Over the last few years, Walmart has been on what the company calls a transformational journey, where hundreds of stores across the country have been transformed and redesigned to amplify the physical, human and digital design elements in the stores to elevate the overall shopping experience. As Walmart considers itself a member of every community it serves, there is another element to these store transformations that celebrates those communities.  During each remodel, Walmart will unveil a community-inspired mural that is installed near the store entrance. This Community Mural Program is an important part of every new or newly transformed facility as it is inspired by the community and reflects the local diversity and cultural references. Today, community murals are featured in hundreds of Walmart stores, and original artworks are unveiled weekly in newly transformed stores. Every store mural is unique, and we are joined today by artist Lisa Quine of Hudson, OH who was asked to create a couple mural installations in Ohio and she recently completed another in a Walmart store in Minnesota.

When Ohio Connections Academy first opened, full-time online learning for grades K-12 was not as prevalent as it is today, and students were seen as trailblazers for this type of learning. Today, with 20 years of online learning expertise and a program built specifically for the virtual environment, the school serves more than 5,000 students in grades K-12 from every county in the state of Ohio.  Ohio Connections Academy Superintendent Marie Hanna, and Dawnelle Criss, Ohio Connections Academy math teacher and 2012 graduate, share their insights on how the online classroom has evolved over the years and how attitudes have changed about the virtual learning. Ohio Connections Academy provides a personalized education that is supported by teachers who are specially trained in online learning. The curriculum is designed to have real-world value by focusing on preparing each student for wherever life takes them. As a public school, the school requires students to meet the same state standards as their traditional school counterparts.

As communities across Ohio and the rest of the country will host celebrations, parades, and ceremonies to honor Veterans of our United States Armed Forces, we are joined by Jason White, Operations Manager at Walmart's East Transportation Command Center in Grove City, OH. Jason served the U.S. Army from 2002 until 2018 when he transitioned to the Ohio Army National Guard and currently serves as Sergeant First Class. We asked Jason to share a little about his military experience and how he made the transition from active duty to the national guard and the career path he embarked upon with Walmart.  In 2013 Walmart launched the Veterans Welcome Home Commitment which guaranteed a job offer to any eligible, honorably discharged U.S. veteran. Walmart’s original goal was 250,000 hires – and in 2020 the company reached that benchmark. Since then, more than 520,000 veterans and military spouses have joined Walmart.

The costs for rare disease therapies are often very expensive for the patients. While some get help to cover a portion of their high out-of-pocket costs, health insurers have a policy called copay accumulators that prevent the assistance from counting toward the patient's copay or deductible requirements for the year. There is a legislative effort underway in Ohio (House Bill 177) that would address the issue. Sam Cox, State Government Relations Manager with the National Psoriasis Foundation, discusses the issue, the proposed fix and what patients and advocates can do to get involved.

For this episode we are pleased to be joined by Greene County Health Commissioner Melissa Howell and Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, Director of the Ohio Department of Health who share their perspectives and deep knowledge of immunizations and the importance of utilizing public health data.As school children are all heading back to the classroom we talk about what resources are available for parents and caretakers to make sure their children are ready with the proper immunizations. We also discus why vaccine registries such a critical tool in healthcare.Additional information:   Ohio Department of Health (ODH) Immunization ProgramGreene County Public Health

IFF is a nonprofit lender, developer, and real estate consultant with offices in Columbus and Cleveland and is Ohio’s first and only nonprofit real estate consultant focusing exclusively on boosting under-resourced nonprofits.  IFF has provided nearly $70 million in more than 90 loans to Ohio nonprofits helping local changemakers achieve their dreams for their communities. Omar Elhagmusa, senior lender for IFF in Columbus, and Meg Slifcak, Director of Real Estate Solutions based in IFF’s new Cleveland office share how the organization provide a very unique skillset and very much needed services to Ohio's non-profit community. Learn more at www.iff.org/ohio.

