Westlake, Ohio The Westlake Fishing Derby takes place from 9 a.m. to noon May 10 at the Recreation Center Pond, 28955 Hilliard Blvd. The event is hosted by the Westlake Recreation Department and Kiwanis Club and is open to kids up to age 12. The friendly competition includes prizes for the largest and smallest fish, species-specific winners, and for the first catch of the day. Bait will be provided while supplies last, and don’t forget your fishing gear. Registration is $15 per person and can be completed online, at the Rec Center, or on the day of the event. For more information, go to www.cityofwestlake.org/o/rcwl. BAY VILLAGE Honoring law enforcement: Light Ohio Blue takes place May 7-17 to honor the life and memories of law-enforcement personnel who made the ultimate sacrifice The city is currently offering blue light bulbs available (first come first serve) at the Bay Village Police Department, 28000 Wolf Road, for residents to display at their homes. Ceramic bowls display: Each year advanced ceramic students at BAYarts, 28795 Lake Road, create work for an exhibit they put together themselves under the instruction of Ceramics Department Head Moira Beale. This year’s theme is the Artful Bowl. Swifties may want to stop by to see a series of Swiftie bowls made by Avon resident Tiffany Scherer. The bowls are inspired by the music, videos and fashion of Taylor Swift. An opening reception for the exhibition is from 5 to 8 p.m. May 9. The show runs May 9-24. Sewer testing updates: All three phases of sewer testing have been completed by the city’s contractor, Duke’s Root Control, Inc. The city’s engineer, Chagrin Valley Engineering (CVE), has reviewed the test results and made recommendations for improvements in the public right of way for the initial six test areas. The recommendations include relining 91 sections of sanitary sewer mains underneath city streets; relining 110 lateral sanitary sewer connections from the right of way to the sanitary sewer mains; and rebuilding 125 catch basins or storm sewers from the catch basins that collect stormwater from city streets. CVE is finalizing the projects for bidding and construction this year. The current estimate is $1.3 million. According to Mayor Paul Koomar, as outlined in a recent newsletter to residents, the goal of the testing is to identify issues across the city within both the public and private sewer collection systems. The testing areas included 1,708 homes, 385 homes were dye tested. Testing identified 197 properties with deficiencies that cause issues during heavy rain events. CVE recently finalized their review and results were forwarded to the Bay Village Building Department, who mailed them to the 197 affected homeowners. The information provided residents with guidance on how to move forward with improvements. The Bay Village Building Department will assist residents throughout the process. The city has also engaged CVE on a study in the Huntington Woods area. A model was created which simulated different rain events that relate to the corresponding size of storm sewers required for each event. The geometry of the path of the storm sewers from this area to the outfalls on Lake Erie were also included in the study. The study, in conjunction with the testing performed last year, will allow CVE to make recommendations for improvements, which are expected early this summer. Blood drives: Upcoming American Red Cross blood drives include from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 10, July 12, and Sept. 13 at the Bay Village Police Department Community Room, 28000 Wolf Road. Drives will also take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 27, June 25, July 29, Aug. 26, and Sept. 23 at Bay Lodge, 492 Bradley Road. To make an appointment, call 1-800-733-2767 or go to redcross.org (sponsor code is Bay Village). May in Bay: The annual Bay High School PTSA May in Bay 5K takes place May 24 at Bay High School, 29230 Wolf Road. A Fun Run begins at 8:30 a.m. and the 5K run/walk steps off at 9 a.m. To register, go to runsignup.com/Race/OH/BayVillage/MayinBay. Shout-outs: Thank you to Bay Village Kiwanis for their continued support of the Lake Erie Science and Nature Center with a $5,000 donation towards a new state of art 3-D planetarium digital projector. Nearly 25,000 children in grades PreK - 5 visit the planetarium each year. The state-of-the-art digital projector will allow for visitors to launch from Earth through outer space to explore our solar system, galaxy and beyond. See the capabilities of the new digital projector by attending a planetarium show in the Schuele Planetarium, 28728 Wolf Road. To view the schedule and purchase tickets, go to lensc.org/planetarium. – The city has maintained its Aa1 Moody’s Rating and is an 11-year recipient of the Ohio Auditor of State Award for Excellence in Financial Reporting. – Bay Village