Neighborhoods

Noble Neighbors turns 10

Noble Neighbors will celebrate its 10th anniversary on Jan. 10, 2024.

It began as a gathering of neighbors responding to a violent crime, but quickly grew into a group of citizens who considered what they could do to help make their neighborhood more friendly, safe and attractive. The list of achievements toward that goal is extensive.

What once was a neglected quarter of the city is now a talking point for every candidate who seeks local public office. Noble Neighbors election forums for city council and contested school board elections have enjoined citizens from all areas of Cleveland Heights to consider how support for the neighborhoods along Noble Road impacts the city as a whole.

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Volume 17, Issue 1, Posted 11:55 AM, 12.28.2023

CHGT and partners work to restore Caledonia ravine

In 1991, thanks to the dedicated efforts of then-council member Barbara Boyd, Cleveland Heights secured a 99-year lease on a neglected parcel—used, in part, as dumping ground—in the Caledonia section of the city and converted it into a park. Today, it’s known as Barbara H. Boyd Park.

The property straddles Cleveland Heights and East Cleveland, with a southern border flanked by a stunning gorge carved by West Nine Mile Creek. Years of neglect and illegal dumping diminished the ravine’s health and resilience.

In May 2021, the Cleveland Heights Green Team (CHGT) became aware of the ravine’s condition as it canvassed opportunities for green-space beautification within the city limits.

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Volume 16, Issue 11, Posted 11:52 AM, 10.30.2023

Russell presents tenant-landlord law workshop Oct. 14

On Oct. 14, Cleveland Heights City Council Member Davida Russell will present an educational session on tenant and landlord law, focusing on leases, contracts and agreements.

For this session, part of a series, Russell has partnered with Cleveland Heights Municipal Judge J.J. Costello, attorney Lon’Cherie Billingsley, and representatives of the Fair Housing Center and the Legal Aid Society. They will answer questions and share resources about tenant rights and rental or housing assistance.

The event is planned for Saturday, Oct. 14, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. It will take place at Church on the Heights at 2706 Noble Road—a location requested by residents.

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Volume 16, Issue 11, Posted 11:28 AM, 10.11.2023

Childhood friends reunite on Compton

On Sept. 8 and 9, a Cleveland Heights neighborhood hosted a reunion of those who grew up on Compton Road, between Mayfield Road and Euclid Heights Boulevard, in the 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s.

Compton-roaders think of Compton Road as being like no other—it seemed special. Kids grew up together, played together, walked to school together, took part in Girls’ Army and Boys’ Army. Parents socialized together and parented other people’s children—lunches, sleepovers, etc. The street had woods behind it and a creek running through it—lots of places for adventure and exploration.

Maybe Compton Road was not so unusual for its time. Most mothers didn’t work; there was only one car, and that car was absent during the day; kids walked to school and played outside. Perhaps there were other streets like Compton.

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Volume 16, Issue 10, Posted 10:43 AM, 09.29.2023

Noble Gardeners' Market welcomes musicians this season

Noble Gardeners' Market (NGM) 2023 will open for the season on Saturday, Aug. 5, and run for eight consecutive Saturday mornings, 10 a.m. to noon, through Sept. 23.

The market is located at the corner of Noble and Roanoke roads, at the site of the Noble-Roanoke Mini Park, one block north of the intersection of Monticello Boulevard and Noble Road. (The Cleveland Heights Centennial Celebration mural was installed on an exterior wall of the building next to the park.)

New this season, NGM is welcoming area musicians who are willing to offer their gift to the neighborhood. Interested musicians should send an e-mail to nobleneighbors@gmail.com for additional information and to get on the schedule.

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Volume 16, Issue 8, Posted 3:24 PM, 07.31.2023

Brown celebrates Coventry with 'Lov for Cov'

Robert (Bob) Brown has lived in Cleveland Heights for 47 years. For the past 20, he's been a resident of the Coventry Village neighborhood with his wife, Susan Berger. They share their home with their current dog, a Labradoodle named Ori.

In spring 2023, Brown self-published a 68-page photo essay he authored, Lov for Cov. In it, he provides a loving history of Coventry Village and its unique architecture, people and walkable neighborhood. Brown’s Coventry Village is defined as bordered by Coventry Road on the west, Superior Avenue on the east, Mayfield Road on the north and Euclid Heights Boulevard on the south.

From Marcus M. Brown, who pushed the streetcar and inter-urban rail line through Coventry in about 1903; to the late Rabbi Zalman Kazen, the butcher at the old Coventry Poultry Market; to interviews of the owners of Tommy’s and Mac’s Backs—Lov for Cov has it all.

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Volume 16, Issue 8, Posted 3:15 PM, 07.31.2023

Celebrate We are Noble May 19–21

We Are Noble 2023, the May 19–21 celebration of the people and places in the Noble Road neighborhoods of Cleveland Heights, will kick off on Friday, May 19, 6–8 p.m., with NobleFest, the Noble Elementary School family fun fair, on the school grounds. Kids will have the opportunity to enjoy games and activities with friends.

The complete weekend schedule for May 19, 20 and 21 is unfolding at www.nobleneighbors.com. There, Noble neighborhood residents, businesses and institutions can find information about We Are Noble 2023.

Heights residents from other neighborhoods are invited to join in the celebration to discover new features of the neighborhood; explore its parks, business districts and eclectic houses; and meet new people.

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Volume 16, Issue 5, Posted 1:06 PM, 05.01.2023

Heights groups to host multiple Earth Month events on April 23

On Sunday, April 23, neighborhood groups across Cleveland Heights will be hosting cleanups and beautification projects, followed by informal social gatherings.

