There Are An Average of 12 Evictions Every Day in Cleveland. New Data Puts Numbers Behind America’s ‘Invisible Housing Crisis’
Matthew Desmond’s Pulitzer Prize-winning book “Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City” was the inaugural choice for One Community Reads, a joint effort in Cleveland between libraries, Playhouse Square, the City Club and Cuyahoga County. “Not only will One Community Reads bring our residents together through a shared reading experience, but it will give us…
Trixie Mattel, ‘Now With Moving Parts,’ Stops at House of Blues on May 4
This is how to describe Trixie Mattel to someone who has never heard of Trixie Mattel. Think Barbie, but if her eyes, the shape of a rounded rhombus, took up a third her face and her hair was so tall it grazes the ozone layer it helps destroy with the amount of hairspray needed to…
Ohio-Based Director Joel Levinson to Debut His New Comedy at CIFF This Weekend
Joel Levinson, the director of the comedy Boy Band, says he would send ideas for feature-length films to his brother Stephen on a regular basis. Stephen rejected most of them before giving the green light to Boy Band, a zany comedy that screens at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday and at 3 p.m. on Sunday at Tower…
Northeast Ohio Native Stars and Produces in Short Film Debuting on Thursday at CIFF
Taylor Hess, a graduate of Orange High School, starred and produced the short film The Morning After which will make its festival debut at the Cleveland International Film Festival Thursday, April 12th. The film is a part of the shorts program titled 10% Shorts Program Two at 7:45 p.m. The 10% Shorts Program features short films…
Animal Adventurer Coyote Peterson Coming to the Agora in June
Animal adventurer and YouTube star Coyote Peterson has just added dates to his Brave Wilderness Live tour. He’ll now perform at the Agora Theatre on June 17. Peterson, who grew up in rural Ohio, has a long history of “scouring” forests, swamps and creek beds in the search for wild animals. As a result, he’s…
The Black Market Offers a Way to Namaste with Punk, Metal and Goth Yoga
Since 2015, The Black Market (5407 Detroit Road) has solidified itself as Cleveland’s go-to stop for all things alternative. While the spot is a haven for weirdos looking to purchase items outside of the norm, the popularity of The Black Market’s alternative yoga classes have turned the location into one of the most enticing spots…
Apollo’s Fire Does Claudio Monteverdi’s Opera ‘L’Orfeo’ and the Rest of the Classical Music Events to Hit This Week
The Cleveland Orchestra will tease two of its major centennial projects this week in Severance Hall concerts on Thursday, April 12 at 7:30 pm and Friday, April 13 at 8:00 pm led by music director Franz Welser-Möst. Thursday’s program features Beethoven’s Overture to Coriolan and Symphonies Nos. 8 and 5 in anticipation of The Prometheus…
Only Two Candidates Bothered to Show up for District 10 State Rep Debate
Only two of nine candidates for state representative in Ohio’s District 10 bothered to show up for a political debate last night held at the Beachland Ballroom in Collinwood. The candidate endorsed by the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party, Terrence Upchurch, didn’t even respond to his invitation. Waterloo Arts’ Amy Callahan, who organized the event, said…
Guster to Perform at House of Blues in August
While often lumped in with the late ’90s alt-rock scene, Guster has actually spent most of its career firmly entrenched in the far more amorphous post-Y2K indie world. With 2015’s Evermotion, the band stretched out even further, drawing comparisons to acts such as Wilco and the Shins. In the midst of recording a new album,…
LeBron James is Now the Only Player in NBA History to Win 10 Straight Division Titles
LeBron James just set the record for most consecutive divisional titles won, and he did it inside one of the NBA’s greatest arenas, Madison Square Garden, in last nights game against the New York Knicks. James and the Cavaliers now look ahead to their fourth consecutive year in the playoffs. At the age of 33,…
CLE Clothing Co. is Opening Up Shop in Akron
The folks at CLE Clothing Co. confirm they are opening a new store at the Summit Mall in Akron later this year. Proving that not all malls are completely dying, the company is one of multiple stores expanding at the site. Like the clothing company’s motto says, it’s all about “Spreading Cleveland pride one T-shirt…
Capitol Theatre to Celebrate Superman’s 80th Anniversary with a Screening of ‘Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut’
In honor of the 80th anniversary of the first appearance of Superman in a comic book, the Capitol Theatre has teamed up with the locally based Siegel and Shuster Society to present a special screening of Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut. The new cut of the movie restores footage that Donner filmed before he…
Cardinal Health is Donating Over 80,000 Doses of Narcan to Combat the Opioid Crisis
Thousands of lives will be saved thanks to Ohio-based healthcare company Cardinal Health’s donation of more than 80,000 doses of Narcan (naloxone HCI) Nasal Spray to first responders and law enforcement agencies across Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia. As part of its Opioid Action Program, this charitable effort is an attempt to combat the opioid…
