Listen Now

Sam & Julie are back to talk pandemic news here in small town Pennsylvania. Though we’d rather not be back to talk about the pandemic, it’s an unfortunate reality that cases are high and the hospitals are crowded. Again. Get the basics on what you need to know -- even if it feels nicer not to know -- about COVID during the winter holidays.  SHOW NOTES The uses and limits of testing: "COVID Tests Weren't Designed For This," Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic The context just before this wave and the need to focus on hospitalization stats rather than case rates: Twitter thread by John Burn-Murdoch Everything you should to know about this wave of the pandemic - NPR, "UCSF Medicine Chair Answers our Omicron Questions" Why vaccine mandates helped hospitals avoid staffing shortages: "Vaccine mandate has improved Pa. hospital staffing, even after 153 workers left: health system CEO," David Wenner, PennLive CONTACT US:If you’d like to send questions or stories to Radio Free Lewisburg, you can email us at radiofreelewisburg@gmail.com   FEATURED MUSIC: "T-Shirts Silly Bus" by Captive Portal is licensed under an Attribution-ShareAlike License.   Produced in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.

Ouch. Sam and Julie talk about the CDC masking guidelines and what they really mean for us here in Rural Pennsylvania. We also talk about how we're doing locally with COVID, and what our lives should look like now that roughly 39% of people in Union County are fully vaccinated. We'll remind you how to talk to vaccine hesitant friends and family...we're onto the hard sells, folks! SHOW NOTES: CDC Updated Mask Guidance Graphic  Fine print   Current risk levels CDC COVID-19 Data Tracking Assessing risk among those not yet vaccinated -- state and national graphics with a changing denominator   Getting people vaccinated Finding vaccine is getting simpler -- vaccines.gov or even just text your zip code to GETVAX (for English) or to VACUNA (for Spanish) Ohio Vaccine Lottery incentive Dear Pandemic -- talking to an open-minded loved one We Can Do This (HHS) How to talk to Friends and Family  Vaccine hesitancy  Vaccine efficacy Your Local Epidemiologist Detailed write-up about all the vaccines  Follow her on facebook in general  Dear Pandemic -- better more consistent, safer coverage from vaccines than from getting sick   CONTACT US: Email radiofreelewisburg@gmail.com Call 570-523-0114 (leave a message and your full phone number if you want to be called back. We can’t access your number remotely.) Message us through the Lewisburg Neighborhoods page on Facebook. FEATURED MUSIC: "T-Shirts Silly Bus" by Captive Portal is licensed under an Attribution-ShareAlike License.   Produced in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.

It's go time! Sam and Julie talk about how and where to get vaccinated in Central Pennsylvania. Everyone 16 and older in PA is now eligible to get vaccinated. We also talk about what is safe in post vaccination life: is it a good idea to start having indoor parties? What about booking a summer trip to Mexico? And we'll talk about ways you can help the community at this later stage of the pandemic. SHOW NOTES: Where to get appointments --  PA Department of Health Vaccine page including the interactive Vaccine Provider Map Lewisburg Neighborhoods Vaccine Tracking Page -- Snyder, Union, NU, and Montour sites Lycoming County Health Improvement Coalition -- sites in Lycoming and surrounding counties If you're not having any luck with individual provider sites, these sites may be helpful: VaccineFinder VaxxMax COVID Standby What to do after you're vaccinated -- CDC guidelines Bucknell CO2 Monitoring twitter account -- @CO2_Bucknell Addressing vaccine hesitancy --  Kaiser Family Foundation COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor -- current status KFF update on rural areas DeBeaumont Foundation messaging recommendations We Can Do This -- public health messaging campaign from Health and Human Services How to Talk About COVID-19 Vaccines With Friends and Family from We Can Do This Motivational Interviewing -- more detail about this strategy at work in the above materials   Information Hygiene refresher -- the SIFT strategy -- infodemic.blog Fact-checking sites Reuters Annenberg Public Policy Center Snopes Politifact Solid COVID-19 Info (e.g. for finding out about the current status of the J&J vaccines) Dear Pandemic Friendly Neighbor Epidemiologist Your Local Epidemiologist Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 Resource Center Centers for Disease Control and Prevention World Health Organization   CONTACT US: Email radiofreelewisburg@gmail.com Call 570-523-0114 (leave a message and your full phone number if you want to be called back. We can’t access your number remotely.) Message us through the Lewisburg Neighborhoods page on Facebook. FEATURED MUSIC: "T-Shirts Silly Bus" by Captive Portal is licensed under an Attribution-ShareAlike License.   Produced in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.

