We’re noticing a slight change, a significant move from right to left, in our region and in our state. We saw it last weekend at the massive Akron Pride Festival (above and see our PHOTOSTREAM and VIDEO), spilling over from Main Street and literally taking over downtown. We felt it in the election earlier this month when the cynical attempt to limit citizen rights was soundly defeated.Everything is shifting beneath our feet. Watch a short film, then take a hike to learn about West Creek Watershed’s sustainability programs. Opera in the Italian Cultural Garden is always delightful, but this week they are joined by the Cleveland Ballet. The Labor Day Parade & Festival at Luke Easter Park is always inspiring with over 100 marching bands, drill teams and delegations, including every politician in Cleveland. With more Hungarians in the Cleveland area than anywhere else in the world, Parma’s German Central Park offers a full day of Eastern European culture, from a flag raising and folk dance lessons to paprikash and dumplings.
Since Roe was gutted a little over a year ago, we’ve seen the pressure mountingto support a statewide citizen ballot to enshrine reproductive health care rights into Ohio’s state constitution. You may have signed the petition, which has been certified, and finally it will be on the ballot in November as Issue 1. Don’t be confused. The majority of our state supports reproductive health care. Bottom line, this time around, we urge a YES vote on Issue 1 on November 7. No shift.
Now in its fourth year, the Cleveland Photo Festival returns to the Bostwick Design Art Initiative galleries with a flock of shows and a month of special programming, opening Friday September 1 with a big reception featuring food, music and an artist talk, and running through September 30.
Four individual photographers are spotlighted in shows with subjects ranging from self-portraits to a local refugee family, western landscapes to work inspired by vision research. Cleveland public schools students contributed to one display while the community was invited to bring down its photos for the Cleveland Open Photo Show — everything submitted is on the wall! Read more.
The Asian Lantern Festival at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo was scheduled to end this past weekend. But unsurprisingly it’s once again extended the popular event, with more than 1,000 lights comprising multiple displays, through Saturday September 16. Read more.
Cleveland-based singer/songwriter James McKeivier was once a busker. But he’s evolved from a single-guitar folk style to folk rock with a full band that gives a potent punch to the heartfelt songs on his new album —his fifth —The Storm Rages On.Read more.
The Cuyahoga Valley National Park, right in our own backyard and nestled along the Cuyahoga River Valley between Cleveland and Akron, is ranked as the #9 most visited national park in the U.S.Read more.
The people of Ohio defeated Issue 1 three weeks ago,which would have stripped voters of any way to hold elected officials accountable. The point, as secretary of state Frank LaRose openly admitted, was to try to derail the reproductive rights initiative coming up in November.
That earlier ballot initiative was called Issue 1, and it went down in flames on August 8. The next ballot initiative on November 7 to enshrine reproductive rights into the Ohio constitution will also be called Issue 1 for that election. So don’t be confused.
Frankie & his GOP colleagues are desperate to strip women of their rights. So, outrageously, he’s written ballot language for the November issue that amounts to campaign talking points against it. He’s substituted the projection “unborn child” for the technically accurate term “fetus” and edited what the issue covers, leaving only abortion, removing contraception and miscarriage care among other things. Don’t be fooled. Vote YES on Issue 1 in November. Read more.
THU 8/31 This Fair Is Great! The huge Great Geauga County Fair wastes no time getting into high gear — it kicks off today with the first of TWO demolition derbies. It continues through Labor Day.
WED 9/6 Lunch Music Jim Tigue & “Eroc” Sosinski bring their years of experience and vast repertoire to the free Square Sounds noontime concert series on Public Square.
