Downtown
Indeed, those figures might be modest, says Katie Sabatino, public information officer for the state development department. "There are plenty more film and TV projects that come to Ohio and use hotel nights that do not use the tax credit, and since there is no real film permit in Ohio, it is impossible to know exactly how many room nights are used," she is quoted in the article as saying.
"The Avengers," which is filming in Cleveland now, is the largest feature film ever made in Ohio, according to the Greater Cleveland Film Commission. That film alone is responsible for gobbling up 27,000 room nights, says the commission's Ivan Schwarz. Six other movies are currently being filmed in Cleveland.
Check out the rest of the screenplay here.
"We had 200 people and 26 of the fastest growing start-up companies," says Todd Goldstein, LaunchHouse partner in charge of finance and operations. "It was a really good makeup of entrepreneurs, investors, business leaders and people from the community."
In addition to the showcases, there were educational demos, new product launches, expert panels, keynote addresses and musical acts. "At any given time there were entrepreneurs giving pitch sessions in front of 120 people," says Goldstein. "It was just another way for us to help entrepreneurs from all over the region gain more exposure."
MobileXpeditions, a start-up in Dublin, Ohio, won a trip to Tech Week in Chicago and the opportunity to showcase their company this week.
"The whole idea of 6ixth City Tech Fest was to mix with the Chicago Tech Fest, but do it in Cleveland, Ohio," says Goldstein. MobileXpeditions was chosen as the winner by a panel of six judges who are involved in business incubators and other entrepreneurial organizations around Ohio.
Source: Todd Goldstein
Writer: Karin Connelly
MedWorks' first-ever vision-only clinic at Quicken Loans Arena last Wednesday proved to be quite successful. So much so that it also illustrated the need for more free or affordable vision care in the area.
"We served over 900 people with exams or glasses," says MedWorks office manager Alyson Andrassy. "We anticipated up to 800 people. We had to turn away 500 people."
Optometrists, opticians and ophthalmologists from all over Ohio volunteered their time, while the equipment for the eye exams was donated by Optics Inc. as well as Onesight. Patients had more than 2,000 donated frames from which to choose. Roughly 180 volunteers, from students to doctors, made the event happen.
MedWorks has been trying to accommodate the people who were turned away last week, as well as re-assure those who were seen by doctors but did not get their glasses that their specs will be delivered to them soon. "The phone has been ringing off the hook," says Andrassy. "For those who were not able to be seen, we're setting them up with our partner organizations to be seen as soon as possible."
For now, Andrassy is referring people to Vision USA, an organization run by the American Optometric Association that provides vision care to those who do not qualify for government aid or private insurance.
Given the success of the vision clinic, MedWorks hopes to organize future clinics, perhaps on a yearly basis.
Source: Alyson Andrassy
Writer: Karin Connelly
As a corporate attorney, Candace Klein has worked with a lot of women who own businesses. She saw many of her clients struggling to stay afloat -- maxing out personal credit cards and mixing personal and business accounts to make ends meet. "My heart went out to them," she recalls. She began researching alternative financing options and discovered a hard truth: Women have a harder time getting financing for companies than men.
So Klein decided to do something about it. In 2010, she formed her own company, Cincinnati-based Bad Girl Ventures. BGV is a localized microfinance company that educates women and helps them successfully fund their companies.
Since 2010, more than 200 businesses have applied for Klein's program, of those 125 have been educated and 18 have been financed with a total of $310,000. "Our goal is to remove as many barriers to accessing financing as possible," says Klein.
Now Klein is bringing Bad Girl Ventures to Cleveland. This October, entrepreneurs will be able to enroll in Klein's eight-week program to learn the basics behind running and financing a successful business. The participants will have the opportunity to compete for $25,000 in funding after completing the program.
Bad Girl Ventures will have one full time employee in its Cleveland location, while Klein will divide her time between Cincinnati and Cleveland. She hopes to have 50 applicants for the first class.
