Features

UH Memorial Day Parade

Summer in the Heights kicked off with the University Heights Memorial Day Parade.

Read Full Story
Volume 7, Issue 7, Posted 9:21 AM, 07.02.2014

Remembering Rebecca Alison Meyer

On Father’s Day 2013, Eric Meyer enjoyed breakfast in bed prepared by his three children, before a day of “just hanging out” and celebrating being home in Cleveland Heights after an overseas business trip. On Father’s Day 2014, he and his family were sitting shiva, a Jewish tradition of mourning the dead, for his daughter Rebecca.

Rebecca Alison Meyer died at her home on her sixth birthday, after a 10-month struggle with brain cancer. At her death, as in her life, she was surrounded by her family—father Eric, her mother Kat, her 10-year-old sister Carolyn and her 3-year-old brother Joshua—along with numerous friends. Known as Becca to many, she had told her parents that 6-year-olds are big girls and deserve big-girl names, and she made it to 6, so Rebecca it is.

Read Full Story
Volume 7, Issue 7, Posted 11:45 AM, 06.17.2014

Heights resident opens butcher shop and brewery downtown

A unique restaurant, called the Butcher and the Brewer, will be opening on East Fourth Street in downtown Cleveland later this month or in early July.

The new business will include a butcher shop selling fresh cuts of meat, charcuterie, smoked meats, terrines and sausages, as well as cheeses, eggs, dairy products, jams and other locally produced artisan products. Customers will be able to order sandwiches and other items at the shop.

The restaurant will offer a variety of beers that are brewed on-site, a menu of fish, meat and vegetable entrées, and small plates and bar snacks. The menu was inspired by rustic farmhouse fare and will embrace ethnic food traditions that are fundamental to the spirit and flavor of Northeast Ohio.

Read Full Story
Volume 7, Issue 6, Posted 3:30 PM, 06.02.2014

Blues legend returns to the Heights

Musician Bill Miller, who recently moved back to Cleveland Heights, is better known to most people as Mr. Stress. Now 71 years old, and a member of the Cleveland Blues Hall of Fame, Miller has been a major figure on the Cleveland music scene since 1966, when he formed the Mr. Stress Blues Band.

As a member of that group, Miller played at virtually every major Cleveland rock venue, including the Agora, La Cave and the Euclid Tavern. The band released three albums, "Live at the Euclid Tavern," "Stress Formula" and "Killer Stress," and opened shows for such artists as Cream, Three Dog Night, Steppenwolf and the MC5. Singer/songwriter Chrissie Hynde even references Miller in the Pretenders’ song “Precious.”

Read Full Story
Volume 7, Issue 5, Posted 2:37 PM, 05.05.2014

CH resident recognized for her impact on local autism community

Cleveland Heights resident Mia Buchwald Gelles was inducted into the 10th class of the Beachwood High School Gallery of Success on April 11 for her transformative contributions to the autism community through Milestones Autism Resources, a nonprofit organization that she co-founded 12 years ago.

“I am thrilled to be honored by my high school for the contributions that Milestones has made,” Gelles said.

As operations director, Gelles ensures that everything runs smoothly at Milestones. Her expertise in nonprofit management is a big reason why a small staff of 10 can serve more than 1,500 individuals a year through educating, coaching and connecting family members and professionals throughout Northeast Ohio who are affected by autism.

Gelles’ impact on the autism community started when her son was diagnosed with autism. At the time, in 1998, autism was a relatively new word and there were few resources for parents or professionals who wanted to learn more and help their children.

 

Read Full Story
Volume 7, Issue 5, Posted 2:01 PM, 05.05.2014

Coventry Village will be hopping this summer

Mark your calendars for Coventry Village Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays this summer. 

The first event will take place on Saturday, May 31 with a free bicycle tune-up day. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., residents can bring their bikes to the Coventry Courtyard near the Grog Shop. Mechanics will be on site to inspect the bikes and make needed repairs. The Coventry Village Special Improvement District (CVSID) is partnering with the Heights Bicycle Coalition to provide this service.

Read Full Story
Volume 7, Issue 5, Posted 1:11 PM, 05.05.2014

Heights resident publishes potty training book

Potty training can be among the most stressful times for parents, according to longtime Cleveland Heights resident and pediatrician Deb Lonzer. At the request of one of her patients, Lonzer has published her first children’s book to help toddlers and parents view toilet training as a natural—and even fun—process. Lonzer collaborated with illustrator and Wickliffe native John Cairns, and said she wrote The Flushville Four “to help toddlers and parents relax a bit about potty training.”

“It seems to me that parents and kids can take potty training too seriously,” said Lonzer. “Potty training has become increasingly important, as parents try to train their kids as early as possible to get them into preschool, to save money on diapers, to reduce the weight of that diaper bag, or to keep up with neighbors who swear that their daughter was fully trained by 13 months. The truth is, I’ve never heard of a kid going to the prom in diapers.”

