Regional News Stories Archive: August 2003

Revamping Local VA Hospitals
Originally aired Wednesday, August 13, 2003
Members of a federal commission looking into revamping the Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities were in Cleveland yesterday. The commissioners heard testimony from Veterans groups and others concerning the proposed consolidation of two area VA hospitals. ideastream's Bill Rice reports.

ideastream Focus on Housing: Hidden Lives
Originally aired Thursday, August 14, 2003
In any city, including Cleveland, many things go unseen. We don't know what goes on in the apartments we pass on the way to work, or what's really happening down by the railroad tracks or underneath a bridge. As part of our series on affordable housing, ideastream's Janet Babin uncovers two lives that otherwise might have remained hidden. She has this profile.

In the Dark: Dealing with the Recent Blackout
Originally aired Monday, August 18, 2003
Life seems to be getting back to normal in northeast Ohio after Thursday's massive blackout, but the city is still dealing with some outstanding problems and is waiting, along with the rest of the country, for some answers. ideastream's Renita Jablonski reports.

Making Change: Making Change through Technology Transfer
Originally aired Wednesday, August 20, 2003
The area's business leaders believe a new convention center could be the catalyst to economic growth for the region. However, there are others who believe we should be paying more attention and energy encouraging "technology transfer." Tech transfer capitalizes on the region's strengths by taking all that research from places like Case Western Reserve University and the Cleveland Clinic and finding commercial applications. As part of Making Change: Reinventing our Economy, ideastream's Shula Neuman sheds some light on the economic potential for technology transfer in the region.

Ethanol: The Promise (Part 1 of 2)
Originally aired Wednesday, August 27, 2003
Prices at the pump are way up this week. Since the blackout, the cost of a gallon of regular gas in Ohio has been as high as a $1.83 a gallon. Alternative fuels have long been discussed. But have never mounted a serious challenge to gasoline. Perhaps ethanol has come the closest. Many farmers, politicians and business leaders say ethanol shows great promise for the state's struggling economy. About half of Ohio's gas stations already put ethanol in their gasoline. That makes the state one of the top consumers of ethanol, but not a drop is produced in Ohio. ideastream's Mike West reports.

Ethanol: The Challenge (Part 2 of 2)
Originally aired Wednesday, August 27, 2003
Prices at the gas pumps have jumped in recent days and many state officials are now looking toward ethanol. The corn-based additive promises everything from cleaner air to job creation. New state assistance programs now provide money for building ethanol plants. The state also offers tax incentives once the refineries are producing. But many challenges for ethanol lay ahead. Previous efforts to manufacture ethanol have failed and now environmentalists and some researchers warn against its use. ideastream's Mike West has this report.

Graffiti Arts Festival Embraces Spray-Can Murals
Originally aired Friday, August 29, 2003
Graffiti often draws negative reactions but Labor Day weekend the city embraced spray-can murals. Cleveland Public Art hosted the Second Annual International Graffiti Arts Festival. The idea is to give writing on the wall a new name - "art" instead of "vandalism." But for serious aerosol artists, graffiti already has that connotation. ideastream's Renita Jablonski got a taste of graffiti passion this week. She spent time with some local artists at one of their favorite LEGAL spots, and brings us this sound portrait.