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Mayor Michael Dylan Brennan.

As a candidate for mayor in 2017, Michael Dylan Brennan promised he could lead University Heights to “reach new heights.”

In less than two terms, “every goal has been met,” Brennan said. “The things I came here to do, I have done. The things that remain that I have started are well underway and will be done.”

Brennan informed UH City Hall directors and chiefs on Jan. 14 that he will not be seeking a third consecutive term as mayor in 2025.

In his time in office, Brennan said he has not held back: “You see that in our record and results.”

Crowdsourced Conversations explored the future potential of Severance Town Center. [photo: Sarah Wolf]

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The Crowdsourced Conversations community forum series explored four community-selected topics in 2024, and is looking ahead to 2025.

A program of FutureHeights, co-sponsored by community partners, the series puts the spotlight on residents’ voices by emphasizing action-oriented small-group discussions on topics voted on by residents. It is intended to inspire and empower residents to find ways to become more directly involved in their community in ways that feel meaningful, and meet other residents who hope to accomplish the same.

Voting to determine the 2025 topics is underway and will conclude on Wednesday, Jan. 15.

Jeff McNaught recyles EPS foam at his Rocky River facility.

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While curbside recycling is a cornerstone of waste management, Heights residents are taking their efforts a step further by recycling beyond the blue bin.

Traditional recycling programs focus on paper, plastic, glass and aluminum. Hard-to-recycle items are mostly destined to end up cluttering basements and, eventually, landfills.

“We recognize that recycling beyond the blue bin is a critical evolution in waste management,” said Catalina Wagers, co-founder of the Cleveland Heights Green Team (CHGT). “By organizing drives that provide Heights residents with options to dispose of hard-to-recycle items, we are not only reducing our environmental footprint but also, more importantly, fostering a culture of sustainability.”

Since 2021, CHGT, in partnership with Heights Libraries and the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, has coordinated 14 recycling drives, collecting medical equipment, e-media, household goods and electronics, and yard signs and holiday lights.

JCU's Gateway North project aims for a completion date of December 2026.

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John Carroll University’s (JCU) transformative Gateway North project, a mixed-use retail and residential complex, has taken a significant step forward with approval from University Heights City Council on Dec. 16. The project—which will be located at Fairmount Circle, bordered by Warrensville Center Road, John Carroll Boulevard, and Milford Road—is designed to enhance the student experience, add modern student-living accommodations, and provide vibrant retail options for the community.

Standing five-stories tall, the Gateway North development will feature retail on the first floor, including a specialty grocer and space for a restaurant, with student-living accommodations located above.

There is no way to do a comprehensive review of 2024 in 600 words, but I’m going to give it a try anyway.

Since I became CH City Council president, VP Davida Russell and I have done a number of things to improve the way city council operates. In order to save space in this article for other important topics, please go to our website: www.clevelandheights.gov/524/City-Council and look under “2024 Council Leadership Accomplishments.”

Regarding the recent budget controversy, here is a summary of the many concerns most members of council had while evaluating the mayor’s proposed budget:

Winners of the Cleveland Heights ADUs Design Competition are (from left) Tristan Ruffin-Williams, Cade McCue, Jamie List, Phillip Talley, Chuck Miller, Tommy Chesnes and Conner Deck. Not pictured: Jon Novak.

The city of Cleveland Heights recognized five winners in its Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) Design Competition at an Awards Showcase held at CH City Hall on Dec. 4.

The showcase featured original designs for ADUs—small, second homes that can be built on the same property as a primary residence—submitted by 28 professional and amateur designers.

The two People’s Choice award winners—Cade McCue of Kent State University, and Tristen Ruffin-Williams of Hawken School—were selected through an online vote.

The three winners in the juried competition, chosen by a panel of residents and design and planning professionals, were: Chuck Miller of C2, Charles C. Miller Architect LLC; Connor Deck, Jon Novak and Tommy Chesnes of Onyx Creative; Phillip Talley and Jamie List of City Architecture.

Mayor Seren with Dan Horrigan, his pick to be the next CH city administrator.

