Mentor Man Works Out Plea Deal, Drops Excessive Force Lawsuit Against Kirtland Hills Police: UPDATE
After landing on a plea deal in Willoughby Municipal Court, Thomas Adams dropped his excessive force lawsuit against the Kirtland Hills Police Department (see original story below.) He pleaded guilty to physical control of a motor vehicle and disorderly conduct, lesser charges than what initially brought him into court. Adams had been pulled over on suspicion…
Folk Singer John McCutcheon Takes a ‘Sideways’ View of the Current Political Climate
When folk singer John McCutcheon appeared on an Australian radio program last year to promote an upcoming concert, he wrote an anti-Trump song right before going on air. He explained to the show’s host that everyone in Australia was asking him about what was going on in the States with the “grassroots billionaire” who at…
Jeff Johnson Vows to be Mayor of the People
On the steps of the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections Tuesday afternoon, Cleveland City Councilman Jeff Johnson officially declared his candidacy for Mayor. Alongside his wife Felicia and two stepdaughters, Lauren (15) and Victoria (13), Johnson said he believed himself to be the best and most qualified candidate for the office. He vowed to change…
Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds to Play Blossom in June
Dave Matthews Band might be taking the summer off but that doesn’t mean Matthews won’t be touring. Just today, the singer-guitarist announced he’ll hit the road with longtime musical pal Tim Reynolds. Their stripped-down, acoustic tour kicks off on May 3 at Tuscaloosa Amphitheatre in Tuscaloosa. The duo plays at Blossom on June 14. An…
The First Gorilla to be Born in a Zoo Has Died in Ohio
Colo, the first gorilla to be born in a zoo (anywhere in the world), has died at age 60. Born to international fanfare, Colo spent her life at the Columbus Zoo. She had children there, and lived to be a great-great-gorilla-grandmother. Over the years, her birthday parties were major events at the zoo; her keepers…
Rock Critic and Art Collector John Corbett to Speak at Happy Dog and at Cleveland Museum of Art
Chicago-based writer, curator and music producer John Corbett co-owns the indie art gallery Corbett vs. Dempsey and writes about contemporary jazz and improvised music as a journalist, scholar and presenter. He’ll be in town later this month to speak about both of his interests. At 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 26, at the Happy Dog…
“Mozart in Paris” and Seven More Classical Music Events to Catch This Week
Multiple cellos, new operas, Mozart on tour, a conductorless chamber orchestra, and a pioneering woodwind quintet are among this week’s classical music picks. The Cleveland Cello Society’s annual cello ensemble extravaganza i Cellisti welcomes the Los Angeles-based cello quintet Sakura for a wide-ranging program of arrangements of works by Debussy, Fauré, Rachmaninoff, and Schubert, plus…
Video: Another Cuyahoga County Jail Officer Talks About Safety Problems in Facility, Fear of Jail Leadership
Officers at the Cuyahoga County jail have been vocal in their complaints about safety concerns at the facility in recent weeks. The concerns date back months and years, but stories published here and at Fox 8 recently have shone a light on some of the more distressing aspects impacting officer and inmate safety. Those grievances…
FTA Has Granted City, RTA 30-Day Extension on $12 Million Public Square Debt
[image-1]The Federal Transit Administration told the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) in a Jan. 12 letter that FTA will grant the cash-strapped local transit agency a one-time 30-day extension to repay a $12 million debt. The debt must now be paid in full, or an official appeal filed, by Feb. 21. The debt stems…
Councilman Jeff Johnson is Running for Mayor
In a Mark Naymik joint published on Youtube today, Councilman Jeff Johnson announced a run at the mayor’s office. A primary election will take place Sept. 12 in Cleveland, ahead of the Nov. 7 general election. Johnson is the first established city politician to throw his hat in the ring. Six other residents have pulled…
An Epic American Poem Inspired the Latest Film From Northeast Ohio Native Jim Jarmusch
Northeast Ohio native Jim Jarmusch, an indie writer-director with a long and storied filmmaking career, has said he came up with the idea for the script for his new movie Paterson, which opens on Friday at the Cedar Lee Theatre, more than 20 years ago. He conceived of the movie on a trip to New…
Photographer Lee Sechrist is Shooting Cleveland’s Hangovers, One Pain-Riddled Face at a Time
