Sorry I just have to vent on this. An old HS friend from DC was in town with her spouse for a wedding. They live in Denver now and the spouse is from Cincinnati but lived in Cleveland heights in the late 90's. He reported some find memories of learning to sail on the lake. I had really pumped up my beloved Cleveland to my friends as they said they would love urban dwelling (with kids no less) if it were affordable-which it is here.  So they are staying downtown, and we are out by public square and trash is literally ankle deep in many areas, and there were scores of panhandlers, and transients drinking. I was so depressed b/c the friends said they would love to be back east closer to family, but he mused "some things never change" regarding the condition of downtown, "that is why I will not move back".  This when they told me how much Denver invests in cleaning downtown. Unfortunately there was no time to introduce them to Ohio City or Tremont (as they have changed since the late 90's, I have heard). Here it is 4th of July weekend with tourists in town, or people coming home, and I have never seen it look worse. Where are those downtown goodwill ambassadors?  I guess I overlook this a lot b/c I am used to it, but it does look bad when seeing through others eyes.    I have carefully orchestrated the visits of other friends to avoid this, but I was not in control of these peoples itinerary, so the damage is done. Is this kind of vent I should be passing on to city council or would I look like a random nut?

You'll look less like a random nut if you could include some photos when you vent to city council!  Good luck.

you make an interesting point, although these people with the city should know what I am talking about. Maybe doing a photo essay of public squares of other large cities  with random shots (not chamber of commerce ones) would be  a wake up call. MMM how to get other pics. I do a lot of traveling in both tourist and non tourist zones, and let me tell you, that looked BAD out there last night. It was Philadelphia circa 1982.

I get very into promoting the city to my friends, taking them out, etc. It is amazing how one little thing can happen when we are out sometimes that will entrench a negative perception of the city. It is a shame, because I don't think they understand that little things they see aren't really a big problem.

 

If you saw a lot of trash in Public Square - I'd say that's pretty unusual. I've been spending a lot of time there during the week. I have my morning coffee there before work, I take cigarette breaks there, I have lunch there, and I catch the bus from there. I don't see a lot of trash, and I don't get bothered. I really believe that cleanliness has improved greatly since the Downtown Alliance Team or whatever they are called - started cleaning up. Their work is noticible in my opinion and it is having an effect on visitors.

 

More often than not, I'd say the reactions I get from people are very positive:

 

I escorted an international journalist (living in New York right now) from Terminal Tower, through the Square, and to the Rock Hall. The first thing he said when we walked through Public Square was how clean and well-kept it was.

 

I've taken the initiative to expose a couple of college interns downtown to the city. Before they started working downtown they had no idea what the city was like or where to go. I showed them E.4th St., the Arcade, the library garden, the Warehouse District, the Trolley buses. I think its been a success. I know they are using buses, walking around, returning to these places, trying new places, and enjoying themselves on their own now. Just last week I took them to Ohio City after work where we sat outside at Kan Zaman with a hookah and sampler plate. Afterwords I took them to the Superior Viaduct where they saw views of the skyline and a concert happening down at the Pavilion. One of them remarked how people in the office said how Cleveland used to be really nice. The other one quickly responded - almost defensively - that she thought Cleveland was nice now. And the one who made the comment about his coworkers nodded in agreement. Right before we departed that day one remarked that he wished he had come up to Cleveland more often

 

A couple of weeks ago on a thursday I went out with a couple of my friends from high school. We went to Hooples and then the Little Bar. My one friend attending college in Baltimore - who loves it there, and has now done numerous study abroad programs throughout the world - took a look around the Little Bar and remarked "wow, this is a cool little place. There is more going on downtown Cleveland than I thought."

 

Anyway, I could go on and on, and share more positive reactions from people I often get. 

 

Downtown Cleveland is a strange beast. Sometimes it can be incredibly vibrant -- as on any weekday, when the workers are walking the sidewalks, and particularly at lunch (11:30 to 2).

