Town Hall Ohio

While the vast majority of Americans live in urbanized areas, the vast majority of the United States is classified as rural. 72% of our nation’s landmass is rural, and 46 million people live there. Serving that community is the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and in particular, USDA’s rural development agency. Its head, Anne Hazlett, and its Ohio leader, Dave Hall, join Farm Bureau’s Yvonne Lesicko to talk about rural challenges and opportunities, on this episode of Town Hall

If you grew up or live in many parts of northeast Ohio (same with much of northwest and central Ohio) and you’ve ever driven the back roads, you’re probably familiar with the sight of a slow moving buggy being drawn by a horse. Ohio is home to more than 74,000 Amish, about a quarter of the nation’s total Amish population. On this episode of Town Hall Ohio, we’ll take a look inside Ohio’s Amish community.

In a few short months, Ohioans will head to the polls to elect a new Governor, Auditor, Treasurer, Secretary of State and Attorney General. We’ll also elect a U.S. Senator, Supreme Court Justices and numerous state lawmakers. Between now and election day, Town Hall Ohio plans to host the candidates for statewide office. Today, our guests are seeking your vote to be State Auditor: Republican Keith Faber and Democrat Zack Space.

For the past fifty years, many of Ohio’s best paying jobs have disappeared. Communities have suffered and state government appears to have been powerless to turn things around. Last week we talked about what happened and why, and today we’ll get into a bit more of that plus look at some potential solutions. We’ll also frame out some key questions that you should be asking Rich Cordray and Mike DeWine, who both want to be your next governor.

Between 1969 and 2016, Ohio lost 700,000 of its 1.4 million manufacturing jobs. The state has experienced zero job growth since 2001. More and more of the jobs we do have are not high paying positions. Our last seven governors have seen the challenge, and have not solved the problems. Today’s guests have issued an extensive analysis of what’s happened to the Ohio economy, and some key questions for whoever is our next governor. Today, they share it in detail, on Town Hall Ohio.

Tourism is big business for the Buckeye State. Last year, 219 million folks visited Ohio. Most came from within 300 to 500 miles and they spent a lot of money here. Getting them here is the job of Tourism Ohio, part of the state’s development services agency. Tourism Ohio’s director Matt MacLaren joins us to talk about the business of tourism, what’s being done to boost it, and to tell us about some of the fun things we can do and see, on this episode of Town Hall Ohio.

The Ohio State Fair is right around the corner. Starting Wednesday, Ohioans from all corners of the state will make the trek to Columbus to experience the sights, sounds and smells of the annual big event. This is the 165th edition of the state fair, and today we look ahead to all the fun with Fair Manager, Virgil Strickler and Fair Communications Director, Alica Shoultz. We’ll talk about the livestock, the concerts, the exhibits, and of course, the food. The great Ohio State Fair, today, on Town Hall Ohio.

Consider every product you use, every day--food, technology, vehicles, personal care. And beyond products, every social engagement, every political activity. Somewhere, at some time, a researcher was involved. Either in a pristine lab or maybe in a backyard garage, the knowledge that is the basis of most everything we have or do was developed by someone doing research. Guests Dr. Caroline Whitacre, retired senior vice president research, Ohio State and Jon Cartledge, business development, Battelle explain what makes research happen and why it matters.

From the grill hash slinger to the executive chef, someone has to put the food on your plate when you’re eating out. Becoming the next Bobby Flay, Rachael Ray or Cameron Mitchell is no small feat but Columbus State Community College can be of some help. Their growing culinary arts and hospitality program aims to train folks for careers but also to be a contributor to Ohio’s economy and communities. Columbus State’s President David Harrison joins Farm Bureau’s Adam Sharp today, on Town Hall Ohio.

The vision of farming is often romanticized. Days outdoors instead of at a corporate desk. Staining your hands with soil instead of printer ink. Well, for a growing number of people, it’s not a romantic notion. It’s reality. And it’s not always idyllic. New and small farmers are dotting the landscape across Ohio, Today’s guests are part of an Ohio State program to give these burgeoning farmers a boost. New and small farming in the buckeye state, today, on Town Hall Ohio.

