Morning News Archives
January - March 2001

• March 2001
• February 2001
• January 2001

Census Race Data's Effect on Ohio While census figures provide the basis for the Congressional redistricting that will take place later this year, it's more than just a numbers game. Though the first criteria requires all districts to maintain equal population, minority representation is just as big of a factor in drawing new lines. 90.3's Renita Jablonski examines what the first batch of census race data means for the future of Ohio's Congressional districts. Aired March 30, 2001

100 Years of the Cleveland Indians The phrase wait 'til next year seems to be the unofficial slogan of the Cleveland Indians. This year marks their 100th season, and although they've won a couple of world championships, they've known more tragedy than triumph. But despite hardship and heartbreak the "over comers" seem ready try it again. 90.3's Tarice Sims reports. Aired March 29, 2001

Ohio's Teaching Draught: Chronic Shortage of Teaching Recruits The demand for teachers is high, while the supply is critically low. Cleveland is just one school district experiencing a chronic shortage of teachers. There are many others throughout Ohio. 90.3's Bill Rice reports. Aired March 29, 2001

"Wigs for Kids" Helps Local Girl Cope with Hair Loss Everyone has hair loss in one form or another. The American Academy of Dermatology says most people lose between 50 and 100 hairs a day. Nothing too dramatic. But, some medical conditions can cause extreme hair loss for people who wouldn't normally be going through life bald -- like children. 90.3's Tarice Sims reports on one Cleveland girl who is coping with almost complete hair loss because of a little-known condition that changed life for her -- and her family. Aired March 28, 2001

Tremont's Clean Air Problems: Grass Roots Initiative to Stimulate Changes Yesterday we heard about a new U.S. EPA air toxin program that will help two Cleveland neighborhoods identify and clean up some of their air pollution issues over the next year. Eventually, EPA solutions may help other Cleveland residents improve their air quality as well. But folks in Tremont on Cleveland's west side aren't willing to wait. They've formed a grassroots initiative to fix problems that may require changes in enforcement and regulation of local air quality standards. 90.3's Karen Schaefer has this report. Aired March 27, 2001

New EPA Program Leaves Questions Unanswered The Environmental Protection Agency is implementing a new air toxins study program here in Cleveland. Last week, the Agency's top official showed up to talk about the project. But many community leaders left the event with more questions than answers. 90.3's Janet Babin reports. Aired March 26, 2001

Promoting Ohio Pharmacy Programs: Getting Students to Fill the Pharmacy Gap Yesterday we told you how the increased use of medications, expanded health insurance coverage, and longer schooling are making for strong competition in the health industry for pharmacists. Today, 90.3's Renita Jablonski looks at how educators in northern Ohio are fighting back against the pharmacist shortage. Aired March 22, 2001

Understaffed Pharmacies Learn to Cope If you're demanding quicker service at your local pharmacy, it may be time to learn how to be more patient. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says there just aren't enough pharmacists to go around. A federal study shows that last year, the number of unfilled pharmacist openings reached almost 7,000 nationwide, more than double the vacancies in 1998. 90.3's Renita Jablonski looks at how pharmacists in northeast Ohio are coping -- and what it means for consumers. Aired March 21, 2001

Tax Levy May Hold Cleveland Schools' Future This May voters in Cleveland will decide whether to raise the taxes of home and other real estate owners to fund the re-building of the city's public schools. The ballot measure calls for a 4.2 mil levy to take effect in 2002. The tax would pay off a $380 million bond issue over the next 25 years. Municipal school district officials are adamant that the future of city schools hinges on passing the measure. As the May 8th vote gets closer, they're finalizing a strategy to sell the plan to the public. 90.3's Bill Rice reports. Aired March 20, 2001

Cleveland Budget Face-Off: City Council and Mayor Continue Budget Battle Cleveland City Council and Mayor Mike White's administration are still battling it out over the 2001 budget. The Mayor's budget includes $487 million of projected revenues, but City Council says the numbers are underestimated. 90.3's Janet Babin reports. Aired March 19, 2001

