15+ Things to Do in Cleveland This Weekend (Dec. 26-29)
Our weekly picks of the best things to do in Cleveland this weekend. Also check out our full Cleveland event calendar. THU 12/26 Christmas Around the World This special event that takes place from today through Jan. 4 will feature a tubing hill, a miniature golf course, entertainment, a 52-foot Christmas tree, and a special Glockenspiel adapted…
Jim Jefferies To Bring Son of a Carpenter Show to the State Theatre
Aussie comedian Jim Jefferies studied musical theater in college before taking his talents to the UK and becoming a standup sensation. In the past decade, he’s had hit comedy specials, successful podcasts and sold-out tours. Inspired by the anecdotal approaches of guys like the late George Carlin and Sir William Connolly, he tells stories about everything…
Cleveland’s California Speedbag To Pay Tribute to the Late Gary Lupico with Special Concert
California Speedbag, the local alt-country act that played around town in the 1980s, will hold a special concert at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 28, at the Beachland Ballroom to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the passing of its driving force, singer-songwriter Gary Lupico, who died in 2004 at age 49. Titled Lost Again: The…
Now Open: One Star Bar in Lakewood
The building at the corner of Detroit and Elbur avenues in Lakewood has seen more than its fair share of bars – some long-lasting, others fleeting. Last Saturday, One Star Bar (13601 Detroit Ave.) became the latest watering hole to join the register when the bar opened its doors to the public for the first…
Local Musician Thomas Mulready Revisits David Bowie’s Connection to Cleveland
Local musician/Bowieologist Thomas Mulready says WMMS helped introduced him to the Thin White Duke way back in the 1970s. “[Former WMMS programmers] Billy Bass and Denny Sanders tell the story of how an RCA exec brought a blank green label LP to the station, and Sanders listens to ‘Changes’ and ‘Oh! You Pretty Things’ and…
Former Cleveland Councilman Basheer Jones Pleads Guilty to Federal Corruption Charges
Basheer Jones, the disgraced former Cleveland city councilman who ran an unsuccessful bid for mayor in 2021, pleaded guilty to a range of fraud and corruption-related charges in U.S. District court on Thursday, records show. Jones had been charged in November by the Feds for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, stemming from…
Bill to Address Issues From Ohio’s Infant Mortality to Early Childhood Education Passes Legislature
Legislation to make improvements to systems ranging from infant care to early childhood education throughout the state of Ohio was passed by the Ohio General Assembly on Wednesday. House Bill 7 made it through the lame duck session with passage the day after the measure was favorably passed in the Senate Finance Committee with amendments…
Livewire: 16 of the Best Concerts to Catch in Cleveland Through the New Year
THU 12/19 Bill Kirchen’s Honky Tonk Holiday Show Expect to hear underappreciated holiday classics such as “Silent Surfin’ Night,” “Truckin’ Trees for Christmas,” “Santa Claus Wants Some Lovin” when singer-songwriter Bill Kirchen brings his holiday show to the Beachland Tavern tonight at 8. 15711 Waterloo Rd., 216-383-1124, beachlandballroom.com. FRI 12/20 Bone Thugs-N-Harmony The pioneering hip-hop…
‘This Is My Destiny’: Tim Misny Mockumentary in the Works for Summer 2025 Release
When considering Tim Misny’s brand recognition across Northeast Ohio, there’s no doubt that it’s prodigious. Ask your best friend, your coworker or your neighbor, and they’ll know. They drive daily by one of Misny’s 299 billboards across the state. They’ve seen his 15-second commercials, or the music video or Mike Polk Jr.’s comedy skit that…
Anthony Zappola to Close Rice Shop at Van Aken, Open Tony’s Burger Shop in the New Year
Chef Anthony Zappola currently operates Tripi Italian Specialties in Ohio City and Lox, Stock and Brisket and the Rice Shop at Van Aken District in Shaker. Come the new year, one of those concepts will vanish. “I’ve had the Rice Shop for 10 years – three locations, two cities,” Zappola says. “The Rice Shop is…
Fidelity Hotel Opening Helps Bring Life and Glamour Back to Historic Short Vincent Block in Downtown Cleveland
The single block in front of the Fidelity Mortgage Building used to be affectionately called Short Vincent. There, from the 1880s to the 1950s, was a den of barhopping and debauchery, a sliver of Cleveland’s purest nightlife where reporters for the Cleveland Press drank whiskey, where girls stripped at the French Quarter, where others supped…
Ohio Senate Education Committee Plans to Pass School Outing Bill and Expulsions Bill Wednesday
On the eve of the last scheduled lame duck session, the Ohio Senate Education Committee Tuesday has yet to pass House Bill 8, known as the “Parents’ Bill of Rights” to supporters and the “Don’t Say Gay” bill to opponents. The bill would also mandate school districts create a policy to release students for religious…
The Cleveland Dining Trends We Love, and Hate
We’ve lived through fast-casual everything, sheet pans, mason jars, smash burger ascent, smash burger oversaturation, resurgent emphasis on interior design and dozens of other trends we dug, and disliked, over the years. As 2024 comes to a close, here’s what we’d like more and less of. Sell: Metal Stools & Chairs We get it. The…
