A List of Restaurants that Have Reopened or Will Be Reopening in Some Capacity
Below is updating list of restaurants that had been previously closed but are now (or will be) accepting orders in some capacity. We miss something? Drop us a line or leave it in the comments. Biga Wood Fired Pizzeria 9145 Chillicothe Rd., Kirtland, 440-379-7503 Curbside pickup and delivery through Grubhub and UberEats starting May 6.…
The Market Plaza Strip Mall is Now Completely Demolished, Work Beginning on INTRO Project
After years of uncertainty and changes, Harbor Bay Real Estate’s market plaza project in Ohio City across from the West Side Market is finally underway. The arrival of the coronavirus pandemic and its attendant economic fallout was the unforeseen but, hopefully, last hurdle to clear. “There have been so many flags on this project over…
The Choir’s Randy Klawon and Jim Bonfanti Talk About the New Live Album the Band Recorded in Cleveland
Omnivore Recordings recently announced it’ll release Last Call: Live at the Music Box, a live recording of the Choir’s 50th anniversary performance that took place last year at Music Box Supper Club. The band plays material from its last album, Artifact, and also covers tunes by Procol Harum, Billy Preston, Spooky Tooth, the Nice, the…
Agencies Across Ohio Noting Substantial Drop in Reports of Child Abuse Since Stay-at-Home Order Went Into Effect
COLUMBUS, Ohio — With many Ohio families isolated together during the COVID-19 pandemic, children’s advocates are worried about kids’ health and safety. Many county children’s services agencies are noting a substantial drop in reports of abuse and neglect since the “Stay-at-Home” order went into effect. Susan Walther, director of Warren County Children Services, said the…
Akron Nonprofit Launches T-Shirt Series to Support Local Arts and Culture
ArtsNow, an organization that helps “build and strengthen a thriving Summit County arts and culture scene to add economic vitality and social vibrancy to our region,” recently partnered with the Social Dept., a Summit County-based business, to launch a new T-shirt series that “highlights the united front in Ohio and the core belief in the…
Best CBD Gummies 2020 – Top Products Reviewed
There are thousands of CBD products on the market these days — it’s unfortunate that only a small fraction of them are worth your money. Some CBD companies manufacturing CBD gummies are scamming their customers by advertising higher concentrations of the active ingredient than are actually contained in the bottle. Others are using exceptionally low-grade…
You Can Buy Facemasks From These Local Cleveland Companies
Even though Governor DeWine hasn’t yet made it a requirement for all Ohioans to wear masks, the Center for Disease Control is recommending all Americans over the age of two to wear masks in public. There are many guides online for how to make your own homemade mask, but if you want to support a…
Many Restaurants Offering Carry-Out/Delivery Cocktails in Reusable Glass Vessels
Thanks to recent rulings by the Ohio Liquor Control Commission, any restaurant with a liquor permit can sell alcoholic drinks to carry-out or delivery customers as part of any food order. Both hard and soft booze is permissible as long as the order is limited to two drinks, each not exceeding two ounces of hard…
Best CBD Oil: Top 15 Brands of 2020
The powerful benefits of CBD affect almost every part of the body, and consumers are discovering ways CBD oil can help them feel their best in day-to-day life. With numerous potential benefits, CBD may be the most exciting wellness development so far this century. However, while researchers are constantly making new discoveries about CBD’s efficacy,…
Join Celebrities, Musicians, Activists and the Pope for an All-Digital Earth Day on April 22
April 22, 2020 is the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. The event started in 1970 when millions of Americans took to the streets and college campuses to protest for environmental issues, launching the modern eco movement. The nonprofit Earth Day Network, which oversees and helps organize Earth Day events across the world, also grew from…
Failure to Support Vehicle Pollution Standards Hurts GM in Customer Survey
COLUMBUS, OH — A new poll suggests automakers in Ohio and other states would be wise to accelerate investment in clean-car technology. A survey of General Motors vehicle owners found the company’s favorability with customers dropped from 93% to 44% after vehicle owners learned about GM’s failure to support vehicle pollution standards. Pollster Matt George…
Mushroomhead’s New Album Comes Out on June 19
The local metal band Mushroomhead has spent the last five years working on A Wonderful Life, the follow-up to its last studio effort, 2014’s The Righteous & the Butterfly. Earlier today, the group announced that it’ll finally release the disc, its eighth full-length, on June 19 via Napalm Records. The album clocks in at 70-minutes, and includes four…
A Collective, Collaborative Essay on Living Through the Pandemic Written by Members of Lit Cleveland
Our organization (Lit Cleveland) wrote a collaborative essay about living through the pandemic by soliciting writing from our members and collaging them together into a single work. The result is a piece written in the collective voice showing how our city has reacted to the crisis. It is creative nonfiction, not reporting, but our hope…
