Locally Made Movie About the Opioid Crisis to Premiere at Atlas Lakeshore in October
Because he lost so many loved ones to drug abuse while growing up, local writer and rapper Javon Bates wrote Common Creed — The Epidemic, a book that details his firsthand experiences related to the opioid epidemic, particularly in Ohio. The book has now become a film; it premieres at 6 p.m. on Oct. 2…
The CDC Asks Ohio Health Care Providers to Report Cases of Lung Disease Linked to E-Cigs
The Centers for Disease Control is investigating more than 200 potential cases of severe pulmonary disease, including one death, in at least 25 states linked to the use of e-cigarettes, including liquids, refill pods and/or cartridges. According to a release from the Ohio Department of Health, health care providers in Ohio and others are now…
Karen Small to Open Breakfast and Lunch Diner at Former Jack Flaps Spot in Ohio City
There is a silver lining to the sudden closure of Jack Flaps, a popular breakfast diner in Ohio City. Chef Karen Small has announced that she will take the space over and open a diner of her own. “I’ve had my eye on that space for a bit, and when Jack Flaps closed I contacted…
No Exit Launches Its 11th Season and the Rest of the Classical Music to Catch This Week in Cleveland
Following the success last September of a two-day festival marking the centenary of the end of World War I, Oberlin violin professor Sibbi Bernhardsson was eager to launch the new school term with four concerts and two panel discussions organized around a similar theme. Oberlin’s End of Life, End of Time Festival, which runs from…
Labor Day Hiker Killed By ‘Dislodged’ Branch in Hocking Hills, Third Fatality There This Summer
A woman hiking one of the most popular trails in Hocking Hills State Park died over Labor Day Weekend, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources said in a statement. Traversing the stairs near Old Man’s Cave, 44-year-old Victoria Schafer of Chillicothe was struck by a falling tree branch around 5:30 p.m. yesterday. It’s still unclear if…
Man Charged in Cleveland New Year’s Eve Triple Homicide is Gymnast Simone Biles’ Brother
A 24-year-old man who has been charged in connection to a New Year’s Eve triple homicide on Cleveland’s west side is the brother of Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles. Tevin Biles-Thomas is being held in Georgia, where he was arrested last week, and will be arraigned in the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas on…
Report: Benefits of Economic Expansion Elude Ohio Workers
COLUMBUS, Ohio – An annual examination of the health of Ohio’s workforce reveals that for the most part, workers aren’t faring as well as they should be. According to the “State of Working Ohio 2019” report, median hourly wages are up about $1.50 an hour since 2011, when adjusted for inflation. But report author Amy…
Ohio Dems File Lawsuit Seeking to End Removals from Voter Rolls
The Ohio Democratic Party on Aug. 30 filed a lawsuit in federal court seeking to block the removal of more than 200,000 inactive voters from the state’s voter registration rolls starting next week. The lawsuit highlights recently reported irregularities that have led to thousands of active or recent voters being wrongfully removed from the registration…
The Black Jacket Symphony To Play ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ at the Canton Palace in November
The Black Jacket Symphony, a group that recreates classic rock album, will turn its attention to Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon on Saturday, Nov. 9, at the Canton Palace Theatre. Broken into two sets, the concert will feature a group of musicians handpicked specifically selected for the album. The first set will feature…
In Advance an Upcoming Show at HOB, Eccentric Struts Singer Talks About Keeping Rock ‘n’ Roll Alive
Luke Spiller, the charismatic frontman of the glam rock band, the Struts, is known for his Freddie Mercury-style moves and onstage bravado. By the end of each show, he’s usually drenched in sweat. In a recent phone conversation, the Bristol, UK native promises to bring every ounce of his theatrics to House of Blues when…
Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque To Screen ‘Apocalypse Now Final Cut’
Earlier today, the Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque announced that it’s added the new 4K restoration of Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now to its schedule. Apocalypse Now Final Cut will screen at 7:15 p.m on Tuesday, Sept. 10. It’s a half hour longer than the film’s original cut but 15 to 20 minutes shorter than…