Other times, it looks dead. Unfortunately, these times coincide with when tourists are generally here: the weekends. Saturdays aren't so bad, but Sundays -- ghost town. The few people who are out, particularly on Public Square, tend to be panhandlers. If there were other people around to buffer their presence, the panhandlers wouldn't leave such an impression.

This is a good vent, though.  Plan your friend's tours well.  I have a friend coming in from Cincinnati the weekend of Ingenuity...guess where we are going?  I think that should be fantastic, coupled with some nice chow and a few other spots of interest.  Cleveland in the summer is usually pretty cool with lots to do all over the region but you are right...one bad event leads people back to the ol' "Mistake on the Lake" idea of the town.  We have so much to offer here (tons of arts, food, entertainment, relatively cheap living, A HUGE FREAKING FRESHWATER LAKE, and so on) that I am surprised we haven't garnered more positive attitudes.  Bad self-esteem is something tough to ditch, though.

I have to agree with Vulpster on the condition of Public Square lately- I spend a lot of time there drinking cheap wine out of paper bags and throwing McDonald's wrappers on the ground, and it seems fine to me.

 

Seriously though, while I have noticed an improvement, if you want to talk to somebody, I would go first to the Downtown Cleveland Alliance, then to Cimperman.  Photos are a good idea.  If things don't get cleaned up shortly thereafter, I would look into who is overseeing the DCA- my guess is that it is overseen by a board, some or all of whom are probably representatives from the businesses paying for the program.

I have a friend coming in from Cincinnati the weekend of Ingenuity...guess where we are going? 

 

I'm sure you didn't forget, be be sure to hit Harborfest with you Cincy friend. I loves me some Tall Ships! :-)

I have to agree with Vulpster on the condition of Public Square lately- I spend a lot of time there drinking cheap wine out of paper bags and throwing McDonald's wrappers on the ground, and it seems fine to me.

 

That is definately the kind of lifestyle I imagine you leading after meeting you at the Columbus Meet.  This just affirms my suspicions...  :wink:

Where at is the trash ankle deep in Public Square?? Umm...  :?

I have to agree with Vulpster on the condition of Public Square lately- I spend a lot of time there drinking cheap wine out of paper bags and throwing McDonald's wrappers on the ground, and it seems fine to me.

 

Oh. I thought you might be the pigeon man, but then you showed up for a meet at the same time he was out in front of Tower City with the birds.  :-D

I would take pictures of that situation on Public Square and send to Joe Cimperman (use regular mail because if I were a councilman I would be nervous about opening an attachment on an unsolicited e-mail), and to the Downtown Cleveland Partnership at: http://www.downtownclevelandpartnership.com/contact.html

 

By the way, when I was downtown this morning, I saw two Ambassadors, both on bicycles, and both said "Good morning" as they rode past me. When the second went past, I said "Hello Ambassador" and she chuckled. It was a nice little touch for them just to say hello. I wish the cops did that. A little thing like that can mean a lot.

I've never been to Denver, so I can't make the comparison, but it has been my observation in Cleveland and other older, more Eastern cities, that these places can get pretty dirty and sometimes nasty. In New York, the garbage smells on the street in the summer heat. In Boston, walk down Commonwealth Avenue past amazing mansions, and it smells like urine at certain points. Today in the WHD, there was a drunk homeless guy (I assume) standing in the middle of the street with a blanket on the ground singing until the police told him to beat it. My friend who lives in New York got on a subway car on her way from work, and there was a guy in the back relieving himself in the corner.

 

To me, a little grit is only natural. Of course you don't want someone going to bathroom right in front of you, but it seems like you've got to cut a city a certain amount of slack. I'm surprised they weren't more affected by the horrible shape Euclid Avenue is in with all those vacant, falling apart buildings. To me, that's more alarming than garbage. Hopefully we'll fix that soon.

 

edit: Oh by the way, I totally feel your pain, though. I hate when you take people on tours and you go to a place you think is really awesome and they are like "big whoop." That drives me nuts! That's not a local thing because I've had the same thing happen to me in Michigan and New York City.

