Readers' Opinions

What have you learned during your first week back to school? Have you enjoyed coming back? I have learned lots of things in the first week of school, but there have been some big bumps in the road for me.

In Miss McMaugh and Mrs. Robinson’s classes, we have a two-inch binder that has folders for all of our subjects, notebook paper, a weekly planner and a pencil case full of stuff we might need during our day. One day, I forgot my binder at home. I realized it when I was biking to school for morning safety patrol. I was worried and thought about biking back home to get it. But instead I decided to go to school because for safety patrol you have to be at school before the other kids arrive.

In an 8/26/11 response to public records requests, the warden of Cuyahoga County Shelter, Lesley DeSouza, reported: "There have been a total of five dogs brought in to the Cuyahoga County Animal Shelter from Bay Village since July 14th. Two were transferred to another agency for adoption from their agency, one was adopted from our Shelter, one is still at our Shelter available for adoption, and one was retrieved by the owner."

The other agency, according to DeSouza’s report, was the Geauga County Pound.

These facts contradict Mayor Sutherland’s "Stray Dog Report" as appeared in the Aug. 23 issue of the Observer in which she stated four dogs had been sent to the Cuyahoga County Shelter, three were adopted out "to loving homes," and one was "happily" reunited with her family.

Labor Day dates back to a Tuesday, September 5, 1882, with a celebration of labor by the Central Labor Union in New York City. After it was held again in 1883, the day was moved to Monday in 1884. By 1894, the day was adopted by a number of states and on June 28 of that year Congress passed a law making the first Monday in September a national holiday. It may well be our first Monday holiday, followed later by some other holidays being moved to Mondays.

What a bittersweet day it is. A three-day weekend holiday, it also marks the end of summer life (without another holiday in sight for months). Has it really been three months since we celebrated the beginning of summer on Memorial Day? Yes, always the fastest three months of the year.

Did you do all the things you wanted to do this summer? I did most of the things I wanted to do but not all of them. I hope to still do them before school starts, but if I don’t I could do them this fall.

As I reflect over my summer, the biggest change for me was my dog, BuggZ, dying and then getting a new puppy. Hagrid, our new dog, is an indolent puppy. He doesn’t like to go on walks and we have to work really hard to get him to go. Our neighbors and friends think it’s hilarious that he won’t walk. People say they have never seen a puppy so lazy! I hope Hagrid will become more active as the weather changes.

Nearly every day since the loss of Ruth Purdy Leslie last April, Ruth comes to mind. Some days, it is more than once. Her image is also accompanied with disbelief that I can no longer call her up, see her at an art show, or talk with her about art.

Ruth was a colleague of mine in the Art Department of the Bay Village City School District. Unfortunately, I never had the opportunity to work with her in the same school. I had the pleasure of having her children in art class. I also was honored to have her as a dear friend. 

My first acquaintance with Ruth was as a parent of one of my art students. I knew her as the volunteer coordinator of guest artists at what was formerly Baycrafters (now BAYarts). She was a dedicated volunteer with the Bay Education Foundation and was a member of numerous school committees. I am sure Ruth contributed to a great many other organizations of which I am not aware.

The General Assembly recently passed, and the Governor signed, a new two-year operating budget for the State of Ohio that closed an $8 billion funding gap. Municipal leaders across the state recognize that this balanced budget was no small task given the current economic environment. We appreciate the willingness of the Governor and his top staff to meet and talk with us regarding the fiscal challenges faced by local governments. 

The fact remains, however, that the House version that was passed will catastrophically affect revenues that municipalities count on to provide services to our residents. For Bay Village, the state's 2012-13 budget slashes $11,613 in personal property tax, $374,720 in local government funding, and an additional average of nearly $500,000 when the estate tax is repealed in 2013.

Are you having a hot, hot summer? Are you having trouble cooling off in the sun? There are lots of ways to cool off in Bay Village! Here are some of of my favorite ideas to stay cool.

Being hot is not a problem if you're at the Bay Village city pool or at Lake Erie. The Bay pool is a fun way to beat the heat because there are lots of friends to play with and lots of things to do. You can go down the slides, go off the diving boards or just swim around.

If you are a mom in Bay, you can bring a book to read when your kids are having fun swimming. You can also have fun swimming in Lake Erie. I love Huntington Park! If you didn't come to swim, you can pick up sea glass or watch the waves come into shore.

Have you ever experienced someone you loved dying? I have, and it definitely wasn’t a part of my summer plans. A couple of weeks ago, my dog, BuggZ, died. He was a Newfoundland retriever mix and was over 13 years old.

