#used except for one small period when I was like 14 yrs old and thought it would be Professional to post art there lol)

[icewindandboringhorror]

We should bring back that thing some websites used to do where whenever you made a post you could also list a bunch of random details alongside it, like the mood you’re currently feeling while writing the post, what you’re eating, music you’re currently listening to, what device you’re writing the post on, some random emoji, your personal motto at the moment, etc. It’s like additional character lore 

[little-or-well-known-historyblog]

Elizabeth Schuyler-Hamilton's Life: A Triumph Surrounded By Tragedy

Introduction

Elizabeth Schuyler-Hamilton was the wife of the first U.S. Treasury Secretary, Alexander Hamilton. Elizabeth Schuyler-Hamilton was described as "a brunette with the most good-natured, lively dark eyes that I ever saw, which threw a beam of good temper and benevolence over her whole countance." She was born August 9th, 1757 and died in November 1854 at the age of 97. Elizabeth was the second oldest sister of five sisters and was the second eldest child of the ten children of Philip Schuyler that lived. She married Alexander Hamilton in December 1780 and together they had eight children. Elizabeth Schuyler-Hamilton’s life was a triumph and a tragedy. Her life was successful because she established the first private orphanage in New York and she ensured her husband’s legacy. Her life was full of hardship because she married an extremely ambitious man who was unfaithful to her, she lost her eldest son and her husband within a three year timespan, and she suffered other hardships.

The Happiness and Heartaches of Marriage (1780-1797)

Elizabeth Schuyler met Alexander Hamilton in Morristown, New Jersey in 1780 where the Continental Army was stationed for winter that year. Elizabeth, commonly referred to as Eliza or Betsey, was in New Jersey to visit her aunt and uncle. Her uncle was a doctor for the Continental Army. It was there that she truly met Alexander Hamilton, an aide-de-camp to General George Washington. Hamilton was an extremely ambitious man who wanted to rise above his station and he dreamed of being someone in important in the new nation that he was fighting to create.

They had met in a brief passing three years earlier, when Hamilton went to Albany, New York to convince General Gates to surrender his troops to General Washington. Eliza was twenty-two years old when they met again and Hamilton was twenty-five. What followed was a whirlwind courtship in which Hamilton was apparently very taken with Eliza. Tench Tilghman, a fellow aide-de-camp to General Washington even said, “Hamilton is a gone man.”

Hamilton and Eliza wrote letters back and forth throughout the year of 1780 and on December 14, 1780, the couple was married at Eliza’s family home in Albany, Schuyler Mansion, which was lovingly nicknamed The Pastures. Eliza and Hamilton stayed at The Pastures for about a month before moving to New Windsor, New York where the Continental Army and General Washington were stationed at the time. Eliza ended up going back to The Pastures and Albany while Hamilton went of to fight in the Battle of Yorktown. During this time, Eliza was pregnant with her and Alexander’s first born child, a son, who they named Philip Hamilton, after Eliza’s father, Philip Schuyler. Hamilton returned from the war front in time to be able to witness his son’s birth.

Eliza and Hamilton continued to live at The Pastures for about two years. Eventually, Hamilton made enough money to move the family to a rented home in Manhattan. They lived there while Hamilton practiced law and remained there in the early days of his position as Treasury Secretary. The Hamiltons did eventually move to Philadelphia to follow the US capital and Hamilton’s work. During these years, Eliza and Hamilton had four more children: Angelica Hamilton, the first girl and three more boys, Alexander Hamilton Jr., James Alexander Hamilton, and John Church Hamilton. The family also took in an orphan by the name of Fanny Antil, who they raised as their own. Hamilton had known Antil's father. He had asked Hamilton and Eliza to take care of Fanny after the death of her mother.

In 1793, an outbreak of yellow fever hit the city of Philadelphia, hard. Yellow fever is a serious, flu-like disease that could have come from multiple sources during this time. Some symptoms of Yellow Fever are bleeding of the stomach, yellowing of the skin, extreme fatigue, body aches, and vomiting. Eliza, Hamilton, and their children left Philadephia for a small rented summer home that was two and half miles away from the city. During this time, Hamilton returned back to Philadelphia for work constantly. In September of 1793, Hamilton contracted Yellow Fever. The children were secluded to an adjoining house while Hamilton was sick. Eliza contracted the illness and their children were sent to stay at The Pastures. Fortunately, Eliza and Hamilton were cured quite quickly of the illness by a doctor named Edward Stevens.

In 1797, Hamilton published a pamphlet about having an affair with a woman by the name of Maria (mostly likely pronounced Mariah) Reynolds. He published the pamphlet because he had been accused of embezzling government money to Maria's husband, James Reynolds. In reality, Hamilton was paying hush money to James Reynolds during the two year period of the affair. He wanted to clear his name in regards to thr accusations, and in doing so, he became known for engaging in the first political sexual scandal. The publishing of the pamphlet humiliated Eliza, who was pregnant at the time with their sixth child.

