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The City of Bay Village is planning a Village Green for the space between City Hall and the new Cuyahoga County Public Library branch. The space will be both a connecting hub to travel between area destinations and a gathering space for casual get-togethers and planned events.

The city is working on the design with HBM Architects, the same firm that designed the library, and Deru Landscape Architecture is contributing landscape design.

The plan will include concrete walking paths, a central hub and pergola, seating, lighting, native plantings, and memorials, including the Amy Mihaljevic memorial and a possible Bay Village veterans memorial. There will also be an area for Food Truck Friday vendors and visitors.

Mark Rennard

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Boy Scouts Mark Rennard and David Schulz of Troop 208 out of Dover Congregational United Church of Christ in Westlake earned their Eagle Scout rank on May 9.

Mark is currently a junior at Westlake High School. During his 10 years in Scouting, Mark served in many leadership positions, including Senior Patrol Leader, and earned 34 merit badges.

Mark’s  Eagle Scout project included the construction of a stone path at the Westlake United Methodist Church to facilitate moving items between the church and an historic outbuilding that is used for off-season storage. Other facets of the project were rebuilding the roof on a 4’x5’x5’ shed, removal of a small tree and removal of overgrown vegetation in the project area. 

Thanks to help from 14 other scouts, a total of 229 hours were donated to improve the WUMC grounds. Mark is especially thankful to Keith Sherrill of KB Sherrill Construction for excellence in excavating the path.

David Schulz is currently a senior at Westlake High School. During his 11 years in Scouts, David served in several leadership positions, including Den Chief, and earned 24 merit badges.

This little mason bee is busy at work building her nest!

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On a whim, my husband and I bought a mason bee house that was on sale at a big box store. I am so glad we did! The more I read up on mason bees, the more fascinated I become. They’re some of the world’s best pollinators. 

There are over 200 mason bee species globally and 140 species throughout North America. Mason bees are related to honeybees, but do not produce honey or live in colonies. Mason bees acquired their name from their habit of building their nests out of mud that looks like bricks. They are solitary bees, which means that they don’t have workers or queens either. These ladies are small but mighty and completely independent! Female mason bees are responsible for building their own nests, scouting and foraging for their own food and defending themselves.

Westlake Mayor Dennis Clough presents his State of the City address to residents on May 10. Photo by Denny Wendell

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Mayor Dennis Clough presented his annual State of the City address on Tuesday, May 10, to an engaged group of Westlake residents at the Community Services Center.

The presentation, sponsored by the Observer, included a rundown of the activities of each city department over the last year, along with a reasonably deep overview of the city’s financials. A trained CPA, Clough enjoys the chance to talk numbers and highlight Westlake’s strong financial standing.

As he does every year, Clough praised the city’s sizable business community, the diversity of which has become more important as the lingering effects of the pandemic alter the workforce. But he also acknowledged that the changing landscape has the city’s attention.

The Bay High School Rocket Marching Band is one of the reasons Bay Village Schools has won the "Best Community for Music Education" award for the 20th consecutive year.

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Standards for inclusion on the prestigious Best Communities for Music Education list have increased consistently over the last 20 years, but the Bay Village City School District has once again been honored for its exemplary music program. First recognized with the distinction in 2003 – and each year since – Bay Village Schools is among just 738 districts nationwide, and 47 Ohio school districts, identified for this honor by the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation for 2022.

The distinction takes on added significance again this year since music education – perhaps more than any other school subject – is most affected by pandemic protocol that includes masking and social distancing.

“Music isn’t a class. For Bay Village Schools, it is our joy, and it is essential to who we are as a district,” said Char Shryock, Interim Superintendent for Bay Village Schools. “This award shows why music is a part of the lives of so many of our students.”

The Westlake Historical Society will host our 50th annual Antique, Vintage & Craft Show on Sunday, June 5, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. This show originally started in the early 1970s, and has grown into one of the largest shows on Cleveland's west side.

The show is our major fundraiser of the year, and helps to cover the Clague House Museum expenses like utilities and insurance.

The Clague House Museum is located at 1371 Clague Road in Westlake. The outdoor event will include a variety of antique, vintage and craft vendors, a great food truck, and free guided tours of the historic Clague House Museum. Although we hope it is not needed, the rain date for the event is June 12.

Mrs. Cathy Bogart's second-grade class at Normandy School raised $150 for the historical society.

