Stories
u.s. news & world report praises university hospitals
University Hospitals has announced that its hospitals received high ratings from both U.S. News & World Report and Thomson Reuters.
Four UH hospitals, including UH Case Medical Center, St. John Medical Center, UH Geauga Medical Center, and Southwest General Health Center, were included in U.S. News & World Report's "Best Hospitals" metro area rankings.
"The new rankings recognize 622 hospitals in or near major cities with a record of high performance in key medical specialties, including 132 of the 152 hospitals already identified as the best in the nation. There are nearly 5,000 hospitals nationwide."
UH Case Medical Center has been included in the Thomson Reuters "Top 100 Hospitals" list for the sixth consecutive year. It is the only hospital in Northeast Ohio to be recognized in the top major teaching hospitals category.
"The study found that the 15 top major teaching hospitals had scored better than their peer group of U.S. hospitals in mortality; medical complications; patient safety; average length of stay; expenses; profitability; patient satisfaction; adherence to clinical standards of care, post-discharge mortality; and readmission rates for acute myocardial infarction, heart failure and pneumonia."
Examine the rest of the good news here.
Four UH hospitals, including UH Case Medical Center, St. John Medical Center, UH Geauga Medical Center, and Southwest General Health Center, were included in U.S. News & World Report's "Best Hospitals" metro area rankings.
"The new rankings recognize 622 hospitals in or near major cities with a record of high performance in key medical specialties, including 132 of the 152 hospitals already identified as the best in the nation. There are nearly 5,000 hospitals nationwide."
UH Case Medical Center has been included in the Thomson Reuters "Top 100 Hospitals" list for the sixth consecutive year. It is the only hospital in Northeast Ohio to be recognized in the top major teaching hospitals category.
"The study found that the 15 top major teaching hospitals had scored better than their peer group of U.S. hospitals in mortality; medical complications; patient safety; average length of stay; expenses; profitability; patient satisfaction; adherence to clinical standards of care, post-discharge mortality; and readmission rates for acute myocardial infarction, heart failure and pneumonia."
Examine the rest of the good news here.
Cleveland-based ChanTest has tested more than 20,000 compounds for hundreds of pharmaceutical and biotech companies around the world since its founding in 1998. Over the years, the company has also developed a cell optimization service. These advancements have helped pharmaceutical and biotech companies develop safer drugs for a variety of health-related issues.
ChanTest has now formed an agreement with Molecular Devices, a Sunnyvale, California, company, to further its impact on the industry. Molecular Devices will distribute ChanTest's ion channels and promote its cell optimization services to a number of global customers.
Dr. Arthur Brown, founder of ChanTest, says that this partnership will benefit ChanTest because of the screening instrumentation provided by Molecular Devices. These include automated electrophysiology devices, which study the effects of electric activity in the body. "The ability to screen ion channels with automated electrophysiology is revolutionizing drug discovery," according to Dr. Brown.
ChanTest has a staff of 70 people, including scientists specializing in molecular and cell biology, chemistry and electrophysiology.
SOURCE: ChanTest
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
ChanTest has now formed an agreement with Molecular Devices, a Sunnyvale, California, company, to further its impact on the industry. Molecular Devices will distribute ChanTest's ion channels and promote its cell optimization services to a number of global customers.
Dr. Arthur Brown, founder of ChanTest, says that this partnership will benefit ChanTest because of the screening instrumentation provided by Molecular Devices. These include automated electrophysiology devices, which study the effects of electric activity in the body. "The ability to screen ion channels with automated electrophysiology is revolutionizing drug discovery," according to Dr. Brown.
ChanTest has a staff of 70 people, including scientists specializing in molecular and cell biology, chemistry and electrophysiology.
SOURCE: ChanTest
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
MMPI, owner and operator of the forthcoming Medical Mart & Convention Center, stands to save $5 million over 14 years thanks to a newly signed contract with Cleveland Thermal. Rather than build its own on-site heating and cooling system, the mart and convention center will use heating and cooling energy provided by Cleveland Thermal.
Cleveland Thermal is a district energy supplier that serves about 125 commercial, institutional, municipal and federal buildings in Cleveland. The 117-year-old company delivers thermal heat and chilled water through underground pipes that connect to Cleveland Thermal's power plant.
Cleveland Thermal's infrastructure was technically already in place to serve the mart and convention center. According to the company, the existing piping has been disconnected to allow for safe demolition of the old buildings. The new facility will be reconnected to the heating and cooling system later this year.
Cleveland Thermal, which employs 47 people, would not disclose the amount of the contract with MMPI.
Karpinski Engineering, which is handling mechanical system and mapping for the new facility, recommended Cleveland Thermal. Dennis Wessel, senior vice president, points out that MMPI will not have to worry about installing and operating onsite heating and cooling equipment, which will save money. What's more, Wessel says. "this arrangement will enable MMPI to allocate valuable additional floor space to other uses."
MMPI also recently announced that it will seek LEED Silver Certification for the facility, a designation determined by the U.S. Green Building Council. Using an existing heating and cooling source will lessen the environmental impact of the new facility, according to MMPI.
