Greetings and Happy New Year,

As a new board takes over the organization and continues to navigate the constantly changing waters of neighborhood leadership and community engagement, I want to welcome the new board, take a moment to share some of what I've learned about neighborhood leadership, and share a few thoughts about what I think should come next for PH.

PHNA is ultimately two things, a neighborhood association that is formally recognized by KCMO (not a homeowners association, and there is a massive distinction), and a 501c3 non-profit. These dual roles mean that the PHNA board is responsible both for organizing and advocating for PH residents, and running a business. Every PHNA board member is an unpaid, volunteer representative, and as such, there are limits to how much time each one has to commit to the organization. As a non-profit, the most important responsibilities of the organization's leaders are to follow the organization's bylaws and to keep the lights on. At the beginning of my second term on the board, we were literally selling soup to our members during neighborhood meetings and borrowing money from neighbors to pay our bills. With grit and determination from our members, as well as some serious accounting work from several now retired board members, we restored the financial health of the organization, and went well beyond, with several large capital projects - building a walking path in Maple Park, renovating the Pocket Park, installing a community meeting pad and bike share in Maple Park, continuing the maintenance of the community garden and orchard.

Simultaneously, PHNA has been working since 2020 to restart regular community events outside of general body meetings, from scheduled community clean ups to parties in neighborhood green spaces. Many people would say that these events should be the primary focus of the neighborhood association. I agree that holding these events is fundamental to achieving the community engagement goals outlined in the mission of the organization. The last 5 years has shown that a community needs opportunities to engage in the real world, not just online. Planning and executing events also requires hard work and additional commitment that is a lot to ask from a volunteer board that is working on a shoestring budget. I want to thank all the board and PHNA members who made it possible for these events to return, through their efforts to organize, publicize, and even apply for grants or personally fund events out of their own pockets. This neighborhood owes these residents a debt of gratitude.

In addition to financial stabilization and engaging with the community, PHNA has invested heavily in building relationships with outside groups, government staff, and political leaders, who can help create a pathway for sustained neighborhood advocacy. Building and maintaining these relationships takes time and coordination, as turnover on both sides often leads to loss of institutional knowledge and progress on an issue. PHNA Board members have been diligent in their attention to issues that affect the neighborhood, such as the safety and usability of our sidewalks, streets, and parks. Government often moves slowly, but I am proud to see the progress that has been made in neighborhood, spurred by the persistent effort of PHNA members in collaboration with Jerusalem Farm, Kansas City Community Gardens, Missouri Department of Conservation, BikeWalk KC, and the residents and neighborhood associations of surrounding neighborhoods, just to name a few partners.

When asked what PHNA has accomplished for the neighborhood in the past five years, I am proud to point to tangible examples of the ways in which the organization has made a difference in the lives of residents. The work of improving the neighborhood will never be completed, and there is absolutely more that PHNA can do to reach and represent every resident in Pendleton Heights. But it’s important to recognize that progress is not made overnight. Everyone who has chosen to represent PHNA as a board member did so because they had ambitions for the neighborhood to become a better place to live. Many of the goals we have set for our neighborhood will take years or decades to achieve, and pursuing those goals requires continuous effort that goes beyond what a single person can put forth and continuous engagement that outlasts the term of any board member and, often, the tenure of residents. Empowering PHNA to lead neighborhood improvement initiatives is a powerful way to improve the lives of our residents, by leveraging the existing resources and relationships of the organization to cut through administrative barriers, and those initiatives are not completed without leadership from the PHNA board. But PHNA is ultimately an organization that works on behalf of the residents of Pendleton Heights, and its greatest strength is that it has the potential to engage, unify, and rally neighbors around issues that impact the neighborhood. Five years from now, my hope for PHNA is that the next generation of leaders has built on the foundation of past success and transformed the reputation of the organization so that every resident is excited, not just to hear what is being done for them, but to play an active role in improving their community.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Cokely, Outgoing PHNA President, 2024-2025

During the September neighborhood meeting on Tuesday 9/10, Pendleton Heights neighbors were apprised of an impactful project that will eventually benefit residents across all of Historic Northeast (HNE) Kansas City, MO. 

