The Civic Commons Podcast

Tis the season and all that blah. Commercial Christmas, Christ’s candles, sniffling snow, yappy year end reviews. At least the year end reviews can be snappy to listen to as you’re waiting to see what Santa brings (and tracking the latest nativity scene controversy). Join Dan and Noelle as they sit down with artist/entrepreneur Nicole Mcgee and blogger Richard Andrews to wrap up 2011’s important regional issues with a sparkly bow, a nice public affairs present just for you (unless you’ve been a naughty little listener). 

So when does your zip code become a real health problem? How about when it means you’re going to die years earlier than your neighbor a few zip codes away? At least some data suggests that, for instance, living in the Hough neighborhood of Cleveland (44103) means you’ll die much younger than 15 minutes east in Lyndhurst (44124). Like twenty years younger. Of course statistics are sometimes slippery, and context means everything. But the alarm bells went off at the Civic Commons and Dan and Noelle decided to find out more about this zip code roulette. Join them as they listen to a portion of a Cleveland City Club address by former King County (Washington) Executive Ron Sims and then talk to Cleveland City Planner Fred Collier about the issues behind these attention-grabbing statistics

Take another listen to this story of positive social impact from early in the Fall. as winter sets in, we need some positive vibes. Kids and drugs equal trouble, and it’s tough to turn that trouble into something positive. Treatment Centers apply 12-step recovery principles and demand kids become responsible for better choices. And now some kids are getting schooled in hip-hop principles to add to their recovery mix. Join Dan and Noelle as they travel to Synergy Studio and spend time with Dee Jay Doc Harrill—hip hop producer, turntablist and concerned social innovator (http://deejaydoc.com/). They get an earful about his work with troubled youth, quest for neighborhood unity and belief in the power of scratching records as a tool for saving lives.   

Dan and Noelle sit down at the altar of food this week and break bread with three of Cleveland’s most gifted chefs: Douglas Katz (Fire Food and Drink), Karen Small (Flying Fig) and Ben Bebenroth (Spice of Life). They talk about the grace and beauty found in wholesome, local food and the fact that you ain’t tasted nothin’ till Farmer Jay lays one of his spiritual tomatoes on you. 

If you’ve ever been to a school board meeting, or a city council hearing, or just about any other kind of governmental gathering then you might relate to this: you’ve decided to offer a public comment during the aptly named public comment period, summoned up the guts, gotten psyched when your turn came, delivered your words fabulously and then…nothing. No dialogue, no conversation, just a “thank you for coming” or maybe a “we’ll look into it.” Public comment periods are a strange thing, and Civic Commons Radio decided to try and figure out what these weird interludes are really all about. Join Dan Moulthrop and Luke Frazier as they talk to parents, school board members, city council people, and a historian with a sense of humor to try and get at why you just might walk away after your comment and wonder, “Is this microphone working?!” 

When you talk about the Occupy Movement--in Cleveland or anywhere else--you are talking about money, perception and power. No matter what words you may use, it comes down to who has the money, how we perceive our financial system and in whom does the power reside. This week on Civic Commons Radio join Dan and Noelle as they discuss the Occupy Movement in conversation with finance professor Kevin Jacques of Baldwin-Wallace College (money), Cleveland State political science professor Justin Vaughn (perception) and Marshall College of Law professor Candace Hokes (power). A heady episode intelligently tethered to the earth by your friends at the Civic Commons.

Voting makes the politicians run around on Election Day, but what makes Election Day run? It takes more than you think to bring all the moving pieces together and provide you with a sporty “I voted” sticker for your lapel. Join Noelle and Luke as they talk with a few key players in the cast your ballot ballet. You’ll hear Cuyahoga County Board of Elections chief Jane Platten, proud poll worker Anita Maines  and Reverend Chris McKee, one of Mahoning Valley’s sharpest GOTV organizers (that’s “Get Out The Vote” for you non-insiders) and the man who might be knocking on your door and telling you to get to the polls in a process fondly called, “Knock and Drag.”  

