The Heights January 8 - 22, 20145Volume 5 :: No. 1

Community News

StandardMore articles at www.TheHeightsStandard.com

Garfield Heights and Maple Heights

University Hospitals is proud to introduce its newest physician, Seth D. Levine, DO, to internal medicine. Dr. Levine offers comprehensive care for men, women and seniors, plus access to specialists at University Hospitals when required.

Now accepting new patients.For an appointment, call 216-663-8686.

Most major insurances are accepted.

Internal Medicine Center12000 McCracken Road, Suite 550Garfield Heights, Ohio 44125216-663-8686

About Seth D. Levine, DO

DEGREE:

Pikeville College School

of Osteopathic Medicine

RESIDENCY:

Detroit Medical Center

BOARD CERTIFICATION:

American Board of Internal Medicine

© 2014 University Hospitals BIO 00297

Our newest internal medicine expert is well within your reach.

BIO 00297 5.25x6.5 Ad.indd 1 12/17/14 11:43 AM

A message from County Executive Armond BudishTwenty-fifteen! The prospect of a New

Year is a great excuse for all of us to shed 364 days worth of cynicism to focus on our hopes. I would guess that the hope for a better future for ourselves, our loved ones, and even the neighbors we might never meet, is a hope we all share. Yet, we also know that, without hard work, our most cherished hopes will fade faster than our commitment to our New Year resolutions.

Policies that turn hopes into productive careers, healthy families, and safe and enjoyable communities are what we are working to achieve.

Yes, the lake is a great resource we

must better utilize and protect. Yes, our health care institutions are a tremendous source for innovation and job creation. Yes, our arts and culture are world class.

But our people are our best underutilized natural resource. If we don’t unleash the vast untapped potential in our children, young adults, unemployed and underemployed, we will fail at all of our grand visions. Just as we must search for renewable and sustainable energy to power our homes and businesses, we must create the social infrastructure for renewable and sustainable people power.

How can this be accomplished?

First, we must create jobs throughout the County. That means mentoring entrepreneurs, ensuring sufficient capital for small and start-up businesses, supporting and growing existing businesses, and leveraging our assets to attract new companies to the region.

But we must also support and prepare people to fill these jobs. Education and training designed to give people the knowledge and skills they need is most critical. And we must better utilize existing social services to create the opportunities for people to climb the ladder out of poverty and become self-sufficient. For example, a single mom without access

to health care or day care for her child, or transportation for herself, may not be able to get or keep a job.

These are not short term tasks. It will take sustained focus and cooperation, working on many fronts with many community partners. I am well aware that translating this hope into action will go beyond 2015. But I am confidant that, working together as a unified community, we can make real progress in the coming new year.

Cold Weather Warning Brings Potential DangersWith dangerous winter weather in

the forecast, now is the time for seniors and their loved ones to brush up on cold weather safety tips.

“Winter can be a difficult time, as the harsh conditions especially impact seniors,” said Jeff Huber, president of Home Instead, Inc. “We want to make sure seniors and their loved ones are aware of simple ways they can stay safe and warm throughout the season.”

Those over the age of 65 account for nearly half of all hypothermia deaths. As the body ages, the ability to maintain a normal internal body temperature decreases, creating an insensitivity to moderately cold temperatures. Seniors may not realize they are putting themselves at risk until symptoms appear. Symptoms of hypothermia include: shivering, exhaustion, confusion, fumbling hands, memory loss, slurred speech and drowsiness. If symptoms are present, immediate medical attention is necessary.

The leading reason for hypothermia in the elderly is due to poorly heated homes, which is entirely preventable. Follow these simple tips to ensure a warm household.

Stay WarmKeep the thermostat at 65 degrees, at

least. Consistently check it to make sure your home is sufficiently warm. Even as heating costs rise, your safety should be a priority.

Put a carbon monoxide detector near where you sleep.

Ensure that there is adequate insulation, and check and clean the fireplace and furnace. Furnace filters should be replaced monthly.

Minimize drafts by filling old socks with sand and using them in drafty

windowsills and door jams. Weather-strip around windows and doors. Keep doors to unused rooms closed and close curtains at night.

Add an extra blanket to the bed and warm the bed in advance with a hot water bottle. Never use an electric blanket – it may be difficult to operate the controls if the temperature needs to be adjusted in the night.

Dress in layers of loose fitting clothing. If you go outside, make sure your head is covered.

Every year, more than 1.6 million seniors end up in the emergency room because of a fall. With icy conditions, the chances of falling are even greater.

Preventing Falls

Take a couple minutes per day and stretch your limbs in order to loosen muscles.

Stay inside – make arrangements for someone to shovel and salt driveways and walkways. Professional caregivers can assist with to-do items, such as bringing in the mail and/or picking up groceries.

Wear shoes or boots with a non-skid sole.

Have handrails installed on outside walls for frequently used walkways.

If you use a cane or walker, check the rubber tips to make sure they are not worn smooth.

Winter weather can take a toll on everyone, especially seniors. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) can occur in seniors and impact their emotional health. Some signs

to watch for with SAD include: a loss of energy, an increased appetite and an enhanced feeling of lethargy and tiredness. If symptoms are present, talk to your medical provider about treatment

options.Additionally, winter storms can be

unpredictable. It is important to be prepared in case of an emergency.

2 :: 17 of Iyyar, 5768 :: May 22, 2008

www.thenewstandard.com The New Standard

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Help for Garfield Heights families is just a phone call away. The new Family Resource Center at the Garfield Heights Civic Center, 5407 Turney Road, has information to assist families with drug treatment, counseling

and prevention services, support groups, and other needs. Office hours vary, so it is best to call and make an appointment.

Call the Help Line, 216-475-1103, or e-mail rpollack@garfieldhts.org for assistance.

Help Available Through Family Resource Center

The HeightsStandard

Buyers no longer will be required to put repair funds into an escrow account for violations cited during the point-of-sale inspection. Repairs still must be made by the deadline set by the city’s building

department. Buyers will receive a one-year family recreation pass, limit one per family. Members are still required to purchase an identification card at the recreation center.

