Sound of Ideas

Throughout much of the summer, most of Ohio's counties have been dealing with the worst drought conditions to hit the state in decades. The lack of rainfall has put a strain on farmers and impacted the surface water levels in lakes and streams.

Monday marked the one year anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attacks in Israel in which 1,200 people were killed and 250 people, including women and children, were taken hostage. The Oct. 7 attacks sparked a war Israel continues to wage against Hamas in Gaza. According to the health ministry there, 41,000 people have been killed, many of them women and children, and much of Gaza has been dama...

As early voting starts in Ohio, ahead of two presidential town halls hosted by Univision, Latino advocacy groups discuss how their communities view the 2024 presidential and state elections

Cleveland Police have made an arrest in connection with illegal street takeovers that impacted the city last weekend. Drivers shut down streets and intersections as well as a portion of Interstate 90 for illegal stunts. Witnesses say those taking part also lit fires and brandished weapons at people. The department has now formed a task force to investigate these incidents. Illegal street takeovers...

The National Women's Soccer League said it wants to expand from 12 to 16 teams by 2026. Cleveland is one of the cities bidding for an expansion team. The decision will be finalized by the end of this year. The Cleveland Soccer Group, which is leading the effort to bring professional women's soccer to the region, recently made a deal with the Cleveland Metroparks to build a new stadium if Cleveland...

Last night in New York, the candidates for vice president, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio and Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota debated for the first and likely only time this election.

Nonpartisan voting groups in Ohio discuss efforts to get high school and college students civically engaged and registered to vote before the deadline on Oct. 7.

A recent survey said 18% of women entrepreneurs have to leave their business due to family commitments compared to 12% of men.

A federal judge has approved a $600 million class-action settlement in the derailment of a train carrying hazardous chemicals last year in East Palestine. The Norfolk-Southern train went off the rails in the Columbiana County village in February of 2023. Chemicals that leaked from the train and that were burned off in a pre-emptive move that was deemed unnecessary by the National Transportation Bo...

The head of the American Historical Association, James Grossman, will speak at CWRU Thursday, Sept. 26 about the growing number of states, including Ohio, introducing legislation that limits teaching of the past.

Last month, Huntington Bank announced it would reinstate its branch on Buckeye Road in Cleveland. The bank's decision came after a concerted effort on the part of the community, elected leaders and the city. Later, a legend of the Northeast Ohio blues scene has returned to the stage after a health scare last year. We'll hear the story on the latest edition of “Shuffle.”

The protected status program is eligible for some countries including Ukraine and Afghanistan. It was created by Congress in 1990 to prevent deportations to countries experiencing civil strife or natural disaster.

The city recently released studies showing the economic impact of both closing the airport and developing it for other use.

The Portage County sheriff on Facebook this week called undocumented immigrants "illegal human locusts" and encouraged collecting addresses of Kamala Harris supporters. The local NAACP and others say it's voter intimidation. The sheriff says it's his First Amendment right. The story begins our discussion of the week's headlines on the Reporters Roundtable.

The two will participate in a panel for Case Western Reserve University's Inamori Center for Ethics and Excellence on Thursday.

00:00 Jen Miller, Executive Director of the League of Women Voters of Ohio, answers questions about registering to vote, absentee voting, ballot drop-off boxes and more. Early voting will begin on Oct. 8 in Ohio. That means if you want to vote, there is still time to make sure you are registered and take care of any issues that may cause you issues at the polls. Voter registration ends on Oct. 7....

The Cleveland Clinic's "MENtion It" report reveals generational divides in how men access healthcare services. Generally, men are not speaking up about their physical and mental health needs.

The cities of Lorain and Elyria are undertaking a pilot program that customizes rides for citizens, similar to private ride share services like Uber and Lyft.

City leaders in Springfield, near Dayton, say Haitian immigrants are not eating their neighbors' pet cats, but the surging immigrant population there has presented challenges for health care, education and traffic control. Gov. Mike DeWine is sending money and highway patrol troopers to help.

In the midst of a national spotlight on immigration in Ohio, we'll discuss efforts to be more welcoming in the region including a new Cuyahoga County Welcome Center. 

Tuesday's debate in Philadelphia may be the only chance voters have to see Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump together. It remains to be seen whether the two campaigns will agree to a second debate. For more than 90 minutes the two traded exchanges on a variety of topics from immigration, to the economy to abortion. The debate has been described as contentious, fiery an...

The August tornadoes shook Northeast Ohio. We'll discuss how to prepare for the next extreme weather event.

Data from the Cleveland Music Census is being used to shore up financial assistance for local artists and venues, as well as a new music task force in Cuyahoga County.

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose has directed county boards of election to limit how voters can use ballot drop boxes in this fall's election. LaRose's directive requires that a voter can only put their own absentee ballot in a drop box. If they are dropping off a ballot for a family member or someone else as allowed by state law, the voter must sign a form with the board stating they are lawf...

Crashes involving bicyclists and pedestrians are on the rise in Cleveland. A new city mobility plan hopes to address citizen safety concerns and improve infrastructure.