Take the Pledge - Do Your Part to bring this to Cleveland
The Greater Cleveland Sports Commission just doesn't stop. After the successful Pan Am Masters Games they went right onto the next event for the City. There's now an opportunity to attract an event that will bring over 125,000 people to the city. And you can help out. Here are some details:
"Cleveland is The Land, Ohio is The Heart of it All and the Special Olympics is fueled by the Flame of Hope burning in the heart of its inspiring athletes. The Greater Cleveland Sports Commission, Special Olympics Ohio and Destination Cleveland are teaming up to bring the 2030 Special Olympics USA Games to our city. We're talking over 5,500 athletes and coaches, plus 125,000 family members and fans. They'll all be here to witness the largest inclusive sporting event in our city's history. But we can't do it alone. Sign our pledge to help bring the Special Olympics to The Land today, rally your friends and family to sign, and join us in bringing this historic event to Cleveland."
Don't worry. The Pledge is asking for money or locking in commitments.
It asks if you want the event to come to Cleveland in 2030 and if you are willing to attend events, cheer on athletes and maybe volunteer. They reported that in just the first a week they received over 5,000 pledges but we need more to show what Cleveland can do!
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is a government agency that protects people from frauds and scams. Unfortunately, scammer often target communities that they feel are vulnerable. That may be senior citizens, immigrants or members of ethnic communities. The FTC partnered with Ethnic Media Services (EMS) and hosted an event in Cleveland Ohio on September 24, 2024 dealing with Spotting and Avoiding Scams - especially for vulnerable communities.
Experts from several agencies were joined by ethnic community leaders and members of ethnic media outlets for a robust and informative session.
There are numerous federal and local resources for people to prevent and protect from scams and also to report a scam if it occurs. The resources are available in multiple languages and should be shared with others in your community.
There are three prongs to preventing a scammer from harming you and your community: Protecting Yourself, Identifying a Scam and What to do if you were scammed. Here are some resources:
How to Protect Yourself
A great resource to learn about avoiding scams is Consumer.gov. This website includes information on scams that target immigrants, warnings about notarios and how to get legitimate help with immigration. For example:
Get advice from U.S. government websites. A website might look like it comes from the government. Make sure the website address ends with .gov. That means it is a government website.
Do not pay a notario for legal advice. Notarios will not help you, even when you pay them.
Don't carry all your important papers or ID cards with you.
Don't click on unknown links in email messages.
Make sure websites start with https. The "s" at the end means the site is secure.
Many more useful and important tips at Consumer.gov. Identifying and Preventing a Scam
Experts say that Imposter Scams are the most common currently. In Imposter Scams someone pretends to be someone they are not, maybe even a friend, relative or co-worker, and contacts you out of the blue and tries to distract you and convince you to act urgently. They want you to pay in cash or gift cards or wire transfer or similar non-standard methods.
The government and legitimate companies will never do this! In addition do NOT give out personal information in response to an unexpected request whether it comes as a text, phone call or e-mail.
You can sign up for free Consumer Alerts at ftc.gov/consumeralerts to be kept informed about the latest scams.
Don't believe your Caller ID. Technology allows for scamming here. If someone asks for money or personal information, just hang up. You can always call the legitimate number of the business to confirm.
Don't pay upfront for a promise such as job assistance, mortgage assistance or the like.
Take your time. Con artists want you to act in a hurry. If in doubt, slow down and check with trusted sources, search online and so on.
Hang up on Robocalls. Don't press a button to be taken off the list. That could lead to more calls.
Be skeptical about free trial offers. These can lead to unwanted billings and difficult cancellations.
Don't deposit a check and wire money back. This is a common scam where you will end up being responsible for paying back the bank.
Don't click on unknown links in e-mails. They can look legitimate so be very wary. Also, don't grant remote access to your computer even in messages pop up warning you.
It is very important to report if you were scammed. Go to https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/ and choose your language. You can also call the FTC at 1-877-382-4357 (1-877-FTC-HELP)
You can remain anonymous, speak in your own language and give as much or as little information as you want.
