Cleveland joins cities like Eugene, Oregon and Fort Walton Beach, Florida in AARP The Magazine's list of "10 of the Best American Cities to Live Comfortably on $40,000 a Year." In tandem with Sperling's Best Places, the magazine ranked cities based on factors like housing affordability, access to work and recreation, transportation, healthcare and safety to create a "livability index" rating. (Cleveland weighed in at 56, with a median housing price of $124,000.) Here's what the magazine had to say about living in The Land:
Situated on the shores of Lake Erie, Cleveland has experienced a cultural renaissance of late, led by growing populations of baby boomers and millennials alike. The city's robust art and music scene is complemented by lively nightlife and award-winning restaurants, not to mention a renewed excitement among NBA fans with the return of hometown hero LeBron James.
Read more about the 10 chosen cities here in Travel + Leisure.
Situated on the shores of Lake Erie, Cleveland has experienced a cultural renaissance of late, led by growing populations of baby boomers and millennials alike. The city's robust art and music scene is complemented by lively nightlife and award-winning restaurants, not to mention a renewed excitement among NBA fans with the return of hometown hero LeBron James.
Read more about the 10 chosen cities here in Travel + Leisure.
Record-breaking amounts of visitors have made their way to Cleveland in recent years, and Travelocity has taken notice—ticking off 13 reasons why it's "obsessed" with Cleveland. (Just 13? We've got at least seven more to add.) Usual suspects like Public Square, the Cleveland Museum of Art, and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame lead the list, along with tasty trips to the West Side Market and that oozing-with-charm popcorn shop in Chagrin Falls. See which other attractions made the list here.
Wondering where to sip in style? The new class of Wine Spectator's 2017 Restaurant Awards recipients might be a great place to start. The magazine's annual awards celebrate the world's best wine lists, and seven Cleveland restaurants made the discerning cut. Among the local honorees are Lola, Bold Food & Drink, Dante, Pier W, L'Albatros, Edwin's Restaurant, and Morton's, the Steakhouse. The full list of winners can be viewed here.
As Ozy put it, "bioscience entrepreneurship has reshaped Cleveland's sagging economy." Yet though the Health-Tech Corridor has certainly become a hotbed for biosience, the struggle to attract health information technology (HIT) employees to the region continues to be real. Luckily, LinkedIn, BioEnterprise, Cleveland State, and other Northeast Ohio agencies are committed to closing that gap—joining forces to provide in-depth analysis and form strategies for fostering local HIT talent.
Government Technology had this to say about the initiative:
"One of the critical limiting factors to growth in Northeast Ohio's bioscience industry today is the availability of health IT talent," Aram Nerpouni, BioEnterprise president and CEO, said in a statement. "Thriving health IT companies are hindered by the dearth of software developers and data scientists. The LinkedIn project should provide meaningful data and analysis to inform how we address this challenge."
With the support of the Cleveland Foundation, BioEnterprise launched HIT in the CLE in 2015 to address the lack of available talent in computer and data science. The project is an important tactic within the larger HIT in the CLE talent strategy, the partners said.
LinkedIn will provide Cleveland with information of the skills local employers need, the skills its workers have and the disconnect between the two.
"The city can use those insights to create a stronger IT talent pipeline, and grow its IT industry," said LinkedIn U.S. Head of Policy Nicole Isaac in a statement.
Read the full piece here.
Government Technology had this to say about the initiative:
"One of the critical limiting factors to growth in Northeast Ohio's bioscience industry today is the availability of health IT talent," Aram Nerpouni, BioEnterprise president and CEO, said in a statement. "Thriving health IT companies are hindered by the dearth of software developers and data scientists. The LinkedIn project should provide meaningful data and analysis to inform how we address this challenge."
With the support of the Cleveland Foundation, BioEnterprise launched HIT in the CLE in 2015 to address the lack of available talent in computer and data science. The project is an important tactic within the larger HIT in the CLE talent strategy, the partners said.
LinkedIn will provide Cleveland with information of the skills local employers need, the skills its workers have and the disconnect between the two.
"The city can use those insights to create a stronger IT talent pipeline, and grow its IT industry," said LinkedIn U.S. Head of Policy Nicole Isaac in a statement.
Read the full piece here.
