News

The Parma City School District has partnered with GPD Group, our architectural consultants, to design a unique learning institution that will empower our high school students to learn in a first-class environment with myriad opportunities to “find their niche.” The singular district high school will locate on the current property of Parma Senior High School (PSH), which is scheduled to be demolished in Fall 2023. Renderings of the campus show a clear embrace of the historical features of PSH, including the construction of a new clock tower above the main entrance to the school and red brick lining the exterior. 

This month I am concluding my series entitled Civics 101. The hope has been to provide you with useful information about your local, state, and federal governments. So far I have covered our municipal (city), school district, and county governments, as well as Ohio’s state government and the executive and legislative branches of the federal government. This month I will write about our federal judicial branch – the federal courts.

The Donna Smallwood Senior Center continues to grow and provide more programs than ever before. Our average daily attendance is over 100 and that breaks even pre-pandemic records. Of course this is due, in large part, to the YMCA Silver Sneakers classes offered here daily.

RAISING AWARENESS:  Human Trafficking/Abuse: Note: View the digital version to activate hyperlinks – www.parmaobserver.com/read/news
O  From The Collaborative to End Human Trafficking:
      >>  “Fundamentals of Human Trafficking” presentations will be coming up at 7:00 pm, Wednesday, Sept. 7th, and again at 10:30 am, Tuesday, Oct 4th. These hour-long presentations are both free and virtual. Get details & register here.
      >>  Save the date: October 20-21, 2022... join us in envisioning a new movement focused on creating a roadmap for collaboration where all systems and survivors work together for solutions. This county-wide,  appreciative inquiry, “Thriving Youth Summit” will be facilitated by the Community Innovation Network at Case Western Reserve University. Watch for more information coming soon.
      >>  Go here to display a list of the nearly 70 partner organizations & agencies that make up Greater Cleveland’s Coordinated Response to Human Trafficking. Click on any of the entries to visit their respective website.
      >>  Know who to call….If you believe someone may be a victim of human trafficking call the Cuyahoga County Regional Human Trafficking Task Force Hotline at 216-443-6085 or 911 in the case of an emergency.     

O  From Cleveland Rape Crisis Center (CRCC):
      >>  It being Back-To-School time, go here to learn of four ways you can help support students and survivors in our community this fall.
      >>  CRCC offers resources on preventing, responding to, and supporting survivors of rape and sexual abuse. Check out their library here.
      >>  Learn how YOU can help to prevent sexual abuse in our communities. Whether you’re an educator, healthcare provider, or parent/caregiver, we ALL can play our part. The training is free, virtual & open to all. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER!    

Back by popular demand! Amanda Nyx of Fiercely Serene Studios is truly a renaissance woman. Her passions are creating art, live performance art and dance. Her enthusiastic personality is infectious. She’s participated at events at Ingenuity Cleveland, Brite Winterfest, Cleveland Public Theater, and Prama Artspace & Gallery. She recently appeared at Chagrin Falls Little Theater and will be performing at Cassidy. She also performed at Picnic In The Park. 

PRAMA ARTSPACE & GALLERY, 5411 Pearl Rd, in Parma, Ohio, opened the exhibit titled All Together Now, on Friday, August 26th. This exhibit and sale has a large variety of work, one each, from over 30 local area artists. This exhibit is not juried and contains works from amateurs and professionals, sized 18x24 and smaller. It offers artists who don’t normally appear in galleries a chance to display and sell their work. The Call For Artists was made to anyone and all, and there is no specific theme. So you will see a wide variety of styles and mediums. This event runs through September 18th.

Over the past few years, the volunteers involved with the 501(c)3 non-profit organization We Are Parma Proud have worked tirelessly to advance and support the city’s overall image and well-being. Whether it was creating and publishing Parma’s first ever Visitor’s Guide (available in both electronic and hard-copy formats), hosting family-friendly events like Frosty’s Fest and Picnic in the Park, beautifying local streets through our Trash Crawls, engaging the community through online photo initiatives and contests during the fall and winter months, putting together the fireworks display after the Rib ‘n Rock, and much more, one thing is certain: We Are Parma Proud is here to stay. 

