News

Collinwood’s neighborhood wine grape and juice purveyor since the 1920’s, Collinwood Juice, whose regular season runs September through October, has added for the first time a second spring harvest. These juices come from the Chilean Maipo Valley which is bordered by the Andes mountains and the Pacific ocean. This region mirrors California’s wine topography and climate including its hot days and cold nights.

When we experience the death of loved ones, we strive try to keep their memories alive. Symbolic rituals provide an effective spiritual outlet, allowing us to feel close by celebrating their lives in a positive way. That’s the idea behind the Hearts in Flight Kite and Garden Fest on Sunday, June 30, 1 to 4 p.m., which will send an arc of memorial kites skyward in a colorful mass tribute over the Lake Erie skyline. The event will take place on the waterfront property adjacent to Hospice of the Western Reserve, 18485 Lake Shore Boulevard, Cleveland. 

Mayor Frank G. Jackson and Chief of Police Michael McGrath proudly announce that the 2013 City of Cleveland Gun Buy-Back will be held on Saturday, June 15, 2013, at Public Safety Central located at 2001 Payne Avenue. In exchange for operable handguns or semi-automatic rifles (Assault Rifles), citizens will be given a either a $100 (handguns) or $200 (semi-automatic rifles) Target, gas or food gift card and two tickets to an upcoming Cavaliers and Lake Erie Monsters game. In addition, they will be entered into a raffle with a chance to win up to $1,000. Incentives for surrendered firearms will be available while supplies last.

As part of its ongoing oral history series of the Cleveland music scene, the nonprofit group Cleveland Rocks: Past, Present & Future will present an interview with Buddy Maver, a former Cleveland musician who went on to book the Agora in its late ’70s/early ’80s heyday. It takes place at 2 p.m. Saturday May 18 at the Space: ROCK Gallery (15721 Waterloo Road). It’s open to the public. There is no charge, but donations will be taken to further the work of CRPPF and Space: ROCK.

When we experience the loss of a mother or a mother figure, the pain can be palpable. We strive to keep her memory alive in our hearts and minds. Mother’s Day can be especially painful emotionally for those who are missing this irreplaceable person in their lives. 

To help those who are grieving the loss of a mother or mother figure, the Elisabeth Severance Prentiss Bereavement Center (ESPBC) is hosting a special Mother’s Day Tea on Saturday, May 4, 2 to 4 p.m. The event is free and open to anyone in the community, but capacity is limited, so reservations are required. The tea will be held at the ESPBC, which is located inside David Simpson Hospice House at 300 E. 185th Street. For reservations, call Felicia Dunlop-Stanley at 216.486.6335, by April 22.

Participants are encouraged to bring a photo of their mother or mother figure to display on a Table of Remembrance, and may also bring a teacup or coffee cup with special sentimental value. (Teacups will be provided for those not bringing them.) A guest speaker who has recently lost her mother will share her experiences and reflections.

Tea will be donated by the Rose Point Cottage Tea Room in Chagrin Falls, and special homemade tea pastries are being prepared by a mother and daughter volunteer team from Hospice of the Western Reserve. Those in attendance will have an opportunity to share special memories and lessons shared by their mother or mother figure and to plant a memorial flower with a personal note attached in a special memorial flower box. Special live background music is also planned.

The Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District's Euclid Creek Tunnel project is progressing on schedule and "Mackenzie," the Sewer District's tunnel boring machine, is currently mining beneath Lake Erie! When complete, the nearly 18,000-foot long Euclid Creek Tunnel will hold more than 60 million gallons of combined sewage at a time. At the end of March, Mackenzie had "mined and lined" approximately half of the tunnel.

Surface-level work will continue throughout the duration of this project (end of 2014).

Collinwood residents and business owners wanting to learn more can attend the Sewer District's next Euclid Creek Tunnel Community Meeting on Tuesday, April 23, at 6 p.m. The meeting will be at the Cleveland Public Library's Memorial Nottingham Branch, 17109 Lakeshore Blvd.

Project updates are posted regularly at http://euclidcreek.blogspot.com.

Irish dancers from the Murphy Irish Arts Center in Beachwood entertained patients, caregivers and volunteers at David Simpson Hospice House recently with a special advance performance. This marks the 10th year the award-winning dancers have performed at Hospice of the Western Reserve’s residential care facility on the waterfront at E. 185th Street in Cleveland.

“The Irish dancers are a special treat for our patients and their families,” said Lori Scotese, Life Enrichment Coordinator, Hospice of the Western Reserve. “Our patients thoroughly enjoy this special advance performance and tribute to the cultural traditions of Ireland. We’re so grateful to the Murphy Irish Arts Center and all the dancers for this generous gift of their time and talent.”

The Murphy Irish Arts Center dancers are led by Sheila Murphy Crawford of Mayfield Hts., a certified Irish Dance Instructor. In addition to her involvement in Irish dance, Murphy is devoted to keeping Irish culture and heritage alive in the Northeast Ohio region. She is a member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, and is also actively involved with the Irish Cultural Gardens. With dancers ranging from age five to 45, the center offers classes for all levels of students, from beginner to expert. They participate in competitions, as well as the Cleveland St. Patrick's Day Parade on March 17. 

Last year, dancers from Murphy’s Irish Arts Center achieved first place at the Mid-America Irish Dancing Championships in Chicago, and traveled to Ireland to perform with troupes from Ireland, England, Scotland and Australia. Locally, the Irish dancers have performed at parades, Playhouse Square and Severance Hall.

EASTER ACTIVITIES

On Tuesday March 26th, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m., The Salvation Army on 17625 Grovewood Avenue is having an “Easter Eggs-travaganza.” This free event welcomes the entire community for a night of fun for the whole family. There will be games, crafts, food, an Easter egg hunt and other hands-on activities. It is sure to be a great time for all ages.

The adults of our community are invited to attend Good Friday, March 29th, for a reflective service at 5 p.m.. On Easter Sunday, for all ages, we will have a Sunrise Service at 7:30 a.m., followed by breakfast at 8:30 a.m., Sunday School at 9:30 a.m. and an Easter Celebration at 10:45 a.m.  It would be great to have you!

SUMMER CAMP

Summer is right around the corner!  If you are interested in The Salvation Army's Summer Day Camp program, please contact Karen Jones at 216-692-1388 extension 31!

