Author: Fl!p

CONTENTS 6/13/2020
This Thursday!!!!!
Revised Elizabeth Park Summer Concert Schedule
Senior Motor Parade
Chalk Update
Restaurant Masks Revisited
Found A Kitty?
Hornet Correction: Better News
Park Parking
Radio Free Fl!p: Libba Cotten

REVISED ELIZABETH PARK SUMMER CONCERT SCHEDULE

THIS THURSDAY!!!!!

Thanks to the partnership of The Eldridge Society for History and Preservation and Bellingham Parks and Recreation, as well as the support and friendship of VARVID and KMRE-FM 102.3, you can still watch or listen to the Elizabeth Park Summer Concert series this summer.

The concerts are a mix of Live and pre-recorded performances and will be live-streamed on the Elizabeth Park Summer Concert Series Facebook page. You won’t need to have Facebook to watch it there. If you do have a Facebook account, think about hosting your own “watch party.”

Or, you can listen to the livestream broadcast on KMRE-FM 102.3, every Thursday from June 18 until August 20.

Either way, turn up your speakers!!

There have been some changes to the schedule since I sent out the original lineup earlier this year. It’s been a long three months. Thanks for your understanding.

ELIZABETH PARK SUMMER 2020 LINEUP

DATE BAND GENRE       

06/18/20 Free Harmony
Classic folk-rock harmonies       

06/25/20 CraigO’s Planet Groove
Grateful Dead meets New Orleans Funk       

07/02/20 The Sweet Goodbyes
Folk/Pop      

07/09/20 High Mountain String Band
Bellingham Based Progressive Bluegrass Band   

7/16/20 Free Harmony Classic
folk-rock harmonies       

7/23/20 4TENS Band
Fun Classic Rock Party Music       

 07/30/20 Di Young/Fruit Cocktail
Sultry Jazz and Pop Ensemble/Eclectic     

08/06/20 Fossil Rock
50’s and 60’s  Hits 

08/13/20 bandZandt
The County’s Best Dance Band       

08/20/20 CraigO’s Planet Groove
Grateful Dead meets New Orleans Funk 

SENIOR MOTOR PARADE

Sincere thanks to Natalie and Chris Wermus for organizing today’s Graduation Parade. It was glorious!!! I got a little teary-eyed over it. What a lovely idea. And all those decorated vehicles really felt like a parade! Thank you everybody, and congratulations to all our graduates!!!

CHALK UPDATE

I have pastel children’s chalk to distribute now. The bright colors will arrive in about a week and a half. I’m happy to let people come pick up chalk early, but I beg you to save it for July 4th. We still have a shortage. And if you can get your own, that would be great! Dakota Art 360-676-8918 on Cornwall, Launching Success 360-527-2641, and the Toy Garden (360)-714-8552 in Fairhaven all have or recently had chalk.

RESTAURANT MASKS REVISITED

Just thought I’d add to the mentioning of restaurants and workers. Restaurant staff does earn minimum wage now, not a living wage for sure, so generous tips are always appreciated. The entire staff at the Hearthfire Grill are wearing masks and taking every precaution to keep everyone safe. ~ Cindi Nutter

I just wanted to quickly comment about the restaurant mask issue. I completely agree with your approach; legally restaurant workers are required to wear a mask and anyone who sees otherwise should ask to speak with the manager on duty. We are in this together and businesses that do not follow the rules put our economic reopening at risk along with people’s lives. I also wanted to point out that stating that  restaurant servers are making less than minimum wage is simply incorrect. Every official worker in the state earns at least $13.50 per hour. There is no server or tip wage in this state. ~ Chas Kubis, Lynn St

Thanks Cindi & Chas! I guess it’s been a long time since I waited tables. I’m glad the situation has improved. Does anyone know if agricultural workers count as “official workers?” I would hate to try to live on $13.50 an hour. Please, everybody, wear your mask when your server comes to your table, and tip generously. OK?  ~ Love/Fl!p

FOUND A KITTY?

Today on Nextdoor, someone posted a picture of a kitty and asked if anyone was missing it.  This may have been my daughter’s missing kitty and we freaked out because he’s been gone since October. They fed, held and photographed the kitty before letting it go. By the time we got there, he was gone and we were both in tears.
~Keri Clark, 3119 Meridian St

It’s a heartbreaking situation, since your kitty has been gone since October and there were no photos of him posted online to let your neighbors know he was a Missing Kitty. How could you have dreamed to keep reposting after so long?

A lost pet is likely to be thin or bedraggled, and appear distressed and often disoriented. My suggestion for neighbors is, if you find what may be a stray cat, every vet in town will check for a ID chip, for free. Even the 24 hour emergency pet clinic. That’s step #1. And for humans possessed by cats, get your pet chipped ASAP, and if you move or change phone numbers, make sure you update your contact information. There are so many tears this can avoid.

Beyond that, if you find a pet, check all the local lost pet posting spots, and post photos of your guest in all of them as well. Off the top of my head, I think first of Craigslist, Columbia Neighborhood Facebook page, NextDoor.com, and me. It really helps me if you post to one of the others first, with a photo, and send me a link to flip@columbianeighborhood.org. It helps if the subject line reads Lost or Found Cat (or dog, chicken, parakeet, bunny etc…Does anyone remember Romeo?).

On the other hand, I have certainly known, and even been possessed by, cats who kept multiple humans, just out of general friendliness, or perhaps to be sure there was always plenty of food available. So I would not imprison a guest who wasn’t in obvious distress, at least not if the weather was fine, beyond a trip to see if there was a chip. You could also make a collar out of  a strip of paper, and write your name and phone number on it, to help the cat’s other family (families?) know where their cat disappears to.

And then there are feral cats. Many of them have been trapped, neutered and released back into the wild. This keeps the feral population down. Such cats will have been “tipped” – the tip of one ear removed for identification from a distance. These  cats will keep their distance.

HORNET CORRECTION: BETTER NEWS

Along with many other Whatcom County residents (I’m sure), I’ve been reading up on the giant hornets. This article, along with other sources, confirm stings from these insects are extremely painful, but death from a sting is rare, unless someone is allergic or is stung dozens of times (not 3-4). I figured some of your readers might rest easy knowing 3-4 stings aren’t typically lethal.  ~ Janae Brewster https://www.google.com/amp/s/api.nationalgeographic.com/distribution/public/amp/animals/2020/05/why-asian-giant-hornets-have-painful-stings

PARK PARKING

Our parks department limited parking last month at many local parks to limit overcrowding. They also activated Parks Ambassadors to remind people to social distance. Even as the situation in our parks has eased a bit as we have learned more about the virus and transmission, enforcement of the local parking code, once ramped up, has remained stricter. Official rules that have rarely been enforced in the past are now being enforced. The city believes that rules, to be fair, must not be selectively applied. At least one resident who lives along Lorraine Ellis Park thinks the rules don’t fit everywhere and don’t always make sense. I’ll let him speak for himself:

I just talked with the Parks Department, and while it’s true that they are limiting parking at parks, that is not the case with Lorraine Ellis Park. They’ve decided that parking on the grass is illegal. And the funny thing is, well a dog does more damage & bicycles are not allowed on the grass per the Bellingham Municipal Code for the parks. Just wait until little Billy down the street gets a ticket. Same fine as a car. I just don’t think they can enforce part of the BMC and not pick & choose. ~ Dave Lind, Lorraine Ellis Court

RADIO FREE FL!P:  LIBBA (ELIZABETH) COTTEN

Oh, Babe It Ain’t No Lie

My beloved “guitar grandma.” – I first heard Libba play in 1968 and that one evening’s concert changed my whole life. Her music went in somewhere so deep that my heart filled up and spilled over into tears. She made it sound so simple (hah!) that I went home and turned off my radio and starting trying to figure out how she did it. You may have heard her song Freight Train. Pepter Paul and Mary recorded it. In the 1970s and 80s I used to host concerts here in Bellingham for Libba. She would come stay with me and she’d sit on the couch and play her tunes with me, the same tune for hours, up to speed and complete, while I tried to figure out what she was doing. Upside down and backwards. She took a standard guitar, tipped it over and played it left handed. I learned how to listen. And  as she shared, she modeled for me taking the time to love. Love takes time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhQLxGmU4QA

I’m going to see if I can post an old photo of the two of  us. Wish  me luck!

http://flipandzeke.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/libba-and-flip-2.jpg

Love/Fl!p 360-671-4511   flip@columbianeighborhood.org

If you want to ask me to post something, just email me. If it’s urgent, phone. If it’s a real emergency, call 911.

