Free fresh produce today
Making Veggie Eating Easier
From the City Fresh newsletter
| One of the big barriers a lot of folks have to CSA shares is, well, all the vegetables. For some, shares don’t have enough veggies, but those tend to be few and far between. For most, shares can sometimes be a LOT. Even the most culinarily nimble among us can encounter struggle when shares are a little bit extra. This is why we try to source recipes that focus on being quick and easy. After a long day of work, cooking needn’t be a huge chore. No one wants to find themselves saying, “but I just made dinner yesterday!” The good news is that your friendly neighborhood City Fresh volunteer is likely an old hat at all of this and will have lots of good advice for you at your pick up. We’re also geared up to offer simple, fast pointers each week in this very newsletter. Here’s some tips and tricks to making the most of your shares this season. The grill is your friend: Especially in summer months when temps are at their highest, turning on the oven is not something we often want to do. Using a grill therefor solves multiple issues. Vegetables can be cut in large piecesrather than finely chopped, or sometimes grilled whole. You can use a grilling basket or make a foil envelope and toss chopped veggies in oil and the seasonings of your choice. There are even things that you might not think to grill – like romaine lettuce. Prep veggies ahead of time: Lots of things can be prepared in advance of actually using them. Just like buying a bag of chopped veggies in the grocery, you can simplify your approach. Be sure to focus on eating the most delicate items first (and brush up on proper veggie storage). Wash your lettuce and greens and have them spun and ready to go for salads and sautes all week. Future You will thank you. The miracle of a sheet pan dinner: There are tons of recipes that are practically just “chop it all up, coat it in oil, throw it in the oven.” If you find a recipe that has veggies you don’t have, feel free to substitute. Start mixing by color and texture. Combine a starch, something green, and a protein, toss in olive oil and your favorite seasonings and bake at 350° until the smell is right. This approach can keep you going for months. Eat a salad for dinner on pick up day: On the day you pick up your share, you might not feel up to cooking once you get everything home. This is a great night to make a salad and top it with whatever you’ve got in the fridge: leftover meats, a hard-boiled egg, some cheese, etc. You finish your greens and minimize your time in the kitchen. There’s no one right way to eat your veggies. Part of the adventure of CSA is playing fast and loose with the rules in the kitchen and getting really really familiar with all the seasonal fare we offer. Join us on Facebook or Instagramand share your ideas for keeping things easy! |
| Order Now! |
Ward 16 Resurfacing
STRAIGHT FROM CITY HALL NEWSLETTER
During the week of March 29, 2021, the City of Cleveland’s Residential Resurfacing Program will begin in Ward 16. Advance notice signs will be posted to advise the public of road improvements. The following streets will be resurfaced and completed by the end of April, 2021.
| Street Prefix | Project Name | FROM: | TO: |
| W | 139th | Sherry | Belleshire |
| W | 149th | Justin | Purtias |
| Bennington | West 130th | End |
One lane of traffic will be maintained for local traffic for the duration of each project and no detours are expected. Access to all businesses, residences and side streets will be maintained during construction. On-street parking will not be allowed during construction.
2021 Road Resurfacing Project Description:
- This work represents an investment of $12 million in the City’s Residential Roadways.
- With the completion of the Pavement Management Study in 2017 and the continued evaluation of the City’s roadway network, the City has a grading system that allows streets in the greatest need of resurfacing to be selected for repair. The City is using the ‘worst first’ approaches for road resurfacing.
Questions? Contact the City’s Administrative Manager, Cherita Anglen at (216) 420-7605.
Palm Sunday in West Park
(Photo featured is of Palm Sunday at Blessed Trinity in April of 2019, and was taken by Jerry Masek for the West Park Times).
According to Wikipedia: “Palm Sunday is a Christian moveable feast that falls on the Sunday before Easter. The feast commemorates Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, an event mentioned in each of the four canonical Gospels…
In most liturgical churches Palm Sunday is celebrated by the blessing and distribution of palm branches or the branches of other native trees representing the palm branches the crowd scattered in front of Christ as he rode into Jerusalem…”
Ohio Department of Job and Family Services warns of unemployment fraud
STRAIGHT FROM CITY HALL NEWSLETTER
The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services has reported that thousands of new unemployment claims are being investigated as potential cases of fraud. According to the ODJFS, in the week ending Feb. 6, there were 140,444 new unemployment claims filed in the state. That’s a 194% increase from the prior week.
If you suspect that your personal information has been stolen and/or you received a 1099-G tax form from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services and did not apply for unemployment benefits in 2020, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services encourages you to do the following:
Step One: Report Identity Theft to ODJFS
Visit https://unemploymenthelp.ohio.gov/
- Click “Report Identify Theft”
- Click “Report Identify Theft Individuals”
Complete the secure online form and submit. The ODJFS will issue confirmation emails to everyone who files a report with information about identity theft and protection. The agency will process the reports, conduct investigations and, if necessary, issue corrections to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on 1099s issued to victims. You can also call the Ohio Unemployment ID Theft Hotline at (833) 658-0394.
