Reminder: Tremont’s Visible Voice Books to Close Sep. 27
UPDATE: Just a reminder that Visible Voice Books in Tremont will be closing its doors this coming Saturday. All books in the store remain 40 percent off, and though the shelves are depleted, there are still ample titles to accommodate your autumn reading frenzy. Send ’em off with a bang. It’s a real bummer…
Avon Lake Councilman Wants to Allow Residents to Shoot Deer With Paintball Guns to Scare Them Away
Update: It seems Kos is receiving backlash for the idea (surprise!) and has tabled the idea for the time being. Via Cleveland.com: “I’m not talking about it again until November and then I will consider whether to introduce it to council or not,” he said. “The culling ordinance just went through and we need to…
Hudson Pastors Continue to Doctor Story About Sex Abuse in the Philippines
The lead Pastor at Hudson’s non-denominational mega church Christ Community Chapel tweeted late last week that sex abuse charges against two workers at an orphanage in the Philippines affiliated with a local pastor have been dropped. The Sankey Samaritan Orphanage was founded by CCC Pastor Tom Randall, a missionary and former professional basketball player in the…
Indians’ PR Staffers Were Willing to Honor Requests about Native American Presentation at Progressive Field
Last week, Louis Sockalexis Biographer Ed Rice visited the Beachwood branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library to speak about his research, Sockalexis’ influence as a baseball player — he was the first Native American to play in the Majors — and the Chief Wahoo debate, which has been ebbing and flowing with considerable momentum throughout…
Video: Ben Wallace Introduced for the Tri-C Basketball Team
Before Ben Wallace was the Ben Wallace we came to know and love on the Cleveland Cavaliers, he was a bushy-tailed Cuyahoga Community College student from Alabama who emerged as a beast with an appetite for blocks and rebounds. Here’s his epic introduction Freshman year from one very enthusiastic announcer: And the man, in the middle, at center…
Cedar Point Seemingly Announces Closure of Mantis Through Cryptic Video
Cedar Point has been foreshadowing a big announcement on Sept. 2, and the news has just arrived. Through a rather cryptic video titled “Darkness Falls on #12.” the amusement park reveals that the Mantis will “get squashed” next month. It’s unclear what *exactly* that means, though it seems like the Mantis as we all know…
Three Overnight Shootings in Cleveland, One More Shooting Reported Tuesday Morning
Reflecting the “Two Clevelands” thesis that Ward 2 City Councilman Zack Reed riffs on now and then during legislative sessions, three shootings took place in Cleveland last night. One man was killed and two others were wounded, wrapping up a long weekend in Cleveland that looks eerily like so many other weekends of violence in this…
25 Years Ago Today, St. Ignatius and Euclid Played In the First Nationally Televised High School Football Game
It was a marquee matchup between St. Ignatius, with Joe Pickens at quarterback, and Euclid, which claimed future Ohio State star and NFLer Robert Smith among its deep pool of talent. Northeast Ohio naturally had Sept. 2, 1989 circled as one of the biggest day’s of high school football in the region, but 24-year-old Bob…
This Indians Beat Writer Went Full Troll Mode Last Night
Last night, the Cleveland Indians pulled out a 3-2 extra-inning win over the (as of right now) tied-for-first-place Royals to bring the Tribe within 3.5 games of the top of the division and 3.5 games out of the Wild Card spot. There’s really nothing to complain about with the Indians as of late, coming on…
Video: Garfield Heights vs. Collinwood High School Football Game Erupts Into Brawl, Game Canceled
With the score 26-6 in the third quarter, a fight in the stands at the Bulldogs’ stadium on Friday night led to a bench-clearing fight on the field between the players, according to NEOMG and TV reports, and the game was called. Video of the incident, captured on amateur video from the stands, below.
