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Above-Ground Oil Tank in Hough Residential Area? (Update)

By Staff Writer

Update: The City of Cleveland Zoning Commission unanimously vote to not approve the the 12,0000 gallon above ground fuel tank variance for the George Family Enterprise, LLC. Notable opposition to the appeal was MidTown Cleveland, The Cleveland Foundation and several resident near and around the facilities. Residents sent in emails and showed up at city hall to express their concerns.

George Family Enterprises, LLC, proposes to install a 12,000-gallon above-ground gas storage tank and equipment in the Midtown Mixed Use District 2 (MMUD-2) on 71st at the corner of Chester Ave. But why at this location, and why above-ground?

Gasoline storage tanks in a common gas station are normally underground, protected by dirt and cement, and have an assortment of safety requirements and regulations. Above-ground storage tanks are only permitted in industrial and semi-industrial districts according to the city of Cleveland’s codified ordinances, section 334.03(b). An above-ground storage tank has very stringent safety requirements. Accidents are rarely heard of, but they happen more frequently than might be expected. Any sharp metal projectile can penetrate the tank and cause an explosion.

The installation of an above-ground gas or oil storage tank could be fatal to residents, and yet only a few residents were even notified by email of a meeting, which was held on the facility grounds at 7001 Euclid Avenue on August 31. All residents in the community should have been notified of the meeting, or at the very least the residents living within two city blocks should have been notified.

Residents who were in attendance expressed their opposition to an above-ground variance from the city code to allow the tank to be installed. One community member asked about a suppression plan in case of an accident or explosion, but was not satisfied with the answers related to such suppression.

Other critical questions include:

What has changed to support a variance? Technology? If so, is there data to support approving the appeal for a variance? Where are other above-ground storage tanks located in residential areas in Northeast Ohio with a variance? Are certain communities (like Midtown) no longer considered residential? Was the neglect to invite all residents to the August 31st meeting a lack of preparation or a lack of consideration? Are business needs (convenience and profit) more important than the safety of the community?

 This code was created for a reason and should be adhered to. Many questions, not enough answers.

Sexual Assault Awareness Month

By Lily Stuart

Sexual assault is a traumatic experience that can have long-lasting effects on victims, their families, and society as a whole. Every April, the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC) coordinates the Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) campaign to raise awareness about the widespread issue and promote preventative efforts and support for victims. It is essential for prevention and awareness to understand all aspects of sexual violence, including its main causes, its links to inequity, how it impacts survivors, and how to be an ally.

Photo: Cottonbro Studio

This year’s Sexual Assault Awareness Month theme is Drawing Connections: Prevention Demands Equity. This theme calls on all individuals, communities, organizations, and institutions to be aware of ourselves, the systems we exist within, and the relationship these two have with inequity and injustice. Systems of oppression, including racism, sexism, classism, heterosexism, ageism, ableism, and others, contribute to higher rates of sexual violence, assault, and abuse.

Sexual violence is an umbrella term that includes any type of unwanted sexual contact—including sexual assault, harassment, and abuse. It encompasses a large range of behaviors in addition to these, including unwanted sexual contact or touching, sexual exploitation and trafficking, exposing one’s genitals or naked body to others without consent, nonconsensual image sharing, and words and actions of a sexual nature against a person’s will and without their consent.

Photo: Rodnae Productions

Sexual assault or violence can happen to anyone regardless of age, gender, or sexual orientation. It can occur anywhere, including at home, school, work, or in public spaces. Often, the perpetrator is someone known to the victim, such as a friend, family member, or intimate partner.

There is also a social context and culture of violence surrounding sexual assault. Social norms that condone brutality, support traditional constructs of masculinity, allow for the subjugation of women, and silence those speaking out contribute to the occurrence of sexual violence.

What the statistics say:

  • More than 1 in 4 non-Hispanic Black women (29%) in the United States were raped in their lifetime (Basile et al., 2022).
  • More than 4 in 5 American Indian and Alaska Native women (84.3%) have experienced violence in their lifetime (Rosay, 2016).
  • 1 in 3 Hispanic women (34.8%) reported unwanted sexual contact in their lifetime (Basile et al., 2022).
  • 32.9% of adults with intellectual disabilities have experienced sexual violence (Tomsa et al., 2021).
  •  47% of all transgender people have been sexually assaulted at some point in their lives (James et al., 2016).

What is Denim Day?

