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Ohio US House District 7 Flips With Democrats picking up dozens of seats in Congress nationwide, the balance of power in has flipped from Republican control. One of those seats was Ohio’s 7th Congressional district, in a hotly contested race between the winning challenger Democrat Brian Poindexter and Republican incumbent Max Miller, whose campaign was plagued by resurfaced allegations of domestic violence which he has denied. With the deeply personal and aggressive campaign trail now behind him, Poindexter joins Thursday’s episode of “Sound Of Ideas” with host Stephanie Haney to talk about his priorities for when he takes office in January. Guest: - Brian Poindexter, Representative-elect, Ohio US House District 7 Post-Election Polling Analysis Political science professor Rob Alexander says that not only was this election a referendum on President Trump, but also a demonstration that quality candidates matter. He argues that the Democrats had a stronger roster of candidates. He'll speak to the accuracy of polls, and how the public has lost some faith in political pollsters, in Thursday's edition of the "Sound of Ideas" hosted by Stephanie Haney. Guest: - Rob Alexander, Ph.D., Professor of Political Political Science; Director, Bowling Green State University Democracy and Public Policy Network Data Centers Issue Results Ohioans across 18 municipalities voted on 21 ballot measures related to data centers on Tuesday — more than half of the 41 data center-related ballot measures across the country. The construction of those facilities has been the subject of a lot of discussion this election cycle. On Thursday's edition of the "Sound of Ideas" hosted by Stephanie Haney, we'll look at some of the details of those ballot initiatives with an academic who studies the intersection of public policy and environmental studies. Guest: - Josh Basseches, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Public Policy and Environmental Studies, Case Western Reserve University "Shuffle: Benny Lava and The Guavas" They’re an Akron-based band that brings a groove and gets people moving. On this week’s Shuffle, Ideastream Public Media’s Amanda Rabinowitz introduces you to Benny Lava and the Guavas. Guests: - Ben Patrick, Justin Tibbs, Logan Patrick, and Shamara Costa, Musicians - Amanda Rabinowitz, Host and Producer, "Shuffle" and "All Things Considered"

With Democrats picking up dozens of seats in Congress nationwide, the balance of power in has flipped from Republican control. One of those seats was Ohio’s 7th Congressional district, in a hotly contested race between the winning challenger Democrat Brian Poindexter and Republican incumbent Max Miller, whose campaign was plagued by resurfaced allegations of domestic violence which he has denied. With the deeply personal and aggressive campaign trail now behind him, Poindexter joins Thursday’s episode of “Sound Of Ideas” with host Stephanie Haney to talk about his priorities for when he takes office in January. Guest: - Brian Poindexter, Representative-elect, Ohio US House District 7

Data Centers Issue Results Ohioans across 18 municipalities voted on 21 ballot measures related to data centers on Tuesday — more than half of the 41 data center-related ballot measures across the country. The construction of those facilities has been the subject of a lot of discussion this election cycle. On Thursday's edition of the "Sound of Ideas" hosted by Stephanie Haney, we'll look at some of the details of those ballot initiatives with an academic who studies the intersection of public policy and environmental studies. Guests: - Josh Basseches, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Public Policy and Environmental, Case Western Reserve University "Shuffle: Benny Lava and The Guavas" They’re an Akron-based band that brings a groove and gets people moving. On this week’s Shuffle, Ideastream Public Media’s Amanda Rabinowitz introduces you to Benny Lava and the Guavas. Guests: - Ben Patrick, Justin Tibbs, Logan Patrick, and Shamara Costa, Musicians - Amanda Rabinowitz, Host and Producer, "Shuffle" and "All Things Considered"

Post-Election Polling Analysis Political science professor Rob Alexander says that not only was this election a referendum on President Trump, but also a demonstration that quality candidates matter. He argues that the Democrats had a stronger roster of candidates.He'll speak to the accuracy of polls, and how the public has lost some faith in political pollsters, in Thursday's edition of the "Sound of Ideas" hosted by Stephanie Haney. Guest: - Rob Alexander, Ph.D., Professor of Political Political Science; Director, Bowling Green State University Democracy and Public Policy Network

