Local News

While a thrilled 5-year-old camper looks on, Amy LeMonds, director of wildlife at the Lake Erie Nature and Science Center, introduces an Eastern Box Turtle to its newly expanded indoor-outdoor habitat at the Bay Village center’s Sam Engler Turtle Exhibit.

Bay Village Kiwanis Club members expended 100 hours to add outdoor recreation facilities for the turtle collection. Also pictured are Kiwanis work crew chief Foster McMasters and President Kelly Applegate Baon.

Congratulations to 2015 Bay High graduate, Nathan Cullinan, on receiving the Quartermaster Award, the highest rank in Sea Scouts. The award was presented to Nate after he sat through a Board of Review composed of four scout leaders with over a hundred years’ experience. Nate was quizzed on his leadership skills and the lessons learned during his tenure in Sea Scouts. The board was particularly challenging as it was chaired by Mark Bobal, a retired U.S. Coast Guard Commander. 

Mr. Bobal, who presently serves as the Passenger Vessel Safety Specialist for the 9th Coast Guard District stated that, "Nate was ready for all the questions we could send his way." The nautical questions which Mr. Bobal asked stemmed from his service on board the Arctic Icebreaker, CGC Westwind and over 30 years in the Marine Safety Inspection field.

The Westlake Fire Department received two awards at the July 2 Westlake City Council meeting.

The first, presented by the American Heart Association, was the organization’s Mission Lifeline Silver Award, which recognized the Westlake Fire Department’s high standard of cardiac care and transport of patients suffering from a STEMI, a severe heart attack that requires urgent treatment to prevent death. Of the 1,400 agencies in the state that provide emergency services, only 51 received the award.

The second award was a recognition from St. John Medical Center for excellent care of cardiovascular patients for the year 2014.

In celebration of its 20th year, The Bay Village Foundation voted last month to approve two major projects. Trustees voted to make an anniversary gift to the families of Bay Village by refurbishing and adding new features to the Play in Bay playground in Cahoon Memorial Park.

Twenty years ago, Bay Village city council set up a private fund to help two groups of volunteers that were raising funds for the Play in Bay playground and for the expansion of the Bay Way Cabin. Council President T. Richard Martin suggested that a separate fund be set up to act as a private account to hold the incoming funds during the drives. The new fund was called The Future of Bay.

Both groups succeeded in their goals and both facilities are in heavy use. Rather than close the fund, then-Mayor Tom Jelepis, law director Gary Ebert and then-Councilman Wayne Reese elected to keep the fund and to apply for non-profit status. Over the years it became The Bay Village Foundation.

There were fireworks at this year's Bay Days celebration thanks to corporate sponsor Sunnyside Auto Group, Assistant to the Mayor Sue Kohl who spearheaded the sale of Bay Village-branded items, the Freedom Boat Club and the many individuals who donated money or purchased raffle tickets to support the cause.

Eric Eakin, chairperson of the Bay Days Fireworks Fund, presented a check during the June 29 City Council meeting to Mayor Deborah Sutherland to help pay for the fireworks display.

"The Bay Days fireworks display is now mostly privately funded, so our committee works hard to make sure that we all can enjoy a grand fireworks display on our nation's birthday," Eakin said. "After all, what would Bay Days be without fireworks? That's right: a dud."

Are you curious about a new restaurant that recently opened? Or maybe you want to know about new trends on the dining scene in Cleveland. 

Join the Westlake Garden Club on Wednesday, Sept. 23, and get the answers from the food critic. The garden club’s annual fundraiser luncheon is being held at Westwood Country Club with guest speaker Joe Crea, food and restaurant editor for The Plain Dealer. Joe is a tenacious, evocative and empathetic interviewer, drawing introspective and unexpected perspective from interviewees. Plan to be entertained and enlightened as Joe shares his knowledge and experiences with us.

Sally Price celebrated her birthday with friends and family during a summer cookout at Normandy Manor in Rocky River with gifts from family and members of the community.

Sally, a knowledgeable keeper of the history of Bay Village, also headed Baycrafters and was the organization’s guiding force for several decades and had an office in the red caboose on the arts campus.

Nancy Heaton of BAYarts provided a birthday gift of a painting of the caboose, and the Observer presented a framed copy of an article about Sally that recently ran in the newspaper.

Her daughters fondly remembered the caboose from their youth, “We used to play inside there when mom used it as her office,” said Vicki Lubin-Price.

