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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.

Flush with the success of the 47th annual Cain Park Arts Festival, Ian Hinz, the park’s general manager, met with us to assess the season so far and share his vision for the future. Although this is Hinz’s first year as full-time, year-round general manager, he served as the park’s operations manager for several summers, about a decade ago.

Estimated attendance at this year’s arts festival was 13,000, up from 10,000 in 2023, and we can attest to the high quality of works for sale.

Responding to e-mail and social media surveys, as well as to input from a devoted cadre of volunteers, Hinz and team have booked more eclectic music programming, plus more free concerts, thanks to a partnership with the Local 4 Music Fund of the Cleveland Federation of Musicians.

Jason Patrick Meyers

The concert season at Walter Stinson Community Park is drawing to a close, but not before two big shows this month. University Heights resident Jason Patrick Meyers will perform on Aug. 8, and reggae group Carlos Jones and the PLUS Band concludes the season on Aug. 15.

Both shows are free, and will start promptly at 7 p.m. Food trucks will be at The Walt for both shows, as well as local bakery Milk & Cookies.

With his gritty vocals and acoustic guitar stylings, Meyers connects to his listeners with a well-crafted lyrical adventure of honesty lurking in every song. A 27-year veteran of the Cleveland music scene, Meyers spends his day as program coordinator in the Music Therapy Department at University Hospitals.

Kasia Buford, Julie Walker, Charita Baseman and Aaron Ware.

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Nearly 150 FutureHeights supporters, including community leaders, gathered at John Carroll University’s Dolan Center in University Heights on July 13 to honor two remarkable Heights residents, raise funds for important programs, and party for a cause. 

Paint the Town, the 2024 edition of FutureHeights’ annual fundraiser, was a resounding success, raising substantial funds to power key local programs.

“We’re thrilled with the support we received from the community and excited for FutureHeights to move ahead and grow,” said Rhonda Davis-Lovejoy, co-chair of the FutureHeights board of directors.

Holding the event in University Heights is part of the nonprofit organization’s strategic plan to increase program offerings and small-business support in that partner city.

When complete, the redeveloped University Square will feature more than 200 apartments, new retail space, and a revamped parking garage.

This July, University Heights City Council unanimously passed two items: the acceptance of the bid for new recycling carts, and the revised TIF ordinance that authorizes the Port Authority to issue new bonds for redeveloping University Square.
 
“Both are big deals,” University Heights Mayor Michael Dylan Brennan said. “Both are victories for the city.”
 
Ordinance 2024-46 establishes Tax Increment Financing for the University Square redevelopment project. This amends an earlier agreement and paves the way for the long-awaited redevelopment plan by developers Brad Kowit and Gregg Levy.

On Saturday, Aug. 17, 3–6:30 p.m., the community is invited to join Moms Demand Action, Racial Equity Buddies, and Restorative Justice of Cleveland for a vital conversation on gun violence and its impact.

The program will also discuss potential measures to reduce and eliminate this scourge from our communities.

The event will be held at Forest Hill Church, 3031 Monticello Blvd. Light refreshments will be offered. After the presentations, there will be small-group discussions about restorative justice and gun violence.

Oak Tree Veterinary staff: Dr. Williams, Dr. Underwood, Courtney, Ashley, Jake, Dr. Oakes, Krystyna, Kim.

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Oak Tree Veterinary Hospital is proud to announce the August grand opening of its new facility on South Taylor Road. Oak Tree has operated as a veterinary hospital since 1950, and has been part of the Cleveland Heights community since 2013.

The new, modern building comprises 9,700 square feet and is located at 1794 S. Taylor Road, next to its former location.

The new hospital will have separate waiting areas for dogs and cats, 11 examination rooms, three surgical suites (soft tissue, orthopedic, and dentistry), and advanced imaging suites for radiology, ultrasound imaging, CT scans, and more. It will also feature an on-site pharmacy, stocked with pet medications and prescription-diet food.

The Farrell Foundation for Brain Health will host a Memory Café, Art in August, on Thursday, Aug. 8, at the University Heights Library.

The enrichment program, guided by professionals, is for people with cognitive memory loss due to dementia or Alzheimer’s and their primary care partners.

At the event, Farrell Foundation resident artists will guide participants in creating a special piece of art. No art background is required for the activity. The experience is paired with refreshments in a café atmosphere.

