(upbeat music) - Coming up next on "NewsDepth," Hawaii copes with Hurricane Lowell's destruction.

A meteorologist helps with wildfire efforts.

Ohio's oldest county fair is more than 200 years old?

And order up, your hot beef sundae is ready.

"NewsDepth" is now.

(upbeat music) Hawaii copes with Hurricane Lowell's destruction and strong waves and coastal erosion slam beaches in Southern California.

Hello, I'm Gabriel Kramer.

Thank you all for joining us.

The storm battered the westernmost islands of Hawaii last week.

High winds brought down trees and power lines, knocking out power for thousands of people.

The storm also impacted islands to the east, including Oahu and Maui, where officials say coastal flooding closed roadways.

Meanwhile, back on the mainland, severe weather conditions also impacted Southern California.

More than a dozen homes were severely damaged after powerful waves eroded the coastline.

Erosion is a process of a natural agent like wind or water gradually destroying something.

Reid Binion has the details.

- The river's always a concern.

Stuff happens, but yesterday was one of the worst I've seen it.

The main road was like a rapid.

- [Reid] Residents in Hawaii reacting to the destructive power of Hurricane Lowell, as it barreled past the state's islands.

- I've lived here all my life, and honest to God, the way the river came rushing down, this is literally the worst I've ever seen in my life.

- [Reid] The deadly storm battered the westernmost islands of Hawaii overnight Monday into Tuesday with hurricane force wind gusts and massive storm surge damaging homes and other structures.

High winds brought down trees and power lines, knocking out power for thousands of people.

The storm also impacted islands to the east, including Oahu and Maui, where officials say coastal flooding closed roadways.

Meanwhile, to the mainland, severe weather conditions also impacting Southern California.

More than a dozen homes, severely damaged after powerful waves slammed the coastline.

- For the last 48 hours, essentially, none of us have slept, none of us have shaved, and we're pouring sandbags.

One home after another, after another has been either red tagged, yellow tagged, or has literally already fallen into the ocean.

- [Reid] In Malibu, more damage.

A driveway at an ocean front property collapsing into a sinkhole, after coastal erosion washed away the ground under it.

The city declaring a local emergency and issuing an evacuation order.

- Thank you, Reid.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration hurricane hunters flew a training mission into Hurricane Lowell.

Led by flight director Joyce Hirai, the WP-3D Orion, also called Miss Piggy, navigated the team through extreme winds and the storm's eye wall to collect critical weather data.

The mission provided valuable information to improve storm forecasting and better understand how hurricanes interact with the ocean and atmosphere.

Reporter Casey Lund takes us aboard.

(indistinct talking) - All right, good morning everybody.

Second mission into category 4 Lowell today.

- [Casey] Flight director Joyce Hirai, preparing the crew to fly into a cat 4 hurricane.

- Hurricane 270 at nine knot movement.

- [Casey] She was training on this mission, but she knows her stuff.

- 945 millibars for the central pressure.

- [Casey] No matter your role on this flight, this takes a deep understanding of science.

- TC diurnal cycle, the 60 nautical mile, 45 sons on board, altitude 10K, 45,000 feet.

- [Casey] And yes, just a bit of courage.

- 120 knot winds, potential for thunderstorms today, 45,000 feet plus.

Turbulence expect light to moderate plus.

- [Casey] A light to moderate?

No problem.

Boy, was I wrong.

- [Pilot] Casey, is this your first first flight on a hurricane hunter?

- [Casey] It absolutely is.

As we left Kalaeloa Airfield, I basked in the beauty of clear blue water and bright sandy beaches, our island home, a site I would soon long for like never before.

The crew settled into their rolls, and I got a front row seat as we set course to visit Lowell, our aircraft, a sturdy WP-3D Orion, also known as Miss Piggy, a name passed down from a previous plane that was a little worse for wear.

As we approached Lowell, the blue skies disappeared, replaced by a wall of gray.

- Yeah, we might hit the eye wall.

- [Casey] Then we broke through the eye wall.

- [Pilot] We're at 200.

I'll maintain the air speed by pinching down.

- [Casey] The views were stunning, but almost impossible to capture on video.

But knowing you're inside a category 4 hurricane surrounded by one of the most powerful forces on earth is truly a mind-blowing experience.

