

Update: Second Music & Friends Garage Sale to Take Place on May 22 at Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica
Update: Last year, a few local rock ‘n’ roll loving friends got together at Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica for a Music & Friends Garage Sale that proved to be a huge success. Organized by Sue Csendes, a kind-hearted ticketing professional who lost her career to COVID, the event provided a safe way for friends from…
Update: Local Singer-Songwriter Mikey O Malley Releases Another New Single and Accompanying Lyric Video
Update: Undeterred by the pandemic, local singer-songwriter Mikey O Malley continues to write and record new material. About two months ago, he put out a new single, “Wildflower,” and he’s now followed up with the very somber “For This I Pray.” “I feel that [‘Wildflower’] was very happy and uplifting and described the start of…
Performing Tonight at the Aut-O-Rama, Nate Bargatze Talks About Doing Comedy in the Time of Covid
Like many comedians, Nate Bargatze doesn’t like sitting at home waiting for the pandemic end. But he’s also not ready to hit the comedy club circuit yet either. So early this fall, he announced an 18-date One Night Only drive-in tour. The tour launched last month, and it comes to the Aut-O-Rama tonight. For more information and tickets, go…
Congrats to the Zero Cleveland Hotels Recognized by the Condé Nast Traveler Reader Awards for Best Hotels in the Midwest
Tourism across the globe has cratered since the start of the pandemic in early 2020 and across the country since the major domestic onset of the coronavirus in March. Cleveland has fared worse than most, thanks to the cancellation of almost all events, conventions, Playhouse Square shows, orchestra concerts, concerts and spectator bans or limits…
Molinari’s, an East-Side Staple for Nearly 30 Years, Has Closed
Less than a year ago, I reached out to Randal Johnson, the chef and owner of Molinari’s in Mentor. I was writing a feature about Cleveland restaurants that have managed to survive the test of time by adapting. When Johnson and I chatted, Molinari’s was approaching its 29th birthday. Sadly, that pioneering eatery will not…
Cleveland Museum of Art Just Laid Off 10% of its Staff
In a letter to donors and members last week, Cleveland Museum of Art Director William Griswold announced that the museum had furloughed or laid off roughly 10 percent of its staff, due to ongoing financial challenges posed by the pandemic. The cuts were reportedly across all departments. Staff members were informed by email Friday. Griswold…
Bop Stop to Host Multi-Media Presentation About Punk Rock in Northeast Ohio
Though it didn’t get the same attention as New York and London, which both had famously vibrant punk rock scenes, Northeast Ohio had a thriving punk scene in the 1970s. Inspired by the Kent State shootings, a slew of bands formed in Cleveland, Akron and Kent. Local musicologist Thomas Mulready, who has given multi-media presentations on…
Savage Love: I’m Trying to Be Friends With My Ex and It’s Making Me Miserable
I was dumped in August by a guy I was seeing for 10 months. He told me that he wants to work on himself and “needs to be selfish” right now. Since then, we have spoken every day, shared numerous dinners, and gone on hikes. Our friendship is killing me. With him I hold it…
Proof Opened Despite the Hurdles of the Pandemic and Brought Killer Barbecue to Tremont
Mike Griffin already had done so much work to prepare for the opening of Proof, his barbecue restaurant in Tremont, but one final hurdle remained. Despite the fact that it was the dead of winter, the owner was scrambling to complete a spacious patio and bar. A concrete pad was poured, a tall, sturdy fence…
Republicans Say Hate for Ohio Health Directors Isn’t Personal. They Just Don’t Like Women
As state health director, Dr. Amy Acton gained national renown for her fight against Covid, which has killed nearly 5,000 Ohioans. Yet conservatives bucked at her craven attempts to save their lives. She was called a “tyrant” and a “globalist,” smeared with anti-Semitic vitriol. Armed men even protested outside her Bexley home. In June, Acton…
Playoffs? PLAYOFFS? — The A to Z Podcast With Andre Knott and Zac Jackson
Andre and Zac debate the Browns’ playoff chances, discuss their overall growth and dive into the uncertainties facing the Cleveland Indians and Major League Baseball. Subscribe to A to Z here or stream below.
