Readers' Opinions

Crossing guard shares lessons learned

Bay Village can boast that some of its school crossing guards have been on the job longer than most. Although officially a senior citizen, I’m a relative “kid” on the crossing guard staff, on the job less than two years.

Crossing guard duty seemed a good way to spend time – if even a brief time – with children. It didn't matter that they were somebody else's children, I like them all. (My grandfather was a school crossing guard in the '60s but he quit because, as it turned out, he didn't really like kids.)

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Volume 6, Issue 12, Posted 9:17 AM, 06.10.2014

Remembering Mum

My first memories of my mother were when I was about three years old. That was when the Great Depression was in full bloom. Times were hard and many people were out of work. My father found work wherever he could to make money to help support us during these tough times. Mum stayed home to take care of us kids.

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Volume 6, Issue 10, Posted 9:37 AM, 05.13.2014

Garden of life

My enjoyment of gardening comes from a passion for life. I look at gardening as I look at life. I start with all of the good that God gives me and, just like my garden, I use good soil, nourish my life with family, friendships, kindness and joy, and work diligently keeping the weeds of negative thinking out. I then plant the seeds of kindness and happiness that continue to grow and give life.

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Volume 6, Issue 6, Posted 9:23 AM, 03.18.2014

Good people make for special times

Valentine's Day was a very busy time at the Knickerbocker Apartments. Bay Presbyterian Church hosted a soup and salad meal for us which consisted of two kinds of soup and salad and red party hats that the children made. Everyone had lots of fun and we'd like to thank the group for coming out in this cold weather with a delicious meal, lots of goodies and a ton of enthusiasm.

On another day we we had homemade quiche prepared by the one and only Mark, one of our favorite cooks. He's a volunteer who lives at the Knickerbocker and gives freely of his time and talent for his neighbors. Well done, Mark. Great quiche. After eating the quiche we were treated to a wonderful barbershop quartet courtesy of the Bay Barbershop. Our festive meal was topped off by dishes of ice cream.

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Volume 6, Issue 5, Posted 9:47 AM, 03.04.2014

Remembering when it was the 1970s calling Radio Shack

Making its debut during this year's Super Bowl, a new Radio Shack commercial commences with a store associate taking a telephone call from "the '80s, wanting their store back," followed by a number of iconic figures from the decade causing general mayhem while removing all of the store's contents.

After hearing some buzz surrounding that commercial I looked it up on YouTube and, being one who was a "twenty-something" throughout most of the eighties, enjoyed it quite a bit. Geeky as it may sound, that commercial reminded me of the days in the early 1970s, before earning my driver's license, when I'd look forward to any opportunity to check out what was new at Radio Shack, as well as a few long-gone area radio and electronics stores that existed back then.

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Volume 6, Issue 4, Posted 9:27 AM, 02.18.2014

Facing down cancer again

Last month was a trial of faith for me. I was diagnosed with cancer again. The doctor found something on my shoulder which needed to be biopsied. He discovered I had a mild, common form of skin cancer which was treatable with surgery. When I heard the word cancer all I could remember was the last time I heard that word.

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Volume 6, Issue 4, Posted 9:22 AM, 02.18.2014

Valentine's Day

I like to think of Valentine's Day as Value Time Day. What a great day to spend some quality time with your children. Our family enjoys eating ice cream, cake and lots of chocolate on Valentine's Day. 

Baking together for a holiday is a good way to get everyone involved. Even toddlers can drop red sprinkles on the finished cake. Sticky hands, frosting all over face and clothes, these are memories which last a lifetime. Be sure to take lots of pictures. Yes, being together with family is a great feeling and family is one of the most important parts of my life.

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Volume 6, Issue 3, Posted 10:25 AM, 02.04.2014

Thoughts while blowing snow

Thank heaven for my neighbor Rick, who fixed my snowblower's congealed gas, dirty spark plug and faulty ignition switch. And thanks to all of you who asked whether I got my snowblower started after reading my tales of snow woe in the Jan. 21 issue of the Observer. Bay truly is a community that cares, and that's a very warm thought on a cold and windy day.

