Category: Neighborhood

CONTENTS

  Reassurance From A Doc In NYC

  More Nursing Home Spread

  Hospital Controversy

  Ways To Support Our Hospital

  Covid Helpers Phone Line 360-778-2762

  Stone Soup Project

  More Details On Mask Safety

  Deep Discussion Of Current Issues

  Financial Resources

  Freebies For First Responders

  1919 Bellingham Pandemic History

Columbia Neighborhood

  Show Our Solidarity

  Abandoned Back Pack

  Scavenger Hunt!

  Scratch Paper Offered For Kids’ Drawings

Fl!p’s Pix For Music

  Streets Of London

  John Prine’s Condition Now Stable

REASSURANCE FROM A DOC IN NYC

It’s an hour long video, but he looks both credible and calm. He says we should only wear masks to keep us from touching our faces. I took a few notes as best I could, but there’s more here. 

1. Wash your hands! Know where your hands are; have sanitizer with you when you leave home and use it constantly, every time you touch anything. 2. Learn to stop touching your face – wear a mask to keep you from touching your face when you’re not at home. Not a medical mask – just a training mask. 3. Stay at least six feet apart. 4. Shrink your social circle down to 2 – 4 people. None of your immediate circle should see anyone else at all.

Most transmission is within families. If you develop a fever and are otherwise fine, isolate yourself, just like in the list above. Use a separate room if you’re able, and your own bathroom if possible. If you have to come out, wash hands and wear a mask. Don’t be scared to stay home with your family, but stay in your room. After you’ve been feeling better for 7 days, you can come back out, but keep wearing the mask and keep washing your hands. You can avoid passing it on. With one exception: Elders & frail, vulnerable family members. Move them or isolate them. No physical interaction at all. Don’t go in the same room. Transmission is still from touching a surface or person. So don’t touch vulnerable folks at all.

If you do get Covid, only go to the hospital if you’re short of breath. Of those who go to hospital, lots of them will be checked out and sent home; some will go onto the floor and be short of breath for 5 – 7 days and then go home. Of everybody who gets it, maybe 10% need to go to the hospital because they are short of breath. Of folks who are admitted to the hospital, 1 – 3% need care in the ICU with a ventilator. Most people who are on a ventilator survive and come back off in 7 – 10 days. Going to the hospital is not a death sentence. There’s lots more here as well. Please don’t assume my notes are good enough. I wrote them in part because I remember better when I take notes.

https://vimeo.com/399733860

MORE NURSING HOME SPREAD

Confirmed Cases Yesterday 116, Deaths 7. Covid is now reported at four area nursing homes. The County Health Department website just announced that they will be unable to update numbers by their regular noon update time. Read the Bellingham Herald for details and updates on numbers when they become available.

HOSPITAL CONTROVERSY

Update: If you tweet, write, or call about this issue, please keep the focus on getting safe practices and adequate PPE for the hospital, per Dr. Lin. “I want to REMIND people that in a time of National Emergency its important to stay focused on being Civil and Positive and helpful to each other. Despite its flaws, Peacehealth St Joseph Hospital has many Staff and Colleagues who have my respect and are doing their best to provide care to the community. I hold no animosity toward Peacehealth St Joseph as I enter my next chapter in my life. Thank you for working together as a community.”

WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR HOSPITAL

Supplies, masks, food, and money.

https://www.peacehealth.org/bellinghamdonations

COVID HELPERS PHONE LINE 360-778-2762

From the Whatcom County Covid-19 Community Helpers: 

If you know someone who is not on Facebook but wants to request help, here is a multi-lingual Hotline phone number people can call to make a request. This phone number is not just for the Columbia neighborhood. Follow instructions to leave a voicemail and they have a team of dispatchers who will get back to you. Nina LaMetterey spearheaded the entire project- dealing with Comcast, bringing on board a solid team of dispatchers and interpreters covering 34 languages and getting each of them trained on the processes we have set up for dispatching incoming calls. 

STONE SOUP PROJECT

Covid Helpers have joined forces with the Fellowship of Messengers, a registered 501(c)3 non profit organization, to raise emergency funds for food and medication to help our most vulnerable Neighbors in Need. 100% of donations go to the Bellingham COVID-19 Community Helper network.

The Fellowship of Messengers, an interfaith registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and the Bellingham COVID-19 Community Helpers, are joining forces to carry out The Stone Soup Project. The “Stone Soup” has been practiced all over the world, by many different faiths. With a Stone Soup – many people of a town come together to each share a small amount of their food in order to make a meal that everyone enjoys. With the community coming together for this appropriately-named initiative, we will be able to provide immediate assistance to many of our neighbors in need (NINs). All donations made to The Stone Soup Project will be distributed through The Bellingham COVID-19 Community Helper network. [I’m trying to find a non-facebook way for folks to donate.]

While the health realties of the COVID-19 pandemic are changing daily, there is also a growing silent pandemic emerging: people are going without essential food and medicine in our community. Since Governor Inslee’s mandate to close all “non-essential” businesses, the numbers of those facing critical poverty and vital food insecurity are multiplying.

With government systems overburdened and struggling, it is now up to our own communities to provide for our most vulnerable citizens. Washington State is receiving national recognition for independently saving as many lives as possible, through joint efforts by community groups and Non-profits who are working together to provide direct assistance to the vulnerable.

MORE DETAILS ON MASK SAFETY

Some masks do not protect others. From my big brother, Joe Breskin: There are situations where social distancing is not going to cut it, like grocery shopping when other people may not be thinking. There are two issues that are NOT the same. 1) Protecting oneself and 2) protecting others. Ultimately, they are connected, but the form of mask you wear reflects design decisions made by people considering lots of factors. Surgical masks are designed to protect both parties. Particle masks are designed to protect the wearer. Particle masks with exhaust valves were designed for conditions like sanding sheetrock or installing insulation. They do not protect other people. A turtleneck pulled up over the bridge of your nose will do it, or one of these: https://benchmarkfr.com/collections/fr-accessories/products/fr-face-muffler-gaiter. (Free shipping.) The following link is good too. Really clear and old enough to not be seen as government PR .

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/pdfs/UnderstandDifferenceInfographic-508.pdf

DEEP DISCUSSION OF CURRENT ISSUES

I’ve received this article from a surprising number of friends and neighbors. I found it interesting.

https://charleseisenstein.org/essays/the-coronation/

FINANCIAL RESOURCES

From Dr Frank James: This pandemic is causing financial hardship and uncertainty for many of us. Let’s look at some of the resources that might help.

The federal stimulus bill has just passed, and Employment Security Department Commissioner Suzi LeVine has a brief video on YouTube to explain some of the changes that benefit Washingtonians. Go to esd.wa.gov to sign up for COVID-19 action alerts so you can take action as things change and apply for benefits you are eligible for.
The state’s coronavirus website has information to help sort through other benefits that may be available to you, such as paid family leave, workers compensation, and resources for small businesses (https://coronavirus.wa.gov/business-workers).
Department of Financial Institutions (DFI)has developed a list of resources that might help address the financial impacts of the coronavirus, including mortgage assistance, financial resources, and financial scams.
The federal stimulus package included about $1,200 per person. This money has not been distributed yet, but some scammers are trying to take advantage of people. Remember—the government will not ask you to pay anything up front to get this money. No fees. No charges. No nothing. The government will not call to ask for your Social Security number, bank account, or credit card number. Anyone who does is a scammer. 

https://coronavirus.wa.gov/business-workers

FREEBIES FOR FIRST RESPONDERS

The Firehouse Cafe at the corner of 12th & McKenzie in Fairhaven is giving out free drinks (coffee etc) to healthcare workers and other emergency responders at their walk up window. Spread the word! 

1919 BELLINGHAM PANDEMIC HISTORY

I found this very interesting! There are definite parallels. Thanks Matt Benoit at Whatcom Talk!

A Century Ago, Bellingham Battled Through Spanish Flu Pandemic

COLUMBIA NEIGHBORHOOD

SHOW OUR SOLIDARITY 

I was reading on FB on how people were putting out their American Flags. I thought this was a great idea on how to bring the community and country together. ~ Dave Lind, Lorraine Ellis Court 

ABANDONED BACK PACK

A new Outdoor Products black back pack has been left in front of our home up against a tree by our driveway.  It still has tags on it.

  Sue Hodges, 2418 Williams Street, bellinghamsue@aol.com

SCAVENGER HUNT!

My teenage boys walked the neighborhood and made up a scavenger hunt for anyone who might be looking for things to do. The items with the stars are challenge items.

