Councilman's Corner
Since my last Observer article there has been a great deal of positive neighborhood activity and a significant break in the ongoing investigation into the double homicide at Mr. Cars on East 185th Street.
The Cleveland Police Homicide Unit in partnership with the 5th District Police and the U.S. Marshall, Pete Elliott, and the Fugitive Task Force made a significant arrest based on evidence obtained from the business and tips from CrimeStoppers. The individual arrested, a convicted felon whose name is not worth mentioning, has been charged by the Cuyahoga County Grand Jury on a twenty-five (25) count indictment including charges for aggravated robbery and murder and is now in County Jail under a $5 million bond. Obviously, the investigation is ongoing for we all know that the cars and the entire security system did not leave the property by themselves. Stay tuned for further updates on this case as they become public. My sincere gratitude to the investigators working on this case and others.
Remember, Mike and Trina’s children and families in your prayers as well as the other victims of violent crime in our city, like Stephen Halton Jr., a Surgical Assistant and a wonderful young man and father of two, who was brutally murdered while waiting for a bus on Lakeshore Boulevard to take him to work at Cleveland Clinic where he was to assist in a critical operation that morning. His case is still open and whoever committed this horrendous act is still roaming our city streets. Hope and pray for an arrest in this case as well.
I wish to thank all of the volunteers, supporters and Committee members of the Waterloo Arts Fest which took place in the Waterloo Arts & Entertainment District along Waterloo Road and East 156 Street on Saturday, June 24th. The weather was great and what a turn out! People came from all over to visit and enjoy our neighborhood. My sincere appreciation to Waterloo Arts for a job well done. Let’s continue the momentum and grow this event to be the premier arts and music festival on Cleveland’s eastside every summer.
Talking about music and entertainment. The Thursday night concert series between the East Shore Park Club, Coronado Beach Association and the Beachland Park Association, has been outstanding with great attendance. My sincere thanks to these Clubs for bringing our lakefront alive every Thursday night. Then there is the Cleveland MetroParks Euclid Beach Live concert series on Friday evenings – which will run every Friday evening starting at 6:00 PM through August 11th. These concerts are jammed with great music and great people having fun with a magnificent view of our lakefront and downtown.
On that note, I hope you all take the opportunity to see the new Cleveland Script sign which has been erected at Villa Angela Beach just west of the Wildwood pedestrian bridge over Euclid Creek. My sincere thanks to Destination Cleveland for their willingness to work with my office and MetroParks on the construction and placement of the sign. Please enjoy it, take lots of photos and share them with family and friends. I wanted our neighborhood to have the first Cleveland Script sign on the eastside, and we did it. Once again, we have proven that if we all work together there is nothing we cannot accomplish.
I don’t have to tell any of you of the immense problem that park and maintenance crews have been dealing with in their effort to get a handle on the high grass and weeds at abandoned properties and vacant lots. As a result of the foreclosure crisis, the City of Cleveland has become the biggest grass cutter in Cuyahoga County. Crews are working diligently. However, they have a massive task here besides maintaining city parks, playgrounds and right-of-ways. If there is a property on your street with high grass and weeds that has not been cut please call the Mayor’s Action Line at (216) 664-2900.
Furthermore, the Bureau of Demolition is waiting for Round 5 Funding from Cuyahoga County for the demolition of additional condemned and derelict properties. The list for Ward 8 is being finalized and we are looking forward to ridding our community of additional eyesores throughout the remainder of this year.
Summer is here and with it comes the usual complaints and concerns. Be mindful of your surroundings and what is happening on your street. If something is not right to you please call the proper city department and if it is a safety matter please call 9-1-1. Let’s be proactive and all do our part Ward 8 will continue to have the lowest crime rate in the 5th District.
Look forward to seeing you at all of the upcoming summer events. Have a fun and safe summer. As always feel free to contact me at my office at (216) 664-4236 or via email at mpolensek@clevelandcitycouncil.org.
Michael D. Polensek
Councilman, Ward 8