Sound of Ideas

Skin cancer prevention methods As we head into the warmer months, more of us are spending time outdoors — whether it's at the pool, on a hike or simply walking around the neighborhood. But with that sunshine comes a risk that often gets overlooked. Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the U.S., and experts say many cases are preventable with simple, consistent habits. Still, there's a lot of confusion out there about sunscreen safety, how much protection we really need, and who's actually at risk. Wednesday on the "Sound of Ideas," we'll clear up some common misconceptions and learn practical tips to help protect your skin. Guest:- David Crowe, M.D., Chair, Department of Dermatology, MetroHealth Building Northeast Ohio's workforce When Team NEO, the region's economic development organization, put together it's projection for the region's economy and workforce over the next four years it found a mixed picture. On one hand, the output of goods and services produced by the businesses and workers is expected to grow 20% by the year 2030. But over the same time, the actual number of workers in the region is expected to grow just 3%. How can Northeast Ohio's economic and workforce organizations help bring those numbers in better alignment so that Cleveland and Northeast Ohio can keep up with the economic pace of both the state and nation? That's a key question that those who assembled the report are trying to answer. Guests:- Jacob Duritsky, Vice President, Strategy, Research and Talent, Team NEO- Michelle Rose, CEO, Greater Cleveland Works

Northeast Ohio's Bike Culture National Bike Week happens to fall at a time when many people are paying close to $5 per gallon at the gas pump. Perhaps that's a good reason to hop on two wheels and bike to work or the grocery store. Tuesday on the "Sound of Ideas," we'll explore the cycling landscape across Northeast Ohio. We'll learn about some of Cleveland's newest bike-related infrastructure projects and some of the multi-modal safety measures that the city is implementing. Zooming out, there are also new trails and bike lanes being built in cities like Lakewood and Cleveland Heights, part of the Cuyahoga County's Greenways plan. We'll also explore the unique business model of the Ohio City Bike Co-op, which focuses on low-cost services for customers. And we'll touch on bike advocacy efforts underway from Bike Cleveland. Guests: - Erik Anderson, Executive Director, Ohio City Bike Co-op - Jacob VanSickle, Executive Director, Bike Cleveland

They say it takes a village to raise a child, but for parents who don't already have a built-in community, it can be an isolating experience. New parenthood comes with a huge shift in a person's social life, from staying at home more, to less time talking to other adults, exhaustion from caring for an infant and possibly feelings of postpartum anxiety or depression. Establishing friendships with other parents going through similar experiences is frequently cited as vital to combat feelings of loneliness in this new life stage. So how do parents find community? What resources are there in Northeast Ohio? And as the saying goes: If you build it yourself, will they come? On Monday's "Sound of Ideas," we're going to talk to parents about their journeys to finding community, and we'll meet some people who have built their own villages of support. Guests: - Sarah Andrecheck, Owner & Instructor, FIT4MOM Beachwood Shaker Heights - Naveed Kiyani, Co-host, "Chief Dad Officers" podcast - Kate Sorokas, PhD, Village Builder, Author, “Through Her Eyes,” & Owner, Heartland Homestead - Tricia Kachmyers, Building a Village Facilitator, LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost will not finish his term through the end of this year. Instead, he is joining the Alliance Defending Freedom as vice president for strategic research and innovation. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. addressed a crowd at The City Club of Cleveland last night while protesters lined the Euclid Avenue sidewalk outside. An independent review of the Akron Police Department recommends 58 action steps to improve policing. The recommendations include expanded training focused on crisis intervention and alternatives to force during encounters involving people experiencing mental health crises. And Cleveland has launched a trapping program to help residents deal with nuisance critters. For years, City Council has received complaints about groundhogs, raccoons and skunks. These stories and other news of the week are included in Friday's Reporters Roundtable. Guests: - Glenn Forbes, Deputy Editor of News, Ideastream Public Media - Zaria Johnson, Reporter, Ideastream Public Media - Karen Kasler, Bureau Chief, Ideastream Statehouse News Bureau

