IHC has only been open for six months at 3905 Eastern Ave., and wow - they have done a lot.  

 

They returned last month with 2 awards for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor at the Acting Irish International Theater Festival in Chicago. The Irish American Theater Company was nominated for four out of the 6 given awards: Best Show, Best Actress and two nominations for Best Supporting Actor. They are now officially on the International Theater map.  Congradulations to IHC!

 

Maureen Kennedy, IHC leader, gave us this update on everything going on this month.

 

 

Paige Castellini, Morris Place resident and owner of "PC Design" has a special offer available this month for her interior design business.  Check it out.

 

 

Friends of Alms Park is a small group of local people interested in supporting and promoting Alms Park.  The Park Board encourages citizen advisory groups like this one to provide input on improvements and activities for the city's parks.
 
Stanley Ave resident and Chair of FOAP, Barb Lichtenstein reviewed the group's recent work at the May CTCC meeting.  FOAP was formed several years ago with a vision to build the park's Ohio River Scenic Overlook.  The initial group came together and worked with the Park Board on design and fundraising, raising over $90,000 towards the Overlook.  Some of this went into an endowment to fund maintenance of landscaping at the overlook.
 
Last year FOAP became incorporated as a State of Ohio Nonprofit organization.  Barb was instrumental in developing the FOAP grant proposal that led to recent improvements in the park.  This includes the handicapped accessible walkway connecting the two overlooks, lower park picnic area improvements, repaving the lower parking lot and adding an island with trees, and restroom upgrades.
 
Barb also led FOAP in preparing a letter of support on the City's zoning district proposal for "Scenic View Corridors," and then testified at a City hearing on this.  These new zoning districts, now approved, include height restrictions on future buildings to ensure views from places like the Alms Park Overlook and other points on the Tusculum hillside are not impeded.
 
FOAP is currently involved in:
1. Planning activities to remove invasive species in Alms Park, like honeysuckle, garlic mustard and lesser celandine that have been proliferating in the park in recent years.
 
2. Encouraging citizen donations to purchase park benches and trees for the park.  These can be purchased through the Park Board in memory of or celebration of any individual or group.  These are anniversary, birthday or wedding gifts that keep on giving for years to come! Donations are welcome to just enrich our park.  No occasion needed.  For more information, see www.cincyparks.com/parks-foundation/honor-your-loved-ones-with-a-commemorative-tree-or.shtml
 
3. Helping promote events that encourage the neighborhood to use and enjoy their park.  The Park Board held a June "Everyone's Neighborhood Picnic" that over a hundred residents enjoyed.  FOAP got publicity flyers out on community e-newsletters and distributed them to local schools and churches.  They donated baked goods and drinks, and sold them at the picnic at a nominal price for resident enjoyment and to raise funds for FOAP projects.
 
What kind of Friends does FOAP need now?
1. Someone to organize & lead an invasive species clean-out day in park for late Oct or early Nov.
 
2. Individuals or groups interested in participating in activities to remove invasive species.  This could be a great idea for school or youth groups looking for community service projects.
 
3. Help out at the Wed, August 4 Shakespeare in the Park presentation of Midsummer Night's Dream at Alms Park. People willing to donate and/or sell baked goods and drinks are needed.  Individually wrapped cookies, brownies, etc. (purchased or homemade) and cans or bottles of juice, iced tea, lemonade and soft drinks are needed.  Come help sell them and enjoy the play, too.
 
4. People with improvement ideas for our park who are willing to roll up their sleeves and work to achieve these.  Come to a FOAP meeting to hear what's going on and input your ideas.
 
To help on any of these, contact Barb Lichtenstein at bylichtenstein@aol.com  

 

What did Columbia Parkway look like in 1936?  Does a winding one lane dirt road come to mind?   As part of a "Scenic View Study" of the Ohio River hillsides, the Hillside Trust reviewed over two hundred years of history for what we now call Columbia Parkway and River Road.

 

Their study report culminated in recommendations to the City for a new zoning district category, scenic view corridors.  These provide practical criteria to accomodate new development while preserving our unique scenic views.  See examples of this and that 1936 dirt road picture in the Hillside Trust's Spring newsletter:  http://www.hillsidetrust.org/?cat=8

 

The Trust's report also recommends applying for Scenic Bypass status for the Parkway.  The Art Deco design and Works Progress Administration labor qualifies the parkway for historic status.  So, hopefully in the future, we'll have not just historic buildings, but a whole highway protected with historic status.

 

Read about this and the other great work the Hillside Trust does does on our behalf on their website.  They're our neighbors, with their office in the old caretaker's cottage in Alms Park.  Consider becoming a member.

 

When is it you need a doctor, and right now?  Invariably, seems to be after 5 pm or on the weekend.  Or you can't get an appointment with your own docter.  You don't need an ER and the available Urgent Care clinics are usually way out in the 'burbs.

 

Here's one option.  Deaconess Urgent Care in Clifton is open - daily from 8 am to 8 pm. This includes Saturday & Sunday.  The Deaconess Urgent Care center is located inside Deaconess Hospital. This is on Clifton Ave., just north of McMillan Ave.  Not a bad drive from here.

   
Their website, www.DHURgentCare.com  includes a checklist that helps provide insight on the difference between an urgent care and emergency room.

Click this link for the rest of this Randy A. Simes, Soapbox article.