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Elizabeth Moody is pictured at Bay Boat Club with the Monarch Waystation registration.

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As the fall migration of monarch butterflies comes to a close you may have heard that monarch butterflies have been placed on the endangered species list by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The Union has placed it on their Red List of Threatened Species as they found the population of the monarchs east of the Rockies shrunk by 84% between 1996 and 2014 and continues to decline.

“It is difficult to watch monarch butterflies and their extraordinary migration teeter on the edge of collapse,” said Anna Walker, Species Survival Officer at the New Mexico BioPark Society, who led the monarch butterfly assessment. The Greater Cleveland area is a crucial point in the monarchs' migration path from Canada to Mexico in late summer. After traveling close to 30 miles over the open waters of Lake Erie, our community is the first chance the monarchs get to rest, recuperate, mate, and lay eggs.

We are a team of sixth-graders who are planning strategies to impact monarch conservation locally. First, we educated ourselves on the monarch's lifecycle and care by raising 25 butterflies from eggs, testing them for disease, and releasing them.

The Little Free Library started by the Bay Village Anti-Racism Network offers books on diversity, equity and inclusion.

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I moved to Bay a little over a year ago from my hometown of San Diego. I have family in Bay, and over the years loved visiting so when the opportunity arose, I decided to move here.

I was pleasantly surprised when I came upon a group in Bay called the Bay Village Anti-Racism Network or BVAN. I learned BVAN was formed by Bay Village residents in response to the brutal murder of George Floyd. The abuse of power and tragic loss of life demanded a response, so the group organized a large demonstration against racism right here in Bay. Then, they persuaded the City Council to pass a resolution condemning racism.

Today, I am a member and we continue to work for an open, inclusive, diverse and equitable Bay Village. Our mission is to educate and empower ourselves and to educate, identify and eliminate racial biases, prejudice, xenophobia and other forms of discrimination that may exist among Bay Village citizens, businesses and government systems.

The Westshore Lions Club presented a certificate of congratulations to Lion Nan Baker, a charter member of the club.

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The Westshore Lions Club, originally the Westlake Lions Club, were recently recognized by the Lions of Ohio for 25 years of service to the community. During the club's Sept. 21 meeting, a certificate was presented to Lion Nan Baker who is a charter member and co-founder of the club. The Certificate of Appreciation read "Celebrating 25 Years! Congratulations on this milestone event! Thank you for your service to the Lions of Ohio and worldwide."

Since 1996 the Westlake/Westshore Lions Club has had a profound effect on the community in a variety of service efforts – both major community service undertakings as well as smaller service efforts. Major efforts included the engraved bricks at the Westlake Recreation Center Community Square, the Tile Mural located in the front lobby of Westlake Porter Public Library, playground equipment purchased for the Westlake Recreation Center and more recently the Safety Bucket Project which provided 570 safety buckets divided between the Westlake and North Olmsted public schools.

During the early summer months of the Covid pandemic, community members sought refuge in the beautiful gardens at BAYarts. The gardens provided a welcome relief for weary residents seeking solace in nature and also the opportunity to safely reconnect with others.

However, the notion of healing gardens is not new to BAYarts. Visitors have historically described the grounds as inspiring and magical, with people regularly enjoying the gardens on their lunch break or taking a moment to read, write, draw or paint on campus.

In 2018, when the Cleveland Metroparks announced a 3-year Transition Plan to bring all of their buildings and public areas into ADA compliance, BAYarts was required to comply with renovations to the buildings they lease from the parks. As they began to research accommodations to the historic buildings, the seed was planted to bring a new level of accessibility to the BAYarts gardens as well.

The Bay Village chapter of the League of Women Voters is holding a forum on school funding on Tuesday, Oct. 11, at 7:00 p.m. in the Bay Middle School library, 27725 Wolf Road. The purpose of this forum is to help voters understand how public education is funded in Ohio. The Ohio legislature and local communities share responsibility for this important endeavor.  

