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Ohio-based MusicMuse has launched their first Kickstarter project to help raise funds for production costs of filming instruction, as well as raising awareness of their product through marketing. Through the interactive creative fund-raising website, Kickstarter.com, MusicMuse hopes to raise $20,000 by May 5th to go directly towards creating content for their website, yourmusicmuse.com, and marketing of the site.

Lakewood resident, Charles Debelak, led Birchwood School’s math team to a victory for a second consecutive year at the prestigious MathCounts State Competition in Columbus. His students Clive Chan and Kavya Ravichandran placed first and fourth individually and will be among the four students to represent our state at the national competition. As the coach of Ohio’s top finisher, Debelak, has the honor and the responsibility of coaching the four-student team.

The morning of Wednesday, April 11, WESTCOM dispatch received a call for an emotionally distressed missing person in a neighborhood adjacent to many acres of wooded, rough terrain and fields. Due to the near freezing temperatures and periods of rain overnight and into that morning, time was of the essence to locate this individual quickly to avoid hypothermia and other exposure-related injuries.

On March 2nd, teens from six Westshore High Schools attended the Second Annual Westshore Young Leaders Network (WYLN) Lock In at the Westlake Recreation Center. The Westshore Young Leaders is a Leadership Program that was developed by the Westshore Enforcement Bureau (WEB) in August 2010 to promote alcohol and other drug free choices for Middle and High School teens.

H2O, “Help to Others” is excited to announce that planning is underway for the 18th year of Summer Service Camp. Middle school-aged kids who are Lakewood residents can apply to attend camp during one of its four two-week sessions. Campers are placed into small groups with a trained counselor. Each camper experiences a variety of service opportunities by going to a different site each day. Last year’s sites and agencies included Asian Services in Action, Migration and Refugee Services, Camp Can Do, Cleveland Foodbank, Crestmont North Nursing Facility, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Childcare facilities, H2O Clothing Drive, H2O LEAF garden, Lakewood Community Services Center, Lakewood Division of Aging, Laura’s Home, Ronald McDonald House, and Lakewood Arts Festival Craft Day. The camp experience is enhanced by themes, speakers, games, and an over-all sense of belonging.

Graham Veysey (pronounced “VeeZee”), 29, is running for Congress, in the newly–drawn and likely to be hotly contested 9th District. In an unusual race that pits two veteran politicians against one another, Graham has positioned himself as a fresh alternative. Both pro-choice and fiscally moderate, drawn equally to direct political action and new social media, Graham represents a good cross-section of Cleveland’s new “brain gain” cohort – young, idealistic, yet practical people who are anxious to make a difference. I interviewed Graham recently during a sunny afternoon at The Root Café – the type of local small business in Lakewood’s walkable downtown that Graham cites as an example of the emerging new economy.

For the past eight years The Lakewood Family Room has served many purposes in my life and in the health of my family… it has provided healing, given me hope and, ultimately, brought me to a place of happiness in motherhood. The Celebration of the Family Room on Saturday, January 28 was a beautiful tribute to an institution that has supported families in Lakewood for years.

I first discovered the Family Room while suffering from severe postpartum depression after the birth of my son. In those dark days, the simple act of surrounding myself with “normal” mothers provided safety. Although I wasn’t healthy enough to really make friends or share in the social aspect of the program, I recognized how critical it was for me to get out of the house and provide my son with an opportunity to interact with other children. As I took a more active role in my recovery, I used every resource available to become a better mother… including an eight-week parenting class that literally changed my life.

 

When I received word that Blog for Family Dinner accepted a post from my blog (http://writeonjana.com), I was ecstatic... and a little shamed. You see, I had fallen into the habit of picking at food while cooking and then serving each child a different mixture of the final meal (to accommodate food allergies and preferences)... never even sitting down to eat from a plate myself. Nice, huh?!

Thankfully, the "call" to represent The Blog for Family Dinner Project motivated me to wake up and smell the spaghetti... I snagged a copy of The Family Dinner: Great Ways to Connect with Your Kids, One Meal at a Time at Lakewood Public Library and got to work implementing some of the strategies for bringing people to the table.

 

Ever wonder what it would be like to appear in a movie with Jake Gyllenhaal, Rob Lowe or Joe Pesci?  One Lakewood woman has had the pleasure of those experiences. Her name is Jean Zarzour, actor of film, stage, television and radio.