Photo: Anna Shvets

Denim Day is a campaign run by the organization Peace Over Violence that takes place on a Wednesday in April in observance of SAAM. It was originally created following a ruling by the Italian Supreme Court where a rape conviction was overturned after the justices determined that since the victim was wearing tight jeans, she must have helped her rapist remove her pants, thereby implying consent. The following day, the women in the Italian Parliament came to work wearing jeans in solidarity with the victim. Peace Over Violence then developed the Denim Day campaign in response to this case. Since then, wearing jeans on Denim Day has become a symbol of protest against erroneous and destructive attitudes surrounding sexual assault. This year, 22 years later, Denim Day is on April 26.

Ways to get involved: 

The NSVRC calls for connections to be drawn between various forms of oppression and the underlying causes of sexual assault. This month, explore how certain groups of people are at higher risk for sexual violence and how those same people are also the most impacted by inequitable systems and oppression in our society.

In addition to being more conscious community members, awareness can be raised this April by:

Additional Resources:

National Sexual Assault Hotline (available 24 hours): 1-800-656-4673

Cleveland Rape Crisis Center: https://clevelandrapecrisis.org/

The National Sexual Violence Resource Center: https://www.nsvrc.org/

Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence: https://oaesv.org/

Further Reading:

NSVRC 2023 SAAM Theme: https://www.nsvrc.org/saam/drawingconnections

NSVRC About Sexual Violence: https://www.nsvrc.org/about-sexual-assault

Denim Day: https://www.peaceoverviolence.org/denim-day

Is Cleveland’s Drinking Water Safe?

CLE Observer News Brief

The Cleveland Water Department issued a tweet initiated by several inquiries about whether there’s any concern for Cleveland’s water quality following the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.

Your drinking water remains safe.

Cleveland Water gets drinking water from Lake Erie. The Lake and its watershed are separate from the Ohio River and its watershed. There is no indication that Lake Erie or its watershed has been impacted by the train derailment in East Palestine. The testing that is regularly performed would catch any changes to our source water, should any arise.

However, the Ohio river travels from Pittsburgh south to Kentucky through Cincinnati.

Greater Cincinnati Water Works (GCWW) detached the compound upstream and officials have closed the intake. Officials are continuing to monitor the chemical contaminants traveling down the Ohio River following the train derailment in East Palestine.

“We’re doing everything we can to make sure the water is safe,” said Jeff Swertfeger, GCWW superintendent of water quality. “Our intakes are shut down right now. . .to allow that chemical to go by in the river, and then we don’t even bring it into the plant.”

Source:  WLWT Digital Staff and Danielle Dindak

Rough First Community Public meeting for the Cleveland Community Police Commission (CPC)

By R. A. Calhoun

The Cleveland Community Police Commission’s (CPC) first public community meeting was held at Frederick Douglass Neighborhood Resource and Recreation Center and hosted by Ward 1 councilman Joseph Jones. The meeting was rocky.  Members were late. There was confusion during the budget discussion, and policies and procedures (Rules) were discussed but not voted on.

Public comment was allowed starting with Samaria Rice, mother of Tamir Rice, a 12-year-old African-American boy, who on November 22, 2014, was killed in Cleveland, Ohio by Timothy Loehmann, a 26-year-old white police officer. Rice has concerns with the CPC forming an alliance with the police and the possible removal of Jason Goodrich, CPC Executive Director, and Shelly Williams, CPC Community Engagement Coordinator, who have been key to putting language together for the commission.

Understandably, the young commission had a dysfunctional conversation around the budget to be presented to Cleveland City Council.  Alana Garrett-Ferguson questioned why the final budget to be voted on was different from the budget discussed during the committee meeting. Audriana Rodriguez made a motion to approve the total budget during the committee meeting for $2,332,497. It was seconded and approved with a no vote from Alana Garrett-Ferguson.

Did the commission build its budget thru the lens of Cleveland City Council by watching the budget hearings? Did they look for expectations, points of emphasis, and who are the players supporting or against the commission?

A discussion about creating news releases or statements for the public about Tyre DeAndre Nichols, a 29-year-old man who died Jan. 10, three days after being arrested by Memphis Police in an incident that is under investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, became an item during the discussion.

Kyle Early, Cleveland Community Police Commission member said “the commission should not be fearful or hesitant to make statements that share our connection, our sympathy with those who experience horrific murders and the distrust of our police departments. Whether it’s in Cleveland or around the community, ah, around the country.”

 

John Adams, a commission member, said, “if we want to go thru a process and create a process by which we will streamline and know sort of what our processes and procedures are when we need to drop the public statement, I’m okay with that but as a black man, in this country, right now I am not okay with saying nothing about Tyre Nichols.”

For the Commission which was a hot topic during the last election, voted on and passed by the voters in Cleveland, there was a small turnout for the meeting.  Only about 15 to 20 people were present. Seven of those attending were a combination of reporters and city workers.

 

 

 

 

You can view the meeting at: CPC Community Meeting – Feb 8, 2023