The Sound of Ideas

K-12 students, educators share how they are using artificial intelligence in the classroom No matter where you went to school, there is one task that has united most of us in misery — homework. Perhaps you remember staying up all night writing an essay on a Shakespeare play that you, of course, waited until the last minute to read. Or maybe you remember those grueling hours at the dinner table, as a parent helped with impossible algebra homework. Today's students have a different tool to help with their assignments — artificial intelligence. A report from the digital rights nonprofit Center for Democracy and Technology last year found 85% of teachers and 86% of students reported using AI in the classroom. Students can now use AI to summarize complicated texts and even write entire essays for them. They can type a math problem or chemistry equation into Chat GPT or Gemini and have it solved instantly, no hour-long sessions with a parent needed. Educators and parents have mixed feelings about the prevalence of artificial intelligence in the classroom. It's even prompted the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce to require all public K-12 school districts to adopt official AI policies by July. But what do high schoolers think about AI? How is it shaping their learning and outlook of their futures? Reporter Anna Huntsman has been traveling to schools in Northeast Ohio to find the answer to that question, and she'll share what she's learned on Tuesday’s “Sound of Ideas,” as part of our week-long series, Ideastream Explores: Artificial Intelligence. Artificial intelligence pioneer discusses the origins of machine learning Later in the hour, early research in artificial intelligence used the human brain as a model for building machines that could understand language — today's large language models, or LLM's. Computational neuroscientist Dr. Terrence Sejnowski at the Salk Institute in San Diego is a pioneer in the field. He spoke with Ideastream's Jeff St. Clair about the links between humans and artificial intelligence and the push to build even smarter machines. Guests: - Lauren Angelone, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Science Education and Instructional Technology, Xavier University - Joseph South, Ph.D., Chief Innovation Officer, ISTE + ASCD - Adam Lockwood, Ph.D., Associate Professor of School Psychology, Kent State University - Terrence Sejnowski, Ph.D., Author, "ChatGPT and the Future of AI" - Anna Huntsman, Reporter, Ideastream Public Media - Jeff St. Clair, Midday Host, Ideastream Public Media

We'll kick-off our newsroom-wide reporting project, "Ideastream Explores: Artificial Intelligence" this week with a conversation about how AI is transforming the workforce.

Springfield, near Dayton, is on edge after a federal judge in Washington, D.C., this week blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to end temporary protected status for about 15,000 Haitian immigrants in the area. The ruling is expected to be appealed. How long will the reprieve last? And will a surge in federal immigration enforcement follow? We will begin Friday’s “Sound of Ideas Reporters Roundtable” with a discussion in how officials are responding to reports of a potential immigration enforcement surge, and what residents are doing to prepare for the worse. Former Cuyahoga County Domestic Relations Court Judge Leslie Ann Celebrezze pleaded guilty to a felony count of tampering with records, acknowledging she steered a divorce case to her own docket and made it appear the assignment was random. She then appointed a close friend as a receiver, a role that had earned the friend hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years. The bribery trial of two top FirstEnergy executives began in Akron. In opening statements, defense attorneys argued that payments made to the state’s top utilities regulator were legitimate business expenses and portrayed the regulator — who later died by suicide — as a corrupt official who stole the money. Cleveland will take a new approach to responding to mental health crises, one that does not involve police, after City Council passed Tanisha’s Law. And the Cavaliers shaved three players in recent trades and added a new beard. Guests: - Josh Boose, Supervising Producer - Newscasts, Ideastream Public Media - Abbey Marshall, Reporter/Producer, Ideastream Public Media - Karen Kasler, Statehouse News Bureau Chief, Ohio Public Radio/TV

