Week of 3/29: FREECABLE TV’s Top 10 Stories

#1: Valedictorian in The Drive-Through Window

Grand Traverse Academy of Traverse City, Michigan, has been closed since March 13th due to the Coronavirus. As such, Michelle Floering, Grand Traverse Academy principal, felt compelled to find a way to alert a student of their Valedictorian honor. And after receiving permission from a proud parent, Floering got in her car to personally deliver the news to one Kaitlyn Watson, the valedictorian in question, while Watson was working a shift at a local fast food chain.

Valedictorian in The Drive-Through Window

#2: Rockhopping At The Aquarium

It is to nobody’s surprise that attraction parks and aquariums alike are currently down in foot traffic. So what’s a penguin to do without all the usual attention? Go on some adventures, of course! And for the rockhopper penguins of Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium, their first stop was just around the corner. Shedd Aquarium explained that they allowed their rockhopper penguins to walk around the aquarium grounds afterhours as a way to keep their penguins happy, engaged, and active.

Rockhopping At The Aquarium

#3: TV Stations to Pull Anti-Trump Coronavirus Ad

Attorneys for Trump’s re-election campaign this week sent a letter to TV stations demanding that they remove a controversial anti-Trump political ad that they argue to “[not] accurately reflect the president’s response to the new coronavirus pandemic”. While Trump’s attorneys argued that the ad is misleading and false, television stations are standing their ground arguing that Trump must be held accountable for his words, especially in these trying times. Currently, the ad remains running on 75 local stations and 11 cable systems all across Florida, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

TV Stations to Pull Anti-Trump Coronavirus Ad

#4: Hoarding Is Normal

A behavioral neuroscientist explains that the idea of hoarding is not only normal, it is to be expected among human beings. People have had so much instant gratification and comfort recently that, unlike times where wars and famines raged throughout the world, there just hasn’t been a need nor desire to hoard until now. The neuroscientist further elaborates that just like squirrels regularly stockpile nuts all Fall to eat for Winter, people are now similarly starting to stockpile provisions with the expectation where such provisions may become limited, i.e. our current predicament with the Coronavirus.

#5: Understanding Hand Sanitizers

While hand sanitizers are great for our current fight against Coronavirus, it is important to understand what they can do and more importantly, what they can’t. Here are some quick tips to get you started:

Applying alcohol-based hand sanitizers does not protect you from all germs.
Washing your hands with soap and water is more effective than using hand sanitizer.
Keep a lookout for hand sanitizers that are 60 to 95 percent alcohol for full effectiveness.

#6: Trump Approves Major Emergency Declarations

As of March 25th 2020, President Trump officially approved major emergency declarations for the following states: New York, California, Washington, Iowa, Louisiana, Texas, and Florida. Trump also briefly mentions that the Defense Production Act will be a “great negotiating tool” to inspire companies to manufacture crucial medical supplies. Based on this announcement, many have inferred that the U.S. will most likely not be “open” again by Easter.

Watch more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHoBDcHB7M0

#7: Cough Destroys a Pennsylvania Supermarket

$35,000 worth of food was destroyed at a Pennsylvania supermarket after a woman’s “Coronavirus Prank". It was reported that the woman was witnessed intentionally coughing over fresh food in the bakery and meat cases. The culprit is currently being tested for the Coronavirus.

Watch more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QDFFCn2IrE

#8: Speculation of New COVID19 Symptoms

Ohio Department of Health Director, Dr. Amy Acton, have found some new symptoms among Coronavirus Patients. Unlike the typical symptoms such as nausea, fevers, and the like, a loss of taste and/or smell have recently emerged as potential symptoms for the Coronavirus as well. Further testing is being done for full confirmation.

Watch more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5k_F-eBYQU

#9: NC Earns a "B" Grade at Social Distancing

At the very least, North Carolina is more than just passing in terms of social distancing. The grade was given via the website Unacast, which is keeping a scoreboard among all the states and their effectiveness towards social distancing. The controversy regarding Unacast currently is whether or not the company is ethical in its use of cellular location data to track its users.

Watch more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UORMZcF75M

#10: Wine Tasting from Home

Recently, wineries, bars, and tasting rooms alike all were forced to close in efforts to reduce the spread of the Coronavirus. As such, CA’s multi-billion-dollar wine industry must get creative in order to keep themselves above water. Silt Wine Company, like many other wineries, decided to take their operations online to try and maintain their business.