I'm pleased to see the Cleveland Plain Dealer giving coverage to HUD Deputy Secretary Ron Sims presenting a $4.5 million Federal Grant to Cuyahoga County to Protect Citizens from Lead Poisoning... on Cleveland.com, at least. Here is their advance story... Cuyahoga County gets $4.5 million to curb lead in homes. Especially insightful, from this coverage: "HUD Deputy Secretary Ron Sims is traveling to Cleveland on Friday not only to present the grant to Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald but also to formally announce the nearly $127 million HUD will spend for the communities nationwide with the highest rates of lead poisoning. Cuyahoga County and the city of Cincinnati received the largest of six grants awarded in Ohio. The city of Lorain is getting $2.1 million."

Most alarming, in coverage on Cleveland.com, is the feedback of trolls and readers registered there. As the parent of lead poisoned children, I now know what it is like to be a rape victim blamed for being raped. I have corrected some of the misinformation of truly despicable posters there - at least until Cleveland.com for some reason FROZE MY ACCOUNT.

I will say, for any poor behavior on realNEO - at the user and Admin level - it does not begin to compare with the wretchedness of life on Cleveland.com. I've posted below the comments up until I was blocked access, to protect them and save me the effort of rewriting my thoughts for you... I guess they own my voice and words on Cleveland.com now, and they don't want the world to know the truth about lead poisoning in their fair city.

And that is why there is such serious lead poisoning in their fair city...

 jmsullivan  January 27, 2011 at 11:06PM

I don't care about being an ignoramus about lead paint. I will venture to guess that over 90% of us were raised in homes built prior to 1978 which means they had lead based paint in them. My mom did not allow me to chew on the window sills, the house was meticiulously maintained and I have never known one person, not one, have any problems with lead poisoning. This is about common sense. For those that think we are ignorant, have you paid $13,000 on your personal dwelling to eliminate lead paint. If not, then why are you expecting us to spend our money on something that we thing is just plain STUPID and a WASTE

Norm January 27, 2011 at 11:55PM

In adults, lead has been associated with Alzheimer's, kidney failure, Diabetes, etc... it ain't just for kids. Why you die of cancer or whatever, know years of breathing lead poisoning paint dust (if you have had that) and leaded gas fumes did you in.

mpiepsny January 27, 2011 at 11:39PM

Actually jmsullivan....you make the point in your second sentence. Lead was added to paint for years to strengthen it. Paint has lasted for decades, without flaking, without peeling, etc. BECAUSE of the lead (That's why WE didn't get sick). Now, that the paint is breaking down, the microscopic paint chips are either air born or on the floor as "dust." Kids play on the floor, lick their fingers, and can be poisoned for life. Sure we can paint over the lead and cover flakes with grass and mulch.....Did you know that lead tends to rise to the surface? Please do your homework before commenting. Ir costs up to $20,000 to free a home from lead. The greater effort has been spent on spreading awareness of the dangers and the importance of practicing lead-safe lifestyles...

home gal January 27, 2011 at 10:38PM

Norm is right , all you making comments of just give them paint do not understand the problem at all. Lead based paint has to be removed first, then you can paint. Besides paint chips being ingested by small children who can get something in their mouth faster than you can blink, the lead dust is airborne. I saw a child at Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital who had eaten paint and was in a coma for weeks. They didn't know if she would recover or would be a vegetable if she survived.

Back in the seventies parents were told to send in a child's baby tooth for testing to see if they had lead poisoning. This is not a new problem and someone who has high lead levels can become very ill. Children suffer brain damage and organ damage. Painters have been subjected to lead poisoning also.

Norm January 28, 2011 at 12:03AM

BTW - the reason they are tearing down everything here is that is the cheapest way to eliminate the lead - $5K a crack and stick the ladn in the landbank. Then you plant suff - anything - on the lots, to control the lead in the soil (hence the big "reimagining Cleveland" green stuff happening in town). Now you know why your city was bulldozed... LEAD ERADICATION.

Like it that way, Clevelanders?!?! Seem like a cheap solution to you... vacant lots that will never pay taxes again. Real smart.

Norm January 27, 2011 at 11:50PM

If it is government funded they don't remove the lead paint and they generally don't replace doors and windows as much as they used to (which is how NYNY got a grip on lead poisoning... replaced every window (helping the Mafia greatly)) - they do a light remediation painting over cracked paint and such (if it tests positive for lead) and give people hepa vacuums - dust control is critical - most of the Federal action lately has been forcing contractors to be lead trained and certified, which is essential. There is much to be done to make more painting contractors truly safe and effective (most don't take lead poisoning any more seriously than the posters here), and most make and leave lead poisoning messes and are astoundingly lead poisoned themselves.

tribefan January 27, 2011 at 10:26PM

The officials at the health board have to be licking their chops about getting their hands on all this money. Let the bribing and corruption begin.