Birdhouse

Flag

Kayak

Wreath

Garden Gnome

Old truck

Yellow flowers

Halloween decorations

Hose

Solar panels

Treehouse

Little Lending Library

Seahawks sign

Monkey bars

New house being built

Traffic cone

Green door

Statue of an animal

Chicken coop

Christmas lights

Red car

Metal sun

Stars

Tire swing

Wind chimes

Pinwheel

Pink house

Slow down sign

Barking dog

Camper trailer

Painted gingko leaves

Fox pillow

Bike in a tree

Pig on a pole in a tree

Metal hummingbird

Blue metal horse

Green and blue lizards on a house

  Thank you, Kim Ragsdale, Lynn Street

SCRATCH PAPER OFFERED FOR KIDS’ DRAWINGS

I have a few colored pencils and lots of scratch paper (printed on one side but clean on the other) for cooped up kids to draw on. I’ve been “organizing” (funny what an apocalypse will do toward spring cleaning) and I hate to just throw it away… We don’t have a free library or anywhere to just leave it out, but if you want it, e-mail me and I’ll leave it in a paper bag outside our house. We are very isolated and have worn gloves every time we’ve left the house, washing hands frequently. If you want this paper and pencils, the paper bag it will be in will be safe to carry home by the handles, especially if you wear gloves. Any concerns (and best practice just now anyway) is to leave it sitting somewhere when you get it home (on a shelf where kids can’t get it, in the garage, etc.) for three days, after which it would be safe to handle. Any corrections to that practice and I’m happy to know about it myself… ~ Leslie Glen, Elizabeth Street, bhamscot@gmail.com

FL!P’S PIX FOR MUSIC

STREETS OF LONDON

I learned this Ralph McTell song back in the 1970s. He has written a new verse. Here is a link with him singing the original, and another with him singing just the new verse. We’re all in this together.

In shop doorways, under bridges, in all our towns and cities / You can glimpse the makeshift bedding from the corner of your eye / Remember what you’re seeing barely hides a human being / We’re all in this together, brother, sister, you and I.

https://slippedisc.com/2020/03/how-can-you-tell-me-youre-lonely-ralph-mctell-adds-new-verse/

https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-52046893

JOHN PRINE’S CONDITION NOW STABLE

John Prine was reported in critical condition with Covid yesterday. News just came in that he is now considered stable. I’m in tears. If there a folks on this list who don’t know his music, go look him up. His songs have been a profound gift to our world.

Love/Fl!p

CONTENTS

  Confirmed Cases 116, Deaths 7

  MakerSpace Donations Location & Times

  Whatcom Unified Command Donations Location & Times

  Revisiting Masks

  Hospital Controversy

    From Dr Ming Lin

    From A Local Health Care Worker

Columbia Neighborhood

  Bread Subscription With Local Pickup

  Repost Request: Zoofari

  Need Emergency Plumber

  Rental Needed

Flip’s Pix For Music

  Video Lag

Editor’s Corner: Yawning

CONFIRMED CASES 116 DEATHS 7

Whatcom county reports 116 positive tests as of Sunday noon. More Shuksan residents have died, and more nursing homes are now involved. Because there are so few tests available, we have no clear picture of how widespread the virus is in our community. The Whatcom County Health Department posts new numbers around noon daily. Check the Bellingham Herald for more details.

MAKERSPACE DONATIONS LOCATION

12 – 5, Mon -Friday: Someone will be available to receive donations at Bellingham Makerspace which is located at the Bellis Fair Mall. If you are in the parking lot and driving toward Dick’s Sporting Goods, there is a loading cu-lde-sac on the right. That’s where.

WHATCOM UNIFIED COMMAND DONATIONS LOCATION

4-6 pm Monday – Friday: You mentioned Friday that WUC is out by the airport. I just dropped off supplies to them today Saturday, and they are now behind the mattress place on Meridian, 4233 Guide Meridian. Because of the street barriers, if you are driving on the northbound side of The Guide, you have to turn left on Kellogg and turn around so that you are heading south. Then take the first right to go along the side of the mattress store towards back of building. Here is the contact info. [from Caryn Friedlander]

Rud Browne, Donations Branch Director, Whatcom Unified Command: 360-820-9494  WUC_Donations@co.whatcom.wa.us

REVISITING MASKS

It has been widely shared (including by me) that wearing masks in this pandemic isn’t a good idea. Of course people in the general public should not be wearing masks specifically made for healthcare workers, because supplies are so low. But apparently, we should be wearing something else – anything else. Why? Because even ones made from two t-shirts, work. Here is a link to an article from the Washington Post. I found it convincing. If you can’t get at it, email me at flip@columbianeighborhood.org and I will send you the text.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2020/03/28/masks-all-coronavirus/

On the other hand, my cousin Alex Breskin is an epidemiologist. I wrote him about masks, this morning. Here’s his reply: Transmission in closed spaces is way higher than open spaces. If you are maintaining your 6 foot distance from others when outside then a mask is not needed. It’s not going to hurt to cover your mouth and nose when indoors with others, but I haven’t seen any meaningful evidence that cotton fabric will help much.

HOSPITAL CONTROVERSY

DR MING LIN SPEAKS

I want to be sure that Dr Lin gets the first word:

  “It has been obvious from my contact with the media that the story of my firing has distracted from my message of providing optimal safety for the healthcare staff.

  I am touched at what people have been doing on my behalf.

  But we are in a National Emergency of unprecedented times. PLEASE NO PETITIONS, NO PROTESTING , and please realize ANY NEGATIVE ACTION MAY HARM patients who need care from the hospital.

  We need to channel our energy toward preparing for a potential pandemic. Wash your hands, keep your distance and put on a mask.

LETTER FROM A LOCAL NURSE

  Many of you know that Dr. Ming Lin, a 17-year veteran emergency department physician at PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center, was fired for speaking out publicly pertaining to his concerns about the lack of proper safety protections and protocols for frontline doctors and nurses at our community’s only hospital, and what that means for their health and the health of patients and the greater community.  Dr. Lin has been a physician for over 30 years. He worked at St. Vincent’s Hospital in New York City when 9/11 happened — he has experience in health and community crisis situations.

  COVID-19 eclipses every other story in the news. The public is understandably desperate for accurate, honest, transparent information, clarity and guidance. That is why it is essential that PeaceHealth re-evaluate how they have (mis)handled their communications and preparedness to date. Some may say, this is not a time for recriminations. This isn’t about recriminations, it’s about reminding PeaceHealth — during this pandemic — that they must be honest, going forward. The truth will always emerge, so why not be transparent and sensibly proactive — and admit fault where needed? Admitting you haven’t done some things right is never easy, but it is a sign of strength and leadership.

  I am a nurse and a former PeaceHealth employee, so I have some knowledge of the “culture of intimidation” that can occur within the organization; a fear of consequences if one points out short-falls or failings — ranging from embarrassment and isolation to low performance ratings, lost promotions, even firing, as happened to Dr. Lin.

Nurses at St. Joe’s have filed complaints with the Washington State Nurses Association pertaining to PeaceHealth’s actions and inaction. WSNA’s complaint was filed with the Washington state Depart­ment of Labor and Indus­tries Division of Occupa­tional Safety and Health over what they believe is the hospital’s failure to provide a safe work environment.  Also, the American Academy of Emergency Medicine issued their position and statement on Dr. Lin’s firing. AAEM, stating in part,

  “…It is an essential duty of a physician to advocate for the health of others. Dr. Lin, as a member of the medical staff, is entitled to full due process and a fair hearing from his peers on the medical staff. TeamHealth, a lay corporation owned by the private equity company the Blackstone Group, should not be the employer of Dr. Lin according to the laws of the state of Washington. Their hand in this termination is not only inexcusable but likely impermissible. We call on the WA state Attorney General and the State Board of Medicine to investigate this circumstance….”

https://www.wsna.org/news/2020/statement-on-firing-of-dr-ming-lin-and-silencing-of-nurses-and-doctors

https://www.aaem.org/resources/statements/position/firing-of-dr-ming-lin

  A foundational principle of safety, that must be adhered to by all hospi­tals and health systems is,  “If you see something, say something.” That’s precisely what Dr. Lin did.

  I urge you to join me in support of Dr. Lin. Please contact Bev Mathew, local communications/PR for PeaceHealth, bmayhew@peacehealth.org. I don’t know if Dr. Lin would want to be reinstated, or not, but tell them their actions are not congruent with PeaceHealth’s mission statement. Their actions are detrimental to not only St. Joe’s frontline providers, but to patients, the community and our future. Be polite, but let them know, they are ethically obligated to tell us the truth and adequately support the dedicated staff at St. Joe’s.   