We crossed the eye and punched through the other side, where Lowell was already showing signs of becoming a little less organized.

Hurricane aircraft commander Rob Mitchell says getting the plane exactly where it needs to be takes an intricate dance between the pilots and navigator, constantly adjusting heading, altitude, and air speed, while the storm moves around it.

- It makes it harder to fly from a flight director perspective because you really are watching the wind.

We've got a small indication here.

They've got a better indication in the back.

And so she's really just giving us headings based on where that wind is coming from to the aircraft, kind of keeping it essentially perpendicular to the plane.

And so you just kind of fly towards you find the center.

- [Casey] And every pass through Lowell had another purpose.

At strategic points ordered by the flight director, another member of the crew released these, drop zones, small instruments sent flailing through the hurricane, transmitting measurements of temperature, pressure, humidity, wind speed, and direction all the way to the ocean below.

- [Pilot] Rain information, profiles when we're in the storm.

And so this was another opportunity to collect rare measurements in high wind, high rain conditions.

- [Casey] I lost count of how many times we passed through the center of the storm and was certainly feeling it.

Hours after leaving Hawaii, those familiar islands came back into view.

The same blue water and sandy beaches I admired on the way out looked a little different on the way home, because somewhere beyond that horizon is a hurricane.

And while satellites can watch it from hundreds of miles above, sometimes the best way to understand a storm is to fly straight into it.

- It's really measuring the ocean and the atmosphere together that's going to sort of help us understand the storm, and hopefully get a better forecast as potential impacts here.

- [Casey] For the scientists and crew aboard Miss Piggy, it's another mission.

For the rest of us, the information they bring home could help communities stay safe.

- Thank you, Casey.

This year's wildfire season has been especially active across parts of the United States.

With hot temperatures, dry conditions, and strong winds, large fires have become a challenge for firefighting efforts.

In Reno, Nevada, experts from various fields are working together at the Regional Emergency and Operations Center to be ready whenever a natural disaster strikes.

The team is made up of experts in transportation, energy, housing, safety, and weather.

A National Weather Service meteorologist provides critical weather forecasts that can help manage fires and keep firefighters safe.

A meteorologist is a scientist who studies Earth's atmosphere, including the weather.

Terri Russell visits the operation center to learn about how all of these roles work together.

- [Terri] The Regional Emergency and Operations Center has been open since this past weekend.

Here, experts in various fields like transportation, energy, emergency housing, and safety are here to address what impacts the Bug and Stallion fire have and will have on our community.

Located at this desk is meteorologist Dawn Johnson with the National Weather Service.

She's the technical specialist.

She helps everyone understand what her colleague is reporting, as he works on the front lines with incident commanders and coordinators.

- They're kind of joined at the hip with the fire behavior analyst, because weather is one of the most important and biggest unknown variables, when it comes to fire behavior.

- [Terri] When a fire occurs, our attention often turns to the flames, the firefighters who are fighting the blaze, and the pilots in the air.

But think about it, all of those things are impacted by weather.

That's where fire forecasting comes into play.

The meteorologist determines fuel, terrain, wind, temperature, humidity, jet stream.

The information collected from the data helps fire managers place firefighters in the right place and out of danger.

The information could determine the best place to make an impact on the fire's progress, or if it's too dangerous, to pull back.

Meteorologists and their information allow firefighters to be more offensive, as opposed to defensive.

- Giving that micro scale forecast detail to help keep people safe, and analyze where that fire spread is anticipated to go.

- Thank you, Terri.

While weather experts track wildfire conditions, other researchers study threats beneath the earth's surface.

In California, seismologists are closely monitoring earthquake risks along the San Andreas Fault.

The San Andreas Fault is a major boundary between the Pacific and North American tectonic plates.

It's almost 800 miles long underneath California.

Seismologists say an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.0 or greater could cause widespread damage, and that there's really no way to predict exactly when it will occur.

A seismologist is a scientist who studies earthquakes.

Marybel Gonzalez talks to experts about a new study that suggests the stress levels may be higher than previously thought.

- It is the longest fault in California, and therefore, capable of the biggest earthquakes.

- [Marybel] This simulation depicts Southern California's worst case earthquake, a massive magnitude 7.8 rupture along the San Andreas fault, nearly two minutes of shaking.

Seismologist Dr.

