Features

Baldwin Wallace University political science professor and Lakewood resident Thomas Sutton has been selected to receive a Fulbright Scholar award that will fund a semester of scholarly work in Ghana.

As a Fulbright grantee, Sutton will spend the January – May 2014 semester teaching three political history courses at Ghana’s University of the Cape Coast. He will also conduct research into the parallels between recent presidential elections in the West African nation and the United States.

“I’ve been told the people in Ghana closely followed the two election cycles here involving President Obama and that they were influenced by his campaign themes, particularly in 2008,” Sutton said.

In his research, Sutton also plans to examine how Ghana deployed a high tech “biometric verification system” to match voter fingerprints at polling stations in the December 2012 national election. “They really leapfrogged over us in the use of technology,” Sutton said.

In January of last year, Lakewood City Council adopted a plan to become one of the most bicycle friendly communities in the country by 2015. The Bike Master Plan establishes three main objectives that include (1) expanding our supply of bike racks, (2) establishing the primary bikeway system – Share the Road, and (3) educating & reaching out. Lakewood’s youth are a vital piece of this plan. A bicycle friendly community must include children who use bicycles for transportation, as well as exercise, and know how to do so safely and responsibly.

However, not all youth in Lakewood have equal access to participating in Lakewood’s cycling community. Due to any number of circumstances, children may have a bike that is unsafe to ride, a bike that is too small, or no bike at all. That is why H2O “Help to Others” is embarking on a project with the goal of providing 50 Lakewood youth with safe, working bicycles, along with helmets and locks, and bicycle safety education.

To realize this vision, H2O is putting out a call for gently used bicycles to be donated during their upcoming event “Bikes and Bands” on Saturday April 13th, 4-8 p.m. at Mahall’s 20 Lanes. Bicycle donations can be dropped off across the street from Mahall’s at Madison Park, where volunteer mechanics and H2O student volunteers will be on hand to provide basic maintenance and repairs. Bicycle donations can only be accepted if they have all parts intact and no bent frames, wheels or handlebars. Wheel size must be 20 inches or larger. 

On Sunday, March 3rd, Cove United Methodist Church (Cove) and Lakewood Christian Church (LCC) held the first in a series of public discussions on important community issues. These discussions are part of the Church in the Community program. The two Churches share the sanctuary at 12501 Lake Avenue in Lakewood. The purpose of the series is to hold periodic events on topics of importance for our community. The first Church in the Community session focused on what we as a community can learn from the tragic events in Newtown, Connecticut.

The session on Lessons from Newtown opened with a prayer by Pastor Chris Stark of LCC and closed with a prayer by Pastor Darlene Robinson of Cove. Following the Program Introduction, a panel of experts discussed the numerous issues. The first presenter was William Denihan, Executive Director of the Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board of Cuyahoga County. Mr. Denihan emphasized that our community, like all communities, does not deal effectively with mental health issues. Yet one in four persons will have a significant mental health issue in their lives. The lack of effectiveness stems from a reluctance to face mental health issues generally. One of the consequences of not facing the matter is that funding for coping with mental health issues is quite small. In fact, Ohio distributes the inadequate funds equally among the 88 counties resulting in Cuyahoga County, the largest county with the most mental health issues, obtaining twenty cents ($.20) per person. In conclusion, Mr. Denihan stated we must be more serious about dealing with mental health issues and see that sufficient funding is made available.

Lakewood has many beloved institutions. Some are obvious – churches, libraries, public schools – but some are quieter. One of these is the Lakewood Recreation dance program. For 35 years, two sisters have been consistently building a tradition that brings the art of dance to Lakewood children and adults.

Patty Hays began teaching ballet and jazz dance in 1978 through the Lakewood City Schools Recreation and Education Department. Her sister, Peggy Stockdale, began offering tap dance classes in 1980. Since then, without a break, they’ve been offering two sessions of dance classes per year, with a group recital in the Lakewood Civic Auditorium at the end of each session.

The next recital is March 26 at 7:15 p.m. in the Civic. Twenty groups, five-year-olds doing ballet (or a close approximation) to adult tappers, will dance to music surrounding the theme of Money and Work. Like small-town parades and Little League baseball, these dance recitals are Americana at its best. Little girls in tutus flitting around on stage, girls and boys of all ages and sizes jazzing and tapping and leaping, and adults tap dancing in outlandish costumes make up this entertaining evening.

While most of us enjoy the comfort of warm beds on frigid Northeast Ohio winter nights, the region’s homeless often seek nighttime warmth from steam vents on the streets and pray they don’t freeze to death before morning. 