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Students in Mrs. Cathy Bogart's second-grade class at Normandy School in Bay Village, aided by a few moms, held a cookie sale recently to raise money for the Bay Village Historical Society. As part of the unit on Bay Village history, all second-grade students tour the Rose Hill Museum in Cahoon Memorial Park, and this fundraiser was part of that curricula.

Historical society president Cathy Flament and treasurer Eric Eakin recently visited the class to gratefully accept their $150 donation.

"We cannot thank you enough for this wonderful donation," Flament told the class. "We sincerely appreciate your efforts, and look forward to having you visit our museum soon and learning more about local history.”

In the coming days, our seniors will be walking across the stage in their caps and gowns to accept their diplomas and leave their high school careers behind. Some will head to college, while others will start careers or embark on different adventures of their own. After graduation, no matter their direction, they will be moving with purpose, just as they always have. 

At Westlake, our students maintain a sense of purpose throughout their careers as learners, confronting challenges with grace and keeping their minds focused on their goals. This sense of purpose is present outside of the classroom, as students navigate their everyday lives. 

Westlake students demonstrate purpose by setting and committing to future goals and pursuing them continuously. They display determination in all aspects of life and make decisions that help them achieve self-fulfillment.

It was the late 1980s, the Browns had just suffered a third heartbreaking AFC Championship game loss in four years to John Elway and the Denver Broncos, and my brother-in-law Randy and I were trying to pick up emotional pieces of our broken hearts that were strewn – coincidentally enough, in the form of adult beverage cans – across one of our living rooms.

One of us said, “We’re never going to get to the Super Bowl, are we?”

Although this clearly had to be one of the ultimate rhetorical questions in the history of sports – at least in Cleveland – the other deep thinker in the room nodded without hesitation, and replied, “Nope.”

It’s hard to believe that this profound in-depth conversation took place almost 35 years ago. It’s no longer hard to believe that we actually knew what we were talking about.

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Memorial Day will soon be here. The Westlake Kiwanis Club hopes you are planning to participate in our annual community parade and service that day, May 30. 

Come out and line the parade route along Hilliard Boulevard and enjoy the parade, which starts at 10 a.m. in front of Sts. Peter and George Coptic and Orthodox Church and ends in Clague Park at the Gazebo for the Memorial Day services.

The parade and service will honor those civilians and military that sacrificed so much to preserve our freedoms and protect our shores – many of those fallen were members of our Westlake community. If you participated in the parade or in the services in Clague Park last year, the Westlake Kiwanis and the community appreciate your participation and hope you will take part again this year.

Norah Hamil, Joshua Dwyer, Linden Ifft, Rachel Leighliter, Erin Cho, Jonathan Douglas and Jennifer Koomar received Bay Women's Club scholarships. Photo by Tawny West

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The Bay Village Women's Club Foundation has awarded scholarships to 7 Bay High School 2022 graduates of $2,500 each. One scholarship is a memorial to Shirley LeMay, a past Club member and officer, who worked for the City of Bay Village for 25 years as a staff accountant.

Club members met the students at its annual Honors for Scholars Luncheon at the Cleveland Yachting Club on April 28, after a 2-year hiatus due to COVID. Each scholarship recipient announced his or her college and major area of study.

Do you enjoy doing a thorough spring cleaning in your home? Many people enjoy clearing stuff out of their home in the spring and giving it a good cleaning before summer arrives. I want to offer suggestions that will help you dispose of unwanted items in an environmentally friendly way.

The No. 1 thing you should think about when wanting to get rid of things is if they are in good enough condition for donating. Donating used items keeps them out of the landfill, and also helps people with limited means. When looking to get rid of used clothing, toys, furniture, housewares, shoes, books, small appliances, etc., please make sure you donate what you can.

Flags may be deposited in the collection box outside American Legion Post #385 on Cahoon Road. Photo by Jim Potter

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The Bay Village American Legion Post #385, plans to conduct a flag retirement ceremony on Friday, June 10, as part on their annual Flag Day celebration. The ceremony will take place at the post home, 695 Cahoon Road in Westlake at 6:00 p.m.

Citizens may bring old, torn and faded flags and deposit them at any time in the red and white box, American Flag Collection Bin, located at the post front door.

The ceremony is conducted in accordance with American Legion protocol and visitors to witness the retirement are welcome.

Following is Westlake Porter Public Library’s late May 2022 calendar of events. All programs are subject to change. Please check westlakelibrary.org or follow the library on Facebook and Twitter (@WestlakePorter) for the latest updates.

