Lopez 44 Opens This Week in Chagrin Falls
Since its inception in 1980, Lopez has made appearances in two separate Cleveland Heights addresses and, now, two separate locations in Chagrin Falls. The popular Mexican eatery founded by Craig Sumers and Brad Friedlander, and sustained by Michael Herschman, closed for good in 2020. Or so we thought. Friedlander, with partner Michael DuBois, revived the brand in late…
Brian Alan Hager To Celebrate Full-Length Album’s Release with Fairview Tavern Concert
Last year, local singer-songwriter Brian Alan Hager debuted his first full band in several years to celebrate the release of his new four-song EP, Rock and Soul (Side B). The ensemble featured Hager’s son, guitarist Jonah Hager, bassist Steve Millner, keyboardist Jonah Benchek and drummer Max Reynolds. His “jam band” performed reinterpreted versions of his songs and…
Cuyahoga County Judge Leslie Ann Celebrezze Could Face More Misconduct Charges
Cuyahoga County Domestic Relations Judge Leslie Ann Celebrezze could face more misconduct claims, since the Ohio Disciplinary Counsel has been given an extension until Jan. 17 to file an amended complaint related to the judge steering lucrative divorce cases to a personal friend. A three-member panel was scheduled to hold a disciplinary hearing in late…
Mickayla Perdue’s “Special Performance” Leads CSU Lady Vikings Past Robert Morris
Mickayla Perdue established a new career high with 32 points in Cleveland State’s 74-53 victory at Robert Morris on Wednesday morning, but Chris Kielsmeier wasn’t really concerned with that total. Nor was he worried about Perdue’s 5-for-10 effort from three-point range. Even her four assists – an impressive figure, given that the other Vikings totaled…
Saint Clair Place Residents Say Building Still in Disrepair Despite Legal Complaint Last Year
Leaky roofs. Cracked ceilings. Faulty appliances. Bedbug infestations. These are just some of the complaints that the residents association at Saint Clair Place told Scene this week that have been lingering since they issued a legal complaint against the property management a year ago. On December 14, 2023, Saint Clair residents Marlon Floyd and James…
With Trump’s Inauguration Imminent, Ohio Jan. 6 Participants Prepare for Pardons
Donald Trump takes the presidential oath of office on Monday, and in Ohio scores of men and women who participated in the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol are watching closely to see if he makes good on the pardons he promised on the campaign trail. When he visited Ohio last March, Trump…
Medicaid Changes Floated on Ohio and Federal Level Could Impact Hundreds of Thousands
Hundreds of thousands of Ohio children are enrolled in public health insurance such as Medicaid, which could be in for major changes and cuts as the news presidential administration takes hold with authors and proponents of Project 2025 nominated for key roles. Meanwhile, the state of Ohio faces a new two-year budget cycle in 2025,…
Livewire: 16 of the Best Concerts to Catch in Cleveland in January
THU 01/16 Peter Mulvey The singer-songwriter who started his career at Marquette University and then busked in Boston to develop his musical chops performs at 8 p.m. at the Beachland Tavern. He released his first demo back in 1992 and has kept at it ever since. Local singer-songwriter Charlie Mosbrook opens. 15711 Waterloo Rd., 216-383-1124,…
Review: At Kiln in Shaker Heights, a Doug Katz Bistro Built for All
A few short years ago, Doug Katz could count his employees on a single hand. With Fire Food and Drink in the rear-view mirror, the chef’s once-thriving catering operation cut off at the knees, and Zhug closed to dine-in service mere months after opening, Katz was compelled to slash his culinary operation to just a…
Cleveland Officially Sues Browns Over ‘Modell Law’
The Cleveland Browns are violating state law and are fleecing the hundreds of thousands of Clevelanders that help pay $350 million to maintain Huntington Bank Field with their intent to move to a new dome in Brook Park, a new lawsuit filed by the city on Tuesday alleges. A state suit field in the Cuyahoga…
Ohio Republicans Start the Year by Throwing Public Education Under the School Bus
