in this issue - The Tremonster

IN THIS ISSUE
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• ‘ClevgetolaZack Ward, ClevelaRnudn’s....P.peo2
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Accordin More Credit for the
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CMSD
MSD Board Places
Renewal on Ballot:
Extending the Levy for Four Years
Without Raising Raising Taxes.....p 6
• MetroHealth Opens
Critical Care Pavilion:
Just in time for the RNC to come to Cleveland....p 7
• Merchant Street Market
Provisions & Eatery:
Quietly Opening its Doors....p 3
ZackWard (aka Scut Farkus) Debuts as Director
Why he feels like Cleveland’s uncle, and his unique perspective on the CLE and the Cavs...on page 2
Photo by Rich Weiss
Page 2 • Issue #34 • The Tremonster • July 2016
Zack Ward (aka Scut Farkus) Returns to
Cleveland with a Film of His Own
A special report by The Tremonster
Zack Ward (who played Scut Farkus in the film A Christmas Story) visited the film’s Cleveland Street location, A Christmas Story
House and Museum, to meet fans and promote his directorial debut,
Restoration, which showed Sunday, July 9, at the Capitol Theatre
in the Gordon Square neighborhood. The Tremonster caught up
with Ward during his appearance.
The Tremonster: Does Cleveland look any different
from the last time you were here?
Ward: You know it's kinda interesting...my return to
Cleveland Street is for a dual purpose – it’s a cross promotion for A Christmas Story House and Museum, as well
as a promotion for my feature film – and it is amazing to
come back to Cleveland. I feel like Cleveland's uncle.
When I shot the Christmas Story film in 1983, Cleveland
was a bomb site. I mean, it was a disaster. It had gone
bankrupt, basically. As a child, we were not allowed – I
was 13 – we were not allowed to leave the hotel unaccompanied after 4 p.m. because it was a sea of homelessness. We were at the Renaissance Hotel...it’s beautiful
now, but back then most of the floors were abandoned;
the windows were boarded up. That was the only place
to stay. The reason I say I'm the uncle is because I’m
not here with Cleveland every day. Like an uncle, I visit
the kid every once in a while and I notice how much it’s
grown. It’s beautiful. The city is gorgeous; the people are
wonderful. I’m so happy for them and the Cavaliers – but
I’ve got to be honest: Cleveland made the Cavaliers, the
Cavaliers did not make Cleveland. Cleveland has fought
back from the edge of a horrible depression – has created
such an amazing infrastructure
of work ethic in a city that’s
gorgeous. They’re the ones
who created all the financial
opportunity to have a team
like the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Cleveland Cavaliers owe
everything to Cleveland. It’s
really touching.
The Tremonster: I’m actually
worried I’m going to cry.
Ward: For me, this is the first
feature film I've ever directed
– I’ve produced three features
now. Coming to Cleveland the
whole point was that you know
there's a blossoming film world
here in Cleveland and I thought
it would be a great opportunity
to talk to people who want to
become filmmakers, who want
to be actors, writers, directors, producers, editors, and
have that conversation because
Cleveland knows me because
I'm Scut Farkus. I kind of feel
like it’s an opportunity for us
to exchange information, and I
can show Clevelandites how I
have grown and perhaps share
some of that with them by
teaching them what I know…
that was my whole concept behind doing this.
The Tremonster: Your film
will actually be debuting at
the Capitol Theatre in our
sister neighborhood, Gordon Square. I'm not sure if
you've seen that neighborhood recently, but –
Photo courtesy of the International Press Academy
Zack Ward, pictured at the 12th Annual
Satellite Awards of the International Press
Academy, December 2007.
Ward: – it’s gorgeous…it's beautiful! I got
lost getting here -- which is ridiculous -- and
then I drove to Gordon Square... I came off the
freeway and I was in an area... honestly that's
one of the things I love about Cleveland is the
buildings – the architecture, the way the neighborhood's changed so dramatically. In four to
five blocks I get off the freeway, and I'm looking
around like, "This is looking nasty..." – bad…I
mean, it looks like what it was like 1972. And
in that way, as a film location, it's pretty cool….
and I'm thinking, “Where is this theater?”
Then I go through these neighborhoods that
are like…up-and-coming, up-and-coming, up
and coming…and then: boom. It's gorgeous. I
met Chad Jones, marketing director over at the
Detroit Shoreway Community Development
Organization – little by little, they are forcing
landlords to step up their games…and in many
other ways, they’re cleaning up that neighborhood.
