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Children find healing and support from trained grief counselors while having fun in a beautiful setting at Together We Can Camp. The deadline for reservations is July 1.

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For the 15th consecutive year, Hospice of the Western Reserve will host Together We Can, a bereavement day camp for children, at Red Oak Camp, 9057 Kirtland-Chardon Road in Kirtland. Transportation to the camp from the Heights will be provided from the nonprofit agency's office at 4670 Richmond Rd. in Warrensville Heights. This year’s camp is scheduled for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, Aug. 6–8, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Space is limited, and registration is required by July 1. 

Each year, up to 60 campers, between the ages of 6 and 14, who have experienced the death of a loved one spend three days in this beautiful natural setting interacting with other children who have also lost someone they were close to. Children have the opportunity to share their feelings and ask questions in a safe, supportive environment. Activities to encourage memories, cope with and express feelings, along with recreational activities are led by trained professionals who are experienced in working with children and grief. Cost for the camp is $25 per camper; scholarships are available.

Some of the cast of Disney Alice in Wonderland from left to right: Sophia Martinelli, Victoria Skok,. Lauren Iott, Rachel Nowak, Zarinah Riddle, Kassidy Cameron and Kealey Kostos. Photo by Stephen Cutri.

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Students from Communion of Saints School performed Disney’s musical production "Alice in Wonderland Jr.," April 19–20 on the Powers Hall gymnasium stage. The play was directed by Lydia Chanenka and the music by Maria Botti-Lodovico.

The school’s drama program is one of the enrichment programs available to students in grades K–8. Communion of Saints School, 2160 Stillman Road (at Cedar Road), was established in 2010 with the merger of four parishes in the Diocese of Cleveland. The school was formerly known as Saint Ann School, established in 1916.

As part of the school facilities plan, the science wing that blocks the view of Cleveland Heights High School's original facade (shown here in 1926) would be removed and the building renovated and updated.

The Cleveland Heights-University Heights Board of Education (BOE) has released the agenda for its June 18 work session meeting. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at the Board of Education building, 2155 Miramar Blvd.

At the meeting, the BOE will consider two resolutions related to school facilities improvements.

The first is a resolution "declaring the necessity of submitting to the electors of the Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District the question of the issuance of school facilities improvement bonds, in the aggregate principal amount of [$134,800,000]."

Join the Dog Project on Saturday, June 29 at 10:30 a.m. outside Cain Park’s Alma Theater gate for a brief, and free, educational gathering. At this first Pooch School, Cleveland Heights dog trainer Ann Trupo, Doggy Do-Right, will discuss reading dog body language and knowing when and how to do dog introductions on a leash.

With a recently enacted pilot program that allows leashed dogs in the park, Cain Park is now a dog-friendly park; however, it is not a dog park, which is a fenced-in space just for dogs to run off-leash. These terms are sometimes used interchangeably, though they have different meanings.

MAY 20, 2013

• Citizen comments
• Memorial Day parade
• Awards for firefighters/paramedics
• Police and fire pension funds
• Waterline replacements
• Purvis Park
• Reverse 911
• Street paving
• Fire department
• Texting ban
  
  

All council members were present.

The Cleveland Heights City Council has posted the agenda for its June 17 meeting. The meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m. at Cleveland Heights City Hall.

As part of the city manager's report, the city manager will request authority to advertise for bids for City Hall parking lot improvements.

The University Heights City Council has posted the agenda for its June 17 meeting. The meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m. at University Heights City Hall.

The agenda includes a second reading of an ordinance, ammending another ordinance, for current expenses and other expenditures of the City, for the period Jan. 1, 2013 through Dec. 31, 2013, and a resolution adopting the 2014 tax budget and declaring an emergency.

The 14-month search for a new Cleveland Heights city manager is over. On June 14, the city announced the selection of Tanisha R. Briley, assistant city manager in Davenport, Iowa, and a Cleveland native.

“The city council is pleased to have found someone who can lead our city into the future,” said Mayor Edward J. Kelley in a press release.

Briley holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from The Ohio State University and a Masters of Public Administration from Cleveland State University.

