Regional News Stories Archive: March 2007

New Auditor Vows to Make Sense of Financial Discrepancies
Originally aired Thursday, March 1, 2007
Ohio's recently elected statewide office-holders are mostly democrats, after nearly two decades of GOP. But one republican statewide contender did manage to pull out a win. Auditor Mary Taylor defeated democrat Barbara Sykes by a narrow margin. Taylor formerly served in the Ohio General Assembly on the House Ways and Means Committee. As auditor, she finds herself trying to make sense of some of the financial discrepancies - some say mismanagement - left behind by the previous administration. ideastream's Bill Rice spoke with Ms. Taylor.

More Talks on Akron Tax Hike
Originally aired Thursday, March 1, 2007
Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic last night attended the first of what will likely be many ward meetings to talk about his proposal to raise the city's income tax. He's running for election this year but the ballot issue most on his mind occurs in May when residents vote on the tax. ideastream's Mark Urycki reports.

Platten Named Interim Board of Elections Director
Originally aired Thursday, March 1, 2007
Cuyahoga County's Board of Elections has named Board Administrator Jane Platten as interim director. Platten has worked at the board since 2004 and is no stranger to an ongoing controversy over how the county has handled new electronic voting machines. ideastream's Mhari Saito reports.

The Police Bring Tour to Cleveland
Originally aired Friday, March 2, 2007
Getting a ticket from the police isn't something that most people look forward to, but getting a ticket to the Police is a different matter entirely. Northeast Ohio fans of the British rock trio will have the rare opportunity to do just that this weekend, as tickets go on sale for the group's reunion tour. ideastream's David C. Barnett has more.

Local Impact of Immigration
Originally aired Friday, March 2, 2007
This week, Congress once again started hearings aimed at overhauling the nation's immigration laws. As lawmakers debate the pros and cons of border security and guest worker programs, a group of Cleveland experts will discuss the local impact of immigration tonight. But, instead of meeting in a committee room, ideastream's David C. Barnett reports that this discussion will take place in an art gallery.

Jackson Gives State of the City Address
Originally aired Friday, March 2, 2007
Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson wants area residents to make an attitude adjustment. In his State of the City Address, he called on people to think of Cleveland as a great city, to bring a can-do attitude, and to invest in the community. Jackson said a lot of investing will be going over the next few years. ideastream's Mark Urycki has the details.

Mortgage Lenders Getting Nervous About Loans
Originally aired Monday, March 5, 2007
Around the country, more people are having trouble paying their mortgages on time and more homes are going into foreclosure. That's old news here in Northeast Ohio which has suffered from sky high foreclosure rates for several years. But lenders and investors are now starting to get nervous, tightening mortgage lending requirements and selling off bad loans. ideastream's Mhari Saito reports.

Clinic Merging Cancer Research with Biomedicine
Originally aired Tuesday, March 6, 2007
The Cleveland Clinic is merging it's research in the prevention and treatment of cancer with biomedicine to discover big breakthroughs in treatment using very tiny technology. ideastream's Lisa Ann Pinkerton has more on the Clinic's latest nanotechnology efforts.

Using An Old Drug in a New Way Could Save Billions
Originally aired Tuesday, March 6, 2007
A new study out of Cleveland says using an old drug in a new way might save the country $2 billion a year in costs related to premature births. ideastream's Lisa Ann Pinkerton has more.

Good (and Bad) News About Northeast Ohio High-Tech Industries
Originally aired Wednesday, March 7, 2007
A new Cleveland State University study reveals some good and bad news about trends in Northeast Ohio's high-tech industries. ideastream's Tasha Flournoy reports on some of the findings.

The Price Tag for Improving Education
Originally aired Wednesday, March 7, 2007
A draft of a new study making its way around Columbus puts price tags on various options for improving education in Ohio. When totaled up, they amount to billions of additional dollars per year. But the authors aren't recommending they all be adopted. ideastream's Dan Bobkoff reports.

American Crafts Gallery Closing
Originally aired Wednesday, March 7, 2007
The days are numbered for what is likely Cleveland's oldest arts and crafts gallery. After more than 42 years, the American Crafts Gallery near Shaker Square on Cleveland's east side is going out of business. Its owners say it's time to move on to something else. ideastream's Mark Urycki has the details.

