(upbeat music) - Coming up next on "NewsDepth," Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy has been voted out.

Nick gives us a refresher on the branches of government.

Warm weather hasn't stopped all the fall fun.

And we learn about the effects of invasive species in our environment.

"NewsDepth" is now.

(upbeat music) Last week, a handful of Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives ousted Republican Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

Hello, I'm Gabriel Kramer.

Thank you for joining us.

Ousted means to be expelled from a position.

The ouster occurred following the actions of Republican representative Matt Gaetz last week where he initiated a motion to remove the Speaker from office.

Gates had previously threatened to challenge the Republican Speaker's position while the threat of a shutdown loomed.

But the U.S. House of Representatives is in uncharted territory and work can't get done until a new Speaker is elected.

What does that mean for Americans beyond Capitol Hill?

Karin Caifa is in Washington with the latest.

(gavel banging) - [Karin] Eight House Republicans standing by their votes to remove Kevin McCarthy as House Speaker and grind congressional business to a halt.

- There's a lot of angry people, but I would submit to you when we get a new leadership in, we're gonna be just fine.

- [Karin] The current interim Speaker can perform limited functions like recess, adjournment, and preside over the vote for a new permanent Speaker, but legislation cannot move.

- You can't actually legislate on the House floor right now, so this effectively has frozen the country.

(machine whirring) - [Karin] With a new deadline to fund the federal government a little more than six weeks away, even some Senate Republicans are concerned about the lower chamber.

- To my colleagues in the House, you know, follow your heart, but take your brain with you.

- Having our House adjourned when we should be putting appropriation bills on the floor and getting this country back up and running doesn't help anyone.

- [Karin] A long fight could also unsettle Wall Street.

Last week, Moody's warned a government shutdown could prompt it to downgrade U.S. debt, a move that could dent the entire U.S. economy.

With a shutdown threat averted last weekend, another looms on November 17th.

Democrats watching closely.

- A lot of work to be done.

We need to move quickly and get this resolved from the chaos in the Republican caucus.

- Thank you, Karin.

The Speaker of the House is a significant leadership role in the United States House of Representatives, one of the two chambers of the U.S. Congress.

The Speaker's primary responsibilities and roles include presiding over House sessions and addressing the public.

Congress is just one of the three branches of government.

When the Founding Fathers designed this country, they created a government with three unique branches that would work together while also checking each other's power, the legislative branch, the judicial branch, and the executive branch.

For this week's Politics On Point, Nick explains the role of all of these branches.

Take it away, Nick.

(upbeat dramatic music) - When the Founding Fathers designed this country, they had just fought for independence from a king, and they knew they did not want to establish another government ruled by a king.

Instead, their main goal was to set up a government that did not allow one person to have too much control.

With this in mind, the framers wrote the Constitution to provide for a separation of powers, or three separate branches of government.

Each has its own responsibilities and at the same time they work together to make the country run smoothly and to assure that the rights of citizens are not ignored.

The legislative branch is also called Congress.

That's the branch that makes laws.

Congress is made up of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Many people think this is the most important branch because the Founding Fathers wrote this branch into the Constitution first.

The judicial branch evaluates laws and is made up of the Supreme Court and other federal courts.

The Supreme Court is the highest court in our country, and they settle disputes that the state courts can't decide, and they determine if laws are constitutional or allowed by the Constitution.

Finally, the executive branch carries out laws.

This is where the president fits in along with his vice president and his cabinet.

The president is the head of state, head of the U.S. government, and the Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. military, so he is very powerful.

But the branches of government ensure a system of checks and balances.

A branch may use its powers to check the powers of the other two in order to maintain a balance of power among the three branches of government.

For example, the president may veto or reject a law passed by Congress, but Congress can override that veto with a vote of 2/3 of both houses.

It might make it harder to get things done, but our system of checks and balances ensures that many different groups of people have to put their stamp of approval on new laws, appointments, or actions.

As they say, teamwork makes the dream work.

(laughs) (image whooshing) (image rustling) (image whooshing) (earth bounding) - Teamwork does make the dream work, and we all have a role to play for the U.S. government to work for all of us.

Here at "NewsDepth" headquarters, we really believe in being an engaged citizen.

To us, that means a lot of things, especially understanding how our government works and what our responsibilities are as civically engaged citizens.

This week's A+ Award winner is a perfect example of a student who has taken the steps needed to fully understand our government and his responsibilities as a citizen.

Recently we met with Aarit, who is a seventh grader at Jackson Memorial Middle School in Jackson Township.

