Forecast: Winter is Going to Suck
Yeah, yeah, yeah, it’s Cleveland and it snows and it’s cold and it’s windy, we get that. We’re prepared for that. Hell, we enjoy most of it. But the latest Accuweather.com forecast for Winter 2011-2012, and you know those guys are never wrong, calls for a brutal slog of bitterness in the Great Lakes region.…
More Complaints About Tailgating in “The Pit”
After we posted the new rule sheet “The Pit” is making tailgaters abide by this year — no throwing footballs, guys! It’s all fun ’til someone loses an eye! — we got this note from a longtime Pit denizen. He, like many others, is leaving the once popular tailgating destination after a run-in with the…
Barber Shot in Butt After Customer’s Gun Fires
In Parma, Parma, Parma. A customer at a barber shop was pulling up his waistband when his gun fell out of his holster, discharged, and fired a bullet into the butt of his barber. Yes, he had a concealed carry permit. Yes, he should probably be required to retake the test. Via WOIO: “The way…
Breaking Wind News: Delays Ahead
The Lake Erie wind farm that was supposed to start kicking out clean electricity — and jobs — next year has hit a bit of a snag. Not enough parties have stepped up to buy wind-generated electricity to make the farm attractive to Key Bank, which initially expressed interest in financing the project. “We still…
The Truth About The “Footloose Act” Music Legislation That Everyone Is Worried About
The hysteria started spreading through Cleveland’s music world about two weeks ago: word that legislation is in the works that would ban all live music in the city of Cleveland. Promptly dubbed the “Footloose Act,” it quickly drew opposition in the form of an online petition addressed to “Cleveland City Counsel.” In response, The Plain…
‘Occupy Cleveland’ Protest Starts Thursday
There will be catchy signs. Recent footage of protesters railing against capitalist pigs on Wall Street has inspired others around the country and beyond to do the same. On Thursday, it’s Cleveland’s turn. It’s called Occupy Cleveland, an offshoot of the somewhat more sizable Occupy Wall Street protest that’s been going on in New York…
The Quality of Cleveland Life Report
Your guide to living in fabulous Cleveland. Rifled … for Her Pleasure: Cleveland officials implement new “V-Grip” program to combat gun violence, insist they did not get the name from a marital aid website.Flash Mobs in the Pan: City councilmembers introduce three new proposals to quell flash mobs, agree to hold off on fourth proposal…
Bebenroth of Spice of Life to Open Spice Kitchen in Detroit Shorway
Ben Bebonroth, the chef and owner of Spice of Life Catering, has taken over the Detroit-Shoreway property that in recent years and months has housed Snickers, La Boca, Roseangel and most recently Barrio, which hosted its last salsa night this past weekend. “It’s been a lot of things except for successful,” Bebenroth says of the…
Steven Terry Sentenced to Over 5 Years in Prison
Former Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Steven Terry was handed a 5 year, 3 month prison sentence today for his dealings in the widespread Cuyahoga County corruption probe. U.S. District Judge Sara Lioi had previously ruled that Terry perjured himself during his trial in Akron. “The wiretaps convinced this court that the defendant testifed falsely…
Man Allegedly Dumps Bucket of Urine on Girlfriend
Stop number one on the morning blog train was a man in Elyria who allegedly shoved snake poop in a woman’s mouth. Stop number two stays in Elyria for a surprisingly similar story. This time, however, it involves human waste, not animal. According to the Chronicle Telegram, a 39-year-old woman told police that she and…
Man Allegedly Shoves Snake Feces in Woman’s Mouth, Arrested for Domestic Violence
Toy snakes are way less scary than real snakes. How was your weekend, average Clevelander? Did you have snake poop shoved in your mouth? No? Then you had a better weekend than Amber Pennell. The Chronicle Telegram reports that Pennell, 21, had a tiff with Matthew Rudisill, 24, with whom she has a child and…
Afternoon Brew: Occupy Cleveland, VegiTerranean Closes, PD Helps With Voting, and Yuengling History
Good afternoon, Cleveland. Here’s some stuff to read while you decide which beverage store to try first tonight in search of Yuengling. — In solidarity with the Occupy Wall Street protests going on, Occupy Cleveland has launched. They’ll be meeting at the Free Stamp Thursday afternoon and then mobilizing to their final location to camp.…
Franklin Castle Sold
Franklin Castle has been sold. The historic Cleveland property has enjoyed its fair share of controversy and sensational stories over the years, most notably that ghosts live in the joint. There have also been rumors too tawdry and shifty to print, fires, squabbles with the city, vacancy, pie-in-the-sky dreams and BS-spewing owners, and, finally, a…
