COVID and Conspiracy in the Upper Peninsula
With a vaccine in distribution, it’s starting to feel like there is light at the end of the pandemic tunnel. But in a small town of Calumet, in the western U.P., the fight against any change in daily life due to COVID-19 continues to rage as maskless patrons crowd a local cafe that has ignored state orders at every turn. We talk to a reporter who visited the town to understand how the combination of the pandemic and hyper-partisan rhetoric has combined to form a wave of anti-government sentiment among many Calumet residents. GUEST: Jonathan Oosting, reporter for Bridge Michigan You can find Jonathan’s story on Calumet here. Stateside’s theme music is by 14KT. Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions. If you like what you hear on the pod, consider supporting our work. Looking for more conversations from Stateside? Right this way. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.