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BVPD Chief Kathleen Leasure

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Welcome to Bay Village’s newest Chief of Police, Kathleen Leasure! 

Chief Leasure was sworn in on June 2, becoming the City of Bay Village’s eighth Chief of Police. Chief Leasure serves as the first female Chief of Police for the City of Bay Village and in the Westshore communities.

Chief Leasure brings over 24 years of experience with the Bay Village Police Department to the job. She began her career in 1996 as a patrol officer after attending the Ohio State Highway Patrol Academy. As a patrol officer, she served as a field training officer, evidence technician and was a member of the Bike Patrol Unit and Dive Rescue Team.

Westlake Mayor Dennis Clough, right, reads a proclamation honoring William Krause. Photo by Denny Wendell

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Westlake planner retires after 30 years serving city

The City of Westlake recently said goodbye to one of the architects of its metamorphosis, as longtime assistant planning director William Krause headed into retirement.

During his 30 years at City Hall, Will played an integral role in helping to guide Westlake’s transformation from a sleepy farming community to a bustling suburban destination.

As readers of his “Digging Dover” column in the Observer know, Will has a passion for history, interest in architecture and attention to detail – qualities that served him well in the Planning Department and left an indelible mark on the landscape of Westlake today.

Dan Enovitch, far left, director of the Recreation Department, leads the mayor and City Council members on a tour of the department’s new home in the renovated Community House. Photo by Denny Wendell

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With the closure and eventual razing of Bay Way Cabin planned this year for the new library, the Bay Recreation Department was in need of a new home. After reviewing different location options in the city, Mayor Koomar, with the support of City Council, directed renovation work to be done on the Community House to create enough space for the Rec Department move.

“Given the storage, training, and customer service needs of our Recreation Department, and to allow our residents easy and convenient access to the department, we felt the Community House was the perfect location,” said Mayor Koomar. “Now that they are up and running, many agree the decision was a good one.”

Service Director Jon Liskovec and his team had a number of areas that needed attention in the building. The first item that needed to be addressed was repairs to the roof and cupola, which allowed water to penetrate into the building, damaging the main ceiling area.

Westlake’s clerk of council, Denise Rosenbaum, has earned the Master Municipal Clerk designation. Photo by Denny Wendell

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Clerk of council is often an unseen and thankless job. Other than sitting alongside city council during public meetings, many of the clerk’s duties are performed behind the scenes. But that doesn’t make the work any less important.

In Westlake, paraphrasing the city’s codified ordinances, the clerk is expected to attend all Council meetings; prepare minutes; post all ordinances, resolutions and actions of Council; be the custodian of all papers and documents kept by Council; and serve all notices required by law.

In addition, the clerk is responsible for providing administrative assistance to Council members; preparing meeting agendas and packets; responding to public records requests; maintaining Council’s webpage, databases and codified ordinances; and acting as a liaison between Council and the public, media and internal employees.

All of those obligations don’t leave much time in the day to pursue professional advancement, but Westlake’s clerk of council, Denise Rosenbaum, has somehow found a way, even if it meant working at it on her own time.

Staffer Mary Bodmann delivers supplies to Drive-in Bingo participants.

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Drive-in movie theaters have clearly made a comeback. A recent headline declared that the Aut-O-Rama in North Ridgeville was the fifth highest grossing theater in the country one weekend. But, it's not just about the movies. It's about having something to do; somewhere to go that is safe and where social distancing guidelines can easily be maintained. 

In fact many of the bustling nights at the Aut-O-Rama were for high school graduations. I know this personally, because that's where my 2020 graduate of St. Joseph Academy's commencement was held. The novelty of watching the individually pre-taped graduation segments, consolidated and united on the big screen in a parking lot full of classmates and families made it pretty special and spectacular. It was the first and only thing that happened to this class that actually exceeded what was supposed to have been.

Jane Blackie, outside her home in Bay Village. Photo by Bill Blackie

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First in a series of articles that aims to inspire readers to take the risk to try something new, see the positive in life, and recognize that everyday people can make a difference by following their passions.

During this pandemic, many of us have struggled to stay positive and motivated. Therefore, let us look to role models to inspire us. Jane Blackie, chair of the Bay Village Chapter of the League of Women Voters (LWV) is one who could serve as a role model for us all as she is one of those inspiring people making a difference during these unique times.

The League of Women Voters is a non-partisan organization, formed 100 years ago in conjunction with the suffrage movement.

