"Return of the Cuyahoga" this Friday

First Friday Films will premier Return of the Cuyahoga this Friday, August 2^nd at 6:30pm at American Memorial Park in recognition of environmental success stories.

For centuries, the Cuyahoga River in Ohio has been the mainland United States’ frontier. When the United States was a new nation, the river literally marked the western frontier. But "civilization" came to the river; by 1870 the river was on the industrial frontier. On the river's banks sprouted a multitude of factories, a booming display of what was called progress. The river, as it flowed through Cleveland, became a foul-smelling channel of sludge, with an oily surface that ignited with such regularity that river fires were treated as commonplace events by the local press.

But then, in 1969, the river burned again, just as a third kind of frontier swept across the nation: an environmental frontier. And the Cuyahoga River became a landmark on this frontier too -- a poster child for those trying to undo the destruction wrought by progress in America. This film marks the path that the river has taken over the years.

Before the film, representatives from the CNMI Division of Environmental Quality will discuss several environmental disasters on our own islands which are becoming success stories of rehabilitation partnerships between local, national and international partners.

First Friday Films is a partnership between American Memorial Park, the Division of Environmental Quality, Coastal Resources Management and the Humanities Council with support from other organizations. This particular film is sponsored by DEQ. As always, our film events are free and open to the public. This event will run about 70 minutes.