The forum will provide an overview of Ohio's school funding system, the challenges of ensuring that all public schools have the financial resources to provide a high quality educaton to each student, current proposals to make that happen and implications for the taxpayers of Bay Village.  

The panel of speakers includes: Susan Kaeser, education specialist with the League of Women Voters of Ohio; Matt Dolan, State Senator for District 24; Jim Betts, volunteer facilitator of the Ohio Fair Funding Plan; and Scot Prebles, Superintendent of the Bay School System. Audience Q&A will follow the presentations.

The Friends of Westlake Porter Public Library at 27333 Center Ridge Road will be having our Annual Book Sale from Oct. 20 to Oct. 23. We are taking over several rooms in the library to display the books we have been putting aside for the past year. Last year we decided to move our big sale from February to the more weather friendly month of October, and it was such a great idea that we decided to keep the sale in October from now on.

We have a large selection of books of fiction and non-fiction, hundreds of children's books, DVDs, BluRays, CDs, and audio books. We have been receiving a large number of donations so you will have a lot to choose from.

Bay Village Schools' new Superintendent Scot Prebles introduces himself to the district's "Little Rockets" at the Glenview Center for Child Care & Learning. The Glenview Center celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.

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Bay Village City School District has a lot to celebrate in 2022. Bay High School honors its centennial anniversary, the Rockettes high school drill team celebrates 60 years, Bay High Memorial Stadium turns 50 and now the Glenview Center for Child Care & Learning celebrates its 40th birthday.

The Glenview Center – home of Bay Village Schools’ “Little Rockets” – invites past and present students and staff to attend a 40th anniversary celebration during Homecoming Week, from 5:30-7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 6. The celebration includes tours of the facility, free frozen treats from the Kona Ice Truck, balloon entertainment, photo memories and more. All are welcome to attend, and no RSVP is needed.

Alexa Davey, director of The Glenview Center, said she hopes alumni and community members will attend to show pride and support for all that Glenview has done over the past 40 years.

The Walk for Amy event started during the Covid pandemic on a cold, raining day on the 31st anniversary of Amy Mihaljevic's abduction. Approximately 60 individuals stood for one hour outside of Bay Village City Hall and directly across from the shopping plaza where Amy was abducted.

One year later the number of participants grew to more than 350. This time, the event began at the front of Bay Middle School where the Chief of Police, Robert Gillespie, shared a few remarks. This was followed by a remembrance walk to the Bay Village Square shopping plaza and back to the Bay Middle School Memorial Garden where a large stone has been place with the inscription, "Amy Mihaljevic - NEVER FORGOTTEN." White ribbons were tied around the various trees as a reminder to all of us that Amy is never forgotten and we share in keeping her memory alive.

Wednesday, Oct. 5 (6:30-8:30 p.m.) Horror Film Club – Join us for another creepy classic from the Vault! New members are welcome, but children under 13 must be with an adult. Please register.

Thursday, Oct. 6 (10-11:30 a.m.) Microsoft Word and Introduction to Northstar – Learn the basics of Microsoft Word and how to access Northstar Digital Literacy for self-paced online learning. Registration begins Sept. 29.

Thursday, Oct. 6 (1-7 p.m.) American Red Cross Bloodmobile

Thursday, Oct. 6 (4-4:45 p.m.) Ready, Set, Kindergarten! – Children ages 4 and 5 are invited to rotate through skill stations in preparation for making the leap into Kindergarten. Registration begins Sept. 29.

Thursdays, Oct. 6 and 20 (6:30-7:15 p.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. Registration begins one week before each session.

Friday, Oct. 7 (9:30-10 a.m.) My First Autumn – Celebrate your baby’s first autumn with a simple “thumb-kin patch” craft. For babies 0-18 months with a caregiver. Registration begins Sept. 30.

