weed, weed, weed on Public Square in Cleveland, Ohio

Today, around mid-day, I made a quick bus run to public square and happened to see this sad little parade following three police bikes. The people had three banners with all sorts of green colors on them and seemed to be chanting “Weed!”

I went in to the Terminal Tower to get some coffee at the Caribou and when I emerged, the parade had vaporized, almost as though they were swallowed up by the Cleveland Convention & Visitors Bureau at 100 Public Square.

Was there any coverage of this event anywhere? I’ve googled “Weed Walk” and “Pot Parade” and “On the Move with Marijuana” along with “Cleveland OH” and come up empty. Maybe they were here promoting the commissioners’ latest regional revitalization scheme, a MedicalMarijuanaMart. Far out. Outta state. Right arm.

Beats casinos. Probably easier to legalize and tax than prostitution. Go for it. Try something new for a change. Innovate.

"little ambassadors"

Meet the Bloggers » David Gray, Publisher, Gray & Company --David Gray, on May 16th, described his local publishing house's 75+ titles as "little ambassadors" for Cleveland+ and the NEO region. That got me to thinking about the CVB and how they should be promoting locals who are themselves doing significant regional promoting. They at The Bureau, and "The Partnership," do not yet link to David Gray, who has a business model predicated on publishing local flavor and lore. Gray's is a business model that could succeed anywhere, and perhaps we will see more like it in other areas with stories to tell and intrinsically valuable features to promote, areas like Cleveland and its environs+.

What's odd is that nobody paid specifically to promote the area has figured out there could be leverage, or synergy, in promoting Gray.

Gray's books, the little ambassadors, fall into two categories: guide books, and gift books. I would have loved to get most of them when I was living away from home, in college, in the service, as a "Yankee boy" in the booming Atlanta of the late'70s. They are appreciative books, and will be appreciated by any recipients who are fond of--or just interested in--our area.

David is one of the businesspeople who's helping wake us up around here to the fact we must take care of each other, that we can all move forward if nobody is left behind.

He also brings us to a awareness that books are media, just as are the newspapers, radio, TV, and MTB. Listen. It's instructive. And be sure to browse the site. Mike O' Malley at the PD tells us that Michael Heaton, another "ambassador," but under the guise of "minister of culture," has a book coming out about now through Gray's.