Lucy Jones helped developed this scientific scenario in 2008.

- We know how it'll happen, we know what the shaking will be, and that's what these models showing that if we run these, this is the best science put together.

There we're two minutes into the earthquake, and we're still having really strong shaking in downtown.

- [Marybel] The problem is unlike a weather event, an earthquake remains unpredictable.

- It could go another 100 years.

It could be tomorrow.

- [Marybel] But a new study warns the risk of a significant earthquake in California could be greater than previously believed, with even more widespread damage.

- What we've found now is that, you know, we haven't had an earthquake in Southern California since 1857, so stresses are naturally high.

- [Marybel] Researchers say a significant earthquake at Cajon Pass, where the San Andreas and San Jacinto faults meet could cripple infrastructure across several cities.

- The aqueducts actually cross the San Andreas Fault, and if, you know, something happens, you might not have water for a while.

- [Marybel] California has long braced for the impact, implementing mandatory retrofits of buildings and updates to building codes, but Dr.

Jones is concerned that may not be enough.

- We underestimate the social disruption and the economic disruption.

- Thank you, Marybel.

All right, I think we've talked enough about natural disasters in this episode.

Let's move on to some good news.

We recently caught up with some students in Akron with a bright future in business.

That's the reason this week's A+ Award Winners are the Business Professionals of America at Buchtel Community Learning Center in Akron.

The Business Professionals of America, or BPA, are sixth, seventh, and eighth graders who are honing their skills for leadership in business or other related fields.

BPA students get to participate in competitions that challenge the students to work together and communicate effectively.

Joslyn explained to us that in the competitions, they have to give public speeches and even record videos.

Michael told us that it's not just learning about public speaking and how to use spreadsheets, but it's also about building your confidence and learning how to treat other people.

Quincy added the BPA has really helped him to work in a team and to develop goals and strategies.

Maliah told us that it really helped her learn how to advocate for her ideas and what she believes in by working on both her writing skills and her public speaking skills.

Zion and Michael told us that they use all kinds of editing software, especially CapCut, to make their videos.

And Braylin told us that they have to be really organized with their thoughts and ideas, so they can communicate effectively when making videos and giving speeches.

It sounds like the BPA students at Buchtel are preparing to host "NewsDepth" with those skills.

This group of Griffins left us with some wise words that really motivated us to make this the best "NewsDepth" season ever.

They told us that if something is important enough to put your name on it, it's important enough to do your very best.

Congratulations to the Business Professionals of America from Buchtel Community Learning Center in Akron.

On our last episode, we visited a classroom in California that is starting to incorporate artificial intelligence into their learning, and we wanted to know, what are your thoughts?

Should AI be allowed in schools?

Let's check out the results of the poll.

55% of you said that you prefer to keep AI out of the classroom, while another 45% said it could be a useful learning tool.

Artificial intelligence is a divisive topic.

We all have different ideas of what AI should and shouldn't be used for.

Now let's hear from you.

Why or why don't you think AI should be in schools?

A sixth grader from Amity Elementary School in Cincinnati said, "I find it unreliable and not ideal to use because of common mistakes and ideas that are not correct.

I also believe that it doesn't show the child's knowledge."

It's definitely still a developing technology.

Thank you.

A sixth grader from John P. Parker Elementary School also in Cincinnati said, "I think AI belongs in the classroom.

It can really help people that don't understand what they're working on, and they can use it for their work that they miss.

If students miss school days, they can catch up with everybody using AI."

That's a great use of AI to help, not replace work.

A sixth grader from Independence Middle School in Independence said, "I think that AI can be good and bad.

If you are using artificial intelligence to cheat, then it can be bad.

But if you're using AI to research, then it can be good."

A fifth grader from Wilson Hill Elementary School in Worthington said, "AI can help kids, but also cannot help kids.

It can help by being a good learning tool, but it also does not help with social situations."

A fifth grader from St.

Catherine of Sienna in Cincinnati said, "I think that AI could be used in a classroom for learning, but copying is not good, because you need to learn how to be independent and to do stuff on your own."

Absolutely.

Thank you all for writing.

Although summer has come to an end, that does not mean that county fair season has to come to an end.

Ohio's fairs serve as a bridge between the seasons, bringing communities together one last time before harvest season.

More than just rides and food, these events celebrate the state's agricultural roots, showcase local talent, and create traditions.