Garfield Heights New Homebuyer Incentives

www.TheHeightsStandard.com

Kindly send all announcements to

matt@TheHeightsStandard.com

January 8 - 22, 2015

Cuyahoga County Solid Waster District Graduates First Class of Master RecyclersThe Cuyahoga County Solid Waste

District is pleased to announce that the first class of individuals has graduated from the inaugural Cuyahoga County Master Recycler program.

Beginning in the fall of 2013, eighteen individuals took part in the first ever Cuyahoga County Master Recycler program. The program included eight weeks of lectures and tours focused on the tenets of reducing, reusing, and recycling. Master Recyclers learned from field experts, toured many facility operations to see first-hand how items are processed for reuse and recycling, completed take-home projects, personal waste audits and field research, and a required twenty hours of volunteering for District outreach

programs. Of the eighteen participants enrolled

in the program, thirteen people completed their volunteer service and other requirements within a year to become a Cuyahoga County Certified Master Recycler. A graduation ceremony was held December 2 in Lakewood. We congratulate the following individuals on their accomplishment:

Sharon Bair (Cleveland), Christy Bartley (Cleveland), Karen Braun (Westlake), Lenore Collins, (Keep It Out of the Landfill blog), Veronica Dickerson (National Park Service), Heather Dougherty (Lakewood), Jennifer Dreher (Baldwin Wallace College), Heidi Paul (Magnificat High School), Julie Richer (Garfield Heights), Erica Robinson (Famicos

Foundation), Janine Robb (Brook Park), Katharyne Starinsky (Shaker Heights), and Karen Thailing (Chagrin Falls).

The Master Recyclers are integral for sharing knowledge and correct information about recycling and waste reduction in Cuyahoga County. Many of the Master Recyclers intend to continue their personal learning about recycling and will assist the District in educational opportunities in the future.

The District currently has a second class of eighteen individuals enrolled in a Master Recycler learning program that began in fall of 2014. The class has completed their education hours and is working towards completion of their volunteer service. The District continuously accepts applications for the Master Recycler program; the 2015 class will start in the fall.

For more information about the Cuyahoga County Master Recycler program, visit www.cuyahogaswd.org.

May 22, 2008 :: 17 of Iyyar, 5768 :: 3

Celebrating 5 Years of Award-Winning Journalism in Central Ohio www.thenewstandard.com

The Heights Standard

www.TheHeightsStandard.com

January 8 - 22, 2015

University Hospitals Rockside Internal Medicine Practice Moves to UH Bedford Medical Center

Effective December 13, 2014, the Rockside Internal Medicine physician group of Tamar Bejanishvili, MD, Ghai Lu, MD, Latha Pillai, MD, and Suzanne Schaffer, MD, began seeing patients at their new clinic located at University Hospitals Bedford Medical Center, a campus of UH Regional Hospitals. The group, a part of University Hospitals Medical Practices (UHMP), was formerly located at 22750 Rockside Road in Bedford.

The Rockside Internal Medicine practice was established more than 21

years ago and has an expansive patient base in Bedford and more than 15 surrounding communities. At this new, convenient location, patients will benefit from free parking; same-day, same-site availability of imaging and laboratory services; and immediate access to specialty care including urology, OB/GYN, digestive health, cardiology, vascular, orthopaedics and more. The doctors are accepting new patients and walk-ins are welcome.

The doctors are all board-certified

in internal medicine and have a wide variety of special interests including hypertension, geriatrics, diabetes, depression/anxiety, preventive health and women’s health. They have admitting privileges at multiple University Hospitals facilities and accept most major insurance plans.

“We are very pleased to welcome the Rockside Internal Medicine Group to the UH Bedford Medical Center family,” says Robert David, President of UH Bedford Medical Center. “I’m delighted that their

patients in the surrounding communities may continue to see their doctors so close to home in this new, enhanced suite of offices.”

Their new office address is UH Bedford Medical Center, Outpatient Surgery Center, 50 Blaine Avenue, Suite 2100, Bedford, OH 44146. To schedule an appointment, call 440-735-2800.

Property Tax Bills Now Available OnlineProperty tax bills for Cuyahoga

County residents are now available online through the County Treasurer’s website at http://treasurer.cuyahogacounty.us/en-US/view-pay-tax-bill.aspx.

Cuyahoga County taxpayers are

able search their property tax bills for the first half of 2014 at the website above by using their parcel number, owner’s last name, owner’s address, or AFN number. Hard copies of property tax bills are also being mailed to area residents later this month.

Property tax bills are due for payment by January 22, 2015. Taxes that are not paid by the due date will be assessed a 10% penalty. Residents can pay their bill by e-check, credit card, or by mailing a check to Cuyahoga County Treasurer, P.O. Box 94547, Cleveland,

Ohio 44101-4547. For more information, please visit

the Cuyahoga County Treasurer’s Office at 2079 East 9th Street, or by calling (216) 443-7420. - See more at: http://executive.cuyahogacounty.us

Regional Forensic Science Laboratory to Offer No Charge Testing for Cuyahoga Law and Justice Agencies in 2015

Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald and Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner Dr. Thomas P. Gilson today announced the Cuyahoga County Regional Forensic Science Laboratory (CCRFSL) will offer crime lab services to most law enforcement and justice agencies in Cuyahoga County, at no cost to those agencies, starting in 2015.

–Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald and Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner Dr. Thomas P. Gilson today announced the Cuyahoga County Regional Forensic Science Laboratory (CCRFSL) will offer crime lab services to most law enforcement and justice agencies in Cuyahoga County, at no cost to those agencies, starting

in 2015. “Our accredited Regional Forensic

Science Laboratory will provide millions of dollars of resources annually for local law enforcement and justice agencies, and millions more in savings to the justice system as a whole,” said County Executive FitzGerald. “By offering testing services at little to no cost for our law and justice agencies, we continue to promote regional cooperation and collaboration.”

The Regional Forensic Science Laboratory, located in the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office, will provide no charge lab services including, but not limited to:

•DNA (including Sexual Assault Kit Testing)

•Drug Chemistry •Toxicology •Trace Evidence•New Ballistics and Fingerprint labs

will make testing available later in 2015.

