Stateside Daily Archive

NOTE: This episode includes discussion of sexual abuse in specific terms. It may not be appropriate for all listeners. Sexual abuse victims have been through so many ordeals with the Catholic Church. The message we’ve been getting is that victims are being protected, things are different. But are they? Today, Michigan Radio’s Kate Wells tells us the story of two young priests, and anot...

This weekend, a convoy of trucks rolled out of the Pfizer manufacturing facility in Portage, Michigan, carrying the first doses of the company’s freshly-FDA-approved COVID vaccine. Hopes are beyond high that this might be the beginning of the end for the pandemic that’s brought so much of our world to a standstill. But first comes the monumental task of getting those vaccines to the pe...

Michigan is one of the top Christmas tree producers in the country. And in a year where people are looking for a some kind of normal, sales are booming. So, in the spirit of the season, we’re going to be digging into the Christmas tree economy. We’ll also talk about how one evergreen—the white pine—secured its place as Michigan’s state tree. GUESTS: Amy Start, executi...

Ruth Ellis was an out lesbian and staunch advocate for LGBTQ and African American civil rights. The Detroit home Ellis shared with her longtime partner became a safe haven for young LGBTQ people from the city and beyond. Now, the Ruth Ellis Center is carrying on its namesake's legacy by providing services and community for LGBTQ youth—a group that faces a disproportionately high rate of home...

Activists have been pushing for years to get the city of Detroit to stop shutting off water service to homes that fall behind on payments. Now, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, that’s exactly what’s happening. On today's episode, you'll hear about the city’s decision to extend a water shut-off moratorium, put in place early in the pandemic, through 2022. We talk to a reporter who...

Pretty much everyone in Michigan has some kind of story about the Great Lakes—whether it’s summer swims, or ice fishing, or enjoying a sunrise or sunset along the shore. Unfortunately, there are some major threats to the health of the state’s most beloved natural resource. The cover story in the December issue of National Geographic takes a deep dive into some of them. In the mag...

Writer Shikha Dalmia has brought her sharp, witty prose and classic libertarian ethos to the pages of the Detroit News , the New York Times , and the Wall Street Journal, among other publications. She’s also been an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump, even as many within the Libertarian Party have embraced him. At a moment where politicians of all stripes are trying to figure out the...

On today’s episode, we look at the COVID-19 pandemic through two lenses. One is a very personal story, and the other takes a much wider view. We’ll hear from a pastor who has presided over the funerals of more than 20 victims of COVID-19. And we’ll talk to a West Michigan reporter about why hospital capacity is more complicated than just one number. GUESTS: Jerry Bishop is the &n...

Even with the promise of a vaccine around the corner, Michigan schools still have massive unknowns to deal with, for this winter, and beyond. That includes the Detroit Public Schools Community District, which serves kids and families in a city that COVID-19 hit hard this spring. The district is moving to completely virtual schooling amid a rise in cases, and is figuring out how to support students...

  Public health leaders in Michigan have their work cut out for them. That’s especially true in places where large public gatherings—which can become super spreader events—are a common sight. In Ingham County, you’ve got two such locales just down the road from each other. In Lansing, state lawmakers, lobbyists, and protesters from across the political spectrum gather...

We’ve almost made it through the first semester of this pandemic school year. But as a second surge of COVID-19 cases hits the state, families are having to adjust to yet another iteration of 2020 “normal.” Huge upticks in COVID cases means many schools that had been hosting in-person classes are back online. On today’s podcast, a look at the challenge of parenting through...

While COVID-19 has put so many folks out of business, one industry is booming: cannabis. It’s been nearly one year since Michigan dispensaries were allowed to start selling marijuana for recreational purposes. And for many Michiganders, it came just in time. As people look for a way to take the edge off 2020, recreational cannabis sales are closing in on half a billion dollars. We talked to...

