CONTENTS 5/29/2020
Alert: Lost Siamese Cat
Chalk Report
Immanuel Outdoor Gathering
My Mask Protects You; Your Mask Protects Me
Masks On West Street
Masks At Goods
Graduation Ceremonies Online
Graduation Parade
White Supremacists Again
Whatcom Covid Locations
What’s Happening At Our Library?
Disinformation
Radio Free Fl!p: Generations
ALERT: REWARD – MISSING LIGHT GRAY SIAMESE CAT: Possibly seen near James and Maryland, or more likely near E Victor St. I live close to the Meridian Haggen at 3016 Kulshan Street and my indoor cat (who roams in our fenced yard) went missing at around 8pm on 5/26. We moved a few weeks ago from James St and even though she seemed comfortable with the yard, she has disappeared. We are really worried. Please call me at (360) 531-2323 if you see her! She is pretty skittish. Her name is Persia. She likes tuna if you want to try to coax her. She is blue eyed, coloring is white/brownish/grayish and has darker striped markings on her face, legs, and tail. Unless she’s lost it, she has her collar (light green with a bright pink tag), is microchipped, and she’s spayed. We have been all over the neighborhood, talking with neighbors, spreading flyers, calling her name (even at night and no response). But sometimes I swear like I hear her high pitched meow and then it blends in with the bird sounds and Meridian St noise, or is actually a bird sound… I’m just driven sick with worry and can’t think about anything else. I’m going to be asking more neighbors if I can search their sheds/garages and if they can search their crawl spaces/basements. I think you’re right though and she’s near, but too afraid and is in instinct mode with tells her to be silent. I’m just trying to urge people to search, especially with a flashlight which could pick up on her reflective eyes, even in the daytime. Her litter box has been in our backyard (alleyway), along with food (gets eaten by critters), a blanket and clothes that smell like us. Thank you so much, all I want is Persia back. She’s posted on Craigslist, Facebook forums, Nextdoor, and around the neighborhood on flyers. Here’s a photo:
https://bellingham.craigslist.org/pet/d/bellingham-missing-white-gray-siamese/7131962768.html
Thank you, we miss our baby so much. ~ Megan Gambill, Kushan Street
CHALK REPORT
We’ve already got a couple photographers who have volunteered. I’m ready to try some experiments with the home made chalk paint to see if/how badly it stains the sidewalk (and clothing). If anybody else is up for experimenting I would love to hear how it goes!
IMMANUEL OUTDOOR GATHERING
Greetings neighbors, On Sunday, 5/31, Immanuel Bible Church will begin phased-in gathering outdoors pursuant with Governor Inslee’s guidance. In a season of heightened concerns, we believe it’s important to inform you of our meeting and our desire to do so safely. Everyone will be bringing their own chairs, spacing widely and wearing masks. We also remain ready to serve you and your family as needs might arise. Prayerfully, Pastor Michael
MY MASK PROTECTS YOU; YOUR MASK PROTECTS ME
Thank you so much to the many neighbors who are wearing masks when out in public. This is the most effective way that has been found so far to stop the spread. Masks are Love Thy Neighbor made visible. And thank you to all the mask-makers who are making this form of love possible!
MASKS ON WEST STREET
2525 West Street
Are you still looking? Let’s keep each other safe!!!
I’ve sewn and donated over 1000 masks to Healthcare and essential workers. Now I have more available for you neighborhood folks.
I have LOTS of kids sizes right now and maybe a dozen adult ones, but I’m making more this weekend. I’m putting them on a table in my yard, right inside the fence. You can reach over the fence to choose. They are individually bagged up.
Donations of around $5/mask would be greatly appreciated. Donations can be dropped in my mailbox or or Venmo me @lindsaymknight. Or PayPal my email lindsay.m.knight@gmail.com. its not about the money, just trying to recoup some costs for my donated masks. ~ Lindsay Knight
MASKS AT GOODS
Hi! Sarah from Little Bird Salon here! I will be bringing another 30 Masks to GOODS at 9am tomorrow. Sizes range from child’s (2-8), small/youth, medium and large. Due to my endless wait for elastic to be delivered I have switched to using nylon! And it is SO comfortable! There is also another small difference in the design as I have added additional wire for an even better fit over the nose. I hope you like them!
Sarah Guenther
Little Bird Salon|
Lil.bird.salon@gmail.com
GRADUATION CEREMONIES ONLINE
June 12 at 6:00 PM each Bellingham school will host an event. I’ll add more information as it becomes available.