My parents got BuggZ when they lived in Washington, D.C. He was eight weeks old. They were at a dog park, and BuggZ came to my dad and plopped down on his foot. He was a foster dog and his foster mom (not a dog) said they should keep him. That night, he slept in a crate and cried the whole time.

Good news for Bay seniors! There will be no lay-offs of Dwyer Center personnel. Everyone's job is safe. Now it's our turn.

What can we do to support this wonderful facility that serves our seniors so well? With this tough economy, budget cuts are rampant. Let's give the Dwyer Center a helping hand. Donations of paper products, such as plates, napkins, paper towels, Styrofoam cups, coffee, sugar, and creamer are always welcome and much needed.

The Center provides gently used medical equipment such as walkers canes, wheelchairs, portable commodes and bath/shower chairs for seniors who need them in a hurry, such as after surgery. There is no time limit on returns and absolutely no cost. Because the need is so great the Center has to replenish their supply of medical equipment. You can help by donating equipment no longer needed.

While the local news media is urging us to conserve energy usage during this recent extreme heat wave, 16 Crocker Park merchants continued their corporate policy of opening their front doors to the street at mid-afternoon, on Tuesday, July 19.  In my opinion, this is an outrageous waste of electricity and may be short-sighted on their part.

By cooling the outdoors, these businesses increase the possibility of us experiencing rolling blackouts or even a widespread power outage. Recall what it was like to be without power for several days in the August 2003 heat wave that knocked out our electrical power grid. We couldn’t pump gasoline into our cars, the electronic cash/credit registers were silenced and we were without running water. We couldn’t even cool off by taking a bath or shower.

Take a walk down any commercial street throughout Ohio, and you will find its storefronts occupied by small businesses and local companies. Nearly half of all Ohioans work for small businesses, and they create over 70 percent of jobs in the state. The fate of Ohio’s economy rests on the sustainability of these homegrown enterprises, and it is paramount that our state government encourage their growth in any way possible.

Through my experience as a small business owner for more than 30 years, I understand how profound an impact that state law can have on entrepreneurial success. I have taken this knowledge and applied it to my work as chairwoman of the House Economic and Small Business Development Committee, ensuring that we pass legislation that will help, and not hurt, our friends in the private sector.

Have you ever had a family tradition that you count on and then suddenly one year it changes? That’s what happened to me this 4th of July, and I’m going to tell you all about it.

One tradition that didn’t change was my family went to Blossom Music Center to see the Cleveland Orchestra play and watch fireworks the night before the 4th. Sometimes we go with friends and family and sometimes just us. This year we went with family and friends on July 3rd and it was spectacular.

Recently, I have attended several meetings and luncheons that talked about all the wonderful things that are happening in Cleveland. "Positively Cleveland" is in full force and is gearing up for great things. We have a Convention Center, a Casino and a Medical Mart all promising to bring people to our town, create jobs and excitement.  

It is estimated that two billion dollars is going to be spent to make these things happen. Greater Clevelanders are chomping at the bit for some kind of a revitalization especially after the county corruptions scandal. We are tired of people coming into our town with big promises and sucking it dry of resources, finances and dreams. 

Our forefathers, in attempting the redress of many oppressive actions by the Kingdom of Britain in the mid-1700s, were just seeking the full free democratic rights of other Englishmen under King George.

However, the British considered the American territories as just colonies to be used and exploited in whatever way best suited the kingdom’s interests. This attitude ensured that armed conflict was inevitable. It came the morning of April 19, 1775.

British soldiers, sent to these shores to keep the colonists in line, advanced on Americans, first in a meadow in Lexington and then later near a bridge in Concord, Mass. – shots were fired and later immortalized in a poem by Ralph Waldo Emerson which begins with these words: “Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled, Here once the embattled farmers stood, And fired the shot heard round the world.”

Tuesday, July 4, 1944, in Bay Village
 
It was hard to fall asleep the night before the Fourth of July just thinking about all the goodies that were going to be piled high under the big tree across from the Community House the next day. Checking it out was one of the wonderful parts of the day.

Up on top were the two bicycles, one boy's and one girl's, for the winning raffle tickets. Underneath were all the rest of the goodies: basketballs, baseballs, footballs, bats, baseball mitts, roller skates, tennis rackets and balls, badminton sets, croquet sets, decorated wooden boxes, books, dolls, paper dolls and more. For Mom and Dad, there were clocks, radios, mixers, toasters, hand-crocheted towels, pillow cases, hot pads, aprons, dishes and glass sets. It was a smorgasbord of goodies to see, and it was all donated by area merchants.

