Stories
jane scott tributes sing across national media
Groundbreaking Cleveland rock music critic Jane Scott made as many fans as she did cover them for the Plain Dealer. Thus, upon learning of her recent passing to that great Green Room in the sky, a national outpouring of affection bubbled up in the national media.
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.
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.
cleveland orchestra invites bloggers backstage for meet and greet
Last weekend, the Cleveland Orchestra opened up Blossom's backstage doors to area bloggers and media types for a casual "meet the musician" panel discussion. With nary a string, reed or drumstick in sight, the cultured quartet performed with understated charm as they chatted about starting out.
"Every Korean kid has to take piano lessons," said Jung-Min Amy Lee. Alas, her teacher reported that she did indeed have musical talent, but it wasn't in piano. Lee considered the cello, but her mother nixed those aspirations. "My mom said, 'No. That thing is so big, I'm going to have to carry it around for her!'" so Lee settled on the infinitely more manageable violin.
She wasn't the only one who struggled. Principal timpanist Paul Yancich detailed his long family history with classical music and how he started out as a bit of a black sheep.
"They could not find an instrument that I liked," said Yancich. His father suggested the French horn. "I had one lesson and that was it." So it went until he saw a pair of drumsticks sticking out of a schoolmate's pocket. Yancich was hypnotized and never looked back.
Principal clarinetist Frank Cohen succinctly explained why he chose the clarinet as a kid. "It was the only instrument I could get a sound out of."
The rocky start-ups notwithstanding, when the musicians joined the rest of the orchestra, their performance of the John Adams Violin Concerto and Anton Bruckner's Symphony No. 9 dazzled the audience.
Principal violinist Stephen Rose summed up the orchestral experience thusly:
"You do really feel like one small, small part of this massive, beautiful, round sound. It's a special kind of feeling." Judging from the audience's thunderous applause, that feeling spread throughout Blossom amphitheatre.
The Orchestra's line up for the 2011 season at Blossom features shows from Broadway Classics to the music of Irving Berlin and the Joffrey Ballet. They run every weekend though September 10. With incredibly reasonable ticket pricing from $19 to $53, and books of 10 flexible lawn tickets for $139, everyone can afford to enjoy this staple of cool Cleveland culture.
Writer: Erin O'Brien
"Every Korean kid has to take piano lessons," said Jung-Min Amy Lee. Alas, her teacher reported that she did indeed have musical talent, but it wasn't in piano. Lee considered the cello, but her mother nixed those aspirations. "My mom said, 'No. That thing is so big, I'm going to have to carry it around for her!'" so Lee settled on the infinitely more manageable violin.
She wasn't the only one who struggled. Principal timpanist Paul Yancich detailed his long family history with classical music and how he started out as a bit of a black sheep.
"They could not find an instrument that I liked," said Yancich. His father suggested the French horn. "I had one lesson and that was it." So it went until he saw a pair of drumsticks sticking out of a schoolmate's pocket. Yancich was hypnotized and never looked back.
Principal clarinetist Frank Cohen succinctly explained why he chose the clarinet as a kid. "It was the only instrument I could get a sound out of."
The rocky start-ups notwithstanding, when the musicians joined the rest of the orchestra, their performance of the John Adams Violin Concerto and Anton Bruckner's Symphony No. 9 dazzled the audience.
Principal violinist Stephen Rose summed up the orchestral experience thusly:
"You do really feel like one small, small part of this massive, beautiful, round sound. It's a special kind of feeling." Judging from the audience's thunderous applause, that feeling spread throughout Blossom amphitheatre.
The Orchestra's line up for the 2011 season at Blossom features shows from Broadway Classics to the music of Irving Berlin and the Joffrey Ballet. They run every weekend though September 10. With incredibly reasonable ticket pricing from $19 to $53, and books of 10 flexible lawn tickets for $139, everyone can afford to enjoy this staple of cool Cleveland culture.
Writer: Erin O'Brien
When Zone Recreation Center's 22 acres of green space reopen next year following a $2.5 million "green" facelift, the rainwater that falls there will be reused on site, rather than being funneled into sewers to pollute our lake, rivers and streams.
"We're using it to rehydrate the park," explains Ward 15 Councilman Matt Zone, who allocated funding for the park's revitalization.
The redesigned park's water conservation features will include permeable pavers that allow rainwater to filter into the ground (unlike most parking lots or hard surfaces, which send water cascading into the nearest sewer). "Bioswales" will also capture water and direct it into rain gardens, which will be seeded with native plants that don't require a lot of mowing, chemicals or maintenance.
One area of the park will even feature a bridge traversing a rain garden, thus allowing visitors to look down into the garden and see how it works as they pass by.
Zone Rec's new splash park will also recycle and reuse its own water. A filtration system will be installed to ensure that the water is cleaned before reuse.
The recreation center is located at W. 65th Street and Lorain Avenue in the Cleveland EcoVillage, a green community that is part of Cleveland's Detroit Shoreway neighborhood. Other green-built projects in the area include new energy-efficient townhomes and single-family homes, a large community garden, and the energy-efficient RTA station on Lorain, which is a stop along the Red Line.
Source: Matt Zone
Writer: Lee Chilcote
To some, Michael J. Zone Recreation Center is just another city park where teenagers play pick-up basketball, softball teams face off on scruffy fields, and kids scamper about on a well-worn playground.
Yet for others, this 22-acre green space on Cleveland's near-west side has the potential to become an urban oasis, a premier green space that serves the neighborhood while providing a model for integrating sustainability into city parks.
Recently, the City of Cleveland broke ground on $2.5 million of improvements to "Zone Rec," bringing this lofty vision much closer to becoming a reality.
