10 Cleveland Guys You’ve Probably Dated
Last month, Nerd Wallet ranked Cleveland one of the best cities in America for singles. Yay us! Time to celebrate! With whom, though? Um, well, go ahead and mime a high five to that invisible spouse of yours sitting next to you, because that’s all you’ve got. Yeah, now we’re sad. But maybe 77% of…
Flogging Molly plays celebratory show at House of Blues
Last month, Irish punks the Dropkick Murphys played a sold out show at House of Blues as they swung through town on their annual St. Patty’s Day tour. The rowdy crowd moshed and crowd-surfed for just about the entire set as the band delivered a potent dose of Irish punk rock. While Flogging Molly, who…
Kelly Blazek Agrees to Return Her “Communicator of the Year” Award
Controversial “business communicator” Kelly Blazek has agreed to return her oft-touted 2013 “Business Communicator of the Year” award to the Cleveland Chapter of The International Association of Business Communicators, a professional group for business communication. Here’s what the IABC has to say on its website: The IABC Cleveland Chapter board of directors and Kelly Blazek…
Eight Pounds of Marijuana Found in Amherst Car’s Spare Tire
courtesy photo After a used car arrived for a repair, Amherst mechanics at AutoNation heard a loud noise coming from the spare tire they’d just put on. So, Dennis Cavanaugh, the Lorain County drug task force commander, was called in to check it out. He opened up the tire, and what did he find? Eight…
Corrupt Former Bedford Judge Harry J. Jacob Indicted On Five More Counts Related To Prostitution Ring
The story of corrupt Bedford Municipal Court Judge Harry J. Jacob and the girls from the prostitution ring he was involved with graced the cover of Scene a few issues back (“The Brothel of Bedford: The Prostitution Bust and the Corrupt Officials Who Went Down with It,” Jan. 29 – Feb. 4 issue). Today, a…
Second Stage Theatre at PlayhouseSquare Changes Names to Outcalt Theatre
Facebook The formerly-named Second Stage in Playhouse Square’s Allen Theatre complex will now be known as the Outcalt Theatre. Jane and Jon Outcalt supported Playhouse Square for years, but their gift of $2.5 million finalized their legacy. The new name change recognizes their contributions, and, honestly, “Outcalt Theatre” kind of rolls off the tongue, doesn’t…
20 Photos of Snowy Ohio Amusement Parks
Have you ever wondered what your favorite Ohio amusement park looks like in the winter? With seemingly never-ending whompings of snow and arctic air, the ghost town parks turn into winter wonderlands seen up close by only a few lucky workers. So, while your mind may be set on the summery coasters and slides, know…
New Sweet Apple album due out in April
Sweet Apple, an indie rock band featuring locals John Petkovic and Tim Parnin, both of whom play together in Cobra Verde, will release its new album, The Golden Age of Glitter, on April 8. It follows the band’s acclaimed debut, 2010’s Love & Desperation. The group, which also features J Mascis (Dinosaur Jr., Heavy Blanket)…
Get to Know Sunny Ting, Chef and Co-Owner of Ty Fun
TY FUN (pronounced like “typhoon”) is the whimsical name adorning the quaint Thai restaurant in Tremont. Spend a minute with chef and co-owner Sunny Ting and you will understand how he masters the balance between playfulness and edible artistry. Born in Bangkok, Thailand, love lured Ting to Cleveland 23 years ago. Although an ocean now…
Drew Carey Joins Dancing with the Stars
Funnyman Drew Carey is about to bust a move (or two or three) on the new season of Dancing with the Stars, Good Morning America announced today. The Cleveland native will be one of 11 celebrity contestants this season, which kicks off on March 17. Professional dancer and two time Dancing with the Stars champ…
Ohio Man Hammers a Bullet into his Own Leg to Get Pain Meds
An Ohio man has been charged with falsification after he allegedly hammered a bullet into his own leg in an asinine attempt to get a hold of pain medications. According to the Marion Star, police responded to a call last week that a man had been shot outside of a MotoMart. Mysteriously, the shooting “victim,”…
Gary Clark Jr. brings old school blues approach to House of Blues
It would be easy to think that Texas guitar slinger Gary Clark Jr. is an overnight sensation. The past year, he’s seemingly played every big festival and even won a Grammy. In reality, the guy has earned his due. He released his first album a decade ago, but last year’s Blak and Blu was his…