  Thank you, Rebecca Cutler, Broadway Street

COLUMBIA NEIGHBORHOOD

BREAD SUBSCRIPTION WITH LOCAL PICKUP

Local baker, Sophie Williams, owns Raven Breads and primarily sells to individuals through the Farmer’s Market. To continue operations during the stay-at-home situation, Raven Breads will be running an April Bread Subscription with local self-pickup location in Columbia Neighborhood (on our porch)! Her website does a much better job of describing her amazing bread and business.  Check it out and sign up at https://squareup.com/store/raven-breads/ (signup deadline is today, 3.29) Best, Dan Stone

REPOST REQUEST: ZOOFARI

Could you please re-post the March 23 suggestion from Maureen Standish titled “Zoofari”? My neighbor talked to a family biking down our street today, and they had only seen six or so stuffed animals. I put mine in the house in my picture window, facing my neighbors’ big bear in their window.  It will add interest to walks and rides through the neighborhoods. Thanks ~ Zip Jelino

Place a stuffed animal, statue of animal, or plastic animal somewhere in your front yard. Or draw an animal and tape it to a window. When families are walking or biking they can try and find as many animals as possible. You might use binoculars! [My Velveteen Rabbit is now in my front window! ~Fl!p]

NEED EMERGENCY PLUMBER

Can I get a shout-out for an emergency plumber? I’m at 2415 Williams St and my water is turned off, but that is not a viable long term solution. ~ Lynne Pendleton 360-738-2780 360-220-4075

RENTAL NEEDED

I absolutely vouch for how responsible & kind Anna is. She would be a wonderful tenant or housemate. ~ Oona Sherman

$850 (incl. utilities) Single musician/full time employed woman+dog seek housing by 6/1/2020

We have been living in a wonderful mother-in-law in the Puget neighborhood for the past couple of years, but due to our current economic crisis, the people I rent from lost their income and need to move into our rental property. I work full-time at a very successful and reputable cannabis grow called SubX, and feel confident that my job will remain secure. I am also a songwriter/performer/cellist, and play all around the PNW but mainly Bellingham and Seattle. This community is my home, and I am invested in staying here and making it a better place. Bluebelle is my sweet 8 year old pit bull, and we go on 2 or more walks/hikes every day. She is very well-behaved and I am in the habit of cleaning up all her poops right away! I am a non-smoker, neat, quiet, happy to help with yard work etc. Because I write music,I would prefer to live in my own space with a decent amount of privacy. I can move any time between May 1 and June 1. Thank you very much!! ~ Anna Arvin (360) 685-3634 anna.arvan@gmail.com

FLIP’S PIX FOR MUSIC

VIDEO LAG

Hello musician friends! If you see any video where people are singing or playing music all together with no lag issues-that is a separate recordings edited together. There are no online platforms without lag. It is not something wrong with your computer or your internet..it’s just impossible to not have lag for technical reasons that are really smart and convincing. I am being asked this many times a day. If there was an online platform without lag-we would all be using it! Just try calling your friend on the phone and sing a song at the same time..it also won’t sync up. So back to zooming and doing the best we can or have everyone record their parts and develop some mad editing skills. From Karla Mundy, choir director, Vancouver BC

[I have been getting helpful suggestions from other musicians, but haven’t been able to get any of them to feel like live jamming. If I’m wrong, and I’d love to be, please let me know.]

  If you are experiencing major lag with Zoom or any platform like that it’s worth it to really make sure there are no other streaming devices in the house. For me, that has meant putting Other devices right on to airplane mode not just making sure any apps are closed. From Emily Villavicencio

EDITOR’S CORNER

YAWNING TO RELIEVE STRESS

Every creature that has a spine yawns. Every one. Not just dogs, cats & horses, but birds, fish, snakes… It’s a built-in repair circuit which triggers the parasympathetic nervous system, which calms everything down in your body. Particularly useful when your body is stressed, injured, ill, or when you’re scared or upset. Try for at least three minutes of non-stop yawns, including very gentle stretching, making little noises, gently rubbing anything that itches. If you’re doing it well, your eyes should water and you may get little strings of saliva between your teeth. If you’re doing it really well, your stomach may growl. Twenty to forty minutes of non-stop yawning can also decommission stage fright. Do it until just before you walk out on stage. These days I even yawn between songs when I’m onstage, and invite my audience to yawn with me. Enjoy!

Love/Fl!p

CONTENTS

  Hospital Controversy

  PPE Delivery: New Location

  Confirmed Cases 102 Deaths 3

  Dr Fauci On Coronavirus

  Support Shuksan & Hospital Workers

Columbia Neighborhood

  Chuck-It? 

HOSPITAL CONTROVERSY

A 17-year veteran Emergency Room doctor in town was fired yesterday and escorted off campus. The situation is being covered regionally and nationally today, including AP and Washington Post.

There seem to be two aspects to this controversy: Whether PeaceHealth has done everything in its power to protect our health care workers, and whether they have leveled with us as a community about the situation at our hospital. Workers’ concerns are being raised, and our community deserves clear, complete answers. The Washington State Nurses Association issued a statement that they are “appalled” and have filed a complaint with the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries. 

 Today’s Bellingham Herald covered it this way:
https://www.bellinghamherald.com/news/coronavirus/article241590146.html

  Seattle Times follow-article yesterday 3.27.2020

• https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/health/er-doctor-who-criticized-bellingham-hospitals-coronavirus-protections-has-been-fired/

  NWCitizen article yesterday and today. They originally broke the story.

• https://nwcitizen.com/

  An interview with Dr Ming Lin

PPE DELIVERY: NEW LOCATION

Home sewn masks, gowns, printed face shields can be delivered to Bellingham MakerSpace 12 – 5 Monday through Friday. (They can also be delivered to the Unified Command out near the airport, from 4 – 6 PM only Monday – Friday.) The Grabow Center asks people now to deliver to these two spaces. They were happily overwhelmed with our community’s generosity, but were unable to keep up with the largess in order to properly sanitize the gifts prior to delivery.  Bellingham Makerspace will now coordinate county efforts for providing medical professionals with the protective equipment they need. Bring them by Bellingham Makerspace which is located at the Bellis Fair Mall.  If you are in the parking lot and driving toward Dick’s Sporting Goods, there is a loading culdesac on the right.  We will have someone available to receive donations between 12 – 5, Mon -Fri. 

CONFIRMED CASES 102 DEATHS 3

Whatcom county now has 102 positive tests. Another Shuksan resident has died, bringing the total there to three. Five deaths in the county. More nursing homes are now involved. Check the Bellingham Herald for more details.

DR FAUCI ON CORONAVIRUS

https://news.avclub.com/trevor-noah-gets-13-minutes-with-the-one-guy-you-want-t-1842521786?utm_medium=sharefromsite

SUPPORT SHUKSAN & HOSPITAL WORKERS

Shuksan health care workers (and likely hospital workers) could use the following:

1. Cases of Gatorade and vitamin water

2. Coffee (starbucks sells cartons of hot coffee with cups, creamer, etc)

3. Also thinking they may like cases of energy drinks

MAP YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD

I heard from three different blocks today that they are working on connecting or re-connecting! I could be more delighted!!! Here’s a report from Walnut Street. If you’re trying to figure out how to get started, this is a great description:

  Just want to let you know that I did a round of updates to our MYN 2700-2800 Walnut St. contact list and the Skills/Knowledge & Stuff to Share in an Emergency list as well. I started by emailing everyone I had on the list since our last update 8/18. One of my neighbors I then went door to door reaching out to all the folks who hadn’t updated via email. We left a note at the households who didn’t answer the door asking them to call/email me with any changes to their info. Next step was updating the lists and sending the info out to everyone via email so they could check for accuracy. Gene & I then got copies of the final version made at CopySource, and then Lynne & I left one at each person’s house. Feeling good to have that done and to have met my new neighbors, even if only from a distance. ~Mardi S

COLUMBIA NEIGHBORHOOD

CHUCK-IT?

My dog finally found tennis balls are fun.

Anyone have a “chuck-it” they no longer want or use?

  Lindsay Hertz

  Kulshan st

  360-920-2688

Love/Fl!p

CONTENTS

Friday March 27, 4:45 PM

  Block Buddies

  Columbia Helpers

  92 Confirmed Cases

  Bellingham Post Office Open

Neighborhood Specifics

  Visit From A Chicken (Already Home)

  In Search Of Pedal Bike

Fl!p’s Pix For Music

  Robert Sarazin Blake:From The Kitchen Table

  John Miller Guitar Instruction

Lots of Shopping Safety Info

  The Short Form: Infectious Virus Only For 72 Hours On Objects

  Don’t Panic About Deliveries (Wa Post Article)

  Keeping Things Really Clean

  Decontamination: From A Scientist

BLOCK BUDDIES

If we take the long view, centuries long, pandemics are actually normal. They have happened many, many times before. And this time, we know more and have more tools for dealing with it: Healthcare workers giving everything they’ve got to save as many people as possible; Dedicated scientists all over the planet helping us understand the virus, and researching treatments and vaccines; The internet that connects so many of us as we stay home to protect one another. There is one thing that is different in a less helpful way, at least in cities in the USA. We don’t know our neighbors as well as our parents and grandparents knew theirs. Or as well as folks in small towns know their neighbors even now. Neighbors can make a huge difference in how well we get through this next period, from waving out the window to calling for aid if we can’t do it for ourselves. Please begin trading contact information with your next-door neighbors. Try to get a list for your whole block. Anybody who agrees to be on the list gets a copy of the list. And, please, let me know if you’re doing it, and how I can assist you. This is the single thing that I most want to have happen in this next period.

