Howl at the Moon! Protect Geauga Parks!

Not long ago Judge Tim Grendell told folks from Protect Geauga Parks that they might as well "howl at the moon like a bunch of coyotes"--they weren't going to stop his unraveling of the Geauga Park system. Well this afternoon, the people fighting to "Preserve Conserve and Protect" the Geauga Parks did just that, held a Howl-at-the-Moon event at the Kent State-Burton campus in Burton, Ohio.

Over 100 men, women, and children attended this event, one that included old-timey banjo, fiddle, and guitar music (Gordon Keller on fiddle, his wife Louise on guitar, and Rachel McKinney on banjo). John Augustine showed video and did a narration on local otters (John is extraordinarily knowledgeable about the natural world, and a staunch defender of the Geauga Parks); Ed Buckles and Kathy Hanratty gave speeches; and five children participated in a howl-at-the-moon contest (one did it in her father's arms).

So many extraordinary people were present, including Debbi Mayo, Kathleen O'Neill Webb, Debbie Eger, Kathy Hanratty, Barb Partington and her husband Dave, Sandra Buckles and her husband Ed, John Augustine, Todd and Mary Ray, Kathy Flora, Dave and Pat Dardis, Gayle and Jim Wohlken, Professor Steve Vieira, Catherine and Elbert Whitright, Linda Coughlin, Jim Mueller, and so many more. It was a fun event, with many people wearing their "Protect Geauga Parks" shirts. Beautiful photographic banners were hung on the walls, and "Protect Geauga Parks" signs were everywhere. People socialized and made plans--mixed business with fun. Click here to see Protect Geauga Park's website.

We ain't going away, Judge Grendell. We will continue to fight for the park system. We will not let it be destroyed.

Howl-at-the Moon Contest

Another Howler

Kathy Hanratty

Ed Buckles

Some of the crowd

Jim Wohlken, dressed as a coyote, with Ed Buckles and Kathy Hanratty

Beautiful old-timey music: Rachel McKinney, Louise and Gordon Keller

A couple of the extraordinary banners hung around the room

Debbi Mayo and Kathleen O'Neill Webb

A coyote sitting by the microphone

To Judge Grendell and the Geauga Park Board--It Ain't Over till It's Over

Site of the October 12, 2014 Meeting

Citizens are really fired up and angry about the way Judge Timothy Grendell has manipulated the Geauga Park system and its governing board. Grendell fired the entire previous board as well as the former acclaimed director Tom Curtin (after they canned Tom Curtin, the Delaware County Preservation Parks system quickly grabbed him up!). The new board, totally inexperienced in parks and park management, fired long-time employees, without cause (in Ohio, if you don't have union protection, you can be fired at will, no reason given). The new board has pulled many shenanigans, some of questionable legality. They rewrote the by-laws, adding a laundry list of "recreational" activities allowed in the park. These included gas and oil drilling (and possibly fracking), gun ranges, timbering, ATV and snowmobiling on trails meant for horses or walking, as well as more traditional park recreational activities. This laundry list has seen been rescinded--the board was essentially forced to do that by the public uproar and protests. The board then replaced that ridiculous by-law language with a generic statement that seems to allow anything not illegal--so much for improvements!

Timothy Grendell

I imagine Judge Grendell and the new board thought that the protest would peter out, that people would just give up and stop coming to protest events and board meetings.

That has not happened.

This past Sunday, about 130 people were shoe-horned into the log cabin on Chardon Square in a meeting of those opposed to Judge Grendell and the direction of the new board. Many brilliant speakers addressed the audience. Chardon and Geauga County is full of well-educated people who believe in democracy, who won't stand for the autocracy and dictatorship of Judge Grendell. Some people who spoke included Jim Mueller of Russell Township, John Augustin, a former board member, Kathryn Hanratty, and others. People enjoyed cider, donuts, and local apples, bought protest shirts, and enjoyed socializing with their friends and neighbors in the crowd. Some of the smartest and bravest people in Geauga County were there. I noticed Deb Reiter, Kathy Flora, Kathleen O'Neill Webb, Rick Webb, Ron Wiech, Catherine and Elbert Whitright, and many more.

After Sunday's meeting, at Big Creek Park.

Linda makes her beliefs clear!

Last night's monthly Geauga Parks board meeting was called off at the last legally possible time, a little over 24 hours before it was scheduled. Undaunted by this, 90 to 100 people still came to protest, many wearing their "Preserve, Conserve, Protect Geauga Parks" shirts, and many holding up signs. For a rainy Tuesday evening, even after the official meeting was cancelled, that is an astonishing show of force, of will, of principle.