CONTENTS 6/11/2020
Chalk Talk!
Immanuel Bible Church Parking Lot Safety
White Supremacist Flyers
Restaurant Worker Masks?
Safe Chalk Sharing
Black Lives Matter Rally Friday
Betsy Brown Md
Yesterday’s Big Picture Article: Link
Pointy Wheel?
Radio Free Fl!p: The Brandy Tree

CHALK TALK!

Here’s the first installment of Chalk Talk! Marla Bronstein has interviewed a bunch of local dignitaries and luminaries about our Fourth Of July Sidewalk Chalk Festival. Little snippets – maybe 2 minutes max. This all started when I called Miriam Barnett, who created and ran the downtown Bellingham chalk art festival for years. Miriam suggested I get local officials involved. She used to invite them to judge her festival. I didn’t want a competition, but I did like the idea of involving some local big names. So I phoned former mayor Tim Douglas, over on Williams Street, for advice. Tim told me to call Marla and see what she could cook up. If you don’t know Marla, you should! She runs the Elizabeth Park summer concert series on Thursday nights (rain or shine, online this year. I’ll print the schedule again tomorrow). Marla is a theatre maven: director, actor, comedienne. Fearless! Marla grabbed the idea and took off! She wrote a ton of people to invite them for a 2 minute video conversation about our chalk. She knows everyone! She ordered me and Zeke to learn a new piece of music for the background, so we did.  Here’s her first interview, with Tim Douglas, of course!

https://youtu.be/9yFY74e_DO4

IMMANUEL BIBLE CHURCH PARKING LOT

You may have noticed some equipment at Immanuel Bible Church this week. A contractor working on alley maintenance is dropping trailers, etc. in the gravel parking lot, which accounts for some of the equipment.  In addition, the large parking lot and drive-up ramp next to the main entrance are being repaired and repaved. Due to these projects, please ask your children to avoid the church’s large parking lot or ramp until the work is done. Once the projects are completed the riding will be smooth, but caution is always needed! Please advise your kids to watch out for cars and walk and ride safely!

Autumn Cole, for Immanuel Bible Church
360-733-0672 church office

WHITE SUPREMACIST FLYERS

There were a couple of incidents in May where people found Patriot Front recruitment flyers in a little free library in our neighborhood. It turns out there have been more around town, on campus and in other neighborhoods. Also, library books have been returned with the little flyers tucked between the pages. The flyers are a little bigger than a business card, and look like they’ve been photocopied on plain white letter paper. They say things like “It’s OK To Be White” with a website – fairly innocuous until you look into the background.

Yesterday a group of us, from Columbia Neighborhood ( board members and me) plus folks from the local Human Rights Task Force, met over Zoom with Bellingham Police Chief David Doll and officer Kat Dearborn to discuss this activity and what we could do about it. I found our meeting to be very helpful. I asked Officer Kat to send me a “what neighbors should do” post. She did. Here it is:

Regarding the flyers: For the most part people are not reporting these flyers to us. If we don’t have knowledge of when and where this is happening there is very little we can do, so please let us know!  I believe the easiest thing to do is to send me an email at kdearborn@cob.org with the following information: 1) When it was found 2) The time frame in which you think the flyer appeared (example: I know the flyer wasn’t there yesterday at 5pm and now it is today at 10am). 3) The address where it was found and where was it at that address?  Mailbox, Little Lending Library, hanging on a telephone poll would all be examples of this. 4) Ideally a photograph of the flyer so we can inspect it. If people don’t want to email me perhaps they could email you, Flip, and you can pass along the information? I don’t want to create more work for you but it might be another option to get us the information if folks don’t want to contact me directly. ~ Officer Kat

I will be completely happy to accept and pass along anything wanted or needed. Email me at flip@columbianeighborhood.org

https://www.bellinghamherald.com/news/local/article243306611.html

RESTAURANT WORKER MASKS?

A couple of our neighbors took a stroll to find dinner tonight, now that businesses are opening up. They visited quite a few restaurants and food trucks along Meridian & Northwest, but in every one there were workers preparing or serving food without wearing masks. Our neighbors finally gave up, bought groceries and went home to cook their own dinner. The food may be “to die for” but not to actually die for. I would expect that there will be a period of adjustment to the new rule requiring employees to wear masks. Me, I would suggest a warmly regretful tone, “Wah! I was so hoping for some of your lovely food, but I will go someplace where all the employees are wearing masks. I’m so sorry!” Love/Fl!p

SAFE CHALK SHARING

Regarding “sharing chalk among multiple households”- that’s likely not a good idea right now, unless people plan to set the chalk out in the sun for two or three days between uses by “multiple households”- not a likely scenario.
 ~ Tony Cava,

Hi Tony – I’ve been gifted with several tubs of 50+ pieces for the festival. My plan is to mask and glove, and then divide them into sets in paper lunch sacks for  individual distribution at least a week before. I think other households could do the same. But you’re correct, I’d better make that explicit! Love/Fl!p

BLACK LIVES MATTER RALLY FRIDAY

Tomorrow, Friday June 12, 2 – 6 PM at the corner of Bakerview and Arctic Ave (Costco corner and then on to the east).

I’ve heard from a lot of neighbors who are going. Here’s what I am aware of: Not in the street, not marching. Wear masks. Bring hand sanitizer. Bring signs. The organizers say they will be gathering to stand together but will not be marching. “We invite you to stand with us for as long as you are able at one of the busiest intersections in town. We know it is a busy street and we are expecting a lot of protesters. But we do not want to put any added risk on anyone who is willing to stand with us and we don’t want to impede traffic. We just want them to see us.” They want those who come to stay six feet apart and spread east along Bakerview for as far as needed. Drive past the end of the line, park safely, walk back and please stay safely on the sidewalks.

https://www.bellinghamherald.com/news/local/article243460876.html?

BETSY BROWN MD:

How To Not Spread Covid

Masking does work. And it also makes a difference of how much virus you get exposed to, which is why masking and being outdoors are key, as well as limiting time and washing your hands. These are the mantras for staying healthy for the next while.

I have spent most of my time talking about prevention, for good reason. The lockdown has made a huge difference. We are opening up again and there will be more infections. We are already hearing about upticks.

