Pictured are Ohio Democratic Party Chairman David Pepper and ODP chair of Political Engagement Nina Turner, a Cleveland Democrat and former state senator.

By Kathy Wray Coleman, editor-in-chief, Cleveland Urban News. Com and The Cleveland Urban News.Com Blog, Ohio's Most Read Online Black Newspaper and Newspaper Blog, Tel: (216) 659-0473 Kathy Wray Coleman is  a community activist, educator, and 21-year investigative journalist who trained for 17 years at the Call and Post Newspaper in Cleveland, Ohio. (www.clevelandurbannews.com) / (www.kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com)

COLUMBUS, Ohio- Yesterday, at a meeting with county party chairs from across the state, new Ohio Democratic Party Chairman David Pepper announced the strategy by his party to make early investments in local races throughout Ohio in 2015.

The decision by the state Democratic party to invest in city council elections and other local offices up for grabs across the state to hopefully get Democrats elected or reelected that can bring in Democratic votes from their constituents comes as the 2016 presidential election nears and Ohio remains a pivotal state, not to mention that Cleveland will host the Republican National Convention next year.

The initiative is also being pushed by the Democratic candidates that lost statewide elections in November, including Pepper himself, many of the Democrats at issue seeking to unseat incumbents.

"The Main Street Initiative will be laser focused on providing direct support to local candidates and staff, including financial investments to targeted races, messaging, voter contact, and fundraising training," Pepper said in a press release to Cleveland Urban News.Com, Ohio's leader in Black digital news.

To jump start the important investment in this strategy, Pepper, former state Sen and ODP Chair of Political Engagement Nina Turner, former statewide candidate and State Rep John Patrick Carney, Cincinnati City Councilman PG Sittenfeld, former statewide treasurer candidate and State Rep Connie Pillich and others have already committed funds from their campaign committees to the Party’s new Main Street Victory Fund.

“Everything in politics starts at the local level, including good candidates, good ideas, and critical services,” said Pepper, who ran unsuccessfully for Ohio attorney general in November. “This strategy and fund represent our commitment to build this party from the local level, where it all begins."

A Cleveland Democrat and former Cleveland Ward 1 councilwoman before she became a state senator, and who did not seek reelection and subsequently lost a race last year for secretary of state against incumbent Republican Jon Husted, Turner is equally excited about the initiative.

“As Democrats, it’s our responsibility to care about the welfare of all Ohioans, and our Main Street Initiative is an opportunity to put our values into action,” Turner said.  “It’s great to have Democrats in the U.S. Senate and the White House, but if we don’t support and cultivate our leaders at the local level, those of us living on Main Street from Cuyahoga County to Butler County are in real trouble.”

The elections for the 17-member Cleveland City Council and mayor, however, are in 2017.

Former Ohio Democratic Party Chairperson Chris Redfern announced election night last November that he was quitting and executive committee members of the state Democratic party selected Pepper last month to succeed him.

“Having a strong bench of local elected officials is key to ensuring Democratic values are enacted in communities all over our state,” said John Patrick Carney, who also said that he is committed to supporting Pepper's initiative.

“I’m excited to be a part of this important investment in those communities," said Carney, who lost a race for state auditor last year to incumbent David Yost.

By Kathy Wray Coleman, editor-in-chief, Cleveland Urban News. Com and The Cleveland Urban News.Com Blog, Ohio's Most Read Online Black Newspaper and Newspaper Blog, Tel: (216) 659-0473

Kathy Wray Coleman is  a community activist, educator, and 21-year investigative journalist who trained for 17 years at the Call and Post Newspaper in Cleveland, Ohio.

(www.clevelandurbannews.com)

/ (www.kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com)

CLEVELAND, Ohio- The community will celebrate retired Cleveland Municipal Court judge Jean Murrell Capers (pictured) turning 102-years-old during a birthday celebration at 5 pm on Saturday, January 17 in the party room at the Judson Manor in Cleveland, 1922 East 107th Street.

Capers is the longest living former or current Black elected official in Ohio and is the first Black woman elected to Cleveland City Council, an office she won in 1949. After losing her seat some decade later she later ran and won a seat on the Cleveland Municipal Court bench, after she was appointed to the post.

The event that invites activists and Black and other leaders will feature speakers that include former Cuyahoga County commissioner Peter Lawson Jones,  retired Ohio Eighth District Court of Appeals Judge Sara Harper, 88, Cleveland City Councilman Jeff Johnson, and community activists such as Genevieve Mitchell of the Carl Stokes Brigade.

Capers turned 102 on January 11 and will attend the party, organizers said.

"We are celebrating the judge turning 102 and her contributions to the community,"said Charlie Mae Guest, 81, an organizer of the gathering along with Rhoda Cantrell, and local dentist Dr. Eugene Jordan.

A Cleveland probation officer, Cantrell said that the birthday party is not a political event, but that a few people will speak, including Black elected officials and community activists.

"This is a party, but we want some people to speak," said Cantrell.

A longtime Republican, the outspoken and highly respected Capers is also a community activist and remains active in the community. She is an assistant commentator on the weekly WJMO 1490 am radio show in Cleveland dubbed the Art McKoy University Show of Common Sense, a broadcast that features community activists Art McKoy and Al Porter of Black on Crime Inc and addresses urban issues across the spectrum from police brutality to  racism, and political corruption.

"I'll be at the celebration for the judge," said McKoy, a longtime community activist who founded the greater Cleveland grassroots group Black on Black Crime Inc.

(www.clevelandurbannews.com) / (www.kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com)

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Sheila Wright (pictured) has stepped down as executive director of the NAACP's Cleveland branch as her two-year-contract is up and the organization has essentially been shut down by the national headquarters for impropriety in what would have been an election of branch officers last year, and for other reasons. And the local chapter of the nation's most renowned Civil Rights organization that once wielded substantial influence in the greater Cleveland community is flat broke, sources say.

"I have not heard any updates as it relates to the election," Cleveland NAACP Secretary Arlene Anderson told Cleveland Urban News.Com late last year.

"We have to get further direction on how we should proceed and until then there will be no regular meetings," said Anderson.

Before the national takeover in October of 2014, the local chapter met the second Monday of each month.

Wright, 45, who struggled to get paid by the Cleveland NAACP as its executive director, has taken a position as director of community affairs for the Good Communities Foundation, which was established by Albert and Audrey Ratner.

"For the past two years, I have been honored to work for a historic organization that is so important to our community," Wright told chapter members in an email. "I am proud of the work we did together and I look forward to even greater achievements from the Cleveland NAACP."

The Ratners' are philanthropists and  rich power brokers with political clout in Cleveland and elsewhere.

Albert Ratner is co-chairman emeritus of Forest City Enterprises in Cleveland.

The Cleveland NAACP is led by chapter president Hilton O. Smith,whom Wright reported to.

Smith is an associate minister at Greater Abyssinia Baptist Church in Cleveland and vice president for community affairs at Turner Construction Company in Cleveland.

The national NAACP is led by Cornell Brooks and the investigation of the Cleveland NAACP is being led by the Rev. Gill Ford, the national director of unit field operations and membership.