Planning your next vacation? You may not have to travel beyond the city limits. Reward Expert has ranked Cleveland 7th on its list of “2017’s Best Cities for Staycations.” The reward travel website compared 100 of the largest cities in the U.S. based on 29 key metrics broken down into three categories: Recreation, Food & Entertainment, and Rest & Relaxation. Cleveland’s sports success and must-sees like PlayhouseSquare and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame are cited, as well as Cleveland's “many public pools and its beaches alongside Lake Erie.” (And here's a fun fact: Cleveland has the most public pools per capita. Stay cool, Cleveland!)
Read the full write-up and see which other cities made the list here.
Read the full write-up and see which other cities made the list here.
West Coasters who mistakenly think of Ohio as a flyover state clearly haven't been to Cleveland—but the Los Angeles Times has finally gotten the memo. This in-depth piece by Fran Golden provides an overview of all of Cleveland's greatest hits, from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame to 78th Street Studios to the West Side Market. Local movers and shakers like Mayor Frank Jackson, Julian Bruell and Greater Cleveland Film Commission head Ivan Schwarz all lend their voices to the story, with notable quotables like the following:
Local pride is also a philosophy embraced by young returnee Bruell, who said, "Cleveland shouldn't try to be like New York or Chicago or other cities. It should be unique and different."
Schwarz, of the film commission, compared what's happening in Cleveland to the renaissance of Portland, Ore.
"Old-time Clevelanders may question the cool factor. I see an untapped gold mine," he said. "I think we really should shout from the rooftop the virtues of this city."
Read the full write-up here.
Local pride is also a philosophy embraced by young returnee Bruell, who said, "Cleveland shouldn't try to be like New York or Chicago or other cities. It should be unique and different."
Schwarz, of the film commission, compared what's happening in Cleveland to the renaissance of Portland, Ore.
"Old-time Clevelanders may question the cool factor. I see an untapped gold mine," he said. "I think we really should shout from the rooftop the virtues of this city."
Read the full write-up here.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation shines a light on the stunning resurrection of St. Luke's in Buckeye. From Katherine Flynn for Preservation magazine:
St. Luke’s was vacant for a total of eight years, and things weren’t looking good; it was the target of vandals and copper wire prospectors, and moisture damage severely eroded the plaster on the building’s interior. In 2006, the community development organization Cleveland Neighborhood Progress (CNP) came up with what some may have called a far-fetched plan to put it back into use.
“Frankly, a lot of folks in Buckeye had just gotten used to this kind of cultural erasure happening,” says Wayne Mortensen, the director of design and development at the organization. “When businesses or institutions shut down, the buildings would fall into disrepair and they would just eventually be torn down.
“So the ability to bring that [St. Luke’s] back,” he says, “was a pretty big shot in the arm for a neighborhood that was just assuming that it would be lost.”
Read the whole story here.
St. Luke’s was vacant for a total of eight years, and things weren’t looking good; it was the target of vandals and copper wire prospectors, and moisture damage severely eroded the plaster on the building’s interior. In 2006, the community development organization Cleveland Neighborhood Progress (CNP) came up with what some may have called a far-fetched plan to put it back into use.
“Frankly, a lot of folks in Buckeye had just gotten used to this kind of cultural erasure happening,” says Wayne Mortensen, the director of design and development at the organization. “When businesses or institutions shut down, the buildings would fall into disrepair and they would just eventually be torn down.
“So the ability to bring that [St. Luke’s] back,” he says, “was a pretty big shot in the arm for a neighborhood that was just assuming that it would be lost.”
Read the whole story here.
A subtle CLE cameo to appear on 'Grace and Frankie'
Art of Cloth, a women's garment company in Chagrin Falls is getting ready for its close up, so to speak.
Lily Tomlin will be seen wearing the shop's locally produced, one-of-a-kind, hand-dyed tunics on Season 3 of the Netflix series Grace and Frankie, which begins this week.
Courtesy of months of correspondence with the show's costume designer and stylist, two tunics made it into Lily Tomlin's wardrobe for character Frankie Bergstein: the Emma tunic in the Grape Sky colorway and the Seabreeze Tunic in the Pompeii colorway.
