Northeast Shores

Santa had breakfast with the good children of North Shore Collinwood on December fourth at the Lithuanian Hall. Ruta Degutis made sure the Lithuanian Hall was decked out in holiday decorations. The twinkle of the lights matched the twinkle in Santa’s eyes as he listened to the children’s wishlists. All the children got to take their pictures with Santa. After they had their pictures taken, they were able to decorate a frame for each picture with help from volunteers from VASJ High School.

The children had french toast and sausage donated by Gus’s Diner, as well as milk and juice from Lucky’s Diner. Coffee for the parents was donated by Arabica. Breakfast was served up by volunteers from VASJ High School. Thank you so much to these merchants of East 185th St. for helping make this a very filling event for the children of North Shore Collinwood. Please remember during this Holiday Season to shop and eat at the local establishments in our neighborhood.

I would also like to give a big thank you to the volunteers from VASJ. They made this event truly special. As you can tell from the picture, even the volunteers had a good time with Santa. This article would not be complete without an even bigger thank you to SANTA and his helper who came all the way from the North Pole to visit with our children and hear their Christmas wishes.

As we approach the winter season, we all browse through our storage containers or closets to determine if we need new gloves, boots, coats and ear muffins to fight the winter months in Cleveland. Northeast Shores has implemented a referral program that can earn you $500 in extra money towards the purchase of winter attire just by referring a family, friend, co-worker, to purchase one of our newly renovated single family homes.

The public is invited to a meeting on Monday November 29th from 6 PM to 8 PM at the Waterloo Slovenian Workmen’s Home located at 15333 Waterloo Road to provide input to the City of Cleveland regarding the development of the Waterloo Road Streetscape Plan. Representatives from Osborn Engineering (Consulting Engineer) and Knight & Stolar, Inc. (Planning Consultants and Landscape Architects) will be on hand to present preliminary concepts. Public input will be gathered for the streetscape plan improvements slated for Waterloo Road between East 152nd Street and East 162nd Street.

On Saturday October 9, Cleveland Restoration Society (CRS) working with Northeast Shores organized a tour and walk through of The Historic LaSalle Theatre. Twenty Five CRS members and neighbors walked through the building. It had been rumored by several clean-out contractors that a trunk had been found. The Snoop confirmed the presence of the trunk. Can it be true that valuables have been found among the treasure of the LaSalle? On Wednesday November 17 from 6 PM to 8 PM you can find out. The public is invited to the opening of the trunk.

Are you part of a Block Watch group? If not, why not? If you are, thank you!

Block Watches are about meeting your neighbors. If you know your neighbors, you will recognize strangers who come in to your neighborhood. Block Watches are about sharing information. You can learn about the various programs offered by Northeast Shores, the City of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County and various other agencies. Block Watches are about being proactive, not reactive to potential problems in your neighborhood. Block Watches are also about being the “Eyes and Ears” for the police. Our “men in blue” cannot be everywhere all the time. The police need residents calling them, reporting suspicious behavior. As Commander Drummond always says, “If it looks suspicious, it probably is suspicious, so please make the call to the police.”  Remember Zone Cars are deployed to our area based on the calls for service received from our area. So make those calls to the police. You are not bothering them. You are helping them do their jobs. 911 if it’s an emergency, 216-621-1234 for non-emergency calls.

There are several block watch opportunities for you in North Collinwood:

If you live in the East 185th St. area, you can go to the East 185th St. Block Watch meetings. This group meets on the second Tuesday of every month at 6:00 pm at the Lithuanian Hall, 877 East 185th St. (corner of Kewanee).  The Chair person for this group is Denise Lorek.

If you live in the East 156th St. area, you can go to the East 156th St. Block Watch meetings. This group meets on the fourth Wednesday of every month at 6:00 pm at the Arts Collinwood Community Center 397 East 156th St.  The chair person for this group is Patricia Harrison.

The Cleveland Restoration Society (CRS) is sponsoring a tour of the Theatre space of the LaSalle Building on October 9, 2010 from 10 AM to 12 Noon. The tour is open to membership of CRS as well as the community. To register, please contact JP Kilroy at CRS (216) 426-1000 or John Boksansky at Northeast Shores (216) 481-7660.

