Regional Features: Archive by Date

February 2006

Thomas Sayers Ellis Interview
Posted Monday, February 27
Thomas Sayers Ellis teaches poetry at Case Western Reserve University - not so much the reading and analysis of poetry, but how to write it - how to make words sing from where they sit on the page. It's fitting, of course, given that his name sounds so poetic: T.S. Ellis. Earlier this winter, Ellis came by our studios to share some of his poetry and to talk about his life as a poet. He started by reading a poem called "Song On." He says it's a song not just about singing, but about ownership of identity and the means to happiness.

Fatherhood Initiative
Posted Wednesday, February 22
Father's Day is still months away, but the work of fathers, and their importance, never lets up. According to the Cuyahoga Department of Children and Family Services, children whose fathers are absent from their lives are, on average, at least 2 to 3 times more likely to be poor, to use drugs, to experience educational, health, emotional and behavioral problems - in short, to fall victim to most social ills. With an eye toward mitigating this and to supporting local dads, Cuyahoga County started a Fatherhood Initiative, and this Wednesday, they're holding a fair. Two of the fair's organizers - Greg Millas of the County Prosecutor's Office and County Commissioner Peter Lawson Jones dropped by the studios to chat with ideastream's Dan Moulthrop.

Reporting the News for Al-Jazeera
Posted Tuesday, February 21
Imagine this for a moment - you're part of well known international news organization, and, like your competition, you strive to break stories and report them with all the balance humanly possible, bending over backwards to get every side of the story. And then, no matter how important you become in the lives of your viewers, and how well you think you're doing job, the only consistent success you find is successfully angering people on both sides of every issue. That's the story of Al-Jazeera, and it's the topic of a talk Wednesday, February 22, at Case Western Reserve University by the current host of that network's talk show From Washington. From the Washington bureau of Al-Jazeera, Hafez al Mirazi spoke to ideastream's Dan Moulthrop.

Making Change: Product Innovation Loan Fund
Posted Thursday, February 16
If northeast Ohio is to see an economic boom anywhere in the future, the resurgence might have to start with start-ups - entrepreneurs with ideas they hope to bring to market. Since 1984, an organization called CAMP has been helping northeast Ohio small enterprises with advice, and now some seed money through the Product Innovation Loan Fund. 2006 is the third year the fund has been in operation and the application deadline is about a week away. As part of Making Change: Building the Region's Future, we decided to find out more about it. ideastream's Dan Moulthrop spoke to Wayne Zeman, vice president of Venture Development for MAGNET - Manufacturing Advocacy and Growth Network and also the director of CAMP, Inc; and Bill Stan, of a Westlake company called PRES Inc., which was a recipient of the loan in 2004.

Schultz Taking Hiatus
Posted Thursday, February 16
Plain Dealer Columnist Connie Schultz is taking a hiatus from her work for Ohio's largest newspaper. In a column today, the Pulitzer Prize winner explains that continuing to write about what's on her mind has become increasingly difficult ever since her husband, Congressman Sherrod Brown, announced he's running for Senate. The difficulty, she writes, is in finding topics that won't cause some readers to accuse her of stumping for her husband in her column. She says she wants to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest. She spoke with ideastream's Dan Moulthrop.

Making Change: Reclaiming the City
Posted Wednesday, February 15
A drive through some Northeast Ohio neighborhoods is a tour through desolation. Boarded-up houses and abandoned factory buildings are scattered through communities that have fallen on hard times. But, for some, these scarred landscapes are full of potential. As part of Making Change: Building the Region's Future, ideastream's David C. Barnett reports on reclaiming some of our abandoned streets.

Redirecting Medicine to Those in Need
Posted Tuesday, February 14
Nursing homes across Ohio are destroying thousands of dollars in medicine every day, even though may drugs are still sealed in their original packaging. Four years ago, Ohio pioneered legislation to redirect medicine in this condition to needy seniors. 16 other states followed suit and surpassed Ohio in recycling medicine. So to increase donation, Ohio might become the first state make participation in so-called Drug Repositories mandatory. ideastream's Lisa Ann Pinkerton has the story.

7th Generation: As the Dams Come Down
Posted Monday, February 13
Two down and four to go. The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency has been taking down dams on the Cuyahoga River. The goal is to improve water quality and upgrade habitat for fish and other wildlife. But communities are discovering there are other benefits as well, from economic development to eco-tourism. ideastream's Karen Schaefer reports.

Real Age: Interview with Dr. Michael Roizen
Posted Thursday, February 9
Do you ever feel you're not as young as you should be? Or maybe you feel years younger than the calendar tells you you are? Well, it turns out there's a scientific reason for that. And what it comes down to is, simply, your habits - what you eat, how much you drink, how often you exercise and what you do to work up a sweat. All of this, apparently, affects how quickly we age, how quickly our bodies become susceptible to the Alzheimer's, cancer, heart disease, for example. The man who has popularized this push for healthy living is Dr. Michael Roizen, co-author of You: the Owner's Manual, one of the best selling books of last year. He's also the new chief of anesthesiology at the Cleveland Clinic and on Monday he's speaking as part of the Town Hall Series. ideastream's Dan Moulthrop recently stopped by his office to chat with him about this notion he refers to as "Real Age."

“Super” Revitalization
Posted Friday, February 3
There's nothing quite like a Super Bowl to kick a city's development efforts into gear - and few cities in the U.S. have had as much room for improvement in that area as Detroit. Detroit hosted Super Bowl XL this past Sunday, and as the Steelers and Seahawks were getting to know Ford Field - the new stadium built for the event - ideastream's Dan Moulthrop talked to reporter Matthew McClain, who is with WDET, Detroit's NPR station.

Making Change: Inclusive Development
Posted Thursday, February 2
When we talk about economic development, there's always the danger some part of the population will be left behind. The development of the Euclid Avenue Corridor and Steelyard Commons, for example, both promise to bring jobs and revenue to the region, and maybe even improve our quality of life. But what exactly do projects like these bring the region's poorest residents? As part of Making Change: Building the Region's Future, we invited to our studios an expert on what might be called "inclusive development." David Rusk is the former mayor of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and the author of Cities without Suburbs, which has been called call the Bible of the regionalism movement. He spoke to ideastream's Dan Moulthrop.

Cleveland Soon to Be Sharing Cars
Posted Thursday, February 2
For people across the country, being close to everything you want makes urban living attractive. But in cities like Cleveland, you can't walk, bike or ride transit to everything. Sometimes destinations require a drive and if you don't have a car, being dependent on someone else can be awkward or inconvenient. Sharing cars as proven easy and dependable for a number of cities across the U.S. and Cleveland is soon to join them. ideastream's Lisa Ann Pinkerton has the story.

Making Change: Immigrant and Minority Business
Posted Wednesday, February 1
Racial and ethnic differences have long been blamed for dividing Cleveland and contributing to the city's decline. But a new business group argues that Northeast Ohio's multi-cultural mix is really a source of strength. As part of Making Change: Building the Region's Future, ideastream's David C. Barnett reports on the Immigrant and Minority Business Alliance.