HEATING ASSISTANCE

The Salvation Army, through the EnergyShare Program, is assisting people with their Dominion East Ohio Gas Bill. Eligible persons can receive a one-time payment of up to $600 per heating season while funds are available. To determine if you are eligible and qualify for EnergyShare assistance please contact your local The Salvation Army Temple Corps. at 216- 692-1388 extension 11

“Programs for pregnant teens are among the new services offered through the Collinwood Neighborhood Catholic Ministries (CNCM),” announced Sr. Mary Ellen Brinovec, OSU. Director. Mary Ellen, a certified birth doula.  “A birth doula," she explained, “is a person trained and experienced in childbirth who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to the mother before, during and just after childbirth.”

She will shortly set up dates to meet with pregnant teens and discuss their needs and the opportunities provided by the doula program. Among the services that will be offered are classes to be conducted at the CNCM house, 15706 St. Clair Ave. covering topics from pregnancy, birth and post-natal care of the baby. Sr. Mary Ellen will also accompany girls to their doctor appointments, arrange for other doulas to meet with the girls, and when requested, accompany each girl to the labor and delivery.

Other previously scheduled programs for March include:

“Finding God in Quiet Music,” led by Sr. Janet Moore, OSU, professor of music at Ursuline College, will be offered on Saturday, Mar. 16 from 10-11am. The experience will give everyone a chance to spend peaceful time away from the busyness of life.

No experience is necessary for two creative programs offered concurrently on Friday, Mar. 22, 2-4 pm: “Creative Paint Program” and “Create a Prayer Shawl." All materials will be provided  free for both programs, and follow-up sessions will be scheduled for those interested.

It started with one pear tree in Collinwood and one simple goal to gather and use unwanted fruit in our community. The project has informally grown to include more people, more trees, and a greater understanding of the good that can be accomplished through the Fruit Harvest Project. Now in its third year and with added assistance from Nicole Wright, OSU Extension's Urban Agriculture program, we are gearing up for the 2013 growing and gathering. 

The Euclid Fruit Harvest Project aims to connect fruit tree owners with volunteer harvesters. Fruit trees often produce much more fruit than what a household can eat. By donating extra fruit, fruit tree owners help reduce the amount of fallen fruit and increase the amount put to good use, either eaten or composted. A portion of every harvest will be donated to the Euclid Hunger Center or other organizations. Besides being eaten fresh, fruit can be preserved in many ways for later use: sauces, jams and jellies, and dehydration are just a few, so an effort will be made to offer classes within the community on these topics.

Using a grant from the Cleveland Foundation's Project Access, Kiddie City Child Care Community is sponsoring a community visioning dialogue that focuses on building a strong foundation for the children of eastern Cuyahoga County.

Key people throughout the area have been invited to join in a strength-based discussion about the ideal future for area children through a strong foundation in early child care and education. Saturday, March 23 from 10 am to 1 pm is when the conversation will convene at Euclid Hospital's Waltz Auditorium, 18901 Lake Shore Blvd., Euclid. Lunch will be provided. If you can add an important piece to this process, please contact 216.798.7089 or email: kiddiecityeuclid@att.net.

It's not every day that Waterloo dominates the front page of the Plain Dealer, but we did so this past week!

Joe Crea spent months following many of us around, interviewing, trying to get inside what's happening here. His conclusion seems to agree with mine: Waterloo is the next great thing in Cleveland. It might be odd to say so, because it's been happening for years, well before I visited a few years ago to see where we might expand our hospitality business.

The results of all this publicity is lots of people looking to open things there! From ice cream to vegan dining, the strip is hot! We bought the Harbor Pub and the Fotina's building, and we leased the bar/bocce courts at the Slovenian Workman's Home. We had a contest to see who would be awarded a free lease to Fotina's, and this resulted in Chloe's new diner.

The biggest news of all is Chef Steve Schimoler agreeing to lease the Key Bank Building to open his "Crop Rocks" along with former rock hall chief Terry Stewart.

As a result of all this activity, plenty of prospective tenants are scouring the neighborhood.

When we began this journey, I advised building owners that we could help them sell or lease, get them tenants or buyers.  Now is the time to trigger this action, because if an owner just sits on a property, thinking it will just keep going up in value, that owner is dead wrong. What will happen if properties aren't put into action is that the neighborhood will build up one tenant at a time: a sure prescription for difficult times.

Cleveland City Councilman, Michael D. Polensek, personally thanked Mayor Frank G. Jackson for his action in urging and asking the State of Ohio to terminate their 50-year lease with the City of Cleveland pertaining to the Cleveland Lakefront State Park System. Councilman Polensek, who has three Lakefront State Parks in his ward, the historic Euclid Beach, Villa Angela Beach and Wildwood Marina, has long championed and advocated the termination of the lease and the return of these critical and historic properties back to the City of Cleveland.

Councilman Polensek states, “for far too long the State of Ohio has neglected its responsibility along our precious lakefront. It is time for us to go in a new direction by reclaiming these parks and ultimately working with the Cleveland MetroParks System to create a real 'Emerald Necklace' that would incorporate all of our lakefront parks and properties into a regional MetroParks System. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create the kind of recreational facilities and economic development opportunities that we all have longed for in Northeast Ohio. Now is the time for bold steps to be taken.”

Directly across from the Beachland Ballroom and Tavern, for lo, these many years, has stood a depressed building promising to turn into Blitz Barbecue but, as rehab progressed, becoming more and more dilapidated. And during all those years, Bill “Billy” Madansky, a popular food vendor at the annual Waterloo Arts Fest and would-be operator of a Waterloo barbecue joint, hung in there because, he says, “It’s all about, location, location, location. I really wanted to be on Waterloo across from the Beachland Ballroom.”

Madansky's older brother, Johnny “Blitz” Madansky, was the drummer for Cleveland punk rock icons The Dead Boys, who rose to fame in the late 1970’s as part of CBGB’s music scene in New York City, and have more recently played reunion shows at The Beachland Ballroom. Growing up on Cleveland's east side, Madansky learned to cook from his mother at a young age and has been perfecting his own barbecue sauces, special dry rub technique for his ribs, and a range of other specialty dishes ever since. “I feature rib dinners, pulled pork sandwiches, jerk chicken and a special round up platter that features all three items.” The menu also features hot dogs, hamburgers, BBQ meatloaf, meatball subs, lasagna, chicken wings, vegetarian stir fry, and slaw, a 110 lb. brownie (served in squares, but I suppose you could order a whole one) and Bill’s signature peanut butter chocolate banana pudding.

Sister Helen Marie Davidson, an Ursuline sister, sat in January’s all school mass at St. Jerome Church, not knowing that the students, faculty and staff were there to honor God and to honor her for 60 years of service as an educator.

Sister Helen, who received her teaching degree from St. John's Teacher's College,  has been teaching and studying education her entire 60 year career.

