Tommy’s New Year’s Day Pancake Breakfast raised $5700 for Heights Arts!  A record number of pancake eaters descended on Tommy’s for the ninth annual pancake breakfast.   Many waited in line outside in the cold cold morning, but warmed up quickly once seated and sated, tipping lavishly.  Enjoy these photos from the event.

Thank you to Tommy, the human pancake batter machine, for his boundless generosity.  Thanks to AJ and Rob, who volunteered to cook on their day off, and to the more than 50 volunteers who served, bused tables, washed dishes, cleaned up, and did whatever necessary to feed more than 500 people in 4 hours.  Some volunteers simply showed up and offered to help, and some have been helping out all nine years.  And thanks Ron the Flower Clown, who delighted children of all ages.

A special thanks to the anonymous person who tipped a $100 dollar bill.  What a delightful and generous surprise!!!!!!

Breakfast with 500 of our best friends of the arts is a great way to start off the new year.  Here’s to the rest of the year being as warm, prosperous, and fun as the very first day. - Peggy Spaeth, Heights Arts

It's the Sunday before Christmas and all through the streets, not a creature was stirring, not even a customer.  This is not poetry or haiku; it's reality. 

At Big Fun, we've had some decent "rushes," but not the crowds that we are used to at this time of year.  Friends in other cities have shared the same stories.  There is still hope.  People are starting to think twice about where they shop and who they want to support.  Please continue to spread the word and we all will be better for it.

The holiday shopping season is upon us, and I asked some of our local merchants to share their ideas for my extensive gift list. For other ideas, view our eNews on shopping and giving local.

Children's International Summer Villages (CISV) hosted an information meeting on Thursday, Dec. 18, at the CH-UH Main Library in Cleveland Heights, providing an opportunity to meet local kids who were delegates in recent CISV trips to and exchange programs with Sweden, Brazil, and Mexico. CISV programs are geared toward students ages 11-18 and are supported substantially by a strong network of volunteers around the world. Applications are being accepted now for upcoming summer camp programs in the Netherlands and Sweden (11-year olds) and an exchange program with Austria (14-15 year-olds). The deadline is Jan. 5, 2009.

Patience is a virtue in the development business. Patience paid off ten fold in the case of 2917 Mayfield Road, just west of Honda Motorcars. The building, vacated by In House Furniture a few years ago, sat forlornly, watching the thousands of cars make their daily commute downtown. Its patience was rewarded when Cleveland Heights resident Yanbing Chen purchased the building in January 2008.

Looking to be thrifty this holiday season? 

Check out the Heights Parent Center's Nifty Thrifty Holiday Gently Used Toy Sale. Browse their selection of gently used toys, games, books and other kid-friendly gift items.

If you spend time in your automobile in Cleveland Heights, you may wonder how the city decides which streets to maintain and when. Carl Czaga, assistant to the city manager, capital projects, is responsible for any city project exceeding $25,000. Czaga offers some enlightenment.

An empty lot on Lee Road will become green space until a new development project becomes available.

Situated between Meadowbrook and Tullamore roads, the empty lot was planned to be the site of the Terraces on Lee, a mixed use condominium and retail development, by Al Neyer, Inc. The project fell through when not enough condominiums were presold. The current housing slump and economic downturn makes finding a new developer unlikely in the near future.

With the new year fast approaching, Cleveland Heights leaders are once again facing the prospects of a tough financial year. The national economic crisis has wreaked havoc on local government budgets and the mortgage foreclosure challenges have further plagued many communities.

Cleveland Heights City Council passed a resolution at their September 15 meeting to establish an Owner-Occupant Down Payment Assistance Program for the purchase of one- or two-family homes and condominiums in the city.

I had the honor of attending the Height’s High production of Leonard Bernstein’s "West Side Story" on November 7 and 9. I came to the show to support my son in his first performance. My son attends Oxford Elementary School and was a member of the choir. The choir provided vocals for “America” and “One Hand, One Heart.” I came expecting to see the typical high school play, what I saw was a Broadway quality production.

Dominion East Ohio Gas is a trustworthy company. Do not be so sure when buying their water heater repair and replacement plan for $4.95 a month. You may end up spending more than if you hired a private plumber.

The World Wide Web is a great source of information, entertainment and services to people of all ages. But the plethora of sites can make navigating it time consuming and confusing.

This winter the library is offering a series of programs designed to introduce you to some of the best services the web has to offer. The web trends classes highlight free services you might be curious about, including blogging, Wikis, digital photos and downloadable music.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2008

All board members present.

Dobama

A contract with Dobama has been signed. With a 6-1 vote (board member Kevin Ortner abstained) the board approved Julia Criscione, AIA, who worked on the Main Library renovation, to be the project manager of the Dobama project. Criscione will oversee the legal requirements of the building code, insurance and the guarantees of the contractors.

