📰 Highway Closures & Detours 🚧

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Good morning, Cleveland! This is The 216 Scoop. Spring’s clock is ticking, Cleveland! The pollen’s still flying & patios are popping. Before summer steals the spotlight, here’s your last-minute scoop to soak up the season! 😎🌷

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In today’s 216 Scoop Edition:

• Bigger than Godzilla: Sensational Murakami exhibit hits Cleveland

• Highway horrors! More closures, detours for area drivers 

• Tax-payer revolt: Group pushes to abolish property taxes in Ohio

• Get ready and rowdy: Tottenham vs. Manchester at Old Angle

• Rock ‘n’ roll trash! Jon Spencer and Cheater Slicks hit Beachland

• Act now: Cheap Blossom tickets go on sale today

  
  
  John Petkovic & Victor Takakura

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IN THE NEWS

Bigger than Godzilla: Sensational Murakami show hits Cleveland Museum of Art

You have to go back to Godzilla to find a Japanese pop-cultural phenomenon as powerful and poignant as Takashi Murakami.

Like the monster who was awakened by nuclear radiation and went on to spawn toys and appear on lunchboxes, the Tokyo artist and cultural critic has explored the traditions and traumas of Japan. And, in the process, he’s created works that animate young and old – with vivid colors, charm and wonder, wild creatures and smiley faces.

On Sunday, the Cleveland Museum of Art will offer a glimpse into one of the century’s most significant artists when it opens “Stepping on the Tail of a Rainbow.”

The sprawling, much-anticipated exhibition features more than 100 paintings and sculptures that explore cataclysmic events like nuclear devastation, the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami and the COVID-19 pandemic with styles that recall Kurasawa, anime, manga and the pop-art irreverence of Andy Warhol.

Visitors will be greeted by the Yumedono, or Hall of Dreams, a recreation of the Horyuji Temple in Nara, Japan in the Ames Family Atrium.

The show, which runs through Sept. 7, also offers a tour through Murakami’s “Superflat” theory. It emphasizes flat planes of color and the idea that differences in social class and popular taste have 'flattened,' producing a culture with little distinction between 'high' and 'low’ art.

Murakami, you see, has blurred the lines between art and brand. His images have appeared on T-shirts, trinkets, album covers, skateboards and handbags.

No surprise: The museum is giving away free Murakami trading cards to the first 50,000 visitors. Reservations are required. Tickets and info here.

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Highway horrors! More closures, detours for area drivers 

The days are getting longer and might seem like an eternity if you’re sitting in your car navigating detours and traffic on the way to your destination.

Just when drivers were getting used to the April closure of one the busiest sections of highway in Ohio – the I-480 ramp east to I-77 north and I-480 west to I-77 south – there are more detours on the way.

ODOT has rolled out 20 closings and changes on interchanges – some lasting days, others for months. Full list here. These are the highlights, er, lowlights:

• I-77 north to I-480 west will be reduced to one lane between 7 p.m. and 5 a.m. through Friday, for bridge work.

• I-77 south to I-480 east will be reduced to one lane overnight between 7 p.m. and 5 today Thursday morning, for bridge work.

• I-77 north ramp to I-490 west will be closed on May 27, through mid-July for bridge work.

• The West Seventh Street south ramp to I-490 east is closed through July 2026.

• The Ohio 176 access ramp for Steelyard Drive, West 14th Street and I-71 south, is closed through early November.

•  The I-480 west exit to Ridge Road will be closed from June 2 through August for pavement work.

• The Denison Avenue ramp to I-71 south will be closed from 8 p.m. Thursday through 5 a.m. Friday

Tax-payer revolt: Group pushes to abolish Ohio property taxes

They’re mad as hell and not gonna take it anymore… and they just might get their way.

A group of Ohio homeowners is pushing to have property abolished and the Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and the Ohio Ballot Board have signed off on a proposed constitutional amendment that would do just that.

The group, Citizens for Property Tax Reform, will need about 413,000 valid signatures by July 1 to get the proposed amendment on the ballot. It calls for a change to the state constitution that “no real property shall be taxed.”

