The Sound of Ideas

The next "Sound of Ideas Community Tour" is being held in conjunction with the Cleveland Orchestra's Mandel Opera and Humanities Festival and focuses on people reentering society post-incarceration.

Cleveland Heights Mayor Kahlil Seren posted a 15-minute video on social media Wednesday, denying that his wife made antisemitic remarks in text messages and conversation. Residents angrily confronted him at Monday night's City Council meeting, demanding his resignation. He has been under fire since March, when former Akron Mayor resigned as city administrator just three months into his tenure, saying the job was untenable because of a relative of the mayor. Questions about the actions of the mayor's wife, Natalie McDaniel, have persisted. The council will hold a special committee meeting later Friday in which they'll discuss the mayor's comments. We will discuss the mayor's response and what led to it to begin Friday's “Sound of Ideas Reporters Roundtable.” We will also talk about some of the other top stories of the week including, the city of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County cutting ties this week with the Greater Cleveland Partnership. The GCP, the region's chamber of commerce, sided with the Browns ownership by endorsing the plan to leave downtown for a new football complex in Brook Park.

A new Mother Jones investigation looked at the role Wall Street played in Steward Health Care's recent bankruptcy, which led to the closures of two hospitals in Trumbull County.

When it comes to managing serious illness or the final phase of life, surveys show that a majority of Americans say they have at least heard of hospice or palliative care but most admit they may not know a lot about either topic. We're going to talk about both to begin Wednesdays “Sound of Ideas." Later, it's an excerpt from the latest episode of "Living for We: Keep Ya Head Up."

The Ohio House's version of the state budget would reduce state funding for public libraries by more than $100 million over the next two years, compared to the Governor's proposal.

Several reporters from The Marshall Project - Cleveland are covering how Cuyahoga County's Office of Reentry is working with neighborhood groups to assist with those leaving prison.

A grassroots effort to eliminate property taxes in Ohio received the green light this week to begin gathering signatures for the proposed ballot measure. Citizens for Property Tax Reform must gather 443,000 valid signatures from 44 of Ohio's 88 by July 2 to qualify for the November ballot. Property taxes and relief have been a major concern for Ohioans as valuations have risen steeply for many over the last few years. We will begin the Friday “Sound of Ideas Reporters Roundtable” with the property tax amendment and what it could mean for Ohio if passed.

A University Hospitals cardiologist explains how exposure to environmental factors such as air and water pollution may put you at higher risk of developing heart disease and chronic health issues.

The formal inauguration mass for Pope Leo the Fourteenth will be celebrated this weekend in Rome where he will be enthroned as the leader of the Catholic Church. Coming up, we will talk with Northeast Ohio Catholics about the selection of Pope Leo and how the choice is impacting the church. Later, did you have a list of chores to do as a kid? Many children today aren't helping around the house as much as previous generations due to busy school and extra curricular schedules. But experts say those small household tasks can set children up for later life success.

The federal government restarted collections following a five-year pause, which could impact five million borrowers with millions more on the precipice of going into default, according to the Department of Education.

Climate data shows that we're experiencing longer growing seasons, which means more pollen and allergens.

Cleveland Hopkins Airport will be getting a major makeover in the next decade. The city unveiled a $1.1 billion renovation including a new terminal that will open in 2032, and other enhancements including more parking and a new Regional Transit Authority Red Line rapid transit station. Mayor Just Bibb said in announcing the makeover that in order to be a world class city, Cleveland needed a world class airport. He also acknowledged he's heard the complaints about the airport's bathrooms. We will talk about the renovation of the airport to begin this week's Friday Reporters Roundtable.

The National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has announced a partnership that will focus on studying the root causes of autism spectrum disorder using Medicare and Medicaid enrollees' data.

We will talk with the League of Women Voters of Ohio about the recognition of women's achievements and author Allison Tyra talks about her new book, "Uncredited."

Cleveland's infant mortality rate is significantly higher than the national average. A new birthing center in the city's Hough neighborhood aims to improve outcomes for Black and brown mothers and children.

