Per Politico:

A slot at the Republican National Convention used to be a career-maker — a chance to make your name on the big stage and to catch the eye of the Republican donors and activists who make or break campaigns.

In the year of Trump: Not so much.With the convention less than a month away, POLITICO contacted more than 50 prominent governors, senators and House members to gauge their interest in speaking. Only a few said they were open to it, and everyone else said they weren’t planning on it, didn’t want to or weren’t going to Cleveland at all — or simply didn’t respond.

Read the whole story - including who they queried - here.

Tomorrow, June 25, from 2 – 5 p.m. in Lincoln Park on W. 11th Street in Tremont, the fourth annual Cleveland Big Wheel Relay to benefit the Cleveland Hearing & Speech Center will roll out.

Adult teams have raised funds to compete in a tournament racing Huffy Green Machine three-wheel bikes, which are designed to handle adult bodies. This year, an additional track will allow individuals to participate in timed, individual races. The event is free to attend.
 
The Big Wheel Relay is organized and hosted by the New Partners of Cleveland Hearing & Speech Center (CHSC), an associate board of young professionals focused on advancing CHSC’s mission both through service and fundraising. For more details about CHSC New Partners and this event, please visit this page.
 

Last week in Cleveland, some 200 Forward Cities attendees from across the nation explored strategies that foster entrepreneurship and social innovation in minority communities.

It seems Cavs fever has spread to news outlets far and wide and .... above.

Laramie, Wyoming, loves LeBron as evidenced by this local fan roundup: "Larry Shyatt recently stepped down as the Wyoming men’s basketball coach. In 1964, he was there to see Cleveland win its last championship before Sunday night, when the Browns beat the Baltimore Colts 27-0 in the NFL Championship Game, two years before it was dubbed the Super Bowl."

Ever concerned about the high and mighty dollar, earlier this month the San Francisco-based Market Watch explained Why it pays to be a Cleveland Cavaliers fan.

And then there was this from the Manila Times ahead of the historic Game 7 win: "Despite the feat of LeBron James and Kyrie Irving pulling the Cleveland Cavaliers within 3-2 in the ongoing best-of-seven series of the National Basketball Association Finals, the majority of Filipino NBA fans see the Golden State Warriors retaining the crown."

Or not.

But perhaps most notably, the Onion reported this from The Heavens: "Despite allowing the Cavaliers to win the city’s first major sports championship in 52 years, God Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth, confirmed Sunday that He still hates Cleveland fans. 'I just figured that enough is enough, so I decided to throw them a bone and finally give them a title, but believe me, I still can’t stand Cleveland teams or their fans,' said the Lord."

Well then, perhaps we can win God Almighty over for the Indians during this year's World Series.

Tomorrow evening at 7 p.m. at the Market Garden Brewery, 1947 West 25^th St., local publisher Belt Books will launch its Cleveland Neighborhood Guidebook with readings by Janice Lowe, Sally Errico and Sam McNulty. Several contributors and sponsors will be at this free event.  
 
As a preview, the publishers have shared the following "Editors' Pick" from the volume, an "homage to The Velvet Tango Room."

Visiting Cleveland for the first time? Have an event to celebrate? Go to the Velvet Tango Room.

Paulius Nasvytis was early to the cocktail trend when he opened this inimitable, only-in-Cleveland bar in 1996. Nasvytis’s staff mix Pisco Sours and French 75s for loyal patrons, suits, local politicos, and out-of-towners who make it a destination spot. Finding it is part of the experience, as the VTR is located on a desolate stretch of a post-industrial street that is always neither here nor there.

Signs outside are off-putting, warning “no big hair” and “no golf shoes,” but everything inside is inviting. Somehow the VTR manages to be pretentious and down- to-earth at once.

Nasvytis is a first-generation Lithuanian immigrant who opened the bar after working for years at Cleveland’s upscale French hotel restaurant, Classics. Many nights he floats throughout the bar, dressed in a three-piece suit, sometimes presenting women with long-stemmed roses. VIPs are ushered into the hidden “members only” back room where, because everything is surprising at the VTR, busts of Lenin, Mussolini and Mao—“deposed dictators doomed to live in this capitalist hell,” Paulius explains — line the shelves.

The backstory, location, and atmosphere of the VTR mix Cleveland ambitions, failures, and distinctiveness, and the drinks are no less complex and delightful. The staff make their own maraschino cherries, ginger ale, and bitters. The bartenders have ripped biceps from shaking cocktails by hand. They flambee orange slices and shake egg whites into soft peaks for Ramos Gin Fizzes. It is expensive (for Cleveland) and cheap (for what you get) at once. At the VTR, some weird alchemy makes it all work.
 

Dear fellow journalists,
 
On June 11, the following headline ran in your admirable publication:
 
"It looks like Cleveland's championship curse will continue"
 
What followed was an opinion piece by the venerable Randy Hollis, who went on to suggest that Cleveland was the "City that always weeps" amid other transcendent observations such as "And now, with LeBron James and the Cavaliers just one loss away from succumbing to the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals for a second straight year, it looks like the "Cleveland Curse" is about to continue."
 