A year ago today, Pennsylvania shut down non-essential business across the entire state. We mark this anniversary with the first in a series of Central Pennsylvania's Pandemic Stories. Andrea Tufo shares her story of helping the Donald Heiter Community Center survive the shutdown in March 2020 — and then surviving her own near-death experience with COVID-19. To share a Pandemic Story, visit www.storiesontap.org. CONTACT US: Email radiofreelewisburg@gmail.com Call 570-523-0114 (leave a message and your full phone number if you want to be called back. We can’t access your number remotely.) Message us through the Lewisburg Neighborhoods page on Facebook. FEATURED MUSIC: Intro: "5 Piece" by Black Ant is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. Outro: "On The Wings" by Citay is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike License.   Produced in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.

Looking for a COVID vaccine? Sam talks with Sue Auman about the early vaccine rollout in Central Pennsylvania. Sue is a member of the Greater Susquehanna Valley Vaccine Task Force. She & Sam spoke in late January 2021.  By way of an update, as of now (February 12) all long term care, personal care, and nursing home facilities in Union, Snyder, and Northumberland Counties have either had their first vaccine clinic (in some cases second) or have their first clinic scheduled in an acceptable timeframe.   Sue says, "Huge credit to the folks at Union-Snyder Agency on Aging who mobilized to track and assist every single one of the facilities to ensure they were served. Our elected officials and task force members also created a movement that helped ensure that attention was paid to the issues that were creating chaos.  Good news all around!" SHOW NOTES: Testing information PA page Roving free public testing sites (requires time and transportation!) PA Department of Health Vaccine Information Dashboard (with interactive map of Certified Vaccine Providers) Eligibility Quiz Regional/local Resources Central Susquehanna Valley COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force -- vaccines-csv.org Union-Snyder Community Action Agency --  union-snydercaa.org COVID-19 and Vaccine messaging: MIT COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance Study COVID messaging tip sheet (1 page) November COVID polling report Vaccine communication tip sheet (2 page) Vaccine polling background Daily Item column “Times Call for Patience and Perseverance” Vaccine Background (the first two are now accessible as websites rather than just facebook pages) Dear Pandemic Your Local Epidemiologist Friendly Neighbor Epidemiologist How can you help? Do you want to help the vaccination effort in some capacity? CONTACT US: Email radiofreelewisburg@gmail.com Call 570-523-0114 (leave a message and your full phone number if you want to be called back. We can’t access your number remotely.) Message us through the Lewisburg Neighborhoods page on Facebook. FEATURED MUSIC: "T-Shirts Silly Bus" by Captive Portal is licensed under an Attribution-ShareAlike License.   Produced in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.

Taylor Lightman talks to Sam about the Swedish response to COVID. Taylor is from Lewisburg, lives in Sweden, and specializes in Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change Adaptation. Taylor explains the mitigation measures he’s seeing from his home in rural Sweden. And he clarifies what the strategy really is: like, are they really not masking and just going for herd immunity? Is it business as usual, or have things changed a lot over there? Please note that this conversation took place in October 2020. Since then, both Sweden and Central PA have had significant increases in both cases and deaths.  The images show subsequent growth in cases and deaths and some increase in mitigation measures to curtail both -- though restrictions continue to be less extensive than they might be. SHOW NOTES: The elephant in the room:  Herd immunity Assessing Sweden's early experience in 2020 Theories for high Swedish death rate early on  Economic impact of COVID-19 on Sweden and in comparison to neighbor Norway Level of serological testing in Sweden -- no sign of herd immunity Disaster response in retrospect -- the difficulty of decision-making in conditions of uncertainty (paper is in Swedish, but google translate works quite well) Sweden's new COVID-19 situation (which unrolled in the weeks following our conversation): Swedish COVID-19 stats Recognizing the pain --early losses did not help achieve herd immunity Shifting strategy Other, better responses:  Vietnam, Taiwan, Singapore… CONTACT US: Email radiofreelewisburg@gmail.com Call 570-523-0114 (leave a message and your full phone number if you want to be called back. We can’t access your number remotely.) Message us through the Lewisburg Neighborhoods page on Facebook. FEATURED MUSIC: "Sweden" by Yukon is licensed under an Attribution-Noncommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 United States License.   Produced in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.