Cleveland Kurentovanje Northeast Ohio is home to the largest population of Slovenians outside of Slovenia, roughly 47,000 people. It's no surprise that it's also home to the largest winter festival celebrating Slovenian arts and culture outside of that European country. Cleveland Kurentovanje, also known as the Slovenian Mardi Gras, begins this weekend. Its a multi-day festival that celebrates the end of winter and the beginning of spring. The festival has been volunteer-run for 14 years, and is a program of the Slovenian Museum and Archives, which has a new exhibit part of the festival celebrating the life and legacy of one famous Clevelander of Slovenian and Serbian heritage — George Voinovich, who was a Republican mayor of Cleveland, governor of Ohio and U.S. senator. The exhibit is called "Together We Can Do It!" and honors Voinovich's passion for public service and global cooperation. On Thursday's "Sound of Ideas," we'll learn more about the festival and exhibit by hearing from some of the organizers joining me in studio. Guests: - Suzana Češarek, Consul General of the Republic of Slovenia in Cleveland - Greg Nosan, President, Slovenian Museum & Archives - Kathy Walters, Member, Cleveland Kurentavanje Executive Committee Terry Pluto's new book on the Browns Sports commentator Terry Pluto has a new book out that builds on previous releases "False Start" and "Browns Blues" and arrives at another turning point for the Browns. With a new head coach, a reshuffled team, and a new stadium on the way, Pluto explores the questions fans never stop asking, such as "Why can't the Browns find their quarterback?," "When will there be a Super Bowl run," and "Why does this team still inspire such fierce loyalty?" People may know Terry Pluto from his weekly "View from Pluto" segment with Ideastream "All Things Considered" host Amanda Rabinowitz. He's also a longtime columnist for The Plain Dealer, and formerly for the Akron Beacon Journal. Pluto will talk about his new book, and the moment Browns fans find themselves in. Guest: - Terry Pluto, Sports Commentator & Author, "Why Can’t This Team Just Find a Quarterback?” The Menu: Sports Bars Later in the show, regardless of how they're playing, many folks still tune in to watch the Browns each week. And that's good news for Cleveland's bars and restaurants. Whether it's to watch that team win or lose, or watch a Guardians game in the summer, a Major League Soccer game or even just get a basket of chicken wings, the sports bar remains a reliable fixture in Northeast Ohio. But is the sports bar still just cheap Budweiser's and guys yelling at a TV, or is it morphing into something else? On this week's installment of "The Menu," our food series in collaboration with Cleveland Magazine, we'll discuss a new sports bar in Lakewood, just ahead of the Olympics kicking off this Friday, and the Superbowl taking place on Sunday. Guests: - Will Hollingsworth, Owner, Buildings and Food

Minneapolis journalist reflects on continued ICE operation following deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti All eyes have been on Minneapolis in recent weeks, following the deployment of large numbers of ICE and Customs and Border Protection agents to the area in December. The heightened federal presence has coincided with deadly use-of-force incidents that have ignited national concern, including the fatal shootings of ICU nurse Alex Pretti on Jan. 24 and poet and mother of three Renée Nicole Good on Jan. 7. Those and other deaths, as well as the federal government's handling of the investigations, have become focal points of protests, calls for accountability, and broader debates about public safety and civil liberties. Earlier this week, the "Sound of Ideas" Host Stephanie Haney spoke with Minnesota Star Tribune Opinion Editor Phillip Morris. Morris is also a former longtime columnist for the Cleveland Plain Dealer. He shared what he's been seeing on the ground and his thoughts on the broader political and legal ramifications to come. Wednesday's show will start with that conversation, then we'll turn to Springfield, Ohio, where Gov. Mike DeWine recently warned of a potential ICE operation coming to central Ohio. More than 12,000 Haitian immigrants with temporary legal status were about to see their protections end this week, before a judge delayed that order Monday. Guest: - Phillip Morris, Opinion Editor & Vice President, Minnesota Star Tribune Judge ruling keeps legal protections for Springfield's Haitian immigrants intact Springfield, Ohio is home to a large Haitian immigrant community living with Temporary Protected Status. TPS is a federal designation that allows people from countries facing extraordinary conditions such as natural disasters or ongoing instability, to live and work legally in the U.S. For Haitians, that protection was first granted after a massive earthquake in 2010 and has been renewed several times amid continued political and humanitarian crises, such as the assassination of Haiti's president in 2021. The most recent extension was set to expire on Feb. 3. But on Monday, a federal district judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration from ending TPS. In addition, residents are bracing for a possible ICE enforcement operation reported to begin today. According to the Department of Homeland Security, as of Dec. 16, ICE agents have arrested at least 280 residents in Columbus and the surrounding area, in what has been called Operation Buckeye. Guests: - Kathryn Mobley, Education and Politics Reporter, WYSO - Heather Prendergast, Immigration Attorney, Aljijakli, Kosseff & Prendergast, LLC - Marjory Wentworth, Leadership Team Member, Springfield G92 - Viles Dorsainvil, Executive Director, Haitian Community Help and Support Center

FirstEnergy is seeking approval from the Power Utility Commission of Ohio to allow for longer and more frequent power outages, but some lawmakers are voicing their opposition.