On this episode of Talking Points, Angela Snyder of Lesic and Camper Communications has a conversation with Columbus Public Health Assistant Health Commissioner   Edward Johnson about the importance of vaccinations in the community and the city's recent measles outbreak. Edward also offers some historic perspective regarding vaccine policies dating back to the Revolutionary War.

Last week Walmart announced that through August 18, it will be accepting applications for its tenth annual Open Call event, inviting small business owners and entrepreneurs across the country to apply for the opportunity to pitch their products to be sold on Walmart or Sam's Club shelves or on Walmart.com. Open Call is at the heart of Walmart's 10-year, $350 billion commitment to strengthen U.S. manufacturing by sourcing products that are made, grown or assembled in the U.S. In 2017, Marisa Sergi, CEO of L’uva Bella Winery, located in Lowellville, OH in Mahoning County, was invited to Bentonville to pitch her Red Head Wines to Walmart buyers. Marisa received a golden ticket and was given the green light to sell her products in 20 stores in northeastern Ohio. Since then she has successfully expanded their brands to more than 800 stores across the Midwest and is continuing to grow.

Angela Snyder of Lesic and Camper Communications has a conversation with  Milu Nguyen, BSN, RN – Franklin County Public Health, Prevention & Wellness, about the Immunization Advocacy Network of Ohio and importance of being an advocate for strong vaccine policies.

Typically, this podcast is dedicated to sharing information on issues such as education, business, health care, public safety and how they might impact public policy.  On this episode we’re going to change things up a bit and speak with Chris Heiberger to come on and share a little about his hobby - comedy and improvisation. Chris is with The Hashtag Comedy Co., a local improv group that has been performing on stages across central Ohio and has developed a significant following. Chris tells us about the fundamentals of the art and talks about how he and other members of the troupe are  sharing their passion for making people laugh by offering classes for youth, adults and seniors.

Kaitlin Finan, an Honors and AP Government teacher at Ohio Connections Academy describes her volunteer work for the Pickles Group, a national cancer support organization that works to provide peer-to-peer support and other services to children and teens with a parent or caretaker who is battling cancer. Kaitlin is currently putting her expertise as a teacher in the virtual classroom to work in translating the Pickles Group program for a digital environment. Kaitlin and Pickles Group Executive Director Cassy Horton talk about the program and the work they are doing to connect with more children remotely. The virtual program was launched last September and will soon be starting its third cohort. So far, the virtual program is connecting with kids in 16 different states in four different time zones.

For older Ohioans, and children and adults with disabilities, receiving health care at home is less costly and more effective than institutional care. But Ohio’s Medicaid reimbursement rates fall significantly short of covering the costs of home care. The rates today are essentially the same as they were in the year 2000. As a result, home health agencies can’t afford to remain open, hire workers or accept Medicaid patients, and new Medicaid providers aren’t in the wings. Thousands of Ohioans are on waiting lists for home care services because there are not enough providers. As Ohio's population is aging fast, this issue will not go away. We must think ahead to plan for their long-term care and ensure we have a workforce to care for the influx of aging patients.Lisa Von Lehmden Zidek, Board Chair of the Ohio Council for Home Care and Hospice, and Joe Russell, OCHCH Executive Director, are all too aware of Ohio’s Medicaid home care crisis. They say the problem can be addressed in the State’s biennial budget and that Ohio should value the health and safety of its most vulnerable residents in a way that’s on par with Medicare and private pay.

Last week was National School Counseling Week to focus on the unique contribution of school counselors within U.S. school systems. School counselors lead, advocate and collaborate on efforts that promote equity for all students and create a culture of success for all. Schools, especially through the pandemic, have focused a significant amount of attention on the social/emotional well-being of students and how it impacts their overall academic success. Great River Connections Academy Manager of Counseling Services Alana Pustay shares with us more about her role as a school counselor, the social/emotional needs of students and how those needs are met in a virtual classroom environment.

