Latest News

Parma Mayor Timothy G. DeGeeter with Mario Innocenzi in his barbershop at 7526 Broadview Rd. in the Pleasant Valley Shopping Center during his 10th Annual Toy Drive. 

Parma Mayor Tim DeGeeter recently visited Mario’s Barbershop and donated items for Mario’s Annual Christmas Toy Drive. Mario has run his yearly toy drive for more than 10 years. This year, donations will be made to area families requiring assistance, as well as a North Carolina family impacted by the hurricane this past September.

View Image Gallery

In 1977, a teenage girl went missing from a Fairview Park Sunoco gas station located on Lorain Road, never to be seen again. Her name was Yvonne Regler and she was a resident of North Olmsted. It was early afternoon on August 8th when she disappeared. The case baffled the Fairview Park authorities because of the lack of evidence left at the scene. Her purse and belongings, along with large amounts of money, in the cash- register, were left behind.

As one who has been working with Medicare, Medicaid and private health insurance since January 1973, I can understand the frustration that consumers have towards health insurance companies. At the heart of all this is the profit driven private health insurance companies. Polls and surveys consistently have shown widespread public approval of Medicare and Medicaid. Both are government programs, although far from perfect do a good job of covering those who are eligible.

I often find myself reflecting on the troubling state of young men in our society. Recently, in the building where I live, a young man vandalized the front lobby with paint and vulgar language. He also ranted about conspiracy theories while in the lobby. Although I’m not a mental health professional, it’s clear that addressing grievances through vandalism is not an appropriate solution.

As a proud father of 18-year-old academic athletes, I reflect on a virtue that seems increasingly scarce in our younger generation: manners. From an early age, I prioritized teaching my sons the importance of respect, courtesy, and decorum—qualities that serve as cornerstones for a well-ordered society. These lessons are not just about etiquette for etiquette's sake but about cultivating kindness, respect, and a sense of humanity in every interaction.

The AARP Foundation Tax-Aide Program will be getting underway again this year starting the first week in February and ending the 14th of April 2025.  This IRS-supported FREE tax service is offered on a non-discriminatory basis without consideration of race, religion, gender, disability, or sexual orientation.  We give special attention to those with low or moderate incomes and/or aged 50 and older.  Taxpayers do NOT have to be retired or a member of AARP.  You may start calling for appointments on January 6, 2025.  

It’s excruciatingly ironic that the very metropolis that spawned our reelected “commander in chief,” who is scapegoating roughly half of our nation’s 45 million immigrants, is also home to the Statue of Liberty. How many immigrants live in Parma, Parma Heights, and Seven Hills? A lot!

We mark the start of a New Year by observing old traditions and also creating new ones (or at least hoping to do so) that make our lives better or easier: being a better friend, volunteering for a charitable cause, practicing patience or, perhaps, finally starting that new project or hobby.  As adults, we seldom try new things and challenge ourselves the way children do.  Let Parma Heights small businesses help with those new hobbies and projects.

Established in 1826, the City of Parma is gearing up for a year of celebrating in 2026 when it turns 200.

The 14th Annual PB drive kicked off on December 1st at Zielinski Park with Founder State Representative Sean Patrick Brennan!

During the month of December, Parma residents donated peanut butter for the 14th Annual Parma Peanut Butter (PB) Drive. Since its inception in 2010, the Parma PB Drive has generated over 12 tons of peanut butter, thanks to the generosity of the community. This amounts to approximately 24,000 jars of peanut butter distributed to area seniors through All Faiths Pantry. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who supported the drive.

It’s the New Year and time to relax and create. The Parma Area Fine Arts Council, (PAFAC), AKA Parma Arts, is seeking new members. This 501(c)3 non-profit has existed in the area for over 60 years bringing art to the community. Members are from various walks of life, work with various mediums, and are various ages. But they all agree creating is an important aspect of life. Membership is annual, adults $25, over age 55 $18. Monthly meetings (next one February 24th), 7335 Ridge Rd., offer a change to network, plan events and classes, in a laid back friendly atmosphere. Visit the web page for more information, www.parmafinearts.org, email kathrynmabin@att.net, or follow on Facebook. 