Ohio ranks 16th in affordability, with a median list price of $269,130, according to Realtor.com. But it ranks eighth in the nation for property taxes paid as a percentage of home value, according to the Tax Foundation.

“When I got my property tax reevaluation last year, I opened the envelope up and hit the floor,” says Beth Blackmarr, a resident of Lakewood and spokesperson of the group, who saw her home’s assessed value jump 51.9%.

Since 2018, the median sales price in Cleveland has climbed by more than $70,000, a 50.4% increase. Statewide, the jump is even steeper—$82,977, or 58.2%, over the same period, according to an analysis by Realtor.com. 

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The 216 Rundown

Get ready and rowdy: Tottenham vs. Manchester at Old Angle

Football on the tube.  A pint of Newcastle going down the hatch. A bar full of boisterous blokes. Can life get any better? Not to the fanatics at the Old Angle, which NBC Sports once called one of the best soccer bars in the country. At 3 p.m. today, the Ohio City pub will host a watch party for the Europa League Championship match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United. Info here.

Rock ‘n’ roll trash! Jon Spencer and Cheater Slicks hit Beachland

Mayhem maker Jon Spencer has been kicking out a twisted bluesy-punk noise since the 1980s. At 8 tonight, he’ll return to one of his favorite clubs in the country, the Beachland Ballroom in Collinwood. Opening is Cheater Slicks – a garage-rock trio that also likes to kick it trashy and demented. More info here.

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NOTES ON A COCKTAIL NAPKIN

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture

Act now: Cheap Blossom tickets go on sale today

Blossom Music Center summer concert season is here – and now’s your chance to get a cheap ticket. At 10 a.m. today, Live Nation, which books non-Cleveland Orchestra show at the venue, is offering $30 tickets to select concerts as part of its Ticket to Summer program.

The ticket includes all fees, though taxes may be added at checkout. Some of the participating shows are Halsey (June 13); Outlaw Music Festival with Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan and others (June 21); Keith Urban (June 27); Pantera (July 23); Cyndi Lauper (July 30); Offspring (Aug. 13) and Black Keys (Aug. 22). More info here.

VINTAGE CLEVELAND

Cleveland, 1973: The EPA conducted studies of air and water pollution in American cities, including Cleveland. The mass building of highways after World War II exacerbated the exodus from the city.

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Extra Sprinkles

WEATHER

Wednesday, May 21

63 🌡️ 54 | 🌧️ | 65% | 💨 W 4 mph

Thursday, May 22

55 🌡️ 49 | 🌧️ | 70% | 💨 WSW 9 mph

Friday, May 23

55 🌡️ 48 | 🌧️ | 86% | 💨 W 17 mph

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

Live Shows in the 216

🗓️ Wednesday, May 21

• Aaron Stanley at 1875 Winery & Event Center – 6:00 PM

• Carole King & James Taylor at Robins Theatre – 7:00 PM

• Cheater Slicks at Beachland Ballroom & Tavern – 8:00 PM

• Colin John Music at Early Show Transmission Room Stage – (time not listed)

