Regional News Stories Archive: May 2006

Making Change: Moving Out
Originally aired Monday, May 1, 2006
Two recent reports document a major loss of jobs and population in Cuyahoga County. As part of Making Change: Building the Region's Future, ideastream's David C. Barnett examines the reasons behind these troubling numbers and the effect they are having on Northeast Ohio.

Saying Goodbye to Ohio Ballet Founder Heinz Poll
Originally aired Monday, May 1, 2006
The founding director of the Ohio Ballet has died. Heinz Poll was 80 years old and spent much of the last year fighting kidney cancer. He spent much of the recent weeks surrounded by friends and family. He died at 3 AM Sunday morning at home under hospice care. ideastream's Mark Urycki has this remembrance.

Residency Battle
Originally aired Tuesday, May 2, 2006
The cities of Cleveland and Akron have filed suit to throw out the new state law banning residency requirements. The law went into effect yesterday (May 1) but city workers are not about to start shopping for homes in the suburbs. ideastream's Mark Urycki reports.

Not Enough Demand for Health Sciences?
Originally aired Friday, May 5, 2006
As the healthcare industry grows, a northeast Ohio college and university are teaming up to turn out graduates trained in health sciences more quickly. But there's concern they may not be able to handle the demand. ideastream's Lisa Ann Pinkerton reports.

Medicare Enrollment: Interview with SSA’s Mike Korbey
Originally aired Monday, May 8, 2006
Missing the sign-up deadline to sign up for the Medicare prescription drug benefit can be costly because there are penalties for registering after the May 15th cutoff. ideastream's Paul Cox talked about it with Mike Korbey, a senior adviser in the Social Security Administration.

Medicare Enrollment Deadline Approaches
Originally aired Monday, May 8, 2006
The initial deadline to enroll in the Medicare drug prescription plan is just a week away and millions of eligible beneficiaries have yet to enroll. Signing up later will cost participants considerably more. Widespread confusion about the government subsidized insurance plan and too many choices are partly to blame, but advocates for the elderly say the hassle is well worth the effort. ideastream's Karen Schaefer prepared this report.

Cuyahoga County Elections Probe
Originally aired Tuesday, May 9, 2006
The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections has begun an investigation into problems with their vote count during last week's primaries. The County tried out touch-screen and optical scan ballots for the first time but poll workers were unable to finish the counting until Sunday night. ideastream's Mark Urycki reports.

Children’s Health: Pioneering High School Helps Teens With Addiction
Originally aired Tuesday, May 9, 2006
For many young people, drinking seems to be a rite of passage into adulthood. But for some, it's a short step from having fun to having an addiction. ideastream's David C. Barnett recently paid a visit to a pioneering Ohio high school where addicted teens help each other stay straight.

New Clinic Conflict of Interest Policy
Originally aired Wednesday, May 10, 2006
The Cleveland Clinic says it will provide more transparency and pay more attention to conflicts of interest within its hospitals and research facilities. This comes after final recommendations to the Clinic were made public yesterday. But some critics say conflicts of interest at the Clinic - and other medical centers - are too big to fix in one day. ideastream's Lisa Ann Pinkerton reports.

Topping Off Browns Stadium
Originally aired Friday, May 12, 2006
Cleveland City Council's Planning Committee has requested that both the Mayor and the Council president put together a committee to study building a roof for Browns Stadium. The Planning Committee was impressed Thursday with a proposal from architect Robert Corna to put a retractable lid on the city-owned stadium. ideastream's Mark Urycki reports.

Challenges Facing Cleveland’s New Catholic Bishop
Originally aired Monday, May 15, 2006
Boston Vicar-General Richard Lennon began his ceremonial journey Monday to become the 10th Bishop of the Cleveland Catholic Diocese. Last night's "Solemn Vespers" service was an occasion of celebration, but it comes at a time of significant change in the Catholic Church. ideastream's David C. Barnett has this report on some issues the new Bishop will face after the sounds of pomp and circumstance have faded.

