Parma Heights

Choosing a gift for your mom can feel like an impossible task, especially if she’s the “has everything, wants nothing” type. If your mom is anything like mine, she is incredibly kind, deserving, and never asks for anything in return for all the hard work that it takes to just be a mom. She’s the family’s rock, comedic relief, and overall superhero; she deserves something that will make her feel thought of, pampered, and adored. That’s why this Local Gift Guide is full of unique picks, luxurious items, and indulgences she wants but would never buy herself. Whether it’s your own mom or another beloved mother in your life, Parma Heights has you covered. Shop on to find the perfect gift for every mom on your list this year.

What is the difference between structures that are unique to a city’s history, and those that are simply old?   The Parma Heights Library is a great candidate to be put on the National Register of Historic Places. Nonprofit historical sites define these sites as having architectural and historical value and relevance. The key word here is “relevance.” The Parma Heights Library for the past 50+ years provides not just a link to the past, but in this case, artistic and architectural beauty in the present. Once a structure is razed or removed, that link is gone forever. The cost of saving and maintaining old buildings, though, cannot be ignored at a time budgets are being pulled in more directions that ever. 

Who else is egg-cited for Easter?  If the young ones in your life are looking forward to the upcoming arrival of a special basket from the Easter bunny, you may be starting to wonder what you can purchase that goes beyond the traditional choices of jellybeans and chocolate rabbits. It's officially time for Easter shopping, let's hop to it! 

While electric vehicle technology improves and becomes less expensive for consumers, now is the time to built a robust network of charging stations. This network should be considered a public good, just like service plazas with gas stations on the interstate highways and the federal highway system itself. Charging stations are essential infrastructure.

Looking through the daily news always amazes me because I hardly ever see an article or news story where a women escaped an attacker. There is a possibility that this type of event is not reported or just isn’t printed. But, given the idea of escape being the best outcome to an attack, there are some ideas and thoughts that should be considered. Understand that a good defense is vital to saving your life, so you must except the fact that defending your life consists of hitting vital areas of another human being, thus-your attacker. It is also important to know the consequences of your impact on yourself as well as your attacker. First, if you have never hit anyone in the face with your fist, then you might not understand that you could very easily break the bones in your own hand. Second, there will probably be blood from your hand and from his nose spurting out everywhere. These are things to consider while you are plotting your effective response to his threat of violence. Understanding your impact on your opponent involves knowing what kind of power you truly possess and how to use it to your best advantage. By learning some basic self-defense techniques and practicing them, you can learn how to control your own power, where to strike, and when. You will gain insight into knowing which hand strikes or kicks to use on which targets. 

The Parma Heights Branch Library of Cuyahoga County Public Library will host Practical Home Preparedness on Thursday, April 27th,2023 from 7:00-8:30 p.n. in Meeting Room A. Would you and your family feel prepared for an emergency at home such as severe weather or utility outage? In this workshop, Tom Laskowski, Director and Founder of Midwest Native Skills, will provide you with the skills and techniques to prepare for such emergencies by learning how to make advance plans to avoid catastrophes.  In-person program. Registration required.  To register, visit www.cuyahogalibrary.org or call the Parma Heights Branch at 440.884.2313. 

The Parma Heights Branch of Cuyahoga County Public Library, partnering with The Greater Cleveland Food Bank, will offer a monthly Mobile Food Pantry distribution on the 3rd Wednesday of every month at the Parma Heights Branch Library, 6206 Pearl Road, on Wednesday, April 19th from 10:00 a.m. - 12 Noon for customers who are in need.  Please visit www.cuyahogalibrary.org or call the Parma Heights Branch Library at 440.884.2313 for additional information. 

