Old Brooklyn Community Development Corporation Old Brooklyn News Serving Old Brooklyn, Brooklyn Centre & surrounding areas for 30 years www.oldbrooklyn.com March 2008 Volume 30; Number 1 Old Brooklyn News marks thirty years by Lynette Filips [email protected] of serving the community With the publication of this March about the upcoming annual meeting were mailed to them, but other folks had to pick issue, the Old Brooklyn News marks its 30th also on page one. one up at neighborhood churches and busi- anniversary. While there won’t be a big cel- On page two, in addition to two smaller nesses. ebration like the one the Old Brooklyn articles, the pastor of Brooklyn Presbyterian Home delivery of the OBN started in Community Development Corporation Church wrote about his congregation’s sev- December, 1978; that issue billed the paper (OBCDC) hosted in April of 2006, six entieth anniversary. (That’s one similarity, as being published “approximately” every months after its thirtieth anniversary, a little since we just carried a story about their one- other month. (May, 2007 was the last nostalgia and historical perspective still hundredth anniversary in last month’s month for home delivery, but as in the seems to be in order. After all, OBCDC is OBN.) past, OBCDC members receive a copy by the only community development corpora- Deaconess Hospital was a major stake- mail.) tion in the city which has its own monthly holder in the neighborhood in those days, in In May, 1981, the month that newspaper! terms of providing advertising dollars for the OBCDC accomplished its goal of pur- Although there had been local newspa- paper and support for the community devel- chasing the Broadvue Theatre, the Old pers covering this neighborhood during pre- opment corporation in general. It’s not sur- Brooklyn News Notes became a month- vious decades (one of which was called the prising, therefore, that a good percentage of ly publication and its name was short- Brooklyn News), before OBCDC, there was page three, plus parts of smaller articles on ened to the Old Brooklyn News. no Old Brooklyn News (OBN). Realizing the later pages, had news about Deaconess and The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo; necessity of keeping people informed about its employees. Elder Lot, Inc., (the forerunner of See 32 additional front pages of the Old the revitalization which was getting under- In addition to Deaconess, other mem- Senior Citizen Resources, Inc.), Brooklyn News from the past 30 years on way in the neighborhood, in March of 1978 bers of the institutional and business com- which was located at CMHA’s pages 6 and 7 of this anniversary issue. OBCDC put out the first edition of a publi- munity who advertised in the first issue of Crestview Estates; and historic cation it called Old Brooklyn News Notes. the Old Brooklyn News Notes were homes in Old Brooklyn received frequent The eight-page paper contained timely infor- Broadview Savings (which originated in this coverage in the early years. Regular features demolished, she began writing mation about people, businesses and institu- neighborhood and is now a part of Charter came to include a sewing column; a horo- its history (and the corner on which it was tions south of the Big Creek Valley. Ellen One Bank); Busch Funeral Service; scope column; Curtain’s Up (a column about located). Twenty-seven articles and a lot of Gunlicks was the paper’s first editor. Cleveland Trust; Gildore Furniture and the former Old Brooklyn Community reader response later, the series about the For the first issue or two, Old Brooklyn Appliance; The Glenn Restaurant; Love Theatre); and Did You Know?, a column neighborhood landmark was completed. News Notes was billed to be a “quarterly” Studio Gallery, Inc.; Speed Exterminating with questions about historical trivia. Neighborhood photographer George publication. Its content was quite different Company; Theo’s Restaurant & Lounge; Announcements about community meetings Shuba began taking pictures for the Old from what’s in today’s Old Brooklyn News, Travelrama Travel Service; and Warner and events, whether for a church, civic, or Brooklyn News circa 1991, the same year and there was considerable white space — Storage, Inc. The paper also acknowledged age-specific group, have always been impor- that he photographed the cover for the third no “copy” and no pictures — throughout the support from Quality Catering, Wischmeier- tant components of the paper, but they Old Brooklyn Business Directory. Because paper. Buesch Funeral Home and West End weren’t always delineated as News Notes, finances at the paper were really tight in The major front-page story of the first Lumber. Senior Notes, Church Notes