Read Full Story
Volume 7, Issue 4, Posted 2:56 PM, 03.31.2014

Sweet Melissa opens first East Side restaurant in UH

Sweet Melissa, the restaurant that has become something of an institution on Cleveland’s West Side, finally has a location on the East Side. The new Sweet Melissa is on John Carroll Boulevard in Fairmount Circle in University Heights. It’s in the space previously occupied by the North Park Grill, and it opened on March 24.

The restaurant had a "soft" opening the weekend before its official opening, and on Friday night, the place was packed. 

Matthew Ullom, the owner of Sweet Melissa, said that the building’s owners wanted a restaurant in the space, and they thought that Sweet Melissa was a perfect fit for the community and for John Carroll University. “We always kept our eyes open in case the right opportunity came about,”
 Ullom said.

Read Full Story
Volume 7, Issue 4, Posted 9:34 AM, 03.25.2014

The Wine Spot's evolution includes live music

Ever since it opened back in December 2011, The Wine Spot, located on Lee Road between Silsby and Meadowbrook roads, has continued to evolve. The latest change involves live music. In January, The Wine Spot kicked off its new program with an appearance by the local band Meridian, featuring Max Stern and Jake Stern. The retail store/wine bar will continue to present live music on the last Friday of every month. The shows, which are free and open to the public, take place from 7–9 p.m.

“This is a really nice space for music,” said Adam Fleischer, owner of The Wine Spot. “I thought we could provide the best local music in a comfortable space, at no cost and in a family-friendly environment.”

Read Full Story
Volume 7, Issue 3, Posted 3:52 PM, 02.28.2014

Nature Center at Shaker Lakes initiates Good Neighbor Litter Patrol

The Nature Center at Shaker Lakes launched a new initiative in December, the Good Neighbor Litter Patrol. In the spirit of the holidays, the patrol was organized as an opportunity to show appreciation for and give back to the community.

The Good Neighbor Litter Patrol is led by Kay Carlson, executive director, and consists of local high school students, staff and additional volunteers who will meet every Thursday, from 3:30­­–4:30 p.m., throughout the year. The Litter Patrol will remove all trash and debris from the perimeter of the Nature Center, contributing to the tranquility of the area for visitors, commuters and nearby residents.

Read Full Story
Volume 7, Issue 1, Posted 1:24 PM, 01.02.2014

The City Club of Cleveland announces The Hope and Stanley Adelstein Free Speech Essay Competition

The call is out to all CH-UH high school juniors and seniors, and to their parents and teachers. The City Club of Cleveland is presenting the Hope and Stanley Adelstein Free Speech Essay Contest, a special opportunity for upper-grade students and their teachers to shine, and to win generous cash prizes. 

The Adelsteins, lifelong residents of Northeast Ohio, are philanthropists and longtime members of The City Club. Stanley joined The City Club in 1941 and served as president of its board of directors. Hope, a retired nurse, joins her husband in their support of free speech, justice and the environmental issues.

The Free Speech Essay contest gives students an opportunity to explore the complexities of our constitutional right to free speech while building essential writing and critical-thinking skills. The contest is open to all juniors and seniors in public, private, parochial, charter and home schools in Cuyahoga and the surrounding counties.

Read Full Story
Volume 7, Issue 1, Posted 10:57 AM, 11.19.2013

Chef Jonathon Sawyer puts down roots in Cleveland Heights

At 33 years old, Cleveland Heights resident Jonathon Sawyer, the chef and owner of the Greenhouse Tavern and other Cleveland-area restaurants, has been involved in the food industry for almost two decades.

Sawyer, who was born in Chicago and moved to Strongsville when he was in first grade, got his first restaurant job when he was 13. “I wanted to get a job, and my older brother was working at a restaurant in Strongsville called Mad Cactus, so I applied and started out as a dishwasher,” he said. “But within six months I was cooking.”

Sawyer graduated from Strongsville High School and decided to attend the University of Dayton to study industrial engineering, despite his love of cooking. “During my sophomore year, we had to go out and work a trial job,” he said.

Read Full Story
Volume 6, Issue 12, Posted 12:18 PM, 12.02.2013

New wine café opens on Fairmount

For many years, Gia Ilijasic and her fiancé, Jim Patsch, had dreamed of opening a restaurant. Finally, on Nov. 5, that dream came true. The couple opened Gigi’s on Fairmount, located in the Fairmount Taylor Business District in Cleveland Heights, in a space formerly occupied by a furniture store and a flower shop.

Gigi’s—the name is taken from the nickname that Ilijasic’s family gave her—is a beautiful “wine café” that has a full bar menu and also serves soups, salads, panini sandwiches and “small bites,” including olives, cheese and charcuterie. Bruschetta boards are the house specialty. Patrons can pick four items from a list that includes smoked salmon, prosciutto, house-made chicken-liver pâté and house-made trout pâté.

“We wanted to create a place that has healthy, affordable, good food that mixes with wine,” Ilijasic said.