The Parma Heights Branch of Cuyahoga County Public Library will host a virtual program Synagogue to Sanctuary: the Jewish/African American Connection in Cleveland’s Historic Religious Architecture on Tuesday, April 4th, 2023 from 7:00-8:00 p.m. Margaret Lann, Director of Preservation Services and Cleveland Restoration Society will present virtually. Learn about the deep cultural heritage, the preservation work being done today and the remarkable stories.  Learn about the architecture of these historic houses of worship and how these sacred structures, which began as synagogues constructed by Jewish congregations and later became Christian churches serving the African-American communities in Cleveland. This event will be held virtually on Zoom. Registration required. To register, visit www.cuyahogalibrary.org or contact a librarian at the Parma Heights Branch at 440.884.2313. 

You don't have to be born with great hair to look the part. If you're in the market for wigs, hair care and skin care products you should look no further than Hair & Stuff 216 based in Parma Heights. With its roots in Parma Heights, Hair & Stuff 216 is one of the best places to go when you're shopping for hair and beauty care items.   

Top o' the mornin' to ya!! Let's shamrock and roll!  If the luck of the Irish is on your side, your family will get the chance to experience some of the great small businesses all day on Friday March 10 as 2ND Friday Parma Heights kicks off Eat, Drink, Shop & Be Irish! This family-friendly event gives adults and kids a fun way to celebrate the patron saint of Ireland, along with shamrocks and all things green. Get your green on and get ready to shake your shamrocks at local Parma Heights businesses. 

The Parma Heights Branch Library of Cuyahoga County Public Library will host Jazz Standards of the 1940s and 1950s on Saturday, March 25, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. in Meeting Room A. The Debbie Darling trio will perform jazz standards from the 1940s and 1950s and give you some of the background to the songs they perform. Registration required. In-person program. Sponsored by The Friends of Parma Heights Library.

The Parma Heights Branch of Cuyahoga County Public Library, partnering with The Greater Cleveland Food Bank, will offer a monthly Mobile Food Pantry distribution on the 3rd Wednesday of every month. Boxes of shelf stable food items will be available for curbside pickup—first come, first serve--at the Parma Heights Branch Library, 6206 Pearl Road, on Wednesday, March 15th from 10:00 a.m. -12 Noon for customers who are in need. Please visit www.cuyahogalibrary.org or call the Parma Heights Branch Library at 440.884.2313 for additional information. 

The Parma Heights Branch Library of Cuyahoga County Public Library will host A Tribute to Queen Elizabeth II on Wednesday, March 8, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. in Meeting Room C.  Julie Koenig of Royally Amused will share a lovely tribute to Queen Elizabeth II, the longest reigning monarch in U.K. history through stories and photos. Registration required. In-person program. Sponsored by The Friends of Parma Heights Library. 

Tomorrow night at 6 PM, join us at the restaurant Game On in Parma Heights, where people will meet, drink, and if they feel loose enough, write! The goal, besides to enjoy a pleasant evening socializing, is to encourage people to hear others share stories of their own.

The Parma Heights Branch Library of Cuyahoga County Public Library will host So, You’re Ready to Buy a Home on Wednesday, February 15, 2023 from 7:00-8:30 p.m. in Meeting Room C.  Presented by Akron Cleveland Realtors Association, learn about the home buying process from what steps to take and what to expect when entering the home buying market. In-person program. Registration required. To register, visit www.cuyahogalibrary.orgor call the Parma Heights Branch Library at 440.884.2313. 

The Parma Heights Branch Library of Cuyahoga County Public Library will host Meet Fox 8 Co-anchor and Author Wayne Dawson on Saturday, February 4, 2023 from 2:00-3:30 p.m. in Meeting Room C. Wayne Dawson will visit and discuss his new memoir The Seeds of Greatness are within You. Eleven-time Emmy winner and Kent State University alum and co-anchor of Fox 8 News in the Morning and ordained minister, Wayne Dawson will share his inspiring journey towards achievement, excellence and purposeful living. Books will be available for sale and signing courtesy of the publisher. In-person program. Registration required. To register, visit www.cuyahogalibrary.orgor call the Parma Heights Branch Library at 440.884.2313. 

Valentine's Day is tricky to shop for, but you want to mark the occasion with something special. While telling your significant other, best friend, or family member how much you love them is what matters the most, giving a small gift is always appreciated. Rather than shopping from big-box retailers, try buying your gift from a small business. Not only will it make your gift feel a bit more special and unique, by supporting smaller, local stores, you'll spread the love in more ways than one!

