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Sue Dean Dyke, right, and Heights resident Nicole Major go where voters are to find people to register.

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Democracy only works when citizens participate. But Ohio’s voter registration can be hard for some citizens: for example, seniors, young people and renters have to reregister every time they change their address.

That doesn’t sit well with Heights resident Sue Dean Dyke. She started Mobilize the Vote NEO to connect with disenfranchised and disengaged voters, develop relationships, and empower people to participate in government. She has inspired more than 700 volunteers working in the Heights and beyond.

“You’ve probably seen us in our neon orange T-shirts,” said Dyke.

Mobilize the Vote goes where the voters are—food banks and farmer’s markets, concert lines and community festivals, HUD apartments and downtown high rises—making it easy for people to register to vote.

“We’ve registered thousands of voters. And we follow up with them to make sure every vote counts,” Dyke said.

Owner Manuel Chincilla inside his new Lee Road bookshop.

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Hexagon Books opened at 2184 Lee Road in July. The store is focused on literature from all over the world. And for those who would like to read in Spanish or Italian but could use a little help with their proficiency, classes in those two languages are offered right in the store.

Owner Manuel Chinchilla explained that, in August and September, he offered multiple sections of beginning Spanish and Italian for adults, with both morning and afternoon sessions to accommodate different schedules, and one section of each of those languages at the advanced level. He hopes to add children's workshops in Spanish and Italian in the near future.

In an exciting signal of ambitions to grow the reach of the business, Chinchilla added, “I’m hoping to hire more instructors to teach Spanish and Italian lessons for adults next year.”

On Saturday, Oct. 19, 4–7 p.m., Dobama Theatre will present its fourth Annual Heights Halloween Festival in the Cedar Lee Business District.

This free, family-friendly event will feature costumed characters, large-scale puppets, face painting, a DJ, dancing, games, a scavenger hunt, and circus performers from Wizbang.

The Heights Halloween Festival will also include the beloved, traditional Candy Crawl, so families should dress up and bring their goodie bags to be ready to trick-or-treat at participating businesses throughout Cedar Lee.

Adult spotted lanternflies are easy to identify by their spotted wings and bright red hindwings. They're about an inch long. [photo: Mark Derrickson]

The long-anticipated spotted lanternfly invasion has reached Cleveland Heights and University Heights. Cuyahoga is one of 12 counties in the state that are under quarantine by the Ohio Department of Agriculture for having an established population of the pest.

Tree-service companies (like ours) have been fielding phone calls from concerned residents who have found the pests on their property. 

The host tree for the spotted lanternfly is the Ailanthus tree, commonly known as the Tree of Heaven. Both the tree and the insect originally came from China, and both are considered invasive.

Karen Malone Wright

Walter Stinson set a legendary path before me, and now it’s easy to see the dozens of ways University Heights has changed since he accepted his first position with the city in 1976.

When I first moved to University Heights 37 years ago, Walt was one of my first visitors, presenting my husband and me with a friendly, personable smile and a Welcome Basket of information. He seemed to be truly interested to learn what made us choose University Heights for our home, and how he might be able to help us become acclimated to the community and our neighborhood.

Today, my home is a five-minute walk to Walter Stinson Community Park on Fenwick Road, familiar to residents, their children and even their pets. I wasn’t surprised when Mayor Michael Dylan Brennan chose to honor Walter in 2019 at such a community-focused site.

Gather Well Cleveland Heights founders Eric Yarham and Julie Walker outside the HKIC Media Lab

When Julie Walker and Eric Yarham founded Gather Well Cleveland Heights, a grassroots organization focused on creating community connections, they knew a podcast had to be a part of their vision.

“We reached the decision to do the podcast because the medium wasn't being used to spread all the good work happening in Cleveland Heights and University Heights and beyond,” said Walker.

A chance meeting with Heights Libraries Director Nancy Levin led the pair to the media lab at the library’s Heights Knowledge and Innovation Center computer lab.

I did something I never expected to do on Sept.3. I went to the Cleveland Heights City Council meeting in my bathing suit. I wasn’t the only one in swimwear; I was joined by the strong and proud swimming community of Cleveland Heights.

We have been asking repeatedly for the return of public lap, water aerobics, and family swimming hours at the new high school pool, which we enjoyed as a community until 2020. Prior to this, we had available swimming hours for years at the South Pool in the old high school building.

Our community has grown tired of Mayor Seren and the school board pointing fingers over the logistics of this amenity offered by countless other communities in Greater Cleveland and beyond.

The UH Fire Station will host its annual open house on Oct. 6.

This year, Fire Prevention Week is October 6–13. Join your friends and neighbors at the University Heights Fire Station on Oct. 6, noon to 3 p.m., for the annual University Heights Fire Department Open House.

Have fun, while learning how to keep your household safe from fires. This year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign, “Smoke alarms: Make them work for you,” strives to educate everyone about the importance of having working smoke alarms in the home.

