This Sunday is Mother’s Day. So, we’re turning our attention to a Grand Rapids entrepreneur who says his business wouldn’t be what it is without his mom. What do they sell? Cannabis! Today, we’re talking Casey Kornoelje and his mom, Patti Kornoelje, on running a business during the pandemic, cannabis stigma, and the social equity program that made the store possible.

GUESTS:

Casey Kornoelje, owner of Pharmhouse Wellness

Patti Kornoelje, delivery driver and cook for Pharmhouse Wellness

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Almost from the start of the pandemic, Governor Whitmer came out swinging. She set up mask mandates and physical distancing recommendations. But this week she changed her tune, saying people can gather outside in groups of less than 100 without a mask. Why? This episode, we talk to a social scientist and a doctor about how COVID messaging works with anyone from student athletes to expectant mothers to everyone on your social media feed. 

GUESTS:

Kenneth Resnicow, professor of Health Behavior and Health Education at University of Michigan and chief scientific lead at the University's Center for Health Communications Research

Dr. D’Angela Pitts, maternal fetal medicine specialist with Henry Ford Health System

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Stateside’s theme music is by 14KT.

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Businesses across Michigan have succumbed to the pressures of the pandemic, with devastating consequences for workers and our economy. Today, one man who closed his businesses during the pandemic talks about why those who were sidelined still need our help. And we’ll also get a longterm perspective on the seismic changes shaping the state’s business ecology during the early stages of pandemic recovery.

GUESTS:

David Lin, former CEO of Espresso Royale and former owner of Bubble Island

Jeffrey Sanchez-Burks, behavioral scientist and professor of business administration at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business

You can learn more about David Lin’s COVID Rescue Fund, aimed at helping reopen business that closed during the pandemic, here.

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Stateside’s theme music is by 14KT.

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A couple of months ago, the biggest vaccine problem for Michiganders was finding one. But now, the state faces an opposite challenge - finding people ready to sign up for the healthy supply of doses available. What does this mean for our ability to return to some kind of normal? Is herd immunity even possible anymore and what would it take to get there? 

GUESTS: 

Debra Furr-Holden, an associate dean and a professor of public health at Michigan State University. She’s director of the Flint Center for Health Equity Solutions. 

Hassan Jaber, president and CEO of ACCESS, the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services in Dearborn. 

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Michigan saw $16 billion in loans to businesses during the first two phases of federal Paycheck Protection Program lending. The Reveal Reporting Network analyzed five million of these PPP loans from 5,000 banks. What they found was that the winners and losers often fell along racial lines. On today’s episode, we talk to Michigan Radio reporters Nisa Khan and Tyler Scott about what the data showed in the Metro Detroit area.

If you want to read more about how PPP loans got distributed in Southeast Michigan, check out Nisa and Tyler’s story here.

GUESTS:

Nisa Khan, data reporter at Michigan Radio

Tyler Scott, reporter and weekend host at Michigan Radio

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Stateside’s theme music is by 14KT.

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The US Census Bureau had a really hard time doing its work last year. Between COVID and natural disasters occurring across the country, the census process was delayed by months. But now the first data set of the 2020 Census is in. And for Michigan, the numbers are telling a story we’ve heard before. It's the fifth consecutive census in which we've lost a congressional seat. Today, what these results mean for Michigan’s political landscape. 

GUESTS:

KurtMetzger, mayor of Pleasant Ridge and founder-emeritus of Data Driven Detroit 

John Lindstrom, former publisher of Gongwer News Service - Michigan

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It’s election year in Michigan’s largest city, and the Detroit City Council will soon look much different. Four councilmembers have announced they will not seek reelection. One of those is Raquel Castañeda-López, who represents the heavily Latino area of Southwest Detroit. Today on the podcast, we talk to Castañeda-López about passing the torch to a new generation of progressive leaders, and what she’s learned about the interplay between activists and people in elected office.

GUESTS:

Raquel Castañeda-López, Detriot City Councilmember, representing District 6

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There’s a new generation of tattoo artists making big changes in the industry. Many of them are people of color, LGBTQ, women, and non-binary folks. And these artists are working to make the tattoo shop a more inclusive place for people with all kinds of bodies. Ann Arbor tattoo artist Carrie Metz-Caporusso is doing that with their “roll flower” designs that are meant to complement and enhance the beauty of fat bodies—instead of hiding them.

GUESTS:

Carrie Metz-Caporusso is a tattoo artist at Lucky Monkey Tattoo in Ann Arbor

You can find pictures of Carrie’s roll flower tattoos here or on their Instagram.  

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Stateside’s theme music is by 14KT.

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Michigan is leading the nation with a third surge of COVI-19 cases and hospitalizations. Though there have been some positive signs that the current surge is beginning to ebb, it’s still pretty dire in some area hospitals where patients have been much younger than in the first and second surges. At the same time, vaccinations continue at a good and steady pace in the state, though there are signs that the demand for vaccinations is also ebbing, and perhaps too early. Today, we talk with the former health director for the City of Detroit and a public health expert, Abdul El-Sayed.

GUEST: Abdul El-Sayed, a policymaker in residence at the University of Michigan Gerald Ford School for Public Policy. He’s also co-author, with Micah Johnson, of the new book, “Medicare for All: A Citizen’s Guide”.

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The lake sturgeon is the biggest and oldest fish in the Great Lakes. They’ve been around for millions of years, but their numbers have dwindled in the last century. That’s why state wildlife officials and sturgeon conservationists are calling for citizens to step up and protect adult lake sturgeon from poaching as the fish journey along the Black River back to their spawning grounds. So, do you have what it takes to join the sturgeon guard?

GUESTS:

Dave Borgeson, fisheries supervisor with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Brenda Archambo, president of the group Sturgeon for Tomorrow

To learn more about how to get involved with lake sturgeon conservation efforts, visit Sturgeon for Tomorrow’s website.

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Stateside’s theme music is by 14KT.

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