90.3 at 9: April 2006

90.3 at 9 for Monday, April 03, 2006
Demonstrations have been bigger, more widespread, and more explosive than probably anybody predicted. The issue is immigration reform. What do you think? Should workers here illegally get an official stamp of approval, if only for a time? Should the borders be further tightened? How should a land built largely by immigrants handle illegal immigration? We'll talk about it on 90.3 at 9.

90.3 at 9 for Tuesday, April 04, 2006
So, we now know who will be the next CEO of the Cleveland Schools - he's the soon-to-be-ex-Superintendent of the Toledo Public Schools. In the six years since Eugene Sanders became Superintendent of Toledo's schools, he's racked up some notable accomplishments - a significant improvement in test scores; the passage of some school levies. How well have his experiences prepared him to lead the Cleveland schools? We'll talk about it on 90.3 at 9.

90.3 at 9 for Wednesday, April 05, 2006
If you've ever shared a hospital room you may be pleased to learn that new national guidelines suggest private rooms become the norm. Experts say private rooms can cut down on infection rates, medical errors, violations of privacy, and unnecessary stress. They also cost more, at least at first. Are they worth it? How else might hospitals be made safer and more efficient? We'll talk about it on 90.3 at 9.

90.3 at 9 for Thursday, April 06, 2006
State lawmakers recently passed a piece of legislation that makes fundamental changes in how Ohio regulates air pollution. Proponents of the bill say it clarifies an extremely confusing regulatory process; opponents say it is guaranteed to worsen Ohio's already bad air. What are your thoughts? Are lawmakers giving polluters a green light, or just requiring more accountability from state regulators? We'll clear the air on 90.3 at 9.

90.3 at 9 for Friday, April 07, 2006
So, Opening Day is upon us. How do you think the Indians will do this year? Will it be a season of joy or despair? Or maybe a season of joy and despair? Meanwhile, who will be the stand-outs? Whose performance will knock your socks off? We'll talk with a couple of sports writers and a sports blogger; hear from Bob DiBiasio, vice president of public relations for the Indians; and take your calls about baseball on 90.3 at 9.

90.3 at 9 for Monday, April 10, 2006
Just what does it take to get into a good college these days? Is it grades? Scores? Extracurricular Activities? Luck? Seems like it's been getting harder to distinguish yourself. If everybody takes advanced placement courses, for example, how much does it mean for you to do so? If a lot of students have six extracurricular activities, will your three activities pale in comparison? College admissions is the topic today on 90.3 at 9.

90.3 at 9 for Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Here's something you may not have heard of: World Voice Day. It was launched in Brazil in 1999 as a way to raise awarenesss of vocal health. Seven million Americans are believed to have some type of voice disorder - polyps or lesions; vocal chord paralysis; throat cancer. Mind you, while the good health of your voice is an important topic, we also need to talk about the connection between how you sound and who you are. And we will, on 90.3 at 9.

90.3 at 9 for Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Make an appointment - have a baby. What could be easier? Three of ten U.S. babies is born by Caesarean. Sometimes, it's to preserve the mother's health. But for an increasing number of mothers, the c-section, or caesarean delivery on maternal request, is the method of choice for a variety of reasons. And now, the National Institutes of Health is saying elective c-sections could be a bad idea. We'll discuss why on 90.3 at 9. Join our guest host, Plain Dealer columnist Regina Brett.

90.3 at 9 for Thursday, April 13, 2006
You've written the great American novel - now the real work begins. Getting your work published can seem like a mystery worthy of Agatha Christie. We'll talk to local authors Mary Doria Russell and Thrity Umrigar about how they come up with their ideas and how they sell those ideas to publishers. Join guest host Regina Brett on 90.3 at 9.

90.3 at 9 for Friday, April 14, 2006
Is it rightfully called a conflict, a crisis... or should it be called genocide? For three years, militia groups have ransacked African villages in Darfur, Sudan, often killing or raping those who can't escape. With millions of refugees in Chad, the Sudanese government keeps the United Nations from calming the violence. Is this genocide? What can Clevelanders do, half a world away? That's on 90.3 at 9.

