Recycle your electronics Oct. 15 at Park Synagogue: Press Run

PEPPER PIKE, Ohio — If you have unused or non-working electronics and computer equipment cluttering your home, you can keep these items out of the landfills by donating them to Park Synagogue’s Electronics Recycling Drive.

Drop off your electronics from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 15 at Park Synagogue, 27500 Shaker Blvd. in Pepper Pike.

Acceptable items for donation include most electronic devices, computers, keyboards, mice, laptops, iPads, iPods, cell phones, desk phones, gaming systems, home stereos, VCRs, DVD players, printers, scanners, copiers, FAX machines, ink cartridges and more.

A small fee will be charged (payable by cash or check only) to donate some items — tube TVs, LCD TVs, CRT monitors and printers/scanners/copiers.

Items that cannot be accepted include anything containing freon or wood, small appliances, tapes, floppy disks, batteries and smoke detectors.

See the Park website, parksynagogue.org/events, for a full list of items that can or cannot be accepted and those for which there will be a charge to donate.

All electronic data and personal information from computers and phone will be professionally erased by a secure 3-pass scrub of the hard drives using a method that observes R2 compliant standards.

Volunteers will be on hand to help unload items from your vehicle.

All items will be refurbished, repaired, then sold by the staff at RenTek, a Social Enterprise that offers workforce development training for individuals who have developmental disabilities and other barriers to employment.

Those planning to attend should use the driveway off Shaker Boulevard, just east of Brainard Road.

If you have questions, contact Ellen Petler at [email protected] or 216-371-2244, extension 122.

Quilt and doll exhibit: The Beachwood Arts Council will present an African-American Quilt and Doll Guild (AAQDG) exhibit titled “Threads Intertwined Hold and Bind,” opening Nov. 11 at the Beachwood Community Center, 25225 Fairmount Blvd.

The exhibit will feature quilts and dolls made by 18 members of the AAQDG, inspired by African-American history and culture.

The public is invited to attend the opening reception, scheduled for 5 to 7 p.m. Nov. 11. Thereafter, the exhibit can be seen during gallery hours, which are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

CH-UH candidates forum can be viewed online: On Sept. 26, The League of Women Voters CH-UH Chapter held a council candidates forum, including candidates for Cleveland Heights and University Heights city councils. A standing-room only crowd was in attendance.

To see the forum, visit here.

Also, the LWV CH-UH Chapter will present a forum on the proposed University Heights charter amendments. That will be held at 6 p.m. Oct. 5 at the University Heights Library, 13866 Cedar Road.

University Heights Civic Awards: The 2023 University Heights Civic Awards program will be held Nov. 15 at the Jardine Room at John Carroll University.

The evening will begin with a reception at 6:30 p.m., with the ceremony getting under way at 7:30 p.m.

This year’s event will be hosted by JCU graduate and 19 News reporter Rachel Vadaj. More details are forthcoming.

Reappraisal time: Cuyahoga County has announced that licensed appraisers will soon be visiting residential and commercial properties.

Contractors who are licensed appraisers will join employees from the Cuyahoga County Fiscal Officer’s Appraisal Division to begin conducting comprehensive field review and valuation of all parcels within Cuyahoga County Oct. 2.

The reappraisal process is expected to continue through April 30. Included will be approximately 522,000 residential and commercial properties.

To ensure that the appraisers are identifiable to residents, all fiscal officer appraisers will have Cuyahoga County-issued picture identification. As an added measure of security, all vehicles will have signage visible in the front and rear windows.

Cuyahoga County is notifying all mayors and police chiefs before work begins in their jurisdictions.

The fiscal officer is required to reappraise all real property in the county every six years. This sexennial reappraisal is mandated by the tax commissioner for the State of Ohio, as stated in the Ohio Revised Code.

A number one ranking: Laurel School has been ranked the number one Best All-Girls High School in Ohio by Niche.com. Laurel earned the ranking by scoring highly in many factors that aim to capture what it is really like to attend Laurel.

Visit Laurel’s Niche.com profile for a list of its 2024 rankings, grades, methodologies and more.

University Heights arts and culture survey: The City of University Heights is asking residents to take an arts and culture survey.

Participants are eligible to win one of four prize packages provided by local businesses. To take the survey, visit here.

Lower Lake Dam reconstruction: Two upcoming events have been scheduled pertaining to the Lower Lake Dam reconstruction in Shaker Heights.

A public meeting will be held, via Zoom, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 5. To register, visit here.

Next, a Project Open House will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 7 between North Park and South Park boulevards.

According to the Shaker Heights city website, “The project will address the deficiencies of the 150-year-old dam, reconstruct the dam to safely pass the required design flood, reduce the frequency and severity of flooding downstream and restore Doan Brook immediately downstream of the dam.

“All these goals shall be met while providing adequate consideration of the surrounding parkland and cultural and ecological resources.”

More information about the project will be coming soon.

Heights Libraries happenings: Local artists can display their work at no cost in the art gallery at the Lee Road Library branch, 2345 Lee Road in Cleveland Heights.

The gallery is located on the first floor of the HKIC building at the Lee Road branch and is open during most regular library hours.

Find out more, including how to apply, here.

Meanwhile, “Coventry Village Author Series Presents: Claire McMillan — The Alchemy of a Blackbird,” will take place at 7 p.m. Oct. 12 at the Coventry branch, 1925 Coventry Road in Cleveland Heights.

Join author Claire McMillan as she presents her newest book, “Alchemy of a Blackbird,” a mystical, historical novel based on the true story of the 20th century painters and occultists Remedios Varo and Leonora Carrington. Each began as the muse of a famous lover, then broke away to become icons in their own right through a powerful friendship that springs from their connection to the tarot.

A book signing will follow. This event is being held in partnership with Mac’s Backs Books on Coventry. Registration is now under way.

Also, the Farrell Foundation, which provides services to individuals with dementia and their families, will host three memory cafés at the Lee Road branch.

The cafés are for people with memory loss and their care partners. They will take place from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Oct. 12, Nov. 9 and Dec. 14. All are free, but registration is recommended.

The Oct. 12 event will focus on baseball memories. Ike Brooks will reminisce about the 1948 World Series won by the Cleveland Indians.

The Nov. 9 café centers on scrapbook memories, with two artists leading the creation of a keepsake for important photos.

On Dec. 14, the topic will be holiday music, with violinist Nadine Kodysz playing and leading the singing of music from various holiday traditions.

All are provided in conjunction with the pledge of the City of Cleveland Heights to become a Dementia Friendly Community.

Call the library at 216-932-3600.

If you would like your item included in Press Run, send me an email, at least 14 days prior to an event, at [email protected].

Read more from the Sun Press.