Scene and Heard: Scene's News Blog, Cleveland Scene

Deal Done on City Grill Space in Gordon Square

Douglas Trattner — Mon, 20 May 2013 13:43:00 -0400

One of the most looked-at properties in Gordon Square finally has been spoken for. The long-running City Grill, which closed a few years back, has been purchased and will be renovated into a new restaurant.…

On The Landscaping Talents of Cleveland's Sheep

Eric Sandy — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:59:00 -0400

A tip of the hat to Michael McIntyre and his Tipoff column for the phrase "mandibular mowers" in reference to the quaint herd of sheep grazing and fertilizing mostly vacant lots along the East Shoreway.

Yes, the 24 sheep and one protective llama are setting to work once again on the grassy plains of Cleveland.…

Attorney General Certifies Ohio Cannabis Rights Amendment

Eric Sandy — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:03:40 -0400

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine certified more than 1,000 "valid signatures" brought forth by the Ohio Rights Group with the intent to put a ballot measure before voters sometime in the future.

That ballot measure would revolve around legalizing medical and therapeutic marijuana, as well as industrial hemp.…

Civic Facebook Battle in West Jefferson

Sam Allard — Mon, 20 May 2013 09:45:00 -0400

Down in West Jefferson, Ohio — about 25 minutes due West of Columbus — police chief Terry Ward has been ordered by city council and the mayor to take down a community Facebook page which reported daily crime activity, via the Columbus Dispatch.

According to Ward, the page served as an effective tip generator and public relations tool.…

Concert Review: The Thermals at the Beachland Ballroom

Jacob DeSmit — Sun, 19 May 2013 13:34:00 -0400

At first glace, The Thermals don’t necessarily look like a band that will kick your ass. Bassist Kathy Foster comes off a bit like your neighbor (not to say that women can’t kick ass), while lead singer-guitarist Hutch Harris and drummer Westin Glass look like people you might see at your favorite indie coffee shop or comic book convention.…

Nano Brew one of 12 Hottest Craft Beer Bars in the US

Douglas Trattner — Fri, 17 May 2013 14:47:00 -0400

Tom Acitelli, author of the new book "The Audacity of Hops: The History of America's Craft Beer Revolution," has just published a listing of what he calls the hottest new beer bars across the land.

Nano Brew, in Ohio City, ranks in at number five.…

Cleveland Police Interviewed About Seymour Avenue Rescue: Video

Eric Sandy — Fri, 17 May 2013 14:15:00 -0400

Interviews conducted with Cleveland police officers were posted publicly this week. The video reveals the narrative that unraveled as officers arrived at 2207 Seymour Avenue May 6.…

Seven Hills Councilman David Bentkowski Is Now Suing the Ohio Lottery Commission

Vince Grzegorek — Fri, 17 May 2013 13:29:00 -0400

David Bentkowski likes suing people.

He thinks that his background as a lawyer makes him qualified to enter into legal disputes and his voracious appetite for accusing everyone in the world of fucking up his life makes him qualified to speak out loud, apparently believing that people think he's anything other than a joke who has brought this all on himself.…

Bay Village is Basically the Bike-to-School Capital of the USA

Sam Allard — Fri, 17 May 2013 12:26:00 -0400

While other media organizations were sending crews to Cleveland to cover the news on Seymour Ave. last week, Bicycling magazine dispatched its Executive Editor David Howard "to see for himself if the buzz about Century Cycles’ Bike to School Challenge [was] for real."

In short, it was.

According to Howard's numbers, 1,316 total students rode to school last Wednesday (32 percent of total enrollment).…

Former Agora booker Buddy Maver to Speak at Space: ROCK Gallery

Jeff Niesel — Fri, 17 May 2013 12:05:00 -0400

Buddy Maver played in Cleveland bands like the Quantrells, Bocky & the Visions, Richie & the Fortunes, Charade and Rainbow Canyon throughout the ‘60s and ‘70s. Rainbow Canyon was even signed to a major label for a minute.…

State Budget Bill Includes Restrictions on Student Voters

Eric Sandy — Fri, 17 May 2013 11:19:00 -0400

As the state budget heads toward the Republican-led Senate, a move to tie in-state tuition to in-state voting rights has stirred debate throughout Ohio.

The way it stands now, if someone is 18 or older and has established residency in Ohio for 30 days prior to Election Day, they may register to vote by providing some sort of government identification document.…

Pic: New Billboard for Sherwin Williams Building

Vince Grzegorek — Fri, 17 May 2013 10:43:00 -0400

That's the new design that will start installation today on the side of the Sherwin Williams building, formerly known as "Witness Central."

It's by GV Artwork and Design with The Adcom Group.

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Flying Lotus at House of Blues: Concert Review

Eric Sandy — Fri, 17 May 2013 10:30:00 -0400

Betwixt screens casting prismatic visions from distant planets, a silhouetted man loomed over an impressive array of gear - his laptop, his keys, his drum machine, plenty more - and set the place on fire.