So, what do you do if you get infected or get exposed? Remember, most people do OK, some get sick and we can take better care of people now. But you also don’t want to spread it. My local health department has a great graphic about different scenarios of when to stop isolating at home after a COVID-19 infection. The bottom line is 3 days without fever AND 10 days since symptoms appeared AND other symptoms have improved. If you read the flyer, you can see different recommendations for different scenarios, including people with mild symptoms and household members. Exposed but non-infected household members are the tough ones, because they need to be isolated for 14 days AFTER their family member/roommate’s isolation period. And if anyone has to go out, they must wear a mask and keep it to only essential needs.

And remember, the guidelines about mask wearing have been all over the place. I was skeptical at first, too. Now we have more compelling data and the guidelines have become more clear. Just because you used to think masks were bad, but now you realize they help, does not make you a hypocrite if you start wearing one. You are allowed to change your mind. It means you can learn and are considerate of others. https://betsybrownmd.substack.com/

YESTERDAY’S BIG PICTURE ARTICLE LINK

[Sally Sheedy wrote me about a problem with yesterday’s link. Now I know more about how to share links, and you might like to, as well.Thanks Sally & Michael!]

I got an error 500 when I followed the link to Pandemic Big Picture article (linked to from your newsletter, below). When I cut off the tail end of the link, it worked:   https://www.bluezones.com/2020/06/covid-19-straight-answers-from-top-epidemiologist-who-predicted-the-pandemic/

(Generally, everything from the ‘?’ on is extraneous encoding, at least in part used to be able to record where the site visitor got the link from.)

My spouse (Michael Hobart) sent me a shareable link for the article, pasted here. I’m not sure how he was able to get into the article without the error I encountered, nor how he derived this different link after he was done reading it to share with me, but it didn’t work either. (He knows I get your newsletter but he wanted to make sure I read the article.)

https://shar.es/aHNHVG

This message was sent using ShareThis (https://www.sharethis.com)

I’m letting you know in case anyone else has the same issue accessing the article. ~ Sally Sheedy

POINTY WHEEL?

When I was a kid my Mom had a little wheel with points, made to transfer sewing patterns by poking little holes in the paper. Does anyone have one of those to spare? Or is anyone going to a fabric store soon? Fl!p 360-671-4511

RADIO FREE FL!P: THE BRANDY TREE

I think this was the first of Gordon Bok’s songs that I encountered, around 1971. I was immediately enchanted. Gordon is from Camden, on the coast of Maine, which is about as close to the Salish Sea in atmosphere as I think you can get without actually living here. My sister moved out to the coast of Maine when she needed to get away but couldn’t really bear to go.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKzDcE53iss

Gordon says, “I got most of this song from a small otter who used to hang out in the same woods I did, around Sherman’s Point, many years ago. Many folks have asked me about the name of the song: I was never sure of what that word was, (Bandy Tree, Bundy Tee?) nor do I think it matters. I’ve come to think of it as a place inside ourselves where, once we’ve been there, we know how to find it again.”

I go down to the brandy tree and take my nose and my tail with me / All for the world and the wind to see and never come back no more

 Down the meadowmarsh deep and wide, tumble the tangle by my side / All for the westing wind to run and slide in the summer rain

Sun come follow my happy way, wind come walk beside me / Moon on the mountain go with me, a wondrous way I know

I go down to the windy sea and call on the seal to play with me / Slide on the rock and dive in the bay and sleep on the ledge at night

But the seal don’t try to tell me how to fish in the windy blue / Seal’s been fishing for a thousand years and he knows that I have too

When the frog goes down to the mud to sleep and the lamprey hides in the boulders deep / I take my nose and my tail and go a hundred thousand hills

Sun come follow my happy way, wind come walk beside me / Moon on the mountain go with me, a wondrous way I know

 Some day down by the brandy tree I’ll hear the shepherd call for me / Call me to leave my happy ways and the shining world I know

Sun on the hill come go with me, my days have all been free / The pipes come laughing down the wind and that’s the way I go
That’s the way for me

Love/Fl!p 360-671-4511   flip@columbianeighborhood.org

If you want to ask me to post something, just email me. If it’s urgent, phone.

CONTENTS 6/10/2020
Please Get Chalk Soon
Toy Garden Chalk
Music Porch Offered
Pandemic Big Picture
Boxes?
20th Annual Subdued Stringband Jamboree
Radio Free Fl!p: Bright Morning Stars

PLEASE GET CHALK SOON

Let’s get our chalk while the local stores still have time to order more. Right now I have no idea whether 50 households will choose to play, or 500! Jonny is close to having the sign-up form ready to go. Once you can sign up, I hope you do, in droves! There’s a place on the form to say if you have chalk or need chalk. Once I can see that, I’ll know how much more to look for! You can start picking chalk up from me any time now, as long as you promise to save it to use at the festival. For the pros, Alan at Dakota Art still has almost 30 sets of the really vivid chalk left. The cheap chalk isn’t great, and the great chalk isn’t cheap, but he’s marked the price down for us. He’s limiting the fancy stuff to one to a customer for now.  Love/Fl!p

TOY GARDEN CHALK

A neighbor sent me another local chalk source!
Fairhaven Toy Garden
909 Harris Ave
(360)-714-8552

Here is a link to the sidewalk chalk:

https://www.fairhaventoygarden.com/buy/4645/jumbo-sidewalk-chalk 

We have 12 buckets left. (These could be shared with multiple households.)

Here is a link to the artist chalk:

https://www.fairhaventoygarden.com/buy/11348/blackboard-chalk

It is vibrant, but very soft, so not so suitable for rough surfaces, but if you had a smooth patch of sidewalk it might work.  We only have two left of this set.

On our website we offer curbside pickup.  Just choose ‘Pick up at store’ when checking out.

Our store is open from 10am to 7pm Mon-Sat and 10am to 6pm on Sundays.  We also have private shopping by appointment 9am-10am and 7pm-8pm Mon-Sat and 9am-10am and 6pm-7pm on Sundays for those that feel at risk.  Call 360-714-8552 to make an appointment.

Let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you! ~ Tina

MUSIC PORCH OFFERED

If there are a trio of acoustic musicians that need a covered porch to perform on, we’d like to offer up ours. ~ Rebecque and Charles Asher, West Street, RebecqueAsher@hotmail.com

PANDEMIC BIG PICTURE

I think this may be the most important thing I’m sending out today. I didn’t recognize the website, so I posted elsewhere first, and asked friends to vet this. Many of them did. This response was the best, from David Olson. David is a local doctor who is also a music buddy, and (for the musicians) the guy who sparked the Taylor Holden GS Mini guitars project. I have great confidence in him. I really like the article I link to here. Clear, good detail, I’d rather have facts to base my choices on, even if the situation isn’t what I would most like.

Dr. Michael Osterholm was one of my favorite professors in Medical School at the University of Minnesota. He has been one of the country’s best epidemiologists for decades. I have read everything he has written on Covid19, and he doesn’t shy away from hard truths. There is nothing about this that has been, or will be easy. He is right though – at this point, we must learn to live with it, rather than hope it will go away or expect that we can somehow beat it in a few months. Also, he is one of the few voices who recognizes that this is NOT the flu, and won’t necessarily have the same seasonal pattern that influenza exhibits. ~ Dr David Olson

https://www.bluezones.com/2020/06/covid-19-straight-answers-from-top-epidemiologist-who-predicted-the-pandemic/?utm_source=BLUE+ZONES+Newsletter&utm_campaign=b9d385df8c-JUNE-2020-1&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_9642311849-b9d385df8c-199414645&mc_cid=b9d385df8c&mc_eid=9c2569ea67

BOXES?

Looking for used cardboard boxes for a move.  Not for us, thankfully, but for my cousin.  If anyone has any used cardboard boxes they’d like to get rid of, please call or text me with address and I’ll pick them up, or send my cousin to pick them up.  

