Wednesday, February 25, 2026

The Latest... (now you can say you've heard it)

Piccolo Italian brings family tradition to Restaurant Week, Cleveland Independents marks 20 years
Piccolo Authentic Italian restaurant in Mayfield Heights is one of more than 30 local eateries participating in Cleveland Restaurant Week, March 2-14, offering $39 prix fixe menus. Piccolo's menu features family recipes passed down from owner Christopher Licht's Sicilian great-grandmother. The event coincides with the 20th anniversary of Cleveland Independents, which encourages diners to support locally-owned restaurants.
Lake Erie Ink expands programs at free Kids' Comic Con in CMA's Community Arts Center
Lake Erie Ink and Cleveland Museum of Art will host the 14th annual Kids' Comic Con with free workshops, seminars, and events for young artists. The three-day event at CMA's Clark-Fulton Community Arts Center includes virtual programming with Nickelodeon storyboard artists, a teen cosplay party, DIY workshops, and craft talks—all in a space where young comic enthusiasts can learn, create, and connect.
Someday, I suppose: Artist Jason Toth, Opus 216 founder, to debut ‘Smallest Concert in Cleveland’&am
Photographer Jason Toth is partnering with Opus 216 founder and violinist Ariel Clayton Karas to produce "The Smallest Concert in Cleveland," in Toth's 78th Street Studios space. With limied space, the March 6 event will feature improvised original music by Opus 216 ensemble members, The passion project is the realization of Toth's dream to create special musical experiences.
Towards Employment's Work & Reentry Experience event shares stories of triumph, Farinacci jazz
Towards Employment will host its annual Work & Reentry Experience this Tuesday, Feb. 24 at Cleveland Public Library Rockport Branch, combining live jazz by trumpeter Dominic Farinacci with personal narratives from three people who have overcome adversity. The free event brings together community partners to celebrate stories of transformation, resilience, and the power of second chances.
Golden moment: Laila Edwards, Team USA claim victory on the ice as fans erupt at New Heights Grill
Cleveland Heights native Laila Edwards helped Team USA's women's hockey team capture the gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics this week Fans cheered at at New Heights Grill and Reuben Kutash documented the celebration.
Ancient fires: African pyre discovery adds another chapter to CMNH’s research legacy
Cleveland Museum of Natural History archaeologist Elizabeth Sawchuk was recently part of the research team that found the earliest evidence of cremation in Africa—a 9,500-year-old pyre in northern Malawi, where hunter-gatherers cremated a small adult woman. The discovery challenges previous assumptions about ancient African foragers' social behaviors and shows the sophisticated burial practices of early human societies.

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Recent Stories from Around Northeast Ohio

