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After more than a year of construction, the Westlake Aquatic Center & Peterson Pool in Clague Park opened June 15. Photo by Denny Wendell

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The city of Westlake proclaimed that it is ready for summer with the grand opening of its brand new pool complex on June 15. Hopefully Mother Nature was listening. With a light drizzle and temperatures in the 60s, it wasn’t exactly swimming weather as Mayor Dennis Clough raced down the three-story slide and broke through the ceremonial ribbon before splashing into the pool.

Residents of Westlake have been eagerly awaiting the renovation of Peterson Pool, and the added activities of the surrounding Westlake Aquatic Center (WAC). Construction began last spring on the $7.4 million project, which was approved by voters in 2018 with the passage of a 1/8% tax renewal levy.

Have you really ever investigated what it says on those little flags that are put on residents' lawns after chemical applications? Or questioned the lingering smell or residue after bug spray inside your home? The consequences of traps and deadly bait?

How long should those flags be displayed? Just what does the real warning to "stay off" mean to people, pets and our environment? Were you crazed by the ants you found in the house and just started spraying or signed up for a service without digging deep into the potential chemical consequences?

Twenty-two students took part in the Westlake Community Police Academy session that wrapped up in late May. Photo courtesy Westlake Police Department

First, I allowed two of my partners to be stabbed in the back. Moments later, I accidentally shot one of them right in the head. It was NOT a good night for me.

Fortunately, it turned out just fine for them. We were just three of the 22 "students" taking part in the 2019 Westlake Community Police Academy.

I’ll come back to the building search exercise in a moment, as it was merely one of over two dozen topics and activities we dove into during our weekly 3-hour sessions. 

Over the course of 12 weeks, various experts in various areas of police work instructed us. Each week offered a deeper peek into the vast abilities of our formidable Westlake law enforcement: narcotics investigation, hostage negotiation, crime scene processing, patrol techniques, radar operation, crowd control, human trafficking investigation, jail operations, detective procedures, court systems, and more.

Riders head out on a 15-mile bike tour through Bay Village during one of the Village Project's Project Pedal events.

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Five Bay Village organizations teamed up to provide a unique experience under the umbrella of "Destination Bay" on June 15. The annual event of family friendly events featured biking, art, music, collectibles, history tours, nature exhibits and a chance to win prizes.

Participating organizations included the Village Project, the Bay Village Historical Society, BAYarts, Lake Erie Nature & Science Center, Village Bicycle Cooperative and Walgreens.

The Bay High School Alumni Foundation is proud to announce the names of the Distinguished Alumni and Distinguished Educators who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame during Homecoming weekend Sept. 20-21.

The Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame Award was established in 1987 to honor those alumni who have realized great achievements and served their communities well in their years after graduating from the Bay Village public schools.

The Distinguished Educator Hall of Fame Award was established in 1991 to honor educators who were employed in the Bay district for a minimum of 10 years and have been recognized by the community, staff, students and/or parents as being a positive role model and whose extraordinary efforts made an impact on students and staff.

The Rev. Dr. David Buegler, pastor emeritus of St. Paul Westlake, shows off the Homeless Jesus sculpture.

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St. Paul Westlake is hosting a thought-provoking sculpture of "Homeless Jesus" through the month of July. The sculpture is owned by the Community West Foundation and was installed on our grounds June 3. St. Paul Westlake Pastor Emeritus, Rev. Dr. David Buegler, sits on the Community West Foundation Board. Each two months, a different west side church displays the sculpture for the community.

Canadian artist Timothy Schmalz created this depiction in 2013 to remind viewers that when Christ came down incarnate in His humanity He was essentially "homeless." He even said, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head." (Luke 9).

Families participate in a waterways clean-up of Sperry Creek. Photo by Patrick McGannon

If you are looking to make a serious impact on the pollution in our waterways and Lake Erie, look no further than one or more of the Bay Village Green Team’s waterways clean-ups this summer. These are fun events that meet at different creeks in Bay Village to clean up litter in and around the local waterways.

When I say they are fun, I mean it! You get to meet other like-minded citizens who care deeply about keeping our water clean, and you also get to feel good about going out and making a difference! Grab your kids, friends and neighbors and plan to attend one! Here are the events:

• Wednesday, June 19, 7 p.m. Meet at Reese Park on Clague Road for a Sperry Creek clean-up.
• Tuesday, July 16, 7 p.m. Meet at Columbia Park on Lake Road for a Columbia Beach and Tuttle Creek clean-up.
• Wednesday, Aug. 21, 7 p.m. Meet at the Cahoon Park gazebo for a Cahoon Creek Clean-up.

