U-M field hospital on hold; A2 Helps and A2 Neighbors emerge; Mott launches video series for parents

Happy Friday!

As if things aren’t already strange enough out there, what’s going on with all this snow? In typical Michigan fashion, winter just doesn’t know when to make its exit and we could see a couple inches of snow by the late afternoon. Luckily, things will warm up over the weekend.

In other positive news, two platforms launched recently to benefit local restaurants and frontline healthcare workers. A2 Helps was developed by the team at downtown co-working space Cahoots and allows donors to purchase gift cards for healthcare workers. In similar fashion, A2 Neighbors was created by a local husband and wife team who wanted to help support some of their favorite locally-owned eateries with large donated orders for shifts at three local hospitals. The initiatives are a triple win for local businesses, frontline workers and donors who can safely contribute without having to leave their homes.

Ann Arbor, don’t ever change.

- Meredith (@meredith_A4)

What’s been happening:

🏥 Michigan Medicine announced that it has delayed plans for a field hospital on the school’s athletic campus as the curve of coronavirus cases starts to flatten. (A4)

🤒 Ten residents at Glacier Hills Senior Living Community have tested positive for COVID-19 and one has died as nursing homes around the state struggle with localized outbreaks of the virus. (A4)

💔 Former Ann Arbor City Council member Graydon Krapohl has passed away after a long battle with cancer. Born in Ann Arbor, the husband, father and Marine was 59. (MLive)

🤝 United Way of Washtenaw County has granted nearly $500K to local organizations from its COVID-19 Community Relief Fund. (A4)

🛩 This is pretty remarkable. Local resident and pilot Hans Masing has been using his personal airplane to deliver PPE to healthcare workers around the Midwest as part of Operation Face Shield. (MLive)

🍹 A local bar owner is leading a statewide petition to allow the temporary sale of carry-out cocktails and alcohol. (A4)

💵 U-M has launched a new website to help residents receive their federal stimulus checks. (A4)

🤫 A seismometer at Michigan Stadium has recorded a significant decrease in noise levels as Ann Arborites hunker down during the stay-at-home order. (A4)

📸 A longtime team member in U-M’s emergency department has been photographing her coworkers (pictured above) and transformed her images into incredible mosaics of faces on the frontline. (A4)

Good to know:

📺 Michigan Medicine and Mott Children’s Hospital launched a video series this week for parents at home with kids. Viewers can submit questions ahead of time for expert panelists. (A4)

🏋 Worried about staying in shape? These local gyms are offering virtual workouts -- several of which are free. (A4)

🍕 The owner of NeoPapalis has started the PizzaPledge to recruit pizza makers across the U.S. to donate pies to local healthcare workers. (A4)

🗣 This story, my friends, has nothing to do with COVID-19. Set aside some time today to watch famed local chalk artist David Zinn’s recent TEDx talk. It is guaranteed to make you smile. (A4)

Feature interview of the week:

“Being an Ann Arborite is being a good neighbor to those around you and in the community where you live.”

- Graydon Krapohl in a 2018 interview with A4

✉️ Have something to share? Write me anytime at mbruckner@wdiv.com.

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