The Struggles of Losing Loved Ones (1801-1804)

The year 1801 was very tragic for Eliza and her family. In March 1801, she lost one of her younger sisters, Peggy, after she endured a long battle with illness. Hamilton was in Albany when his sister-in-law passed away and he wrote a letter to Eliza to inform her of Peggy's passing. Eliza recieved the following letter:

"On Saturday, My Dear Eliza, your sister took leave of her sufferings and friends, I trust, to find repose and happiness in a better country.

Viewing all that she had endured for so long a time, I could not but feel a relief in the termination of the scene. She was sensible to the last and resigned to the important change.

Your father and mother are now calm. All is well as it can be; except for the dreadful ceremonies which custom seems to have imposed as indispensable in this pla(ce), and must which at every instant open anew the closing wounds of bleeding hearts. Tomorrow the funeral takes place. The day after I hope to set sail for N York.

I long to come to consol and comfort you my darling Betsey. Adieu my sweet Angel. Remember the duty of Christian Resignation.

Ever Yrs

AH"

Later that year, in November, Eliza also lost her eldest son, Philip. Philip had participated in a duel with a man by the name of George Eacker, over a speech that Racket had given in which he had insulted Hamilton. After Philip's death, Eliza and Hamilton's oldest daughter, Angelica, was never the same. She had a mental breakdown and eventually was unfit to live with her family. Six months after Philip's death, Eliza gave birth to the last child in the Hamilton family, whom she named Philip II.

The year 1804 was another terrible year for Eliza. In July of that year, Hamilton got into a duel with a man by the name of Aaron Burr. He didn’t survive the duel and left Eliza to raise seven young children. Hamilton left her with the following letter after his death:

"This letter, my very dear Eliza, will not be delivered to you, unless I shall first have terminated my earthly career; to begin, as I humbly hope from redeeming grace and divine mercy, a haply immortality.

If it had been possible for me to have avoided the interview, my live for you and my precious children would have been alone a decisive motive. But it was not possible, without sacrifices which would have rendered me unworthy of your esteem. I need not tell you of the pangs I feel, from the idea of quitting you and exposing you to the anguish which I know you would feel. Nor could I dwell on the topuc lest it should unman me. The consolation of Religion, my beloved, can alone support you; and these you have a right to enjoy. Fly to the bosom of your God and be comforted. With my last idea; I shall cherish the sweet hope of meeting you in a better world.

Adieu best of wives and best of Women. Embrace all my darling Children for me. Ever yours,

AH"

He also left her with the financial burden of debt he had acquired. Eliza was unable to keep the house that Hamilton had built for her and their family, named The Grange. It was sold in a public auction. Luckily, some friends of Hamilton and Eliza’s raised enough money for Eliza to buy the place back. 

Another unfortunate death happened four months after Eliza lost Hamilton. Philip Schuyler, Eliza’s father also died. Her father’s land and house was divided up among his children. It wasn’t done peacefully though. Eliza’s younger sisters, Cornelia and Caty accused Eliza of accepting extra money from their father. Eliza denied this accusation and was shocked that her siblings even thought her capable of doing such something of that nature. If that wasn’t enough, Cornelia and Caty tried to take land that was rightfully Eliza’s. The feuding over this land started in 1804 and didn’t end until 1810. They went to court twice. There are no records of the first court case, which happened at some point between 1805 and 1807. Cornelia had gone to court with her case, and the judge had not ruled  in her favor. In May of 1810, Eliza brought her own case to court. Eliza wanted the court to prohibit her siblings claims to the land in question. Eliza ended up winning the case because Caty and her husband never appeared in court. Her other sister, Cornelia and her husband, Washington Morton had passed. The land became Eliza’s to do what she pleased with it and if any relatives tried claim or seize the land, they would incur a fine $20, 000. Caty and Eliza did still keep in touch after this issue was settled though the dispute likely weakened their bond.

A Successful Struggle (1805-1854)

Eliza still struggled after the issues regarding the land were settled. She continued to be in debt and in 1814, she suffered the loss of another family member. Eliza’s eldest sister, Angelica was also taken by illness. Eliza had other struggles to deal with not pertaining to death or debt though. She needed to protect her husband’s legacy. Eliza constantly struggled to find a writer to compile her husband’s biography. She almost had someone to do the job, but the writer, named Frances Baylies ended up not being able to complete the biography. She sent him a letter requesting the papers the return of the papers she had sent him. In it, she wrote, “...your long silence to the other circumstances have I confess induced fear that something may have occurred to arrest your labors. If that is so, or it is found impractical for you to proceed, let me I pray you be informed that I may com-pensate your past troubles and put the papers without delay into other hands. I am thus frank and explicit because I am hourly admonished that my lide is drawing to a close and I am impatient to fulfil the sacred duty I owe to a beloved husband’s memory.” Eliza collected quite a bit of information, from many different people, about “her Hamilton” as she called him, while trying to get his biography written. She at one point wrote to Marquis de Lafayette, a man who was a friend to the Hamiltons and who with Hamilton had spent some time with in the military. She requested that he help her gather information. He responded with what he did and didn’t find. The biography about Hamilton was eventually written by Eliza and Hamilton’s son, John Church Hamilton, with help from Eliza.