I've never been to Denver, so I can't make the comparison, but it has been my observation in Cleveland and other older, more Eastern cities, that these places can get pretty dirty and sometimes nasty. In New York, the garbage smells on the street in the summer heat. In Boston, walk down Commonwealth Avenue past amazing mansions, and it smells like urine at certain points. Today in the WHD, there was a drunk homeless guy (I assume) standing in the middle of the street with a blanket on the ground singing until the police told him to beat it. My friend who lives in New York got on a subway car on her way from work, and there was a guy in the back relieving himself in the corner.

 

To me, a little grit is only natural. Of course you don't want someone going to bathroom right in front of you, but it seems like you've got to cut a city a certain amount of slack. I'm surprised they weren't more affected by the horrible shape Euclid Avenue is in with all those vacant, falling apart buildings. To me, that's more alarming than garbage. Hopefully we'll fix that soon.

re: Euclid yeah. I did not even mention that in post b/c that is something we cannot do something about overnight. they said "what do you roll up the sidewalk in Cleveland ..?" at least the trash can be cleaned up. And as far as eastern  grit I have been to DC, Chicago, Boston and NYC in the last  year and yes with the exception of DC, they are gritty (and frankly chicago is pretty grungy) , but we had a really bad day here. Like I said I like to do the whole Ohio City , Tremont, Little Italy, Univ Circle thing, but alas no time. the thing is how many people come to Cleveland and do not have a tour guide to show them the great parts? If they just hang around downtown by the hotel (ie only have a day or so as my friends) then that may be all they see and leave a lasting impression. Maybe Sundays are bad, as someone mentioned.

^I think your experience really underscores the importance of remaking Public Square into a much different space-something that goes beyond just cleaning up trash and curtailing aggressive panhandling at Cleveland's epicenter. There will always be the homeless and panhandlers, but creating a space where activity happens on a continual basis can minimize the thought that it's just you, your friends and three grungy guys with their hands out.

it also depends on your friends too, i mean ive taken some of my friends who live here due to going to college here to some pretty grungy places.  and with that ive always maintained a "hey bitches this aint disney" mindset about it.  i think its a matter of embracing everything about the city than it is to only show the cool/neato parts.  now one of them is studying abroad and told me just the other day that she misses cleveland and feels like thats her home.  if someone is gonna have the mindset that "well i moved cuz of THIS" then they obviously are gonna only point out the bad and arent worth convincing.

zaceman-thanks for putting it into perspective-after all these people did spent most of lives (and the developmental period) in suburbia...still I want that Square to have more good days than bad, it deserves a little respect.

Peabody, the wife from Cincy wasn't complaining about the grit, was she? ;)

I've never been to Denver, so I can't make the comparison, but it has been my observation in Cleveland and other older, more Eastern cities, that these places can get pretty dirty and sometimes nasty. In New York, the garbage smells on the street in the summer heat. In Boston, walk down Commonwealth Avenue past amazing mansions, and it smells like urine at certain points. Today in the WHD, there was a drunk homeless guy (I assume) standing in the middle of the street with a blanket on the ground singing until the police told him to beat it. My friend who lives in New York got on a subway car on her way from work, and there was a guy in the back relieving himself in the corner.

 

To me, a little grit is only natural. Of course you don't want someone going to bathroom right in front of you, but it seems like you've got to cut a city a certain amount of slack. I'm surprised they weren't more affected by the horrible shape Euclid Avenue is in with all those vacant, falling apart buildings. To me, that's more alarming than garbage. Hopefully we'll fix that soon.

re: Euclid yeah. I did not even mention that in post b/c that is something we cannot do something about overnight. they said "what do you roll up the sidewalk in Cleveland ..?" at least the trash can be cleaned up. And as far as eastern  grit I have been to DC, Chicago, Boston and NYC in the last  year and yes with the exception of DC, they are gritty (and frankly chicago is pretty grungy) , but we had a really bad day here. Like I said I like to do the whole Ohio City , Tremont, Little Italy, Univ Circle thing, but alas no time. the thing is how many people come to Cleveland and do not have a tour guide to show them the great parts? If they just hang around downtown by the hotel (ie only have a day or so as my friends) then that may be all they see and leave a lasting impression. Maybe Sundays are bad, as someone mentioned.

