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By Jerry Masek   

(Editor’s note: These remarks were made before the Dec. 31 shooting of officer Shane Bartek.)

Charles Slife, appointed Ward 17 Councilman several years ago, is looking forward to 2022 — his first full year as an elected City Councilman.   

“We are going to hit the ground running,” he said. “I appreciate the incredible support of the voters. We want to build on our past momentum and bring Ward 17 to the next level. The reputation of Ward 17 is growing. We had new businesses opening in the middle of the pandemic.”   

Slife, who also serves on the City Planning Commission, plans to take “a more robust role on Council.”   

“I want to be a more vocal advocate for Ward 17. I believe we are now a model neighborhood. We are at a place of strength and we can build upon it.”   

Slife recently joined the board for Cleveland Neighborhood Progress — an umbrella group for community development corporations in the City. He looks forward to working with others who share a common goal.   

“I think Ward 17 is a model of a desirable, middle-income Cleveland neighborhood,” said Slife, who has several goals this year. 

Improve Public Safety

Slife said that in talking to voters during the campaign, “the importance of public safety to our neighborhoods was astonishing clear. It affects all that we do.”   

He said one question is “how Issue 24 will unfold” in the Bibb Administration.     “Safe neighborhoods often start with a strong sense of community, and we have that in Ward 17. I love to see people walking through their neighborhood,” Slife said.    Slife wants to add more security cameras on buildings and at intersections. Ward 17 now has eight cameras.   

Using funds available to Cleveland from the American Rescue Plan, Slife has requested cameras for 22 more locations in Ward 17. He will soon meet with First District police officials to review that request. 

Expand Recreational Opportunities

Planning for major upgrades at Impett Park — one of the largest in the City — will be finalized in 2022, and work on improving the tennis courts will be done this year. Impett is the home court for St. Joseph Academy tennis teams.   

A “really special playground” will be built at Drafefield Park.   

To better connect West Park residents to the Metroparks’ Rocky River Reservation, three new connectors are in various stages of planning and discussion.

• The Hogback Ridge area.
• Near the Oatey facility on Emerald Parkway.
• Behind Fairview Hospital, on Old Lorain Road. A public meeting on that connector was held in early 2021.

Monitor building and construction projects   

Slife said CMHA is nearing completion on a multi-year “much-needed facelift” of units in the large Riverside Park, 17800 Parkmount Ave. He said Riverside has a “great youth program,” a large population of Hispanic-speaking persons, and Puerto Ricans who came here after a hurricane ravaged their island.   

Slife wants to see other building projects reach completion in 2022.

• National retailers in the West Park Shopping Center want to be open in time for holiday shoppers at West 150th Street and Lorain Avenue..
• An addition is planned to the Muslim Community Center, 4600 Rocky River Dr.
• Construction is underway for an addition to Laura’s Home, 18120 Puritas Ave.
• Renovation is on track at the West Park Library, 3805 W. 157th St.
• A new building is underway at the West Park Animal Hospital, 4117 Rocky River Dr.
• Ground will be broken for a new MedVet facility, near Subway at Grayton Road and I-480. The owners are moving here from Brookpark to give animal owners another option for pet care. “Ward 17 will become the animal hospital capital of Cleveland,” Slife said
• Arby’s is nearing completion at the former Steak-and-Shake site at Kamm’s Corners.
• Some restaurants may make their popular outdoor space more permanent. Slife expects announcements later this year.

Get recycle rolling   

“Past attempts to start a citywide recycling program have been a nightmare,” Slife said. “Some residents are very eager to recycle, but there was so much confusion. We need more consumer education.” 

Work with a new Administaation    

Slife already toured Ward 17 with then Mayor-elect Bibb.   

“The merchants and residents were happy to see him. We discussed neighborhood and legislative goals. Mayor Bibb realizes we have a shared destination. He recognizes the potential and strength of Ward 17. All indications are that he is ready to partner with us and do some really cool things in Ward 17.”   

“I love this neighborhood. It is really a special corner of the world.”     

Jerry Masek has been a resident of Ward 17 for 38 years.

Sources report that a grand opening has been set for March 7, 2022, “as long as everything stays on schedule.”

It’s also reported that this location is now accepting applications.

