With a strong manufacturing infrastructure and more than 630,000 skilled workers, Ohio has the opportunity to become one of the most attractive states in the U.S. for clean energy manufacturers, according to the Ohio BlueGreen Apollo Alliance. Yet while Ohio has created policies to make clean manufacturing a priority, it needs to create further incentives to spur growth, according to The Ohio Green Manufacturing Action Plan (GreenMAP), a report by the Alliance.

“Successful renewable energy programs and energy-efficient projects over the past few years have proven that there’s significant potential for Ohio to meet the growing demands of the clean energy sector,” said Shanelle Smith, Ohio senior coordinator of the Alliance. “Ohio can’t afford to stand on the sidelines while other states and countries compete to win good jobs in one of the world’s fastest growing industries.”

The report praise Ohio’s new incentive programs for renewable energy installations and energy efficiency projects, as well as the new Alternative Energy Portfolio standard. However, it recommends renewed efforts targeting clean energy manufacturing.

“The state has lost over 400,000 manufacturing jobs since 2000 and needs to reassert itself as a manufacturing hub,” the report states. “The infrastructure and expertise remain in place … Ohio policymakers should bolster the manufacturing sector by doing more to support those trying to compete in the growing clean energy industry.”

The GreenMAP report outlines specific recommendations to help ramp up Ohio’s growth in clean manufacturing. These recommendations include expanding financing and incentives, prioritizing support for small to mid-size clean energy manufacturers and increasing support for research and development. Other recommendations include broadening workforce development programs to train more employees for these new industries, expanding Ohio’s demand-side clean-energy policies, and pushing for improvements in clean-energy manufacturing policy at the federal and regional levels.

The report emerged from a special task force comprised of representatives from the business, investor, labor, policy and environmental communities. The group aims to provide a blueprint for Ohio to win the competition for future clean-energy jobs.


Source:  Shanelle Smith, Ohio BlueGreen Apollo Alliance
Writer:  Lynne Meyer

The newly minted nonprofit Bike Cleveland will bring together Northeast Ohio cyclists through cycling events, educational programming and advocacy work, says Jacob Van Sickle, the group's new Executive Director. The group also will provide area cyclists with a unified voice in transportation planning across the region.

Over the course of the next year, Bike Cleveland plans to focus on prioritizing bike investments in the West Shoreway project, collaborating with the City of Cleveland to update and prioritize its Bikeway Master Plan, creating fun biking events and advocating for cyclist-friendly policies throughout the region.

One of the group's first advocacy projects will be to rally against HR 7, the transportation bill that has been proposed in the U.S. House of Representatives. That bill would eliminate dedicated funding for transportation, cut funding that helps to make streets safer for cyclists and pedestrians, and shortchange funding for repairing existing roads and bridges and improving roadways for cyclists.

For several years, Cleveland's cycling community has been fragmented among different organizations. The launch of Bike Cleveland last summer and now the hiring of Van Sickle unites cyclists under a common banner for the first time.

Van Sickle says Cleveland's energized cycling community has a lot ot be proud of. The 2010 American Community Survey shows that .8 percent of Clevelanders now use a bicycle as their primary mode of transportation to work -- a figure well above the national average of .53 percent. This is a 280-percent increase over one decade, giving Cleveland the highest 10-year increase in the country.

“I am looking forward to working with current and future Bike Cleveland members, and the greater cycling community, to continue to grow the cycling movement in Greater Cleveland," said Van Sickle in a press release.


Source: Jacob Van Sickle
Writer: Lee Chilcote

Local writer, speaker and entrepreneur Craig James has some big ideas. In fact, he is a regular contributor to NEOtropolis's "What’s the Big Idea" segment on PBS. He and his partner Sue James formed CatalystStrategies, which helps organizations best communicate their message, market and meaning. In this "Letter to Cleveland," James pens an open letter to the city he loves.

The nonprofit organization LiveCleveland has launched a website which provides urban parents with comprehensive school information for the areas in which they live. Our Neighborhood Schools allows parents to search by community and zip code to determine the best educational opportunities available to them across the spectrum of public, private and parochial schools.