Law of the Land: Sovereign Citizens Recently, there have been reports of people in Northeast Ohio claiming to be sovereign citizens, particularly when interacting with the police. At the highest level, people who identify as sovereign citizens generally refuse to follow laws, reject court rulings and believe they are not required to comply with federal, state and local authorities. This has been reported to show up as refusing to pay taxes, rejecting driver's licenses, filing frivolous lawsuits, and creating counterfeit documents, among other things. In Monday's installment of our "Law of the Land" series on the "Sound of Ideas," where we look at how laws affect our every day lives, we're focusing on this anti-government set of beliefs. The ideas are prominent enough that they've gotten the attention of the Ohio Statehouse, where two representatives have proposed legislation aimed at discouraging people from refusing to identify themselves to police, while driving. Guests: - Eric Taylor, Sergeant, Parma Heights Police Department - Raymond Ku, Law Professor, Case Western Reserve University School of Law - Ric Simmons, Law Professor, The Ohio State University Michael E. Moritz College of Law School Funding Proposals Many homeowners had sticker shock when their property tax valuations landed in mailboxes last year. Taxes in some municipalities increased more than 20%, which has led to lawmakers working on how to provide property tax relief for Ohioans. But this has the potential to cause complications for school districts across the state, who rely heavily on property taxes for the majority of their funding. Several districts in Northeast Ohio have already posed new ideas on how to fund their schools, one of which is a new income tax. Ideastream's Education Reporter Conor Morris joins the "Sound of Ideas" on Monday to talk about this topic, and share some of the reporting he's done across the region. Guests: - Conor Morris, Education Reporter, Ideastream Public Media - Julie Erwin, Treasurer, New Philadelphia City Schools

For weeks, the nation's flashpoint over immigration and enforcement has been Minneapolis where two protesters have now been shot dead by federal immigration officers. Concern is now ramping up in Ohio, where there's concern that a surge of immigration enforcement is coming to Springfield, near Dayton. The temporary protected status of thousands of Haitian refugees living there is set to expire on Feb. 3. We will begin Friday’s “Sound of Ideas Reporters Roundtable” with a discussion in how leaders are preparing for a possible enforcement in Ohio. Jury selection began this week in the trial of two former FirstEnergy executives accused of being the architects of the House Bill 6 bribery scandal in which they bribed politicians and got legislation passed that bailed out their financially struggling nuclear power plants. The trial is expected to last for two months and opening statements could happen as soon as Jan. 30. The deep freeze over the last week will stay around, without an invitation, as we flip to February. It's the longest stretch of arctic temperatures we've seen here in years. The deep cold also made it tough to dig out from last weekend's heavy snowstorm and complicated plowing roads. A combination of the numbing cold and icy roads led to schools closing for several days. Will students have to make up those days? During this cold weather, owners have been warned in several Ohio counties -- including Summit and Cuyahoga -- to bring animals indoors. Cuyahoga County's prosecutor has formed a specialized unit to deal with that, and other kinds, of animal cruelty. Northeast Ohio cities are starting to see the boon promised by the sale of recreational marijuana, legalized by voters in 2023. Sales began the next year, and cities are now seeing the first proceeds from the first year-plus of sales. Dr. Tom Mihaljevic, president and chief executive officer of the Cleveland Clinic, said the Clinic made money last year and did better financially than forecasted, and said he believes there is capacity in the community for the Clinic to build a Level 1 trauma center, though there are already two in Cleveland. Guests: -Andrew Meyer, Deputy Editor for News, Ideastream Public Media -Zaria Johnson, Reporter, Ideastream Public Media -Karen Kasler, Statehouse News Bureau Chief, Ohio Public Radio/TV