It’s like this, or like that, or like the other thing. The media (and most of us?), don’t really know what to make of the Occupy Movement. So the Civic Commons set out to get a fix on the folks down at Public Square and its environs. And besides finding out that the central message is still under development (and no apologies for the lack thereof) we found a Japanese reporter, several women (busting the myth of men only) and at least one guy with a guitar. Then we invited Occupiers Tim Smith and Dave Borrowman to sit down in the warmth of our offices and chat. Whatever your politics are, it’s our take that what is happening down there is important, so sit back and take a listen.

Since we believe that the Civic Commons is all about conversation, we carry this belief across all our platforms—including the radio show. So instead of only doing straight ahead interviews we sometimes just want to sit around and have a good conversation. This week’s show is one of those. Join host Noelle Celeste, Civic Commons’ good friend Jill Miller Zimon and nationally syndicated columnist Connie Schultz for a very special show featuring three smart women sharing their personal and political passions. Connie even explains the Jack & Jesus wall found in her childhood home.  

Ballot initiatives are put forth as the voice of the people. But they never actually read how any normal person would use language and syntax (see ballot language on November’s ballot (http://goo.gl/UhXKc) Join Dan and Noelle as they talk ballot initiatives—their language, intent and affect on political behavior—with University of Akron’s Daniel Coffey, political strategist Jeff Rusnak and Angelo Velotta, a young man who makes no apologies for never having voted in any election. Also, listen to the dulcet tones of commentator Richard Andrews as he rips apart the way initiative language is used by the powers that be.

Remember how cool your old StingRay bike was, the one with the sissy bar? So do we. but now biking maybe ain't so simple...you have road bikes and mountain bikes and commuters on bikes and political advocacy for separate bike lanes and "Complete Streets" funding (millions of dollars at stake). Biking is now sort of complicated. Join Noelle and Luke as they spin the spokes with transportation planner Curtis Baker, bike advocates John McGovern and Diane Lees and Mike Gill--a writer who reminds us that biking is still a simple yet profound pleasure.

Kids and drugs equal trouble, and it’s tough to turn that trouble into something positive. Treatment Centers apply 12-step recovery principles and demand kids become responsible for better choices. And now some kids are getting schooled in hip-hop principles to add to their recovery mix. Join Dan and Noelle as they travel to Synergy Studio and spend time with Dee Jay Doc Harrill—hip hop producer, turntablist and concerned social innovator (http://deejaydoc.com/). They get an earful about his work with troubled youth, quest for neighborhood unity and belief in the power of scratching records as a tool for saving lives. 

Events in the Middle East are tough to unpack, whether centuries ago or just this spring. Most of us tend to pack our bags and quickly leave the conversation anyway, heads dizzy with byzantine history and convoluted political tribalism. But the Civic Commons is about the struggle to understand and collectively discuss our world, so that we all benefit and grow. Right now the Civic Commons is part of a multi-layered effort to better understand Middle Eastern and Muslim societies (www.theciviccommons.com/newperspectives). And in this Civic Commons Radio program, Dan and Noelle sit down with Neda Zawarhi of Cleveland State University and Pete Moore of Case Western University, both members of the Northeast Ohio Consortium for Middle East Studies, to discuss events in the Middle East. We also hear from Case Western Professor Dr. Ramez Islambouli about how his students perceive the Islamic world.    

Dan and Noelle get rolling on the Cuyahoga River when they talk to Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority President William Friedman about the Port’s new strategic plan and what it might mean to development along the Crooked Cuyahoga. Dan also spends some time near Irish Bend with Steven Litt of the Plain Dealer, dreaming of parks and boats and bulkheads—oh my!  

Probably the most well known referendum on Ohio’s November ballot is Issue 2, the repeal of Senate Bill 5. Issue 2 has been igniting debate all over the State, and one of the hot spots for “spirited discussion” has been in the Mahoning Valley. Youngstown, with its proud heritage of union labor and industry (check out their museum http://www.ohiohistory.org/youngst/), has plenty to say about the politics of Issue 2--so we decided to head down to the WYSU studios and listen. Join Dan and Noelle as they talk with local Party bosses Dave Betras and Mark Munroe (D & R respectively), union members Sherry Linkon of Youngstown State and TJ Assion of the Sherriff's Department, and Bertram de Souza, a not-so-impartial newspaper columnist. Very special thanks this week to WYSU’s Gary Sexton and David Luscher.