It didn’t take long. The new legislative session began in Columbus with Republican chieftains in the state throwing the future of public education in Ohio under the school bus. First it was the billion-dollar voucher king, Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman, to hedge his bets on giving Ohio’s 611 school districts what they need to…
Op-Ed: Class Snuggle — Cozying up to Cleveland’s Most Reviled Billionaire Owners
Dave Wondolowski’s recent Crain’s Cleveland Op-Ed reads like a Haslam Sports Group press release. While it’s entirely on-brand to see Wondolowski shilling for the wealthy and well connected, it’s still striking to read him – as a labor leader – lobbying for socialism for NFL owners and rugged capitalism for the rest of us. By…
Joy Oladokun Talks About the Introspective Nature of Her New Album
A small town located just outside of Phoenix, Casa Grande doesn’t have an active music scene. For singer-songwriter Joy Oladokun, who grew up there, that wasn’t an obstacle. “I loved growing up there,” says Oladokun via phone from Mexico, where she was performing as part of the Dead Ahead Festival. Joy Oladokun performs at 7…
Buckeye’s Moreland Theater Gets Pivotal Financial Boost from Cleveland City Council
The 2020 Census showed that Cleveland’s well-developed neighborhoods were the least likely to lose population in the past decade. And then there was the inner-ring East Side: thousands of people fled neighborhoods historically battling issues such as lead poisoning, unsafe streets and perpetual disinvestment. Buckeye-Shaker, with its 1,100 that fled, was one of them. On…
First Look: Flower on Freeman, Opening in the Former Duck Island Club Space This Month
The Duck Island Club closed in 2021 after decades of existing on the fringes of Cleveland’s nightlife scene. Located around the corner from the Velvet Tango Room, the under-the-radar watering hole was the antidote to the trendy lounges that were popping up in Ohio City and Tremont. Soon after closing, the property changed hands, with…
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE MISNY MOVIE TEAM – From the desk of Moe Taylor, CEO and Director for BrainDagger Films
Hello Cleveland! My name is Moe Taylor and I’d like to take this time to introduce you to my studio, BrainDagger Films. We are a pro-bono, Cleveland-based, film/television/music studio run by creative volunteers from all backgrounds of the artistic community. We provide art for causes, events, non-profits, bands, businesses, etc., we find interesting, entertaining, or…
Last Week in Cleveland Food News: EDWINS to Relocate, New Late-Night Pizza and More
– Brandon Chrostowski for months downplayed rumors he planned to move Edwins to the former Nighttown spot in Cleveland Heights. Turns out that’s exactly what’s happening. Here’s why he made the decision. Related – Foxy Grandma’s Pizza stands out not only for its name but for its dynamite late-night pies. Related – Goodbye, Beerhead in…
Burning River Roller Derby is Changing Sports Culture, One Hip Check at a Time
Every week, members of the Burning River Roller Derby league meet at Cleveland Heights Community Center’s decommissioned ice rink. In the shuffle before practice begins, skaters pull the straps of sleek, customized helmets beneath their chins. Seated on a long bench, they pull protective gear over their elbows, knees and wrists. At a picnic table…
Serious Concerns Raised Over Proliferation of Ohio Data Centers
As Ohio entices yet more data centers, a watchdog group is raising important questions about whether that’s good for average Ohioans. Among them are whether the state is giving up too much in tax revenue for the number of jobs they’ll create, who will pay to add electricity generation to meet the centers’ surging demand,…
CSU Vikings Take Over First Place in Horizon League With Pair of Wins
Cleveland State finally got back out on the road for a meeting at Robert Morris and Youngstown State. With a combined home record of 13-2 between RSU and YSU, CSU had a tall task at hand. Luckily, the Vikings are rolling. Away Game at RMU CSU started this game with their recent normal starting lineup…
Ask a Cleveland Sex Therapist: Should Cheating Always Signal the End of a Relationship?