Saturday, Oct. 8 (10 a.m.-1 p.m.) ACT Practice Test – Want to get in some practice before taking the ACT? Sylvan Learning will be at the library to simulate the exact environment for taking it. Bring your own calculator and a #2 pencil. A results session will take place on Oct. 15 at 10 a.m. Please register.

Sunday, Oct. 9 (2-4 p.m.) Hand Sewing for Literacy – Learn basic sewing skills and create a sewn project while listening to a story with sewing as its central theme. Hand sewing helps kids develop fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, self-confidence, patience and focus – skills used in reading and writing. Caregivers are encouraged to stay for the program to learn the sewing techniques and assist their child(ren). Younger siblings are welcome and a simple stitching project will be available for them. Grades Kindergarten-2. Registration begins Oct. 2.

Tuesday, Oct. 11 (9 a.m.-9 p.m.) Moonlight Lantern Festival Supply Pick-Up – Reserve the supplies your family needs to join in the third annual Moonlight Lantern Festival! Supplies will enable you to create your own lantern at home. Completed lanterns must be returned to Youth Services by Oct. 17 to be included. All ages. Registration begins Oct. 4.

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Cynthia White, Bay League of Women Voters chapter chair, and Kari Eckel, Voter Services Chair, are pictured with the Bay High School Key Club leadership team as they prepared to distribute Vote411.org door hangers to every house in Bay Village!

This is a huge job requiring as many of the over 240 Key Club members as possible to participate. They will be walking the streets of Bay in teams of two from Oct. 1 to Oct.11 to make sure every house gets information about how and where to vote and how to find non-partisan information about candidates for office and issues on the Bay ballot Nov. 8.

Deer breeding season occurs from mid-October through December. Below, Lake Erie Nature & Science Center shares information about deer mating habits and tips for drivers this fall.

Male deer (or bucks) travel together in “bachelor groups” during late winter, spring and summer. In early fall they begin marking their territory by scraping the ground or rubbing their antlers on trees. They will playfully fight with each other, known as sparring. Eventually, increased testosterone and aggressiveness will force the bucks to separate and begin chasing does (female deer).

White-tailed deer are active around the clock, most often at dawn and dusk. Their unpredictable behavior during breeding season can prove hazardous to humans and result in serious accidents.

The Bay Village City School District is big on tradition, including heritage Homecoming events such as the Thursday night Bonfire and Friday Homecoming Parade (fondly known as the “candy parade” to many). A few new events have been added to the lineup this year, including a Glenview celebration and the Bay Alumni Foundation’s reveal of its new History Corridor at Bay High School, to bring even more families and residents out to celebrate Homecoming Week. Below is a complete list of events taking place throughout the week.

Thursday, Oct. 6

Bay Alumni Foundation’s New History Corridor at Bay High School, 29230 Wolf Road. This new corridor exhibit at Bay High School is open to the public from 4-6 p.m. The Bay Alumni Foundation celebrates 100 years of high school in Bay Village with this new feature.

Glenview Center’s 40th Anniversary Celebration Event, 28727 Wolf Road. From 5:30-7 p.m., Glenview Center for Child Care & Learning invites past and present Glenview students and staff to celebrate its 40th anniversary with frozen treats, balloon entertainment, photo memories and more. This event is free and open to the public.

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The City of Westlake has recognized October as Hindu Heritage Month. October is an important period for Hindu culture as it features three significant celebratory festivals: Navratri, Diwali and the Durga Puja.

To commemorate the occasion, Mayor Dennis Clough presented an official Proclamation to Westlake residents Desi and Viji Vijay, who accepted it at Westlake City Hall on behalf of the local Hindu community. The Hindu heritage, culture, traditions and values provide invaluable solutions to many of life’s problems and often serve as a source of inspiration, reflection and contemplation for the millions of individuals who look to the teachings of Hinduism for guidance.

If you are familiar with my column, you know that our culture of using disposables is something that I write about frequently because it is not compatible with, well, life on earth! I’m writing today about how to pack waste-free lunches. This is a simple way you can reduce the amount of trash you and your family generate – and yes, YOU can make a difference.

