Feb 28 – Mar 6, 2018

Feb 28 - Mar 6, 2018 / Vol. 48 / No. 35

Ohio BMV to Stop Issuing Same-Day Licenses Starting Today

Update: Joining 41 states, Ohio has officially made the move to send driver’s licenses and other forms of ID through through the mail, rather than offering convenient same-day service. The change, which starts today, is said to bring greater protections against counterfeiting and limit identity theft, according to state officials.  You can now expect your…

Update: Punch Drunk Tagalongs Premiere New Music Video

Update: As a way of generating some interest in its forthcoming studio album, Hazy, Punch Drunk Tagalongs have just released a new music video for the track, “Bodies in Heaps.” Shot locally at St. John’s Episcopal Church, the trippy video alternates between dimly lit shots of the band performing live and a home invasion that…

Maxine Waters to Keynote Cleveland Gun Violence Forum April 21

California Congresswoman Maxine Waters will reportedly be the keynote speaker at a community forum on gun violence April 21. The event, organized by former councilman and mayoral candidate Zack Reed, will be the fourth such forum in five years. On council, Reed had been one of the most vocal representatives calling for solutions and resources…

A Greater Impact: On Cleveland.com and Noble Failure

Seldom have we witnessed Cleveland.com Editor Chris Quinn reach the rhetorical peaks to which he free-soloed Sunday, in a pugnacious column announcing the addition of gun violence to the digital news outlet’s Impact Agenda. “Today, we say that for every person shot to death in Cleveland these last 8 years, those legislators and justices have…

Republic Steel Oil Spill Reported in Lorain County’s Black River

The U.S. Coast Guard reports that they are responding to a spill of mixed petroleum products in Lorain, Ohio. In an official press release, the Coast Guard said it was notified of an “oil sheen” caused by the spillage shortly after 10 a.m. The spill was estimated at 20 gallons and was said to consist…

Pregnant Women in Ohio More Likely to Smoke than in Other States

Despite the known birth defect risks, some pregnant woman in Ohio still smoke. The National Center for Health Statistics released a report last week showing that 14.4 percent of women pregnant in the Buckeye State smoked tobacco, a rate higher than most other states. The study, which represented births in 2016, found that nationally about…

Kevin Love Opens Up About His Panic Attacks, Mental Health

Kevin Love is a NBA champion. He also models for clothing company Banana Republic and makes millions to play basketball. But in a recent article for The Players’ Tribune, the Cavs star revealed the mental health problems he’s secretly been dealing with. Last November, in a game against the Atlanta Hawks, Love experienced a panic…

National Anthem Auditions for Akron RubberDucks Games Open to All

The United States of America’s national anthem is no joke to sing, just ask Fergie. Still, despite its ridiculous amount of low and high notes, the tune must be sung prior to most every sporting event in the country, including at Akron RubberDucks games. Next Saturday, anyone bold enough to share their voice with a…

Henry James’ ‘The Turn of the Screw’ as an Opera and the Rest of the Classical Music to Catch in Cleveland This Week

Cleveland Institute of Music faculty and students will come together on Wednesday, March 7 at 8:00 pm in a concert that features CIM’s new cello ensemble Locacelli in the first performance of William Cayanan’s The Madrigalist. The composer plays in the ensemble, along with Wei-An Hung, Cheuk Yan Vincent Leung, Paul Maxwell, Sarah Miller, Chad…

Breakfast Programs Fueling the School Day in Ohio

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The most important meal of the day is being celebrated at schools across the Buckeye State during this National School Breakfast Week. Each day, more than 440,000 Ohio students get a healthy, nutritious meal before they start their day through the federal School Breakfast Program. Diane Pratt-Heavner, the director of media relations…

Cleveland Police Sergeant Arrested for Soliciting a Prostitute

Cleveland police Sergeant Robert Strollo was arrested around 1 p.m. on March 5 for soliciting a prostitute, according to the department. The 47-year-old, who’s been with the department for almost 20 years, was then booked into city jail. He faces a first-degree misdemeanor solicitation charge. Fox 8 reports Strollo is currently out with an extended…

CSU Vikings Advance to Horizon League Finals in Cinderella Run

The Cleveland State University Vikings men’s basketball team defeated the Oakland University Golden Grizzlies 44-43 in the semifinals of the Horizon League Conference tournament Monday night. An #8 seed in the tourney, CSU will face off against #2 Wright State in the Finals Tuesday. Locking horns with Oakland’s potent offense and the nation’s second-leading scorer…

New Concealed Carry Licenses Down in Cuyahoga County, Across State in 2017

The number of concealed carry licenses issued in Ohio in 2017 is down from the previous year, a newly-released report from the Ohio Attorney General’s Office reveals. According to the report, Ohio county sheriffs issued 77,281 concealed carry licenses in 2017 compared to the 117,953 licenses issued in 2016. These new stats come at a…