More than 20 members of the Lakewood Congregational Church (LCC) Youth Fellowship will experience being without warm shelter on a cold winter night firsthand when they sleep in cardboard boxes in front of the church on Saturday, January 19. The church’s 9th Annual Homeless Awareness Sleep Out calls attention to the daily struggles of Northeast Ohio’s homeless community and raises funds for local homeless support agencies. 

Youth, ages 11 to 18 (grades 6-12), will gather at the church, 1375 West Clifton, on the corner of West Clifton Boulevard and Detroit Avenue, at 3 p.m. to construct their box shelters – their lodging for the night.

Take a break from cooking and support the Lakewood Public Schools. Dine at The Place to Be Restaurant, 5:30-8:30 p.m., on two Thursday nights—January 17 and 24—and 20% of your bill will be donated to the LAKEWOOD ALUMNI FOUNDATION! Make sure to mention the foundation when you pay your bill. The Place to Be is located at 1391 Warren Road, just north of Detroit Avenue.

According to ODNR Watercraft, there are 24,394 boats registered in Cuyahoga County. From 2007-2011 there have been 309 accidents on Lake Erie involving 394 vessels, 150 injuries, and 25 fatalities. Total boat damages $3,833,164 and total property damages of $202,097. The State of Ohio's mandatory boating education law requires boaters born on or after January 1, 1982, to complete a National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) approved course before operating a boat engine more than ten horsepower.

U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 7-5 is offering three boating safety courses at Garfield Middle School, 13114 Detroit Ave., Lakewood, starting on Wednesday, January 23 through March 27 from 7- 9:30 p.m.

As I sat in my office last week, watching tiny snowflakes glide to the ground, I was reminded of the 2009 Light Up Lakewood when huge snowflakes fell from the sky so silently and created such a beautiful setting for our community event. I had such a great time walking around with friends as my family participated in activities. Unfortunately, my reminiscing was short-lived, and I was propelled back to the present where I’m constantly and frantically thinking of all those last minute things that need to be done for the 2012 Light Up Lakewood Festival. It is a state of being that I welcome, only because of what results.

Three hundred and sixty-four days of the year parents tell their children to never take candy from strangers. Then, on the last day of every October they dress those same children up in masks and weird costumes and tell them to go out on the streets at night and either beg or threaten strangers to give them candy.

Halloween is traditionally a holiday observed on the eve of the Christian feast of All Hallows, or All Saints Day. In the Middle Ages it was believed that restless souls of the recently dead wandered during the year until All Saints Day, when their fate would be decided. All Hallows Eve was their last chance to get revenge on their enemies before entering the next world. Some people, fearing the consequences, would wear masks to disguise themselves.

Lakewood, Ohio resident and business owner Charity D'Amato was recently selected as part of a global design intensive crafted by Iggesund, a leader in European paperboard manufacturing. D'Amato traveled to the heart of Sweden for a week of packaging and graphics immersion. 

“It was a week to remember,” said D'Amato, owner of Chartreuse, a design and marketing firm. "The experience enabled me to not only discover the design field abroad, but it also provide the opportunity to discuss design industry sustainability and materials issues with some of Europe's experts in the field. We were able to create art, experience the Swedish culture and see firsthand how the European forestry industry differs from others, especially ours here in the States."

Hurricane Sandy may have left its mark on our fair city, but that's not stopping Keep Lakewood Beautiful from awarding its annual "Beautiful Home Awards"

Keep Lakewood Beautiful is a City of Lakewood committee comprised of volunteers who work to promote citizen involvement and investment toward the beauty of Lakewood through green space activity, litter prevention, and recycling efforts; the committee also encourages individual environmental education. The committee's activities include an annual Clean up Day, Adopt-a-Spot program, Humus Sales, Earth Day Event and Beautiful Home Awards. 

The Beautiful Home Awards are awarded to one home in each school district in order to include a wide range of home values and styles. The nominations are accepted, in July and August, from friends, neighbors, and often even the home owners themselves. The board of directors from Keep Lakewood Beautiful then divide the school districts up among themselves and determine the winners based on 3 major criteria: landscaping, house maintenance, and overall beauty of the property.