When Lakewood resident Lee Sechrist woke up one recent January morning after a night of drinking he had a gnarly hangover. He’s got a two-year-old son and doesn’t party quite like he used to, so hangovers these days tend to be brutal. This one was particularly bad. Sechrist felt terrible and his face said as much.…
Local Metal Band Midnight to Release New Compilation and Tour with Kreator
Jamie Walters (aka Athenar) originally played in the local metal band Boulder before forming Midnight more than 10 years ago. Back in 2012, the band issued Complete and Total Hell, a compilation of its various EPs and splits up to and successive of 2011’s Satanic Royalty. Now, the band has announced it will release Shox of…
More Than $100,000 in Payroll Was Lost in an ‘Email Scam’ at Cleveland Metropolitan School District
[image-1]In a Jan. 13 email to Cleveland Metropolitan School District staffers, CEO Eric Gordon explained that some sort of “email spoofing scam” routed $100,786.99 in district payroll to an unknown third party. In all, 61 employees were affected. (They’ve since been issued paper checks.) It seems that the scam involved the classic bait of getting people…
You Can Go See the “Sherlock” Season Four Finale on the Big Screen
Fans of the hit BBC series Sherlock, starring Benedict Cumberbatch as the most famous detective of all time, already know that the fourth season is currently underway. The third and final episode of the season will screen at two local theaters, in a presentation by Fathom Events. On Monday, Jan. 16 (today) and Wednesday, Jan.…
Slyman’s Lands on List of 33 Best Sandwich Shops in America
It’s not like Slyman’s needed more validation, but it certainly doesn’t hurt. The corned beef emporium landed on Thrillist’s list of the 33 best sandwich shops in America alongside some very good and notable company. Here’s what they had to say: Cleveland’s in the midst of a restaurant renaissance, with chefs like Jonathon Sawyer and…
Video: A Behind the Scenes Look at the Making of the Cavs Championship Rings
It’s a short video, and basically a PR marketing tool for Baron, the company that made the Cavs championship rings, but it’s still a cool behind-the-scenes look at the process of creating the understated and tasteful (6.5 carats, 400 diamonds) mountains of bling celebrating the 2016 season.
Bottle House Brewery in Lakewood to Host Lumberjack Bash in February
The friendly folks at LakewoodAlive have just announced they’ll host a Lumberjack Bash from 7:30 to 11 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 25, at the Bottlehouse Brewery in Lakewood. What the hell is a “lumberjack bash,” you might ask? Well, the event, which benefits LakewoodAlive’s programming, will feature lumberjack-themed food (pancakes and bacon-wrapped sausage links), drinks…
Run the Jewels Delivers Perfectly Intense Show at House of Blues
In what could certainly be called the first “big show” of 2017 here in Cleveland, Run the Jewels tore up a sold-out House of Blues on Saturday, crystallizing their role as one of the most compelling acts in hip-hop today. If you’ve perused any of their three albums, you can rest assured that their live…
Toby Cosgrove Addresses Cleveland Clinic Physician’s Anti-Vac Article
Late last week Cleveland Clinic CEO Toby Cosgrove addressed the anti-vac article penned by Dr. Daniel Neides, the medical director and COO of the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute, that was published by Cleveland.com. In the release, Cosgrove reaffirmed the Clinic’s stance on vaccinations and defended the Wellness Institute as a whole, which has unfairly come under…
Cleveland March Planned in Solidarity with Women’s March on Washington
The Women’s March on Washington, taking place the day after the presidential inauguration, is looking like it will be a massive political statement — one of the largest organized protests in American history. Buses are departing from Cleveland and many other cities that morning, and people are traveling from across the U.S. to march in…
Listen to Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1967 Speech at Glenville High School
On April 26, 1967, Martin Luther King Jr. visited three east side high schools in Cleveland, including Glenville. Audio of that speech had been recorded but sat undiscovered in the high school’s library until it was accidentally unearthed in 2011 by an art teacher and some students. King had been invited to Cleveland by the…
Ryan Merritt and His Fiancee Sent Out Thank You Notes to Indians Fans Who Bought Gifts Off Their Registry
Ryan Merritt is probably a guy you haven’t thought about in a minute even if you’re an Indians fan. But just a few months ago he hurled two-hit baseball for four-plus innings in the ALCS against the Blue Jays and entered Tribe lore, mostly thanks to the discovery of his wedding registry during the game.…