COLUMBIA HELPERS

If you have joined the Columbia Helpers Facebook page – or feel free to do so now: https://www.facebook.com/groups/helpers.columbia , please check it  a couple of times a day to see if there is a Neighbor in Need. If you see a post from someone saying they need help and you are able to help, please jump in and help. You can message that person directly or leave a comment under the person’s request. Here is a hotline number people can call if they are not on Facebook: 360-778-2762 and follow instructions to leave a voicemail. Someone will get back to you.

Thank you for helping out! We’ll get through this together!

Colleen and Erin, your Columbia Neighborhood Co-Captains

92 CONFIRMED CASES 

Whatcom County now has a total of 92 cases, including four deaths. 

bellinghamherald.com

BELLINGHAM POST OFFICE OPEN

The Postal Service is classified as an essential government service, and will remain open wherever possible.

 315 Prospect St, Bellingham, WA 98225

 360-752-9822

Just left the post office in prospect. Still normal hours and services. ~ Ryan Johnson 

COLUMBIA NEIGHBORHOOD SPECIFICS

VISIT FROM A CHICKEN

[The owner has already been found, but I couldn’t resist sharing the headline!]

Barred rock chicken. Corner of Park and Jefferson hanging out with my chickens.

  Amber Hixson

  Park Street

IN SEARCH OF PEDAL BIKE

My daughter is turning 4 next month. My hope is to get her her first pedal bike. I wanted to check to see if any family in the neighborhood has one they have outgrown that they would be willing to sell me. Size 14″ or 16″ wheels. 

*Also open to receiving tips on how to have a successful quarantine celebration. 

  Helen Hollister

  Williams Street

  helenhollister@gmail.com

FL!P’S PIX FOR MUSIC

ROBERT SARAZIN BLAKE:FROM THE KITCHEN TABLE

Sunday March 29th, 4-6pm

 LIVE STEAM http:///www.robertsarazinblake.com

or https://www.facebook.com/robertsarazinblake/

All Viewers Welcome: Digital Tip Jar

Paypal: paypal.me/RobertSarazinBlake

Venmo: @RobertSarazinBlake

A weekly broacast concert and song swap

from our kitchen table to yours.

‘Lets sit around the table together’

March 29th Guest: (BBC Award Winning!) Jefferson Hamer

https://www.jeffersonhamer.com/

JOHN MILLER GUITAR INSTRUCTION

I have fifty years experience as a guitar instructor, teaching privately and offering classes at music camps. I teach Folk, Old-Time, Country Blues fingerpicking, Jazz, Brazilian guitar, chord theory and voicing, and composition. I’ve written five books and have 18 instructional videos released by Stefan Grossman’s Guitar Workshop.  I have already done a lot of on-line teaching and am comfortable doing that using Mac FaceTime or Zoom.  Interested parties can check out my website at www.johnmillerguitar.com or contact me at john@johnmillerguitar.com 

[I can’t print this without giving a shout-out. John is an internationally recognized guitar teacher and player. I stand in awe of this man’s musicianship, breadth of knowledge, and scholarship in a wide range of musical styles. He is a musical sage. And he lives here in town! ~Fl!p]

LOTS OF SHOPPING SAFETY INFO

THE SHORT FORM:

INFECTIOUS VIRUS ONLY FOR 72 HOURS ON OBJECTS

CDC clarifies that live, infectious virus was NOT found 17 days later on the Princess ship. Virus survives on surfaces only up to 72 hours, and only 24 on cardboard. I currently have a front entry “parking lot” for pretty much everything but milk and ice cream. I don’t stack anything but one day’s mail. Much easier than cleaning everything to just wait 3 days. Wash your produce like you wash your hands.

DON’T PANIC ABOUT DELIVERIES

I asked my cousin Alex Breskin, who is an epidemiologist, about this article from the Washington Post, before sharing it. He says wash your hands anyway, but he’s not too concerned in this regard, because the virus decays pretty quickly. It has a “half-life.” (You don’t have to have a subscription to view this article about it. At least one friend was having difficulty, so I have copied and pasted the article here, right after the link:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/03/26/dont-panic-about-shopping-getting-delivery-or-accepting-packages/

By Joseph G. Allen 

March 26, 2020 at 5:10 a.m. PDT

PLEASE NOTE

The Washington Post is providing this story for free so that all readers have access to this important information about the coronavirus. For more free stories, sign up for our daily Coronavirus Updates newsletter.

Joseph G. Allen is an assistant professor of exposure and assessment science and director of the Healthy Buildings Program at Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

A recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine is making people think twice about how they might be exposed to covid-19 if they open a box delivered by UPS, touch packages at the grocery store or accept food delivery.

The risk is low. Let me explain.

First, disease transmission from inanimate surfaces is real, so I don’t want to minimize that. It’s something we have known for a long time; as early as the 1500s, infected surfaces were thought of as “seeds of disease,” able to transfer disease from one person to another.

In that new NEJM study, here’s the finding that is grabbing headlines: The coronavirus that causes covid-19 “was detectable . . . up to four hours on copper, up to 24 hours on cardboard and up to two to three days on plastic and stainless steel.”

The key word here is “detectable.”

Yes, the virus can be detected on some surfaces for up to a day, but the reality is that the levels drop off quickly. For example, the article shows that the virus’s half-life on stainless steel and plastic was 5.6 hours and 6.8 hours, respectively. (Half-life is how long it takes the viral concentration to decrease by half, then half of that half, and so on until it’s gone.)

Now, let’s examine the full causal chain that would have to exist for you to get sick from a contaminated Amazon package at your door or a gallon of milk from the grocery store.

In the case of the Amazon package, the driver would have to be infected and still working despite limited symptoms. (If they were very ill, they would most likely be home; if they had no symptoms, it’s unlikely they would be coughing or sneezing frequently.) Let’s say they wipe their nose, don’t wash their hands and then transfer some virus to your package.

Even then, there would be a time lag from when they transferred the virus until you picked up the package at your door, with the virus degrading all the while. In the worst-case scenario, a visibly sick driver picks up your package from the truck, walks to your front door and sneezes into their hands or directly on the package immediately before handing it to you.

Even in that highly unlikely scenario, you can break this causal chain.

In the epidemiological world, we have a helpful way to think about it: the “Sufficient-Component Cause model.” Think of this model as pieces of a pie. For disease to happen, all of the pieces of the pie have to be there: sick driver, sneezing/coughing, viral particles transferred to the package, a very short time lapse before delivery, you touching the exact same spot on the package as the sneeze, you then touching your face or mouth before hand-washing.

In this model, the virus on the package is a necessary component, but it alone is not sufficient to get you sick. Many other pieces of the pie would have to be in place.

So this is what you can do to disassemble the pie — to cut the chain.

You can leave that cardboard package at your door for a few hours — or bring it inside and leave it right inside your door, then wash your hands again. If you’re still concerned there was any virus on the package, you could wipe down the exterior with a disinfectant, or open it outdoors and put the packaging in the recycling can. (Then wash your hands again.)

What about going to the grocery store? The same approach applies.

Shop when you need to (keeping six feet from other customers) and load items into your cart or basket. Keep your hands away from your face while shopping, and wash them as soon as you’re home. Put away your groceries, and then wash your hands again. If you wait even a few hours before using anything you just purchased, most of the virus that was on any package will be significantly reduced. If you need to use something immediately, and want to take extra precautions, wipe the package down with a disinfectant. Last, wash all fruits and vegetables as you normally would.

We should all be grateful for those who continue to work in food production, distribution and sales, and for all those delivery drivers. They’re keeping us all safer by allowing us to stay home. And, as I said, the risk of disease transmission from surfaces is real. We can never eliminate all risk; the goal is to minimize it — because we all will occasionally need to go grocery shopping and receive supplies in the mail.

But if you take basic precautions, including washing your hands frequently, the danger from accepting a package from a delivery driver or from takeout from a local restaurant or from buying groceries is de minimis. That’s a scientific way of saying, “The risks are small, and manageable.”

KEEPING THINGS REALLY CLEAN

You don’t have to read this next article. But if you have cancer or are otherwise severely immune compromised, this article will give you detailed and precise procedures and ways to think about about dealing with groceries.

My big brother Joe is a scientist, among many other things. This was written by a personal friend of Joe’s, who is also a scientist. She explains in great detail how to clean things and then keep them clean. I believe her to be accurate.

  I had to stop and laugh helplessly half a dozen times as I was reading this. I imagined myself in a Charlie Chaplin routine. I’m glad I’m staying home at this point! We only have to deal with objects coming into the house: mail, packages, groceries. Everything is in a front entry Parking Lot for 3 days, unless it needs to go to the fridge or freezer. So the task isn’t really that overwhelming after all, at least for people who aren’t going out.