Every day, mankind uses about 28 billion kilowatt hours of energy. For perspective, for the average American family to use that much, it would take roughly 2.5 million years. Add to that a growing world population and growing world economy, and you can see the challenges before us. Today on Town Hall Ohio, we’ll hear some industry experts’ thoughts on what it’s going to take to have the policies and practices in place to serve our state and nation’s energy needs.

One of Ohio’s greatest resources is Lake Erie. It’s the source of drinking water for millions of Ohioans. It’s an economic engine for much of the state. It’s also one of Ohio’s top recreational opportunities. It also faces some problems - one of the biggest challenges is annual toxic algal blooms. That’s a problem not just for the lake, but for Ohio’s agricultural industry. Today, two prominent Lake Erie experts join us to talk about the lake, it’s challenges and some fixes, on Town Hall Ohio.

Chances are, you’re one of 68 million customers who visit a McDonald’s, every day. The company did 22.8 billion dollars in revenue last year. Today, we look beyond the golden arches to learn more about one of the biggest restaurant chains in the world. Their spokesman, and a store owner, are our guests today, on Town Hall Ohio.

Just saying the names brings sorrow, anger, and confusion. Columbine. Sandy Hook. Parkland High School. These are just three of the more infamous episodes where someone walked into an American school and started killing kids and teacher. What is going on? Why is this happening? What can be done to prevent the violence, or at least mitigate the damage? There is no single, or simple solution. But today, we’ll ask and answer what we can. The scourge of school shootings, today, on Town Hall Ohio.

The variety and selection of food today is phenomenal. We talk with farmers fairly often on this show. But what happens with that food once it leaves the farm? What about processing, packaging, marketing? Today, we spend time learning about the link in the food chain that largely begins after the crop is harvested or the animal is goes to market. What are the innovations that will make food tastier, safer, more convenient, on Town Hall Ohio.

You and I spent just under 21 billion dollars last year eating out. That’s the estimated sales figure for Ohio’s more than 22,000 eating and drinking establishments. We enjoyed meals at little diners at country crossroads and at Wendy’s, Bob Evans’ and other major chains and we supported more than half-a-million people in who Ohio work in the industry. Today, John Barker of the Ohio Restaurant Association, joins Ohio Farm Bureau’s Adam Sharp to talk all things restaurants, this week, on Town Hall Ohio.

Not everyone wants to graduate college with a PHD and that’s a good thing! Along with doctorates, doctors and lawyers, we need masons, mechanics, carpenters, electricians and thousands of other skilled professionals. Encouraging and preparing people to enter those necessary careers is our topic today. Our guests are Christine Gardner, Executive Director of the Ohio Association for Career and Technical Education, and Tim Harman, Director of Customized Workforce Recruitment and Training for Columbus 2020, an economic development organization in central Ohio.

Every year, millions of Americans travel to the nation's capital. Some are there to see the sights. Others are there to work. March 13-15, 2018 a group of around 100 Ohio Farm Bureau members were in Washington, D.C. and got a lot of work done. The big job was lobbying their lawmakers, but they also heard from the administrator of the US EPA, the Speaker of the House, both Ohio senators and more. On this episode of Town Hall Ohio, you will hear what they heard.

Americans would be well served to not forget the Dustbowl years of the 1930s. While that period is remembered for its disastrous impacts on nature and families, its legacy is a commitment to ensuring such calamity will never happen again. In Ohio and around the nation, soil and water conservation districts and their farmer cooperators are the boots on the ground in protecting natural resources. We’re proud to help tell their story on this episode of Town Hall Ohio.

Do any of these slogans sound familiar? Quality is our recipe. Fresh, never frozen. Where’s the beef? Of course, we’re talking about Wendy’s. Ohioan Dave Thomas’s vision, launched back in 1969, has grown to be the second largest purveyor of burgers and the 4th largest restaurant chain in America. So, their actions have great influence over how we eat - and how we grow what we eat. Today, Wendy’s Chief Communications Officer, Liliana Esposito, joins us for a live taping of Town Hall Ohio.