90.3 at 9 for Monday, April 17, 2006
He came on board as an interim president in 2001 and never left. Michael Schwartz is about to celebrate his fifth anniversary as the head of Cleveland State University. He's fashioned a new university master plan, tightened admission standards, and made CSU a presence in the suburbs. And the faculty likes him. We'll talk with the man who makes a large urban university tick, Dr. Michael Schwartz, on 90.3 at 9.

90.3 at 9 for Tuesday, April 18, 2006
A half million Massachusetts residents don't have health insurance. But that's about to change. Massachusetts just became the first state in the nation to pass a law requiring health insurance for everyone. It's being hailed as a boon to those who can't afford it, but it has its critics. We'll examine the new plan and ask can it work here, on 90.3 at 9.

90.3 at 9 for Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Health officials worldwide are keeping a close watch on the H5N1 avian flu virus, suspected as a possible source for the next global outbreak of influenza. It hasn't yet jumped to people, but whether it's bird flu or some other virus, health experts predict that thousands, perhaps millions of lives young and old could be at stake. What is the health community doing to get ready for the flu? We'll focus on pandemic flu preparations here in Ohio with experts from public health and agriculture - and we'll take your calls, on 90.3 at 9.

90.3 at 9 for Thursday, April 20, 2006
$70-a-barrel oil and going higher. How is that going to change your world? Already we're seeing the effects of global demand for oil. What is $70 or $80 oil and $3 gas going to do to a northeast Ohio economy already under stress? And how will high oil prices affect your plans for summer? Join the discussion on 90.3 at 9.

90.3 at 9 for Friday, April 21, 2006
You can list some of the topics she covers - religion, politics, love - but that won't give you a feel for the way she blends things together. She connects everything, you see; attaching religion to love, love to politics, and politics to something else again. But we can't speak for Plain Dealer columnist Connie Schultz, who won last year's Pulitzer Prize for commentary. She can and will speak for herself on 90.3 at 9.

90.3 at 9 for Monday, April 24, 2006
It's a pretty good time to be a black business owner in Northeast Ohio. Sales, payroll, and sheer numbers are up, according to U.S. Census figures. But the Census figures in question date from 1997 and 2002. Quite a lot has changed since 2002. So, just what is the status of black-owned businesses in Northeast Ohio? And what are the factors that distinguish those who thrive from those who fail? We'll talk about it on 90.3 at 9.

90.3 at 9 for Tuesday, April 25, 2006
If you're a Maple Heights parent with a teen whose behavior is out of line, be prepared to feel the impact of their misdeeds in your pocketbook. A new ordinance passed by the city allows arents to be fined and/or charged with misdemeanors when their kids commit crimes. Officials say their goal is to encourage parental responsibility. We'll talk about the broader concept of parental responsibility and hear from the mayor of Silverton, Oregon, the city whose law served as the pattern for the Maple Heights ordinance. Will parental punishment achieve that goal? We'll talk about it on 90.3 at 9.

90.3 at 9 for Wednesday, April 26, 2006
The two primary races for governor could not be more different - a raging battle on one side, no contest on the other... at least, according to polls. As Republicans Ken Blackwell and Jim Petro debate how to boost Ohio's economy and safeguard the well-being of its citizens, presumptive Democratic nominee Ted Strickland highlights his support of higher education and lower health care costs. Who will be our next governor, and what will he do for Ohio? We'll talk about it on 90.3 at 9.

90.3 at 9 for Thursday, April 27, 2006
Every election, it's the same. You rush through the ballot, already having decided what and whom you support. Then you stop cold - stuck on judicial candidates you know nothing about. Well, not anymore. Now, you can get all kinds of information about the candidates, courtesy of five Northeast Ohio bar associations. We'll talk about that - and Cuyahoga County's new electronic voting system - on 90.3 at 9.

90.3 at 9 for Friday, April 28, 2006
You remember that old suntan lotion ad featuring a little sunburned kid wearing a bathing suit? Probably you haven't seen it for awhile. Not since evidence began mounting that sunburn, especially during childhood, increases skin cancer risk. So, you're preparing for summer by buying vats of high-SPF sunblock - right? You may be visiting tanning salons instead. Is that putting image ahead of health? We'll talk about it on 90.3 at 9.