CLEVELAND, OH (WOIO) -  

Forbes Magazine lists Cleveland as the 12th most miserable city in the country.

The magazine ranked cities across the country on things like taxes, crime, corruption and sports teams.

Miami topped the list as the most miserable city, followed by Detroit, Flint, Michigan, West Palm Beach and Sacramento.

View the entire list HERE.

 http://www.19actionnews.com/story/16670345/forbes-magazine-ranks-most-miserable-cities

Article Courtesy of WOIO 19 Action News

Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald has a new plan make county services available to cities.

The Western Reserve Plan was announced Wednesday afternoon during the State of The County Address at Cleveland’s City Club.

The Western Reserve Plan will focus on these 12 key areas:

1. Implementing a practical strategy for creating a functioning, county-wide metropolitan government.
2. Establishing Greater Cleveland as a center of entrepreneurship and job growth.
3. Designing a place-based development strategy which recognizes the centrality of downtown Cleveland to the region as a whole.
4. Aligning and coordinating both public and private resources around our most pressing human service needs.
5. Identifying education, from early childhood forward, as the central factor in individual and community success.
6. Embracing a health and wellness culture which mirrors the excellence of our major medical institutions.
7. Incorporating economic inclusion as a guiding principle in our economic development strategy.
8. Branding our metropolitan area as an international city which harnesses the energy of our younger generations.
9. Adopting a collaborative approach to the foreclosure crisis- from prevention to restoration.
10. Honoring the service of our veterans by giving them priority in hiring, training and education.
11. Protecting our county by leading a county-wide public safety initiative.
12. Creating a culture within county government which implements nationally recognized good government practices and innovations.

Ed FitzGerald explains the county-wide metropolitan government below:

Regional strategies/services/metro government

It’s time to be brutally honest about the discussion which has been taking place regarding the possibility that we will regionalize our services, our governments, or both.  First, the discussion has been going on for almost 100 years.  And that says it all. 

Although there have been examples of progress, and for the first time the county has assisted in those discussions, we are not on a trajectory to any serious form of shared services, strategies, or consolidated government.  We just aren’t, and it’s time to stop pretending that we are.  When this concept was first seriously proposed in the first half of the twentieth century, some of its proponents knew that time was of the essence.  At that time, about 80% of the population of the county was contained in the City of Cleveland, and they feared that as population inevitably migrated outwards, it would make it more and more difficult to create a regional approach to government.  They were right, and that’s exactly what happened.

So for 100 years, we have had an interesting philosophical discussion which gets us almost nowhere we haven’t already been.  The comparison of us to what other metropolitan areas have done are, frankly, usually ill-informed.  There is no place in the country which has our level of fragmentation, with home rule powers for cities, which has just spontaneously combined in any meaningful way.  Cities and counties, such as Indianapolis, that have merged usually consist of a central city surrounded by undeveloped and unincorporated areas.

But there is a way to get there.  And we can do it without forcing anything on any city.

To read more of the speech, click on the link below:

http://downtown.woio.com/news/news/70384-ed-fitzgerald-proposes-plan-make-county-services-available-cities

Article Courtesy of WOIO 19 Action News

Greetings..Its Friday!!! Were going Southern today with a great recipe for your family….Enjoy!!!

Chicken-Fried Turkey Cutlets with Redeye Gravy:

Ingredients:
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning or 1/4 teaspoon each dried thyme, sage and marjoram
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1 tablespoon water
1 1/2 cups fresh whole-wheat breadcrumbs (see Tip)
4 turkey breast cutlets (1-1 1/4 pounds)
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1 slice bacon, chopped
3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
1/2 cup brewed coffee
1/2 teaspoon sugar

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 200°F. Place a baking sheet in the oven.

2. Combine flour, poultry seasoning (or thyme, sage and marjoram) and cayenne in a shallow bowl; reserve 1 tablespoon of the mixture in a small bowl. Whisk egg, egg white and water in another shallow bowl. Place breadcrumbs in a third shallow bowl.

3. One at a time, dredge the turkey cutlets first in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess, then dip in the egg mixture to coat. Coat on both sides with breadcrumbs, pressing to help the crumbs stick.

4. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, add half the cutlets and cook, turning once, until golden brown on the outside and cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the cutlets to the baking sheet in the oven. Return the pan to medium heat and repeat with the remaining oil and cutlets.

5. Add bacon to the pan and cook, stirring, until browned and crisp, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Sprinkle with the reserved 1 tablespoon seasoned flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute more. Stir in broth, coffee and sugar and cook, stirring, until thickened, 2 to 4 minutes more. Serve the cutlets with the gravy.