The Gender Wage Gap in Ohio is More Than a ‘Paycheck Problem’
COLUMBUS, Ohio – It takes women about 15 months to earn what men earn in 12, although pay inequality is not the only discrepancy Ohio women face in the workplace. Today is Equal Pay Day, symbolizing how far into 2018 women would need to work order to make the same amount men did in 2017.…
Three Young Women Gathered in Akron for a Birthday Celebration, Then They Overdosed and Died
Ashtyn Andrade was set to celebrate her 20th birthday last Friday night with her fiancee and high school sweetheart Tara Williams, 20, and their friend Courtney Collier, 20, who worked with Williams at McDonald’s. Ashtyn and Tara had relocated from Arizona to Akron last year and planned to get married soon, Ashtyn’s mother told the…
City Girl Donuts Will Not Reopen Shop in Rocky River
City Girl Donuts, which had been temporarily closed since March 6, will not reopen, according to owner Barbara Fazio. “We had a great business,” she says. City Girl Donuts opened with a bang last fall in Rocky River, with lines literally snaking down the block. The shop was operated by owner Fazio and pastry chef-partner…
Scene’s Must-See Picks at the Cleveland International Film Festival for Tuesday, April 10
A Better Man In the midst of the #MeToo and #TIMESUP movements, many people are unsure of what to do moving forward. More than two decades after surviving an extremely abusive relationship, filmmaker Attiya Khan contacts her ex-boyfriend for an honest and open dialogue about the violence he previously inflicted upon her. This unshakeable documentary…
Toto Returns to Hard Rock Live in August
Two years ago, the classic rock act Toto embarked on its first full-on headlining run of the United States in a long time. The group, which reformed in 2010 with former vocalist Joseph Williams and keyboardist Steve Porcaro coming back into the picture, played Cleveland for the first time in more than 20 years, selling…
Baldwin Wallace and Bop Stop Team Up for Rape Crisis Center Benefit
The Baldwin Wallace University Arts Management & Entrepreneurship Program and the BOP STOP at the Music Settlement have teamed up to host BREAK the Silence: A Concert to Benefit the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center. The concert will feature local acts Becky Boyd and the Sonder Bombs. There will also be a a basket raffle and…
It Was Apparently Raining $100 Bills on I-71 Earlier Today
There are few details at the moment but the ones we do have are tantalizing. Earlier this afternoon, it appears “bunches” of $100 bills were flying out of the open passenger side window of a car driving on I-71 near West 25th St., showering the asphalt like the stage at a strip club. It was…
Proposed Solon Mosque and Community Center Takes Heat From Circulating Petition
Last May, the Solon city council approved the site plan and several variances that would allow the construction of the Chagrin Valley Islamic Center and Mosque on Liberty Road. However, as the proposed start of the building’s construction approaches next month, the center has proven a divisive addition to the Solon city landscape among some…
Coquette Patisserie to Call it Quits After a Wild Four-Year Run
When Coquette Patisserie opened its brick-and-mortar store in 2014, it immediately became the darling of the Cleveland pastry scene. Already people had come to know and appreciate chef Britt-Marie Culey and her authentic French pastries from her six or so years at the North Union Farmers Market at Shaker Square, where her weekly appearances were…
Ohio Gubernatorial Candidates Asked to Foster Hope for State’s Children
COLUMBUS, Ohio – With the gubernatorial primary just a month away, children’s advocates in Ohio have a message for the candidates: it’s time to “Foster Hope for Ohio’s Children.” That’s the name of a set of policy recommendations released by the Public Children Services Association of Ohio that call for statewide leadership and reforms to…
Latest Celebrity Endorsement in Ohio Governor’s Race: ‘Modern Family’ Actor Ed O’Neill
After news last week that rocker Dave Matthews would be playing an acoustic set in support of Ohio gubernatorial candidate Dennis Kucinich, challenger Joe Schiavoni, the Mahoning Valley state senator who has struggled to attain name recognition statewide, has battled back with a celebrity endorsement of his own. It’s actor Ed O’Neill! (Not to be…
Tool’s Music Clinic Coming to the Agora in May
Earlier today, the hard rock act Tool announced the dates for its Music Clinic, an event that promises to offer “a rare glimpse behind-the-scenes via a series of intimate music clinics.” The small tour includes a May 19 stop at the Agora. Drummer Danny Carey, bassist Justin Chancellor and guitarist Adam Jones will discuss a…
Music Box to Host a Special Concert Featuring Local A Cappella Acts
The Greater Cleveland Chorus, an all-female barbershop chorus that won a regional competition for the ninth time and is heading to the upcoming Sweet Adelines International Competition in St. Louis, will headline the upcoming Acappalooza that takes place at 2 p.m. on April 29 at Music Box Supper Club. The concert will feature music by acts such…