Aarit recently placed second in the Regional Civics Bee at Walsh University and improved on a showing to win first place in the Ohio Civics Bee at Ohio State.

The Civics Bee is an annual competition that encourages young Americans to engage in civics and to give back to their community.

Aarit explained that he had to be an expert on the Bill of Rights, the Constitution and its Amendments, the Declaration of Independence, and our branches of government.

He also told us that it was helpful that he understood the Magna Carta.

The Magna Carta was an agreement between King John of England and a group of wealthy landowners that guaranteed certain rights.

The Magna Carta inspired the writers of our own Bill of Rights.

Aarit told us that his sixth grade teacher, Mrs.

Able, inspired him to participate in the Civics Bee.

He very humbly shared credit for his successes with Mrs.

Able.

One of the challenges he described was time management.

He had to be very aware of how he was spending his time to make sure he could get his homework done, spend time with his family and friends, and still prepare for the Civics Bee.

He spent a lot of time researching things like the branches of government, how laws are made, and the president's cabinet.

Along the way, he was still able to find time to play basketball, work on robotics, and write some computer code.

This is one seriously talented and busy polar bear.

Aarit told us that it's very important to study your government and laws.

He told us that doing all of that is an important step to ensure that we always live in a democracy and that we all have a responsibility to participate in democracy.

Aarit told us that he wants to help his community and show other students how to be better citizens.

His long-term goal is to become a neurosurgeon.

This week's A+ Award goes to Ohio Civics Bee champion Aarit.

Congratulations, Aarit.

You're a great role model on how to be engaged with your community.

Well, it's finally fall, my favorite season.

When you think of fall, pumpkins, corn mazes, and apple picking probably come to mind, but not warm weather like we had last week.

Jason Rantala takes us to the Twin Cities Festival in Minnesota where the summer temps did not stop the fall fun.

(vocalist yodeling) - [Jason] Just when you thought the dog days of summer were behind us- - It's a little hot.

- Comes a day like today.

- And now it's really warm and humid.

(vocalist yodeling) - [Jason] At Twin Cities Harvest Festival and Maze.

- [Interviewee] It's very weird.

- You know, you can just feel the heavy air.

You know, for no reason you're sweating.

- [Jason] A rare late September day with July-like temperatures.

Festivalgoers took refuge in shaded areas.

- It's a little cooler under the shade.

- [Jason] And shaded corn pits.

- It feels good in the shade.

- [Jason] They chilled, or tried to at least, with cool drinks like lemonade.

- So probably we'll sell a lot of those today.

- It's different, but yeah, it's fun.

- Doesn't feel like a fall event though, that's for sure.

- [Jason] Some wished the weather matched the festivities.

- Well, I really, really want sweaters and hoodies and hot cocoa and hot cider, but that's not happening today.

The corn maze is always a hit with us, but it's kind of hot in there.

- We're ready for the cooler weather.

- [Jason] But those here today are well aware what season comes next.

- [Interviewee] Enjoy the day.

We're gonna have snow before we know it.

- [Interviewee] It's Minnesota weather for you.

(bell clanging) - Thank you, Jason.

From Minnesota, let's jump over to South Dakota where one of the most popular fall festivities includes a herd of 1,300 bison heading for a crowd of people.

While this would normally be a cause of great concern, it is actually the highly anticipated 58th Annual Custer State Park Buffalo Roundup.

And as Anna Hamelin reports, it is not only a spectacular sight to see, it's also critical in maintaining a strong and healthy herd.

(announcer faintly speaking) - We made some memories pushing 1,540 bison into a corral this morning.

- [Anna] It's a once-in-a-lifetime view for cowboys and visitors alike.

- Well, it's kind of like a bucket list driving right down the Grand Canyon and then running the buffalo at Custer State Park.

Part of the cowboy's dream is to go chase buffalo.

- We stayed in Custer last night.

I bought my first pair of cowboy boots.

- [Anna] But some have turned the Buffalo Roundup into a family tradition.

- First time we were here there was 1,500 people.

- Yeah, it wasn't very many.

Now it's, you know, thousands.

Now it's gotten so huge, but it's fun to see the people from all over the country here.

- We wore these outfits last time in 2013, my sister and I, so I figured I better keep it going.

So what I remember most is the rumbling of the thunder coming with the cowboys all yelling and shouting.

- [Anna] The event brings thousands of tourists to the park and region, but the purpose of the Buffalo Roundup is more closely tied to agriculture.

- All 50 states have Custer State Park bison in them.

