Everything Is Local

This is a great episode where Mike and Shana talk about:
• The proposed new Beachwood library and why the plan to build it on the community's main sports fields has become such a controversial issue.
• Why the current library's existing meeting space, the proposed auditorium, and the nearly $30 million price tag have Mike and Shana questioning whether the project is actually necessary.
• The lack of a clear plan for replacing the sports fields that would be lost if the library is built at the proposed location.
• The upcoming Planning and Zoning meeting and why August 27th could be an important date for the future of the library project.
• The lack of transparency surrounding the library discussions and why so many important details have been discussed in executive sessions rather than in front of the public.
• A proposed TIF in Orange Village and a contentious City Council meeting where council members began questioning the administration about the financial details of the development.
• Why TIFs and other development incentives deserve more scrutiny from residents and why elected officials should be willing to question their own administration.
• The differences between Beachwood and Orange Village when it comes to local government, public meetings, transparency, and how elected officials handle difficult questions.
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This is a great episode where Mike and Shana talk about:
The ongoing debate over parking at the Beachwood pool and playground, including whether residents should have priority parking and the challenges created by the new $4 million playground.
Their thoughts on pickleball, the movie The Dink, and whether the sport has officially become the new “easy tennis.”
The upcoming preliminary hearing in the Charlie Kirk case, questions surrounding the evidence, the videos of Tyler Robinson, and why so much of the case still doesn't seem to make sense.
The JFK assassination, conspiracy theories, reasonable doubt, and why Mike thinks people have become more willing to question official versions of major events.
The debate surrounding Charlie Kirk's comments, DEI, hiring based on qualifications versus representation, and whether students should have teachers who look like them.
Changes in the Beachwood school district, new students coming into the district, athletics, and the importance of representation for students from different backgrounds.
The COVID-19 pandemic, school shutdowns, vaccines, Anthony Fauci, his newly discussed diary, and whether there should be more accountability for the decisions made during the pandemic.
The importance of questioning science, what public health officials got wrong, and whether the country learned anything that could help if another pandemic happens.
Plus plenty of Cleveland Guardians baseball, local sports, family stories, and the usual political arguments and random conversations.
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This is a great episode where Mike and Shana talk about:
Mike getting called for jury duty on a double murder case and the comments that quickly got him dismissed from the jury pool.
The growing controversy surrounding proposed automated traffic cameras in Beachwood and whether they are really about safety or generating revenue.
Frustration with city council transparency, emergency legislation, and how major decisions are being communicated to residents.
The proposed new library project, concerns over losing baseball and softball fields, and larger questions about city planning and priorities.
The Fairmount Temple TIF discussion and ongoing debates over development, taxes, and the future direction of Beachwood.
Parenting middle schoolers, academic struggles, sports pressure, and learning how to handle failure and adversity.
Youth baseball tournaments, soccer debates, Cleveland sports frustrations, and the chaos of raising competitive kids.
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With Mike away, this is a great episode where Shana and the crew talk about:
• Amy Acton’s campaign for Ohio governor, her stance on data centers, and what voters want to hear from candidates heading into election season.
• The state of Democratic politics, Sherrod Brown, campaign messaging, and the challenge of connecting national political strategies with what actually matters to local voters.
• Rising grocery prices, shrinkflation, food deserts, WIC, and whether government-backed grocery stores could actually make food more affordable.
• The dramatic differences in home prices across Cuyahoga County, including Beachwood, Cleveland, and East Cleveland, and what those numbers say about the communities around us.
• Whether celebrities and professional athletes should be expected to use their platforms for political and social causes, plus the impact people like LeBron James and MrBeast can have through philanthropy.
And, of course, there’s plenty of Everything is Local chaos along the way — from iced coffee strategies and Costco bills to teenage appetites and whatever rabbit hole the internet sends the crew down next.
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This is a great episode where Mike and Shana talk about:
• The growing concerns surrounding The Vantage apartments, ongoing code violations, and what the City of Beachwood can (and can't) do to help residents.
• The future of Beachwood Place Mall, changing retail trends, and what the loss of major department stores could mean for the city's economy.
• The debate over tax increment financing (TIFs), redevelopment projects, and how public incentives should be used.
• Local politics, the upcoming election, and why voters should pay close attention to the issues affecting their own communities.
• Summer travel, Tim McGraw, Hersheypark, baseball season, Joey Fatone, and plenty of laughs along the way.
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