Tri-C Jazzfest Lineup Set
Tri-C has just announced the lineup for its 32nd annual Tri-C JazzFest April 28-May 8. As usual, it runs the gamut from avant-garde to smooth jazz to barely jazz, from local artists to international stars, from big-ticket special events to free events around town. The festival has a sort of “soft opening” on Wednesday, April…
Nancy Smith To Stay Free While Lawyers Argue
Nancy Smith — the former Head Start bus driver tried and convicted of molesting a gaggle of Lorain kids under her care in the late 90s, a conviction later overturned in 2009, which in turn was rejected by the Ohio Supreme County last month — will not have to go back to jail for now.…
Craigslist Ad of the Day: Clown Seeks Woman Who Lit Her Hair On Fire
Once again, we’re throwing this out there to the world in the hope that maybe, somehow, this young intoxicated lass with a penchant for dancing and fire might too have feelings for the clown. It’s getting close to Valentine’s Day, magic happens. To the girl with her hair on fire, I was the guy in…
NFL Players Think Cleveland Browns Stadium Sucks
Not the stadium as a whole, just the field, which, for their purposes, is really the only thing that freaking matters. The NFL Players Association surveyed the guys in helmets and among natural playing surfaces, Cleveland Browns Stadium ranked 16th out of the 18 stadiums. It even fell lower in regard than the field in…
Man Instructs His Beagle to Attack Police
Your friendly and brave local police face any number of dangers on a daily basis. The constant threat of the unknown hangs over every traffic stop, investigation, arrest, or crime scene. Suspects could have guns, they could be violent, they could be on drugs, or they could have vicious dogs like pit bulls ready to…
Rock Hall’s List of Presenters Pretty Much What You’d Expect
Neil Diamond will share receding-hairline stories with Paul Simon next month The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame just announced the list of presenters who’ll be inducting the class of 2011 next month. And it looks a lot like you’d think it would look. So if you plan on heading to New York for the…
Terry Brooks Talks About Rape Accusations, Infidelity
Former Channel 5 sports anchor Terry Brooks and his wife sat down with 19 Action News to talk about the incident with a young woman that led to rape and kidnapping accusations — charges he was found not guilty of at trial — and how they dealt with Brooks’ admitted infidelity.
Eating Dog Food to Get Ohio’s Animal Cruelty Laws Changed
Ghandi fasted for political change. Animal activists are pounding dog food. That’s the logic behind a national movement aimed at prompting Ohio legislators to beef up animal-cruelty laws. Their gripe? Ohio is one of only four states where beating on Buster is not a felony. A statute known as “Nitro’s Law” sailed through the Ohio…
Concert Review: Robyn at House of Blues
“Robyn smash head!” If you were expecting Robyn to revisit the ’90s pop of her earlier career last night at House of Blues, you may have left slightly disappointed. But I doubt it. The Swedish singer-songwriter has been known to drop “Show Me Love” as an encore, but last night’s set was heavy on the…
Armored Charmers Not Too Tough
Armored Charmers have cool T-shirts, too. A recent snowy Friday (is there any other kind in Cleveland?) found me at the Pop Shop and (art)ificial gallery in Lakewood, interviewing the three artists behind the Armored Charmers exhibition going up on Saturday, February 12. The Get Out! column in the February 9 edition will have the…
Afternoon Brew: Dead Fish, Beating Cops, Apology for Attempted Robbery, and the Kelley Willams-Bolar Saga Laid Out
Good afternoon, Cleveland. Here’s some stuff to read you decide to go for happy hour. Seriously, where should we go for happy hour? Help us. — Cops come looking for you? Do you: C) Explain you’ll get home by yourself, then return to where they found you, break a car window, and resist arrest. (Lorain…
Former Zinc Bistro Chef Lands at Match Works Tavern
For nearly a decade, Tom Quick ran the popular Concord restaurant Epiq Bistro. He lasted less than six months as chef of Zinc Bistro (668 Euclid Ave., 216.583.9462, zinccleveland.com). “It wasn’t a good fit,” Quick says of his fall departure from the still-new Cleveland restaurant. It did not take long for the chef to land…
Smooth Sailing at South Pacific
I’m not a theater critic. But as Arts Editor, I do get around, and don’t mind sharing a few half-baked opinions. In that vein, allow me to say that Friday night’s performance of South Pacific at Playhouse Square’s Palace Theatre was an old-fashioned charmer. A production of the Lincoln Center Theater, the traveling troupe included…
Traffic Camera Tickets Down; Chester Avenue Tops Citations
