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The November CBIZ Small Business Employment Index (SBEI), a barometer for hiring trends among companies with 300 or fewer employees, increased by .35 percent in November. While the trend reflects companies surveyed across the country, “a good number of the survey respondents are from the Cleveland area,” says Phillip Noftsinger, business unit president of CBIZ Payroll Services.
While the trend is typical for the holiday season, Noftsinger is optimistic that the increase may lead to future job growth. “I think this time of year we would expect to see growth during the holiday season,” he says. “But we’re hoping a strong holiday season will support a longer term trend in these numbers. It’s a little early to tell though.”
A good holiday shopping season has the potential to continue into the new year. “Strong consumer spending sustains growth,” says Noftsinger. “We hope to see a continued strong holiday season, which leads to income growth and labor growth and an upward spiral in employment.”
Source: Phillip Noftsinger
Writer: Karin Connelly
While the trend is typical for the holiday season, Noftsinger is optimistic that the increase may lead to future job growth. “I think this time of year we would expect to see growth during the holiday season,” he says. “But we’re hoping a strong holiday season will support a longer term trend in these numbers. It’s a little early to tell though.”
A good holiday shopping season has the potential to continue into the new year. “Strong consumer spending sustains growth,” says Noftsinger. “We hope to see a continued strong holiday season, which leads to income growth and labor growth and an upward spiral in employment.”
Source: Phillip Noftsinger
Writer: Karin Connelly
The end of the NBA lockout came late last Saturday night, a gift to sports fans and downtown businesses alike. B-ball action isn't expected to hit center court until later this year. But even after it does arrive, many will be looking for other, cheaper, better ways to have fun downtown. Here are just a few.
ny times calls uptown new downtown of university circle
A recent article in the New York Times titled "Cleveland Turns Uptown Into New Downtown," written by Keith Schneider, lauds the emerging Uptown arts and entertainment district in University Circle.
With the goal of "rebuilding the city’s core according to the new urban market trends of the 21st century -- health care, higher education, entertainment, good food, new housing and expanded mass transportation" -- the new Uptown project is becoming the new downtown for University Circle.
"When it is finished next year, the new $27 million Museum of Contemporary Art, designed by Farshid Moussavi, will perch, like a lustrous black gem, at the entrance to the district, at Euclid and Mayfield Road. A pedestrian plaza designed by James Corner Field Operations, a designer of the High Line elevated park in New York City, separates the new museum from two four-story, mixed-use residential buildings under construction on the north and south sides of Euclid."
“There are 5,000 more jobs here than in 2005,” Chris Ronayne, president of University Circle Inc., is quoted in the story. “About 50,000 people work here. The number of residents grew 11 percent since 2000. And there are 10,000 people who live here now.”
Read the rest of the good news here.
With the goal of "rebuilding the city’s core according to the new urban market trends of the 21st century -- health care, higher education, entertainment, good food, new housing and expanded mass transportation" -- the new Uptown project is becoming the new downtown for University Circle.
"When it is finished next year, the new $27 million Museum of Contemporary Art, designed by Farshid Moussavi, will perch, like a lustrous black gem, at the entrance to the district, at Euclid and Mayfield Road. A pedestrian plaza designed by James Corner Field Operations, a designer of the High Line elevated park in New York City, separates the new museum from two four-story, mixed-use residential buildings under construction on the north and south sides of Euclid."
“There are 5,000 more jobs here than in 2005,” Chris Ronayne, president of University Circle Inc., is quoted in the story. “About 50,000 people work here. The number of residents grew 11 percent since 2000. And there are 10,000 people who live here now.”
Read the rest of the good news here.
Valerie Mayen of Yellowcake, a fashion designer who became the poster child for Cleveland's nascent design industry after she appeared on Project Runway, will launch a nonprofit sewing studio to push the city's young talent into the spotlight.
The new loft studio, which is called Buzz and Growl, intends to offer work space, professional equipment, coaching and classes to young artists and entrepreneurs. It is located at 1400 East 30th Street in the St. Clair Superior neighborhood. Mayen is raising funds and plans to open the space sometime next year.
"I see a lot of artists that are making products here, but they're not saleable yet," says Mayen. "This is about helping them to hone and polish what they have, so they can become reputable businesses and sustain themselves in Cleveland."
Mayen says that Buzz and Growl already has a waiting list for new members. So far, she has raised $11,000 towards the costs of renovating the studio, and has invested some of her own resources as well. Mayen and her cohorts now hope to raise an additional $15,000 to purchase equipment and open the doors.
"This is the hard part, the frustrating search for money," says Mayen, who will serve as the Executive Director of Buzz and Growl. "Yet we've been able to attract grassroots support because people know this is about creating jobs."