Does it make you proud to win a soccer game? Does it make you even more proud to hear that your soccer team came in second place?

I'm on a team for Bay Village travel soccer. My team came in second place this season. In the first game that we played, we played against Ashland. We lost 6-2. Our team also played them in our last game and lost again. We won the rest of the games that we played!

Due to budget cuts, the Bay Village Animal Control Officer (ACO) will be eliminated July 15, 2011. Effective immediately, the kennel that served to protect and retain stray, abandoned and special situation animals is closed. The Bay Village police will not be picking up any animals, either.
 
This shocking and stunning announcement came a few days after the Friends of the Bay Village Kennel were asked to meet with Mayor Debbie Sutherland and Public Service Director Dan Galli on June 6, to discuss the building of a new kennel in Bay Village. It was discussed that the project would take approximately one year, during which time the kennel would remain open, and that outsourcing animal care and control was not being considered.

In my opinion, there are four things the city of Westlake has failed to display toward solving the sanitary sewer system inadequacies: I have never received any communication from the city concerning my basement filling with sewage. I have never seen the mayor initiate any type of response to the sewer back up. I have never seen any type of plan to investigate or resolve the problem (for SIX years!). The city sewer system is clearly inadequate after 20+ years of neglect.

I have repeatedly asked the engineering department for proof of activity and proof of plan. I have visited the engineering department and mayor at City Hall and I repeatedly receive nothing in return – zero, nada. I send emails and make calls and receive the same.

This Friday was the first time I have been able to participate in Bay Village's Relay for Life. Diagnosed in October, 2008, I have been struggling to define myself in relationship to the cancer which turned my life upside down. For some reason, I wasn't able to assemble in public with others like myself who were co-existing with this dreadful disease. 

My cancer was my private challenge. I was reluctant to share much about it except in the safety of my support groups. This year, I decided, it was time to step up with others and be counted as one who is surviving.

Mohican School in the Out-of-Doors was begun in 1961 to provide outdoor environmental education to school children. Over 250,000 students in grades 4-8 have attended this program in the last 50 years.

I am a former principal of Parkside School in Westlake which still sends students to Mohican. I was also a member of Mohican School's board of directors for 25 years and served as executive director from 2005 to 2010. 

I would like to reflect on the impact of this program on participants in helping to better understand and appreciate our natural surroundings. Students spend class time hiking through the woods learning about geology, water studies, trees, animals, plants, astronomy and flowers.

As a loyal Cleveland Indians fan, spring – in addition to the blooming of lilacs and the budding of trees – means baseball season. There is no sweeter sound than the crack of a bat as it sends a baseball over the fence at Progressive Field. Of course, the batter had better be an Indian's hitter.

My love of baseball goes back to the late forties when my grandmother would take me to afternoon games at Municipal Stadium. I loved the crowds, the peanuts, the popcorn, the players and the sense of excitement in the air. Those outings lasted through the 1956 season when I decided I was just too grown-up to go to ballgames with grandma. I saw Bob Feller, Bob Lemon, Bobby Avila, Minnie Minoso, Early Wynn, Luke Easter and Mike Garcia play.

In today’s fast-paced world, the most successful businesses are those that take advantage of every available resource. To achieve a competitive edge, Ohio’s small businesses need to be aware of the resources available to them through their state government. Ohio is at a crossroads when it comes to business growth and job creation, and our economic prosperity largely hinges on the success of our small businesses.

Here in the state legislature, my colleagues and I are actively looking for ways to foster business development and expansion. Sometimes, this can be as simple as consolidating and organizing existing government resources. To this end, in the previous General Assembly, Representative Peter Stautberg and I introduced legislation that would create a small business resource center on the Ohio Department of Development’s website.

Some time ago, I was in a chiropractor’s office with acute low back pain. Years of running long distance outdoors was wearing on my spine. Along the course of treatment, more than one doctor suggested I consider yoga as a path to healing.

Out of sheer desperation for relief of pain, I made my way to a studio. While I began my yoga practice seeking relief from physical pain, I quickly learned that it offered value far beyond the physical.

Yoga is an ancient physical and spiritual practice that reportedly originated in India more than 5,000 years ago. The word yoga means to unite, yoke or join. A physical yoga practice is a safe, non-competitive, non-judgmental way to integrate body with mind and mind with soul. Practicing physical yoga regularly did heal my body, but the unexpected surprise was how it reached all areas of my life.

What ingredients go into a friendship? Is it three tablespoons of this and some of that? A warm smile, an outstretched hand, yes, those meet mutual interests.