Noble Gardeners’ Market (NGM) will launch its seventh season on Saturday, Aug. 3. The market will run each Saturday through the end of September, 10 a.m. to noon. The market is located at the corner of Noble and Roanoke roads (one block north of Monticello Boulevard).

Sellers who grow vegetables, fruit and flowers in their backyards or community gardens are welcome to sell their abundance at the weekly market.

New this year, the market will welcome sellers of “Cottage Foods”—prepared goods defined by the state of Ohio that are prepared in the seller’s home kitchen and are “not potentially hazardous foods.”

It's been a couple of years since my last submission regarding the declining conditions of Cedar Road in Cleveland and University Heights—and things have only gotten worse.

Out-of-town landlords continue to avoid basic maintenance to maximize profits; commercial and residential tenants are held unaccountable for trash, left-out bins, and trash in yards; and the cities set the bar lower and lower with shabby maintenance.

Weeds along Cedar from Westminster Road to Lee Road are several feet tall. University Heights sidewalks are choked with weeds, as is the south side of Cedar Center—especially the section [occupied by] Chicken Ranch and Primo's Pizza.

Many people came together to create the space now known as Walter Stinson Community Park in University Heights. However, nobody deserves more credit than former University Heights Mayor Susan Infeld. 

While The Walt has many features, including a playground, exercise equipment, native flowers, and a track, the heart of the park is the gazebo—and that’s why city leaders chose to name it after Infeld.

The gazebo was technically renamed after a council vote last December, and a plaque unveiling was held on July 11 prior to a summer concert.

Jack Slater’s opinion in the July Heights Observer, "CH needs new approach to resolve grocery woes," reflects a wish for government control of food access with the proposed opening of city-controlled/city-owned grocery stores. When has government operated a business efficiently? Governments that nationalize industry or business overspend and the businesses become less productive.

Why? Because those running a government entity will be paid regardless of how much or how little money comes into the entity, while a private enterprise has to bring in money in order for the owners to eat.

Capitalism is flawed, but it is the only system that works overall.

Amy Lowell is director of the Midwifery Program at The MetroHealth System.

MetroHealth has launched a new midwifery program to serve patients seeking care during pregnancy as well as ongoing gynecologic care through every stage of life.

In July, Amy Lowell (CNM, MSN), director of the midwifery program, began seeing patients at the MetroHealth Cleveland Heights Medical Center, at 10 Severance Circle, for outpatient pre-natal checkups and women’s wellness exams. The Certified Nurse Midwives (CNM) team will expand over the coming months and plans to comprise five providers by early next year.

In addition to outpatient care, CNMs also will provide inpatient care and attend births at MetroHealth’s new state-of-the-art birthing center at MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland.

What can you do when it seems politics is stacked against you, vital institutions are collapsing before your very eyes, the powerful have wrestled every ounce of venom they can muster to promote their own self-interests, and you are so depressed by it all that you can’t remember when you last laughed?

One answer to this question is the book Democracy or Else: How to Save Democracy in 10 Easy Steps, by Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, and Tommy Vietor, with Josh Holloway.

This is not a book review, though it might seem like one. Okay, here’s the part that will seem like a book review: The book is super practical, with chapters like Vote Early and Vote Often, Volunteer, The Buck Stops Here.

After years of inaction, there now is a deal to re-develop Severance Town Center.

Mayor Seren is entitled to take a victory lap. He and his staff managed, against long odds, to get owner Namdar Realty Group to come to the table. And MPACT Collective, the New York development group that signed a “master development agreement” with Namdar, does have a respectable track record. It all looks good.

Good, but not yet great. The proverbial devil always is in the details.

The announcement that there is a developer for Severance tells us that the mayor form of government has given the city the power to create development possibilities. The mayor has proved he can lead this city in economic development projects, which is the direction we need to go.

For decades Cleveland Heights has been losing population. The median income of our residents has been dropping. Tax revenue was dropping. To maintain services and the city budget there were two paths open to the city. Path one is to raise tax rates. Path two is to engage in economic development.

Mayor Seren has long argued that economic development is needed not just to grow the city, but to reverse lost population and income. His administration has multiple projects in various stages of planning or development: Lee/Meadowbrook, Cain Park Village on North Taylor, Nobility Court on Noble Road, Park Synagogue, and Turkey Ridge.

Baxter at bat in his first game.