In 1925, President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed Fire Prevention Week a national observance, making it the longest-running public health observance in our country.

Many of us know the name of Doan Brook, which traces the southern boundary of Cleveland Heights and was dammed in the 1830s by the Shakers, to provide waterpower for their mills.

Less familiar is Dugway Brook, which originates at Lyman Circle, on a high spot in Shaker Heights. As it flows downhill, Dugway divides in two. Following roughly parallel courses, its east and west branches head northwest, through seven communities. As they enter Bratenahl the branches reconverge to form an estuary, which continues north to Lake Erie. On their way from the Heights, they have taken on runoff, stormwater, refuse and debris from an 8.7-square-mile area—the Dugway watershed.

United Women in Faith host a biannual flea market at Church of the Saviour.

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The Church of the Saviour (2537 Lee Road) will host its fall flea market Oct. 17–19.

All proceeds of this popular, bi-annual event benefit local and global missions of the church’s United Women in Faith.

In addition to the variety of flea-market items, plants, soup, and baked goods also will be available for purchase.

It will cost $10 to shop the first hour of the sale, Thursday, Oct. 17, 3–4 p.m. Admission thereafter is free:

Cleveland Heights Mayor Seren now has failed in his second attempt to fill the position of City Administrator. And this was not for lack of finding excellent candidates. First, he failed to retain Joe Sinnott. Now he has failed to retain Danny Williams.

I once wrote in the Heights Observer that Mayor Seren found a good man when he hired Danny Williams. Mr. Williams has the right skill set. He is an experienced administrator. He always has worked well with others. As critical as I have been about Mayor Seren in the past, I thought he got something right this time.

Mr. Williams will quit at the end of the year.

This is Cleveland Heights, at Fairmount and Lee, in the 1890s, the era my elementary school teachers, and their ideas, came from.

My grandchildren love their fourth- and second-grade teachers at Fairfax Elementary School. They’ve loved all of their teachers there, so far. I did not have anywhere near that kind of experience at the old Coventry School. Most of my teachers had been born in the 1890s and their ideas were as old as they were.

I know my third- and fourth-grade teacher (the same person) and fifth-grade teacher wouldn’t last long as teachers today, at least not in Cleveland Heights. (They might be okay in the deep South.)

My third-grade teacher was super-racist, and blatantly obvious about it, not trying to hide it. She displayed it proudly.

Dobama Theatre will present the Cleveland premiere of Selina Fillinger’s Broadway hit and three-time Tony Award-nominated farce, “POTUS: or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive.” Performances are Oct. 4–27.

When a presidential PR nightmare triggers a domino effect, unraveling layers of personal and political catastrophe with escalating worldwide implications, seven women scramble to save a White House in shambles. In “POTUS,” outrageous antics and irreverent conversations abound. The show provides contemporary commentary on the timeless concerns of gendered power structures and dynamics—while also delivering an endless stream of laughs.

Library Experience intern Josephine Halushka organized donated books that are given away each summer through the Book Bike program.

Heights Libraries continues its efforts to encourage high school seniors and college students to consider a career in libraries with its Library Experience Program.

The program includes a general orientation to the library, various learning opportunities, and the hands-on experiential activities needed to fulfill the requirements of a variety of unpaid practicum or internships at high schools and colleges.

College student Josephine Halushka was this summer’s intern.  

Currently a student at the College of William and Mary, Halushka worked with Youth Services Librarian Anne Tisch at the Lee Road branch. Halushka, whose family lives in Northeast Ohio, shadowed Tisch as she performed a wide range of tasks, including providing reference services and helping with multiple programs at all four branches: American Sign Language Storytime, an Inclusive Playdate program that welcomes children with different needs, the Exploding Watermelons STEAM program, the Lee Road Puzzle Swap, and more.

Policymakers in the Ohio legislature keep sowing seeds of discontent with public education, casting public schools as failed institutions and disinvesting in the common good. I can imagine how educators in our school district and across the state feel knowing that powerful people ridicule their work and happily reduce it to test-taking compliance, missing the full sweep of what education is meant to achieve.

If we want to preserve public education, we have to keep fighting the failure narrative. I needed inspiration to fight on, so I turned to books by Mike Rose, a hopeful education researcher who spent years as an educator and classroom observer.

Award-winning author Amanda Flower will discuss her latest mystery at P.E.O. International's Nov. 9 event.

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Chapter Q of P.E.O. International will present “An afternoon with Amanda Flower” on Saturday, Nov.  9, 2 p.m., at Forest Hill Presbyterian Church. While the program is free, donations are encouraged. All funds raised will support women’s education through P.E.O.’s educational projects.

At the event, two-time Agatha Award-winning and USA Today bestselling author Amanda Flower will discuss her latest mystery, To Slip the Bonds of Earth, released in March 2024.

Flower’s radiant historical mystery novel was inspired by the real sister of the Wright brothers. While not as famous as her older siblings Wilbur and Orville, the celebrated inventors of flight, Katharine Wright was actively involved in her brothers’ aviation achievements. In the novel, Katharine is equally as inventive as her brothers—especially when it comes to solving crimes.

