http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/topic_economy/ ideastream - Economic News (c) Copyright 2008 ideastream - For Personal Use Only http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/business_roundup/12093 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/business_roundup/12093#When:17:16:01Z On Fridays we typically turn our attention to the regional economy. Today we begin broadening this segment to bring you a diverse set of conversations with local business executives, financial analysts and developers, among others. Ideastream Executive Editor David Molpus kicks off our discussions with Morton Smith, a semi-retired Cleveland businessman who has an idea about how to attract new residents to the region. Fri, 16 May 2008 17:16:01 -0400 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/12071 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/12071#When:11:00:00Z On Fridays we typically turn our attention to the regional economy. Today we begin broadening this segment to bring you a diverse set of conversations with local business executives, financial analysts and developers, among others. Ideastream Executive Editor David Molpus kicks off our discussions with Morton Smith, a semi-retired Cleveland businessman who has an idea about how to attract new residents to the region. Fri, 16 May 2008 11:00:00 -0400 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/12079 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/12079#When:03:21:00Z Cleveland's Metrohealth System has announced it will eliminate jobs and tighten expenditures after an 8 million-dollar loss in the first quarter of this year. Ideastream’s Bill Rice reports. Fri, 16 May 2008 03:21:00 -0400 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/soi/12043 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/soi/12043#When:14:00:00Z Attorney General Marc Dann has become the most important person in Buckeye State politics. On the Sound of Ideas reporters’ roundtable, we’ll talk about the latest developments in the story that has eclipsed all other work in the Ohio statehouse, and we'll let you air your concerns about the story, too. In other news, though, a Cuyahoga County Commissioner wants to restructure county government, and he's finding a little help in Columbus. Also, State Senator Tim Grendell says he'll likely lose his battle against the Great Lakes Compact. Join the conversation, Thursday morning at nine, on 90.3. Thu, 15 May 2008 14:00:00 -0400 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/12059 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/12059#When:11:12:01Z The foundation of a potentially stronger economic future for Trumbull County is up for discussion tonight (Thursday), at a special meeting of civic and government leaders. Ideastream's Rick Jackson reports. Thu, 15 May 2008 11:12:01 -0400 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/12037 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/12037#When:07:06:00Z The blight of abandoned houses due to the mortgage crisis has prompted lawmakers to speed-up the foreclosure process so the vacant properties can be condemned and torn down. But, a new group of Clevelanders wants to save some of these homes from the wrecking ball and re-cycle them. ideastream®'s David C. Barnett has more on a new project that aims to help rebuild Cleveland by taking it apart, piece by piece. Wed, 14 May 2008 07:06:00 -0400 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/12036 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/12036#When:23:01:01Z The foreclosure crisis has left Cleveland littered with vacant homes, vulnerable to vandalism and theft. And, increasingly, those homes are going up in flames. ideastream’s Dan Bobkoff reports. Tue, 13 May 2008 23:01:01 -0400 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/soi/12027 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/soi/12027#When:12:00:01Z Scientists say there are about 185 invasive species living in the Great Lakes, and a new one arrives every eight months. The US Congress now has a plan to fight them. There are a couple of hurdles, though--the Senate and a threatened presidential veto. On the Sound of Ideas, we'll talk about the feasibility of fighting invasive species by changing basic shipping practices. And we'll find out if it's going to be enough to head off any future invaders...such as killer shrimp. You're invited to join us Tuesday morning at 9 o'clock. Image: Fisherman holds Asian carp. Tue, 13 May 2008 12:00:01 -0400 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/12033 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/12033#When:11:00:00Z The U-S and Canada are trying to figure out how to keep new invasive species out of the Great Lakes. Nearly 200 have already sneaked in, costing the region billions a year. Many hitchhiked in the ballast tanks of foreign cargo ships. Both countries want the public to know they're doing something about the problem. So they've invited journalists to the port of Montreal to see how ballast tanks are tested for invasive