The LaSalle is a pre talkie movie theatre, the interior of which is virtually intact, built in 1927.

The building was purchased by Northeast Shores and is undergoing stabilization repairs to the roof and limestone façade. The repairs were made possible by a generous grant from a Finance Fund grant. Purchase of the building was made possible by financing from Village Capital with support from Councilman Michael D. Polensek. The building is a Cleveland City Landmark and is currently undergoing the application process to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A comprehensive rehabilitation will then hopefully take place re-establishing the LaSalle as an anchor for continued economic development on East 185th Street.

Northeast Shores Development Corporation continues it commitment to increase homeownership in the neighborhood. If you are tired of renting and looking for a wealth-building opportunity, becoming a homeowner will establish a step into wealth-building. We currently have 2 renovated homes for sale in the North Shores Collinwood, both properties offer easy access to I-90, which means you can be in downtown Cleveland in just 10 minutes!

On Wednesday, September 22, residents and merchants, young people and seniors from all over the East 156th St. neighborhood joined together for food, entertainment and fellowship.

Reverend Becham from B&M Barbecue fired up the grill around 4:00 so he could “get some smoke in the air” as he put it. As we waited for the neighbors to show up, Rev. Becham handed out some samples to those of us that were there to set up for the festivities. After finishing my samples, I knew I wouldn’t have to worry if the food was going to be good. It wasn’t just good, it was excellent!

It was a beautiful night for a cook out. The food prepared by Rev. Becham included ribs, wings, fried chicken, mac & cheese, and spaghetti. Bobby Qasim from Lakeshore Food Mart provided the pop. Dessert was from Cakes by Sweetwater. If anyone went home hungry, it sure wasn’t because there was not enough good food.

Been "adopted" by the cat outside? Feral and free-roaming cats are the largest contributors to the cat overpopulation crisis. The Cleveland APL is committed to ending this developing tragedy and has a new TNR program to assist caretakers of feral (unsocialized, outdoor) cats. If you are feeding a cat outside, we invite you to be part of the overpopulation solution and take advantage of our services! Through our Animal Welfare Clinic, we offer the following services for feral cats and their caretakers:

Spay/Neuter Services
Feral and homeless cat appointments are $25 for cats and
$15 for kittens (8 - 16 weeks). The fee includes:

• Spay or neuter surgery
• Ear-tipping
• Rabies vaccine
• FVRCP vaccine
• Felv/FIV SNAP testing is available upon request for $30

Cleveland Residents Can Help Stray Cats for $10 >>

Trapping Education and Trap Loan Program

Humane traps are available to our clients for a non-refundable fee of $5 per week, per trap. A fully refundable $20 deposit is collected when the trap is issued. Our TNR Services Coordinator will provide how-to demonstrations and written instructions on how to successfully and humanely trap feral cats. How-to workshops may be coordinated for groups of caretakers and other interested parties free of charge at the Cleveland APL.

Help save a cat today! To sign up for our feral cat services, or for additional information on how you can help, contact the Cleveland APL's Spay/Neuter Services Supervisor at

 216-377-1624

 Live, Create, Join, Play in North Collinwood: a Growing Community.

• Remodeled 2-bedroom units
• Carpet
• Laminate flooring
• 10 minutes from Downtown
• Hop, Skip, Walk  to the Waterloo Arts/Entertainment District

Brag to your friends about the North Collinwood Community Recreation Center that you will be able to enjoy.

Please contact Camille Maxwell, Real Estate Development Director at (216) 481-7660 ext.30 to tour these apartments today.

Although Frankie Yankovic, America's Polka King, rose to fame in this blue-collar community on the shores of Lake Erie, North Collinwood is better known these days for rock and roll. In fact, since the Beachland Ballroom opened on Waterloo Road ten years ago, the area has become a hotspot for musicians and artists of all kinds.

Now community leaders have a message for visitors: If you like it, why not call it home? North Collinwood, they say, is affordable, close to everything, and friendly to artists.

