The deal is being called the first step toward wider collaborations, but begins with the two universities leadership roles in the field of engineering.

Dr. Norman Tien is a physics scholar, and Dean at Case Western Reserve’s School of Engineering. He initiated contact between the universities, and says the benefits of such a program could easily reach far beyond the Case campus.

DR. NORMAN C. TIEN: “One of the reasons that we wanted that to be the first step in the progresssion is the similarities between TianJin University and us on the engineering and sciences side, and also the similarities between TainJin as a city, and Cleveland as a city.”

Similarities that include booming bio-medical industries; in each town.

Dr. Tien, who is also an honorary professor at TianJin University, says the program will assist both regions in developing economic development relationships; and that there is already interest among CASE students in the exchanges.

Rick Jackson, 90.3.

“In Ohio it went from seven percent of kids in afterschool programs to twelve percent.”

Ohio is one of six states “on the move” in getting kids into after school programs, Grant says.  But there are still many kids that are going unsupervised after school - 30 percent,, or more than 600 thousand, according to the survey, up from 28 percent five years ago.  Grant says a lot of that is because of the economy. 

Grant:  “We think other types of arrangements are falling through, So where kids might have been in supervised clubs or with a nanny or an oper or in a different type of child care arrangement, those have fallen through.  So as a result we’re seeing more kids taking care of themselves.”

Most of those are middle and high school students, although a small number are younger.  There are also more kids being cared for after school by older siblings rather than adults. 

Nationwide, more than fifteen million children go unsupervised from 3-6 pm on school days. 

It also paves the way for the Mather - a 618 foot bulk freighter built in 1925 - to open to visitors year round. 

“This is phase one of what will be a multi-phase project,” said Linda Abraham Silver is President and CEO of the Science Center.  “Our next step, of course, is to renovate all of the exhibitions on board the boat, and acclimatize the boat so that we’ve got heating and air conditioning running and able to accommodate visitors nicely year round.  Now that’ll take us a little more time to do. “

Exactly how long, Abraham-Silver said, is unclear - hopefully within two to three years. 

She says one goal is to power the ships lighting by fuel cell, adding to the Science Center’s other advanced energy exhibitions - the wind turbine and solar panels located in front of the building. 

Today’s ribbon-cutting will take place at 5:30 pm Thursday at the Science Center. 

Among university plans is the addition of a K-12 school on the Cleveland State campus.
Dr. Berkman also laid out plans for what he termed “signature themes” for the school.

“One of these themes will be Health, a natural direction for us, given the outstanding medical and health related institutions based in this region. The second signature theme will be sustainable communities. Their focus will be on finding new ways to restart and sustain, urban and regional economies."}
The new President said he also wants to instill two ‘signature themes’ for Cleveland State to aim toward - the first being an increased focus on Health Education, with the second being a strict curriculum in Sustainable Communities.

Dr. Berkman comes to Cleveland after 12 years as an administrator at Florida International University in Miami.

Elmwood Elementary School in Garfield Heights was closed on Tuesday but reopened Wednesday.  And Avon Lake in Lorain County has upwards of 200 high school students out sick, but Superintendent Robert Scott says there are no plans at this time to close the school. 

Allen says districts are encouraged to stay open, but they make those decisions at their discretion.  He says parents of schoolchildren should plan ahead for their child possibly becoming ill. 

Allen:  “Certainly they should be making contingency plans, and we’re also hoping that employers understand that there may be a need for parents to be there for their children, and to be part of the solution in trying to prevent transmission from expanding in the community by allowing them to stay home when they’re ill or when their kids are ill.”

Allen says flu viruses are unpredictable, but there’s one thing that’s known for sure:  this flu season is going to be far longer than usual. 

Bill Rice, 90.3. 

Raising taxes rarely brings cheers from a crowd but Monique Menifee gladly joined a group chanting to do just that at a rally at tower city Friday.  Issue four - is a proposed levy that would substantially increase what county homeowners contribute to the Cuyahoga Community College budget.  Menifee is a student there.

Tri-c president Jerry Sue Thornton was at the rally too ....explaining that the state is cutting its support for community colleges and the decline in property values also has reduced what they’ll have to operate on ....without the tax hike.

DR. JERRY SUE THORNTON: “ It’s not that we would have to do slight changes if this levy does not pass; it’s major changes. It would be a very different college.”

The cuts have come at a time when enrollment at tri-c is growing as the newly unemployed flock back to school.  Thornton says the school has already trimmed costs in the facing of rising demand for its services. 

The change ...if voters approve...would translate into an 18 dollar tax increase for every 100,000 dollars in home value. 

Rick Jackson, 90.3.