Regional Features: Archive by Date

October 2000

Campaign Finance Reform in Akron: Issue 10 to Draw Line Between Public and Private Funding
Posted Wednesday, October 25
There's strong tension in Akron between supporters and opponents of a campaign finance proposal on the November 7th ballot. Known as Issue 10, the ballot measure calls for full public financing of candidates who agree not to accept private campaign donations. Such voluntary systems have been adopted by a handful of states, but Akron would be the first city in the country to implement one should the measure pass. 90.3's Bill Rice reports.

Funding Programs About Domestic Violence:  Victims Seek Help From Statewide Programs
Posted Tuesday, October 24
Ohio Attorney General Betty Montgomery announced earlier this month, she will distribute over $5 million in federal funds to 69 domestic violence programs across the state. Last year 130,000 victims of domestic violence sought help from these programs. But people are still waging a private war, as only half of all cases are thought to be reported. As 90.3's Tarice Sims reports, many victims don't even realize they're abused because they aren't being physically attacked, and they often need to be convinced to seek help.

Statewide Funding Crisis For Local Programs:  Tax Levy to Help Ease Burden of Parents
Posted Friday, October 20
For most parents, the birth of a child is a happy event. But for parents of children born with Down's syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy - or any of a host of other mental or developmental disabilities - it can be a time of heartbreak. One of the November ballot issues to be decided by Cuyahoga County voters is a tax levy to support services for people with mental retardation and developmental disabilities. At 3.9 mills, it's a slight increase over previous years. While there's a tradition of strong county support for mental retardation issues, officials are worried about what might happen if the levy fails. Advocates claim a lack of expansion in state funding over the last decade - coupled with a growing need for services - has created a statewide funding crisis for local programs. 90.3's Karen Schaefer reports.

Repairing Old Schools in Cleveland:  Discussion Given New Light in Wake of East High Collapse
Posted Tuesday, October 17
America's "old and crumbling schools," once a hot item in the nation's political dialog, has been pushed to the back of the shelf in recent years. But in Cleveland the condition of school buildings is drawing new and urgent attention, especially in the wake of the East High School roof collapse. While there's plenty of discussion of repairs and renovations to come, getting those projects off the ground will take time. 90.3's Bill Rice reports.

Using Hypnosis to Understand the Mind
Posted Friday, October 13
The community of Bath township is still trying to understand the mind set of the two teens from Revere High School that recently took their own lives. What causes someone to do so, or as in Ravenna where a woman killed another for her baby, remains a mystery. For years, man has tried to understand the workings of the mind. Scholars have used many methods to study human behavior, including hypnotism, which has been around since the pyramids. One of the first recorded uses of hypnosis happened in the sleep temples of Ancient Egypt around 3,000 B.C. Today the practice continues to be viewed with some skepticism. As 90.3's Tarice Sims reports, despite the myths, the medical world has embraced hypnosis as a beneficial tool of the mind.

Recreating Lake Erie’s Shoreline:  New Waterfront Designs Call For More Public Spaces
Posted Wednesday, October 11
In recent years, Cleveland's downtown waterfront has changed. The Flats, North Coast Harbor, and the Cleveland Browns Stadium have all contributed to the transformation of a once-derelict urban landscape. But local planners say that's not enough. Two new proposals to reshape the Lake Erie waterfront are now on the table. Critics say the plans need more public input. They say they want more public access to Ohio's greatest natural resource. 90.3's Karen Schaefer reports.

Targeting Young Voters in November’s Election
Posted Friday, October 6
Whether you vote this November may have more to do with your age than your views on the issues. The 18- to 24-year-old block has the lowest voter turnout of any age group. Different organizations are targeting young voters in the upcoming election in Cleveland. 90.3 WCPN's Cecil Hickman has the story.

“Stop the Hate” Breakfast Addresses Hate Crimes
Posted Friday, October 6
Yesterday members of area churches and other civic organizations gathered in downtown Cleveland to add a united voice to the growing movement against hate and hate crimes. The "Stop the Hate" Breakfast was a response not just to heinous, highly publicized crimes such as the murders of James Byrd - a black man - in Texas, and Matthew Sheppard - a gay man - in Wyoming. It also was aimed at addressing hate speech such as that painted on a building on Cleveland's east side. 90.3's Bill Rice reports.

Funding the Fight Against AIDS
Posted Friday, October 6
Thanks to new drug therapy the number of AIDS cases and deaths in Ohio has dropped. But, that could be bad news for HIV and AIDS prevention and assistance programs - it could mean less government money for them. For 90.3, FM Tarice Sims reports.

Reconnecting the Generations:  New Charter School Attempts to Recreate Community
Posted Thursday, October 5
The new reality of single-parent homes and latch-key kids have slowly changed the traditional family structure. A child raised in modern America often doesn't have the benefit of learning from the experience of older siblings and grandparents. 90.3's David C. Barnett reports that a new charter school in Cleveland is trying to recreate a sense of community that seems to have been lost in contemporary society.

Painting “God’s Children”:  An Interview with Artist Betty Ludwig
Posted Thursday, October 5
Ludwig is a resident at Hospice of the Western Reserve. Before she was admitted, Connie Krug, a hospice art therapist, saw some of Betty's paintings and thought others should see them too. Betty describes herself as a simple woman who loved raising her family and painting pictures of people she saw in National Geographic Magazines. Connie Krug coordinated an art show featuring Betty's works, something she had never had before. It was a one day affair (September 13th) at Hospice House on Lake Shore Blvd. Jim Goldurs reports as he met Betty, on the day of her show.

Labor Leaders Put Out Voter’s Guide: Cleveland AFL/CIO Plans to Mail 90,000 to Local Residents
Posted Tuesday, October 3
Cleveland labor leaders have come out with their judicial "slate" of endorsements. The list illustrates changing attitudes and alliances between candidates and big labor. 90.3's Mike West reports.

Examining the Role of the State Board of Education:  Opinions on Importance of Board Vary
Posted Monday, October 2
Come election day this November, Northeast Ohio voters will choose two state Board of Education members; one in district 11, which encompasses Cleveland and some surrounding towns; the other in district 5, to the south and east of the city. Education professionals, government officials, and even the candidates, concede the state school board commands little attention among voters. Yet many put education at the top of their lists of concerns. Opinions on just how important the state board is in the grand scheme of Ohio education vary. 90.3's Bill Rice reports.