‘This is a Hail Mary’: Akron DIY Music Venue Looks to Raise $135,000 to Save its Digs
Most music venues in the U.S., if not all of them, operate under a specific creed, often forgotten about by its purveyors: We give you a good show, you pay us, we use that money to pay our rents and operators. If we’re great, we stay around for decades.
Those embedded deep in the lower…
Cravings Thai Cuisine Opens in Its New Location Today
Good news for fans of the popular Thai restaurant Cravings. Back in May, the Rocky River business was forced to close after it was announced that the property was going to be razed to make way for the new Roundstone Insurance HQ. Cravings had been serving its community for 20 years, 13 at its last…
An Expanded (and Free) Cleveland Book Week Showcases World-Class Work
No other spot in the country offers literary excellence at no cost better than Cleveland Book Week. The 2023 Cleveland Book Week, September 22-30, is a collaboration between the Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards (AWBA), presented by the Cleveland Foundation, the Great Lakes African American Writers Conference (GLAAWC pronounced “glossy”), and Literary Cleveland. All three marquee events…
Bialy’s Bagels in University Heights Now Serving Sandwiches
At the 57-year-old institution that is Bialy’s Bagels (2267 Warrensville Center Rd., 216-371-1088), change does not come quickly. Back in February, owners Rachel and Sarah Gross announced that an adjacent space, which they had taken possession of some months prior, would be connected to the original University Heights storefront. “Our new space will allow us to expand our…
Livewire: 14 Concerts to Catch in Cleveland in September
THU 09/07 The BreedersTo celebrate the 30th anniversary of their breakthrough album, Last Splash, this indie rock group out of Dayton, OH will perform the album in its entirety. The group, which just released “Go Man Go,” a careening track from the forthcoming Last Splash (30th Anniversary Original Analog Edition), has been supporting the Foo…
After Losing a Decade-Old Mainstay, Playhouse Square Scores a Hit With Sushi En
Last summer, theatergoers were crushed to learn that Sung’s House was closing its doors in Playhouse Square after a decade in business. Sandwiched between the Ohio and Allen theaters, the restaurant had cultivated an enthusiastic following for its well-crafted Japanese and Korean cuisine, which it served in a reliably efficient and consistent manner. Less than…
Cleveland to Open Crime Gun Intelligence Center to Combat Violence
As local, county and federal law enforcement conclude a summer violent crime reduction effort in Cleveland, with yesterday’s announcement of 59 suspects indicted following three months of investigations, officials announced plans to continue efforts with a Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC) in the city. A “crime gun” is a firearm recovered by law enforcement that…
Ohio Utilities’ Efficiency Programs Among the Worst in Wake of Corrupt HB6 Utility Law, Report Says
House Bill 6 wasn’t only a bad law because it involved $61 million in bribes in exchange for a $1.3 billion utility bailout. Most of the bailout payments have been repealed, but somehow the law — the product of perhaps the biggest corruption scandal in Ohio history — remains on the books. And after it…
15+ Things to Do in Cleveland This Weekend (Sept. 7-10)
Our weekly picks of the best things to do in Cleveland this weekend. Also check out our full Cleveland event calendar. THU 09/07 Old Crow Medicine Show Tonight, Old Crow Medicine Show, an Americana string band based in Nashville that’s been recording since 1998, brings its latest tour to Cain Park in Cleveland Heights. Thanks to…
The Cleveland Silent Film Festival and the Rest of the Classical Music to Catch This Week
The marriage of music and film is high on this week’s agenda, beginning with this year’s Cleveland Silent Film Festival that opens on Wednesday with Safety Last! The Harold Lloyd classic will be screened with a live underscore by organist Clark Wilson. Three more screenings follow on Thursday (Douglas Fairbanks in The Mark of Zorro),…
Union Caregivers and Lutheran Hospital Avoid Strike, Reach Contract
After months of negotiations, SEIU 1199 caregivers at Cleveland Clinic Lutheran Hospital reached an agreement for a new contract for union members, voting to support the agreement on Saturday night and avoiding a Labor Day strike. A joint statement from the hospital and the union said that “the union and the hospital are proud that…
Ohio Secretary of State Says Redistricting Urgent After Year of Inaction