Community Development Director Tania Menesse Named CEO of Cleveland Neighborhood Progress
Cleveland Neighborhood Progress has named the city of Cleveland’s Community Development Director, Tania Menesse, as its next President and CEO. Menesse will succeed Joel Ratner, who’s been at the helm of the nonprofit for nearly a decade, at the end of the month. Menesse has been with the City of Cleveland nearly two-and-a-half years. During…
Marijuana Arrests Decline But Still Outnumber Violent Crime Arrests, According to FBI Data
The good news is that the total number of people arrested in the United States for marijuana-related crimes declined for the first time in four years, according to data released last week by the FBI. The bad news? That number is still higher than those arrested for all violent crimes. According to the FBI’s 2019…
Libertarian Jo Jorgensen Has Never Smoked Pot, But She’ll Still Defend Your Right To Do It In Her Long-Shot Bid for President
In the Libertarian Party, presidential candidates don’t pick their running mates; instead, they’re chosen by delegates at the nominating convention in a separate vote. This year’s presidential ticket resulted in the odd-couple pairing of Dr. Jo Jorgensen, an academic from South Carolina, and Jeremy “Spike” Cohen, a podcaster prankster who promises “a Waffle House on…
Class Action Suit Alleging Racial Discrimination by Cleveland Water May Go Forward, Judge Rules
Federal Judge Solomon Oliver ruled last week that the majority of claims in a class-action lawsuit alleging racial discrimination by the Cleveland Water Department may go forward. The City of Cleveland filed a motion to dismiss the suit in its entirety earlier this year, but Oliver decided that all but a portion of two of…
Ohio Domestic Violence Deaths Rise as Programs Face Cuts
COLUMBUS, Ohio — New data is highlighting the need to strengthen programs that help prevent and respond to domestic violence. An annual report from the Ohio Domestic Violence Network reveals 109 Ohioans died as the result of domestic violence in the year ending June 30 2020 – a 35% increase from the year before. During…
“Cuyahoga,” The Debut Novel From Cleveland Native Pete Beatty, Is a Funny, Inventive, Satirical Cleveland Tall Tale
What we feel about ourselves is more important in many ways than what we know about ourselves, whether in projections of how we wish others to see us despite all obvious appearances or in frustrations in how others fail to truly see what’s beyond the surface. The stakes are even higher when you’re talking about…
Spiders, Speculation and Trademarks — What’s Next in the Cleveland Indians’ Search for a New Franchise Name
(Note: Confirming what was a foregone conclusion, the Cleveland baseball team will announce this week that it will no longer be called the Indians. Here’s our look from October at what awaits the team in terms of trademarks as the search for a new identity continues.) *** Last week’s Wild Card series sweep at the…
Challenged by Uncertainty, Ohioans Become Creative, Find Hope in New Ideas
Rev. Deborah Bowsher looked around the empty halls of her Zanesville church and saw an opportunity. “While the Red Cross has been finding it quite difficult to have blood drives because all the businesses and schools have said, ‘No, you can’t do that in our premises,’” Bowsher said, “we’re an empty building most of the…
Cleveland International Film Festival Going Virtual in 2021
The 45th iteration of the Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF) was meant to be its first in a new home, Playhouse Square, after decades headquartered at Tower City Cinemas downtown. But CIFF’s Board of Directors agreed in a meeting last week that due to uncertainty surrounding the Coronavirus and its persistence, a virtual fest would…
Early In-Person Voting Starts Tomorrow at the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections
Early in-person voting begins tomorrow at the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections (2925 Euclid Avenue). For those who’d prefer to avoid potential lines on Election Day Nov. 3 but who still feel more confident (or comfortable) voting in person than voting by mail, early in-person voting could be the best option. Weekday voting will take…
“Minutiae of Humanity Shall Overcome the Beast” Opens This Month at Gallery + in 78th Street Studios
An ‘anti-Trump/pro-humanity’ exhibition titled “Minutiae of Humanity Shall Overcome the Beast” featuring the work of Scott Kraynak opens Friday, Oct. 16 at Gallery + in the 78th Street Studios. The artist and curator is incensed by the current administration and not timid about expressing his anger. And the origins of the exhibition itself trace back to his…