On Monday, Dec. 16, Cleveland Heights City Council held a confirmation hearing for Dan Horrigan, the former mayor of Akron, who is Mayor Kahlil Seren’s nominee to serve as the next city administrator of Cleveland Heights.

The hearing, a special meeting of the Council Committee of the Whole, can be viewed on the city’s YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2aNUPafnTY&t=20s.

According to the mayor, Horrigan was one of 42 applicants for the position, and the only one whom Seren interviewed—via a “series of conversations about his experience and interest in continuing in public service.” The mayor noted, “I wanted to jump on this opportunity and move forward.”

Grades—whether applied to schoolwork, job performance or real property—are inevitably somewhat subjective. Evaluating a grade entails knowing not only the criteria applied, but the frame of reference and qualifications of the individual who assigned it.

Recently, Cleveland Heights participated with Euclid and South Euclid in a Western Reserve Land Conservancy (WRLC) project to comprehensively survey all properties in each city. The end product, First-Ring Property Inventory (https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/3b0f978b6d63493c8e11fd56d92385b5), is a voluminous data set, potentially a tool to help shape future housing policies and programs.

To our readers:

Thank you for your encouragement during the eight years since we started our "Heights of Democracy” column. We enjoy hearing from you and appreciate your suggestions of topics for us to write about.

From time to time, particularly in recent months, some of you have asked us to cover breaking news and developing stories about ongoing crises in Cleveland Heights government.

Guillermo Salas-Suarez (baroque violinist) and QinYing Tan (harpsichordist) in rehearsal. 

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CLE Concierto, the Cleveland Heights-based early-music ensemble founded in September, continues its inaugural season with a captivating program of Spanish music—A Spanish Affair—on Friday, Jan. 31, 7:30 p.m. The concert will be performed at Forest Hill Church, 3031 Monticello Blvd.

The concert will feature renowned violinist Guillermo Salas-Suárez, a specialist in Spanish violin music, alongside Brian Kay (historical plucked instruments and percussion) and a harpsichordist. The repertoire will include Felix Lopez's lively “Variaciones del Fandango;” José Herrando's evocative “El Jardín de Aranjuez,” which conjures the birdcalls and lush imagery of Madrid’s famous gardens; Luigi Boccherini’s rarely performed yet brilliant violin and harpsichord sonatas, and more.

If there are any two subjects of crucial importance in governing the city of Cleveland Heights, they would be personnel and finance. Mayor Seren has shown poor skills at delegating the management of either.

Put aside for the moment the loss of not one, but two city administrators. Forget about the loss of a finance director and the need for a temporary acting finance director. Now the city is faced with the loss of that temporary director and the mayor’s desire to install a second “temporary” finance director.

The Cleveland Chamber Collective will present a free concert, Music of America VII, on Sunday, Jan. 12, at 3 p.m., at Disciples Christian Church in Cleveland Heights. The program will feature works inspired by sounds from around the world—from India to Buenos Aires, Bali and Manhattan.

Blaze, by Reena Esmail, brings Hindustani violin virtuosity to the Western concert hall, showcasing Emily Cornelius on violin and Dylan Moffitt on tabla. Salad Bar, by Cincinnati composer Ellen Ruth Harrison, is a unique duo featuring violist Brian Slawta and flutist Linda White. The work is inspired by the climate by the Baltic Sea (as well as a pretentious menu the composer encountered while on holiday). Also included in the set is a lament for the Jews deported from Szczecin, the first German Jews to be taken to the camps in Poland.

Cleveland Heights stands out in our region for its rich civic culture. The city is home to a treasure trove of nonprofit organizations that focus on the needs of our residents.

As a nearly all-white, elite suburb in the 1960s, Cleveland Heights’ civic life was limited to the League of Women Voters, garden clubs, a business group, and church service clubs. In 1964, things began to change. Community groups began mobilizing residents to take charge of the future and defend the community’s increasing racial diversity.

David Laibman on the front cover of one of his CDs, in a pose that is exactly the way he used to sit on the wall of his front porch when he was a teenager and I was a little kid.

