Eric Brewer Launches Print Newspaper After Facebook Ban
Veteran journalist, former East Cleveland Mayor and 2017 Cleveland mayoral candidate Eric Brewer has launched a print newspaper, his 13th, that he hopes will bring an “old-school” journalistic sensibility to a region hungry for it. The pugnacious writer and politician has, in recent years, published diatribes and breaking news on his personal Facebook page, much…
Do Not Let Cleveland.com Continue to Distort Q Deal Narrative
The Sept. 26 episode of This Week in the CLE, cleveland.com’s weekly news and analysis podcast, featured a segment with reporter Marc Bona about the renovations at what is now known as Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse. Bona’s conversation with editor Chris Quinn and podcast co-host Laura Johnston is effervescent with the same sort of dishonesty that…
Update: Cleveland Singer Wins Canadian Opera Company Competition
Update: Dual-citizen soprano Midori Marsh of Cleveland took home First Prize and the Audience Choice Award at the Canadian Opera Company’s ninth annual Ensemble Studio Competition that took place yesterday at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto. Marsh won the $5,000 award, as well as a performance opportunity at Ontario’s Elora…
Northeast Ohio-Based Indie Rockers the Building to Launch Their National Tour on Saturday at Westside Bowl in Youngstown
Known for his role as guitarist in the indie rock act the War on Drugs and as the drummer in St. Vincent and Dean & Britta, multi-instrumentalist/songwriter Anthony LaMarca moved back to Youngstown, where he grew up, two years ago. Since moving back, he’s really embraced his roots. He’s just finished recording his new album,…
You Can Still Buy a 2020 Cedar Point Season Pass for $99
A regular-price Cedar Point ticket for one day of fun can cost more than $70. But deals can be had for those who prepare, and the park has just announced its extending a hot offer for its Gold Pass. The $99 deal includes free parking and unlimited visits to the park (including Cedar Point Shores)…
The CIM Orchestra Does ‘The Juniper Tree’ and the Rest of the Classical Music to Catch This Week in Cleveland
Chamber music and opera are on this week’s not-to-be-missed list, beginning with Tuesday Musical’s “October Octets” event on Wednesday, October 30 at 7:30 pm in the University of Akron’s E.J. Thomas Hall. The Dover and Escher String Quartets will join forces for octets by Shostakovich and Enescu, and premiere a new work for eight string…
Dan Gilbert’s Companies Call ProPublica Report Fake News Without Challenging Much of the Reporting
Quicken Loans founder Dan Gilbert’s Rock Family of Companies is on the defensive after ProPublica published a big investigation that found swaths of downtown Detroit, a high concentration of wealth where Gilbert owns dozens of buildings, got an “opportunity zone” tax break meant for impoverished areas after it donated to President Donald Trump. Jared Fleisher,…
Cleveland’s Upcoming S’morefest Celebrates All Things Graham Cracker, Marshmallow and Chocolate
Cleveland is full of food and drink festivals, but there’s always room for some more. The folks behind Cleveland’s beloved music festival, Brite Winter, are putting on a S’morefest next month as a fundraiser for their annual free event. Running from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Nov. 15 at Merwin’s Wharf (1785 Merwin Avenue),…
First Look: Voodoo Brewery, Opening Saturday in Cleveland Heights
It’s nearly all systems go for Voodoo Brewery (2279 Lee Rd., 216-331-6775) in Cleveland Heights. After a couple of private events, the taproom is scheduled to open its doors to the public at 11 a.m. this Saturday, November 2. The Cedar-Lee location is one of a handful of satellite taprooms for the Meadville, Pennsylvania-based brewery…
Thai Thai in Lakewood is Closed… For Now
Last night, Thai Thai closed its doors in Lakewood as planned. The closure is in advance of a move to a new spot two blocks down on Madison (13415 Madison Ave.). Fans of the Thai restaurant can look forward to a larger dining room and expanded menu. Owner Siriphan “Kiwi” Wongpeng says that the new…
Garth Brooks Delivers a Fun, Free-Wheeling Set at the Dusty Armadillo in Rootstown
It might be a cliché, but country singer Garth Brooks clearly loves to perform whether he’s playing to a few hundred people or several thousand fans. Currently in the midst of a stadium tour that’s reportedly averaging 83,000 fans per stop, Brooks has played a handful of shows at what he calls dive bars across…
Fake News: Ohio Gen Z and Millennials Troubled by the Hype