As part of Akron's yearlong bicentennial celebration, the city has planned various events through the summer, including the Heart of Akron Festival on July 3 and 4.

Akron's board of education accepted the resignation of the current superintendent and hired its next district leader without a search. It all happened in one very long meeting this week. Out is Michael Robinson who leaves after less than two years leading the district. An investigation found allegations that he bullied and intimidated staff were credible. In is Mary Outley. She's twice been the interim superintendent and was tapped for the job when the board put Robinson on leave earlier this month due to the investigation into complaints against him. We will begin the Friday “Sound of Ideas Reporters Roundtable” with the district's change in leadership.

On May 4, 1970, members of the Ohio National Guard fired into a crowd of Kent State University demonstrators, killing four and wounding nine students. Events are planned on campus from May 2–4 to commemorate the day.

For years, scholars have been drawing parallels to the evolution of the Roman Republic and the modern United States.

Gov. Mike DeWine started the H2Ohio program in 2019 to address water quality issues in Ohio, but it could see massive cuts if cuts in the House version of the budget are incorporated into the final spending document.

Sandra Morgan was appointed to serve as East Cleveland's interim mayor in late February, following the suspension of Mayor Brandon King, who soon faces trial for corruption-related charges.

Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb delivered his state of the city Wednesday and said the city needs to be resilient due to cuts and proposed cuts from the Trump administration and Congress. Washington is not coming to save us, the mayor said. He touched on the accomplishments made in his first term and touched on a number of other topics. Bibb said the city will push forward on its plan to develop the lakefront, part of a city on two waterfronts vision. The mayor said the plan will not rely on whether the Browns remain Downtown. He put the chances of the team leaving for a new domed stadium in Brook Park at 50%. We will talk about the state of the city address on the Friday “Sound of Ideas Reporters Roundtable.”

According to the United Nations, food waste now accounts for up to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Catholics worldwide are mourning the death of Pope Francis. The 88-year-old pontiff died Monday, one day after he blessed the Easter crowds gathered in Rome. Pope Francis leaves behind a legacy of social justice with his primary concern for the world's poor and a focus on environmental stewardship.

The issue of microplastics continues to grow as a threat to public health and the environment. Local researchers and engineers are tackling the problem through educational programming and innovative filtration technology.

The Cleveland Public Market Corporation has been running the West Side Market since April of 2024.

The board of the Akron Public Schools placed Superintendent Michael Robinson on paid administrative leave this week after an independent investigation found credible allegations of abusive behavior, bullying and retaliation toward staff. The board held a special meeting this week after receiving the report. Robinson signed a five-year contract with Akron Public Schools in the summer of 2023 and is on leave pending board action. We will begin Friday's “Sound of Ideas Reporters Roundtable” with Education Reporter discussing the report and why not all board members voted to place the superintendent on leave.

Some academics think that President Trump's 100+% tariffs on China could have an adverse effect on the state's farmers, who export a lot of corn and soybeans.

Cleveland's urban tree canopy stands at 18% and is rapidly declining. Community groups like the Cleveland Tree Coalition and Holden Forests & Gardens are working together to reverse the trend.

As President Trump surrounds himself with wealthy tech moguls, the term "oligarchy" is being used more and more, but is it an appropriate label for this moment in American history?

Ohio libraries will get more funding under the House's budget, which was passed Wednesday. That after intense backlash over proposed library funding cuts prompted lawmakers to reconsider. Still, there's big worry about future budgets because lawmakers refused to restore the method of funding libraries in place since the Celeste administration of earmarking a set percentage of the General Revenue Fund for libraries in every budget. What will that mean for future library funding? The budget passed 60 to 39 without any support from Democrats and with five Republicans voting against it. The House budget includes the $600 million in 30-year state-backed bonds requested by the Haslam Sports Group to help fund a new domed Browns stadium complex in Brook Park. There was a last-minute push by Republicans to cut the funding, but it fell short. An amendment, though, forced the Browns to sweeten their insurance against failure by putting up $50 million instead of $30 million. We will begin Friday's “Sound of Ideas Reporters Roundtable” with a discussion of the House budget and the various changed made to it before it passed onto the Ohio Senate. 