Clevelanders are either 1) Driving slower in general because of traffic cameras in various areas of the city, or 2) Driving slower at the spots where they know traffic cameras are located. One of the two is definitely true — we’re going with the latter for obvious reasons — because violations fell for the third…
Chris Carter, Ohio State Recruit, Accused of Molesting Girls at JFK (Updated)
Update II: After an investigation, the prosecutor’s office now says that Carter will not be charged. (Columbus Dispatch) Update: Carter’s lawyer now says the detective in the investigation told him that Carter will not be charged. The city, however, says the investigation is still ongoing and no decisions have been made. The 18-year-old has been…
Hot Sauce Williams Making Marijuana BBQ Sauce
Hot Sauce Williams is a renowned Cleveland dining institution for its ribs, polish boys, the little purple and pink restaurant on Carnegie, and its BBQ sauce. Now Hot Sauce Williams is branching out, to Colorado, to make Pot Sauce Williams, a marijuana-laced BBQ sauce. Yummers. Colorado, of course, has legalized medical marijuana, and like the…
Clinic Charity Policy Changed — Again
Back in December, Cleveland Clinic revealed that beginning January 1, it would implement a plan to reduce charity care costs by limiting its program to those who live within 150 miles of the city. The move drew considerable attention and no shortage of scorn from critics. Now the Clinic’s policy has changed again.
Russell Township Selling Beer for First Time Since Prohibition
Congratulations, residents of Russell Township, you can now buy beer in your humble little locale. Welcome to America. Prohibition washed away legal liquor sales in 1920, and until this week, Russell Township stayed that way — dry. Bone dry. Why? Who knows. Communities were allowed to decide for themselves whether to sell libations after Prohibition’s…
Morning Brew: Hot Oil in the Face, BW Sells Art, Time Warner Outages During Super Bowl, and Police Explain Idling Laws
Good morning, Cleveland. Here’s some stuff to read while you sing the National Anthem, just to prove you know the words. — How great is Time Warner cable? Customers in the Brunswick area missed some of the Super Bowl yesterday because Time Warner had some technical issues. (WOIO) — It’s against the law to leave…
Concert Review: Legends of Hip-Hop at the Wolstein Center
Salt-N-Pepa, back when they mattered Despite the title, the Legends of Hip-Hop tour (which kicked off in Cleveland at the Wolstein Center on Friday) was anything but. What was billed as a multi-artist spectacular headlined by the first divas of hip-hop, Salt-N-Pepa, the concert actually was little more than a bad nostalgic act that came…
Teacher Accused of Having Sex With Student Gets Two Years in Prison
Kristen Ross was sentenced to two years in jail today for having sexytime with a 14-year-old student. Ross, who at the time was a Cleveland Municipal School District teacher at Riverside School, accepted a plea deal for felonious assault even though she remains steadfast in denying any sexual relationship with the boy. Prosecutors tend to…
Martin Juredine, Barking Spider Founder, Dead at 66
Martin Juredine, known for creating one of Cleveland’s most distinctive and welcoming music spaces, died of cancer Tuesday, February 1 at the age of 66. He and his partner, Bruce Madorsky, acquired the old coach house off Juniper Road on the Case Western Reserve campus in 1986. There, Juredine fashioned the Barking Spider, a space…
Quicken Loans Being Sued By Former Employees Alleging Predatory Lending Practices
Dan Gilbert maintains a pretty squeaky image. Good man, cares about the city, has built his millions from scratch, and his companies are places that are regularly ranked as super-duper great places to work. Quicken Loans, in particular, is touted not only as a good company for employees, but a good company for America. Of…
Cleveland Makes List of Visionary Cities
Yahoo delivered some sweet vindication for Cleveland this morning when they included our fine home in a list of the top ten most visionary cities in the world. The world! Finally, someone sees that we’re a forward-thinking, innovative city, not one stuck in the closed-steel-mill morass of yesteryear. Cleveland, No. 4 on the rankings, takes…
Concert Review: Jarrod Gorbel at the Grog Shop
It wasn’t sold out, but Jarrod Gorbel’s show last night was worthy of such. Exposed on the stage with just an acoustic guitar, Jarrod Gorbel was the show. Rich vocals from his trademark hollow, careless voice was really all that was needed. Breaking through a series of guitar and sound issues, Gorbel told candid jokes…
Video: Stephen Colbert on John Kasich and His All-White Cabinet