House of Blues to Host Benefit for Documentary Film About Famed Rock Writer Jane Scott
Friends of Jane, an Ohio company put together by locals Thomas Kelly, Michael Heaton, David Spero and Michael Stanley, has launched a campaign to finance a documentary film about the late Jane Scott, the Plain Dealer reporter who covered rock n’ roll for many years. To help raise money and launch their Kickstarter campaign, Friends…
Guided by Voices to Play Grog Shop in October
Even though they played what they said would be their last show ever in 2004, Guided by Voices have been steadily touring and releasing records since reforming in 2010. Singer Bob Pollard and whatever assortment of players he can put together deliver a helluva live show — they’ve got hundreds of songs to choose from.…
Indians Sign Former Indian Russell Branyan, Assign Him to Columbus Clippers
Russell Branyan’s back, Cleveland. Today, the Cleveland Indians signed former Cleveland Indian Russell Branyan. The 38-year-old utility player returns to Ohio by way of the Toros de Tijuana of the Mexican Baseball League (.296, 19 home runs, y’know). He’ll be playing Triple-A ball for the Columbus Clippers for now. The move, despite its temporary geographic misfire,…
This Craigslist Ad From Parma is So Parma
Free shrubs, you guys. Free shrubs. “Just stop by, dig them out and fill the holes.” Straight Parma.
Accused of Drugging and Raping Employee, A Put-In-Bay Bar Manager Is Finally Indicted
Chris Blessing managed both Mr. Ed’s Bar & Grille and Mist pool bar Chris Blessing, a 32-year-old Put-In-Bay bar manager, was indicted this week on two counts of rape, nearly four months after an employee accused him of drugging and raping her, the Sandusky Register reported today (see “Arrest made in alleged roofie rape” for…
Photo of the Day: Cleveland Police Know How to Tailgate Too
Presented mostly without comment, here’s a pic that’s been making the rounds of a Cleveland police officer lending his hand in a tailgate beer bong. Reason No. 74 why we love tailgating in Cleveland. Hat tip to redditer RamboNation for this one.
16-Bit Bar + Arcade Opens Today in Lakewood
For the past three months, Stow native Troy Allen and his team have been hard at work converting the old Five Guys spot on Detroit (15012 Detroit Ave., 216-563-1115, 16-bitbar.com) into an adult-themed wonderland. And according to Allen, the 4,000-square-foot space came out better than he (and we) could have hoped for. “We’re really happy…
New Board Chairman Says Wilberforce Must “Create Entrepreneurs”
This afternoon, Wilberforce University, the historically black college (HBCU) near Dayton facing the loss of its accreditation, has announced a new chairman and vice chairman of its board of trustees. Mark Wilson, President and CEO of eVerifile, a background check provider based in Atlanta, has been named chair. John Miller, President and CEO of Denny’s,…
Former Medina High School Basketball Player Sues After Getting Cut From Team
A 2013 graduate of Medina High School is taking to federal court because he feels he didn’t get enough playing time on the varsity basketball team and that his First Amendment and due process rights were violated when he was finally booted from the team for taking to Twitter to complain about it. Chase Johanson…
9 Concerts to Catch This Weekend
Friday, Aug. 29 DIana Chittester CD Release Singer-songwriter Diana Chittester moved to Cleveland from Pittsburgh, and started playing open mic nights at places like the now-closed Winchester. She released her first EP in 2008 and followed that with 2012’s In This Skin, which features local Cleveland blues musicians. Chittester has always performed solo but usually…
51 Cleveland Investors Swindled Out of Millions by Young Mexican Entrepreneur
Yong Mexican entrepreneur Oscar Villarreal was too good to be true. Painted as a prodigy in the Cleveland business press, the charismatic Villarreal, now 29, was the sort of fresh-faced climber that enamors (all too easily, it appears) Cleveland’s corporate elite. Villarreal invented oil-related funds in Mexico to lure major investors from the civic and…
Ohio Buys More of this Item on Ebay than Any Other State
Can you guess which item Ohio buys on Ebay more than any other state? Yep, you nailed it: outdoor equipment, which apparently means grills and, you know, other things you use outdoors. Here’s the complete list of what our friends to the east and west are buying online. If anyone can explain to us Delaware’s…
Video: Coyote Wandering Through Cleveland Streets
Yes, that’s a coyote and, yes, it’s wandering near some people in the streets of Cleveland. Instagram user Darnell R. Ford (instagram.com/djrobford) posted these two videos of the four-legged predator around the East 36 Street and Payne Ave intersection. The Instagram user follows the coyote from a car, expressing confusion about seeing the coyote within…
Johnny Manziel Does Aerobics in New Snickers Ad
After you watch Johnny JamBoogie in this new Snickers spot, head over to this week’s cover story, Clickbait Jesus, on how Johnny Manziel came to rule the world.