Read Full Story
Volume 6, Issue 12, Posted 11:39 AM, 11.19.2013

School facilities bond issue passes

Voters in Cleveland Heights and University Heights passed the school facilities bond issue, which will fund the renovation of the high school and two of the school district’s middle schools, by a big margin. With results from all 35 precincts reported as of 11:30 p.m., the bond issue received 7,229 votes in favor and 4,989 against.

Jeff Coryell led the pack in the Cleveland Heights City Council race with 6,595 votes. Newcomer Melissa Yasinow received the second most votes—6,126. Incumbents Cheryl Stephens and Jason Stein were reelected with 5,761 and 5,753 votes respectively. Janine Boyd, who ran unopposed, was elected to a two-year term to city council.

Read Full Story
Volume 6, Issue 12, Posted 12:03 AM, 11.06.2013

Bald eagle spotted at Shaker Lakes

Megan Rochford of Cleveland Heights took these photos on Oct. 13 of a bald eagle at Lower Shaker Lake, by South Park Boulevard.

The eagle was seen eating fish immediately beforehand.

Read Full Story
Volume 6, Issue 11, Posted 11:05 AM, 10.16.2013

Second annual Dobama Theatre Cabaret benefit on Oct. 20

Dobama Theatre, Cleveland’s longest-running contemporary theater, will hold its second annual Dobama Benefit Cabaret event on Sunday, Oct. 20, from 6-9 p.m. The fundraiser will take place at Nighttown, 12387 Cedar Road, and will feature local artists performing jazz standards. Tickets are $35. For more information, and to RSVP, call 216-932-3396.

Read Full Story
Volume 6, Issue 11, Posted 3:50 PM, 10.14.2013

For Michael Symon, Cleveland Heights is again home

Nationally renowned chef Michael Symon—the owner of such popular Cleveland restaurants as Lola and Lolita, as well as the B Spots—has returned home to Cleveland Heights, and he couldn’t be happier. Symon, who spent his first five years as a child in Cleveland Heights, bought a house on Kent Road about five months ago.

“I love the East Side,” he said. “The arts are close to you. You are surrounded by them. You’re still within the inner circle of downtown, so the convenience of downtown is right there. And the people—it’s a great mix of people.”

Read Full Story
Volume 6, Issue 11, Posted 2:34 PM, 11.01.2013

Jim Wadsworth: the man behind the music at Nighttown

Nighttown, the restaurant located at the top of Cedar Hill in the Cedar Fairmount Business District, is as well-known for the music it presents as it is for its fine food. DownBeat magazine, which covers jazz and blues, consistently ranks it among the top jazz clubs in the country, and in 2007 the restaurant won a Cleveland Arts Prize for its shows. The person behind the music that Nighttown presents is Jim Wadsworth, a Cleveland Heights resident who runs Jim Wadsworth Productions.

Wadsworth has been booking the shows at Nighttown since June 1999. Born in Kansas City, Mo., he was the youngest of seven children, and he started getting into music during the 1960s. “My sisters would be playing Beatles’ records in their rooms, and I began taking it all in,” he said.

Read Full Story
Volume 6, Issue 10, Posted 10:19 AM, 10.03.2013

John Carroll to host fair trade expo on Oct. 12

What do stores like Revive, Ten Thousand Villages, Heinen’s and Dave’s Markets have in common? The answer is simple—fair trade goods. Whether it is coffee, chocolate, fruits, or clothing, all of these stores sell a variety of fair trade products.

Fair trade is an alternative way of doing business, one that promotes equal and sustainable relationships between consumers and producers. This includes paying fair wages in the local communities that produce the goods, engaging in environmentally sustainable practices, and promoting healthy working conditions. These trading partnerships are based on relationships of mutual respect. Some common fair trade products include crafts, clothing, jewelry, coffee and chocolate.

Read Full Story
Volume 6, Issue 10, Posted 10:39 PM, 10.01.2013

Movin' on up: Phoenix Coffee relocates on Coventry

Phoenix Coffee, which has been at the south end of Coventry Road near Winking Lizard Tavern since 2007, has a new location—and a whole new look. On Sept. 6, the coffee shop relocated across the street to 1793 Coventry at the corner of Hampshire Road. It is now housed in what was previously Delphic Books and, more recently, C. Jones Books & Tea Shop.

The night before the new shop opened, Phoenix employees gathered at the old shop, which was lit only by candles. Each employee was given a candle to hold, and they exchanged many heartfelt stories about their time at Phoenix. The group then paraded up Coventry Road, carrying their candles, to the new shop. They worked late into the night, readying the store for its Sept. 6 opening.

Read Full Story
Volume 6, Issue 10, Posted 4:04 PM, 09.06.2013

Roots of American Music enriches lives through music

At a time when many organizations, from school systems to groups that help senior citizens and disabled adults and children, have cut back on their funding for arts-related classes and programs, a Cleveland Heights nonprofit group called Roots of American Music (ROAM) has stepped in and filled a major gap. ROAM takes teaching artists—musicians who have teaching skills and who work in group situations—into schools all over Northeast Ohio and presents classes and programs covering everything from music to history, and even math and science. It also provides programs for scores of groups that serve adults with various needs.