Note: Scammers are impersonating the FTC. Know that the FTC will never threaten you, say you must transfer your money to "protect it," or tell you to withdraw cash or buy gold and give it to someone. Learn more at ftc.gov/impersonators
Do not be ashamed or embarrassed. The scammers are often professionals who spend a lot of money and time trying to fool you. Everybody gets targeted and people from every age group and demographic have been scammed.
The Cleveland Cultural Gardens Federation (CCGF) has been hosting One World Day in the Gardens since 1946. A highlight of the day is the Parade of Flags where representative of over 50 communities marched in traditional clothing carrying flags of their heritage. One of the participating groups was the Indonesian community. In this video we learned about a beautiful formal Indonesian dress from the island of Bali. It's worn for important occasions like weddings and dances.
76 year old blind Cleveland Woman runs the 10K at Pan Am Masters Games
The Pan-American Masters Games are a multisport event for Masters Athletes over the age of 35. The 2024 Pan-American Masters Games were held in Cleveland Ohio USA and featured athletes from 6 continents, 48 states and more than 70 countries. Participants competed in 24 medal-contending sports.
At the Closing Celebration on Sunday July 21, 2024 we caught up with 76 year old athlete Keryl. Keryl just completed the 10K race and what makes it more impressive is that she is legally blind and ran with a guide. Wow.
The NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament, sometimes referred to as Women's March Madness, is a single-elimination tournament played each spring currently featuring 68 women's college basketball teams from the Division I level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), to determine the national championship.
For the first time, the Final Four weekend was held in Cleveland.
In the first matchup, undefeated South Carolina defeated NC State to make the NCAA women's final. Then, Caitlin Clark led an Iowa rally for 71-69 win over UConn to set up the final game. The winner of that game will be the national champion and be awarded the trophy.
Indian Fashion Show
FICA is an organization dedicated to serving the needs of the Asian Indian Community in Northeast Ohio. They hosted a celebration of India's 75th Republic Day at Lotus Banquets with cultural performances, awards, dancing, music and food.
One of the highlights was a Fashion Show featuring ladies in beautiful attire from some of the states of India.
Some of us of a certain age may recall some of the events around the nation's Bicentennial in 1976. Remember people painting mailboxes and fire hydrants red, white, and blue? For years before the actual date, there were events, parades, fireworks and many opportunities to learn about and celebrate our history. It's hard to believe but that was 50 years ago! It is now time to plan for and celebrate the 250th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Founding Fathers and the establishment of the United States. It is called the Semiquincentennial but it's a lot easier to just say America-250.
Hale Farm - Life in the 19th Century in the Western Reserve
In 1957, the Western Reserve Historical Society received the Jonathan Hale homestead in Bath, Ohio and now operates the 90 acres of Hale Farm & Village, a living history museum depicting life in the 19th century through agricultural practices and everyday craft and trade demonstrations such as glassblowing, pottery, spinning and weaving, and more.
We spoke with two ladies from Hale Farm dressed in period costumes. They
provide a look into daily life on the farm as well as unique demonstrations of 19th century lifeways and skills.
Cleveland neighborhood kids in largest mural in Ohio
There is a long, colorful mural painted along Washington Ave. between West 25th and West 28th in Cleveland as you head down to the West Bank of the Flats. It was designed by Brazilian artist Ananda Nahu. She calls it Kings and Queens of Lakeview Terrace.
In 2026 Cleveland Public Theatre worked with Ananda to create the mural along with Cleveland artists Gary Williams, Robin Robinson, Derrick Quarles and Adam Zimmerman. It is 620' long andrises more than 30 feet above the street below making it the biggest mural in Ohio. You can see the scale by the cars going by in this short video.
Since 1969, the famous weather predicting groundhog Punxsutawney Phil has had an abysmal overall accuracy rate of less than 40%. Even flipping a coin will get you 50%. And his Ohio copy, Buckeye Chuck, has been replaced by a stuffed animal.
That leaves the orange cat Concord Casimir as the go-to spring forecaster.
