Diane Rehm Lecturing at Trinity Cathedral

What could be better than Diane Rehm (of NPR fame) and a chance to be in Trinity Cathedral? It doesn't get much better than that! Oh, and two famous ladies (Jill Zimon and Wendy Hoke ) and myself.


Email me if you would like to join us.


When: October 30th 7:30 PM
Where: Trinity Cathedral
Speaker: Diane Rehm

Peace Out - 3C

Symbol of Flight From Vietnam Arrives in Cleveland

This is the kind of reporting I crave, and rarely see in the Plain Dealer. So kudos to reporter Robert L. Smith for this article. The Freedom Boat (this link is to a well written blog by Donny Tran that talks about the Freedom Boat and other issues, check it out) is making it's way across the Country, sponsored by a Vietnamese group out of California. It will still be behind Minh Anh restaurant at 5506 Detroit tomorrow. It is stirring up emotion for all who see it, especially those who escaped Vietnam in the same manner. Over the years I have heard many stories that leave me in awe; the resolve it must have taken to actually attempt to flee in ways that are unthinkable. I know a Vietnamese American who escaped with his uncle and infant cousin by crossing a bacterial laden waterway that sent them back at least once because of illness. There are thousands of stories. The Freedom Boat will be there through tomorrow. Thank you, Robert Smith - keep it coming.

Friendship Foundation of The American Vietnamese

Peace Out - 3C

Bellaire Puritas Development Corporation is Sponsoring an 'Avoid Foreclosure' Seminar April 26th

I am posting a flyer from the Bellaire Puritas Development Corp (BPDC) about an upcoming event that many of us truly need to attend:

Having Trouble Making Ends Meet?
· Are You in Over Your Head in Bills?
· Have You Ever Had a ‘PayDay’ Loan?
· Not Sure if You Can Make Your Next House Payment?
· Afraid of Losing Your Home?
· Looking to Refinance Your Home?
· Thinking of Consolidating Your Debt?
· Not Sure if You Have A Predatory Loan?

Bellaire Puritas Development Corporation
is sponsoring a night of
FREE ANSWERS AND ASSISTANCE
on Thursday, April 26th
From 5:30pm to 7:30pm
at 14703 Puritas Avenue
(use side entrance behind US Bank)

Attorneys from Housing Advocates, Counselors from the County Foreclosure Prevention Program, East Side Organizing Project (ESOP), Cleveland Housing Network and Neighborhood Housing Services will be on hand to guide you in the right direction.

For more information please call
Toni Jones at the BPDC office at (216) 671-2710.
Please bring your mortgage documents

Everyone is welcome to attend.

Other posts regarding foreclosures and mortgage issues:
Professor Kathleen Engel Discusses Predatory Lending at 'Meet the Bloggers' Session
Predatory Lending: What to Look Out For as You Search For a Home

Peace Out - 3C

50th Anniversary of Buzzard Day This Weekend in Hinckley Ohio

Have you ever 'done' Buzzard Day' in Hinckley? It's coming up in 48 hours, March 15th. I thought of this annual event as I drove from Brecksville back to Cleveland today and saw three (yes three!) buzzards flying overhead on Rockside Road. I guess someone forgot to tell them to hide out in the hotel until the 15th; of course I wasn't in Hinckley so I guess it's okay if they were in Independence!

Buzzard Day lore goes back a lot farther than this but sometime in the 50s a policeman reported following the birds for several years and that they indeed always return on March 15th. Can't argue with a policeman! Then the media became interested and voila - Buzzard Day was born.

The first event is March 15th: Buzzards Roost in the Hinckley Metroparks. (you might want to bring your binoculars).

The second event is: Sunday March 18th: The Chamber of Commerce Sponsored Pancake Breakfast ($6 for adults and $3 for kids). The Hinckley Chamber raises a lot of money at this event each year for children's charities. The time? 7AM until 4PM at the Hinckley Elementary School - 1586 Center Road.

And by the way, it's the 50th Anniversary of Buzzard Day. When you click on the Chamber pdf link, you get this which I love:

"....Hinckley, the most famous township in the Midwest, welcomes it's road-kill eating, mammoth winged,hissing, spitting mascot back home!" :-) Peace Out - 3C

Staying Engaged In Our Communities

I thought I was going to do a synopsis of my findings at the Transforming Cleveland community meetings, and at some point I will. But instead I find a need to do a different kind of post. How do we stop the 'disconnect' between government, the non profit development corporations and businesses and homeowners in our communities? It's not a new phenomenon.