To that end, Mayen is hosting an invitation-only "friendraiser" at Buzz and Growl's new studio on December 8th. Despite the challenging hunt for grant dollars, she is confident that the city will support this fledgling effort.
This year, Mayen hired several new employees for her business and opened and closed a series of pop-up stores. Beyond Buzz and Growl, she wants to launch a permanent Yellowcake shop in Ohio City or Detroit Shoreway by Fall of 2012.
Source: Valerie Mayen
Writer: Lee Chilcote
The new loft studio, which is called Buzz and Growl, intends to offer work space, professional equipment, coaching and classes to young artists and entrepreneurs. It is located at 1400 East 30th Street in the St. Clair Superior neighborhood. Mayen is raising funds and plans to open the space sometime next year.
"I see a lot of artists that are making products here, but they're not saleable yet," says Mayen. "This is about helping them to hone and polish what they have, so they can become reputable businesses and sustain themselves in Cleveland."
Mayen says that Buzz and Growl already has a waiting list for new members. So far, she has raised $11,000 towards the costs of renovating the studio, and has invested some of her own resources as well. Mayen and her cohorts now hope to raise an additional $15,000 to purchase equipment and open the doors.
"This is the hard part, the frustrating search for money," says Mayen, who will serve as the Executive Director of Buzz and Growl. "Yet we've been able to attract grassroots support because people know this is about creating jobs."
To that end, Mayen is hosting an invitation-only "friendraiser" at Buzz and Growl's new studio on December 8th. Despite the challenging hunt for grant dollars, she is confident that the city will support this fledgling effort.
This year, Mayen hired several new employees for her business and opened and closed a series of pop-up stores. Beyond Buzz and Growl, she wants to launch a permanent Yellowcake shop in Ohio City or Detroit Shoreway by Fall of 2012.
Source: Valerie Mayen
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Black Friday is, blessedly, behind us. So, too, is Cyber Monday. All that stands between today and the holidays are a few weeks of retail panic. Relax, brave shoppers. It has never been easier for a Clevelander to wrap up his or her holiday shopping thanks to a bevy of brief boutiques. These fleeting ventures spring up like magic mushrooms after an imaginary storm to make shopping fun, easy and 100-percent local.
What's the best thing a city can do to achieve more economic success? Increase its number of college graduates. Simply put: The most prosperous cities have the highest number of college grads. Efforts by CEO's for Cities and our own NOCHE -- dubbed the Talent Dividend -- are designed to up college attainment and thereby boost everybody's bottom line.
The City of Cleveland Heights has released a Request for Development Proposals (RDFP) that it hopes will lure new office space, jobs and tax revenue to the inner ring suburb. The city is asking for development ideas for a 39,000-square-foot parcel at Lee and Meadowbrook roads in the heart of the Cedar-Lee commercial district. Responses are due in January.
Given that two high-end condo projects proposed here in the mid-2000's never came to fruition, the city evidently is hoping the third time's the charm. After the demise of these projects, the city land-banked the site, tearing up the asphalt parking lot and planting grass.
Yet Howard Thompson, the city's Director of Economic Development, says there is reason for optimism in the city's new approach, which is more broadly focused on economic development rather than pinpointing for-sale housing.
"I see the growth happening in University Circle, and I want to tap into that," he says. "There are healthcare and technology professionals living in Cleveland Heights, and my goal is to drive business development opportunities here."
Although this streetcar suburb is isolated from highways, Thompson says it enjoys many locational advantages, including its walkable, urban streetscape and amenity-rich environment. "Areas like MidTown are still at the beginning stages, yet here you have 27 different restaurants directly around you," he says.
The city also owns a 377-space parking garage directly behind the project site, 82 spaces of which are dedicated towards whatever building is ultimately developed.
As for public-private partnerships, Thompson says that the City of Cleveland Heights is ready to provide assistance if it is needed. "We're asking developers to spell out in their proposals what kinds of assistance they'd be asking for."
Source: Howard Thompson
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Given that two high-end condo projects proposed here in the mid-2000's never came to fruition, the city evidently is hoping the third time's the charm. After the demise of these projects, the city land-banked the site, tearing up the asphalt parking lot and planting grass.
Yet Howard Thompson, the city's Director of Economic Development, says there is reason for optimism in the city's new approach, which is more broadly focused on economic development rather than pinpointing for-sale housing.
"I see the growth happening in University Circle, and I want to tap into that," he says. "There are healthcare and technology professionals living in Cleveland Heights, and my goal is to drive business development opportunities here."
