Saturated

In this week's issue:
* Cool Cleveland Ingenuity Mixer 7/13 Get tix here before they go up at midnight 6/29
* Access:Cleveland video interview with Cleveland State University President Michael Schwartz
* Win a video iPod by inviting a friend to join Cool Cleveland here
* Signs of Life on Planet Cleveland Be a Clevelander; Take a Look at Cleveland
* Cool Cleveland Sounds Polar Shifts {+/-}: The Positive of Negative by Audiblethread
* Cool Cleveland People Artist William Higgins
* RoldoLINK Not a Bad Blackwell Idea
* Cool Cleveland Kids podcast click here, CC podcast click here, CC Blog click here

Had enough? Remember it could be worse. Again, Cleveland's weather problems pale in comparison with other parts of the country. The East Coast was basically shut down with flooding—we had a few wet basements. Still, take care when you clean up. And allow us to help you stay focused on the overflowing coolness of our region, starting with a pair of video interviews with CSU President Michael Schwartz, one of the region's unsung spark plugs.

If you're planning to enjoy the triumphal return of the Ingenuity Festival (7/13-16), why not get your best deal here by kicking it off with our Cool Cleveland Mixer which includes not only a swell party, open bar for 2 hours and an incredible Cajun buffet, but also a comp ticket to the Ingenuity Festival itself. Do we take care of our Cool Cleveland peeps or what?

To those of you who think Roldo has been overflowingly negative, read his column this week offering a few helpful suggestions for area politicians, all delivered with his sharp tongue planted firmly in his cheek. New sounds from Audiblethread, an offer to win a video iPod, more Signs of Life on Planet Cleveland, and enough cool events to float anyone's boat round things out. Our cup runneth over this week, Cleveland. Grab a paddle and jump in. –Thomas Mulready

Access:Cleveland
Michael Schwartz
Cleveland State University President
Movies Behind the Scenes

Avuncular, efficient Michael Schwartz has served as President of Cleveland State University for exactly five years. During that time, the university has embarked on an ambitious Master Plan, which entails a $179 million investment in Downtown Cleveland, including a network of green spaces, a new Administration Center and Recreation Center, student hopusing in Fenn Tower, a new College of Education, private daycare and retail development, and two stops on the new Euclid Corridor Project. Future plans include a new bookstore, Central Commons & Student Union, a Varsity Village between Chester & Payne, Art Gallery & Theatre relocated to Euclid Avenue, a landscaped music courtyard, new parking and new housing.

While weathering the storms of a threatened boycott by black contractors, and the ubiquitous stolen laptop, Schwartz's low-key, consensus-building style hasn't made him a media darling, but maybe it should. He's managed what few leaders in the region have: his ego-less approach has created an atmosphere of mutual respect, cooperation and progress at an institution that is critical to Cleveland's Downtown rebirth. Cool Cleveland's Thomas Mulready shot this 2-part video interview on the CSU campus, and they discussed raising Cleveland's economic development, raising CSU's admission standards, raising the reputation of CSU, and why he's so proud of their new fountain.
MOVIE1 CSU President Part 1 (PC) (Mac)
MOVIE2 CSU President Part 2 (PC) (Mac)

Includes comp ticket to Ingenuity Fest!
Cool Cleveland Ingenuity Mixer 7/13
Super low price until this Thursday midnight here!

This'll blow you out of the water! Meet us at Fat Fish Blue on Thur 7/13 and pick your CoolCleveland.com/Ingenuity party time slot: 5-7PM or 7-9PM (separate admissions) with a menu that will make you happy as a clam! Start with open bar with unlimited beer & wine, then add a complete Louisiana-style buffet with spicy Cajun hors d'oeuvres that include jambalaya, chicken, andouille sausage gumbo, cornbread, sweet potato chips, mini crab cakes with cajun mayo, delta dip with black tortilla chips, praline chicken tenders with Jack Daniel's sauce, southern fried pickles, beignets and cheesecake bites! Then go twenty leagues with the acoustic vibe of Christine Jackson and Basically Blue. Finish with a comp ticket to the Ingenuity Festival of Art & Technology ($10 value), all for one incredible price, if you score your tix online here before midnight this Thursday, when the price goes up.

Catch the Wave at 5PM or 7PM at Fat Fish Blue at the corner of Prospect and Ontario downtown (see map here). Then clear the decks for your comp ticket to the fabulous Ingenuity Festival of Art and Technology ($10 value), happening right outside FFB as they shut down Prospect Avenue so Cleveland can party. Get your tix online before this Thursday for your best deal here.

Holy Mackerel! For this price, you can bring friends, colleagues, and even insignificant others!
https://CoolCleveland.net/tickets/071306/index.php

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Did You Know? The Chimpanzee is more closely related to humans than any other primate. And the newly installed exhibition, "Discovering Chimpanzees: The Remarkable World of Jane Goodall," at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History (now through 9/3/06), will help you discover the amazing world of chimpanzees. Join us as we celebrate the life and work of this renowned chimp researcher. The is the first stop on your Primate Passport. Purchase a passport (or several!) at the museum for admission to this exhibition and other chimp extravaganzas around town including the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and Rainforest, and the OMNIMAX movie "Jane Goodall's Wild Chimpanzees" at the Great Lakes Science Center. For more info contact www.cmnh.org.
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NewsLinks

