New Parks, Unemployment & Bad Places For Naps

1. A new park is open on the former site of the Acacia Country Club in Lyndhurst.

The Acacia Reservation, a 155-acre Cleveland MetroParks site, was bought for $14.75 million by Arlington, Va.-based Conservation Fund, which in turn donated the site to the parks system.

The Cedar Road park just outside Beachwood's borders has a 1.7-mile loop — part of the paved path that was there when it was a country club — and green space that patrons can use.

Find out more about the park here.

2. Four teams from Beachwood Schools -- two each from Hilltop Elementary School and Beachwood Middle School -- have earned a spot at the statewide Destination ImagiNation Tournament.

These four teams finished in first place in their competitions for their respective age divisions at the regional tournament at Chagrin Falls High School. The state competition will be in Mount Vernon on April 20.

Destination Imagination is an educational program in which teams of students solve open-ended challenges in discipline as far flung as theater, construction and community service. The teams then present their solutions at tournaments.

In addition to having fun, the students learn how to think critically and creatively, as well how to work in teams and resolve conflicts.

3. A 16-year-old boy was arrested on charges of disorderly conduct and underage intoxication after he took a nap in a Beachwood Place restroom.

4. Bad news regarding unemployment in Cuyahoga County -- out of 88 Ohio counties, it landed at number 58 for its unemployment rate in January this year. 

In January 2013, the unemployment rate was 8.3 percent. In December, the rate was only 6.6 percent. Last year in January, Cuyahoga County had a 7.9 percent jobless rate.

5. The founder of a Beachwood summer basketball camp and the basketball player dubbed "The Jewish Jordan" has taken his nickname to pages of a book.

The Jewish Jordan's Triple Threat, written by Tamir and Judy Horwitz Goodman, weaves personal memoir with hands-on practical basketball advice.

The book connects the basketball triple threat to a spiritual "triple threat:" shooting is preparedness, dribbling is focus and passing is awareness.