Although this streetcar suburb is isolated from highways, Thompson says it enjoys many locational advantages, including its walkable, urban streetscape and amenity-rich environment. "Areas like MidTown are still at the beginning stages, yet here you have 27 different restaurants directly around you," he says.
The city also owns a 377-space parking garage directly behind the project site, 82 spaces of which are dedicated towards whatever building is ultimately developed.
As for public-private partnerships, Thompson says that the City of Cleveland Heights is ready to provide assistance if it is needed. "We're asking developers to spell out in their proposals what kinds of assistance they'd be asking for."
Source: Howard Thompson
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Residents of Lyndhurst typically live 24 years longer than residents of the Hough neighborhood of Cleveland, according to a recent analysis by the Cuyahoga County Place Matters Team. This health disparity is why the group, in collaboration with the Saint Luke's Foundation, has launched a speaker series at the City Club of Cleveland focused on creating healthier communities in Cuyahoga County.
"It shouldn't matter how much money you have, your community should still be thriving," says Sandy Chappelle, Senior Program Officer with the Saint Luke's Foundation and a leader of the Place Matters initiative. "Quality housing, safe streets and other factors all go into whether a community is healthy or not."
This past Tuesday, the Place Matters team hosted a City Club event with Ron Sims, former U.S. Department of Housing and Development Deputy Secretary, who spoke about how land use planning can impact public health outcomes.
The long-term goal of the Place Matters initiative, says Chappelle, is not to drive prescriptive policies, but rather to infuse knowledge of healthy communities into the larger, public policy decisions that are made at the regional level.
"One example of unhealthy planning is that many new schools are built so that kids have to take the bus, which contributes to lack of physical activity and obesity," says Chappelle. "Yet now we're becoming increasingly aware that all sectors must work together to tackle health outcomes. People are also more aware that this is directly connected to our region's economic viability."
Source: Sandy Chappelle
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"It shouldn't matter how much money you have, your community should still be thriving," says Sandy Chappelle, Senior Program Officer with the Saint Luke's Foundation and a leader of the Place Matters initiative. "Quality housing, safe streets and other factors all go into whether a community is healthy or not."
This past Tuesday, the Place Matters team hosted a City Club event with Ron Sims, former U.S. Department of Housing and Development Deputy Secretary, who spoke about how land use planning can impact public health outcomes.
The long-term goal of the Place Matters initiative, says Chappelle, is not to drive prescriptive policies, but rather to infuse knowledge of healthy communities into the larger, public policy decisions that are made at the regional level.
"One example of unhealthy planning is that many new schools are built so that kids have to take the bus, which contributes to lack of physical activity and obesity," says Chappelle. "Yet now we're becoming increasingly aware that all sectors must work together to tackle health outcomes. People are also more aware that this is directly connected to our region's economic viability."
Source: Sandy Chappelle
Writer: Lee Chilcote
out-of-town art director has designs on cleveland
"Cookie and Kate," a food blog penned by a magazine art director, featured a travelogue of the author's recent visit to Cleveland. She was here as a guest of Positively Cleveland, which frequently hosts out-of-town writers for what's known in the biz as Food Fam Trips.
"Last month, I had the privilege of touring Cleveland and visiting some of the city’s finest dining establishments and sustainable local farms. I had never been to Cleveland before and had very little preconceptions about the city, although I must admit that the Drew Carey Show’s theme song played in my head every time I thought of Cleveland."
"I was thoroughly impressed by the chefs and the farm owners we met with during the trip. Each expressed his or her sincere dedication to improving the city’s economy through the food industry, by using sustainable techniques that would benefit Cleveland’s inhabitants in both the short and the long term. Chefs partner with nearby farms to ensure that they can serve super fresh, high quality ingredients. They support each other, often in friendly competitions, in ways that challenge their culinary artistry and encourage the community to support local agriculture."
Stops in cluded Brandt Evans' Pura Vida, West Side Market, Ohio City Farm, Great Lakes Brewing Company, Chef’s Garden and Culinary Vegetable Institute and Fireland's Winery.
Read more about her experiences here.
"Last month, I had the privilege of touring Cleveland and visiting some of the city’s finest dining establishments and sustainable local farms. I had never been to Cleveland before and had very little preconceptions about the city, although I must admit that the Drew Carey Show’s theme song played in my head every time I thought of Cleveland."
"I was thoroughly impressed by the chefs and the farm owners we met with during the trip. Each expressed his or her sincere dedication to improving the city’s economy through the food industry, by using sustainable techniques that would benefit Cleveland’s inhabitants in both the short and the long term. Chefs partner with nearby farms to ensure that they can serve super fresh, high quality ingredients. They support each other, often in friendly competitions, in ways that challenge their culinary artistry and encourage the community to support local agriculture."