"Significant jobs will be created from our investment in these businesses," she says, adding that 37 jobs have been created in Cincinnati from the 18 companies she's helped.
Klein has gotten support from the Cleveland Foundation, the Business of Good Foundation, KeyBank and the City of Cleveland.
Source: Candace Klein
Writer: Karin Connelly
That project, scheduled to be completed next fall, will add a broad, multi-use path on the north side and narrow intersections so they can be crossed more easily. It will also narrow driving lanes from 12 to 11 feet to allow room for bikers, add 'sharrows' that let drivers know they're sharing the road, and install new bike route signs from W. 20th to Abbey Avenue. This once-dicey link to Tremont will be improved with five-foot-wide bike lanes and new, historic-style lighting.
Does this high-profile victory indicate that the bike advocacy community is becoming a political force with which to be reckoned? Marc Lefkowitz, web editor for GreenCityBlueLake at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, thinks so. "When people ask why it's important to have a bike and pedestrian advocacy group, point them to sustainable transportation advocates 'Access for All,' who negotiated a $6 million commitment from ODOT," he blogged recently.
Now, cyclists are building on this victory by forming a new organization, Bike Cleveland, to amplify their voice in Northeast Ohio. "Cleveland needs a single, strong advocacy organization that will bring the cycling community together," explains Jacob Van Sickle, Active Living Coordinator for Slavic Village Development, a regular bike commuter and one of the the group's organizers. To get cyclists involved, Bike Cleveland will hold a kick-off summit on September 10th and 11th at Windows on the River in the Flats.
Yet despite having wind at their backs, cyclists in Cleveland still have a ways to go, as evidenced by Cleveland's recent approval of casino developers' plans to demolish the Columbia building on lower Prospect Ave. It will be replaced with parking, an overhead pedestrian walkway and valet parking for gamblers.
Until recently, this section of Prospect was envisioned as a prime spot for bike- and pedestrian-friendly redevelopment -- plans that opponents of the demolition say were hastily scrapped to satisfy casino developers' demands.
Source: Jacob Van Sickle, Marc Lefkowitz
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Shooting is scheduled to begin next month and will include Earth-bound stars Chris Hemsworth, Robert Downey, Jr. and Chris Evans.
Other principal scenes for the Marvel Comics-based flick are being shot in and around Cleveland throughout the summer. Countless residents have enlisted their services to act as extras in the film in the hopes of snagging a frame of screen time.
BVU's mission is to link businesses and nonprofits to foster excellence in the nonprofit sector. Since 1993, BVU has connected 228 businesses to 439 nonprofits to complete over 1,600 service projects.
The idea is to help out the non-profits while also providing a social event.
"The event is great in different ways," says Nick Borchers, an intern at BVU's Volunteer Center. "Some of the things we were hearing from businesses is interns and young professionals really want to get involved in the community. A lot of the volunteer projects are geared toward leadership functions and team building skills."
The 2011 Deloitte Volunteer IMPACT Survey reports that more than 60 percent of young professionals factor a company's commitment to the community in making a choice between similar jobs.
The summer of service also provides a great networking opportunity. "It's an opportunity to meet with other people," Borchers says. "It's another way to connect with more people -- the organizations are looking at the interns and the interns get to see what the organization is really about."
Source: Nick Borchers
Writer: Karin Connelly
"CPL knows how passionate Clevelanders are about music, and the importance of music in our community, its history, and its future," CPL director Felton Thomas explained. "CPL has a history of providing our patrons with access to music -- starting as far back as sheet music and records and evolving to CDs. In today's digital world, providing free downloads is the logical next step to give our patrons a way to experience their favorite music."
The music download service launched this week. Library patrons access the available music through a new MyTunes page on the library's website. Cardholders can download up to three songs a week and over 150 per year from Sony's entire catalogue. Patrons get to keep the songs they download forever, legally, and at no cost to them.
