Stories

Free Stamp: All things free in the #CLE for May 2018
Fresh Water's monthly "Free Stamp" feature rounds up the freshest free events in Cleveland.
Greater Cleveland Aquarium takes the plunge with a major $250,000 upgrade and 12 new species
Nearly 1.5 million people have visited the Greater Cleveland Aquarium since it opened six years ago in the Powerhouse on the West Bank of the Flats—learning about the ocean and freshwater creatures, amphibians, and reptiles in Ohio and around the globe. Building on that momentum, the Aquarium will undergo a $250,000 renovation to improve the experience and bring in a dozen new species.
I Live Here Now: Chris Hawk of Levy Catering
Cookie-cutter Caesar salads and boxed turkey sandwiches? Not on Chris Hawk’s watch. As the new Executive Chef at Great Lakes Science Center (GLSC), Hawk foregoes stereotypical fare in favor of fresh, carefully sourced ingredients and a fully housemade menu.
Melt owner to unveil renovated Lakewood location on Friday
Since opening Melt’s first location in Lakewood 12 years ago, Matt Fish has turned the grilled cheese business into a thriving franchise with 12 Ohio locations. This spring, Fish decided it was time to renovate the original location—shutting the restaurant down and pulling off a major transformation in just one month. The Lakewood Melt will celebrate its grand re-opening this Friday, May 4.
Who's Hiring in CLE: Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative, LakewoodAlive, LAND Studio...
Welcome to the latest edition of FreshWater Cleveland's “Who’s Hiring” series, where we feature growing companies with open positions, what they’re looking for, and how to apply. This edition includes jobs from Coventry Village Special Improvement District, LAND Studio, LakewoodAlive, Cleveland Rape Crisis Center, and more. Click here for the freshest opportunities fit to print.
Go the extra mile: How you can help Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon's charity partners go the distance
With the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon just over three weeks away, thousands of runners are ramping up their regimen—not only to take on the course, but to raise more money for causes close to their hearts. Not hitting the pavement this year? You can still make a difference. Meet the marathon’s gold-level charity partners and learn how to help them fight for the finish.
Cuyahoga County’s first-ever Reentry Week gives 4,000+ former inmates a second chance at society
Plenty of tours exist that showcase all Cleveland has to offer—but none quite like this one. From a boutique for curvy women to an upscale restaurant to a carpet cleaner to a vineyard, eight local businesses formed the itinerary for the Cash Mob/Passport Bus Tour held on Tuesday, April 24. The common thread? All of the businesses are owned by, staffed by, and support returning citizens (those making the transition from incarceration back to society).
A Cuyahoga County landfill will soon house one of Ohio's most innovative solar arrays
A portion of a 75-acre capped landfill site in Brooklyn will soon be home to one of Ohio’s largest solar arrays that could save Cuyahoga County as much as $3 million in utility bills over 25 years. Construction begins this week on placing 35,530 solar panels—each one about the size of the American Flag—on 17 acres of the landfill.
A Clevelander's field guide to hugging a tree this Arbor Day
Anyone who’s heard of the Cleveland Tree Plan knows the city has big things in store when it comes to greening our urban spaces—namely increasing the tree canopy from 19 percent to 30 percent by 2040. Mayor Jackson announced the goal last year on Arbor Day, and efforts continue as we approach Arbor Day 2018. Looking for ways to help Cleveland get from Point A to Point Tree? Here are four ways to help reforest The Forest City.
It's goodbye Tremont, hello Old Brooklyn for Lilly Handmade Chocolates
After a decade in their space on Starkweather Avenue, Joshua and Amanda Montague—the husband-wife team behind Lilly Handmade Chocolates—will be closing up shop in their Tremont confectionery and cocktail bar on May 25. In July, the couple will reopen in a cozy space at 2032 W. Schaaf Rd. in the South Hills sector of Cleveland’s Old Brooklyn neighborhood.
