Update:

Once again our maintenance we hired (exclusive of treehouse) which has been maintaining our property on an as needed weekly or bi-monthly basis for 10 years has had their hands increasingly full picking up trash--broken beer bottles, glass, pizza boxes, and other items around treehouse on our property. Not only does this create a very hazardous situation, but invites strays on the property.

Both long stayed and new residents as well as businesses interest and support for creating a green scape proposed by me for the the property is very high. I feel that this is the most appropriate and positive solution that would benefit all equally without sacrificing additional parking spaces. Creating a huge tar surface with a sea of vehicles (even with some landscaping) right in the center of such a beautiful and historic district would be unconscionable.

The variance appeal for treehouse to expand has been withdrawn, due to the support, unity and vigilence of concerned residents, businesses and political organizations. We now have a grand opportunity to create a most unique greenscape in the heart of tremont. A format for the neighborhood which both residents and businesses can share in pride without adding to the parking congestion of the neighborhood and further solidifying  it as a vibrant , progressive and sustainably oriented neighborhood. A win win situation for all.

The following was sent as a an email message to many editors and reporters at the Plain Dealer and public relations executives at the American Public Transportation Association. You can find a list of recipients at the end of the this article.

The American Public Transportation Association is holding a national conference in Cleveland at the Cleveland Renaissance Hotel through May 5th. Attendees at this conference will be touring the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority's new Health Line.

I've been asked what our traffic looks like over time, so I pulled a few quick charts of the number of visitors to realneo since we started using Google Analytics, and what they have visited, to measure performance of this site - and we've grown by pretty much all counts I've considered important by 30-100% since then - in some cases by 1,000s% - in less than a year-and-a-half.

To maintain the integrity of the streetscape as planned since 2002(rather then put a tar surfaced parking lot in the center of the main district) and  encourage neighborhood, city and local businesses involvement until a more feasible development can be  economically sustained, we're proposing the use of the property as an urban garden and sculpture garden. This would create a visually appealing sustainable green scape and positively enhance tremont, which does not include allowing the variance.

There is a direct conflict of interest in Mayor Frank Jackson's dual roles as Mayor of Cleveland, and controlling the Cleveland Public Schools.

This conflict is illustrated in the potential property tax values that will be distoryed if the Mayor's proposal, (at the behest of the Ohio Department of Mental Health), to build the so-named, "Mayor Jackson Mental Hospital,"  on Euclid Avenue at E. 56th St.

Property Taxes go largely to public schools.

If we see blight, neglect and decay, instead of, "Tear it down," why not say, "Fix it??"

Would any Realneo members like to participate in a seed and plant swap? I would be happy to host. Please post your thoughts on possible dates and times. We could also include garden tools and other gardeing related items if people are interested.

Art of the American Indians: The Thaw Collection

MARCH 7–MAY 30, 2010
Admission free

Location

The Cleveland Food Coop, Cleveland Food Not Bombs & Women Speak Out for Peace and Justice are sponsoring theses events in celebration of International Women's Day, events are free but seating is limited.

Sevi Bayraktar is from Istanbul, Turkey performing Gypsy and Flamenco dances.

Location

Women Speak Out For Peace and Justice Featuring Women ad Militarism Panel, Music & Dance, Ione Biggs Award.

Just one of the Cleveland Area Celebrations of International Women's Day

Location

Have you heard of International Women's Day? I first learned about this holiday/event that celebrates the many achievements and contributions of women about three years ago. Please check out the website International Women's Day to learn about the history of International Women's Day and ways it is celebrated around the world. Next year will be the centenary of International Women's Day. 

I'll be brief.

I co-founded realNEO in 2004 because Northeast Ohio needs realNEO - the world needs realNEO. It is entirely different from any other "social network" or content management system on Earth, building upon the ICEarth co-op conceptual framework.

I developed the ICEarth (Internet/Information Community Earth) conceptual framework in global collaboration, in the late 1990's, and founded ICEarth LLC, in 2002, to build the co-op data warehousing and serving platform for the ICEarth conceptual framework.

We have built specialised hardware for ICEarth, running specialised open source software, all developed to unique specifications. Initial testing of the hardware and software configurations exceeds expectations.

I've Identified Some Astounding Information Technology Talent in real NEO that has been harmed by our regional leadership, and I'm trying to find a nice way to deal with that. Each of these people have risen to positions of demonstrated excellence in their fields - have innovated our regional information technology landscape and had global impact - and each of them have been directly violated by leadership in our community - IT leadership and community development leadership. They have each done the right things - each taken the right steps - and each been blocked along the way. And each are "minority". How do I now give them the proper status they deserve in the community, where they have not been welcome or valued?

With relief I read in a recent Plain Dealer article (1) that Ohio Senate President Bill Harris may lead Republican legislators to skotch the $400 million slow train across Ohio. Mind you, one of the many things we need  in the U.S. to be competitive with the rest of the “advanced” world are fast passenger trains, with reduced carbon footprints, racing between major cities less than 400 miles apart.

Birds on Clark Avenue. http://rag14.weebly.com/birds-on-clark-avenue.html

RAG - Resident Advocacy Group
http://rag14.weebly.com/index.html
http://twitter.com/RAG14Tremont

Photos are from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

There is a very disturbing article in today's Cleveland Plain Dealer, written by their urban-planning-master-in-training at Cleveland State University, that is so full of conflicts-of-interests and halftruths it will take weeks to dismantle the mess.

In my earlier post today, I have to apologize for not pointing out the significant contribution and influence REALNeo co-founder Norm Roulet had in me coming to NEO.

Yah sure - Norm and I don't see things eye to eye, but that's fine with me.

Pre-Cleveland mayorial election (Sept. 29, 2009) head: “Despite revenue dip, city sees no layoffs and balanced budget” running above a story by PD reporter Henry Gomez which had this final paragraph: “In 2010,” [Sharon] Dumas [city finance director], told council members, “as we look at balancing our operating budget, it is our intent to do that – we're hoping – without any layoffs or service cuts,” [Metro | B3].

Cleveland lost another one of its great historic institutions, Sunday morning, as the Lancer Steakhouse burned beyond salvage, and was demolished. Established in the mid-1950's, making it one the first restaurant’s in Cleveland owned and operated by an African American, the Lancer was for five decades at the heart of more political action, and home to more important moments and memories, than any other restautant in this region - a truly historic place in the evolution of Northeast Ohio, for the past 50 years.

And, free wifi.

Now it is gone.

West Side Market - Road Divider Island - near W. 25 and Lorain-Carnegie Bridge 1976 photos from Cleveland Memory Project

Resident Advocacy Group - Tremont

RAG - Resident Advocacy Group
http://rag14.weebly.com/index.html
http://twitter.com/RAG14Tremont

In the Sunday Nov. 29th Plain Dealer cover story about the Health Line Steven Litt deserves much praise for mentioning in the fifth to the last paragraph of a 32-paragraph article that somehow, “a state psychiatric hospital planned near East 55th Street could discourage development of housing and other businesses nearby.”

At least Mr. Litt said it somewhere. This soft touch on something that could be very destructive to the future of Cleveland is puzzling. There is much to look into concerning this proposal.