The Observation Deck

The first warm night in Lakewood. 03.10.2011 84 degrees that day, and a wonderful
Sunday night sitting on the front porch and enjoying, the night, the view and my life.
Lakewood a grand city of old homes with grand porches.



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Nice Weekend!


Start off with Nadhal Eadeh at 2 Dads. Here John Kamkutis turns the camera on me.


Make a quick run to Collinwood to see the Billboard the city and Clear Channel have given to them.


Got an invite from Matt Markling and Troop 512 to attend their Pinewood Derby race. As it has been years
since I was at a race I thought it would be good. It was great thanks to Troop 512 and all of the parents that
tipped us off to this event! Watch for an upcoming story in the Observer!


Declan Markling shows me his gold racer.


Then headed to the Root to talk with Matt, here Matt and Nadhal share a laugh.


On our lap of Lakewood we see Payless Shoes gone and Virgina Marti getting ready to start rebuilding.


Nadhal constant complaining about courts being taken down, finally drove me nuts. So I took him down
to Clifton Beach so he could see some Basketball hoops that have never come down.


Coming up some of the first signs of spring.


Saturday night it was off to the Gala at the Beck celebrating 100 years of the Chamber of Commerce.
At the door was one of Dave Buehler's Temple Motor Cars, a 1919 Sportette which can be
seen with the rest of the collection at the Templar Industrial Park, which is where they were made. Which opens May 7th at the Art Show.


Walking in the first people I see, and some of the best Lakewoodites there are. Mayor Michael Summers,
and Kathy and Steve Ott.


State Senator Michael Skindell, present the Chamber with an award, and State Rep Nickie Antonio
waits to present her proclamation. Chamber Director Patty Ryan, and Chamber President Terry Vincent looks on.


The crowd applauded.


Gordon Geiger accepts an award on behalf of Geiger's Clothing for their dedication to the city of Lakewood,
and their years in business. Gordon gave a nice little speech thanking everyone for this, and mentioned
many of the other long running businesses in Lakewood, "Berry Funeral Homes, Daniels Funeral Home,
McGorry, and Summers Rubber, Well Summers is not really in Lakewood but close." Everyone laughed,
including the mayor.


Karen Bosworth won the cake decorating contest! Bosworth Cakes and Karen does incredible work!


Her winning cake design.


Winner of best amateur cake was Baker Motors! Who would have thought?


As I headed to the door I ran into Sean Brennan, I always like seeing Sean. So I stopped him with his manager from Brennan's Party Center and looked at the catering job both he and the Ranger Catering Staff provided.


I walk out with Nickie who check out the goody bag.

What a great weekend in Lakewood!

Damn I love this town.

More photos online at:
http://lakewoodobserver.com/photoblogs/jim-obryan/april-2011

Isn't it time you started a photoblog of Lakewood for Lakewood today?
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nice of Nadhal to spot a homeless guy a meal!!!!!!

Stan Austin wrote::mrgreen: nice of Nadhal to spot a homeless guy a meal!!!!!!

Stan

Is that an official statement? Did that come from the campaign manager for Kristine Pagsuyoin who is running
for School Board against Matthew Markling, the current School Board President, winner of the lifetime achievement
award for school board members, and 3 time top school lawyer in the state of Ohio, and
owner of two beautiful homes in the center of Lakewood?

I guess this means in the world of constant campaigning we are kicking the rhetoric up a notch before Easter
for a November election?!

Just curious

* For the record I am not officially connected with anyone running for School Board, and I am friends with both
Kristine Pagsuyoin and her husband Art, as well as Matthew and Katie Markling.


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It was a perfect weekend! Thanks Jim for coming by and snapping some shots of the race they are beautiful! I'm so glad Matt thought to invite you to stop in, and it was great seeing Nadhal too, haven't seen much of him since high school.

Jim (and other readers of the Deck)

As you well know by now I am just the designated campaign treasurer for Kristine Pagsuyoin's campaign for Lakewood School Board.
I have already stated that in a post on another thread.

But I am a minor point. The larger issue is that the school board elections are at large. Nobody runs against any one person or for any one seat.

All the candidates, incumbents included, will put forth their credentials and their hopes for Lakewood and its schools.