"We wanted to battle head-on the perception that there are a lack of school choices in the City of Cleveland," says Jeff Kipp, Executive Director of LiveCleveland. "Our Neighborhood Schools is a searchable database and resource for parents that highlights high-performing schools in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District as well as charter school and private school options."

The new website was made possible through a partnership with the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) and grant funding from the Cleveland Foundation. LiveCleveland shares with CMSD a marketing and web design staff person who works to increase enrollment in the city's public schools.

"CMSD basically had no marketing strategy previously, and was losing hundreds of kids each year to charter schools who were doing a more proactive job," says Kipp. "Now the district is trying to market its own strong schools to parents."

The website, which attracts about 500 unique visitors per month, is a "win-win" for LiveCleveland, CMSD and the city's neighborhoods and schools, Kipp adds.


Source: Jeff Kipp
Writer : Lee Chilcote

Last month, Jenita McGowan was sworn in as Cleveland's new Chief of Sustainability, replacing the outgoing Andrew Watterson. A Northeast Ohio resident since 1996, McGowan's an adopted Clevelander in every sense. Fresh Water contributor Erin O'Brien sat down with McGowan and got the lowdown on the status of sustainability in Cleveland.

In a few months, beer lovers who have conquered the Winking Lizard World Tour of Beers will have another well-stocked venue where they can wet their whistles. When the popular Winking Lizard chain opens Lizardville in the Galleria this summer, as many as 32 draft beers from Ohio and contiguous states will be available on tap. The venue also will serve Ohio-made whiskey and wine, plus a full menu of food crafted from local ingredients.

Winking Lizard owner John Lane announced plans to bring his successful Lizardville concept, which first opened in Bedford Heights last year, to downtown Cleveland. He plans to take over a former art gallery space on the first floor near Dollar Bank, while adding a 1,000- to 2,000-square-foot patio with a bar.

What distinguishes Lizardville from Winking Lizard is the concept of specializing in locally made libations of all stripes.

"I don't know of another place downtown where you can get all of these Ohio beers on tap," says Lane. "We're bullish on the area because it is so close to the new Medical Mart, Convention Center and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. When people come to visit Cleveland from out of town, they ask the bartender, 'What do you have that's local?'"

Lane is bringing the Lizardville brand to other cities in Northeast Ohio, including a location in Rocky River that will offer beer and wine to go at retail prices, like the original in Bedford Heights.


Source: The Winking Lizard
Writer: Lee Chilcote

On Tuesday, February 7, Global Cleveland opened the doors to its Public Square welcome center. The organization is tasked with attracting and retaining talent to the region from around the globe, with the goal of adding 100,000 people to the region. Fresh Water photographer Bob Perkoski was at the ribbon cutting.

NorTech has announced 14 finalists in its 12th annual Innovation Awards. The winners will be announced at a ceremony on Thursday, March 22 at LaCentre in Westlake.
 
The awards, which for the past four years have been co-sponsored with Crain’s Cleveland Business, honors the top innovations in technologies such as advanced energy, advanced materials, bioscience, flexible electronics and instrument controls.

“The NorTech Innovation Awards showcase breakthrough technologies being developed and commercialized in Northeast Ohio,” says Rebecca O. Bagley, NorTech president and CEO. “We believe these innovations will have a positive impact on the region’s economy through job creation, capital attraction and overall business growth. Ultimately, the organizations being recognized this year are laying the foundation for a strong economic future for our region.”

NorTech received more than 40 applications this year. A panel of nine judges will evaluate the finalists on creativity, feasibility and triple bottom line impact. South estimates nine winners will be chosen. The panel of judges is selected to represent a broad range of expertise from academia, venture capital, private industry and economic development from throughout the Northeast Ohio region.

 
Source: Rebecca Bagley
Writer: Karin Connelly

The inaugural Manufacturing EXPO will take place at the Galleria on February 14 and 15, showing off the inner workings of the manufacturing world and promoting the many components that go into creating a product.
 
“In America, there are 300,000 manufacturers and this will allow the American public to realize the strength of the parts and pieces in manufacturing,” says Mary Kaye Denning, president and founder of the Manufacturing Mart. “It’s these parts and pieces companies that we want to introduce to the American public so they can increase those companies’ growth rates.”
 
