All Sides with Amy Juravich

As Ohio billionaire Les Wexner faces intense scrutiny over his ties to convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, we look at the billion-dollar retail empire Wexner built in central Ohio, which gave rise to the fast-fashion trend, the mall as mecca, “sex sells” marketing campaigns, and high-end fashion shows.

Social media posts from millennial women blame Victoria’s Secret and Pink for ushering in an era of hyper-sexualization and objectification, turning skinny models into iconic superstar “angels” and sending young girls to malls, clamoring for flashy, suggestive attire that manifested in long-term body issues and eating disorders for some.

Along the way, Wexner raked in billions, gave away millions upon millions, and transformed his hometown and alma mater in the process.

Guests:

• Tim Feran, freelance journalist
• Chantal Fernandez, journalist/co-author, Selling Sexy: Victoria’s Secret and the Unraveling of an American Icon
• Rachel Rodgers, associate professor of applied psychology, Northeastern University

If you have a disability and would like a transcript or other accommodation, you can request an alternative format.

(Photo: Evan Agostini Invision / AP)

Do you remember when Ohio was a blue state?

Democratic strategist Dale Butland does. He spent 20 years working side by side with John Glenn and has a new book about a different era in Ohio politics.

Butland has more than 45 years of experience in government and political communication. He spent about half his career working for the late U.S. Senator and astronaut John Glenn.

The book is called When Ohio Was Blue.

We’ll hear about Butland’s career, his time with John Glenn and his take on Ohio’s current political landscape.

Guest:

• Dale Butland, Democratic strategist/author, When Ohio Was Blue

If you have a disability and would like a transcript or other accommodation you can request an alternative format.

Ranking candidates 1-2-3 instead of picking just one is known as ranked choice voting.

Some local municipalities in Ohio are considering using the voting method, although none currently do.

A bill to ban ranked choice voting pre-emptively just passed the Ohio House and heads to the Ohio Senate.

Universities not complying with an anti-DEI law could lose funding under a Republican bill meant to ensure compliance. The same loss of funding threat goes for school districts who sue the state.

We compost food, so why not human bodies? A new bill would allow that option.

In lighter news, Gov. Mike DeWine was asked his thoughts on the new Ohio-based reality show, “Love is Blind.”

We're talking about all of these topics on this week's reporter roundtable.

Guests:

• Andrew Tobias, state government and politics reporter, Signal Ohio
• Haley BeMiller, political reporter, Columbus Dispatch
• Megan Henry, reporter, Ohio Capital Journal

If you have a disability and would like a transcript or other accommodation you can request an alternative format.

(Photo: Joe Shlabotnik / Flickr)

Spring is just a few weeks away and the Columbus arts scene is blossoming with activity.

On this edition of All Sides Weekend, host Christopher Purdy is getting the inside scoop from several members of the Columbus arts community on what audiences can look forward to.

Host:

• Christopher Purdy, Classical 101 morning host

Guests:

• David Baghat, director, Butterfly Guild for Nationwide Children’s Hospital
• Chad Whittington, president/CEO, CAPA
• Leda Hoffman, producing artistic director, Contemporary Theatre of Ohio

If you have a disability and would like a transcript or other accommodation you can request an alternative format.

On May 15, Columbus resident Robert Alt summited the tallest mountain in the world, Mt. Everest.

Since then, his journey has continued. Now he has summited six of the seven highest peaks in the world.

A local author is fusing history lessons with ghost stories to create a fun and interesting way to learn Ohio history.

Having already written two books in his “Ohio Kids” series and coming out with a third, Logan Lyon is continuing his family tradition of finding new ways of teaching.

Middletown, Ohio is the home of the oldest documented continuously operated stained-glass studio in the United States.

Their glass is acquired from all over the world and design techniques date back to the original owners.

We’ll learn more about the history of the BeauVerre Riordan Studio.

Guests:

• Robert Alt, mountaineer/founder, Profound Climbing/president/CEO, The Buckeye Institute
• Logan Lyons, author, The Chillicothe Ghosts
• Linda Moorman, owner, BeauVerre Riordan Studios

If you have a disability and would like a transcript or other accommodation you can request an alternative format.

Columbus City Schools is addressing a budget shortfall by cutting more than 60 administrative positions, closing four buildings and making some busing changes.

Despite these moves, projections still show the district will be out of money by 2030.

School leaders say rising costs, property tax changes and reduced state funding have backed them into a corner.

We’ll discuss what’s being done to get out of that corner with Columbus City Schools' Superintendent Angela Chapman.

Guest:

• Columbus City Schools' Superintendent/CEO Angela Chapman

If you have a disability and would like a transcript or other accommodation you can request an alternative format.

Having spent more than 10 years as the president and CEO of the Greater Columbus Arts Council, Tom Katzenmeyer stepped down from his post in 2025.

Late last year, it was announced that the GCAC board of trustees selected Mitch Menchaca as its new president and CEO.

During the next hour, we’ll meet the arts advocate and fundraiser, who comes to Columbus from Phoenix, where he was the city’s arts and culture director.

The GCAC board said they picked Menchaca because of his experience in securing funding and running grant programs.

We’ll learn about his vision for the future of the Columbus arts scene.

Guest:

• Mitch Menchaca, president/CEO, Greater Columbus Arts Council

If you have a disability and would like a transcript or other accommodation you can request an alternative format.

President Donald Trump’s primetime address to Congress on Tuesday night set the stage for the rest of this midterm election year.

Trump touted his administration’s efforts to lower costs for everyday Americans and reflected on his first-year accomplishments.

He also addressed recent news.

The U.S. Supreme Court said the president does not have the ability to unilaterally impose tariffs.

ICE activity in Minnesota has slowed down in an effort to de-escalate tensions with local authorities.

The issues discussed impact every Ohioan and inform Ohio politics as well.

We will have reaction to President Trump’s "State of the Union" speech from two political scientists on this hour of All Sides.

Guests:

• Paul Beck, political science professor emeritus, Ohio State University
• Brianna Mack, associate professor, politics and government, Ohio Wesleyan University

If you have a disability and would like a transcript or other accommodation you can request an alternative format.

(Photo: Matt Rourke / AP)

AI will never be outrightly rude or racist, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t formulate racist opinions based on harmful stereotypes.

This covert racism has major implications from hiring to even legal decisions.

We will be talking about covert racism in AI.

Streaming services have become one of the most dominant and popular forms of media consumption since Netflix and Spotify revolutionized how we watch and listen to our favorites.

These services are not without downsides, though, and as they grow, how does their environmental impact grow with them?

One of the most popular online games, Roblox, has been in hot water because of its seeming neglect of children’s safety.

Guests:

• Soroush Vosoughi, associate professor, computer science, Dartmouth College
• Kyle Devine, professor of environmental studies and sciences, University of Winnipeg
• Russell Holly, director of commerce content, CNET

If you have a disability and would like a transcript or other accommodation you can request an alternative format.

(Photo: Sutthiphong / AdobeStock)

Former Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor joins All Sides to talk about judicial independence in a time of partisanship, an effort to nationalize elections, and a movement by chief justices around the U.S. to push back on what some legal scholars view as executive overreach into the judiciary. Is it?

She served as chief justice of the Ohio Supreme Court from 2011 through 2022.

O'Connor's insights will provide us an in-depth look at the issue on this hour of All Sides.

Guest:

• Maureen O'Connor, former Ohio Supreme Court chief justice

If you have a disability and would like a transcript or other accommodation you can request an alternative format.

(Photo: Julie Carr Smyth / AP)