2nd & High Social House to Replace Lounge 21 in Gateway District
Matt Wyrick, current owner of 21 Lounge & Kitchen (2123 East 2nd St.), will close and renovate that Gateway District space to accommodate a new venture. He is partnering with Shawn Ford, a longtime bartender and bar consultant who made a name for himself as a regular on Spike TV’s “Bar Rescue.” Following extensive renovations,…
Documents: Cleveland Announces Disciplinary Charges Filed Against Officers in Tamir Rice Case
In a press conference called with 19 minute notice to the media on a Friday after work before a holiday weekend, the city of Cleveland announced that administrative and internal disciplinary charges were filed against the officers involved in the shooting and killing of Tamir Rice but didn’t announce the specific charges. The assembled leaders…
Zac Brown Band Returns to Blossom in June
While singer-guitarist Zac Brown caters to a country crowd, he and his band can play a bit of everything. When they played at Blossom two years ago, they covered Charlie Daniels’ Band redneck anthem “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” offered up a grunge-y rendition of Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir” and paid tribute to the Marshall…
DJ Worthy Brings His ‘One on One’ Tour to Touch Supper Club
For his current 23-date “One on One” tour, San Francisco-based DJ Worthy has enlisted artists and friends such as Ardalan, Billy Kenny, Christian Martin, Gina Turner, Golf Clap, J. Phlip, Justin Martin and Kevin Knapp, to name a few, to accompany him. The Cleveland date, which takes place on 9 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 21, at Touch…
City of Cleveland Assistant Law Director Arrested for Public Intoxication and Disorderly Conduct
Update: Body cam video of the incident was released by Cleveland Heights and is included below. It paints a slightly different picture than the police report. Original story: Channel 19 has the details on the arrest last night of Christopher Heltzel, the city of Cleveland’s assistant law director. According to the station, police in Cleveland…
Brad Pitt Loves Market Garden Beer
Brad Pitt’s favorite beer, according to Angelina Jolie, are the brews of Market Garden. “I have it in my house all the time,” Jolie told a reporter from The Guardian. This local tidbit appeared in a richly reported on-set profile of Jolie’s new film First they Killed My Father, an adaptation of the memoir by…
Ohio is Trying to Obtain a Drug That Would Reverse the Effects of a Lethal Injection
Ohio’s dubious track record with state executions is well known, and now, a month out from its first lethal injection in three years, the state seems to be preparing for the worst. In federal court testimony this month, the director of the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction revealed an interest in obtaining a drug that…
Terrestrial Brewing Company to Activate the Battery Park Powerhouse
Since the Battery Park neighborhood was developed more than 10 years ago, the eastern half of the historic smokestack-topped powerhouse building has remained vacant. That changed this fall when Terrestrial Brewing Company (7524 Father Frascati) began construction within those red brick walls. The project, more than two years in the making, will cross the finish…
6 Concerts to Catch This Weekend
FRIDAY, JAN. 13 Winter Bash 2017 Hailing from Yellow Springs, Ohio, Blue Moon Soup, headliners of tonight’s Winter Bash 2017, have been holding down the Buckeye State’s bluegrass scene for several years now. They’re mainstays on regional festival bills, and their shows in Cleveland are always a good time. Check out last year’s Luna for…
Zack Reed Sent Letter Asking that Public Square Extension Requests be Denied
While city officials have bombarded the Federal Government with letters begging for an extension on a $12 million Public Square debt, Cleveland City Councilman Zack Reed has sent a letter asking that the requests be denied. “I am asking that you not grant the extension until there are public meetings, dialogue and conversations about the ongoing…
Pop Punk Act Simple Plan Returns to House of Blues in April
The French-Canadian pop-punk band Simple Plan had a hit right out of the gate with its 2002 studio debut, No Pads, No Helmets…Just Balls. Now, the band has just announced that it’ll embark on a U.S. tour to celebrate the album’s 15th anniversary. The group plans to play the album in its entirety. “We felt…
Ohio EPA Will Allow Proposed Ethane Cracker to Discharge Wastewater into Ohio River
The Ohio EPA began 2017 by granting PTT Global Chemical a water permit that will allow the company to discharge wastewater from a massive ethane cracker into the Ohio River. The cracker, a proposed industrial complex covering hundreds of acres just south of Wheeling, W.V., would convert ethane into ethylene (for use in plastics manufacturing). Ethane is…
