The Cleveland Orchestra and its union came to terms on a contract one day after their musicians walked out. Terms of the deal are not year known and will have to be voted on by union membership at a vote later today. The orchestra is scheduled to begin their residency in Miami next week which has been a very profitable venture in the past few years for the orginzation who has been hit hard by the soft local economy.

The Cleveland Orchestra’s response to the work stoppage initiated by the Cleveland Federation of Musicians

The union representing our musician employees (Cleveland Federation of Musicians, Local No. 4 of the American Federation of Musicians) has initiated a work stoppage against The Cleveland Orchestra.

Union and management have asked the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service to mediate the dispute beginning Monday, January 18.

It will be available for viewing in a few weeks, but I don't want to put it on the back burner of my mind. I might get distracted and neglect to tell you about it later. If you're a fan of high school sports -- especially wrestling -- you'll want to see the 90-minute documentary "Pinned."

It chronicles the St. Edward wrestling team of 2005-06 with an interwoven parallel story about Lakewood High wrestler Matt Curley. It follows the St. Ed wrestlers on each step of the season which culminated in the state championship and a fourth straight state title for St. Ed werstler Lance Palmer.

There are fascinating interviews, including provocative remarks from Palmer's father who says St. Ed's wrestling would be even better if he were the head coach.

Palmer's younger brother Collin, who became a multi-state champion himself, will get your attention when he says he doesn't want his own kids to wrestle because he doesn't want that kind of stress a second time.

As many as five cameras were used to shoot tournaments and take you behind the scenes.

The House of Blues Foundation Room will open its doors on January 20th to the public for an exclusive Gourmet Vodka Dinner. 100% of the dinner proceeds will be donated to the American Red Cross to aid in the relief efforts in devastated Haiti. Normally a monthly event for Members-only, the dinner is sure to please any palette and diners will know they are truly making a difference while enjoying a delicious night on the town.

Dinner is $40 plus tax and service charge per person. Reservations are limited. Foundation Room Dress Code is enforced. Please contact Foundation Room Concierge Ian Atwood to make your reservation at 216.274.3366.

Berea police, along with federal agents, arrested a man that they suspect has been shooting at cars in the area of Prospect Road. Paul Hausmann, 65, of Strongsville, was arrested at his house by police and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives on charges felonious assault and carrying a concealed weapon.

Hausmann is expected to be arraigned in court later today.

Officers had been watching Hausmann's home when he pulled up wearing shooting earmuffs and with a loaded 22-caliber revolver. He became a suspect in the months-long investigation after a local homeowner informed police that a car matching Hausmann's pointed a gun at his house.

Police said that during questioning Hausmann has given vague answers, and a motive is not clear.

A $5,000 reward was issued for information about the person involved in a series of four shooting incidents in which cars in the area of Prospect Road were hit. The first shooting was in mid-August 2009, and the most recent was on Dec. 19, 2009.

Fortunately, no one has been injured in the shootings.

The Greater Cleveland Sports Commission have announced the finalists for the 2009 Greater Cleveland Sports Awards. Nominees were selected by local media outlets and the top three finalists have been selected in the following categories: High School Athlete of the Year, Collegiate Athlete of the Year, Amateur Athlete of the Year and Professional Athlete of the Year. The winners in each category will be announced at the awards ceremony on Wednesday, February 3, 2010 at the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel.

Tables to the benefit are $7,500 for platinum; $5,500 for gold; $2,500 for silver or $250 per individual ticket. The Golden Ticket raffle, which will award one lucky sports fan two Season Tickets to each of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Indians and Browns home games in 2010, is also now on sale. Only 300 tickets will be sold at $100 each, with the winner to be announced at the Sports Awards. Tickets and additional information are available online at Cleveland.com/sportsawards or by calling GCSC at 216-621-0600.

High School Athlete of the Year

Tess Sito – Softball, Elyria High School
Collin Palmer – Wrestling, Saint Edward High School
Mark Myers – Basketball/Football, Saint Ignatius High School

Collegiate Athlete of the Year

Men’s Soccer Team – University of Akron

Ken Lanci has thrown his hat in the ring to become the first Cuyahoga County Executive. Lanci is a wealthy businessman who owns two companies located in Cleveland. He currently employs 150 employees with a payroll of $6 Million.

He writes about his candidacy:

Thanks to the landslide vote for reform in November, you and I now have the freedom to improve the way Cuyahoga County Government functions. I want to help lead that effort.
My name is Ken Lanci and I am a candidate for County Executive in 2010.
As I prepare to launch my candidacy for County Executive, I have a choice. I can choose to focus on the well-publicized failings of those officials who abused our trust or I can concentrate on a positive approach to fixing the County Government. I find myself often repeating a line from Yogi Berra: "If you continue to do what you’ve always done, you’ll continue to get what you’ve always got." That's why we're going to run a new kind of campaign.
I’m going to look past my disillusionment with those who confused public service with self-entitlement; my candidacy and platform will reflect lessons that I have learned in life and in business. I have the skills and experience to turn around County Government. It’s what I’ve done for more than 40 years, and together, we can do it for Cuyahoga County.

* When elected, I will work for $1 a year.

What’s that old saying: “You don’t miss your water till the well runs dry.” Now that East High is threatened with being closed hordes of people showed up to castigate Cleveland Schools CEO Eugene Sanders for putting the school on the list of schools to be shuttered. He’s in a damned-if-you-do/damned-if-you-don’t position. If he acquiesces and shifts his sights to another high school he’ll face another group of angry residents. The simple fact is, no one wants “their” school closed.

However, faced with shrinking enrollments due to a drop in population (and students transferring to charter schools) it’s evident that some under-performing schools are going to face closure. It Sanders fails to institute a restructuring plan that meets with the Obama Administration’s approval, he runs the risk of losing some much-needed federal funding.

However, all need not be lost. Neighborhood residents could come together and turn East High into a charter high school — one the community could run. But, given the fact that most of the people who were raising hell at the meeting prefer to do just that — raise hell (rather than do the hard work of assuring their progeny are prepared for success in their academic careers) — it’s doubtful they will come together and make a charter school happen.