Cleveland Municipal Court Judges Vote to Establish Special Docket for Human Trafficking Cases
Judge Marilyn B. Cassidy Last week, Cleveland Municipal Court Judges voted to establish a special docket for human trafficking cases, a docket that acknowledges a nationwide trend which seeks to view prostitutes (notably) as victims, not perpetrators. Judge Marilyn B. Cassidy, a former nurse and attorney who for many years litigated on behalf of the…
Yelp Cleveland’s Free Event Series Celebrates Local Art and Culture
#171623388 / gettyimages.com Yelp Cleveland is teaming up with a handful of local artists and venues to kickstart a new month-long summer event series, Yelp’s Culture Club. This free (yep- free!) series strives to showcase Cleveland’s thriving arts and entertainment scenes through a variety of events— think everything from a sausage-making workshop at Market Garden…
Joe the Plumber: “Your Dead Kids Don’t Trump My Constitutional Rights”
After the tragedy at UCSB this weekend, those seeking high-minded debate about the root causes of the deaths might have stumbled upon the #YesAllWomen hashtag on Twitter, or perhaps articles that pointed out a renewed focus on mental health care is needed in America, or some discussion about the NRA and what a new surgeon…
Scene Podcast: Immigration Troubles in Cleveland, the New Museum Art Director, and the Cavs get lucky
This week, host Craig Lyndall chats with Sam Allard and Eric Sandy about a whole bunch of fun stuff. (Ed note: the episode was taped Friday but got hung up in holiday weekend land, so enjoy the rib cookoff topic while knowing that event is long over.) Otherwise, the trio dug into immigration issues tied…
Update: It’s Now a Misdemeanor to Use Your Cell Phone While Driving in Shaker Heights
Update: After three months of warnings, Shaker Heights police will begin issuing tickets today to folks using their cell phones while driving. As we mention below, drivers caught using any kind of mobile device while operating a vehicle could face a first-degree misdemeanor charge, as well as a fine and jail time. So, if you’re…
Hung Out to Draw
I’m sitting in my editor’s office and I’m talking about THIS LOREN NAJI THING and how there’s some real shit going down in the Cleveland arts scene right now and how we need to jump on this. Cleveland is on the verge of some very heavy backlash from its most favorite little marketing subjects, the…
Backstage Pass: An Interview with OMG Girlz
In town for a concert at Playhouse Square, the women in pop/R&B group OMG Girlz met us at the Wyndham Hotel before their show to talk about the new material they’ve been recording. The colorful trio is redefining itself too. As their publicist put it, the teens are making “their transition into adulthood” and adopting…
‘Pig Death Machine’ Makes Cleveland Debut at Cinematheque
Jon Moritsugu Writer-director Jon Moritsugu has been making low budget b-movies since the ’80s. But he encountered a serious case of writer’s block that kept him from producing a film for the past ten years. He finally got past the mental block last year and finished Pig Death Machine, an outlandish film about a woman…
Cleveland Lobs Awkward Retorts at Channing Crowder After He Makes Bizarre ‘Anus’ Remark
It’s tough not to let loose a galactic yawwwwn when some idiot says something negative about Cleveland. It’s even more tiresome when our fine local press decides to analyze the bullshit and shove it down the gullets of every impassioned online commenter in the city. Before we all drop out for the long holiday weekend,…
Strongsville School Administrators Called Police To Report A Joke Craigslist Ad Listing Strongsville High School For Sale For $1
A Strongsville City Schools administrator summoned police to the district’s office this week because someone jokingly listed Strongsville High School for sale on Craigslist for $1. There was a brief mention of the incident on Cleveland.com’s Strongsville police blotter this morning, and we found the post that apparently freaked the administrators out and got ahold…