The Tremonster: Tell us a little bit about the
film [Restoration] debuting at the Capitol
Theater at 4 p.m. tomorrow.
Ward: Restoration is a supernatural thriller…a
young couple – a husband and wife – move into
a new town because they just acquired a house.
The wife is a doctor, and she's doing her residency; the husband is a general contractor, and
he's renovating the house by himself so he can
show the work to the surrounding neighborhood
and build a reputation. When he's tearing open
a wall, he finds a diary that's been hidden there
for the last 30 years. When they open the diary,
they release more than just the information contained inside...
For more information about A Christmas Story
House & Museum, visit www.achristmasstoryhouse.com. For those people that couldn't make
it to the Capitol Theatre showing, the film, Restoration, is available on Amazon, iTunes, Direct TV, Google Play, I Demand, Comcast,
and Hulu.
July 2016 • The Tremonster • Issue #34 • Page 3
o Merchant Street Market Provisions & Eatery Opens
John McDonnell, Owner of Merchant Street Market, shows off
the locally-sourced products stocked in his new shop.
A special report by The Tremonster
According to John McDonnell, Owner of
Merchant Street Market Provisions and Eatery,
when Tremonsters visit his newly (and quietly) opened shop, they will find “a grab-andgo fridge, where we have our various salads,
sandwiches, and fresh veggies to go...fresh
eggs, organic from the
Amish, and a local farmer
– Patrick McCafferty is a
friend of mine who runs
his farm out in Ridgeville
and does mostly organic
– he comes in every Saturday with a bunch of just
different stuff. I get green
beans from his farm, all
kinds of greens, eggs,
little weird stuff…I'm
trying to get more of this
– it’s called Maple Tree
Water. It literally comes
from when they make
the maple syrup – it’s the
water that comes off the
process. It’s literally almost like a still, where it
drips back down and col-
lected...it’s got this really unique flavor. We sell
breads...we are going to be loading up more and
more...right now we're featuring fresh baguettes
(we buy them par-frozen and then we cook them
up) – it's a good product, and because they're
half made, it's actually better than getting them
from a bakery because they [don’t] go bad. We
,,
The Tremonster is a neighborhood newspaper by Tremonsters, for Tremonsters. A
Tremonster is anyone who loves the neighborhood of Tremont in Cleveland, Ohio.
Any Tremonster may submit materials for consideration by the 18th of the month to:
TheTremonster@TheTremonster.org or PO Box 6161, Cleveland, OH, 44101.
Publisher
Editor
Rich Weiss
Amanda Lloyd
Content Contributors: Joshua York, Megan Hadzinsky, Sara Liptak, Bill Weiss,
Dr. Reema Gulati, Yvonne Bruce, Henry Senyak, and Jessie Schoonover
Thank you, Scott Radke, for our logo character for The Tremonster.
Mascot: Abbey
Our thanks to the below Tremonsters for their constant help, advice and support:
Ricardo Sandoval, Mike Griffin, Bob & Nancy Holcepl, Sherman DeLozier,
Heather Haviland, Bac Nguyen, Stacia Naoum, Chris Leib, Tina Arundel,
Phil Pavarini, Steven Mastroianni, Paul Duda, Roseann Canfora, Bernadette Repko,
M. Lynn Schroeder, Tom Ott, Michael Scott, Maria Nicolau-Miranda, Cory Riordan,
Michelle Davis, Scott Rosenstein, Jim Votava, Lindsay Smetana, Richard & Scott Sosenko,
Jennifer Marks, Megan Baechle, Kevin Kubovcik, W. Dennis Keating, Andrew Revy,
Terrence Spivey, Clyde Simon, Brian Devine, Ronald Copfer, Grai Oleksy,
Angelica Pozo, Chris Flood, Ellen Robinson, Elisabeth Weems, Thandra Willis,
Elizabeth Ajadi, Brianna Contreras, Ambrosia Luzius, Kadija Smith,
Joe Cimperman, Lee Fisher, Ron Rasmus, Joseph Marinucci, Lev Gonick,
Lauren Rich Fine, and Julian Earls.
keep one or two going, and when we sell them,
it takes about 30 to 35 minutes to bake replacements, fresh, and that way we can keep fresh
breads going.” McDonnell proudly presented
his inexpensive-but-diverse and high-quality
wine selection. Wine is one of McDonnell’s
passions, but cheese is another. He toured us
through his meat and cheese deli case, and told
us about another industry connection and friend.