“This is a great opportunity for the county to support the efforts of local law enforcement and public safety with high-quality, scientific, forensic testing. The recent expansion of the laboratory and equipment upgrades provide a firm foundation for the administration of justice,” added Dr. Gilson. “We are glad to be able to offer these services in a way that is affordable to all parties.”

Due to the high volume of testing, The Cleveland Police Department and Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing

Authority Police Department will still pay some costs for testing, but will still experience substantiated savings on cost and efficiency.

The Cuyahoga County Regional Forensic Science Laboratory has just completed a $2.5 M expansion with another $1.5 M in new equipment (at no cost to taxpayers using monies previously seized in an investment fraud trial), making it a state-of-the-art facility. Further, CCRFSL is now one of the most highly accredited public agencies and labs in the U.S. and performs 11,000-12,000 tests per year.

Hand Feed Chickadees, a 70-year Tradition at Brecksville Nature Center

Come out and discover the joy and excitement of a wild bird landing right in your hand and taking a seed! Hand feeding chickadees at Cleveland Metroparks Brecksville Nature Center is a thrilling, 70-year tradition that continues to delight children and adults. Feeding black-capped chickadees by hand began back in the 1940s as a way to connect people with nature

and wildlife. Continue the tradition or start anew by sharing this unique outdoor nature experience with family and friends. Chickadee feedings will continue in January and February on Saturday and Sunday mornings from 10 a.m. to noon.

These small, black, white and gray birds will land on an open hand, take a single black oil sunflower seed and then

fly elsewhere to eat it. Brecksville Nature Center provides the black oil sunflower seeds along with instructions to help make this unique experience one to remember. Cleveland Metroparks prohibits feeding of wildlife in the Park District but makes an exception for this one-of-kind program.

Brecksville Nature Center is located off Chippewa Creek Drive, off

the Route 82 entrance of Brecksville Reservation in Brecksville. For more information, call 440-526-1012 or visit clevelandmetroparks.com.

Check the Park District’s monthly publication, “Emerald Necklace,” or clevelandmetroparks.com for more hand feed a chickadee opportunities, guided bird hikes and other winter bird programs in the upcoming weeks.

4 :: 17 of Iyyar, 5768 :: May 22, 2008

www.thenewstandard.com The New Standard

Columbus & Ohio4 The Heights Standard

A lot of us are having tummy prob-lems these days. Medications for acid re-flux are amongst the biggest selling drugs on the market today. Irritable Bowel Syn-drome (IBS) is among the fastest growing new diagnoses in America. Ulcers of the stomach and colon are a common malady. Billions of dollars are spent and endless hours of suffering endured because of stomach and bowel problems.

Have you had that pain in your chest that made you think you might be having a “heart attack”, only to find out that is was “heartburn”? That’s called GERD (Gastroesophogeal reflux disease), and is caused by stomach acid backing up into your swallowing tube. A lot of people who go to the emergency room thinking they’re having a heart attack find out they actually have heartburn.

There are lots of causes of stomach and bowel problems. Hereditary factors (Crohn’s disease), autoimmune factors (Celiac’s Disease), enzyme factors (lac-

tose intolerance), and systemic issues (can-cers, etc.) can all be sources of stomach

and bowel issues. And if you are having stomach discomfort, you should certainly bring it to the attention of your physician. But for most of us, our bowel issues are caused by what we put into our stom-achs!

There are certain foods that seem to be friendly to our digestive systems. Green leafy veggies, raw veggies, lean meats, fish, whole grains, bananas and yogurt are all recommended for good gut health. Nutritionists recommend staying away from high fat meats, fried foods, very spicy foods, dairy products, and ex-cessive alcohol if we want our stomachs to feel good.

By now you’re probably asking “what does this have

to do with my mouth”? Well, here’s the deal. Our digestive system has one job: to break down the food we eat into parts our bodies can use. That process starts in your mouth. Chewing and saliva are supposed to be the first step in the food breakdown process. If your mouth can’t do its part, one of two things will happen. Either your body won’t get the benefit of the food you have eaten, or the other parts of the digestive system will over-work to make up for the mouth’s poor performance. The latter is what happens. When food enters the stomach not well chewed, the stomach pours extra acid on it to make up for the failure of the mouth to do its job. And, of course, the result we see from this extra acid is GERD (acid

reflux, heartburn), and ulcers. And what is the primary cause of not being able to adequately chew your food?

MISSING BACK TEETH!If you have missing teeth in the back

(the molars, which are built to chew food), you have to replace them! At Dodson and Associates we offer a number of options for replacing missing teeth, both the back chewers and the front smilers. Replacing those missing back teeth can mean the dif-ference between good stomach health and an uncomfortable gut. So if you’re hav-ing tummy issues, give us a CALL today at 1-440-439-2230 to discuss appropriate solutions. We love your questions about tummies or teeth or health. Just Call!

Yours In Dental Health,

Dr. Jane L. DodsonDr. Mychael Davis

Having Stomach Issues? Talk to your Dentist or Us

Jane L. Dodson DDS & Associate, Inc.88 Center Rd. Bedford #330, 44146 (Next to Bedford Hospital)

In the Bedford University Hospital Health Center- 3rd Floordodsonsmiles@yahoo.com

www.clevelandgentledentist.com

CALL 440-439-2230 for an appointment!

New Patient Exam & X-ray Special!! $85.00 ($220 value)

Jane L. Dodson DDS & Associates, Inc.

CALL 440-439-2230 for an appointment!Present this coupon at time of service. Cannot be combined with other coupons.

Expires December 15, 2014 - Bedford Standard

MychaelDavis, DDS

DebraLeonardi,

RDH

Nursing and Rehabilitation Center

January 8 - 22, 2015

Laser surgery has grown in popularity not only because of it timely release, but also its extremely beneficial veterinary features. Dr. Scott Leffler of the Animal Medical Center of Streetsboro is the first in the area to take advantage of these benefits.

Dr. Scott Leffler, a professional veterinarian out of the Akron, Ohio area, is now offering surgical laser and procedures for his clients.

