Ctownrocks1

Cleveland: Groundbreaking held for new Puritas Road rapid station Posted by Joe Noga May 27, 2009 15:50PM Crews are set to begin construction on a new $9.5 million rapid transit station along Puritas Road following groundbreaking this week, despite protests from a national minority rights group. RTA officials were slated to join local elected leaders on Wednesday to break ground on the new Red Line station near West 150th Street. ..... http://blog.cleveland.com/westsidesunnews/2009/05/cleveland_groundbreaking_held.html

Park Building condos put homeowners back on Public Square for the first time in a century Posted by Michelle Jarboe/Plain Dealer Reporter April 17, 2009 17:25PM Categories: Real Estate News Impact, Real Time News CLEVELAND -- When Chandra Vaidyanathan and Priyali Sen moved into their condo in early February, they became the first homeowners on Public Square in more than a century... http://blog.cleveland.com/business/2009/04/park_building_condos_put_homeo.html

Anyway on a different note.. Hispanic groups call for Census boycott By Haya El Nasser, USA TODAY Some Hispanic advocacy groups are calling for illegal immigrants to boycott the 2010 Census unless immigration laws are changed. The move puts them at odds with leading immigrant rights advocates and creates another hurdle in the Census Bureau's quest to count everyone in the USA. The National Coalition of Latino Clergy & Christian Leaders, a group that says it represents 20,000 evangelical churches in 34 states, issued a statement this week urging undocumented immigrants not to fill out Census forms unless Congress passes "genuine immigration reform." For more, click the link www.usatoday.com/news/ http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/census/2009-04-15-census_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip

Im not saying it will change the underlying problem of the city, just the perception of the city. How many people look at those baseless lists and judge a city entirely by them? It doesn't help when u read the news and Cleveland is mentioned with the ranks of Katrina for population loss. How do you get people to have enthusiasm for a place when you have these negatives which aren't necessarily true or exaggerated. Who is to say the population gains in Cincy, Toledo, Detroit are real "gains". Just because a Census underestimates your population drastically one year and then raises the estimates the next year that is not a real gain. If Cleveland had 450k in the 2010 census it doesn't mean we "gained" in population. Also that chart of the employment situation is not a direct correlation to population, if it was then Cincy would be at the same levels as the year 2000 so I'm not sure where that was going.

I'm just wondering why some cities did not challenge the results. Every city that petitioned for a challenge got an increase of at least 5% of their city population estimates. I just hope the census is more accurate this time and cities do not have to go through all the hassle to get the right estimates from the get go. What I meant by changing the perception overnight, is that going from one year's estimate of being labeled the fastest shrinking city, similar to what Cleveland is being labeled now, to one that has actually gained is a big turnaround in a years time. Cleveland always gets hammered on the population loss in irrelevant articles everywhere, which was what Cincy was putting up with for a while, yet we did nothing about it and it continues to get ridiculed on this issue, even though it most likely is not true. I was only trying to show an example of how big of a change a challenge can make. If Cincy decided to do nothing about it, the media would still be harping on it and the population numbers would still be inaccurate.

PNC to replace signs on National City headquarters by July Posted by Michelle Jarboe/Plain Dealer Reporter April 16, 2009 17:07PM Categories: Banks, Real Time News CLEVELAND -- PNC Financial Services Group Inc. could be a part of Cleveland's skyline by early July. That's when the Pittsburgh bank hopes to finish swapping out the signs atop National City's former corporate headquarters at East Ninth Street and Euclid Avenue downtown. Documents submitted to Cleveland planning officials indicate that PNC plans to start work in late May to remove the "National City" signs above the office tower and replace them with the "PNC" letters and logo. More at cleveland.com http://blog.cleveland.com/business/2009/04/pnc_to_replace_signs_on_nation.html

whats far from the truth? Im just saying if they would have not challenged the results then they would have not gotten the accurate figures, like in the case of many cities, and still be regarded as the fastest shrinking. I'm just expressing how challenging the census corrected the figures and changed the perception almost overnight.