Left to right: Rep. Brennan’s intern Miles DeMille, Rep. Brennan’s legislative aide McKenna Dugan, Rep. Brennan, Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted, Governor Mike DeWine, and Rep. Adam Bird. 

Going back to my years as a member of Parma City Council I have been concerned about the integrity of donation collection bins. I was always skeptical about whether or not the donations of clothing and other articles were actually benefiting charitable causes. My research on the sketchy outfits that placed many of them was a work in futility. My concern was that legitimate charities were being “boxed-out” by seeming for-profit actors.

View Image Gallery

The Parma SWAT Team held its 1st Annual "SWAT Santa" on December 14th, 2024. The event was hosted by the Parma Tap House located at 5513 Pearl Rd. The team worked with several Parma school Directors and Family Liaisons to extend an invite to the families. The event was a success with with over 40 kids in attendance. The event included a craft table, gift bags, snacks, refreshments, and best of all, a chance to meet Santa and his Elves for photos and a special gift. 

View Image Gallery

The City of Parma Heights is gearing up for another big year in 2025. Reflecting on the milestones of the past twelve months, Parma Heights is a community that thrives on community and progress.

The Parma Heights Branch of Cuyahoga County Public Library will host Leadership in Action with Author Jimmie Gray, EdD on Thursday, January 23rd, 2025 from 7:00-8:00 p.m. in Meeting Room A.  Dr. Jimmie Gray will talk about key concepts from his latest book entitled Leadership in Action: Maximizing Business Performance the SEPP Way. The SEPP model (Strategy, Execution, People, and Preparation) leadership strategy offers leaders practical, achievable and measurable steps to initiate change and drive results in business. Dr. Gray will offer ways to improve leadership skills, business performance and organizational culture to implement immediately.  Whether an entrepreneur or team leader, learn from Dr. Gray to achieve success through strong and effective leadership. Book sale and signing following thepresentation. Registration required. To register, please visit www.cuyahogalibrary.org or call the Parma Heights Branch at 440.884.2313. 

Join the Adult Services Librarian at the Parma Heights Branch Library of Cuyahoga County Public Library for a staff-led virtual book discussion Tuesday afternoon, January 14th, 2025 from 2:00-3:00 p.m. Join us virtually as we discuss Mrs. Quinn’s Rise to Fame by Olivia Ford. 

The New Year brings new opportunities to volunteer in the local community and meet new friends.   Looking for a way to contribute your time through community service by volunteering?  Love the public library?  Look no further. The Friends of Parma Heights Library need You! 

A snowy, wintry scene along Big Creek. (Image credit: Milenko Budimir) 

It’s January, the coldest month of the year here in northeast Ohio. And while folks naturally tend to spend as much time as possible indoors, there’s still plenty of reason to venture outdoors as well.  

At the Parma-Powers Branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library, we strive to offer high quality programming that is both informative and entertaining, in addition to providing valuable information resources, help with obtaining critical social services, comfortable spaces to study, gather, or hold an important meeting, and ready access to a wide variety of literature and media ranging from the brand new to classic.

The Parma-Powers Branch Library

View Image Gallery

At the Parma-Powers Branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library, we strive to offer high quality programming that is both informative and entertaining, in addition to providing valuable information resources, help with obtaining critical social services, comfortable spaces to study, gather, or hold an important meeting, and ready access to a wide variety of literature and media ranging from the brand new to classic.

One of the trees not properly pruned. Stump should be trimmed back to parent branch or trunk.

