CENTER ST NEWS – At long last, the Riverwest Artists Association is vacating its Post Office Box. RAA recently became the proud new owner of the former Jazz Gallery at 926 E. Center St., another building previously owned by Bob Klavetter. Watch for a grand opening on Sat, July 26. The fresh energy being generated by all the new property owners on the street is spurring talk of getting a Center St. business association going again.   Ticket & Tow Warning!  read more—- Residents are warned not to park along the Beer Run route from 7 am to Noon on Sunday, June 8, for Locust Street Festival. Department of Public Works will begin ticketing and towing at 7 am. The run route streets are: West side of 2500-2900 N. Weil, East side of 2500-2900 N. Fratney, South side of 800-00 E. Chambers, and North side of 800-900 N. Wright St. s in previous years, Alice Somers, principal of Pierce School, will allow residents who live ear the school to park overnight in the school lot on Saturday, June 7. Cars must be out by  pm. Sunday evening. potters are needed to watch for cars that may pull out or open their doors while runners are going by. Volunteers get a FREE festival t-shirt and one FREE beer! If interested, call The Tracks at 562-2020.  Aviso Sobre Boletos de Infracción y Remolques e le avisa a los residentes de no estacionarse por la ruta de la cerveza (Beer run) de 7 am hasta las 12 pm el omingo, 8 de Junio. La razón, el Festival de la Calle Locust. El Departamento de Trabajo Publico, (Public Works) mpezará a dar boletos de infracción y a remolcar a las 7 de la mañana. as zonas donde debe evitar estacionarse incluye: el lado oeste del bloque 2500 – 2900 de la calle North Weil, l lado este del bloque 2500 – 2900 de la calle North Fratney, el lado sur del bloque 800 – 900 de la calle East hambers, y el lado norte del bloque 800 – 900 de la calle East Wright. Como en los años anteriores, Alice Somers, Directora de la Escuela Pierce, permitirá a los residentes que viven erca de la escuela a estacionar sus autos en el solar de esta en la noche del 7 de Junio. Los autos deben estar fuera el estacionamiento de la escuela el Domingo a las 9 de la noche. e necesitan voluntarios para prevenir accidentes con los participantes del maratón. Los voluntarios deben evitar ue los autos que salen de su lugar de estacionamiento o personas que al abrir las puertas de sus autos puedan olpear a los corredores durante la carrera de maratón. Los voluntarios recibirán, gratis, una camiseta del Festival e la calle Locust y una cerveza. Sí está interesado, llame al 562-2020 ALDERMANIC ASSISTANTS – Sarah Horn, who worked with residents on the Northeast Side Plan through the Department of City Development, is the new Legislative Assistant for Alderman Nik Kovac in the Third District. She started on May 19 and may be reached at 414.286.3447 or shorn@ milwaukee.gov. Akuwa Dantzler is the Legislative Assistant for 6th District Alderwoman Milele Coggs. She may be reached at 414.286.2221 or adantz@milwaukee.gov.  BRADFORD BEACH – Bradford Beach just got cool again. The beach area is undergoing big changes led by a partnership of Leslie Montemurro, Scott Johnson, and Kristyn St. Denis (Fuel Café, Hi-Hat, Comet Café & Balzac), Todd Gawronski (G1, Inc.), and Todd Hall (X-Ray Marketing). First the food: look for fresh fruit, tacos, and pizza with juices, beer, and wine available daily. The shop, open from 10 am to 8 pm, will carry beach toys, towels, flip flops, beach mats, sunglasses, and more. Sun-seekers may also check out volleyballs, soccer balls, and goals. Sheldon Lubar, a Milwaukee businessman, has donated $65,000 to restore lifeguards during daytime hours. Lifeguards were cut back in 2002 as part of County Executive Scott Walker’s first budget. In addition, a clean up of beach algae is underway along with a $1.3 million project to redirect stormwater runoff to the western side of the beach. Upcoming happenings include the Bradford Beach Rock ‘N’ Roll Art Show on June 14; U.S. Open of Beach Volleyball Midwest Qualifier on June 21; and the Bradford Beach Bikinis, Boardshorts, and Bands Beach Party with a Ms. Bradford Beach Pageant on July 4. 24 HOUR BIKE RACE – Pump up your tires for the Riverwest 24 Hour Bike Race on July 25 & 26, a new community event to encourage urban biking while showing off the neighborhood. Ride solo or with a team, for ages 18 & up. Advance registration of $15 is due by July 15 and includes a T-shirt, water bottle, Friday dinner, Saturday breakfast, and prizes. Riverwest sponsors include Fuel Cafe and Lotus Land. Get all the details at http://riverwest24.com  RNA RUMMAGE – The Riverwest rummage season kicks off with a humongous rummage sponsored by the Riverwest Neighborhood Association at 3278 N. Humboldt from 8 am -3 pm on Sat & Sun, May 31 & June 1. For more info contact Melissa Tempel at meljoytempel@gmail.com.  JUNE FESTIVALS – You know it’s summer when your calendar fills up with rockin’ outdoor festivals. Make it an eco-adventure by walking or biking to Pride Fest on June 6-8 at Henry Maier Festival Park (the Summerfest grounds); Locust St. Festival on Sun, June 8; Juneteenth Day on MLK Drive on Thu, June 19; or Summer Soulstice on East North Ave. on Sat, June 21.  