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Volume 6, Issue 3, Posted 10:18 AM, 02.04.2014

From Farmer Charlie's Garden

Good morning, Charlie. What are you doing out in this cold weather?                                                                                

I'm recycling the snow into into snow people. During the spring I plant seeds. The seeds I plant are for everyone to enjoy the beauty of their colors and fragrance in the spring and summer.

I am a gardener who lives here in Bay Village. My gardens produce lots of carrots, onions, tomatoes and other vegetables that can feed lots of folks, young and old. Since it's snowing now I wanted to keep busy so I'm working on creating a snow scene.

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Volume 6, Issue 2, Posted 10:15 AM, 01.21.2014

Taking down the Christmas tree

After the emotional high of Christmas parties, gift buying/receiving and looking forward to enjoying the fun with your friends and family, it seems like Christmas is over too soon.

Taking down the tree and all the decorations has always been a drudgery to me. My friend heard my recent lament and shared how she does this task.

Take your time; remember that the tree is a personal thing that has evolved over the years. As you pack each ornament, some hold great memories: the kids' handmade ones from school, perhaps some that survived your early marriage, the super fancy one from Aunt Nell, the  ornament you bought on that special vacation or the one that said on the card "To my best friend."

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Volume 6, Issue 2, Posted 10:26 AM, 01.21.2014

On Aging

There's an old adage that says "Youth is wasted on the young." The older I get the more I believe this is true.

What a wonderful world this would be if no one judged people on the basis of their age. Although wrinkles have appeared on our countenance and we have a generous sprinkling of silver in our hair, deep down inside we are still young, fresh and new. Since we are still on this earth there must be a meaning for our being, something more for us to do. There must be a purpose to this aging business.

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Volume 6, Issue 1, Posted 10:06 AM, 01.07.2014

Connecting with family at Christmas

Wow, what a great Christmas I had. I got several nice gifts. Most of them were gift cards for restaurants. I love gift cards to restaurants (hint, hint) because then I don't have to cook, wash dishes or go shopping for food. Speaking of food, there were plenty of boxes of homemade cookies, candy and  yummy bakery. Some of my relatives who were there I hadn't seen in months.   

Christmas morning started out at my oldest son's house with hugging all the kids and getting kissed on the cheek by all the young girls. Yes, it really was a very nice morning. I looked forward to Christmas breakfast for several reasons. Al is getting very good at making a special egg dish, strata. The menu also included fresh fruit juice, great coffee and good conversation.

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Volume 6, Issue 1, Posted 10:08 AM, 01.07.2014

Old-Fashioned Values

I am on the desperate outskirts of middle age. Perhaps I am feeling it more so than usual as today is my birthday. I am also giving myself a bit of a pity party today owing to the fact that I have a terrible head cold.

After a sleepless night, I summoned the last of my energy reserves and made a drug store run for cough syrup. As I struggled homeward, I felt duty bound to stop and make my excuses for an event which I had promised to attend. Ever mindful of the contagion factor, I merely stopped at this person's doorway and made my apologies. The duration of this stop was about 30 seconds. She looked at my sick self and indicated she was afraid of catching whatever I had and shut the door. I felt like Typhoid Mary.

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Volume 5, Issue 25, Posted 10:46 AM, 12.10.2013

New Year's Trivia

Pork and sauerkraut is the traditional New Year's Day food. In Spain they eat 12 grapes – one for each stroke of the clock. In Germany food left out after midnight ensures a well-stocked larder. Eating fish promotes moving forward. Some other good-luck foods include black-eyed peas and collard greens.

Foods to avoid on New Year's Day: Lobster because they move backwards. It could cause setbacks. Chicken is a no-no as they scratch backwards. Any winged fowl may cause your good luck to fly away. In Asia they eat long noodles without breaking them. They must slurp them like spaghetti.

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Volume 5, Issue 25, Posted 10:49 AM, 12.10.2013

Support renewable energy and energy efficiency in Ohio

When a state invests in clean and sustainable energy sources and energy efficiency programs, there is a corresponding reduction in harmful emissions, giving us all healthier air and reducing asthma and lung disease for our kids.