Step Two:
How to File Your Taxes (if you received a 1099-G): Please follow the IRS guidance to taxpayers on identity theft involving unemployment benefits. You can find it here.
Step Three: Protect Your Identity
Many resources are available for victims of identity theft to help them protect their identities. ODJFS strongly urges anyone who suspects they may be a victim of identity theft to take appropriate action to protect themselves. Here are some recommended resources:
- Ohioattorneygeneral.gov/IdentityTheft
- Review your credit report at AnnualCreditReport.com
- Ohio State Highway Patrol: When Identity Crime Strikes You
- Federal Trade Commission Resources at identitytheft.gov
- Place a free one-year fraud alert on your credit reports by contacting any one of the three nationwide credit reporting companies online or through their toll-free numbers. The bureau you contact must tell the other two.
- Equifax: 800-525-6285
- Experian: 888-397-3742
- Trans Union: 800-680-7289
45th Cleveland International Film Festival Announces Program Lineup
SUBMITTED
The 45th Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF45 Streams) program lineup is now live at clevelandfilm.org.
CIFF45 Streams will take place entirely online April 7-20, 2021 at clevelandfilm.org. The Festival will showcase 116 feature films and 182 short films – 46% of which are made by female filmmakers – during its extended 14-day run. Most films in this year’s lineup will be accessible nationwide, and they will be available on demand, on a first come, first served basis, through the end of the Festival. Be sure to continue to check clevelandfilm.org for program updates between now and April 20th.
Tickets go on sale to members on Monday, March 22nd at 11:00 AM ET and to the public on Friday, March 26th at 11:00 AM ET. If you are not yet a member, you can become one by visiting clevelandfilm.org/membership. Two of the three membership levels include all-access passes.
Ticket are $8 for CIFF members and $10 for non-members, with the exception of Opening Night, which is $20 for CIFF members and $25 for non-members. Once on sale, tickets can be purchased at clevelandfilm.org. CIFF45 Streams Opening Night is sponsored byDollar Bank.
CIFF45 STREAMS
In addition to the hundreds of films being offered, CIFF45 Streams will consist of filmmaker conversations and Q&As, audience voting, filmmaker awards, the annual Challenge Match, podcast episodes, and merchandise, as well as audience engagement activities and events. For more information, please visitclevelandfilm.org.
The Cleveland International Film Festival is supported in part by the residents of Cuyahoga County through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture. Also, theCleveland International Film Festival is made possible in part by state tax dollars allocated by the Ohio Legislature to the Ohio Arts Council (OAC). The OAC is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically.
Shift to hybrid moves into second phase
COURTESY CMSD NEWS BUREAU
The second phase of the CMSD reopening plan began Monday as students in preschool through second grade and ninth and 12th graders returned to school for hybrid learning.
At William Rainey Harper School, music, balloons and a blue walkway were just some of the accessories staff used to welcome students back to the building.
“I’m nervous,” Leighanna Rollins said as she dropped her son off at school.
With mixed emotions, parents said goodbye to their children with hugs and kisses.
“It is about time,” Kristin Gardener said while walking her daughter, who is in kindergarten, to the front door.
The return to school building comes almost a year to the day that Gov. Michael DeWine sent children home for remote learning to slow the spread of COVID-19.
“We have been preparing and planning for their return ever since,” Principal Ajayi Monell said. “I am so excited.”
Safety precautions, including temperature checks when students enter the building and requirements to wear facemasks and maintain social distancing, are in place at all CMSD school buildings.
Students whose families chose hybrid learning have been grouped into cohorts, with some attending in person on Monday and Tuesday, others Thursday and Friday. They will work remotely on other days.
At East Technical High School, students who have returned are eager to learn, even if things are different.
“It just brought me more joy to be in the school,” said Za’Nya, a ninth-grader who was experiencing her very first day attending high school. “It felt so amazing.”
Now that the District has transitioned to hybrid learning, some students, like Omarion, feel their grades will improve.
“I wasn’t doing so good in the classes online because of lack of focus,” said Omarion, a senior. “So now that we are back in school I can write stuff down and turn it in to my teachers.”
CEO Eric Gordon has said that some students thrived in remote learning but acknowledged that others had difficulty adjusting.
“A lot of kids struggled,” he said. “They need to see their teachers and have that interaction.”
Gordon says brighter days are ahead now that students are returning to the classroom.
“It has been a long year for all of us,” he said. “But our kids are back. This is a great day. We are finally seeing our way through this pandemic.”
