Arbitrator Rules Michael Brelo Should Remain Fired For 2012 Police Chase and Shooting, But Five Other Officers Will Get Jobs Back
Eight months after six Cleveland police officers took their cases to arbitration after being fired for their actions during the police chase of Timothy Russell and Malissa Williams that ended with both suspects dead in a barrage of 137 bullets, an arbitrator ruled this week that while Michael Brelo should remain fired, the other five…
Arrest Made in Connection With Double Murder at Warehouse District Apartment Building Earlier This Year
Update: An arrest warrant was issued all the way back in February for James A. Johnson. Police had fingered him for the double murder of Brandon James and Rasheed Bandy in an apartment in the Archer Building in the Warehouse District. Some seven months later, Johnson is finally under arrest, according to Cleveland.com. Johnson was…
Investigation Into Julio Pino, Kent State History Professor, for Ties to ISIS Still Ongoing
Update: Four months after Julio Pino burst onto national headlines — because combine a college professor with ISIS and everyone’s gonna want a piece of that story — all is mostly quiet for Pino and Kent State. The Beacon-Journal has a small non-update update on the story this week. Basically, Pino says the FBI hasn’t…
ODOT Expands Bridge Fencing Policy, Urged On by Victim of Rock-Throwing Incident
After Lake Township resident Sharon Budd was hit in the face by a rock thrown over a Pennsylvania overpass in 2014, policymakers in Ohio are expanding the guidelines for protective fencing in this state. Read the original Akron Beacon Journal report on Budd’s tragic injuries. Beginning Jan. 1 this year, all new bridges undergoing construction work…
Cleveland Native’s Film “The Land” Premieres at Sundance to Rave Reviews
“The Land,” a film produced and shot here in Cleveland, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival yesterday. The film is written and directed by Cleveland-native Steven Caple Jr., a University of Southern California graduate, and co-produced by the Grammy-nominated rapper Nas. It stars R&B singer and multiple Grammy award winner Erykah Badu and Cleveland rapper…
Local Donations for Residents of Flint, Michigan, Being Collected This Week
Will Burge, who you might know from WTAM and elsewhere, along with Ricky Smith of R.A.K.E and The Hooley House are collecting clean water, sanitary supplies and food items to deliver to Flint, Michigan, whose residents are devastated by the city-induced lead-poisoned water crisis. Approximately 100,000 adults and about 9,000 kids under 6 have been…
NEOMG Tries New Brand on for Size, Will Become “Advance Ohio”
Executives at the “digital marketing and advertising company” formerly known as the Northeast Ohio Media Group announced Tuesday that the entity will henceforth be known as “Advance Ohio.” The name change, Advance Ohio President Tim Knight said, reflects the “growth” (sic) of the company, along with what he thinks ought to be its entrepreneurial spirit.…
Sebring Residents Take City Reps to Task Over Lead Advisory Process
Sebring council chambers hosted a packed house last night as residents demanded answers in what is becoming both a health-related and governmental crisis. According to letters from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, the Sebring, Ohio, public water system’s lead problems — first publicly acknowledged on Jan. 21 — were identified as early as last November.…
Stipe Miocic Stands Alone at the Moment in Feb. 6 UFC Title Fight: Update
[image-1]As one commenter points out below, Fabricio Werdum withdrew from the Feb. 6 UFC heavyweight title fight shortly after we published the news that Stipe Miocic would be joining the card that night. “I was already injured,” Werdum told mmafighting.com. “I have a foot injury and haven’t been able to throw kicks in training for…
Dan Auerbach and the Arcs Play NPR’s 500th Tiny Desk Concert
A former Akronite who now calls Nashville home, singer-guitarist Dan Auerbach of the Arcs and the Black Keys will be a judge for this year’s Tiny Desk Concert contest that NPR launched earlier this year. As if to show us how it’s done, he and a few members of the Arcs and the all-female mariachi band…
Local Author Bonnie Nadzam To Participate in Q&A at Cedar Lee Theatre
Most reviews of Bonnie Nadzam’s 2011 novel Lamb, winner of the Flaherty-Dunnan First Novel Prize, compare the book to Nabokov’s Lolita. Like Nabokov’s famous novel, the local author’s book centers on a man who takes advantage of a young prepubescent girl. Even though the relationship in Lamb is never consummated, an undeniable sexual tension emerges…
Dismissal of Vermilion Police Captain Who Wore Pro-Weed Legalization Pin Upheld