Now Open: Duck-Rabbit Coffee in Ohio City
Back in June, Calvin Verga announced that he was moving his four-year-old coffee shop Duck-Rabbit Coffee from Duck Island to Ohio City. That shop (4160 Lorain Ave.), which is located across the street from Platform Beer, is now open for grab-and-go service only. The cafe portion of the business will be added down the road. “I’m really…
Ohioans Say Pandemic Exposed Leadership Failures That Hurt the Future
When the casino where Jessica Hamilton worked shut down for three months due to the novel coronavirus, she filed a claim for unemployment. “I was on unemployment, which I never expected to be in my whole life,” Hamilton said. She wasn’t alone. More than 1.6 million Ohioans filed claims with the Ohio Department of Jobs…
Disability Community: Voter Access More Than Just a Talking Point
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The pandemic has pushed the issue of voter access to the forefront, but for Ohio’s disability community, it’s more than just another talking point. Voter turnout for people with disabilities was 6 percentage points lower than that of people without disabilities in the 2016 presidential election. Director of the Disability Justice Initiative…
Fear Not, America: Trump Being Treated With His Own ‘Science,’ Continued Greatness Assured
When the world heard that Donald Trump had Covid, America trembled. He returned long awaited greatness to our fingertips. Now it could be all washed away. Trump was among the riskiest patients. He’s 74, clinically obese, and suffers from a lifelong affliction of male compensation issues. Moreover, White House doctors refused to treat him. He’d…
Beachland to Host Virtual Memorial for Local Arts Patron Nick Amster
Nick Amster, a local patron of the arts who died earlier this year, gave generously to the local music scene. You can read about his many contributions here in this piece by long-time friend John Petkovic. In 2012, he purchased a stake in the Beachland Ballroom and, as co-owner, recently paid for a new roof for…
Wicked Weekend Road Trip: Here’s Your Chance to Be the Mayor of Hell (Michigan)
For three magical nights in October, you can be the mayor of Hell. John Colone, the self-proclaimed mayor of Hell, Michigan, is listing a room in his small community in October. The “Mayor’s Lair” is available for only three nights — Oct. 18, 21, and 24 — for the low price of $31 a night.…
Local Indie Rockers the Dream Masons Release New Music Video
The local indie pop band the Dream Masons began a couple of years ago as singer Annastacia recruited guitarist Eric Hellinger and then added a bassist and drummer. Last year, the band released the bluesy single “Another Great Day” and put out a music video for “All or Nothing.” It’s just released a new music…
Ohio Takes First Steps Toward Big Medicaid Overhaul
Ohio Medicaid, which provides health care to more than a quarter of the state’s population, is poised to take a big step in a major overhaul of the program. Gov. Mike DeWine on Tuesday said that on Wednesday a request for applications will hit the streets seeking pitches from companies to manage the care of…
Trump Arrived to Debate too Late for Cleveland Clinic Covid Test, Moderator Chris Wallace Reveals
Fox News’ Chris Wallace revealed in an interview Friday afternoon that President Donald Trump arrived in Cleveland for Tuesday’s debate too late for a Covid-19 test administered by the Cleveland Clinic. “There was an honor system when it came to the people that came into the hall from the two campaigns,” Wallace told Fox co-anchor…
Dunham Tavern Museum Members Want Ohio Supreme Court to Rule on Cleveland Foundation Dispute
A brief filed with the Ohio Supreme Court this week argues that lower court decisions in a dispute over the proposed location of the Cleveland Foundation’s new headquarters have sent a clear message: Laws don’t matter in Ohio “for those who are wealthy or powerful enough” to circumvent them. Both the Cuyahoga County Court of Common…
Stay Socially Distant and Get Your Frights With the Haunted Car Wash in Medina
Northeast Ohio car wash chain Rainforest Car Wash is getting in the spooky spirit this season with their annual Haunted Car Wash. The themed event will take place only at their Medina location, and will be held for two weekends: Oct. 16-18 and Oct. 23-25. The family-friendly event is a socially distant way to enjoy…
News of Trump’s Positive Covid Test After Family Went Maskless at Debate Caps a Dynamite Week of Bad PR for the Cleveland Clinic