“Cheeses...” he said. “These are pretty much all
the good cheeses that you'll find at the Cheese
Shop at the West Side Market – Dion [Tsevdos],
who owns it, is a very good friend of mine, and
Lisa, who runs it – I worked with her when I
renovated my old restaurant…” McDonnell began listing the cheeses currently in stock: “Goat
cheese…camembert and the brie…asiago pressato, manchego, gouda, beemster…” He gave
details on the difficult-to-find olives, sopressa
[Italian aged salami, produced with pork, lard,
salt, pepper, and spices], coppa hot [made from
the pork shoulder], and so much more packed
into one, tiny shop – it’s well worth stopping in
when you’re looking for culinary inspiration, or
if you’re on your way home from work, or as
a last stop when visiting the Tremont Farmers’
Market every Tuesday.
Page 4 • Issue #34 • The Tremonster • July 2016
The Cavs Championship, Fans, & AttractingVisitors...
Photos by The Tremonster
Bernie Sokolowski: “I really believe this –
I was always proud of Cleveland.”
Jess, Stylist
Addictions Salon and Spa,
755 Starkweather Ave
Cleveland, OH 44113
by Megan Hadzinsky
As Cleveland’s identity adjusts itself to
include the title of champions, we talked
to the small businesses of Tremont to hear
about their perspective on the Cavaliers
championship, the Cleveland fans, and
what new visitors are finding when they
come through Tremont. We found the
Tremonster purveyors, chefs, hostesses,
and baristas we chatted with were proud
of their city and excited to share their personal
experience, along with all the goods and
services our neighborhood has to offer.
Cleveland, Ohio has been called the
center of the universe this summer: We
are, after all, newly named national
champs and host of the RNC. Tremonsters
let us know how true that moniker rings –
for them, personally, and for their small
businesses.
Bernie Sokolowski, Co-Owner
Sokolowski’s University Inn
1201 University Road
Cleveland, OH 44113
The Tremonster: We’re here at Sokolowski’s
in Tremont, and we’re here with co-owner,
Bernie Sokolowski. If you would, share your
experience about the Cavs run, how it affected business and history.
Bernie: Well, let’s go back to when the Cavaliers first originated in Cleveland – I was a fan
then – went to quite a few games then; I was a
season ticket holder back then. So, I’ve been a
Cavs fan all my life, and now that they became
national champions, it’s a great feeling; it’s
great for the city…someone said to me the other day, ‘I bet you’re really proud of Cleveland,
now that we are champs.’ I said – and I really
believe this – I was always proud of Cleveland.
Whether we won a championship or not…but
it’s great to have that championship anyway.
It’s great for the city; it’s great for everybody;
it’s great for business; it just…it makes people
feel a lot better…and let’s hope we can continue
to do that – every year.
The Tremonster: We’re here at Addictions
Salon and Spa in Tremont, Ohio. If you’d
like, introduce yourself and let us know
what’s offered here at the salon.
Mary Balbier, Co-Owner, Sokolowski’s University Inn
T h e Tr e m o n s t e r : M a r y Balbier, could
you tell us about your son’s experience
watching Game Seven?
Mary: I’m Mary Balbier, Bernie’s sister, and
co-owner of Sokolowski’s along with my brother, Mike Sokolowski. I was speaking about my
son, Joseph Balbier. It was so emotional. He
didn’t want to come home and watch TV with
his mom and dad because dad channel-chases
too much – we get too nervous – so he went
with his friends, and I heard through the grapevine that when the Cavs officially won, he fell
to the ground, crying. Now, mind you, he’s an
attorney with an MBA and studying for a CPA
– bright kid, good kid, not at all sissy – strictly,
you know, macho-macho. He just fell to the
ground. It was so emotional that I became emotional because of him being so emotional…and
I was so happy for it, and I think…you know
what happens? Every time one of our teams in
Cleveland wins on a weekend, that following
Monday, you could just tell how Clevelanders
are. They are celebratory; they are joyous; they
are thankful and appreciative, and they come
out and celebrate. It is…they are marvelous.
There is no greater fan on Earth than the Cleveland fans.
The Tremonster: That’s correct.
