Downtown
The second annual Mini Maker Faire will be held on Saturday, March 29 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the downtown Cleveland Public Library. This free event not only showcases some of the innovative ideas local makers have explored, it is also a hands-on event where attendees can learn to knit, or even create an LED light. It’s all about the growing maker movement, which includes everyone from tech enthusiasts and crafters to scientists and garage tinkerers.
“It’s an interesting movement,” says Mini Make Faire organizer James Krouse. “The maker movement runs the spectrum of people working in robotics and 3D printing to the more traditional people who do knitting. But it’s a thought process of how something is made.”
Approximately 100 exhibitors will be at this year’s Faire, including MakerGear, a Beachwood-based manufacturer of 3D printers and Robogaia Industries, which will have its web-controlled robot on hand. Threadwitch Light and Fabric, which specializes in electronic textiles, will teach guests how to light up a simple LED, while the Red Heart Method will teach metal hand-stamping for jewelry and kids’ crafts.
Many of the exhibitors will be selling their creations, but sales are not the primary goal of the event.
"It’s the world’s greatest show and tell,” says Krouse. “It’s where people say, ‘I’m going to show off what I’m doing.’”
Source: James Krouse
Writer: Karin Connelly
“It’s an interesting movement,” says Mini Make Faire organizer James Krouse. “The maker movement runs the spectrum of people working in robotics and 3D printing to the more traditional people who do knitting. But it’s a thought process of how something is made.”
Approximately 100 exhibitors will be at this year’s Faire, including MakerGear, a Beachwood-based manufacturer of 3D printers and Robogaia Industries, which will have its web-controlled robot on hand. Threadwitch Light and Fabric, which specializes in electronic textiles, will teach guests how to light up a simple LED, while the Red Heart Method will teach metal hand-stamping for jewelry and kids’ crafts.
Many of the exhibitors will be selling their creations, but sales are not the primary goal of the event.
"It’s the world’s greatest show and tell,” says Krouse. “It’s where people say, ‘I’m going to show off what I’m doing.’”
Source: James Krouse
Writer: Karin Connelly
toledo blade previews cleveland international film festival
In an article in the Toledo Blade titled, "Cleveland to heat up for film lovers," Kirk Baird previews the Cleveland International Film Festival, which he labels as Ohio’s biggest such event.
"The Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF) line-up of more than 350 independent films isn’t for everyone, particularly those who prefer movies with celebrity names in the credits," Baird writes. "But for those open to the concept of film as true art rather than commercial enterprise, the long-running festival has much to satisfy the soul and mind."
Baird goes on to offer a rundown of the offerings, noting the staggering growth of the decades-old event.
"Now in its 38th year, CIFF is a prominent regional -- and certainly Ohio’s biggest -- film festival, with a combined audience of 95,000 film lovers and filmmakers from around the world expected to attend -- a staggering growth in audience from its first year in 1977 when only eight friends watched a few weekend films at the festival’s first home, Cedar Lee Theatre in Cleveland Heights."
Read the entire article here.
"The Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF) line-up of more than 350 independent films isn’t for everyone, particularly those who prefer movies with celebrity names in the credits," Baird writes. "But for those open to the concept of film as true art rather than commercial enterprise, the long-running festival has much to satisfy the soul and mind."
Baird goes on to offer a rundown of the offerings, noting the staggering growth of the decades-old event.
"Now in its 38th year, CIFF is a prominent regional -- and certainly Ohio’s biggest -- film festival, with a combined audience of 95,000 film lovers and filmmakers from around the world expected to attend -- a staggering growth in audience from its first year in 1977 when only eight friends watched a few weekend films at the festival’s first home, Cedar Lee Theatre in Cleveland Heights."
Read the entire article here.
Those among us that emerge to the forefront of their professions and community have been honing their leadership skills for some time. Here are a few young African-Americans making waves around town through advocacy, talent and so much more.
Mention the phrase "Paleolithic diet" and many will conjure the image of Fred Flintstone gnawing on a giant dinosaur leg. But nothing could be further from the truth, say adherents. The culinary movement is thoughtful, green, healthy and spreading like wildfire across Northeast Ohio.
If women indeed are the barometer of a healthy cycling city, then making women feel safe while cycling in Cleveland must be a priority, say local biking advocates. Female riders are less likely to cycle without infrastructure that makes them feel safe, including separated bike paths and physical barriers on roads that divide bikes and cars.
To say the Cleveland International Film Festival -- now in its 38th year -- has staying power is an understatement. In order to get a street level view of the event, Fresh Water sat down with some true insiders to get the skinny on what makes the CIFF tick and how to make the most of it.
The development partnership behind the Music Box, a forthcoming supper club on the west bank of the Flats that will offer live music on two stages, will break ground this week. A demolition permit has been issued by the city, and the club will hold a soft opening in August and have a full concert lineup by September.
"The best part has been the breadth of support from around Cleveland," says Mike Miller, a boomerang who returned from Chicago with his wife, Colleen Miller, an experienced concert promoter. "People saw this as an important development for Cleveland, a new concept right on the river. While Cleveland has some great rock clubs spread out across the city, there isn't a downtown concert venue except for the House of Blues. If we’re going to have the Rock Hall and be the city that discovered rock, we should have another venue, and one that’s centrally located."