Ohio leaders and experts react to the latest deaths by federal officers in Minneapolis Videos of the deaths of two American citizens, Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti at the hands of federal immigration officers in Minneapolis this month have caused outrage in communities across the country. The deaths occurred amid protests over President Donald Trump's deployment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, in Democratic-controlled cities. Critics have pointed out contradictions in the Trump administration's justification of the killing - painting the victims as safety threats, versus the bystander footage. Some lawmakers across the country, including a growing number of Republicans, such as Ohio U.S. Senator Jon Husted and Bay Village Congressman Max Miller have called for a thorough investigation into the incident. Democrats have called for the impeachment and removal of Kristi Noem, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary. And citizens across the country, including a coalition of Cleveland religious leaders, students and activists have announced plans to join a general strike Jan. 30 that calls for the abolition of ICE. Thursday on the "Sound of Ideas," we're going to discuss the latest events in Minneapolis, and how communities in Ohio are responding. We'll also learn what rights people have when encountering ICE with an immigration lawyer. Guests: - Ayla Blumenthal, Immigration attorney, Margaret W. Wong & Associates - Jeff Wensing, President, Ohio Education Association - U.S. Rep. Max Miller, 7th District of Ohio "The Menu" looks at the best new dining options in 2026 Later in the hour, we'll get another installment of "The Menu", our food series that's produced in partnership with the folks at Cleveland Magazine. The menu debuted in 2025 - and we heard from chefs and small business owners, celebrated regional restaurants, and looked at the biggest food trends in Northeast Ohio. In this episode, we'll hear about the best eats for 2026. Guest: - Dillon Stewart, Editor, Cleveland Magazine "Shuffle" music podcast Finally this hour, Frida Mann always wanted to pursue music, but that was at odds with her Orthodox Jewish lifestyle. Eventually, she could no longer fight that urge to sing, and she is now on a journey toward independence and self-expression. On this week's Shuffle, Ideastream Public Media's Amanda Rabinowitz talks with Mann about how music helped her navigate that path. Guests: - Amanda Rabinowitz, Host, Ideastream Public Media - Frida Mann, Musician

Mental health providers aim to reach more men If you are a millennial, you likely remember dial-up internet, flip phones and being told that education was the key to stability. But for many born between 1981 and 1996, adulthood arrived with the Great Recession, student loan debt and a job market filled with uncertainty. Those factors may help explain why this generation reports higher levels of anxiety, depression and burnout than previous generations. Not everyone who experiences mental health challenges is willing to seek help, especially men. Some mental health professionals hope to reach reluctant men, particularly millennial men, where they are. Wednesday on the “Sound of Ideas,” local experts will explore the mental health challenges facing this group and what meaningful change could look like. Guests: - Jake Ross, Licensed Independent Social Worker & Owner, The Ross Wellness Group - Walter Patton, Executive Director, Ghetto Therapy - Neel Parekh, M.D., Clinical Assistant Professor, Urology, Cleveland Clinic - Jessica Vazquez, Prevention & Wellness Manager, School Health Program, MetroHealth "Missing Sam" by Thrity Umrigar Later in the hour, we're joined by Northeast Ohioan and best-selling author Thrity Umrigar. Her latest novel centers on a woman named Sam from Cleveland Heights who goes missing during an early morning run. Her wife, Ali, is shaken by the disappearance and suspected by some in the community. Ideastream Public Media’s Carrie Wise spoke with Umrigar about “Missing Sam,” which explores how prejudice can spread in the wake of a tragedy. Guests: - Thrity Umrigar, Author, "Missing Sam" - Carrie Wise, Deputy Editor of Arts & Culture, Ideastream Public Media

GCRTA proposed project on West 25th Street in Ohio City gets pushback from public parking advocates Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority says it wants to make commuting easier for people who use the bus line on West 25th Street in Cleveland's Ohio City neighborhood with a plan that would require getting rid of certain parking spots along the way. Tuesday on the "Sound of Ideas," we'll hear why some business owners are rejecting this plan, along with why a group of residents support the project. We'll also learn why GCRTA says any changes to this plan could derail other improvements in the city. Guests: - Sam McNulty, Owner, Market Garden Brewery - Emily Harper, Member, Clevelanders for Public Transit - Zaria Johnson, Reporter, Ideastream Public Media Highlights from 2026 CES Earlier this month, CES, formerly known as the Consumer Electronics Show, dazzled conference attendees with the latest technology available to buy. We'll end Tuesday's show with a recap of what caught one tech experts' eye, from artificial intelligence pets and combined pillow companions to wearable tech that you put on one leg at a time. Guest: - Jared Bendis, Digitization and New Media Specialist, Case Western Reserve University

