Virtual First Friday (May 2020) -- Downtown South Bend visitors

from www.visitsouthbend.com/

Enjoy May First Fridays from the comfort of your own home, with carryout options from downtown businesses, a chance to win a $50 gift card, a streaming concert by Jake from StarHeart, and an opportunity to donate to a good cause!

We encourage you to visit one of our many downtown restaurants or retailers who are doing carryout and delivery this May First Fridays. (The current list can be found at https://www.downtownsouthbend.com/show-your-love) We will be doing a special one-day extension of our #dtsbtogo contest – post a picture of any food or retail item you purchase from a downtown business using #dtsbtogo and tagging the business, and you will be entered to win a gift card to the business you tagged. Each post earns you another entry. Post your entry anytime on Friday to be eligible.

Downtown South Bend will be partnering with Centier Bank to donate $5 for every #dtsbtogo post made on Friday to the Food Bank of Northern Indiana.

In addition to the #dtsbtogo contest, we will be adding a fundraising streaming concert from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. May 1, 2020 by Jake from StarHeart! The live stream will take place on this event page, and funds raised will also go to the Food Bank of Northern Indiana. Donations can be made anytime between now and May 2 using this link: https://www.facebook.com/donate/1438313469685988/

SpaceX Crew Dragon rocket to transport U.S. Astronauts -- May 27 (four weeks from now)

from SPACE dot-com (NASA website article)

The first flight of NASA astronauts from U.S. soil in nearly nine years finally has a launch date: May 27. 

The mission will launch astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the International Space Station on a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft in a final test flight for NASA. The mission, Demo-2, will mark NASA's first crew launch from American soil since the agency's space shuttle fleet retired in July 2011. 

Liftoff is set for 4:32 p.m. EDT (2032 GMT) from historic Launch Pad 39A — the same site used for NASA's Apollo and shuttle missions — at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

"On May 27, will once again launch American astronauts on American rockets from American soil!" NASA chief Jim Bridenstine wrote on Twitter in an announcement today (April 17). 

Pets and the COVID-19 pandemic -- Prof. Sander of U of I, College of Veterinary Medicine

from WBUR (NPR station Boston, Mass.) -- "Here and Now" news content show

www.wbur.org/here-and-now

https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2020/04/30/pets-coronavirus

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has renewed their calls for social distancing 

between pets and humans who might have COVID-19 after 

a pug in North Carolina tested positive for the coronavirus. 

It's believed to be the first case of the virus in a dog in the U.S. 

Last week, the CDC confirmed two cats in New York had contracted the virus.

Here & Now's Robin Young speaks with Will Sander, assistant professor of 

preventive medicine and public health at the University of Illinois 

College of Veterinary Medicine.

Coronavirus And Pets: FAQs For Owners

This segment airs on April 30, 2020. 

Mishawaka, Indiana University Park Mall set to re-open May 2, 2020

from MSNBC and NBC affiliate website (WNDU-TV www.wndu.com/ )

University Park Mall is preparing to reopen on Saturday May 2, according to an internal memo obtained by CNBC.

They're reporting that Simon Property Group is planning to reopen 49 of its malls and outlet centers between May 1 and May 4.

The report also says Lighthouse Place Premium Outlets in Michigan City, IN will open on Saturday.

The plans are based on current stay-at-home orders, which could change. Indiana's order is currently set to end Friday May 1, 2020.

Governor Eric Holcomb says he will have an update on that order on Friday. (afternoon "Town Hall" virtual press conference.

"Malls will be included in our guidance, so I am trusting that everyone will be aligned at the end of the day on that front," Holcomb said.

The governor says he's been in touch with Simon's CEO as different business sectors weigh in with state officials.

Flood Warning (April 30, 2020) - Berrien County Michigan

from National Weather Service (www.wndu.com posted this warning):

LAKESHORE FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING...

* WINDS AND WAVES...Winds northwest 20 to 35 mph with gusts up to 45 mph. This will result in waves of 8 to 14 feet, occasionally 18 feet.