Eastern Screech-Owl, Lake Erie Nature & Science Center

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Lake Erie Nature & Science Center began offering pre-registered guided tours and pre-scheduled wildlife rehabilitation services on July 7.

The Center will follow protocols recommended by the State of Ohio and Ohio Department of Health to help reduce the risk of spreading the virus:

• face masks are required to be worn by employees and all visitors over the age of 3
• visitors are encouraged to bring their own masks, or will be provided one to wear
• hand sanitizing stations and hand washing facilities are available throughout the building
• physical distances of 6 feet will be maintained at all times
• indoor public areas will be regularly cleaned and sanitized
• visitors are asked to self-monitor for virus symptoms prior to arrival
• visitors are asked to stay home if they are ill, if diagnosed with COVID-19, or if residing with someone diagnosed with the virus

Visitors to the Center will see facility and exhibit changes that help to protect people and animals, and to allow for recommended cleaning and sanitizing of the facility. Online registration for guided tours and pre-scheduled appointments for wildlife rehabilitation services are required to monitor building capacity.

Alexa Davey is the new director at the Glenview Center for Child Care and Learning in Bay Village.

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Alexa Davey is the new director of Glenview Child Care and Learning Center in Bay Village. She replaces recently retired Dorothy Chadwick.

Asked why she chose early childhood education as a career, Davey, who is the daughter of two teachers, explained she discovered through a student teaching position her passion for early childhood.

“I fell in love with this age group because it is a rare, but vital opportunity to set the stage for children to fall in love with learning,” she said. “In the classroom, I loved developing relationships with children and their families. Doing so helped me discover their strengths and interests, and I was able to use those to foster individual success in the classroom.”

Pictured, from left: Safety Pup; Kevin Walker, Westlake Kiwanis president-elect; Ray Budoi, Kiwanis president; Olivia Kostecke, Safety Town director; Westlake Mayor Dennis Clough; and Westlake Police Chief Kevin Bielozer; with Mathias Kostecke on the bike.

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The Westlake Kiwanis and the Westlake Police Department partnered on providing bike helmets for children attending Safety Town.

The helmets were purchased jointly from the Ohio District Kiwanis Foundation as a fundraiser for the Foundation. The Kiwanis Foundation also provides funds to local clubs to help with projects dealing with children.

The police department and Safety Town will see to the distribution of these helmets.

BAYarts market volunteer Valerie Koehler 

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Times they are a-changin' – and with new rules for social distancing and safety, BAYarts is making a conscious effort to roll things out slowly this year.

Delayed classes finally began this week and now the Summer Market returns – with new daytime hours, for the time being. Thursday Market will be held every second and fourth Thursday from noon to 3 p.m. beginning July 9.

"With the abundance of visitors to the park this year, we have taken extra precautions for safety and crowd control as we slowly reopen," explained BAYarts Executive Director Nancy Heaton. "We have worked very closely with [landlord] Cleveland Metroparks, following the guidelines of the CDC for during this unusual year."

They tell me that after 60 games last year, the eventual World Champion Washington Nationals were 27-33. Zowie!

The mighty, mighty Seattle Mariners, after 15 games, were 13-2. They didn't quite maintain the momentum, losing 94 games on the year. You don't say.

These little nuggets of baseball lore are supposed to get me pumped for the 2020 MLB season. Because, the story goes, in a shortened season, "Anything can happen." You gotta love sports cliches, right?

Many college students who live in Bay Village and Westlake have a number of challenges as they think about how to vote in the 2020 presidential election. Even in early July, not all students know where they will be living come November. Asking for an absentee ballot to be mailed to your Ohio home address and then expecting your parents to mail it on to you has a few hazards: Is there enough time for all this back-and-forth mailing? What if some piece is addressed wrong? 

Here are some questions for students (and their parents) to consider:

• Are you registered to vote? In what state?
• Do you need to update your official address?
• Do you have a driver's license from the state whose ballot you prefer to use?
• Do you want to vote using an absentee/mail-in ballot?
• Do you have the needed postal stamps for both your ballot request and your ballot?
• What are the deadlines for each of these steps?

Basic answers to all of these are provided on the Ohio Secretary of State’s website at voteohio.gov. Brief answers are provided below to help students think through their voting plans.

