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On Friday, May 23, Cleveland Heights City Council held a special Council Committee of the Whole meeting to discuss the welfare of the community in the wake of the mayor's May 21 video statement. The mayor released the statement in response to allegations of anti-Semitism in texts allegedly sent by the mayor's wife, Natalie McDaniel. (The meeting video can be viewed here.)

Council President Tony Cuda noted that there had been concern in the community about Mayor Kahlil Seren’s whereabouts and well-being in the two days since the mayor left partway through the Monday, May 19 city council meeting, and Wednesday evening, when the mayor released a video statement. Cuda recognized that the mayor was present at the May 23 noon meeting.

From the city’s assistant law director, Chris Heltzel, council learned that the issue of transfer of power in the event the mayor is unavailable is “not at all straightforward."

UPDATE: Mayor Seren released a video statement on the evening of Wednesday, May 21. Watch it here.

The mayor's report at the May 19 meeting of Cleveland Heights City Council was brief. In the wake of new allegations of anti-Semitic texts sent by his wife, Natalie McDaniel; and the related news that his former special assistant, Patrick Costigan, has hired a lawyer and filed a civil rights complaint, Mayor Seren said, "I've prepared a statement, and I'll be releasing that tomorrow. Tonight I'm here to listen to everybody here to speak."

For almost 90 minutes, meeting attendees made public comments. Some referenced a proposed development on Cedar Road at Delaware Drive. Most spoke out against anti-Semitism and condemned the mayor's enduring silence four days after the latest allegations about misconduct at City Hall by McDaniel, who is neither an elected official nor a city employee.

FutureHeights will host its annual benefit, newly dubbed "Elevate the Heights," on Saturday, July 19, 6–10 p.m. at the Heights Theater. 

The event will feature live music by Opus 216 and A.J. and the Woods, and food from The Fairmount Cocktail Bar and Luna Bakery and Cafe. 

Proceeds from the benefit will support FutureHeights programs. These include the community-engagement programs Crowdsourced Conversations, the Neighborhood Leadership Workshop program, and the Heights Observer; business support programs such as Best of the Heights and the Heights Music Hop; and FutureHomes, the nonprofit organization’s housing revitalization program.

Mary Dunbar displays her six marathon medals.

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Mary Dunbar, the former Cleveland Heights council member and longtime Cleveland Heights resident, has recently published her memoir, chronicling her extraordinary journey—from her early years in Davis, Calif., to becoming a trailblazer in both the private and public sectors. Life & Legacy: Mary Dunbar is available at the Lee Road Library.

Dunbar is widely recognized for her advocacy in fitness and environmental issues. Her city council colleagues have described her as a voice of reason and a mentor throughout her nine-year tenure on council.

Dunbar was deeply engaged in community initiatives, including the Cleveland Heights Bicycle Coalition. An avid runner, she earned the prestigious Six Star Finisher title after completing all six World Major Marathons—Berlin, Boston, Chicago, London, New York City, and Tokyo.

The Cleveland Heights Municipal Court is taking proactive steps to address 1) code violations at non-owner-occupied properties, 2) the difficulties many residents have repairing their homes, and 3) the instability created by evictions. Much of this work is being spearheaded by Holly Thomas, the court’s recently hired housing enforcement specialist.

This specialist is key in the court’s housing-compliance efforts. For code-violation cases where the property is not owner-occupied, Thomas tracks progress and reports back to the court before hearings. If a property owner fails to make required repairs or meet other obligations, Thomas alerts the court, prompting further action. Similarly, she tracks and alerts the court about any other conditions placed upon a defendant in a code violation case.

The Racial Repair Task Force. Front row, from left: Marina Grant, chair, Natasha Lovelace, its first recipient. Back row, from left: Mark Chupp, Quentin Smith, Jeannine Gury, and Danielle Cosgrove. 

In April 2022, Forest Hill Church created a Racial Repair Task Force to explore tangible ways to address the legacy of systemic racism. After months of research, community dialogue and discussion, the task force proposed a direct strategy: provide substantial relief from student debt to Black college graduates burdened by loans.

On Wednesday, May 15, at 6 p.m., the church will introduce the first recipient of its Racial Educational Debt Repair Program at a public reception on Wednesday, May 15, at 6 p.m., at 3031 Monticello Blvd.

Community members are invited to attend. Seating is limited; to reserve a spot, visit fhc.breezechms.com/form/May15Reception or call 216-321-2660.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and National Bike Month. (The two may be more connected than we think, considering how physical activity provides relief from anxiety.)

Cleveland Heights invites all to celebrate Bike Month as well as Bike to Work Day on Friday, May 16. Community members are also invited to participate in a Bike with a Mayor event with Cleveland Heights Mayor Kahlil Seren on June 8. For additional Bike Month events, visit www.heightsbicyclecoalition.org Heights Bike Coalition and www.bikecleveland.org.

