Another Case

The Ulster County website has reported that there is a 2nd case in the Town of Shandaken. Please everyone stay healthy and safe and maintain your social distancing practices.

County Stats and Town News

Ulster County has put together a web page where you can follow the number of Covid-19 cases on a town by town basis. As of right now, Shandaken still has only one. There is all sorts of other information on this site like the county Covid-19 hotline number and information about mobile testing sites. Here is the link.
https://covid19.ulstercountyny.gov

Town Clerk Joyce Grant is still writing marriage licenses in the town. If you need one you can call her at 845-688-5004. She will then arrange to meet you outside of Town Hall with the paper work and get it done, sort of like curb service. Joyce has never stood in the way of love and she won't start now.

Town Supervisor Rob Stanley weighed in on whether AirBnBs in Shandaken should remain open or not. To see what he has to say go to the Daily Freeman link below and read Rob's thoughts on the issue.

https://www.dailyfreeman.com/news/local-news/shandaken-supervisor-urges-restrictions-on-short-term-rentals-amid-pandemic/article_50c4b4ce-704c-11ea-ad54-17ce1fa79cca.html

Finally, if you are on Facebook be sure to follow the Town of Shandaken Facebook page for up to the minute updates for the town. That page is used to get information out in this and all other emergency situations.

Town Offices

The Town of Shandaken offices are closed for in-person service but still available by email or phone. They have staggered the workforce a bit to create a safe environment for workers but they are still there. You can find all the phone numbers and email addresses for the town offices on their website. Just click on the link for the exact office you need.
https://www.shandaken.us/town-offices/

The recycling center at Town Hall is also open for it's usual hours - Monday, Thursday & Saturday 7:30am to 12:30pm.

NY County Statistics on COVID-19

To see the exact numbers of the COVID-19 cases in New York the NYS Health Department has set up a web page (see link below). The number in Ulster County as of this minute is 35. Keep checking the site for ongoing updates.

https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/county-county-breakdown-positive-cases

Ulster County COVID-19 Testing Drive Thru

Ulster County has it's first COVID-19 mobile test site. You MUST meet certain criteria to be tested and HAVE AN APPOINTMENT. Here is the information from Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan. Click on image to make it bigger and easier to read. 

Food Needs and Donation Links

The Shandaken Food Panty is providing food delivery to people who are at high risk for the COVID-19 virus. See the information below (click image to make it larger and easier to read) to find out where to call if you need food delivery. If you are well and can pick up your food the food pantry will be open from 10-12 at the Methodist Church in Phoenicia on Thursday. Everyone will be maintaining a safe distance but you can pick up supplies there.

Many local restaurants are offering takeout services. I know the Phoenicia Diner, The Peekamoose and Brio's are among them. The Emerson also has takeout services for breakfast Thursday - Monday. Call them to ask about ordering and payment. The Phoenicia Supermarket is providing free delivery to those at risk.

For those of you who are willing and able to donate to the Food Pantry you can go to the Town of Shandaken donate page on PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?token=5IPj9eCw5zXYZALMyQjIUBMrWgmIOB9CywsLWjEZNXw2KCOExg1IfGXLKcLWQI96MmvxKm&country.x=US&locale.x=US
There is great need so anything you can give would be much appreciated.

Lastly, although this doesn't have anything to do with food, I wanted you all to know that my internet service here at the end of the valley has been wonky. I tried to post yesterday when service suddenly disconnected and I lost my post. I was also unable to answer emails for a while. So please be patient with me. I am trying my best to get information posted but sometimes the great gods of the internet  shut me down.

Updates For The Recovery Community

In these unsettling times it is important that we support all the different local communities of people who are trying to stay together. Here is some information for the recovery community that was sent to me by a WCA member.

meeting closings and shifts to zoom, teleconference, skype etc. : 

https://ulsterdistricts.aahmbny.org/home/covid-19-meeting-closures-relocations/

home page of the ulster districts aa , contains lots of good local recovery info, including a meeting finder for the vicinity surrounding us:

https://ulsterdistricts.aahmbny.org

Area 48 website- a larger area still, includes the zones called hudson, mohawk, berkshire, we are located in Area 48 District 16. the most comprehensive of the 3 e-addys i've given here. one can navigate that site for a broader base of info.

https://aahmbny.org/

1st Case in Shandaken

Here is an update from the Town of Shandaken website as of tonight Friday 3/20 at 6pm. There is one new case in the Town of Shandaken.

COVID-19 Update 6pm
Cases of confirmed jumped to 15 in Ulster County
There is 1 confirmed case in Town of Shandaken
“Treat everyone as if they have been infected”
Keep a 10 ft. distance. Practice 'Social Distancing'
* If you are experiencing any symptoms please call Ulster COVID-19 Hotline at 845.443.8888 or in case of dire emergency 911. https://ulstercountyny.gov/coronavirus
Follow Federal, State & County measures.
* It is best to self-quarantine as best you can at this time.
* In order to prevent the spread and protect the welfare of it's citizens, the Town of Shandaken is doing what is can to provide protections for you.
If you or someone you know identifies as being a high risk demographic to contract COVID-19 according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC),
the Town is providing delivery services for your needs if you are at high-risk or self-quarantining.
Please make a list of basic supplies you may need for the next week so we can bring them to your door.
Call Town Clerk 845-688-5004, townclerk@shandaken.us or Town Supervisor 845-688-7165, supervisor@shandaken.us
*Most Local Restaurants are offering safe Take-Out Service
*Phoenicia Supermarket is offering Free Delivery 845-688-2448

Pets and COVID-19

  WCA member Allen Vella sent me this from the CDC website. There have been questions about the transmission of the virus through pets so it is good to have the current guidance on those questions.