Peace Begins With/In Me, an interfaith peace weekend retreat with the Dances of Universal Peace took place Oct. 26-28 meeting the first two days at Lakewood Presbyterian Church and finishing up at the Sacred Arts Holistic Center on West Blvd. The retreat leader, Eric Narayan Waldman, came from Montana and the 28 participants came from 6 other states, including South Carolina and Idaho. The diverse community included men and women from all walks of life.  There were, among others, Presbyterian, Methodist, Unity and interfaith ministers, a Catholic sister, two former nuns, a former Jesuit, Buddhist practitioners, numerous Sufis including those practicing Christianity & Sufism and those practicing Judaism & Sufism, retired teachers, an engineering professor, a hospice nurse, therapists, and energy healers. They all came together to chant and dance joyous prayers for peace in many languages from many faith traditions. Chanting in Hebrew, Sanscrit, Latin, Arabic, English and more, the dancers celebrated many names for the Divine.

Fashion merchandising student Ms. Suzanne Hall was the recipient of the 2012 Huntington Bank Scholarship given through the Virginia Marti College Foundation.

Suzanne is a student at Virginia Marti College of Art & Design and has received this award for her outstanding diligence as a student and her tireless involvement within our community. We are grateful to Huntington Bank for their ongoing support toward education and their commitment to helping our youth and rewarding them for their hard work and dedication.

Suzanne writes in her application, “Cleveland is my community. I want to live here and I chose to attend college here because I want to improve the success of the city on a national scale. To do this I am always looking for new opportunities to serve those in need; thus I’ve learned and discovered not only more about the world, but also more about myself. I have also learned never to take anything for granted, because everything is subject to change. Hopefully with this wisdom I can change my future and the future of our city for the better.”

Lakewood High School freshman Creek Miller (.), 15, brought his best Pink Out[fit] to the Rangers varsity football game at Lakewood Stadium, October 12. Those attending the game were asked to wear pink in support of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The Rangers (3-5) lost 24-7 to Midview in West Shore Conference play.

THE VOTERS’ GUIDE 2012

Heirloom Home is pleased to announce their reopening on October 24th. Come in and be the first to see our restocked inventory of unique jewelry, decoratiave arts and antiques--all at bargain prices.  The store is briming with wonderful selections for your personal enjoyment or for holiday gift giving. Know that your choices contribute to scholarships for children at The Beck Center for the Arts. Completing its second year in operation, Heirloom Home has provided many kids the opportunity to learn and grow with the experience of music, drama, art and dance classes.

Democracy is only as effective as the people who participate in it. And the Number One way to participate is to vote. It’s not always an easy thing to do.

Voters are challenged to learn as much as possible about candidates and issues in a 24/7 news cycle where information, which is often not true or partially true, makes it difficult to make informed decisions.

The Lakewood Chapter of the League of Women Voters Cuyahoga Area will host a Candidates Forum, Tuesday, October 16 at 7 p.m. in the auditorium at the Women’s Pavilion in Lakewood Park. Dale Miller and Anna Melendez, candidates for Cuyahoga Council District 2 and Nickie Antonio and John Zappala candidates for Ohio House District 13 will present their positions on the issues and answer questions from the audience. This forum is an opportunity for citizens to become familiarized with the candidates and educated about the way they would address the challenges in our community.

Alumni members of the Lakewood High School marching band were invited to join the 2012 edition during the Friday, September 28, Rangers varsity game against Rocky River at Lakewood Stadium. The game marked the final homecoming game appearance of longtime marching band director Brian Maskow, who is retiring at the close of the school year. Rocky River prevailed 21-13 in the West Shore Conference game.

Ahead of the official “International Walk to School Day” event on Wednesday, October 3, three LCA faculty members planned a cross-town walk from their east-side homes to the school in Lakewood on Friday, September 28. The expected  6- 7 hour trek was documented via Twitter by the walkers, LCA Principal Mike Fletcher and teachers Dan Castrigano and Mike Soderquist. The trek was planned to encourage participation and build excitement for the actual event on October 3, when students and families are encouraged to walk or bike to school. Event chairperson Marianne Quasebarth reports that the school has had nearly 300 LCA participants in each of the past two years it has taken part in the event.

Rangers Marching Band field co-commander Kyra Mihalski (c.) leads her bandmates and over 1,000 additonal musicians representing 10 Northeast Ohio area high schools during a Sept. 15 marching band festival parade down Bunts Road to Lakewood Stadium. Under the leadersship of band director Brian Maskow, Lakewood High School has played host for 26 editions of the annual marching band showcase.

Lots of bling, along with some dirt with unearthed fossils and minerals—and even some cosmic dust from meteorites falling from the skies over Argentina—will be on display when GemStreet USA Show & Sale comes to Cleveland on September 28-30 at the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds in Berea.