ROAM was founded in 1998 by Cleveland Heights resident Kevin Richards. Richards majored in music at Cleveland State University and also worked at Dick Lurie Guitars for several years as a salesman and a guitar instructor. Then, in 1988, he founded the Fairmount School of Music, which is still located on Fairmount Boulevard in Cleveland Heights. “I was teaching private, one-on-one guitar classes to musicians who were upper- and middle-class folks,” Richards said. “I wanted to start an outreach program for students in schools—for those who could or could not afford it. And I wanted to work with the students who were not necessarily musicians. I wanted to preserve, present and educate through roots music.”

Read Full Story
Volume 6, Issue 9, Posted 1:32 PM, 08.30.2013

Dream On Foundation fundraiser set for Sept. 12

The Dream On Foundation will host its second annual fundraising event on Thursday, Sept. 12 from 6-8 p.m. at Jake’s Speakeasy in the lower level of Pizzazz On The Circle, 20680 N. Park Blvd. in University Heights.

Read Full Story
Volume 6, Issue 9, Posted 10:19 AM, 08.30.2013

Heights nonprofit bolsters Haitian student's dream

For Claryce Medard, international development is more than a possible career path or exercise in compassion. It’s personal.

Even before the 2010 earthquake that devastated parts of her native Haiti, Medard witnessed aid efforts that had little impact. So when she learned about International Partners in Mission (IPM), based in Cleveland Heights, she wanted to see what set it apart.

In August, Medard, 22, completed a six-week internship with IPM, a nonprofit founded nearly 40 years ago to provide seed funding, training and technical support to small, community-based programs in more than 20 countries. Called Project Partners, the agency works in Latin America and the Caribbean, sub-Saharan Africa, and south Asia, focusing on women, children and youth. IPM also offers Immersion Experiences—short-term travel for participants from developed countries to visit partners and experience their way of life.

Read Full Story
Volume 6, Issue 9, Posted 9:33 AM, 08.30.2013

Eddy Maddox's quarter-century of style

Eddy Maddox has been cutting hair for more than a quarter of a century.

His salon — Eddy’s on Coventry — has a unique atmosphere. The waiting area offers lemon water, coffee and fresh cookies, as well as magazines and a TV, so his customers can relax while waiting for their haircut.

At each cutting stall mirrors are affixed to old house doors. His supply storage area features the doors that used to be on the changing rooms at the Brigade clothing store, a previous occupant of the space.

Eddy’s on Coventry has many five-star ratings on yelp.com.  “We constantly get customers as a result of those reviews,” Maddox said.

Read Full Story
Volume 6, Issue 6, Posted 2:55 PM, 05.30.2013

Church volunteers produce 100,000 life-saving meals

Hundreds of Church of the Saviour volunteers and community members will work to feed thousands of starving children in the developing world. Through a partnership between the church (at 2537 Lee Road in Cleveland Heights) and Minneapolis-based Feed My Starving Children (FMSC), volunteers will prepare 100,000 potentially life-saving meals at an FMSC MobilePack event on Saturday, May 18, in the church’s Great Hall

Read Full Story
Volume 6, Issue 6, Posted 12:57 PM, 05.13.2013

Joe Quandt, former Heights student, remembered by friends in community

Friends of Joe Quandt, 20, a Cornell University sophomore who grew up in Cleveland Heights, were shocked when they heard about his sudden death from a cardiac embolism on Feb. 27.

"Joe was the total package—so smart, so funny, so talented, such a great writer . . . Eagle Scout, Phi Beta Kappa," said Peggy Hull, who taught English to Quandt his sophomore year at Cleveland Heights High School. "I was heartbroken when he left Heights; now, I'm even more so."

Quandt was born in Cleveland Heights and attended Coventry Elementary, Roxboro Middle School and Heights High before his family moved out of the Heights area following his sophomore year. He continued to stay in close contact with his Heights friends.

He was attending Cornell on a full academic scholarship, majoring in urban and regional studies.

Read Full Story
Volume 6, Issue 4, Posted 12:05 PM, 03.28.2013

The Alcazar remembers Pat Pavlovitch

“Now that you know where I am, don’t be a stranger.”

With those words, Patricia Anne Pavlovitch ended her recorded comments that were played at her memorial service on Jan. 13 in The Alcazar’s dining room.

Irreverent? Probably. Pure Pat? Positively!

Last October, several months before she died, Pat recorded a message to be played at her own memorial. Rather than a service, she called it a party—a gift to her family and friends. Pat wanted to give a good time to the people who meant the most to her. That was Pat.

Several years ago, Pat Pavlovitch was honored by the City of Cleveland Heights for her and her husband’s efforts to racially integrate our city. They met with much resistance and many threats. So did their sons. But they persevered. She felt strongly that it was the right thing for her and her family to do. That was Pat.

