Sound of Ideas

Ideastream Public Media
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The "Sound of Ideas" is Ideastream Public Media's daily flagship public affairs program focusing on Northeast Ohio.

  1. 6h ago

    How Ohio municipalities manage urban deer populations

    Deer management in Ohio Deer populations are becoming an increasingly visible issue in urban communities across Ohio. They cause tens of thousands of vehicle crashes each year that kill both people and deer. There's also concern of property damage and the impact on local ecosystems. This has prompted some cities to take a closer look at deer management. Medina is among the communities tackling this issue. The city recently developed a more comprehensive initiative involving federal support following two years of a city-run bowhunting program. Last year, 114 deer were harvested through that program, compared with 18 the year before. Currently, the population is around 1,000, or about one deer for every 26 residents. Wednesday on the "Sound of Ideas," hosted by Stephanie Haney, we'll learn more about this issue with local and statewide experts. Guests: - Geoff Westerfield, Assistant Wildlife Management Supervisor, Ohio Division of Wildlife - Gabriel Karns, Professor, School of Environment and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University - John Coyne, President, Medina City Council Armwrestling gains popularity in Northeast Ohio Armwrestling has been around for centuries, but for many people, the sport's most memorable pop culture moment came in the 1987 Sylvester Stallone movie, "Over the Top." The film follows a single father who enters a Las Vegas armwrestling competition, hoping to secure a future for his son. Today, armwrestling is finding new life in Ohio, with clubs popping up across the state. To end the hour, we'll hear from two Northeast Ohio professionals. We'll talk about how they got into the sport, what it takes to compete and why armwrestling is attracting a new generation of athletes. Guests: - Megann Galehouse, U.S. National Champion, Cleveland Armwrestling - Kevin Palko, Founder and Head Coach, Cleveland Armwrestling

  2. 1d ago

    Infant mortality in Northeast Ohio continues at higher level than national average

    Infant mortality in Northeast Ohio continues at higher level than national averageInfant mortality refers to the death of an infant before they reach their first birthday. In Northeast Ohio, physicians and families have witnessed a constant rate of infant mortality over double the national average. There are many barriers that contribute to this issue including access to care, education and economic stressors. In 2024, the infant mortality rate for Black babies in Summit County was 19.4 deaths per 1,000 live births. This was over triple the rate for the total population nationally that same year. This number has risen over a decade since it first peaked in 2011. Why are babies in Ohio at a higher risk than other parts of the country? And what efforts are physicians and community organizations taking to reduce these numbers? On Wednesday, Aug. 19, Case Western Reserve University's Communication Sciences program and United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Cleveland are offering free development screenings for children ages 0 to 3. No appointment is required; however, they recommend reserving a time slot before arrival. Project Ujima's Queens Village will host "Honoring Black Birth, Protecting Black Babies", a community gathering centered around infant mortality, on Aug. 27 from 4:30-8 p.m. at United Way of Summit and Medina. Registration is free. Applications for Rx Kids will open to Ohioans on Sept. 1. The program, which initially saw success in Flint, Michigan, will be available for Cleveland parents who live in zip codes 44103, 44110 and 44114. Rx Kids provides expectant mothers with $1,500 cash payments during pregnancy and $500 per month for the first six months of their baby's life. Guests:- Jessica Wilder, M.D., Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, MetroHealth- LaKesh Duke, Executive Director, Project Ujima- Krista Lumpkins-Howard, Director of Training and Community Outreach, Birthing Beautiful Communities "Impossible Choices" and Maternal HealthIn June 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, overturned Roe versus Wade, which ended nearly 50 years of federal abortion access. This returned authority to individual states. Doctors and patients confronting high-risk pregnancies have always faced profound and life-altering decisions, but in the aftermath of the Dobbs decision, those decisions took on new weight and complications. David Hackney, a Northeast Ohio physician who specializes in maternal fetal medicine has written about this topic in a new book, "Impossible Choices: A Physician's Guidance on High-Risk Pregnancy in a World Without Roe." Hackney recently spoke with Ideastream's Morning Edition Host Amy Eddings about the book and his experience as a practicing OB/GYN post-Roe. You can find more of Amy Eddings reporting about reproductive rights in Ohio in her "Ohio After Roe" documentary here. Guests:- David Hackney, M.D., Maternal and Fetal Medicine, OB/GYN and Women's Health; Reproductive Biology, Case Western Reserve University- Amy Eddings, Host, Morning Edition, Ideastream Public Media

