CLEVELAND, Ohio — A large portion of the country’s population is NFL-mad, waiting anxiously for Sundays to arrive — unless their team happens to be playing on a Monday or Thursday night.
For fans interested in an historical perspective comes this news from the Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque: The first NFL game in history took place Oct. 3, 1920, at Dayton’s Triangle Park, pitting the Dayton Triangles against the Columbus Panhandles.
The Triangles came out on top, 14-0, before about 5,000 spectators.
At 7 p.m. Nov. 2 — a Thursday night, by the way, when Tennessee will be playing at Pittsburgh on TV — the Cinematheque will present the Cleveland premier of a movie by veteran filmmaker Allen Farst titled “Triangle Park.”
Because there are only a few still images of this seminal sporting event, Farst tells his story with a mix of historical re-enactments and on-screen commentary by football experts ranging from Cris Collinsworth and Eric Dickerson to Ben Roethlisberger and Tony Dungy. Michele Tafoya narrates the 90-minute movie.
Tickets to the movie cost $18; $15 for Cinematheque members, CIA/CSU I.D. holders and those 25 and younger. Farst will attend the screening and answer audience questions after the film.
And, in other NFL trivia, did you know that the three oldest continuing franchises include the onetime Chicago Cardinals (now the Arizona Cardinals) and the former Decatur Staleys (now the Chicago Bears). The Green Bay Packers franchise, founded in 1919, is the oldest team not to change locations, but it did not begin league play until 1921.
Meanwhile, the Cinematheque has sent along further word about an upcoming series of special note.
Early in his storied career, Polish-born filmmaker Roman Polanski directed three tales of fear and paranoia that were largely set in apartments — one in London, one in New York and one in Paris. These films will be coming to Cleveland just in time to whet your Halloween appetite.
The three films — “Repulsion” (1965), “Rosemary’s Baby” (1968) and “The Tenant” (1976) — are now known collectively as the “Apartment Trilogy.” All are considered horror classics.
They will screen between Oct. 26-29 at the Cinematheque, which is located at 11610 Euclid Ave in Cleveland.
“Repulsion” shows at 6:45 p.m. Oct. 26 and 9:40 p.m. Oct. 27; “Rosemary’s Baby” at 8:50 p.m. Oct. 26 and 7 p.m. Oct. 27; and The Tenant” at 8:05 p.m. Oct. 29.
To learn more about all these films and the Cinematheque’s upcoming schedule, visit here.
Animal shelter at critical capacity: The Cuyahoga County Animal Shelter has put out the word that it is at critical capacity and in need of forever homes for the dogs now in its care.
In an effort to reduce the pet population, the shelter is offering $31 adoption fees for the rest of October as part of its Pick Your Pup-kin promotion.
More than 30 dogs have come into the shelter recently, at a time when the shelter was already close to capacity.
The shelter is reducing its fees to inspire residents to visit and adopt a new furry family member. For those who can’t adopt a dog permanently, the shelter is encouraging people to foster a dog for a week or two to help free up cages.
“The flow of dogs coming into the shelter has been overwhelming, and we need the community to help us by either adopting or fostering a shelter dog,” Animal Shelter Administrator Mindy Naticchioni said in a news release.
The adoption fee is normally $95. The fee includes spay/neuter, vaccines, a 2023 dog license, microchip and a current rabies tag.
The Cuyahoga County Animal Shelter is open to the public from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and from noon to 4 p.m. Sundays. Future pet families can visit cuyahogadogs.com to view adoptable dogs.
Enjoy a PEACE Pop: No, a PEACE Pop is not a new kind of sucker, but rather the Coventry PEACE Campus’ quarterly celebration of art and community.
The community is invited into the Coventry PEACE Building to tour open studios, listen to live music, take part in a candy crawl, participate in hands-on art making and enjoy a variety of other activities meant to keep your creative spirit flourishing.
The free event, from 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 27, is intended as a special way for the PEACE Campus to connect the community to its member organizations and artists.
PEACE Pops is open to the public. Free snacks and refreshments will be available. The Coventry PEACE Building can be found at 2843 Washington Blvd. in Cleveland Heights.
To RSVP, visit here.
PEACE Pop events are held quarterly in January, April, July and October.
Bertram Woods Library branch reopening: After a $3 million renovation, the Bertram Woods Library branch reopened Oct. 11 at 20600 Fayette Road in Shaker Heights.
If you missed that, you’ll have another chance to celebrate when a Grand Reopening Celebration takes place at the branch at 2 p.m. Nov. 4.