Mary: That’s the God’s honest truth…and I
think – my opinion – God was shining down
on Cleveland…and we won. Need I say more?
Sean, Barista
Lucky’s Cafe
777 Starkweather Ave
Cleveland, OH 44113
My name is Sean. I work as a barista here at
Lucky’s Café – also helping out in the dining
room, that kind of thing. As far as my experience, I do remember that down where I live,
there were tons of cars just driving by, honking,
everybody was really super friendly – it was
pretty awesome. I know that business picked
up here the day after…like, huge. Our owner
[Chef/Owner Heather Haviland] actually decided to shut the store down on Wednesday for
the parade, so we all could get a break, and we
all could go downtown for that huge parade
and everything. On weekends, we do specials
– and those obviously run out just because it’s a
limited – I don’t know what the special was that
weekend, but we have biscuits and gravy…that’s
really super popular – that’s pretty awesome, if
you haven’t had it – our Reuben is pretty popular, and the mac and cheese – we run out of that
sometimes…and bacon (obviously)!
Greg Morris, Co-Owner
Wine & Design
751 Starkweather Ave
Cleveland, OH 44113
Greg: My name is Greg Morris, and this is
Wine & Design – wine, home furnishings, and
interior design. We thought it was unique concept to have the interior design and then add
the wine element to bring people in on a more
regular basis, and we do wine tastings, and so,
hopefully when someone is ready to do interior
design, they think of us.
The Tremonster: Let us know about your own,
personal experience with the Cavs playoff run.
Greg: Oh my gosh; it was awesome. I’m not a
huge sports fan, but the Cavs – it was just wonderful for the city. I went downtown for several of the games…I didn’t get into any of the
games, but I went to the watch parties; I went
to the parade…the last game was just insane.
It started in the flats and then ended up downtown, watching the game on the big screen or
monitor, and then the craziness that took place
afterwards…and then we actually closed for the
parade, so I went down
for that – that was pretty
amazing to see, too…
The Tremonster: How
close did you get to LeBron?
Greg:
We were really
close – we were right on
the corner of Progressive
Field, Ontario and I guess
that was Carnegie. We
were on an island, right
real close.
Patrick, Executive Chef
Parallax Restaurant and Lounge
2179 W 11th St
Cleveland, OH 44113
Patrick: I’m Patrick, the Executive Chef here at
Parallax, and I remember the day of the parade
the most – I actually got to go. I walked from
here...and then I came back, and the place was
a zoo. Everyone had walked over the Carnegie
Bridge again, and Tremont was just packed, and
everyone was super happy and nothing – nothing dangerous happened – everyone was just so
excited – it was awesome! I remember, too, the
nights of the games (especially away games) the
bar would just be full over there [Patrick gestured
toward the long Parallax bar and TV monitors in
his sight line from the open Parallax kitchen],
and I’ll be cooking over here...and I would hear a
roar – ‘Oh, great, this must be good!’
The Tremonster: I know a lot of industry
employees and workers, they’re working all
the games, and they’re working all those big
events. How did you feel? Does that add to
your experience, or do you feel like you miss
out as an industry worker?
Patrick: I would poke my head out every once
in a while and look at the score, and I was super nervous. I think it worked out best for me
because I would have been a nervous wreck
watching all of those games.
Jess: My name is Jess. I am a stylist at additions. We’ve been here for three years in downtown Tremont, and it is owned by a woman
named Jennifer Scibana, who is also a barber
and a cosmetologist, and we specialize in cuts,
colors, manicures, and pedicures. We have a lot
of out-of-town guests that come in and check
out the different restaurants in different shops
here in the area and they like to come in with
friends and family, get mani/pedis – or, we offer express mani/pedis as well, so if you want
just a polish change with a friend, or someone
visiting, you can come in and get some services done, and then walk right down [Professor
Street] and hit some of the best restaurants and
bars in the area.
Amanda Montague, Co-Owner
Lilly Handmade Chocolates
761 Starkweather Ave,
Cleveland, OH 44113
The Tremonster: We’re here at Lilly’s Chocolate in Tremont, where Amanda will tell us a
little bit about the store and her own experience with the Cavs playoff run.