The third and final phase of the transition to hybrid will come next week with the return of students in the third through eighth grades and 11th and 12th grades.
TV20 to air previous St. Patrick’s Day celebrations for 24 hours
STRAIGHT FROM CITY HALL NEWSLETTER
Although we are unable to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day like we have in past years, we can still celebrate the day by reflecting on parades from previous years. TV20 and the City of Cleveland are bringing viewers a 24-hour St. Patrick’s Day Parade Marathon, featuring 12 parades from years past. The marathon starts at 12:01 a.m. on March 17. There are several ways to watch TV20:
· Through your cable provider: Spectrum channel 1020; Att-Uverse channel 99
· Through the PEG.TV app/channel on Roku
· Via livestream at www.tv20cleveland.com
Suspects connected to multiple carjackings arrested
STRAIGHT FROM CITY HALL NEWSLETTER
On March 9, 2021, the Cleveland Division of Police conducted a city-wide operation targeting multiple suspects wanted for vehicle thefts and carjackings throughout the city and surrounding suburbs. The initiative was directed by the Fourth District Violent Crimes Reduction Team and was assisted by the five neighborhood police districts, the Neighborhood Impact Community Engagement Unit, Gang Impact Unit, Canine, Aviation, and partnering law enforcement agencies.
Three juvenile suspects were apprehended. They and approximately seven others are suspected in over 30 Grand Theft a motor Vehicle and Aggravated Robberies, at times shooting at or striking their victims. The suspects range in age from 14-19 years old.
Investigators continue to seek out other offenders. Anyone with information regarding criminal activity is asked to contact law enforcement or Crimestoppers by calling (216) 25-CRIME. Information can be reported anonymously.
Know Your Rights: Tax credits and free professional tax preparation and filing opportunities
SUBMITTED
Tax season is once again in full swing, but the lasting economic impacts of COVID-19 linger. Here’s what you should know about available resources that may provide direct financial relief:
- If you were one of millions of people who still have not received one or both of your Economic Impact Payments, more commonly known as a stimulus check, filing your taxes is an opportunity to claim that missed income. When you file your taxes, you can claim that missed payment or payments as a tax credit. For example, if you were set to owe $2,600 for this upcoming filing, but did not receive $2,600 in Economic Impact Payments, your liability drops to $0.
- Working families and individuals may qualify for a larger refund via the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). The EITC is designed to provide a tax break for workers with low-to-moderate incomes and their families. You may qualify for the EITC if you are:
- A grandparent caregiver
- A foster parent
- A victim of abuse
- Earning a low income at work and have no children
- A family or individual with excessive debt
- A person with disabilities earning a low income
- Recently unemployed
- A person with limited English proficiency earning a low income
Think you may qualify? Visit https://apps.irs.gov/app/eitc/ to use the IRS’s official EITC to see if you qualify to learn more.
- If taking advantage of these opportunities seems intimidating, don’t worry. You may be eligible for free tax preparation from a licensed professional. Here’s how to access these services in Northeast Ohio:
- Cuyahoga County residents can receive free tax preparation and filing via the Cuyahoga Earned Income Tax Assistance Coalition, which is part of the IRS’ Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program. This free filing service is available for those with household incomes under $57,000 who don’t own rental properties. “We save a taxpayer on average 300 to 450 dollars that they’d otherwise be spending on a paid preparer,” said Andre Ross, Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator for the Coalition. Visit RefundOhio.org to schedule an appointment. Virtual and socially distant in-person consultations are available.
- Lorain County residents looking for free tax preparation should contact the Lorain County Free Tax Prep Coalition. Most families and individuals making under $60,000 are eligible. Call 211 to have your questions answered and be scheduled for an appointment at the appropriate location. To learn more, visit https://www.loraincountyfreetaxprep.org/
- Lake County residents looking for free tax preparation can schedule an appointment by calling 211, which is sponsored by Lifeline, Inc.
- If you live in Ashtabula, Geauga, or another county and are interested in free tax preparation programs, you can use a site locator tool on the IRS’s website (www.irs.gov). The tool allows you to type in your zip code and find professional free filing opportunities near you.
Remember: the deadline to file your 2020 taxes is April 15, 2021.
If you are dealing with a legal issue related to taxes, contact Legal Aid for help by visiting lasclev.org/contact – our online intake is open 24/7. Or, you can call Legal Aid’s toll-free number 888-817-3777 and apply for help during most business hours. Legal Aid has a Low Income Taxpayer Clinic that helps people who face controversies with the IRS.
