Jumping In

4.19-4.26.06

Jumping In

In this week’s issue:
* Cool Cleveland Comment Jumping in with Both Feet, not time to leave
* RoldoLINK Jackson needs to go where the money is
* Cool Cleveland Sounds Steady Your Hands from goodmorning valentine
* Cool Cleveland Kids podcast click here, CC podcast click here, CC Blog click here

We caught a lot of noise after last week’s lead story by Chad Kutting, Are We Forced to Leave? You can read the letters below under Yr Turn, and it also generated a response from Mark Mullaney, featured below, with another perspective.

What can we say about Cleveland’s blissful weather (not a single flood, tornado, hurricane, tsunami, earthquake or volcanic eruption in recent memory), and an overwhelming line-up of stellar events, all teed up for you this week. Everything from the 3-floor orgy of the Sachsenheim Ball in Ohio City to a grand re-opening of the Akron Civic, to a slew of visual arts openings, to Beethoven’s Fourth, to the kick off of the JazzFest, to a look at Afrofuturism at SPACES. Prep your brain with another installment from Roldo, this one questioning why the Cleveland Clinic, which made $3.9 billion in 2004, pays no taxes. Enjoy a review of goodmorning valentine’s sophomore release. And click on some news blurbs about the Cleveland Colectivo, Mittal Steel, Hawken students going nationwide, and how to get cash for your neighborhood project. And don’t forget to write. –Thomas Mulready

Opinion/Commentary
Cool Cleveland Comment
Jumping In With Both Feet

In reading Mr. Kutting’s commentary [See Are We Forced To Leave? here] on his having to leave the greater Cleveland area to pursue his career, I honestly did not hear anything that I hadn’t heard before. As a Cleveland native who also was forced to relocate I can appreciate his perspective. I did not leave to find more career opportunities. I left due to my partner’s pursuit of a doctoral degree in an area that is not a specialty of any of the universities in Cleveland. If we had the choice, we never would have left, and hopefully one day we may return, but I hope that I may be able to add an additional perspective on this topic.

After high school, I also chose to stay close to home and went to both college and graduate school in northeast Ohio…a region that boasts over 20 solid higher education institutions. Upon graduation I also felt the pull to leave Cleveland and go to one of the “big cities” that seemed so glamorous and would probably provide more opportunities for employment. However, I didn’t want to leave, so I began investigating my own community and found out there was much more going on than I ever imagined. Now, I am not sure what Mr. Kutting’s major is, and it is safe to say that no city is the epicenter of every area of industry. It is a fact of life that some people will need to move out of their hometowns to be where they feel they need to be for their careers, but Cleveland has a host of resources for professionals, and for young professionals especially…
Read the comment by Mark Mullaney here

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NewsLINKS

  • Cleveland gets press Check the Food Network in May as Rachel Ray’s Tasty Travels munches on Slyman’s, Tommy’s, the Rock Hall & Little Italy here. And the influential Leisure Group Travel Magazine visits the Maltz Museum, the Cleveland Museum of Art, and a few historic Ohio hotels here We’re even getting ink in Kalamazoo here.
  • Judge4Yourself.com? There are 61 judicial candidates in 24 races throughout Cuyahoga County. Who are they and how can you tell them apart? Five local bar associations have banded together to create a judicial rating system that provides clear, nonpartisan information on each candidate. Check out their judicial rating system at http://www.Judge4Yourself.com. Let us know what you think of the system at Letters@CoolCleveland.com.
  • CC in Ten Under 10 Great things do come in small packages – like small businesses. These companies are vital to the growth of Northeast Ohio, and the national economy. COSE’s Ten Under 10 honors companies for their best practices in innovation, growth/success, value to the community and the environment, diversity promotion, and customer service excellence. Cool Cleveland is proud to be named as one of the ten companies noted for doing big things with a small, but focused crew. Learn more about Ten Under 10 here.
  • Favorite bike rides for your Spring in Cleveland, courtesy of GreenCityBlueLake here.
  • Cleveland Colectivo funds projects The Cleveland Colectivo, a new Cleveland-based “giving circle” whose members make collective contributions to innovative projects in Cleveland, recently announced the four projects selected for inaugural grants: The Building Bridges Mural Project, The Westside Refugee Family Center, City Wheels, and The Tremont Urban Learning Garden – programs which focus on creativity, social justice, economic development and environmental sustainability. Visit http://www.ClevelandColectivo.org to learn more. Comments on the upcoming election on 5/2: Letters@CoolCleveland.com
  • TV Turn-Off Week 4/24-30 Children in the US will spend more time watching TV (1023 hrs) than in school (900 hrs). This nationwide effort, partnering with the American Medical Association, the National Education Association, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and dozens of others, lists screen-free activities, how to control the TV at home, school & your community, plus research and tips. http://www.TVTurnoff.org Your thoughts? Letters@CoolCleveland.com
  • To ensure you receive Cool Cleveland every week, take a moment now and add CoolCleveland@CoolCleveland.com to your address book, trusted sender list, or corporate white list.

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An Exciting Body of Work in a three-city tour, the Dance Synergy Festival will feature the top physically integrated dance companies in America beginning Sat 5/13 at 7:30PM. Come to the Allen Theatre to experience Cleveland-based Dancing Wheels, joined on stage by “AXIS Dance Company” of Oakland, CA, and “Full Radius Dance” of Atlanta, GA. These performances will transport audiences to a world of imaginative, innovative and high-energy dance. Celebrating a quarter century of talent and dedication, Dancing Wheels will unveil its world premier performance choreographed by Rebecca Darling of Pilobulus, one of the nation’s most sought after dance companies. The Festival will offer a series of master classes, workshops and lectures 5/12 – 5/14. For more information about tickets contact 216-241-6000 or www.tickets.com. For classes contact 216-432-0306 or visit www.DancingWheels.org.
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NewsLINKS

  • Mittal Steel listens? Tremont’s bucket-toting neighborhood brigade have certainly gotten the attention of Mittal Steel. The company established a “Good Neighbor Matters Voice Message Line” in response to neighborhood concerns over production processes and emissions. General Manager, Terry G. Fedor says, “We want people to know that we’re interested in hearing from them — and that we promise to respond promptly.” The new number, 429-7300, is available for residents of nearby neighborhoods to contact the company with questions or concerns of any type, any time of day. What do you think? A smoke signal, a smokescreen or just blowing smoke? Letters@CoolCleveland.com.
  • Film your vision for NEO Voices & Choices is encouraging students, amateurs and independent film makers to submit their vision for the future of Northeast Ohio to the NEO Short Film Contest. Films submitted must be three to five minutes in length. The top three short films will be awarded $750 for first place, $500 for second and $250 for third. The winning films will be screened at a town meeting on 9/16. Register at http://www.VoicesChoices.org/film from 5/12 – 6/16.
  • Blogging for politics Meet the Bloggers, started by local political bloggers Tim Russo, Bill Callahan, and our own CIO George Nemeth, continues to make its mark on statewide politics. The group has expanded to include several other bloggers and they no longer need to solicit candidate interviews (except Sherrod Brown, Craig Foltin, and Ken Blackwell refuse to be interviewed). Political candidates are lining up take part in this open, direct dialogue – ready to take on the really tough questions. Learn more about the recent Meet the Bloggers interview with Tom Sawyer in the Morning Journal here. Visit http://www.MeetTheBloggers.net to get in on the conversation.
  • Diversity book award in Cleve The Cleveland Foundation will host the 2006 Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards, recognizing outstanding works that contribute to society’s understanding of racism and appreciation of the rich diversity of human cultures. The 2006 winners – Fiction – Zadie Smith, On Beauty; Non-Fiction – Jill Lepore, New York Burning: Liberty, Slavery, and Conspiracy in Eighteenth-Century Manhattan and Lifetime Achievement Award – William Demby, novelist – will be honored in Cleveland during the Thu 9/7 ceremony. Get more info at http://www.anisfield-wolf.org/.
  • Cool Cleveland Podcast Cool things to do this week in Cleveland, at the click of a button. http://www.coolcleveland.com/files/audio/CoolCleveland04.21.06.mp3. Don’t forget, you can subscribe to this podcast by saving this link in your favorite program that catches podcasts.
  • Cleveland artists in DC Cleveland composer Linda Eisenstein (also a Cool Cleveland contributing writer) is in DC working on the world premiere of a new musical which begins previews tomorrow. Becoming George features radical cross-dressing grandmother and world-famous author George Sand confronting a repressive French government, a war, and her new protégé Sarah Bernhardt. The MetroStage production includes two other Cleveland artists –– musical director/arranger Michael Flohr, who originated Eisenstein’s Discordia (CPT), Holiday Hotline (Detroit Ave. Arts), and Changing the World: The Musicals of Linda Eisenstein (Ingenuity) and actor Greg Violand in the featured role of Alexandre Dumas the Younger. Details at http://www.metrostage.org .
  • Call for Ingenuity artists & entrepreneurs Individual artists, groups of artists, and art galleries are invited to take part in an exciting new component to this year’s Ingenuity Festival: the Ingenuity Urban Arts Gallery and Market. Booths will be available for regional artists and arts entrepreneurs to connect with new audiences and sell their artwork. Email ingenuityart@yahoo.com for more info or visit http://www.IngenuityCleveland.com. Deadline for registration is Thu 6/1.