Amanda: Hi! Thanks for coming. My name
is Amanda Montague; I’m owner and operator with my husband, Josh, at Lilly Handmade
Chocolates. We specialize in pairing fine wine
and craft beer with our Handmade Chocolates
and Confections…so, we make friends real
easy. It’s nice. With the Cavs, we were very
excited – me, myself, I’ll be honest…not a huge
basketball fan…but when it was Game Seven,
down to the wire, I’m the one standing on the
couch, screaming at the TV: ‘Ten seconds – he
broke his hand! What happened?’ …And he
didn’t, and we won, and…oh my God it was
like pigs flew over Cleveland! It was fantastic. So it’s all good. We’re very happy; we’re
very blessed to have the win for Cleveland. We
needed it.
The Tremonster: That week, as I remember,
was a very hot week in Cleveland…but it’s
very cool in here – why is that?
Amanda: Chocolate and heat are not friends.
They [chocolate treats] melt very quickly – a
quick, melty, puddley death. So, it’s always 68
degrees and breezy in here – it’s nice and cool;
it’s calm – maybe I’m not calm, but the store is.
The Tremonster:
For people traveling to
Cleveland that may not be familiar with the
store – what can they find here, and what can
they take back with them?
Amanda: We’re definitely a one-of-a-kind
place. We’re not your traditional chocolatier.
We do a lot of sweet savory items, and [are]
much more aggressive in our flavors. It’s not
about the chocolate; it’s about what’s inside that
counts…just like people. Visitors can really experience a good time, full flavor, bold personalities, and a great, cherry-picked beer and wine
selection to curate with the chocolates.
July 2016 • The Tremonster • Issue #34 • Page 5
...from the Perspective of Tremont’s Small Businesses
Ricardo Sandoval: “The whole Cavs
championship was bridge building.”
Gianna LaMarca, Hostess
The South Side
2207 W 11th St
Cleveland, OH 44113
Ricardo Sandoval, Chef/Owner
Fat Cats Restaurant
2061 W 10th St
Cleveland, OH 44113
My name’s Gianna LaMarca, I’ve been a hostess at The South Side for over two years now.
The Cavs games were absolutely insane; it was
amazing. The vibe here was just wonderful…
indescribable.
The Tremonster: A lot of people, as industry
workers, they feel like they’re working those
events and they’re really part of that history
that’s being made. Do you feel that enhances
your experience as a Tremonster, or do you
feel like you’re missing out on being a part
of something?
Gianna: I absolutely think that it enhanced my
experience as a Tremonster, for sure. Being
here, during that environment, was breathtaking. I just felt so involved and so deep in the
city – it was amazing.
The Tremonster: As a hostess, you know how
many people are coming in and out of the
restaurant. Was the traffic you saw unlike
any other night?
Gianna: Oh my gosh; it was crazy. There
were so many heads in here – so many people
were so excited, and I’m just running around
screaming…and excitement and…it was just
wonderful. Our parking lot was packed – inches apart – and people were just coming from all
parts of Tremont, just walking over like: ‘We
parked 47 blocks away, but we had to come to
South Side!’
Marina Kolmanovich
Banyan Tree
2242 Professor Ave
Cleveland, OH 44113
Marina: Hi, my name is Marina, and this is
Banyan Tree. We have four locations – we just
opened one in Legacy Village – and we sell a
lot of local jewelry, Cleveland items, as well as
clothes and shoes, and little knick-knacks.
Ricardo: I’m Ricardo Sandoval
of Fat Cats, and I’ve been here
for almost 20 years…long years!
Anyway, the Cavs run was fantastic. We’re winners now. We’re
finally winners! The day of the
parade, I…had to I basically had
to guard my parking lot! I had
to block off all exits…I turn my
back for one second, and a friend
of mine snuck into the parking lot…and she parked…and I
chased her away [he laughed]…
because I wanted to be fair. I figured, if I did this it had to be for
The Tremonster: Tell a little bit about your
personal experience with the Cavs run – did
you watch any of the games, and how excited
did you get?
Marina: It was great. It was so fun. We actually closed the store down and went to the parade,
so the whole street was kind of at the parade,
as well as the entire city, so it was great – very
exciting for the city.
The Tremonster: Does the Banyan Tree invite
a lot of visitors from out of town to check out
what you’ve got here?
Do you guys experience a lot of tourism?
Marina:
Definitely.
We get a lot of out-oftown guests and visitors
that stay in downtown
Cleveland, and it’s
great to see everyone
coming to visit our city.
