Early voting started on April 8th–so get out and vote early!! More election info below!
April Meeting!!
Please RSVP HERE for our April meeting, which will be April 29th, 6:30pm social time, 7pm meeting start, at the Rocky River Library. We will be hosting Joe Graceffo, Legislative Political Coordinator for the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 3283, who will be speaking about Trump and Musk’s actions have affected federal employees and what they’re doing to fight back–please do not miss this!! Learn more about AFGE HERE!
RSVP HERE
Support the Lake Road/Clifton Blvd Enhancements!!
Our friend Patrick O’Connor shared some great information about how the Lake Road/Clifton Blvd bridge enhancements, a project that would decrease Lake Road between Linda Street and the Rocky River Line from four lanes to two, adding bike/walking lanes, which has been deemed “not a priority” by our city administration. Please engage your Rocky River City Council and make sure they know it IS a priority–City Council will be discussing this project and the feasibility for our citizens. Lakewood’s City Council has already passed their portion and now it is in the hands of Rocky River. Please try to attend the city council meeting on Monday April 14th at 7pm at City Hall, which will be open to comments from citizens.
Patrick’s message:
“Dear Neighbor, the Clifton Boulevard/Lake Road Enhancement is a once in a three-generation opportunity. The project would expand opportunities for non-vehicular traffic. All parties agree that it will dramatically improve the city’s multi-modal infrastructure, creating a safer, more connected and more pedestrian and bike friendly community.The estimated cost of this improvement project is $13.6 million. The City of Rocky River’s investment responsibility is only about $540,000. Although the city has identified funding sources it has yet to secure its funding. Time is of the essence. The project should go out to bid in August 2025 and work could begin March 2026. However, Mayor Bobst declared that right now this project is not a priority. I am urging you to write and call our city leaders and urge them to move quickly to secure our share of the funding, $540,000. Contact info is attached. Please reach out to the Mayor, Council President, the three Council-At-Large Members and your Ward Representative. Thank you for your participation. And please share this message with your friends and neighbors.“
Please see the attached presentation below from Trevor Hunt, Senior Project Manager for the Clifton-Lake Rd Project, that he presented at last week’s Rocky River Green Team.
Find your ward and contact your councilperson HERE!!
Please reach out to us with any further questions or concerns!
Tesla Protest!!
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| Tesla Protest Saturday, April 19, 12:00-2:00 pmTesla Motors, 5180 Mayfield Rd, Lyndhurst 44124 Join Tesla Takedown and Ohio 50501 to support the “The Rally Heard Round the World” on this local day of action! Bring signs, good spirits, loud voices, and be ready to enjoy participating in this peaceful rally! MORE INFO & SIGN-UP |
Westshore Spring Party!! Mark Your Calendars!!
On Monday, May 19th, we, along with our friends in Bay Village, Westlake, Fairview Park, and North Olmsted, will be holding a Spring Event at the Rocky River Civic Center (21016 Hilliard Blvd Rocky River, Ohio). The event will be from 6pm-9pm in the Memorial Hall.
Our featured speaker will be Dr. Amy Acton, Ohio’s first female Director of the Department of Health, who helped guide Ohio through the COVID Pandemic, and candidate for Governor of Ohio in 2026. You will not want to miss this event!!
Space is limited! Please RSVP early HERE!
UPDATE: Protect Our Libraries!!
Thank you for reaching out to your state representative and sharing why your library is important to you. Representatives across Ohio heard from tens of thousands of library supporters. Because of your advocacy, progress was made. After hearing from you, the House of Representatives made changes that mean CCPL is no longer in immediate danger of losing nearly seven million dollars. However, there is still work to be done. The Public Library Fund (PLF) that guaranteed libraries would receive 1.7% of Ohio’s General Revenue Fund has been changed to a line item appropriation leaving it vulnerable to cuts or even elimination. The budget process now moves to the Senate. We will continue to advocate for the reliable funding that has allowed Ohio’s public libraries to be the best in the nation. Learn more and take action HERE and HERE!!
Tariffs and More from the News
Please read this insightful article HERE about Donald Trump’s dismantling of constitutional democracy.
Also, this article HERE about tariffs and Trump’s plan for the economy.
More information about the terrible Senate Bill 1 HERE, which seeks to overhaul public education in Ohio.
2025 Primary Elections and More Radical Legislation!
| Heading to Vote Early? Here’s Where to Park! |
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| Early in-person voting is happening now at the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, located at 2925 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland. Here’s what you need to know about parking: Free Voter Parking is available in the lot directly behind our building. Enter from E. 30th Street, just north of Euclid Ave. Need to drop off your ballot? Use our convenient Drop Box right in the lot — open 24/7! Plan ahead, park with ease, and make your voice heard! |
Important dates to know for the May 6, 2025 Primary Election
- Tues/April 8 – Early Voting Begins (Absentee & In-Person)
- Tues/April 29, 8:30 pm – Absentee Ballot Request Deadline
- Mon/May 5 – Absentee Ballot U.S. Postmark Deadline
- Tues/May 6, 6:30 am to 7:30 pm – Primary Election
Election details at boe.cuyahogacounty.gov.