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Tickets Limited, Sure to Sell Out! The Natural History of Wine is being celebrated at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History on Sat 4/29 from 7PM to midnight. More than 7,000 years ago, humans discovered how to make wine. Since then, the history of this beverage has been intertwined with that of human civilization. Attend a reception and lecture by a local sommelier. Then enjoy a seven-course dinner by Sammy’s paired with wines from around the world. $150 per person. Contact www.cmnh.org for more information.
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NewsLINKS

  • Online auction for John Hay Support the breathtaking restoration of John Hay High School and other Cleveland Restoration Society programs by participating in an online auction offering unique items like a private tour of the restored Federal Courthouse; a Cavs t-shirt, autographed by the team, and two Club Level tickets for next season; a stunning pair of diamond and emerald earrings from Peter Danford, Inc.; a one-week stay in a Colorado ski-area condo and more. Bid online here through Wed 4/26 at 11PM. Purchase tickets for the gala and live auction on Sat 4/29 at http://www.ClevelandRestoration.org.
  • Get $3K for your neighborhood project Mayor Frank G. Jackson recently announced an open invitation to neighborhood organizations to take part in Cleveland’s 2006 Cityworks Neighborhood Matching Grant Program. The program provides small grants of up to $3,000 to block clubs, street clubs and community-based organizations for neighborhood improvement and community strengthening projects. Visit http://www.Cleveland-Oh.gov for proposal forms, submission requirements and eligible activities – but hurry, the proposal deadline is on Fri 4/21 at 5PM.
  • A podcast just for kids (and their parents). Listen to 10-year-old Cool Cleveland correspondent Max as he highlights family-friendly stuff this week. No iPod necessary. Just click here.
  • Biking from Cleve to Cape Cod The local biking group, Shaker Cycling, will kick off their 700-mile trek from Cleveland to Cape Cod on Sat 5/20. The route will take cyclists along the South Shore of Lake Erie, through the beautiful Finger Lakes and into New England. Participants will rest up from their journey in cottages near the Cape Cod Bay then be transported, along with their bikes, back to Cleveland. Call 445-4008 if you’d like to join the adventure.
  • Hawken Students Appear on Channel One Hawken School sophomores Karoline McMullen, Angela Primbas and Amanda Weatherhead and their Save Our Stream (S.O.S.) project will be featured on the nationwide Channel One Network. S.O.S. is a volunteer initiative that educates the public about the importance of reviving the Ohio brook trout, endangered due to runoff pollution and urban sprawl. The show will be broadcast on Fri 4/21; then the clip will be posted on http://www.ChannelOne.com for a month. Learn more about the initiative at http://www.SaveOurStream.org.

Emissions from the blogsphere One Cleveland-area blogger melts down peeps to make peep pie. Chris Varley of Nortech writes about dorkbots. Phil Williams links to a DIY Wind Generator competition. Stuart blogs on walking. Brian is thinking about authentic community. Cleveland bloggers will be meeting up tomorrow Wed 4/19 at The Town Fryer starting at 7PM and they’d like you to join them. Details here. Check the Cool Cleveland weblog here, where Peter Chakerian suggests a “part two” for Rachel Ray’s “$40.00 a Day,” dreams about getting in some local Cleveland biking this summer and previews his portion of the EarthFest celebration at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. When you’re done, then add your own comments, questions and attitude. Letters@CoolCleveland.com.


Cool Cleveland This Week

4.19-4.26

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

CC KIDS Dinosaurs Across America: Cartoons of Phil Yeh, on display now through 8/20, gives fans of the nationally-recognized artist an opportunity to see 30 of the original oil paintings created for his graphic novel, Theo the Dinosaur. The exhibition illustrates the colorful adventures of Theo, Dina, Dewey and Dallas. Together, they tell a lighthearted tale that highlights the benefits of being able to read and write, along with the need to be environmentally aware and responsible. The Cleveland Museum of Natural History, 1 Wade Oval Drive, University Circle. www.cmnh.org.

CC KIDS Dr. Dolittle The enchanting, classic kid story about the good doctor who talks to the animals, updated with style by pro hoofer Tommy Tune, a huge cast, lavish sets and costumes, hand-held puppet animals, and enough good cheer to distract any kid or kid at heart. See review under Instant Karma below. Now through 4/30 at the Palace Theatre, Playhouse Square, 241-6000 http://www.PlayhouseSquare.com

HOT PICK The Negen Show Psst! What are you doing tonight? Make plans with a few friends for a fabulous after-work affair when the brand-new Kunstwerk Gallery presents their first exhibit, a spectacular mixed-media show featuring nine local artists: Robert Banks, Eoin Breadon, Del Harrow, Alex Henry, Chad Lacy, Karyn Ludlam, Sam McNulty, Clay Parker, Liz Russell. Meet the artists and enjoy complimentary wine and cheese during the opening reception tonight, Wed 4/19 from 6-10PM. McNulty’s Bier Markt, 1948 West 25th Street. http://www.bier-markt.com.

From Songwriters to Soundmen: The People Behind the Hits. Can you believe the guy who engineered Abbey Road, Revolver and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band will actually be in Cleveland? Join four-time Grammy winner and recording industry legend, Geoff Emerick – best known as the longtime engineer at Abbey Road Studios. Emerick will discuss his memoir, Here, There and Everywhere: My Life Recording the Music of The Beatles, which chronicles his adventures working on the music of The Beatles and other legendary musicians while at EMI Studios at Abbey Road and more, on Wed 4/19 at 7PM. The event is no-cost, but requires reservations by emailing edu@rockhall.org or calling 515-8426. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, 4th Floor Theater. www.RockHall.com.

Event Listing Tip of the Week You know that fancy, schmantzy, high-end website you invested in? Put it to good use by updating your site with your event info – before you send it to us. Afterall, this is an e-zine and it’s harder to convince our super-savvy, civic-minded, discriminating readers that your event is important if it’s not even important enough to add to your website. Keep those EVENTS coming and remember, make that website work for you. Update it with your event; then send your EVENTS to Events@CoolCleveland.com.

HOT PICK Sachsenheim Ball When’s the last time that you attended a ball? Don’t worry – this isn’t your grandmother’s ball, or even your mother’s sock-hop. This three-floor, four-stage musical smorgasbord kicks off at Thu 4/20 at 4:30PM and features a sizzling hot array of bands including: Carlos Jones & the PLUS Band; Sultans of Bing; Xe La; JiMiller Band; Neil Chastain; The People’s Republic of Gefiltestan and alot more performing a musical marathon in a historical gem that was once a full-fledged speakeasy. Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door for this 21+ event. Learn more here. Call 651-0888. Sachsenheim, 7001 Denison Avenue.