Making Cleveland Heights streets safer for all is a priority for the city.

A scene from the 2024 University Heights Memorial Day Parade.

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As it has for decades, this year’s University Heights Memorial Day Parade will commemorate those lost in service to our country, and celebrate the freedoms they fought for and left behind for us to enjoy.

This year’s theme is “Look Up.”

The parade will once again step off from Silsby Road, west of City Hall, at 11 a.m. on Memorial Day (Monday, May 26), with a ceremony immediately following.

It’s the longest-running eastside parade in Cleveland. The city of University Heights has proudly held its annual Memorial Day Parade since 1966 (with the exception of 2020 when it was canceled due to the pandemic).

“This is not only the oldest and largest parade on the eastside, it’s also the best,” said University Heights Mayor Michael Dylan Brennan.

Let’s get ready to rock! Or folk, hip hop, classical, jazz and any other of a multitude of musical genres that will be represented at this year's 13th annual Height Music Hop.  

FutureHeights’ Heights Music Hop is a free, annual music festival that promotes local music and celebrates the diversity of Cleveland Heights and University Heights. Launched in 2013, the festival has evolved into a premier celebration of the community’s artistry and authenticity—as well as just a good time. In 2025, FutureHeights continues the tradition of showcasing abundant local talent and supporting businesses in the Heights’ commercial districts.

Participants from the Heights and beyond will join in the May 17 events for runners and walkers of all ages. [photo: Gabe Schaeffer]

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On your mark, get set, let’s run! This year’s Tiger 5k and Fun Run gets underway on Saturday, May 17, at 9 a.m. on the Heights High track.

At this annual fun community event, 5k runners will start at 9 a.m. after a lively warm-up on the football field. A certified course open to all ages and abilities, the 5k is for runners and walkers alike. The Fun Run, for younger athletes, will begin at 10 a.m.

Heights public elementary school PTAs host the event to benefit all elementary schools in the district. The funds raised are divided equally and provide enrichment events and programs within each school.

The recent resignation of Cleveland Heights’ third city administrator in three years, combined with other discord at City Hall, has attracted more media attention than usual about the goings on in Cleveland Heights government. 

City council and the mayor are at odds over a range of issues, and the mayor has been called out in media reports by members of the public for allegedly allowing his wife to bully city employees. 

Cleveland Heights residents rightly want to know what’s going on—especially in what is an election year for mayor and four of seven city council seats.

In the Nov. 4 general election, Heights voters will choose from among the candidates vying for the following seats: Cleveland Heights mayor, University Heights mayor, Cleveland Heights City Council (four seats), University Heights City Council (three seats), and Cleveland Heights – University Heights Board of Education (three seats).

This article includes the names of candidates who are known to be running for office according to the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, as of April 29. There may well be additional candidates currently or to come—according to board of elections rules, candidates who pull petitions can do so anonymously; however, they cannot file petitions anonymously.

The November 2020 Heights Observer included what in retrospect we consider a somewhat naive and idealistic edition of this column. With “Wanted: an excellent mayor for Cleveland Heights,” we hoped to interest talented residents in running for the newly created office of a popularly elected mayor.

In a January 2021 response in the Heights Observer, local communications consultant Bruce Hennes charitably called our opinion piece “accurate and on-point.” But he posited that the city lacked a "civic infrastructure” that could produce a field of capable mayoral candidates.

Few things in life are free, but for income-qualified buyers, buying a home in Cleveland Heights just got a little easier thanks to a new free resource. The Home Repair Resource Center (HRRC) has announced it is offering down-payment assistance to qualified buyers who want to purchase a home here. 

The program, funded with American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding from the city of Cleveland Heights, offers up to $30,000 in down-payment assistance to buyers who earn less than 120 percent of area median income (that's about $75,000 for a single individual; more for couples and families).

A small fraction of the volunteers who work inside and outside, packaging food, placing it in bags and boxes, and loading it into cars, every Tuesday morning at the Abundance Food Pantry at Forest Hill Church.

The first time I can remember hearing the word “longing” was when I was 5 years old, and my father was telling me and my older brother a story. I didn’t know what “longing” meant, but I figured it out by its context.

The story was that when my father was 8 years old, in 1929, shortly after the Great Depression had started, and he was walking down Coventry Road from his house on Washington Boulevard, behind the then-new library, he saw the waffle man on the corner of Coventry and Hampshire roads. The guy used to come around with his cart and make fresh, hot Belgian waffles.

My father’s family still had some money (which they eventually mostly lost). My father bought a waffle. He said he could hardly wait to take his first bite.

