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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.
Miracle on Sowinski Avenue: St. Casimir Church becomes the first local church to go green
One may not normally think of a 127-year-old church as a leader in green infrastructure practices, but St. Casimir Church—based in Cleveland's St. Clair-Superior neighborhood—has set an example as the first Cleveland Catholic Diocese church to begin installing a green infrastructure on its campus.
 
Amazon takes steps to be a good neighbor with its new North Randall facility
Just over a month after opening its new 855,000-square-foot North Randall fulfillment facility, Amazon is already making its presence known around the Greater Cleveland area—with officials demonstrating how happy they are to be here and their desire to be a good neighbor.
Vocon recognized for its design work on Forest City’s new collaborative work space
When real estate giant Forest City first approached architecture and design firm Vocon back in 2016 about moving its 400-plus employees from its 240,000-square-foot headquarters inside the Terminal Tower to 111,000 square feet in Key Tower, Vocon design director Bob Porter’s creative juices started oozing.
Sister act: Two Cleveland Heights students team up to create an A+ app for homeschoolers
Cleveland Heights sisters Maya and Nina Serna haven’t even completed high school, and keep a busy academic and social schedule, but in their spare time they've spent the last two years developing an app specifically to help students who are homeschoolers like themselves.
New home, new possibilities for Urban Squash Cleveland
Over the last seven years, Urban Squash Cleveland has relied on the resources of its educational partners to share its unique enrichment formula with inner-city students, but last Saturday, October 13, USC proudly opened the doors to its very own 10,000-square-foot Youth Development Center. Not only is the new facility just the sixth of its kind in the country, but it will also allow Urban Squash Cleveland to double the number of students taking part.
New Glenville creative arts learning center aims to inspire youth
FRONT International may have concluded its colorful run, but the former FRONT Porch space in Glenville will continue its arts and culture legacy with the opening of the new Center for Arts-Inspired Learning—a creative arts center for children and teens set to open this Sunday, October 21.
Today is World Homeless Day. How can you help? The YWCA Greater Cleveland has a few ideas.
With today designated as World Homeless Day, the YWCA is turning its lens on Cleveland—where there are more than 22,000 people homeless annually, and about 4,000 people homeless each night (according to the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless).
Patient-centered design will set apart the new Centers for Dialysis Care in University Circle
It’s been a year since Panzica Construction started building a new two-story, 48,000-square-foot flagship treatment facility for the Centers for Dialysis Care (CDC) at Stokes Boulevard and Carnegie Avenue in University Circle—and the project will soon be rounding the bend toward completion.
Hidden trails around Doan Brook Gorge revealed with a new series of October hikes
Tucked away amid the urban hustle and bustle of commuters driving through Cleveland Heights and Shaker Heights is one of Cleveland’s little-known natural wonders: Doan Brook. Now bordered by Coventry Road, Fairhill Road, and North Park Boulevard, the 15,000-year-old bluestone tributary to Lake Erie originated as the glaciers retreated from the region. Today, there are hiking trails that meander around the 8.4-mile brook, showing off a bit of Northeast Ohio’s natural state—yet most people don’t even know these trails exist.
All clear: Two Cleveland-based skin care lines every beauty buff should know
The skin care struggle can be real, but Clevelanders Bethany Hilt and Sandra Bontempo have channeled their frustrations into inspiration—tossing aside traditional regimens to create their own products. Hilt turned to the knowledge she learned from making homemade facial and body care products with her grandmother, while Bontempo looked to her beloved chickens for a solution to her son’s eczema. The result? Two thriving local companies.
Cuyahoga Arts & Culture's new Learning Lab primes civic-minded artists for impactful projects
Few things give a neighborhood a boost of pride and sense of place like a work of public art. Cuyahoga Arts & Culture (CAC) wants to help make the connection between civic-minded artists and Cuyahoga County-based nonprofit organizations seeking a collaborative way to solve problems and benefit the community. Enter the Learning Lab—a professional development program designed to train artists in civic, social, public, and placemaking practices.
Two paws up: New Cleveland Heights grooming shop puts dogs first
It’s only been one week since Linda McFadden opened Lee Road Dog Grooming, but she has already built a customer base and potential customers are stopping in. After all, it’s hard to miss the hand-painted pictures of a ladylike pup donning a flowered hat and the pink and purple hues that adorn the small storefront on one of the newest additions to the Cedar-Lee District.
The future is freelance, but Lakewood-based Impel Creative already knew that.
Ten years from now, employment industry experts estimate that 50 percent of Millennials will be earning their livings as freelancers. That's no surprise to Impel Creative founders Stacie Ross and Doug Crouch—who've been helping to set the trend by hiring freelancers for the past 10 years.
After five years of planning, Van Aken District is coming alive in Shaker Heights
It’s not easy to take an historic neighborhood known for its charm, tree-lined residential streets, and opulent architecture and create a brand-new urban downtown. But, after more than five years of planning, that is exactly what the city of Shaker Heights and developer RMS Investment Corporation have done in building phase one of the Van Aken District—Shaker Heights’ new downtown.
This old house: Lakewood to introduce unique tool lending library for repairing century homes
There are more than 17,000 homes in Lakewood that were constructed 100 years ago. And while these homes comprise Lakewood’s charming and unique landscape, they carry their fair share of upkeep.

LakewoodAlive is working on giving its residents access to the tools they need to maintain, repair, and update their homes with its proposed Lakewood Tool Box—a tool lending library where members can borrow the tools they need for home improvement.
Neue Auctions caters to a new generation of antiques enthusiasts
Move over, traditional antiques dealers and auction houses—there’s a new kid on the block. Veteran antique dealer Ronald Greenwald and Aspire Auctions co-founder Cynthia Maciejewski have joined forces to open Neue Auctions, a one-stop online auction house and art gallery geared at Millennials and women.
First installation of Inner City Hues to be revealed on Buckeye Road
Amanda King graduated from Case Western Reserve University's law school last year and still lives in the Cleveland Heights apartment she rented as a student. But instead of practicing law, King has immersed herself in her true love—photography. Now King's six-part portrait series, "The Marigolds," will be showcased as the first of four installations in LAND studio's Inner City Hues project.
What do Skyline Chili, Yuengling Lager, and crab chowder have in common? Ask JACK Casino.
In honor of the Browns playing the Steelers, chefs at JACK Cleveland Casino made Pittsburgh’s well-known smiley face cookies—with the cookies in Browns colors smiling and the Pittsburgh colors frowning. Rounding out the offerings were other favorites like wedding soup and chipped ham BBQ on pretzel buns (along with Yuengling lager, naturally). The Pittsburgh-style feast kicked off the casino's new "Cook the Competition" menu, which will highlight the opposing teams' hometown fare.
Signs of Cleveland’s past uncovered as Lumen construction progresses in Playhouse Square
In early April, crews broke ground on The Lumen—the 34-story, 396-foot, 318-unit apartment building at the corner of Euclid Avenue and E. 17th Street in Playhouse Square—and construction crews have been moving along ever since. During the routine foundation work, crews have uncovered some fascinating pieces of Cleveland’s history dating back as far as the early 20th century.
Ahoy! It’s Cleveland Navy Week
Ahead of the Cleveland National Air Show with the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, sailors from the guided missile nuclear submarine the U.S.S. Ohio have descended on Cleveland this week. They join 125 Navy sailors and personnel from around the country in visiting Cleveland, the 11th stop on the 14-city tour.