KNAU eNews: Business Flip, Jeweled Trees and more

Scientists say widespread testing for the coronavirus disease is vital before public health officials can make decisions about reopening the economy. Multiple tests have been designed for the new disease, but supply shortages now hinder the effort. Learn more at KNAU.org.

Small businesses are taking a hit as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many have had to close and lay off employees Tom Monroe is the owner of Armored Outdoor Gear in Flagstaff, a small start-up company that manufactures critter-proof storage bags for camping and other adventures. He was on the verge of laying off his staff in March when an unexpected – and unfortunate – business enterprise presented itself: the need for face masks for essential workers. Learn more at KNAU.org.

No one expects to see trees that look like jewels in the high desert of Arizona. But that’s exactly what visitors find in the Petrified Forest National Park – ancient logs preserved for millennia by a process that transfigured them into rare and beautiful stones. Learn more at KNAU.org.

KNAU’s All Things Considered host, Deb Hilton, is also a longtime professional musician. She and her husband, Brad Munds, have been making music together for years, and they miss their weekend shows and playing for dancing crowds. Learn more at KNAU.org.

According to the agency, the order is designed to protect the health and safety of employees and communities during the coronavirus outbreak. Learn more at KNAU.org.