For today's Know Ohio, Pat Miller takes a look back at the fairs that made history in the Buckeye State.

- When it comes to county fairs, nobody does it quite like Ohio.

The Buckeye State hosts 94 county and independent fairs each year.

Add an Ohio State Fair in Columbus, and Ohio ranks among the top states in the nation for fairs.

But fairs aren't just about funnel cakes and Ferris wheels, they're also an important part of Ohio State's history.

And if you ask me, that's pretty fun too.

(upbeat music) The oldest continuous county fair in Ohio is held in Burton.

It's the The Great Geauga County Fair.

Founded in 1823, this Labor Day tradition has celebrated agriculture, livestock, food and community for more than 200 years, but Geauga County is just the beginning.

In Wooster, the Wayne County Fair organized by the Wayne County Agricultural Society since 1850, showcases the agricultural heritage of one of Ohio's most productive farming regions.

In its early days, the fair was held on the courthouse grounds and brought farmers together to trade goods and share agricultural knowledge, a tradition that local farmers and 4-H members still carry on today.

One of the biggest attractions is the Canfield Fair, officially known as the Mahoning County Fair.

It welcomes roughly 350,000 visitors each year and has hosted legendary performers, including Dolly Parton, Bob Hope, and The Beach Boys.

Of course, no discussion of Ohio fairs would be complete without the Ohio State Fair in Columbus.

The fair was originally a traveling event, making stops in cities including Cleveland, Cincinnati, Dayton, Toledo, and Mansfield, before finally establishing its permanent home in Columbus in 1886.

Nearly every summer since then, the Ohio State Fair has brought together people from across the state for concerts, competitions, agricultural exhibits, and one of its most celebrated traditions, the Sale of Champions, which recognizes Ohio's top youth livestock exhibitors.

But no matter the size, every fair shares the same purpose: bringing communities together.

From prize-winning livestock and homemade pies to tractor pulls and Ferris wheels, Ohio's fairs celebrate the people, traditions, and farming heritage that help define the state.

They're more than just summer attractions.

They're a living piece of Ohio history.

- County fairs are always a good time to me.

Thank you, Pat.

For our poll this week, we want to know, did you go to a fair this year?

Hop over to our poll page to vote.

You could choose between "Yes, I made it to the fair this year" or "No, I did not get the chance."

We'll share the results next week.

The Iowa State Fair is known for its unique food.

This fair is responsible for dishes such as fried Oreos, Flaming Hot Cheetos breakfast burritos, and Parmesan ice cream, but there's one Iowa State Fair staple celebrating 20 years on the menu: the hot beef sundae.

It was created by the Cattleman's Beef Quarters Restaurant back in 2006, but don't worry, it's not as bad as it sounds.

It's a bowl of mashed potatoes, beef and gravy, and of course, a cherry on top.

Reporter Beau Bowman spoke to one of the co-creators of the hot beef sundae about its long-lasting popularity.

- Four sundaes.

- [Food Worker] (indistinct) scoop.

- [Food Worker 2] Roast beef and gravy.

- [Beau] It looks like a sundae.

- [Food Worker] I need a sundae.

- [Beau] But it eats like a lunch.

- It's everything all in one bowl.

- [Beau] No ice cream, no fudge.

Mashed potatoes, gravy, beef, and cheese with a little cherry tomato on top, just to keep up appearances.

- It's something a little different.

- [Beau] Long before folks waited for egg rolls and fried pies, the line swung around the Cattleman's Beef Quarters in all directions.

20 years later, that line hasn't gotten one bit shorter.

- I think at first there was a curiosity, right?

- [Beau] Michelle Baumhover helped create the hot beef sundae, along with then Beef Quarters manager, John Mortimer.

The problem they were trying to solve: leftover roast beef trimmings.

So they started brainstorming.

- There was one that I had saw that was called a steak parfait, and I'm like, "That's interesting," but being from the Midwest, I'm like, you know, "Man, that'd be really good with mashed potatoes and roast beef."

- [Beau] And just like that, the strangest sundae at the fair was born.

They figured they'd sell about 4,000 that first year.

- [Food Worker] 733.

- [Customer] Boy that was fast.

- [Beau] They were off by just a little.

They sold 22,000.