Maybe we should try and do the Candidate's Corner on the Deck again. Besides the School Board elections we have City Council and the Mayoral position up this Fall.

That would be the appropriate thread for discussions of this sort.

Stan Austin

Jim O'Bryan wrote:

Stan Austin wrote::mrgreen: nice of Nadhal to spot a homeless guy a meal!!!!!!

Stan

Is that an official statement? Did that come from the campaign manager for Kristine Pagsuyoin who is running
for School Board against Matthew Markling, the current School Board President, winner of the lifetime achievement
award for school board members, and 3 time top school lawyer in the state of Ohio, and
owner of two beautiful homes in the center of Lakewood?

I guess this means in the world of constant campaigning we are kicking the rhetoric up a notch before Easter
for a November election?!

Just curious

* For the record I am not officially connected with anyone running for School Board, and I am friends with both
Kristine Pagsuyoin and her husband Art, as well as Matthew and Katie Markling.


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Let me get this straight. Jim, do you think Stan is calling Matt Markling homeless?

I think he’s calling you homeless, because you are the person having a meal at Two Dads with Nadhal in this picture. Matt and Nadhal are just having coffee. I don't think you look particularly homeless, but maybe Stan does. It's probably the hair.

But let's assume that Stan is calling Matt homeless (because he’s wearing a tshirt? Nadhal is wearing a t-shirt too) you are saying that doing so constitutes Kristine Pagsuyoin “kicking the campaigning rhetoric up a notch” in her campaign AGAINST Matt Markling?

I’m not sure what Stan is saying—or doing for that matter. But the other comment needs to be addressed.

I speak as a supporter of Matt Markling’s and one who is grateful for his past actions, and one who is looking forward to re-electing him to the Board in the Fall.

I am also a fan of Kristine’s. Number one, she wouldn’t campaign against somebody by asking her treasurer-- is Stan even officially announced as her treasurer?-- to call them homeless on the Observation Deck. What sense would that make?

Two, though she is indeed running for School Board, Kristine is in no way running against Matt Markling. She will be a good and welcome addition to a Board that includes Matt Markling, and is looking forward to working with him, if she is given the opportunity to by voters this Fall. In his role as a School Board member and now as Board president, Matt Markling is all about transparency and accountability and he's put his money where his mouth is over and over, asking for things that shouldn't seem so crazy, like REASONS for what his fellow School Board members do. He is very comfortable with providing good reasons of his own based on facts, that have to do with our school district being even better and stronger in the future. He is also comfortable sharing these reasons with the whole community.

Kristine is like that too. She is proactive, she has accomplishments to back up what she says. She, like Matt, is a big fan of things that make sense, of having criteria for choices, of sharing with the community what is actually happening. And like Matt, she is a big fan of the kids that are in the school system right now, and will be in the future. She thinks that their educational needs are a top priority.

So I don't really get Stan or Jim this morning. What Matt and Kristine are up to is a lot more clear. Working for the kids of Lakewood. Matt does this every day. So does Kristine, with the various committees and groups and initiatives she is involved with. It’s verifiable.

I don’t know that that can be said of all of the other candidates, especially recently, but that’s probably a subject for a post in another thread.

Betsy Voinovich

Stan Austin wrote:Jim (and other readers of the Deck)

Maybe we should try and do the Candidate's Corner on the Deck again. Besides the School Board elections we have City Council and the Mayoral position up this Fall.

Stan,

I think this is a great idea.

So, who were you calling homeless, Jim or Matt. And why?


Jim,

I meant to say this earlier, before I got involved in this t-shirt imbroglio. Thanks for the tremendous picture of the Collinwood Observer's new billboard. It's pretty cool.

Betsy Voinovich

Betsy Voinovich asked---

So, who were you calling homeless, Jim or Matt. And why?

Jim, of course! That was my immediate reaction!

And, a perusal of the pics he took of weekend events certainly show off the vitality of Lakewood! I would add to your comments about Matt Markling that not only does he explain his actions on the School Board he, perhaps alone, amongst all our elected officials really takes the time necessary as indicated by the pictures to get out at all the events that mean so much to the kids that put them on and the parents who work so hard helping their kids.

Stan Austin

... so much for the thoughts on the nice weekend.

Forgot about the dog park!


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While chilly the porch was OK tonight.





Sunset 03.11.2011


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