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Soon you will be face-to-face with your 2020 primary ballot, pondering over the long list of judgeships that appear there. Here is some information that may help you figure out what to do with those races. These details have been distilled from the 2018 edition of “Here’s Cuyahoga County,” a publication prepared and distributed by the League of Women Voters of Greater Cleveland.

One listing on the ballot is under the category “Ohio Court of Appeals, 8th District.” Ohio has 12 appellate districts. Populous Cuyahoga County comprises the entire 8th District which has 12 judges in total. This court hears appeals from the Court of Common Pleas and the municipal courts in our county.

Pictured above amid the donated Stop the Bleed trauma kits are (from left): UH EMS Institute Stop the Bleed instructors Ken Hehnen, Nate Gardner and Jake Nakel; St. John Medical Center Manager of Community Outreach Paul Forthofer; Bay Village Fire Chief Chris Lyons; Bay Village Mayor Paul Koomar; St. John Medical Center President Robert David; Bay Village Schools Superintendent Jodie Hausmann; Bay High School Principal Jason Martin; Bay Middle School Principal Aaron Ereditario; and Bay Village Police Chief Mark Spaetzel.
Photo by BVFD Capt. Dave Stump

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Faculty and staff of the Bay Village City Schools have opened the second half of the academic year more prepared for emergency situations.

Through a cooperative partnership with University Hospitals St. John Medical Center and the Bay Village Fire Department, school district officials are being trained in a program called “Stop the Bleed.” This training prepares participants in the use of special dressings and tourniquets to assist in a bleeding emergency before the city’s firefighter-paramedics arrive.

Toward this end, UH St. John donated 250 Stop the Bleed buckets and trauma kits – enough for every building classroom, school bus, and vehicle. Valued at more than $25,000, these buckets and trauma kits contain the tools necessary to help control bleeding in an emergency, and include such items as protective gloves, bandages, gauze and tourniquets.

I know some of you are still using Windows 7 and my recommendation is to upgrade as soon as possible. The expiration date for Microsoft’s Windows 7 is now in our rearview mirror.

It’s easy to become complacent, even wonder what the big deal was to move off of Windows 7, as your computer continued to tick when the sun rose on Jan. 15. Probably that’s how many of us felt with the “Y2K scare” when the sky didn’t fall, the missiles didn’t auto-launch, and the financial markets – for the most part – didn’t crash when the clock struck midnight on Jan. 1, 2000.

This report is not an official statement of the League of Women Voters. Mayor Koomar's office prepares official minutes.

Present: Mayors Koomar (Bay Village), Cooney (Fairview Park), George (Lakewood), Kennedy (North Olmsted), Bobst (Rocky River), Clough (Westlake), and Renee Mahoney, COG Fiscal Officer.

Guests: Bay Village Police Chief Mark Spaetzel and Bay Village Fire Chief Chris Lyons.

The meeting was held at Bay Village City Hall, Mayor Koomar presiding. It was called to order at 9:30 a.m.

Fiscal report: The year-end report was submitted showing expenditures significantly below budget. The possibility of additional funding for drug enforcement from the state and possible drug enforcement grants were discussed.

Commission Reports

NOACA: Mayor Bobst reported that there will be a presentation and discussion on Feb. 18, 4-6 p.m., at the Crawford Auto Museum on University Circle titled “From Hyper Loop to Electric Vehicles.” The event is part of an exhibit at the museum co-sponsored by NOACA titled “Electric, Steam or Gasoline: The Past, Present, and Future of Alternative Power" and the presentation will be preceded by a reception and tour of the exhibit. The presentation is free and open to the public but registration is required. The exhibit will continue until April 26, 2020.

Max Markwald in front of his self-portraits. Photo courtesy markwaldstudio.com

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"In September of 2018 I legally changed my name to Max Lukas Markwald and began painting myself once a month for a year as a way of documenting my gender transition." So begins the artist statement accompanying Markwald's latest exhibition at BAYarts, titled "Skin."

The show boasts large-scale oil paintings where Markwald showcases "obscured portraits" as a way of "hiding in full view." To accomplish this they are cropped, darkened, or perhaps show only the back of the head. One piece has fabric over the entire face, while another shows only a splay of hairy legs. The details shown are all quite masculine. "Painting a self-portrait series became a way for me to come out professionally," he explains. "I wanted to be male passing in all of the paintings, and obscuring the portrait became a natural way to achieve that."

A 1911 Leiter postcard showing the earlier home of Dr. and Mrs. Stoll on the same parcel.