View Image Gallery

Kris Harsh, Ward 13 councilman, at his monthly meeting in November talked about complaints from residents extending from Pearl to Memphis. The mature trees had added beauty and defined this Old Brooklyn Neighborhood for decades. Residents were upset about the radical and poor trimming Cleveland Public Power did along their street. What resulted was injured trees due to lack of formal arborist knowledge provided by a contractor hired by the City of Cleveland.

View Image Gallery

November 12th, General Motors Parma Metal Center presented the latest installment of its Community Impact Grants (CIG) to four nonprofits in the greater Cleveland region. The $75,000 in grants this year target local nonprofits aimed at supporting STEAM education and road safety throughout the community.

View Image Gallery

Holiday Cheer in Seven Hills is just around the corner! Help us kick start the holiday season with friends and neighbors Saturday, December 7, 2024. The fun begins at 10:30 a.m. when the parade travels from the Moose Lodge 7010 Broadview Road, south down Broadview Road, turns east on Hillside Road, and ends at 7325 Summitview Drive, City Hall.

View Image Gallery

Frosty’s Fest is Sunday, December 8, 2024. It begins when Santa, his Sleigh, and his Elves arrive at the Donna Smallwood Activities Center, located at 7001 W. Ridgewood Dr. It follows the annual Parma Christmas Parade, which begins at 1:00 pm. This family focused event has a lot to offer, FREE admission and it’s is open to the public, no residency is required. As in past years, you’ll have free photos with Santa, kids crafts, activities, lots of extras too, like face painters, Disney Princesses, Sparky and The Grinch will be attending. Bakeries will be on hand with their mouth watering holiday goodies for you to purchase. Food and beverages, for sale, indoors and out. Choirs will be singing to enhance the holiday mood. You’ll also be able to watch live, a demonstration of ice sculpting.

Parma Observer Publisher Daniel P. McCarthy with the legendary Mike Byrne at one of his last Cuyahoga County Council meetings on 11-26-24. 

Throughout his career, Mike Byrne has performed public service in a variety of ways. Besides working for Cuyahoga County for decades, he also served as Council President of Parma Heights, then long time Mayor after that. So a combined 22 years of elected office would be enough for most, but when the unexpired term of Cuyahoga County Representative Scott Tuma needed to be filled, Mike answered the call and was appointed to serve out the term. with his broad administrative experience and intricate knowledge of the functions of county government, there was no better choice. He is Chair of the Public Works, Procurement & Contracting Committee. Also a member of the Financing & Budgeting Committee, Economic Development & Planning Committee, and Public Safety and Justice Afffairs Committee. Mike Byrne has accomplished much in the amount of time spent on Cuyahoga county Council, and the citizens here have benefited greatly from his experience and steady leadership. He will be succeeded by mark Casselberry, Parma Ward 3 Councilman, who indeed has some very large shoes to fill. 

View Image Gallery

Happy Holidays! On December 1, the City of Parma Heights hosted the Annual Tree Lighting at the Gazebo in Greenbriar Commons. With close to 10,000 lights and decorations, the holiday décor will be up through the middle of January.

State Representative Sean Patrick Brennan meeting with Vikki McNeeley and Cindy Lang at Café Blanc in Parma Heights. The ladies are constituents of his who reached out to his office and were very pleased
with the level of service they received.

If you are a reader of my monthly column, which I take pride in writing myself each month, you are well-aware of my legislative achievements in just my first 23 months as your state lawmaker.

Friday November 22, 1963, began like any other morning that year. For me, I was in the 10th grade at Valley Forge High School in Parma Ohio. There was a story on the news the day before that President John F Kennedy was in Texas with Vice President Lyndon Johnson to shore up support for a second term as President in 1964

Medicare is critical to caring for America’s seniors—nearly 1 in 5 Americans rely on it for health coverage! Ensuring that doctors are paid fairly for the important work they do for Medicare beneficiaries is no easy task, but failing to do so could lead to worse care for millions of retirees. 