A new school is planning to open its doors in Cleveland Heights this fall. Urban Oak, a Waldorf school, will open at the former Coventry Elementary School building. It will become one of only 3,000 Waldorf schools in the world, and its founders believe it will attract new families to the community.

The school will initially serve students from preschool through grade two. It will expand each year until it reaches grade eight.

A group of parents, among them architects, attorneys, preschool teachers and a social worker, began planning the school in September 2011.

CH Council Member Bonnie Caplan plans to retire after 20 years on city council.

“20 years was enough. It’s time to do something else,” said Bonnie Caplan, Cleveland Heights City Council member.

At the June 3 Cleveland Heights City Council meeting, Caplan announced that she plans to retire when her term expires in January.

Her retirement marks the end of two decades of service to the city. Her tenure oversaw extensive changes to city infrastructure, battles with funding shortfalls, and an emphasis on Cleveland Heights’s diverse culture.

With seven months to go in her final term, Caplan looked back with pride. “I believe I have been a good representative for the people of Cleveland Heights,” said Caplan. “What I am most proud of is my responsiveness.”

JUNE 3, 2013

• Water rate increase
• Payday lending
• New fire engine
• 1935 Coventry
• LGBT Pride Month
• Cedar Lee SID
• Legal research services
• Powell Caesar
• Purchase legislation amended
• Waterline survey
• Replacement snowplow
• Mayfield Road resurfacing
• Bonnie Caplan to retire
  
  

All council members were present.

MAY 20, 2013

• Community survey
• Zinio magazine service
• Automatic External Defibrillators purchased
• Friends of the Library
• April Public Service Report highlights
  
  

All board members were present.

Porter frequently interacted with Ruffing students. In this 2011 photograph, Porter, who had broken his wrist, shares a moment with All Day Children's House student Anna Fisher, who had broken her arm. Photo courtesy Ruffing Montessori School.

George Porter, the 57-year-old custodian at Ruffing Montessori School in Cleveland Heights, died on June 2.

According to Debra Mitchell, the school’s director of finance and operations, Porter was a beloved staff member. “We would always joke about him being the most popular guy in school,” Mitchell said.

“George would come in [a classroom] to change a light bulb, and all the children would gather around,” Mitchell said. “They would cheer. They would clap.”

Gordon Maas, Ruffing’s head of school, hired Porter in 2003. He said that he was searching for a candidate who was comfortable with children. Shortly after hiring Porter, Maas was commended for his decision because Porter became such a well-respected staff member.

Maas said that Porter was a staple at Ruffing during the past 10 years. He was the crossing guard, knew the names of every student and staff member, and fixed objects around the school. Maas also said that Porter enjoyed interacting with families and dancing at school functions. “He was really embedded in the culture of the school,” Maas said.

To the Editor:

I recently visited Coventry to have a few beers and watch 
the Indians game at the Winking Lizard. I put about $1.25 into the 
parking meter figuring that would be enough to get me through the 
evening. An old friend of mine showed up and I bought him dinner and a 
few drinks. The bar was pretty much empty and there were plenty of 
parking spots available.

Unfortunately I forgot about how much time I had in the meter and 
received a $20 parking ticket.

Often, homeowners presume that making houses more sustainable will require major lifestyle changes or expensive materials and technologies.

That is not necessarily true. On Monday, June 17, 7–8:30 p.m., Home Repair Resource Center (HRRC), the Cleveland Heights nonprofit, will host an informal conversation on practical ways to reduce energy usage around the home. The event will take place at the BottleHouse, 2050 Lee Road in Cleveland Heights.

The conversation, led by sustainability advocate Fred Cortright, will emphasize changes that are realistic, affordable and meaningful.

Rev. Derek Redwine is the new minister of Fairmount Presbyterian Church.

On June 9, members of Fairmount Presbyterian Church in Cleveland Heights voted to call Rev. Derek Starr Redwine as their new senior minister and head of staff. The 262-6 vote was overwhelmingly in favor of the appointment, with seven abstentions.