The tribute, which was coordinated by Lynda Caffarelli, the fifth grade teacher at St. Jerome School, acknowledged Sister Helen's intelligence, experience, and dedication.

"She could easily be enjoying her retirement, but instead continues to help children improve their reading skills," Caffarelli said to the audience.

Sister Helen, who is a reading specialist, is skilled in diagnosing reading disabilities and deficiencies. To top it all off, she is also a certified teacher of the deaf.

Friends and even a former student from the first school she taught at came to celebrate Sister Helen’s accomplishments and commitment to education.

“St. Jerome School was built in 1924 and continues to be an important part of our community,” Caffarelli said. “However, we have a rare gem among us.”

The Girl Scouts in Euclid and Collinwood invite you to join them for a trip around the globe at their annual World Friendship Fair on Saturday, February 23 from 1-3 p.m. at Sts. Robert and William School, 367 East 260th St. in Euclid. Admission is 50¢ per person, and all are welcome.

The fair celebrates World Thinking Day, first created in 1926 as a special day for Girl Scouts and Girl Guides from around the world to think of each other and give thanks and appreciation to their sister scouts.

The event starts with an opening ceremony and parade of flags at 1 p.m. followed by the fair. Each troop will have a booth celebrating a particular country they have adopted for the year. Girls will be selling foods and crafts inspired by their country and offering games to play,  all with prices from 25¢ to $1. All proceeds will be donated to the Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace in Savannah, Georgia, for programs that benefit scouts around the world.

Happy Holidays from your friends at the North East Cleveland Little League (NECLL). We are pleased to have served this community for over 61 years. In 2013 we will continue the tradition of not only baseball, but community service, discipline, and serving as role models for Collinwood’s youth! Please join us as we start the New Year continuing a legacy founded to serve the Collinwood Community. The NECLL has begun a new online registration process for your convenience; which will begin as soon as the resource is available at www.eteam.com/NECLL and will be open through March 30, 2013.

In person registration dates are Sat Feb 23, 2012 1pm to 4pm, Sun Feb 24, 2013 1pm to 4pm, and Thur Feb 28, 2013 6pm to 9pm. In order to continue making a difference in the community, we are always looking for coaches, sponsors, and volunteers who love children, love Collinwood and most of all love baseball. As always, it's our pleasure to serve the Collinwood Community! For inquires please contact 216-692-BALL or email us at necll1@yahoo.com.

Buckeye Charity Poker located in Marc's Plaza (just to the right of Marc's) is the world's first PokerTek 
certified room. Buckeye benefits local charities and is a vital part of the charitable community in the
area. It is state-of-the-art electronic LIVE poker on equipment used in Casinos and cruise ships all over
the world. Also Buckeye features real Las Vegas Rules Blackjack with $2-$50 betting range.

Unlike past versions of Charity rooms in the region, Buckeye is an entertainment center and gathering
place perfect for corporate events, meetings and a fun night out with coworkers. Nightly Buckeye
provides players with FREE food and soft drinks and $2 to $3 domestic beer. They have the NFL Sunday
Ticket and a huge projection screen as well as flat screens in every conceivable place, so it is a great
place to bring your friends to play some cards.

PokerTek Co-Founder Lou White said, "Buckeye Charity Poker appears to be the natural evolution of
Charity Poker Festivals in Northeast Ohio. From the early days of Charity Festivals run by various
organizations at dozens of locations to a central location at Nautica to Buckeye, Ohio charity gaming is in
good hands. The problem with the original festivals is they were hard to regulate and make sure all was
fair for the player and charity. Nautica was certainly fair to the player and charity, but very difficult for
all but the largest charities to provide dozens of dealers. The PokerPro™ tables are the perfect solution.
Now even smaller charities can become involved, and since PokerTek and PokerPro is licensed and
certified by the largest and most prestigious gaming jurisdictions in the world, players know they are
getting a fair deal as well. We are proud to be involved with the team at Buckeye and the local charities
and be part of the poker scene in NorthEast Ohio”

Are you interested in learning more about the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District's Euclid Creek Tunnel?

Representatives from the Sewer District will provide a project update and answer questions at community meetings held at the Memorial-Nottingham Branch of the Cleveland Public Library (17109 Lakeshore Boulevard). These meetings will be held regularly on the third Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m.

The schedule is as follows: December 18, January 15, February 19, March 19, April 16, May 21, June 18.

Construction updates, particularly those near East 156th Street and Lakeshore Boulevard, are posted daily at http://euclidcreek.blogspot.com.

Chocolate Santas for Christmas? Check. Chocolate coins for Hanukkah? Of course. Chocolate hippos for the holidays? Yes, if Baker Candies, a 90-year-old iconic Cleveland candy company in the Collinwood neighborhood has its way, the chocolate hippo will be the new “must have” sweet treat of the season this year. That’s because a portion of the proceeds from sales of the hippos will benefit Hospice of the Western Reserve patients and families. The idea originated when the candy maker was approached by a customer requesting a sweet treat to honor his mother’s least favorite holiday song: “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas.”

The 7-oz. solid milk chocolate hippos and a  limited supply of dark chocolate hippos can be ordered online for $10 each at www.bakercandies.com, or by visiting one of its two retail locations: 16131 Holmes Avenue, Cleveland, and 34100 Chardon Road, Willoughby Hills.

In late 2011, Hospice of the Western Reserve relocated its headquarters to 17876 St. Clair Ave., just down the road from Baker Candies, so the family-owned business with deep Cleveland roots wanted to do something meaningful to support the non-profit agency’s patients. “It’s our way of giving back to families in the local community who are coping with a difficult time over the holidays,” said co-owner Chris Galgoczy. 

Nostalgia buffs of a certain age may recall that the Christmas novelty song, written by John Rox and originally performed by 10-year-old Gayla Peevey, debuted in December 1953. The American pop band Jonas Brothers brought the song back in 2007. Country music singer Gretchen Wilson also recorded a rendition is 2009.

It’s hard to believe that Christmas is already around the corner! This means that very soon we will be experiencing the sights and sounds of the Christmas season. One of those sounds will be those famous “Silver Bells” on The Salvation Army kettles! 

Throughout the year, people turn to The Salvation Army for assistance with misfortunes that can hit anyone at anytime. In many cases they are the starting point for assessing the family or individual’s immediate needs. They give Emergency Crisis Assistance by helping those in need, here in the Greater Cleveland area, with food, utilities, prescriptions, clothing, and of course toys for children at Christmas time through our Angel Tree Program. They also operate a full-scale Community Center with a variety of activities to help support the youth of our community and a Learning Center to help the children of our community achieve higher grades in school. Whatever crisis the family is experiencing, The Salvation Army is here to listen and provide comfort and support.