Robert Moore, Richmond Heights’ Corrupt Superintendent, is Off to Prison
Robert Moore, the corrupt Richmond Heights’ superintendent who was caught extorting payment from a day care worker operating on school grounds, has been sentenced to one year in prison. Richard Muse, Moore’s bag man, church buddy, and the district’s nominal grounds keeper, was sentenced to 10 months. Both had pleaded guilty in April in order…
Primus Keeps It Low-key at Jacobs Pavilion
Joe Kleon At one point toward the end of last night’s 100-minute performance at Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica, Primus frontman Les Claypool joked that everyone could go home at the end of the night and “carry on as if nothing happened here.” The self-deprecating humor is typical of the type of banter that Claypool enjoys…
Cleveland in Final Four to Host 2016 Republican National Convention
Update: Reports have trickled in that Cleveland is another step closer to hosting the 2016 Republican National Convention. After convening yesterday, the RNC site selection committee narrowed the possible host city pool down to Cleveland, Dever, Dallas and Kansas City (Cincinnati and Las Vegas withdrew their bids after being informed their cities didn’t meet the…
Rock Hall Announces Summer in the City Lineup
St. Lucia Summer in the City, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum’s live concert series, is one of the museum’s signature events. Today, the Rock Hall announced the lineup for this year’s series. The series starts with the synth-pop group St. Lucia, which performs at 7 p.m. on July 16. Local indie…
The Best Happy Hour Eats in Cleveland, Seven Days a Week
You can find a solid happy hour anywhere throughout Northeast Ohio, seven days a week. This list is proof. Enjoy and eat!
Cleveland Blues Society Announces Second Annual Blues Cruise
The Cleveland Blues Society has announced the line-up for its second annual Blues Cruise, which takes place on Monday, July 14 on the Goodtime III. Locals Alan Greene, Austin “Walkin’ Cane,” Becky Boyd and Billy Coakley are just a few of the 15 acts slated to perform. Last year’s cruise sold out in advance. Boarding…
Lawsuit: Wealthy Canton-Area Businessman’s Ex-Wife Alleges Scam to Screw Her Out of Money From Real Estate Deals
The couple’s Boca Raton home. Jennifer Simpson accuses her ex-husband of scheming to screw her out of proceeds from its sale. There’s no greater reminder of the sanctity of marriage than millionaires spending years in the courts hammering out contentious divorce settlements and federal lawsuits alleging a former spouse ran complex schemes to screw the…
Film Review of the Week: Blended
“If you overlook the fact that it’s a really bad movie,” my girlfriend opined, as we let Blended listlessly digest, “it’s much easier to enjoy.” Amen to that. Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore prove that the third time isn’t necessarily the charm as they reunite in this culturally indelicate rom-com with a few surprising moments…
Terrific Acting Distinguishes ‘X-Men: Days of Future Past’
Introduce the concept of time travel into a film and you set yourself up for all kinds of problems. But masterful director Bryan Singer, who has helmed previous X-Men films, expertly navigates the treacherous waters of time travel with X-Men: Days of Future Past, a film that acts as a sequel to both 2006’s X-Men:…
15 Things Going on in Cleveland Memorial Day Weekend
The glorious holiday that is Memorial Day weekend has arrived and, folks, there are festivities aplenty slated for the next four days (we’re especially stoked for the Rib Cook-Off at Jacobs Pavilion and Tremont Greek Fest). Here’s what’s happenin’ Memorial Day weekend in Cleveland. Enjoy.