Comedians Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood To Bring Latest Improv Show to Akron Civic Theatre
Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood, actors/comedians from TV’s Whose Line is it Anyway?, will bring their new stage show, Asking for Trouble, to the Akron Civic Theatre on Friday, Jan. 3. The interactive show includes variations on many of the games showcased on Whose Line Is It Anyway?, including “Sound FX” and “One Word Expert.”…
You Can See Who Is in Many Ohio Jails With a Few Clicks — Just Not in Cuyahoga County
While Cuyahoga County houses more than 1,400 people each day in its notorious jail, learning who is inside is often a frustrating struggle for those on the outside. For years, many sheriff’s offices across Ohio have allowed the public to search a website database to discover who is behind bars. They’re often a quick tool…
15+ Things to Do in Cleveland This Weekend (Dec. 19-22)
Our weekly picks of the best things to do in Cleveland this weekend. Also check out our full Cleveland event calendar. THU 12/19 Bone Thugs-N-Harmony The pioneering hip-hop group that emerged out of Cleveland in the early ’90s when N.W.A.’s Easy-Z signed them to his Ruthless Records plays a rare hometown show tonight at 7 at…
Huge Majorities in Ohio Oppose Fracking Our State Parks, But State Leaders Just Ignore All Concerns
Who do Ohio lawmakers represent in the fracking free-for-all carving up acres of our state parks and public land for oil and gas money? They sure as heck don’t represent the people. Public resistance to fracking in Ohio State Parks is almost universal. Ever since a Republican-facilitated law went into effect last spring that required…
New Citywide Health Survey Will Help Guide Cleveland’s Programs and Policies
It’s likely that Cleveland’s knowledge of its residents’ personal health is outdated. That’s the premise underlying this year’s Cleveland Health Survey, a city-wide questionnaire of all things medical spearheaded by doctors at Case Western Reserve University and officials in the Cleveland Department of Public Health. The survey, which has attracted 944 responses since it was…
‘Guitar Man,’ Cleveland’s Beloved Caped Crusader of Street Performing, Dead at the Age of 64
Guitar Man, Cleveland’s only real superhero, the man charged with saving the city one song at a time, died Dec. 14. He was 64 years old. He is survived by his sister, Donna. Known to many as Eli Fletcher and to few as Keith Thornhill, Guitar Man was a Cleveland icon. For years, he could…
After 66-Point Win Over NAIA Brescia, a Look at the CSU Basketball Roster So Far
Cleveland State beat NAIA Brescia University by a lot of points. 66-points. That’s the second-highest margin of victory in school history. There’s not very much to talk about game-wise. They scored 103 points. They hit 15 threes (a program record a few weeks after winning a game when they missed all their threes). They gave…
Michael Symon’s New Cookbook, Cooking Out, Available for Pre-Order
To the millions of fans who follow Michael Symon’s every move, March 25 can’t arrive soon enough. That’s when his newest cookbook, Symon’s Dinners Cooking Out: 100 Recipes That Redefine Outdoor Cooking, will be released in hardcover. This is the James Beard Award-winning chef’s ninth cookbook, and the eighth that Scene Dining Editor Douglas Trattner…
The Cleveland Orchestra’s Holiday Concerts Continue and the Rest of the Classical Music to Catch This Week
This week’s classical music picks begin on Wednesday with the annual Messiah Sing-along (12 noon at Trinity Cathedral with the audience as chorus), and later that day, with Music in the Galleries featuring guitarist Craig Slagh, violinists Jenny Cluggish and McKenna Glorioso, and violist Christopher Jenkins playing works by Jules Massenet, Erik Satie, Antoine L’Hoyer,…
Bill That Would Expand Fracking Leases on State Property is Going to Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine
A bill that would expand fracking leases in state public lands, parks, and wildlife areas from three years to five is going to Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine’s desk for his signature. Once he receives the bill, DeWine will have 10 days to sign the bill into law or veto it. State Reps. Dick Stein, R-Norwalk,…
As RTA Teases Plan for West 25th Street Bus Rapid Transit Line, a Debate About Design and Bike Lanes
Eleven years ago, RTA’s HealthLine, that seven-mile stretch of dedicated bus lane from Downtown to University Circle, reached what might be literally called peak service. Both on-the-ground and on a national level. Due to its boarding rates, added bike lanes and stop frequency, the Institute for Transportation & Development felt compelled to mark the bus…
Brite Winter Moving to East Bank of the Flats in 2025
The organizers of Brite Winter, the annual outdoor arts and music festival that takes place each February, have just announced a few changes are in store for 2025. For one, the event, which takes place on Saturday, Feb. 22, will move from the West Bank of the Flats to the East Bank. It’ll also expand…
The Witch Doctor, a Botanically Themed Bar, Set to Open This Spring in Old Brooklyn.