Concord Casimir studies the weather maps
John Niedzialek is a Resource Protection Specialist at the Lake County Soil and Water Conservation District and has also taught Earth Science and Meteorology at Lakeland College. Eleven years ago, John found the orange tabby outside St. Casimir Church in Cleveland and annually predicts the weather in the way he eats pierogis.
John says, "Casimir predicts the end of winter by how he eats his pierogi. For example last year the end of winter fluctuated greatly from warm to cold and back and forth after Casimir flipped and flopped his pierogi around. Then the year he made a sloppy mess of it, we ended winter with one sloppy storm after another. We will just have to see what happens!
Concord Casimir will make his forecast again this Friday at High noon. No, he will not be getting up at 6 am like that not so smart critter in Pennsylvania. After all, why would you get up at 6 am when you can eat a pierogi at noon to predict the weather? Niedzialek says, "He works one day out of the year and still complains about it."
Concord Casimir and his Master, John Niedzialek
Casimir has not missed a forecast yet and his Master, John Niedzialek says that it has something to do with where he was found at the church that many say is a miracle story.
Come back to see how the miracle cat does this year.
Favorite Italian Wedding Soup from Casa Dolce Bakery
Both Cleveland101.com and ClevelandCooks.com rely on visitors to suggest their favorite in Cleveland and NE Ohio. Then the staff makes several visits and also samples competing places before making the favorite decision. After lots of tasty sampling we found that we agree with our visitors and declared that Casa Dolce at 5732 Mayfield Rd. in Mayfield Hts. Ohio has our favorite Italian Wedding Soup.
Margie Axelrod, owner of Casa Dolce, stresses the freshness of not only their very popular soups but all their other items including Cassata Cake, homemade Italian cookies and pastries and sandwiches, paninis, salads and more. Our tasters remarked that the Italian Wedding Soup has a flavor reminiscent of their mothers and grandmothers recipes. Watch Margie explain in the video below.
This special episode of Fun with Maps looks at a series of some cool old maps. It's a collection of anthropomorphic maps of European countries produced by a London publisher in the 1860s. Anthropomorphic means the maps have human characteristics. So the maps will be drawn as if they were people. For example, the map of England is drawn as Queen Victoria. Scotland is a bagpiper struggling through the bogs and so on. In this we look at each of the current maps of the country and then look at the cartoon maps from the 1860's for comparison. Each of the drawn maps has a 4 line verse attached to it as well. It's kind of hard to explain but once you see it you will get it.
The maps cover the countries of Denmark, France, Italy, Ireland, Holland, Belgium, England, Scotland, Wales, Germany, Russia and the Kingdom of Prussia, which no longer exists. As you will see, a lot has changed both politically and geographically in the last 150 years or so.
Nela Park in East Cleveland, Ohio was the first industrial park in the world and was home to most of the lighting breakthroughs of the last century. Thomas Edison was a founder. Albert Einstein and other notables visited. Dan Hanson was raised in East Cleveland and his family visited the world-famous Christmas lighting display every Christmas season. You used to be able to drive through the campus but in recent years the display is all along Noble Rd.
In this video, Dan takes us on a tour of the 2023 display including the fun, new Gnomes-Ville!.
The Croatian Heritage Museum in Eastlake, Ohio has a beautiful Nativity set on display for the Christmas holiday. Branka Malinar and her late husband Jerry have volunteered for the Croatian Museum and community for over 40 years. One summer before he passed away, Jerry created this traditional Croatian Nativity scene out of papier-mâché. A painting of Zagreb Croatia is in the back and besides the crèche there are other special features such as a Mill and a rotating Kolo circle dance.
Association of Asian Indian Women in Ohio (AAIWO) is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization for Asian Indian women promoting professional development and education through scholarships and cultural outreach programs. Their aim is to foster and support women for personal and professional advancement while providing volunteer opportunities.
AAIWO promotes culture and education while establishing productive social networks for women. AAIWO sponsors multi-cultural activities to promote cultural understanding in our community.
On September 17, 2023 they hosted Children's Day in the India Cultural Garden in Cleveland. Before the cultural performances MC Mahima spoke about AAIWO and introduced AAIWO president Vineetha Jayaram who also spoke.