Cleveland Metroparks declares 2018 "Time to Explore"
From climbing the Fort Hill stairs to golfing at Manakiki to hiking Sulphur Springs, Cleveland Metroparks has compiled a Top 10 summer activity list that would make David Letterman proud. It’s all part of the new Metroparks campaign “Time to Explore,” a three-year effort designed to reflect its core pillars of recreation, conservation, and education—and shine a spotlight on the diversity of activities available throughout the Emerald Necklace.
A big, sweet life is taking shape at Pinecrest
The Pinecrest site at I-271 and Harvard Road is buzzing with activity as construction workers keep moving—even through yesterday’s snow and frigid wind—toward the rolling opening of the $230 million mixed-use development on 58 acres in Orange Village. New additions include Silverspot Cinema, Graeter's Ice Cream, and Sweeties Big Fun, a surprise joint venture between Big Fun toy store and B.A. Sweetie Candy Company.
Cudell vintage shop West of Venus ready for an out-of-this-world reopening
A recent Co.Design story called mid-century modern décor the “pumpkin spice latte” of the design world for its universal appeal and healthy dose of nostalgia. And at Cleveland’s West of Venus, co-founders Barb and Mike Radocaj and their daughter Allie Mattis are serving up a venti-sized serving of MCM flair.
Free Stamp: All things free in the #CLE for April 2018
Fresh Water's monthly "Free Stamp" feature rounds up the freshest free events in Cleveland.
Shore thing: Show your #LakeErieLove by entering the Tour the Shore contest
It may take 80 days to go around the world, but lovers of Lake Erie can get all the greatness of our Great Lake in just seven days and seven nights. Enter the second annual Tour the Shore contest, which squires the lucky winner around seven destinations along the Lake Erie shoreline—providing overnight accommodations, tickets to historic attractions, and reservations for local fine dining.
Hitchcock Center shines the light at the end of the tunnel for women in recovery
At 25, Sara tried cocaine for the first time. “That was just the drug for me, and it was never enough,” she recalls. “It was very expensive, and I was spending all our money on drugs.” But thanks to Hitchcock Center for Women—the only treatment house in Cuyahoga County specifically focused on women and the only residential recovery center that allows women to bring their children with them during their stays—Sara is now nearly two years sober.
Inner City Hues set to brighten Buckeye with community-driven public art
This Tuesday, April 17, LAND studio will kick off Inner City Hues, a public art project in Cleveland’s Buckeye-Shaker and Mt. Pleasant neighborhoods designed to unite the community and bring some vibrancy into forgotten parts of the city. The project will pair four established artists with "blank canvases" on existing surfaces, buildings, vacant walls, and abandoned properties—with the goal of enlivening the neighborhood’s commercial district.
Rock on! Best backstage moments at the 2018 Rock Hall inductions
Cleveland rocks, and rarely moreso than it did this weekend at the 33rd annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductions. A sold-out crowd of 6,000 people gathered at Public Auditorium to fete 2018 honorees Bon Jovi, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Nina Simone, Moody Blues, Dire Straits, and The Cars, and the show didn't disappoint. Get a sneak peek of the night's highlights from our perch in the press room as we round up the best backstage moments.
Is Euclid quietly becoming the city's next biking hotspot?
For many people, the question “Where do you see yourself in five years?” can be a real brainteaser. But Bike Euclid president Kath Sonnhalter knows exactly what she wants—especially as it pertains to creating a safer and more inviting environment for local biking enthusiasts.
 
Arts for all: How Cuyahoga Arts & Culture helps local arts organizations meet special needs
Much like the Cleveland Museum of Art's motto, “for the benefit of all of the people forever,” many other local arts organizations also try to ensure that everyone can enjoy their offerings—no matter what life challenges they may face. Cuyahoga Arts and Culture (CAC) supports area cultural organizations that put forth an extra effort in accommodating patrons with special needs.