Featured Stories

photo slide show: jump back ball
On Saturday, February 26, about 1,000 of Cleveland's most colorful characters attended the 20th Annual Jump Back Ball at the tony State Theatre. The theme of the event, which benefits the not-for-profit performing arts center PlayhouseSquare, was Passport to Party. And as Fresh Water photographer Bob Perkoski so capably captured, attendees dressed accordingly. Grab your own passport and enjoy the show.
fast track: can indoor bike racing rescue slavic village?
A proposed $7.5 million indoor cycling track in Slavic Village would be the only such facility of its kind east of the Rockies. The nonprofit organization Fast Track Cycling says the velodrome would attract thousands of cycling enthusiasts while helping to transform Cleveland into a greener, healthier city. Slavic Village supporters say, Bring it on.
q & a: andrew watterson, chief of sustainability
When Mayor Jackson promoted Andrew Watterson from sustainability programs manager to Chief of Sustainability, a cabinet-level position, he illustrated in very certain terms his commitment to sustainability. Watterson will have his work cut out for him. Recently, the City kicked off Sustainable Cleveland 2019, an ambitious 10-year initiative to leverage sustainability as an engine for economic growth while distinguishing Cleveland as a "Green City on a Blue Lake."

craft distillers make snazzy start-ups, but ohio laws are none-too-friendly
When Sam McNulty opens his Ohio City-based Market Garden Brewery later this year, he will join four other micro-distilleries scattered about the state. Cincinnati's Woodstone Creek is the oldest, followed by Columbus' Middle West Spirits, Grandview's Watershed Distillery, and Tom's Foolery in rural Geauga County. Others, too, are waiting in the wings. Sadly, Ohio, a state rich with entrepreneurship and agricultural resources, makes it nearly impossible for them to succeed.
place making: MRN caps off string of successful urban developments with tudor arms
The stately Tudor Arms has been vacant since 2007 when its last tenant, Cleveland Job Corps, moved to a new home. Now, thanks to a $22 million restoration project, the landmark property appears set to reclaim some of its former glory when it reopens this spring as a Double Tree Hotel. The project is the latest in a string of successful urban developments by local firm MRN Ltd.
clevelanders officially have gone loco for taco tuesday
To paraphrase Jerry Seinfeld: "Taco Tuesdays -- what's up with that?" Seems that all across this great city, barflies are bellying up to the counter for bottomless plates of dirt-cheap tacos. While the origins of this fad are fuzzy, the rationale behind the trend is simple enough: offer deeply discounted tacos to hungry diners in hopes of upping business on a traditionally slow weeknight. Some fans hit up new spots weekly, while others fashion a taco-themed pub crawl. Soft or crunchy, beef or pork, gourmet or fast-food… Here are some fan faves.
photo slide show: cpt's big [box] program in motion
Through its residency program, Big [BOX], Cleveland Public Theatre fosters original works by independent Northeast Ohio artists. Fresh Water photographer Bob Perkoski sat in on the rehearsals of two past and one upcoming production -- "Fast Forward-Rewind-Stop," "Cowboy Poet" and "Through Her Eyes" -- and prepared this engrossing pictorial feature. Please turn off cell phones before taking your seat.
CPT's big [box] boosts productions, bolsters talent
Since 2001, Cleveland Public Theatre has been fostering original works by independent Northeast Ohio artists through its residency program. Titled Big [BOX], the program provides budding talent access to resources such as stage management, production staff, box office, and marketing and advertising support. For one week, artists are "given the keys to the theater" to polish their productions, culminating in a full-weekend run.
teach your children: urban pioneers are rewriting the story of suburban flight
For years, the trend in Ohio City was for young couples to buy homes, live there a few years, and then flee to the suburbs when they had kids. Thanks to a close-knit group of pioneering parents, that story may soon have a different ending. With hopes for a new public charter school becoming a reality, many young parents see a future that doesn't include a home in suburbia.
i live here (now): valerie mayen
Valerie Mayen may have left Season 8 of Project Runway prematurely, but she won't be leaving Cleveland anytime soon. In addition to headquartering her burgeoning fashion label Yellowcake here, the Corpus Christie native will soon launch an innovative sewing co-op for budding designers. And that is just the beginning.
snow ball: brite winter fest lights up the night
Billed as an outdoor music and arts festival, Brite Winter Festival is proof that you can indeed have fun in Cleveland, in February, out of doors. This year's dazzling array of temptations includes nine holes of snow mini golf, 24 feet of alfresco skeeball, ski-mounted bicycles, wall-to-wall music and white-hot gourmet food trucks.
main course: tri-c's new hospitality facility deepens local culinary talent pool
This past October, Cuyahoga Community College relocated its 20-year-old hospitality management and culinary program from the older Metropolitan Campus to a gleaming new complex on Public Square. Although the move from E. 33rd and Woodland to the center of downtown was less than a half-mile, the shift will forever change Cleveland's culinary economy.
photo slide show: a restaurant in the making
When it opens next week, XYZ Tavern will fill what Detroit Shoreway residents say is a need for good, casual and affordable fare. And that's just what they'll get, promises owner Randy Kelley, who along with partners Linda Syrek and Alan Glazen will dish out scratch-made comfort food in a modern tavern setting. For nearly five months, Fresh Water photographer Bob Perkoski documented the progression that transformed Perry's Family Restaurant, a long-shuttered greasy spoon, into XYZ Tavern.