It’s been more than a year since the Ohio Redistricting Commission met to adopt a Statehouse redistricting map. But on Aug. 30, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose said the work urgently needs to be finished by the end of September. In a letter to Gov. Mike DeWine and other members of the Ohio Redistricting…
Middle Aged Dad Jam Band Makes Cleveland Debut at Beachland on September 18
Actor, musician and director David Wain grew up in Shaker Heights where he played in various cover bands at University School and Shaker High School. He subsequently met at Ken Marino at New York University in 1988 where they co-founded the sketch comedy group the State. Self-professed “wannabe rock stars,” the two collaborators have also…
Staggering Number of Ohio Kids Have Lost Medicaid Coverage
As kids’ Medicaid eligibility review gets underway, experts are concerned about the number of Ohio children losing federal health insurance. Kelly Vyzral, senior health policy associate, Children’s Defense Fund-Ohio, said because Ohio does not disaggregate information by adult or child, there is little data available on why kids are dropping off. She added whether their…
Now Open: Mooncat Boba Café by MetroHealth in Clark-Fulton
In early August, Chun Wong opened Mooncat Boba Café (3460 West 25th St., 216-331-6615), a boba tea café located across the street from MetroHealth Hospital. “While there are a few places that sell boba tea around the Cleveland area, Mooncat Boba Cafe is the first dedicated boba tea cafe in the city of Cleveland,” says…
Statue at Cleveland Museum of Art Seized in International Looting Investigation
A 6’4” headless bronze statue is leaving the Cleveland Museum of Art after 37 years as part of an international art looting investigation. Last month, a New York judge signed a warrant to seize the statue, which is believed to have been trafficked through New York. The museum’s current listing for the statue is titled…
Paper Writing Service You NEED in 2023 + FAQs and more
Paper Writing Service That Stole the Show in 2023: TOP-5 Companies for You Ever heard of a paper writing service? If you are a student in search of a trusted academic professional, we encourage you to read our review and forget about that study-related pressure for good. Learning is fun and necessary. It makes us…
ZZ Ward Artfully Mixes Blues and Hip-Hop Together on ‘Dirty Shine’
When it comes to writing and recording songs for an album, singer-songwriter ZZ Ward, who’ll release her latest LP, Dirty Shine, next week, takes what some might consider an old school approach. Ward doesn’t think in terms of singles. Rather, she wants the LP’s tunes to work cohesively together in some fashion. “I believe in…
This Week in Cleveland Food News: New BBQ Spot Opens, Wing Week Returns, and More
– On September 12, Michael Symon’s latest — and largest — cookbook hits the streets. As always, Scene dining editor Doug Trattner is co-author. Related – The Village Dog — a “cool, trendy” hot dog diner, to open in Slavic Village this month. Related – Sweet Pork Wilson’s BBQ is now open on Cleveland-Lakewood border.…
‘Peter and the Starcatcher’ at Blank Canvas Theatre: A Sometimes Confusing But Generally Amusing Effort
For the past 120 years or so, the character named Peter Pan as originally created by J.M. Barrie has been flitting through our collective imaginations. And why not, since he’s a boy who can fly and will never grow up. It’s an entrancing thought, since most of us can trace a lot of our current…
Study: Cleveland Has a Private (Non)Investment Problem
Cleveland ranks 93rd out of the 100 most populous cities in the United States in terms of investment committed per household, according to an analysis examining the flow of capital in the city by the Urban Institute, a nonprofit research organization dedicated to advancing upward mobility and equity. “Investment is both a chicken and an…
Local Indie Film Festival to Bring Night of Fright to Akron This Month
School’s back in session, pumpkin spice has returned to cafes and stores and autumn is fast-approaching. Those itching to get into the spirit of “spooky season” can get a taste at the first-ever Akron Independent Horror Short Film Festival on Sept. 16 at the Akron Civic Theatre. “We took the risk of making it very…
Archaeologists Uncovered Tens of Thousands of Historic Artifacts at Irishtown Bend Site
A team of archaeologists hired by the Port Authority have recovered more than 60,000 historical artifacts from the Irishtown Bend site, the firm hired to carry out the dig told Scene.