“We’re marketing it as a living, breathing community and not just a nighttime destination,” says Brian Friedman, head of Northeast Shores Development Corporation, a nonprofit community development organization in North Collinwood.

It’s more than just a slogan, Friedman says – he’s ready to sell you a house. Along with its marketing push, Northeast Shores has launched an effort to rehab vacant, foreclosed properties. After thoroughly rehabbing the homes, the group offers them for sale.

Friedman says that the target markets are musicians and artists who are seeking affordable places to live. The community supports artists by providing them with a sense of community and a place to create their work, he adds.

Almost a year after fifty local residents converged on the Arts Collinwood Gallery to discuss a plan to build a Tower to be a 'flexible framework for changing public art displays", a "stage for ‘guerrilla art’ such as concerts, poetry readings and plays" as well as a a highly visible marker of the new Waterloo Arts and Entertainment District, Moritz Metal and Wood installed the Tower last week. It is a collaboration of artist, Christopher Diehl, and Moritz Wood & Metal fabricator and artist, Mike Moritz.

Each year, the staff and board of Northeast Shores persevere to make North Shores Collinwood a better place to work, work, and visit.

Recently, I was asked to share what we accomplished over the last 12 months. After finishing the tally, I was surprised how many lives we had the opportunity to improve over the last year.

Nine neighborhood homes were rehabbed and 108 apartment units were rehabbed at Lakeshore Beach Apartments. 24 families received free Sherwin Williams paint from the Cleveland Paint Program. 74 people were referred to credit counseling and/or loan programs. 25 homes were insulated through our weatherization activities. One storefront on East 185th Street was rehabbed through the Storefront Renovation Program. 82 businesses were assisted with a variety of needs including loan packaging, zoning issues, site selection assistance, and/or permitting issues. The LaSalle Theater was acquired and work has commenced on bringing the property back to its historic glory. Five neighborhood marketing events occurred including the second annual Alive on East 185th Parade and Sidewalk Sale. New East 185th Street signs and banners were designed and installed. Eleven businesses added new signage to their buildings. 108 properties were monitored through the Cleveland Housing Court process. 4,701 residents attended 325 neighborhood meetings staffed by Northeast Shores. We were the fiscal agent to eight small volunteer initiatives that received $24,000 for their efforts. Twenty rain barrels were delivered to reduce storm water runoff and we supported three community gardens.

On Thursday, August 19, the management of Lakeshore Beach Apartments, Northeast Shores Development Corporation and "Shoes and Clothes for Kids" teamed up for the first “Back to School night”. This event was held in the new Community Center located in the front of the apartment complex. Over 200 parents and children gathered for hot dogs and bookbags. "Shoes and Clothes for Kids" donated 90 book bags to this event. Northeast Shores and Lakeshore Beach Apartments donated school supplies and food.

On July 13th,  Mayor Frank Jackson made his yearly visit to the East 185th St. Block Watch. The main ballroom of the Lithuanian Hall had over 150 people in attendance for the mayor’s visit. Mayor Jackson congratulated the Block Watch on being one of the biggest block watches in the City of Cleveland. He also recognized the fact that the group has been meeting for 5 years now. He remarked how he likes to come to the Block Watch meeting once a year because it makes him feel good to see so many people that care about their neighborhood.

Neighborhood Progress, Inc. (NPI) is pleased to announce the expansion of the successful Strategic Investment Initiative (SII), a targeted approach to neighborhood redevelopment that has become a national model. From 2011-2013, the SII will expand from six to nine neighborhoods and focus on targeted, comprehensive neighborhood investments, sustainability, stabilization and collaboration. This expansion includes Northeast Shores and their ongoing revitalization plans for Waterloo and the surrounding residential community.

“We are raising the bar for our grantees and renewing our commitment to our funders to maximize the impact of grant dollars in a world of shrinking resources,” said Beth E. Mooney, chair of NPI’s Board of Directors and Vice Chair of KeyCorp.

Over fifty middle-school students recently completed a free NASA summer camp. The summer camp was prepared and presented by Paragon, TEC. Each student engaged in the NASA's Summer of Innovation thematic units of Rocketry, Meteorology and Aviation prepared and presented by Paragon TEC, Inc. 