SOURCES: Cleveland Thermal, Karpinski Engineering, MMPI
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
Cleveland Thermal is a district energy supplier that serves about 125 commercial, institutional, municipal and federal buildings in Cleveland. The 117-year-old company delivers thermal heat and chilled water through underground pipes that connect to Cleveland Thermal's power plant.
Cleveland Thermal's infrastructure was technically already in place to serve the mart and convention center. According to the company, the existing piping has been disconnected to allow for safe demolition of the old buildings. The new facility will be reconnected to the heating and cooling system later this year.
Cleveland Thermal, which employs 47 people, would not disclose the amount of the contract with MMPI.
Karpinski Engineering, which is handling mechanical system and mapping for the new facility, recommended Cleveland Thermal. Dennis Wessel, senior vice president, points out that MMPI will not have to worry about installing and operating onsite heating and cooling equipment, which will save money. What's more, Wessel says. "this arrangement will enable MMPI to allocate valuable additional floor space to other uses."
MMPI also recently announced that it will seek LEED Silver Certification for the facility, a designation determined by the U.S. Green Building Council. Using an existing heating and cooling source will lessen the environmental impact of the new facility, according to MMPI.
SOURCES: Cleveland Thermal, Karpinski Engineering, MMPI
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
Local food startups are growing by leaps and bounds in Cleveland. Whether it's urban farming or specialty food production, the ability of local entrepreneurs to affect change in the food industry seems limitless.
This Monday, April 4, 10 food entrepreneurs will gather at Great Lakes Brewing Co. to share the secrets of their success. A Local Food Cleveland event, the Local Food Startup Business Showcase looks at businesses that are helping the local food economy.
Among the startups at the showcase will be Tunnel Vision Hoops, which designs retractable domes for year-round farming; Green City Growers Cooperative, a 100-percent worker-owned commercial greenhouse in Cleveland; and MOHCO, a manufacturer of falafel dough with a philanthropic mission to help communities locally and abroad.
And just in case you think this local food business isn't getting noticed outside of Cleveland, consider this: Yahoo! recently named Cleveland the fourth most visionary city in the world, particularly because of urban farming initiatives. Cleveland was ranked behind Seoul, Abu Dhabi and Tallinn, Estonia. The online news source sited Gardens Under Glass in the Galleria, which grows vegetables and then sells them at a weekly indoor market, as a fine example of urban farming in Cleveland.
SOURCE: Local Food Cleveland
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
This Monday, April 4, 10 food entrepreneurs will gather at Great Lakes Brewing Co. to share the secrets of their success. A Local Food Cleveland event, the Local Food Startup Business Showcase looks at businesses that are helping the local food economy.
Among the startups at the showcase will be Tunnel Vision Hoops, which designs retractable domes for year-round farming; Green City Growers Cooperative, a 100-percent worker-owned commercial greenhouse in Cleveland; and MOHCO, a manufacturer of falafel dough with a philanthropic mission to help communities locally and abroad.
And just in case you think this local food business isn't getting noticed outside of Cleveland, consider this: Yahoo! recently named Cleveland the fourth most visionary city in the world, particularly because of urban farming initiatives. Cleveland was ranked behind Seoul, Abu Dhabi and Tallinn, Estonia. The online news source sited Gardens Under Glass in the Galleria, which grows vegetables and then sells them at a weekly indoor market, as a fine example of urban farming in Cleveland.
SOURCE: Local Food Cleveland
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
jumpstart's john dearborn praises interns in huffington post
In a recent Huffington Post article, John Dearborn, President of Cleveland's JumpStart Inc., writes about Lorain County Community College's Innovation Fund. It awards grants of $25,000 and $100,000 to fledgling startups.
Internships are another important part of the Innovation Fund. "It might seem obvious or even slightly trivial, but interns offer startups a hardworking, forward-thinking labor pool at a heck of a price."
"This unique and groundbreaking fund has three important tenets: 1) as funds are paid back, they are then re-invested in another startup; 2) the company needs to work with a business mentor at the Innovation Fund's related incubator; and 3) every company that receives an award from the Innovation Fund commits to providing at least one local college student with a work-based learning experience."
The startups receive talent they cannot otherwise afford, and the interns receive a better education than they would ever get in the classroom.
"So far, the Innovation Fund has invested $4.3 million in 60 companies that have sponsored 130 internships. When it comes to slowing the region's "brain drain," this program shows evidence of creating change. The companies have created 100 full-time jobs that, in some cases, have been filled by interns."
Read the rest here.
Internships are another important part of the Innovation Fund. "It might seem obvious or even slightly trivial, but interns offer startups a hardworking, forward-thinking labor pool at a heck of a price."
"This unique and groundbreaking fund has three important tenets: 1) as funds are paid back, they are then re-invested in another startup; 2) the company needs to work with a business mentor at the Innovation Fund's related incubator; and 3) every company that receives an award from the Innovation Fund commits to providing at least one local college student with a work-based learning experience."
The startups receive talent they cannot otherwise afford, and the interns receive a better education than they would ever get in the classroom.