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Part four in a series on the "real photo postcards" (RPPCs) of early 20th century Dover, now Westlake and Bay Village.

Residence of Dr. and Mrs. Christopher W. Stoll of Dover

This Leiter RPPC postcard shows the residence of Dr. and Mrs. Stoll. This home was most likely located at 2543 Dover Center Road. Christopher W. and his wife, Eva S., Stoll owned property at this address in the early 1900s. They most likely occupied the house pictured on the postcard during the time that their new house, circa 1912, was being constructed behind it.

The postcard shows an older home with a sidewalk in front of it which most likely would have occurred only near the center of Dover at “Dover Centre” – the intersection of Center Ridge and Dover Center roads. A Hopkins map of 1858 shows five buildings constructed in a row beginning at the northeast corner of Center Ridge and Dover Center roads. We think the home pictured on the postcard is the northernmost building depicted on the 1858 map. A 1914 Hopkins plat book shows the new masonry house which is currently located there with no other structure in front of it.

Fifth-grade students Trudy Rocco and Dylan Baesel work on their mousetrap car.

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Dover Intermediate School students are in the middle of the first Mousetrap Interschool Design Challenge with two neighboring schools.

DIS students are busy designing mousetrap cars to rally for a spot in a race with cars from Troy Intermediate School in Avon Lake and East Intermediate School in Midview. DIS Principal Nick Miller said the race was born out of discussions by three principals looking for a friendly competition among buildings.

“It’s a STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) activity during our enrichment periods. The students are really excited and working together on their designs and builds,” Miller said. “This is the first time we’re doing something like this. We might create a traveling trophy and make it an annual event if it goes well.”

Twenty-four desserts. Thirty-four volunteers. A room full of eager bidders. One super-hilarious auctioneer. That is how sweet it was on Sunday, Feb. 9, at Bay United Methodist Church for our annual dessert auction.

In support of our Appalachia Service Project Team, the congregation and friends of our church turn out to bid on delicious homemade desserts. However, this is not just any auction. The generosity and out-pouring of love is amazing and surprising each year.

The dessert auction is well known by our members as a boisterous time where gluttony (oops, generosity) hails in full force. As the tradition goes, volunteers bake their favorite homemade recipes (or get last-minute help from Heinen's) and the audience bids against each other in friendly, giggle-worthy competition. Bids for donuts, big sheet cookies, yummy bars, gluten-free and gluten-full cakes sell into the hundreds of dollars.

Grown-ups and their kids are invited to participate in a fun, non-competitive, zany challenge-meets-party led by the Upcycle Parts Shop on Saturday, Feb. 22, at 10 a.m. at the Bay Village branch library. We’ll supply more pieces and parts than you could imagine, and you’ll bring the enthusiasm and innovation needed to create some truly fabulous objects to take home! You'll work together to upcycle items from our challenge list. Enjoy hands-on problem solving with no expectations other than to have a great time!

On Monday, Feb. 24, at 7 p.m., you won't want to miss Jazz for All Ages. The Biasella Trio will take you on a live musical journey through America’s jazz history from swing to Latin to blues to ballads.

CHILDREN

Weekly Storytimes

• Mondays (10 a.m.) Toddler Storytime – ages 19-35 months
• Tuesdays (10 a.m.) Toddler Storytime – ages 19-35 months
• Tuesdays (6:45 p.m.) Family Storytime – for all ages
• Wednesdays (10 a.m.) Baby and Me Storytime – ages birth-18 months
• Thursdays (10 a.m.) Preschool Storytime – ages 3-5 (not yet in kindergarten)
• Fridays (10 a.m. and 11 a.m.) Family Storytime – for all ages

Thursday, Feb. 20 (4 p.m.) Flight School – Let’s learn about airplanes and then design your own. We’ll see which ones fly the farthest!

Tuesday, Feb. 18 (9:30-9:50 a.m.) Stories and Signs – Enjoy an interactive storytime while learning a few words in sign language! Ages 0-3. Siblings welcome.

Tuesday, Feb. 18 (10:30-11:30 a.m.) Tablet Tuesday User Group – Share tips and tricks with each other about using iPads and Android tablets. Kindle Fire users are welcome! Bring your own devices. Please register.

Tuesday, Feb. 18 (6-7 p.m.) Teen Trivia Night – Get your team assembled and join us for trivia! There will be different themes each month as well as popcorn and prizes. Grades 7-12. Please register.

Tuesday, Feb. 18 (7-8:45 p.m.) Westlake Westshore Arts Council: Catch a Rising Star – The Westlake Westshore Arts Council will present a performance by a Baldwin Wallace student. Free and open to the public.

