Camera Found in Channel 5 Bathroom (Updated)
Update: The WEWS hidden bathroom camera is now coming to a courtroom near you. Brad Brown, who had been a promotions producer at Channel 5 (he’s now at Fox 8), has filed a lawsuit against the station claiming that a station employee, Berry Pinney, ordered the camera to be installed. Pinney was the director of…
Lorain County Sheriff’s Department Confirms Body Found in Oberlin Landfill is Cory Barron
After the July 18 disappearance of Fremont resident Cory Barron during the Jason Aldean concert at Progressive Field, the Lorain County Sheriff’s Office is confirming that his body turned up in a landfill in Oberlin on Tuesday. He was 22. The news caps a long weekend of bleak conjecture, including the discovery of another body…
20 Historic Photos of Cleveland’s Public Square
In the wake of plans for Public Square’s soon-to-be-changing face and a hefty donation from the Cleveland Foundation to fund the aforementioned project, we thought now would be a great time to take a look back on how Public Square has evolved throughout the 20th century. Here are 20 photos showcasing the square as it’s appeared at various times in…
Feds Sentence Ashland Man to 30 Years in Prison for Labor Trafficking
Callahan Jordie L. Callahan, 28, was sentenced today to 30 years in prison for his role in holding a woman with cognitive disabilities and her child against their will and forcing the woman to perform manual labor for him and others. Earlier this year, he and Jessica Hunt, 33, were both convicted on one count…
Thrillist Names Cleveland’s Nano Brew Among Best Burgers in Nation
The folks at Thrillist have again compiled their annual list of the nation’s best burgers, and Cleveland, it seems, is represented. Ranking alongside joints in major cities such as New York and L.A., is Cleveland’s Nano Brew, hailed especially for its Spicy Burger, as well as its PB&J and hoppin’ John varieties. Via Thrillist: A laid-back…
Alternative Press Music Awards Makes Promising Debut
David Kemp Billy Crooked and Joan Jett Music Awards ceremonies can be rather formal affairs with rock stars dressed up in tuxes and designer dresses. Not the inaugural Alternative Press Music Awards, which took place last night at Voinovich Park behind the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. The irreverent event launched with…
Could East Cleveland Forums Be as Contentious as Sound of Ideas? Find Out Tonight!
“I may disagree with Mayor Jackson,” said Cleveland city councilman Jeff Johnson during the heated final third of Tuesday morning’s Sound of Ideas broadcast about a Cleveland/East Cleveland merger. “But when we’re in a room together, our focus is Cleveland.” Johnson’s implication was that the leadership in East Cleveland, the financially beleaguered suburb of 17,000, has been fraught…
Cleveland Turns 218 Today, So There Will Be Cake at Public Square
If eating cake at a pre-redesigned Public Square sounds like a fun thing to do, well, you’re in for a real treat today. IT’S CLEVELAND’S BIRTHDAY! Cleveland — born “Cleaveland” — turns 218 today, but does not look a day over 200. When asked about the keys to living such a long life, Cleveland said…
Happy Birthday David Spade, Selena Gomez and Cleveland
Ryan Jaenke It’s a big day for birthdays around here and you know why. We’re sitting around the Scene offices doing a Joe Dirt marathon and hope you’re doing the same. The inimitable David Spade turns the big 5-0 and hooboy, that’s a milestone. The lovely and talented Selena Gomez turns 22. She really does…
Louisville’s Forecastle Grows Into Major Festival
Nickel Creek “We should play into a freeway more often,” exclaimed a jubilant Sara Watkins of Nickel Creek, during her band’s incendiary set on Sunday evening, the third and final day of Louisville, Kentucky’s Forecastle Festival, which took place this past weekend in the city’s Waterfront Park along the banks of the Ohio River. I-64…
Rock Hall to Open New Exhibit Featuring Beyoncé’s Bling
Beyoncé’s gold pumps. Tomorrow, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum opens a new exhibit devoted to hip-hop icon Beyoncé Knowles Carter (or Sasha Fierce, as she’s sometimes known). Located in the Legends of Rock section of the Ahmet Ertegun Main Exhibit Hall, the exhibit includes the Rubin Singer leather and lace body…