What are several Lakewoodites doing in Rocky River every Thursday morning? They are happily listening to Baldwin Wallace University faculty member Dr. Christine Dorey, musicologist and raconteur. Lecture is an inadequate description of her entertaining and informative talks with and about classical music. The weekly sessions are based on works to be performed at upcoming Cleveland Orchestra concerts. Her knowledge and wit enliven wide-ranging observations on the social, political, technical, and musical environment of the work; the life, idiosyncrasies, and musical import of the composer; and the broad brush and tiny details of the music itself as she plays recordings, often with commentary on the musical personalities of the performers as well. Each session is education and entertainment in itself and invaluable preparation for those planning to attend the corresponding concert.

With the help of a Lakewood Music Booster summer scholarship, Lakewood High School senior Kent Dockus had the opportunity to attend the Mark Wood Rock Orchestra Camp in Olathe, KS in July 2012, on the grounds of MidAmerica Nazarene University.

The Mark Wood Rock Orchestra Camp is not like any other summer orchestra camp. In fact, acoustic instruments and "standard" classical repertoire is discouraged. With these criteria in place and Kent's passion to play his Viper electric violin, he was all packed and ready to go.

In addition to Mark Wood, Kent had the opportunity to study with other professional musicians, including his private instructor, Tracy Silverman (Nashville, TN). Kent described these instructors and their "Instructor Concerts" as like nothing he's ever seen or heard. "Their talents, use of equipment, effects… and performances were mind blowing," said Kent after the shows.

The Mark Wood Rock Orchestra Camp was attended by over 120 "campers" from around the country… and not just high school orchestra students. This camp is designed for anyone who is serious about performing or teaching with traditional or non-traditional orchestra instruments, but in a whole new way.

Wilson Sackett’s Seven Week Fact Finding Mission In The Mid-East

I Was Interested In Seeing It All For Myself

On June 28th, I left for a seven week trip to Israel and Jordan. After years of allowing the American media to describe and shape these regions for me, I was interested to see and learn the culture that is shadowed by political uncertainty and violence. I hope that by seeing these pictures and reading the descriptions, the reader can see a different side of these countries, a side that expresses kindness and hospitality. While I was traveling, I was never threatened, never hurt, and never turned away by the citizens of Israel and Jordan. On multiple occasions, I was taken in by people of these countries, and given food, water, and anything else they could offer. Without the help and hospitality of these citizens, this trip would never have been possible. I hope readers can feel the human connection between those pictured and ourselves. If we continue to believe that our differences outweigh our similarities, then the walls pictured here that imprison so many people, will never be torn down. Our humanity is our greatest connection, and it is time we start to believe in it.

In what promises to be a dramatic and exciting display of civic pride, 60-plus volunteers from Lakewood-based Neubert Painting will scrape, sand, and paint new life into a long-standing fixture of the Lakewood community. The Bandstand at the historic and beautiful Lakewood Park was selected by Lakewood-based Neubert Painting as the 2012 recipient of its annual Charity Paint Giveaway.

At around 3:30 am a Lakewood Police car noticed a black Porsche Carerra heading west on Detroit Ave. The officer noticed the car had expired plates and turned on his flashers to pull the man over as they ran the plates.

The Porsche driver took off west at a very high rate of speed, and the car came back with the owner and not stolen. By Kenilworth the officer could not keep the Porsche in sight and broke off the pursuit. As a call went in to meet the driver at his Fairview Park home.

As the officer stopped to fill out report, and take next calls, a call went out for an accident at the Commodore Club Apartments. What followed was a first for this longtime Lakewood resident.

The Porsche had continued West down Detroit Extension, hitting the curb that then launched him his Carrera and unlucky passenger into the air, clipping a tree nearly 30; off the ground. (The Lincoln a week back never went higher than 15") clearing the MetroParks two lane roadway, landing the the second lane of the bike path, bouncing, hitting another tree which sent one of the two flying out of the car and coming to a rest near the bottom of the hill less that 200 yards from Sweetware Landing! "The car flew more than 100'," said Capt Ed Hassing.

The driver age 24 from Fairview Park has a broken back, and is in Metro General Hospital, his passenger a 47 year old male is in critical condition in Fairview General Hospital. The Porsche sits at Kuffners Towing, with NOTHING USEABLE on it. It is amazing to think anyone lived in that car.