Thank you for your wonderful column Erika!

I want to relate my biking story. In December of 2009 two events changed the course of my life. The first was a visit to my doctor. I had just turned 40, was out of shape, overweight and feeling lousy. He told me to change my diet and get some exercise (in particular he said 30 minutes of elevated heart rate). I said that's great but I don't have the time to exercise due to a busy work and home life. A few days later my old pickup truck broke down and it wasn't worth the repairs it needed. I gave it to Click n' Clack, the Tappet brothers.

 

Creative Citizen Urban Agriculture Project is Modest in Scale and Limited in Duration.

A growing circle of Lakewood residents want healthy, local food, and they’re taking action to get it right here in Lakewood through steps such as community gardens, CSAs (community-supported agriculture), farmer’s markets, rain barrels, composting and more. Their creativity and innovation is fast making Lakewood a statewide leader in urban agriculture.

Lakewood should be a city that welcomes creativity, innovation, and citizen involvement. We are sitting within a community that has a vast amount of untapped potential in urban sustainability. Many residents agree we should work to put Lakewood on the map as THE leader that other cities look towards when they want to know “how it’s done.”

The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections must employ nearly 6,000 Poll Workers to serve at the polls on Election Day and is currently hiring for the March 6th, 2012 Primary Election.

Modern meets vintage at Tease Hair + Body Parlor in the heart of downtown Lakewood. The parlor encompasses professional specialists in all areas of hair and skin care with years of expertise. The barber is nationally renowned and an educator for the eco-friendly hair care line Eufora. The Esthetics Department proudly carries the Image Skin Care line which includes many products to fit the individual‘s needs. Owner’s Nora Swift and husband Mwale Kakusa chose this location because of Nora's close ties to Lakewood. She grew up here, is raising a family in this city and felt it was only appropriate to have her business flouish in a city that prides itself on family, appreciation for local businesses and diverse culture- values that serve as the basic blueprint behind Tease Hair + Body Parlor‘s mission.

League of Women Voters/Questionnaire

Kristine Pagsuyoin (Pug-c-u-in)

Lakewood Board of Education

OCCUPATION:  Educator, Small Business Owner

EDUCATION:Masters of Education

BA; Business/Organizational Communication

QUALIFICATIONS FOR OFFICE: Experience in business management and education to make effective contributions to the Board. Additional community work includes: Co-founder "Brake-4-Kids", "Clear-4-Kids", attending board meetings, serving the Lakewood Family Collaborative and on district committees, and continuing research in education.

I am running for the Lakewood Board of Education because I believe my resourcefulness, passion, and range of experience combine for a fresh approach that would serve the homeowners, students and community well. The Lakewood City Schools fully prepared me for my career and for life in general. I can think of no better way to return my gratitude than to help ensure that the traditional exemplary education continues for all of children.

After graduating from Lakewood High School in 1995, I earned a BA from St. Mary's College of Maryland in 1999, where I majored in economics, public policy history, and political science. I subsequently earned an MA from Cleveland State University in 2003, in urban studies with a concentration in economic development. I attribute my collegiate success to the superior preparation in writing and analytical skills gained from our schools.

Money has been a big topic of interest in our home the last couple months. It's just starting to "sink in" financially that my paycheck is no longer part of the equation and the sad state of the U.S. economy is not helping matters.

This summer my family finally gave up on McDonald’s. It shouldn’t have taken this long—we saw Supersize Me when it first came out (seven years ago). We read Fast Food Nation and discussed its horrors with our friends. We’ve known all along that when it came to nutrition, McDonald’s was at the bottom of the barrel. But we thought an occasional foray to the Golden Arches was forgivable. Everything in moderation, right? And we never went without a good excuse. “I was dying for ice cream, but I only had a dollar in my purse.” Or, “A promise of fries on the way home was the only way I could get the kids to go to the store without a tantrum.” It was just a drive thru. A blip in our day. We threw the bag away and forgot we’d ever been.

The energy in Downtown Lakewood continues to build. Partnerships, collaboration, and volunteer efforts can be credited with the most recent success story: a two-week beautification of City Center Park opposite Rozi’s Wine House on Detroit Avenue. LakewoodAlive volunteers Jeanne Mackay and Sean McGuan spent many hours over a two-week period beautifying the park following a plan that resulted from a collaboration with the City of Lakewood and the Coral Company, owners of Lakewood City Center.

