Kurt Waldheim died this past week.  Hardly worth a thought, unless you are like me, the first-generation daughter of Eastern European immigrants.  Elizabeth Sullivan noted the event in her Plain Dealer column.  She tends

A very cool person, who just moved back to the Cleveland area, tuned me in to this site StitchCleveland.com.  Mary Ann your family needs a house...you have two kids (boys?) and so do Norm and Evelyn.  Talk to them.  Think of the synergy :)

So declares Bonnie Teeuwen ODOT's returning District 12 chief in this month's AAA Motorist, as she describes the Opportunity Corridor, the proposed highway from East 55th St. to University Circle.  Well, count me as one person, who is not everyone.  I think the plan stinks.  I want to see a return to civilized boulevards in this city.  Real tree-lined boulevards. I think that there should be a way to make federal and state funds available to restore our boulevards (to include bikes): East Boulevard, West Boulevard, Martin Luther King Boulevard, Lakeshore Boulevard, Clifton Boulevard..And redesign other thoroughfares that should be boulevards : Chester, Superior, Detroit, Broadway, Harvard-Denison, Miles and Pearl.  We need to size down, not up.  And, what's the point of the Euclid Corridor, if we are building a parallel corridor for the rich folks?

We attended a Memorial Day ceremony at the forgotten founders Denison cemetery along Garden Court.   Rick Nicholson read Logan's order and Rev Wilde and Rev Andrews officiated over benedictions.  Addy Cummins played Amazing Grace on the recorder. A beautiful day to remember.  I ran across this obituary and it made me smile.  Click on Mickey for the full story and read the tributes from the ladies in this great toymaker's life.

 
Anyone know how the Issue 18 monies will be divvied out??

Statement from Brian J. Cummins

Council Representative, Cleveland City Council Ward 15

Information to-date Regarding Demolition of 2606 Riverside Avenue

Dated:  May 22nd, 2007

On Sunday morning, May 20th, 2007, the boarded-up, condemned house located at 2606 Riverside Avenue was demolished in error in what appears to be a case of a new aggressive contractor acting without full authority from the City of Cleveland’s Building and Housing Department.

Image credit: Final Fantasy Compendium

Sometimes, you have to break the rules to see the vast green potential of our region.  Get on a bike and explore.  Can't say where I went, but there are so many great hidden picnic spots in northeast Ohio.  And today was unbelievable.

To spare myself from the ever present, I find refuge in the vicarious adventures of other birders.  One of my favorites--Jen Brumfield.  Check out her art work.

And does anyone say, where is the spokesperson for the white community?  What a ridiculous thing to say, as if there is a spokesperson for the black community or the white community.  It is OUR community.  It is not an urban or suburban problem.  It is OUR problem.  We are all living with fear and anger.  How do we teach our children to react?  How do we define ourselves as adults? 

The beautifully engineered Fulton Road bridge was scheduled to be demolished today...like so many other beautiful and neglected structures it was "condemned" for being built too well.  It is fitting that it will not come down without a fight.  Built too well...an epitaph that could be applied to so many abandonned and condemned properties in Cleveland.  But politicians and contractors need to make money, so everyone (main stream media especially) shyed away from this story--a story that includes human and environmental elements--families that filed a lawsuit to try and prevent the taking of their property and the destruction of an historic WPA-era stone wall and graceful elm trees.  Can anyone name a recent civic structure built to compare to the solid grace and beauty of the Fulton Rd. bridge?  See Hunter Morrison's thoughts on bridges.

Today is a dreary day and it helps to remember brighter days do come around.  I know I feel discouraged by gun violence, decay and the creeping ugliness around me.  I cling to some hope when I remember others have persevered.  One person at a time.  Restore Cleveland's Hope.

I hate to say this but AM radio WTAM reaches more northeast Ohio residents than any blog or the PD.  Ask my 65 year old neighbor.  At least they put out some important community alerts along with the latest American Idol results:

Norm, your GIMP photos make me tune into RealNEO everyday (and, of course, the interactive flow of ideas and the heady vanity rush that comes with the self-publishing of those ideas). 

So, what makes a site a portal that draws in viewers?  SEE http://www.passportproject.org/ ">Passport Project

I just got back from Estabrook Rec Center in beautiful Cleveland, Ohio (very nice pool, if only it was kept cooler).  There has never been much security at the Rec Centers, but I suspect that an incident must have recently occurred, because the "new" policy is to ID anyone over 16 and to require all personal information is submitted.  No one ID'd me (because they know me as the PITA who constantly complains about the pool temperature), but would I resent this infringement on my privacy?  No--because if it protects kids, it makes sense.

WORK IN ONE OF THE TOP CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS IN THE COUNTRY. I received a mailer from Merrit Hawkins trying to entice the former owner of my home, a  nurse, to move to Texas.   Selected by Money magazine as one of the "Top School Districts" in the United States was used as one of four draws.  The other three draws: four season weather, arts and culture, clean rivers and lakes for fishing and water sports. 

LINCOLN WEST TEACHER GETS NATIONAL AWARD.  This teacher is amazing.  I have seen the light she instills in her students.  Bravo Maestro!

I was struck by Sam Miller's comment in today's Plain Dealer editorial Come Together:

"If you people out in Gates Mills and Pepper Pike and Beachwood and Westlake and Bay Village want to turn your back on this problem, then figure out how you are going to maintain good school systems and get a good price for your house. You are not. You will get caught in the same decline that is overtaking Cleveland now."

- Sam Miller

We just got back from Pittsburgh from the beautiful Priory Hotel, visiting my sister and her frenetic family (two hyperactive boys 3 and 5 and her harried husband-hence the hotel stay).  Local innkeeper Henry is coming here soon to stay at the Baricelli Inn and visit the Rock Hall.  So, not all Pittsburghers have a hard time with us Clevelanders.  Visited the Park House in Deutschetown and got raves from an Irish lass from Mayo, too, and also compliments on C-town from a telecommunications expert from Atlanta.  Carnegie Mellon students have set up a free site to promote businesses development MyMave.com.  Check it out.

What happened to the posting?  Is the attendance full?

The Cleveland Institute of Art actually looks like the cool Bauhaus building it was intended to be.  We need more RED in this grey, windswept city!!!

Just want to go on the record for wishing Clevelanders would just start having an attitude.  This is a great liveable city.  Kudos to the Emerging Cleveland website, Jason Therrien/Thundertech and all the creative minds that just do it and get on with it.

Here is the link to photos:

http://www.diadelosmuertosohio.com/photos/parade_gallery/index.htm

Josaphat Arts Hall 1422 East 33rd St. Cleveland 44114 216-881-0644 for more information

Last year's event was absolutely magical.  I felt like I was visiting a Mexican village.  The parade of skeletons was phenomenal and great for kids!  Parade starts at 5 p.m.