I just received the following from rail transportation and smart growth luminary Kenneth Prendergast... read on to learn about Smart Growth and plan to attend an important Rail Stakeholders meeting October 20th... read more!

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While hard to compare to shootings and murder, I can't think of a worse development for NEO, local arts and culture and my neighborhood than the news I recieved just now - Gallery 1300 is closing. I don't know enough details to know if it is "our" fault - not enough money flowing from the community to the gallery and artists - or just that the smart, great people who have made 1300 a core part of the NEO scene have other opportunities to pursue, but I know we all owe it to their team to really put out for them in their closing months. More to come on this as I learn details... for now: the Press Release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE           

Title of the Exhibit: Leave ‘Em Wanting More – The last shows of 1300

Opening Reception: 

5 - October 20, 7-10 – Grant Smrekar, Paul Sydorenko, Bill Rupnik

Cleveland Plain Dealer Architecture Critic Steven Litt is really stepping up to lead the march for a better designed Cleveland, as he has been the lone mainstream voice for intelligent redevelopment of the I-90 bridge and is the lone voice at all for saving the landmark Breuer Cleveland Trust Building on East 9th, between Euclid and Prospect, which for 15 years Jacobs demolished by neglect and now Cuyahoga County Commissioners want to demolish by force, all to build a replacement building for their offices, at great cost to taxpayers... this is the Jacobs Coast Guard Station fiasco X 1000, and community leaders are letting this one slide too.

Richard Louv, a futurist and journalist focused on family, nature and community, will be speaking about his most recent book Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder at noon on Friday, September 22, 2006, at The City Club of Cleveland.

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Imagine a day when the NY Times writes about NEO not just because of great real estate visionary David Perkowski but for political visionaries like in California. NEO leaders talk of how large our regional economy is, and the world knows how large a producer of greenhouse gases we are, so we should be ranked with New York and California in addressing greenhouse gas emissions. In the NY Times today there is an excellent article digging deeper into programs in California, developed by their democratic legislature and republican governor, addressing California's role in the global pollution crisis, and their respnse. We have an election coming up in Ohio in November to choose a new governor and a bunch of other politicians and the number one question of candidates should be how are you going to put Ohio on the same high level of global consciousness about global warming as has California leadership. We must raise the consciousness on this if we are to develop a new economy here, ever... here's how the Times writes of California... "This is the state that in the early 1970’s jump-started the worldwide adoption of catalytic converters... this is the state whose per capita energy consumption has been almost flat for 30 years, even as per capita consumption has risen 50 percent nationally... California, in fact, is making a huge bet: that it can reduce emissions without wrecking its economy, and therefore inspire other states — and countries — to follow its example on slowing climate change." Read more about CA's brave public leadership and the highly-paid, cowardly energy industry lobbyist-attornies below...

Susan Miller posted very exciting news about NEO today: former editor in chief of the Free Times and now columnist for the esteemed New York Times Lisa Chamberlain (props, Lisa!) published in today's New York Times a real plum of promotion for NEO, with an article titled: "Filmmakers Say Hooray for Cleveland". The subject is very smart and progressive local real estate developer David Perkowski, shown above on top of his Hyacinth lofts, which David developed to serve the unique live/work needs of local artists and film and music makers. Anyone who knows NEO knows David for transforming the historic Tower Press building from a dilapidated shell into a spectacular and bustling arts loft complex... one of the most innovative historic restorations and downtown redevelopments in Cleveland History. Well, the Hyacinth is as impressive and significant in similar and other ways.

The Plain Dealer is taking a high road right now in dealing with politicians and the local economy - the same high road of Ronn Richard and the Cleveland Foundation, and most other community leaders in town... we need good education to have an effective economy. The PD quotes Cleveland Foundation President Ronn Richard as saying, at the City Club Friday, "Any plan to reinvigorate Northeast Ohio has to include reinventing, not just improving, public education... In fact, overhauling our educational system must become a national priority". In the Sunday, 09/10/06 Plain Dealer, the PD proudly proclaims: "Newspapers aim to set the agenda for election"... "Some of Ohio's largest newspapers are banding together to urge candidates in the governor's race to focus on three critical issues: kids, college and jobs." Yet neither Ronn Richard or the PD acknowledge the silent crisis of lead poisoning (and, BTW, mercury in our lakes, rivers and Perch-fries) that guarantees each year 10,000s of children in Ohio will not be able to be educated, or become effective members of the economy or society, and will instead be lifelong burdens. As the Washingtonian acknowledges (large PDF) in their more intelligent August 2006 coverage of social issues in Washington, DC, "In DC, hundreds of children are being damaged every year—and the results will be more school dropouts and more crime." For NEO and Ohio leaders to talk about improving education without attacking the lead and toxin crisis is either ignorant of deceitful. I tend to lean toward deceitful, as in the same PD that proposes to care about education, the business section features a puff-piece on the CEO of Ohio coatings manufacturer RPM, which is in the middle of major litigation over asbestos, and the PD uses this opportunity to position that litigation as fraudulent. The interview with RPM CEO Frank Sullivan features he joking about his relations with Sherwin Williams CEO Connor, who is fighting for his life to battle litigation all over America (except in Ohio) against his company over lead poisoning millions of Americans... to these people, harming millions of people is just good business, and the PD celebrates that.