Julie and Sam catch up after a two-month hiatus... just in time for Thanksgiving. Hear about their exciting (sad) holiday plans and what they're most excited for (dreading) this winter. Julie asks Sam if she recommends sequestering for the sake of her elderly family member because of our local COVID uptick. Plus: -What's the current COVID situation here in Pennsylvania’s Susquehanna Valley? -What’s going on at the local hospitals? -Learn just how easy it is to pass COVID to your family when you think you're being safe. SHOW NOTES: Key References MyCOVIDrisk app  Winter COVID Reader -- including a range of links and resources including information about recommended precautions/quarantining/testing for college students returning home for the holidays — article from NPR, article from NYT Creative Alternatives Plantsgiving -- webpage or Chris Martine on WKOK Sunrise COVID-Safe Holidays For the Win!  Related Content GSV United Way Public Health Forum video (program starts at 19:30) -- Sam misspoke in citing some of the statistics share in the forum from memory.  She was correct on the number of people admitted to Geisinger hospitals being at a rate of one an hour on Nov 19, but those hospitalized were more like 41% under 65 and 50% of those were under 50!  She was also correct on the 85-90% of hospitalized COVID patients throughout the year having NOT been from nursing homes. How to Read a Graph Mid-Pandemic -- article on LN website A Turkey in Every Pod! -- another article on LN website WKOK Sunrise Single Segment on same topic    CONTACT US: Email radiofreelewisburg@gmail.com Call 570-523-0114 (leave a message and your full phone number if you want to be called back. We can’t access your number remotely.) Message us through the Lewisburg Neighborhoods page on Facebook. FEATURED MUSIC: "T-Shirts Silly Bus" by Captive Portal is licensed under an Attribution-ShareAlike License.   Produced in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.

Local nurse practitioner and public health educator Karen Wolf talks to Sam about how the history of contact tracing & quarantine relate to our current moment. Karen answers questions like: -Are local universities Susquehanna and Bucknell really testing students' poop for COVID viral load? -How does government-led contact tracing work? -How has the stigma of disease led the USA to develop a system of health privacy? -What happens when you get a call from the Department of Health telling you and your family to quarantine for 14 days.   SHOW NOTES:  **UPDATE:  the COVID Alert PA contact tracing app is now available** PA Department of Health Quarantine and Isolation of Close Contacts  Contact Tracing FAQ  Sign up to be a Contact Tracer School Guidelines  PA Department of Education School Closure Guidelines in the event of cases Science topics referenced Massachusetts General Hospital COVID Symptom Study app -- online monitoring/self-reporting by general population, not just those who have been exposed or diagnosed The Marshall Project -- disparate impacts of COVID-19 by race Herd Immunity -- the implications and global context explained by Popular Science or a clinical news source  Testing for success -- Atul Gowande article in the New Yorker Testing for COVID in wastewater -- locally, nationally, and globally Long term impacts of COVID-19 whether for "long haulers" or even for mild and asymptomatic cases Bucknell University COVID response assessment/updates by Prof. Ken Field, head of the Biology Department (the discussion of this wound up getting edited out but this was also referenced in the early September WKOK Sunrise Show discussion) Video 1 Video 2 -- Week 3 Video 3 -- Week 5   Image Courtesy of Erie County Historical Society   CONTACT US: Email radiofreelewisburg@gmail.com Call 570-523-0114 (leave a message and your full phone number if you want to be called back. We can’t access your number remotely.) Message us through the Lewisburg Neighborhoods page on Facebook. FEATURED MUSIC: "On The Wings" by Citay is licensed under a CC Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike License.   Produced in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.

