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Cuyahoga Valley National Park Superintendent Stan Austin was promoted to director of the National Park Service's Southeast Region. Cheryl Schreier from the Mount Rushmore National Memorial is serving as acting superintendent.
Summit County News Archive
12 August 2013
27 May 2013
The Cuyahoga Valley National Park received 2,299,722 visits in 2012, keeping it among the nation's most-visited national parks. A National Park Service report said that visitors in 2011 spent $51,473,000 in communities surrounding the park and supported 728 jobs.
27 February 2013
An Ohio appeals court overturned a lower court decision and ruled that the City of Munroe Falls cannot enforce some of its ordinances covering oil and gas well drilling, saying that they are preempted by state law. The City plans to appeal the decision to the Ohio Supreme Court.
06 February 2013
Construction of the racino at Thistledown racetrack in North Randall is nearing completion. It's scheduled to open this spring, and will feature a 57,000-square-foot gaming floor plus multiple dining and nightlife options. A relocation to the Green area remains a possibility.
In Summit County, construction of the racino at Northfield Park began in January, and its owners submitted a license application to the state. The racino, a partnership between Northfield Park and Hard Rock International, will be called Hard Rock Rocksino Northfield Park. They expect it will open in December. The work at the two racetracks is part of a statewide trend.
Removal of two Cuyahoga River dams in Cuyahoga Falls is scheduled to begin in June. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers approved the plans in December. The City intended to remove the dams last year, but legal and regulatory issues created delays.
Update: the Akron Beacon Journal described the process.
02 January 2013
Project partners celebrated the completion of major restoration work on an unnamed tributary of Tinkers Creek in Hudson. The restored 2,000-foot stream near Hudson High School will improve water quality and reduce flooding, while serving as a living lab for students.
In Portage County, the City of Aurora will receive $4.7 million through the state's Water Resource Restoration Sponsor Program to restore and protect more than a mile of the Aurora branch of the Chagrin River. The City will purchase 186 acres of the Aurora Golf Club to restore stream banks, forested areas, and wetlands.
19 November 2012
Election recap
This month's election included the following issues (PDF):
- Brecksville
Issue 26 (institutional rezoning): passed
- Broadview Heights
Issue 29 (prohibit oil and gas drilling): passed
Activists celebrated its passage, while City officials said it wouldn't stop drilling and could lead to lawsuits against the city.
- Fairview Park
Issue 52 (church rezoning): passed
- Garfield Heights
Issue 55 (commercial rezoning): passed
- Highland Heights
Issue 57 (parking lot rezoning): passed
Issue 58 (retail rezoning): failed
City officials and the developer are considering next steps.
- Moreland Hills
Issue 68 (retail rezoning): passed
- North Royalton
Issue 73 (planning commission referrals): passed
- Pepper Pike
Issue 82 (procedures for zoning code revisions): passed
- Solon
Issue 87 (zoning charter amendment): passed
Issues 89 & 90 (zoning code changes): passed
- Strongsville
Issue 97 (senior housing rezoning): passed
- Westlake
Issue 102 (mixed-use rezoning): passed
- Cuyahoga County
Issue 108 (Port Authority levy): failed
Port Authority leaders said they need some time to review their options, and a Plain Dealer editorial said that they "must do a far better job convincing voters it's a good investment."
In Summit County, Green residents voted to ban casino gambling and horse racing.
Visit the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections for complete results.
29 September 2012
The National Park Service announced that environmental remediation of the former Krejci Dump site in Boston Heights has been completed and that its final restoration should be mostly finished before the end of the year. Since work began in 2005, workers have removed about 371,000 tons of contaminated soils from the 46-acre site. The area will be opened to the public next year.
Five northern Summit County communities are considering a settlement with the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District about the district's stormwater management program. The City of Hudson and Sagamore Hills Township approved the settlement, but it will not take effect until it's signed by the other three communities. Editorials in the Plain Dealer and Akron Beacon Journal urge the Summit County communities to approve the agreement and encourage a group of Cuyahoga County communities to drop their legal challenge.
18 September 2012
Rock Ohio Caesars unveiled plans for an $88 million upgrade of its Thistledown racetrack in North Randall. The company plans to add 1,150 video lottery terminals, a restaurant, two food courts, and a lounge. The Ohio Casino Control Commission approved the financing for the renovations. Company representatives said that they've made no determinations about a possible relocation, and that no decision was imminent.
In Summit County, residents in Green will vote on a charter amendment that would ban gambling in the city. Rock Ohio Caesars has the option to relocate Thistledown to a location within a 12-mile radius of the Akron-Canton Airport in Green. Meanwhile, Northfield Park submitted plans to the Village of Northfield for a 200,000-square-foot expansion of its facilities.
Update: the Plain Dealer described the issues in Green.
30 August 2012
Aurora City Council approved a JEDD agreement for the Marketplace at Four Corners development in Bainbridge Township. The Bainbridge Township Trustees approved the agreement in May.
29 June 2012
In its trail planning process, the Cuyahoga Valley National Park prepared and considered eight alternatives and selected a preferred alternative. The plan's objective is to balance the needs for active recreation opportunities and environmental stewardship over the next 15 years. The Draft Trail Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement is available online and open to public comment until August 20. The National Park will hold three public meetings in late July.
Update: the Akron Beacon Journal published more information about the trail plans and reported on the public meetings.
26 June 2012
A group of Summit County residents formed Concerned Citizens Against Casinos to oppose a possible relocation of Thistledown to the area.
09 June 2012
A Franklin County judge dismissed a lawsuit challenging the installation of slot-like machines at Ohio racetracks, clearing the way for the state's first racino to open at Scioto Downs near Columbus. Rock Ohio Caesars can install up to 2,500 terminals at Thistledown and reached an agreement with the Kasich administration that allows the company to relocate the racetrack. The agreement (PDF) says that the new location must be within a 12-mile radius of the Akron-Canton Airport in Green. Officials in Northfield anticipate a financial windfall from the creation of a racino at Northfield Park.
19 May 2012
With the opening of a 0.6-mile section of the Towpath Trail in Barberton, Summit County became the first county to complete its construction of the trail. A variety of events will be held on July 7 to celebrate the milestone (PDF). The City of Akron completed its portion of the construction last year.
17 April 2012
The owner of Northfield Park announced plans to partner with Hard Rock International to bring slot machines and related developments to the harness racing track in Summit County. They said that the plan for a $275 million Hard Rock Gaming and Entertainment Facility is unrelated to possible changes to Thistledown, but does depend on the outcome of a lawsuit on the legality of slot machines at racetracks.
Update: the partners unveiled conceptual designs (PDF) for the project, but did not identify a construction start date.
30 March 2012
On Thursday, Jeff Finkle, Lee Fisher, and Joe Marinucci participated in a panel discussion, the annual State of Downtown forum at the City Club (MP3, 54.0 MB). They expressed optimism about the future of downtown Cleveland. That morning on WCPN's Sound of Ideas, Joe Calabrese of RTA and Bob Pfaff of Akron METRO talked about public transit in Greater Cleveland.
Update: video of the State of Downtown forum is now online.
In an effort to avoid competing with the downtown Cleveland Land based casinos in USA , Rock Ohio Caesars may move Thistledown racetrack from North Randall to the Akron area. A site in Green near the Akron-Canton Airport is a possibility. The Kasich administration is considering the proposal. The company acquired Thistledown in 2010, and last year said there were no plans to move it.
Update: Mayor Norton of Green said that he is not supporting or opposing the project. An Akron Beacon Journal editorial said that casinos won't "make a significant impact on economic development in the long run".
19 March 2012
Property owners in Summit County near the Cuyahoga Valley National Park have been receiving offers for the oil and gas rights from the Utica shale beneath their land.
14 March 2012
A report (PDF) from the National Park Service says that in 2010, the 2.5 million visitors to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park spent $54.7 million in and around the park, supporting 829 jobs.
12 March 2012
Upgrades to Euclid's sewer system will cost $136 million over a 10- to 15-year period. City Council is reviewing the project. Upgrades are also planned in Akron, and some residents said that the plans place too great a burden on ratepayers.
Update: Euclid City Council unanimously voted to submit project plans to the U.S. EPA for final approval.
08 February 2012
Bike Cleveland hired Jacob VanSickle as the organization's first executive director. Meanwhile, AMATS issued a draft of its its bike plan (PDF) for Portage and Summit counties, and will hold public meetings on February 13 and 14.
Update: the Plain Dealer reported on Jacob VanSickle's new position.
A Plain Dealer editorial urges the Cleveland Division of Water and the cities of Macedonia and Westlake to resolve their differences without the cities changing water systems. The paper's Brent Larkin is highly critical of both Mayor Clough and the Division of Water.
Update: officials debated the issues on WCPN's Sound of Ideas.
24 January 2012
The Plain Dealer summarized the debate about the future of Westlake's water supply. The City is contemplating a switch from the Cleveland Division of Water to the Avon Lake Municipal Utilities.
Update: Macedonia is also considering plans to change water suppliers.
The U.S. EPA approved the City of Akron's revised combined sewer overflow control plan. The plan also needs the approval of the Ohio EPA and a federal judge. The Ohio EPA will hold a public hearing on February 29. The federal judge rejected an earlier version of the plan last year.
18 January 2012
The Federal Transit Administration awarded $40.8 million to improve access to the country's national parks, forests and wildlife refuges. The FTA funds will support 58 projects, including $3.2 million for five Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad projects. The largest of the five awards is a $1.4 million grant for a pedestrian bridge across the Cuyahoga River.
17 January 2012
Summit County Engineer Al Brubaker is seeking approval from Summit County Council to establish a countywide stormwater utility. Council members will discuss the proposal. Mayor Procop of Twinsburg opposes the proposed program.
Update: the Summit County Engineer's Office described the advantages of the proposed stormwater utility.
Two Summit County brothers turned their 105-acre family farm into wetlands, and recently donated the Panzer Wetland Wildlife Reserve in Copley Township to the University of Akron. An Akron Beacon Journal editorial praised their work.
16 December 2011
The City of Cuyahoga Falls is preparing to remove two dams on the Cuyahoga River next year. Removal of the downtown dams is expected to be completed in July or August.