Not only did Eliza help tell her husband’s story but she also did charity work. She was one of three women that co-founded the Orphan Asylum Society of the City of New York, which was the first private orphanage of New York City. It still exists today, now called The Graham Windham Home for Children. Eliza was there when the cornerstone for it’s two story wooden headquarters was laid in 1807. Eliza was so devoted to the cause of helping orphans, because her husband had been orphaned at the age of 12. For many years, Eliza was on the orphanage board and was the Deputy Director. In 1821, Eliza became the Head Directress and continued to be for the next twenty-seven years. She won a charter in 1818 to create the Hamilton Free School, which was the first educational institution in the Washington Heights section of Manhattan. Eliza died on Novemeber 9th, 1854 at the age of 97.

Conclusion

Elizabeth Schuyler-Hamilton’s life definitely had elements of tragedy and triumph. The tragedies that she suffered were that she married an extremely ambitious man who was unfaithful to her, lost her son and husband in duels, lost two of her sisters to illnesses, her eldest daughter to a mental breakdown, lost her father the same year she did her husband, had a squabble over land with her sisters, and dealt with debt and raising seven young children after her husband’s death. She triumphed over these tragedies by fighting to preserve her husband's legacy, surviving Yellow Fever, and most importantly established the first private orphanage in New York City. Despite all the tragedy that she suffered, she was a very strong and dedicated woman to the causes most important to her. Her legacy is now being recognized by millions through the popular musical, Hamilton. Her story impacts history in multiple ways. From a social standpoint, she made things better for orphans because before then they faced poverty, hunger, disease, and short life expectancies. When the orphanage was first established, there was no official child protective services and no public child welfare agencies. The creation of the orphanage was a major turning point to help establish the treatment of orphans that we have today. If it hadn’t been created, orphanages and child protective services might not exist today. Her story also impacts women’s history. Her life shows that a woman can do so much more in the world than just marry and have children. She is important in history because if she hadn’t fought to preserve her husband's legacy in writing, we wouldn't have a clear understanding of all that Alexander Hamilton accomplished as a founding father. Her story so powerful and inspiring because despite suffering public humiliation and several tragedies, she stayed strong, fought for what she believed in, and lived a long successful life.

[ritacaroline]

Starshine                          Ch.14    Jimmy Page             Fan Fiction

Sequel to In The Light

This was a Monday morning, late August 1978. Jill was at her new job, in the Hematology lab of the London Hospital, Preston. She had been supplied with her own assistant, Rachel, a local grad student. At the lab bench, Jill was in charge of setting up the project testing equipment, then adding the tissue samples at specific fluid concentrations. Those would rest for a period of time and the more routine data recording would be observed and denoted by her assistant.

Rachel was a really dependable and conscientious student, about 22 yrs old. For the more unusual result readings, Jill was required to further investigate the samples and reactions by use of microscope and slides. A few times per week, a young intern, Dr. Berkley, leading this detail of the project, would visit the lab. He would have an hour or so long meeting each visit, with Jill and sometimes Rachel too. He would be later interpreting the results and writing the official medical journal describing the overall project, in a year or two. Jill had all the equipment needed at her disposal. The funding was securely in place. The workers and scientists involved were all extremely professional. She felt like she was where she needed to be at this point in her life. 

Jimmy was home that same morning. He had slept in a little, after Jill had left early for the hospital. He had just showered and was getting ready for an 11 am practice at the studio. Roland was set to drive him there. He went into the huge walk-in closet in their room, and pulled on a pair of jeans. Just then, he felt 

something fall out of one of the pockets. Sounded like metal or something of that nature. He looked down, but didn’t see anything. So, decided to get down on his knees, to take a better look. Under his side of the closet, he found absolutely nothing. Toward the back wall, also nothing. Beneath Jill’s clothes, he searched further. He did locate a key which must’ve fallen from his pocket, it was for the garage door. As he pulled himself up, he noticed also, a business card laying under the area beneath Jill’s jeans, which were hung upside down. He picked it up, and looked at it closely under the light. It read, “Julian Lewis. Trust In Security Inc. London, England.“

Julian ?  Oh yeah, Julian. The tall Viking type guy who attempted to pull Jill right out of his hands last Winter. Oh yeah. But ? what’s his card doing here ? Why is it in our closet ? He thought hard, then realized it must belong to Jill. Must’ve fallen from one of her pockets. Hmm. Ok. He knew for sure it wasn’t his. But, why did she have his card ?  Jimmy felt odd about it. But, decided to just stick it into his pocket. He’d think about it later. Certainly nothing to be alarmed about. Right ?