Egyptian Art by Cleveland Woman architect Sahar Makar at Egyptian Festival
The annual Egyptian Festival at St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church in Seven Hills Ohio (a suburb of Cleveland) was held August 25-27, 2023. Architect Sahar Makar created a big entrance gate for the Festival which might be seen in Egypt. It took her a month to complete.
The 45th anniversary dinner/dance of the Murphy Irish Arts Center was held at the Irish American Club East Side in Euclid, Ohio on Saturday June 17, 2023. The Murphy Irish Arts Center is dedicated to preserving Irish culture and the art of Irish Dance and to sharing their heritage with audiences everywhere.
It was founded in 1978 by Sheila Murphy Crawford. Sheila is a Certified Irish Dance Instructor and Adjudicator of An Commissum, the world governing organization of Irish Dance. Besides her commitments to Murphy Irish Arts Center, Sheila is very active in the Cleveland Irish Community, the Ancient Order of Hibernians, and the Irish Cultural Gardens.
Thinking of buying an Electric Car for tax the credit?
CPA Sam Tanious, who is a former IRS agent/auditor, gives this advice for those thinking of buying an electric vehicle in 2023.
Not all electric vehicles and not all car manufacturers qualify. Qualifying vehicles must be assembled in North America.
The $7,500 tax credit is all about the battery, has been split into two parts: You get $3,750 if a certain percentage of critical battery minerals were sourced from the U.S.
The other $3,750 is dependent on the percentage of battery components manufactured or assembled in the U.S.
There are now significant eligibility limits on both the price of the vehicle and the income of the buyer; if either figure is too high, you will not qualify for the tax credit.
The new electric vehicle must have an MSRP price cap of $55,000 or less.
Buyer income limits are based on modified adjusted gross income and tax filing status. (150K for single, 300K for married filing jointly)
Based on the above, you might get the full credit of $7,500 or less than the $7,500 or even Zero. It depends on the vehicle and your tax situation. So please do your homework before you buy.
Have questions? Contact CPA Sam Tanious at 440-991-6864 or e-mail samytaxservices@gmail.com
Funny Mental Fitness Evaluation
This test is to ascertain your mental state now. If you get one right you are doing OK, if you get none right you better go for counseling. (I'll meet you there.)
There are 4 test questions. Don't miss one.
Giraffe Test
1. How do you put a giraffe into a refrigerator?
Stop and think about it and decide on your answer
before you scroll down.
The Correct Answer:
Open the refrigerator, put in the giraffe, and close the door. This question tests whether you tend to do simple things in an overly complicated way.
Elephant Test
2. How do you put an elephant into a refrigerator?
Did you say, Open the refrigerator, put in the elephant, and close the refrigerator?
Wrong Answer.
Correct Answer:
Open the refrigerator, take out the giraffe, put in the elephant and close the door. This tests your ability to think through
the repercussions of your previous actions.
Lion King Test
3. The Lion King is hosting an Animal Conference. All the animals attend... except one. Which animal does not attend?
Correct Answer:
The Elephant. The elephant is in the refrigerator. You just put him in there. This tests your memory.
Okay, even if you did not answer the first three questions correctly, you still have one more chance to show your true abilities.
Crocodile Test
4. There is a river you must cross but it is used by crocodiles, and you do not have a boat. How do you manage it?
Correct Answer:
You jump into the river and swim across. Haven't you been listening? All the crocodiles are attending the Animal Conference. This tests whether you learn quickly from your mistakes. Ha Ha!
Cleveland Woman Sara Lucy Bagby
The last person returned to slavery in the US
The Underground Railroad was a network of secret routes and safe houses established in the US during the early 1800s to help slaves escape into free states and Canada. It was run by abolitionists and others sympathetic to the cause of the escapees. Ohio had many stops on the Underground Railroad and since Canada was an ultimate destination, the short distance across Lake Erie from Cleveland to Canada made the city a popular destination. Cleveland was codenamed Hope on the Underground Railroad.
