Restaurants support West Side Market

Cleveland's historic West Side Market in Ohio City has teamed up with 14 Northeast Ohio restaurants for Restaurant Month — an initiative that will help support the market's major $70 million transformation project.

The restaurants are offering specials that relate to the market, and in many cases use ingredients from market vendors, and at the end of September, they'll give a portion of the proceeds to the renovation campaign.

This Thursday on the "Sound of Ideas," hosted by Stephanie Haney, we're talking to some of the participating restaurant owners and the West Side Market as part of this installment of "The Menu," our biweekly series about Northeast Ohio's food scene in partnership with Cleveland Magazine.

Guests:
- Camille Rose Dickson, Director of Development & Partnerships, Cleveland Public Market Corporation.
- Karen Small, Chef and Owner, Juneberry Table.
- Shawnda Moye, Chef and Owner, Roaming Biscuit.
- Alex Budin, Owner, Jukebox

St. Paddy's Day Parade update

There will be no St. Patrick's Day parade on Superior Ave. in Cleveland next year. That's because the action is shifting to a new route that starts at Playhouse Square.

Ideastream's Senior Arts & Culture Reporter, Kabir Bhatia, sat down with the organizers to learn about what's happening with the parade in 2027.

Guests:
- Patrick T. Murphy, Director Emeritus, Parade Committee
- Margie Bodle, Executive Director, Parade Committee
- Kabir Bhatia, Senior Reporter, Arts & Culture, Ideastream Public Media

"The Black Shield" Book

Many of Wilbert Cooper's family members were Black police officers. Growing up in the Cleveland suburbs, he heard stories of his family in the line of duty.

Then 2020 happened, and George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis by police officers. Protests broke out around the country demanding justice for his death and major police reform. It was during that time Cooper was faced with a question: Can Black officers create the radical change that many communities are calling for?

Cooper went looking for answers, and started with The Black Shield Police Association, an organization of Black police officers in Cleveland that tries to shape law enforcement's approach to racism and discrimination. Cooper's new book, "The Black Shield: An American Memoir of Family and Power," explains what he found. Cooper is also a journalist for The Marshall Project, which focuses on criminal justice. He spoke with Ideastream's Richard Cunningham about his book.

Guests:
- Wilbert Cooper, Author, "The Black Shield: An American Memoir of Family and Power"
- Richard Cunningham, Engaged Journalism Reporter, Ideastream Public Media

Living with chronic pain

Chronic pain is generally defined as pain that lasts for more than three months, and it can stem from an injury, an illness, inflammation or sometimes a cause doctors can't identify.

Nearly 1 in 4 U.S. adults experiences chronic pain, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

Chronic pain becomes more common with age and is slightly more common among women, but it can affect people at any age.

When pain becomes a constant part of someone's life, its effects can extend far beyond physical, affecting sleep, mobility, mental health, relationships and the ability to work or participate in everyday life.

Wednesday on the “Sound of Ideas,” hosted by Stephanie Haney, we're talking about what it means to live with pain that doesn't go away, and whether there are ways to change the way we understand and respond to it.

Guests:
- Pavan Tankha, D.O., Medical Director, Comprehensive Pain Recovery, Cleveland Clinic
- Robert Saper, M.D., Chair, Department of Wellness and Preventative Medicine & Nancy J. and Michael F. Roizen Chair of Wellness, Cleveland Clinic
- Gary Klein, Creator and Facilitator, Northeast Ohio Pain Support Group
- Talia, "Disabled.Girlie," Chronic Illness Content Creator

"Cleveland Mafia Summit"

In December of 1928, two dozen well-dressed men caught the eye of a Cleveland police officer outside of the Statler Hotel in Playhouse Square. After jotting down their names from the hotel register and passing them off to the detective's bureau, the authorities realized they had stumbled upon a collection of mafia members, right around the same time as a telegram had come in warning that some of Al Capone's men were traveling to Cleveland for a meeting.

Why did these gangland members choose Northeast Ohio for their summit? What were they here to talk about? And what happened to each of these 23 men, after 75 officers descended upon the Statler to bust up their plans?

To end the hour, we'll learn the answers to these questions with the help of "Cleveland Mafia Summit" author Don Billie.

Guest:
- Don Billie, Author, "Cleveland Mafia Summit"

Legacy Media's Return

Across Northeast Ohio, shops are popping up that are catering to a growing analog movement. These are stores that deal in vinyl records, VHS tapes, video games from Nintendo and SEGA, as well as other legacy media.