Photos: Kurenti banish winter, usher in spring during Kurentovanje
The mythical Kurenti symbolically chased away winter at the 14th annual Cleveland Kurentovanje parade down St. Clair Avenue and the festival at the Slovenian National Home. Photographer Reuben Kutash documented the parade, bocce games, and live music before the Kurenti retreated for another year.
Winter on fire: Brite Winter moves to Waterloo Arts District for music, fun, and warmth
The annual Brite Winter festival will ignite the Waterloo Arts District this Saturday, Feb. 21, with more than 30 bands performing on stages, interactive art installations, fire pits, and local food vendors. Headlined by local favorite LoConti, the festival starts at 2 p.m.
Cleveland Botanical Garden saddles up for an ‘Orchid Rodeo’
The Cleveland Botanical Garden's annual orchid show heads to the Wild West his year with "Orchid Rodeo," featuring more than 3,000 orchids throughout its glasshouse biomes. The exhibit challenges  fallacies about orchids' fragility while celebrating their resilience in harsh environments.
Accelerating ideas: Duo to pitch ‘Concrete Quilt’ to combat HIV crisis through public art
Two Cleveland advocates will pitch their project, "The Concrete Quilt," at the Cleveland Leadership Center's Accelerate Pitch competition on Feb. 26. The concept is for a public art installation at Edgewater Park that will honor those lost to AIDS and offer HIV/AIDS education and awareness.
Body of Work: AIA talk highlights the work, philosophy of Axi:Ome Studio's Sung Ho Kim
AIA Cleveland recently hosted architects Sung Ho Kim and Heather Woofter for an immersive Body of Work lecture at their interdisciplinary firm Axi:Ome. The event showcased their philosophy of using physical model-making as a primary design tool—offering attendees a  glimpse into how architecture is imagined and tested through hands-on experimentation.
Happy Lunar New Year! Cleveland celebrates in AsiaTown with dancing, kung fu, and music
Hundreds of Northeast Ohio residents gathered at Asia Place in AsiaTown last weekend to celebrate the Lunar New Year and the Year of the Fire Horse. FreshWater photographer Reuben Kutash captured the festivities at Asia Plaza, documenting the community's vibrant cultural celebration.
Cleveland launch of ‘Beloved: Ohio Celebrates Toni Morrison’ to feature artists, authors, advocates
Literary Cleveland and partner organizations this week are launching a year-long celebration honoring the legacy of author and Lorain native Toni Morrison, the first Black woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature. The celebration kicks off in Cleveland on Feb. 18 at Karamu House, followed by monthly events throughout Ohio exploring Morrison's 11 novels.
One heart, forever connected: A 24-year bond forged from loss
Chuck Roberts had to make the difficult decision 24 years ago to donate his daughter Alicia's organs after her tragic death, just weeks before her 16th birthday. That decision saved the life of 15-year-old Candice Monroe, who needed a heart transplant. The families share their story to show how one person's tragedy can become another's miracle.
The beat goes on: Local blues legend Wallace Coleman plays 90th birthday concert at The Sixty6
Local blues legend Wallace Coleman didn't begin his music career until his early 50s, but has spent nearly four decades touring internationally, playing with other legends, and recording seven albums. The musician celebrates his 90th birthday tonight with a free concert at The Sixty6 in Cleveland's Midtown neighborhood.
Teatro Público de Cleveland closes CPT's Test Flight series with ‘The Exit Door’
Cleveland Public Theatre concludes its annual Test Flight play development series with "The Exit Door," a new work by Nathalie Bermúdez presented by Teatro Público de Cleveland. The play explores migratory grief through the story of a woman trapped in an unnamed airport, blending realism and magical elements to reflect the emotional cost of migration.
Post Cards from the Ledge: Happy Valentine's Day!
What were Clevelanders sending and saying about Valentine's day 100+ years ago? Let's take a look.
Return of the Kurenti: Honoring Slovenian heritage, ushering in spring at Cleveland Kurentovanje
Last weekend, photographer Reuben Kutash documents people attending the Kurent Jump at the Slovenian National Home—awakening the Kurenti and kicking off a week of events leading up to the 14th annual Cleveland Kurentovanje festival this Saturday, Feb. 14.  The day will include music and Slovenian food in the St. Clair Superior neighborhood.
Spirit meets fire: AsiaTown celebrates rare Year of the Fire Horse at Lunar New Year event
The AsiaTown neighborhood will celebrate the Lunar New Year and the rare Year of the Fire Horse this weekend at Asia Plaza with cultural performances, lion dances, food vendors, and family activities. The Fire Horse represents a period of dynamic change and high energy. The free event welcomes everyone to experience Asian culture and traditions through arts, performance, and food.
Olympic cheer: EDWINS hosts watch party for U.S. Women’s Hockey, CLE Heights’ own Laila Edwards
Cleveland Heights native Laila Edwards is making history as a member of the U.S. Women's Hockey Team at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, and her community is rallying behind her at EDWINS Restaurant. EDWINS founder Brandon Chrostowski has been hosting free watch parties to celebrate Edwards' achievements and her role as the first Black woman on a Team USA hockey team.

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