At the studio, Robert had waited there at least half an hour before the others arrived. He was having trouble pushing Linda out of his thoughts. It was burying him alive. Sometimes, when someone is suddenly missing from your life, you notice all the reasons they had made your life fun or happy or pleasant and you more clearly see their value. This was certainly the case for Robert, missing his girl Linda. He had taken her for granted all this time, not noticing how sweet she had made his life. And without her, well, everyday life was now a different story.  Felt like a mass of jellyfish stings, all over. He could not get comfortable.

As he viewed Jimmy walk in, carrying his instrument case, Rob stood right up. He said, “Hi Jim, Jimmy ? Hey. How’s it going, mate ?”

“Pretty well, what’s up with you ?” Jim answered. He sat down a moment at the small table Rob occupied, in the front of the studio.

“Jim, I need to ask you, what can you recommend ? I want to speak with Linda. I know she won’t speak to me though. How can I go about it, ya know, without calling and being hung up on ?” Rob asked.

“Hmm. I said I didn’t want to get between you two. But, speaking from one guy to another, not necessarily pointing directly toward Linda. But more like, to any guy, trying to get a woman back,…just give her a little time, don’t be so pushy. But make her aware that you’re thinking of her. Don’t ask her any big questions, just keep her aware of your feelings for her. Maybe write her a short note and mail it. Perhaps, every couple weeks. Let her know you’ll be there waiting, when she makes her decision. And what you hope for.”

Rob looked pensive and absorbed all Jimmy’s words carefully. “Okay, alright. That’s not bad. Not bad, of an idea. Not too pushy. Stay light. Okay. Thanks mate. Thanks.” he said.

Later in the afternoon, Jill had returned from work about 2 pm. She had invited Clare over, for the pool again. They floated about the pool together on rafts. Gently chatting, sipping on Pina Colada’s as they spoke. Clare’s drink, however had no alcohol, due to the baby. Clare said, “Oh, by the way, I got a call from Linda. I was so sad to hear that she says that she moved out of Rob’s place. And the sad reason why. I felt really awful about it, she was really bent out of shape over it.  And she said you knew about it already, so it was okay to mention it to you.”

Jill answered, “Yeah, I know. There’s not much we can do, except listen and try to be supportive. I feel awful that she’s hurting.”

There was silence between the two ladies then. At least 5 to 10 minutes worth. That was quite unusual for the two of them. However, it was a span of minutes in which the wheels were turning. Clare spoke, “Hey. I just had a thought. It’s

 regarding that guy, the security guy who had the monstrous crush on you. Can’t recall the name. During the last tour, the very tall blond. Do you remember Linda’s reaction to him ? She was quite impressed, if you can rewind back to that time. I can hear her saying that his blue eyes had her mesmerized. Something to that effect. And he was so funny and personable, that one evening, when we were all together. Of course his target goal was you, Jill. But, you let him down easy, right ?”

“I tried !” Jill said with a smile.

“Well, what’s to say, we contact him, through John or Jimmy. We see if Linda would like a little set up with him, that is, if he’s still available ? Hmmm?” said Clare.

“Hmmm. Not an awful idea. Okay, that’s a good skeleton plan. Pretty good. But there are a lot more details to work out. Let’s talk about it slowly. We can’t just jump on it without the prethinking.” Jill answered.

“Alright, let’s think on this and reconvene.” Clare said, with a huge smile.

_______________________________________________________________

Next Ch. (15) : https://ritacaroline.tumblr.com/post/185492423336/starshine-ch-15-jimmy 

Chapter Index for “Starshine” is located at bottom section of Ch.1 , click here : https://ritacaroline.tumblr.com/post/184383708541/starshine-ch-1-jimmy-page-fan

Link to “In The Light” - original fan fic - https://ritacaroline.tumblr.com/Fan%20Fiction

JimJam Mistresses @tremble-and-shake @ledoftherings @gimmeeshelter @adonna1964 @justanotherzosofangirl @starchild0985 @girlofthemoon75 @bonscottintheimpala @12909168 @jullz @cherryfloyd @tenementcrazylittlefruitcake @save-me-from-the-gallows-pole @soy-laprincessa @marauderofworlds @ultrabitchystudentperfectionus @satanspizzadeliveryguy @misspenylane @zi-zidane @catherine0627 @pagingpage-the-original @amythesticon @strangerspassinginthestreet @ thezeppelinbeatles @pour-some-sugar-on-mee  @carryfire18  @j-james-thlk @70shoney @strange-broo @page-daddy @nadianad1337 @yerawizardjimmeh @jimmyypagey @magnetacuddles84 @rock6880 @ledxzeppelin @kinkyspice  @thelandofnevermore  @my-golden-lion  @itsblackbetty  @magnetacuddles84   @luvejimmy  @palenickelsaladparty @jennmarieetn @honeydewgroupie  @how-many-more-times-blog   @loveinher-eyess @rocknrollababes-blog   @princesssofpeace @frauweide @dontyouhearmecallingyou @zozjaa @miniaturewinnerwonderland @http-jinx @chennington @venicebeachx @wanna-be-groupie

[the-record-newspaper]

Wilkes reacts to COVID-19

From Record Staff Reports

With schools called off statewide in North Carolina for at least two weeks, Wilkes County Schools will offer breakfasts and lunches for children ages 1 through 18.

