I was thrilled to receive news today that one of my favorite NEO artists, Pamela Dodds, a REALNEO artist of the Day, has been awarded a $25,000 Individual Support Grant from the Adolph and Esther Gottlieb Foundation. The Adolph and Esther Gottlieb Foundation was established by American artist Adolph Gottlieb (1903-1974) and his wife Esther.  The foundation provides large grants to ‘serious, fully-committed artists,' ‘regardless of their level of commercial success.'  This year the foundation received 482 applications from which twelve artists were selected to receive awards. I'm proud to say Evelyn and I have one of Pamela's inspiring and impressive linoleum cut prints in our collection... "Drift", above... perhaps it is time for more area collectors to seek out her work... website here!

When people wonder what is the value of a local daily newspaper, I must point to the story of Shaw High School Band, which was invited to China to perform but could not afford to do that. The Plain Dealer article "Bang a Drum, Proudly", by Connie Schulz, raised enough attention and funding to get them there, from where they just returned in triumph (nicely covered in the PD here, today)... a $500,000 whirlwind phenomenon all occurring in less than 6 months!

Chiefs meeting in Cleveland

The Euc is back. The Euclid Tavern has reopened and is again setting the scene and hosting diverse live music in University Circle. Long a favorite Cleveland concert club, launchpad for visual artist Derek Hass, favorite mainstage for 1,000s of local and travelling acts, closed since 2001, the Euc was recently bought and renovated by local entrepreneurs of the Ciofani family, owners of Comm Steel, who believe in Cleveland and the Triangle, Star and Circle neighborhoods. They've put up some serious money and invested real sweat equity to make the new Euc a major destination.

Awhile back, Roldo mentioned that the newspaper still has relevance. Today, this article proves it.
Strongsville senior reels in science fair award Tuesday, May 20, 2008

This certainly has been a perfect spring for flowering trees, still exploding with color all over the near East Side. Here are some views at Lakeview Cemetery, where the plantings are exceptional any time of year, and especially about now. Check it out!

Greeting ceremony, Tuzla military airport, Bosnia, March 25, 1996.

"I remember landing under sniper fire. There was supposed to be some kind of a greeting ceremony at the airport, but instead we just ran with our heads down to get into the vehicles to get to our base."
--Hillary Clinton, speech at George Washington University, March 17, 2008.

At the Cleveland Institute of Art 62nd Annual Student Independent Exhibition, there is a video (or is it black and white film?) short, by Zak Long and Erin Robinson, "Cleveland Vacation", that captures the haunting tragedy of Cleveland especially well. Filmed in an historic home movie relic style, at the blighted national historic landmark Coast Guard station at Whiskey Island, with a backdrop of Lake Erie and freighters,  this video is beautifully composed and edited, with a great score and sense of irony - I watched it twice today.and it is my choice for Art of the Day... a great reason to visit the CIA SIE!!!

During the very cool Meet the Bloggers spin segment I saw televised after the Obama/Clinton Cleveland debate, one of the bloggers said the response in the blogsphere was split on who won - 50% Obama and 50% McCain. Today, a different window into NEOs cyberspace opened for Obama (and McCain), with endorsements on CoolCleveland. If you visit REALNEO often, you know where I stand... I am one REALNEO member strongly supporting Obama. But I am only one small voice in REALNEO, and I'm curious how other "bloggers" and cybercats in NEO stand on the primary... no matter what, this is an historic election, so why not speak up with your vote, voice and support for whomever you like, while you can really make a difference.

So, please, use this posting to add a comment of support for your candidate. If you have a blog or place in cyberspace where you voice your feelings about this, feel free to link that in. Note, to leave a comment you must be a REALNEO member... use the create account link to request an account and we will confirm that for you as quickly as possible.

We believe in the power of open innovation, bringing together creative minds to create breakthrough solutions that touch every human life.

Founded in 2001, InnoCentive connects companies, academic institutions, and non-profit organizations, all hungry for breakthrough innovation, with a global network of more than 125,000 of the world's brightest minds on the world's first Open Innovation Marketplace™.

  

On December 14, 2007 Judge Gaul presented University of Northern Virginia LLC’s president, Mr. Ho, to Myers’ students and the media at Myers University in Midtown, Cleveland, Ohio. 

Mr. Ho’s English is a bit difficult to follow, but what I made out was that Mr. Ho had in the past been a professor, and he still considers his relationship to the various for profit schools he operates as that of a professor – Mr. Ho is not currently teaching as a professor, but is negotiating the take over of the Myers Board of Trustees.  As of December 20 Mr. Ho had appointed eight of his candidates to the “Board” with Judge Gaul’s approval.    

Mr. Ho (center with glasses), and his associate Mr. Lee (on right with glasses and striped tie) went on to say that it was their intention to expand the student population at Myers by attracting foreign students – with a goal of about 2,500 students.  