Cuyahoga County Democratic lawmakers issue joint statement as Biden administration taps Cleveland to host mass vaccination site at Cleveland State’s Wolstein Center
SUBMITTED
House Democratic lawmakers Reps. Juanita Brent (D-Cleveland), Janine Boyd (D-Cleveland Heights),Jeffrey A. Crossman (D-Parma), Stephanie Howse (D-Cleveland), Phil Robinson (D-Solon), Michael Skindell (D-Lakewood), Kent Smith (D-Euclid), Monique Smith (D-Fairview Park), Bride Rose Sweeney (D-Cleveland), and Terrence Upchurch (D-Cleveland) issued the following statement as the Biden administration announced today that Cleveland State’s Wolstein Center has been chosen as a mass vaccination site, with the ability to administer 6,000 vaccine doses each day over eight weeks beginning March 17.
“We’re encouraged by today’s announcement that the Biden administration has tapped Cleveland to host a mass vaccination site, and appreciate President Biden’s strong leadership as we continue to undertake the largest single vaccination program in history.
“Today’s announcement reaffirms the commitment this administration has shown to acquire, distribute and administer the coronavirus vaccine in record time, especially within our most vulnerable populations and those who need it the most.
“We’re hopeful that this site will speed our vaccination schedule and reiterate the importance to all Ohioans to get vaccinated as soon as they can. We will continue working with the administration and our state and local health partners to do everything we can to end this virus.”
City of Cleveland & CMSD release RFQ for redevelopment of 19 vacant CMSD sites
STRAIGHT FROM CITY HALL NEWSLETTER
The City of Cleveland and the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) have today jointly issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to select real estate development project teams for the redevelopment of 12 vacant school buildings and seven sites of vacant land owned by CMSD.
“These vacant school buildings and vacant land parcels provide opportunities for economic development in neighborhoods across the City of Cleveland,” said Mayor Frank G. Jackson. “The City of Cleveland looks forward to collaborating with the Cleveland Metropolitan School District on repurposing these assets to foster redevelopment and equity in our neighborhoods.”
The intent of the RFQ process is to identify qualified real estate development project teams interested in each site. Teams are invited to submit site-specific redevelopment proposals for consideration by the City and CMSD. Interested developers will be able to participate in an information session and tours of the building to learn more about the sites. The RFQ and selection process will be facilitated by the City of Cleveland.
“When we developed a plan for the future of our programs and facilities in 2019, the Board of Education asked that we also look at the future of our vacant buildings and property. We are excited to be partnering with the City of Cleveland in redeveloping unused properties and turning them into neighborhood assets,” said CMSD CEO Eric Gordon.
The RFQ calls for redevelopment plans to be guided by principles of racial equity and inclusion with respect to neighborhoods and/or include neighborhood wealth-building initiatives.
Click here to view the RFQ.
RFQ TIMELINE:
City & CMSD Release RFQ March 1, 2021
Informational Session w/Developers March 16 and 17, 2021 (RSVP by March 12)
Deadline to Submit CMSD Documentation Request March 19, 2021
Building Tours March 22, 23 and 24, 2021 (RSVP by March 19)
Questions Due April 12, 2021 (Answers by April 16)
RFQ Responses Due April 30, 2021
Respondents Notified of Preliminary Selection May 31, 2021
Following preliminary selections, project teams will work through due diligence and predevelopment before any properties are sold and transferred from CMSD to the selected development entities
March 2021 on-site exhibitions and virtual event listings for the Cleveland Museum of Art
SUBMITTED
On-site Exhibitions
Through May 16, 2021
The Kelvin and Eleanor Smith Foundation Exhibition Hall and Gallery
Stories from Storage represents the CMA’s creative response to adversity. When the pandemic upended international travel in March 2020, temporarily delaying projects that had been in development for years, the museum reimagined its schedule of exhibitions by drawing on its own resources. This exhibition offers a thoughtful and focused examination of multiple important themes through seldom seen works of art carefully selected by each of the museum’s nearly two dozen curators. It conveys not a single, linear narrative but multiple stories that complement one another.
Stories from Storage features an anthology of 20 short stories told by the museum’s director, chief curator, curators and director of academic affairs and associate curator of special projects, all of whom communicate surprising new insights about the objects they have chosen from the CMA’s vaults. At times philosophical, humorous, contemplative, playful and historical, each story reveals a unique element within the museum’s encyclopedic collection, representing human creativity across the globe, from the ancient world to today.
Major support is provided by the Sandy and Sally Cutler Strategic Opportunities Fund and Malcolm Kenney. Additional support is provided by Astri Seidenfeld. Generous support is provided by Russell Benz, in memory of Helen M. DeGulis, by Carl M. Jenks, and by Robin and Andrew Schachat.