Stephen Colbert did what he does best last night, celebrating John Kasich, a “hero of black history month.” Enjoy. The Colbert Report Mon – Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c <td style='padding:2px 1px 0px 5px;' colspan='2'Affirmative Reaction www.colbertnation.com Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor & Satire Blog Video Archive
Ted Williams to Auction Sign, Jacket
Like a faded reality star who leaks a sex tape, or like has-been baseball star signing autographs at a home and garden expo, Ted Williams is holding onto anything and everything that will keep him in the spotlight. The Columbus Dispatch reported earlier this week that job offers have been trailing off for the homeless…
Teens Sniffing Tuna and a Man Tells Cops He Has Good Taste in Pot
Teens sniffing tuna and a man telling cops he only buys “the best” pot? Yeah, it has to be police blotter day over at Cleveland.com. These two were our favorites. From Lakewood: SUSPICION, DETROIT AVENUE: A woman called police at 3:18 p.m. Jan. 26 and said a group of juveniles were sniffing something out of…
Mystery of Mint Café Solved
The mystery of Mint Café has been solved. Around the first of the year, owner Matt Kanegkasikorn shut the doors of his popular Coventry Road Thai restaurant. He told this reporter that he was still debating whether or not to reopen it. His other restaurant, Peppermint Thai, was keeping him extremely busy. On January 19,…
Medina Students Will Take Their Dry Humping Elsewhere
School dances in Medina have come under the microscope in recent weeks for a few reasons. First, it was because the district announced there would be a breathalyzer test for kids to get into the dance, a measure instituted in good faith to ensure revelers didn’t show up on the sauce. But that’s not what…
Details on the Higbee Casino Location
Lots of new information came to light this morning as Dan Gilbert and the rest of the crew responsible for Dan Gilbert’s personal money printing press Cleveland’s casino discussed the Higbee building, naming, and more. Here’s what you need to know. — That picture to the right, that’s what it will look like. — It…
Jimmy Hoffa Talks About Prison Sex On ‘The Morning Exchange’
NewsNet5 posted yet another gem from their video archive today: a clip of Jimmy Hoffa on The Morning Exchange sometime circa the early 1970s. He talks about prison sex and other stuff.
LeBron James Opts Out of Fathead
Dan Gilbert and LeBron James have engaged in a not-so-veiled war of petty snipes since No. 23 ditched the Cavs. Each have taken swipes at the other over Twitter and through the media, but usually in a manner which allows them to claim that everyone just misunderstood what they meant. Gilbert has been the most…
Cleveland No Longer Forbes’ Most Miserable City
One year ago Forbes proclaimed Cleveland the most miserable city in the history of miserable cities. We did not take kindly to the honor. Forbes has just released their updated rankings, and — guess what? — Cleveland is no longer holding down the top spot. (We’ll take full credit for the change in ranking. Forbes…
Cops Do Not Like to Be Called For Arguments Over Ho Hos
By far our favorite police blotter item of the day, courtesy of the Medina Sun: HO HO BROUHAHA, BRANDYWINE: A 37-year-old male and his 30-year-old niece, who lived with their mother and grandmother, respectively, began arguing over a box of Ho Hos on Jan. 25. The homeowner became annoyed with the two adults and called…
Video: The Daily Show Tackles the Akron Aeros’ Meat Orgy
Ladies and gentleman: Lewis Black talking about meat, including the Akron Aeros’ various assortment of meat-on-meat dining options at Canal Park this year. The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c <td style='padding:2px 1px 0px 5px;' colspan='2'Back in Black – Meat Edition www.thedailyshow.com Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor & Satire…
Man Robs Store, Goes to Bar Down the Street
Criminals of Ohio: Perhaps we need to revisit the whole “getaway” portion of thieving. It’s an essential step if you wish to be successful in your dastardly endeavors. Planning, efficient execution, confidence — those are all important factors in a successful robbery or heist, but unless you get away cleanly, it’s all for naught, isn’t…
Assault By Stethoscope
The last thing you should be worried about during a hospital stay is being assaulted by a fellow patient. You’re sick, you’re ill, you’re stressed about treatment — there’s enough going on in your head without thinking that some lady in a hospital gown is going to come after you with a stethoscope, and not…
New Emerging Chefs Dinner Announced
It didn’t take long for the third Emerging Chefs dinner to sell out. That event, held on January 26 in the backroom of Velvet Tango Room, featured chef Matthew Mytro and a delicious menu of aphrodisiacal dishes. Two days ago, the fourth installment of the series, which has the stated goal of “generating buzz around…
How Kinky Is Ohio?