Old Brook High School Parma Campus is a credit recovery/dropout prevention high school. Located at 8555 Day Drive in Parma, Old Brook Parma provides all students a safe environment, caring teachers, and tremendous opportunities. Old Brook Parma offers core classes in English, Math, Science, and Social Studies. Elective courses are also offered.

The last concert of the Pleasant Lake Villa Summer Concert Series was on Thursday, August 18th, 2022. Thank you to Bill Newman for sharing his talent with us this summer! This concert was presented outdoors in the beautiful courtyard and was thouroughly enjoyed by residents listening to soothing vocals backed by wonderful music,on an equally beautiful summer afternoon. The final concert capped off a series of succesful events for our residents and staff at Pleasant Lake Villa   

There is a good chance that you interact with money on a daily basis. You are earning money through a paycheck or interest on investments; or you are spending money on items or accruing interest on debt. And yet financial education isn't taught in schools. I know I certainly didn't learn about financial basics in school, and I'm betting you didn't either. Financial education is important for so many reasons (reduce stress and anxiety, feel confident in your money choices, pay off debt and build a nest egg) so I am here to break down the basics of credit scores and reports.

The City of Parma will host its 20th Safety Fair, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 13 at the Parma Justice Center, 5555 Powers Blvd. The free community event is open to Parma residents of all ages. Safety experts will offer advice and safety giveaways, including bike helmets, smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, while supplies last. The event will run rain or shine. No registration is required.

Saturday. August 6th, from 11:00AM to 2:00PM, stop up at Ridgewood Lake Park, behind the Anthony Zielinki Splash Pad for the annual Picnic In The Park, an old fashioned community picnic. There will be games and prizes for the kids, music, live entertainment and food trucks. This year there will be about 40 to 45 vendors, non-profits passing out information about their organizations, and many hand crafted arts & crafts vendors. You’ll see Parma organizations like Stearns Homestead, Parma Animal Shelter, Ridgewood Garden Club, Parma Area Fine Arts Council, Great Lakes Wood Carvers, Operation Happy Pups, Parma Early Childhood PTA and more. Many will have raffle baskets and give-aways. Local artisans will be on hand to sell their wares, such as home décor, mugs, wine glasses, crochet items, pillows, baby items, soaps, candles, coasters, pet portraits jewelry and so much more. Food, such as cheese-steaks, and BBQ, cold drinks, and cotton candy will be for sale. Don’t forget to stop at the We Are Parma Proud tent to purchase your t-shirt, tote bag or hat with the awesome logo, or buy a raffle ticket for the basket filled with goodies. 

Contessa Michel, owner of BoBella Party Design & Gifts, has been selected as part of a talented team of international Balloon Professionals, to create a giant immersive balloon wonderland sponsored by Qualatex and using over 300,000 balloons for the Give Kids the World charity in Orlando.

On July 6, I was honored to meet President Biden during his visit to Max S. Hayes High School in the 23rd Senate District. President Biden came to announce the final step in implementing the American Rescue Plan’s Special Financial Assistance program, which will protect union workers facing cuts to their benefits in multiemployer pension plans.

RAISING AWARENESS:  Human Trafficking/Abuse: Note: View the digital version to activate hyperlinks – www.parmaobserver.com/read/news

Mayor’s Office summer intern Lukas George got a workout every Friday when he lifted and loaded into his car the heavy bins of donated food from various collection sites. He then transported the food to the Parma Hunger Center, where the items were later sorted and placed on pantry shelves at 5280 Broadview Road, Parma.

This month I am continuing my series entitled Civics 101. The hope is to provide you with useful information about your local, state, and federal governments. So far I have covered our municipal (city), school district, and county governments, as well as Ohio’s state government and the executive branch of the federal government. This month I will write about our federal legislative or law-making branch.

The Great Lakes Wood Carvers have an Open Carve Night on Tuesday evenings at the Donna Smallwood Activities Center. They bring whatever project they are working on, share techniques and stories, and laugh a lot for a couple of hours each week. This is a laid back friendly group, and they welcome visitors. 