Oh dear ….
 
Now then, we appreciate your jocularity and have been trying to find a way to return the favor. Perhaps Mr. Hollis is the "writer who shouldn't have said a peep" or the Deseret's good editor, Mr. Paul S. Edwards is the "editor that didn't go too deep," but we can probably all agree those are a bit clunky to say the least.
 
No matter.
 
As our esteemed colleagues, we also appreciate that you would step up to the plate – perhaps one in Progressive Field, wherein the Indians (which are leading in the in the AL Central) bested the White Sox in the 10^th inning just yesterday – and offer commentary on sports franchises 1,700 miles away. After all, while you do an excellent job of covering high school soccer, we certainly understand the desire to stretch one's legs.
 
We also note you describe your mission thusly: "to be a leading news brand for faith and family oriented audiences in Utah and around the world."
 
Hm. Too bad that faith didn't extend to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
 
As you can imagine, here in Cleveland we are busy bathing ourselves in wine and gold, but we felt a need to check in just the same. As for Mr. Hollis, perhaps he should focus on "copy editing and page layout/design" and leave the sports predictions to those who are a little closer to the game.  

With our warmest regards,
 
Erin O'Brien
Managing Editor
Fresh Water Cleveland
 

From Jeremy W. Peters for the New York Times:

A series of delays and questions about security and fund-raising are causing Republicans to scramble as they finish planning their nominating convention just weeks before the party gathers in Cleveland.

Among the complications facing Donald J. Trump, the presumptive nominee, and his team is that only on Friday were they finally able to gain access to Quicken Loans Arena, where the convention will be held, because it was being used by LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, who won Game 6 of the N.B.A. finals there on Thursday night. (The series will end on Sunday night, with a decisive Game 7 on the Golden State Warriors’ home court back in California.)

“LeBron, good luck in the series,” Mr. Trump said the other day as he noted the predicament with a sense of resignation. “Of course, the longer it goes, the less time we have. But that’s O.K.”

Get the whole story, including preparation and funding details, from the New York Times here.
 

In August 2014, rainbows bloomed from Lakewood to Akron when the Gay Games came to town. The region asserted itself as welcome and inclusive; and Northeast Ohio's friendship with the Federation of Gay Games and all the people it represents was public and proud.

Hence as the country mourns the Orlando victims, Fresh Water respectfully offers the Federation's formal statement.

As the world mourns the tragic events that took place at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando this past Sunday, 12 June 2016, the Federation of Gay Games family extends its condolences and support to the victims, their families, friends and associates, and the citizens of Orlando, Florida.

This act of violence directly impacts the global Gay Games family. Four years ago, the City of Orlando was a bid candidate to host Gay Games 10 in 2018. Pulse Nightclub was a local supporter of that effort. In addition, athletes and artists from Orlando have participated at each quadrennial Gay Games since 1982.
 
Whenever the LGBT community and our allies come under attack, as it was in Orlando and the recent murder of activists in Bangladesh and Honduras, we strengthen our resolve to fight on in honor of those lost. The events of June 12 are a reminder to all of us how precious life is, and why we must continue to work together to promote acceptance and inclusion to defeat homophobia, sexism, racism, and other forms of discrimination worldwide.
 
The Federation of Gay Games will continue to lead this effort through the use of sport and culture to promote our founding principles of Participation, Inclusion, Personal Best™, and encourage our sisters, brothers and allies to join us for Paris 2018 Gay Games 10 with our message of “All Equal”. Together, we are stronger.
 
On behalf of the FGG Board of Directors, our Assembly, and Honorary Life Members, we remain yours in sport and solidarity,
 
Joanie Evans and Kurt Dahl
Co-Presidents

Carlos Jones of I–tal, First Light and the PLUS Band is now serving up a steaming cup of joe alongside his legendary reggae efforts.

As the refurbished statues of Moses Cleaveland and 1901 mayor Tom Johnson overlook Public Square, one would think that the pair would be impressed with the modern transformation of the plaza that originally served as a common pasture for livestock and later a grid for moving from point A to point B within downtown’s epicenter.
 
Almost complete, the fences that have been hiding Public Square since renovations began in March 2015 will soon come down and a new six-acre green space will be unveiled before the Republican National Convention begins July 18.
 
But the revitalization was not solely for the sake of the convention, says Nora Romanoff, senior project director for LAND studio and part of the Group Plan Commission charged with transforming the heart of Cleveland’s downtown.
 
“We didn’t just do it for the RNC,” says Romanoff. “We did it for Cleveland.”

Get the rest of the story and a host of photos here.

On July 27, 1981, the Inn on Coventry opened amid the chaos of the Coventry Village Street Fair, offering a simple menu of eggs, breakfast meats and $1 pancakes. After 35 years on the corner of Coventry Road and Euclid Heights Boulevard in Cleveland Heights, diner owners Debbie Duirk and Mary Haley are still serving "comfort food at comfortable prices," and have no plans on stopping anytime soon.
 
