All Sides with Amy Juravich

Governor DeWine wants to abolish the death penalty in Ohio.

It’s a movement that’s gaining momentum nationally, but one that’s fraught with moral, religious and political considerations. Not to mention economic ones, too.

But where you come down on the issue depends on what justice looks like to you.

And the answer isn’t that simple. We’re peeling back the layers surrounding the debate on this hour of All Sides.

Guests:

• Julie Carr Smyth, government and politics reporter, The Associated Press
• Kevin Werner, executive director, Ohioans to Stop Executions
• Rev. Dr. Crystal Walker, co-chair, Ohioans to Stop Executions
• Louis Tobin, executive director, Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association

(photo: Kiichiro Sato / AP)

The World Cup is the most watched sporting event globally and is played every four years.

FIFA, the international governing body of soccer, mandates that the game is played on real grass pitches. The maintenance of real grass fields can be a logistic and scientific feat, but turf grass specialists are up to the task.

With an increasingly globalized world, new standards and mandates make it increasingly confusing to complete your pre-trip checklists.

It is hard to keep all your travel information in one place—or at least it used to be.

Smart glasses are becoming increasingly stylish and affordable. Maybe the next pair of sunglasses you buy will be able to take videos and let you listen to music.

Americans now spend more than $1,300 on subscriptions annually. Xbox is raising prices again due to a global memory shortage.

We're talking about all these topics on this week's Tech Tuesday.

Guests:

• John Sorochan, distinguished professor, plant sciences, University of Tennessee
• Cara Laban, creator, TravelReddi app
• Russell Holly, Director of Commerce Content, CNET

When the school year wrapped up, it also marked the end of the line for several Columbus City Schools buildings.

The district plans to shut down eight buildings over the next few years to plug a massive budget deficit.

CCS is not alone. Cleveland is closing 18 of its school buildings. It’s not just K-12 schools feeling the squeeze.

Several smaller colleges are staring down mergers or total closures.

People are calling this era of education “The Big Shrink.”

We're discussing the topic on this hour of All Sides.

Guests:

• Conor Morris, reporter/producer, Ideastream Public Media
• Dr. Russell Brown, chief of strategy and performance, Columbus City Schools
• Ethan Ris, associate professor, Higher Education Administration, University of Nevada, Reno

“Know your enemy” seems to be the new approach to artificial intelligence.

At first, academic institutions reacted to AI with fear and concern. Now, AI is being integrated and accepted across universities.

Last year, the California State University System entered into a contract with OpenAI to provide students, faculty and staff with ChatGPT Edu. The contract was recently renewed despite many students and professor encouraging the university not to continue the deal.

Just recently, here in Ohio, the University of Cincinnati did the same, offering BearcatGPT to all their students and faculty for free.

Ohio State University is no exception. The AI Fluency initiative is in full swing and has recently broadened into the Arts and Humanities AI Institute.

Should universities conform to AI in academic spaces? What are the potential negative consequences of AI use in higher education?

We're taking a deep dive into the subject of AI's impact on higher education on this hour of All Sides.

Guests:

• Linda Kinstler, reporter, New York Times
• Chris Coleman, director, Advanced Computing Center for the Arts and Design, Ohio State
• Martha Kenney, women and gender studies professor, San Francisco State University
• Martha Lincoln, anthropology professor, San Francisco State University

What happens to the thousands of Haitian immigrants in Ohio and elsewhere after the Supreme Court gave the green light for immediate deportations?

The court ruled 6-3 along ideological lines in a case challenging the decision by former U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem to end temporary protected status for Haitian and Syrian nationals.

Gov. Mike DeWine goes against his fellow Republicans by striking down a bill that would’ve forced mail-in voters to show photo ID.

These topics and lots more are being discussed during this week's Reporter Roundtable.

Guests:

• Kathryn Mobley, education and political reporter, WYSO
• Jo Ingles, senior reporter, Ohio Public Radio Statehouse News Bureau
• Laura Bischoff, politics and state government reporter, The Columbus Dispatch
• Susan Tebben, reporter, Ohio Capital Journal

(photo: Luis Andres Henao / AP)

The summer season has officially arrived in central Ohio.

Along with the regularly high temperatures, there is plenty of creative heat moving through the local arts community.

For this week's edition of All Sides Weekend: Arts and Culture, join Classical 101 Morning Host Christopher Purdy and his guests for a preview of arts and cultural events happening around central Ohio.

Host:

• Christopher Purdy, Classical 101 Morning host

Guests:

• Jabari Johnson, actor in “Othello,” Actors' Theatre of Columbus
• Orlay Alonso, pianist/artistic director, Music at St. Mary

Going to the gym doesn’t just mean lifting weights and running on the treadmill.

In the past couple of years, central Ohio has become flooded with local fitness studios offering group lessons and personal training, each one targeting a different facet of physical wellbeing.

On this week's Fascinating Ohio, we will learn more about three local fitness studios that offer different types of workouts and the fitness professionals behind them.

Guests:

• Todd Johnson, owner, United Strength
• Jamie Gladieux, co-owner, Lagree House
• Jacqui Redmond, co-owner, Lagree House
• Heather Daye, owner, Studio 86

For the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, it’s prime time.

The kids are out of school, the weather is sunny, and thousands of people each day visit one of Ohio’s most popular tourist attractions.

Thanks to a $50 million dollar gift, the largest ever received, expansion plans are shifting from dream to drawing board in the form of an aquarium.

Meanwhile, a tax tussle with Liberty Township ends through legislative action, and recent fake bomb threats activate security measures.

We catch up with Columbus Zoo and Aquarium CEO Tom Schmid on this hour of All Sides.

Guest:

• Tom Schmid, president and CEO, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

Therapy animals have started to become much more prominent in our society.

Whether it is a therapy dog, equine therapy or reaping therapeutic benefits from lizards and rabbits, animals have been proven to be supportive for people.

Therapy animals can provide both emotional and physical support. They can reduce stress, provide comfort and unconditional love and even strengthen muscles and provide guidance through streets and buildings.

On this hour of All Sides, we'll hear from Dreams on Horseback to talk about their miniature horses and equine therapy, then the co-handlers of a community dog at a Columbus school, and then someone in charge of the animal assisted intervention at The Buckeye Ranch.

Guests:

• Ellen Lee, director of development and marketing, Dreams on Horseback
• Mary Ely, equine science in mental health and learning specialist, Dreams on Horseback
• Brelle Farrenkopf, associate head of the Lower School/director of early childhood at Columbus Academy/co-handler for community dogs
• Stefan Farrenkopf, upper school English teacher at Columbus Academy/co-handler for community dogs
• Heather Syrus, clinical supervisor at The Buckeye Ranch

Three months into his new job as Ohio State University’s 18th president, Ravi Bellamkonda joins All Sides for a wide-ranging interview.

In just his first few months on the job, the university agreed to a $100 million settlement with nearly all of the remaining survivors of sexual abuse at the hands of former team doctor Richard Strauss.

Ohio State also released a report which details the investigation into the circumstances that led to former President Ted Carter’s abrupt resignation in March.

Bellamkonda oversaw the commencement of more than 12,000 students in May.

We're discussing these topics and more during this hour of All Sides.

Guest:

• Ravi Bellamkonda, Ohio State University president