Regional Features: Archive by Date

August 2002

Latino Heritage Festival
Posted Friday, August 30
More Latinos than ever are calling northeast Ohio home. That's one of the reasons Hispanics want their fellow citizens to see them in a positive light. The goal of exposure and education was the idea behind the recent Latino Heritage Festival. It was held at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The museum also used the occasion to honor the contributions of Hispanic artists. ideastream's Mike West has the story.

Virtual Schools’ 21st Century Teaching
Posted Thursday, August 29
Advocates of school choice hailed the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to uphold Cleveland's school voucher program. Ironically, this symbolic victory for school choice is unlikely to herald any widespread explosion of voucher programs around the state. But other choice options are on the march. Charter schools, for instance, have been multiplying steadily, and stand to gain further ground with pending new legislation. A variation of the charter school is also on the rise. Operators of on-line charter - or virtual - schools have been busy this summer recruiting students for what some hint could be the wave-of-the-21st-century in education. And not surprisingly, this newest manifestation of school choice has some staunch opposition. 90.3's Bill Rice reports.

Gruttadauria Reaches Agreement With Prosecutors
Posted Thursday, August 29
Former Lehman Brothers broker Frank Gruttadauria has reached an agreement with federal prosecutors. Gruttadauria masterminded what some are calling the largest private brokerage scandal in U.S. history. The broker bilked millions of dollars from wealthy investors and created millions more in false profits, that clients wove into the fabric of their lives. Now, many of those investors are out of money, looking to place the blame for Gruttadauria's behavior - on his employers. ideastream's Janet Babin reports.

Cuyahoga County Commissioner Race Heats Up
Posted Tuesday, August 27
Cuyahoga County is home to 1.3 million people, and carries the largest human services burden in the state. This bedrock of Greater Cleveland is facing difficult issues, including a major budget deficit, and chronic poverty in some areas. This week, 90.3's April Baer spoke with the two endorsed candidates running for a seat on the Cuyahoga County Board of Commissioners. Aired August 26-27, 2002

Children and Family Services Deficit
Posted Friday, August 23
Cuyahoga County Commissioners are calling the budget crisis the worst in 50 years. It's touched all of the county's departments, but some have been hit especially hard. During a recent commissioners' meeting it was revealed Children and Family services deficit for the second quarter of 2002 exceeded $24 million. That's the largest total among all of the offices. But through a series of meetings and strategic moves the department says they will be able to overcome the crisis, while maintaining their focus on the children. ideastream's Tarice Sims reports.

Tenant Summit Held In Cleveland
Posted Tuesday, August 20
People who live in subsidized housing are trying to improve conditions by organizing unions. To do that, tenants from around Ohio recently held the first statewide Tenant Summit on Housing in Cleveland. But having clean and decent housing is only one ingredient in helping low income citizens rise out of poverty. ideastream's Mike West has the story.

Creating New Church Policy
Posted Thursday, August 15
This week parishes throughout the Cleveland Diocese are starting to weigh in on a new plan to deal with sexual abuse cases in the church. A special commission formed to examine how the diocese handles such cases, gave Bishop Anthony Pilla the proposal last week. ideastream's Renita Jablonski brings us up to date on this story, and reports that while members of the 22-member commission are pleased with the progress they've made, one alleged victim is speaking out and calling for Bishop Pilla to step down.

Coastal Conservation
Posted Wednesday, August 14
Lake Erie's southern coastline forms the entire northern boundary of Ohio. But most of that land is in private hands and under intense pressure from development. Scientists say conservation of coastal regions is essential for improving water quality, preventing flooding, and preserving essential habitat for birds and other wildlife. But there's another reason to conserve coastal areas that a group of people in Sandusky Bay hope will make a difference to the local economy. They're betting that a new kind of tourism will not only preserve the beauty of the Lake Erie shore, but provides jobs and income as well. ideastream's Karen Schaefer reports.

Achieving Teaching Success
Posted Friday, August 9
Last year the Ohio General Assembly passed a bill prescribing new standards by which primary and secondary school students are to be measured, and steps to be taken when they don't meet those standards. Senate Bill One grew out of recommendations made by the Governor's Commission on Student Success, a group of educators and community leaders who studied the problem of underachievement for the better part of a year. Now, the Governor has another education commission in place, focused this time not on students, but on teachers, and they're gathering information for yet another round of education lawmaking. 90.3's Bill Rice reports.

Bringing Back The Buckeye Neighborhood
Posted Wednesday, August 7
Revitalization efforts are underway in Cleveland's Buckeye neighborhood. Although other areas have undergone similar improvements recently, Buckeye is indicative of the economic difficulties many urban neighborhoods have endured. The Hungarian shops and restaurants that once lined the street from Martin Luther King Drive to East 130th have been replaced with wig shops, boarded-up windows and storefront churches. Many residents in Buckeye would like to see those go and replace them with a thriving retail community. Initiatives to do just that have residents and observers hopeful Buckeye's potential revitalization could be a model for other efforts of urban renewal. 90.3 WCPN's Shula Neuman reports.

The Art Of Racial Fairness
Posted Tuesday, August 6
A Cleveland art exhibit has been created to draw attention to racial fairness in the justice system. Organizers say there are too many minorities in jail. Activists accuse everyone from court employees to police and judges of not giving some citizens a fair shake. They say a disproportionate number of minorities are in jail because the system singles out minorities. But defenders of the system says the statistics don't tell the whole story. 90.3 WCPN's Mike West has more.

Protesting Efforts At Davis-Besse
Posted Friday, August 2
Local residents and activists groups are beginning to organize protests over efforts to repair the damaged Davis-Besse nuclear plant near Toledo. Many would like to see the plant shut down for good. Others don't believe their voices are being heard by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. They say they've lost faith with the lack of corporate responsibility shown by owner FirstEnergy. They've also lost faith in federal regulators' ability to oversee the safe operation of the nation's nuclear power industry. 90.3 WCPN's Karen Schaefer reports.