Local Singer-Songwriter Pays Tribute to Hillcrest Hospital With New Song About His Daughter
While sitting next to his daughter in the NICU at Hillcrest Hospital back in February, local singer-songwriter Jason Patrick Meyers began working on a new song. Meyers’ daughter Taylor was born six weeks early on Feb. 15 and spent 17 days in the NICU. After his daughter was released from the hospital, Meyers intended to…
Advance-owned Company Wants to Launch New Outlet in Cleveland, Would Compete Directly with Crain’s
Columbus Business First, a print and digital media outlet for the chamber of commerce set, is seeking funding from Cleveland-area businesses and organizations with the hopes of establishing a newsroom in Cleveland, sources have told Scene. Columbus Business First is one of more than 40 regional publications owned and operated by American City Business Journals,…
After Backlash, Ticketmaster Says It Will Now Offer Refunds for Postponed Events, but There May be a Catch
The people have spoken — and Ticketmaster is making an effort to not be the bad guy by unveiling its plan to refund ticket-holders whose events have been postponed due to the coronavirus. Last week, Ticketmaster found itself in hot water after the company quietly amended its refund policy to no longer offer full refunds…
Cleveland Institute of Music to Post Free Classical Music Performances on Facebook
The Cleveland Institute of Music aims to “empower the world’s most talented classical music students to fulfill their dreams and potential.” Its graduates regularly go on to great things, and more than half of the members of the Cleveland Orchestra are connected to CIM as members of the faculty, alumni or both. CIM presents nearly…
County Board of Health Working With Salvation Army After Coronavirus Cluster Identified at Harbor Light Complex in Downtown Cleveland
Staff and clients of the Salvation Army’s Harbor Light Complex in Cleveland are being tested after the Cuyahoga County Board of Health identified a cluster of coronavirus cases among residents of the facility. The board did not release any other details such as how many cases were confirmed. “We are committed to the safety of…
Ohio K-12 Schools to Remain Closed For Remainder of the Year
For the remainder of this school year, our young people will continue to go to school remotely. #InThisTogetherOhio pic.twitter.com/xgsuvobVPs — Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) April 20, 2020 Ohio’s K-12 schools will remain closed for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year, Gov. Mike DeWine announced Monday. After signaling for multiple weeks that a closure of…
Bialy’s Back in Bagel Biz Thanks to New Online Order and Payment System
Apart from the occasional Passover break, Bialy’s Bagels (2267 Warrensville Ctr. Rd., 216-371-1088) has been chugging along since 1966 with very few interruptions. But that all changed last month thanks to COVID-19. “We stopped making dough and baking bagels on March 13,” says Rachel Gross, who runs the shop with her sister Sarah. “We didn’t feel…
Mass Testing at Ohio Prison Shows Many People With Coronavirus Show No Symptoms
The most difficult thing about measures to contain the pandemic coronavirus that has swept across the globe and the United States are all the unknown factors about the disease and how exactly it spreads. Several mass tests for the coronavirus among groups of people — including recent testing done in an Ohio prison — highlight…
Thanks in Part to Your Donations, Scene Welcomes Back Dining Editor Doug Trattner
Four weeks after Scene laid off five staff members, ceased print operations and cut the freelance budget to $0.00, there’s finally some good news. Thanks in part to your continued generosity to Scene’s donation drive, we’ve been able to welcome back dining editor Doug Trattner and the freelance budget is now north of the Blutarsky…
DeWine Says Feds Hampering Efforts to Increase Coronavirus Testing, Pence Blames Governors
Vice President Mike Pence said Sunday on Meet the Press that while the U.S. is conducting about 150,000 coronavirus tests per day that the number would be higher if governors activated more labs in their states. States, meanwhile, have said federal delays are at fault. With more swabs and FDA approval for companies making different…
Cleveland Native E-V Hosts Virtual Pop-Up Events to Raise Money for Local Charities
Earlier this month, Cleveland native E-V, a popular local DJ with a huge online following, teamed up Spider Studios, Hardman Music and Random Acts of Kindness Everywhere to create a unique club-quality online interactive live-stream party. He set up his equipment at a Cleveland script sign and delivered an invigorating set. “We didn’t tell anyone…
Set to Open Late-Summer in Tremont, Leavened Begins Baking (and Selling) Now
Ian Herrington is still eyeing a late-summer opening for Leavened, his artisan bakery that will take up residence on the ground floor of The Tappan building presently rising in Tremont. But beginning last week, the former On the Rise staffer began baking and selling his products as a way to look ahead. “My whole goal…
Fewer Vaping Injuries Reported in States With Legal Weed, According to Study
States with legal recreational marijuana had fewer cases of vaping-related lung injuries than other states, according to a study published earlier this month by JAMA Network Open. No surprise here: earlier research found that the culprit behind the injuries was likely vitamin E acetate, a substance used in black-market marijuana vaping products. If people could…
