Clevelandiana

7.19-7.26.06

Clevelandiana

In this week’s issue:
* Cool Cleveland’s Get Wild Natural History party 8/10 Get tix here before midnight 7/20
* Access:Cleveland Cuyahoga County Commissioner Tim Hagan
* Cool Cleveland Comment Cleveland Americana by Kelly McCloskey
* Signs of Life on Planet Cleveland Kids in the (Rock) Hall by David Budin
* Cool Cleveland People Richard Zack, senior partner of tech company Pantek
* Cool Cleveland Preview Bloggapalooza 2K6
* Cool Cleveland Sounds The Sweetness of Rejection by Girth
* RoldoLINK Pony up again for Dick Jacobs
* Cool Cleveland Kids podcast click here, CC podcast click here, CC Blog click here

What is Cleveland? A governmental entity? A spot on the map? A rallying point for a region? A state of mind? This past sizzling week, with Ingenuity and Harborfest/Tall Ships setting the pace, Cleveland was literally on fire. We hosted over 60 travel writers from around the world, and took them out in just one night to the Ritz, the Renaissance, the Rock Hall, then over to Fat Fish Blue for Robert Lockwood, Jr., then to the Velvet Tango Room, then to the Foundation Room. By the end of the weekend, these hard-bitten, cynical journalists from England, Toronto & Philly were flabbergasted, their cell phone cameras packed with images of a city alive and breathing fire. Cleveland, on the other hand, was just being itself.

Former Clevelander Kelly McCloskey lives in England now, but pines for Northeast Ohio. County Commissioner Tim Hagan spent time with me on video, outlining his priorities for passing the November arts levy, while generally making this a better place to live. Get ready for Bloggapalooza with a preview by Peter Chakerian, read Roldo’s rant about Dick Jacobs, and bask in the oh-so-Cleveland events teed up for you this week: a meeting about turning the West Shoreway into a Boulevard, a young professionals gathering with Mayor Frank Jackson, even a Cool Cleveland party at the Natural History Museum. What could be more Clevelandish? –Thomas Mulready

When Nature Calls
Cool Cleveland Get Wild party
Super low price until Thu 7/20 midnight here!

Get Wild at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History’s first Cool Cleveland party on Thu 8/10 at 5:30PM. As one of Cool Cleveland’s first partners, the Natural History Museum has come up with an incredible event to celebrate their new Jane Goodall exhibit and the exciting activities of their young professionals group, the Nature League. And we’ve come up with one massive Cool Cleveland party to inspire your wild side. Get tix here before midnight Thu 7/20 for your lowest possible price. Check the cool, new gallery of photos from our CC/Ingenuity party last week here.

The Nature League is hosting an amazing night of exotic food and fun that includes:

  • Live music by Gene Pool , an alt rock/country band, flown in especially for this party from Austin, TX
  • Open bar with beer and wine
  • Unlimited tantalizing menu of incredible appetizers
  • A comp ticket to the much talked about Jane Goodall exhibit and access to all other Museum exhibits (see Peter Chakerian’s Instant Karma review of Discovering Chimpanzees below).
  • A comp ticket to see Verb Ballets Planet Soup, a special athletic hybrid of dance styles from around the world, performed @ 8PM in the Museum’s auditorium
  • A comp ticket for planetarium shows hosted by Astronomers Clyde Simpson and Jason Davis
  • Plus, a secret rendevous on the observation deck, open to view the night sky (weather permitting)
  • An exclusive offer for CC party goers for one night only – 50% off your Nature League membership. The NL is the Museum’s organization for adults over 21 who share interests in the environment, nature and science. Special events, parties and outings are planned throughout the year

All this at one incredible price, if you score your tix online before midnight Thu 7/20
here. See map here. Get your tix online before midnight 7/20 for your best deal.
https://CoolCleveland.net/tickets/081006/index.php

Access:Cleveland
Tim Hagan
Cuyahoga County Commissioner
Movies Behind the Scenes

Tim Hagan is one of three Cuyahoga County Commissioners whose job it is to see after the welfare of the citizens of the County. See Cool Cleveland interview with Commissioner Peter Lawson Jones here, and watch for an upcoming interview with Commissioner Jimmy DiMora. They run programs on Health & Human Services, finance and justice services. They manage the largest government budget in the state of Ohio. But unlike the City of Cleveland, with it’s dwindling tax receipts, Cuyahoga County has has the funds to create economic development programs such as the ACE awards (Arts and Culture as Economic Development) and an innovative Fatherhood initiative. Cool Cleveland’s Thomas Mulready caught up with Commissioner Hagan at Artefino Cafe in the Tower Press Building, and they discussed the upcoming arts levy/cigarette tax, casino gambling, the human services levy, the contentious Gubanatorial and Senatorial races, and how the Internet is “the engine that is driving campaigns.” Then follow the NewsLINKS below to read more about the upcoming arts levy.

MOVIE Cuyahoga County Commissioner Tim Hagan in the new video gallery here

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Get Exotic in the Glasshouse when you visit the best “Butterfly House” in Ohio, filled with hundreds of exotic butterflies at Cleveland Botanical Garden. Watch large, colorful African butterflies flutter by this summer only in the Madagascar biome of the Glasshouse. Enjoy over 20 species of Costa Rican butterflies, which glint like jewels against the emerald foliage in the Costa Rican biome of the Glasshouse, the only place in Ohio where you can see butterflies flying about year round! Ohio has over 120 species of native butterflies – come see these delightful creatures dancing among 10 acres of gorgeous, award-winning gardens. Makes for a great date night or just some family fun. There is no additional charge to experience the butterflies. Free with admission. Now open! Mon–Sat 10AM – 5PM; Sun 12PM – 5PM; Wed evening open until 9PM. Contact 216-707-2834 or www.CBGarden.org for more info.
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Cool Cleveland Comment
Cleveland Americana
By former Clevelander Kelly McCloskey of Abingdon, England

I realize it’s not entirely popular to be an American living anywhere but America these days. We take a lot of flack and are, in a weird way, somehow obligated to apologize for the sins of our Chief Executive Sweaty-toothed Primate. The Beast has made it difficult for the rest of us, there’s no denying it.

But I don’t care. Tomorrow I am taking off work and going to some gritty English beach to watch the foamy tide roll in and some of the grit wash out.

Because I do miss America. I miss WMMS and WNCX in spite of the fact I used to curse them for not playing music in the mornings. I miss the sticky-gritty Cleveland heat that hits you like a ton of bricks and left you feeling as though some giant hand had just squeezed the air out of your lungs. I miss the insane unreliability of the RTA and the oddly pleasant chemical smell of their bus seats. I miss Life-Savers. I miss commercials for something other than Big Brother. Hell, I miss commercials! Those cheesy self-funded things that could only ever afford time slots in the middle of the afternoon or at three a.m. – sometimes both.