The meals started being offered on Tuesday, March 17. Meals may be picked up at the school site in the car line with the exception being Wilkes Early College High School, which is on the campus of Wilkes Community College.

Breakfasts will be served from 7:30 a.m. until 8:30 a.m. and lunch will be served from 11:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.

This information was released Monday afternoon following a minimal two-week school cancellations which was announced over the weekend.

On Tuesday The Governor closed dinning rooms in restaurants limiting food services to only take out and deliver. He assured that grocery stores would remain open, but urged citizens not to hoard and to leave items for people who can’t afford to stockpile food and other commodities.

Wilkes County has suddenly become a different world.

If you’ve been to the grocery store recently, you’ve bound to have noticed the toilet paper section.

It’s basically empty.

Why?

Folks across Wilkes, the state and the country are hoarding such items including hand sanitizers and bottled water it seems in case there is a mass mandated quarantine to halt or slow the spread of COVID-19.

But…toilet paper?

The New York Times quoted Health Secretary Alex M. Azar II as saying, “Toilet paper is not an effective way to prevent getting the coronavirus, but they’re selling out.”

Although there may be humor in that statement, local, state and national officials are not taking the threat of the spread of COVID-19 lightly.

And as of Sunday afternoon, the virus was knocking at Wilkes’ door with one confirmed case in Watauga County and possible cases under investigation in Yadkin County.

Although there have been talk of COVID-19 already being in Wilkes, no such report had been substantiated.

The Tribune in Elkin reported that there are two persons under investigation who have been tested for the corona virus, or COVID-19 as of Friday at 12:30 p.m. in Yadkin County. These individuals have been informed about the virus and how it is spread and are self-monitoring while waiting test results, according to a news release from Yadkin County Human Services Agency.

WBTV, a Charlotte-based television station, reported that a Boone-based staff member of the international relief charity Samaritan’s Purse tested positive for the coronavirus shortly after returning from an overseas trip.

According to the company, the employee returned nine days ago from countries “considered to be at lower risk at the time of travel.”

The staff member didn’t return to work and self-quarantined upon their return home. They were tested at their home by the Watauga County Health Department.

“We are working in full cooperation with the local health department in identifying other staff who may have been in contact with the employee who has tested positive, and though we can’t know for sure whether their contact was prior to or after the virus was contracted, each of these employees has also self-quarantined,” the organization said. The organization said it is reducing staff on its Boone headquarters and Wilkes campus effective immediately and moving many employees to work-from-home status, the WBTV report stated.

In Wilkes, and across North Carolina, schools are cancelled, MerleFest has been cancelled as well as many church services and most any other event where people usually gather in significant numbers.

As of Tuesday there have been 32 confirmed cases reported statewide. The counties which reported confirmed cases are: 14 in Wake County; four in Mecklenburg; two apiece in Hartnett, Johnston and Forsyth counties; and one apiece in Durham, Brunswick, Craven, Chatham, Cabarrus, Onslow, Wayne, Brunswick, Craven, and Watauga counties

***

According to the website for Centers for Disease Control and Prevention you should call your doctor if you think you have been exposed to COVID-19 and develop a fever and symptoms, such as cough or difficulty breathing.

Watch for symptoms.

Reported illnesses have ranged from mild symptoms to severe illness and death for confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases.

The following symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure.*

·         Fever

·         Cough

·         Shortness of breath

*This is based on what has been seen previously as the incubation period of MERS-CoV viruses.

If you develop emergency warning signs for COVID-19 get medical attention immediately. Emergency warning signs include*:

·         Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath

·         Persistent pain or pressure in the chest

·         New confusion or inability to arouse

·         Bluish lips or face

*This list is not all inclusive. Please consult your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning.

***

Record Editor Jerry Lankford asked some of his Facebook friends their thoughts on the virus. Here’s what they said:

Ashley Osborne Jones: “I’m not afraid. I am not stocking up on anything. I don’t live in fear. I have faith that I will be OK. If not I have already on hand two weeks worth of food and supplies.”

Melissa Triplett: “I’m not afraid. ‘Fear not, for I am with you, be not dismayed, for I am your God, I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:103.’”

Rebecca Davis: “I could stand to shed some pounds. So with what food we have it will make do. We have growing grandchildren to feed in the home. They love to eat cereal. So milk, cereal, bread, peanut butter, jelly and eggs.”

Leslie Michelle Rivera-Cruz: “Not afraid at all. I’m only afraid of the consequences of fear.”

William M. Harden: “I’m not afraid but it’s because I have done my research on it. At the same time I’m not recklessly acting like it’s no big deal. I’m a young healthy man, but not everyone has my immune system. Not afraid of catching it (is very likely at some point) but am concerned for the elderly/youth/immune compromised that will have a harder time fighting it off. Stay educated and don’t panic you guys, it will only make the situation worse.”