In a 20-person dig orchestrated throughout June and July, a team led by Maumee, Ohio-based archaeologist Robert Chidester uncovered a trove of items pertinent…
Ohio Expert: Plateau in Teen HPV Vaccinations Should Be a “Wake-Up Call”
For the first time since 2013, human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination rates in teens have stalled, according to a report released this week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “I think it’s a call to action, a wake-up call,” OhioHealth Gynecological Oncology Specialist Dr. Kellie Rath told Cleveland Scene. After nearly a decade…
New Life at Calvary Church, Scarred by Last Week’s Tornado, Seeks Help with $4M Repair Costs
Antonia Martin, a pastor at New Life at Calvary Church in Cleveland, received an alarming text message while she was traveling in Jamaica last week. Something, the texts read, had happened to the church.
“Every picture I received just got progressively worse,” Martin said. “Half the roof was gone. You could see the sky! And…
Zany and Fearless, Bottoms Takes on High School From a Raunchy Lesbian Point of View
Bottoms Directed by Emma Seligman. Written by Emma Seligman and Rachel Sennott. Opens September 1. If this was 20 years ago, Bottoms would kill on the gay & lesbian film festival circuit. As someone who has written about LGBTQ film fests in the past, I found this uber-zany, proudly queer, teen burlesque just the kind…
City to Close Market Avenue To Cars Permanently Starting This Week
In a triumphant win for urbanists and most Ohio City businesses, City Hall made the decision to close Market Avenue to car traffic permanently starting Friday, September 1st.Long the subject of debate amongst shop owners, Market Avenue’s closure signifies a word kept by the Bibb administration, though after what many consider a long delay and…
Now Open: Sweet Pork Wilson’s Barbecue on Cleveland-Lakewood Border
After graduating from St. Ignatius, Jason Brooks went on to play college football at University of Michigan and West Virginia University, where tailgating is a way of life. When he wasn’t on the gridiron, he was cooking for large crowds and honing his skills. “Before pop-ups were cool, there was tailgating,” he explains. Brooks has…
Shaker Heights Council Passes Public Safety Reforms, Avoids Ballot Initiative Vote in November
Shaker Heights City Council this week unanimously passed a “Framework for a Fair and Just Shaker,” a set of public safety-focused initiatives spurred by and reached in compromise with Shaker Citizens for Fair Ticketing PAC, the group behind a ballot initiative that would have put more sweeping reforms before voters this November. “Policy-wise, this is…
The Orchestra Does Disney at Blossom and the Rest of the Classical Music to Catch This Week
Just a few events to recommend between now and Labor Day as the summer fades away. – On Thursday at 6:30, a Canton Symphony brass quintet will entertain an outdoor audience at Stadium Park. – This weekend at Blossom, Susie Benchasil Seiter will lead The Cleveland Orchestra in three performances of “Disney in Concert: the…
Cleveland Wing Week Kicks Off Sept. 11
Seven days of $7 wing deals? It’s all coming back. Cleveland Wing Week will kick off on Monday, September 11th. For seven days (September 11th – September 17th) wing lovers will have the opportunity to visit participating Cleveland Wing Week locations to enjoy a minimum of 6 wings for $7. Each participating Cleveland Wing Week…
Local Natives Find Magic in Life’s Unexpected Moments
For Local Natives, set to bring their vibe-y indie rock to House of Blues on Saturday, September 9, music was inevitable. “When you’re in high school, it’s almost not even conscious. You’re just like, ‘This is who I am. This is what we do,’” says singer-guitarist Taylor Rice in a recent phone interview. Rice met…
Inspectors Find More Serious Problems at Ohio CVS Pharmacies
From a lack of control over narcotics to expired drugs on the shelves, inspectors at the Ohio Board of Pharmacy have found more problems at what appear to be chronically understaffed CVS pharmacies. The new inspection reports from four Ohio pharmacies are in addition to reports finding similar problems at nine others that the Capital…
Ohio Drivers: Still Interested in Electric Vehicles
Despite reports electric vehicle sales are slowing down, experts say consumer interest in Ohio remains high. Four in 10 Americans said they are “very” or “somewhat” likely to seriously consider an electric vehicle for their next purchase, according to a Pew Research Center survey, and EVs now make up more than 8% of the market,…
Abortion Petition Writers Sue Ohio Ballot Board for “Deceptive” Summary
The group supporting a constitutional amendment on reproductive rights will take their arguments against a “deceptive” summary approved and written by the Ohio Ballot Board to the state supreme court. Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights announced Monday afternoon that they plan to file a lawsuit Monday asking the Ohio Supreme Court either to order the…
Shaker Heights Trump Supporter Convicted of Voter Fraud Gets Three Years in Prison
James Saunders, the 56-year-old Shaker Heights tax attorney convicted last week of voting multiple times in the last two general elections, was sentenced to three years in prison, a judge decided Monday morning.
Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Andrew Santoli coupled Saunders’ sentence with a $10,000 fine, a punishment, as Santoli detailed in last week’s…
Lack of Affordable Housing Could Impede Ohio’s Economic Growth
Congress has a looming end-of-September deadline to complete funding legislation, and federal housing vouchers remain up in the air. Recent data finds more than one million Ohioans live in households that are spending more than half their income on housing costs. Amy Riegel, executive director of the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio, said…
The Village Dog in Slavic Village to Open in September
Announced over a year ago, the Village Dog (7321 Broadway Ave.) in Slavic Village is finally approaching the finish line. Owner Donnie DiGeronimo says that his “cool, trendy” hot dog diner is expected to open by the middle of September. Located in the former Burger Haven building at the intersection of Fleet and Broadway, the Village Dog has…
Michael Symon and Doug Trattner’s Latest Cookbook, ‘Simply Symon Suppers: Recipes and Menus for Every Week of the Year,’ Comes Out September 12
On Tuesday, September 12, Michael Symon’s latest cookbook, “Simply Symon Suppers: Recipes and Menus for Every Week of the Year,” will be published. It is the Cleveland native’s eight cookbook and as usual, it is co-authored by Scene dining editor Douglas Trattner. Symon’s largest collection of recipes to date, “Simply Symon Suppers” (Clarkson Potter) offers readers more than…
Ohio Redistricting Commission Set to Begin Work Again
Two years on from the first attempt at congressional and statehouse redistricting in Ohio, a commission of elected officials is set to begin again next month. The Ohio Redistricting Commission announced it will meet on Sept. 13 “for organizational purposes and to begin the process of drafting a General Assembly redistricting plan,” according to an…
Justice Center, East Side Church Among Damaged Buildings In Thursday’s Storm
For the first time in 31 years, a tornado touched down in the Cleveland limits, leaving behind it a trail of power outages, sewage overflow, empty roofs and downed trees and power lines. The twister of question, a category EF-1, spent 3 minutes around midnight Thursday in the Hough neighborhood, the National Weather Service confirmed.…
National Weather Service Confirms Thursday Night Tornado East of Downtown Cleveland
As Northeast Ohio cleans up from the damaging and dangerous storms that rolled through the area late Thursday night and early Friday morning, the National Weather Service has confirmed an EF-1 tornado touched down in Cleveland just east of downtown at 11:59 p.m. and brought peak 110 mph winds for three minutes along a 0.8-mile…
Medical Marijuana Cultivation Sites Could Also Harvest Adult-Use Weed If Ohio Initiative Passes
Thousands of marijuana plants grow in a highly controlled environment from seed to harvest at a cultivation facility in Buckeye Lake. PharmaCann, Inc., a Level I medical marijuana cultivation facility, harvests 36 times a year in Licking County. “Everything’s controlled,” PharmaCann Manager of Cultivation Tommy Black said. “Everything from the light, the light’s intensity to…
Downtown Cleveland Restaurant Week to Run Sept. 7-14
The lineup for this summer’s Downtown Cleveland Restaurant Week has been released and it’s filled with exciting restaurants offering outstanding deals. During the promotional period, which runs Thursday, September 7th through Thursday, September 14th, participating businesses will be offering special prix fixe lunches priced $20 to $39 and dinners that range from $39 to $59,…
CMSD Chief Warren Morgan Wants to Hear From You in Upcoming Listening Session Tour
Taking a page from the same strategy that got him hired, CMSD chief Warren Morgan will be wrapping up his summer listening tour with townhall sessions, on September 13th and 28th.