THANKSGIVING SERVICE

Join us on Tuesday, November 20th at 6:00 p.m for a Thanksgiving Service, featuring many of our adult and youth music and arts programs! Refreshments will be served.

We have many programs to serve you, such as an after school Learning Center, Recreation programs and Church activities. To find out more visit us at www.SalvationArmyCleveland.org/Temple or call 216.692.1388.

The Salvation Army has officially kicked off the Christmas season with the start of Christmas Assistance Registration. For over 120 years The Salvation Army in Collinwood has been providing hope to people who have found themselves in the midst of trying circumstances at Christmas time and throughout the year.

The Salvation Army has officially kicked off the Christmas season with the start of Christmas Assistance Registration. For over 120 years The Salvation Army in Collinwood has been providing hope to people who have found themselves in the midst of trying circumstances at Christmas time and throughout the year.

As in the past, we will continue to meet these needs this Christmas.

Families with children 12 and under may sign up to receive toys, a gift card for holiday food and coats. They can register at the Salvation Army (17625 Grovewood Ave.) on Wednesday Nov 7, 9 am - 3 pm; and on Thursday Nov 8, 12 - 6 pm. This location serves the following zip codes: 44110, 44117, 44118, 44119, 44121, 44123, 44124, 44132 and 44143. If your zip code is not listed, please call 216.692.1388 to find The Salvation Army location that serves you. When you go to register, take the following information: government issued I.D. or driver's license; birth certificate or current medical benefit card for EACH child (newborn - 12 years old).

For more information, call The Salvation Army at 216.692.1388

The Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District is currently constructing the Euclid Creek Tunnel; this large storage tunnel will capture and store combined sewage -- a mixture of sanitary sewage and stormwater -- until it can be safely treated at the Easterly Wastewater Treatment Plant on the shores of Lake Erie. Oftentimes, this bacteria-laden combined sewage is discharged directly into the environment because neither the treatment plant nor connected infrastructure is capable of capturing the increased flow during heavy storms. The Euclid Creek Tunnel will mitigate much of this pollution, resulting in a safer Collinwood.

The Sewer District has planned a series of regularly-scheduled meetings to address any customer concerns about this project. Meetings will typically occur the third Tuesday of each month at 4 p.m. at the Collinwood Recreation Center (16300 Lakeshore Blvd.). The current schedule is:

• November 13 (moved to the second Tuesday because of Thanksgiving)
• December 18
• January 15
• February 19

In addition, a new blog was created to keep customers informed. It can be viewed at http://euclidcreek.blogspot.com/.

The Mill Creek Tunnel, the Sewer District's first completed tunnel, successfully captured 75 million gallons of combined sewage during "Superstorm Sandy," preventing discharge into Mill Creek.

The Euclid Creek Tunnel will hold 60.5 million gallons of combined sewage at a time and is expected to be complete in late 2014.

“’To listen, to learn, to respond,’ is the vision for the recently formed Collinwood Neighborhood Catholic Ministries, [CNCM], a collaborative project of a group of Catholic Sisters and their lay co-workers,” explained Sr. Mary Ellen Brinovec, OSU, the coordinator of the group.

Formed out of “Women and Spirit Now,” a gathering of Catholic Sisters in the Diocese of Cleveland who wanted to continue and expand the message of the traveling exhibit, Women and Spirit: US Catholic Sisters in America, which many Clevelanders saw at the Maltz Museum of Jewish Studies, CNCM focused on the Collinwood area.

The mission of the 18 sisters from various local religious communities and several laity from neighboring parishes and schools, is “To respond to unmet needs of families and individuals in the Collinwood area in collaboration with various churches, social service agencies, neighborhood groups, and other. The CNCM is committed to listening to the people of the area and then developing programs that nurture the individual and family life by promoting spiritual, mental and physical well-being.”

In an effort to listen to the needs and dreams of the area before planning specific programs, the group has met formally and informally since January with residents at several meal programs, neighborhood block meetings, leaders of the Collinwood and Nottingham Village  and Northeast Shores Development Corporation. In addition they’ve met with leaders of various churches, recreational, health and social service agencies, safety services and  participated in the Collinwood Library summer lunch program.

Although there has been a lot of negative news about schools recently, St. Jerome School reports an improvement in enrollment and academic success compared to the beginning of last school year.

According to St. Jerome School Principal, Sue Coan, enrollment has increased 20 percent in K-8 since the 2011-2012 school year and the preschool is full.

“We are very blessed to have so many parents interested in what we have to offer at our school,” Coan said. “Most parents say they enrolled their children in our school because of our structure and focus on faith.”

St. Jerome School has also seen improvement in Ohio Achievement Assessment (OAA) reading scores which were reported this summer. A vast majority of the students from 3rd through 8th grade scored an average of 400 or higher on the 2011-2012 OAA tests. According to the Ohio Department of Education, a score of 400 is considered proficient.

“We want our students to do well on standardized tests, but we also emphasize life-long learning,” Coan said.

Last year we took a trial run at our 1st annual Harvest Day at Phadeaway Barbershop, where we offered FREE basic haircuts to anyone in the community. This is our way of giving back in our hard times. Everyone is welcome to participate; at Phadeway we have a diverse staff and clientele. This year we want to make it even bigger.

The event will be held Sunday October 28 from 12-4 p.m. at Phadeaway Barbershop 677 East 185th Street in Euclid. This is an absolutely free basic haircut or lineup. Light refreshments will be served. Please spread the word about this event within our community.

Phadeaway Barbershop is owned and operated by Master Barber, my husband, Mike Saddler, who has been in the industry for 10 years and has left his mark as one the great master barbers in town. He uses his unique skill and talent to provide the most precise haircuts and line ups in town. He has a great them of master barbers as well. This is a gold mine on East 185th Street. The barbershop has very diverse clientele. Every time you come in you are guaranteed to receive excellent and quality service. Phadeawawy is also kid-friendly so feel free to bring the family. In addition to being a great barber he is a great husband and father.

Voters in all of Cuyahoga County’s municipalities will cast ballots for President, U.S. Senate and Members of Congress, Ohio Senate and the Ohio House of Representatives, County Prosecutor and County Council members, judicial candidates, State Board of Education seats, the Brook Park Charter Review Commission, as well as local and state issues.

It is important for voters to be prepared to cast their ballots. The voter registration deadline is October 9th. Voters who have moved or changed their name since they last voted need to complete and return a new Voter Registration Card. After a voter has registered they will receive a postcard that lists their ward, precinct, and voting location.