Ziggy Cartoon is Getting Painted Over on Strongsville Water Tower and Residents Aren’t Pleased
The Strongsville water tower right behind city hall is rusting and in need of a paint job, but that’s easier said than done. Depicted on the side of the used-to-be white structure is a painting of the high school’s mustang mascot and also the comic-strip star Ziggy, that’s actually drawn by cartoonist Tom Wilson himself back…
Touring in Support of Its Excellent New Album, the Head and the Heart Comes to Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica on Sept. 10
The Head and the Heart, an indie folk band that returns to Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica on Tuesday, Sept. 10, has already enjoyed a career full of high points in its 10 years. “We got to play a show with Tom Petty in Hyde Park in London about six months before he died, which is…
The Rock Hall to Host a Who Fan Day on Sept. 10
One of the first rock acts inducted into the Rock Hall, the Who comes to Blossom on Sept. 10. The tour marks the band’s first return to the states since a 2017 Las Vegas residency. In honor of the Blossom show, the Rock Hall will host a special Who Fan Day on Sept. 10 and…
Op-Ed: If You Value Diverse Voices in Cleveland, Take Action to Support Them
Civic leaders behind the upcoming three-day regional economic summit want you to know that they are focused on diversity. It’s an “inclusive” summit of “diverse voices accelerating growth, equity and opportunity” that aims to “reflect our community in terms of race, income and identity” and “every other demographic you can name.” We know why summit…
TOOL Coming to Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in November
Just today, the hard rock act TOOL released its long-awaited fifth studio album, Fear Inoculum. In conjunction with its release, the band has announced tour dates. On Nov. 6, it comes to Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse. Killing Joke will open the show. TOOL formed in 1990, releasing four multi-platinum studio albums and winning three Grammys in…
I See a Cleveland Rising. I See Trouble on the Way.
A summit orchestrated by a bumper crop of the region’s civic and corporate leaders will arrive at the Cleveland Public Auditorium in late October. No expense has been spared to brand and market the upcoming three-day affair, which has been dubbed “Cleveland Rising” and which already has a snappy logo, a website, and a full complement…
Toxic Algae a Labor Day Concern on Lake Erie
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohioans seeking fun on Lake Erie’s waters this Labor Day weekend will be confronted with some water-quality warnings. An algae bloom continues in the lake’s western basin, and measured toxin concentrations are said to be exceeding the recreational threshold. Timothy Davis – an associate professor of biological sciences at Bowling Green State…
Do Read the Full Speech by the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio From Yesterday’s Indictment of a White Nationalist
The Feds yesterday indicted an Ohio man named James Reardon, a self-described white nationalist who posted various anti-Semitic messages on the internet, for making threats against a Jewish community center. In a press conference, Justin Herdman, the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, issued a direct rebuke to those with similar beliefs in…
Mushroomhead’s Annual Halloween Show To Take Place on Nov. 1 at the Agora
When the local metal act Mushroomhead first formed in 1993, few critics imagined the group would still be going at it in 2014. And yet the masked band continues to be popular. Recorded at the band’s studio in North Royalton and mixed by long-time collaborator Bill Korecky, the band’s most recent album, 2014’s The Righteous…
From Ferguson to Cleveland, Five Years Later
It’s been five years since Michael Brown, an 18-year-old unarmed African American was gunned down by a Ferguson, Missouri police officer. A cell phone video showed that he did not pose an imminent threat to justify the use of deadly force. His death set off days of protests which were met by an indiscriminate, military…
A Reminder the Fighter Jets Over Downtown Today Are Just Practicing for the Air Show and There’s No Need to Freak Out
