Sound of Ideas

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 wi...

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 Oh...

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...

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. I...

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 St...

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 f...

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

"Rule of law" is the phrase describing the idea that every person, organization and government entity in the United States must follow the same laws, no matter where you live, how much money you have, or what title you may hold. The equal application of the law requires an independent judicial system, with judges who are expected to be an impartial and nonpartisan check on the executive and legisl...

Akron has taken another step forward in redeveloping several miles of decommissioned highway with the release of a master plan.

Cleveland City Council is reviving legislation aimed at placing restrictions on short-term rental properties in the city. Council members say complaints over noise, partying and violence continue to escalate. Conservative Ohio lawmakers, supported by faith-based and mental health advocates, are seeking to overhaul Ohio's sports gambling laws. Sports betting outside of casinos, proposition bets on...

The United States Supreme Court recently heard oral arguments in the Trump v. Barbara case, which deals with the principle of birthright citizenship.

Ohio law sees backlash from business owners As THC and CBD-infused drinks grow in popularity, especially among people looking for alternatives to alcohol, Ohio's new law restricting hemp-derived products is changing how and where those beverages can be sold. After voters approved recreational cannabis use in 2023, a number of small businesses across the state began selling THC drinks, with some se...

AquaMissions Every year in the United States there are over 4-thousand drowning deaths, making it the second leading cause of unintentional injury death for children ages 5-14, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In Northeast Ohio, due to the proximity to Lake Erie and Cuyahoga River, there is even more reason to teach young people to swim. According to the Great Lakes Sur...

Women's Hormonal HealthEndometriosis can be a painful and sometimes debilitating chronic disease in which tissue from the uterine lining grows outside of the uterus. According to the Yale school of medicine, even though it is one of the most common women's health conditions, affecting 1 in 10 women worldwide, it is one of the most misunderstood and misdiagnosed. It can take between four and 11 yea...

Summit County Judge Susan Baker Ross declared a mistrial in the state bribery case against two former FirstEnergy executives after a jury failed to reach a verdict. The trial began in January with jury selection and included weeks of testimony and exhibits. The jury deliberated over the course of nine days before telling the judge they were hopelessly deadlocked. The judge declared a mistrial the...

Early voting for the May primary and the SAVE Act The Ohio Primary will be decided May 5 when voters choose the party candidates for a number of races including Ohio governor where Vivek Ramaswamy is the leader on the Republican ticket and Amy Acton is running unopposed on the Democratic ticket, while Don Kissick is running on the Libertarian ticket. Other statewide offices as well as federal, sta...

Northeast Ohio Iranian community members react to ongoing war, talks of a ceasefire The war in Iran began just over a month ago, when airstrikes launched by the U.S. and Israel killed Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who had led the country for more than three decades. His son, Mojtaba Khamenei, was named successor soon after. At least 1,900 Iranians have been killed since the war be...

How Ohio is failing to stop drug smuggling and overdose deaths in state prisons Drug-related prison rule violations doubled in Ohio, from 2020 to 2024. It's a problem that leaders say is representative of the greater communities we all live in, but the outside world isn't subject to the same controls that incarcerated people are supposed to be subject to. A year-long investigation by journalists w...

Preliminary ideas were released this week by the North Coast Waterfront Development Corp. outlining possible uses for Burke Lakefront Airport if it is decommissioned, a move supported by the mayor and county executive. A large lakefront park. Walking trails. A downtown campground. Hotels. Perhaps a nine-hole golf course. Are these transformative ideas? Nothing close to a formal proposal has emerge...

Cleveland photographer captures women expressing rage in public Many psychological studies have shown that when men outwardly express anger, it's generally perceived as showing strength and power. But when women do it, it's often viewed as being difficult or out of control, so many women have learned to bottle their rage, for fear of social repercussions. During a personal struggle, photographer C...

Foster parents needed in Cuyahoga, Summit Counties There are more than 14,000 children currently in foster care across Ohio, down from a record high of 17,000 in 2020, according to the state Department of Children and Youth. Foster care can play a critical role in supporting children and families during times of crisis, but the number of available foster parents has declined in recent years. Wedne...

On Jan. 22, the Trump Administration held a ceremony to launch the Board of Peace, a new international organization designed to implement peace in Gaza and other conflict areas.  Some have described the organization as President Donald Trump’s alternative to the United Nations, which he has repeatedly criticized. So far, 24 countries have signed up, although none of the signatories are America’s t...

Canton native seeks to find out if a relationship with a younger man can work for her on Netflix's age-based dating show, "Age of Attraction" When it comes to love, is age just a number? A new Netflix dating show, "Age of Attraction," is trying to answer that question by giving people the opportunity to connect while at a beautiful resort in Canada, without revealing their ages. On Monday's episod...