Personally I think that Cleveland's population will be higher mostly because I think they screwed up the original counting and maybe not because of actual gains. Every city that challenged the census had their population increased substantially. Im sure many remember the headlines - It's a No. 1 ranking Cincinnati doesn't want. U.S. census figures released today show that the city last year suffered the fastest population decline among the nation's 245 cities with at least 100,000 people. Cincinnati's July 2003 population of 317,361 represented a drop of 1.5 percent, or about 4,800 people, from 2002. -taken from june 06' http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060621/NEWS01/606210361 Cincinnati went from the fastest declining city in the US to having a population gain simply by challenging the census and getting the accurate figures and I think the same will hold true if they properly count the cities population this time.

<a href="http://www.wkyc.com/news/local/news_article.aspx?storyid=111541&catid=3">'The Soloist' movie set to open, some scenes filmed in Cleveland</a> Posted By: Kim Wendel Updated: 4/15/2009 3:28:56 PM Posted: 4/14/2009 12:39:31 PM It's been exactly one year since a Dreamworks SKG film crew and actor Jamie Foxx came to Cleveland to film several scenes for the movie "The Soloist." Now "The Soloist" is set to open nationwide next week on April 24. Slide show of images from the film shoot ......

Marina Relocation Draft (Map)

I also accidentally posted this under the random Cleveland developments thread if anyone wants to take care of that post. University Circle Inc. unveils plans for Lot 45, a key element of the Uptown development by Steven Litt/Plain Dealer Architecture Critic Friday March 27, 2009, 4:33 PM The linchpin of the Uptown development in University Circle is coming into focus. In an exclusive to this blog, University Circle Inc. is sharing for the first time publicly images of a multi-use project on a wedge of land known as Lot 45. The project -- still in early stages of conceptual design -- includes a 1,000-space parking garage, a residence hall intended largely for students at the adjacent Cleveland Institute of Art, 100,000 square feet of office space and a neighborhood grocery. Lot 45 is a key element in the larger Uptown development, aimed at transforming eight acres at the intersection of Euclid Avenue and Mayfield Road from an urban dead zone into a lively, mixed-use development with housing, retail, entertainment and culture... http://www.cleveland.com/arts/index.ssf/2009/03/university_circle_inc_unveils.html

Was trying something... Anyone know how to embed flickr videos into this forum if its possible at all?? I just had some cavs videos to share but it did not work out hence this post.

Shooters To Hire 300 People POSTED: 11:58 am EDT March 26, 2009 UPDATED: 12:14 pm EDT March 26, 2009 CLEVELAND -- A West Bank of the Flats entertainment complex announced Thursday it will hire 300 people. The positions will be full and part time for the Shooters and Silk Nightclub. The job fair will be Tuesday, March 31 and Wednesday, April 1. Applications will be accepted and interviews will be conducted beginning at 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday. http://www.newsnet5.com/news/19019914/detail.html

Cordray rejects 1st try at casino petition language Business First of Columbus Backers of a push to build four casinos in Ohio, including one in Columbus, hit a bump in the road Monday when state Attorney General Richard Cordray turned down petition language submitted this month for the proposal. Cordray, in a letter to the committee backing the casino initiative, said the wording in the petition doesn’t constitute a fair and truthful summary of the proposed constitutional amendment. Paperwork arrived at Cordray’s office March 12 for the initiative, which would ask voters to approve building casinos in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Toledo and on the western edge of the Arena District in Columbus. Cordray told the casino committee that the petition’s summary of locations included in the proposal references cities but should be improved to include exact locations. That would assure those signing the petition aren’t misled that the cities have the option of where to place the casinos, Cordray wrote. The state’s top government lawyer also pointed to wording in the petition detailing parameters on taxing gamblers’ winnings. Cordray wrote that the petition’s wording contains a “substantial change” in Ohio law. That law currently dictates that gambling winnings are taxable by the state as ordinary income, but the petition’s language implies winnings wouldn’t be taxable. Bob Tenenbaum, a spokesman for the Ohio Jobs and Growth Committee, which is backing the initiative, said the wording was unintentional and will be corrected. Full article at http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2009/03/23/daily9.html