For more information please visit the Bay Village Green Team Facebook page for a complete listing of these events and more.

Learn and laugh about the ins and outs of the modern dating scene when Bay Village Community Theater presents three short one-act plays as part of its “All the World’s a Stage[d Reading]” series.

Where’s the best place to meet a potential date? At a bar? At a photocopy machine? Are friends a good source of advice? Would you shake hands or kiss on a first date? Actors Patrick Meehan, Ben Saylor and Barbara Wysocki will explore these questions and more in Australian playwright Alex Broun’s “Jammed,” “Turn the Other Cheek” and “Spading.”

The Bay Village American Legion Post #385 honored 98-year-old World War II veteran George Maloof by including him in their June 14 flag retirement ceremony. Legionnaire George spent five years as a member of the 22nd Bomber Group, a part of the Army Air Corps seeing action the Pacific Theater.
 
The Legion officially retired 200 full-size flags and 1,000 cemetery flags on Flag Day. The Legion retires flags on both Flag Day and Veterans Day.

Part one in a series on staying safe in the digital world.

A new piece of legislation, a “do not call” list, an app … these and more are often promoted as silver bullets to protect our privacy. But acknowledging the sheer frequency of debilitating data breach news pushed to my smartphone, I think the efficacy of these solutions are yet to be proven.

We, the real-world denizens, put up many a wall next to the digital world – aka internet or the cloud – to prevent the nefarious from coming through. At the same time, we utilize our 21st-century life skills of “digital literacy” to perform many everyday activities in the digital world.

"Sad if I Lost It" by Eric Rippert features acrylic, gesso, latex, enamel, oil stick, charcoal and spray paint on canvas.

Now on display in the Sullivan Family Gallery at BAYarts is the work of Cleveland artist Eric Rippert. Primarily a photographer, he has branched out into paintings the past two years. This particular exhibition is titled "The Man Whose Head Expanded" a title that was was pulled from the English post-punk band The Fall. The paintings followed suit, with emotionally resonate titles like "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore," "Things I will Keep" and "Life and How I Live it."

"I chose to call the paintings by the titles of songs I listened to while I was in my studio painting," explains Rippert. "To me, music inhabits the same subconscious space inside me that my paintings come from."

The West Shore Healing Room will open on July 9 at Advent Episcopal Church, 3760 Dover Center Road in Westlake. The healing room, which is certified by the International Association of Healing Rooms in Spokane, Wash., offers personal prayer for physical and emotional healing and addictions.

The room will be open on the second Tuesday of each month from 7 to 8:30 p.m. No appointment is necessary and there is no charge. Appointments for prayer at other times can be made by calling 216-407-3220 or emailing to westshorehealing@gmail.com.

The International Association of Healing Rooms coordinates 2,946 healing rooms in 68 countries.

Darren Vesely, Eagle Scout

Darren Vesely, Bay Village Troop 41, earned the Eagle Scout rank on June 10. Darren becomes the Troop's 161st Eagle Scout since 1964. For his Eagle service project, Darren's team collected donations and sent care packages to service members through Operation Buckeye.

Visit troop41.wordpress.com for more information about Boy Scout Troop 41.

In last year’s Westlake in Bloom competition, George and Diane Woyansky were presented with a Legacy Award for their multiple wins in the “residential landscaping – entire yard, small” category. Pictured is the front yard of their home on Donna Drive. Photo by Jim Bedell

Attention Westlake gardeners, there is still time to enter the 2019 Westlake in Bloom competition! The deadline for entering is Friday, June 28, at 5 p.m. 

Entry forms are available at Cahoon Nursery, Dean’s Greenhouse, Gale’s Westlake Garden Center, Porter Library, and at Westlake City Hall, Recreation Center, and Community Services Department. You can also download an entry form at www.cityofwestlake.org/588/Westlake-in-Bloom. 

Properties will be judged on July 8, 9 and 10 and awards will be presented at a ceremony on Thursday, Aug. 8, at 6:30 p.m. at La Centre Banquet and Conference Center.

Pick up an entry form today and make sure to get it to City Hall by the deadline date.