Avenged Sevenfold’s the End of the World Tour Coming to Blossom

In the ’00s, the hard rock act Avenged Sevenfold became one of the world’s biggest rock bands by creating a sound that “broke through obstacles of language, distance and culture.” The writings of Carl Sagan and Elon Musk inspired their most recent release, The Stage, a concept album about artificial intelligence. Dubbed the End of…

CSU Vikings Advance to Semis in Horizon League Tourney

The Cleveland State University Vikings upset No. 1 seed Northern Kentucky in the Horizon League conference tournament Saturday night. The Vikes will take on Oakland in a semifinal matchup at 7 p.m. tonight. If victorious, they’ll play the winner of Milwaukee (#6) and Wright State (#2) for the Championship. Winning the Conference Tournament means an…

New Mural Coming to Cleveland’s Iconic Water Tower This Summer

Cleveland Water’s iconic Garrett Morgan surge tank is officially getting an update. Friday, the Cleveland City Planning Commission approved the watery-blue mural design of Spanish artist Sam3, which was commissioned with the help of LAND Studio. Painting for the new public artwork is set to begin this summer, but an exact timeline has yet to…

Kenny Chesney to Perform at Blossom in June

When country megastar Kenny Chesney performed in front of a capacity crowd at Blossom two years ago, he had fans raising their hands in the air like they just didn’t care, drinking and dancing. At the end of “American Kids,” he even let the audience finish the song alone, and patrons rapped the refrain just…

Chocolate Fest Takes Place Today at Lago

The local events company Taste CLE has organized today’s Chocolate Fest, which comes around today from 4 to 7 p.m. at Lago. The $40 ticket includes chocolate samples from both family-owned businesses and bigger chocolate companies. A $70 ticket includes pours of port and dessert wines. It’s a family friendly event; kids under the age…

Student-Organized March For Our Lives Cleveland Focuses On School Safety

On March 24, the March For Our Lives rally kicks off in cities around the country, with a Cleveland satellite march taking place at Public Square. Conceived as a response to incidences of gun violence around the country, specifically the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida, the marches have been primarily…

Cedar Point Jacks Up Gate Ticket Price to $72 for Adults

When Cedar Point opens for its new season May 5, the cost of admission will be $5 more than last year. The new walk-up price of $72 per adult ticket is still less than entry to places like Disneyland and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, but a family of four could now need to…

New Honeybucket Song Signals a Musical Departure for the Local Band

Given their musically eclectic backgrounds, the guys in the local band Honeybucket prefer to think of their music as “new grass” rather than traditional bluegrass. “All three of us have more of a pop rock background,” singer-guitarist Adam Reifsnyder once told us. “I think we write these more poppy bluegrass traditional rock songs and put this spin…

First Northeast Ohio Culver’s to Bring ButterBurgers to Avon

Culver’s is setting up shop in Northeast Ohio for the first time, bringing along its signature lineup of ButterBurgers and frozen custard treats. The Wisconsin-based fast food joint is slated to open in Avon sometime this spring. With more than 600 locations across the country, including a handful of restaurants near Columbus and eastward, the…

Visible Voice Books to Begin Featuring Live Music on Sundays

Beginning on March 11, Visible Voice Books in Tremont will launch a new program dubbed Sunday Beat. If you purchase a New York Times at the store, you’ll receive a free cup of coffee or tea and a Jim Alesci’s Place pastry. Live bands will perform in the afternoon from 1:30 to 3:30. “We’re launching…

Let Us Reiterate: No One Will Ever Touch LeBron in this Statistical Category

Exactly one year ago today, we wrote that of all LeBron James’ stratospheric statistical achievements — among other things, he is now the only player ever to have accumulated 30,000 points, 8,000 rebounds and 8,000 assists — his “Player of the Month” achievements might be his most unassailable. Perhaps more than any other category, this…

Annual Flying Horse Farms Benefit to Take Place at Tenk at West Bank

Part of the SeriousFun Children’s Network (SFCN), Flying Horse Farms provides “magical, transformative camp experiences” for children with serious illnesses. Located on 200 acres just outside Mt. Gilead, the camp regularly hosts hundreds of children with serious illnesses free of charge. Founded in 1988 by actor, philanthropist and Ohio native Paul Newman, SFCN is a…

Northeast Ohio Natives Jamie Babbit and David Wain to Speak at Tonight’s Behind the Camera Fundraiser

Northeast Ohio natives Jamie Babbit and David Wain will be on hand tonight for the Greater Cleveland Film Commission’s “Behind the Camera” fundraiser. Film Commission president Ivan Schwarz will lead the discussion as Babbit and Wain talk about their careers. Babbit has directed several features and produced and directed multiple award-winning television shows; her credits…

Lineup Announced for the Final Warped Tour

Earlier today, organizers for the Warped Tour, which includes a July 18 stop at Blossom, announced the lineup for the summer punk rock festival’s final tour. Organizer Kevin Lyman has said this will be the last full-scale tour. This year’s fest will feature veteran punk and indie acts such as Reel Big Fish, Simple Plan,…

