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Parma, Ohio
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Parma is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States and the largest suburb of Cleveland. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 85,655. The 2003 estimate put the population at 83,861.
a is a city southwest of Cleveland. It is bounded by Cleveland and Brooklyn on the north, Brooklyn Heights, and Seven Hills on the east, North Royalton and Broadview Heights on the south, and Brook Park, Middleburg Heights, and Parma Heights on the west. Parma was originally part of Parma Township, created in 1826.
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Encyclopedia
Parma is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States and the largest suburb of Cleveland. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 85,655. The 2003 estimate put the population at 83,861.
History
Parma is a city southwest of Cleveland. It is bounded by Cleveland and Brooklyn on the north, Brooklyn Heights, and Seven Hills on the east, North Royalton and Broadview Heights on the south, and Brook Park, Middleburg Heights, and Parma Heights on the west. Parma was originally part of Parma Township, created in 1826. The first settlers were the Benaiah Fay family from New York State, who settled along the Cleveland-Columbus Road in 1816. The name was taken from Parma, New York, where it was probably derived from the early-19th century fascination with classical Italy. During the 19th century, Parma remained largely agricultural. In 1912, a portion of the township seceded to form the village of Parma Heights. In 1924, Parma was incorporated as a village, and in 1926 it adopted the mayor-council form of government. In 1931 a proposition to annex it to the city of Cleveland was defeated, and Parma became a city. Parma's tremendous growth came after World War II as young families began moving from Cleveland into the Suburbs. During the Cold War, Parma's Nike Site Park housed Nike missiles located in underground silos. Between 1950 and 1980, Parma's population soared from less than 20,000 to more than 110,000. More recently, the population has declined to well below 90,000.
Parma was, throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the butt of jokes by local movie show hosts Ghoulardi, Hoolihan & Big Chuck, and The Ghoul, due to its Eastern European, most specifically Polish, make-up. Ghoulardi famously made a series of shorts called "Parma Place." The jokes dealt with Parmans' alleged love of white socks, pink flamingos, chrome balls, kielbasa and pierogis and the polka.
Perhaps more seriously, Parma's local, state, and even national image has been marred by four incidents:
- 1. Such major newspapers as The New York Times covered allegations from the 1970s onwards that Parma's government worked to resist racial integration. Former Parma City Council President Kenneth Kuczma famously said, "I do not want Negroes in the city of Parma," and even federal courts ruled on the matter. In Sundown Towns: A Hidden Dimension of American Racism, James W. Loewen recounts these problems and thereby labels Parma a "sundown town."
- 2. In 2003, Parma made national news after a 345-kV transmission line failed in the city due to a tree, which played a significant role in the early stages of the Northeast Blackout of 2003. A major water crisis in Parma and nearby communities also resulted from the blackout.
- 3. According to the official website of the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, since 1998 the city has been engaged in an ongoing (i.e. still active) and costly civil suit pitting seventeen Parma residents as plaintiffs against around a dozen prominent city officials (including the current mayor and council president) as defendants. Most recently, the case titled Michael Perry et al vs. Parma, City of-et al, held a pre-trial on March 9, 2007, but the "defendant" failed to appear. Thus, the parties were to have contacted the court by telephone on The Ides of March of 2007. A new pretrial is set for July 31, 2007 at 9:45 AM.
- 4. Parma has recently been plagued by negative press in the local media as a result of a larger conflict between the police and city government, which has some of its origins from an on-and-off investigation into whether or not former Republican Councilman John Stover stole "files from another council member's briefcase" in 2000--allegations that the Stover family disputes. The incident, which has been referred to as "Filegate" by local and regional media sources, has thus far had inconclusive results, but many residents and outside observers have interpreted the escalation in tensions between the police department and city government as one of reprisals and counter-reprisals of which "Filegate" may serve as an early salvo.
Criticisms
A possible fifth incident that has marred Parma's image in the recent past involves tensions between the local media and city government on one side and the police department on the other.