Judge Grendell, these folks are not going to be quiet; they are not going away. They will fight to save the Geauga Park system! It ain't over till it's over!

Did the Geauga Park Board Learn a Lesson Today?

The Geauga Park Board held an unusual 9 AM meeting today at the Donald W. Meyer Center at Big Creek Park. The room was absolutely packed with angry environmentalists, horse lovers, birders, and lovers of the park system--all there to challenge the park's board of directors, who had just changed their by-laws. Did the board members think they slipped this by the park's constituents unnoticed? Lots of things they did, including the strange scheduling of meetings, seemed to indicate they were trying to pull something. Or was it just carelessness, political incompetence? Whatever it was, it didn't work.

Below is the astonishing Article XXI of the by-laws they passed. I will highlight with bold print the ones that are most astonishing to me:

ARTICLE XXI ACTIVITIES
Subject to limitations and revisions by the Park Board, persons may partake of any activity within the Park which is expressly allowed by the Park District in its Constitution and Bylaws and/or Rules and Regulations.
Recreational activities may be permitted at present or in the future by the Board in designated areas and subject to any restrictions and limitations imposed by the Board for use as further defined within.
Recreational activities include but are not limited to:

Aerobics
All Terrain Vehicle Permits (Regulated ATV’s, Dirt Bikes, UTV’s)
Animal Propagation
Archery Range
Backpacking
Basketball
Baseball
Bicycling
Bird Watching
Boating
Bocce Ball Courts
Camping
Canoeing
Community Gardening
Construction (Carpentry, Earthwork, Excavating, Electrical, Masonry, Plumbing)
Cross-Country Skiing
Farming
Field Hockey
Fishing (Pond and Stream)
Fish Stocking
Firearms Range
Firewood Operations
Football
Forestry Practices (Timber Stand Improvement, Logging)
Frisbee
Frisbee Golf
Gas and Oil Drilling
Geocaching
Golfing
Excavation & Earthwork
Herbicide Applications
Hiking
Invasive Specie Control (Plant and Animal)
Hockey
Horseback Riding
Horseshoes
Hunting
Ice Fishing
Ice Skating
Kayaking
Lacrosse
Maple Sugaring Operations
Metal Detecting
Mountain Biking
Naturalist Programs
Nuisance Wildlife Trapping
Outdoor Cooking and Grilling
Photography
Picnicking
Plant Propagation
Playgrounds
Pond Exploration
Prescribed Fire (Controlled Burns)
Rock Climbing
Rollerblading
Ropes Course (High Ropes, Low Ropes, Zip Line)
Rugby
Running
Sandboxes
Shelter Reservations (Birthdays, Weddings, Family Reunions, Special Occasions)
Sight-Seeing
Skateboarding
Skate Parks
Sledding
Snowmobiling
Soccer
Softball
Special Events (Camps, Scouting Events)
Splash Parks
Sporting Clays
Stargazing
Stream Exploration
Swimming Pools
Tether Ball
Tennis Courts
Trapping
Trap Shooting
Triathalons
Veterans’ Activities
Volleyball
Walking, Dog Walking, Walking an Accessible Trail with a Stroller or Wheelchair
Wildlife Watching
Yoga

You may notice that many of these are not "recreational activities." A very sloppy use of language! Some of the items in the list probably could be explained and justified (but all we have above is a list). And some of the items listed seem really out of bounds with the longtime goals of the park, expressed in their mission statement:

"The Geauga County Park District (Geauga Park District) was established in accordance with Section 1545 of the Ohio Revised Code. Geauga Park District was created to conserve, preserve and protect the natural resources of the State, including forests, fields, streams, lakes and wetlands, and the plants and animals which live in these habitats. The Mission of the Geauga Park District is to preserve, conserve, and protect the natural features of Geauga County and to provide outdoor recreational experiences to our residents . . . ." 

The one that concerned me the most was "oil and gas drilling." My mind immediately translated that as "fracking." Think about the danger this would present to the Geauga aquifer that everyone in the county uses for drinking water! Think of the three important rivers that find their headwaters in Geauga County (Chagrin, Grand, and Cuyahoga) and the impact of fracking pollution on the drainages and on Lake Erie!

I was also worried about "firearms range," and "logging." Not to mention ATV trails in the park! These activities really contradicted their mission statement (and possibly the Ohio Revised Code). This was something to vigorously oppose, fight against. Many others saw it this way. Some brilliant, well-prepared people spoke out at the board meeting. In one case there was a loud, long standing ovation for the speaker. I hope the board heard and felt that!