So yeah, through the years, through, you know, the 50 years of doing this, plus 50 years of doing this, this herd has contributed greatly to the bison industry across North America, for that matter.

And yeah, it's just a lot of it does come down to herd health, ensuring that these animals, again, are just in the best health we can put them in, and that's why today we round them up.

- [Anna] Over the next few weeks, the bison will receive vaccinations, calves are branded, and females will be checked for pregnancy, all before the November 5th auction.

- Wow, thank you, Anna.

As the weather gets colder, it really makes me feel like staying in my house and staying cozy, but it is important to keep our bodies moving to stay healthy.

Sure, it could be a struggle with the video games, TV, and other devices.

Some kids may not be motivated enough to get physical activity every day.

In today's Health Minute, Natalia shares simple ways to get moving.

- [Natalia] 60 minutes every day, that's how much physical activity is recommended for kids and teens.

It may seem like a lot, but it doesn't have to be all at once.

- We know kids do better in school, they sleep better, their mood's better, and it can just be a lot of fun to move.

- [Natalia] Dr. Adam Keating with the Cleveland Clinic says some kids may be motivated to move through sports, but for others we may need a little more help.

His first step?

To remember there are different ways to stay active.

- Everything from going on a family walk to walking the dog to vacuuming to having a dance party in the middle of your living room.

- [Natalia] Playing on the playground or PE class at school also count as physical activity.

Keating says family can motivate us to move more.

- Kids wanna spend time with their parents whether they say so or not, and so being a good example and joining in the activity with the kids generally makes it much more rewarding for everybody.

- [Natalia] We all know it's important to limit screens, but we can use it as a reward after a workout.

- The child can earn another 30 minutes of screen time by doing 30 minutes of activity.

- [Natalia] But the number one tip: find activities you enjoy.

And it can be a variety of things so you don't get bored.

- Making it fun rather than a chore and finding different creative ways to be able to work some physical activity in the day can be helpful.

- [Natalia] For "NewsDepth's" Health Minute, I'm Natalia Garcia.

- Thank you, Natalia.

Hiking is a great way to stay active during the fall.

You get some fresh air while also enjoying the beautiful color changes of the leaves.

Ohio is happy to be home to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

The area was set aside to keep growing cities from erasing the natural beauty and local wildlife.

Mary takes us on a tour of the park.

(lively music) - California has nine, Alaska has eight, Utah has five, and Ohio has one.

Can you guess what I'm talking about?

National parks, of course.

A national park is a historic or scenic area of land protected by the federal government.

Ours is called the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

It's a whopping 33,000 acres and stretches along the Cuyahoga River between Cleveland and Akron.

At first, the area was designated as a national recreation area by President Gerald Ford and Congress in 1974.

At the time, cities were expanding and folks wanted to be sure the area was kept wild.

Then in the year 2000, the spot was re-designated as a national park by President Bill Clinton.

Let's take a tour.

Throughout the park are the remains of the Ohio and Erie Canal, a major transportation system in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

- And we're riding exactly where the mules would pull the boats up the Erie Canal.

It's really neat.

- Today you can hike and bike the route of the old canal on the Towpath Trail.

This 87-mile trail extends all the way from Cleveland through the park and down to Boulevard.

The trail attracts more than 2.5 million hikers and bikers per year.

Along the trail are visitor centers where you can learn about the history of the canal.

Another park attraction is the Brandywine Falls.

The 60-foot waterfall is one of the most popular places to visit, especially during the warmer months.

There's also a trail that goes around the falls and underneath them where visitors can view the falls head on.

Pretty cool.

How about a stop at Richie Ledges?

Here you can see the park's geology up close.

Covered in thick moss and fern, the ledges are massive walls of rock, the result of sand and quartz pebbles that were left behind by the rivers and seas that covered the area millions of years ago.

Alright, one last stop, Beaver Marsh.

This part of the park used to be less than scenic.

Before it became part of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, there was an auto repair shop there, so instead of birds and wildlife, the land was covered with rusty mufflers and dented bumpers.

To clean up the area, people had to team up with some furry friends.

Beavers built a system of dams, which in turn helped bring water back into the area and created a new wetland.

Today, the beavers can still be spotted in the home they helped to build along with some diverse wild neighbors.

And luckily we can all visit their neighborhood and so many more stunning natural treasures in Ohio's one and only national park.

(image whooshing) (image rustling) (image whooshing) (earth bounding) - Thank you, Mary.

You know one of the benefits of hiking in the fall is that there's usually fewer bugs, but you might still come across a spotted lanternfly.