[image-1]Chalk this up to a crash-and-burn for free speech. Last November, a local police officer was spotted wearing a pro-Issue 3 button while in uniform. Mixing politics with policing may seem like a fair reason to raise concern — but remember Issue 3 was the blitz to legalize marijuana. What might otherwise have been a…
New SPACES Exhibitions Deconstruct Familiar Forms and Conversations
This Friday evening, SPACES celebrates the opening of its latest exhibitions with a free, public reception from 6 to 9 p.m., Jan. 29. These exhibitions include I AM GOAT STAINS ON THE DOORS by SWAP resident artist Theodoros Stamatogiannis (Athens, Greece), Underneath Is Before by Geologic Cognition Society (Cleveland), and selections from The Vault, curated…
The Scene Podcast With Producer Jim Stewart
Jim Stewart is one of the most influential producers in Cleveland’s music scene. Craig Lyndall caught up with him in his brand new recording space to discuss his past work, how he goes about his day-to-day existence and what to look out for in the future. They also discussed the Cleveland music scene, how it’s…
Cavs Barely Muzzle Timberwolves, Give Lue First Win
[image-1]Watching the Cavaliers struggle to put away the Timberwolves 114-107, and get Tyronn Lue his first ever win as a head coach, called to mind the series Lost. Not just because the first half of the season now resembles a circuitous non sequitur that can probably be discarded as irrelevant, but due to the team’s…
Grog Shop Launches Contest to Meet Singer-Songwriter Elle King at the Rock Hall
Singer-songwriter Elle King has a huge hit with her debut album, which came out last year. Currently touring the country in support of it, she performs on Friday at the Masonic Auditorium. The Grog Shop, which has booked the show at the Masonic, has just launched a contest that lets winners meet her before the…
Nosh Box, 216 Bistro Food Truck Owners to Open Restaurant
Husband and wife team Sandy and Kelly Waddell are the latest pioneers of the Cleveland food truck scene to add a brick-and-mortar location to their food-focused operations. Early next month, the Waddells, best known as the guys who motor the Nosh Box and 216 Bistro, will open Twenty’s Grill in Grafton, just south of Elyria.…
Cuyahoga County Council Members May Get a Bigger Salary
More money, less problems, according to Cuyahoga County Council. Members are considering a 15.5-percent pay raise which will begin in 2019 if approved. The change includes annual pay increases each year after the initial raise. Right now each council member earns $45,000 a year, and the first increase will bump it up to $52,000. The…
Delly Coffee Blend, “G’Day Mate,” in Cleveland Stores Today
“G’Day Mate,” the specialty coffee blend created by Cleveland Cavaliers guard Matthew Dellavedova and the Cleveland Coffee Company, hits local shelves today. The blend of Peruvian and Sumatra coffees, which Delly reportedly helped craft himself, will retail for $13.50 per pound and will be sold at 40 retail locations including Heinen’s, Zagara’s and A.J. Rocco’s…
Sebring Water System’s Lead Problems Were Identified As Early As November
[image-1]According to letters from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, the Sebring public water system’s lead problems — first publicly acknowledged on Jan. 21 — were identified as early as last November. Read the letters below. A Nov. 23 letter from the Ohio EPA expresses concerns over how Sebring water information was being filed with the…
Dave Matthews Band to Return to Blossom in May
Summer just wouldn’t be the same without a visit from perennial favorites, Dave Matthews Band. On tour to celebrate its 25th anniversary, the group will play some 46 dates this year before taking a break from touring in 2017. It comes to Blossom Music Center on May 21. The tour will conclude at the Gorge…
Secret Strategy: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers May Want to Turn Cleveland Population into Mutants
The Plain Dealer reported Friday (though it appeared in Monday morning’s paper) that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the agency responsible for dredging the Cuyahoga River and safely disposing of the waste, intentionally sought to diminish its budget to achieve its ends. But what are those ends? It frightens Scene to inquire. The USACE, after all,…
‘Proof’ Tackles Question of Genius Amid Family Drama at Clague Playhouse
Are genius and madness closely, even inevitably, related? Many of us who aren’t geniuses would like to think so, feeling self-satisfied in our less than stellar quasi-sanity. This is a central question brought to the fore in Proof by David Auburn, a play about Robert, a mathematics professor and avowed genius who may have transferred…
Meat Loaf to Play Hard Rock Live in March