30 November 2011
While the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District's stormwater management program is in the midst of a lawsuit, the Summit County Engineer's Office proposed the creation of a countywide stormwater management utility. The proposal calls for establishing an impervious surface fee.
11 November 2011
The National Park Service completed its purchase of 578 undeveloped acres at Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls. The transfer to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park was facilitated by the Trust for Public Land. An event is planned for Monday.
Update: the Trust for Public Land issued a press release.
Update 2: the Akron Beacon Journal supplied more details. An editorial concluded that "the park has been made stronger with this purchase and the collaboration required to move forward."
27 October 2011
The City of Akron opened a half-mile section of the Towpath Trail on Wednesday. It marked the completion of the trail through the City.
Update: an Akron Beacon Journal editorial says that "the value of moving forward never has been clearer."
22 August 2011
Cuyahoga Valley National Park Superintendent Stan Austin spoke at the Akron Roundtable last week. He talked about the park's assets, plans, and areas for improvement.
04 August 2011
The Plain Dealer profiled the couple that operates Brunty Farms in Bath Township, one of the 11 farms in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park's Countryside Initiative. The National Park Service is offering two more farms for lease, the Edgar Farm in Valley View and the Holland Farm in Boston Township. Proposals will be accepted until October 3.
22 July 2011
The U.S. EPA collected a second set of Cuyahoga River sediment samples from behind the dam in Summit County's Gorge Metro Park. Tests of the sediment are needed to determine the feasibility of removing the dam.
Nineteen Summit County communities have signed the Job Preservation and Revenue Sharing Agreement. The anti-business-poaching initiative began in 2009 with seven communities.
05 July 2011
Work on the Cleveland Clinic's $96.3 million Twinsburg Family Health and Surgery Center is almost finished. The 190,000-square-foot facility will open this month.
23 June 2011
The City of Cuyahoga Falls is studying the possibility of removing two Cuyahoga River dams. Removal probably would not begin until next year.
10 June 2011
The U.S. EPA's research vessel Mudpuppy will return to Northeast Ohio in July to conduct tests on Cuyahoga River sediment behind the dam in Summit County's Gorge Metro Park and in the old channel of the Cuyahoga River near its mouth in Cleveland.
03 June 2011
The Plain Dealer provided updates on the experimental wind turbine initiative at Cleveland State University and the status of trail planning for the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
27 May 2011
The Ohio EPA awarded 10 grants through its Section 319 program to help communities address nonpoint source pollution. The $2.8 million in grants included a $184,429 grant (PDF) to Mayfield Village for the Chagrin River watershed, a $478,075 grant (PDF) to the City of Aurora for the Upper Aurora Branch of the Chagrin River, a $169,000 grant (PDF) to the Medina County Park District for the Chippewa Lake watershed, and a $57,078 grant (PDF) to Bath Township for the Yellow Creek watershed.
The agency also declared that brownfield remediation has been completed (PDF) at the Steel Slitting site on Aetna Road in Slavic Village, and issued a covenant not to sue.
Update: the Sun Messenger has more details about the grant received by Mayfield Village.
24 May 2011
The National Park Service will use $5.29 million from the federal Land & Water Conservation Fund to complete the second of two land purchases at Blossom Music Center. The 344 acres of forests and meadows will be added to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, along with the 233 acres purchased in March. An Akron Beacon Journal editorial says it is "welcome news for all who support and enjoy the Cuyahoga Valley National Park."
10 May 2011
A Summit County Court of Common Pleas judge issued an injunction against a company seeking to drill a natural gas well in Munroe Falls. The driller has not applied for municipal approval of roads and other construction associated with the well, and asserts that the only permits required are those from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. An Akron Beacon Journal editorial says that the "ruling reflects is an effort to find a middle ground before it is too late." Other Northeast Ohio communities are searching for ways to regulate drilling.
26 April 2011
The May issue of Cleveland Magazine includes a profile of Cuyahoga Valley National Park Superintendent Stan Austin and a piece by Michael Roberts on the history of downtown Cleveland planning problems.
22 April 2011
Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Thomas Pokorny ruled that the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District has the authority to implement its stormwater management program, but did not rule on a challenge by several suburban communities. The district filed for a declaratory judgment in January 2010. Judge Pokorny's decision (PDF) removes seven Summit County communities from the program. The Summit County Engineer's Office continues to develop its own stormwater management program.
Update: an Akron Beacon Journal editorial encourages communities to work cooperatively instead of through the courts.
16 April 2011
In a meeting facilitated by Cuyahoga County Executive FitzGerald, local mayors met with NEORSD officials to discuss the agency's contentious stormwater management program. Both sides agreed to to participate in mediation.
21 March 2011
The Ohio EPA continues to support the removal of the Cuyahoga River dam in Summit County's Gorge Metro Park. Costs could be as high as $10 million.
17 March 2011
U.S. District Judge John Adams rejected the proposed consent decree intended to address Akron's combined sewer overflow issues. A civil trial is now scheduled to begin in his court on May 31. Akron officials say they are "extremely disappointed" and that they will appeal the ruling.
In Greater Cleveland, the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District will hold a series of public meetings about proposed rate increases that would fund work identified in its combined sewer overflow consent decree. The NEORSD Board of Trustees is expected to vote on the changes in June.
Update: Mayor Plusquellic of Akron held a news conference on Friday. The Akron Beacon Journal summarized his remarks.
Update 2: an Akron Beacon Journal editorial says that the judge should have allowed the City of Akron and the U.S. EPA more time to revise the agreement.
The Cuyahoga Valley National Park purchased 233 acres in Cuyahoga Falls near Blossom Music Center from the Musical Arts Association for $3.96 million, a transaction facilitated by the Trust for Public Land. The National Park intends to acquire an additional 345 acres at Blossom for $5.29 million. The Musical Arts Association will retain 198 acres for Blossom operations.
Best Buy plans to build a 368,060-square-foot distribution center in Streetsboro. The Streetsboro Board of Education approved an eight-year, 100% tax abatement for the development. Payroll processing company Paychex intends to consolidate its offices in Warrensville Heights and Green at a new site in Boston Heights. The Village and the Hudson School District approved a 10-year, 100% tax abatement.
Update: Best Buy is moving its operations from Glenwillow.
02 March 2011
On Wednesday's Sound of Ideas program, Ohio Department of Mental Health Director Tracy Plouck defended her decision to abandon plans for a new psychiatric hospital on Euclid Avenue and to close the facility near MetroHealth Medical Center.
18 February 2011
The Ohio Department of Mental Health announced that it is dropping its plans to build a new psychiatric hospital on Euclid Avenue and that it will close its facility adjacent to MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland. The department says that it will save $30 million by instead expanding its Northcoast Behavioral Healthcare campus in Sagamore Hills Township. The City of Cleveland has spent more than $4.1 million on land assembly and environmental cleanup for the planned hospital in Midtown.
Update: the Akron Beacon Journal provided more details.
06 January 2011
U.S. District Judge John Adams said he has "grave doubts" about the plans to reduce combined sewer overflows in Akron. He is concerned about the timing and lack of certainty, and could reject the proposed settlement between the City and the U.S. EPA. Members of Akron City Council are also unhappy about the consent decree, and an Akron Beacon Journal editorial characterized their reactions as "predictable sticker shock."
Update: an Akron Beacon Journal editorial says that Judge Adams should allow the agreement to stand.
03 December 2010
Summit County Council approved funding for a study of a proposed countywide stormwater management program. The program could be funded by a property tax levy. An Akron Beacon Journal editorial says that the proposal reflects a lack of regional coordination.
Update: Summit County Engineer Alan Brubaker responded to the newspaper.
29 November 2010
The Cuyahoga Valley National Park Association will change its name to the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park. An official announcement is expected in January.
24 November 2010
The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad expects to serve a record-high 180,000 passengers in 2010. Since 2006, the National Park Service has invested close to $9 million in capital improvements for the railroad.
WKSU's Jeff St. Clair interviewed Stan Austin, the superintendent of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
12 November 2010
Fairlawn leaders are concerned about plans to build new Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores in neighboring Copley Township, and may close two roads in an effort to keep the stores in Fairlawn. Meanwhile, Wal-Mart recently completed a 46,000-square-foot expansion of its Macedonia store, and Giant Eagle hopes to build a 14,184-square-foot expansion of its Brunswick store.
05 November 2010
The Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District is holding a series of public meetings to explain its plans to address combined sewer overflow problems and the associated rate increases. The first meeting was held on Thursday in South Euclid, and NEORSD tweeted updates from the event. The program, dubbed Project Clean Lake, is facing opposition from Summit County officials. An Akron Beacon Journal editorial says that the "regional approach makes the most sense."
03 November 2010
The new leaders of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and Cleveland Metroparks appeared on Tuesday's Sound of Ideas program. CVNP Superintendent Stan Austin and Metroparks Director Brian Zimmerman spoke about the future of the parks.
02 October 2010
An Akron Beacon Journal article summarized the recent AMATS study on the proposed relocation of the Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores in Montrose. An editorial says that "the challenge is for communities to examine together the impact of the proposed move."
29 September 2010
Stan Austin began his tenure as superintendent of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park last week. He said that he is "going to take it to the next level."
The Summit County Engineer's Office is studying the creation of a stormwater management program. County officials say that the initiative is not in response to the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District's stormwater management program.
27 September 2010
The U.S. EPA postponed plans to conduct additional sediment testing behind the Cuyahoga River dam in Summit County's Gorge Metro Park, because its research vessel has been occupied with cleanup efforts for the Enbridge oil spill in Michigan. It will not be available until next year.
20 September 2010
The National Park Service developed six alternatives for the Cuyahoga Valley National Park Trail Management Plan. They range from no action (alternative one) to an overhaul of the park's trail network (alternative six). The draft alternatives will be presented at public meetings on September 22, 23, and 26 at the Happy Days Lodge in Peninsula. The public comment period is open through October 30.
Akron officials expect that federally mandated sewer improvements will cost $650 million over the next 18 years, up from earlier estimates of $500 million. Residents already face a series of rate increases. The City will hold a public hearing on Wednesday evening in the Morley Health Center auditorium.
Update: AkronNewsNow summarized the meeting.