"City residents deserve a place that is as special as any of the parks in Beachwood or Bay Village," Councilman Matt Zone told residents at a recent community meeting.
In redesigning the park, planners implemented sustainability features that include capturing rainwater on site, rather than funneling it into storm sewers. Some of it will be used to water rain gardens filled with native plants and wildflowers.
Features of the new park, which was designed by McKnight Associates, include new baseball diamonds, basketball and tennis courts, as well as a new soccer field, splash park, playground, skateboard park and dog park. It will also feature a meandering path for walkers, joggers and bikers, a new pavilion and stage area, and three separate parking areas.
At the meeting, Zone said the new park will have separate play areas for older and younger children. Activities for younger children will be located at the center of the park, so they can be easily supervised by staff and parents.
The redeveloped park will provide opportunities for urban youth, Zone said. "A lot of city kids don't even have an opportunity to go swimming, and the new 'sprayground' park lets them get in the water."
Zone cited the dog park as an example of how community input shaped the park's redesign. A groundswell of local support led Steve Manka, the artist hired to complete the public art, to design dog bone sculptures for the park.
"You'll see the sculptures from I-90 and know immediately what this place is and that there's a dog park here," said Zone. "The sculptures also function as seating."
Zone Recreation Center is located at West 65th Street and Lorain Avenue in the Cleveland EcoVillage area of the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood.
Source: Matt Zone
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Yet for others, this 22-acre green space on Cleveland's near-west side has the potential to become an urban oasis, a premier green space that serves the neighborhood while providing a model for integrating sustainability into city parks.
Recently, the City of Cleveland broke ground on $2.5 million of improvements to "Zone Rec," bringing this lofty vision much closer to becoming a reality.
"City residents deserve a place that is as special as any of the parks in Beachwood or Bay Village," Councilman Matt Zone told residents at a recent community meeting.
In redesigning the park, planners implemented sustainability features that include capturing rainwater on site, rather than funneling it into storm sewers. Some of it will be used to water rain gardens filled with native plants and wildflowers.
Features of the new park, which was designed by McKnight Associates, include new baseball diamonds, basketball and tennis courts, as well as a new soccer field, splash park, playground, skateboard park and dog park. It will also feature a meandering path for walkers, joggers and bikers, a new pavilion and stage area, and three separate parking areas.
At the meeting, Zone said the new park will have separate play areas for older and younger children. Activities for younger children will be located at the center of the park, so they can be easily supervised by staff and parents.
The redeveloped park will provide opportunities for urban youth, Zone said. "A lot of city kids don't even have an opportunity to go swimming, and the new 'sprayground' park lets them get in the water."
Zone cited the dog park as an example of how community input shaped the park's redesign. A groundswell of local support led Steve Manka, the artist hired to complete the public art, to design dog bone sculptures for the park.
"You'll see the sculptures from I-90 and know immediately what this place is and that there's a dog park here," said Zone. "The sculptures also function as seating."
Zone Recreation Center is located at West 65th Street and Lorain Avenue in the Cleveland EcoVillage area of the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood.
Source: Matt Zone
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Community leaders want to harness the wind in Cleveland. The future of wind turbines is here, with the recent arrivals of turbines at Lincoln Electric and Olympic Steel. And more are on the way. This industry is why GLWN is hosting a two-day summit, Making it Here: Building Our Next Generation Supply Chain. GLWN is an international supply chain advisory group and network of manufacturers. Their mission is to increase the domestic content of North America's wind turbines.
The summit will cover the biggest issues in supply chain challenges when it comes to bringing turbine manufacturing to the region. "The conference deals with some of the biggest issues: technology, business development and political issues," says Ed Weston, director of GLWN in Cleveland. "With the heavy concentration of supply chains in the region and access to Lake Erie, Northeast Ohio is an ideal location for wind turbine factories."
Cleveland historically has been a leader in harnessing the wind. In fact, Charles Brush built the first automatically operated wind turbine for electric production in 1888. He used the turbine to power his house on 38th Street and St. Clair Avenue.
"Nearly 100 years later, the industry was commercialized in Cleveland with government-subsidized programs," says Weston. "In the late 1970s and early 1980s NASA was building turbines that were larger than anything we see today. Then wind turbines went out of vogue in America because the government lost interest."
While the industry was exported to Europe in the 1980s, Weston is optimistic he can bring it back to Cleveland. "The challenge is we're competing with companies that have been making parts for many years, so they have an advantage on us," he says. "But ur advantage is most of the parts are very big and don't travel well. With a turbine OEM and a busy supply chain, the number of jobs created would be in the thousands."
Source: Ed Weston
Writer: Karin Connelly
fast co. calls evergreen 'economic model of the future'
In a Fast Company article titled "The Rise Of Shared Ownership And The Fall Of Business As Usual," writer Jeffrey Hollender calls Cleveland's Evergreen Cooperatives, "the economic model of our future."
"A new model in Cleveland -- in which workers own companies that are supported by the city's big businesses -- has the potential to change the economics of the city and its workers," he begins.
Evergreen Cooperatives, which has been featured in Fresh Water, is an economic model that pairs anchor institutions like the Cleveland Clinic, Case Western Reserve University, and University Hospitals -- which spend over $3 billion per year on goods and services -- with new employee-owned businesses.
"Together," explains Hollender, "these organizations collaborated on a business model that is designed to create community wealth in the city's poorest neighborhoods. They do this by committing to invest in businesses not with venture capital, but by purchasing services from them. These purchasing decisions by large institutions fund the development of a network of sustainable, community-based businesses that are partially owned by the workers themselves, which develops a workforce skilled at democratic and participatory management and creates a new generation of leaders committed to rebuilding their communities."