Making a connection between her writing and P.E.O.’s mission to educate women, Flowers had this to say: “Women's way of knowing and learning certainly impacted my writing. I write historical mysteries about women who have used their education and experience to uplift their life and the lives of the people around them.”

Fellow Citizens:

Have you ever attempted to watch a Cleveland Heights City Council meeting and found yourself hunting for your therapist's number? I have, and the rancor, disjunction, and verbosity has got to stop now.

When citizens sign up to speak before council, they are given a time limit: three minutes. That might not seem like a lot, but if one is prepared, that three minutes is ample time to make one’s positions known.

When some elected officials speak, it appears that the goal is to win by attrition: If they go on long enough, citizens will either give up or die.

Siaara Freeman

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University Heights is gearing up for a night of celebration and recognition as the annual Civic Awards returns on Wednesday, Nov. 13. The event will honor those who have made significant contributions to the community.

To recommend a UH resident for recognition, send an e-mail to info@universityheights.com by Oct. 15.

The Civic Awards—free to all—will again take place at the Jardine Room on the campus of John Carroll University.

Volunteers at a Coventry Urban Mini-Forest Spring 2024 planting day.

The Heights’ tree canopy is facing unprecedented challenges. Aging heritage trees, severe weather events, and ongoing canopy loss are impacting the community’s environmental health and beauty. Residents can make a difference in their own front yards, however, by requesting a free tree from Heights Tree People (HTP). 

HTP supplies and plants trees in people’s front yards for free. The nonprofit group is now accepting tree requests for the fall 2024 planting season.

To request a tree, fill out a short form at www.heightstreepeople.com/request-a-tree.

As a former colleague of Judge Timothy Clary, I am heartened to see our Cleveland Heights neighbor's endorsement by the Plain Dealer.

Having served in civil and criminal law, as an assistant prosecutor for the state, and for community members as an assistant public defender, Clary has a breadth of experience that is refreshing to see in a member of the judiciary. His ”excellent” ratings from five of six bar associations who evaluated candidates demonstrate the superior qualifications he has accrued over his 13 years of practice.

The Resonance Project's concert series hope to gain new fans for classical music by telling the stories behind the compositions.

Featuring a lineup of artists that include Grammy winners, Apollo’s Fire members, and Cleveland Institute of Music faculty, The Resonance Project carefully curates a musical series that bring ideas and worlds to life. 

New to Cleveland Heights, the classical group will perform a series of concerts at Forest Hill Church (3031 Monticello Blvd.), accompanied by compelling visuals and narration, where storytelling becomes just as important as playing.

The Resonance Project’s performances feature a diverse range of genres, and delve into the work of lesser-heard composers.

Discussion groups at the Crowdsourced Conversation explored ideas for Heights parks. [photo: Sarah Wolf]

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On Aug. 29, FutureHeights hosted a Crowdsourced Conversation at Forest Hill Park, focused on the community's vision for public parks in Cleveland Heights and University Heights.

The forum was informed by the responses of 300-plus residents who participated in a survey designed to assess frequency of and reasons for Heights residents' visits to local green spaces, including playgrounds, community pocket parks, and other gathering spaces.

According to the survey results, 66% of respondents felt satisfied or very satisfied with their park experiences, 70% indicated they felt safe or very safe in the parks, while 7% reported not visiting any city parks over the last year.

Flyer designed by the Nature Center.

The Cleveland Heights Green Team (CHGT) will co-host a “freecycle” community swap meet on Saturday, Sept. 21, 1–4 p.m., at Shaker Heights’s Main Library, 16500 Van Aken Blvd. This community-driven event encourages Heights residents to exchange gently used items, promoting sustainability and reducing waste.

"We're thrilled to once again co-host this Freecycle event in partnership with the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, and Shaker Heights Libraries," said Natalie Elwell, CHGT's co-founder. "It not only helps reduce waste and give new life to no longer needed household items, but also strengthens our community bonds. We encourage everyone to participate and take advantage of this chance to give and receive."

Danny Williams

Cleveland Heights City Administrator Danny Williams announced at the Sept. 3 meeting of CH City Council that he plans to retire at the end of this year. He said he was making his plans known now “to give the mayor ample time to find a suitable replacement.”

Williams cited personal and professional reasons for his decision.

“At the end of this year,” said Williams, “I will have outlived my father by a decade.” That realization, he said, coupled with losses he has experienced over the past year, prompted him to think about where he wants to spend the rest of his life. 

Noble Gardeners' Market (NGM) is moving to Noble Neighborhood Library, 2800 Noble Road, each Saturday in September, from 10 a.m. to noon.

The market will set up on the lawn at the corner of Noble and Kirkwood roads, in a section of the inviting, people-enveloping landscape at the newly renovated library. It features picnic tables and a tiered performance space.