March For Science 2018 is Sunday at Public Square
This Sunday, Clevelanders from all political, religious, and socioeconomic backgrounds join forces at the March for Science to show support the numerous ways science and education benefits our communities and globally. In a world where education is discounted and “alternative facts” are believed at face value, this march is a way to raise the voices of those…
Local Singer-Pianist Rob Kovacs Announces Euclid Tavern Residency
After forming 15 years ago, the local indie pop band Return of Simple released a couple of records and became a fixture on the local scene before eventually relocating to New York in 2009. A few years ago, after getting “burned out” in New York, the band’s frontman, singer-pianist Rob Kovacs, moved back to Cleveland.…
Ohio State University Revokes Bill Cosby’s Honorary Degree
Dishonorable comedian Bill Cosby served as the commencement speaker for the graduating class of Ohio State University in 2001, and was given an honorary degree as a result. According to the Associated Press, University trustees approved a motion to revoke Cosby’s degree last Friday before he begins his sexual assault retrial this morning. Cosby’s first…
You Can Now Visit the Terminal Tower Observation Deck
The Terminal Tower observation deck in once again open to the public this year. But you have to be somewhat proactive in order to visit the space. Only available on Saturday and Sundays, tourists must first signup for the pleasure of experiencing this bird’s-eye-view, located on the 42nd floor of the 52-floor building. Naturally, this $5…
Today is the Last Day to Register For Ohio Primaries
In preparation for the primary election in May, voter registration for the Ohio primary race ends today. And there’s a ton going on you’ll want to have a say in. A total of 477 local issues are on ballots in 83 of Ohio’s 88 counties. In addition, registered voters also get to pick the party nominees…
Draft Prep, NBA and Ice Cold Baseball — The A to Z Podcast With Andre Knott and Zac Jackson
Andre is re-adjusting to this lovely Ohio weather. Zac is comfortably washed up. Listen in as they discuss the NBA playoffs, the Patriots, John Dorsey’s options and more. Subscribe to A to Z on iTunes here.
The Darkness Still Believes in a Thing Called Love
You don’t interview a member of the Darkness and not ask: “Do you believe in a thing called love?” And for guitarist/back-up singer Dan Hawkins, the answer is simple, “Yes, of course. Doesn’t everybody?” Hawkins tries to elaborate for a second, mumbling something about erections but drops that convoluted analogy and sticks with: “a person…
Scene’s Must-See Picks at the Cleveland International Film Festival for Monday, April 9
Ramen Heads Something that started out as a cheap post-war meal in Japan, ramen has become an international sensation. Dubbed “ramen heads,” the dish’s most ardent fans travel the world in search of the perfect bowl. Japanese director Koki Shigeno documents ramen mania in this film that includes interviews with everyone from a guy who serves…
The Pro-Chief Wahoo Rally Was a Couple of Dudes Standing Around for a Minute
We’re pretty sure we saw the “Rally to Save Chief Wahoo” organizer exiting the plaza between Progressive Field and the Quicken Loans Arena at about 2:20 p.m. Friday. He was accompanied by one other guy, and as far as we could tell, that was the total attendance for the Pro-Wahoo counter-demonstration, which was hardly a…
The 23rd Iteration of the Organ Grinders Ball Takes Place at House of Blues Tonight
Billed as the “longest running fetish event in the United States,” the Organ Grinders Ball has been a Cleveland staple for years. This year’s edition, which takes place tonight at 9 at House of Blues, promises to include a fetish fashion show and an extensive vendor village. There will even be fetish equipment that you…
Scene’s Must-See Picks at the Cleveland International Film Festival for Saturday, April 7
Coby An intimate and unflinching look at a Chagrin Falls native and University Hospitals paramedic’s transition from female assigned at birth to living his true identity as a male. The timely, moving and important documentary focuses on the familial support and rejection, individual courage and fear, and difficult struggles a person takes on their path…
Dan Savage’s Hump! Film Festival Returns to the Capitol Theatre
Several years ago, syndicated sex columnist Dan Savage launched Hump!, a film festival designed to challenge his Pacific Northwest readers to “get their hands dirty” and create “good, old-fashioned homemade porn.” The results ran the gamut, representing straight, gay and transgender porn, made by amateurs. Until recently, HUMP!’s screenings were limited to the Pacific Northwest.…
Studio How-To Moves to New Location in Coventry Village
Roll up your sleeves and prepare to put your hands to work because Coventry is about to unplug, slow down and get a lot more creative. The popular hand-craft workshop Studio How-To has left its original Cedar Lee spot and moved to the bustling heart of Coventry Village in Cleveland Heights. Studio How-To has available…
Video: Who’s Watching Over the Clean Drinking Water of the Great Lakes?