Wednesday, May 18 (2-3 p.m.) Wednesday Book Discussion – This month’s title is "The Golden Cage" by Camilla Lackberg. Please register.

Wednesday, May 18 (4-5 p.m.) Every-BODY Dance Now! – Dance is for everyone and every-body! Enjoy dancing to popular music at this inclusive program. Ages 8-13. This program will encourage gross motor movements. This program is led by a librarian, not a therapist and is not a substitute for music or other therapy.

Wednesday, May 18 (7-8 p.m.) Cookbook Discussion – Join us as we share recipes from "The Forest Feast Mediterranean" by Erin Gleeson. This book is available to download on Hoopla Digital. Pick a dish from the book to share with a group of 15. Please register, and email your selection or any questions to Victoria Vogel (victoria.vogel@westlakelibrary.org) by May 13. We’ll meet to share our dishes and discuss any changes we would have made.

Wednesday, May 18 (7-7:30 p.m.) and Saturday, May 21 (10:30-11 a.m.) Family Storytime – Join us for rhymes, songs and play! For families with children ages 2-6. Siblings are welcome. Please register.

Thursday, May 19 (10-11:30 a.m.) Computer Basics & Introduction to Northstar – Learn how to turn on a computer, use a mouse, go online, and access Northstar Digital Literacy for self-paced online learning. Please register.

Friday, May 20 and Saturday, May 28 (11-11:45 a.m.) Adapted Storytime – Join us for this storytime designed for children who may not be successful in a typical storytime. Content is geared toward ages 3-7 years. Registration begins one week before each session.

“Preserving the Character of our City” is the theme for the May 19 Bay Village Historical Society potluck program.

Guest speaker Carol Starre-Kmiecik will present a one-woman show about Dorothy Fuldheim, the well-known Cleveland newscaster and journalist. The event, held at the Bay Lodge on Bradley Road in Bay Village, begins with a social at 6 p.m., followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m. and program at 7 p.m.

The main dish, a variety of mini sandwiches, will be provided by the historical society. Attendees with last names beginning with A through L should bring an appetizer or dessert for 10 to share. Those with last names beginning with M through Z should bring a side dish. All attendees should bring their own place setting and beverage. There will be a $10 charge at the door for non-members of the historical society. RSVP to Pam Ebert at 216-789-1272 or blinglady17@gmail.com.

The Westlake-Bay Village Rotary Club is again hosting the Westlake Art Festival on Saturday, July 30, in the green space on the campus of the Westlake Porter Public Library.

There will be a special ribbon-cutting kickoff at 10:00 am with Westlake’s own local morning radio personally Jen Touhey from Star 102.1, who will officially open the 2022 Festival. 

“Jen was a huge hit last year and a hometown fan favorite celebrity and we are honored to have her open our festival again this year” said Joe Kraft, Rotary Art Festival chairman.

The Art Festival will also feature Cleveland artist Shaun Kinley. Shaun is famous for his Cleveland skylines, cityscapes, bridges, and sports acrylic impressions on canvass. Shaun has demonstrated over 28 years of passion and creativity in his artwork and will have several original paintings as the 2022 featured artist. Other artists are encouraged to join the festival and fill out an application while high profile booth space is still available at westlakebayvillagerotaryartfest.com.

Tiffany Trapnell as Doris and Daniel Telford as George. Photo by Terry Schordock

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Clague Playhouse presents "Same Time, Next Year" by Bernard Slade to conclude their 94th Season.

One of the most popular romantic comedies of the century, "Same Time, Next Year" ran four years on Broadway. A wonderful, nostalgic, whimsical, touching, funny, and moving look at 25 years of American culture, through the lives of two lovers, married to others, who rendezvous once a year for a romantic weekend. The play may include adult language and situations.

The play is directed by Ron Newell and featured in our cast are Daniel Telford and Tiffany Trapnell.

The Knickerbocker Senior Apartments will be holding a grand re-opening ceremony at 27100 Knickerbocker Road in Bay Village on Thursday, May 26, from 4:30-7:30 p.m. This event will celebrate the major renovations that took place between 2018 and 2020.

During reconstruction all the apartments were remodeled with new kitchens and bathrooms, all safety and mechanical systems were replaced, and the common areas greatly expanded. Additionally, 42 of the studio units were converted into 21 large one-bedroom apartments, eight of which are fully handicapped accessible.

