Regional Features: Archive by Date

November 2004

Small Grants Can Be Great
Posted Tuesday, November 30
A benefactor who gives millions to a museum or a hospital often attracts big headlines, as does the federal government, when it spends big bucks on a local highway project. By comparison, a few thousand dollars given for paint and brushes to help create a community mural might not seem so significant. But, ideastream's David C. Barnett reports that the impact of a small grant can be greater than the number of zeroes attached to it.

Gifts for the Bookworm
Posted Thursday, November 25
Web Exclusive - An interview with Stephanie Siegel, Marketing Manager, Joseph Beth Booksellers By Marie Andrusewicz.

Making Change: Creative Industries Often Overlooked
Posted Wednesday, November 24
Northeast Ohio's public and private officials often discuss the importance of fostering "clusters" of industries - with the idea that a large group of biotech companies, for example, will feed off of each other, drawing more companies and talented people to the region. But at a recent meeting sponsored by the Case Weatherhead's Center for Regional Economic Issues, more than 100 people discussed the role of one cluster that is often overlooked. As part of Making Change: Reinventing our Economy, ideastream's Shula Neuman reports on the creative industries' impact on the region's growth.

Environment - The Next Four Years
Posted Tuesday, November 23
Even though the environment was not an issue in the recent election, top officials in the Bush administration are claiming a broad mandate to reshape environmental policy. EPA Administrator Mike Leavitt says environmental protection must be accomplished in ways that maintain the country's economic competitiveness. Environmental groups fear the worst. They say they're bracing for an even tougher onslaught against established protections for water, air and land than they faced in the last four years. But most environmentalists acknowledge that environmental protection is not a purely partisan issue. They say they'll be looking for ways to work together with both Democrats and Republicans in the new administration. ideastream's Karen Schaefer reports.

Language Learning in Babies and Toddlers: An Interview with Claire Lerner
Posted Monday, November 22
Web Exclusive - Claire Lerner is co-director of parent education at Zero to Three, a national nonprofit whose mission "is to promote the healthy development of our nation's infants and toddlers by supporting and strengthening families, communities, and those who work on their behalf." She says it's become increasingly clear that there's a strong correlation between children's early language experiences and their educational success.

Early Experiences Key to School Success
Posted Monday, November 22
Preschool programs have become increasingly common in recent years. Often, their curriculum is influenced by research showing that kids who develop solid language skills before they start school become stronger readers and generally do better when they get there. Now, experts in child development say even earlier language and literacy experiences are also key to school success. That research is being translated into public awareness and policy, but slowly. As ideastream's Cindi Deutschman-Ruiz reports, early literacy efforts are underway in Cleveland, beginning with kids who are still in diapers.

Adoption Process for Older Kids
Posted Thursday, November 18
Across the state on any given day, over 3,500 children are waiting to be adopted, according to AdoptOhio. A majority of them are 10 or older. While there is great need for these kids to be adopted, potential adoptive families must jump many hurdles to do so. Some families get so frustrated or intimidated by the background and reference checks, the paperwork and home visits, that they drop out. ideastream's Cindi Deutschman-Ruiz reports on one Cuyahoga County family that has jumped the hurdles, and is now poised to adopt a new teenage daughter.

Moral Values: Dr. Joseph Kelly Interview
Posted Tuesday, November 16
Web Exclusive - For a different perspective on the issue of moral values in modern culture, we turn to Dr. Joseph Kelly, Head of the Department of Religious Studies at John Carroll University. ideastream's David C. Barnett started off asking Dr. Kelly about the pervasive influence of popular culture - music, movies, and television - in shaping our moral values.

Reds vs. Blues: Moral Values in the 2004 Election
Posted Tuesday, November 16
Election night television graphics painted a picture of America divided into Red and Blue states. Some accounts have suggested that voters made their choices based on their "moral values." ideastream's David C. Barnett recently paid a visit to two Northeast Ohio families on opposite ends of the Red and Blue spectrum to find out how their moral values compare. Part one takes us to a Westlake church that mixes rock music with the Rock of Ages. And in the conclusion, David takes us to the home of a Lakewood family who wonder how "divided" the country really is.

Making Change: A Cloudy Business Climate
Posted Thursday, November 11
The rankings are out and, once again, Northeast Ohio doesn't stack up very well when it comes to being a friendly place to do business. Many feel that without policy reform, Northeast Ohio will continue to lose its ability to compete. As part of Making Change: Reinventing our Economy, ideastream's Shula Neuman reports on what's holding the region back and what might be done about it.

The Unbroken Code of the Navajo
Posted Thursday, November 11
Today is Veteran's Day, the day Americans traditionally honor those who have fought to defend the nation's freedom. During World War II, a special group of soldiers helped to liberate the South Pacific from the Japanese. Most never fired a gun, but their contribution was one of the most significant of the war. Yesterday, Marine veteran Keith Little spoke at NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, where his granddaughter is an employee. ideastream's Karen Schaefer brings us his story.

90.3 at 9: Wind Power
Posted Wednesday, November 10
The rising cost of natural gas, along with new developments in technology, is making wind power more attractive to investors looking to create new generation of electricity. Wind farm projects are going up in states throughout the Great Lakes region. Now it's Ohio's turn. A small utility-scale wind farm at Bowling Green in Northwest Ohio is about to celebrate its first annivery generating green energy for its customers. There's also a project to monitor wind on Lake Erie just off the Cleveland shoreline with an eye to one day enticing development of large-scale wind farms there. Today in Cleveland, wind power supporters from across Ohio are wrapping up a 2-day conference on expanding the state's wind power generation. They argue that electricity produced by wind turbines is competitively-priced and relatively easy on the environment. They say the possibilities for wind power projects range from small wind to power homes to rural cooperatives to large-scale utility operations.

7th Generation: The Answer is Blowing in the Wind
Posted Tuesday, November 9
With rising natural gas prices and new improvements in technology, experts say using wind power to generate electricity is looking more attractive. But does Ohio have what it takes? A new municipal wind farm near Bowling Green is showing that wind can be a cost-effective alternative to creating new generation. A wind monitoring project about to be launched on Lake Erie could demonstrate the potential for large-scale development of off-shore wind farms. And a new economic study shows that Ohio has many of the key elements needed to become a manufacturing center for wind turbine technology. It could all add up to a new focus on renewable energy for the state. ideastream's Karen Schaefer reports.

To the Last Man: Jeff Shaara Interview
Posted Friday, November 5
ideastream's Paul Cox spoke with Jeff Shaara, author of To the Last Man, a novel of the first world war. This is the unaired, longer version of the interview.

Campaign Surrogates Could Swing Vote
Posted Monday, November 1
Members of the Bush administration have been popping up in Ohio with increasing frequency this election year. They've handed out millions of dollars in grants and touted the government's policies on everything from the environment to the economy. Top government officials say the visits are part of their job. But in a presidential election, some political analysts believe, these visitors become campaign surrogates for the sitting President. And with race for president too close to call in Ohio, at least one analyst believes campaign surrogates could have enough impact to swing the vote. ideastream's Karen Schaefer reports.