“All of the middle school students eagerly set up the science experiments, met the design challenges and explored the NASA content with great energy and curiosity,” said Gail Dolman-Smith, President and CEO of Paragon TEC, Inc. “Paragon TEC, Inc., a leader in STEM education, is honored to partner with NASA and provide these free STEM Learning Experiences to the children of the Collinwood and Euclid neighborhoods."

Each morning, students from throughout Northeast Shores (but primarily from Euclid and Cleveland) visited VASJ High School and participated in fun learning activities that taught them core skills in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). The instructors provided direction as attending students worked in teams and individually on a wide range of projects.

Did you ever experience the viewing of a movie or another kind of experience that changed and strengthened your life? 

One North Shores Collinwood relationship is strengthened thanks to dining and the LaSalle Marquee Program in the East 185th Street district.

On the occasion of their twentieth wedding anniversary Tom decided to place a few lines on the LaSalle marquee to announce the twentieth anniversary of his marriage to his wife Jill.

They arrived at the East 185th Street district to celebrate their anniversary with dinner at one of our fine restaurants. Once dining was completed, Tom cruised by the marquee.

Tom reported, “ What a surprise it was to approach the LaSalle Building. As I pointed out the efforts underway to restore the façade of the building, Jill noticed the message of  HAPPY ANNIVERSARY SWEETIE right away.” The couple was also greeted at the marquee with a few family members who took some photos of the couple at the marquee.

The East 185th St. Block Watch group, with the help of Northeast Shores, has received a Neighborhood Connections grant to help light up their homes.

The Safety Steering Committee of Northeast Shores, chaired by Victor Rucker, is passing along the requests of the 5th District Police Department to residents in North Collinwood. Officer Daley remarked in a past Safety Steering meeting that “the residents' yards are so dark the officers can’t see if anyone is hiding in the yards”. After listening to Officer Daley’s request for more lights in the Safety Steering meetings, Denise Lorek, Community Organizer at Northeast Shores, Safety Steering committee member and Chair Person for the East 185th St. Block Watch, brought Officer Daley’s request for more lights to the East 185th St. Block Watch residents.

On Saturday May 22, the second annual Alive on E185 parade stepped off at 10:30 as scheduled. While the weather looked ominous and it was sprinkling earlier that morning, the skies cleared just in time for the neighborhood to enjoy this wonderful event.

More than 30 units marched the length of the street. Bands played. Politicians threw candy. Children cheered.  This year’s winners of best unit were: Euclid High School in first place, Collinwood High School was second place and the Stallions Youth Athletes organization came in third place. They will be receiving plaques from Northeast Shores and the East 185th St. Merchants' Association recognizing their efforts.

The 2010 0hio State Yo-Yo Contest will be held July 31st, 2010, from 10 am - 5 pm!

All ages and skill levels are welcome, and there will be training areas for people interested in learning how to play yo-yo!

The contest will be held at tbe Beachland Ballroom, located at 15711 Waterloo Road, in the Waterloo Arts District.

Registration will take place the morning of the event. The event is free to watch, and $5 to compete. For more information, please e-mail steve@clevelandyoyoclub.com!

To ensure a complete and accurate count of residents nationwide, the Census Bureau on May 1, 2010 will begin Non-Response Follow Up field operations as census takers contact those households that did not mail back completed census questionnaires.

Every 10 years, the U.S. Census Bureau is mandated by the government to count everyone living in the United States. By achieving an accurate count of the U.S. population, census data helps form the basis for many important political, economic, and social decisions that affect our nation and impact our daily lives.

With the “Alive on 185” Parade and Sidewalk Sale coming May 22, it's time to give the street a good spring cleaning.

On April 23rd, East 185th St. was swept and cleaned by a group of volunteers and the staff of Northeast Shores. Lucky for us, it was a beautiful day. We started at noon with our brooms at the Lithuanian Hall and worked our way down the street sweeping and cleaning as needed.  