When I was about 8, I used to wander down to the other end of our (fairly short) block, on Belmar Road in Cleveland Heights, and talk to a guy who was seven years older than I, because I had started guitar lessons a year earlier, and this guy, also named David, would sit on his front porch or front steps playing his guitar. I used to ask him to show me how to play things on the guitar that my ancient, old classical guitar teacher would not and could not teach me.

I was taking lessons at Motter's on Coventry Road. Back then, there were very few dedicated guitar teachers in music stores because there just weren't that many guitar players—until 1958, when the Kingston Trio started the big commercial folk music wave, and then, again, in 1964, when the Beatles arrived in the U.S.

Dobama Theatre will present Katori Hall’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play, "The Hot Wing King," in a production that opens Jan. 24 and runs through Feb. 16.

The play explores themes such as family, community, masculinity, loss, self-acceptance, and Black and queer joy. It has been described as “theatrical comfort food, a satisfying concoction of amusing and touching—sweet, salty, and of course, spicy.”

Playwright Hall said the most important thing to her while writing the play was “that it not really be about them being gay. That it be about them being human; that it be about them loving each other; that it be about them supporting each other.

Cleveland Heights streets crews installed a demonstration roundabout at the intersection of Caledonia, Winsford and Dresden roads as part of the city's traffic calming program.

The city of Cleveland Heights won a $800,000 Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The city will use the grant to install demonstration projects from the SS4A federal program, intended to improve safety conditions for pedestrians and cyclists in Cleveland Heights.

The city will add $200,000 from its general operating fund to the $800,000 grant for an immediate infusion of $1 million in roadway safety improvements.

"This grant will enable a faster turnaround for our traffic calming program and getting demonstration projects in place that encourage sustainable forms of transportation in Cleveland Heights," Mayor Seren said.

Mayor Seren (seated) signs the Leopardo Energy contract with (from left) the city's Sustainability and Resiliency Coordinator Andy Boateng, Assistant Law Director Christopher Heltzel, and Law Director William Hanna.

On Dec. 10, Cleveland Heights signed a sweeping “energy savings performance” contract with Leopardo Energy that will generate for the city $1.8 million in savings per year for the next 20 years.

At the heart of the $25 million contract are renovations to five city facilities and replacement of the city’s streetlights with energy-efficient LED fixtures. The city will create 387 union jobs to update power systems and repair City Hall, the two fire stations, the service garage, and Cain Park.

“We are acting today for future generations by extending the life of our properties and committing Cleveland Heights to a path for energy savings and carbon reductions prioritized in our recently released Climate Action and Resilience Plan,” Mayor Seren said.

Mayor Seren addressed those who gathered for Cleveland Heights' Transgender Day of Remembrance.

On Nov. 20, TransOhio and Pride in the Heights, in collaboration with the city of Cleveland Heights, hosted a Trans Day of Remembrance event at the CH Community Center. More than 75 people attended.

Trans Day of Remembrance is an annual vigil held by communities across the world to honor transgender people who lost their lives to discriminatory violence. A portion of the ceremony is devoted to reading the names of those killed that year.

"We’re here tonight to acknowledge and grieve people who lost their lives to bigotry," Mayor Seren said. "Their deaths were meant to be a threat to us all about how fully we realize ourselves, and how true we are to our own identities. Which is why these public gatherings are crucial: We must come together to affirm and celebrate our individuality and self-expression, and we must collectively mourn when that right is violently taken from any of us."

The Coventry PEACE Park sledding hill in November. The hill will remain closed through spring, to prevent erosion of the hillside.

Sledding at Coventry PEACE Park is a popular winter activity for residents of Cleveland Heights and surrounding communities. Not as big as Cain Park’s sledding hill, the PEACE Park hill nevertheless attracts crowds of kids and families each year—drawn not just to the hill but also the playground next to it. Add to that easy parking, and plenty of restaurants close by for an after-sledding snack, and you have the makings of a perfect winter day.

This winter, however, will be a little different due to Heights Libraries’ comprehensive renovation of the park.

Rachel Weller of the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes at the Cleveland Zoo Recycling Center, dropping off lights collected during last year's recycling drive.