• Beck Center on the move? Their strategic plan called for exploring new funding options via development of their Lakewood property with a new theatre and arts education facility, and street-level retail and housing along Detroit Avenue. Then Robert Stark offered $2 million worth of land just S. of Trader Joe's at Croker Park, and things got interesting. In an exclusive Cool Cleveland interview with Thomas Mulready, Beck board president Frederick Unger confirmed that they are looking to develop an 88K sf facility for around $20 million and the Stark offer "accelerated" their planning. They also want to explore "who their friends are" by discussing their options with the City of Lakewood for their current location or another (Westwood-Hilliard Square Theatre? A recently abandoned school auditorium?), and with Westlake City Council, which they'll be meeting with. Either way, they are serious, analyzing both the market for theatre and arts education, as well as the real estate market, and their own ability to get a really good friend to give the first $10 million. Stay tuned, They'll probably make a decision by summer. Your thoughts? Letters@CoolCleveland.com
• Lakewood is Alive A new plan for beautifying Clifton Avenue includes a bevy of new ideas: a landscaped median, calming traffic in the retail districts, esp around W. 117th, "pedestrian-scale" lighting & banners, wayfinding kiosks, and even public art sites. Read the latest issue of the Lakewood Observer, which roundups the $200 million in surprising development projects happening right now in Lakewood ($9.5 million YMCA rebuild, $3 million residential Rosewood Place, the $19 million boat & residential Cliffs overlooking Rocky River, $2 million Lakewood Park Lakefront Promenade, the $8.7 million Lakewood Hospital expansion, the $40 million Rockport residential development, the $56 million schools rebuild, the $12 million Lakewood Library expansion, and more). Check the economic development group Lakewood Alive. What do you think of Lakewood's renaissance? Letters@CoolCleveland.com.
• Newspapers are dead Even Crain's own columnist admits it. Shrinking circulation leads Slate to declare, "newspapers are dying, but the news is thriving''. And how do you get your news these days? Letters@CoolCleveland.com.
• Encore Northeast Ohioans are in for a tasty musical treat when the Cleveland Institute of Music (CIM) presents no-cost concerts with fabulous string performances by gifted young string players, distinguished faculty and alumni of the Encore School for Strings at Western Reserve Academy and renowned guests. The series of complimentary concerts at the Western Reserve Academy Chapel (115 College Street, Hudson) run now through Fri 8/4. Catch the next concert with cellist Kenneth Olsen and Friends on Fri 6/30 at 7:30PM. Visit http://www.cim.edu for the complete listing of can't miss classical concerts.
• What you don't know can hurt you Did you know that HIV/AIDS was the 3rd leading cause of death among African-American men aged 35 - 44 living in Ohio for 2003 according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)? You can help fund AIDS education and prevention programs and services to Northeast Ohio’s African American community and everyone at risk for HIV/AIDS by participating in the AIDS Walk Cleveland. The 2006 Dr. John T. Carey Memorial AIDS Walk will be held on Sat 10/7 in University Circle. To participate visit http://www.cleveland.com/AIDSwalk and print out your registration and volunteer forms.
• 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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Tired of Long Commutes? You can change that! Move to The Courtyards of Severance and say good-bye to that unbearable drive to work. Located in Cleveland Heights, The Courtyards of Severance offers what every new homebuyer is looking for: great location (only 5 minutes from University Circle and 10 from Downtown), tax abatement (10-year, 50%), variety of floor plans (five award-winning designs) that can be individualized to meet your desires and a terrific value (starting at $274,900). The Courtyards is so great that even the president of the company calls this unparalleled, maintenance-free community his home! Off Mayfield Road between Warrensville Center and South Taylor Roads, The Courtyards of Severance is open Saturdays through Wednesdays, 1PM – 5PM, and by appointment. Visit www.thecoralcompany.com for more information.
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NewsLinks

