04.16-04.23.14
Drift
Did we drift into the downright exciting place that we’ve become? Sports franchise owners would like you to think they lit this place on fire, and they deserve $260M in additional sin tax dollars. But we all know better.
In fact, the real instigators are artists and entrepreneurs like Tony Troppe, who’s opening up the new BLU Jazz+ Club in Akron; or DJ Kishka and his unrelenting Dyngus Day celebrations; or Dante Rodriguez, formerly of Wall Eye Gallery, who’s curating Drift at the Bruno Casiano Gallery, exploring the oscillation between sculpture and painting.
It adds up to a continental drift when you count powerful draws like Third Fridays at 78th Street Studios, or the sassy polka girls Navihanke from Slovenia at St. Mary’s Church, or Edible Kent, or CIA’s Spring Design Show at MOCA, or Earth Day on Waterloo, or The Drowning Girls at CPT, or Celtic/Norwegian rockers Tempest at the Winchester, or the Cleveland Thyagaraja Festival, the largest Indian classical music festival outside of India, now in its 37th year. So let’s not be indecisive. This is the kind of stuff that’s building a strong region. Not stadia.
Still wavering? Read our editorial on why the Issue 7 stadium tax campaign is disingenuous, and how opponents are proposing that those who use the stadia pay their “FairShare.” Plus read about what’s wrong with the Cavs, and how a once-venerated black funeral home got buried.
Stay focused and get mobile with Cool Cleveland like Michael Miller, and you, too, could win a rare CC t-shirt. Hashtag us #CoolCleveland on Instagram or Twitter and your favorite event could earn some free buzz from CC. Catch our drift? –Thomas Mulready
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What is the value of a professional sports franchise to a city in real economic terms?
It’s projected that the renewal of the so-called “sin tax” for the benefit of Cuyahoga County’s three sports facilities will raise about $260 million.
While the renewal campaign argues that this money doesn’t go to the team owners, that’s semantics…
More from Anastasia Pantsios here
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Justin Gorski has been spreading his love for polka and Cleveland’s Eastern European ethnic culture for years.
Under the alias DJ Kishka, he’s been hosting his Polka Happy Hours at the Happy Dog in Gordon Square since 2005 & has helped bring Dyngus Day celebrations to Cle.
Given the success of Dyngus Day, Gorski and his fellow organizers got really ambitious. This year, festivities will cover three neighborhoods…
More from Anastasia Pantsios here
SPONSORED: For every 1 message in the media about saving, there are dozens about spending. So where do you turn with questions about banking, loans, and consumer issues that you have? The NHS Consumer Law Center of course. Read our blog here, and let us know how we can help.
Two Interviews! Cool Cleveland correspondent Marty Bielat went up to Akron and met with Akron developer Tony Troppe, one of the minds behind the new BLU Jazz+ Club opening up in Akron’s Historic Art and Culture District. See the interview here.
In addition to the interview with Troppe, Cool Cleveland also got a tour of the development, from one of Akron’s great trumpet players Josh Rzepka. Rzepka helped Bielat pull a little B & E and the two discussed everything from the club, to Akron’s historic Jazz history. See the interview and hear Rzepka play here.
We can’t wait! Be sure to follow Cool Cleveland for more news on BLU Jazz+’s development, in addition to other fun happenings taking place up in Akron. Thanks for your time guys!
SPONSORED: Hugging trees is great But planting and taking care of them is even better. The Holden Arboretum hosts their annual Arbor Day celebrations Fri 4/25 – Sun 4/27 from 10AM to 5PM with free admission all weekend. Receive a free tree seedling to plant, learn about trees and enjoy food, music, hikes & more. And don’t forget to #hugatreeforholden. HoldenArb.org
Opponents of Issue 7 Propose “FairShare”, its alternative plan for raising the money it (and sin tax supporters) says the county is obligated to provide.
Click here for more News and Biz
SPONSORED: Celebrate Holy Week and Easter with the Old Stone Church on Public Square! On Thu 4/17 Maundy Thursday Seder meal & Communion worship at 6:30PM. On Fri 4/18 Good Friday service at noon. On Sun 4/20 Easter worship at 8:30AM and 10:00AM. For a complete Holy Week & Easter schedule, visit OldStoneChurch.org
When Wall Eye Gallery closed its doors a few years ago, many in the Cleveland art community were saddened to see it end so quickly.