Three Bodies Discovered in Cleveland Parks Since Friday
A pedestrian discovered a body in a creek near Martin Luther King Jr. Drive this morning. The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office is presently investigating the cause of death and identity. The Monday morning discovery marks the third time since Friday that a body has been found outdoors in the Cleveland area. On Friday, a…
Central Ohio Man Heads to Coshocton Municipal Court to Answer for his Therapy Ducks
Darin Welker, 36, needed back surgery after he left Iraq in 2005. The Department of Veteran Affairs agreed to pay for that. But the government office balked at the notion of physical therapy or mental health counseling. Welker took to raising ducklings — 14 of them — and they’ve been helping ward off depression and…
Cleveland Newlyweds Use RTA to Get to Wedding Reception
Via Fox 8, a Cleveland couple who got married on Saturday used public transit to get around the city. Even the rain couldn’t dampen the spirits of Melanie and Joe Baur, who live downtown and use the RTA and city buses on a daily basis. The Baurs, along with their party, took Lolly the Trolley…
Against Me!’s Songwriting Skills Set It Apart
While plenty of punk bands have succeeded purely because they bring the noise, other acts like the Ramones and the Clash have left their mark because of the great songs they write. Against Me! rests firmly between the two camps. While their show last night at House of Blues where they kicked off the Alternative…
Clevelanders Search for Missing Person, 22-Year-Old Cory Barron Who Disappeared from Progressive Field on Friday
Family and friends of Cory Barron are seeking information on the whereabouts of the 22-year-old Fremont man who went missing during the Jason Aldean concert at Progressive Field on Friday night. Barron was last seen wearing blue jeans, a white Budweiser t-shirt, a jean vest, and a red and white bandana. He stands 6-feet, 2-inches…
Slash Delivers Satisfying Show at Hard Rock Live
David Kemp After last night’s main set at Hard Rock Live, Slash came strolling back out and said, “You didn’t think we fuckin’ left, did you?” He then introduced “By the Sword,” from his 2010 Slash album as “a song about the survival of rock ’n’ roll.” From the way things went down last night,…
Pristine Vocal Harmonies Distinguish Crosby, Stills and Nash Concert
Scott Sandberg Last night, after opening strong with “Carry On,” a tune that showed off their terrific vocal harmonies, and following it up with the classic tracks “Long Time Gone” and “Southern Cross,” Crosby, Stills and Nash took a minute to regroup, providing singer David Crosby with a chance to talk to the capacity crowd…
Backstage Pass: An Interview with the German Synth-pop Duo Captain Capa
The guys in the German synth-pop duo Captain Capa came through town yesterday on the Warped Tour. Although their style of music doesn’t entirely mesh with the punk and hardcore that dominates the Warped line-up, they played on a stage devoted to electronic music so they were paired with like-minded acts. We spoke briefly with…
Light Bistro in Ohio City Has Closed; Owners to Focus on Hudson-Based Peachtree
The lights at Light Bistro have been shut off; last night was the last meal served from chef Matt Mathlage and Eric Dietrich’s Ohio City restaurant. The partners informed their staff this morning that the restaurant was closing. The high-end eatery opened back in March of 2007, surviving the economic collapse, the Great Recession and…
New Vietnamese Eatery Brings Pho to Restaurant-Hungry Section of Downtown
Add Pho Thang Café (815 Superior Ave. E., 216-291-7115) to the growing roster of Vietnamese restaurants specializing in pho. Tucked into a first floor space on the backside of the Superior Building, the casual restaurant takes some work to find; the main entrance actually is on Rockwell, right by E. Ninth Street. But its arrival…
10 Sandwiches that Define Cleveland
You can tell a lot about a city by its most popular sandwiches, and from the looks of things, Cleveland has a lot going on between two pieces of bread. From a two-fisted corned beef sandwich to a fiery bahn mi, here are 10 sandwiches that best define our city and the people who call…
