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Playlist: Changing Gears's Portfolio

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At Auto Plants, A Reversal of Fortune

From Changing Gears | Part of the Changing Gears: Remaking the Manufacturing Belt series | 06:15

The American Dream is that each generation will do better than the last. But the families of auto workers no longer have that expectation. As Detroit car makers sped towards financial ruin, their union agreed to a dual wage structure … plus deep cuts in benefits. Now, new hires earn about half what traditional workers make. From Changing Gears, Kate Davidson tells how this ‘reversal of fortune’ has altered their lives.

Jewell_brothers_small The American Dream is that each generation will do better than the last. But the families of auto workers no longer have that expectation. As Detroit car makers sped towards financial ruin, their union agreed to a dual wage structure … plus deep cuts in benefits. Now, new hires earn about half what traditional workers make. From Changing Gears, Kate Davidson tells how this ‘reversal of fortune’ has altered their lives.

Brownfield no more: A look at some innovation in abandoned factories

From Changing Gears | Part of the Changing Gears: Remaking the Manufacturing Belt series | 06:27

Long-abandoned factories have scarred the Midwest landscape for generations. Tens of thousands sit vacant across the region, the tally growing by the day as companies shut more plants down. There may be as many as one million such properties across the United States.

Some spaces are now being used in innovative ways, but there are huge challenges to renovating these sites. Changing Gears reporter Niala Boodhoo in Chicago takes a look at what’s involved in taking these places apart – and in putting them back together.

Brownfield_no_more2_small Long-abandoned factories have scarred the Midwest landscape for generations. Tens of thousands sit vacant across the region, the tally growing by the day as companies shut more plants down. There may be as many as one million such properties across the United States. Some spaces are now being used in innovative ways, but there are huge challenges to renovating these sites. Changing Gears reporter Niala Boodhoo in Chicago takes a look at what’s involved in taking these places apart – and in putting them back together.

Older Americans, Still Working

From Changing Gears | Part of the Changing Gears: Remaking the Manufacturing Belt series | 03:50

The number of older Americans working full time has been rising steadily for years. Many work because they have to. Some work because they want to - and they feel they have something to offer that would otherwise disappear. In an occasional series called "Still Working," Changing Gears is profiling workers on the job in their 80s and 90s. Kate Davidson found one of them behind the bar in Lansing, Michigan.

Still_working_tommalvetis_small The number of older Americans working full time has been rising steadily for years. Many work because they have to. Some work because they want to - and they feel they have something to offer that would otherwise disappear. In an occasional series called "Still Working," Changing Gears is profiling workers on the job in their 80s and 90s. Kate Davidson found one of them behind the bar in Lansing, Michigan.

The next wave of immigrant entrepreneurs

From Changing Gears | Part of the Changing Gears: Remaking the Manufacturing Belt series | 04:01

Cities across the Midwest are full of immigrant stories. Previous generations filled the factories, building cars, furniture and steel. Now that those jobs are disappearing, cities like Detroit, Cleveland and Pittsburgh are hoping another wave of immigrants will help reinvigorate the economy. Changing Gears is a new public media project looking at the reinvention of the industrial Midwest. In this story, Chicago-based reporter Niala Boodhoo (Ny-la Boo-doo) looks at the potential immigrant entrepreneurs offer our economy.

Immigrant_jesus_davila_small Cities across the Midwest are full of immigrant stories. Previous generations filled the factories, building cars, furniture and steel. Now that those jobs are disappearing, cities like Detroit, Cleveland and Pittsburgh are hoping another wave of immigrants will help reinvigorate the economy. Changing Gears is a new public media project looking at the reinvention of the industrial Midwest. In this story, Chicago-based reporter Niala Boodhoo (Ny-la Boo-doo) looks at the potential immigrant entrepreneurs offer our economy.

Freeway Removal Goes Mainstream: A Survey of Projects

From Changing Gears | Part of the Changing Gears: Remaking the Manufacturing Belt series | 04:04

How did you get to work this morning? Did you take a freeway into a city? What if it weren’t there? It’s a distinct possibility. Half a century after cities across our region and country built sprawling freeways, many of those roads are reaching the end of their useful lives. Instead of rebuilding them, a growing number of cities are thinking about-- or actively-- removing them. Our Changing Gears team looks at the reinvention of the industrial Midwest, and today, Dan Bobkoff tells us why a city would want to take away a road.

Rincon_park_embarcadero_small How did you get to work this morning? Did you take a freeway into a city? What if it weren’t there? It’s a distinct possibility. Half a century after cities across our region and country built sprawling freeways, many of those roads are reaching the end of their useful lives. Instead of rebuilding them, a growing number of cities are thinking about-- or actively-- removing them. Our Changing Gears team looks at the reinvention of the industrial Midwest, and today, Dan Bobkoff tells us why a city would want to take away a road.

Jobless traverse the digital divide

From Changing Gears | Part of the Changing Gears: Remaking the Manufacturing Belt series | 04:24

When you talk about a digital divide, you’re probably thinking of inner city kids who don’t have ready access to the Internet. But there’s another group that looks at the digital divide with a growing sense of urgency: unemployed workers. Changing Gears is a public media project looking at the reinvention of the industrial Midwest. In this story, Niala Boodhoo from Chicago takes a look at how hard it is to find a job when you don’t have the skills or access to technology.

Digitaldividepic-1_small When you talk about a digital divide, you’re probably thinking of inner city kids who don’t have ready access to the Internet. But there’s another group that looks at the digital divide with a growing sense of urgency: unemployed workers. Changing Gears is a public media project looking at the reinvention of the industrial Midwest. In this story, Niala Boodhoo from Chicago takes a look at how hard it is to find a job when you don’t have the skills or access to technology.

Training Health Care Workers: The Clinical Bottleneck

From Changing Gears | Part of the Changing Gears: Remaking the Manufacturing Belt series | 03:36

Nursing is a hot career. The federal government says it will create more new jobs than any other profession in the coming years … almost 600,000 jobs by 2018.
But there’s a bottleneck. Schools can’t keep up with all the people who want to become nurses or other health care workers. Changing Gears is a project looking at the reinvention of our region. In the first of two stories, Kate Davidson reports on some of the high tech tools schools are using to help ease the health care crunch.

Nurses1_small Please tag with: Changing Gears is a public media collaboration between WBEZ, Michigan Radio and Ideastream in Cleveland. Support for Changing Gears comes from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Can Music Boost the Midwest Economy?

From Changing Gears | Part of the Changing Gears: Remaking the Manufacturing Belt series | 03:44

Austin, Texas markets itself as the live music capital of the world. Nashville calls itself the music city and it’s become more than just country.

But, hey, what about the Midwest? We have a musical history and a good location. Changing Gears is a project looking at the reinvention of our region. We wanted to know why our region isn’t capitalizing on music. Here’s Cleveland Reporter Dan Bobkoff.

Dylan_baldi_midwest_music_small Changing Gears is a collaboration between WBEZ Chicago, Michigan Radio, and ideastream Cleveland. Support comes from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Why more Latinos across the Midwest translates to good news for the economy

From Changing Gears | Part of the Changing Gears: Remaking the Manufacturing Belt series | 06:33

Recent census reports show Midwestern cities are shrinking and people are moving out. But one group is actually growing - the Hispanic population. Changing Gears reporter Niala Boodhoo (Ny-la Boo-doo) reports that’s a good thing for our region - and our economy.

Javier_galvez_latinos_small Changing Gears is a public media collaboration between WBEZ, Michigan Radio and Ideastream in Cleveland, exploring the future of the industrial Midwest.