A reaching out of one's heart to another, but like a garden, you must continue to replenish the soil, water it and see it gets the rays of the sun. Weed out anything that would stunt its growth.

Nurture friendship by keeping in touch, offer help when needed. Don't become too busy to be a friend or you will find yourself alone.

Friendship is like a flower neglected: it will wither, droop and be gone.

Another long winter is finally over. With Easter on the horizon and those brutal cold days just a memory, I feel liberated.

No need to bundle up just to step outside. A lightweight jacket is sufficient. No more ice skating down the sidewalk hoping to make my destination without breaking a leg.

Winter can be delightful if you're young, but at my age I prefer the warmth of spring and summer. I no longer count the years, I experience the passing of the seasons. Measuring time by years can get a little uncomfortable now. Plans are made on the spur of the moment or for the following week. Next year...who knows? I enjoy the present moment. That's all we can be certain of.

Jane was a customer of mine. With the progression of time she became a dear friend.

Letters sped back and forth between our mailboxes – three or four monthly! The written lines telling of her knitting, card ladies, menus planned, deer, birds, and raccoons seen in her yard. A cat alone in the world needed TLC.

Children, hubby, grandchildren and friends dotted the pages she sent to me.

I've been living in Westlake for 20 years now. Never did I think my investment, my life savings in my home would be in jeopardy. On Feb. 28 2011, at about 4:30 a.m., my basement began to fill with sewage from the floor drain connected to the sanitary sewer. 

I understand many other people have had to deal with this as well. I tried to go back to sleep, but the fumes were awful so I had to check into a local hotel for a week. Have I been spoiled? Am I asking too much to have a sanitation system that does not fill my basement with sewage? Apparently so.

Wow. Do you see all the whooping and hollering going on in Columbus and Wisconsin? People with homemade signs. People with colorful T-shirts identifying which union they belong to and clever cheeky slogans. People screaming to shout down the other side. 

Such theater. Such drama. But what is the truth, and what can we citizens do to make sure our lawmakers get it right? Here are some facts: The unions don’t want to give up the power given to them by Governor Celeste. The State of Ohio is $8 billion dollars in debt. There are massive abuses to the system, a system that is funded by taxpayer money. Nobody wants to lay off the guys who run into burning buildings but nobody wants to keep the lazy guys who are sleeping in the back and clocking in the overtime for 30 years, either.  

Cabin fever. Not so much fun, is it? If you are a senior citizen, this time of year may be more difficult for you than most people. Face it, children love snow and snow days.

I remember what fun it was building snowmen, snow forts, sledding, throwing snowballs and getting hit hard by an ice ball, wielded by certain of my friends who thought it fun to make girls cry. As teenagers, there were winter parties, winter formals, toboggan runs and learning to ski. As adults, snow became more of a nuisance but still had its perks: winter vacations to the Bahamas, getaway weekends to ski resorts, ice skating and taking the kids cross-country skiing.

Good job, Colleen Harding, that was an important essay you wrote in the February 8 issue of the Observer. Now here's my story.

I burned my hand quite severely in the early morning and went to a hospital emergency room. I was treated very tenderly and efficiently by a lone nurse. No one else came into the room during her treatment. As she was finishing up, a head popped through the doorway, but not the rest of the body. The head asked if everything was okay, then quickly left. I didn't even have a chance to answer.

Recently I experienced something that really had me scratching my head.

I had a procedure done by a local doctor. On my way out, she told me make an appointment on Monday for the results. I asked if she could call me on the phone instead and she said no. I had to make an appointment to see her. She wanted to deliver the results in person in case there was a problem. I told her I really didn't mind hearing what ever the results were by phone. Once again she said no.

I really liked this doctor. Everyone really likes this doctor. Besides leaving her patients on hold for extended periods of time, she is a pretty nice doctor. Nothing bad to say about her.  

Since moving to Bay Village four years ago, I have put in roughly four-thousand miles running the streets and sidewalks of this lovely town. I mention this only to establish myself as a bit of an authority on the subject matter for the following article. 

I love to run. I’ve been devoted to this sport for over twenty years. I run in all conditions, in all seasons, on all surfaces. My family and I are so blessed to live in a town one hundred percent covered in sidewalks. It makes a great environment for runners, walkers, bikers, mail carriers, school walkers, and general enjoyment of the outdoors. We all love our life on the lake.

Until winter comes… snowing, blowing, icing us in, chilling us to the bone. Still, I run. I see others running and walking – trying to continue habits of good health. There seems to be just one roadblock, so to speak. The sidewalks of so many homes and businesses are covered in ice and snow – never to see the light of day until spring.