* TIMING...through this evening April 30, 2020.

* IMPACTS...High wave action will result in beach erosion and lakeshore flooding.

A Lakeshore Flood Warning means that flooding is occurring or imminent along the lake. Residents on or near the shore in the warned area should be alert for rising water...and take appropriate action to protect life and property.

Ramadan this year -- when does it start and when is Eid al-Fitr?

from Google answer to Frequently Asked Questions =

Ramadan 2020 is expected to begin in the evening of Thursday, April 23, 2020, and will end in the evening of Saturday, May 23, 2020. The final evening of Ramadan consists of a celebration called Eid al-Fitr, when the traditional month-long fast is ended with a feast.

Happy Birthday, Shakespeare! (April 23) -- website background

http://shakespeare.org/uk/explore-shakespeare

William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, in April 1564. The exact date of his birth is not recorded, but it is most often celebrated around the world on 23 April.

Shakespeare’s baptism is recorded in the Parish Register at Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon on Wednesday 26 April 1564. Baptisms typically took place within three days of a new arrival, and parents were instructed by the Prayer Book to ensure that their children were baptised no later than the first Sunday after birth. This means that it’s unlikely that Shakespeare was born any earlier than the previous Sunday, 23 April. Given that three days would be a reasonable interval between birth and baptism, 23 April has therefore come to be celebrated as his birthday. 

Shakespeare also died on 23 April; in 1616, when he was 52 years of age.

How Rural America is coping with COVID - 19 (April 20, 2020)

Program topic (The 1A) - NPR call-in show (WAMU studios):

How Rural America Is Coping With Coronavirus

COVID-19 has come for America’s cities. Now it’s moving into the country.

10 a.m. show (Eastern)

Happy Birthday, Elizabeth Windsor! No gun salute on April 21 this year, nor will there be a Parade at summer traditional timing

www.bbc.com/news

April 19, 2020 posting at website:

There will be no gun salutes to mark the Queen's 94th birthday on Tuesday because of the coronavirus outbreak.

A Buckingham Palace official said the monarch had decided it would not be appropriate at this time.

It is believed to be the first time in her 68-year reign that there will be no such salute, which usually take place at Hyde Park and the Tower of London.

The Trooping the Colour parade in June to mark the Queen's official birthday has already been cancelled.

That announcement came after the government introduced restrictions in the UK which required people to stay at home.

Over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend, the Queen stressed the importance of maintaining the coronavirus lockdown, saying "by keeping apart we keep others safe".

That message followed her televised address to the nation on 5 April in which she stressed the country would overcome the virus, and told Britons in lockdown: "We will meet again."

Global Edition

from The 1a website (NPR weekly call-in show) -- Friday April 17, 2020 original broadcast 11 a.m. Eastern

This week, President Donald Trump announced the U.S would suspend funding for the World Health Organization for at least 60 days while the administration reviews the WHO’s actions to contain coronavirus.

In response, the WHO said it would evaluate any financial gaps and continue their work. The United States contributes over $400 million dollars per year to the organization, more than any other country. 

And the president of the European Union Commission offered an apology to Italy for the bloc’s lack of support during the pandemic. With a death toll of about 21,000 from coronavirus, Italy has been the hardest hit country in Europe. Some critics said the situation deteriorated because other E.U. countries were slow to provide emergency supplies to the country.

Meanwhile, in the weeks since the United Nations called for a global ceasefire amidst coronavirus, nearly all permanent members of the UN Security Council have agreed— except Russia. But French President Emmanuel Macron says Russian President Vladimir Putin may agree to the ceasefire soon. The UN’s Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says the ceasefire would make it easier to stop the spread of COVID-19 across the world.

We’ll talk about all the latest news on the global edition of the News Roundup.

