(bright music) - Coming up next on "NewsDepth."

Records show the Great Lakes have less ice than years past.

How do animals adapt to cold weather?

Margaret tells us how animals keep their cool.

Cleveland played an important role in the civil rights movement.

California schools are bringing back lessons on cursive writing.

"NewsDepth" is now.

(bright music) A warm start to the winter season has left the Great Lakes virtually ice-free.

I'm Gabriel Kramer.

Thank you for joining us.

The Great Lakes are a group of five interconnected freshwater lakes located on North America.

There's Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Huron, Ontario, and of course Lake Erie, which is just a few blocks away from here.

Together, they make up the largest group of freshwater lakes by total area in the world and contain about 84% of North America's fresh surface water.

But this season, due to higher than average temperatures, they have the lowest ice cover to have ever been recorded in the past 50 years.

On New Year's day, only .35% of the Great Lakes were covered in ice.

That's the lowest on record for this point in winter since 1973 and well below the historical average of nearly 10%.

The data comes from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory.

Since record keeping began in 1973, researchers have found the Great Lakes have been experiencing a massive decline in ice with the peak coverage dropping about 5% each decade.

Winter has been pretty mild this year for Ohio, but a lot of other states were under weather alerts last week.

A dangerous winter storm made its way to the eastern United States bringing threats of blizzards, tornadoes, and floods.

Amy Kelly reports on these different areas.

- [Amy] While some say let it snow, others wanted to let up.

Millions of Americans are under weather alerts.

Kansas is under a state of disaster emergency declaration and officials in many areas are asking drivers to be safe and be patient.

- And we thank everyone who is heeding this advice to stay off the streets if they're able to do so.

- You know, they're big trucks, they're loud, they're noisy.

Just kind of give us some distance, so, you know, we can get our job done so you can get to where you're trying to get.

(wind gushing) - [Amy] With such intense blizzards, it's hard for some community plow teams to keep up.

- We've transitioned to a 24-hour day operation.

All day long, we have people out working to clear snow - [Amy] Farther south, strong winds bring the risk of tornadoes, while coastal areas could endure floods.

- We're already having salt water flooding, so we already know what's gonna happen.

- Thank you, Amy.

Battling the elements to keep our roads safe and clear, snowplow drivers are on the front lines of winter maintenance.

Blizzards, whether big or small, pose a consistent challenge for plow drivers, even those with years of experience.

Jeremy Wall shed some light on the toll it takes to keep our roads clear.

- [Jeremy] Jason Wooden has been plowing roads for 15 years.

Like any job, it has its obstacles.

For him, the biggest obstacle is dealing with parked cars and knowing where to put the snow.

- We do a lot of hotels and apartment buildings.

And every time you go to do them, they're different.

There's cars in your way, there's people in your way, there's deliveries, there's...

There's always something in your way.

You just gotta roll with it.

- [Jeremy] A change in temperature can make things worse.

- [Jason] When it's below zero outside, it's very hard on equipment.

- [Jeremy] Blizzards can also be tough for Wooden.

No matter how big or small the snowstorm is, he encourages drivers to give themselves a good amount of space if behind a plow truck and to make sure your car isn't parked too close to it.

- If a parking lot's empty on one side, don't park, or don't park in front of us while we're plowing.

It happens all the time.

- [Jeremy] During the winter, Wooden stays busy doing some landscaping, but he's always ready to go for the next snowstorm.

- Thank you, Jeremy.

As temperatures dip, it's important to remember that winter weather can be hazardous to our health and safety.

In recent years, winter related health issues have been eight to 12% higher throughout the entire country.

That's according to data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In today's Health Minute, Mandy Gaither has more from an emergency room physician on how to protect your health in potentially life-threatening winter weather.

- [Mandy] From frigid air to ice and snow, cold temperatures can take a toll on our bodies.

- We shunt blood flow to the central kind of core of our body in an attempt to stay warm.

- [Mandy] Dr. Christopher Bazzoli is an emergency physician at Cleveland Clinic.

He says, this time of year, doctors not only see rises in ER visits for respiratory viruses as more people seek refuge inside from the cold, but also frostbite and hypothermia.

Bazzoli says what you wear can help keep you safe.