Parents, students, educators, and education stakeholders across the country recently celebrated National School Choice Week. While the term is self-explanatory, School Choice is the process of affording parents and caregivers the opportunity to choose the K-12 academic environment that best meets their child’s needs.  At Lesic and Camper, we have the privilege to work with five Connections Academy schools in Ohio, Minnesota, and Missouri. Connections Academy is a tuition-free, online public school for students in grades K–12. We invited Marie Hanna, Superintendent of Ohio Connections Academy, Anne Wasmund, Principal of Falcon View Connections Academy in Minnesota and Lynsie Hunt, School Leader at Missouri Connections Academy to have a brief conversation about school choice and what that represents in their respective states.

Jeff Stone, Walmart Senior Manager of Corporate Affairs and Community Relations talks about how the retailer has intensified its efforts to "Spark Good" in the communities it serves through store transformations and the relationships with local charitable organizations.

Rabbi Areyah Kaltmann shares with us the mission behind LifeTown Columbus and Kitchen of Life that provides the youth of central Ohio opportunities to overcome developmental and mental health challenges. LifeTown is NOT simply a “field trip” – it’s where students with developmental challenges apply the lesson plans they’ve worked on in advance in the classroom… and where they develop life skills they’ll be able to transfer to their natural community environments.Kitchen of Life offers flexibility to work with every classes' schedule and size. We aim to create new and positive experiences outside the classroom in order to grow competence, confidence, character, caring, and connection that will be used inside the classroom.

You probably know someone who suffers from mental illness or addiction – a family member, a friend, a coworker.  Ohioans are suffering from addiction and mental illness in unprecedented numbers.  Approximately 2.3 million Ohioans suffer from mental illness.  Substance abuse disorders have hit Ohio very hard, especially its rural areas.  These issues are affecting residents of all ages and ethnicities. Thrive Peer Recover Services is helping to address these issues.  Learn about Thrive’s services and jobs available throughout Ohio on this podcast with Brian Bailys, co-founder and CEO, and Human Resources Director, Emily Pastorius.

More than ever before, it’s critical to ensure that families stay on track for children’s routine checkups and recommended vaccinations following disruptions from COVID-19. A CDC report released in May 2020 found a troubling drop in routine childhood vaccinations because of families staying at home during the pandemic and not maintaining their vaccine schedule. The CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommend that children stay on track with their well-child appointments and routine vaccinations. On-time vaccination is critical to provide protection against potentially life-threatening diseases. Pediatrician Dr. Denise Warrick offers her perspective on the importance of vaccines in protecting children and the need for strong public policies that support that effort.

It started in 2006 with a golf outing to raise money for cancer research. Sixteen years later, Families for a Cure has raised more than $1.5 million to help local cancer support organizations that help make things better for families and individuals coping with a cancer diagnosis. Throughout the year Families for a Cure host events and activities that bring together friends, families and supporters to celebrate the lives of the people who are battling, have battled and won and those who have lost to cancer. Many of these events are fundraisers that provide support to organizations committed to helping those fighting their own fight against cancer.For more information visit www.FamiliesforaCure.org

More than a year ago, the City of Columbus announced plans to establish bike lanes along Indianola Avenue between Weber and Midgard Roads on Columbus’ north side.  For the city to move forward with the plan it would require a reduction of the street parking. The question is how much. Those familiar with this unique, three-block area knows that the businesses there draw customers from all over central Ohio and they rely on the street parking that is available.  A number of the businesses came to the table and supported a plan, “Option 4,” that proposed to eliminate almost half of the parking but would preserve parking on both sides of the street. The city however revised its plan and is now looking to leave only 30 parking spaces near the businesses with no parking allowed on the east side of Indianola.   Those businesses are very concerned with how eliminating the parking could negatively impact their business. Eric Brembeck, owner of Studio 35 Cinema & Drafthouse, joins us to talk about their concerns and the effort to strike a balance between the planned bike lanes and the survival of locally owned businesses.