Short Takes on the Westside, January 27: Soup meet-ups, Rocky River HOF, and Mobile Urgent Care

Bay Village

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Soups on!: The annual Soup Supper at Bay United Methodist Church, 29931 Lake Road, takes place from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Jan. 31.

Crockpots of your favorite soups, rolls, relishes and desserts will be available in the Fellowship Hall. Cost is $12 for ages 6 and up; and  $5 for ages 5 and under. Tickets are available at the door.

House calls: MobileMD is a new service that offers same-day, in-home urgent care visits for Cleveland westside families. No more waiting rooms, no insurance headaches…just one flat $150 visit fee.

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Communities currently served include Bay Village, Avon, Avon Lake, Fairview Park, Lakewood,  North Olmsted, Rocky River, Sheffield Lake, Sheffield, and Westlake, with plans to expand to additional cities.

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To schedule an appointment, click here.

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Avon

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For sale: Great Finds Estate Liquidations has started Part 3 of the Jameson Homestead Antiques Liquidations. If you missed out on purchasing something from the House & Barn at Jameson Homestead Antiques (closed last month), 36675 Detroit Road, you now have an opportunity over the next several weeks to bid online for items at www.greatfindsauction.com.  Part 3 auction for items in the House began last week. Register to bid here.

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Safety grants: Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Education and Workforce Director Stephen D. Dackin recently announced the award of $10 million in Ohio School Bus Safety Grants to 371 schools, districts, and county boards of developmental disabilities statewide.

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The grants are designed to improve student transportation safety by funding the purchase and installation of advanced safety equipment, either as upgrades to existing buses or as features on newly acquired buses.

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Locally, the Avon Local Schools received $2,750, Avon Lake City Schools $24,794, North Ridgeville City Schools $4,187; Rocky River City Schools $12,922, and Westlake City Schools received $5,305.

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100 years of Eagles: Celebrate Avon High School’s Centennial Anniversary by  honoring Avon Eagle alumni (1925-2025) Aug. 29 at ForeFront Field, home of the Lake Erie Crushers.  

Additional information will be released in the spring, but for now, save the date and spread the word.

Contact ahs100th@gmail.com.

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Summer fun: Maybe signing up now for a pool pass will make it feel warm for just a second. Residents can renew or sign up for a pool pass for the upcoming summer season at the Avon Aquatic Facility. Dive right in here.

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Meet and greet: Meet your Avon City Council members in person at an informal community event at the Avon Library, 37485 Harvest Drive from 6 to 7 p.m. Jan. 29. Light refreshments will be served.

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New fire station: City officials announced last fall the need for an additional fire station.

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Truax Law Group, Ltd. was recently retained by city officials as outside special counsel to assist the law director in contracting with the design and construction professionals for the construction of Fire Station No. 2. The new station could be placed in the Nagel/Middleton roads area of the city.

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Historical markers: Members of the Avon Landmarks Preservation Commission recently agreed to move forward in applying to the Ohio History Connection for consideration of an Ohio Historical Marker (Ohio History.org) to recognize the significance of the Avon Center Cemetery (corner of Detroit and Center roads).

The Commission’s application aims to acknowledge the cemetery’s deep historical roots, from its geological origins to its significance as a community burial ground for over 200 years.

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Although once believed to be a prehistoric burial mound constructed by the Woodland Indians and later used as a cemetery by white settlers, no formal archaeological investigations have been conducted to validate it was used by aboriginal Indians, according the press release.

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Pioneers and those who followed have been laid to rest for over two centuries in the cemetery. The oldest gravestone dates to 1818. Two noteworthy individuals buried there are Avon’s founder, Wilbur Cahoon, and Dr. Norton S. Townsend, a noted physician, politician, pioneer in agricultural education, and one of the founders of The Ohio State University (Ohio Marker 6- 47). Veterans from five wars, the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Civil War, WWI, and

WWII, have their final resting place in the Avon Center Cemetery.

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Avon Lake

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Another levy coming: The Avon Lake City Schools Board of Education recently approved a resolution to place a 1.5 mill Renewal Levy for permanent improvements on the May ballot for consideration by voters.