Residents and businesses are invited to participate by joining one of the events listed below, or by hosting their own event in their Heights neighborhood.

The goal of the April 23 clean-up initiative is to pair community service with community-building through environmental awareness and stewardship, in celebration of Earth Month. The initiative is sponsored by FutureHeights, Coventry Neighborhood Group, and Cleveland Heights Green Team (CHGT).

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Volume 16, Issue 5, Posted 9:25 AM, 04.18.2023

Community cleanup planned for April 23

An Earth Month Spring Cleanup & Social (SC&S) is planned for Sunday, April 23, 2 to 5 p.m.

Sponsored by FutureHeights, Coventry Neighborhood Group, and the Cleveland Heights Green Team (CHGT), SC&S is a communitywide event that invites residents, neighborhood groups, schools, business districts, and faith-based organizations to come together to act. Its goal is to pair community service with community-building, through outreach and inclusion, while promoting environmental awareness and stewardship.

According to Catalina Wagers, co-founder of CHGT, actions can range from helping an elderly neighbor spruce up their yard, to neighborhood litter cleanups, prepping community garden beds, and more.

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Volume 16, Issue 4, Posted 10:39 AM, 04.02.2023

Dec. 3 light fest will set Grandview aglow

On Saturday evening, Dec. 3, to celebrate the beginning of winter, the entire length of Grandview Avenue will glow with hundreds of luminaries.

The 10-person team of neighborhood volunteers, who launched the Grandview LightFest event last year, invite Heights residents from other neighborhoods to visit the street after dark to enjoy the lights. 

"The luminaries transform our neighborhood for one night,” said Andrea Crabb, who helped spearhead the event. “They line both sides of the street from Cedar to North St. James and create a magical winter village, and we want as many people as possible to enjoy it.”

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Volume 15, Issue 12, Posted 9:14 AM, 11.29.2022

Millikin playground offers fun August programs for all

Free summer-fun activities at Millikin playground continue throughout the month of August.

They include an environmental afternoon with a woods walk and art activities on Aug. 7 at 2 p.m.; theater games on Aug. 8 at 7 p.m., activities with Lake Erie Ink on Aug. 14 at 1:30 p.m., a concert with Cory Michael on Aug. 15 at 7 p.m.; Wiz Bang Circus on Aug. 21 at 1:30 p.m., and 10K Movement demonstrating and teaching hip-hop dance on Aug. 29 at 7 p.m. (All activities have rain dates.)

For additional information on these August activities, and a look ahead to September’s, send an e-mail to cpankhurst@ameritech.net or robinkoslen@gmail.com.

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Volume 15, Issue 8, Posted 10:33 AM, 07.29.2022

Monticello residents undertake curb-appeal project

Residents of Monticello Boulevard have been working together to enhance the “curb appeal” of the 70 properties along the busy corridor from Lee Boulevard to N. Taylor Road. Extending through the east-west borders of Forest Hill, the corridor is a prominent showcase for Cleveland Heights.

The project is simple: edging along both sides of the sidewalk, removing weeds from sidewalk cracks and along the curb, and removing debris from street gutters.

The project's success reflects residents’ interest in improving the appearance of this busy street. It also serves as an example to build awareness of this simple process, to enhance curb appeal on other streets, in Forest Hill or elsewhere.

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Volume 15, Issue 6, Posted 10:03 AM, 05.26.2022

Volunteers restore native species to Bradford Cinder Path

Friends of the Bradford Cinder Path (FBCP) is a group of neighbors who have been working to improve the unique pedestrian path since May 2020. The much-traveled path extends four residential blocks, from South Taylor Road to Canterbury Road, where it lies next to the Canterbury community garden.

Workdays for the upcoming FBCP season will be Mondays at 10 a.m., weather permitting. Six Saturday workdays are also planned, beginning at 10 a.m., April 16, May 21, June 18, Sept. 17, Oct. 15, and Nov. 19. Any questions about where to meet can be sent to friends.bradford.cinder.path@gmail.com.

In 2021 the historic path was designated a Cleveland Heights Landmark.

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Volume 15, Issue 4, Posted 11:28 AM, 04.02.2022

Noble Neighbors reflects on eight years of advocacy

Noble Neighbors (www.nobleneighbors.com) is celebrating its eighth year of advocacy for the neighborhoods along Noble Road. In 2021, another year marked by adaptation and creativity, Noble Neighbors found ways to gather and serve the community, while maintaining COVID protocols.

The new mini-park at Noble and Roanoke roads—developed as a gift to the community by Barb Sosnowski, Laura Marks and others—served as the site of various community activities.

In January, instead of holding the usual annual dinner celebration, Noble Neighbors gathered to create a temporary art display at the park. All residents were invited to express wishes for the upcoming year, which were then displayed on colorful tin-can wind chimes hung in the trees.

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Volume 15, Issue 1, Posted 10:56 AM, 01.01.2022

Vote for Noble Road in America’s Main Streets Contest

FutureHeights has nominated Noble Road in the America’s Main Streets Contest. More than 100 places across the country have been nominated this year, all vying for the chance to win $25,000 in cash and prizes. This “popularity contest” is won by the nominee who gets the most votes. Anyone who wants to participate can vote as often as once per hour every day until Nov. 7, at which time Noble Road will either advance to the quarter-finals or be eliminated from the running.

To vote, go to https://mainstreetcontest.com/profile/129.

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Volume 14, Issue 11, Posted 10:47 AM, 10.26.2021

Halloween festival is planned for Cedar Lee

On Saturday, Oct. 23, Dobama Theatre will present the inaugural Heights Halloween Festival, in collaboration with Wizbang!, the city of Cleveland Heights, and the Cedar Lee Special Improvement District. 