Redwine has been the senior minister at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Akron for the past seven years. Before that, he was an associate pastor and acting head of staff at Central Presbyterian Church in Denver, and interim director of families and young adults at Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York City. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Miami University and Master of Divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary.

North Coast Health Ministry (NCHM), a faith-based charitable health center in Lakewood, now offers its services to low-income, uninsured residents of Cleveland Heights and University Heights.

Previously, NCHM services were available only to individuals who resided in any of the 17 zip codes in northwestern Cuyahoga and eastern Lorain counties. In May, NCHM eliminated zip code restrictions from its patient eligibility guidelines, enabling it to serve all of northeast Ohio.   

“Our mission has always been about increasing access to health care for the underserved,” said Lee Elmore, NCHM executive director. “The elimination of zip code restrictions will allow us to better meet our community’s changing gaps in need as the health-care environment evolves.”

Many home repairs could be tackled on a do-it-yourself basis, if the homeowner just knew what to do. That’s where Home Repair Resource Center (HRRC) comes in.

HRRC’s repair workshops teach the “how-to” of basic home repairs, with a special focus on maintaining older homes. The workshops are taught by experienced professionals and include opportunities for hands-on practice with the tools, materials, and techniques needed for the project.

Emily Hamburg and Rob Shields of South Euclid attended their first class last fall, a workshop on caulking and weatherization. Since then, they have worked to weather-strip doors, wrap pipes, and seal up gaps—tasks Hamburg describes as “lots of hammer, nail, glue, caulking stuff.” She said that the classes have helped them become “more confident in a hands-on environment, in doing basic things.”

Jeffery Talbert, Cleveland Heights-University Heights school district assistant superintendent, will become the new superintendent for Alliance City Schools.  

In a June 5 statement, the CH-UH City School District announced that Jeffery Talbert, assistant superintendent, has been named the new superintendent of the Alliance City School District.

According to Angee Shaker, director of communications for the CH-UH school district, Talbert submitted his resignation to CH-UH Superintendent Douglas Heuer on June 3—the same day that the Alliance City School District’s Board of Education approved the hiring of Talbert as its superintendent. “As a courtesy,” said Shaker, “he [had] notified the superintendent when he submitted his resume for the position.”

The CH-UH Board of Education (BOE) approved Talbert's resignation on June 4.

Talbert has been the assistant superintendent of the Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District since May 2010. According to Shaker, the BOE had offered Talbert a new contract that would have started July 1.

Michael Jenkins will serve as the new principal of Roxboro Elementary School.

The Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District named Michael Jenkins as the new principal of Roxboro Elementary School. He will take over from Principal Tara Grove, who is moving to Columbus with her family at the end of the school year. 

“We are very excited to have Mr. Jenkins leading our Roxboro Elementary team,” said Doug Heuer, superintendent. “He understands that he has big shoes to fill after Principal Grove, but I am confident that he will exceed expectations. He comes to us with a wealth of experience, in-depth familiarity with our district and a commitment to excellence.” 

The district worked closely with staff, parents and community members to find and evaluate good candidates for this position. Jenkins’ years spent as a teacher at the former Coventry Elementary School were particularly persuasive to Roxboro Elementary School parents.

Alisa Lawson-McKinnie is the new principal at The R.E.A.L. Early College High School at Heights High.

Marc Aden, the principal of The R.E.A.L. Early College High School program at Cleveland Heights High School, and the longest-serving principal in the Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District, has announced that he will retire by the end of this school year.

Aden, an ordained Missionary Baptist minister, said that his future plans include spending more time in the ministry and with his grandchildren.

Taking over for Aden as principal at the end of this school year will be Alisa Lawson-McKinnie, who has been a high school administrator for 17 years. For the last 11 years, she has served as a high school principal in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District.

Jane Simeri, principal of The Mosaic School of Fine and Performing Arts.

The Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District has announced that Jane Simeri is the new principal of the Mosaic School in Cleveland Heights High School. Simeri has been serving as the interim principal since December 2012.  