To learn more about the service click here.
Parris got the idea to produce the bikes after spending some time in China, where the bikes are commonplace.
"They've been very popular in the past five to 10 years in China with the local farmers who need to get from village to village and transport food," explains Parris. "It's an ideal thing for them to use and affordable. When I came back to Cleveland, I said, 'Let's get rid of the parking problem and gas problem and learn something from the largest industrial nation in the world.'"
The bikes initially take five to six hours to charge using just a standard outlet, and then take about an hour to recharge. They go more than 20 miles on a single charge.
Parris has produced 10 bikes thus far and sold two at around $750 apiece. Additionally, he is donating two bikes to cancer charities. Currently the bikes are manufactured oversees. He hopes to start producing them in Ohio next year.
"By far they are the cheapest and only electric bikes that are around Cleveland," he says.
Source: Benjamin Parris
Writer: Karin Connelly
"Even in this recession there are so many manufacturing jobs that are going unfilled," says Mary Ann Pacelli, project manager for MAGNET. "There's a need for training and people who have an aptitude on the technical side. People may not realize the technical skills learned in the military transfer into manufacturing."
Enthusiasm for the program has been high. "Companies are very interested because they have jobs that have to be filled, and it provides a sense of community spirit," says Pacelli. "Employers are willing to commit."
The project has been two years in the making. MAGNET will be meeting with interested companies through August, and will begin assessing veterans in late August. Pacelli says they plan to have eight to 12 veterans placed by September. "We set a minimum goal to assess at least 100 veterans," she says. "At least 50 will be in some sort of job by the end of the year."
Funding for employers is available through the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services. "Companies that are willing to hire and do on-the-job training are eligible for some funding for salaries and training," says Pacelli. "The work behavior piece has already been taken care of by the military. The training may take some time, but it's worth it."
Source: Mary Ann Pacelli
Writer: Karin Connelly
Titled, "Ex-Parea Chef Opens NYC-Inspired Noodlecat Next Week ... in Cleveland," the article reminds readers that Sawyer once led Michael Symon's short-lived Parea restaurant in New York City. (It also reminds readers that he accidentally poisoned himself with a false chanterelle.)
"Last year, Food & Wine named Sawyer Best New Chef for his work at Cleveland's Greenhouse Tavern. Noodlecat's menu, inspired in part by Sawyer's after-work trawls through New York's subterranean noodle houses, will feature ramen, soba, and udon. The chef told the Daily Meal that David Chang makes New York's best ramen, but that he also looked to Hung Ry, Rai Rai Ken, and Yakitori Taisho while researching the menu for Noodlecat. Menu research also took Sawyer to Japan, Canada, and even Australia."
Read the rest of the scoop here.
The top five cities that are most resilient and least vulnerable to climate change are Cleveland, Milwaukee, Detroit, Chicago, and Minneapolis.
"Why do Rust Belt cities do so well in my rankings?" asks Opperman. "Because they have a sustainable water supply (in four of the cities, the Great Lakes); their heat stress rankings are relatively low; and they are less vulnerable to natural disasters that will be exacerbated by climate change, such as floods, landslides, and wildfires."
Looking at the bottom five -- Phoenix, Houston, Sacramento, Las Vegas, and Miami -- Opperman states:
"One obvious observation is that the most climate-vulnerable cities include some of the fastest growing regions of the country, while the most climate-resilient include several cities with flat or even declining populations. So the country's population is shifting away from places that are better-equipped to deal with climate change and toward areas that may face the greatest disruptions from climate change. Many of the most resilient cities are former industrial giants in need of new economic drivers. Transforming our economy to one that runs on much cleaner energy will require significant expansion of "green industries" with associated job growth. So, despite the relatively lower vulnerability of the Clevelands and Milwaukees and Detroits of the world, these cities should still pursue the investments required to prevent climate change. Those investments could provide an important spark for economic revitalization."