Cleveland Heights Mayor Kahlil Seren has reportedly adopted a Lean Six Sigma–style management approach. On the surface, that may sound smart—who doesn’t want more efficiency? But Lean Six Sigma was developed for manufacturing, not municipal government. It’s a system that focuses on eliminating defects in production.

City services, programming, facilities, communication, and resident support aren’t assembly lines. They require nuance, flexibility, and a focus on people—not just process.

Using Lean Six Sigma as a framework for city management is not just a mismatch—it risks damaging morale, stifling creativity, and weakening the quality of services residents rely on. Government doesn’t exist to maximize profits or outputs; it exists to serve.

This summer, Heights Libraries will provide two paid technology internships to teens as part of its Teen Tech Ambassador Program. Now in its ninth year, the internship provides two qualified high school students with the opportunity to learn real-life job skills through hands-on activities in the library’s Continuing Education Department. 

Each intern receives a $1,000 stipend. Internship application packets (application, resume, and copy of school transcript) will be accepted through 5 p.m. on Friday, May 16, and can be found at www.heightslibrary.org. 

The program is open to Cleveland Heights and University Heights residents between the ages of 16 and 19.

Dan Horrigan did not last long as Cleveland Heights City Administrator. Nor did Danny Williams and Joe Sinnott, who preceded Horrigan in that position.

The mayor’s personal assistant did not last long either, nor did a marketing specialist, three finance directors, two parks and recreation directors, a communications director, a payroll administrator, or the general manager of Cain Park.

Mayor Seren’s failure to retain so many key employees leads me to question his ability to govern.

The slash-and-burn assault on public institutions and the public good is not just a national phenomenon; it also applies to the state budget drafted by Matt Huffman (R-Lima), speaker of the Ohio House, and the house finance chair, Brian Stewart (R-Ashville).

Their utter disdain for the public has provoked me to revisit my mild-mannered and idealistic language for framing my devotion to democracy and commitment to public education. I fight for public schools because they serve the common good. I reject public funding of tuition vouchers and other schemes that privatize public services because they use public funds to advance private interests and profiteering.

June 2024 Jason West Scholarship recipients Joseph El Biri, Patrick Burke, and Daniel Martinez, with the organization's president, Lita Gonzalez.

Boss Dog Brewing Company, at 2179 Lee Road in Cleveland Heights, will host this year’s Mega Raffle Event to benefit The Officer Jason D. West Memorial Fund, which provides scholarships for Cleveland Heights Police Academy cadets. 

The family-friendly event is planned for Sunday, May 18, 5–8 p.m. The event is free and will include finger food and a chance to vie for silent-raffle prizes donated by area businesses.

Regular menu items, beer and other beverages from the bar will be available for purchase.

The memorial organization holds the Mega Raffle each year to raise money for the scholarship fund.

A young girl stands proud after winning tug-of-war with new friends at Kids Day 2024.

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Kids Day returns to Coventry Village on Sunday, June 1. This free, family-friendly event will be filled with giant inflatables, live music, games, face painting, creative crafts and the grand opening of Coventry PEACE Park.

The renovated park, which boasts a 30-foot-tall climbable cardinal perched atop the all-new playground, will debut walking trails that tell a story as you stroll, a play field, and a performing art stage. 

Next door in Coventry Village, the School of Rock will host four free concerts featuring musicians ranging from 7-year-olds under the lights for their first time to high-schoolers who are (let’s face it) already better than most adults will ever be.

It has been 20 years since the founding of the Reaching Heights Summer Music Camp—a summer enrichment experience for Heights middle-school musicians.

This year, the weeklong camp begins June 9. It is open to this year’s sixth- , seventh- and eighth-graders who are enrolled in their school’s instrumental music program and want to immerse themselves in music, have fun, work hard, and grow by leaps and bounds. The camp experience ends with a public performance for the community on June 14.

Families who reside in the CH-UH district can register their musicians until May 15.

Church on The Heights' food pantry.

On the last Friday of every month, the food pantry at Church on the Heights opens its doors to families in need.

In March, the pantry supplied more than 2,000 pounds of pantry staples, meat, and fresh fruit and vegetables, serving 41 households and a total of 127 individuals.

Cleveland-based The Steak Club Foundation, a nonprofit formed in 2018, plays a crucial role in sustaining this mission. With a commitment to feeding the hungry, the foundation provides essential funding; food donations of fresh produce, proteins, canned goods, and other staple items; and volunteer support to keep the pantry stocked and operational.

Drummer Papa Assane M’Baye (at right).

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The Resonance Project will present its final concert of the season on Sunday, June 1, 5 p.m., at Forest Hill Church Presbyterian.

Featuring CLE Concierto and Senegalese drummer Papa Assane M’Baye, the performance will be a dynamic celebration of Baroque music and African drums. 