Zero Waste Business: Great Lakes Brewing Company Recycling is America's favorite environmental activity. 100,000,000 of us do it every day. Over the last decade, recycling has almost cut in half the amount of waste going into landfills and incinerators. But some people say that's not enough. They've found a new way to reduce waste that can actually eliminate it. And it's turning leftovers from businesses like the Great Lakes Brewing Company into fresh produce, mushrooms -- and even milk. 90.3's Karen Schaefer reports. Aired March 15, 2001

Ohio's Higher Education Affordability Problems Ohio Governor James Rhodes, who died early this month, took to his grave a reputation for commitment to higher education. When Rhodes took office in 1963 there were only 6 institutions of higher learning that received any state subsidy. 20 years later, at the close of his final term, Ohio's higher education system included 14 4-year campuses, a number of branch locations, and about two dozen technical and community colleges. But by many accounts the Rhodes legacy stopped there, and some feel Ohio's commitment today to higher education is inadequate. 90.3's 90.3 WCPN®'s Bill Rice reports. Aired March 13, 2001

"Cool Aid" to Stroke Victims: New Technique Can Save Lives Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States. The Cleveland Clinic is leading an international study to test a device delivering the chill that could save your life. 90.3's Renita Jablonski has more on this "cool" new therapy. Aired March 12, 2001

Cleveland Food Co-op Struggles to Compete The market for natural, unprocessed, organic foods is hot, right now. More people are buying healthier foods and grocery stores are expanding to meet the demand. But in the midst of this good food bonanza, a Cleveland organic pioneer is starving for attention. 90.3's David C. Barnett reports. Aired March 9, 2001

The Fight for the Future of Dike 14 It may still feel like winter, but the spring migration of birds over Lake Erie has already begun. Nearly 300 different species of birds now stop to rest and feed at a site on Cleveland's shoreline. Dike 14 is man-made land near Gordon State Park east of University Circle. There's a long-standing plan to make a new recreational park on the site. But preservationists say the Port Authority's intention to level Dike 14 will destroy an important wildlife habitat. 90.3's Karen Schaefer reports. Aired March 8, 2001

New Website Offers Local Cancer Information In Cleveland more people die each year of cancer than in Milwaukee and Chicago. If that's surprising it's just one of several startling comparisons found at a new website designed to inform you about health risks. Recently, a committee of health professionals released a mapping system on their website "Health-Track.org." This new data base allows easy access to information about cancer in your community just by clicking a mouse. But, as 90.3 Tarice Sims reports, some health officials aren't so sure this is information you need. Aired March 7, 2001

Finding the Answers to Test Problems: State Lawmakers Seek Better Way to Conduct Proficiency Tests The second of three rounds of proficiency testing is underway in public schools throughout Ohio. Each year, students in several grades undergo a week-long series of proficiency exams. This week it's 9th grade, next week 4th and 6th. President George W. Bush has made such testing a priority in his national education initiative. Here in Ohio, state rules on proficiency requirements have been found to be fraught with problems, and are being revamped by state lawmakers. 90.3's Bill Rice reports. Aired March 6, 2001

Giving Your Tax Refund to Nature: Ohio DNR Hopes to Raise Money for Wetlands Preservation Most people have received their W2 tax forms and are getting ready for that yearly ritual: completing the taxes. If you're getting a tax refund check from the state, are you willing to donate a portion of it to state programs? To help you decide, 90.3's Janet Babin files this report. Aired March 5, 2001

Buckeye District Renewal: Landmark Neighborhood Seeks New Identity A re-designed Shaker Square was opened to holiday shoppers, late last year, injecting new life into an historic Cleveland shopping district. And yet, several blocks away, another landmark neighborhood continues to search for a new identity. After decades of mistrust and poor planning, the Buckeye district seems to be on the road to renewal. 90.3's David C. Barnett takes us for a visit.