species. David Sommerstein reports. Tue, 13 May 2008 11:00:00 -0400 http://www.wviz.org/index.php/WVIZ/state_of_ohio/12011 http://www.wviz.org/index.php/WVIZ/state_of_ohio/12011#When:21:22:01Z State officials are treading cautiously toward impeachment against Marc Dann, after the scandal-scarred attorney general refused to resign. The week started with Gov. Ted Strickland and other Democratic leaders signing a letter asking Dann to resign because of the scandal over his affair with a staffer and the sexual harassment investigation into claims by two other female employees against their boss, Dann’s former general services director, Anthony Gutierrez. But Dann didn’t quit. House sessions Tuesday and Wednesday came and went without a resolution for impeachment. And lawmakers still haven’t given specifics on the charges they would use to try to impeach Dann, or the timeline for when the process would begin. This week brought the deadline for state lawmakers to act on a proposed bill that would require most Ohio companies to provide workers with at least seven paid sick days each year. Now the issue’s supporters say they plan to collect enough signatures to take it to voters in November. Keno may soon be a go. The governor won in his bid to bring the game to Ohio, as a panel of state lawmakers approved his request to spend 18 million dollars on equipment to buy 2-thousand video Keno games for bars and other places. Eight years after it was set up to administer Ohio’s share of the settlement with the big cigarette makers, the state’s anti-tobacco agency has been blown away into history. But the battle over the funds that the state took from that agency is still smoldering. Ellen Vargyas is general counsel for the American Legacy Foundation, which is handling the Ohio Tobacco Prevention Foundation’s case against the state. Now back to the big story - the calls for Attorney General Marc Dann to resign over a sex scandal in his office. Here to talk about it are two longtime political experts from both sides. Dale Butland is a Democratic strategist and is currently working with the aforementioned Ohio Healthy Families Act. Also here is Brett Sciotto, a Republican consultant and president of American Strategies. Fri, 09 May 2008 21:22:01 -0400 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/11994 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/11994#When:22:54:00Z Since the flight of residents from urban centers began nearly half a century ago, towns and cities around Northeast Ohio have viewed their farmland as prime real estate. Leaders in cities like Avon, Brunswick, Strongsville, and Westlake, to name a few, encouraged extensive residential growth on former pastures and cropland, and many still do today. But local advocates for rural preservation say residential growth, unchecked, works against cities, and point to new study to prove their point. ideastream’s Dan Bobkoff reports: Thu, 08 May 2008 22:54:00 -0400 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/soi/11967 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/soi/11967#When:14:00:01Z In the news this week, embattled Cleveland councilman Joe Santiago faces renewed scrutiny--there's no recall this time, just an FBI investigation. Meanwhile, in Columbus, the battle over payday loans heats up and members of the General Assembly gear up for a possible impeachment proceeding targeting the Attorney General. Also, there's fallout from charges of excessive patronage appointments at the Cuyahoga County Recorders office. We'll talk about those stories and others on the reporters' roundtable. Join us Thursday morning at 9 o'clock. Thu, 08 May 2008 14:00:01 -0400 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/11975 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/11975#When:09:14:01Z Over a thousand retired workers in Lorain County will be getting a cut in their pension checks because of an accounting blunder by the federal agency handling benefits for the region's bankrupt steel plants. Ideastream®'s David C. Barnett explains. Thu, 08 May 2008 09:14:01 -0400 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/soi/11956 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/soi/11956#When:14:00:01Z So, it has been about a year since Ohio's smoking ban went into effect. Some restaurant and bar owners are still complaining about the ban's negative impact on business. If you talk to public health officials, however, they say the economic impact of a healthier workforce make the ban a major victory. The smoking ban's success is up for debate on the Sound of Ideas, and we'll talk about just how far public health legislation might go...Twinkie tax, anyone? Join us, Wednesday morning at 9 o'clock. Wed, 07 May 2008 14:00:01 -0400 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/11959 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/11959#When:06:21:00Z One of the legacies of Northeast Ohio's rust belt economy is dozens of empty factory and warehouse buildings. But, in recent years, a different sort of workforce has been quietly moving into