Update: [VIDEO] Kent State Student Sends Love Song to Olympic Medal Winner
Update: The Kent State University student who sent a love song to Olympic medalist Nick Goepper as part of a belated Valentine’s Day contest has won a date with the athlete. The video submission of Tallmadge native Annie Rogers was selected from a pool of thousands of creative entries. “She had an amazing video,” Goepper…
GreenTube: Ohio Department of Natural Resources finds porn on its website
This is not the opening scene in a pornographic film. Though its provenance is as of yet unknown, a pornographic video called “Sexy Babe,” was discovered on the Ohio Department of Natural Resources website this weekend. The Columbus Dispatch reported that there’s a component of the ODNR site which deals with well data (you know,…
New Initiatives from Cleveland Independents Highlight Local Chefs by Region
Cleveland Independents, an organization of over 90 member restaurants, is introducing new efforts to attract diners to its wide array of locally-owned, quality restaurants. First up is a series of seven advertisements that will focus on various regions of Cleveland and the restaurants located within them. The first region to be featured is Cleveland Heights/…
It’s Colder in Cleveland Today than it is in Alaska
It’s colder in Cleveland today than it is in Alaska. Granted, we did pull weather data for Anchorage, one of the state’s warmer cities. But still, knowing that our friends to the northwest are basking in a balmy 23 degrees today doesn’t make those whipping Lake Erie winds any easier to endure. Brr. Now See: Here’s…
Lakewood Nonprofit “Because I Said I Would” Needs Your Help
The Lakewood nonprofit and social movement “Because I Said I Would,” which made headlines back in June when its founder walked 240 miles across the state of Ohio and again in October when the organization produced the viral YouTube confession video of drunken driver Matthew Cordle, needs your help. Group founder Alex Sheen recently posted…
Indians Sell Out Home Opener in 15 Minutes
The Cleveland Indians have announced that the home opener against the Minnesota Twins on April 4 has sold out. Though attendance has been the subject of heated local debate the past few years, home openers have never been a concern. This year marks the 22nd consecutive home opener sellout for the Tribe. Tickets were gone…
Buckeye Brewing to Join the Taproom Revolution
Within three months, fans of Buckeye Brewing beers like Hippie IPA and Ho Ho Ho Magic Dubbel will be able to enjoy a pint or two at the very source — well, very close to the source, at least. Brewer Garin Wright says that he is in the final stages of opening a taproom in…
Filmmaker Ken Burns coming to Kent State in April
Filmmaker Ken Burns’ multi-part documentary The Civil War is the highest-rated series in the history of American Public Television and each of Burns’ documentaries have put up huge numbers and won numerous awards. Burns is slated to speak at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 22 at Kent State University’s Presidential Speaker Series. The talk will…
Big Head Todd and the Monsters bring collaborative spirit to House of Blues
Big Head Todd and the Monsters called themselves Big Head Todd Blues Club for their 2011 album and during last night’s show at House of Blues, the band proved that it’s developed that banner into a fully living, breathing and functioning concept. It’s been nearly 21 years since frontman Todd Park Mohr and his Monsters…
20 Big Name Bands that Played at Cleveland’s Odeon Concert Club: An 8 Year Tribute
Eight years ago today (Feb. 28 2006), the Odeon closed up shop. Odeon Concert Club was once a famous Flats venue that stayed strong with its eclectic range of shows. However, once other nearby venues like House of Blues emerged, there was some stiff competition. The Odeon, and much of the once-vibrant flats, faded away.…
Learn to Brew Craft Beer with this Class at Tri-C
Wikimedia Commons Cuyahoga Community College just created what will probably be its most popular class. “Brewing Craft Beer” will teach craft brewing basics, like homebrewing, bottling, and beer-making science. Students will also visit local breweries like Nano Brew and Market Garden to pick up some tricks of the trade from town experts. Better yet, anyone…
Parma Ranked One of the Safest Suburbs in America