The Parma Heights Branch of Cuyahoga County Public Library, partnering with The Greater Cleveland Food Bank, will offer a monthly Mobile Food Pantry distribution on the 3rd Wednesday of every month. Boxes of shelf stable food items will be available for curbside pickup—first come, first serve--at the Parma Heights Branch Library, 6206 Pearl Road, on Wednesday, January 18thfrom 10:00 a.m. -12 Noon for customers who are in need.  Please visit www.cuyahogalibrary.org or call the Parma Heights Branch Library at 440.884.2313 for additional information

The Parma Heights Branch Library of Cuyahoga County Public Library will host The Scale of UFOS in the United States and Ohio on Wednesday, January 25, 2023 from 7:00-8:30 p.m. in Meeting Room C. Witnessed a UFO sighting in Ohio or another area in the United States and filed a report? Linda Miller Costa, a Career Scientist and Environmental Researcher, and Cheryl Costa, Career Data Analyst and UFO Statistician, will present and examine the truth behind the number of UFO sightings in the United States and Ohio. In-person program. Registration required. To register, visit www.cuyahogalibrary.orgor call the Parma Heights Branch Library at 440.884.2313. 

The Parma Heights Branch Library of Cuyahoga County Public Library will host Eating Healthy on a Budget on Thursday, January 19, 2023 from 7:00-8:00 p.m. in Meeting Room C. Learn how to eat healthy food inexpensively. The nutrition team from Greater Cleveland Food Bank will share tips for saving money, spending less cash on food and eating healthier. The nutrition team will talk about planning, gardening, shopping and preparing food along with eating out.In-person program. Registration required. To register, visit www.cuyahogalibrary.orgor call the Parma Heights Branch Library at 440.884.2313. 

As the new year begins, many seniors are looking to get more involved. The City of Parma Heights Senior Center welcomes residents, 60 and over to join them at programs and events. The best way the staff describes the Parma Heights Senior Center is fun and laughter. It starts with the joke of the day that Trish James posts and everyone stops to read it. At the Parma Heights Senior Center, located at 9275 North Church Drive, seniors arrive as participants and leave as family!

So you want to be healthier in the New Year. Why go it solo when you can have company along the way?  Diamond Strength Fitness is teaming up with Charlotte Braun Dance Studio's Patty Nowak in a dual class for women. 30 minutes of Core Strength with Michelle downstairs and 30 minutes of Zumba with Patty upstairs. If you promised yourself 2023 was the year you'd start working out, you don't have to make your fitness journey alone.

Mayor Gallo is planning on disturbing the peace in Parma Heights by killing off the city's greatest asset. She has planned a deer cull for January, 2023 after the mating season. This fact is very disturbing as her “hired killers” the Parma Heights Police, will be killing female adults but also the babies they are carrying as mating season occurs in the 2 months prior to her kill.

The Christmas lights are strung up (they’re still in a tangle, actually), the stockings are hung (nope), and the presents are all wrapped and under the tree. YES, I've completed my holiday shopping list, and I deserve a few Christmas cookies and a beer. Lucky for everyone, local Parma Heights shops are eager to help you find the perfect gift. If you’re trying to do the same and shop locally this holiday season, I’ve rounded up 8 of my favorite Parma Heights gift shops and locally owned businesses with gifts for everyone on your list!

The Parma Heights Recreation team has been offering a great mix of sports, programs, activities and special events this year. On Saturday, October 22 they hosted Creatures on the Commons featuring live animals, crafts, the Parma Heights Police and Fire Departments with vehicles for kids to sit-in, Halloween decorations and everyone’s favorite – treat stations. The first-time event attracted over 500 guests and the evening was capped off with an evening Owl Prowl.