COLUMBUS, Ohio – With just over a year before the 2020 presidential election, a new survey reveals the major issues of concern for two generations of young Americans. According to research from the Cause and Social Influence Initiative, Gen Z and Millennials say social causes and movements that resonate in their own lives are most…
Ohio Football Had an All-Around Embarrassing Sunday Against Super Bowl LIII Teams
There were some brief glimmers of hope in the off-season that Ohio’s NFL teams would not be the laughing stock of football during the 2019 season. For the Cincinnati Bengals, that glimmer dimmed fairly early on; the Cleveland Browns were right behind them on the misery train though. The Bengals finally losing head coach Marvin…
You Can Now Bid On Captain Picard’s Star Trek Chair from Cedar Point
Cedar Point is auctioning off a bunch of old amusement park decor and knickknacks from its museum, including a reproduction of Captain Jean-Luc Picard’s Starfleet Command Chair. Wonderfully, this yellow, white and silver Star Trek replica comes along with a Cedar Point certificate of authenticity, and, for those who were worried, even lights up. Even those…
Ohio Lawmakers Are Now Considering Two Sports Betting Bills
Roughly a year and a half after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a federal law against sports betting and ruled that the question should be left up to individual states, Ohio lawmakers are mulling two bills that would make betting on sporting events legal. Now, the debate among lawmakers is about who will regulate the…
General Motors, Workers Come to Agreement to End Strike — But Lordstown Plant to Stay Closed
After almost six weeks of striking by tens of thousands of workers, including many in Ohio, the union representing General Motors employees came to an agreement with the company Friday, The New York Times reports. The new contract between United Auto Workers members and GM means wage increases, opportunities for temporary workers to become permanent,…
Lake Effects Holiday Bar to Once Again Pop Up in Downtown Cleveland
While it’s much too early to already be thinking about Christmas, Halloween isn’t until Thursday, people, Clevelanders do have an obsession with holiday beers and drinks. As such, the folks behind the Lake Effects pop-up bar announced they’re bringing the holiday-themed event back to downtown Cleveland. What is exciting about the bar is that it…
New Cleveland Band Brian Hager & the Sky Rockets to Make Its Debut at CODA on Nov. 9
Brian Hager & the Sky Rockets, the new band featuring Brian Hager, the former guitarist of Cleveland-based glam rock outfit Vanity Crash and current guitarist in Travis Haddix’s band, will make its debut on Saturday, Nov. 9, at CODA in Tremont. Hager, who previously played in the local act the Tie Downs, describes the group…
Brandtson to Release a Christmas Single on Vinyl and Cassette
A local band from the ’90s that played the region and embarked on a few national tours too, the emo-punk act Brandtson has just announced that it’ll release the single “Christmas on Ohio” on a one-sided red or green 7-inch flexi-disc. The band will package the single with a corresponding Christmas/lyric card and download card into…
Federal Judge Rejects Ohio Anti-HB6 Effort’s Request for More Time to Gather Signatures
For legislation that has already passed the Ohio General Assembly and gotten the governor’s signature, House Bill 6 — the so-called energy bailout bill — sure has taken a winding road in its afterlife as law. The latest chapter: A federal judge has rejected a request by anti-HB6 group Ohioans Against Corporate Bailouts for more…
Ron and Ernie Isley Make a Special Appearance at the Rock Hall Ahead of Tomorrow’s Concert at the State Theatre
In honor of the 60th anniversary of the iconic song, “Shout,” 1992 Inductees Ron and Ernie Isley of the Isley Brothers came to the Rock Hall earlier today to participate in an interview session in front of an audience that filled most of the museum’s first level. They didn’t perform, but they talked about their…
Kerry Freaking McCormack Prepping Legislation to Decriminalize RTA Fare Evasion
Cleveland City Councilman Kerry McCormack confirmed Friday that a draft of legislation to decriminalize fare evasion has been prepared and is being reviewed by council’s lawyers. McCormack told Scene that he wants to make penalties for fare evasion on Cleveland’s Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) vehicles effectively the same as penalties for parking violations.…
Browns, Cavs and ‘Come Get Some’ — The A to Z Podcast With Andre Knott and Zac Jackson
Andre and Zac talk Belichick, the Browns’ maturity level, the start of the NBA season and more. Subscribe to A to Z on iTunes here or stream below.
