The Sound of Ideas: April 2009

Thursday Reporters’ Roundtable
Thursday, April 30
The World Health Organization says the swine flu outbreak is moving rapidly toward the pandemic stage. We'll discuss how local officials are preparing to deal with a local outbreak, if it comes. U.S. carmakers Chrysler and General Motors are taking desperate measures to stay alive. We'll see what effect this will have on auto workers in greater Cleveland. Legislative Democrats prepare to send their education spending plan to the Ohio Senate where Republicans are eager to make changes. Those are some of the stories we'll cover in the Thursday roundtable. Join us with your thoughts at 9:00 a.m.

The 100 Days, as Seen from Ohio
Wednesday, April 29
Barack Obama is getting the 100-day check-up all Presidents receive. In the short time since he took office, Mr. Obama has declared an end to torture, received criticism and praise for overtures to some estranged world leaders, and sent about $1 billion in stimulus money back to the states. What do you think, has the new President delivered the change he touted and is it change for the better? And how is his presidency changing race relations in America? Join the conversation Wednesday morning at 9.

Update on Swine Flu & Free Health Care
Tuesday, April 28
This weekend, northeast Ohioans will have a chance to take care of some health needs they may have been putting off, and the best part is this: It's all free. Tuesday morning at 9, we'll hear about the project, how patients will get follow up care and what this suggests for the future of health care.

When the Mentally Ill Come Home from Prison
Monday, April 27
When the mentally ill leave prison, they're typically given a bus ticket, $75, and two weeks worth of medication. This year will bring the largest prison exodus in our nation's history: About 700,000 inmates will be released, half of whom have some degree of mental illness. These facts are the starting place of the upcoming Frontline documentary The Released, which was shot in Cleveland, Canton, Columbus and some of Ohio's prisons. On our program, we'll hear from the Frontline producers and from local service providers who are trying to keep the mentally ill former inmates from returning.

Graduating Into the Recession of 2009
Friday, April 24
College graduates will line up to toss their graduation caps next month. After the celebration many will find themselves at the back of another line - the line to get a job. About 22% fewer college graduates will be hired than last year, according to a new survey by the National Association of College and Employment. Some grads will brave the job market, hide in their parent's basement, volunteer for the Peace Corps, or stay in school. What should a grad do to ride out the recession? We'll find out, Friday at 9 on The Sound of Ideas®.

Reporters’ Roundtable
Thursday, April 23
The recall attempt against Akron's mayor fizzles, and Cleveland's mayor lays the groundwork for his re-election bid, even as he appeals a million dollar fine for violating labor laws. Also, there are some surprising new regional economic figures--some good, some not--and synchronized resignations on Cleveland's city council leave a power vacuum and a few questions. Join us Thursday morning at 9 to talk about those and the rest of the week's top stories.

Going Green, Carbon Caps and the Cost of Electricity
Wednesday, April 22
Climate change can make for strange bedfellows with Republicans and Democrats joining hands when they are from states like Ohio that are heavily dependent on coal powered utilitity plants. Democratic Sen. Sherrod Borwn, like GOP Sen. George Voinovich, says residents and manufacturers could get hit by exorbitant electricity prices from proposals to cap carbon dioxide emissions. Brown wants government aid to help private business adopt green technologies. Can we clean the air, save jobs and keep electricity affordable? Join us Tuesday morning at 9.

Financially Ever After
Tuesday, April 21
Imagine checking your soul mate's credit score before saying I do. Or their IRA before planning for the big day. Too few people ever ask but Jeff Opdyke, personal finance reporter for Wall Street Journal, says a lot of grief could be avoided if more did. A track record on handling personal finance can be very revealing of problems to come in a marriage. But how to ask and not blow the nuptial deal? Advice for those entering marriage or love birds nearing retirement, living “Financially Ever After,” Tuesday at 9 on 90.3.

Starting Up When Things are Down
Monday, April 20
Starting a business right now may not seem like the most brilliant idea. Historically, however, many people often look to be their own boss during economic downturns. But with the credit markets dry and nearly everyone hoarding their money, finding investors is harder than ever. We'll talk about the plight of entrepreneurs, how and when they survive in today's economy, Monday at 9 on 90.3.

Garden Growth in a Downturn Economy
Friday, April 17
As paychecks get pinched, there’s growing interest in gardening. Recession Gardens are sprouting up all over the country - even at the White House. Seed sales are up as families try to cut grocery bills. We’ll talk to local experts about the home gardening movement, community gardens and local farm co-ops. Also, info on how to get started if you want the splendor of veggies in your own backyard! The dirt on cost-effective gardening, Friday at 9 on 90.3.

Thursday Reporters’ Roundtable
Thursday, April 16
The courts and frail health continue to dog suburban Cleveland retiree John Demjanjuk. Just hours from deportation a federal appeals court ordered a delay; Germany seeks to try him for his role as a guard in a Nazi death camp. We'll review the Demjanjuk case, plus the city of Cleveland's ban on text messaging while driving, a $900,000 fine imposed on the city for civil service violations and the next chapter in the school funding debate. Join us with your thoughts Thursday at 9:00 a.m. on The Sound of Ideas.

Is ‘Consolidation’ a Dirty Word?
Wednesday, April 15
A Cleveland Heights councilman's recent suggestion that his municipality consider merging with a neighboring burg met with raised eyebrows and some downright snarls. Lots of local leaders agree that merging municipalities is a non-starter...too many turf and jobs issues. But given the budgetary challenges facing our cities, should we re-think the unthinkable? We'll consider it Wednesday morning at 9 along with some other ideas about how our cities can save money.