Exploring the Cleveland Salt Mine This year in Cleveland the snow left early. But most winters the city uses 60,000-70,000 tons of salt to make winter driving less hazardous. Maybe you've wondered where all that salt comes from. Some of it is mined from huge underground deposits on the Gulf Coast. There are also salt mines in Kansas and Utah. But most of the salt that's dumped on northern highways comes from ancient salt beds under the Great Lakes. 90.3's Karen Schaefer reports. Aired March 1, 2001

Character Education, Part Two: The Debate Over CE Programs Continues
A movement to bring good character back to America's children has been underway in public education for the better part of a decade, and it's gaining strength. Proponents say principles like honesty, respect and integrity are sorely lacking among many school kids. More than 50 school districts in Ohio have implemented character education programs with the help of state and federal grants. Last week we introduced you to a Character Ed program at Cleveland's John Marshall High School. Today we look at some of the history and current debate surrounding such programs. 90.3's Bill Rice reports. Aired February 27, 2001

Cleveland Budget Midway Report Cleveland City Council continues its budget hearings this week. The process is behind schedule, and some key city department budgets still have to be reviewed. 90.3's Janet Babin has an update. Aired February 26, 2001

American Auto Sales Slump: Foreign Product Reigns in Auto Industry slowing down at the end of last year and the slump continued into January. Car dealers blame fears of a slowing economy and the falling stock market for putting a vise on the wallets of many consumers. But while American car companies reported double digit declines in January, it was very different story for their foreign competitors. Mike West reports. Aired February 23, 2001

Revisiting the Underground Railroad In the years before the Civil War, runaway slaves seeking freedom were often assisted on their journey be a secret network known as the Underground Railroad. While people in many states participated in this network, nowhere is the history of that effort better documented than right here in Ohio. Today we'll revisit one of Ohio's links to the Underground Railroad in a story about abolitionist John Brown and his ties to the community of Hudson. We'll also hear from our neighbors across the lake at the end of the Underground Railroad, where the Canadian experience has been very different from our own. 90.3's Karen Schaefer reports. Aired February 22, 2001

Miracle Kidney Saves Two Youngstown Lives
Two women - one with a life threatening kidney illness, the other with a desire to help - are brought together by a miracle. It sounds like a Sunday afternoon movie special, but it is the real story of acquaintances in Youngstown. As 90.3 FM's Tarice Sims reports, one woman, inspired by a television show tried to help save her friend's life and ending up saving her own as well. Aired February 21, 2001

John Copeland: A Hero of Harper's Ferry In 1859, at a small river crossing in Virginia, an event took place that would change the course of a nation. John Anthony Copeland - a young black man from Oberlin - was one of those who followed the infamous John Brown to his death at HarperÕs Ferry. In a nation poised for Civil War, the raid served to heighten the growing divisions between North and South. Brown was called a martyr by some, by others a dangerous fanatic. But what of the young men who followed his leadership? Was John Copeland a hero - or a hotheaded fool? 90.3's Karen Schaefer brings us his story. Aired February 21, 2001

Being Black, Female and Successful: A Discussion with Three Cleveland Women
Black History Month is flying by, and soon Women's History Month will be upon us. In honor of both of these months, 90.3's Janet Babin held a discussion with three Cleveland women about being black, female and successful. Aired February 19, 2001

Reworking the Wards: Boundary Reassignment May Shake Up Political Order You may see a lot more of your Cleveland City Council representative in the coming months. This is an election year - all 21 members will defend their seats. But before the contenders jump headlong into the campaign season, some may have to re-negotiate their home turf. This spring, council's ward boundaries will be redrawn - in ways that may shake up existing political order, as 90.3's April Baer reports. Aired February 16, 2001

Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, Part One
Many people can get a headache from strong chemicals like bleach or from breathing heavy perfumes. But there's a growing number of Americans who experience severe toxic reactions to low-levels of common chemicals. Doctors have labeled the condition Multiple Chemical Sensitivities or MCS. While no one knows what causes it, people with MCS are unquestionably sick. The condition can be so disabling that many people lose their jobs, their social lives, even their families. And MCS can be life-threatening. Are some people being poisoned by the 21st century? 90.3's Karen Schaefer reports. Aired February 15, 2001

Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, Part Two
Each year in this country, a growing number of people are diagnosed with a condition known as Multiple Chemical Sensitivities or MCS. Some U.S. veterans suffering from this mysterious ailment are thought to have been exposed to toxic chemicals during the Gulf War ten years ago. But another, larger group of people here at home also show violent reactions to chemicals most of us are exposed to every day. However it's acquired, MCS can cause severe disabilities that last a lifetime. ThatÕs why the federal government is taking new steps to protect the health of people with MCS. And one Cleveland hospital is starting to educate its staff about the condition. 90.3's Karen Schaefer has this report. Aired February 15, 2001

Faith-Based Groups to Compete for Funding Faith groups will be watching closely as a new Bush administration initiative makes its way through public debate. Two weeks ago President Bush issued an executive order allowing faith-based social service organizations to compete with secular groups for federal dollars. In Greater Cleveland much of the faith community welcomes the change, but there are some skeptics. 90.3's Bill Rice reports. Aired February 13, 2001

Cleveland's 2001 Budget Highlights: Give and Take Between Leaders Tonight Cleveland's 2001 budget will be read into City Council's record. That starts a 7+ week process of give-and-take between the administration and council as officials decide where tax dollars will be spent. 90.3's Janet Babin has more. Aired February 12, 2001

Soaring Gas Bills Trouble Ohioans: Will Deregulations Bring the Cost Down? Many Ohioans are up in arms over the skyrocketing cost of natural gas this winter. Tales of heating bills that are double, even triple, what some customers paid last year abound. This comes at a time when a deregulated natural gas industry was supposed to usher in lower prices. That combined with the electric power crisis in California has some people wondering if deregulation is such a good idea. But the architects of Ohio's energy policies stand by them. In the first of two reports on utility deregulation, 90.3's Bill Rice reports. Aired February 8, 2001

Urban Gear Explosion: Hip-Hop Style Trend Popular with Youth A recent study out of the University of Georgia says that by 2001, African American consumers would be largest consumer group among minority races in the country. They're projected to spend over $570 billion this year. And researchers say while larger corporations have been pursuing that market, smaller companies are just catching on. Locally, retailers have reached out to the younger African Americans capitalizing on a clothing trend known as hip hop style. It is so popular that it's influenced one local retailer to change its merchandise from casual preppy to what is called "urban gear". As Tarice Sims reports, the urban gears marketing target group is more influenced by urban labels and marketing images than they are price. Aired February 7, 2001

The Growing World of Internet Radio: The Way You Listen Will Never Be the Same The word "stream" has traditionally brought to mind the image of a brook babbling through the countryside. But, these days, there are also electronic streams of audio information which course through the Internet. In recent weeks, a provocative advertising campaign has called attention to the way these streams are changing the world of broadcasting. 90.3's David C. Barnett reports the way you listen to radio may never be the same again. Aired February 6, 2001

Airport Competes with Current Landscape: Room for Expansion Comes with a Price Rumors of merger talks between Continental and Delta airlines are heating up again, adding to the uncertainty surrounding the city's $1.4 billion expansion plans for Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. The city also needs environmental permits to move forward. Some residents continue to resent the expansion, and hope it's not too late for a change of plans. 90.3's Janet Babin reports. Aired February 5, 2001

Emergency Custody Decisions: Part Two Last year Cuyahoga County's Department of Children and Family Services had to deal with 18,000 phone calls suggesting that a child is abused or neglected. Of those 18,000, one has provoked consequences that are felt in the agency to this day. It's the case of 4-year-old Sidney Sawyer, who was beaten to death last spring. At the time, the case provoked a massive outcry: the county had been investigating Sidney's family for possible child abuse at the time of her death -- why hadn't the child been taken from the home? Earlier this morning we told you about the tools the county uses to decide whether to take emergency custody. 90.3's April Baer now looks at how the system missed Sidney. Aired February 2, 2001