Following a research visit to Cleveland, Hollender had this to report:
"Ohio Cooperative Solar was profitable in its first five months in operation; current annual revenue is projected to be $1.3 million. At the end of the fiscal year, a portion of profits will be allocated to each OCS employee owner's capital account, furthering the idea of people-focused business.
"The Green City Growers, a hydroponic greenhouse, expects to break ground on the construction of a four-acre greenhouse this summer, with its first crop ready for harvest in the spring of 2012. When fully operational, it will produce 5 million heads of lettuce and 300,000 pounds of herbs annually and employ between 30 to 40 workers year-round."
Read the whole of Hollender's examination here.
"A new model in Cleveland -- in which workers own companies that are supported by the city's big businesses -- has the potential to change the economics of the city and its workers," he begins.
Evergreen Cooperatives, which has been featured in Fresh Water, is an economic model that pairs anchor institutions like the Cleveland Clinic, Case Western Reserve University, and University Hospitals -- which spend over $3 billion per year on goods and services -- with new employee-owned businesses.
"Together," explains Hollender, "these organizations collaborated on a business model that is designed to create community wealth in the city's poorest neighborhoods. They do this by committing to invest in businesses not with venture capital, but by purchasing services from them. These purchasing decisions by large institutions fund the development of a network of sustainable, community-based businesses that are partially owned by the workers themselves, which develops a workforce skilled at democratic and participatory management and creates a new generation of leaders committed to rebuilding their communities."
Following a research visit to Cleveland, Hollender had this to report:
"Ohio Cooperative Solar was profitable in its first five months in operation; current annual revenue is projected to be $1.3 million. At the end of the fiscal year, a portion of profits will be allocated to each OCS employee owner's capital account, furthering the idea of people-focused business.
"The Green City Growers, a hydroponic greenhouse, expects to break ground on the construction of a four-acre greenhouse this summer, with its first crop ready for harvest in the spring of 2012. When fully operational, it will produce 5 million heads of lettuce and 300,000 pounds of herbs annually and employ between 30 to 40 workers year-round."
Read the whole of Hollender's examination here.
ray's mtb park gets nod in wired mag
In an article titled "Go Big, Get Air, Get Fit" in the July 2011 issue of Wired magazine, Ray's Indoor Mountain Bike Park is included along with other off-beat exercise options.
"Weights. Treadmills. Spin classes. Let's face it," begins the article, "workout innovations just haven't kept pace with advances in TV, iPad, and snack-food technology. That said, a few forward-looking gyms offer activities that might actually compete with our Twitter/Netflix/PizzaRanch fixations."
Writer Steven Nereo calls Ray's the only brand of indoor park in the country built specifically for mountain bikes. "There are separate areas for beginners and experts, with wood ramps and assorted obstacles (like rocks and logs, for example) connected by looping trails. The buildings are closed during the summer months, when Ray's can't compete with Mother Nature's gym."
Ray's will re-open October 1, 2011 -- bigger and better than ever.
"Weights. Treadmills. Spin classes. Let's face it," begins the article, "workout innovations just haven't kept pace with advances in TV, iPad, and snack-food technology. That said, a few forward-looking gyms offer activities that might actually compete with our Twitter/Netflix/PizzaRanch fixations."
Writer Steven Nereo calls Ray's the only brand of indoor park in the country built specifically for mountain bikes. "There are separate areas for beginners and experts, with wood ramps and assorted obstacles (like rocks and logs, for example) connected by looping trails. The buildings are closed during the summer months, when Ray's can't compete with Mother Nature's gym."
Ray's will re-open October 1, 2011 -- bigger and better than ever.
Long a destination that appealed primarily to small-town families in search of "big city" fun, Cleveland has ripened as a travel destination. Today, it's not just trade shows that are drawing folks, but also the growing LGBT scene, Broadway-quality theater and high-profile dining. Thanks to the efforts of Positively Cleveland, the region's convention and visitors bureau, "Cleveland Plus" drew 30 million visitors last year, who supported 163,000 jobs and dropped $13 billion in economic impact.
Huntington showed its commitment to Cleveland last week with the opening of 10 branches in area Giant Eagle stores, with plans for eight more on the way.
"The 10 openings have created 77 jobs to date," says Huntington's Greater Cleveland president Dan Walsh. "By the end of the year we will create more than 100 jobs in Cleveland. With the Giant Eagle openings we are one of the largest markets in Cleveland, and by 2012 we will be the largest."
Over the next four years the bank plans to open a total of 45 branches in the region, creating 300 new jobs. "It shows our dedication," says Walsh. "As a lifelong Clevelander, one of the really exciting things about Huntington is its dedication to Cleveland. This Giant Eagle endorsement is another way of talking the talk."
The new branches will tout the convenience of being in the Giant Eagle stores, with extended hours and banking seven days a week. In addition to the 45 branches in Giant Eagle, Huntington has 62 free-standing branches.
Walsh says Huntington just wants to be a part of the economic growth in the region. The bank is the top SBA lender in Cleveland, with a $4 billion commitment to invest in small businesses. "We believe Cleveland is a great place of opportunity," says Walsh. "We expect through these investments we'll catalyze our economic share. Huntington's really thrilled to be a part of this economic growth."
Source: Dan Walsh
Writer: Karin Connelly
Last summer, Ohio City native Alex Nosse biked from Cleveland to San Francisco with a friend. While cycling for eight hours a day, he had plenty of time to dream of finding a job that also fueled his passion.
"It was a light-bulb moment," he says. "I realized how much passion I had for cycling, and that I wanted to do something bike-related."
A year later, the avid cyclist has launched Joy Machines, a new bike shop that opened in June on West 25th Street in Ohio City. Nosse and his business partner/mechanic, Renato Pereira-Castillo, specialize in helping bike commuters and others who want to reduce their dependence on cars.