Tuesday on the "Sound of Ideas," with guest host Drew Maziasz, we'll hear from Cleveland Magazine's Annie Nickoloff, who dug into this love of older media.

Is there something we're losing when we only consume media from streaming services and digital platforms? Or are these older, analog media formats simply the latest trend in nostalgia?

Guests:

- Kabir Bhatia, Senior Arts Reporter, Ideastream Public Media

- Annie Nickoloff, Editor, Cleveland Magazine

- Jonathon Carmichael, Owner, Killer Video

- Emily Laurance, Director, Cleveland Silent Film Festival

"The Small Stuff"

Then, we turn our attention to a new book from Ian Bogost, a contributor to The Atlantic. "The Small Stuff" is all about finding more gratification in life, which Bogost often ties to creating a deeper connection and appreciation of life's small moments.

In the book, Bogost writes about everything from finding joy in the feeling of a steering wheel under your finger tips, to finding out how to waste time without thinking of it as a waste of time.

He spoke with "Sound of Ideas" Coordinating Producer Drew Maziasz.

Guests:

- Ian Bogost, Author, "The Small Stuff"; Contributor, "The Atlantic"

- Drew Maziasz, Coordinating Producer, Ideastream Public Media

Ohio's Incarcerated Youth

Ohio's juvenile justice system is supposed to be a safe place to reform troubled youth, so they can enter the world of adulthood as productive citizens.

But years of reporting and firsthand accounts from both staff and former incarcerated youth find that the system is broken. Instead, there is violence against other youth and staff, understaffing, and neglect.

And sometimes, formerly incarcerated youth credit their time in juvenile prison as a big reason why they are locked up as an adult.

A 2023 study that followed formerly incarcerated kids in Ohio found they are six times more likely to die violent deaths in the seven years after their release than kids who hadn't been locked up.

C.P. Handler is a social worker and youth advocate who worked for years in Ohio's state and county juvenile detention centers. She has written about her experiences in a new book called,

"The Light Within the Walls," and she joins us for Monday's "Sound of Ideas," hosted by Drew Maziasz, in for Stephanie Haney.

Tuesday night there is a book launch and panel discussion happening at JFX in University Heights, which stands for Jewish Family Experience, featuring people who have touched the juvenile justice system.

We've also invited some of those panelists to join in this conversation.

We reached out to the Ohio Department of Youth Services to comment on some of the claims from the book. After the taping of this show, we did receive the following statement:

At this time, we have not read the book and cannot speak directly to its content. However, we take all incidents related to contraband and assault very seriously at our agency. With it being over a decade since this employee has been with DYS, many things have changed, including different leadership at the Cuyahoga Hills facility. 

Even this past year, we’ve had historic accomplishments, including one of the largest graduating classes at Cuyahoga Hills’ Luther E. Ball High School for academic year 2025-2026. DYS had the highest number of diploma graduates ever and record-highs for the number of industry credentials and skill certificates earned by students for academic year 2025-2026.

Additionally, Cuyahoga Hills hosts reentry resource fairs for youth, where staff coordinate with dozens of organizations to come to the facility to meet youth for networking, resources, and job opportunities to support them upon their release back into Ohio’s communities.

Guests:

- C.P. Handler, Social Worker, Youth Advocate & Author, "The Light Within The Walls"

- Mike-Mike, formerly incarcerated person

- Ben Wenger, Social Worker, Therapist & Owner, Wenger Counseling in Woodmere & Beachwood

Cleveland VOTES Documentary

This November marks a pivotal election for Ohio, as it decides on a new governor, U.S. Senator, and many other important races, yet for the over one million Ohioans with disabilities, navigating the poll booth can be a discouraging experience.

Inaccessible polling tables for wheelchair users, a lack of American Sign Language translators for deaf voters, and minimal information for voters with disabilities make the voting process more difficult than it needs to be, according to a new documentary from the nonpartisan organization, Cleveland VOTES, called "Voting in the Land: Accessibility and the Ballot."

The short is part of a larger documentary series highlighting the experiences of voters in Cleveland. It is being featured at the 2026 Greater Cleveland Urban Film Festival on Saturday night, as part of their "Stories of Resistance" program.

LEAP will host its fifth annual March for Access on Saturday starting at Market Square Park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m..

If you want to learn more about becoming an accessible voting advocate, you can check out the Cleveland VOTES' toolkit.