Sam and Julie talk about our local public schools reopening amidst an uptick in COVID cases. Since the beginning of August, Union County's cases have doubled. Looking at a map of outbreaks across the country, our county sticks out as the darkest spot in the state of Pennsylvania. PA State Health Secretary, Dr. Rachel Levine, said this week that Union County alone should consider starting school completely online. Can we get our kids back to school safely?   SHOW NOTES: Official school guidance CDC school reopening guidance  PA Department of Education Guidelines  PA Department of Health and Department of Education Outline of Threshold Criteria for School Reopening  PA Department of Health County-by-County Early Warning Monitoring Dashboard (provides stats needed to check against the PDE chart)  LASD Reopening Materials  LASD video conversation with public health experts from Evan and Geisinger -- featuring greatest hits like "we are all in this together" and "mask breaks… obviously outdoors." Good general science-based resources Your Local Epidemiologist on facebook  Dear Pandemic on facebook  Mask videos: PBS's It's OK to Be Smart -- COVID-19 and Mask Myths Debunked PBS's It's OK to Be Smart -- How Well Do Masks Work to Stop COVID-19?  (Schlieren Imagining)  Flamethrower Mask Demo -- Do Masks Work or Not??  In the news: Since we recorded and mentioned New Zealand having had no new COVID-19 cases for 100 days, they have in fact had an outbreak and are now at 30 new cases.  They are doing vigorous contact tracing and we will see what else they do to get things back under control... CONTACT US: Email radiofreelewisburg@gmail.com Call 570-523-0114 (leave a message and your full phone number if you want to be called back. We can’t access your number remotely.) Message us through the Lewisburg Neighborhoods page on Facebook. FEATURED MUSIC: Intro: “In The 21st Century” by Keshco is licensed under a CC Attribution-Share Alike License.   Produced in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.

Sam checks in with Lewisburg Community Garden Coordinator Jen Schneidman Partica to find out how the garden is coping during COVID and why they're not dropping the ball when it comes to feeding the community. Sam & Jen give recommendations on how to get involved around Lewisburg safely while observing COVID restrictions and — gasp — maybe even meeting new people. And we address the anxiety that our local public schools and university will soon be back in session. SHOW NOTES: Lewisburg Community Garden: Garden website -- you'll also find the COVID-19 rules here Garden facebook page Garden volunteer hour signup -- tinyurl.com/volunteerLCG Local Organizations Fighting Food Insecurity: Lewisburg Food Bank -- aka the Eastern Union County Supplemental Food Program in the First Baptist Church in Lewisburg on the 1st and 3rd Fridays from 1:30 to 3:30pm; church address is 51 S 3rd St, food bank entrance is off of St Louis St, at the alley Community Harvest Meal Program -- St Andrew's United Methodist Church, 102 Lower Market St, Milton, Mondays from 5 to 6pm; now set up for COVID-safe take-out Getting Ahead in the Valley -- CommUnity Zone program, part of the Bridges Out of Poverty The Takery -- intermittent food give away in Cameron Park in Sunbury; organized by Sunbury Together, an interfaith group; watch their facebook page for the next scheduled event Regional YMCA Summer Food Program -- Milton, Lewisburg, Sunbury, Northumberland, and Turbotville Back to School: CDC K-12 School Guidelines, updated 8/1/20 -- key point, that community behavior is key; masks, distancing, and hygiene! Video Discussion about School Reopening with Local Health Experts -- LASD Superintendent Polinchock presents community questions about COVID-19 to public health experts from Evangelical Community Hospital and at Geisinger -- key point again, masks, distancing, and hygiene throughout the community! LASD Planning -- visit the district website to find out more about what is proposed and how they are communicating with the community, the draft plan can be accessed in the board meeting portal for the August 6 special meeting of the school board; unclear whether this link will work from a different computer CONTACT US: Email radiofreelewisburg@gmail.com Call 570-523-0114 (leave a message and your full phone number if you want to be called back. We can’t access your number remotely.) Message us through the Lewisburg Neighborhoods page on Facebook. FEATURED MUSIC: "On The Wings" by Citay is licensed under a CC Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike License.   Produced in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.