A limited quantity of both garments will be available beginning on this Friday, March 24, to coincide with series season premier. Interested parties can shop online or call 440-708-1116.
Lily Tomlin will be seen wearing the shop's locally produced, one-of-a-kind, hand-dyed tunics on Season 3 of the Netflix series Grace and Frankie, which begins this week.
Courtesy of months of correspondence with the show's costume designer and stylist, two tunics made it into Lily Tomlin's wardrobe for character Frankie Bergstein: the Emma tunic in the Grape Sky colorway and the Seabreeze Tunic in the Pompeii colorway.
A limited quantity of both garments will be available beginning on this Friday, March 24, to coincide with series season premier. Interested parties can shop online or call 440-708-1116.
The New York Times' Erik Piepenburg asks Cleveland artist Sean Higgins of The Bubble Process about what's going on in his funky poster for the Cleveland Public Theatre's current show, Barbecue, which is written by Robert O’Hara, directed by Beth Wood, and runs through March 11.
From the Q & A:
Why did you render the people in these wonderfully nonhuman colors?
It’s a big thing in illustration now to use different colors of people to make it race neutral. They are obviously different races but not black and white. It’s an oversimplified way to do people: big eyes, the bare minimum, almost cartoony in a way but trying to take a naïve approach to humans without getting detailed.
Read the whole article over at the NYT.
Tribeca taps "Dahmer" for 2017 lineup
The 2017 Tribeca Film Festival has named 82 of the 98 features for this year’s event. The films are listed under the categories of Spotlight, Viewpoints and Midnight as well as an array of narratives, shorts and documentaries. Special screenings, gala titles and the closing night activities have yet to be announced.
Based on the graphic novel by Cleveland artist Derf Backderf, "My Friend Dahmer," written and directed by Marc Meyers, will be screened as part of the Viewpoints category.
Per Variety:
"This year, the festival’s organizers opted to cut the total number of titles by 20 percent. 'Over the past few years, the festival has grown in a lot of ways and a lot of different directions, and there was an opportunity to think about ways to stay focused and curated in all of our slates,' said Cara Cusumano, Tribeca’s director of programming."
Further reading: Q & A with "My Friend Dahmer" author Derf Backderf
The festival runs April 19 – 30 in New York.
Based on the graphic novel by Cleveland artist Derf Backderf, "My Friend Dahmer," written and directed by Marc Meyers, will be screened as part of the Viewpoints category.
Per Variety:
"This year, the festival’s organizers opted to cut the total number of titles by 20 percent. 'Over the past few years, the festival has grown in a lot of ways and a lot of different directions, and there was an opportunity to think about ways to stay focused and curated in all of our slates,' said Cara Cusumano, Tribeca’s director of programming."
Further reading: Q & A with "My Friend Dahmer" author Derf Backderf
The festival runs April 19 – 30 in New York.
Khloe Kardashian, who is in a relationship with Cavs' center/power forward Tristan Thompson talked about life in Cleveland during an episode of The Talk last week.
“Everyone is so nice there,” reported Kardashian to Sharon Osbourne and the rest of the gang. “It’s a normal routine life. I love to cook, so I get to cook dinner every day. It’s this home, family thing that I’ve been craving that I get to have in Cleveland.”
“I love that it snows. I spent Christmas there and it was — snow," added Kardashian. "I’m not used to that. I’m born and raised in California, so everyone thinks I’m crazy for loving the snow. I’m like, ‘It’s snowing! This is so fun!’ and [Tristan's] like, ‘No you’re going to get over it in one year.’
"But I love it.”
Welcome to Cleveland, Khloe. As for the snow, we usually have a good bit more of it. Why not hang around and see what the weather's like next year?
Hathaway Brown and St. Edward High School have partnered to offer the 2017 iMagine Film Festival.
Hence, through March 31, organizers are accepting film submissions from Northeast Ohio high school students. Films must be no longer than 15 minutes in length. All finalists will receive constructive feedback from area industry professionals. Winners will receive film-related prizes.
iMagine 2017 will be held on Saturday, May 13, from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. in Hathaway's Ahuja Auditorium, 19600 North Park Blvd. The event, which will include screenings of the student films, is free and open to the public.
Click here to register and for submission details.
