Latest News

Daughters of the American Revolution urges Americans to reflect on the United States Constitution during the annual observance, Sept. 17-23, to honor this foundational document. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed this observance into Public Law #915, in 1956.

Martha Devotion Huntington, the local DAR chapter, has celebrated Constitution Week for 10 years with the placement of signs and posters.

One year ago, our scope enlarged with the distribution of free pocket-size editions of the U.S. Constitution to the 8th grade social studies students at Bay Middle School. This year, we have added St. Raphael’s Parish School in the distribution of editions. A total of 250 books will be distributed to the two schools.

The Light the Night Walk and Bonfire event is a tradition during Bay Homecoming Week. The event is at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 21, at Bay High School. 

View Image Gallery

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).

All families and residents are invited to celebrate the 29th annual Homecoming Parade and participate in all the activities planned to celebrate Homecoming Week. Below is a complete list of events taking place throughout the week.

• Homecoming Bonfire and Light the Night Walk
Thursday, Sept. 21, 7-9 p.m.
Bay High School students and the community are invited to participate in a fundraiser for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society with a Light the Night walk event and bonfire. Light the Night luminaria will be sold at Bay High School the night of the event. The walking path around Bay High School will be lined with luminaria. Come and walk to show your support.

Terry, we hardly knew ye…

With his history of health issues, we’ve known for some time that Guardians manager Terry Francona’s retirement would one day become reality. Unfortunately for Cleveland baseball fans, that day seems imminent.

Terry Francona was perfect for Cleveland, and a perfect fit for the low-budget ownership group led by Paul Dolan. “Tito” knew how to squeeze every ounce of talent from each player on his roster, and his evaluation of talent – who should remain in Cleveland and who should be dealt – was nothing short of incredible.

Mary Klecka and her whippets, Ollie and Levi, were very happy to be blessed last year.

View Image Gallery

Lions, tigers and bears are not welcome, but household animals and their families are invited to the 18th Annual Blessing of the Pets on Thursday, Oct. 5, from 6:30-7 p.m. on the front lawn of St. Raphael Church in Bay Village. 

Individual blessings will be given to each animal. Dog and cat treats and give-aways from Hot Diggity Dog Pet Sitting will be distributed and a garden statue of St. Francis will be given away. The event is free and all are welcome!

Originally from Pennsylvania, but now a resident of South Euclid, Chad Statler has been the Local History Librarian at Westlake Porter Public Library for over five years now. He earned his MLIS from Kent State in 2014 and also has a MA in history from the University of Pennsylvania.

Chad grew up being dragged by his mother from tiny cemetery to tiny cemetery on Sunday afternoons, looking for those missing connections to the past (sometimes successfully, usually ... not so much).

Chad has spoken at the library to various groups about how to spot disinformation, and also at the Westlake Historical Society, about the Howell & Thomas homes of Cleveland Heights.

John and Maria Pellett House, c. 1872. Photo by Will Krause

View Image Gallery

The 16th in a series of articles to be published as a walking tour of Lake Road by the Bay Village Historical Society in 2025.

John and Maria Pellett were both born in England and immigrated to the U.S. in 1853. By 1857 they were living in Cleveland and purchasing property in Dover. They purchased 58 acres in this location in 1864 and built this home in 1872.

John Pellett is listed as a “Master Machinist” in an 1874 Dover Business Directory. “Bay Village: A Way of Life” states that he farmed the Glen Park area and that his daughter taught school at the Lake Road schoolhouse. Also, that William Lewis did general blacksmithing and at some point the Lewis family occupied this home.

1860s: A fashion fold-out from the 1863 Godey’s Lady’s book, part of the Rose Hill Museum library collection.

View Image Gallery

In anticipation of our upcoming fashion show being held this month, we at the Bay Village Historical Society would like to share some pictures of interesting women’s fashions from the 1860s-1920s, that we have found in our collections.

You may see quite a few fashionable dresses and accessories any Sunday at the Rose Hill Museum from 2:00-4:30 p.m., especially with our current exhibition, "Beadwork: The Beauty of Small Things."

The pictures accompanying this article are not always on display and many are tucked away in our library and archives. More photos can be found on our Glimpse of the Past page at www.bayhistorical.com. Enjoy!