Life upon the stage may seem glamorous, but life behind the curtain is not always so glitzy.

In fact, these volunteers spent time over the weekend of November 15-16 readying Dobama Theater’s newly completed office space in the Heights Library’s Activity Center. Grabbing paint brushes, left to right, are Library Director Nancy Levin and Dobama Board members Spencer Caress and Sura Stevastopolous. Also painting, but not pictured, were Dobama Board President Bill Newby and his wife, Barbara, and Dianne Boduszek, managing director of the theater.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 6

(All council members present)

Tribute to Oliver Schroeder

Mayor Edward Kelley asked for a moment of silence for Oliver Schroeder, who passed away recently. Schroeder had served on city council from 1956 to 1977, including one term as mayor. Kelley pointed out that Schroeder’s leadership helped keep the city viable when it chose to be integrated and diverse.

Monday,OCTOBER 20, 2008

Council members Peter R. Bernardo, Frankie Goldberg, and Kevin Patrick Murphy excused.

Quorum

Law Director Ken Fisher noted that four members of council were sufficient to do business and could vote on items that required a simple majority.

The Community Emergency Response Team, CERT, was used to conduct a flu vaccination clinic at Wiley Middle School on Sunday Nov. 9. The city's annual senior flu shot program vaccinates a few hundred people per year.

Many Heights graduates go away to great things, but many come back:

Steven Haynie '91 always had fond memories of Cleveland Heights even when his family moved to Cincinnati after he finished fourth grade. Indeed, after eighth-grade he asked to move back to attend Heights High. “It was almost as if I had never left,” says Haynie. “I walked through the doors and so many people came over to say hello.” He went on to study mass communication at the University of Cincinnati (“Dick Goddard was my idol”) but his career path took a major turn when he took part in the summer re-shelving program at the university’s library. “Library Science became my new love,” he says.

Heights High has a successful American Field Service (AFS) program that offers summer, semester, and school year exchanges to over 50 countries for high school students and recent graduates. AFS is a 61 year old program with over 30,000 volunteers worldwide and has a goal of “building a more just and peaceful world through international student exchange.” Recently, two Heights students went on AFS foreign exchanges. Senior Miles Walker went to Japan for a six-week summer program. Hannah Kohr graduated one year early to attend school in Germany.

Thirty-three Heights High students spent the morning of Saturday, Nov. first raking leaves for Cleveland Heights senior citizens.

The city of Cleveland Heights identified 15 senior citizens who needed their leaves raked and the six groups of Heights students, rakes in hand, rang doorbells ready to help.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2008

Five-year forecast

Scott Gainer, district treasurer, presented the five-year forecast. The 7.2 mill-operating levy that passed in November 2007 will not bring in the anticipated amount. Real estate property tax collection rates dropped from a typical 97% to 92%. In addition, a 5% decrease in state funding was assumed for the purposes of this forecast.

The little shi-tzu was only supposed to stay with Cindy Jahn for a weekend. But that was two years ago. Now "Missy" is very much a part of Jahn's life.

Helene Morse once found a box on her Ormond Road front porch. Taped to the top was the note, “I hear you mend broken hearts.” Inside was a porcelain figurine, in pieces.

Taste, Lee Road’s newest restaurant addition in Cleveland Heights, has masterfully revamped the former Wine Room space as a swanky bar and dining area that serves fresh French fusion dishes.

Every year, Tom Sperl, bassist for the Cleveland Orchestra and Scarborough Road resident, invites several hundred of his closest friends, associates and absolute strangers to a donut party on his front lawn.  Orchestra folks, church friends, Oberlin bass students, neighborhood pals and an occasional politician turn up to enjoy hot, fresh donuts with delicious toppings, hot cider and coffee.  Sperl's donut machine makes approximately 400 donuts per hour.  Photographer Jay Levan took these photos of the Sperl familiy's annual gift to the community. More photos at Phodoz.com.

Whole Foods Market, proud winner of the 2008 Best of the Heights Award for “Favorite University Heights Business,” has announced a calendar of community events for December at its Cedar Center location. All of the events are free.

Certain films have become true holiday traditions and are associated with Christmas almost as much as Santa. TV stations hold marathons featuring beloved classics such as “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “A Christmas Story” while other holiday films from the past have faded from memory.

The Cedar Lee Theatre will be reviving the all-but-forgotten 1967 holiday film FITZWILLY starring Dick Van Dyke and Barbara Feldon with two very special screenings on Dec. 6 at 2 p.m. and Dec. 7 at 7 p.m.