Over the weekend of June 27-28, if one should happen to stumble upon a group of people in a park, or other public space, gathered around an array of radio gear connected to wires hanging from trees or strange-looking antennae, don’t be alarmed. This probably won’t be a group of folks trying to help E.T. phone home; it will most likely be a collection of amateur radio operators participating in the annual American Radio Relay League Field Day contest.

Founded on April 6, 1914, in Hartford Connecticut, the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) has evolved to be the most prominent advocacy organization for the Amateur Radio Service in the United States. The ARRL organizes a wide range of educational and radio hobby related activities throughout the year, among them being a variety of over-the-air contests.

Love-A-Stray’s fourth annual Fur Fun 5K and Dog Walk attracted over 400 participants to the campus of Avon Lake High School on Sunday, April 26. The 5K stepped off at 9 a.m. with 339 runners and walkers, followed by a 1-mile dog walk at 11 a.m. that included 100 walkers and their four-legged companions.

According to volunteer race coordinator Andrea Sheetz, the event was a great success even though last year’s attendance was about 10 percent higher.

The Fur Fun event also included pet- and wellness-oriented vendors, two local rescue groups with adoptable pets, raffle baskets and a pre-event T-shirt contest. The dog walk participants received a nylon backpack filled with goodies for their four-legged friends.

The Bay Days fireworks fund committee awarded the first of two raffle prizes, a one-year membership in the Freedom Boat Club. The winner was longtime Bay Village resident Tom Dunn, who called himself “a sometimes boater, without a boat.” The winning ticket was drawn outside city hall on Memorial Day by 3-year-old Eliot Beal, who was in attendance with his mother, Claudia, and brother, Henry.

Raffle tickets are still available for the Cavaliers package, which includes a great pair of tickets to 10 games next season, plus a "swag bag" of Cavaliers goodies, like a T-shirt, notebook, water bottle and more. The package is valued at more than $800. The deadline to purchase tickets is July 4. All the details, plus a PayPal button for cash donations, can be found on the group's website, bayfireworks.org.

All money raised from raffle ticket sales and donations go directly to help fund the annual Bay Days fireworks spectacular on July 4.

As a rising tide lifts all boats, the waves of economic progress appear to be reaching Bay Village’s symbolic sailboat. In her May 12 State of the City address to the West Shore Chamber of Commerce, Mayor Deborah Sutherland stressed a continued emphasis on cutting costs and taking advantage of available resources, but does see hope on the horizon.

While overall revenues are still down, property and income tax collections in 2014 were up more than 3 percent over the previous year, an indicator to Sutherland that municipalities are catching up to the rebounding economy. Coupled with cost-saving measures that have reduced general fund expenses, the city is back to bringing in more money than it outlays, but is still working to overcome the loss of estate tax revenue.

Growing up in Westlake, Lauren Acker was well-recognized for her achievements on the soccer field. But today she is making a name for herself in a different sport – tackle football.

This past March, Lauren was contacted with a tryout offer from the Cleveland Fusion, a women’s full-tackle football team. The Fusion is one of 40 teams in the country that make up the Women’s Football Alliance (WFA) league, one of the largest in the history of women’s football. 

Lauren, who has played sports for as long as she can remember, thought it would be a great experience. She played basketball and soccer in elementary and middle school; when she entered high school, she decided to devote her time solely to soccer.

The Bay Village American Legion wants to make sure that all veterans who wish to ride in the annual Memorial Day Parade have transportation. Anyone who has a convertible and is willing to drive a veteran in the parade should call Geoff at 440-835-4078.

The parade is scheduled for Monday, May 25, and will start at 8:45 a.m. from the Huntington Beach North parking lot and proceed west on Lake Road to the Lakeside Cemetery for a presentations by VFW Commander Fred Green and Reverend Dennis Stylski. The Bay High Band will provide patriotic music and the Brownies will lay flowers at the graves of the veterans buried there.

Bay Village resident Art Zimmerman, an Army veteran, proudly displays a banner outside his home on Bruce Road to remind passersby of the true meaning of Memorial Day.

“With all of the holiday activities – cookouts, parties, golf games, swimming – we often forget what Memorial Day is really about,” Art said. “Historically, the day was a time to remember those friends and relatives that contributed their lives to create a better America. This is my humble way of reminding everyone what the purpose of Memorial Day is all about.”