I miss GARFIELD-1-2323. I miss hating the Flats, cursing downtown traffic and the boiling rage of constant baseball commercials, games, memorabilia and general twattery. I miss going to the Big Egg and, upon finding they were closed by Health Authorities, going to the Hot Dog Inn. I miss French Onion Soup at Tommy’s and browsing at Big Fun. Hell, I even miss the insanity of the I – 480 / 90 / 77 asphalt ballet every morning…
Read more from Kelly McCloskey here

Make a Pass at Us, We Won’t Turn You Down Pass Cool Cleveland onto your friends and you will both be eligible to win a Video iPod, compliments of Cool Cleveland. No purchase necessary. Enter as many friends as you wish. The more friends you enter, the greater your chances of winning. Sign up by going here.

NewsLINKS

  • Arts Levy If you want to support the arts levy, first get your facts straight about the cigarette tax. For example, read the story here, and find out that Ohio’s smoking-caused Medicaid costs are currently $1 billion in taxpayers’ money. For details on how the arts will be enhanced, you should really check out the fact sheet here, and learn that the $20 million a year generated by the cig tax can only go for arts & culture funding in Cuyahoga.
  • Clinic plans to privatize Euclid Avenue The Cleveland Clinic, the #3 hospital in the US, according to US News & World Report, and a powerful economic engine for jobs and biotech start-ups, has unveiled plans to close Euclid Avenue to car traffic from E. 86th to E. 107th, creating a pedestrian-friendly campus center. The Clinic, which earned over $3 billion last year, and does not pay taxes, has not been known for its sensitivity to its economically challenged neighborhood, has not released any plans for how it might compensate the City for the use of Euclid Avenue, or for the $23 million portion of the Euclid Corridor Project, which runs right through their proposed new campus. See story here, and let us know how you feel here: Letters@CoolCleveland.com.
  • ODOT continues to ignore public input Why is the Ohio Department of Transportation fast-tracking the critical $275 million (your money) Innerbelt bridge replacement project without allowing the public to see their plans or offer their input? They haven’t released their Conceptual Alternatives Study, promised in Nov 05, which gives their reasoning for ignoring County Planning Director Paul Alsenas’ intriguing alternate plan. The speedy timetable chokes off the study that Midtown Cleveland’s Jim Haviland has commissioned on the effects of the massive closing of virtually all Innerbelt exit ramps. And why did ODOT quietly bring noted Swiss bridge engineer Christian Menn to Cleveland without a public meeting? See story here, then write to ODOT Director Gordon Proctor 614-466-2335 gordon.proctor@dot.state.oh.us and his boss, Governor Bob Taft 614-466-3555 here, and don’t forget to Cc: us at Letters@CoolCleveland.com.
  • Cool Cleveland Kids Events for kids are thicker than the shallow end of the community swimming pool. How to choose? Cool Cleveland correspondent Max Mulready picks his favs. Hear his short podcast here. If you’re a whiz kid, you can download it to your iPod or your computer and listen with your own kid. Check below to see the events tagged CC KIDS under Cool Cleveland This Week for our recommendations for a fantastic family week. http://www.coolcleveland.com/files/audio/CoolClevelandKids07.21.06.mp3. Adding this link to your program that catches podcasts, will keep you up-to-date on the latest audio.
  • Google adds 1000 jobs in Michigan Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm has been touting her Cool Cities initiative, and sweetened the pot with $38 million in tax credits over 20 years, but the real reason Google is building their new AdWords headquarters in Ann Arbor is because of the talent pool from the nearby University of Michigan, an “exceptional example” of a university town fueling job growth. See story here. Next, another 1200 spin-off jobs in the region. Their region. Your thoughts? Letters@CoolCleveland.com
  • Corporate blogging We’ve been saying this for months; maybe now that Business Week? is all over it, local businesses will pay attention. Dell, Microsoft and Apple have started corporate blogs, with ground rules clearly stated, allowing employees and customers to post. Why would a company allow such an open forum? While not risk-free, blogs on corporate web sites would allow smart management to receive unvarnished feedback, to directly speak with its most passionate customers, deliver specialized information to a niche market, and build buzz. Our suggestion? Get your CEO to blog, even if it’s once a week. Give out tips on how to succeed in your industry, and blog about how you’ve solved your customers’ problems. Chances are, the right people will be paying attention. And we’re all about building buzz. See Business Week? here.

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Get $3,000 for Your Two Cents because we think you can help solve some of Northeast Ohio’s toughest challenges like public school funding, urban sprawl and racial isolation. And to prove it we’re going to give you $3,000 in NEO Bucks, a virtual currency you can spend to show how you think we should invest our resources to make Northeast Ohio an even better place. To trade in your good ideas for NEO Bucks, go to www.voiceschoices.org/choicebook, complete one or more Choicebooks, interactive exercises that describe the tough choices we face, then offer your solutions. The public priorities expressed and gathered through the Choicebooks will influence the Voices & Choices Regional Town Meeting and leader forums in the fall that will produce our region’s economic action agenda.
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NewsLINKS

  • NEO’s “tough choices” Ask any group of Northeast Ohioans what needs to be done to revitalize our region and the answers you’ll get will be as diverse as the group itself. So just where do we begin? Voices & Choices unveiled a series of options, or “tough choices,” for overcoming the region’s greatest challenges based on the input of nearly 20,000 people from across Northeast Ohio. Over the summer, the public will evaluate and rate the options through online surveys called Choicebooks at http://www.voiceschoices.org/choicebook. Where do you think change in NEO should begin? Letters@CoolCleveland.com.
  • Hess travels, lectures, shows Cleveland artist, Derek Hess, is in demand. By the beginning of next year he will have traveled nearly 17,000 miles between five cities, held shows featuring his art work, promoted new apparel and a new website for Strhess Clothing as well as made stops at the 2006 edition of the Strhess Tour. All the while continuing to create the pieces that helped make him a household name in both the art and music industry, crafting posters for artists such as Fall Out Boy and Lewis Black of The Daily Show fame. Check out the Strhess Tour 2006 at http://www.strhesstour.com/. Thoughts? Letters@CoolCleveland.com.
  • Food Network hip to Nighttown Not only is Nighttown in Cleveland Heights one of the best jazz clubs out there – period – it happens to be a pretty darn good place to eat, too. The food is make-you-wanna-smack-your-mamma good. The Food Network’s Rachel Ray recently investigated the fine fare and ultracool cocktails at Nighttown for herself. If you missed the episode, which just aired, you can catch the encore showings on the Food Network on Fri 8/4 at 9:30PM and again at 12:30AM. Learn more here.
  • Cool Cleveland Podcast Cool things to do this week in Cleveland, at the click of a button. http://www.coolcleveland.com/files/audio/CoolCleveland07.21.06.mp3. Don’t forget, you can subscribe to this podcast by saving this link in your favorite program that catches podcasts.
  • Private schools suck valuable dollars from public schools because of policies allowing taxpayer-financed vouchers to be used to pay for private education. And now a new report from the National Center for Education Statistics shows that kids don’t receive a better education from private schools, either. Reading and math scores for public school children are as good or better than the score from private school children. So there must be other reasons that people are paying so much of their own (and tax) money on private schools. See report here, and let us know how you feel: Letters@CoolCleveland.com.
  • Making Ends Meet The cost of securing a safe and decent, yet modest, standard of living is close to twice the official poverty line for working families in Ohio’s rural areas, and between two and three times the poverty thresholds in urban areas. Current poverty measures do not begin to address the economic challenges facing working parents struggling to make ends meet; unexpected events like illness or job loss can expose such families to serious or critical economic hardships. Download the Policy Matters Ohio report here. What do you think? Letters@CoolCleveland.com.