 

Didn't want to sound like we can't do more because we sure can! I don't doubt what you saw in Public Square, and you're totally right about people not from here who don't have guides. This weekend I was tooling around downtown with my sister and I noticed all the Yankees fans in town for the game and I thought the same thing: Where are these folks going, and are they getting a good picture of what Cleveland is all about, or are they just seeing the crap?

 

The city has to put Public Square back on the table, though because I think it's making a HUGE impression on visitors. My sister and brother and law come downtown periodically for sporting events and the first thing they talk about are the homeless people in the square. In fact, I told them about how I'm trying to take the train to work 2x a week, and my sister said: "Are you comfortable walking down there," meaning Tower City. They haven't lived in big cities, so the homeless and other things that come with a city really freak them out, and I don't think they are the only ones around NEO who think like this. If we really made Public Square a place that is worth visiting and hanging out with consistent activities for families, visitors, etc., this will make a big difference.

 

At the same time, we can't do everything. I went to summer school in Boston for six weeks in 2002, and my first day I was walking through Copley Square and these vagrant teenage skater kids tried to steal my $10 Old Navy jacket. Boston is still my favorite city! My point is: Let's make this a lesson rather than a downer. Now we know one concrete area we have to improve.

I love downtown Cleveland but I've largely taken it off of my tour route or at least carefully couched it as being a work in progress and not where the real action is.  Fact is, it's not so impressive to anyone from another big city.  It's not that it's dirty or fully of panhandlers, it's more about what it doesn't have: life (e.g, stores and people).  My gf was shocked (and I was embarrassed) that I could find free, on-street parking just a couple blocks from Jacobs Field on a game-day Sunday in April. 

 

I really don't like sounding so negative but unless my visitors are specifically interested in rustbelt dereliction (like many of us here), I stick with what's distinctive or cool about the city: West Side Market, Little Italy, the flats (to see the bridges and views of downtown), University Circle...

Sometimes you can't avoid downtown, though. I think that's what peabody was saying originally. I do think it can be an impressive part of a tour, but you have to be careful what -- and in what order -- you present it.

 

Here's a route I've taken before:

Walking across the Detroit-Superior Bridge from Ohio City, I walk through the Warehouse District and down St. Clair to the malls (St. Clair is none too great in this stretch, but it's a bit better than Euclid). I walk down E. 6th to Superior, and show off the Main Library and Federal Reserve. Then I enter the Arcade from Superior and do a walk-through to Euclid. I scurry across Euclid to East Fourth and walk down it to Prospect. I enter the Colonial Arcade from Prospect and do a walk-through before exiting back onto Prospect. I then walk down Prospect to Huron, then down Huron to Playhouse Square. Prospect and Huron are both in very good shape and have some impressive historic architecture.

 

I then walk back down Euclid to Public Square and explain that it's a work in progress, the transit project is keeping retail from coming back in, etc. At Public Square I hop on the Rapid back to Ohio City.

 

Moral of the story is, show people the brighter spots of Downtown before hitting Euclid Avenue. It softens the blow considerably.

 

This is good for weekdays and Saturdays. On Sundays, you're completely out of luck. Everything's closed.

"rustbelt dereliction"

 

;-)

 

 

 

 

"I do think it can be an impressive part of a tour, but you have to be careful what you present."