Visit here https://careers.arbys.com/us/en/

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Recent acquisitions by the Cleveland Museum of Art (CMA) include an important watercolor by Paul Cézanne; a mixed-media artwork by Rashid Johnson and three sculptures from Melvin Edwards’s series, Lynch Fragments, that build upon the CMA’s commitment to diversifying its collections.

Footpath in the Woods

Watercolor by Paul Cézanne is a new highlight in the CMA’s internationally recognized collection of works on paper

The acquisition of Footpath in the Woods, a watercolor by Post-Impressionist Paul Cézanne, builds upon the CMA’s internationally recognized stature as a repository of important 19th-century French art.

With its innovative depiction of a trail traversing a forest at the Jas de Bouffan, an estate Cézanne inherited from his father, Footpath in the Woods exemplifies the artist’s groundbreaking practice. He used selective strokes of watercolor from a limited palette to suggest light and shade, and allowed work in graphite in combination with the paper’s whiteness to construct the image. The result is a seemingly unfinished work that was in fact carefully rendered through a process that did not allow for revision.

The subject of Footpath in the Woods is Cézanne’s most characteristic; he depicted and reinterpreted the chestnut tree forests of the Jas de Bouffan in various media throughout much of his life. This experimental approach allowed Cézanne to interrogate vision itself, as if to suggest that seeing occurs just as much through absence as it does presence. The composition’s balance of abstraction and representation, as well as its experimental style, make Footpath in the Woods an ideal example of the artist’s watercolors.

Although the CMA has three paintings and several drawings and prints by the artist, Footpath in the Woods is the first watercolor by Cézanne to enter the museum’s collection and will be highlighted in the forthcoming exhibition and publication Nineteenth-Century French Drawings at the Cleveland Museum of Art, on view from January 20 through April 30, 2023.

Footpath in the Woods, 1882–84. Paul Cézanne (French, 1839–1906). Watercolor and graphite on laid paper; image: 47 x 31 cm. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Leonard C. Hanna Jr., Fund 2021.165

Standing Broken Men by Rashid Johnson

Long Term, À Lusaka and Miliki by Melvin Edwards

Works by Rashid Johnson and Melvin Edwards expand the CMA’s representation of works by African American artists

Standing Broken Men (2021) by Rashid Johnson is an important addition to the CMA’s contemporary collection and meaningfully advances the museum’s goal of diversifying its holdings.

At the center of a frenzied mosaic, an abstract, fractured figure stares wide-eyed at the viewer. Standing Broken Men and a related series of mosaic works grew out of Johnson’s Anxious Men and Anxious Audiences series (2015–18). As Standing Broken Men exemplifies, Johnson’s latest works continue to represent the experience of anxiety by composing figures through fragmented shards of ceramic and mirrored tiles. Through this technique, brokenness is inherent in the figures and the worlds they inhabit. However, their pieces are reassembled into a dynamic colorful whole, suggesting the possibility for healing and renewal. As with much of Johnson’s work, Standing Broken Men can be interpreted as a poignant reflection on the time when it was made, defined by a global pandemic and a heightened reckoning with racial inequality. Standing Broken Men comes to the museum as a generous gift from Agnes Gund in honor of Helena Huang. 

Alongside recent acquisitions by artists such as Robert Colescott, Simone Leigh, Emma Amos and Wadsworth Jarrell, among others, Standing Broken Men expands the range of narratives surrounding African American experiences on view at the CMA. This monumental work also complements three prints by Johnson from his Anxious Men series that the museum acquired in 2020 (2020.77, 2020.78 and 2020.79). Together, they capture the innovative evolution of Johnson’s art across media.

Standing Broken Men will be on view in Toby’s Gallery for Contemporary Art (229A) beginning in late March 2022.

Standing Broken Men, 2021. Rashid Johnson (American, b. 1977). Ceramic tile, mirror tile, branded red oak, bronze, spray enamel, oil stick, black soap, wax; 240.7 x 186.7 x 7.6 cm. Gift of Agnes Gund in honor of Helena Huang

Long Term (1980), À Lusaka (1982) and Miliki (1987) by Melvin Edwards further enhance the CMA’s commitment to diversifying its collections and presenting a broad range of histories in its galleries.