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Cleveland Heights Green Team (CHGT), in partnership with the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes and Heights Libraries’ Lee Road branch, will collect broken, burned-out string lights, extension cords and power strips, to benefit the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo's Lights for Lions program.

Since 2021, when this recycling-drive program launched, Heights residents have recycled more than 3,200 lbs. of string lights and extension cords.

Beginning Saturday, Dec. 28, drop-off bins will be available at the parking-lot entrance to the Lee Road Library. A collection bin is already available in the Nature Center’s lobby.

The recycling drive will end on Saturday, Feb. 1.

Heights Libraries newest board member, Anastasia McIntosh.

The Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library is pleased to announce the appointment of its newest board member, Anastasia McIntosh. Her seven-year term will begin in January. 

McIntosh, a five-year South Euclid resident (a small portion of South Euclid falls in the library’s service area), is a project manager for the Riverside Company, a global investment firm. She holds a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience, with minors in linguistics and anthropology. She is an avid community volunteer, having participated in neighborhood cleanups, Neighborhood Connections programming, and refugee support, among other activities.

"I can’t overstate how central to my life libraries have been,” said Mcintosh, “as sanctuary, inspiration, safe haven, knowledge center, and stable place for me to belong.”

As a member of Cleveland Heights City Council, I want to reassure residents that we are committed to ensuring the city has a 2025 budget that meets the highest standards of fiscal responsibility, transparency, and planning. We understand the critical role a well-crafted budget plays in maintaining the services, infrastructure, and quality of life our residents deserve, while also safeguarding the city’s financial stability.

Unfortunately, the proposed 2025 budget presented by the mayor during November budget hearings lacks the information necessary to guide our city effectively through the challenges ahead. As of Dec. 9, the State Audit of 2023 was not complete. Council had not received October and November 2024 financial reports.

According to the Cleveland Heights charter, the mayor is responsible for preparing the city’s budget “in such detail as the Council may require” (Article IX, Section 1). City council’s role is to carefully review the proposed budget to ensure it meets the city’s needs and is financially responsible before approving it. This ensures that the administration engages in high-quality budgetary and financial management. To fulfill this duty, council members must be fully informed by the mayor about the city’s financial actions, status, goals, and plans. Without comprehensive information, council cannot make decisions that best serve the city and its residents.

The mayor’s proposed 2025 budget is incomplete and disorganized, raising significant concerns. A strong municipal budget should present clear, measurable goals, detailed departmental spending estimates, and separate operational and capital budgets for transparency.

Cleveland Heights currently holds respectable bond ratings of Aa3 from Moody’s and AA- from Standard & Poor’s (S&P), signaling strong financial health and low credit risk. These ratings allow the city to borrow at lower interest rates, saving taxpayers money and enabling investments in critical infrastructure, services, and community projects.

However, the incomplete and underdeveloped 2025 budget proposed by the mayor raises serious concerns about the city’s financial stability and could lead to a bond rating downgrade. 

This outcome would carry cascading financial consequences, affecting Cleveland Heights’ ability to borrow affordably, fund vital services, and attract new residents and businesses.

On Dec. 9, Cleveland Heights Mayor Kahlil Seren announced that he will recommend Dan Horrigan, the former two-term mayor of Akron, to be the new city administrator at the Dec. 16 meeting of Cleveland Heights City Council. 

The announcement states:

Horrigan served as the Mayor of Akron for two terms from Nov. 3, 2015 to Jan. 1, 2024.

Mayor Seren said, “We are so fortunate that Dan is available to fill this particular role both at this time in his career, and at a time of real momentum in Cleveland Heights.

The current Heights Poet Laureate, Siaara Freeman, performs a reading during the Ekphrastacy event in October.

Heights Arts, the Cleveland Heights-based multidisciplinary arts organization, is seeking applications for the position of Heights Poet Laureate. The selected poet will serve a two-year term, April 2025 to March 2027, coinciding with the organization’s 25th anniversary.