03 September 2010
An Akron developer has proposed building a retail development on Rothrock Road in Copley Township, possibly to attract the Wal-Mart store from neighboring Fairlawn. Rothrock Road Retail Center would consist of a 147,806-square-foot building and a 136,367-square-foot building. Fairlawn officials are leery of losing the store, and residents in Copley are concerned about the impacts of new development.
Update: AMATS published the Rothrock Road/Montrose Planning Study. It's intended to "offer a clear‐headed, fair‐minded, and accurate planning‐level assessment of the likely consequences that the development and eventual build‐out of the west side of Rothrock Road will have on the transportation system in Montrose."
01 September 2010
Several retailers, including Wal-Mart, plan to open or expand stores at Macedonia Commons. Wal-Mart's 46,000-square-foot addition should be finished this year.
Information about some planned demolitions in Greater Cleveland:
- The Parma City School District intends to demolish its former administration building near Ridge Road and Day Drive. It was built in 1921 as an elementary school.
- After a prolonged dispute, developers in Twinsburg obtained permission to raze an 1828 farmhouse and a 1911 barn on the former Corbett Farm property on Darrow Road.
- Cleveland Area History posted a document that describes the significance of the Cleveland Cold Storage Building, one of several historic structures that will be demolished for the new Innerbelt Bridge.
- Cleveland Area History also pointed out three historic Cleveland buildings that have been condemned: the Stanley Block in downtown Cleveland, the Langston Hughes house in Fairfax, and the Frankie Yankovic house in Collinwood.
18 August 2010
The Akron Beacon Journal relates the history of Botzum, a former unincorporated village in northern Summit County's Cuyahoga Valley.
31 July 2010
The U.S. EPA extended the boundaries of the Cuyahoga River Area of Concern to include the 34-acre pool behind the dam in Summit County's Gorge Metro Park. The designation makes the area eligible for federal funding for testing and possible cleanup of contaminated sediment behind the dam.
26 July 2010
The U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies approved $5.5 million for the Cuyahoga Valley National Park to complete the purchase of 635 acres of undeveloped land surrounding Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls.
A group of Summit County elected officials is urging property owners to refuse to pay the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District's planned impervious surface fee. NEORSD Executive Director Julius Ciaccia defended the stormwater management program (PDF) and said that the officials were acting irresponsibly.
Update: participants on Tuesday's Sound of Ideas program discussed the issues. The Akron Beacon Journal also published an editorial on the subject.
Update 2: A Plain Dealer editorial criticizes the Summit County officials.
12 July 2010
Plans for the Twinsburg Fashion Place lifestyle center remain stalled. A representative of the developer said that the project is not dead.
11 June 2010
The Ohio EPA and the Cuyahoga River RAP asked the U.S. EPA to extend the Cuyahoga River Area of Concern to include the dam in the Gorge Metro Park. The change could make the area eligible for federal funding to clean up contaminated sediment behind the dam.
Restoration of a Tinkers Creek tributary near Hudson High School is expected to begin this fall. Students in the school's environmental education program will participate in the project.
07 June 2010
Stan Austin (PDF) will be the new superintendent of the Cuyahoga National Park. He is currently the superintendent of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area in Arizona and will become the National Park's fourth superintendent on August 22. He succeeds John Debo, who retired last July.
Update: Austin spoke with WKSU's Jeff St. Clair.
20 May 2010
As part of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park's trail management plan update, park staffers and volunteers are exploring potential locations for new trails.
The city councils of Solon and Twinsburg approved a memorandum of understanding that calls for cooperation on business relocations that involve incentives. Officials hope to reach similar agreements with other neighboring communities.
07 May 2010
The Ohio EPA awarded grants for restoration of stretches of the Chagrin River and Little Cuyahoga River (PDFs). The Geauga Park District received $400,000 and the Lake Metroparks received $349,584 for projects along the Chagrin River, and the City of Akron received $400,000 for work along the Little Cuyahoga River.
Update: the Akron Beacon Journal published more information about the project in Summit County and WKSU has more details about the Geauga County work. The Ohio EPA also awarded a $394,000 grant (PDF) to the West Creek Preservation Committee.
29 April 2010
The Cleveland Catholic Diocese will sell more than 50 closed churches, and placed 17 of them on the market. The properties in Cuyahoga, Lorain, and Summit counties have a total asking price of $11.8 million.
15 April 2010
Preliminary tests of the sediment behind the Cuyahoga River dam in Summit County's Gorge Metro Park found moderate contamination but no major toxic issues. The U.S. EPA wants to collect more samples.
31 March 2010
A grant from the Ohio & Erie Canalway Association will fund the fourth year of the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad's Bike Aboard program in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The program drew a record 21,500 cyclists in 2009.
13 March 2010
Because Summit County leaders have filed legal challenges to the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District's new stormwater management program, the Sewer District may withdraw its sponsorship of conservation projects in northern Summit County.
Update: the Hudson Hub Times has more details.
Update 2: the Sewer District will not pull its support for the projects.
15 February 2010
Trail users provided input at public open houses last week for the Cuyahoga Valley National Park's trail management plan.
20 January 2010
Area communities reacted differently to the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District's new stormwater management program. Mayor Cicero of Lyndhurst was disappointed, and the City of Hudson may join Summit County's lawsuit against the sewer district. Mayor Elliott of Brook Park, on the other hand, thinks the program will help the city alleviate and prevent flooding problems. David Beach called it "one of the most important developments for local water quality that I have seen in the past 25 years."
11 January 2010
On Thursday, the board of the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District unanimously approved the new stormwater management program. The district has identified more than $220 million of critical stormwater projects, which will be financed by the new impervious surface fee. Once the board adopted the plan, NEORSD asked the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas to confirm the district's authority to implement the plan.
05 January 2010
With the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District expected to vote on the proposed stormwater management program on Thursday, the Summit County prosecutor asked a court to issue a permanent injunction against any fees. Leaders in outer-ring Cuyahoga County suburbs also dislike the proposal. NEORSD Executive Director Julius Ciaccia discussed the approach on Channel 3's Between the Lines.
Update: the Akron Beacon Journal and WKSU have more details. Joe Koncelik considered the implications of the proposed regulations.
23 December 2009
The Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District's board is expected to vote on the proposed stormwater management program on January 7. If the board approves the proposal, collection of a new impervious surface fee would begin in July. The district is also preparing for legal challenges of its authority to implement the fee. A Plain Dealer editorial calls it "a fair plan that the sewer district board should approve in January."
Update: the Bath Township Trustees oppose the initiative.
Akron City Council approved a series of sewer rate increases to pay for improvements identified in the settlement with the U.S. EPA. The first increase will be a 25% hike in 2010. An Akron Beacon Journal editorial said that while the higher rates will be painful, the work they fund will benefit the City.
The Cuyahoga County Board of Health is leading a project to restore a tributary of Tinkers Creek near Hudson High School. Hudson City Council recently approved an agreement for the project.
17 December 2009
Transportation Outlook, the new 20-year regional transportation plan released by AMATS, employs (PDF) a fix-it-first approach for the Akron area's transportation network. NOACA does not have a similar policy.
16 December 2009
The Akron Beacon Journal has more details about the dispute in Summit County about NEORSD's proposed stormwater management program. In neighboring Portage County, Aurora leaders are considering a stormwater fee.
14 December 2009
The most recent episode of NEOtropolis looked at neighborhood revitalization in Euclid and downtown Akron. Panelists Raymond Cox, Gus Frangos, and Hunter Morrison also discussed the subject.
09 December 2009
Leaders in Summit County are banding together to oppose the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District's proposed stormwater management program. County officials may file a lawsuit against the sewer district.
30 November 2009
More than 100 people attended the last of five public meetings about the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District's proposed regional stormwater management program. Some residents objected to the new stormwater fee it would entail.
Update: leaders in Summit County remain opposed to the program.
16 November 2009
The U.S. Department of Justice, the Ohio Attorney General, and Akron City Council approved the settlement of the lawsuit over the City's combined sewer overflows. It is subject to a 60-day public comment period and approval by a federal judge. An Akron Beacon Journal editorial assessed the repercussions of the agreement.
14 November 2009
The Cleveland Clinic held a groundbreaking ceremony on November 5 for the $96 million Twinsburg Family Health & Surgery Center. The 190,000-square-foot facility is scheduled to open in 2011.
02 November 2009
On Friday, President Obama quietly signed the appropriations bill that included $475 million for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and $4 million for the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
Update: officials with the Trust for Public Land believe it will take several years to complete the Blossom land purchase.
30 October 2009
Congress appropriated $4 million toward the purchase of 635 undeveloped acres surrounding Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls. The property, the largest remaining private parcel within the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, would be incorporated into the park.
Update: the Plain Dealer has more information. An Akron Beacon Journal editorial applauds the announcement.
16 October 2009
The City of Akron and the U.S. EPA reached a tentative agreement on the combined sewer overflow lawsuit brought by the EPA. Under the terms of the proposed settlement, the City will build additional sewer separation projects, upgrade its wastewater treatment plant, help fund the removal of Canal Diversion Dam on the Cuyahoga River, and pay fines. Sewer rates could rise substantially.
Updates: sewer rates may double or triple during the 19-year sewer project. An Akron Beacon Journal editorial asserts that federal clean water mandates should be "backed by a reliable funding stream to local governments.."
07 October 2009
On November 5, the Cleveland Clinic will break ground for the first building at its new Twinsburg medical campus. Construction of the $71 million outpatient surgery and medical office building is scheduled to finish in fall 2011.
05 October 2009
The Cuyahoga Valley National Park's first step in updating its trails plan is an informal survey of area stakeholders. Backpackers, equestrians, and mountain bikers would all like to see more trails.
25 September 2009
The U.S. EPA's research vessel Mudpuppy is sampling the sediment behind the Cuyahoga River dam in Summit County's Gorge Metro Park. Results of the tests should be available early next year. The Ohio EPA wants to remove the dam, but FirstEnergy would like it to stay.
08 September 2009
The Cuyahoga Valley National Park Association and the National Park Service are launching the new Trails Forever initiative, an effort to repair and expand the park's trail network. One of their goals is to raise a $10 million endowment by 2016, the interest from which would be used to enhance the trails. Meanwhile, the environmental cleanup of the former Krejci Dump in the park was extended through the end of November 2011. Contamination at the site is more extensive than anticipated.