Norm January 28, 2011 at 12:18AM

I've seen the process in action at all levels of the system. Some cities have health departments and the County covers the rest - they share the responsibility to educate the region and to do remediation - I'm not sure how these funds are to be distributed but I'm sure money will flow all over Cuyahoga - they do inspections where a child HAS BEEN POISONED and if there is lead they get bids and hire the low bidder - they only do the basics - they monitor the work well and there is really no place for corruption - I think it is easy for a certified contractor to get on the list and I've never heard complaints from contractors.

tanya88 January 27, 2011 at 9:58PM

How did your kids get lead poisoning Norm? This is not the business of the federal government. We are in a fiscal crisis and it's due to this type of wasteful spending. Perhaps we should have the government come in and see how you are raising your kids if you are allowing them to eat paint. Is this the type of government you want?

Norm January 27, 2011 at 11:40PM

It was in my parents' mansion in Shaker - children are often lead poisoned by grandparents too ignorant to deal with toxic hazards in the home. The mayor at the time - Judy Rosen - was wife of the Cleveland partner of Jones Day, which defends industry in lead poisoning litigation - and Judy did not manage the lead poisoning issue will - my parents pay like $40,000 a year in taxes and there are regular exterior inspections in Shaker - they are forced to fix cracks and paint outside, to make Shaker look pretty - they never inspect inside and have people fix what kills them... my parents can afford the repairs to the house (not to their grandchildren). Inspection - simple solution the real estate industry will not allow - Testing - simple solution the medical industry will not allow. Lead is the ultimate story of corporate corruption and evil ever in America (paint and gas) causing astounding harm to the competitiveness of this nation, and only because of the Federal Government are we starting to come out of this crisis. The greatest villains on the industry have roots in Ohio - in Cincinnati and Cleveland - which is why Obama just gave those cities collectively $9 million to help. That is 1% what we must spend so get your check books ready. And google lead poisoning and learn something, instead of hanging out here.

Norm January 27, 2011 at 9:30PM

And HOW they got poisoned is because lead is so powerful a neurotoxin very small amounts may cause astounding harm... a few micrograms and it's over - how it impacts the child depends on many factors including size, age and behavior - the worst victim in my family was the thumb sucker, who was youngest and smallest - just running hands over walls ... sucking on a dropped pacifier or toy... test comes back lead poisoned.  (no chipping paint... it is a mansion in Shaker... they have professional cleaners (who didn't use Hepa Vacuums)).

What do you do - I hired new cleaners for my parents and told them they ruined their grandchildren's lives.

Norm January 27, 2011 at 9:30PM

As a parent of lead poisoned children and a former co-chair of the Greater Cleveland Lead Advisory Council I can say with authority those of you speaking against lead poisoning eradication are ignorant, dangerous to society and have just lost all credibility on this forum.

To the Plain Dealer, you clearly still have not done enough to educate the community about this health crisis. Cover the press conference tomorrow in detail.

inallmyglory January 27, 2011 at 9:04PM

I have to agree with the fact that funding would go a LOT farther, if those in the homes are given the paint they need, and some trays/rollers/brushes. There is no reason for painters to do what adults who are not physically or mentally incapable of doing, should do themselves. It will help with local obesity if present, it will have people more invested in caring for their "homes" whether they rent or own, and it HIGHLY INCREASES the fiscal responsibility of managing money. Never mind, that painting your home inside, is a life-skill.

cccb678 January 27, 2011 at 8:07PM

This comes out to over $13,000 per house!!!! Who are these people kidding? This is an outrage. Give the people free paint and supplies and make them do the work themselves!!!!! Whatever has happened to personal responsibility. I know I have lead based paint in my Lakewood home. But I paid $20 for a can of paint and put forth the effort to take care of my house. I can paint a room in my house for about $25. I painted the exterior of my home for a couple hundred.

Then to top it all off, the congressman in my district is suing a cafeteria!!

clevegirl123 January 27, 2011 at 7:46PM

$4.5 million dollars to clean up 345 homes? Give the homeowners vouchers for 10 gallons of indoor paint and 10 gallons of exterior paint and let them do it themselves. You can either save a ton of money or you can cover a lot more houses, either way it cuts the bloat out.

mrflintstone January 27, 2011 at 7:35PM

'6.1 percent of children who tested positive for lead had levels over 10 micrograms'

So how many were tested?
What constitutes 'positive'?
So how many is 6.1%?
less than 10?
less than 5?
1?

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