| City's new economic ‘garden’ helps companies sprout
City officials last week planted seeds for a new Economic Gardening Pilot Program that will nurture businesses and help them flourish. The City Council earmarked $95,750 to pay for the data tools, computer equipment, staff training and BETA testing needed to get the program off the ground in the coming months. "I think this is a step in the right direction," said Mayor Rob Drake. The new economic development strategy is expected to provide Beaverton businesses with tools and information that would give them a competitive edge, boosting the local economy in the process. "Without a supply of industrial and commercial land – those of us that are engaged in this process must focus on retention and expansion," said Lorraine Clarno, president of the Beaverton Area Chamber of Commerce.
Five charged in workers comp fraud
A nationwide workers compensation fraud scheme discovered in Jacksonville led to charges Thursday against five men accused of stealing as much as $100 million from thousands of people, including the families of three people who died in Florida, federal officials said. .
It's a dirty job, but you can beef up compacted soils
Join me at Art Van's Furniture stores for my gardening program "Hot Pots, Cool Tools and Gardening Tips." I will be at Livonia, Tuesday ; Royal Oak, Thursday ; Clinton Township, April 24 and Drayton Plains, April 26. All programs start at 7 p.m. For information go to www.artvan.com.
Join me at Bordine's Spring Garden Expo ( www.bordines.com), and I will give you my "New Perennial Picks and Partners for Season Long Color." I'll be at the Brighton store at 10 a.m. April 21 and in Clarkston at 11 a.m. on April 22. Quick fix Working with lots of soil products can be a hassle for gardeners who don't have time to batch-mix from scratch. This season, I'm taking the easy route and substituting the new high-quality compost mix, Organimax, which also contains additional soil microbes, mychorriza, kelp and host of other goodies that I hope will make my garden rock.
Cold snap harmed some plants, but hold off on pruning
The severe cold weather we had during the weekend of April 13 (Easter weekend) did a number on our landscape and crop plants. As I write this, it's still too early to tell what the long-term damage will be. I urge all gardeners to give your landscape plants time to recover on their own before you start drastically pruning plants back. .
Kids, Seniors, Homeless All Part Of Reed Park Discourse
Residents gathered at the Reed Auditorium to provide input on making changes to Reed Parks landscaping and expanding its playground. The park(also knows as Lincoln Park) is located at the northwest corner of Lincoln and Wilshire boulevards. The March 31 workshop began with the presentation of the Citys proposed improvements for the park. They have hired Katherine Spitz Associates, a landscape architecture firm, to help design new landscaping for the southern street edges of the park and the area between the Miles Playhouse and the tennis courts, as well as expand the childrens playground so it will include the seldom-utilized shuffleboard and horseshoe court area. The presentation was followed by the results of a survey that had been mailed to 4,600 residents and businesses surrounding the park.
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