Everything Is Local

In this episode of Everything Is Local, Mike and Shana dig into several local issues before getting into a much bigger national conversation:
• Why Beachwood teenagers were reportedly told they could not use the Fairmount fields when the fields were not being used, and what the school district's facility-use policy actually says about community access.
• The frustration over changing explanations for why the kids were removed from the fields, and the larger questions about accountability and oversight within the school district.
• How the fight over access to the fields connects directly to the proposed $30 million Beachwood library and the concern over losing even more athletic space in a community that already has limited fields.
• The city's effort to declare the Fairmount Temple property “blighted,” why the hosts question the reasoning behind the designation, and what it could mean for a potential future property-tax incentive.
• The $8 million purchase price for the Fairmount property, why developers may not be willing to pay anywhere near that amount and the debate over whether taxpayers should ultimately absorb the difference.
• The broader tension between local tax incentives and Cuyahoga County's financial struggles, particularly when it comes to health and human services and other safety-net programs.
• A lengthy and heated discussion about the Cornell University sexual-assault case, consent, changing perceptions of sexual behavior and the responsibilities of students who witness questionable situations.
• What parents should be teaching their kids about consent, relationships, group-chat culture and recognizing when a situation crosses a line.
• The conversation takes a few unexpected turns into college culture, Alabama football, dress codes, “side boob” and the changing social norms around dating and sex.
• Plus, a surprisingly deep discussion about the death penalty, wrongful convictions and whether the state should have the power to execute someone.
Subscribe for more episodes like this one!
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of Everything Is Local, Shana, Mike and Matt break down the latest developments surrounding Beachwood’s proposed new library and the controversial Fairmount Temple property:
• The latest library plans, including the proposed auditorium, private study spaces, maker room and the impact the project could have on Beachwood’s remaining youth sports fields.
• Why the school district’s plan to move engineering classes into the current library raises major questions about transportation, classroom time, operating costs and whether the idea has actually been studied.
• The growing frustration over the library’s planning process, including the claim that more than $1 million was spent planning a library at the current site before it was determined the property was too small.
• The City Council meeting, public comments and the criticism surrounding how community members were given an opportunity to ask questions about the new library design.
• The proposed $30 million-scale library project and the debate over whether a large auditorium is actually necessary when other nearby facilities already offer large event spaces.
• The Fairmount Temple property, the city’s $8 million purchase and the revelation that developers may be willing to pay substantially less than what Beachwood paid for the land.
• What declaring the Fairmount Temple property “blighted” could mean, including the potential use of property-tax incentives and the impact that could have on county-funded health and human services, developmental disability programs and other safety-net services.
• Questions surrounding who is responsible for paying for the library-related infrastructure, parking and sports-field improvements, and why the city and school district appear to be giving different answers.
• Whether Beachwood City Council will ultimately approve the proposed “blighted” designation and how residents can make their opinions known before the next steps are taken.
• Plus, a few detours into Mike’s championship softball tournament, The Dukes of Hazzard and some classic TV nostalgia.
Subscribe for more episodes like this one!
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, Mike, Shana, Matt take a deep dive into the proposed new Beachwood library and the questions surrounding the project:
• The latest presentation for the proposed library and why the new plans for the surrounding sports fields are raising even more questions.
• The massive amount of dirt and engineering that could be required to level the property, and the unanswered question of who will actually pay for that work.
• Why moving the library could significantly reduce the space available for Little League, softball, soccer, and other youth sports, especially after the loss of Hilltop.
• The idea of moving high school engineering classes into the current library building and the practical questions about how students would actually get there every day.
• Why the existing Beachwood library is still heavily used, particularly by middle school students who rely on it as an after-school gathering, study, and activity space.
• Whether the community has actually been given a meaningful opportunity to weigh in on moving the library, and why the hosts believe the public needs more information before major decisions are made.
• The broader question of spending priorities, including the proposed $30 million library and Cuyahoga County's need for additional funding for health and human services and other community safety-net programs.
• The upcoming City Council meeting and why the hosts believe residents should attend, ask questions, and make their opinions known before the library project moves any further.
Subscribe for more episodes like this one!
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This is another great episode where Shana and Matt talk about:
• The controversial TIF proposal in Orange Village and why they believe the plan could divert tax revenue that voters intended for schools and other public services.
• The growing criticism of Orange City Council, including questions about whether council members are doing enough to challenge the mayor and scrutinize major decisions.
• The development of new housing in Orange and whether the community really needs more expensive residential units competing with nearby cities.
• The decline of youth sports and recreation programs in local communities, and why access to fields, facilities and organized sports matters for families.
• The debate over Ohio politics, including the upcoming governor's race, candidates' positions on voting laws and transgender athletes, and what makes someone qualified to lead the state.
• The importance of political candidates being willing to communicate, debate and listen to the people they represent instead of simply relying on party politics.
• The influence of wealthy business leaders and billionaires in American politics, along with a larger conversation about Donald Trump, political polarization and whether either major party is actually getting it right.
• Why local government matters so much and why voters should pay attention to their city councils, mayors and local decisions instead of only focusing on national politics.
Subscribe for more episodes like this one!
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With Mike currently away with family, this is another great episode where Shana and Matt talk about:
• The history and controversy surrounding Israeli settlements in the West Bank, including the Green Line, Areas A, B and C, and how the Oslo Accords divided the territory.
• Why hundreds of thousands of Israelis live beyond the Green Line and the different political, religious and economic reasons behind the settlements.
• The differences between Zionism and religious Zionism, and how Jewish historical and religious connections to the land influence the settlement debate.
• The 1947 UN partition plan, the creation of Israel, the 1948 war and how those events shaped the borders and political realities that exist today.
• The complicated history of Palestinians, Jordanians and Israelis in the region, including the question of whether the absence of a historic sovereign Palestinian state determines modern questions of sovereignty and political rights.
• The role of religion and history in the conflict, including access to Jerusalem's holy sites and why the city remains so important to Jews, Christians and Muslims.
• The Law of Return, the Holocaust, Jewish displacement and the different ways Israelis and Palestinians understand the history of displacement and belonging.
• Whether Israel can negotiate the future while continuing to change the reality on the ground through settlement policy, and why understanding the nuance and history behind these issues is so important.
Subscribe for more episodes like this one!
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.