Tip: To make your own fresh breadcrumbs, trim crusts from whole-wheat bread. Tear bread into pieces and process in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. One slice of bread makes about 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs

After three days of controversy, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure breast-cancer charity says it is reversing its decision to cut breast-screening grants to Planned Parenthood.

“We want to apologize to the American public for recent decisions that cast doubt upon our commitment to our mission of saving women’s lives,” a Komen statement said.

As first reported by The Associated Press on Tuesday, Komen had adopted criteria excluding Planned Parenthood from grants because it was under government investigation, notably a probe launched in Congress at the urging of anti-abortion groups.

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article courtesy of Newsnet5.com ]]> http://praisecleveland.com/cle/edpowell/susan-g-komen-for-the-cure-reverses-decision-to-end-to-planned-parenthood/feed/ 0 http://praisecleveland.com/cle/edpowell/social-media-buzz-getting-louder-for-super-bowl/ http://praisecleveland.com/cle/edpowell/social-media-buzz-getting-louder-for-super-bowl/#comments Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:14:51 +0000 Ed Powell http://praisecleveland.com/?p=1326472   Super Bowl XLVI -- that's 46 -- is just days away, and the social media buzz is getting louder for the big event. Twitter, Facebook and Google Plus are taking advantage of social media networks to attract more followers and gain feedback on the main event. It's not the Super Bowl ritual you may be used to, bu... Read more..]]>  

Super Bowl XLVI — that’s 46 — is just days away, and the social media buzz is getting louder for the big event.

Twitter, Facebook and Google Plus are taking advantage of social media networks to attract more followers and gain feedback on the main event.

It’s not the Super Bowl ritual you may be used to, but it sure is now for many.

Smartphone in hand, laptops at the ready, to tweet, update and “like.”

Super Bowl fans can now be a part of all the action through social networks like Twitter. Get realtime updates through official Super Bowl accounts @SuperBowl2012, @SuperBowl and @nfl. Hashtags include #superbowl46, #superbowl, #XLVI, #superbowlindy.

Not a Twitter Fan? Follow the game on Facebook.  Facebook.com/IndySuperbowl2012 is the official Facebook page of the Indianapolis Super Bowl Host Committee.

Latest status updates include finding the best Super Bowl event near you.

Super Bowl XLVI — that’s 46 — is just days away, and the social media buzz is getting louder for the big event.

Twitter, Facebook and Google Plus are taking advantage of social media networks to attract more followers and gain feedback on the main event.

It’s not the Super Bowl ritual you may be used to, but it sure is now for many.

Smartphone in hand, laptops at the ready, to tweet, update and “like.”

Super Bowl fans can now be a part of all the action through social networks like Twitter. Get realtime updates through official Super Bowl accounts @SuperBowl2012, @SuperBowl and @nfl. Hashtags include #superbowl46, #superbowl, #XLVI, #superbowlindy.

Not a Twitter Fan? Follow the game on Facebook.  Facebook.com/IndySuperbowl2012 is the official Facebook page of the Indianapolis Super Bowl Host Committee.

Latest status updates include finding the best Super Bowl event near you.

read full story

article courtesy of Wkyc.com

The old adage is certainly true, ‘behind every good man, stands a good woman’; and while we modern day ‘feministas’ would prefer to remix the saying to ‘beside every good man, stands a good woman’, these women still made history from behind the iconic men in their lives. Their passion to correct civil injustices may have been publicly carried out by their well known husbands, but it was evident before and after their husbands’ death that they were a driving force behind their men.

Coretta Scott King

The widow of iconic Civil Rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Coretta was a driving force in the civil rights movement in the 60’s. A trained singer, she gave up her future in music to follow her husband and assist with his movement. After Dr. King’s assassination in 1968 Coretta became heavily involved in the Women’s Movement.

Dr. King is quoted as saying: “I am indebted to my wife Coretta, without whose love, sacrifices, and loyalty neither life nor work would bring fulfillment. She has given me words of consolation when I needed them and a well-ordered home where Christian love is a reality.”

Coretta Scott King died on January 30, 2006.

Betty Shabazz

The wife of Malcolm X, Betty Shabazz (also known as Betty X), was frustrated with racism as a young girl and soon began working with her soon to be husband after moving to New York City.

After her husband’s assassination in 1965, Shabazz earned her doctorate in 1975 and became an associate professor of health sciences at Medgar Evers College in 1976. In addition to raising her six daughters after her husband’s death, Shabazz worked hard to keep her husband’s legacy alive.
She died in 1997 after her grandson set flames to their home. She suffered third-degree burns, resulting in her death.

Myrlie Evers-Williams

Myrlie Evers-Williams is the wife of civil rights activist Medgar Evers. She worked tirelessly to seek justice for the brutal murder of her husband in 1963. Later she ran for state of California Congress and actively participated in the NAACP. She has also published several books and spoke at various events regarding civil rights and her husband’s legacy.

