📰 CIFF Turns 50—Back to Cedar Lee for an Epic Celebration!

Good morning, Cleveland! This is The 216 Scoop: After a brutal winter, the forecast is finally showing something we can get excited about: sunshine, 60s temperatures, and longer days. Get those ice cream plans ready! ☀️🍦

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John Petkovic & Jude Perez

You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who’d vote for high electricity bills, a rickety power grid or a hungry beast that sucks the water out of Lake Erie.

But, hey, who’s asking you.

Ohio has approved a $4.5 million tax break for the expansion of two data centers in Independence and Akron by Iowa-based Ark Data Centers.

It follows a new poll that shows that 48% of voters say the burdens of data centers on communities outweigh the benefits vs. just 22% who see them as a benefit.

It’s emerging as a big issue in the 2026 midterms – one that politicians are largely oblivious to.

Count JobsOhio among them.

It pushed for the tax break and for Ark and the state’s other 200 data centers to create a “Silicon Heartland” that makes Ohio the fifth biggest hub in the U.S. for glorified storage units.

Ark’s tax break is said to create 10 new jobs.

Data centers employ around 600,000 workers nationally – or 0.002 workers per square foot, less than a factory, a Walmart or an ice cream stand.

Last summer, they accounted for a 10-15% increase in local electricity bills -- on top of the doubling in prices between the summers of 2023 and 2024.

It has sparked a populist backlash and a budding debate in Columbus over tax exemptions.

It also underscores how unprepared the U.S. is in the AI race vs. China – which generates 40% more electricity than the U.S. and EU combined and has developed low-energy, cost-effective AI.

We waited with great hope for signs of spring, only to find snow on the ground every morning.

And now, after a brutal winter, they’re coming.

Temperatures are expected to hit the high-60s this weekend and daylight savings time will add another hour of daylight to the evening on Sunday.

We also get the year’s biggest increases of daylight throughout March – with the days longer by 2:47 between March 11-26. (Contrary to conventional thinking, the increases decline into the summer solstice.)

Of course, there are other indicators:

Strickland’s Ice Cream, the oldest stand in Northeast Ohio, opens its 90^th season on Friday.

The Guardians open their season against the Mariners on March 26,

Aut-o-Rama Drive-in reopens for its 61^st season on March 27.

Oh, and the first day of spring is March 20.

Knives out: Cleveland Restaurant Week is here.

Now, it’s 21^st year, the Cleveland Independents celebration of locally owned eateries runs through Friday March 14.

The event gives diner’s a chance to dine in 30 participating restaurants – places like Astoria, Batuqui, Bruno’s, Creekside, Don’s Lighthouse, Mallorca, Pier W, Rood and Taste. For $39, you get a three-course prix fixe dinner.  

Several large-scale eateries have shuttered in the last three months – due to food, rent and utilities costs that continue to power higher.

But these participants have stayed true to their original spirit and cultivated loyal followings. For all participating restaurants, go here.

Wednesday

The Spits: The Kalamazoo natives bring their noisy, dirty brand of garage-punk to the Happy Dog. 9 p.m. Info.

Thursday

Beachland Ballroom Anniversary: The Collinwood club has hosted thousands of acts over 26 years – and will celebrate its storied run with a party and cake. Music by DJ Teddy Eisenberg & Friends. 7 p.m. Info.

Sons of Cream: The tribute to 1960s power trio Cream features Ginger Baker’s son Kofi and Jack Bruce’s son Malcolm Bruce. 7:30 p.m. at Music Box. Info.

Jiaoying Summers: She’s the first Chinese comedian to headline and sell out the Apollo Theater – and she her routine about cultural clashes has attracted a billion views on social media. 6:30 p.m. at Hilarities. Info.

👉 View Listing on Zillow

Last year’s Cleveland International Film Festival broke a record for attendance with “Lost & Found in Cleveland.”

But all was not cheery at the 49^th installment of the movie soiree.

Overall attendance declined – 30,000, roughly a third of the pre-COVID average. Programming was uninspired and staffers complained about a toxic workplace.

As part of a “reimagining” of its vision, CIFF will celebrate its 50^th anniversary by moving screenings to the Cedar Lee Theatre. That’s where it was founded by the theater’s owner, Jonathan Forman, who hosted eight films over eight weeks in 1977.

CIFF50 will roll out 90 features and 236 short films from 57 countries, which will also screen at Playhouse Square, CSU School of Film & Media Arts, the Rock Hall.

It opens April 9 with “A Man with Sole: The Impact of Kenneth Cole” and runs through April 18. For a schedule, go here.

People walk through the Cleveland Flats, 1970.

Ooh and don’t forget! Tag @The216Scoop on Facebook & @scoopcle on Instagram to get your photos in the Scoop!

36 °F 🌡️ 24 °F | 🌥️ (AM Flurries to Clearing) | 20% | 💨 ↑ ≈ 15 mph (≈ 13 knots)

44 °F 🌡️ 30 °F | 🌤️ (Partly Sunny / Seasonable) | 0% | 💨 ↑ ≈ 10 mph (≈ 9 knots)

51 °F 🌡️ 38 °F | ☁️➡️🌧️ (Cloudy / PM Rain Showers) | 40% | 💨 ↑ ≈ 16 mph (≈ 14 knots)

_{Please note that weather conditions can change rapidly. For the most up-to-date information, consider checking a reliable local weather service.}

Home vs. Celtics, 1:00 PM March 8 (Sunday)

Away vs. White Sox, 8:05 PM March 5 (Thursday)

Home vs. Angels, 3:05 PM March 6 (Friday)

Home vs. Padres, 3:05 PM March 7 (Saturday)

Away vs. Rockies, 4:10 PM March 8 (Sunday)

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