Ohio has one of the highest rates of air pollution in the country. Children face higher risks from air pollution due to their high activity level and developing lungs. According to the American Lung Association, research has shown that fewer episodes of chronic cough, bronchitis, common cold, and conjunctivitis symptoms can be found in children as air quality improves.

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Volume 5, Issue 24, Posted 9:52 AM, 11.26.2013

I was proud to serve as a poll worker

For the first time last Election Day I served as a poll worker, and, let me tell you, it was an honor and privilege to be a part of such a special event.

At the urging of my wife, who has served as a poll worker for a number of years and who always came home with some amazing stories and a glow of service about her, I took the four-hour course to qualify as a poll worker.

I met with my compatriots the night before the election to set up the polls, which took about 90 minutes. Election Day morning you show up at 5:30 a.m. to turn on the machines and get everything ready for a long, and sometimes hectic, day.

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Volume 5, Issue 23, Posted 10:17 AM, 11.12.2013

Holding Hands

There is something special about holding hands and the human touch. An intimate, non-verbal way to say many things. To show emotion, support, help, friendship, affection. A handshake can also mean a closeness, peace, a comforting gesture or a sign of welcome.

How and why people hold hands depends on the culture and gender. But it is a universal act around the world. In African and Arab countries men and boys use it as a sign of respect and friendship. In the U.S. a mom uses it as a means to control the child as she crosses the street.

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Volume 5, Issue 23, Posted 10:18 AM, 11.12.2013

The Table Caper

On a sunny May day my friend and I went for a ride to visit my childhood neighborhood. On the way we spotted a large yard sale. My friend fell in love with a large six-foot table. Her car is a compact model and the only way to transport it would be to put it on the top of the car with the legs up. We dove to Home Depot for some rope and a furniture pad. I tied the table to the top of the car going through all four windows. That table was trussed up like a turkey.

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Volume 5, Issue 20, Posted 9:33 AM, 10.01.2013

I feel sorry for our young people

I was thinking about how much I feel sorry for our young people today. Their lives are so different and seem to lack some innocence and opportunities for some of life’s great lessons.  

I feel sorry for them because they never have time to be bored. We fill their schedules with so many activities that they rarely get to experience downtime. Being bored teaches you how to relax and do nothing or how to find something to do on your own. Being bored, as a kid, is a great thing. It teaches us how to be creative. 

I feel sorry for young people because they can’t put the TV on or change the channel without being exposed to violence or vulgarity or something else that does not help us be better people.

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Volume 5, Issue 18, Posted 10:35 AM, 09.04.2013

Tomatoes and roses

Living next to a railroad track is something I have done many times. When I was a young lad, huge coal-fired steam engines ran up and down the triple rail tracks, huffing and puffing black smoke and exhaust in the air. I used to walk across the bridge with my mom to the West Side Market. At that time the market was outdoors. Vegetable venders sold their produce on Lorain Avenue and on both sides of West 25th Street. Chicken, duck and turkey coops would be piled high across West 25th Street from the front door of the market house.

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Volume 5, Issue 18, Posted 10:30 AM, 09.04.2013

Hitting the century mark

Milestone events always seem to lend themselves to reflection more than prediction, a focus on the path we’ve traveled rather than the road ahead. As press time for our 100th issue approaches, my thoughts are drawn down the winding path into the past, over the peaks and valleys of the last five years.

I remember the first conversation my dad, Denny, and I had in 2008 about starting a citizen-written newspaper for our community as a hobby. I remember the questions we asked ourselves – Will anybody want to write for it? Will anybody want to read it? – as much as I remember the questions we did NOT ask – How much time will it require? How will we pay to print it?

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Volume 5, Issue 17, Posted 9:49 AM, 08.20.2013

Congratulations on five years!

Over the past five years the Westlake | Bay Village Observer has certainly established itself as a terrific resource to learn of the wide diversity of news, events, history and personal perspectives to be found within our two great communities (or even a far-flung continent or two).

