Lakewood demands accountability for power outages

Tens of thousands of Northeast Ohio residents were without electricity during some of the hottest days of the year last week, and some lost power for up to four days.

For cities like Lakewood, residents say power outages happen on a too-frequent basis, and the city's mayor, Meghan George, is demanding accountability from the only energy company serving the city, FirstEnergy.

In a statement last week, George called on Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and the state regulatory agency, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, to press for action against FirstEnergy. This is following a prior investigation into the company last year where PUCO found "probable noncompliance." FirstEnergy was then ordered to invest $12.5 million into the city's infrastructure.

Regarding last week's power outages, FirstEnergy put a message on its website to Lakewood customers:

"We understand the frustration and hardship recent outages have caused for Lakewood residents, especially during this period of extreme heat," the message read. "Using less electricity can help protect the system and prevent additional outages – and help you manage energy costs during this time of high use."

On Wednesday's "Sound of Ideas," we'll talk about power concerns with Lakewood leaders, and a reporter covering energy news in the state.

The "Sound of Ideas" did invite FirstEnergy to be part of this conversation to share their perspective on the outages, but they declined to participate.

Guests:

- Meghan George, Mayor, City of Lakewood.

- Ernie Vargo, Law Director, City of Lakewood

- Kathiann Kowalski, Contributing Reporter, Canary Media

Nobel Peace Prize winner on threat of nuclear war

During the height of the Cold War, much of the American populous was terrified of nuclear annihilation.

They held their breath as President Kennedy warned of rising tensions with the Soviets during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and ducked under their desks as students for bomb drills. They also breathed a sigh of relief when relationships with the USSR were repaired at the end of the 1980s and the Cold War thawed.

But some academics continue to warn that we're in fact closer to the possibility of nuclear war than we ever have been.

Ira Helfand is a Nobel Peace Prize winner, and will be speaking in Northeast Ohio on Thursday night at the invitation of Cleveland Peace Action. He joins the "Sound of Ideas" to explain why he's warning of potential nuclear conflict.

Fatherhood support resources
For many parents, maintaining a relationship with their children isn't simply a matter of showing up.

Divorce, incarceration, financial hardship and other life circumstances can create distance between parents and their kids.

On top of those challenges, some parents face systemic barriers, from navigating the court system to finding stable housing or employment. And often -- fathers are the ones that may experience separation from their child due to these circumstances.

But research shows that when fathers show interest in their child's lives, their health, learning and confidence improve while risks like poverty and behavioral challenges are reduced

Tuesday on the "Sound of Ideas," we're joined by Northeast Ohioans who are working to help fathers overcome those obstacles, strengthen their parenting skills and build lifelong healthy relationships.

Guests:
- Margaret Bernstein, Author, Dad Storybooks and Literacy Advocate
- Randall Jellison, Fatherhood Project Manager, Early Childhood Resource Center
- LeBron Terrell, Fatherhood Coach, Passages

"Lil' John: Laughing My Way Through Life"
Generations of Clevelanders grew up watching the "Big Chuck & Little John" show, and "Houlihan and Big Chuck," on Friday nights.

Ideastream Public Media's Senior Arts & Culture Reporter Kabir Bhatia spoke with one of the stars of the show, John Rinaldi, who has a new book out about his life and work.

Guests:
- Kabir Bhatia, Senior Reporter/Producer, Ideastream Public Media
- John Rinaldi, Author, "Lil' John: Laughing My Way Through Life"

Staying safe during extreme heat

The U.S. Supreme Court wrapped its term Tuesday with a series of major decisions on immigration, presidential power and election law.

Among the final rulings, the court voted against President Donald Trump to uphold the citizenship clause of the 14th Amendment declaring anyone born within the borders of the U.S. a citizen of the country.

Last week, the justices held that courts cannot review Department of Homeland Security decisions to end Temporary Protected Status, clearing the way for the Trump administration to end legal protections for Haitians and Syrians, which includes a large Haitian community in Springfield, Ohio that drew national attention.

The court also ruled that Congress cannot prevent the president from removing members of the Federal Trade Commission. In doing so, overturning a 90-year-old precedent that had preserved federal agencies' independence.

Trump celebrated the decision on Truth Social, saying it greatly increases presidential power "at a time when it is most needed." Two of the dissenting justices said this decision completely reshapes our government.

The court also upheld a Mississippi law allowing mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted for up to five days afterward.