The program comprises Vivaldi’s ever-popular L’estate (Summer) with violinist Ann Yu, the newly rediscovered La tempestad del mar by Spanish composer Davide Perez, and the revolutionary Le Cahos by Jean-Féry Rebel, in a special arrangement by cellist René Schiffer.

From left: CH AARP Chapter past president Sadie Hatcher, immediate past president Wanda Owens, Cleveland Heights Mayor Kahlil Seren, Chapter President Deborah Willis.

Cleveland Heights Chapter #5018 of AARP Inc. celebrated its 30th anniversary on Feb. 27 at the Cleveland Heights Senior Activity Center (SAC). The event, chaired by Sherldean Davis and Muriel Craig, included games, a photo booth, a selfie station, an anniversary card signing, and refreshments.

The Cleveland Heights Chapter received a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition from Rep. Shontel M. Brown. Cleveland Heights Mayor Kahlil Seren presented the chaper with a Proclamation of Congratulations. Kalitha Williams, AARP Ohio’s outreach and advocacy manager, and Robyn Kaltenbach, AARP Ohio’s associate state director for advocacy and community engagement, presented the chapter with a Certificate of Achievement.

Poster by Erin MacLean.

Cleveland Chamber Collective returns to Disciples Christian Church (3663 Mayfield Road) on Sunday, May 25, at 3 p.m., with a concert in its Music of America series featuring world premieres by local composers.

The concert includes the world premiere The Percussionists’ Grimoire, a piece for percussion and electronics. (A grimoire is a book of magic spells and, like those texts, numerology and symbolism inspire the musical choices of the work.) Instruments utilized in this collection range from solo tambourine to drum set. There is also an electronic solo comprising sounds from a waterphone; and a work by Missy Mazzoli for solo violin, Dissolve, O My Heart, which references Bach’s Partita in D Minor. It will be performed by Emily Cornelius.

Superior Road Schoolhouse was Cleveland Heights' first landmark.

Since its founding in 1973, Cleveland Heights’ Landmark Commission has worked to safeguard and promote the city’s heritage and historic quality, improve property values, protect and enhance the community’s attractions, support businesses, enhance the visual and aesthetic character of the city, and foster civic pride in the historical beauty of its neighborhoods.

Residents are invited to learn more about the Landmark Commission and explore Cleveland Heights’ first landmark, the Superior Road Schoolhouse, at an open house at the building on Thursday, May 22.

For additional information, to apply to join the commission or to nominate a property, visit www.clevelandheights.gov/260/Historic-Landmarks.

The cost of nearly everything is going up, and FirstEnergy wants to make electric bills more expensive, too. But we have a chance to speak out.

FirstEnergy’s subsidiary, the Illuminating Company, provides electric distribution service to Heights residents. In 2024, FirstEnergy applied to increase its rates. Our state regulator, the Public Utilities Commission (PUCO), will decide the rates we pay.

This increase will be costly. In March, the average electric bill for Illuminating Company customers was $161. The Ohio Consumers’ Counsel (OCC) analyzed FirstEnergy’s proposal and found that FirstEnergy wants to make that bill more expensive by $13 each month.

The new Legacy Lab features equipment to help patrons preserve family photos, documents, and home movies.

May is National Preservation Month, and Heights Libraries is celebrating by opening its new Legacy Lab in the HKIC building (2340 Lee Road) at the Lee Road branch.

The Legacy Lab is a free, do-it-yourself space for digitizing and preserving personal memories, such as photos, documents, home videos, and audio recordings. Users are provided with instructions on how to use Legacy Lab equipment, and staff are available to provide guidance.

Heights Libraries’ Continuing Education Manager Derrick Mason was inspired by customers to create the lab.

A newly installed LED streetlight in Cleveland Heights casts a harsh, bright glare over Dellwood Road.

The city of Cleveland Heights plans to replace the high-intensity, blue-toned 4K LED streetlights that FirstEnergy recently installed with warmer, lower-lumen LEDs as part of the city’s broader lighting retrofit initiative.

The lighting overhaul is part of a broader city initiative to improve sustainability, reduce energy costs, and align infrastructure with resident well-being.

The decision follows a wave of concern in Cleveland Heights and beyond about the visual and environmental impact of bright, blue-rich streetlights, which replaced the old amber-glow sodium streetlights.

Sustainability Director Andy Boatang confirmed the change—part of the city’s Energy Savings Performance Contract with Leopardo Energy.

While the existing streetlight poles and arms will remain in place, the fixtures will be upgraded where applicable to accommodate new LED bulbs that meet the new city specifications.

CH-UH City School District CFO/Treasurer Scott Gainer accepting a Crain’s Cleveland award in 2014.

After 30 years with the Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District, Chief Financial Officer/Treasurer Scott Gainer has announced he will retire on July 31.  

