For me, the most inspiring part of yesterday's Sustainable Cleveland Summit was the appearance
and presentation by Jeremy Rifkin via teleconference.

TAX LEVY TROUNCED: 7 TO 3! 
15-MILL SCHOOL TAX LEVY WAS TROUNCED 7 TO 3 IN VOTE CAST BY AUDIENCE WHO WATCHED LIVELY DEBATE AT LIL AFRICA, 6816 SUPERIOR AVENUE, CLEVELAND, DURING THE EVENING OF AUG. 30, 2012! 
 
The above shows how the results of the vote at the August 30, 2012 debate, organized by the Imperial Women Coalition, were reported on the Facebook page of the SAVE JOHN MARSHALL HIGH SCHOOL campaign. 
 

The City of Cleveland has torn up Fulton Rd. for close to a year now with the reconstruction of this important north-south artery--why are the electric lines NOT channeled underground as promised? 

KOINONIA MEANS COMMUNITY
Koinonia (coin-o-NEE-yah) is a rich, complex word of Greek origin. Community, partnership and generous sharing are at the heart of the word. When translated into English, it means fellowship.

Okay, this is really starting to smell funny and no one is going to say ANYTHING? 

The Land Bank is now...ALSO a Social Service Agency? 

Sadly--women who speak out are the first to be taken down:
http://freepussyriot.org/

How bad is the administration at Cleveland Metropolitan Schools? 

I will post more photos soon--I am compiling images from my neighborhood for a Brooklyn Centre bicentennial celebration 1812-2012.  The little girl above may not appreciate the significance of Independence Day until she is older--her family emigrated from Burundi.  It has been very typical for new Americans to arrive via the Brooklyn Centre neighborhood.

At a dinner conversation the other day, I was told by a person who works with area businesses that the City of Cleveland can condemn a property --regardless of the building condition-- if the water bill is in arrears--true?

I would not be surprised:
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/05/nyregion/arena-developer-rethinking-condemnation-of-houses.html

Thank you today for a beautiful ceremony and a great family event. For all history buffs--Woodland Cemetery is a must visit destination. The Woodland Cemetery Foundation and today's volunteers put together a very special and touching family event.

While the City of Cleveland (Greater Cleveland Partnership) continues to promote burning trash for energy--

We all allow millions of gallons of wastewater to be flushed downstream at a cost to taxpayers?? There has to be a better way!

We live on this body of water.

It's beautiful and blue and inviting, but I am afraid of it. Do I really want to eat fish out of Lake Erie?  (The answer is NO).

At the same time, I am definitely fooling myself, if I think that the fish or other food sold to me at the West Side market or even by a higher end purveyor has any better provenance.

Victims of Plymouth Park: Contact Attorney James McEldrew, III, at  ( 215) 545-8800     or 123 S. Broad Street, Suite 1920, Philadephia, PA  19109    email

jim [at] mceldrewlaw [dot] com">jim [at] mceldrewlaw [dot] com

or

www.mceldrewlaw.com

The re-imagining hype towards promoting local food, healthy living and reversing "food deserts" looks like a huge ruse to me (a tax strategy for land holding and covering up failed real estate investment schemes). Sure--it all sounds hunky-dory and idealistic, and there are some elements of the "vision" that have merit, but large-scale food production in NEO is not feasible. 

I wish I wrote this comment to the PD's soft peddle "in support of teachers" (gee gosh, GCP just figured out they NEED the teachers to push support for a levy...):
 

Within this article there are two messages. The first, of course, is another call by the Plain Dealer to pass a school levy.

Meet with a couple visting from Dayton to research her family--specifically, the Fish Family, one of the original settlers in Cuyahoga County.  It helps that the Brooklyn Centre neighborhood retains some of the architecture and landmarks that can help her trace her family and provide a touchstone. 

How many of us, will be able to have that comfort ten, twenty, thirty years from now??

There are so many  great ironies in NEO--one is the School of Medicine at CWRU located immediately adjacent to the facilities plant that contributes to asthma, cancer and other chronic disease.

I am a TREE!!!

Listen to ME!

How about cleaning house here in NEO?

The City of Cleveland has proclaimed 2012--the Year of Local Food. 

What major food and energy initiatives has the City rolled out?

No real story here--just intrigued by the image-- :)

Taking a break from the usual fare here--I will share a book with REALNEO.  At the recommendation of a young girl, I ordered Good Fortune by Noni Carter through the library.  I was hesistant at first.  I'll admit that I am weary of the recently popular, go-to thematic choices for young adult literature--vampires, gangs, and slavery.

realneo.us/system/files/SaveJohnMarshall.pdf

As completely senseless and criminal as the destruction of John Marshall, the demolition of the Cleveland School of the Arts is now under way. Say goodbye to a fine and elegant building and watch your tax dollars wasted on this instead:

Do Americans want to remember history?  Remembering John Marshall:

How many have been given a "free ride" with no scrutiny from the justice system and the media??