Every spring, the Cleveland Lakefront Nature Preserve is a bustling, seasonal stopover for birds and butterflies on their annual migration northward. The 88-acre preserve, a former dredging containment facility reclaimed by nature, is now a unique, undeveloped park along Lake Erie.

Yet, while more than 280 species of birds have been spotted at this lush, wild site, many Clevelanders still don't know about the preserve, which was created earlier this year by the Clevel... Read more >

Two Cleveland boys from modest backgrounds in the Glenville neighborhood dreamed up Superman 80 years ago. The beloved character -- and many more like him -- have been rescuing boys from boredom and engaging them in reading and writing ever since.

This week, in an inspired twist on this fabled story, a group of third grade and seventh grade boys from Citizens Academy and University School are participating in a superheroes story workshop at Ohio City Writers, a new nonpro... 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 >

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 >

Next time that your favorite barista etches a flower in your foamy mug of latte, savor it for a moment before you take a sip. He or she may actually be practicing for For the Love of Latte Art, an educational event and latte art throwdown that is being hosted this weekend by Cleveland-area coffee companies.

The event, which is being hosted by a new coffee collective called CLE Brews, will include skill-building workshops for professional and amateur baristas who are inter... 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 >

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 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 >

Travis Peebles, who co-owns Blazing Saddle Cycle, displays a Roadmaster bicycle that was made about 80 years ago by the Cleveland Welding Company, located at W. 117th and Berea Road. The rusted, 40-pound bike is not for sale, yet it adorns the shop as a proud reminder of cycling's rich local history.

It is perhaps a little known fact that both Cleveland and Ohio have a rich history in the annals of bike history (those crazy Wright brothers started it all with a Dayton... Read more >

Last week, PNC Bank employees spent time reading "Where the Wild Things Are" to kids enrolled in Head Start, Cleveland Clinic employees shared tips on preparing for the workforce with students at New Tech West, and human resources pros helped people in transitional housing to prepare their resumes.

The events were organized by Business Volunteers Unlimited as part of National Volunteer Week, which rallied more than 1,300 volunteers to participate in 85-plus serv... Read more >

Registration for the 2014 Gay Games (GG9) begins in May. This represents an opportunity to sell Northeast Ohio as a welcoming, inclusive region to a global audience, says GG9 Director Tom Nobbe.

"Cleveland represents a blank slate to many people in Western Europe and Asia, and that's both a challenge and an advantage," he says. "We have a compelling story to tell. We can position our region as not only welcoming to outsiders, but also as inclusive."... Read more >

Take a deep breath, says Lisa Damour of the Center for Research on Girls at Laurel School. Remember that parents are just people who have kids.

Once you acknowledge your own imperfections -- something that your teenager will likely be happy to assist you with -- it gets easier to see that your kids are struggling to define themselves in light of you.

However painful teenage rebellion might be for parents, it has historically contributed to innovation, says Damour... Read more >

In today's political climate, in which the mere mention of pro-choice support ignites controversy, choice advocates have some big balls. They'll be using them at the third annual Bowl-a-Thon for Abortion Access, a nationwide series of events to raise money to help low-income women and girls afford abortion care.

"This is a way to engage younger activists and people who don't have a lot of money but want to help," says Kim Lauren Pereira, Development ... Read more >

Like many Warehouse District residents, Trampas Ferguson was dismayed when his neighborhood earned negative media attention for safety incidents and rowdy late night behavior on West 6th Street.

Ferguson bought a unit in the Water Street Condominiums building last year, and he views his downtown neighborhood as a place where he'd like to get to know his neighbors and put down roots, not just a place to party (though there's that, too).

So along with Wareh... Read more >

Clevelanders have always known that the Cleveland Museum of Art (CMA) brings a tremendous amount of economic activity and out-of-town prestige to Northeast Ohio. Yet thanks to an in-depth study by economic and business consulting firm Kleinhenz and Associates, we now have the numbers to prove it.

According to a study released this week, CMA generates more than $140 million annually in economic activity in Cuyahoga County and creates or sustains over 1,200 jobs. Additional... Read more >

Todd Pownell of TAP Studios in the St. Clair Superior neighborhood has always purchased recycled gold. He fashions the raw material into unique wedding rings for Cleveland couples, or helps people to make their own through his unique, do-it-yourself workshop.

Yet as the price of gold has risen from $300 per ounce five years ago to more than $1,600 per ounce today, Pownell has also observed an increase in exploitative mining operations in various corners of the globe. At t... Read more >