The Heights Poet Laureate will receive an annual stipend and play an active role in community and civic events. Throughout their tenure, they will also lead Heights Arts’ beloved Ekphrastacy – Artists Talk and Poets Respond series, which connects visual and literary art.

Applications will be accepted through Dec. 31, 2024. Eligible candidates must commit to the full 24-month term and either reside in Cleveland Heights or University Heights, or demonstrate a strong connection to the Heights community.

Looking for unique, handmade gifts for the holidays? Look no further than the Cleveland Potters Co-op annual pottery sale, Dec. 6, 7, 8 and Dec. 14 and 15.

Taking place the first two weekends in December, the sale will feature one-of-a-kind art created by co-op members, including mugs, bowls, planters, trinkets and more. Visitors will have the opportunity to meet featured artists, learn about pottery classes taught by co-op members, and explore the studio space.

NOVEMBER 26, 2024, work session

• Safety and climate supports
• Weapons detection systems
• Board discussion of safety

NOVEMBER 18, 2024, regular meeting

• Public comment
• Mayor’s report
• City administrator’s report
• Happy 5K, 10K, and Mile Run 
• Land conservancy
• Council actions
• Council member comments
• Committee of the whole (COW)

NOVEMBER 18, 2024, regular meeting

• Literacy grants
• Coventry PEACE park
• Friends of the Heights Libraries
• Human resources report 
• Board action
• Director’s report
• Public service report

NOVEMBER 18, 2024, regular meeting

• Public comment
• Mayor’s report
• Council member response
• Directors’ reports
• Censure resolution
• Other council action
• Council committee reports

Winter Wonder will offer family fun, a parade, unique shopping and more.

On Saturday, Dec. 14, Coventry Village will host Winter Wonder—a festive day filled with fun activities, unique shopping experiences, arts, and culture.

Coventry Village has long been celebrated as a small-business destination, where buying local is part of the community spirit. On Dec. 14, a full schedule of free Winter Wonder activities promises additional fun for all ages, with live music, warm drinks, ice sculptors, and photos with Santa—all within a five-minute walk.

Discover holiday treasures and one-of-a-kind gifts at Steve Presser’s Big Fun Vintage Toys, Grog Shop’s Jingle Bell Shop, and a pop-up from Brittany’s Record Shop—all spotlighting cherished pieces of Coventry’s vibrant retail scene.

Shoppers can find something special for everyone on their list, from Made Cleveland (voted Cleveland Scene's best gift shop) to Passport to Peru, Mac’s Backs, and more, including gift cards, stocking stuffers, and sweet treats.

Fresh donuts from the famous donut machine.

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Church of the Saviour, located at 2537 Lee Road, will host its annual Advent Festival & Holiday Gift Market on Saturday, Dec. 7, from 9 a.m. to noon.

This free-of-charge, popular community event will be chock-full of family-friendly attractions. 

Live holiday music acts provide a festive backdrop to an extensive fair-trade and local gift market, featuring vendors such as the Interreligious Task Force on Central America, Women of the Cloud Forest, Amani Children's Foundation, and many more.

Awards emcee Rachel Vadaj, Super Cooper, and Mayor Michael Dylan Brennan.

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A super time was had by all at the 2024 University Heights Civic Awards on Nov. 13. The city celebrated its Superman origins with the event’s “A Better Tomorrow” theme, while it recognized people who are working hard to make University Heights an even better place to live, work and raise a family.

The theme is a shout out to Superman’s new motto, “Truth, Justice, and a Better Tomorrow.” The creators of the Superman comic book, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, both lived in University Heights.

John Carroll University (JCU) graduate and Channel 19 News reporter Rachel Vadaj returned for the second consecutive year to host the event.

Days after our deadline for this column, the Nov. 15 “Cleveland Heights City News” presented the Seren administration’s 135-page draft Climate Action and Resilience Plan (CARP) for public review and feedback. The deadline for responses: Nov. 20. A quick scan revealed a dense compendium of data and charts, missing essential elements and containing multiple errors. Absent from CARP's mile-high view are concrete action steps, benchmarks and timelines, plus any indication that implementation plans and budgets might follow. 