Talking Medicare with Rev. Jesse Jackson
Originally aired Monday, May 15, 2006
Today (Monday, May 15) is the last day to sign up for the Medicare prescription drug benefit (Part D). Those who sign up after today will play a higher premium. Among the voices urging seniors to register is Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sr., who'll speak this afternoon at Olivet Institutional Baptist Church. He dropped by our studios to chat with morning host Dan Moulthrop about Medicare and immigration, the topic of Monday night's presidential address.

Cleveland Catholics Install a New Bishop
Originally aired Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Hundreds of clerics from around the country filled St. John's Cathedral Monday to join Cleveland-area Catholics in welcoming a new Bishop. ideastream's David C. Barnett has this report on the installation ceremonies for Boston-native Richard Lennon, an event filled with colorful clothing and ancient ritual.

Glut of Houses for Sale in Northern Ohio
Originally aired Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Driving around your neighborhood, you may have noticed more for sale signs up than usual. You're not imagining things. After several years of record sales, Northern Ohio realtors are reporting a glut in homes in many local markets. ideastream's Mhari Saito reports.

Defining Faith & Politics: We Believe Ohio
Originally aired Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Today, a number of local clergy and lay leaders - Jewish, Catholic and Protestant - will join a growing group of religious leaders in Ohio who are seeking to define their faith, and their politics, outside of the domain of the religious right. The organization is called We Believe Ohio, and it's a newcomer on the political scene. ideastream's Dan Moulthrop has more.

An Institution Retires: Alex Machaskee, Plain Dealer Publisher
Originally aired Wednesday, May 17, 2006
The Plain Dealer has announced the hiring of a new leader. Terrance Egger is succeeding Alex Machaskee as president and publisher of Ohio's largest newspaper. Egger has been publisher of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The 69-year-old Machaskee is retiring after serving as publisher since 1990 and working at the Plain Dealer for nearly 46 years. Machaskee recently spoke with ideastream's Dan Moulthrop.

The Art of Blogging: A Conversation with George Nemeth
Originally aired Wednesday, May 17, 2006
There are blogs these days for every taste. You've got local politics, housecleaning advice from a self-described slob, and corporate management tips gleaned from Major League Baseball. Wednesday morning, the Press Club of Cleveland presented a panel on blogging. It was moderated by George Nemeth, whose very local blog is called Brewed Fresh Daily. Earlier this week, ideastream's Dan Moulthrop spoke to him about the title of the panel, "The Art of Blogging."

Immigrants in Northeast Ohio (Part 1)
Originally aired Thursday, May 18, 2006
President Bush's proposal this week to step up National Guard presence on the Mexican border has helped make the debate over immigration the hottest political topic outside the war in Iraq. What was once only an issue for border states has spread nationwide - partly, because illegal immigrants have spread nationwide. Northeast Ohio may not have as many undocumented immigrants as some regions but it was clearly built by immigrants. And they're still coming. ideastream's Mark Urycki has the first of two reports on immigration in Ohio.

Fire at Famed Goodyear Airdock
Originally aired Friday, May 19, 2006
Fire broke out in a landmark building in Akron yesterday. The famed Goodyear Airdock, where blimps were built in the early 20th century, appeared to suffer minor damage. It took almost two hours to get the blaze under control. The building has long been a sentimental favorite for Akronites but it also promises to be the site for future jobs. ideastream's Mark Urycki has details.

Times of Greatness: Negro Leagues Baseball Traveling Exhibit
Originally aired Friday, May 19, 2006
Indians fans will have a chance to relive a bygone era in American sport this weekend outside Jacobs Field. The traveling exhibit, "Times of Greatness," focuses on Negro Leagues baseball, whose stars included immortals such as Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson and "Cool Papa" Bell. Negro Leagues Baseball Museum spokesman Bob Kendrick talked about the exhibit with ideastream's Paul Cox. "Times of Greatness" is free of charge and will be open from 6:00-7:30 PM Saturday, May 20 and 11:00 AM-2:00 PM Sunday, May 21.