Wildlife management is often a euphemism for killing, and the most beautiful creatures are typically the ones under fire. Why does Mayor Marie Gallo and Parma Heights City Council have this fixation with killing deer through hunting in city parks as the solution?  White-tails are wily by nature, and they turn understandably skittish around gun-packing strangers. An humane effort should be considered by the Cuyahoga County Mayors/City Managers Association and there could be a program with funding from humanitarians. Immunocontraception, a type of contraception that uses the deer’s own immune system to prevent pregnancy, is a viable alternative available to any city. The method has been shown to be effective in a wide range of species, including deer, is not harmful to animals; doesn’t pose a danger to humans; and provides a humane option for urban communities seeking to control the deer population. 

2ND Fridays Parma Heights has long been known as a leader in supporting small businesses and entrepreneurial growth. If you love to shop, or even if you just have to shop, this is your time to pay back the small businesses. Shopping locally, it's the best present that you can give to your community.

Parma Symphony Orchestra will perform a LIVE Classical Music Concert on Sunday, October 16 at 3:00 PM at Valley Forge High School Auditorium located at 9999 Independence Boulevard in Parma Heights featuring: 

The Parma Heights Branch of Cuyahoga County Public Library, partnering with The Greater Cleveland Food Bank, will offer a monthly Mobile Food Pantry distribution on the 3rd Wednesday of every month at the Parma Heights Branch Library, 6206 Pearl Road, on Wednesday, October 19th from 10:00 a.m. -12 Noon for customers who are in need.  Please visit www.cuyahogalibrary.org or call the Parma Heights Branch Library at 440.884.2313 for additionalinformation. 

If you peruse through the news stories in the national headlines you will see numerous stories of women lost or murdered, men shot and killed, and children lost or forgotten. And even though we see these news stories, we keep moving ahead with the belief that they are not an integral part of our own productive lives. That may be true because many of the stories are at a distance from us. But it always touches us in one way or another. We may start thinking about what kind of danger might be surrounding us or of others we know who suffered an unforeseen fate. So, take another look at the city you live in. The statistics may narrow down the chances of you being attacked, but the danger could be lurking from the corners of your safe world.

Dance teaches the importance of movement and fitness in a variety of ways through a variety of disciplines. As well, dancers learn to connect emotionally with an audience and other people. Whether you're just getting started or are a skilled performer, Charlotte Braun Dance Studio has a class for you! Charlotte Braun Dance Studio offers classes for ages 2.5 and up in ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical and modern. Looking for a ballet class?  Students are taught ballet with a combination of both traditional and new methods. Their unique curriculum focuses on individuality and creativity in a non-judgmental environment. In business for over 60 years, Patty Nowak Briggs, is dedicated to helping develop the technical skills of dancers of all levels and experience. Dancers from Charlotte Braun Dance Studio have gone on to obtain numerous college scholarships, professional contracts, to become dance instructors, and even to NYC as a Radio City Rockette at the Radio City Music Hall.       

The Parma Heights Branch of Cuyahoga County Public Library, partnering with The Greater Cleveland Food Bank, will offer a monthly Mobile Food Pantry distribution on the 3rd Wednesday of every month at the Parma Heights Branch Library, 6206 Pearl Road, on Wednesday, September 21st from 10:00 a.m. -12 Noon for customers who are in need.  Please visit www.cuyahogalibrary.org or call the Parma Heights Branch Library at 440.884.2313 for additional information. 

On September 9th, National Teddy Bear Day and Parma Heights 2ND Fridays honors the history of one of childhood’s favorite toys. This iconic toy owes its name to President Theodore Roosevelt, who was lovingly called Teddy by his family and friends. Some of us still have our teddy bear from our childhood. No matter what kind of teddy bear you had, the day is a perfect time to celebrate your childhood friend! And 2ND Fridays will celebrate with you! If you have toys from your childhood stored away in the attic or the basement, today is the day to take out all your teddy bears and show them some love. If you have children in your life, surprise them with their own teddy bear to cuddle with.  Young or old, venture on down to Pearl road Parma Heights on Friday September 9th and you may receive a free teddy bear!  Shop, Eat, Play in Parma Heights on Pearl Road and the 2ND Fridays Squad may be by the local bakery, hairdresser, barber shop, hardware store, restaurant, and give to you a 'bear-y' special and cuddly surprise!  