01 September 2009
The newest stretch of the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail is 2.25 miles long and includes 1,645-foot section that floats over Summit Lake in South Akron. It will be dedicated on Friday.
Update: an Akron Beacon Journal editorial says that investment in the Towpath Trail "already is paying off handsomely."
12 August 2009
The Akron Beacon Journal looked at the legacy of George P. Smith of Cuyahoga Falls, an advocate for the Cuyahoga River in the 1960s and early 1970s.
11 August 2009
The Ohio EPA approved the City of Akron's plans to expand its waste-to-energy facility and begin processing food waste.
16 July 2009
Most retailers at First & Main in Hudson are surviving the recession. The mixed-use development will celebrate its fifth anniversary in October.
Late last month, the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee approved $5.7 million in federal funding for projects in Ohio, including $4 million for the purchase of more than 600 undeveloped acres at Blossom Music Center for the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
26 June 2009
The Plain Dealer looked at the farms operated through the Cuyahoga Valley Countryside Conservancy and profiled the three newest farms in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. An additional farm will be available for lease later this year.
16 June 2009
Advanced Hydro Solutions' Metro Hydroelectric subsidiary dropped its plans to reestablish hydroelectric power generation at a Cuyahoga River dam in Summit County's Gorge Metro Park. The company surrendered its preliminary permit (PDF) from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Friday.
Update: WKSU has more information.
15 June 2009
Later this year, the Cuyahoga Valley National Park will begin work on a new trails plan. The current trails plan was prepared in 1985. Meanwhile, National Park Superintendent John Debo announced his retirement today (PDF), effective July 3. In August, he will become the chief development officer of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park Association. Debo has served as superintendent for 21 years.
Update: the Akron Beacon Journal and WKSU have more information about Debo's departure. The Beacon Journal also published a very positive editorial.
05 June 2009
The Ohio EPA awarded nine 319 grants, including a $329,208 grant to the Cuyahoga County Board of Health to restore an unnamed tributary of Tinkers Creek (PDF) in Hudson and a $249,984 grant to Metro Parks, Serving Summit County to restore sections of Furnace Run (PDF) in Richfield. Meanwhile, the Ohio Lake Erie Commission gave a $15,000 grant to the GreenCityBlueLake Institute for a land use planning project, and gave a $14,900 grant to the Chagrin River Watershed Partners to develop a clean water web portal.
20 May 2009
Backers of the Regional Prosperity Initiative continue to promote the concept to area officials, but two Lorain County mayors are concerned that it would not help their communities. Supporters will convene additional meetings in the coming weeks.
Update: WKSU shared more information about the initiative. A Morning Journal editorial calls for more details.
13 May 2009
The Ohio EPA approved the Cleveland Clinic's revised plans to build a medical campus on an 88-acre site in Twinsburg. The property includes high-quality wetlands, which will be protected (PDF) by a 37-acre conservation easement. Construction of the hospital has been delayed by the poor economy, and the Clinic has not set a start date.
29 April 2009
Planning Commissioners Journal Editor Wayne Senville recently made three stops in Northeast Ohio as part of his trip across the country. He visited and wrote about how the public library in Hudson has become a community hub, the flexibility and diversity of Shaker Heights, and the strategies identified in the Re-Imagining a More Sustainable Cleveland initiative. Map of the Week also reposted several images from the Re-Imagining Cleveland guidelines.
24 April 2009
On May 5, Twinsburg voters will decide seven zoning issues.
01 April 2009
The Akron Beacon Journal examined how the presence of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park has affected Boston Township in Summit County. The Township Trustees harbor some lingering resentment over its creation.
25 March 2009
North Royalton City Council has begun discussing whether to allow the construction of wind turbines. Hudson City Council decided to forbid wind turbines, but will review requests to install solar panels on a case-by-case basis.
09 March 2009
Citing the need to be fiscally responsible, the Cleveland Clinic announced that it will delay the start of construction of planned new medical centers in Twinsburg and Avon. CEO Toby Cosgrove said that the Clinic remains committed to the facilities.
Update: the Twinsburg Bulletin has more details.
24 February 2009
GreenCityBlueLake's Marc Lefkowitz notes that the recently-released draft of the AMATS regional transportation plan makes no mention of climate change. He then names some areas where the plan could address the issue.
The Northeast Ohio Four County Regional Planning and Development Organization appointed Maia Peck as its first watershed coordinator for the Middle Cuyahoga River. She will advocate for and build partnerships around a 12-mile stretch of the Cuyahoga River and its tributaries in Summit, Portage, and Stark counties.
18 February 2009
The City of Akron and KB Compost Services are exploring an experimental technology to sterilize biosolids for use in the City's waste-to-energy facility.
13 February 2009
Solon leaders do not want the City to be part of the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District's proposed regional stormwater management program, saying that the City is already working control flooding. Macedonia officials had expressed a similar sentiment, but now appear to be more open to participating in a regional effort.
12 February 2009
The U.S. EPA is suing the City of Akron for violations of the Clean Water Act. The lawsuit alleges that combined sewer overflows from Akron sewers have been releasing excessive pollution into the Cuyahoga River, Little Cuyahoga River, and the Ohio & Erie Canal since the City was reissued a wastewater permit in 1997. Financial penalties could be as high as $100 million. Akron Department of Public Service officials defend the system.
Update: an Akron Beacon Journal editorial says that "it is time for Akron to move more aggressively to meet the goals of the Clean Water Act."
11 February 2009
Seven Summit County communities have signed a pledge to not steal businesses from each other. Summit County made the agreement more attractive by tying it into the scoring system for awarding public works funds.
05 February 2009
The Cuyahoga Valley National Park will rehabilitate four structures in Boston Township for use by the Park's volunteer support organizations. The Cuyahoga Valley National Park Association has raised over ⅔ of the funds (PDF) for the $855,000 project.
03 February 2009
The transportation portion of Governor Strickland's budget proposal includes tolls for new road construction, support for commuter rail, and new funding mechanisms for road improvements, among other items. Meanwhile, AMATS unveiled a draft of its Transportation Outlook (PDF) for Summit and Portage counties. It will be open for public comment (PDF) through February 27.
12 January 2009
The Hudson Library and Historical Society is sponsoring three programs on regionalism in January and February. The first event will be held on January 29. It is titled "What is the economic future for Northeast Ohio?" and will include an overview of the Advance Northeast Ohio initiative. The programs are free and open to the public.
02 January 2009
Runoff from increased exurban development around the Cuyahoga Valley National Park continues to cause erosion problems along the Cuyahoga River. Park officials are developing natural systems approaches to controlling erosion.
31 December 2008
The Macedonia Planning Commission approved expansion plans for the Wal-Mart at Macedonia Commons. The plans call for converting the store to a supercenter by building a 46,000-square-foot addition to the 121,000-square-foot store.
04 December 2008
A USGS study of Tinkers Creek and its tributaries detected "a total of 12 antibiotic, 20 pharmaceutical, 41 wastewater, and 22 hydrophobic compounds" in the water at one or more sites. It did not identify whether their presence poses a threat to plants, wildlife, or humans. Further testing is planned.
26 November 2008
Officials from northern Summit County formed a working group to discuss whether they will oppose the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District's plans for a regional stormwater management program.
24 November 2008
A wastewater treatment plant in Akron turns sewage into electricity through a process where anaerobic bacteria convert biosolids into methane. The system is the first of its kind in the nation and has exceeded expectations for electricity production.
21 November 2008
Wal-Mart wants to convert its store at Macedonia Commons to a supercenter with a 46,000-square-foot expansion of the 121,000-square-foot store. Mayor Kuchta supports the plans.
17 November 2008
The Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District's plans for a regional stormwater management program are controversial in northern Summit County. Some leaders worry that money from their communities will be directed to projects in Cuyahoga County.
14 November 2008
On Thursday, the mayors of Hudson and Boston Heights signed an memorandum of understanding. It marks the start of a joint effort to coordinate the development of about 650 acres along the border of the two communities.
Update: the Hudson Hub Times provides more details.
The City of Twinsburg will hire a consultant to help analyze the costs and benefits of the proposed Twinsburg Fashion Place shopping center. The results will inform City officials in anticipated tax increment financing negotiations.
13 November 2008
Over 18,000 bicyclists used the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railway's Bike Aboard! program this year, nearly three times as many as in 2007. The service will resume in April with the same $2.00 fare.
10 November 2008
Summa Health System is continuing with its plans to build a hospital in northern Summit County's Route 8 corridor, despite opposition from Akron General. Industry analysts say that Summa's strategy is to compete with the Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals systems.
07 November 2008
This week's Sun papers have more information about the recent ballot issues in Broadview Heights, Chagrin Falls, Highland Heights, South Euclid, Avon, and Twinsburg.
05 November 2008
Election recap
Issue 2 (Clean Ohio renewal): passed
Issue 3 (water rights amendment): passed
Issue 14 (Pilgrim Inn zoning overlay): passed
Broadview Heights
Issues 15-16, 20-25 (rezonings): passed
Issues 17-19 (Zoning Board of Appeals changes): passed
Chagrin Falls
Issue 32 (Architectural Review Board changes): passed
Highland Heights
Issue 63 (development in parks): passed
Issue 83 (hazardous storage buffer): passed
Pepper Pike
Issue 86 (sign regulations): passed
Issue 87 (police station rezoning): passed
Issue 103 (O-2 district changes): passed
Issue 105 (retail rezoning): passed
South Euclid
Issue 106 (remove point-of-sale inspections): passed
Tri-City Joint Recreation District
Issue 136 (1 mill levy): failed
Issue 10 (retail rezoning): passed
Portage County
Issue 10 (Park District levy): failed
Issues 32-35 (zoning code changes): passed
For more results, visit the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, Openers, or the Sun News.
04 November 2008
Ohio EPA officials are not satisfied with the Cleveland Clinic's revised plans for a Twinsburg medical campus, and suggested further modifications. The Clinic submitted a second revision on Friday.
Update: the Twinsburg Bulletin has more details.
31 October 2008
Tuesday's election will include the following issues in Cuyahoga County communities:
- Issue 14 in Brecksville is a planned development overlay for the Pilgrim Inn property.
- Issue 32 in Chagrin Falls would change the composition of the Architectural Review Board.
- Issue 63 in Highland Heights would require voter approval for development or drilling in city parks.