Wikipedia Despite the surrounding hustle and bustle, big city suburbs can be pretty pleasant. Picture well-kept parks, colorful parades, and kids playing in the front yard—all that good, sunny hometown stuff. Parma’s no exception, and it’s been recognized by Movoto Real Estate’s blog as the third safest suburb in America. The blog ranked Parma just…
New Artwork From ‘Calvin and Hobbes’ Creator Bill Watterson
Cartoonist Bill Watterson’s role in the upcoming documentary Stripped is an interesting and unexpected one. Even more delightful, though, is the artwork he’s released as the documentary’s poster. His style, of course, is immediately recognizable and warming. In 2003, former Scene staff writer James Renner penned a story about Watterson’s life post-syndication here in Chagrin…
House Speaker John Boehner Concedes the Obvious: His Last Name is Pronounced ‘Boner’
Boner During a press conference yesterday, Cincinnati-bred House Speaker John Boehner joked with a reporter that his last name is actually pronounced “Boner.” The absolutely hilarious mispronunciation of his last name has been sort of an ongoing joke among the Washington press corps and mostly everybody else. Because he acts like a walking, talking humanoid…
Hunting Valley is the 17th-richest “Neighborhood” in the United States
The Al Lerner Estate in Hunting Valley With a median household income of $507,214, Hunting Valley is America’s 17th-wealthiest community, based on data compiled from the 2010 census in The Higley 1000. Hunting Valley is located deeply southeast of downtown, fortified to the north, east and south by Gates Mills, Pepper Pike and Moreland Hills,…
Ohio Prankster Places For Sale Sign in Front of Traffic Camera
Photo via the Journal News After a New Miami, OH judge ruled portable city traffic cameras to be unconstitutional, one Ohio prankster thought he’d have a little fun at his city’s expense. A For Sale sign was taped onto the front of the camera with a listing price of $1 million – that’s the amount…
11 Things Your Cleveland Barista Hates About You
Photo via Wikimedia Commons 1. When you don’t actually like coffee. An extra pump of vanilla syrup, three Splendas, and room for cream? 2. When you pronounce pastry names in a weird French accent. We understand you studied abroad in Paris for a semester in undergrad, but this is Cleveland. You sound like a fool…
Documentary about metal band Lamb of God makes its local debut tonight in Solon
Rather than make a stereotypical rock movie about a band, director Don Argott (Art of the Steal) originally intended to make his new film, As the Palaces Burn, about the fans of the metal band Lamb of God. The movie makes its local debut tonight at 7 at Digiplex Solon Cinema 16 (and if you…
10 Things Going on in Cleveland this Weekend (February 28 — March 2)
Merry weekend, Cleveland! As always, there’s plenty of sweet stuff going on. The aquarium’s got a whiskey tasting event to get your weekend rolling. After that, it’ll be easy to stay suave with any combination of Cleveland’s classy events: British comedy, modern dance, or some really old art, just to name a few. On Sunday,…
MOCA to screen experimental film featuring the very first trans-Atlantic radio broadcast
Joshua Bonnetta Strange Lines and Distances, a film by Joshua Bonnetta that screens tonight at 8 at MOCA, features two screens of 16mm footage set side-by-side. One side consists of shots taken at Poldhu Cove in the United Kingdom and the other side is shots taken at Fever Hospital, St. John’s, Newfoundland. These two locations…
Here’s a Time-Lapse Video of the Great Lakes Freezing Over
If you missed our cover story last week about the U.S. Coast Guard’s ice breaking operations on the Great Lakes, or if you’ve been hibernating for the past few months, you might not know that this winter is one of the coldest on record. Burrrrrrrr. The Great Lakes — 1/5 of the world’s freshwater supply,…
UPDATE: Cleveland Could Host a Major Political Convention in 2016
Update: Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus announced this morning that Cleveland, along with two other Ohio cities, has moved on to the next stage of consideration to host the Republican National Convention in 2016. Congratulations to Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus, Denver, Dallas, Kansas City, Las Vegas & Phoenix for moving on to the next phase.…
[VIDEO] Rocky River Potholes Will Eat Your Car
We’ve gotten ourselves onto a pothole writing streak of sorts this week – why stop now? Enjoy this vine, uploaded to Reddit by user Jim Ridge, of the potholes in Rocky River that are large enough to eat your car.
