The Probate Judge who appointed Tana Carney to the Cleveland Foundation is John J Donnelly, who also appointed the Cleveland Metroparks Commissioners. The longest serving is Fred Rzepka, a developer (who was reportedly on the site committee for the Browns stadium).

Appropriate for a new morning- Cinci is moving to urban garden opportunities as proposed by the Green Cincinnati Plan.

The Plain Dealer today has a story on the local mountain bikers' belligerent battle with Cleveland Metroparks. The mountain bike crowd believes that parks exist for recreation - with their emphasis being on speed and obstacles - while actually MetroParks founding legislation was for protection of natural areas.

Bikers like the sensation of speed they get from whizzing past trees - and favor races, competitions, timed runs. Walkers, hikers, horseback riders generally move at a leisurely pace, admiring their surroundings, winding down from the speed of life elsewhere. Nothing wrong with bikers per se, but perhaps they could utilize brownfield areas leaving others to appreciate nature without being run over.

Dip into wetland issues with the Friends of Big Creek tonight at the Zoo Preregistration was requested, but not mandatory - give them a call at least.

Never doubt the power of the powers-that-be to keep us in the dark...

 (or as I was saying when the lights went out -)

The Cincinnati Enquirer has stepped up to the role of media watchdog (not to be confused with irrational, unprovoked pit bull attacks)

Plea to all

Yet another reason to push for 'more green' - it can lead to 'more clean' air. Something that both urban areas and their schools need to address. (Not that suburbia is immune to pollution. Dirty air is everywhere)

Did I just see that the 4:00 news on WOIO is being sponsored by the Cuyahoga County Commissioners? Our tax dollars are being spent trying to buy back our love or their reporters' favor or what exactly?

 The city of Akron deserves a Green Light Award for moving us into the future. They (and note this is a city, not even a park system) are eliminating ODOT's roadside mowing by using low growing, low maintenance plantings. It's no surprise that Cleveland is being left in the dust and the rust when our neighbor, from the same struggling area, is actively finding and implementing new solutions.

Two skate parks with similar problems: vandalism and graffiti:  one may have found a creative - literally - solution. While Solon is considering closing its skate park,  Akron is looking to the offenders themselves for an answer - they get to paint their park.

well, would you lookee here..

It appears the Rocky River Nature Center has already been dedicated to a most deserving person, Harold Wallin, who was truly the founder of Metroparks Outdoor Education programs including the old Trailside Museum and Rocky River Nature Center.

No matter the uproar in Cuyahoga County, in Cleveland Metroparks, at least, it's politics as usual.  Or as unusual -  as the renaming of Rocky River Nature Center is proceeding over the loud objections of the public.

(Or scraping the bottom of the pond)

Not only does the PD take on golf, Page 1 - front and center But Scene pitches in (sorry) with a story on the changing face of highschool baseball.

Jeff - This is my kind of exhibit (actually a road toad)
 

As part of its mission of conservation and preservation, Cleveland Metroparks should be a leader in promoting sustainability. Documenting and then decreasing utility and fuel use, cutting back on herbicides and pesticides, recycling beyond paper goods or state mandates - showing the way to greener lifestyles. Except for water conservation at the zoo and the purchase of a few hybrid SUVs (while still maintaining a huge stable of on and off road vehicles) there has been little effort to change.