To avoid lines on Election Day and to allow extra time to study the ballot, all registered voters may Vote by Mail. Vote by Mail ballot applications are available at the Board of Elections website: www.boe.cuyahogacounty.us, by calling the Board of Elections at 216-443-3298, and at all public libraries.

Where does a guy in the advertising hall of fame and producer of PBS documentaries get off trying to lead the redevelopment of Waterloo?

I think it's exactly the right credentials, all pride aside. I retired from advertising and television about 8 years ago, sold my agency and production company in NYC, and somehow got into the hospitality business. It's just like advertising but with lower check averages and nicer customers! Since starting Erie Island Coffee about 4 years ago, now we have 'ABC the Tavern' on West 25th, 'XYZ the Tavern' on Detroit & West 65, and 'The Ontario Street Cafe' downtown. In a few months, our new ABC will open at University Circle in the new Uptown Development.

But the real pertinent news is what we're doing on Waterloo. After surveying these few blocks over the past 3 years, a few things became very evident:

-This strip is prime for development as the next (but a grittier version of) Tremont and Ohio City.

-But you can't do it one venue at a time. It needs mass, density---population, which means a number of high-drawing places to fit right in with the revered Beachland Ballroom, Music Saves and other pioneers.

-So, I decided to take on the personal mission of getting a lot to happen quickly. Project Lightswitch. Flipping on Waterloo in one fell swoop.

After 6 months of very private discussions and negotiations with my office and the City’s Department of Economic Development, Manitowoc, the parent company of Cleveland Range, located at 1333 East 179 Street, at St Clair Avenue, as of 12 o’clock, Today, September 7th, 2012, has announced officially that they are staying in Cleveland’s Ward 11 community.

The Company based in Ward 11’s Nottingham Village neighborhood had contemplated consolidating its North American operations and moving to Indiana. However, working together with the Collinwood Nottingham Villages Development Corporation (CNVDC), Cuyahoga County, the State of Ohio, the Greater Cleveland Partnership, the City’s Economic Development Department and my office we were able to put together a more comprehensive package which Cleveland Range officials realized was in the best interest of their company, shareholders and their employees.

As a result, they will keep their facilities here and construct their new multi-million dollar North American headquarters right here in Ward 11 on St Clair Avenue. How about that?!

My sincere thanks and appreciation to the Mayor’s Director of the City’s Economic Development, Ms. Tracey Nichols, for her hard work and dedication to what was called privately, “Operation Robin Hood.”  Get the connection to the Nottingham Village Neighborhood?

You will hear more information about our new initiative along St Clair – to be known as the Nottingham Village Commerce Park Project. Manitowoc and Cleveland Range will be the linchpin of this initiative. Stay tuned for future updates and announcements in partnership with Collinwood Nottingham Villages Development Corporation.

As the mother of two girls in Cleveland public schools, I’ve attended several presentations by Mayor Frank Jackson and CEO Eric Gordon about what their plan will mean for Cleveland’s children. Based on my notes from several months of these briefings, here’s my annotated list of what the mayor and Mr. Gordon, teachers, the business community, parents and community partners plan to do with our hard-earned money if we vote to support the levy.

1. Attract, retain and develop excellent teachers. The District has attracted energetic, new teachers just out of college. Retaining them has been difficult, since seniority is the primary criteria for layoffs. The Cleveland Plan allows Cleveland school leaders to factor performance and time in together when making decisions about teachers.

2. Replace failing schools with new, high quality schools. Eric Gordon maintains this does not mean closing school buildings. They’ve learned from the past that closing buildings drives people away from the District. This part of the plan allows for ineffective programs to be dissolved and for new leadership and staff to be brought in to implement a proven program to serve that community. Taxpayers will have the authority, in the form of an independent board, to hold everyone accountable—charter and public-- and the new legislation allows a shorter timeframe to close ineffective school programs.

The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections is seeking reliable and civic-minded people to serve as poll workers during the November 6th General Presidential Election.

To help make the public aware of these job opportunities, poll worker applications will be available at over 100 locations throughout the county.

"This is an important and exciting election. We need to hire the best, most reliable Election Day workforce as possible to help us administer a fair, transparent and smooth Election Day," said Jane Platten, Director, Cuyahoga County Board of Elections. "We rely on 6,000 poll workers to help us conduct our elections so we need to hire the best, most hardworking team in the field. In order to do that, we are reaching out to all of our community partners in this recruitment effort," said Platten.

Poll workers earn $172.10 for their service, which includes; successfully completing a poll worker training class, attending a meeting the night before the election, and working Election Day from 5:30 a.m. until about 8:00 p.m.

Poll workers must be at least 17 years of age and registered to vote in Cuyahoga County. State law does not allow convicted felons to serve as poll workers.

Bilingual and Republican poll workers are always in demand. Each of the county’s 1,063 precincts requires two Democrat and two Republican poll workers to ensure political balance during the voting process. 

Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School and Northeast Shores Development Corporation held their inaugural "Escape on the Lake" 5K Run/1 Mile Walk event on Saturday, July 28.

The race course took runners west on Lakeshore Boulevard to Schenley, then to Dorchester, followed by a route through the Villa Angela Park and back the same way. Runners were impressed with the views of beautiful Lake Erie and the shade provided by the park on the hot and humid morning.

The overall top male finisher was Jordan Kurtz with a time of 16:50 along with the overall top female finisher, Mary Pavicic with a time of 19:55. VASJ and Northeast Shores Development Corporation thank all of the participants who made the event such a huge success and are already looking forward to making next year’s event even better.

Visit VASJ's website at vasj.com to view more photos from the event.

Kellie Clinton is the Alumni and Admissions Coordinator at Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School.

The Salvation Army of Collinwood is having a big outdoor Block Party on Saturday, August 18th (12-4 p.m.) and would like to invite all of you to join us! We will have a bouncy house, water slide, sports and carnival games, entertainment throughout the day, face painting, information booths and much more! NEW this year, a petting farm with live animals will even be on site! We will be giving away hot dogs, popcorn, cotton candy, sno cones and other freebies! It promises to be bigger and better than ever before!

The event will be at The Salvation Army, 17625 Grovewood Avenue, Cleveland.  For more information, please call 216-692-1388

Cleveland Industrial Innovation Center (CiiC) has hired two Collinwood High School students as participants in Collinwood High School's Industrial Internship Program. Juniors, Dahryce Hogan and Anthony Battle entered into the program at the end of this school year and will work through the summer along with 2011 Collinwood graduate DeAndre Hairston as an integral part of the maintenance staff of the facility; focusing primarily on maintenance and improvement of the grounds, an area totaling 65 acres. The students will also be directly involved with a planned 48,000 square foot expansion for one of the flagship tenants, NatGasCar. The work will expose the students to a multitude of construction and maintenance skills over the course of the summer.