PEDAL POWER – Friendly Doug McKey is back for the season on his bright yellow bike. For a unique “rickshaw” ride, flag him down and get a leisurely, carbon-free ride to Downtown, the Lakefront, or the Brady St. area. He’s out most evenings transporting folks to Summerfest, Jazz in the Park, and other events. For fees, contact Riverwest Cycling Services at douglasamckey@yahoo. com  SUMMER SOLSTICE CELEBRATION – Celebrate the longest day of sunshine with Earth Poet Harvey Taylor at 6:30 pm on Sat, June 21 on top of the “sledding hill,” a fantastic place to watch the sunset. Bring a song or poem to share, a drum (or use one of theirs), and a blanket to sit on. In Riverside Park, near the Urban Ecology Center, 1500 E. Park Place. More info: 414.964.8505. Sunday june 8, 2008    SPLISH SPLASH – The Gordon Park Splash Pad opens for the season on Sat, June 14. The interactive water toys and sprinklers are ideal for chilling out with hot tots on hot summer days. Open daily until mid-August from 11 am to 5pm, weather permitting. TAKE A HIKE – Take a free 2.5 mile hike along the river valley for National Trails Day, on Sat, June 7. Meet at Gordon Park, on the corner of Locust & Humboldt, at 10 am. Loop around both sides of the river from North Avenue to Locust; return by noon. Park in the Gordon Park lot, bring water and a snack. Sponsored by River Revitalization Foundation.  CANOE TO RIVER RHYTHMS – For a unique urban adventure, paddle down the river in a canoe to the River Rhythms concerts held every Wednesday at Pere Marquette Park. Launch from the Urban Ecology Center at 5 pm, beginning June 11. Sign up early! Fees apply; call to register at 414.964.8505.  FRENCH GREEN URBANISM – Landscape Architect Marilyn Clemens will give a slide lecture on Tue, June 3, 6-8 pm about Green Urbanism projects in Paris today: New Parks, Plazas, Green Buildings, Green Walls, and Quality of Life Improvements. At the Urban Ecology Center, 1500 E. Park Place. For tickets, call 414.964.8505. $5 for UEC & Alliance Françaises members, $10 for nonmembers. SEED DIRECTOR NAMED – Former Alderman Mike D’Amato recently announced that he has been named the Wisconsin director for the SEED Foundation, based in Washington D.C. The non-profit agency is working to create boarding schools in urban areas, such as Milwaukee. The late Marty Stein initially spearheaded the partnership with SEED before he died in 2006. The SEED Foundation opened the nation’s first public boarding school in Washington D.C. in 1998. More info at seedfoundation.com  WALDORF TEACHER TRAINING – Take a Waldorf summer vacation while learning how to be a Waldorf teacher. This summer begins a new 3-year cycle of part time trainings in three different track options: Early Childhood Teaching, Grades 1-8 Teaching, or a Masters Degree in Education, with an emphasis on Waldorf teaching. All courses are offered through Mount Mary College and the Great Lakes Teacher Training. Classes will be held July 7-25 at Tamarack Waldorf School on Brady St. For more info contact: Pam Harsch (Early Childhood) at 262.784.8349 or pgharsch@msn.com, Michael Imes (Director of GLTT & grades information) at 262.524.2124 or mimes17@hotmail.com, or Debra Dosemegan (Mt. Mary College, masters program) at 414.258.4810, x214.  SELECT MILWAUKEE – For those thinking about purchasing a home, get the basics at Select Milwaukee’s monthly orientation. Free sessions will be held on Tue, June 3 & 17 from noon-12:30 and Tue, June 10 & 24 from 5:30-6:00 pm. Services include downpayment & closing cost incentives; special mortgage programs; and how to qualify for a low interest rate mortgage. Sessions start promptly at 2209 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Dr. More info at selectmilwaukee.org or 414.562.5070.  BRAINSTORMING CONFERENCE – There Is A New Chief In Town: One-On-One With Police Chief Edward Flynn is the topic of the Sat, May 31st meeting. The topic for the June 28 meeting is Affordable Housing in Milwaukee. The monthly Community Brainstorming Conference is open to the public, with breakfast from 8-9 am and the program from 9-11 am. Held at St. Matthew C.M.E. Church, 2944 N. 9th St. More info: Hon. Russell W. Stamper, Sr. at rwstampersr@ sbcglobal.net or communitybrainstorming. org  MPD MEETINGS – The next meeting of the monthly DISTRICT FIVE Crime Analysis Meeting is Thu, June 5 at 5:30 pm. Meetings are held at the station at 2920 N. 4th St. every first Thursday. The DISTRICT ONE meeting is every third Tuesday. The next meeting will be Tue, June 17 at 5:30 pm at Buckeworks, 1340 N. 6th St. Also check out youtube.com/ milwaukeepolice to view surveillance videos of local crimes and call 414.935.7360 with any tips.  EAST SIDE DIRECTORY – Keep it local and green! The next edition of the East Side Directory is due out in October. Printed on recycled paper, this handy directory includes businesses and services from Shorewood to Bay View and from the Lakefront to I- 43. To request an Info Kit, email sales@ riverwestcurrents.org or call 414.265.7278. RNA MEETING – All Riverwesters are invited to the monthly meeting of the Riverwest Neighborhood Association (RNA) at 7:00 pm on Tue, June 10. Meetings are held at the Gordon Park Pavilion; park in the lot on Hadley & Humboldt. More info at www. my-RNA.org