  My husband Zeke, who worked in a lab in college, says these procedures get easier pretty quickly. It’s a mind-set, a routine, and a habit of noticing. Ariel also summarizes at the end of this article. The CDC says to date they are not seeing much evidence of transmission from objects. None-the-less, I’ve put Zeke in charge of incoming objects at our house. 

  So take a deep breath and consider reading this long, detailed article. One good way to do it would be to read it aloud over the phone to a friend, with frequent stops to laugh or explode. I’m guessing all of us who never worked in a lab may have a lot of feelings about this!  ~ Love/Fl!p

DECONTAMINATION

Ariel Widget

March 22

I’ve had quite a few friends ask how they can reduce their chances of catching the nCOVID-19 virus. It works just as well for the cold and flu viruses.

I’ve spent a huge part of my adult life in various microbiology labs, working with actual and potential pathogens. I’d like to share some of the principles that were drilled into my head from day one. From minute one.

In the lab, assume that every surface is contaminated. Bench tops, door handles, faucet controls, phones, everything. During cold, flu, and COVID-19 season, you may assume that anything other people touch is contaminated. The more people touch it; the greater the likelihood.

We humans are actually pretty pathogen-proof. Our skin is, for the most part, an excellent barrier. Pathogens need a way in, either through our eyes, nose, mouth, mucosal membranes, or from cuts or breaks in our skin. For this reason, DO NOT put your fingers in your eyes, nose or mouth. You are inoculating yourself.

If personal items go into the lab, they will be contaminated. Keep them out, if you can. If you can’t (like eyeglasses), be aware that they might be contaminated. Limit their use as much as possible, and make a habit of sterilizing them when you leave. It’s complicated at first – wash your hands thoroughly. Then, disinfect your glasses, or phone, or whatever. Then wash your hands again.

If you use the restroom, wash your hands before and after. Use a paper towel on the exit door. Wash your hands before you leave the building, and the minute you get home.

When you go into the lab, wash your hands, and without touching anything, put on sterile protective equipment. When you leave, remove your gear (gloves last) then wash your hands. Exit the lab, then wash your hands. The point is to keep the germs from getting out.

During cold and flu (and COVID-19) season, we’re trying to keep germs where they are. We’re keeping them from getting IN to our homes, and of course, our bodies.

If you’re exposed to aerosol-spreading organisms in the lab, you wear a mask and eye protection. This doesn’t apply to COVID-19, but it does to the cold and flus. During cold and flu season, I often wear a scarf or muffler over my nose and mouth when I’m in high-risk areas, like crowds and the light rail. It’s usually cold anyway.

Know that most surfaces where people frequent might be contaminated. Infected people are shedding (and spreading) huge quantities of virus. Anything they touch or sneeze on is contaminated. Assume anything people touch is contaminated.

When you go to the supermarket, you disinfect the cart handle, and that’s very good. You open the door to the freezer case, and now your hands are “germy”. They’re contaminated. If you eat a sample, or rub your eye, you’ve inoculated yourself. Now you touch your cart handle, so now it’s contaminated. You pick up a can of tomatoes. If it wasn’t contaminated before, it is now. You take out your glasses to read the label, so now your glasses are contaminated. You put the can back, and pick up a larger one, leaving germs on the first can for someone else.

You pick up a box of pasta that someone with contaminated hands has touched, and put it in your cart. Now you take out your phone and call home. You just contaminated your phone. You use your debit card at the register, and contaminated your fingers, because lots of germy, infected people have used the keypad. You put your debit card back in your wallet or purse – now your debit card and your wallet/purse are contaminated with the virus.

If you’re smart, you grab a disinfecting wipe on your way out, and disinfect your hands and cart. Excellent.

You stop at the gas station, and when you use the keypad and pump handle, you contaminated your hands. Now you use your pen to write down your milage, and get back in the car. Now your car handle and pen are contaminated.

You go to the Chinese takeout. You touch the door handle (contaminated), you give the cashier $40 (contaminated) and she gives $17 in (contaminated) change. Money is frequently very germy. You give her $7 for a tip, then put the ten dollar bill in your pocket. Now everything in your pocket is contaminated – your keys, you package of gum, your chapstick. You use the restroom and wash your hands, then take your keys out. You’ve just contaminated your hands again. If you hadn’t, you would on your car door handle and your steering wheel. You contaminated those at the gas station.

When you get home, you immediately wash your hands, which is good, but remember, your phone, your pen, your wallet, your keys, your debit card, your eyeglasses, everything in your pocket, AND your can of tomatoes and box of pasta are all contaminated. You take a shower before bed. Your hands are clean. You take your money and change out of your pocket and throw your pants in the laundry basket. Now your hands are contaminated again.

It helps to imagine that germs, especially viruses, are invisible, non-drying ink. It helps to understand how it spreads, and how we become infected. How the germs get into our bodies, and our homes. And, understand, it only takes a very small amount to get you sick. Another important thing about viruses: they don’t grow *on* you – they hijack your own cells, and turn them into virus-making factories. One sick person can produce an astonishing number of infectious viral units.

It may seem like a hopeless battle, but awareness is a vital tool during the cold, flu and COVID-19 season.

Four principles:
*Limit your exposure to infected people, when possible.
*Wash your hands. All the time. At home; at work; out and about.
*Keep your fingers out of your eyes, nose and mouth, unless you KNOW they’re clean. Do not put a pen, or gum, or anything else in your mouth without consideration.
*Be especially aware of ‘in commune’ fomites, or inanimate objects that we move freely between contaminated area and clean area, like phones, eyeglasses and pens.

Most important – if you’re sick, for the love of God stay home. Keep your kids home. If you’re sick and you MUST go out, be aware that you’re putting a lot of other people at risk.

Stay safe, everybody. Stay well.

We’ll get through this.

——

Love/Fl!p

CONTENTS

Thursday March 26 1:05 PM

Correction: Safe Grocery

Whatcom County Confirmed Cases 

Helpers

  Facebook Group

  Find Help

Cheers For Essential Workers

Free Batteries 

Still Some Duplicate Emails

CORRECTION: SAFE GROCERY

In a recent email, a message with a link to a video on “PSA SAFE GROCERY..”  The text in the email said it was a video from the CDC.  This is incorrect.  This video was made and shared by a private individual, Jeffrey VanWingen, who is neither associated with the CDC nor working in epidemiology or infectious diseases. I think the confusion is due to the ad placement in YouTube. Youtube is putting an advertisement banner from the CDC on lots of videos right now.  It’s not an endorsement from the CDC, it’s an advert YouTube has placed there because the content of the video is related to certain included terms such as Coronavirus or COVID-19.

 Gregory Rehm

  Keesling Street

[Thank you Gregory and the other folks who alerted me. Now I know more of what to watch out for, and you do too. I will try to remove that post today. And I appreciate all the potential fact checkers out them. I’ll take all the help I can get! ~ Love/Fl!p

WHATCOM COUNTY CONFIRMED CASES 

as of Thursday March 26 at 12:30 PM: 86

Deaths: 4

HELPERS

Local Facebook Helpers groups, by neighborhood

https://www.facebook.com/groups/helpers.columbia/

FIND HELP

FindHelp.org is a national site with links to local resources

CHEERS FOR ESSENTIAL WORKERS

It’s abundantly clear that our healthcare workers are working under unbelievably stressful conditions and need our love and support at this time. From the lack of protective equipment, to long hours, to uncertainty about testing, this is a very hard time to be a healthcare provider. They are all working under unusually stressful conditions and need as much love and support we can send their way.  In response a group of us have gotten together (not physically obviously) and created signs of support for our healthcare providers. These signs have been placed on people’s lawns as well as at the 2 main entrances at the hospital. So far the feedback we have received has been nothing but positive, and we want to continue sending our love and support in the weeks to come. 

  So here’s what we are asking: Please make up signs of support for healthcare workers and put them in a visible place outside your home. We want our healthcare providers to see signs of support popping up all over town. We are also asking those people who are close to the hospital and can easily make it over there to make up signs and put them on the lawn leading up to the main entrance to the hospital. We currently have a bunch of signs there now, but how awesome would it be to have hundreds more?! 

  Please take photos of your signs and post them on what ever social media site(s) you use… let’s spread this far and wide!

  Finally, there are many other people out there working to support out community right now (police officers, fire fighters, paramedics, grocery personnel)… so if you’re so moved to support them as well, we think that is a fantastic idea!

  Matthew Dowling

FREE BATTERIES 

We were unable to find replacement batteries for our digital thermometer in town so we ordered some online, but had to order 40 of them. They are 1.5 volt #LR41 which seems to be the same 384 or 392. They fit both thermometers and watches. FREE  to anyone who needs them. I will put them in (sterilized)  bag on a fence post at 2829 Lynn St. 

Or if anyone knows of medical facility that might need them, let me know. 

  Gail MacDonald

  360 733-6867

  pngmac@gmail.com

  Lynn St

STILL SOME DUPLICATE EMAILS

Hoping this is the last day for these. Thank you for your forebearence.