More than 3,000 industry-related professionals from the United States and Canada are expected to attend the event, which will feature more than 175 exhibitors from virtually every type of manufacturing. The point is to illustrate that even if a product is not assembled in America, most likely the many components that make up the product were.
 
Additionally, the Manufacturing EXPO will feature experts in the industry who will speak on changing trends and challenges in manufacturing.
 
Attendees must pre-register for the event. Denning encourages the general public to attend and learn more about the manufacturing world.

“Most manufacturing trade shows are usually in space apart from everyday life and are industry specific,” she says. “We have an expo representing all industries that make equipment. Northeast Ohio has all of these extraordinary capabilities and we should make people aware of that.”

 
Source: Mary Kaye Denning
Writer: Karin Connelly

The City of Cleveland has scheduled two meetings to allow public comment on its new lakefront plan, the most ambitious effort in years to redevelop the city's long-dormant downtown shoreline. Portions of the plan, including an event series to be launched this summer, could begin to show progress this year.

The City plans to hire a Harbor Manager in the next few months, who will be responsible for overseeing waterfront activities, including management of the contract for a planned 53-slip marina. Other responsibilities will include property management, overseeing a vending program to allow food trucks and other vendors to sell their wares on the East 9th Street pier, and organizing lakeside concerts and festivals to be added to the city's lineup of summer events.

"The vision is to try to create more activity on the waterfront, and we're in the process of finalizing our strategy," says Ricky Smith, Director of Port Control for the City of Cleveland. Smith added that he expects construction on the marina, which has already been funded and will allow for short-term docking, to begin this year and wrap up in spring of 2013. He expects the same timeline for an iconic, moveable pedestrian bridge that is slated to traverse the North Coast Harbor.


Source: Ricky Smith
Writer: Lee Chilcote

Explorys, a rapidly growing healthcare database company spun out of the Cleveland Clinic, is celebrating two years in business with a party. They will take over the House of Blues on Wednesday, Feb. 1 from 5 to 10 p.m. to celebrate the advancements in healthcare from their technology, show off what's next for the company, and offer a place for healthcare and IT professionals to network.
 
"We're almost two years old and we've been running really hard since we got started," says Explorys president and CTO Charlie Lougheed. "This is our way to say thanks to our employees, customers and partners."
 
While drinks will flow and CEO Stephen McHale's band will perform, the networking event is designed to present Explorys' developments, promote Cleveland as a great place for technology jobs and attract the top high-tech talent to the company. Lougheed says they will continue to grow their employee base.
 
"It's a good way to get word out among possible job candidates," says Lougheed. "If you're in technology or data, it's a great time in your career. We really believe Cleveland is a great place to start a company and we don't want to have brain drain. If you have a connection to the tech community we encourage you to come."
 
Interested people must pre-register for the event.

 
Source: Charlie Lougheed
Writer: Karin Connelly

Fresh Water commissioned local videographer David Wester to take viewers inside the newly opened Greater Cleveland Aquarium. While there, Wester was guided by general manager Tami Brown, who discussed the nature and scope of the watery exhibits. Already off to a swimming start, the attraction aims to lure 500,000 visitors per year.

With his trusty lens in hand, Fresh Water photographer Bob Perkoski follows the progress of the Greater Cleveland Aquarium from construction through opening day. The $33 million aquarium opened on schedule Saturday, January 21 in the Powerhouse building on the West Bank of the Flats.

Rosetta, an interactive marketing firm, boasts 1,500 team members spread across nine offices in places like New York, Los Angeles and Toronto, among others. But thanks to 450 staffers locally, Cleveland is now Rosetta's largest. That the firm has chosen 2012 to set-up shop in a downtown Cleveland landmark is pure poetry.

It's been a good first year here at Fresh Water, but that doesn't mean for a minute that we plan to slow down. In fact, today we roll out two new content sections: "For Good" and "Fresh Filter," which give us the room to cover the non-profit and arts and culture scenes with more depth.

If you fancy yourself a fan of Cleveland and its offerings, you have doubtless been asked for a recommendation or three. Having lived and worked in town for 20 years, Nina McCollum considers herself an unofficial tour guide, dispensing advice on everything from food and shopping to arts and entertainment. In preparation for a visit from an out-of-town friend, McCollum has devised her dream weekend in Cleveland.