  3. 2d ago

    Shifting federal student loan policies leave borrowers wondering what's best | Law of The Land

    Federal Student Loan Overhaul The Trump administration's changes to available federal student loan repayment plans, along with new Parent Plus loan and graduate school borrowing caps went into effect July 1, leaving many borrowers wondering what's in their best interest as legal challenges against overhaul continue to play out in court. On Monday's edition of the "Sound of Ideas" hosted by Stephanie Haney, we look at the student loan lending landscape in the latest installment of our "Law of The Land" series, where we look at how the law affects our everyday lives. Currently the Biden-era SAVE plan is no longer available, causing concern for people who worry about not being able to make higher monthly payments under its replacement, the RAP plan, which may also increase the so-called marriage penalty for couples who file their taxes together rather than as individuals. There is some good news for federal loan borrowers who were defrauded, as a lawsuit that was first filed against the Trump administration in 2019 has finally been settled, giving relief to 450,000 people by canceling their student loan debt after they were misled by the schools they were enrolled in. On the private loan side, experts worry that the rise in online education programs coupled with federal borrowing limits may increase predatory lending practices, as people cobble together financing for their education. Guests: - Eileen Connor, Lawyer, and President and Director, Project on Predatory Student Lending (PPSL) - Carolina Rodriguez, Director, Education Debt Consumer Assistance Program (EDCAP) Jon Batiste to Perform at Blossom Music Center Multi-Grammy Award-winning artist Jon Batiste is known for creatively blending genres. This week he brings his interpretations of Mozart and Beethoven as well as his originals to a night at Blossom with the Cleveland Orchestra. The former bandleader for the Late Show with Stephen Colbert and co-composer of Pixar's "Soul" also just released more music in his piano series. Ahead of Thursday night's concert, Jon Batiste spousoke with Ideastream's Deputy Editor of Arts and Culture Carrie Wise. Guests: - Jon Batiste, Musician, Singer, Songwriter and Composer - Carrie Wise, Deputy Editor of Arts and Culture, Ideastream Public Media

  4. 2d ago

    Cyclosporiasis cases are on the rise in Ohio. How to avoid extreme diarrhea caused by parasite

    This episode was originally uploaded on July 16, 2026. Cyclosporiasis and other public health concerns Two phrases you don't want to hear together with your food are "parasite" and "explosive diarrhea," but that's currently the reality in 34 states, as cases of cyclosporiasis, an illness causing days to weeks of severe diarrhea, have been on the rise since May, with Ohio in the middle of a four-state outbreak cluster. There are other "bugs" public health officials are concerned about in the state - including the rise of Lyme disease spread by ticks. And be careful of getting bit by a mosquito as several counties in Northeast Ohio have seen mosquitoes test positive for West Nile Virus, though there hasn't been a human case yet. We're going to talk about a range of nasty illnesses to start Thursday's "Sound of Ideas." Guests:- Erika Sobolewski, D.O., Medical Director, Summit County Public Health- Sara Cochrane, Environmental Health Supervisor, Summit County Public Health Medina Bee Park opens There is something abuzz in Medina County. The Medina Bee Park is now open for human and winged visitors alike. What was once an unused loading dock has been transformed into a vibrant community space for residents - featuring local art, native pollinator plants, and a stage for live entertainment. The $25,000 project is led by Main Street Medina and partially funded by the Medina County Beekeepers Association. We'll learn more about the park and Medina's long history of beekeeping. Guests:- George Sam, Executive Director, Main Street Medina- Manfred Heck, Associate Director, Main Street Medina- Peggy Garnes, President, Medina County Beekeepers Association

  5. 5d ago

    Despite abuse allegations, Rep. Max Miller stays in race for Ohio's 7th congressional district | Reporters Roundtable