- When we first launched it in 2006, I got calls from across the country, you know, London, in Japan, the Calgary Stampede.

- [Beau] But 20 years later, someone else is in charge of Michelle's creation.

- It is kind of weird that, yeah, she was the one that started it, and now I'm dealing with it.

- [Beau] Her husband, Wayne, took over the Beef Quarters when Mortimer retired, which means the hot beef sundae has stayed in the family.

- Part of the state fair.

- [Beau] 20 years ago, it was an experiment.

Today, it's a tradition.

I don't know about you, but I think that looks pretty good, and now I'm hungry for sundaes and gravy.

Anyway, now it's your turn to create a one of a kind sundae.

It could be sweet, it could be savory, but we want you to give us the full recipe.

To share your step-by-step instructions to your culinary masterpiece, fill out our inbox form online at newsdepth.org.

Okay, let's get back to the fairs.

An Idaho high school senior is helping make the county fair more inclusive by creating an adaptive livestock show for people with disabilities.

Livestock is just another word for farm animals.

Inspired by his sister, this high school student launched the event to give participants the chance to interact with and show pigs in the ring with the help of volunteers.

Joey Martin spoke to Gabe about his plans for the future.

- [Joey] Like any county fair, the farm animals are the main show.

Usually it's 4-H and FFA students parading their livestock around the ring, but on Sunday night, it was a different group of kids showing pigs in the ring.

- I have put on the Premier Adaptive Livestock Show.

It's a inclusive pig show at the moment.

- [Joey] Gabe Craig is a senior from Kimberly, and for his senior project, he decided to combine his love for showing animals at the fair with the love he has for his sister and the many others just like her who live with a disability.

- Everyone deserves a chance to be in a ring.

Not everyone can get into the show ring.

Not everyone can raise animals at home.

Not everyone can like train their animals or whatever to be able to do stuff, but my sister has and my family has made that work, and we just wanted to bring that to other people.

- [Joey] The event let anyone with a disability take charge of the pigs, allowing them to enter the show ring, pet and brush the pigs of their choice, and then with the help of dedicated volunteers, take their turn showing the pigs in the ring.

For the parents of those in the ring, they say having events like PALS is a unique opportunity to give their kids a new experience.

- There's been times where a lot of activities are limited and a lot has to do because of, it could be behavioral, it could be mobility, but the fact that there is a program or an opportunity for her to do this, as a parent, it makes us really happy.

- It's just a great opportunity for kids to have the, for kids and young adults to have the opportunity to experience what everyone else is experiencing.

- [Joey] For Gabe, all of the hard work putting on this event paid off in the end.

- Seeing the look of joy on all of the participants' faces was a special kind of feeling.

- [Joey] With this year's success, Gabe is looking at expanding to other county fairs next year, hopefully going beyond pigs, and giving his PALS the chance to show more and different animals in the future.

- Great job and great name, Gabe.

Okay, I think we've given Newshound enough time to find us a story.

It's time for Petting Zoo.

(upbeat music) (dog barks) A day in the life of Newshound.

First, you yell at your mom because it's time to wake up.

Then, you go on your morning walk and eat breakfast.

Now it's off to work.

After work, you unwind with a nice walk in the park.

You eat dinner and beg mom for a bite of hers, and finally, you settle in for the night.

Wow, you had a pretty productive day, NewsHound.

What story did you work on today?

Oh, cool.

It's a wild cow milking rodeo at a Montana state fair.

Isn't milking a cow challenging enough?

They had to level up to hard mode?

- You have one guy on a horse and he's going to go and rope the cow.

Then the rest of the team, it's their job to go run up and get ahold of the cow, stop it, slow it down, keep it from trampling over them.

And then one guy, who I don't know if he's the luckiest or the unluckiest, but his task is to get underneath the cow with a little milk bottle and try and get at least enough milk that when you dump it over, that it'll pour out and you get a drop stream on the ground.

And then that's your time, that's your score.

The fastest team to do it is the winner.

- To see how the teams of ranchers work together for this competition, check out our website, newsdepth.org.

I never realized how much Newshound and I have in common.

We both like going for walks and stealing food from our mothers.

Thanks for the story, Newshound.

And that's a wrap for today's show, but we want to keep the conversation going because we always love to hear from you.

And there are plenty of ways for you to 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, 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.

See you next week.

(upbeat music)