Stops in cluded Brandt Evans' Pura Vida, West Side Market, Ohio City Farm, Great Lakes Brewing Company, Chef’s Garden and Culinary Vegetable Institute and Fireland's Winery.
Read more about her experiences here.
Anne Kelly used to travel four days a week for her job. Then about a year and a half ago she was traveling less and she found she had a lot more free time on her hands. She wanted to take that free time and do something that made a difference. “I felt I had the energy to do more for people,” she recalls. “A friend convinced me to join the Rotary Club.”
Then Kelly heard about the Lost Boys of Sudan, the Friends of the Sudanese Lost Boys of Cleveland. “These kids were basically told by their parents to flee on foot with lions and tigers and soldiers,” she explains. “They told the story of how they first got to Cleveland in winter and thought the snow was flour and that we were so wealthy that we let the flour flow into the streets. The first time they got in an elevator they thought it was the room where they would be staying.”
Those stories prompted Kelly to form Drinks for Do-Gooders, a monthly happy hour where for the cost of a drink, people could get together and help the Lost Boys. The first event raised $350. “The Rotary Club really got behind this concept,” says Kelly. “Then the Cleveland Professional 20/30 Club partnered on this, and it allowed me to see that it could grow bigger.”
Today, Drinks for Do-Gooders meets on a quarterly basis. The cover charge is a little higher -- $20 -- but includes drink tickets, appetizers and a raffle. The group has raised between $1,400 and $1,800 for worthwhile causes.
The next Drinks for Do-Gooders meeting is in January and will benefit Ohio City Writers. Best Buy has donated a 60-inch flat screen television to raffle off, and the Cleveland Play House has donated two tickets to an upcoming show. “Come out, have a drink and do some good,” says Kelly. “You can do more in a happy hour than just feeling like you got together for happy hour.”
Source: Anne Kelly
Writer: Karin Connelly
Then Kelly heard about the Lost Boys of Sudan, the Friends of the Sudanese Lost Boys of Cleveland. “These kids were basically told by their parents to flee on foot with lions and tigers and soldiers,” she explains. “They told the story of how they first got to Cleveland in winter and thought the snow was flour and that we were so wealthy that we let the flour flow into the streets. The first time they got in an elevator they thought it was the room where they would be staying.”
Those stories prompted Kelly to form Drinks for Do-Gooders, a monthly happy hour where for the cost of a drink, people could get together and help the Lost Boys. The first event raised $350. “The Rotary Club really got behind this concept,” says Kelly. “Then the Cleveland Professional 20/30 Club partnered on this, and it allowed me to see that it could grow bigger.”
Today, Drinks for Do-Gooders meets on a quarterly basis. The cover charge is a little higher -- $20 -- but includes drink tickets, appetizers and a raffle. The group has raised between $1,400 and $1,800 for worthwhile causes.
The next Drinks for Do-Gooders meeting is in January and will benefit Ohio City Writers. Best Buy has donated a 60-inch flat screen television to raffle off, and the Cleveland Play House has donated two tickets to an upcoming show. “Come out, have a drink and do some good,” says Kelly. “You can do more in a happy hour than just feeling like you got together for happy hour.”
Source: Anne Kelly
Writer: Karin Connelly
With just a few weeks standing between now and the holiday hand-outs, it's time to shift the shopping cart into high gear. But before you start sending your hard-earned cabbage out of state, consider shopping local. Fresh Water photographer Bob Perkoski takes us on a pictorial tour of some the best holiday pop-up shops. See this story for a complete list.
stop-motion trailer for lakewood resident's book on '80s vinyl art
"Put the Needle on the Record" is a new book by Lakewood resident Matthew Chojnacki. It is available locally at Room Service, Music Saves and DuoHome.
Here are the liner notes:
"From a dream of a vinyl collection, Chojnacki presents and compares more than 250 vinyl single covers that represent nearly every prominent '80s musician. However, this is not just a pop-cultural feast for the eyes. From hundreds of hours of interviews, Chojnacki allows the designers and visual talent behind Madonna, Prince, Pink Floyd, Queen, Adam Ant, Iron Maiden, The Clash, Pet Shop Boys, Van Halen, and more to tell the unheard stories behind the decade’s most iconic images."