Early in his career, classic rocker Meat Loaf discovered an ally in Cleveland International’s Steve Popovich, a guy he’s referred to as a fellow “gunslinger” and “road warrior.” The late Popovich (who died in 2011) signed him to his label when no one else expressed an interest. Once the label put out Meat’s album, Bat…
Ohio EPA Investigating Sebring Water Treatment Operator as Lead Advisory Remains in Effect: Update
The Ohio EPA may revoke the Sebring water treatment operator’s license following an investigation into the lead advisory issued last week. (See original story below.) The state EPA office is saying that operator Jim Bates may have falsified reports. Water testing is continuing this week, as the investigation becomes criminal in nature. “It has become…
Bulls School Cavs and Their New Coach
The season started anew last night for the Cleveland Cavaliers with new Coach Tyronn Lue taking over the reigns exactly at the midseason point, 41 games in. But while the captain may have changed, the team’s issues haven’t. The Cavaliers got off to another slow start, lost another first quarter, ultimately stopped moving the ball,…
Locker Room Not Right, So Cavs Fire Blatt and Hire His Assistant
[image-1]As you probably know by now, Coach David Blatt was given his walking papers yesterday, and replaced by assistant coach Tyronn Lue. The Akron Beacon Journal’s Jason Lloyd and ESPN’s Brian Windhorst have been breaking this story since at least the beginning of last year. We deserve a little ridicule for the scorn we heaped…
Cavs Fire David Blatt, Ty Lue to Take the Reins
[image-1]Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports has reported that the Cavs have fired head coach David Blatt. The Cavs own the best record in the Eastern Conference and are presumed to return to the NBA finals for the second consecutive year. Nonetheless, Associate Head Coach Ty Lue will take over. Assistant Ty Lue has agreed…
Robert DeNiro Plays a Grandfather Gone Wild in the Lewd ‘Dirty Grandpa’
The stereotypical grandfather dotes over his grandson (or granddaughter), showing him or her with the kind of fawning attention that parents often eschew. You know the kind. Even though he initially appears to be a mild-mannered and loving man, Dirty Grandpa’s Richard “Dick” Kelly (Robert DeNiro) isn’t your stereotypical grandfather. Not by a long shot. …
Hitting 18-Year Mark, Umphrey’s McGee are the Masters of their Domain
New Year’s Eve shows are special events for most bands — even more so for those that sling totally different setlists each night and cut their songwriting with extended live improvisation. The New Year’s Day show, meanwhile, tends to be a mellower affair. Everyone’s bleary-eyed and worn out, but, somehow — always — coming back…
6 Concerts to Catch This Weekend
FRIDAY, JAN. 22 Garland Jeffreys Singer-songwriter Garland Jeffreys began gigging in Manhattan in the 1960s. Like his friend Lou Reed, he developed his poetic sensibilities and wrote songs that reflected the time period. In his music, he would famously explore race relations in the states. The topics continue to intrigue Jeffreys, whose career experienced a…
Saturday’s High School Rock Off to Include Tribute to the Late Glenn Frey
The annual High School Off is in full swing and as part of Round 3, which takes place at 6 p.m. on Saturday at the Rock Hall, organizers will present a special tribute to Glenn Frey, the 1998 Hall of Fame inductee who recently passed away. Rock Off alumni Ray Flanagan, a talented and up-and-coming…
Former Clevelander Highlights Local Artists on New Cassette-Only Mixtape
Former Clevelander Chad Bilyeu moved to Amsterdam in August of 2009. He now works there as a freelance photographer and writer. “I wear a lot of hats,” he says in a recent Transatlantic phone interview. But he hasn’t forgotten his Cleveland roots. He now represents ABSNFC – or Another Bullshit Night From Cleveland – a…
Video: This Tower City Food Court Confrontation Is Awful and Mesmerizing
The Tower City food court is magical place. By that, we of course mean that it’s deserted — even McDonald’s closed. Rafeal Gullatte captured video the other day of one more reason to avoid the place altogether and posted said video to Facebook. The scenario: An unruly and angry customer who was displeased with his…
Up-and-Coming Singer-Songwriter Alessia Cara to Play Sold Out Show at Rock Hall
When singer-songwriter Alessia Cara began posting videos on YouTube a few years ago, she had no idea they’d lead to near-instant success and fame. “My intention was never to get discovered off YouTube,” says Cara, 19, via phone as she drives to a tour stop. She plays a sold out show at the Rock Hall…
Music Box Supper Club to Launch New Cleveland Stories Dinner Party Series in February