Cleveland Resident and Petty Officer 3rd Terrence Owens Aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln: Photo of the Day
NAVCO Now and then, the U.S. Navy sends along updates as to how local men and women are doing in their service. We’re always pleased to relay them to the community. Petty Officer Terrence Owens, a four-year veteran and Boatswain’s Mate, was recently honored as a USS Abraham Lincoln “Warrior of the Week.” The purpose…
County Leaders May Extend the Bed Tax Through 2034
#482184469 / gettyimages.com We’ll surely be hearing more about the county’s bed tax – which sounds more pleasant than the sin tax – next week as C. Ellen Connally and Co. gather to discuss its potential extension. In 1993, Cuyahoga County levied a “bed tax”/”hotel tax” on hotel transactions to pay off the Rock and…
New Video Spotlights Detroit Avenue Bike Lanes
GC Creative screenshot Remember last summer when guerrilla stripers used duct tape and spray chalk to demarcate bike lanes along a small portion of Detroit Avenue? That was really great. “Honestly, it was more of a statement than anything,” one of the bandits told Scene back then. “And Detroit was really kind of in-your-face. But…
Platform Beer Rolls Out Rotating Food Schedule with Big Names/Bold Flavors
From the earliest stages of planning, Platform Beer (4125 Lorain Ave., 216-202-1386, platformbeerco.com) was always going to be about the beer. The idea of building out a kitchen, hiring a chef and maintaining a consistent menu of options was never in the cards for owners Paul Benner, Justin Carson and Shawn Yasaki. Yet, since opening…
Cashmere Jackson, Former Female Boxing Champ, Dead in a Car Crash
We spent some time with Cashmere Jackson back in 2010, when the rising female boxing champ had made her way through local bouts and a stint as Golden Glove champ to the U.S women’s tourney and Olympic qualifying. The tough beginnings for the 2006 Collinwood graduate were overcome in the sport, led on by her…
10 Things Going on in Cleveland this Weekend (July 18 – 20)
Pretty much every summer festival to hit northeast Ohio this year is taking place this weekend, and we expect you to bounce around to them all (in varying states of inebriation, of course). We’ll see you at Scene Ale Fest, and probably at a handful of others. Have fun out there, folks.
LaunchHouse Doling Out $200,000 to Hardware Startups
Cleveland may not be the industrial hotbed it once was, but technological developments, catalyzed by the ubiquity and cheapness of manufacturing materials, have managed to breath new life into industry within Northeast Ohio. With the dawn of 3D printing and crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter, Cleveland could be on the cusp of a new golden era…
Update: City Council Has Passed RNC Ordinance
Cleveland City Council will vote this evening on an ordinance which willl desginate $2.5 million for the Republican National Convention in 2016 and will provide assurances that the city will be spic and span and (one suspects) safe once the Republicans and their various media coteries arrive. During a lengthy council session Wednesday morning, the…
The Naked Truth: Despite Some Funny Moments, ‘Sex Tape’ Comes Up Short
Several critics have already pointed that the premise of Sex Tape, the new comedy featuring Jason Segel and Cameron Diaz as a couple who accidentally uploads a sex tape to the Cloud, is flawed. Apparently, it would be easy for the video to be erased and the two wouldn’t have to run around town trying…
20 Eerie Photos of the Old and Abandoned Euclid Square Mall
The last thing we probably consider as we’re perusing the stores in an obnoxiously overcrowded shopping mall is that it will someday be abandoned in an unusual, almost post-apocalyptic manner. Ever wondered what that would look like? The now (mostly) abandoned Euclid Square Mall is an eerie example of such an occurrence. The mall, which…
Local Cabaret Singer Invites Public to Live Recording Session
Known for her throwing sandwiches at her audiences, local cabaret singer-songwriter/performance artist Miss Alexandra Huntingdon will record her first live album at Survival Kit Gallery (located inside the 78th St. Studios) at 8 p.m. on Friday, August 8, and she’s inviting local fans to attend the session. Tickets to the live performance are available at…