Each spring, O’Neill Healthcare Bay Village awards four scholarships to local graduating high school seniors who are planning to pursue a career in healthcare. Candidates are required to complete a scholarship application, submit academic letters of recommendation and write an essay about their reason for pursuing a healthcare career. 

The four recipients for 2015 are Maddie Voiers of Bay High School, who will be attending Ohio University; Amelia Conroy of Avon Lake High School, who will be attending the University of Cincinnati; Mary Chudy of Magnificat High School and Samantha Neumann of Westlake High School, who will both be attending The Ohio State University.

All of this year’s winners will be studying nursing. Congratulations and best wishes to these very talented young women!

Bay Village American Legion Post #385 is offering blue star service banners to parents or spouses of active duty military personnel. These banners can be displayed in the home to show that a family member is serving their country as a member of the military. For information on how to obtain a banner, call 440-899-9343.

The Cahoon Park walking trail on the north side of Lake Road serves as a memorial to past and present Bay Village residents. Here along the shores of Lake Erie lies a beautiful place for an outing, a place to remember our loved ones memorialized on bronze plaques, a quiet place to walk or meditate and, soon, to improve fitness of body and mind.

Last year, Bay Village residents Barry Tyo and Clete Miller proposed the idea of adding three outdoor fitness equipment stations along the T. Richard Martin Walking Trail in Cahoon Park. The intended target audience is adults seeking to improve their fitness by engaging in activities like step-ups, seated dips and other strength-building exercises while enjoying our beautiful lakefront park.

View a computer rendering with station sites and equipment diagrams.

On Wednesday, April 8, the Westlake Center for Community Services unveiled the Joyce Able Schroth Room. The dedication of this room was something that the Community Services staff planned in honor of the now retired director for her 15 years of leadership. 

Mayor Dennis Clough, members of the Community Services Advisory Board, Community Services staff and other city staff were on hand with Joyce, her husband Tom, son and daughter-in-law Michael and Catherine, and grandson Zane to witness the unveiling and celebrate the dedication of this room.

Our annual hydrant flushing will begin Monday, May 4, and will be completed, weather permitting, by early to mid-June. Each year we test and flush every hydrant in the city to ensure proper function, pressure and maintenance. 



As in past years, we will keep residents aware of our daily progress through the city, as we work from the east side of the city to the west side, by posting temporary signs. We also notify City Hall each morning of our work area for the day. Please note that hydrants are flushed between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.

Team Samoa is busting stereotypes and taking names. The team of five Junior Girl Scouts from Troop 70255 of Westlake are out to prove that Soap Box Derby Racing is not only a father-son activity.

The ambitious fourth-graders and their skillful fathers are racing in the 2015 Gravity Racing Challenge in Cleveland on April 25.

Breaking away from the stereotypical mother-daughter activities, the five young ladies are exposing themselves to new opportunities and challenges. The girls are proving that they can get their hands dirty and break a sweat just like the boys.

The city of Bay Village will host a home improvement workshop for residents Monday, April 20, 7 p.m. at the Dwyer Memorial Center, Mayor Debbie Sutherland announced during the March 30 City Council meeting. The workshop, which takes the place of a traditional town hall meeting, will inform residents about resources to improve their homes.

“What we want to do is connect residents with options in terms of low-interest loans and professional guidance on how they can improve their properties, which we hope and believe will result in higher values for resale and higher tax values for the city and the community at large,” Bay Village City Council President Paul Koomar said during the Council session.

Bay Village Law Director Gary Ebert spoke to the Bay Village Kiwanis Club at their recent meeting about his 30 years experience as city law director. He discussed the Amy Mihaljevic abduction, the purchase of the Walker Road soccer fields, the early retirement of Mayor Jim Cowles and the reduction of train traffic through the city.

His comments included a number of subjects related to the city's history. Prior to serving as law director, he served as a city councilman.

Harvard Law Professor and political activist Lawrence Lessig will give a lecture entitled “How Money (in Politics) Matters” on Friday, April 17, at 5 p.m. in the Moot Court Room of the Cleveland Marshall College of Law, 1801 Euclid Ave.

The one-hour lecture is being presented by the Cleveland Marshall College of Law with the co-sponsorship of the League of Women Voters of Greater Cleveland. The lecture is free and open to the public, and one free CLE credit will be available. Refreshments will follow the lecture.