Ohio made history Tuesday night, as Dr. Amy Acton became the state's first elected female governor, and first person of Jewish faith the office, defeating Republican billionaire Vivek Ramaswamy. Part of nationwide major wins for Democrats, Sherrod Brown will return to the U.S. Senate just two years after losing his seat to Republican Bernie Moreno, this time defeating incumbent Republican Jon Husted. The U.S. Senate and House will now be controlled by Democrats serving as a check on the Trump administration. Across the country, part of what experts are calling a blue tsunami, voters ushered in several other historic firsts. New Mexico elected its first Native American woman governor, while Georgia elected its first Black woman governor. New Hampshire elected its first openly gay U.S. Senator and Michigan elected its first Muslim Senator. The election was seen as a referendum on President Donald Trump's first two years back in office, including his economic policies and the war in Iran. Democrats also flipped enough Ohio State House seats to break the supermajority Republicans have enjoyed since 2013, securing incoming Governor Acton's veto power. In one conservative win last night, Ohioans overwhelmingly passed Issue 3, enshrining voter ID requirements into the Ohio constitution. Wednesday on the "Sound of Ideas," hosted by Stephanie Haney, we'll take a look at the major races from Tuesday's election in Ohio and around the country. We'll also talk about what this means as we look ahead to the 2028 presidential election. Guests: - Kyle Kondik, Managing Editor, Sabato's Crystal Ball - Janine Boyd, Political Strategist and Former Democratic State Representative, Ohio House District 9 - Amanda Suffecool, Chair, Portage County GOP - Kathryn Lavelle, Ph.D., Professor in World Affairs, Case Western Reserve University

Election Night Update Tuesday is Election Day, with voters heading to the polls to decide on big races, like Ohio governor and a U.S. Senate seat. This midterm election may shift the balance of power in Washington D.C., and many see it as a referendum on President Donald Trump's policies. We begin the "Sound of Ideas," hosted by Drew Maziasz, in for Stephanie Haney, on Tuesday with a check in regarding Ideastream's Listen, Engage, Vote election night coverage. Glenn Forbes joins the "Sound of Ideas" to preview the work that hosts and producers will be doing in order to bring updates and results to our audience. We'll also speak with a reporter in the field who's live at a polling location in Portage County. Guests: - Glenn Forbes, Deputy News Editor, Ideastream Public Media - Amanda Pirani, Regional Reporter, Ideastream Public Media World Wildlife Fund Report Then, we shift our sights to the environment. Over the past 50 years, the size of populations of wild species has fallen by over 70% on average, according to the World Wildlife Fund's 2026 Living Planet Report that came out last month. These numbers are based on the Living Planet Index, a measure of the world's biological diversity. Despite the decline, this year's Living Planet Report emphasizes that there is still hope for the planet we call home especially with the resurgence of species like tigers, bluefin tuna, and green turtles thanks to conservation efforts. We'll speak with Jeff Opperman, a local scientist who works with the WWF. Guests: - Jeff Opperman, Global Freshwater Lead Scientist, World Wildlife Fund Local Conservation Efforts We close the program learning more about conservation efforts in Northeast Ohio. Organizations like zoos and nature preserves engage in conservation efforts as a key part of their mission. We'll hear how they keep these efforts alive in the face of declining wildlife numbers. Guests; - Jeff Opperman, Global Freshwater Lead Therapist, World Wildlife Fund - Chris Kuhar, Executive Director, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo - Mike Watson, Conservation Biologist, Holden Arboretum - Michael Melampy, Executive Committee Member, Northeast Ohio Sierra Club

High school students create election podcasts For the past few weeks, as part of our Listen, Engage, Vote election initiative, Ideastream has reported on how consequential this midterm election is, especially for Ohioans — from deciding who will lead the state as the next governor, to statewide and federal races that could determine the balance of power in Congress, to the makeup of our state Supreme Court, to how our local schools and social services are funded. But what do young people think of the midterms? Is it on their radar? As of the voter registration deadline a few weeks ago, only 35% of 18-year-olds were registered to vote in Ohio, which is 10% below the national average. What will it take to get more young people to the polls? And for those who can't vote yet, how engaged are they in what's happening this election cycle? Our team got a chance to sit down with a group of passionate high school students from Hawken Schools in Gates Mills, in Cuyahoga County, who were tasked with covering the election in the elective course called "Campaign Headquarters." Groups of students created podcasts that focused on competitive races in Ohio and elsewhere. Guests: - Birk Farinacci, Senior, Hawken School - Maya Wadhawan, Senior, Hawken School - Grayson Rezaee, Senior, Hawken School