Looking Outside the Company for Ideas
Originally aired Monday, March 12, 2007
Years ago, when a company wanted to develop a new product or improve an old one, it turned to its own in-house research and development department. More recently, several companies have slashed their R&D budgets and now look to outside help for product ideas. Finding the right help though is tricky business. ideastream's Tasha Flournoy reports on a local firm with a solution.

New Homes Started Drops 25% in 2006
Originally aired Tuesday, March 13, 2007
The number of new homes started in Northeast Ohio in 2006 dropped to its lowest level in years. But even still, area realtors are optimistic about this year's spring sales season. ideastream's Mhari Saito reports.

How Wall Street Troubles Could Impact Northeast Ohio
Originally aired Wednesday, March 14, 2007
The Dow Industrials fell 242 points yesterday, and analysts put some of the blame on an ongoing financial crisis among lenders who specialize in mortgages for people with weaker credit. Worry grows as more borrowers with these subprime loans fail to pay their mortgages on time and fall into foreclosure. Cleveland-based analyst Ivy Zelman of Credit Suisse talked with ideastream's Mhari Saito about how trouble with subprime companies on Wall Street could impact us here in Northeast Ohio.

Jim Lehrer Interview
Originally aired Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Last night, PBS news anchor Jim Lehrer was the featured speaker at the Playhouse Square lecture series in Cleveland. He also dropped by our studios for a conversation with ideastream's Dee Perry. Since he has been moderating presidential debates since the 1980s and is likely to again in the 2008 election, she asked Lehrer about the value of this particular kind of political theater.

Citizens Call For Stricter Pollution Controls
Originally aired Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Yard signs are popping up around the Cleveland neighborhoods of Tremont and Forest City calling on Mittal Steel to "Clean Up For Real." As ideastream's Lisa Ann Pinkerton reports, the campaign for stricter pollution controls is generating some national attention.

Veterans’ Care in Northeast Ohio
Originally aired Thursday, March 15, 2007
The Louis Stokes Medical Center treats 90,000 veterans at its two hospitals and more than a dozen outpatient centers in Northeast Ohio. About 2,300 of those served in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The recent revelations about poor conditions at the Army's Walter Reed Medical Center have both the Army and the Department of Veterans Affairs re-examining their care. While the Army's hospitals are separate from the VA, both are under the microscope. We wanted to get a sense of how veterans' care is here in Northeast Ohio, and ideastream's Dan Bobkoff has the report.

City of Cleveland Going to Court Over Home Rule
Originally aired Thursday, March 15, 2007
The city of Cleveland is, once again, going to court over it's right to home rule. City lawyers have filed a suit to counter a new state ordinance that may render local gun laws meaningless. ideastream's David C. Barnett reports.

Ohio Public Radio: Strickland Gives First State of the State Address
Originally aired Thursday, March 15, 2007
We have learned a good deal about Governor Strickland's vision for Ohio in his State of the State Address yesterday. It includes giving schools more money, making college more affordable and providing health care for uninsured children. And Strickland says he can accomplish all of that without raising taxes. Ohio Public Radio's Jo Ingles reports.

Some Airport Tenants Not Billed for Property Taxes
Originally aired Friday, March 16, 2007
Officials at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport have failed to bill some of their tenants for property taxes they've owed for at least 20 years. The finding comes from an internal review of Airport practices released yesterday. ideastream's Mhari Saito reports.

Talk of the Nation Remembers Brook Park Soldiers
Originally aired Friday, March 16, 2007
Many will recall the toll the fighting in Iraq took on Northeast Ohio during the summer of 2005. That's when some 20 marines from the 3rd battalion, 25th regiment based in Brook Park were killed in a single week. With that in mind - and with the 4th anniversary of the invasion of Iraq just a few days away - NPR's call-in program Talk of the Nation brought the show to Cleveland yesterday. Broadcasting from our studios at the Idea Center, host Neal Conan spoke with some Northeast Ohioans most affected by the war. ideastream's Dan Bobkoff has more.

Statehouse News Bureau: Strickland Proposes End to Annual Tuition Increases
Originally aired Friday, March 16, 2007
For years, students at state-supported universities across Ohio have been faced with annual tuition increases of 4%, 6%, 9% and more. But if Governor Strickland gets his way, those kinds of increases will soon come to an end. Statehouse correspondent Bill Cohen reports on the Governor's proposed budget.

