Midweek’s back for a new season in a new way: podcasts!

Aaaaand we’re back! Our last season ended abruptly with the arrival of the pandemic, but you can’t keep a good show down.

A whole new Midweek team is now finding a whole new way to bring you our usual mix of great audio journalism — even though they’re strung out in homes from Timmins, Ont., to Dubai, U.A.E! Each reporter produces their own story wherever they are, and each week’s producers work together online to piece their podcasts together into a finished mini-show. And here’s what they have for you this week:

Podcast 1 : The leaves on trees are not the only things changing this fall in Ottawa. Our lives are changing too as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continues to claim lives, keep us indoors and shuts down businesses.

In this Midweek podcast, we highlight the stories of how both businesses and people are faring with public health restrictions, and findings ways to thrive. Hosts Hannah Rivkin and Ethan Diamandas lead us through the stories of struggles and silver linings.

Halloween and homecoming parties mean gigs and paydays for local DJs, but these events are mostly on hold to reduce the spread of the virus. Midweek’s Natalie McGrath spoke to a local DJ who has had to find alternative ways to appeal to his audience and keep afloat.

This time of the year is also when apple and pumpkin farmers harvest the fruits of their labour, so Rivkin reached out to a local farm to see how the season is going amid strange times.

Meanwhile, Carleton University’s baseball team has found creative ways to practise despite the season being cancelled. Diamandas caught up with the team to see how they’re finding ways to keep their skills sharp. And will restaurants find ways to stay afloat as the Ontario government banned serving alcohol after 11 p.m.? Paige Kahkonen spoke to an Ottawa restaurant owner who is already seeing a decline in customers and sales.

This podcast was produced by Kindra Squire, Warren Reid, and Hamza Ali.

Podcast 2 : This podcast’s hosts, Kieran Heffernan and Kayla Holmes, take us from stories about realities of COVID-19 to stories about sickness, healing and accepting fate.

As students returned to school this fall, two educational institutions in Ottawa are grappling with COVID-19 cases in residence. Midweek’s Emily Koch brings us the story of Carleton University ordering a lockdown of the Grenville House residence after a student tested positive. Meanwhile, reporter Matthew Newell talks to a student at the Richard Robinson Fashion Design Academy.

Midweek’s Rima Moussalli spoke to a death midwife in Toronto about her journey to become someone who prepares people emotionally and logistically for their death.

And in another example of coping with difficult times, Kieran Heffernan tells us how the Mamidosewin Centre at Algonquin College is holding daily virtual smudging ceremonies and story circles for the community.

This podcast was produced by Kevin O’Rourke McColl and Kayla Holmes.

Podcast 3 : Hosts and producers Kate Schellenberg and Meral Jamal take us through stories where the personal and political merge, and where global challenges mean finding local solutions.

Financial obstacles during the pandemic? That’s no hurdle for a local obstacle course training and fitness centre. Midweek’s Camryn Patterson tells us the story of how the owner of OCR Academy Ottawa is remaining hopeful his business will survive, despite clientele numbers dropping.

As speaking of obstacle courses, Midweek’s Graham Swaney brings us the story of how American citizens living in Canada are anxious to vote but also worried. With U.S. President Donald Trump criticizing mail-in voting in the first presidential debate, a former U.S. National Security adviser tells us this instills doubt in Americans living abroad.

Midweek’s Taylor Clark spoke to an Indigenous student at Trent University in honor of Orange Shirt Day in remembrance of how Indigenous children were cruelly mistreated by the schools they were forced to attend. The student said he still sees the impact of the residential school system in his family to this day.

While some are remembering the victims of residential schools across Canada, others are taking the steps to fight systemic anti-Black racism and end current wrongs. Midweek’s Ingrid Mutoni spoke to local activist Sisi Akhigbe about how to make Black Lives Matter more than just a trend.