 

Exactly, but if you avoid Euclid Avenue, you avoid Playhouse Square, WT Grant Lofts, CSU, etc. I'm being somewhat facetious but my point is - whenever you show someone an area (of any city), it helps to understand the context. Right now, if you saw the buildings on Euclid at East 4th - you see boarded up storefronts, but in a few months the Corner Alley will be open there. The same can be said for the parking lot east of the Galleria (Avenue District), the three buildings east of the Huntington Building (recently bought for residential conversion), the list goes on and on.

^Well I guess that's my point:  the context is "yeah, I know everything is boarded up now and the streets are empty and there are tons of parking lots but there's lots of plans on the books so in a few years..."  It's much easier to stuff Gilly's glazed sour cream donuts or a WSM brat in someone's mouth than to explain to them why downtown is currently in such bad shape.  And a drive from I90 down MLK to UC will leave someone which a much nicer impression of the city than a drive down Euclid.

And a drive from I90 down MLK to UC will leave someone which a much nicer impression of the city than a drive down Euclid.

 

Exactly right. When trying to create a good impression of the city with visitors, things like that are always a good idea. The route and order by which you take a visitor through the city is extremely important.

 

One alternative to heading from Public Square to Playhouse Sqare via Euclid Avenue is to take E.4th Street south to Huron. If you take a left on Huron, you will end up coming right into Playhouse Square. Huron isn't full of people - but I think its been cleaned up very nicely, and there are actually a number of newer restaurants and bars along that stretch there that I don't think a lot of people are too familar with.

Hah, you all are so thoughtful. If my friends from other areas were to visit, I'd take them downtown and if they complained about it, I'd tell 'em to keep to themselves. But all my friends are from Cleveland and those that are gone have been gone 6 to 11 months, so I wouldn't expect them to be surprised with what's down there. They might be pleasantly surprised, actually.

 

I do understand focusing on what's nice, however. If I were to visit my friend in NYC, I wouldn't expect to be taken on a tour of the South Bronx. However, she lives in Brooklyn, and I'm sorry, NYC is a terrific place, but some of the areas of Brooklyn that are supposed to be so hip and cool look just like the dumpy parts of downtown.  The difference is, the buildings are being used, lol. The one thing I'd like to see Cleveland do is stop trying to compete with Chicago and New York. Maybe I'm negative, but I don't think Northeast Ohio will ever have anywhere near the population/power we had in the 1920s or as these "big cities" do now. What about moderately large cities like Portland and Minneapolis...? Saying Cleveland in the same breath as those cities seems doable to me. Frankly, I'd call it a victory if we could just get Euclid Avenue looking presentable.

 

But if we're talking about Cleveland rants, I'll add two of my own.

 

1. Public Square. I walked through it today, and I revise my answer from earlier in the week. It's not dirty or scary at lunch time, but that thing is as dull as a rice cake. And it's all split up with that giant street running through it. I have always avoided PSq., so I didn't get the whole scope of it. And what about the sidewalks? There's giants cracks and missing concrete. The old sidewalks on Euclid look better! That park needs a major redesign because right now it's basically useless. You practically need a pedestrian bridge to get across the street! They should make it a big European-style traffic circle. Ha, that'd be so awesome.

 

2. 668 Euclid Avenue. Does anyone know what's going on with this building? In my opinion, it's the biggest eyesore on Euclid. There are no windows and the facade is hideous. I just saw a little article that says it's going to be renovated. Am I being impatient? I'd just tear it down!

jamiec, I'm really tired of 668 Euclid at this point, too.  It's a horrible eyesore.  There doesn't seem to be much worth saving, either.  I'd love to see someone bulldoze that, the parking garage and offices behind it, and the Dollar Bank building next to it.  It would be a huge, great site for a high rise complex with mixed use, destination retail like a multiplex and a large bookstore on the first and lower floors, and then offices, residential, or hotel above.