Man Sues Tyco International Over Drug
Originally aired Friday, March 16, 2007
A Chagrin Falls man is suing the drug maker Tyco International over it's drug Optimark. The man claims the drug gave him a debilitating form of fibrosis and limited his ability to walk. ideastream's health reporter Lisa Ann Pinkerton reports.

Strange Son: Portia Iverson Interview
Originally aired Monday, March 19, 2007
For more than a decade, writer Portia Iverson couldn't communicate with her son, who is severely autistic. But today, she knows he enjoys politics, math and even has a sense of humor. She's written a book called Strange Son. ideastream's Eric Wellman spoke with Iverson about how she taught her son to communicate, and with Deborah Mandel, head of the Monarch School for Children with Autism in Shaker Heights.

Educators & Government Meet About Bullying
Originally aired Monday, March 19, 2007
Educators and government representatives from 24 states and 13 countries convened at Cuyahoga Community College last week to talk about bullying and conflict resolution in the classroom. ideastream's Dan Bobkoff has the story.

NASA Glenn Lands Spacecraft Testing Contract
Originally aired Monday, March 19, 2007
NASA's Glenn Research Center has further cemented its role in future space missions by securing a $63 million contract for spacecraft testing. ideastream's Tasha Flournoy has the story.

Ohio Public Radio: Call for Cuyahoga County Elections Board Resignations
Originally aired Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Cuyahoga County got some unwanted national attention over voting problems both in the 2004 Presidential election and again last May. In February, elections chief Michael Vu was forced out of his post. Now, Ohio's Secretary of State is asking all of the members of the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections to resign. But the board chairman says he won't step down without a fight. Ohio Public Radio's Jo Ingles has more on the story.

University Schools Students Talk With Space Station Astronaut
Originally aired Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Students from University School in Shaker Heights were treated to a unique lesson on Friday. The school connected with the International Space Station over amateur radio waves to talk to Euclid-born Astronaut Sunita Williams. ideastream's Lisa Ann Pinkerton has more.

Ohio Public Radio: Closing the Achievement Gap
Originally aired Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Governor Strickland has laid out a plan he says will help more minority and low income students perform better in school. As a key part of that plan, Strickland has created a new position, a special representative for closing the achievement gap. He's tapped former Ohio Senator C.J. Prentiss. In an interview with Ohio Public Radio's Jo Ingles, Prentiss explains what she'll be doing in this new role.

Statehouse News Bureau: Campaign Finance Law Change Won’t Fly With Ohio Voters
Originally aired Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Ohio's campaign finance laws are among the worst in the nation, according to a group studying laws on money and politics. But the author of the state's most recent campaign finance law says their main change won't fly with Ohio voters. Statehouse correspondent Karen Kasler reports.

New Regional Marketing Coming
Originally aired Wednesday, March 21, 2007
The Greater Cleveland Partnership says it's making progress on developing a new marketing strategy for the region and expects to unveil it next month. ideastream's Bill Rice reports.

Flats Eminent Domain Case Back to Court
Originally aired Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Owners of property in Cleveland's East Flats district are heading back to court today in hopes that a judge will deny the Port Authority the right to take their land by eminent domain. ideastream's Tasha Flournoy has more.

Searching for Answers in Akron Police Shooting
Originally aired Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Investigators in Akron are sifting through contradictory accounts of a shooting by police that left a 19 year old dead. The police told reporters over the weekend that officers shot and killed Demetrus Vinson after firing three bullets into his car. But a coroner has now ruled his death a suicide. It's a case where the officers were white, the victim black - and it's angered members of the black community as they search for answers. ideastream's Eric Wellman spoke with Carl Chancellor, who has been following this story for the Akron Beacon Journal.

One Family’s Foreclosure Struggle
Originally aired Thursday, March 22, 2007
Rising foreclosures and trouble in the nation's mortgage markets are now grabbing political attention. Today, top executives from four major subprime lenders are heading to Washington to testify at a Senate Banking committee hearing. And yesterday, Cleveland's struggle with foreclosures was heard in a congressional subcommittee hearing convened by U.S. Representative Dennis Kucinich. Foreclosures in Cuyahoga County are climbing this year, so far averaging nearly 1,300 a month. ideastream's Mhari Saito followed one family as it scrambled this week to save their home.