The Bi-State Sustainable Reinvestment Corridor will connect both Kansas City, KS & Kansas City, MO, Sugar Creek, and Independence through an updated transportation plan for people commuting along Independence Avenue/State Avenue. Once completed, it will offer access to more opportunities to job seeking individuals, as well as creating business development opportunities along the corridor.

There is a plan in place for sustainable strategies for businesses, community services, and neighborhoods along the transportation corridor. This plan includes the creation of a framework and land use policies, informed by community members, that allow municipalities to choose the right projects to support communities as they grow over the long term. This latter thing is especially important to the neighborhoods of HNE, where we actively value the importance of our history, even as we move into the future.  

For more details and to follow the project's development, visit the Mid-America Regional Council website. 

On Saturday, May 11th, friends and neighbors gathered in the Pendleton Heights Orchard to celebrate the installation of additional bee hives. The event also served as the perfect opportunity to enjoy some delicious treats, win some prizes, and get outside to catch up with one another now that spring has sprung. 

Visitors spent time leisurely visiting with David from Bee KC, and checking out the real star of the day: the newest hive of the PH Orchard! The expansion of the number of hives we maintain translates as more pollinators in our area, and more PH honey for sale during the 2024 Orchard Festival in the fall. 

When they weren't feting the bees, guests also learned about the proper use of EpiPens, thanks to volunteers from Kansas City University. Not everyone who has sensitivities to bee venom is aware of it, so we were grateful for KCU students being here to address this concern.

All attendees were free to enjoy complimentary frozen pops which were provided by our friends at Frutopia, located right here in Historic Northeast Kansas City. Fun fact: Kids were crazy for their creamy fruit pops, but the grown-ups were gobbling up the bubblegum flavor, right and left! 

With Mother's Day happening the day after our Bee Hive Installation Celebration, artist Margarita Friedman set up a table to help kids of all ages create art for their moms.

The delightful appearance of a three-day-old lamb gifted us with a lovely and unexpected surprise, thanks to Amelia McDaniel. In addition to organizing the celebration, PH Green Spaces Steward Whitney Barnardo offered a fantastic photo op for mothers to remind them that when it comes to their family, they truly are the Queen Bee (artwork by neighbor Hector Casanova, Assistant Professor at the Kansas City Art Institute). 

Words cannot express our gratitude for our guests, or for those who donated their time and talent to make the day so special. On that note, we'd be remiss to not blow a kiss at Yum Yum Ceramics for granting us the best raffle prize of the day- a duo of handmade planters, won by PH neighbor Hannah Arredondo. We also must express a heartfelt thank-you to the City of Kansas City, Missouri (their NTDF funding made our event possible). Last but not least- 

Cheers to PH Green Spaces Steward Whitney Barnardo and Bee KC for making the dream of sustainable bee hives in Pendleton Heights a reality. Well done, friends!

Saturday October 14th is going to be a very busy day in Pendleton Heights, with something for everyone! The day kicks off to a fine start with our annual PH Orchard Fest, happening this year in Independence Plaza Park. (11am-2pm). This year's celebration will be bigger and better than ever, featuring good food, bounce houses, a costume swap, and a special guest appearance of the goats of Kessler Park. 

At 5pm, meet up in Jade Alley for a night of adventure, beginning with the PH Fairy Lights & Alley Murals Project KCAI Artists Reception. Check out the completed murals of Jade Alley (200 blk btwn Olive St & Park Ave) while visiting with the Kansas City Art Institute students who created them. 

Be sure to wear comfortable shoes because when night falls (sunset, 6:42pm), we'll go on a Fairy Light Walk. We'll stroll select back lanes that have been brightened and made safer throughout the summer via the installation of solar fairy lights and ongoing clean ups. 