Quaker Steak & Lube® is opening its doors in Lakewood on August 15, 2012. Famous for its award-winning, fresh, never frozen wings and more than 22 signature sauces and dry rubs, Quaker Steak & Lube® will offer an extensive menu. It will  include appetizers such as the 4-Wheeler (sampler), salads including the “Biker Chick” Chopped Salad and Boneless Wing Salad, half-pound burgers featuring the Lubeburger, sandwiches such as the GTO Gyro and Boneless Wing Chicken Wrap, steaks and a full Kids Menu.

The Lakewood Outdoor Basketball Committee (LOBC) is in the midst of its Paver Campaign for the Mark Vincent Dickens (MVD) court at Lakewood Park. The group paid in full the location at Kauffman Park and has raised 70% of the required $25,000 price tag for the Lakewood Park location. Although the path for LOBC was never easy, the group is looking to add the location near the end of the summer.

Before the Kauffman Park basketball courts were installed in September of 2010, the group spent a year and a half lobbying for a return of outdoor courts and healthier outlets for kids. With the Kauffman location intact, LOBC turns its attention to Lakewood Park and the installation of the MVD Memorial Courts, named in memory of Lakewoodite, Mark Vincent Dickens, whose promising life was cut short by cancer. Dickens was a 1996 graduate of Lakewood High School.

After a nine-year hiatus, Relay For Life returns to Lakewood on June 15 & 16 at the Lakewood High School stadium through the efforts of Wyandotte resident, Louis Wenner. Lou lost his parents to cancer, both diagnosed by age 60.  His wife Della is dealing with cancer in her family now. The theme of Lakewood's Relay is Superheroes, and when Lou achieves his goal of walking 60 miles (that's more than two marathons) he's going to be everyone's Superhero! Event Chair Kelsey Solarz, a sophomore nursing student at Kent State, has participated in Relays for 8 years, after losing her best friend to cancer in 6th grade.

When I opened Carabel Beauty in 1969,  many of my clients were survivors of  The Great Depression.  They had thinning hair as a result of less than nutritious food and a good deal of stress. Over the years, I have witnessed the overall condition improve to the point where young women today have the thickest hair in generations. I believe the reason for this is better prenatal care and ongoing healthy habits. Unfortunately, lately I have noticed women once again losing their hair due to stress, anxiety, or grief. Widows are especially at risk because they worry and don't feel like eating the way they did when their partners were with them. Overwork or the lack of work can create the stress associated with hair loss.  Crash diets and eating disorders seem to change the texture and amount of hair also.

Dee Salukomba, LHS '08 will soon be graduating from Denison University where he has attended for the last four years.  He was encouraged to apply for a grant from the Davis Projects for Peace so that he could return to his native village of Kirotshe, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Dee was born in this small village and with his family was able to escape war-torn Congo and refugee life in Uganda in 2004. His vision is to provide books, projectors, and computers to establish a Learning Center near the school that was built there last summer. Dee hopes to train instructors with Dr. Kubuya an educator already in the Congo. This would allow more people to work and increase their knowledge about the world. The Learning Center would be supported and maintained by the school and hospital in Kirotshe.

Celebrate the Ambulance Chase on Sunday, May 6!

Presented by Donald Martens & Sons, this event is for everyone: from the youngest among us in the Children’s Chase to participants well into their eighties; from the serious runner to the leisurely walker.  The race is about more than just a start and finish line, it is about the journey of how we get there, and the journey that continues beyond the event.

Since its inception, the Ambulance Chase has generated nearly $350,000, touching countless patients and families through the enhancement of a myriad of programs including services for infants and their parents, teens and seniors, emergency medicine, diabetes management assistance, radiology, surgery and community outreach.  This year’s race will again benefit patients utilizing Lakewood Hospital’s full continuum of rehabilitation services as well as a variety of patient care programs.

With the purpose of raising awareness of heart disease as the number one killer of women, the Dress Up Your Heart Committee recently held their 5th annual fashion benefit for the American Heart Association’s “Go Red For Women” campaign. Nearly 200 supporters attended the event, which takes place in Lakewood each year. Keeping with the red dress symbol, the highlight of the evening was a unique and creative fashion show featuring ten one-of-a-kind red-print wrap dresses which were then sold at auction. The featured dresses were all designs of Susan Dauber, a former Lakewood resident and a Cornell University graduate with a degree in Fashion and Apparel Design. The evening was once again a huge success in bringing a community together for heart health awareness.

This was the popular favorite at the recent lakewood High health fair. Since it uses some lesser known vegetables, we urge you to give it a try. This is a good time to put the shredder function of your food processer to work, or get your kids to help shred.The students were surprised that they liked it!