“We are pleased with the completion of the $11,000,000 renovation that has transformed the Knickerbocker apartments now and for the future. The renovation doubled first floor space which provides a variety of opportunities for residents to develop a stronger community within the building,” said Jay Magee, President of the Bay Interfaith Housing board of trustees.

The Westshore Enforcement Bureau (WEB) Drug Task Force gratefully acknowledges the citizens of our six western suburbs for actively participating in the DEA’s semi-annual prescription drug collection event on Saturday, April 30, with 319 pounds of outdated and unwanted medications collected for safe disposal.

WEB urges our citizens to continue properly disposing of medications via the use of the 365/24/7 drop boxes located within each of the six police departments lobbies whenever the need arises. Citizens disposing of expired or unwanted medications assists in the purpose of protecting the environment and preventing the diversion of the pharmaceuticals to illegal activities.

The WEB Drug Task Force will continue to offer this valuable service to increase the safety and welfare of all Westshore families.

Pictured at the check presentation are: Bryan Kahanca, Elks trustee; Sarah Rintamaki, Executive Director of Connecting for Kids; Brian Gartland, Elks Exalted Ruler; Tish Henry, board vice president of Connecting for Kids; Marty Mooney, Elks trustee-elect and Mike Vasey, Elks trustee.

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Lakewood Elks Lodge #1350 located at 24350 Center Ridge Road in Westlake recently awarded a $3,500 Elks National Foundation Inc. Beacon Grant to Connecting for Kids. These funds were used to create 250 resource bags containing information on area therapists, summer camps and adapted programs for children who have disabilities, mental health and other concerns.

The resource bags were provided free of charge to families who attended the Connecting for Kids Lorain County Resource Fair in Elyria and the Meet and Greet Resource Fair in Rocky River. In total, 298 local families (or 641 individuals) attended these events to find help for a struggling child.

“The Lakewood Elks Lodge #1350 is proud to partner with Connecting for Kids to help local families,” said Exalted Ruler Mike Sheehan. “Not only were we able to provide the funds for the resource fair materials, but 26 Elks members volunteered at the events or helped assemble materials prior to the fairs. Now that the pandemic restrictions are easing, we are glad to get back to our in-person work in the community.”

The Center for Aging in the Digital World ("TheCenter"), a nonprofit organization empowering seniors with digital literacy, will present its 6th annual "Living in the Digital World Senior Expo" on Thursday, May 26, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.  at the Don Umerley Civic Center in Rocky River. TheCenter is converting the civic center's halls into a learning lab for the day with showcases in the main hall and up to 30-minute presentations in the presentation hall. Come join us!

Have you been thinking about starting to use technology?

Tak Sato, co-founder of TheCenter, will cover the overall benefits of digital literacy at 9:30 a.m. What is different and special this year is that seniors who completed the nonprofit's Discover Digital Literacy! program will show fellow senior attendees how they keep connected even during a pandemic. See for yourself how easy it is to attend a church service, for example, through Zoom meetings. 

Four-inch pots ready to plant.

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The green thumbs of Concord Reserve did the preliminary work for you. Working in their on-site greenhouse, they lovingly prepared soil, planted seeds, and brought healthy seedlings to just the right size. Now it is your turn to plant them in your garden or container so you can enjoy fresh tomatoes and peppers all summer!

The sale of our produce helps to fund activities for our active senior residents.

CONCORD RESERVE SPRING PLANT SALE

Fridays & Saturdays, May 20, 21 & 27, 28. 

10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 2154 Dover Center Road in Westlake.

Fresh & healthy tomato & pepper Plants in 4-inch pots grown in our own greenhouse!

$3 each, or 4 for $10, cash only. Questions? Call 440-961-3693.

West Shore Unitarian Universalist Church is excited to announce that it will hold its second annual outdoor Animal Blessing on Saturday, May 21, from 2-4 p.m., at 20401 Hilliard Blvd. in Rocky River.

According to Senior Minister Anthony Makar, animal blessings are a popular UU ritual that gives us an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the importance pets have in our lives. “It exemplifies the Seventh Principles of our faith, which calls us to respect the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.”

Members of the public are invited to bring your pet to an outdoor, walk-through blessing on the church grounds. There will be a treat station, a charity photo station, a place to remember the pets we have loved and lost, a station for your pet to receive a special blessing from Rev. Anthony, music and more! We will also be collecting donations for a local animal charity.

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.

Please make checks payable to WBV Observer and mail to: 451 Queenswood Drive, Bay Village, OH 44140.

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.