Travel Woes The price of gas in the US has seen a 50% increase since the war in Iran began back in March, with the national average sitting around $4.53/gal. That's causing headaches for Americans who are making plans for summer travel. Jet fuel prices have also been on the rise, which is leading to increased costs of airfare. Thursday on the "Sound of Ideas," we'll dig into these price increases and how they are impacting the consumer. Will travelers delay trips in hopes of fuel prices coming down? Or will they cancel trips altogether? Along with the increased fuel costs, Spirit Airlines shuttered recently, which will lead to even more complications in the airline industry. Guests: - Zach Wichter, Consumer Travel Reporter, USA Today - Michael Goldberg, Executive Director, Veale Institute; Professor, Design and Innovation, Case Western Reserve University - Patrick DeHaan, Petroleum Analyst, GasBuddy "Shuffle: Jade Ring" After decades in Cleveland's punk scene, a longtime musician has a new sound and a new persona, performing from behind a mask. On this week's "Shuffle," Ideastream Public Media's Amanda Rabinowitz talked with the artist known as Jade Ring. Guests: - Amanda Rabinowitz, Host and Producer, "Shuffle" and "All Things Considered" - Jade Ring, Musician

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost will not finish his term through the end of this year. Instead, he is joining the Alliance Defending Freedom as vice president for strategic research and innovation. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. addressed a crowd at The City Club of Cleveland last night while protesters lined the Euclid Avenue sidewalk outside. An independent review of the Akron Police Department recommends 58 action steps to improve policing. The recommendations include expanded training focused on crisis intervention and alternatives to force during encounters involving people experiencing mental health crises. And Cleveland has launched a trapping program to help residents deal with nuisance critters. For years, City Council has received complaints about groundhogs, raccoons and skunks. These stories and other news of the week are included in Friday's Reporters Roundtable. Guests: - Glenn Forbes, Deputy Editor of News, Ideastream Public Media - Zaria Johnson, Reporter, Ideastream Public Media - Karen Kasler, Bureau Chief, Ideastream Statehouse News Bureau

Why is local journalism on the decline and what can be done about it? Local journalism is on the decline across the country. Recent analysis by the nonpartisan, nonprofit group Rebuild Local News showed that the U.S. has lost three-fourths of its local journalists over the course of the past few decades. The study showed that nationwide in 2002, there were about 40 journalists for every 100,000 residents on average. By 2025, that had dropped to just over 8, with Ohio a little under that average. Why is this happening, and what's being done about it? These questions are the focus of Rick Goldsmith's documentary, "Stripped for Parts: American Journalism on the Brink," a film which sheds light on a hedge fund buying up local newspapers and then dismantling them and selling off their real estate for profit. The documentary is being screened on Monday at Oberlin College in the Science Center's Nancy Schrom Dye Lecture Hall starting at 7 P.M. There will be a panel discussion after the screening featuring the filmmaker alongside national and local journalists. On Monday's edition of the "Sound of Ideas," we talk with several of the panelists about the current state of local journalism. Guests:- Rick Goldsmith, Filmmaker, "Stripped for Parts: American Journalism on the Brink"- Julie Reynolds, Featured Journalist, co-founder of "Voices of Monterey Bay" in California and associate editor at "The Imprint" which covers nationwide youth and family news- David Jackson, Featured Journalist, senior reporter at "Injustice Watch," a non-profit journalism organization that examines issues of equity and justice in the court system- Rachel Dissell, Northeast Ohio Journalist, Signal Cleveland "The Rolling Stones: The Biography" Bob Spitz, a writer who has published books on Bob Dylan, The Beatles, and Led Zeppelin now has a wide-ranging biography out about The Rolling Stones. He says that band is the last of "the rock and roll titans" to write about. Monday on the "Sound of Ideas," Spitz discusses the new book ahead of an appearance at the Brooklyn branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library. From their earliest days as a blues band at London's Marquee Club, to the death of founding member and drummer Charlie Watts in 2021, Spitz covers the highs and lows of the band's more than 60 years of making music together. The book spends a lot of time in the Stones' "golden era" when albums like "Let It Bleed" and "Exile on Main Street" were released. He also doesn't shy away from the dysfunctions the band suffered through, including failed marriages, bad record deals and lots and lots of drug busts. Details for the event with Bob Spitz at CCPL can be found here. Guests:- Bob Spitz, Author, "The Rolling Stones the Biography"