Jennifer Marks, Owner
Makers
1028 Kenilworth Ave
Cleveland, OH 44113
My name is Jennifer Marks, and I own a women’s clothing boutique in Tremont on the corner of W. 11th and
Kenilworth, right near Lincoln Park…the Cavaliers
parade was fantastic. We had just returned back to the
country from vacation, had no idea what was going on
and were greeted by packed streets, people walking all
the way from Steelyard Commons, headed downtown –
and the entire day there were people traipsing up and
down through the streets of Tremont. In addition…since
the win…it’s like the mood has lifted in Cleveland, and
people are just excited and happy…baseball is selling
out…and everybody’s having a good time.
T h e Tr e m o n s t e r :
When people come
in from out-of-town,
what kind of products
do you think they’re
looking for?
Marina: A lot of the
C le ve la nd
knic kknacks, so we sell a lot
of Cleveland glasses,
and Cleveland bottle
openers, and Cleveland t-shirts, as well
as charm bracelets and
necklaces.
Liz, Barista
Loop-Tremont
2180 W 11th St
Cleveland, OH 44113
The Tremonster: We’re at the Loop Cafe in
Tremont with Liz. We’re going to ask Liz all
about her experience here at the Loop during
the Cavs playoff run.
Liz: We had a lot of people coming through
[during the parade]; people who didn’t normally
stop in at Loop...HOT...very hot people...it was
a hot day; everybody was sort of red in the face
and sweaty, and we got lots of requests for ice
water – little kids – you know, we were hearing
about people passing out from heat stroke, so
later on we kind of thought of the idea of putting
out ice water in the street...it was a real sense
of camaraderie; everybody who came through –
even though people were so warm – everybody
had a nice story to tell about how close they
got to LeBron or how long they had been down
there – for hours and hours waiting and excited
to see all the Cavs players...it was a fun day it
was a good day.
everybody…but I did find her a parking space
around the corner. It was actually illegal, but
I don’t think any of the cops were working
this neighborhood the day of the parade [he
laughed]…so as soon as she found that spot –
as soon as I put her into that spot – there were
five cars that parked right behind her. But anyway, it was outstanding, though. There were a
lot of people, and it was bridge building. The
whole Cavs championship was bridge building. When I saw it on TV, as well as what I
saw here at the restaurant – it got really busy…
it’s just like everybody was getting along and
I wish that was... that’s the message, though...
that sports is bridge building, and maybe
there’s something to gather from that. As far
as our menu is concerned, it seemed like there
wasn’t a lot of food being served downtown –
or beverages – and so the type of food that was
selling was our fried chicken sandwiches, which are really popular
here, but I think people were coming from downtown, and they were
very, very hungry…and so it was
hamburgers, chicken sandwiches
– stuff that they could get right
away…and then cold beverages.
That could be all the way from ice
tea to an ice cold beer, or one of
our draft beers or our artisan beers.
That’s basically what it was, but a
lot of in and out. It was hot and,
like I said, I don’t think anybody
was serving food down there…or
beverages…and they were thirsty
and hungry…and that’s a perfect
recipe for us – and it was even
better because it was turnover. So
it was a heck of a day, though – a
great day for the Cavs and the city,
As you can see, Tremont is not going
to tire anytime soon from being in the
national spotlight. Bernie Sokolowski,
co-owner of Sokolowski’s University
Inn, said that he was always proud
of this city. We found that sentiment
echoed, in one way or another, by most
of the Tremonsters we interviewed.
Tremonsters love and take pride in the
CLE because of its ability to persevere
through countless losing seasons and
long winters. Tremonsters love the
accessibility to world-class restaurants
and events without hours of traffic or
outrageous price tags. Tremonsters
thrive off the rich arts and culture found
in Tremont and the surrounding areas.
And most importantly, Tremonsters
love going to their favorite bar to cheer
on our hometown kid LeBron or standing for hours to see him in the celebratory parade. Throughout Tremont and
Cleveland, every soul has a story to be
told of the joyous and jaw-dropping
experience Game Seven brought our
city. Cleveland, Ohio is home to the
best fans in the world, and we thank our
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS!
Page 6 • Issue #34 • The Tremonster • July 2016
CMSD Board Places Renewal on Ballot
CMSD NEWS BUREAU
Paul Dunbar ribbon-cutting, August, 2013
The Cleveland Board of Education is asking
voters to renew the operating levy that made the
reforms in The Cleveland Plan possible.