"Most bike shops are more into the recreational and sport side of cycling, but we believe in using the bike as a transportation tool first and foremost," Nosse explains. "We really want to encourage cycling all across the city."
Nosse and Pereira-Castillo, who grew up on the same street and have known each other for more than 20 years, decided to locate their bike shop in Ohio City because of its central location and reputation as a bike-friendly community.
"We get people that come into our shop that say, 'I've been car-free for years now,'" says Nosse. "We also get people from all over the region that are drawn here by the West Side Market, Great Lakes Brewery and the restaurants."
The entrepreneurs were aided by a $9,000 small business start-up grant from Charter One Bank and Ohio City Inc., a nonprofit community development organization that serves the neighborhood. "Our landlord matched it, which resulted in almost $20,000 in savings," says Nosse. "This accelerated our start-up process -- we went from talking about it to opening the shop in six months."
Joy Machines sells new bicycles and a wide array of parts and accessories. Pereira-Castillo, who has worked as a bike mechanic for eight years in Cleveland and on the West Coast, can repair or restore just about anything on two wheels.
The shop's walls are adorned with bike-themed murals by Cleveland artist Haley Morris. "We have a big one of the Guardians of Transportation, on the Lorain-Carnegie Bridge," says Nosse. "Except the car that the statue is holding has been replaced by a bike."
Source: Alex Nosse
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"It was a light-bulb moment," he says. "I realized how much passion I had for cycling, and that I wanted to do something bike-related."
A year later, the avid cyclist has launched Joy Machines, a new bike shop that opened in June on West 25th Street in Ohio City. Nosse and his business partner/mechanic, Renato Pereira-Castillo, specialize in helping bike commuters and others who want to reduce their dependence on cars.
"Most bike shops are more into the recreational and sport side of cycling, but we believe in using the bike as a transportation tool first and foremost," Nosse explains. "We really want to encourage cycling all across the city."
Nosse and Pereira-Castillo, who grew up on the same street and have known each other for more than 20 years, decided to locate their bike shop in Ohio City because of its central location and reputation as a bike-friendly community.
"We get people that come into our shop that say, 'I've been car-free for years now,'" says Nosse. "We also get people from all over the region that are drawn here by the West Side Market, Great Lakes Brewery and the restaurants."
The entrepreneurs were aided by a $9,000 small business start-up grant from Charter One Bank and Ohio City Inc., a nonprofit community development organization that serves the neighborhood. "Our landlord matched it, which resulted in almost $20,000 in savings," says Nosse. "This accelerated our start-up process -- we went from talking about it to opening the shop in six months."
Joy Machines sells new bicycles and a wide array of parts and accessories. Pereira-Castillo, who has worked as a bike mechanic for eight years in Cleveland and on the West Coast, can repair or restore just about anything on two wheels.
The shop's walls are adorned with bike-themed murals by Cleveland artist Haley Morris. "We have a big one of the Guardians of Transportation, on the Lorain-Carnegie Bridge," says Nosse. "Except the car that the statue is holding has been replaced by a bike."
Source: Alex Nosse
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Since opening Dredgers Union, a new apparel and home goods store on E. Fourth Street in downtown Cleveland, owner Danielle DeBoe has been surprised by the number of out-of-town visitors she's had.
"They ask if I have a location in their city, and then rave about the store and insist that I open one where they live," says DeBoe with a laugh. "I'm excited because we're providing out-of-towners with a more well-rounded retail experience."
DeBoe, who also owns Room Service boutique in Ohio City, launched Dredgers Union with clothing designer Sean Bilovecky to revive and update the tradition of shopping in downtown Cleveland. Stocked with sizzling dresses, snazzy suits, trendy lamps, bedding and a range of other items, the store functions as a smaller, more stylish version of the department stores that once thrived here.
A stroll through the store, which is about 4,500 square feet, reveals what DeBoe calls "vignettes," or discrete sections featuring lamps, bedding, kitchen items, perfumes and soaps, women's lounge apparel and even a children's section. These areas are housed on a raised platform that is separated by a railing.
Bilovecky's private label clothing line is featured at the rear of the store. The merchandise includes denim jeans, suits and casual button-down shirts he calls "wovens." So far, men's apparel has been the most popular store item.
"We create custom, made-to-measure suits, so instead of getting them shipped overseas, our customers can get them right here," says Bilovecky, who specializes in edgy, contemporary design and created the successful Wrath Arcane label. "People love the fact that they're designed locally and made in the U.S."
Dredgers Union will celebrate its grand opening with a big party on Friday, July 8th. The event will also kick off this year's "Made in the 216," an annual design show that DeBoe created several years ago to showcase local talent.
This year's 216 event, which takes place all weekend long in the expansive lower level of Dredgers Union, has added local furniture designers to the mix.
Source: Danielle DeBoe
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"They ask if I have a location in their city, and then rave about the store and insist that I open one where they live," says DeBoe with a laugh. "I'm excited because we're providing out-of-towners with a more well-rounded retail experience."
DeBoe, who also owns Room Service boutique in Ohio City, launched Dredgers Union with clothing designer Sean Bilovecky to revive and update the tradition of shopping in downtown Cleveland. Stocked with sizzling dresses, snazzy suits, trendy lamps, bedding and a range of other items, the store functions as a smaller, more stylish version of the department stores that once thrived here.
A stroll through the store, which is about 4,500 square feet, reveals what DeBoe calls "vignettes," or discrete sections featuring lamps, bedding, kitchen items, perfumes and soaps, women's lounge apparel and even a children's section. These areas are housed on a raised platform that is separated by a railing.