On Saturday, Sept. 7, NGM will host performances by Freaky Bob, a Heights High barbershop quartet. 

The FutureHeights Music Hop, supported by Noble Neighbors, will feature performers at the market on Saturday, Sept. 28.

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Cleveland Heights High School has its share of accomplished alumni. Authors and educators, doctors and inventors, artists and entrepreneurs, professional athletes and . . . bubblers?

Yes. Bubblers. Gary Pearlman, class of 1976, is a world-renowned bubbler and has held 15 Guinness World Records for his bubbling feats. We’re talking soap bubbles—the kind you blew through a ring when you were a little kid.

Pearlman, aka Dr. U. R. Awesome, may be a grown man but he makes his living (and makes his mark) blowing bubbles. 

He started out as a magician, a job he had for 40 years. His friend and fellow Wiley Junior High and Heights High classmate, Steve Presser, eventually invited Pearlman to perform his magic tricks at Presser’s famed Coventry store, Big Fun.

FutureHeights' annual Heights Music Hop puts spotlight on Cleveland Heights.

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The Heights Music Hop returns at the end of this month, Sept. 27 and 28, with free performances planned in three locations—the Cedar Fairmount Business District, the Noble Gardeners’ Market, and the Cedar Lee Business District.

With its annual, one-of-kind, free music festival, FutureHeights brings together local music and local businesses to spotlight Cleveland Heights as a destination, and a great place in which to live, own a business, and shop and dine at locally owned, independent stores, bars and restaurants.

FutureHeights’ 2024 Hop will kick off on Friday, Sept. 27, 6–10 p.m., in Cedar Fairmount.

On Saturday, Sept. 28, the Noble Gardeners’ Market—which, as of Sept. 7, will have moved to its new location at the Noble Neighborhood Library, at 2800 Noble Road— will host live music from 10 a.m. to noon.

On Saturday evening, the festivities will move to Cedar Lee beginning at 6 p.m.

The Shootouts.

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The music lineup at the 2024 University Heights Fall Fest would delight Donny and Marie Osmond. It will be a little bit country, a little bit rock and roll—plus a touch of a unique fusion of klezmer and Motown.

Get ready for a day of eclectic musical delights at Walter Stinson Community Park. The Shootouts will headline the event, with special guests Audiophile CLE and Yiddishe Cup. Music begins at noon on Sunday, Sept. 29, on the Susan K. Infeld Gazebo stage.

Fall Fest will also include over 75 artists and vendors, activities for kids, and food trucks.

The Shootouts are known for their energetic fusion of Americana, honky tonk, roots rock and Western swing that Shootouts fans often refer to as “country music for people who don’t like country music.”

There is a lot going on at Cleveland Heights City Hall, so let’s get to it.

Thanks to vigilant city council oversight—especially council members Petras, Larson and Cobb—our city did not renew the ARPA consultant contract with Guidehouse. The mayor has since hired the Bricker Graydon law firm to take us the rest of the way as the administration disperses the ARPA money allocated by city council in December 2023. As of today, this looks like a much better option.

September begins budget season. Our most important decisions on spending priorities will be made over the next few months. In February, I asked city council members to direct their budget priorities to our clerk of council, to keep a log of our collective ideas. We will be presenting these in the coming months.

Rev. John C. Lentz Jr. [photo: Jean Reinhold]

On Saturday, Aug. 3, 300 members and friends gathered at Forest Hill Church, Presbyterian in Cleveland Heights to celebrate the retirement of Rev. John C. Lentz Jr., who had served as its pastor for over 30 years. The program of speakers and music was followed by a reception in the church’s Fellowship Hall.

Lentz conducted his final worship service at Forest Hill Church on Sunday, Aug. 4. During the service, the church’s Session awarded him the designation of pastor emeritus.

Throughout his ministry at Forest Hill Church, Pastor Lentz led the congregants on a journey inward in spiritual formation and growth, and a journey outward to encompass living into a calling in service to the church and the broader community.

Under his leadership, the church committed to a number of initiatives in support of racial equity, reconciliation and restoration.

The Heights Tree People are “branching out” to University Heights! (See what we did there?)

Based next door in Cleveland Heights, Heights Tree People is a volunteer organization that supplies and plants trees for free in local front yards. They believe planting and caring for trees in Heights neighborhoods is an act of love—for our people, for our communities, and for our planet. 

Trees provide many benefits to the people they live among, helping to make us healthier, happier, and safer. People who live near trees are physically healthier, report higher rates of happiness, and experience less stress and anxiety. Trees also dampen noise pollution, and well-placed shade trees can reduce utilities bills by up to 25%.

Documentarian Kara White interviews Gary and Julie Galustic, founders of the Coventry PEACE Park.

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Coventry PEACE Park is getting a face-lift. More to the point, it’s being completely rebuilt, with new structures (a cardinal!), free Wi-Fi, new play areas that will include a climbing wall and a zipline, and more. To document the changes, Heights Libraries enlisted Height Middle School Shorts (HMSS)—and HMSS is looking for student interns.