"So far, the Innovation Fund has invested $4.3 million in 60 companies that have sponsored 130 internships. When it comes to slowing the region's "brain drain," this program shows evidence of creating change. The companies have created 100 full-time jobs that, in some cases, have been filled by interns."
Read the rest here.
united press int'l reports on case fuel cell breakthrough
UPI recently reported on Case Western Reserve University's breakthrough in the development of low-cost hydrogen fuel cells, which will power the electric cars of the future.
Researchers at the university say catalysts made of polymer-dipped carbon nanotubes can outperform traditional platinum catalysts in fuel cells at a fraction of the cost. The cost of catalysts is one of the biggest obstacles to widespread cell use, say scientists.
"Platinum, which represents at least a quarter of the cost of fuel cells, currently sells for about $30,000 per pound," states the article, "while the activated carbon nanotubes cost about $45 per pound."
"This is a breakthrough," professor Liming Dai says in the article.
In testing, the carbon catalyst fuel cell produced as much power as an identical cell using a platinum catalyst.
Read the full report here.
Researchers at the university say catalysts made of polymer-dipped carbon nanotubes can outperform traditional platinum catalysts in fuel cells at a fraction of the cost. The cost of catalysts is one of the biggest obstacles to widespread cell use, say scientists.
"Platinum, which represents at least a quarter of the cost of fuel cells, currently sells for about $30,000 per pound," states the article, "while the activated carbon nanotubes cost about $45 per pound."
"This is a breakthrough," professor Liming Dai says in the article.
In testing, the carbon catalyst fuel cell produced as much power as an identical cell using a platinum catalyst.
Read the full report here.
Capabilities are said to soaring at the new 15,000-square-foot Constant Aviation
facility at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. The facility is
designed for the overhaul and repair of all sheet metal and bonded
materials on commercial and corporate aircraft.
"During times when other businesses have been cutting back, our company has continued to grow our core capabilities [and] expand our services," says Stephen Maiden, Constant Aviation's president.
Constant Aviation already has a substantial presence at Hopkins, where the FAA-certified repair and maintenance company is headquartered. (Constant Aviation has another facility in Birmingham, Alabama.) The Hopkins facility employs about 75 people and is currently looking to expand its maintenance team.
The expanded facility support airframe flight controls, thrust reversers, wing panes, doors and interior covers.
SOURCE: Constant Aviation
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
"During times when other businesses have been cutting back, our company has continued to grow our core capabilities [and] expand our services," says Stephen Maiden, Constant Aviation's president.
Constant Aviation already has a substantial presence at Hopkins, where the FAA-certified repair and maintenance company is headquartered. (Constant Aviation has another facility in Birmingham, Alabama.) The Hopkins facility employs about 75 people and is currently looking to expand its maintenance team.
The expanded facility support airframe flight controls, thrust reversers, wing panes, doors and interior covers.
SOURCE: Constant Aviation
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
eco-artist susie frazier sets up shop in 78th street studios
The 78th Street Studios, a warren of creative-minded businesses located at 1300 W. 78th Street, recently welcomed a new showroom run by environmental artist Susie Frazier.
Three years ago, Frazier designed the logo and public art elements for the $3.5 million Gordon Square Arts District streetscape, which perk up Detroit Avenue between W. 58th and W. 73rd streets. From markings she'd observed along the Lake Erie coastline, she created unique crosswalk patterns, amoeba-shaped benches and a distinctive new logo.
Now, under the brand of "earthminded art," Frazier is launching a new line of up-cycled home products and gifts, including tables and lamps made from salvaged wood, decorative pillows and note cards printed with earth images, and rings made from Lake Erie driftwood.
"Today, architects and homeowners are selecting art that's modern and simple, but reinforces their love of nature," Frazier explained in a press release announcing the new showroom.
Frazier also creates original fine art that she sells to collectors. By using natural fragments from different habitats, she creates textural art that highlights the repetitive patterns that she identifies in nature.
The 78th Street Studios, located in a renovated loft-style warehouse that once housed American Greetings' creative studios, contains an eclectic mix of arts-related businesses. The studios are located at the western edge of Gordon Square, a lively district with restaurants, galleries and shops anchored by Cleveland Public Theatre and the Capitol Theatre, a three-screen independent movie house
Frazier's new studio highlights the continued growth of the 78th Street Studios, which developer Dan Bush has renovated to feature exposed brickwork, vibrant colors and a contemporary industrial aesthetic. Bush also recently opened the smART space at 78th, a 6,000-square-foot venue available for short-term rentals such as private parties and benefits.
In addition to their regular business hours, the businesses in the 78th Street Studios host festive open houses with wine and snacks every third Friday of the month from 5-9 p.m.
Source: Susie Frazier
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Three years ago, Frazier designed the logo and public art elements for the $3.5 million Gordon Square Arts District streetscape, which perk up Detroit Avenue between W. 58th and W. 73rd streets. From markings she'd observed along the Lake Erie coastline, she created unique crosswalk patterns, amoeba-shaped benches and a distinctive new logo.
Now, under the brand of "earthminded art," Frazier is launching a new line of up-cycled home products and gifts, including tables and lamps made from salvaged wood, decorative pillows and note cards printed with earth images, and rings made from Lake Erie driftwood.