Maeve Kilroy, Maeve Galla and Amy Burgy test the pH of the soil around Cahoon Creek where the seedlings will be planted. Photo by Richard Gash

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A team of Sea Scouts from Bay Village has won first place in the STEM Lesson Plan Contest sponsored by Dominion Energy’s Project Plant It! program to teach youth about the benefits of trees to the environment. The three ninth-grade girls – Maeve Kilroy, Maeve Galla and Amy Burgy – with supervision by their skipper, Richard Gash, created a science lesson plan based on a project to plant redbud tree seedlings on the slope of Cahoon Creek in order to prevent soil erosion and runoff into the creek.

The idea for a STEM lesson plan about how trees can help prevent soil erosion germinated from their Sea Scout activities. The girls often put their sailboats in the water in the area of Cahoon Creek that had been cleared to build the new Lake Road bridge, leaving the area vulnerable for runoff of pollutants into the creek. In the course of their research on how to protect the creek, the girls learned about the free redbud tree seedlings offered by Project Plant It!, and they registered to get the seedlings to plant along the slope in April. The COVID-19 crisis has delayed planting until the fall. In the meantime, the team received a $200 Walmart gift card from Dominion Energy to purchase supplies for scout projects.

A "bull's-eye" Lyme disease rash. Photo courtesy CDC

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Last week I found a tick on the dog. Finally, a non-COVID-19 topic to discuss.

In Ohio, tickborne infections happen year-round; the first peak starts in June. We have a dozen different types. Three – the deer tick, the American dog tick, and the lone star tick – transmit human infections.

I’ll focus on the infamous deer tick, which causes Lyme disease among other infections. You’re doing great if you know the basics about the tick and the rash.

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Choosing from what must be thousands of memorized pieces of music, violinist Mary Beth Ions created an hour of fun and enjoyable music on Guildord Court in the Woods of Westlake on Sunday, June 28.

From "Baby Shark" for the young ones to "Daisy, Daisy" to "The Phantom of the Opera" to Beethoven's 9th Symphony and patriotic music, she filled the hearts of the audience with her singing violin.

Watercolor painting titled "Lake Erie, from Cleveland" by Seth Eastman, 1833. It shows a group of Native Americans standing in the foreground on the east side of the Cuyahoga River. In the distance are the shores of Lakewood and Bay Village. Accessed from clevelandareahistory.com. Courtesy of Sloane and Kenyon Auctioneers and Appraisers, Bethesda, Maryland.

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Ken Keeler was born in Westlake around the city’s Sesquicentennial – 1961. He and his family have been longtime members of the Westlake Sportsman’s Association which at one time owned large tracts of land in Westlake. He continues to live in Westlake and has always loved hiking the fields and woodlots in the city.

In the 1980s he explored the former Jurgemeier farm, near the southwest corner of Crocker and Detroit roads, when the soil was scraped into huge dirt piles to flatten the ridge where the Promenade Shopping Center was being constructed. He told me about how in a matter of minutes he unearthed a Native American knife made of red flint, a sizable chunk of unworked flint and other tools made of a stone that is not indigenous to this area. This leads him to believe that it was the site of a long-ago Native American camp or village.

The Croyle and Granja families, along with Doug and Gay Borchert, recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

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On July 2, neighbors were invited to attend a flag-raising ceremony in front of retired Bay Middle School social studies teacher, Doug Borchert's, home. The invitation read, "Tomorrow we will hang up in our front yard the flag that covered my Dad's coffin ... Capt. Jay Bender, U.S. Army, served almost 4 years in the Pacific in WWII. We will also remember Doug's Dad, Pvt. Ben Borchert, who served in Europe and received the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star. If you can, join us as we begin our joyous yet reflective celebration of Independence Day. God bless America! – Gay Borchert"

At 9:00 a.m., 12 adults and eight children gathered as Mr. Borchert spoke about the sacrifices our veterans in general, and our two fathers specifically, have made since our country was founded. He read the last few statements from the Declaration of Independence and explained why we were raising Old Glory on July 2 and will do so again on July 4.  

On July 2, 1776, the document was submitted to the Continental Congress and signed by John Hancock. On July 4, it was made public. The flag went up as those gathered joined in singing the national anthem.

Similar to the decision-making process required to buy or lease your next car, leasing computer hardware was popularized for businesses before the "subscription" model, i.e. leasing [the right to use] software, started to also become an industry trend in the early 2010s.

Whether leasing computer hardware or subscribing for software usage, the concept is the same: you don't own anything when the lease/subscription ends.

Let's review the options:

• Buying software upfront gives you a perpetual license to use the software on one computer, akin to buying a car. You own it when paid upfront or financing is paid off.