Does anyone remember the “real” Lakewood Centennial celebration that took place in 1989? Yes, Lakewood achieved a population of 12,000 in 1911 and became a CITY, but the HAMLET of Lakewood was established in 1889. A quick review of Lakewood’s history: In 1805 the Lakewood area was designated as Township 7, Range 14 of the Western Reserve. James Nicholson was the first permanent settler in 1818, and in 1819 the Lakewood and Rocky River area was named Rockport Township.

The abundance of August is here! Remember that rough, wet spring we had? Neither do we, now that the market is bursting with fresh produce like sweet corn, heirloom tomatoes, zesty peppers, crisp greens, wholesome squash, juicy melons and so much more! One fruit that is really thriving this time of year: PEACHES! Peaches are low in calories and high in fiber, vitamin A and vitamin C. Peaches can be clingstone (the flesh sticks to the stone) or freestone (the stone is easily separated from the flesh). Freestone peaches are great for canning and cooking because they are easily sliced from the stone. Buster Woolf from Woolf Farms and Sally Smith from Smith’s Fruit Farm will be at the market and are on hand to help you pick out the best variety for preparing your peaches. Try this recipe for an easy peach cobbler:

Many of us have seen the ‘patters’, the ‘thumpers’ and the melon ‘knockers’ standing in the produce section with puzzled and worried faces. While wondering if they will hear the magical sound of ripeness, as they listen for the echo from the watermelon’s inner deliciousness. What if our hearing is bad? How do you know you’ve got a good one?

What a wonderful week this has been for Lakewood.

The older I get, the more I realize in life what a continuum that the concept of "time" really is. With the prestigious Ohio Chautauqua event that transpired in Lakewood this past week, we were transported vicariously into another moment in historical time, and yet, was it REALLY another moment in time, or is time, indeed, timeless?

If you were there on Saturday or Sunday evening, you saw me, for example, playing my late uncle's ancient antique banjo, made in England, many, MANY years ago. I learned somewhere that the factory that built that banjo was destroyed by bombs during WWII, and yet in many ways, the company that created it, (as well as my uncle's passion for playing it) lives on in me, with what I did with that instrument in leading songs for the hundreds of people who were in attendance on those evenings.

Residents in Elyria, North Ridgeville, Olmsted Falls, Berea, Middleburg Heights, Parma, Parma Heights, Seven Hills, North Royalton Broadview Heights, Brecksville, Independence, Valley View, Twinsburg, Lorain and other nearby communities that are being affected by the storms we’ve been having since April 2011 should beware of storm chasers out to take advantage of the bad weather.

As we all know, Girl Scout cookie time has come and gone. This year calls for some special recognition. For the last two years, Lakewood Brownie Troop 415 has sent cookies to a U.S. unit fighting in Afghanistan. These third grade girls collected donations and raised money to buy cookies to send to troops defending our country. This year the cookies were sent to the United States Marine Corps and the 2nd Recon Battalion Alpha Company 1st Platoon stationed with Corporal Dana Peters. Every box contained a handmade card with good wishes to the Marine and their unit. The girls wanted to send wishes from home to thank the soldiers and let them know we are thinking of them. Thank you to all who donated. I am sure the kind thoughts and delicious cookies were enjoyed and appreciated overseas!

Specializing in hair, skin waxing and natural nails since 2005. Dramatics Hair Salon is the oldest and most trusted privately owned salon in Downtown Lakewood. Our location has been a salon for over 40 years. Only changing owners three times. In our busy life styles, it's nice to go somewhere that remind us that taking time for ourselves is a necessity not a privilege. Looking good makes you feel good and it doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg.

I've been hearing rumors that the congressional district of our congressman, Dennis Kucinich, might be phased-out, and that he could be leaving Ohio to represent a newly-created district which may include the city of Lakewood, Washington.