A recently released 30-minute documentary from Great Lakes Now that examines some of the most pressing questions about the health of the largest supply of fresh drinking water on the planet is well worth your time. Who’s responsible for the health of the Great Lakes? Should companies like Nestle be allowed to bottle that water,…
Local Punk Band Heart & Lung Debuts New Music Video
A self-described “upbeat rust-belt punk band from Cleveland,” Heart & Lung made an impressive debut last year with You Wanna Know the Truth?, an album of infectious pop-punk tunes it recorded locally in Avon. Now, the group has just issued a new music video for the album’s title track. Local videographer Andrew Wells filmed the…
CIFF Filmmaker Gina Hara Hosts Discussion About Women in ‘Geek’ Communities
Due in large part of the explosion of popularity surrounding superhero movies, Harry Potter, and the revival of Star Wars, it seems as though the “geek” shall inherit the earth. As geeky fandoms and nerd culture rise in acceptance and popularity, female and female-identifying fans are still frequently made to feel unwelcome in these communities.…
Dave Matthews to Perform at Kucinich Fundraiser at the Agora
On Friday, April 20, at the Agora Theatre, singer-guitarist Dave Matthews will perform a special acoustic set in support of Ohio gubernatorial candidate Dennis Kucinich. Matthews and Kucinich first met back in 2003 at Farm Aid and have collaborated on farmer-friendly initiatives including regenerative agriculture and “carbon farming” as a climate change solution. They also travelled…
Scene’s Must-See Picks at the Cleveland International Film Festival for Friday, April 6
Geek Girls We assume guys domination the geek world, but director Gina Hara sets out to prove otherwise with Geek Girls, a documentary film about female “geeks, nerds, fans [and] outcasts.” The director talks to a variety of bloggers, a gaming professional and an aerospace engineer, and the film also addresses issues such as misogyny, cyberbullying and harassment…
Tickets for ‘Hamilton’ at Playhouse Square Go on Sale Friday, April 13
You and everyone else in Cleveland will be interested to know that tickets for Hamilton at Playhouse Square, with performances running July 17 through August 26, go on sale Friday, April 13, at 9 a.m. Some of the finer details: A limit of 4 per ticket account. Prices range from $60 to $155. A lottery…
Pro-Wahoo Fanatics to Stage Pro-Wahoo Rally at Indians Home Opener
“Chief Wahoo has graced the uniforms of these Cleveland Indians since 1928,” opens the event description for a Pro-Wahoo rally to be staged during the Indians home opener Friday. [That claim is erroneous. Chief Wahoo first appeared in 1947]. No matter. At least 131 people, per Facebook, plan to attend the gathering decked out in…
Johnny Manziel Continues to be a Huge Brat on His So-Called #ComebackSZN
[image-1] After nearly two years off the field, good ol’ Johnny Football is back to prove that he still hasn’t learned from his past mistakes and that his holier than thou attitude is well intact. The former first round draft pick may still have the winningest record as a Browns’ quarterback since 2015 (with a…
New York-Based Band to Team with Local Author for Unique Euclid Tavern Event
The Brooklyn-based folk-noir duo Charming Disaster will come to Cleveland for the first time on Friday, April 20, to present a unique evening of music and forensic science lectures at the Euclid Tavern with local author Brandy Schillace. A historian and author, Schillace, who works at the Dittrick Medical History Center and has appeared on the Travel…
Spring Hasn’t Sprung in Cleveland, With Indians Home Opener Just One Day Away
Snow fell this morning in Cleveland. Cars crashed. People complained. Then the sun came out, for an hour or so. Elsewhere in the state, no less than five tornadoes made appearances. None of this should come as a shock, but yet here we are on April 5, two weeks into spring hoping to will warmer…
DYNOMITE Burgers Opens in US Bank Plaza for Summer Season