Wednesdays, June 19 and 26 (10:15 & 11 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, June 19 and 26 (4-5:30 p.m.) and Thursdays, June 20 and 27 (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. Registration begins Wednesdays at 3:30 p.m. and Thursdays at 6 p.m.

Wednesday, June 19 (6:30-8:45 p.m.) Cuyahoga West Genealogical Society – Tom Neel, director of the Ohio Genealogical Society Library in Bellville, Ohio, will present "Until Death Do Us Part: An Examination of Marriage and Divorce Records of the 1800s."

Wednesday, June 19 (7-8 p.m.) Teen Taste Test: Ice Cream Edition! – Sample a variety of delicious ice creams in this blind taste test! We’ll determine fan favorites, and rate each on look, taste and texture. May not be suitable for individuals with allergies. Grades 7-12. Registration begins June 12.

Thursday, June 20 (10-11 a.m.) Staying Safe Online – Learn some simple best-practices to avoid scam emails, use strong passwords, and keep your computer safe. Please register.

Thursday, June 20 (Noon-1:30 p.m.) Small Business Lunch & Learn: Integrating Email Marketing with Social Media – Maximize the impact of your email marketing campaign. Email marketing is one aspect of social media marketing that is often overlooked. In this workshop we explore effective ways to use email marketing with your social media marketing strategy. Your email can serve as a launch point for content you want to share across platforms. Please register.

Thursdays, June 20 and 27 (2-3:30 p.m.) Teen Crafts – Bring out your creativity every Thursday throughout the summer! Drop-in for a new craft each week. While supplies last.

Thursday, June 20 (4-5 p.m.) Code Club! – Learn how to build an app, design a video game, and change the world through code! Grades 3-4. Registration begins one week before each session.

Friday, June 21 (9:30-10 a.m.) My First Summer – Celebrate your baby’s first summer with a fingerprint flowerpot craft. For babies age 0-18 months with a caregiver. Please register.

Fridays, June 21 and 28 (2-4 p.m.) Movies @ Your Library – Enjoy a feature-length newly released DVD or favorite family classic! Contact the Youth Services Department for specific titles.

Friday, June 21 (4-4:45 p.m.) Fun Science Friday: The Sun and the Seasons – Hopefully the sun will be shining as learn about our closest star and what makes the seasons change. Ages 4-6. Please register.

Saturday, June 22 (10:30 -11:30 a.m.) Pokemon Fun! – A fun morning of Pokemon themed play, prizes and crafts! Ages 6-11.

Saturday, June 22 (2-2:45 p.m.) Porter Playtime Marching Band – Join our Porter Playtime Marching Band! No experience necessary. All instruments provided. Ages 4-6. Please register.

It's summer and many of you may be frequenting the Bay Village pool to cool off and enjoy some summer fun. On Tuesdays, join us there for our poolside storytime. Librarians from the Bay Village branch children's department will host a storytime during the 2 p.m. rest break. We hope to see you there.

Don't forget to stop by the branch library to stock up on reading materials for summer and mark your minutes read to win prizes and entries for grand prizes in our Grand Slam Summer Reading Game!

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

Saturday, June 22 (10 a.m.) Drive In at Bay – Join us for a Bay Library “Drive In” movie! Work with your child to transform a plain box into a personalized car. Once the cars are ready and parked, we will enjoy selections from the Disney movie "Mater's Tall Tales."

Monday, June 24 to Friday, June 28 (10:30 -11 a.m.) Chalk the Walk – Bring your imagination and creativity to the library and decorate our sidewalks with colored chalk after storytime all week. Budding artists of all ages are welcome!

Monday, June 24 (2 p.m.) Monday Movie – Cool off this summer by visiting the library for special screenings of popular movies. Bring a blanket and pillow or sleeping bag. A parent/guardian must sign a release form before the program.  

ADULT

Saturday, July 6 (2 p.m.) Legacy of the Apollo: The Greatest Leap – Great Lakes Science Center celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission to the moon. Journey through the early days of spaceflight, tragedies, triumphs, and future plans for spaceflight.

Please register to attend the featured programs online at cuyahogalibrary.org, call us at 440-871-6392, or stop in to the library at 502 Cahoon Road and register with a librarian.

George Drake

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Let’s take a look back at "happenings" in Bay Village during the early 1900s with some fun stories and facts told by Clifton Aldrich, Ernie Wuebker and George Drake.