Throughout spring and summer, the Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District hosts rain barrel workshops around the county. During the one and one half hour session, the Cuyahoga SWCD representative explains the benefits of rain barrel use for individuals and the community, shows participants how to construct a rain barrel, and finally, offers guidance and answers questions as workshop participants work on making their rain barrels. Cuyahoga SWCD provides the materials (55-gallon food-grade plastic barrel, brass spigot, hose barb, downspout diverter and hose, PTFE tape) and the tools (drill, 15/16” drill bit, thread tap). Bringing your own battery-powered drill can speed up the construction process. Workshoppers are typically fully educated and waddling out the door with their arms wrapped around their new rain barrel before the 90 minutes are up. 

We Are Ohio.

Rabbits are very different from dogs and cats and do not make good pets for children. Many rabbits, chicks and ducklings bought as ‘impulse gifts’ end up unwanted or mistreated. Some are “set free” after the novelty wears off and end up dying of starvation or are killed by predators. These domesticated animals are not equipped to live in the wild. Thousands end up in shelters every year where most are euthanized. In Alabama, selling or giving away baby rabbits is illegal. The bunny law (Code of Alabama, Title 3, Section 3-1-15) also prohibits the sale of chicks and ducklings.

Thinking about your dream home? You may want to check out this event.

On Saturday April 16, between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m., LakewoodAlive joins with the real estate community to showcase homes for sale in Lakewood. Only seven miles west of downtown Cleveland, Lakewood is an affordable suburb with great schools. In 2010, Lakewood was named by Business Week magazine as “Ohio’s Best Place to Raise Your Kids.” This recognition was based largely on Lakewood’s affordability and numerous community assets, including the “Excellent” rated school district, the expansive city park system and easy access to regional attractions. Additionally, in 2008, This Old House magazine named Lakewood as one of the “Best Places in the Midwest to Buy an Old House.” Over 50,000 people have found their ‘dream’ on one of Lakewood’s tree-lined streets.

 

On Saturday, March, 26th at 8:30 pm, the City of Lakewood will be participate in “Earth Hour.” This is one hour of the year devoted to turning off as many lights, appliances and anything else electrical as possible. Keep Lakewood Beautiful, in conjunction with the City and other groups, is promoting the event "virtually" this year. Look for this article on the LEAF and EcoLakewood Facebook pages and "like" it. Your "like" is your pledge to turn off the lights on Saturday night.

Our goal is getting 200 households to participate, but it is really about much more than that. Given the drive of Lakewood residents, it is anticipated that this goal will be rather easy to accomplish. The challenge will be looking “beyond the hour” to find ways to conserve energy going forward. The results of one hour’s energy savings are minuscule compared to what can happen if we all make a concerted effort to be more energy-conscious.

His favorite was the shitake mushroom puffs on a stick and mine was the Mediterranean stick- or maybe it was the fruit, or maybe the caramel-coated apples and bacon on a stick.

Cox Communications has announced that calls placed to Japan with Cox Digital Telephone will be free of charge through March 31, 2011. This program includes Cox Digital Telephone calls to both landlines and cellular telephones dialed to country code 81. Free Cox Digital Telephone calls to Japan will be retroactive to March 11, 2011.

Whispering winds whip the lake,

as the graceful gulls swoop

down to fetch their fish .

The cold clouds of winter float by,

dancing in colors of misty grays and white

as the trees sleep along the shoreline.

The Sacred Sky of the Heavens

opens in Radiant Light

upon ALL Life….

Fireflies out tonight

You will see the Erie light

Floating out to sea

On my back, waves crash

The orange moon behind me

Abyss before me

Calm before the storm

You will see the Erie light

Chasing me tonight

 

Saturday, February 26, will be a Yogathon to help raise money to send local girl, Alexia Dudeck, to Australia as a student Ambassador as part of the People to People program created by Dwight D. Eisenhower back in 1957.

Lakewood Senor Health Campus’ Assisted Living Building, 1382 Bunts Rd, 4th floor, will be hosting the event, giving room for yoga instrutctors Aryn Youngless (Acenda Yoga/ Rock 'n Roll Yoga), Sarah Perkins (Fire Lotus Yoga), Tina Gonzales (Yoga Bhaga) and Marcia Hudgel (Yoga 101, Open Yoga) to spend 2 hours teaching you invigorating and blissful yoga! Registration begins at 12 pm and the event runs untill 5 pm. The events will include ½ hour of Hatha Yoga followed by, Vinyasa, Power, Slow/Flow Relaxation and finished up with 15 minutes of mindful meditation.

