September 15, 2011 [The Plain Dealer]
CHEERS . . . to the hope being provided East Cleveland by a $900,000 federal demolition project, administered by the Cuyahoga County land bank, that will revitalize and reuse abandoned properties. The 32 apartment buildings and 31 single-family homes coming down in this renewal barely put a dent in the county’s orphaned properties, but replacing them will be a huge plus for East Cleveland.
JEERS . . . to Tom Karris, an assistant Medina County prosecutor whose law license the Ohio Supreme Court has suspended for six months because he improperly notarized a few signatures years ago while in private practice. He maintains that the notarizations were valid, although a forensic expert found otherwise. Notaries take note: Cutting corners while wielding your seal is dangerous.
CHEERS . . . to the organizers of the Cuyahoga County Fatherhood Initiative’s annual conference last week, and to the more than 500 people who attended. The theme was “A Celebration of Fatherhood,” and if more Cuyahoga County men took that as the theme of their own lives, a lot of kids would be better off.
JEERS . . . to the failure of anyone to put in a bid for the Arcade in downtown Cleveland at Monday’s sheriff’s auction. The historic building, which contains a Hyatt hotel, restaurants and shops, is on the block because its owner defaulted. It’s appraised at $11.5 million.
TEARS . . . for Bob August, who made his mark in sportswriting at The Cleveland Press, but who could write about anything in a way that made people want to read it. August, a member of the Cleveland Journalism Hall of Fame, died last week at 89.