrial Development Company strives to maximize its impact.

Assessment is Critical

According to its executive director Emily Buka, NSIDC has received $3.4 million in EPA community-wide brownfield assessment grants. (NSIDC does business under the name the Riverside Center for Innovation.) The latest $1 million came in June, when NSIDC led a coalition of 20 municipalities along the Ohio and Allegheny Rivers to get funding to assess 52 acres of the former Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad maintenance facility in McKees Rocks. The DEP, working with the Department of Community and Economic Development, also awarded money to redevelop the site, which is expected eventually to bring in $13 million in tax revenue.
Kevin Sunday, a spokesman for DEP, says that revenue is especially important where the per capita income is only about $13,000. "In this case, you're looking at a site that has a direct skyline view of Pittsburgh. Most former industrial centers are near urban areas and have the potential to revitalize a community. The brownfields program is a winning proposition both economically and environmentally."
Even if relatively small, the P&LE site is the largest NSIDC has tackled. Its previous work included a half-acre gas station and 6-acre Henry Miller spring plant. Those sites, however, taught Buka that "the combination of riverfront properties, multiple municipalities, and economic development combined with brownfield redevelopment appealed to the EPA, so we took that model and recreated it. Ironically," Buka adds, "the perception is that the riverfronts in Pittsburgh, PA, must be contaminated. There are some problems, but none of them are Love Canals." Contamination at most sites can be cleaned or controlled relatively easily, improving NSIDC's bang for the buck.

 

Read more of Emily’s interview: http://www.keystoneedge.com/features/pennsylvaniabrownfields0901.aspx

Labor Day Weekend!

Labor Day is this weekend! Are you planning a road trip? Remember to plan ahead for one of the busiest highway holidays:

Getting Your Car in Shape

The last thing you want on Labor Day is a car that breaks on the road. A routine check of the engine, radiator and fluids will go a long way. Tires should be well inflated and wiper fluid should be replenished. Also, check that the steering wheel and brakes work properly. A car emergency kit should include, at a minimum, jumper wires, a tire gauge, a flashlight, a tool kit with wrenches and screwdrivers, duct tape, rags and an emergency stop sign. Add a first-aid kit, a bottle of water, a blanket and some energy bars in case something happens and you're stranded for some time.

Staying Safe

There are two major reasons for accidents on highways: losing concentration while driving and ignoring the risk of big trucks. If you are tired, had a drink or feel sick, either give the wheel to somebody else or postpone the driving. This is especially important coming back home on Labor Day, as many spend the day drinking and having fun, and chances are people are tired and moody. Monitor yourself and learn your limits, so you can head to a rest stop if you start feeling dizzy, confused or sleepy. Big trucks are especially dangerous if you cut in front of them quickly and unexpectedly, as trucks cannot brake fast enough to avoid a collision if things get tight. Also, trucks drivers have lots of blind spots, where they are unable to see you and thus avoid you. As a general rule, if you can't see the truck's mirror, the driver can't see you either.

Avoiding the Madness

The most important thing you can do is leave early. Take on the highways early Saturday morning or before rush hour on Friday. If you're driving on Labor Day, follow the same rules. Most people will brave their return home in the early evening or late afternoon. Try getting to the highways before 4 p.m. or after 10 p.m. and you should be in much better shape. Another important thing you can do to prepare for Labor Day driving is to plan your route well. Look for alternate routes, program your GPS or use a map to get you where you need to go as fast and efficiently as possible. You also can check online to see if the road you're planning to take is undergoing repairs or has scheduled lane changes, so you can search for alternatives or plan for additional driving time.

Check out the full article here. Where will you be headed?

Free Training For Nurse’s Aid Positions!

Great opportunity for anyone looking for free training.

The Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC), UPMC and Vibrant Pittsburgh will host information sessions about a new partnership to provide free training for nurse aid positions.  The first information session will be from 9:00am to noon on Friday, August 19, 2011 at CCAC - Allegheny Campus, Student Services Center, 808 Ridge Avenue, Pittsburgh.  The second information session will be from 12:30pm - 4:00pm on Tuesday, August 23, 2011 at The Hill House - Kauffman Center, 2nd Floor, 1835 Centre Avenue, Pittsburgh.

CCAC and UPMC have jointly developed the curriculum to prepare individuals ages 18 to 24 for nurse aid positions in UPMC long-term and acute care facilities.  At the core is CCAC's proven Nurse Aide Training program, which is fully accredited by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and which prepares program completers to take the state certification exam.  The full CCAC-UPMC program is 28 days.