In Advance of a Nov. 5 Show at House of Blues, X Ambassadors Singer Opens Up About Opening Up
X-Ambassadors lead singer Sam Harris says his favorite track to perform live from the band’s new album ORION is “Wasteland.” “It’s my Bruce Springsteen, U2 kind of moment,” he says via phone. The alternative rock band brings its highly personal songs to House of Blues at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 5. “And I get…
Cleveland-Born Rapper Twnty8 Guests on New Track From Trap Music Icon UZ
L.A.-via-Paris producer UZ is one of the biggest names in trap music and also one of the most technically skilled. Prior to his career as UZ, he was known as DJ Troubl’ where he became a DMC turntable champion. Just today, UZ released his new single “I Can,” which features Cleveland-born rapper Twnty8. “I Can”…
How a Tax Break to Help the Poor Went to NBA Owner Dan Gilbert
How a Tax Break to Help the Poor Went to NBA Owner Dan Gilbert ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox. Billionaire Dan Gilbert has spent the last decade buying up buildings in downtown Detroit, amassing nearly 100 properties…
Hodge’s Restaurant Downtown to Close at Year’s End
Hodge’s, the first brick-and-mortar restaurant from food truck pioneer Chris Hodgson, will close at the end of this year. The restaurant was opened in 2012 by Hodgson and Scott Kuhn, whose Driftwood Restaurants and Catering went on to open Washington Place Bistro, Cibreo, Bin 216, Republic Foods and Green Rooster Farms. Kuhn said that the…
Tabitha Soren’s ‘Surface Tension,’ Opening Tonight at the Transformer Station, Reflects Our Own Mark Making
“My favorite painting in the whole world is at the Cleveland Museum of Art, it’s a Turner and the inspiration for this,” confesses artist Tabitha Soren as she points to the photograph behind us. Over the image floats a tsunami swish of oranges and yellows that harken back to the JMW Turner painting to which…
Ohio Congressman Tim Ryan Has Unsurprisingly Dropped Out of Democratic Presidential Primary
The crowded field of Democratic candidates vying for the chance to take on President Donald Trump just got a little smaller as U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, who represents Ohio’s 13th Congressional District around Akron and Youngstown, bowed out of the race today. In a statement, Ryan said his seven-month campaign accomplished what he intended it…
Ideastream, Ohio NPR Affiliates, to Launch Statewide News Service
Ideastream announced Thursday that it is spearheading an effort to launch a statewide news collaborative with two other NPR affiliates. Alongside Cincinnati Public Radio and WOSU Public Media in Columbus, Cleveland’s public radio station hopes to create the public radio and digital news service by 2020. With $70,000 in grant funding from the Gund Foundation, the…
Plain Dealer Reporter Laura DeMarco’s New Book Examines How Mark Twain’s America Has Changed
In her new book, Mark Twain’s America Then and Now, Plain Dealer reporter Laura DeMarco examines how American has changed since Twain’s time by showing what places he visited looked like when he visited them and comparing them to what they look like now. The book includes a number of references to Cleveland, notably the…
In His New Book, Local Author Peter Lee Neff Explores the Life and Times of Singer-Songwriter Fred Neil
Locally based writer Peter Lee Neff can clearly recall the first time he heard singer-songwriter Fred Neil perform. A teenager at the time, Neff aspired to be a folk singer-songwriter and regularly trolled the clubs in and around his West Hollywood, FL home in the early ’60s. He caught Neil playing at a coffeehouse and…
First Look: Phunkenship, Platform Beer’s Sour-Aging Facility and Taproom, to Open Next Week