Welcome to Ask a Cleveland Sex Therapist! Your host for this new regular feature is Matt Lachman, a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor and Supervisor, AASECT Certified Sex Therapist, and owner of Cleveland Sex Therapy, located in the heart of Gordon Square. Want to ask him a question that could be tackled in a future column?…
Geauga County Taxpayers Won’t Be Paying Judge Timothy Grendell’s Legal Fees, Board Says
The 95,000 residents of Geauga County will not be helping to cover Judge Timothy Grendell’s legal tab, a county board decided at a hearing this week. Geauga County Commissioners Carolyn Brakey and James Dvorak voted to deny Grendell’s request for $300,000 to cover court and legal costs stemming from a 2023 lawsuit that could lead…
A Midterm Ronayne and New County Council President Brace for Second Era of Trump
It’s safe to say that Chris Ronayne and Dale Miller’s jobs could change—be amplified, per se—in about 10 days. In 10 days, on January 20, former President Donald Trump will approach the steps of the U.S. Capitol and be sworn in for a second term as the country’s 47th commander-in-chief, ending months of bipartisan head-scratching…
Expanding Access to Mental Health Supports Would Help the Economy, According to New Report
This story is about suicide. If you or someone you know needs support now, call, text or chat the 988 Lifeline. Increasing access to mental health services would boost the economy, according to a new study. The cost of untreated mental health challenges to the U.S. economy is nearly $300 billion — mainly due to lost…
Brandon Chrostowski to Move Edwins, Edwins Too to Nighttown Property in Cleveland Heights
Brandon Chrostowski has announced that he will be moving both of his Shaker Square restaurants — Edwins and Edwins Too — to the Nighttown property in Cleveland Heights. He will shutter the existing restaurants on February 18 and hopes to open the doors at his new home a week or so after that. The Edwins…
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine Signs Forced-Outing, Mandated Religious Release Time Policy Bill into Law
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has signed a bill into law that will require school districts to create a mandatory religious instruction release time policy and require educators to out a students’ sexuality to their parents. The law will take effect 90 days after DeWine signed the bill. Ohio lawmakers passed House Bill 8 during the…
Downtown Cleveland Inc. Cites Retail Plan Progress Despite Average Storefront Openings
A little more than a year ago, in November 2023, Downtown Cleveland Inc. released its most ambitious and well-funded foray into bringing Downtown’s street life more into the 21st century, a five-year plan for best revitalizing everything retail. That plan, helmed by New York-based design firm Streetsense, prescribed DCI some 15 recommendations for buffing up…
Foxy Grandma’s Pizza Fills the Gap for Late-Night Pies Downtown and Beyond
Jacob Maynard has a day job, but that didn’t prevent him from launching a pizza startup, which he did last month with help from his wife, brother, brother-in-law and cousin. “I really enjoy my job and enjoy my work, but I wanted to do something I was really passionate about,” Maynard explains. “My family members…
Dr. Amy Acton is Running for Ohio Governor
Former Ohio Health Department Director Dr. Amy Acton announced on Tuesday that she is running for Ohio governor in 2026. “Today, I filed papers to run for Governor because I refuse to look away from Ohioans who are struggling while self-serving politicians and special interests take our state in the wrong direction,” she said in…
Burntwood Tavern Closing Crocker Park Location
The Monven Group, owner and operator of the Burntwood Tavern chain along with M Italian, Leo’s Italian Social and other brands, has announced Burntwood’s Crocker Park location will close this month. Providing clarity to patrons, the Monven Group in a statement said the decision “aligns with the company’s growth plans for additional sites and refreshes…
As Cleveland City Council Passes New Ward Maps, Only a Few People Are Happy
Months of tension underlying the question of how to properly—and fairly—cut up Cleveland into 15 new wards came to a sour end on Monday, with City Council’s decision to approve by a 14-2 vote the map presented in December, with only minor changes. Two hours of public comment and a handful of endnote speeches from…
An International Violin Competition and the Rest of the Classical Music to Catch This Week in Cleveland
