Gloria Ferris

At Monday’s City of Cleveland Council meeting, Councilman Brancatelli, Cummins, and Kelley submitted emergency  Resolution 375-10 opposing the above referenced application.

The resolution was read three times, and then,  council voted.  It passed with all eighteen members present voting “yea”.  Councilman Cummins verified that this mining permit application does have a connection to Bradley Road landfill.  Councilman Brancatelli confirmed that information on TY Inc. has been difficult to obtain at this point.

Several people have submitted letters of objection.  Chris Trepal, executive director of Earth Day Coalition notified me her letter of objection has been mailed.  Robyn Sandys, executive director of Old Brooklyn CDC emailed me to tell me that OBCDC would be formally objecting.  I learned today that the objection was unanimously approved at last night’s board meeting.

At this point, not much is known about the details of the application or the ramifications of what such a permit would have to the community.  Many city departments are compiling data, city council has objected and asked for answers, OBCDC is gathering information, and most importantly, private citizens are aware and asking questions.    

The kickoff rally for the health and human services Renewal Levy will be12:30 pm at MetroHealth today.  This is a renewal and will not raise taxes but will continue services at  the  current level.  This levy is essential for people who need the miraculous services of MetroHealth (me),  the Alcohol and Mental Health Board,  reentry programs,children’s services, and too many others to name here  

Being a child of the Sixties, I have aged with this Hubert Humphrey quote in my mind :

“It was once said that the moral test of government is how that government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; and those who are in the shadows of life, the sick, the needy and the handicapped.”

and  The Golden Rule: 

¹²So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. Matthew 7:12

   I believe all religions  have a form of  The Golden Rule , and therefore, religious or not, we should be able to come together to support  our brothers and sisters that need us myself included.

I will be watching to see which county council candidates rise to the occasion and support a large chunk of the core mission of county government, not with words but with action.

Last week I posted about our friend and neighbor’s Valentine’s Weekend Benefit for Big Brothers Big Sisters at his store mlangclothing&cocktails.

This week I am posting a bit more about the event and some of the artists whose work is for sale at Mike’s store.  Three of the artists like Mike are neighbors as well as friends and the fourth artist is a gal who has worked with us in the Brooklyn Centre neighborhood at some of our events.  All four women are incredibly talented and produce quality pieces again and again.

Deby Cowdin. You can see examples of Deby’s work at her website from the blue bag. The Civic Innovation Lab recently awarded Deby and her partners one of their grants to use in promoting the recyclable aspect of the artwork she produces and promotes at her gallery/studio.

Denise Donaldson. Denise is planning a very special necklace set for Valentine’s Day.  It will be displayed on Saturday, and as with all her pieces, she will make only one.  She uses mostly semi-precious stones, the more unusual the better. She does her own designing and welcomes custom orders.

Sharon Martyn. Sharon’s stained glass  designs are original and unique and the glass is hand cut and hand ground.. Her handmade wire work adds flow and beauty to each piece she crafts.  The addition of crystals  to her sun catchers adds a dimension of light and sparkle not often seen.  Sharon has created fan lights, fireplace panels and other custom windows for our neighbors. The pieces shown here are her donations to Mike’s raffle to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters.  The heart on the left is light pink and the one on the right is dark purple.

Marge Pauls.  Marge creates original artwork that appeals to the romantic in each of us.  She paints fairies, angels, society moguls and a myriad of other subjects. She incorporates pen and ink in her work which gives it a sharpness and edge that adds “pop” to her work.  Her artwork is available as prints, matted or unmatted, and as note cards. We eagerly await her yearly Christmas card and the party invitation for New Year Eve’s because it will be a new, never seen mpauls original.  She also crafts unique jewelry which will also be at mlangclothing&cocktails. 

Mike tells me that the raffle this weekend will include theater and sporting event  tickets. There may be restaurant gift cards and Mike has thrown in a few items from the store as well.  Besides, the custom shirt deal for a $49 donation BBBS, there will be a pair of $95 pants raffled.   Did I say  that there is no minimum donation? Come buy raffle tickets, donate and get a shirt, buy a few drinks, and sample a few of the appetizers from area restaurants.

This post began as a comment to one of Roldo’s posts over on RealNEO. Roldo always makes me think  and I thank him for that and for bringing Jump Start to mind. And may I say that I am quite proud of Ronn Richard and The Cleveland Foundation’s Board of Trustees willing to question how thinks are shaping up over there at The Fund For Economic Future.  When will the powers that be see that asking questions is not a threat, it is “the Socratic Method”.

First, It is interesting to note that The Cleveland Foundation is taking heat because they are no longer in lock step with how the Fund for our Economic Future is headed. It appears that FFEF straying from its mission helped Cleveland Foundation revisit its own and find that they themselves were straying.  I found it amusing that The Plain Dealer jumped on The Foundation just as it has bloggers, public officials, businesspeople and others who are not in lock step with the GCP.

Let’s follow the money– the Third Frontier Funds are fronted by Ohio taxpayers.  Fund for Economic Future receives funds and distributes said funds to Jump Start, Nortech, MAGNET, TEAMNEO ETC. Jump Start for example chooses a start up to fund after friends, family, credit cards and savings of entrepreneur are exhausted and the future of the dream and local employees are at risk.  Here is where Norm’s point of equity shares come into play.  Jump Start funds company to get it over the  hump. When start up moves to Early Stage. At this point, Jump Start steps back because company should be sustainable.  If not, company dies or if the company is sustainable but needs an influx of capital to expand and grow venture capitalists agree to fund for equity shares.  Company soon is no longer the entrepreneur’s. Many say that not all entrepreneurs are meant to be CEOs, and this is true butventure capitalists do not always have a community in mind. To them, a company that served a community can move elsewhere because human capital is everywhere.  not so, with an entrepreneur who built a company in a specific geographic area.