$500 million decision: What to do with Cleveland's port? Posted by Tom Breckenridge/Plain Dealer Reporter March 21, 2009 18:58PM Chuck Crow/The Plain Dealer The marina at East 55th Street would make way for a 200-acre port, under plans from the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority. A new marina would be built at Gordon Park, north of East 72nd Street. Another $500 million decision looms, Cleveland. And it's got nothing to do with a medical mart. ... http://www.cleveland.com/economy/index.ssf/2009/03/500_million_decision_what_to_d.html

Honestly Im liking all the comments on the TNT site regarding Cleveland and Barkley. I wish those same people would post on Cleveland.com. Only seen one negative comment on C-town and like 60 positive ones :).

An ongoing list of Barkley quotes and comments, only have 3 for now. 1. Such as Charles Barkley's famous crack when somebody asked for a comment on the former home of the Clippers: ``This place? Nothing positive. OK, I want to say something positive. It's positively a dump.'' 2. I love New York City; I've got a gun 3. Charles: (about Tonya Harding) I heard Tonya Harding is calling herself the Charles Barkley of figure skating. I was going to sue her for defamation of character, but then I realized I have no character.

If you actually do a search for Charles Barkley is an idiot it gets nearly 100,000 hits.... and a lot more with other variation of words.... Charles Barkley: An American IdiotBy JAY MARIOTTI, AOL posted: 74 DAYS 1 HOUR AGOcomments: 886PrintShareText SizeAAASports Commentary He stood in the corner of a Scottsdale bar, our Round Mound of Clown, grinning as a procession of female admirers angled to meet him. When each of these strangers moved forward, Charles Barkley leaned over and responded with either a swarming hug or a full-blown makeout kiss. Particularly odd about his impromptu game of Spin The Bottle was the timing: It was dead-smack in the middle of the NBA Finals, his only legitimate chance at a championship as a basketball legend. Jay Mariotti Jay Mariotti is a national columnist and commentator for AOL Sports. So when Barkley and the Phoenix Suns withered in Game 6, missed critical shots in the final minutes and lost to Michael Jordan's Bulls, I was left to ponder the effects of the Chuckster's public partying those two weeks. What if he had been getting his rest instead of his jollies? Might he have nailed the game-winning shot, a hero's role left for journeyman shooter John Paxson? Might the Suns have gone on to win the title at home in Game 7? Would Charles not go to his grave with a Grand Canyon-sized crater on his Hall of Fame/Dream Team resume? I'd like to say Barkley simply was an immature guy who eventually grew up. But 15 1/2 years later, only a few blocks from the same tavern location, he was busted last week on drunk driving charges after a night of partying at the Dirty Pretty Rock Bar, where his companions included Jaleel White, better known as Steve Urkel of TV geek infamy. When questioned why he ran a stop sign in his black Infinity SUV, Barkley said he was in a rush to have oral sex with his female passenger, according to the police report. He also told a civilian employee that he would "tattoo my name on your ass'' if it helped him avoid a DUI arrest, the report said. Almost 46, Barkley is less mature now than when White was still Urkel. He is stuck in permanent adolescence and has become a perpetual circus onto himself, which wouldn't be a societal concern if: 1. He wasn't one of America's more influential voices. 2. He wasn't running for governor of Alabama in 2014. 3. He wasn't, quite possibly, the most visible ambassador of his sport. ... More at: http://sports.aol.com/story/_a/bbdp/charles-barkley-an-american-idiot/294506

Cuyahoga County commissioners hash out final details on Medical Mart - again in secrecy Posted by Joe Guillen / Plain Dealer Reporter March 19, 2009 11:30AM Cuyahoga County commissioners are ready to give control of $425 million of the public's money to a private company that will build and operate the medical mart project in downtown Cleveland... http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2009/03/cuyahoga_county_commissioners_4.html