When the Cleveland Clinic and Case Western Reserve University set about the closely-guarded but urgent effort to bring the first presidential debate of 2020 to Cleveland after Notre Dame bowed out, one of the world’s leading hospitals probably did so with visions of unending public relations victories circling in its heads. Instead, the Clinic has…
Local Singer-Songwriter Doug McKean Releases New Album Recorded in Quarantine
This week, former GC5/Magpies bassist Doug McKean, who also currently plays multiple instruments in the Ohio City Singers and fronts the Pogues cover band the Boys from the County Hell, has digitally released his fifth full-length album, The Second Golden Age of Piracy. It can be found on both Bandcamp and Spotify. McKean had intended…
New Online Film Series to Launch With Mourning [A] BLKstar Documentary
Don Giovanni Records has just announced the details regarding a five-episode music docu-series that illuminates the story of locally based music collective Mourning [A] BLKstar. The group has partnered with a new streaming platform called blk//blur and ORTVI, a global art streaming platform that seeks to “interrupt traditional models of distribution by redirecting funds directly…
New Cleveland Bishop Says Abortion Should be “Paramount” Concern for Catholic Voters
In an utterly wishy-washy pre-election letter to the region’s 700,000 Catholics, newly installed Cleveland Bishop Edward Malesic invited his flock to prepare their consciences before casting their ballots, and in doing so, to make abortion their top priority. While he acknowledged that neither President Donald Trump nor Democratic challenger Joe Biden reflected “the complete breadth”…
Brite Winter to Pivot to Virtual Format in 2021
The organizers of Brite Winter, the annual outdoor music and arts festival that takes place on the West Bank of the Flats in February, have announced they’ll pivot to a scaled-down, mostly virtual format for 2021. “As you are aware, arts organizations around the globe have had to cancel, postpone, or modify their regular events…
Heinen’s Downtown to Reopen on Wednesday, October 7
The long wait is over; Heinen’s has announced that its flagship store in the heart of downtown will reopen on Wednesday, October 7. At present, the grocery store in the former Cleveland Trust Building will operate with some limitations. “We know there is a need for a grocery store in the area and are pleased…
Groups: COVID No Reason to Ax Plastic-Bag Bans in Ohio
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Opponents of a bill that would thwart local plastic-bag bans are making an eleventh-hour plea to Gov. Mike DeWine to veto the legislation. If signed into law, House Bill 242 would temporarily prohibit cities and towns from imposing a fee on single-use plastic bags and containers. The governor has indicated he would…
Brandon Chrostowski to Extend Edwins’ Reach with New Fine-Dining Venture in Former Home of Fire at Shaker Square
EDWINS President and Founder Brandon Chrostowski says that Cleveland diners “want to get out, are trying to get out, and they want a high-end experience. This is what we’ll be providing.” To that end, he will open a new fine dining venture in the longtime home of Fire at Shaker Square. When Edwins Too (13220…
Sandra Williams, Mulling Cleveland Mayoral Bid, Has Donated FirstEnergy Contributions to Charity
With good reason, City Club of Cleveland CEO Dan Moulthrop opened a conversation with State Senator Sandra Williams Tuesday by asking her to explain her position on the corrupt House Bill 6, the nuclear plant bailout which is alleged to have been the crown jewel of a $60 million racketeering scheme orchestrated by FirstEnergy and…
Local Singer-Songwriter Brian Lisik Unplugs for New Album
Local singer-songwriter Brian Lisik, a guy known for his “guitar-driven power pop and pensive neo-folk,” returns this week with a (mostly) acoustic album, Gudbye Stoopid Whirled. He’ll play a virtual release party at 8 p.m. on Thursday. Recorded at songwriting partner Steve Norgrove’s Bass Mint Studio and mixed by producer Don Dixon (REM, Counting Crows,…
Inconsistent Ballot Application Data Leads to Undercount of Disenfranchised Voters in Ohio
Haley Belisle, a recent graduate of Ohio Northern University, was baffled this spring when the Hardin County Board of elections rejected her application to vote absentee in the state’s presidential primary. The problem was her signature on the application: It didn’t match her voter registration signature. “When I originally registered, I was just out of…
Savage Love: Trouble in Paradise for Threesomes, Throuples and Quads