“The benefits of using laser for surgical procedures are numerous,

but I believe my patients and clients appreciate less pain post-operatively to get them back on their paws faster,” said Dr. Scott Leffler.

Benefits of veterinary laser surgery:Treats and reduces painReduces bleedingLess swelling and inflammationReduces chances of infectionsAccelerates healing time

Laser therapy follows laser surgery,

and the uses of both are extremelybeneficial. For both large and small

animals, laser therapy is used to treat conditions such as pain, back injury, sprain/strains, edema, and wound healing/post-op.

It may also provide relief for chronic conditions like hip dysplasia, periodontal disease, arthritis, and degenerative joint disease. For more information about Dr. Scott Leffler and his practice, please visit The Animal Medical Center of Streetsboro at www.

animaldogtor.com.The Animal Medical Center of

Streetsboro is a full service animal hospital.

The mission it has is to partner with its clients to provide a longer, healthier and happier life for their animal companions. The Animal Medical Center of Streetsboro is committed to providing quality veterinary care throughout the life of its clients’ pets.

Local Veterinarian Introduces Laser Surgery

Support the Garfield Heights Family Resource Center by recycling your paper products in the River Valley Paper Company bin at the Civic Center, 5407 Turney Road. The Resource Center helps at-risk families and youth and offers referral services. Items accepted include newspaper, mail, phonebooks, office/school paper, magazines, catalogs, paper bags, hard and soft bound books and cardboard. All proceeds generated from

the yearlong paper drive will benefit the Resource Center. For information about the resource center, call Ruth Pollack, center manager, at 216-475-1103 or e-mail rpollack@garfieldhts.org. For information about recycling, call Pat Salemi at 216-475-1100, ext. 2425 or e-mail psalemi@garfieldhts.org.

Yearlong Paper Drive

May 22, 2008 :: 17 of Iyyar, 5768 :: 5

Celebrating 5 Years of Award-Winning Journalism in Central Ohio www.thenewstandard.com

Columbus & Ohio The Heights Standard January 8 - 22, 2015

Great news from the Maple Heights City Schools. The district recently was awarded a grant in the amount of $78,858.91 from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, to install a retrofit to the buses that would significantly reduce diesel exhaust emissions from the school bus fleet and also installed preheaters on the buses, which would provide a safe and comfortable environment by

transferring heat to the engine and heater exchangers for a warm start, also allowing the windows to defrost, all without plugging the diesel buses up and without engine idling.

Dirty Diesel engines pollute the air, harm our health, and can hinder economic growth. Over a 20 year period, black carbon from diesel engines is 2000 times more potent a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.

Working in Tandem with the Ohio EPA and Power City International, the local International bus dealer, the district secured grant funding that covered 95% of the project cost. Grant funding is derived from civil penalties levied by the EPA. The project involved retrofitting 17 school buses with diesel oxidation catalysts and engine pre-heaters. These catalysts converters reduce particulate emissions by 40%.

Hooray for Maple Heights Schools for taking a proactive stance on reducing harmful diesel emissions and improving the health and welfare of students, district staff and the community at-large. For more information visit www.mapleschools.com, follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/MapleCSD, or join the conversation on Facebook www.facebook.com/MapleHeightsCSD.

Maple Heights School District Awarded Grant from Ohio EPA

Annually, the Garfield Heights City Schools Secretary Association, which includes current and retired secretaries, donates money to a charity. The project coordination rotates throughout the district school and administration buildings. This year, the secretaries at Maple Leaf Elementary School chose the Garfield Heights Family Resource Center to be the recipient of the funds collected at the association’s annual

holiday party.

PHOTO: Donna Majors, Sandi Zelle, Family Resource Center Manager Ruth Pollack, and Maureen Heard.

Family Resource Center Donation

Yearlong Paper Drive

Marymount Hospital presented its annual Community Service Award to Chris Piazza for her generous contributions to the city of Garfield Heights and numerous organizations and causes. The award was presented on Dec. 9, 2014 during the Marymount Hospital Community Advisory Council meeting.

Known throughout the community as someone with a big heart and “can do” attitude, Chris left a legacy here. A retired city worker, she started the Garfield Heights Green Up Project when she grew tired of looking at a weed-laden flower bed outside the employee entrance to the Civic Center.

“We can do better than this,’” Chris said, and she brought flowers to plant from her own garden. “It was only a couple of flowers, but people started telling me that seeing them brightened their day.” From there, the idea blossomed. Since the city could no longer afford to plant flowers or hire landscapers, Piazza asked if she and a group of volunteers could do it themselves. Local media helped get the word out for volunteers and donations. “It’s my way of giving back, and it’s amazing how many other people feel the same way,” Piazza said.

The group spurred the revitalization of landscaped areas at the Safety Forces Memorial that honors fallen firefighters and police officers at the Garfield Heights Civic Center, the clock tower area on Turney Road, the Veterans’ Memorial at Garfield Boulevard and Turney Road, the Veterans’ Memorials at Veterans Plaza behind the Garfield Heights Historical Society, and the mini park area known as Tonsing Island at the corner of Turney and Tonsing. In addition, the group did landscaping work around the new Welcome Wall in front of the fire station at Turney and McCracken, a project that included the

sponsorship of Marymount Hospital.The group’s impressive efforts led to

a WKYC-TV3 “See the Possible” feature and a $500 donation each from Petitti’s Garden Center and TV-3.

Another project Chris spearheaded was the replacement of tattered U.S. flags that were hanging on municipal flagpoles. She contacted members of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3290 and helped lead a campaign to purchase 150 new flags, pole mounts and brackets. “People are generous for a good cause,” she said. “If I see something that needs to be done, there’s usually an easy solution.”

Chris also helped to start Harvest Fest, an annual event with hayrides and fall activities that benefits the city’s three community gardens where residents can grow their own produce. Additionally, she organized the City Lights Craft Fair, a holiday event with music and entertainment that lasted 17 years.

