Editorial Staff

COVID-19 Roundup from Pioneer: Will we see a spike in crime?; Ranking states on social distancing; Ramping up remote learning; Secrecy about case numbers & more!

/0 Comments/in , , , /by Editorial Staff
Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
Share on
LinkedIn
+

Pioneer staff share their top picks for COVID-19 stories highlighting useful resources, best practices, and questions we should be asking our public and private sector leaders. We hope you are staying safe, and we welcome your thoughts; you can always reach out to us via email:  pioneer@pioneerinstitute.org.

Our Top Picks for COVID-19 Pandemic News:

William Smith, Visiting Fellow in Life Sciences: A patient advocacy organization discusses COVID-19 treatments on its podcast. Also, here is a policy change that could get any vaccine out faster.
Don’t miss Dr. Smith’s new report warning about a methodology that poses a threat to older Americans who are more vulnerable during COVID-19.

Mary Z. Connaughton, Director of Government Transparency: A beancounter’s delight – this product’s generally sleepy sales sprinted into high gear as the public prepared their pantries for the long haul, according to the New York Times. Also, if a family member becomes infected with COVID-19, here’s a home-care kit you should have in your house, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Also from Mary: How well is your state or county doing in social distancing? Check out this site from Unacast.

Rebekah Paxton, Research Analyst: To understand the economic impact of COVID-19 in Massachusetts, we’ll need more in-depth analysis. Pioneer’s new series on Massachusetts economic trends draws on MassEconomix.org to provide invaluable data by industry and geography. Read our new report.

Andrew Mikula, Peters Fellow: Will the surge in unemployment in the U.S. cause a spike in crime? Intuitively, it makes sense that people replace legitimate business with theft and fraud during desperate times. But during a recession in which leaders are asking would-be workers to shelter in place, things might be different. According to OSU economist Bruce Weinberg, “People sitting in their houses don’t make great targets for crime. People going out spending cash and hanging out in big crowds do.” Tragically, though, rates of domestic violence are reported to be increasing.

Micaela Dawson, Communications Director: Our World in Data provides interactive charts and maps that allow you to view and compare country-level information on COVID-19 testing, cases (total and per million), fatalities (total and daily new confirmed), doubling time, trajectory, and more.

Our Picks for Public & Private Sector Best Practices:

Jim Stergios tips his hat to Florida Virtual School and greater Boston-area Catholic schools for their success with distance learning and offers some constructive suggestions for ensuring our public school students can benefit from remote learning as well, in this Boston Globe op-ed. Read our additional curricular resources for parents and guardians.

Jamie Gass, Education Policy Director, shares a story about a familiar figure to Pioneer, who is leading an effort to teach 40 million kids at home! And, a history lesson about the worst epidemic the United States has ever known. Before it was over, more than 600,000 Americans perished. Hear more about the parallels with COVID-19 from Stanford historian David Kennedy, this week’s guest on “The Learning Curve” podcast (new episodes every Friday at 11 am).

Barbara Anthony, Senior Fellow in Healthcare: Why is there such secrecy around city and town COVID-19 case numbers in Massachusetts? Right now, the state releases data by county only. In the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, Barbara explains why that policy should change.

Questions for Our Public & Private Sector Leaders:

Get Our COVID-19 News, Tips & Resources!

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Related Posts

Human Rights Advocate Kristina Arriaga on Cuba, Religious Liberty, & Cancel Culture

This week on “The Learning Curve," co-hosts Cara Candal and Gerard Robinson talk with Kristina Arriaga, president of Intrinsic, a strategic communications firm, and former vice chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. Kristina shares her family’s experiences fleeing Castro’s communist regime in Cuba and other hardships, and how her background has shaped her commitment to religious liberty.

Pandemic Pension Payout: Essential COVID-19 Public Workers Rewarded Whether Essential or Working

Hubwonk host Joe Selvaggi talks with Pioneer Institute’s Director of Research and former Massachusetts Inspector General and State Representative Greg Sullivan about HB 2808, COVID-19 Essential Employee Retirement Credit Bonus, discussing the merits of the recently proposed joint bill, its cost, and our current public debt burden in the Commonwealth.

MBTA Ridership Trends Compared to Public Transportation Agencies Nationwide

0 Comments
/
The COVID-19 pandemic had a devastating effect on our economy,…

Public Statement on Implementation of the Charitable Giving Deduction

Despite being awash in cash, the state Legislature just overrode Gov. Charlie Baker’s veto of a provision to delay by yet another year a tax deduction for charitable donations. Rep. Mark Cusack, House chair of the Joint Committee on Revenue, said “it doesn’t mean no, just not now.” If not now, when?

The Globe’s Ornaments – Celebrating the Great Cities of the Ages – 35 Resources for Parents & Students

Celebrating the Great Cities of the Ages - This is part of Pioneer’s ongoing series of blogs on curricular resources for parents, teachers, and students during COVID-19.

Jeeves & Wooster’s World The Comic Genius of P.G. Wodehouse – 30 Resources for Parents & Students

Life and writing can and should be playful, witty, light, fun, and make us smile. This is particularly important during the hard realities and sometimes loneliness of COVID, lockdowns, masks, and the increasingly stilted use of language today. To provide some much-needed comic relief and to help people of all age groups glory in the English language, take ourselves less seriously, and laugh more – please enjoy the world of P.G. Wodehouse!

Public Statement on the MA Legislature’s Blanket Pension Giveaway

Beacon Hill just put on full display what happens when it is awash in money. House Bill 2808 is entitled, “An Act relative to providing a COVID-19 retirement credit to essential public workers.”  It calls for adding three years of additional retirement credit to state “employees who have volunteered to work or have been required to work at their respective worksites or any other worksite outside of their personal residences during the COVID-19 state of emergency…” But upon reading the brief bill, it quickly becomes clear that this legislation is irresponsible in the extreme.

Employment trends in the Greater Boston Area and Touristy Massachusetts Counties during the COVID-19 Pandemic

0 Comments
/
Using MassEconomix, Pioneer Institute’s database on employment…

The COVID-19 Impact on Massachusetts Community College Enrollment & Success Trends

Enrollment at Massachusetts community colleges has dropped 32.61…

Elevating Liberal Democracy Above Fragmentation – 30 Resources for Citizens and Schools

In Pioneer’s ongoing series of blogs on curricular resources for parents, families, and teachers during COVID-19, this one focuses on: Elevating Liberal Democracy Above Fragmentation.