Read Full Story
Volume 6, Issue 4, Posted 1:11 PM, 03.28.2013

Mac's Backs thriving on Coventry

In this era when bookstores, like record stores before them, seem to be a dying breed, Mac’s Backs is bucking the trend. According to co-owner Suzanne DeGaetano, business at the Coventry Road shop is "just fine."

DeGaetano said that the closing of the Borders chain and other large stores in the area has helped. “We have definitely had a spike in our business.” Despite the pressure from Amazon.com and other online sources, “people still want to browse. They want to be able to stay in a store for 10 minutes and look at the books. It’s a cultural experience.”

Read Full Story
Volume 6, Issue 4, Posted 12:00 PM, 03.28.2013

Local journalists fear for future of Plain Dealer

Peter Zicari, online news editor for the Plain Dealer and a Cleveland Heights resident, believes that approximately “one in three” Plain Dealer newsroom staff will be laid off in 2013. He said that he expects to be moved away from interactive graphics and instead work on “lower-impact, higher-volume activities.” Zicari characterizes the switch as “very conservative . . . when risky experiments are needed,” but said he does not anticipate a serious drop in circulation.

Read Full Story
Volume 6, Issue 3, Posted 12:20 PM, 02.28.2013

Annual Reaching Heights Spelling Bee will honor Reggie Evans

Where can you find a federal judge, a Cleveland Orchestra violinist, the owner of Big Fun, and a trio of young parents known as the Comeback Kids? Only at the Reaching Heights Adult Community Spelling Bee. The 22nd annual edition of this campy yet competitive community event takes place April 17 at 7 p.m. at Cleveland Heights High School. Admission is free.

Reggie Evans will be honored with this year’s Friend of Public Education Award. A longtime advocate of the CH-UH schools, Evans has served as PTA officer, levy co-chair, and Reaching Heights Board member and president. He and his wife, Terri, are parents of two Heights High graduates.

Read Full Story
Volume 6, Issue 2, Posted 11:36 AM, 01.31.2013

Tommy Fello: from soda jerk to acclaimed restauranteur

Back in 1966, when he was 14 years old, Tommy Fello began working as a soda jerk at the Ace Drug Store, which was located on Euclid Heights Boulevard near Coventry, where the Inn on Coventry is currently located. It would have been hard to predict that in just six years Fello would own the store, that he would turn it into a restaurant, and that some 47 years later, it would still exist as something of a landmark up the street on Coventry.

Read Full Story
Volume 6, Issue 2, Posted 12:01 PM, 01.31.2013

Christmas on campus at Beaumont School

On Dec. 11, students at Beaumont School hosted more than 100 grade-school children from the Urban Community School at Archbishop Lyke School in Cleveland for the annual Christmas on Campus party.

Each grade-school student was partnered with a Beaumont “big sister” for an action-packed afternoon. Children wandered through the classrooms and hallways which were filled with games, snacks, crafts, and activities, sponsored by more than two-dozen Beaumont clubs, faculty and staff.

Read Full Story
Volume 6, Issue 1, Posted 10:29 AM, 12.07.2012

Cleveland Heights couple is remembered at memorial service today

Gregory and Elise Lindsay were remembered by their church pastor, Charles Yoost, of Church of the Saviour in Cleveland Heights, as a “very loving, caring and giving people, who everyone felt well of and liked.”

The couple was found dead in their home on East Monmouth Road in Cleveland Heights on Nov. 8.

The cause of the death was carbon monoxide poisoning.

A funeral service will be held Friday, Nov. 16 at Church of the Savior, 2537 Lee Road, Cleveland Heights. The service will begin at 3 p.m.

Read Full Story
Volume 5, Issue 12, Posted 2:40 PM, 11.16.2012

BBC to broadcast live election coverage from Cleveland Heights restaurant

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has chosen Melt Bar and Grilled in Cleveland Heights as one of the settings for its live election night coverage.

According to a statement released by the restaurant, Cleveland is one of several cities in the United States chosen for BBC’s live election night broadcasts, and Melt was chosen to represent Cleveland based on the restaurant’s reputation as a place that draws a cross section of the city. Melt is located at the corner of Cedar and Taylor roads.

The live broadcast is scheduled to begin in the early evening on election night, Nov. 6, and continue into the early morning hours of Nov. 7. Christina, a Melt bartender, confirmed by phone, “We’re planning to stay open until 2 a.m.—as long as the BBC is still broadcasting and until the election results are final.”

Read Full Story
Volume 5, Issue 12, Posted 10:40 AM, 11.06.2012

Alex Quintana becomes U.S. citizen

Alex Quintana, co-owner of Quintana’s Barber & Dream Spa, became a citizen of the United States last month. On Nov. 16, surrounded by family and friends, Quintana took the oath of citizenship at the United States District Court in downtown Cleveland. It was the end of a long journey.