The Browns officially broke ground on a new Brook Park football complex this week. The event drew some high-profile guests, including Gov. Mike DeWine and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. On the same day, planners hired a new consultant to determine how to develop the Cleveland lakefront without a stadium. Akron City Council appointed a new at-large councilmember this week to fill a vacancy left by longtime councilmember Jeff Fusco. Mark Greer, former director of the nonprofit that organized Akron's bicentennial, will take the seat. Cleveland Public Schools officials contend hundreds of layoffs are necessary as part of a consolidation plan called "Building Brighter Futures." Teachers and parents disagreed loudly at a board meeting this week at Max S. Hayes High School, saying the loss of teachers and staff imperil students' futures. Ward 15 Cleveland City Councilmember Charles Slife said data centers suck up power and water. He's proposed a city ordinance that would put a one-year moratorium on new data centers while zoning is addressed. These stories and other news of the week are included in Friday's Reporters Roundtable. Guests:- Glenn Forbes, Deputy Editor of News, Ideastream Public Media- Michelle Jarboe, Reporter, News 5 Cleveland, WEWS- Karen Kasler, Bureau Chief, Ideastream Statehouse News Bureau

"Bite Into Books" The National Endowment for the Art's "Big Read" is an opportunity for an entire literary community to read a selected title and pair that reading with programming and events tied to the themes of the book. This year, dozens of branches across the Cuyahoga County Public Library as well as the Cleveland Public Library systems read "Bite By Bite: Nourishments and Jambourees" by Aimee Nezhukumatathil, which examines how food and culture are intertwined. Libraries across the region also planned food events, gardening classes and art exhibits to coincide with the community reading program. Thursday on the "Sound of Ideas," we speak to Nezhukumatathil about the book, as well as event organizers from Cleveland Public Library and Heights Libraries. Guests: - Aimee Nezhukumatathil, Author, "Bite By Bite: Nourishments and Jambourees" - Erica Marks, Senior Director of Outreach & Programing Services, Cleveland Public Library - Gale Koritansky, Executive Director, Heights Libraries "The Menu" - Best Restaurants From smashburgers to soup dumplings, from Turkish fried eggs to punk rock chicken, one could argue that Northeast Ohio punches above its weight in terms of culinary delights. That argument is strengthened by Cleveland Magzine's list of "50 Best Restaurants in Cleveland and Northeast Ohio" which was released this week. And this year's list was expanded from 25 to 50. Along with that list, the magazine also released its "Silver Spoon Awards," which are the favorite restaurants as voted by readers. We’ll close Thursday's show digging into Cleveland' Magazine's guide. Guests: - Dillon Stewart, Editor, Cleveland Magazine - Christina Rufo, Editorial Assistant, Cleveland Magazine