This new, free, family-friendly event will take place 4–7 p.m., in the Cedar Lee Business District on Lee Road. The traditional Cedar-Lee Kids Candy Crawl will be incorporated into the festival, so participants are encouraged to bring their goodie bags and be ready to trick-or-treat at businesses along the route. 

The centerpiece of the event will take place at the green space at the intersection of Meadowbrook Boulevard and Lee Road. There will be a variety of activities to watch and do, such as character meet-and-greets, where families will have an opportunity to take photos with well-known and beloved characters, and juggling circus performers.

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Volume 14, Issue 10, Posted 12:28 PM, 10.01.2021

Noble Gardeners' Market opens Aug. 7

Noble Gardeners' Market (NGM) will open for the 2021 season on Saturday, Aug. 7, and will run for eight weeks, through Sept. 25, on Saturday mornings, 10 a.m. to noon.

The market takes place at the corner of Noble and Roanoke roads, at the site of the new Noble-Roanoke Mini Park. (The Cleveland Heights Centennial Celebration mural has been installed on an exterior wall of the building next to the park.)

NGM provides an opportunity for neighbors to buy from, and sell to, one another. Market offerings include fresh flowers, fruits and vegetables. Anyone who grows in their backyard or in a community garden is welcome to sell—for just a week or two, or for the entire eight-week season. Sellers do not need to live in Cleveland Heights to participate.

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Volume 14, Issue 8, Posted 3:45 PM, 07.30.2021

Benches aim to enhance Noble corridor

Noble Road has just gotten a bit more comfortable. Five new benches were installed there in July as part of the Noble-ity Project, an Early Action Project undertaken by the Noble Road Corridor Steering Committee as part of the Noble Road Corridor Planning Project. FutureHeights, the community development corporation for Cleveland Heights, formed the committee in winter 2018, subsequent to the planning process it had led in partnership with the cities of Cleveland Heights and East Cleveland, and several community groups.

The planning process took a comprehensive look at the needs and opportunities along the Noble Road Corridor, focusing on its four commercial districts: the Noble, Mayfield, Warrensville Triangle; Noble Monticello; Noble Nela; and Noble Euclid in East Cleveland. Goals of the process include promoting walking, bicycling, and transit use; promoting “placemaking” and strengthening community life; the productive use of vacant/under-utilized sites; providing additional jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities; and increasing property values.

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Volume 14, Issue 8, Posted 3:42 PM, 07.30.2021

Millikin neighbors make revived playground a gathering place

Once upon a short time ago, in 2019, a group of neighbors living near the former Severance Millikin Elementary School decided that the neighborhood needed a spiffed-up playground and an attractive place for neighbors to gather. They formed the Millikin Neighborhood Group.

The old Millikin school occupies a unique spot in Cleveland Heights. South of the school, many of the residents are Orthodox Jews. North of the school, residents comprise the usual mixture one finds in many Cleveland Heights neighborhoods: young, old, black, white, lots of little kids, and multigenerational homes. 

The Millikin Neighborhood Group believed that the school playground and its surrounding woods could become a place in Cleveland Heights where families and friends gathered.

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Volume 14, Issue 8, Posted 8:01 AM, 07.27.2021

Applications for fall FH leadership series due Aug. 31

FutureHeights (FH) invites Cleveland Heights residents who want to create positive change in their neighborhoods to apply for the 2021 Neighborhood Leadership Workshop Series.

This multidisciplinary neighborhood leadership development program is designed for individuals who are enthusiastic about positively contributing to the community in which they live, work and play. Participants will learn leadership skills and gain knowledge about best practices, tools and techniques to make their neighborhoods strong, safe and vibrant.

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Volume 14, Issue 7, Posted 1:15 PM, 08.24.2021

Cedar Fairmount district plans summer of activities

The Cedar Fairmount Special Improvement District (SID) is moving away from its traditional one-day festival to instead offer an entire summer of activities, from June through August.

The district hopes to renew its pre-COVID vitality by encouraging more people to walk to Cedar Fairmount, dine at its restaurants, raise glasses and celebrate in its bars, discover the many unique items in its stores, and support its services.

The summer’s plans and activities include Food Truck Tuesdays, Music Thursdays, and Family Arts/Entertainment Saturdays.

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Volume 14, Issue 7, Posted 9:32 AM, 06.08.2021

Boulevard Neighbors recaps recent projects

Boulevard Neighbors is a growing network of residents who live in the neighborhood near Boulevard Elementary School, bounded by Cumberland, Taylor, Mayfield and Berkeley roads. Among the projects the group has undertaken this spring are:

  • Identifying a need for more trees in the neighborhood. Members are reaching out to neighbors and collaborating with Heights Tree People to plant trees in front yards, for free. For more information, send an e-mail to heightstreepeople@gmail.com.
  • Building and installing a Little Free Pantry in front of Beth El – The Heights Synagogue, on Desota Avenue, where neighbors can donate non-perishable food items for use by those in need. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned for May 23 at 4 p.m., followed by a walk to Compton Road to discuss the potential Compton Greenway with Cleveland Heights City Planning Director Eric Zamft. For more information and to participate, contact Elaine Price at elaine.price@att.net.
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Volume 14, Issue 6, Posted 9:28 AM, 05.17.2021

CH artist enhances TOH construction site

As construction continues on Top of the Hill (TOH), the $80-million mixed-use development at Cedar Road and Euclid Heights Boulevard, developer Flaherty & Collins and Cedar Fairmount Arts have installed a banner featuring artwork by a Cleveland Heights artist, to enhance the construction site and provide information about the new development.