Wednesday on the "Sound of Ideas," we'll talk about these decisions, what they say about the direction of the high court and what they could mean for everyday Americans and the balance of power in Washington.

Guests:
- Jonathan Entin, Professor of Law, Case Western Reserve University
- César García Hernández, Professor of Law, The Ohio State University
- Ali Masood, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Politics, Oberlin College and Conservatory

"The Big Shrink"

Cleveland's population was 930,000 at its height in 1950. Now, it's a little more than a third of that.

With that population loss, comes fewer students enrolled in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. And those dropping enrollment numbers has led to the district needing to closure buildings and lay off hundreds of employees.

Cleveland is far from the only district experiencing this issue, which one education researcher has called "the big shrink."

Tuesday on the "Sound of Ideas" we'll learn more about what's happening with CMSD, and other districts across the state. You can read Ideastream Education Reporter Conor Morris's reporting on the issue here.

Guests:

- Conor Morris, Education Reporter, Ideastream Public Media

- Meryl Johnson, Former Educator and State Board of Education Representative

- Vladimir Kogan, Ph.D., Professor of Political Science, The Ohio State University

U.S. Annual Esperanto Conference

Vi aŭskultas la radioprogramon "Sono de Ideoj" de Ideastream Public Media. Mi estas Stephanie Haney, dankon pro via restado kun ni.

What you just read translated to English reads, "You're with the 'Sound of Ideas' from Ideastream Public Media. I'm Stephanie Haney, thanks for staying with us."

But you may not have understood it, because that first line was written in Esperanto.

Esperanto was created in the late 1800s, meant to be a universal secondary language. It's not tied to any particular region in the world so it has no native speakers, and it's not intended to be anyone's first language. It's meant to be easy to learn, no matter what your background, and its goal is to promote international communication and even world peace.

The language of Esperanto is encouraged here in the United States by a non-profit organization called Esperanto-USA, which is hosting a weeklong course and its national conference at Cleveland State University, now through July 6th.

Tuesday on the "Sound of Ideas," we have leaders of Esperanto-USA and a Cleveland member joining us to teach us about the language and its Northeast Ohio connection dating back to the 1930s, and hopefully help us walk away knowing a few key phrases.

Guests:

- Brandon Sowers, President, Esperanto-USA

- Amanda Schmidt, Executive Director, Esperanto-USA

- Jeremy Genovese, Member, Esperanto-USA

America 250 Reflections

Saturday is America's 250th birthday. It's a time to look back at our nation's history and reflect on where we are today as a country.

The Declaration of Independence in 1776 guaranteed the rights to equality, liberty and democracy for all.

Is America today living up to the promise of its founding? Do citizens today have equal rights and opportunities? Some will say, absolutely, but for others, it's a bit more complicated.

On Monday's "Sound of Ideas" we're convening a panel of Northeast Ohioans from a diverse range of perspectives and lived experiences to hear what life is like for them in this country ahead of the 250th, and whether they like the direction the country is going at this moment in time.

Guests:

- Neil G. McCormick, Retiree, Cinecraft Productions

- Poojajeet Khaira, M.D., Psychiatrist Physician

- Dominic Harrison, Junior, John Carrol University

- Michele Weiss, Mayor, City of University Heights

Connect250 Project

As the nation marks America's 250th birthday, the oral history nonprofit, StoryCorps, and NPR's Morning Edition are launching a nationwide initiative called "Connect 250" — pairing strangers from different parts of the country to record a conversation about their lives today and what America means to them.

These 40-minute long dialogues will be permanently preserved in the Library of Congress, to serve as a time capsule of what life in America was like at 250 years old.

StoryCorps Founder and President Dave Isay told us more about this initiative.

Guest:

- Dave Isay, Founder and President, StoryCorps

Gov. Mike DeWine this week vetoed a bill that would mandate photo ID for mail-in ballots starting in 2027.

On the heels of DeWine calling on Ohio lawmakers to abolish the death penalty, we learned this week that for the first time in his tenure, he granted clemency to a death row inmate.

The U.S. Supreme Court signed off on the Trump administration's plan to strip temporary protected status from Haitian immigrants. The move could leave more than 10,000 Haitians living in Springfield at risk for deportation.

Republican U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno has an unexpected ally in the effort to shore up social security: Democrat Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

And Cleveland has been raking in cash since it implemented changes to its parking pricing structure earlier this year.

We will discuss these topics and other news of the week on the “Sound of Ideas Reporters Roundtable.”

