Regional Features: Archive by Date

July 2003

Walking History: Joan Southgate Completes Underground Railroad Journey
Posted Thursday, July 31
In the spring of 2002, 74-year-old Joan Southgate, a former social worker from Cleveland, began an epic journey, walking in the path of her slave ancestors from the Ohio River to freedom in Canada along the Underground Railroad. This spring she completed her walk, a journey that has caught the imagination of people across the country. Last night in Oberlin Joan Southgate was honored for her efforts to bring history alive, even including a song dedicated to her by singer/songwriter Jeff Varga. ideastream's Karen Schaefer was there.

ideastream Focus on Housing: County Recorder Fees Doubling
Posted Thursday, July 31
If you're refinancing or purchasing a home, today would be the best day possible to sign the papers. That's because, beginning tomorrow, all county recorder's fees will double. From here out, a portion of those fees will flow into the Ohio Housing Trust Fund. ideastream's Janet Babin continues our focus on affordable housing issues with this report.

Time Running Out for New Convention Center
Posted Tuesday, July 29
City and county officials tomorrow will publicly discuss the proposal to build a new convention center in Cleveland. After weeks of closed-door meetings, public officials are once again ready to bring the issue out in the open. Time is running out however. Any financing plan will have to be filed by August 21st in order to make it on the November ballot. As ideastream's Shula Neuman reports, a lack of consensus may stall the whole process.

Local Minor League Teams a Hit
Posted Monday, July 28
Cleveland planners were counting on sports to revitalize downtown. They convinced taxpayers to build Jacobs Field and Gund Arena. But in recent years, fickle fans have meant empty seats. The investment has been questioned by citizens who may be asked to pay for a new convention center which has similar economic goals. Meanwhile, disappointed business owners pray for the return of sell-out crowds and winning seasons. But things are different in other northeast Ohio cities. Apparently minor league sports is fulfilling a promise that has eluded Cleveland. ideastream's Mike West has more.

Making Change: Technology Grants
Posted Friday, July 25
Northeast Ohio pulled in a hefty chunk of change this month from Governor Taft's Third Frontier project-a plan to invest a total of 1-point-6 billion dollars in biotech and high-tech research over the next decade. Seventy four-million dollars was available for this year's grants... and Northeast Ohio got more than half. The goal of pouring all this money into research is to create high-paying jobs and to leverage the grants to bring in more money from other sources. As part of Making Change: Reinventing Our Economy, ideastream's Shula Neuman looks at what these grants are promising.

Interview with Tom Coyne
Posted Friday, July 25
Cleveland Congressman Dennis Kucinich has been very busy lately, running a presidential campaign, and maintaining his job representing Ohio's 10th congressional district. While he's at the back of the pack in terms of presdiential fundraising, his supporters are hopeful the former Cleveland mayor can make an impact in driving the debate. His team may have an entirely different challenge on their hands when the presidential race is over. Tom Coyne, the former mayor of Brook Park, says he's going to run in the 10th, against Dennis Kucinich. He spoke with ideastream's April Baer about his decision, and what he might bring to the race.

Making Change: Workplace for your Lifestyle
Posted Wednesday, July 23
No word yet on how many jobs may be lost in the Office Max sale to Boise... The sale of the office supply chain is pending, and so is the possibility that northeast Ohio may be facing additional brain drain. But it doesn't necessarily take a Fortune 500 company to plug the leak. Large and small companies that appeal to the younger-set may help fill the void. As part of Making Change: Reinventing our Economy, ideastream's Shula Neuman reports on a management trend that makes work a lot more fun, profitable and appealing to the twenty-something worker.

Practicing Honku: An Interview with Author Aaron Naparstek
Posted Thursday, July 17
Web Exclusive - This week author Aaron Naparstek is back in town for a reading. This mild-mannered New Yorker (born and raised in Greater Cleveland) was so moved by the traffic mayhem in Alphabet City that he invented an entirely new art form - Honku. One part Japanese meditative verse, one part road rage, it has inspired a very popular web site (http://www.honku.org) and Naparstek's new book. ideastream's April Baer caught up with him earlier this summer. Here's a special web re-broadcast of their conversation.