For those of us who enjoy holding an actual newspaper while gleaning all of this information, this takes place within a very nicely edited, composed and printed document – on paper stock with a bit of heft to it, no less. (Oh, and they actually ran a couple of nostalgia pieces I scribbled out earlier this year, but please don't hold that against them.)

Well done, Westlake | Bay Village Observer staff and contributors!

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Volume 5, Issue 17, Posted 10:05 AM, 08.20.2013

Commitment to positive experience sets Observer apart

In celebration of the Westlake | Bay Village Observer’s five-year anniversary, and on behalf of all the citizens of Bay Village, I offer the Observer and its entire team heartiest congratulations for their positive contribution to our community.

A locally born, bred and authored newspaper, the Observer provides readers with a pulse for community goings-on, and serves as a simple, yet informative reporting option for all of us. Denny and Tara Wendell, along with the entire Observer team, make reading our local newspaper a positive and unique experience … their print publication is on-point and relevant, with topics openly encouraged and sourced by local citizens, all combined into newsprint which is objective, positive and enjoyable to read.

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Volume 5, Issue 17, Posted 9:52 AM, 08.20.2013

Why I volunteer with the auxiliary police

I began volunteering with the Auxiliary Police in Bay Village to follow in the footsteps of my father, Jack Hartz. He was a member of the organization for 36 years and was Captain for many of those, and I had the distinct pleasure of working under his command during my 26 years and counting. His inspiration is still felt in the group and sets the bar for where we would like our Auxiliary Police force to be.

I have had the honor of serving my community in many capacities including auxiliary officer, jailer and kennel officer. I take great pride in the work I do for the city. The benefit that we provide to the community is for the most part unrecognized because we supplement the regular police force and basically blend in. Working such things as traffic control, downed power lines and crime scenes amongst many others is just what we do. If there is a severe storm, chances are our members are out assisting with downed power lines and traffic. The members freely give of their time to make things safe for the city at large.

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Volume 5, Issue 17, Posted 10:23 AM, 08.20.2013

Congratulations to our 'small town' newspaper

Congratulations to the Westlake | Bay Village Observer on its fifth anniversary – five years of serving this area with community news, coming events and other features – as reported by those involved in the news, the events and the features.

In a day when other newspapers are going out of business – at least in paper form, or reducing their paper editions, Denny and Tara Wendell made the Observer the go-to place for news, views and articles of special interest to area readers – serving them well. It’s also the place for its many advertisers to reach their customers with their ads for products and services for its readers.

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Volume 5, Issue 17, Posted 9:55 AM, 08.20.2013

Happy Birthday, Observer

I have read community newspapers from Florida, Pennsylvania and a few other places. In my opinion, the Westlake | Bay Village Observer is really nice to read. I enjoy short, to-the-point articles that give you local news and events. Another nice feature is the advertisers are folks that live or have their business in this area.

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Volume 5, Issue 17, Posted 10:00 AM, 08.20.2013

True Bay pride

Bay High School has closed its books on another successful academic year. But, the success of this particular student body transcends that of the daily studies of English, history, math and science. What this group of young men and women accomplished in the last month of their high school careers is awe inspiring.

Back in May, a student started a Twitter page on which they posted cruel and hurtful comments about other students. This is as much as I will say about the incident, because this is not what this article is about. More importantly, this article is about the reaction of the students and the way they handled the situation.

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Volume 5, Issue 14, Posted 9:56 AM, 07.09.2013

Better safe than sorry in stormy weather

It's smart to prepare yourself before severe weather forecasts are broadcast. Listen to the radio or TV. Make sure you have batteries for flashlights and charge your cell phones. OK, now you're all set. What about your children? Since we don't have storm sirens, your children should carry their cell phones with them when they're at the skate park or playground.

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Volume 5, Issue 13, Posted 10:37 AM, 06.25.2013

Voices

The family and I were seated in a crowded waiting area at Hopkins Airport. My oldest son was returning from a graduation trip to Europe. We were laughing and chatting while waiting for the plane to land.

