• How to address lead paint and other conditions in rental properties

    by Tonya Sams Plain Press, July 20220                             When housing conditions are endangering your family, it’s easy to become overwhelmed by worry and fear.      One common problem is the presence of lead in older homes. Most homes built prior to 1978 used paint that contained lead.       Children exposed to lead poisoning may suffer from learning and behavioral…


  • Composting directly in the garden

    Composting directly in the garden by Melinda Myers Plain Press, July 20220                             Don’t toss those imperfect lettuce leaves, onion tops and strawberry tops into the trash. Instead, convert them into compost right in the garden.       Worm and pile composting are great ways to manage these scraps. But if these methods aren’t for you, try trench composting. This centuries old…


  • Towpath Trail Lantern Parade

    PHOTO BY CHUCK HOVEN Saturday, March 12, 2022; Towpath Trail Lantern Parade, Sokolowski’s Overlook at east end of Abbey Bridge: Jeff Niesel stands with a beehive shaped lantern called “Beelightful”. The lantern was constructed by artists Samantha Fryberger and Darla Arnold using upcycled sweet tea bottles, lightbulb packaging, candle lids, rope, newspaper, clothes baskets, Frappuccino…


  • Full circle: Local initiative aims to rev up circular economy in Cleveland

    Full circle: Local initiative aims to rev up circular economy in Cleveland by Lee Chilcote (Plain Press, February 2022)  Plastic is everywhere, and we can’t seem to get rid of it. It litters our streets, clogs up our waterways, and fills up our landfills. So why not turn it into art, protecting the environment while creating…


  • Ward 12 City Council Candidate Survey

    Ward 12 City Council Candidate Survey (Plain Press, November 2021) The three community newspapers that serve areas of Ward 12 – Neighborhood News, Tremonster and the Plain Press — collaborated in creating this survey. The survey questions were asked of Rebecca Maurer and Anthony Brancatelli, the top two finishers in the City Council Primary Election.…


  • Participatory Budgeting Cleveland (PB CLE) to launch budget recommendations

    Participatory Budgeting Cleveland (PB CLE) to launch budget recommendations by Bruce Checefsky (Plain Press, August 2021)     Town meetings were first established in the earliest New England settlements as a form of direct democracy in which most or all members of a community come together to discuss policies, laws, and budgets for their community. The first town meeting was…




  • Reader responds to the letter concerning noise in the Fulton/Denison area

    Reader responds to the letter concerning noise in the Fulton/Denison area To the Editor:    As a resident of West 25th Street and Chatham Avenue, I can empathize with the fine people of the Fulton Road and Denison Avenue area! I too have endured countless hours of disruption from intentional motorcycle and automobile noise. The altered mufflers,…


  • $6M Red Line Greenway opens after more than a decade of planning

    $6M Red Line Greenway opens after more than a decade of planning by Lee Chilcote Plain Press, June 2021        Beginning at the eastern edge of Zone Recreation Center and threading through Ohio City before connecting to the Centennial Lake Link Trail, the $6 million Red line Greenway connects the near west side to downtown Cleveland while offering views…