We hope a completed CARP can guide Cleveland Heights in preparing to face the challenges ahead. Otherwise, this document will join the 2017 master plan and similar civic exercises gathering dust in a virtual attic.

James E. Frolking at his 100th birthday party at Manikiki Golf Course, April 29, 2024. [photo: Jane Kaufman]

When U.S. Army Air Forces fighter pilot James E. Frolking’s P-51 Mustang was shot down on Oct. 7, 1944, he parachuted to a sandbar in the North Sea, landing in water chest deep. 

His first act was to light a cigarette.

Frolking, then 20, stayed put overnight, awaiting rescue. The next morning he paddled a dinghy to Noord Beveland, a German-occupied island in the Netherlands. The Dutch Underground safeguarded him on a farm, and he was liberated by Canadian forces who returned him to England about 30 days later.

This wasn't our sign. Ours was in blue and white—cold colors—with what looked like snow on top of the letters. 

Sitting in Chester’s, a bar and restaurant on Coventry Road, one afternoon in 1976, with a few friends, one of us said we wished there was some place we could go and hang out that wasn’t a bar.

So, I hatched a plan right there. I announced that I was going to find an apartment where the rent was, maybe, $160 a month, and if those three friends, and four others, would all pay $10 a month, they could each have a key and total access to the place. It could be like a club. They readily agreed and so did four other friends. Most of us were artists, of one kind or another—musicians, visual artists, a writer, a dancer.

I found a basement apartment on Euclid Heights Boulevard, a block west of Coventry, that was perfect (for this), with its one bedroom all the way in the back, so it was separate from everything else.

ROOTS Executive Director Michele Colopy presents the William Woods Excellence in Teaching Award to Mary Matisak.

Roots of American Music (ROOTS) held its annual fall event on Oct. 24 at the Music Box Supper Club in Cleveland. As part of its yearlong refresh, the Cleveland Heights-based nonprofit celebrated its story and service to the community. 

A vignette of ROOTS’ own “Blues is the Backbone” music education program was interactive, with teaching artist Jack Mizenko conducting the audience in the refrain of a blues song, and then of one adapted by students at Halle School.

Singer Evelyn Wright, accompanied by guitarist Michael Haburay and pianist Sebastain Mango, led guests through a vignette of the “Food for the Soul” program for seniors, which connects music with current topics, and sparks discussions among the seniors that encourage them to share their life experiences and revisit memories inspired by the music.

In 2023, the Coventry Village Library partnered with CHGT to host an Eco Fest.

Heights Libraries has joined the Sustainable Libraries Initiative (SLI) and officially started the process of becoming a certified sustainable library system.

SLI is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide libraries with resources and guidelines to shift toward a cleaner, greener, and more equitable future for the people in their communities.

“We are excited to be a part of a network of libraries making informed long-term decisions that are environmentally sound, socially equitable, and economically feasible,” said Heights Libraries Director Nancy Levin.

Nov. 5 was an exciting day for me. It was democracy in real time—the foundation on which democracy works.

I stood at the polls 8–10 a.m. and gave last-minute mini-lessons on Issue 1, the ballot initiative which, if it had passed, would have addressed gerrymandering by changing the way Ohio draws its maps for state and congressional voting districts. Our current maps are unconstitutional yet still in use because the seven-person commission charged with drawing them followed a partisan agenda. No one could stop them.

The day was sunny and warm, and people swarmed to the polls. The line at the CH Community Center snaked all the way to Mayfield Road.

Simba [photo: Merry Lugasy]

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Simba Lugasy died on Oct. 19 at the age of 18.

Simba was the self-appointed Ambassador of Hampshire Road. He lived with his family in their bungalow between Middlehurst and Wilton roads. The entire neighborhood was his district, and anyone who passed by was his constituent.

The Lugasy family adopted Simba from the former Petland store on Lee Road when he was about eight weeks old. His mom, Merry Lugasy, said, “Simba made it clear from the start that he was a people person. He would jump up and cling to the window screen, begging to go outside.” She finally relented and his career was born.