Wednesdays, Feb. 19 and 26 (9:30 & 10:15 a.m.) Let’s Sing and Dance! – Sing and move to the music with Miss Nancy! For children ages 2-6 with a caregiver. Please arrive early to receive a ticket.

Wednesdays, Feb. 19 and 26 (3-4:30 p.m.) Tween Scene – Drop in after school to play board games and video games with your friends. Snacks will be provided. Grades 5-6.

Wednesday, Feb. 19 (4-5:30 p.m.) and Thursday, Feb. 20 (6:30-8 p.m.) Bow Wow Books – Stop by Youth Services to sign up for a 10-minute reading time with a reading therapy dog. Dogs will stay for 10 minutes past the last registered reader or 1.5 hours, whichever comes first. Sign-ups begin Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. and Thursday at 6 p.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 19 (7-8:30 p.m.) Author Talk: Catherine Urban – Join astrologer and writer Catherine Urban as she talks about the benefits of astrology in our daily lives and shares tips and recipes from her new book, “Your Astrological Cookbook: The Perfect Recipe for Every Sign.” Please register.

Thursday, Feb. 20 (noon-1:30 p.m.) Small Business Lunch & Learn: Financial Statement Basics – Good bookkeeping and financial management are critical to the health of a business. Learn what financial statements are, why they’re important and how they’re used in the process of running a business. Please register.

Thursday, Feb. 20 (Preschool: 6:30 p.m.) and Friday, Feb. 21 (Preschool: 9:30 a.m. ; Toddler: 11:30 a.m.) Teach Me to Play – Are you looking to give your child more social opportunities? Your child will enjoy playing with other children while practicing language and social skills. Since you attend together, you will have the opportunity to interact with our experienced early intervention specialist and speech-language pathologist who can provide strategies for managing problem behaviors, offer tips for increasing your child’s communication skills or share appropriate resources. This program is specifically designed for children ages 18 months-6 years who are struggling in an area of development. Register at connectingforkids.org/register or by phone: 440-570-5908.

Friday, Feb. 21 (3-4:15 p.m.) Candid: Introduction to Finding Grants – Are you new to the field of grantseeking? Discover what funders are looking for in nonprofits seeking grants and how to find potential funders in this introductory course. Please register.

Westlake Porter Public Library is offering a class on “How to Create A Dream Wedding Reception” on Thursday, March 5, at 6:30 p.m. This class is for anyone who may be planning a wedding, part of the wedding party, or just interested in wedding design.

Get your questions answered. Meet a wedding and design expert that talks about a realistic budget for a wedding design, how to create an actionable budget plan, key components to an unforgettable wedding reception design, and how to make the reception a true reflection of the couple. Learn how to select the best team of vendors, and see a live demonstration of the creation of a reception centerpiece.

The library is located at 27333 Center Ridge Road. The class is free; call 440-871-2600 to register.

Pet experts agree that most rescue pets, new puppies and kittens take three weeks to adjust and acclimate to the new environment and family members' routines. They also need time to figure out the pecking order in the home. If there is not one they will seize it.

Preparing your children, home and yard to create a safe environment are a must. Reputable rescues will do a home visit and sometimes require pictures of your home and yard with an online application or interview.

The story of Robert Moncrief, a formerly homeless veteran, is among those in the Portraits of Homelessness exhibit. Photo by Lydia Bailey

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The Portraits of Homelessness collection, featuring 15 photographs and stories of residents from the Men’s Shelter at 2100 Lakeside,will be on display at Westlake's Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in the lower lobby entry from Feb. 26 to April 12. 

Lydia Bailey, volunteer coordinator at the shelter and photographer, sought to convey their gifts and vital personalities as well as the confusing, fearful and damaging elements of homelessness.

A glimpse into the future ...

July 2020

Cleveland Indians fans worldwide mourned the arrival of the day they had collectively prayed would never come. The Indians announced today that star shortstop Francisco Lindor had been traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers for an array of young talent which team executives hope will keep them competitive for the next decade and beyond. It appears that it had better be the case.

Although the team was only four games behind the Twins at the time of the deal, owner Paul Dolan said the Tribe had to "maximize Lindor's high market value," and that the hoopla regarding Lindor's trade rumors had become "a distraction and was impacting the clubhouse." None of the current Indians players wanted to be quoted directly about the trade, but one said off the record – and on the condition of anonymity – that the only thing that was a distraction was "the cheapskate owner." Others questioned whether the team could recover from losing a player of Frankie's caliber.

At 18, I did a diet that worked splendidly. I’ll share, but you’ll roll your eyes.