A survey of nearly 1,500 residents reveals that Clevelanders were two to three times more likely to have unmet food, housing and transportation needs, as compared to the state and nation.

In Cleveland, large parcels of land for development or redevelopment are hard to come by. But a new project may be a rare opportunity to reimagine a current industrial brownfield site and bring people back to the city. Spurred by state and city funding, the former National Acme building on East 131st Street will be demolished and the newly vacant land remediated. Combined with an adjacent parcel of 22 acres acquired by the city and once occupied by Republic Steel, the combined plot will offer 37 acres to attract businesses and jobs back into the city. The Acme site in its heyday was a national leader in the manufacture of machine tools but has been shuttered for decades. On the “Sound of Ideas” we will talk to the stakeholders on the remediation project including the Cuyahoga Land Bank and the Site Readiness for Good Jobs Fund. 

A proposed state budget calls for the end of the Public Library Fund, as libraries from across the state descend on Columbus for Library Legislative Day.

April 7 is the last day to register to vote in the May 6 Primary Election. Visit your county board of elections website to learn about changes to polling locations and accepted forms of identification.

The Ohio House unveiled its version of the state budget this week. The two-year spending plan makes several changes to proposals put forth by Governor Mike DeWine in his budget. One major change involves funding to K-12 public schools, with House Republicans signaling the intention to move away from the bipartisan Fair School Funding Plan agreed to in 2021. The six-year plan attempted to overhaul the state's heavy reliance on property taxes to fund schools. That system has been ruled unconstitutional four times because the Ohio Supreme Court said it created educational disparities. The House Budget, however, did include $600 million in bonds to go towards plans to build a new domed stadium for the Cleveland Browns in Brook Park. The Haslam Sports Group sought the money as part of a larger plan that includes the stadium and a surrounding mixed-use development. We will dig into the House budget proposal to begin Friday's "Sound of Ideas Reporters Roundtable.

The Rust Belt Humanities Lab at Ursuline College is using community events and guest speakers to help students and residents re-imagine the region and its future.

The pandemic has permanently altered K-12 education, leaving long-term consequences that are still felt today by students, teachers, administrators and parents. Many experts are concerned that these challenges will persist for years to come. Today, students—both locally and across the country—are still struggling to catch up. The latest scores from the Nation's Report Card reveal that fourth and eighth-grade students are still performing below pre-pandemic levels in both reading and math. Additionally, schools continue to face challenges such as chronic absenteeism and social-emotional issues.

Two MetroHealth medical professionals have published a collection of case narratives exploring health inequities among patients and health care providers.

Local organizations are working together to bring Shaker Square back to its glory days and make it a thriving destination for year-round shopping, dining, and recreation.

Cleveland lost two council seats this year as prescribed by the city's charter and based on population numbers from the decennial census. Ward maps were redrawn to accommodate the reduction in the council's size. That process means that a third of Cleveland's voters will have to cast their ballots at a new polling location in the upcoming May primary. The potential for confusion has raised concerns that new wards combined with new polling locations will mean more voters will skip the process driving down Cleveland's dismal voter turnout numbers. We will talk about the new polling locations to begin the “Sound of Ideas Reporters Roundtable” on Friday.

The “Enact Advance Ohio Higher Education Act,” or Senate Bill 1, will eliminate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs, prohibit faculty strikes and grants university trustees more power over financial decisions.

A new Ohio law will lift driver's license suspensions for people with unpaid court fines and fees. The law takes effect on April 9. Going forward, courts can no longer issue immediate license suspensions when drivers don't pay a court fine or fee. It's a change advocates have been seeking for years, arguing that license suspensions unfairly impacted low-income drivers and people of color. Later in the show, a conversation about how Ohio food banks are dealing with the growing need from families in Ohio while also dealing with funding cuts at the federal and potentially the state level too. Finally, we bring you an excerpt of the next episode of Ideastream's “Living For We: Keep Ya Head Up” podcast entitled "Something Greater Than Me."