Today on Stateside, temperatures are supposed to drop across the state next week. What does that mean for the recent outbreak of Eastern equine encephalitis? Plus, a fitting cocktail for the summer-like days and chilly fall nights of early autumn.
Listen to the full show above or find individual segments below.
Mosquitoes with EEE can survive winter, but that doesn't mean another outbreak is likely
- Michigan is one of the states hit this year with an outbreak of Eastern equine encephalitis, sometimes called EEE for short. The mosquito-borne virus has killed several people, as well as multiple animals. Now that cold weather is headed our way, is the risk of EEE gone?
- We talked to Dr. Marc Fischer, a medical epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). He told us about what happens to the virus, and the mosquitoes that carry it, when winter hits. Fischer also said that this year's outbreak doesn't mean an increased risk of EEE next summer.
In one Detroit neighborhood, a new community resource: a tool library
- Every homeowner occasionally needs some tools. But they can be expensive and inaccessible for some people, especially those living in low-income communities. One way to solve that problem? Create a tool library. Michigan Radio’s Sarah Cwiek visited one such library in a neighborhood on Detroit's east side to see how it works.
What scientists are learning from otherworldly landscapes caused by Great Lakes sinkholes
- Researchers are studying some oddities in the Great Lakes. Over the past several years, they’ve been examining sinkholes and the unique life that grows in them. Steve Ruberg is leading a study on Lake Huron sinkholes. He is with the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). He explained what causes these sinkholes, and what we can learn from the uncommon lifeforms that exist there.
Climate Crew: From solar panels to reusable silverware, how one teacher is making his school greener
- Our series Climate Crew takes a look at ordinary people who decided to put their time and energy into doing something about environmental challenges, including climate change. A fellow teacher tipped us off about Kevin Randall, who teaches biology at Grandville High School. We talked to Randall about what he's doing to make his school a little greener.
Cheers! Daiquris are not just for summer
- When you think of a daiquiri, you might think of summer. But Tammy Coxen with Tammy’s Tastings thinks the daiquiri has a place in fall too. She tweaks the classic daiquiri cocktail to make it appropriate for those chilly autumn nights.
Concrete or asphalt? We talk with MDOT about how to make roads last longer
- Why do we use concrete for some roads and asphalt for others? Which one lasts longer? What’s cheaper? What’s more environmentally friendly? And how does the Michigan Department of Transportation weigh all these factors?
- Brad Wieferich is the director of the Bureau of Development for MDOT. He joined us to explain why Michigan uses the materials it does to build roads, and discusses if there are better, longer-lasting options out there.
Roundup: When it comes to negotiating state budgets, “if they’re not win-win, they’re invariably lose-lose”
- We’re close to two weeks into the new fiscal year, and Michigan leaders are still looking at approximately $1 billion in line-item vetoes and supplemental bills to send money to everything from county jails to charter schools. We heard from our Friday policial commentators on how those negotiations are going.
- TJ Bucholz is president of Vanguard Public Affairs, a progressive political strategy firm. Ken Sikkema is Senior Policy Fellow for Public Sector Consultants, and a former Republican Majority Leader of the Michigan Senate.
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