“Cedar Fairmount Arts, a new nonprofit, designed the banner as its initial project,” said Myra Orenstein, executive director of the Cedar Fairmount Special Improvement District. “It was installed in late January.”

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Volume 14, Issue 3, Posted 11:16 AM, 02.02.2021

Two-family homes are a boon to owner-occupants

Cleveland Heights has more than 1,200 two-family houses, located in many of its neighborhoods. Also known as doubles, duplexes, and two-flats, this housing type was popular between the 1910s and 1930s, when the city was developing. Having fallen out of fashion in more recent decades, many Cleveland Heights residents are rediscovering the benefits of this unique housing style.

“It has been a great way to transition into homeownership,” said Amanda Isaacson, who lives in one unit of a double she owns in North Coventry. “There are good mortgage options for first-time homeowners and owner-occupants. The property pays for our mortgage and makes income. Buying and occupying a multi-family home is a great way to invest and create capital.”

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Volume 14, Issue 2, Posted 10:47 AM, 01.29.2021

Millikin neighbors enhance their park

Residents of the neighborhood surrounding the former Millikin Elementary School have come together to enhance the small playground on the site and create a vibrant community space.

The Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District closed the school in 2006 and is currently using the buildings there to house its maintenance operations.

Starting with just six neighbors in 2018, the Millikin Neighborhood Group began efforts to revitalize the playground, which continued to be used by many young families in the neighborhood. The group organized a cleanup of the playground area.

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Volume 14, Issue 2, Posted 11:41 AM, 01.28.2021

Delmore Community Orchard beautifies Noble neighborhood

“This neighborhood used to be an orchard, and I figured it would be a nice way to bring up the community,” said Danialle Benham. Once the site of an abandoned home, the Delmore Community Orchard has become an engaging, beautifully landscaped outdoor space and a peaceful place to visit.

Benham worked with neighbors, including Margaret Lann and Michelle Moehler, to create this green oasis in the Noble Neighborhood. The women brought community volunteers together, including many teens, to layout the orchard site, build raised beds, install plants, and gather funding. Lann orchestrated applications for grant and community funding for supplies, while Moehler designed the orchard’s logo and signage.

Their labors have created a hidden treasure that invites neighbors to enjoy tranquility while sitting in the shade of the trees.

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Volume 13, Issue 12, Posted 8:49 AM, 12.01.2020

FutureHeights mini-grants celebration goes virtual

On Tuesday, Dec. 8, FutureHeights will host its annual Neighborhood Mini-Grants Community Celebration to recognize mini-grant recipients and celebrate the work they are doing in Cleveland Heights neighborhoods.

In 2020, FutureHeights concluded its 11th round of neighborhood mini-grants, funding grassroots and neighborhood-serving groups to help fulfill their community visions. The program, which began in fall 2015, has funded 47 projects for $30,386.08 throughout the city of Cleveland Heights.

Project types include beautification and gardening, arts, placemaking, youth engagement, community-building and social services.

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Volume 13, Issue 12, Posted 8:57 AM, 12.01.2020

Growing up Black in 1970s' Coventry Village

When Denise Watson was in sixth grade, in 1974, the youngest of eight children, her family moved from Cleveland to a house on Hampshire Road in Coventry Village. At the time, hers was one of the only Black families in this Cleveland Heights neighborhood.

“Coventry Village was a great family place,” Watson said. “I have an image of kids doing cartwheels through front-yard sprinklers. Kids walked to the parks and playgrounds, and families actually talked to each other. We didn’t have our heads buried in computers or cell phones.”

She remembers the neighborhood as very welcoming. “All of my friends were white,” she said. “The only racial problem I remember was the fact that some Black kids at school thought I hung out too much with white kids.”

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Volume 13, Issue 11, Posted 5:59 PM, 11.01.2020

Noble's community projects thrive despite pandemic

The pandemic may be altering the usual social patterns, but several projects in Noble are proving to be creative ways to foster community connections.

The Roanoke-Noble Mini-Park continues to transform into a garden of delights. In the spring and summer, a new, curved landscape wall enfolded new, raised beds for perennials and pollinators. The crushed brick diagonal walk was reworked to include river stone. This fall, a Little Free Library, build by a neighbor, was installed in an area dedicated for kids. Seating there, made of natural materials, is perfectly sized for shorter legs. Children can easily grab a new book from the library’s stock (targeted for them) and sit comfortably to read it. Nearby, two new adult-size picnic tables provide relaxation for adults accompanying their children, while giving the kids a space of their own.

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Volume 13, Issue 11, Posted 6:45 PM, 10.29.2020

‘Scareborough’ Road addresses Halloween during the pandemic

Scarborough Road in Cleveland Heights is known for its enthusiastic participation in Halloween. Many of the street’s residents put up elaborate displays during the month of October, and residents on the middle block of the street hang a banner on Oct. 31, rechristening the street “Scareborough,” to welcome trick-or-treaters.

Unofficial counts estimate the yearly number of trick-or-treaters on the street at more than 1,000—give or take a few sneaky ghosts and goblins who manage to go through the candy lines twice.

But Halloween 2020 will be different on “Scareborough” due to COVID-19 and the need for social distancing.

Scarborough residents in the middle block created a website to address the changes, and to offer residents resources to try to ensure a safe, fun holiday.

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Volume 13, Issue 11, Posted 11:32 AM, 10.18.2020

Baseball team and community help house fire victims

On June 24, Cleveland Heights High School’s 18U summer baseball team was supposed to play an away game in Perry. But the Perry field was soaked from an overnight rainstorm, so the game was moved to Heights High’s home field.

