“Redistricting and Voting Rights in Ohio” forum August 25, 2016

“Redistricting and Voting Rights in Ohio” August 25, 2016

Panelists:
Representative Kathleen Clyde (D), Ohio House District 75
Dr. John C. Green, Director, Ray C. Bliss Institute of Applied Politics
Senator Frank LaRose (R), Ohio Senate District 27

Moderator: Thomas Suddes, Editorial Writer, Cleveland.com

Overall Theme:
As with weather, everyone talks about gerrymandering — drawing legislative districts to favor one party over another — but until recently, few in Ohio were prepared to do anything about it. Nonetheless, Ohio has recently reformed how its draws General Assembly districts — and reform of congressional “districting” is on some Columbus agendas. This panel explores the hows and whys.

CWRU Siegal Facility, 26500 Shaker Blvd., Beachwood OH 44122
Cost: Free & Open to the Public

Co-sponsored by the Case Western Reserve University Siegal Lifelong Learning Program, League of Women Voters-Greater Cleveland, Cleveland.com, Plain Dealer plus Lakewood and Cuyahoga County Library Systems
Corporate sponsor: First Interstate Properties, Ltd.

Water Quality of Lake Erie and the Cuyahoga River Forum 9/15/16

Water Quality of Lake Erie and the Cuyahoga River Forum 9/15/16

Thursday September 15, 2016 7-8:30p.m.

Panelists:

Kyle Dreyfuss-Wells, Deputy Director of Watershed Programs, NEORSD

Jane Goodman, Executive Director, Cuyahoga River Restoration

Jim White, Director, Sustainable Infrastructure Prog., Port of Cleveland

Moderator: Jim McCarty, Metro Reporter, The Plain Dealer

Our panel addressed the vital water issues in Northeast Ohio, specifically in Lake Erie, the Cuyahoga River and the other creeks, streams and rivers that empty into the lake. We discussed harmful algal blooms, PCBs and Mercury pollution, invasive species, the impending removal of 2 dams on the Cuyahoga River, the ongoing conflict with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers over the disposal of dredged material, and the status and success of the NE Ohio Regional Sewer District’s multi-billion dollar tunnel project.

Cost: Free & Open to the Public

Fairview Park Branch, Cuyahoga County Public Library

21255 Lorain Road, Fairview Park 44126

Co-sponsored by the Case Western Reserve University Siegal Lifelong Learning Program, League of Women Voters-Greater Cleveland, Cleveland.com plus Lakewood and Cuyahoga County Library Systems

Corporate sponsor: First Interstate Properties, Ltd.

“Marijuana Legalization in Ohio” forum Thursday October 13, 2016

“Marijuana Legalization in Ohio” forum Thursday October 13, 2016

Panelists:
Kelly Kefauver, Senior Legislative Aide to Senator Kenny Yuko, Ohio Senate
Breanna Stabler, Administrative Aide to Senator Kenny Yuko, Ohio Senate
Dr. Brian Bachelder, President of OSMA and Family Physician at Akron Gen Hosp
Garett Fortune, CEO, FunkSac, Compliant Packaging for the Cannabis Industry
Thomas G. Haren, Seeley, Savidge, Ebert & Gourash., L.P.A., editor, OH Marijuana Law Blog
Moderator: Jackie Borchardt, Columbus Bureau Reporter, Cleveland.com

Ohio became the 25th state to legalize medical marijuana earlier this year but the debate about cannabis reform is far from over in the Buckeye State. Rules for the medical marijuana program will be written in the coming months, and advocates as well as the national group that had spearheaded a competing ballot initiative are pushing lawmakers to make good on promises made when they approved the program. What will Ohio’s medical marijuana program look like? And what does the law mean for future marijuana reform efforts in Ohio?

Co-sponsored by the Case Western Reserve University Siegal Lifelong Learning Program, League of Women Voters-Greater Cleveland, Cleveland.com, Plain Dealer plus Lakewood and Cuyahoga County Library Systems
Corporate sponsor: First Interstate Properties, Ltd.

“Regionalism and the West Shore Communities” forum 11.14.16

“Regionalism and the West Shore Communities” forum 11.14.16

Panelists:
Pamela Bobst, Mayor, City of Rocky River
Armond Budish, Cuyahoga County Executive
Dave Greenspan, Cuyahoga County Council, District 1
Edward Kraus, Director of Regional Coordination, Cuyahoga County
Michael Summer, Mayor, City of Lakewood

Moderator: Janice Patterson, LWV-Greater Cleveland

The panel discussed current initiatives in the delivery of services in Cuyahoga County. They explored possibilities for future cooperation and responded to audience comments and questions.