Hence, through March 31, organizers are accepting film submissions from Northeast Ohio high school students. Films must be no longer than 15 minutes in length. All finalists will receive constructive feedback from area industry professionals. Winners will receive film-related prizes.
iMagine 2017 will be held on Saturday, May 13, from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. in Hathaway's Ahuja Auditorium, 19600 North Park Blvd. The event, which will include screenings of the student films, is free and open to the public.
Click here to register and for submission details.
Between Cleveland's winning sports teams, revitalizing neighborhoods, and thriving food and arts communities, the city is clearly on an upswing. Another key to this revitalization is creating a sustainable economy that benefits all.
From energy efficient LED lighting to windpower, Sustainable Cleveland rounds up nine local company's that help to do just that.
Get the whole list here.
From energy efficient LED lighting to windpower, Sustainable Cleveland rounds up nine local company's that help to do just that.
Get the whole list here.
Courtesy of the Cleveland Foundation, on Tuesday, Feb. 14 from 3 to 11 p.m., skaters will enjoy free skate rentals and a free 45-minute session on the ice, weather permitting. Tickets are required and will be distributed at Public Square at noon on a first come, first served basis. Up to 150 tickets will be distributed per time slot. Additional activities during the Feb. 14 free skate will be announced.
“The Cleveland Foundation Skating Rink on Public Square has proven to be one of our community’s top destinations during the winter months,” said Ronn Richard, President and CEO of the Cleveland Foundation in a statement. “We wanted to provide a chance for residents to celebrate their love for Cleveland by coming out and enjoying this vibrant gathering place in the heart of our city.”
In November 2016, the Cleveland Foundation announced a $100,000 grant to support ongoing community programming on Cleveland Foundation Centennial Plaza in Cleveland Public Square. The grant to the Group Plan Commission continued the foundation’s support for the Square, including $8 million for the transformation of Public Square and the creation of Cleveland Foundation Centennial Plaza. That same month, on Nov. 26, the foundation presented a free day of ice skating on Cleveland Foundation Skating Rink to coincide with the return of Winterfest in Public Square. More than 1,900 ice skaters took advantage of the free opportunity to enjoy the official opening of the skating rink.
The Cleveland Foundation Skating Rink will remain open for the season until Feb. 28, 2017 with skating available for $10 per skater, which includes skate rental. Additional information about Cleveland Public Square programming is available here.
“The Cleveland Foundation Skating Rink on Public Square has proven to be one of our community’s top destinations during the winter months,” said Ronn Richard, President and CEO of the Cleveland Foundation in a statement. “We wanted to provide a chance for residents to celebrate their love for Cleveland by coming out and enjoying this vibrant gathering place in the heart of our city.”
In November 2016, the Cleveland Foundation announced a $100,000 grant to support ongoing community programming on Cleveland Foundation Centennial Plaza in Cleveland Public Square. The grant to the Group Plan Commission continued the foundation’s support for the Square, including $8 million for the transformation of Public Square and the creation of Cleveland Foundation Centennial Plaza. That same month, on Nov. 26, the foundation presented a free day of ice skating on Cleveland Foundation Skating Rink to coincide with the return of Winterfest in Public Square. More than 1,900 ice skaters took advantage of the free opportunity to enjoy the official opening of the skating rink.
The Cleveland Foundation Skating Rink will remain open for the season until Feb. 28, 2017 with skating available for $10 per skater, which includes skate rental. Additional information about Cleveland Public Square programming is available here.
From Maggie Gottlieb and Julie Pearson for MovieMaker:
This year, we skewed big, compiling a list of 15 big cities (population 400,000 and up—that’s city population, not metro) along with a shorter list of five small cities and towns, for those who like a more intimate setting for creativity. Each list also ends with three cities that were “On the Cusp.” (Who can resist an honorable mention?) As usual, you’ll see some familiar names and some up-and-comers—and yes, one of the lists has a tie for the top spot. We’re confident that the places on these lists offer the finest array of filmic institutions, backdrops and good ol’ community-driven energy available. Sink your roots into any of them, and you really can’t go wrong. What you can do, we hope, is find your people, and from there help to write the next chapter of North American cinema.
Read why they think Cleveland is getting ready for its close-up here.