PRAMA ARTSPACE & GALLERY

Next week, the Flamingo Writers’ Guild is hosting two events for writers, amateur and professional alike! One is an in-person writing workshop, and the second is an opportunity to hear a veteran author read and share their own work.

On June 1st, the Senate passed the state’s biennial Capital Budget, which included $3.7 million for eleven economic development projects within Ohio’s 23rd Senate District, along with over $23 million for Cuyahoga County as a whole and $90,000 for the City of Parma’s improvements to Hetzel Park, Walters Grove Park and John Petruska Park. It also included $809 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding for school safety grants, state park improvements, trails and local water and sewer infrastructure improvements.

I am happy to have advocated for this important project in Parma that means so much to the community. These state dollars will go a long way towards increasing the quality of the City of Parma’s parks and making sure that they can be enjoyed by all residents.

On behalf of Parma City Council, Ward 7 Councilwoman Kammy Shuman presented Parma resident, athlete and coach Kevin Leigh with the June Citizen of the Month Award. Recreation Department Director Mickey Vittardi nominated Leigh, who resides at 8623 Scarlet Oak Lane.

The City of Parma will launch its month-long Christmas in July Food Drive at its Independence Day Parade, starting at 10 a.m., Monday, July 4.

July 11, 2022 marks the 60th year anniversary of the Parma Fine Arts Council, Inc., or PAFAC. The founder Betty Woodworth Clark was a long time member of the Ohio Watercolor Society. Her work is held in many collections, including the Canton Art Institute, and Massillon Museum. She earned bachelors and masters degrees in art at Otterbein College, Ohio University and taught art in Euclid City Schools, the Cleveland Museum of Art and various other programs, including at Parma Area Fine Arts Council, before retiring and moving to Westerville, Ohio in 1993. Two of her paintings were published in Watercolor Magazine. She dedicated her life to the arts and passed away in 2007. Betty and her husband Tom worked diligently to grow the Fine Arts Council. She is best remembered for her watercolors, and Tom for photography.

MeowSold which is located at 5522 Pearl Rd. Parma, OH was founded in December 2021 by a mix of retail and tech executives. In the midst of COVID-19 pandemic, and recognizing the demand for affordable goods, MeowSold launched an online platform that ultimately connects end-consumers to items/service at significant discounts.  The company uses an online platform, limited staff, and pick-up locations that can change, to significantly reduce operating costs. "We are a customer base, and a discount retailer to the end-customer. A truck comes in, we unload it, post it online, customer bids-or-buys, and comes to pick-up their items. In addition, our contracts with suppliers guarantee the most affordable price for items, most of the time less than suppliers cost... we can guarantee the best of all best prices" says Charles Smith Sr. - Director of Sales, Meowsold Inc.

PARMA – (June 15, 2022) – Everyday, nurses go to work facing unknown challenges. Despite the unpredictability of their jobs, nurses are accustomed to dealing with the unexpected – but even the most seasoned nurses likely weren’t expecting to face a pandemic in addition to their daily duties. That’s why Cox Communications decided to enlist the support of the community to recognize deserving nurses with a $1,000 prize for the many ways they improve the lives of everyone around them.

In the wake of the recent shootings in a grocery store in Buffalo, an elementary school in Texas, and others, this month I am going to take a brief hiatus from my Civic 101 series. Parma Law Director Timothy Dobeck, Parma Ward 5 Councilman Alan Divis and I are, once again, reminding the community that we are offering free gun locks to help ensure gun safety in the community.

Prama Artspace & Gallery, 5411 Pearl Rd, is featuring Huemachine, on July 15, 2022, at 7:30 PM. Huemachine is the next step in the evolution of music. Greater then all so called archaic forms of music. More evolved then Kraftwerk, light years ahead of the rest. Snacks provided. 