"Throughout these three decades, I have been privileged to work alongside exceptional educators, administrators, board members, and district staff, all united by a shared commitment to our students and community. As CFO, I have always strived to ensure fiscal integrity, transparency, and responsible stewardship of the district's resources,” said Gainer. “I take great pride in the collaborative efforts that have resulted in balanced budgets, strategic financial planning, and the ability to invest in programs and initiatives that directly benefit our students and staff. It has been a true honor to play a role in supporting the educational mission that defines our district.”

Some of those who gathered at Peace Lutheran Church for the 2025 faith and climate forum.

Peace Lutheran Church, 3740 Mayfield Road, was one of 83 hosts for the National Faith + Climate Forum 2025 on March 27.

More than 2,000 faith leaders, advocates, and community members across the country came together, via live stream and in person, for this landmark gathering intended to inspire bold, faith-rooted action on climate change. Hosted by ecoAmerica’s Blessed Tomorrow program, the event broadcast live programming to host locations nationwide and to individuals who attended via online broadcast.

Renowned conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and U.N. Messenger of Peace, and Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) delivered compelling keynote addresses. Both called on faith communities to lead with hope, courage, and action in the face of the climate crisis.

A scene from a past performance of "Yes, And . . ."

On May 17, Dobama Theatre, in conjunction with The Carolyn L. Farrell Foundation, will host a free, one-hour conversation and performance intended to provide new approaches for those experiencing dementia-related communication challenges in a home setting.

Ann McEvoy, a Cleveland-based writer, playwright, and a nationally known actress, created the play “Yes, And . . . Adventures in Communication with Loved Ones with Dementia" based on the work of Anne Basting, Ph.D. 

Basting, author of Creative Care: A Revolutionary Approach to Demential and Elder Care, is an expert on aging, memory, and dementia, and on the use of song, dance, improvisation, and theater to elicit joy.

Older adults who choose to stay in their homes rather than move to a group community can sometimes become isolated from their neighborhoods, and experience feelings of loneliness. At its annual meeting in February, the Cuyahoga County Division of Senior and Adult Services discussed the topic.

The theme of the meeting was "Reducing Social Isolation and Loneliness Among Older Adults." Emily Campbell, president and chief executive officer for The Center for Community Solutions said, “There are currently more residents over the age of 60 in Cuyahoga County than there are residents aged 18 and younger. By 2023, it's expected that 30% of the county’s population will be age 60 or older.”

HYT's 2024 production of "Into the Woods" featured Cleveland Heights residents Abs Burkle and Olivia Bruening. [photo: Daren Stahl Photography]

Heights Youth Theatre (HYT) will present “Cinderella”—inspired by the 1997 teleplay starring Brandy and Whitney Houston—beginning Friday, May 16, at the Wiley building in University Heights.

The show’s cast comprises nearly 60 young actors in grades 1–12.

Director Eugene Sumlin, a Cleveland Heights resident, noted, “Over the years, this classic fairytale has had many variations and adaptations. . . . In our productions, we want to lean into the magic of the story, and real magic does not happen until you believe in yourself.”

One thing is certain: the Heights community knows how to rally behind its local businesses.

Residents responded to FutureHeights’ call for nominations for its 2025 Best of the Heights Awards, and now it’s time to vote for the finalists.

The top three vote-getters in each category appear on the ballot. View the names of the finalists and vote online at www.futureheights.org, or use the paper ballot on page 16 of the May print issue of the Heights Observer.

Don't delay—voting ends May 15.

The 2025 Best of the Heights award winners will be announced on Thursday, May 29, 6–8 p.m., at an in-person gathering at The Fairmount Cocktail Bar, 2448 Fairmount Blvd. 

Severance businesses continue to close or move.

MPact Collective, a partner in the development of the forlorn, much-maligned Severance Town Center in Cleveland Heights, recently launched a website seeking the community’s ideas for redevelopment. 

According to Ryan Porter, MPact’s managing partner, who spoke at the April 21 meeting of Cleveland Heights City Council, the idea is to get residents thinking about potential future uses for Severance Town Center, and have them rank their choices using a crowdsourcing process.

Heights residents, business owners and stakeholders can register as users at www.severanceclevelandheights.com, then post their ideas along with a description and photos of what they’d like to see built at the site.

University Heights' free composting program will run through Oct. 31, then be evaluated.

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University Heights residents have adapted to the new curbside recycling program and now can take the next step—composting.

Through a Special Project Grant from the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District, all residents can now compost food scraps free of charge at Walter Stinson Community Park during a six-month pilot program with Rust Belt Riders (RBR) that begins May 1 and runs through Oct. 31.

Once the pilot is completed, the city of University Heights will analyze the results and make a recommendation to either discontinue the program or include it in the 2026 municipal budget.

Food scrap collection bins are located at the Saybrook Road-side of Walter Stinson Community Park.