"Today, architects and homeowners are selecting art that's modern and simple, but reinforces their love of nature," Frazier explained in a press release announcing the new showroom.
Frazier also creates original fine art that she sells to collectors. By using natural fragments from different habitats, she creates textural art that highlights the repetitive patterns that she identifies in nature.
The 78th Street Studios, located in a renovated loft-style warehouse that once housed American Greetings' creative studios, contains an eclectic mix of arts-related businesses. The studios are located at the western edge of Gordon Square, a lively district with restaurants, galleries and shops anchored by Cleveland Public Theatre and the Capitol Theatre, a three-screen independent movie house
Frazier's new studio highlights the continued growth of the 78th Street Studios, which developer Dan Bush has renovated to feature exposed brickwork, vibrant colors and a contemporary industrial aesthetic. Bush also recently opened the smART space at 78th, a 6,000-square-foot venue available for short-term rentals such as private parties and benefits.
In addition to their regular business hours, the businesses in the 78th Street Studios host festive open houses with wine and snacks every third Friday of the month from 5-9 p.m.
Source: Susie Frazier
Writer: Lee Chilcote
When the team at the Lighting Innovations Institute at John Carroll University gets an idea, it's not always the proverbial light bulb that goes on above their heads. More than likely, it's a state-of-the-art light that will make a difference in industry and everyday life.
The Lighting Innovations Institute accepts projects that, according to its website, "involve novel ideas and offer a challenge." Led by veterans in research and development in Northeast Ohio, the institute is currently developing projects for such distinguished customers as NASA and the FAA.
"We're focusing on two key areas," says Richard Hansler, director of the institute and a retired GE Lighting research physicist. One of these is lighting for airport runways. Landing lights that allow pilots to see if they are in proper alignment with the runway already exist, but the Lighting Innovations Institute is developing a lighting system that is more energy-efficient and longer-lasting.
The other key area of development is in blocking out the blue spectrum of artificial light that interferes with optimum health. Hansler says that our bodies are built to withstand 12 hours of darkness, not the typical seven or eight hours most of us get. Artificial light prevents the body from making melatonin, a hormone that is believed to play a role in fighting cancer and obesity.
"I worked as a researcher at GE for over 40 years, and when I came here I realized that artificial light is unhealthy," Hansler says. The institute has produced eyeglasses and light bulbs that block blue light; these are sold through a spin-off company, Phototonic Developments LLC.
The Lighting Innovations Institute receives funding from the companies it contracts with to develop products. The institute has a small full-time staff but hires students part-time when funds are available, according to Hansler.
SOURCE: Richard Hansler
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
The Lighting Innovations Institute accepts projects that, according to its website, "involve novel ideas and offer a challenge." Led by veterans in research and development in Northeast Ohio, the institute is currently developing projects for such distinguished customers as NASA and the FAA.
"We're focusing on two key areas," says Richard Hansler, director of the institute and a retired GE Lighting research physicist. One of these is lighting for airport runways. Landing lights that allow pilots to see if they are in proper alignment with the runway already exist, but the Lighting Innovations Institute is developing a lighting system that is more energy-efficient and longer-lasting.
The other key area of development is in blocking out the blue spectrum of artificial light that interferes with optimum health. Hansler says that our bodies are built to withstand 12 hours of darkness, not the typical seven or eight hours most of us get. Artificial light prevents the body from making melatonin, a hormone that is believed to play a role in fighting cancer and obesity.
"I worked as a researcher at GE for over 40 years, and when I came here I realized that artificial light is unhealthy," Hansler says. The institute has produced eyeglasses and light bulbs that block blue light; these are sold through a spin-off company, Phototonic Developments LLC.
The Lighting Innovations Institute receives funding from the companies it contracts with to develop products. The institute has a small full-time staff but hires students part-time when funds are available, according to Hansler.
SOURCE: Richard Hansler
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
Local rowing advocates say their beloved sport is about to get even bigger thanks to the Cleveland Rowing Foundation's recent acquisition of Rivergate Park, a former marina on the East Bank of the Flats. Over the next two years, CRF will redevelop Rivergate into a seven-acre riverside recreation venue, with a boathouse, kayak rental and public park. Rivergate is part of an emerging recreation district in the Flats that includes a new skate park and bike path to Whiskey Island.
west side market selected to host int'l conference
Project for Public Spaces (PPS), "a nonprofit planning, design and educational organization dedicated to helping people create and sustain public spaces that build stronger communities," has chosen Cleveland to host its 8th International Public Markets Conference.
The 3-day event, planned for autumn of 2012, will align with the centennial celebration of the West Side Market. It will bring together over 300 participants including accomplished planners, designers, market managers, and visionary leaders.
PPS Senior Vice President Steve Davies said, "Cleveland should be proud of the longevity of the West Side Market -- one of the few remaining historic public markets in the U.S, and conference participants will also learn a great deal from the region's expanding farmers markets which are sparking revitalization, job growth and healthy living."
The West Side Market has previously received honors from the Travel Channel, Food Network, and Travel and Leisure magazine, to name but a few. It is also on the National Register of Historic Places.