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Bloggapalooza 2K6 It’s been a busy year for bloggers here in Northeast Ohio. A year ago, they started doing hour-long interviews with civic leaders and posting them to the internet AKA doing podcasts. Know something? No one else in the world is doing anything similar. Only here in Cleveland. Come to see what it’s all about at Bloggapalooza on Sat 7/22 between 2-10PM @ The Town Fryer. Try the sweet tea, fried pickles, and cajun mussels, but save room for dessert. You’ve got to try a fried twinkie! Stay for music from 10 area bands. Click here for details.
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Emissions from the blogsphere Scott Bakalar posts the lyrics to a song from their upcoming albums. Gloria is wondering about the “independence” of the Bond Accountability Panel. Roger Bundy reviews the proposed Ohio Learn & Earn amendment. Scott posts pics from Ingenuity. Jeff Buster posts a picture of Mayor Frank Jackson with the kids from the Building Bridges Mural Program. Check the Cool Cleveland weblog here where Peter Chakerian doubles down on Ingenuity and thinks aloud about the cigarette arts tax. When you’re through, add your own comments, questions and attitude. Letters@CoolCleveland.com.

Cool Cleveland This Week
6.21-6.28

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

Lakefront West Public Meeting The Lakefront West Project is working to connect the neighborhoods with the lakefront by creating multimodal connections along the West Shoreway. Learn more about the project by attending the Wed 7/19 meeting from 6-8PM. Sagrada Familia Catholic Church, 7719 Detroit Avenue. www.Innerbelt.org.

Lancaster Festival Musicians and artists from around the world present classical and contemporary music, jazz, dance and art exhibits from Thu 7/20 through Sat 7/29. The Pointer Sisters, 10,000 Maniacs and Peter Cetera are among the scheduled performers and several events will be offered without cost. See the full schedule and get directions by visiting http://www.LanFest.org or calling 800-526-3378. Lancaster.

Meet The Champions Breakfast These champions have great ideas to grow Cleveland. Meet the founders of CityProwl; S.O.U.P (Society of Urban Professionals) and Entrepreneur’s Edge on Thu 7/20 at 8AM. Come and find out how you can get involved or turn your great idea into a reality during this no-cost breakfast event. Registration is required by sending an email with “Register” in the subject line to info@civicinnovationlab.org. Include your name and company name in the email. Trinity Commons, 2230 Euclid Avenue. No-cost parking: Enter on Prospect before East 22nd.

Celebration of Preservation Celebrate historic preservation in our region and help recognize outstanding preservation projects that are making positive changes in our communities during a special event on Thu 7/20 at 5:30PM. The program includes munchies and a cash bar. Visit http://www.ClevelandRestoration.org for more info. Playhouse Square, Hanna Theatre, 2067 East 14th Street.

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Mixer on the Marsh Mingle with members over drinks and entertainment on the boardwalk overlooking the marsh and take advantage of membership specials on Thu 7/20 from 5:30 – 8:30PM. Register online at http://www.shakerlakes.org/mixer. Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, 2600 South Park Boulevard.

CC KIDS Coventry Street Arts Fair Browse the wares of more than 60 vendors and Northeast Ohio farmers during this family event on Thu 7/20 from 6-9PM. Kids can take part in a cool family art project led by the Cleveland Museum of Art’s Robin Van Lear and her staff, at the north end of the District. Blue Lunch will crank out the tunes during this fun family festival. Coventry.

Textiles by Eugenia Vainberg Join the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes for a celebration of the exhibition, Textiles by Eugenia Vainberg, on Thu 7/20 at 6PM. Take in Vainberg’s very unique and beautiful works – on view through the end of July – followed by refreshments. Call 321-5935. Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, Anne Burton Conference Room, 2600 South Park Boulevard, Shaker Heights.

Akron Arts Expo Quality arts and crafts take center stage at this exciting event which features live entertainment, a children’s area, great food, and more. New this year – Taste of Akron, on Thu 7/20 from 6-9PM – featuring local restaurants showcasing Akron’s food. Don’t miss the 8th Annual Wine Tasting and Silent Auction, Fri 7/21 from 6-8:30PM where you can sample more than 60 wines, beer, and tasty hors d’oeuvres. The Arts Expo is on Sat 7/22 and Sun 7/23 from 10AM to 6PM. Admission to the expo is no cost. Call 330-375-2835 for tickets to the Wine Tasting and Taste of Akron. Hardesty Park, Corner or W. Market St & Wallhaven Drive, Akron.

Listing Tip of the Week Don’t be a Ramblin’ Man. The target word count for an event listing in Cool Cleveland is less than 100 words; so using 1500 words to tell us about your event – probably not a good idea. We like ’em short, sweet and sassy with just a little sauce on the side. Need a few guidelines? You’ll find them here. Events@CoolCleveland.com.

Mary Magdalene, The First Apostle: The Struggle for Authority Can’t get enough of the DaVinci Code? FutureChurch and John Carroll University present a lecture by Ann Graham Brock, Ph.D., on “Mary Magdalene, The First Apostle: The Struggle for Authority” on Thu 7/20 at 7PM. She will examine why some Christian texts portray Mary Magdalene as the “apostle to the apostles,” while others exclude or replace her. Call 228-0869 for more info. St. Francis Chapel, John Carroll University. http://www.FutureChurch.org.

Nat King Cole & Friends Actors’ Summit Theater announces the world premiere of a new work, Nat King Cole & Friends. The play, described as a bio-cabaret, presents 23 songs made famous by the Chicago jazz artist as well as stories about his family and career. Attend the preview performance on Thu 7/20. The play runs on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8PM and on Sundays at 2PM through 8/13. Call 330-342-0800 for tickets. Actor’s Summit Theater, 86 Owen Brown Street, Hudson. http://www.ActorsSummit.org.

CC KIDS Tops Kidsfest Bring the kids out for a romp in Cleveland’s ultimate summer playground. Kids can explore the educational landscape, join in contests and listen to live performances at this family-friendly outing which features performances by The Zoppe Family Circus and the Stars of Tomorrow Stage. The event runs from Fri 7/21 through Sun 7/23 from 10AM-5PM. Call 440-247-4FUN for info. Tower City Amphitheater, 1887 West 3rd Street. http://www.cleveland.com/kidsfest/.