Bilovecky's private label clothing line is featured at the rear of the store. The merchandise includes denim jeans, suits and casual button-down shirts he calls "wovens." So far, men's apparel has been the most popular store item.
"We create custom, made-to-measure suits, so instead of getting them shipped overseas, our customers can get them right here," says Bilovecky, who specializes in edgy, contemporary design and created the successful Wrath Arcane label. "People love the fact that they're designed locally and made in the U.S."
Dredgers Union will celebrate its grand opening with a big party on Friday, July 8th. The event will also kick off this year's "Made in the 216," an annual design show that DeBoe created several years ago to showcase local talent.
This year's 216 event, which takes place all weekend long in the expansive lower level of Dredgers Union, has added local furniture designers to the mix.
Source: Danielle DeBoe
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Business is booming in Little Italy, and the past year has seen a slew of new shops open in the historic community. Known for its galleries, shopping and great Italian restaurants, Little Italy welcomes newcomers peddling everything from fabric to vintage apparel.
The new specialty shops and galleries fit right in, embracing the old world feel of the neighborhood. Heartstrings, an antiques, art and unusual gifts boutique, moved from the basement of the former Lycium School building to a larger store in a former church on Murray Hill. Known for having "all things quirky," the store features vintage apparel, art, sterling silver and handmade soaps and oils. "There's so much to look at," says Sue Marrone, president of the Little Italy Merchants Association. "It's pure eye candy."
Bolt and Spool, which sells fabrics, patterns and ribbons for children's clothing, opened in November in the old school on Murray Hill. Owner Nan Webb chose Little Italy because it reminded her of Europe, where many of her fabrics come from. "With the cobblestone streets in Little Italy it kind of feels like you're there," she says. "In the school, it feels like you're not alone. There's a sense of community there."
Serafino Gallery and Design on Mayfield Road features the work of local artists. The non-profit company holds regular exhibits by local artists in various media. The shows promote arts and the community. "They have incredible showings there," says Marrone.
These businesses are just a taste of what Little Italy has to offer. "There's always neat things to do down here," says Marrone. "It's always a great place to be and it's a tremendous source of pride."
Source: Sue Marrone
Writer: Karin Connelly
The new specialty shops and galleries fit right in, embracing the old world feel of the neighborhood. Heartstrings, an antiques, art and unusual gifts boutique, moved from the basement of the former Lycium School building to a larger store in a former church on Murray Hill. Known for having "all things quirky," the store features vintage apparel, art, sterling silver and handmade soaps and oils. "There's so much to look at," says Sue Marrone, president of the Little Italy Merchants Association. "It's pure eye candy."
Bolt and Spool, which sells fabrics, patterns and ribbons for children's clothing, opened in November in the old school on Murray Hill. Owner Nan Webb chose Little Italy because it reminded her of Europe, where many of her fabrics come from. "With the cobblestone streets in Little Italy it kind of feels like you're there," she says. "In the school, it feels like you're not alone. There's a sense of community there."
Serafino Gallery and Design on Mayfield Road features the work of local artists. The non-profit company holds regular exhibits by local artists in various media. The shows promote arts and the community. "They have incredible showings there," says Marrone.
These businesses are just a taste of what Little Italy has to offer. "There's always neat things to do down here," says Marrone. "It's always a great place to be and it's a tremendous source of pride."
Source: Sue Marrone
Writer: Karin Connelly
epa bestows green chemistry award onto sherwin-williams for new paint
Green chemistry, also known as sustainable chemistry, is the design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use of hazardous substances. Among the host of benefits derived from green chemistry technologies are reduced waste, safer products, reduced use of energy and resources, and improved competitiveness for the companies that utilize them.
Each year, the U.S. EPA bestows its Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards to five individuals and organizations. Claiming one of those five spots is Cleveland's Sherwin-Williams, who was awarded the Designing Greener Chemicals Award for its water-based acrylic alkyd technology.
Oil-based "alkyd" paints have high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that become air pollutants as the paint dries. While other paints contain lower VOCs, they can't match the performance of alkyds. Sherwin-Williams developed water-based acrylic alkyd paints with low VOCs that can be made from recycled soda bottle plastic, acrylics and soybean oil. These paints combine the performance benefits of alkyds and low VOC content of acrylics. In 2010, Sherwin-Williams manufactured enough of these new paints to eliminate over 800,000 pounds of VOCs.
Read the whole report here.
Each year, the U.S. EPA bestows its Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards to five individuals and organizations. Claiming one of those five spots is Cleveland's Sherwin-Williams, who was awarded the Designing Greener Chemicals Award for its water-based acrylic alkyd technology.
Oil-based "alkyd" paints have high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that become air pollutants as the paint dries. While other paints contain lower VOCs, they can't match the performance of alkyds. Sherwin-Williams developed water-based acrylic alkyd paints with low VOCs that can be made from recycled soda bottle plastic, acrylics and soybean oil. These paints combine the performance benefits of alkyds and low VOC content of acrylics. In 2010, Sherwin-Williams manufactured enough of these new paints to eliminate over 800,000 pounds of VOCs.
Read the whole report here.
ARC, formerly known as eBlueprint, is bringing new jobs and advanced technology to the Cleveland area through the introduction of the Riot Creative Imaging brand. ARC's main businesses is focused on architecture, engineering and construction printing needs, employing 45 people in its Cleveland office and six in Akron. The Riot brand adds large format full color printing to the company's offerings.
The Riot brand specializes in large format digital printing for indoor and outdoor visuals, P-O-P displays, in-store graphics and signage, and event graphics and signage. The division's success has allowed Cleveland's ARC to invest $500,000 to improve service capabilities, add local employees to the Riot team and double Riot brand revenue over the past year.