Marion Correctional Institution Now Has More COVID-19 Cases Than Any Single County in Ohio
As of Sunday, a single prison in central Ohio has more confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 than any county in the state. With a shocking 1,828 positive tests among its inmate population of 2,500, the Marion Correctional Institution has more cases than Cuyahoga County (Cleveland), Franklin County (Columbus) and Hamilton County (Cincinnati). More than 100…
Survey Shows Pot Users Worry About Dangers of Smoking During the Coronavirus Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic appears to have pot smokers in a quandary. A new AmericanMarijuana.org survey shows that 54.4% of marijuana users with lung problems agreed that smoking weed will make them more susceptible to poor outcomes if they contract the novel coronavirus. Among pot users without lung problems, that percentage is 34.5%. Even so, just…
Instagram Offers Mental-Health Support for Struggling Teens
COLUMBUS, Ohio — With the COVID-19 pandemic forcing folks to cope with loneliness, job loss and grief, the National Alliance on Mental Illness is teaming up with Instagram to connect young people to mental health support resources during this challenging time. On its Instagram page, NAMI is posting tips and recommendations to help folks feel…
Local Rockers Vanity Crash to Launch a Weekly Facebook Live Session
The local glam-rock band Vanity Crash has just announced it’ll launch a new Facebook Live series dubbed the Vanity Crash Pad. The first episode airs tonight at 7. “Each week the band members will be hanging out discussing different topics, sharing a live performance and telling you the inside scoop about that song,” reads a…
Mike Polk Jr. to Host Tonight’s Online Fundraiser for Hilarities
Right before non-essential businesses had to shut down to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, Hilarities was set to have a few big nights as comedian Pete Holmes was in town to perform a series of shows at the venue. Holmes canceled at the last minute, and the comedy club lost some much-needed revenue. To help…
Bridal Shop Sues Ohio Department of Health for Ban on Non-Essential Businesses
A Columbus bridal shop is suing the Ohio Department of Health for its ordered closure of non-essential businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. The 1851 Center for Constitutional Law — a nonprofit and nonpartisan firm — said that ODH Director Dr. Amy Acton’s April 2 stay at home order “fails to provide owners of ‘non-essential businesses’ any…
Dozens of Grocery Store Workers Have Died. Here’s What Workers Say Their Employers Did Wrong
This story was produced by Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting, a nonprofit news organization. Get their investigations emailed to you directly by signing up at revealnews.org/newsletter. Nathan Tetreault thought he was infected by the coronavirus, but he had to get back to work in the produce department of the Winn-Dixie supermarket in Pensacola,…
Three Tips for Strengthening Social Interactions During Physical Separations
Trinity University professor Erin Sumner doesn’t like the term “social distancing.” As a scholar of interpersonal communication, she knows that for us to thrive during this time of physical separation, we can’t stop being social animals. “Let’s call it ‘physical distancing,’ which is a better description for what we should be doing,” Sumner said. “Socially,…
You’ve Got a Friend in Weed: How Marijuana Can Help During These Anxious Times
My relationship with weed started, like many, in my teens. I smoked a joint in a basement when I was 16, sucking the smoke through the neon-colored rubber bands of my braces, coughing hysterically before engaging in my first kiss. Later, I would take turns smoking out of pop bottles with my step-sister in our…
Smog Veil Records Offers a Free Stream of the Schwartz Fox Blues Crusade’s ‘Sunday Morning Revival’
A few weeks ago, Smog Veil Records, the label that specializes in reissuing Cleveland punk, rock and blues music, began a series of free streams on periodic Fridays. This week, it’s streaming Sunday Morning Revival, a gritty blues album courtesy of the Schwartz Fox Blues Crusade. “As I grew to love the blues, I wanted to try…
‘Other Music’ Documentary Premieres Online Today to Benefit Indie Record Stores Like Blue Arrow
There’s another cinematic treat being virtually released this weekend (today, in fact) to benefit independent record stores and theaters – including Cleveland’s Blue Arrow Records – and it’s a documentary about iconic NYC record store Other Music. Before its untimely demise in 2016, the Other Music shop was a famed hub and clearinghouse for sounds…
UPDATE: Two of the Worst COVID-19 Outbreaks at Ohio Elder Care Facilities are in Parma
Two elder care facilities in Parma are among the most serious hot spots for the spread of coronavirus in the state of Ohio, according to data released Wednesday night by the Ohio Department of Health. The ManorCare Health Services facility on Sprague Road has 36 confirmed cases among residents and staff. (Update: Ohio’s data, when…
Throwbacks and NFL Draft Talk — The A to Z Podcast With Andre Knott and Zac Jackson
Andre and Zac have another quarantine episode of the podcast. They talk old movies, violence on family game night and the Browns’ options in next week’s first round. Subscribe to A to Z here or stream below.