HOT PICK CC KIDS Painesville Party in the Park This three-day event kicks off on Fri 7/21 at 11AM with a singer/songwriter showcase and runs through Sun 7/23 at 11PM. Check out a wide range of high-voltage music from local heavy hitters like The Uncanny Xe La, Infinite Number of Sounds, The Colin Dussault Blues Project, Kristine Jackson & Basically Blue and tons more. The vibe will swing from Indie Rock to Blues to Jazz Fusion to Retro Glam to Reggae and beyond. If you’ve got a pulse – there is something here for you. The no-cost Kids Zone features giant inflatables including an obstacle course, mountain climbing and a climbing wall. You won’t want to miss this one. http://www.PainesvillePartyInThePark.com/. Painesville Square, bordered by Main Street, Richmond Street, North Park Place and South Park Place, Painesville.

CC KIDS Ohio Challenge Hot Air Balloon Festival brings together 30 of the best hot air balloon pilots in the Midwest to compete in a sanctioned event that features early morning and early evening balloon flights, weather permitting. There will be several unique, special shape balloons and a full weekend of family fun on Fri 7/21 from 4-10PM, Sat 7/22 at 12-10PM and Sun 7/23 from 12-7PM. Scheduled events include rugby games, arts and crafts, foods, sky divers, concerts, and cold air balloon walks. Yeah, it’s nearly a four-hour drive – but it’s a heck of a lot closer than New Mexico! Call 888-664-3353 for more info. Smith Park, 500 Tytus Avenue, Middletown. http://www.OhioChallenge.com.

HOT PICK Drew Roth Drew is a self-taught, primitive, expressionistic artist who began painting in Cleveland, Ohio in 1980. His work is filled with frenetic energy and is ever-changing, drawn from a synthesis of his journeys and thoughts. Since his move to New York City in 1986, Drew has continued to build a strong body of work in an effort to influence the New York art world. Attend the opening reception for Drew’s latest exhibit on Fri 7/21 from 5:30 – 10PM. Call 707-9390. Pennello Gallery, 12404 Mayfield Road. www.PennelloGallery.com.

HOT PICK Young Professionals & City of Cleveland with Mayor Frank Jackson Join Mayor Jackson, on Fri 7/21 from 6-9PM, for a discussion on the importance of diversity and its impact on the overall economic growth in the City of Cleveland and the NEO region. Meet and mingle with young entrepreneurs and other civic individuals from diverse backgrounds, to meet, network and become engaged in Mayor Frank Jackson’s plan for the City and region as well as enhancing relationships that may lead to future collaborations. Hors D’oeuvres, cocktail, beer and punch will be served and a live band will perform. There is no cost to attend; but you must RSVP here. Cleveland Botanical Garden, 11030 East Boulevard, University Circle.

CC KIDS Latin Music Extravaganza Get ready for an exciting Latin music extravaganza on Fri 7/21 at 7PM when special guest, Bobby Sanabria, renowned jazz and Afro-Cuban drummer/percussionist, composer, educator, and multi-Grammy-nominated recording artist joins Roberto Ocasio’s Latin Jazz Project and the Roberto Ocasio Latin Jazz “Youth” Project for a sizzling community concert that will knock your socks off. This one’s on the house – so save your cash for gas. Fine & Performing Arts Center at Lake Erie College, 391 West Washington Street, Painesville. http://www.lec.edu.

British Invasion Feel the Beatles beat as tribute band Hard Days Night opens for Tim Piper’s critically acclaimed tribute to John Lennon’s solo years in Working Class Hero during an evening of classic, English-flavored melodies on Fri 7/21 at 7PM during the next installation of the no-cost “Rock The Lock” concert series. Patrons can choose from assorted festival foods provided by select vendors or bring their own picnic to the park. Visit http://www.Lock3Live.com or call 330-535-3178 for event info. Lock3 Live is located next to the Akron Civic Theatre at 200 South Main Street, Akron.

CC KIDS Stephen Sondheim’s Musical Time Machine Merrily We Roll Along begins in the present and moves backward, tracing the lives of wealthy Broadway composer Franklin Shepard and his two estranged friends through each milestone of their personal and professional lives. The good and the bad: career success, marriage, awards, famous people, big money, fame, love and divorce. The show expertly blends the excitement and energy of a backstage musical with a poignant and emotional contemporary story about the importance of staying true to one’s ideals. The show kicks off on Fri 7/21 at 7:30PM and runs through 8/4. Visit http://www.NearWestTheatre.org for ticket info and show times. St. Patrick’s Club Building, 3606 Bridge Avenue, Ohio City.

Sunday in the Park with George takes a poignant and compelling look at Impressionist artist Georges Seurat and brings his Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grand Jatte to life. The musical is as much about watching a genius create his masterpiece as it is a commentary on the joys and frustrations of creating art in a commercial world. Catch one of the next performances on Fri 7/21, Sat 7/22 or Sun 7/23 at 8PM. Performances run Fri through Sun through Sun 7/30. Visit www.lakelandcc.edu to learn more. Lakeland Theatre, 7700 Clocktower Drive, Kirtland.

Chad & Jeremy The folkish British duo Chad & Jeremy will perform on Fri 7/21 at 8PM. The duo found fame and success in the US during the British Invasion led by the Beatles. Call 330-677-5005 or visit http://www.KentStage.org for tickets to a fab night of fun. Kent Stage, 175 East Main Street, Kent.

HOT PICK The Great ARTdoors DJ R.A. Washington will get the crowd primed with a mix of rare groove, jazz and hip-hop, while movie-goers set up their lawn chairs and keep cool with tempting libations from the donations ARTbar. Then at sunset, the MOCA building will be transformed into an outdoor theater and stage as six bands and producers perform live – each scoring their own 20 minute soundtrack to the Orson Wells classic, Citizen Kane. Don’t miss this interminably cool outdoor film and music showcase on Fri 7/21 from 8-11PM. MOCA Cleveland, 8501 Carnegie Avenue. www.MocaCleveland.com.

WCLVnotes This Sun 7/23 at 2PM, WCLV 104.9 will present a live broadcast from the Encore School for Strings at the Western Reserve Academy in Hudson. The broadcast will take place in the historic Chapel at the Academy and will feature several of the outstanding teen aged students and faculty members from Encore. There will be another Encore Live broadcast on Thu 7/27 at 8PM. Yet, another live broadcast featuring very talented teen musicians will be coveraged by WCLV at the 2006 Oberlin International Piano Competition on Sat 7/29 at 8PM. Complete details of all of WCLV’s classical music programming are available online at www.wclv.com .

YMCA Art Exhibit & Sale Help raise much-needed funds for the YMCA and snag beautiful original art pieces for yourself during this event on Sat 7/22 from 12-5PM. The exhibit features professional works of art in clay, acrylic, leather, oils, watercolor, and other media by artists including beauwhiteflower, Danielle DiBenedetto, Char’lene Johnson-Brown, Lorraine Johnson-Davis, C.P. Kelley, Mary Kenney, Erl Lumpkin, N1X, Mary Ellen Salo, Cunliffe Stevens, and Adrienne Younger. Admission and off-street parking at no-cost. Butler Hall, 2200 Prospect Avenue.