• Buying a subscription to software is like leasing a car. You enter an annually renewable contract for a discounted monthly rate or opt for a month-to-month contract at a slightly higher rate. You use the software, just like you drive a leased car, but at the end of the subscription term, if you don't renew, you lose the usage rights. You never own it.

People often ask me questions about Microsoft's productivity suite "Office" and the options available. Formerly known as "Office 365 Home," recently rebranded as "Microsoft 365 for home" (really, can we stop confusing consumers?), it is a subscription offering: you lease the Office software for use on your personal computer, tablet, smartphone or the cloud.

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Each year for Independence Day, residents of Carlton Drive in Bay Village line their curb lawns with American flags. This year several residents flew other U.S. flags, such as the “Don’t Give Up The Ship” flag flown by Commodore Perry in the War of 1812.

Pictured are two Revolutionary War flags flown by Doris Gorgas, a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution – the Betsy Ross flag with 13 stars and 13 stripes, and the First Navy Jack from 1775 bearing the motto "Don't Tread on Me" and an uncoiled rattlesnake.

Following is Porter Library’s mid-July 2020 calendar of events. All programs are subject to change. Check westlakelibrary.org or follow the library on Facebook and Twitter (@WestlakePorter) for the latest updates.

Tuesday, July 14 (10-10:30 a.m.) Jammin’ with Jesse Jukebox Live on Zoom – Rock out with Jesse Jukebox on a Zoom concert just for kids ages 2-6! Sharing tracks from his news album "Awesome!" and old favorites, this is a can’t miss for our preschool friends! Please register. Participants must provide an email address to receive Zoom instructions, which will be sent the day of the program.

Tuesday, July 14 (11-11:30 a.m.) Gooey Galore! – Kids: join us as we livestream on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube to learn how to make things gooey and sparkly!

Tuesday, July 14 (1-3 p.m.) Are You a Nervous Interviewer? – Join Cynthia Wilt via Zoom as she shares interviewing tips to help you present yourself with confidence. If you’re concerned about how you look, speak or act or speak in interviews this session is for you! Please register. Attendees will receive a confirmation email with Zoom instructions.

Tuesdays, July 14 and 28 (3-4 p.m.) Hunger Games Book Club Online – In this Book Club, we're reading through the "Hunger Games" series in chronological order! Please read "Catching Fire" (and watch the film too!). Please register. Participants must provide an email address to receive Zoom instructions, which will be sent the day of the event.

Tuesday, July 14 (7-8:30 p.m.) Tuesday Evening Book Discussion and Author Visit (Online) – This month’s title is "One Taste Too Many" by Debra H. Goldstein. Digital copies of the book are available on Hoopla. Registration is required. Participants will receive an email with a Zoom meeting invitation and instructions. For best results we recommend downloading Zoom onto your computer or mobile device, but you can also join via landline phone.

Wednesday, July 15 (11-11:30 a.m.) Yoga with Miss Jen – Calm your body, mind and spirit in this live Zoom yoga class led by a certified yoga instructor. Recommended for children up to grade 3. Please register. Participants must provide an email address to receive Zoom instructions which will be sent the day of the program.

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The Bay Village Foundation is honoring local residents Marie Ashmus, Jim Cahoon and Al Paulus with permanent bronze memorial plaques to be installed at the T. Richard Martin Cahoon Memorial Bridge in Cahoon Park.

Marie Ashmus has been a resident of Bay Village since 1974.  Born and raised in Northeast Ohio, Marie was a teacher in Bay from 1974 to 2008. During her tenure, she taught thousands of kids at Normandy, Westerly and Bay Middle schools. She was one of the first teachers in the gifted and talented education (GATE) program in the school district and also taught third grade, first grade, and, for many years, kindergarten.

Marie’s commitment to the community extends to her family life. Her husband, Keith, is a founder and longtime supporter of the Bay Village Foundation and her two children, plus her niece and nephew graduated from Bay High School.

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Denise Pattyn of Bay Village used the formula printed in the June 16 issue to determine that a pin oak tree in her Wolf Road yard is 106 years old.

Clague House Museum. Photo by Lysa Stanton

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During the first few months of this year, members of the Westlake Historical Society were preparing for and anticipating an incredibly busy 2020 season! We were pleased to offer tours of the Clague House Museum in February, and again in March with Mayor Dennis Clough as our guest tour guide. 

