Daily Detroit

What's a bar to do when you launched a couple of years ago, you feel like you've got a handle on running the place — but then the world turns upside down?

Innovate and hold on for the ride, if you can.

To talk about how to do that, our guest on Daily Detroit is Kevin Peterson from Castalia Cocktails. That's a basement bar in a historic building that shares space with a fragrance shop - Sfumato - in Midtown Detroit.

A link to Castalia: http://www.castaliacocktails.com

We're member-supported media: http://www.patreon.com/dailydetroit

The Paycheck Protection Program, providing forgivable, federally backed loans to businesses to keep people employed - opened for applications today with a new round of funding - $310 billion.

That's on top of $350 billion issued two weeks ago.

And that first round? Well, it had some issues, to say the least.

Some rather large companies got loans, and many small businesses just were shut out. Many of the hardest-hit states got some of the least aid.

So with this in the news (and so many businesses in deep trouble during this pandemic) I wanted to take a look behind the scenes up in Washington, D.C.

What happened? What have we learned? And, as this is one of multiple rounds of economic back-stopping, what's next?

To do that, this episode of your Daily Detroit is my conversation with Congresswoman Haley Stephens. The Democrat represents Michigan's 11th district, so think suburban cities like Troy, Auburn Hills, Rochester, Milford, Northville, Livonia, and Canton.

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While we're all under a stay at home order, it can be a real challenge to deal with work life, home life, kids and all of that.

So we got some tips to help you handle it from Karen Liska. She works at Detroit Labs and is a coach at HoneySpace in Ferndale who helps people get things done.

You can follow her on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/KarenEvansTM

And LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenevans/

Our show is people-powered. Join us as a member at http://www.patreon.com/dailydetroit

On today's show:

Coronavirus Crisis confirmed numbers update

There are new state unemployment numbers

The Detroit Public Schools are getting more than 50,000 tablets for distance learning.

Detroit summer programming will be closed, but parks will remain open.

Republicans in the state legislature are working to strip the Governor's emergency powers, wanting to open the economy faster.

An industry group says that restaurants have lost $1.2B in sales and a quarter-million jobs.

A report says that Detroit's city council president is in hot water over campaign contributions. (Read on the Intercept: https://theintercept.com/2020/04/21/brenda-jones-detroit-city-council-tlaib/)

GM is calling back some white-collar workers. The UAW doesn't want it to happen so fast.

Henry Ford Health System is adding to the pile of healthcare-related layoffs.

And a magazine popular with the Farmer's market crowd has changed hands.

Thanks to our members for supporting us: http://www.patreon.com/dailydetroit

Some think Coronavirus and COVID-19 is a "Detroit" or "Southeast Michigan" problem.

But with a lack of access to health care, an older population, and risk factors like tobacco use and poverty, rural and outstate Michigan could get devastated by COVID-19.

To talk about it is Citizens Research Council of Michigan Research Associate Tim Michling. He had an eye-opening piece that might put things in a bit more perspective. You can read it here: https://crcmich.org/all-of-michigan-still-at-risk-from-covid-19

Also, we touch some top stories around the Coronavirus crisis.

• The state continues to see new cases, but is starting to see more people get released from hospitals than come in.
• What is the plan to reopen the economy? Governor Gretchen Whitmer says it'll be the reverse of what they're doing in Georgia, and more details will come by the end of the week.
• The state of Michigan is going to be doing 10-day layoffs in various departments. We share what we know so far.
• Wayne County has at least a $152 million shortfall this year, joining a growing list of cities and counties that will be severely impacted.
• Beaumont has made a makeshift morgue at their Wayne hospital, and the county is investigating.
• Drive through testing is expanding into Dearborn.
• Well-known brewer Founders is laying off taproom and retail staff.

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Bridge Music is Loopster Kevin MacLeod

There are so many stories coming out of Detroit around the Coranvirus pandemic. And those stories at HuffPost are being written by local voices.

To discuss what they found and what's happening on the ground, HuffPost Senior National Correspondent Jonathan Cohn talks about the work the reporting team did.

Here's background reading material to dive in even more:

• What It's Like To Have Cancer In The Middle Of A Pandemic

• The Last 16 Days Of Robert Beaupre's Life

• Hospice Workers Adapt To Provide End-Of-Life Care Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

We also check in on some stories around town after the conversations. Beaumont is doing mass layoffs. GM's Maven car service is shutting down. The UAW endorsed Joe Biden for president. And local parks are limiting visitors.

Thanks to our members who make this show possible: http://www.patreon.com/dailydetroit

Bed music in this episode is "Beauty Flow" by Kevin MacLeod. Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5025-beauty-flow

On today's show, some top-line updates from the State of Michigan and the City of Detroit, plus, we break down a big poll released by the Detroit Regional Chamber about the statewide economic impact of the Coronavirus crisis.

Among other highlights, it shows 29% of Michiganders aren't working, and that those adults 39 and younger are getting hit very hard economically and are having more trouble filing for unemployment.

There are also large gaps in unemployment in the state, with areas like Traverse City getting hit the worst.

For background reading you can go here.

A bonus weekend episode that's around the virtual bonfire.

We talk about our favorite cocktails we're drinking and share stories of how our listeners say they're coping with the Coronavirus crisis.

Lace up your New Balances and go on a run with Sven Gustafson as he talks about the ways the Coronavirus may change us as a society - and the ways it already has.

Then Jer will run down some top-line things you should know around town.

Here's Sven's original essay that was adapted for audio: https://8woodblog.com/for-better-or-worse-the-coronavirus-will-change-us/

Here's our Patreon if you want to support the project: http://www.patreon.com/dailydetroit

Whether it's conspiracy theories like those around 5g, or the willful refusal to believe objective facts when it comes to the pandemic, today we talk about confirmation bias and how folks try to assemble meaning to things. This happens often when there is none. After all, sometimes, we just don't know stuff. But for some, that's not O.K. to admit.

And when these online conspiracies are turned to action, it can put other people and property in danger. think folks ignoring social distancing guidelines, which has led to outbreaks of COVID-19. or in England, where cellphone towers are being set on fire.

Our guest today is technologist, YouTuber, and entrepreneur Tom Lawrence. His popular channel, based in Southgate, Michigan helps people demystify their tech issues.

Here's Tom's channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheTecknowledge

And here's Tom's company: https://www.lawrencesystems.com/

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