Regional Features: Archive by Date

September 2004

Fighting Addiction and Mental Illness… In Jail
Posted Thursday, September 30
Women are just a small percentage of prisoners in Ohio, but their numbers are climbing fast. Anticipating a 28% increase in female inmates over the next eight years, the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction recently announced it's readying a fourth facility for women. Many women who spend time behind bars suffer from mental illness. Most have substance abuse problems. How well does the correctional system meet their particular needs? ideastream's Cindi Deutschman-Ruiz reports.

Making Change: Emerging Real Estate Markets
Posted Wednesday, September 29
When neighborhoods gentrify, there's frequently a fear that existing residents and businesses will be lost, priced out by rising real estate values. If you buy into conventional wisdom, the city can't afford to ignore its real estate potential: between its recent placement in the number one spot as the nation's most impoverished city to the loss of population over the past decade, neighborhood revitalization is the key to creating a stronger city and a stronger region. One neighborhood's strategy for redeveloping without losing its character is to capitalize on what makes the neighborhood unique - but as ideastream's Shula Neuman reports, that technique has its own challenges.

Voting, How Cool is That?
Posted Monday, September 27
Web Exclusive - An interview with Leah Haslage, local MTV Choose or Lose correspondent, conducted by ideastream's Marie Andrusewicz.

Rallying the Faithful: The Impact of the African American Vote, Part 1
Posted Friday, September 24
Four years ago, a low turn-out of African American voters helped Democratic Presidential candidate Al Gore lose Ohio to George Bush. Some charged that loss was a result of the Democrats taking the black vote for granted. In the first of two stories, ideastream's David C. Barnett examines how both Democrats and Republicans are focusing their efforts on local African Americans.

Rallying the Faithful: The Impact of the African American Vote, Part 2
Posted Friday, September 24
The long road of progress in Cleveland's African American community can be traced by riding along a street that starts off as Kinsman, in the heart of the City's impoverished core, before moving out to the wealthy suburbs. ideastream's David C. Barnett recently paid a visit to this main artery to gauge the political concerns of the people who live and work there.

Damra Sentencing
Posted Monday, September 20
The leader of Ohio's largest mosque has been sentenced to two months in jail and four months house arrest for lying about his links to terrorist groups. Palestinian-born Imam Fawaz Mohammed Damra was convicted in June of unlawfully obtaining U.S. citizenship a decade ago by providing false information on his application. Damra's conviction carries with it an automatic revoking of his American citizenship. But U.S. District Court Judge James Gwin has yet to rule on whether Damra may stay in the country while awaiting the decision of an appeals court. And leaders of the Islamic Center in Cleveland say it's still too soon to know whether they'll decide to retain Damra as their spiritual leader. ideastream's Karen Schaefer reports.

Cyber Charter Schools: More Information
Posted Thursday, September 16
Web Exclusive - If you'd like to better understand how your school is doing - whether it's a traditional public school or a charter - find out more information here.

Cyber Charter Schools, Part 2: The Controversy
Posted Thursday, September 16
According to the Ohio Charter Schools Association, Ohio is the sixth-largest charter school state in the country. In Ohio, charter schools are called community schools. Between September 1998 and June 2003, their number skyrocketed from 15 to 136. This year, 230 community schools are in operation. Of those, 41 are online. In Part 2, reporter Cindi Deutschman-Ruiz outlines the controversies over how online schools are - or should be - funded, evaluated, and held accountable for their students' achievement.

Cyber Charter Schools, Part 1: Logging On
Posted Thursday, September 16
According to the Ohio Charter Schools Association, Ohio is the sixth-largest charter school state in the country. In Ohio, charter schools are called community schools. Between September 1998 and June 2003, their number skyrocketed from 15 to 136. This year, 230 community schools are in operation. Of those, 41 are online. In Part 1 of this story, reporter Cindi Deutschman-Ruiz takes listeners to cyberschool.

Attracting Immigrant Business
Posted Tuesday, September 14
It's a well-worn cliche to praise the immigrant workers who came to Cleveland a century ago and helped turn the city into an industrial powerhouse. But, recent census figures show Cleveland is no longer a national leader in attracting new immigrants. This has prompted some community leaders to explore ways to inject some new blood in a city looking to boost both its economy and its population. ideastream's David C. Barnett has this report.

Nostalgia for a Place We Never Knew
Posted Monday, September 13
Ever since Moses Cleaveland and his surveying crew created a public square for his settlement by Lake Erie, it was common for Northeast Ohioans to design city centers to foster a sense of community. But, in an age of suburbanization, the idea of a central gathering place for government, stores, worship, and meetings started to fade. In recent years, the New Urbanist movement has spurred some cities to recreate themselves. Several local communities have developed so-called "lifestyle centers" to promote a small town feel.

90.3 WCPN 20th Anniversary 1984-2004
Posted Wednesday, September 8
Listen to the 90.3 WCPN 20th Anniversary Special, aired on Around Noon Wednesday, September 8, 2004 and the original sign-on of 90.3 WCPN back on Saturday, September 8, 1984.

Defining Dual Diagnosis
Posted Tuesday, September 7
Web Exclusive - An interview with staff from New Directions alcohol treatment center, conducted by ideastream's Marie Andrusewicz.

7th Generation: Sustainable Solutions to Beach Pollution
Posted Tuesday, September 7
Going to the beach may be America's favorite pastime. The EPA estimates that Americans hit the beach 910 million times each year and spend about $44 billion in the process. But chances are good that your favorite beach was closed or posted with a swimming advisory sometime this summer. Last year a record 18,000 beach advisories were issued due to concerns about waterborne illnesses. The EPA requires states like Ohio to monitor and report beach pollution. But critics charge that doesn't solve the problem. One Ohio Lake Erie community may provide some answers. ideastream's Karen Schaefer reports from Port Clinton.

Making Change: Aging Infrastructure Brings Economic Ramifications
Posted Wednesday, September 1
Compared with the past two decades, 2003 was a boom year for infrastructure investment in Greater Cleveland. Yet, despite this relative splurge, large portions of the region's infrastructure are aging and need attention. Evidence is all around, some say: from last summer's blackout to widespread flooding this year. And, they say, aging infrastructure has other, less visible ramifications for our economy as well. In our on-going series Making Change: Reinventing our Economy, ideastream's Shula Neuman has the report.