Quintana came to the United States when he was four years old. “My mom Aurora, dad Pedro, and I came in February of 1976,” said Quintana. “We were political refugees. My dad had just spent the last three and a half years in a Chilean concentration camp. My dad and all his brothers were unionists, which is what landed them all there with the coup and Pinochet's regime.”

Read Full Story
Volume 5, Issue 12, Posted 10:11 AM, 11.27.2012

Vivian Rogers celebrates 106 years of life

Vivian Rogers, the oldest member of Central Bible Baptist Church, recently celebrated her 106th birthday. She was born on Nov. 7, 1906 in Ronceverte, W.Va., married William Rogers, and bore three children: William Rogers Jr., Crystal Rogers, and Annie Rogers Crider. She loved to sew, had an artistic flair for home decoration, and was a great cook—German Chocolate Cake and a scrumptious shrimp mold were two of her specialties. She worked hard and devoted herself to her family and service in her church where, as long as she was able, she sang in the choir and served in the kitchen.

Rogers later moved to Ohio, where she joined the Central Bible Baptist Church in Cleveland Heights.

Read Full Story
Volume 5, Issue 12, Posted 10:42 AM, 11.13.2012

Simon's Auto Service to Expand

Simon’s Auto Services, a fixture at Lee Road and Euclid Heights Boulevard for 40 years, is embarking on a major renovation that will replace the current three-bay shop with a six-bay facility. The expansion will have space for 18 cars to be stored overnight and will include a waiting room.

The shop, which faces Lee Road, will remain open during construction. The new building will be north and west of the shop, facing Euclid Heights Boulevard. When it is complete, the old shop will be cleared for parking. The entire space will be landscaped. Owner Simon Daher says construction is likely to begin sometime next year.

Read Full Story
Volume 5, Issue 11, Posted 1:31 PM, 10.31.2012

Beth El hosts scholar-in-residence weekend on the environment

Tikkun Olam is a Hebrew phrase meaning “repair the world.” In Jewish tradition, it is often cited to inspire active participation in working to improve life for all people, or in one’s own community. For rabbis Arthur Waskow and Phyllis Berman, it is their life’s work.

Waskow, a prolific writer and environmental activist as well as a rabbi, is the founder and director of The Shalom Center in Philadelphia, an interfaith organization that seeks to bring together Jewish practice with social and political activism. Prominent among its other goals is to repair the world by drawing attention to current environmental concerns.

Read Full Story
Volume 5, Issue 11, Posted 10:54 AM, 10.31.2012

Haunting Lee Road

Shawn Paul, known primarily for cutting and coloring hair, is really just a big kid. Last year, when he heard about the annual Phoenix Pumpkin Carving Party a few doors away from his salon at 2265 Lee Road, he begged owner Sarah Wilson-Jones to help him organize a candy crawl on the same day. 

This year a new tradition joins the old one. On Thursday, Oct. 25, from 4–8 p.m., favorite haunts on Lee Road will be offering not tricks, but free treats at the Cedar Lee Candy Crawl and ninth annual Phoenix Pumpkin Carving Party. Participating shops with treats will feature a pumpkin poster in their window, and want to see kids in costumes!

Read Full Story
Volume 5, Issue 10, Posted 1:25 PM, 10.03.2012

Sergio Abramof: a remembrance

I wasn’t a personal friend of Sergio Abramof, though I would have liked to be one. I am, however, and will always be, an ardent fan who had three brief person-to-person encounters with him.

In the five years since we moved to Cleveland Heights, Sarava, at Shaker Square, has become my favorite local restaurant. (Sergio’s in University Circle is also in my top five.) The first time I met Sergio was when I was dining at Sarava. He was walking through the restaurant; we made eye contact and he stopped to chat with us. We complimented the food and he thanked us for choosing his restaurant.

Read Full Story
Volume 5, Issue 10, Posted 9:52 AM, 09.11.2012

H. Gray Underwood founded beauty school to help at-risk students

H. Gray Underwood has an open-door policy. The students at his cosmetology school have just as much access to his office as they do to a flat iron (for hair straightening). Underwood is the founder and executive director of The Cut Beauty School, on Cedar Road in Cleveland Heights. Students regularly go in and out of Underwood’s office to discuss everything from their academic progress to their weekend plans.

Underwood grew up cutting hair and soon discovered that he enjoyed doing women’s hair more than men’s. After getting his cosmetology license, he opened his own salon.

Read Full Story
Volume 5, Issue 8, Posted 11:29 AM, 08.03.2012

Coventry Chess match ends in a draw

It was a "heated" battle between two local chess champions in Coventry Village on July 22.

International Grand Master Champion Anatoly Lein, 81, battled 90-degree temperatures with National Master David Allen, 52. The two played on a wooden table near the benches under the Coventry P.E.A.C.E. Arch for two hours and forty-five minutes, in a well-fought match that ended in a draw. A crowd of chess afficionados surrounded the players to take in the action.

