Stateside

Today on Stateside, Congress has approved the massive relief package to aid Americans and businesses during the global COVID-19 pandemic. We talk to Michigan Congressman Dan Kildee about the economic and political lessons we should take away from this crisis. Plus, it's down to the "Final Four" films of our Michigan March Movie Madness contest. Two movie critics discuss which should win the title of the most quintessentially Michigan movie. 

You can’t go to your favorite cocktail bar. It's closed because of the COVID-19 outbreak. But, you might have a few bottles in your house. What can you make with what you have?

Tammy Coxen with Tammy’s Tastings thinks it’s time to improvise a little. To put her idea to the test, she put a selection on her table and asked Lester Graham to choose some of them and she’d make a drink.

Today on Stateside, people in Detroit are getting hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, and hospitals are worried about a surge in patients overwhelming the city’s health care providers. Plus, as most other businesses shut down during the state's “stay at home” order, grocery stores are still open. We’ll hear what it’s like to be one of the workers at those stores.

Even during the middle of a pandemic, people need food to eat. That’s why grocery stores are one of the businesses still allowed to operate under the state's "stay at home" order. Some stores have carved out special shopping hours for seniors and those most at risk of complications from COVID-19. But that still puts store workers on the front lines of the outbreak.

Today on Stateside, a West Michigan hospital puts into action a pandemic plan more than a decade in the making. Also, Michigan’s manufacturers assess the risks of entering the medical supply market amid a shortage of critical health care equipment needed for the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Measures to slow the spread of coronavirus have caused many businesses to grind to a halt. Employees at these businesses have been told to stay home or have even been laid off. Waiters, hair stylists, nail techs, and so many others aren’t sure when they’ll see their next full paycheck. And as the first of the month approaches, many are wondering how they’ll pay rent.

Today on Stateside, we examine the domino effect the COVID-19 lockdown is having on the residential rental market—from renters, to landlords, to lenders. Plus, the superintendent of Detroit Public Schools Community District says the state should end the school year now, and focus on getting districts the support they need to shift to online learning. 

There's a bracing herbal, minty, chocolaty, funky, bitter Italian liqueur (an amaro) called Fernet Branca. It became wildly popular among people who work at bars. It's often used in cocktails, but if you're a bartender visiting another bar, your colleague might pour you a shot as a greeting, a bartender's handshake. During these days of the COVID-19 pandemic, let's call it a "bartender's elbow bump."

Today on Stateside, Governor Gretchen Whitmer has ordered most of the state to stay home in an effort to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. But what does that mean for those who don't have a home? We hear about the challenges facing the state's homeless shelters. Plus, a new documentary tracks the history of what is probably Michigan’s most famous alternative high school, sometimes cheekily referred to as "Commie High." 

Governor Gretchen Whitmer has ordered people in Michigan to “stay at home” in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19. The order goes into effect on Tuesday,  March 24.

While staying home is an important way to reduce the spread of the virus, not everybody has that option. Homeless shelters around the state are having to balance meeting people’s most basic needs like food and housing, while also doing their best to maintain social distance in crowded facilities.

Today on Stateside, an Ann Arbor bookstore is racing to come up with a way to do business online after the coronavirus pandemic forced it to close its storefront. Plus, Michigan’s Teacher of the Year gives advice on how to teach kids from home.

For some small businesses, the COVID-19 shutdowns could be a death sentence. In order to survive, owners are having to quickly pivot to new ways of doing business.

Today on Stateside, the Big Three auto companies have wound down production at their plants over worries about the spread of the novel coronavirus. Plus, how Michigan musicians are dealing with canceled concerts and connecting with their fans in the age of social distancing. 

The ban on public gatherings due to the coronavirus outbreak has hit a lot of sectors hard. One group grappling with how to make a living now is musicians, who rely on live concerts for most of their income. With bars and venues shuttered, some artists are now getting creative about reaching their fans from an appropriate social distance.

Today on Stateside, we spoke with U.S. Senator Gary Peters about how Congress is responding to the COVID-19 outbreak. We also checked in on Lansing, where Michigan lawmakers have approved large sums of money to deal with the fallout from a statewide coronavirus shutdown, even as bigger policy questions linger.

Businesses across the state have shuttered and life for Michiganders has been turned upside down amidst a coronavirus shutdown. Experts say the economic fallout from the COVID-19 outbreak will be enormous. Lawmakers at both the state and federal level are moving quickly to try and address the twin challenges of both a public health and economic crisis. 

Today on Stateside, St. Patrick's Day arrives just in time to find bars and restaurants closed to revelers because of the coronavirus outbreak. What does that mean for the state's small businesses? Plus, we discuss the philanthropic efforts to meet Michiganders' needs during a prolonged period of social distancing.

Today on Stateside, we checked in with two school districts about how they are planning to meet the needs of students during an unprecedented shutdown prompted by the coronavirus outbreak. Plus, the pediatrician who alerted the world to Flint’s water crisis talked to us about how kids in the city are doing more than five years after the crisis began. 

Update 03/17/2010: The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians will close Kewadin Casinos by 03/22.

Update 03/16/2020: Bay Mills Indian Community will close Bay Mills Resort and Casino by 03/20.

IPR has compiled a list of coronavirus response actions taken by tribal governments in Michigan — you can find it here.

Today on Stateside, the Big Three auto companies are rolling back operations in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. What does that mean for the state's economy? Plus, we talk to faith leaders about how they are guiding their congregants during the uncertainty of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Houses of worship across Michigan are suspending in person services for the next several weeks to help combat the spread of COVID-19. The Imams Council of Michigan announced that Friday prayers would be cancelled at all mosques across the state for the next two weeks. That is just one example of the difficult decisions faith leaders are making as the number of novel coronavirus cases in the state continues to climb. Stateside talked to a few faith leaders about how they are adapting, and what they are telling congregants at a time when so much is uncertain.

As the cases of COVID-19 continue to climb, public health officials are calling for "social distancing" to slow the spread of the virus. Schools are being shut down, large events cancelled, and an increasing number of organizations are asking employees to work remotely.

As people are spending more time alone, social media can be a place to gather, connect, and share information. But as stress runs high and half-truths circulates, do these platforms carry their own kind of risk?

Today on Stateside, the COVID-19 conundrum facing Michigan's courts. What's the best way to protect defendants, jury, and staff without the wheels of justice grinding to a halt? Plus, one writer considers what we can learn from Amish communities' cautious, considered use of technology.

Very few journalists have put as many miles on their shoes over the past few election cycles as Tim Alberta. Now the chief political correspondent for POLITICO, Alberta has worked for the National Review, the Wall Street Journal, and others. His book American Carnage was one of the most widely-read accounts of the 2016 election cycle and the rise of Donald Trump. 

Today on Stateside, Michigan has its first state confirmed cases of COVID-19 illness. What sort of social disruptions will we face as more cases appear in our state? Plus, results from yesterday’s presidential primary—and what they tell us about the November election.