Here are the liner notes:
"From a dream of a vinyl collection, Chojnacki presents and compares more than 250 vinyl single covers that represent nearly every prominent '80s musician. However, this is not just a pop-cultural feast for the eyes. From hundreds of hours of interviews, Chojnacki allows the designers and visual talent behind Madonna, Prince, Pink Floyd, Queen, Adam Ant, Iron Maiden, The Clash, Pet Shop Boys, Van Halen, and more to tell the unheard stories behind the decade’s most iconic images."
metrohealth and cia host aids memorial quilt
If a quilt panel were created to represent your life, what would it look like? Clevelanders have the opportunity to see panels that honor the lives of local people who have died of AIDS -- panels created by their family and friends for the national AIDS Memorial Quilt. The public is invited to view portions of the quilt at MetroHealth Medical Center until Wednesday, Dec. 7.
Among the local stories behind the panels: Ana Rodriguez was a spirited young girl who found out she was born HIV positive just before her parents died of AIDS in the late 1990s. Instead of letting it get her down, Ana became the first child to openly have AIDS in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District and toured the country helping others cope with the disease before her death in 2004.
Daily viewing of the quilt panels -- 8 panel sections measuring 12 square feet -- will hang from the ceiling of MetroHealth’s Rammelkamp Atrium through Dec. 7. The public is invited to view the display each day from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
For more info click here.
Among the local stories behind the panels: Ana Rodriguez was a spirited young girl who found out she was born HIV positive just before her parents died of AIDS in the late 1990s. Instead of letting it get her down, Ana became the first child to openly have AIDS in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District and toured the country helping others cope with the disease before her death in 2004.
Daily viewing of the quilt panels -- 8 panel sections measuring 12 square feet -- will hang from the ceiling of MetroHealth’s Rammelkamp Atrium through Dec. 7. The public is invited to view the display each day from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
For more info click here.
Judy Wright knows that there is strength in numbers. That’s the idea behind the Cleveland Colectivo, which has been getting together and raising money for good causes around town for the past seven years.
“We are a giving circle, which means we are a group of people who pool our money and then give it out collectively,” explains Wright. The Colectivo was founded by Wright and a group of friends working in the non-profit sector who wanted to make a difference but didn’t have the funds independently to make an impact.
But collectively, the group of about 30 people have made quite a difference. The group has raise $80,000 since its start, and has given the money raised to a wide spectrum of causes and organizations. “We made a specific decision not to have any theme,” says Wright. “We have the freedom to give to individuals, non-profits or small businesses.”
The Colectivo’s grants range from $500 to $5,000 and have gone to support anything from parent support groups to arts organizations to community development projects. “Our goal is to find champions to support,” says Wright. “You don’t have to be a millionaire to be a philanthropist. Our goal is to make philanthropy accessible and active.”
Source: Judy Wright
Writer: Karin Connelly
“We are a giving circle, which means we are a group of people who pool our money and then give it out collectively,” explains Wright. The Colectivo was founded by Wright and a group of friends working in the non-profit sector who wanted to make a difference but didn’t have the funds independently to make an impact.
But collectively, the group of about 30 people have made quite a difference. The group has raise $80,000 since its start, and has given the money raised to a wide spectrum of causes and organizations. “We made a specific decision not to have any theme,” says Wright. “We have the freedom to give to individuals, non-profits or small businesses.”
The Colectivo’s grants range from $500 to $5,000 and have gone to support anything from parent support groups to arts organizations to community development projects. “Our goal is to find champions to support,” says Wright. “You don’t have to be a millionaire to be a philanthropist. Our goal is to make philanthropy accessible and active.”
Source: Judy Wright
Writer: Karin Connelly
The Burton D. Morgan Foundation in Hudson and the Blackstone Charitable Foundation have committed $3.2 million to train area young entrepreneurs through Blackstone LaunchPad, a venture coach program developed at the University of Miami, Florida in 2008.
Students, faculty and alumni at Baldwin-Wallace College, CWRU, Kent State and Lorain County Community College will have the chance to participate in the program, which takes applicants from idea to full-fledged business.
“A lot of schools around Northeast Ohio have strong entrepreneurship programs, but there’s an experiential gap for the students,” says Deborah D. Hoover, president and CEO of the Burton D. Morgan Foundation. “There are a lot of really good ideas simmering on campuses but the commercialization is lacking. This program will help with that.”
The Blackstone LaunchPad was first started in Detroit in 2010 at two colleges. The program provides participants with advice, mentors, resources, counsel and networks necessary to get their ideas started. Since 2008 Blackstone LaunchPad has generated 65 start-up ventures, 120 new jobs, and drawn nearly 2,000 student participants.
“One of the reasons they selected Cleveland was they are looking at regions being hit hard by economic downturns,” says Hoover of Blackstone’s decision. Participants will be selected in early 2012 and be in full swing by fall.
Source: Deborah D. Hoover
Writer: Karin Connelly
Students, faculty and alumni at Baldwin-Wallace College, CWRU, Kent State and Lorain County Community College will have the chance to participate in the program, which takes applicants from idea to full-fledged business.