I know you might be thinking “that will be so difficult, it’s so easy to throw a sandwich in a plastic bag, an individual pack of chips, a plastic water bottle or juice box, etc.” I’m hoping to persuade you that it’s not only easier to pack a trash-free lunch, it’s also less expensive!

First, let’s start with getting rid of those plastic baggies. There are so many reusable lunch containers to choose from these days. If you do a quick search on Amazon, you’ll see what I mean. I have my favorites that I use for my kids, but it’s certainly a personal preference. There are many with multiple compartments, as well as larger containers geared toward salads. You can also find reusable, thermal containers for hot foods, and the food does stay hot for a few hours!

Bruce Hamilton receives a Proclamation from Mayor Dennis Clough.

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Bruce Hamilton, longtime Westlake resident and business owner, was recently honored by Mayor Dennis Clough at a luncheon at Claudette's in Westlake for his longtime service to the community. Bruce and his wife Charlotte, who died in 2018, lived on Westwood Road. There they raised their four children, Judy, Beverly, Dianne and Bruce Jr.

Bruce began his work career at age 13, working at Sauer's garage on Center Ridge and Dover roads. He then worked for various auto dealerships before starting his own auto repair business on Center Ridge Road which closed this year when Bruce retired at the age of 92, a 79-year work career.

Being a patient makes me a better doctor. But being a doctor does not make me a better patient.

For my 60th birthday, my family guilted me into booking a screening colonoscopy. My first, ever. Don’t judge me. Yes, I should’ve done it earlier, like when I was 45 as the guideline recommends. Because a colonoscopy is as much fun as filing back taxes, all I can say is – better late than never.

I picked colonoscopy instead of the easier annual stool cards, every-5-year sigmoidoscopy or colon scan, not for its excellent cancer detection rate but for its long interval between tests – 10 years.

Three months before the colonoscopy:

I called scheduling. The lady apologized that the next first-in-the-morning appointment was months away and scheduled it right after my birthday.

The next day, I picked up my gallon-jar bowel prep from the pharmacy and conveniently blocked it out of my mind. 

Bay Village's Parkside High School faculty in 1927, as pictured in the Arc-Light yearbook.

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The Bay Village chapter of the League of Women Voters has unanimously endorsed the 7.2 mill Bay Village school levy on the Nov. 8 ballot. We have issued this endorsement because we believe a well-educated public is necessary for a strong democracy. We also believe that a high-quality public-school system is necessary for a high-quality community.

It is not an accident that Bay Village currently has both – it took hard work over a long period of time. Bay voters have routinely passed school levies every four years or so for our entire history. These levies are important because our community does not have a strong industrial base, nor do we get much money from the state. The citizens of Bay have shown a commitment to this school system which has been a careful steward of our tax money over many years, turning out well educated young people ready to productively move out into the world.

The Bay Village LWV encourages voters to continue investing in the future of both our children and our community by voting YES on Issue 3.

During the pandemic, the availability of technology products became scarce. It also affected inventory of products that rely on electronic components, such as cars and household appliances.

I'm sure you'll remember dealership lots being empty for more than a year. I also remember a couple of our nonprofit's alumni telling us that they had to wait six months or more for parts to become available so the repair service could fix their washer, dryer, and the garage door opener.

With the WFH (Work From Home) mandate for office workers, participation in virtual meetings through services like Zoom and WebEx in lieu of in-person collaboration became the norm. During this transition, available webcams went like hotcakes, often at premium prices, while no new stock of webcams were coming once inventory was depleted. Selling price easily doubled the manufacturer's suggested retail price or more!

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The Joker, Batman's arch enemy, has joined Mel Maurer's annual display of his homemade superheroes and cartoon characters at 1988 Sperry's Forge Trail in Westlake. Visitors and photos are welcomed.

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.