Here’s How Much It’ll Cost to Get Into the Cleveland Premiere of Captain America: Winter Soldier
Hey, you. Yeah, the one who was all pumped Cleveland was going to host a premiere of Captain America: Winter Soldier, which was, of course, filmed in Cleveland. Here’s how much you’ll be slinging down to attend said premiere. Get the checkbook ready, as the five sponsor packages offered by the Greater Cleveland Film Commission…
Dish of the Day: Bento-Style Express Lunch @ Table 45
You’ve reached the halfway point in your work day and it’s time to grab some lunch. What’s on the menu? Maybe you unpack an ordinary sandwich from home or head to the building cafeteria for some uninspired fare. It’s fast and reliable, though not exactly a treat. Might we offer another suggestion? Table 45 (9801…
Venezuela’s Protest Leader is Kenyon College Alum
Leopoldo Lopez, the Venezuelan government protest leader currently jailed in a military prison near Caracas, graduated from Kenyon College in 1993. The Columbus Dispatch published a story last week about the Kenyon community’s response to Lopez’ activism in his native South America. “He’s a person of great integrity and courage so (he) is willing to…
Your Quality of Life this Week in Cleveland
This week: Forever Creepy Scholars claim various Van Gogh paintings at upcoming CMA exhibit are fakes. Still more credible than ousted director David Franklin’s leadership and hair. Six Waffle Tacos, Please Local Ukrainian and Venezuelan communities rally on behalf of protest movements abroad. Everyone you’ve ever known now rallying for Taco Bell’s new breakfast menu.…
Veteran Cleveland Police Sergeant Indicted for Theft
Sergeant Dean Graziolli, a 22-year veteran of the Cleveland Police Department, was indicted this week “for stealing from the public by claiming to be at work when he was not,” County Prosecutor Timothy McGinty announced on Monday. “Sgt. was using city patrol car, city gas and city time to leave his territory for personal us…
Long Live The Nash: How One Young Professional Plans to Save a Beloved Neighborhood Asset
“These are some of the first shots that people other than our longtime members will see of the place,” says Anthony Trzaska as I tweet out a few Instagram photos with my smartphone. We’re standing in the 95-year-old barroom of the Slovenian National Home in Slavic Village, one of eight such places scattered about the…
Metroparks Ramping up Lakefront Spending, Turning Edgewater into ‘Hub’
The Cleveland Metroparks has announced that it will spend an estimated $17.6 million over the next three years on improvements and enhancements at the six lakefront parks it acquired from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources last year. New projects costing upwards of $9 million could break ground in 2014. At Edgewater Park, beyond ongoing…
Making Good on Northeast Ohio’s Heroin Promises
While there’s plenty of negligence among Northeast Ohio leadership that we can point to and criticize, there are also a handful of items worth praising. Local stances on our ballooning heroin problems (abuse, trafficking, etc.) are significant in that regard. Also: With 2013 featuring a steady ramping-up of drug busts and public awareness, the problem…
Update: Kelly Blazek, Head of Cleveland Job Bank, Writes Scathing Emails to Local Job Seekers
Photo via Kelly Blazek, Twitter, Screen Grab Update: Kelly Blazek has penned a carefully crafted apology after her emails went viral (and after #blazek became the number one trending hashtag in Cleveland yesterday)- but is her apology, which only names one of her cyber bullying victims, enough? Drop your thoughts in the comment section below.…
Tee: Cleveland is for Weirdos
Instead of crying over the 10-day forecast, celebrate Cleveland and spring and weirdos with this t-shirt from Superior Clothing, because yeah, we’re Clevelanders, and we’re all fucking weirdos.
Communities Living in Cleveland’s Potholes Outraged at City’s Patching Plan
Interior rendering of pothole condo on Cleveland’s East Side The City of Cleveland, in a post on its “Straight from City Hall” blog yesterday, outlined a pothole repair plan / apology. The post said that the Division of Streets deploys six to eight crews per day to patch potholes throughout the city and claimed that…
Film Spotlight: LOCK-OUT/TAG-OUT
Three years ago, local filmmaker Keith Ten Eyck released the experimental horror film, A Barge and Its Wind, a dystopian movie about a government conspiracy involving a mysterious boat docked in Cleveland’s harbor. The film made its local premiere in 2010 at the Cedar Lee Theatre. While it was clearly a b-movie, it transcended the…
Savage Love: Anger Issues
Dear Dan, I’m 21 and still a virgin. I also have depression. I’m not bad-looking. I work out and generally keep people laughing. I got a lot of female attention in school, but I was hopeless and still am. I feel myself becoming increasingly violent, to the extent that I have tried to provoke a…
Blues Provider: The Daily News Inspired the Songs on Big Head Todd & the Monsters’ New Album