Heights resident David Blazer will play live organ music at a May 4 screening of this classic silent film.

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Heights residents and musicians are bringing the experience of movies with live music back to Cleveland-area theaters.

Are these movies accompanied by live music? Concerts paired with films? Regardless, the Cleveland Silent Film Festival (CSFF), founded by Cleveland Heights resident Emily Laurance, has scheduled monthly screenings of classic films with live music this spring and summer. The screenings are free and open to the public; no reservations are required. For additional information, visit www.clevelandsilentfilmfestival.org/.

As part of the festival, Cleveland Heights’ David Blazer, the organist at West Shore Unitarian Universalist Church in Rocky River, will play the organ for a May 4, 7 p.m. screening of Buster Keaton’s classic comedy “Steamboat Bill Jr.” at the church.

A past flea market at Church of the Saviour.

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The Church of the Saviour (2537 Lee Road) will hold its spring flea market May 1–3. All of the proceeds from this popular, bi-annual event benefit the local and global missions of the church’s United Women in Faith (UWF), a 150-year-old organization within the United Methodist Church.

It costs $10 to shop the first hour of the sale, Thursday, May 1, 3–4 p.m. Admission thereafter is free, with the sale continuing on Thursday, 4–7 p.m.; Friday, May 2, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; and Saturday, May 3, 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

On Saturday, most items will be discounted 50%, and there will be a fill-a-bag book clearance.

Sarah Tindall (cello), Irwin Shung (piano) and Ann Yu (violin) will perform on May 2.

The Resonance Project at Forest Hill Church continues its first season on May 2, 7:30 p.m., with a powerful and unsettling program confronting themes of political oppression.
 
Violinist Ann Yu, cellist Sarah Tindall, and pianist Irwin Shung will present In the Face of Silence, a chamber music recital featuring Shostakovich's tormented Piano Trio No. 2 and Prokofiev's chilling Violin Sonata No. 1, both written in Stalin's Russia amid the devastation of World War II.

Residents are invited to share their streetscape ideas with the city of Cleveland Heights.

The city of Cleveland Heights has launched a streetscape planning process for Noble and Taylor roads, and wants the community’s help in deciding what should be the priorities for the public realm.

The city is holding a community meeting on Tuesday, April 29, 6–8:30 p.m., at the Noble Neighborhood Library.

It invites residents, business owners and other stakeholders to attend and share their ideas on improving the streetscape, which includes elements such as lighting, benches, trees, sidewalk pavers, public art, and more.

Cleveland Heights engages the community as part of its safe streets planning. 

There were more than 7,000 crashes in Cleveland Heights in the past 10 years—a staggering number of incidents that killed 20 people. Eleven of these fatalities occurred within the past three years alone. Some of the crashes involved cars, while others affected pedestrians and cyclists. Additionally, there were 98 serious injuries during this period. 

A new Cleveland Heights traffic safety plan aims to ameliorate this situation and make the city safer for all. With a $200,000 grant from the Federal Safe Streets for All (SS4A) program, the city set out in January of last year to begin developing a strategy for preventing roadway fatalities and serious injuries. Now that the process is complete, Cleveland Heights City Council adopted the Comprehensive and Equitable Safety Action Plan (CESAP) at its April 7 meeting.

Cleveland Heights City Council at its April 7 Committee of the Whole meeting.

At its April 7 meeting, Cleveland Heights City Council considered developing legislation to limit keycard access to Cleveland Heights City Hall by non-employees. This was in response to the alleged unauthorized use of a keycard by Mayor Khalil Seren’s wife, Natalie McDaniel. Council members also discussed legislation that would give them additional oversight of city contracts following revelations that the mayor signed a contract with Burges & Burges Strategists for resident surveying that city council was not aware of. 

Former city administrator Daniel Horrigan resigned on March 17 after less than three months on the job, alleging in an Akron Beacon Journal article that a member of the mayor’s family had created a “hostile work environment” at City Hall. E-mails that Horrigan sent to the mayor prior to his resignation confirmed the family member was McDaniel.

Mayor Seren addresses Cleveland Heights council members at the April 2 special meeting.

In a special council meeting on April 2, Cleveland Heights Mayor Khalil Seren refuted allegations that his wife, Natalie McDaniel, created a “hostile work environment” at City Hall—a complaint lodged by former city administrator Daniel Horrigan, who resigned his position on March 17, effective at the end of that day, after less than three months on the job.

Horrigan is the third city administrator to resign in the last three years and, according to Council President Tony Cuda, is the 12th director-level employee to leave the city administration in that same period.

“Your wife’s presence here at City Hall has led a number of employees to feel uncomfortable and on at least one occasion, unsafe,” Horrigan wrote in an e-mail to Seren before his resignation.