“Jane Simeri has been a valuable member of our administrative team for several years and this is a perfect posting for her talents,” said Superintendent Doug Heuer.

Simeri began working in the Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District in 1990, when she became a teacher at Cleveland Heights High School. For 10 years she taught business, English, AP and regular government and AP economics classes, and was Teacher Leader in the Renaissance School. During the 2010–11 school year, Simeri was named the Coordinator of Educational Services, with a focus on the gifted and the arts programming.

MAY 20, 2013

• Resident communications: Bike Week, Cain Park Dog Project
• Equipment purchases
• Zoning variances
• Ruffing School learning project
• Nuisance properties
• Police and Fire Pension Funds
  
  

Council member Janine R. Boyd was absent.

The Heights Robotics Team, from left: Yvonne Schiffer, engineering teacher; Bryan Kent; Charlie Bookner of Heisler Tool, a team sponsor; Gabe Wojnarowski; and John Vanas of Euclid Heat Treating, a team sponsor. Not pictured is team member Joshselyn Smith.

The Heights High Robotics Team won first place at The Alliance for Working Together’s Robobots Competition on April 27 for its design process presentation, and finished in the top eight in the battlebot competition. Team sponsors Heisler Tool and Euclid Heat Treating provide both technical and financial support. Team members are Bryan Kent, Gabe Wojnarowski and Joshselyn Smith.

This year, 23 teams attended the competition, and this was the third year a Heights team has participated.

Kent also won the event’s Air Force Award for exhibiting the core values of the United States Air Force: Integrity First, Service Before Self, Excellence in All We Do. Manufacturing industry personnel from Northeast Ohio selected Kent for the award because of his sportsmanship, leadership and knowledge of his craft.

Cuyahoga Arts & Culture (CAC) encourages nonprofit organizations offering arts and culture programming in Cuyahoga County to apply for funding through its 2014 Project Support grant program. New applicants are encouraged to attend one of three informational workshops in Greater Cleveland in June to learn more about the Project Support grant program, and to visit http://www.cacgrants.org/project-support.php for more information and to apply. The Eligibility Check, the first step in the application process, is due Tuesday, July 2, by 4:30 p.m.

The Cleveland Heights-University Heights Board of Education has posted the agenda for its June 4 meeting. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at Wiley Middle School, 2181 Miramar Blvd.

The agenda will include a presentation from the Lay Facilities Committee regarding its plan for school facilities, and an extended period for statements from the audience.

The Cleveland Heights City Council has posted the agenda for its June 3 meeting. The meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m. at Cleveland Heights City Hall.

The Public Safety and Health Committee will present an ordinance authorizing an agreement for the purchase of a fire engine for the Division of Fire. The Community Relations and Recreation Committee will introduce a resolution declaring June 2013 LGBT Pride Month; the Finance Committee will introduce a resolution approving a petition for the adoption of a public services and improvements plan for the Cedar Lee Special Improvement District; and the Municipal Services Committee will introduce a resolution authorizing the City Manager to enter into an agreement with ODOT establishing administrative and other responsibilities for the resurfacing of Mayfield Road.

The University Heights City Council has posted the agenda for its June 3 meeting. The meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m. at University Heights City Hall.

The agenda includes a second reading of a "Code Red" (reverse 911) ordinance.

On Sunday, June 2, Fairmount Presbyterian Church presents its 62nd annual Strawberry Festival on the church lawn at Fairmount Boulevard and Scarborough Road. This traditional spring community event features a variety of foods—including ice cream and strawberries—rides in the Euclid Beach Rocket Car, a flower clown and magic show for kids, a bouncy house, games, and live music by Otis and the Shoreway Saints.


The festival begins at 11:15 a.m., right after the 10 a.m. worship service, and continues for three hours. Tickets are $12 for adults, $6 for children ages 5–17, and free for children 4 and under.

On Friday, June 7, from 6–8 p.m., Noble Road Presbyterian Church presents its annual strawberry festival at 2780 Noble Road.Organizers promise “fab” strawberries, shortcakes, pop, candy, music and fun. The event is free, and donations are welcome.