They're taking over the state.

The spotted lanternfly is an invasive species.

An invasive species refers to a non-native organism that has been introduced to a new environment, often by human activity, and it's causing harm to the native ecosystem.

The Ohio Department of Agriculture, or ODA, has confirmed several new spotted lanternfly infestations across the state, including Columbus, Toledo, and also here in Cleveland.

The public plays an important role in detecting this insect.

If you think you see a spotted lanternfly or damage caused by them, the ODA asks people to file a report and send a photo of the insect.

In late summer and into fall, spotted lanternflies are in their adult stage.

They're approximately one inch with black bodies and colorful red and gray wings with black markings.

They will lay eggs in October.

The spotted lanternfly is not the only invasive species in Ohio.

In fact, a lot of the plants we see every day are not native.

In today's Spot on Science, Jeff tells us all about invasive species and how they got here.

(energetic music) - Did you know that many of the plants, animals, and insects you see each day are not native to America?

We call them weeds, invaders, or specifically invasive species.

Nearly 1,000 plants and animals now in Ohio were not here when just Native Americans lived here.

They were brought by European settlers, sometimes on purpose like the European starling introduced in the 1890s, and sometimes by accident like the zebra mussel brought into the Great Lakes by ships from Europe in the 1980s.

Many of the common plants around us are invasive.

Garlic mustard, honeysuckle, knotweed, barberry, loosestrife.

Their names are great, but their impact on ecosystems not so great.

Many invasive species take over native habitats and squeeze out local plants and animals.

They do that because they often don't have natural predators to control populations.

One way to slow the spread of invasive species is to only plant native species when you do gardening and landscaping.

Many invasive started off as decorative plants, but escaped into the wild and wreaked havoc in the environment.

Invasive insects have caused the near extinction of several native trees, including the American chestnut, American elm, and ash trees.

New invaders are threatening our beautiful beech and hemlock trees.

Invasives are arriving all the time.

The Asian spotted lanternfly is the latest.

It's now invading Ohio where it's threatening grape vines and fruit trees.

It's important to learn which plants and animals around you are native and which are invasive so that you can help native plants and animals survive in their struggles with aggressive newcomers.

(image whooshing) (image rustling) (image whooshing) (earth bounding) - Snazzy hat.

Jeff.

Thank you so much.

A spotted lanternfly is at least harmless to humans.

Could you imagine something like a venomous scorpion invading our ecosystem?

Well, invasive venomous scorpions are turning up in California's Coachella Valley, putting some residents on edge.

Bianca Ventura reports.

- This is an unpleasant and unwelcome invasion.

- Concerned residents, the Vector Control District, and biologists combed through this Palm Desert neighborhood off Cook Street in search of the bark scorpion, one of the most venomous scorpions in North America.

Because scorpions are fluorescent, we had to wear these UV safety goggles and use black lights to track them.

Native species like this one are much less of a threat to the point where Dr. Hayes feels comfortable picking it up with his bare hands.

- [Dr. Hayes] So this is the dune scorpion, and if this were to sting me, it would've only hurt about 10 minutes.

- [Bianca] About half an hour into our search, we found several scorpions that fit the description of a bark scorpion.

They were hidden in crevices like bricks and landscape rocks trying to make a quick escape.

- [Dr. Hayes] It's either Arizona or Baja bark scorpion.

So there's a genetic study that suggests they're different, but it was not based on a large sample size.

So I don't have a lot of confidence that they're distinct species.

- [Bianca] Unlike our native species, a bark scorpion sting can put you in the hospital.

- You're highly unlikely to die.

You might wish you were dead, but you're gonna do okay.

It's gonna hurt a long time and you may have some symptoms of neurotoxicity, some systemic symptoms that can linger for days.

- In the event of a severe bark scorpion sting, Dr. Hayes says the sooner you get to a doctor and access to anti-venom, the better.

Do you think that you'll reach out to local hospitals to make that anti-venom available here in the Valley?

- We do have a really good relationship with a lot of our hospitals and a lot of our nurses, so it is something that we'd be happy to share with them and just let them know that it's there.

It's not really under our purview to say what they should have at their hospitals.

- They're gonna spread, and the reality is they could spread extensively.

And they're a nuisance.

You can't keep 'em outta your homes very well.

- We'd love to help the neighborhood try to figure out how they can help themselves, you know, show them how they can go hunting and find new things and try to do that exclusion for themselves.

