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Crystal ball showed some cracks
(by Barbara Christian - December 28, 2011)
Crystal ball showed some cracks
Last year at about this time, we made some predictions about what 2011 would bring. Now that the year is drawing to a close, let's climb aboard our "way back machine" and see how we did in the soothsaying department. As it turns out, not hot.
Boy, oh, boy, did we get this first one wrong. We predicted Chagrin Falls Mayor Thomas Brick would not seek re-election and that Village Council members Janis Evans and Bob Williams would step in to run for the spot. No even close. The mayor made an early announcement to run again and, in fact, ran unopposed. Jan stayed put on council. Bob also sought re-election but lost in a race among 10 candidates for seven seats.
This one we got right, but truth to tell, it was a "gimme" from the start. We said the dam at Spillway would be removed. It was, and the river is now flowing in its natural path and pace.
The second part of our prognostication had upstream residents unhappy about their new waterless view. We're sure they are, but so far no public outcry from that quarter.
In a flight of fancy, we said that chameleon of all local politicians, Tim Grendell, would leave the Ohio Senate (or whatever office he was holding, because it's hard to keep track) and in 2012 would seek the presidency of the United States. As it turned out, the Chester Township Republican did leave the legislature but not to unseat President Barack Obama. In September, he was appointed by Gov. John Kasich to the Geauga County Probate and Juvenile Court.
As far as regrettable irony goes, there is no better example than this which prophesy: "Developers of the former Windsor Hospital property on East Summit Street are congratulated for preserving the structural integrity and exterior beauty of Linden Hall, the original historical hospital building."
The second part of that prediction stated, as a result of the restoration, the new Falls Walk neighborhood looked so good developers sold all the remaining lots.
Could anything that happened at Falls Walk this year be any further from what did transpire? Developers did not make a move to preserve Linden Hall and, in fact, late last summer asked for permission to tear it down! That announcement was met by an outcry which produced a committee investigating a new use and user for the building and stopping, or at least slowing down, the historic house's death march toward the landfill.
In the meantime, Falls Walk building lots remain available.
In a sad twist of fate, last year, we congratulated the Mug and Brush Barber Shop in Chagrin Falls for 50 years of service to hirsute locals. Shortly thereafter, on Jan. 18, the spiritual leader of Mug and Brush, Charlie "the barber" Fresenda, passed away.
The good news is the shop remains under the careful stewardship of longtime M&B barber "Dutch" who, like Bono, goes by one name. Our prophecy for 2012 is the place will remain the man cave haven for men and boys alike.
OK, so looking at all of the above, it's fair to say our crystal ball abilities are not so hot. What can we say? Will "Happy New Year" work?
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