At 8pm, Freight Train Rabbit Killer takes the stage at Lexington Ave & Ord St. This performance will herald the close of the 2023 iteration of the PH Fairy Lights & Alley Murals Project, and putting our green spaces to bed for the year.  FTRK is aptly described by Haymaker Records as, "Storytelling through music, American folk art via gritty blues, screaming electric guitars, suits and masks," (rather appropriate for our quirky enclave, right?).  We hope to see you there!

The PH Fairy Lights & Alley Murals Project came about through Community Capital Funds' Neighborhoods Rising Fund grant and the benevolence of countless volunteers. 

On Thursday July 13^th, Northeast KCMO neighborhood leadership was invited to participate in Kansas City University’s Resource Fair/COM 2027. The Pendleton Heights Neighborhood Association’s Sean Arkin, Whitney Blaire, Jon Cokely, and Linda Fleischman were in attendance and pleased to be a part of it.

The morning kicked off with an orientation at KCU to help incoming freshmen learn about the hidden gems they’ll discover in Historic Northeast over the next four years. To jump start the adventure, neighborhood leaders spoke with students about what makes our part of town so special. The cherry on top was the interactive treasure hunt the university had thoughtfully put together for them.

One of the most useful clues provided by the school encouraged students to locate two of PH’s much-loved neighborhood hangs, Core Coffee (546 Olive St.) and PH Coffee (2200 Lexington Ave.). With their proximity to KCU, these cafes will undoubtedly figure largely in the lives of the class of 2027. On a related note, students were provided with a list of favorite neighborhood restaurants, and Independence Plaza Council President Cynthia Herrington was pleased to observe the students’ excitement over it. Longstanding HNE residents have grown accustomed to the array of local eateries featuring dishes from around the world, but to incoming students it’s all new.

Scarritt Renaissance Neighborhood Association President Amanda Kranz expressed delight over student interest in exploring HNE in general, and PH Green Spaces Steward Whitney Barnardo evinced a similar sentiment, saying, “Our neighborhood is filled with cool amenities, and we can’t wait to welcome all the students to join us and be a part of our amazing community!”

The National Weather Service confirms that winds up to at least 70 miles per hour hit Kansas City on July 14th, while an independent weather station on the Kansas side clocked them at 89 mph. Whatever it actually was that blew through Pendleton Heights, it was fierce. Couple the wind with the thunder and rainstorms that intermittently pelted the area, it wasn't a stretch to assume there'd be a lot of damage in the end.

At one point, there were over 200,000 Kansas Citians without power. Neighbors north of Lexington Avenue appeared to have been more broadly hit, but oddly enough, the outages were ultimately spotty in our enclave. The good news in all of this was, the temperature drop made going without air conditioning tolerable, and outages in PH lasted roughly six hours while other KC neighborhoods didn't get off so easily. Blackouts remained in effect throughout the metro for as much as two days later. 

Once the rain had stopped, some of our more bold neighbors turned misfortune into an adventure. Although some streets were pitch black, if you stepped outside or peered through your windows, you'd catch glimpses of families strolling with lanterns or groups of kids with flashlights venturing out to check on  friends and neighbors. 

Speaking of lights in the darkness, the Pendleton Heights Fairy Lights & Murals project wound up serving our community in more ways than one on that fateful Friday. Neighbors who qualified for gifts of solar string lights (those with fences or outbuildings abutting their alleys) who hadn't yet put them up were able to use them to light their homes. Additionally, neighbors who were in line for them and who could be contacted after the rain stopped received them that very night.  This came in especially handy for one neighbor who had been abroad with the National Guard, and had only recently returned home. He hadn't a single candle in the house, so those solar lights really made a difference where his comfort was concerned! 

If you were impacted by felled trees or foreign debris in your yard, post storm, take heart. The City of Kansas City, MO understands that your usual Tuesday trash service won't be enough to handle it, so they've made some allowances. For more on that, visit the kcmo.gov City News page. 