Mystery in the Circle “Game’s afoot” on Sat 7/22 at 8:30AM. A fundraising Scavenger Hunt throughout University Circle to support the mission of Adult Guardianship Services will put teams of four detectives each on the case in a hunt that will begin and end at Cleveland Botanical Garden. The low-cost admission gets you in the game and includes refreshments, canvas event bag, raffles, prizes, admission to the Botanical Garden and a box lunch after the Hunt. Register on-line at www.agscleveland.org or call 696-1132, ext. 143. Cleveland Botanical Garden, 11030 East Boulevard.

Cleveland SCORES Tired of run-of-the-mill team-building exercises? Then how about building a team and getting some real exercise during an all-day, no suckers allowed soccer tournament that will put you in friendly competition with other Cleveland businesses for a great cause. The Sat 7/22 tournament, from 9AM to 4PM, will benefit Cleveland SCORES – a unique youth development organization that provides intensive poetry, soccer and community service programming after school to over 300 at-risk children, living in the City of Cleveland. Breakfast and lunch are provided for all registered players and volunteers. Players also score two cool Adidas jerseys. Call 308-1060 or email mschuman@americascores.org to get involved. Tri-C Metro Campus Soccer Field. http://www.ClevelandScores.org.

Avail 4 is reality dating theatre – an original singles event/theatre production that opens in September. Local singles can get in on the action and be one of the 25 singles that will give a live performance during the show by attending the upcoming info sessions on Sat 7/22 and Sun 7/23 at 11AM. Pre-register for the event online at http://www.Avail4.com.

HOT PICK Bloggapalooza What happens when you mix together scores of bloggers, politicians, 10 area bands, poetry, free wifi, cajun food, drinks, and fried twinkies? We have no idea—we’ve never done it before! That shouldn’t stop you from coming down and checking it out. Meet the bloggers and the people they’ve interviewed Sat 7/22 from 2-10PM at the Town Fryer. 3859 Superior Ave. http://www.TheTownFryer.com

Music Saves 2nd Birthday Party Cleveland’s own independent record store specializing in Indie Rock and Americana will mark the terrible twos with a no-cost concert performed by local acts like Machine Go Boom, This Moment in Black History, The Very Knees and The Celebrity Pilots on Sat 7/22. The show kicks off in the Beachland Tavern at 2PM and there will be tasty BBQ right outside the doors. Enjoy BBQ and drinks during an art opening reception for Orange Chairs and White Belts (artwork by Joey Parlett) in Music Saves around 6PM-ish. Beachland Tavern, 15711 Waterloo Road. Call 481-1875 for info. http://www.MusicSaves.com.

The Super Fly Show Don’t miss the show that is being billed as “the most bad ass art show of the summer.” See the work of over a dozen of Cleveland’s hottest up and coming artists. It all goes down on Sat 7/22 starting at 6PM. From there, the Super-fly guests roll over to the rock’n after party at Mullen’s (21 and over only) from 9PM – 2AM. That’s all you need to know. Can you dig it? Call 227-8440 with questions. The Pop Shop Gallery and Studio, 17020 Madison Avenue, Lakewood. http://www.myspace.com/thepopshopgallery.

Outdoor Historic Drama about Kent Celebrate Kent’s Bicentennial with an outdoor historic drama on Sat 7/22 at 7:30PM and Sun 7/23 at 3PM. Dawn Falls, The Founding of Franklin Mills, Ohio tells the story of early settlement along the banks of the Cuyahoga River in what is now called Kent, Ohio. Taking actual quotes from Christian Cackler’s Recollections of an Old Settler, as well as other historical references, the drama relates the tale of two intersecting cultures. Call 330-673-4970 with questions. Heritage Park, Below the Main Street Bridge in Downtown Kent. http://www.StandingRock.net.

Mind Riot and Degameth have teamed up to put on a benefit concert, on Sat 7/22 at 9PM, to help equip the new building for Ferrets Unlimited – a non-profit, no kill Ferret Shelter. You’ll get two great bands in a great bar for just a 10-spot. Maple Grove, 14832 Pease Road (Old Granger Rd), Maple Heights. http://www.MapleGroveBar.com/. http://www.FerretsUnlimited.org.

Taste of Tremont Enjoy tasty dishes, peruse art by local talent and purchase from local vendors during this exciting event that will put Tremont’s best foot forward on Sun 7/23 from 1 to 8PM. Call 522-9740 or visit www.RestoreTremont.com to learn more. Professor Commercial District, Tremont.

HOT PICK Performance Ecology Workshop Unleash your creativity with this intense and powerful workshop in performance art that is coming to Akron Mon 7/24 to Sun 7/30. Limited enrollment allows for maximum training. Performance Ecology is more than a workshop; it is a performance event that encourages the task of creating culture – hands on. Contact nwpl@lycos.com to register or for more information. http://www.nwplab.org/.

River Run Jazz Enjoy an evening of jazz that kicks off on Mon 7/24 with a pre-concert lecture at 6:30PM, hosted by John Simna from WCLV 104.9 FM. Mainstream jazz and standards performed by The Ed Michaels Jazz Quartet with guest vocalist Debbie Gifford follows at 7:30PM. Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Happy Days Visitor Center, State Route 303, (about 1 mile west of State Route 8), Boston Heights. www.nps.gov.

Inlet Dance Theatre will give its annual no-cost family-friendly performances at Cain Park on Tue 7/25 at 1PM ( a narrated KidzArt concert) and on Wed 7/26 at 8PM. Works will include The Door, – a suite of dances to Brahms Variations about redemption and transformation created by Steve Rooks and Ascension, a remounting of a sculptural work Artistic Director/Founder Bill Wade created in 1998. Visit http://www.InletDance.org to learn more. http://www.CainPark.com. Cain Park Evans Amphitheater (intersection of Lee Road and Superior Road), Cleveland Heights.

Small Business Tech Woes? As a home-based business, do you find it difficult to get IT help? Or are you interested in increasing traffic to your Web site? Then the COSE Networks Technology Fair is where you need to be. This info/networking tech fair will kick-off with a four-person panel discussion on search engine optimization, web hosting, virus protection and network security and new PC products. Immediately following, you will have the opportunity to meet IT companies that specifically want to work with home-based businesses. Register for the Wed 7/26 event from 1-5PM at www.cose.org/events. LaCentre Conference and Banquet Facility, 25777 Detroit Road, Westlake.

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

Signs of Life on Planet Cleveland
The Kids in the (Rock) Hall
By David Budin

You know what’s my least favorite Cleveland argument? Not that I have a favorite one – but the worst is the one about who should or shouldn’t be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

There are people who say the whole thing is a joke because Del Shannon’s not in. There are those who say it’s a joke because the Sex Pistols are in. Some say it’ll never be legitimate until Freddy Cannon is inducted. Others say there’s no way that the Beach Boys should have been inducted. It’s like any art form; everyone likes different parts of it.

I watched a guy-on-the-street interview on MTV, where a long-haired 50-year-old Brooklynite yelled, “I know that one day KISS will be abducted in the Hall of Fame.”