trash compactor: E4S's zero waste initiative is far from zero-sum proposition
In a true zero-waste system there is no garbage, there are no landfills. Entrepreneurs for Sustainability's Zero Waste Network is urging Cleveland organizations to track and reduce their waste stream. Those that do are discovering that the benefits extend well beyond a slimmer carbon footprint, including economic windfalls, community engagement and marketplace recognition.
q & a: steve arless brings stellar biomed reputation to cleveland
Steve Arless has nearly four decades of experience in the medical-device industry. As president and CEO of CryoCath, he grew the company to more than 300 employees before arranging its sale for $380 million. Now, he brings his expertise to Cleveland in hopes of doing the same for CardioInsight, which is developing a cardiac arrhythmia ablation therapy.
the social network: savvy entrepreneurs tweet their way to a better bottom line
Social media provides entrepreneurs with a great vehicle for communicating with current and potential clients. And like the companies they seek to promote, social media feeds often mimic the personality of their owners. But marketing experts warn that one size definitely does not fit all. What works for one type of business may come across as inappropriate for another.
window dressing: cleveland storefront art aims to brighten up landscape one window at a time
Cleveland Storefront Art aims to brighten up the downtown landscape by filling the windows of vacant properties with works of visual art. Through their tireless efforts, Robert Carillio and Joan Smith have crafted an artful albeit temporary solution to an irritating problem.
finding their voice: a new community newspaper becomes the voice of the unheard
The Neighborhood Voice is a new hyper-local community newspaper that covers University Circle and the seven neighborhoods that surround it: Hough, Fairfax, Glenville, East Cleveland, Little Italy, Buckeye-Shaker and Central. Created by the Cleveland Foundation as a part of its Greater University Circle Initiative, the newspaper is largely written by volunteers and high school and college student interns.
new development news editor joins team
We would like to officially welcome Lee Chilcote to the Fresh Water team. Though Lee has been a regular contributor to the e-zine, penning some of our most popular features, this issue marks his first as Development News Editor. He is taking over for Frank Lewis, who will remain a regular contributor. Originally from Cleveland Heights, Lee lives in the Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood with his family. Since 2000, he has also worked in urban real estate development and community development, making him a natural fit for the Development News beat.

welcome to collinwood: plan to attract artists with affordable housing is work of art
Northeast Shores Development Corporation continues its push to attract out-of-town artists by offering affordable housing. Since 1994, the North Collinwood-based nonprofit has rehabbed approximately 125 area homes. A more focused development plan is concentrating efforts within a tight 14-block footprint.