Cultural Crossings Award-winning essayist and journalist, Richard Rodriguez, brings new impetus to the immigration debate with his lecture, Hispanics – The American Nightmare, and the American Dream, which will address the political and social turmoil regarding Hispanics throughout America today, on Thu 4/20 at 5PM. A book-signing and reception will follow the lecture. The entire event is open to the public without cost. CSU Levin College of Urban Affairs, Dively Room, 2121 Euclid Avenue. www.csuohio.edu.

Crain’s 20 in their 20s Meet some of Cleveland’s freshest creative minds; barely legal and already making their mark on the business world. This group of movers and shakers are challenging status quo without apologies and getting results. Register for this exciting event that will feature heavy hors d’ouerves and an open bar (yeah, they just made it) on Thu 4/20 at 5:30PM. See the 20 in their 20’s here, then purchase tickets for the event at here or by calling 771-5182. Pickwick and Frolic, 2035 East 4th Street.

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There’s So Much to Do Within Minutes of Woodhaven! Homeowners can walk or take a short drive to countless landmarks that include University Circle, the Gateway District, and Tower City, to name a few. Woodhaven’s 3-story townhomes range from $206,650 – 220,650 at 1901 – 2088 square feet. These 2-3 bedroom, 2½-bath homes have master suites, 2 car garages, second floor laundry rooms, separate living and family rooms, eat-in kitchens and formal dining rooms. They have low homeowner’s fees and feature private courtyards. Woodhaven’s three-story Classic Coach Homes, starting at $234,000, are currently available with 1930+ square feet, 3 bedrooms, 2½ baths, a full basement and optional bonus room over the garage. Enjoy a 100% 15-year tax abatement and discounted interest rates 1.5% below market. Contact (216) 231-5353 or www.ZarembaHomes.com.
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HOT PICK Nashville Radio Plan to attend the opening reception for Chicago-based artist/musician Jon Langford’s exhibition on Thu 4/20 from 6-9PM. Well known as the leader of the seminal Mekons, Langford’s collection of multi-layered paintings which borrow imagery from old country music publicity photos and sheet music are reinterpreted with a haze of ironic nostalgia. The show runs through 5/13 at the Arts Collinwood Gallery located at 15606 Waterloo Road (692-9500). After the show, get a second helping of Langford pie when he performs just up the road, as part of this collaborative event. Get tickets for the Beachland Ballroom (15711 Waterloo Road) performance at www.BeachlandBallroom.com.

Umoja Festival The Black Studies Program of Cleveland State University hosts a Community Education Program, an Umoja Festival, to celebrate Our Stories: Untold Stories and Experiences of Black Cleveland, on Thu 4/20 from 6 – 8PM. Call 875-9672, or 256-7018 for more info. Friendly Inn Settlement House, 2382 Unwin Road (off Quincy Avenue near East 55th Street).

Photo blogs Cool Cleveland’s Info Officer George Nemeth will be speaking about ways to share your photos on Thu 4/20 with the Greater Cleveland PC User’s Group digital photography Special Interest Group (GCPCUG digital photo SIG for short) @ 6:30PM. Visit their Yahoo Group for more details. Maple Heights Branch of the Cuyahoga County Library, 5225 Library Lane, Maple Heights, 475-5000.

Deep Cleveland Invades the East Side Spend a cozy evening listening to local poets spin their craft on Thu 4/20 at 8PM. Call 795-9800 with questions. Loganberry Books, 13015 Larchmere Boulevard, Shaker Heights.

Home and Garden CD Release Don’t miss the pure electricity of the latest red-hot release party from Exit Stencil Recordings, on Thu 4/20 at 8PM, when the Beachland Ballroom hosts the unleashing of History and Geography from Home and Garden! Re-mastered, Re-mixed and Revolutionized! Rising from the ashes of greatness, this band originally came together from an early rift in the ranks of the legendary Pere Ubu, once again will rock Cleveland to the core. For more info check out www.ExitStencilRecordings.com. Beachland Ballroom, 15711 Waterloo Road. www.BeachlandBallroom.com.

WVIZ Auction This weekend skip Bingo and abandon your plans to rendezvous with one-armed bandits in not-too-far-away places. This ultra-cool, televised auction offers excitement for everyone. Use the cash you’ll save on gasoline to bid for a bevy of tempting local items – antiques, wine, jewelry, art, furniture, gift certificates and more – with a frenzied fever that would make any casino owner jealous. The auction runs Fri 4/21 through Sun 4/23 and Fri 4/28 through Sun 4/30. Get in on the action and score some goodies for yourself while supporting public television. www.wviz.org.

CC KIDS The Cheerful Cello Cleveland Orchestra cellist David Alan Harrell will introduce children ages 3-6 to The Cheerful Cello during Musical Rainbow concerts on Fri 4/21 at 10AM and Sat 4/22 at 10 & 11AM. Local actress and singer, Maryann Nagel, hosts the 30-minute programs, which include narration, demonstration, audience participation, and musical selections both familiar and new to the preschool set. Call 231-1111 or visit www.ClevelandOrchestra.com for tickets. Severance Hall’s Reinberger Chamber Hall.

Green Communities Gear up for a discussion on the Opportunities for Sustainability in Northeast Ohio on Fri 4/21 from 12-1:30PM. You’ll hear perspectives on energy efficiency as a profitable business tool and a way to reduce the environmental and economic impacts of energy use in Northeast Ohio. Peter Garforth, a consultant based in Ohio and Brussels, Belgium, will present his views on ways that communities, developers, policy-makers, and corporations can approach development with sustainability in mind. Call 621-0082 or register at www.CityClub.org. City Club of Cleveland, 850 Euclid Avenue, 2nd Floor.

Afrofuturism Attend the first exhibition in Ohio to explore the idea of Afrofuturism, the subculture that deals with the interplay between time, technology, race and culture in the USA during the opening reception on Fri 4/21 from 5-9PM. Seventeen artists tackle the impact of technology on the physical, social and spiritual lives of black people from both historical and future viewpoints through mediums ranging from science fiction to film and cultural exploration, the artists create work in painting, video and video games, sound installation, spoken word, sculpture, cinema and drawings. See the work of local artists, including Robert Banks, Dad 759, Damon Reaves, Charmaine Spencer and r.a. washington. Spaces Gallery, 2220 Superior Viaduct. http://www.SpacesGallery.org.

Smooth/Striated Gallery M’s Spring Showcase features the cutting edge metalwork of Sofia Calderwood and Susan Skoczen. Nosh on hors d’oeuvres and sip on the locally-made, low-sulfite wine provided by Mat Cook at Studio of Five Rings at the opening reception on Fri 4/21 from 5-9PM. Delve into the minds of the artists the following day, Sat 4/22 at 1PM, as they discuss the one-of-a-kind collectible pieces featured in the exhibit that wraps up with yet another party on Fri 6/2. Call 773-8277 for all the viewing hours and details. T.A.P. Studios and Gallery M, 1667 East 40th Street, #3.

HOT PICK ArtistX Art Show This art exhibit will feature the work of seven Cleveland and Midwest artists for one night only – Fri 4/21 from 5-9PM. This premier event, highlighting the unique organic, earth style of each artist through a mixture of color, texture, metals and stone, will include original works in glass, sculpture, pottery and acrylics. All works will be available for purchase – so pick up a couple of pieces that will make your friends green with envy, then get a gift or two for your creatively-challenged friends. The event is open to the public – but if you want to seal your spot with the “in crowd” RSVP at 320-1292. Take a peek at www.13hundred.com. 1300 Gallery, 1300 West 78th Street.

Jeremy Mores McWreath’s Westlake Explore pop culture’s ability to mold identity formation in America through this coming-of-age narrative delivered over the course of an ongoing series of commercials, and echoed in a soundtrack of top-forty hits from the Billboard Music’s Modern Rock music charts. Through the top 40 music and the visuals, the video is both a bitingly satirical critique of suburban white male anger and a tribute to Westlake, the town he grew up in. Attend the opening reception on Fri 4/21 from 7-11PM. The show runs through Thu 5/18. The Miller – Weitzel Gallery, 6205 Detroit Avenue. http://www.MillerWeitzelGallery.com.