Read Full Story
Volume 5, Issue 8, Posted 11:45 AM, 08.01.2012

'Giant' chess match in Coventry Village this Sunday

At 2 p.m. on Sunday, July 22, Coventry P.E.A.C.E. Park will host a unique chess match between International Grand Master Chess Champion Anatoly Lein and Original Life Master/National Master David Allen, a Cleveland Heights resident.

While the match will be played on a regular-sized chess set, a “giant” chess set, with 18-inch-high pieces, will enable spectators to easily view the match as it unfolds.

Steve Presser, a Coventry Village SID board member, helped to organize the event, which is part of Coventry Village’s summer series.

Read Full Story
Volume 5, Issue 8, Posted 4:09 PM, 07.19.2012

Community Events

Monday, Aug. 13
Coventry Summer Series: Playground Fun
7–9 p.m., Coventry P.E.A.C.E. Park at Coventry Road and Euclid Heights Boulevard

Monday, Aug. 13
Atma Yoga anniversary event: Stories of Transformation (lecture and yoga)
7–8:30 p.m., Lee Road Library, 2345 Lee Road

Tuesday, Aug. 14
Tunes Outdoors on Tuesdays Series: The Singing Angels

7–8:30 p.m., Lake View Cemetery, 
12316 Euclid Ave.


Read Full Story
Volume 5, Issue 8, Posted 9:09 AM, 08.13.2012

Youth of Coventry still aims for curfew change

After Cleveland Heights instituted a curfew last year, YOC set out to change it.

The group formed last June after a highly publicized flash mob disrupted the Coventry Street Fair. Following the incident, Cleveland Heights City Council instituted a curfew of 6 p.m. for anyone under 18. The curfew originally applied to the Coventry and Cedar Lee commercial districts; Severance was added later.

“We believe [the curfew] is a temporary solution to a permanent problem,” said Nora Eagan, a founder of YOC. “Instead of keeping this extreme curfew in place, we would like city council figure out a more permanent solution that everyone can be happy with.”

Read Full Story
Volume 5, Issue 7, Posted 1:20 PM, 06.28.2012

Reasons to walk the Heights

How do we come to know a city—find our sense of place within these massive urban constructs? How do we “take back the streets” (à la Mayor Ed Kelley), or find commonality among individuals with different generational values?  Simply put, we walk: we wander, we see, and we are seen.

Most people nowadays live in boxes and view life from a two-dimensional viewpoint. That’s not a metaphor. The boxes in which so many of us spend our time are interiors—home, office, car, gym; the two dimensional view is usually a window, whether in the traditional sense or a computer or iPhone screen. We don’t really have to experience anything outside of the box life, as we have the attached garage even when we do go from place to place.

Read Full Story
Volume 5, Issue 7, Posted 6:25 PM, 06.08.2012

Coit Road Farmers' Market will celebrate 80 years on June 2

The Coit Road Farmers’ Market will celebrate its 80th anniversary during market hours on Saturday, June 2 from 8 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The celebration will feature activities for all ages, including entertainment, games, information tables, health screenings and food.

Founded in 1932, the market is located at the intersection of Coit and Woodworth roads, near East 152 Street, and provides residents of Greather Cleveland with access to affordable locally sourced food. Fresh vegetables and fruits, spices, eggs, cheese, baked goods, honey and jams are among the locally grown and crafted items for sale at the market.

Read Full Story
Volume 5, Issue 6, Posted 12:55 PM, 05.22.2012

UH philanthropist and lymphoma survivor adds Boston Marathon to list of accomplishments

All that hot yoga at Bikram Yoga in Shaker Heights certainly helped prepare Kevin Goodman for the scorching heat he encountered during the Boston Marathon. As temperatures soared above the mid-80s, and the humidity climbed well beyond a comfortable level, Goodman focused on the task at hand. He wanted to finish the race, not only for himself, but also in honor of those battling leukemia or lymphoma, and to thank the many donors who had pledged their support to him.

Read Full Story
Volume 5, Issue 6, Posted 1:53 PM, 05.15.2012

Local students participate in science fair

The din coming from the Cleveland State University Recreation Center in mid-March was not the usual squeaking of athletic shoes on the polished wood floor. Instead, the gym was abuzz with 600 students in grades 7–12 from more than 100 public, private and parochial schools in Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage and Summit counties. They were there to showcase their work at the 59th annual Northeastern Ohio Science and Engineering Fair (NEOSEF).

Read Full Story
Volume 5, Issue 5, Posted 1:14 PM, 05.02.2012

Richard Kogan gives lecture and recital on Mozart

The Cleveland Psychoanalytic Center will hold its annual benefit event on Saturday, June 23, at the Cleveland Institute of Music (CIM). Richard Kogan, psychiatrist and concert pianist, will present a lecture/recital called “Mozart: The Mind and Music of a Genius.”

The format is a compelling one, in which Kogan will first talk about Mozart’s life, emphasizing his relationship with his father, and will then perform the composer’s “Turkish Rondo” and selections from “Don Giovanni.” The combination of psychobiography and music is intended to deepen the audience’s experience of both.