Social groups help people find community and connection Nearly one in six people globally are lonely, and every year about 871,000 deaths are linked to loneliness, according to the World Health Organization. But making friends as an adult can be difficult. Social isolation spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic, and even when communities reopened, many people never fully rebuilt their social circles. In 2023, former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said that a lack of social connection can be as harmful as smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day, citing increased risks of heart disease, depression and premature death. Higher rates of loneliness were also found in communities of color, the LGBTQ+ community and in migrants. Wednesday on the "Sound of Ideas," we're talking about how people are pushing back against that trend by finding creative, unconventional ways to build community and make meaningful connections here in Northeast Ohio. Guests:- Brittany Marchetti, Founder, First Round Cleveland- Abigail Thomas, Creator and Co-Leader, Yap Out Yonder- Eileen Callahan, Member, Cle Gals Book Club- Rebecca Maxwell, Founder, She's Company "Godmother of Fashion" honored at Kent State University Twice a year, fashion designers converge in Manhattan for a weeklong display of what's new in wardrobe. But it was not always this way. We have the woman who has been dubbed the “godmother of fashion” to thank for this, Fern Mallis, who is being inducted into the Kent State University School of Fashion Hall of Fame this week. Mallis is famous for creating New York Fashion Week, with its predecessor event, "7th on Sixth," and getting fashion designers to collaborate and show up in the same space at a time when that was unheard of. Mallis was the Executive Director of the Council of Fashion Designers of America from 1991 to 2001, later serving as Senior Vice President of IMG Fashion. She has interviewed the greats as host of the "Fashion Icons" series at the 92nd Street Y such as Calvin Klein, Tom Ford, Marc Jacobs, Donna Karan, Michael Kors, Tommy Hilfiger, Betsey Johnson, Valentino and Diane von Fürstenberg. Now, the “Sound of Ideas” gets to ask her the questions. Mallis will be speaking about her career and the fashion industry in general at the KSU School of Fashion's annual Hall of Fame lecture on Friday, May 1 at 11 A.M in the university's Rockwell Hall. The lecture is free and open to the public. Guest:- Fern Mallis, 2026 Inductee, Kent State University School of Fashion Hall of Fame

Preeclampsia Awareness Rates of the serious and sometimes deadly pregnancy condition, preeclampsia, have climbed 25% over the past two decades, yet there is little research on its cause, and no cure besides giving birth, which can lead to a difficult situation when the complication is discovered weeks or even months before the baby's due date. Preeclampsia, which causes high blood pressure, affects about 1 in every 12 pregnancies in the U.S., with certain groups at increased risk, including women over 35 and Black women. On Tuesday's "Sound of Ideas," we're going to talk to mothers who have survived preeclampsia, and we'll talk to healthcare workers and advocates who are working to improve the outcomes for mothers and babies. Guests:- Kelly Gibson, M.D., Division Director, Maternal Fetal Medicine, MetroHealth- Tonae Bolton, Senior Director, Strategy and Engagement, Birthing Beautiful Communities & Full Spectrum Doula & Certified Diversity Practitioner- Victoria McGinnis, Mother- Liz McCrea, Mother

Concerns over affordability are top of mind for many Americans. A recent New York Times/Sienna University poll gives some context to what this means, suggesting that "affordability" is about, "the rising price of entry for a middle-class life: buying a home; paying for child care, college and health care; saving for retirement, and so on." As prices for things like food, gas and utilities swing wildly, those concerns don't appear to be dissipating. In years past, when the cost of living outpaced a rise in wages, a higher percentage of the population had the option of banding together to negotiate pay increases through their labor unions. Union membership peaked in 1954, with nearly 35% of all U.S. wage and salary workers belonging to unions, according to the Congressional Research Service. But with overall union membership at just 10% today, and at an all time low of 5.9% in the private sector, what recourse do workers have amid rising costs? And what about concerns other than the size of your paycheck compared to the cost of living? For example, many workers are also worried about the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence and how that will impact the labor market. Could pushing back against AI unite both blue and white collar workers? Will this current generation of political leaders come up with solutions for the benefit of the working class? We'll look at the labor landscape for the first part of Monday's "Sound of Ideas" in the latest installment of our "Law of The Land" series where we look at how the law affects our everyday lives. Guests: - Noam Scheiber, Labor Reporter, New York Times; Author, "Mutiny: The Rise and Revolt of the College-Educated Working Class" - Grace Heffernan, Executive Director, Northeast Ohio Worker Center - Yanela Sims, Ohio State Director, SEIU Local 1