Shop the full release here.
The 3-day event, planned for autumn of 2012, will align with the centennial celebration of the West Side Market. It will bring together over 300 participants including accomplished planners, designers, market managers, and visionary leaders.
PPS Senior Vice President Steve Davies said, "Cleveland should be proud of the longevity of the West Side Market -- one of the few remaining historic public markets in the U.S, and conference participants will also learn a great deal from the region's expanding farmers markets which are sparking revitalization, job growth and healthy living."
The West Side Market has previously received honors from the Travel Channel, Food Network, and Travel and Leisure magazine, to name but a few. It is also on the National Register of Historic Places.
Shop the full release here.
According to Gil Van Bokkelen, chairman and CEO of Athersys,
inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) continues to be a debilitating
condition for many people. Could Athersys' MultiStem cell therapy
product benefit the more than two million people worldwide who suffer
from some form of IBD, such as ulcerative colitis?
A new phase II clinical trial will search for the answer. Athersys, in collaboration with Pfizer Inc., is conducting a study involving about 126 people in clinical sites across North America and Europe. Participants will receive multiple doses of either MultiStem or a placebo over the course of several weeks. Baseline and eight-week evaluations will be conducted, and all patients will receive follow-up evaluations through 12 months.
MultiStem is produced from nonembryonic tissues such as adult bone marrow. The human stem cells in the product have the ability to reduce inflammation, protect damaged tissue or form new blood vessels in injured areas. In addition to ulcerative colitis and other forms of inflammatory bowel disease, MultiStem has shown promise in aiding with bone marrow transplants and in the treatment of damage from ischemic strokes, which is caused by a blockage in blood flow to the brain.
Athersys trades on the NASDAQ and has experienced steady growth during the last 12 months.
SOURCE: Athersys
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
A new phase II clinical trial will search for the answer. Athersys, in collaboration with Pfizer Inc., is conducting a study involving about 126 people in clinical sites across North America and Europe. Participants will receive multiple doses of either MultiStem or a placebo over the course of several weeks. Baseline and eight-week evaluations will be conducted, and all patients will receive follow-up evaluations through 12 months.
MultiStem is produced from nonembryonic tissues such as adult bone marrow. The human stem cells in the product have the ability to reduce inflammation, protect damaged tissue or form new blood vessels in injured areas. In addition to ulcerative colitis and other forms of inflammatory bowel disease, MultiStem has shown promise in aiding with bone marrow transplants and in the treatment of damage from ischemic strokes, which is caused by a blockage in blood flow to the brain.
Athersys trades on the NASDAQ and has experienced steady growth during the last 12 months.
SOURCE: Athersys
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
cleveland museum of art goes shopping
An Antiques and the Arts article features recent acquisitions made by the Cleveland Museum of Art.
"A singular Jacobean miniature, a Thomas Hope settee, a large and pristine British watercolor and a sculpture by contemporary Polish artist Monika Sosnowska are among the latest works approved by the collections committee of the Cleveland Museum of Art's board of trustees. The museum is continuing to collect across all departments as it moves toward the completion of its transformational building expansion and collection reinstallation in 2013."
"Madonna and Child in Glory," a cabinet miniature, was painted by Isaac Oliver (1565-1617), one of the most prominent practitioners of miniature painting in the Jacobean period.
The neoclassical settee (circa 1802-1807) was designed by English Regency designer Thomas Hope.
William Callow's "The Temple of Vesta and the Falls at Tivoli" is a large watercolor that will complement CMA's collection of British drawings, a recent area of acquisition focus. The painting was based on sketches Callow made when he visited Italy in 1840.
Monika Sosnowska created "Stairs," a steel sculpture based on fire escape stairs, in summer 2010.
View the complete work here.
"A singular Jacobean miniature, a Thomas Hope settee, a large and pristine British watercolor and a sculpture by contemporary Polish artist Monika Sosnowska are among the latest works approved by the collections committee of the Cleveland Museum of Art's board of trustees. The museum is continuing to collect across all departments as it moves toward the completion of its transformational building expansion and collection reinstallation in 2013."
"Madonna and Child in Glory," a cabinet miniature, was painted by Isaac Oliver (1565-1617), one of the most prominent practitioners of miniature painting in the Jacobean period.
The neoclassical settee (circa 1802-1807) was designed by English Regency designer Thomas Hope.
William Callow's "The Temple of Vesta and the Falls at Tivoli" is a large watercolor that will complement CMA's collection of British drawings, a recent area of acquisition focus. The painting was based on sketches Callow made when he visited Italy in 1840.
Monika Sosnowska created "Stairs," a steel sculpture based on fire escape stairs, in summer 2010.
View the complete work here.
cleveland shows signs of renewal, says native son
Former New Yorker editor and Cleveland native Charles Michener pens a love letter to his hometown in Smithsonian magazine. After returning to Cleveland four years ago to cover the Orchestra for the New Yorker, Michener decided to stay. He is currently writing a book about Cleveland entitled "The Hidden City."
