YOU ARE THE BEST REPORTER IN NEO -  YOU HAVE informative and educational NEWS!

So here’s a story which I stumbled upon which is an example of what I call “original content” reporting:    

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I had taken a trip to the Shaker Lakes Regional Nature Center with Tucker (the dog) only to find that Tucker (the dog) wasn’t  invited onto the grounds.    The Nature Center suggests that dogs, bikes, should avoid the sanctuary.   So I went for a walk around the perimeter of the Nature Center and poked about into some of the woods where dogs weren’t rejected..  

We went here and there, avoiding the grape vines which went to the top of 60 foot trees -but which must have taken root decades ago when the trees weren’t there   Grape vines don’t take root under mature hardwoods.  Grape vines take root in open fields and grow up neck and neck with the hardwoods.   If a maple is 60 feet high/60 years old and is festooned with a grape vine, that vine is 60 years old too. 

Tucker sniffs everything, his nose being much more receptive than his eyes, I think. 

Then my eyes saw a lurid chartreuse phosphorescent green in the small stream (photo above)

The color seemed heavier than the water, sitting in the bottom of the depressions in the stream.

Antifreeze?  Ethylene Glycol?  Antifreeze is sugary tasting, and if ingested by animals is deadly.  Antifreeze may be used in solar heating systems or other HVAC systems. I thought maybe someone had a antifreeze loop at their house upstream and had, for some reason, dumped the antifreeze in the storm drain.

Cell phoning, I contacted the SLRNCenter and left a message.  Moments later a call came back.

Laura was on the case. 

Bring sample jars I suggested.

Here’s what took place after that:

Lara  came and took a look and substantiated that there was radical chartreuse.

Lara called the Shaker Heights fire department. 

The fire department arrived, confirmed the color extreme, and mentioned that the North East Ohio Region Sewer District  used dyes to test for sewer leaks.

They called NEORSD and were told that no dye testing was in progress in Shaker.

Next, the fire department began to go door to door up the drain pipe from the stream, asking if anyone had used a dye to do testing of their storm or sewer systems. 

 Low and behold the fire department reps knocked on a door where someone was heads up and said yes! We’ve had a plumbing problem and we did use dye. 

Apparently the dye is non-toxic.  When I returned a week later, there was no trace of dye in the stream.

When you travel your neighborhood, don’t hesitate to believe that what you observe and find interesting or controversial or important – very likely is interesting, controversial and important.  Get to the bottom of your story – let your community know what you see and think.   Your reporting will improve your community and your environment.

Additionally, with Google searching every story on the internet, your reporting can help others in similar situations in the future.   If you see any problem or circumstance you don't fully understand, Google it.  Chances are, someone has blogged or posted about that problem or situation and you will find an answer on-line ASAP.    This blog post may help others in the future who find green dye in their stream. 

Hat’s off to Shaker Heights for their successful forensic efforts.