15 Things Going on in Cleveland Over Labor Day Weekend
The glorious three-day weekend that is Labor Day is upon us again, and Cleveland has a healthy lineup of holiday activities. Back this year is the Cleveland National Air Show, which is sure to dazzle with three days of Blue Angels fun, and Oktoberfest at the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds. Scene’s own Pig and Whiskey event…
Cleveland Joins ‘Meatless Monday’ Trend
Joining the likes of Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., Cleveland has called for residents to eat more healthful meals and, specifically, avoid meat on Mondays. This was actually done via City Council resolution. Alliteration does tend to help social movements, this one being focused on “going green” and raising national awareness of animal protection rights,…
This Cleveland Video Might As Well Be a Tourism Video But It’s Not Because It’s Better
At least that’s the best way we could think of describing “Cleveland: A Million Stories” in a headline. You know, Positively Cleveland could have saved all that money they gave to that company in Kansas City to come up with that slogan and instead just bought the guys who made this video a case of…
Elyria’s Pink Cookies Won’t Go Gentle Into That Good Night
The Chronicle-Telegram has been all over this developing story: The legendary pink cookies of Elyria’s school cafeterias, cookies which last week were discontinued due to felderal health regulations, are now seeing a boom in regional (and even national) demand. Lisa Roberson at the CT reported that requests have been flooding the district from as far away…
First Heartless Felons Trial Began Today
The trial of Robert Porter began today. Porter, an alleged major player within a violent prison gang, was charged with everything from criminal gang activity and aggravated murder to felonious assault and kidnapping. His trial leads off the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office’s all-in push against the Heartless Felons. Earlier this year, authorities filed charges against more…
Maceo Moore — A Local Rapper Known as ‘Chase’ — Sentenced to More Than 17 Years In Federal Prison
Maceo Moore in one of his music videos, left, and behind bars after his arrest last year Maceo Moore, a 38-year-old local rapper known as “Chase”, was sentenced to 17-1/2 years in federal prison for heroin distribution as part of what authorities called the largest ever heroin bust in the region, snagging more than 90…
Bob Dylan to Play State Theatre in November
You never know what you’re going to get when you go to a Bob Dylan concert. Sometimes, the guy mumbles so much, you can’t make out what he’s saying. Other times, his songs take on an ethereal quality. When he played Akron’s E.J. Thomas Hall last year, he sounded sharp and his band really clicked…
New “Cleveland Renaissance Movement” Aims to Protect Human Rights of People of Color
At least 60 (and as many as 100) concerned citizens gathered Tuesday evening at Angie’s Soul Cafe on St. Clair for the inaugural meeting of the newly formed Cleveland Renaissance Movement. The movement was conceived and mobilized by local poet and activist Basheer Jones in reaction to the shooting of Mike Brown in Ferguson and,…
Around the Corner Celebrates 40 Years as Lakewood’s Favorite Saloon
It’s hard to believe that it’s been 40 years since Mickey Krivosh opened Around the Corner Saloon & Café (18616 Detroit Ave., 216-521-4413, atccafe.com) in Lakewood. Now a grandfather, Krivosh was just a broke kid back in 1974 when he rented a single storefront and tracked down a liquor license. When folks asked him where…
Five Movies Every College Kid Should Own
Animal House (1978) One of a string of irreverent comedies making fun of status quo America (think Stripes, Meatballs, Caddyshack), this film remains the high-water mark of anti-establishment humor. If you haven’t seen this yet, come out from under that rock and get ready to laugh. Wonder Boys (2000) A great send-up of relationships between…
A Tradition in the Making: Tim Bando Brings Maturity, Value and Something for Everyone to Chagrin Falls with Grove Hill
An undeniable sense of déjà vu washes over me as I enter Grove Hill in Chagrin Falls. It’s been 20-plus years since I’ve stepped foot inside the building, and many of the interior treatments have changed, yet I still can’t help but anticipate a meal of outdated chestnuts like pepper steak, Boston scrod and Dublin…