The aim, Morgan said in a video posted on CMSD’s YouTube page, is to gauge how the 107 K-12 schools in the CMSD system…
Split Ballot Board Approves Reproductive Rights Amendment Summary Written by Ohio Sec. of State
In a 3-2 split decision Thursday, the Ohio Ballot Board rejected using the full text of a proposed reproductive rights amendment on the ballot in November, adopting instead summary language written by the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office that was criticized for being incomplete and inaccurate. The board’s approval of the language – which is…
This Week in Cleveland Food News: New Home for Sushi 86, New Chef for Rood, and More
– Sushi 86 will soon open in its seventh and, likely, final location soon on the East 9th St. Pier. Related – With an opportunity too good to pass up, Chef Rachelle Murphy is leaving Rood for Seasoned Brands and Josh Erickson of Mobius Foods will be the Lakewood restaurant’s new executive chef. Related – The…
Study Seeks Participants to Examine Health Impact of East Palestine Disaster
Researchers in Ohio are working on a new project looking at the health impacts of the February East Palestine train derailment. The Healthy Futures Research Project is seeking participants from the area who were subjected to chemical exposure in the aftermath of the train accident. The team from Case Western Reserve University will look at…
In Between Two Worlds, a French Journalist Goes Undercover to Explore the Lives of the French Working-Class
Between Two Worlds Directed by Emmanuel Carrère. Written by Emmanuel Carrère and Hélène Devynck, based on a book by Florence Aubenas. Opens in select cities August 25. Freshly divorced and effectively destitute, former homemaker Marianne (Juliette Binoche) arrives in the northwestern French coastal city of Caen seeking a fresh start. She haunts employment offices and…
DOJ Reaches Title IX Agreement with CWRU on “Known” Sexual Harassment Issues
The Department of Justice this Tuesday reached a Title IX agreement with Case Western Reserve University addressing sexual assault and harassment on campus. “This settlement sends a strong message that sexual harassment on college campuses will not be tolerated, and the measures in the agreement will help protect current and future students,” said U.S. Attorney…
Study: Shale Gas Boom ‘Failed to Deliver’ Prosperity for Appalachia
A new study of Appalachian regions counting on shale gas to replace losses from the steel industry are seeing discouraging results that researchers say show an unlikely future for the field. The Ohio River Valley Institute, a Pennsylvania-based think tank, used U.S. Energy Information Administration data, along with natural gas output statistics to look at…
Livewire: 15 Concerts to Catch in Cleveland Through Sept. 5
THU 08/24 The Baseball ProjectThis indie rock supergroup featuring Peter Buck, Scott McCaughey, Mike Mills, Linda Pitmon and Steve Wynn performs tonight at 7 at the Beachland Ballroom. The group will perform two seats featuring twangy tunes about players such as Mark Fydrich and Shohei Ohtani. 15711 Waterloo Rd., 216-383-1124, beachlandballroom.com. Barry Manilow: Live in…
Mifeprestone Ruling Won’t Change Rules in Ohio
An appeals court ruling doesn’t change the rules in Ohio for a medication used not only to terminate pregnancies, but also for miscarriage treatment. The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled last week that mifepristone could stay on the market, but that ruling will be on hold as the country awaits the U.S. Supreme Court’s…
At Tita Flora’s, a Taste of Home for Some, an Introduction to Authentic Filipino Food for the Rest of Cleveland
Like most cuisines, Filipino food is being redefined by the modern-day chefs who are preparing it. In cities like Chicago, New York and even Columbus, Filipino-American chefs are taking traditional recipes and updating them to appeal to contemporary diners. To find conventional preparations of the classics, a diner likely would have better luck inveigling an…
Laura Meckler: In Conversation on Dream Town: Shaker Heights and the Quest for Racial Equity
Laura Meckler’s new book, out now, is vital reading for not only Northeast Ohioans but all Americans. (Click to read an excerpt below.) Related The author took a few minutes last weekend to chat with Scene about the topic — what Shaker has gone through, where it stands now, what it means for its neighboring…
Shaker Heights and the Quest for Racial Equity
Excerpted from DREAM TOWN: Shaker Heights and the Quest for Racial Equity, by Laura Meckler. Published by Henry Holt & Co. Copyright © 2023 by Laura Meckler. All rights reserved. Kathleen FitzSimons logged off her antiracism book club feeling despair. She was also confused. That day, a mob of Donald Trump supporters had stormed the…
Cleveland Garlic Festival Returns to Shaker Square Aug. 26-27
“The Smelliest Food Festival in America” — aka the Cleveland Garlic Festival — takes place this weekend at Shaker Square, home to the weekly North Union Farmers Market. The annual event will be held from noon to 8 p.m. on Saturday, August 26, and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday, August 27. There are a million…