When you name your band something like Big Head Todd & the Monsters, you’re just asking to be strangers in a strange land for all of eternity. But in the ’90s, the alternative radio dial was thankfully a welcoming place for a band like Big Head Todd (and for other bands with similarly oddball names…
Your Complete Guide to Cleveland Concerts (February 27 – March 5)
THURS 02/27 Bad Boys Jam: 9 p.m. Brothers Lounge. Terence Blanchard Quintet: 8 p.m., $30. Nighttown. Vicki Chew/Lenny Gray Jazz Trio: 8 p.m. Barking Spider Tavern. Counter Intuits/Pleasure Leftists/The Insurance Salesmen: 9 p.m., $5. Happy Dog. Dead Ahead/Syrup: 9 p.m., $10. Beachland Ballroom. Chris Hatton (in the Wine Bar): 8 p.m. Brothers Lounge. Lydia Loveless/Hazard…
The Politely Evil Empire: How the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Became the Greatest (Bumbling) Enemy of America
Meet America’s Business Cheerleaders People tend to view chambers of commerce in the same colors as the Rotary Club or the Knights of Columbus: eager do-gooders lending a helpful hand in the name of economy and country. It’s a largely accurate assessment — at least on the local level. In Davenport, Iowa, it means hosting music…
An Eclectic Approach: Beachland Ballroom & Tavern Co-Owners Mark Leddy and Cindy Barber Talk about the Club’s Anniversary Weekend and Collinwood’s Renaissance
Prior to opening the Beachland Ballroom & Tavern in Collinwood some 14 years ago, current co-owner Mark Leddy worked with the environmental consumer group Ohio Citizen Action and then did freelance work on political campaigns. He also played organ with retro rockers Satan’s Satellites and booked garage and punk bands at Pat’s in the Flats. Co-owner…
What I’ve Learned Covering Cleveland’s Fancy Drinks: Our Departing Cocktail Writer Looks Back on a Booze-Filled Year and the Lessons it Taught Him
Bartending is a Young Person’s Game A bartender just starting out might make $3.98 an hour before tips, the minimum wage for a tipped employee in Ohio. If he or she is really good, the base pay will be more like $5 to $10 per hour. If these numbers seem low to you, guess what?…
Film Review of the Week: Stalingrad
Stalingrad is the first non-Amer-ican IMAX-3D film. It’s brought to you, a la winter Olympics, by the Soviets. And it is a war movie. And it is spectacular to behold. The film recounts a dramatic slice of the battle that bears the city’s name, one of WWII’s most significant in the European theater and one…
Band of the Week: Revolution Brass Band
Meet the Band: Jacob Wynne (trumpet), Kris “Skinnyk” Morron (trombone), Dan Wenninger (tenor saxophone), Steve Zombory (alto saxophone), David Kasper (baritone saxophone), Cutty (sousaphone, the root), Tim Lane (drums), Matt Hadaway (percussion) No Rehearsal Required: Formed in 2010 by trumpet player Jacob Wynne and the late John Kuegeler, the band didn’t even rehearse before its…
Chernobyl, Fukushima… Davis-Besse? Northwest Ohio Nuclear Plant Still Causing Problems With No End in Sight
The Davis-Besse nuclear power plant, near Toledo, is in the midst of $600-million infrastructure overhaul (financed by the plant’s operator, Akron’s FirstEnergy Corp.), which will include the replacement of two mammoth steam generators and will employ around 2,300 people in rural Ottawa County. According to one study, the upgrades will generate roughly $150 million for…
Regional Beat: The Approach and the Execution
Kings Among Runaways (self-released) facebook.com/theapproachandtheexecution This local hard rock band describes its music as “epic metal.” It’s a fitting description as its dense, progressive rock-based music recalls the metal of yesteryear (think a more accessible Iron Maiden or Megadeth), and the vocals are sung rather than screamed. Funded by a Kickstarter campaign, this sophomore effort…
Have Love, Will Travel: Garage Rock Innovators the Sonics Get their Long Overdue Rock Star Moment
Rob Lind is a rock star. He plays sax in the Sonics, the garage rock pioneers whose raw, aggressive sound arguably spawned the genre and, way less arguably, influenced generations of subsequent musicians that desired urgency and attitude from music. The band has two critically-acclaimed albums and will release another later this year. They’re big…
Waiting for the Bus: Top-Notch Acting Divines Fate at Beautiful Actors Summit
Materializing on the lovely stage at Actors Summit this month is Bus Stop by William Inge, a play about good people who have lost their way in more ways than one. A winter storm forces their bus to stop for a few hours at a diner along the route, leading to one of those moments…
True Grit: Lydia Loveless Balances her Punk and Country Impulses
Like any kid who grew up in the 90s, singer-songwriter Lydia Loveless was fed a steady diet of commercial radio and MTV. Since then, she’s blossomed into an alt-country sensation with the potential to achieve the popularity of someone like Neko Case. It’s a transformation that Loveless views with a certain fondness. “My influences were…
The 10 Best Apps for Cleveland Foodies
Ratatouille’s Remy said it best when he pronounced, “This much I know. If you are what you eat, then I only wanna eat the good stuff.” As any self-respecting gourmet will attest, food is one of life’s greatest pleasures – and not simply for the act of eating, either. There are so many ways to…
