On Hand

When you think about traditional Thanksgiving side-dishes in Michigan, you think mashed potatoes, stuffing and green bean casserole, right? But Michigan is so much more than a shelf-stable can of Campbells. We’re a multicultural state that has carried forward ancestral delights to the Thanksgiving table. Mark Kurlyandchik wrote about this very thing in a recent article for SEEN Magazine and shares his finding with us.

GUEST: Mark Kurlyandchik, food writer

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With recent COVID increases in the state, parents are uncertain about the future and school districts are grasping for solutions, setting off a host of new problems for parents and kids. Today, we check in with two parents, in two very different school districts about masking, vaccines for kids, and other pandemic school year challenges. 

GUESTS:

Caitlyn Perry Dial lives in Brighton. Her son, Elliott, is seven and her son, Theo, is four.

Arlyssa Heard lives in Detroit. Her son, Judah Shelton, is 15.

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This week, Michigan’s COVID infection numbers exploded into a fourth surge that has worried doctors, overwhelmed hospital systems and left the rest of us asking what could be next. Michigan is now leading the nation in COVID infections. 

West Michigan’s largest hospital, Spectrum Health, on Tuesday reported more COVID inpatient cases than the hospital has ever had at any point in the pandemic. In addition, more tests are coming back positive, more kids are being hospitalized and people seem to be sicker than in previous months, according to Michigan Radio reporter, Dustin Dwyer. 

Dr. Preeti Malani, chief health officer at the University of Michigan, is responsible for the health and safety of tens of thousands of students, faculty, and staff. She’s also a practicing physician at Michigan Medicine who specializes in infectious disease. 

“It's easy to forget that this is a novel coronavirus,” Malani said. While doctors have made strides in prevention and treatment, the way the virus moves and changes is not fully understood.

“We still don't understand it even almost two years into this. Although it's changed all of humanity, we're still learning,” she said.

But we do know who’s most likely to become severely ill from contracting the virus. According to Dr. Malani, most people hospitalized due to COVID are unvaccinated or those with underlying health conditions. 

“We still have work to do in terms of getting folks vaccinated,” she said. 

As if hospitals don’t have enough on their plates with the surge, the state continues to be threatened by another virus: the flu. Dr. Malani warned of what she called a “twindemic”—being hit by a flu outbreak amid the pandemic. Although she first started worrying about how both viruses' paths might collide last year, her fears didn't pan out -- possibly because many Michiganders were staying home and avoiding one or the other disease. But this year, the fourth surge, combined with low vaccination rates, may be cause for concern.

Around 70% of Michiganders are fully vaccinated against coronavirus. But, according to state records, only 20% have gotten flu shots this season. At this time last year, Michigan’s vaccination rates were nearly 50% higher. Health systems paid a lot of attention to vaccinating against the flu because, in addition to avoiding the bug, their ERs and inpatient beds were already overwhelmed, Dr. Malani said.

To the extent they know healthcare systems are swamped by COVID, people may be more motivated to get their flu shots in coming weeks.

Most flu vaccines are free with insurance, but free vaccines are available for those without insurance as well. Locations for COVID and flu vaccines can be found at vaccines.gov. 

GUESTS:

Dustin Dwyer, reporter with Michigan Radio

Dr. Preeti Malani, chief health officer at the University of Michigan

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Today, PBS will premiere the new film "American Exile” about the lives of military veterans, deported from the United States after their service, because of their immigration status. The documentary was a collaborative effort between Burning Box Studio and WKAR Public Media at Michigan State University. Military service is such a huge part of the stories we tell ourselves about who belongs in this country.  What happens when the government decides that, even as a veteran, you don’t belong here?

GUESTS:

Carleen Hsu is a journalism professor at MSU, and editor of documentary "American Exile."

John Valadez is a journalism professor at MSU and production director of the documentary "American Exile."

Manuel Valenzuela is a Vietnam War veteran at the center of the documentary "American Exile."

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On Friday, we considered the possible need for new tactics for the U.S. to secure the release of Michigan-born journalist Danny Fenster from his imprisonment in Myanmar since May. He had just been sentenced to 11 years of hard labor on alleged charges that included violating immigration law and encouraging dissent against the military. He also faced newly raised charges of sedition and terrorism, which can carry life sentences in Myanmar under its current military regime.

Just three days later, seemingly suddenly, Fenster was finally freed today.

“There started to be some rumors circulating a couple of hours before he was actually released,” said Andrew Nachemson, a friend and colleague of Fenster’s at Frontier Myanmar who is currently based in Thailand.

Former diplomat and past governor of New Mexico Bill Richardson was in Myanmar last week for face-to-face meetings with the regime’s Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, on a mission to talk about COVID. He negotiated Fenster’s release.

It was the last step in a monthslong process. “The suddenness of the release shouldn't fool people,” said U.S. Representative Andy Levin (MI-09). “It was the result of steady patient work by career diplomats and folks in the intelligence and diplomatic community around the world.”

On today's Stateside podcast episode, April Baer talks with both Nachemson and Levin about Fenster’s release, and where this saga leaves journalists still in the region as well as U.S. relations with the regime.

GUESTS:

Congressman Andy Levin is a Democrat representing Michigan’s 9th congressional district.

Andrew Nachmenson is a journalist covering politics and human rights in southeast Asia.

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This morning we learned that a military court in Myanmar sentenced US journalist and Michigan native, Danny Fenster, to 11 years in prison. He’s charged with allegedly spreading false or inflammatory information. Today, Danny Fenster's story and how this happened to begin with.

GUEST:

Steven Butler, Asia Program Coordinator, Committee to Protect Journalists

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Today, we return to one of the most anticipated YA reads of the year. Firekeeper’s Daughter by Michigan’s Angeline Boulley is at once a a ripping thriller and a complex story of a girl finding her way in two cultures. Since our conversation in February, it hit the New York Times best-seller list. 

GUEST: 

Angeline Boulley is a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians and writer of the debut novel Firekeeper’s Daughter. 

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There's a steady uptick in COVID-19 cases in Michigan right now. And while we aren't seeing dramatic spikes like we did earlier in the pandemic, this slow autumn surge of cases is pushing Michigan healthcare systems to their limits. On this episode of the podcast, we'll talk to an emergency doctor about how this rise in cases is impacting hospital care for patients, whether or not they have COVID-19. 

GUEST: 

Dr. Brad Uren, emergency medicine professor at the University of Michigan and former president of the Michigan College of Emergency Physicians

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The House recently passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework, a massive $1 trillion infrastructure spending bill. Michigan is getting ready to spend a significant amount of cash. Today, we dig into what this bill will do for Michiganders and what may come next.

GUESTS:

Rashida Tlaib (D) is the representative for Michigan's 13th District in Wayne County.

Zoe Clark is Michigan Radio’s director of content. You can follow her at @ZoeMelinaClark.

Riley Beggin is Detroit News' Washington correspondent. You can follow her at @RBeggin.—

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The American Rescue Plan, passed by Congress earlier this year, turned the annual child tax credit into monthly cash payments for families with kids. As Congress debates whether to extend the policy, Stateside digs into what the extra cash has meant both for individual households and the broader economy.

GUESTS:

Anita Cobb, mother of three living in Lansing. You can find more about Anita and other families receiving the child tax credit payments here.

Betsey Stevenson, professor at the University of Michigan's Ford School of Public Policy

Looking for more conversations from Stateside? Right this way.

If you like what you hear on the pod, consider supporting our work.

Stateside’s theme music is by 14KT.

Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions.

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