Since its creation in the early '90s, the playground has been a gathering place for the entire community: it’s hosted theater productions, outdoor cinema, and lots of hanging out. 

“It’s hard to overstate the value of the PEACE Park to the Heights community,” said Heights Libraries Director Nancy Levin. ”We’re not just rebuilding the playground; we’re creating the heart of the community for generations to come.”

Shannon Morris [photo: Stephen Cutri]

The Cleveland Arts Prize (CAP) has awarded Shannon Morris, co-founder and executive director of Artful Cleveland, its prestigious Robert P. Bergman Prize for 2024. This honor is a significant recognition of her dedication to fostering a vibrant artistic community and her commitment to making art accessible to all.

According to CAP, the Robert P. Bergman Prize “is awarded to an individual whose life and work are illuminated by an energetic and inspiring dedication to a democratic vision of art. The Bergman Prize recognizes the highest possible expression of art stewardship through long-term commitment.” It celebrates those who not only create art but also cultivate environments where creativity can flourish, reflecting the values of inclusivity and community.

Morris is a Cleveland Heights native whose vision of a safe, inclusive artist’s enclave—Artful—found a home in the Coventry PEACE Building.

Randy Brown is Heights Libraries' local history librarian and a FOHL scholarship recipient.

To encourage careers in librarianship, Friends of the Heights Libraries (FOHL) offers scholarships to students who are pursuing a library science graduate degree. Residents of Cleveland Heights or University Heights, as well as resident or nonresident employees of Heights Libraries, are encouraged to apply. 

Any person living in CH or UH for at least one year or anyone employed by Heights Libraries for at least one year is eligible. Scholarships are offered three times per year in the amount of $750; the money can be used to meet educational costs such as tuition, books, and/or seminar registration fees. 

FOHL was established in 1962 and has offered scholarships from early in its existence.

Heights Libraries’ current library director, Nancy Levin, was a recipient of a Friends’ scholarship when she first started working for Heights Libraries.

Lariel Ramirez

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Cleveland Heights resident and psychiatrist Joan Lederer has embraced photography as an artistic pursuit as well as a tool for community engagement and social change.

Currently, Lederer's focus is on The Old Angle Boxing Gym in Cleveland's near West Side, owned by Gary Horvath, a celebrated local boxer mentored by the renowned Jimmy Bivins. With a storied career that includes multiple Golden Glove titles and inductions into three halls of fame, Horvath embodies Cleveland’s rich boxing legacy. At 77, he remains deeply rooted in the community where he was born and raised.

"After years in community psychiatry,” said Lederer, “The Old Angle has become my sanctuary—a place where individuals from all walks of life support each other through shared dedication."

Scouts cooking lunch at summer camp.

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Scouting for America (formerly Boy Scouts of America) provides programs for young people that contribute to personal development, community engagement, and the cultivation of essential life skills.

Learn more about Scouting for America—and join the fun—on Thursday evening, Sept. 12, 6–7:30 p.m., at Forest Hill Park, 2370 Lee Blvd. in Cleveland Heights. Stop in any time between 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. to meet local scouts and join in games and activities.

Scouting provides a structured environment where young men and young women can take on leadership roles and responsibilities. Through various positions, such as patrol leader or senior patrol leader, scouts learn to lead their peers, manage group dynamics, and develop critical decision-making skills. This experience fosters self-confidence and prepares them for future leadership opportunities in both personal and professional settings.

The musicians performing "Perspectives" are (from left) QinYing Tan, Andréa Walker, Alan Choo, and René Schiffer.

CLE Concierto, a newly founded early music ensemble, will perform its inaugural concert on Sept. 27, 7:30 p.m., at Forest Hill Church, 3031 Monticello Blvd., in Cleveland Heights. The program, "Perspectives: Elisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre and her Musical Circle," highlights the circumstances female composers faced in 17th-century France.

Musicians performing in the concert are Apollo's Fire concertmaster Alan Choo (baroque violin), with friends Andréa Walker (soprano), René Schiffer (baroque cello), and CLE Concierto founder [and writer of this article] QinYing Tan (harpsichord).  

Inspired by the Spanish word "concertar," meaning "to come together in harmony," CLE Concierto is on a mission to identify composers whose stories are not often told by the mainstream.

I am writing to urge the Cleveland Heights city administration and members of city council to coordinate a forum to address the recent county tax increases. Council and the administration cannot directly intervene in county policy, but can and should convene a discussion for citizens to interact and ask legitimate questions.  

In a single tax cycle, the county’s assessed values have increased by as much as 50 to 100 percent. My personal taxes increased 54 percent. In the same three-year cycle, the Consumer Price Index outpaced wages by 300 percent (like many, I live on a fixed income, i.e., a wage growth of zero). I am being commanded to cough up more than $8,000 annually—17 percent of my pension—to live in a 108-year-old, largely original and un-modernized 2,000-square-foot house in a not particularly desirable area of Cleveland Heights, let alone Northeast Ohio. Incredible.