It can be really hard to find your happy in a moment when so much of the world is in turmoil. If you need a little extra joy right now, Tunde Olaniran’s music is a good place to start. We talked to the Flint-based musician, artist, and activist about their latest single “ WDWHI ,” their love of the X-Men, and creating joy and art in tough times. GUEST: Tunde Olaniran , Flint-base...

The election might be over, but there’s a lot of work ahead for the Democratic Party when it comes to figuring out where its attention needs to be right now. Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib just got re-elected to her second term representing Michigan’s 13th Congressional District. She’s now trying to meet the needs of her district during a pandemic, and a subsequent economic slide th...

Late Monday afternoon, the Board of State Canvassers voted to certify Michigan’s election results and confirm that President-elect Joe Biden won the state. That’s after a serious pressure campaign from President Donald Trump to get Republican lawmakers and officials to hand him the state’s electoral votes anyway, a move that would have been unthinkable in previous cycles. But Tru...

Republican state Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey was met by protesters early Friday morning as he got on a plane bound for Washington D.C. to meet with President Trump. Michigan House Speaker Lee Chatfield, a Republican, was also invited. So, why would a sitting president issue an invitation on less than one day’s notice to two state legislative leaders he barely knows? Many Democrats ar...

As COVID-19 cases balloon in Michigan, the state has shut down indoor dining again. How many Michigan restaurants will be left standing after the pandemic is over? An industry group is suing the state over the ban on serving customers inside. But for some restaurants, it’s already too late.  GUESTS: Andrew Epstein and Marcela Rubio Orozco were co-owners of Dolores, a Mexican restaurant...

On Tuesday night, what is usually a very boring, uneventful session for the Wayne County Board of Canvassers exploded with the conflicting pressures of the 2020 election. The two Republican members of the board said they were unwilling certify election results from city and township clerks. They ultimately reversed their decision, but not before drawing outrage during a three-hour long public comm...

Every aspect of the state’s health and human service infrastructure has taken a beating during the COVID-19 pandemic. And that means hopes are extremely high for two vaccines getting closer to FDA approval. On today's episode, we'll look at Michigan's role in the development and production of those vaccines. Plus, a conversation about what state health officials are doing to try to get skyro...

Michigan's grappling with new rules from Governor Gretchen Whitmer for social gatherings and businesses, and the legislature is still not on board. Plus, the restrictions will mean more hard times, even for some of the state's most successful restaurants. Looking for the full episode of Stateside? Right this way.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wash your hands, wear a mask, stay socially distant. We’ve heard this time and time again, but the number of new COVID-19 cases is climbing a dizzying spiral. Today we’re taking a look at the spread of COVID in Michigan and what measures we can take to slow it down. GUESTS: Kate Wells is a reporter for Michigan Radio. Kerry Ott is the public information officer for the Upper Penninsula...

Donald Trump’s presidential campaign has filed more than a dozen lawsuits in Michigan that aim to stave off the state’s certification of election results. The campaign’s attorneys have mostly focused on what happened inside of the TCF Center in Detroit, where the city’s ballots were tabulated. Today, we talk about the allegations laid out in the latest filings and the stren...

Michigan and other key swing states that delivered Donald Trump the presidency in 2016 swung back to blue this year. But like it or not, Donald Trump has changed what it means to be a Republican. So what does that mean for members of Michigan’s GOP after he leaves office?  We talked to two political veterans and former chairs of the Michigan Republican Party. Susy Avery was party chair...

The real star of this year’s election in Michigan might be the voters. A historic turnout resulted in some small, but significant, shifts in voters' presidential choices. Today, we dig into what the demographic breakdown of Trump and Biden voters tell us about a shifting political landscape in the state. Mark Grebner is a longtime political consultant and election observer in Michigan. He&rs...

Michigan’s COVID-19 totals are surging again—this time in West Michigan and the Upper Peninsula. In Kent County, hospitalizations have increased and test positivity rates have reached nearly 12% at their high point. In more rural parts of the state, cases are rising in the areas least equipped to deal with a second surge—particularly when it comes to staff capacity. On today&rsqu...