If all goes as planned, Matt Luebert and Charles Eby will open a new cocktail bar and lounge in the Old Brooklyn neighborhood this coming spring. Already, work has begun to convert the former Sticks & Stones Social Lounge into the Witch Doctor (3314 Broadview Rd.). Luebert, a member of the US Bartenders’ Guild and…
Jaja to Remain Closed Until Spring Due to Damage From Car Crash
Jaja, the Argentinian-inspired steakhouse in the INTRO building in Ohio City, has been closed since a car crashed into the building on the morning of October 31. Management has recently announced that it will be many months before it reopens for business. “Jaja will be closed until Spring 2025,” a message on the restaurant’s website says.…
Cleveland-Area Female Inmates Get Star Turn in Production of ‘A Christmas Carol’
Chances are you’ve seen a lot of shows about prison life, from Oz to The Shawshank Redemption. But you may never have seen A Christmas Carol, the classic story of redemption, performed by female prison inmates who are each seeking a redemption of their own. On December 16, the Cleveland-based Artists Rehabilitation Coalition (ARC) will…
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine Won’t Say Who He Is Considering to Fill Ohio U.S Sen. J.D. Vance’s Seat
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine remains tight-lipped about who is considering to fill the soon-to-be-vacant Ohio U.S. Senate seat. DeWine told reporters Thursday morning he doesn’t know yet who is going to pick to replace Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance when he becomes vice president. Vance will be inaugurated on Jan. 20 and has yet to announce…
Cars Have Crashed Into a Cleveland Heights Man’s Home For the Past Two Decades. A Fix May Finally Be Coming
Strangely enough, it wasn’t the first car that crashed into John Gall’s home on Fairmount Boulevard that radicalized him, but one that came later. In was a mid-November morning around 2 a.m., and Gall was asleep on his couch, the one that hugs up against his front window, close to wear Gall displayed the pottery he…
The Daze To Celebrate New Single’s Release with Upcoming Show at CODA
Growing up, the Daze singer-guitarist Eddie Grier says he mostly listened to classic rock since that was what his father liked. “He was a big ‘70s and ‘80s rock guy,” says Grier in a phone interview. The Daze headlines CODA on Friday, Dec. 20, and the concert will also feature locals Casket Splinter, Echoes on Water…
Irish Travel Host Lauds Cleveland in First Episode of ‘Ed Finn’s America’
Imagine Rick Steves as an Irish travel guide coming to the United States to guide Europeans through the best cities to visit and you’ll get something like Ed Finn, whose new travel show premiered in November and kicks off with an episode on Cleveland. Locals won’t be shocked at Finn’s itinerary — the Cleveland Museum…
Religious Release Time Bill Added to Parents’ Bill of Rights During Ohio Senate Education Committee
Ohio Senators have added a public school mandatory religious release time policy bill to a piece of legislation that would force educators to out a students’ sexuality to their parents. The amendment to require Ohio public school districts to put a policy in place to release students for religious instruction was added to House Bill…
The Cleveland Orchestra’s Holiday Concerts and the Rest of the Classical Music to Catch This Week
Except for a handful of events, this week’s classical picks are all about Christmas music. We’ll start with those. – Apollo’s Fire is reviving Jeanette Sorrell’s dramatic take on George Frideric Handel’s oratorio Messiah — originally written to be presented at Eastertime. Three of the four period instrument performances are sold out, but there may…
The Dugout, a New Seasonal Bar, to Open in East 4th Street’s New Pocket Park
As part of the future re-imagining of East 4th Street, the current valet station will next year be moved and replaced with a DORA-friendly pocket park alongside a new seasonal bar called The Dugout, from the folks behind Geraci’s Slice Shop, The Yard, Steak in Tremont and the upcoming Jolene’s honky tonk bar. East 4th…
Hollie Strano Sues WKYC, Says Company Fired Her for Sharing Sobriety Journey
According to a lawsuit filed this week in the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas, WKYC tried to restrict Hollie Strano from publicizing her struggles with alcoholism and ultimately fired her for doing so. In the years leading up to her DUI and car crash last Thanksgiving, Strano’s boss and news manager Micki Byrnes singled…
CSU Women’s Basketball Team “A Work in Progress,” But Things Are Looking Up in December