Thanks!!
Liz Chiz & Richard Metawi
Victor St.  310-600-5274

20TH ANNUAL SUBDUED STRINGBAND JAMBOREE

Online this year. It’s a glorious event.

https://stringbandjamboree.com/?fbclid=IwAR2fUTWoWs_hrqWVjsZQeA23P1KgCfdmEdN-rHaWPas_jECvSE-2Wpl7I8M

RADIO FREE FL!P: BRIGHT MORNING STARS

Whatcom County choirs put this together this week as a message of healing and reconciliation, on behalf of Whatcom Interfaith. The song is, “Bright Morning Stars” and you may recognize some of the musicians. I have warm memories of singing this song over many years with people I love dearly, usually after staying up singing together all night long.

https://youtu.be/i3HHy53V-P8

Love/Fl!p  360-671-4511 flip@columbianeighborhood.org

If you want to ask me to post something, just email me. If it’s urgent, phone.

CONTENTS 6/9/2020
High School Senior Car Parade
Wait For Testing: Correction
Elizabeth Station Re-Opens
Porchfest?
Tiny Onion
Black Lives Matter Signs
Seeking Handy-Person
Missing Easel Correction
Radio Free Fl!p: Requiem For Whatcom Creek

HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR CAR PARADE

This Saturday, June 13th, between 12:15 -1:00, we will celebrate senior graduates of 2020 who went to Columbia Elementary as they are driven up and down the streets of Columbia Neighborhood.  Come out in your front yard and cheer them on!

Graduates, meet Saturday at 12:00 at 2515 Kulshan St. in your decorated vehicle to line up.  Wear your cap and gown.
 ~ Natalie and Chris Wermus
360-223-0801

WAIT FOR TESTING: CORRECTION

My understanding of current recommendations is that today’s blog contained an inaccurate recommendation. The Covid-19 virus in a newly infected person can take an average of about a week to build up enough in the system to turn a test from negative to positive. So if you (as I did) went to Saturday’s demonstration and got infected (I hope not), my test results might show up falsely negative until next weekend. 

So people shouldn’t get tested “as soon as possible” after exposure, as the blog suggests. Relying on results from tests done too early can be dangerous, as they may result in a false sense of security. A person infected may think they are not, and may expose more of their contacts to infection until they actually get sick enough to be re-tested. 

So the current recommendation is that we should wait a week or so after exposure to get our Covid-19 test.

 ~ Hank Levine, MD

[And please both limit and keep track of your contacts between now and when you get your results. And wear your masks rigorously. They do seem to be working. Thank you all, and thank you Hank! ~Fl!p]

ELIZABETH STATION RE-OPENS

This is Patrick from Elizabeth Station on Holly Street. I wanted to clarify something for everyone about masks, direct from the Governor’s speech:

-all businesses are required to post signs asking customers to wear masks

-The business is not required to enforce mask usage, but they can at their own discretion.

-When working, all employees except those working alone are required to wear masks 

There has been a lot of confusion about this. Here we are going to require masks for shopping when we open starting this Saturday, as we feel this is the best for the community. It doesn’t hurt anyone to have to wear a mask, and we all can do better to protect those with deficient immune systems, and those caring for people with health issues too.

As a quick last note, we had announced we’d be opening for shopping this coming Friday, but out of respect (and be a part of) the Black Lives Matter strike this Friday, we are going to wait to open until Saturday.

Thanks  -Patrick McEvoy

PORCHFEST?

Every year, I see information about this event in Sanford, Florida, and think it could be a wonderful neighborhood event for Bellingham. Obviously, the style and vintage of certain neighborhoods would lend itself to a “Porchfest,” more than others.  This is the Porchfest where my sister lives and she sends me photos each year. Just thought I would put it out there to musicians….and caring community members!!

 ~ Marcia Robey
https://www.sanfordporchfest.org/

[I have friends in Oakland who tell me tiny porch concerts have been happening weekly there. I am hoping neighborhood musicians will sign up to share some acoustic music for our Chalk Festival. Or just sit on your porch and play a little any sunny day. I’ve got my gourd banjo almost ready to take out in public, but not quite yet… ~Fl!p]

TINY ONION

Tiny Onion Cooking School with Annalee Dunn is also live streaming free cooking classes for kids. It is a wonderful and enlightening little breather from the day to day anguish. Saturday Mornings are free. ~ Robin Wallbridge

https://www.tinyonioncookingschool.com/classes

BLACK LIVES MATTER SIGNS

We have 9 extra Black Lives Matter yard signs (plastic signs plus wire posts) to share if anyone would like one. We’ll leave them on our front porch (2427 Williams) for no-contact handoff. First come first served. They were $12/sign. Instead of reimbursing us, we’d ask that folks donate the cost of the sign to a relevant cause.  ~ ~  ~ Allison Pfeiffer  206-679-0339

SEEKING HANDY-PERSON

We are looking for a reliable handy-person for smaller fix -it work, repairs, etc. Know of anyone? Thanks!

 Steve and Michael Scott  sscottreloan@gmail.com

MISSING EASEL CORRECTION

Black easel was left at Little Squalicum Beach, not at the Port, on 7 June, with an oil painting. Please contact me on 360 223 5537 if you have it with you. Thank you, ~ Alaya Rousseau

RADIO FREE FL!P: REQUIEM FOR WHATCOM CREEK

On June 10, 1999, a gasoline pipeline operated by Olympic Pipeline Company exploded in Bellingham, Washington’s Whatcom Falls Park. The disaster started at 3:25 PM PDT when a gasoline pipeline ruptured due to various errors and malfunctions on the part of Olympic Pipeline and others. Wikipedia

I remember. Two young boys and a young man died. And I remember a radio announcer saying that there were people who would care about the boys, and then there were those who would only care about the trees lost. I was horrified that anyone would try to divide our community at such a time. So I wrote about it, with my guitar in hand. [There is something about money in the link. Not to worry. Just click on the song and I’ll sing to you.]

https://flipzeke.bandcamp.com/track/requiem-for-whatcom-falls

Love/Fl!p 360-671-4511 cell/text  flip@columbianeighborhood.org

If you want to ask me to post something, just email me. If it’s urgent, phone.

CONTENTS 6/8/2020
Free Testing For Protesters
Excerpt From Dr Betsy Brown, MD
Our Next Step
Chalk Photo Posting Service?
Planning For Chalk
Local Sources For Chalk
    Dakota Art
    Launching Success
    Yeagers (All Out)
    Joann’s
    Tell Me Where You Find More!
Online Kid’s Cooking Classes
Seeking Piano For Musical Home
Missing Easel
Radio Free Fl!p: For What It’s Worth

FREE TESTING FOR PROTESTERS

Please, if you attended one of the large public gatherings last week, consider getting tested for Covid as soon as possible. This is also about taking care of all of us. The virus doesn’t care what our intentions are. Masks help, but aren’t foolproof and we don’t want to spread the pandemic. If your doctor won’t recommend you for testing here, on the basis of having been in a very large group of people, Skagit County department of health is doing drive-through testing for anyone who wants it. No insurance or doctor’s prescription needed. You can live anywhere in Washington State. If you have insurance or a social security card, take your cards along. But Skagit will test you even if you don’t have them. The self-tests they are using are far less painful than the ones you’ve heard about.

https://www.skagitcounty.net/Departments/HealthDiseases/coronavirusdriveup.htm

EXCERPT FROM DR BETSY BROWN, MD

We … know more clearly that much of the chatter on social media can be wrong. Pushing false information is truly another pandemic. You may be spreading mis-information. I may be too! Remember, recommendations change as we learn more about the virus, which can make mis-information easier to spread. I recommend looking at these couple of sites to help you learn to recognize what is false, what is reliable, and what is misleading: Infodemic Blog and Coronavirus Misinformation Tracking Center from newsguardtech.com.