Local Rapper Toobe Fresco to Debut New Band at the Grog Shop
One of the more prolific local artists, local rapper Toobe Fresco (formerly C-Ro Del Fresco) admits he’s not sure how many singles and mixtapes he’s released over the past several years. At a time when local rappers come and go, Fresco, who grew up on Cleveland’s east side and started the hip-hop group 3 Kingz…
Documentary Film About Cleveland’s Punk Rock Past Arrives on DVD
Veteran local punk rocker Tom Dark has just issued Cleveland’s Screaming, an independent documentary film about the Northeast Ohio hardcore punk scene from 1981 to 1984. The two-DVD set includes interviews and archival footage of bands performing DIY shows in what look to be basements and dive bars. The discs include footage from acts such…
Greensky Bluegrass Kicks Off Winter Tour in Cleveland with Bigger, Bolder Show
With their winter tour now officially under way — and the Cleveland 2017 concert calendar off to a fine start — Greensky Bluegrass dished up another excellent show last night at House of Blues. We’ve caught them a bunch of times over the years, and this seemed to be the biggest crowd they’ve pulled in…
#NOTallin: Regional Faith-based Coalition Announces Opposition to Q Renovations
Outside the Quicken Loans Arena on this rainy Thursday morning, representatives from the Greater Cleveland Congregations announced their opposition to using public dollars on arena renovations without public input or benefit. The GCC, said several speakers, is “NOT all in.” The group decried the “fast-track” nature of the financing deal announced last month, which will…
More Than 40 Acts to Compete in 21st Annual Tri-C High School Rock Off
When the annual High School Rock Off launched some 20 years ago at the Odeon, the promoters at the locally-based Belkin Productions (now Live Nation) saw it as a way to reach out to area high schools and provide students with the kind of outlet that they might not have. Two decades later, the event,…
Lawsuit: Willoughby Police Left Woman With Abusive Boyfriend on Night He Murdered Her
[image-1]The details alone of Nicole Devine’s death are ugly. On the morning of November 23, 2014, the tiny 24-year-old Willoughby woman was found dead on a couch in her family room. Her body— 4-foot-9-inches, 85-pounds— had been pummeled, including 10 deadly blows to the head. Police quickly arrested her boyfriend, Domenic Julian, and determined the murder…
Singer-Songwriter Sara Watkins Hopes Each of Her Albums Offers Something New
Some people go to the pizza parlor for the food. Singer-songwriter Sara Watkins went for the bluegrass. “It was a regular thing,” she says in a recent phone interview. She performs on Jan. 24 at the Kent Stage. “Every weekend, we’d see this band Bluegrass Etc. play at a pizza parlor.” She says music was…
Local Indie Rockers Poro to Play EP Release Party at Beachland
Shortly after the release of its 2008 EP A Whisper, A Clamor and a 2010 self-titled full-length, the local indie rock act the Lighthouse and the Whaler went through some lineup changes and added multi-instrumentalist Mark Porostosky, Jr. In the wake of those lineup changes, the band has subsequently thrived and become a national act.…
RTA Joins City in Asking for Extension on $12 Million FTA Repayment
Traffic counts at seven downtown intersections began today as part of the first formal traffic study at Public Square since its renovation. If the timing seems odd (in part due to weather, which has already caused a delay on this study), that’s because the city and RTA are hustling to provide traffic data to the Federal…
County Jail Adds Extra Patrols in Jail II Instead of Fixing Problems
The day after a Cuyahoga County jail corrections officer posted a lenghty first-person video to Facebook describing the many problems in Jail II at the facility (cell doors that can be unlocked by inmates, double podding, a pervasive fear of leadership among the rank and file), regional corrections director Ken Mills announced a new policy…
East Cleveland City Council Isn’t Getting Much Done Following Recall Election
While a Cleveland City Council committee hearing devolved into a conniption fit (and a questionable 5-3 vote among seven committee members), the East Cleveland City Council saw its own version of local government fireworks last night when its law director continued to insist that two new appointments to the council — and the very council…
Singer-Songwriter Griffin House Reflects on his Upbringing in Ohio