This fantastic little map was created by artist R. Luke DuBois and shows just how kinky men and women around the country are. (His methodology can be found at this Jezebel link.) Female levels are depicted in shades of pink/red; male levels in shades of blue. If a particular geographic location is shaded dark black,…
Fight at High School Over N-Word Caught on Tape
18-year-old Christopher Sibley has been charged with assault and suspended for school after a fellow student caught him giving a beatdown to a 17-year-old junior in the halls of Copley High School. It all started when the junior admitted to using the n-word in reference to Sibley. He didn’t take too kindly to the vulgar…
Police Confiscate 57 Guns From Priest (Updated)
“Father, I didn’t sin that much!” Update: Make that 80 guns, not 57. And add in 874 boxes of ammunition. The priest, now identified as Abbot John Henry, went to the hospital voluntarily and police continue their investigation, which may include other properties owned by Henry. (WKYC) *** A priest at St. Herman’s, an Orthodox…
Could Ohio State Beat the Cavs?
The Cleveland Cavaliers are epically, historically, and maddeningly bad this season. The team’s 8-40 record doesn’t even do proper justice to the brand of unwatchable, inept basketball they have trotted out since the departure of LeBron James. Ohio State, on the other hand, is undefeated and ranked No. 1 in the country. It’s logical and…
Notorious Tree-Cutting Bandits Finally Nabbed
Summit County has been dealing with the worst kind of environmental mischief for the past year: some derelicts have been chopping down trees. Holy balls, kids, call Batman, or Captain Planet, or Santa Claus, or something. The ABJ reports that three teens have finally been snared after the ne’er-do-wells spent the better part of 2010…
John Kasich Hired a Black Person
John Kasich has faced a media and popular backlash early in his administration because he had filled his cabinet looked like a meeting of the Massachusetts Young Republicans club. It wasn’t just white, it was lily snow white. With the director of minority affairs position, however, Kasich finally tabbed … you guessed it… a minority,…
Video: Buckeye Chuck Predicts an Early Spring
Screw that dude from Punxsutawney. If we’re going to give credence to animals’ meteorological forecasts, we’re going to put our eggs in the basket of animals from Ohio. Take it away, Buckeye Chuck.
Morning Brew: Ricin Indictment, RTA Evacuation, Suing the Amish, and Ice Causes Problems
Making ricin just to see if he’d die like everyone else. Good morning, Cleveland. Here’s some stuff to read while you praise that little bastard groundhog today. — RTA commuters say they smelled something burning just before a Green Line train filled with smoke, forcing them to evacuate and trek it a couple hundred yards…
On Stage This Week
The Trip to Bountiful Play House director Timothy Douglas brings a new twist to Horton Foote’s touching meditation on the notion of home and its power to sustain us: an African American cast starring veteran Broadway actress Lizan Mitchell in the lead role of Carrie Watts. The Watts character is a juicy one, first tackled…
Local Band in Focus
Post Vinyl Meet the Band: Reverend Joe Galaska (vocals), Adam Maki (vocals), Andy Fernandez (guitar), Nick Mercurio (bass, piano), and Andrew Treska (percussion) A Slice of History: Post Vinyl’s roots are in the various Cleveland-based musical experiments of Mercurio and Treska. Galaska came on board as the wordsmith in 2008; Fernandez added his guitar shortly…
On View This Week
Shooting Stars Urban Mosaic honors a music photographer’s greatest hitsNew York photographer Ronnie Wright has been capturing the stars of hip-hop, R&B, funk, and jazz for the past 30 years. In the process, he managed something that few paparazzi ever achieve: He became a friend to the stars in front of his lens. Those relationships…
Home Movies
Let Me In (Anchor Bay) This underrated thriller by Matt Reeves (who also made the underrated Cloverfield) is a remake of the best vampire movie of all time, the 2008 Swedish film Let the Right One In. And it’s almost as good. More of a coming-of-age story than a monster movie, Let Me In tells…
At the Arthouse
The Sky Is Yours</p. This rarely screened French movie from 1944 follows a boring married couple who kick things up when they take an interest in flying. But that’s not why you should go to this event. Cinematheque director John Ewing was recently named a knight in the Order of Arts of Letters of the…
Stay In
TOP PICK — VIDEO GAME Mass Effect 2 (BioWare) One of last year’s best games finally comes to the PlayStation 3, and it’s lost none of its intensity. The deep storytelling is still here, and so are the great action set pieces. This sci-fi RPG pretty much redefines how these types of games think and…
Bites: Alaturka in Ohio City
Ohio City’s newest ethnic eatery, Alaturka, opened last week at 1917 West 25th St. Operated by Yashar Yildirim, who introduced Cleveland Heights to Turkish cuisine at Anatolia Café, the spot offers the popular lineup of Mediterranean-style soups, spreads, salads, and grilled meats. Red lentil soup and shepherd’s salad share menu space with creamy dips like…
Concert Calendar
Adema Adema have been kicking around for more than a decade now. But things haven’t been easy for the Korn-y California rockers. Their self-titled debut album was a minor hit back in 2001, spawning a pair of rock-radio favorites in “Giving In” and “The Way You Like It.” But by 2004, singer Mark Chavez and…
From Bust to Boom
This is the most glamorous hobby you can have,” says the young woman who calls herself Shy Kamikaze. She certainly looks the part, from her sequin-encrusted ballroom dance shoes to her flouncy black skirt and lace-up corset, with a fringe-and-rhinestone-adorned bra pouring over the top. Even her bright red lipstick is slathered with glitter. Shy’s…
Get Out!