Long Term, À Lusaka and Miliki belong to an ongoing series, Lynch Fragments, that Melvin Edwards began in 1963. The Lynch Fragments are relatively small-scale, abstract metal wall reliefs that feature recognizable objects—often objects that could serve as weapons, such as chains, knives and railroad spikes. Through Edwards’s composition and welding technique, familiar elements lose their functional associations and yield innovative sculptural shapes. These forms reveal Edwards’s influences, which range from Western modernist sculpture and jazz to traditions of African metalsmithing. 

The series title, Lynch Fragments, the artist has explained, is reflective of his intention to encourage consideration of the violence and destruction wrought by racism in and beyond American society. The title is not, he has said, to be taken literally; from the outset he determined that the series would never depict narrative scenes or recognizable figurative imagery. Even without literal scenes of violence, the works invite a direct confrontation with the viewer; they are displayed at eye level and protrude off the wall into the viewer’s space. 

Through the Lynch Fragments series, Edwards combines his commitment to abstraction with his investment in the social and racial histories unfolding outside his studio walls. In this sense, his work shares attributes with peers that include David Hammons, Jack Whitten and Martin Puryear, whose works are represented in the CMA’s collection and offer rich context for this acquisition.

Left to right
Long Term, from the Lynch Fragments series, 1980. Melvin Edwards (American, b. 1937). Steel; 30.8 x 19.1 x 20.6 cm.

À Lusaka, from the Lynch Fragments series, 1982. Melvin Edwards (American, b. 1937). Steel; 34.3 x 19.4 x 14 cm.

Miliki, from the Lynch Fragments series,1987. Melvin Edwards (American, b. 1937). Steel; 33 x 22.9 x 20.3 cm.

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. One of the top comprehensive art museums in the nation and free of charge to all, the Cleveland Museum of Art is in the dynamic University Circle neighborhood.

The Cleveland Museum of Art receives funding from a broad range of individuals, foundations and businesses in Cleveland and northeast Ohio. 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.

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“Melissa Martin’s new picture book is making children giggle. Why? Because kids love to laugh about underpants stories. Most of us wear underwear, so let’s laugh along as we spend time with our children and books. Make reading fun.

“One morning, Bear Cub wakes up and finds underwear hanging on a tree limb. Who could they belong to? Ever inquisitive, he sets out on a quest through the forest to find the tighty whities’ rightful owner. Could the underpants belong to Squirrel? Moose? Snake, maybe? Salmon?! Each animal denies that the bloomers belong to them, but readers will surely be giggling every step on the way…especially when they find out who the underpants actually belong to.”

Published by Random House Books for Young Readers. www.penguinrandomhouse.com. 

Parents, teachers, and readers can find the picture book, “Those Are Not My Underpants!” at public libraries in Ohio. 

Martin, an advocate for early literacy, an Ohio University Alum, a native of Appalachia Ohio, and a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, both National and Ohio chapters. Contact melissamartincounselor@live.com. 

By Tatyana Mcknight (From the Straight from City Hall Newsletter)

Mayor Frank G. Jackson today issued a proclamation designating a weekend of celebration and addressed regulations for the 2022 NBA All Star Game. The regulations include vendor zones, badging and rules for approved vendor operators and regulations prohibiting items in certain zones. View the mayor’s proclamation here.

Vendor Regulations

These rules and regulations were developed for the safety and protection of those attending the All-Star Game events and for the authorized vendors.

Due to an expected increase in pedestrian and vehicular traffic during the All-Star Events, the following Regulations are in effect under the authority of Section 697A.04, Codified Ordinances of Cleveland, Ohio, 1976 (“C.O.”) and apply to all vendors in the Central Business District during the effective period.

Find the full set of vendor regulations and guidelines here.

Find the list of approved vendors here.

• Vendor Badging
  • Only vendors with “Special Event” credentials will be authorized to vend in the designated vending zones. Find a sample of approved vendor badges here.

Prohibited Items

The City of Cleveland, has adopted a list of prohibited items in certain zones. Find the list of the prohibited items and maps of the zones here.

Parking Restrictions and Road Closures 

“No Parking” locations to highlight, effective Friday, Feb. 18 – Monday, Feb. 21:

• Prospect Avenue between Ontario Street and E. 22^nd Street
• E. 9^th Street between Euclid Avenue and Carnegie Avenue
• E. 18^th Street between Euclid Avenue and Prospect Avenue
• E. 21^st Street between Euclid Avenue and Prospect Avenue
• Bolivar from E. 7 Street to E. 14 Street
• Normal Parking Restrictions within the Warehouse and Flats districts. 