Try these quick and easy ramen recipes
Ramen noodles are beloved by college students for their cheap price tags, microwave-friendliness, and tasty, salty flavor. But one cannot live by noodle and spice packet alone. By adding other cheap ingredients to this user-friendly noodle loaf you can get a balanced meal that’s still easy on your wallet. Here are a couple of our…
As You Like It: Local Theaters Cater to Every Taste this Fall
Twenty shows will open from now through November, and they’re all ready to give you what you want. For instance… WANT NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCES? The Sunset Limited by Cormac McCarthy, None Too Fragile Theater, Akron, Sept. 12 to 27. A black ex-con rescues an intellectual white atheist from suicide at the last moment. The Norwegians by C.…
Seven Clever Ways to Pay for College
Thinking of going to college, but not sure how you’re going to pay that hefty tuition bill? Well, to help you out we have compiled a list of some surefire ways to pay for school. It may get ugly; debt is a vicious monster. Don’t say we didn’t warn you. Donate plasma Donors can be…
The Hologram Man: Event Works 4D president Joel Solloway Talks Digital Resurrection
Joel Solloway, president of EventWorks 4D, LLC, is one of only two producers in the entire country working with holographic projections. He is an authorized Musion partner (the British company whose Eyeliner holographic projection technology brought Tupac Shakur back to life at Coachella). EW4D has produced holographic presentations for Cleveland Clinic, Steris Corp., GlaxoSmithKline and…
Even if you’ve never cooked, you can still eat well and cheaply at college with these simple rules
THEM’S THE RULES — Strictly enforced rules against hot plates in residence halls often leave dorm-dwellers at the mercy of their cafeterias and microwaves. If you’re off to campus housing, be sure to check their lists of prohibited items. They can get a little intense, forbidding everything from the obvious (firearms, space heaters) to the…
Band of the Week: Diana Chittester
Meet the Band: Diana Chittester (vocals, guitar) Transplanted: Singer-songwriter Diana Chittester moved to Cleveland from Pittsburgh, and started playing open mic nights at places like the now-closed Winchester. She released her first EP in 2008 and followed that with 2012’s In This Skin, which features local Cleveland blues musicians. Suddenly Solo: Chittester has always performed…
How to Avoid the Freshman 15
You should know what you’re eating (and drinking). Here’s (depressing) caloric breakdown for booze and the cafeteria grub. Breakfast • Bacon and egg taco – 246 calories in 1 taco • Bean and cheese taco – 300 calories in 1 taco • Sausage and egg taco – 250 calories in 1 taco • Potato and…
Clickbait Jesus: How Johnny Manziel Became JFF and OMG ESPN BFD ASAP and We’ll Stop There Because You’ve Already Decided to Read this Story
*** Like all good Johnny Manziel stories, this one starts in Texas. But unlike all the rest, this one starts in a Texas Walmart. Four Sundays ago, I was in the Walmart Supercenter in Lufkin, Texas. I was in the middle of a road trip, and a diet of rest-stop fast food had my stomach…
College Guide 2014
Eating Well: Where to Get your Chow on at Northeast Ohio’s Colleges and Universities 9 Local Stores to Help you Pimp Out Your College Dorm Room or Apartment Five Movies Every College Kid Should Own How to Avoid the Freshman 15 Even if you’ve never cooked, you can still eat well and cheaply at college…
Film Review of the Week: Trip to Italy
Last week, Land Ho, a refreshing low-budget film about two sixtysomethings on a trip to Iceland, warmed the hearts of those who saw it at the Cedar Lee. This week, Trip to Italy, a snoozerino about two fiftyish guys taking just what the title says, ought to bore the living daylights out of most well-intentioned…
Local Instrumental Group Cellocentric Impresses with Self-titled Debut
Cellocentric Cellocentric (self-released) dougwoodmusic.com An instrumental group that features mandolin player/guitarist Doug Wood, cellist Tara Hanish and bassist Darren Frate, Cellocentric bridges a few different musical genres, and the group has recently taken to collaborating with some of the Classical Revolution Cleveland folks. It often invites flutist Jeiran Hasan and violinist Chiara Stauffer to play…