It was both surprising and impressive to search Twitter yesterday afternoon after the fighter jets began buzzing downtown Cleveland and find almost no one who was taken by surprise, almost no one who heard the roars and saw the flashes of military might appear over the Lake Erie horizon and then took to Twitter to…
The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo Just Welcomed Two Wide-Eyed Baby Lemurs
The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo just announced that two wide-eyed baby crowned lemurs came into the world on July 20. Not many North American zoos have crowned lemurs on display and the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is one of only 12 to do so. Crowned lemurs hail from the wilds of Madagascar and prefer to munch on…
Oak and Embers Tavern is One of the Best Bourbon Bars in America, The Bourbon Review Says
Oak and Embers Tavern may be better known for its BBQ, but the local restaurant chain has always carried one of the largest bourbon lists around. Now the original spot in Chesterland has been named one of the best 100 bourbon bars in the country, as selected by the good people over at the Bourbon…
Fantasia To Perform at the State Theatre in November
The season three winner of American Idol, Fantasia capitalized on her success from that TV program with her platinum-selling debut album Free Yourself. She’s continued to release albums and expand her range of artistic interests as well. In 2006, she released her New York Times best-selling memoir, Life Is Not a Fairytale, and starred as…
Up-and-Coming Singer-Songwriter Christian French Brings First Headlining Tour to House of Blues Next Week
Singer-songwriter Christian French credits his mom with influencing his taste in music. “My mom always had John Mayer and Gavin DeGraw and Fitz and the Tantrums and Eric Clapton and the Eagles playing in the car all the time,” he says via phone from Los Angeles where he was shopping at thrift stores in preparation…
Eat Free Pretzels With Stanley From ‘The Office’ at Beachwood Place Sept. 28
Stanley Hudson, from the beloved workplace comedy The Office, loves soft pretzels, especially on Pretzel Day. “I wake up every morning in a bed that’s too small, drive my daughter to a school that’s too expensive, and then I go to work to a job for which I get paid too little, but on Pretzel…
How Cuyahoga and Summit Counties Have Estimated the Financial Damage Caused by Big Pharma
As the seven-week “bellwether” trial in mid-October at the Carl B. Stokes U.S. Courthouse in Cleveland looms that will help delineate the future and outcome of the more than 2,000 lawsuits filed by states and cities against opioid manufacturers and distributors, there has been movement that points to how this all might play out. The…
Report Ranks Ohio 17th for Medical Spending
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Medical care is more expensive in Ohio than many other places, according to a new list of annual health care spending by state. The report from consumer website The Senior List ranks Ohio 17th among states, with the average Ohioan with private health insurance spending more than $5,900 on medical care in…
Broken Hands and Birthday Cakes — The A to Z Podcast With Andre Knott and Zac Jackson
Andre and Zac are back. They discuss the AL Central, the Indians’ wild August on the road, the Browns’ preseason roller coaster and Zac’s 40th birthday last weekend. Subscribe to A to Z on iTunes here or stream below. Sign up for Scene’s weekly newsletters to get the latest on Cleveland news, things to do…
West Side Red Line Back in Service, Just in Time for Browns Game
West side portions of RTA’s Red Line rapid transit line has been out of service most of the summer as crews have repaired the retaining walls that border the tracks. Since May 30, the Red Line has been replaced with shuttle buses from the West Blvd – Cudell stop all the way to Hopkins. These…
5 Concerts to Catch in Cleveland This Labor Day Weekend
FRIDAY, AUG. 30 Los Lobos With the mantle of Tex-Mex zydeco rock ‘n’ roll gracing their legacy, Los Lobos have been infusing the American scene with a south-of-the-border flair for more than four decades. They’ve dropped many albums, including 2015’s Gates of Gold, which keeps pace with David Hidalgo’s head-nodding, rhythmic songwriting and the all-hands-on-deck…
DNA Evidence Might Finally Reveal Who Killed Barbara Blatnik, ‘Tough Little Broad’ of Garfield Heights
At approximately 10 a.m. on December 20, 1987, a young woman’s body was discovered along the shoulder of O’Neil Road in Cuyahoga Falls. She was nude, with nothing on her body except a class ring. She’d just been strangled to death. When investigators pulled the ring off her finger, they found her name written on…