The Board of Education voted 8 to 0 Tuesday
to place the renewal on the Nov. 8 ballot. Voter
approval would extend the levy for four years
but would not raise taxes.
When voters initially approved the levy in
2012, it was the first time in 16 years they had
provided the schools with additional money for
operating expenses.
Mayor Frank G. Jackson and District Chief
Executive Officer Eric Gordon said then that
voters could decide in four years whether the
schools had achieved enough progress to earn
their continued support. The CEO said earlier
this month that the District has a long way to go
but has made significant headway.
"I am proud of the work we have accomplished
over the last four years," he said. "I’m confident
that our community has seen the improvements
we’ve collectively accomplished, and I’m hope-
ful that we will have their continued support at
the ballot box this fall."
The revenue is critical to carrying out reforms
charted by Cleveland's Plan for Transforming
Schools, better known as The Cleveland Plan.
The 15-mill levy would generate up to $69.7
million a year, or 10 percent of the District’s
operating budget, without raising taxes, but
CMSD shares 1 mill, or about $4.6 million,
with charter school partners.
CMSD's progress includes an increase in the
graduation rate from 52 percent to a record high
66 percent since 2011.
The record also includes notable performance
on the most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress, also known as the Nation's
Report Card. Of 21 urban districts that make
their results public, CMSD was one of only
three that showed gains on all four parts of the
assessment.
Public trust is growing, said Gordon. CMSD’s
enrollment has been rising after decades of
decline and surveys showed that majorities of
nearly 75 percent felt the schools are improving and rated them as fair or better. Once on the
verge of insolvency, the District is now on a
long run of financial stability.
Parent participation is on the
increase. Nearly 91 percent
of parents and caregivers
had face-to-face contact with
their children’s teachers last
year.
Gordon noted that the District is not asking voters for
a tax increase and is passing
up the chance to request the
maximum 10-year renewal
allowed under state law.
"We’ve made real progress,”
he said. “We’re asking
for four more years so
people can measure us
again then.”
July 2016 • The Tremonster • Issue #34 • Page 7
The Retur n of the
Friendly Bacteria
MetroHealthy Living
by Reema Gulati, MD
Division Director,
Pediatric Gastroenterology
MetroHealth System
Editor’s Note: We have been publishing
MetroHealthy Living, Dr. Gulati’s column
exclusively for our papers, for some time. By
popular demand, here is a look back at one
of the first articles from her ongoing column.
Probiotics (health-friendly bacteria) and fermented, bioactive foods like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, miso, tempeh, and
fermented beers have for ages dignified the
health and well-being of civilizations that cared
for them. It’s important to eat these food items
to stay healthy and here’s why:
Evolutionarily, these symbiotic bacteria have
lived in a harmonious relationship with the human body, bestowing humans with almost nonexistent rates of digestive ill-health, allergies,
autoimmune diseases, and even certain types of
cancers. Fermentation seems to be reason why.
The process of fermentation of food releases
a variety of otherwise trapped bioactive compounds like lactic acid, folate, riboflavin, short
chain fatty acids, digestive enzymes, heat etc.,
and many of these compounds have shown to
have beneficial properties like anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-allergic, cardio-friendly,
and more. The most notable example in cancer
prevention has been seen in traditional Japanese women who regularly drink fermented soy
drinks rich in the anticancer isoflavone Genistein,
which has been linked to the very low rates of
breast cancer in these women. Further, these
protective effects are lost in those who have
adopted contemporary western diets due to immigration or urbanization. This underscores the
crucial role of a healthy, nutrient-rich diet in
cancer prevention, yet again!
Probiotics also appear to have a role in warding
off allergic diseases. They reset the abnormal
immune responses underlying various allergic
diseases and restore favorable immune response
types in the body. Expectant mothers with
strong family history of allergic diseases like
eczema, hay-fever, and food allergies who took
probiotics during pregnancy and breast-feeding,
reduced the chances of their babies developing
eczema by almost 50% in the first 2 years of life
and almost 36% in the first 7 years!
In regards to digestive health, bacteriocins
– chemicals produced by the probiotics – kill
the harmful intestinal bacteria and preserve
a “beneficial microcosm,” which may be protective for digestive diseases. They have also
shown to strengthen body immunity against
various infectious diseases like H. Pylori Gastritis, pneumonia etc. It’s barely a surprise then
that Gastroenterologists across the world are
using probiotics for digestive conditions like
antibiotic-associated diarrhea, irritable bowel
syndrome, and even some types of inflammatory bowel disease.
