Regional News Stories Archive: February 2003

Affordable Prescription Drugs in Ohio
Originally aired Tuesday, February 4, 2003
A national debate is raging over what to do about the rising cost of prescription drugs and how to pay for them. Here in Ohio, one group thinks the state needs to take matters into its own hands. The Ohio Coalition for Affordable Prescription Drugs is demanding lower prices now. The organization is backing a bill that would allow the state to broker the lowest possible price for drugs. The savings would be passed on to over 2 million Ohioans. But opponents are fighting the effort in election offices, the Supreme Court and at the Statehouse. ideastream's Mike West has more.

Making Change: Emerging Leadership
Originally aired Wednesday, February 5, 2003
Concern is mounting that Northeast Ohio leadership is growing old. For instance, name this area's last big project. Now name one person under 40 who was directly involved with implementing that plan. Scratching your head? That's probably because there are only a handful of young professionals who are considered "in the loop." Our series, Making Change has been exploring what is involved in Reinventing Our Economy. One key element is strong leadership. But who is in line to replace "the old guard?" Ideastream's Shula Neuman reports on those who have said they are willing to assume the mantle.

New Direction For Cleveland’s African American Museum
Originally aired Tuesday, February 11, 2003
The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati got a huge boost last week. $6 million in donations were made by the founder of Black Entertainment Television and the chairman of Proctor and Gamble, bringing the total amount raised for the facility to more than $90 million. That kind of support is a far cry from what's happening closer to home at Cleveland's African American Museum. A membership campaign for the museum that kicked off with the start of Black History Month raised less than $2,500. As ideastream's Renita Jablonski reports, the museum needs to re-define its mission before it will get the support it wants.

Oberlin Family Embraces Copeland Heritage
Originally aired Thursday, February 13, 2003
Families are important to most of us - the central force that shapes and sustains our lives. For African-Americans denied normal family life during the generations of slavery, families are especially important. But for that same reason, it's often difficult for African-American families to know their heritage, to trace the lives of ancestors whose unwritten stories are little more than family memory. One Oberlin family recently recaptured a heritage that was nearly lost, but has since become an important part of the American story. As ideastream's correspondent Karen Schaefer reports, descendants of the Copeland family are still learning what the lives of a pair of famous brothers mean to them today.

Making Change:  Worker Training is Critical in High-Tech Economy
Originally aired Friday, February 14, 2003
In the midst of Ohio's budget woes, Governor Taft faces the monumental challenge of trying to push through his Third Frontier Initiative. As you may recall, that's the governor's one-point-six billion-dollar plan to spur high-tech research and jobs here in the Buckeye State. Our Making Change series has been exploring ways to reinvent Northeast Ohio's economy. One key element is developing high-tech industry for the area. But as efforts like the Third Frontier move forward, there's a problem. Right now, we don't have enough qualified people to fill the high-tech jobs we already have... let alone any new ones. But folks here in Northeastern Ohio aren't just sitting around wringing their hands over our shortage of skilled workers. Julie Henry reports on how individuals, businesses, and educational institutions are taking steps to improve the quality of our local workforce.

African-American Business Owners
Originally aired Friday, February 14, 2003
Starting a successful business is difficult for anyone - but it's even harder for minorities. They face discrimination from potential customers and lending institutions. There are also unique problems with setting up shop in neighborhoods with high minority populations. ideastream's Mike West has the report on the challenges of faced by African-American entrepreneurs.

Making Change:  Cleveland Business and the Schools
Originally aired Wednesday, February 19, 2003
State education officials are preparing report cards to mail out--grading the progress of Ohio's schools. Parents, teachers, and administrators are anxiously waiting to see who made the grade. But there's one stakeholder that's not waiting around. Businesses understand that education is a key to economic development. As part of Making Change: Reinventing Our Economy, ideastream's SN explains why some area businesses are taking education into their own hands.

ideastream Focus on Mental Health: Sparks Fly as Levy Vote Set For May 6th
Originally aired Wednesday, February 19, 2003
A special election has been called for Cuyahoga County. Voters will be asked on May 6th to support a tax increase for Health and Human Service programs. While county leaders acknowledge that tax hikes are a tough sell, they're trying to head off voters concerns and avoid a few political land mines along the way. ideastream's April Baer has the story.

Proposed Education Cuts Draw Anger
Originally aired Friday, February 21, 2003
Proposed cuts at the state level drew an angry response from school superintendents Thursday. 90.3's Bill Rice reports.

ideastream Focus on Mental Health: Mental Health - A Funding Overview
Originally aired Tuesday, February 25, 2003
A special commission appointed by President Bush is taking a hard look at the plight of people with mental illness. The commission, led by the head of Ohio's Mental Health department, will deliver a final report at the end of April. The group's preliminary findings indicate serious systemic problems - chief among them - funding. Even though eighty billion dollars is spent each year on treatment and services, about half of all people with mental illness are not getting the treatment they need. ideastream's April Baer reports.

ideastream Focus on Mental Health: An Interview with Eric Fingerhut
Originally aired Tuesday, February 25, 2003
Web Exclusive - Eric Fingerhut is widely known as one of the legislature's most informed members when it comes to mental health issues. ideastream's April Baer sat down with him recently.

ideastream Focus on Mental Health: Mental Health Funding: Winners and Losers
Originally aired Wednesday, February 26, 2003
This month at the statehouse, Ohio's leaders are making budget decisions that will affect millions of people - including those who rely on the state for mental health. Those most seriously afflicted often have no choice but to look to the state for coverage through Medicaid. But at the same time, Medicaid rules have limited local agencies in what kind of services they can use state dollars to pay for. ideastream's April Baer explains who's winning and who's losing under the current system.

ideastream Focus on Mental Health: Funding Community Mental Health: Tim Hagan
Originally aired Wednesday, February 26, 2003
Since local funding for mental health services is a relatively new thing, county leaders are still working out the best way to handle it. In some places, like Lorain County, separate levies have been constructed just for mental health services. Other counties, like Cuyahoga, divert money from omnibus health and human service funds. In fact, Cuyahoga County's commissioners will ask voters to approve 4.9 mils for health and Human Services May 6th, 2003. From time to time, consumers and providers have wondered why Cuyahoga County never gave mental health its own levy. With such a large caseload, and many people with serious disturbances, some believe the mental health board would be better served by a stable, separate funding source. Recently, ideastream's April Baer called former Cuyahoga County commissioner Tim Hagan to talk about why this hasn't been done.

Homeland Security at Home
Originally aired Friday, February 28, 2003
This Friday, the new Department of Homeland Security officially takes over the work of more than 170,000 government employees formerly associated with 22 different federal agencies. But elected officials in Ohio argue that it's local emergency response teams who will be the first to meet the demand for assistance in the event of another terrorist attack. They're asking for more money from the federal government to fund the additional responsibility for homeland security. In the meantime, local emergency response agencies are planning what to do if a terrorist attack occurs. ideastream's Karen Schaefer has this report on the state of homeland security right here at home.