“If We Don’t Do It Right, the Consequences Are Horrendous”: DeWine Plans Gradual Reopening of Ohio Economy Beginning May 1
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine yesterday shared the cautious good news: The state will begin reopening the economy come May 1. That will happen gradually, the governor said, and in phases that will be re-evaluated in the future based on hospital admission data, the availability of PPE and the state’s testing capacity. “We are fighting, really…
As Coronavirus Cases Spike in Ohio Prisons, Court Declines Challenge From HIV-Positive Inmate and DeWine Authorizes Release of Just 105 Inmates
As the pandemic coronavirus continues to spread in some Ohio prisons, causing a number of illnesses and three deaths, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine yesterday said he has authorized the release of 105 inmates who are near the end of their sentences. More releases could be coming, DeWine said, but at a deliberative pace. Meanwhile, the…
Midwest Governors, Including DeWine, Will Coordinate on Regional Efforts to Reopen Economies
So far, President Donald Trump’s plan to reopen the economy amid the coronavirus pandemic has included forming an advisory team that includes his daughter and son-in-law (naturally) and, umm, WWE’s Vince McMahon. And while many business leaders and experts think Trump’s stated goal of opening the economy back up on May 1 is impossible without…
Dominick Farinacci to Host an Online Songbook Watch Party This Weekend
Recently awarded the title of Global Ambassador to Jazz at Lincoln Center by Wynton Marsalis, trumpeter Dominick Farinacci, a guy with deep ties to Cleveland, has performed in more than 120 cities in 14 countries around the world. Farinacci, who regularly plays the Bop Stop and Nighttown, has been a featured guest on ABC’s Good…
As the Greater Cleveland Food Bank Serves a Growing Need Because of COVID-19, Donations Are Essential to Keep Up With Demand
The Greater Cleveland Food Bank has seen a 30-percent increase in new clients seeking food assistance since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic and related shutdowns, layoffs and closures in Northeast Ohio. “We’re in about week four of the crisis,” said Director of Communications Karen Pozna. “We have learned how to be flexible. We’re learning…
Three Deaths at Pickaway and Counting: Situation at Ohio Prisons Getting More Severe Every Day
The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (ODRC) has now reported three deaths at the Pickaway Correctional Facility in central Ohio. Pickaway is currently the only ODRC prison to have reported deaths associated with COVID-19. But as ODRC has ramped up its testing capacity, it’s now clear that both Pickaway and Marion Correctional Institution, the…
Here’s A Nice Story About Patrick Carney of the Black Keys, Akron, and a Guitar Coming Full Circle
Gather round, readers, for story time with Patrick Carney. The Akron native and Black Keys drummer is just a lonely boy these days, and he’s not the only one, so he popped over to Twitter last night to shine a little light into our heavy souls with a sweet little story about a birthday and…
Chagrin Falls Man Argues He Wasn’t Hoarding N95 Masks, Was Only Selling Them at Big Markups to Generate Income
A Chagrin Falls man who was sued this week by the state of Ohio for allegedly hoarding thousands of N95 masks and selling them at huge markups online released a statement through his lawyer contending that he had the stockpile long before the coronavirus emerged and was selling 10-packs of the masks at $350 apiece…
Fyre Fest’s Billy McFarland Asks Court for Early Release from Elkton Federal Prison in Ohio as Coronavirus Ravages Facility
Billy McFarland, who is serving a six-year sentence after pleading guilty in 2018 to wire fraud charges stemming from the Fyre Festival, has requested an early release from Elkton federal prison to home confinement as the coronavirus ravages the low-security facility that holds about 2,000 inmates. “Mr. McFarland has informed us that he has pre-existing…
Brit Rockers the Big Push to Play a Virtual Show for Cleveland Fans
The Live Nation folks here in Cleveland have just announced that the Brighton-based rock band the Big Push will play a special Lockdown Live virtual show today at 2:30 p.m. The show will feature a specific set for Cleveland as well as Atlanta, Detroit, Florida, Indiana, New England, New York, North, South Carolina, Ontario (Canada), Philadelphia…
Ohio Voters Urged to Act Fast to Cast Vote-by-Mail Ballot for April 28th Primary