The Planning Commission (and therefore Mayor Jackson and the rest of the City staff) seem to be doing a good job updating Cleveland's master plan and even initiating efforts that are moving some of these plans forward. Mayor Jackson had an aggressive Five Year CIP for Cleveland which he unveiled in January. Our individual neighborhood development corporations are working their butts off to make things happen and improve the communities they represent.

What I keep thinking - and what people continually said at the last meeting is: we like the plan, we've seen others, what is being done to move things forward? We need jobs, not more plans to figure out how to get jobs. We need schools that satisfy the communities so residents want to stay there and send their children there; we need community involvement. It's not an 'us' and 'them' situation.

There are many people working on the grassroots level to either be the squeaky wheel, or get projects completed. I keep going back to the schools. This may sound radical, but I wonder how things would go if we fired the School Boards and our schools became coops of the neighborhoods in which they reside. Some of the ideas brought out at the Saturday meeting at Gunning Recreation Center (by Robert Brown, the Planning Director), were interesting. Making some of Cleveland's schools magnets by expanding on the theme of 'specialty' schools. The School of the Arts already does that. Max Hayes does that. Now apparently there is a push for a school with a focus on teaching 'design.'

The discussion at both of the Connecting Cleveland meetings I attended was lively. A recap will follow, maybe even tomorrow. These meetings showed me that I can't afford to be disconnected, I have to be engaged, as others are, about what is happening in The City of Cleveland. Peace Out - 3C (photo property of Carole Cohen, 2007©)

Cleveland Residency Laws Part Two

Got back onto Cleveland.com's forum as people discussed the residency laws. One 'thread' talks about people not living in Cleveland then not doing their jobs well (i.e., police). I find that one hard to believe, it's a tough job. Would someone really not do their best as a policeman because they don't live in the same community?

I thought the idea was to put City workers in the City so they could become involved in every aspect of their communites, a win-win situation for them and the rest of us residents. I don't really believe the residency law is about public safety workers not caring about us. Anyway, you can decide for yourself, and read all the other comments on the Forum.
Peace Out - 3C

Art Exhibit Postponed Until March 9th

The weather is not cooperating this week is it? Well, due to the extremely cold temperatures, the Robert Stockham Exhibit at Bergen Village scheduled for this Friday night's Tremont Art Walk has been postponed until March 9th during the same event. It has to be warmer by then yes? Peace Out - 3C

Winter Doldrums? Laughing Helps

I love it that the days are lighter longer, but it's still winter. Good comedy can melt the ice off a snowman (I just made that up, how did I do?) We have some great comedy venues in Cleveland and greater Northeast Ohio. Famous people come to The Improv in the Flats (DL Hughley was just there). I like Open Mike night on Mondays. Some people should not quit their day jobs. But it's fun, free, there is good food to be had, and invariably, a couple people will have me belly laughing. And the others who are brave enough to get on stage and try to make us laugh....that takes guts!

Hilarities in Pickwick and Frolic is good too; food, drink and laughs. Are you looking to get your employees or co workers out of the winter doldrums? The Comedy Hypnotist might be what you are looking for. They will go to your meeting or party and provide the laughs. Cleveland Comedy and Funny Stop round out my list. Just enough comedy to get me through till Spring. And if you want to stay home and enjoy comedy. check out George Carlin's website. You can never go wrong with George. Peace Out 3C

TGIF Once a Month: Tremont Art Walk February 9th 6 to 10 PM

Yes it's cold out, but no reason to stay home and sulk! The Tremont Art Walk goes on in rain, snow, cold and oh yeah, in good weather as well. It's a blast, there is creative exciting art to see (for example, check out the Brandt Galleries). And for good food, Lucky's at Professor and Starkweather or Edison's Pub on Professor. No shortage of food and art. Held every 2nd Friday of the month, with many galleries to view and fun eating and libation establishments to visit. Bergen Village is one of the stops and we are hosting fabulous photographer Robert L. Stockham on February 9th. In Robert's words, he is featuring work that involves a 'silver emulsion process on canvas' and you can see an example of this work here. I know Robert from his black and white and color photographs of (mostly) gorgeous Cleveland architecture, bridges and landscapes. His exhibit called Cityview at our Ohio City Howard Hanna Smythe Cramer Office is just that, city views of Cleveland, housed appropriately near the West Side Market at 1903 W. 25th Street. Stop in between 9 and 6 - they are gorgeous. He can also be found in historic downtown Berea at the Book and Bean (where you can have great coffee too). At both of these locations you will see beautiful quality photographs; in order to see the Works on Canvas, you have to stop by Bergen Village, West Fifth and Literary at Tremont Ridge on February 9th between 6PM and 10PM.
Peace Out-3C