Flats Property Owners Ask Judge to Dismiss Eminent Domain Claim
Originally aired Thursday, March 22, 2007
Lawyers for both sides in the dispute over prime land in Cleveland's East Flats District were in court yesterday. The Cleveland Cuyahoga County Port Authority wants to acquire the land through eminent domain for a $230 million mixed residential and retail development project. In a contentious hearing, holdout property owners asked the judge to throw out the Port's claim. ideastream's Tasha Flournoy reports.

One Member of Board of Elections Resigns
Originally aired Thursday, March 22, 2007
One member of the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections has decided to comply with the Ohio Secretary of State's demand that the entire board resign. ideastream's Bill Rice has more.

OSU to Face Tennessee in Sweet 16 Matchup
Originally aired Thursday, March 22, 2007
Ohio State Basketball fans have a late night tonight - the Buckeyes are in San Antonio to face the Tennessee Volunteers in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA men's basketball tournament. They'll be taking the court at 10:00 PM, playing what is arguably their best basketball of the season. Doug Lesmerises is the Plain Dealer's OSU beat writer, and he spoke with ideastream's Eric Wellman about the matchup.

Erie Casino Luring Ohio Gamblers
Originally aired Friday, March 23, 2007
There were predictions that when Presque Isle Downs & Casino opened just outside Erie, Pennsylvania, Ohio gamblers would flock there and spend millions of dollars in the process. Well, the casino did open last month and the owners claim 25% of their patrons are from Ohio, and these traveling gamblers certainly are contributing to Erie's economy - especially the retired set. ideastream's David C. Barnett went along on a casino run and filed this report.

Ohio Nursing Homes Providing Above Average Care
Originally aired Friday, March 23, 2007
The Ohio Department of Aging says 60% of nursing homes and assisted living facilities in the state are providing above average care. The information is contained in the latest Consumer Guide the department compiles on the nearly 1,600 long-term care facilities serving the state's elderly. ideastream's Lisa Ann Pinkerton reports.

Statehouse News Bureau: Strickland Wants Funding Stopped for Abstinence-Only Sex Education
Originally aired Friday, March 23, 2007
Debate over "abstinence-only" sex education in Ohio classrooms is flaring up again. This latest controversy stems from Governor Strickland's call for the state to stop funding the program. Statehouse correspondent Bill Cohen reports.

Rainbow Babies to Separate Conjoined Twins
Originally aired Monday, March 26, 2007
Two little Romanian twins, conjoined at the head, are traveling to Cleveland in the coming weeks in the hopes that a series of complex and risky surgeries surgeries will separate them. ideastream's Health Reporter Lisa Ann Pinkerton has more.

Workplace Diversity: Sharon Allen Interview
Originally aired Monday, March 26, 2007
There's no question women have made tremendous inroads in the workplace over the past few decades. Yet when it comes to top management positions at our country's largest companies, the numbers show a gaping disparity, according to Catalyst, a group that does research on women in the workplace. About 4% of top management positions at Fortune 500 companies are held by women. Sharon Allen is chairman of the board of Deloitte and Touche USA. She was in Cleveland Friday to talk about this very issue of workplace diversity at the City Club. When she stopped by the ideastream Studios, she told ideastream's Eric Wellman there are signs women are making progress.

Unintended Consequences from Ethanol Energy Bill
Originally aired Monday, March 26, 2007
A story about unintended consequences - it begins two years ago, when lawmakers in Washington passed a massive energy bill. It was applauded by corn farmers because it contained provisions that would help boost ethanol production and in turn, drive up the price of corn. But now Ohio livestock producers are worried. They feed corn to their cattle, hogs and poultry. And at $4 a bushel on the Chicago Board of Trade, corn prices are double what they were last summer. That's squeezing some farmer's bottom lines. And that could mean higher prices for consumers. From Washington, Chad Pergram reports.

Ohio Public Radio: Concern Over Ohio Tuberculosis Cases
Originally aired Monday, March 26, 2007
In the 1960s and 70s, the U.S. saw a steady decline in the number of Tuberculosis cases and there were hopes it might disappear altogether in this country. Instead, the number of cases increased in the 1990s. And now, there's a concern that, here in Ohio, TB may be on the rise again. Ohio Public Radio's Bill Cohen reports.