Suddenly, a young man about 30 years old came charging around the seats and said, "Hi, Mr. Leigh." I was startled. Who was this young man who knew my name? I sure didn't recognize him.

When he introduced himself I realized he was one of my Boy Scouts from years ago. He was now an elementary school principal. I asked him how he recognized me after all these years. He said, "I recognized your laugh."

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Volume 5, Issue 12, Posted 10:48 AM, 06.11.2013

Cape Point trip filled with shipwrecks and baboons

Did you know Cape Point is the most southwesterly point on the Africa continent? My family stayed in a cottage there a couple of weeks ago and it was so much fun! Over 500 years ago, Bartholomew Dias was trying to find a route to Asia from Europe and discovered Cape Point. He called it the Cape of Storms because sailors found the seas to be dangerous. It is also known as the Cape of Good Hope.

I learned that there were a lot of shipwrecks along the beaches. We took a hike and saw some of the shipwrecks. The ships were old and rusty, and broken up into many pieces. One of them looked like a fisherman’s boat and another one was a U.S. ship from World War II. The WWII ship’s name is the S.S. Thomas T. Tucker. That ship was sailing close to shore because the crew didn’t want the German submarines to find them. It wrecked because of the rocks. Even though the trail was very, very long and hot, it was awesome to see. It made me think that sailing must be tough at Cape Point.

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Volume 5, Issue 11, Posted 10:08 AM, 05.29.2013

The Bridge

There is a bridge that crosses over the First River in Stellenbosch, South Africa. I can see it from my house. People walk and drive over it everyday, going to their jobs, going out to eat or going home. But under the bridge, there are people who don’t have anywhere to go. They are homeless. They are hungry. They live there.

I have met so many people who are homeless. One person I met is Martin. He had open sores all over his hands and arms and was very, very skinny. His face looked sad, sweaty and tired. He told my mom that he had AIDS and was in so much pain. He asked for money because he needed treatment. My mom doesn’t normally give money, just food, but Martin started crying and said that he was dying.

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Volume 5, Issue 10, Posted 10:21 AM, 05.14.2013

The Concrete Chronicles, part III: Corrosion

Having decided on a theme and come up with a goal for my garden in progress, I knew the most important part was having a place to sit and enjoy it. Therefore, I set out to find two chairs and a table. In keeping with my English garden theme I wanted them to be wrought iron, to be small enough to fit on the balcony but sturdy enough to withstand wind, rain and the inevitable northeast Ohio winters. In this I ran upon a problem: Most of what is available in stores is not wrought iron, but rather flimsy metal substitutes.

So I abandoned the stores and went antiquing instead. One of the best tips I can give anyone who is looking to decorate any area of the home, indoors or out, is to hunt through antique stores. The items you will find are often better than anything currently on the market (at least for reasonable prices), and they are built to last (they made it this far, right?).

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Volume 5, Issue 10, Posted 10:29 AM, 05.14.2013

Remembering Emma

Her death notice would have caught my eye even if I had not known Emma Meluch. After noting her age (94) and her surviving family, the May 1 notice said she was "instrumental in the passage of two Westlake Charter Amendments.” 

I first met Emma when I moved to Westlake 18 years ago and transferred my League of Women Voters membership to the chapter here to which she belonged. Right away I learned that Emma was an astute person, well informed on what was happening or about to happen in city government. I lost touch with Emma when she was no longer able to attend League meetings, so I missed my chance to let her know personally that she was inspiring to me. But it is not too late to take notice of Emma’s legacy to good government by telling a little of her story.

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Volume 5, Issue 10, Posted 10:19 AM, 05.14.2013

Favorite Shirt

It's still one of my very favorite shirts. It is a Levi's long-sleeve denim with metal buttons and the small red Levi tag on the front pocket. I bought it at the GAP many years ago.

I looked "urban cool" when worn with a just-pressed pair of khakis and "spit-shined" round-toe cordovan shoes.