2009 Research ShowCASE
Tuesday, April 14
Summer's almost here, and with it, the chore of mowing the lawn, but researchers at Case Western Reserve University are had at work making sure you won't have to work too hard. They're working on robotic lawnmowers, fuel cells, and technology to increase human life spans, among a host of other projects, all of which are on display this week at CWRU's Research ShowCASE. Join us Tuesday morning at 9 for a conversation about where local research is heading and how soon we'll get there.

Science Cafe: The Rise of the Superbug
Monday, April 13
Every year, nearly 100,000 people die from infections they pick up in a place that's supposed to make them healthy: their hospital. Our health care facilities have become breeding grounds for drug resistant bacteria--and those super bugs are making their way into the community. On the Sound of Ideas®, the science of identifying and combating the public health threat that lives on your doctor's stethoscope. Monday morning at 9.

The State of the Arts
Friday, April 10
The recession is taking a toll on nearly every industry and the arts are no exception. The Akron Art Museum has cut hours and employees in an effort to reduce spending. Cleveland Orchestra Music Director Franz Welser-Most and Executive Director Gary Hanson accepted sizable voluntary pay cuts. The Beck Center in Lakewood says a lack of money is putting it at risk of closing. Most recently, the Cleveland Play House announced that it's moving to Playhouse Square. One of the reasons cited was to save money. What changes can we expect to see in the arts institutions of Northeast Ohio? What can be done to make sure our museums and theaters survive and ultimately thrive? Friday morning at 9 on The Sound of Ideas.

Thursday Reporters’ Roundtable
Thursday, April 9
The Cuyahoga County Commissioners have made public the development agreement for the proposed convention center and medical mart. Local hospitals reveal how much they are actually spending taking care of the poor, instead of what they would charge. The Port Authority applies for stimulus money to pay for renovations to Cleveland docks they want to tear down in a little over a decade. Governor Strickland finds himself on the receiving end of a lawsuit and the people who staff Ohio's prisons say overcrowding is making them increasingly dangerous places. Join us Thursday at 9:00 a.m. for discussion of the week's top stories on The Sound of Ideas.

The Boiling Point
Wednesday, April 8
When Clevelander Mansfield Frazier was repeatedly passed over for promotion forty years ago, he seethed. His Browning rifle, he writes for The Daily Beast, became his best friend. He had a rooftop and targets picked out. But unlike some recent shooters in Binghamton, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland, Frazier stopped just short of exacting revenge. This recent spate of mass shootings raises the question why some can't control the rage inside. Wednesday morning at 9 we'll talk about what happens when people approach their boiling points.

Baseball Special Edition
Tuesday, April 7
It’s said that umpiring is the only profession in which you’re expected to start out perfect and improve from there. Baseball umpires hardly lead a charmed life. Their every decision is spot-checked and often reviled by thousands of hostile fans; plus, travel schedules are brutal and pay is meager unless you’re in the majors. New York Times reporter Bruce Weber spent three years going to umpire school and living the life of the men (and a handful of women) in blue. He wrote about it in his new book, “As They See ‘Em: A Fan’s Travels in the Land of Umpires.” We’ll hear Weber’s journey, plus talk to the general managers of the Cleveland Indians and Lake Erie Crushers Tuesday morning at 9:00 on the Sound of Ideas.

Consumer Monday: Avoiding Cyber Scams
Monday, April 6
If you've ever been ripped off in an Internet sale, or hooked by a phishing scam, you're not alone. Americans lost more than $264 million to Internet fraud last year. Some are hoodwinked by false promises of love and romance - Others are taken in by too-good-to-be-true loans. Many buy something online – and never receive the item. Join Sheryl Harris, consumer columnist for The Plain Dealer, as she talks about internet crime and cyber swindles with local and national experts. Monday morning at 9 on The Sound of Ideas®.

Key Change: How the Music Business is Evolving
Friday, April 3
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is preparing to induct RUN DMC, Metallica, and a host of other acts this weekend, which brings to mind just how much the music business has changed since the days when Bobby Womack backed up Sam Cooke. Who could have imagined how important it could become to be mentioned in a tweet from #SXSW? Join us Friday morning at 9 for a conversation about the business of bringing us the soundtrack to our lives.

Reporters’ Roundtable
Thursday, April 2
Legislators in Columbus reach agreement on a transportation budget that includes money for passenger rail and projects that some say could either save or decimate parts of Cleveland. Suburban mayors join forces to offer the med mart project a bit of support with a few caveats. Cuyahoga County deputies find out there's a new sheriff in town. Join us this morning at 9 to talk about these stories and the rest of the week's regional news.

GM, Chrysler and Ohio
Wednesday, April 1
This week, President Obama made clear his hope that the US auto industry will survive, and GM's new CEO Frederick Henderson was quick to acknowledge bankruptcy may be a part of the future. Meanwhile, Chrysler's future hinges on the possibility of a merger with Italian car maker Fiat. This all points to big questions for the ten percent of American workers whose futures are tied to the auto industry. Wednesday morning at 9, we'll find out what that future might look like and what it will mean for Ohio. *The Sound of Ideas® will be an abbreviated show as we bring you a special April Fool's edition of Capitol Steps.