Halloween is Saturday, and with the cost of just about everything going up, some folks are getting creative with their costumes — maybe DIY-ing a look at home, or repurposing clothes already in their closets. Other families are rethinking how much candy they can afford to hand out, if at all. Candy prices are up more than 15% for consumers this year, according to an analysis from progressive think tanks the Groundwork Collaborative and the Century Foundation. But Halloween is still a big moment for the candy business, including right here in Northeast Ohio. Thursday on “The Menu,” our biweekly segment in collaboration with Cleveland Magazine and hosted by Stephanie Haney, we’re checking in with All City Candy, a small business serving up sweet treats on Halloween and all year round. Guest:- Yuta Hsu, e-Commerce & Customer Service representative, All City Candy

Timmy's Hope fosters pets while owners complete addiction treatment Addiction is a disease that impacts all facets of life. When we think about what that means, the things that immediately come to mind might be physical health, personal relationships, work life and the ability to make money, which can directly impact someone's ability to secure stable housing and take care of themselves and others. What you might not think about right away, is what happens to someone's pets when they're dealing with addiction. In Northeast Ohio, there are some emergency services available that can help people enrolled in addiction treatment care for their animals, but those programs often have a time limit on providing that care. When Sara Gorbett-Myers and Melissa Khoury each independently noticed this gap in available care, these two strangers were brought together by an addiction treatment provider they had both worked with, and Timmy's Hope was born. Since officially forming this non-profit organization in April, they've cared for nearly thirty animals while their humans have been receiving inpatient care for addiction issues. With five reunifications to date their work is making a difference, as they like to say, by saving both ends of the leash. We highlight this program on Monday's "Sound of Ideas" hosted by Stephanie Haney. Learn more about Timmy's Hope here: https://www.facebook.com/p/Timmys-Hope-CLE-61590732031766/ Guests: - Melissa Khoury, Co-founder, Timmy's Hope - Sara Gorbett-Myers, Co-founder, Timmy's Hope - Jen Halstead, Graduate, Timmy's Hope

The U.S. Department of Justice will send federal election monitors to Cuyahoga, Medina and Franklin counties on Election Day as part of a nationwide effort covering all 50 states. Nonpartisan groups, including the NAACP, the ACLU of Ohio and Common Cause Ohio, are also preparing volunteers, lawyers and election experts to monitor polling places. The groups are encouraging voters to make a plan, consider voting early and report problems to the Election Protection Hotline. Akron is removing its Flock license plate-reading cameras from nationwide searches, preventing out-of-state law enforcement agencies from accessing the city's camera network through broad searches. Akron police and other Ohio law enforcement agencies will still have access to the database. The Cleveland Metropolitan School District has ended its contract with Flock Safety, shutting down all 201 of the company's license plate-reading cameras on school property. A district audit found that the camera system was searched more than 141,000 times in June alone, with nearly half of those searches coming from out-of-state organizations. Morton Salt has shut down operations at its Fairport Harbor mine after discovering a significant inflow of water underground. The company has notified the state that it is laying off 77 employees while it works to determine the cause of the flooding. The mine supplies road salt to six Northeast Ohio counties. And daylight saving time ends Sunday. We'll discuss these stories and more on the Friday Reporters Roundtable hosted by Mike McIntyre. Guests:- Ida Lieszkovszky, Health Reporter, Ideastream Public Media- Sean McDonnell, Local Government Reporter, Ideastream Public Media- Sarah Donaldson, Reporter, Ideastream Statehouse News Bureau