“A lot of schools around Northeast Ohio have strong entrepreneurship programs, but there’s an experiential gap for the students,” says Deborah D. Hoover, president and CEO of the Burton D. Morgan Foundation. “There are a lot of really good ideas simmering on campuses but the commercialization is lacking. This program will help with that.”
The Blackstone LaunchPad was first started in Detroit in 2010 at two colleges. The program provides participants with advice, mentors, resources, counsel and networks necessary to get their ideas started. Since 2008 Blackstone LaunchPad has generated 65 start-up ventures, 120 new jobs, and drawn nearly 2,000 student participants.
“One of the reasons they selected Cleveland was they are looking at regions being hit hard by economic downturns,” says Hoover of Blackstone’s decision. Participants will be selected in early 2012 and be in full swing by fall.
Source: Deborah D. Hoover
Writer: Karin Connelly
The Cleveland BVU: The Center for Nonprofit Excellence has partnered with Quicken Loans Arena in a program to encourage volunteerism. Participants who volunteer four or more hours through the BVU’s inaugural Community MVPs program can get buy-one-get-one tickets to an upcoming Cavs, Lake Erie Monsters, Canton Chargers or a Disney Princess show at the Q.
Additionally, those who log the most volunteer hours in any one of five specified time periods will win two floor seats to an upcoming Cavs game. “This is a great program that attracts all types of volunteers of all ages,” says Roseanne M. Deucher, director of the volunteer center at the BVU. “We’re really excited about participating in this program with the Q.
Such partnerships have been successful in recruiting volunteers in the past. The 2011 Cleveland Indians Challenge resulted in 40,000 volunteer hours, which translated into $850,000 worth of hours worked for good causes around Northeast Ohio.
The program runs until April 2012. Participants can find volunteer opportunities at any of the BVU’s registered nonprofit organizations at the Volunteer Center. “There are always new and fresh volunteer opportunities posted,” says Deucher. “It really allows people to find a volunteer opportunity quickly and easily.”
Source: Roseanne M. Deucher
Writer: Karin Connelly
Additionally, those who log the most volunteer hours in any one of five specified time periods will win two floor seats to an upcoming Cavs game. “This is a great program that attracts all types of volunteers of all ages,” says Roseanne M. Deucher, director of the volunteer center at the BVU. “We’re really excited about participating in this program with the Q.
Such partnerships have been successful in recruiting volunteers in the past. The 2011 Cleveland Indians Challenge resulted in 40,000 volunteer hours, which translated into $850,000 worth of hours worked for good causes around Northeast Ohio.
The program runs until April 2012. Participants can find volunteer opportunities at any of the BVU’s registered nonprofit organizations at the Volunteer Center. “There are always new and fresh volunteer opportunities posted,” says Deucher. “It really allows people to find a volunteer opportunity quickly and easily.”
Source: Roseanne M. Deucher
Writer: Karin Connelly
A handful of U.S. cities have torn down or busted through the '60s-era highway walls that separate their neighborhoods from adjacent waterways. Despite critics' fears that such people-friendly projects will cause calamitous traffic delays, they often reap major economic, social and environmental benefits while adding only a few minutes to the average commute.
Cleveland's version of such a wall is the West Shoreway -- a homely, 2.5-mile stretch of concrete that is designed to move cars in and out of the city, but blocks residents' access to Lake Erie. Until recently, it appeared likely that Cleveland would find a way to bust through this wall. The long-planned West Shoreway project would "transform a 2.5 mile freeway into a scenic, tree-lined boulevard," according to a description on the Ohio Department of Transportation website.
Yet a series of cost overruns, the state's budget crunch and a philosophical shift at ODOT have thrown the very future of the project into question. State officials gave low scores to the city's recent request for additional funding, arguing that reducing the speed limit from 50 to 35 miles per hour would downgrade a functional roadway. Cleveland officials responded by accusing ODOT of trying to kill the project, which has been in the works for more than a decade.
As a December 15th meeting, where funding decisions will occur, looms ahead, cycling advocates, neighborhood residents and public officials are mounting a frontal assault on ODOT to shore up their commitment to the project.
"It's not true that we can't slow cars down -- the George Washington Parkway in D.C. is a major commuter road with bike lanes and crosswalks, and it works well," says Kevin Cronin, a board member of Cleveland Bikes, a nonprofit group rallying to preserve the bike-friendly project. "We need to make sure that this project moves forward, and that it includes bike and pedestrian lanes."
In an effort to get the project back on track, city officials and neighborhood advocates will host a public meeting with ODOT officials on Thursday, December 1st at 6 p.m. at Franklin Circle Church, 1688 Fulton Avenue in Ohio City.
