Meet Cool Clevelanders - Mittal's Next Door Neighbors

I was out documenting the air pollution from the Mittal Cleveland Works steel mill today, around sunset, and the lovely couple that lives in Mittal's backyard came over to join me, and enjoy their supper overlooking the beautiful Cuyahoga River Valley, in their backyard.

'The flame is pretty", the young man said, "but it sure pollutes".

"When I was 8, I had a fort down the hill... it's probably still there", the young lady said. "But that was 11 years ago."

She said the adults used to hit golf balls down the hill into Mittal and paid the kids a dime each to get them back. She used to play around the mill and go inside the buildings. One day, a man chased them out... that day they blew up one of the old mils... there was dust everywhere...

They had other cool stories about living by the mill. The woman's family owns a few properties on the hill overlooking the mill. If the Mill was gone... if this was a natural valley again... this would be a lovely place to live. This property would be worth something.

They think it would be better to put the mill somewhere away from people... in the desert.

I didn't catch their names but I'm sure I'll see them around again. I often document Mittal from by their house.

I told them I know a lawyer who may be able to help them close the mill, so I certainly want to keep in touch.

If you are out there, email norm [at] realneo [dot] us