Ah, spring. The Tribe home opener, Cleveland International Film Fest, and the annual return of DYNOMITE burgers to the U.S. Bank Plaza in Playhouse Square. As of this week, the casual outdoor burger venue is open, so grab your down parka, cashmere scarves and knee-high galoshes and head on down. Popular burgers at the Zack…
Unsealed Court Docs: Goodyear Knew About Fatal RV Tire Failures for 20 Years; Feds Seeking Additional Records From Company
Court documents unsealed yesterday by a judge in Arizona and obtained by Jalopnik contain an assortment of important revelations about what and when Goodyear knew about the G159, an RV tire manufactured by the company linked to at least 9 deaths, dozens of injuries and hundreds of crashes, and the subject of numerous lawsuits, since…
Gene Simmons to Bring His Vault Experience Tour to the Rock Hall
Few (if any) rock bands have marketed themselves as well as KISS. Thanks to savvy singer-bassist Gene Simmons, the group successfully branded itself to become a money-making machine that just keeps feeding the coffers. Simmons, who has just released Gene Simmons: The Vault Experience, a collection of 10 CDs featuring 150 previously unreleased tracks, an…
Bride Makes Fun of Her Husband’s Favorite Team, the Browns, Through Cake
Since 1999, the Cleveland Browns have struggled to find their franchise quarterback, starting an embarrassing 28 men in the position. That’s more than the Cleveland Indians 25-man active roster. And as one bride pointed out, using cake no less, that revolving door of athletes is just asking to be a punchline. As first tweeted by…
Believeland Beer Fest and Refinery Barbershop Partner for Opening Day Promotion
As a promotion to build hype for the upcoming Believeland Beer Fest, the folks from the event have partnered with Refinery Barbershop (located at 668 Prospect Ave.) for a special home opener giveaway. The first 99 fans who go to Refinery tomorrow (the place opens at 9 a.m.) and request a “Wild Thing” cut (a…
The UH Freezer Failure Should Be the Start of a Conversation on Affordable and Regulated Fertility Treatment
I was only 23 years old when I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, the combined survival rate for all stages of pancreatic cancer is 20 percent after one year and only seven percent after five years. At the time of this article, I’ve just surpassed the four-year mark of…
After 11 Years in Detroit Shoreway, Latitude 41n Will Close This Sunday
After 11 years serving the Detroit Shoreway community (and beyond), Latitude 41n (5712 Detroit Ave., 216-961-0000) will be closing its doors this Sunday, April 8. Throughout that time, owner Kathy Brown operated an approachable, affordable diner that truly served its community. According to neighborhoods reps, the lease had expired and Brown will be transitioning into a different career…
Meet E.T.’s Mom and Other Cult Icons at Strongsville’s Cinema Wasteland
While the Cleveland International Film Festival continues with its fresh lineup of prestigious and award-winning films, a grittier cinematic celebration will be raging on for the 20th year. The biannual Cinema Wasteland Movie and Memorabilia Expo begins tomorrow, and promises the ultimate celebration of cult, horror, grindhouse, sleaze and everything in between. Selected guests scheduled…
GOP Tax Plan Clouds Future of Historic Renovations in Ohio, Which Led Nation in Projects in 2016
By Anna Huntsman/Broadcast version by Mary Kuhlman Reporting for the Kent State-Ohio News Connection Collaboration Over the loud protests of preservation groups, Congress has repealed one tax credit for historic building restoration and changed the terms of another, sparking uncertainty about the future of historic rehabilitation projects in Ohio and across the nation. Ohio ranked…
Surgeon General Encourages More People to Carry Opioid Overdose Antidotes
In a news release presented before the National Rx Drug Abuse & Heroin Summit in Atlanta today, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams encouraged Americans to start carrying the overdose antidote Naloxone (also known as Narcan) to prevent more opiate overdose deaths. Naloxone is a syringe-based medication, while Narcan is available as a double pack…
Happy 85th Birthday, Roldo!