Krampus on a Snowy Day Photo by Sean Mabin

Sean Mabin, owner operator of Prama Artspace & Gallery, is showing at Valley Art Center, 155 Bell St., in Chagrin Falls, for the 53rd Annual Juried Art Exhibition through December 16.. He won the “completely different” Maxine Agger Kopecky Award, and a cash award. Sean & his wife Angie Reali-Mabin are showing at Pinwheel Gallery, 2019 Broadview Rd., in The Snow Show, which runs through January 3.

PSO to perform Holiday Favorites

Parma Symphony Orchestra will perform a LIVE Holiday Music Concert on Sunday, December 8 at 3:00 PM at Valley Forge High School Auditorium located at 9999 Independence Boulevard in Parma Heights featuring Dr Randolph P Laycock conducting: Rossini’s William Tell Overture John Rutter’s Five pieces for orchestra.O Magnum Mysterium arranged by Dr. James Feiszli and a Selection of Holiday favorites 

City of Parma's original name

View Image Gallery

For the first time, a documentary about the early Parma Settlers will air through December 2024. The documentary begins with the first settlers that arrived in the Parma area in the early 1800s and the development of Parma is followed all the way through the Civil War. These early pilgrims purchased their plots of land in Parma from a Connecticut Land Company before setting out on their long journey to take possession of them. After arriving in the Cuyahoga County area the settlers followed an Indian trail on the eastern side of the Cuyahoga River. They did so until crossing over the river to where Rockside Road is now located. They then continued westward, to where the Pearl and Ridge Road intersection is now.

The Parma Heights Branch of Cuyahoga County Public Library will host a virtual program Picasso & Paper on Thursday, December 19th, 2024 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Learn about artist Pablo Picasso who created engaging works of art with a paper medium for a prolonged period of time. The virtual program highlights this exciting new exhibition at the Cleveland Museum of Art. This Picasso Paper exhibition was organized by the Cleveland Musuem of Art and the Royal Academy of Arts, London, in partnership with the Musee Nationale Picasso-Paris.

The Parma Heights Branch of Cuyahoga County Public Library will host Blanton & the Browns: How the 1964 Team Won a World Title—with Author Vince Guerrieri on Thursday, December 5th, 2024 from 7:00-8:00 p.m. in Meeting Room A. Author Vince Guerrieri will talk about Blanton Collier, Head Coach of Cleveland Browns from 1963-1970, and how Blanton’s 1964 Browns team won the NFL Championship. Blanton Collier, a Kentucky native who was hired by Paul Brown, led the 1964 Browns to win a professional sports title with his team of assistant coaches, including Don Shula, and standout players. Mr. Guerrieri, an award-winning journalist for the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram and Medina Gazette. Guerrieri is the author of Weird Moments in Cleveland Sports: Bottlegate, Bedbugs and Burying the Pennant – and More! Book sale and signing following this author event. Registration required. To register, visit www.cuyahogalibrary.org or call the Parma Heights Branch at 440.884.2313. 

Looking for the perfect holiday gift? Shop at the library! The Friends of Parma Heights Library will have an ongoing Holiday Sale – Adult Fiction Books with special pricing at $.25 per book this month through January 7th, 2025. New inventory weekly for a great selection of recent bestsellers and old favorites of Adult Fiction Hardback books! Visit the Parma Heights Library located at 6206 Pearl Road, Parma Heights, OH 44130 in the Greenbrier Commons during library hours. Proceeds from Holiday Sale support library programming at the Parma Heights Library. For additional information about this Holiday Sale or interested in joining The Friends of Parma Heights Library, please call the Parma Heights Branch Library at 440.884.2313. 

Nov. 11, 2024 was the 70th Anniversary of the official change from Armistiice Day to veterans Day. The American Legion, which had fought for an official  recognition of the end of World War I since 1920, later in the aftermath of World War II and as the Korean War was underway, argued in favor of expanding the observance to include all who served in the US Military. Following more than three years of American Legion support for a change in the Federal Holiday name, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a proclamation Oct 8, 1954, making it official.