Starting next month, the Music Box Supper Club will launch Cleveland Stories Dinner Party, a new weekly series that pairs fine food with storytelling. The series aims to help raise awareness of the mission of the Western Reserve Historical Society’s new Cleveland History Center. The club’s owners consider the Cleveland History Center to be “one…
Live Nation Announces On Sale Date for Country Megaticket
For the past several summers, country acts have dominated the Blossom line-up. This summer will be no exception. Live Nation has just announced details regarding this year’s Cintas Country Megaticket, a ticket that includes one concert ticket to 13 of country shows slated to come to Blossom this summer. The Megaticket concerts include Dierks Bentley…
Cavaliers Board and Sink Shorthanded Clippers Barely Breaking a Sweat
The Cavaliers won a convincing 115-102 victory over the Clippers, building on a second quarter lead, and despite some slippage, never letting the visitors completely back into the game. The closest Los Angeles got was within six, with just over six minutes left in the fourth quarter. Then Clippers point guard Chris Paul was called…
Mike O’Malley Begins David v. Goliath Quest to Unseat County Prosecutor McGinty
Mike O’Malley formally launched his campaign to unseat Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Timothy McGinty Thursday night, casting himself as the underdog in a David-vs-Goliath battle. “It’s never an easy task to take on an incumbent county prosecutor,” O’Malley told the crowd of gathered friends, family and political supporters at the downtown press conference. “Especially this one……
Packy Malley’s Ballroom to Host Winter Reggae Fest
Since opening late last year, Packy Malley’s Ballroom has become an epicenter for all things reggae. On Saturday, Feb. 6, the club will host Winter Reggae Fest, which takes place on what would have been reggae icon Bob Marley’s 71st birthday. Cleveland’s I-TAL and Southwest Florida’s SOWFLO headline the event. Debuting way back in 1978,…
Local Rock Act Grovewood to Make Debut at the Five O’Clock in Lakewood
When He-Chaw Funk singer Chris Bishop moved out of town, the other guys in the band — bassist Matt Rusincovitch, drummer Ryan Bilikam and guitarist Sasha A. Kostadinov — got together at the now-shuttered East side restaurant Grovewood Tavern to discuss their future plans and meet their current singer Gillian Freed, who was tending bar…
GED Will Lower Passing Score, Thousands More Will Receive Diploma
After a newer, tougher GED (General Education Diploma) test was introduced in 2014, nearly 90 percent fewer people passed than in 2013. Dan McGraw, reporting for Scene, broke the story of what that meant for the American economy and for Ohio residents struggling to get jobs without high school credentials. Now, the GED Testing Service…
New Jimmy Johns Eatery Moving into the Warehouse District
[image-1]Does downtown Cleveland need another Jimmy Johns? Jimmy Johns thinks so. The home of free smells and sandwiches you can get for money will replace the former Warehouse District restaurant/bar D’Vine, which shut down last year. D’Vine lost its battle with many newer, more popular spots downtown like the new East Fourth entertainment district, as…
Indie Rockers City and Colour Embrace a More Expansive and Soulful Sound
Canadian singer-songwriter Dallas Green initially started writing songs when he was a teenager. He learned to play guitar at a very young age and then found that the songwriting just came to him. “My parents gave me guitar lessons — not because I asked for them, but because they wanted to give me opportunities to…
RTA Set to Roll Out New Trolley Buses Ahead of RNC
Getting around downtown during the Republication National Convention should get easier after this latest upgrade from RTA and several partners. RTA unveiled the first of 12 new trolleys this morning, which will be put into service ahead of thousands of politicians, delegates and media members flooding the city in July. Members of the Downtown Cleveland…
Opening Soon: Dave’s Cosmic Subs in Ohio City
We’re just days away from opening day for Dave’s Cosmic Subs in Ohio City, says owner Eddie DeTomaso. “We’re real close, real close,” he says, adding that he hopes to open the doors by the end of the month. “It looks real nice inside.” DeTomaso also is the current owner of the original Dave’s shop…
High School Basketball in the Social Media Age — The A to Z Podcast With Andre Knott and Zac Jackson
Talking basketball in the social media age and the making of young stars with Sonny Johnson, coach of Garfield Heights High School, and Chas Wolfe, director of the Dunk 4 Diabetes. Subscribe to A to Z on iTunes here. Android users can find the RSS feed here. Download the episode directly here. Or stream below.