"Unlike the gaudy attractions of New York or Chicago, which advertise themselves at every opportunity, Cleveland's treasures require a taste for discovery," Michener writes in the piece. "You might be astonished, as I was one Tuesday evening, to wander into Nighttown, a venerable jazz saloon in Cleveland Heights, and encounter the entire Count Basie Orchestra, blasting away on the bandstand."
"I'm sure that every Clevelander was as outraged as I was by Forbes' superficial judgment about what it's like to actually live here," he continues. "Cities aren't statistics -- they're comÂplex, human mechanisms of not-so-buried pasts and not-so-certain futures."
"Returning to Cleveland after so many years away, I feel lucky to be back in the town I can once again call home."
Read Michener's entire piece in Smithsonian here.
"Unlike the gaudy attractions of New York or Chicago, which advertise themselves at every opportunity, Cleveland's treasures require a taste for discovery," Michener writes in the piece. "You might be astonished, as I was one Tuesday evening, to wander into Nighttown, a venerable jazz saloon in Cleveland Heights, and encounter the entire Count Basie Orchestra, blasting away on the bandstand."
"I'm sure that every Clevelander was as outraged as I was by Forbes' superficial judgment about what it's like to actually live here," he continues. "Cities aren't statistics -- they're comÂplex, human mechanisms of not-so-buried pasts and not-so-certain futures."
"Returning to Cleveland after so many years away, I feel lucky to be back in the town I can once again call home."
Read Michener's entire piece in Smithsonian here.
upscale barbershop adds polish to larchmere retail district
James Boyd has wanted to be a barber since he was 13 years old. "My dad cut our hair when we were kids, and I was the one who was fascinated by the clippers," recalls Boyd.
Boyd had a natural gift that soon grew into a flourishing business. "I started cutting hair in our house, giving haircuts to friends and Shaker High School athletes," says the 33-year-old.
Two years ago, Boyd and business partner Lathan Bennett transformed a former garage on Larchmere Boulevard into Polished Professionals (12511 Larchmere Blvd.), an elegant, upscale barbershop.
"We wanted to create a men's barbershop with a professional atmosphere," explains Boyd.
Polished Professionals, one of a dozen or so barbershops and hair salons on Larchmere, is now a community hub within this multicultural neighborhood. "Barbers are very community-oriented, and we want to be a pillar on Larchmere," says Boyd.
In the past several years, the number of barbershops and hair salons on Larchmere has grown steadily. The street, which has been an art and antiques district for decades, has in recent years added an eclectic, diverse group of services to its retail mix.
Boyd lived in Las Vegas from 2003 until 2005, when he moved home because he was homesick and missed having four seasons. "I lived the Vegas life for a while, but I wanted to raise my family here," he says.
For Boyd, owning his own business was about "starting a legacy and controlling my destiny," he says. "My grandfather was an entrepreneur, and everyone in my family looked up to him. It was also my mom's last wish that I start my business."
Source: James Boyd
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Boyd had a natural gift that soon grew into a flourishing business. "I started cutting hair in our house, giving haircuts to friends and Shaker High School athletes," says the 33-year-old.
Two years ago, Boyd and business partner Lathan Bennett transformed a former garage on Larchmere Boulevard into Polished Professionals (12511 Larchmere Blvd.), an elegant, upscale barbershop.
"We wanted to create a men's barbershop with a professional atmosphere," explains Boyd.
Polished Professionals, one of a dozen or so barbershops and hair salons on Larchmere, is now a community hub within this multicultural neighborhood. "Barbers are very community-oriented, and we want to be a pillar on Larchmere," says Boyd.
In the past several years, the number of barbershops and hair salons on Larchmere has grown steadily. The street, which has been an art and antiques district for decades, has in recent years added an eclectic, diverse group of services to its retail mix.
Boyd lived in Las Vegas from 2003 until 2005, when he moved home because he was homesick and missed having four seasons. "I lived the Vegas life for a while, but I wanted to raise my family here," he says.
For Boyd, owning his own business was about "starting a legacy and controlling my destiny," he says. "My grandfather was an entrepreneur, and everyone in my family looked up to him. It was also my mom's last wish that I start my business."
Source: James Boyd
Writer: Lee Chilcote
One of the newest members of the Cleveland organization Entrepreneurs for Sustainability (E4S) is an organization known for helping people with special needs. Over the past several months, the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities (Board of DD) has realized ways to help others while helping the environment and the City of Cleveland.
The organization's CleveLand Crops program, in partnership with Stanard Farms and the Ohio State University Extension, is part of the Board of DD's Solutions at Work (S.A.W.) program, which is the state's largest employer of people with disabilities. S.A.W. also operates a discount store in Parma called Just-a-Buck, employing 15 developmentally disabled residents of Cuyahoga County, and Pulley's, a wi-fi coffeehouse in Cleveland's Tyler Village, which employs three adults in the Board of DD program.
CleveLand Crops gives adults with developmental disabilities the chance to nurture plants and vegetables from planting through harvest. The goal of the project is to provide agriculture and employment training for adults by developing 10 sustainable farms that will employ 100 adults from the Board of DD and establishing an Agriculture Education Center at the Stanard Farm to serve as a farming site for CleveLand Crops. Cleveland Crops intends to operate year-round using various facilities in the area.