GUESTS

Daniel Kurtz-Phelan

executive editor, Foreign Affairs; author, "The China Mission: George Marshall's Unfinished War, 1945-1947"

Emily Tamkin

U.S. editor, The New Statesman

Nina-Maria Potts

director of Global News Coverage, Feature Story News

Winter Weather Advisory (Berrien and Cass Counties, Michigan) - April 17, 2020

from National Weather Service announcement at WNDU-TV website (NBC affiliate):

Winter Weather Advisory

Areas Affected: Berrien; Branch; Cass; Hillsdale; St. Joseph Counties, MICHIGAN

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 5 AM TO 2 PM EDT FRIDAY...

* WHAT...Snow expected. Total snow accumulations of 2 to 5 inches.

* WHERE...Berrien County, Cass MI, and St. Joseph County MI,

 
* WHEN...From 5 AM to 2 PM EDT Friday April 17, 2020.

* IMPACTS...Plan on slippery road conditions. The hazardous conditions could impact the morning commute.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Snow will develop late tonight and persist into Friday morning. The snow may be heavy times. Most of the snow accumulation is expected from roughly from 6 AM to 12 PM EDT Friday.

Bacteria (Microbiome) and Fungi in our bodies and on our skin affect COVID-19 severity

from HERE & NOW (NPR program 4/16/2020)

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, scientists are racing to unravel every aspect of how this novel virus behaves. The elderly, those with pre-existing conditions and those in disadvantaged communities with less access to health care have the worst outcomes.

But what scientists don't understand is why some people who fall outside those groups are also being hospitalized — in some cases dying — while others are not.

Among those trying to figure that out is Dr. Ronald Collman, a microbiologist and professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (@PennMicro), who thinks that our microbiome — the bacteria and fungi that live in our bodies and on our skin — may be playing a role. He joins host Robin Young to discuss his research.

Cannes Film Festival -- postponement for May 2020 -- BBC news article

The Cannes film festival will not take place "in its original form" this year, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Organisers first postponed the festival last month, saying that they would aim to stage it in June or July this year.

But in an updated statement, they said that plan was now "no longer an option" after France extended its lockdown measures this week.

They did not elaborate on what the alternatives could be but said they hoped "to communicate promptly".

The prestigious festival was originally scheduled to take place in the south of France from 12 to 23 May.

When the festival was first postponed, its president, Pierre Lescure, said he was "reasonably optimistic" it would still go ahead this year.

Fight for information in a Pandemic Age (April 13, 2020) The 1A call-in show (NPR)

Across the United States, Nursing homes have emerged as hotspots for coronavirus.

That has huge implications for a number of places, but particularly for states like Florida — where people over 65 make up a fifth of the total population.

The Miami Herald has been trying to find out how many people in elder care facilities have tested positive for the illness, and which areas have been hit hardest. But they’ve run up against a roadblock: their own government.

The office of Republican Governor Ron DeSantis hasn’t just refused to release the data; it applied pressure to The Miami Herald‘s law firm to get them to abandon a planned public records lawsuit. The political pressure succeeded, at least in part. The Herald still plans to file the lawsuit this week, but through a different firm.

Miami Herald publisher and executive editor Aminda Marqués González said on Saturday:

“We are disappointed that the governor’s office would go so far as to apply pressure on our legal counsel to prevent the release of public records that are critical to the health and safety of Florida’s most vulnerable citizens […] We shouldn’t have had to resort to legal action in the first place. Anyone with a relative in an elder care facility has a right to know if their loved ones are at risk so they can make an informed decision about their care.”

Critics slammed Gov. DeSantis for his response to the pandemic. He didn’t issue a stay-at-home order until April 1st, he’s repeatedly dismissed the advice of medical experts, and he was sharing misinformation about Covid-19 as recently as last Thursday – when he claimed no American under 25 has been killed by the virus.

The Miami Herald’s Carol Marbin Miller has been covering elder care in Florida for more than 20 years. We talk to her about her reporting, which led to the lawsuit she’s now a plaintiff on — and how the Herald isn’t the only local newsroom fighting to get the right data.