From the League of Women Voters of Ohio:
PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF THIS:
Statewide issue that will be on the May 6 Ballot:
A statewide issue that asks voters to approve billions of dollars for local government projects is now Issue 2.
“TO FUND PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS BY PERMITTING THE ISSUANCE OF GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND”
Passage of Issue 2 would allow the state to issue $2.5 billion in state bonds over the next 10 years, financed through tax revenues the state expects to bring in over that period. The monies from the sale of the bonds fund the State Capital Improvements Program (SCIP), which provides local governments with grants, loans, loan assistance, and local debt support to invest in public infrastructure projects like roads, bridges, sewer systems, and waste facilities.
Issue 2 is a proposed amendment to the Ohio Constitution, initiated by the General Assembly. Our legislature passed the joint resolution needed to trigger the process of getting the issue in front of voters. If passed, the amendment would be a renewal to the amendment passed in 1987 that established SCIP and authorized the Ohio Public Works Commission to be program administrators; the 1987 initiative was written to be renewed by voters every ten years. Since then, voters have approved bond renewals three times (1995, 2005, and 2014). If voters reject this Issue 2, the original amendment would expire, taking funding for future capital projects with it.
You can read the ballot language for Issue 2 here, its explanation here, written by a legislative committee, and arguments against here, written by the Ballot Board because that duty falls to them when there is no organized opposition to an issue.
SAVE Act!!
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| The SAVE Act passed in the U.S. House of Representatives. Thank/shame your US House representative on their SAVE vote: Call your House member and let them know (politely!) what you think of their vote. Here‘s who voted and how; contact info is here. Now it’s time to tell the Senate: REJECT the “SAVE” Act The “Safeguard American Voter Eligibility” Act would require citizenship documentation (a passport, birth certificate or other citizenship document) to register to vote even though voters in every state are already required to affirm or verify their citizenship status when registering. It is already illegal for non-citizens to register and vote in federal or state elections. The act would also burden people who have changed their legal name because of marriage, assimilation, or to better align with their gender identity. Women are especially vulnerable to being disenfranchised, as millions change their name when they get married or divorced, so their birth certificates would not show their current name. The SAVE Act would create huge barriers to voting. It would require all Americans to prove their citizenship status by presenting documentation in person when registering to vote or updating their voter registration information. This would be the end of registering to vote online or by mail for most voters. What’s more, many eligible voters don’t have easy access to the necessary documents. State driver’s licenses, REAL ID, and veterans IDs would no longer be accepted. The SAVE Act would not make voting more secure; it would just make it harder for millions of Americans to vote. As we have always known, the real fight will be in the Senate. This bill has a 60-vote threshold, so it is likely to be very close. This week’s action alert is to focus on Ohio’s two senators – Bernie Moreno and Jon Husted. CONTACT MORENO AND HUSTED When you call, you could say something like this: “My name is ____ and I’m one of your constituents from [CITY]. I urge you to oppose the anti-voter “SAVE” Act, which would make it harder for millions of eligible voters to cast a ballot. Instead of undermining the freedom to vote, Congress should be expanding access to voting. Proving citizenship may sound easy, but the reality is more than 140 million Americans do not have a passport; up to 69 million women and 4 million men who changed their names after getting married do not have a birth certificate matching their current legal names; and seniors, low-income families, young voters, and climate disaster survivors are less likely to have citizenship documents. This bill could shut them all out of our democracy. Federal law already requires that only eligible citizens vote in federal elections, and non-citizen voting is extremely rare. The SAVE Act would create unnecessary hurdles, push voters off the rolls, and burden election officials at a time when resources are already stretched thin. Please reject this legislation!” If no one answers, be sure to leave a message! |
Membership Drive!
We are currently in our membership drive for 2025! If you have not renewed your membership, see one of us at the next meeting, or you can renew online HERE
Due to the rising costs of postage, scheduling of events, and other club duties, we unfortunately have had to raise our membership rates only slightly–individual memberships have increased to $30 (from $20), and family memberships have increased to $40 (from $30)–senior and student memberships will remain the same, at $10 and $5, respectively. While we hate to have to raise rates, it will go a long way to help us stage events, including postcard parties and community gatherings, maintaining the website, room rentals, printing, and sponsoring get-out-the-vote events and yard sign drives!
As always, if you can add more, it will cover someone who can afford less. Everyone is welcome at the amount you are comfortable contributing.