All of this leads to another goal: repurposing neglected land using sustainable farming practices. Stanard Farm launched in 2010, and this year the Board of DD will open three new farm sites in Cleveland.
SOURCE: Cuyahoga County Board of DD
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
The organization's CleveLand Crops program, in partnership with Stanard Farms and the Ohio State University Extension, is part of the Board of DD's Solutions at Work (S.A.W.) program, which is the state's largest employer of people with disabilities. S.A.W. also operates a discount store in Parma called Just-a-Buck, employing 15 developmentally disabled residents of Cuyahoga County, and Pulley's, a wi-fi coffeehouse in Cleveland's Tyler Village, which employs three adults in the Board of DD program.
CleveLand Crops gives adults with developmental disabilities the chance to nurture plants and vegetables from planting through harvest. The goal of the project is to provide agriculture and employment training for adults by developing 10 sustainable farms that will employ 100 adults from the Board of DD and establishing an Agriculture Education Center at the Stanard Farm to serve as a farming site for CleveLand Crops. Cleveland Crops intends to operate year-round using various facilities in the area.
All of this leads to another goal: repurposing neglected land using sustainable farming practices. Stanard Farm launched in 2010, and this year the Board of DD will open three new farm sites in Cleveland.
SOURCE: Cuyahoga County Board of DD
WRITER: Diane DiPiero
Friday at 9:25 a.m., the screens at Tower City Cinemas will begin flickering with some 150 feature-length films and 130 shorts. So begins the 10-day movie marathon known as the Cleveland International Film Festival, which returns for its 35th year. Tasked with picking the flicks is Artistic Director Bill Guentzler, who views over 600 films per year in his quest to select the best.
glbc scores more gold for its cold products
Great Lakes Brewing Company, Ohio's most celebrated microbrewery, has announced that three of its beers snagged gold medals at the 2011 World Beer Championships, a rigorous and respected beer evaluation conducted by the Beverage Testing Institute of Chicago.
Conway's Irish Ale, a seasonal offering, received 90 points and an "Exceptional" rating in the "Irish Style Ale" category. Commodore Perry, available year-round, earned 92 points and an "Exceptional" rating in the "India Pale Ale" category. Burning River, also available year-round, scored 91 points in the "American Style Pale Ale" category.
These three beers have collectively earned 17 gold medals at the World Beer Championships since GLBC's founding in 1988.
Drink up the rest of the good news here.
Conway's Irish Ale, a seasonal offering, received 90 points and an "Exceptional" rating in the "Irish Style Ale" category. Commodore Perry, available year-round, earned 92 points and an "Exceptional" rating in the "India Pale Ale" category. Burning River, also available year-round, scored 91 points in the "American Style Pale Ale" category.
These three beers have collectively earned 17 gold medals at the World Beer Championships since GLBC's founding in 1988.
Drink up the rest of the good news here.
Palookaville Chili, a new restaurant set to open next month in Ohio City, is seeking to reeducate your taste buds. Owner and budding chef Ian P.E., who says he makes "a mean pot of chili," offers a blunt description of what will set his place apart.
"This is gourmet chili, not the slop you'll find at most places," boasts P.E., who lived in San Francisco before returning to Cleveland in 2007. "Most chili is tomato-based and uses ground beef and cinnamon, whereas our beef is cubed, and we use cumin, dried chilis and poblano peppers. It's based off classic Southwestern cuisine and pretty spicy."
Most of the menu items at Palookaville, which will be open for lunch and dinner, are affordably priced in the $5 to $9 range. Some of the menu choices include chicken verde with fresh poblano and tomatillo, a spicy vegan chili with garbanzo beans, and a rotating special. Toppings include sour cream, onions, cheese and peppers. The menu will also include chili dogs, chili-cheese nachos, and tacos.
P.E. is an artist and entrepreneur who grew up in Cleveland's south suburbs. In 2008 he founded the arts publication Pink Eye Magazine with his girlfriend Leigh Ring to fill a void in local arts coverage, yet all the while he dreamed of opening his own restaurant. Frustrated by the lack of quality chili in his hometown, he decided to create his own brand. "There isn't another place in Cleveland to get authentic chili," he claims.
P.E. isn't worried that the vacant storefronts and slow pace of redevelopment along Lorain will deter patrons. He believes his restaurant will benefit from being close to Ohio City's Market District, which is fast becoming a hub for local food entrepreneurs.
"Cleveland is a great place for entrepreneurs, and Lorain is cheap," he says. "In the past, no one had the balls to put something here."
Source: Ian P.E.
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"This is gourmet chili, not the slop you'll find at most places," boasts P.E., who lived in San Francisco before returning to Cleveland in 2007. "Most chili is tomato-based and uses ground beef and cinnamon, whereas our beef is cubed, and we use cumin, dried chilis and poblano peppers. It's based off classic Southwestern cuisine and pretty spicy."
