We're celebrating the 30th anniversary of the legendary westside gold and friendship event. The first day of August, the traditional “Ducktown Day,” has been special not only for hundreds of guys now pushing 80, but also for their sons, grandsons and old friends who realize it has become something very, very special.

On Sunday, July 21, the Lakewood School Board officially accepted the resignation of Dr. David Estrop as superintendent of the Lakewood City Schools.

Estrop, who turned in a copy of his resignation on March 12 of last year, is currently in the running for the State Superintendent position. The previous State Superintendent, Susan T. Zelman, resigned on May 28 of this year to actively pursue a position as the Dean of Education at the University of Oregon.

Mayor Ed FitzGerald kicked off his Listening To Lakewood (L2L) Program on Thursday, June 19, 2008. He is walking different neighborhoods in the City for several weeks with members of his Administration and talking with residents to find out what questions and concerns they have about the City. At the end of each walking tour, a neighborhood meeting is held which includes a question and answer session along with a Power Point presentation addressing the challenges our city faces and what City Hall is doing to overcome them...

On Saturday, Lakewood joined Cleveland in hosting a Walk + Roll event. After shutting down Detroit from Marlowe to Arthur, and Belle from Detroit to Lakewood Park, Lakewoodites were encouraged to walk, ride their bikes, or roller-skate through the streets.

In addition to the main goal of the event-to get to know the city better and to use a simpler, more efficient means of transportation-there were numerous activities and booths lining Detroit Avenue...

The Busy Bee Auxiliary of Ann Rutledge Chapter #453 of Ohio Eastern Star (a non-profit charity) will host its 2nd. Annual Open House and "Trinkets and Treasures" Bazaar at the Lakewood Masonic Temple on Saturday, August 2nd. from 10A.M. to 5P.M., located at the far west end of the Lakewood Arts Festival...

In a summer that feels more like spring, the nation’s birthday fell on a surprisingly warm and clear day that heralded a spectacle on the streets and in the parks of Lakewood. In the morning, Lakewoodites lined the streets from Kenneth to Belle on Lake Avenue to watch the annual 4th of July Parade. There were over 80 different entries in the approximately hour and a half long parade.

“It was longer this year,” said Heidi Paul, a Lakewood resident who worked for Music Boosters. “I loved the parade, I always love the parade...”

The challenge is before all of us: move east, move west, move south, or simply stay here in Lakewood. Speaking from personal experience, it sure seems like staying put is the best decision. The next step is to analyze the great things about this town and the other things that need a little push. So, here goes..

As the summer moves forward, the children are now out of school. This leads to a whole new set of scenarios for potential dog bites. In order to keep your mail carrier and pet safe, we offer these suggestions...

Jenny Reali and Lakewood Early Childhood PTA have done it again!

As Jeanine Gergel, this years outgoing LECPTA President, always says, “If the world were run by a bunch of preschool moms, it would be a better place!”

“Meet the Trucks” was met with huge success again this year. This year’s crowds doubled with approximately 3,000 in attendance. Reali guessed that the crowd increase was due to heavy PR work like the new banners around town made by the City of Lakewood and Lakewood City Schools who helped get the word out...

After a special council meeting held on Monday, June 9th the FitzGerald Administration's proposed agreement to lease Winterhurst Ice Rink to Iceland USA, LLC is receiving “universal support within council,” according to Councilman at-large Kevin Butler.

“The deal is imminent. While we may have different opinions about the fine points, from our discussions, it would appear that council is supportive.” Butler believes that the contract both “adequately protects the city and restores Winterhurst.” Under the proposed contract, the city will receive a $75,000 annual lease payment as well as 10% of profits from the facility...

Welcome, welcome, young and old,

The task is now complete,

So enter, share, participate,

This knowledge filled retreat;

We’ve taken old, we’ve added new,

This structure now injected,

With past and present gem stones,

Wisely chose, and perfected;..

After two and a half years of waiting, Lakewood finally has its old friend back.