    Republican Rep. Max Miller will remain in the race for Ohio’s 7th Congressional District despite domestic violence allegations from his ex-wife, Emily Moreno. The House Ethics Committee is currently investigating the claims. Miller faced calls to withdraw from Republican Ohio Sens. Bernie Moreno and Jon Husted, but the deadline to leave the race passed Monday. He is scheduled to face Democrat Brian Poindexter in November. The Cook Political Report has changed its rating of the race from “Likely Republican” to “Toss Up.” The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio has issued a “notice of probable noncompliance” to Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company, or CEI, following widespread power outages in Lakewood this summer. PUCO received more than 800 complaints and found most outages between June 30 and July 15 were caused by equipment or line failures. Investigators also found aging infrastructure and observed CEI using garden sprinklers to cool transformers during extreme heat. FirstEnergy, CEI’s parent company. CEI has until Aug. 21 to respond. Cuyahoga County will lose nearly $1.2 million in state grant money meant to make homes lead-safe after failing to spend it by a July deadline. The unspent funds were part of an $8.1 million Lead Safe Ohio grant awarded in 2023. The county funds were intended in part for Cleveland and East Cleveland, which have high rates of childhood lead poisoning. Officials and community groups cited complicated federal requirements, tight deadlines and restrictions on how the money could be used. The state has not yet said how the unspent money will be redistributed. PorchROKR returns to Akron’s Highland Square neighborhood Saturday, Aug. 15, with more than 160 musical acts across 40 stages. The free festival runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., followed by a 7:30 p.m. main-stage performance by Rent for Cheryl. We'll discuss these stories and more on this week's "Sound of Ideas Reporters Roundtable." Guests:- Gabriel Kramer, Reporter and Host of "NewsDepth," Ideastream Public Media- Conor Morris, Education Reporter, Ideastream Public Media- Karen Kasler, Bureau Chief, Ideastream Statehouse News Bureau

  6. 6d ago

    Ohio is expanding its fracking industry despite concerns of its environmental impact

    Ohio is expanding its fracking industry despite concerns of its environmental impact 1.4 billion gallons of fracking wastewater, or toxic brine, is being pumped into injection wells for long term storage in Ohio every year. This salty wastewater byproduct of fracking is full of heavy metals, radioactive materials, cancer-causing benzene and hazardous chemical additives from the fracking process. Just outside of Marietta, the injection wells that are supposed to hold this sludge and keep it away from nearby drink water aquafers are failing. At least one third of the toxic fracking wastewater currently stored underground in Ohio comes from other states. In addition to this already existing containment and importing concerns, Ohio has been increasing its own fracking footprint over the last three years by leasing out its public land to this industry, oftentimes to out-of-state developers. In September, nearly 3,000 acres of Wayne National Forest, Ohio's only national forest, will be auctioned off for these purposes, despite concerns about fracking's environmental impact and effect on nearby populations. Thursday on the "Sound of Ideas" hosted by Stephanie Haney, we'll discuss fracking, its toxic wastewater byproduct and the impact its storage could have in Ohio. The protest period for the September sale of land for fracking in Wayne National Forest is open until Monday, Aug. 17. Protests must be mailed or hand delivered to the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management. Note: We reached out to the Bureau of Land Management and the Ohio Oil and Gas Land Management Commission, both of which are organizations involved in the leasing of development rights for possible fracking. While the Ohio Oil and Gas Commission did not respond to requests for a statement, the Bureau of Land Management provided the following statement to the Sound of Ideas after this episode aired: Oil and gas development on public lands generates substantial revenue that directly benefits the American people, with roughly half of all royalties and fees returning to states like Ohio to support local services and infrastructure. The Bureau of Land Management follows all applicable laws and regulations when evaluating lease parcels, and the Wayne National Forest has confirmed its consent for this lease sale. Hydraulic fracturing is one of the techniques operators may use to produce energy resources, and the BLM requires thorough environmental review before development occurs. Multiple environmental analyses—including the 2016 Environmental Assessment and the 2025 Supplemental Environmental Assessment—found that oil and gas development in the region can provide economic activity, jobs, and revenue while operating under required environmental safeguards designed to protect land, water, wildlife, and surrounding communities. Guests: - Kevin Mueler, Assistant Professor of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences, Cleveland State University - Tristan Rader, District 13 - D, Ohio House of Representatives - Susan Vessels, President, Marietta City Council "Shuffle" - Rent For Cheryl Then we bring you another episode of "Shuffle," where we meet Rent For Cheryl, who is having a big year, from touring Europe to headlining Akron’s PorchROKR festival this weekend. Ideastream Public Media’s Amanda Rabinowitz talked with two members of the Northeast Ohio band about their momentum. Guests: - Rent For Cheryl, Musicians - Amanda Rabinowitz, Host and Producer, "Shuffle" and "All Things Considered"