"We have an awesome team and an awesome operation here," says executive director Frank Loughan. "Over the past 18 months we've invested quite heavily in this brand. The Riot brand has been a breath of fresh air for us."
The company is on track to double sales again this year and continue to add staff.
"It used to be two people running the whole show," Loughan says of the Riot component. "Now we're at seven. If this trend continues, we're just going to continue to feed the beast and hire eight or nine more people and be in the mid-teens by next year. This business keeps growing and growing,"
Source: Frank Loughan
Writer: Karin Connelly
Buffalo is better known for its long, snowy winters than its flowering gardens. Yet last year, GardenWalk Buffalo, a free self-guided tour that bills itself as the largest garden tour in America, attracted an estimated 45,000 people to 300-plus gardens.
After learning about GardenWalk Buffalo from a Plain Dealer article last summer, Clevelanders Jan Kious and Bobbi Reichtell decided to make the trek northeast. Walking around the city and talking to its impassioned urban gardeners soon changed their views of the city. They returned to Cleveland inspired to create a GardenWalk event locally.
Those seeds first sown in Buffalo will bear fruit this Saturday, June 25th, when the first GardenWalk Cleveland takes place. It will feature over 100 residential flower gardens as well as community gardens, urban farms, vineyards and orchards sprinkled throughout four Cleveland neighborhoods: Detroit Shoreway, Harvard/Lee/Miles, Hough and Tremont. Each community will have a headquarters where visitors can find car parking, bike parking, restrooms, water and maps.
In addition to highlighting Cleveland's efforts to create greener, healthier neighborhoods, organizers hope the event will also break down east/west and black/white divisions by bringing together people that love gardening.
Citing the diverse, grassroots group that came together to organize the event as a harbinger of success, Reichtell stated in a release, "This is a shining example of the connections that gardens and greening work create in Cleveland," she said. "Both Clevelanders and visitors from outside the city will love getting a behind-the-scenes look at gardens and farms in Cleveland's neighborhoods."
Source: GardenWalk Cleveland
Writer: Lee Chilcote
After learning about GardenWalk Buffalo from a Plain Dealer article last summer, Clevelanders Jan Kious and Bobbi Reichtell decided to make the trek northeast. Walking around the city and talking to its impassioned urban gardeners soon changed their views of the city. They returned to Cleveland inspired to create a GardenWalk event locally.
Those seeds first sown in Buffalo will bear fruit this Saturday, June 25th, when the first GardenWalk Cleveland takes place. It will feature over 100 residential flower gardens as well as community gardens, urban farms, vineyards and orchards sprinkled throughout four Cleveland neighborhoods: Detroit Shoreway, Harvard/Lee/Miles, Hough and Tremont. Each community will have a headquarters where visitors can find car parking, bike parking, restrooms, water and maps.
In addition to highlighting Cleveland's efforts to create greener, healthier neighborhoods, organizers hope the event will also break down east/west and black/white divisions by bringing together people that love gardening.
Citing the diverse, grassroots group that came together to organize the event as a harbinger of success, Reichtell stated in a release, "This is a shining example of the connections that gardens and greening work create in Cleveland," she said. "Both Clevelanders and visitors from outside the city will love getting a behind-the-scenes look at gardens and farms in Cleveland's neighborhoods."
Source: GardenWalk Cleveland
Writer: Lee Chilcote
media has feeding frenzy over gaga's meaty fashions
Unless you were sharing an underground bunker with Dick Cheney, you likely heard the news that Lady Gaga's impish "meat dress" landed in Cleveland. Now part of the "Women Who Rock" exhibit at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the dress first appeared at last year's MTV Video Music Awards.
Well, the media has been on a bit of a meat-fueled feeding frenzy since the news broke, publishing stories with carnivorous impunity. Fresh Water writer Erin O'Brien was one of them, penning this piece last week.
Writing this piece for the New Times Broward-Palm Beach, Laine Doss explained the process that it took to ready the dress for its Cleveland debut.
"How do you store and display raw meat for days, weeks, and months without flies, maggots, and the rotting stench of decay?" she asks rhetorically. Well, you turn it into beef jerky, of course. "The outfit, made of Argentine beef, was kept in a meat locker, placed in a vat of chemicals, and dried by a team of taxidermists over a period of several months."
Dee-lish.
In this article, the Montreal Gazette reminded readers of the "meaning" behind the meat.
"Gaga later told talk show host Ellen DeGeneres that the dress had many interpretations," among them, "If we don't stand up for what we believe in, and if we don't fight for our rights, pretty soon we're going to have as much rights as the meat on our own bones. And, I am not a piece of meat."
In this MTV article, writer Jocelyn Vena chats with the Rock Hall's chief curator Jim Henke, who explains other tactics the museum is using to keep the meat mountain fresh.
"It's going to be in a case and we are putting some canisters in there to control the humidity, and then we have this other canister that soaks up the glutens," Henke explained. "But it's in a sealed case and we have the gels to control the environment in there."
Henke says that as weird as Gaga's dress may be, it's not the oddest item in the collection.
"Definitely one of the stranger pieces," he says, but adds "There are some other weird things. We actually have [pioneering radio DJ] Alan Freed's ashes."
Well, the media has been on a bit of a meat-fueled feeding frenzy since the news broke, publishing stories with carnivorous impunity. Fresh Water writer Erin O'Brien was one of them, penning this piece last week.
Writing this piece for the New Times Broward-Palm Beach, Laine Doss explained the process that it took to ready the dress for its Cleveland debut.
"How do you store and display raw meat for days, weeks, and months without flies, maggots, and the rotting stench of decay?" she asks rhetorically. Well, you turn it into beef jerky, of course. "The outfit, made of Argentine beef, was kept in a meat locker, placed in a vat of chemicals, and dried by a team of taxidermists over a period of several months."