Love/Fl!p

CONTENTS

3/25/2020  7 PM

  Come Together To Help

  Whatcom Confirmed Cases: 66

  State Launches Web Form To Clarify “Essential” Businesses

  Goods Nursery And Produce And Goods Local Brews

  Handyman For Critical Needs

  Elder Care Co-Op Seeks Workers

Fl!p’s Pix For Music

  Musician’s Internet Jamming Programs?

  Local Musicians Teaching Online

Editor’s Corner

  Emails Will Continue

COME TOGETHER TO HELP

It’s time to come together block by block to help our neighbors. It will be good if every one of us has someone next door who is checking in with us daily, and that we are checking on them as well. And for every block, someone, or even better, everyone, can make sure that no one gets left out. 

The first step is to safely connect. Internet, text and phone connections first. Figure out who’s missing and leave a sticky note on their gate, window or door. (First before writing and delivering, wash your hands.) You might even get down to knocking on their front door and then immediately moving back 8 feet. We’ll call it 8 feet because many people underestimate 6 feet. Eight feet is standard ceiling height. You can still talk just fine at that distance.

Some folks stick a piece of colored paper that says OK in their window, and then move it to a new location every day so their neighbors can tell they’re still OK.

Get together a list of everybody on your block, and share with everybody on your block, including back door neighbors if you know them. Now you have a tiny phone book! And a big enough circle of support that you can meet many needs. Your next-door neighbor may not have a spare roll of TP, but somebody on your block almost certainly does!

As you do this, I would love to hear from you that you’re working on it, and how it’s going. I really would! 

WHATCOM CONFIRMED CASES

As of today at 5:30 PM, Wednesday March 25, we have 66 confirmed cases, and 2 deaths.

GOOD SITES TO CHECK DAILY

https://whatcomcovid.com/category/news-release/

https://www.bellinghamherald.com/

STATE LAUNCHES WEB FORM TO CLARIFY “ESSENTIAL” BUSINESSES

www.coronavirus.wa.gov

 This is for now a two-week closure, and state officials will be evaluating the situation as we move through the expected increase in numbers of people testing positive for COVID-19. In response to widely-circulated rumors, state officials also want to be clear that no one needs to be registered on any list, and no one needs a letter or pass of any kind to continue moving about, conducting essential business and activities. Visit the portal’s Spread the facts page.

GOODS NURSERY AND PRODUCE AND GOODS LOCAL BREWS

Goods Nursery and Produce is open with all your gardening essentials. We have local honey, Joe’s veggie and strawberry starts, herbs, pansies, compost and more! We are sanitizing all surfaces, enforcing social distancing among shoppers and disinfecting constantly. Cory is there daily from 9-4PM. 

  Goods Local Brews is offering a growler exchange. Bring in your own growler and we will exchange it with a clean, sanitized one with a new cap. Check in with Cory from 9-4PM at the produce stand and he can fill your growler for you. Thank you all for your continued support through this very difficult time. We look forward to when we can open our doors again to the community. Stay safe and healthy!

HANDYMAN FOR CRITICAL NEEDS

Zeke and I were scheduled to get a bunch of little projects done around the house in one big burst. The highly skilled handyman we had chosen had to cancel because of the emergency order. We agree that Zeke and I are elders at risk and our projects are non-urgent. Mark is remaining open on a very limited basis, for hire because he still needs his income. He and Ginger wrote me that, “It’s our intent to honor the spirit of the order while also meeting the urgent needs of homeowners whose projects may be essential for emergency, structural, or safety purposes.” So here’s a personal shout-out to 

  Ginger and Mark Falcone

  mark@myhomesourcehandyman.com

  www.myhomesourcehandyman.com

  360-739-5881

ELDER CARE CO-OP SEEKS WORKERS
Looking for work? We are currently hiring CNA/HCA ALL shifts available
Join Circle of Life Caregiver Cooperative
a worker-owned cooperative respected in Whatcom County for over a decade.
http://www.circleoflife.coop/
What makes our worker-owned cooperative different:
*Our caregivers have part ownership in our cooperative agency.
*Our caregivers have a strong voice in many business decisions.
*Our caregivers have created a work environment where each member feels valued and respected.
At Circle of Life Caregiver Cooperative we offer:
*Flexible scheduling
*Job stability
*A connection within our community of caregivers

*Empowerment of our caregivers through teamwork and ownership of the business
$15.25 hour after 3 months

Become a member of our Co-op family! call 360-647-1537

FL!P’S PIX FOR MUSIC

MUSICIAN’S INTERNET JAMMING PROGRAMS?

If you know of effective programs to help musicians jam over the internet, I would love to run those here! I know some friends sent me suggestions last week, but they got buried in the avalanche. If you’d be kind enough to send them again, I would be grateful.

LOCAL MUSICIANS TEACHING ONLINE

All our local performing musicians lost their income, and it is not yet clear to me if they will be able to claim unemployment. Let me know if you know. Many of them also teach lessons, and are figuring out how to do so over the internet. I’ll be glad to post a list of such music teachers. Send me a very short blurb with contact info. Thanks!

EDITOR’S CORNER

EMAILS WILL CONTINUE

My tech buddies to the rescue! You don’t have to do anything. They are just going to help me shift over to a new platform, and you’ll still get the same emails, except there may be some photos here and there. You will get duplicate emails for just a few more days while we make the transition. For tech-savvy folks, you can just click a link to go to the blog site, where there is a cool map of local businesses, with what’s open, and what hours. We would love your help with a form you can fill in to add businesses or tell everyone about what they have in stock on a particular day. Business owners are also welcome to click on the form and speak for themselves. And there will be another form for creating posting requests that will make it easier for me to edit and format. Everything still comes straight to me (except map stuff, which Carol Brach is taking over for me, bless her heart!). And for the folks who just want email, just email me back like you always have. Simple. And we’ll see if we can’t get an unsubscribe button onto everything if case you want to opt out. I don’t want to annoy anybody ever (except back when I was a kid, my beloved siblings from time to time…)

Love/Fl!p

CONTENTS

3/24/2020 1:00 PM

Bumpy Blog Beginnings

Latest Confirmed Case Count: 64

Neighborhood Map

Cheers For Essential Workers

Information That Can Ease Fears

Crowded Trails

Distant Socializing

Essence

Support For Parents

A Favorite Tune

BUMPY BLOG BEGINNINGS

https://columbianeighborhood.org/

There are always kinks to work out in a new system. And a new system operator! (That would be me.) If you can’t get on, send me an email and I will try to add you manually. So far I seem to be able to do that for folks. Thank you for your patience while I figure it all out! And hurrah for the tech volunteers who are building it and then mentoring me while I learn to use it!

My goal is to get everyone on the blog and then discontinue my lists. It will me much less time consuming for me to manage. It will be messy for a week or so, till I get everyone moved to the blog. And then I will stop emailing my lists all together. During this transition you will get more than one copy. My apologies! Please bear with me. columbianeighborhood.org

LATEST CONFIRMED CASE COUNT: 64

Today, Tuesday March 24, I’m finding the Bellingham Herald to be my fastest accurate source so far. They have a bunch of new articles today.

BellinghamHerald.com

NEIGHBORHOOD MAP

I’d love your help filling in the business map at the upper right in my blog. You can use the little “hand” pointer to click and hold to drag the map around. There are a lot of businesses in the downtown core that have already been entered. This map will let us keep track of what’s open and when, special hours for seniors, and such. Take a look! It’s pretty cool. And if you’re an elder like me, and can’t figure it out, reach out to younger family and friends to guide you through it on over the phone. If I could learn, you can too. It just takes some help.

CHEERS FOR ESSENTIAL WORKERS

It’s abundantly clear that our healthcare workers are working under unbelievably stressful conditions and need our love and support at this time. From the lack of protective equipment, to long hours, to uncertainty about testing, this is a very hard time to be a healthcare provider. They are all working under unusually stressful conditions and need as much love and support we can send their way.  In response a group of us have gotten together (not physically obviously) and created signs of support for our healthcare providers. These signs have been placed on people’s lawns as well as at the 2 main entrances at the hospital. So far the feedback we have received has been nothing but positive, and we want to continue sending our love and support in the weeks to come. 

  So here’s what we are asking: Please make up signs of support for healthcare workers and put them in a visible place outside your home. We want our healthcare providers to see signs of support popping up all over town. We are also asking those people who are close to the hospital and can easily make it over there to make up signs and put them on the lawn leading up to the main entrance to the hospital. We currently have a bunch of signs there now, but how awesome would it be to have hundreds more?! 

  Please take photos of your signs and post them on what ever social media site(s) you use… let’s spread this far and wide!

  Finally, there are many other people out there working to support out community right now (police officers, fire fighters, paramedics, grocery personnel)… so if you’re so moved to support them as well, we think that is a fantastic idea!