The ruddy brick building on Sackett Avenue offers few clues as to its purpose. Perched on a quiet, residential block in the Clark-Fulton neighborhood, the multi-story structure looks like any other forgotten warehouse, a sight so commonplace that it’s practically invisible. But this particular building is home to Phunkenship, a brewery hidden in plain sight.…
Repeal of Pink Tax in Ohio Now Headed to Gov. Mike DeWine’s Desk
Yesterday, in the Ohio Senate, Democrats and Republicans came together to agree on something … almost unanimously. Yes, nearly every single member (the final tally was 30-1) voted to repeal the so-called “Pink Tax,” which unfairly puts sales tax on tampons, pads and other hygiene products used by all who menstruate. Now that proposal, which…
8 Concerts to Catch in Cleveland This Weekend
FRIDAY, OCT. 25 Mike Doughty Plays Soul Coughing’s Ruby Vroom/The Ghost of Mr. Oberon Former Soul Coughing frontman Mike Doughty usually doesn’t have good things to say about the band he fronted from 1992 to 2000. Though internal tensions ripped the group apart, the band made some great albums before imploding. The savvy Ruby Vroom…
Amazon Ring: Home Safety Device or Ohio Civil Rights Concern?
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Civil rights groups are sounding the alarm about Amazon’s Ring doorbell system. Representatives from 30 groups have signed an open letter to local and federal lawmakers urging them to curb the surveillance partnerships that Ring has with police departments. Homeowners use Ring to record video of anyone who comes to their front…
Here’s the Trailer for Netflix’s New Docu-Series on John Demjanjuk
The story of John Demjanjuk is coming to Netflix in the form of “The Devil Next Door,” a five-part docu-series on the life of the Cleveland auto worker who was in 1988 tried and convicted in Israel of being Ivan the Terrible, an infamous Nazi guard who ran the gas chambers at the Treblinka concentration…
Trey Anastasio Delights in Solo Performance at Canton Palace Theatre
Trey Anastasio tends to lean on intimacy in his live performances, whether he’s in full-band mode or rolling solo. He cultivates momentary connections with the audience—and with individual audience members—and in doing so reveals the essence of what makes his creative work so captivating after all these years. He cares, in a word. He’s here…
In Advance of His Upcoming House of Blues Concert, LGBT Icon Todrick Hall Tells Fans to ‘Be Brave, Be Fearless and Do What is Right’
Todrick Hall (mostly known as just Todrick, much like Madonna is just Madonna) is — to put it mildly — a multi-talented stage performer and “online content creator,” as he usually explains it. Today, he’s an LGBT icon, spewing out words of wisdom to his community whilst tossing fistfuls of glitter as his impossibly perfect…
Two-Thirds of Ohio Medicinal Marijuana Users are 40 and Older, State Reveals
Who do you picture when you think of your average marijuana user? When it comes to Ohio’s state-run medicinal marijuana program, you may want to adjust your assumptions. Data released by the State of Ohio Pharmacy Board reveals that 62 percent of the roughly 64,000 medicinal marijuana cardholders in the state are 40 or older…
Corks Wine Bar in Willoughby Will Close Next Week after Nearly 20 Years
The Downtown Willoughby dining and nightlife scene has undergone significant changes over the past two decades, but throughout it all there has been one constant: Corks Wine Bar (4084 Erie St., 440-918-9463). The cozy sipping spot was opened in 2001 by Greg Bodnar, who also owns Market Avenue Wine Bar in Ohio City. Management announced…
Sibling Revelry Adds Food, Booze Components to Popular Westlake Taproom
Dog parents notwithstanding, most Sibling Revelry (29305 Clemens Rd., 440-471-8589) customers are thrilled to see the Westlake taproom expand its offerings. Last week, the three-and-a-half-year-old brewery added a liquor license to the mix. The possession of a liquor license requires that establishments serve food, so management has rolled out a new menu containing pub snacks. State…