A Springfield, Ohio native, singer-songwriter Griffin House originally thought he’d become a professional golfer. He even had the chance to attend college on a scholarship. Instead, he turned down that offer, bought a guitar for 100 bucks and began writing original music. Given that House has toured extensively and opened for artists such as Ron…
25-Year-Old Fairview Park Man Indicted by Feds for Tweeting Threat About Donald Trump
Today’s very sobering reminder that there are certain lines not to be crossed should you wish to vent about Donald Trump… 25-year-old Zachary Benson of Fairview Park was officially indicted by the Feds yesterday in connection with two tweets he sent on the night of the election. Those tweets: “Diplomacy. F—-ing fools. I hate you…
Romona Robinson Won’t Be Doing Channel 19’s 11 p.m. Newscast Much Longer
[image-1]Channel 19’s 2017 begins much the way that 2016 ended — with major changes. Romona Robinson, for instance, will be departing from the 11 p.m. newscast later this month. She told coworkers about the news yesterday. Robinson will continue doing the 4 and 6 p.m. newscasts. Station GM Erik Schrader says that there’s no firm…
Patti Smith to Play ‘Horses’ Album in Its Entirety at State Theatre Show
Forty-plus years after the release of her debut album, Horses, singer Patti Smith has announced she’ll honor the album’s “longevity and lasting influence” with a series of special shows centered around the album. Smith and her band will perform the album in its entirety at 8 p.m. on Sunday, March 12, at Playhouse Square’s State…
Prep Kitchen Cle Will Bring Entrepreneurial Cooperation to the West Bank of the Flats
Take a walk down the sloping streets of the Flats West Bank and you’ll notice the old brick storefront, formerly home to Spaces, is getting a new lease on life. Purchased by Rafid Fadul in 2013, the building is being readied to become Prep Kitchen Cle (1305 Washington Ave., 330-774-8933, prepkitchencle.com), a shared kitchen and…
The Fight Over How Cuyahoga County’s Arts Funding is Given to Artists
There now exists a fundamental disagreement about how the Arts should be funded in Cuyahoga County; namely, the people passing out the money disagree with the people getting it. The most recent, most public, disagreement has revolved around individual artist funding (as opposed to operational support for big organizations like the Cleveland Orchestra, the Cleveland…
Northeast Ohio Provides the Setting for The Bye Bye Man
When director Stacy Title and her screenwriter husband Jonathan Penner came across an early draft of a script for The Bye Bye Man, the new horror flick that arrives in theaters areawide on Friday, they realized it just didn’t work. So they retooled it. “We saw a different way in and we went back to the source…
100 Streets is London Tapestry With Some Ragged Threads
The lives of three strangers occasionally intersect in 100 Streets, a British multi-storyline (melo)drama opening Friday at the Cedar Lee. Idris Elba and Gemma Arterton star in the film directed by TV vet Jimmy O’Hanlon. Elba is Max Moore, a former British rugby captain now running a foundation which bears his name. He is as…
Savage Love: Clubbing
Dear Dan, My partner and I have been playing with male chastity devices. We’ve been considering going to a strip club while his cock is caged up and getting him lap dances. Is there some etiquette for this with the dancers? Do we let the dancer know before she is on his lap? Or do…
A Winter Theater Preview for Northeast Ohio
As we teeter on the brink of living in a country that, as of Jan. 20, will be essentially owned and operated by the Republican Party, you may feel a bit queasy. You may not be sure if you should go out to see plays when huddling in a corner and weeping sounds like a…
Spaces Gallery Opens its New Location in Hingetown
After months of anticipation, Spaces is finally ready to open the doors to its new location in the former Van Rooy Coffee building at 2900 Detroit Ave. Although its first exhibitions won’t open to the public until later this month, Spaces is hosting several events this weekend designed to celebrate its grand opening and introduce…
Band of the Week: Christopher Black
MEET THE BAND: Christopher Black (vocals, guitar) A CASE STUDY: A former music student at Case where he studied violin and viola, Black also plays guitar and writes songs. He’s pursued singing and songwriting since he was a youth. “I was pursuing solo stuff even when I was in [the local indie rock band] Bethesda,”…
Barabicu and Ribsticks Take Different Approaches to Barbeque
If there was a better way to produce the seductively smoky, juicy and tender qualities of barbecued meats that so many of us obsess over, I’m certain that the technique would have been unearthed during the past couple hundred years that modern American barbecue has been kicking around. And if somebody did discover a better…