Last Chance! Exhibition Closing This Month
Second Careers: Two Tributaries in African Art
Through March 14, 2021
Julia and Larry Pollock Focus Gallery
Second Careers explores the connections between historical African art and contemporary practices through a selection of exemplary highlights from the museum’s African collection and loaned works. CMA objects from nine cultures in Central and West Africa—male and female figures and masks, a masquerade costume, a hunter’s tunic and a prestige throne—are juxtaposed with large-scale installations, sculptures and photographs by six leading contemporary African artists.
The exhibition considers the status of canonical African art objects when they begin their “second careers” upon entering museum collections. It simultaneously examines contemporary modes of artistic production in Africa that employ mediums that once served other purposes in everyday life.
Generous support is provided by Ben and Julia Brouhard.
Now Open!
CMA at Transformer Station
Through May 30, 2021
Laura Owens (b. 1970) is known for her ranging and experimental approach to the medium of painting. Her work embraces a breadth of sources from the avant-garde to the popular to the decorative. Owens grew up close to Cleveland in Norwalk, Ohio, and as a teenager spent many hours studying the CMA’s encyclopedic collection. Having lived in Los Angeles for the past three decades, she now returns to Cleveland to develop an exhibition in collaboration with high school students participating in the CMA’s Arts Mastery program, Currently Under Curation. They are Jamal Carter, Xyhair Davis, Skylar Fleming, Yomi Gonzalez, Joseph Hlavac, Agatha Mathoslah, Arica McKinney, Maya Peroune and Deonta Steele.
Owens was recently the subject of a mid-career retrospective at the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York (2017–18), which traveled to the Dallas Museum of Art (2018) and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (2018–19). Other recent solo exhibitions were at the CCA Wattis Institute for Contemporary Arts, San Francisco (2016); Secession, Vienna (2015); and Kunstmuseum Bonn, Germany (2011). Owens studied at the California Institute of the Arts and the Rhode Island School of Design.
Major support is provided in memory of Myrlin von Glahn.
Transformer Station, the CMA’s sister contemporary art museum
1460 West 29th Street
Cleveland, OH 44113
For hours and other information, visit transformerstation.org.
Gustave Baumann: Colorful Cuts
Through June 27, 2021
James and Hanna Bartlett Prints and Drawings Gallery
Like many Chicago artists in the first years of the 20th century, Gustave Baumann discovered the beauty of rural Brown County in Indiana. While living in Nashville from 1910 to 1916, he produced his first important set of color woodcuts. In 1917 he headed east before traveling the next year to New Mexico, where he spent the rest of his life. Exhilarated by the state’s natural beauty, he settled in Santa Fe and over the next five decades produced complex color woodcuts that captured the area’s intense sunlight and arid atmosphere. Baumann’s prints portray not only stunning mountain scenery but also Indigenous adobe architecture and scenes representing Native American and Hispanic cultures. Over the years, Baumann made numerous trips around New Mexico, Arizona and California searching for additional picturesque venues, such as at the Grand Canyon and among giant sequoias, all of which became subjects of beautiful color woodcuts.
Principal support is provided by Kenneth F. and Betsy Bryan Hegyes, Leon* and Gloria Plevin and Family, and the Print Club of Cleveland. Major support is provided by the Ann Baumann Trust.
*deceased
Fashioning Identity: Mola Textiles of Panamá
Through January 9, 2022
Arlene M. and Arthur S. Holden Textile Gallery
The mola is a key component of traditional dress among the Indigenous Guna (formerly Kuna) women of Panamá. Guna women have been sewing mola blouses since the turn of the 20th century, and they have become powerful symbols of their culture and identity. During the Guna Revolution of 1925, Guna people rallied around their right to make and wear molas as a statement of their independence. They ultimately gained sovereignty over their territory, an archipelago of hundreds of small islands along Panamá’s Atlantic coast, known collectively as Gunayala.
Molas are masterfully hand-sewn cotton panels that are made in pairs and sewn into blouses. They feature a wide array of vibrantly colored compositions, with designs ranging from geometric abstraction to imaginative scenes inspired by popular Western culture. This exhibition presents both individual mola panels and complete mola blouses from the collections of the CMA and Denison University in Granville, Ohio. The molas on display span distinct periods of Guna history, from the era of the 1925 revolution to the 1980s.
This exhibition was supported in part by the Ohio Arts Council, which receives support from the State of Ohio and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Bruce Davidson: Brooklyn Gang and the contemporary art galleries are closed for reinstallation until April 20, 2021.
Virtual Events
The following events are part of the museum’s free, dynamic digital initiative Home Is Where the Art Is, which showcases the CMA’s globally recognized digital resources and offers a variety of newly created fun and engaging programs for people of all ages. These sustainable digital experiences continue to complement the in-person museum experience now that the CMA has reopened. Visitcma.org/digital to access all of the available programming.
