All Sides with Amy Juravich

What comes to mind when you think of the word "gerrymandering"?

Perhaps you think of legal battles? Ethical battles? Oddly drawn voting districts that combine communities together that are miles apart both geographically and ideologically?

We know it's bad, but few of us fully understand how it actually works, how we got here, or how to fix it.

A new book takes readers to the front lines of one of the nation's fiercest redistricting battles right here in Ohio. The book is called Draw The Line in Ohio: How one state’s fight for fair maps explains gerrymandering in America.

The book's co-authors join All Sides to discuss how Ohio's redistricting battle sparked national headlines, political scandals and backroom deals that ultimately expanded partisan power.

The authors argue that with Ohio at the center, gerrymandering is a chief cause of political corruption.

Guests:

• Josh Rultenberg, co-author of Draw the Line in Ohio/journalist
• Rory Riley Topping, co-author of Draw the Line in Ohio/legal analyst
• Catherine Turcer, executive director, Common Cause Ohio

Whether its vinyl records, cassette tapes, VHS’ or Polaroid cameras, various analog legacy media have been making a comeback in the digital age.

On this edition of All Sides, we’re talking about why people are seeking out legacy media, how our analog memories are being preserved and the psychological benefits of nostalgia.

Guests:

• Annie Nickoloff, senior editor, Cleveland Magazine
• Dan Smith, owner, Familyography
• Scott Freshour, owner, Stereo Lab
• Krystine Batcho, professor of psychology, LeMoyne College

A leading medical group endorses Republican Vivek Ramaswamy for governor over Democrat Amy Acton, a licensed physician. What does this mean for both campaigns? And do endorsements really matter?

Steak 'n Shake is backing Sen. Jon Husted. What does that mean for his campaign?

Plus, Ohio State and three other Ohio colleges received an “F” when it comes to free speech, according to a national ranking.

We're discussing all these topics on this week's Reporter Roundtable.

Guests:

• Sarah Donaldson, reporter, Ohio Public Radio Statehouse News Bureau
• Jessie Balmert, state government and politics reporter, The Columbus Dispatch
• Megan Henry, reporter, Ohio Capital Journal

As the summer season prepares to depart, the leaves are turning and a chill is starting to fill the air.

What better way to celebrate the coming of fall than curling up in a comfy sweater, enjoying some hot cider and reading a good book.

Our monthly book panel joins host Christopher Purdy with their recommendations for your next book club selection or nightstand queue.

Host:

• Christopher Purdy, Classical 101 Morning Host

Guests:

• Kassie Rose, WOSU book critic
• Kris Hickey, youth services manager, Whetstone Branch, Columbus Metropolitan Library

For children and their families dealing with a cancer diagnosis, there are a myriad of variables that have to be navigated.

Ohio is working on helping families with that process, so that no family or child gets left behind. An organization called AngelWorks is also helping to achieve that mission.

As society largely moves to being paperless, ancient methods of paper making contain rituals rich in cultural heritage. Hanji, an ancient Korean way of making paper, is meditative for some and is being kept alive by an artist from northern Ohio.

This Saturday is National Talk Like a Pirate Day. Pirate life is a romantic way to live. A passion for pirates is what inspired two Buckeye Lake residents to start the Buckeye Lake Pirate Festival.

Guests:

• Ellie Hite, director and founder, AngelWorks
• Aimee Lee, award-winning artist and author
• Captain Kelly Collins, co-director, Buckeye Lake Pirate Festival
• Nina Collins, co-director, Buckeye Lake Pirate Festival

Alexis Nikole Nelson, better known as the "Black Forager," is a social media sensation.

And she just happens to call Columbus home.

She joins All Sides to talk about her eagerly awaited first book.

Happy Snacking, Don’t Die! is a one-of-a-kind collection of recipes and foraging wisdom that teaches you how to turn common plants, flowers and fungi into yummy, plant-based meals.

This unique book is basically two books in one. It is a foraging plant guide and a vegan cookbook. It's organized by season to guide you through a year of appetizing discoveries.

We will discuss the new book and Nelson's career as an internet personality. On Tik Tok, Instagram, and YouTube she shares videos about foraging, cooking, and food history.

Guests:

• Alexis Nikole Nelson a.k.a. the "Black Forager"

Touch screens and added safety features are just two reasons cars are more complicated than they used to be. With so many onboard computer systems, it could leave drivers wondering whether they need to call computer repair or a mechanic.

It's also one of the reasons drivers are rejecting new cars for older models. We're looking under the hood, kicking the tires, and learning about what it takes to keep your car on the road.

Guests:

• Nile “Motormouth” Jenkins, mechanic and host of Motormouth’s Morning Drive podcast
• Chris Cozad, president and owner of Alternative Auto Care

Local control has been a bedrock of Ohio governance – with officials elected to represent villages, townships and cities. But if you ask many of those officials today, they’ll tell you that decisions they once made for their residents are increasingly being made by state lawmakers.

As they watch data centers reshape their communities, hear candidates talk about property tax rollbacks, and wonder what kind of authority they still have. We'll discuss what's on the minds of municipal leaders.

Guests:

• Kent Scarrett, executive director of the Ohio Municipal League
• Matthew T. Starr, mayor of Mount Vernon, Ohio
• Kyle Brooks, executive director of the Ohio Township Association

When the Nancy Grace Roman Space telescope recently blasted into space, a group of Ohio State professors and students traveled to Florida and watched a project they’d worked on soar skyward toward a destination about 1 million miles away.

One of the biggest media formats for anyone who attended school in the 20th century was the film strip. Now there’s a race against time to preserve these culturally important artifacts.

And phone-mania: a new foldable phone, a new iPhone 18 Pro, plus a retro tin phone. We'll tell you all about them.

It's all coming up on this week's Tech Tuesday.

Guests:

• David Weinberg, distinguished university professor, department of astronomy, Ohio State University
• Mark O'Brien, founder, Uncommon Ephemera
• Russell Holly, director of commerce content, CNET

photo: Joel Kowsky / NASA / AP

Not only is Columbus State Community College transforming its campus, it’s changing downtown Columbus as well.

New buildings and partnerships are happening at a rate the school hasn’t experienced before.

From the Columbus Promise to the Buckeye Bridge, more students have access to higher education.

At the helm of this transformation is CSCC President David Harrison. We’ll talk with him about how the school is evolving and what it means for central Ohio.

Guest:

• David Harrison, president, Columbus State Community College