Partway through the game, a loud bang surprised players and fans alike. As they looked around, they heard children screaming and saw them running away from a house on Washington Boulevard. With the sight and smell of smoke in the air, parents, players and fans from both teams rushed to help.

A recently renovated duplex had caught fire due to faulty wiring in the garage, leaving two families—12 people and a dog—without a home.

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Volume 13, Issue 8, Posted 2:39 PM, 07.20.2020

Hundreds march for a safer Heights

On Sunday, June 14, another peaceful and powerful rally brought hundreds of Heights residents together in unity with the Black Lives Matter movement. 

Organized by Safer Heights, a grassroots activist group, the event began with speakers at Coventry P.E.A.C.E. Park who then led leagues of chanting and sign-carrying participants through Coventry Village, down Mayfield Road to Superior Road. The march paused outside of Christ Our Redeemer AME Church, where participants took a knee for a moment of silence. Then several speakers shared stories about their experiences as black members of the Cleveland Heights community, and called for systemic changes in policing.

The march then continued down Superior Road, looping back to Coventry P.E.A.C.E. Park, where organizers addressed the large and enthusiastic crowd, thanking community partners and volunteers who helped make the day a success. 

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Volume 13, Issue 7, Posted 10:40 AM, 06.16.2020

Neighbors create new mini-park on Noble

A new mini-park is shaping up at the corner of Roanoke and Noble roads in Cleveland Heights, where Laura Marks of Heights Tree People, and Barb Sosnowski of Noble Neighbors Gardeners, are turning a vacant lot into a place of beauty and delight.

Their plan includes enhancing the crushed brick on the park’s diagonal walkway by adding river rocks with fossilized ripples. A gathering area with a picnic table will be placed near the center of the walkway, and shade will be provided by ornamental trees planted by the city.

Sosnowski and Marks had separately considered how to transform the lot into a community-building asset. They shared their ideas with the Noble Corridor brainstorming group, a project initiated by Jill Tatem, in response to the Noble Road Corridor Planning process, led by FutureHeights last year.

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Volume 13, Issue 6, Posted 10:39 AM, 06.02.2020

We Are Noble, May 15–17, adapts to the 'new normal'

We Are Noble, the annual neighborhood event, has two main goals: First, to enjoy and celebrate neighbors, and thus build up the community; and second, to demonstrate to those outside the community that the Noble neighborhood is a great place in which to live and invest. 

This year’s We Are Noble celebration, May 15–17, will take on a creative new look as those in the Noble district of Cleveland Heights, like all Ohioans, work to keep one another healthy. Instead of gathering at event hubs (at yard sales, institutions, and parks), We Are Noble participants will celebrate from their homes.

Those who live and work near Noble Road are asked to unite around four themes: Show, Support, Serve, and Savor. Noble Neighbors, the community organization, is offering suggestions for creating displays and motivating actions around each theme.

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Volume 13, Issue 6, Posted 12:05 PM, 05.11.2020

FutureHeights awards spring mini-grants

FutureHeights awarded $3,175 in grants to support six projects in Cleveland Heights in the spring round of its 2020 Neighborhood Mini-Grants Program.

Noble Neighbors received $500 for the Noble Nook project, which seeks to transform the vacant lot at Noble and Roanoke roads into an attractive space that encourages community use. For more information, visit www.nobleneighbors.com.

Maple, Crest, Wood, & Parkhill Neighbors received $500 for the Millikin Playground Enhancements project, which will enhance the playground at the former Millikin Elementary School building and facilitate community-building in the neighborhood.

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Volume 13, Issue 5, Posted 11:59 AM, 04.30.2020

Chatfield lights up in memory of Bill Mangano

Chatfield Drive neighbors began setting out the luminaries just before dusk on Sunday, March 1. Carefully spaced in a long, flickering, meandering line stretching from Cedar Road to Fairmount Boulevard, it was a beautiful silent tribute to one of their own. 

This was the second such memorial on Chatfield in recent years. This one in honor of Basil “Bill” Mangano, who passed away unexpectedly of a heart attack on Feb. 27. He was 49. 

Once the candles were lit, Bill’s wife, Amy, their teenage daughters, and two dozen family and friends emerged from the Mangano home and took a slow, cathartic walk down Chatfield.

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Volume 13, Issue 5, Posted 12:55 PM, 04.20.2020

Butterflies perform Easter Sunday dance

Cleveland Heights artists Robin VanLear and Story Rhinehart Cadiz performed a butterfly dance at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church (at Fairmount Blvd. and Coventry Road) on April 12, Easter Sunday, from 11 to 11:30 a.m. The mother-daughter duo danced in costume on the church’s front lawn while its carillon played from the bell tower. 

Several people who were out walking in the neighborhood stopped to watch and listen. “It was a great experience,” said VanLear. “There were many waves and occasional honks from passing cars.”

VanLear said that the duo plans to perform again. “Weather permitting, we will try and go out at the same time other Sundays in different, appropriate costumes,” she said.  

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Volume 13, Issue 5, Posted 2:17 PM, 04.14.2020

Construction on Top of the Hill to begin

Construction on the mixed-use Top of the Hill (TOH) project is expected to begin the first quarter of 2020. The project—on approximately four acres of city-owned property at the corner of Cedar Road and Euclid Heights Boulevard, at the top of Cedar Hill—is highly visible and serves as a gateway between the Heights and University Circle. Its development has been a longtime goal of the city.

The city’s Architectural Board of Review approved final design drawings for the $84-million TOH project in October 2019. The project calls for 261 market-rate luxury apartments, more than 11,000 square feet of first-floor commercial space, approximately 25,000 square feet of green space, a 550-space parking garage, and additional surface parking.