Yes, things seem to have slowed and life is re-opening, but this ain’t over yet.

https://betsybrownmd.substack.com/

OUR NEXT STEP

I think the key task for White people at this point is to reach out to other White people, and especially to our officials. Even a short written or emailed note. Personal, one on one, not form letters or petitions. Warm in tone. Clear on actions that would be helpful. You can read up on helpful actions being taken in many places online. And reach out to listen to people who may not agree with you. Listen to try to understand a different viewpoint, and to care about another hurting heart. Listening is probably the hardest task ahead, and the most important. And it takes a long, long time. We don’t have to wait to make changes, but if we don’t build the relationships, our changes can’t last. Please, let’s be neighbors. Let’s explore what values we hold in common. Thank you!  Love/Fl!p

CHALK PHOTO POSTING SERVICE?

I need advice! It turns out to be not-so-simple to post your Chalk photos online in a way that makes them easy to attach to your address. Or at least the answer is not obvious. Can anyone advise me on this one? I really want to be able to take a virtual chalk tour! Call me at 360-671-4511. If you don’t know, but you might know someone who would know, please call them and then tell me. OK? Thanks!

PLANNING FOR CHALK

Please, please, please buy your chalk now while there is still time for local shops to get in more. And know that the deep, vibrant colors cost more. The chalk that was used for the Downtown Chalk Festival was called Prang Freart. Dakota has about 30 sets of that. If you know of anyplace else in town that has it, please let me know. Actually, if you find any place in town that has chalk at all, please let me know.

Here’s a best guess for how much chalk or space you should plan for:

When the city did the chalk art festival the allotted spaces were about 5 or 6 feet square. So, splitting the difference, that makes the squares just over 30 square feet.

Usually the Freart chalk was enough to do that and folks usually had left over chalk.

We really don’t know how far the smaller sticks will go. A lot is going to depend on the design, whether there are open spaces or if large areas are going to be filled in.

LOCAL SOURCES FOR CHALK

DAKOTA ART

Alan Weydert was a Keesling Street neighbor for decades. He has been so helpful! He owns Dakota Art, downtown on Cornwall Ave. They have curbside pickup. There’s a chance they will re-open for walk-in later this week, but you should phone ahead! 

Hours for now are: 10am to 5 pm, Monday – Friday.
Store phone is 360-676-8918.
1322 Cornwall Ave
dakobell@gmail.com
Email is fine, it might take us an hour or so to respond. Any emails that come in after 5pm on Friday won’t be answered until Monday.

Here’s what he’s got:

I’ve been working with Flip on finding sidewalk chalk. Apparently, sidewalk chalk is a big item now and our supplier is out until August.

We have a very small amount of Crayola chalk, which would be the cheapest (box of 12= $3.32, box of 16=$4.45, box of 24=$5.97). We do have about 30 boxes of Prang Freart chalk, which is what was used years back when there was a downtown chalk festival put on by Allied Arts. These list for $23.21 but our price is $18.95. These sticks are 1″d. x 4″. and come 12 colors to a set.

Both the Crayola and the Prang are out of stock at our supplier, so what we have is all there is available.

We did bring in some sets of kids chalk pastels. These are sticks that are about 3/8″ square and about 3″ long. They are definitely more colorful than the Crayola, but being smaller they will wear down quicker.

We brought in sets that contain 24 colors. They list at $10.99 but we can sell for $6.95. It looks like our supplier has a decent amount on hand, I brought in 24 sets on our last order to start with.

We also brought in some 12 and 24 color sets of basically the same thing but in a slightly higher grade: 12 color set at $7.95 and a 24 color set at 13.95. 

One thing that we do have is aerosol chalk in a spray can. We brought it in years ago and it never really sold. I’m going to take a can home to test and see if it still viable. They were selling for $12.95 but we marked them down to $5.50/can. These would be great for large areas and they do wash off with a hose pretty easily, although you might need to use a brush or broom to loosen a bit. These might not be the best for younger children to use… they are still an aerosol with all of the aerosol warnings.

We don’t have a washable tempera, I’ve never been happy with the colors available, but I can order it in. We’re out currently, but we usually have 8 oz plastic squeeze bottles. They are $1.95 each.

LAUNCHING SUCCESS

We have 3 different chalk sets:
A bucket of 20 pieces for $5.99
A Sweet shop set and an ice cream set for $26.99
The sets for $26.99 are much more decorative and fun (by Melissa and Doug)
The bucket is basic sidewalk chalk from Toysmith.

Washable paint~
We sell it by the bottle (16oz) for $3.99
We also have a crayola set of 6 colors (2oz each) for $5.99

Customers can shop in store from 11-4 Monday-Sat, order online for free delivery or curbside pickup, call us @ 360-527-2641 and we can take the order over the phone.

We are willing to do whatever customers feel comfortable with!
Jen Zimmermann, Owner
jen@launchingsuccess.com
133 Prince Ave. Bellingham WA 98226
360-527-2641
www.launchingsuccess.com

YEAGERS

Is out and can’t get more in time.

JOANN’S

Just a few sets of Crayola chalks in the store. They’re open. Call before you go.

TELL ME WHERE YOU FIND MORE!

Fl!p@columbianeighborhood.org

ONLINE COOKING CLASSES
COMMON THREADS FARM

Pay what you can online cooking classes for kids for the month of June. Sign your kids up to make one of these simple, healthy, and tasty recipes (you can join too!): Rainbow Rice (6/12) Fruit & Veggie Rolls (6/16) Chickpea Curry (6/19) Veggie Sushi (6/23) Root Veggie Latkes (6/26) Plant Part Sandwich (6/30) Are you thinking about gardening for the first time this year and not sure where to start? Have you been gardening for a while but still have questions? If you would like some personalized help with local knowledge, we’d love to support you!  Farmer Joe will be available online on Wednesday mornings (6/17, 6/24, and 7/1) 9:00am-9:30am to answer garden-related, food-growing questions big and small. No question is too basic! Visit our website to sign-up for free.

SEEKING PIANO FOR MUSICAL HOME

Hello! Our names are Samantha and Alex and we are new to the Columbia neighborhood. We are serious musicians seeking an upright piano. We are looking for a piano that’s in good working condition. We are happy to have it tuned and are willing to hire movers. Please contact us at samanthasinai@gmail.com

MISSING EASEL

Black easel as on the link https://www.amazon.com/Ohuhu-Aluminum-Carrying-Table-top-Adjustable/dp/B0148F5TRQ/ref=sr_1_6?dchild=1&keywords=artist+easel&qid=1588535846&sr=8-6 left at Port of Bellingham on 7 June, with an oil painting. Please contact me on 360 223 5537 if you have it with you. Thank you, Alaya Rousseau

RADIO FREE FL!P: FOR WHAT IT’S WORTH

Del MacRory Band & Friends play an old Buffalo Springfield song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIdfulZ1c5c&feature=youtu.be

Love/Fl!p 360-671-4511 cell/text  flip@columbianeighborhood.org

If you want to ask me to post something, just email me. If it’s urgent, phone.