This program is the brainchild of Councilman Mike Polensek and is intended to attract local, hard-working, disciplined students to the manufacturing businesses in the area. Crystal Maclin, Collinwood High School Principal, was instrumental in assembling a list of candidates suitable for the open positions and worked with CiiC to assure a good fit. The internship, if all parties agree, will lead to a full-time position upon graduation.

It is the hope of the sponsors and participants, that this program will expand after this inaugural period, with dozens of local manufacturing companies participating; bringing local youths and local businesses together. 

 Joe Laumer is the  General Manager of Cleveland Industrial Innovation Center.

A capacity crowd of more than 600 volunteers, donors, staff members and community supporters convened at Windows on the River recently to celebrate Hospice of the Western Reserve’s role in the region and to preview the agency’s upcoming  events. These include the soon-to-be open Ames Family Hospice House, a new residential hospice care facility slated to open in Westlake July 1, and Walk to Remember, a signature special event which will take place at Cleveland MetroParks Zoo on Sept. 9 to celebrate the dignity of life, honor the memory of loved ones, and support Hospice of the Western Reserve’s community services and programs in Northern Ohio.

Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge is pleased to inform constituents that the United States Postal Service (USPS) has announced a new strategy to achieve cost savings that no longer includes the closing or consolidation of approximately 3,700 retail facilities throughout the nation. USPS confirmed that the Collinwood Post Office Branch on East 152nd and 5 other retail branches and stations in the 11th Congressional District that were on the proposed closing list in 2011, are spared from the chopping block. While postal authorities withdrew their plan for closing facilities for the time being, they clearly stated they reserve the right to propose closings in the future if new cost cutting measures fail to control their deficit. Without changes, such as buy-outs and reductions in the workforce through attrition, reduced hours at rural post offices or consolidation of mail processing facilities, the Post Office says it will continue to lose $25 million per day.  However the single greatest contribution to the Post Office debt is a requirement that they "pre-fund" retirement benefits for employees 75 years into the future ($5.5 billion annually), a mandate imposed on no other business or government agency in the nation. This has resulted in large overpayments that Congresswoman Fudge says can and should be addressed by Congress.

The residents of E.167th, Humphery Ct. and E.168th north of Grovewood will be holding a Street Sale Saturday June 30th from 10:00-4:00. This is a first time event for this little neighborhood so there will surely be some wonderful treasures to be found. This is a great opportunity for visitors to the Waterloo Arts Fest to meet the people who live in our community and find some great bargains. We will be kicking off our event at 10:00 AM so everyone can come out early and visit us without missing a minute of the Arts Fest just a few blocks away. We're looking forward to seeing you!

St. John Lutheran School is proud that it has, over the years, admitted students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies and admissions policies.

The Salvation Army is in need of volunteer coaches for it's up-coming Softball League Season!

Three head coaches for each division and three assistant coaches for each division are needed. One or two coaches are also needed to help with the travel team(s).

The categories are: Fast Pitch, 15-18 girls only, Intro to Fast Pitch, 11-14 girls only,  Coach Pitch, 7-10 boys and girls, all two games a week, 6:30 to 8:30, practice times determined by coach, and T-ball, 4-6 boys and girls, Saturday, 11am to 12 noon, practice time determined by coach.

If interested, please contact Softball Coordinator Emma Ramseur at 216-254-4949. For more infromation on all the great things going on at The Salvation Army, call 216-692-1388!

So I went to the Euclid Creek Tunnel meeting – and learned that (a) the work will be considerably less dramatic than feared – the ten-foot trenches will occupy only a few blocks of Lakeshore – and (b) communication is very, very important. Briefly, Cleveland’s original sewage system ingeniously provided for storm-water overflows so the treatment plants wouldn’t be overwhelmed, but the system is no longer adequate, so a huge diverter tunnel is being dug/sunk/driven under the lake and Lakeshore Blvd to carry storm-water floods directly to the treatment plant, where they’ll be cleansed of their admixture of household waste (the polite phrase) before going into the lake – instead of going straight in, as before, dissolving toilet paper and all. (You really need pictures to grasp this; go to www.neorsd.org and click on CSO.)

This storm-water diversion is a massive project; to build its 27-foot-diameter tunnel, the District has also built a power plant and is moving utilities left, right and center – “Lakeshore is just littered with existing utilities,” said the harassed presenter. That’s part of the street work you see now; the heavy construction bit is the sinking of shafts for micro tunnels, which will be followed by structures to pick up the overflow and help direct it to the diverter. Once construction of the tunnel itself begins, a massive boring machine (even now traveling to Cleveland) will p-u-s-h through the earth from Bratenahl to Nottingham, emerging at approximately Nottingham and E185 to be taken apart and sent home. (This conjured up images of an immense worm tunneling through the earth, which sent me off to Google ouroboros, but that turned out to be the snake swallowing its tail and symbolizing completeness.)

INFO STRAIGHT FROM THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGER by Jean Chapman

NEORSD has begun rock excavation at Shaft 4, which is located at Triangle Park on Lakeshore Blvd. Excavation includes blasting the rock 100 feet below the ground, which is the most common and safe method for removal. 

‘We understand that the word ‘blasting’ can invoke some fear in residents,’ stated Doug Gabriel, NEORSD Construction Program Manager for the Euclid Creek Tunnel project. ‘I want to reassure the residents that blasting rock beneath the ground is safe, effective and, nationally, a very common practice.’

In an effort to loosen the rock, a series of blasts, lasting 15 to 30 seconds, is required. Once the rock is loosened, it takes 2 to 3 days to remove it. Then blasting will resume and the removal process will be repeated. Residents can expect this to occur a couple times a week for  4 to  6 weeks. To date, one other Euclid Creek Tunnel shaft has been successfully excavated via the rock blasting process. 

‘To assure that residents are informed and at ease with the Triangle Park shaft excavation, NEORSD has placed vibration monitors at locations near the shaft excavation site, including locations across the street from the park. So far, the monitors have registered below specified limits,’ stated Gabriel.  ‘Further, we’ll keep residents and elected officials continually updated on the progress of the shaft excavation.’

When Republican Presidential candidate Newt Gingrich sought an industrial backdrop for a rally for the March 6th Ohio Primary, Jergens’ president Jack H. Schron Jr., 63,  obliged to host. Though not particularly known as a Gingrich proponent, Mr. Schron welcomed the opportunity to showcase Jergens and the Collinwood facility to the candidate and the greater public. He is currently a Republican Cuyahoga County Councilman for District 6.