Road Closures:

Wednesday, February 16 to Sunday, February 20 at 11:30pm	Partial Closure on E. 18th Street between Prospect Avenue and Carnegie Avenue
Friday, February 18 to Monday February 21 at 2:00am	Full Closure on E. 18th Street between Prospect Avenue and Carnegie Avenue
Thursday, February 17 to Monday, February 21 at 2:00am	Full Closure on East Mall Drive between Lakeside Avenue and St. Clair Avenue
Thursday, February 17 to Monday, February 21 at 2:00am	Full Closure on West Mall Drive between Street Clair Avenue and Rockwell Avenue
Friday, February 18 to Monday, February 21 at 2:00am	Full Closure on Huron Rd between Ontario Street and Prospect Avenue
Friday, February 18 to Monday, February 21 at 2:00am	Full Closure on E. 4th Street between Huron Road and Prospect Avenue
Friday, February 18 to Monday, February 21 at 2:00am	Full Closure on E. 6th Street between Huron Road and Larry Doby Way
Friday, February 18 to Monday, February 21 at 2:00am	Full Closure on Larry Doby Way between Ontario Street and E. 9th Street
Friday, February 18 to Monday, February 21 at 2:00am	Full Closure on Bolivar Road at E.  9th Street

Click here to view the map of traffic restrictions.        

By Jerry Masek   

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The beginning of a new year is a good time to count our blessings. We all enjoy living in West Park, but what part do you enjoy most?    For me, it is the ease in getting around. Consider all the wonderful means of transportation contained within West Park’s borders. Here is a listing, in order of speed.

1. Walk on sidewalks through wonderfully-kept neighborhoods.
2. Hike on trails in the Metroparks.
3. Swim at the West Park YMCA, or the city-operated Gunning Recreation Center.
4. Ice skate at the city-operated Halloran Ice Skating Rink on West 117th Street — the eastern edge of West Park.
5. Ride a horse in the Metroparks. There is a popular stable at the bottom of the Puritas Road Hill.
6. Bike on city streets, or in the Metroparks.
7. Ride a golf cart at one of three golf courses in the Rocky River Reservation — Big Met, Little Met and Mastick Woods.
8. Drive on a highway. West Park includes parts of three interstates — I-71, I-90 and I-480.
9. Ride an RTA bus or train. West Park includes six Red Line Rapid Stations, and Triskett — the largest bus garage in Ohio.
10. Board an airplane at Hopkins International Airport, and fly anywhere in the world.
11. Visit NASA’s Glenn Research Center to find out more about “space — the final frontier.” You can’t get much higher than that.

Look at these 11 options. They far outnumber those offered by any other neighborhood in Cleveland. May 2022 be a great year — for all of us. 

P.S – Did I miss any transportation options? If so, let us know.

Jerry Masek has lived in West Park since 1983.

PRESS RELEASE

On Monday, Dec. 27, Mayor-Elect Justin Bibb announced Bradford Davy as Chief Strategy Officer and Elise Hara Auvil as Chief Administrative Officer, both are newly designed positions replacing the role of Chief of Staff.   

“Throughout the campaign, we created a vision for Cleveland that came directly from stakeholder input. We simply have to reimagine our organizational structure to build our reimagined City. With leaders focused on the long-range vision, and on the immediate needs, we can achieve more,” comments Mayor-Elect Bibb. 

The Chief Strategy Officer is responsible for advancing the Mayor’s vision and strategic goals across all departments of the administration. As a senior advisor to the Mayor, Mr. Davy will provide counsel on a wide range of highly complex, sensitive issues and act as an accessible and visible ambassador from the mayor’s office. The CSO will lead the team charged with moving forward promises made during the campaign, including initiatives to address racial equity, lead, the West Side Market, arts and culture and more. 

Bradford Davy is an experienced government affairs professional, most recently serving as the Director Regional Engagement at The Fund for Our Economic Future where headvised local and national leaders on complex economic issues to inform policy decisions and translate concepts into practical solutions. He also previously served at the International Project Manager for Camcode Global, and as a Research and Policy Analyst for the Center for Community Solutions. 