GRADUATION PARADE
Calling all 2020 High School Graduates from Columbia!!! Since traditional graduation parties aren’t possible this year let’s start a new tradition: SENIOR PARADE! Think 4th-of-July Neighborhood Parade but the seniors will be driven in their personally decorated cars on Saturday, June 13th from 12:00-1:30ish. Meet at Mrs. Valle’s house at 2515 Kulshan Street at high noon to start the line up of vehicles The parade will snake up and down Columbia streets so that neighbors can celebrate our seniors in the safety of their yards. Seniors wear your and gowns. Neighbors prepare to make some noise in celebration!! Thank you, ~ Natalie Wermus, 2527 Victor
WHITE SUPREMACISTS AGAIN
This is the second time a small slip of paper with a white supremacist invitation to a website has been inserted in a Little Free Library in our neighborhood. If you host a library box, please check yours. Please get a photo of any such and email to the police, and to me as well if you wouldn’t mind, with the location and date. Report online here:
https://www.cob.org/services/safety/police/reporting/Pages/police-tips.aspx
or call here: 778-8800 station officer
Remove and save the paper. Maybe wear gloves. And if anyone observes weird behavior around a Little Free Library, please document and report to police.
WHATCOM COVID LOCATIONS
The Herald today reports on the virus broken down by school district areas. I found the article pretty easy to understand, and once I read the paragraph, the chart was illuminating. As far as I know, this is the first time we’ve had virus breakdown available by location.
https://www.bellinghamherald.com/news/coronavirus/article243087881.html?
WHAT’S HAPPENING AT OUR LIBRARY?
The short answer is, lots!
DISINFORMATION
From my beloved Betsy Brown MD. Betsy is a medical doctor in Seattle who began blogging at the beginning of this pandemic. She has been one of my most reliable sources for information through this challenging time.
We are entering a new phase of disinformation. Most places have done a remarkable job of sheltering in place and lowering the infection rate. Truly amazing, really. . . This article shows that most people are in favor of moving slowly and safely in opening up, but a “Bot” army is behind the push to re-open. Bots, for those of us new to social media, are computers connected to each other and the internet to run automated messages pushing certain themes. They can make it look like the majority want a certain thing when in reality it is a very, very small portion, if at all. They can easily skew the conversation. Discouraging and potentially dangerous.
Along with the bots, the medical community is facing another problem. Data shows that of the most watched YouTube videos, 1 out of 4 of the COVID-19 videos have misleading or false information. What are we to do? It is hard to prove who is behind these false information campaigns. How do we discern and how do we counter those arguing this misguided information.
Keeping up with data and using reliable sites that are based in science are the best ways to help yourself and others. The New York Times article gives us ways to monitor data in 5 different ways. As always, the New England Journal of Medicine, Lancet, and JAMA, as well as sites for the Mayo Clinic and others, are trustworthy. Despite recent problems, the CDC and NIH are reliable sites that I use as well. It can take energy and time to try to change peoples minds, frustrating and fruitless much of the time. Possibly, remind the skeptical ones that you are doing this to prevent the spread, especially to vulnerable grandparents, relatives, and friends. This can be the gentle way to start to change minds. But remember, that if they push back, save your energy for yourself.
I am interested in this fresh data out of Seattle that shows that younger people are getting diagnosed more now than older people. Not surprising, partly because they are more liberal in their behaviors, getting out more, not wearing masks as well, being around more people. At the same time, older people, who have higher risks, are being more stringent and cautious in their behaviors. This is mixed news for us- on the one hand, more younger people will get infected which increases the virus in the community, but at the same time it reinforces that the precautions the older people are taking are working. That is encouraging data for us and hopefully can help us stay the course.
And the questions about “fomites” and catching COVI-19 from surfaces is not easy to answer and this article may help. If only I can learn not to touch my face! Keeping my hands washed will help.
And don’t forget to exercise. I feel better when I do and more stressed when I don’t.
Wash your hands and cover your nose!
You can read her daily posts at https://betsybrownmd.substack.com/
RADIO FREE FL!P: GENERATIONS
Another song, written by Si Kahn for his father, and grandfather, and the children and grandchildren who come after.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DK4kacXy0mw
Love/Fl!p 360-671-4511 cell/text flip@columbianeighborhood.org