What A Day

Wisconsin will be moving forward with in-person voting today, despite efforts to postpone the election for the sake of public health. We check in on what’s happening there and in other states set to vote soon. Plus, we interview Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes about the election and what this means for November.And in headlines: the ACLU sues to block parts of Puerto Rico’s coronavirus curfew, chaste pandas mate in Hong Kong, and the Mississippi governor makes time to honor fallen racists.

We interview Keri Blakinger, a reporter at The Marshall Project who covers prisons, on how jails and detention centers are managing release of inmates to prevent the spread of coronavirus, and how the urgent push to get people out is affecting former inmates. Government officials say the coming two weeks could be the most difficult yet as some states approach their potential peaks for COVID-19. Other states have begun to ramp down. We discuss that as well as new demographic data that paints an early picture of who is disproportionately affected by the virus.

We interview Dr. Shaoli Chaudhuri, a resident at Columbia Medical Center in Manhattan, about what she’s seeing in the Covid-19 epicenter as doctors treat a growing number of patients with the virus - and healthcare workers themselves are getting sick. An astonishing 6.6 million people filed for unemployment benefits in the US last week, and there’s a growing concern that coronavirus tests aren’t as accurate as many thought. And in headlines: four major storms predicted for the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane season, lock up your Zoom, and Jeff Sessions clings on to a fake friend.

We talk to acting President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Alexis McGill Johnson about the state of reproductive rights during the pandemic, and the efforts several Republican-governed states have taken to restrict abortion access as part of their coronavirus response. Congress is looking at a Phase 4 deal, which could include infrastructure projects. And the Trump administration will not reopen the ACA marketplace, which would’ve allowed uninsured people and people who recently lost their jobs to easily enroll. And in headlines: Public Enemy pulls this year’s only April Fools prank, T-Mobile eats Sprint, and the FCC might make our Internet faster.

We interview New York Times reporter Caitlin Dickerson about the far-reaching effects the pandemic is having on people in our immigration system: asylum seekers, DACA recipients, undocumented workers, ICE detainees and more. The Trump administration has finally spoken up about their projections for the loss of life that America might experience as a result of Covid-19. Plus, we discuss the current recommendations on face-masks as protection against the virus. And in headlines: Hungarian PM Viktor Orban is given unchecked power, Idaho's governor passes transphobic laws, and a fancy baby clothes company pitches in for coronavirus relief.

Efforts to bring unhoused people inside have been growing as the coronavirus outbreak takes hold, but advocates say there’s more to be done. We talk to Chris Ko, of the United Way in Los Angeles, to learn more about the situation in that city. Workers across the country are feeling the impact of the pandemic. Employees at Macy’s, The Gap, and Kohl’s have been furloughed, while employees at Amazon, Instacart, and Whole Foods are going on strike. And in headlines: the DOJ investigates Senator Richard Burr’s stock trades, sold-out chickens, and an astrophysicist fights Covid-19 by putting metal in nose.

Mutual-aid networks, which allow neighbors and community members to pool resources, have blossomed during the coronavirus crisis. We interview Christine Gatson-Michalak, co-founder of the Claremont Mutual Aid Project, about the biggest needs right now. Trump held a press conference yesterday, where he said among other things that social distancing measures will continue until April 30. So our promised Easter Egg hunts will be taking place in our apartment living rooms. And in headlines: Shaq misses meetings at Papa John’s, twisters in Arkansas, and the EPA rolls back protections during the pandemic.

The United States now has the most known COVID-19 cases in the world. We discuss the areas that have been hit hardest and how they’re handling the outbreak Epidemiologist and host of “America Dissected” Dr. Abdul El-Sayed answers more of your most pressing COVID-19 questions.And in headlines: the US indicts Maduro, a half-billion dollar legal win for Maryland HBCUs, and Meghan Markle’s first post-Royal gig.

The senate approved a nearly $2 trillion relief package to respond to the coronavirus pandemic yesterday, after a day of delays and a lot of debate. We discuss what made it into the bill and what didn’t with Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown.And in headlines: three states restrict abortion access during Covid-19, everyone’s getting a pandemic pet, and Dr. Dre and Mister Rogers get recognized by the Library of Congress.

Equipment shortages, exposure, and empathy: we hear from healthcare workers who are fighting Covid-19 on the front lines. Plus, what Democrats are fighting for in the government coronavirus relief package and what Republicans are willing to concede. And how authorities are handling things in New York now that it’s become the epicenter of the US coronavirus outbreak. And in headlines: Liberty University re-opens its doors, Colorado abolishes the death penalty, and YouTube goes low rez.