Music Box Supper Club Offers Free Tickets to Newsletter Subscribers
Slated to open in August, Music Box Supper Club will add yet another venue to Cleveland’s club scene. Located on the West Bank of the Flats, the concert hall and restaurant is looking to beef up its newsletter subscribers and is offering two free tickets to a show to anyone who signs up before June…
County Plans ‘Missing Persons Day’ for Sunday
More than a year ago, the most internationally widespread spotlight was placed firmly on Cleveland. Since then, the narrative of missing persons has gotten little more than passing references in congratulatory news conferences. The FBI brushed off any meaningful connection between their sudden interest in Christina Adkins’ case and the windfall of public interest stemming…
Medina Native Credited with Creation of Emoticons
Whether it’s to convey a joke or to just lighten the mood of a conversation, we’ve all used a smiley face or two in our digital communications. Unless you are wont to peruse Wikipedia’s “Notable People” section of one of Cleveland’s suburbs, though, you’re probably unaware that the lil’ emoticon can trace its roots back…
Cavs Defy Odds, Land No. 1 Pick in NBA Draft Lottery Yet Again
Cavs’ GM David Griffin stood alongside Philadelphia 76ers legend Julius Irving and new internet sensation Mallory Edens, waiting to hear who among them would secure for their team the coveted number one pick in the 2014 NBA draft. Griffin’s eyes were roughly level with Dr. J’s nipples, but the new GM stared straight and humorlessly ahead, Nick Gilbert’s…
Wingenstock Concert Series Returns on May 31
Smokey Blue Band Way the heck back in 1970, Canal Corners Farm & Market owner Dave Wingenfeld began presenting rock concerts in his parents’ backyard. He called the shows Wingenstock. This summer, Wingenfeld is back to playing the role of local concert promoter with WINGENSTOCK 6, a concert series he hosts in his Big, Red…
Secret SOUL Club Celebrates Anniversary with Special Event
For two years now, Secret SOUL Club — DJs Antoine Henderson, Tom Dechristofaro and David Petrovich — have thrown wild monthly parties that show off their good taste in music, “We strive to hunt down records that really sizzle and have that intangible quality that sticks in your head and makes the dancefloor go bananas”…
Local Rapper Hosts Concert to Raise Awareness About Drug Abuse
Chris Black Willoughby-based rapper Chris Black regularly likes to give back to his hometown by staging concerts and benefits. At 7 p.m. on Friday, May 30, he’ll perform a concert at Willoughby South High School to raise money for the graduating class of 2015. He also hopes to raise awareness about drug abuse in today’s…
Chicago Delivers Epic Set at Hard Rock Live
David Kemp “Man, oh man!” Those words, spoken at the end of the night by Chicago trombone player James Pankow, a founding member of the group, provided a succinct and accurate description of the blistering set that the band had just laid out. Chicago’s sold out gig last night at Hard Rock Live was a…
The Black Keys Transition to a Different Sound on New Album
The Black Keys – Turn Blue (Nonesuch) Recorded at Sunset Sound in Los Angeles during the summer of 2013 with additional recording done at the Key Club in Benton Harbor, Mich. and at singer-guitarist Dan Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound in Nashville in early 2014, the Black Keys’ new album presents a kinder, gentler version of…
Chromeo Lays Down Cool Summertime Grooves on ‘White Women’
Chromeo – White Women (Big Beat/Atlantic) This Canadian electrofunk duo has always drawn from ’80s acts such as Hall & Oates — the Chromeo guys even collaborated with the blue-eyed soul group on a jam session in 2008. So it’s no surprise that they go back to that same well on their new studio effort.…
Also on Stage
Left in ink It is impossible to truly know the torment of those who choose to take their own lives. We’re not talking here about romantic self-destruction (Romeo and Juliet) but the kind driven by severe mental illness, depression, or other dark factors. So it is a bold choice for director Caitlin Lewins and company…
Back Writing White: A Character Who is an African-American Playwright has Problems Writing for White Chicks in This is Not the Play
Even though the U.S. Supreme Court seems to think we live in a post-racial society, one where there is no longer any race-based prejudice, the facts and Donald Sterling seem to suggest otherwise. And racial stereotyping is front and center in This is Not the Play by Chisa Hutchinson, now at Cleveland Public Theatre. The format…
Meet the Sculptor Who’s Devoted a Third of his Life to Making Art he’s Allowed Very Few to See