A Look At 35 Years of Title IX
Originally aired Tuesday, March 27, 2007
In 1972, Title IX was added to the Civil Rights Act. The amendment states that it's illegal to exclude someone from school activities based on gender. The original amendment didn't specifically mention athletics, but sports equality is Title IX's lasting legacy. In the 35 years since it was passed, there have been big changes in opportunities and attitudes toward women's sports. ideastream's Dan Bobkoff takes a look now at how Ohio schools and athletes have been affected by the law.

Elizabeth Edwards Makes City Club Appearance
Originally aired Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Elizabeth Edwards, the wife of presidential hopeful John Edwards, made a stop in Cleveland yesterday. She encouraged the audience at the city club to be supportive of the people struggling with illness around them. ideastream's Health Reporter Lisa Ann Pinkerton has more.

Bringing the Final Four Home: Alice Kohl Interview
Originally aired Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Alice Kohl, Associate Director of Athletics at Cleveland State University, has been looking forward to this particular week for more than 20 years. Kohl has attended every women's Final Four basketball tournament since her coaching days began in the early 1980s. But this will be the first year she'll be staying in her home rather than in a hotel - that's because Cleveland's the host city and Kohl is largely responsible for bringing the tournament here. On top of her duties and Cleveland State, Alice Kohl is also the Tournament Director. ideastream's Eric Wellman spoke with Kohl about the tournament.

Financial Impact of Women’s Final Four
Originally aired Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Cleveland will be Ground Zero for women's basketball over the next week. The Division I NCAA Final Four playoff series hits the hardwood of Quicken Loans Arena on Sunday. Those games are part of a series of events that will put a national spotlight on Cleveland. Local officials predict that the thousands of visitors will leave millions of dollars in the local economy. ideastream's David C. Barnett has more on the potential impact of the Women's Final Four.

New Research Challenges Angioplasty Effectiveness
Originally aired Wednesday, March 28, 2007
New research that challenges the idea that angioplasty is more effective than drug therapy for treatment of cardiovascular disease could lead to fewer surgeries. ideastream Health Reporter Lisa Ann Pinkerton has more.

School Board Sued Over Closed School
Originally aired Wednesday, March 28, 2007
The Cleveland Heights/University Heights Board of Education is being sued by a parents' group. It claims the board made the decision to close an elementary school behind closed doors. The parents say that's a violation of state's open meetings law. ideastream's Lisa Ann Pinkerton reports.

Third Board of Elections Member Resigns
Originally aired Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Cuyahoga County Elections Board member Sally Florkiewicz - a Republican - has given up the fight to keep her post. That leaves just one board member remaining. ideastream's Bill Rice reports.

Ohio Public Radio: Workers’ Compensation Audit Released
Originally aired Wednesday, March 28, 2007
The state has released a long-awaited audit into the investment scandal involving millions of dollars lost at the Bureau of Workers' Compensation. It found problems at the highest level of management, but there are questions about whether enough has been done to prevent it from happening again. Ohio Public Radio's Karen Kasler reports.

Women’s Sports Mentoring
Originally aired Thursday, March 29, 2007
There's no doubt that it's a big week for women's sports here in Northeast Ohio. The women's college Final Four will be at the Q. And, women's basketball coaches will host their national convention starting Friday. Conventions and games aside, role models play a key role in women's sports. Ideastream's Tasha Flournoy reports on how mentoring encourages women to become better players and future leaders in sports. ideastream's Tasha Flournoy reports.

Billie Jean King at the City of Club of Cleveland
Originally aired Friday, March 30, 2007
Tennis great Billie Jean King with USA Today sports columnist Christine Brennan at Cleveland State University's Wolstein Center. King spoke about the struggle for equality in sports and Title IX funding. About 400 people attended the event, which is part of The City of Club of Cleveland's Women in the Game series.

Day Care for Sick Children
Originally aired Friday, March 30, 2007
Colds, stomach bugs, infections - all manner of common child maladies keep parents home when they could be working. According to the Families and Work Institute, its estimated around 29 percent of working parents were either distracted, tardy or absent form work because of their sick children. In Akron, one daycare that takes in sick kids is slowly catching on with parents - perhaps a signal that more options could become available in the future. But for now, the center is still a novelty in the region. ideastream's Lisa Ann Pinkerton reports.