RAISING AWARENESS:  Human Trafficking/Abuse: Note: View the digital version to activate hyperlinks – www.parmaobserver.com/read/news
O  From The Collaborative to End Human Trafficking:
      >>  Go here to register for a free, virtual  “Fundamentals of Human Trafficking” program scheduled for Tuesday, July 12th, beginning at 10:30 am.
      >>  Save the date: October 20-21, 2022... join us in envisioning a new movement focused on creating a roadmap for collaboration where all systems and survivors work together for solutions. This county-wide,  appreciative inquiry, “Thriving Youth Summit” will be facilitated by the Community Innovation Network at Case Western Reserve University. Watch for more information coming soon.
      >>  Know who to call….If you believe someone may be a victim of human trafficking call the Cuyahoga County Regional Human Trafficking Task Force Hotline at 216-443-6085 or 911 in the case of an emergency.     

O  From Futures Without Violence:  In recognition of Fathers Day click on the links below to learn more about their work to end gender-based violence.
      >>  Coaching Boys Into Men  -  Since 2001, this program has provided high school athletic coaches with the resources they need to prevent harassment and sexual assault.
      >>   How Do You Want Your Kids to Remember You? - a powerful new workbook for fathers who have harmed their partners and families and want to change.       
     >>   National Strategy Center on Engaging Men to End Gender-Based Violence. This groundbreaking new initiative is designed to inspire men to help stop violence and abuse. The new website offers principles and considerations for initiatives that engage men, resources and tools for men’s programming, contemporary research, and much more.

O From Cleveland Rape Crisis Center (CRCC):
      >>  Visit their “Training Institute” page for course offerings scheduled for July & August.
      >>  Learn about the ways YOU can help prevent sexual abuse in our communities by registering for the 2-part, free, virtual Ambassador Training Series. Check available dates and register here.
       
LOCAL EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES:
O  Grant Sources for Nonprofits...Here is another set of five grantors, these w/a mostly education (both educator & student) focus, identified by the MyCom network:  > The Justin J. Watt Foundation  > Circle of Sisterhood Foundation  > The Road Runners Club of America (RCCA)  > The Upswing Fund for Adolescent Mental Health  > The VELA Education Fund. If you’re affiliated with a family/youth-serving organization visit these funders’ sites to see if your program/service fits their mission.  
 
O  Parma Area Chamber of Commerce (PACC)...Go here for details about their 2022 Christmas In July Golf Outing scheduled for July 22nd at Ridgewood Golf Course.  

O  From The Downs Syndrome Association - https://www.dsaneo.org/  (formerly the Upside of Downs):
      >>  Go here to learn more about their new and extensive list of summer education enrichment opportunities for kids ages 18 mos and up.
      >>  The 2022 Northeast Ohio Buddy Walk will take place on Saturday, August 20, 2022, at Lake Metroparks FarmPark. Go here for details and to register.
      >>  Also, check out their FB page at https://www.facebook.com/dsaOFneo  and/or sign up for the E-newsletter here.

O  From OCALI...Go here to view free InspirED sessions designed to connect families and caregivers with free information and resources to support accessibility, online learning, plus tips, tricks, and strategies.

O  From UH/Parma Medical Center...Starting June 27th to August 22nd, from 11 am to 1 pm, Monday thru Friday, children ages 1 – 18 will be eligible to receive a free, healthy lunch in the ground floor cafeteria. Registration is not required but, children must eat in the hospital cafeteria to be eligible.
 
O From Ohio Dept of Education (ODE):
      >>  Has just announced the release of “Triple P” a free training program designed to support parents and caregivers to promote children’s well-being and make family life more enjoyable. Click here to learn more.  There’s some good stuff here – worth at least a visit.
      >>  ODE now is accepting requests from families to establish Afterschool Child Enrichment (ACE) Educational Savings Accounts. The ACE Educational Savings Account program provides students ages 6-18 years old whose family income is at or below 300% of the federal poverty level with a $500 credit to use for a variety of enrichment activities to accelerate learning for students affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Examples of eligible activities include tutoring, day camps, music lessons and field trips. Families can find details about how to verify their income and start an ACE account on the Department website.
      >>  The Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center at The Ohio State University is hosting a free, virtual Ohio Family Engagement Leadership Summit on Sept. 16, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Program’s designed to provide teachers, leaders, parents, caregivers, and community partners the tools they need to evolve their practice into authentic and impactful partnerships to support the success of all students. Go here to learn more & to register.

