Historically, my roses have bloomed the first two weeks in June or the last week in May and the first week of June. Last year, however, they were finished with the first flush of bloom on May 31.

It looks like this year will be the same. All the roses have big buds, pink is starting to show on one. Global warming? 

 Democratic Berea Municipal Court Judge Mark Comstock

 Press Release To All Media As To Imperial Ave Murders Press Conference May 14, 2011 AT 4:30 PM, 40 Severance Circle, In Front Of Cleveland Hts. Police Station

Bike to Work Day—Who’s In?

Posted on May 13th, 2011 - 12:00 PM

By Aaron Ferster

I’ve been working—and commuting—in Washington, DC since 1996 when I moved to the area from the Bronx for a job writing interpretive signs at the National Zoo.

My wife and I lived just behind the back entrance to the park. It was a five-minute ride to work, but 15-minutes home because of the big hill standing between my office and our apartment. If the traffic light at the bottom of our street was green, I could make it in without a single pedal stroke.

At that time, the notion of partaking in official “Bike to Work Day” festivities seemed almost comical. “It would take me longer to get to the event than it would to actually ride to work,” I bragged. Then a colleague told me about the t-shirts and free coffee.

I’ve been hooked ever since.

Location

Cleveland's Ward 14 community is making great strides in reacting to years of Community Development and Neighborhood Stabilization deprivation... Grassroots efforts, citizen participation, and proactive people are uniting to revitalize our community spirit.

I MEANT to post a recipe to make your own laundry soap powder very cheaply using a fantastic Mexican laundry soap bar so gentle it can be used on baby clothing and you can use it to bathe with yourself. My sister saw a glowing writeup in the LOUISVILLE COURIER, bought an extra bar for me at Big Lots for all of 88 cents and mailed it to me.

Ron Paul's signature on hemp paper version of the Industrial Hemp Farming Act.

realNEO readers are among the first to see "The Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2011, To amend the Controlled Substances Act to exclude hemp from the definition of marijuana, and for other purposes", signed by its sponsor, US House Representative of the 14th District of Texas Ron Paul, around 1 PM today, May 11, 2011, and introduced to the US House of Representatives to be enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 112th US Congress.

As Paul previously concluded, in a a statement for Hemp History Week: "The federal government should change the law to allow American farmers to grow this profitable crop as American farmers have through most of our nation's history.  I plan to reintroduce the Industrial Hemp Farming Act next week."

Paul clearly is a man of his word. Above is "The Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2011"... on hemp paper, and below is Ron Paul signing the bill. 

 Destini Bronaugh (rt) and and her mother, Tina Bronaugh

Vote Hemp got the word earlier today that the Industrial Hemp Farming Act will be introduced in the U.S. House tomorrow. So far there are 19 original cosponsors, plus Ron Paul! Your phone calls and emails are helping a lot. If you have not called or emailed yet please do so now online at http://bit.ly/CapWiz or here on Facebook at http://bit.ly/Hemp

Please Call Your Representatives in Congress Ask them to become an original cosponsor of the Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2011

US veterans and their friends and families turned out by the 100s for the 2011 Cleveland Medical Marijuana Rally

I can't ever remember enjoying converging with 1,000 or so amazingly diverse Clevelanders so much as I did Saturday afternoon, May 7, as Northeast Ohio held the 2011 Cleveland Medical Marijuana March and Jobs, Peace and Freedom Rally. The crowd created the buzz of a perfect championship game day - Cleveland was in the World Series again.

At the 2011 Cleveland Medical Marijuana Rally, medical patients experienced an historic moment of personal freedom and liberty, in peace, and went home healthier - we all saw Cleveland may actually win the world championship, for the first time in our lives - as Ohio... an agricultural, healthcare, industrial and education powerhouse... realizes we must take our rightful place in the Cannabis Economy!

Undersecretary Says USDA Will Continue to Expand Alternative Fuels

Tonsager says the search continues for new feedstocks for biofuel production.

Compiled by staff 

Published: May 10, 2011

The Department of Agriculture is looking at going beyond corn to make alternative fuels.  The Undersecretary for Rural Development, Dallas Tonsager, is promoting the use of other crops and materials for ethanol production.

Tonsager says the Department can help operations get started with grants, loans and loan guarantees.

