All Sides with Ann Fisher Podcast

Ohio State Auditor is yet another close race with midterm elections in less than two weeks. Candidates Republican State Representative Keith Faber and Democratic former U.S. Representative Zack Space squared off in their first and only debate last week, covering statewide economics, taxes and more. Today on All Sides, we discuss the race for Ohio auditor. Guests : Marty Schladen , reporter for the Columbus Dispatch Zack Space , Democratic former U.S. Representative Keith Faber , Ohio State

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is this weekend. The event was started by the Drug Enforcement Administration eight years ago, allowing people to drop off their unused or expired prescription drugs to one of more than 5,000 locations across the country. Today on All Sides, National Drug Take Back Day and more on Wellness Wednesday. Guests : Douglas O’Brien , regional director , U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Dr. Ashley Rosko , researcher , co-director, Cancer and Aging

The Trump administration is considering a plan to exclude transgender and nonbinary people from its legal definition of gender. The announcement came over the weekend with Department of Health and Human Services spearheading an effort to establish a legal definition of sex under Title IX. Today on All Sides, the Trump Administration’s plan and defining gender.

Google is teaming up with the National Parent Teacher Association to help parents and teachers educate kids about online safety. The project is called “Be Internet Awesome.” Google’s new all-in-one kit covers the online and digital citizenship spectrum. It’s also offering grants to local PTAs to hold training sessions. Today on All Sides, Be Internet Awesome and more on Tech Tuesday. Guests Warren Buckleitner : Editor, Children's Technology Review Jessica Covarrubias : Google Be Internet Awesome

Republican Representative and Senate candidate Jim Renacci is trying to close the substantial statistical gap between him and his Democratic candidate Sherrod Brown. Most recently, Renacci has gone after Brown for unsubstantiated claims of assault. With the midterm elections only two weeks away, candidates are hitting the road and trying to get voters out to the polls. Today on All Sides Reporter Roundtable, where the candidates stand two weeks out from the midterms. Guests : Jo Ingles ,

The State Board of Education has asked the Ohio General Assembly to extend alternative graduation requirements while school districts help students adjust to the tougher new rules established two years ago. The alternative requirements permit students to do service projects or meet other benchmarks besides test achievement for graduation. But state lawmakers haven’t yet voted on the proposed extension, leaving some students and school districts in limbo. Today on All Sides: What it takes to

Poet and activist Cleo Wade gave a moving TED talk last year about the power of small acts of compassion and bravery. Wade and social psychologists alike agree that acts of kindness and gratitude affect everyday lives in important ways, spreading feelings of happiness and reducing depression and anxiety. Today on All Sides, how acts of kindness affect individuals and society. Cleo Wade is speaking at YWCA's fall fundraiser .

Issue 1 on the November 6 statewide ballot would amend the state constitution to lessen criminal penalties for drug possession. Proponents say that the changes would lower the prison population and increase addiction treatment options. Opponents caution about amending the constitution, saying that the change would tie the hands of judges, especially those managing specialty drug courts. Today on All Sides, the pros and cons of Issue 1.

Major League Soccer announced last week that the league wanted to keep the Columbus Crew SC in Columbus. The plan involves a major investor groups interested in buying the team. A year ago today, when Crew owner Anthony Precourt announced his plan to move the club to Austin, Crew fans were crestfallen and angry. Now, they are jubilant. But nothing’s official yet. Today on All Sides, the future of the Columbus Crew.

Ohio State is adding a new varsity sport to its lineup: competitive video gaming. OSU is among the first major universities to announce a varsity esports program. OSU also is creating a curriculum in tandem with the varsity sport for students seeking careers in the business. And researchers will study the relationship between the brain and body of esport competitors. Today on Tech Tuesday: college level esports, telephone scams and more.

Theatre is a powerful tool for introducing tough and sobering topics into our everyday conversations. Racism is one of those challenging topics. Through spoken word, acting and visual performances, we can better understand and engage in thinking about the treatment and experiences of black people in modern America. Today on All Sides, guest host Gail Hogan joins us as we talk about theatre as a tool for spurring dialogue about racism. Guests : Carlyle Brown , writer , performer and artistic

A federal judge ruled last week that notification forms sent to Ohio voters to remove inactive voters from its rolls are compliant with federal law. The ruling dealt another blow to the groups suing Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted over claims all inactive voters the state deleted from its rolls from 1995 through 2016 were removed unlawfully. Today on All Sides, that and more in Ohio politics on our weekly Reporter Roundtable. Guests : Jeremy Pelzer, politics reporter for Cleveland.com Jo

Join us today with guest host Chris Purdy as we discuss Columbus Metropolitan Library’s “Quick Picks” and more.

The U.S. Supreme Court last month ruled that nonprofit political groups must disclose the identities of any donor giving more than $200. Many hailed the decision as a victory for political transparency, but many also still are concerned about the political influence of untraceable, corporate “dark money” in elections. Today on All Sides: how dark money shapes the U.S. political landscape. Guests : Paul Beck , political scientist , The Ohio State University Catherine Turcer , executive director ,

Opioid addiction continues to deplete Ohio’s communities and is driving up the number of children entering foster care. It’s been a year since the Ohio Attorney General’s office granted money for 30 Days to Family Ohio to address the issue. 30 Days to Family Ohio was created to move children from foster care to family care in the shortest time possible. In its second year, the program is looking for more funding and county involvement. Today on All Sides, we check in on the initiative and scope