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Permanent Improvement levies are restricted by law to help fund long term assets that have a lifespan of five years or more including building repairs, buses, and major repairs on equipment to ensure they remain functional.

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The Renewal Levy will not increase your taxes, and renews approximately $750,000 in funding that goes towards such general capital improvements throughout the district.

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North Ridgeville

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Going for the gold: The Senior Center, 7327 Avon Belden Road, is hosting a Winter Olympics Opening Ceremonies Watch Party at noon Feb. 6.

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Garden Club meeting: The Garden Club of North Ridgeville will meet at 6 p.m. Feb. 10 at Sandy Ridge Reservation, 6195 Otten Road, and includes a presentation from Naturalist Josh Michalski.

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For more information, call 440-371-1775 or email Terrilmar@hotmail.com.

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Reading challenge: Could you read 1,000 books? That’s the challenge posed to children as they prepare for kindergarten.

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The Lorain Public Library System (Avon and North Ridgeville are included) is rolling out a 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten initiative to challenge caregivers to read to and with their children (ages birth to 5-years-old).

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The challenge is themed with fun images of Browser, the Lorain Public Library System’s Golden Retriever mascot. Parents can register for the program online or in person at any of the six branches. Upon registering, participants will receive a 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten (BBK) tote bag and a reading tracking sheet for their first 100 books. After completing the first 100, they return to receive their tracking sheet for the second hundred, then their third and so on. Each tracking sheet also features an early literacy tip.

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Bridge maintenance: The city has been awarded funding to support planned maintenance of the Lorain Road bridge over the Norfolk Southern Railroad. The funding was awarded through the Ohio Department of Transportation’s (ODOT) Local Major Bridge Program, which aids communities in replacing, rehabilitating and maintaining qualifying bridges, according to the press release.

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Through the program, ODOT will cover up to 80 percent of eligible project costs using federal funds, with a maximum award of $739,000. Construction is anticipated to happen during State Fiscal Year 2029.

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Rocky River

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Hall of Fame honors: The Rocky River High School Hall of Fame honors alumni, educators, coaches, and community members whose achievements and service have left a lasting impact on the school and its programs.

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Six individuals will be inducted into the Hall of Fame Feb. 7. The Class of 2026 includes Laura Brabant, Lindsay Buckingham, McKenna Sperli (née Klodnick), Gary Nash, Ava Rauser, and Michael Shoaf.

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Westlake

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New restaurant: Lopez Taqueria will be opening soon at 27020 Center Ridge Road.  

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The restaurant will offer tacos, burritos and other Mexican items. A liquor license is coming soon.

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Follow the progress on Facebook.

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Alumni Hall of Fame: The Westlake Alumni Association recently announced seven new members of the Alumni Hall of Fame. The Class of 2026 will be introduced Feb. 6 during the Westlake High School Boys Basketball game.

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The official Hall of Fame Induction Dinner and Ceremony will take place Oct. 1 as part of Homecoming Weekend. Additional ceremony details will be announced at a later date.

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Congratulations to athletes Colton Buffington, Joe Craven, Jack Laraway, and Katie Wise Pederson. The Distinguished Category includes Michelle Colley Girard and Dan Berkheimer. The Honorary Category includes Len Siwik (posthumous).

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Best of the best: Congratulations to Lee Burneson Middle School, named one of Ohio’s Best Middle Schools by U.S. News & World Report magazine, recognizing strong academic performance and the dedication of students, staff, and families.

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Anniversary salute: As the country prepares to celebrate our semiquincentennial (250th), the city plans to honor residents and their family members who are veterans or active-duty military with a special “Saluting Our Service” campaign.

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The campaign will provide those who have served with a complimentary personalized light pole banner hung at Clague Park or one of our highly trafficked intersections.

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To register for a banner, click here.

Centennial celebration: College Club West is celebrating its 100th anniversary. Founded in Lakewood in 1926, special displays will be available at local Westshore libraries to share the club's history and current information, including Westlake Porter Public Library in February, and the Rocky River Public Library in March.

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College Club West is a non-profit organization for women on the westside of Cleveland with college degrees or RNs.

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