"These second and third generation biofuels, we can help finance those," Tonsager said. "They are generally very, very expensive projects, so we are interested in working with anybody who is interested in developing those kind of ventures and we are interested in getting into almost any kind of material that might be used for biofuel."

 Investigative Journalist and Editor Kathy Wray Coleman

 Cleveland Municipal Court Judge Lynn McLaughlin Murray

My mom's spirit never leaves me....with each sunrise and sunset, she is the sun & moon in my life... Reminders of her remain with me in every enchanting laugh I hear from my giggling child, in every Motown song on the radio, and with every crossword puzzle in the daily newspaper I see... Mom's love was so boundless and unconditional and forgiving that I have forever been blessed and know this to the depths of my soul.

Tremont West CDC has been the target of much controversy. Councilmen joined forces for years to allocate our CDBG fund dollars to this agency in order to invest in the community formerly known at large as "THE SOUTHSIDE" of Cleveland. In 2011, the results of years of investment reveals quite a bit of dissention amongst the residents while putting lipstick on the pig...and sweeping endless corruption under the carpets...and intimidating anyone who works towards transparency in such an organization.

....and to the behind the scenes folks who are turning over rocks until the truth comes out. While generations of the past ran away from this nightmare of corruption to live better lives... Many stayed because of whatever dynamics or choices and endured against the odds in this climate...

Can anyone share the reasons & rhymes of what's going on with our $40 Million of NSP funding through the City of Cleveland Community Development Department, Demolitions Department, the CDC's, and the City Council????? Is it all being steered to downtown development instead of being used in the struggling neighborhoods it was meant to "stabilize?" We, the citizens of Cleveland, deserve a balance sheet on these funds.... what's the story, Cleveland City Council? Why all the distractions? It's pretty simple at the end of the day.....

USDA Reminds Public of Deadline for Biomass Crop Assistance Program Proposals

 

WASHINGTON, May 3, 2011 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today reminded farmers, ranchers and forest landowners that the deadline for submitting project area proposals for the Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) is May 27, 2011.
 

“We know that viable solutions to combat high gas prices can be found in rural America,” said Vilsack. “America’s farmers, ranchers, rural businesses and communities are already important partners in helping to build a more secure, sustainable energy supply. The Biomass Crop Assistance Program provides incentives to producers of the materials needed to fuel the new clean energy economy and provide rural jobs.”
 

BCAP, which was authorized in the 2008 Farm Bill, provides incentives to eligible farmers, ranchers and forest landowners for the establishment and production of biomass crops for heat, power, bio-based products and biofuels. BCAP project areas are specific geographical areas where producers may enroll land to grow eligible biomass crops. Enrolled program participants may be eligible to receive financial and technical assistance as well as annual payments to establish these crops.

Entrance to Press Briefing Room and media facilities at the White House (seen in the distance)

Location

 Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas Judge Timothy McGinty

Map 7.1: Potential Biomass Energy Distribution among Ohio Counties (in Billions)

USDA and DOE Award Biomass Research and Development Grants to Reduce America’s Reliance on Imported Oil

Projects will help develop sustainable, renewable biofuels in the U.S.

WASHINGTON – As part of the Obama Administration’s comprehensive plan to address rising gas prices, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced a total of $47 million to fund eight research and development projects that will support the production of biofuels, bioenergy and high-value biobased products from a variety of biomass sources. These investments in clean, sustainable transportation fuels will help reduce U.S. oil imports, support economic development in rural America, create clean energy jobs for U.S. workers, and protect American families and businesses from future spikes in gas prices. The advanced biofuels produced through these projects are also expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 percent compared to fossil fuels.

Did you know that it’s Air Quality Awareness Week? The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Weather Service urge Americans to "Be Air Aware" during Air Quality Awareness Week, May 2 - 6, 2011.

Didn't I see you at the big MetroHealth "Clean Up Mittal For Real" Air Quality Awareness Week Rally down at Public Square, today...? At Mayor Jackson's "Cleveland Thermal Kills Children and our Economy" Rally at Cleveland State, Monday? At the special City Council Meeting declaring their War Against Environmental Injustice From Air Pollution In Urban Cleveland!?!?

Of course not! There are no Air Quality Awareness events ever in Northeast Ohio - no in-depth reports on mainstream media about the harm caused by pollution - and there have been important findings released here recently about the poor air quality in unreal NEO, which is real news.