I was amazed at how many people I recognized at the meeting. It made me feel a little better about Geauga County. There was Kathleen O'Neill Webb, Kathy Flora, Kathy Hanratty, the Whitright's, Bill Lestock, Michelle Rossman, Micki Long, and others. Extraordinary people, ready to fight for this park system.

I hope the Geauga Park Board heard them. And I hope they respond appropriately, first by changing their by-laws. And then living up to their longtime mission of protecting and preserving this extraordinary natural world we've been given in Geauga County.

Irish Music "Seisiun" at Ashtabula Harbor

On Saturday, July 5th, we had a wonderful Irish music "seisiun" at Kyle Smith's boat dock in Ashtabula Harbor, right near the huge lift bridge. About 8 musicians were there. Kyle was on fiddle; Sheldon Firem on bodhran and whistle; Lynn Higgins on fiddle; Bill Lewis on 4-string banjo and fiddle; I played my guitar and whistle; another fellow on guitar (he sang several songs--very nice); another woman on fiddle; and a woman named Amy playing several instruments. Kathleen O'Neill Webb and her husband Rick Webb and Linda Coughlin listened in on the session, as did several other people. It was a wonderful time in a great setting.

A huge lift bridge about 100 yards from the session site.

Sheldon on small bodhran; Amy; Kyle on fiddle

Amy and Kyle

Bill Lewis on banjo; Lynn Higgins on fiddle

Me on guitar

Community of St. Peter--Amazing Ecclesial Community in Cleveland

Yesterday, the Feast of Pentecost, I celebrated the coming of the Holy Spirit by attending mass with Kathleen O'Neill Webb and Rick Webb at the Community of St. Peter, which is now located in a historic old building at E. 71st Street and Euclid Ave. in Cleveland, Ohio. The community moved to this building when Bishop Richard Lennon closed the community's historic (and beautiful) old church a few years ago. Old St. Peter's was located at the corner of E.17th and Superior. My great grandfather, Cornelius Coughlin, an immigrant from Ireland, married my great grandmother, Lizzie Ierg, an immigrant from Germany, somewhere around 1885 in Old St. Peter's. So I took it personally when the bishop shuttered the historic old church.

A view of old St. Peter's Church

The community took the blow, which must have been a kind of death, and they have risen into a new facility. They have an absolutely thriving, dynamic community. Here is a photo of the outside of their new facility:

Well, from the outside it doesn't have the beauty of the old church. But they are beginning to make the inside their own. One of the first things you see as you enter the room is a beautiful holy water/baptismal font, carved from a solid piece of stone found by Lake Erie. The font is quietly powerful, solid, and beautiful. I heard the font as well as the altar were sculpted by the Koehn Sculptors from Green Road in South Euclid. Here is their website: Koehn Sculptors.

St. Pete's Holy Water Font

The simple, beautiful Altar

The mass was packed--possibly 250 people around the altar. There was a 15-person choir, with musicians playing grand piano, viola, and violin. The music was wonderful! And maybe most wonderful of all was an Alleluia called "Heleluyan: Traditional Muskogee Creek Indian Song." It was accompanied by powerful drumming and interesting and very different harmonies. I located a Youtube version of this Muskogee Creek Indian hymn:



Fr. Bob Marrone is a powerful figure. He is serious, focused, and charismatic. I think his fellow community members really love him. In his sermon he talked about failure of imagination as one of the central flaws of our time. I am sure he is right about this. He also discussed the beautiful image by Emil Nolde that was on the cover of the church bulletin. Nolde, one of the greatest of 20th Century artists, entitled this work "Pentecost." Here it is:

Emil Nolde's "Pfingsten" (Pentecost)

Fr. Bob pointed out how Peter is at the center of this painting. Peter was the fool, the failure, the apostle who denounced Jesus three times--and yet is the "rock" of the Church. That gives hope for fools and failures like us, like me!

After the mass there was coffee and some food. There I met some old friends, including Pat and Mike Coughlin (who are friends in spirit, but no close cousins, as far as I can tell), and Tim Musser. Tim is really an amazingly focused worker for peace and justice, and a friend of many of my friends, including Chris Cotter, my roommate for many years in Cincinnati.

Mike Coughlin and Tim Musser

As I left the building I met Cormac Somerville. He comes from Dublin, Ireland. I have met and played Irish music with his brother, Dermot Somerville, one of the finest Irish musicians in Greater Cleveland.

All in all, this was a wonderful, Spirit-filled experience at the Community of St. Peter. I plan to come back often.