Source: Kevin Cronin
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Cleveland's version of such a wall is the West Shoreway -- a homely, 2.5-mile stretch of concrete that is designed to move cars in and out of the city, but blocks residents' access to Lake Erie. Until recently, it appeared likely that Cleveland would find a way to bust through this wall. The long-planned West Shoreway project would "transform a 2.5 mile freeway into a scenic, tree-lined boulevard," according to a description on the Ohio Department of Transportation website.
Yet a series of cost overruns, the state's budget crunch and a philosophical shift at ODOT have thrown the very future of the project into question. State officials gave low scores to the city's recent request for additional funding, arguing that reducing the speed limit from 50 to 35 miles per hour would downgrade a functional roadway. Cleveland officials responded by accusing ODOT of trying to kill the project, which has been in the works for more than a decade.
As a December 15th meeting, where funding decisions will occur, looms ahead, cycling advocates, neighborhood residents and public officials are mounting a frontal assault on ODOT to shore up their commitment to the project.
"It's not true that we can't slow cars down -- the George Washington Parkway in D.C. is a major commuter road with bike lanes and crosswalks, and it works well," says Kevin Cronin, a board member of Cleveland Bikes, a nonprofit group rallying to preserve the bike-friendly project. "We need to make sure that this project moves forward, and that it includes bike and pedestrian lanes."
In an effort to get the project back on track, city officials and neighborhood advocates will host a public meeting with ODOT officials on Thursday, December 1st at 6 p.m. at Franklin Circle Church, 1688 Fulton Avenue in Ohio City.
Source: Kevin Cronin
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Global Cleveland, a regional economic development organization, has launched a pilot program: English and Pathways for Healthcare Professionals. The six-month program, launched in October, is designed to help immigrants with their English and find jobs that match the skills they developed in their native countries.
“The objective is to find immigrants jobs in healthcare who were healthcare professionals in their home countries but haven’t been able to find work here,” explains Global Cleveland president Larry Miller. “By the time they get out of the program we will help them find jobs, although maybe not at the level they were initially."
The pilot program has 21 participants from around the globe. Among them are four doctors, one RN, one dentist, one dietician and one physical therapist. None of them have jobs in their respective fields. During the six months the participants will study English medical terminology, learn about the U.S. healthcare system, get coaching on finding a job, and have networking opportunities.
“The stories I hear from the program so far is that it’s a frustrating situation for some of them and they’re excited about this program,” says Miller. Participants will also get help in transferring their credentials from their home countries to the U.S.
The program is run in partnership with The Ohio Board of Regents, Cleveland State University, Polaris Career Center, the World Education Services and NE ABLE.
“It’s a really nice partnership,” says Miller. “Everything’s coming together really nicely.”
Source: Larry Miller
Writer: Karin Connelly
“The objective is to find immigrants jobs in healthcare who were healthcare professionals in their home countries but haven’t been able to find work here,” explains Global Cleveland president Larry Miller. “By the time they get out of the program we will help them find jobs, although maybe not at the level they were initially."
The pilot program has 21 participants from around the globe. Among them are four doctors, one RN, one dentist, one dietician and one physical therapist. None of them have jobs in their respective fields. During the six months the participants will study English medical terminology, learn about the U.S. healthcare system, get coaching on finding a job, and have networking opportunities.
“The stories I hear from the program so far is that it’s a frustrating situation for some of them and they’re excited about this program,” says Miller. Participants will also get help in transferring their credentials from their home countries to the U.S.
The program is run in partnership with The Ohio Board of Regents, Cleveland State University, Polaris Career Center, the World Education Services and NE ABLE.
“It’s a really nice partnership,” says Miller. “Everything’s coming together really nicely.”
Source: Larry Miller
Writer: Karin Connelly
Kendall Embrescia’s greeting cards get to the point of the sentiment -- but usually not in the traditional way. As chief creative officer and “head skootcher” at Squirt & Skootch, Embrescia produces cards that are edgy, funny, off-the-wall and well received.
The idea for Squirt & Skootch was originally conceived in 2009 by Embrescia and a friend who wanted to start a business that united their love of writing, creativity and travel. The peculiar name is based on their childhood nicknames.
“One of the universal things I found when I traveled was mail,” recalls Embrescia. “No matter where I was I would send a postcard.”
So, in fall 2009, "Squirt" and "Skootch" gave their cards a trial run at the Tremont Arts Festival. Boasting sayings like “I have a heart on for you” and other spicy sentiments, the cards were very well received.