As part of the Star Neighborhood Development planning for the Star Complex and surrounding one mile radius, I have been planning the redevelopment of the current Cleveland Institute of Art Gund Building and land, on East Boulevard in Cleveland, shown below (full size image here).

Could it be just over a year since Masumi Hayashi and John Jackson were killed by a senseless psycho ...? As the senseless killing escalates all around NEO today, it is easy for the dead to become forgotten by so many they touched in many ways, in life... or lost to all. Where NEO has seen a community that remembers is those who love the arts, as the past year has seen many shows of love and respect for Masumi and John, the most recent being a wonderful exhibition that opened last week at Doubting Thomas Gallery, called To Masumi. A collection of special works by many who love and remember Masumi, this is a powerful statement on what lasts and matters in life and beyond. Props to the organizers of this exhibition and to Doubting Thomas - really fantastic... amazing musicians performing in the front Gallery, Michael Doc Dreyfuss and Bill Weita... haunting yet alive... see today's header... image below...

Thanks to Crain’s for bringing this into the light. 

I just got the email below, from the head of a local arts not-for-profit to remain un-named, to protect the innocent: "Norm -- i just wanted to make sure you knew about the "sales pitch" we are about to get.". I read on to see that tax junkie CPAC - Community Partnership for Arts and Culture - is on the Cuyahoga County junk again, now hustling artists and arts organizations to tax themselves and patrons for the benefit of the dealers. Read on... anyone going to this who can cover for realneo?... Note: " RSVP’s are required!" Now, a little art, in honor of this event and the rush for the MedCon and taxation without sober representation, courtesy of Lou Reed:

I dont know just where Im going

But Im gonna try for the kingdom, if I can

cause it makes me feel like Im a man

When I put a spike into my vein

And Ill tell ya, things arent quite the same

When Im rushing on my run

And I feel just like jesus son

And I guess that I just dont know

I was pleased to read in the Plain Dealer that Cottage Living has declared my neighborhood, Ohio City, one of their 10 best communities in America, for "charming cottages, a sense of community, and an eye on the future." No doubt they made a great choice with Ohio City, as my family well knows and celebrates each day we live here. Tonight we dined a few blocks from our house, among historic victorians and mature trees and gardens on the patio at Momocho (still as great as when I reviewed it last year)... the best NEOMEX restaurant in the world. Within a few other blocks of there are over a dozen more of the region's best restaurants and hot spots - core, local establishments - not to mention the "best in the world" West Side Market... With the W. 25th RTA and many bus lines criss crossing this area, it is a public transit dream, and is probably the most bike and walk friendly place in Ohio.

  On April 27th amidst billowing clouds of smoke and steam the first luxurious, fully on-suite train, named the Golden Eagle was introduced to a large crowd of journalists, Russian citizens and foreign guests, including HRH Prince Michael of Kent (center lower left) and HRH Princess Michael of Kent.  It was a grand event and caused quite a commotion in Kasansky Station, which is located in Moscow , Russia .  The train is run by a company called GW Travel.  President and Founder of GW Travel, Mr.

 

I was pleased to be invited to participate on the steering committee for developing the Cleveland Municipal School District Arts Education Strategic Plan, which is a fairly large workgroup of many CMSD arts educators and administrators and other community representatives, that is working with consultant Ms. Dawn Ellis, the facilitating consultant and writer of our strategic plan. We had our first orientation today at 3 PM, at Trinity Commons, and it was a well facilitiated and enlightening activity. The format was very interactive, with Dawn surfacing key issues, themes and opportunities and driving participants through structured brainstorming. 

"I think Cleveland is a good place. Inner city is rough, but the outskirts is real beautiful, and great schools there. Plus my family, my mom and my sisters, they're all in Cleveland, so it's easier for me to be there than anywhere else." This quote, from an excellent Free Times interview with Charles "Wish Bone" Scruggs, of Cleveland-roots, Grammy award winning, multi-platinum rap trailblazers Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, sings the woes of a place branded as a "Shrinking City", where even the urban hard-core Thugs chose the 'burbs over the 'hood. The result of such out-migration, and downright defection, as is the case with all the other members of Bone, is the subject of a series of art exhibitions and related events taking place over the next month, all over town... which event sponsor Kent Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative (CUDC) introduces by pointing out: "In 2005, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that Cleveland had lost nearly 20,000 residents in just five years. The city’s population of 458,684 was the lowest in nearly one hundred years." Starting Friday, April 20, 2007, at 4:30 PM, with a lecture at CUDC, explore what it means when a city loses its Bones...