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Volume 13, Issue 1, Posted 10:16 AM, 01.03.2020

Neighborhood to gather for Nela Park holiday lights

Continuing a long-held holiday tradition, GE Lighting will illuminate its Nela Park headquarters with a festive display beginning Friday, Dec. 6. This is the 95th year the company will have created the light show. This year’s theme, Deck the Halls, uses more than 500,000 LED light bulbs and features a replica of the National Christmas Tree in Washington, D.C., and a selfie station in front of a big red ornament at which visitors can take festive, personalized pictures. The display will be visible from the street through Jan. 6.

At 5 p.m. on Dec. 6, FutureHeights, Noble Neighbors, NOAH (East Cleveland’s CDC), East Cleveland’s Neighborhood 9, and other community partners invite the public to gather at Chester’s parking lot (across from Nela Park at Noble and Neladale roads) to celebrate the beginning of the show, when GE officially flips the switch to illuminate the displays.

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Volume 12, Issue 12, Posted 5:07 PM, 12.02.2019

FutureHeights' Cedarbrook Society revitalizes Cedar Lee Mini-Park

The Cedarbrook Society, a group of five Heights High students, worked with artist Tom Masaveg this summer to help FutureHeights enliven the Cedar Lee Mini-Park, a 7,500-square-foot site located between Boss Dog Brewing Company and Heights Arts in the Cedar Lee Business District.

For six weeks, the students, with Masaveg’s guidance, served as ambassadors for the space, welcoming visitors and guests, planting flowers, weeding the flower beds and creating signage. Masaveg installed a mural of white trees on the side of the Cedar Lee Theatre building and worked with the students to create augmented-reality artwork to interact with the mural via smart phone technology. With help from Heights Libraries, he installed a Little Free Library. The students managed a Cedarbrook Society social media account to document their activities and keep the community up-to-date. They also gathered additional input on future use of the space through on-site surveying.

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Volume 12, Issue 9, Posted 1:50 PM, 09.02.2019

Registration is open for FH 2020 Neighborhood Leadership Workshop Series

Residents of Cleveland Heights are invited to apply for the 2020 FutureHeights Neighborhood Leadership Workshop Series, a free, multidisciplinary neighborhood leadership development program designed for individuals enthusiastic about positively contributing to the community in which they live, work and play. Participants will develop leadership skills, as well as gain knowledge and tools to help make their neighborhoods strong, safe and vibrant.

Since 2015, 60 CH residents have completed the workshop series. Some participate because they are interested in learning more about the city, want to meet their neighbors and other civically-minded people, or have a specific neighborhood project they want to complete. Many program graduates go on to join nonprofit boards, or city committees or commissions. Some apply to receive funding for a project through FutureHeights’ Neighborhood Mini-Grants Program, which has biannual deadlines. (The fall mini-grants deadline is Sunday, Sept. 15.)

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Volume 12, Issue 9, Posted 1:58 PM, 09.02.2019

Lower dam done; Horseshoe unlucky

The Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (NEORSD) said work at Lower Shaker Lake dam is complete for now, but Horseshoe Lake will remain drained at least through next summer, while engineers try to solve structural problems with its dam. Both dams are categorized as Class I by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) because their failure would result in “probable loss of life.”

Contractors began draining Lower Shaker Lake in June, leaving 4-foot-deep pools of water for fish and turtles. When the lake started to refill in early July, people reported seeing dead fish.

Jeff Jowett, senior watershed team leader for NEORSD, said a fish survey taken before the project showed an overwhelming majority of the fish were carp and goldfish, considered invasive species, but any fish deaths were unintentional.

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Volume 12, Issue 8, Posted 11:39 AM, 08.01.2019

Church invites community to free block party

Central Bible Baptist Church will host its annual community block party on Saturday, Aug. 10, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The free event is open to the entire community, and will take place at the church, located at 2285 Noble Road.

For more than 10 years, the church has hosted the block party to engage, educate and empower adults and children of all ages. This year’s event will feature words of empowerment, food, music, games, crafts, special performances, a clothing drive, face-painting, cooking demonstrations, free Christian books and resources, and a puppet show.

There will also be free health screenings and educational materials focused on important health issues.

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Volume 12, Issue 8, Posted 10:27 AM, 08.01.2019

Noble Neighbors keeps it going

Noble Neighbors is planning activities and events for the summer and the rest of 2019.

Already underway is the inaugural season of the Noble Gardeners' Market, which takes place on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon at Noble and Roanoke roads,through Sept. 21. Backyard and community garden growers sell their fruits, vegetables, flowers and plants, and sellers and buyers have been exchanging more than greenery at the market. Gardeners are sharing growing tips, community gardens are finding new growers for their plots, and new friendships are sprouting among neighbors.

Sellers may sell freshly grown produce and plants but may not sell processed food or non-plant items. Notably, sellers are not required to live in Cleveland Heights.

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Volume 12, Issue 8, Posted 10:25 AM, 08.01.2019

Veteran and his family get mortgage-free home in CH

On May 18, a long-serving, decorated veteran and his family received a newly renovated, mortgage-free furnished home in Cleveland Heights, through an ongoing partnership between Citizens Bank and the Military Warriors Support Foundation.

The home was presented to U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Charlie Pepinrivera, who served his country for more than 24 years, with tours of duty in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kuwait and Bosnia.

Wounded during several military operations, Pepinrivera also suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury as a result of his deployments. His service commendations include the Combat Action Badge, the Meritorious Service Medal and the Bronze Star Medal.