Water quality is essential to all of us – and the quality of our water affects the quality of our lives. Cleveland Division of Water is committed to providing its customers safe, high-quality drinking water.

That is why the division maintains a rigorous quality control program and continues to invest substantial financial resources to improve our water treatment facilities and distribution system. Our water is constantly monitored and tested. The water produced and delivered by Cleveland Water far exceeds the most stringent water quality standards currently mandated by federal and state water regulations, and last year was no exception.

The power and the passion of the volunteers, our animal loving community and, in my personal opinion, the power of prayer made for a very happy day on the shores of Lake Erie in Bay Village this past Friday.

Volunteers from Friends of the Bay Village Kennel, Love A Stray Dog Division out of Avon Lake, the Francati family and Baepler families, along with a few others kept social media whirling about the little black Labrador retriever stuck out on the lake. A Bay Village resident opened her home to media for warmth and food as they too monitored the situation. The Bay police and fire departments logged over 100 calls each just on Friday.

On Feb. 28, the Miss Greater Cleveland Scholarship Pageant was held at Parma-Snow Library in front of an impressive crowd and with much fanfare. After almost a half-century of running this beloved program, Sylvia Jensen of North Royalton, along with her husband, Harvey, officially retired. Stepping in to carry on the tradition is new executive director, Charmae Cottom, who named Westlake resident Christine Tolaro Gruttadauria as producer.

Christine is a 1984 graduate of Westlake High School, where she was very active in the music and drama programs. All those involved are volunteers who work year-round to raise funds in order to provide college scholarship money to intelligent, talented and community-minded young women.

At the end of last year, The Bay Village Foundation launched an initiative to repair the City Hall clock, which had been inoperative for several years. The funds have been raised and work will soon commence to restore the clock to working order.

Quotes were obtained from two separate companies and The Verdin Company of Cincinnati was selected. Representatives of The Bay Village Foundation and the Bay Historical Society assisted with confirming the scope of the work to be completed.

Do you know what truing is? Ever heard of a shadow board? Know how to inventory bikes?  

Neither did the seven volunteers from Great Lakes Brewing Company but by the end of an evening at Village Bicycle Cooperative, they did.

On Tuesday, March 10, employees from the Great Lakes Brewing Company visited the VBC shop in the Bay Village Community House to learn more about our homegrown organization. Lexi Lindway, GLBC community relations assistant, stated that the company has started an in-house volunteering program and what interested her about VBC was its sustainability policy and the impact biking has on the environment. 

Vintage duck decoy dealers from across the country will gather to buy, sell and display items from their collections on Friday and Saturday, March 20 and 21, at the Hilton DoubleTree, formerly the Westlake Holiday Inn, 1100 Crocker Road, as part of the Antique and American Folk Art Show. Show hours are from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days.

The Bay Village Foundation is now accepting applications for scholarships from high school seniors living in Bay Village. The application is available at thebayvillagefoundation.org. Completed forms should be submitted through the student's high school guidance office before March 16. Applications will be numbered and submitted to The Bay Village Foundation anonymously. 

While the phrase “three is a charm” implies good fortune, the fifth in the series of Westlake World Partners’ Ohio Rose selections served up a special Valentine’s Day treat for 20-year-old Bay Village resident Katrina “Kaytee” Szente. An accomplished Irish dancer, the former Bay Window editor is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in paralegal studies.

Like her fellow 2015 Ohio Rose candidates, Szente recognized that relishing the opportunity to make new acquaintances, form lifelong friendships, network with sponsors, and celebrate Irish heritage in affiliation with The Rose of Tralee International Festival is key to making what’s referred to as the “Rose Experience” memorable.

This year’s selection celebration delivered a special brand of magic beyond music, song, Irish dance, Marine escorts and eager Rose hopefuls. Might Saint Valentine’s Day's special aura have had anything to do with that? It must have!

This report is not an official statement of the League of Women Voters. Mayor Sutherland’s office prepares official minutes, which are posted on Bay Village’s website.

Present: Mayors Sutherland (Bay Village), Bobst (Rocky River), Summers (Lakewood), Clough (Westlake), Patton (Fairview Park), Kennedy (North Olmsted)

Also present: Fiscal Officer Renee Mahoney; District 1 County Councilman Dave Greenspan; Bay Village Fire Chief Lyons; North Ridgeville Fire Chief Reese

RTA: New buses will be in service soon.