Since going off in their own directions, the founders have spread their influence in many different ways. This week one of them returns to his old stomping grounds to curate Drift an exploration of boundaries & definitions…
More from Josh Usmani here
SPONSORED: Souls of Therapists Learn about art therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, dietetic technology, and speech/language pathology. Gain insight from patients served by professionals in these fields. From 9AM to 1PM on Thu 4/24 at Tri-C Metro Campus Theatre. Free. Tri-C.edu
@Coolcleveland Follow us on Twitter or Instagram and earn a chance to have your favorite Cleveland events publicized by Cool Cleveland. For free! We’ll pick a winner, and promote the event of your your choice, and also provide live coverage of the event on the day-of.
How to play: On Wednesday tweet or Instagram the event that you are most excited to attend this week using #CoolCleveland, and make it convincing! We will pick our favorite tweet/tweeter on Thursday and reward them by publicizing their event and their tweet. Include photos, fun, stories, locations, links and everything in between. Have fun!
SPONSORED: Awaken your palate with a fresh take on our region’s spring vegetables! The Cleveland Museum of Natural History presents a unique dining experience. The evening begins with a wine reception featuring two delectable courses followed a five-course gourmet dinner prepared by Executive Chef Andy Dombrowski of Zack Bruell Events. Sat 4/26 at 6:30PM. Register by April 18. CMNH.org
All over the world — and all over northeast Ohio — independent record stores will be celebrating the 8th annual Record Store Day. They’ll be stocking exclusive releases only in those stores on that day, but many go above and beyond — with other special offers, refreshments, and DJs and bands. Get your credit card warmed up. Sat 4/19.
Read more picks by Anastasia Pantsios here
I saw Captain America: The Winter Soldier in its opening weekend.
Having arrived in Austin not even a week prior to, I was excited to watch the movie for several reasons, not the least of which was to see how the city I called home for a decade looked on the big screen…
More from Alex Sukhoy here
It’s an Eggstravaganza @ the Lake Erie Nature & Science Center. Kids 1 – 8 are invited to hop around the center looking for eggs. Can you find the prized golden egg? Thu 4/17 – Sat 4/19.
Click here for more Cool Cleveland Kids events
Michael Miller entered our Twitter Retweet contest and helped us get over ten thousand followers! He loves The CoolCleveland Twitter Page and this week we selected him as the fifteenth winner of our new CoolCleveland T-shirt. And he’s thrilled:
“I like CoolCleveland’s extensive coverage of trends and events, and its upbeat tone and forward focus!” Miller helped us reach ten thousand followers, but there are also more ways you can win a CoolCleveland T-shirt. You are automatically entered to win a shirt when you download our new CoolCleveland mobile app.
Get the app here and win the T-shirt that can’t be bought, just earned. See all of the past T-shirt winners here.
WED 4/16
Larchmere PorchFest isn’t until June, but it’s on ppl’s minds. Rockabilly band Scoliosis Jones will play a benefit for this summer music event @ the Academy Tavern. Go support.
Click here for more events on Wed 4/16
THU 4/17
See a play of passion just in time for the Easter season. Cleveland Performing Arts Ministries presents the powerful musical play Tetelestai @ Benedictine HS.
Click here for more events on Thu 4/17
FRI 4/18
It’s another busy Third Friday @ 78th Street Studios. See openings of various art exhibitions, plus a few closings. And some music @ Survival Kit Gallery, courtesy of Akron’s Comfort Clouds & Lauren Voss.
Click here for more events on Fri 4/18
SAT 4/19
Pen Pals features over two dozen new, never-before-seen art collaborations, which were mailed back-and-forth across the Atlantic Ocean. Hear from the artists involved at this closing lecture.
Click here for more events on Sat 4/19
SUN 4/20
After you wrap up your Easter glee, listen to guitarist Marnie Stern shred & rock out @ Happy Dog. Take notice of a true “guitar hero.”
Click here for more events on Sun 4/20
MON 4/21
Atlanta-based rapper Waka Flocka Flame burst on the scene five years ago with his first hit “O Lets Do It.” Since then, hes racked up more hits & he’ll be @ the Kent Stage, as part of his “Return of Flocka” tour.
Click here for more events on Mon 4/21
TUE 4/22
The CIA Spring Design Show opens @ MOCA. Get a taste of the talent being cultivated CIA’s Industrial Design program.
Click here for more events on Tue 4/22
WED 4/23
Navihanke bills itself as “Those Sassy Polka Girls from Slovenia.” Their music is a lively melange of polka, other Slovenian folk music, pop & ethnic music from other parts of the world. Hear the quartet @ St. Mary’s Church.