Renovation highlights include two new study rooms (available by appointment), where customers can work quietly or collaboratively; a refurbished meeting room that now features up-to-date presentation and videoconferencing technology; a passport office that offers applicants added privacy; a new skylight and nature-themed wall art in the children’s area; a new HVAC system and updated electrical wiring that make the space more energy efficient; refurbished restrooms; a newly paved parking lot; and reconfigured staff areas, including a circulation workroom and reference desk that will better meet staff needs and enhance their productivity.
“We hope that the community will appreciate the upgrades and begin taking advantage of all that the new space has to offer — the study rooms and meeting room, the new seating areas and the new toys and technology in the children’s area, especially,” Director Amy Switzer said in a news release.
“I also want to applaud our staff. They did an amazing job preparing the building to reopen to the public.”
The library worked closely with architectural firm Bialosky Cleveland and construction manager Turner Construction to see the project to completion.
To view photos of the branch’s first day back, visit here.
The branch’s hours are 1 to 9 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays and 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The branch is closed on Sundays.
To RSVP for the Nov. 4 event, visit here.
Painting the water tower: A University Heights release states that the painting of the huge water tower in Beachwood is causing waterflow problems in University Heights.
The release states that the Cleveland Department of Water is painting the tower that stands off Chagrin Boulevard and that the task is causing difficulties such as low pressure, high pressure, and water main breaks. University Heights is working with the water department to resolve issues as quickly as possible.
In order to properly paint a water tower, it must be empty. The Beachwood tower is usually filled with two million gallons of water. That water helps regulate pressure in surrounding communities.
With the tower being empty, the system is not working as it should.
“Thankfully,” the release states, “it should all be resolved when the painting project is complete in two weeks. Water emergencies may be reported 24/7 by calling (216) 664-3060. If at any time your experience with Cleveland Water Department is less than satisfactory, please let City Hall know.”
Verb no more: Over the years, we’ve included several items pertaining to Shaker Heights’ Verb Ballet, but no more. That’s because Verb has changed its name to Ohio Contemporary Ballet (OCB).
“This exciting change enables us to clearly reflect the work of the company, while celebrating the history of dance in Ohio,” stated a OCB release. “We strive to bolster the presence of creativity and expression in the Great Lakes region through our performances.
“We remain steadfast in connecting with the community through dance. Our aim is to be a cornerstone in our community, expanding dance opportunities and educational programs. Our new name reflects and honors these values, while also embodying our forward-looking vision for the future.”
Said OCB Producing Director Margaret Carlson, “Already known for its excellence in performance, in the last five years the company has toured regionally, nationally and internationally and built a new dance center.
“The company is poised to grow as a recognizable presence in the region. The new name more accurately represents our company’s identity. It situates us as a statewide entity and communicates to the audience that we specialize in contemporary ballet, distinguishing us from classical ballet companies.”
OCB is located at 3558 Lee Road.
Lower Lake event: A Shaker Heights Lower Lake Multipurpose Trail Community Engagement event will be held at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 30 at Lower Lake Dam, at Brook Road and South Park Boulevard.
Residents are invited to give feedback and share ideas on a planned paved trail along the north side of South Park Boulevard. Construction of the Lower Lake Multipurpose Trail will begin in the spring.
In the event of severe weather, check the project webpage for updates. Learn more at shakeronline.com/lowerlaketrail.
If you have questions, send an email to anna.mates@shakeronline.com or call 216-491-1433.
Ice skating at Thornton Park: Thornton Park Ice Arena is offering a variety of public skating sessions each week, including Tuesday evenings and Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
Public skating sessions are open to residents and non-residents of all ages and experience levels. Rental skates are available. You can view and download the Early Fall 2023 ice arena schedule here.
Also returning this fall are the popular Friday Night DJ Skates. The season kicks off with the Halloween Skate, from 7:45 to 9:45 p.m. Oct. 27.
Additional Friday Night Skates will be offered from 7:45 to 9 p.m. Nov. 3, 10, and 17.
Menorah Park gets top rating: Beachwood’s Menorah Park, 27100 Cedar Road, is proud to announce that it was once again selected by Newsweek as being among America’s Best Nursing Homes for 2024. It was rated number one in its category in Northeast Ohio, and number three in the state of Ohio.
Newsweek based its rankings on data sources including: performance data, peer recommendations, management of the COVID situation, and accreditations from The Joint Commission and Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities.
If you would like your item included in Press Run, send me an email, at least 14 days prior to an event, at jeff.piorkowski@att.net.
Read more from the Sun Press.
