Some favorite quotations

"The association promotes a way of life, not causes; a harmony in living, not political faiths; a bilateral loyalty, not commercial or social projects. Yet it is an association for as noble a purpose as any involved in any prior decisions."
— William O. Douglas 

"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies."
— Groucho Marx

"There can be no daily democracy without daily citizenship."
— Ralph Nader

“We stand now where two roads diverge. But unlike the roads in Robert Frost’s familiar poem, they are not equally fair. The road we have long been traveling is deceptively easy, a smooth superhighway on which we progress with great speed, but at its end lies disaster. The other fork of the road—the one “less traveled by”—offers our last, our only chance to reach a destination that assures the preservation of the earth.”
— Rachel Carson

“The day will come when men will recognize woman as his peer, not only at the fireside, but in councils of the nation. Then, and not until then, will there be the perfect comradeship, the ideal union between the sexes that shall result in the highest development of the race.”
—Susan B. Anthony

We cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about progress and prosperity for our community… Our ambitions must be broad enough to include the aspirations and needs of others, for their sakes and for our own.
Cesar Chavez

Response regarding concerns of passage of legislation increasing number of Cleveland traffic cameras

I'm supportive of red light and speed cameras and am most concerned with ensuring safety.

Cleveland traffic red-light and speed cameras camera locationsSource: Cleveland Plain Dealer 

In terms of the two locations on W. 25th Street/Clark and Pearl Road/Denison, both locations are listed as high accident rate intersections (out of 103 intersections), according to the NOACA 2009 Accident Study (PDF):

• W. 25th Street & Clark - 77 accidents in the three year period (2007-2009), ranked 18th by frequency (19th composite ranking), with 20 resulting injuries; 
• Pearl & Denison- 58 accidents in the three year period (2007-2009), ranked 36th by frequency (31st composite ranking), with 22 resulting injuries; 

NOTE: Composite ranking include info on accident frequency, property damage, injuries/fatalities and rates per number of vehicles entering intersections.

For arguments I support regarding the use of traffic cameras, please the article regarding the use of cameras in Washington D.C. (April 2013), provided by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. 

See also the NOACA 2009 Accident Study (PDF) that shows that 82% of pedestrian injuries due to car accidents happen within Cuyahoga County (73% bike accidents as well) and specifically in high density urban areas such as neighborhoods in and around W. 25th Street Pearl Road. Interesting to note that over 46 % of these crashes occurred between 3:00 - 9:00 pm.

Marilyn Wieczorek honored as Senior of the Year for Cleveland Ward 14

Today the City of Cleveland celebrated Senior Day as part of the national Older Americans Month 2013.  We're proud to feature Marilyn Wieczorek as the honoree as Senior of the Year for Cleveland Ward 14.

Each year Council members are asked to honor a senior from their wards as part of this celebration and we want to thank the the local development corporations and local block clubs and our faith community and other institutions we work with in always assisting us in the process of making that selection.

We also want to  recognize the great work of Jane Fumich and her staff at the City's Department of Aging and Mayor Fank G. Jackson for his support of this special day and for spending time and honoring the seniors.

Marilyn Wieczorekw, who hails from the Jones Home Historic District in Brooklyn Centre, was one of 19 individuals recognized today at the Seniors Day event held at the Cleveland Public Hall.

These honorees represent the thousands of local seniors who continue to devote their time and efforts to make Cleveland the great place that it is.  They have enriched our communities with their service and today is the day that we recognize them and all seniors as playing a vital role in our City.  Congratulations Marilyn and thank you for all you have done and continue to do for our community!

Marilyn Wieczorek

Ms. Marilyn Wieczorek was born in Cleveland and moved to her current home when she was 5-years old.  She has four sisters, three of whom are deceased, 10 nieces and nephews and 10 great-nieces and great-nephews.

Marilyn is now retired.  She worked for the Plain Dealer in the cafeteria and was also employed in the food service industry for many years working in a variety of restaurants.

Currently, she is very active in the community.  Ms. Wieczorek has coordinated the Daisy Avenue Street Sale for over 30-years.  The Daisy Avenue Street Sale is held the first Saturday and Sunday in August.  Ms. Wieczorek cares about the safety of residents in her community.  She belongs to her local community block club and the 2nd District Community Relations Committee.  She passes out literature to residents on how to maintain and promote their safety.

Ms. Wieczorek is committed to keeping the neighborhood nice and participates in community clean-ups.  She successfully reached out for support from various community organizations and started a community garden.

In addition to gardening, Marilyn enjoys cooking; her specialties are stuffed-peppers, spaghetti and breaded veal with mushrooms.  She is a parishoner of Mary Queen of Peace Church and is certainly an active Ward 14 senior.

Fund to benefit Berry, Knight and DeJesus launches web site and drop-off and spiritual reflection location

To donate to the Cleveland Courage Fund complete go to The Cleveland Foundation's donation page.

The Cleveland Courage Fund announced a new web site and their partnership with the Family Ministry Center as a drop-off and spiritual reflection location where cards, letters, well wishes and donations of goods can be made. Family Ministry Center is located at:

3381 Fulton Road, Cleveland Ohio 44109

The new drop-off location opens beginning Monday, May 13th through to June 22nd. Donations will be accepted at the south entrance of the church Monday through Fridays from 8:30-4:30 pm, and on Saturdays from 9:00 am -12:00 pm.

Up until this announcement, supporters of Michelle Knight, Gina DeJesus, Amanda Berry and her daughter we being dropped of at the 1st and 2nd District Police Stations.

The Fund is asking for volunteers to assist in receiving donations, please email your availability to: clevelandcouragefund@gmail.com

Donor Fund is in the works for Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus, Michelle Knight

A Donor's Fund is being developed for Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus, Michelle Knight.

We are working to announce the establishment of a bank, account and a mechanism to allow for tax exempt donations to benefit these women.

Also, we'll be posting tomorrow a phone number for in-kind donations.

We would like to thank the Tremont West Development Corporation's Safety Committee, the Second District Community Relations Committee, Guardian Angels, Stockyard, Clark Fulton & Brooklyn Centre Community Development Organization and all of the volunteers that are helping the community deal with this ongoing investigation.