Spring 2023 mini-grant recipient Roxboro Elementary School Learning Garden. [photo: Brandy Hudelson]

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The FutureHeights Neighborhood Mini-Grant program offers up to $1,000 in funding for citizen-led projects happening in Cleveland Heights and University Heights. Its grant periods occur twice annually, once in the spring and once in the fall; the next application deadline is Sept. 15.

Qualifying projects comprise three key elements: 1) demonstration of a community-building effort amongst Heights neighbors or community members; 2) geographic location within Cleveland Heights or University Heights; and 3) involvement of at least three unrelated project leaders.  

Groups interested in applying for a Neighborhood Mini-Grant can access an electronic application on the FutureHeights website. Any group that may require assistance in completing its application online, or may not have access to the technology necessary to fill out an application online, should send an e-mail to swolf@futureheights.org or call the FutureHeights office at 216-320-1423.

No matter which candidate you support, even if your choice is the late Aaron Burr, there are some simple rules you need to follow about the display of yard signs in University Heights.

In advance of the upcoming general election, political yard signs are starting to pop up across University Heights. Here are some things to know, or be reminded of, to help get through Nov. 5:

1. Don’t even think about it. Please accept this gentle reminder that vandalizing or stealing yard signs is against the law, so don’t do it. People have been prosecuted in University Heights for stealing signs.
2. Yard signs, with the emphasis on “yard.” While residents may place signs in their yards to promote politics or other issues (for example, “Home of a Heights Tiger”), the signs must be placed in the actual yard, not on the tree lawn (or “Devil’s Strip,” if you’re from Akron). This law exists to protect the right of way, so that visibility for drivers is not blocked.

Children planting a ceremonial tree in celebration of Arbor Day at Coventry PEACE Park, organized by Heights Libraries.

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Heights Libraries has announced its membership in the Sustainable Libraries Initiative (SLI), marking a significant step in the library's ongoing commitment to sustainability and community leadership in environmental stewardship.

SLI is a national program dedicated to supporting libraries in their efforts to become more sustainable and environmentally conscious. In joining, Heights Libraries commits to taking a comprehensive approach to sustainability, encompassing not only environmental practices but also economic and socially equitable practices.

"We are thrilled to be part of the Sustainable Libraries Initiative," said Heights Libraries Director Nancy Levin. "This membership aligns perfectly with our mission to serve our community in a holistic and responsible manner. We believe that libraries are uniquely positioned to lead by example and promote sustainability in all aspects of community life."

Sylvia Munodawafa

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Opening Friday, Sept. 6, at 5 p.m., Pinwheel Gallery presents KUMESO, a solo show of artwork by Cleveland Heights artist Sylvia Munodawafa. The show will be on view through Sept. 27.

Kumeso is the word for face in Shona, the language of Munodawafa’s country of origin, Zimbabwe. The artist’s abstract paintings and multimedia sculptures celebrate identity and connection, bridging the past with the present, and the personal with the universal.

Munodawafa explores materials and techniques at her studio at Artful Cleveland. She is skilled with acrylic paint, and willing to experiment with different paints, techniques and surfaces. 

Heights Arts named her one of its Emergent 2024 artists. She also has displayed her work at Negative Space Gallery, was a part of the SheArt show at Deep Roots Experience, and has exhibited locally, nationally and internationally. This is Munodawafa's first solo show. 

Munodawafa’s recent exploration into African spirituality and tradition is reflected in the show’s sculpted and painted masks, for which she has drawn inspiration from the rich cultural landscapes of Africa.

Power struggles continue to preoccupy Cleveland Heights' mayor and city council to the benefit of no one, least of all the people they are supposed to serve. After 100 years of council/manager government, our council and administration are fumbling their way through the city's first term under an elected mayor.

We continue to believe that changing our form of government was the correct choice for Cleveland Heights. Do we wish it were easier? Sure! But this is where we are.

As others who watched the Aug. 5 council meeting are aware, none of the real and pressing problems facing this city are caused by the mayor and council failing to agree about who should be able to appoint citizens to certain boards and commissions. At present, this may be the least of our problems, yet it has been the focus of recent conflict.

Andrew Bales (right) oversees construction of a new mausoleum at Lake View Cemetery.  

Lake View Cemetery has promoted Andrew Bales to the position of Chief Operating Officer (COO). In this capacity, Bales is responsible for all cemetery operations, including burial management, grounds maintenance, and sales.

According to Katharine Goss, Lake View’s president and CEO, “Bales exemplifies the Lake View Cemetery standard of high moral character in everything he does. His deep understanding of our work and the families we serve will ensure Lake View Cemetery continues to meet the evolving trends of the deathcare industry and of our community. On behalf of our executive leadership team and the Boards of Directors, I am proud to welcome Bales into this new role.”