The East 185th St. Block Watch members JP Franczyk, his wife Bev, and Pat Lorek rolled up their sleeves to pitch in. They helped Laura Robinson, Vice President of the E.185th Merchants and Professionals Association, and the staff from Northeast Shores sweep and clean East 185th Street.

The LaSalle Marquee, located at East 185th Street and Kildeer Avenue, will soon be available for your message. Given the special circumstances and energy around the exterior renovation and stabilization plan currently underway for the LaSalle, Northeast Shores together with the community were able to secure a special permit from The City of Cleveland to establish the use of the existing marquee theater sign for community messages. The existing changeable letters will be utilized and Northeast Shores will purchase additional lettering to provide for complete messages.

Shoppers and visitors to the area now are greeted by the district entry signs as well as new blue and gold banners on East 185th Street. The signs are located to the South of I-90 at Villa View and Neff Road and South Waterloo and East 185th Street. The new banners replaced a prior design scheme and logo which has been retired. The banners line the street on East 185th Street front Villa View to Lake Shore Blvd. The project was supported by the community and funded by Councilman Michael D. Polensek through his Ward 11 allocation of Community Development Block Grant Funds.

Northeast Shores is continually impressed with the number of neighborhood residents that have their families living alone in doubles in the neighborhood.

These families have the advantage of voluminous square feet to enjoy, a separate kitchen for entertaining, and lots of storage space for those large holiday decorations.

As you may know, the City of Cleveland recently implemented an $8 monthly fee for trash collection. This monthly fee is a "per unit" fee so that means doubles owe $16 a month!

Well, the City of Cleveland Division of Waste Collection does not want to charge you double for living in your whole double. If you do live in your whole double, you can reduce your trash collection fee to the single-family rate of $8 by printing then completing the Exemption Request Form located at: http://www.scribd.com/doc/30638930.

Want to be in a parade? Now is your chance!

Save the Date! The Parade is  on May 22 at 10:30.
Call Denise at 481-7660 if you or your group/organization would like to be in the parade.

Sidewalk Sale - Noon to 5:00 pm
Merchants on East 185th St., please take advantage of this event and bring your stuff outside for the Sidewalk Sale. If you live around the E.185th area and would like a free table on East 185th St. for the Sidewalk Sale, call Denise 216-481-7660 for details.

Residents, this would be a great day to have a Garage Sale. Get your neighbors together and take advantage of the people who will be visiting the area.

On March 20, 2010 the Easter Bunny will be at the Lithuanian Hall, 877 East 185th St. to have breakfast with our neighborhood children. He will be arriving at 10:00 am for a Breakfast provided by Gus's Diner. The Easter Bunny will be staying and taking pictures until noon, there will be crafts for the children as well. Admission is $5.00. Call 216-481-7660 for tickets.

The Historic LaSalle Theatre Building located at 819-829 East 185th Street is about to undergo repairs to the limestone façade and roof repairs. The repairs are being funded by the Ohio Finance Fund in the amount of $100,000. Northeast Shores applied for and received funding for the project through a competitive process. The building was purchased by Northeast Shores in October of 2009 from Park View Federal Savings and Loan with financing provided by Village Capital Corporation.

On Tuesday, February 23rd, nearly 100 supporters attended the 2nd annual North Collinwood Taste of the Neighborhood and Awards Dinner. The event was a fundraiser to support the efforts of Northeast Shores, the local community development corporation improving the North Shores Collinwood community.

On February 9th, the East 185th St. Block Watch hosted an Information Fair in lieu of their regular monthly meeting. There were representatives from over 25 city and county services at tables all around the hall. The water department was there explaining the new rates and bills. ESOP was there to help those in danger of foreclosure.

Join Northeast Shores for the annual Taste of the Neighborhood, a chance to sample foods from our neighborhood’s many restaurants and eateries, plus help us honor local residents, block watches and businesses for their accomplishments making this a better community to live in. 6:00 PM - food/drink, 7:00 PM - program. Lithuanian Hall. 877 East 185th St.

AWARDS "Outstanding Residents" Regular folks who go that extra mile. "Amazing Block Watches": Neighborhood groups that have made great achievements throughout the year. "Best Businesses": Celebrate the achievements of your favorite local businesses and their owners.

