CLEVELAND – As New Year’s Eve approaches, the City of Cleveland reminds the public that not only is celebratory gunfire illegal, but also dangerous. The consequences and risks can be significant.
In any area, but especially in a densely populated urban area like Cleveland, the consequences of celebrating New Year’s Eve or any other occasion with a gun can be devastating. The intention may be a celebratory shot toward the sky, but the consequences of that moment can be disastrous for a neighbor or someone blocks away, causing injury or death.
The City of Cleveland also warns the public on the dangers of celebratory fireworks. Fireworks are not only illegal to possess and discharge without a permit, but they can be hazardous and ignite a fire that could quickly get out of control.
Safety forces will be on duty throughout the neighborhoods of the City of Cleveland on New Year’s Eve. Police, fire and emergency medical service personnel will be alert, patrolling and ready, but safety starts at home in the neighborhood.
About the City of Cleveland
The City of Cleveland is committed to improving the quality of life for its residents by strengthening neighborhoods, delivering superior services, embracing diversity and making Cleveland a desirable, safe city in which to live, work, play, and do business. For more information on the City of Cleveland, visit online at www.city.cleveland.oh.us, Twitter at @CityofCleveland or Facebook at www.facebook.com/cityofcleveland.
Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2019 Dominion Energy Ohio Gas Pipeline Infrastructure Replacement Project – PIR 1203 Munn Road & Rocky River Drive
PRESS RELEASE (City of Cleveland – Ward 17)
CLEVELAND – On Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2019 Dominion Energy Ohio’s gas pipeline infrastructure replacement project will begin on the following streets:
· Munn Road – From Rocky River Drive to Warren Road.
· Rocky River Drive – From Claire Avenue to Ogontz Avenue.
· Edgecliff Avenue – From Rocky River Drive to West 159th Street.
· Southland Avenue – From Rocky River Drive to Munn Road.
· West 165th Street – From Edgecliff Avenue to Munn Road.
· West 162nd Street – From Edgecliff Avenue to Munn Road.
The improvements include replacing the old steel mainline with a new plastic mainline in the sidewalk area. One lane of traffic will be maintained at all times within the project limits and traffic control personnel will direct traffic. A Law Enforcement Officer (L.E.O) will be present at all signalized intersections. Access to adjacent driveways will be maintained throughout construction.
All work zones will be removed at the end of each work day. Work will take place Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
This project is scheduled for completion in March 2019. If the weather prevents permanent restorations to the sidewalk, temporary sidewalk will be used until permanent restorations can be completed in the spring.
Questions? Contact Dennis Scheid – Hill International at 216-701-2319.
Editor’s Note: Road construction invariably presents hazards to the public. All travelers are urged to use caution in construction zones. Public safety and the safety of workers is a top priority.
About the City of Cleveland
The City of Cleveland is committed to improving the quality of life for its residents by strengthening neighborhoods, delivering superior services, embracing diversity and making Cleveland a desirable, safe city in which to live, work, play, and do business. For more information on the City of Cleveland, visit online at www.city.cleveland.oh.us, Twitter at @cityofcleveland or Facebook at www.facebook.com/cityofcleveland.
PHOTO CAPTION: New District 23 State Senator Nickie J. Antonio was sworn in Dec. 22 in a ceremony at the Brooklyn Senior Center. Her wife, Jean Kosmac, holds a copy of The Woman’s Bible. The ceremony was officiated by Judge Melody Stewart of the Ohio Eighth District Court of Appeals, who joins the Ohio Supreme Court in January. About 100 people attended the ceremony.
The past week has been a roller coaster for District 13 State Representative Nickie J. Antonio.
On Saturday, she stood before 100 supporters, was sworn in for a new job, and talked with energy and enthusiasm about her plans for the future. On Tuesday, she celebrated the holidays with her wife, Jean Kosmac, and their two adult children, Ariel and Stacey. On Wednesday, she returned to Columbus to participate in a year-end flurry of legislation in the General Assembly.
On Jan. 7, when she returns to Columbus to begin work as the new District 23 State Senator, she will be the first woman to represent District 23, and the first member of the LGBT community ever elected to the State Senate.
District 23 includes West Park, Lakewood, Linndale, Brooklyn, Brooklyn Heights, Brook Park, Parma, Parma Heights, Middleburg Heights, Cuyahoga Heights, Cleveland Wards 11, 13, 15, 16, 17, and parts of Wards 3, 12 and 14.
The Senate District is 3 times larger than House District 13, where Antonio served four terms (2011-2018) and was the Minority Whip for the last two-year term. As a State Senator, she is limited to two consecutive four-year terms.
Looking forward to 2019
Antonio said her legislative agenda includes several areas with special meaning for West Park taxpayers.
Jobs: Small businesses are “the backbone of the community,” Antonio said. She wants to help build “the right climate to bring good-paying jobs to the district.” This includes pushing for infrastructure repair funds to fix roads and bridges and create new jobs.
Education: Antonio, a former teacher, says “We need to reduce high-stakes testing for kids. The kids are stressing out over the tests. Instead, they should be happy and excited about going to school.” She also wants to make schools have “more fair and robust funding.”
Healthy communities: “I want to work on decreasing the infant mortality rate and the maternal mortality rate. We’re losing too many mothers in the first year after the birth of their child.”
Antonio is looking forward to working with another Democrat, Representative Bride Rose Sweeney of West Park. The Democrats are in a minority in both chambers of the General Assembly, and Antonio stresses bi-partisanship as a way to keep legislation moving on meaningful items.
Background
In May, Antonio defeated Martin Sweeney in the primary, and in November, she was elected to State Senate. Her past jobs prepared her well for that role.
From 2006-2010, Antonio served 5 years on Lakewood City Council, and then studied leadership in State and Local Government one summer at the JFK School of Government at Harvard University.
From 1996-2011, she served as President of StAr Communication Consulting, working with non-profit groups in a variety of areas. She stepped down to become a full-time State Legislator. She has also worked as a special education teacher, and during the 1990s, was a non-profit executive director of a women’s outpatient treatment drug/alcohol treatment program.
A graduate of Lutheran West High School, she has two degrees from Cleveland State University — a Bachelors in Special Education and Training, and a Masters of Public Administration, with a focus in Public Policy Analysis and Organizational Development.
She also serves on the Community Engagement Committee for the Beck Center for the Arts and is involved in a number of legislative leadership organizations.
How to contact Nickie Antonio, after Jan. 1, 2019:
Call 614-466-5123
Send e-mail to sd23@ohiosenate.gov
For overall Senate info, go to www.ohiosenate.gov
For more specific info, go to www.ohiosenate.gov/senators/antonio
During much of the year, legislators meet in Columbus on Tuesday through Thursday and spend long weekends in their home districts.
See the video below of local Girl Scout Troop #71101 and Brownie Troop #70857 ‘Caroling for Cans’ along Granton Ave. in West Park on Saturday, December 15th.
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.
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.
“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!
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.