Local Rapper ‘Sino Grams’ Indicted on Federal Heroin, Gun Charges
Sino Grams on Facebook A 27 year-old Garfield Heights man named Deion Thompson was indicted yesterday in Cleveland’s federal court on seven counts of heroin distribution and one count of illegal firearm possession. Thompson raps under the name “Sino Grams,” an alias that was included in the federal indictment (embedded below). His birthday listed in…
New Pupuseria in Old Brooklyn Brings Salvadoran Specialty Closer to Town
The only thing better than a warm, griddle-fried pupusa is a whole basketful of them. That’s why we can’t be more pleased that a new pupuseria has opened up in Old Brooklyn, which brings the total number of regional spots specializing in the Salvadoran mainstay up to four. Two months ago, Pupuseria Katarina (4848 Broadview…
Hired Gun: From Lakewood to Baghdad, the Evolution of Stony Smith
“I’m in Baghdad. I protect Department of State personnel. More often than not they are involved in some aspect of rebuilding Iraq. I wear and carry about 40 pounds of body armor, weapons (carbine and pistol) and ammunition. I work as part of a team. It’s in the high 90s here, but it’s a dry…
Patio Guide: Greek Corner Ouzeri
Folks looking to escape the daily grind and indulge in a mini-getaway need not look further than Greek Corner Ouzeri, located in Broadview Heights. Here you’ll find a comfortable, relaxed dining environment reminiscent of the sunny homeland of owner and chef Tommy Karakostas and his family. “This is as close as we can get to…
Patio Guide: Swirl Wine Bar
Lovers of wine and history take note: Swirl Wine Bar offers patrons healthy doses of each, as well as a warm and relaxed environment, exceptional service, and a dozens of mouth-watering small plates—from cheese boards, to mini rolled pizzettes, and sweet and savory desserts— that are all perfect for sharing. Located just 25 minutes outside…
Patio Guide: Spice Kitchen + Bar
Clevelanders seeking to steal away from the daily grind need not look further than the patio of Spice Kitchen and Bar located on the edge of the burgeoning Gordon Square Arts District. A little urban oasis, the intimate Spice courtyard offers thirsty locals a place to unwind and experience some of Cleveland’s premiere farm-to-bar craft…
Chris Tuma Gets All Weird and Wacky on ‘Acoustic Tuma’
Acoustic Tuma Enter-Exit (self-released) reverbnation.com/acoustictuma Chris Tuma, Lakewood-based singer-songwriter, first gained some popularity in the late ’90s on the local rock circuit. He moved out of town for a spell, but returned a few years ago and adopted a rootsier sound. His new album mixes folk, pop and psychedelic rock and has a decidedly experimental…
Also on Stage
Sunset Boulevard The shallowness of Hollywood in its heyday is exposed in Sunset Boulevard, the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical now playing at Mercury Summer Stock. And thanks to ingenious and imaginative staging by director Pierre-Jacques Brault, this musical rendition of the famous 1950 movie starring Gloria Swanson is a feast for the eyes and ears.…
Rapper Paper Paulk Shows Great Promise on ‘Street Dreaming Vol. II’
Paper Paulk Street Dreaming Vol. II (self-released) paperpaulk.com Twenty-five-year-old local rapper Paper Paulk sold some 40,000 copies of last year’s Street Dreaming Vol. I and undoubtedly hopes to duplicate the magic with this hour-long mixtape. The disc commences with a ballad of sorts that finds Paulk yelling out “street dreaming” over a dramatic piano riff.…
It’s Alive!! (Well, Sort Of): An Energetic Production Attempts to Enliven a Comatose Book and Score in Young Frankenstein at the Beck Center
Outside of Playhouse Square, no theater in town does the big musical as well as Beck Center, Artistic director Scott Spence and his associates understand (and clearly love) the form, and reliably deliver the goods. They do the same this time around with Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein. With a large cast that labors like Transylvanian…
Mary’s Lane’s ‘See You Next Time’ Features More than Just Irish Music