To celebrate, the dine-amic duo will be dishing up tasty grub at 1981 prices during a July 27 "Throwback Wednesday" anniversary event. Hungry attendees can arrive for the free coffee and $1 buttermilk pancakes, and stay for raffle prizes including diner gift certificates and an authentic Coca-Cola bike.
 
"This (anniversary) shows our success and how many great people we've met along the way," says Duirk.
 
The three-generation, family-friendly neighborhood restaurant was initially founded as the "in place to be" by Duirk and her business partner. Haley's mother, Amy, served as the establishment's first chef, helping cement the Inn's iconic status with her banana orange waffles and other scrumptious goodies until she passed away in 1997.
 
While banana orange waffles are no longer available, the Inn's vast menu has nine different versions of Eggs Benedict as well as a variety of spicy selections including huevos rancheros. 
 
"We say we're still doing home-style cooking after all these years," Duirk says.
 
In preparation for the anniversary festivities, the Inn will close from July 11 to July 23, using that time to add new carpeting and a fresh coat of paint. When reopened, the diner will look much the same as it did on that July day over three decades ago, Duirk promises.
 
The years in between have seen the Heights' very own "breakfast Cheers bar" fill bellies at a fair price. Not all those days have been easy ones, either. Duirk recalls a fire in the district that closed the Inn for several months in the mid-80s. Then there were the street remodelings in the 90s that made it difficult to attract customers. And of course, the loss of Haley's mother a week before her 97th birthday was a blow to the owners and patrons alike.
 
Despite it all, the Inn has persevered as a Cleveland Heights institution that Duirk looks forward to shepherding along for another 35 years. The diner's success can be ascribed to a few simple yet critically important reasons, its co-owner says. 
 
"Quality, consistency, cleanliness and a hospitable staff that makes you feel like you're home," says Duirk. "That's what people look for when they go out to eat." 

Last Friday, a group of visitors gathered in the lobby of the new Hilton Cleveland Downtown as they readied for the 2016 Transplant Games of America at the adjacent Convention Center. They blilnked in awe at the beauty of the 32-story hotel and also marveled over the professionalism of the staff of 350.

The positive reaction is exactly what the City of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County officials aimed to achieve when construction on the nearly 614,000-square-foot hotel, operated by Hilton Worldwide, began in 2014.
 
The 600-room Hilton was designed by the Atlanta architecture firm Cooper Carry to show off all of Cleveland’s assets while providing a world-class stay, says Carolyn Deming, director of public relations for the hotel.
 
“Nearly 500,000 visitors who have never been to Cleveland are expected in the first year,” she says. “We already have business groups on the books through 2020. There are really exciting things happening here and this is a chance to see what Cleveland has to offer.”
 
A mural composed of 2,800 selfies embodies that assertion. Located at the bottom of the escalators to the connecting Convention Center, the photos were submitted in the #MyClePhoto contest last year and were collected and assembled into a Cleveland skyline mural by North Carolina-based hospitality art curator Kalisher.

Get all the details on the new Hilton and see a host of gorgeous photos here.

East Bank or West Bank?

Today’s Flats offer a variety of entertainment options on both sides of the Cuyahoga River, and now the Cleveland Metroparks has eliminated the need to make a decision on which side to dine, dance and play with last month's launch of the eLCee2 water taxi.

For $2, passengers get unlimited rides across the river on the 26-foot Crosby yacht. The taxi can take 18 passengers and four bikes at a time. It's also ADA accessible and dog-friendly.
 
“The water taxi is exciting for the Flats because it is another ingredient in the revitalization of the area,” says Metroparks director of communications Rick Haase. “For Cleveland Metroparks it is all about helping people connect to our trails and to our parks, while at the same time helping them connect from the East Bank to the West Bank of the Flats.”
 
The eLCee2 launched ahead of the Memorial Day weekend on Friday, May 27 during a boating safety program hosted by the Metroparks, Flats East Bank and the U.S. Coast Guard. Metroparks CEO Brian Zimmerman cut the ribbon along with Cleveland Metroparks board of park commissioners Bruce Rinker and Debbie Berry. Speakers included Zimmerman, Scott Wolstein with Flats East Bank and lieutenant commander Mickey Dougherty of the Coast Guard's Cleveland Marine Safety Unit.
 
After the ceremony, the eLCee2 made its maiden voyage across the river from the taxi station at 1170 Old River Road on the East Bank to the West Bank station under the Main Avenue Bridge and back. After that, eLCee2 had a spectacular debut, with 3,579 passengers taking the taxi over Memorial Day weekend alone.
 
Five Metroparks employees share the captaining of the eLCee2, which is named after a group that included Leadership Cleveland alumni, Metroparks representatives and members of a Kent State University entrepreneurship class. They began floating the idea of a Flats water taxi service in 2014.

eLCee2 runs Thursdays from 4 to 7 p.m.; Fridays from 4 to 9 p.m.; Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The taxi will operate from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day each season.