Immigrants in Northeast Ohio (Part 2)
Originally aired Friday, May 19, 2006
President Bush is hitting the road this week to promote his plan to have National Guard troops help beef-up security along America's southern border. And while Northeast Ohio may be a long way from Mexico, local law enforcement officials are still vexed by the challenge of illegal immigration. In the second of a two-part series, ideastream's David C. Barnett reports on how the debate over undocumented workers affects our region.

Ambitious Downtown Development Project Proposed
Originally aired Monday, May 22, 2006
Local developer Bob Stark is courting national retailers this week at the International Council of Shopping Centers Convention in Las Vegas. His goal is to lure interested partners in a proposed $1-billion downtown Cleveland development. It's a proposal some say is the most ambitious downtown project ever. ideastream's Mhari Saito has details.

Help Wanted: Akron Cops
Originally aired Tuesday, May 23, 2006
The Akron Police Department is putting up some new wanted posters. But they're not looking for criminals; they're looking for cops. For the first time in four years the A.P.D. is hiring new recruits. And they've employed a professional ad agency to help find them. ideastream's Mark Urycki reports.

Ohio Air Quality Challenges
Originally aired Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Ohio environmental officials are trying to balance better health against impacts to economic development. They're concerned the state won't be able to meet new federal standards for ozone and fine particles without spending millions of dollars and putting a chill on new investments in the region. ideastream's Karen Schaefer reports.

Sanders Approved as Cleveland Schools CEO
Originally aired Wednesday, May 24, 2006
It's official: the Cleveland Municipal School District has a new CEO. The district's school board approved a contract for former Toledo Superintendent Eugene Sanders in a special meeting last night. While his salary will be more than a quarter of a million dollars a year, board members say the new CEO of Cleveland Schools will have to work hard and smart to meet all the challenges ahead. ideastream's Lisa Ann Pinkerton reports.

Eugene Sanders Press Conference
Originally aired Wednesday, May 24, 2006
On May 24th, Mayor Frank Jackson welcomed Dr. Eugene Sanders to the city of Cleveland as the next CEO of the Cleveland Municipal School District. Dr. Sanders hails from Toledo where he raised the Toledo Public Schools up two levels from Academic Emergency to Continuous Improvement. Mayor Jackson and the School Board hope Sanders can do the same for Cleveland, where test scores and graduations rates are low.

Micro Loans Growing in Northeast Ohio
Originally aired Thursday, May 25, 2006
You may have read stories about organizations offering small business loans to poor people in Africa or South America. These so-called micro-loans are often targeted at women and have had great success pulling communities out of poverty one family at a time. But such lending is also going on in northeast Ohio - largely without notice. Cleveland State University gathered some of the lenders and recipients together for a conference this week. ideastream's Mark Urycki reports.

Making Change: Asian Business Boom
Originally aired Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Northeast Ohio's Asian-owned businesses are bustling, according to a recent census report. But, that's no surprise to those who argue that immigrant businesses can bring new life to urban areas. As a part of Making Change: Building the Region's Future, ideastream's David C. Barnett takes us on a tour.

Making Change: Celebrating the Year of the Dog
Originally aired Wednesday, May 31, 2006
In observance of the Chinese "Year of the Dog", the St. Clair-Superior Development Corpration commissioned a number of area artists to decorate 25 dog statues that are on display around the downtown neighborhood. Here are a few examples.

Life of Reilly Begins in Cleveland
Originally aired Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Cleveland's new Director of Economic Development started work this week. 39-year-old Brian Reilly comes to Cleveland from Milwaukee. He is charged with attracting businesses and jobs to the city. ideastream's Mark Urycki reports.