GUEST

Carol Marbin Miller

deputy investigations editor, The Miami Herald.

Dyngus Day -- Food Drive -- St. Joseph County, IN -- 9 a.m. on April 13, 2020

The ongoing pandemic has halted many events and celebrations, but one organization is still planning something for the upcoming Dyngus Day.

St. Joseph County Jail & Police will host a Dyngus Day Food Drive on Monday, April 13, 2020 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in an effort to help those experiencing hunger due to the recent spike in unemployment.

During the last two weeks of March alone, more than 8,500 St. Joseph County residents filed new unemployment claims.

The food drive will abide by social distancing guidelines by collecting non-perishable food items outside of the jail’s front doors. Donors will be able to drive through and drop off their donation out of their car window.

The St. Joseph County Jail is located at 401 West Sample Street in South Bend. All donations will be delivered to the Food Bank of Northern Indiana.

High Wind Advisory (Berrien County, Michigan) -- day of Monday April 13, 2020

National Weather Service alert (from www.wndu.com/weather) :

* WHEN...From 5 AM EDT to 8 PM EDT Monday. The strongest winds will overspread western areas between 5 and 8 AM EDT and quickly spread east through the morning.

* WHAT...West winds 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 50 mph expected. A brief period of gusts 50 to 55 mph is possible Monday morning.

* WHERE...Portions of northern Indiana, southwest Michigan and northwest Ohio.

Area Counties Affected: Berrien; Branch; Cass; Hillsdale; St. Joseph (all in Michigan)

...HIGH WIND WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM LATE SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY EVENING...

* WHAT...West winds 25 to 35 mph with frequent gusts up to 50 mph. A brief period of gusts 50 to 60 mph possible Monday morning.

* WHERE...Portions of northern Indiana, southwest Michigan and northwest Ohio.

* WHEN...From late Sunday night (Easter April 12, 2020) through Monday evening (April 13).

* IMPACTS...Damaging winds could blow down trees and power lines. Widespread power outages are possible. Travel could be difficult, especially for high profile vehicles.

Monitor the latest forecasts and warnings for updates on this situation. Fasten loose objects or shelter objects in a safe location prior to the onset of winds.

Historic central Illinois 4-year College votes to close -- MacMurray College of Jacksonville, IL -- March 2020

from IL Great Rivers Conference (United Methodist) website http://igrc.org   News Article (online)

MacMurray College closing at the end of Spring 2020 term

published 3/27/2020

The Board of Trustees of MacMurray College announced March 27, 2020 it will close at the end of the spring semester in May 2020, ending a 174-year history in higher education.

Charles O’Connell, chair of the Board of Trustees, said the Board voted unanimously to close after extensive analysis and consideration, reaching the conclusion that the school “had no viable financial path forward,” with declining enrollments, rising competitive costs and a small endowment. He noted that alumni had been generous in a recent fundraising drive, but that it was not sufficient to reverse trends.

Wind Advisory (April 9, 2020) - Berrien and Cass Counties, Michigan (Niles, MI)

from National Weather Service (as posted at WNDU-TV affiliate of NBC)

WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT  THIS EVENING...

* WHAT...Northwest winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 45 mph expected. Isolated gusts in excess of 50 mph possible in showers Thursday afternoon (4/9/2020).

Severe Thunderstorm WARNING (9 p.m. Eastern Time) - Berrien County, Michigan

from National Weather Service

Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Southwestern Cass County in southwestern Michigan... Southeastern Berrien County in southwestern Michigan...

* Until 1015 PM EDT.

* At 928 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Bridgman, or 10 miles northwest of Buchanan, moving east at 30 mph. At 928 PM EDT...hail to the size of dimes was reported in Sawyer. HAZARD...Ping pong ball size hail and 60 mph wind gusts. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...People and animals outdoors will be injured. Expect hail damage to roofs, siding, windows, and vehicles. Expect wind damage to roofs, siding, and trees.