During the yoga event there will be a silent auction and raffle allowing you a chance to win something from Lakewood’s own Local Girl Gallery (16106 Detroit Ave), Dewey’s Pizza (18516 Detroit Ave), Breadsmith (18101 Detroit Ave) and local artist Sophie Nemethy (www.sophienemethy.com) to name just a few.

 

On January 27th 2011, the Lakewood community gathered for the annual Diversity Potluck at the Lakewood Park Women’s Club Pavilion. The Potluck is sponsored and organized by the City of Lakewood Community Relations Advisory Commission, a 13 member advisory board appointed by the Mayor and City Council to serve as a liaison in terms of community relation issues in Lakewood. The Potluck serves as a collaborative avenue for attendees to express their creative ways of sharing his or her favorite ethnic dish or dessert while being provided an opportunity to build fellowship with neighbors and other members of the community. A large array of dishes from many different cultures made for a delicious dinner, and made it easy to settle into interesting conversations with new neighbors and friends.

I am a professional editor/writer/journalist, with significant team-oriented management experience and familiarity with print and online communications. I have been involved in initiatives related to the parks, and have experience with businesses, including entrepreneurs and retailers. After living in Lakewood for 27 years, I am excited about the direction the City is heading in now, although I know the future holds economic, safety and infrastructure challenges. Through creativity and fostering community involvement, I look forward to helping the City meet those challenges.

As a lifelong Lakewoodite, homeowner and active community participant, I believe I would bring many positive attributes to an already well-rounded City Council.

What sets me apart from other applicants for this seat is my broad knowledge of the city’s finances. I was part of the bond finance group with outside legal counsel for the three years that the firm was bond counsel for the city. In that time I was able to study the budgets, finances and projections of the city, assist with drafting Bond Resolutions and Annual Information Statements and work with current city councilors and administration. I have an intimate understanding of municipal finance matters, which, in this time of fiscal oversight and general economic unrest, is imperative.

Nine years ago a beautiful white persian cat wandered up to our doorstep. She was most likely dumped by her owners who couldn’t keep her so we took her in. Last Thanksgiving we took in two 8 week old Turkish Angora kittens (The Turkish Angora is an ancient breed of cat originating from Turkey. It is thought to be the ancestor of all long-haired cats). We found them crying outside the apartment building next door, we thought they had been dumped and nobody claimed them. We tried to find a home for them but failed so we ended up keeping them.

1.  Please tell us your name, age, where you live, and how you make your living.

Edward M. McCartney, 51, Lakewood, in between jobs.

2.  Describe for us the duties of a member of the County Council.

Although I'm learning about the position, my understanding is that the council is to work with the executive to make ordinances and resolutions to do various things, such as decide how to spend money for services, and consider the advice of boards and the people.

 

The League of Women Voters, Cuyahoga Area Education Fund held a debate in Lakewood for the newly created District 2 County Council seat on Wednesday, September 29th. The County Council seat was created last year when voters approved reform measures to county government which created the positions of county executive and eleven county council seats. District 2 consists of the cities of Lakewood, Brook Park, and Cleveland Wards 18 and 19. The candidates for the council seat are Steve Bozsa running as an Independent, Lynn Graham running as an Independent, Edward McCarthy running as an Independent, Dale Miller running as a Democrat, and John Zappala running as a Republican. The debate featured opening remarks of two minutes, 60 minutes of questions and answers from the audience, and then closing remarks of one minute. Approximately 40 people attended the debate. The structure of the debate definitely gave voters an opportunity to get to know each candidate. From their opening remarks clear distinctions could be made between them.

VOTE BY MAIL BALLOT APPLICATIONS FOR THE HISTORIC NOVEMBER 2, 2010 GENERAL ELECTION ARE ON THE WAY

The county-wide mailing of 640,589 Vote by Mail ballot applications began on September 15th. The November 2nd General Election marks the first time in history that Cuyahoga County voters will elect a County Executive and an 11 member County Council. In the entire election there are 139 candidates and 151 issues on the November 2nd ballot. “This election makes voting by mail very attractive to voters who want extra time to study the issues and candidates,” said Jane Platten, Director of the Board of Elections.