Recently there has also been a lot of interest in
researching the potential role of probiotics in
mental health diseases. Fermentation by probiotics like Lactobacillus sp. produces psychoactive compounds like GABA. GABA is a neurotransmitter found in the brain and in addition
to its calming, anti-anxiety and anti-stress effects, it is also known to have antihypertensive,
anti-diabetic, anticancer and memory boosting
effects – which is why GABA enriched foods
are increasingly finding their place in health
food stores. It will be interesting to see the effects of regular consumption of such foods on
the stress and anxiety levels of modern mankind!
It’s now solid evidence that keeping these
friendly bacteria in and around our body is paramount in keeping us healthy. We easily can get a
healthy dose of their ‘fermented magic’ through
such natural super (bacteria) food delights
like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, miso, tempeh, and pickled vegetables. I
strongly encourage you to dig in!
MetroHealth Hospital Opens
Critical Care Pavillion
The MetroHealth System will open its new Critical Care Pavilion to patients on July 12. This is
in keeping with MetroHealth’s promise to open
the expanded facility by the Republican National
Convention, which starts on July 18 in Cleveland.
The 100,000 square-foot vertical expansion is the
first completed step of MetroHealth’s main campus transformation. Two floors and 85 Intensive
Care Unit (ICU) rooms were added to the existing Level I Trauma Center, emergency department and surgical operating rooms on its West
25th Street main campus. The new ICU rooms
will house MetroHealth’s trauma, burn and most
critically ill patients.
Among the ICUs are two special disease care
rooms, specifically designed for patients with
infectious diseases including Ebola. These isolation rooms are located in a section of the CCP
which can be quarantined and blocked off from
other working patient care areas. The Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) named
MetroHealth a designated Ebola treatment center
in 2015.
Each of the 85 patient rooms is single-occupancy,
with dedicated space to accommodate family
members who may want to stay overnight. The
rooms were designed to create a soothing atmosphere and include floors which minimize noise,
lighting to support a patient’s sleep and wake
cycles, and floor-to-ceiling windows to allow for
natural light.
"MetroHealth and Northeast Ohio's most experienced trauma team now have the latest stateof-the-art facility to continue and enhance the
exceptional life-saving care we deliver. This
facility, which was designed in full partnership
with patients and families, will help patients heal
faster and go home sooner,” said Akram Boutros,
MD, FACHE, president and CEO of MetroHealth. “And, I'm proud that the MetroHealth
Board of Trustees agreed to pay the entire
$82 million price tag out of our funds, thereby
relieving taxpayers of an additional tax burden."
Patients in MetroHealth’s current ICU rooms in
the main towers of the hospital will move over
to the new CCP rooms on July 12 and 13. The
original CCP was built in 2004 with the structural
capacity to add new floors. Construction for the
expansion started in August 2015, with designs
created by CBLH Design and Cannon Design.
Gilbane and Regency provided the construction
MetroHealth Hospital Main Campus
2500 MetroHealth Drive
Cleveland, OH 44109
216-778-7800
services for the expansion. 30 percent of the construction work was done by local and minorityowned businesses.
The MetroHealth System is an essential health
system committed to providing health care to everyone in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, and improving the health of the community overall. Its
7,200 employees deliver care to everyone at its
main campus, just west of downtown
Cleveland, and at more than 25 other MetroHealth locations. It also provides health care at
more than 40 additional sites in Cuyahoga County through community partnerships such as
the School Health program.
MetroHealth is home to Cuyahoga County’s only
verified Level I Adult Trauma Center and Level
II Pediatric Trauma Center, and it is one of two
adult and pediatric burn centers in the state of
Ohio verified by the American Burn Association
and the Committee on Trauma of the American
College of Surgeons. In the past year, MetroHealth provided more than one million patient
visits in its hospital and health centers. MetroHealth also is an academic medical center committed to teaching and research; each of its active
physicians holds a faculty appointment at Case
Western Reserve University School of Medicine.
MetroHealth has earned Magnet status, which
places it in the top six percent of all hospitals nationwide for nursing excellence.
MetroHealth’s mission is, “Leading the way to a
healthier you and a healthier community through
service, teaching, discovery and teamwork.” For
more information, visit metrohealth.org.
Page 8 • Issue #34 • The Tremonster • July 2016