Well, that may the only way they’ll get in. But wait – there I go, showing my bias. I mean, sure, I have opinions on which artists deserve to be in the Hall of Fame, but it’s not about me. And it’s almost not about opinion. If it were only about opinion, then everyone would be in. Or no one would be in.

There are various conspiracy theories about how and why artists get inducted, and some of those may be at least partially true…
Read Signs of Life by David Budin here

Cool Cleveland People
Richard Zack of Pantek

Though I’d heard of Richard before (he’s senior manager at Pantek which is, after all, Cleveland’s premier provider of open source solutions AKA Linux), the first time I met him was at one of the “Tech Czar’s” infamous gatherings. This one took place at the Happy Dog. We arranged a tour of their hosting facilities and went for coffee afterwards.

George Nemeth: Richard, we were just over visiting your data center and you mentioned to me that you had moved the data center from Solon, downtown. Could you explain that again for me?

Richard Zack: Yes, no problem. We started our company in Solon. Solon’s a really great city, I think, to get a business started, because there’s a wealth of resources in a very close area. There’s free parking. There’s an OfficeMax. There are restaurants everywhere. It’s easily accessible on the freeway. So Solon was a really great place to start a small company, especially one without a whole lot of initial funding, like we did. However, the one thing that Solon is really lacking when you compare it to downtown is the Internet data centers. In Cleveland, there are several large enterprise class Internet data centers to choose from (I think there are five or six on Euclid Avenue alone), and so when our business got to the point where having an extremely fast and reliable Internet facility and Internet connection, when that became required, we really, it was really just an easy decision to come downtown, but also always kind of wanted to move downtown. There is a lot of notoriety I think in having a downtown office, and as far as attracting people and having the kind of notoriety of that. But so back in 2004, we moved our office and we moved all of our equipment downtown. We moved into the Broad Wing facility in the Halle Building, and it’s just a fantastic facility, as you saw, so we’ve been very happy here…
Read the interview with Richard Zack here

Cool Cleveland Preview
Bloggapalooza

One of the many hats I wear reads “blogger” across it. At Cool Cleveland, I have the ability to instantly get things off of my chest, with observations ranging from amazing Cleveland event experiences (e.g. CMJ, Ingenuity) to when a Cleveland pseudo-celebrity’s behavior jumps on my last nerve. I’m not always prompt or punctual in feeding such a hungry monster, but after writing for 15 years, blogging always gives me a rush. And if blogging does that for me, imagine what kind of chemical reaction happens inside Cool Cleveland CIO George Nemeth’s head for a minute. Four years ago, Nemeth launched a personal weblog, the ubiquitously titled Brewed Fresh Daily, to begin exploring a then-new online phenomenon. With a cup o’ java in hand, he expressed personal views and aggregated others’ for discussion on his site. Last summer, he launched another blogging endeavor: Meet the Bloggers. The site was “to be a collaborative effort between bloggers” and ultimately had a hand in mobilizing that online community he’d connected to in Northeast Ohio. Their goal today is to get answers out of politicians and public servants for questions other local media outlets were simply unprepared to ask.

But this story isn’t about George… it’s about celebrating grassroots, the power of suggestion and empowerment that comes when citizen activists engage as community change agents. It’s about celebrating change for this town, just as Cool Cleveland does every week. Bloggapalooza is a street festival that celebrates those things, just as it celebrates the first birthday of Meet the Bloggers. There’s a queue of local music being featured, including recent Cool Cleveland Sounds bands Woodshed Mercy and Word of Mouth—that latter group featuring blogger Scott Bakalar at the helm. And when the bands are quiet, George’s enigmatic iPod and poetry readings from Cleveland “Tech Czar” Michael DeAloia and blogger/poet Adam Harvey will fill the air with intrigue. Admission to Bloggapalooza is free; however, donations are encouraged to help defray MTB operating costs. There will be a raffle with many donated items, including a very special “Death of Rock” collectible music package from yours truly…
Read the preview by Peter Chakerian here

Cool Cleveland Sounds
The Sweetness of Rejection
Girth
Self Released

Full disclosure: At one point, I was a heavy metal freak… long hair and all. That genre peaked out for me in 1991, after a particularly big concertgoing year for heavy rock vein. I saw the inaugural Lollapalooza, Metallica, Rush, Neil Young with Sonic Youth and the “Clash of the Titans” tour at Richfield Coliseum. The lineup for that last show featured Slayer, Megadeth, Anthrax and a brand-spanking new (and lesser-known) Seattle act called Alice in Chains.

I think I paid 20 bucks. Anyway, I remember thinking, “This is it. Metal goes back underground here.” Artistically and stylistically, it seemed the sound peaked and from then on, new ground to cover was at a minimum. Though there have been a few exceptions over the years (e.g. System of a Down, Biohazard, Pantera and local acts Chimaira and Mushroomhead) it seemed that the power of “aggressive bands” thinned and petered out… kinda like my hair. From that point forward, bands decided brute force over melody was smart. The whole thing sorta became laughable.

Enter local quartet Girth, whose latest effort The Sweetness of Rejection is full of those brutal riffs that hard rock and heavy metal fans love. To be clear, it’s not just ominous noise packaged around “I hate my dad”-like rage–these guys can actually play and their songs actually have some decent hooks and song structure. Much of their sound centers around the chemistry and interplay guitarist Pat Mahnke and bassist Adam Rich have with each other.

It’s not for everybody: song titles like “Emptiness,” “Dark Gift,” “Payback” and “Broken” suggest a flashpot full of angst and remind me of those days at the old Flash’s Concert Club on Kamm’s Corners. If you’re looking for a little bit of underground heaviness (and perhaps some 1991 music to go with your 1991 politics), you could do far worse than these four dudes.

Girth performs with A Few Askew and Phil Hatchet this Saturday, July 22nd at Scorcher’s in Eastlake. Visit Girth online at http://www.girthmusic.com

From Cool Cleveland Managing Editor Peter Chakerian peterATcoolcleveland.com

Wanna get reviewed? Send your band’s CD (less than 1 year old) to: Cool Cleveland, 14837 Detroit Avenue, #105, Lakewood, OH 44107

Hey Writers! Wanna write about Cleveland music? We’ve got a slew of recently-released CDs and DVDs by Cleveland-area musicians that could use your critical commentary for Cool Cleveland Sounds. If you’re interested, send us a note at Letters@CoolCleveland.com.

RoldoLINK
Pony Again Up For Dick Jacobs
By Roldo Bartimole

Every so often, it takes a little time to screw the public. In the end, however, the dirty deed usually gets done.

Developer Dick Jacobs – who has taken Cleveland for more free goodies than nearly anyone in its history – has won the battle to put “big box” development into Chagrin Highlands apparently.

In other words, Jacobs has screwed the public again.

Isn’t that wonderful. After some $150-million dollars in road construction, including an I-271 interchange, made the City of Cleveland’s land in the suburbs even more financially attractive, Jacobs gets what he wants – big box development – quick, easy and very profitable, no doubt.

