Sound of Ideas

A federal judge has approved a $600 million class-action settlement in the derailment of a train carrying hazardous chemicals last year in East Palestine.

The Norfolk-Southern train went off the rails in the Columbiana County village in February of 2023. Chemicals that leaked from the train and that were burned off in a pre-emptive move that was deemed unnecessary by the National Transportation Board contaminated the soil and water in and around the derailment site.

The story begins this week’s discussion of news on the “Sound of Ideas Reporters Roundtable.”

The head of the American Historical Association, James Grossman, will speak at CWRU Thursday, Sept. 26 about the growing number of states, including Ohio, introducing legislation that limits teaching of the past.

Last month, Huntington Bank announced it would reinstate its branch on Buckeye Road in Cleveland. The bank's decision came after a concerted effort on the part of the community, elected leaders and the city.

Later, a legend of the Northeast Ohio blues scene has returned to the stage after a health scare last year. We'll hear the story on the latest edition of “Shuffle.”

The protected status program is eligible for some countries including Ukraine and Afghanistan. It was created by Congress in 1990 to prevent deportations to countries experiencing civil strife or natural disaster.

The city recently released studies showing the economic impact of both closing the airport and developing it for other use.

The Portage County sheriff on Facebook this week called undocumented immigrants "illegal human locusts" and encouraged collecting addresses of Kamala Harris supporters. The local NAACP and others say it's voter intimidation. The sheriff says it's his First Amendment right. The story begins our discussion of the week's headlines on the Reporters Roundtable.

The two will participate in a panel for Case Western Reserve University's Inamori Center for Ethics and Excellence on Thursday.

00:00 Jen Miller, Executive Director of the League of Women Voters of Ohio, answers questions about registering to vote, absentee voting, ballot drop-off boxes and more. Early voting will begin on Oct. 8 in Ohio. That means if you want to vote, there is still time to make sure you are registered and take care of any issues that may cause you issues at the polls. Voter registration ends on Oct. 7.

29:46 Later in this hour, host Jenny Hamel sat down with U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson to discuss her newly published book "Lovely One: A Memoir."

The Cleveland Clinic's "MENtion It" report reveals generational divides in how men access healthcare services. Generally, men are not speaking up about their physical and mental health needs.

The cities of Lorain and Elyria are undertaking a pilot program that customizes rides for citizens, similar to private ride share services like Uber and Lyft.