and Theatre those years, instead of receiving a check for issue talked about the new South Brooklyn Unfortunately, our archives for the Notes as they are today. his work, for a while George’s only compen- branch of the Cleveland Public Library early years are incomplete, but we do have Lynette Zieminski (now Lynette Filips) sation was a free ad in the OBN for his rock which was to be built at the “Y” of Pearl Rd. copies of papers published in May, June and began writing a local history article each and roll photographs. and State Rd. A letter from Dan Avis of December of 1978. The Old Brooklyn News month in March, 1990, and The Town Crier Over the years, when his expertise has Busch Funeral Home and president of that wasn’t delivered door-to-door in the column in June, 1991. In March, 1992, been needed for special photo layouts, OBCDC’s board, and an announcement beginning. OBCDC members had a copy shortly after the Broadvue Theatre was neighborhood artist Jim Ptacek has also con- tributed time to the paper. In the early years, the Old Brooklyn George Shuba’s rock photos now famous News had an editor who took care of pub- lishing the paper and, at times, also a sepa- by Lynette Filips rate ad sales manager. Getting it to print in [email protected] those years was not a part of the OBCDC executive director’s job, but that situation Over the decades, the thirty-year saga of the Old Brooklyn News (OBN) has includ- See OBN thirty years page 14 ed numerous players. Just over half-way through the newspaper’s history – chroni- cled in the lead article in this month’s OBN – is the following paragraph: Inside the OBN “Neighborhood photographer From the Desk of the Executive George Shuba began taking pictures Director; Community Spotlight; for theOld Brooklyn News circa 1991, the same year that he photographed Community Meetings; Sheila the cover for the third Old Brooklyn Walter; Theatre Notes 2 Business Directory. Because finances at the paper were really tight in those News & Events 3 years, instead of receiving a check for his work, for a while George’s only Primary election; “That was compensation was a free ad in the then” 4 OBN for his rock and roll photographs.” Perhaps that paragraph should have Town Crier; In Memoriam 5 been written “for his now famous rock and roll photographs” because that is what they OBN historical front pages 6&7 are coming to be. Photo courtesy of Kyle Lanzier In a rare moment in front of rather than behind the lens, OBN photographer George Shuba Last May, the closing entry in The Town Commercial News 8 Crier column reported that some of poses with some examples of his rock and roll photos. George’s photos were on display at the Fine photos, Professor Jicha also asked George to Curatorial Affairs at The Rock and Roll Hall Community Toolbox 9 and Performing Arts Center at Western be a guest lecturer at the college. That hap- of Fame and Museum, wrote its “Forward”. Carolina University (a part of North pened April 27, 2007. Forty-eight of George’s 16” x 20” sil- Family Fun 11 Carolina State University) in Cullowhee, Now Jon Jicha has taken things one step ver gelatin photo prints will also be exhibit- North Carolina. George had come to their further by writing the text for a book which ed at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame begin- Senior Notes 12 attention because Jon Jicha, the nephew of showcases forty-eight of George’s rock and ning October 10, 2008. At the end of the president of Brooklyn-Cleveland roll photos. Cleveland Rocks: The January, 2009, they’ll then go on a national Church Notes; Benjie Garden 13 Kiwanis, a neighborhood organization to Birthplace of Rock and Roll – Photographs tour. which George belongs, is a professor in the by George Shuba was published in 2007 by A former reserve captain with OBN Reader Survey 14 fine arts department there. Western Carolina University. The soft-cover Cuyahoga County’s Sheriff’s Department, The “setting it all up” process actually book has eighty-eight pages; James Henke, George has been a full-time photographer started two years ago. In addition to display- Classified & Service Directory 15 the Vice President of Exhibitions and See George Shuba page 10 ing forty-eight of George’s 1960s rock star PAGE 2 OLD BROOKLYN NEWS MARCH 2008 From the desk of the executive director by Robyn Sandys [email protected] by Donnald Heckelmoser [email protected] from his father who owned and operated J & It must be hard for many of you to believe O construction on Spring Rd. Joey has been a that the OBN is turning thirty this month. For Joey Pepperoni’s member of Local 310 for twenty-three years.) many of us, 1978 seems like a long time ago be answered and placed on the web site.