‘The Pit’ Has Rules for Tailgaters, Including No Throwing Footballs and No Cornhole
Browns tailgaters didn’t have the best showing a couple of weeks ago. There were two videos — one of some folks having sexytime in the Muni Lot and the other showing a drunk fight — that went national and didn’t exactly shine the cheeriest light on Clevelanders’ pre-game activities. But those are the exceptions. Sexy…
Being a Process Server Sounds Fun
Delivering subpoenas is, understandably, not the most glorious profession. People ducking you, threatening you, yelling at you, etc. It’s one of those jobs where “Don’t shoot the messenger” is elevated from metaphorical cliche to practical advice. Take the following docket entry in Vega v. AJ Wright: CV-10-741311. SUBPOENA FOR: LISA DAVIS SERVED SEPT 25, 2011…
Vintage Video: Public Square Demolition
Another gem from the archives of WEWS: In 1982 the Williamson Building (built 1900) and the Cuyahoga Building (which dated back to the 1890s) were demolished to make way for what would be the BP Building. If you’re just in it for the demolition porn, the buildings come down at the 2:30 mark in the…
Pic of the Day: Foggy Downtown
(Via Reddit)
Peyton Hillis Questions Arise After Browns Loss
Your Cleveland Browns lost in especially embarrassing fashion yesterday against the Titans. The 31-13 final score is bad enough, but the team looked even worse than that. They gave up long plays, turned the ball over, failed to convert short-yardage 3rd downs, suffered from less than inspiring quarterback play, and continued to look like the…
Lady Chokes Walmart Greeter, Daughter Threatens to Blow Up the Store (Updated)
Update II: Toni Duncan and daughter Ashley Jackson were sentenced last week for their Walmart escapades. To recap, mom chocked a 71-year-old Walmart greeter, bragged to her daughter about “choking the cracker,” and the daughter threw a fit of her own, threatening to blow up the store. The judge presiding over the case dished out…
Friday Morning Music Swag Giveaway
In honor of the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ recent nomination for the shortlist of artists eligible to get in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next year, we have a whole bunch of their albums to giveaway — their entire Warner Bros. catalog plus a DVD, in fact. That’s nine items in all! If…
Your Number’s Up
What’s Your Number? has all the requisites of a modern romantic comedy: giggly girls planning a wedding, a womanizing bad boy poised for reform, copious drinking and vulgarity, and a retrograde message that relationships are all that matter in a woman’s life. After losing her job, Ally (Anna Faris) reads in a magazine that women…
Afternoon Brew: Inventor of Fake Pot Says Smoke Real Pot, A Creepy Facebook Event, An Historic Night in Baseball, and a Fishy Cop Case
Good afternoon, Cleveland. Here’s some stuff to read while you taunt all those Red Sox fans. Especially those Boston die-hards born in Medina, Strongsville, Westlake, Willoughby, Avon… — The guy who invented those synthetic weed products is actually a chemist and he says you shouldn’t smoke any of them. Just smoke real pot instead, please.…
Opponents of Ohio Voting Act Deliver Signatures, Voting to Still Commence Next Tuesday
Fair Elections Ohio, the umbrella group for the organizations gathering signatures to repeal the new voting act, HB 194, turned in petitions with 318,460 signatures to Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted’s office in Columbus today. 231, 247 valid signatures are required for the measure — which turns voting into a videogame-like obstacle course —…
Someone Probably Involved in the Muni Lot Sex Tape Doesn’t Want People to See the Muni Lot Sex Tape
It certainly has been a busy week for off-the-field Browns news. There was the fan who celebrated the game-winning touchdown in the endzone Sunday and was promptly arrested. There was the drunk fan in the Muni Lot who stripped to his underwear, challenged an amateur tailgating DJ to a fight, and lost. There was the…
Malt Liquor Bottle Causes Bomb Scare in Amherst
Bruce Bishop, Chronicle Telegram The two most important and enjoyable parts of this story are right up top. The headline basically explains the situation: Malt Liquor Bottle Causes Bomb Scare in Amherst. Self-explanatory. And then there’s the picture. Two officers of the law. One with his hands on his hips. Intense furrowed brow behind the…
Tim Hagan Leaves Job at Metro
There was simply no way after cutting 450 jobs and declaring a multi-million dollar deficit that Metro and Tim Hagan could continue working together. The former commissioner announced he is leaving his part-time, $90,000/year gig with the county-financed hospital which he started back in January. His last day will be Friday. Hagan’s hiring was drew…
The Campaign to Get Snubbed Bands Into the Rock Hall