Yesterday, I got an email from Voices and Choices providing feedback from the Choicebook I completed online in July, in preparation for the community meeting they are holding next weekend. Did you complete a choicebook and get your results? Based on the data, showing at best only around 539 other people completed choicebooks, I assume you did not. That means you do not have a voice in how the establishment will steer $100s of millions in "Fund for the economic future" foundation and public money and attempt to steer our economy over the coming decade.

What a week for fine art in Cleveland! In a wise move to spread the cultural-wealth and art enthusiasts time, Spaces made great noise and started the weekend early by throwing their "Street Repairs" opening party on the relatively quiet 09/07/06 Thursday night, drawing in a huge crowd. Read on about Friday's festivities...

CLEVELAND, OH—Ronald “Ronn” Richard, president and CEO of The Cleveland Foundation, will speak on the topic “Revitalizing America’s Post-Industrial Cities: Some Lessons from Cleveland” at noon on Friday, September 8, 2006, at The City Club of Cleveland.

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DESCRIPTION: A Food Co-op is a cooperative of people who come together to buy food, in order to benefit from lower bulk and wholesale prices. They usually specialize in health and organic food and are run democratically with each member having an equal voice to decide overall management of the sotre which is open to the public. Food Co-ops are alternatives to large chain grocery stores both in their management and often in the offerings of food and, thus, represent a local way citizens can control their own food decisions. Sponsored by the Northeast Ohio American Friends Service Committee.

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Bike4Peace is coming to Cleveland again. Last year Bike4peace was hosted by a welcoming party at the Ohio City Bike Co-op and we'd love for you to come join us again! This cross-country bike tour is again arranging a meetup and bike ride in Cleveland Square with a welcoming gathering afterwards!

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One thing I love about Ohio City is seeing so many people of every sort riding about on bicylces. I see 100s of bicyclists go by my home an hour, during the day and evening, from entire families, to parents with their children in tandem, to clearly down-and-outs with all their Earthly possessions strapped on board. Good for them, and the environment... a core benefit of livable cities.

The 09/04/06 Plain Dealer has a blurb about an important step forward in the fight against blight in NEO, writing that "Starting tomorrow, Cleveland Municipal Housing Judge Ray Pianka will order that every abandoned house in foreclosure on his docket carry a sign identifying the owner and the owner's phone number. The name and number of the mortgage company also will be listed, along with the court case number and a contact number for someone at the court. "These owners and mortgage companies have anonymity now. Well, OK, if the case is before the court, now everyone will know who is responsible.""

The high profile murders of John Jackson and Masumi Hayashi, and now Detective Schroeder, have made me more aware of violent crime in NEO, and in my neighborhood. In reviewing PD coverage of the Jackson/Hayashi kllings, I saw Allen T. Jones was killed a block from my house... from the 08/14/06 PD: "A 23-year-old man was killed Friday on the West Side. Allen T. Jones of Montgomery, Ala., was shot in the abdomen about 3:45 a.m. near the corner of West 48th Street and Detroit Avenue.

As the Cleveland Plain Dealer assigns blame for the plight of Cleveland as the most impoverished city in America, they target the black poor. I find this highly disturbing, especially as they completely white-wash the greatest flaw in our economy, which is a century of cow-towing to industry causing and perpetuating toxic contamination of our people and neighborhoods in our urban core.

As I drove from the site of the murder of Detective Schroeder, on West 98th Street, I passed the park dedicated in the honor of the murder of John Jackson and Masumi Hayashi on West 65th, and it occurred to me that there must be a similar park dedicated to Detective Schroeder. This is a fitting way to memorialize the victims of murder, and all violent crime, in our city, as it replaces death with life, and sorrow with joy... it gives people young and old a place to move on in the most healthy possible ways. I do not believe the people of Cleveland want to brush away such tragedy, but rather they want to have a remembrance of those who we lose, and a bright spot to remember that... and they want their neighborhoods to grow stronger so there will be less tragedy there in the future.

The vigil for Detective Jonathan "A.J." Schroeder was punctuated by flashing police lights blocking West 98th Street, which was lined with Cleveland police cruisers and Cuyahoga County Sheriff SUVs. The cause for mourning brought together the detective's brothers and sisters of law enforcement and caring neighbors, young and old - perhaps 100 were still around the site when I attended, around 7:30 PM.

I am just as saddened and horrified by the murder of Detective Jonathan "A.J." Schroeder as of Masumi Hayashi and John Jackson, and the other victims of senseless crime and violence in Northeast Ohio, and I felt a need to visit the site of the shooting and experience the spontaneous memorial growing there, on West 98th Street, and share some images and preserve them here. While I was there, in the rain, an elderly gentleman rode up on a bicycle, stopped, and briefly prayed, in a moving demonstration of the caring of this community. Caring warm-hearted people like he make this a special community, and show our foundation for improvement.

I highly recommend joining in with this great group: see last week's write up here!

green. :: a vegan and vegetarian potluck

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Arrangements for Detective Jonathan "A.J." Schroeder include: A viewing from 2 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at A. Ripepi & Sons Funeral Home, 18149 Bagley Road, Middleburg Heights. A Mass at 11 a.m.

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Arrangements for Detective Jonathan "A.J." Schroeder include: A viewing from 2 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at A. Ripepi & Sons Funeral Home, 18149 Bagley Road, Middleburg Heights. A Mass at 11 a.m. Wednesday at St. John Cathedral, East Ninth Street and Superior Avenue, Cleveland. Burial will be in Monroeville, Pa. Donations The Cleveland Police Credit Union is collecting donations for the Jonathan Schroeder Memorial Fund. For more information, call 216-861-3535 or go to www.cppa.org.

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