My father would have loved it. This was my grandson, Baxter’s, first year that he could play Little League baseball in his 6-year-old life. In his first game, he got two hits. He got a couple of hits in every game. At that age, if you can ever hit the ball, you’ll get a hit, because the ball will never get to the base before you do.

And he scored a couple of runs in just about every game, because, at that age, if you get on base, and a couple of other kids hit the ball (and it never gets to the base before they do), you will eventually come around to score. When I was the third-base coach for my son, Dan’s, Little League teams, I just waved every base runner home, every time someone hit the ball. I noticed that the coaches on my grandchildren’s teams were much nicer people than I am, and didn’t do that.

The Cleveland Chamber Collective will present a free concert on Saturday, Aug. 3, 7 p.m., at Disciples Christian Church (3663 Mayfield Road). The concert will feature award-winning composers Caroline Shaw, Missy Mazzoli and Jessie Montgomery, Canadian composer Michael Oesterle, and local favorites Trevor Kazarian and Eric Charnofsky. This summer’s evening of intimate works will have on display various styles and harmonic languages, from pop and jazz influenced, to the Baroque and Renaissance Ayres, not to mention sine waves and flower pots.

The concert features two works by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Shaw, who has composed for performers from Yo Yo Ma to Beyonce. She creates strange but familiar worlds in both Boris S. Kerner, and Limestone and Felt. The first features Kazarian on cello, and Dylan Moffitt on an arrangement of flower pots.

Elana Pitts, a former participant in LEI programs, helps a young student find joy in writing.

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Lake Erie Ink (LEI), a creative writing organization, has long been a nurturing ground for young writers, providing them with the tools, support, and community necessary to hone their craft. Over the years, the organization has evolved significantly, not only in its offerings but also in the vibrant community it fosters. A testament to its enduring impact is the phenomenon of former participants returning to contribute as teachers, volunteers, or board members of Fresh Ink, the organization’s guiding body.

Founded with a vision to empower youth through creative expression, LEI offers an array of programs, including workshops, summer camps, and writing clubs, catering to diverse age groups and skill levels.

Recently I’ve noticed comments by some Cleveland Heights citizens about two important issues: the new apartment buildings going up in Cleveland Heights, and septic/storm overflows in our sewers. These comments need correcting.

A complaint about the new apartment buildings is that they are for “outsiders,” and few people from outside Cleveland Heights want to move into these buildings. The thought is that Cleveland Heights shouldn’t even consider that people would move here. And complaints are leveled at Cleveland Heights City Council for approving the new, some say misguided, development.

The project's “Colonialism: Religion, Class, Race with Gerald Horne” video has more than 43,000 YouTube views.

Heights Libraries has launched a new subsite on its website, dedicated to showcasing the videos, podcasts, and supporting documents of its Unpacking Our History project, formerly The 1619 Project.

The creation of the subsite was made possible by a $5,000 Carnegie-Whitney grant from the American Library Association.

Unpacking Our History comprises a monthly discussion group, a monthly video lecture series, and an expanding collection of video interviews with experts in the field of history, law, and race, with the interviews also available as a podcast.

On Wednesday, July 24, Heights Libraries will hold a moderated community listening session at which it invites community members to share opinions and ideas about the future of the Coventry PEACE building. The event will be held at Heights Libraries' Lee Road Branch, and will begin at 7 p.m.

 Advance registration is required. To register, click on this link.

 Heights Libraries has announced the following agenda:

1. PEACE building timeline
2. PEACE Building Survey results
3. Public comments
4. Next steps

Home Repair Resource Center (HRRC), 2520 Noble Road in Cleveland Heights, will offer two classes in July:

July, 23, 7–9 p.m., Installing Ceramic Tile with Jim Kunselman

Let’s get to work! In this demonstration and hands-on workshop, you’ll measure, cut, lay  and grout tile. If you learn best by seeing and doing, then this is the class for you! The fee for this class is $25.

July. 30, 7–9 p.m., Hardwood Floor Refinishing with Tom Reznik

JULY 2, 2024, regular meeting

• Public comment
• Recognitions and awards
• Superintendent’s comments
• Treasurer’s report
  
  

Present were President Jodi Sourini, Gabe Crenshaw, Dan Heintz, and Phil Trimble. Malia Lewis was excused. Also present were Superintendent Elizabeth Kirby and Treasurer Scott Gainer. The meeting was called to order at 7 p.m. and adjourned at 7:50 p.m.