• How to clean up Take it from someone who's cleaned up his share of flooded basements. Buy lots of large garbage bags, a box of cheap rubber gloves, utility knife, a cheap mop & bucket. Wear rubber boots. First, remove anything you want to keep that was not touched by sewer water. But use this opportunity to throw out crap you haven't seen in a year and don't really need. Put into plastic bags anything that was touched by sewer water, no matter what, and stack it on the tree lawn. The city will pick it up. Rip all carpet with a knife into 4-foot strips, roll it up and haul it out. Don't try to save it. Any drywall that got wet with sewer water should be removed and replaced. Once you're down to bare floor and walls, mop liberally with one cup bleach per gallon water, changing water often. Air dry with fans & mop again. Now the real problem: antiquated city sewer systems are overburdening our dozens of tiny municipal fiefdoms on NEO. Cleveland Mayor Franks Jackson's offer to take over municipal water systems from the suburbs and maintain it in exchange for a promise not to poach businesses across city lines is sound. We need to declare our own state of emergency and clean our regional sewer problem up once and for all. Your advice? Letters@CoolCleveland.com.
• Natural History & HealthSpace merger talks Just 3 years after opening their sparkling new $33 million Euclid Avenue space, soon to be on land owned by the Cleveland Clinic across the street, HealthSpace Cleveland is talking about joining forces with the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, and sharing venue, memberships and common programming, according to reports here. Your thoughts? Letters@CoolCleveland.com.
• Movie Mondays Take in a movie over lunch on Mondays on Star Plaza. Catch Independence Day on Fri 6/30 at 12 noon or get some work done on your laptop using the complimentary 24/7 internet access. See the remaining Monday offerings, including Pirates of the Caribbean, Indiana Jones & the Last Crusade, Grease and more at www.PlayhouseSquare.org.
• Cool Cleveland Podcast Cool things to do this week in Cleveland, at the click of a button. http://www.coolcleveland.com/files/audio/CoolCleveland06.30.06.mp3. Don't forget, you can subscribe to this podcast by saving this link in your favorite program that catches podcasts.
• Cleveland not so sweaty As if you needed another reason to stay in or move to Northeast Ohio, we've got one for you. Old Spice recently announced the results of its Fifth Annual Top-100 Sweatiest Cities List and Cleveland was ranked toward the bottom of the list - 73 out of 100. Translation: You are much less likely to melt into a puddle of sweat here in good old NEO than in Phoenix, Vegas or Tucson - the three sweatiest cities. Read the story here.
• No Child loophole As argued by Lakewood Schools superintendent David Estrop [See "No Child Not Fair"], the Federal No Child Left Behind statute allows smaller, homogeneous suburban communities to not count certain categories of students when reporting test scores, raising their overall test results by not counting struggling minorities. See Boston Globe.
• LeBron goes Parkside The 21-year-old continues to impress Clevelanders with far more than his legendary-status basketball playing ability. James' commitment to giving back to local communities continues to enrich the lives of those in neighborhoods that are often neglected. Last Wednesday the LRMR Development Company LLC - comprised of James and a few of his childhood friends - joined Mayor Frank Jackson, Ward 8 Councilwoman Sabra Pierce Scott and Tracey Kirksey from the Glenville Development Corporation to break ground for the $4.7 million Parkside Townhomes - a new homeownership opportunity in Cleveland's Glenville neighborhood. See the story here. Thoughts? Letters@CoolCleveland.com.
• ClevelandCurrent.com There's a new alternative as to how you get your news in Northeast Ohio. ClevelandCurrent.com, an independent online media outlet, plans to remedy Northeast Ohio's one-horse town newspaper status in a way that current "so-called alternative newspapers" have been unable. Visit www.ClevelandCurrent.com to learn more. Send your comments to Letters@CoolCleveland.com.
• Cool Cleveland Kids This week, take a hint from 10-year-old Cool Cleveland correspondent Max Mulready on events to attend with the family. Hear his short podcast here even if you don't have special software. If you're a whiz kid, you can download it to your iPod or your computer and listen with your own kid. Check below to see the events tagged CC KIDS under Cool Cleveland This Week for our recommendations for a fantastic family week. http://www.coolcleveland.com/files/audio/CoolClevelandKids06.30.06.mp3. Adding this link to your program that catches podcasts, will keep you up-to-date on the latest audio.
• Smoking Ban a Health Must According to the hot-off-the-presses Surgeon General's report an all-out smoking ban in all public places is the only way to protect the lungs of innocent bystanders from deadly second-hand smoke. According to the report, spending just two hours in a smoky bar is the equivalent of smoking four cigs yourself. Definitely not cool. What's more the report indicates that enforcing smoking bans has zero economic impact. No doubt this report will give proponents of smoking bans the fuel needed to forge ahead. Read the story here. What are your thoughts on the report? Letters@CoolCleveland.com.

You Turn Me On, Baby If we “do” it for you, please introduce us to your friends, neighbors, mailman, hairdresser and second cousins. Each of you will be eligible to win a Video iPod compliments of Cool Cleveland. No purchase necessary. Enter as many friends as you wish. The more friends you enter, the greater your chances of winning. Sign up by going here.

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Bloggalapooza is a day-long celebration featuring ten area bands, cajun food, and... blogs. Why a celebration of blogs? Believe it or not, the Cleveland area has one of the most vibrant community of bloggers in the nation! A year ago, a group of bloggers got together and began recording conversations with civic leaders, posting them to the internet as podcasts. On Sat 7/22 between 2-10PM they'll convene @ The Town Fryer to listen to bands like Woodshed Mercy and Crookneck Chandler and the Tibbee Bottom Boys, enjoy deep fried pickles with a side of free WiFi and the opportunity to chat with some of the leaders they've interviewed like gubernatorial candidate Ted Strickland. Click here for details.
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Emissions from the blogsphere Mel is disgusted at Cleveland.com's lack of updates to their club guide. Heather lists some spots for fireworks on July 4th. Bill discovers AT&T has been overcharging him for DSL. John wins the best blog award from the SPJ. Scott posts about the rumored West Side Apple store. Adam blogs about the Neighborhood Connections Party. Check the Cool Cleveland weblog here, where Peter Chakerian wakes up from a CMJ-induced haze to find the Rock Hall Foundation’s new chief is from Clear Channel, the Beck Center is considering a shack-up with Robert Stark at Crocker Park and wonders, like Paula Cole, “Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?” When you’re done, add your own comments, questions and attitude. Letters@CoolCleveland.com.

Cool Cleveland This Week
6.28-7.05

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

CC KIDS Please touch the animals A world of adventure is at your fingertips this summer at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. Feel the smooth skin of stingrays and small sharks in a safe and controlled environment. Enter the Public Greenhouse and be surrounded by the beauty and grace of a countless variety of exotic butterflies from Costa Rica. Visit Dr. ZooLittle's Wild Animal Show and watch as avian actors fly overhead. Check out the Touch! Exhibit and more now through Labor Day. http://www.CleMetZoo.com. Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, 3900 Wildlife Way.