Random Vent Update: despite high humidy, rain, dead sunday downtown full of garbage and panhandlers, the dismayed friends oddly looked on the internet for jobs (not so good) and sailboats (lookin' good) after returning to Denver. Of course they have "no plans to move" but did the ol' lady get under their skin just a little???mmmmmmmm

Here are a few rants of my own... mostly involving the Downtown Cleveland Partnership site:

 

 

 

 

And about the Downtown ambassadors - they're a great idea but why is it:

 

1. Since they've made their debut, I've been hit up more frequently by panhandlers?

2. Why did I see one sitting IN a parking lot booth at Huron across from Quicken Arena, chatting with a parking lot attendant? (I hope he was on lunch break).

3. There's no way to directly contact them to make a complaint about trash/panhandlers or ask questions?

^ that is an absolute disgrace. this is a "volunteer" web site and it is far more up to date  with more info. Shameful.

I noticed their stale website too when I visited it about a week ago. They may offer an excuse, but it shouldn't wash with anyone.

 

Random Vent Update: despite high humidy, rain, dead sunday downtown full of garbage and panhandlers, the dismayed friends oddly looked on the internet for jobs (not so good) and sailboats (lookin' good) after returning to Denver. Of course they have "no plans to move" but did the ol' lady get under their skin just a little???mmmmmmmm

 

Does that mean they were looking for jobs here? If so, why is that not good?

The websites for the Warehouse District and Gateway neighborhoods are also terrible.

I noticed their stale website too when I visited it about a week ago. They may offer an excuse, but it shouldn't wash with anyone.

 

Random Vent Update: despite high humidy, rain, dead sunday downtown full of garbage and panhandlers, the dismayed friends oddly looked on the internet for jobs (not so good) and sailboats (lookin' good) after returning to Denver. Of course they have "no plans to move" but did the ol' lady get under their skin just a little???mmmmmmmm

 

Does that mean they were looking for jobs here? If so, why is that not good?

ahh I should have been more specific. It is good someone would look at the job situation (even when they say they have not thought seriously about moving), but it was bad in that the job prospects in their field did not look good. But given the quality of internet resources we are noting that could be part of the issue.  I don't want to go all wacko on them and spook them, but I did say if they were ever wanting more info I would try and dig something up.

My vent is about the sheltered suburbanites that are so "afraid" of everything!  The other night I was at the Map Room on West 9th.  I was meeting a friend of mine there, and I told him I was taking the 55 bus down there because it is cheap and beats driving...he did the same.  A few girls overheard us talking about how easy and cheap it was...beats a DUI and Parking prices....she was like..."Wow, you took the bus down here from Lakewood/Edgewater area?  Weren't you SCARED?  What an idiot!!!  She even stated..."I wouldn't even know how to use the bus".  She said if it were more like Chicago, she might use public transportation.  I laughed and said that IT IS.  Just a smaller scale...but then again, Cleveland is a smaller scale.  I mentioned that if we had trains like NYC I wouldn't even use a car around here.  She said.....it is too scary to use trains in NYC!!!!  Goes to show how sheltered and stupid people can be around this region!

well JDD, that is why I have narrowed my circle down to mostly city folk (people that have kids and live in the burbs may get a get out of jail free card, if they bring the little buggers in).  that fear crap drives me NUTS. afraid to ride the bus, the subway in NYC? and Just out of curiosity why would chicago be better ? You are more likely to get in a car accident that have something happen on the bus.  ridiculous. then these stupid tarts come downtown and try to spawn in our city clubs and screw up the gene pool further with their ignorant silliness.

AMEN!

Me three.

 

But tell me about this Map Room place; it sounds cool.

Just a psuedo irish pub....that has downtown like prices....BUT....it IS a pub....and not many of those type of places downtown...let alone the warehouse district....good place to sit in jeans and relax and drink a beer..oh yeah....CHEAP bar food

Don't forget the Little Bar

yeah, map room is pretty cheap all around i think for downtown.  i had some miller lite bottles last week for 2.75/ea.  that seems pretty cheap for downtown on a friday night.

 

my vent:

 

downtown street lighting.  i've never seen so many burned out bulbs before.  the downtown cleveland partnership ambassadors should be marking these and turning them in to CEI/CPP to get this back online ASAP.  nothing like walking on a downtown street with zero people and zero light at 10pm. 