The grassroots group seeking to abolish Ohio’s property taxes said Thursday it is about halfway to its signature-gathering goal and acknowledged the issue may need to target the 2027 ballot instead. Ax Ohio Tax said it has collected more than 300,000 signatures toward a mid-June goal of 620,000. The group faces a July 1 deadline to submit more than 400,000 valid signatures from at least half of Ohio’s counties to qualify for the November ballot. Cuyahoga County’s plan to build a new jail stalled this week after Prosecutor Michael O’Malley renewed his objections to the project and called on the state auditor’s Public Integrity Unit to investigate its approval and spending. The county plans to build the new jail complex in Garfield Heights, with a price tag approaching $1 billion. The Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission has published a list of more than 300 trucking companies with at least $5,000 in unpaid tolls. The combined total owed exceeds $5 million. A historic and prime piece of lakefront property is back on the market. The General Services Administration first sought to offload the Cleveland West Pierhead Lighthouse in 2023. The lighthouse is now available at no cost, but only to government, nonprofit or educational agencies. We'll discuss these stories and other news of the week on Friday's Reporters Roundtable. Guests: - Matthew Richmond, Criminal Justice Reporter, Ideastream Public Media - Anna Huntsman, Akron-Canton Reporter, Ideastream Public Media - Karen Kasler, Bureau Chief, Ideastream Statehouse News Bureau

Plastic WasteAll this week for the "Sound of Ideas" Earth Week series, we've talked about things that people can do to help the environment. We've discussed planting and maintaining trees to improve our region's tree canopy, to rethinking how you buy and wash clothes to combat pollution from the fashion industry, to changing your outdoor lighting to protect migrating birds. We'll end the series by talking about the major issue of plastic waste. For decades, there's been this emphasis on the individual. You know the phrase: "Reduce, reuse, recycle." But though there have been major efforts to curb single use plastic on an individual level, by bringing reusable shopping bags to the grocery store or carrying around your own steel water bottle, and even on a citywide level, through city recycling programs, we're not seeing that reduction in plastic pollution. It's quite the opposite. A December Pew Charitable Trust report found that without action, plastic pollution will more than double over the next 15 years, driven by increases in production that are rising twice as fast as waste management. And microplastic pollution will grow by more than 50% through 2040. In a new book, "Plastic, Inc," environmental journalist Beth Gardiner turns the spotlight on the industry that is driving this production and explains how it is going to take much more than reusable water bottles to change our trajectory. On Thursday's "Sound of Ideas" we'll talk to Gardiner and also hear from two Ohio experts who can talk about efforts to study and combat plastic waste. Guests:- Beth Gardiner, Author, Plastic, Inc- Mark Warman, Emerging Contaminants Specialist, Ohio Sea Grant, The Ohio State University- James Eagan, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Polymer Science, University of Akron "Shuffle"A Cleveland musician built a global following online with viral street drumming and layered cover songs. But her sound is rooted in the churches that shaped her. On this week's Shuffle, we hear from Lacretia "TT" Bolden, known online as "The Cover Girl." Guests:- Amanda Rabinowitz, Host and Producer, "Shuffle" and "All Things Considered"- Lacretia "TT" Bolden, Musician

Northeast Ohio experts explain how to plant trees and grow the region’s canopy Wednesday is Earth Day, and it's a chance to show appreciation for the environment right outside our front door. For many of us, that starts with the trees in our own yards. Trees cool our homes, clean the air, manage stormwater and even boost property values. But across Northeast Ohio, they're currently under threat. In Cleveland, the urban tree canopy is estimated to be around 18%, well below the roughly 30 to 40% coverage experts say is ideal for a healthy city. Akron's tree canopy sits around 35%, but coverage is uneven. Some neighborhoods are lush and shaded, while others have far fewer trees, leaving residents more exposed to heat and environmental stress. Wednesday on the "Sound of Ideas," we're talking about what that means for residents. We'll learn how to care for the trees you have, when it's safe to tackle projects on your own and when it's time to call in a professional. We'll also dig into the bigger picture: why our regional tree canopy is declining and what's being done to restore it, including the work of a federally funded group in Akron, Project ACORN. Guests:- Tom Schreiber, Senior Manager of Community Forestry, Western Reserve Land Conservancy- Jessica Glowczewski, Watershed Superintendent, City of Akron How the fashion industry impacts our health and our environment, and what can be done to change it for the better As you think about what you're wearing at the moment, do you know what material or materials your outfit is made from? What about how you're supposed to wash it? Is it dry clean only? Are you supposed line dry it, or can you finish it in your dyer on tumble dry low? And when you're done wearing it for the last time, whether it can be recycled? You might not know the answers to all of these questions off the top of your head, but they make a big difference to our environment, and our health. If you did know more about what you're wearing, how it's produced, what it takes to keep it clean, and what can happen to it when you're done with it, you just might make different choices when it comes to your wardrobe. In the second half of the program, we'll learn about the environmental impact of the fashion industry with experts from different corners of this world who are trying to change it for the better. Guests:- Gargi Bhaduri, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Kent State University School of Fashion- Lisa Goldsand, Founder, Circular Thrift- Gail Baugh, Author, "The Fashion Designer's Textile Directory"

