Landlord training seminar dates set for 2012

The City of Lakewood has announced that it will host three landlord information seminars beginning in April 2012. The seminars will be held on the following Tuesdays in the city auditorium, located at 12650 Detroit Avenue: April 17, July 17 and October 16. Each seminar will run from 7 p.m. to approximately 8:30 p.m.

The first seminar, planned for January 31, 2012, is fully booked.

Begun in 2011, the landlord information seminars help to educate landlords owning rental property in Lakewood on landlord-tenant law, federal and local fair-housing obligations and city-sponsored initiatives such as the discount tenant screening program, the city's new printed landlord manual and the housing license requirements recently modified by city ordinance.

Past seminars have featured the instruction of Lakewood Municipal Court Judge Patrick Carroll, Mayor Michael P. Summers, educators from the Housing Research and Advocacy Center, Lakewood building officials and the city law director.

Attending an approved seminar once every two years fulfills one of the requirements Lakewood landlords now must meet in order to obtain an annual housing license. Space is limited and registration is required.

For more information or to register, please contact Luann Baker at (216) 529-6600 or by email. For more resources available to Lakewood landlords, please click here.

Start-Up Lakewood Event to be held on January 24

Startup Lakewood is hosting a Startup U event on Tuesday, January 24, 2012 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the University of Akron Lakewood, located in the Bailey Building on the corner of Detroit and Warren . The topic for this Startup U is “Getting Started: Learning from those who took the leap”. 

This program will feature a discussion with several Lakewood entrepreneurs on what it takes to start a business.  Come learn about how they began, the challenges they faced, and where they are going from here.  The event is free and open to the public.

Panelists include: 

Mike Belsito, eFuneral (Director of Ideation for StartUp Lakewood)

Karen Bosworth, KB Confections

Mickie Rinehart, Hops Drops (2011 StartUp Lakewood Alum)
Annabel Khouri, Bay Branch Farm

Dan Deagan, Deagan’s Kitchen & Bar

Startup Lakewood's mission is to help Lakewood's community of soon-to-be entrepreneurs turn their ideas into business realities.  It is a program which is geared toward making Lakewood a more appealing place for entrepreneurs to build and grow ideas into legitimate businesses. This program is overseen by Mike Belsito as its Director of Ideation.

Startup Lakewood will provide meaningful resources to budding entrepreneurs within the City of Lakewood, specifically centered around helping take ideas and turning them into real businesses. These resources will come in the form of focused “ideation” sessions, programming, and a permanent space in which people could work on bringing their business ideas to life.

Startup Lakewood is a partnership between the City of Lakewood, the Lakewood Chamber of Commerce, Lakewood Alive and the Pillars of Lakewood.

For more information, visit startuplakewood.com.

Community Diversity Potluck Set For January 19th

The Lakewood Community Relations Advisory Commission and Lakewood High School’s Race and Diversity (RAD) Club will hold a Community Diversity Potluck on Thursday, January 19, 2012 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM in the Woman's Club Pavilion at Lakewood Park, 14532 Lake Avenue.  The theme for the potluck is "The World Lives in Lakewood".

Attendees are asked to bring a dish (vegetarian or meat) to serve six that represents your family or cultural tradition(s).  Beverages and tableware will be provided.  This is a great opportunity to greet neighbors and make new friends.  There will be fun activities for all ages.

Citizens’ Academy Offers Unique Look Inside Lakewood’s Police Department

The Lakewood Division of Police is offering Lakewood residents a unique opportunity to gain some first-hand information about the role of Lakewood’s safety and law enforcement department. The Lakewood Police Citizens’ Academy is a twelve-week program starting Wednesday, February 1, 2012 and continuing through April 18.  The Academy will be held from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM at the Lakewood Police Department on each Wednesday. 

The Citizens’ Police Academy is a 12-week course for Lakewood residents or people who work in Lakewood, 21 years of age or older, who are interested in learning more about the Division of Police. Classes are held once a week for 2 hours. There is no fee to attend. During the sessions, students are presented with information from a number of speakers to familiarize them with a variety of policing issues in Lakewood. In addition to speakers from the Division of Police, Mayor Summers, the Department of Law, and Judge Carroll also address the class. At the end of each session the graduates are permitted to schedule a ride-along with a patrol officer for one evening 

According to Police Chief Tim Malley, “The Lakewood Police Department is committed to establishing close working ties with the members of the community we serve and establishing channels to be responsive to the needs and desires of our community.”  In addition to the Lakewood Police Citizens’ Academy, Chief Malley noted that the Lakewood Police Department develops and presents crime prevention seminars, personal safety programs, neighborhood block watch meetings, traffic and bicycle safety education programs and child safety seminars.  Lakewood’s Police Department also serves as a liaison with community organizations and groups through the use of foot patrol, community-oriented policing, shadowing programs and sponsoring and participating in special events designed to promote positive relationships between the police and school-age children. 

To register or for more information, click here or contact Officer Ortiz at (216) 701-3063.

Clear 4 Kids Snow Removal Campaign

Please remember to do your part to Keep Your Sidewalk Clear of Snow and Ice  so our children can walk to/from school safely.  Help do your part to keep Lakewood a year round walkable community and clear your sidewalks within 24 hours after a snowfall.