Domestic violence fatalities and gun laws This conversation discusses domestic violence fatalities. If you or someone you know is in need of help, please contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or text "BEGIN" to 88788. State and federal laws bar people with certain felony convictions and misdemeanors from carrying a gun, yet a new investigation from the Columbus Dispatch and Cincinnati Enquirer found that of the domestic violence killings that involved guns, 1 in 3 abusers shot their partner or family member with a gun they legally weren't allowed to have. While officers do often seize guns when a protection order is in place, Ohio law doesn't prevent abusers from buying another one online or at a gun show -- and there may be guns that aren't voluntarily surrendered. 36-year-old Jessica Hardy was one of the 89 domestic violence victims who died between June of 2025 and 2026. She was fatally shot in March by her ex-boyfriend, Jessie Wilson, who had a gun despite Hardy having a protection order in place against him that prohibited him from carrying deadly weapons, and there being a warrant out for his arrest. On Monday's "Sound of Ideas," hosted by Stephanie Haney, we'll talk about the gaps in the justice system highlighted by the Cincinnati Enquirer and the Columbus Dispatch, and how to better help people in dangerous domestic situations. Guests: - Quinlan Bentley, Breaking News Reporter, Cincinnati Enquirer - Erin Glynn, Regional Politics Reporter, Cincinnati Enquirer - Alexandria Ruden, Supervising Attorney, Legal Aid Society of Cleveland - Sherry Brown, mother of Mariah Sanders Timmy's Hope fosters pets while owners seek treatment Addiction is a disease that impacts all facets of life. When we think about what that means, the things that immediately come to mind might be physical health, personal relationships, work life and the ability to make money, which can directly impact someone's ability to secure stable housing and take care of themselves and others. What you might not think about right away, is what happens to someone's pets when they're dealing with addiction. In Northeast Ohio, there are some emergency services available that can help people enrolled in addiction treatment care for their animals, but those programs often have a time limit on providing that care. When Sara Gorbett-Myers and Melissa Khoury each independently noticed this gap in available care, these two strangers were brought together by an addiction treatment provider they had both worked with, and Timmy's Hope was born. Since officially forming this non-profit organization in April, they've cared for nearly thirty animals while their humans have been receiving inpatient care for addiction issues. With five reunifications to date their work is making a difference, as they like to say, by saving both ends of the leash. We'll highlight this program on Monday's "Sound of Ideas" hosted by Stephanie Haney. Guests: - Melissa Khoury, Co-founder, Timmy's Hope - Sara Gorbett-Myers, Co-founder, Timmy's Hope - Jen Halstead, Graduate, Timmy's Hope

Election Preview November's midterm election will have wide-ranging impacts on communities across Ohio. Not only are state-wide seats like governor to be decided on, but municipalities across the state will be voting on issues that deal with school funding, property taxes and even data centers. Several Ideastream reporters join the "Sound of Ideas" with Stephanie Haney on Thursday to discuss some of the issues they're following ahead of the midterms. That includes everything from using income taxes to fund school systems, to paying for county boards of developmental disabilities. Guests: - Sean McDonnell, Cleveland Government Reporter, Ideastream Public Media - Conor Morris, Education Reporter, Ideastream Public Media - Amanda Pirani, Regional Reporter, Ideastream Public Media High school students create election podcasts For the past few weeks, as part of our Listen, Engage, Vote election initiative, Ideastream has reported on how consequential this midterm election is, especially for Ohioans — from deciding who will lead the state as the next governor, to statewide and federal races that could determine the balance of power in Congress, to the makeup of our state Supreme Court, to how our local schools and social services are funded. But what do young people think of the midterms? Is it on their radar? As of the voter registration deadline a few weeks ago, only 35% of 18-year-olds were registered to vote in Ohio, which is 10% below the national average. What will it take to get more young people to the polls? And for those who can't vote yet, how engaged are they in what's happening this election cycle? Our team got a chance to sit down with a group of passionate high school students from Hawken Schools in Gates Mills, in Cuyahoga County, who were tasked with covering the election in the elective course called "Campaign Headquarters." Groups of students created podcasts that focused on competitive races in Ohio and elsewhere. Guests: - Birk Farinacci, Senior, Hawken School - Maya Wadhawan, Senior, Hawken School - Grayson Rezaee, Senior, Hawken School "The Menu: All City Candy" Halloween is Saturday, and with the cost of just about everything going up, some folks are getting creative with their costumes — maybe DIY-ing a look at home, or repurposing clothes already in their closets. Other families are rethinking how much candy they can afford to hand out, if at all. Candy prices are up more than 15% for consumers this year, according to an analysis from progressive think tanks the Groundwork Collaborative and the Century Foundation. But Halloween is still a big moment for the candy business, including right here in Northeast Ohio. Thursday on “The Menu,” our biweekly segment in collaboration with Cleveland Magazine, we’re checking in with All City Candy, a small business serving up sweet treats on Halloween and all year round. Guests: - Yuta Hsu, e-Commerce & Customer Service representative, All City Candy

"Monsters of Ohio" book explores concept of cryptids in the Buckeye State Halloween is in a few days, and some of the holiday's longest-running spooky costumes celebrate the lore of Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster. These creatures are known as cryptids, or animals who some assume to exist though that has not been scientifically proven. In some cases, what were once considered cryptids have turned out to be animals we recognize today, including the giant squid and the platypus. Ohio is thought by some to be home to some of these kinds of creatures, including Northeast Ohio's Grassman and Lake Erie Bessie. State Representatives Tristan Rader and Jean Schmidt have even been working to pass House Bill 821 that would name the Loveland Frogman as the state's official cryptid. On Wednesday's edition of 'Sound of Ideas' hosted by Stephanie Haney, we'll talk through these ideas with John Scalzi, an Ohio-based science fiction author known for his "Old Man's War" series and one off books like "Starter Villain," has taken the plunge into the world of cryptids with his new book called "Monsters of Ohio," which comes out on Tuesday, Nov. 3. You can find tickets to his book tour here. Guest:- John Scalzi, Author, "Monsters of Ohio"