Golden Beet Slaw

4 cups (4-5 med) golden beets, peeled and shredded

2 cups (2-3) Granny Smith apples, cored and shredded, NOT peeled

1 cup carrot, peeled and shredded (1 large)

1 cup thinly sliced fennel bulb (1 med.)

finely chopped fennel fronds (whatever is on the bulb)

1/2 cup lemon juice (about 2 lg. lemons)

1/4 cup vegetable oil (any mild flavored)

1 tbs. agave syrup or honey

salt and pepper, a pinch or 2to taste

1)    What makes you the best candidate for the 9th District?

Public service is about helping people. It’s not a show or a game. It’s about getting real results.

The key is working together. In its endorsement of my candidacy, the Plain Dealer cited my ability to create coalitions. And former Cleveland Mayor George Voinovich cited my ability to work in a bipartisan manner. 

My leadership model is built on cooperation and collaboration. We need to leverage the creative abilities of all—elected officials, business leaders, teachers, faith-based communities, seniors, and ordinary citizens. 

Let me give a concrete example. The idea for a World War Two Memorial came from a constituent named Roger Durbin, who had fought in the Battle of the Bulge. He approached me at a local fish fry with his idea. I took it and worked 17 years to turn it into reality. The result: a beautiful memorial in our nation’s capital that honors the Greatest Generation.

1)    What makes you the best candidate for the 9th District?

As the only fresh alternative in this race, I can bring an approach that is much needed – a common sense approach.  Congress is broken. It has just a 9% approval rating, the worst ever. It is broken because people have lost faith in Congress. Our country is in a fiscal crisis. We have a $15 trillion debt which will become $26 trillion in 10 years unless we do something about it. Congress is not going to be fixed by two people who have been politicians for a combined 70 years. Kaptur and Kucinich are creatures of Congress and care more about scoring political points than policy solutions.

I am a small business owner and entrepreneur. I know what it is like to forgo a pay period to make sure that the employees get what they’ve earned. Congress doesn’t understand that logic. That is why they have racked up the debt, which threatens investments we need to make in job creation and economic recovery, education, and the environment.

Shannon Okey, Publisher, Cooperative Press, will present “Knitting a Long Tail in Niche Publishing” at the South By Southwest (SXSW) conference in Austin this March as part of the Interactive portion of the festival, March 9-13, 2012. Originally a music festival, SXSW has grown to encompass music, film and high tech elements. Okey's talk, exploring ways to increase creators' revenue and buck the established publishing system, will be based on her own experiences as the woman business owner behind Cooperative Press, a small press that is anything but traditional.

Cooperative Press came about in 2009 after Okey had already successfully published a dozen books with major national publishers. She wanted to champion books that would fly under the radar at a mainstream publishing house, compensate authors fairly, and provide them with more creative control. Cooperative Press pays royalties that are at least four times the industry average, and takes full advantage of fast-moving digital publishing innovations. Cooperative Press represents authors including Anna Dalvi, Heather Ordover, Alasdair Post-Quinn, Kate Atherley, Stephannie Tallent and Okey herself.

Single? Tired of the bar scene? Or being hit on at the gym? Forget about stalking the celery in the produce aisle waiting for someone who looks available!

The Lakewood Dog Park is THE new place for singles to find love!

Think about it. Lakewood has more 18- to 35-year-olds than any other Cleveland suburb. More households now own dogs than have kids. And let’s face it; dogs are chick and guy magnets. If you love dogs, what better way to meet people with the same interests and values than at a place where other people who share that love of dogs congregate?The Lakewood Dog Park is where Kaylee and Chad found love.

Imagine walking into your office one day, and your boss says, “we’re closing the agency tomorrow.” That’s exactly what happened to Ann Huber, owner of Landfall Travel. How did she respond? She bought the agency, and 20 years later, with a staff of six people, the doors are still open.

Huber recently returned from the beaches of Turks and Caicos Islands, a small British territory between the Bahamas and Haiti, and in early December, she took a wonderful cruise down the Rhine River. Though she has yet to explore many of the destinations she arranges for her clients, she enjoys getting “to see the world through other people’s eyes.”

It is a long way from building boats in Kennebunkport to mid-morning epiphanies in Little Italy, and even farther from the subarctic snow banks of Fairbanks to transforming an empty Lakewood storefront into a new yoga studio, but that is the path Marcia Camino took in creating Pink Lotus.

A Chicago native, Mrs. Camino grew up in Texas, Indiana, New York, and finally Toledo, Ohio, where her steel-working family settled down. While attending Bowling Green University she declared a major in English, and the next year transferred to the University of Alaska in Fairbanks, where she earned an MFA in creative writing. She told her parents she wanted to be a poet.