Well-maintained streets free of potholes, reliable refuse and recycling, responsive emergency services, robust parks and recreation are all services residents expect from their municipal government. These services, however, come at a cost to taxpayers. The costs and ultimately the tax are determined by so many factors, but for “bedroom” communities without much industry, like Cleveland Heights and University Heights, the most important factor is population.

U.S. Census Bureau data estimates that University Heights has had a 5.1% population loss, and Cleveland Heights a 3.1% loss, since April 1, 2020. Between the two cities, there are estimated to be 2,119 fewer residents in just the last three years.

The new giant cardinal structure perched in the upper play area of the new Coventry PEACE Park, along with climbers, slides, and a zipline.

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Our Coventry PEACE Park has been under construction since June. The giant cardinal structure is perched in the upper play area, along with climbers, slides, and a zipline, and toddler play equipment is in place in the lower area. The site has been gently graded, and concrete paths are in place to provide sure footing and easy rolling; the retaining wall is in place beside the basketball half court; and the concrete pad is ready for the performance pavilion. Trees are being planted alongside other plantings and ecological features. The construction site is adorned with fence art crafted from upcycled materials, designed and installed by Debbie Apple-Presser, Coventry Village Library Branch Manager Maggie Kinney, and neighbors.

Coventry Village Branch
1925 Coventry Road, 216-321-3400

Tuesday, Dec. 17, 7 p.m.

Ukulele Jam. Bring your ukulele for an evening of strumming, singing, and generally having a good time. All levels, and listeners, are welcome. Music will be provided.

Noble naturalists group picture.

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Fifth-grade students from Noble Elementary School immersed themselves in hands-on learning  and made unforgettable memories at Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP) on Oct. 30.

The young naturalists disconnected from their daily classroom routine and explored Ohio’s native beauty by hiking, climbing and exploring Kendall Ledges. 

Students squeezed inside of the caves and gorges to discover the unique art carved into the stunning sand ledges. The interactive program centered around the ledges’ astonishing transformation over the course of millions of years of weathering, erosion and degradation.

On June 25 I sent a letter to members of CH City Council and Mayor Seren voicing concern regarding the Turkey Ridge development. Each member of city council responded. Mayor Seren did not. And so, I now write a public letter to the mayor:

As a resident of Cleveland Heights for over 40 years, I have always been proud of Cleveland Heights as a city that cares about its residents, cares about the environment and values green space.

Mayor Seren, you appear not to share these values. I am talking about the notion that, as our mayor, you would allow development of the Turkey Ridge site.

Mayor Kahlil Seren delivers his State of the City address.

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On Nov. 7, Cleveland Heights Mayor Kahlil Seren delivered his third State of the City address.

“I'd like to begin our time together tonight focusing on what we have to be proud of and hopeful for in Cleveland Heights,” said the mayor in beginning his address. In it, he highlighted the following:

Development Updates: Mayor Seren outlined the major city development projects underway and forthcoming, specifically the Cedar-Lee-Meadowbrook mixed-use project, with phase one nearly complete; and the Cain Park Village project which aims to revitalize the Taylor Tudor business district and is estimated to bring in an additional $100 million in investment.

Untitled, by Mike Nathal.

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The N.B. White Gallery at St. Paul's has decked its walls with paintings, photographs, and woodworks this winter season. The show opens on Friday, Dec. 6, with an artist’s reception 5–7 p.m.

The bold and colorful paintings were created by DeAnne Smith of Cleveland, and by Jules Briggs, a Detroit-based painter and sculptor. J.W. Cooper’s photographs are on display as well, as are works in wood by Mike Nathal.

Smith creates flow in her art with shapes, patterns, and vibrant colors. Her large-scale, abstract paintings are influenced by her surroundings and by nature.

Briggs similarly uses a bold palette in her personal and fantastical artwork, portraying dreamscapes, fantasy scenes, and fictional characters.

Participants at the recent Crowdsources Conversations forum on Severance Town Center. [photo: Sarah Wolf]

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Crowdsourced Conversations wraps up 2024 with a 40% increase in community participation compared to 2023, and a 107% increase since the program began in 2022.