Rock Hall to Host Series of Events to Celebrate Black History Month
Each February, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum celebrates national Black History month with a series of events and programming. This year’s series kicks off with Black Music Matters, a panel discussion that takes place at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 10, in the Foster Theater. A roundtable of Cleveland activists, scholars,…
Cuyahoga County Judge Committee Will Review Grand Jury Process
Judge John J. Russo has appointed a two-judge committee to study the grand jury process here in Cuyahoga County. The goal, he said, is to study ways to make the system more efficient. Russo, the court’s administrative and presiding judge, promises a “comprehensive” review. “This will include a review of the local rules that are used…
This Graphic Explains Winter on the East vs. West Side of Cleveland
There’s a conversation brewing on Reddit about how much snow Cleveland’s eastsiders versus westsiders get each time Lake Effect rears its ugly head. We may expect it every winter, but actually driving through is a whole ‘nother problem altogether, especially if you happen to live on one side of the river vs. the other. To wit: Chardon…
Love in the Air As Cavaliers Trim the Nets
The Cavaliers came to the rescue of Cleveland’s beleaguered psyche last night with a 91-78 victory over the Brooklyn Nets. It brought closure to forty-eight hours of teeth-gnashing doubt, sports-talk hysteria and serious soul-searching whose conclusion for surprisingly many was a ticket out-of-town for shunned third wheel, Kevin Love. The airwaves were so thick with…
Music Box Supper Club to Host Tribute to David Bowie
In the wake of rocker David Bowie’s death, the folks at the Music Box Supper Club wanted to find a unique way to pay homage to “one of the most iconic rock stars of all time.” Founded in 1999 by writer and artist Greg “Ionman” Tate, Burnt Sugar Arkestra came to mind as “a group of players…
Mason’s Creamery’s First Ramen Pop-Up a Noodle-Slurpin’ Success
This past Saturday, Jesse Mason and Helen Qin of Mason’s Creamery (4401 Bridge Ave., 216-245-8942, masonscreamery.com) fame hosted their first pop-up ramen night at the Ohio City-based ice cream shop. An ice cream parlor might not be the first place one thinks about visiting for a steaming-hot bowl of Japanese noodle soup, but it might…
Thirty Years On, Singer-Guitarist Ira Kaplan Says Indie Rockers Yo La Tengo Still ‘Enjoy Every Moment’
For many bands, the key to longevity rests upon a certain number of variables remaining in place. Perhaps that means selling a certain number of albums or filling specifically sized venues. Since forming way back in 1984, indie rockers Yo La Tengo haven’t let variables determine whether or not they continue to tour and record.…
Country Singer Darius Rucker to Play Blossom This Summer
Three-time Grammy winner Darius Rucker (of Hootie and the Blowfish fame) has just announced he’ll kick off his 2016 Good for a Good Time Tour in Tampa, Fla. on June 3. Opening acts Dan + Shay, who have just gotten their first No. 1 single with “Nothin’ Like You,” and country singer Michael Ray, who…
Video: “This Is Our Town,” Progressive Insurance’s Ode to Cleveland
Now, we don’t think much convincing that Cleveland is cool is necessary, but just in case, check out this awesome promotional video about Cleveland from Progressive Insurance. Headquartered right here in the Cleveland area, Progressive Insurance has been named the top workplace in Cleveland for six consecutive years. The video, which was released shortly after…
The Scene Podcast With Seafair’s Chayla Hope