CONTENTS 6/7/2020
Love Is Not The Answer
Washington State Supreme Court
Covid Testing & The Rally
Home For Dead Lawn Mowers
Free “Loft Bed”
Free Fill Dirt
Tree Service Shout Out
Looking For A Cement Contractor
Fun Chalk Videos
Minority-Owned Businesses In Bellingham
Family Looking For A Rental
Radio Free Fl!p: Turning Towards The Morning

LOVE IS NOT THE ANSWER

My favorite quote from Martin Luther King Jr:

Love is not the answer; Love is the assignment.

WASHINGTON STATE SUPREME COURT

Unanimous open letter calling on judicial, legal community to work together on racial justice. “The devaluation and degradation of black lives is not a recent event. It is a persistent and systemic injustice that predates this nation’s founding.  But recent events have brought to the forefront of our collective consciousness a painful fact that is, for too many of our citizens, common knowledge: the injustices faced by black Americans are not relics of the past…

The legal community must recognize that we all bear responsibility for this on-going injustice, and that we are capable If taking steps to address it, if only we have the courage and the will.”

http://www.courts.wa.gov/newsinfo/?fa=newsinfo.pressdetail&newsid=35481

COVID TESTING & THE RALLY

Friday I listened to a part of a press conference on KUOW with the Seattle mayor and the heads of the police and fire department. There were several issues covered. But the one I want to discuss with you is about the Covid-19 testing policy in Seattle just instituted. They encouraged everyone who has been involved in the demonstrations to be tested and people can do that for free and without a doctor’s referral and without symptoms. People have to sign up for a time however. I think we should have that same option in Bellingham to keep on top of what is going on.  I have written an email to Unified Command suggesting this and they say they will consider it. But I wonder if it would help if more people asked. ~ Sidney Anderson

[I can also imagine asking demonstrators to self-quarantine for some days if possible. I know some are trapped in essential jobs and cannot do so. That’s where testing seems particularly important. Testing can give false negatives, but rarely false positives. ~Fl!p]

HOME FOR DEAD LAWN MOWERS

My neighbor and his 8th grade boys (twins) are into small engines. They just fixed my lawn mower and we talked about selling rebuilt mowers (I had already bought a new one, doh) in the hood with the proceeds going to social justice initiatives. Can you alert the flip-kins that we’d love all dead lawnmowers in the hood?
Isaac Blum
2518 Elizabeth Street
isaacmblum@gmail.com

FREE “LOFT BED” (THAT USED TO BE A BUNK BED)

We’d love to find a home for it before taking it away. It’s been used it as a loft bed for years to create space in a bedroom. Wish we could depart with it in it’s original state of being a bunk bed, but unable to locate the bottom railing. If interested, text me. We’ll have it until tomorrow (6/8).
Tanya High
(360) 739-4840

FREE FILL DIRT

Free fill dirt/soil with some sod clumps – for yard project, fill…. etc. Easily accessible for pick up in ally behind 2326 Victor St.
Arielle Stein
360-540-4847

TREE SERVICE SHOUT OUT

Marcus Mindlin, owner of Dean’s Tree Service. Contact +1 (360) 527-6733 if you want a tree guy from the neighborhood. Thank you ~ Alaya Rousseau

LOOKING FOR A CEMENT CONTRACTOR

Pathway around the house has been dug and crushed gravel spread. It’s time for a reliable Cement Contractor to do their magic along with a few dry days. Any suggestions for a contractor that accepts small jobs and does good exposed aggregate work?  City permit already issued.

~ Kristen Nelson, Victor Street, Knelson2815@gmail.com or text 360-223-2286

FUN CHALK VIDEOS

I know you’re planning a Chalk Art day in your neighborhood, and I thought these videos might be inspiring to those planning to participate!
~ Anji Citron

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBOpo6J3RdM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LwfCEkMqEw

[If you couldn’t imagine doing something like this, well neither can I! But we can go out a play with chalk and have fun! Will you join me? Did you get your chalk yet? Love/Fl!p]

MINORITY-OWNED BUSINESSES IN BELLINGHAM

(not complete list—there are no doubt more! from Nancy Moore)

FOOD & DRINK

Ambo Ethiopian Cuisine—902 N. State St, Suite 104, 360-927-8714, FB page says they were opening June 3, 11 am-2 pm and 5-7 pm.  “For nine years, Mulunesh Belay has been a beloved fixture at the Bellingham Farmer’s Market, serving authentic Ethiopian cuisine. Mulu first learned to cook when she was five years old, at her mother’s knee, in the village of Gindeberet, Ethiopia. She uses traditional spices and her own recipes to bring her country’s food to everyone.” Just in October 2019 Mulu signed the lease on her first restaurant storefront. No website.

Brandywine Kitchen—sustainable, locally based food, “from seed to plate,” eclectic menu, providing pickup or delivered meals—

https://brandywinekitchen.com

Calypso Kitchen— authentic Caribbean food to heat and eat; order by Sunday midnight for pickup or delivery on Tues—

https://calypso.kitchen

DownTime Taps—Ferndale, first self-serve taproom in the state, 32 taps for beer, wine, or cider—

https://www.downtimetaps.com/#happenings

Guud Bowls—they cook, package, and deliver fresh bowls of all gluten-free food, you heat and eat. There is no storefront, delivery only, some family-sized pan options— https://www.guudbowls.com

HAIR & BEAUTY

Busy B’s Barber Shop & Salon—family-owned, five barbers for all hair types— https://busy-bs-barber-shop-salon.business.site

Zora’s Styling Salon and Spa—haircuts, hair and lash extensions, color, waxing, anti-aging facials, body contouring, ultrasound face lifts — https://www.zorasstylingsalon.com

OTHER

Cool Runnings Construction LLC—360-399-8014 (no website)

David Vaughns—musical accompanist, drummer, Theater/Dance Dept, WWU, no contact information.

Mo’s Parlor—anime nights, workshops, downloadable designs, consultations— https://www.mosparlor.com

Myne Candle Co—small-batch candles hand poured with soy wax and phthalate free oils— https://www.instagram.com/mynecandleco/

Northwest Drone Pros—a “NW WA flying camera company” providing professional aerial imagery (photos or videos) for mapping or for the real estate industry, or any needs—

https://www.northwestdronepros.com

FAMILY LOOKING FOR A RENTAL

Friends of ours, a wonderful family of five is looking to relocate from Seattle. They are looking to rent a home in the Columbia neighborhood to start out in. They are not in a hurry so if something is available down the line, that’s great too. If anyone knows of a nice rental house available with at least three bedrooms and two baths let me know.
Thank you,
Lindsey Escher
Text: 206-661-6762
West & Jefferson

RADIO FREE FL!P: TURNING TOWARDS THE MORNING

Written & sung by Gordon Bok

Gordon didn’t write this song for the mid-summer season, but my heart feels like a great turning seems to have begun, an awakening of hope and of many people reaching for their courage. There can be grief and fear as a part of it all as well. And kindness in response. Please choose kindness.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xU1FUgcv1Lc

Love/Fl!p Breskin 360-671-4511 flip@columbianeighborhood.org
If you’d like me to post something, please send me an email. If it’s urgent, phone. Thanks!