I’m a 30-something gay man married to a 30-something gay man. For almost two years, we’ve been seeing another pair of married gay men around our age. They were our first experience with any sexual or romantic interaction outside of our relationship. The first six months were hot and heavy. We were together constantly and…
Act That Includes $10 Billion in Relief for Independent Music Venues Introduced in U.S. House
After weeks of delays, a proposed federal bailout for independent music venues has taken a step forward. The U.S. House of Representatives on Monday amended the Heroes Act, a broad pandemic relief bill, to include provisions from the bipartisan Save Our Stages Act. If passed, the new package would include $10 billion in emergency grants…
In Cleveland, Antidote to Worst President and Worst Presidential Debate in History Was Pre-Event Protest
Hours before the sitting President of the United States refused to condemn white supremacy and sowed confusion and fear about the 2020 election in the most-watched televised political event of the season, more than 500 people gathered at Wade Lagoon in University Circle. The demonstration, organized by a coalition of local grassroots groups, offered far…
Shaker Police Investigating After Officer Caught on Camera Flicking Off Protestors at Presidential Debate in Cleveland
Yesterday evening, Cleveland.com captured what appeared to be a Shaker Heights police officer giving the middle finger to peaceful protestors who had assembled to demonstrate before the presidential debate in Cleveland. (It’s the driver of the black van.) Beyond being an inflammatory and unnecessary gesture, it was also a stupid one: The route was packed…
Maelstrom Collaborative Arts Stays Flexible and Creative with “The Wandering: A Story in Time and Space”
Maelstrom Collaborative Arts kicks off “The Wandering: A Story in Time and Space” on Thursday, October 8, 2020 at 5:30 p.m. The event, which is a collaboration between 32 artists, dancers, painters, writers, musicians and performers, tells the story of a group of strangers brought together under mysterious circumstances and comes on the heels of…
Local Singer-Songwriter Jerry Popiel Covers ‘The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald’ on Eclectic New Album
Local singer-songwriter Jerry Popiel grew up on Cleveland’s west side and originally played in the Birdhouse Gourds, a band from Lorain County, during the mid-2000s. With the Gourds, he played 1980s-style rock in the vein of acts such as Barenaked Ladies, Gin Blossoms and R.E.M. Since that band called it a day, he’s gone the…
Great Lakes’ Christmas Ale First Pour Will Go On This Year, But You’ll Need Reservations
Rest easy, Cleveland. The pandemic might have brought cancellations and postponements for a host of the city’s most-beloved events, but the annual Christmas Ale First Pour will go on. Great Lakes announced today that the festivities will be slightly and predictably altered this year, however. Reservations for the Thursday, Oct. 22 debut of the 2020…
Rock Hall and Cleveland Museum of Art Partner for Friday’s Virtual MIX Event
Inspired by and in partnership with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s new exhibit It’s Been Said All Along: Voices of Rage, Hope & Empowerment, this Friday’s virtual MIX event that takes place at the Cleveland Museum of Art highlights Hall of Fame inductees and artists who “use music as a platform for protesting…
City Expanded Restricted Zone Around Debate to Include Wade Lagoon, Where Protest is Planned
In an action Monday morning, the City of Cleveland’s Board of Control expanded the “event zone” around Tuesday’s presidential debate to include Wade Lagoon and the museum grounds to the north in University Circle. That means that a protest organized by a coalition of local left wing groups now falls inside the zone, where a long…
As the Presidential Debates Start, What About Climate Change?
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Folks from around Ohio will tune in to watch the first presidential debate tonight in Cleveland, and some environmental groups are hoping they won’t see a rerun. In the past two presidential races, candidates were not asked a single question about climate change by a debate moderator. National Wildlife Federation president and…
The Browns, The AL Playoffs and LeBron — The A to Z Podcast With Andre Knott and Zac Jackson
Andre and Zac are back with a wide-ranging podcast discussion. Come for the NFL talk…stay for a playoff baseball preview and some NBA Finals chatter. Subscribe to A to Z here or stream below.