• Dan Clews at Robins Theatre – 7:00 PM

• Dennis Van Crash at BOP STOP @ The Music Settlement – 7:00 PM

• Ethan Timm at The Treehouse – 8:00 PM

• Jon Spencer at Beachland Ballroom & Tavern – 8:00 PM

• Melrose Avenue at Mahall’s – 6:00 PM

• Melrose ave (Tour) – 7:00 PM

• Mike Zito at Music Box Supper Club – 7:30 PM

• Phoebe Katis at Robins Theatre – 7:00 PM

• The Word Alive (with The Funeral Portrait + Melrose Avenue) – 6:00 PM

🗓️ Thursday, May 22

• Alex Belser – AHS Talent Show – 10:00 AM

• Angie Haze – Time Machine Concert Part 1 – 7:00 PM

• Austin Awake – The Big Trip Tour at The Vortex – 6:00 PM

• Big Trip – The Vortex – 6:00 PM

• California Dreams – The Kent Stage – 7:30 PM

• Cloner – Beachland Ballroom & Tavern – 7:30 PM

• Danny Christian – Ballantine – 6:00 PM

• David Murphy – The Winchester – 8:00 PM

• Dominick Farinacci – EDWINS Leadership & Restaurant Institute – 7:00 PM

• Exhale – The Foundry Concert Club – 6:00 PM

• Expiate – The Foundry Concert Club – 6:00 PM

• Faye – HiHo – 6:00 PM

• FunGirl – Brew Garden – 6:00 PM

• High Tolerance – Grog Shop – 8:00 PM

• I Don’t Know How But They Found Me – House of Blues Cleveland – 7:00 PM

• J.WAIL – Live Band with Natalie Cressman, David Murphy & more – 7:00 PM

• Jinari Kemet – Beachland Ballroom & Tavern – 7:30 PM

• Lettuce – Globe Iron – 8:00 PM

• Lil Jesse – Big Trip Tour – 7:00 PM

• Pete Lazard – Rocky River Wine Bar – 5:00 PM

• Rohan Prakash – The Winchester – 8:00 PM

• Scott Hannay – The Winchester – 8:00 PM

• Spill – Mahall’s – 7:00 PM

• The Big Leagues – Beachland Ballroom & Tavern – 7:30 PM

• The Black Jackets – Beachland Ballroom & Tavern – 7:30 PM

• Traverse the Abyss – The Foundry Concert Club – 6:00 PM

🗓️ Friday, May 23

• Angie Haze – Time Machine Concert Part 2 – 7:00 PM

• Austin Hamilton Music – Joey’s Italian Grill – 6:00 PM

• Axioma – Rustfed – 7:00 PM

• Ben Gage – Ben Gage Trio – 6:00 PM

• Ceci Taylor – Quarry Hill Vineyards (solo) – 6:00 PM

• Danny Christian – West Park Station – 6:00 PM

• David Graham and The Eskimo Brothers – Beachland Ballroom & Tavern – 8:00 PM

• Diana Chittester – Sunset Sounds at Pinecrest – 6:00 PM

• Hair Supply – The Cove – 5:00 PM

• Hooked Like Helen – Mahall's – 7:00 PM

• Hot Red Chili Peppers – Akron Civic Theatre – 7:30 PM

• James Kennedy – FWD Day + NightClub – 9:00 PM

• Jason Aldean – Blossom Music Center (Full Throttle Tour) – 7:00 PM

• Joey Beltram – The Treelawn – 7:00 PM

• Joe Vitale Jr. – Benny Vino Urban Winery – 7:00 PM

• Justin Curry – Live @CGB Falls – 9:30 PM

• LILIEAE – The Foundry Concert Club – 8:00 PM

• Lil Jesse – OHIO MUSIC FEST – 7:00 PM

• Lower 13 – The Foundry Concert Club – 8:00 PM

• Machine – Grog Shop – 8:00 PM

• Midnite Phoenix – Buzzbin – 7:00 PM

• M.O.O.K.Y – Grog Shop – 8:00 PM

• Nate Smith Country – Blossom Music Center (with Jason Aldean) – 7:00 PM

• Navingale – Fox Meadow & The Wild Card Vintage – 12:00 PM & 5:00 PM

• New Wave Nation – Pro Football Hall of Fame Ribs Burnoff – 8:00 PM

• Old Skool – Hall of Fame Ribs Burnoff – 5:00 PM

• Pete Lazard – Veranda Bistro & Bar – 6:30 PM

• Public Squares – The Foundry Concert Club – 8:00 PM

• RaeLynn – Blossom Music Center – 7:30 PM

• The Jimmy Jack Band – Mentor Harbor Yacht Club – 7:00 PM

• The Ladies Night – Billy's – 7:00 PM

• The Strangers – The Treelawn – 7:00 PM

• Victor Samalot – Aloft Cleveland Airport – 8:00 PM

• VOLUME – Heads Explode Tour – 7:30 PM

• Wexford – Maple Grove Tavern – 7:00 PM

• Zack Fox – Globe Iron – 8:00 PM

The 216 Sports Area

Upcoming Games

Guardians

Away vs. Twins, Wednesday 1:10pm May 21st

Away vs. Tigers, Thursday 6:40pm May 22nd

Away vs. Tigers, Friday 7:10pm May 23rd

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