Since your daily commute isn’t much of a challenge for a vehicle that’s a couple shades away from being combat-ready, the newly opened Central Hummer East (25975 Central Parkway, Beach-wood) has built a test track where prospective buyers can experience the monster vehicle’s power firsthand. Though prospective buyers can’t slide behind the wheel for liability reasons, they can strap into the passenger’s seat and ride along as the Hummer tackles nine extreme obstacles. Though there will be periodic benefit events during which the general public can take a ride on the test track for a fee, the course is primarily meant to lure prospective buyers. If you do decide to drop tens of thousands of dollars on one of the vehicles, Central Hummer East will teach you how to drive it on the test track. Now about that gas mileage ...
Euclid Mayor Bill Cervenik says he hopes his city’s politics turn more civil now that he’s survived a recall election. An activist group tried to get him voted out of office in July, angry that he agreed to let Providence Baptist Church build a new church and 110 homes in the city (“Promised Land,” October 2004). But Cervenik defeated the recall vote, 54 percent to 46 percent. The mayor argued during the campaign that Euclid had to let the church into town or it would’ve lost a pricey discrimination lawsuit. “I certainly hope all candidates learn from this experience to stick to the issues, to come up with alternatives rather than just criticize,” Cervenik says. The next battle: November’s City Council elections. Several anti-church activists (who say the church’s land could generate more taxes as an industrial development) are running against Cervenik’s council allies. Leading the charge, and trying to return to his former job as City Council president, is Cervenik’s archenemy, Ed Gudenas.