- Issue 83 in Oakwood would mandate a buffer for certain facilities.
- Issue 87 in Pepper Pike would rezone land for a new police station.
- Issue 103 in Solon would allow medical offices in areas zoned O-2.
- Issue 10 in Avon is a commercial rezoning for a half-acre property on Detroit Road.
- Issue 32 in Portage County is a levy for the Portage Park District.
- Issue 32 in Twinsburg would create a new mixed-use zoning classification for the city center.
21 October 2008
The Plain Dealer recounts the Cleveland Area Mountain Bike Association's dispute with the Cleveland Metroparks over building trails in the park system. Meanwhile, the National Park Service is preparing a rule that will transfer decision making-power about bicycle trails to local park administrators. The Cuyahoga Valley National Park will use funds from the Krejci dump settlement to study the possibility of building trails.
16 October 2008
While market conditions have forced the cancellation of some proposed retail projects, developers of the upscale Twinsburg Fashion Place in Summit County and the Cedar Center redevelopment in South Euclid are proceeding with their plans.
15 October 2008
The Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District is planning to hold a series of community meetings at which it will present its plans for a regional stormwater management program.
Summit County leaders are asking the County's 31 cities, villages, and townships to adopt a revenue sharing agreement. It calls for revenue sharing in cases where large employers move from one Summit County community to another, or when financial incentives are used to induce a relocation.
10 October 2008
Several cities and villages in northern Summit County have rejected the City of Cleveland's water main maintenance and no poaching proposal.
The Twinsburg Planning Commission approved the Cleveland Clinic's revised plans for a medical campus on Darrow Road near I-480.
03 October 2008
Macedonia officials are not interested in participating in the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District's proposed regional stormwater management program.
25 September 2008
The Cleveland Clinic submitted revised plans for a new medical complex off of Darrow Road in Twinsburg. The changes are intended to lessen the impacts upon the 86 acre site's wetlands and springs.
23 September 2008
The second piece in WKSU's NEO Development series examines the work being undertaken by the partners participating in the Cuyahoga Valley Initiative.
12 September 2008
The Ohio EPA remains concerned about the effects of a proposed Cleveland Clinic facility on wetlands and streams in Twinsburg. The Clinic is seeking permission to fill in some of the property's high-quality wetlands and rare cold-water springs. The two sides are continuing negotiations.
10 September 2008
Last week, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in Cincinnati reversed a lower court decision that had granted Advanced Hydro Solutions access to the Gorge Metro Park in Summit County. The Court of Appeals returned the case to U.S. District Court in Akron with instructions to dismiss it (PDF) for lack of jurisdiction.
22 August 2008
At a public meeting on Wednesday, Ohio EPA staff expressed "significant concerns" about the Cleveland Clinic's plans to build a new medical campus in Twinsburg. The 86 acre site includes 23.5 acres of wetlands, and the Clinic's plans call for filling in a portion of them. The two sides are in negotiations to resolve the EPA's concerns.
15 August 2008
The Twinsburg Architectural Review Board is concerned about the increasing number of historic homes that have been allowed to fall into disrepair and subsequently demolished. Earlier this year, the City discontinued a home repair loan program.
13 August 2008
Walking the River (PDF), a new documentary about the Cuyahoga River from Blue Hole Productions, will premiere on August 15 at the Happy Days Lodge in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. WVIZ plans to broadcast the film this fall.
Update: WKSU interviewed the filmmakers.
11 August 2008
The National Park Service is working to reduce automobile traffic in its parks. In the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad's Bike Aboard service has tripled in popularity this summer. It offers cyclists the opportunity to bike the Towpath Trail in one direction and ride the train in the other for a $2 fare.
08 August 2008
Geis Companies, a local industrial developer, is using the proceeds from its January sale of ten suburban industrial properties to reinvest in projects across Greater Cleveland. Through its Hemingway Development division, the company has made purchases in Brecksville, Boston Heights, Mayfield Village, and Warrensville Heights.
25 July 2008
The Twinsburg Township Trustees unanimously voted to rezone the site of the proposed Twinsburg Fashion Place shopping center from residential and neighborhood commercial to interchange mixed use.
Update: the Twinsburg Bulletin supplies more details.
17 July 2008
One homeowner on the site of the proposed Twinsburg Fashion Place shopping center is refusing to sell her house. Developer Dr. Bahman Guyuron said that "the project is going to go forward, whether she cooperates or not."
11 July 2008
Some members of Twinsburg City Council want to eliminate the City's department of community planning and development. They are considering a charter amendment that could appear on the November ballot.
07 July 2008
A story in yesterday's Akron Beacon Journal examines the overbuilt retail market in Summit County. It references the Northeast Ohio Regional Retail Analysis and the 2007 follow-up study done by Cleveland State students.
If the proposed rezoning for the Twinsburg Fashion Place development is approved, members of the Twinsburg Board of Education expect that they will be asked to authorize a TIF package for the retail project.
01 July 2008
The Trust for Public Land reached an agreement with the Musical Arts Association that could lead to the transfer of 620 undeveloped acres around Blossom Music Center to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The Musical Arts Association will retain the 140 acres occupied by Blossom facilities. The agreement is contingent upon appropriations from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund.
Update: the Akron Beacon Journal has more information.
17 June 2008
15 people applied to operate the three available farms in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
29 May 2008
A land use study was released for the Route 8 corridor in Northern Summit County yesterday. It includes an analysis of 918 acres in Macedonia, Boston Heights, and Northfield Center Township. Less than half of the area is developable because of environmental restrictions on the land. Among other items, the study identified opportunities that a restoration of Brandywine Creek could create.
Update: Silverlode Consulting Corp.'s slideshow (PDF, 1.9 MB) is now online.
Advanced Hydro Solutions still wants to build a hydroelectric plant at the Cuyahoga River dam in the Gorge Metro Park. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission terminated the application for the project last June, but the company is now seeking a renewal of the permit.
27 May 2008
The Cleveland Area Mountain Bike Association is trying to convince the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and the Metroparks systems in Cuyahoga and Summit counties to build a 100 mile network of unpaved trails.
23 May 2008
Leaders in Summit County are preparing a plan for a countywide revenue sharing program. Summit County Executive Russ Pry discussed the idea with a group of Summit County mayors yesterday.
22 May 2008
Twinsburg City Council rejected a proposed riparian setback ordinance that would have established a 120 foot buffer along Tinkers Creek.
21 May 2008
The planned retail development on the site of the former Boston Hills Country Club continues to be a source of controversy, and a Boston Heights resident is now suing the Village for overriding last year's referendum issue.
20 May 2008
The construction of a wastewater storage basin in Akron reduced combined sewer overflows from 40 in 2006 to 17 in 2007. City officials are also working on a sewer separation plan.
15 May 2008
The Akron/Summit County Convention & Visitors Bureau will fund the Plant Your Meeting initiative, which will plant trees in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The plantings will begin this fall and next spring.
05 May 2008
The planned move of a company from Macedonia to Hudson has created skepticism among some Northeast Ohio leaders about the local potential for revenue sharing. Advance Northeast Ohio says that the move illustrates the challenges of negotiating individual revenue sharing deals and the need for a regional approach.
30 April 2008
The Village of Boston Heights settled a lawsuit with the developers seeking to build on the former Boston Heights Country Club site. The settlement (PDF) allows the developers to construct retail and office space on 100 acres of the 160 acre property.
17 April 2008
The Cuyahoga Valley National Park, in conjunction with Cuyahoga Valley Countryside Conservancy, is currently accepting proposals (PDF) for long-term leases of three farms in the Park: the 16 acre Martin Farm in Bath Township, the 10 acre Leyser Farm in Brecksville, and the 25 acre Gleeson Farm in Valley View.
Update: WKSU has more details.
Editorials in the Akron Beacon Journal, Plain Dealer, and Record Courier encourage the U.S. Congress to allocate funds for the Cuyahoga Valley National Park to purchase threatened privately-held properties within its borders. Beacon Journal columnist Steve Hoffman says that the park's regular visitors must pressure members of the local congressional delegation.
14 April 2008
The Village of Boston Heights reached a tentative settlement (PDF) with the developer seeking to build big box retail and possibly a hospital on the site of the former Boston Hills Country Club. Village leaders approved a similar development last spring, but it was rejected by voters in a November referendum issue. The developer responded by suing the Village. Residents are now considering litigation of their own.
11 April 2008
The Brandywine Golf Course in Peninsula is no longer for sale, because its owner pulled if off the market. The Cuyahoga Valley National Park may purchase a conservation easement for the property.
Update: the Plain Dealer has more details.
At a public hearing in Twinsburg Township, some residents expressed their support for the proposed Twinsburg Fashion Place shopping center, but were concerned that the City of Twinsburg might attempt to annex the property. Developer Bahman Guyuron characterized the situation as a race between his project and the proposed mixed-use Central Parc development in Solon.
Central Parc is facing a potential delay due to issues surrounding the planned expansion of a stormwater detention basin near North Huntington Drive. The development could also create increased costs for the City due to the projected need to hire additional safety personnel.
08 April 2008
The Musical Arts Association is interested in selling 600 acres at Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, but the Park cannot afford to purchase the land. Park officials are also concerned about the possible sale and development of the privately-owned Brandywine Golf Course in Peninsula. America's Heritage For Sale, a new report from the National Parks Conservation Association, says that the Park needs $8 million to purchase the properties.
Update: the Plain Dealer published a map and additional details. WKSU also reported on the issue.
Olivet Institutional Baptist Church dropped its plans to move from Cleveland's Fairfax neighborhood to Twinsburg. The church will instead refurbish its Quincy Avenue campus.
Update: the Twinsburg Sun offers additional details.
04 April 2008
The Twinsburg Township Zoning Commission is considering a rezoning request by the developer of the proposed 803,731 square foot Twinsburg Fashion Place shopping center. The Zoning Commission is also contemplating the development's traffic implications. Developer Bahman Guyuron wants to begin construction as soon as possible. Meanwhile, Peter Rubin of the Coral Co. says that his proposed Central Parc development in Solon needs to be built first in order to reach its full economic potential.
28 March 2008
This week's Twinsburg Sun asks many questions about Twinsburg Fashion Place, the proposed lifestyle center in Twinsburg and Twinsburg Township. Representatives of the developer will appear at the Twinsburg Township Zoning Commission meeting on Monday.