This year, we skewed big, compiling a list of 15 big cities (population 400,000 and up—that’s city population, not metro) along with a shorter list of five small cities and towns, for those who like a more intimate setting for creativity. Each list also ends with three cities that were “On the Cusp.” (Who can resist an honorable mention?) As usual, you’ll see some familiar names and some up-and-comers—and yes, one of the lists has a tie for the top spot. We’re confident that the places on these lists offer the finest array of filmic institutions, backdrops and good ol’ community-driven energy available. Sink your roots into any of them, and you really can’t go wrong. What you can do, we hope, is find your people, and from there help to write the next chapter of North American cinema.
Read why they think Cleveland is getting ready for its close-up here.
Locals seeking help with their tax preparation have options.
—Lakewood Alive has teamed with Empowering and Strengthening Ohio’s People (ESOP) to offer free tax preparation and filing on Saturday, March 4 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Turkish Cultural Center in Lakewood’s Historic Birdtown Neighborhood, 13303 Madison Avenue. Click here for more information.
—Cuyahoga EITC Coalition has a bevy of tax information online, including a list of tax sites where low and moderate income taxpayers can make an appointment for help with filing by dialing 211.
The EITC free tax prep locations will also host several “Super Saturday” events at select locations where a larger number of volunteers will be on hand to provide additional assistance. These include:
February 4, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Saint Ignatius High School (co-hosted by Key Bank)
Library Room
1911 West 30th St., Cleveland
Cleveland Central Catholic High School (co-hosted by Third Federal Savings & Loan)
1st Floor Atrium
6550 Baxter Ave., Cleveland
February 11, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
PNC Fairfax Connection (co-hosted by PNC Bank)
8220 Carnegie Ave., Cleveland
February 18, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Notre Dame College (co-hosted by Ohio Savings Bank)
Administrative Building, 2nd Floor
4545 College Road, South Euclid
February 25, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Stephanie Tubbs –Jones Community Building (co-hosted by Ohio Savings Bank)
3420 Lee Road, Shaker Heights
Required documentation for tax preparation includes: Current photo identification, Social Security cards for each adult and child, W2 and 1099 income statements, child care expense statement and provider’s Tax I.D. Number, Form 1099-INT for any checking or savings accounts, and bank account and routing numbers for direct deposit. If the taxpayer purchased health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, they should bring 1099 tax credit from the issuing health insurance company.
The EITC Coalition is a volunteer driven program. Free training is available to become an IRS certified tax preparer for community members who want to volunteer to prepare taxes.
—Lakewood Alive has teamed with Empowering and Strengthening Ohio’s People (ESOP) to offer free tax preparation and filing on Saturday, March 4 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Turkish Cultural Center in Lakewood’s Historic Birdtown Neighborhood, 13303 Madison Avenue. Click here for more information.
—Cuyahoga EITC Coalition has a bevy of tax information online, including a list of tax sites where low and moderate income taxpayers can make an appointment for help with filing by dialing 211.
The EITC free tax prep locations will also host several “Super Saturday” events at select locations where a larger number of volunteers will be on hand to provide additional assistance. These include:
February 4, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Saint Ignatius High School (co-hosted by Key Bank)
Library Room
1911 West 30th St., Cleveland
Cleveland Central Catholic High School (co-hosted by Third Federal Savings & Loan)
1st Floor Atrium
6550 Baxter Ave., Cleveland
February 11, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
PNC Fairfax Connection (co-hosted by PNC Bank)
8220 Carnegie Ave., Cleveland
February 18, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Notre Dame College (co-hosted by Ohio Savings Bank)
Administrative Building, 2nd Floor
4545 College Road, South Euclid
February 25, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Stephanie Tubbs –Jones Community Building (co-hosted by Ohio Savings Bank)
3420 Lee Road, Shaker Heights
Required documentation for tax preparation includes: Current photo identification, Social Security cards for each adult and child, W2 and 1099 income statements, child care expense statement and provider’s Tax I.D. Number, Form 1099-INT for any checking or savings accounts, and bank account and routing numbers for direct deposit. If the taxpayer purchased health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, they should bring 1099 tax credit from the issuing health insurance company.
The EITC Coalition is a volunteer driven program. Free training is available to become an IRS certified tax preparer for community members who want to volunteer to prepare taxes.