these abandoned structures --- artists --- with the potential to revitalize neighborhoods once left for dead. A conference in Cleveland, next week, will explore the idea of turning the rust belt into an artist belt. ideastream®'s David C. Barnett has more on a call-in discussion that took place yesterday on 90.3's Around Noon. Wed, 07 May 2008 06:21:00 -0400 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/an/11895 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/an/11895#When:15:20:00Z Today Dee hosts a special call-in program about taking Northeast Ohio from Rust Belt to Artist Belt with CPAC president Tom Schorgl. Tue, 06 May 2008 15:20:00 -0400 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/11948 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/11948#When:11:04:00Z Akron mayor Don Plusquellic traveled to Tokyo Thursday (last week) to meet with Bridgestone-Firestone executives. The city has been working on a $68 million dollar deal to convince the tiremaker to keep its technical center in Akron. ideastream's Kymberli Hagelberg has this report. Tue, 06 May 2008 11:04:00 -0400 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/11945 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/11945#When:10:00:00Z An investigation by the Cuyahoga County Mortgage Fraud-Predatory Lending Task Force has landed eight guilty pleas. The eight are among 10 defendants involved in a $560 thousand dollar mortgage fraud case in the city of Cleveland. ideastream's Mhari Saito reports. Tue, 06 May 2008 10:00:00 -0400 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/11921 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/11921#When:11:30:01Z A new report indicates Northeast Ohio is seeing a boom in the export business - to a relatively new trading partner of China. ideastream's Rick Jackson reports. Mon, 05 May 2008 11:30:01 -0400 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/11901 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/11901#When:10:00:00Z A mortgage broker faces sentencing in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court today for his role in a mortgage fraud scheme in Solon. Solon police have been investigating nearly 4 dozen property transactions for fraud. Ideastream's Mhari Saito reports. Mon, 05 May 2008 10:00:00 -0400 http://www.wviz.org/index.php/WVIZ/feagler/11889 http://www.wviz.org/index.php/WVIZ/feagler/11889#When:00:30:00Z Newsmakers: Lyle Berman, chairman and CEO, Lakes Entertainment and Dr. Bradford Pressman, co-founder MyOhioNow.com. Berman, founder of the World Poker Tour, and his Ohio partners want to build a $600 million resort and casino in Clinton County, Ohio. They say the venture would generate 5,000 jobs and $200 million in annual tax revenue to be shared by each of the state’s 88 counties. To make the project a reality, backers will first have to get approval from Ohio voters who’ve repeatedly rejected proposals to establish casino gambling. They hope to put the issue on the ballot this fall. Roundtable: Joe Frolik, editorial board member, The Plain Dealer; Greg Saber, reporter, WTAM 1100; Harry Boomer, reporter, 19 Action News. State Caps Payday Lenders: The Ohio House has passed one of the nation’s strictest limits on the interest charged by payday lenders. If the Senate goes along with the legislation, lenders will be limited to a 28 percent APR. The current practice is a flat charge of 15 percent on a $100 loan short term loan, which amounts to an annual rate of close to 400%. Lawmakers ignored lender complaints that the limit will put them out of business. The Wright Stuff? Like it or not, Senator Barack Obama has an unofficial running mate. Obama tried again to distance himself from the caustic rhetoric of retired Chicago minister Jeremiah Wright who performed Obama’s wedding and baptized his children, but Wright’s views were again on national display. Wright’s appearances, including an interview with Bill Moyers of PBS, were intended to explain his incendiary pulpit remarks. Instead they only brought on further controversy and brought new questions about his relationship with Obama who denounced Wright’s more recent remarks as “appalling.” Political Patronage: A report in this week’s Plain Dealer focused attention on the practical side of political patronage. The newspaper looked inside the office of Cuyahoga County recorder Patrick O’Malley. There the paper found a number of employees it says qualified for their jobs mainly by virtue of their political connections. Political patronage has long been a fact of life in local government. The article looked at the extent to which it operates in one county office. Sat, 03 May 2008 00:30:00 -0400 http://www.wviz.org/index.php/WVIZ/state_of_ohio/11927 http://www.wviz.org/index.php/WVIZ/state_of_ohio/11927#When:14:31:00Z The findings of the investigation into claims of sexual harassment in the Attorney General’s office are out, and the AG has admitted he had a “romantic relationship” with a staffer in his office. Two aides are fired, another resigns, and a staffer in Dann’s office turns in her