The Cleveland Clinic must revise its plans for a Twinsburg medical campus because of a technical error in the plans.
19 March 2008
Plans for the Twinsburg Fashion Place lifestyle center were unveiled yesterday. The proposed $100 million retail development would sit on 95 acres in Twinsburg and Twinsburg Township. Developers asserted that the project could create 1,200 jobs.
Update: the Plain Dealer gathered reactions to the announcement.
12 March 2008
Several area officials declared that plans for a soccer stadium in northern Summit County are dead.
28 February 2008
The Twinsburg Planning Commission gave its final approval to plans for a new Cleveland Clinic facility on Darrow Road.
22 February 2008
A moratorium on planned residential developments in Twinsburg Township will be lifted on March 11. It has been in place since December 2006.
21 February 2008
Metro Parks, Serving Summit County will spend $150,000 on efforts to reduce the impacts of increased stormwater runoff on Furnace Run and its Rock Creek tributary.
08 February 2008
Bahman Guyuran is now proposing a mixed-use development on 42 acres at I-480 and Hadden Road. The previous proposal called for a large shopping mall. The Summit County Planning Commission will review the project, which will also be considered by the Twinsburg Zoning Commission at 7:00 p.m. this Monday.
30 January 2008
The board of the Macedonia and Northfield Center Township JEDD approved funding for the Route 8 corridor land use study. The board also voted to nullify an annexation agreement that it ratified last year for the proposed soccer stadium complex.
25 January 2008
By February 1, the Greater Akron Chamber of Commerce is expected to select a consultant to prepare a land use study for the Route 8 corridor between Highland Road and Hines Hill Road in Macedonia and Northfield Center Township.
11 January 2008
Summa Health System and Western Reserve Hospital Partners have proposed building a new hospital at an undetermined location in northern Summit County's Route 8 corridor. The construction would join a planned Cleveland Clinic facility and a new University Hospitals facility in Twinsburg.
26 December 2007
The Wolstein Sports and Entertainment Group is still interested in building a soccer stadium in Macedonia, which may be possible without a Summit County sin tax. The company is also looking at sites in other counties.
21 December 2007
The Cleveland Clinic officially unveiled plans for the Cleveland Clinic Twinsburg Family Health and Surgery Center on Darrow Road near I-480. The first phase will consist of a four story, 168,500 square foot facility on the 86 acre site. Construction of the $71.5 million building is scheduled to begin next spring.
06 December 2007
The Cleveland Clinic submitted plans for the Cleveland Clinic Twinsburg Medical Campus, which will be reviewed by the Twinsburg Planning Commission on December 17. Plans for the first phase show a four story, 144,000 square foot building on 38 acres. Construction is expected to begin in 2008 and end in 2009.
30 November 2007
Increasing suburban development in the Furnace Run watershed in Cuyahoga and Summit Counties has created additional runoff, which is causing more erosion and sedimentation downstream, according to a report from the Ohio EPA (PDF).
15 November 2007
Because Boston Heights voters rejected the retail development proposal for the site of the former Boston Hills County Club, the developer's $10 million lawsuit against the Village will continue. He says that the issue left the property without an economically viable use.
07 November 2007
Election recap
Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority
Issue 14 (renewal levy): passed
Tri-City Joint Recreation District
Issue 19 (Berea): passed
Issue 27 (Brook Park): passed
Broadview Heights
Issue 26 (retail rezoning): passed
Highland Heights
Issue 61 (rezoning): passed
Seven Hills
Issue 76 (Rockside Terrace rezoning): passed
Issue 80 (Lutheran Home rezoning): passed
Issue 81 (Crocker Park rezoning): passed
Issue 35 (rec center/stadium tax): passed
Charter Amendment 1 (eliminate planning director): passed
Issue 23 (establish planning department): passed
Issue 25 (establish Master Plan Review Commission): passed
Boston Heights
Issue 51 (retail rezoning): failed
Issue 52 (permit big box retail): failed
Issue 50 (zoning code changes): failed
For complete Cuyahoga County results, visit the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections or Cleveland.com.
06 November 2007
John Debo, Superintendent of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, says that the biggest problems the park faces are "flooding, flooding, and flooding." Increased runoff from recent exurban development in communities surrounding the Park has worsened the problem. In response, the Park has begun working with the communities to improve their stormwater management techniques.
AMATS published its 2030 Future Highway Congestion Study (PDF, 20.9 MB), which features traffic projections through 2030. It anticipates that traffic congestion in the Akron area will increase, but at a slower rate than the national average.
31 October 2007
In Boston Heights, two retail zoning issues will appear on next Tuesday's ballot as the result of referendums. Issue 51 is a vote on the retail rezoning of the former Boston Hills Country Club, and Issue 52 is about adding big box stores as a conditional use in retail business districts.
24 October 2007
Up to $40,000 has been made available to conduct an economic development study for the site of the proposed soccer stadium and retail complex in Macedonia. Mayor Kuchta stated that he would prefer the development to remain on hold until the study is completed.
12 October 2007
In addition to considering a site in Brunswick, outdoors retailer Cabela's is rumored to be considering a proposed development in Twinsburg or Twinsburg Township for its first Northeast Ohio store.
03 October 2007
After two years of work, excavation of the Krejci Dump in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park is nearing completion. The environmental cleanup should be completed by fall 2008 if additional contamination is not discovered.
28 September 2007
Macedonia Mayor Don Kuchta declared that "the stadium issue is dead." He said a lack of investments from developers of the proposed soccer stadium complex and an environmental impact study performed by the National Park Service changed his mind about the project.
19 September 2007
As Hudson's First & Main development celebrates its third anniversary, the Hudson Hub Times looks back at its history. Planning is underway for phase two of Hudson's downtown development vision.
18 September 2007
Macedonia Mayor Don Kuchta expects that the proposed soccer stadium complex will not be built in the near future. He also wants to conduct an economic development study for the Route 8 corridor.
(Update: The News-Leader has more details.)
20 August 2007
Summit County leaders want more information about the proposed soccer stadium and retail complex in Macedonia before they decide whether to put a sin tax for the stadium on the ballot.
01 August 2007
Developers of the proposed soccer stadium and retail development scaled back the complex to 125 acres in Macedeonia and dropped the proposed annexation of 200 acres of Northfield Township.
30 July 2007
Summit County Council decided not to place a sin tax for the proposed soccer stadium on the November ballot. Officials felt that the timing was wrong because there are two other countywide levies on the November ballot. The sin tax may appear on the March ballot. An Akron Beacon Journal editorial says that it was a wise decision.
26 July 2007
Officials in Twinsburg and Twinsburg Township are awaiting details of the proposed retail and medical research center development on 90 acres off of I-480.
25 July 2007
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency awarded grants to the Western Reserve Land Conservancy for the acquisition of conservation easements for 132 acres of riparian buffers along the East Branch of the Rocky River in Summit and Medina Counties, and to Grand River Partners for the restoration and protection of 300 acres of riparian buffers and wetlands in the lower Grand River watershed in Lake County.
23 July 2007
The developer of a proposed shopping center on the site of the former Boston Hills Country Club filed a complaint in the Summit County Court of Common Pleas. The complaint asks for $10 million from the Village of Boston Heights if residents are successful in an effort to get the retail rezoning on the ballot via referendum.
Officials from Macedonia and Northfield Center Township reached a tentative agreement that calls for Macedonia to annex more than 200 acres along Route 8 south of Highland Road for the proposed soccer stadium complex. On August 6, Summit County Council is expected to vote on placing the proposed sin tax on the November ballot.
(Update: annexation talks are continuing, and Summit County Council has not yet voted on the sin tax proposal.)
19 July 2007
In November, Twinsburg voters will have the opportunity to vote on the creation of a mixed-use zoning classification. Municipal officials hope that it will encourage downtown development.
13 July 2007
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission refused to reconsider its termination of a permit for the proposed hydroelectric project in Gorge Metro Park.
Bahman Guyuron, a Lyndhurst-based plastic surgeon, wants to build a shopping center on 90 acres in Twinsburg and Twinsburg Township. He owns all but one property in the area south of I-480 and east of Hadden Road, and the Twinsburg Township Trustees initiated the process to acquire the remaining property via eminent domain in March. The development would require the Twinsburg Township portion to be rezoned from residential to commercial, and Guyuron also wants the City and Township to establish a JEDD.
12 July 2007
Between 80 and 125 acres of the Pond Brook wetlands will be restored at Liberty Park in Twinsburg Township.
(Update: The Akron Beacon Journal presents additional information and photographs.)
11 July 2007
Advanced Hydro Solutions asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to reconsider its application for the proposed hydroelectric project in Gorge Metro Park. The federal agency terminated the application last month.
06 July 2007
By a vote of 3-2, Macedonia City Council approved a controversial 100%, 30 year tax increment financing package for the proposed Mary Maria senior housing complex. The TIF will be used to fund the construction of a road connecting Valley View Road to Route 82.
19 June 2007
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission terminated Advanced Hydrosolutions' application for a hydroelectric project in the Gorge Metro Park because the company was unable to gain access to the park. Company President David Sinclair says they are reviewing the decision and are still pursuing the project.
13 June 2007
Developer Paul Garofolo presented his plans for the proposed soccer stadium complex to Summit County Council on Monday. In addition to the retractable roof stadium, the plans call for a large retail component, a medical campus, and hotel development. He said the project could bring as much as $12 billion dollars to the county over the next 30 years.
11 June 2007
The Cuyahoga Valley National Park is soliciting public input on the environmental assessment for proposed modifications to the Virginia Kendall Dam in northern Summit County. The deadline for feedback is June 30.
08 June 2007
An Akron Beacon Journal editorial concludes that Summit County Council "must have a clear understanding of the net benefit before giving their approval" to a sin tax issue to support the proposed soccer stadium complex.
Summit County Council unanimously approved a tax increment financing agreement with a developer planning to build a road as part of a senior housing complex in Macedonia. City Council has not voted on the proposal.
05 June 2007
Yesterday, a resolution for a sin tax to support the proposed Summit County soccer stadium complex was introduced in Summit County Council. The 35-year tax on cigarettes, wine, and beer would be used to raise $100 million for the development of the 400 acre site in Macedonia and Northfield Center Township. The proposed tax will appear on the November ballot if it's approved by August 23.