Kellene Wells Bock: “I have a healthy respect for the virus but I’m not afraid. I think the steps being taken now should keep it to manageable status in the U.S. Not stocking up on anything because I don’t foresee steps taken in foreign countries being necessary in the U.S. (if people will just be smart) so we should be able to get what we need, once shelves get restocked.”

Anne Privette Johnson: “As an elderly woman with underlying health concerns Mom plans to stick close to the house. I made sure her prescriptions were filled and we have all her OTC meds. We keep toilet paper and paper towels on hand. I checked the pantry and inventoried cleaning supplies. We were in pretty good shape, so I picked up just a few things we needed. With schools closed I will be here more. I bought some breakfast items and sandwich fixings. I guess I didn’t stock up - just the normal grocery shopping. Prayers for everyone.”

Andy Rhodes: “I’m more afraid of main stream media hype than Covid19. Get your info from the CDC, not the nightly news frenzy of doom and gloom. Will I get Covid19, probably so, I am a nurse in a health care setting, am I worried? A little, but I’m confident all will be OK.” 

Alayna Taylor Harden:  “I’m far more bothered by/afraid of the hysteria than the actual virus. I know it’s a threat to certain people in our communities (and I say this as someone who has a compromised immune system and small kids), but this is far beyond reasonable precautions. The fact that sheer panic has been manufactured by the media is a very scary thing on its own.” 

Lisa De Maio Brewer: “This is a very concerning virus. We've never seen anything like this in our lifetime. If we do not take it seriously, we will face the sad consequences. Seek wisdom!”

Terrie Byrd:  “Yes I'm self quarantined due to my immune system not functioning properly. I'm both immune deficient and immune compromised. What I have in terms of antibodies fighting germs comes from 1,000 to 1,500 people in the form of plasma which I need to live. This is serious folks. Even with infusions, we  are not protected from COVID 19. Please take care of yourself and follow the CDC guidelines. It's not a joke. It's real and it's here. Stay ahead of the curve. God bless us all. I'm in no way panicking, just being vigilant and exercising caution.”

Rita Roman: “I've been preparing for this for years and years.... food and water...oops forgot about the toilet paper. I'm staying motivated and happy. P.S. Just got off a cruise last Sunday. Everyone is staying in touch via Facebook. No one is sick. Living my life!!!”

Cheryl Shumate: “Well I’m 63 yrs old and yes I’m taking this very seriously. I have diabetes and an immune deficiency disorder along with several other problems. I’m staying in away from people as much as I can. I’m not one that bought 100 rolls of TP but I would like to have gotten a bottle of hand sanitizer for when I am out. Thinking of all the elderly we have in our county. I do pray daily for our nation and watch CDC updates.”

Jill Minton Woodie: “I remember when I was a young girl hearing a preacher talking about a pandemic that would affect the entire World and there would be thousands of people die from it. I really hadn’t thought of this message until this pandemic. This is very serious and I’m afraid it is going to get a lot worse. It is no joking matter. We are dealing with a virus that the mortality rate is 10 times worse than the flu, no medicine or vaccine. Also, a person can have the virus and show no symptoms and that is why we need to stay home. The United States don’t have enough ventilators to handle this crisis. We all have got to work together and help stop the spread of this virus. People if at all possible stay home and use common sense that the LORD gave you. GOD HELP US.”

So far, there have been no reports of business closures in Wilkes due to the virus.

Tyson Foods has released its virus-related policy:

The company announced that it is only allowing visitors considered essential into its offices and facilities. The determination of who is essential will be made by Enterprise Leadership Team (ELT) members.

Tyson Foods also announced changes impacting hourly employees, including:

• relaxing attendance policies in processing plants by eliminating punitive effect for missing work due to illness;

• waiving the five-consecutive day waiting period for short term disability benefits;

• waiving the co-pay, co-insurance and deductible for doctor visits for COVID-19 testing as well as eliminating pre-approval or preauthorization steps;

• waiving co-pays for use of telemedicine;

• relaxing refill limits for 30 day prescriptions of maintenance medication.

Many corporate Tyson employees will work remotely through March 27.

Management will determine which business personnel will be asked to continue working in the corporate offices while others operate from home.

Late last month, Tyson Foods suspended all international business travel on commercial carriers. Effective immediately, all U.S. commercial business travel has also been suspended. Exceptions must be approved by an (ELT) member.

The company encouraged Tyson personnel to avoid personal travel via cruise ships, airplanes and other common carriers.

“Depending on where you travel, you may be subject to self-quarantine for 14 days when you return. You should consider this and your ability to work remotely before traveling.”

The CDC says “currently there is no evidence to support transmission of COVID-19 associated with food.”

In addition, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported, “There is no evidence at this time to suggest that the Coronavirus is a foodborne pathogen.”

The USDA also said, “We are not aware of any reports at this time of human illnesses that suggest COVID-19 can be transmitted by food or food packaging.”

