A media source by and for the Cleveland neighborhood of West Park
The large PNC Operations Center, 4100 W. 150th St., is growing. By the end of the year, PNC plans to move about 500 employees from its Pepper Pike and Highland Hills offices to Downtown and this West Side Operations Center. PNC would not say how many employees will move to each site.
The Wash House and Café at 15149 Lorain Ave., is expected to open March 1, 2019.
It is a laundromat/café with free WiFi and a kid’s play zone. The café will have fresh brewed coffee, pastries, and ice cream, according to owner Sophia Fernandez.
“Basically, there is going to be a big kids zone area with interactive learning video games,” says Fernandez. “A 3D projected video game they can play. There’s also going to be books and a TV- it’s going to be a pretty nice kids station.”
“It’s going to be a very different, very modern laundromat with all stainless steel and floors.”
In addition, the cafe will carry Caribou Coffee and Mitchel’s ice cream.
“The one service we are really excited about, is, our wash and fold,” says Fernandez. “You can drop off your clothes on the way to work and they will be washed, dried and folded.”
What are the perks of using this service? They boast being kid friendly and it is brand new. There is also an outside patio where guests can enjoy their coffee and pastries while they wait.
In addition, for those who would like to just purchase food and a drink, there is a walk-up-window for ordering items.
Currently, there is a ribbon cutting ceremony set for 9 a.m., with doors to open at 9:30 a.m.
Want to know more? Visit their site at, http://washhouseandcafe.com/.
Little Critters Too is now open at 13712 Bellaire Rd.
It is a day care center for children aged Kindergarten through 13.
One appealing thing about Little Critters Too is its full-sized gym.
“When the weather’s like this, it’s really nice that we have a big gym to play and run around in. We go to the gym daily and it gives them an indoor playground to use all year.” says Anna Vince, a director in training. In her role at the school, Vince also assists in transporting the children safely, using a pick-up program that is designed to send a message confirming when a child has been picked up or dropped off.
“I don’t leave a place until that child is with me or has gotten to where they need to go,” says Vince. “Safety is a real big thing with me and everyone at the school.”
The school also provides breakfast and a snack, and for longer days that include school breaks, they also serve a lunch.
“We have a nice kitchen here on site where we can prepared things,” says Vince.
Little Critters Too came following Little Critters Early Learning Center which is located at 12625 Lena Ave. This is for children aged 6 weeks through 5 years. Both facilities are owned and operated by mother and daughter, Brenda Dillingham and Zshavina Kennedy.
“We needed more space (while at the Lena facility),” says Vince. “We were getting bigger but we like to multiply,” she says, adding, “the more the merrier.”
To learn more or register your child for Little Critters Too, contact Anna Vince, at email, littlecritterselc@gmail.com.
Writing about the Franklin Castle began as a high school project in 1992 for author Bill Krejci.
In 2005, he began working with the co-author of the book, John W. Myers. Haunted Franklin Castle was later published by The History Press in October of 2017.
“A lot of it was research,” says Krejci. “And a lot of it was getting published, too.”
The infamous home, which has become known worldwide for its sordid, speculative past, was formerly owned by Hannes Tiedemann.
Things commonly associated with the Haunted Franklin Castle include murders in the house, Nazi spies, crying in the walls, and buried bodies. Krejci and Myers’ tremendous amount of work provides factual proof of whether these rumors are true— or not.
“A lot of these rumors began with Eleanora Bernstein,” he says; she was a self-proclaimed psychic who stayed at the castle in 1980, having possible intentions to write about Hannes Tiedemann and his family.
According to Krejci, Bernstein made claims that Tiedemann spoke to her, and that he confessed to murdering people within the house.
“We’ve been trying to undo that damage for years,” Krejci says. So, was Hannes Tiedemann a cruel man capable of committing true acts of evil? Or, was he a loving father and devoted husband who happened to get a bad reputation?
Find out for yourself— get Haunted Franklin Castle today as an early personal holiday gift or purchase for a friend.
Krejci currently has six novels published: three of which are mystery novels; three are works of nonfiction, including Buried Beneath Cleveland, which pinpoints and explores misplaced, displaced, and overlaid grave sites throughout the area, as well as Haunted Put-In-Bay.
These novels can be found on Amazon, as well as many local stores throughout the area, and at, https://www.arcadiapublishing.com.
