LWV Presents Land and Water Forum
by Conda Boyd
The League of Women Voters of Greater Cleveland will present a free forum on stormwater management on Monday, May 2 at 7 p.m., at Westlake Porter Library, 27333 Center Ridge Rd. in Westlake. Ms. Kyle Dreyfuss-Wells, Deputy Director of Watershed Programs, Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (NORSD), will speak on "Land and Water: Fixing Combined Sewers and Managing Stormwater for Clean and Abundant Fresh Water."
Riparian Buffers Help Improve Water Quality
by Matthew Hrubey
If you do not have a stream running through or along your property, you may be unfamiliar with the term "riparian buffer." Simply put, a riparian area is the stretch of land along a streambank. A riparian buffer zone refers to this area when it is naturally vegetated with trees and shrubs. A riparian buffer is arguably the most essential and underrated tool to ensuring the health of our streams, improving water quality, and reducing flood damage and risk.
Making Recycling Simple for Fairview Park
by Matthew Hrubey and Doreen Papajcik
The Simple Recycling program is as simple as its name suggests. You put the items you want recycled in a green specialty bag and place it curbside with your blue and green carts for pickup. A Simple Recycling truck drives through Fairview Park each Monday, collects bags, and leaves replacements. Collected items include everything from clothing to bedding, fashion accessories to Halloween costumes, kitchenware to toys and books.
Compost Your Food Scraps
A typical household throws away an estimated 474 pounds of food waste each year, according to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. Perhaps more shocking is that approximately one third of the food produced worldwide never gets eaten and most of that excess ends up in landfills. Food waste is one of the largest segments of the waste stream nationally yet is the least recovered. One solution: Home Composting.
The Battle for Rosé
by Colleen Wing
There is a common joke among wine lovers about Rosé wine: 1986 called, they want their wine back! When you say Rosé, wine lovers think of a jug of White Zinfandel. White Zin is a bit of a hero when it comes to its bolder big brother, Red Zinfandel.
I often say wines are like people, in the right environment they bloom. But you can't take all your friends everywhere and expect the same result.
We all know a big bold Cab, or a crisp, sauvignon blanc, and even that lovely, a touch of sweet, Rosé - the right place, the right time. At one point, White Zin represented 10% of all wine sold by volume, outperforming Red Zin by 6 to 1.
Zoning Meeting of 10 Years Ago Still Fair Game
by Matt Gibel
Fairview Park residents, especially those near the former Coffinberry Elementary School, are getting involved in the planning of a new home development going in possibly later this year or early next year. Some news articles in the West Life and Sun Herald have been keeping people up to date, which is great. This is an extremely important issue for people in our area.
by Peggy Calvey Patton
"I don't think that I can take it anymore." This is a line from a popular 1968 song, "MacArthur Park". The song is a melodramatic wailing of complete desperation, a wolf-like howling in response to the opening line, "Spring was never waiting for us".
The song was a pleasant memory from my youth - until now, this so-called 2014 -2015 winter's end. Every morning when I raise the shades and look at the bleak landscape, I hear myself keening the words, "I don't think I can take it anymore." I feel like a banshee wailing at the confining walls of my house.
The Roles of the County Executive and Council
by Jack Schron
This year, for only the second time in the 200 years of Cuyahoga County, voters will elect a County Executive and half of the members of the County Council.
Some people know that acting upon the decision of voters, we have changed our form of government to a Charter with a County Council and County Executive. Others might think we still have three County commissioners. Even those who are aware of the Charter may ask, "What are the roles of the County Executive and the County Council? What do they do? Why should I care?"
Entrepreneurs Need Education Tune-up
With students returning to school, it is a good time for entrepreneurs to review their lifelong learning plan. It is critical for those working in competitive markets to stay on top of the latest changes and technology affecting their businesses.
Lifelong learning is a popular term for the need for people - entrepreneurs or not - to continue educating themselves for both personal and professional reasons. Scientists warn that people must keep their brains active if they want to avoid mental decay. Those who continually seek to learn are more creative, innovative and more likely to pick up new skills.
Crowdfunding: New Source of Financing for Entrepreneurs
Financing is an ongoing concern for many new and existing businesses. As the availability of bank loans and other traditional financing sources has become scarcer in recent years, entrepreneurs have been searching for new ways to finance their ventures. One of the newer sources is crowdfunding, also known as crowd financing.
BayComm Welcomes New Members
by Jim Kettren
BayComm is an all-volunteer group of West Shore residents who practice emergency preparedness communications with one another. Associated with first responder organizations such as CERT and Bay Police and Fire—BayComm is looking to expand its "safety net" of residents who want to maintain contact with others—if and when traditional forms of communication go down. Think of a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME), or a man-made EMP, or even a cyber-attack! There are many things that could bring down the communications grid. Don't be left with that feeling of not knowing what's going on around you.
Seniors Attractive Market for Smaller Businesses
The year 2014 marks the 50th birthday of the last of the Baby Boomers. This is the age cohort born between 1946 and 1964. This group of 77 million Americans has long been an attractive target market for businesses. They make up about 35% of the population and control over 75% of the nation's wealth. As they move into their senior years, Boomers are becoming potential customers for the products and services offered by small businesses.
It is a common misperception that older Americans do not have money to spend. While some have retired and are not earning wages, many seniors have substantial savings and pensions to spend.
Women Face Challenges as Entrepreneurs
In the 21st century, it would seem obvious that female and male entrepreneurs would be treated equally. However, that is not necessarily true. Although most new businesses are started by women, some men still do not deal with women business owners in the same that they deal with business men.
Maryann Winterich, owner of Innuendo, a women's clothing boutique in Rocky River, has been in business for 22 years. She has little experience with this issue. "The vendors and sales reps I have worked with have always treated me with respect and professionalism. It is their job to sell me their products and merchandise. Their behavior has always been appropriate."
Global Business Becoming Part of Entrepreneurial Strategy
Traditionally, international trade has been the purview of larger businesses. But with many small- to medium-sized firms searching for new markets, increasingly more of them are looking outside the U.S. Many domestic markets have become stagnant. Growth opportunities beyond the domestic borders are becoming more attractive for companies of all sizes.
Holidays Create Additional Stress for Entrepreneurs
Many people encounter additional stress when it comes to the holidays. Exchanging gifts, traveling, and dealing with family and friends can increase the pressure people feel during this time of year. For those owning their own businesses, the holidays have their own set of stressors.
For most retailers, the holidays determine how successful they are for the entire year. It is not unusual for merchants to count on the holiday sales season for half or more of their revenue. Compared to last year, there are five fewer shopping days between Thanksgiving and Christmas and an early Hanukkah, both contributing to retailers' holiday stress in 2013.
Where Do You Shop for Treasures?
by Mitchell Sotka
The Eponymous Antique Shop Owner
Those of us who are collectors and enjoy the hunt can remember the first antique we purchased. The Pappabello Antique Show in Cleveland is where I purchased mine. I still have that Eastlake-style washstand that I purchased more than 20 years ago. My style has changed, but that washstand still remains. It may not be in the same place as it once was, but I can't give up my first treasure. Since then and over 20 years later, I have been in many shops in London, Paris, Palm Beach, Los Angles, Georgetown and Cleveland. I am still looking for my next great find - a piece that will round out my collection or make a corner of a room sing more harmoniously.