Walking The Guac for Sustainability Order a side of guacamole today, Wed 6/28 between 11AM and 10PM and Chipotle will donate 100% of guacamole sales (up to $50,000) to The Land Institute, a nonprofit research and education organization focused on building ecologically stable agricultural systems. The donation will help support the Institute, based in Salina, Kansas, in its ongoing efforts to develop Natural Systems Agriculture, an agricultural system that mimics nature's own solutions to problems such as soil erosion, weed invasions, diseases and even climate change. Locate the nearest restaurant at http://www.Chipotle.com.

ReDeveloping Cleveland: Revitalizing Housing This panel discussion on Wed 6/28 at noon will focus on the challenges and solutions to revitalizing housing in Cleveland. Theresa A. Schwarz, senior planner for the Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative will moderate a panel discussion on Cleveland's housing strategies featuring Professor Thomas Bier, director, Center for Housing Research & Policy, Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University; Robert N. Brown, director of the City Planning Commission, Cleveland; and Sabra Pierce Scott, City of Cleveland Council representative (Ward 8). Visit www.CityClub.org to learn more or to register. City Club of Cleveland, 850 Euclid Avenue, 2nd Floor.

Listing Tip of the Week Ever gotten frustrated because you just needed to ask a question but couldn't find a way to contact a living, breathing, human being? Whether it's on a website, when you call your bank or an electronics superstore whose many blue-shirted employees give you robotic answers that raise your blood-pressure and leave you dumber and more confused...what were we talking about again? Oh, yeah. Contact information can make or break the deal for you. Including contact info on your website, which you'll include, of course (haven't you been paying attention?) makes it easier for readers who are interested in attending your event to ask those important questions. If you don't have a website to refer readers to be sure to include a contact number or email address with your event submission. Happy listing! Events@CoolCleveland.com.

Cleveland Orchestra Junior Committee MeetUp Who says organizational planning can't be fun? Bring a friend and get acquainted over cocktails. Learn about this behind-the-scenes committee as it identifies key projects and events for the upcoming year. Email bandyz@sbcglobal.net to register for the Wed 6/28 event at 7PM at The Fairmount Wine and Martini Bar, 2448 Fairmount Boulevard, Cleveland Heights.

Open Source Economic Development Open Source Economic Development is a new approach to economic development that shows you how to develop the open networks that drive innovation. Spend two days learning about Open Source Economic Development and connect with leaders building new opportunities across the region on Thu 6/29 and Fri 6/30 from 8AM to 4PM. Register here. Baldwin Wallace College Strosacker Hall College Union, 275 Eastland Road, Berea.

Party in the Heights Yearnin' for some alt country music this week? Check out Hillbilly Idol during a no-cost concert in the park on Thu 6/29 from 7PM to dusk and save your money for beer after the show. Cedar Lee Minipark (a hop, skip and jump away from Heights Arts Gallery at 2173 Lee Road). http://wwwHeightsArts.org.

CC KIDS Festive Friday Take it to the streets with the Sidewalk Cinema Scene in Kent this summer. The Fri 6/30 edition kicks off at 5PM with live music and family fun; families will dive into the enchanted adventures of Wesley and Buttercup during the screening of The Princess Bride at 9PM. Enjoy the entertainment and explore the galleries and shops all open late for your perusing pleasure. Call (330) 677-1459 for more information or head on down to the Home Savings Plaza at the corner of Main and Water Streets, Kent. http://www.kentohio.net/kentmatters/index.html#princess www.KentOhio.net.

Wanna Be Popular Beyond Belief? That’s right, the best way to make friends and influence people is to volunteer at the Cool Cleveland booth at the Ingenuity Festival 7/7 or 7/13 - 7/16. You will not only be rewarded in heaven, but with a free Ingenuity ticket! Score! As a valued CC staffer, you will help sign people up for the e-letter, sell t-shirts and partake in the general merriment of CC volunteerism. Laughing is encouraged, but strictly optional. Pick a shift that works best for your schedule and bring a bud because volunteering with friends is more fun. Here are your options, please email your availability to tl@coolcleveland.com. We need 2 people for each shift: Shift A). Fri 7/7 from 6PM-9PM; Shift B). Thur 7/13 from 3PM-7PM or Shift C). 7PM-10PM; Shift D). Fri 7/14 = 3PM-7PM or Shift E). 7PM-10PM; Shift F). Sat 7/15 from 3PM-7PM; and Shift H). Sun 7/16 from 3PM-7PM or Shift I). 7PM-10PM.

HOT PICK Wal Mart: The High Cost of the Low Price Attend a special screening of the documentary on Fri 6/30 at 6PM, Sat 7/1 at 3:30PM & 6PM and Sun 7/2 at 3:30PM. There is no admission charge but seating is limited to 30 per showing. This critically acclaimed film is changing the largest company on earth. It features real stories and the everyday lives of families and communities struggling to survive in a Wal-Mart world. This emotional and deeply personal journey will challenge the way you think, feel and shop. Talkies Film & Coffee Bar. http://www.WalmartMovie.com.

The Mysterious Elastic Studio Check out unique artwork made exclusively here in Cleveland by artists including Kate Lavant, Paul Wadell, and David Boylan during the premiere exhibition of The Front Room Gallery in its new Chinatown location. The doors to The Mysterious Elastic Studio exhibition blow open on Fri 6/30 at 7PM with an opening reception. Tap into the excitement on the web at http://www.FrontRoomCleveland.com or call 534-6059. Front Room Gallery, 3615 Superior Avenue, #4203-A.

eleveneleven Summer heat has nothing on the sizzling GroundWorks Dance Theater's latest production. The troupe dances into July with performances Fri 6/30 & Sat 7/1 at 7:30PM and wraps up with a matinee encore on Sun 7/2 at 2PM. Get your tickets to the inventive and varied dance extravaganza at the Cain Park Box Office. Call 691-3180 or email info@groundworksdancetheater.org for more details. Cain Park, 1823 Lee Road. http://www.NotSoObvious.com.