The Passion of the 409 The artists and designers of Four09 will invade Assemble Gallery for an annual exhibition of new works from the top ranks of their collective consciousness. This year’s exhibition will once again showcase mixed-media, digital art, paintings, photography and more by some of Cleveland’s best designers, artists and creative individuals. Learn more about this intriguing exhibition at http://www.AssembleGallery.com. Attend the opening reception on Fri 4/21 from 7-10PM at Assemble Gallery, 1300 West 78th Street. Show runs through Sat 5/12.

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New Community on Former JCC Site in Cleveland Hts A blending of the rich history of Cleveland Heights with a modern sense of style and sophistication, Bluestone’s private setting will be home to 110 units, including 39 cluster homes and 71 loft style condominiums. Bluestone offers an ideal location and a variety of homes and amenities for every stage of life and lifestyle. Standard amenities include hardwood floors, ceramic tile, granite countertops, gas fireplaces, private patios and much more. Cluster homes starting at $299,900 from 1675 – 2210 sq ft. Lofts starting in the mid $200s. Property tax incentives include 10 year 50% tax abatement. Join us for Bluestone Sales Center’s Grand Opening Thur 4/27. Call (216) 371-3993 for additional information or visit www.liveatbluestone.com.
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Image System is a collaborative, mixed-media exhibition featuring the artwork of George Kozmon and Guy-Vincent Ricketti on Fri 4/21 from 8-11PM. The event will also serve as a media meet & greet for the artistic directors, designers, alumni and current participants of Fashion Week Cleveland. DJs Impure and GO will provide the soundtrack for an evening of art and fashion, during this no-charge event. Call 430-2751 for info. Elevation Art at Playhouse Square, 1240 Huron Road, 5th Floor. http://www.ElevationArt.com.

Opera a la Carte Celebrate Mozart’s 250th birthday with a heaping helping of saucy operatic selections – excerpts from famous and well-loved operas. The performance, by the Cleveland State Opera Theatre Workshop, is open to the public without cost and takes place on Fri 4/21 at 8PM. Call 687-5100 or visit www.csuohio.edu/music for more info. CSU’s Music and Communication Building, Drinko Recital Hall, 2001 Euclid Avenue.

Our Town Greg Vovos, the award-winning Artistic Director of the TITLEWave theatre company, directs this innovative production of one of America’s most beloved plays, Thornton Wilder’s Our Town beginning Fri 4/21 at 8PM and running through Sat 4/29. Visit www.tri-c.edu for a complete schedule. Call 987-5536 for info. Tri-C West Campus, 11000 Pleasant Valley Road, Parma.

HOT PICK Ohio in Style Fashion Show Local designers already blazing trails and design students from some of Ohio’s premier fashion design programs will heat things up on Fri 4/21 from 8-11PM during this show. See millinery from Hats by Christine; jewelry from Q2 Designs; handbags from There She Goes; ladies’ and men’s apparel by druewho?; ladies’ wear by Horst Couture and fashion-forward designs by design students, Kayleigh Knight from Kent State University; Tiffany Wells from Ursuline College and Laura Morrison from Virginia Marti College of Art and Design. The after party will be held at B-Side Liquor Lounge. MOCA Cleveland, 8501 Carnegie Avenue. http://www.MocaCleveland.org.

Rocky River Book Festival Bibliophiles and celeb spotters alike will want to hit the Rocky River Library’s Book Festival on Sat 4/22. Fifty Ohio authors and illustrators are pulling out the all the stops between 10AM and 2:30PM with book signings, speaking stints, and even rare book appraisals. As if that wasn’t enough to get you in the door, a portion of the proceeds will go directly to the library system hardest hit by Katrina. Call Rocky River Public Library at 440-333-7610 or visit http://www.rrpl.org for more details. Don Umerley Civic Center, 21016 Hilliard Boulevard, Rocky River.

HOT PICK Evening with the Stars Lights, Camera, Action! It’s time to celebrate the Akron Civic Theatre’s achievements and impact upon the community during a Hollywood-inspired evening on Sat 4/22 that begins at 6:30PM with a “Red Carpet” cocktail party. Next it’s on to “Oscar Caliber Cuisine” prepared by fabulous chefs; a silent auction; dancing under the “stars” and desserts on the Civic Stage. Come dressed to the nines or inspired by one of your favorite actors or actresses. Get reservation info at www.DestinationDowntownAkron.com. Akron Civic Theatre, 182 South Main Street, Akron.

Invitation to Enlightenment Who couldn’t use a little more of that? The National Association of Asian American Professionals invites you to aspire and inspire during this Sat 4/22 event from 6:30 – 9:30PM. Enjoy fellowship, snacks and dinner; then hear about important immigration reform developments from one of our region’s foremost immigration experts and Transforming Enigma of Professionals in China from a pioneer who was actively involved in the opening reforms of China. Call 870-2757 or email suht@ccf.org to RSVP for the event. http://www.naaap.org. Mekong River Cambodian Restaurant, 1918 Lee Road, Cleveland Heights.

Regional Music at Beachland Spend this weekend soaking up the sounds of amazing musical acts with a ton of talent and the drive to still play like they mean it during a series of shows that will cost you less than your last super-sized, fast-food meal. Check out Coffinberry and The Miranda Sound or The Black Diamonds CD Release Party with The Doctor Teeth and Living Stereo on Sat 4/22 at 9PM and This Moment in Black History, The Fatals (from France) and The Rat Trap, on Sun 4/23 at 9PM. Get tickets at www.BeachlandBallroom.com. Beachland Ballroom & Tavern, 15711 Waterloo Road.

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FusionFest ’06 is a celebration of dance, music and theatre at The Cleveland Play House Tues 5/2 – Sun 5/28 with featured programming that includes a theater production of “Custody of the Eyes,” a play about a scandal surrounding a parish priest on a remote island off the coast of Maine (4/28 – 5/21); “Verb Ballets Celebrates Cleveland Composers” with music performed live (5/18 – 5/19); and “Astrid Hadad,” a show featuring this international cabaret performer whose style includes ranchera, bolero, rumba, rock, jazz, and an array of provocative characters, as part of The Cleveland Museum of Art’s “VIVA! And Gala Around Town” concert series (Fri 5/12 and Sat 5/13). The box office is located at 8500 Euclid Avenue. Contact (216) 795-7000 or visit www.ClevelandPlayHouse.com.
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CC KIDS EarthFest Hear the latest solutions to the accelerating climate change – an important global concern – during Ohio’s premier Earth Day celebration on Sun 4/23 from 10AM – 5PM. Climate Change Solutions is the subject of this unique, family-oriented event which makes learning about how we can help protect the environment fun. The littlest environmental activists will enjoy tons of activities, wonderful exhibits, and a host of animals. Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, 3900 Wildlife Way. http://www.earthdaycoalition.org/.

Ultimate Dodge Ball Tournament Get in touch with you inner child during a game of double elimination based on at least 2 games of 25 minutes each on Sun 4/23 from 1-6PM. Huddle up with your old playground pals and form your own team; then call 831-9698 or email clevelanddodgeball@hotmail.com to reserve your spot. Play like you mean it and your team just might win the $500 cash prize; or at least have some really great stories to go along with those bruises. They won’t seem nearly as cool, otherwise. Euclid Sports Plant, 20001 Euclid Avenue, Euclid. http://www.EuclidSportsPlant.com.

The Lockwood Thompson Dialogues Join internationally-acclaimed, Pakistani-born artist Shahzia Sikander and moderator Kurt Andersen, host of Studio 360, on Sun 4/23 at 2PM, for Cultural & Creative Migrations – an open community dialogue that will focus on issues impacting visual and popular culture. A book-signing will immediately follow the event which takes place at the Cleveland Public Library Main Branch, Louis Stokes Wing Auditorium at East 6th and Superior. Join both guests for a reception and a special viewing of Sikander’s animated works at Spaces (2220 Superior Viaduct) from 5-7PM. Call 621-5330 to RSVP for reception. www.cpl.org.