CONTENTS 6/6/2020
Today’s Solidarity Rally
Solidarity Follow-Up
Phase Four For Elders
Businesses Reopening In Phase Two
Found Driver’s License Instruction Permit
Zoom Song Parody
Child’s Lonely Red Shoe
Small Rental Wanted
Radio Free Fl!p:

TODAY’S SOLIDARITY RALLY

It was very large; it was peaceful; most of the people attending wore masks and tried to social distance. I have received interesting suggestions for follow-up action on all our parts. If change is to come, follow up action will be required. I am reading and thinking about what I’ve received, and will be sharing the ones that look most effective to me, in the days to come. This is a call for us to reach for the highest ideals that our country was founded upon: Liberty And Justice For All.  It is a moment for us to leave none of our neighbors behind. To listen to one another’s concerns with open hearts, reaching for understanding and clarity, with respect and compassion. Even through masks and over zoom…

The Herald has detailed coverage of today’s rally:

https://www.bellinghamherald.com/news/local/article243307551.html

SOLIDARITY FOLLOW-UP

Also from the Herald

Bellingham’s Saturday Peaceful Solidarity Rally organizers  suggested that those wanting to donate to the event should instead donate to these organizations and support BIPOC-owned businesses all the time not just today or next week.

▪ NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund at naacpldf.org.
▪ Movement For Black Lives at m4bl.org.
▪ Whatcom Human Rights Task Force at whrtf.org.
▪ Community to Community, or C2C, at foodjustice.org.
▪ Showing Up for Racial Justice at showingupforracialjustice.org.
▪ Northwest Community Bail Fund at nwcombailfund.org.

Julina Pyanoe provided this list of black-owned local businesses to The Herald via Facebook: Brandywine Kitchen, BusyB’s Barbershop, Calypso Kitchen, Cool Runnings Construction, Cross Auto Detail, Guud Bowls, MYNE Candle Co., Poindexter Detailing, Pure Fitness Martial Arts, Ambo Ethiopian Cuisine and Zorganics.

PHASE FOUR FOR ELDERS

Unfortunately it is not until Phase 4 that people who are part of vulnerable populations should consider leaving home except for essential trips – this includes those over age 60, and those with serious medical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, and lowered or compromised  immune systems, as well as women who are pregnant. Not an easy thing to do. For those of you who can now go out and socialize a bit,  please be sure to wear masks to protect your neighbors from your coughs, sneezes and other droplets. You can’t tell by looking at someone if they are contagious before they have symptoms, or are infected but not symptomatic.

Thank you all for your hellos and smiles as you pass by! ~ Joy Dunne, Jefferson Street

HERALD COVERAGE OF BUSINESSES REOPENING IN PHASE TWO

Their coverage of Covid related news is still provided at no charge. There is a lot of big local news today:

https://www.bellinghamherald.com/

FOUND DRIVER’S LICENSE INSTRUCTION PERMIT

Found outside near Walnut street. Last name Mindlin. If you know a young driver with that last name, please let him know. Contact Alaya Rousseau on 360 223 5537.

ZOOM SONG PARODY

I’ve been spending this weekend with over 90 women at workshop, over Zoom. This came to me. Hat tip to Malvina Reynolds!

Little boxes on the laptop
Little boxes over cyberspace
Little boxes, Little boxes, Little boxes, each with names
Some with long hair, or with grey hair,
Or with doggies or with kitty cats
And we get to notice how they live at home
And we love them just the same

CHILD’S LONELY RED SHOE

We found a child’s red shoe at the end of Jefferson Street this evening and it is very lonely for its mate!  If your child is missing a shoe, please text me a picture of the mate, and I can contact you if we have a match!!!! It looks like a fairly new, nice shoe! We hope to reunite the pair soon!
Pat Lundquist
Jefferson Street
360-515-6816

SMALL RENTAL WANTED

Single-mama-by-choice and the most wonderful 13-month-old are looking for a space of their own —

ideally in community. I’m dreaming of something like a 750-square-foot backyard cottage with lots of light, or maybe a sweet little one-bedroom apartment in a house with another family. I’ve got multiple friends in town who live in these sorts of situations and pay $750, so I know they’re out there… Or we could do a 2-bedroom for more like $1250. Email jennabeanveatch@gmail.com. ~ Jenna Veatch

RADIO FREE FL!P: ONE HEART AT A TIME

I’m re-posting a song I wrote decades ago. I had attended an anti-war march in Seattle. It was huge, but I wondered, what if all those people who hit the streets went to listen to their neighbors? To listen with great curiosity, seeking to understand different viewpoint and what led to those viewpoints.  To get to know each other. To listen with respect. To listen bravely to things we disagree about. To connect heart to heart. It’s hard to do, to have those conversations and not give up on each other. But at least in my own life, I’ve found it to be worth it. Here’s the song I wrote about it:

https://www.riseupandsing.org/song_video/song_video/3251

CONTENTS 6/5/2020
Peaceful Solidarity Rally For Justice
Whatcom Phase Two
March To Truth: Betsy Brown MD
Virtual Chalk Tour
Lawn Care
Radio Free Fl!p: Nina Simone
  I Wish I Knew How It Feels To Be Free

PEACEFUL SOLIDARITY RALLY FOR JUSTICE

Saturday June 6 at 3 PM – 5 PM at Maritime Heritage Park

Join the peaceful protest rally, organized by black community leaders. Columbia neighbors are invited to show solidarity by meeting at Elizabeth Park at 2:15, and at 2:30 we will walk together to Maritime Park, following a 10ftX10ft. banner that says Black Lives Matter.
Jill MacIntyre Witt, Walnut St.

The organizers request that everyone bring masks, hand sanitizers, and be aware of social distancing. Please do that! The park is a large area. Please spread out in it as best you can.

I am repeating this quote from yesterday, because it helped me understand why so many people who have been faithfully staying home for months, may be coming out for these rallies:  “…perhaps it is proof of the fundamental decency of ordinary people…that maybe people are not willing to risk other people’s lives for money, but when other people may lose their lives if they do not act, they rise to the call of action…in terms of standing up for civil rights, as a nation…” ~Claus Joens

WHATCOM PHASE TWO

https://www.bellinghamherald.com/news/coronavirus/article243249861.html

“It’s possible Whatcom County could see a return to Phase 1 restrictions if there is a significant increase in cases or other benchmarks are not maintained,” the statement said. “Every resident of Whatcom County has a role to play in making Phase 2 successful and allowing our community to move to Phase 3 as quickly as possible.”

Phase 2 will allow these activities, according to the Health Department:

▪ Social gatherings — inside or outside — with no more than five people from outside your household per week.

▪ More manufacturing and construction, domestic services, retail stores, real estate. services, professional services, nail salons and barbers, with some restrictions.

▪ Restaurants can open at 50% capacity but without bar seating.

Practices that should continue in Phase 2, according to the Health Department:

▪ Hand-washing and sanitizing.

▪ Physical distancing, remaining 6 feet away from others.

▪ Wearing a mask in public spaces.

▪ Staying home and away from others with any symptoms of illness.

In response to the Phase 2 approval, both the Bellingham Public Library and the Whatcom County Library System said they plan to begin curbside pickup for new material for their patrons starting June 15.

If you’re still feeling cautious, British Columbia has started their reopening with Double Your Bubble. Their process is to encourage households that have been staying home to open up to just one other household that has also been staying home. I think of it as Safe Start. Love/Fl!p

MARCH TO TRUTH

From Betsy Brown MD
From Seattle

Tomorrow morning after a long week, I am getting up early to go back downtown to meet up with local physicians and health care workers to march from our county hospital/trauma center to the Mayor’s office to show our support for the Black Lives Matter protests. We are all learning right now. What the COVID-19 pandemic has made even more clear to me are the health disparities between people of color and others. The data in the this article in the New England Journal of Medicine is damning. In Louisiana, 30% of the population is black but in this group of patients almost 77% of people with COVID-19 were black and 70.6% people who died were black. However, when they controlled for sociodemographic data, like public insurance and living in a poorer area, as well things like obesity and other conditions, blacks were no more likely to die than whites. The conditions that caused risk are often cause by poverty and living conditions, but not by the medical risk of race. In a pandemic, weakness are laid bare. Systemic racism becomes visible. . .