Here’s some good news/bad news as we begin this Friday. First the good: We made it to Friday. Now the bad or not-so-great news: you may be spending this weekend indoors. A big wave of Arctic air will send temperatures sliding downward beginning today. Then Sunday the second act moves in, a snowstorm bringing the potential for heavy snow, including here in Northeast Ohio, while in some places in the mid and deep South possible catastrophic ice accumulations are predicted. Complicating the situation: a regional salt shortage that may impact road clearing efforts. The story begins our discussion of the week’s news on the “Sound of Ideas Reporters Roundtable.” Power outages could result from the winter storm this weekend but even on calm weather days, Ohio is having a hard time keeping up with rising energy demand. One main driver of that increased demand: data centers. Columbus has become a key location for these centers, with one report concluding it's the second-largest hub in the Great Lakes region. But those centers are popping up everywhere including in Stark County for instance. If you're heading to Downtown anytime soon, you should know that the city has updated its rates for on-street parking and enforcement. The new digital, coinless metered system will give drivers the opportunity to park at a meter for up to four hours, but at increasing hourly rates and enforcement will be extended seven days a week—except in Ohio City where Sundays will not be enforced. Cleveland City Council members are not yet sold on the Bibb administrations "pedal to the metal" approach to shut down Burke Lakefront Airport to open the acreage to lakefront redevelopment. Mayor Justin Bibb has said he would like to see Burker shuttered by 2029. The future of Burke Lakefront will be the topic of our next “Sound of Ideas Community Tour” on March 4. Property owners in Ohio's largest counties are among those that will see their next property reappraisals delayed by a year. Sixteen counties including Franklin, Cuyahoga and Hamilton are pushing back the process. Cuyahoga will next appraise properties in 2031. Fewer Ohioans are enrolled in Affordable Care Act or Obamacare plans after additional subsidies to offset costs put into effect during the pandemic expired last month. Guests: -Gabriel Kramer, Reporter, Ideastream Public Media -Kelly Byer, Economic Development Reporter, The Canton Repository, USA Today Co. network -Karen Kasler, Statehouse News Bureau Chief, Ohio Public Radio/TV

Reaction to City Club forum with Center for Christian Virtue The Center for Christian Virtue began as an anti-pornography group more than 40 years, but has since become what the Cincinnati Enquirer recently called a "policy powerhouse" in the state, influencing hundreds of bills, from expanding Ohio's EdChoice voucher system to banning transgender students from using bathrooms that align with their gender identity. The Center's President Aaron Baer spoke at The City Club of Cleveland Friday, amid protestors on the street, and following an open letter from members of the LGBTQ community and nonprofit leaders who pointed out the group's designation as an anti-LGBTQ hate group in 2023 by the Southern Poverty Law Center. City Club CEO Dan Moulthrop said the group's major influence in shaping state laws is why he invited Baer to speak. On Thursday's "Sound of Ideas," we're going to spend time talking about this organization and its impact in the state, and discuss the reaction to Baer's invitation and speech. Guests: - Jessie Balmert, State Government Reporter, Cincinnati Enquirer - Greg Lawson, Senior Research Fellow, The Buckeye Institute - Maria Bruno, Executive Director, Ohioans Against Extremism - Tom Sutton, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Political Science, formerly at Baldwin Wallace University

Cleveland extends paid street parking hours and increases rates, city leaders discuss On January 1, the city of Cleveland implemented new rules for street parking Downtown and in Ohio City. Paid parking hours now run from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week. Formerly, street parking was free after 6 p.m. on weekdays and always free on weekends. Ohio City will follow the same schedule, though Sundays will remain free. The changes include higher standard rates, with additional increases possible in special event zones. City officials say the goal is to improve turnover and availability in high-demand areas. Some residents and business owners, however, have raised concerns about the added cost for evenings and weekends. The changes come as downtown activity continues to rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Downtown Cleveland Inc., foot traffic and visitor activity reached more than 90% of pre-pandemic levels in 2023. And while leisure travel has largely returned, business travel is gaining momentum too— up 7% last year and bringing nearly $200 million in revenue to Cuyahoga County. Wednesday on the "Sound of Ideas," we'll discuss how will these changes shape daily life downtown, and what might they mean for Cleveland's future economic development. Guests: - Matthew Moss, Senior Strategist, Thriving Communities, City of Cleveland - Lucas Reeve, Senior Advisor, City of Cleveland - Sam McNulty, Co-Founder & Owner, Market Garden Brewery Speaker revisits site of historic 1854 Frederick Douglass address Later in the hour, we will talk about a historic speech delivered by abolitionist Frederick Douglass at Western Reserve Academy in Hudson. Douglass' great-great-great-grandson Kenneth Morris Jr. will be at Western Reserve Academy on Jan. 23 as the capstone for the school’s weeklong observance of the life and legacy of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Morris will be in the same space that Douglass delivered his historic commencement address in 1854 when the site was known as Western Reserve College. In the speech, Douglass debunked the faulty science that underpinned pro-slavery arguments. The commencement address was the subject of an award-winning documentary, “Just and Perfect” produced by Western Reserve Academy and featured present-day students reciting portions of the speech. We will talk to the film's writer and producer about the film and the speech. Guests: -CeCe Payne, Writer and Producer, “Just and Perfect,” Bicentennial Special Projects Manager, Western Reserve Academy -Iiyannaa Graham-Siphanoum, Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging, Western Reserve Academy

