PHOTO BY CHUCK HOVEN Non Profi t Organization Tuesday, September 29,2020; Presidential Debate U.S. POSTAGE PAID Protest for Black Lives and Climate Justice, and CLEVELAND, OHIO other causes at Wade Lagoon in front of Cleveland PERMIT 1354 Art Museum: A young woman carries a sign pointing FREE out our Nation’s transgressions to Native Americans. Vol. 47, No. 11 November 2020 PPlainlain PPressress CCleveland’sleveland’s NNearear WestsideWestside NNewspaperewspaper MetroHealth offers updates on its planning and development projects by Chuck Hoven new hospital building on its main ects and neighborhood planning At a September 30th virtual com- campus, a progress report on the efforts. munity meeting MetroHealth Med- Institute for Health Opportunity Part- MetroHealth System Director ical Center offered an update on nership and Empowerment (HOPE), of Economic and Community De- progress of construction of the and updates on development proj- velopment Gregory Zucca said MetroHealth’s Transformation plan calls for building a community of health. He said MetroHealth is un- dertaking a number of community development projects working with community partners. Main Campus Zucca said the hospital was formed in 1837 as a response to a cholera epidemic in the City of Cleveland. MetroHealth reported $1.2 billion in operating revenue for the 2019 fi scal year, said Zucca. The hospital was now investing $1 billion in its main campus to be able to provide better care. Zucca said the hospital has called the main campus its home for over 150 years. Many of the facilities are now functionally obsolete, said Zucca. Zucca said currently the main campus sits on 52 acres of hospital property. He said MetroHealth plans PHOTO BY DEBBIE SADLON to stay within this 52-acre footprint Saturday, October 17, 2020; Fresh Fork Market, parking lot at Professor as it transforms the main campus. and Brayton: Sarah Fallon of Fresh Fork Market, a Tremont resident When complete, Zucca said plans who distributes CSA packets at the stand, says the market visits Trem- call for approximately 25-acres of ont each Saturday from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. from May through the end green space within the main cam- of October. Fresh Fork Market offered residents a 22-week summer pus. Community Supported Agriculture subscription for fresh produce from ccontinuedontinued oonn ppageage 4 farms within 75 miles of Cleveland. Historical mistreatment, modern-day disparities make PHOTO BY CHUCK HOVEN Black Americans less likely to trust COVID-19 care, vaccine Tuesday, September 29,2020; Presidential Debate Protest for Black Lives and Climate Justice, and other causes at Wade Lagoon in front by Afi Scruggs and Rachel Dissell a week — fi rst a mild headache, then “Oh no, I’m not doing that. Ain’t no- of Cleveland Art Museum: A young woman protests police brutality. Two days before Carmen Bailey fell congestion — the 52-year-old was too body putting me on no ventilator,” Bai- Protesters gathered to protest during the fi rst presidential debate held ill with COVID-19 in late April, she tired to work. And it got harder to care ley said later, recalling the conversation just a few blocks from the Art Museum. The protest was sponsored by told her daughter not to take her to the for the three children – ages 4, 5 and with her daughter that followed a news Black Lives Matter Cleveland, Sunrise Movement Cleveland, the Inter hospital if she ever got the disease. 8 — who live with her. report they watched about the virus. Religious Task Force and other groups. As her symptoms progressed over Still, she refused to seek treatment. ccontinuedontinued oonn ppageage 8 The Tremont based Clean Garbage Recycling Co-op tackles Cleveland’s recycling dilemma by Bruce Checefsky fewer buyers. Recycling companies are Fox 8 News I Team’s Ed Gallek and charging more. Peggy Gallek reported in November According to a published report in the 2019 that the City of Cleveland is New York Times, some cities have ex- dumping all recycling into a landfi ll. perienced a 400% increase in recycling, Their report found the City of Cleveland leaving local governments to consider no longer has a contract with an outside raising additional taxes or cut other company to haul away the recycling municipal services. Offi cials in mid-size collected by city crews. They proved cities like Philadelphia and Memphis as it by putting GPS trackers in recycling well as large municipalities in Florida, containers. California, Connecticut, and other states “The system is so broken, there’s faced the reality that their curbside pro- no contract with any company to take gram was not working and suspended it. away any of the recycling collected,” The culprit is mainly China, which until the report stated. 