NOACA: Transportation for Livable Communities Initiative grant applications are due in March; workshops will be held. NOACA has hired a lobbyist to increase awareness with ODOT and the state.

While tornadoes can occur at any time, late spring and summer are the prime tornado season in Ohio.

To remind and prepare residents for the danger of tornadoes, the Cuyahoga County Office of Emergency Management is encouraging all communities to participate in the Statewide Tornado Drill at 9:50 a.m. on Wednesday, March 4.

Lake Ridge Academy has hired Tara Bowen as the new varsity girls soccer coach. Ms. Bowen is returning to Lake Ridge Academy after coaching the program from 2008 to 2012 when she led the team to the OHSAA Regional Semifinals and achieved a 40-22-7 winning record.  

Fifty years of public service is worthy of recognition, but when the milestone is achieved by someone as beloved as Joan Kemper, the entire community joins in the celebration.

Joan, the clerk of Bay Village City Council since 2001, was honored during the Jan. 26 council meeting, an evening that marked exactly 50 years since she began her career in public service. The council chambers were packed with friends, family, colleagues, elected officials and members of the public who came to show their appreciation for Joan’s years of dedication.

Beginning in June, BAYarts Farm & Art Market will feature locally grown food and local art. The market will be held every Thursday throughout the summer on the front lawn of the campus. Market hours are 5-8 p.m., making it a convenient stop for commuters, park visitors, theater goers and BAYarts students. BAYarts shop and galleries will be open and Vento will feature live music on the patio. And it all wraps up in time to catch the sunset on Huntington Beach.

Eric and Cynthia Eakin have been named 2015 Bay Village Citizens of the Year, and the Bay Village Fireworks Fund has been named 2015 Project of the Year by the Bay Village Community Council.

Eric and Cynthia were honored for their many years of service and leadership to a wide variety of Bay Village organizations and community events. Cynthia is currently a board member of the Bay Village Historical Society and previously served as president. She also works on numerous other projects, including Relay for Life and Friends From the Start Foundation, which provides support for those touched by cancer.

The West Shore Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce Sean O’Reilly as the recipient of the 2014 Hugh Dawson Award. Sean received this award at the monthly chamber luncheon on Tuesday, Jan. 13, at LaCentre. The Hugh Dawson Award is the highest award a chamber member can receive. In addition to the award, Sean was also presented with a proclamation from Westlake Mayor Dennis Clough.

"Sean has been involved in the West Shore Chamber of Commerce for nearly 20 years and has served on the board for approximately 17 years," said John Sobolewski, Executive Director. "He has shown outstanding leadership, previously serving as president. Sean also shares his financial expertise to help keep the chamber financially sound." O'Reilly is senior vice president, investment officer, at Wells Fargo Advisors.

This report is not an official statement of the League of Women Voters. Mayor Sutherland’s office prepares official minutes, which are posted on Bay Village’s website.

Present: Mayors Sutherland (Bay Village), Bobst (Rocky River), Summers (Lakewood), Clough (Westlake), Patton (Fairview Park)

Absent: Mayor Kennedy (North Olmsted)

Also present: Fiscal Officer Renee Mahoney; District 1 County Councilman Dave Greenspan; Legal Advisor Gary Ebert; Jason Phillips (Clean Fuels Ohio), Christina Yoka and Scott Sanders (Clean Cities Coalition); and Fire Chiefs Lyons (Bay Village), Hughes (Westlake), Hernen (Avon Lake), Raffin (Fairview Park) and Leonard (Rocky River)

RTA: Increased sales tax collections are improving RTA's budget outlook. Bay Village's Lake Road bus shelters have been replaced.

NOACA: Cuyahoga County is 86th of 88 counties in license plate fee retention. NOACA is considering hiring a lobbyist to increase funding from these fees and ODOT.

Nominations for the Bay Village Community Council’s 2015 Bay Village Citizen of the Year and Project of the Year are due by Friday, Jan. 9. 

Nomination forms are available at City Hall, the Bay Village Branch Library, and from members of the Bay Village Community Council. Downloaded forms for Citizen of the Year or Project of the Year nominations may be submitted via email to melissa.b.henderson@gmail.com. A reception in honor of the Citizen and Project of the Year will be scheduled at a mutually agreeable time.

For more information about the Citizen of the Year / Project of the Year awards, please call Melissa Henderson at 440-385-7268 or email melissa.b.henderson@gmail.com.