Opportunity. The reason families boarded ships to come to America; risk takers moved west across the country; African-Americans moved north after the Civil War and even the reason Bill Gates left school before his Harvard education was complete.

It is by seizing our opportunities that we have been able to create independence, work, wealth and a future.

Cuyahoga County has the opportunity to reinvent its government. But more importantly, we have a chance to showcase the opportunities that our County holds for individuals. People who want to create, build, invest, serve and take risks need to know that Cuyahoga County can help them capitalize on this opportunity to achieve their goals.

The relationship between the public and private sectors is badly damaged and must be restored. However, the focus must be more than financial. While the influence of private dollars is paramount, the creativity and intellect of the private sector is equally necessary for a vibrant future in Cuyahoga County.

UGIVE.org is thrilled to announce its expansion from its home office in Cincinnati to the Greater Cleveland area this month! UGIVE is a free website connecting high school students with area nonprofit organizations for meaningful volunteer opportunities. After just 2 years of existence, UGIVE has already generated over 75,000 service hours from 11,000 student volunteers!

1.  Please tell us your name, age, where you live, and how you make your living.

Tom Jordan, 45, Cleveland (Westpark), Community Development Director for the City of North Royalton, married to Mary Ellen Jordan (a licensed social worker and Lakewood Middle School track coach). Together we have four children, ages 4 through 9 years.

2.  Describe for us the duties of a member of the County Council.

As a new entity, the most important duty is to reestablish the public trust and ensure that all of the responsibilities are executed in an open and honest manner through a new standard of ethics. The charter prescribes a wide range of responsibilities, from establishing budgets to reorganizing departments. It provides a check and balance for the new county executive to ensure that District 2 of the county is fairly represented. Most importantly, the council should try and integrate the vision of communities in collaborative efforts that reduce our tax burden.

Democratic candidates Tom Jordan and Dale Miller squared off this past Wednesday, August 4, 2010, for a debate sponsored by the Lakewood Democratic Club, the Brookpark Democratic Club, and the Democratic Clubs from Cleveland Wards 18 and 19. Jordan and Miller are vying for the Democratic nomination for the inaugural District 2 County Council seat.

Lakewood Resident Weldon Carpenter recently received the Ohio State Fair Fifty Year Club's 2010 Giant Step Award for his "substantial and significant" contributions to the fair over the years. Presently holding the office of historian for that group, Weldon has attended the Ohio State Fair for sixty consecutive years, and has exhibited numerous historic displays for the club, and for the All-Ohio State Fair Band during that time. Weldon is also an active member of the All-Ohio State Fair Alumni Band.

In 2003, Weldon was inducted into the Ohio State Fair Hall of Fame.

A 1954 graduate of Ashland High School, Weldon went on to Ohio State, where he served the OSU band as Drum Major, graduating in 1959.

Though he originally trained as a teacher, Weldon has also had an avid interest in the theater and in the culinary arts. Weldon reports that he has served for many years as the historian for Cleveland's Playhouse Square, and was a part of the original group that tried to save those theaters. He also tells us that he has prepared meals for many famous people over the years, having served both Judy Garland and John Kenley, among many, many others.

The lawsuit brought by the City of Rocky River and four residents of the High Parkway neighborhood against the City of Lakewood and the users of Lakewood Dog Park on a complaint of excessive barking finally had its day in court. Actually, eight days, concluding on July 21. The Honorable Carolyn Friedland of Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court will make her decision in the case following the recent bench trial – heard without a jury – after thorough review of the court transcript, statements filed by legal counsel in lieu of closing arguments and evidence presented. The court gave no indication how long the decision would take.

Judge Friedland previously dismissed the case, filed in 2007, on the grounds that Rocky River and its residents could not interfere with legitimate municipal functions of their neighbor, Lakewood. The appellate court disagreed with the application of law to this case and returned it to Judge Friedland for a determination on the facts. In the interim, the parties made multiple attempts to negotiate a settlement but were unsuccessful. By agreement of the parties, the trial proceeded solely on the issue of barking, omitting the plaintiffs’ other allegations that the park was a source of foul odors and dog biting.

At trial, Rocky River and its residents maintained that barking from the park, that is tucked away in the valley adjacent to the MetroParks, has been excessive and; therefore, constitutes a public nuisance (“an invasion of, or an unreasonable interference with, public rights which are common to all members of the general public”) and a private nuisance (“it affects the private personal property rights” of the neighboring Rocky River residents). Legal practitioners generally agree that nuisance law is not black and white; there is no bright line separating actionable behavior from benign annoyances of everyday life.