Restore Cleveland Hope operates the Underground Railroad Interpretive Center in the Cozad-Bates House, the only surviving pre-Civil War building in University Circle. They offer tours and events and it was here that we learned of the story of Sara Lucy Bagby.
Sara Lucy Bagby display at Cozad-Bates House
Sara Lucy Bagby was born in the early 1840s in Virginia. On October 3, 1860 Bagby fled from slavery in Wheeling. She eventually escaped slavery via the Underground Railroad and made her way to Cleveland, Ohio.
Her arrest in Cleveland on January 19, 1861 became a test case of the Fugitive Slave Act.
Wheeling resident John Goshorn and his son showed proof of ownership, and the federal court ordered her return to Virginia. Sara Lucy Bagby was the last person in the United States forced to return to slavery in the South under the Fugitive Slave Act.
The Cleveland Plain Dealer and Democrat Party of the US were both pro-slavery so despite the state government's and citizens of Cleveland's attempts to intervene, Lucy was transported back to Goshorn's property in Wheeling, then still part of Virginia.
After the Emancipation Proclamation, Bagby eventually resettled in Cleveland, where she died in 1906 and was buried.
In this video, Kathryn Puckett, Restore Cleveland Hope Board Chair, tells the story of Sara Lucy Bagby.
Sure, air fryers achieve a satisfyingly crisp finish with just a fraction of the fat, putting a healthier spin on fried foods. But there’s another reason to love your air fryer: the mind-blowing array of exciting new dishes you can add to your everyday repertory.
John McCann told some stories about his beloved late mother Mary Murray McCann who came to America alone on a ship in 1952 from Ireland. John says his mother would often state she was "Irish by birth, American by choice and Catholic by grace". That is a good framework in which to remember her life.
When we think about the Underground Railroad the first name that comes to most of us is Harriet Tubman. While Tubman was exceptionally heroic, many other women played keys rolls in the efforts to help freedom seekers reach safety. In NE Ohio we have learned the names of men who were property owners, businessmen, judges, lawyers and were activists in the abolitionist movement.
Most of them had wives and daughters, sisters and mothers all of whom must have been involved in UGRR efforts.
In what is now University Circle and East Cleveland families named Cozad, Ford and McIlrath owned and farmed great swaths of land, operated a gristmill, owned a brickyard and ran a tavern. We know that many freedom seekers sought food and shelter in what was then rural sparsely populated farmland, as they headed to freedom across Lake Erie.
In the 19th century women could not own land or vote. They lived in the legal shadow of their husbands and their lives were played out in private. But the role women played in each household was essential not only for the survival of each family but also for the secret activities of the UGRR.
Restore Cleveland Hope’s historian and Board member, Wrean Fiebig, in her tireless research has recovered the names of the women in these families who most certainly played a vital role in the UGRR. Volunteers from Restore Cleveland Hope will guide you through time and answer your questions. It is open to the public every Saturday from Noon-4 PM. No Charge, No tickets. Just come and learn about this important time in Cleveland’s history. Come in through the back door and be sure to explore the historic markers in the newly landscaped grounds around the house. More information.
Jessica Davis - Cleveland Women Entrepreneur
Rebuilders Xchange (RBX) buys and sells construction material from ordinary to extraordinary. RBX is in the St. Clair-Superior neighborhood in an organized, 50,000 sq. ft. warehouse. It may not be the first business you think of for a woman entrepreneur but it was a dream of founder Jessica Davis and she made it happen.
In this video, Jessica tells the vision behind the project - reusing and repurposing construction materials, bringing wealth to the people of the neighborhood, keeping things out of the landfills and so on. She tells what it's like being a woman in a non-traditional industry. Ron tells of the jump from pipe fitter and welder to starting 16 IT and tech companies and now back to making custom pieces and design in the Fab Lab metal and wood shop in the Rebuilder's Xchange.
Victims of human trafficking find themselves forced or coerced into engaging in specific types of labor or commercial sex acts without their consent. Often, human trafficking remains a hidden crime. Victims fear their abusers as well as law enforcement and suffer such significant trauma that they struggle to reach out for help.