Guests:

- Brianna Zgodinski, Communications & Narrative Strategist, Cleveland VOTES; Creator & Producer, "Voting in the Land: Accessibility and the Ballot"

- Saphire Murphy, Community Engagement Specialist, LEAP Cleveland

- Gloria Craig, Civic Engagement Strategist, Cleveland VOTES; Director, Voting in the Land: Accessibility and the Ballot

The Republican Party held its first-ever midterm convention in Dallas less than two months before the November elections. President Donald Trump used his speech to highlight the GOP’s priorities on immigration, taxes, health care and trade. He also pledged to give every adult U.S. citizen $5,000 if Republicans retain control of the House and Senate, calling it a “Trump dividend.” Trump did not provide details on how the payments would be funded or implemented, and the proposal would require congressional approval.

Democratic Ohio gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton was unharmed after an armed man allegedly pushed through a crowd toward her at the Canfield Fair, injuring two people. The suspect was arrested and faces assault and disorderly conduct charges as authorities continue to investigate the incident.

In a subsequent interview, Acton discussed the incident and the role of political rhetoric in political violence. She also explained her positions on Flock surveillance cameras and expanding online gambling in Ohio.

The 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks is being marked with ceremonies and events across the country, including in Northeast Ohio. In New York, Mayor Zohran Mamdani is facing calls from some 9/11 victims’ relatives and former officials to stay away from the city’s remembrance ceremony.

At the same time, his administration has released more than 170,000 pages of previously withheld records about the aftermath of the attacks and air quality around Ground Zero. Some of the records indicate officials were aware of potential health risks from toxic air following the attacks.

Ohio U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno is criticizing states that issue “drive-only” licenses to immigrants who cannot establish legal status in the U.S. His criticism follows a fatal crash involving a driver who authorities say was in the country illegally and held a Connecticut drive-only license.

Moreno is calling for the federal government to stop states from issuing the licenses, while supporters of the programs say they allow drivers to be tested, licensed and insured.

We'll discuss these stories and more on the Friday Reporters Roundtable hosted by Stephanie Haney, in this week for Mike McIntyre.

Guests:

- Conor Morris, Education Reporter, Ideastream Public Media

- Matthew Richmond, Criminal Justice Reporter, Ideastream Public Media

- Karen Kasler, Bureau Chief, Ideastream Statehouse News Bureau

Northeast Ohio workers aim to improve labor strength

American's approval of labor unions has greatly increased in the last 20 years, according to a recent poll from Gallup.

47% of those who were surveyed said they want unions to have more influence. That sits alongside a rate of 26% saying they want unions to have the same amount of influence.

Efforts to unionize or improve worker conditions are increasing in a variety of sectors across Northeast Ohio, from the musicians of the Cleveland Orchestra potentially going on strike, to nurses, baristas and librarians seeking a place at the table when it comes to collective bargaining.

Labor Day was celebrated this Monday, so the "Sound of Ideas,” hosted by Stephanie Haney, decided to take a snapshot of the local labor landscape on Thursday’s show with workers here in Northeast Ohio.

Guests:

- Rhonda Hillman, Employee, SEIU Local 1 & Union Steward

- Michael Wood, Lead Administrative Organizer, SEIU 1199

- Patricia Kane, Staff Nurse, Metro Behavioral Health Hospital; Ohio Nurses Association Local President

- Caleb Reese, Former Rising Star Employee

- Elayna Duitman, Violinist, The Cleveland Orchestra; Chair, Musicians Negotiating Committee

"Shuffle”

Then, we bring you another episode of our music podcast "Shuffle." This week, we hear from Lakewood artist Tracy Marie, who has built a career in music while navigating the challenges of a rare disability.

Now, she's turning those experiences into advocacy for greater accessibility.

Guests:

- Amanda Rabinowitz, Host and Producer, “Shuffle” and “All Things Considered”

- Tracy Marie, Musician

Sexual assaults peak on college campus at the start of the school year

College students have returned to campus for the fall semester. For many, it’s a time of new experiences, friendships and greater independence. But it’s also a time of heightened risk for sexual violence.

On college campuses, 13% of undergraduate students say they have experienced sexual assault or rape, according to a 2019 survey by the Association of American Universities. That includes about 1 in 4 women, 1 in 2 transgender students and 1 in 14 men.

Wednesday on “Sound of Ideas” with host Stephanie Haney, we’ll talk about a period known as "the red zone,” the time between the start of the fall semester and Thanksgiving break when more than half of campus sexual assaults are reported to occur.

First-year and transfer students can be especially vulnerable. They’re navigating unfamiliar social settings and living environments, often before they’ve had a chance to establish routines, build support networks or learn where to turn for help.