City School Schools received the Ohio Auditor of State Award for the 10th time in 11 years. The Auditor of State Award is for clean audit reports for the fiscal year ended 2024. Less than 10% of government entities in the state receive the award. ROCKY RIVER Mother’s Day Lunch: Celebrating all moms, the Senior Center is hosting a Mother’s Day Lunch featuring quiche, fruit, muffins, and Jello pretzel salad, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 9 at the Senior Center, 21014 Hilliard Blvd. Senior Center construction update: Now that the utilities and underground work have been completed, there will soon be visible progress to the additions. Framing and sheathing should be completed and roofing will be added this month. Classes and programs continue to be held at the Senior Center. Seniors are asked to call the Front Desk at 440-333-6660 if they have any questions whether a class will be impacted by construction. Keeping seniors connected: The ninth annual Living in the Digital World Senior Expo & Conference will take place 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. May 15 at the Don Umerley Civic Center, 21016 Hilliard Blvd. The theme is “Keeping Seniors Connected, and offers seniors, family members and caregivers resources to help stay connected. The event includes exhibits focused on services for older adults, a workshop by co-founder of the Center for Aging in the Digital World Tak Sato, and an interactive panel discussion on artificial intelligence (AI). The expo opens at 9:30 a.m., followed by conference presentations beginning at 10:15 a.m. For more information, contact Mely Sato at mely.sato@empowerseniors.org or call 440-787-2020. District art show: The Rocky River City Schools District Art Show opening night is from 6 to 8 p.m. May 13 at Rocky River High School, 20951 Detroit Road. The show runs through May 16 and features at least one piece of art by every student in the district taking an art class. Throughout the year, art teachers have been working with students to create pieces in painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, graphic design, ceramics and many other mediums. Students, parents/guardians and community members are welcome to visit the art show, which will showcase the exceptional talents of our students. Shout-outs: Rocky River High School Social Studies teacher Sara Ziemnik has been selected as a Lindblad Expedition and National Geographic Society 2025 Grosvenor Teacher Fellow. She is one of 35 educators from around the country who were selected. The 2025 Fellows will embark on expeditions around the world on board National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions’ state-of-the-art expedition vessels. Through world-opening travel, the Fellows will enhance their geographic knowledge with immersive, field-based experiences that they will bring back to their classrooms, communities and professional networks, according to the press release. – Congratulations to Westsiders, voted as Best New Restaurant and Best Westside Restaurant by Cleveland Magazine readers. Westsiders opened last summer in the former Bomba Tacos location, 19880 Detroit Road. For more information, go to westsiders.com or follow on Facebook. The complete list of Silver Spoon winners is featured in this month’s magazine and also includes several other area restaurants winning a variety of categories. Go to clevelandmagazine.com. District honors military: May is Military Appreciation Month and the Westlake City Schools recognize the service and sacrifice of military members and their families; as well as celebrate a milestone in the district. All four Westlake City Schools—Westlake Elementary, Dover Intermediate, Lee Burneson Middle, and Westlake High School—have earned the Purple Star designation from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce. The honor reflects the district’s commitment to supporting students and families connected to the U.S. Armed Forces. For more information regarding support and resources available for Westlake City Schools military families, go to wlake.org/registration1/military-family-resources. Classic games return: Bocce and shuffleboard are back this month and will be available throughout the summer at the Community Services Center, 28975 Hilliard Blvd. No experience is necessary and equipment is provided. City series uniforms: The city has partnered with the Westlake Baseball League (WLB) on a brand-new initiative that celebrates the spirit of community through America’s favorite pastime. This year, WBL is introducing special City Series uniforms that highlight the many departments and landmarks that make Westlake a great place to live, work, and play, according to information from the city. Teams will sport logos representing the Westlake fire and police departments, City Hall, the Rec Center, and others—honoring the