This week, the Oberlin Conservatory is among the first organizations to fill the early January classical music void — with the violin version of its Thomas and Evon Cooper International Competition. By Wednesday, the field of violinists ages 13-18 will have been narrowed to 6 competitors who will each play 45-minute recitals in Warner Concert…
Cleveland’s New Parks and Rec Director Wants to Shake Things Up
When Alex Nichols found out earlier this year that Cleveland was hiring a new director of parks and recreation, she was excited. At the time, Nichols was director of recreation for the city of Shaker Heights, where she’d been for the past 11 years. Yet when she mentioned applying for the Cleveland position to her…
Rose Building to Rekindle Front Door of Cleveland Identity With Boutique Marriott Hotel
It was once aptly called the hub of Downtown Cleveland. By the late 1920s, the Rose Building on East 9th and Prospect had rightfully earned its reputation as the “New Center.” Seven-thousand workers walked in daily. Two-thousand pedestrians passed by its bronze doors, as did eight streetcar lines, 12 bus lines and some 32,000 cars.…
Ohio Recreational Marijuana Sales Topped $242 Million in 2024
Ohio recreational marijuana sales surpassed $242 million as 2024 came to a close. The state’s total recreational marijuana sales were $242,167,020, as of Dec. 28, according to the Ohio Department of Commerce Division of Cannabis Control. There have been 4,007,128 units of manufactured products that have been sold and 32,487 pounds of plant material, according…
Beerhead Bar in the Flats Has Closed
A decade ago, the east bank of the Flats was enjoying a reawakening thanks to a flush of new bars, restaurants and entertainment venues. One of those new attractions was Beerhead, which opened its doors in September 2015. Sadly, that bar will not make it to its 10th birthday as the owners have decided not…
Rebuild Cleveland Set to Build Modular Homes in Detroit Shoreway, North Collinwood
A typical house takes about five months to build. Yet for Cleveland developer Seth Task, the process takes about five hours. That’s because Task is building modular homes in Cleveland – that is, homes that have been built mostly off site in a factory, and arrive in pieces waiting to be put together, much like…
Cleveland’s New Soft Shoe To Celebrate 15th Anniversary
The New Soft Shoe, an ensemble of talented local musicians that plays tunes by the late alt-country singer-songwriter Gram Parsons, came to fruition in January of 2010 with its inaugural performance at the Happy Dog. Since then, the group that local singer-songwriter Brent Kirby leads has consistently performed on the second Thursday of the month…
After a Year of Voter Fraud Concerns, Ohio’s Election Audit Lands North of 99%, Again
Throughout 2024, Republican officials in Ohio and around the country raised alarms about potential voter fraud ahead of November’s election. But Election Day came and went without a hiccup and a post-election audit released late last month reiterated what many advocates have been saying all along — Ohio’s election system is extremely safe and accurate.…
Ask a Cleveland Sex Therapist: Work Stress is Killing My Sex Drive
Welcome to Ask a Cleveland Sex Therapist! Your host for this new regular feature is Matt Lachman, a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor and Supervisor, AASECT Certified Sex Therapist, and owner of Cleveland Sex Therapy, located in the heart of Gordon Square. Want to ask him a question that could be tackled in a future column?…
Downtown Memorial Bike Loop Plans Will Be Unveiled Early This Year
Preliminary plans for the first protected bike lane to come to Downtown Cleveland are lined up for public feedback in the next few months. The Memorial Bridges Loop, a three-mile two-way bike lane that will link Ohio City with Downtown’s Gateway District, will be the next major cycle project to head towards public scrutiny, Phil…
Ohio Lawmakers Passed a Wave of Anti-LGBTQ Bills During the Most Recent General Assembly
For Robin, a transgender high school student in Columbus, going to the bathroom is going to get a lot more complicated. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine recently signed a transgender school bathroom ban into law, which is set to take effect Feb. 24. “I can’t do simple things like peeing now without having to be policed…
Technology and Innovation in Cleveland’s JACK Casino
Cleveland’s JACK Casino is a hub for entertainment and gaming and a shining example of how technology can redefine the casino experience. By integrating cutting-edge innovations, JACK Casino has transformed itself into a forward-thinking establishment prioritizing convenience, engagement, and innovation. By utilizing the latest technology, JACK Casino has not only offered a better gaming experience…