04 June 2007
Additional incentives beyond the approved $1.5 million sales tax rebate may be necessary to lure Bass Pro Shops to Akron. Other communities that have attracted stores offered infrastructure improvements, increased tax breaks, and site preparation work as incentives.
01 June 2007
Macedonia City Council is considering a proposed tax increment financing package for public improvements in a new senior housing complex.
31 May 2007
Although Summit County Council recently approved incentives to attract Bass Pro Shops to Akron, Summit and Medina County leaders continue to pursue a Cabela's store. Summit County hopes to link a Cabela's to the proposed domed soccer stadium, and the Medina County Commissioners approved a sales tax break if the company builds a store near I-71 and Route 303 in Brunswick.
18 May 2007
Developers of the proposed northern Summit County soccer stadium complex asked the board of the Nordonia Hills City Schools District to extend the 2006 compensation agreement until June 30, 2008. The agreement expired last December. Developer Paul Garofolo indicated that he hopes to seek voter approval for public funding of a retractable dome for the proposed stadium in November.
08 May 2007
Yesterday, Boston Heights residents delivered referendum petitions to the Village regarding the rezoning of the former Boston Hills Country Club. If the signatures are certified, the issue may appear on the November ballot.
Today's Plain Dealer supplies more details about the new 1.75 mile stretch of the Towpath Trail at Steelyard Commons in Cleveland. Meanwhile, Summit County may meet a landowner's demand for $80,000 to purchase land that was appraised for $20,000 and is needed for the trail.
Bob Downing of the Akron Beacon Journal toured the wetlands at Pond Brook South. Public access to the 227 acre area recently acquired by Metro Parks, Serving Summit County will likely be limited.
27 April 2007
A federal appeals court rejected Advanced Hydrosolutions' suit to gain access to Gorge Metro Park, overturning a lower court and indicating that the case belongs in state court. The company is seeking access to the park to conduct environmental tests for a proposed Gorge Park Dam hydroelectric project, which is opposed by the Metro Parks, Serving Summit County.
20 April 2007
Cleveland Clinic representatives cautioned that their plans to build a medical campus in Twinsburg have not been finalized.
13 April 2007
Boston Heights Village Council approved a controversial rezoning of the former Boston Hills County Club, rezoning almost 66 acres from residential to retail. Developers want to build a shopping center on the rezoned portion of the site and 100 houses on the remaining area. Residents opposed to the development plan to fight the rezoning.
The Cleveland Clinic plans to build medical campus on Darrow Road in Twinsburg, starting with a a 75,000 square foot hospital to be completed in 2008 or 2009. University Hospitals is also building a medical center in the City.
(Update: The Plain Dealer has additional details.)
09 April 2007
The owner of a strip of land needed for the Towpath Trail near the border of Akron and Coventry Township is preventing the trail's construction by demanding $80,000 for the land, which was appraised at $26,000.
28 March 2007
Boston Heights Village Council is considering raising the maximum permitted size of single-story retail establishments from 50,000 square feet to 125,000 square feet. If approved, it would permit the construction of proposed big box stores.
27 March 2007
Over 285 people attended last night's listening session at the Cuyahoga Valley National Park to offer suggestions on ways the Park could invest funds from the proposed NPS Centennial Initiative. Citizens can also provide feedback via the web until April 2.
A report by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Ohio EPA, to be released later this year or in early 2008, may answer some questions regarding unhealthy fish populations in upstream Tinkers Creek. The questions involve levels of turbidity, as well as the presence and effect of pharmaceutical products in the stream.
13 March 2007
Plans in northern Summit County call for rerouting a one mile stretch of the Bike & Hike Trail in Northfield Center and Sagamore Hills Townships from Brandywine Road to an off-road route. Meanwhile, the City of Akron is planning a 7,000 foot extension of the Towpath Trail that includes a floating section.
27 February 2007
Cuyahoga County may sell the 435 acre Youth Development Center in Hudson. The property was recently appraised at $15 million. Some judges and juvenile justice advocates are concerned about the fate of the approximately 200 children housed at the center.
26 February 2007
The Cuyahoga Valley National Park does not support the proposed retail and residential development on the site of the former Boston Hills Country Club, because it would cause increased flooding, erosion, and sedimentation problems along Brandywine Creek, and also create traffic congestion, ruin the area's rural character, and degrade the National Park.
21 February 2007
Metro Parks, Serving Summit County completed their acquisition of 227 acres of wetlands in Twinsburg Township. The Trust for Public Land purchased the land for $3.3 million last year.
(Update: The Plain Dealer has more details.)
16 February 2007
About 30 Boston Heights residents attended a public meeting on Wednesday about the residential and retail development proposed for the site of Boston Heights Country Club. Many in attendance did not support the plans. "I don't think anyone here wants our community to turn into Macedonia," said one.
Next week, the Cuyahoga Valley Communities Council will complete its transformation into a council of governments. Patricia Carey will serve as its new executive director.
Developers of the proposed soccer stadium and retail development in northern Summit County submitted an "amended and restated compensation agreement" to the Nordonia Hills City Schools, after the previous agreement approved last April expired at the end of 2006.
14 February 2007
A lack of funding may delay or prevent the construction of a planned Route 8 access road in northern Summit County.
The Cuyahoga Valley National Park is seeking a new developer for the 1840 Jim Brown Farm in Cuyahoga Falls and the 1833 Hammond-Cranz Farm in Bath Township after the previous developer was unable to secure financing.
12 February 2007
The conversion of State Route 8 (Windows Media, 42.3 MB) in northern Summit County to a limited-access freeway is scheduled to begin next month. The $111.2 million phase one will cover work between Twinsburg Road and I-271 and includes the construction of five new bridges, the widening of six existing bridges, and a new interchange at I-271.
07 February 2007
President Bush's proposed federal budget includes a $1 million funding increase for the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Park officials plan to use the funds to boost maintenance, educational programs, staffing, and security.
25 January 2007
Yesterday, workers placed a 65 foot long pedestrian bridge over the Ohio & Erie Canal near Lock 2 Park in Akron. When completed, it will form part of a Towpath Trail loop around downtown Akron.
12 January 2007
Rural Boston Heights in Summit County has become very attractive to retail developers, and Village leaders are dealing with proposals for two major retail centers near the intersection of the Ohio Turnpike and State Route 8. The site of the proposed Summit County soccer stadium/retail development is also nearby.
11 January 2007
Northfield Center Township Trustees unanimously voted to deny a rezoning request for a 51 acre site at Twinsburg Road near State Route 8. Developers want to use the property and an additional 150 acres in Boston Heights for a mixed-use lifestyle center. They may ask Boston Heights to annex the land.
Peak Resorts Inc., owner of Brandywine Ski Resort in Sagamore Hills, purchased the adjacent closed Dover Lake Waterpark. They "plan to use the park for winter operations," and do not intend to reopen it as a waterpark.
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Intertwined, can you point me to where you read the opposite if you can remember which forum please?
I'm compiling (still mostly in my head, but with some notes now) my all-the-horrid-things-you-did-to-us letter to send to the mat unit and scbu so anything evidence based on this would be veeeery appreciated
Fledgling midwife on hiatus, Wife to B, mama to C (c/s 12/04) and S (12/07), m/c (3/12) and expecting another bean 6/13 .
In the case of babies being in separate sacs and placentas, my midwife will delay cord cutting for up to 5 minutes.
She explained it to me that the cutting of the cord triggers a response for the placentas to detach from the uterus. This in turn can cause a cut off of oxygen to the second baby.
We have two separate sacs and placentas and will be delaying cutting the cord for the first baby while we continue to monitor the second baby.
happily married mama to DD1 4/08, 12/31/09, and DD2 5/11
Missionary, birth-worker, midwifery student
Mama to DD (9yr), DS (3yr), & UC twin DDs (5yr)
Banana, doula wife to Papa Banana and mother to Banana One, Banana Two, Banana Three, Banana Four...
wife - mother - midwife
The more you know, the worse it gets.
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
UN refugee chief, Lesotho leader discuss xenophobic attacks in South Africa
|UN News Service
|Publication Date
|11 June 2008
|Cite as
|UN News Service, UN refugee chief, Lesotho leader discuss xenophobic attacks in South Africa, 11 June 2008, available at: http://www.refworld.org/docid/4860ae6a1e.html [accessed 29 May 2016]
|This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
The United Nations refugee chief has held talks with the Prime Minister of Lesotho on the recent wave of xenophobic attacks in neighbouring South Africa that have left some 60 people dead and tens of thousands of foreigners homeless.
António Guterres, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and Pakalitha Mosisili also discussed the agency's operations across Southern Africa and the growing role of regional bodies in dealing with migration issues during their talks, held in Geneva yesterday.
Mr. Guterres said last month's attacks in South Africa, which sparked a chorus of concern from senior UN officials and support from UNHCR for the newly homeless, were the result of extreme poverty.
"In such situations scapegoats are often foreigners, including refugees and asylum-seekers," he said. "But xenophobia is not specific to South Africa it is a global problem and we see it also in some developed countries."
Mr. Guterres added that his office in the South African city of Pretoria is continuing to work closely with the South African Government to meet the immediate humanitarian needs of the victims of the violence.


text:
Often, when i read something on my RSS feed, I think that it would be an interesting item to share with others. Sometimes, when i have an immediate association with a person whom it can interest, I would forward a link. Many times, however, I choose not to, in order not to spam people's mailboxes. So here is what i decided to do…
I want to start posting (from time to time) kind of a digest of various blog-posts I found interesting. I will provide links and a couple of lines description of what it is about. If you find it interesting, click; if not, don't. Very simple 🙂 I have no idea how often I will post those, but hope you will find those interesting. Of course, any feedback will be appreciated.
"Comcast forgets the business it is in" – a post by Robert Picard reflecting on the recent battles Comcast has with its own clients on the grounds of limiting file sharing. His argument that by doing so, Comcast is focusing on optimizing its network usage instead of focusing on its core business, which is supplying content to people.
"Could Google's data collection get more intrusive?" – InformationWeek article republished on "Googalization of everything" ran by Siva Vaidhyanathan. It tells a story of a research paper suggesting data collection about human behavior using other electronic devices in the household, not just the personal computer.