Chris also has volunteered with Meals on Wheels; cooked for youth

retreat programs at Camp Christopher; became a clown/mime to entertain nursing homes and retreat groups: belonged to the Red Hat Society’s local Raspberry Truffles group: developed and led an exercise program for an older audience and people with disabilities; been an active PTA member; participated on the Jubilee Committee to celebrate the city’s 70th birthday; served as president of the Garfield Heights Home Days Committee for three years; and supported the Music Express Show Choir when her granddaughter was a member.

Chris is a member of the Garfield Heights Historical Society, the Garfield Heights Community Gardens committee, the Garfield Heights Democratic Club and the Garfield Heights Friends and Parents of People with Special Needs.

Chris has always had a tender heart for individuals with disabilities. For many years she worked as a secretary and business manager at Koinonia Homes, a non-profit organization that

operates group homes for disabled adults. Her office was on the back porch, which was fortuitous for residents who sought her help or counsel as they entered the back door. She also served on Koinonia’s board of trustees and organized several highly successful fundraisers for the organization.

Chris also developed a special friendship with her 60-year-old cousin with special needs. She and her siblings decided to sell their childhood home to Our Lady of the Wayside to develop a group home now known as Turney House, with the stipulation that her cousin could continue to live in the family home. Chris is an Our Lady of the Wayside volunteer as well.

For more than 30 years Chris and her husband, Lenny, an auxiliary policeman, were members of The Blue Knights Motorcycle Club and rode all over the country to promote motorcycle safety and participate in charity fundraising events. Married 46 years, Chris and Lenny have two sons, Scott and Mark. Scott and his wife Paula have two children, Sierra, who works for Disney World in Orlando, Fl., and Sam, a student at St. Ignatius High School.

Mayor Vic Collova presented Chris with a proclamation naming December 9, 2014 as Chris Piazza Day in the city of Garfield Heights.

“I’ve been told that people shouldn’t make eye contact with me for they will end up participating in one of my projects,” Chris said. “We’ve done so much good for so many; I don’t want to see it stop.”

PHOTO: Marymount Hospital President Joanne Zeroske, Lenny Piazza, Chris Piazza, Jeannie Collova and Mayor Vic Collova

Marymount Hospital Community Service Award

6 :: 17 of Iyyar, 5768 :: May 22, 2008

www.thenewstandard.com The New Standard

Columbus & Ohio6 The Heights Standard

see WALMART page 7

January 8 - 22, 2015

Ellen Augustine, M.A.

What’s up, America?

America Needs a Truth and Reconciliation Process

Racism and violence against African-Americans is in the DNA of this country. It began in the1600s when some of the first settlers brought in slaves. Slavery ended with the stroke of Lincoln’s pen, but not in the hearts of men. Jim Crow laws and lynchings continued the terror for Blacks. After the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s, violence took a new form throughout the country in employment and housing discrimination, decrepit schools, mass incarceration from drug busts focusing predominately in Black neighborhoods, and now massive voter suppression.

The other atrocity in vivid memory is the Holocaust. The pallor no longer hangs over Germany. Why? Not only did they apologize to the Jews, but they paid $90 billion in reparations. The Iraq war cost $1 trillion and the basic Pentagon budget is $700 billion each year. If we can afford those costs whose fruit is destruction, surely we can afford $200 billion to heal the deep wounds our fellow African-American citizens carry. Revitalizing schools in poor areas could be the first focus; then Black community, political, and religious leaders could confer to decide other regenerative uses.

A first step toward healing is a Truth and Reconciliation process, not only in Ferguson, but in urban areas across the country. In early December Fania Davis wrote an OpEd, detailing the merits and what this could look like. The complete piece is printed below.

“The US Needs a Truth and Reconciliation Process on Violence Against African Americans” by Fania Davis, YES! Magazine December 4, 2014 http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/27806-the-us-needs-a-truth-a n d - re co n c i l i at i o n - p ro ce s s - o n -violence-against-african-americans

The decision not to indict Eric Garner’s killer is just the latest story in a long history of violence against black men. What response can disrupt patterns set by centuries of racism?

I am among the millions who have experienced the shock, grief, and fury of losing someone to racial violence.

When I was 15, two close friends were killed in the Birmingham Sunday School bombing carried out by white supremacists trying to terrorize the rising civil rights movement. Only six years later, my husband was shot and nearly killed by police who broke into our home, all because of our activism at the time, especially in support of the Black Panthers.

As a civil rights trial lawyer, I’ve spent much of my professional life protecting people from racial discrimination. In my early twenties, I devoted myself to organizing an international movement

to defend my sister, Angela Davis, from politically motivated capital murder charges aimed at silencing her calls for racial and social justice. Early childhood experiences in the South set me on a quest for social transformation, and I’ve been a community organizer ever since, from the civil rights to the black power, women’s, anti-racial violence, peace, anti-apartheid, anti-imperialist, economic justice, political prisoner movements, and others.

After more than three decades of all the fighting, I started to feel out of balance and intuitively knew I needed more healing energies in my life. I ended up enrolling in a Ph.D. program in Indigenous Studies that allowed me to study with African healers.

Today, my focus is on restorative justice, which I believe offers a way for us to collectively face this epidemic, expose its deep historical roots, and stop it.

The killings of Michael Brown in Ferguson and Eric Garner in New York are sparking a national outcry to end the epidemic killings of black men. Many note that even if indictments had been handed down, that wouldn’t have been enough to stop the carnage. The problem goes far beyond the actions of any police officer or department. The problem is hundreds of years old, and it is one we must take on as a nation. Truth and reconciliation processes offer the greatest hope.

Truth and Reconciliation in Ferguson and beyond

A Ferguson Truth and Reconciliation process based on restorative justice (RJ) principles could not only stop the epidemic but also allow us as a nation to take a first “step on the road to reconciliation,” to borrow a phrase from the South African experience.

A restorative justice model means that youth, families, and communities directly affected by the killings—along with allies—would partner with the federal government to establish a commission. Imagine a commission that serves as a facilitator, community organizer, or Council of Elders to catalyze, guide, and support participatory, inclusive, and community-based processes.

We know from experience that a quasi-legal body of high-level experts who hold hearings, examine the evidence, and prepare findings and recommendations telling us as a nation what we need to do won’t work. We’ve had plenty of those.