Tyson has an internal coronavirus page with access to videos and information about the virus, as well as the company’s efforts to address it. 

Schools Closed

Wilkes County Schools will be closed for at least two weeks.

This comes as a directive from N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper who ordered all K-12 public schools in North Carolina to close for a minimum of two weeks in response to COVID-19. The executive order also bans gatherings of more than 100 people.

Cooper stated: “We do not have the luxury of a wait-and-see approach. These are hard decisions but they are necessary so we can learn more about the virus,” Cooper said. “We do not want any regrets in the rearview mirror, and I am guided by one objective – doing what we must to keep people from getting sick and to make sure that those who do can get excellent care.”

Wilkes County School Superintendent Mark Byrd in a recorded message sent out Sunday.

Byrd stated, “Monday, March 16 will be a required teacher workday. Bus drivers, teacher assistants and child nutrition workers should not report to work until you have further information.

“Parents will be contacted early this week by your child’s school with information about how you can help your child focus on learning during this two-week window. Our website and social media will be updated with information about what students can do to obtain meal service during this closure, beginning Tuesday, March 17.”

Wilkes Community College

All classes on all campuses of Wilkes Community   College have been cancelled for a week.

The college website states: Wilkes Community   College is adjusting its class schedule in accordance with guidance from state and local officials to proactively limit the spread of COVID-19.WCC will cancel all classes (Curriculum, Workforce Development, Career and College Readiness) for the week of March 16-22, 2020. Cancelled classes include all classes regardless of delivery method, including online, on-campus, and off-campus. All WCC facilities will be closed to students including Wilkes Campus, Ashe Campus, Alleghany Center, and Herring Hall.All full-time college employees should report to work on Monday, March 16, unless they are in self-quarantine.On March 23, the college plans to shift to a modified schedule with most classes transitioning to an online, hybrid, or otherwise adjusted format.An update will be provided by Friday, March 20 regarding the following week of classes and campus activities.

MerleFest 2020 Cancelled

For following is a press release posted by MerleFest officials at 4 p.m., on Friday, March 13:

In response to directives from North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper and growing concerns about the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), Wilkes County officials have cancelled all mass gatherings of more than 100 people in Wilkes County through the end of April. Therefore, MerleFest 2020 has been cancelled. While this decision is disappointing for all of us, we fully support the directive from our county officials. The health, safety, and well-being of all involved with MerleFest is, and always will be, our primary concern.

As you all know, MerleFest serves as the largest fundraising event in support of the students of Wilkes Community College. The WCC Foundation, which plans and manages the festival each year, has already incurred significant costs in the lead up to MerleFest 2020.

We need your help. We are calling on all our loyal MerleFest fans and supporters to help alleviate the financial burden this puts on the college in this unprecedented moment of crisis. Please consider converting your festival purchase this year to a 100 percent tax deductible donation. This will help sustain the mission of MerleFest and its impact on WCC students.

We will be offering three options for those who have purchased MerleFest 2020 tickets through the official MerleFest ticketing system:

Option 1: Convert your purchase to a donation. Convert your festival purchase to a 100 percent tax deductible contribution to the WCC Foundation to help sustain the mission of MerleFest and its impact on WCC students.

Option 2: Roll your tickets forward. Ticket holders may roll purchases over to MerleFest 2021. This option allows fans to retain the same seat, package, parking, ticket, etc. at 2020 prices. The dates for next year’s festival are April 29 – May 2, 2021. Please consider the roll forward option in support of the festival.

Option 3: Refund. If for any reason, you feel that neither option 1 nor 2 is appropriate for you, we can certainly offer you a refund for your ticket order. All refunds must be requested by April 15. We will refund everything except service charges which are non-refundable.

IMPORTANT: All ticket holders must contact the MerleFest box office between March 16 and April 15 to confirm the option you are choosing. Failure to contact the box office by April 15 will result in an automatic roll forward of your tickets to 2021. You can contact the MerleFest box office Monday-Thursday 12 p.m.-5 p.m. and Friday 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Here are four ways to contact us:

Email: merlefest@wilkescc.edu

Mail: MerleFest Tickets, P.O.  Box 120, Wilkesboro, NC 28697

Phone: (800) 343-7857

Visit our box office located in the Walker Center at Wilkes Community College, Wilkesboro, NC

We ask for your patience while we work through the transition process. We will add staff to handle your requests as quickly as possible, but it will just take time. Thank you for your support and we look forward to seeing you at MerleFest in April of 2021! 

MerleFest, a four-day Americana music festival was set to run from Thursday, April 23, to Sunday, April 26, on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro. The event draws upwards to 80,000 participants from all over the country and the world each year and pumps million of dollars into the local economy and is WCC biggest fundraiser. 

The Walker Center, also on the college campus, cancelled its  Haggard Brothers with Special Guest Emi Sunshine concert that was scheduled for Friday, March 13. Center officials says they’re going to try to reschedule the event.