Guests:
- Kabir Bhatia, Senior Reporter/Producer, Ideastream Public Media
- Gabriel Kramer, Reporter/Producer & "NewsDepth" Host, Ideastream Public Media
- Sarah Donaldson, Reporter/Producer, Ideastream Statehouse News Bureau

Employee Ownership Models

There are over 6500 businesses that in some form participate in an employee-owned model, according to a study from Rutgers University. These businesses vary from an ESOP, or employee stock ownership plan, which is the most common form or profit-sharing, to a worker-owned cooperative, where workers can vote on things like a board of directors.

Thursday on the "Sound of Ideas," we'll take a deeper look at the employee ownership model, and find out why some aging business owners are embracing that model.

We'll hear from one Northeast Ohio business that recently transitioned to an employee trust model with the help of the Ohio Employee Ownership Center at Kent State University.

Guests:
- Michael Palmieri, Associate Director, Ohio Employee Ownership Center, Kent State University
- Jonathan Welle, Lead Organizer & Founding Board Member, Cleveland Owns
- Mike Miller, Founder and Managing Partner, Music Box Supper Club
- Hannah Scott, Program Director, The Ohio State University - College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, Center for Cooperatives

"The Menu: Employee Ownership and Food"

Later in the program, we'll stay with the employee ownership discussion, and look at one local coffee roaster, Phoenix, who is a employee-owned cooperative.

They have five cafes, and a roastery, across Northeast Ohio. We'll hear from the General Manager about why he says that model serves the business.

Guests:
- Toby Reif, General Manager, Phoenix Coffee

- Jonathan Welle, Lead Organizer & Founding Board Member, Cleveland Owns

Funeral arrangements and burial alternatives

The cost of planning a funeral has risen dramatically over the past several decades. From 1986 to 2025, funeral costs increased by 304%, meaning something that cost $1 in 1986 now costs about $4. Inflation, changing consumer preferences and rising labor and material costs have all contributed to the price hike.

Today, cremation is the most common end-of-life choice in the U.S., with more than 60% of Americans choosing it in recent years. While cremation is often less expensive than a traditional burial, funeral arrangements can still carry a significant cost.

As a result, some are turning to alternatives such as green burials, human composting and body donation programs. For some, these options can reduce costs. For others, they offer a way to align final arrangements with personal values, environmental concerns or a desire to contribute to medical research.

Wednesday on the "Sound of Ideas," we'll explore these alternatives and find out whether they still leave loved ones with a meaningful way to remember you.

Guests:

- Chad McGreevey, Funeral Director, McGreevey Funeral Homes

- Danielle Davis, Director of Anatomical Services, Body Donation Program, Ohio State University

- Tom Harries, CEO and Co-Founder, Earth Funeral

- Geoffrey Gompf, President-Elect, Ohio Funeral Directors Association

Tri-C JazzFest 2026

Live music is back in downtown Cleveland this week, with the return of the annual Tri-C JazzFest, this Thursday through Saturday. Located on Playhouse Square, the three-day event will feature both local and national artists, accompanied by face painting, line dancing and local food vendors.

The festival will feature local artists such as Dominick Farinacci, as well as national artists like Sheila E., Durand Bernarr, and others.

JazzNEO host and producer Dan Polletta previewed the festival with “Sound of Ideas” host Stephanie Haney.

Guest:

- Dan Polletta, Senior Producer, Host of JazzNEO, Ideastream Public Media

As a country, we're living longer than ever before. The average life expectancy in the United States is now 79 years old, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

But how are we doing when we get to our golden years? In Ohio, the answer is not necessarily the best, according to the latest America's Health Rankings Senior Report. This study from The United Health Foundation ranked Ohio 36th in the country in overall health for seniors. Some major concerns include suicide rates, drug related deaths, poverty and food insecurity concerns and levels of physical activity.

When you add in concerns about mental function and emotional wellbeing, there's a lot to think about as we age. On Tuesday's edition of the "Sound of Ideas," we're looking at what we can do in our younger years to try to maintain our mental, emotional and physical health for as long as our bodies will let us.

Guests:

- Gary Grosel, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, UnitedHealthcare of Ohio

- Lester Carney, age 92, Olympic athlete who won a silver medal in the 200-meter dash at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Italy

- Robert Bermel, M.D., Staff Neurologist, Neurological Institute's Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis at Cleveland Clinic

- Roopa Anmolsingh, M.D., Lead Geriatrician for Community Programs, Cleveland Clinic