Traveling is an activity many seniors enjoy. Taking precautions is important at any age, but a real necessity for seniors. Even the most healthy seniors are susceptible to medical problems, especially when away from home and daily routines. I would like to share some hints which will help seniors to cope with medical issues and emergencies while on the road.

1. Always carry identification, medical cards and emergency contact information. Wear medical alert necklaces or bracelets and carry information cards for implanted medical devices.

2. Doctor's phone numbers are vital. These should include your primary care physician and all specialists routinely seen.

3 If you do not have a living will in place, you might consider having this done before you travel.

Have you ever been searching through a dresser drawer and noticed some old jewelry that you’ll never wear again? This was the case with my husband and I and we decided to recycle and reuse these pieces. We gathered our gold pieces and a few gems that were from my grandmother’s wedding ring and came up with the idea of transforming the items into three rings for my husband's daughters. The idea for connecting these three young ladies through sisters' rings became our mission.

Several days after the hail storm, Bay Village was invaded by clean-cut, all-American young men walking up our driveways with clip boards in hand, ready to show us all the damage that had been done to our homes.  

They represented themselves as allies that were going to help us negotiate with our insurance companies in exchange for using their contractors. They played the fear card and said that if we didn't correct the damages, we could experience leaks and further damage in the future.

John, a representative from a multi-state company with an office in Bay Village, was our wolf in sheep's clothing. He pointed out the golf ball dimples in our siding and roof, slapped down his samples and the presentation was in full force. I am sure this story is very similar to many. We were naive and afraid that if we didn't do something, we were going to see serious trouble in the future. 

One Christmas morning stands out in my mind as so unusual and non-traditional that at times I think it must have been a dream. Three o'clock that morning found me outside enjoying the brisk, frigid air while making sure my one-hundred-plus customers woke up to find their Christmas newspaper neatly tucked inside the storm door or hanging from the door knob.

Several inches of day-old snow covered the lawns. Snowflakes dropped lazily from the sky. As I trudged down the sidewalk and up the drive, my boots made crunchy noises in the snow. Down the street, a dog barked. As I headed toward the door, something caught my eye. I looked down and there was a perfect pink rose in full bloom. I bent down to touch it, just to confirm it was real. The petals felt soft and velvety to my ungloved hand.

Luke 1:46-55

I was in the third or fourth grade when Bobby Roethliesberger moved into the house down the street. Right up until he dropped out of high school and went into the Navy, though, Bobby and I had hardly any contact. It wasn’t him – he wasn’t fat or ugly or particularly weird – and it wasn’t me: none of the kids in the neighborhood paid him any attention. He was a nobody.

Nobodies were on my mind thirty years later, in the mid-1980s, when I was working on a sermon based on the passage from Luke’s gospel where Mary sings about how God has turned the world upside down, how God “has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly… has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.”    

That’s the song of praise offered by Mary, a woman of no social standing, scandalously pregnant out of wedlock, member of a minority religion, living in an occupied land that was a backwater of the Roman Empire. Yet she saw God at work in her life and in the lives of nobodies like her. She didn’t predict that it would happen; she said that God was already making it happen.

“I’m not religious, but I am spiritual.”

This statement, heard so often not only at Unity, but at churches and spiritual centers all over the world captures the feeling that millions of people have about their interior lives in this era in which we live.

Despite hyper-consumerism, massive shifts in social structures, economic and political despair, and a world which often appears to have gone entirely negative with uncertainty and fear, spirituality is as important to people as ever. It just has to make sense to them.

The ways they communicate this need vary but the longing is the same:  
"I’m yearning for connection."
"I want to find my inner voice."
"How do I link the spiritual path to everyday life?"
"I want to believe in something greater than myself that makes sense with the reality of science."

Christmas means many things to many people – from devout religious services to shopping mania, but to most children it means toys. It was always religious for our family as I was growing up but more than anything I looked forward to opening presents and finding toys on Christmas morning.

Children need shelter, food and clothing, and they also need toys. However, due to circumstances beyond their control, many children may not be getting any toys this year and may not have received any toys last year, either. For them Santa Claus is just a well-intentioned guy who can’t seem to find their homes.

There is something truly wrong in this country when a disgraced former governor of New York, Elliot Spitzer, is awarded with a news show on CNN. Switch over to "Jersey Shore" where most of the Generation Duh on the show have the morals and behavior of animals. 

And lets not even talk about the Real House-?&%$# of whatever city they're from, airing their "ladylike" behavior for all to watch. I know it's all about ratings, but as a society does this mean that we should watch these shows because we have the technology to do so, or can we just say no?