Though a resident of Chagrin Falls, where he was born and raised (Chagrin ’66), Jack Schron’s family and company have had long ties to the Collinwood neighborhood. His grandfather, Christy Schron, had been chief engineer for the McKinney Tool & Mfg. Co. and chief tool designer for the White Motor Co. for 13 years. During this period he started to slowly amass a collection of different machine tool machinery in the garage of his home at 15406 Glencoe Road with the expectations of eventually opening his own shop. In 1942, with war production contracts secured for building specialty custom tooling, Glenn Tool & Mfg. Co. was established.

Cleveland District 5 Patrol Officer Edward Csoltko, a North Collinwood resident, demonstrated both persistence and bravery one night last summer when he pursued two street thugs who were ultimately arrested.

His actions that evening earned him the Cleveland Police Department’s Medal of Heroism, which was presented on Dec. 8, 2011, in a ceremony at City Hall attended by Mayor Frank Jackson and Police Chief Michael McGrath.

The Medal of Heroism is given to policemen who “demonstrate extraordinary bravery or act in an exemplary and extraordinary manner while at substantial risk of personal harm.”

The awards ceremony program provided this description of the incident: “On June 8, 2011, Patrol Officer Edward Csoltko was working alone and stopped in traffic at a red light when he observed two males chase and beat another male. Officer Csoltko went to intervene, but as the suspect males saw the police car approach they jumped into a waiting vehicle and proceeded to flee. The suspects purposely drove their car in reverse and rammed Officer Csoltko’s vehicle.

“Officer Csoltko immediately broadcast his situation and a description of the suspect vehicle. Officer Csoltko pursued the males as they recklessly weaved through neighborhood streets. At one point, the suspect vehicle again purposely rammed Officer Csoltko’s vehicle on the driver’s side. Officer Csoltko continued his persistent pursuit until the males finally stopped and began to flee on foot. Officer Csoltko quickly apprehended one of the suspects while the second suspect was eventually captured by the other responding units.”

Officer Csoltko, a graduate of St. Joseph High and the University of Dayton, is a 15-year veteran of the Cleveland Police Department.  

The fire-breathing dragons and wand-waving wizards of the four mountain tops were a winning recipe for the writing success of Sophia Lashley-Uzomah, a seventh-grader at St. Jerome Elementary School. She recently won the award for Most Imaginative Setting for the second annual Seventh Grade Fantasy Creative Writing Contest sponsored by Magnificat High School. The title for the winning work is, "The Dragons of Glacia Mountain."

Sophia, who also writes poetry for the St. Jerome School Journal--which is the school's newspaper--said she was very excited when she learned she had won this contest.

"My mom said there was a letter in the mail from Magnificat High School," Sophia said. "When I found out I had won I couldn't stop smiling."

Sophia also spoke of how proud her family at home and at school have been of her winning story.

On January 6, the quiet streets at the northeast corner of the neighborhood were disrupted when a drug bust just over the city line in Euclid turned into a chase. A multi-agency task force involving officers from the Cleveland Police Narcotics Unit, Euclid Police, FBI and State Highway Patrol intervened in a delivery to a home on Naumann Avenue of at least two kilos of cocaine.

Four suspects fled, one on foot and three in a car. The suspect on foot, a juvenile, was immediately arrested by Euclid PD. The other three suspects, John Campbell, 28, of Lexington, Ky., Chase Downey, 24, also of Lexington, and Francisco Rodriguez, 19, of Midway, Ky., evaded police and sped away in a car towards E. 185th Street.

At that point, task force officers called for backup from Cleveland's 5th Police District. The suspects crossed E. 185th  to Canterbury Road and made a left, heading west on Lakeshore to Crestland, where they headed north, apparently unaware that the street ends at the lakefront and Coronado Beach Club. At this point, the suspects abandoned their car and fled.

The pursuit took in every block north of Lakeshore from Wildwood State Park to the hospice property, with teams of officers moving up the streets. One suspect, Downey, made it to Maplecliff before being apprehended by police. Suspect Campbell, clad in a bright red sweatshirt, was found hiding in a trashbin in a backyard on East Park Drive. Rodriguez was arrested as well, thanks to a tremendous show of force by CPD and task force members.   

In an update to a story that appeared in the Observer in January, 2010, several of Collinwood's promising youth recently completed what is becoming their annual tradition of charity during the holiday season. Two local organizations continued to benefit from the efforts of these young people. Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital's Circle of Friends program, a fund for children who might need special services at Rainbow that their families cannot afford, and Under the Wing, which, along with medical care and adoption, fosters animals whose owners have had to go into an emergency shelter, were beneficiaries for the fourth and fifth year in a row, respectively.

2011 was the fourth year Devlin Chambers and friends baked cookies and sold them for the Rainbow Cookie project that Devlin started, in 2008. In the fifth year of their project, Collinwood residents Jessica, Forrest, and Meghan were joined by friend Kirsten and put together their Christmas tea at the home of Lorraine Bertosa. The Christmas tea raised $450 for a five-year total of about $1,500 while the Christmas cookie project for Rainbow raised over $200, for a four-year total of about $600. Local businesses again helped out with donations. Manager Mike Romano of Dave's Supermarket on Lakeshore Boulevard gave a gift card to help defray the cost of cookie ingredients for the Circle of Friends project.

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Where does it go?  It’s not a topic frequently discussed, but the answer is of utmost importance to your health. “It” is the wastewater – both sanitary sewage and stormwater – that leaves your home and the homes and businesses of more than one million customers throughout Northeast Ohio. The Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (NEORSD) is responsible for treating all of that wastewater (approximately 93 billion gallons) each year before it is returned to the environment.

Wastewater from the Collinwood neighborhood is transported to the Easterly Wastewater Treatment Plant on Lakeshore Boulevard near East 140th Street; this facility treats more than 90 million gallons of wastewater each day before returning it to Lake Erie. The wastewater treatment process is a very technical process; it is also very expensive.

Rates: The Sewer District has historically billed customers based on the amount of water used each quarter. The current rate is $49.55 per MCF for Cleveland residents (1 MCF = thousand cubic feet or 7,480 gallons).

In the past, the Sewer District charged customers a minimum charge of 1 MCF regardless of how much water was actually used. In fact, the minimum charge was the Sewer District’s top customer complaint, so it has been eliminated and replaced with a quarterly “Base Charge” of $5.85 for 2012. With the elimination of our minimum charge, many customers--particularly those with low water usage--will see a decrease in their average bill in 2012.

