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.
Teen entrepreneur Josh Friedlander has turned his passion for cooking and gardening into a successful jam-making business. What started as a pandemic project has grown into a thriving enterprise, with Jam by Josh products now available in multiple stores.
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The Improvaneers, the world's first all-Down syndrome improv troupe, will perform at the BorderLight Festival. The group uses improv comedy to improve communication skills and build self-confidence among performers with Down syndrome, while also entertaining and educating audiences about the capabilities of individuals with Down syndrome.
The BorderLight Festival will take over Playhouse Square later this month, featuring more than 40 performances across 16 stages in Playhouse Square. This year's festival expands its international programming and accessibility efforts while offering a diverse range of shows, including Fringe Jr. performances for younger audiences, street dance battles, and interactive theater experiences.
A 4,000-square-foot mural by artist Kelle Schwab was unveiled at Canal Basin Park in during Cleveland History Days in late June. The artwork depicts the city's evolution from an industrial center to a recreational destination, blending historical scenes with modern-day imagery of the Towpath Trail.
Mira Cahalane, a Hudson High School senior, in May won Best Actress at Playhouse Square's Dazzle Award before going to New York City, where she won a Jimmy Award for Outstanding Performance in an Ensemble. In New York, Cahalane had brushes with Broadway stars—Broadway actress Lillias White and 'Hamilton' creator Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Black Environmental Leaders Association, working with the Center for Community Solutions and the Equal Justice Initiative,
last weekend unveiled a Community Remembrance Project memorial marker at Elizabeth Baptist Church, honoring John Jordan, who was lynched by a mob in 1911 after stealing cherries from a west side orchard.
The Cleveland Museum of Art just released additional tickets to its annual Summer Solstice celebration this Saturday, June 21. The event initially sold out in one day, but a favorable weather report allowed for the release of additional tickets.
The Cuyahoga Valley Farmers Market, the only farmers market located within a U.S. National Park, offers a year-round showcase of local produce, artisanal products, and prepared foods from within a 100-mile radius of the 33,000-acre Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The summer season features more than 70 local vendors, live music, and special events like the Annual Tomato Tasting.
The Kimpton Schofield Hotel is celebrating Pride Month with a special package that includes complimentary cocktails and a donation to The Trevor Project. The hotel holds historical significance as having one of the city's first gay bars in the same location.
The Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park's ree outdoor music festival Rhythm on the River celebrates its fifth year as part of the park's 50th anniversary. The event series, running from June to August, features live music, historical exhibitions, and family-friendly activities, showcasing the park's rich jazz history and natural beauty.
Malley's Chocolates has launched the second year of its summer reading program, partnering with local libraries to encourage young readers. The program offers sweet incentives for reading hours logged, with a grand prize of a chocolate factory tour.
The South Euclid Food Truck Park will launch its third and longest season this weekend—hosting food trucks, live music, and other entertainment throughout the summer in the city's growing Mayfield-Green Downtown District.
The Cleveland Museum of Natural History is hosting the prestigious "Wildlife Photographer of the Year" exhibition, marking its first appearance in the United States. The exhibition showcases 100 photographs, capturing diverse wildlife and natural landscapes from around the world.
Cleveland artist Jason Toth has opened a new gallery and listening room at 78th Street Studios, combining high-end audio with Toth's hyper-colored immersive photography installations. The space creates a unique experience for art lovers and audiophiles alike.
The Cleveland Museum of Natural History $150 million transformation has attracted more than 100,000 people in the first quarter of 2024, national media coverage, and now the title of 2024 Institution of the Year by the Ohio Museums Association. CMNH senior vice president and chief strategy officer Meenakshi Sharma reflects back on the transformation, and the positive reception since opening.
The Western Reserve Historical Society (WRHS) Library will reopen this Thursday after an 18-month closure from a September 2023 fire. Swift action by WRHS staff and collaboration with restoration experts Belfor Property Restoration and The Conservation Center allowed for a total restoration.
Playhouse Square is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Dazzle Awards and Disney Musicals in Schools. These education initiatives bring performing arts to Northeast Ohio students of all ages, providing opportunities for growth and recognition through sustainable theater programs—reaching beyond its renowned Broadway productions.
The Cuyahoga Valley National Park is celebrating its 50th anniversary with the traveling photo exhibit and program series "Nature Includes You." The Conservancy for he Cuyahoga Valley National Park and the Museum of Creative Human Art worked together to showcase the diverse ways Northeast Ohioans connect with nature and challenge stereotypes about who belongs in green spaces.
A group of 10 teenage designers recently participated in a graphic design clinic as part of the Cleveland Cavaliers' "Bigger than Basketball" initiative. The students designed warm-up shirts worn by the Cleveland Charge, the NBA G League affiliate of the Cavs, during their final home game of the season.
Cuyahoga Valley National Park celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, marking half a century since the U.S. National Park Service established it as a National Recreation Area and, ultimately, a National Park. The Conservancy for the Cuyahoga Valley National Park has already started celebrating the milestone year with its Lyceum Series on the park's history, challenges, conservation, and vision for the next 50 years.