On January 19, the membership of Northeast Shores Development Corporation attended the 2010 Annual Meeting, which always features the election of new board trustees. Members checked in and renewed their annual dues in order to be able to receive their ballot and vote.

The meeting commenced with each of 12 candidates sharing why the membership should elect him (or her) to one of the eight available slots on the Northeast Shores Board of Directors. After hearing from the candidates present, two more members were nominated from the floor. These two additional nominees were Jim Valentino and Miles Kennedy, who shared key details about why they should be elected. Having heard from all interested candidates present, the membership proceeded to complete their ballots.

Ben Parsons and Mary Zodnik, proprietors of Azure Stained Glass Studio, will soon begin exterior improvements to their 15602 Waterloo location in the Waterloo Arts and Entertainment District. Azure specializes in the restoration of leaded glass windows as well as the design and fabrication of new leaded glass products. The plans for the exterior improvements have been underway for two years with the business receiving technical assistance from the City of Cleveland Storefront Renovation Program (SRP) as sponsored by Northeast Shores Development Corporation, The City of Cleveland, and Councilman Michael D. Polensek. SRP is funded by the City of Cleveland through its federal Community Development Block Grant allocation. 

Azure worked closely with SRP Design Specialist Tim Barrett and Northeast Shores to define the scope of the building improvements, which will include: tuck pointing and masonry repairs; painting of window frames and entrance improvements; comprehensive signage package; new entry door adjacent to the parking lot and glass canopy with associated hardware above the front entrance door.

Over 130 interested residents braved the cold winter weather to sneak a peek at the LaSalle Theater this past Monday evening. While the LaSalle Theater, which originally opened in the late 1920s, currently has no heat, the lights were on inside and the marquee was lit as people walked through the vacant theater and envisioned what the space could become. You could feel the energy and interest in the air as strangers greeted each other and shared this own recollections of the theater from its heyday and others compared notes on what it might take to return the LaSalle Theater, which originally sat about 800 theater-goers, to its proper grandeur.

Each January, Northeast Shores elects one third of its Board of Directors from its membership. This January 19th, Northeast Shores members will elect eight directors from the 12 nominees that entered their name for consideration. Elected nominees will each serve a three-year term on the board.

On Monday, January 11, 2010, Northeast Shores will open up the LaSalle Theater to the community. After the Open House, Northeast Shores will host a community forum to hear potential reuse ideas for the theater.

Santa Claus ate breakfast with the children of North Collinwood last Saturday, December 5th at the Lithuanian Hall, which was decorated in its Christmas finest, thanks to Ruta Degutis.

The East 185th St. Merchants Association, Arts Collinwood and Northeast Shores Development Corporation joined together and invited Santa to breakfast with the children of North Collinwood. Santa and his elves flew in from the North Pole to hear the Christmas wishes from the children of North Collinwood. 

An Interview with John and Bonnie, proud owners of a home in North Collinwood.

Why did you choose this area to move to?

“We got a good deal on the house when we were looking to buy. [John] grew up in Euclid and is familiar with the area. It is also close to where he works.”

How excited are you to be living in your house?

“Really, really excited!”

What do you think is the most vibrant or exciting asset to this community?

“Northeast Shores is a great asset to the community here. Having an organization caring for the residents of the area and fighting to keep it a vibrant place to live is definitely a positive for the area. We also enjoy the Beachland Ballroom and Waterloo area for something to do that’s close.”

Looking Ahead

Upcoming North Collinwood events 2009/2010 

December        Breakfast with Santa Claus

January           General Elections for new Board members

February          Taste the Neighborhood Award Dinner

May                 Alive on East 185

June                Waterloo Arts Fest

 

For more information and opportunities to participate, call Northeast Shores at 216-481-7660,

 

Good News! New Energy Efficiency Programs offered along with the Weatherization program 

Electrical Partnership Program: This program focuses on electrical energy use reduction through conservation measures and client education.