Members of First Baptist Church of Greater Cleveland gather at the church to begin Faith in Action Sunday 2012.

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For the seventh year in a row, the First Baptist Church of Greater Cleveland (FBC) will forgo worship on the first Sunday in June in order to use the day to engage in projects of service to the wider community. Members of the church have organized 12 projects that will enable people of all ages and abilities to serve.  

Faith in Action Sunday began as a suggestion from one of the members of the congregation who had heard of another church doing it. In recent years, 200 people from the congregation have participated.

“I’ve been asked many times why we would miss a Sunday of worship to hold Faith in Action Sunday,” said Rev. Dr. Martin Rolfs Massaglia, senior pastor of FBC. “We are doing it as an outreach and as a witness—as a visible testimony to our neighbors and to the city that service and mission is one of the highest priorities of our congregation.

Brendan Ring stands on the new outdoor patio. Photo by Deanna Bremer Fisher.

Nighttown’s award-winning outdoor dining space has just gotten even better. Brendan Ring, the restaurant’s owner, purchased a small portion of the parking lot to the rear of the property from the city. Included in the deal was the property on which his original outdoor bar and patio (Stephen's Green) sat, which the city had leased to Ring. “An added bonus,” said Ring, “is that the city will totally repave the parking lot in late July. It’s pretty beat up right now.”

A free Mobile Health Fair offering health screenings and education will be held Saturday, June 22, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Forest Hill Church, Presbyterian, in Cleveland Heights.

Free screenings will include measurements of blood pressure; height, weight, and body mass index; vision, including glaucoma, random dot E, near visual and distance acuity; basic hearing; oral screenings for dental issues; and glucose testing.

Eddy Maddox

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Eddy Maddox has been cutting hair for more than a quarter of a century.

His salon — Eddy’s on Coventry — has a unique atmosphere. The waiting area offers lemon water, coffee and fresh cookies, as well as magazines and a TV, so his customers can relax while waiting for their haircut.

At each cutting stall mirrors are affixed to old house doors. His supply storage area features the doors that used to be on the changing rooms at the Brigade clothing store, a previous occupant of the space.

Eddy’s on Coventry has many five-star ratings on yelp.com.  “We constantly get customers as a result of those reviews,” Maddox said.

Guests enjoy the 2012 Taste of the Heights.

For the past three years, Heights Youth Club (HYC) has celebrated the vibrant Heights restaurant scene with its annual Taste of the Heights event. Guests sample food from local restaurants, sip a soft drink or glass of wine and enjoy local entertainment. 

This year's event will be held June 6, from 6 to 9 p.m., at HYC’s facility, at 2065 Lee Road (near Heights High). Participating restaurants include perennial favorites such as the Mad Greek, Tommy's, Pizzazz and the Tavern Company, and newcomers such as the BottleHouse Brewery, Barle Soup & Sandwich, the Rib Cage and the Katz Club.

The baby boomer generation is changing the way people experience their retirement years With a longer life expectancy, a greater interest in physical fitness, and uncertain economic times, boomers are living their golden years in ways that are different from those of past generations.

Baby boomer is the term used to describe those born between 1946 and 1964, during the post-World War II economic boom. The Huffington Post estimates that approximately 78 million Americans fit this definition, and they are “changing the face of aging.”

The logo for the event was created by Cindy Young, a parent and PTO member.

This year, Communion of Saints School is hosting its first 5K race and one-mile Fun Walk on Saturday, June 22. The chip-timed race, in which runners wear trackers in their shoes to measure their exact time from start to finish, will send participants on a course through the school's scenic residential Cleveland Heights neighborhood, beginning and ending at Communion of Saints's St. Ann location.

In 2006, the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Foundation established a leadership training and development program for engaged neighborhood leaders. The Neighborhood Leadership Development Program (NLDP) is a free, 15-session, 9-month community engagement training program for residents of Cleveland and those who live in its inner-ring suburbs and work with Cleveland neighborhood groups.

Award-winning playwright Eric Coble will be the featured guest at Dobama Theatre’s second annual Dobamarama benefit event on Friday, June 14, at 7 p.m., at the Ariel International Center, 1163 East 40th Street in Cleveland. 