Those who believe in the existence of a Parma political machine led by Prosecutor Bill Mason contend that in order to distract from their own suspect activities, "Good old boy" politicians allegedly concocted a "Witch Hunt" that scapegoated police officers. In Spring 2003, the police chief retired and "said city officials need to make peace." During the investigation, police union representatives appealed to the public through the media to end the investigation. A councilman who supported the police also received praise by residents in the press.
Ultimately, investigator Dick DiCicco wrote in his official report that there “was no evidence presented to” substantiate “the allegation that officers were taking turns calling in sick in order that other officers could earn overtime to maintain minimums,” “there was no actual duplicate billing” concerning Sgt. Joe Kuchler and Ptl. John Robertson as indicated in The Plain Dealer articles, and based “on the review of the above activity no specific pattern of reciprocity was detected” on the part of Officer Mekruit. On page B2 of The Plain Dealer, Joe Wagner quoted Prosecutor Michael Nolan as reportedly declaring that Mayor DePiero and Council President Germana removed the “police tax request from May 3 ballot . . . ‘as an excuse for, apparently, their own inaction.’” In turn, on March 11, 2005, The Plain Dealer quoted Councilwoman Stys who summed up the investigation as a “sham,” and on January 12, 2006, prosecutor Dan Kasaris recommended that the case of The State of Ohio vs. Donald Mcnea, a retired Parma police officer who served as a focus of numerous newspaper articles, be dismissed. Further revelations about the "Witch Hunt", as found in such newspaper articles as "Report clears Parma police in payroll-padding probe," and including the retroactive appointment of a special prosecutor who had been prosecuting (in violation of the Ohio Revised Code) select police union representatives who had raised concerns about possible political corruption, has led to calls for the resignations of many members of the current mayoral administration and city council. As confirmed on the county website, most recently, on February 26, 2007, Judge Brian J. Corrigan found Patrolman Brian Barta not guilty of bribery. Officer Barta was earlier discharged of charges of obstructing justice, with the judge citing the fact that the prosecution's witness "skipped court appearances" and was "twice arrested and convicted, for drug trafficking and possession." According to The Plain Dealer, attorney Henry Hillow said that Barta "should have never been charged" and called Barta's experience "a travesty." Nevertheless, the long-term consequences of the crisis, which lasted for nearly four years (2003-2007) have yet to be seen.
Geography
Parma is located at (41.391852, -81.728502).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 20.0 square miles (51.7 km²), of which, 20.0 square miles (51.7 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it is water.
Two major changes and developments have recently occurred regarding several principal sites within the city:
- The West Creek Preservation Agency has worked to preserve various historic and natural sites in the city, including the Henninger House and the West Creek Watershed.
- Henninger House, the oldest home in Parma, which was built in 1849, is planned to be part of the proposed Quarry Creek Historic District.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 85,655 people, 35,126 households, and 23,323 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,291.4 people per square mile (1,656.9/km²). There were 36,414 housing units at an average density of 1,824.3/sq mi (704.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.67% White, 1.06% Black, 0.14% Native American, 1.57% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.45% from other races, and 1.09% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.54% of the population.
There were 35,126 households out of which 27.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.7% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.6% were non-families. 29.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.3% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 19.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 91.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $43,920, and the median income for a family was $52,436. Males had a median income of $39,801 versus $27,701 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,293. About 3.3% of families and 4.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.6% of those under age 18 and 4.0% of those age 65 or over.
Crime
Parma ranks as one of the safest cities in the United States with a population between 60,000 and 100,000. Parma's ranking has declined in recent years from 17th safest to 19th safest. As of 3 November 2006, the rank has fallen further to 32nd.
Economy
During the population boom between 1950 and 1980, Parma's commercial sector grew to match its residential sector. Since the 1950s, Parma has fostered the growth of many small businesses and been an operating hub for such well-known companies as General Motors, the Union Carbide Research Center, and Cox Cable Television.
Located close to the city's town hall is Parmatown Mall, which is the location of the Parma Area Chamber of Commerce.
Education
The city contains three public high schools: Parma Senior High School, and Normandy High School. Valley Forge High School, though part of the same district, is located in Parma Heights, Ohio. The schools share a common stadium for football and track events, called Byers Field. The rivalry that exists between these schools is well documented. Normandy High School is located in the southeastern part of the city, and its population is made up of students from south Parma, and Seven Hills. Valley Forge is located in the southwestern portion of Parma Heights, and includes students from southwestern Parma, as well as Parma Heights. Parma High School is located in the center of the city, and includes students from central and northern Parma.