* Locations impacted include... Niles

Palm Sunday Procession in Jerusalem (during the Spring season of COVID - 19 April 2020)

as reported in Politico dot-com (online article)

JERUSALEM — A small group of Franciscan monks and Roman Catholic faithful took to the streets of Jerusalem’s Christian Quarter in the Old City Sunday to distribute olive branches after the traditional Palm Sunday procession was canceled due to restrictions imposed to contain the spread of coronavirus.

The march took place as Israel deployed troops to help contain an outbreak in a hard-hit city. . .

Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem and is the start of the church’s most solemn week, which includes the Good Friday re-enactment of Jesus’ crucifixion and death and his resurrection on Easter.

In Israel, more than 8,000 people have contracted the coronavirus and 46 have died. In the West Bank, nearly 200 cases have been reported, including a large outbreak in the biblical town of Bethlehem.

The outbreak has forced church officials to close churches to the public and scale back religious observances throughout the week. Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the top Catholic clergyman in the Holy Land, held a small, closed service at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the site where Christians believe Jesus was crucified and resurrected.

Worshipers traditionally carry palm fronds and olive branches and march from the top of the Mount of Olives into Jerusalem’s Old City.

While thousands of pilgrims usually participate in the march, this year it was limited to a handful of participants. Clerics and faithful went door to door often throwing the branches to Christians looking on from their balconies.

The nearest Supermoon of 2020 : April 7, 8 (information from Almanac dot-com)

SUPER PINK MOON OF APRIL

On Tuesday, April 7, 2020 at 10:35 EDT, we mark the full Moon of April. It’s the nearest (and, thus, biggest and brightest) supermoon of the year!

Based on a longtime Almanac tradition, we give each lunar month a nickname and April’s Moon is called the “Pink Moon.” No, it’s not because it will turn pink (though a Moon low in the sky will look pinkish). The name speaks to wildflowers called creeping phlox, ground phlox, or moss pink, one of the early spring flowers which blooms at this time.

State of Emergency (Michigan ) : Executive Order 2020-33 by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer

On April 1, 2020 Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Executive Order 2020-33 (“Order 2020-33”), declaring a state of emergency expansion and additionally declaring a state of disaster to address the fast-progressing COVID-19 pandemic.

Traffic at this blog (GOOGLER): "Seeking Faith and Understanding" -- April 2020

http://faithfor2008.blogspot.com/

Page views on April 3, 2020 = 59

PAGE VIEWS on April 9, 2020 = 57

Easter Sunday 4/12/2020 page views = 30

April 16, 2020 page views = 17

April 17 page views = 24

April 20, 2020 page views = 29

April 22 = 23

April 23, 2020 (Thursday) = 24

April 24, 2020 = 35

4/27/2020 page views = 27

April 28, 2020 = 22

April 29, 2020 = 23

April 30 (Thursday) = 27

Where's the PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) for Coronavirus workers (health care and EMTs / first responders)?

See NPR - WAMU The 1A call-in radio program (4/1/2020):

One of the most critical challenges facing leaders responding to the coronavirus pandemic is getting and distributing enough personal protective equipment (PPE) for medical workers. These items include goggles, respirators, face masks, hair covers, gloves and more.

Despite the coordinated efforts of governments and companies in the United States, PPE is in short supply. President Donald Trump has promised that help is on the way in the form of aid from the strategic reserve. He’s also said that companies will contribute equipment or begin manufacturing it.

Americans, however, aren’t just waiting around for those in charge to do something. A shortage of face masks has created a wave of citizen-led donation efforts. Massachusetts has asked that businesses or individuals with stores of items considered PPE donate them so they can be distributed to professionals in need.

What are nurses and doctors on the front lines experiencing? Why doesn’t America have more personal protective equipment on hand? How can we get enough for those who need it most?

GUESTS

Susan

Nurse practitioner

Sarah Kliff

Investigative reporter at the New York Times

Sajjad Khan

Home Health Administrator at Spirit Homecare

Todd Hoevener

director, advanced strategy and planning at Ford Motor Company