Mr. Davy holds a bachelor’s degree from University of Toledo and a Master’s of Science in Urban Studies from Cleveland State University. 

The Chief Administration Officer will manage the day-to-day operations of the mayor’s office, including developing and managing the mayor’s office budget. Responsibilities of the CAO are broad in scope and require a high degree of seasoned government experience and discretion. As CAO, Ms. Hara Auvil will supervise the mayor’s staff, manage cabinet meetings and provide critical briefings to the mayor.  

Elise Hara Auvil has dedicated the majority of her career working for government and nonprofit entities. A graduate of Case Western Reserve University Law School, she worked for Cleveland Legal Aid during law school and began her legal career as an Assistant Public Defender in Philadelphia.  

Mrs. Auvil is specialized in human resources and employment law and has served as Associate Counsel for the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (GCRTA), General Counsel for Eliza Jennings Senior Care Network, and Director of Human Resources and Employment Counsel for Cuyahoga County. She most recently served the City of Westlake as the Human Resources Manager. 

Bradford Davy and Elise Hara Auvil will take the official oath of office on January 3, 2022. 

Photo by Jerry Masek

Story and photo by Jerry Masek

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2022 will be the last year of a four-year first term for State Senator Nickie Antonio.   

She plans to seek re-election in District 23.   

The problem is: Nobody is exactly sure where District 23 is.   

The State Map was redrawn after the 2020 Census. A final decision on the map may be announced in early January by the Ohio Supreme Court.   

A proposed map shows District 23 covering the majority of the City of Cleveland, a prospect Antonio finds “exciting.”   

In 2021, Antonio helped pass “Esther’s Law”, which allows cameras to be installed in patient rooms of nursing homes. She also worked on a bill to enhance stroke protocols, which gives first responders the tools they need to increase survival chances for stroke victims.   

The General Assembly’s first session is Jan. 19. There is a lot Antonio hopes to accomplish in 2022. 

Abolish the death penalty    

She said Senate Bill 103 has bi-partisan support.   

“The State of Ohio should not be in the business of executing persons,” she said. “We have a moral obligation to re-consider it. It just does not fit in today’s society. A sentence of life without  parole is a better option.”   

“To date, Ohio has exonerated 11 people, who were found to be not guilty. If even one innocent person is executed, it is one person too many.”    

She said that since the punishment was reinstated in 1976, Ohio has executed 56 people. This means that for every five executions, one person has been exonerated. 

Pass the Ohio Fairness Act    

She said that Senate Bill 119 has bi-partisan support, and similar bills have been introduced in both the House and Senate.   

“This is an economic vitality bill, supported by the Ohio Chamber of Commerce and over a thousand Ohio businesses. It will keep businesses in the State, and keep some residents here by welcoming all families and as an issue of fairness, it’s the right thing to do.”   

Antonio said that more than 1,000 businesses have joined Ohio Business Competes — a non-partisan coalition that supports non-discrimination policies that include LGBTQ Ohioans. More than 30 Ohio cities and counties have passed local ordinances with LGBTQ inclusive policies, she said. 

Justice issues    

“We want to end the statute of limitations for rape (Senate Bill 198) and extend the statute of limitations for child abuse and child neglect (Senate Bill 226). We want to bring justice to survivors of sexual abuse.”   

She said that under the current Ohio Revised Code, prosecution against a perpetrator of rape or sexual battery must begin within 25 years after the commission of, or attempt to, commit the crime.   

“We believe that now, more than ever, the public is on the side of removing the artificial line in the sand that prevents a survivor from coming forward to report such emotionally traumatic and violent experiences. She noted that:”Every survivor processes their trauma in their own time.”    

Under current Ohio law, victims of childhood sexual abuse are unable to press civil charges after age 30 and criminal charges after age 43, with another 5 years granted if DNA is found within 25 years. Those limitations should be extended, she said. 

Health care issues    

“We need to expand access to health care, especially during the COVID pandemic. We want to make our communities healthier and safer.”    She said legislators will continue to address the rise in drug overdoses and the opoid crisis. 

Capital budget   

In 2022, State legislators will also consider Ohio’s capital budget, which provides funding for major projects.    

The capital budget funds a variety of eligible infrastructure projects for state agencies, colleges and universities, school districts, and community projects that vary from parks to museums and other types of infrastructure. In 2021, a total of $80 million went to Cuyahoga County, including $23 million for community projects from the capital budget that passed in late 2020.