resignation. The payday lending industry in Ohio may soon undergo a dramatic change, under a bill that passed the House in a controversial and unusually political session. Lawmakers pass a bill to cap interest on payday loans at 28%, but the bill almost dies because of a sudden gamble by Republicans. Gov. Strickland says he wants to take over the Department of Education and assign oversight to a cabinet-level education director. The governor’s plan would reduce to advisory roles both the current board and the superintendent it hires. State Board of Education member Colleen Grady reacts to the plan. Fri, 02 May 2008 14:31:00 -0400 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/soi/11881 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/soi/11881#When:19:14:01Z In the news... State lawmakers prepare to pass the nation's tightest cap on the payday lending business and Republicans are in the lead. Continental Airlines decides to continue flying solo rather than merge. That seems to be good news for Hopkins Airport. National City's CEO tells shareholders he feels their pain. And Shaker Heights offers a bounty for new condo buyers. Join the discussion on the reporters' roundtable Thursday morning at 9:00 on the Sound of Ideas. Thu, 01 May 2008 19:14:01 -0400 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/soi/11872 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/soi/11872#When:20:09:00Z As gasoline prices approach four-dollars a gallon we may be on the verge of a milestone. Americans may fiinally be willing to change driving behavior. With gas pricesat historic highs, the government predicts gas use will go down this summer for the first time in almost two decades. What lifestyle changes are you making? Join us Wednesday morning at 9 on 90.3 as we consider the gas price tipping point. Wed, 30 Apr 2008 20:09:00 -0400 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/11873 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/11873#When:23:00:00Z Cleveland city officials are craving out new ways to boost the city’s economic development programs. At a council committee meeting today, officials rolled out a proposal that give better incentives for current and prospective business owners to build and work in the city. ideastream’s Economics Reporter Tasha Flournoy has more on the city’s plans. Tue, 29 Apr 2008 23:00:00 -0400 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/soi/11863 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/soi/11863#When:14:00:00Z That big tax rebate will be in the mail soon and it's going to be decision time. Save it or spend it? If so, on what? Questions like that make these economically taxing times...especially as fuel prices head north and housing values head south. On The Sound of Ideas, we'll talk with expert financial planners about the best ways to stay afloat, protect our nest-egg, and keep our sanity in challenging times. Join us at 9:00 Tuesday morning on 90.3. Tue, 29 Apr 2008 14:00:00 -0400 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/11869 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/11869#When:10:00:01Z Lots of companies across Northeast Ohio are reevaluating their business goals as they struggle their finances. Sherwin Williams warned last month that an unspecified number of layoffs are likely in light of the housing slump. And, Mentor-based Steris Corp, announced plans to cut jobs to save about 30 million dollars a year. The impending job losses could impact thousands of workers, whose voices are almost never heard during staff cutbacks and downsizing. ideastream’s Tasha Flournoy spoke with attorneys, workers and managers to find out what the termination, the firing experience is like. Tue, 29 Apr 2008 10:00:01 -0400 http://www.wviz.org/index.php/WVIZ/feagler/11814 http://www.wviz.org/index.php/WVIZ/feagler/11814#When:05:00:00Z Roundtable: Connie Schultz, columnist, The Plain Dealer; Mark Naymik, reporter, The Plain Dealer; Jay Miller, reporter, Crain’s Cleveland Business. National City Corp: An investors’ group led by Corsair Capital this week agreed to pump $7-billion in cash into the troubled Cleveland bank. The agreement staved off the potential merger of National City with other banks. Merger could have brought about the loss of a major downtown Cleveland company, large-scale layoffs, or both. National City is expected to lose up to $2-billion this year, a result of the mortgage meltdown and tightening credit markets. Pennsylvania Primary: This week’s Pennsylvania primary moved the Democrats closer to this summer’s national convention, but that’s about it. It did little to resolve who the nominee might be. Senator Hillary Clinton won the popular vote and the majority of the Keystone State delegates. But Senator Barack Obama held onto the overall delegate lead and retains a large edge in fund-raising. Next up: Indiana and North Carolina on May 6. Keen on Keno: The Strickland administration is quietly maneuvering to clear the way for a new form of gambling to be targeted at Ohio taverns. Keno, a form of lottery with drawings several times