"Make Your Life Flash Before Your Eyes" – Guy Kawasakiintroduces a product that makes it easier to tell your life story in pictures. It looks nice.
"Microsoft's Free Tools for Scholarly Research" – an update by hratner of "the scholarly kitchen" about MS free research tools. Although the description of the tools didn't immediately prompt me to check them out, they may turn out to be useful in the future.
"Pressure mounts in the USA for a national broadband infrastructure policy" – an interesting post from Lawrence Baker of BuddeCom about the prospects of broadband infrastructure; is high speed internet worth policy that might cost well over $80-100 billion?
"The new powerhouses of Central Asia" – the world is catching up! snippets of what looks like a very interesting BuddeCom report about telecom developments in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bhutan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
"China becomes world's largest internet market" – according to blorge, China, with 19.1% penetration, is now number one country in the world in the number of citizens who are online; that is compared to US with 71% penetration; I wonder what are the long-term repercussions of these numbers with all the power-to-the-user 2.0-ishness?
"Mobile Phones and the Digital Divide" – PC World article by Ken Banks who argues for subsidized advanced handsets in the developing countries as a means of bridging the digital divide; not sure i would subscribe to 100% of his argument, but it is an interesting read.
So, what do you think? Do you find this kind of digest interesting/useful?


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SXSW often features a movie that Mark Duplass has dabbled in. Thriller "Creep" is this year's model.
As busy as he is, multi-tasker Duplass ("The League," "Cyrus," "Your Sister's Sister") enjoys collaborating with young filmmakers--in this case recent Cal Arts grad Patrick Brice, whose thesis film "Maurice" played Rotterdam and won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Short Doc at the Florida Film Festival. They co-wrote and filmed this found-footage two-hander off a ten-page outline. Instead of writing a long script, they skipped to the shooting phase, spending a few weeks at a remote cabin near Big Bear, California. Their first footage was "terrible," admits Duplass. And then they reshot. And reshot, "shooting as we go."
Obsessed with watching the odd behavior of real people, Duplass never forgot his own three-hour experience dealing with breaking down a loft bed that he was buying that was supposed to be unassembled: "This guy talked about his divorce, how 'Star Wars' was evolving. He had no sense of personal space, made intense eye contact. I was terrified for my life. It stuck with me."
After Brice, Duplass and editor Christopher Donlon got the picture close to where they wanted it, Duplass showed an assemblage to micro-budget horror-meister Jason Blum, recognizing that this story about a naive filmmaker (Brice) who answers a Craig's List ad to make $1000 to film a stranger for eight hours had crossed over to the dark side. Blum upped the chills and thrills with requisite sound cues and pop scares. "It keeps you in the mood," says Blum.
"It's exciting to us to have that tonal weirdness," adds Duplass. "We wanted to let it ride."
Duplass plays Josef, an in-your-face weirdo in exercise gear who enjoys putting his skittish cinematographer on edge by stripping naked for a bath and popping out of dark corners in a wolf mask he calls Peachfuzz. The movie is as funny as it is creepy and elicited laughs and fright in equal measure during its world premiere at the Stateside in Austin.
The two-hander is dependent on a single camera POV, which limits its options cinematically. But Duplass is a compelling actor who never flags, and Brice holds his own. Will our young man escape unscathed? With tiny flicks like this, who knows where it will go?
The ax that is featured in the movie? It's real.
I talked to Blum and Duplass at the Four Seasons, below, as sales rep Josh Braun was navigating offers from various buyers. Magnolia and TWC's RADiUS were at the screening.


text:
If you're installing a new gas or electric service or changing an existing one, there is a series of steps you need to take. We offer an array of online tools and resources to help you through the process.
If you're ready to get started now, sign up for Customer Connections Online. It allows you to submit, track and manage applications for new service installations, temporary construction power, service relocations and rearrangements, new streetlight services and electric generation interconnections.
Get Started Now »
If you're a developer, agriculture customer, business owner or property manager, please visit Building and Renovation Services for Businesses.
If you've already signed up, simply log in to submit, track or manage an application.
Look up your local planning and building departments for permits, inspections and regulations.
See what happens every step of the way, from applying and building to getting connected.
Familiarize yourself with terms used when describing gas and electric service installations.
Our Getting Started Guides walk you through the process of installing or making changes to your gas and electric services.
Project costs can vary tremendously, depending on the extent of the project, site conditions and other factors.
From obtaining permits and setting up temporary power to meeting load requirements, you'll find the information you need.
This convenient online tool makes it easy for you to submit, track and manage applications for gas and electric service.


text:
How to Recycle Your Old iPhone
Are you getting the new iPhone 5? Pre-Orders have already hit two million in 24 hours, more than double the demand of the iPhone 4S. Whether or not you need to upgrade is up to you, but if you decide to make the leap, what are you going to do with your old one? Apple has sold more than 244 million iPhones since its release in 2007. That's a lot of old iPhones sitting around in the junk drawer. USA Today has created a handy list of ways to recycle your old iPhone to ensure that it doesn't become another wasted piece of hardware taking up desk space.
There are the obvious ideas, such as passing it on to your kids for their very first cell phone, or to a parent so you can get them on the Apple bandwagon. But what about keeping it as a miniature iPad? Use it as a camera or even watch videos on it, if you have a Wi-Fi connection. Consider donating it to a charitable cause. Cell Phones for Soldiers buys calling cards for soldiers with the profits made from recycling old iPhones. The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence refurbishes and resells old iPhones, with the profits supporting the group's mission.
You could keep it around as a very expensive alarm clock. Or make a few bucks and sell it on eBay. Glyde.com and Gazelle are companies that offer cash for your old model. Or you can turn it in for store credit at GameStop or Apple. Keep it as backup in case your new baby is lost or stolen. Or stick it in an iPod dock and stream music. Do you have any other fun ideas to recycle your iPhone?
- Sep 18 2012
- By Ariston
- Tweet


text:
Subject: Re: [OMPI devel] ob1 and req->req_state
From: Shipman, Galen M. (gshipman_at_[hidden])
Date: 2008-06-23 16:43:34
We use req_state currently to track that we receive both RNDV
completion and RNDV ack prior to freeing the request..
- Galen
On Jun 23, 2008, at 3:23 PM, Brian W. Barrett wrote:
> On Mon, 23 Jun 2008, Jeff Squyres wrote:
>> On Jun 23, 2008, at 3:17 PM, Brian W. Barrett wrote:
>>> Just because it's volatile doesn't mean that adds are atomic.
>>> There's at least one place in the PML (or used to be) where two
>>> threads could decrement that counter at the same time.
>> With atomics, then both subtracts should occur, right? So a
>> request could go from ACTIVE -> INACTIVE -> INVALID. Is that what
>> is desired? (I honestly don't know enough about ob1 to say)
>> Or should we just be assigning a specific state, rather than
>> relying on subtracting? That was my real question.
> I honestly don't know. I just remember that there were some cases
> where we were doing crazy counting.
> Brian
> _______________________________________________
> devel mailing list
> devel_at_[hidden]
> http://www.open-mpi.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/devel


text:
14, 2012
ML Game 6
Carman Insurance 10
Campbells Restaurant
Carman's bats came alive in support of a strong effort on the hill by Justin Heidig, Heidig went 4 and 2/3rd innings and Dennis Harrsch came in to earn the save. Patrick O'Kane led way with 3 hits, ( inside the park HR) Nathan Furman 3 hits including a double, Brian Dewar roped a double as did Keith Stubblebine. John Curran added 2 singles and provided solid defense at 1st base. Brian Paz threw 2 scoreless innings for Campbell's and also slugged a double.
Pitch counts:
Heidig – 87
Harrsch – 35
Daugherty – 85
Pazulski – 32


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The film-making trio of writer-director Edgar Wright, writer-star Simon Pegg and co-star Nick Frost have so far given us a zombie spoof (Shaun of the Dead) and an action cop comedy (Hot Fuzz), so it's no surprise they're completing what is being called the Cornetto Trilogy with a satirical sci-fi apocalyptic epic.
The name of the trilogy refers to a simple recurring joke in the films involving a Cornetto icecream; so while there are many differences between the films there are plenty of similarities such as this for fans to enjoy.
The chemistry is again fabulous, the dry sense of humour and sharp one-liners between Frost and Pegg are as good as ever, and shared by new cast members Paddy Considine and Eddie Marsan, Martin Freeman and his onscreen sister, Rosamund Pike.
The whole film takes place over one night as five estranged high school friends reluctantly reunite in their home town of Newton Haven to complete a historic pub crawl they failed to finish 20 years earlier.
They're brought together by Gary King, played by Pegg, the one member of the group who hasn't moved on from his partying teenage years.
While the humour and tone feels familiar, there are a few changes to the formula. For a change, Frost plays the straight man, while Pegg gets the manipulative and less likeable role.
It's also deeper, by a smidgen, than the previous films, in particular concerning Gary's inability to cope with a life that's resulted in little more than addiction, and how we tend to lose touch with friends from earlier in our our lives.
But as much as this is a buddy film it's more importantly, as the title suggests, an end-of-the-world sci-fi movie. It takes a few pubs and pints for the action to begin, as their pub crawl is interrupted by townsfolk whose bodies have been invaded by an alien race.
The World's End is the slickest of the trilogy and probably the cleverest, although the chaotic action means the astute and often witty lines and one-liners sometimes get lost.
Frost and Pegg are well practised though, and successfully pull us into a quest that, while not laugh-out-loud, is a fitting finale to an accidental trilogy.
Stars: 3.5/5
Cast: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost
Director: Edgar Wright
Running time: 108 mins
Rating: R13 (violence, offensive language, sexual references)
Verdict: A fitting finale to a trilogy of spoofs
Follow @nzherald_ent on Twitter for all the latest entertainment news.
- TimeOut


text:
Rated 5 out of 5 by 1 reviewer.
Rated 5 out of 5 by Robin63 Incredibly Impressed!!!!! I can't tell you how incredibly impressed I am with this piece and it's companion, Paddock I. It is so high quality and beautiful. I have it in my office greeting clients and it definitely exudes a wonderful level of quality and casual sophistication. Incredibly glad I bought them!!! November 4, 2014
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