organizations in the community. Household hazardous waste collections: The collection will take place from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., May 12-16; and from 7:30 a.m. to noon May 17, at the Westlake Service Center, 741 Bassett Road. Residents can drop off old chemicals, pesticides, oil-based paints, and other hazardous items. Natural leaf humus, wood chips available: Westlake’s compost site, operated in partnership with Bay Village, transforms over 50,000 yards of fall leaves into 100% natural leaf humus and wood chips each year. The material supports both city landscaping and resident gardens. Leaf humus, created by turning leaf piles (windrows) for six–eight months, makes a soil conditioner and is screened for debris. Wood chips are produced by grinding brush collected during weekly pickups, thanks to a regional effort with nearby cities. Residents can purchase leaf humus for $15/yard and wood chips for $5/yard at City Hall, from 8 a.m.to 4 p.m. Monday–Friday. Delivery is available to Westlake residents for $25 per truckload. More indoor golf: Add another indoor golf location in the city with the recent opening of 18Lab Golf, 3100 Viking Parkway. Partners Jimmy Hanlin and Steve Pacino created the new 7,000-sq.-ft. facility that features six Trackman bays, Sportsbox AI technology, and Northeast Ohio’s only PuttView green. Lessons and leagues are also available. For more information, go to 18labgolf.com. Theater performances: Clague Playhouse presents, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” with performances May 16 through June 8 on select days. Shows are at 8 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays; and 2 p.m. on Sundays at the theater, 1371 Clague Road. Selected audience members may be asked to participate. Content warning, the show also includes adult language, sexual innuendo, an irreverent depiction of religious figures, gay parents, and references to anxiety and family issues. Talk-backs with the cast and crew will be held after the show May 17 and May 25. Admission is $21 for adults, $20 for seniors (60+), and $13 for students (any age with a valid ID), and can be purchased by calling the Box Office at 440-331-0403 (from 1 to 6 p.m. Wednesday- Saturday) or go to bit.ly/ClaguePlayhouseTickets. A limited number of free student tickets (high school and college) are available by calling the Box Office at 440-331-0403 to reserve for any Clague Playhouse Thursday performance, and showing a Student ID at the time of ticket pickup. No online reservations can be taken for these free tickets. Free Student Ticket Thursdays are subject to availability and must be picked up by 7:30 p.m. the night of the performance or ticket(s) will be released. Garden Club meeting: The Westlake Garden Club will be hosting, “America’s First Plantsmen-our Founding Fathers, Washington, Adams and Jefferson,” with member Marge Emblom, at 10:30 a.m. May 21 at the Westlake Recreation Center, 28955 Hilliard Blvd. Gardening and horticulture was an expression of American identity for the founding fathers. During the presentation, attendees will get to know more about these men and America’s gardening roots. The club meets the third Wednesday of the month. Join members at 10:30 a.m. for a light breakfast before the meeting begins. The public is welcome to attend. Memorial Day: The Westlake Memorial Day Parade, sponsored by the Kiwanis Club, steps off at 10 a.m. May 26 at St. Peter & George Coptic Orthodox Church, 25800 Hilliard Blvd., and travels to Clague Park. There is still time to participate. Contact Rick Grane at 440-829-0974 or via email at rickgrane@aol.com. Block party: Kick off the summer at Crocker Park June 8 during the 5th annual Crocker Park Block Party, in partnership with the City of Westlake. The free event will feature: • Meet and Greet with Westlake Police Department law enforcement officers, SWAT, Bomb Unit, and Westlake Fire Department • Touch-A-Truck event • Westlake Police Department K-9 Unit demonstrations • Chalk Zones • Face painting and balloon twister • Real Pop Fusion giveaways and games • Vendors, exhibitors, and food trucks In partnership with Hermes Sports & Events, the event begins at 9:30 a.m. with the Crocker Bark 5K & 1-Mile Walk. The race is open to all levels of runners as well as leashed, four-legged friends. A portion of the proceeds from the $35 per person registration will support the City of Westlake’s K9 Unit. The Block Party runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sponsor opportunities are also available, email advertising@starkenterprises.com. Happy Mother’s Day! If you have news/information or a story idea you’d like to share or a ‘shout-out’, please send an email to jshortavon@aol.com. Read Short Takes online at https://www.cleveland.com/topic/westlake. Follow me on X (Twitter) @jshortavon. Read more from the West Shore Sun.