  Matthew Dowling

INFORMATION THAT CAN EASE FEARS

From Atul Gawande. It has excellent information and statistics on the disease, allays some fears, describes what we as health care workers (and everyone, actually) need and don’t need to do to avoid catching and/or transmitting it. And while I’m at it, everyone (and I mean everyone) should also read his book “Being Mortal, Medicine and What Matters in the End”.

https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/keeping-the-coronavirus-from-infecting-health-care-workers

CROWDED TRAILS

Today Lake Padden trails were packed when the sun came out. More people are out of work and school and voila. Point: The next week calls for rain everyday but this Wednesday. People will flock outdoors with rain breaks, and unless people spread out away from public trails, congestion will occur. Suggestion: pick unique walks and dodge popular places.  Thanks,  ~John Egbert

DISTANT SOCIALIZING

How about swapping Social Distancing to Distant Socializing! Clyde says: You can quote me on relaying the idea to you, but I didn’t come up with it. Think it’s been floating around cyberspace but we should be pushing it so that our friends and family can reframe what they are going through.

~ Clyde Ford

ESSENCE

Essential or non-essential? What kind of question is that? I hear it at work where the non-essential providers (doctors!) are given other jobs to do, despite their excellence at their craft. I hear it in describing what type of visits we can see. An annual physical is not essential, fortunately preventing pregnancies by inserting IUD’s is essential. Prenatal care: essential. What about talking with someone about their grief and anxiety? Isn’t that essential? And now the governor (not soon enough according to many) has mandated that people stay home except for essential activities. I am lucky because I have an essential job, pharmacists and grocery store checkers are essential. But would I ever really say that my musician friends, who bring joy and healing with their music, be non-essential? Never, but I do want them to stay safe and healthy. So stay home, they must, but not because they are non-essential. And there is other work that people do that may not be essential to the great State of Washington, but are essential to me. My friends are essential to me. And that is why I want them all to stay home and be safe.

~ BetsyBrownMD

https://betsybrownmd.substack.com/

SUPPORT FOR PARENTS

Here is a pair of articles by my beloved Patty Wipfler. Her wisdom reaches beyond parents and children, and goes to the heart of well-connected relationships. The second link has a video attached. If you are not actively parenting during this time, you could reach out to parents you know and give them a good listening to!

This is how I responded to my daughter’s fears about coronavirus

Coping Well During the Coronavirus Crisis

A FAVORITE TUNE

CONTENTS

3/23/2020 8:15

Distant Socializing

State Order: Stay At Home, Stay Healthy

Essential Workers List

Camping On State Lands

More Health Care Worker Refuge Housing

Face Shields Action

DISTANT SOCIALIZING!

Clyde Ford says we should be flipping idea of social distancing and call it distant socializing. 

STAY AT HOME, STAY HEALTHY

Gov. Jay Inslee has issued a Stay at Home, Stay Healthy order in Washington state which will be effective for a minimum of two weeks. The order requires every Washingtonian to stay at home, except for people:

• Pursuing an essential activity, like shopping for groceries or going to a medical appointment.
• Getting takeout food. (Food deliveries also are permitted).
• Going to work at an essential business.
• Going outside for walks and exercise, as long as social distancing of six feet is maintained.

What’s open:

• All grocery stores, pharmacies, gas stations, food supply chains and other things necessary for continued operations will remain open.

What’s prohibited:

• Effective immediately: All gatherings of people for social, spiritual and recreational purposes are prohibited. This applies to both private and public gatherings which include everything for sleepovers for children to weddings and funerals. All of these type of events must be postponed for public health and safety.
• Effective in 48 hours: All businesses, except for essential businesses. Businesses that can operate using telework should continue to do so. For businesses where individuals cannot work from home, the governor’s office will provide guidance on what businesses are essential, building on the federal government’s and California’s definition of Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers. If a business believes that it is essential, or if it is an entity providing essential services or functions, they will be able to request designation as an essential business. Businesses and entities that provide other essential services must implement rules that help facilitate social distancing of at least six feet.

ESSENTIAL WORKERS

Definitions here: https://coronavirus.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2020-03/EssentialCriticalInfrastructureWorkers.pdf

CAMPING ON STATE LANDS

To help reduce the spread of COVID-19, all campsites, roofed accommodations (such as cabins, yurts, and vacation houses), group camps, and day use facilities are closed through April 30, 2020. If you have an existing reservation, you will be contacted for a refund. Learn more at the Washington State Parks reservations website. 

https://coronavirus.wa.gov/whats-open-and-closed

MORE HEALTH CARE WORKER REFUGE HOUSING

Several more friends and neighbors have stepped forward to offer housing. Thank you one and all! There is a group working on sorting it all out.

Face Shields Action

FACE SHIELDS ACTION

This evening, through the fast response of neighbors & friends, a large shipment of re-usable face shields was found, purchased, picked up and delivered for the use of First Responders, within an hour. It happened because people trusted each other. Thank you!

Love/Fl!p

CONTENTS
3/23/2020 6:05 PM
Blog Move
Neighborhood Helpers List
End Of Life Planning (Lots Here)
Census Online
Another Trusted Source
Groceries?

BLOG MOVE
Please shift to the new blog site as soon as possible. I’ll keep posting through this week to try to catch as many of you as I can.
columbianeighborhood.org
Love/Fl!p

NEIGHBORHOOD HELPERS LIST
[Please go sign up, or re-sign up! ~Fl!p]
Hello Columbia Neighborhood,
Some wonderful Bellingham folks have stepped up and created an amazing web of connection on Facebook called “Look for the Helpers.” Each of the neighborhoods in Bellingham has a dedicated Facebook page. The purpose of these groups is to connect Neighbors in Need with Healthy Helpers in each of the neighborhoods as we navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic. Colleen Haggerty and Erin Campbell are the Columbia neighborhood Co-Captains and will moderating the Columbia page.
  Go here to join the Columbia group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/helpers.columbia
  Here is how it works:
Once you have joined the group, please ONLY leave a post when you have a specific need that needs to be met. Be sure to start your message with “NEIGHBOR IN NEED” then specify what you need and when you need it done.
If you are a neighbor who can meet that need, please post in the Comments and coordinate with the neighbor in need.
PLEASE DELETE YOUR POST WHEN YOUR NEED HAS BEEN MET.
Please do share posts where local businesses and organizations are asking for specific needs! We are all about helping in this group!

Colleen and Erin will moderate the posts and reach out to people if their needs are not being met. The Admin team is also working on a Hotline phone number for those folks not comfortable with Facebook. This group may lighten Fl!p’s load for the new blog. In that hope, please encourage your neighbors to join this group.

END OF LIFE PLANNING
The Realities Of Advanced Medical Interventions
Adapting To Changing Circumstances In Covid-19 Pandemic
Each dawn brings new challenges as events unfold during the novel coronavirus pandemic.
  As many of Fl!p’s readers know, The Realities Of Advanced Medical Interventions supports good healthcare decision-making before an accident or illness occurs. Our Realities’ presentations and our follow up Advance Care Planning workshops have all been canceled for the foreseeable future. But, our ALL volunteer team would like to help you in the interim.
  While attending a presentation in person is optimum, these are different times! Take a look at Dr. Bill Lombard’s PowerPoint slides at the link below — they give a clear sense of the presentation’s content.  Also, get familiar with the glossary that is included in the Realities schedule link below.

DR. LOMBARD’S REALITIES POWERPOINT SLIDES :
https://tinyurl.com/sxq22em 

THE REALITIES OF ADVANCED MEDICAL INTERVENTIONS – glossary:
https://tinyurl.com/texoxcf

After reviewing both, if you need clarification on an aspect of a medical intervention before you tackle completing your Advance Directive, email me:  micki98226@aol.com and I will check with Dr. Lombard to get answers to your questions. Please DO NOT ask for personal medical advice.
  Our certified volunteer Advance Care Planning facilitators will help, too, if you have questions about the Honoring Choices PNW advance directive document, referenced further down. Contact me: micki98226@aol.com
  Now is an ideal time, while you’re self-isolating, to take stock and face the reality of your mortality.   
  April 16 marks National Healthcare Decisions Day. NHDD exists to inspire, education and empower the public and providers about the importance of advance care planning. Check it out! nhdd.org

  But, back to those challenges we face each day…as the New York Times’ article (below) states, Washington hospitals may be entering a phase where they will shift from individually focused care to care that will provide the greatest good to the greatest number of people.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/20/us/coronavirus-in-seattle-washington-state.html
   The shift in the standard of care would be horrendously challenging. I am confident, if this shift in care becomes necessary, there would be consistency wherever humanly possible. No one making these decisions would like making them. Care would be triaged: Who requires no intervention immediately, who requires urgent treatment to survive, and who will die regardless of intervention. Folks, that’s the Reality.
  Please reach out (virtually where required) to your family, friends, colleagues, healthcare providers and let them know that you are ready to “Have the Conversation.” It is a shared responsibility. When you complete your Advance Directive (and file with your healthcare providers and our hospital), you have not only taken a great burden off of yourself and your loved ones, you potentially help healthcare providers if healthcare is triaged during an anticipated surge in hospital admissions due to COVID-19.
  Take a look at this 7-minute video titled, “Have the Conversation,” which features three people, three experiences, three perspectives on the importance to discuss your healthcare wishes with your family and friends. By taking responsibility to face your mortality and accept death as a part of life, and completing your Advance Directive, you’ve created a beautiful gift.. “a love letter to those you adore.” 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCKSWNvhDhY 