Human trafficking impacts people across genders, races, and ages. Anyone can be a victim of human trafficking, and all too often, that victimization occurs in the shadows. Human trafficking traps an estimated 24.9 million people–64% are exploited for labor, while sexual exploitation accounts for an estimated 19% of human trafficking.
Isolation can increase the risk of violence at home. Use this discrete gesture during a video call to show you need help:
Hold hand up with palm facing other person.
Tuck thumb into palm.
Fold fingers down over thumb.
A missing teenage girl was rescued in the US after using a hand gesture that signals distress or domestic violence to capture the attention of a passing driver. The 16-year-old was spotted travelling inside a silver Toyota near London, Kentucky, about 150 miles south-east of Louisville, on November 4th. A driver called police after noticing "a female passenger in the vehicle making hand gestures that are known on the social media platform TikTok to represent violence at home - I need help - domestic violence," the Laurel County Sheriff's Office said in a statement on 6 November.
Good idea
Murder in the Cultural Gardens
"It just didn’t seem right to DJ. A body found bludgeoned in a place known for “Peace through Mutual Understanding.” But there she was, crumpled behind a bust of composer Franz Liszt in the Hungarian Cultural Garden. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed 911. “What is the nature of your emergency?” the dispatcher queried. With a suddenly very dry mouth DJ managed to get out, “There’s been a murder in the Cultural Gardens.”
That's the beginning of the recently published first novel by Dan Hanson.
The whodunit, titled Murder in the Cultural Gardens, takes place in the Cleveland Cultural Gardens and all 30+ gardens are featured during the mystery. You may even recognize some of the characters.
Click the link above to learn more or to purchase in paperback or Kindle version from Amazon. Or contact Dan via the Murder in the Cultural Gardens webpage to have a signed book delivered.
ClevelandWomen.Com Book of the Week
The Girl on the Train
The #1 New York Times Bestseller, USA Today Book of the Year, now a major motion picture starring Emily Blunt. The debut psychological thriller that will forever change the way you look at other people's lives.
Intersecting, overlapping, not-quite-what-they-seem lives. Jealousies and betrayals and wounded hearts. A haunting unease that clutches and won’t let go. All this and more helps propel Paula Hawkins’s addictive debut into a new stratum of the psychological thriller genre. At times, I couldn’t help but think: Hitchcockian. From the opening line, the reader knows what they’re in for: “She’s buried beneath a silver birch tree, down towards the old train tracks…” But Hawkins teases out the mystery with a veteran’s finesse. The “girl on the train” is Rachel, who commutes into London and back each day, rolling past the backyard of a happy-looking couple she names Jess and Jason. Then one day Rachel sees “Jess” kissing another man. The day after that, Jess goes missing. The story is told from three character’s not-to-be-trusted perspectives: Rachel, who mourns the loss of her former life with the help of canned gin and tonics; Megan (aka Jess); and Anna, Rachel’s ex-husband’s wife, who happens to be Jess/Megan’s neighbor. Rachel’s voyeuristic yearning for the seemingly idyllic life of Jess and Jason lures her closer and closer to the investigation into Jess/Megan’s disappearance, and closer to a deeper understanding of who she really is. And who she isn’t. This is a book to be devoured. -Neal Thompson
Every Tuesday evening we send an e-mail message to people who are interested in upcoming (the next week) events that have an ethnic or cultural connection. So it may be Opera in the Italian Garden or Puerto Rican Day Parade or Slovenian Kurentovanje or...
You can also sign up to receive more specific free eNews for any groups or groups you may choose (Irish, German, Polish, Chinese, etc.)
It's easy and free and will let you know every week about fun and interesting events that are coming up in the next week.
Domestic Violence
Domestic violence is a pattern of repeated physical, sexual and emotional violence and behaviors that one person in a relationship uses to exercise power and control over the other. Cleveland and Northeast Ohio have many resources for victims of domestic violence.
How about something for the Cleveland foodie on your list?
The Cleveland Cooks Cookbooks are packed with hundreds of the best recipes from Cleveland people. Volume 1 is sold out but there are special offers for Volume 2 and 3.
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