We are now well into the hot, sticky beauty of summer in Rural Pennsylvania with our abundance of forests, creeks, and campsites. What does a fun, safe summer of Covid look like? Sam and Julie talk about Summertime in Lewisburg 2020: -Should we be traveling to the beach? -Are we allowed to drink in Downtown Lewisburg?  -With ongoing protests, do protesters get a pass at masking and social distancing? And things get personal. Julie talks about getting Covid tested, and what it feels like to have a Covid scare.   Show Notes: Risk Assessment, COVID-style: That Viral Chart of Different Activities -- with some caveats from this 2 minute discussion between a journalist and a physician How to Weigh the Risk -- help with decision-making Thinking through relative risk for seniors -- NYT article with further links to resources Relative COVID-19 Risk of Different Occupations -- consider these same jobs in terms of enclosure, duration, mitigation, and intensity What's Up In Central PA This Summer? Lewisburg Borough Open Air Initiative -- info on outdoor dining downtown Live from Lewisburg -- outdoor music returns, with a social distancing twist downtown on Wednesday, July 22 (rain date July 29!) Knoebel's -- the mask policy gold standard! Lewisburg's Public Paddle -- outdoor options are ever more appealing More on Masks: Latest from Governor Wolf PA Department of Health July 1 Order Complaint Form -- report concerns to the Department of Health about COVID-19 health and safety mitigation in a business

With protests for racial justice in Rural Pennsylvania continuing for a 4th week, local business owner Nisan Trotter shares his story about why he’s protesting. Nisan spoke at the recent Lewisburg protest on Saturday, June 13th, in Hufnagle Park, organized by local group "If Not Us, Then Who?" which has planned protests in Milton, Mifflinburg, Lewisburg, and Selinsgrove. SHOW NOTES: Nisan Trotter NisanTrotter.com Trot Fitness Website Trot Fitness on Facebook Local POC-led Anti-Racist Resources/Groups If Not Us, Then Who? — Milton Peaceful Protesters of Williamsport Central PA Protests — Selinsgrove Lycoming Tri-County NAACP Chapter — Lycoming, Clinton, Northumberland Docs Central PA Black-Owned Businesses Template for Holding Your Local School District Accountable for Racial Justice Template for Holding Your Employer Accountable for Racial Justice Antiracism Resources for White-led Organizations Short Videos on Systemic Racism & Protesting Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man Housing Segregation and Redlining in America Systemic Racism Explained Juneteenth Explained To My White Friends: Guilt, Shame, Embarrassment Movies to Stream 30 Movies on Netflix that Examine Systemic Racism in the United States compiled by Djali Alessandra Brown-Cepeda Antiracism Books White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk about Racism by Robin DiAngelo, PhD How To Be An Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander More Resources "Here's How White People Can Support The Fight Against Police Brutality" - Check this out for comprehensive lists of resources including places to donate and a lot more books. There are many places to find lists like this, Buzzfeed's is just 1 of them.   CONTACT US: Email radiofreelewisburg@gmail.com Call 570-523-0114 (leave a message and your full phone number if you want to be called back. We can’t access your number remotely.) Message us through the Lewisburg Neighborhoods page on Facebook. FEATURED MUSIC: "5 Piece" by Black Ant is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License.

What does reopening during the coronavirus crisis look like? Over the past several weeks, counties in Rural Pennsylvania have "gone yellow" and some have "gone green." What does that mean and, ideally, what does that look like? To help us understand, Sam spoke with Bob Garrett, the President/CEO of the Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce, on Thursday, May 28th. SHOW NOTES: Business Guidelines During This Pandemic Situation: Chamber's Responsible Re-Entry document The state’s business guidance page has been updated as of June 1 This is a one-page version of the business guidance that is supposed to be signed and posted on site clarifying that employees and customers must wear masks This is a one-pager version of the business guidance posted on the Downtown Partnership website.   Business liability background: PennLive article on the insurance implications of businesses not following public health guidelines National Law Review article on the same topic Daily Item Article on the Chamber's Economic Forecast event including the acknowledgement of the need for distancing, hygiene, and masks   Daily Item article on Staying Vigilant During Green Phase, which evokes CDC recommendations which include wearing a cloth covering over one's nose and mouth Public access complaint form in the event a business is putting people at risk Phasing Discussions: Going Green? What Does It Mean? Article (Plus Info About Masks) Here's the Yellow Phase discussion which included links to the business guidelines Contact Tracing Explained in Cartoon Form  Mask Review: Be smart, be responsible, be kind — wear a mask! It’s not a reflection on your bravery; it is a reflection of your concern for others.  Masks have become a contentious and confusing topic, but the information from good sources is quite clear:  their use is recommended for almost everyone (other than children under 3 or people with medical conditions) and they will work best if everyone is wearing them, not just the "chronically concerned."  For lots more detail: This (free) Atlantic article addresses the topic quite well, including the question of protection for the wearer versus protection from the wearer.  This Forbes Magazine article debunks the concern about their being dangerous or a cause of CO2 poisoning.  This Reuters article debunks the claim that wearing a mask will damage your immune system. The AAAS (American Academy for the Advancement of Science) Science Mag offers this study about masks which includes another great graphic explaining again how universal masking, even with homemade cloth masks, is critical to reducing transmission.      CONTACT US: Email radiofreelewisburg@gmail.com Call 570-523-0114 (leave a message and your full phone number if you want to be called back. We can’t access your number remotely.) Message us through the Lewisburg Neighborhoods page on Facebook. FEATURED MUSIC: "On The Wings" by Citay is licensed under a CC Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike License.   Produced in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania

UPDATE:  Fast forward several months.  It's August and the Census and Voting are once again hot topics.  Here are the fall general election and census deadlines to keep in mind: Sept 30 -- Last day to complete the 2020 Census October 19, 2020 Last day to REGISTER before the November election October 27, 2020 Last day to apply for a mail-in or civilian absentee ballot November 3, 2020 Last day for County Boards of Elections to receive voted mail-in and civilian absentee ballots (must be received by 8 P.M.) November 3, 2020 GENERAL ELECTION Polls are open from 7 A.M. to 8 P.M. We’ve all been preoccupied the past few months. One thing that might've gotten lost in all the coronavirus craziness is our civic duty to vote in the upcoming June 2 primary. To learn about Pennsylvania's new mail-in ballot option, Sam Pearson talks to Linda Harris, the Voter Service Chair of the Lewisburg Area League of Women Voters. Another civic duty we may have overlooked is filling out our census form. Census Day was April 1, 2020, but the work continues until everyone is counted. Sam had the privilege of speaking with Fernando Armstrong, the Regional Director in the Philadelphia Office of the US Census. This office oversees Census operations in 8 states — including PA — plus Washington D.C. Sam shares what she learned from Fernando. Plus, listener questions:-Is online shopping ethical during Covid-19? -Should we wear masks in line at The Purple Cow?-What does going yellow mean for us here in Rural Pennsylvania? SHOW NOTES: Primary ElectionKey Dates-May 18 -- Last day to update your voter registration -May 26 -- Last day to apply for a mail-in ballot -June 2, 8pm --  Deadline to return your voted mail-in ballot Union County Elections and Voter Registration Office:  Union County Government Center, 155 N 15th St, (570) 524-8603 VotesPA.com -- register to vote, check your registration, apply for a mail-in ballot, check the status of your ballot Vote411.org -- also voter registration info plus details about the candidates and contents of your ballot League of Women Voters Lewisburg Area -- access to the Union County-specific Voters’ Guide, formatted for printing at home this year   Census Information Census2020.gov -- Complete the Census! Response Rates -- check the status of how many households in your community have completed the census; updated daily Work for the Census -- apply now for a paid position helping to ensure a complete count in Union County or wherever you live in the country! Census Archives -- look up genealogy and past records   Ethical Purchasing Institute for Local Self-Reliance -- How You Can Help Save Locally Owned Businesses Susquehanna River Valley Visitors Bureau -- current listings of restaurants, wineries, breweries, and retail sales sites in the region that are maintaining distanced operations Global 100 -- Corporate Responsibility Ratings COVID-19 Community Fund -- First Community Foundation Partnership of PA in cooperation with regional United Way's On Yellow Phase Plan to Reopen PA -- the proposed phased plan to reopen PA Business Guidelines -- for Businesses Permitted to Operate during the COVID-19 Disaster Response in PA, these guidelines include lawful orders that businesses must follow As State Reopens, Masking Is Essential -- Column by Infectious Disease Specialist in Daily Item about Yellow Phase Mask Information -- CDC info page about the utility of masks for an airborne illness with a latency period (asymptomatic transmission) The Real Reason to Wear a Mask -- explaining the background for why people say my mask protects you, your mask protects me   CONTACT US: Email radiofreelewisburg@gmail.com Call 570-523-0114 (leave a message and your full phone number if you want to be called back. We can’t access your number remotely.) Message us through the Lewisburg Neighborhoods page on Facebook. FEATURED MUSIC: Intro: “In The 21st Century” by Keshco is licensed under a CC Attribution-Share Alike License.   Produced in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.