If you have a question or funding request, write to antonio@ohiosenate.gov or call 614-466-5123. 

Leadership roles   

A member and former chair of the Ohio House Democratic Women’s Caucus, Antonio is State Director for the National Women Legislators’ Lobby and a Senate Assistant Minority Leader.

Committee assignments

Antonio serves as Highest Ranking Member on three committees* Health* Transportation* Joint Medicaid Oversight.    

Antonio plans to continue work with the non-profit Giving Tree. Volunteers have made and donated more than 10,000 face masks in the fight against COVID.

CONTENT SUBMITTED

Today is the first day of winter and the longest night of the year. Community activists, homeless service providers, and unhoused people will gather to remember those who died in the homeless community in 2021. The candlelight vigil will be held outside Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church at 2031 W 30 St. in Ohio City.

“Winter is a dangerous and difficult time for people who are unhoused in our community,” says Chris Knestrick, Executive Director of the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless. “When we add the Omicron variant to the equation, this winter has the potential to become a nightmare. We need to re-focus on getting people into de-congregate shelters to keep them alive and safe this winter.” 

In 2009, Ohio legislators designated December 21 as Ohio Homeless Memorial Day. For 34 years, the Northeast Ohio Coalition For The Homeless has convened the Cleveland community to remember people experiencing homelessness who have passed away. We will remember our family and friends with candles, live music, prayers, and the reading of their names. NEOCH encourages attending guests to wear a mask and to please be vaccinated. 

NEOCH exists to eliminate the root causes of homelessness while loving our diverse community through organizing, advocacy, education, and street outreach.

By Tonya Sams, Development and Communications Assistant at The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland

Many people think the label “domestic violence” applies only to violent acts against a lover, but it is much more than that. 

Domestic violence describes regular, consistent acts of physical, emotional, verbal, and sexual abuse. It not only occurs in spousal and intimate partner relationships, but also in relationships with other family members, including those with children, live-in partners, or people who have children together and are no longer involved in an intimate relationship.

Perpetrators of domestic violence control the target or targets of their abuse through fear. If targets don’t comply with their initial tactics – which can be threats of harm, the withdraw of financial support, and/ or verbal and emotional abuse – then the abuser resorts to physical and/or sexual abuse. 

Domestic violence does not discriminate. People of all races, religions, sexual orientations, abilities, and financial status can inflict or suffer from domestic violence.  

Targets of domestic violence do not cause the abuse that is inflicted upon them. But, abusers often try to convince them they have done something to cause the abusive response.

Abusers often isolate their targets by having them cut off communication from those that could help them, such as family and friends. Abusers also try to control every aspect of their target’s life. For targets, every decision becomes influenced by how it would make their abuser feel. 

Targets of abuse may feel guilt, shame, and failure. They may find it difficult to break away from the relationship for several reasons, especially if they are financially dependent on the abuser 

(another tactic commonly used to maintain control). 

There are resources available for those who are targets of domestic violence. 

OhioLegalHelp.org has a new, web-based domestic violence reporting tool. The tool (which was created through a partnership with The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland, Ohio Domestic Violence Network and Ohio Supreme Court’s Advisory Committee on Domestic Violence) allows users to fill out and save their forms if they cannot complete them all at once. The site can be accessed on any mobile device. 

Help is also available through Legal Aid’s Family Law Group. A Legal Aid attorney can help you file civil protection and temporary protection orders and connect you to other community resources available to people escaping abusive relationships, such as Journey Center for Safety and Healing and the Ohio Domestic Violence Network. Apply for Legal Aid help online 24/7 (lasclev.org/contact) or call 216-687-1900 during normal business hours.

PRESS RELEASE

Mayor-Elect Bibb has identified Deputy Chief of Police Dornat A. “Wayne” Drummond as Interim Chief of Police to temporarily replace retiring Chief of Police Calvin Williams whose last day will be Jan. 3rd. 

“We must maintain top-level expertise in this role while we search for a new Police Chief. Deputy Chief Drummond is highly regarded for his service, and I look forward to working with him,” Mayor-Elect Justin Bibb said.

Deputy Chief Drummond, a deputy chief since 2014, is a 32-year veteran of the Cleveland Division of Police. He has climbed the ranks from walking the beat as a patrol officer to serving as commander of the 6th District in 2005.

