It’s Tuesday, in the decent chance you need a reminder of what day it is today, and we’ve got another full episode worth of coronavirus updates. I also speak with Anson Smuts, a senior economist at O’Keefe, a Bloomfield Hills business consultancy, about the historical implications of the massive unemployment filings in the wake of the outbreak.
Also on today’s show:
- The state of Michigan reported that the number of new confirmed cases of COVID-19 climbed above 1,000 for the first time, at 1,117.
- Ford has announced it will manufacture 50,000 ventilators within 100 days from its Rawsonville components plant near Ypsilanti. Local companies Carhartt and Lear, an auto supplier, are also kicking into gear making badly needed medical equipment.
- Motor City Comic Con has been postponed, with no make-up date yet released.
- Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith has resigned after Attorney General Dan Nessel charged him and three associates in an alleged racketeering scheme.
- The suburban SMART bus system has announced more service cutbacks amid dwindling ridership during the coronavirus outbreak. Meanwhile, MoGo bike-share bikes are temporarily free to ride.
- Eastern Market Brewing Company-slash-Ferndale Project has acquired Ashe Supply Company, the coffee shop and roaster. It’s part of a string of new businesses the brewery has launched to try and stay afloat during the crisis.