Joseph El Biri, Patrick M. Burke and Daniel Martinez (in uniform, from left) received tuition reimbursements after graduation from the Cleveland Heights Police Academy in June. Lita Gonzalez (third from left) presented the awards.

The Officer Jason D. West Memorial Fund awarded tuition reimbursements to three Cleveland Heights Police Academy graduating cadets, class of June 2024. The total amount awarded was $12,500.

All three award recipients, Patrick M. Burke, Joseph El Biri and Daniel Martinez, have been hired by the Cleveland Heights Police Department.

“In both the written applications and in the interviews, the committee felt that these cadets exhibit many of the qualities that endeared Officer Jason West to the Cleveland Heights community and made him an exemplary police officer,” said Lita Gonzalez, the fund’s president. “We are especially pleased that they will be serving in the Cleveland Heights Police Department.”

In the 1966 Cold War film “The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming,” a Soviet submarine runs aground off New England. It has no hostile intent, but villagers go into a tizzy. The movie was a comedy. All ended happily. But a movie made today might be called “The Migrants Are Coming, the Migrants Are Coming.” Today’s invaders also may have no hostile intent. But what happens after they arrive might not be a comedy. And there might not be a happy ending.

This all occurred to me when I recently heard a rumor that some migrants are illegally occupying vacant housing in East Cleveland. Such occupations happen in other American cities. It is not paranoid to imagine the same might be happening so close to where we live.

This is the 1936 Heights High Marching Band. My father is in this picture. Do you see him? He's right over there. More than 40 years later, my son was in the band, too; while my daughter, like me and my mother, was in the Heights Choir. 

I’m pretty sure that I write about school every September. It still looms large. It was always traumatic, every single year that I went to school, from kindergarten through 12th grade. There was nothing I wanted to do less than going to school. I didn’t mind learning—in fact, I loved learning, and craved it—but I just didn’t want to be in school.

The last week of summer vacation was the worst—just this unshakable feeling of impending doom, and dread. However, one thing got me through, and I’ve written plenty about that, too: music.

Through elementary school, at Coventry, I had to provide that music for myself, which I did through learning how to play the guitar, at age 7, and getting into little bands, starting at age 9.

Heights Libraries will offer programs and services in September to support freedom of speech, encourage voting, and help people find accurate information in a sea of often misleading and sensationalist publications and media sites.

“With the state of Utah recently outright banning public schools from carrying books by the likes of Margaret Atwood and Judy Blume, we are definitely seeing more aggressive attacks on free speech,” said Heights Libraries Director Nancy Levin. “We believe the best way to push back is to provide open access to as many viewpoints and ideas as possible, and the best first step is making sure everyone in our community has a library card.”

September is National Library Card Sign Up Month, and libraries across the country will be encouraging people in their communities, especially children, to get a card. Heights Libraries plans to raise awareness through social media and local advertising.

Many readers may know me from my 12 years on the school board, seven years on the library board, or 15 years running the Cleveland Heights High School Alumni Foundation, but for the last seven years I been exhibiting my photography at venues throughout Northern Ohio. During this time, I have exhibited at over 100 art shows, festivals and events, including all of the “legacy” art shows: Boston Mills, Willoughby, Medina, Chardon, Chagrin Falls, Lakewood, Akron and Cain Park. 

After last year’s season, I wrote to Mayor Seren and city council, sharing with them several ways I felt the city could improve the Cain Park Art Show. As I said to them, Cain Park is possibly the best in our region for artists regarding vendor services. The issues I raised to the mayor and council were outside of the ravine, namely marketing the show, polishing the area around Cain Park for visitors, and connectivity to Cleveland Heights businesses.

The banner at the corner of Cedar and Lee, on the grounds of Cleveland Heights High School, invites passersby to “Choose public. Choose Heights.” It lists assets that make our public schools notable and something to be proud of. The emphasis on choice is an effort by public-education supporters to co-opt the message used by voucher advocates, who emphasize school choice to justify public funding of private education.

Choice is a popular idea, but when it comes to education, it is harmful. Separation and individualism replace unity, inclusion and shared purpose. Individual rights, not the common good, drive public investment. 

I’d like to change the banner to read, “Our children. Our public schools. Our future.”

Yiddishe Cup (from left): Steven Greenman (violin), Alan Douglass (keys), Bert Stratton (clarinet), Tamar Gray (vocals), and Alice Stratton (dance leader). Not pictured: Vernondo Parker (drums).

The Yiddishe Cup Klezmer Band will play a concert at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 28, at the outdoor, covered Wain Pavilion, on the grounds of Park Synagogue, 27500 Shaker Blvd., Pepper Pike.

The concert is free, but a donation is encouraged to the American Friends of Magen David Adom (Israel Red Cross).

Yiddishe Cup, founded in 1988, plays soul music: klezmer and Motown. During the past year, the band has performed in California, New York, Washington, D.C., and Wisconsin, as well as throughout Ohio.