Per City Ordinance 521.06 - Every property is required to remove and keep clear, snow and ice from all sidewalks, paths, and/or drives on all areas abutting the property by 8:00 PM same day or after the snow/sleet/freezing rain has ceased falling.

If you are able to, do a good deed and help a neighborhood in need by shoveling a neighbors sidewalk as well.   You + One is an easy way to improve walking conditions during our snowy winters.

Snow Removal assistance for seniors is offered through our Division of Aging office. Call (216) 521-1515 for further information.

To report snow removal issues in your area, please utilize the "Report-a-Problem" link on our website - http://www.onelakewood.com/ReportProblem/ or call (216) 529-7697 or email housing.building@lakewoodoh.net.

Help spread the word!  Click here for the Clear 4 Kids flyer.

Mayor and Councilmembers To Be Sworn-In on January 3

The swearing-in ceremony for Lakewood Mayor Michael P. Summers, Councilmember David Anderson, Councilmember Shawn Juris, Councilmember Mary Louise Madigan and Councilmember Ryan Nowlin will be held on Tuesday, January, 3 2012 at 7:00 PM in the Auditorium at Lakewood City Hall, 12650 Detroit Avenue.

Lakewood Municipal Court Judge Patrick Carroll will officiate the ceremony.  The ceremony will take place immediately prior to the regularly scheduled Lakewood City Council Meeting.  The public is welcome to attend. 

Don't Miss Light Up Lakewood On Saturday, December 3

You won’t want to miss the Fifth Annual Light Up Lakewood Festival which is bigger and better than ever this year. Light Up Lakewood festival takes place on Saturday, December 3 from 5:00-8:00 pm. Northeast Ohio residents are invited to the half-mile stretch along closed Detroit Avenue, from Marlowe to Arthur Avenues (Lakewood Hospital to Lakewood Library) which will be transformed into Lakewood’s own holiday Wonderland.

The Light Up Lakewood spectacular will kick-off with a winter festival parade including Santa’s arrival. The parade will begin at Bunts Avenue and proceed to Arthur Avenue down closed Detroit Avenue. The parade is followed by a holiday Lighting Ceremony featuring the crowing of the first Light Up Lakewood Festival King & Queen and a special “Lighting Extravaganza” at Lakewood Hospital. The evening finishes with a street festival including:

• Musical entertainment by choirs and bands from Lakewood public schools, Lakewood Catholic Academy, and dance performances by Silhouette Dance & Fine Art;
• Children’s activities, story time, visits with Santa and a “kids-only” shopping opportunity at a “Twigbee-style” shop at Lakewood Library;
• That “famous reindeer” movie shown outside on the Lakewood Public Library wall;
• Street performers along Detroit Avenue, including the St. Edward Trash Talkers and the St. Ignatius High School Circus Company, Bernese Mountain Dogs and Siberian Husky Sled Dogs;
• Participate in “Christmas Carole Karaoke” on the Panera Bread Stage;
• Mobile video game truck sure to appeal to middle school kids, who will have100+ games to choose from with 20 kids participating at a time, in and outside the trailer;
• Street hockey, ice carvings and pictures with holiday characters including “Buddy the Elf” and the “Grinch”;
• Food trucks including Streat Mobile Bistro & Mad Mouth Gyros;
• Carnival fare including roasted nuts, funnel cakes, and kettle korn;
• Live music on the Five Guys front porch by The Ohio City Singers;
• Free trolley rides; and
• the “Gingerbread House Tour” featuring community created ginger bread houses on display at various merchants throughout the downtown district kicks off with Light Up Lakewood.

In addition, Lakewood will be buzzing throughout the day with activities at Panera Bread, Lakewood Hospital, First Federal of Lakewood and Lakewood Public Library.

On December 3, 2011, Panera Bread (14701 Detroit Avenue) will feature free photos with Santa from 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. Lakewood Hospital (14519 Detroit Avenue) will feature free photos with Santa, a Hot Chocolate Bar (kids free), live entertainment by Vance Music Jazz Ensemble and by Lakewood Baptist Church’s Judson Belle Choir, Chamber Choir and Praise Team Band. The entertainment will finish with the announcement and crowning of the Light Up Lakewood Festival King & Queen. Lakewood Public Library will host a Holiday Book Sale and Family Weekend Wonders programming in their children’s area. First Federal of Lakewood will host choirs in their main lobby from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Light Up Lakewood is a community event presented by LakewoodAlive in collaboration with the City of Lakewood, Lakewood City Schools, Lakewood Public Library, Lakewood Masonic Temple, Lakewood Chamber of Commerce, Plantation Home, Downtown Lakewood Business Alliance, H2O Volunteers and sponsored by Lakewood Hospital, Coral Company, Target, Panera Bread, Discount Drug Mart, First Federal of Lakewood, University of Akron-Lakewood, Hinkley Lighting, Cleveland Cinemas - Capital Theatre, Renewal by Andersen, Around the Corner and Dollar Bank.

Visit www.downtownlakewood.org for a complete listing of events, activities and a list of the merchant locations with gingerbread houses on display.