Bill Mason as Cuyahoga County’s chief of staff and whether Cuyahoga County should elect a sheriff are the big-thought topics that lead off the latest episode of This Week in the CLE, the podcast discussion of the news by reporters and editors at cleveland.com.

Reporter Bob Higgs covered the stories for the vacationing Courtney Astolfi and explains County Executive Armond Budish’s choice of Mason. He also explains the early thinking on the move to overturn part of the county charter voters approved a decade ago, to return to an elected sheriff.

Politics editor Jane Kahoun takes us though the labyrinth of the state budget, with the latest version by the state Senate restoring a tax cut for businesses. Data guru Rich Exner explains the gyrations going on in Columbus about proposed tax cuts.

Jane also provides details of an effort to bring common sense regulations to gun sales and talks about how House Speaker Larry Householder is being received, six months into his latest term.

Reporter Adam Ferrise helps sort through Gov. Mike DeWine’s sudden interest in the Cuyahoga County Jail controversy. Reporter Leila Atassi hails MetroHealth Systems CEO AKram Boutros City Club speech, in which he called on Greater Cleveland to embrace the Open Table mentorship model of helping people in need.

Reporter Emily Bamforth covers the Greater Cleveland Partnership’s ongoing study to find Northeast Ohio’s best bet at expanding its innovation economy as well at the GCP’s stance against Cuyahoga County’s ban on plastic bags.

Rich and reporter Mary Kilpatrick provide the latest information on the earthquake that had some people shaking.

Bob talks about how the huge mural in the Cleveland City Hall council chamber fails to reflect modern-day Cleveland and how one council member wants to change that. He also talks about a new place to stay for family members of patients in Cleveland’s veterans hospital.

Columnist Mark Naymik provides the latest in a long line of updates on the spending habits of City Councilman Ken Johnson.

And Special Projects Editor – and Rockthelake.com coordinator – Laura Johnston talks with Emily about why we are celebrating the river fire that brought disgrace to Cleveland 50 years ago.

New episodes are published Thursday evenings, so you can listen on your Friday morning commute.

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