Then Squirt moved on and Embrescia’s friend Sandy Hridel joined the team. The two hit some stationary shows and developed a full line of cards, covering categories that ranged from Love and Sex to Holiday and Encouragement. Embrescia and Hridel formally formed an LLC in fall of 2010, hired Embrescia’s niece Kendra Kwasniewski to illustrate the cards, and got a crash course in running a business.
“We started identifying places that would sell our cards, cold calling people and walking into stores to sell our cards,” says Embrescia. “I’m a really creative person and learning the business stuff was really intense.” But the hard work paid off. Today, Squirt & Skootch can be found in stores around Northeast Ohio, as well as in Pittsburgh, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and Colorado.
The company plans on hiring a web developer and some salespeople to go after mid-sized retailers. “Growth is certainly key,” says Embrescia. “We’ve been able to be creative and build an infrastructure, but now the emphasis is on growth.”
Source: Kendall Embrescia
Writer: Karin Connelly
The idea for Squirt & Skootch was originally conceived in 2009 by Embrescia and a friend who wanted to start a business that united their love of writing, creativity and travel. The peculiar name is based on their childhood nicknames.
“One of the universal things I found when I traveled was mail,” recalls Embrescia. “No matter where I was I would send a postcard.”
So, in fall 2009, "Squirt" and "Skootch" gave their cards a trial run at the Tremont Arts Festival. Boasting sayings like “I have a heart on for you” and other spicy sentiments, the cards were very well received.
Then Squirt moved on and Embrescia’s friend Sandy Hridel joined the team. The two hit some stationary shows and developed a full line of cards, covering categories that ranged from Love and Sex to Holiday and Encouragement. Embrescia and Hridel formally formed an LLC in fall of 2010, hired Embrescia’s niece Kendra Kwasniewski to illustrate the cards, and got a crash course in running a business.
“We started identifying places that would sell our cards, cold calling people and walking into stores to sell our cards,” says Embrescia. “I’m a really creative person and learning the business stuff was really intense.” But the hard work paid off. Today, Squirt & Skootch can be found in stores around Northeast Ohio, as well as in Pittsburgh, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and Colorado.
The company plans on hiring a web developer and some salespeople to go after mid-sized retailers. “Growth is certainly key,” says Embrescia. “We’ve been able to be creative and build an infrastructure, but now the emphasis is on growth.”
Source: Kendall Embrescia
Writer: Karin Connelly
Supporters of the late, great comic book writer Harvey Pekar are trying to raise $30,000 to create a fittingly iconoclastic memorial to his life and work at the Cleveland Heights-University Heights main library. The bronze sculpture will serve as a living monument to the power of comics to transform everyday life into art.
In the planned sculpture, the cantankerous, working-class hero steps out of one of his own comic book pages. Beneath is a desk where individuals can thumb through one of Pekar's favorite books or, perhaps, pen their own masterpiece. On the back there's a blank slate where budding auteurs can sketch comics or tributes to Pekar.
"This is a statue about making comics," says Joyce Brabner, Pekar's wife and kindred spirit, in a video that was created for the project's Kickstarter fundaising campaign. "What we're talking about is celebrating the comics rather than his celebrity. No other statues have Greek or Roman gods holding an autobiographical comic book about working class life in Cleveland -- or a comic book at all."
Ironically, contrasting Pekar's portrait with the stately busts one might find in a museum, Brabner has dubbed it "Cleveland's ancient Jewish god of file clerks."
Justin Coulter, a sculptor and bartender who designed the memorial, says he can easily identify with the perennially struggling artist. "He was an everyday man who had to work to support his art, and I am definitely doing the same thing."
Source: Joyce Brabner, Justin Coulter
Writer: Lee Chilcote
In the planned sculpture, the cantankerous, working-class hero steps out of one of his own comic book pages. Beneath is a desk where individuals can thumb through one of Pekar's favorite books or, perhaps, pen their own masterpiece. On the back there's a blank slate where budding auteurs can sketch comics or tributes to Pekar.
"This is a statue about making comics," says Joyce Brabner, Pekar's wife and kindred spirit, in a video that was created for the project's Kickstarter fundaising campaign. "What we're talking about is celebrating the comics rather than his celebrity. No other statues have Greek or Roman gods holding an autobiographical comic book about working class life in Cleveland -- or a comic book at all."
Ironically, contrasting Pekar's portrait with the stately busts one might find in a museum, Brabner has dubbed it "Cleveland's ancient Jewish god of file clerks."
Justin Coulter, a sculptor and bartender who designed the memorial, says he can easily identify with the perennially struggling artist. "He was an everyday man who had to work to support his art, and I am definitely doing the same thing."
Source: Joyce Brabner, Justin Coulter
Writer: Lee Chilcote