Film Spotlight: Jamie Marks is Dead
When Christopher Barzak, a local author who holds an MFA in creative writing from Pittsburgh’s Chatham University and teaches fiction writing at Youngstown State University, wrote his first novel, One for Sorrow, he was trying to capture the anxieties of growing up in the Mahoning Valley. “One of the things I wanted to do was…
The New Pornographers Adopt Retro Sound for ‘Brill Bruisers’
The New Pornographers Brill Bruisers (Matador) thenewpornographers.com This Canadian ensemble that features AC Newman, Neko Case and Dan Bejar (a.k.a. Destroyer), alongside Blaine Thurier, John Collins, Kathryn Calder, Kurt Dahle and Todd Fancey, never disappoints. Newman has described their first studio effort in four years, as a “celebration.” It’s certainly apt as the songs here…
What’s Fresh at: Deagan’s Kitchen & Bar
Deagan’s Kitchen & Bar in Lakewood is known for its abundance of creative vegan dishes as much as for its lengthy craft beer, scotch and whiskey options. It’s natural, then, that executive chef Ryan Kaston is committed to using fresh, seasonal produce. “When the season changes, our menu changes,” he says. And nothing’s fresher than…
Basement Jaxx Return to Form with ‘Junto’
Basement Jaxx Junto (Atlantic Jaxx/PIAS) basementjaxx.com Basement Jaxx started making electronic music before it was cool to make electronic music. So you can’t entirely blame them for coming out of hibernation to cash in on what’s become a popular trend. The duo of Felix Buxton and Simon Ratcliffe at least don’t just mash together some…
Singer-songwriter Adam Marsland Revisits his Most Ambitious Album
It’s common for a musician or band to revisit an album that came out 10 years ago. But five years ago? Singer-songwriter Adam Marsland, whose current tour is designed to give his 2009 album Go West another push, feels fine about going back to an album that few people heard the first time around (it’s…
In Their Words: What’s it like to Attend Local Colleges and Universities? We Asked the Students to Tell you Themselves.
JOHN CARROLL Brendan Blase | Junior, Neuropsychology, Spanish; St. Louis Connor Jamison | Junior, History; Brook Park. Best non-academic part of JCU? CJ: We’re both on the soccer team, so having that is definitely a big part of it and having that friend group. And the student-life atmosphere, John Carroll does a good job with…
Eating Well: Where to Get Your Chow on at Northeast Ohio’s Colleges and Universities
The dining component of college life certainly extends beyond that place down the street that delivers, like, awesome wings, dude. As a student, you’re hopefully well aware that Northeast Ohio boasts a veritable kingdom of killer restaurants. You can make the trek downtown or to Ohio City (and we recommend it), but we’d like to…
Country Singer Jo Dee Messina Delivers a Rant and Then Some on Her New Album
Currently touring in support of her terrific new album Me, which came out at the end of March on her newly formed label Dreambound Records, Jo Dee Messina is an icon in the country music world. But unlike many of the scene’s biggest stars, she didn’t grow up in the South. Rather, she was born…
9 Local Stores to Help you Pimp Out Your College Dorm Room or Apartment
Furnishings | Dazzle your dormmates with a choice piece or two from Retropolitan, the Gordon Square boutique known for its eclectic collection of vintage home goods and funky fixtures. Here you’ll find lots of back-to-school essentials, such as bright Brunswick bowling chairs, sleek mid-century oak desks, and compact sofas that are perfect for late night…
Alabama Shakes: A Trip to the South Inspired Joe Fletcher’s New Album
On a recent tour, singer-songwriter Joe Fletcher requested his booking agent route his tour through Alabama. Fletcher wanted to take in the sights, have time to visit a few Civil War monuments and spend a day at the Hank Williams Museum in Montgomery. The trip ended up inspiring some of the songs on his new…
Everything You Want: Slightly Stoopid’s Deep Crew Maintains its Kaleidoscopic Social Mantle
Ryan Moran is back in Southern California at the moment, chilling out from the two-month American odyssey his band embarked upon back in July. The drummer for multifaceted SoCal reggae-meets-folk-slash-punk band Slightly Stoopid goes by RyMo to friends, and aren’t we all friends here? But Slightly Stoopid is not known to rest for too long.…