To pull off the project, Mike and Colleen Miller assembled a team of over 20 investors, including the Jacobs Group, owner of the former Club Coconuts space where the Music Box will be located. They also obtained financing from Key Bank and funding from the City of Cleveland's Vacant Property Initiative.
Krill Construction will handle the build-out. The architect is Dave Krebbs from AODK and the interior designer is Scott Richardson of the Richardson Group.
The basic architecture of the space, which has huge windows overlooking the Cuyahoga River, Flats East Bank and downtown, will remain the same. Construction will add new flooring and finishes, mechanicals, restrooms, two stages and an outdoor deck where guests can enjoy dinner and drinks overlooking the city.
Miller highlighted the support of the Jacobs Group and their vision for the west bank. Jacobs has already begun repositioning the Nautica complex as major event space to capitalize on the tourism wave that's hitting downtown Cleveland. Currently, the developer is working on a new master plan for the area.
The Music Box is located directly across from the new Flats East development, and plans are in the works to revive the water taxi service to better link the two areas.
Source: Mike Miller
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"The best part has been the breadth of support from around Cleveland," says Mike Miller, a boomerang who returned from Chicago with his wife, Colleen Miller, an experienced concert promoter. "People saw this as an important development for Cleveland, a new concept right on the river. While Cleveland has some great rock clubs spread out across the city, there isn't a downtown concert venue except for the House of Blues. If we’re going to have the Rock Hall and be the city that discovered rock, we should have another venue, and one that’s centrally located."
To pull off the project, Mike and Colleen Miller assembled a team of over 20 investors, including the Jacobs Group, owner of the former Club Coconuts space where the Music Box will be located. They also obtained financing from Key Bank and funding from the City of Cleveland's Vacant Property Initiative.
Krill Construction will handle the build-out. The architect is Dave Krebbs from AODK and the interior designer is Scott Richardson of the Richardson Group.
The basic architecture of the space, which has huge windows overlooking the Cuyahoga River, Flats East Bank and downtown, will remain the same. Construction will add new flooring and finishes, mechanicals, restrooms, two stages and an outdoor deck where guests can enjoy dinner and drinks overlooking the city.
Miller highlighted the support of the Jacobs Group and their vision for the west bank. Jacobs has already begun repositioning the Nautica complex as major event space to capitalize on the tourism wave that's hitting downtown Cleveland. Currently, the developer is working on a new master plan for the area.
The Music Box is located directly across from the new Flats East development, and plans are in the works to revive the water taxi service to better link the two areas.
Source: Mike Miller
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Detroit-based writer Matthew Lewis travels to Cleveland to check out the RTA HealthLine, one of the premier BRT systems in the nation. As his city debates its public transportation future, leaders can look to Cleveland as a beacon of hope, a place that has embraced transit and is now enjoying the benefits of its investments.
author, huff post writer tracks progress of 'sustainable cleveland 2019'
Michele Hunt, who attended the 5th annual Summit of Sustainable Cleveland 2019, is tracking the progress of this bold 10-year initiative, which began in 2009. In a feature for Huffington Post titled "Sustainable Cleveland 2019: A Community of DreamMakers Creating a 'A Thriving Green City on a Blue Lake,'" she offers a comprehensive look at the halfway point.
"The people of Cleveland are mobilizing around a compelling vision to transform their communities into a flourishing city. They have the courage to dream a magnanimous vision for their city in the face of tremendous challenges," she writes.
"At the Summit, I was surprised to see hundreds of people from diverse sectors of Greater Cleveland working together. They came from the local neighborhoods, businesses, government, education, nonprofits, as well as advocacy groups from the sustainability community. They were highly engaged, enthusiastic and clearly committed to transforming their vision into reality."
These are not merely dreams, she adds, five years into their journey Clevelanders are delivering on their vision. Their results are impressive:
• Last year the 50-member Climate Action Advisory Committee, published the Cleveland Climate Action Plan, which has six focus areas, and 33 actions Clevelanders can take to strengthen the economy, clean up the environment and improve health and wellness.
• There has been a 50 percent increase in recycling since 2006.
• LEEDCO (Lake Erie Energy Development Corporation) is building the first offshore freshwater wind project in North America in Cleveland.
• Over 200 community gardens and local food initiatives have grown up around the city.
• Cleveland is transforming abandoned buildings and vacant lands into green spaces, local parks, urban gardens, as well as restoring homes.
Read the rest of the green news here.
"The people of Cleveland are mobilizing around a compelling vision to transform their communities into a flourishing city. They have the courage to dream a magnanimous vision for their city in the face of tremendous challenges," she writes.
"At the Summit, I was surprised to see hundreds of people from diverse sectors of Greater Cleveland working together. They came from the local neighborhoods, businesses, government, education, nonprofits, as well as advocacy groups from the sustainability community. They were highly engaged, enthusiastic and clearly committed to transforming their vision into reality."