Struggle defines not only the content of Travis Kinchy’s work, but also the circumstances that produced it. The 32-year-old artist has worked without acclaim, without publicity and without constructive criticism from his peers. Those who have seen his art have only done so through personal invitations to the artist’s home or iPhone photos circulated by…
Film Spotlight: Belle
A period piece about a woman of mixed race who grew up during a time when slavery was legal, Belle opens on Friday at the Cedar Lee Theatre. But it represents the personal struggles that director Amma Asante, whose father was West African, experienced while growing up in England. “We were one of two black…
King of the Silver Ball: All about Nudging, Tilting and High Scores at the Happy Dog Pinball League
Every Tuesday evening during the season, the area’s pinball enthusiasts flock to Detroit-Shoreway for a battle of skill, reflexes and hand-eye coordination and some retro arcade fun at one of Cleveland’s best bars. As the third season of the Happy Dog Pinball League inches closer to the grand finale on June 7, we checked in…
Band of the Week: Something Involving a Monkey
Meet the band: Joe P. (guitar, keyboards and vocals), BeZo (bass, keyboards vocals), Nick Ritz (drums, percussion, sampling) Just Monkeying Around: Joe P. and original drummer Todd Ankrom played in the Family Riot. When that band imploded in 2010, they recruited bassist/kazoo player BeZo from Resist/Blood Runs Dry. “Me and drummer Todd Ankrom and BeZo…
Starr Power: Southern Rockers Blackberry Smoke are the Thinking Redneck Man’s Band
The guys in the redneck rock band Blackberry Smoke regularly spend 200 days a year on the road, so it’s not that odd that their upcoming show in Cleveland will mark their second appearance here in 2014. Back in February, they played at House of Blues, but the guys have continued touring ever since that…
Bring the Noise: Now That’s Class’ Annual Horrible Fest Returns with an Even Bigger Line-Up than Last Year
Every year when the garage punk blowout that is Horrible Fest comes to an end, organizers Russ “Romance” Murphy and Paul Schlachter swear that they won’t go through the agony of doing it again. And yet, they’ve kept the festival going strong for nine years now (they say they’ll stop when they reach 10). This…
Rebel Music: Skrillex Distills Punk Influences on Groundbreaking Electronica Album
Given that the name Skrillex, the moniker under which Sonny Moore records and tours, is so clearly associated with electronic music, it’s rather surprising to hear that a Metallica show was the first concert he ever attended. “That was when I was living in San Francisco in 1998,” he says via phone from his Los…
Bourbon and Brotherhood or the Longest Two Ounces of my Life
I first learned that the Cleveland Bourbon Club existed a year and a half ago, and I’ve been trying to worm my way into a meeting ever since. The club, launched three years ago by a trio of attorneys, is one of the most exclusive organizations in town, limited to just 25 members — one…
Picture Perfect: The Growing Market of Commercial Food Photography in Cleveland
On a typical day, Heidi Robb will hit a few markets to load up on fresh produce, pop into a butcher shop for a thick steak, maybe visit the fishmonger for some plump Gulf shrimp before heading into the kitchen. There, she’ll clean and prep the veggies, get the mains started on the grill, and…
Gone Daddy Gone
The good news arrived rather unexpectedly. Most of the people who attended the rally in Erie, Pa., were still on the bus ride back to Cleveland when they heard that Alfredo Ramos-Gallegos had been released from prison. But who would have thought he’d get out so quickly? Relatively speaking, of course. On Feb. 8, 2014,…
New Coldplay Album Doesn’t Have Any Real Surprises
Coldplay – Ghost Stories (Capitol) These British rockers emerged nearly 20 years ago as a kinder, gentler answer to Radiohead. In spite of those derivative tendencies, they’ve managed to find a strong foothold. The band’s albums regularly go platinum, and the group has won a number of Grammys. Their latest studio effort is the band’s…
Phillip Phillips Still Just a One-Hit Wonder
Phillip Phillips – Behind the Light (19 Recordings/Interscope Records) When singer-songwriter Phillip Phillips, winner of Season 11 of American Idol, wound up with a hit album, it almost seemed by accident. “Home,” the single released in 2012, racked up platinum sales. It sounded so much like a Mumford & Sons song, you had to wonder…
Conor Oberst Gets Introspective on His New Album
Conor Oberst – Upside Down Mountain (Nonesuch) Early Conor Oberst recordings show just how harsh the guy’s voice could be. His self-released debut, 1993’s Water, was particularly rough around the edges. But with the folk ensemble Bright Eyes and on his solo albums, Oberst has established himself as an artist who matters; and his voice…