THE CONVERSATION PROJECT provides a treasure trove of info on how to get started:
https://theconversationproject.org/starter-kits/
There are many acceptable advance directive documents, but currently the Washington State Hospital and Washington State Medical Associations recommend the Honoring Choice PNW document.  
  Access it here:  https://www.honoringchoicespnw.org/   Go to upper right corner to download document.  The AD can be filled in online if you choose (for legibility!) and printed.
  All that said, our uncharted waters will become more turbulent before this is over. We have an opportunity to develop habits of grace in this time of social distancing.  I love Italy’s example of closing the distance by applauding and singing from their balconies as a way to say thank you to family, friends, medical folk, first responders, to neighbors near and far.
  As we muddle through this pandemic, its fate rests on us, how responsible we are for others. Big-hearted “habits of grace” can be little things. Tell someone right now how much they mean to you. Love, beauty, helping hands, and self-sacrifice will prevail.
  NOTE: Dr. Lombard’s REALITIES’ presentation on March 10 at Western Washington University was video recorded. When the raw video is edited (by a WWU Communications’ student), we’ll determine how/where to distribute it.
  Peace, in good health.
  Micki Jackson

CENSUS ONLINE
https://2020census.gov/
Why should you fill out the Census form?  Well, let’s see.
* It’s the method used to determine how many members our state gets in the House of Representatives.  Some states will gain and some will lose seats depending on how many people choose NOT to be counted.
* It’s the way we distribute much of the federal funds.  For every person who is not counted the state will lose almost $20,000 in funding.
* It’s not nearly as intrusive as a lot of people think.  Here is the complete questionnaire:  https://preview.tinyurl.com/yxlmq2dh  No questions about citizenship or income or language.  It does ask about race but you get to decide what to answer (and can include multiple races) if you want.
* It’s secure.  Every Census worker takes an oath to keep the data confidential and can go to jail for breaking it.  There was some violation during World War II.  As far as I know, that’s the only time it happened.
* It helps shape what we think our country is.  Researchers, businesses, and government officials will use this data for decades to try to figure out trends and changes.  The more accurate the input, the more likely the conclusions are to be – and those conclusions help decide where businesses, schools, parks, etc. are placed.
* It’s part of history.  The Census has been happening every decade for 240 years.
* It’s part of the future.  In 72 years your descendants (and everyone else) will be able to read what’s on your form.  Genealogists and historians as yet unborn are counting on you.
  -Robert Lopresti
[Rob is one of my dearest friends, and a retired Government Documents Librarian. He loves the census, so I reached out and asked for his help. He’s a mensch! (And a fine songwriter too…) ~Fl!p]

ANOTHER TRUSTED SOURCE
I have known Dr Frank James since college days. He was Whatcom County Public Health Officer, and got in trouble with the powers that be for publicly calling out a cancer hot-spot and insisting that the pollution be dealt with. I have the highest regard for both his integrity and his intelligence. I have just learned he’s started his own public posts.
https://www.facebook.com/Salish-Sea-Coronavirus-News-and-Research-107626037514307/

GROCERIES?
When I have a friend or neighbor going anyway, I am willing to ask for stuff. I hate exposing anyone, including vulnerable and underpaid delivery people. If you can make it through a while longer before you go shopping again, please wait. Consolidating trips to the market or pharmacy reduces the number of people in these locations and the number of people out and about. With relationships, the “helpers” who do the shopping can leave the goods at the front door and avoid face to face interactions.

Love/Fl!p

CONTENTS
Move to Blog Today
Medical Worker Safe Housing
Mask Donation
Zoofari
2020 Ski to Sea Race Canceled
Giant Asian Hornets

MOVE TO BLOG TODAY
Here’s the website address:
columbianeighborhood.org
Surfing The Tsunami
  I’m doing fine emotionally. After all, I have all of you to support me! But my inbox this week has been overwhelmed! It’s been so full I haven’t managed to read everything, let alone respond to each of you. Nor have I managed to add all the new folks requesting to subscribe. But now I have tech help (shout out to my new team!!!). The blog website they’ve built for me is now up and mostly running. My posts are there back to March 4th. We’ll get more of the bugs out as we go along.
  I would love it if you would subscribe to the blog. Subscriptions will be encrypted to protect your info. If you subscribe you will get a short email notice each time I post. And I won’t have to manage your subscriptions and un-subscriptions. If you’re not comfortable subscribing, just check it whenever you want to see what’s new. I will be able to shift from managing two lists, to just one blog that’s “Automagic.” Probably within this week I will stop sending emails to the lists.
  The biggest reason for the move was my list emails were getting tagged as spam for having too many links. Large numbers of subscribers suddenly couldn’t get my postings. And I couldn’t even email them one at a time. Blogging fixes that. You are welcome to share the blog with anyone you want, and I’d particularly love it if you’d reach out to neighbors, friends, and to whoever you heard about my list from, to reconnect the folks who lost me. Please also contact the folks who asked to subscribe in the last couple weeks. I didn’t get them all.
  Comments will come to me privately. New information, requests, suggestions, concerns… Disagreements are important information but I will block mean people. As always I will edit. I don’t post everything. We may be able to figure out a Post Request form for folks to fill out, to get everything formatted for me. If there isn’t a place to do this yet, go ahead and send me email till we get that part running. Make sure the subject line says what your email is about specifically instead of something general, ok?
  (Alert: All my life I’ve figured things out as I went along. Decisions may change.)
  I have had two lists for many years, Columbia Neighborhood Updates (to a couple thousand neighbors until lately) and Fl!p’s Pix For Music (around 1000 subscribers from all over the county). I’ve combined the two for now. Music lovers will see some neighborhood posts, and neighbors will hear about some live-streamed concerts. Eventually I’ll find a way to post those in their own areas.
  This website is a work in progress. I’d love any useful feedback.
Thank you!
  Love/Fl!p
columbianeighborhood.org

MEDICAL WORKER SAFE HOUSING
We got four offers! And a bunch of people with thinking caps on. I’ve distilled them and got them to Nate. Thank you all!!! We’re going to need every one. Other neighbors suggested that there may be people with motor homes or campers that would be willing it let nurses use them. Others wondered if local motels and hotels can help. Keep those offers coming. There are many medical workers who will need this help. And we are making a difference!

MASK DONATION
[From the hospital]
We’ve finalized a process to accept community donations of supplies, including hand-sewn masks, which we will actively promote to the public beginning this week. Beginning Tuesday, March 24, we are accepting donations in person of N-95 masks, eye shields, goggles and gloves at the 
    ▪    Grabow Therapy and Wellness Center, 3217 Squalicum Parkway in Bellingham.
    ▪    If dropping off in person, place your items to be donated in the trunk/back hatch of your vehicle. Do not exit your vehicle. A PeaceHealth caregiver will remove the items and place them in our donation bins. If you have more than 100 of any item, please take your items to the drop-off location for the Whatcom County Unified Command Center, 4233 Guide Meridian, Suite 101.
    ▪    For those people offering to help by hand-sewing masks, we now have instructions and a how-to video. Once completed the masks can be delivered as per above.
https://vimeo.com/399324367/13cd93f150

ZOOFARI
Place a stuffed animal, statue of animal, or plastic animal somewhere in your front yard. Or draw an animal and tape it to a window. When families are walking or biking they can try and find as many animals as possible. You might use binoculars!
  Doreen Standish

2020 SKI TO SEA RACE CANCELED
Check their website later for more info.

GIANT ASIAN HORNETS
As if COVID wasn’t bad enough, these are just what we need! Four reported sightings of Giant Asian Hornets near Blaine and Bellingham. The stinger of the Asian giant hornet is longer than that of a honeybee and the venom is more toxic than any local bee or wasp. Typical beekeeping protective clothing is not sufficient to protect you from stings. If you find a colony, do not attempt to remove or eradicate it. Report it to WSDA immediately.
There are several ways to report: 
    •    Report using the Hornet Watch Report Form
    •    Email PestProgram@agr.wa.gov
    •    Call 1-800-443-6684
Here is what to include with your report, if possible: 
    •    Your name and contact information
    •    The location of the sighting/attack
    •    Date of sighting/attack
    •    Photograph of the hornet or damage
    •    Description of the hive loss/damage (if no photo is available) 
    •    Direction the hornet(s) flew when flying away
https://agr.wa.gov/departments/insects-pests-and-weeds/insects/hornets  
Sincerely,
  Dan Dunne
  360-389-6627

Love/Fl!p