90% of Traffic Citations Issued by University Circle Police Since 2015 Went to Black People
Members of the Cleveland Clinic and University Circle Police Departments will assist in various patrol and security details at tomorrow’s presidential debate in Cleveland. In advance of the event, the national nonprofit news organization ProPublica has published a detailed report which puts these private police departments — and University Hospitals’ — under the microscope. Reporter…
Former Ushabu in Tremont to Reopen as Bar Oni on October 1
On August 25, chef-owner Matthew Spinner closed Ushabu, his fine-dining Japanese bistro in Tremont. On October 1, he and chef Dave Kocab will open Bar Oni (2173 Professor Ave., 216-713-1741), an izakaya – aka Japanese sports pub – in the same space. “We had a real challenge to take a beautiful fine-dining Japanese space and…
Case Student Campaign Wants to Improve Town-Gown Relations
A new student-led initiative at Case Western Reserve University wants to expose and tear down the “imaginary line of division” between the college campus in University Circle and the surrounding communities. Students and recent alumni who created the “Know Your Neighbors” campaign say they want to establish positive relationships between students and area residents by raising…
What Trump and Biden Should Debate at the Cleveland Clinic: Why the Hospital’s Private Police Mostly Arrest Black People
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they’re published. A few minutes after noon on a September day in 2018, Jacarvi Jackson and Darcell Williams were crossing Euclid Avenue, a main road through Cleveland’s medical area. Both of them worked for a…
Saluting Ohio’s ‘Selfless, Courageous’ Child Protection Workers
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Throughout September, some of the first responders for Ohio families in crisis have been lauded for their commitment. During Workforce Development Month, state agencies and organizations have honored the extraordinary efforts of Children Services professionals during the pandemic and shared their stories on social media. As an Alternative Response Caseworker at Athens…
Police Solve the Mystery of Ohio Sen. Rob Portman’s Missing Testicles
One of Ohio’s most enduring mysteries has been solved. Police say they’ve found Sen. Rob Portman’s missing testicles in a safety deposit box in Washington, D.C. Following a tip, detectives executed a search warrant this morning at an unnamed bank. The testicles were discovered in a box registered to a J.P. Morgan executive. Though they…
Ohio Ranked One of the Top 10 States in America to Visit This Fall
Great news all you fall fans (which is basically a third of Americans per this poll)! According to a small study done by LawnStarter (literally a lawn care service website), Ohio is the sixth best state to visit this fall — and you already live here. Our sixth place status puts up there with the…
Cleveland Goes Full Week Without Single Day of More Than 20 New Covid Cases
Thursday evening, the City of Cleveland released its daily Covid infection numbers, reporting 19 new confirmed cases. Assuming the numbers have been tabulated accurately, the city has now gone a full week without a single day of 20 or more new confirmed cases. Last Thursday, Cleveland reported 23 new cases. Since then, each day’s new…
Cleveland’s Fifth District Cops, Who Patrol Predominantly Black Neighborhoods, Draw Their Guns Twice as Often as Citywide Average
Since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, a wave of protests, including the one in Cleveland, have taken aim at police use of force on Black residents. In Cleveland, there have been only a handful of fatal police shootings since the death of 12-year-old Tamir Rice devastated the city in 2014. With such a…
What Will Happen When COVID-19 and the Flu Collide This Fall?
The specter of a “twindemic” — two epidemics at the same time — looms as cold and flu season is set to start in October in the Northern Hemisphere. No one can predict what will happen when flu meets COVID-19, but public health officials are urging people to prepare for the worst. In this case,…
Let’s Take a Trip Through 1960s Tremont
While “Tremont: An Architectural Process,” a CWRU student video produced in 1968, appears to have been made as an examination of housing and planning in the inner-ring neighborhood featuring student’s ideas for the future, it is more enjoyable now as a trip in the wayback machine to the corners and streets some of you might…
Derf’s New Graphic Novel ‘Kent State: Four Dead in Ohio’ Has Much to Offer in Our Current Climate
Local writer and artist Derf Backderf (aka John Backderf) was only 10 years old when the National Guard descended on Kent State in May of 1970 and killed four students after firing into a crowd of protestors. But like many Northeast Ohioans, the tragic events left a lasting impression on him, and, he says, a…
Now is Not the Time for Giant Fuckups, Cuyahoga County Board of Elections
The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, in a massive fuckup, mistakenly sent out an email to an unknown number of people who’d signed up to be poll workers on Nov. 3, saying that their services were not required. “If you are receiving this email,” the message read, “it’s because we have received your application but…
The Grog Shop Celebrates Its 28th Anniversary Friday With In-Person and Streaming Concert Featuring the Chargers Street Gang