Former Ambassador for Global Criminal Justice Beth Van Schaack was in Cleveland, and sat down for a conversation with CWRU's Michael Scharf.

President Donald Trump has threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act to quell ongoing anti-ICE demonstrations in Minnesota in the wake of the shooting death of Renee Good by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent. Protests have erupted nationwide after Good's death, and there have been many in Northeast Ohio communities, including Cleveland, Akron and Kent. This week, social media has been filled locally with unverified reports of ICE activities in Cleveland. Noted immigration attorney Margaret Wong said there were reports of ICE agents in Cleveland and offered advice about people's rights should ICE agents come to their door. Cleveland Police took the extraordinary step on Wednesday to issue a statement saying it's not its job to enforce general federal immigration law. We will begin Friday’s “Sound of Ideas Reporters Roundtable” with a discussion of CPD’s statement and rising concerns over ICE. FirstEnergy is asking the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio to lower reliability standards for power outages, basically allowing for more outages that last longer before its determined that standards weren't met. A first hearing is scheduled for next month. The Cleveland Clinic announced yesterday that it intends to earn certification as a Level 1 trauma center at its Main Campus by 2028, its second Level 1 trauma center in the region, after Akron General. Cleveland Clinic main campus leader Dr. Scott Steele said he sees a need for this top tier of trauma care within the Clinic's own system. But Cleveland already has Level 1 trauma centers -- operated University Hospitals and also by MetroHealth, which called for the clinic to reconsider and claimed patient costs would rise as a result of the clinic's actions. An effort to repeal a new state law that makes changes to the recreational marijuana statute passed by voters and also bans intoxicating hemp suffered a setback this week. A group trying to prevent Senate Bill 56 from going into effect and allow voters to decide whether to repeal it in November had its petition summary language rejected by Attorney General Dave Yost. We've heard a lot about the Browns planned move to a new enclosed stadium in Brook Park from the Cleveland perspective. Now, we're getting a bit more insight into how the mega project could impact Brook Park. This week the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency or NOACA held a meeting about how the stadium could impact traffic. The Canton Hall of Fame Village has secured financing that could jump start the stalled construction on a massive indoor water park. "Game Day Bay" sits at the front of the Village property was started in 2022 but has been sitting unfinished since 2024. All this week on Ideastream Public Media you've been hearing reporting about the firefighting crisis facing Ohio. 70% of Ohio's fire departments are at least partially staffed by volunteers. Those volunteer positions are getting harder to fill as current volunteers near retirement. The reporting is a collaboration between Ideastream and The Ohio Newsroom and you'll find all the stories on our website as "Sound the Alarm". Guests: Glenn Forbes, Deputy Editor of News, Ideastream Public Media Abigail Bottar, Reporter, Ideastream Public News Karen Kasler, Statehouse News Bureau Chief, Ohio Public Radio/TV

Ohio's psychiatric hospitals are primarily serving patients who face criminal charges due to a rise in long-term, court-ordered stays, according to reporting from The Marshall Project - Cleveland and KFF Health News.

The fatal shooting of a woman by an ICE agent in Minneapolis has led to protests across the country, including several in Northeast Ohio.

Cuyahoga County Board of Public Health officials are urging parents and guardians to vaccinate children against measles, mumps and rubella, all potentially life-threatening, but preventable diseases.

Ideastream reporters examined how volunteer fire departments across Ohio are run and how those departments often deal with staffing shortages and financial challenges.