Northeast Shores, the East 185th St. Merchants Association and Arts Collinwood have contacted Santa Claus and asked him to come visit the children of North Collinwood! Santa will be at the Lithuanian Hall, 877 East 185th St., on December 5th from 10:00 a.m. until Noon. Admission is $5 for breakfast and a picture with Santa. There will be crafts and fun for all. For tickets, please call Denise Lorek at Northeast Shores 216-481-7660 or Laura Robinson at 216-383-9671. Hope to see you there with your Christmas wishlist. Remember, Santa knows if you have been naughty or nice so be good for goodness sake.

Elections for the new Board Members of Northeast Shores are January 19th at the General Meeting. If you would like to have a say in what happens in North Collinwood, consider running for the board of Northeast Shores. The Northeast Shores election is open to the public, but you have to be a member to run for an office or to have a vote. 

Community Organizer on Channel 19 Our own Community Organizer, Denise Lorek, was on Channel 19 News talking about the power of block clubs and cameras in reducing burglaries. If you know Denise, you know this is one of her passions. She firmly believes in the power of Block Watches. If you would like to see this video, go to the Northeast Shores Blog website at www.northeastshores.org/blog and click on the link to Community Organizer on Channel 19. As if that’s not enough eyes watching the neighborhood, Denise has applied to Neighborhood Connections for a grant to supply video cameras in the homes of the residents in that area. If the grant is approved, residents will be able to request cameras from the E.185th St. Block Watch on a first come, first served basis. All you have to do is look at the success of the E.185th St. Block Watch to know that Block Watches work. This block watch meeting draws approximately 65 or more people to each meeting. The E.185th St. Block Watch has an email blast list of over 130 people on it and their mailing list has over 150 on it. That makes the official count of members at over 280 people! That’s a lot of people watching the neighborhood.  Due to the success of the E.185th St. Block Watch, Denise has been given the task of starting a block watch of the same caliber for the E.156th St. area. The E. 156th St Block Club has just finished their training with Officer Sam Anderson from the City of Cleveland Community Policing Department. Their graduation present for completing three months of training was Block Watch signs on their streets and Certificates of Completion for their homes.  Since they have graduated from the Officer Sam School of Block Watching they, can now officially call themselves a Block Watch. Congratulations to those members who completed the program.

Jerry Schmidt, owner of Waterloo 7 Gallery, located at 16006 Waterloo was interviewed by News Channel 5 recently. The interview was about his metal sculpting work and the redevelopment on Waterloo Road. You could go so far as to say that Jerry is the unofficial watchdog of the Waterloo Arts District. He not only works on Waterloo, he lives there. Not too much happens on Waterloo that Jerry does not know about. He usually has a comment or opinion as well that he is more than happy to share with you. Just ask him, he loves to talk about North Collinwood, specifically the Waterloo Arts District. There is a link on the Northeast Shores blog website if you would like to see his interview. Go to www.northeastshores.org/blog and click on the link at the end of the “Waterloo covered on Channel 5 News” story. 

As an intern at Northeast Shores and the newest member to their team, I am able to see first-hand what it takes to improve the North Collinwood area. My name is Megan Lanning and I am the Commercial District Intern at Northeast Shores. I am a member of the Villa Angela-St. Joseph class of 2005 and a soon-to-be graduate of Cleveland State University’s Maxine Goodman Levine College of Urban Affairs class of 2010, with my degree in Urban Planning.

To commemorate the anniversary of 9/11 and to celebrate the return of football season, Northeast Shores staff painted two buildings in the community with VASJ school colors and Browns colors.
Look for additional lettering to occur this week to finish up this project.
Hope this neighborhood brightens up your day and shows the world that this is a neighborhood that cares (...about football).

Northeast Shores is proud to Partner with the Domestic Violence Center for the second year in a row to bring the Domestic Violence Campaign to Cuyahoga County this October. Purple Light Nights allows cities and neighborhoods all over Cuyahoga County to support Domestic Violence Awareness by shining a purple light and raising awareness of domestic violence. The Purple Light Nights Campaign provides hope, information and services to those who are still living with violence and abuse.

To commemorate the anniversary of 9/11 and to celebrate the return of football season, Northeast Shores staff painted two buildings in the community with VASJ school colors and Browns colors.