These are rough times for all of us, but particularly for local live music venues. Despite a summer-long campaign to #SaveOurStages, little relief has come for those beloved stages, which have remained virtually empty since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. Getting by with fundraisers, merch sales and the occasional outdoor or virtual show, these…
New Event Space Opens in Gordon Square Arts District
Gordon Square’s Gordon Green, a new 10,000 square foot event space originally developed as an early 20th century furniture showroom before evolving into a cultural and banquet center for the neighborhood’s Vietnamese community, officially opens tomorrow. The new space will honor what a press release calls “these long standing traditions of creativity and connection.” “Gordon…
Groups Teaming Up to Tackle Child Hunger in Ohio
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Children’s advocacy groups say childhood hunger is a dire problem in Ohio, but it isn’t impossible to solve. Up to 17 million children in the U.S. aren’t getting the food they need, including roughly one in five Ohio kids. Eleni Towns, associate director for the No Kid Hungry Campaign, contends gains made…
Cleveland Internet Radio Station oWOW is Over
oWOW, the internet radio station founded five years ago by former WMMS program director John Gorman and industry vet Jim Marchyshyn, is calling it a day. Citing a downturn in advertising thanks to the pandemic, Gorman announced this week broadcasts will end come October. “After much consideration and weighing several factors in our industry, we recognized…
Before Limiting Ballot Drop Boxes to One Per County, Top Ohio Election Officials Secretly Consulted Promoter of Debunked Voting Fraud Fears
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they’re published. Stay up to date with email updates about WNYC and ProPublica’s investigations into the president’s business practices. On July 15, a civil rights group formed by Black union workers called on the Ohio…
Banter to Close Gordon Square Location on October 11 with Promise to Return in New Spot
Matthew Stipe has announced that Banter (7320 Detroit Ave., 216-801-0305) will close its west-side location after five years on October 11. Many factors, the owner says, went into this decision, not the least of which was the looming winter season in the shadow of the pandemic. But the closure is temporary, he adds, with sights set…
Cleveland Housing Court to Clarify National Eviction Moratorium in Tuesday Panel
In early September, a spokesperson for the Cleveland Housing Court told Scene that the court’s legal team was “working to interpret” the recent federal moratorium on evictions issued by the Center for Disease Control. That moratorium, issued Sept. 1, should be in effect through the end of the year, but housing advocates have worried that…
Ruth’s Chris Steak House in Downtown Cleveland Permanently Closing
In a letter to the state of Ohio, Ruth’s Chris Steak House said this week it will be permanently closing the downtown Cleveland location. The restaurant never reopened after shutting down in March at the beginning of the pandemic. The chain cited the coronavirus as the driving force in the decision.
Big Hot Dog: Policies Intended to Increase Equity Among Street Food Vendors Bedeviled by Classic Cleveland Mismanagement
Like much of the legislation Cleveland City Council greenlights, the June 17 bill came and went without comment. It was passed unanimously, perfunctorily, just one item on a laundry list of others that afternoon on Zoom. It had been referred to council by MOCAP, the Mayor’s Office of Capital Projects, and had been satisfactorily explained…
Blood Donations Show That the United States is Still Nowhere Near COVID Herd Immunity
To better understand how widely the coronavirus has spread in the United States, some researchers are turning to an unusual source of data: blood donations. In an effort to encourage more donations, many blood collection centers have been offering to test donated blood for antibodies to the coronavirus, which indicates a past infection with SARS-CoV-2,…
Ukrainian Oligarchs Left Trail of Devastation as They Bought, Then Abandoned, Heartland Real Estate
An investigation of internal bank records by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists has provided a detailed look at the illicit methods employed by Ukrainian oligarchs who, during the course of a massive alleged money laundering scheme from 2006-2016, became the owners of the most commercial real estate in Cleveland. Published yesterday, the ICIJ piece not…
Savage Love: My Wife and I Were Excited to Try a Threesome With a Male Escort, Then…
Married guy here. I’m 33, the wife is 31. Our fifth anniversary is next month but we’ve been together for almost eight years. We’ve recently both come out to each other as bi. She tried to tell me a long time ago whereas I came to the realization only recently. We’re both interested in new…
Sixth City Sailor’s Club’s Beachside Fare and Vibe Make It a Much-Needed Safe Harbor
When Joseph Fredrickson announced his plans to open a restaurant in the former Hodge’s space downtown, his stated objective was to construct the inverse of Society Lounge, his craft cocktail bar on E. Fourth Street. Whereas the latter offers an experience that is upscale, meticulous and exclusive, Sixth City Sailor’s Club was designed from the…