- [Bianca] Officials say if you don't feel comfortable getting rid of the bark scorpion yourself, it's best to leave it to the professionals.

- Thank you, Bianca.

And that brings us to our write-in question for the week.

We want you to do a little bit of research for us and tell us about an invasive species in your community.

You can submit your answers using the inbox form on our website.

And if you send us a drawing of your invasive species, we might be able to share it on the next episode.

Now, throughout this season, we will feature a segment called Career Callouts.

In this segment, we have a professional in a STEM field answering your questions about their job.

Think of it almost like a virtual career fair.

STEM, as you know, stands for science, technology, engineering, and math.

We need your input to know which career paths we should focus on this season.

For our poll this week, we wanna know which STEM field would you like to learn most about?

Head online to vote between artificial intelligence, computer science, space science, engineering, or mathematics.

For our poll last week we wanted to know if you noticed one of our segments was written by AI.

Okay, wow, this was a close call.

55% of you said you didn't notice and 45% of you said you did.

We also wanted to hear your innovative ideas for artificial intelligence.

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

(image whooshing) (image clicking) Daliila from Hanby Elementary Magnet School in Westerville starts us off with, "Dear 'NewsDepth,' "I think AI should be used for health services "like for surgery and medical treatment.

"It could save many people's lives.

"That's what I think artificial intelligence "should be used for."

Good thinking, Daliila.

Steve from Shaw Elementary in Dayton thinks AI would be a great tool for communication.

"Hi there, 'NewsDepth.'

"I have some innovative AI ideas "that I would like to share with you.

"Firstly, there could be an AI technology "that can help people who are unable to speak.

"This technology will work by reading signals in the brain "and saying them out loud.

"Secondly, AI can be used to predict stock market trends "by looking at investment information and market patterns "to predict a success or failure of a stock.

"Also, AI could recommend clothing "based on someone's preferences and body type.

"But the potential uses of AI technology are limitless."

Chelsea from Emerson Elementary in Lakewood saw a problem that technology could fix.

"Dear 'NewsDepth,' I think that we can use AI "for when you go on a fast food drive-through, "because normally they always mix up my order "or forget to give me ketchup.

"Another way that we could use AI "is to help me study for a quiz."

Olivia from Hickory Ridge Elementary in Brunswick thinks AI can be used to help keep people safe.

"Dear 'NewsDepth,' I think artificial intelligence "would be good at being security guards at banks "and shops in general and jewelry shops."

And Jonah and friend Isla from Eastwoods Intermediate in Hudson had the same idea.

"Hi, 'NewsDepth.'

"A fling toaster I think would be a great idea.

"I just got another idea.

"Maybe a drone that 3D prints food that tastes amazing.

"Me and my friend Isla came up with that.

"I wanna know what you think, Gabe.

"I have a lot of ideas.

I hope they come true."

Jonah and Isla, I love that idea.

Could you imagine 3D printing a pizza whenever you wanted?

I love it.

Now, thank you to everyone who wrote in.

I especially enjoy the fact that you all had widely different ideas for AI.

Alright, it's almost time the wrap of the show, but we can't leave without checking in on News Hound.

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

(dramatic music) (dog barking) Hey there, News Hound.

Wait, you're not taking a nap, are you?

You didn't actually think we forgot.

You still got work to do.

Here we go.

Find us anything good?

Alright, it's a story about a cat who got a Lyft ride.

- [Reporter] Tux went missing Saturday afternoon.

Pandey says he used Lyft to take her to a vet appointment.

When he got out and started to walk around the car to get Tux, he says the driver took off with the cat still in the car.

Lost cat flyers went up in North Austin and Lyft put alerts on its app to help find Tux.

Early this morning investigators hired by Lyft found Tux one mile from the vet clinic.

Palash Pandey says he's relieved that after 34 hours on her own Tux is feeling good and is back to being her normal curious self.

- To see how the feline friend returned home, click the Petting Zoo thumbnail on our website.

(image whooshing) (image rustling) (image whooshing) (earth bounding) Thanks, News Hound.

Good work as always.

Now, that's it for the show this week, but before I sign off, let me tell you all the 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.

You can email us at newsdepth@ideastream.org, or you can tweet us.

Our handle is @NewsDepthOhio.

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

Hit subscribe 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.

(image whooshing) (upbeat music) (image whooshing) (earth bounding) - [Announcer] "NewsDepth" is made possible by a grant from the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation.

- [Announcer] Career Callouts featured in "NewsDepth" are funded by the Ohio Broadcast Media Commission.

(upbeat music)