This year’s theme, Where in the World Is Dobama Theatre? will celebrate the theater’s artists and their influence. Coble’s plays “Ten Minutes from Cleveland” and “Ten More Minutes from Cleveland” had their world premieres at Dobama, the 53-year-old professional theater in Cleveland Heights.

Cleveland Heights-based Coble is pleased about his featured role at this year’s Dobamarama. “This is the theater that started my career—they took a shot and gave me my first full production when I was still new to Cleveland, and then, God help them, they just kept letting me bring my work back to their doorstep.”

Jody Getz (Coleman's wife), Wallace Coleman and David King.

On June 28, a year-long apprenticeship—made possible by an Ohio Arts Council grant—will culminate in a traditional blues performance at the BottleHouse Brewery, 2050 Lee Road in Cleveland Heights.

In 2012, Cleveland Heights resident David King received a one-year grant to study harmonica with Wallace Coleman, a nationally known harmonica player. King recalled that Coleman was performing in June 2012 when he approached the “master harmonica player” with an apprenticeship proposal.

Sabrina McPherson. Photo by Dion Harris.

“Made in Cleveland,” an anthology of 11 short films about life and love in the City of Cleveland, will make its world premiere on June 13. The film is the largest independent film project shot in Cleveland, and it features more than 150 actors—one of whom is Cleveland Heights resident Sabrina McPherson

McPherson was born in the City of Cleveland and moved to Cleveland Heights when she was in second grade. Despite her deep passion for acting now, it was not always one of her interests. “I never thought about it,” she said. In fact, she admits that she never even participated in the arts while attending school. “No, crazy, but no,” she said.

McPherson found her calling as an actress later in life. After graduating from Cleveland Heights High School in 2001, she worked as a banker for many years.

In residence at Ensemble Theatre in Cleveland Heights, Mamaí Theatre Company launches its inaugural 2013 season with Euripedes’ “Medea.’’ This production is the U.S. professional premiere of Brendan Kennelly’s translation of the play, and is the first of two plays that Mamaí will present in its first season of performances.

Heights Libraries will celebrate the opening of its new Heights Knowledge and Innovation Center at the Lee Road Library by offering a special series of programs, titled 30 Days of Innovation, throughout June. The series celebrates innovation of all kinds, whether musical, technical, entrepreneurial, artful, or whimsical. Speakers include some of Northeast Ohio’s most innovative thinkers. Below is a sampling of programs offered this month.

Heights Youth Club members Kylia Washington-Ross, Victoria Lewis and Malik Spivey.

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From March 20–22, the Heights Tigers Keystone Club of the Heights Youth Club (HYC) participated in the Boys and Girls Clubs of America National Keystone Conference held in Atlanta, GA. Members of the club earned participation in the All Teens Lead conference, along with 1,800 other teens, by performing community service projects and by taking part in career prep and college tour activities. The teens reported that it was a great opportunity to meet new people from all over the United States and build new friendships.

In this era of test-driven accountability, school can feel like a pressure cooker. The demand for measurable results can dominate every second of the day—often at the expense of young learners exploring their interests, discovering their gifts, and enjoying the pure pleasure of learning.

Summer vacation is more important than ever as a time to recover and relax—and as a time for joyful learning. I’m happy to say that 90 local 10- to 15-year-olds will spend a week this month at the Heights Summer Music Camp, a community-run enrichment opportunity sponsored by Reaching Heights. I direct the camp and helped found it. It’s something I want to brag about because it is a unique music experience and an example of how our community nurtures our youth.

Spicy, an 8-month-old Golden Buff chicken, reads up on backyard chicken raising. Her owner, Heights resident Doug Trattner, wrote the chicken article for Edible Cleveland that Spicy is reading.

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Eighteen families in Cleveland Heights have new additions to their households—hens.

