OUR CITIES NEED KIDS

What a wonderful way to spend your Saturday mornings, learning T’ai Chi surrounded by the beauty of our gardens. This ancient art, practiced daily by millions of people around the world to enhance health and well-being, involves a series of movements created to relax the mind and strengthen the body’s muscles, flexibility, and coordination. Our classes are appropriate for any level of fitness and flexibility. In case of rain, classes will be held indoors. T’ai Chi classes are scheduled to take place when the Garden is closed to the public. Series Fee: $84 member; $90 non-member Please register in Advance

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Friday, Aug 19, 2005, 7:00 pm $5,8

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The free visual arts exhibition includes a collection of art created by 10 African American Detroit-based artists, each inspired by and representing black music: the music of West Africa, spirituals, gospel, blues, jazz, rhythm and blues, funk, and hip hop.Community events are planned throughout the exhibition and will include a two-week summer Rock N Art residency for young artists, a community mural project, artists’ development workshops, author/illustrator visits, second Friday night of the month programs featuring a Gospelfest, West African Drumming Dance, and the Hip Hop Culture and, three community and school residencies. The exhibition will be opened for school tours beginning September 19, highlighting a curriculum confluence of art, history, and music. The opening reception is Friday, June 17, all programs are free and open to the public. Call (216) 623-2822 or check the library’s website (www.cpl.org) for additional information and updates.

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*It seems like there's something quite cool going on in the city of McKinney, Texas. First there was the prototype of an eco-Walmart, then the eco-dealership by Toyota, and now - thanks to reader littleCatalyst for pointing it out - we learn that the city also has a sustainable elementary school that has been named (pdf link) one of the ten Most Environmentally Responsible Design Projects in the Nation by the American Institute of Architects. They have some great green architecture and landscaping, harvest rainwater in 6 cisterns (10,000 gallons capacity) and produce electricity with a wind turbine, but most importantly, they teach the kids about sustainability (it warms my heart!). Read more about it here >>http://www.edutopia.org/magazine/ed1article.php?id=art_1158&issue=sept_04

The 08.23.05 NEO Excellence Roundtable will feature leaders of new arts innovations and movements in NEO, including William Scheele of newCAT, the New Collaboration for Arts and Technology, who will be able to update attendees on Ingenuity Fest, with which he is affiliated - we'll invite other Ingenuity spokespersons to attend as well.

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The last few weeks have seen the subject of education reach front and center across Northeast Ohio. Public school funding, the end of the BBB era and the hyper-politicizing of the selection of her successor, and the realization we need progress educating the region's children are all important drivers for discussion. The NEO Excellence Roundtable has maintained an ongoing dialogue on such key issues impacting economic development in Northeast Ohio, which we will broaden beginning at the August 16th session.

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NOON - 2 PM: Celebrate this historic event and show your support to keep our waterfront parkland and public access marina. In 2004, Cuyahoga County acquired the 20-acre parkland and 10-acre marina for continued public access and recreation. In June 2005, Wendy Park at Whiskey Island was dedicated. The initial cleanup and restoration efforts of the parkland, the only natural shoreline in downtown Cleveland, and the River Boardwalk are complete.

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The Mayor and the Schools: What Is the Mayor's Role?
Wilbur C. Rich
Professor of Political Science, Wellesley College, Boston

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Cleveland will host the National Scenic Byways Conference October
16-19, 2005. This is a great opportunity to showcase the many great
activities occurring along Ohio's Byways. And for those involved in
Ohio's Byways to attend a national conference, learn more about byways
and to network with the larger byway community. Click here for
conference brochure and to register: http://www.bywaysonline.org/center/events/conferences/2005Cleveland/index.html

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 Cleveland 104 - The Curator's Keys: Unlocking the Doors to Cleveland's Museums
Western Reserve Historical Society

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This is day two of the the planning conference, joined with the 17th
annual Cleveland Planning and Zoning Workshop. Check the conference web
page at www.ohioplanning.org for updated and expanded information.