On Wednesday, August 4th, the Lakewood Democratic Club, the Brook Park Democratic Club and the Democratic clubs for Cleveland Wards 18 and 19 will host a debate between State Senator Dale Miller and Tom Jordan, candidates for County Council District 2. The debate will be held at the hall of St. Mary’s Romanian Church at 3256 Warren Road in Cleveland from 6:30pm to 8:30pm. Moderated by Rosemary Palmer, the night will offer residents the rare opportunity to hear both candidates address questions from the attendees before the crucial primary in September. Stuart Garson, the new County Democratic Party Chair will make introductory remarks. The hall has a substantial amount of parking and is handicap accessible.

On Thursday, July 8th, the Beck Center hosted one of many events intended to aid in the transition to and understanding of the new County Government structure to be implemented in 2011. Over the course of the evening, a small audience of about 25 attendees listened to presentations by and discussed the work of two “County Transition Workgroups.”

Some people are bothered by the bugs that congregate from time to time on their window screens, but I have found a way to have fun with these insects. The method involves a garden spray-bottle filled with water and a little marksmanship skill.

English Nanny & Governess School of Chagrin Falls, Ohio, is pleased to announce the graduation of Joshua Lavelle  of Lakewood, Ohio.

"Flip Flops for Haiti", an idea conceived by Josie Katzbach of Fairview Park following a trip to help the people in Haiti, has grown into a community effort.

Katzbach's goal is to collect 2000 pairs of new flip-flops in a variety of sizes to provide for the men, women and children in the mountains of Haiti, many of whom have only hand-me-down shoes or are barefoot.

(Tahlequah, OK)--Dante Sutera of Lakewood, Ohio, was awarded a commission as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army during the Northeastern State University ROTC Spring 2010 Commissioning Ceremony on May 14 in the University Center Morgan Room.

Sutera received the oath from Lt. Col. David Madden. His mother, Karen Sutera, pinned the gold bars to his uniform and Sgt. 1st Class James Grimes rendered the first salute.

Sutera will attend Officer Basic at Fort Rucker, Ala., and enter the Army's aviation branch. He graduates from NSU with a bachelor's degree in Homeland Security.

The Lakewood Observer Advisory Board is currently looking for persons interested in serving on an ad hoc Citizens’ Advisory Committee. We are interested in input from all walks of the community to assist with issues concerning policy, content, and direction of the paper.

The City of Cleveland Division of Water will observe National Drinking Water Week, May 3- 8, and will host an Open House at two of its water works facilities, including free public tours and other family friendly activities. The Open Houses will be held Saturday, May 8th, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the following locations:

Lakewood, like so many other communities in the Greater Cleveland area, has been hard hit by job loss and the difficulties that arise during extended unemployment for individuals and especially for our families.

With winter weather temporarily abating, spring planting and fall harvest may not be too far from everyone’s minds. And now is the best time to be planning for fresh produce.

For those who don’t have the patience, time, or space to grow their own vegetables, a viable solution can be found at Covered Bridge Gardens and Peters Creek Farm. The Ashtabula County-based farms have been delivering fresh, wholesome, locally grown vegetables to each week’s LEAF Night at the Lakewood Public library since 2007. LEAF Night is a weekly community event hosted by the Lakewood Earth and Food Community and Lakewood Public Library where residents have the opportunity to access fresh, locally produced foods while experiencing local arts and culture.

The Covered Bridge Gardens / Peters Creek Farm Community Supported Agriculture program allows people to enjoy gourmet vegetables along with everyday garden varieties selected by their very own personal farmer. By subscribing for the 16-week growing season that runs from mid-June to early October, singles, couples, and families alike can experience the old-time favorite tastes of produce ranging from the typical green pepper to the juiciest of vine ripened tomatoes.

Early in the season, around week four, a customer’s package may include broccoli, sweet corn, green beans, and white turnips. By week seven, the customer can begin to enjoy yellow beans, green tomatoes, summer squash, beets and even garlic. At week twelve, there would be purple cauliflower, corn, zucchini, watermelon, and cucumbers.