Matt Wilson, who lives near the Lee Road Library, got his coop in June 2012 and owns four hens. He said that having a chicken coop has helped him meet a lot of his neighbors. "Some of them bring friends from outside the neighborhood to see our chickens," said Wilson, adding, "My son's like a celebrity at school, as the kid who owns chickens."

Cleveland is the only other city in Cuyahoga County that permits chickens. Cleveland Heights City Council approved the keeping of chickens for eggs in May 2012 as part of the city’s Sustainable Zoning Amendments. Chickens are conditionally permitted by the new code. The process of amending the city’s zoning code took almost two years and included reviewing the existing zoning code, hiring consultants, holding public and stakeholder meetings, writing documents, and reviewing zoning codes from other parts of the country.

Michelle Duhaney, Sarah Sutherlin and Alanna Nicholas (from left).

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It used to be a grocery store, then a thrift shop. Most recently, it served as an Obama campaign headquarters, but for long intervals in between, the building remained empty. Now Fabuless Finds Resale Boutique and Hypersonic Coffee & Beverage divide the 2,000-square-foot space at the corner of Ardmore and Noble roads in Cleveland Heights.

They join a small strip including Serenity Styling Salon, Pipe’N Hot Grill, Free Styles salon, and MGW Resource Center, a nonprofit offering counseling and mentoring opportunities to teens. The newcomers’ April arrival marks a welcome resurgence in a neighborhood where many businesses have departed over the last decade.

The new Katz Club Diner's grand opening is May 28.

Doug Katz, the chef who owns fire food & drink on Shaker Square and Provenance at the Cleveland Museum of Art, has opened a new restaurant in Cleveland Heights. Called The Katz Club Diner, the restaurant is located in the twin diner cars at 1975 Lee Road, across the street from Zagara’s Marketplace. Katz held a soft opening prior to the diner's grand opening on May 28.

Several other chefs attempted to run restaurants in the historic building modeled after railroad dining cars; but ultimately all failed. Katz, who lives on East Overlook, the street adjacent to the restaurant, believes he can succeed. “I live nearby,” he said, “and I watched all of the incarnations. I watched it, and I watched it, and I watched it fail.” When he found out the building was available, he worked out a deal.

The Cleveland Heights-University Heights Board of Education (BOE) will allow additional time at its June 4 meeting to hear public comments and questions about the school facilities plan and the need to place a bond issue on the November ballot.

Ron Register, school board president, said, “People will still have a five-minute limit, but more individuals will have an opportunity to talk.”

Peggy Spaeth

The Cleveland Arts Prize has announced that Peggy Spaeth, executive director of Heights Arts, is a 2013 winner of the Martha Joseph Prize for Distinguished Service to the Arts.

Spaeth, who plans to retire from her position as Heights Arts director in July, is one of three winners of this year’s Martha Joseph Prize. The other 2013 winners are Jill Snyder, executive director of the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland; and Fred and Laura Bidwell, art collectors and philanthropists, who opened the Transformer Station, a new exhibition space for contemporary art, in Ohio City in January.

Recently, someone brought me a copy of the Healthy & Humane Observer and asked, “When did you start publishing this?” The fact is, the FutureHeights is not publishing any other newspapers. Healthy & Humane is one of several geographically-based or theme-based publications started by the Observer Group, but each one of us is independently owned and operated.

Gateway signs mark the entrances to Grant Deming's Forest Hill Historic Distrct.

Residents of Grant Deming’s Forest Hill Historic District (GDFH) are planning two June events to promote their neighborhood. On Sunday, June 23, from 2 to 4 p.m., realtors representing 20 homes currently listed for sale in the neighborhood will hold open houses.

On Saturday, June 22, the day before the open house, GDFH will host a community-wide garage sale. The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. In case of rain, the sale will be rescheduled for June 29.

Senior Citizen Happenings, sponsored by the City of University Heights, are open to all. Events take place on Thursdays at 2 p.m. at the University Heights Library. For information, and to suggest program topics, contact the UH Office for Senior Services at 216-397-0336.

June 6: Mandy Mehlman, community educator for the Housing Research Advocacy Center, will discuss the center's dedicated efforts to create vibrant, diverse communities, as it celebrates its 30th anniversary.