O  From Search Institute:
      >>  Go here to learn more about the importance of Developmental Relationships & how essential they are to young people’s success.
      >>  What is your organization’s Relationship Culture? Go here to complete SI’s Relationship Culture Checkup. Among other things, it identifies “...the importance of building positive and strong youth-adult relationships and strengthening an organization’s relational culture to support those connections.”

O  From Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities...Cuyahoga DD has compiled a list of funding and grant resources to support individuals with developmental disabilities and their families living in Cuyahoga County. Click here to view the list.

O  From Lake Erie Ink...Go here to check out their “Creating Expressions” summer camps – giving kids of all grade levels the opportunity to foster expression through art & writing. Definitely worth at least a visit.

O  From Parma Area Kiwanis...Save The Date – 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm, Saturday, Sept. 10th. The club along w/ Bartels-Busack Pet Hospital/Resort & SPA will be hosting DOG DAYS OF PARMA. Click here for details on their FB page .

O  From Parma City Schools:    
      >>  Movie nights are confirmed -  8:00 pm, every Thursday in July at Byers Field. Movies being shown are Encanto, Beauty & the Beast (animated ’91), Back to the Future, & Sing 2, in that order. The rec centers of our 3 cities are co-sponsors of this community event!  
     >>  Opening Day Kick-off Celebration, Saturday, August 20, 2022, from 10:00 am to 12:00 at Byers Field. The focus of this event will be on incoming Kindergarten students and all other new students/families to the district. There will be a  kindergarten parade, marching band performances, a community resource fair, and more. To register your organization’s participation click here & simply update the form by adding the requested information at the end of the list.
    
O  From Cuyahoga County Public Library (CCPL):
      >>  Taking place at the Parma-Powers Branch...
              >  StoryWalk® - Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert  -  If you haven’t yet, take your child for a stroll outside the Parma-Powers Branch of CCPL and enjoy this picture book about flowers, gardening and nature.  Everyone is welcome to StoryWalk® any time, whether the library is open or not.  June & July at 6996 Powers Blvd, Parma.
              >  Baby & Me Storytime – July Session  -    Birth – 18 months with caregiver; Mondays in July at 10:30 a.m.
Join us for rhymes, songs, fingerplays and books. Register here.
              >  Toddler Storytime – July Session  -  19 – 35 months with caregiver; Tuesdays in July at 10:30 a.m.
Join us for rhymes, songs, fingerplays and stories. Register here.
           >  Preschool Storytime - July Session  -  Ages 3 – 5 (but not yet in kindergarten) with caregiver; Thursdays in July at 10:30 a.m.  Join us for rhymes, songs, fingerplays and stories. Register here.
              >  Stuffy Sleepaway Camp  -  Ages 3 - 5 with a caregiver; Friday, July 22nd at 11:00 a.m.  Drop a stuffed friend off for a week of fun. Receive a letter from stuffy in the mail. Reunite at the Camp Party. Register here.
              >  Adapted / Sensory Storytime  -  Ages 3 – 5 years with caregiver; Saturday, July 30th at 11:00 a.m.
Children with varying learning styles and abilities will learn together in a safe, supportive environment where respect and appreciation for differences is encouraged. Register here.
           >  Summer Lunches  -  Kids ages 18 and under; Monday – Friday through August 12th / 1:30 – 2:30 p.m.
CCPL will provide free lunches from the Greater Cleveland Food Bank for kids ages 18 and under, while supplies last. Parma Hts Branch = 11:30 – 12:30; Parma-Powers Branch = 1:30 – 2:30; Parma-Snow = 3:15 – 4:15.
Learn more here.
      >>  Go here to view when specific Branches will be hosting a Cleveland Food Bank Mobile Food Pantry this month. Locally, the Parma-Snow Branch will host their Food Pantry from 3:30 – 5:00 pm, Tuesday, July 5th  (if you have the time, they do need more volunteers);  Parma Heights Branch mobile pantry will take place from 10 – 12 noon on July 20th.
      >>   CCPL’s Digital Navigators service offers one-on-one assistance to help you – or someone you know – connect to the internet, get a device, set up a telehealth appointment, and more.Click here to learn more about this unique program.
      >>  Use your CCPL library card (or get one here) to take advantage of just some of these more unique services/programs available at your library.
            > WiFi Access & Computer Classes
            > One-on-one tech help is available from the Digital Navigator service.
            > Learn how to hold a conversation in over 70 languages
            > Digital Newstand - Enjoy digital versions of your favorite news publications and magazines
            > Take your pick from thousands of streaming movies & TV shows from Hoopla, Kanopy & Overdrive
            > Design something & use the 3D printing capabilities of the Parma-Snow Innovation Center            
            > Learn more about Library2You, their homebound delivery service
            > Passport services are now available.
            > Check out programs for pre-school & school-aged youth. Scroll down for Teacher resources.
            >Cuyahoga Works: Job and Career Services, ESOL, GED, Citizenship classes
            > Sign up to receive the Library's weekly e-Newsletter
            > Click here to visit CCPL’s Home Page