Dee-lish.
In this article, the Montreal Gazette reminded readers of the "meaning" behind the meat.
"Gaga later told talk show host Ellen DeGeneres that the dress had many interpretations," among them, "If we don't stand up for what we believe in, and if we don't fight for our rights, pretty soon we're going to have as much rights as the meat on our own bones. And, I am not a piece of meat."
In this MTV article, writer Jocelyn Vena chats with the Rock Hall's chief curator Jim Henke, who explains other tactics the museum is using to keep the meat mountain fresh.
"It's going to be in a case and we are putting some canisters in there to control the humidity, and then we have this other canister that soaks up the glutens," Henke explained. "But it's in a sealed case and we have the gels to control the environment in there."
Henke says that as weird as Gaga's dress may be, it's not the oddest item in the collection.
"Definitely one of the stranger pieces," he says, but adds "There are some other weird things. We actually have [pioneering radio DJ] Alan Freed's ashes."
The Near West Intergenerational School (NWIS), a public charter school that aims to serve families on Cleveland's near-west side, will open this fall inside of Ohio City's Garrett Morgan School of Science.
"The location in the heart of Ohio City will draw kids from the neighborhood, and many families will be able to walk to school," says Debbie Fisher, the school's recently hired Principal. "Cleveland has a huge need for quality, high-performing schools, and we really believe in bringing this model to kids and families."
NWIS is being modeled after The Intergenerational School (TIS), a high-performing charter school in the Larchmere-Shaker Square neighborhood of Cleveland. In 2009, TIS received a $250,000 grant to replicate its model. After being recruited by members of the Ohio City Babysitting Co-op, a group of parents that exchange sits, TIS decided to open a new school on the near-west side.
There was one small problem, however: they didn't yet have a building. Racing against an August 2011 deadline, NWIS staff, board members and volunteers filed the necessary paperwork with the State of Ohio to create a new charter school, created a board of directors, worked furiously to gain sponsorship by the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) and negotiated for space.
When it opens, NWIS will be the first charter school to be housed inside a CMSD school. The agreement has not been without controversy -- the Cleveland Teachers Union urged CMSD to reject the agreement, stating that it would divide the community, and two CMSD board members voted against it.
Charter schools in Ohio are publicly funded yet privately managed, and their relationship with CMSD has been anything but cozy over the years. Nonetheless, Fisher says school leaders have been helpful throughout the entire process.
"Their attorneys turned around our agreement in one week," she says. "There are some really good staff at CMSD that helped make this happen. They see what we're doing as complementing their efforts to create new and innovative schools."
Fisher recently spent an hour touring Garrett Morgan and talking with the custodian, and she found it to be in excellent condition. "It's a beautiful building," she says. "It has a 600-seat auditorium, and there are no broken seats."
Source: Debbie Fisher
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"The location in the heart of Ohio City will draw kids from the neighborhood, and many families will be able to walk to school," says Debbie Fisher, the school's recently hired Principal. "Cleveland has a huge need for quality, high-performing schools, and we really believe in bringing this model to kids and families."
NWIS is being modeled after The Intergenerational School (TIS), a high-performing charter school in the Larchmere-Shaker Square neighborhood of Cleveland. In 2009, TIS received a $250,000 grant to replicate its model. After being recruited by members of the Ohio City Babysitting Co-op, a group of parents that exchange sits, TIS decided to open a new school on the near-west side.
There was one small problem, however: they didn't yet have a building. Racing against an August 2011 deadline, NWIS staff, board members and volunteers filed the necessary paperwork with the State of Ohio to create a new charter school, created a board of directors, worked furiously to gain sponsorship by the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) and negotiated for space.
When it opens, NWIS will be the first charter school to be housed inside a CMSD school. The agreement has not been without controversy -- the Cleveland Teachers Union urged CMSD to reject the agreement, stating that it would divide the community, and two CMSD board members voted against it.
Charter schools in Ohio are publicly funded yet privately managed, and their relationship with CMSD has been anything but cozy over the years. Nonetheless, Fisher says school leaders have been helpful throughout the entire process.
"Their attorneys turned around our agreement in one week," she says. "There are some really good staff at CMSD that helped make this happen. They see what we're doing as complementing their efforts to create new and innovative schools."
Fisher recently spent an hour touring Garrett Morgan and talking with the custodian, and she found it to be in excellent condition. "It's a beautiful building," she says. "It has a 600-seat auditorium, and there are no broken seats."
Source: Debbie Fisher
Writer: Lee Chilcote
symon plugs happy dog in travel + leisure mag
People, if you haven't noticed, want to know as much as humanly possible about their favorite celebrities. Like what they wear, where they shop, and what kind of car they drive when they are not being chauffeured around town. But more than anything, people want to know what famous people do when they are not busy being famous.
Along those lines, a recent Travel + Leisure article asks well-known chefs around the country about their favorite places to eat. Included in the piece is Michael Symon, owner of Cleveland's Lola and Lolita restaurants.
"I hang at the Happy Dog," he tells the mag's writers, "a retro 1940's bar with great beers, live music, and killer hot dogs with an endless array of toppings. After a hard night there's nothing better than a dog topped with kimchi, hot sauce, bacon, and a fried egg, with a side of Tater Tots and a cold Great Lakes IPA. And does anything say Cleveland better than polka happy hour?"
Devour the whole feast here.
Along those lines, a recent Travel + Leisure article asks well-known chefs around the country about their favorite places to eat. Included in the piece is Michael Symon, owner of Cleveland's Lola and Lolita restaurants.