I have three questions: Why are taxpayer’s now fronting funds that venture capitalists once provided?  With the FFEF now branching out into Effective Government Now are we tying government and economic development together, and should we? Are Ohio texpayers facing undue  risk by underwriting eonomic ventures?

I know that this is a rather simplified version of how I perceive the taxpayers in our state again taking the risk for the private sector. I am a believer in balance, and when I see and read about these issues I see something that is very off kilter. 

One of our neighbors in Brooklyn Centre is hosting a Valentine’s Weekend Benefit for Big Brothers Big Sisters at his establishment, mlang clothing & cocktails, located at 1275 Euclid Avenue in the heart of Playhouse Square. Mr. Lang is giving us plenty of opportunity to visit his establishment by holding the event not one day but two days!

I LOVE the flier don’t you?

I received a flier from Mansfield Frazier. I plan to attend “The Long Road Home”  a documentary narrated by Peter Lawson Jones tomorrow January 28th in MetroHealth’s Scott Auditorium. The presentation is from 3:00 to 4:30 pm.

The recession has hit everyone hard, but especially for those trying to reenter after leaving the prison system. Those who know me well are aware that I am a board member for C.A.T.S. –Community assessment and Treatment Services, Inc. We are presently finishing up our capital campaign to “build a Better Place for Women. We serve a population of offenders whose drug and alcohol additions have caused them to make very bad decisions.  I believe in second chances.

And, I am looking forward to seeing the documentary based on Mansfield Frazier’s book “The Long Road Home” and to listen to the panel discussion that will accompany the creening.

Last Monday Monica Robins and her sidekick Patrick spent two hours at the electronic cottage with Tim and me. Earlier in the day, she had interviewed Dr. Dan Friedman at MetroHealth about the health crisis that I personally suffered. 

As you know, two hours will shrink to a  very condensed version of the events.  I do hope that the important place my family and friends hold in the story remains as well as the incredible caring of the MetroHealth Team-doctors, nurses, therapists, LPNS, and all other staff. If it doesn’t survive the cutting room floor, please know that Tim and I thank God for all of you each and every day.

While Monica was here, I mentioned that Kim Wendel had been to our house on October 30th to interview us prior to the November 3rd general election in 2008.  My recollection of that time is fuzzy to say the least.  I do remember that Tim kept asking me why I wasn’t blogging more. Now, we know that I was barely functioning for the two weeks before my heart attack.  What is it they always say about hindsight being 20-20?

I am glad to say that much has changed in the last year. I am getting more energy and feeling pretty good on almost every day.  I now have more GOOD days than bad days. Tim told Father Ralph today that I still spend too much tme in the past comparing myself to who I was and not to who I am in the present.  I did mention though that I am very good at telling others how they should live in the present and not grouse about what isn’t any more.

So, if the eyes stay open try to catch the 11 pm news. My aunt used to say “Please consider me a chip in your woodpile of memories”. Please know that I consider you all much more than chips!.   

Sherry wants to thank everybody who came to The Ugly Broad Tavern bearing turkeys, complete Thanksgiving meals, and more. Due to your efforts, Sherry dropped off an envelope with $211 in cash, three turkeys complete with all the trimmings, seventeen boxes, and more than fifteen bags of food to help fill Brookside Center’s shelves during the Thanksgiving holiday.

It was great to catch up with people we hadn’t seen in awhile and to meet a FaceBook friend face to face for the first time. As always, the tacos were scrumptious, and we enjoyed the conversation and camaraderie at our neighborhood bar, The Ugly. Stay tuned, scuttlebutt has it that there will be a redux of the event before Christmas.

This week heralds the yearly Brookside Center Thanksgiving food drive for my community-Brooklyn Centre as well as Old Brooklyn and Brooklyn. Part of the Westside Ecumenical ministry, Brookside Center helps those most in need in our community by stocking a food pantry, resale shop, and supporting people who need to find resources to help them through rough times. Donations of food or cash  can be dropped off directly to Brookside Center at 3784 Pearl Road.

Or, you can stop by The Ugly Broad Tavern tonight for a taco. And, your question is “what does Taco Night at 3908 Denison Avenue have to do with a local food drive?”  A lot, actually. Bring a food or cash donation  and YOU will receive a FREE taco. If you supplement that taco with a cold beer, some friendly conversation with friends and neighbors, and the good feeling you get  from giving you have the makings of a warm and cozy evening in Cleveland.

The neighbors of Brooklyn Centre, and now Tremont, are uniting to stop the erection of unwanted barriers along I-71, barriers that not only wall off our historic, park neighborhoods from the outside and also wall us in, but also cost 6-7 times what natural barriers like trees and shrubs would.

We united to tell ODOT in 2005 that we didn’t want the sound barriers. We now have to do it again.

Please sign the online petition, and leave your address if you are a resident of Brooklyn Centre or Tremont, or a businessowner. You’ll find the petition here: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/BanTheBarriers/

Here’s a snippet you can send to your friends, as well:

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Hi, I wanted to draw your attention to this important petition that I recently signed: “Ban The ODOT Barriers in Brooklyn Centre”

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/BanTheBarriers/

I really think this is an important cause, and I’d like to encourage you to add your signature, too. It’s free and takes less than a minute of your time. Thanks!

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If you have questions or would like to see the verbiage of the petition reworked or expanded, please call me or send me an email. This is an augmentation to the handwritten petitions being circulated, and is not intended to be a substitute for them or a replacement of them.

Tim or Gloria Ferris

4022 Denison Avenue Cleveland, Ohio 44109

216-255-6640

gloria.ferris@gmail.com