CC KIDS Beethoven and Nielsen Guest conductor Herbert Blomstedt makes his Cleveland Orchestra debut, on Sun 4/23 at 3PM, with a program featuring symphonies by two master composers: Beethoven’s Fourth Symphony, a concisely clear-headed work of classic proportions and Danish composer Carl Nielsen’s evocative Fifth Symphony, which includes a dramatic battle of musical wills. Call 231-1111 or visit www.ClevelandOrchestra.com for tickets. Severance Hall.

Alex Fedoriouk and Crossing Paths The maverick quartet, Crossing Paths, will entertain jazz enthusiasts with their signature collision of jazz and folk music when they perform Sun 4/23 at 7PM. This unique group of renowned jazz musicians with deep-rooted folk influences has a passion for heart-palpitating improvisation, resulting in a completely original, totally blissful fusion of music that begs to be heard. This one’s a steal. Skip a couple of heavily-hydrogenated mega meals at the local fast food joint and you’ve got enough for a great show and a couple of drinks. Check out this, and other upcoming shows, at www.NighttownCleveland.com. Nighttown, 12387 Cedar Road, Cleveland Heights.

Fair on the Square Forget the apples…show your favorite teacher some love by passing on the invite to this no-cost event for area educators on Mon 4/24 from 4-6PM. This arts education and field trip expo, the only event of its kind in Greater Cleveland, is a great opportunity for them to network with colleagues and prepare for next school year. This year’s exhibitors will include The Akron Zoo, The Cleveland Orchestra, Great Lakes Science Center, International House of Blues Foundation and Progressive Arts Alliance. Register at http://www.PlayhouseSquare.com/faironthesquare or by calling 348-7909. State Theatre, 1519 Euclid Avenue.

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Cheap Date Looking for a good time at discount prices? Check out C-Tix, offering you mega discounts to the best performances showing each and every week in Downtown Cleveland. Go to www.ctix.org for a no-cost sign-up, which gives you the ability to get all the news on up-to-the-minute discounts every week! See the coolest performances at Playhouse Square, Great Lakes Theater Festival, Cleveland Opera, Cleveland Play House, Beck Center, Cleveland Public Theater and more. A service of the Convention & Visitors Bureau of Greater Cleveland. For more information about attractions and events in northeast Ohio visit www.travelcleveland.com.
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HOT PICK Let’s Get Fresh Revive your taste buds with an infusion of zesty and exotic offerings from 23 of the area’s hottest chefs while your spirit gets a lift with the pulsating stylings of Groupo Brazil, KDRS Hayride from Fairmount School of Music, and Carmen Miranda during this event, a veritable Super Bowl for your taste buds, on Mon 4/24 from 6-9PM. Call 751-7656 for ticket info. North Eastern Quadrant of Shaker Square, 13217 Shaker Square.

Poetry Not in the Woods Wred Fright, Joshua Gage, and Gina M. Tabasso will be reading their poetry on Mon 4/24 at 7PM, during an eccentric evening of literary lunacy. Anything could happen with this motley crew: Fright sometimes likes to read poetry wearing a Mexican wrestling mask, Gage at times prefers a purple bathrobe for conjuring the muse, and Tabasso excels in belly-dancing. Shaker Heights Public Library, Community Room B, 16500 Van Aken Boulevard, Shaker Heights.

The Grizzled Wizard of Waste Not Want Not The complimentary premiere of this intriguing “motion portrait” of P.R. Miller, a recycling crusader and fine found artist, on Tue 4/25 from 7-9PM, was produced and directed by local independent movie maker, Joshua Gippin, with the help of his wife, photographer Shane Wynn. Seating is first come/first serve and both Josh Gippin and P.R. Miller will make statements following the film. Akron-Summit County Main Library, Main Auditorium, 60 South High Street, Akron.

A Conversation with Dr. Addie Wyatt Learn about the engaging, eight-decade journey of the Rev. Dr. Addie Wyatt, a lifelong civil rights, women’s, and labor activist whose struggle for equality has brought her in close company with Eleanor Roosevelt; Martin Luther King, Jr.; President James Carter and others. Wyatt will join Pulitzer Prize-winning Plain Dealer columnist, Connie Schultz, for an intimate conversation surrounding her ongoing journey for the equal rights of blacks, women and the working class, on Wed 4/26 at 11:30AM. Call 622-0920 or visit www.wcfcleveland.org for individuals seats or a corporate table. Windows on the River, 2000 Sycamore Street.

HOT PICK Tri-C JazzFest This highly-anticipated, yearly event never fails to deliver. Visit http://www.TriCPresents.com to see the complete schedule and reserve your tickets for international favorites like: The Rebirth Brass Band; Randy Weston’s African Rhythms; Jason Moran and The Bandwagon; Diane Schuur and The Caribbean Jazz Project and Béla Fleck and The Flecktones. Tri-C JazzFest runs from Wed 4/26 through Sun 4/30.

CC KIDS CityMusic Concert Series Enjoy a family-friendly evening of first-rate classical musical performances featuring some of the region’s finest classical musicians during CityMusic’s upcoming series of no-cost, community performances. Hear Cleveland Orchestra’s principal clarinetist, Franklin Cohen, in Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto. Haydn’s Symphony #49 and Mendelssohn’s Italian Symphony will also be included in the program. Attend the Wed 4/26 concert at 7:30PM at Fairmount Presbyterian Church (2757 Fairmount Boulevard) or attend performances in Slavic Village, Elyria, Rocky River and Tremont, through Sun 4/30. Visit www.CityMusicCleveland.org for the complete concert listing. Watercolors by the Plein Air Painters of Cleveland will be on exhibit at each concert. Call 321-8273 for info.

WCLVnotes The Baldwin-Wallace Bach Festival is this coming weekend and WCLV 104.9FM will be there to tape the performance of Bach’s “St. John Passion” Saturday afternoon. WCLV will broadcast the Passion at 1PM this coming Sun 4/23. Immediately following at 3PM will be something completely different, the Springtime version of the live “Mighty Wurlitzer Radio Hour” broadcast from the mythical WCLV Theatre of the Air with a live chorus, soloists and Larry Kass on the Mighty Wurlitzer Theatre Organ. The program is presented in front of an invited audience and harks back to the Golden Age of Radio when most programs were presented live. Complete details of all of WCLV’s programming can be found in the WCLV Program Guide at www.WCLV.com. WCLV is a Cool Cleveland partner.

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

Opinion/Commentary
RoldoLINK
Jackson Needs to go Where the Money Is

The two recent news stories dovetail so well that I couldn’t miss the implications. Neither can you.

The consequences are not good.

Congratulations to the Plain Dealer and Joan Mazzolini for giving us rich detail on the Cleveland Clinic’s reluctance to pay property taxes in her April 9 report.

The article reveals how the Cleveland Clinic avoids property taxes that would go mostly to the Cleveland school system.

Why? Because the Clinic insists, it is a non-profit institution and therefore doesn’t have to pay taxes. How fantastical can you get? Maybe the Clinic’s executives are too close to the drugs.

Mazzolini’s piece was reported after the other article, which grabbed my attention.

The article said that there are 41,887 millionaire households in Cuyahoga County, according to a study by TNS Financial Services.

That’s 41,887. No typo there…
Read RoldoLINK here

*************** SPONSORED LINK ***************
Unconventional, Unsurpassed, Uninhibited, Uncorked! Join the Cleveland Institute of Music for CIM Uncorked – an uncanny combination of fine wines, good food and great music Tue 5/2 at Windows on the River in the Flats from 6 to 8:30PM. Taste wines from 26 wineries, including Penfolds, Chateau St. Jean and Rosemount Estate. Enjoy samples from more than fifteen of Cleveland’s finest independent restaurants – the Cleveland Originals, including Pearl of the Orient, Three Birds, Moxie, and more! Hear the world-class talent of CIM students as they perform throughout the evening. Browse an unbeatable silent auction for very special items. Tickets: $75. Call 216-791-5000 or buy online at www.cim.edu. All proceeds from the evening benefit CIM and the $40 million expansion of its University Circle campus.
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Cool Cleveland Sounds
Steady Your Hands
goodmorning valentine
Collectible Escalators

There are a lot of reasons to love Akron-based band goodmorning valentine and their sophomore effort, Steady Your Hands. More reasons, in fact, than I have space to mention in this review. So, how might you know that some of those reasons apply to you? Take this simple “yes or no” survey below:

1) The words “essential late night listening” are cause for pause and often inspire a record store field trip for me.