WCLVnotes This coming Sat 7/1 at 8PM, WCLV kicks off its celebration of July 4th with a live broadcast of the Blossom Festival Band Concert from the Blossom Music Festival. Following the Blossom broadcast at 10PM, Weekend Radio with Robert Conrad observes both Canada Day (July 1st) and Independence Day including bits by Stan Freberg and the Royal Canadian Air Farce. Also, Earl Robinson's inspiring "Ballad for Americans." Complete details of WCLV's classical music programming can be found on WCLV's web site at www.wclv.com.

Cleveland Biker Rally Enjoy two stages of music headlined by the legendary Outlaws Band at this Sat 7/1 event from noon to midnight. Hear Sturgis, South Dakota, house band Blackberry Smoke, Cleveland bands - The Doors tribute band, Moonlight Drive, country band Lawless, boogie biker band Burnt River, reggae with Dub Flex, Grateful Dead tribute band Local Color and blues band Walkin' Cane. Amusement park rides, food, soft drinks, hard drinks and lots of cold beer will be available and a Bikers Vending Village will be set up with several motorcycle related vendors. Get advance tix at Harley-Davidson Sales Company (14550 Lorain Road). Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds, 164 Eastland Road Berea. For more information please go to http://www.ClevelandBikerRally.com.

Running & Drinking? Seems like an unlikely combination, but the Cleveland Hash House Harriers are part of a world-wide network of more than 1700 groups of "hashers." Hashing is a version of the British paper chase in which a "hare" lays a trail marked by chalk. False trails divert the "pack" and a beer stop is laid at the half way point to quench thirsts. At the final destination the hashers celebrate by singing traditional songs. Visit http://www.ClevelandHash.com to learn more about this eccentric group – “A drinking club with a running problem” - and participate in their upcoming runs on Sat 7/1 and Sat 7/16 at 3PM.

CC KIDS Hey, Buzz Off Though many of us view bees and wasps as a nuisance, these beneficial insects serve an important function and are really quite interesting. Learn more about them during a nature walk on Sat 7/1 from 3:30 - 4:30PM. Future offerings include: Dragonflies & Damselflies on 7/8; Animal Homes on 7/15; Incredible Insects on 7/22 and Butterflies on 7/29. Call 321-5935 for info then buzz on over to Nature Center at Shaker Lakes, located at 2600 South Park Boulevard, Shaker Heights. http://www.ShakerLakes.org.

Cleveland's Screaming 2 Because last year's rendition had the crowds screeching for more, Punk is once again resurrected in all its glory on Sat 7/1 at 9PM at The Jigsaw Saloon. Death of Samantha's Steve-O plays host Cleveland's Screaming 2 the event that reunites the players from the punk era of the 80's with a special punk documentary screening and tons of surprises. Jigsaw Saloon, 5324 State Road.

Kent-O-Rama Historic Art Exhibit Jumping into the celebration spirit of the Kent Bicentennial bash the Kent-O-Rama Historic Art Exhibit splashes in with an opening reception Sat 7/1 at 8PM. Featuring the art of Kent townie Ken McGregor and Akron art icon Ray Packard the exhibit brings the art history of Kent to life with Giclee prints and more. Call (330) 673-4970 for more details. For the latest news on this and other exhibits check out http://www.StandingRock.net. North Water Street Gallery, 257 North Water Street, Kent.

CC KIDS July 4th Waterfront Festival is a multi-day affair, from Thu 6/29 through Tues 7/4, with something for the entire family. Activities include a charity Texas Hold'em Festival, a Family Fun Festival, Art on Wheels, a Cleveland Rowing Foundation Exhibition with racing and learn to row sessions and a concert by Taking Back Sunday. Visit http://www.ClevelandFlats.org for the complete line-up. Don't miss the fun and fireworks on Independence Day as the Waterfront Festival wraps up with a great big bang beginning at noon. Join local bands, dancers and entertainers for the day long high energy extravaganza that'll close down the festival. The Flats, Plain Dealer Pavilion, Shooters.

CC KIDS The Lakewood Project Join Lakewood High School's youth rock orchestra for an electrifying performance in the park on Tue 7/4 at 7PM. Call 529-6650 for info on this performance and the Sunday Evening Band Concert Series at the Bandstand. Lakewood Park Bandstand located on the lake at Belle and Lake Avenues. http://www.TheLakewoodProject.net.

The Buddy Holly Story is a rockin'-boppin' musical revue of the 1950's icon who reshaped the face of rock-and-roll. Set to an irresistible score of 20 rockabilly hits including “Maybe Baby,” “Peggy Sue” and “That'll Be The Day…” Before Elvis, before the Beatles, there was Buddy Holly. The show highlights the singer's soaring rise to fame, his young marriage and breakup with longtime band, the Crickets and recreates two memorable Buddy Holly concerts, including the Crickets appearance as the first white act ever to appear at the Apollo Theatre and his final gig in Iowa before his fatal plane crash in 1959. The show runs from Wed 7/5 through 9/2. Get tickets at www.CarouselDinnerTheatre.com. Carousel Dinner Theatre, 1275 E. Waterloo Road, Akron.