a day, would raise a projected $73 million to help plug a hole in the state budget. This week, the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review okayed the keno plan. Legislation aimed at stopping the new game has apparently stalled in Columbus. Short Shrift for Equal Pay: The U.S. Senate failed to pass a measure that would have bypassed a recent Supreme Court ruling upholding a tight time limit on equal pay complaints. The high court confirmed a law that says employees have 180 days from the issuance of the first paycheck to file legal complaints about wage discrimination. The new law, that would have scrapped the time limit, was named after Lilly Ledbetter, a former Alabama Goodyear worker who sued the tire maker ten years ago and won only to have case overturned on appeal. Fri, 25 Apr 2008 05:00:00 -0400 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/11819 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/11819#When:23:00:00Z Cuyahoga County's commissioners Thursday tabled a proposal to extend the runway at it's eastern suburban airport after hearing impassioned objections at their weekly public meeting. Ideastream's Bill Rice reports. Thu, 24 Apr 2008 23:00:00 -0400 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/11806 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/11806#When:21:02:01Z Northeast Ohio has been trying to cope with an increasing shortage of healthcare workers for some years. Now the region is getting a fresh infusion of money to bolster those efforts. ideastream’s Dan Bobkoff has more. Wed, 23 Apr 2008 21:02:01 -0400 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/soi/11602 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/soi/11602#When:14:00:00Z So, now we all know what it takes to keep a Fortune 500 bank afloat in these uncertain times: about seven billion dollars and a huge cut in share value. National City CEO Peter Raskind says, "No one is pleased about that or proud about that, but of the available alternatives to us that we very thoroughly explored, we're convinced that this is the best." Wednesday morning at 9, we'll try to understand the deal to save National City and what it will mean for everyone associated with the bank moving forward. Wed, 23 Apr 2008 14:00:00 -0400 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/soi/10790 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/soi/10790#When:14:00:01Z We'll spend the hour with Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson. The city's work is pressing on a number of fronts. Last year was a tough one for public safety. The mayor's new safety plan will redraw police district boundaries. That idea has found a few critics, and it's set to begin in early May. Also, the mayor's office is taking a new approach to violent crime, involving... Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:00:01 -0400 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/11600 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/11600#When:13:36:00Z After weeks of uncertainty, National City Corporation has found what it's looking for -- a much needed injection of cash. 7 billion dollars to be precise. The New York based private equity firm Corsair Capital is taking the lead, putting up nearly a billion dollars. A handful of smaller investors are filling in the rest. For more on what this news means for the company, its investors and the community, ideastream®'s Eric Wellman spoke with Mark Dodosh, an Editor at Crain's Cleveland Business. Tue, 22 Apr 2008 13:36:00 -0400 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/11599 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/11599#When:07:48:00Z INTRO: National City Corporation is now facing its future, after getting a 7 billion dollar bailout from a private investment group. Ideastream®'s David C. Barnett has more. Tue, 22 Apr 2008 07:48:00 -0400 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/11543 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/11543#When:19:14:02Z The local and national business worlds have been abuzz Monday with news that National City Corporation has made a seven billion dollar deal led by private equity group Corsair. Analysts say it's not a perfect deal and still leaves shareholders exposed to the risk of the 25 billion dollars in risky loans. ideastream's Dan Moulthrop spoke with National City CEO Peter Raskind. Mon, 21 Apr 2008 19:14:02 -0400 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/11461 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/11461#When:10:00:00Z For the past week we've been examining education gaps for students in Northeast Ohio, especially in math and science, that reduce their competitiveness in the global economy. Today in our series… 21st Century Schools…we spend some time with workers already out of school who are trying to get a job or keep a job in an environment where knowledge and skills are more important than ever. ideastream®'s David C. Barnett visited a local career fair to observe the delicate dance between employer and job seeker. Mon, 21 Apr 2008 10:00:00 -0400 http://www.wviz.org/index.php/WVIZ/state_of_ohio/11462 http://www.wviz.org/index.php/WVIZ/state_of_ohio/11462#When:13:20:00Z This week on "The State of Ohio": Supporters of the state's concealed carry weapons law take aim at cities which want to keep guns out of parks and other places. Lawmakers and the governor snuff out plans to move anti-smoking money to where they couldn't get it. But the story doesn't quit there. Ohio's economic future doesn't seem to bright now, though there is a jobs package in the works. The state's chief jobs and welfare officer is here to talk about the challenges she's facing. And drivers will soon be staring down orange barrels all around the state. Fri, 18 Apr 2008 13:20:00 -0400 http://www.wviz.org/index.php/WVIZ/feagler/11354 http://www.wviz.org/index.php/WVIZ/feagler/11354#When:05:00:01Z Newsmaker: Lt. Governor Lee Fisher: The Lt. Governor is still explaining away a speech he made in Toledo earlier this month during which observers thought he implied Lake Erie water might be for sale. Fisher said later that he misspoke and agrees with lake advocates who say the water should never be for sale. Mr. Feagler will discuss with Fisher, who doubles as the state’s Development Director, the development potential for the areas adjacent to Lake Erie and what’s holding up passage of the Great Lakes Compact. Roundtable: Joan Mazzolini, reporter, The Plain Dealer; James Ewinger, reporter, The Plain Dealer; Bob Dyer, columnist, Akron Beacon Journal. MetroHealth’s Money Woes: Publicly-owned MetroHealth Medical Center saw its money woes deepen during the first quarter of the year. The hospital lost $8-million during the quarter, more than the loss for all of 2007. Hospital leaders are exploring their options, including possible staff layoffs. MetroHealth admits patients without regard to their ability to pay. Airline Merger: Delta and Northwest airlines agreed to a merger this week, a marriage that will create the nation’s largest passenger air carrier. Analysts say the merger will help the airline cut costs, but it could also lead to labor unrest as some of the unions involved with the airlines have raised objections. The merger also creates pressure for other airline mergers, possibly to include Continental, the major carrier operating out of Hopkins International Airport in Cleveland. Pope Benedict Visits U.S: The Pope celebrated his 81st birthday on the same day he landed in Washington for his first official U.S. visit. The Pontiff praised America as a land of opportunity where hope is part of the national character. In a mass at Washington’s baseball stadium, he spoke of the promise of freedom in America, yet lamented how that dream fell short for native Americans and people brought from Africa as slaves. He’s also used the U.S. visit to call repeatedly for healing in the wake of the church sex scandal. Newsmaker 2: Sonya Pryor-Jones, director, Cleveland STEM Initiative: The Cleveland Metropolitan School District is preparing to open a pair of new high schools that represent a departure from traditional academics. Design Lab will focus on art and industrial design; the second is a STEM school—one that emphasizes Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. Both academics and location make the STEM school unique. It’ll be housed inside an existing Cleveland business yet to be named. Discussion of the new schools is part of ideastream’s week-long coverage of 21st-century schools. Information on the Cleveland STEM schools Fri, 18 Apr 2008 05:00:01 -0400 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/11335 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/11335#When:22:24:00Z Cleveland would stand to gain billions in economic development if a proposed clean up of the Great Lakes went ahead. That's according to a new analysis from the Brookings Institution. Ideastream's Dan Bobkoff has more. Wed, 16 Apr 2008 22:24:00 -0400 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/soi/11290 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/soi/11290#When:15:37:01Z In August, roughly than ten percent of the students are proficient in math and reading. By April, that's more like 70 percent. Welcome to Entrepreneurship Prep. As one student tells it, "At my old school you didn't have to do homework. I'd say my dog ate it, My pig ran over it. I didn't do homework." Not so at E-Prep in Cleveland's Glenville neighborhood. The school teaches the same children as the rest of the city schools but gets remarkably different results. As part of our coverage of 21st Century Schools, we'll find out how. Join us tomorrow morning for the Sound of Ideas. That's at 9 o'clock on 90.3. Wed, 16 Apr 2008 15:37:01 -0400 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/11288 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/11288#When:10:15:00Z School districts in some of Ohio's largest cities are reporting a rise in the number of homeless students this year. District officials point to a tougher economy and foreclosures, especially of rental properties. ideastream's Mhari Saito reports. Tue, 15 