Gloria Ferris

I posted this earlier on another blog to which I contribute, Save Our Land. I think it bears repeating here:

I just finished reading Cool Cleveland. I always save Roldolink for last, but today I scrolled down quickly to see what had caught his fancy. I should have known that it would be Eminent Domain and the Bart Wolstein handoff. Please read this article and help me understand why we are better off with one developer in The Flats instead of a consortium of businessowners with a plan for controlled development in the area, including Mr. Wolstein.I was amazed at the laundry list of improvements that ONE developer will be receiving to make sure that his plan is a winner. If this kind of investment had been made to the infrastructure of The Flats over the years, would Eminent Domain be needed? Would we be handing over property through eminent domain?

I have had one question that still remains unanswered about this project–why are tax abatements, tax exemptions, and tax incentives needed on a piece of land that should be one of the prime real estate areas in the city of Cleveland? I wish that someone would answer this question.

I also have real reservations about handing over so much real estate to one individual to develop and manage. Free enterprise is based on competition. Where is the competition in this plan?

Recently, we talked To Council President Martin J. Sweeney at Meet the Bloggers. We devoted a few minutes of the interview to eminent-domain issues, and more specifically to the Flats project. One interesting point he made was that if The Wolstein Project does not meet expectations or if it does not perform as it should, the city will have the option to buy back the property from Mr. Wolstein.Take a minute to read Roldo’s article and to listen to the Meet The Bloggers interview with Council President Sweeney. We need to watch this eminent domain case closely.

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Posted by Gloria Ferris to Save Our Land at 5/03/2006 04:06:00 PM

Last Thursday I attended Recovery Resources Annual Luncheon at Windows on the River.  I went to support a worthwhile organization and came away in love with words all over again.  Malachi McCourt, author of the autobiography “A Monk Swimmin’” and the brother of Frank McCourt, author of Angela’s Ashes was the keynote speaker.

Here was a man who truly loved words.  He began his speech, more a series of tales rather than a “speech” with the comment that there was only one word in the English language for “sober” which was “sober” but on the other hand, there was a huge list to subsitute for “drunk” He then proceeded to regale us with a long list from “a to z” of words that described drunkenness. Make your own list with your friends.  It will amaze you. 

He told us many other things and I may relate them in other posts, but today, I want to share the poem he recited that made me fall in love with words all over again–The Stolen Child by William Butler Yeats. He recited this poem in the rich tones of an Irish brogue, and it was just flat beautiful.

If you ever get the chance to hear Mr. McCourt speak, please do so.  You will be glad that you did.  I am.