"Kamen Rider" was the superhero that I grew up watching in Japan, akin to "G.I. Joe" for American boys. Just like "Barbie'' dolls, there's "Licca-chan" dolls for Japanese girls. Unicorns are another such example for girls the world over. Growing up in Japan and living my adult life in CLE, it's rewarding to have been exposed to multiple cultures as I appreciate both the similarities and differences that lead to each culture's uniqueness.

The unicorns for your devices are not in the "fantasy world"; they are in the digital world, representative of the definition of "something unusual, rare, or unique" per Merriam Webster's website. It's rare to find unicorn apps, among the millions of apps in Apple's App Store or Google's Play Store, that are free to install on my smartphone/tablet, without advertisements, and provide entertainment, educational, or other "values" to the user.

"Woman's Work," a collage by Gail Crum.

View Image Gallery

Gail Crum will again share her talent and expertise at a Collage Workshop on Sunday, Oct. 8, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at Westlake Porter Public Library.

The definition of collage is: “a work of art made by pasting various materials on a surface.” Crum will bring an interesting collection of materials from which to choose a theme to build upon and embellish with other items. 

An established artist and instructor, Crum welcomes the opportunity to introduce this art form to more people.

Wednesday, Sept. 20 (2-3 p.m.) Wednesday Afternoon Book Discussion – This month’s title is "The 39 Steps" by John Buchan. A limited number of books are available for checkout at the Circulation Desk. 

Wednesday, Sept. 20 (2-3 p.m.) Virtual Author Talk: Adam Alter – Join us as we chat with New York Times bestselling author Adam Alter about his new book, "Anatomy of a Breakthrough: How to Get Unstuck When It Matters Most." Streamed live. Please register.

Wednesdays, Sept. 20 and 27 (4:30-6 p.m.) Bow Wow Books – Stop by Youth Services to sign up for a 10-minute reading time with a reading therapy dog. Sign up starts at 4 p.m. Dogs will stay for 10 minutes past the last registered reader or 1-1/2 hours, whichever comes first. Recommended for Grades K-4.

Wednesday, Sept. 20 (7-8 p.m.) Adult Creative Writing Group: Fall Edition – Join us for an hour of creative writing prompts to inspire you to start and keep writing. Creativity is more than putting pen to paper. It’s about breaking away and trying something new! This meeting will focus on poetry in celebration of Fall. Please register.

Wednesday, Sept. 20 (7-8 p.m.) Alfred Hitchcock: His Greatest Films – Join us for a spine-chilling presentation on director Alfred Hitchcock. Hitchcock was a master director of mystery movies with surprise endings in the early and middle parts of the 20th Century. Please register.

Wednesdays, Sept. 20 and 27 (7-7:30 p.m.) and Saturdays, Sept. 23 and 30 (10:30-11 a.m.) Family Storytime - Join us for rhymes, songs and play! Children are welcome to wear their pajamas and bring along a stuffed animal for Wednesday evening storytime! Ages 2-6 with a caregiver.

Thursday, Sept. 21 (11 a.m.-noon) Fundraising for Your Nonprofit – Are you new to nonprofits or just want to brush up on your fundraising skills? Join David Holmes of Candid for a series of informative workshops on the grant seeking process. Please register.

Thursday, Sept. 21 (6-8:30 p.m.) Heartsaver CPR/AED – Get certified for adult, child and infant CPR and AED. Class led by certified instructors from UH St. John Medical Center. To register please visit westlakelibrary.org or uhems.org/event-search.

Friday, Sept. 22 (4-4:30 p.m.) Read it, Make it @ the Library – Make a craft based on a story, read aloud. For children in PreK-grade 1, siblings welcome. Please register.

Saturday, Sept. 23 (1-2 p.m.) Pokémon Fun! – This will be a time to view and trade cards, do a craft (if desired), and play a Pokémon Bingo game. Feel free to bring your cards! Ages 6-11.

Saturday, Sept. 23 (1-3 p.m.) Jazz Up Your Accessory – Learn from an artist how to jazz up your hat, handbag, shoes, or tote. Bring your own accessory and we will help you jazz it up. All materials included except the item you bring to decorate. Please register.

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.