To move toward a reconciled America, we have to do the work ourselves. Reconciliation is an ongoing and collective process. We must roll up our sleeves and do the messy, challenging, but hopeful work of creating transformed relationships and structures leading us into new futures. Someone like Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who headed up South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, might come to Ferguson

to inspire and guide us as we take the first steps on this journey.And the impact wouldn’t be for Ferguson alone. Unfolding in hubs across the nation, a Truth and Reconciliation process will create public spaces where we face together the epidemic of killings and its root causes, identify the needs and responsibilities of those affected, and also figure out what to do as a nation to heal harms and restore relationships and institutions to forge a new future. Though this will happen in hubs, the truths learned and the knowledge gained would be broadly shared. Importantly, the process would also create skillfully facilitated dialogue where responsible parties engage in public truth-telling and take responsibility for wrongdoing.

Getting to the rootsToday, teenagers of color are coming

of age in a culture that criminalizes and demonizes them, and all too often takes their lives.

I work with youth in Oakland, where it’s gut-wrenching to see the trauma and devastation up close. Black youth in the U.S. are fatally shot by police at 21 times the rate of white youth. Children of color are pushed through pipelines to prison instead of being put on pathways to opportunity. Some make it through this soul-crushing gauntlet against all odds. But too many do not.

Defining how long- and far-reaching a process like this would be is difficult because, sadly, the killing of Mike Brown is only one instance in a long and cyclical history of countless unhealed racial traumas that reaches all the way back to the birth of this nation. Changing form but not essence over four centuries, this history has morphed from slavery to the Black Codes, peonage and lynching, from Jim Crow to convict leasing, to mass incarceration and deadly police practices.

Bearing in mind its expansive historical context, the Truth and Reconciliation process would set us on a collective search for shared truths about the nature, extent, causes, and consequences of extrajudicial killings of black youth, say, for the last two decades. Through the process, those truths will be told, understood, and made known far and wide. Its task would also include facing and beginning to heal the massive historical harms that threaten us all as a nation but take the lives of black and brown children especially. We would utilize the latest insights and methodologies from the field of trauma healing.

This is urgent. Continued failure to deal with our country’s race-based historical traumas dooms us to perpetually re-enact them.

Though national in scope, the inquiry would zero in on the city of Ferguson and several other key cities across the country that have been the site of extrajudicial killings during the last decade. Specifics like this are best

left to a collaborative, inclusive, and community-based planning process.The process will create public spaces where we cannot only together face the epidemic of killings, its root causes, and identify the needs and responsibilities of those affected, but also where we can figure out what to do as a nation to heal harms and restore relationships and institutions to forge a new future.

Truth and reconciliation worksThere are precedents for this

approach: some 40 Truth and Reconciliation Commissions have been launched worldwide to transform historical and mass social harms such as those we are facing. Their experiences could help light a way forward.

The best-known example is the 1994 South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which was charged with exposing and remedying apartheid’s human rights abuses. Under the guidance of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission elevated apartheid victims’ voices, allowing the nation to hear their stories. Perpetrators had a means to engage in public truth-telling about and take responsibility for the atrocities they committed. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission facilitated encounters between harmed and responsible parties, decided amnesty petitions, and ordered reparations, and it recommended official apologies, memorials, and institutional reform to prevent recurrence.

With near-constant live coverage by national television networks, the attention of the nation was riveted on the process. Although South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission was far from perfect, it is internationally hailed for exposing apartheid’s atrocities and evoking a spirit of reconciliation that helped the country transcend decades of racial hatred and violence.

There are North American examples as well, including the 2004 Greensboro Truth and Reconciliation Commission in North Carolina, the first in the United States. This effort focused on the “Greensboro massacre” of anti-racist activists by the Ku Klux Klan in 1979.

In 2012, Maine’s governor and indigenous tribal chiefs established a truth commission to address the harms resulting from the forced assimilation of Native children by Maine’s child welfare system. It is still in operation.

And Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, also still functioning, addresses legacies of Indian residential schools that forcibly removed Aboriginal children from their homes, punished them for honoring their language and traditions, and subjected them to physical and sexual abuse.

Get to the truth, get to healingLike South Africa’s and others, the

Ferguson Truth and Reconciliation

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process would draw on the principles of restorative justice. Rooted in indigenous teachings, for some 40 years the international RJ movement has been creating safe spaces for encounters between persons harmed and persons responsible for harm, including their families and communities. These encounters encourage participants to get to truth, address needs, responsibilities, and root causes, make amends, and forge different futures through restored relationships based upon mutual respect and recognition.

Restorative justice is founded on a worldview that affirms our participation in a vast web of interrelatedness. It sees crimes as acts that rupture the web, damaging the relationship not only between the individuals directly involved but also vibrating out to injure relationships with families and communities. The purpose of RJ is to repair the harm caused to the whole of the web, restoring relationships to move into a brighter future.

Applied to schools, communities, the justice system, and to redress mass social harm and create new futures, restorative justice is increasingly being recognized internationally. In Oakland, California, where I co-founded and direct Restorative Justice for Oakland Youth (RJOY), school-based programs are eliminating violence, reducing racial disparity in discipline, slashing suspension rates, dramatically boosting academic outcomes, and creating pathways to opportunity instead of pipelines to incarceration. These outcomes are documented in a 2010 study by UC Berkeley Law School and a soon-to-be-released report by the school district. Oakland’s RJ youth diversion pilot is interrupting racialized mass incarceration strategies and reducing recidivism rates to 15 percent. (Based on discussions with folks who run the program—no studies as yet.)

Police and probation officers are being trained in RJ principles and practices. Youth and police are sitting together in healing circles, and creating

new relationships based on increased trust and a mutual recognition of one another’s humanity.

It’s impossible to predict whether similar outcomes would emerge from a Truth and Reconciliation process in Ferguson—and the United States. But it’s our best chance. And, if history is any guide, it could result in restitution to those harmed, memorials to the fallen, including films, statues, museums, street renamings, public art, or theatrical re-enactments. It might also engender calls to use restorative and other practices to stop violence and interrupt the school-to-prison pipeline and mass incarceration strategies. New curricula could emerge that teach both about historic injustices and movements resisting those injustices. Teach-ins, police trainings, restorative policing practices, and police review commissions are also among the universe of possibilities.