Current Cost-Saving Programs

• Homestead Rate Program
  How It Works: A reduced rate is available to elderly or disabled customers. Who May Qualify: Customers 65 and older, or anyone under 65 who is totally disabled. Household income must not exceed $30,500 and applicants must own the property in which they live.
• Summer Sprinkling Program
  How It Works: Customers typically use more water in the summer (watering lawns, filling pools) so from May 1 through September 30, sewer charges are based on average winter water usage or actual summer water usage, whichever is lower. Who May Qualify: Owners who occupy a one-, two-, three- or four-family home.
• Wastewater Affordability Program
  How It Works: it is designed to assist homeowners--regardless of age--who have a limited income (currently 200% of federal poverty level). They will receive a reduced rate, approximately a 40 percent discount on their consumption charge.  Who May Qualify: Owners occupying one- two- three- or four-family homes.
• Crisis Assistance Program
  How It Works: It will assist customers encountering an unexpected crisis, such as job loss or high medical expenses. The Sewer District will prevent shut-off of water and sewer services, offer a payment plan and pay up to $300 toward your past sewer charges.Who May Qualify: Owners occupying one- two- three- or four-family homes.

Sewer District customers wanting to learn more about the Homestead Rate Program or Summer Sprinkling Program should contact the Sewer District’s Customer Service Department at 216-881-8247 or www.neorsd.org/save.

The Cleveland Housing Network is administering the Crisis Assistance Program and Wastewater Affordability Program; they can be reached at 1-888-901-1222.

If you would like the Sewer District to come out and speak to your group, club or organization, please contact Jennifer Elting, Public Information Specialist, at 216-881-6600 or eltingj@neorsd.org.

Have you grown accustomed to seeing homes being rehabbed in our neighborhood? The work doesn’t stop with just houses! Several local companies are expanding and improving the apartments available in the area. Among them: Marcella Court Apartments, on the corner of Lakeshore Blvd. and Marcella Rd. They have completed their transformation from a tired, troubled property to an updated home for new residents! The 19-unit building is owned and managed by Nasvytis Group Ltd. It joins White Stone Manor Apartments and Beacon Hill Apartments as a premier, affordable apartment community owned and managed by the local, second-generation family business.

The suites have new kitchens and bathrooms, hardwood style flooring, carpeting, fixtures, and glass block accents. Care was taken to be as “green” as possible, utilizing water saving fixtures, installing dishwashers, and utilizing glass block windows. The newly updated laundry room boasts an energy efficient hot water system. All common areas were also remodeled.  

“When we took over the property, we wanted to improve the suites,  provide quality apartment homes at an attractive price point, and improve the neighborhood,” explains Vilija Nasvytis Klimas, the managing partner. “We found that the open layout of the suites is perfect for those who need a not-too-big suite in a convenient location.” The Marcella Court community enjoys being close  to shopping, freeways, public transportation, Waterloo, and Wildwood Park. All of the one-bedroom units currently rent for $450 per month. 

The property had only 4 tenants when it transferred to the current owners, but is now fully occupied. “What a difference in how the place looks!” marvels  Mr. Gary Lipka, one of the legacy tenants, adding, “and I love the security cameras!” The on-site manager, Charles Eppinger, a veteran in the rental housing field, takes much pride in maintaining the property to high standards. 

Many tenants go for walks in the nearby Wildwood Park, and enjoy some of the country’s most beautiful sunsets. In front of Marcella Court Apartments is a sign which shows the sunset time each day. Just a friendly reminder that the best things in life are sometimes right in our back yard!

Vilija Nasvytis Klimas grew up in the Nottingham area, and currently works managing several apartment buildings in the Lakeshore area, as well as working in residential real estate sales.

We would like to share a recap of the accomplishments of the Euclid Beach Feral Cat Project over the past 2 ½  years:

2009: 79 cats/ kittens surrendered to the APL; 2010: 254, cats/kittens rescued, surrendered to the APL, plus 68 cats TNR;2011: 209 cats/kittens rescued and surrendered to the APL; plus 36 cats TNR.

That is a total of 542 cats/kittens off the streets of North Collinwood neighborhoods (which includes Wildwood Marina, the Euclid Beach Mobile Home Park, the State Park pier and Euclid Beach Villa Apartments). Plus 104 cats TNR. ”NO more unwanted kittens.” Our primary focus is the historic Euclid Beach area where unwanted cats and kittens are routinely dumped and left to fend for themselves. Every spring people will dump their pregnant cats on the beach. These terrified cats then hide until their babies are born, bring into the world countless more cats doomed to a life of hardship.

Overpopulation is a constant challenge, and we work day and night to keep the four colonies at Euclid Beach under control. Thanks to our efforts, and your support, we have a resident population of approximately 129 now-healthy feral cats. As part of our trap, neuter and release program we work with the Cleveland Animal Protective League (APL) to find loving forever homes for cats and kittens sufficiently friendly to become household companions, rather than returning them to an environment where they lack the skills to thrive—or even survive—and may become victims of abuse. Feral old cats and cats with health issues are surrendered to the APL and humanely euthanized. 

EBFCP shall continue our efforts to TNR and rescue abandoned, feral and stray cats and kittens for 2012. Gladly, last year our numbers dropped, because our efforts with TNR have reduced the number of unwanted litters of kittens. 

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In the Spring, 2010, HUD and the Cuyahoga County Land Reutilization Corporation, commonly known as the Cuyahoga Land Bank, forged a nationally groundbreaking agreement whereby HUD would transfer low-value, vacant and abandoned properties to the Cuyahoga Land Bank for $100.  HUD ended up with these properties as a result of mortgage foreclosures guaranteed by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). This agreement was considered essential to stabilizing real estate market values. Instead of transferring these properties to speculators and perpetuating the cycle of tax foreclosure and abandonment, HUD transfers these properties to the Cuyahoga Land Bank for $100 after paying all current taxes.  After one full year, HUD and the Cuyahoga Land Bank have renewed the contract for another year based on the need and success of the relationship.

Frank Ford, Senior Vice President for Research and Development of Neighborhood Progress, Inc. hailed this renewal as an essential step toward stabilizing real-estate values in Cuyahoga County in removing blighted and abandoned properties from the market.  “In order to preserve the value of the good apples in the basket, you have to remove and demolish the rotted apples,” said Ford.  The Cuyahoga Land Bank has a similar agreement with Fannie Mae.

The new agreement calls for transferring HUD-owned properties in Cuyahoga County valued at under $30,000.  Once acquired, the Cuyahoga Land Bank evaluates all properties, demolishes those that are beyond repair and preserves those homes capable of being rehabilitated. Any experienced rehabbers are welcome to acquire properties from the Cuyahoga Land Bank, provided they agree to an enforceable and detailed rehabilitation program.

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