Read the rest here.
Mike Perry has a rather strange hobby. In his spare time, the president of Szarka Financial Management uses his skills as a hiring manager to help people spruce up their resumes and find new jobs.
"It all started when one of the financial managers literally walked a client into my office and said, "so-and-so got laid off from the Cleveland Clinic. Can you take a look at her resume?'" explains Perry. "So I sat down with her. Soon, I had a parade of clients, family members, and friends coming to me."
In the three or so years he's been doing it, Perry estimates he's consulted with nearly 500 people -- free of charge. He sees eight to 10 resumes a week, from everyone from tool and die makers to CEOs, and he has an 85-percent success rate finding his 'clients' new jobs. Additionally, Perry speaks to job-seeking groups on a regular basis and has a job-seeking tips blog, In the Business of You.
Perry speaks from experience. "When I was laid off from KeyBank in 2001, I found there's a lot of inaccurate and poor advice for job seekers," he says. "When the economy took a turn for the worse, I saw it as a chance to pay it forward. People are getting terrible advice on how to get a job. I don't rewrite people's resumes. I give them the tools to do a much better job of it."
Source: Mike Perry
Writer: Karin Connelly
Sustainable Cleveland 2019 (SC 2019), an effort by the City of Cleveland and local environmental groups to promote sustainability as a means of growing the economy in Northeast Ohio, will soon have a physical home in Tower City Center.
Andrew Watterson, Cleveland's Chief of Sustainability, says the purpose of the new Sustainable Cleveland Center is to promote efforts to green Northeast Ohio, provide central meeting space for environmental groups, and offer affordable shared office space for companies and nonprofits working to advance sustainability within the region.
"We're increasing our audience by putting the Mayor's Office of Sustainability into a more public space," says Watterson. "Forest City has been extremely generous by donating the space, and we've signed a two-year lease."
The Office of Sustainability will set up shop on the second floor of a two-story retail space that is accessible from the Huron Road entrance to Tower City Center. A number of regional companies, including GE Lighting, Alcoa and Eaton Corporation, have donated materials for the build-out.
Watterson stresses that the Sustainable Cleveland Center is a "collaborative effort" that will ultimately house many partners. The nonprofit Entrepreneurs for Sustainability (E4S) has indicated an intent to lease space on the first floor, but has not yet signed a lease. A range of other companies and organizations have indicated a desire to showcase products, information and materials.
Watterson hopes the center will eventually lead to the creation of a sustainable business incubator in downtown Cleveland. "We're testing the idea out at a scale that's manageable," he says. "In the meantime, it provides us with an excellent way to tell the story of what's happening with sustainability in Cleveland."
Source: Andrew Watterson
Writer: Lee Chilcote
A New York Times obituary wrote, "At a time when newspapers were famously inhospitable to women, Ms. Scott made her career by tackling a beat that few writers of either sex wanted -- a beat that barely existed when she began writing about rock 'n' roll in the mid-1960s."
"In Cleveland, Ms. Scott could scarcely walk down the street without fans stopping to take her picture. But she was known far beyond the city, profiled in print, on radio and on television throughout the country and abroad."
Clearly. Read the whole obit here.
Writing for The L.A. Times music blog Pop & Hiss, Holly Gleason says, "If Jane Scott leaves a legacy, beyond thousands of stories filed, it's the artists who knew they were somebody because she turned her notebook toward them. As Reed enthused for her 80th birthday, "I love Jane Scott. I always have, I always will. When I was in the Velvet Underground, Jane was one of the only people I can remember who was nice to us. Interested in the music, the styles -- a very smart, guileless lady who loved music and musicians and had unbiased attitudes towards the evolving culture."
"Her writing gave music deeper context for generations in the city hailed as the "Rock & Roll Capitol of the World." She captured the essence of rock coming of age, growing into maturity and finding its way into the 21st century. Her mark will be felt for years to come."
Read the rest here.