Flying Lotus, one of the preeminent producers still skirting The Edge even as borderline mainstream success flashes amid his career, brought his fresh hybrid of jazz fusion, modern hip-hop and EDM to House of Blues last night.…

Angelo's Pizza Donation Reaches Big Bucks

Douglas Trattner — Fri, 17 May 2013 10:00:00 -0400

Yesterday, May 16, Angelo's Pizzeria in Lakewood (13715 Madison Ave., 216-221-0440, angelosonline.com) donated 100 percent of its sales to Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight. That included dine-in, take-out and deliver sales.…

Mentor Resident Brandon Ashmore Downloaded The 50 Billionth iOS App

Eric Sandy — Thu, 16 May 2013 13:50:52 -0400

Years from now, we'll refer to May 16 as "Brandon Ashmore Day" and children will not have school on this most hallowed of holidays.

Ashmore, as if you hadn't already heard, downloaded the 50 billionth iOS app today.…

New Songs From Queens of the Stone Age

Eric Sandy — Thu, 16 May 2013 12:29:00 -0400

The new album from Queens of the Stone Age, ...Like Clockwork, will be released June 3. Thankfully, the music has been hitting the Internet with much intrigue.…

Review: Star Trek: Into Darkness

Sam Allard — Thu, 16 May 2013 11:57:58 -0400

J.J. Abrams straight-up has a way with ensembles, doesn’t he? All those survivors in LOST with their quirks and troubled pasts; the wee children in Super 8 with their small-town aspirations; even Tom Cruise, his spy team and their outlandish gadgetry in MI:III.…

TODAY: Angelo's Pizza to Donate Sales to Rescued Girls' Fund

Jason Beudert — Thu, 16 May 2013 11:16:05 -0400

Originally posted May 13

"It is true, Angelo's delivered pizza to both the Berry and the DeJesus families on Wednesday," confirms Angelo's Pizza manager Brandon Salman. And all day this coming Thursday, in an effort to support all three victims, Angelo's Pizzeria in Lakewood (13715 Madison Ave., 216-221-0440, angelosonline.com) will be donating 100 percent of its sales to Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight.…

Fuckin' A Right, Ohio

Eric Sandy — Thu, 16 May 2013 10:53:40 -0400

After nearly passing out from straining my wit for that headline, it's time to announce the Big News: Ohio residents curse more than people in any other state.

The Marchex Institute conducted a study that mined data from more than 600,000 calls placed by consumers to businesses.…

Dish of the Day: Goose Confit @ District

Douglas Trattner — Thu, 16 May 2013 10:00:00 -0400

There's no shortage of places that serve up duck confit — and that's a good thing because the preparation usually is magnificent. But it was a dish on the menu of District, a new bistro that opened in PlayhouseSquare, that really got me excited for dinner.…

Colt McCoy's Pastor Catches a Bird With His Bare Hand

Sam Allard — Wed, 15 May 2013 16:04:00 -0400

It's unclear how Colt McCoy and his pastor Matt Carter were aiming to publicize their new book, "Real Win: A Man's Quest for Authentic Success" by quail hunting in Texas. Perhaps, in a fit of marketing desperation, they were trying to align their promotional campaign with that of Dr. Pepper Ten's?…

Goldfish Saga Continues at Perry Plant

Sam Allard — Wed, 15 May 2013 12:00:00 -0400

Security investigators are having a hell of a hard time tracking down the criminal or prankster or moron who left a pair of radioactive goldfish in a steam tunnel at the Perry Nuclear Power Plant earlier this month. The PD reports that the plant's surveillance footage is inconclusive because everyone's wearing yellow radioactive suits, including hoods.…

Historic Euclid Tavern is Closed, But with Asterisk

Jason Beudert — Wed, 15 May 2013 11:41:00 -0400

A neighborhood institution since 1908, The Euclid Tavern (11625 Euclid Avenue) has quietly closed its doors. It had reopened in 2008 following a seven-year hiatus, but it looks like the end of the road for the historic Cleveland club.…

Ariel Castro's Attorney: He's Not a 'Monster'

Eric Sandy — Wed, 15 May 2013 10:59:00 -0400

Okaayy....

There's this:

"The initial portrayal by the media has been one of a 'monster' and that's not the impression that I got when I talked to him for three hours."

That's the nonsense heard 'round Cleveland - nay, the world - today now that one of Ariel Castro's attorneys, Craig Weintraub, has offered a few public thoughts on his client.…

Concert Review: Capital Cities at House of Blues Cambridge Room

Jeff Niesel — Wed, 15 May 2013 10:48:00 -0400

Just from looking at the guys in Capital Cities, the L.A.-based synth pop band that played a sold out show last night at House of Blues Cambridge Room, it wouldn’t be hard to detect that the front men used to be jingle writers. With their shiny black silk jackets, singers Ryan Merchant and Sebu Simonian looked like a couple of nerds who stumbled into a band.…