Education Series: Desktop Dialogues
Every first and third Wednesday at noon, listen as curators, educators, community leaders, artists and others offer new ways to look at and understand artworks, special exhibitions and museum-specific issues. Past Desktop Dialogue programs are available at cma.org.
Storytelling in Japanese Art
Wednesday, March 3, 2021, noon, EDT, FREE
Join Andrew Cappetta, curator Sinéad Vilbar and CMA intern Jeanna Lopez for a close examination of an illustrated handscroll of the family drama The Saltmaker’s Story (Bunshō Zōshi).
Vilbar and Lopez reveal the meaning of important narrative details, share their investigative research process and discuss how mentor-mentee relationships drive innovation in museum scholarship.
Desktop Dialogues: An Art Anthology
Wednesday, March 17, 2021, noon, EDT, FREE
For this special series of Desktop Dialogues, organized in collaboration with Literary Cleveland, four local storytellers offer a creative interpretation of select works from the special exhibition Stories from Storage.
Chapter One
Playwright Eric Coble (The Velocity of Autumn, Bright Ideas) draws from photographs of popular tourist locales to create the dramatic monologue “That Which Can Be Held.” Watch Coble’s live performance and afterward join him and curator Barbara Tannenbaum for a conversation about the fantasy and romance of travel in image and spoken word.
Upcoming
Chapter Two
Wednesday, April 7, 2021, noon, EDT, FREE
Historian Sarah Lohman
Chapter Three
Wednesday, April 21, 2021, noon, EDT, FREE
Musical collective Mourning [A] BLKstar
Chapter Four
Wednesday, May 5, 2021, noon, EDT, FREE
Poet Kamden Hilliard
From Creation to Collection: Making and Marketing Drawings in 19th-Century France
Thursday–Friday, March 11–12, 2021, 2 p.m., EDT, FREE, ticket required
Please view the detailed scheduled here.
In anticipation of a major exhibition and publication focused on the Cleveland Museum of Art’s holdings of 19th-century French drawings in spring 2022, scholars from across the globe present new research related to the materials, function and collecting of drawings during this period.
To reserve free, general admission tickets, or for more information about the museum’s new safety procedures, visit cma.org.
The Cleveland Museum of Art is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The museum is closed Mondays.
The Cleveland Museum of Art is funded in part by residents of Cuyahoga County through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture.
All exhibitions at the Cleveland Museum of Art are underwritten by the CMA Fund for Exhibitions. Major annual support is provided by the Estate of Dolores B. Comey and Bill and Joyce Litzler, with generous annual funding from Mr. and Mrs. Walter R. Chapman Jr., the Jeffery Wallace Ellis Trust in memory of Lloyd H. Ellis Jr., Ms. Arlene Monroe Holden, Eva and Rudolf Linnebach, William S. and Margaret F. Lipscomb, Tim O’Brien and Breck Platner, the Womens Council of the Cleveland Museum of Art, and Claudia Woods and David Osage.
###
About the Cleveland Museum of Art
The Cleveland Museum of Art is renowned for the quality and breadth of its collection, which includes more than 63,000 artworks and spans 6,000 years of achievement in the arts. The museum is a significant international forum for exhibitions, scholarship and performing arts and is a leader in digital innovations. One of the top comprehensive art museums in the nation, recognized for its award-winning Open Access program and free of charge to all, the Cleveland Museum of Art is located in the University Circle neighborhood.
The museum is supported in part by residents of Cuyahoga County through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture and made possible in part by the Ohio Arts Council (OAC), which receives support from the State of Ohio and the National Endowment for the Arts. The OAC is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally and economically. For more information about the museum and its holdings, programs and events, call 888-CMA-0033 or visit cma.org.
Northeast Ohio small businesses urged to apply for community champion awards
SUBMITTED
Citizens has opened its annual Small Business Community Champion Award Contest, aimed at recognizing the positive contributions small businesses make to their communities, including those in Ohio.
Now in its fourth year, the contest will award $10,000 each to 30 small businesses across Citizens’ 11-state footprint, including at least 10 minority-owned and 10 women-owned businesses, to help further strengthen their communities and their businesses. Nominations are open until March 1, 2021, at 5 p.m. ET.
This year marks the largest award pool for the Citizens Small Business Community Champion Award to date – expanded to include all the markets served, with more chances to win and a larger prize pool – $300,000 – than ever before.
What: The Citizens Small Business Community Champion Award Contest: Eligible for-profit small businesses can enter for a chance to win $10,000 in recognition of their contributions made to the communities they support. To enter, eligible businesses must answer the following three questions (100 words max.) and upload at least 1 photo. See Official Rules for further eligibility requirements.
- How would you use the Citizens Small Business Community Champion Award to strengthen and sustain your business?
- How would you use the Citizens Small Business Community Champion Award to support your community’s growth?