Protect the parts of your body most vulnerable to frostbite like toes, fingers, nose and ears by dressing in warm, dry clothing, - Lots of layers, and especially the layers close to your skin.

You wanna have breathable fabrics if possible, especially if you're engaging in an activity.

- [Mandy] Bazzoli says a sudden change in temperature and humidity can also irritate certain medical conditions like asthma.

He says to make sure you have enough medicine on hand.

And if you use an electric medical device, make sure you have a way to back it up if the power goes out.

He says to also be aware of how you heat your home.

- We don't wanna run any engine-operated equipment or gas or propane-powered heating devices indoors because of the risk of carbon monoxide.

- Thank you, Mandy.

Winter also brings a chilly transformation to wildlife in Ohio.

Many animals like deer, foxes and cardinals adapt to the cold by growing thicker, warmer coats with two layers to trap heat.

Some animals also adjust their eating habits in the fall, consuming dense food that will provide them with warmth and energy during the harsh winter months.

Margaret has this week's Spot on Science to share how animals survive the winter, including warm layers, hibernation, and torpor.

(upbeat music) - Now that winter is here, I'm not heading outside with without some extra warm layers.

Actually, even when I'm inside, I like to sit as close to the heater as I can.

Well, it turns out, I'm not alone in this.

Many wild animals deal with Ohio's winters just like me, by adding extra layers and seeking warm spaces.

But instead of digging out the old winter sweaters and jackets, many birds and mammals grow their own warm layers in order to adapt to colder weather.

For example, mammals like deer and foxes replace thin summer coats with thicker, denser winter coats.

Even birds like cardinals, who don't fly south for the winter, grow thicker, warmer coats of feathers.

All of these wild winter coats actually have two layers.

An inner layer that traps heat, and an outer layer that repels water.

Mammals and birds also adapt by changing their eating patterns with the season.

In the fall, they chow down on lots of extra dense food.

Their bodies store that food as a layer of fat, which helps keep them really warm underneath those good winter coats.

And their bodies can use that fat for energy when food is scarce in the middle of winter.

But what about when wild animals want to get out of the weather and go inside?

Wow, it turns out there are a lot of kinds of places where wild animals find shelter from the elements.

Caves, crevices, and trees, underground burrows can all provide cozy spots for animals to hunker down.

Wood piles and leaf piles also fit the bill for smaller animals like chipmunks, frogs, or snakes.

Speaking of cold-blooded animals, like snakes and frogs and turtles, many of those species simply find a spot and stay there all winter, not doing much of anything.

So you aren't likely to see them in the winter months.

You know another animal you aren't likely to see in the winter?

My favorite groundhogs.

Groundhogs are one of the few animals in Ohio that truly hibernate.

This means that their bodies slow way down and they basically sleep through the whole winter.

Other animals like skunks and raccoons can do a milder version of hibernation called torpor.

Animals in a state of torpor might just sleep through a couple days of really, really cold weather, but they don't hibernate for the entire winter.

There are times when I'd like to nap through winter, but alas, hibernation isn't something humans can do.

We've just gotta stick to our coats and our hats.

- So, our winter coats are almost like a person's second layer of fur?

Okay, Marg, thank you so much.

Now, a lot of you probably didn't have to go to school this past Monday because it was Martin Luther King Jr. Day or MLK Day.

MLK Day is a federal holiday in the United States that honors a civil rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr.

The holiday is observed annually on the third Monday of January close to King's birthday, which is January the 15th.

King was a prominent American civil rights leader and Baptist minister who played a crucial role in the American civil rights movement during the 1950s and '60s.

Cleveland is also a part of that chapter in American history.

King started a campaign here to encourage voter registration as a way for Black people to let their voices be heard.

Nick Castele has more.

(ceremonious music) - Martin Luther King Jr. is known for leading the civil rights movement.

When people hear his name, they likely think of the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott in Alabama that followed Rosa Parks refusing to give up her bus seat to a white passenger.

Or they think of King at the March on Washington in 1963 where he gave that most famous speech.

- I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.

(crowd cheering) - [Nick] Or they think of him marching from Selma to Montgomery in 1965 to fight for African Americans to be treated fairly when they go to vote.

But we here in Ohio remember King for something closer to home.

In the spring of 1965, he left that march to come to Cleveland.

Newspapers even said he came with blisters on his feet from the walk.