Four of the band's musicians live in Cleveland Heights. The other two live in Orange and Cleveland. (Can’t win ‘em all.)

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

Tuesdays, Sept. 3–24, 6 p.m.

PEACE Park Fence Art with Debbie Apple-Presser. Join the library each week to create a unique art installation on the Coventry PEACE Park construction fence using upcycled material. For ages 12 to adult.

On Wednesday, Aug. 21, the city of Cleveland Heights and consultant partners Kimley-Horn and Seventh Hill will present an update on the city’s Comprehensive and Equitable Safety Action Plan (CESAP). Residents are encouraged to attend the open-house meeting at the Lee Road Library, 5:30–7:30 p.m.

The project team seeks ongoing community input regarding existing safety concerns throughout Cleveland Heights for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists alike.

After a thorough review of historical crash data and consideration of community concerns, the project team has identified projects and programs that it believes will bring tangible safety benefits to the community.

The Davis family are the owners of Olie's Gift & Ship, voted Best New Cleveland Heights Business.

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Nineteen years ago, FutureHeights established its annual Best of the Heights Awards program to recognize the many unique businesses in Cleveland Heights and University Heights, and to celebrate their contributions to the local economy.

The 2024 selection process began with a round of nominations, followed by voting for the top vote getters in each category. Well over 1,400 total ballots were cast, demonstrating the enthusiasm with which Heights residents support their local business.

The winners and runners-up of the 2024 Best of the Heights Awards are:

Best Pizza: Dewey’s Pizza
Runners-up: Vero, Pizza Bogo

Best Coffee Shop: Phoenix Coffee
Runners-up: Rising Star, Stone Oven Bakery Cafe

The Heights Music hop returns for it's 11th year this September.

The two-day event will kick off in the Cedar Fairmount district on Friday, Sept. 27.

On Saturday, Sept. 28, the hop moves to the Noble Gardeners' Market, open from 10 a.m. to noon, at the corner of Noble and Roanoke roads. On Saturday evening, hop performances will take place in the Cedar Lee district.

The Cedar Fairmount Summer Festival is back after a COVID break.

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After a hiatus due to COVID, the Cedar Fairmount Summer Festival returns this year for the first time since 2019. This summer’s festival will take place on Sunday, Aug. 11, from noon to 4 p.m.

The festival will feature live music performances by Blue Lunch and by Tony Quarles and The Discovery Band; an artisan vendor fair; and rides on the Euclid Beach Rocket Car. Also participating will be the city of Cleveland Water Buggy, Cleveland Heights’ K-9 officer, a fire truck, Heights High student musicians, Wizbang teen circus performers, face painters, and more.

Merchants and restaurants will offer special deals, along with streetside food for purchase.

The Cleveland Heights Municipal Court (CHMC) was recently awarded $98,814 in grant funding from the Supreme Court of Ohio’s 2024 Technology Grant to upgrade audio and visual equipment crucial to its operations. The grant will fund improvements in the main courtroom and the lobby, and allow for additional enhancements in the second, smaller courtroom to be paid out of CHMC’s special projects fund.

The grant will support the implementation of a state-of-the-art hearing-assistance system in both courtrooms, replacing outdated devices prone to feedback issues. This new system will provide a more reliable and user-friendly experience for individuals with hearing impairments.

The funding will facilitate the installation of equipment in the court lobby necessary for efficient notifications regarding court proceedings, clerk information, and probation updates.

Matt Moore, surrounded by Coventry business owners, will be charting new courses for the district.

The Coventry Village Special Improvement District (SID) has a new executive director—Matt Moore. He brings to the position a diverse background in the marketplace, nonprofit, and faith-based sectors. Through his creative company, Airloom, Moore also has decades of experience in the arts and marketing.

“The Coventry merchants and the SID are really looking forward to working with Matt Moore,” said Suzanne DeGaetano of Mac’s Backs, who recently celebrated 40 years in Coventry. “He is raising a family in the neighborhood and has worked in the district, so he has a deep and fundamental understanding about community issues that affect us.”

Though he works in a variety of environments, Moore’s approach to leadership has two consistent ingredients. “Usually, there’s a problem! When an organization feels stuck or frustrated, that’s where I like to jump in,” said Moore.

One hundred years ago, Cleveland Heights fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders had a new opportunity. Their parents could request that they be excused from school for an hour each week to receive religious education at a nearby Protestant church. Each grade level had a different course, and students from each public school attended a different church. No transportation was provided. Presumably, only Protestants participated. The Cleveland Heights Commission on Religious Education, a coalition of 10 Protestant congregations representing five denominations—Baptist, Episcopalian, Presbyterian, Lutheran, and Evangelical—sponsored the classes and paid the teachers.

CH's Tony Cuda pitches in the 2024 Pam Am Games [photo: Jack Valancy]

Cleveland Heights Council President Tony Cuda pitched a complete game victory in the 2024 Pan Am Games on Aug. 12.

His team, the Mud Hens, won the game 8-2.