Connelly Rice
Karin Connelly Rice

Stories by: Karin Connelly Rice

Karin Connelly Rice enjoys telling people's stories, whether it's a promising startup or a life's passion. Over the past 20 years she has reported on the local business community for publications such as Inside Business and Cleveland Magazine. She was editor of the Rocky River/Lakewood edition of In the Neighborhood and was a reporter and photographer for the Amherst News-Times. At Fresh Water she enjoys telling the stories of Clevelanders who are shaping and embracing the business and research climate in Cleveland.
Mangia! Bruno’s Ristorante serves up authentic Italian meal deals for Cleveland Restaurant Week
Cleveland Independents' Cleveland Restaurant Week runs through this Friday, November 14, featuring more than 30 local independent restaurants offering three-course $39 prix fixe menus. Bruno's Ristorante ia offering authentic regional Italian dishes made from generations-old family recipes, available for both dine-in and carryout.
A mother's mission: Reprise of ‘Objectively/Reasonable’ honors Tamir Rice, funds cultural center
Eleven years after 12-year-old Tamir Rice was fatally shot by Cleveland police, his mother, Samaria Rice, and playwright and former Karamu House artistic director Terence Spivey are reprising the 2016 theatrical production "Objectively/Reasonable: A Community Response to the Shooting of Tamir Rice, 11/22/14." The Saturday, Nov. 8 staging at Near West Theatre will raise funds for the Tamir Rice Afro-Centric Cultural Center.
CHN Housing Partners breaks ground on housing for veterans at risk of or experiencing homelessness
CHN Housing Partners broke ground on Cleveland West Veterans Housing, a $21.6 million, 62-unit residential development exclusively for veterans experiencing or at risk of homelessness in Cleveland. The complex, scheduled for completion in Fall 2026, represents Cuyahoga County's first Low-Income Housing Tax Credit development focused entirely on veterans addresses a critical service gap on Cleveland's West Side.
Día de Muertos: a cultural celebration, remembrance, and artistic expression
Cleveland's 21st annual Día de Muertos Festival, organized by Cleveland Public Theatre and Día de Muertos Ohio, will take place on November 1st in the Gordon Square Arts District. The event, which honors the memory of those who have passed, will feature traditional arts, music, dance, food, and cultural activities, including altar installations and the Skulls and Skeletons Procession.
Cavaliers jump into the new season with fresh fan experiences, Classic Edition jerseys
The Cleveland Cavaliers kicked off their 2025-26 season home opener yesterday, Sunday, Oct. 26, with their 147th consecutive sellout at Rocket Arena. A slew of new initiatives have been implemented to enhance fan experiences, such as a redesigned mobile app, upgraded food options, and special giveaways.
‘In the Blink of an Eye:’ After three decades, graffiti artist Bob Peck's journey comes full circle
Artist Bob Peck's retrospective exhibit, "In the Blink of an Eye," showcases more than 35 years as a graffiti artist and abstract expressionist. The one-night event at Graffiti HeArt will feature Peck's evolution as an artist, educator, and community figure—displaying works from his early street art days to his recent explorations in three-dimensional art.
Pumpkins, prizes, and polka: It’s time for October Feast in South Euclid
South Euclid's October Feast, the annual free autumn celebration, returns to Bexley Park this weekend with free pumpkins, costume contests, food, shopping, and activities for all ages. The Polka Pirates and singer Hayden Grove will perform, and three $250 prizes will be awarded in the costume and stein-holding contests.
Sweetest day of the year: Malley's celebrates Sweetest Day with century-old Cleveland tradition
Malley's Chocolates will continue the century-old Cleveland tradition of Sweetest Day this weekend by selling chocolate-covered strawberries and grapes. Sweetest Day, the tradition of sharing candy with those who don't normally get sweets, originated in Cleveland. The tradition is rotted in generosity and making sure Saturday is the "sweetest day of the year" for everyone.
Cleveland Walk to End Alzheimer's offers hope around research and treatment breakthroughs
The Alzheimer's Association's Cleveland Chapter will host its 2025 Walk to End Alzheimer's at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo this weekend, combining fundraising efforts with a day of family fun. Organizers say the event comes at an exciting time in Alzheimer's research, with new treatments showing promise.