In Advance of a Sept. 8 Show at House of Blues, Wallows Singer-Guitarist Talks About Growing Up in Warren
Wallows singer-guitarist Braeden Lemasters admits his guitar hero father had a big influence on his taste in music. Lemasters’ dad, Dave Lemasters, played in the Youngstown area in the ’80s with the rock band Left End. He often took his son to shows with him. “He’s one of the best musicians I know,” Lemasters says…
You Can Buy Your Own Small Or Large Cleveland Browns Bud Light Victory Fridge at Pop-Up Next Week
Anheuser-Busch understands the power that Bud Light has over any Muni Lot-loving fan of the Cleveland Browns. That’s why the company is hosting a two-day pop-up shop in Ohio City, selling nothing but Cleveland Browns Victory Fridges. You of course remember the blue, white and orange behemoths from last year’s season — which were smartly…
‘Lobby Hero’ at Blank Canvas Sparks Important Inner Dialogue
As Christopher Vogler once wrote, “every villain is a hero of his or her own story.” Sometimes we do the wrong things for the right reasons — or at least that’s what we tell ourselves. Each and every one of us has developed a set of core principles that, if followed, classifies us as a…
‘The Nightingale’ is Harrowing Sophomore Effort From ‘Babadook’ Director Jennifer Kent
Aussie writer-director Jennifer Kent was already working on her new film, The Nightingale, back in 2014, when Scene interviewed her about her much-talked-about horror debut The Babadook. She described The Nightingale as a “revenge story about the futility of revenge … about the ridiculous nature of an eye for an eye.” Kent said then that…
‘One Child Nation’ Takes a Hard Look at China’s Former Population Control Policy
China’s one-child policy, a population control measure that made it illegal for couples to have more than one child, ended in 2015, but Chinese citizens still grapple with the aftermath of its enforcement. Award-winning documentarian Nanfu Wang (Hooligan Sparrow, I Am Another You) and Jialing Zhang take a long, hard look at that fallout in…
Ohio City Pizzeria Pairs Good Food With Great Cause
Montepulciano might be fun to drink, but it is absolute murder to pronounce. The six-syllable Italian tongue-twister can strike fear in all but the most sophisticated sommeliers, so it was completely forgivable when our server, while repeating our wine order, failed to stick the landing. But instead of turning into an awkward moment, it developed…
Band of the Week: Pronoun
MEET THE BAND: Alyse Vellturo (vocals, guitar, drum programming, bass programming) AN EMO-ROCK-POP HYBRID: Vellturo grew up listening to lots of hip-hop before gravitating to indie rock. “My transition into rock was the Strokes,” she says. “I worked at a record store, and they would pay me in CDs. I used to grab all the…
Savage Love: Come the Revolution
I’m a straight woman and have been sexually active for about six years. I’m in my mid-20s now and about ready to become a “man-hating feminist.” I feel like I can figure out what a guy wants in bed pretty easily. I cannot remember a single time when I’ve had sex with a guy that…
Kevin Keith Has More Attention on His Questionable 1994 Ohio Murder Conviction Than Ever Before. So, What’s Next?
In May 2018, Charles Keith appeared on The Breakfast Club on Power 105.1 in New York City. The man from Canton, Ohio, had traveled to the big city to tell the same story he’s been telling for 25 years — how his brother, Kevin, was wrongfully convicted of three murders in 1994 and sentenced to…
Get Out: Everything You Should Be Doing in Cleveland This Labor Day Weekend
WED 08/28 Disney’s The Lion King Some 90 million people around the world have seen Disney’s long-running musical The Lion King. The play has won six Tony Awards, and it brings to life the story of a lion and the cub who’ll inherit his father’s kingdom. The musical features the work of Tony Award-winning choreographer…
Dan Miller’s Some Disassembly Required at Waterloo Arts Brings Literal Clouds
There’s a black cloud hanging over Dan Miller’s artwork, literally. As we walk into the Waterloo Arts Gallery, cumulus masses float ominously, spray-painted between Miller’s exquisitely raw mixed media pieces. Miller’s current exhibition, Some Disassembly Required, is a collection of 15 wall works that expose the artist’s battle with depression, his lifelong relationship with bipolar…