City Holds Predatory Lending Workshops
Posted Thursday, July 17
This month, the state plans to release results of a study on predatory lending. Unscrupulous homeowners have robbed thousands of people statewide of their equity - and in some cases, their homes. There has been no major state legislative action cracking down on predatory lending, but housing advocates hope the study may strengthen their case. The City of Cleveland is not waiting around. Department of Aging Director Jane Fumich has announced a series of workshops for seniors, to protect them from predatory lenders. She talked about them with ideastream's April Baer.

Put It Out: Smoking Ban Trend Growing Across Ohio
Posted Thursday, July 17
Toledo is the latest city to adopt a smoking ban and now the issue is dividing the community. Closer to home, a grass roots effort is moving fast to collect signatures to put non-smoking legislation on the ballot in Garfield Heights. At the same time, other cities in northeast Ohio are beginning to take a closer look at the issue. ideastream's Renita Jablonski reports.

Deal For Airport Houses Crash Lands
Posted Monday, July 14
The clock is ticking for the City of Cleveland and Brookpark to resolve the latest airport dispute. Ever since a plan to buy property to expand Cleveland Hopkins Airport crash landed, homeowners have been considering legal action. Angry property owners accuse city leaders of hijacking their future by forcing them to stay in their homes. The news comes at a time when many residents were expecting checks instead of cancellation notices. If a solution can't be reached soon, the issue will likely land before a judge. ideastream's Mike West has this report.

Nostalgic for the 80’s
Posted Friday, July 11
Several northeast Ohio businesses are striking gold. If you grew up in the 80's or raised a child during that time, chances are you're familiar with characters like Strawberry Shortcake and the Care Bears. Remember G.I. Joe and the Transformers? The cheesy kitsch that characterized the decade is now the epitome of cool. And as ideastream's Renita Jablonski reports, as people are getting nostalgic, local companies are seeing green.

Saving Cleveland’s Historic Schools
Posted Thursday, July 10
It's been about a year since the Cleveland school district firmed up its plans to spend more than a billion dollars in school construction money. Much public debate preceded the finalized plan, sparked in large part by community discontent over plans to close some schools. In the end most neighborhood groups went away satisfied - even if grudgingly so. But preservationists say there's still more negotiating to be done. They say too many of Cleveland's historic school buildings are headed for demolition, and they hope to change that. ideastream's Bill Rice reports.

Show, Interrupted: Continuing the Conversation with Steve Mader
Posted Thursday, July 10
Did you catch 90.3 @ 9 this past Thursday (July 10)? Our discussion with William Poundstone (Author of How Would You Move Mt. Fuji: Microsoft's Cult of the Puzzle) and Steve Mader (President and CEO of Christian and Timbers) explored how companies are testing prospective employees with puzzles, stress tests, and other high-pressure ordeals. The conversation was an unintended cliffhanger: just as Mr. Mader was about to answer an important question on how to address money issues during a job interview, the station was knocked off the air! ideastream's April Baer called up Steve Mader later in the day, to continue the conversation.

Touring the Future Convention Center
Posted Monday, July 7
The debate over building a new convention center has been raging for months - some say even years. Last week, the city planning commission backed up local business leaders by selecting the riverfront site behind Tower City as its first choice for a new facility. Now city, county, business leaders and developers have until August to come up with a financing package that will entice voters to endorse the project for this November's election. While there's still much controversy and debate, it's worth taking a look at the specifics of the top site. ideastream's Shula Neuman takes us on a tour of what a convention center could look like there - and what it could do for the surrounding area.

The FCC and Northcoast Radio
Posted Wednesday, July 2
In the Cleveland market, more than three-quarters of the most popular radio stations are owned by just three companies - and after the recent FCC decision, which allows more varied ownership of media outlets, even those numbers could increase. This morning, ideastream's Rick Jackson looks at what the Federal Communications Commission decision means for the Northcoast.

East Cleveland Fighting for Economic Health
Posted Tuesday, July 1
Cities across Ohio are in tough economic times, but the city of East Cleveland is in a worse place than most. For the last 15 years the city has been in a state of fiscal emergency. Last year, falling revenues left East Cleveland with a huge deficit. The city had to lay off firefighters and cut back essential services to balance the budget. This spring, the state took over the insolvent school system. But both city and state officials say East Cleveland is making progress climbing out of its black hole. Far from being ready to dissolve, the city is fighting its way back to economic health. But as ideastream's Karen Schaefer reports, East Cleveland still has a ways to go.