My name is Peter Jones. I want to share with you my story about the power and devotion that can lie within us, sometimes unnoticed or simply ignored. I'm telling you about this not to glorify myself, but rather to tell you my story and perhaps inspire you to take action as well.

What can I do? I'm just one person. What power does one person have? Perhaps a bit more than two months ago, I was sitting in my house, quite concerned by these thoughts. I had no idea what I would do as a social justice project which I had signed up for. Through an article in a magazine that my mom was reading and the Internet, I came upon the issue of children in foster care not having basic toiletry supplies. Before finding that website, I didn't really think about this being a problem. However, it is a problem, and that became my project. 

On a Saturday morning recently, Olga Capas, Rita Zvirblis, and Vanessa Staskus ordered late breakfasts and early lunches at the Diner on Clifton, settling into seats after their first Zumba class. Over cups of steaming coffee, three-cheese omelets, patty melts, and shared sweet potato fries they caught up with their experience and breath.

After years of feeling like a college town, Lakewood is getting a university. Classes at the brand-new University of Akron Lakewood begin on January 9 in the recently refurbished Bailey Building at the intersection of Detroit Avenue and Warren Road.

Heirloom Home celebrates its 1st birthday with a special holiday sale of unique items. Give the present of wonderful handcrafter vintage necklaces and bracelets, handsome, quality watches that have a secret compartment, antiques and beautiful silver, glass and collectibles.

By all accounts Ryan Woidke appears a normal 19-year-old, born and raised in Lakewood where he still lives on weekends while in his second year at Kent State University.  A graduate of Lakewood High School now majoring in Criminal Justice, trim and athletic, a full-time academic with two part-time jobs, he blends in with most other backpacking students.

On a blustery, cold January night, Lakewood is blanketed by winter snow. Inside the Root Café, delicacies and hot drinks provided more than just warmth. The café provided the perfect atmosphere for the kick-off committee meeting for this year’s Light Up Lakewood. What began that night has led to the amazingly awesome, new and improved Light Up Lakewood Festival 2011. A night that is sure to attract more notable praise upon our beloved town. 

Come to The Furry Nation pet store, 15800 Detroit Ave., on Tuesday, December 6, from 5- 8 p.m. for a celebration of our good old dogs.

This is the occasion of the official adoption of Annie, a nine-year-old greyhound, who after a terrible life filled with injury, neglect and rejection, will now spend the rest of her years in a loving home in Lakewood. At 7 p.m. we will toast Annie’s adoption, along with the adoption of any other senior dogs in attendance (define ‘senior’ any way you like). We also will pause to remember good old dogs who are no longer with us.

Annie is being adopted from Erie Shore Greyhound Adoption of Ohio, which will hold a meet-and-greet that evening at Furry Nation, complete with adoptable greyhounds. All will be younger than Annie, but few will act younger. Also, Tuesdays are double-point days for Furry Nation’s loyalty program.

I remember walking into my second-grade classroom the day after Open House, ready for a morning as usual, and discovering a prim island of flat plastic shapes arranged in the center of my desk. Curious and impulsive, I asked out loud, as I pushed the blocks around, what is this for? A little full of myself, and definitely impatient, I must have assumed that someone had forgotten to clean up the mess he left on my workspace, and I’d already smeared the pieces out of order when I got my answer. The night before, the parents of my classmates had picked an image to assemble on their child’s desk using sets of colored tiles. My mom and dad had followed the pattern on their chosen card, leaving me their picture to find as I settled into my seat the next day, and I-- in my haste and hurried presumptuousness-- had wrecked their work with a single swipe.

Just like people, trees age and decline in health. Lakewood, proclaimed "Tree City, USA" by the Arbor Day Foundation for 33 years, is currently faced with caring for a large aging tree population, the trimming and the removal of the trees if necessart. Unfortunately, the City can only handle dangerous and potentially dangerous trees that affect the public. Lakewood has no program in place for these types of trees on private property. While some cities do have programs that assist the tree owner in regards to obtaining qualified tree cutters and financial assistance, and a vehicle for concerned affected property owners to report private property dangerous trees, Lakewood has no such program. Yes, there are legal avenues affected property owners can utilize but that can tie up precious time to remedy the hazard.  In addition, a court order to the tree owner to remove the tree does not put money in the tree owner’s pocket to carry out the order.  This situation may leave the tree owner with one option, to abandon the property with the dangerous tree still in the ground.  