"I hang at the Happy Dog," he tells the mag's writers, "a retro 1940's bar with great beers, live music, and killer hot dogs with an endless array of toppings. After a hard night there's nothing better than a dog topped with kimchi, hot sauce, bacon, and a fried egg, with a side of Tater Tots and a cold Great Lakes IPA. And does anything say Cleveland better than polka happy hour?"
Devour the whole feast here.
Cleveland State University's Factory Theatre is so often booked that students have to schedule rehearsals late at night. While department chair Michael Mauldin bemoans his program's outdated facilities, he realizes that it's a good problem to have.
Before Mauldin was hired in 2006 to breathe new life into the moribund Dramatic Arts Program, the school had only 21 majors. Campus officials had even considered canceling it. Today,CSU's theatre program boasts 85 majors -- and counting.
"We're poised to become a destination theatre program in the coming years," Mauldin predicts. "That's not hubris -- there's some very solid work being produced here."
Mauldin is especially excited about CSU's imminent move to the three new stages at the newly renovated and expanded Allen Theatre at PlayhouseSquare. When the theatre opens in September, CSU will share it with Cleveland Play House, which is relocating from its long-standing home near the Cleveland Clinic.
"Currently, we only have one performance stage in an old textile factory," explains Mauldin. "We're moving to a 500-seat, state-of-the-art theatre inside the Allen, a 290-seat flex space and a 150-seat black box theatre. It's a dream of a space."
Mauldin also lauded the renovation of the Middough Building on East 13th Street, which will feature classrooms, studios and rehearsal halls. "Instead of stepping over each other, we can have concurrent activities going on," he says.
Although CSU's program is already strong (Mauldin reports that 95 percent of its graduates are either working or attending graduate school in the field) it will only get better by being part of PlayhouseSquare.
"We're part of the city, whose theatrical life is so vibrant," he says. "There's so much promise and potential to live up to."
Source: Michael Mauldin
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Before Mauldin was hired in 2006 to breathe new life into the moribund Dramatic Arts Program, the school had only 21 majors. Campus officials had even considered canceling it. Today,CSU's theatre program boasts 85 majors -- and counting.
"We're poised to become a destination theatre program in the coming years," Mauldin predicts. "That's not hubris -- there's some very solid work being produced here."
Mauldin is especially excited about CSU's imminent move to the three new stages at the newly renovated and expanded Allen Theatre at PlayhouseSquare. When the theatre opens in September, CSU will share it with Cleveland Play House, which is relocating from its long-standing home near the Cleveland Clinic.
"Currently, we only have one performance stage in an old textile factory," explains Mauldin. "We're moving to a 500-seat, state-of-the-art theatre inside the Allen, a 290-seat flex space and a 150-seat black box theatre. It's a dream of a space."
Mauldin also lauded the renovation of the Middough Building on East 13th Street, which will feature classrooms, studios and rehearsal halls. "Instead of stepping over each other, we can have concurrent activities going on," he says.
Although CSU's program is already strong (Mauldin reports that 95 percent of its graduates are either working or attending graduate school in the field) it will only get better by being part of PlayhouseSquare.
"We're part of the city, whose theatrical life is so vibrant," he says. "There's so much promise and potential to live up to."
Source: Michael Mauldin
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The Greater Cleveland RTA Citizen's Advisory Board is making riding the bus a little more pleasurable. The Transit Waiting Environments (TWE) initiative was incorporated five years ago to improve the pedestrian environment at bus stops. The goal of the program is to provide enhanced passenger amenities and information to encourage bus ridership.
"Eighty percent of our ridership takes the bus," says Maribeth Feke, RTA's director of programs and planning. "The Citizens Advisory Board mentioned that some of the bus stops had no more than a sign and were in poor condition." RTA responded by securing Federal grant money to improve the bus stops.
Interested neighborhood groups submit proposals to receive the grant money. Eligible projects include historic preservation, creation of public art, signage, bicycle access, pedestrian pathways and landscaping.
RTA has completed about 10 projects so far, including bus stops in Lakewood, Tremont, Slavic Village, the near-west side around Gordon Park, and Euclid. Other projects are underway in Cleveland Heights and at the CMHA headquarters.
"Each is individual and has merit to them," says Feke. "It's good for riders to get a better bus stop. It's good for really everyone. It's a nice redevelopment tool."
Bike shelters have been installed at Triskett, West 117th Street and Shaker Rapid Transit Stations and Southgate Transit Center. Public art in the form of functional seating has gone in on Detroit Avenue and W. 65th Street. Future projects include a solar bus station in Cleveland Heights and public art recycling bins along the RTA red line stations.
Source: Maribeth Feke
Writer: Karin Connelly
"Eighty percent of our ridership takes the bus," says Maribeth Feke, RTA's director of programs and planning. "The Citizens Advisory Board mentioned that some of the bus stops had no more than a sign and were in poor condition." RTA responded by securing Federal grant money to improve the bus stops.
Interested neighborhood groups submit proposals to receive the grant money. Eligible projects include historic preservation, creation of public art, signage, bicycle access, pedestrian pathways and landscaping.
RTA has completed about 10 projects so far, including bus stops in Lakewood, Tremont, Slavic Village, the near-west side around Gordon Park, and Euclid. Other projects are underway in Cleveland Heights and at the CMHA headquarters.
"Each is individual and has merit to them," says Feke. "It's good for riders to get a better bus stop. It's good for really everyone. It's a nice redevelopment tool."
Bike shelters have been installed at Triskett, West 117th Street and Shaker Rapid Transit Stations and Southgate Transit Center. Public art in the form of functional seating has gone in on Detroit Avenue and W. 65th Street. Future projects include a solar bus station in Cleveland Heights and public art recycling bins along the RTA red line stations.
Source: Maribeth Feke
Writer: Karin Connelly