Apr 2008 10:15:00 -0400 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/11273 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/11273#When:11:00:00Z In its year-long investigation of middle class, The Akron Beacon Journal Sunday reported on the difficulty many are having in affording college -- even at the state universities. The paper profiled Cory Schler and Jennifer Samardak, both are very concerned about the cost of an education that was once considered the birthright of working class Ohio families. ideastream's Kymberli Hagelberg reports. Mon, 14 Apr 2008 11:00:00 -0400 http://www.wviz.org/index.php/WVIZ/state_of_ohio/11271 http://www.wviz.org/index.php/WVIZ/state_of_ohio/11271#When:19:15:01Z The Ohio Supreme Court will settle the issue of whether cities can target areas where carry concealed weapons aren’t allowed. The justices heard arguments this week over a 2006 law that shot down some 80 local ordinances passed after the concealed-carry weapons ban went into effect in 2004. The bills that would crack down on payday lenders in Ohio haven’t moved, but public hearings on the issue go on. This week the venue was a church in Columbus, where Attorney General Marc Dann and Rep. Tyrone Yates of Cincinnati heard from supporters and opponents of the quick-loan industry. Attorney General Marc Dann has drawn a lot of interest in the last few days, because of sexual harassment claims filed by two women who worked in his office. The women say Dann’s general services director Anthony Gutierrez made suggestive remarks to them, touched them inappropriately and pressured them for sex in exchange for helping them get their jobs. The House has finalized a long-awaited energy plan to restructure the electricity industry and increase renewable energy investments in the state. After lawmakers announced they’d be nicking most of the money in the state’s anti-tobacco agency’s budget to pay for an economic stimulus package, the Ohio Tobacco Prevention Foundation lit into those plans with a daring counterattack – transferring the funds away from state officials. Lawmakers and the governor fought back, and now the fight has been frozen by a judge. These last few months have seen some of the worst economic news in years, with jobless rates around the state above the national average, and record numbers of foreclosures. Helen Jones-Kelley, the director of the state’s Department of Job and Family Services, talks about dealing with these gloomy statistics. The orange barrels are starting to bloom along Ohio’s highways, marking the start of the most expensive construction season in state history. But ODOT director James Beasley says the costs of construction projects continue to climb, but state gas tax revenues are flattening, so other ideas to fund highway work have to be considered. Fri, 11 Apr 2008 19:15:01 -0400 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/11267 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/11267#When:07:00:00Z In international tests of high school students the United States ranks near the bottom of industrialized countries when it comes to math and science. We're way behind Canada, barely ahead of the Slovak Republic. The math/science gap is affecting the U.S. economy today and will do so even more in the years to come unless radical changes are made in the way we educate our young people. Starting Monday, 90.3 WCPN and WVIZ/PBS will have extensive coverage of this learning gap and how we need to transform today's schools into 21st Century Schools. ideastream®'s David C. Barnett has this preview. Fri, 11 Apr 2008 07:00:00 -0400 http://www.wviz.org/index.php/WVIZ/feagler/11264 http://www.wviz.org/index.php/WVIZ/feagler/11264#When:05:00:00Z Newsmaker: Joe Marinucci, President and CEO, Downtown Cleveland Alliance. With the Euclid Corridor Project nearing completion, we’re now getting a clearer picture of the potential for business development expected downtown in coming years. A report prepared for the Alliance, the Historic Gateway Neighborhood and Playhouse Square Foundation points to new developments such as a furniture district, a ‘college town’ centered around Cleveland State University and a design district. Some development has already happened along and near East Fourth Street where an entertainment district thrives. Roundtable: Elizabeth Sullivan, foreign affairs writer, The Plain Dealer; Kevin O’Brien, columnist, The Plain Dealer; Brian Tucker, publisher and editorial director, Crain’s Cleveland Business. Downtown Business Development: The roundtable will continue the discussion of prospects for re-emergence of downtown retailing. The General Goes to Congress: U.S. commander in Iraq, General David Patraeus this week urged Congress not to impose a strict timetable for withdrawal of U.S. forces. Doing so, he said, would threaten the fragile gains made by American and Iraqi security forces. In response, President Bush ordered a halt to troop withdrawals after July and warned Iran to stop interfering in Iraq or the U.S. will act to “protect its interests.” Trouble for the Attorney General: Attorney General Marc Dann’s office is investigating sexual harassment allegations that hit close to home. Two women who work in Dann’s office accused a chief aide of pressuring them for sex. Published reports say one of the women who complained said she’d seen another AG’s aide at Dann’s apartment in her pajamas, an allegation Dann has denied. The sexual harassment complaints are under investigation. It’s the latest dust-up for an attorney general whose time in office has generated a number of controversies. Fri, 11 Apr 2008 05:00:00 -0400 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/11281 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/11281#When:11:00:00Z Yesterday on Morning Edition we got one perspective on who's to blame for the mortgage crisis. ideastream®'s Eric Wellman spoke with Attorney Frank Ford, who is a senior vice president at Neighborhood Progress Incorporated, a Cleveland non-profit. Ford made the case that the crisis is largely the fault of irresponsible lenders, not borrowers. Earlier this week nine lenders signed a non binding pact where they essentially agreed to do more to work with homeowners struggling to pay their mortgages. In part 2 of his conversation with Eric, Ford said he thinks that's a good start. Thu, 10 Apr 2008 11:00:00 -0400 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/11231 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/11231#When:21:15:01Z Up until recently, Cleveland's foreclosure crisis has been centered in the city and its neighboring suburbs. Now housing counselors say the fastest growing group of borrowers looking to get foreclosure help are from the outer ring suburbs. Ideastream's Mhari Saito reports. Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:15:01 -0400 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/soi/10788 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/soi/10788#When:14:00:00Z Almost a year and a half ago, we had a conversation on SOI wondering if Ohio might be the first state to sign on to the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact. Well, since then, four states have ratified it, as has the Ohio House. And it's in the Ohio Senate where the agreement has stalled, mostly due to the efforts of Chesterland Senator Tim Grendell. He says he wants to add some language to protect Ohioans' private property. The Senator and a few others will join us to help us understand exactly where we are and where we might be headed. Wed, 09 Apr 2008 14:00:00 -0400 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/10919 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/10919#When:13:16:01Z There is little controversy that the rise in foreclosures in this country is a crisis, but there is debate over who or what is to blame. ideastream’s Eric Wellman spoke with Frank Ford, a Cleveland attorney who works in community development issues, who says much of the blame is misguided. Wed, 09 Apr 2008 13:16:01 -0400 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/10918 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/10918#When:11:06:00Z A new study on state income disparity shows the gap between Ohio's rich and poor is wider than ever. ideastream reporter Kymberli Hagelberg has details. Wed, 09 Apr 2008 11:06:00 -0400 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/soi/10787 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/soi/10787#When:14:00:00Z Ohio's higher education chancellor calls the universities under his control "the economic driver of the future," and with that in mind Eric Fingerhut is making some sweeping changes. We'll talk to the chancellor about his plans and what effect they'll have on the economic outlook of Ohioans today. Also, we'll hear from some of the local university leaders who will turn his vision into action. It's the futures of higher education and the economy, this morning at 9:00. Tue, 08 Apr 2008 14:00:00 -0400 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/soi/10786 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/soi/10786#When:14:00:00Z Just picture this: An afternoon downtown, in and out of furniture stores and other design shops, lunch at a nice restaurant. Lots of pedestrians. Imagine that: Euclid Avenue. That's right, you heard me. The Euclid Corridor project is coming along, and local boosters say the time is perfect for turning downtown around. It can't be done? Well, commercial real estate values have already bounced back in midtown. Could downtown be next? We'll find out, Monday morning on at 9 o'clock. Mon, 07 Apr 2008 14:00:00 -0400 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/10637 http://www.wcpn.org/index.php/WCPN/news/10637#When:10:00:00Z Rising food prices have some worried about how many Americans will turn to government and private aid to fill their cupboards. In Ohio, food pantries and hunger centers are reporting record turnout. The Buckeye state has lost more than 200 thousand manufacturing jobs in the past decade and has been hard hit by the foreclosure crisis. ideastream's Mhari Saito reports. Mon, 07 Apr 2008 10:00:00 -0400