Alexis Madrigal, senior editor at The Atlantic, has been writing about "Rust Belt" startups as part of an ongoing series called "Startup Nation."

In a feature titled, "A Framed First Dollar for the Internet Age," he writes about SparkBase, a Cleveland-based loyalty, gift, and reward card processor.

"SparkBase is a nice success story," he writes. "They've been hiring like crazy in Cleveland, particularly in the last... Read more >

According to a report released by the Venture Capital Advisory Task Force based on data provided by investors and collected by tech-based development organizations BioEnterprise and JumpStart, Greater Cleveland companies attracted $961 million from venture capitalists and angel investors from 2007 to 2011.

That figure represents a 26-percent increase in dollars when compared to the previous five years.

“There is a dramatic change in the activity, the number... Read more >

Cleveland will get its close-up on the Food Network in two very visible ways this week.
 
On Sunday's airing of The Great Food Truck Race (9 p.m.), the popular show hosted by Tyler Florence rolls into Cleveland, with stops throughout town. The show was taped this past summer.
 
A new show called $24 in 24, hosted by Jeff Mauro, will premier on Monday, September 24, at 10:30 p.m. with multiple stops in Cleveland. The show originally was slated to air l... Read more >

According to The Economic Impact of Tourism Study, organized by the research firm Tourism Economics and coordinated by the Ohio Tourism Division, Northeast Ohio tourism is up significantly
 
Visitor volume to Cuyahoga County has jumped to 14.9 million visitors in 2011, compared to 13 million in 2009. Those visitors generated $6.7 billion in related business activity, which constitutes a 12-percent jump in the same time period.
 
The travel and tourism ind... Read more >

In the Smithsonian blog, Sarah Rich describes "What Public Spaces Like Cleveland’s West Side Market Mean for Cities," a lead-up of sorts to the Public Markets Conference to be held in Cleveland next week.

Rich writes that, "Markets have long been an important organizing principle for infrastructure, traffic patterns, and human activity in a city, but in many places, the grand buildings that once housed central markets have gone neglected, and the busi... Read more >

Metro Weekly, D.C.'s gay and lesbian news magazine, writes in an article titled "Planning for Gay Games in 2014 is ahead of schedule" that "Many people around the world were shocked when Cleveland beat Boston and Washington, D.C., in the battle to host the Gay Games in 2014. However, Ohio's second largest city is proving it is not just up for the task but ready to set the bar for future Gay Games."

Leading up to the Gay Games, which will take p... Read more >

In a long American Theatre feature and interview titled "The Cleveland Connection," former Plain Dealer theater critic Tony Brown writes about Raymond Bobgan, executive artistic director of Cleveland Public Theatre.
 
"Cleveland Public Theatre has long been a place of artistic collaboration that earns the right to use the word public in its name," writes Brown. "The cutting-edge theatre has led the metamorphosis of a rough inner-city neighborh... Read more >

Cleveland is getting some international attention as a hot travel destination, as noted in the travel section of Canada’s National Post.
 
"They may not be the first places that come to mind when planning a weekend getaway to the U.S., but the nation’s abundant off-the-beaten-path cities are increasingly turning up on must-see lists," writes Robert Reid, U.S. travel editor for Lonely Planet.
 
“I love Cleveland. It’s such... Read more >

“Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati are rebuilding their urban cores to lure and retain young professionals," writes Christopher Bentley of The Architect's Newspaper. "These cities are pursuing development strategies that reflect the distinct character of each place. Is it the beginning of a Rust Belt rebound?”
 
In the article titled "Can the Centers Hold? Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati are rebuilding their urban cores in what cou... Read more >

“It’s hard to pinpoint what qualities 20-somethings go for in picking the perfect city," writes Nicole McDermott for the blog Greatist.com. "Sustainability, efficient transit systems, cleanliness, and affordability may make the top of the list.”
 
Coming in at No. 7, Cleveland 's stats are as follows:
 
Average Temp (High, Low): 59, 41
Median Income: $24,687
Average Rent for 1-Bedroom Apt.: $640
Population: 396,... Read more >

“Whether you’re hankering for a hot dog or gyros, exotic cheeses, a hot donut or fresh-ground peanut butter, head for the West Side Market, a Cleveland institution celebrating its 100th year,” writes Randy Mink in an article published in Leisure Group Travel, a trade publication for group travel buyers.
 
While we Clevelanders take pride in the iconic market that has served us well for 100 years, it still is able to captivate those who walk the isles... Read more >

“Over the last five years, the Cleveland Museum of Art has been at work on one of the largest building programs of any art institution in the country, a $350 million project that has been unveiled in sleek new stages and will be completed by 2013, adding 35,000 more square feet of gallery space," writes Randy Kennedy of the New York Times.
 
"But the museum has also been building in less visible ways and is set to announce on Monday the acquisition of ... Read more >