2) I wore out my first copy of Belle & Sebastian’s If You’re Feeling Sinister.

3) Decidedly lo-fi affairs with dreamy pop melodies, yummy atmospheric flourishes and indie-rock roots really turn me on. Literally. (In fact, just reading #3 is getting me hot and bothered.)

4) Bands that link Americana and cuddlecore/twee-pop (admittedly, a UK term) are among my favorites.

5) Like Dylan, Tom Waits is a brilliant songwriter, but sometimes his voice really grates on me. I rarely admit this about such genius in public.

If you scored more than two “yes” votes, stop reading now, proceed to your local music retailer and pick this up this nocturnal collection. Tell them I sent you. For the rest of you, read on: goodmorning valentine has grown significantly since its first release, Easter Park. The band’s influences are certainly an eclectic mix (see above and add pinches of Elvis Costello, Wilco and Whiskeytown for good measure) and play a critical role informing the band’s sound.

That said, it is a wonder this band isn’t an international sensation. Singer/guitarist Joey Beltram has a fluttering, passionate voice; his vocal flourishes have the kind of soul that would make Stuart Murdoch green with envy. He sets the mood with the ethereal and downcast “Tiger and the Leper,” a chamber-pop entrée with goosebump-inducing orchestration.

Other highlights include the sparse balladry of “Rock and Roll Boys and Girls,” the lazy, Luna-like cuts “So Long” and “Can’t Say,” a bourbon-laced rocker “City Lights,” the delightfully driving pop ditty “Girl,” and the brassy “Why Do You Bother” – which is filled with delightfully moody time signature changes.

Beltram and the rest of the band – Matt Haas (guitar), Elizabeth Allen (bass/flute/strings), Jake Trombetta (keys), Donny Taylor (drums) – provide a beautiful world of unforgettable melodies and sonic delicacy. This effort could have easily come from the 4AD or Matador label; Steady Your Hands is a well-informed collection of lo-fi pop brilliance and it belongs on a national stage.

From the sounds of things, the folks in “gmv” know that already. And it will happen eventually, so don’t be late. Catch up with goodmorning valentine before the rest of the country does.

Check out goodmorning valentine when they perform at The Northside in Akron, 111 North Main Street (Next to Luigi’s) on May 10 at 9PM. For more information, visit http://www.goodmorningvalentine or http://www.northsideclub.com .

From Cool Cleveland Contributor 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.

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

Alvin Ailey @ the Palace Theater 4/7 We went to see Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at the Palace Theatre. Cleveland did turn out. Was it Revelations, Alvin Ailey’s 1960 masterwork, that the crowds came to see? Or did they come out for the world’s greatest African-American dance company under the inspired direction of former diva Judith Jameson? Or for excellent contemporary modern dance repertory performed by some of the world’s best dancers? We can only speak for ourselves.

We were lukewarm about seeing Revelations again. We most looked forward to seeing Ronald K. Brown’s choreography for the first time; we’d been forced to miss his company’s Cleveland concert despite all we’d heard about his success putting African movement in a modern or postmodern setting. As it turned out, however, each part of the program won us over on its own terms and we left wishing we could attend all three of Ailey’s Cleveland programs…
Read the review by Victor and Elsa here

Charlotte’s Web @ the Cleveland Play House Children’s Theatre 4/15 If you’re going to do a show about a pig, it helps to have an actor who’s a real ham! Luckily for the production of Charlotte’s Web that just opened at the Cleveland Play House Children’s Theatre, director Mark Alan Gordon found exactly the perfect ham for the role of Wilbur, who’s a newborn piglet—the runt of the litter, no less—when the play opens. Due to the kindness of the others around him, he grows up into a well-balanced, intelligent, kind and caring pig by the end of summer. In fact, he’s so special he wins a gold medal at the county faire, which is ever so much better than just an ordinary blue ribbon!

Of course, it doesn’t hurt any that Fern Arable, the daughter of the farmer to whom Wilbur belongs, falls instantly in love with the little guy. She is able to convince her father to give the pig to her, rather than discard him because he’s so tiny. Farmer Arable loves his daughter enough to grant her wish. She loves—and feeds—Wilbur so well that he quickly outgrows his pen, and is boarded out with Farmer Zuckerman, just down the road a ways…
Read the review by Kelly Ferjutz here

Poona the F**kdog and Other Plays for Children @ convergence-continuum 4/15
What: Jeff Goode’s raunchy, fractured adult fairytale of the dopey Kingdom of Do, where people rarely do anything but watch the TV that rules and distracts them. The laughs are many, if you don’t mind scattershot satire that veers from spot-on to sophomoric.
Reasons to go: Clyde Simon’s antic direction, Christine L. Jones’ clever costumes, and four of the convergence-continuum ensemble provide the most enjoyment. With her blonde ponytails making drooping dog ears, dishy Jovana Batkovic is adorable as the accommodating sex-mutt Poona – like a Paris Hylton, but with deadly comic chops. Also delightful are Lucy Bredeson-Smith in her power red suit as the TV/ruler, Denise Astorino as the hapless storyteller, and Wes Shofner as The Man Who Can Sell Anything.
Caveats: Goode’s metatheatrical script is all over the place – full of inconsistencies and overwriting, unnecessary songs, and vaudeville routines that wear out their welcome (one a straight rip-off of “the Knights who say ‘Ni'”, only with expletives). Several of the young ensemble are raw and inexperienced. But it’s still more fun than not.
Backstory: Playwright Jeff Goode loves to shock (The Eight: Reindeer Monologues had Santa sexually abusing young Rudolph) but he knows the children’s TV he sends up -– he’s been a writer on Disney’s American Dragon.
Target audience: Lovers of South Park, this one’s for you: you need to be able to enjoy jokes like a singing penis (Poona’s Fairy Godphallus).
Details: thru 5/13 at convergence-continuum, The Liminis, http://www.convergence-continuum.org
from Cool Cleveland contributor Linda Eisenstein LindaATcoolcleveland.com

Dr. Dolittle @ Palace Theatre 4/18
What: The delightful dance/musical/kidfest, captained by the inimitable Tommy Tune, based on the Hugh Lofting books and the 1967 Rex Harrison movie-musical.
Reasons to go: The lavish stage sets, curtains, costumes, orchestra, special effects, and of course, Tommy Tune. But also check 12-year-old phenom Aaron Burr as Chee-Chee the tap dancing monkey, esp. 1-on-1 with Tune and a chorus of 15 monkeys on Monkey Monkey Island. Plus the tap-dancing Pushmi/Pullyu. And special guest Clevelander Dee Hoty in the female lead. Actually a lot of good reasons to go.
Caveats: Opening night jitters infected the wireless mics and awakened the stage gremlins, but the pro cast sailed right through. The kids never noticed, anyways.
Backstory: This show was declared dead last October, then 9-time Tony Award winner Tommy Tune stepped in, cut the slack (there is no intermission) and gave it the jolt it needed. In his curtain speech on opening night, he said he wanted to introduce his own godchildren to quality theatre that wasn’t cynical. He succeeded. Tune also noted that he got his start in Ohio with Kenley Players, and he phoned John Kenley on his recent 100th birthday.
Target audience: Kids and their guardians who need a break from bad TV (is there any other kind?), crappy video games and inane (cynical) PG movies. Also satisfies anyone looking for the flash and bang of a full-fledged Broadway production, complete with a 20-foot French-speaking escargot, a wild shipwreck, an actual giant flying butterfly, and enough classic dance numbers to leave you exhaustipated.
Details: thru 4/30 at the Palace Theatre, Playhouse Square. http://www.PlayhouseSquare.com