  7. Aug 12

    American Red Cross declares nationwide crisis, Northeast Ohio calls for donors

    American Red Cross declares blood crisis The American Red Cross has declared a national blood crisis, only the second time in its history it has taken that step. The first was in January 2022 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This time, blood donations have fallen to a four-year summer low, and demand remains elevated. The shortage is especially urgent for type O blood, as supplies of O positive fell below a one-day supply in late July. Wednesday on the "Sound of Ideas" hosted by Stephanie Haney, we'll look at what's driving this shortage, how it's affecting hospitals and patients, and how you can help rebuild the nation's blood supply. Guest:- Christina Peters, Northern Ohio Regional Communications Director, American Red Cross Global HIV/AIDS research continues despite cuts to U.S. funding Later in the hour, a conversation about HIV/AIDS funding and the latest in research and treatment options. In 2019, during his State of the Union address, President Donald Trump called for the elimination of HIV transmission in the U.S. by 2030. Two years later, the United Nations adopted a similar declaration globally. But in 2026, those goals are facing significant challenges. In March 2025, the Trump administration terminated a federal advisory committee on HIV prevention and treatment. By the end of the year, global government funding to low and middle-income countries fell 25% compared with 2024, according to KFF. This February, the administration rescinded $600 million in Centers for Disease Control grants supporting HIV prevention and surveillance programs. Then in April, Trump announced plans to remove all members of the HIV/AIDS Presidential Advisory Council. Those changes came shortly after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services laid off more than 10,000 federal health employees, including staff working on infectious disease and HIV/AIDS. The U.S. set out to reduce new HIV infections by 75% by 2025, which would have brought the number of new cases down to about 9,300. But the latest CDC data from 2024 puts the number of cases closer to 39,000. So, is the 2030 goal line still within reach? The future is uncertain. Guest:- Asia Russell, Executive Director, Health GAP (Global Access Project) Ideastream's Summer Interns Last week, we said goodbye to our 2026 cohort of interns here at Ideastream Public Media. Throughout the summer, our nine Cleveland interns learned about their respective fields and honed their crafts throughout our multiple departments – including news, marketing and radio broadcast. To learn more about these interns– what they accomplished here, their career aspirations and what they took away from this experience – we brought them on the show. We heard from four interns last week, and on Wednesday we will hear from the remaining five. Guests:- Grace Claxon, News Intern, Ideastream Public Media- Benjamin Giesen, WCLV Intern, Ideastream Public Media- Kiera McGuire, Sound of Ideas Intern, Ideastream Public Media- Sonya Suri, Digital Content Intern, Ideastream Public Media- TJ Thomas, Intern from University School, Ideastream Public Media

  8. Aug 11

    Lakewood City School District agrees to reconsider elementary school consolidation

    Lakewood Elementary School Consolidation Controversy For several years now, Lakewood City School District has been looking into consolidating its school buildings, due to declining enrollment, but that effort has recently resulted in a lawsuit settlement that has taken officials back to the drawing board. As public schools around the country face similar considerations, leaders in Lakewood say the district has seen a decrease of roughly 2,400 students since 2003. Despite the decrease, consolidation discussions have become heated, with the Friends of Lakewood Schools group suing the district over the manner in which plans were established for the repurposing of Lincoln Elementary School, with the district's hope to turn it into a child development center. That lawsuit was recently settled, putting that plan on pause for the time being. On Tuesday's episode of the "Sound of Ideas" hosted by Stephanie Haney, Ideastream Public Media's education reporter Conor Morris shares what the lawsuit settlement means for the future of Lincoln Elementary School. Guests: - Conor Morris, Education Reporter, Ideastream Public Media - Zachary Robock, Former Lakewood Elementary Planning Task Force Member Solo Row Across Pacific Ocean Endeavor Access to clean water is a luxury not everyone has outside of the United States, and that disparity is the reason Mentor native Katie Spotz is preparing to row 10,000 miles solo across the Pacific Ocean, beginning in a few short months. It's a journey that will take around eight months to complete, as Katie aims to become the first woman to row solo from South America to Australia and the first American woman to row solo across the whole Pacific Ocean with the goal of bringing clean water to 100,000 people. On Tuesday's edition of the "Sound of Ideas" hosted by Stephanie Haney, Katie shares what inspired her to undertake this feat, and why she's focused on providing clean water access for others. Follow Katie's journey at KatieSpotz.com Guest: - Katie Spotz, Endurance Athlete, Water Access Advocate

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Ratings & Reviews

4.7
out of 5
33 Ratings

About

The "Sound of Ideas" is Ideastream Public Media's daily flagship public affairs program focusing on Northeast Ohio.

Information

  • Creator
    Ideastream Public Media
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2026
  • Episodes
    585
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Ideastream
  • Show Website
    Sound of Ideas