It would be hard to blame Chris Kielsmeier for experiencing a little bit of PTSD any time a Vikings player ends up on the floor, given what has transpired with Destiny Leo and Colbi Maples over the past two seasons. So early in Saturday’s game against IU Indianapolis, when starting guard Macey Fegan needed attention…
Livewire: Six Concerts to Catch This Weekend in Cleveland
THU 12/12 Angela Perley This singer-songwriter, who grew up in Hilliard, started writing songs when she was still in high school and initially put together an all-girl pop-punk band. Then, while attending college at Ohio University in Athens, she began to develop an alt-country bent. She brings her special holiday-themed show to the Beachland Tavern.…
Ohio Ratepayers Are Subsidizing Coal Plants. Report Says Owners Long Knew They Warmed the Globe
Duke Energy is among the companies enjoying massive subsidies from 2019’s corrupt-but-still-not-fully-repealed Ohio House Bill 6. And while ratepayers are propping up two aging, uncompetitive coal plants, a new report says Duke and its predecessor companies have known for 40 years that burning coal causes climate change. It said the companies then tried to misinform…
Council President Griffin Doubles Down on Fairness of Ward Redistricting Map Despite Spate of Criticism
City Council president Blaine Griffin spearheaded the first public release of an in-progress ward redistricting map Tuesday afternoon at City Hall. Hinting often at prior criticism, from inside and outside Council, that reached a pitch in recent Monday night meetings, Griffin told the press and public that he was confident the map released Tuesday was…
Cleveland State Vikings’ Trip to Wisconsin a Win-Lose Affair
Getting the Wisconsin away games out of the way in early December has to feel good for CSU. After losing a short-handed game to Milwaukee, CSU was able to bounce back and beat a Green Bay team missing the nation’s leading scorer. In all, it’s led to a .500 conference record to start. Away Game…
As Coventry PEACE Tenants Move Out, Some Are Finding Space While Others Are in Limbo
After she lost her lease at the Coventry PEACE Campus in Cleveland Heights earlier this year, Amy Rosenbluth of the nonprofit youth writing center Lake Erie Ink looked from east to west to find another venue. It wasn’t easy. Most of the spaces she found were either inaccessible (they had steps or didn’t have a…
Shinto Japanese Steakhouse Expanding to East Side With New Legacy Village Location
Sheng Long Yu opened Shinto Japanese Steakhouse in Strongsville 20 years ago. Since then, he has gone on to open a dozen more restaurants, including Kenko Sushi, Hell’s Fried Chicken, Lao Sze Chuan, YYTime, a second Shinto location in Westlake, and soon, Ohio’s first Kyuramen location at SouthPark Mall in Strongsville . Not one to…
Ohio Supreme Court Won’t Reconsider Boneless Chicken Wing Case
The Ohio Supreme Court has denied a request to reconsider their ruling earlier this year that boneless chicken wings can have bones. “It is the rare exception, rather than the rule, for this court to grant motions for reconsideration,” Justice Patrick Fischer wrote in the majority opinion denying the request. Fischer went on to say…
Summit Food Service LLC Approved for Cuyahoga County Jail Despite History of Complaints, Investigations
The new food vendor at the Cuyahoga County Jail has been accused of unsanitary conditions, rodent infestations and serving inadequate meals at jails from Pittsburgh to New Mexico. Summit Food Service LLC was unanimously approved for a three-year, $18 million contract on Nov. 19 by the Cuyahoga County Public Safety & Justice Affairs Committee. For…
Cleveland’s Window Dogs To Play Biggest Headlining Show to Date
Drawing influence from a wide range of influences, including acts like Nathaniel Rateliff, Manchester Orchestra, Led Zeppelin and Susto, the local indie rock act Window Dogs formed nearly a decade ago as two other local bands merged and started playing songs that singer-guitarist Sean Breeden had written. Window Dogs, who’ll release a new album later this month,…
Made Cleveland Vendors Say Owner Hasn’t Paid Them in Months
When Gina Wilkolak received an acceptance letter to sell her hand-painted earrings at Made Cleveland, a sense of relief and celebration came over her. A marketing manager by day, Wilkolak had been on a yearlong hunt for a brick and mortar storefront with an easy barrier to entry where she could sell her art. In…
Concert Review: Suki Waterhouse Plays Mesmerizing Show at The Agora