Hundreds of Lakewood Rec and middle school youth football players, cheer squad members, staff and supporters turned out for the annual Youth Football Night festivities held Fri., Oct. 14, during the Rangers varsity home game at Lakewood Stadium. Youth cheer squad members are shown rallying varsity football players during pre-game introductions.

The holidays will be here before you know it. Be glam; be confident with color; be ready for party times. Big and bold are back in with necklaces and rings, and you will want to select a glamour palette balancing the richness of royal gems and the impact of the gold standard.

Backstage at the Winchester Music Hall before her concert on November 4, Anne E. DeChant reviewed the play list with her full-band line-up. Then the 4-time winner of Scene Magazine’s Best Singer Songwriter award double-checked one last time with Kelly Wright, her longtime back-up singer, and the show was a go.

Members of the Lakewood High School Rangers varsity football team displayed their support for Pink Out 2011, the school's Breast Cancer Awareness initiative, by wearing pink gloves or socks during their October 14 home game against the Brush Arcs.

The 4th Annual Spooky Pooch Parade is known as the “Largest Halloween Dog Parade from Coast to Coast”! “This event has been so successful in the past, we think we have a great shot at a Guinness World Record [for the] ‘Most Dogs in Costume’ category. The rest of the world should know how much Northeast Ohio loves our dogs,” explained Ian Andrews, LakewoodAlive Executive Director. The current record stands at 603.

Save the date of October 18 in your calendar. 

Better than any reality television show, Candidates Night, sponsored by the Lakewood League of Women Voters, will take place on that date at 7 p.m. at the Womens Pavilion in Lakewood Park.

Municipal candidates and School Board Candidates will be there. Learn their personal background, their viewpoints on issues, and ask your questions.

Valerie J. Lyons and Linda S. Noelker were nominated into the Ohio Women’s Hall of Fame (OWHF), August 25, 2011, in the Atrium of the Ohio Statehouse last Thursday.

Lyons, nominated for her contributions in Science, is the Chief of the Power and In-Space Propulsion Division of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) John H. Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. The Division performs research and technology development for aerospace power systems including batteries, fuel cells, solar cells, Stirling convertors, and power electronics. She is also the founder and director of an Aerospace Science Summer Camp for children ages 10 through 15.

Noelker, nominated for her contributions in Community Service and Health Service, is a highly accomplished and respected profession in the field of gerontological research, policies, and service. She joined the Benjamin Rose Institute in 1974 as a research analyst and gradually assumed positions of greater responsibility. Her contributions have addressed critical service concerns of older adults and their families and offer avenues for creative delivery of services at the local, state, and national levels.

Splish, Splash, join the Lakewood Pool Plunge Bash! The end of summer marks the seasonal closing of Foster Pool, but not until our four-legged friends have the opportunity for their own pool party.

This annual event remains the biggest fundraiser for the Lakewood Dog Park, in addition to being loads of fun for dogs and their humans alike. The event allows dogs to run, jump and swim around the pool, while helping to support one of our city’s greatest assets. The $5.00 donation for your dog (or $8.00 for two dogs), helps to maintain the dog park throughout the remainder of the year, providing hand sanitizer, waste bags, etc. 

Lakewood High School freshman and marching band member Ben McKinsey is escorted to the field by LHS student and guiding band member Erin Salo during a recent practice session at Ranger Stadium. McKinsey, who is blind, plays in the brass section of the 115-member band. Salo served three previous years as a band manager before choosing this year to fill the role as guide for McKinsey. Both will be in uniform and on the field for pre-game and halftime shows during the entire 2011 Ranger senior football season.

Back in the early 1970s, it was the dream of people at Lakewood Presbyterian Church to help people live more responsibly for the sake of the earth and her people. After successfully holding Christmas fairs for several years featuring works of both local and distant artists, leaders opened the One World Shop in 1979. They officially began planting the seeds of Fair Trade in our community that would encompass worldwide artists and artisans.

In 1992, One World Shop moved to its current 19321 Detroit location. Vicki Lubin, Store Manager, states: “Lakewood is our biggest demographic customer base, with Rocky River a close second.”

The chalkboard by the cash register announces in colorful letters: Special Salad – Geauga Greens, picked Thursday.

A wall stocked with fair-trade coffee and a glass case full of fresh-baked organic and vegan goodies hint that in this place, quality food reigns supreme. The good smells coming from the kitchen attest to that. Ambient jazz plays counterpart to the click of half a dozen laptops, while outside the steamy café windows, the rain drips steadily on.