The Heights’ Youth Club is a place where younger and older kids can expand their mind. The Heights’ Youth Club means a lot to a lot of children of all kinds. One of the directors that makes sure most kids are involved is Mrs. Williams. For me, basketball was my escape - that’s when I met another director, Jeff Haynes, who told me about the new basketball team they were beginning to start. I slowly made my name to the top of the ladder. Sometime in the future I would love to play for Roscoe Morgan’s team - Mr. Morgan is the club’s director. So really if not for the Heights’ Youth Club I probably would be incarcerated somewhere doing things that would never cross my mind.

On Sunday, Dec. 14, continuously from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., Disciples Christian Church will present Journey to Bethlehem, a walk-through drama that recreates the sights and sounds of Bethlehem’s marketplace at the time of Christ’s birth.

Ring in the holidays with the River Valley Ringers! River Valley Ringers is an auditioned community handbell choir of ten accomplished musicians with long histories of performing throughout the area.

With a mission to build community through the arts, CityMusic Cleveland offers music to please everyone, whether you’re new to classical music or a seasoned concertgoer. That's why CityMusic's annual wintertime production is called “Not-Your-Usual-Holiday Concert."

Cleveland Heights resident and national recording artist Kelly Chapman began her journey as a young teenager “hookin’ up” in a Detroit hotel room, followed by single motherhood interspersed with terminated pregnancies, irresponsible use of drugs and alcohol, poor judgment and abusive men. Now, Chapman is a beautiful, highly successful business executive who follows her faith, not her heart, in choosing the path to healthy relationships.

In the past 16 years, how many Cleveland orchestras have performed all over this country and have been heard regularly on four countries’ national radio networks? One. And it’s not the Cleveland Orchestra. It’s Apollo’s Fire.

Left to right: Cleveland Heights residents Tamar Fleshler, Sophie Madorsky, and Alee Sonkin, rehearse with JCC Playmakers Director Sherri Gross for The Sound of Music. Performances are Dec. 11-14 and 18-21. For tickets, please call the box office at 216-831-0700, x1230. $10 General, $8 JCC Members, Seniors and Students.

Did you know that John D. Rockefeller’s summer estate, called The Homestead, stood in what is now Forest Hills Park (right at the top of the great sledding hill)? Find out more at www.chhistory.org. The Cleveland Heights Historical Society promotes the history of our community through public programs, an informative website and fact-filled newsletters. Join today!

The city of Cleveland Heights has chosen a troubled section of East Derbyshire Road, one block between Lee Road and Cottage Grove Road, as the focus of a housing initiative that will convert existing two-family homes into renovated condominiums.

On Nov. 21, the students of Open Doors Academy were stunned by the arrival of a surprise guest, movie star Will Smith.

Good wine doesn't have to be expensive, and you don't have to go far to find it. In this tough economy, who doesn't want to indulge in an inexpensive luxury. Recently I found the following at my neighborhood grocer:

Home Repair Resource Center offers free home repair workshops, with “hands-on” practice using tools and techniques. Most classes will be held at HRRC’s Teaching Center, 2520 Noble Road (two blocks north of Monticello, at the corner of Oxford). The workshops are limited to Cleveland Heights residents and reservations are requested; call 216-381-9560 to save your spot.

Every summer, Cleveland Magazine publishes its Rating the Suburbs issue and injects another dose of steroids into outer-suburban development. No surprise: the ratings are meant to affirm what matters to the people who advertise in Cleveland Magazine.

But these numbers are of little use to people who want to live in a close-in place like Cleveland Heights, University Heights, or Lakewood. We need a rating that measures the things that matter to people who value culture, walkable neighborhoods, aesthetic quality, true community diversity, easy access to urban amenities, a strong presence of local independent businesses, and, of course, good schools, good property values, and reasonable taxes. Call it the WMI: the What Matters Index.

The Heights Observer is looking for people, ages 1-100, to get involved in the paper. After all, the Heights Observer is all about citizen journalism and its power to tell local stories at a grassroots level. We are looking for volunteer writers, photographers, designers, and illustrators. It doesn't matter if you are a professional or amateur, our editorial staff will be glad to have you.

Turn on the local TV news at 6 p.m. and you won’t find it. Flip through the pages of any local “news” paper, free or otherwise, and you won’t feel satisfied. Sit down at your computer, search for “Cleveland Heights Local News,” then sift through banners and pop-up ads, and you might get lucky. You would probably learn more while sipping a mocha at the local coffee shop, or walking down your sidewalk hoping to encounter a talkative neighbor. All you want to know is what someone (anyone) in your community thinks about the new housing development being built down the street, or when that new restaurant on Lee Road is going to open, or when that pot-hole riddled road around the corner is going to be repaired.

None of this news is terribly important on a national or even regional level, but it is, perhaps, the information that is most relevant to your daily experience. And, it is information that has not been easy to find.