Some, of course, want to call it other than “big box.” Let’s say they want to label it “little big box,” or “littler big box.” It’s all the same. It’s big retail boxes, a business organism destructive and well overstocked here and elsewhere. We have too much retail, not enough production.

With “big boxes” the city gets businesses that don’t add much to the economy and likely less to the city since it shares in the land sales at Chagrin Highlands and also the income taxes generated by the development. All those $6 an hour retail jobs really don’t help the region’s economy.

Jacobs first went to Council President George Forbes in 1986 and asked about obtaining this undeveloped land owned by the city in suburban communities like Beachwood, Orange and Warrensville Heights.

So it’s 20 years later but Jacobs is still at the trough trying to suck more out of Forbes’ gift…
Read RoldoLINK here

Instant Karma
Quick reviews of recent events
Going out this weekend? Take along your PDA and your digital camera. Scratch out a few notes to send us with a picture of it for our Instant Karma real-world reviews of what’s really happening. We’d love to hear from you. Send your stuff to Events@CoolCleveland.com

Ingenuity Festival of Art and Technology 7/13-16 This year’s Ingenuity Festival of Art and Technology experience was really encouraging. Something of an awakening happened this time around; people were just as fascinated by the nooks, crannies and alleyways of Cleveland as they were with the events themselves. And though the weather Friday night did its best to wash away the spirit, Ingenuity was nothing if not another rousing success.

Some 3,000 family members, city dignitaries, inquisitive creative types and all folks in-between witnessed world-renowned composer Halim El-Dabh’s vivid “Symphony for 1,000 Drums” and the always-impressive Shaw High Marching Band, who together opened the festival with rhythmic wonder. From there, it was another whirlwind tour. This particular reviewer got his jazz fix on with Ernie Krivda’s “Orchestral Omnibus”; caught amazing recitals at McCrory “All Go Signs” space, including Life in Balance and Circumference Cycle electrified bowl soundscapes and straight-up nuclear SAFMOD performance troupe’s world premiere; Red {an orchestra} making chamber music and MorrisonDance working celestial NASA ballet in a sad May Company shell where I used to shop.

And speaking of the May Company, the disrepair of the building itself was almost more moving than any of the art witnessed there. Even DJ Spooky’s collaboration with Kasumi paled to the space containing it; nothing in the live-mixed film production could take away from the real “politicalamity” there. Which leads me to a final point: next year, let’s see Ingenuity in yet another locale downtown. The more Clevelanders see of downtown—and the potential within such devastation—the better. From Cool Cleveland Managing Editor Peter Chakerian peterATcoolcleveland.com

Discovering Chimpanzees @ Cleveland Museum of Natural History The CMNH just opened a fabulous major exhibition recently, called Discovering Chimpanzees: The Remarkable World of Jane Goodall. Having earned the Order of the British Empire for her work, Dame Jane’s 40+ years of research as a primatologist and anthropologist centered on chimpanzee family and social chains. Her work became her passion; it yielded many startling discoveries, mostly related to comparisons between humans and chimps. (Save your Harry and the Hendersons comments, Cleveland!)

This exhibit is broken up into four unique areas of the Museum’s Kahn Hall: “The Chimp Forest” takes visitors into Goodall’s Tanzanian jungle experience and lets you become Chimp for a Day, and the accompanying instructional videos are clever and interactive. “Primates” tackles the Order of Primates and does a lot to educate about the differences in the 12 families. “The Work of Jane Goodall” serves as a video diary of the woman’s prolific career and highlights. Finally, “Reason to Hope” features a holographic message from Goodall herself, who is as inspiring to hear today as she was when I was a kid.

Discovering Chimpanzees is a production of Science Nord in Sudbury, Ontario—home to the incredible Big Nickel Mine and an interactive science museum built on an ancient earthquake fault, which served as a model for our own Great Lakes Science Center. And speaking of, if you’re still bananas (sorry) after all you’ve seen, head over to the Science Center and check out the 2002 IMAX film Jane Goodall’s Wild Chimpanzees—also a Science Nord production. For all you parents out there, this entire wildlife event is well-constructed, exquisitely conceived and great for the kids. Discovering Chimpanzees: The Remarkable World of Jane Goodall is open through Labor Day. Get your Primate Passport today. Visit http://www.cmnh.org/ for more info.

As for you partying types, recent testing confirms that chimps and humans share over 98% of the same DNA. But don’t let that color the way you look at other Cool Clevelanders at our next Cool Cleveland Party!! Get tix here and check out the exhibits yourself. From Cool Cleveland Managing Editor Peter Chakerian peterATcoolcleveland.com

Das Barbecü 7/12 Before I’d ever heard about ‘Siegfried, the singing cowboy’ I confess I did listen to country music there for a while, back in the 70s or so. Of course, I’d heard of the Siegfried who made the Rhine Journey but I had no idea they were one and the same. You couldn’t really be blamed for this lack of knowledge, either, before last week’s delightful presentation of Das Barbecü as the last regular season performance ever of the little company that could—the one we’ve all come to know and love—Lyric Opera Cleveland.

Just before their season opener it was announced that this little charmer and it’s bigger sibling downtown—Cleveland Opera—would merge and form a new year ‘round entity known as Opera Cleveland, which will do bigger and possibly better things beginning in spring 2007. (More coming up on that in coming months, but save the date of October 6, in the meantime.)

In 1991, composer Scott Warrender was commissioned by Seattle Opera to write a companion piece to their highly-regarded Ring Cycle. He was told to 1- not use any music of Wagner; 2- not be operatic in nature; 3 – not make fun of opera or its conventions; 4 – not have more than 5 performers and 5 – not exceed 90-100 minutes in length. After a bit of thinking about it all, he approached his friend, Jim Luigs, a Houston based writer of comedy among other things. Das Barbecü is the result. Hooray for them! And for us…
Read the review by Kelly Ferjutz here

Pride and Prejudice & The Firefly @ Freedlander Theatre 7/14 With all due respect to Edward Bulwer-Lytton, in my opinion, ‘It is a truth universally acknowledged . . . etc.,’ the line that begins Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is the most famous first line in literary history. One knows, immediately, what one is about to hear.

It is therefore entirely appropriate that the musical version of Pride and Prejudice which was given its World Premiere last week at Ohio Light Opera begins with those words. Lindsay Baker and Amanda Jacobs worked so closely together on this project that each of them is credited with book, music and lyrics. And that doesn’t happen all too often, these days!

A great proportion of the words spoken or sung in this production are from the original book, carefully excised from the full text and worked into this new version. There are a few more, perhaps, that might also be excised in the opposite direction back to the book, but perhaps not. This was only the first public performance, after all, and with time and repetition, it may well settle in to be ‘just right’. Nevertheless, it is a very handsome production with absolutely awe-inspiring costumes and wigs, as well, although rather more of the former than the latter…
Read the review by Kelly Ferjutz here

Yr Turn
Cool Cleveland readers write
We encourage our readers to speak out by sending us letters and commentary. Send your letters to Letters@CoolCleveland.com. You must include your full name (required) and you may include your e-mail address (optional). You may also create a new Hotmail, Yahoo or Gmail e-mail address and submit it with your letter. Letters submitted to Cool Cleveland, or edited portions, may be published in an upcoming issue of Cool Cleveland at our discretion.