 

What a spiritual day. The global global warming insight is starting to hit the fan, as it is becoming clear who are the terrorists of this world... polluters who will live to learn they lived "their way" to kill millions of the most impoverished people on Earth. It is good for humanity to have a new world of terrorists to consider, as we seem so quick to ignore mass-murderers. I always think about this around "Opening Day" in Cleveland, as so many in NEO celebrate ignorance of genocide. There was a disturbing little "editorial", er "column", by Cleveland Plain Dealer spiritual adviser Regina Brett about her attempts to summon an idol, St. Jude, to save from damnation the Cleveland baseball team known by the European name for the slaughtered native people of the Western Hemisphere - "the Indians" - seeking for our region redemption from damnation. Sorry, Regina, but you can't fool Mother Nature.

I need to raise an important point of federal budget minutia and ask that you email the Governor to protect riding and pedestrian infrastructure in NE Ohio.

The President wants to save some money so he has rescinded (or canceled) spending for transportation enhancement programs.  Because federal transportation money was already distributed to the states years ago, he can't cancel it directly, so he tells the Governors to decide where to cut.  Transportation Enhancement money is important to NE Ohio. In fact, of all states receiving transportation enhancement money, Ohio trails only California, Texas and Florida. But if Ohio receives a lot of money, we are also being asked to generate a lot of the rescission money – nearly $139 million.

From Groundworks: "a must-see performance". I know my friend Marjorie Talalay is very big on this troup so I believe this must be a must see... I'll try to see... learn more at Cleveland Public Theater... check it out... press release below...

Johnny Mango World Cafe and Bar is a love at first and each sight, bite and margarita restaurant for me - creatively well decorated, eclectic environment, friendly staff, and always a great crowd... whether just a few tables of regulars or packed with anyone or everyone in town (generally on weekends... especially when the weather is great and sidewalk patio is open). The reason is a fresh juice bar, meaning some of the best drinks and smoothies possible, along with a great selection of Tequila... along with Momocho (which is next door), they have the best margaritas in town... along with a "world-cafe" menu of fun, unusual foods, cooked fresh, with fresh ingredients, in the open kitchen... and location, location, location in beautiful, vibrant Ohio City.

I received an informative email this afternoon from Richard McDougald Enty, Planning Team Leader, Programming & Planning Department, Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority, about some of their Transit Oriented Development initiatives and vision. It is very exciting to see this as an active subject for discussion and planning here. I am a strong supporter of Transit Oriented Development and consider it the core foundation on which we should rebuild the City of Cleveland and surrounding suburbs.  Here is the vision from RTA:

This week's edition of Dee Perry's arts & culture television program Applause!, on WVIZ, features a segment on REALNEO... so I'd like to invite all the friends of realneo to join us for a screening party for the first broadcast of the program, Thusday, March 29, from 7:30 - 8:00 PM, at the great A.J. Rocco's Cafe, at 816 Huron Road, by East 9th Street. As a special treat, I was pleased to learn that A.J. Rocco's had already planned a very cool and complimentary event for that evening - Cleveland City Councilman Joe Cimperman will be the guest bartender from 6-8 PM.

 

 

As one of the 1,000,000s of people of NEO who grew up celebrating each birthday with a Hough Bakery cake (I especially remember one of a baseball diamond, with little plastic baseball players), redeveloping the old Hough Bakery headquarters on Lakeview Avenue, in East Cleveland and Cleveland, brings me a feeling if great pride and nostalgia - not to mention the sense former Hough Bakery founder Lionel Pile and his son Robby Pile are looking over my shoulder whenever I am there. So, when I first toured the building, I was looking for signs of past-life... and there are many, even dating before Hough owned the property, to the original Star Baking Company.

I was quite honored to be contacted, a few weeks ago, by the producer of one of my favorite television programs, Dee Perry's "Applause", asking for information about REALNEO. Seems he was doing research on the spectacular Convivium 33 Gallery, which we have featured extensively on REALNEO, covering Christopher Pekoc here and Clarence Van Duzer here (photos from which were featured in Cleveland Magazine), so REALNEO came up in search results. The producer saw REALNEO as in interesting source of insight on arts and culture in NEO and suggested to his staff doing a segment on Applause about REALNEO. Even though we scheduled the interview, this seemed very abstract until I just saw a promotion on WVIZ for the show, featuring a scrolling view of the REALNEO home page.

 

Timing and participating in the World are everything. I was awed to be pulling out of the Hough Bakery complex parking lot in East Cleveland today, listening on WCPN to one of my favorite media sources on Earth - BBC's World Have Your Say - and hearing something like "broadcasting from the East Cleveland Public Library". U-TURN!!!

 

Being a great fan of "Citizen Hauser" - the man (center, above) and the movie - and Whiskey Island, and film producers Ryan Rodriguez (left) and Jonathan Shick (right), founders of Blue Hole Productions, it was an especially great pleasure to celebrate the movie, creators, park and star at a Cleveland International Film Festival after-party to end all after-parties, at the Sunset Cafe, aka Bourbon Street Grill, at the Marina at Wendy Park, on Whiskey Island. There are few more special places in NEO, and this occasion drew a who's who of social activism to cheer many jobs well done for the people of this region.