Stateside

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.

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. 

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." 

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.

As cases of the novel coronavirus surge in Michigan and nationwide, Ford and GM have been talking with the federal government about possibly re-tooling some plants to make ventilators.

Both automakers temporarily suspended production this week due to the coronavirus. Now, they’ve confirmed that they’ve talked with the government about switching production to ventilators and other medical equipment.

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. 

Today on Stateside, people around the state are casting their votes in the presidential primary and for more than 200 local ballot initiatives. We'll hear about turnout and tabulation, and what makes a teenager want to work a 13-hour day at the polls. Plus, we talk to the Michigan's chief medical officer about the state's capacity to test people for COVID-19. 

Today on Stateside, Democratic front-runners in the presidential primary are making their final pitch to Michigan voters. We spoke to Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, and heard about former Vice President Joe Biden's message to voters in Grand Rapids. Plus, the city of Detroit will restore water to thousands of households because of fears about the spread of COVID-19. 

Today on Stateside, a federal judge has invalidated Michigan's Medicaid work requirements. Republican leaders in the state Legislature are already pushing back. What does this mean for the more than 200,000 people in the state subject to those requirements? Plus, we'll talk about how the Democratic candidates for president stack up when it comes to addressing the concerns of black voters.

Today on Stateside, an activist group wants to convince voters to change Michigan’s constitution in order to restructure income taxes. Plus, how environmental issues affecting the Great Lakes region stack up among the Democratic presidential candidates.

Today on Stateside, we talk to a leader in Michigan's Chaldean community about his meeting with Vice President Mike Pence about the future for detained and deported Iraqi Christians. Plus, a conversation about why so many mentally ill people in Michigan end up in jail, and what we can do about it. 

On today's Stateside, lawmakers in Lansing may be ready to throw clerks a lifeline as they prepare to count an onslaught of absentee ballots this primary season. Plus, we'll talk to the state’s top health official about how Michigan is preparing for a potential outbreak of the coronavirus.

Today on Stateside, we look at two traditionally Republican congressional districts in West Michigan that are going through political change. Plus, we talk to poet and prose writer Saladin Ahmed, who has made a stellar transition into comic books and written for several iconic Marvel characters. 

Today on Stateside, we talk with Michigan Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-12th) about the presidential race. It's been four years since she predicted Donald Trump's surprise win in Michigan. We'll ask what she sees ahead in 2020. Plus, Michigan’s two largest energy companies have deeply divergent plans for moving to renewables. What does that mean for our state's energy future? 

Today on Stateside, as President Trump pardons a slew of white-collar criminals, some Detroiters are asking for consideration for Kwame Kilpatrick. The former Detroit mayor is serving a lengthy sentence on corruption charges. What would a commutation do for Trump's standing in metro Detroit? Also, a new documentary tells the story of how a lakeside town in West Michigan became contaminated with PFAS.

Today on Stateside, a super PAC funded by the DeVos family has raised $800,000 to unseat Democratic U.S. Senator Gary Peters. We talk about how spending by outside groups could impact the state's most competitive 2020 races. Plus, an update on the Michigan family caught in a coronavirus scare on a cruise ship.

Today on Stateside, what the worsening erosion of Great Lakes shorelines looks like from a bird’s eye view. Plus, an expected flood of absentee ballots this November has some of Michigan's clerks nervous about timely reporting. We talk to a state senator who says accuracy is more important than speed when it comes to counting votes. 

Today on Stateside, the coronavirus outbreak in China is beginning to have an effect on Michigan manufacturers. We hear from an executive at a west Michigan auto parts supplier about how the virus is affecting their business. Plus, we'll learn about Michigan's first African American settlers, as well as Enbridge's plan to replace a section of Line 5 under the St. Clair River.

Today on Stateside, we talk about Governor Gretchen Whitmer's budget priorities, including a boost in school funding. Plus, parents from Saline and Lansing discuss what it's like to raise kids of color who go to majority-white schools. 

Today on Stateside, we spoke to two Michigan clerks about how the state can avoid an Iowa caucuses style castastrophe in November. Plus, a new play at Plowshares Theatre in Detroit tells the story of Broadway's first black megastar Charles S. Gilpin.

Today on Stateside, Governor Gretchen Whitmer is set to deliver the Democratic rebuttal to President Trump’s State of the Union next week. Why was she chosen and what can we expect to hear? Plus, the head of a Dearborn seminary talks about educating the next generation of Muslim faith leaders.

Today on Stateside, local and county clerks are raising concerns about their ability to deal with an influx of absentee ballots in November’s presidential election. Plus, the woman who turned the University of Michigan into a softball powerhouse talks about the yawning gender equity gap in college sports coaching. 

Today on Stateside, a lack of legal banking options in the marijuana industry means that many businesses are operating solely in cash—creating significant safety risks and limiting the industry's growth. Plus, a Michigan Supreme Court case is testing how much money the government can collect from tax-delinquent homeowners. 

Today on Stateside, we step back in time to the summer of 1963, to hear how Martin Luther King Junior set the stage in Detroit for the March on Washington later that year. Plus, we go over this year's list of Michigan Notable Books, which includes everything from new fiction to gripping history.

Today on Stateside, it’s been four years since the state announced a criminal investigation into the Flint water crisis. We talked to two journalists who covered the crisis about lessons learned on government accountability and public health. Plus, the state of Michigan files suit against some of the biggest names in corporate America over PFAS contamination. We'll hear about how a similar case played out in Minnesota.