5 Cool Spots to Watch the 2018 Oscars in Cleveland

The Oscars are back this Sunday. And whether you’re confident Get Out is going to win best picture, or are pulling for Meryl Streep to win another best actress statue for her performance in The Post, you obviously don’t want to miss a second of the action. These five Cleveland area bars bring the Hollywood party…

You Can Now Vote for Best Of Cleveland 2018 Right Here

It’s time for you to tell us about 2018’s best people, places and things in our annual Best of Cleveland Readers Poll. This year, a bit of a twist as we seek to settle once and for all which side reigns supreme, east or west. So along with all the citywide categories you’ll be able…

Calls for Bans on Assault Weapons Intensify in Ohio

COLUMBUS, Ohio – In the wake of the Florida school shooting, the controversy over banning assault weapons is reaching new heights both nationally and here in Ohio. This week, the Akron City Council passed a resolution asking state legislators to prohibit the sale of assault weapons. Founder of the Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence Toby…

Cleveland Restaurant Week Returns Monday

Cleveland Restaurant Week is back in action Monday. Like last year, more than 40 locally-owned restaurants are scheduled to participate in the Cleveland Independents-organized event, which runs through Friday, March 16. Once again participating Northeast Ohio restaurants are offering that can’t-pass-up deal: three-course prix fixe menus for $33, plus tax and tip, of course. Meaning…

Comedian Steve Rannazzisi to Perform at Hilarities

An American actor and comedian who got some good exposure through the FXX hit sit-com The League, broad-jawed Steve Rannazzisi likes to draw from personal experience for his routines. In one bit, he talks about how his son took a massive dump on the living room floor just to ward off a babysitter. Given the…

8 Concerts to Catch in Cleveland This Weekend

FRIDAY, MARCH 2 The Fleshtones/The Rumbling Spires Formed in New York at the end of the ’70s, the Fleshtones took their inspiration from bands such as the Seeds and Standells rather than their CBGB contemporaries such as Television, Talking Heads and the Ramones. The veteran group’s most recent album, 2016’s The Band Drinks for Free,…

Serial Killer Anthony Sowell Doc to Screen at Cinematheque March 18

The Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque will screen the Anthony Sowell documentary Unseen, by local filmmaker Laura Paglin, on March 18.   It’ll be the first local screening of the film since it debuted in 2016 at the Cleveland International Film Festival. Paglin, who interviewed some of Sowell’s surviving victims for the film and managed to obtain…

Indie Film Showcase Coming to Forest City Brewery on March 9

Piano Man Pictures, a collective of Memphis-based filmmakers, writers and artists that writer-director Shelby Baldock co-founded with writer-director Chad Allen Barton in 2010, aims to “bring meaningful stories to life, no matter the medium.” Baldock, who holds an MFA degree from Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, has worked for the Grammys…

More Than Just Meatballs: Porco Expands Its Menu

When it comes to crafting a menu to match the vibe and setting of a bar, Porco presents one of the more unique opportunities and challenges. The tiki bar is situated in a nondescript building on West 25th but transports visitors to another world inside. A laid-back Polynesian interior, affable service from Hawaiian-shirted staffers and…

Cleveland Librarian Wins ‘Jeopardy!’ Again Last Night

Bringing her two-day total winnings to $28,602, Cleveland librarian Maryann Penzvalto once again took down her competition on the quiz show Jeopardy! Up by a mere $3,200 going into the Final Jeopardy question last night, Penzvalto didn’t let anything phase her. “A 1931 story in the New Yorker said this ‘weighs 600,000,000 pounds (&)…contains 37,000,000 cubic…

Savage Love: Quickies

I recently stumbled on an Instagram account of a young woman who’s a “knife play” enthusiast. I consider myself sex-positive, but I must say I was disturbed by the images. I was also shocked that I didn’t know this was a thing! But of course it’s a thing cuz everything is a thing, right? I…

Band of the Week: White Buffalo Woman

MEET THE BAND: Evan Rutledge (vocals), Adam Murphy (guitar), Devin Bezeredi (guitar), Alex Leggett (bass) and Joe Wales (drums) A UNIQUE STORY: Members of the group originally started skateboarding with one another before they formed the group in the basement of Wales’ parents’ funeral home in Minerva with the goal of “fusing rock, blues, psychedelic…

BLEAK HOUSE

The nicest place that Davionna Cousin and her two children have ever called home is the two-bedroom apartment in Richmond Heights where they live now. Cousin says it’s big and spacious and a lot better, amenity-wise, than the 15-odd places she checked out before settling there in December. Cousin had been homeless since 2011, when…

Jennifer Lawrence Strips Down for Pulpy Spy Flick ‘Red Sparrow’

Red Sparrow is a hard-R-rated Russian spy thriller starring Jennifer Lawrence as a ballerina conscripted into the Soviet secret service. Directed by Francis Lawrence — no relation — who also directed J.Law in the final three Hunger Games films, the latter two of which — Mockingjay Pts 1 and 2 — were detritus of a…


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