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

Signs of Life on Planet Cleveland
Be a Clevelander; Take a Look at Cleveland
By David Budin

I call myself a Clevelander. I was born in Cleveland, at Mt. Sinai Hospital, which was located in the University Circle area of the city until a few years ago. After those first few days of my life, I lived in Cleveland Heights and, except for a few years when I lived in New York City and then Columbus, and a few months in Los Angeles, I have always lived in Cleveland Heights. But I still call myself a Clevelander.

It’s not that I have always felt overwhelmingly proud of Cleveland. In fact, there were many years when I really wanted to move away from the area, but one thing or another kept me here. And then a lot of things got better here, which lessened my desire to flee. It still feels as if the city is going continue moving forward. I think it will start any day now. Really.

My father was born in what we now call Cleveland’s inner city. His family moved to Cleveland Heights when he was a kid. When I was a kid, in the late-1950s and early ‘60s, I used to go with my father to various spots all around the inner city – sometimes visiting old relatives who still lived there; sometimes eating in restaurants and shopping stores owned by old friends of his family; sometimes just driving around to see the city. Once, when I was around 10, he even took me and my older brother to a Sunday morning service at a storefront Baptist church, where I learned more about the roots of rock and roll than I did from most of the 200 books I’ve read on the topic since then.

These days, I find myself driving around Cleveland’s inner city a lot. I guess those early excursions could be part of the reason. Or it could just be my natural curiosity. Or it could be just be that it’s really cool – much of it. Some of it is really terrible, too. But it’s all really interesting and it stirs up a variety of emotions and ideas...
Read more from David Budin here

Cool Cleveland Sounds
Polar Shifts {+/-}: The Positive of Negative
Audiblethread
Self-Released

Local sensitive-art-metal outfit Audiblethread will have a time shaking comparisons to Tool and A Perfect Circle. From Eric C. Hess’ vocals on down, there is a certain degree of deja-vu that the band’s ersatz-prog sound brings to mind. I’m guessing it comes mostly from Hess and the plaintive, dialogue-like delivery he adopts most of the time.

In the 3 years since the band started performing live, Hess, guitarists Eric Antonik and Robert Uhoda, bassist Eric Dolence, and drummer Niko Atheneos have gained a sizeable fan base. They’ve showcased in music festivals all over the Midwest and opened for national acts including 30 Seconds to Mars, Fu Manchu, Drowning Pool and Boston’s Powerman 5000.

It stands to reason: As a band. Audiblethread IS good at what they do and Polar Shifts {+/-} shows them at the top of their game. This 6-song EP includes revisions of "This Synapse Is Broken," "Nexus," and "The Focus"—along with a puzzling, nu-metal take on Nine Inch Nails’ “Something I Can Never Have.” Yes, puzzling. But incredibly cool, nonetheless.

If imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, then I’m guessing Maynard James Keenan’s ears are burning. But no more so than my own curiosity is about how this material sounds live.

Audiblethread performs on Fri 7/14 at the CoolCleveland.com stage at Ingenuity, downtown Cleveland. For more information, please visit http://www.audiblethread.com and http://www.ingenuitycleveland.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.

Cool Cleveland People: William Higgins

I first met Willam at the Bratenahl Community Center, where he was showing The World's Child. As he explained the piece, I was intrigued by the technology he was using to create it. Using precisely calibrated mirrors to reflect a palette that included both still moving images—he was able to create a unique visual experience. Short on time, we arranged to meet for coffee and talk some more about his work. One of the main reasons I wanted to talk to him more was because he had submitted a proposal to the Ingenuity Festival and although he was turned down, he was very upbeat about it.

The day we had met, William had given me his contact info, part of which was an email address at TheMacGuru.com. Because of this, I initially thought that he was a tech guy dabbling in art. Wrong. Does that mean he's an artist dabbling in tech. No, I wouldn't call it that either. Over coffee, William mentioned to quotation by Teilhard de Chardin—“You are not a human being in search of a spiritual experience. You are a spiritual being immersed in a human experience.” From my conversation with William, I'd say he's a spiritual being immersed in a creative experience that combines art and technology. Talking to him, you get a sense of the deep connection he has to the world around him. That and the energy of his ideas...
Read more and see the images here

RoldoLINK
Selling Selves Out Might Not Be Bad Blackwell Idea
By Roldo Bartimole

Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell certainly has the right and bright idea.

Let’s sell the Ohio Turnpike to the highest bidder!

So someone makes a few million dollars from Ohio motorists. So the highway deteriorates as the owners need to pile up their profits. So you might have to pay toll increases. So what. Who cares?

That’s better than taxing those people who give Blackwell campaign money. That’s better than alienating some rich people with fair taxation.

But why stop there? We could sell city main street thoroughfares. Just think of the revenue possibilities there.

With electronic devices acceptable now as revenue makers, someone could easily produce profits by recording license plates as cars pass along, and sending out monthly bills for those riding up or down Carnegie Avenue or Detroit Road, among many other roadways.

Maybe Dick Jacobs and Al Ratner automatically should get the street concession here in Cleveland. Only seems fair. They know how to do such things for us...
Read more from Roldo Bartimole here

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

Opening of the SACC-Ohio Chapter 6/12

Globalization may not be the complete economic fix our city and region needs, but it could certainly get us headed in the right direction. If it’s done right, that is. This is the message repeated over and over by various speakers at the opening festivities of the Ohio chapter of the Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce on June 12.