YMCA

Starting Monday and running through at least March 29, Wilkes Family YMCA in Wilkesboro and all other facilities of the YMCA are closed due to the coronavirus.

It was stated in a press release: “After much thoughtful consideration for the health of our members, staff and community as a whole, the YMCA of Northwest North Carolina will temporarily close all facilities. As we navigate these challenges ahead, please know that we never make a decision to close Y facilities in haste.”

N.C. Courts

Chief Justice Beasley Announces Judicial Branch Response to COVID-19 (Coronavirus)Effective Monday, March 16, superior court and district court proceedings will be rescheduled for at least 30 days, with some exceptions.

In an order entered today (Friday, March 13), the Chief Justice has directed that local courts postpone most cases in district and superior court for at least 30 days. While the work of the courts must continue and courthouses remain open, the first priority of the court system must be the health and safety of the public and of the employees who serve them.

“We must be proactive in taking steps to prioritize the health and safety of our fellow North Carolinians while also maintaining the integrity of our judicial system,” said Chief Justice Beasley. “Today’s order will allow us to drastically reduce the exposure caused by crowded sessions of court, which often bring hundreds of people at a time into our courthouses.”

Although the superior courts and district courts remain open, effective Monday, March 16, superior court and district court proceedings will be rescheduled for at least 30 days, with some exceptions. These exceptions include (see more in the Supreme Court Order)

the proceeding will be conducted remotely;

the proceeding is necessary to preserve the right to due process of law (e.g. a first appearance or bond hearing, the appointment of counsel for an indigent defendant, a probation hearing, a probable cause hearing, etc.);

the proceeding is for the purpose of obtaining emergency relief (e.g. a domestic violence protection order, temporary restraining order, juvenile custody order, judicial consent to juvenile medical treatment order, civil commitment order, etc.); or the senior resident superior court judge, chief business court judge, or chief district court judge determines that the proceeding can be conducted under conditions that protect the health and safety of all participants.

This emergency directive does not apply to any proceeding in which a jury has already been empaneled or to any grand juries already empaneled. It also does not prohibit a judge or other judicial officer from exercising any in chambers or ex parte jurisdiction conferred by law upon that judge or judicial officer, as provided by law.

Additionally, the superior courts and district courts are encouraged to liberally grant additional accommodations to parties, witnesses, attorneys, and others with business before the courts who are at high risk of severe illness from COVID-19.  

All counties will post a notice at all court facilities directing any person who has likely been exposed to COVID-19 to not enter the courthouse. Any person who has likely been exposed and has business before the courts should contact the clerk of superior court’s office by telephone or other remote means for further instruction.

As the courts work to postpone thousands of cases, court officials will notify parties and their attorneys of new hearing and trial dates.  

The Judicial Branch will be providing continuous updated information and answers to frequently asked questions on our website, NCcourts.gov. The public is encouraged to visit NCcourts.gov as a first resort to determine if a question can be answered without calling the local courthouse.

Sports and Field Trips

Also on Thursday, March 12, Wilkes County Schools released the following announcement:

“Effective March 12. 2020, Wilkes County Schools will suspend all field trips and will reevaluate this in early April. Wilkes County Schools will follow the recommendation of the NCHSAA (North Carolina High School Athletic Association)

and suspend the Spring Sports Season at the conclusion of tonight’s games (Thursday, March 12, 2020). This decision impacts practices as well as scheduled games for both middle and high schools.

Per the Governor’s recommendation, all gatherings of more than 100 people should be postponed. The governor did not recommend school closings at this time.

Again, we appreciate your understanding as we make decisions to ensure the safety of our students and our staff.”

Other cancellations

VFW: The Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans day, scheduled for Saturday, March 28, at VFW Post 1142 in North Wilkesboro, has been cancelled due to health concerns.

The post also cancelled its popular Saturday night dances until further notice.

The Veterans Coffee Call, that has been held the second Tuesday of each month, has been cancelled until further notice.

Shinetopia, a  benefit concert, cook-off and bike show scheduled April 18 in North Wilkesboro has been cancelled. 

Wilkes Senior Resources has cancelled all instructor-led classes until further notice, effective immediately. The center remains open for individual exercises and other individual activities.

Wilkes-Yadkin Home Builders Association’s annual raffle drawing set for March 19, at the Wilkesboro Civic Center, has been postponed. The drawing, which raises funds for the Joe Faw Scholarship and SkillsUSA, will be held at a later date.

***

But back to the hoarding hysteria

Apparently it has become somewhat out of hand.

One local business manager was heard saying that law enforcement had to be on hand as guards when trucks hauling restock items arrive at their store, and added that thefts of items were becoming more commonplace.

Another manager told about how some were taking advantage of the situation and buying up the most sought after goods and attempting to pirate them on the internet. They were allegedly caught and stopped.

According to one internet report a bottle of hand sanitizer bought for $8 at a drug store sold the same day for $138 on a website.

And there are cases of downright rudeness.

“Some people act like it’s my own personal fault that we’re out of certain items,” another manager said.