Since 2005, FutureHeights has conducted the Best of the Heights Awards to recognize the unique attributes of businesses in Cleveland Heights and University Heights, and their contributions to the local economy. The Best of the Heights Awards help promote the importance of shopping locally by celebrating Heights businesses.

The formal nomination process for the 2025 Best of the Heights is open now, giving Heights residents the opportunity to nominate favorite businesses in a variety of categories through April 15. The top three vote-getters in each category will be announced in the May issue of the Heights Observer, with the voting period for finalists ending May 15.

FutureHeights is launching a new membership program, and invites you to be part of it—and attend the upcoming spring mixer on April 17 at CLE Urban Winery. 

All FutureHeights members and prospective members are invited to attend this spring mixer—a casual opportunity to meet other Heights residents and business owners and chat with the nonprofit’s staff and board of directors.

All are welcome, regardless of giving status—if you donated during the end-of-year 2024 giving campaign, or already in calendar year 2025, you are a member. Not sure of your giving status? Send an e-mail to info@futureheights.org.

Is there a home renovation project on your to-do list this spring? Learn how your home can become more energy efficient, less costly to operate, and more sustainable at the second annual University Heights Sustainable Home Fair.

The event will take place on Sunday, April 27, 1–4 p.m., at the Wiley School building, 2181 Miramar Blvd. It is free and open to the public.

Bring the whole family to enjoy games and crafts with recyclable materials.

On Thursday, April 24, 6:30–8 p.m., at the Noble Neighborhood Library, FutureHeights will host its first Crowdsourced Conversation event of 2025. The community-driven forum, "Getting Tactical: Improving Road Safety in the Heights," will address safety issues for people walking, biking or rolling Heights streets, providing a close look at tactical urbanism and how residents can get involved. 

According to Wikipedia, tactical urbanism is a low-cost, temporary change to the built environment, usually in cities, intended to improve local neighborhoods and urban gathering spaces. It's also sometimes referred to as guerrilla urbanism, pop-up urbanism, city repair, DIY urbanism, quick-build infrastructure, and other similar terms.

Noble Elementary teacher Lynne Gaines with students from the Noble Naturalists club.

Every April, communities across the planet celebrate Earth Month, a global observance dedicated to protecting the planet and fostering sustainability. Since the first Earth Day in 1970, Earth Month has grown into a monthlong opportunity to raise awareness about environmental challenges and inspire collective action.

“From planting trees to reducing waste, participating in clean-up efforts, or advocating for sustainable policies, every action counts,” said Cleveland Heights Green Team (CHGT) member Tami Masuoka. “This is why this is our fourth year organizing a wide range of activities for Heights residents of all ages and capabilities to join in the action.”

Cleveland Heights Mayor Kahlil Seren is known to be a policy wonk; and excellent policy is vital in government. But it's only a starting point. Policy with insufficient resources and inadequate implementation ultimately will not succeed.

As an example, let us consider CH housing policy and programs.

Recognition that, for a mature bedroom suburb like ours, charming homes close to city amenities constitute our primary “industry” led CH to develop comprehensive policy and programs for housing preservation. Systematic exterior inspections as well as interior/exterior inspections at point of sale (POS) were adopted nearly five decades ago and became regional models.

What is and isn't accepted at the recycling drive.

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Styrofoam, or expanded polystyrene (EPS), is a common material found in coffee cups, takeout containers, and packaging for electronics and furniture. Despite its convenience, Styrofoam poses significant environmental challenges due to its non-biodegradable nature and the energy-intensive process required to produce it from petroleum.

Once discarded, Styrofoam lingers in the environment for centuries, breaking down into tiny microplastics that infiltrate the food chain. This means that virtually every piece of Styrofoam ever produced still exists in some form.

Jeff McNaught, owner of Edgewater Surf in Rocky River, is tackling Styrofoam recycling head-on, and the Cleveland Heights Green Team (CHGT), in partnership with Heights Libraries, has planned a Styrofoam recycling drive for Sunday, April 27, 1:30–4:30 p.m., at the Lee Road Library parking lot. Only clean, rigid foam #6 will be accepted.

I kept trying to go back in time, to the '70s, and take a picture of the Heights Art Theater, but Mitchell's Candy shop kept photo-bombing me. I finally gave up and went into 1970s-era Mitchell's, instead, for one of their homemade popsicles, an intense cherry-flavored cylinder in a little paper cup. Actually, I might have just imagined that. I'm not sure . . .

You wouldn’t think a church would be very controversial. Of course, it is in Cleveland Heights, so it has that potential. And it is located in Coventry Village, further increasing its chances.

But, wait—it wasn’t a church when it was controversial; it was a movie theater. Though, still, you wouldn’t think a movie theater would be that controversial, either. But it was—at least a couple of times. It never meant to be, but local law enforcement—and the political temper of those times—made it so.