It got faded, old and worn but I could not put it in the Goodwill donation bag. I still loved it so, even with all its frayed cuffs, washed-out color and worn collar. By now it was super soft and sooo comfortable.

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Volume 5, Issue 10, Posted 10:21 AM, 05.14.2013

Tsitsikamma canopy tour

Have you ever heard of a temperate rainforest before? I had heard of tropical rainforests like the Amazon but I didn’t know that there was such a thing as a temperate rainforest until I visited the Tsitsikamma National Forest in South Africa. A temperate rainforest is one that has mild temperatures and mild summers and mild winters.

Tsitsikamma National Forest is along the Garden Route on the southeastern coast of South Africa. The word “Tsitsikamma” means “the place with much water,” and it was named by the Khoi people. The Khoi people are part of the original people that have lived in South Africa for over 2,000 years.

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Volume 5, Issue 7, Posted 10:44 AM, 04.02.2013

Harry, the leopard and the elephants

Crash…chew, chew… crash!! That is what I heard as I approached a male (bull) elephant eating on my second safari at Shamwari Wildlife Reserve. Shamwari is in the Eastern Cape of South Africa and is about nine hours away from Stellenbosch along the Garden Route. The Garden Route is a beautiful drive along the coast of the Indian Ocean. It has spectacular mountains, great forests with ancient trees and white sandy beaches.

When we arrived at Shamwari we had to drive down a bumpy dirt road to get to the gate of the reserve. I noticed right away it was different from Sanbona Wildlife Reserve because it wasn’t dry and it had a lot more green trees and plant life. But it still had bumpy roads and mountains.

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Volume 5, Issue 6, Posted 10:53 AM, 03.19.2013

Bay Village shopping opportunities of yesteryear

In the 1960s and '70s, when I called the city of Bay Village home (for about twelve years), "online" shopping may have meant waiting in a long queue for one’s purchases to be rung-up. It’s doubtful anyone other than the most visionary among us would have imagined the concept as it exists today.

Still, back then residents of Bay Village didn’t have far to travel if they wished to purchase a surprisingly wide variety of items. A story of mine appearing in the Feb. 19 issue of this newspaper regarding some of the dining-out options that existed when I was a Bayite spurred further recollections of other retail businesses in the city during that era. This is by no means a complete list, but following is my recollection of many of those retailers:

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Volume 5, Issue 6, Posted 10:48 AM, 03.19.2013

Remembering 'The Opener'

The Cleveland sports fan torment meter tilts to eleven with the recollection of certain painful scars: the Game 7 Marlins 9th inning World Series debacle, The Fumble, The Drive, The Shot, Red-Right '88 and, of course, The Decision. While not registering the same angst magnitude of those landmark failures, the 2012 Indians home opener earned a place in the egregious lore of Cleveland sports tragedies.

The Indians-Blue Jays opener was the longest of 1,360 Opening Day games played since 1901. The crushing loss of that landmark opener served up some distinctively painful twists of fate that foreshadowed the events of a doomed 2012 season.

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Volume 5, Issue 6, Posted 10:56 AM, 03.19.2013

My Lent mantra: Next year I'll do better

In this world of good intentions, I'm beginning to wonder if my latest one even counts.

I chose to give up chocolate candy during Lent, and I have no doubt I will successfully uphold that promise. The reason I'm so certain has nothing to do with my strong willpower, but rather the lack of it. I found that after depriving myself for just a few weeks of anything that resembled a chocolate bar, my body started to rebel, and the shaking suggested that I was a prime candidate for the dreaded chocolate candy withdrawal syndrome.

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Volume 5, Issue 6, Posted 10:56 AM, 03.19.2013

The meaning behind "Danny Boy"

Chances are, if you go out to celebrate St. Patrick's day, somewhere you're going to hear the popular Irish song "O Danny Boy," a favorite on that day.

Chances are also very good that due to the raucous crowd at the pub you are in, you will only hear snatches of the lyrics. Impress your friends with the following Irish info.

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Volume 5, Issue 5, Posted 9:50 AM, 03.05.2013