Fabio Polanco, recipient of Ashland University's Taylor Teaching Award for 2013.

Cleveland Heights resident and Ashland University faculty member Fabio Polanco is the recipient of the university’s 2013 Taylor Excellence in Teaching Award. The award, first presented in 1997, was endowed by the late Edward and Louaine Taylor to support high quality teaching at the university.

Polanco, assistant professor of theatre, joined the faculty in 2007. “Fabio Polanco is someone who is indicative of the high quality of the faculty at Ashland University,” said Frank Pettigrew, university provost. “He is unique in that he is acting in shows all across Ohio, which then he translates back to his students in a real-world approach that helps them become more successful in the industry.”

Free events abound in the Heights this summer. The City of Cleveland Heights is celebrating the 75th anniversary of Cain Park this year, and the park is hosting several free concerts.

On June 18 at 7 p.m., Cain Park will host the first concert in its free chamber music series, which is funded by Cuyahoga Arts and Culture; the Local 4 Music Fund, Leonard DiCosimo, president; and the Music Performance Trust Fund. The series begins with a performance of music from “Downton Abbey” by the Amethyst String Quartet at the Alma Theater. The quartet is led by violist Mary Beth Ions and features musicians from area professional orchestras.

Jim Rokakis, director of the Thriving Communities Institute.

The keynote speaker at the annual meeting of the Home Repair Resource Center (HRRC) will be Jim Rokakis, director of the Thriving Communities Institute, a program of the Western Reserve Land Conservancy. The topic of his presentation will be "Northeast Ohio Housing Market: Down but not OUT."

During a lifetime of community service, including his years as a member of Cleveland City Council and Cuyahoga County Treasurer, Rokakis has worked to find creative ways of reversing neighborhood blight. He was the driving force behind a bill that allowed for the creation of the Cuyahoga County Land Reutilization Corporation (also known as the Cuyahoga County Land Bank) and served as its first chairman. In his current position with the Western Reserve Land Conservancy, he helped to establish 15 land banks in Ohio counties in approximately two years. He also works with Ohio communities in Columbus and Washington, D.C. to raise funds to deal with distressed properties.

This summer, Heights Bicycle Coalition will again host Wednesday-evening rides that showcase our community. These are social rides open to cyclists of all ages. The rides often conclude at a local restaurant or pub for refreshments.

Community Refugee Festival Brochure

Us Together, an east-side refugee resettlement agency, will hold a festival offering entertainment, ethnic foods and a variety of booths from different nationalities.

This Community Refugee Festival will be held at John Carroll University's Green Road Annex on June 7 from 6-9 p.m. Admission is $2 and open to the public.

“The festival will help us introduce our agency and refugees in our area to the community,” said Helen Tarkhanova, Us Together resettlement coordinator. “The organization is striving to improve awareness of refugees.”

Photo by Hugh Fisher.

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With the help of local artists Debbie Apple Presser and Shayna Pentecost, Roxboro Elementary School students transformed the utilitarian fence in front of the school into a field of flowers. Students used recycled materials, such as aluminum beverage cans and plastic yogurt containers, to create the colorful flowers. The project was sponsored by RoxArts, a partnership of parents, teachers and community volunteers dedicated to providing educational programs in performing and visual arts at Roxboro elementary and middle schools.

Book Bike, a sustainable approach to library outreach, will be at area festivals this summer.

Heights Libraries has a fun new way to reach the community this summer—the Book Bike! The Book Bike, a gift from the Friends of the Heights Libraries, will make appearances at festivals, parades and school events this summer and will be stocked with donated or canceled library books to  give away.  Volunteers from the Heights Bicycle Coalition will operate the bike, along with Heights Libraries staff members.

Vivian Porter takes a book from the Little Free Library near the cinder path in the Canterbury Elementary School neighborhood. Vivian says she loves to stop to find a new book on her way home from school. The Heights Libraries Little Free Library project inspired Cleveland Heights resident, Bob Cheshier, who died recently, to build Little Free Libraries in the City of Cleveland.