Lake Effect

The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed how we socialize and how we work. For some people, particularly essential workers, this has made it difficult to navigate an evolving workplace with employee protections in the limelight.

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Employers now have more leeway in the questions they can ask their employees, which raises concerns about accountability and potential discrimination.

The modern piano keyboard has 88 keys. And the late Joan Wildman was a master of all of them.

Her improvisations would go from low, low bass notes to the very high upper register. She played stride, blues, bebop, eighth notes, quarter notes, intervals, you name it. And sometimes she'd play the inner strings and sides of the piano — not just the keys.

In April, a TV news station in Bakersfield, Calif., interviewed two immediate care doctors about their views on the coronavirus outbreak. Within days, the American College of Emergency Physicians and the American Academy of Emergency Medicine condemned the interview as “reckless” and their opinions “untested.”

Since going to a movie theater currently isn't an option, and may not be for a long time, most of us are turning to streaming services for entertainment. 

The motion picture distribution system was under stress before the coronavirus pandemic, but as services like Netflix grow worldwide, the future of the traditional film industry and movie theaters post-pandemic is uncertain, to say the least. 

Who and what is essential? While people in health care are working tirelessly to combat the spread of COVID-19, they've also shared the spotlight with workers we often take for granted: people working at the grocery store, mail carriers, janitors, and countless others that are doing essential work so we can continue to have what we need.

The true economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic is still unclear. Unemployment has had its highest surge in U.S. history, dwarfing previous records. Small businesses are struggling to survive, and the stock market has been vacillating between extreme lows and highs.

In the Milwaukee area, people are concerned about what this is going to mean for themselves, their loved ones, and the community. Rob Henken, president of the Wisconsin Policy Forum, has been analyzing how this pandemic may impact local budgets.

Milwaukee artists are some of the people most affected by the coronavirus pandemic. With galleries and performance venues closed, there aren't many places where art can be shared. But, as with all unusual circumstances, they can count on their creativity to get by.

David Lee, the CEO of Imagine MKE, and Deanna Tillisch, the president and CEO of the United Performing Arts Fund (UPAF), talk about the financial and creative hurdles local artists have had to overcome:

COVID-19 has implemented immediate challenges to our health care system and the health of the country. And these immediate and long-term changes pose an exponential risk to those with addiction.

Social distancing, working and teaching children from home, unemployment — all of those can be a triggering stressor for those in recovery. Spending more time at home could dramatically increase relapse rates, especially as access to recovery care is limited or changed.

The United States has more than 1 million total cases of COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control. In Wisconsin, the cumulative number of coronavirus cases has surpassed 8,500.

A global pandemic and numbers like these can be a little hard to grasp — until coronavirus affects you or someone you know directly. For us here at WUWM, our former staff member Danielle Nelson is that someone.

A coalition of conservative activists is petitioning the Wisconsin Supreme Court to overturn safer-at-home directives, according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. The activists, affiliated with the controversial Heartland Institute, say Gov.

The COVID-19 crisis could significantly deplete state resources in Wisconsin. Gov. Tony Evers says the state could lose more than $2 billion over the next year because tax collections are expected to drop and demand for state services like Medicaid is expected to increase.

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Being next to hundreds of people to celebrate and share a common experience is one of the highlights of seeing a concert or a performer. But due to coronavirus, that experience will be changed long after states reopen.

Arts and culture is an integral part of the human experience, but also a huge part of a city’s economy. Beyond ticket sales, independent venues also serve as tourist destinations and create revenue for the businesses around them. But, if venues remain closed through 2020, they’re forecast to lose up to $8.9 billion in revenue.

Theaters, like other public gathering spaces, are closed. Local companies, like the Milwaukee Repertory Theater, have found creative ways to pay homage to planned productions and keep people engaged with their company.

Still, without any staged shows, the Milwaukee Rep's behind-the-scenes team has been left without any sets to build, props to create, or costumes to design. So they’ve found a way to put their skills to use outside of the theater.

>>Latest WUWM & NPR Coronavirus Coverage

In America, environmentalism is often seen as a left-wing partisan issue. But in other parts of the world, and at different points in history, environmentalists have also had right-wing motivations too.

With the coronavirus pandemic and Wisconsin's stay-at-home order, it's difficult to go out and explore things happening in our community. But there are still ways to engage with local organizations, businesses, and people while sticking to social distancing guidelines. 

Adam Carr is the deputy editor for community engagement at the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service (MNNS), and he's highlighting some of the events and activities happening in Milwaukee in May.