This forum series, a program of FutureHeights, planned in partnership this year with Home Repair Resource Center, Heights Libraries, Cleveland Heights Green Team, and Heights Bicycle Coalition as well as Heights community members, provides opportunities for residents to gather for action-oriented dialogue around topics they select. This community-building program provides a safe and welcoming space for Cleveland Heights and University Heights residents to come together and brainstorm ways to become more engaged in the community.

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Dec. 6–29, Dobama Theatre will present the professional Cleveland premiere of “Peter/Wendy,” a heartfelt, ethereal adaptation of J. M. Barrie’s classic Peter Pan, by Jeremy Bloom.

Directed by Nathan Motta, Dobama Theatre’s artistic director, this family-friendly holiday show offers an immersive, interactive experience to delight kids and adults alike. Fairies, pirates, mermaids, and more will take the stage, encouraging audiences to think of and share their “happy thoughts.”

“The idea of ‘thinking a happy thought’ might seem trite or childish on the surface, but, as it turns out, happy thoughts can elevate us, and sharing gratitude and happiness with others lifts them up as well. We hope that ‘Peter/ Wendy’ will help do just that for audiences this December,” said Motta.

Heights High 2025 National Merit honorees William Larkin, Remy Bourbeau, and August Szpak. [courtesy Diana Drushel]

Heights High seniors Remy Bourbeau and August Szpak have been named National Merit Scholars in the 2025 competition, and, as semifinalists, have the opportunity to advance to the finalist level and qualify for National Merit Scholarships. William Larkin was named a 2025 Commended Student, placing among the top 5 percent of the students who entered.

Nationally, 16,000 semifinalists were recognized, representing less than 1 percent of the U.S. high school seniors, and there were 34,000 commended students. More than 1.3 million students entered the National Merit Scholarship qualifying competition by taking the PSAT test in the fall of their junior year.

Yard signs from a past recycling drive at the Cuyahoga Solid Waste District's warehouse.

The Cleveland Heights Green Team, in partnership with the Heights Libraries and the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, will collect campaign and other yard signs Nov. 5–24.

The signs will be transported to the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District (CCSWD) facility, where arrangements will be made for their recycling. Unwanted yard signs are not recyclable via curbside recycling.

Sign materials such as plastic film, corrugated plastic and cardboard, and metal stands are recycled by Northcoast Recycling Specialists in Wickliffe. The plastic is marketed to compounders that convert the material into pellets for making items such as plastic bags and plastic toys.

NOVEMBER 5, 2024, regular meeting

• Board action
• Recognitions
• Audience statements
• Student report
• Superintendent’s report
• Treasurer’s report
• President’s Report

NOVEMBER 4, 2024, regular meeting

• Public comment
• Mayor’s report
• City administrator’s report
• Life Saving Award
• Council action 
• Council member comments
• Committee of the whole

NOVEMBER 4, 2024, regular meeting

• Public comment
• Mayor’s report
• Directors’ reports
• Council action
• Council committee reports

OCTOBER 21, 2024, regular meeting

• Public comment
• Mayor’s report
• Director’s reports
• Council committee reports
• Council action

OCTOBER 21, 2024, regular meeting

• Training and development overview
• Public comment
• Board action
• Staff development day 
• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives
• Director’s report
• Public service report

OCTOBER 21, 2024, regular meeting

• Public comment
• Mayor’s report
• City administrator’s report
• Doan Brook restoration
• Council actions
• Council member comments
• Committee of the Whole

SEPTEMBER 19, 2024, special meeting

Present were Mayor Michael Dylan Brennan, Vice Mayor Michele Weiss, Christopher Cooney, Brian J. King, Threse Marshall, John P. Rach, Sheri Sax, and Win Weizer. Christopher Cooney and Brian J. King were excused. Also present were Clerk of Council Kelly Thomas, Law Director Bradric T. Bryan, and City Engineer Brenda Mockbee. The meeting ran about one half hour.

OCTOBER 15, 2024, work session

• Strategic Plan Goal 3 update
• Weapons at the high school
• Board comments on weapons screening