Please inform your neighbors about this wonderful opportunity.  For more information please contact Gregory Collier at 412.788.7500 or YAEP@ccac.edu.

Join Us September 17th For The Women’s Walk for A Peaceful Community

 

We are seeking support for our Fourth Annual Women’s Walk for a Peaceful Community. This is
an opportunity to transform your position regarding violence effecting women into positive action. Over the years NCFH
has joined many in a call for peace. Today we are calling out to you. Please help us with our ultimate goal of creating a
community culture of peace and non-violence., a place where families, businesses and neighborhoods can thrive. This
walk and its events will help to provide community members with tested tools for intervention and prevention regarding
domestic and street violence.

The Women’s Walk for a Peaceful Community will consist of multiple events culminating with a two- mile walk
and full day of activities. This year’s event is chaired by The Honorable County Controller elect Chelsa Wagner and the
Honorable County Council Person William Robinson. A winning team for positive community change.

The purpose of the Women’s Walk for Peace is:
· To raise awareness of community violence issues disproportionately affecting women
· To provide a format for diverse people to come out as peacemakers
· To introduce JUST ASK! for Peace as a platform for peacemakers to join in organized and supported work
· A day long sanctuary and respite from the oppression of an un-safe community.
· to join with others to celebrate life, community and peace

A two mile walk convening at the Pittsburgh Project, Wilson and N. Charles St 15214 Pittsburgh, PA ending with
a resource fair and concert in West Park, featuring Stellar Award winning Artist 21:03 , joined by a host of civic
and spiritual leaders promoting peace.
9 am-3pm

Hope to see you there!

NorthSide/ NorthShore Chamber of Commerce Charity Golf Outing September 15th.

Go enjoy the charity golf outing on September 15, 2011 at River Forest Country Club in Freeport. Prices for the outing are $125 for an individual, $500 for four people and $35 for dinner/networking.  Fees for the outing include 18 holes of golf with cart, skill prizes, lunch and a buffet dinner. RSVP by September 12, 2011 by calling 412-231-6500.

The Charity Golf Outing benefits the North Side Community by providing contributions to deserving North Side non-profit agencies. Over the past several years, our
organizations were able to contribute over $20,000 to various North Side charitable agencies that impact many North Side children, seniors and other organizations
that help with the community. The North Side Cultural Collaborative is the North Side/North Shore Chamber of Commerce's non-profit arm that promotes,
educates, and fosters economic growth, encourage community prosperity, and advance tourism. And in other ways, the North Side Cultural Collaborative promotes the general well-being of the unique
cultural potential and economic opportunities of the North Side and North Shore.

Please visit for a copy of the registration form:

http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=56mh7qdab&et=1107005288277&s=581&e=001pSyShJJ9ZE2IHiODSNjQ7ezDPUlJBzT5_NToMZr5JxvQ73sZWgxa95yB9bm2722yf2_DN6ZykTzIjJGng4S1O4mJGK1XTi_nbIjMl5wtdxuT_wfLa-V-zy-8F0TQELqP6YrTBneQa3cT-Hse2EV49dKe2udQyD_g79G7PICgKS4EhwUGLu-UzQ==>

Allen & Shariff's CEO Zack Shariff Recently Selected As A Member Of The 2011 Class Of "Energy Execs"

Joe Biden was at NREL to give a speech to the Energy Execs, it is not every day that you get to meet the Vice President!

Congratulations Zack!

Allen & Shariff's CEO Zack Shariff was recently selected as a member of the 2011 class of "Energy Execs", a National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) program "geared toward executive decision-makers with the ability to influence energy strategies in their organization or community." As a program member Zack is obligated to continually educate himself on renewable energies and energy efficiency and increase community awareness of energy related issues.

Zack will attend a two-day educational session at the NREL in Colorado, where he will interact with technology experts and tour NREL's new state of the art research support facility. This facility showcases a rooftop solar PV system, daylighting, natural ventilation, and a next-generation data center.

After this educational session Zack has committed to apply his knowledge and understanding of energy and water efficient technologies to reduce energy consumption at Allen & Shariff's corporate headquarters. This commitment to increase energy efficiency and utilize sources of renewable energy at the corporate office reflects Allen & Shariff's environmental philosophy and core values.