George Drake

The first Christmas I remember was in the old Aldrich parlor (George lived with his grandparents, Mary Anne Stevens and Henry Aldrich, at 30663 Lake Road), where we had a tree that used real candles that clipped on the branches. I got a tricycle. One trip I made on my new bike was to a birthday party at the “grove” (Eagle Cliff Woods – the Stone family church campground on the north side of Lake Road still recognizable today). I rode past the water pump that was located at Bradley and Lake roads. A big stone trough stood there for the horses to drink from.

Our father, Lincoln Drake, was building a house on Bradley Road. There were no other houses between Lake Road and Ashton Lane (Link Road) on the east side of Bradley Road until my dad built his at 351 Bradley Road. (Grandpa Aldrich planted a row of trees along the east side of the road up to where Walker Road meets. Many are still standing.)

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A Tai Chi practice group meets at Huntington Beach in Bay Village, just west of the water tower and ice cream shop, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 9:30 a.m. Pat Heinke leads the group first in an opening exercise, a break, then the Wu style Tai Chi often called Qigong, the short form (24 steps); another break and then some people stay for the long form (108 steps).

Many of the participants have taken some formal classes before, but experience is not necessary to participate in the Huntington Beach sessions.

The summer solstice on Friday, June 21, marks the start of summer and the longest day of the year.

In the Northern Hemisphere, the summer solstice occurs when the sun reaches its highest and northernmost points in the sky. The word “solstice” comes from Latin solstitium – from sol (sun) and stitium (standing), reflecting the fact that on the solstice, the sun appears to stop moving in the sky as it reaches its northernmost point.

Celebrate the solstice by joining Lake Erie Nature & Science Center for its first Telescope Night of the season on Saturday, June 22, at 8:30 p.m.

Runners in the 2018 Bay Days Kids Run. Photo by Dan Straitiff

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Once again, the annual Bay Days Kids Run and 5-Mile Open on July 4 will start in front of Bay High School, but this year the finish lines are back on Bay High School’s track. Last year, work on the stadium’s field forced the race to finish on the west driveway, which led to a slightly longer trek north on Bradley. This year, as runners wind through western Bay’s tree-lined streets, they will turn right off of Bradley onto Winston.

The track finish is exciting for runners and spectators, while the fenced-in stadium can help parents keep track of their children. The Kids Run is free for children age 14 and under, but registration is required. The 5-Mile Open fee is $35 through July 3; $40 on the day of the event. After the run, participants young and old can enjoy Dixieland Jazz played by the Bay Community Band, and gobble up Popsicles, watermelons and chicken sandwiches delivered by a red, white and possibly blue cow. Other amenities include ice cream certificates for the top 3 in each age group, meal certificates for all participants, plus professional massages and medical treatment.

Avid readers and library supporters have two ways this month to enjoy books and movies and support the library: a month-long sale at the Book Nook Used Book Sale room and a fundraiser with Fresh Thyme Farmer’s Market.

From now through June 29 everything at the Friends of Porter Public Library’s Book Nook is half-price. This includes books, DVDs, music CDs and more. The Book Nook’s hours are Mondays from 3-7 p.m., Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

To the Cleveland Indians, Cleveland Browns and Cleveland Cavaliers, it is time for me to issue a long overdue message: “Thanks, guys. I never could have made it this far without you.”

Not that I’ve actually “made” it all that far, to be honest. Then again, I do have a terrific wife, 3 great kids and 7 fantastic grandchildren. Oh, and I’m still vertical, which counts for something, no? And to what do I attribute all of this to? In truth (and don’t tell any of them – especially my wife – that I said this) I’m (to paraphrase Lou Gehrig) the “luckiest man on earth.”

Clear out your spiritual clutter. Shannon Upton – who describes herself as an organizer, speaker, author, encourager, teacher and anxiety fighter – wants to help.

Upton is the author of a series of "Organizing You" books, Christian self-help books which she says will teach you how to clear out your spiritual clutter, along with the clutter in your home and schedule. She has also authored two free group Bible studies as resource material. A wife and mother of three, Upton resides with her husband, Travis, and their children in Central Ohio.

Pictured, from left, are Bay Men's Club president Iggy Gannon, Meira Simolin, Courtney Brewer, Grace Frey, Sophie Dasko, and Scholarship Committee chairperson Peter Gierosky.

The Bay Men’s Club has awarded four $1,000 scholarships to four very deserving Bay High students: Meira Simolin, Courtney Brewer, Grace Frey and Sophie Dasko.