So many neighbors left town for the Independence Day holiday week this year!  What were  the rest of us to do without them? Throw a Potluck Prosecco Picnic in the PH Pocket Park, of course!

The picnic was a low key, relaxed affair, which is just what the doctor ordered. It was so enjoyable that when PHNA Security Chair Jon Cokely suggested that we make it a monthly happening, the response from those present was a unanimous, "Lets!"  And so it shall be.  See you next month in the PH Pocket Park on August 5th? We certainly hope so! 

It's been a few years, but we were finally able to get back together again for our annual Pendleton Heights Community Garden Summer Solstice party! The bonfire burned brightly, taking care of felled branches from the neighborhood, while allowing us to enjoy making s'mores with our little ones. 

Children played with sparklers while the grown ups caught up on what has been going on in their corner of the neighborhood. Although this gathering was only supposed to last a few hours, everyone had such a fine time that many stuck around well after dusk. Well done, PH neighbors, and truly well earned! 

On the morning of Friday May 19th, the Pendleton Heights Neighborhood Association was gifted with a Neighborhood Rising Fund grant from Community Capital Funds.* This NRF grant wholly serves as the foundation for The Pendleton Heights Fairy Lights & Murals Project.

Phase 1, Spring-Summer 2023: Alley-adjacent neighbors will be provided with strings of solar lights that are to be placed along fences or outbuildings skirting their back lanes. This will be done to convey unity among PH residents, while brightening and increasing the safety of these dimly lit spaces. The lights will be distributed as alley sweeps are completed beginning in June.

Phase 2, Autumn 2023: It's been proven time and again in cities throughout the world that murals discourage tagging. Because PH has seen an uptick in tagging in our alleys over the past few years, we needed a solution beyond chemical removal or continually painting over it. Through ongoing conversations between PH neighbors, PHNA, and the Kansas City Art Institute, the most sensible answer to our dilemma has officially come about. 

Under the supervision of PH resident and KCAI Assistant Professor Hector Casanova, KCAI students will interface with neighbors along Sage, Forest, Shamrock & Jade Alleys, with a focus on properties that have been tagged, or identified as vulnerable to tagging. Homeowners will engage with KCAI students on what they would personally like to express via the mural to be installed on their property. Once a design is created and has received the homeowner's approval, it will move on for the approval of their neighbors. After this part of the process is completed, KCAI artists will commence with the installations. To make things more fun, neighbors of all ages will be invited to participate in the hands on portion of the project.

Most alley-adjacent neighbors are eligible to receive lighting, providing that they have a fence or outbuilding on which to install them. These structures must skirt their back lane. Out of respect for our historic district, only fences, outbuildings, and retaining walls that abut the alleys will be eligible for murals. 

We look forward to the evolution of the Pendleton Heights Fairy Lights & Murals Project in the knowledge that, as our alleys begin to serve as outdoor galleries and for neighborly socializing, property-related crimes in PH will indeed continue to decline.  

For more information:

Linda Fleischman PHNA VP (general queries or about lighting)

Hector Casanova KCAI Assistant Professor (queries regarding murals or installation timelines) 

*2023 funding for CCF is provided by Altcap, H & R Block, the Hall Family Foundation, & US Bank 

Tuesday 4/11 is the last day to vote on the name for our new PH mower! Vote as often as you'd like for the name you like best! Just $1 per vote via Venmo ( @PH_KC ) or by Donation here at the website (don't forget to state what the donation is for: Name the Mower). The winning name will be announced 4/12 at the PH-HNE J. Rieger & Co. cocktail at 6pm sharp!

CHOOSE FROM THE OFFICIAL OPTIONS-

Boss Trim Pendergrass

Grassiela

Mowberto

Brad

Lawn EnPHorcement

Mowana

Mowbama

Mowzart

Phrankie

Sir Mows A lot the Beer Cart