Sponsored by the League of Women Voters-Greater Cleveland and Lakewood Public Library

“Relationship Between Cleveland Police and the Community” forum 11/15/16

“Relationship Between Cleveland Police and the Community” forum 11/15/16

Panelists:
Blaine A. Griffen, Exec. Dir, Community Relations, City of Cleveland
Deon McCaulley, Deputy Chief, Cleveland Police Department
Dr. Rhonda Williams, Dir, Social Justice Inst, Case Western Res Univ

Moderator: Mark Naymik, Metro Reporter, Cleveland.com

Cleveland and cities across America say they are reinvesting in community policing as a way to rebuild trust between their police departments and the communities they protect. But community policing takes many forms and could take years to make a difference.

We take a look at what Cleveland is already doing, where the department is headed and what it’s learned in the past two years, which have been among the most eventful in the police department’s history.

Tuesday November 15, 2016 7-8:30p.m.
Cost: Free & Open to the Public
Tinkham Veale University Center, CWRU Campus
11038 Bellflower Road, Cleveland OH

Co-sponsored by the Case Western Reserve University Siegal Lifelong Learning Program, League of Women Voters-Greater Cleveland, Cleveland.com plus Lakewood and Cuyahoga County Library Systems

Corporate sponsor: First Interstate Properties, Ltd.

Sports Stadium Financing in Cleveland forum Thursday, November 17, 2016

Sports Stadium Financing in Cleveland forum Thursday, November 17, 2016

Panelists:
Len Komoroski, CEO, Cleveland Cavaliers and Quicken Loans Arena
Peter G. Pattakos, Lawyer, sports fan and vocal opponent of the sin tax
Thomas Chema, President, Gateway Consultants Group
Moderator: Peter Krouse, Public Interest and Advocacy Reporter, Cleveland.com

Co-sponsored by the Case Western Reserve University Siegal Lifelong Learning Program, League of Women Voters-Greater Cleveland, Cleveland.com plus Cleveland Hts/University Hts, Lakewood and Cuyahoga County Library Systems
Corporate sponsor: First Interstate Properties, Ltd.

What Joseph M. Proskauer said about Newton D. Baker in his 1950 Autobiography

This is a passage from the autobiography of Joseph M. Proskauer, partner in a major law firm (Proskauer, Rose), judge, speechwriter for Al Smith and a contemporary of Newton D. Baker. “A Segment of Our Times” was published in 1950 and I was struck by his inclusion of this passage about Baker who had died in 1937, quite number of years before. It gives striking testimony of at least one man’s admiration for Mr. Baker.
 Joseph M. Proskauer
From the Chapter: “The Fight Against Bigotry”  (the .pdf is here)
I cannot close a discussion of this war against bigotry without a tribute to the creator and leader of the National Conference of Christians and Jews, the late Newton D. Baker. This last phase in a brilliant career was the ultimate flowering of a great soul. The seed was a profound and reverent belief in human brotherhood. At every stage of his life, not merely at its end, he could say: “Write me as one who loved his fellow men.”
He was a great lawyer, entitled by genius and position to command. Yet those to whom was given the high privilege of association with him bear witness to his gentle consideration for his colleagues, his innate modesty, his impulsive readiness to yield the glory while the labor was his.
It was a paradox that to this ardent follower of the Prince of Peace was entrusted the solemn responsibility of leadership of his country’s army in the awful catastrophe of war. In the discharge of that responsibility, he never permitted rancor to poison the wellspring of his compassion and though he had to devise the horror of battle, always his goal was a healing peace that should find its fruition in a benevolent parliament of the world. For that he never ceased to fight. And those of us who were so fortunate as to hear his glorious proclamation of his creed at the Democratic National Convention in 1924 can never forget his passion for peace nor ever doubt the eternal rightness of his call to beat the swords of nations into plowshares.
Charity for the underprivileged found in him its champion. In outstanding struggles against injustice, by reason of his very nature, he became of course the head of this great association to enforce the gospel of peace on earth. At a time when the world was rent asunder with hatred and bigotry, he above all others, gave practical and wise and self-sacrificing leadership for all men of good will who believe that no human being should be made to suffer for the choice of his religion. Sympathy, mutual understanding, forbearance and tolerance, he preached and exemplified. We shall not look upon his like soon again.

“Revisiting the ‘Church in the City’ initiative with the mayors of three northeast Ohio cities” February 9, 2017

2016/2017 Cleveland Catholic Public Policy Series

Image result for cleveland cathedral

“Revisiting the ‘Church in the City’ initiative with the mayors of three northeast Ohio cities”

Mayors from three Northeast Ohio cities discuss the impact of regional sprawl and its continuing moral, social, economic, and environmental challenges. These regional political leaders have the experience, perspective, and commitment to responding in more collaborative and creative ways to the challenges of Northeast Ohio’s changing regional foot print.

Mayor Susan Infeld, University Heights

Mayor Bradley Sellers, Warrensville Heights

Mayor Georgine Welo, South Euclid

Moderated by Len Calabrese, Former Director of the Commission on Catholic Community Action

February 9 ,2017

7:30 p.m.

DJ Lombardo Student Center

LSC Conference Room

Teaching Cleveland Digital