Swedish Ambassador to the US, Gunnar Lund [left] was one of many speakers encouraging foreign trade—in both directions—as a means of generating growth and investment for both countries.

The Ohio chapter is the 20th to open in the US and this region accounts for huge numbers on the balance sheets of both countries. Ambassador Lund stressed that foreign trade is more than just commodities and dollars: it represents jobs and investment, as well. When companies expand outside of their own national borders, employees follow. Americans go to other countries to work, while other countries send representatives here. Cleveland is a logical place for this to happen, as it is so centrally located between Chicago and New York, with amazing access to a variety of transportation.

“It’s a win-win situation,” he said, referring to “this considerable flow back and forth with trade and companies that do business, and I think that we could do that on an even grander scale...”
Read more from Kelly Ferjutz here

Kiss Me Kate! @ Cain Park 6/23 Kiss Me Kate has been called the ‘perfect example of musical theatre’. With Cole Porter’s witty, insouciant and varied music as a foundation, not to mention his witty and insouciant lyrics, all based on Taming of the Shrew, a comedy by Shakespeare—what’s not to like?

Unhappily, the version now on the boards at Cain Park in lacking in several of the most fundamental areas. It’s billed as ‘professional’ but really, there’s only one ‘real’ pro on the stage—Paul Floriano as one of the gangsters. He is so at ease up there, and talented with it, he inadvertently makes everyone else look like just what they are—a bunch of high school and college age kids, doing a ‘hey, kids! let’s put on a show’ project.

Amplification in a theatre like Cain Park’s outdoor Evans Theatre makes for uneven performances: the singers come to rely too much on their microphones, and don’t dig in to find the depth they need to put over the song...
Read the review by Kelly Ferjutz here

Marilyn Bianchi Kids’ Playwriting Festival @ Cain Park 6/24 For 28 years, Dobama Theatre has presented the Marilyn Bianchi Kids’ Playwriting Festival. That is an incredible record for an incredible concept!

Each September, Dobama sends out information to schools in Cuyahoga County, as the Festival is open to young playwrights between the ages of 6 and 18 who live in the county. Traditionally, between four and five hundred submissions are received, with each script being read several times and scored on its own merits, not against any of the others. Unfortunately, not all the winning plays can be produced, due to logistics, funding, and various other constraints, such as size of cast, sets, etc., but what is presented is eye-opening, to say the least.

This year, the City of Cleveland Heights and Cain Park provided a home for the presentation in the Alma Theatre, which is a nearly perfect venue for this type of program.

This year, the produced plays were...
Read the review by Kelly Ferjutz here

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

Send your letters to: Letters@CoolCleveland.com

On the Lakefront Plan (See The Lakefront Plan 2 years later here) That lakefront piece was straight out of Scene Magazine. We’d all like to see results, but it’s armchair cynicism like this that only perpetuates Cleveland’s negative feelings toward itself. For every person who sees that piece and is motivated to inquire about how to move the lakefront plan along, there will be 20 who say “typical Cleveland.” That’s not a good way to try to move the ball forward.
from Cool Clevleand reader Eddy Eckart eeckartATmsscompany.com

So what's Clyde Miles doing for the lakefront? It *has* only been two years; Wendy Park's open and Dike 14 is in the works. Edgewater's bustle and Wildwood's lazy quiet beckon. Here's my lakefront experience: load up the bikes on a sparkling, sunny-cool summer day and head down Bridge Avenue (thanks, Matt Zone, for the clean, easy ride; the new ADA ramps are like butter) to W. 25th, over the Detroit-Superior bridge (thanks, Lillian Kuri, for leaping tall buildings to take the ped/bikeway from vision to reality, making this adventure safe for my five-year-old), along Euclid Avenue (thanks, Ryan MacKenzie, for showing that bike lanes could work); down West 9th, past the Rock Hall and skate park (thanks, City Council, for jumping to buy the ramps) to Voinovich Park, where we loll in the sun (thanks to everyone who worked to build this breezy, open place, perfect for fests like the one that day). We marvel at the Science Center's windmill (thanks, Sustainable Cleveland and collaborators), and consider loading the bikes onto the Waterfront Line or the front of a bus for the trip home (thanks, Rich Enty, for years of bike advocacy within RTA, and Ryan MacKenzie, who never rests), but pedal back over the bridge, energized. Along the way, we glimpse Whiskey Island (thanks, Ed Hauser, for your tirelessness, and Dan Moore for making it happen). Noodling through the west side, we end up near home, Detroit Shoreway/EcoVillage, watching the sun set from above the clean new West 65th street bike tunnel (thanks again, Matt Zone), surrounded by colorful murals in tile and paint, as our daughter rolls down the grassy hill, shrieking with delight. As always, I'm overwhelmed with gratitude for the day, the moment, and everything and everyone making it happen. You might try it, Clyde, and then find your niche and get to work.
from Cool Cleveland reader Mati Senerchia senerchiaATsbcglobal.net

On the Clean & Safe program Not sure how many people have noticed the new crews in yellow downtown. I work in the city and usually stroll around on my lunch-hour. In the past few weeks I've seen things I've not seen before including: 1) A garbage truck frequently cleaning out the trash cans on the streets 2) A 'clean up crew' in yellow shirts picking up garbage and generally shining things up 3) A safety crew, also in yellow, keeping an eye on the goings on. These are all great starts! Kudos to the city officials who are implementing programs that DO make a difference. It's amazing that we can go from a proposal eliminating garbage cans and making each citizen pick up a piece of trash to having Clean Up and Safety teams on our streets. Makes me wonder how many other things 'Sweet Jane' screwed up royally (besides the obvious ones in the headlines).
from Cool Cleveland reader Greg Bajbus bajbusATnickad.com