Cleveland independent journalist Roldo Bartimole turns 85 years old today. More importantly for local news consumers, April 5 marks the day, 50 years ago, that Roldo reached the end of his rope working for mainstream media outlets. He was employed by the Wall Street Journal at the time, working at that paper’s Cleveland bureau. As…
Scene’s Must-See Picks at the Cleveland International Film Festival for Thursday, April 5
It’s Thursday, April 5, the first full day of the 42nd Cleveland International Film Festival, so rustle up your slateboard clappers, local cinephiles, and allow us to intone “ACTION” in the tenor of your favorite director. Individual days are sponsored at CIFF, and we’re delighted to report, apropos of nothing, that today is “brought to…
Death of Cleveland Native in Mexico During Spring Break Still Under Investigation
[image-1] Andrew Dorogi passed away on March 16 while on a spring break trip to Mexico. The University School alum was attending Amherst College. Family, friends, teammates and classmates have been left looking for answers since then, and have gotten little clarity so far. The State Department has confirmed his death but provided no details.…
8 Concerts to Catch in Cleveland This Weekend
FRIDAY, APRIL 6 Michelle Romary/Kid Politics (Nashville)/Mallory SanMarco Guitarist Brent Hamker arranged the songs on local singer-songwriter Michelle Romary’s terrific new album, Grounded, which was engineered locally by Michael Seifert. Album opener, “Home,” began as a poem and then became a children’s song before Romary tweaked it into the mid-tempo guitar-driven rock tune that’s on…
Chinese Pork Tariffs Could Hurt Ohio Farmers, But Lower Prices For Consumers
In response to the the recent U.S. tariffs levied on steel and aluminum, China has retaliated by setting tariffs on several American goods, including produce, wine, and — to the concern of many Ohio farmers — pork. The new tariff could lead to problems for Ohio’s $585 million hog industry, as China is the third biggest…
The Weepies Bring Their Hideaway Anniversary Tour to the Beachland
Fifteen years ago, singer-songwriters Deb Talan and Steve Tannen formed the indie folk-pop group the Weepies in Cambridge, Mass. In the beginning, they did everything themselves and managed to sell 10,000 copies of their self-recorded debut, Happiness, without the support of a record label. They’d eventually marry and have kids, but that hasn’t stopped them…
The NEOSonicFest, Highlighting New and Recently Composed Music, Plus the Rest of This Week’s Classical Music Picks in Cleveland
NEOSonicFest, the Cleveland Chamber Symphony’s annual parade of new and recently-composed music, revs up on Thursday, April 5 with a 7:30 pm concert by clarinetist Carol Robinson and trumpeter Nate Wooley at MOCA Cleveland (tickets available online.) On Friday, April 6 at 8:00 pm, No Exit presents a free concert of music by Leo Ornstein,…
RTA to Receive $2.6 Million in Federal Grant for Bus Improvements
A $2.6 million federal grant was announced today that will allow RTA to renovate bus facilities. The U.S. Department of Transportation Grant provides funds for operators of bus routes so that they may “replace, rehabilitate and purchase buses, vans, and related equipment, and construct bus-related facilities, including technological changes or innovations to modify low or…
CDC Begins Investigation on Stark County Suicide Cluster After 12 Adolescent Deaths in Less Than a Year
In the last seven months, the communities in Stark County have experienced a concerning and tragic trend. Twelve teens in the Perry, Plain, Jackson, Northwest, and Canton local school districts have committed suicide. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have arrived in Stark County to begin a two-week site visit in an attempt…
‘Zombie-Like’ Raccoons Puzzle Officials, Residents in Youngstown
Over the past couple of weeks, Youngstown police have responded to more than a dozen bizarre reports of local raccoons acting weirdly, even zombie-like. The raccoons, as reported by Youngstown’s WKBN 27, are allegedly standing on their hind legs, baring their teeth and then falling backwards in a comatose state. To add to the strangeness, all of this…
US Air Guitar Competition Returning to Cleveland in May
It’s been a few years since the US Air Guitar competition has come through Cleveland. But this year, Cleveland will be one of more than 20 stops on the circuit. On May 11, the Winchester Tavern will host the event that will likely feature about 20 competitors vying for a spot in the semi-finals that…