La Distancia: Artist brings cultural form and function to Clark-Fulton bus stop
Artist Edra Soto has created a unique bus shelter installation in Cleveland, inspired by Puerto Rican architectural motifs. "La Distancia" serves as both a functional transit shelter and a public art piece—exploring themes of cultural identity, migration, and belonging. The shelter is designed to be a gathering space for the community while showcasing Puerto Rican architecture and culture.
Cleveland Restoration Society’s annual benefit includes two historic church tours
Tickets and sponsorships are now on sale for the Cleveland Restoration Society's 2025 Benefit on Friday, Nov. 21. The event will feature guided tours of two historic churches, highlighting the organization's work with Sacred Landmarks throughout Cleveland. Pentecostal Church of Christ, an example of successful preservation efforts, and the University Circle United Methodist Church, which may soon see adaptive reuse, are the featured Sacred Landmarks.
Fairfax Renaissance CDC honors three Cleveland icons with Louis Stokes Community Visionary Award
The Fairfax Renaissance Development Corporation recently honored Marcia Fudge, George Forbes, and Reverend Dr. Otis Moss Jr. with the 18th Louis Stokes Community Visionary Awards for their dedication to civil rights and community development in Cleveland. The recipients reflect on their lifelong commitments to social justice, the progress they've witnessed, and the challenges that remain for future generations.
Ground level: Saint Luke's Foundation plans new Woodland HQ to boost community connection
The Saint Luke's Foundation has plans to relocate its headquarters from its current sixth-floor offices to a new 21,000-square-foot, ground-level space in the Woodland neighborhood. Officials hope the move, will make the foundation more accessible and visible to the community it serves, with 65% of the new space dedicated to community use.
IngenuityFest 2025: Forging Cleveland's creative future
IngenuityFest 2025: Forging the Future will transform an historic brush factory into a hub of creativity—blending Cleveland's manufacturing history with modern innovative technology, art, and music. The festival will showcase both traditional crafts and artistic expression and emerging technologies of the future.
Fantastic four: Playhouse Square unveils four family-friendly shows in Children's Theater Series
Playhouse Square, will launch its 2025-2026 Children's Theater Series in October, featuring four productions ranging from classic adaptations to cultural celebrations. The series, includes sensory-friendly performances and educational workshops to enhance the theater experience for young audiences.
Accelerating Cleveland's digital transformation: From worst to first in internet connectivity
Once considered America's least connected major city, Cleveland is now bridging the digital divide through DigitalC's municipal internet program. The nonprofit has connected 6,000 households with affordable and free high-speed internet since January 2024, is on track to connect 23,500 households by 2028, and just received additional support from Google Fiber.
Sound of music: CLE Silent Film Festival screens five 1920s classic silent films, set to live music
The Cleveland Silent Film Festival and Colloquium's fall series features five silent films from the 1920s accompanied by live music. The festival, which includes screenings at the Cleveland Museum of Art and other venues, celebrates the centennial of these classic films and the Art Deco movement with a mix of orchestral performances, chamber music, and even a metal band.
Hop to it: Heights Music Hop returns to three-day format, adds family programming
The Heights Music Hop in Cleveland Heights this year has an expanded three-day format across three business districts. The event, presented by Future Heights, features a diverse range of musical genres, family-friendly programming, and plans for future growth to accommodate the city's evolving business landscape.
Everyone belongs: Engage! Cleveland’s annual conference takes fresh approach to inclusion
Engage! Cleveland is hosting its third annual Develop, Engage, and Inspire Conference this Wednesday, Sept. 17. The event will focus on themes of belonging and community engagement, and feature dynamic sessions and speakers from various sectors to attract and retain diverse talent in Greater Cleveland.
Ancient humans traveled long distances for toolmaking stones—600,000 years earlier than thought
A study led by CMNH paleoanthropologist Dr. Emma Finestone reveals that ancient humans in southwestern Kenya traveled up to eight miles to collect high-quality stones for toolmaking more than 2.6 million years ago. This discovery pushes back the earliest known evidence of long-distance resource transportation by 600,000 years. Conducted at the Nyanga site on Kenya's Homa Peninsula, the research suggests that early hominins integrated tool technology into foraging strategies more extensively than previously thought.