Richard Kogan is familiar to many Clevelanders from previous performances on behalf of Cleveland psychoanalysis. All of his programs have had the twin focus on “the mind and music” of celebrated classical musicians. Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Schumann, Leonard Bernstein, and most recently, George Gershwin, have been featured in programs over the last 10 years. 

Read Full Story
Volume 5, Issue 5, Posted 11:49 AM, 05.02.2012

May is Bike Month in Cleveland Heights

For the third year in a row, Cleveland Heights City Council has declared May Bike Month. Each year, the array of Bike Month activities in our city and region has grown.

The heart of Bike Month is Bike-to-Work Week, May 14–18. Highlights include Bike-to-Work Day and the annual Ride of Silence to honor those killed while riding their bicycles.

Read Full Story
Volume 5, Issue 5, Posted 12:20 PM, 05.01.2012

Jim Wallis speaks at Fairmount Church April 25

Bestselling author, theologian and public ethics commentator Jim Wallis speaks Wednesday night, April 25, at 7:30 at Fairmount Presbyterian Church in Cleveland Heights.

Wallis, the founder and editor of Sojourners magazine, plans to focus his talk on this year’s presidential election, and ask the question “Are People of Faith Ready for Post-Candidate Politics?”

Read Full Story
Volume 5, Issue 5, Posted 9:54 AM, 04.23.2012

Introducing Biblio Radio to the Heights

If you haven’t heard of Biblio Radio yet, let the introductions begin: Cleveland Heights and University Heights, meet Biblio Radio, the new voice of your community library. Biblio Radio, meet Cleveland Heights and University Heights, communities that value engaged citizens and innovative ideas.

Biblio Radio is a weekly segment on WJCU 88.7 FM and a podcast on www.wjcu.org and www.heightslibrary.org that informs Heights residents about all the events sponsored by the Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library. 

Read Full Story
Volume 5, Issue 5, Posted 11:14 AM, 04.10.2012

April coffee tasting classes at the Wine Spot

Are you a coffee connoisseur wondering how to make your home-brewed cup taste as good as what you buy at your local coffee shop? Do you wonder about the difference between blends of coffee, and light roast vs. dark?

Phoenix Coffee will offer two coffee classes this month at the Wine Spot in Cleveland Heights.

Read Full Story
Volume 5, Issue 5, Posted 3:47 PM, 04.09.2012

Local business and college faculty partner to raise cancer research funds

For many families, nothing hits closer to home than a cancer diagnosis for a loved one. Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed of the cancers, and just about everyone can tell a story about a mother, sister, partner, daughter, wife or neighbor who has been touched by this disease. While it’s a very personal situation for each individual affected, efforts to discover better diagnosis, treatment—and eventually a cure—for breast cancer must be conducted on a large scale. This kind of research costs money, lots of it.

Read Full Story
Volume 5, Issue 4, Posted 10:36 AM, 04.04.2012

Going bald for a cause

Fifty brave souls went under the buzzers on Sunday, March 11 at the Cleveland Heights Community Center, shaving their heads to raise money for St. Baldrick’s and childhood cancer research.  The event was organized by Cleveland Heights resident Krissy Dietrich Gallagher, whose son Austin is a two-time cancer survivor and one of five 2012 Ambassador Kids for the national St. Baldrick’s Foundation.

As an Ambassador, Austin represents the more than 160,000 children who are diagnosed with cancer worldwide each year. One in five children in the United States diagnosed with the disease will not survive.

Read Full Story
Volume 5, Issue 4, Posted 10:50 AM, 03.20.2012

Happy New Year!

The Heights Observer and the staff and board of directors of FutureHeights wish you and your family a Happy New Year. The Heights Observer exists to provide a voice for Heights residents. Please keep your stories coming!

Read Full Story
Volume 5, Issue 1, Posted 1:34 PM, 12.31.2011

Harvard professor outlines changes needed in children's education

It’s not just the economy that makes employers nervous about the future, said Ronald F. Ferguson, senior lecturer in education and public policy at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. According to Ferguson, “Big employers are scared that we will not be able to replace the baby boomers when they retire” with young people equipped with the basic skills needed. As our population shifts racially, Ferguson added, our emerging workforce will be “disproportionally from our lowest achieving groups” unless all students make dramatic gains in achievement.

Read Full Story
Volume 5, Issue 1, Posted 1:50 PM, 12.05.2011

Heights election results are too close to call

While parents and educators in the Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District breathed a sigh of relief as the school levy, Issue 6,  passed handily in the November 2011 elections, the races for local city councils were too close to call.

Preliminary results in the Cleveland Heights City Council election showed a close race between current Council Member Phyllis Evans and challengers Mary Dunbar and Jeff Coryell. The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections voted to certify election results on Nov. 29, including provisional and other ballots that were unavailable on Election Day. The board determined that an automatic recount was required because the margin of victory is less than one-half percent. The results of the recount won’t be available until sometime in December.

Read Full Story
Volume 4, Issue 12, Posted 3:25 PM, 12.01.2011