- How is your business adapting to meet the evolving needs and behaviors of your customers and/or community?
Official rules, additional instructions and requirements regarding entry and submission are provided on the contest website.
When: The contest is open for award submissions until March 1, 2021, at 5 p.m. ET.
Where: To enter, please go to: https://www.citizensbank.com/businesschampion
Who: For-profit small businesses in operation for at least two years with up to $3M in revenue located in Citizens’ footprint (Ohio, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New York and New Jersey). Additional restrictions apply.
City of Cleveland releases waste collection and recycling report
STRAIGHT FROM CITY HALL NEWSLETTER
Maintaining its commitment to keeping the city clean, reducing waste, and providing quality service for our residents, the City of Cleveland commissioned a consultant GT Environmental to develop a report to evaluate the solid waste, recycling, and bulk collection programs operated by the Division of Waste Collection and Disposal. The main focus of this study was to fully understand how the City currently operates these programs, and develop specific recommendations which improve efficiency and support our waste reduction goals, while still maintaining high levels of service for our residents. Click here to view the full report.
In January 2021, a draft report and recommendations were presented to City leadership. The report spanned the entirety of our waste collection operations and included various implementation pathways and investments needed to meet our goals. After careful review and consideration, the Division of Waste Collection and Disposal has identified a number of recommendations to improve operational efficiency, reduce costs, and increase materials diverted from landfills. In Spring 2021, we anticipate GT Environmental will provide detailed strategies to implement these recommendations and communicate updates to residents. Summaries of the anticipated program updates are detailed below.
| Program/ Service Area | Recommended Updates | Benefits |
| BULK WASTE COLLECTION | · Shift to bi-weekly, appointment-based bulk collection. Residents call to schedule bulk pick up through Division of Waste.· Division of Waste to continuing issuing warnings and/or citations for improper bulk set out. | · Reduces stress on weekly bulk collections.· Improves route efficiency and deters improper set out.· Increases opportunities for landfill diversion. |
| CURBSIDE RECYCLING | · Transition to an opt-in program. Residents interested in receiving curbside recycling services must opt-in to the program. Residents who do not participate will have blue bins removed.· Residents interested in receiving information about the opt-in program can soon sign up via the City website. | · Reduces contamination of residential recycling.· Improves route efficiency.· Increases effectiveness of outreach and education efforts. |
| OUTREACH & EDUCATION | · Distribute updated Waste Collection & Recycling Service Guide to all households in service area.· Update website with accurate program information and resources for proper waste disposal and recycling. | · Provides all residents with up-to-date information on proper waste set out and recycling.· Increases opportunities for landfill diversion. |
| OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY | · Update waste, recycling & bulk collection routes.· Support improved vehicle and equipment maintenance.· Support initial and ongoing staff training. | · Reduces wear and tear on vehicles, equipment.· Reduces fuel consumption.· Promotes positive work environment for staff. |
Positive results seen from “Right to Counsel” (RTC) legislation
The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland
In Cuyahoga County, 36-percent of people spend more than a third of their total income on housing costs. Cleveland ranks second in the nation for percentage of working-age adults living in poverty, according to a 2019 U.S. Census Bureau Report.
With income levels so low, it’s no surprise that even before COVID-19, Cleveland tenants struggled to protect their housing. Nearly 9,000 evictions are filed in the city each year. Cleveland Housing Court hearings typically last under five minutes, and just 1-percent to 2-percent of tenants attend their hearing with an attorney. Common outcomes for people who experience eviction include:
- Homelessness
- Job loss
- Chronic absence from school (for children)
One way the justice system can help people protect their housing is by treating eviction cases with the same seriousness it treats criminal cases. We’re all familiar with the Miranda rights from television crime shows: “You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you.” Tenants who are at risk of losing their homes in court should also have free access to an attorney. In Cleveland, a new law that took effect in July of 2020 does just that.
Cleveland is the fourth city in the country and the first in the Midwest to enact “Right to Counsel” (RTC) legislation for housing cases. New York City was the first, in 2017; just one year later, 84% of tenants provided with a lawyer remained home, according to New York City’s Office of Civil Justice. Cleveland’s law currently applies to families with children who earn at or below 100% of federal poverty guidelines. Legal Aid is the official legal service provider for eligible tenants.
Cleveland’s RTC law was signed in the fall of 2019 – before COVID-19 was on anyone’s radar. Given the pandemic’s devastating economic impact, keeping families home and safe is more important than ever before. With more than six months of data collected, RTC Cleveland has demonstrated tremendous outcomes. For cases closed between July 1st and December 31st:
- 93% of Legal Aid RTC clients seeking to avoid an eviction or involuntary move remained home
- 83% of Legal Aid RTC clients seeking more time to move (30 days or more) were able to get more time
- 133 children under the age of 18 have already avoided the trauma of disruptive housing displacement as their cases were successfully closed
Are you or is someone you know facing eviction in Cleveland? Visit FreeEvictionHelp.org to learn more about the RTC program, or call (216) 687-1900.