These are not merely dreams, she adds, five years into their journey Clevelanders are delivering on their vision. Their results are impressive:
• Last year the 50-member Climate Action Advisory Committee, published the Cleveland Climate Action Plan, which has six focus areas, and 33 actions Clevelanders can take to strengthen the economy, clean up the environment and improve health and wellness.
• There has been a 50 percent increase in recycling since 2006.
• LEEDCO (Lake Erie Energy Development Corporation) is building the first offshore freshwater wind project in North America in Cleveland.
• Over 200 community gardens and local food initiatives have grown up around the city.
• Cleveland is transforming abandoned buildings and vacant lands into green spaces, local parks, urban gardens, as well as restoring homes.
Read the rest of the green news here.
publication takes a winter road trip to cleveland
Writing for Trib Total Media, Mark Kanny takes his Western PA readers on a winter-themed road trip to Cleveland.
"Perhaps the only way Pittsburgh doesn't mind being beaten by Cleveland is in annual snowfall," he writes. "Located on Lake Erie, Cleveland always wins that contest because of lake-effect precipitation."
"Taking challenge as opportunity, Cleveland Metroparks offers many winter activities, including tobogganing. In addition, there's a free skating rink in University Circle and the local Boston Mills/Brandywine ski resort just south of the city."
Also highlighted are the Rock Hall, Cleveland Museum of Art and Severance Hall.
Check out all his great wintertime suggestions here.
"Perhaps the only way Pittsburgh doesn't mind being beaten by Cleveland is in annual snowfall," he writes. "Located on Lake Erie, Cleveland always wins that contest because of lake-effect precipitation."
"Taking challenge as opportunity, Cleveland Metroparks offers many winter activities, including tobogganing. In addition, there's a free skating rink in University Circle and the local Boston Mills/Brandywine ski resort just south of the city."
Also highlighted are the Rock Hall, Cleveland Museum of Art and Severance Hall.
Check out all his great wintertime suggestions here.
With the loss of the United Airlines hub in Cleveland, LeanDog Software owner Jon Stahl say's he's discovered a way perhaps to cut down on the size of his team while traveling to visit clients. It's a robot named Gilligan -- made by Double Robotics – that roams about the LeanDog boat, checking in with team members on a project.
The investment might be one solution to reduce air travel for businesses that go to customers or bring customers to their offices.
Stahl got Gilligan in January to cut down on the number of team members he needs when traveling to call on customers. “Instead of taking a large team to customer sites, we can send less people and then drive the robot around the boat and talk to anyone we need to,” Stahl explains. “I don’t need to have as many people travel with me just in case I need them in a meeting.”
Gilligan also helps Stahl stay in touch with his staff when he’s on the road for long stretches of time. “I can also use the robot to look at our visual management walls, attend our daily standup meetings, and just make an appearance,” he says. “We have been on the road for three weeks straight, and it’s nice to pop in when we can.”
Stahl finds the robot to be a more flexible alternative to video conferencing, which requires scheduling a time for the meeting. “With Gilligan, we can wake him up and drive him around the boat and talk to someone at any time,” he explains. “Soon, we can even drive it to the recharging docking bay. We tried to use Skype phones in the past and gave them to our customers – we bought 20 of them, but you need someone to answer the phone, so that solution didn’t work so well."
The only disadvantage to Gilligan is that he can’t climb stairs; he has wheels for legs.
LeanDog has a client in San Francisco who also is trying out the robot. Together, the two companies are experimenting with their robots to see if they might replace, or reduce, travel and improve communication.
Source: Jon Stahl
Writer: Karin Connelly
The investment might be one solution to reduce air travel for businesses that go to customers or bring customers to their offices.
Stahl got Gilligan in January to cut down on the number of team members he needs when traveling to call on customers. “Instead of taking a large team to customer sites, we can send less people and then drive the robot around the boat and talk to anyone we need to,” Stahl explains. “I don’t need to have as many people travel with me just in case I need them in a meeting.”
Gilligan also helps Stahl stay in touch with his staff when he’s on the road for long stretches of time. “I can also use the robot to look at our visual management walls, attend our daily standup meetings, and just make an appearance,” he says. “We have been on the road for three weeks straight, and it’s nice to pop in when we can.”
Stahl finds the robot to be a more flexible alternative to video conferencing, which requires scheduling a time for the meeting. “With Gilligan, we can wake him up and drive him around the boat and talk to someone at any time,” he explains. “Soon, we can even drive it to the recharging docking bay. We tried to use Skype phones in the past and gave them to our customers – we bought 20 of them, but you need someone to answer the phone, so that solution didn’t work so well."
The only disadvantage to Gilligan is that he can’t climb stairs; he has wheels for legs.
LeanDog has a client in San Francisco who also is trying out the robot. Together, the two companies are experimenting with their robots to see if they might replace, or reduce, travel and improve communication.
Source: Jon Stahl
Writer: Karin Connelly
The 2014 Gay Games kick off August 9th with an expected 8,000 to 10,000 participants competing in some 40 sports. The comprehensive event will serve as the latest memo to the world that Cleveland is a sought-after host for large-scale events that add millions to the local economy.