Political ads shine brighter spotlight on pivotal Ohio races With less than one week until Election Day, Ohio continues to be part of the national conversation not only for the potential impact of pivotal races, but also for its especially nasty campaign ads. One ad in particular has divided the Republican party, being praised as "powerful" by President Donald Trump with Vice President JD Vance saying he's "disgusted" by Republicans "whining" about it, while Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has called for the ad to be taken down, describing it as "deeply, deeply troubling." The ad came from the campaign of Republican governor candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. It shows the estranged mother of his Democratic opponent Dr. Amy Acton calling her daughter a lifelong liar. Backstory not included in the ad is that Acton hasn't seen her mother since 1978, when she was removed from her custody at the age of 12 following a grand jury indicting her mother's husband, Acton's stepfather, for allegations that he had been sexually assaulting her for several years. This is just one ad we'll analyze in the Wednesday edition of “Sound of Ideas” hosted by Stephanie Haney, in our “Law of The Land” series where we look at how the law affects our everyday lives. This as has brought up the question of what's legally permissible from a First Amendment free speech perspective in political ads, as well as the difference between what can be done and what should be done by campaigns. The "should" part of the conversation will look at not only the human moral element, but also strategy concerns, as we know the goal of campaign ads is to reach voters and influence the results of an election. Our experts weighing in today include R Strategy Group president and CEO Jeff Rusnak who has written and produced political ads for several decades for candidates at all levels, including Sherrod Brown who is currently running for U.S. Senate, and Marcy Kaptur, who is seeking re-election in the U.S. House, Jack Lucas Consulting's Dave Warren who is a veteran of four presidential campaigns, and helped lead Republican efforts in Northeast Ohio from 2015–2019, and First Amendment attorney David Marburger who has represented journalists in public figure defamation cases for decades. In addition to hosting 'Sound of Ideas,' Stephanie is licensed to practice law in both Ohio and California. Guests: - Jeff Rusnak, Democratic Political Strategist, R Strategy Group - Dave Warren, Republican Political Strategist, Jack Lucas Consulting - David Marburger, First Amendment Attorney, Marburger Law 'Monsters of Ohio' book explores concept of cryptids in the Buckeye State Halloween is in a few days, and some of the holiday's longest-running spooky costumes celebrate the lore of Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster. These creatures are known as cryptids, or animals who some assume to exist though that has not been scientifically proven. In some cases, what were once considered cryptids have turned out to be animals we recognize today, including the giant squid and the platypus. Ohio is thought by some to be home to some of these kinds of creatures, including Northeast Ohio's Grassman and Lake Erie Bessie. State Representatives Tristan Rader and Jean Schmidt have even been working to pass House Bill 821 that would name the Loveland Frogman as the state's official cryptid. On Wednesday's edition of 'Sound of Ideas' hosted by Stephanie Haney, we'll talk through these ideas with John Scalzi, an Ohio-based science fiction author known for his "Old Man's War" series and one off books like "Starter Villain," has taken the plunge into the world of cryptids with his new book called "Monsters of Ohio," which comes out on Tuesday, Nov. 2. Guest: - John Scalzi, Author, "Monsters of Ohio"

Warren is like many Northeast Ohio cities trying to remake themselves. The county seat of Trumbull has seen steel mills close, automakers and other industries leave and people move away for better opportunities. In this election year, we’re taking a closer look at Warren and what concerns voters there. Four people who live in and around Warren sat down to chat with WKSU Host Amy Eddings back in 2024, and again this past year, before the midterm elections. They spoke about what issues they're most concerned with as they get ready to vote. From data centers, to affordability, nasty campaign ads, and the feeling of not being aligned with either of the major political parties. We’ll share that conversation on Tuesday’s “Sound of Ideas hosted by Stephanie Haney. Guests: - Riley DeCavitch - Paul Ringold - Julie Stout - Michael Scharfenberg - Amy Eddings, Host, Morning Edition, Ideastream Public Media