Emergency Custody Decisions: Part One Cuyahoga County has custody of some 6,000 children, who -- for a variety of reasons -- would not be safe at home, and every day social workers with the Department of Children and Family Services are asked to investigate dozens more troubled families, and make critical custody decisions. Sometimes the decision-making process breaks down. Last spring, a child whose family was under investigation by DCFS died, the victim of child abuse. While the court system has already tried and convicted the girl's mother for the crime, the decisions made in the course of the case continue to haunt the agency. 90.3's April Baer has the first of two reports on how the county handles emergency custody. Aired February 2, 2001

Indoor Air Quality of Cleveland Schools: Improving the Air Our Children Breathe Earlier this month, 90.3 WCPN® aired a special one hour broadcast on indoor air quality at home. But what about air quality in schools? The US Environmental Protection Agency is concerned with recent statistics about school air quality. It's funding two programs in the Cleveland School District that aim to improve the air our children breathe each day in class, and reduce asthma attacks that are often triggered by air toxins. 90.3's Janet Babin reports. Aired January 31, 2001

Recycling Obsolete Computers: Old Computers Are Put to New Use Ohio's businesses, schools and government offices are facing a new age dilemma. Every 18 months or so technology changes make old computers obsolete. The National Safety Council's Environmental Health Center reported about 20 million personal computers became obsolete in the United States in 1998. Only about 2 million units were recycled. Here in Ohio organizations are looking at ways to combat the problem. And recycling groups throughout the state finding ways to put old computers to good use. 90.3's Tarice Sims reports. Aired January 29, 2001

Using Sports Tactics to Succeed in Business The old saying "It's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game" seems all but forgotten in today's fast paced competitive culture. In the sports world, where it first originated, it sounds merely quaint; in the business world, downright naive. That's the view among a group of African American men enrolled in an unusual program that embraces both worlds. 90.3's Bill Rice reports. Aired January 29, 2001

Hospital Crisis Profile: Saving the Oberlin Medical Center
Last year, it looked as if three Cleveland hospitals would be closing their doors forever. Community activists and political leaders fought -- and won -- a battle to keep two of the hospitals open. But city hospitals aren't the only ones struggling to make ends meet in today's health care industry. In Lorain County, the small college town of Oberlin recently came close to losing its nearly 100-year-old facility -- a loss that would have affected thousands of low-income and rural residents as well. 90.3's Karen Schaefer has this report. Aired January 25, 2001

Computer Rail Meetings Do you think a commuter rail system in Cleveland would be a waste of money, or would you rather ride the train on your commute? A planning agency wants to know if locals would get behind a commuter rail system, or if the idea is "out of steam." Aired January 25, 2001

Finding a Solution to Public School Funding As Governor Bob Taft prepares for his annual State of the State Address tomorrow, school funding is near the top of the list of legislative concerns. The General Assembly is under orders from the Ohio Supreme Court to adopt substantial changes in the way the state pays for public education. It has until June to do it. Some legislators say they're confident they'll make it, but thus far there's very little consensus on a solution. 90.3's Bill Rice reports. Aired January 23, 2001

Lee-Harvard Shopping Center Renovation: Newly Opened Shopping Center Community-Oriented The Lee-Harvard Shopping Center is re-opening with a changed focus. When developers started the renovation project early last year they had the community in mind. And as 90.3's Tarice Sims reports, Lee-Harvard neighbors are welcoming this concept of a community-oriented shopping center. Aired January 22, 2001

Character Education Programs: Improving the Learning Environment of Schools Cleveland and many other Ohio cities grapple with a multitude of problems when it comes to public education. Buildings are in poor condition, textbooks and lab equipment are outdated, not enough money is available to attract and retain high quality teachers. But one of the most frustrating aspects of teaching, many educators say, is the students themselves. In many schools too many students are unruly, undisciplined and disrespectful. And that, they say, makes teaching all but impossible. One teaching concept is gaining favor as a way to improve the learning environment: Character Education. 90.3's Bill Rice reports. Aired January 20, 2001