COLUMBUS, Ohio — March 17 has passed, but Ohio’s 2020 presidential primary is not over. Because of concerns about the spread of COVID-19 and the closure of polling locations, Ohioans now can vote by mail until April 28. Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose says the state already has a convenient absentee-voting system, which is…
There Have Been More Ohio Jobless Claims in Past Month Than in Past Two Years Combined
Ohio’s fair-haired Lieutenant Governor, Jon Husted, said Wednesday that there have been more jobless claims made to the state’s department of jobs and family services (ODJFS) in the past month than in the previous two years combined. Husted has been point-man for the unemployment questions at Gov. Mike DeWine’s daily press briefings. And Wednesday, he…
The 2020 Cleveland International Film Festival Launches Today With Streaming Service, Apple TV App
Although the Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF) was canceled this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization, like others, is finding a way to adapt to our new reality. Today, they launched CIFF Streams, their program that lets film lovers watch some of the feature, documentary and short films that were to be part…
Three More Inmates Have Died of COVID-19 This Week at Elkton Federal Prison Since ACLU Asked Courts for Help
Two days ago, the ACLU of Ohio and the Ohio Justice and Policy Center filed what’s called a habeas petition on behalf of inmates at the Elkton federal prison in Ohio. (A habeas petition is a civil action usually taken by or on behalf of a prisoner against a prison or warden.) The groups argued that,…
DeWine: Until There’s a Vaccine, Life in Ohio Isn’t Opening Up Normally
As many Ohioans are now entering at least their fourth week of staying at home under Gov. Mike DeWine’s order to only leave to conduct essential business, seek health care and for exercise, and around 700,000 have filed for unemployment benefits from the resultant economic fallout of COVID-19-related business closures, people are asking: When will…
Plasma Donations from Recovered Cleveland-Area COVID-19 Patients Sought
Vitalant, which has locations across the country and locally in both Elyria and Middleburg Heights, is seeking Northeast Ohioans who have recovered from COVID-19 to give plasma donations as studies and tests continue on the use of convalescent plasma to treat critically ill patients currently suffering from the disease. “This is an example of the…
In East Cleveland, Acts of Kindness During Crisis Emerge from Neighborhood Organizing
In East Cleveland, Northeast Ohio’s poorest community, a participatory governance model has allowed residents to determine how the city’s limited resources are spent in their neighborhoods. Thirteen neighborhood groups meet regularly with Mayor Brandon King and his administration to voice their concerns and to create lists of spending priorities: things like filling potholes, repairing streetlights,…
This IRS Tool Lets You Track Your Coronavirus Stimulus Check
Clevelanders will be among the roughly 80 million Americans across the country slated to get about $300 billion in stimulus funds from the federal government this week. Those payments — $1,200 for individuals making less than $75,000 a year and $2,400 for married couples making less than $150,000 a year plus an extra $500 for…
Savage Love: My Friend is a Cheater and a Liar and It’s Stressing Me Out
I am a super queer presenting female who recently accepted that I have desires for men. My partner of two years is bisexual and understands the desires, but has personally dealt with those desires via masturbation while my desires include acting. Her perspective is that the grass is greener where you water it and that…
Cleveland APL Asking for Help Identifying Man Seen Kicking Cat on Instagram
The APL in a release this morning is asking for help identifying the man shown in the picture above who posted a video of himself kicking a cat while laughing to his Instagram account — @daedaefrm.bartlett. “During this challenging time, the Cleveland APL and its humane investigations team remains fully committed to helping sick, injured,…
Cleveland to Suspend Rental Payments for West Side Market Tenants Due to COVID-19
The City of Cleveland will suspend rental payments for tenants of the West Side Market for the months of April, May and June, the city announced in its regular COVID-19 update Tuesday night. The decision was made to “alleviate the burden of those facing financial hardship” due to the pandemic. The city also announced that,…