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Volume 12, Issue 6, Posted 8:45 AM, 06.03.2019

June 25 talk focuses on neighborhood revitalization

Can planting flowers lead to neighborhood revitalization? That is the question a FutureHeights-sponsored panel will discuss on June 25 at a public forum at the BottleHouse Brewing Company.

Speakers, including Tom Gibson, Phyliss Thomas, George Fleming and Jan Kious will discuss the macro level social implications that gardening, planting flowers, and beautification can have on a neighborhood, or, in some cases, an entire community.

They will consider such questions as: What positive impacts have other communities seen as a result of thoughtful and deliberate beautification?

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Volume 12, Issue 6, Posted 8:34 AM, 06.03.2019

Final community meeting on Noble Road project is June 20

On June 20, 7 p.m., FutureHeights will host the last in a series of community meetings to share plans for, and gather input about, the Noble Road commercial corridor.

At the meeting, which will take place at Central Bible Baptist Church, 2285 Noble Road, project consultants Camiros LTD and The Riddle Company will present to the community their final iteration of research and ideas. This final presentation will encompass ideas and feedback gathered from the community over the past several months. 

Noble Road is the most significant street in the northeast section of Cleveland Heights, giving its name to an area known as “Noble neighborhood.”

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Volume 12, Issue 6, Posted 8:40 AM, 06.03.2019

Coventry launches Final Fridays

Coventry Village kicked off its inaugural monthly Final Fridays event on April 26. Merchants offered discounts, and artists and nonprofits hosted events. Coventry Village Final Fridays are slated to take place year round, on the last Friday of each month. The next will take place on May 31. For information on upcoming Final Friday programs, visit www.coventryvillage.org.

Mallory Phillips, Coventry Village Special Improvement District’s executive director, said the concept was inspired by her experiences living in Los Angeles. “The downtown art walks would bring the small business districts alive with local artists, musicians, great food, and all sorts of shopping specials.” Phillips wanted to bring this lively community-centric vibe to Coventry. “It’s a great way to highlight all of the amazing dining, shopping and nightlife that is already there, while bringing in local artists to showcase their work and bring inspiration to the neighborhood in a new way,” said Phillips.

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Volume 12, Issue 6, Posted 12:36 PM, 05.28.2019

May 22 Soup and Bread Experiment will benefit Cedar Lee Mini-Park

The CLE Soup and Bread Experiment’s next monthly event at the BottleHouse in Cleveland Heights will take place on Wednesday, May 22, 6:30–8:30 p.m. Donations from the evening will benefit the Cedar Lee Mini-Park Placemaking Project, which seeks to turn the Cedar Lee Mini-Park into a vibrant gathering space.

The CLE Soup and Bread Experiment is an all-volunteer organization that shares soup, breaks bread, and donates each month to a worthy cause. Volunteer soup makers bring hot soup to the event, local bakeries provide bread and, together, they make a meal. The meal is free, but participants are asked to contribute to the donation bucket, in support of a worthy cause.

Heights resident Simona Mkrtschjan learned about the Soup and Bread Experiment through a friend in Chicago, and decided that she wanted to bring it to her hometown. In existence for just over two years, the Cleveland group has evolved and grown. Events are now organized, curated, and led by Nicole Rossa, Kirstan Ryan and other Heights volunteers. “We chose soup because soup is more than soup—while nourishing and comforting, it also binds people together,” said Rossa.

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Volume 12, Issue 6, Posted 12:30 PM, 05.14.2019

Noble weekend festival begins May 17

We Are Noble, the annual celebration of the neighborhoods along Noble Road, will take place Friday through Sunday, May 17–19.

Festivities will begin on Friday, May 17, with NobleFest, a family fun night hosted by the PTAs of Noble and Oxford elementary schools, 6–8 p.m. at Noble school. Turns in the bounce house, games, face-painting, Tiger Nation gear and food will be available for purchase. It will be a good place for patrons to buy their first funnel cake of the summer carnival season. Free bicycle registration, a helmet giveaway and free photos will also be on offer.

Nearby, at 7 p.m., Noble Road Presbyterian Church will offer a free viewing of the movie, “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” The film is about Fred Rogers’ impact on generations of young people, and a perfect theme for the weekend.

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Volume 12, Issue 5, Posted 11:06 AM, 05.02.2019

FutureHeights awards mini-grants to three CH projects

FutureHeights completed the spring 2019 round of its Neighborhood Mini-Grants Program, approving $2,415 in grants to support three neighborhood projects in Cleveland Heights. The grants are intended to spur small, grassroots projects to improve quality of life and build community.

FutureHeights awarded the Cleveland Heights Aging Well at Home Initiative $720. Residents of the Forest Hill neighborhood developed a guide of resources for Cleveland Heights residents who have chosen to age at home or who are living at home with disabilities. The group developed the guide to assist their neighbors in navigating service providers. To learn more and access the guide, visit www.futureheights.org/our-community/neighborhood-organizations/.

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Volume 12, Issue 5, Posted 10:30 AM, 05.02.2019

Forest Hill aims to give new residents a warm welcome

A modern version of a “welcome wagon” is being put in place to greet new residents of the Forest Hill neighborhood.

Marlene Perez, the new vice president of Forest Hill Home Owners (FHHO), is developing a new welcoming package of information, including a map of the area, homemade cookies and jellies, and courtesies from local businesses and organizations.

A welcoming team plans to visit new residents three times, to ensure that they are comfortable in their new neighborhood and have found any resources they may need.

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Volume 12, Issue 4, Posted 10:26 AM, 04.02.2019

FutureHeights' 2019 annual meeting is April 10

On April 10, FutureHeights will present its 2019 annual meeting at the newly renovated Cleveland Heights High School, 13263 Cedar Road.