Send your letters to: Letters@CoolCleveland.com

On how “cheap” Cleveland is (See Enough with the “cheap” already here) I am an avid reader of your newsletter and I love to see some of the thoughts (or should I say Rants) that show up in it. I just wanted to give a couple of my own thoughts to your “Enough with the ‘cheap’ already” article. Let me start by stating that I am not originally a Cleveland-er or even an Ohioian for that matter. I migrated here in 2004 for the better job market and for a budding relationship that has since caught something terminal and died. I moved here from Michigan not knowing much about Cleveland other than it “rocked”. Once here, I was swept up in a world-wind of possibilities that I had never been given an opportunity to experience. The culture in Cleveland is, as you put it, phenomenal. The people here all tend to be pretty warm and inviting as long as the Browns are winning. I feel that the problem is not with outsiders failing to realize how great Cleveland is…. the problem is with Community pride. It appears to me that everyone is concerned whether you are an Westsider or an Eastsider but they fail to see that we all live in a huge community that encompasses it all. I think that if people would stop worrying about which side of the divide your from and start talking about what a great community we live in, the word about Cleveland would pass itself. To sum it up, my point is very simple – while Cleveland may be on the list for being a cheap place to live (which is not a bad thing at all) people need to remember that Cleveland is rich in Community and Culture and is very much alive. Also, if people were looking for a cheaper place to live, there are many other places in the U.S. but those of us that are here, are here by choice and that is something to be said for Cleveland.
from Cool Cleveland reader Christopher Hyde minirhydeATgmail.com

I did not read the article in depth, but it does not appear to address all of the aspects that make a city and state affordable. The article focus was on people who had jobs that were not dependent on the local economy and focused on real prices as a determinate of bargain cities to live in. You cannot use the price of a house to determine how inexpensive a city is to live in. My family and I moved here from Arizona. If I were to use myself as an example I would say that Cleveland is more expensive than where we moved from. You can get more house for the money, but there are other factors to consider. 1. I live in Cleveland Heights and compared to Phoenix the property taxes are double what I would pay there for a house of the same value. In Shaker Heights the property tax burden would quadruple. 2. In Arizona you do not pay a city income tax and you are not penalized with additional taxes for working in a city that you do not reside in. 3. Out west the cities tend to be bigger and to cooperate more. Granted this is my judgement, but I never heard of the idea of regionalism being new until I moved here. 4. Though hot part of the year you do not see the same level of weather damage as you see here. I spend more money upkeeping my house here than I ever did out west. 5. Cars do not rust away on you there like they do here. 6. On the topic of cars. I spend more time, despite the fewer number of cars on road, getting to destinations. I attribute this to poorly maintained roads and to the extremely large number of traffic lights that tend to be out of sync in all cities in area. There is nothing more frustrating to me than to have a light go green and have the light ahead go red almost immediately. My MPG has dropped considerably. So, travel costs me more and it takes longer to get to where I am going. I will not go into the constant near accidents from drivers not being able to stay in their lanes. Anyway those are my thoughts.
from Cool Cleveland reader David Bringle dbringleATadelphia.net

On leaving our children behind (See County superintendents fight No Child Left Behind here) I found this article most interesting. It appears that many others across the nation are waking up to the problems with No Child Left Behind (NCLB). It is extremely unfortunate that Ohio has not and, in fact, continues to tie the Ohio Accountability System to the flawed NCLB accountability system. See The Indianapolis Star here.
from Cool Cleveland reader Dr. David Estrop, Superintendent of Schools, Lakewood City School District David.EstropATlakewood.k12.oh.us

On Roldo In response to Jeremy’s letter about Roldo (See Yr Turn letters here). Dude, if you want news that’s all “upbeat and positive,” then you don’t want real news. If people want to really improve Cleveland, then we need to understand ALL sides of the issues and make changes from there. Let’s not ignore the uncomfortable details that Roldo highlights. To ignore them is to allow them to persist and grow. Roldo is brave for pointing out situations that the Plain Dealer doesn’t investigate.
from Cool Cleveland reader Tom Henry

On sidewalk cafes (See Finally, sidewalk cafes here) You don’t have to go to Europe to see that many urban landscapes feature sidewalks as an integral part of commerce and social interaction. My family has made Boulder, Colorado their home base since the early 1970’s (I, the music person have remained in NE Ohio). The growth of the 5-block Pearl Street pedestrian mall which helped spur the downtown economy of Boulder 30 years ago has been well documented and indeed has been used as a model nationally. ONE OF THE MOST STRIKING FEATURES IS ALL THE OUTDOOR SIDEWALK CAFES. (Literally one right next to the other.) My visit this summer took me to Denver and several mountain towns. Everywhere I went: outdoor sidewalk cafes. Colorado is proving to the nation with all elements of urban design, suburban growth, open space management and environmental consciousness why it will lead the United States into planning for the new millenium.
from Cool Cleveland reader Rick Donaldson email: donaldson_rickAThotmail.com

Send your letters to: Letters@CoolCleveland.com

Top 5
Here are the Top 5 from last week’s issue, with one more chance for you to click.

1) Access:Cleveland Ingenuity Festival Director James Levin in an hilarious video interview.
www.CoolCleveland.com. Check Mulready’s photos from Ingenuity here.

2) Enough with the “cheap” already Cleveland makes this Forbes list, and we don’t like it.
www.Forbes.com.

3) The Oh in Ohio Looks fabulous. So do the Cleveland beauty shots in it.
www.Google.com

4) Sneak peek Spiderman 3 trailer. Cleveland again. If you don’t blink.
www.Apple.com

5) Harborfest/Tall Ships A triumphant return to the North Coast Harbor.
http://www.ClevelandHarborfest.com

Feelin’ Hot, Hot, Hot Thanks to the Hard Corps, who keep cookin’ even though the kitchen’s heatin’ up. We appreciate Peter Chakerian, Roxanne Ravenel, TL Champion, George Nemeth, David Budin, Kelly Ferjutz and everyone who partners with us. Want to volunteer and contribute your writing to Cool Cleveland? Send your reviews, articles, or story ideas to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

Download the Cool Cleveland podcast each week at http://www.CoolCleveland.com. Click on the Cool Cleveland Blog here. Read the Cool Cleveland column each month in Cleveland Magazine here. Listen to Cool Cleveland on WCLV-FM 104.9 twice each Friday during drive time. Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com, and your letters to: Letters@CoolCleveland.com. For your copy of the free weekly Cool Cleveland e-zine, go to http://www.CoolCleveland.com.

What is Cleveland to you?

–Thomas Mulready
Letters@CoolCleveland.com

all contents ©2006 MulreadyGROUP all rights reserved
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