In the face of the immense terrain to be covered on the journey toward a more reconciled America, no single

process will be enough. However, a Ferguson Truth and Reconciliation process could be a first step towards reconciliation. It could put us on the path of a new future based on more equitable structures and with relationships founded on mutual recognition and respect. It could also serve as a prototype to guide future truth and reconciliation efforts addressing related epidemics such as domestic violence, poverty, the school-to-prison pipeline, and mass incarceration. A Ferguson Truth and Reconciliation Commission could light the way into a new future.

Ellen Augustine, M.A., is a speaker and author on national currents and the emerging sustainable economy. She may be reached at ellenaugustine@earthlink.net, 510-428-1832, www.storiesofhope.us. Questions, feedback, and topic ideas for future columns are welcome.

PROCESS FROM PAGE 6

INTRODUCTION: If you are like many older folks, you and your spouse bought your home decades ago and have been living there ever since. You haven’t given a thought to how it’s titled. What does that mean, anyway? Today’s column is to enlighten you with the practical perspective on how to own your home – and why!

THE BARYSHNIKOV FAMILY moved to the United States from Russia, to take advantage of the ballet opportunities here. Their little children soon discovered that the local convenience store sold cheap chocolate bars 24 hours a day! The parents were appalled and complained, “Why does the government allow young children to do this, when it’s not good for them?”

As an American, you might be snickering [pun intended] at the Baryshnikov Family. In America, nobody tells you what you can buy and what you can’t buy! That’s free enterprise!

Well, let’s turn the tables on you. Have you ever tried to download a Deed from the Internet? It might be good in your State – and then again, it might not. And there’s nobody to tell you how to do things right, or whether you’ve shot yourself in the foot. Why do “they” allow you to download an Internet legal form if it’s no good in the State where you live? That’s free enterprise!

Now, think about how you own your home. How is it titled? Is it what’s good for you? How do you know? Is writing a Deed a “Do It Yourself” project? Or playing Russian roulette?

DIFFERENT KINDS OF OWNERSHIP There are number of different

ways to own your home. Sole ownership (one name on a

Deed). Joint with right of survivorship (two or more names on a Deed, with additional language so that when one dies, the others acquire the dead one’s share without probate). Tenants in common (two or more names on a Deed, without any additional language). Transfer on death (an Affidavit naming a beneficiary upon your death).

But what’s the BEST way to own your home? That’s like asking, what’s the best apple – Macintosh, Red Delicious, Gala, Fuji, Rome Beauty, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, Cortland, etc.?? The answer is, it depends on what you want to do! Some apples bake well for pies, while others get too soggy and are better sliced raw in salads. Of course, legal ownership of your home is much more complex than cooking with apples.

WHEN “DIY” DOESN’T WORK Let’s consider a few examples of

what can go wrong when you “do it yourself.”

FRED AND WILMA are married and have both of their names on the Deed to their home. When Fred dies, Wilma signs and records an “Affidavit of Surviving Spouse” she downloaded from the Internet. Then Wilma dies. Daughter Pebbles is shocked to learn that probate is required for both Fred’s estate and Wilma’s estate, as

each of them still owned half the house.

KING ELVIS is a rich old man. He wants his daughter Lisa Marie to have his castle after he dies. But when King Elvis learns about the problems of probate, he prepares his own Deed naming himself and Lisa Marie as joint owners with right of survivorship. Then disaster strikes! Lisa Marie goes bankrupt, and her creditors seize the castle for pay for her debts. King Elvis avoided probate, alright – and lost his home too!

MR. MAGOO decides to sell his house to his neighbor, Dawg McBarker. Mr. Magoo doesn’t want to pay a lawyer to prepare a Deed, so he does it himself. Unfortunately, Mr. Magoo doesn’t remember that years after he bought his home, he bought the vacant lot next door. So Mr. Magoo includes only one legal description in his Deed. He keeps the vacant lot – and acquires a law suit as well.

GOALS FIRST, DOCUMENTS SECOND

In my legal Workshops, I often use the illustration of a journey. Your legal documents depend on your goals, what you want to accomplish. Do you want to avoid probate? Do you want to be sure your property is inherited by the right people? Do you want to protect your property from creditors? You tell me where you want to go, and I’ll construct the shipping container to get you there!

The same is true of legal ownership of your home. As you grow older and your circumstances change, the way your home is titled should be reviewed. Remember, just because

you’re allowed to do something doesn’t mean you should. Would you perform surgery on yourself? Preparing your own Deeds and other legal documents can be just as disastrous. Just as you need a doctor for medical work, you need a lawyer for legal work.

THE AUTHOR: Linda J. How is an elder-law lawyer in Bedford, providing Medicaid counseling and estate planning. She has legal training from the national organization, Medicaid Practice Systems (now known as Lawyers With Purpose). To help people understand the value and variety of legal planning, Mrs. How presents FREE educational workshops called, “Seven Threats to Your Family Security.” UPCOMING EVENING WORKSHOPS: Mondays, from 6 to 8 p.m., on January 12, 2015 and again on February 9, 2015. UPCOMING AFTERNOON WORKSHOPS: Wednesdays, from 2 to 4 p.m., on January 14, 2015 and again on Feb. 11, 2015. (Phone or email for the location. They are all just blocks away from Downtown Bedford!) Mrs. How has also developed and taught senior-education courses at Cuyahoga Community College [Center for Aging Initiatives], including “Estate Planning for Real Life” and “The End of Life: Issues and Choices.” For an office appointment or to find out about attending a free Workshop, Mrs. How may be reached at law@lindahow.com or 440-786-9449.

The Title to Your Home - Is It What You Want?Making Sense

of the LawLinda J. How, J.D.

8 :: 17 of Iyyar, 5768 :: May 22, 2008

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Columbus & Ohio8 The Heights StandardJanuary 8 - 22, 2015

Ellen Augustine, M.A.

What’s up, America?