FutureHeights, a nonprofit community development corporation, strives to engage Heights residents in order to ensure a vibrant and sustainable future for Cleveland Heights and University Heights.

This year’s meeting will discuss the concepts of place-making and place-attachment as a sustainable means of community development and revitalization in the Heights, and in cities and communities everywhere.

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Volume 12, Issue 3, Posted 11:04 AM, 03.04.2019

Learn about revitalization plans for Noble Road on April 4

On April 4, FutureHeights will host a community meeting to share plans that are taking shape for the Noble Road commercial corridor, and gather community input. At the meeting, which will take place at 7 p.m. at McGregor Home, 14900 Private Drive in East Cleveland, the project consultants—Camiros LTD and The Riddle Company—will present their research and ideas to the community.

Noble Road is the most significant street in the northeast section of Cleveland Heights, giving its name to an area known as the “Noble Neighborhood.” FutureHeights, in cooperation with several community partners, kicked off a planning study of Noble Road in fall 2018.

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Volume 12, Issue 3, Posted 10:19 AM, 03.04.2019

FH's Neighborhood Leadership Workshop Series begins in January

FutureHeights is proud to launch the fifth round of its Neighborhood Leadership Workshop Series, a multidisciplinary leadership development program. Participants will develop leadership skills and gain knowledge and tools they can use to help make their Cleveland Heights neighborhood strong, safe and vibrant.

Since 2015, 47 Cleveland Heights residents have completed the workshops. Participants were interested in learning more about Cleveland Heights and meeting other civically minded people, and some had a community or neighborhood project in mind when they signed up. Many workshop series graduates have gone on to receive project funding through the FutureHeights Neighborhood Mini-Grant Program.

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Volume 11, Issue 12, Posted 2:09 PM, 11.29.2018

Coventry holiday fest is Dec. 8

Coventry Village will host its annual Holiday Festival on Saturday, Dec. 8, starting at 11 a.m. and running through the evening. Offering events and activities for all ages, the district is proud to present something for everyone this holiday season.

This year’s festival is taking place in cooperation with the Grog Shop and B Side Lounge’s Jingle Bell Shop, and reflects the partnership between the Coventry P.E.A.C.E. Campus and Coventry Village merchants.

With special music, holiday characters, Coventry Cash, holiday treats, crafts, classic movies and, of course, photos with Santa Claus, Coventry Village is bringing back all of the festival favorites to this beloved neighborhood event.

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Volume 11, Issue 12, Posted 10:44 AM, 12.03.2018

Noble Road planning study continues

On Oct. 29 and 30, consultants from Camiros, Ltd., a nationally recognized urban planning firm, and The Riddle Company, a real estate and economic development marketing consulting practice, made their first visit to Cleveland Heights to begin a planning study of the Noble Road corridor. FutureHeights commissioned the study with the goals of revitalizing the corridor to enhance the neighborhood’s image and improve residents’ quality of life.

During the two days, the consultants toured the Noble neighborhood and the city of Cleveland Heights, and met individually and in small groups with almost 40 residents and business owners. They also met with members of organizations such as Noble Neighbors, Home Repair Resource Center, Central Bible Baptist Church, Noble Neighborhood Library, and the cities of Cleveland Heights and East Cleveland.

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Volume 11, Issue 12, Posted 5:20 PM, 11.29.2018

FutureHeights awards mini-grants to four Cleveland Heights projects

FutureHeights completed the fall 2018 round of its Neighborhood Mini-Grants Program, approving $1,425 in grants to support four neighborhood projects in Cleveland Heights. The grants are intended to spur small, grassroots projects to improve quality of life and build community.

The Old Vaudevillian was awarded $355 for its costume exchange pop-up project, located in the former Heights Music Shop space, and its plans to build community, provide low-cost Halloween costumes to children, and decorate and re-use a vacant storefront.

GardenWalk of Cleveland Heights received $250 for its garden walk project. GardenWalk is a free, self-guided tour of private and community gardens and home orchards in each neighborhood in the city. GardenWalk aims to nurture community, beautify neighborhoods and encourage civic pride.

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Volume 11, Issue 11, Posted 3:12 PM, 10.31.2018

Noble Road study kicks off Oct. 29

FutureHeights will kick off a planning study of the Noble Road commercial corridor on Oct. 29. The nonprofit community development corporation plans to work in collaboration with Noble Neighbors, the cities of Cleveland Heights and East Cleveland, Northeast Ohio Alliance for Hope (NOAH), residents, business owners and other stakeholders to study the area and develop a market analysis and revitalization plan.

Throughout the approximately nine-month process, FutureHeights will seek input from neighborhood residents and other stakeholders.

Noble Road is the most significant street in the northeast section of Cleveland Heights and lends its name to the Noble neighborhood. The study area begins at Mayfield Road and extends along Noble Road several blocks to the west of Cleveland Heights into the city of East Cleveland.

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Volume 11, Issue 11, Posted 10:40 AM, 10.23.2018

Cedar Fairmount SID seeks new executive director

After nearly 19 years of service, Kaye Lowe, the Cedar Fairmount Special Improvement District's executive director, will retire at the end of December.

The SID's board of trustees is currently searching for Lowe's replacement. The position is for a part-time, 1099 independent contractor. Qualified candidates must possess a minimum of five years of experience, a bachelor's degree, excellent communication skills and strong project management skills. The non-profit serves to promote and improve the Cedar Fairmount neighborhood for its businesses and property owners.

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Volume 11, Issue 11, Posted 12:54 PM, 10.16.2018