Thursday | 03 Illusionist Joshua Seth: Freakout Alert! Like TV characters Patrick Jane in The Mentalist and Cal Lightman in Lie to Me, Joshua Seth has forged a career combining principles of cognitive science with a finely honed intuition. In Seth’s case, he calls it “psychological illusion.” And while he admits it’s a skill, not…
Swede Emotion
Robyn insists she isn’t a tease. She released three records last year: two EPs with eight songs each and a 15-track album that included five songs from each of the EPs, plus five new ones. The first record, Body Talk Pt. 1, came out in June. The second, Body Talk Pt. 2, followed in September.…
The Ugly Truth
When Alejandro González Iñárritu decided to follow his 2006 hit Babel with Biutiful, his first Spanish-language film since the breakthrough Amores Perros a decade ago, he knew exactly what he was getting into. According to the Mexican director, some U.S. theaters weren’t so sure. “The language can already be an obstacle, especially among cultures that…
Wheels of Fortune
The local blogosphere’s been buzzing lately with opinions on what it takes to be a true Clevelander. Whether it’s braving the lunch line at Sokolowski’s or taking in a concert at Severance Hall, we all seem to have our standards. Here’s one more to add to the list: Experiencing weekend dim sum in Asiatown. If…
Film Capsules
Another Year (PG-13) — A year in the life of a happily married couple. Biutiful (R) — Alejandro González Iñárritu’s latest, starring Javier Bardem as a father and petty crook who takes stock of his life after he’s diagnosed with cancer. Blue Valentine(NC-17) — This portrait of a relationship’s beginning and end has a gift…
Dim Sum How To
A weekend dim sum break is a fine way to mark the Chinese New Year. Here are some tips to make it easy: Do your homework: It doesn’t hurt to hop on the web to learn about the more popular offerings at your destination. That way, when they roll around, you’ll have a better idea…
We Get Mail
Borrowed Furniture To bolster their credibility, MMPI grabs a few furniture tenants from their other marts to make their Cleveland medical mart look good [“Welcome to Furniture Mart!” January 19, 2011]? Oh, are we in trouble right here in River City. Kenrmr The Cost of Fine Dining I just looked at the menu, and I…
CD Review: Solipsist
(myspace.com/solipsistohio) The Human Equation starts with the sound of acoustic guitars. But the tenderness doesn’t last long: Harsh vocals and deafening guitars soon bust into the album’s opening song, “Heaven’s Assault.” Good luck figuring out the lyrics on Solipsist’s debut full-length. Frontman Noah Buchanan roars more than he sings, sounding like a wounded demon as…
Club Night
Reaction to the B-Side Liquor Lounge’s Mug Night is always the same: “When I heard mugs, I thought coffee cups. Not this. This is a fucking stein.” Every Wednesday night, $3 nabs you a wrist-straining mug of Pabst Blue Ribbon. You get to keep the mug and refill it for a mere buck. The deal…
Jailhouse Blues
Gerald Strothers’ bad week kicked off when the SWAT team clipped the dog. It was early evening in November, and Strothers was already in bed after riding out a long day at the Internal Revenue Service office downtown, where he translates tax code Chinese into plain English for regular folks. He wanted peace and quiet,…
Cold Comfort
At first, Winters Warm singer and guitarist Joe Yezbak was a drummer. “When everybody at school went to recess, I went to drum lessons,” he recalls. But once his uncle showed him a few chords on a guitar, he was hooked. “I never put it down,” he says. “The first stuff I started listening to…