[image-1]Chayla Hope of Seafair joined the podcast, or rather we barged into her house and recorded in her kitchen. We discussed the phenomenal year in Cleveland music including Seafair’s stellar contribtion, The Querencia. We also talked about the business of being a local musician and what’s on tap for the future for the band. Thanks…
On the Cavs’ Struggles Against the Warriors and the Panic Button — The A to Z Podcast With Andre Knott and Zac Jackson
LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers were crushed by Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors in primetime on their home court. Andre and Zac discuss the game and what it means for the Cavs and their leadership. Subscribe to A to Z on iTunes here. Android users can find the RSS feed here. Download…
Carl Monday Probes an Intriguing New Subject: Himself
IS LOCAL NEWS CELEB CARL MONDAY THE SAME IN PERSON AS HE IS ON TV? DID CARL MONDAY WEAR A SUIT TO HIS INTERVIEW WITH A LOCAL ALT-WEEKLY MAGAZINE, DESPITE A DENIM PREFERENCE? FIND OUT HERE! Carl Monday sits in his basement office, legs crossed in the American way. His suit is pressed, his mustache trimmed,…
Writer-Director Charlie Kaufman’s Trippy “Anomalisa” is an Amazing Trip
The genesis of Anomalisa, the new stop-motion animation movie from writer-director Charlie Kaufman and co-director Duke Johnson, dates back to 2005 when Kaufman was doing a series of sound plays with Carter Burwell and the Coen Brothers. The plays were basically stage radio plays with musicians on stage and actors reading scripts along with a…
#OscarSoWhite
Last year, the hashtag #OscarSoWhite blew up the Twittersphere in the weeks preceding the 87th Academy Awards as fans decried the total lack of diversity in the nominations for the big-ticket categories. The 2015 ceremony was of note, in part, because the film Selma was such a natural awards vehicle for its star, David Oyelowo,…
Savage Love: No Place for Old Dildos
Dear Dan, I am no longer sexually active, but I have a significant collection of sex toys from earlier years. I’m thinking of getting rid of most of them, and it seems such a waste for them to end up in the landfill. What’s an environmentally responsible way to dispose of dildos? I wish there…
That Demanding Plant Once Again Sings for its Supper in Little Shop of Horrors
FEED ME! That demanding, sociopathic plant once again sings for its supper in Little Shop of Horrors at the Cleveland Play House By Christine HoweySome shows are pretty much bulletproof, meaning they’re so tight and clever that almost any production has a good chance of success. Such is the case with Little Shop of Horrors,…
Band of the Week: The Brian Newman Quintet
MEET THE BAND: Brian Newman (trumpet, vocals), Steve Kortyka (saxophonist), Alex Smith (pianist), Paul Francis (drums), Daniel Foose (upright bass) THE CLEVELAND CONNECTION: Newman is from the Mentor area while Kortyka is from Cleveland, Smith is from Cincinnati and Francis is from Chillicothe. “Ohio always has the best people,” says Newman via phone from New…
New CSU Exhibit Reminds Us That Beauty is Everywhere
I came so far for beauty, I left so much behind, My patience and my family, My masterpiece unsigned. Leonard Cohen’s song, I Came So Far for Beauty, inspired the title of the first art exhibition of 2016 in the North Gallery of the Galleries at Cleveland State University. I Came So Far for Beauty is curated…
Tandul, Tremont’s First Indian Restaurant, Is Off To a Great Start
“Don’t you hate it when they charge you for rice?” I ask my dinner companion after he mentions where he typically procures his Indian food, a well-known staple on the east side of town. As if on cue, the manager at Tandul, Tremont’s first Indian restaurant, walks over and sets down a welcome basket of…
