EDITOR’S NOTE
As the coronavirus has spread, comparisons to the influenza pandemic of 1918 have continued to grow. For most of us, our knowledge of that outbreak a century ago quickly went from “I vaguely knew there was a ‘Spanish flu’ a long time ago” to something more like “Did you know there was a global pandemic from January of 1918 to December of 1920 that infected a third of the world’s population, and by the way it wasn’t really a Spanish flu?”
Even though I’d read up a bit on its history in the last couple of months, some of the parallels between the 1918 pandemic and our current situation that Geoffrey Dunn writes about in his cover story this week still shocked me. Perhaps more so than the details of the outbreak itself, it was reading about what it was like right here in Santa Cruz—how it terrified and ravaged this community 100 years ago just as the coronavirus is doing now. Seeing the photos from that time, especially of men and women on a local beach in masks, really drove it home.
It’s fascinating to read in Dunn’s story about the squabbles and feuds that hampered efforts to contain the spread of the virus, and how crazy and petty they seem now. I can’t help but wonder what our descendants a century from now will think when they read how we handled our own pandemic.
STEVE PALOPOLI | EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Read the latest letters to the editor here.
A Plea From One Small Business
My business is over 117 years old—dry cleaning and laundry, deemed an essential business. We have reduced our hours in efforts to get our employees some payroll. Our normal bread and butter customers have shut down or reduced (i.e. hotels, Presidio of Monterey, food service, doctors, dentists, attorneys, etc.). We are continuing to service our local emergency operations, homeless projects, fire fighters, police, CHP and sheriff departments. We are proud to serve our first responders.
When the PPP program starting accepting applications, we applied to over eight banks, one by one we were told we did not have existing relationships. The banks (Wells Fargo and Bay Federal) of which we do have business relationships were unable to assist us (Wells Fargo, due to a hand slap because of false checking account quotas, only accepted preliminary applications for approximately nine hours) and Bay Federal who as of today has not been able to set up applications or guidelines. Then funding ran out.
In the meantime my father (a cancer victim) was admitted into Einstein Hospital in Pennsylvania for low blood pressure, lack of appetite, loss of energy. After a two-week stay, he was transferred to a rehabilitation clinic in Pennsylvania. After two days in the rehabilitation clinic, my father was very weak, under distress and with shortness of breath. 911 was called. My father was then transferred to ICU at Potts Hospital in Pennsylvania with all markers showing COVID-19. Tests were requested, and we were told it takes 24 hours for the results, but as they must perform the test in house, their lab is showing a 20% false negative. We must wait for the false negative before we can test again and send that to the larger more reliable labs taking another 24 hours of wait time. I have been asked to sign a DNR along with the hospital clergy offering counseling, as my father is now not expected to make it through the night.
I cannot get gloves, face masks, hand sanitizers, etc. for my employees that are servicing our first responders. I do not know how I can make payroll on the first of the month for my 17 employees that are willing to serve our communities and first responders.
Please get testing in place. Please get small business relief. Please pass additional funding for hospitals in their own bill. Please pass assistance at the state levels in an additional bill. Playing the blame game is killing my family, it is killing my business, it is hurting my employees.
Pamela Whittington | Classic Vapor, Santa Cruz
ONLINE COMMENTS
RE: ELLEN BASS
It’s been my honor and privilege to learn from Ellen Bass through a couple of her workshops and by reading and re-reading her work. I’m thrilled to own her latest book, Indigo.
— Annis
Re: NONPROFITS IN NEED
When those government checks for $1200 start coming in, there are some who really won’t need it. It is a government handout that could be so much better spent by having it funneled to the non-profits of Santa Cruz. I plan to pass mine onto the non-profits of Santa Cruz because without them, this city loses it soul. The Good Times is in a unique position to try and make this a trend. Furthermore, those who have too high an income to get the refund should be urged to dig deep and make a $1200 donation regardless.
— Peter Emanuel
PHOTO CONTEST WINNER
Caroline Pate and Ted Fehn created this signpost in the Santa Cruz Mountains to offer a little comfort and inspiration for positive thinking in difficult times. Photograph by Caroline Pate.
Submit to ph****@go*******.sc. Include information (location, etc.) and your name. Photos may be cropped. Preferably, photos should be 4 inches by 4 inches and minimum 250dpi.
GOOD IDEA
TEST WISHES
In response to high demand, UCSC Molecular Diagnostic Lab will begin doing coronavirus tests for the UCSC Student Health Center and medical providers in the local community, starting May 1. The campus lab will work with local medical providers to test patient samples, initially partnering with the Student Health Center and Santa Cruz Community Health. According to a university press release, the lab will turn around results quickly—within 48 hours.
GOOD WORK
FACE FIRST
Now that face coverings are required across Santa Cruz County, the city of Santa Cruz has launched the 10,000 Masks Project. City staff worked with local business Harts Fabric to secure 200 volunteers and 7,000 yards of fabric, thread and elastic. Santa Cruz distributed 200 kits with enough material to make 50 masks each to volunteers on Monday. The city expects to soon reach its goal of 10,000 masks for distribution to workers providing essential services and persons experiencing homelessness and workers in key industries.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“Whoever wishes to foresee the future must consult the past.”
-Machiavelli
