I attended an update meeting for the Towpath Trail held at the Cleveland Metroparks on February 7th, 2017 at the Ohio and Erie Canalway Center. The meeting was a bit of an upset as new trail completion stages for the "Towpath Trail" extension to downtown were released.

 Eric J Brewer: Forest Gump is smarter than Mayor Frank Jackson. I'm amazed at how after nearly 12 years in office Jackson doesn't understand that he's been “suckered” by Chief of Police Calvin Williams, Safety Director Michael McGrath and Executive Assistant Martin Flask. As mayor I'd fire all three my first day on the job. I'd hope they had sense enough to resign.

 From Eric J Brewer - and Jerry Strothers http://44112news.com/?p=11472:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHp7AfnZPk4&feature=share

Reprinteed from EJB on Facebook:

Of course! Forest City sold Terminal Tower to K&D to convert the building to high-end apartments a la Manhattan rental rates.  Forest City is calling the shots on transit on the Square - and trying to model the services on Public Square to the kind one might find in New York City- buses, be damned.

I lost my mechanic - he died suddenly this past month.  Selfishly, I am very sad for myself.  I don't know how to fix a car - I need to learn- or give up my car.  My mechanic couldn't find anyone to work in his shop.  The last time I saw him - he was trying to train a young man from Ohio Technical College.  

Follow Mike Rowe on Facebook:

 Both Brian Cummins and Tony Brancatelli came to us as council representatives from the "Community Development" CDC world.   Cummins worked for Old Brooklyn Development Corporation and Brancatelli for Slavic Village Development Corporation.  Brancatelli was groomed to fill Ed Rybka's position - Cummins was not.  Emily Lipovan was groomed to fill the Rokakis council seat after he appointed Merle Gordon.

 Great fall conference for http://ihearttrails.org/ - I learned that Ohio has a 110 mile trail that runs through four counties http://www.eastgatecog.org/GOLTRG.aspx (not the Ohio and Erie Canal towpath) - and met folks who have volunteered for years to make and keep trails, like the Rachel Carson Trail accessible to the public.

 Several people have recently contacted REALNEO for an update into the investigation on Cleveland Bricks LLC.  As you may recall - Lily Miller initiated this investigation : http://realneo.us/search/node/cleveland+bricks

http://realneo.us/content/cuyahoga-county-land-bank-report-fraud-waste-hud

A reminder:

 Attached image shows allocations from 2012-2013 - I have asked reporter Mark Naymik to provide an update.  Brian Cummins is giving $10,000 to Ali Faraj of the Aragon Ballroom development (for water line) and an undisclosed amount to Fred Faraj (relation?) -developer who is attempting to revive Brooklyn Centre plaza foreclosed by Peter Rubin Coral Group (Coral is landlord for Detroit Shoreway Development Corporation - where Jeff Ramsey plays fast and loose with CDBG funds and developer fees).

I rode my bike down to the Air Show yesterday - Labor Day 2016.  It was a beautiful day to see the diversity that is CLE.  

FTR - I posted this morning and there were no investigations recorded for 2015 and 2015...and suddenly - *Presto - there is some effort to show that the County IG actually does something....

http://www.cleveland.com/naymik/index.ssf/2016/08/cuyahoga_county_watchdog_on_le.html

 We can't keep living like this.  It is not living. 

www.cleveland.com/cuyahoga-county/index.ssf/2016/05/cuyahoga_county_prosecutors_office_hiring_staff_to_speed_up_foreclosures.html

 Please see the Cuyahoga County Land Bank press release --SPOONFED to Cleveland.com on the transfer of the former YMCA to CHN-Eden - please read the comments before they are deleted:

http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2016/08/former_brooklyn_ymca_long_empt.html

 Here's a big not-so-secret - Frank Jackson hired his former girlfriend - Merle Gordon - to head up the dysfunctional City of Cleveland Health Department.  The City of Cleveland has a cronyism problem with pretty much every dysfunctional department at City Hall (Building and Housing, Community Development).  But, the news media won't do any hard-hitting investigation, because the Greater Cleveland Partnership has to keep the status quo, until they can find another puppet to run the city.

 I just got back from my summer, happy place - the Frostburg Pool.  I sometimes wonder why I have to travel to find this paradise.  Afterall, Cleveland has Lake Erie.

But, I can't seem to relax in Cleveland.  I always feel some dread.  I hate seeing trash on the streets and abandoned houses.  I go to Frostburg, Maryland, and it is clean - there is pride in place.  The Frostburg Pool is crystal clear and COLD.  Kids are laughing and families are civil towards each other.  There is a diving board.

 My sister and I have been discussing land banks versus land trusts.  It's an interesting distinction - before Rokakis and Frangos engineered their own private party known as the Cuyahoga Land Reutilization Corp (or "Land Bank")--the region had a "land trust" that was intended to keep housing affordable.  It was known as the Cuyahoga Community Land Trust.  Here is the history of Neighborhood Housing Services of Greater Cleveland - this information was taken from a cached record of the site:

 RTA is facing  a massive loss of revenue - but, who cares, right?!  We have our priorities straight - fixing up Public Square - to impress some republicans... and leaving taxpayers with the costs. 

http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2016/07/rta_facing_catastrophic_revenu.html

 
The Department of Community Development would like to transfer $619,000 from the SHAP program to the Housing Trust Fund. The posting was made in the June 10th 2016 Friday edition of the Plain Dealer in the “Market Place” location.
Along the way, the Department of Community Development had asked for $619,000

 Notified today:

 I just received notice that my water bill will skyrocket even more with the additional stormwater fee attached.  In addition, the Cleveland Metropolitan School District announced today they will also be putting their levy on the November ballot (with expectation of heavier turn out)

http://www.wkyc.com/news/education/cleveland-school-board-takes-steps-to-put-renewal-levy-on-november-ballot-/244965563

 In a few short weeks - visitors will be pouring into Cleveland.  Are we ready to tell our story?  What do people "read" about us in the sights and sounds of  our city?

http://www.thisiscleveland.com/local/cle-travelbackers/

If you can help tell the story - contact Destination Cleveland.  Try to be an ambassador.  We're certainly not perfect, but it is time for all of us to step up and show some pride.