King made Cleveland a focal point for fighting against poverty and discrimination.

- Something is wrong with Cleveland and something is wrong with all of our cities.

And you know what is wrong.

The thing that is wrong is that Negroes are not treated right.

- African Americans were living in overcrowded conditions in neighborhoods like Huff.

They didn't have access to good jobs and were facing mistreatment from police.

So, how could the African Americans of Cleveland overcome these obstacles?

King's push was for voting to be part of the solution.

At the time, Carl Stokes was running for mayor, and there had never been an African American mayor elected as the head of a major American city.

King saw this as an opportunity.

- We want every negro in the city of Cleveland of voting aids to be registered.

- In 1967, King went through the Black community, urging people to register to vote.

He gave speeches across the city explaining the importance of using the polls as a platform for having their voices be heard.

King's presence in Cleveland helped to ignite African Americans to turn to the polls.

Well, in 1967, Stokes was successfully elected as the first African American mayor of a major American city.

He was able to give real voice to the Black community.

The lesson we take away is one that is still relevant today.

Not only are all people equal, but voting is one of our most powerful tools to let that be heard.

- Great point, Nick, and thank you for the report.

The US Mint has just released three commemorative coins honoring Harriet Tubman.

United States Mint is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury responsible for producing coinage for the United States.

Each coin reflects a period of the abolitionist's life.

An abolitionist is someone who worked to end slavery.

The silver dollar depicts Tubman as a conductor on the Underground Railroad.

The half dollar shows her as a spy and a union nurse during the Civil War.

And the $5 gold coin features an older Tubman gazing in the distance toward the future.

And that brings us to this week's writing question.

Who would you put on a coin and why?

You can send me your answers online through our inbox form, and you can also send us a drawing of your coin to go along with your descriptions.

We'll share some of your answers and prototypes in next week's episode.

Moving on with the news.

Students at a university in Arizona are getting a lesson in agriculture and helping their community.

Agriculture is a science and practice of farming.

This includes cultivating soil, producing crops, and raising livestock.

The project is a student-run garden that helps them cultivate a deeper understanding of sustainable farming practices.

Cameron (indistinct) speaks with this enthusiastic group that runs it.

- I thought today we'd harvest some of these Napa cabbages here, and then we have some heads of broccoli that are ready.

- [Cameron] In the heart of as USU's polytechnic campus.

- Look at that.

- [Cameron] A student-run garden has taken root since 2019.

- So this carrot's looking pretty big.

- [Cameron] It's tended to by a passionate group of students cultivating a deeper understanding of sustainable farming practices.

- Right now we have 16 raised garden beds and an orchard with 20 fruit trees.

- [Cameron] Program coordinator, Melissa Kruse-Peeples, says the garden has become a living classroom where hands get dirty and students grow a better appreciation of how it gets to their plate.

- There's the environment and the climate and, you know, disasters and extreme heat like we have here in Phoenix, and it can be really difficult to grow food.

But each one of these will grow a little head in the center here, and these ones are just starting to get there.

- Kaelyn Flowers has planted, pruned and harvested fresh fruits and vegetables at the Garden Commons for nearly a year now.

- It helps make people realize what exactly local means and the work that it takes to enable to be able to eat sustainable and locally.

- [Cameron] But thanks to flowers and many others, the work has paid off, allowing it to fulfill another vital role through a weekly popup farm stand where the season's fresh bounty is given to students for free.

- We also offer like little recipe cards that suggest different ideas of what to do with some of those produce that people might not be as familiar with.

- [Cameron] A heartfelt initiative ensuring that no student goes without - One in four students in recent surveys are identifying as food insecure and not having enough resources for their food.

And so that's great that we can fulfill some of that need.

- [Cameron] It's become a place where green thumbs meet the needs of hungry mouths, sowing the seeds of unity through food.

Thank you, Cameron.

You've probably heard us talk about being a good citizen from time to time.

We think it's a really important thing to do.

One simple way to be a good citizen is to say thanks to those who have served.

And we recently met with some third graders who use their singing talents to say thank you to some local veterans.

This week's A+ Award goes to the third grade at Warren Elementary located in Barlow Vincent.

The third grade classes have a tradition of performing a concert every year around Veterans Day as a way to say thank you to veterans and their community for their service.