Amanda Nyx of Fiercely Serene Studios is truly a renaissance woman. Her passions are creating art, live performance art and dance. Her enthusiastic personality is infectious. She’s participated at events at Ingenuity Cleveland, Brite Winterfest, Cleveland Public Theater, and Prama Artspace & Gallery. She’ll be teaching a FREE class titled Faux Watercolor with Amanda on Thursday, July 14, 2022 from 12:30 to 2:30 PM, at the Donna Smallwood Activities Center, 7001 W Ridgewood Drive. 

The reorganized and updated non-profit We Are Parma Proud brought you the fireworks on Sunday evening June 12th. The organization solicited local businesses throughout Parma and surrounding communities to raise the funds for this event. Thank you to all the local businesses that participated. You can see them listed on the We Are Parma Proud Facebook page. They hope to make this an annual event. 

Safety Director Thomas Weinreich retired at the end of May after 36 years of serving Parma residents. Weinreich’s career spans five mayors and four leadership roles, with the most recent as safety director overseeing police, fire, dispatch, animal control and other departments. He has a law degree from The University of Akron’s School of Law and served as a Parma assistant city prosecutor for 12 years. He also was city tax commissioner for eight years, and human resources and purchasing director for seven years. “The safety director maintains a stressful job, requiring strong communication, administrative and public policy skills, as well as patience, flexibility and tenacity. Tom embodies all these strengths and more,” Mayor Tim DeGeeter said. “He played a key role in keeping Parma safe and helping our first responders deal with the heroine epidemic, pandemic crisis, fires, weather events and other emergencies our city and other cities face.”

This month I am continuing my series entitled Civics 101. The hope is to provide you with useful information about your local, state, and federal governments. So far I have covered municipal (city), school district, county, and state governments here in Ohio. This month I will write about our federal government, focusing on the executive branch.

At the May 16 Parma City Council meeting, Parma Ward 2 Councilwoman Debbie Lime and Parma Mayor Tim DeGeeter presented Jason Mayor of Mayer Plumbing & Heating at 5914 Ridge Road with a Business of the Month Award and a certificate recognizing the Polish Village based-company's 100th anniversary. Jason Mayer is a third generation master plumber and holds state licenses in plumbing, as well as heating, ventilation and air conditioning services.

RAISING AWARENESS:  Human Trafficking/Abuse: Note: View the digital version to activate hyperlinks – www.parmaobserver.com/read/news 

Prama Artspace & Gallery, 5411 Pearl Rd, presents Slain Nemo, June 3rd through 19th. June 3rd gallery show opening reception kicks off with Slains Laser Light and Photon Magic Music Lights and Art Event. Reception begins at 6 PM, with artwork illustration of fractals and math art in the main gallery. Slain Nemos creations use computer generated images, laser burns, and oil paint on canvas. His very precise work shows no visible brush strokes. His artistic creations are sacred geometric forms, surrealistic, Sci-Fi, Shamanistic, and linear. Don’t miss this unique, one-of-a-kind experience. Follow Prama Artspace & Gallery on Facebook and Instagram, or visit their web page for details on all upcoming events.