Mary’s Lane See You Next Time (self-released) maryslane.com The latest offering from locals Mary’s Lane opens with the conventional Irish instrumental “Slowpoke.” But elsewhere, the guys mix it up a bit more. “I Got a Letter Today” sounds like something you might hear at a hoedown; same goes for the infectious “Sway,” with a prominent…
Film Spotlight: Planes, Fire, and Rescue
The sequel to the 2013 film Planes, a spin-off of Pixar’s Cars franchise, Planes: Fire & Rescue has such a flimsy plot, it never really gets off the ground. Opening areawide on Friday, the animated film has some great characters in it, but the story takes so long to take flight, the film is likely…
Morrissey Returns to Form with ‘World Peace is None of Your Business’
Morrissey World Peace is None of Your Business (Harvest/Capitol) facebook.com/morrissey The former singer of the Smith is up to his usual tricks on this, his latest solo effort. Recorded in France with producer Joe Chiccarelli (U2, Beck), the album starts with the title track, a tune that commences with the sound of a shaking tambourine…
Film Review of the Week: Venus in Fur
Given his notorious past (he was arrested for the rape of a 13-year-old girl and then fled the states for Europe to escape incarceration), Polish writer-director Roman Polanski (The Pianist) rightly inspires rather negative reactions. And yet despite that, he continues to make movies that matter. Based on a Broadway play by David Ives, his…
Band of the Week: Erienauts
Meet the Band: Brendan Provenzale (bass, vocals), Pat Fleming (guitar, vocals), Ryan Fletterick (guitar), Kelsey Etters (drums). straight outta tha basement: The band came together a year ago when Provenzale wanted to start a side project with Fleming. When his “other band” split up, the Erienauts formed. Provenzale had had a “small basement project” with…
Melody Maker: Singer-Songwriter Matthew Sweet Talks Pottery and Power Pop
Matthew Sweet might be most famous for his 1991 alternative rock masterpiece Girlfriend, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t still putting out quality tunes some 23 years later. Late last month, Sweet announced that he will soon be working on followup material to 2011’s Modern Art by utilizing a Kickstarter campaign to fund his new…
It’s a Celebration: Alternative Press Magazine Pulls Out All the Stops for its Inaugural Music Awards
The upcoming Gay Games and Republican National Convention have received plenty of hype in the local media, but Alternative Press Magazine’s inaugural music awards deserves some attention too. The line-up for the event, slated to take place on July 21 at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, features a who’s who of…
The Dissident: Guitar Hero Slash Talks about Taking a Different Approach on his Forthcoming Album World on Fire
It’s no coincidence that former Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash releases his albums on his own Dik Hayd record label. He’s spent nearly three decades working in what he described as the “insidious music business” and once he had the chance to do things differently, he was quite happy to make the change. He can…
Beers and Business
“My mother was a lousy cook,” Jan Litterst begins. “I was underweight my whole life until I got married and learned how to cook on my own.” But for Litterst and her now ex-husband, “Ho Hos and Romanburgers were our thing.” In 2000, doctors told her she was pre-diabetic. “I was not going to be…
Bigger than Basketball: The Transformative Power of LeBron James
If we’ve learned anything in the days since LeBron James announced that he’ll return to his native Northeast Ohio to play again for the Cleveland Cavaliers, it’s that the reports of locals burning his jersey had been greatly exaggerated. Not only did the majority of Cavs fans never burn their gear, they didn’t throw it…
This Isn’t Your Parents’ Chinese Restaurant: Han Chinese Gives a Modern Touch to the Asian Staples
Han Chinese Kabob & Grill doesn’t look at all like other Chinese restaurants in Cleveland’s Asiatown neighborhood. It’s bright, modern and attractive. There are no hanging lanterns, calligraphy scrolls or rice paper umbrellas. In place of a murky fish tank with questionable sea life there is an open kitchen, unheard of for the genre. But…