…I am learning more, and agree with our march tomorrow in support of learning about and facing our own racism. Our march in the morning is organized by University of Washington physicians who wrote an open letter (link below) advocating a non-racist response to the demonstrations. It directly called out the lethal dangers of white supremacy and the difference in response to the earlier white armed protestors. More than 1200 public health professionals and physicians signed it. These efforts have helped the health department shift to supporting the protests, despite the risks of the Coronavirus. They called for the police to stop the use of teargas because it can increase transmission of the coronavirus and today the Chief of Police announced the ban, recognizing that the vast majority of protesters are peaceful. Looting was not done by the demonstrators.

[It’s worth reading her whole blog tonight.]

https://betsybrownmd.substack.com/

VIRTUAL CHALK TOUR

Jonny has been hard at work on internet support for the Chalk Festival! YES! It looks like we’ll be able to upload our photos of our own Chalk (and Chalkers?), linked to our location, so shut-in neighbors can still come see. And we’ll all have plenty of time to see all the chalk. Our neighborhood is really pretty big: 1700 houses! If a whole lot of us join in, it will help if we can take weeks to see it all.

Jonny added a place on the registration form where neighbors can donate the sidewalk in front of their own house if they don’t plan to chalk on it.

Hey! Does anybody have a drone with a good camera? It might be cool to get a bird’s eye view of our joyful sidewalks.

Yes, I’m still making this up as I go along, but now other people are starting to make it up too. I’m pretty excited! And Zeke’s cousin sent another big box of chalk. And a neighbor dropped off an envelope with a donation to get still more chalk. I’m starting to believe that if you can’t find chalk, we may actually be able to come up with enough for everyone!

LAWN CARE

My son and two friends are feeling entrepreneurial.

Grass too tall? Give us a call!

Three Whatcom Middle School students are ready to mow your lawn and help with other yard work.  We will bring our own equipment and will abide by safety standards.  Email us at lawncare272@gmail.com or call at 360-410-2474.  Prices negotiable. ~ Noah Bandstra, Soren Vanyo and Archer Burns.

~ Jessica Bandstra

RADIO FREE FL!P: NINA SIMONE

I Wish I Knew How It Feels To Be Free

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dlrXCYrNYI

CONTENTS 6/4/2020
From Betsy Brown, MD
Peaceful Solidarity Rally For Justice
Big Chalk Update
Found Wallet
Window Masks?
Free Irises
Shop For Fl!p?
Radio Free Fl!p: Wayfaring Stranger

FROM BETSY BROWN, MD

[Betsy is among my most trusted sources. She’s a doctor in Seattle. I subscribe to her daily blog.]

We are not the only medical organization that saw a drop off in visits with the pandemic. Many practices and hospitals are in a world of financial hurt. The American medical system is not known for its efficiencies or for being economical. Many primary care clinics are struggling now, as are hospitals, especially in rural areas. Many will not survive because their income is based on actually seeing patients. Don’t blame the doctors. It is a ragged and inequitable system. Primary care providers also have the lowest income and often work with a shoestring budget, with little room for obstacles. Nothing like a pandemic to shine a light on the needs for healthcare reform. The system is not sustainable and has so much more potential.

Delay in care is also increasing costs to people’s health because life threatening conditions are being ignored and care is delayed. One thing to know is that right now, anyway, ER’s and clinics are some of the safest places to be, as the number of infections decrease. That will change as numbers increase over the next few weeks, with more opening up and exposures. There will be hot spots which can change county to county, so pay attention to what your local health department is telling you. If you have been ignoring a health issue waiting for the pandemic to clear, now is a window of opportunity, so call your doctor’s office. They will be happy to see you or set up a video visit.

And a pediatrician weighs in on children playing together again.

betsybrownmd@substack.com

PEACEFUL SOLIDARITY RALLY FOR JUSTICE

Saturday, June 6 at 3 – 5 PM
Maritime Heritage Park

The organizers request that everyone bring masks, hand sanitizers, and be aware of social distancing. Please do that! The park is a large area. Please please spread out in it as best you can. I found this quote today, and I like it:  “…perhaps it is proof of the fundamental decency if ordinary people…that maybe people are not willing to risk other people’s lives for money, but when other people may lose their lives if they do not act, they rise to the call of action…in terms of standing up for civil rights, as a nation…” ~Claus Joens

BIG CHALK UPDATE

Wow! There was a lot going on with the Chalk Festival today. The Eldridge Society let me know this morning that they will donate up to $300 towards chalk! I’m searching for more chalk. If you hear of a source, even online, please let me know right away!

And Marla Bronstein (who runs the Elizabeth Park Summer Concerts (Thursdays at 6 PM, starting later this month – online this year) will be hosting Chalk Talk! Short-short video discussions with local dignitaries about our festival. Marla is a hoot! She has already written to lots of potential interviewees. I can’t wait to hear their discussions! I’ll be posting links here.

Marla informed me that I was responsible to come up with theme music (background) for her interviews. And the music had to be out-of-copyright. As I was poking around for music, Marla emailed me a photo, article, and video about Alton Adams, a Black conductor & composer who was good friends with John Phillip Sousa in the early-to-mid 1900s. (Fourth of July, people!) And Adams shares Marla’s birthday! So Zeke sat right down and figured out how to play one of Adams’ marching band pieces on his mandolin. I joined him on guitar, and by this evening we had a goofy video of me and Zeke in our St Pepper-style fancy Sedentary Band uniforms, wrestling with one of Adam’s best known marches. We didn’t exactly loose…

And Walnut Street neighbor and graphic artist (and poet) Alaya Rousseau created a lovely hand-drawn postcard that we will copy and attach to each of the 130-some chalk sets waiting in my front entry already. Alaya’s inspired artwork includes directions for how to sign up and be part of the Chalk Festival.

And Jonny Kemp says the website and sign-up form that he’s building for the Chalk Festival is coming right along.  We may even be able to upload photos of our Chalk, connected to our addresses, so shut-in neighbors (like me) can still take a virtual tour!

We are exactly a month away…

FOUND WALLET

I found a red wallet in the alley between Victor and Henry, 2300 block.  It has a library card, with a name of Naomi S.  Email me if this is yours.  That is all that was in the wallet..

~ Kristin Barber
kristinmbarber@gmail.com

WINDOW MASKS?

Do you know of anyone who is making/selling face masks for the deaf & hard of hearing with the clear plastic face piece?   I would like to buy two of them for my son and I. Thanks a bunch, ~ Lorraine Delahoyde  xcskier2@live.com

FREE IRISES

I have some iris plants to give away (out in front of 3000 Lynn St in a plastic soil bag). They’ve been in a pot & did not bloom this spring so I don’t know what color they are. They are ready to put in the ground!  ~ Jennifer Dannenberg

SHOP FOR FLIP?

Is anyone going to the Food Co-Op or Haggens Friday or Saturday? There are just a couple things we’re getting low on…  Fl!p 360-671-4511 flip@breskin.com

RADIO FREE FL!P:  WAYFARING STRANGER

Rhiannon Giddens. People make rude jokes about banjos and accordions. The joke’s on them! Real beauty shines through every time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1Z4PAZX9Bs