10 Ways Cleveland’s New ‘Smart Code’ Will Greatly Change the City’s Feel in Decades to Come
What makes a city appealing? Safety. Diversity. Things to do and places to eat. Prosperity. And then there’s image—a mix of how a city looks and feels and operates. That’s the basic idea underlying Cleveland’s new form-based planning code, which went into effect last month. Often categorized as Smart Code, these are fresh laws for…
15+ Things to Do in Cleveland This Weekend (July 25-28)
Our weekly picks of the best things to do in Cleveland this weekend. Also check out our full Cleveland event calendar. THU 07/25 All Time Low All Time Low, which formed some 20 years ago, has gone through numerous lineup changes but still includes founding singer-guitarist Alex Gaskarth. And it’s kept active too. Just last year, it…
Cleveland’s New Division of Forestry Could Help Speed Up Far-Reaching Tree Canopy Goals
Four years ago, in 2020, the Cleveland Tree Coalition released a report depicting a pretty heinous present and possible future for the city’s base of trees. In line with 2017 data, Cleveland was losing some 75 acres per year—roughly 4,950 trees—simply due to natural death. Trees weren’t being maintained quickly enough. City Hall suffered from…
15+ Things to Do in Cleveland This Weekend (July 18-21)
Our weekly picks of the best things to do in Cleveland this weekend. Also check out our full Cleveland event calendar. THU 07/18 The Claudettes Led by singer Rachel Williams, who has been with the band for a year and a half now, the Claudettes come to town for their first Cleveland show in several years.…
Trump Pick of J.D. Vance as Running Mate Opens New Battlefront in Presidential Race
MILWAUKEE — Republicans on the floor of the Republican National Convention cheered Ohio U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance becoming their vice presidential nominee Monday, as Democrats slammed his opposition to abortion rights, and called him inexperienced and a “clone” of Donald Trump. Reaction from all corners of American politics poured in as GOP delegates inside the…
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Cleveland’s Mourning [A] BLKstar Returns With Sophisticated Suite of New Songs
The seeds for what would become Mourning [A] BLKstar, one of Cleveland’s most experimental bands, first started when band members RA Washington and LaToya Kent, who’d been friends since high school, opened for the hip-hop group Shabazz Palaces at Mahall’s 20 Lanes in Lakewood in 2015. “We played the show, and we were outside talking,” says…
Despite Objections From City Planning, Councilman Danny Kelly Goes to Bat for Proposed Gas Station on Vacant CVS Property
For the past three years, Jonathan Steirer and some of his neighbors in Cudell have watched a nearby vacant CVS sit as a general eyesore. It’s an easy haven for illegal dumpers. There are squatters. It’s a harsh reminder of the blight that dots parts of Madison Avenue. “It definitely is being vandalized,” Steirer, 32,…
Build the Pho to Open in Former Campbell’s Sweets Space in Ohio City
Eric Jun Weng, who operates Build the Pho in partnership with Sheng Long Yu, is getting started on location number two. The first opened in June of 2022 at Uptown in University Circle (11440 Euclid Ave., 216-999-7090). The second will open later this summer in Ohio City, specifically in the former Campbell’s Sweets space at 2084 W.…
Ohio Disciplinary Office Recommends Two-Year Law License Suspension for Judge Timothy Grendell
After two delays in 2023, and a heated conduct hearing in February, the Office of Disciplinary Counsel of the Ohio Supreme Court has suggested that Judge Timothy Grendell face a two-year suspension of his law license. Attorneys in that office argued in a post-hearing finding last week that Grendell, the Portage-Geauga County probate judge for the past…
Ohio Democrats Unify Behind U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown Amid Uncertainty at the Top of the Ticket
In a couple weeks Kemba Live will host Taking Back Sunday in Columbus’ Arena District. But on Saturday morning, the concrete dance floor was lined with folding chairs and Democrats from around Ohio instead of elder millennials reliving past glories. The Ohio Democratic Party billed the gathering as a family reunion, pairing official business like…
Cleveland’s Post Saga To Play EP Release Show on July 27 at Trellis Rooftop
The Cleveland indie rock act Post Saga just announced that it’ll release a new EP, Circles, at the month’s end. The songs on this new record are some of the first songs that members have written in about two years. “We had taken a sort of break early 2023 and came back together, and these…
This Week in Cleveland Food News: A New Addition on East 185th and More
– The former Bistro 185 space has looked like it has been sitting completely dormant for years, but Chris King has been quietly and diligently working on the spot since taking ownership and is about ready to debut Charter House, which opens in August. Related – The Forward Hospitality team is at it again, this…