2018 was the largest buyer of recycled In response to the Gallek’s story, materials in the United States. The Chi- Mayor Jackson promised to review new nese government stopped accepting the bids for a recycling contract. The News shipments, too much trash was mixed I Team also reported in August that the with recyclables. Prices increased in the City of Cleveland is paying more than global scrap market resulting in a shut $128,000 in consulting fees to identify down. a new recycling contractor. At the same When the City of Cleveland stopped time, it remains clear that so far nothing their recycling program, Tremont has been decided. resident Deb Smith was upset. She As jaw dropping as it sounds, many responded by organizing a grassroots PHOTO BY DEBBIE SADLON cities across the United States have recycling neighborhood program. Saturday, October 17, 2020; Art at A Distance, temporary art exhibit of the work of eleven local artists in canceled their recycling programs. “We’re doing this primarily in re- response to their experiences with Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, W. 30th and Meyer: This Oil and The cost of recycling has skyrocketed sponse to the City of Cleveland cancel- Acrylic artwork by artist Kubra AlHilali is titled: “Peace, Joy and Happiness.” AlHilali says, “Coronavirus during the past few years due, in part, ling recycling,” Smith said. “I was going brought out fears that I thought had been put away forever. I was scared for my family, my friends, myself to the complexity and abundance of to start a program anyway but when we and my daughter. It took much prayer to focus on the positive and know that everything will be alright.” the recycled trash. With too much trash realized the city was putting recycling Art at a Distance, a part of Creative Fusion, an artist in residency program funded by Cleveland Founda- mixed in with recyclable materials like into the landfi ll, we decided to start a tion, displays the work of eleven artists on the fences of Lincoln West High School and Meyer Pool until cardboard and certain plastics, there are ccontinuedontinued oonn ppageage 7 November 21st. 2 Plain Press • November 2020 FOOD TRI-C STUDENTS HOST FREE VIR- TUAL COOKING CLASS on November 12 from 6-7:30 p.m. Visit virtualwinedinner. eventbrite.com to register and get a list of ingredients and supplies to purchase in advance. Free class -- donations accepted. THE FULTON BRANCH OF THE CLEVELAND PUBLIC LIBRARY, 3545 Fulton Road, will be offering children’s meals Monday thru Friday from 3-4 p.m. on a fi rst come fi rst served basis throughout the school year. CLEVELAND METROPOLITAN SCHOOL DISTRICT(CMSD) is providing grab and go meals to Cleveland children ages 18 or younger. Option One: Grab and Go The Plain Press Community Board is a listing of a variety of free activities and re- meals at all K-8 school sites on Mondays, sources for neighborhoods served by the Plain Press. The printing of the Community Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 10:30 Board is sponsored by Organize! Ohio through donations from readers and supporters. a.m. – 2 p.m. On Tuesdays meals may be utilities? Do you need cleaning or hygiene from 6:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. picked up for Tuesday and Wednesday. Op- products? If you have a minor child or are CUYAHOGA COUNTY BOARD OF tion Two: Grab and Go meals at all CMSD pregnant and your income is below 200% ELECTIONS, 2925 Euclid Avenue, will High Schools available for once a week pick of the federal poverty limit, help may be hold early voting hours through November up every Tuesday from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. available to help with food, rent, utilities, 2nd. If you would like to vote in person at the Students, parents or caregivers can go to the and cleaning and hygiene products. (200% Board of Elections the hours are: Weekdays, school building closest to their home. of the Federal Poverty Limit is $2, 127 a October 26-30th, 8 a.m. – 7 p.m.; Saturday, ST. AUGUSTINE CHURCH HUNGER month for a single person, $2, 874 for two October 31, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.; Sunday, No- CENTER, 2486 W. 14th Street, distributes people, $3,620 for three people, and $4,367 vember 1, 1-5 p.m. and Monday November takeout meals at the hunger center door daily for four people.) For more information 2, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. Monday thru Sunday at 11:30 a.m. For more information call 216-781-5530. PHOTO BY CHUCK HOVEN about COVID-19 Emergency Assistance EMPLOYMENT FIRST CALL FOR HELP: For days, times Tuesday, September 29,2020; Presidential Debate Protest for Black or to apply, leave a message on the PRC LEAD SAFE WORKERS are needed to Information Line at 216-987-7392 or visit: and locations for free food distribution call Lives and Climate Justice, and other causes at Wade Lagoon in front make Cleveland houses safe for children https://hhs.cuyahogacounty.us/programs/ to live in.