“How you doing Cleveland! You look so good!” Suki Waterhouse shouted to the jam-packed crowd at the Agora on Friday night as the British singer kicked off a mesmerizing show and left fans (many of whom were wearing Suki-inspired fur coats) wanting more. She walked onstage at 9:20 to a huge ovation, wearing a pink…
32-Bed Facility in Cuyahoga County Proposed for Youths Charged With Gun Crimes
Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court officials recently shared new details for a 32-bed lockdown treatment facility to house youths found guilty of gun-related felonies. When placing children outside their homes, juvenile judges have several options, including youth prisons, private residential treatment facilities and short-term youth care centers. County-run Community Corrections Facilities (CCF) are a step down…
Hemp Industry Workers Testify Against Bill That Would Ban Intoxicating Hemp Products
Workers in the hemp industry spoke out against a bill that would ban intoxicating hemp products in Ohio, effectively putting them out of business. These are known as delta-8 THC products that are often sold at smoke shops and corner stores. Those who spoke out against Senate Bill 326 during last week’s Senate Government Committee…
First Look: Fiamma, a Kosher Italian Restaurant, Opening at Eton Chagrin This Week
Mendel Segal will open his new Italian restaurant, Fiamma, next Thursday, Dec. 12, in the spot most recently home to Mabel’s BBQ space. This is the second Northeast Ohio restaurant for Segal, who also operates Mendel’s Kansas City BBQ (20314 Chagrin Blvd., 216-266-0035) in Shaker Heights. Like that restaurant, Fiamma will operate a kosher kitchen.…
Foundry Concert Club Moving to Old Brooklyn in 2025
The Foundry Concert Club has been a popular Westside concert venue (under a few different owners and by a few different names) for years and even played host to several Scene music-related events back in the day. Starting in February, the club will begin operating at a new location in Old Brooklyn. “After many years at…
This Week in Cleveland Food News: The 1980s Return to the Flats, a New Chagrin Falls Restaurant and More
– Corned beef sandwiches and smoke supplies? A new Ohio City shop has you covered on both fronts. Related – Get ready for a return to the 1980s (and 1990s) at Decades, which will open after Big Bang Piano Bar closes soon. Related – Playhouse Square gets another spot for a pre or post-show meal…
Jewish Groups, Ohio Attorney General Support Bill to Define Anti-Semitism
Religious groups and advocates across the state signaled their support for a bill that would cement a definition of anti-semitism into Ohio law. In a recent meeting of the Ohio Senate Judiciary Committee, state-level and national groups praised Senate Bill 297, a GOP-led bill that was introduced in June. S.B. 297 seeks to insert a…
The Friars’ Table Now Open in Playhouse Square District
Brandon Chrostowski — in partnership with Cleveland Capuchin Ministries – opens the doors of his latest restaurant tonight, this one in the heart of Playhouse Square. The chef, and founder of The EDWINS Restaurant & Leadership Institute, describes The Friars’ Table as a restaurant with a mission, one rooted in the values of “simplicity, dignity and…
Cleveland Police Drone Policy Takes Flight
Cleveland officials have been campaigning all year to get police drones in the air. On Nov. 20, the Cleveland Community Police Commission approved a final policy for the Cleveland Division of Police to use the technology. The commission sent the policy to the U.S. Department of Justice, which under a consent decree monitors policies, practices…
Judge Shoots Down Proposed Youth Homeless Drop-in Center in Ohio City
A judge decided this week that while Cleveland may get a drop-in center for homeless teens someday, it will not be now and it will not be on Franklin in Ohio City. Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas Judge Brian Mooney ruled on Monday that the Lutheran Metropolitan Ministries cannot go forward with plans to…
Livewire: 13 of the Best Concerts to Catch in Cleveland This December
THU 12/05 In This Moment The hard rock band fronted by Maria Brink formed in Los Angeles nearly 20 years ago and released its debut, Beautiful Tragedy, back in 2007. The current tour that brings it to the Agora supports the latest album, Godmode, a collection of heavy tunes that show off Brink’s intensity (she…
The Con Tu Variety Show Celebrates Cleveland’s Artistic Niches
Every Sunday at Dunlap’s Corner Bar, you can catch a laugh, good tunes and be moved by a poem all in one sitting. It’s a rare occasion that these different art forms get to share the same stage, but not at a Con Tu Show. Stephanie Ginese — a comedian and poet who published a…