One Fair Wage Continues to Collect Signatures to Get $15 Minimum Wage on Next Year’s Ballot
Minimum wage won’t be on Ohio’s ballot this year, but it could be on next year’s. After a day of mixed messaging last week, One Fair Wage ultimately failed to submit the necessary signatures to the Ohio Secretary of State to get their initiative on the November ballot. But One Fair Wage is continuing to…
Cleveland’s Will Cherry Releases Soulful New Single
Ohio-based musicians Will Cherry and N’shai Iman have teamed up for their latest single, “Genesis,” a song about a couple navigating “the challenges of growing distance in a relationship,” as it’s put in a press release about the tune. “With heartfelt lyrics that showcase their vulnerability, Cherry and Iman invite listeners into a reflective journey through…
16 Cleveland Farmers Markets to Shop This Summer
Find great food, makers, musicians, art and more at local pop-ups in Cleveland and on the east and west sides. Here’s where to shop this summer. BAYarts Thursday Market Bay Village’s visual and cultural arts center is already beloved for its productions, events and arts festivals — now, add a backyard farmers market to that…
It’s GardenWalk Cleveland Weekend, the Best Event for Nosy People (and Nature Lovers)
GardenWalk Cleveland, a free event featuring self-guided tours of hundreds of gardens across 11 neighborhoods, returns this Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is, without question, one of the best weekends of the year. Clevelanders who sign up to participate (more than 300 stops this year) allow you to traipse through…
Cuyahoga County Councilman Taps 5 to Review Juvenile Court Issues
Members of Cuyahoga County Council’s Juvenile Court Advisory Subcommittee assembled for their first meeting this month, voicing concern over whether they’d be free to deeply probe the juvenile court’s practices. Councilman Mike Gallagher, who chairs the council’s Public Safety & Justice Affairs committee, encouraged the new five-member committee to delve as deeply as needed but…
Former Cuyahoga County Employee Federally Charged on Seven-Figure Wire Fraud Charges
A former Cuyahoga County IT professional was indicted in federal court on Tuesday on wire fraud charges alleging that he siphoned millions from a previous job for personal gain. Curtis McEwen of Avon, was charged on July 9 in the Northern District of Ohio Federal Court. The DOJ alleges the now former IT director for…
First Look: Charter House Grille, Opening August 8th on East 185th
Chris King was in no immediate hurry to open Charter House Grille (991 E. 185th St.) given the landscape just outside his front door. Between the Water Pollution Control project and subsequent Streetscape Improvement Project, East 185th Street has been an absolute nightmare for residents, commuters and business owners for the past four years. In…
Sad Summer Festival Fills a Void for Emo and Punk Fans
When Vans Warped Tour ended its annual cross-country run in 2019, members of the Maine wanted to keep the community-centric spirit of the scene alive any way they could. So, five years ago, the indie-leaning rock band partnered with pop punk band Mayday Parade to co-found the Warped-like Sad Summer Festival, which makes its way…
Averting Strike, Cuyahoga County Public Library Agrees to New Contract With Union
At the beginning of June, unionized librarians and clerks picketed in front of the Parma Snow branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library, calling for better pay and “respect and dignity for all employees.” This week, those employees, represented by a local chapter of the Service Employees International Union, got what they were angling for…
Full-Time Workers Need to Make $20.81 an Hour to Afford Two-Bedroom Apartment in Ohio
Ohioans need to be making at least $20.81 an hour working a full-time job to be able to afford a “modest” two-bedroom apartment, according to a new report by the National Low Income Housing Coalition and the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio. This is a 9% increase compared to last year’s report —…
Downtown Cleveland Road Closures Continue Through July 20 for Filming of Superman
Superman has come home, with the filming of the newest installment of the Man of Steel movie series taking over parts of downtown. With that has come some minor headaches, or, might be more recently characterized as major headaches, with some downtown residents and workers beginning to bemoan the detours and road closures that come…
The Cleveland Orchestra Continues its Summer Blossom Run and the Rest of the Classical Music to Catch This Week
Lots of interesting classical music programs this week, both indoors and al fresco. – Ohio Light opera now has four of its six summer shows up and running at Freedlander Theatre at the College of Wooster. Catch Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Gondoliers (Wednesday at 2, Friday at 2), the opening performance of Franz Lehár’s The…
Cleveland Rocks: Past, Present and Future Nurtures Local Talent with Incubator and Accelerator Programs