We'll talk to a Cleveland Metroparks "bird guru" and a nature photographer about the increase in bird watching as a hobby. And, we'll discuss how some birds are declining in population due to climate change and habitat loss.

Since January, Northeast Ohio has experienced several thunderstorms, tornadoes, earthquakes and most recently a hailstorm that left hundreds of cars and homes damaged in Solon. We'll learn why storms seems to be ramping up, and how to prepare for the next one.

Despite protests from students and families, the Cleveland Metropolitan School District Board of Education approved cuts affecting hundreds of teachers and administrators as part of a cost-reduction plan. The price tag for building a new jail in Cuyahoga County came into focus this week as county officials worked toward an agreement to move the project forward. A developer held an open house in Stark County, where neighbors raised questions and concerns about a proposed data center in Perry Township. Projects such as this are increasingly drawing pushback. And Lyme disease cases in Ohio have surged, with experts saying current weather patterns are doing little to deter tick survival. These are some of the stories we’ll discuss this week on the Reporters Roundtable. Guests:- Andrew Meyer, Deputy Editor of News, Ideastream Public Media- Zaria Johnson, Environment Reporter/Producer, Ideastream Public Media- Karen Kasler, Statehouse News Bureau Chief, Ohio Public Radio/TV

Michelin Guide in ClevelandNext time you go to your favorite Cleveland restaurant, scan the crowd for a single diner, chewing their food in deep concentration. They could be one of the anonymous Michelin Guide inspectors, who have already begun scouring Cleveland and other Midwest cities, including Detroit, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, Indianapolis and Minneapolis, for impressive culinary talent to be featured in next year's new American Great Lakes Edition. What will Cleveland joining the Michelin Guide mean for restaurants, all vying for that coveted and elusive star rating? A 2025 Ernst and Young study found 82% of chefs said they saw an increase in profits after receiving a star, with 60% saying they were able to recruit new talents. On Thursday's "Sound of Ideas," we'll hear from chefs and others connected to the food scene about what sets Cleveland apart on the international stage. Could this make The Land a destination dining location? And how will this impact native customers experience? Guests:- Jeremy Umansky, Chef & Co-owner, Larder Delicatessen & Bakery- Liu Fang, Chef & Owner, Abundance Culinary- Christina Rufo, Reporter, Cleveland Magazine- Emily Lauer, Vice President, Public Relations, Destination Cleveland The Menu: Filipino FoodNortheast Ohio is home to a vibrant Filipino population, supported by organizations like the Philippine American Society of Ohio and the Filipino American Historical Society, which help connect people through food, history and shared experience. Clevelanders will soon have multiple chances to explore a variety of Filipino cuisines all in one place. On April 25, Brewnuts Donuts and Beer are hosting a mini market showcasing local entrepreneurs. The weekend of May 16, the annual Cleveland Asian Festival returns, where Filipino food will be part of a broader showcase of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month through performances, music and, of course, plenty to eat. We're talking Filipino food on this installment of "The Menu," our biweekly series about Northeast Ohio's food scene, in partnership with Cleveland Magazine. Guests:- Flora Grk, Owner, Tita Flora's- Mariel Bernarte, Owner, Maki Halo- Rhea Doria, Founder and CEO, hi raya!

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum announced the Class of 2026, which features many artists from the ‘80s and ‘90s.