NOTE: So far this year, NE Ohio has experienced ozone exceedances of the USEPA health-based standard on April 15, May 27, June 18, and July 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, and 15.  Hot summer, folks!

 
Northeast Ohio - Temperatures will be in the 90's tomorrow, and humidity will be very high.  The wind will be almost calm in Northeast Ohio.  Consequently, an Air Quality Advisory is being issued for the counties of Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage, and Summit for Thursday, July 15.

The WHO, WIPO and the WTO are jointly organizing a Symposium at technical level on Access to Medicines: Pricing and Procurement Practices on July 16, 2010 at the Centre William Rappard in the WTO in Geneva.

The purpose of the symposium is to learn what international and regional agencies have experienced in the pricing and procurement of medicines as important determinants of access. It will also provide an opportunity to discuss where to obtain information on access to medicines, their prices and their availability. The core questions are about drug procurement, pricing and relevant intellectual property issues. The discussions will be technical, serving as a forum for participants to share information, views and practical experiences.

Because Cleveland has an awesome Ukrainian community - one of MY communities - still rooted in Tremont, it is possible to visit Saints Peter and Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church on W.7th at College, on Fridays from 9AM - 1 PM, to purchase what are certainly the most authentic and excellent pierogies possible on Earth. I haven't been in years so plan to visit this Friday, in celebration of Taste of Tremont... for good... for real.

 East Cleveland city council will meet at East Cleveland City Hall at 6:30 pm

SYLVAIN SYLVAIN (NEW YORK DOLLS) AND

CHEETAH CHROME (ROCKET FROM THE TOMBS/DEAD BOYS)

PLUS LEZ WARNER (THE CULT, JOHNNY THUNDERS)

AND SEAN RAY KOOS (JOAN JETT AND THE BLACKHEARTS)

Dear citizens of Northeast Ohio who are concerned about health, prosperity and/or the environment....

There is a coal burning power plant operated by Medical Center Company (MCCO) in University Circle, and another has been planned by MCCO for construction in East Cleveland, and that is harmful to the environment, our economy, and the health and educational achievement and so success in life of all citizens in neighboring communities, like Cleveland, East Cleveland and Cleveland Heights, and regionally and worldwide.

This Friday, 5-7 PM, you are encouraged to meet a representative of the Sierra Club to learn more about the pollution and harm caused by MCCO, and alternatives to burning coal in your neighborhood - the Sierra Club is supporting our community to "Move Beyond Coal" and in preparation for a Federal EPA hearing on the renewal of the permit for the MCCO plant to continue burning coal in your neighborhood - August 10, 2010, 4:30-6:45 PM at the MLK Branch of the Cleveland Public Library

You are encouraged to attend that public meeting to speak out against needless pollution of your neighborhoods and families by MCCO, to "Move Beyond Coal".

Dear citizens of Northeast Ohio who are concerned about health, prosperity and/or the environment....

There is a coal burning power plant operated by Medical Center Company (MCCO) in University Circle, and another has been planned by MCCO for construction in East Cleveland, and that is harmful to the environment, our economy, and the health and educational achievement and so success in life of all citizens in neighboring communities, like Cleveland, East Cleveland and Cleveland Heights, and regionally and worldwide.

This Saturday, 3-5 PM - at Peace Park and around Coventry Village, in Cleveland Heights - you are encouraged to meetup with a representative of the Sierra Club to learn more about the pollution and harm caused by MCCO - and alternatives to burning coal in your neighborhood.

Pack a picnic! Make it a family event--ride your bikes and enjoy summer in the Cleveland Cultural Gardens with Opera per Tutti. 

Stay tuned for more concerts and  events all summer long in the Cleveland Cultural Gardens. 

Norm --

Every year, our family tries to come up with a fun way to wish Barack a happy birthday.

And this August 4th, when he turns 49, I have something new in mind.

This has been a big -- and hectic -- year for him. After signing the Affordable Care Act and Wall Street reform into law -- and completing his first year as president -- I think it's safe to say we will remember it for a long time.

It seems I suddenly need to go to Washington DC to meet with Federal officials about air pollution in Northeast Ohio. As timing is critical, I need to leave tonight and drive - returning tomorrow night. Rather than make the trip alone, wasting all that gas for just one person, I thought I 'd see if anyone else in the realNEO community would like to share a ride to-and-from DC for a day-trip there - we should be there for full business hours... 8am-midnight.

Norm --

Every year, our family tries to come up with a fun way to wish Barack a happy birthday.

And this August 4th, when he turns 49, I have something new in mind.

This has been a big -- and hectic -- year for him. After signing the Affordable Care Act and Wall Street reform into law -- and completing his first year as president -- I think it's safe to say we will remember it for a long time.

It seems I suddenly need to go to Washington DC to meet with Federal officials about air pollution in Northeast Ohio. As timing is critical, I need to leave tonight and drive - returning tomorrow night. Rather than make the trip alone, wasting all that gas for just one person, I thought I 'd see if anyone else in the realNEO community would like to share a ride to-and-from DC for a day-trip there - we should be there for full business hours... 8am-midnight.

The Cleveland Public Library Fine Arts Department is pleased to present The Neo-Tessares Saxophone Quartet on August 7th, 2010 at 2pm in the 3rd floor lobby of the Main Library building (325 Superior Ave., Cleveland, Ohio, 44114). The group consists of soprano saxophonist John Perrine, Cory Kasprzyk on alto saxophone, Tom Lempner on tenor, and Richie Gaukin on baritone. They will perform works by Orlando Gibbons, Edvard Grieg, György Ligeti, Mike Mower and John Perrine. This program is free and open to all ages. For more information call 216-623-2848 or visit http://cpl.org/musicatmain. Please join us for this informal, intimate and entertaining concert.

Thanks to the timely, effective intervention of the Sierra Club, the Environmental Protection Agency has agreed to hold a public hearing for citizens to discuss their concerns about the renewal of the permit for the Medical Center Company (MCCO) to burn coal in their powerplant in University Circle (above), harming residents and workers in the densely populated and economically distressed surrounding neighborhood.

Beautifully timed, just days after the EPA Hearing about MCCO's permit to burn coal in excessively polluted Northeast Ohio for five more years, and in the middle of a Smog-Wave and air pollution crisis - as citizens awaken to the fact their air pollution monitoring for Northeast Ohio has been broken by NOACA (Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency - which is responsible for managing air quality here... for as long as there has been a NOACA) - the NOACA Governing Board is meeting on their unluckiest Friday the 13th ever.

The Cuyahoga Democratic Party has asked for the resignation of two of their most powerful and ineffective leaders - Jimmy DiMora is on the NOACA Governing Board and has not personally attended one meeting this year - neither has Tim Hagan. Neither has Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson - his planning Director Bob Brown only attended three... same with Commissioner Jones. RTA Boss Dixon - none. Port representative Raskind - none.  ODOT representative - 2 out of 6 meetings. NOBODY FROM THE EPA.

Citizens must now recognize the breadth of their influence and failure, causing failure of the region and state though such vehicles as the governing board of NOACA.