For some insight into a few of the coming election's ballot issues, hear Ms. Brown explain what's important and why it is so. She stresses how much each vote matters and the importance of everyone taking their role in the election seriously. She also details her role in helping improve people's lives through her work representing those living in District 9.

To learn more about Ms. Brown's own journey, listen as she shares how her path was partly by design, but also the result of other interventions. Her highly enthusiastic, informed and accessible qualities are transmitted throughout her conversation. She is a real beacon in the community, listening and working hard to address the needs of others.

Listen as Dr. McKenzie explores issues related to health, leadership and her youth spent in the South American country of Guyana where money was scarce but literacy and educated people were in abundance.

She drills down on causes for infant mortality, which has an elevated incidence in the local area, and mentions measures to counteract this trend. She also touches on the common culprits for declining health:

* hypertension (also known as high blood pressure)

* diabetes (also referred to as "sugar")

* excessive weight (obesity)

* heart disease

She stresses that all of these conditions are preventable regardless of income and access to healthcare. She also shares her unique perspective on medical setbacks and challenges - essentially, everything can be managed.

This conversation explores how Mr. Doss, a Detroit native of humble origins, transitioned out of corporate America after achieving great success with General Motors in Southfield, Michigan. He details how, in 2010, the doors opened at his franchise in Harvard Park, near the corner of Harvard and Richmond Road in Warrensville Heights. His location leads the market in Northeast Ohio in terms of retail sales, a significant achievement in and of itself, but accomplished while having the smallest stand-alone structure in the area. When total sales are considered, including outside sales and catering, the franchise ranked #2 in 2017, another monumental accomplishment.

Mr. Doss shares details surrounding how it was a tough journey at the beginning when he was working 80 hour weeks.

"In the first 90 days, I wanted to give the keys back."

Listen as he describes how he came to understand that he was in business for himself but not by himself and grew more comfortable with developing and relying on his team. He employs around 80 people and has drawn satisfaction through seeing some of them advance from taking the bus to work to owning their own car. His wife, Gale, handles marketing for the franchise and is a key decision maker for the operation.

Mr. Doss has been very active in the community and has engaged in mentorship with students in neighboring schools including the Warrensville Heights City School District, Shaker Heights and Orange, focusing on leadership skills. He also has spent time with youths in a local juvenile detention center to help them plan for their futures.

"The young people are part of my heart."

He also regularly donates Chick-Fil-A food to charitable causes.

This conversation explores the creation of the $9 million Warrensville Heights branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library. It was the first new construction project that was part of a $110 million capital improvement program to build new branches across the county. There was great need for a new facility in Warrensville Heights and there was tremendous support for it from across the city, including residents, city council members and city hall staff.

"The old branch looked like a bunker and felt like a bunker," she said.

She discusses the new role that libraries are playing in patrons' lives, with the emphasis now being less about the circulation of materials and more about what services can be provided. As a result, the branch has seen its participation numbers rise significantly from all ages groups.

This illuminating conversation covers the early days of Warrensville Heights' residential development through the lens of one prominent developer. Mr. Ratner, 90, reveals how members of the family-run business were very inventive and how this defining trait guided their progress and enhanced their ability to determine what might be the next big profit generator.

Mr. Ratner shares how his family found opportunity in Warrensville Heights during the beginning of a building boom when soldiers returning from WWII and needing homes in the 1950s. He reveals that the construction of homes and apartments here marked Forest City's first major semi mixed-use project.

Forest City's footprint amounted to around 1,700 apartment units in Warrensville Heights. Ratner discusses how he learned the industry while on the job, as each project was completed.

"There were no leadership classes back then - it was called life."

For background info, see https://junescharf.wixsite.com/reaching-new-heights

This dialogue dives deep into the issues surrounding the proposed school bond funding proposal appearing on the November ballot as Issue 9. Phase I is funded and underway with the imminent demolition of Randallwood Elementary School and the old library with new construction to follow, erecting a state-of-the-art new pre-K through 5th grade space.

Listen as the school officials describe how nearby districts have built new facilities over the past decade including Maple Heights, Cleveland, Cleveland Heights, Euclid and Solon. They make the point that to be competitive and not fall further behind, the passage of the bond issue is required to fund Phase II. This will encompass the construction of a new middle school and high school campus and other recreational facilities.

Let this conversation shed light on all aspects of the bond passage's necessity.

For background info on guests, please see: https://junescharf.wixsite.com/reaching-new-heights

Welcome to the city's weekly podcast! In this introductory episode, the Mayor is extremely candid about his life in the City of Warrensville Heights, beginning with his youth growing up here to his time as the economic development director under Warrensville Heights Mayor Marcia Fudge for 11 years to his own tenure as Mayor since 2012. He also shares some thoughts listeners have never heard about his transition out of professional basketball. In fact, he reveals several personal details that offer insight into his character and world view.

"Basketball is something I did, it's not who I was." He is very clear on this point. He also lends some perspective on what life is like being 7 feet tall.

Listen as he talks about the way he approaches work in this city which involves always looking for opportunities. This episode will pull back the curtain a little further on a man who is abundantly accessible, but with this conversation, he's just a little bit more so.