The Parma Heights Branch of Cuyahoga County Public Library will host King of the Moondoggers: Alan Freed & the Birth of Rock n Roll on Thursday, September 22, 2022 from 7:00-7:50 p.m. Historian Dennis R. Sutcliffe will talk about the journey of Alan Freed to Cleveland where Rock n Roll was born. Dance at the Moondog Coronation Ball!  Mr. Sutcliffe will include audio clips of ten early Rock n Roll favorites during his presentation. In-person program. Registration required. To register, visit www.cuyahogalibrary.org or contact a librarian at the Parma Heights Branch at 440.884.2313. 

The Parma Heights Branch of Cuyahoga County Public Library will present Saturday Afternoon Book Discussion on Saturday, September 17, 2022 from 2:30-4:00 p.m. in Meeting Room C.  In-person program. Join a librarian from the Adult Services Department  as we discuss Memorial Driveby Natasha Trethewey. Registration requiredbefore picking up a copy of the book at the circulation desk. To register, visit www.cuyahogalibrary.org or call the Parma Heights Branch Library at 440.884.2313.   

Parma Heights recently celebrated the grand reopening of McDonald’s. Along with the Parma Area Chamber of Commerce and Parma Heights Police, it was a fun afternoon with the ribbon cutting and the Chief and Captain even helped serve guests at the drive-thru window. We are grateful to have businesses that give back to the community and encourage building relationships throughout our city.

Discover Parma Heights while learning new things about yourself and friends during the 2ND Annual 2ND Fridays Pearl Road Scavenger Hunt. Highlights of the scavenger hunt include visiting spots that locals may or not be aware of, a gentle walk along Pearl road in Parma Heights which can win you or your team prizes from local businesses. This year the scavenger hunt will  encourage participants to pinpoint a flower area, landmarks, small businesses, and a few other odds and ends in Parma Heights. It's a stroll with an entertaining (and sometimes educational) purpose, shedding light on Parma Heights and the environment around you! It all begins Friday Aug 12th-Friday Aug 19th.  Pick up a Free 2nd Friday Scavenger Hunt List at the Parma Heights Library, 168 Optical at 6315 Pearl Rd, Village Cards & Gifts 6643 Pearl Road, Diamond Strength Fitness 6690 Pearl Road, or copy it from the Parma Heights 2ND FRIDAY Facebook page beginning Aug 10th. (which will also list the cool prizes)  You can do it yourself or round up a few pals to find all 16 things in one day. There are no hard and fast rules, only an invitation to slow down, enjoy a Summer day and open your eyes to the little things Parma Heights has to offer.        

The Parma Heights Branch of Cuyahoga County Public Library will present Saturday Afternoon Book Discussion on Saturday, August 27, 2022 from 2:30-4:00 p.m. in Meeting Room C. In-person program. Join a librarian from the Adult Services Department for a brand new, staff-led book discussion we discuss My Remarkable Journey by Katherine Johnson.  Registration required before picking up a copy of the book at the circulation desk. To register, visit www.cuyahogalibrary.org or call the Parma Heights Branch Library at 440.884.2313.

The Parma Heights Branch of Cuyahoga County Public Library, partnering with The Greater Cleveland Food Bank, will offer a monthly Mobile Food Pantry distribution on the 3rd Wednesday of every month at the Parma Heights Branch Library, 6206 Pearl Road, on Wednesday, August 17th from 10:00 a.m. -12 Noon for customers who are in need.  Please visit www.cuyahogalibrary.org or call the Parma Heights Branch Library at 440.884.2313 for additional information. 

Parma Heights has created several "pocket parks" throughout the city. Instead of piles of mulch and empty benches, these spaces could feed and shelter bees, birds and butterflies. Anytime I've taken a break when walking the city, I've never seen anything with wings, anything with feathers or anything with six (or more) legs!