In 2023, Cleveland Rocks: Past, Present and Future, a local nonprofit devoted to developing Cleveland’s local music scene, put up some pretty impressive numbers. It raised more than $185,000 for local musicians and venues and held more than 30 events featuring more than 90 musicians. It aims to do even more in 2024. One aspect…
The Price Keeps Going Up for Cleveland’s Chelsea Pastel
Former band geek turned aspiring rapper Chelsea Pastel (real name Chelsea Ferguson), from Cleveland’s Buckeye-Woodhill neighborhood, has been in the game for almost a decade and is hungry for more. This summer was supposed to provide a nationwide spotlight, as she was slated to join Kid Cudi on his INSANO tour, but an injury to…
New Bridge Cleveland to Expand, Open Healthcare Workforce Training Center
With the recent acquisition of the 66,000-square-foot Case Elementary School buiding, New Bridge Cleveland is bringing a resource back to the St. Clair neighborhood and expanding its offerings. The nonprofit’s mission is to train under-resourced communities in Cuyahoga County in healthcare careers by providing free, acute training and certifications. New Bridge is currently training phlebotomists,…
Ohio Traffic Deaths Up Compared to Ten Years Ago Despite Recent Declines
The July 4 weekend meant Ohio’s roads were be packed with holiday travelers. AAA projects almost 61 million will hit the road and another 10 million have other travel plans. A recent report digging through a decade of traffic fatality data offers a reminder to be patient behind the wheel. The Roadway Information Program, or…
Mike Shea, Founder of Alternative Press, Starts Ruffian Books, a Music-Focused and Cleveland-Based Publishing Company
For the past three decades, Mike Shea has strived to abide by the sibling tattoos he had inked on each of his forearms. Those that read, in graffiti script, “JAMÁS VENCIDO.” Don’t give up, as Shea likes to translate the Spanish. And from 1985 to 2020, that’s exactly the credo Shea stuck to as founder…
Well-Worn ‘Nunsense’ at Porthouse Theatre Doesn’t Quite Hit the Heavens
In the vast world of musical comedies, there is one undeniable truism: The older the jokes are, the better the production must be. And many of the jokes in Nunsense, the clerical warhorse now at the Porthouse Theatre, were already old when it opened 40 years ago. But that doesn’t matter when the actors are…
Federal Regulator: Pharmacy Middlemen Appear to Be Raising Prices, Hurting Patients
The federal trade watchdog on Tuesday released an interim report saying that sprawling health care conglomerates are driving out competition in the pharmacy sector and appear to be increasing prices in the process. The interim report comes after the Federal Trade Commission in 2022 announced that it was undertaking a sweeping investigation of pharmacy middlemen…
Livewire: 8 of the Best Concerts to Catch in Cleveland This Week
WED 07/10 Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo These two Rock Hall inductees struck gold when they began working together in 1979 on Pat Benatar’s debut album, In the Heat of the Night, which yielded the huge single “Heartbreaker.” Their streak continued with tunes such as “Hit Me with Your Best Shot,” “Fire and Ice” and…
‘Much Ado About Nothing’ at the Ohio Shakespeare Festival is a Summertime Theatrical Treat
Back when Seinfeld was on the tee-vee every week, Jerry and the other creators took pride in claiming that their show “was about nothing.” They tried to convince us it was unique when, in fact, they got beat by that old scamp Will Shakespeare and his delightful comedy Much Ado About Nothing. In this production…
Cleveland.com Dabbling in AI-Written Articles
Coverage on Cleveland.com has in recent weeks included rote local news such as the Cleveland Public Library extending its floral exhibit into August, Cuyahoga Valley National Park announcing a sister-park relationship with Dartmoor in the UK, and the lineup for a Bedford summer concert series. Those articles would not seem out of place given the…
Cleveland Finance Director Ahmed Abonamah Resigns
After a breezy two-and-a-half years with the Bibb administration, Ahmed Abonamah, its director of finance since 2022, announced his resignation over the weekend. Besides a recap of Abonamah’s accomplishments during his tenure, and plans to install assistant finance director Jim Hartley come July 19, a press release from City Hall did not elaborate on Abonamah’s…
First Look: Hi 5, Now Open in the Flats
On a busy summer weekend, Forward Hospitality will welcome approximately 6,000 guests at its various Flats-based businesses. The multifaceted portfolio includes FWD Day + Nightclub, Welcome to the Farm, Good Night John Boy, Glamper and I Hate Cowboys, which is the baby of the bunch at three months old. Last week, the prolific hospitality group…
Increasing the Minimum Wage Will Save 4,000 Ohio Lives, Study Says
There may be some drawbacks, but increasing Ohio’s minimum wage to $15 an hour would save 4,000 lives and create a $25 billion benefit to the state economy by 2036, according to a study released last month by Scioto Analysis. A group proposing to increase the minimum wage from the current $10.45 an hour to…