Dieting is our culture. One in two teenage girls tries dieting, including one-third with normal weight. Boys: one in four.

Dieting is also a necessity. Experts predict one in five teens today will be obese by age 35. Obesity affects 40 percent of adults.

The good news is structured diet and exercise can mitigate most complications associated with obesity.

The first question most people ask: Which diet works best?

The class raising the most funds is the King Pin. Bowling pins are painted by 1975 Bay graduate and artist, Randall Oldrieve.

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The fourth annual Bay Alumni Madness will be held Saturday, March 28, 6:00 p.m., at Bay Lanes. Early bird pricing available until March 18. Last year approximately 100 graduates from the 1950s to 2006 participated.

Alumni Madness is a bowling and social event. This is the Bay Alumni Foundation’s only event to support the funding of Senior Scholarship Awards. These scholarships are presented at the Kiwanis Academic Award night in May at Bay High School. The foundation has a goal to present these scholarship achievement awards to three seniors in the amount of $1,000 each. The awarded amounts are sent directly to their attending college.

Continuing its dedication to promote health and well-being, the Westlake Recreation Center is excited to be hosting YogaFit for Warriors yoga teacher training in April 2020. YogaFit, accredited by Yoga Alliance and International Association of Yoga Therapists, is committed to bringing the healing power of yoga to individuals and communities throughout the world.

YogaFit for Warriors was created by Shaye Molendyke, a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel, in order to help veterans and first responders combat the devastating effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury. This training equips individuals, and those who work with them, with the necessary tools for integrating yoga into one’s healing process. YogaFit trainings combine expert knowledge with scientific research to maximize the efficacy of positive outcomes for the students, trainees, and teachers with whom they work.

Sarah Zomar, Mike Bokan and Bruce Nemecky create valentines for seniors.

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The Westlake Kiwanis Aktion Club spent the afternoon of Sunday, Feb. 8, at the Michael's craft store in Westlake creating valentines to be delivered to local assisted living facilities. They were able to create 180 valentines which were delivered on Valentine's Day weekend.

Aktion Club is a Kiwanis Service Club for individuals living with disabilities 18 years of age or older. If you or someone you know meets this criteria and would like to join the club, contact Vic Rutkoski at 216-433-1759.

The Bay High School Key Club, along with the Bay Village Kiwanis Club, would like to thank everyone for supporting our most recent fundraiser. Six local vendors provided the pizza with the Key Club membership providing the desserts in an all-you-can-eat extravaganza whose proceeds help us continue our work of supporting those in need throughout our community.

The six vendors – Buca di Beppo, Domino’s, Gina’s, Marco’s, Jet’s and Whole Foods Market – generously served up their finest pies to help us raise funds and have a little fun in determining the winners in various categories of pizza construction. Each of the vendors provided several different varieties of pizza so there was a lot of required eating for the public to vote for what they considered to be the best Pepperoni, Specialty, and People’s Choice Overall.

Westlake Elementary School students play together as part of the Helping Hands program.

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Eleven years ago, Dover Elementary School launched the Helping Hands program, matching typical peers with students with disabilities to offer peer tutoring, role modeling and participation in social skill activities.

That program is continuing at Westlake Elementary School, and this school year Dover Intermediate School (DIS) intervention specialists Emma McHugh and Kerry Brickman launched the program at the intermediate school.

“Emma was interested in getting some helpers at the beginning of this year at DIS. We used the same idea that Dover Elementary had with their program, as many of the Dover kids were already asking about it,” Brickman said.

Saran Warne and David Ball

How did a Bay High alumna (class of 1986), with a degree in early childhood education, find herself as a national board member for the Order of St. Luke international Christian healing ministry, and in demand around the country today as a keynote speaker at OSL conferences?

It all began in 2006 when her father, David Ball, then convener of the Westshore Chapter sent his daughter a brochure about the upcoming local conference, featuring the Rev. Nigel Mumford.  At that time, Saran Warne's husband, Tom, was the young rector at St. John's Church in Huntingdon, PA, developing a congregation in the depressed industrial town. She was the stay-at-home mom, with their three active boys.

Learn how to better manage your money during an upcoming dollars-and-cents discussion at the Westshore Campus of Cuyahoga Community College.

The topic is the focus of the latest “Learning for Life” lecture series event at the campus. The free program – "Financial Literacy: A Guide to Personal Finance" – takes place Wednesday, Feb. 26.

The discussion will be led by Johnie L. Reed, an assistant professor of business at Tri-C who has been counseling people on their finances for more than a decade.