By Jenn Wirtz, Der Braumeister
Restaurant owner & beer drinker
“When the chill Sirocco blows, and winter tells a heavy tale; When pies, and dows and rooks, and crows, Do sit and curse the frost and snows; Then give me ale, Old ale, Stout brown, Nut brown, O, give me stout brown ale.” This quote comes from a book of songs, ballads and epigrams relating to beer, malt and hops, written by W.T. Marchant in 1645. This insight captures the custom of winter ales. Winter ales, not to be confused with Christmas beer, have a tradition as old as brewing. Brewed with light or no hops, in early Europe it would be served heated and with spices. High in ABV, sweet, malty, and toasted, these ales keep one warm on a cold winter’s night. When I was single in NYC and seeking solitude in a West Village winter, I found my own comfort and warmth with mulled wine and winter ales. With one drink, then two it was easy to forget the cold walk home against westside river winds.
Brewing styles have changed but the sweet taste and high ABV did not. The tradition that now gives us winter warmers, Christmas beer, and spiced ales came about in Britain and in the late 1800’s- early 1900’s. It was bottled with higher hops, and officially marketed as a Christmas drink. However, I believe it really came to fruition from the monks in Belgian monasteries. Samichlaus, N’Ice Chouffe, and Gouden Carolus Christmas are all examples of some of the greats. Chimay Grand Reserve, aka Chimay Blue (9% ABV), is naturally carbonated and unpasteurized and is my favorite cold Christmas drink, despite being brewed year round. Like me, it improves with age. Chimay Blue tastes like caramel and lingers later like flowers.
Every year on the night before Thanksgiving, Der Braumeister celebrates some of the best Christmas ales and brews from around the world. We won’t be celebrating with Chimay Blue on draft, but that’s only because we carry it in the bottle year round. So this trappist ale is always ready for someone to taste a bit of the holidays. So prost, and let’s give thanks this Thursday, to family, friends, and beer!
For more information regarding Der Braumeister, visit here.
From noon until 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 1, you can get your fill of chicken paprikash, Hungarian chicken soup, and dumplings. The West Side Hungarian Reformed Church, 15200 Puritas Ave., offers these foods on the first Saturday of each month. The church has two Sunday services — 9:30 a.m. in Hungarian and 11 a.m. in English. For details, call 216-476-3736.
Keep your eye on the following craft fairs to find unique West Park treasures and unexpected gifts.
11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1 @ West Park Station and Backstage Bar, 17007 Lorain Ave.
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1 @ West Park Community Elementary School, 16210 Lorain Ave.
Cleveland Metroparks offers West Park residents several
opportunities for nearby winter fun.
Nov. 22: The Metroparks Zoo offers free admission on Thanksgiving Day, from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Nov 23: From noon until 10:30 p.m., the season opens at one of the tallest and fastest public ice chutes in Ohio, at The Chalet Recreation Area in the Mill Stream Reservation. Chutes open at 6 p.m., Thursday through Friday, and noon Saturday and Sunday. Call 440-572-9990 for information and reservations, or go to clevelandmetroparks.com/chutes.
Dec. 1-2, 8-9, 15-16: On these weekends, from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m., bring in the family for a photo opp with Santa.
Big Met Golf Course rents snowshoes and cross-country skis. From 9 a.m until 4 p.m., call 440-331-1070 for more information.
The Rocky River River Reservation includes three golf courses — Big Met, Little Met and Mastick Woods .
Each has a hill for sledding.
Come on in, get warm and cozy, and enjoy your time at 5 Points Coffee & Tea this winter.
There are new menu items, like savory, delicious soup options that rotate on a daily basis, and include tomato, minestrone, and fire-roasted corn chowder.
Soups are served with a piece of Irish brown or soda bread.
Pair a 12 oz soup with a toasted special sandwich for a filling meal totaling just $9. (This does not come with bread)The sandwich is similar to a panini, and is made with ham, cheese, tomato, and onion. There’s also a vegetable option, which is the same sandwich as above, but without the ham.
“Soup is all day and sandwiches start at 10 a.m.,” says 5 Points Coffee & Tea Owner Conor Boylan.
For the season, there will also be a peppermint mocha drink available.
Live music will happen during the three Thursdays before Christmas. The first holiday session will be from 7 to 9 p.m. December 6 with resident Irish musician, Andrew McManus.
Applause filled the room when these three officers received individual Community Builder Awards at the 2018 Bellaire Puritas Development Corporation Neighborhood Summit, which took place at R.G. Jones. Officers Juan DeJesus, Kerry Adams, and Lyniece Turner were recognized for their community policing efforts.