HaIley told us that it took them about two months of rehearsing to prepare for the performance.

She told us that their music teacher, Ms. Brown, created slideshows that helped them to learn all the lyrics to the patriotic songs they planned to sing.

Trip added that the rehearsals took place during their music class, which meets for 50 minutes once or twice a week.

We were really impressed to hear that all six classes, which is about 150 students, participated in the concert.

Levi told us that the performance included five songs, plus the Star-Spangled Banner, and they held two concerts.

One concert was held during the evening at the high school for families, and the other was held during the day in the elementary school's gymnasium for the veterans.

The third graders sang their hearts out.

All the students in Warren Elementary had the opportunity to invite veterans they know to the assembly.

During the event, veterans could sit with the students who invited them and enjoy their concert together.

Following the assembly, veterans accompany these students to classrooms where they continued to be honored and celebrated.

An astonishing 235 veterans and their guests attended the concert.

Levi told us that he was really proud to be able to celebrate the veterans in his community.

Hailey shared that it was important to her to be able to make the audience members smile and feel important.

Trip added that the concert was extra special to him because he has a lot of service members in his family and hopes to join the military when he's older.

Stained glass candles displayed at the assembly held the names of more than 2,000 veterans and active duty military personnel.

Absolutely astonishing.

Wow.

This week's A+ Award goes through the third grade at Warren Elementary for using their musical talents to say thank you to the veterans.

While we were there, they also told us a few really funny jokes.

So here's a joke for you.

What did baby corn say to mama corn?

Where's popcorn?

Keep up the great work and we hope you got a kick out of that joke just like you did.

Now let's move up a few grades.

High school students in Virginia got some hands-on experience for safe driving.

Researchers from Virginia Tech and truck drivers partnered with Wilson Memorial High School in Fishersville to educate students on sharing the road with semi-trucks.

Shelby Martin got to jump in the driver's seat to bring us this story.

- [Shelby] Through the Share the Road program, Wilson High School students learned how to drive safely around trailer trucks.

John Cole with Huff Transportation showed me just how hard it is for a truck driver to see a regular vehicle.

Trucks like these are only required to have two mirrors.

And with so many blind spots, it's almost impossible to see the SUV next to me.

Cole is six foot one, but I could barely see him over the hood.

Students got to sit in the truck just like I did.

And Eileen Herbers with Virginia Tech Transportation Institute says the experience was both hands-on and effective.

- They're able to get not only their driver instructor and their parents and what they say, but actual truck drivers and maybe what they're experiencing on the road.

So they might think twice about some unsafe maneuvers around heavy vehicles.

- [Shelby] To prevent serious accidents, Cole says it's important for young drivers to see things from a different perspective, literally.

- They don't realize that the truck trailer a lot of times has no clue that they're there and they contribute to the factors that cause these wrecks.

- [Sheylby] At 80,000 pounds, tractor trailers can be 40 times heavier than a standard SUV.

- And when you get in front of them, it takes a long time for a tractor trailer stop with 80,000 pounds, approximately three football fields at 65 miles an hour.

- [Shelby] Researchers at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute say in 80% of accidents between small vehicles and semi-trucks, the small vehicle is usually at fault.

- When they collide, unfortunately, the smaller vehicle will lose, causing major damage and injury.

- Thank you, Shelby.

Some call cursive writing a long lost art because many students will never know or learn.

But California wants to change that.

The handwriting form will once again be part of the curriculum in California schools through a new law signed by the governor.

Shannon Handy has more.

- [Shannon] Cursive is an art form a lot of kids, including my 6-year-old, know nothing about.

What does that say?

- A.

- But that will soon change, thanks to Governor Newsom, who just signed a bill that will require cursive instruction in first through sixth grades.

Tell me why you think cursive is important.

- I want to see students all have the same access to our history.

Really, it's our historical documents.

- [Shannon] Assembly woman and former educator, Sharon Quirk-Silva, wrote the bill after doing some family research.

- It came out of myself going on to 23andMe not too long ago, and looking up some family records and realizing many of them were written in cursive.

- [Shannon] At Nichols Elementary in Oceanside.

- The brothers raced across the bridge.

- [Shannon] Cursive is already a part of the curriculum for these fifth graders.