Scholarships are awarded based on need, character, scholastic achievement and leadership qualities. The four students and their families were honored recently at the club’s annual golf outing and pig roast at the Bay Lodge.

Simolin plans on studying biochemistry at Penn State University. Brewer plans to concentrate on psychology at DePaul University. Dasko plans on studying history and pre-law at John Carroll University. Frey plans to study pre-occupational therapy at The Ohio State University.

“The accomplishments of these four recipients, both academically and in other fields, was most impressive,” said Peter Gierosky, scholarship committee chairperson. “The Bay Men's Club is happy to provide this seed money for our leaders of tomorrow.”

Walking on the court, other feelings go away.
All that matters is basketball.
I can soar as high as I want to.
There are no limits and the court
Is my dream world. 

Dribbling down the court,
I feel as if I'm in heaven.
I shoot the ball, then watch it
Spiral toward the hoop
And fall through the net.

The only noise I hear is the swish
As I see the net
Hanging on the rim.
Whenever I step onto the court,
The rest is history.

Unity Spiritual Center welcomes women to a spiritual retreat July 18-20 on the USC campus at 23855 Detroit Road in Westlake. The retreat begins Thursday evening, continues all day Friday, and on Saturday until 3:00 p.m. It is not an overnight event.

California-based singer and songwriter, Karen Drucker, who is also a creator of transformational women’s retreats held around the U.S., will lead the Unity retreat. The theme is “Self Care for Turbulent Times.” She will be joined by Betsy Muller, human energy expert and author of “Energy Makeover.” The price of $199 includes all events, and six healthy meals by "whole-istic" chef, Cheryle Costa, of Kitchen Underground Project.

On June 3, two fence proposals were submitted to Bay Village City Council – one to keep the ordinance at 4-foot-high fencing for side or back yards (the way it has been for over 60 years), the other to increase the fence height to 5 feet with 75% transparency (chain link fencing or wrought iron with horizontal or vertical pickets). Four of seven council members, a majority, decided to move forward with 4-foot fencing. Within a week, however, one council member changed his mind and we are now back to the proposal for 5-foot fencing.

The proposal would affect the entire city, but was started because one resident complained her dogs kept jumping over her fence. However, the Board of Zoning Appeals has made it clear that the fence ordinance is not meant for animal control or neighbor problems, but to keep the character and charm of the city. Also questionable is that residents on the lake are excluded from the proposed changes, discriminating against the rest of the city whose views are just as important to them.

Westlake Mayor Dennis Clough presents a personalized proclamation to Yolanda Joniak during Devon Oaks' 90 & Over Celebration.

Devon Oaks Assisted Living in Westlake recognized 21 residents during a 90 & Over birthday luncheon on May 14. Westlake Mayor Dennis Clough attended the celebration and presented a personalized proclamation to each honoree, followed by a handshake and photo op.

Mayor Clough thanked the honorees for their gifts of wisdom and experience, their valuable contributions to the community, and acknowledged their remarkable ability to successfully adapt to significant events and changes during their lifetimes.

Loren Dill, a Bay Village resident and member of the North Coast Rotary, recently bought a road bike to ride 600 miles for the benefit of Medical Equipment Supply Abroad (MESA). This Ohio Rotary project collects obsolete, but functioning, medical equipment, supplies and furniture. This could include eyeglasses, crutches, walkers and splints up to ultrasound scanners and dental drills.

Loren raised funds for the non-profit MESA by gathering sponsors for a bike tour of Northwest Ohio from Avon Lake to Port Clinton and back June 14-20. The bike tour goes 60 to 75 miles each day, with riders staying at Norwalk Rotary Club members' homes.

Westlake Meals on Wheels Executive Director Marie Patten Blatter at the Westlake Memorial Day parade with the car donated to WMOW by the Subaru Share the Love Program. 

The board of directors of Westlake Meals on Wheels (WMOW) is excited to announce Marie Patten Blatter as the new executive director. As a longtime volunteer, Ms. Patten Blatter continues the tradition of making a positive impact in the community.

“Marie has more energy than the Energizer Bunny and shares our passion for serving our clients,” said George Scherma, chairman of the WMOW board of directors.

Ms. Patten Blatter brings organizational skills, creativity and a willingness to collaborate with the entire Meals on Wheels team. Ms. Patten Blatter’s experience includes management of all aspects of major retail operations, including distribution, human resources and cost-effectiveness. In addition, she retired in 2015 after 17 years with the Cleveland Indians organization.