Tired of Cuts to Services? Create Your Own Money

Have you had enough of being beaten and battered by the greed of multinational corporate banks? Are you frustrated by decreases in state services and cuts to education? There is a way out! Only one state has escaped dire financial crises, and that is North Dakota. More than 90 years ago, North Dakota started its own state bank, and since that time they have been creating credit and generating money through accounting entries on their books. The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas explains it this way on its website:

“Banks actually create money when they lend it. Here’s how it works: Most of a bank’s loans are made to its own customers and are deposited in their checking accounts. Because the loan becomes a new deposit, just like a paycheck does, the bank . . . holds a small percentage of that new amount in reserve and again lends the

remainder to someone else, repeating the money-creation process many times.”

President Obama noted this in a speech at Georgetown University on April 14, calling it a “multiplier effect.” “A dollar of capital in a bank can actually result in 8 or 10 dollars of loans to families and businesses, a multiplier effect that can ultimately lead to a faster pace of economic growth.”

A state bank would be free of mortgage schemes, outrageous CEO salaries and bonuses, and shareholders demanding a huge chunk of the profits. Depositing their own vast reserves, they could then make loans at low rates to cities and counties. They could also jumpstart their local economy by giving loans to small and medium-sized businesses, new green ventures, college students, and nonprofits. Public projects are what Franklin Roosevelt used to get us out of the Great Depression. Generally interest on loans comprises half the cost of public projects. Cutting loan interest rates would make currently “unviable” projects like low-cost housing (for everyone: seniors,

struggling families, and single people), alternative energy development, and infrastructure repair and upgrade affordable. The frosting on the cake is that it would also generate profit for the state government.

Does this sound utopian? The North Dakota model is undisputed. Their state legislature established the bank in 1919 specifically to free farmers and small businessmen from the unfair practices of out-of-state banks and railroad magnates. The legislature mandated that the state must deposit all its funds in the bank. All deposits are guaranteed. Many North Dakota citizens also choose to put their money in this bank. The mission of the bank is to promote industry, commerce, and agriculture within the state. How has this worked out? Since 2000, North Dakota’s GNP has grown 56%, personal income has grown 43%, and wages have increased 34%. This year the state has a budget surplus of $1.2 billion.

Five states have bills pending to create their own banks: Massachusetts, Washington, Illinois, Michigan, and Virginia. Others who are studying it include Missouri, Hawaii, New Mexico,

and Vermont. For more information, look up Bill Still’s award-winning documentary, “The Secret of Oz.”

Multinational banks have nearly brought our country to ruin and caused horrendous suffering to millions of Americans. Despite the billion dollar bailout, solid small businesses and families are experiencing a credit freeze, and students face usuriously high interest rates which will shackle them for decades. It’s time that we level the playing field by joining banks in their own game, but this time for the common good. Call your local and state legislators, or mail them this article, to demand that they start exploring this option for Ohio. You deserve nothing less.

Ellen Augustine, M.A., is a speaker and author on national currents and the emerging sustainable economy. She may be reached at ellenaugustine@earthlink.net, 510-428-1832, www.storiesofhope.us. Questions, feedback, and topic ideas for future columns are welcome.

Deadline for youth 3R’s Photo Contest approachesHey kids, are you feeling creative? Do

you like to take pictures? Grab a digital camera or cell phone and snap a shot of anything related to the 3R’s: reduce, reuse and recycle. You might take a photo of a pile of recyclables, a person swapping a toy or game with a friend, or even a pet doing some recycling. Add a clever caption that will encourage others to reduce, reuse or recycle.

Submit your photo to the District’s 3R’s Photo Contest by 11:59 p.m. local time on January 31, 2015. Entries can be

emailed to krocco@cuyahogacounty.us Classes can send entries on CDs or may drop off or mail entries to 3R’s Contest, CCSWD, 4750 East 131 Street, Garfield Heights, OH 44105.

EligibilityThis contest is open to all students

ages 6-18 and will be judged in four categories by age: 6-8, 9-11, 12-14 and 15-18. Pictures can be taken anywhere -- inside, outside, at home, or at school. You can take action shots or stage your photo.

If there are any people in the photo, please ask for their permission.

Digital photos must be three (3) megapixels or larger. Each entry must include the photographer’s name, address, age, and the photo caption. Only entries by Cuyahoga County residents attending school in Cuyahoga County will be judged and eligible for prizes.

Judging and PrizesPhotographers will be entered

into age categories. Entries in the age categories will be reviewed and at least

10 entries per category will be posted on our website for viewing. The general public will have 10-14 day time frame to vote for their favorite via email. An announcement will be made about the voting schedule.

Prizes will include a poster of the winning entries and other Earth Day or recycling themed items. All participants will receive a certificate of participation.

Visit www.uyahogaswd.org for more information.

Garfield Heights Woman’s Club played secret Santa to a family in Garfield Heights. The Ladies enjoyed going shopping and wrapping the presents. The GHWC is a civic organization that raises money to give it away. Some of the charities and organizations that they have supported include GHHS and Trinity yearly scholarship, School Band Uniform Fund, Youth 4:12, Woman’s Reentry Network, GH Animal Warden, Family Violence Task Force, GH S.O.S, Brendan Manor, Holy Spirit Hunger Center, The Rock Church Food Bank, Metroparks, Boys’ Hope/Girls Hope, Salvation Army, USO, Jennings Hall, St. Malachi’s Shelter and Womankind. They were incorporate in 1967 with the purpose that its members be informed and concerned with educational, civic, social and cultural welfare of the community. The members enrich their lives with information and being involved in the community. New members are always welcome.

PHOTO: Garfield Heights Civic Chairwoman Toni Owens and President Debra Sarnowski

Garfield Heights Women Spread Holiday Joy You Know You’re from Cleveland if...You are used to the dead fish smell after it

rains.

You remember the Norton’s Furniture

commercials

You often switch from heat to AC in the same

day and back again

Driving is better in the winter because the

potholes are filled with snow.

You find 3 degrees a little chilly.

It will always be the The Gund

You have ballpark mustard in your refrigerator

It’s “you’s guys” not yens, or ya’ll

Cleveland is called downtown, not the city

You have a tree lawn