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Mayor Jackson Puts Cleveland Back on Map in Latest Homeless Grapevine

Press Release

For Immediate Release: August 11, 2006
For more information, Call (216) 432-0540, or email kevincleary@neoch.org

A brand new issue of The Homeless Grapevine has just made its debut on Cleveland streets! Issue 77 features an exciting first for our paper: an interview with Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson. After years of hostility from previous administrations, including Mayor White’s efforts to shut the paper down, Jackson shared his vision for “putting Cleveland back on the map” and his plans to help homeless people transition into stable housing and employment. Our readers will also find coverage of the recently held Truth Commission in Tremont, which “put poverty on trial.” Inside, Domestic Violence Center Director Cathleen Alexander responds to the Grapevine’s call for more DV shelter beds in issue 76.

Cleveland’s Voice for Social Justice has much more, including:

* Funding shortages have forced Lutheran Metro Ministries to close Community Legal Services, and how other legal programs are responding.
* Coverage of the first-ever Homeless Congress.
* Our Editorial about Akron’s latest draconian panhandling law. The Grapevine featured the most extensive coverage of Cleveland’s panhandling ordinance last year in its series, “Can Cleveland Handle Panhandling?” The series recently earned The Homeless Grapevine honorable mention in the 2006 Knight-Batten Awards for Innovations in Journalism.
* Jackson, Miss. Mayor Frank Melton however, won’t be winning any awards from homeless advocates any time soon. A special guest-commentary from the National Coalition for the Homeless’s Acting Executive Director Michael Stoops castigates Melton for his “homeless curfew” and other actions by comparing Melton’s policies to forced internment of Japanese citizens during WWII.

As always, Northeast Ohio’s street newspaper has original commentaries, photographs, poetry, state and local updates, and more. The Homeless Grapevine is always available at the West Side Market, The Whispering Willow Coffee Bar near Lakewood on Madison and W. 117th, at the NEOCH offices, or from any licensed vendor.

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Brett on Radio A Bad Idea

Regina Brett Takes Over WCPN on Fridays

I have said it before and I will say it again, I do not like newspaper people on the radio. There is good reason why their first job was a newspaper gig. It is clear that there is a skill to hosting a radio show that a writer does not usually have. Now, Regina Brett has taken over the Friday 9 to 10 .m. slot on WCPN. This is a very bad idea, and I hope that it ends soon. She is being championed as a Rock Star coming to the lowly radio station. At 10 a.m. on Fridays, WCPN features that news roundup hosted by Diane Rehm or her endless supply of substitutes, which I like and try to listen to every week. That is the kind of thing WCPN should try. Regina Brett, Bill Rice, and Tom Beres could sit around with a qualified moderator to talk about the local news. That would be a good show. (Please no Dick Feagler!!!) It can be nothing like Feagler and Friends where the moderator is the main show. The guests should be the stars not the blow hard moderator.

I just don't like Brett's preachy sound on the radio. I don't like listening when it sounds like she is lecturing me. I also think that she thinks that she is smarter than the rest of us. She seems bored by the callers and guests because she knows everything in the world. The only thing that she struggles with is technology and dead air and microphones. I have actually have come to enjoy listening to Cindi Duetschman Ruiz at 9 a.m. I don't like the topics that are chosen as much as I used to, but Cindi does a good job keeping the show moving.

Brian

Homeless Grapevine Receives Honorable Mention

The Homeless Grapevine was recently entered in the Knight-Batten competetition for innovations in journalism. 109* entries were considered, and many of the winners involved technological innovations in journalism, such as a database of Congressional votes, a website analyzing health news, and more.

The Grapevine's relentless and extensive coverage of Cleveland's panhandling ordinance received Honorable Mention from the Knight-Batten Advisory Board Judges. According to their website, our series, Can Cleveland Handle Panhandling? received a "pat on the back for [a] job well done." You can see the winners and other honorees online

here.

For more of our extensive coverage on panhandling, check out the Editorial in Issue 77 of The Homeless Grapevine, which has just hit Cleveland streets. Issue 77 also features our first-ever interview with a Cleveland mayor, Mayor Frank Jackson! Be sure to pick it up at the West Side Market, the Whispering Willow Coffee Bar on Madison & W.117th, or from any licensed vendor. Full press release coming soon! -Kevin

*Number corrected. Originally, I believed that over 200 entries were submitted, but upon re-examination of J-Lab's website, I have revised this to reflect the correct number. -Kevin