It's a choice teacher Christine Fuentes made after realizing cursive was becoming a lost art.

- Specifically the constitution.

One of the students said, "Hey, this is (indistinct)."

And so I was like, "Oh, absolutely not."

My main focus and goal was to create a connection for them to just learn certain letters.

I have a classroom economy and so we sign contracts, and so they're also practicing signing their name.

- [Shannon] Aside from being a practical tool, proponents say cursive is also great for learning.

- There's a lot of benefit to having cursive back in our instructional practices because it activates a portion of the brain that doesn't occur in print and or typing.

It actually makes writing fluency easier for many children.

- It's just an ongoing overview of cursive.

And the goal being that by the time they leave sixth grade, that they'll at least be able to read it, and hopefully write it as well.

- Thank you, Shannon.

For our poll this week, we wanna hear what you think.

Should schools teach cursive?

Once you're done watching this episode, jump on over to our poll page to vote.

You can choose between, "Yes, I love cursive" or "No, it's too hard."

And last week, we talked all about animals, and we wanted to know how many of you had pets.

And the results are in.

57% of you said you have more than one pet.

23% of you said you do have a pet.

And about 20% of you reported you don't have any pets.

Last week we also asked you to tell us about a time when an animal has helped you feel better.

Let's see what you had to say by opening up our inbox.

William from Grant Elementary in Lakewood starts us off.

"Dear 'NewsDepth,' when I had a fish tank in my room, all of the fish in the tank made me fall asleep."

That sounds so relaxing, William.

Alina from Holland Intermediate in Holland has a great monkey story.

Dear "NewsDepth," so your question was, when has an animal made me feel better?

The answer is yes, an animal has made me feel better.

And a time when an animal has made me feel better was when I was sad, my mom took me to the zoo.

This was a long time ago, so we went to see the monkeys and they started chasing after each other, and that was what made me laugh."

Blake from Manchester Middle School in New Franklin writes, "Yes, in fact my chocolate Lab named Malley helps me calm down sometimes.

I talk to her and she's happy when she makes me laugh.

Here's a picture."

Oh, what a cute puppy.

Thanks for sharing that pic, Blake.

Harlow from Ella Canavan Elementary in Medina.

A lot of you know I'm from Medina.

That's my hometown.

But I'm a proud Ella Canavan Elementary School graduate.

Well, Harlow has a furry friend that helped the healing process.

"Dear NewsDept, one time an animal has helped me was when I was in the hospital after surgery, and my brother called me and showed me my cat.

It really helped me get through the tough time in the hospital.

And Patrick from Kensington Intermediate School in Rocky River got the support needed to get through the day.

"A few years ago, I had so much homework because I missed a few days of school.

I got confused a lot, but then my dog came into the room.

I couldn't be mad anymore.

My dog made me feel happy, and I pulled right through my homework."

Thanks to everyone who wrote in and sent pictures.

It reminds me of one time when I was watching my brother's dog, his name is Danny DeVito.

He rolled around in a bunch of berries that fell from a tree in my yard, and his furs are turning purple.

It was a lot of fun.

At least it's a good color on him.

I gave him a bath and we had a good laugh.

Another furry friend that always brightens our day is News Hound.

He finds the best animal stories.

Let's see what he has for this week's Petting Zoo.

(bright music) (dog barking) Are you taking a nap?

But we're halfway through this season.

There's still a lot of work to do.

Let's get to work, buddy.

Oh, you found a story about unique classroom pets.

To learn more about the dog's, roaches and Guinea pigs that go to school along with the students, click the Petting Zoo thumbnail at the bottom of this episode page.

Thanks as always, News Hound.

I'm gonna go check that out as soon as we're wrapped up here in the studio.

Well, that's all the time we have for you today.

But you know we always wanna hear from you, and there are plenty of ways you can stay in touch with us.

You can write to us.

We're at 1375 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio.

Our zip code here is 44115.

Or you can email us at newsdepth@ideastream.org.

Plus, you can catch all of our special segments on YouTube.

Hit the subscribe button if you're old enough so you don't miss out on any of our new videos.

Thank you for joining us.

I'm Gabriel Kramer, and we'll see you right back here next week.

(lively music) - [Announcer] NewsDepth is made possible by Grant from the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation.

(lively music continues) (bright music)