Reminder: the CDC Eviction Moratorium is still in effect. This is a moratorium on evictions, not a moratorium on rent payments. Tenants facing eviction are protected, but not automatically; they must show they qualify for the moratorium and request its protection. For more information, visit https://lasclev.org/cdc-eviction-moratorium.
If you are struggling with another civil legal issue and think you may need legal assistance, contact Legal Aid. Our toll-free number is (888) 817-3777. You can also reach Legal Aid online by visiting lasclev.org/contact.
Ohio Homeland Security warns of scammers claiming to be OHS
STRAIGHT FROM CITY HALL NEWSLETTER
Ohio residents have reported receiving phone calls from scammers claiming to be from Ohio Homeland Security (OHS) and informing the call recipients that their identity had been stolen. Caller ID on these calls indicates the calls originated from the OHS main line (614) 387-6171, but they did not; the Ohio Homeland Security main line was spoofed. See the full press release from the Ohio Homeland Security office here.
Say Yes to pilot health services at 4 schools
CMSD NEWS BUREAU
With support from the Cleveland and George Gund foundations, Say Yes Cleveland is bringing physical and mental health services to students at four CMSD schools as part of a pilot program. Plans call for gradually expanding the support to all District and partner charter schools in the coming years.
For now, the threat of COVID-19 limits the services to online, or tele-health, visits, but when conditions permit, students will be able to visit convenient in-school or mobile clinics for wellness checks, acute care, mental health assistance and chronic disease management. Vision and dental care are to be added later.
The health services, delivered at little or no cost to families, are the newest support service launched by Say Yes Cleveland. Though Say Yes is better known for providing college tuition scholarships to CMSD graduates, the organization also lines up supports that help students and families overcome barriers to success.
(Mandel Foundation contributes $500,000 for Say Yes support services.)
“The evidence is clear that a scholar’s health affects their ability to learn and engage in school,” Say Yes Cleveland Executive Director Diane Downing said. “By expanding convenient access to integrated health care, Say Yes Cleveland believes we can improve health and, ultimately, academic achievement.”
CEO Eric Gordon said the program will add access to external providers to a strong internal team of health professionals. In a message to the principals, he said the pilot schools would “play a big role in defining what can be a transformative program for our city.”
The pilot group includes two PreK-8 schools and two high schools, with two of the schools on the East Side and two on the West Side. The sites are Mary M. Bethune PreK-8 School, Orchard STEM PreK-8 School, John Adams College and Career Academy and the John Marshall School of Civic and Business Leadership.
The sites, which had to apply, were picked from among the first group of schools to receive other Say Yes supports. Principals welcomed the opportunity and said students’ families are excited.
“We felt that by bringing the services into our school, where students and families were already comfortable, we could help remove a barrier,” Mary M. Bethune Principal Melanie Nakonachny said. “Additionally, we know how frustrating it can be to need to see a doctor and be required to wait a long time for an appointment. Through this pilot, our families will be able to see medical professionals with a quicker turnaround.”
Surveys that Say Yes takes of CMSD families and staff have shown a big need for mental health care for households that are under heavy emotional and financial stress. Orchard Principal Kathryn Haneline cited the case of a student who had difficulty coping after both parents died within a year.
“The student was in great need of more than what we could provide at the building level,” she said. “This is a support that is now available as frequently and as urgently as needed.”
Plans include eventually providing care for students’ families and school staff as well. And beyond making sure families’ immediate needs are met, Say Yes wants to help them find a “medical home” where they can build a long-term relationship with a trusted physician.
Say Yes is starting the healthcare program with contributions from foundations or other private sources. Healthcare providers will bill Medicaid or private insurance for their services.
Study and planning for the concept began early last year with a task force of more than 80 members representing, CMSD, Cleveland and Cuyahoga County government, healthcare providers, local nonprofits and other community members. The process was just getting under way when the pandemic hit, but the group continued to meet virtually.
Say Yes Cleveland, which celebrated its second anniversary on Jan. 18, has been hailed as a game changer for a city with the nation’s highest rate of child poverty.
Graduates of CMSD high schools receive scholarships for up to the full value of tuition, minus federal and state aid, to all public colleges, universities and Pell-eligible training programs in Ohio and more than 100 private colleges and universities across the country.
Say Yes has placed family support specialists in 39 CMSD schools and three partnering charter schools and is scheduled to have them in the remaining District and partner schools within the next two years.
For more information on Say Yes, go to SayYesCleveland.org.