Click here for more events on Wed 4/23
Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com
After last season, I wrote a column entitled, “Is Cleveland Media Ready to Devour Cavs Irving?” in which I talked about how the Plain Dealer‘s Tom Reed had written that Irving was directly responsible for getting coach Byron Scott fired, and the ubiquitous Terry Pluto had asserted that Irving had defied Scott by “refusing to play defense” while exhibiting the kind of insidious behavior that ended up costing Scott his job…
More from Larry Durstin here
Funeral homes are for burying people… they’re not supposed to get buried.
Nonetheless, that’s what recently happened as the final shovel of dirt was tossed onto the stinking corpse of the House of Wills, the funeral home that was one of the oldest and most venerated businesses in Cleveland’s black community back in the day…
Read this story and others from Mansfield Frazier here
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Quick previews & reviews of recent events
Submit your own preview, review or commentary to Events@CoolCleveland.com
PHOTOSTREAM: Wesley Bright & the Hi-Lites/The Modern Electric @ the Beachland by Anastasia Pantsios
PREVIEW: The Musical Theater Project presents “Deconstructing Kurt Weill” @ CPT by Roy Berko
Comment on our blog here: http://www.CoolCleveland.com/blog
Issue 7, Extending the Sin Tax: The Good, the Bad & the Ugly
This issue is the absurdity of absurdities. Let me get this straight: the purpose of the Sin Tax is to gouge those who purchase alcohol and cigarettes not because anyone is trying to discourage consumption but rather so the County can use that money to pay for sports stadiums that do not produce anything but a fleeting moment witnessing the passing of a football, the dribbling of a basketball and the throwing of a baseball so that such a minute tidbit of diversion can be enjoyed by all….
Joe Bialek
Why are we not seeing the details and the data? We have plenty of data by now to show the actual impact, both of the before, the after, the team leaving, the team coming back, etc…
Raymond Kovach
The conversation is about the whole. If we broke down the three team entities and looked at them separately, the Q is quite arguably the most sustainable…
Robert Thomson
This is a brilliant editorial. They don’t get enough credit, I don’t think, but Cool Cleveland publishes some of the best public affairs writing in town….
Angie Schmitt
The studies that I’ve seen supporting the extension of the sin tax are ridiculous…
Phil Brett
I agree to keep subsidizing these industries does little for the city or region if they want to a capital fund to replace these facilities than place an admission tax to those who specifically use these facilities place it an escrow account…
Ken Mate
The absurdities of absurdities is us entertaining delusions that we would reap any tangible benefits from killing a measure that would ensure one of the most tangible components of a first-class American city…
Howard
Howard, thank you for regurgitating the pro sinner mantra. You have proven once again that the veiled threat of teams leaving is the underhanded mission of the Issue 7 pro sinners…
Alan Glazen
Respectfully, many people seem to have read headlines; but sometimes its necessary to look deeper into the issues…
Robert Thomson
Howard, If it’s true that the Q averages 110 million a year is salaries, over a 20 year that amounts to 2.2 BILLION in wages and salaries. Surely these employees would be happy to make up any shortfalls of the 260 million that the ‘sinners’ may not pay if the tax levy fails…
Ed
Make Huron The Next East Fourth
I disagree with the closing of Huron Ave.. I work @ PlayhouseSquare and that little stretch of road is always bustling w/ activity….
Marie Vivolo
You may not be able to completely close Huron due to the deliveries necessary to the Wyndham, but it could be closed to through traffic easily enough. Make the deliveries enter off Prospect and close the Euclid entrance…
Foraker
Read and comment here: http://www.coolcleveland.com/blog
Most clicked
Here are the Top 5 most clicked links from last week’s issue, with one more chance for you to click.
1) Issue 7, Extending the Sin Tax: The Good, the Bad & the Ugly
2) Make Huron The Next East Fourth
3) Neighbors in Action Propose a Rock Climbing Gym on W 117th & Clifton Blvd.
4) Season Starts for @ClevelandFlea at Sterles Country House
5) MANSFIELD: I Apologize
Our writers anchor us. Thanks: Roy Berko, Marty Bielat, Larry Durstin, Mansfield Frazier, Anastasia Pantsios, Alex Sukhoy, Josh Usmani & Sarah Valek. And lastly, though certainly not least, thanks to our readers 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.
Adrift,
–Thomas Mulready
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