Content Submitted
In a highly competitive process, one of Cleveland’s public charter schools has been awarded nearly a half million dollars in new federal funding. The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) recently notified Northeast Ohio’s only Mandarin and Spanish immersion school—the independent, public charter school known as Global Ambassadors Language Academy (GALA)—that it would receive $493,277 over a two- year period to support its unique education model and growth. GALA is the only school in Ohio awarded funding this year under the DOE’s Office of Innovation and Improvement program. With additional funding expected if GALA meets milestones during the grant period, the school could receive a total of about $1.2 million from DOE over the next five years.
The additional funding will allow GALA to continue to meet the demands of a growing student population, adding grade levels and building new classroom spaces to accommodate children from kindergarten through 8th grade. GALA is tuition-free, relying on philanthropy and grants to supplement public funding that does not typically provide the resources required for its unique educational model. In year one, 21.6% of the total cost of the program will be financed with Federal money, and approximately $200,000 (11.3%) from non-governmental sources.
The Charter Schools National Dissemination Grant Competition supports excellence in charter schools, providing funds for growth and expansion of high performing schools. In receiving the award, the tuition-free GALA, located on Cleveland’s west side, demonstrated its success in helping its diverse and fast-growing population of young students thrive academically, as well as provide a solid path to become bilingual and bi-literate in both English and in Spanish or Mandarin. These youngsters are already achieving high levels of academic success and developing cross-cultural skills that will help them succeed in years to come.
The new funding will allow GALA to expand and serve more than 500 students, kindergarten through 8th grade, by 2023. Currently, the Cleveland west side-based school draws a diverse body of students from across Northeast Ohio, most of whom are considered low-income (families qualify for free or reduced lunch). GALA’s students bring diverse experiences and cultures to the classroom, coming from Asian, Black, Hispanic, Native American, White and multi-racial families. They are residents of Cleveland and 25 surrounding suburbs: Avon, Bay Village, Bedford, Berea, Brooklyn, Brunswick, Cleveland Heights, Elyria, Euclid, Fairview Park, Lakewood, Lorain, Maple Heights, Middleburg Heights, North Olmsted, Olmsted Falls, Parma, Richmond Heights, Rocky River, Shaker Heights, Strongsville, Solon, Warrensville Heights, Westlake and Wickliffe.
The Department of Education first notified Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur of the award as the school resides in her Congressional district. “The Global Ambassadors Language Academy, which is the first dual language immersion school in Northeast Ohio, is successfully bringing federal education dollars back to our region,” says Kaptur. “In our ever globalized and interconnected world, any competitive edge we can provide Ohio’s youth will open doors beyond imagination. I congratulate GALA on winning this competitive grant which will help them expand and grow to serve more students.”
“GALA is an extraordinary learning environment for our children. Every day, students are immersed for 4 or more hours, receiving instruction of math, language arts, science, and social studies, in Mandarin or Spanish; while 2 to 2.5 hours are spent learning in English. GALA’s unique model helps students build dual language proficiency, excel in academics, and expand cognitive and socio-cultural skills,” says Meran Rogers, founder and executive director of GALA. “Our mission is to ensure that our students achieve lifelong academic success, bilingualism and appreciation for diversity. We believe that GALA is a successful model for addressing the great disparity in education by bringing the kind of language and cultural immersion experiences normally only available in high income suburban districts.”
“The decision by the Department of Education is an extraordinary vote of confidence in the educational model and the immersion process at GALA,” says Kristen Laughlin, GALA Board Chair. “We believe we are educating and preparing a new generation of engaged citizens of the world, starting in our diverse community of committed parents, students, faculty and staff. This award says we are doing it right, setting new standards, and to keep building on our vision.”
GALA was the brainchild of Meran Rogers, a parent, educator, and entrepreneur who grew up near GALA, in a multilingual immigrant household. She attended and worked in Cleveland and East Cleveland public schools, and was a teacher in Taiwan at an immersion school.
In 2012, GALA established a Board of Directors and 501c3 status. In December 2015, GALA submitted a charter application (Academic, Operation, and Financial Plan) to the Ohio Council for Community Schools (OCCS) and received sponsorship in May 2016. After nearly five years of planning, on August 3, 2016, GALA opened its doors to 60 K-1 students Today, GALA has more than tripled enrollment to 186 K-3 students this 2018-2019 school year.
Lenny Schafer, Executive Director of the Ohio Council for Community Schools congratulated GALA leadership: “The recognition is well-deserved. There simply is no school like GALA. It is changing the face of public education while providing a unique educational experience for almost 200 kids in Cleveland. We are extremely proud and looking forward to continued growth and progress.”