We were planning our 50th annual Antique, Vintage, and Craft Show, as well as our Evergreen Cemetery Tour, Ice Cream Social, Pet Photos, and our very popular Rubber Duck Race and Silent Auction.

Instead, in an effort to help keep our community safe, we closed our doors to the public, following the Governor’s orders and recommendations to implement social distancing. Currently, a skeleton crew of volunteers are maintaining the Clague House and Lilly Weston museums.

Olivia Reed

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The prestigious P.E.O. STAR Scholarship for the 2020-21 academic year was awarded to Olivia Reed, a senior at Bay High School. Olivia, the daughter of Amy and Bob Reed, was recommended for this scholarship by Chapter BG, Cleveland West. Reed has been accepted and will attend The Ohio State University where she plans to study environmental engineering beginning this fall.

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We printed this photo of a “mystery bird” at Bay Village feeder in the June 16 issue of the Observer and asked for readers’ help in identifying it. The myriad responses that came in only heightened the mystery – it’s an immature rose-breasted grosbeak! It’s a purple finch! It’s a juvenile red-winged blackbird! It’s a female grosbeak! We turned to our local gem, the Lake Erie Nature & Science Center, for a definitive answer.

“This is an adult female red-winged blackbird,” wrote Tim Jasinski, wildlife rehabilitation specialist at the Center. “Sometimes older females will show deeper colors than normal or more male-like colors resulting from increased testosterone later in life. It could also sometimes just be the photograph, the lighting or other factors but this is definitely a red-winged blackbird!”

Out of the many responses from our amateur bird-watching readers, only one – Chuck Collings – matched the expert in correctly identifying the bird.

Submitted by Judy Trefz of Bay Village, who recently discovered a poem written by her grandmother.

Loudly the bell for liberty rung.
Loudly the crowds cheered as it swung.
Valiant men had signed the Declaration
bringing freedom to the new found nation.
Through the years we celebrate
this glorious day
with parades,speeches, picnics and recreation
holding full sway.
Lest we forget, let us pause to reflect
on the cost of this freedom we thus far have kept.
On Valley Forge and the suffering there
of the brave men who fought and died
through those dark days of despair.
Lest we forget, not for a few
was this freedom to be.
Our forefathers decreed that all mankind should be free.
Brave Lincoln dared to make this mandate come true.
A great Civil War was fought 'twixt the southern grays and the northern blues.
Once again victory for freedom was won anew.
Let us guard well this priceless heritage we cherish.
Let no foe invade to destroy or to conquer,
lest this great nation of freedom should perish.

– Written in 1975 by Grace C. Speer, 1883-1979

I really appreciated Jennifer Hartzell's article on the importance of avoiding lawn chemicals in our yards ["Enjoy your own (healthy) lawn this summer," June 16]. I have often been baffled as to why people pay money to basically poison themselves, but I suppose that's a tribute to the power of peer pressure, a certain idealistic but outdated vision of the yard, and the heavy advertising of the lawn chemicals industry.  Thank you to Hartzell and the Observer for spotlighting the importance of keeping one's yard truly natural.
 
I offer two additions to Hartzell's article.

I am writing to commend the Westlake fire and police departments.

One day several months ago as I had an appointment at Cleveland Clinic I fell ill and they called the rescue squad. The firemen who answered were very kind, professional and caring. They put me at ease and transported.

The police responded also and were excellent.

God bless them both and may they stay safe.

– Beverly Kosarko, Cleveland

I hope that all these demonstrators volunteer to work with the black elementary kids – who have not been in school – because of the C-flu epidemic. Black lives matter – in our city – that's the true social justice – not this fascist organization sponsored by radical paid groups – who tried to destroy our cities and neighborhoods.

– Catherin Peter, Westlake

Since 2009 the Observer has strived to fulfill our founding mission – to strengthen our community by informing and engaging Westlake and Bay Village residents. 

Times are tough, and the pandemic has presented an added challenge at a time when emotional connection and togetherness matter so much. Please help us continue to provide a free medium where the community can share news, share stories and share laughs.

If you’d like to keep the Observer serving the community, please send a cash or check donation along with your name for recognition in a future edition of the Observer. Donations may also be made via credit card using the links in the left column of the website. All supporters will be recognized in a future edition of the Observer.

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The Observer is an independent, community owned publication. Please note that charitable contributions are gratefully accepted but not tax-deductible. For questions about donating or more information on how to get involved, contact publishers Denny Wendell or Tara Wendell at 440-409-0114, staff@wbvobserver.com.