How do we communicate our frustration during a pandemic? Julie talks to local resident and former congressional staffer Mike Glazer about liberty during the Covid-19 crisis: how we can best make our voices heard, which elected officials we should be communicating with, and Mike's take on the anti-shutdown protest in Harrisburg last Monday, April 20, 2020. SHOW NOTES: What Do We Need! Nonpartisan Call-to-Action on testing and logistics -- the page on the Lewisburg Neighborhoods website includes an update reflecting the fourth COVID-19 Stimulus bill; thank your legislators if you contacted them and they voted for it; continue to keep an eye on testing developments Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act -- Stimulus #4   Testing, Testing, Testing: Testing Deep Dive -- "an ongoing testing regimen reduces the number of people that need to be isolated, allowing the remainder to return to work," plus the details Contact Tracing Corps -- Medical Students, National Service and Public Health Rockefeller Foundation Testing Proposal -- more concrete, slightly more modest, call on Peace Corps and AmeriCorps   On Reopening: CDC Guidance for Reopening -- testing is required (but vague on how or or by whom) PA Phased Reopening Plan -- includes link to the full plan National Coronavirus Response:  A Road Map to Reopening -- American Enterprise Institute proposal, includes lots of testing Draft of Detailed Reopening Guidelines -- still in the works, preview here For offices -- what might this look like For restaurants -- a twitter thread with images   CONTACT US: Email radiofreelewisburg@gmail.com Call 570-523-0114 (leave a message and your full phone number if you want to be called back. We can’t access your number remotely.) Message us through the Lewisburg Neighborhoods page on Facebook. FEATURED MUSIC: Intro: “In The 21st Century” by Keshco is licensed under a CC Attribution-Share Alike License. Outro: "On The Wings" by Citay is licensed under a CC Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike License.   Produced in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.

What do the maps and graphs of Covid19 mean for us here in Rural Pennsylvania? Can we use our region's low numbers to ease up on the statewide stay-at-home order and business shutdown? Computer Science Professor Evan Peck talks to Sam about the maps and graphs we've been seeing and why they can sometimes be misleading.  SHOW NOTES: On Modeling and Uncertainty: Leading with the Unknowns in COVID-19 Models in Scientific American A Comic Strip Tour Of The Wild World Of Pandemic Modeling -- from fivethirtyeight.com University of Washington IHME models COVID-19 Data Visualization Sites: Johns Hopkins University COVID19 Tracking Site -- includes global map, national map, and trend reporting New York Times maps -- includes absolute numbers and per capita for cases, absolute numbers for deaths, and rate of increase, hover data by county Washington Post maps -- includes absolute numbers and per capita for both cases and deaths, plus hover data by state PA Hospital Preparedness Dashboard -- linked from PA Department of Health site Super list -- lots and lots of data visualization sites, including but not limited to the above Evan Peck articles: Data is Personal. What We Learned from 42 Interviews in Rural America. Channel on Medium.com   CONTACT US: Email radiofreelewisburg@gmail.com Call 570-523-0114 (leave a message and your full phone number if you want to be called back. We can’t access your number remotely.) Message us through the Lewisburg Neighborhoods page on Facebook. Featured Music: “In The 21st Century” by Keshco is licensed under a CC Attribution-ShareAlike License.   Produced in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.