This year, there were 32 charter schools across the country awarded funding through the DOE’s Office of Innovation and Improvement program. GALA was the only school in Ohio.
By Jessie Schoonover
West Park Academy held its second annual ‘Leaders and Legends Night’ from 6 to 7 p.m. on October 30th.
A total of 60 students were honored during the ceremony.
“In order to be here tonight,” West Park Academy Principal Michael Jaissle, said, “it came down to how students performed on state achievement tests.”
“It is the result of a lot of hard work that students and staff put in day-in and day-out in West Park,” he said, adding the support and commitment of students’ families played a humongous role, also.
“I’m hoping next year we honor 70… 75… 80 (students), and just keep going from there.”
The tests students received evaluations for included ELA (English Language Arts), Math, and Science.
To be named to the 2017-18 ‘Legends and Leaders’ list, a student had to score ‘proficient’ or higher on one or more of the AIR Assessments (American Institutes for Research).
Did you miss the Christmas Boutique?
It’s not too late!
What is “Imaginations Creations?”
It’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen before.
At “Imaginations Creations” in West Park, you can purchase a desk for your study, a large wall-clock made from lacquered wood, a small stand for books, knick-knacks, and much, much more.
Words really don’t do it justice. The work owner and craftsman Ron Bonoan does, has to be seen to be believed. So, below, take a look at some of the local items Bonoan has available for sale now.
If you are unable to make it to a showing, it’s not a problem. Call and make an appointment with Bonoan at, (216) 870-7332, to stop in at a time that is convenient for you.
“The first few days were a complete whirlwind,” Sweeney said. “I’ve already voted on a few bills.”
District 14 includes Cleveland Wards 16 and 17, Parma Heights, Middleburg Heights, Brooklyn and Brook Park. Republicans hold a majority in both Houses of the General Assembly.
Phone: 614-466-3350
Mail: 77 South High St., Columbus OH 43215
E-mail: Go to www.ohiohouse.gov/Bride-
West Park residents have their pick of multiple outdoor ice rinks this winter.
On Public Square, the Cleveland Foundation will provide free ice skating tickets on Saturday, Nov. 24, as part of Downtown’s Winterfest celebration. Free tickets will be distributed starting at 7 a.m. and continue until they run out. The facility, known as the Cleveland Foundation Skating Rink, is located in the Southwest Quadrant, close to Tower City and the RTA Rapid Transit Station.
Winterfest runs from 1-7:30 p.m., and ends with the holiday lighting ceremony and fireworks.
Free ice skating lessons begin at 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1.
The Rink at Wade Oval in University Circle is open Nov. 23-Feb. 18. Adults pay $2 to skate, can $3 to rent skates size 4-13. Students pay $1 to skate and $2 to rent skates size 4-13.
Hours are 3-9 p.m. Fridays, noon-7 p.m. Saturdays, and noon-5 p.m. Sundays. Extended hours in December are 3-9 p.m. Dec. 5 and 12, and noon-9 p.m. Dec. 19 and 26
From Dec. 24-Jan. 6, the rink is open daily. It is also open on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, President’s Day and Valentine’s Day. Free skating lessons are offered from noon-1 p.m every Saturday.
To reach either ice rink from West Park, ride the Red Line to Tower City, and walk out onto Public Square. You can skate there, or transfer to the HealthLine on Euclid Avenue, exit at University Circle, and walk north to Wade Oval.
Halloran Park will also have open skate Monday through Friday, from 3 to 5 p.m.; Friday from 6 to 7:30 p.m.; and Saturday from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Park officials say they are working on conditioning the ice for public use right now. They expect work to be finished by this weekend and open shortly thereafter.
Local children’s author Tony Marini and The West Park Times will have a local coloring contest for children of all ages.
Look for Marini’s character, “Pennie the Christmas Pickle,” to appear in print during the months of October and November. The winner will be announced in December’s issue.
Marini says he came up with the idea for the story after being a long-time fan of the famous prose, “Twas the night before Christmas…” featured in the novel A Visit from St. Nicholas, by Clement C. Moore.
“I wanted to bring a new tradition to life,” says Marini. “I also wanted something that encouraged families to get together and to do activities together with their children— and of course— to read.”
Pennie the Christmas Pickle comes with her own book, which can be found at Barnes and Noble and PenniePickle.com. Pennie also has her own smile-inspiring, sing-a-long song, which can be found here at Amazon. The book also includes activities in the back, such as recipes, song lyrics, and a way to make your own Christmas ornament.