John Ashcroft and Roe v. Wade This Saturday, the nation will witness the inauguration of George W. Bush as the 43rd President of the United States. Bush achieved the presidency through one of the most closely divided elections in the country's history. The weekend will also see events that mark another historic occasion. The 1973 U.S. Supreme ruling on Roe v. Wade gave women in the U.S. the right to choose a legal abortion as a means to terminate pregnancy. The Senate has been holding confirmation hearings this week on the appointment of Missouri Republican Senator John Ashcroft to the post of U.S. Attorney General. As 90.3's Karen Schaefer reports, many groups in Ohio hold strong views on what Ashcroft's confirmation might mean. Aired January 19, 2001

Economic Slow Down May Affect Cleveland These economic times are confusing. Everyone agrees spending has slowed down, but not by how much or why. There are lots theories being floated what's happened to throw cold water on the red hot economy. Everyone agrees the growth couldn't last forever. 90.3 WCPN®'s Mike West explores what could be in store for our area if the slow down continues. And if the economic danger is real or imagined. Aired January 18, 2001

Local School Funding Problems: Urban Predicament Hinders Education Ohio's school funding debate will heat up in the coming weeks. Four years ago the state Supreme Court ruled that Ohio failed to provide a thorough and efficient system for educating its citizens. It targeted the state's reliance on local property taxes to pay for education as the culprit, and ordered the General Assembly to come up with a suitable alternative. Its first try in 1999 failed to satisfy the court, and so now lawmakers are back at the table, with a June 1st deadline to meet the court's mandate. As part of our ongoing examination of the school funding issue, 90.3's Bill Rice looks at what the impending changes might mean for some of the area's poorer school districts. Aired January 17, 2001

Cleveland's Crumbling Schools Hard to Ignore Many grade schools in Cleveland come with a long history. Generations of residents fondly remember watching or playing basketball on courts where a game was played just a few weeks ago. More than 40% of Cleveland schools were built before World War II. After decades of wear and tear, the memories might remain intact, but the brick and mortar is failing. Last November, school infrastructure became impossible for Cleveland administrators to ignore. 90.3's Janet Babin reports. Aired January 16, 2001

Remembering Martin Luther King Jr. Today we celebrate the man and his dream. Martin Luther King Jr. Day acknowledges the leader of the civil rights movement, but the generations that came after the struggle are likely to feel disconnected from that period in history. 90.3 FM's Tarice Sims spoke to the eldest child of Dr. King about how to remedy this problem. Yolanda King says her dream is to use the arts, to help her father's dream come alive for a new generation. Aired January 15, 2001

Dieting Resolutions Pose Challenges for Ohioans A new year means people are making resolutions. Millions of Ohioans have probably already promised themselves they'll lose weight. According to the Ohio Department of Health, two-thirds of the state's adults population say they are overweight. And studies show women are most likely to try dieting. But the pressures of living up to weight goals, complicated health risks and enduring major lifestyle changes make dieting frustrating for many women. 90.3 FM's Tarice Sims reports. Aired January 9, 2001

Local Serbs Celebrate Holiday, New Government For most Ohioans, the holidays are now just a memory, as the reality of a new year is settling in. But for many local people of Serbian heritage, Christmas came yesterday, and the festivities continue over the next couple weeks, in accordance with the Eastern Orthodox Christian calendar. Local Serbs are also celebrating a newly elected government in their homeland -- a government that faces tremendous challenges as it enters the twenty-first century. 90.3's David C. Barnett reports. Aired January 8, 2001

Energy Choice: The New Degregulated Markets for Electricity and Natural Gas Ohio's new law deregulating the electric industry took effect on Monday. For the first time, residential customers are able to choose their electricity supplier. Proponents hope the new law will spark competition and reduce rates, particularly in Northern Ohio where residents pay the highest electricity prices in the state. But many residents are confused about the new law, even in communities like Cleveland that chose to aggregate -- or pool their buying power. Some are worried that the soaring prices and threatened blackouts that followed deregulation in California could be repeated in Ohio. And some officials are concerned that the high cost of natural gas could wipe out short-term savings on electricity. 90.3's Karen Schaefer has this report. Aired January 5, 2001