Here we are in the midst of a global pandemic. So what now? Sam and Julie give recommendations on how to help out locally and where to find help if you need it. Plus answers to community questions: -Should we wear masks to walk around the block? -Is it inconsiderate to walk or bike on the Rail Trail in the middle of the day? -Where can I donate homemade masks? SHOW NOTES: Concrete ways to help: Give blood either through the Red Cross or Give-a-Pint. Sign up to be part of the Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way volunteer corps. Get on the list and you will be in the loop when calls go out for deliveries or outreach or other projects to help your neighbors. Help spread the word about the 2-1-1 service. You can either find it online at nepa211.org or call just those three digits on the phone 2-1-1. The latter will actually put you in touch with a person who can help you navigate the maze of resources and service providers. All about masks: MaskFacts.org Super-easy no-sew option -- You don't have to be able to sew. You don't even have to have hair ties. Scissors would help if you don't already have a bandana or handkerchief. But if you have both a bandana and hair ties, you don't even need scissors. Help out by contacting The Mask Connection or Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way Financial help: Rent, mortgage, credit card, or utility issues Small business support from the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Unemployment compensation FAQs -- also summary of scenarios and benefits including for gig workers/contractors Income tax filing extended to July 15, both federal and state (PA) CONTACT US: Email radiofreelewisburg@gmail.com Call 570-523-0114 (leave a message and your full phone number if you want to be called back. We can’t access your number remotely.) Message us through the Lewisburg Neighborhoods page on Facebook.   Featured Music: “In The 21st Century” by Keshco is licensed under a CC Attribution-ShareAlike License.   Produced in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.

What does good crisis management look like? Why is it difficult to take action when others aren't? To find out, Sam speaks with Bucknell University Professor of Management Eric Martin about his Daily Item article "Uncertain Times Require Consistent Messaging." And we outline a non-partisan call to action to help our country get through the Covid Crisis.  SHOW NOTES: Nonpartisan Call to Action:  Contact your federal representatives! Eric Martin column in the Daily Item:  Uncertain Times Require Consistent Messaging Descriptions of Plans: Ten Weeks to Crush the Curve The Virus Can Be Stopped, But Only With Harsh Steps, Experts Say Fourteen Days. That’s the Most Time We Have to Defeat Coronavirus. Experts converge on plans for easing coronavirus restrictions safely How the Pandemic Will End Containing COVID-19 Will Devastate the Economy. Here’s the Economic Case for Why It’s Still Our Best Option.   CONTACT US: Email radiofreelewisburg@gmail.com Call 570-523-0114 (leave a message and your full phone number if you want to be called back. We can’t access your number remotely.) Message us through the Lewisburg Neighborhoods page on Facebook.   Featured Music: “In The 21st Century” by Keshco is licensed under a CC Attribution-ShareAlike License.   Produced in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.

Should we wash our groceries and disinfect our mail? Is it safe to take ibuprofen? Julie and Sam discuss "information hygiene" — a set of media management practices to preserve our sanity and make us less prone to misinformation. Plus a recap on good ol' physical hygiene during the Covid Crisis. And listener questions: -What to do if you get sick? -How long will this last? -Why don't we know when it will end? -Is the cure worse than the disease?   Featured Music: “In The 21st Century” by Keshco is licensed under a CC Attribution-ShareAlike License. Produced in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. SHOW NOTES: Resources related to the discussion: Information Hygiene Media Bias Analysis Project Wash Your Lyrics Wash Your Hands… With Ink? What to do if you get sick — CDC’s full page of guidance How to find help — 211, Community Action Agency, etc. Weighing the economic and health costs of shut down CONTACT US: Email radiofreelewisburg@gmail.com Call 570-523-0114 (leave a message and your full phone number if you want to be called back. We can’t access your number remotely.) Message us through the Lewisburg Neighborhoods page on Facebook.

In Radio Free Lewisburg’s series premier, Julie Hagenbuch talks to Sam Pearson about “Public Health as Neighborliness” — how to help in the Susquehanna Valley during the coronavirus crisis, and how to stay healthy. Shout out to the Daily Item and the Milton Standard Journal for their helpful coverage during this difficult time. Featured Music: “In The 21st Century” by Keshco is licensed under a CC Attribution-ShareAlike License. Produced in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. SHOW NOTES: Key resources: PA Department of Health CDC (Centers for Disease Control) Coronavirus resources WHO (World Health Organization) Coronavirus resources Geisinger Coronavirus page and 24/7 hotline, 570-284-3657 Evangelical Community Hospital Coronavirus update page Union County Coronavirus Information Page Also see our postings under News on the Lewisburg Neighborhoods website. Three and counting pertaining to the Coronavirus emergency response. CONTACT US: Email radiofreelewisburg@gmail.com Call 570-523-0114 (leave a message and your full phone number if you want to be called back. We can’t access your number remotely.) Message us through the Lewisburg Neighborhoods page on Facebook.