On panhandlers I once cast a series of coins related to this subject. I called them 'benevolance' coins. I made up a set of coins that had symbols on the front and back that were basically alterations or alternatives to the same symbol systems as our U.S. coinage, a kind of devised mythology was the result. A had an idea for how the coins would be used, but after much debate and criticism, the project was abandoned for something more tangible - it just didn't make sense to professors and I will fully admit that the idea had its flaws. But the concept was to issue a line of coins (or small art objects depending on how you look at it) that people could buy individually and the proceeds would go to an organization or some kind of support group (or something). The coins were like tokens that were given to panhandlers instead of money. The coins were a piece of art and the symbols were fashioned to evoke a sense of unity with life on earth, history, and fellow humans. The coins could be kept as a kind of good luck/inspirational charm/talisman, sold again as a piece or artwork, traded, or used as a token to benefit from the support group or organization to which the proceeds were sent from the original purchase of the coin(s). It is a pretty vague idea, but I got a lot of inspiration from the reactions of people who I gave them to. After asking for money, and receiving the bronze coin I usually got a response like they just received a precious object, something better than money. They were never turned down or regarded as an insult. Maybe there is an 'artful' way to deal with this matter........?
from Cool Cleveland reader Dominic Falcione df1ATuakron.edu

On Cleveland's Huletts I keep in touch with home with the newsletter. Saw a story on the Hulett's in the PD, and thought I should send my thoughts to Cool Cle. Look forward to being home for Ingenuity - I'm bring a car load of friends from DC. Although I moved from the Cleveland area when I graduated high school in 1996, I always felt an incredible sense of pride and deep connection to my hometown. Several times each year I would do my duty as an ‘Ambassador of Cleveland” and bring friends and colleagues back home to personally show them the town. Did I show them our great malls and unique suburbs? No! I took them to Mitzie’s for a bar that has not changed since 1919, showed them the ‘Elliot Ness’ bullet holes in the Grate Lakes Brewing Company, strolled through Ohio City, Nitetown for jazz, John D. Rockefeller’s grave, checked out the bridges of the Flats, the Museum of Art, Rock Hall, a Browns game. No trip would be complete without my standard late night up-close tour of the steel mill. My friends left with a great impression, usually summed up with words “authentic”, “great vibe”, “full of promise”, and “one of a kind”. It is important to note what my friends from Boston, California, and London appreciate is very much based in our industrial era heritage. Although my wife is not from Ohio, she has also fallen in love with our hometown, and we are actively considering moving back. But I fear before we are able to do so, a unique part of the heritage that makes Cleveland special and appealing to us will be forever lost. A Cleveland landmark, the Hulett ore loader, is in danger of being scraped. The city and county should do everything possible to rebuild the last two Huletts in a prominent spot, such as by to the Mather Steamship on the lake next to Brown’s Stadium. The next time Cleveland is showcased on Monday Night Football, imagine the shot of a unique Cleveland landmark next to the stadium. Picture a rock concert, or skateboard competition, with the Huletts as backdrop. That’s centrally an image you will never see in Phoenix or Orlando. As we start to rebrand ourselves as a community, it is important to embrace our past. With all the talk of creating a Cleveland that is cool, a destination for creative people, we have an opportunity to save a defining icon of the city. If the Huletts go for scrap they can never be replaced, and Cleveland will loose not a part of its past, but its future.
from Cool Cleveland reader Adam Brandon, Washington,DC abrandonATfreedomworks.org

On Cool Cleveland I've been getting the [Cool Cleveland] emails for a couple months and I always read through them to see what is going on in Cleveland. This most recent email however, really really really helped me out. The night before I got the ''CoolCleveland'' email, I was talking with my girlfriend about something to do on Thursday night. She suggested going to a place that had a live jazz band and I told her I would see what I could find. Well lucky for me, I got the ''CoolCleveland'' email while I was at work on Wednesday and I looked through it and found out about the Art in the Heights jazz perfomance at the green by Nighttown in Cleveland Heights! Talk about perfect timing! So thanks ''CoolCleveland.com,'' I owe you one.
from Cool Cleveland reader Josh Puterbaugh ohiowa24ATsbcglobal.net

Send your letters to: Letters@CoolCleveland.com

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

1) Access:Cleveland Video interview with Cuyahoga County Commissioner Peter Lawson Jones.
www.CoolCleveland.com.

2) Cool Cleveland Ingenuity Party 7/13. Like hotcakes.
www.CoolCleveland.com.

3) A & Q w/G An interview with Ryan McKenzie of CityWheels.
www.CoolCleveland.com.

4) RoldoLINK The plan for Public Square. Lame.
www.CoolCleveland.com.

5) DigiKnow they're moving downtown? New digs in Midtown.
www.Cleveland.com.

Keeping their heads above water again this week are our Hard Corps of contributors. Thanks to Peter Chakerian, Roxanne Ravenel, TL Champion, George Nemeth, Roldo Bartimole, David Budin, Kelly Ferjutz and everyone who partners with us for keeping things ship-shape. 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.

Get in the flow,

--Thomas Mulready
Letters@CoolCleveland.com

all contents ©2006 MulreadyGROUP all rights reserved
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