Snoop Dogg Blows into Town in January, Hitting Up House of Blues
The artist, the legend, the smoker of all the weed … Snoop Dogg is coming to drop it like it’s hot in Cleveland once again. Announcing added dates to his I Wanna Thank Me Tour this morning, Snoop let loose that he’s hitting up our city come Friday, January 24, at Cleveland’s House of Blues.…
Sixth Annual Touchdown For Hunger to Take Place on Nov. 17 at the Greater Cleveland Aquarium
The sixth annual Touchdown for Hunger will take place between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 17, at the Greater Cleveland Aquarium. Anyone who who donates one or more non-perishable food items to the Hunger Network of Greater Cleveland receive a voucher for $7 discounted same-day admission to the Greater Cleveland Aquarium. Non-perishable items such as boxes of oatmeal,…
Matt Ratner’s Directorial Debut Screens as an Addition to the Cleveland Jewish Film Festival
Director Matt Ratner likes to say that growing up in Northeast Ohio defines him. He studied theater at Shaker Heights High School and then moved to Los Angeles after a short career in politics. His new film, Standing Up, Falling Down, screens at 7 p.m. on Monday as an additional part of the Cleveland Jewish…
‘The Lighthouse’ is a Particularly Perverse Hitchcockian Thriller
Set in the 1890s, The Lighthouse, the latest film from writer-director Robert Eggers (Witch), takes place on a desolate island of jagged black rock, where Tom (Willem Dafoe) and his new assistant Ephraim Winslow (Robert Pattinson) begin a four-week stint. Driven by two terrific performances by Dafoe and Pattinson, the intensely claustrophobic black and white…
First Look: Alea in Ohio City, Opening in November
When Athan Zarnas got the keys to the building that would ultimately become Alea (2912 Church Ave.), the space had all the charm of an auto repair shop. For more than 100 years, the windowless bunker functioned as a drill bit factory — and it had the oil stains to prove it. Over the span…
Band of the Week: Pale Hollow
MEET THE BAND: Michael Allen (vocals, rhythm guitar), Kirk “Nemo” Nemerovsky (drums), Jeff Ritchie (bass), Scott Steinbrick (lead guitar) IT STARTED AS A SOLO PROJECT: Allen played bass in another local band in the ’90s, and after that band split up, he started writing his own songs. He had a good connection with Detroit-based producer…
Savage Love: Cheaters Club
I am a guy in my 40s, handsome, more financially successful than most, and a classic sexual scoundrel. I cheated on my ex-wife and every girlfriend I’ve ever had. I’m currently dating a woman in her 20s. We are both each other’s ideal type. She has as scandalous a past as I do but has…
A Preview of the 2019-2020 Basketball Team Known as the Cleveland Cavaliers
Hello. This is a season preview for the 2019-2020 Cleveland Cavaliers. It should be consumed less like a trailer for an upcoming Hollywood movie and more like a piece of informational literature for a strict new diet: Here is the roster of allowable foods. Here are the metrics for success. Here are testimonials from recent…
Get Out: Everything You Should Be Doing in Cleveland This Week (Oct. 23-29)
WED 10/23 Cleveland Stories Dinner Parties Cleveland Stories Dinner Party is a weekly series that pairs fine food with storytelling. The goal of the series is to “bring to life some of the fun, interesting stories about Cleveland’s past — from sports, to rock ‘n’ roll, to Millionaires’ Row,” as it’s put in a press…
Cleveland Play House’s ‘Pipeline’ is a Poignant Look at Race and Education
Gwendolyn Brook’s 1959 poem “We Real Cool” is a mere eight lines and 24 words. Despite its short length, Brooks is able to pack in themes of rebellion, youth, and morality, especially as it applies to young black men. This poem is used heavily in Cleveland Play House’s production of Dominique Morisseau’s play Pipeline to…
