As summer settles in across Northeast Ohio, families are heading to lakes, rivers and beaches to cool off and recreate— but with the seasonal fun comes a sobering reminder of the risks involved.
In just the past few weeks, multiple lives have been lost in tragic water incidents across the region. A 5-year-old boy died during a tubing accident on the Cuyahoga River, and his father is still missing. Last week, a 20-year-old woman drowned at Lakeview Beach in Lorain. And a few days later, another man drowned at Portage Lakes State Park.
Tuesday on the "Sound of Ideas," we'll talk about how to safely access public waters and when to avoid them, to prevent drownings. We'll look at the hidden hazards in lakes and rivers, how to recognize warning signs and dangerous currents, and why cold water, especially on hot days, can quickly turn deadly.
We'll also talk about steps you can take to keep your family safe, from supervision and safety gear to the simple, yet effective, life-saving techniques.
In Mansfield, there are more than 22 parks dedicated to outdoor recreational activities like basketball, baseball, and even disc golf. But until recently, there was little designated space for skateboarding.
After local skaters spent years trying to convince the city to build a skatepark, their wish came true in 2023. Liberty DIY Skatepark opened last year and this past March, the city allocated $10,000 per year for the next three years to help purchase supplies and equipment for the improvement and maintenance of the park.
Our Engaged Journalism team here at Ideastream has launched a new "Sound of Us" series all about the rising skate culture in Mansfield. The project is produced in partnership with Skate Ohio, a non-profit community organization.
"Sound of Us teams" up with individuals and communities to tell the stories of real people in Northeast Ohio. Previous series have covered topics such as adults living with autism, formerly incarcerated people who became activists, senior citizens in Parma, and farmers in Wayne County.
Later in the hour, Ideastream's Richard Cunningham joins the program to share more about this newest "Sound of Us" series.
Last weekend, Cleveland hosted the Lithuanian Song Festival at Cleveland Public Auditorium, which featured over 60 choirs from the U.S., Canada and Europe and celebrated traditional Baltic song and dance.
Northeast Ohio has one of the country's largest Lithuanian populations in the country with roughly 15,000 community members. The country sits in a vital position in the modern world. Formerly part of the Soviet Union, it is now part of the EU and NATO and is bordered by mainland Russia to the east and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad to the west.
To close the hour, Ideastream's Mike McIntyre sits down with the Lithuanian Ambassador to the U.S., to talk about her thoughts on the conflicts abroad and efforts to maintain strong ties between our two countries.
Guests:
- Bob Pratt, Executive Director of Education, Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project
- Andrew Ferguson, Executive Director, Great Lakes Water Safety Consortium and Chief Executive Officer, Argonaut
- Richard Cunningham, Producer of Engaged Journalism, Ideastream Public Media
- Mike McIntyre, Executive Editor, Ideastream Public Media
- Audra Plepytė, Lithuanian Ambassador to the United States