Forest City won't take no for answer on med mart Posted by Joe Guillen / Plain Dealer Reporter March 20, 2009 02:07AM Forest City Enterprises continued its pursuit of the medical mart project on Thursday, despite recent pleas from the project's Chicago developer to stand down. The company argued in favor of its Tower City property in a letter sent Thursday to Cuyahoga County commissioners and their private partner in the medical mart project, Merchandise Mart Properties Inc... http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2009/03/forest_city_wont_take_no_for_a.html

I just thought this was kind of interesting.. Latest '30 Rock' episode helps Cleveland inventor Posted By: Updated: 3/18/2009 11:39:03 PM Posted: 3/18/2009 9:33:20 PM CLEVELAND -- Last Thursday, the plot line of NBC's "30 Rock" seemed to take a page from Cleveland inventor Phil Davis' playbook... LINK: http://www.wkyc.com/news/local/news_article.aspx?storyid=109562&catid=3

Cleveland: Medical Mart planners reject Tower City site Posted By: Updated: 3/18/2009 9:11:49 PM Posted: 3/18/2009 2:21:45 PM CLEVELAND -- MMPI, the Chicago firm seeking to build the Medical Mart/Convention Center project is reaffirming its commitment to the site on the malls and resoundingly rejecting Forest City's proposal behind Tower City. MMPI's MarK Falanga wrote Forest City and County Commissioners calling the Tower City site a non-starter citing sixteen specific issues including reconfiguring the Cuyahoga River, the site's size, inadequate meeting rooms, undesirable views, possible soil contamination and questions about Forest City's estimated costs. Commissioner Tim Hagan told Tom Beres the county is sticking with the site MMPI prefers and claimed Forest City is raising these issues to land the project and make money, not out of civic concern. Forest City's Mark LaRue argues the Tower City site is cheaper, has adqequate parking and would be closer to the first-rate facility promised to the community. Click to hear Tom Beres's interview with Hagan and LaRue. © 2009 WKYC-TV http://www.wkyc.com/news/local/news_article.aspx?storyid=109534&catid=3

Cleveland's Inner Belt Bridge could be on fast-track for stimulus money Posted by Aaron Marshall and Karen Farkas/Plain Dealer Reporters March 18, 2009 08:11AM Categories: Innerbelt Bridge, Ohio Department of Transportation, Real Time News COLUMBUS House Speaker Armond Budish is so worried about the condition of Cleveland's Inner Belt Bridge that he is pressing state transportation officials to fast-track a fix by spending $200 million in federal stimulus dollars. Budish said Tuesday that he has had "multiple meetings" urging ODOT to use a chunk of more than $750 million in available federal stimulus funds on the bridge project. It's unclear whether the fix would be a new bridge or a rehabilitation of the current one... http://blog.cleveland.com/openers/2009/03/clevelands_inner_belt_bridge_c.html

They had studies on whether music really kept kids away and it apparently didn't work. I know LA did this a while back at bus stops and it did not help. However they do have high pitch devices which some claim keep the kids away since younger people generally hear higher pitched sounds but not sure if any studies have been done on it.

Lease signed to create film studio and soundstage in Cleveland Convention Center by Julie E. Washington/Plain Dealer Reporter Tuesday March 17, 2009, 4:30 PM Plain Dealer FileNew York-based Nehst Studios has a one-year, rent-free lease with an option to renew to create a 17,000-square-foot studio and soundstage in the Cleveland Convention Center. CLEVELAND -- New York-based Nehst Studios, confident that Ohio will pass tax incentives for film productions soon, is getting ready to start shooting two family films in Cleveland. Nehst Studios has signed a lease with the city of Cleveland that will allow the company to create a permanent Hollywood-caliber film studio in the Cleveland Convention Center, said Nehst founder Larry Meistrich. More at http://www.cleveland.com/movies/index.ssf/2009/03/lease_signed_to_create_film_st.html