Other positions he held include Strike Force Detective, Case Preparation Officer and Equal Employment Officer. He also served as Public Information Officer and taught Law Enforcement Ethics at Cuyahoga Community College. 

Currently, he oversees field operations, the Bureau of Traffic, which includes the mounted division, and the Bureau of Community Relations.

Drummond graduated from the University of Toledo and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Academy’s 230th Session.

“I am honored to be selected to lead the force during this period of transition. Keeping Cleveland safe has always been my number one priority,” Drummond said.

Once Mayor-Elect Bibb takes office on Jan. 3rd, the administration will work with an executive search firm with experience recruiting for police departments in major cities across the country. The firm will search far and wide and seek talent nationally and locally. Community engagement will be an important part of the process to determine community expectations for the role.

By Jerry Masek

2022 will be a full year for the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections. There will be a lot for West Park voters to monitor, so they can cast informed votes.    Are you registered to vote? 

Dates to remember   

Feb. 2: Filing deadlines for all candidates.    

May 3: Primary election.    Nov. 8: General Election. 

Federal positions

Senate: U.S. Senator Robert Portman is not seeking re-election, and other candidates are vying for the open seat.    

House: A new map of Congressional districts has not yet been approved. 

State positions   

Executive: Elections will be held for Governor, Lt. Governor, Attorney General, Auditor and Secretary of State.    

Legislative: West Park is represented by seats in the General Assembly. Both Sweeney and Antonio will seek re-election this year.

Judicial: Some seats face elections in 2022. 

Cuyahoga County   

Executive: At least 3 persons are running for the County Executive post.    

Legislative: Because of staggered terms, only half of the County Council members face elections. The term of Dale Miller, whose District includes West Park, does not expire in 2022.    

Judicial: A new of seats will be on the ballot.     For more info, go to https://boe.cuyahogacounty.gov

House Bill 68 protects Ohio jobs and promotes a healthier construction industry across the state

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State Rep. Bride Rose Sweeney (D-Cleveland) testified Wednesday on House Bill (HB) 68, her bipartisan legislation with State Rep. Jon Cross (R-Kenton) to ensure that prime contractors are paid promptly and construction projects can move forward across the State of Ohio. The bill passed the House with a strong, bipartisan vote of 86 to 11.

“Contractors rely on timely payments to finance bidding on future work, which creates more good-paying jobs for Ohioans. Late payments jeopardize a contractor’s ability to secure their next job and to ensure reliable paychecks for workers,” said Rep. Sweeney. “House Bill 68 is a reasonable, pro-business, pro-worker bill that fosters a healthy and good-paying construction industry in Ohio.”

The bill closes a gap in state law by amending Ohio’s current Prompt Pay Act. It requires timely payments for prime contractors 30 days after they submit an invoice for undisputed, properly performed work. It creates an even playing field with legal leverage that incentivizes bills to be paid in a timely manner, regardless of if a project falls under the public or private sector. 

Ohio law already requires the following timetable for payments, and HB 68 would close the highlighted loophole:

Public Construction Projects

Owner to Prime – 30 days after invoice unless otherwise agreed (R.C. 126.30 and 153.14)

Prime to Sub – 10 days after prime contractor receives payment from owners (R.C. 4113.61)

Sub to Lower Tiers – 10 days after subcontractor receives payment from prime contractor (R.C. 4113.61)

Private Construction Projects

Owner to Prime – No Provision

Prime to Sub – 10 days after prime contractor receives payment from owner (R.C. 4113.61)

Sub to Lower Tiers – 10 days after subcontractor receives payment from prime contractor (R.C. 4113.61)

HB 68 now awaits additional consideration.

There is much work for NOACA to do in 2002.   

Develop a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) to facilitate access to $3 billion available through the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).   

Execute the eNEO2050 long-range plan that identifies comprehensive planning strategies and $14 billion in future transportation and environmental planning projects.   

Connect residents to job hubs through our Workforce Accessibility and Mobility Tool and Van Pool Program.   

Along with our partners, NOACA will begin construction of the $45 million Irishtown Bend Stabilization Project, and  produce a Climate Action Plan.   

These projects and others will transform our region to sustain economic growth and quality of life for all.