She later remarried but continues to fight for civil injustices.

Winnie Mandela

Although her marriage to South African activist, Nelson Mandela, may have ended rocky, in the beginning stages Winnie Mandela assisted her husband in becoming a pivotal figure in South African politics.

Even after her divorce to Nelson Mandela in 1996, Winnie has gone on to become a controversial activist, even being considered ‘Mother of the Nation’ by many of her supporters.

Read More “Ladies of Leaders: The Amazing Women Behind Our History Makers” On: MadameNoire

Joel Osteen, pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, has apparently stunned the world after being captured in a photograph on a beach in Hawaii wearing only his swim trunks, a hat and sunglasses.

The image, credited to Splash News, was first published online by celebrity news website TMZ in a report titled: “Good God, He’s RIPPED!!!”

The report, which shows the megachurch pastor holding a surfboard, uses a bit of tongue-in-cheek religious talk in presenting the photo of Osteen’s “shredded six-pack,” re-working Psalm 23 to read “the Lord is my personal trainer, I shall not want.” TMZ reveals that Osteen was on the beach spending time with his wife, Victoria, and their children, Jonathan and Alexandra.

“Besides being one of the most famous preachers in the world, Osteen is also a health nut … who dishes out diet advice on his web page. Judging by his sculpted physique, dude knows what he’s talking about,” the website reported.

After TMZ published the photo at 6:15 Thursday morning, other media outlets soon picked up on the story, also expressing shock that Pastor Osteen appeared in good shape.

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article courtesy of TheChristianPost.com

Singer Mary J. Blige sat down with Wendy Williams today and discussed rumors about her marriage to manager, Kendu Isaacs, her drug and alcohol addictions and motherhood.

Wendy reveals that she too has suffered from addiction and asks the singer if she still struggles to stay sober.

“No, not at all. I don’t need alcohol to get me out of depression or get me out of a bad moment,” Blige says.

Blige adds that she became addicted to alcohol to replace her cocaine habit.

“My marriage is not on the rocks, but I would be a liar and my fans would hate me if I said to them ‘We’re perfect and everything is great.’

We have situations just like everyone else,” she admits.

Williams also asks Mary J. Blige if motherhood is in her future.

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article courtesy of BlackAmericaWeb.com/Video Courtesy of TheWendyWilliamsShow

PBS kicks off its Black History Month programming this week with the premiere of “Daisy Bates: First Lady of Little Rock.”

The name Daisy Bates doesn’t ring a bell? The filmmaker, too, had no idea who she was when she first came across Bates’ story in the portrait book, “I Dream a World.” Published in the 1990s, the coffee table tome featured profiles of 75 outstanding African American women.

“It’s a fantastic book, but Daisy’s story is the one that I really connected to, and it jumped out at me because I didn’t know her story,” says Sharon La Cruise, the documentary’s director.

Daisy Bates was, in fact, the engine that drove the “Little Rock Nine.” The native of Huttig, Arkansas played a leading role in the desegregation of Little Rock Central High School in 1957, and her involvement came with as much pride as it did controversy.

Bates, who regularly wrote about violations of the Supreme Court’s desegregation laws in her husband’s newspaper, became the chief guide and adviser to the nine black students attempting to enroll at the all-white school.  But, as their story attracted more media interest, Bates found herself the de facto spokesperson for the effort on an international scale – which caused some folks in town to believe she was getting “too big for her britches,” as one person in the film put it.

PBS kicks off its Black History Month programming this week with the premiere of “Daisy Bates: First Lady of Little Rock.”

The name Daisy Bates doesn’t ring a bell? The filmmaker, too, had no idea who she was when she first came across Bates’ story in the portrait book, “I Dream a World.” Published in the 1990s, the coffee table tome featured profiles of 75 outstanding African American women.

“It’s a fantastic book, but Daisy’s story is the one that I really connected to, and it jumped out at me because I didn’t know her story,” says Sharon La Cruise, the documentary’s director.

Daisy Bates was, in fact, the engine that drove the “Little Rock Nine.” The native of Huttig, Arkansas played a leading role in the desegregation of Little Rock Central High School in 1957, and her involvement came with as much pride as it did controversy.

Bates, who regularly wrote about violations of the Supreme Court’s desegregation laws in her husband’s newspaper, became the chief guide and adviser to the nine black students attempting to enroll at the all-white school.  But, as their story attracted more media interest, Bates found herself the de facto spokesperson for the effort on an international scale – which caused some folks in town to believe she was getting “too big for her britches,” as one person in the film put it.

read full story

article courtesy of Eurweb.com