Earlier this week, the nominations for the 2012 class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame were announced and the responses fell into three familiar and predictable categories. 1) Meh. The Rock Hall is irrelevant. 2) Sure, those bands are finally getting their due. Cool. 3) Whaaaaattttt?!?! My favorite band was snubbed again. OMGZZ!Z!Z…
Trailer: ‘American Teacher’
The screening of “American Teacher,” the documentary produced by Dave Eggers, narrated by Matt Damon, and based on a book co-written by Cleveland’s own Dan Moulthrop, screens October 5 at the Capitol Theatre. Sadly, it’s a one-time showing for now and tickets are sold out. That, however, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t watch the trailer and…
Concert Review: Fleet Foxes at Masonic Auditorium
Some bands make it look too easy. There are moments in a Fleet Foxes concert where you have to remind yourself that all those scenic harmonies are coming from human voices, that those rhythms are tenuous — only as steady as the hands of the six bearded heads bobbing in front of you on stage.…
Delonte West’s Application to Work at Furniture Store is Priceless
It’s hard out there for a locked-out NBA player. Bills to pay, mouths to feed, no money in the bank, and no money coming in. Take Delonte West, for example. The former Cavalier tweeted when the lockout began that he might need to find a job at Home Depot to make ends meet. He wasn’t…
The Other Paper, Columbus Alt-Weekly, Purchased by Dispatch (Updated)
Update: Last night, the Disptach’s Phil Pikelny shot Scene an email back with the following comment about the sale. “There are no changes contemplated for any of the acquired properties in the near future. In fact, Roy Biondi will remain the Group Publisher for The Other Paper so The Other Paper will retain its current…
Afternoon Brew: Foster Parents Ditch Kid at Browns Game, Finding Pot Farms, Kucinich Goes After Cleveland Clinic, and a Masturbator Fired
Good afternoon, Cleveland. Here’s some stuff to read while you check your backyard to make sure your son isn’t growing pot back there. And if he is, to remind him that sharing is caring. — Southern Ohio authorities are in hot pursuit of drug dealers with huge outdoor pot farms. Also, a place to get…
Marijuana and a Dumb Drunk, The Best of the Police Blotters
Two items from the ever-entertaining police blotters of Northeast Ohio caught our eye this afternoon. Lessons to take away as you go: if you’re growing weed in your house, never give anyone an excuse to randomly come in, and don’t ever drive drunk. Just don’t do it.First, from Lakewood and the Sun Post Herald: DANGEROUS…
At the Arthouse
American Teacher This documentary about the United States’ education system focuses on four teachers whose shared stories pretty much echo the sentiments of educators across the country. Matt Damon narrates, Dave Eggers is one of the producers, and it’s based on a book written by former Sound of Ideas host Daniel Moulthrop. This screening also…
Get Out!
Thursday | 29 Tommy Blaze at Hilarities Like Dr. Phil, but Funny Men and women should talk more, right? Not according to comedian Tommy Blaze. Communicating, he says, only leads to fighting. “Think about it. Most arguments start because someone said something stupid. And then she got mad!” The Florida funny guy has been plumbing…
Film Capsules
Apollo 18 (PG-13) — Want to know why we never went back to the moon? This movie uses found footage of what really happened to the last three astronauts who went there in 1974. Apollo 18 piles on atmosphere and increasingly loud second-rate scary scenes. And after almost 90 minutes of cheap thrills you see…
Concert Calendar
Zee Avi Like her beach buddy (and record-company boss) Jack Johnson, Zee Avi surrounds herself with the sea. On “Swell Window,” the opening track of her new album, Ghostbird, you can actually hear the surf crashing in the background. It’s a soft and sweet ukulele-based song that compares relationships to those areas on the coastline…
A Cure for Cancer
Cancer’s a total bitch. So how exactly do 50/50 writer Will Reiser and director Jonathan Levine manage to wring such an honest, heartfelt, and, yes, funny movie out of such a destructive disease? With a smart script, a great cast, and a sensitive approach to the proceedings. Reiser’s story chronicles his own struggle with spinal…
Med Mart Version 2.0
It wasn’t a tough sell. A medical mart in Cleveland would showcase high-end wares — the latest in medical technology and cutting-edge equipment. When Cleveland Clinic CEO Toby Cosgrove put forth the idea more than a decade ago, he intended a kind of one-stop shop for hospitals and doctors looking to buy. And they would…
Battles Plan
Success can change you, even at that lower level of mass consciousness where Battles operate. Just ask the spurting, burbling, electronic-addled NYC math-rock band, which generated tons of buzz for its 2007 debut album, Mirrored. But because of tour stress, heightened expectations, or simply souring chemistry, something that worked so well the first time around…
Stay In!