So no maps in the map room?  :? :-(

There are maps to the right when you walk in.

I know - this is a really random vent but it did happen within city limits.

 

Okay, so I'm waiting at the bus stop (like I do) minding my own business (like I do) and a holy-rolling leaflet guy approaches me (like they do).

 

1. It's early in the morning, and I haven't had coffee yet.

2. It's early in the morning, and my eyes are barely open.

3. It's early in the morning and holy-roller leaflet guy has a big huge smile on his face.

4. It's early in the morning and holy-roller leaflet guy is standing a little too close to me, given my un-caffeination and the time of day.

5. It's early in the morning and holy-roller leaflet guy is presuming that my god and faith are inferior to his, thus he needs to "save" me.

... I knew it wasn't gonna be pretty

 

So he says "can I give you something to read?" I said "no thanks" and gave a dismissive look. Usually they say "okay, have a blessed day, blah blah". Instead he says "did you hear about the terrorists in India?" - and given my non-morningperson-ness, I said "please go away."

 

He proceeds to stick leaflets on the bus stop's bench, and mutters something about being a human and I didn't need to be rude (as though holy-rollers are the kindest people on earth with their treatment of "my people"; as though assuming that I need to be saved isn't rude and presumptuous - but I digress). He then walks towards me and says "you should be glad I'm a Christian or I would have kicked your ass!". It was all I could do to not bust out laughing because let's just say that while I'm not the tallest or biggest guy, the melee would have been something like David and Goliath but this guy didn't have a slingshot - though he did have tacky polyester dress pants. While they certainly struck a sense of horror in me, they weren't exactly incapacitating.

 

I know some Christians - and they're good wonderful people who don't feel the need to proselytize. If your faith is that wonderful and life-changing, people will naturally flock to you - you don't need to approach some poor sap at a bus stop.

 

Yes folks, when a holy-roller threatens to kick your ass first thing in the morning, you just KNOW it's going to be one of those days :-D

Amen

Mayday,

 

funny stuff.

MayDay, I so enjoyed your venting that I printed it out and shared it with writers in the office, including my editor. She wondered if you would be willing to submit that as an op-ed to the West Side Sun News. Just passing along the request.

mayday-too funny. They have been out in full force though. youre not the only one they seek out. I must have invisible horns so the radar sets its sites on me right away!

Was that the guy who hands out the yellow smiley face stickers that have been all over the place in the neighborhood lately?  He tried to do that to me a couple days ago, I said "no thanks" and kept walkin'...he didn't chase me down luckily.

I'm not the tallest or biggest guy, the melee would have been something like David and Goliath but this guy didn't have a slingshot - though he did have tacky polyester dress pants.

 

God Bless MayDay.

I just took the 79A from W25th and Bridge, and the fat guy with long hair that sells picture frames in Public Square sits next to me on the bus.  He smells like so much piss.

Mayday, that was a funny story man!  :-D

Are urbanites becoming as petty as their suburban counterparts?

 

http://www.cleveland.com/tipoff/index.ssf?/base/opinion/1153125100205330.xml&coll=2

 

What's in a name?:

 

Cleveland City Councilwoman Nina Turner wants to change the name of a street in her Lee-Harvard neighborhood. Sunny Glenn Avenue, she said, should be Sunny Glenn Drive. The street runs through a newer subdivision of suburban-style homes. Turner, who lives on the street, said neighbors viewed Avenue as sounding like an urban street that really doesn't reflect the atmosphere of where they live.

 

"They asked to have it changed to drive to give it more a suburban feel," she said. Councilman Kevin Conwell also wants to change a street name in his ward, to honor the accomplished Glenville High School coach Ted Ginn Sr. The councilman wants to change Gray Avenue to Ted Ginn Sr. Avenue.

 

But doesn't Ted Ginn Sr. Drive sound much more upscale?