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 being “forced to leave” (See Are We Forced To Leave by Chad Kutting here) There are very few who do not have the same issues facing them whether coming out of college, high school, military or prisons of other sorts. We get smacked in the face with choices by the ton. We choose to stay where we are or go to any one of thousand different places, choosing to seek other experiences, fame and fortune, severing ties or at least stretching them. Maybe Chad Kutting should look for initiating change and creating opportunities here in Ohio, in Lorain and in Cleveland. Maybe he should look at the area as a solid ground that’s ripe for recovery and loaded with options for him, ten, 15 or 30 minutes away. Is the character of the region the same as it was in the boom times of steel, rubber and automobiles? No way. Will it be again? Not a chance. Are there other opportunities presenting themselves every day? I believe there are and the number is constantly growing. People can choose to become part of just one of those options, or make themselves part of another place somewhere on this planet. There’s no “right” here. Just individual choices and our taking charge of our selections and owning up to the results. Chad, here’s to good fortune in all your choices… From one who’s made many, good and bad. And, will hopefully make many more before riding off a cliff… somewhere.
from Cool Cleveland reader Robert Salladay bobATsmileyhanchulak.com

I thought this was ‘provocative’ and almost another ‘call-to-prayer.’ My best intuition, however, makes me believe that ‘Cleveland’ is just about ready to experience another ‘renaissance’–this time, not of new stadiums or grand public works, but a progressive synergy based upon the ongoing, grassroots cooperation of individual citizens and groups that CARE about Cleveland and the Region: It is fighting negativity by communicating. It is fighting negligence by working together. It is Participation. It is Volunteerism. It is Regionalism. It is the indomitable Spirit of Cleveland-itself. It is a Spirit and a Will not just to survive, but TO THRIVE…
from Cool Cleveland reader David Szynal daszynalATsbcglobal.net

This is in response to Chad Kutting’s commentary, “Are We Forced to Leave?” Are we forced to leave? The answer is no. I graduated from John Carroll University in August 2005. Originally, I too, thought I would be a part of the “brain drain” over the apparent lack of jobs in Northeast Ohio. I thought I was forced to look to cities like Washington D.C., New York, and Chicago for a job and eventually career. However, the mentality of thinking that we, as college graduates, have to look outside of Ohio for a job is a bias we choose to adopt. In any job market networking is key to landing a job and Northeast Ohio is no exception. When I was looking in D.C. for a job, it was people I know that were helping me and the same holds true for Cleveland. In fact, I found that the professional community in Cleveland is so determined to keep young college graduates in town that they are willing to put themselves on the line for us. Believe it or not, we, college graduates, are living in a community that understands the predicament our economy is in and is striving to revitalize our region. Part of that revitalization is building a young, bright, and energetic workforce that will help determine the future of our region. Now, I think the change needs to take place in our own attitudes. Instead of mourning our losses and thinking the only option is to move out of state, we need to put forth the effort into networking and finding a job for ourselves to stay in Northeast Ohio.
from Cool Cleveland reader Elizabeth Stoops elizabeth_stoopsAThotmail.com

I read the commentary by Chad Kutting and it seems like he is facing the same problem that millions of young men have faced for generations – fear of leaving the nest. That is not unusual at all since we seem to desire to remain on our “comfort zone” of familiar places and faces. However if we succumb to that fear and refuse to explore new opportunities and places, then we risk becoming that person narrowed by limited experiences. As someone who was never afraid to take on new challenges and someone that has reached the age (57 years old) where I feel confident enough to give advice, don’t be afraid to leave here. Last month I wrote a commentary about what I would miss if I ever left the Cleveland area which was featured in Cool Cleveland. Don’t be afraid to chase opportunity elsewhere. It is a large world out there with many opportunities. To quote Forrest Gump, “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you are going to get.” Even though I like it here and the Cleveland area has a lot to offer, even at my current age if the right opportunity from out of town came my way, I wouldn’t hesitate to leave this area. There are a lot of great cities in this country that also have an excellent quality of life. I have a friend in Austin, Texas that has said that I could stay at his place temporarily if I decided to move there. I have considered that offer many times since the economy in Austin is booming with a lot of opportunities. Living in other cities in other parts of the country broadens one’s experience and also makes one more appreciative of this area. When I was a young college graduate, I couldn’t find a suitable job in the Cleveland area so I moved elsewhere. I lived away from here for sixteen years before returning when I was almost 40 years old. I don’t regret that at all. I have also passed that on to my daughters who are both pursuing careers in other states and cities (Chicago and Detroit). One thing you don’t want to be is the old man (and you WILL grow old) that mourns over lost opportunities because he was afraid to leave the “comfort zone”. This brings another item for further discussion: the economy in northeast Ohio SUCKS! There is little opportunity for young college graduates in this area so it is no wonder that this area is losing our best and brightest young people to other regions. Having had the benefit of visiting and living in other parts of the country, I have some definite reasons why this problem exists and some suggestions on how to change that situation.
from Cool Cleveland reader Lee Kamps lee921ATatt.net

I sent an earlier e-mail about some advice for Chad Kutting who is apparently about to graduate from Oberlin College and is distraught about the state of the local economy. I know exactly what he is talking about when he bemoans the lack of opportuities for educated young people in northeastern Ohio. This is a very grave problem and unless it is addressed soon and solved, this region will resemble many of those small towns populated by old people. It is not like this situation dropped on northeastern Ohio out of the blue within the past few years. This has been going on for at least 30 years ever since the mid 1970s when industry began moving out of the area. The heavy manufacturing industry began moving out of here primarily for two reasons…
Read the rest of the other letter from Lee Kamps here

Go. No, seriously, leave town right now. Because if there’s one thing Cleveland doesn’t need, it’s another bleeding-hearted crybaby college boy who goes around spewing the same old complaints we’ve all heard a thousand times before; while adding absolutely nothing to the discourse in the way of good ideas. Dude, sorry we couldn’t create a more bustling business center for you to graduate into. But we don’t all have the benefit of an Oberlin education, now do we? Someone with your insight and intellect would no doubt find that brighter future in Chicago or NY or LA — or any other city ten times our size that you’d care to compare us to. I’m sure you’d find many of your “greener pastures” there. Good luck purchasing a home on one of them. Honestly, I’m not quite sure why Mulready published your commentary in the first place. I thought his newsletter was supposed to be about Cleveland being “cool.” I suppose he’s trying to provoke a few thoughts. Well, here’s one: How about not running the city down by constantly espousing the need to build it back up? I moved from Columbus to Cleveland at age 26, and I did it of my own free will. In the four years since then, I’ve had two great jobs. I’ve joined clubs and professional organizations. And I’ve discovered a great music scene, art scene and nightlife — not to mention a ton of parks, community events, and a big-ass lake to play in. Oh, and did I mention all these things are all really cheap, friendly and accessible to anyone? Maybe that’s why the circle of college friends I knew when I moved here have all increased their incomes, bought houses and started families here. Believe me, Chad, you’re not insulting anyone by leaving town for your own personal gain. What’s insulting is the fact that all I ever hear about in the press (and by “press” I also mean e-newsletters, Thomas) is Brain Drain. That term is a slap in the face to every young person living and making a living in this town. And I literally know hundreds of them. But maybe you can go find a place that’s not so afflicted with this problem, Chad. My little brother in Washington DC has never heard of Brain Drain. But what the hell does he know — he pays $1475 a month to rent a 750-square foot apartment. So the next time I’m at a rock show, I’ll try to remind my contemporaries that there are no great young minds in Cleveland. The next time I go to an art opening or a film festival, I’ll mention to twentysomethings that there’s nothing for us here. And at the next meeting of the 32-and-under wing of my industry’s professional association, I’ll make sure to mention that we’re all missing out because of the absence of one Chad Kutting. Or maybe I’ll have forgotten all about you by then.
from Cool Cleveland reader Michael Rushing mrushingATliggett.com

On parking tickets in Cleveland How about an article on the outrageous price of parking tickets in downtown Cleveland. $25 plus late fee. Now they are going to start towing if you have 4 or more. That’s enough to make me think twice about even going down there. Most of us try to abide by the parking meters, but occasionally we only have enough change, or we run a few minutes late. But when you get a parking ticket for $25, for lack of putting a quarter in a meter, I tell them to go #$%& themselves. So let’s get some talk going about these insane prices and lets get the city to fix this situation. I’m not going down there if they are going to harass us with these insane prices and policies. I would without doubt pay the fine if it was $5 or $10. $25 for a parking violation is insane.
from Cool Cleveland reader Steve Frumkin wadsworthjazzATsbcglobal.net