TOP PICK – CD Bobby Charles – Deluxe Edition (Rhino Handmade) Charles was a Louisiana teen when he wrote “See You Later Alligator” and “Walking to New Orleans” in the ’50s. In 1972, he released a self-titled album that included help from Dr. John and almost all of the Band. It bombed when it was…
CD Review: Nirvana
The most influential album of the past quarter-century celebrates its 20th anniversary with several new reissues. The priciest is a four-CD, one-DVD box that includes an alternate mix of the record plus a complete concert. But most fans will be happy with the two-disc set that tacks on B-sides, radio sessions, and some rehearsal demos.…
CD Review: Wilco
You can’t really trust this supposed return to form from a band that has gotten a free pass for the past decade. Even though the cacophonous “Art of Almost” holds its own for a seven-minute opener — dig that thrashing Frippertronic ending — the organ-fronted “I Might,” swaggering “Standing O,” and sleazily lovely “Open Mind”…
Rebel Without a Pause
The online hip-hop station Rebel Army Radio presents its fourth-annual awards program this weekend. But unlike most awards shows, the winners have already been announced, so you won’t see the disappointed faces of losers when the victors dash past them to claim their prizes. Saturday’s ceremony at the Grog Shop is more or less an…
Along for the Ride
Here’s the thing about food trucks: Regardless of the circumstances, folks will walk right up to the rig and demand food. It’s just 8 o’clock in the morning, and StrEat Mobile Bistro is tucked away in the back corner of a parking lot off East 55th Street, and still some fool tries to order breakfast.…
Star Power
Science has always been the thin-armed, thick-spectacled victim of bullies who relish nothing more than curb-stomping an idea — or even a fact — when it ruffles their comfortable assumptions. And so it is that we have presidential candidate Rick Perry declaring the theory of evolution has some “holes” in it. But if The Life…
On Stage This Week
Great Lakes, No Festival Shrew’s the News at the Hanna The venerable Great Lakes Theater Festival hacked its name down to just “Great Lakes Theater” over the summer. (You know how artistic types loathe complacency.) “We no longer present plays in a festival-style format,” explains GLT marketing director Todd Krispinsky. “Our new name is a…
Blind Mice
I could not contain my laughter after reading the critical comments in a recent article in Scene made by county politicians about the Cuyahoga County Charter and their lack of knowledge over how it came to be. My second reaction is that it’s scary that they know so little about the community they serve. Many…
We Get Mail
Kill the Deadbeats Cuyahoga County has laid off workers to save money, while $461 million in delinquent property taxes goes unpaid. [“Ed FitzGerald Targets Delinquent Property Taxes,” at the Scene & Heard blog]. This is outrageous! I know a homeowner who owes more than $8,000 in delinquent property taxes, yet he has made no attempt…
CD Review: Mastodon
The Atlanta metal band Mastodon made their name with sprawling thematic albums that take on subjects that are literary (2004’s breakthrough, Leviathan, retold Moby Dick with 13-minute prog epics), spacious (wormholes, souls, and suicide were all covered in 2009’s Crack the Skye), and perplexing (what was Blood Mountain about again?). Their terrific fifth album, The…
Home Movies
Carlos (Criterion) One of last year’s best movies gets the royal Criterion treatment, complete with bonus features that pry beneath the film’s surface. Olivier Assayas’ five-and-a-half-hour epic is a real butt-number, no doubt about it. But almost every minute is dedicated to propelling the fascinating story of Carlos the Jackal, the Venezuelan terrorist whose relentless…
Local Band in Focus
Meet the Band: Cassie Bishop (guitar, vocals), Genevieve Jencson (keyboards, vocals), Myra Wasylyna (bass, vocals), and Lisa Paulovcin (drums) Breathe Deep: The band began as a solo project for Bishop, who wanted the name to reflect her own boundary breaking. “People are capable of much more than they think,” she says. “Limits come from our…
Bumper Crop
Like any major construction project, the new Crop Bistro & Bar has had its share of delays. But come Oct. 6, the Ohio City home for Steve Schimoler’s popular Warehouse District bistro will be up and running. To say the new space is an upgrade from the original (which opened in 2008 and closed last…
CD Review: Midnight Syndicate
From haunted-house switchbacks to Halloween galas at Hefner’s place, Midnight Syndicate’s slasher soundtracks get some serious playtime when fall comes around. And somehow, after 14 years and just as many albums, the Chardon duo still manages to give us nightmares every time. Batches of blood-curdling organ huffs and gong clashes cast a familiar shadow on…
On View This Week
Akron Society of Artists Turns 80: Welcome to the Club Shirley Blake, president of the Akron Society of Artists, describes her organization’s space — in a county-owned arts complex just down the street from the Akron Art Museum — as a “safe zone” for representational painters. The society, an inclusive club of around 100 artists…
The Med Mart’s New Vision
In May, Merchandise Mart Properties Inc. tapped Brian Casey to lead Cleveland’s med mart project. The new GM brings years of experience managing trade shows for medical organizations — he also brings a radically different philosophy to Cleveland’s med mart compared to the plans area leaders were sold on in recent years. Below is an…