So, what are college campuses doing to prevent sexual assault and support students after a traumatic event? And what resources are available to survivors, both on and off campus?

Guests:
- Donisha Greene, Senior Director of Strategic Communications, Cleveland Rape Crisis Center
- Sarah Benuska, M.S., Ph.D., Trauma Counseling Psychologist & Clinical Director, Trauma Recovery Center, MetroHealth
- Beverly Pettrey, Chief of Police, Cleveland State University Police Department
- LaJuan Flores, Director and Title IX Coordinator, Office for Protected Rights, Cleveland State University

ACLU of Ohio files lawsuit against ICE agents in Springfield

Last week, we discussed the loss of temporary protected status for Haitian immigrants living in Springfield in Southwest Ohio, and the increase of arrests and deportations by federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, or ICE.

In the days since, the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio has filed a lawsuit against ICE officers in the area on behalf of a Springfield resident, Sean Moorman, who is a volunteer ICE watcher. He claims that actions by ICE agents against him violated his First Amendment right to record and photograph their actions.

We did reach out to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, for comment on this lawsuit, an ICE spokesperson told us via email, "ICE is aware of the lawsuit filed by the ACLU in Ohio and is reviewing appropriate next steps in coordination with the Department of Justice."

Guest:
- Freda Levenson, Legal Director, American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio

This year marks the end of an era at Akron’s iconic Firestone Country Club. As the Senior Players Championship moves to California next year, leaving Firestone without a tournament for the first time since the Rubber City Open in 1954, questions remain about the future of professional golf in Akron.

Aside from bringing in millions of spectators, the PGA Tour’s presence in the city was a driver for more than $34 million in charitable giving.

Tuesday on the "Sound of Ideas," we'll bring you a recent Akron Press Club discussion with Danielle Robertson Thompson, the Executive Director of the Northern Ohio Golf & Charities Foundation.

Thompson discusses how the foundation plans to transition its tournament volunteers and donors to other community initiatives and charity outings.

She’ll also shares how the organization will continue to work alongside Firestone on new ways to celebrate Akron's golf legacy.

The conversation was moderated by Ideastream's Andrew Meyer.

Guests:

- Danielle Robertson Thompson, the Executive Director of the Northern Ohio Golf & Charities Foundation

- Andrew Meyer, Deputy Editor - News, Ideastream Public Media

The tragic death of Haitian college student whose temporary protected status expired has added more fuel to Governor Mike DeWine's criticism of federal immigration actions in Ohio.

Republican Vivek Ramaswamy agreed this week to two gubernatorial debates. Democrat Amy Acton said no thanks.

After years of conflict and legal wrangling, the proposal to place a drop in center for homeless youth in an Ohio City neighborhood has been scrapped.

More opposition to Data Center development in Ohio.

And if you want to watch the Cavs on TV this season, it's gonna cost you monthly.

We'll discuss these stories and more on the Friday Reporters Roundtable hosted by Mike McIntyre.

Guests:

- Abbey Marshall, 'Power and Influence' Reporter, Crain's Cleveland

- Zaria Johnson, Environment Reporter, Ideastream Public Media

- Karen Kasler, Bureau Chief, Ideastream Statehouse News Bureau

PB Cle Pilot Program

The concept of participatory budgeting made headlines in Cleveland back in 2023 when a citizen-led ballot initiative was voted on by residents. The initiative would have allowed Cleveland residents to decide how to spend a small amount of the city's budget.

That initiative failed during that November 2023 election, but People's Budget Cleveland, the backers of the ballot measure, went back to the drawing board and decided to implement participatory budgeting on a smaller scale.

Thursday on the "Sound of Ideas," we'll learn more about how PB CLE has been working in the city's Slavic Village neighborhood on a pilot program, allowing resident voices to decide to how to spend $100,000 in grant funding.

Guests:

- Cassie Park, Program Manager, Participatory Budgeting Cleveland

- Chuck Gliha, Slavic Village Resident

The Menu: Fruit Harvest

Then we turn our attention to Northeast Ohio fruit farmers and the tough growing season they've been experiencing.

On this installment of "The Menu," Christina Rufo from Cleveland Magazine shares some of her reporting on how unusual spring and summer weather has decimated cherry, peach and apple crops.

We'll also hear directly from a farmer who says they've lost nearly 70% of their peaches and 40% of their apples this year.

Guests:

- Christina Rufo, Reporter, Cleveland Magazine

- Ben Gammie, Co-Owner, Quarry Hill Orchards