On June 1, the Lakewood Public Library reopened after extensive renovations which completed the transformation of the well known facility into a Hellenistic-style structure fit for the 21 century.

“The Library was rededicated to the citizens of Lakewood, who are at the end of the day our benefactors,” said Jeff Endress, president of the Board of Trustees for the LPL. “I think the actual ceremony was tremendously successful. We engaged our patrons and provided an opportunity for them to see the culmination of these two and a half years of construction.”

While construction for the LPL Main Branch was largely completed by May, the official Rededication Ceremony took place on June 1 amidst a host of celebratory activities including live jazz music from the Garfield Middle School Jazz Band, refreshments, a poem by Bill Knittel, and some words from the Library’s Director, Ken Warren, Jeff Endress, and architect, Robert A.M. Stern...

BEWARE OF POSTAL VEHICLES. Even though we have newer vehicles, it is imperative that children are taught to stay away from vehicles until the carrier has come to a full stop. Like on most vehicles, the mirrors that we use do not give an accurate distance when backing up, and it is very difficult to locate the front and the rear of the vehicles...

Ian Bell, a third-grader at Taft Elementary, received second place in his third grade category in Reading Rainbow's Young Writers and Illustrators Contest. The contest is in its fourteenth year and had 550 submissions this year. The contest is for children in kindergarten through third grade...

The Lakewood Chamber of Commerce has created a young professionals group, Pillars. Our mission is to cultivate Lakewood’s business development by engaging the city’s demographic of 20-40 year olds. By offering programs that go beyond the typical singles happy hour, we strive to deliver true value and connect residents, employees and business people of the city to their community. Examples of this are events that engage the attendees with one another to create an environment conducive to networking and business development. A couple major events are in the works...

Law enforcement officials from Norfolk Southern, Cleveland and Lakewood will spend May 13 and 14 addressing the dangers of trespassing on railroad property. On May 13 Norfolk Southern Police and Norfolk Southern’s Cleveland Safety Committee will distribute pamphlets and posters to schools, businesses and residences near the railroad tracks between West 110th Street in Cleveland and the border of Lakewood and Rocky River. On May 14, Norfolk Southern agents and local police will patrol this area and issue citations to any trespassers encountered...

April 28, 2008, 7 p.m., Garfield School.

First, I would like to thank Superintendent Estrop for making this wonderful new facility available to us this evening. Garfield School is a perfect example of what Lakewood can achieve when we work together, and it is particularly compelling because this building is a blend of the new and the old Lakewood.

I would also like to thank Council President Mike Dever and all of the members of Lakewood City Council for their attendance here this evening. Lakewood is fortunate to have an excellent City Council, and I say that not just because they have been supportive of my efforts in the first 100 days. Although, I would not say it is often or as loudly if they hadn't been. But, I say it because they have an oversight function, which I respect, and which they have exercised in these 100 days, and our local government is the better for it.

On Wednesday April 23rd, 2008 the Lakewood Police Department received a request for assistance from the Cleveland Office of the ATF. A 33yr old Lakewood man had been electronically corresponding with a juvenile in Indiana. The two were planning to commit a shooting incident at an Indiana school...

Starting this summer Lakewood residents should see more police officers on the streets and in the parks thanks to a public safety initiative Mayor Edward FitzGerald and Police Chief Timothy Malley unveiled during a public meeting on April 23...

Here are some photos from the April 25th Arbor Day celebration at Lakewood park.

On April 5th the Lakewood High School East Cafeteria and Civic Auditorium were teaming with hundreds of fitness and bodybuilding enthusiasts. The "2008 Vyotech Nutritional NPC Natural Ohio Drug Tested Bodybuilding and Figure Championships" received a record number of fans. Hundreds filed into the East Cafeteria for the fitness expo and to buy tickets for the bodybuilding and figure contest...

Read any issue of the Lakewood Observer and you’ll find many articles promoting races, runs, walks and community festivals. Add to that a calendar packed with high school sporting events in one of the region’s best stadiums and you have the recipe for an active, vibrant community...