The Heights Theater, located at the curve on the west side of Coventry Road, where it becomes Euclid Heights Boulevard, opened 105 years ago, in 1920. That was one year before my father was born. By the time my father was 5, he lived across the street from the theater.

I applaud our noble leaders for the courage to look at the results of a survey on changing the name of Monticello Middle School and select the choice to scrap the name that earned only 35% percent support from those who responded.

We all know that the tradition of democracy is about leadership asking society a question, getting an answer, then saying "nah" and doing what they want anyway. I am also confident that they had a long and nuanced conversation, including students and parents, about President Jefferson, Monticello, and the full scope of his life's work, such as the fact that his approval of the Louisiana Purchase more than doubled the size of the United States by adding lands that today contain or are part of 15 states.

Michelle Smith

Heights Arts has named Michelle Smith its 12th poet laureate. She will serve a two-year term beginning in April. Heights Arts’ Heights Writes Community Team selected Smith, a poet and literary advocate, from more than a dozen applicants to be the Heights poet laureate for the cities of Cleveland Heights and University Heights.

Heights Arts Executive Director Rachel Bernstein said, “We are very excited to welcome Michelle Smith as our 12th Poet Laureate. Her enthusiasm for the role combined with her compelling poetry, civic engagement history, and community connections will serve to elevate this art form to the highest level in the Heights communities. I can’t wait to see her in action."

 “I am grateful for this opportunity and looking forward to a wonderful two years,” said Smith. “I thank Heights Arts and everyone that participated in the selection process.”

Alan Rapoport’s opinion piece in the March Heights Observer, “Point-of-sale inspection is obsolete,” suggests waiving city point-of-sale (POS) inspection when there is a private inspection. However, his proposed alternative to current practice is incomplete, and his opinion is full of the tired arguments impatient realtors use against anything that slows down a sale.

I hope we agree it’s necessary to maintain the condition of Cleveland Heights’ housing stock. The city’s housing standards keep residents safe and neighborhoods attractive. When sellers haven’t made needed repairs, POS inspection prevents housing-standards violations from passing to a buyer who is unaware or doesn’t care.

Cleveland Heights parkland. [photo: Peggy Spaeth]

Join the Friends of Heights Parks in strolls through Cleveland Heights’ city parks. These monthly, informal strolls, planned for April through October, are an opportunity to walk together, exploring the human and natural history of the city's parklands. There’s no formal lecturing or program for these strolls, just easy walking and occasional talking about what we see as we walk.

Cleveland Heights’ 135 acres of urban parkland have historic and literal roots in three watersheds—the Dugway, the Doan, and Nine Mile creeks—which are tributaries to Lake Erie. Its parks are parks for a variety of reasons: early developers couldn't build in the creek ravines, flooding was often an issue, and some parklands were seen as amenities to surrounding housing developments.

The city of Cleveland Heights expects to break ground this spring on construction of a tiered, amphitheater-style seating area and an ADA-accessible ramp at Cain Park’s eastern end. Flanking the park’s popular sledding hill, the $1.292 million project will be paid for with a federal government grant to the city from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021. 

“We are extremely excited to see this project enhancing the public space of Cain Park come to fruition,” said Cleveland Heights Mayor Kahlil Seren. “In supporting great local projects like improving parks and green spaces, our tax dollars are at work. The federal grant to support this project provides local construction jobs, is a key piece in Cleveland Heights’ economic development plans, and improves the livability of our city.

A yard sign from Church of the Saviour's "Kindness Campaign."

You may have noticed signs in yards around the Heights that read "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Those signs are part of a project we call the Kindness Campaign at Church of the Saviour.

They serve as a reminder that we are all better when we take care of each other. It’s something of a golden rule in my faith, and the message is ever more poignant today. Right now, a lot of people around us are hurting. Their pain may not be obvious, but it’s real. The question we face is whether we’ll turn inward to protect ourselves or reach out to others with love. Will our words and actions add to the suffering, or will we try to bring healing?

Like many, I am disturbed by the level of division in our society. The anonymity of online culture over the past two decades has encouraged sharp criticism and emotional outbursts. And the distance between us is only growing.

The March issue of the Heights Observer creates a definite impression that Cleveland Heights is a truly “progressive” community. No wonder many describe our city sarcastically as the “People’s Republic of Cleveland Heights.”

The “Heights of Democracy” column praised point-of-sale inspections as if overly expensive and highly intrusive government activities that threaten freedoms will save our city from ruin. An article, “CH leaders sign protect-and-resist pledge,” suggests that a perceived threat posed by U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement could be avoided if only we join hands and sing Kumbaya with line-jumping criminal migrants. Another article reports on a “resistance” trade show held by progressive activists to demonstrate how they offer Trump Derangement Syndrome as their only solution for real problems.