Weapons of Mass Creation Fest, an annual gathering of Cleveland creative types now in its third year, is returning like a blockbuster summer sequel to the Gordon Square Arts District from June 8 through 10. Organizers expect over 1,000 attendees to register, adding to the weekend excitement already taking place in the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood.

The conference, which will feature 20 speakers, 20 designers, and 30 bands on two different stages near W. 54th and Detroit, ... Read more >

Mentor native Erin Huber wasn't exactly sure how she would bring together her passion for water conservation and international development when she finished graduate school. She'd grown up in a blue collar family that spent summer weekends camping near lakes, streams and rivers, and those early experiences nourished her love of fresh water.

After completing her master's degree in Environmental Studies at the Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State Un... Read more >

The population of Northeast Ohio's 12 most populous counties fell by seven percent from 4.1 million in 1970 to 3.8 million in 2010. Yet at the same time, suburban areas added 400 square miles of roads, shopping centers, housing developments and office parks.

That unabated trend towards urban sprawl is not sustainable, argues the Northeast Ohio Sustainable Communities Consortium, a new initiative that won a $4.25 million grant from the federal government in 2010 to pla... Read more >

For a teenager, it's the opportunity of a lifetime to spend a week sailing on a 150-foot tall ship -- tying ropes, keeping watch and sleeping in hammocks while learning to work together as a close-knit team.

Through Project YESS -- Youth Empowered to Succeed through Sailing -- a handful of lucky teenagers are offered this rare opportunity each summer in Cleveland.

The program, which is organized by the Rotary Club of Cleveland, began in 2010 during the Tall S... Read more >

What began in 2005 as a desire to order a Rascal House pizza online rather than over the phone -- as ONOSYS did when launched by college friends Stan Garber, Oleg Fridman and Alex Yakubovich -- has grown into the second largest leader in mobile and online ordering software for the restaurant industry.
 
Last week, Living Social acquired ONOSYS, a move that fits squarely into Garber’s plans and expectations for the company.

“We we’re talking ... Read more >

Is 2012 the year of the collective? Based on the DIY art spaces that are springing up across the city, it would certainly seem like a trend-in-the-making.

BuckBuck, a new collaborative art space that is located in a former auction house, is the latest creative hotspot to join the list. Founders Joe Lanzilotta and Derek Maxfield are recent college graduates who started the gallery and co-op style workspace after obtaining fine arts and graphic design degrees from Ohio Univ... Read more >

LeanDog Labs, LaunchHouse and Bizdom have gotten together to host a Startup Mixer today from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at LeanDog Labs. The event intends to bring together developers, designers and other IT types with entrepreneurs launching a new product or service but in need of a CTO.
 
“A lot of people have wonderful ideas and a business background, but they’re usually missing that technical background,” explains Andradia Scovil, recruiting leader for Bizdo... Read more >

Bad Girl Ventures has teamed up with Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream and Accion to host a Speed Coaching event on Monday, May 7 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the COSE offices. The event targets startups in the food and beverage industry.
 
“People in food and beverage have a really hard time getting funding,” explains Rachel Czernin, director of marketing and development for Bad Girl Ventures.

Small business owners spend 20 minutes at each statio... Read more >

Last December, Russ Mitchell left New York, his home of 16 years, to bring his considerable talents to Cleveland as lead anchor and managing editor for WKYC. His portfolio spans 30 years and includes work in local news at points across the country, not to mention 15 years anchoring CBS news programs like The Early Show and CBS Evening News. At the center of it all is a man who is not only approachable and personable, but one who already feels like one of our own.

Urban gardens can be adventurous affairs, not unlike archeological digs in terms of how they turn up trash and pieces of the past just beneath the surface of the soil. If this isn't your thing, there's always raised beds. But they take time, labor and materials to build.

Thanks to a recently unveiled partnership, 150 families in the Buckeye, Larchmere and Woodland Hills neighborhoods will receive GardenSoxx, which are mesh sleeves stuffed with organic soil that ca... Read more >

For Dan Miller, making a living as a visual artist in Cleveland meant selling his motorcycle, emptying his savings account and finding a warehouse where he could build his own walls and hang lights. The owner of the new Rotten Meat Gallery on East 40th Street between Payne and Perkins says it's all worth it to showcase the city's underrecognized art scene.

"I really wanted to do my part to encourage people to stay here and grow Cleveland as an art market,&quo... Read more >

May is National Bike Month, but locally the party kicked off last week at Respect the Bike, an all-Ohio-made bike showcase held at the Greenhouse Tavern. Before the event, hundreds of riders cruised through downtown for a traffic-stopping Critical Mass ride, then lined up their bikes along E. 4th Street for a rooftop bar celebration. Elsewhere in the Tavern, diners feted on chef Sawyer's creations as historic bikes hung in the air like flying machines.

It was a fittin... Read more >

New entrepreneurs need all the help they can get when launching a business. The Incubator at MAGNET is launching the Beta Space to help students and entrepreneurs get off to a good start. The 2,000 square-foot space on E. 25th Street offers co-working space, mentorship and free advice from service providers.
 
“There are two main components to the program,” says David Crain, director of entrepreneurial services for the Incubator at Magnet. “One is a ... Read more >

This week, a pair of Cleveland Heights residents and avid home brewers launched BottleHouse Brewery in a 6,200-square-foot storefront on Lee Road that had been sitting vacant for more than a decade. The new venue, which will feature craft beers, original brews and a brew-on-premise facility that will open this summer, celebrated its grand opening Tuesday after a year and a half of work.

"It all ties in with bringing craft beer to the community," says Brian Bench... Read more >