Each high school has a corresponding middle school, and each middle school has a specific group of elementary schools. Together, each set of schools is known as a "cluster."
The city also is home to a private Catholic high school, Padua Franciscan High School. Founded in 1961 as a school for boys, Padua Franciscan became co-educational in 1983 and as of 2005 was the largest private, co-educational secondary school in northeast Ohio. Padua's principal rivalry is with Holy Name High School, located in nearby Parma Heights.
Television and radio towers
Parma is the location of most of the Cleveland area's television and FM radio transmission towers.
When Cleveland started to get television service in the late 1940s, WEWS-TV (Channel 5), the first television station in Ohio, picked a site on State Road. At the time, Parma was transitioning from a rural enclave to an urban area. Parma was selected for its high elevation. At almost 1,100 feet above sea level, it is 500 feet higher than downtown Cleveland. Other local stations followed, and nearly all local TV and FM radio outlets broadcast from Parma, or from other nearby suburbs.
The television towers are taller than downtown Cleveland's tallest buildings, and can be seen from great distance in Cleveland, and most of its southern suburbs. Airline pilots and broadcast experts call the collection of towers in and near Parma the Cleveland area's "antenna farm".
Heights of Cleveland's television towers
- WEWS-TV 5 (ABC) - 1,060 feet (State Road)
- WJW-TV 8 (FOX) - 1,080 feet (Pleasant Valley Road at State Road)
- WOIO-TV 19 (CBS) - 1,149 feet (Broadview Road)
- WKYC-TV 3 (NBC) - 1,150 feet (Broadview Road) To replaced spring 2009 and shared with WVIZ-TV
- WBNX-TV 55 (CW) - 1,020 feet (West Ridgewood Drive)
- WQHS-TV 61 (Univisión) - 916 feet (Hawthorne Drive)
- WUAB 43 (My) - 915 feet (Bruening Drive)
Mayors
| Frank D. Johnson | 1928-1933 |
| Anthony A. Fleger | 1934-1935 |
| Roland E. Reichert | 1936-1942 |
| Sylvester Augustine | 1942-1945 |
| Roland E. Reichert | 1946-1949 |
| Lawrence Stary | 1950-1951 |
| Stephen A. Zona | 1952-1957 |
| Joseph W. Kadar | 1958-1959 |
| Sylvester Augustine | 1960-1961 |
| John Bobko | 1961 |
| James W. Day | 1962-1967 |
| John Petruska | 1967-1987 |
| Michael A. Ries | 1988-1994 |
| Gerald M. Boldt | 1994-2003 |
| Dean DePiero | 2004-present |
Notable natives
- Hector Boiardi, better known as Chef Boyardee, died in Parma in 1985.
- Carmen Cozza, football coach at Yale University.
- Dan Fritsche NHL, New York Rangers
- Tom Fritsche NHL, Prospect of Colorado Avalanche
- Mike Garcia (starting pitcher for the Cleveland Indians in the 1950s -- he ran "Big Bear Cleaners" in Parma, Ohio)
- Michael T. Good, NASA astronaut
- Brian Holzinger NHL, Buffalo Sabres
- Ted Levine Actor (Silence of the Lambs, The Mangler, Monk, The Hills Have Eyes)
- James A. Lovell American Astronaut (Apollo 13 mission) (a native of Cleveland, he spent part of his youth on Parma's north side)
- Mike Mizanin Professional Wrestler
- Clint Nageotte Professional Baseball Player
- Ransom E. Olds Automotive pioneer lived in Parma as a boy from 1874 to 1878.
- Alan Ruck Actor (Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Spin City), graduate of Parma High
- John D. Rockefeller Oil Tycoon, Founded Standard Oil Company
- Sean Faris Actor (Never Back Down)
- Drew Carey Actor, Comedian, Game Show Host (Drew Carey Show)
Surrounding Communities
External links
- The handiest local reference guide available for the Parma, Ohio area. Updated daily.
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