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This the start of a two-day planning conference will address a wide
range of planning and zoning topics that affect our daily lives.
Register before August 15th for early bird rates. Check the conference
web page at www.ohioplanning.org for updated and expanded information.
Online registration available.   Contact phone:
216-443-3700.  Contact: khopkins [at] cuyahogacounty [dot] us.

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Learn the latest in water quality monitoring, protection, and
restoration. Track one will cover credible water quality monitoring,
while track two will cover tools for watershed restoration.  Phone:

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LEARN ABOUT AND SEE AN INSTALLATION OF A 'GREEN' PERVIOUS PAVEMENT:
• COOLS THE COMMUNITY
• SAVES REAL ESTATE, REPLINISHES GROUND WATER
• NO PUDDLES, NO SPLASHING
• NO RUTTING, NO POT HOLES

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Lake County has a $90 million/yr. farming industry and is twice as
productive farmland as any around the state. Despite the pressures of
urban sprawl, farm preservation efforts are underway. Hear from Tom
Rapini of Lake County Farmland Conservation Taskforce.

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Check out the hottest music & environmental
festival celebrating the latest sustainable local efforts to revitalize
Northeast Ohio. Rock out as national, regional and local bands take the
stage. Enjoy stilt walkers, jewelry artists, scupltors, landscaped
gardens and gourmet goodies from Lola Bistro, Baricelli Inn, Grovewood
Tavern and more. Proceeds will benefit local environmental nonprofit
groups.

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Lead Awareness Week in Northeast Ohio kicked-off at 11 AM on July 18, 2005, with a press conference at the Zelma George Recreation Center, 3165 Martin Luther King Blvd., in the Mt. Pleasant/Kinsman area of Cleveland. City Department of Health Director Matt Carroll coordinated this informative and valuable insight-sharing session, with great support from area health professionals, community activists, Cleveland and Cuyahoga county staff, foundation workers and volunteers, all working together as the Greater Cleveland Lead Advisory Council (GCLAC). The purpose of the conference and week is to raise public awareness for the risks of lead poisoning, and support preventative action.

With the recent contributions by Benesch Friedlander Coplan & Aronoff of 10 laptops and by Progressive Insurance of 75 Pentium II CPUs for donation to those in need of help across the digital divide in East Cleveland, we have tangible evidence corporations may make a positive contribution to people's lives in NEO. Along the same lines of thought, at the last NEO Excellence Roundtable, participants interested in making NEO the world's most empowering learning community discussed the value corporations have had in supporting schools and even individual classrooms.

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The July 5th NEO Excellence Roundtable attracted a most diverse and remarkable group of participants and our discussions were bright and impactful.

There is an article ( http://www.cbc.ca/cp/business/050630/b0630102.html ) from the CBC ( http://www.cbc.ca ) that talks about a new Toyota plant opening in Ontario. The combination of a well-trained and educated workforce, a comprehensive national healtcare plan (which saves employers money) and proximity to other employees led to choosing the Canadian facility over possible American options

One of the most telling statements is this one, made by Gerry Fedchun, president of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association:

"The level of the workforce in general is so high that the training program you need for people, even for people who have not worked in a Toyota plant before, is minimal compared to what you have to go through in the southeastern United States,"

Big news and developments to discuss this week at the NEO Excellence Roundtable.

After working in academe innovating the Case Center for Regional Economic Issues, Ed Morrison returns to the private sector to lead Open Source Economic Development (OSED) for this region and the world, his way. Join Ed at the Excellence Roundtable as we explore next steps with him. As so many of us are building our community development plans around Ed's framework, today's Roundtable is where the planning continues.

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Plan to join in the discussions at the Tuesday, June 21, NEO Excellence Roundtable at the City Club of Cleveland as we advance innovative open source pursuits for holistic economic development in Northeast Ohio, including:

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An unexpected gem of an editorial in the Cleveland Plain Dealer observes "more than two-thirds of pre-school students use computers". "Education must evolve along with the rest of society" - "pre-schoolers who use computers at school regularly make greater gains than those without such technology." "The challenge for community leaders is to ensure that the advantages of the digital age reach all young people, including those of modest means." Read on below...

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