Dashboard Confessional Plays to a Packed House of Blues
Dashboard Confessional appeared on stage last night to greet the fans at a packed House of Blues beneath a haze of amethyst and fuchsia lights. His guitar slung slightly clumsily over his small frame, frontman Chris Carrabba flashed an unassuming smile and took everyone back to 2001 by serenading the crowd with one of the…
A Cynical, Depressing and Boring Regurgitation of First Sexual Experiences in ‘My First Time’ at the Beck Center
To call My First Time a half-hearted attempt at theater is to insult all the half-hearted theatrical ventures that actually have a good (if partial) heart at the core. My First Time is actually a cynical, slapdash attempt to profit off of people’s understandable interest in sex. And it appears to be working, at some…
Comedian George Lopez to Perform at Hard Rock Live in July
Named by Time magazine as one of the “most influential Hispanics in America,” comedian George Lopez has an impressive resume that includes a pair of Grammy nominations and three HBO specials. He brings a live version of The Wall, his latest HBO special, to town on Friday, July 27, for a performance at Hard Rock…
The Claustrophobic Tension of WWI’s Trench Warfare Pierces in ‘Journey’s End’
When director Saul Dibb was seeking inspiration for Journey’s End, his new film based on R.C. Sherriff’s 1928 play about World War I, he looked to the sci-fi flick Alienrather than other war films. Because the Journey’s End outcome is known (it’s inevitable the British soldiers will die after a German invasion), he sought to…
When Chefs and Owners Want a Unique Restaurant Design, They Call These Cleveland Firms
“If you look at all the different restaurant projects we’ve done, they will all look different,” says Scott Richardson, founder and chief creative officer of Cleveland-based Richardson Design. “They are all appropriate to the brand or food type or chef or location.” Hospitality guru Danny Meyer famously said that “every restaurant needs to have a…
Band of the Week: Me Time & the Raging Crush
MEET THE BAND: Eric Blankenhorn (vocals, guitar),Jeff Soper (bass, vocals), Fred Johnson (guitar), Ian Cummins (drums), Kevin Braun (guitar, vocals), Chrissy Spangler (vocals, aux percussion) PEDAL POWERED: About four years ago, Blankenhorn started writing songs with bassist Jeff Soper. With some assistance from guitarist Fred Johnson, who played on a couple of tunes, they put out…
Savage Love: Royal Oak Music Theatre
I visited Royal Oak, Michigan, for Savage Love Live at the Royal Oak Music Theatre. I didn’t get to all of the questions submitted by the large and tipsy crowd — a crowd that skipped the Stormy Daniels interview on 60 Minutes to spend the evening with me (so honored, you guys!) — so I’m…
Lies, Damn Lies and the 450 Acres of Prime Real Estate That is Burke Lakefront Airport
When journalists do a story on a subject, it is best to go look at what those in the know tell you is important. So the day after talking to Cleveland city councilman Martin Keane, who serves as vice chair on the city’s transportation committee, I found myself wandering around Voinovich Park at the end…
Get Out: Everything You Should Be Doing in Cleveland This Weekend (April 4-10)
WED 04/04 Chamber Music in the Galleries This monthly concert series at the Cleveland Museum of Art places young musicians from the Cleveland Institute of Music and Case Western Reserve University in the CMA galleries. Now in its sixth season, the series features “mixed programs of chamber music” for “a unique and intimate experience.” The…
Great Lakes Theater Stays Traditional and Delivers a Juicy Shakespeare Classic
Every now and then, a person needs to see Macbeth. Not just because it is a great play, but because that guy named Shakespeare had an ability to create stories that resonate in every age — sometimes with startling clarity. Take Macbeth, an ambitious and immoral leader who listens attentively to the prophecies and advice…
Stop-Motion Wes Anderson Flick Looks Amazing, but Marginalizes Japan
Wes Anderson’s artisanally crafted stop-motion animated film Isle of Dogs, which opens Friday, is as pleasurable to look at as almost all of Anderson’s unique and decorative works. Like his best movies (The Royal Tenenbaums, The Grand Budapest Hotel) Isle of Dogs delights in a large, eccentric ensemble cast and glories in meticulously designed, setting-specific…