On tax abatement and eminent domain (See Selective Shakedowns But Shakedown Nonetheless here and An alternative to eminent domain here) How many of these new tax-abated homes are built on the sites of formerly tax-producing older homes? In my neighborhood, almost none. They rose on vacant lots or replaced problem properties we couldn’t wait to be rid of. Battery Park replaces an industrial eyesore that clogged the bluff above our lakefront park. How are new residents in homes that didn’t exist before raising the tax bill for existing residents? Would these homes – which will, after all, produce property tax in the future – have come to be at all without abatements? How can you “lose” money that was never there before? Anger over abatements roots in a punitive attitude towards those who have money and choice and so can respond to incentives – and yet the modern American city can’t function without their presence. The incentives work; more buy and stay than buy and move. Do the incentives need to be so big, for so long? Perhaps not. And hopefully, we won’t need them forever. But we won’t be “losing” money on tax abatement until development is so robust that it will happen without it.
from Cool Cleveland reader Mati Senerchia senerchiaATsbcglobal.net

In a burgeoning economy, removing barriers to development encourages those that would have invested anyway to do so in the area with the (now) fewer restrictions. The economic vitality and growing population of the greater Los Angeles area certainly drives far more commercial, industrial, and residential development than one finds in northern Ohio. One has only to compare commercial and retail vacancy rates to understand this difference between the two regions. Being a free market, small government sort of person myself, I find the Anaheim approach has a great deal of attraction. But if you build it, will they come? Will it work in Cleveland and would it work on the East Bank? We should not assume that with a simple unfettering, the current property owners would increase investment. One test would be to know if the landowners on the East Bank (or prospective landowners not associated with Wolstein) have had their property development visions foiled by existing restrictions or by municipal fees.
from Cool Cleveland reader Robert Rosenow r.rosenowATatt.net

Can Roldo and his ilk stop their knees from jerking long enough to realize there is a difference between the home-owner victims of eminent domain in Lakewood and the opportunists trying to make a fast buck in the Flats? They were handed the Flats on a silver platter 15 years ago, and it seems too many of them just sat back as the place was run into the ground. They gouged the public on parking (despite the pleas from local family restaurants that subsequently closed), scrimped on public amenities and turned a blind eye to basic safety measures. Without so much as a new idea or blueprint for redevelopment or improvement, they proceeded to whine to the city to lower their land value to get a break on taxes. Were any of them planning to remodel even a street light? Were any of them forming a new group to revitalize even a single block? They just continued waiting for a new golden goose. Well, Scott Wolstein stood up to the plate when no one else would; the city didn’t arbitrarily pluck him out of a hoard of Donald Trump-ish contenders waiving fistfuls of big bucks. With an eye toward solid retail and residential growth, he seems to want to infuse the city with middle-class residents who will add to the permanent tax base, not another bunch of teens throwing up on the streets. Current owners of Flats property deserve a just compensation but certainly not this brand of all-to-easy self-righteous indignation.
from Cool Cleveland reader Howard Gollop howieegAThotmail.com

Cleveland’s Prayer (or, How to Combat “Chip-on-the-Shoulder” Syndrome):
My old ‘chip’ was flaky and greasy and flat.
My domain-eminent was a ball and a bat.
My detractors were trucking along A to Z.
My prayer: Oh Lord, please “Pringle-ize” me.
(“Once you pop the top you can’t stop”…)
from Cool Cleveland reader David Szynal daszynalATsbcglobal.net

On the Operas merging (See Operas merge here) The just announced merger between Cleveland Opera and Lyric Opera Cleveland to form Opera Cleveland is a marriage dictated by necessity. Opera is having a rough time throughout the United States, and its audience is aging. To survive, Opera Cleveland must attract a younger more diverse audience to the pleasures and glories of opera, and to make that experience affordable. To flourish, Opera Cleveland must create a whole new identity, one that is inclusive, approachable and exciting. Here’s hoping Opera Cleveland succeeds!
from Cool Cleveland reader James Harris jharrisAThlcommunications.com

My wish for the new combined company is that they find a venue more suitable than the State Theatre. The State is a grand place but in the Cleveland Opera productions I have seen there, the proscenium swallows the singing while the orchestra overwhelms and echoes off the high ceiling.
from Cool Cleveland reader Robert Rosenow robert.rosenowATcrucible.com

On the Innerbelt Plan projet by ODOT I wondered why I hadn’t seen anything about ODOT [Ohio Department of Transportation] and the Innerbelt Plan in Cool Cleveland lately, but I have discovered that they [ODOT] have excused the public from the process while they decide how to spend our BILLION dollars. They politely asked for our opinion, and now that they have heard us, they can go back to their original plans. If you think that you can trust ODOT and the Federal Highway Department with your tax dollars think again. These are the guys who made the trench and dead man’s curve in the first place…
Read the letter from Susan Miller here

Almost five months ago, representatives from ODOT and city of Cleveland signed a letter “…to make sure that our stakeholders and the general public clearly understand the Federal process that remains before us. And, specifically when and how public input correlates with the overall process.” ODOT and the city of Cleveland promised the public that an “Alternatives Report” and “Economic Impact Analysis” would be completed in December for public comment. Over three months later, neither the Alternatives Report nor the Economic Impact Analysis exist, and the public comment deadline expired in January. Director Proctor and Mayor Jackson – What’s going on? Read more… Here’s what went on! Aside from the problems with the “Trench” segment of the Innerbelt Plan, ODOT and the city of Cleveland have invalidly removed the Southern Bridge Alignment Alternative from further consideration. In June 2005, ODOT removed the only Innerbelt Bridge Alternative because they claimed that it would take the Greek Orthodox Church. In January 2006, ODOT acknowledged that the church would not have to taken, in a clandestine meeting to get endorsements from public officials.
Read the letter from Ed Hauser here

On Cool Cleveland I wanted to let you know that I enjoy the Cool Cleveland news letter. Although I don’t currently live in Cleveland, I enjoy hearing about what’s going on (although lately it hasn’t been particularly good as Chad Cutting noted). I grew up on the east side, went to Ignatius, Miami university and then Case Law School. My family still lives in Shaker and I look forward to my frequent trips back to the city. One day I have hopes or returning. The region’s economic health seems to be failing, local government is as ineffective as ever and enthusiasm for the city is failing. I hope that your news letter and efforts can help to stimulate a turnaround. Cleveland, like many steel belt cities will need to re-invent itself and I am confident that this will happen.
from Cool Cleveland reader Michael B. Tinker mmtinkerATgsb.uchicago.edu

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) Cool Cleveland Comment Are We Forced to Leave? by Chad Kutting.
www.CoolCleveland.com.

2) HungryMag.com visits Cleve The Chicago-based “foodie” magazine just recently spent some time sampling scrumptious local fare and experiencing Cleveland’s cuisine culture first hand.
www.HungryMag.com.

3) RoldoLINK Selective Shakedowns But Shakedown Nonetheless.
www.CoolCleveland.com.

4) Stark drops out of Triangle development Declining to participate in the “more limited” vision that Case has, Crocker Park developer Robert Stark, working with Coral Company’s Peter Rubin, has withdrawn their proposal.
www.Cleveland.com.

5) Tremont ArtWalk Probably the best art walk in Ohio.
http://www.TremontArtWalk.org

Jump in The Hard Corps did. Thanks to our dedicated group of writers (AKA The Hard Corps) Cool Cleveland is chock full of goodness. Props to Peter Chakerian, Roxanne Ravenel, TL Champion, George Nemeth, Roldo Bartimole, Victor Lucas, Elsa Johnson, Kelly Ferjutz, Linda Eisenstein, 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 are you waiting for?

–Thomas Mulready
Letters@CoolCleveland.com

all contents ©2006 MulreadyGROUP all rights reserved
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