Most of the menu items at Palookaville, which will be open for lunch and dinner, are affordably priced in the $5 to $9 range. Some of the menu choices include chicken verde with fresh poblano and tomatillo, a spicy vegan chili with garbanzo beans, and a rotating special. Toppings include sour cream, onions, cheese and peppers. The menu will also include chili dogs, chili-cheese nachos, and tacos.
P.E. is an artist and entrepreneur who grew up in Cleveland's south suburbs. In 2008 he founded the arts publication Pink Eye Magazine with his girlfriend Leigh Ring to fill a void in local arts coverage, yet all the while he dreamed of opening his own restaurant. Frustrated by the lack of quality chili in his hometown, he decided to create his own brand. "There isn't another place in Cleveland to get authentic chili," he claims.
P.E. isn't worried that the vacant storefronts and slow pace of redevelopment along Lorain will deter patrons. He believes his restaurant will benefit from being close to Ohio City's Market District, which is fast becoming a hub for local food entrepreneurs.
"Cleveland is a great place for entrepreneurs, and Lorain is cheap," he says. "In the past, no one had the balls to put something here."
Source: Ian P.E.
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The idea behind Urban Infant came to Eric Eichhorn when his sister Kelly Friedl had her first child. "All of the baby gear had ducks, bunnies or bears on it," he recalls. "I wanted to get beyond pink and blue to something that had solid, hip colors and was edgy."
Eichhorn and Friedl, who lived in Chicago, dreamed of products that would be geared towards parents "making the conscious decision to raise kids in an urban environment," Eichhorn explains. Friedl's expertise in graphic design combined with Eichhorn's business background led to the formation, in 2001, of Urban Infant.
Today, the Urban Infant has taken on a life of its own and sales are growing. In January, the partners leased a workshop in the 78th Street Studios, a complex of creative-minded businesses in the Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood. "We used to work out of our homes and closets, but then we went to an L.A. trade show, got a rep and began to expand," explains Eichhorn, who moved to Cleveland in 2004.
The Urban Infant's biggest seller is the Tot Cot, an all-in-one pillow, blanket and bed sheet that makes naptime simple for toddlers attending daycare or preschool. The Tot Cot's bedding is made of recycled PET plastic bottles. "It's cool to give someone something that has a previous life," says Eichhorn, who has made sustainability a core aspect of the business.
The Urban Infant also recently created a line of washable bibs made from recycled plastic bags. The bibs, each of which is unique and handmade, feature slogans such as "Thank You" and "American Greetings" (where Eichhorn now works as a business consultant). Priced at $18, the bibs are available at boutiques and museum stores across the country, as well as online.
The bibs are created by fusing together layers of plastic bags using a heat press. Eichhorn regularly scours the recycling bin at Dave's Supermarket in Ohio City for bags, ignoring strange looks from passers-by. He has also enlisted his friends in foreign countries to help collect bags, especially unusual ones.
Although Eichhorn and Friedl have yet to quit their day jobs, Urban Infant has gained a following. In January, the company's products were featured in Parenting magazine and on the Today Show.
Eichhorn and his wife recently celebrated the birth of their daughter Essa. Despite not getting enough sleep, Eichhorn is already working on several new product lines. And now that he has a child of his own, he's even more dialed in to the needs of urban parents.
Source: Eric Eichhorn
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Eichhorn and Friedl, who lived in Chicago, dreamed of products that would be geared towards parents "making the conscious decision to raise kids in an urban environment," Eichhorn explains. Friedl's expertise in graphic design combined with Eichhorn's business background led to the formation, in 2001, of Urban Infant.
Today, the Urban Infant has taken on a life of its own and sales are growing. In January, the partners leased a workshop in the 78th Street Studios, a complex of creative-minded businesses in the Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood. "We used to work out of our homes and closets, but then we went to an L.A. trade show, got a rep and began to expand," explains Eichhorn, who moved to Cleveland in 2004.
The Urban Infant's biggest seller is the Tot Cot, an all-in-one pillow, blanket and bed sheet that makes naptime simple for toddlers attending daycare or preschool. The Tot Cot's bedding is made of recycled PET plastic bottles. "It's cool to give someone something that has a previous life," says Eichhorn, who has made sustainability a core aspect of the business.
The Urban Infant also recently created a line of washable bibs made from recycled plastic bags. The bibs, each of which is unique and handmade, feature slogans such as "Thank You" and "American Greetings" (where Eichhorn now works as a business consultant). Priced at $18, the bibs are available at boutiques and museum stores across the country, as well as online.
The bibs are created by fusing together layers of plastic bags using a heat press. Eichhorn regularly scours the recycling bin at Dave's Supermarket in Ohio City for bags, ignoring strange looks from passers-by. He has also enlisted his friends in foreign countries to help collect bags, especially unusual ones.
Although Eichhorn and Friedl have yet to quit their day jobs, Urban Infant has gained a following. In January, the company's products were featured in Parenting magazine and on the Today Show.
Eichhorn and his wife recently celebrated the birth of their daughter Essa. Despite not getting enough sleep, Eichhorn is already working on several new product lines. And now that he has a child of his own, he's even more dialed in to the needs of urban parents.
Source: Eric Eichhorn
Writer: Lee Chilcote