Animals and Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

- Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses. Some cause illness in people and others cause illness in certain types of animals.

 - Coronaviruses that infect animals can become able to infect people, but this is rare.

We do not know the exact source of the current outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

 - We do not have evidence that companion animals, including pets, can spread COVID-19.

 - We do not have evidence to suggest that imported animals or animal products imported pose a risk for spreading the 2019 novel coronavirus in the United States.

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses. Some coronaviruses cause cold-like illnesses in people, while others cause illness in certain types of animals, such as cattle, camels, and bats. Some coronaviruses, such as canine and feline coronaviruses, only infect animals and do not infect humans.

How to stay healthy around animals -

In the United States, there is no evidence to suggest that any animals, including pets, livestock, or wildlife, might be a source of COVID-19 infection at this time. However, because all animals can carry germs that can make people sick, it’s always a good idea to practice healthy habits around pets and other animals.

 - Wash your hands after handling animals, their food, waste, or supplies.

 - Practice good pet hygiene and clean up after pets properly.

 - Take pets to the veterinarian regularly and talk to your veterinarian if you have questions about your pet’s health.

 - For more information, visit CDC’s Healthy Pets, Healthy People website.

Risk to pets

CDC has not received any reports of pets or other animals becoming sick with COVID-19. Further studies are needed to understand if and how different animals could be affected by COVID-19.

How to protect pets if you are sick

If you are sick with COVID-19 (either suspected or confirmed), you should restrict contact with pets and other animals, just like you would around other people. Although there have not been reports of pets or other animals becoming sick with COVID-19, it is still recommended that people sick with COVID-19 limit contact with animals until more information is known about the virus. This can help ensure both you and your animals stay healthy.

When possible, have another member of your household care for your animals while you are sick. Avoid contact with your pet including, petting, snuggling, being kissed or licked, and sharing food. If you must care for your pet or be around animals while you are sick, wash your hands before and after you interact with them. For more information visit: What to Do if You are Sick.

Parents Working From Home With Kids

Many parents in the WV community have had to negotiate the demands of working from home and wrangling kids (schooling and other needs) at the same time. Here are some excellent tips from community member Melissa Hatter. Thanks for sharing Melissa!

My top 3 tips from a mom home with 2 boys and a full-time job:)...

1. Create a schedule for everyone in the house, especially the kids; For kids, include regular rituals (such as teeth brushing, getting dressed, making their bed and any other chores), remote learning school sessions as well as outdoor playtime (age-appropriate) to ensure they get physical exercise.  For parents, include some downtime, relaxation time should be on the schedule!

2. For those kids that don't have a full remote-learning situation in place, I have found several online sites for both live and on-demand and live lessons their minds engaged.  My favs include:

• Outschool: https://outschool.com/#us4eX0kLyE  they offer both live and on-demand classes for a variety of age groups and on a variety of subjects. I particularly love the live sessions as it gives a chance for our kids to interact with other children all over the world in real-time.  Classes are fee-based but some are as low as $5.
• Amazing Educational Resources: a huge list of online resources for learners of all ages: http://www.amazingeducationalresources.com/?fbclid=IwAR0zooy61m17BxMa_i_U7JWEQxOxr0zntqMeSdhGTBRbGfqXvyH8SUBk19Y
• Adventure Academy (good for 8-13 year olds): https://www.adventureacademy.com/reactivation/
• And here are some videos that my kids have enjoyed: 
• Hand/Foot Challenge
  Zumba Dance party
  Watch how spiders trap their food

  Learn to draw a spider

  
  

3. Use the together time to teach some life skills--today we had our kids wash our car:).---win/win!  We've also done cooking where they have learned how to measure out ingredients and how to use some kitchen instruments.  

Hope that helps!

Ulster County COVID-19 Information Page

For the latest updates, here is a link to the latest Ulster County COVID-19 information page.

https://ulstercountyny.gov/coronavirus

Ulster County Project Resilience

Here is some good information from Ulster County about resources to help those who are struggling because of this crisis.

ULSTER COUNTY COMMUNITY FUND AND FOOD HELP
PROJECT RESILIENCE:https://ulstercountyny.gov/news/executive/county-executive-ryan-announces-project-resilience-community-fund-and-local-foodCounty Executive Ryan Announces "Project Resilience" Community Fund and Local Food Distribution Effort to Support Residents Impacted by COVID-19

County Executive Ryan has secured over $2 million in funding in 24 hours
County Executive Ryan will utilize UCAT and partner with non-profits and municipalities to deliver meals
New initiative will help residents in need and provide support to small businesses 

Project Resilience — to help direct this surge of support and goodwill towards those in need throughout the county. The effort will include: a community fund, in partnership with the United Way; an online portal for anyone in need to ask for help; a robust food distribution network; and a partnership program for businesses and community groups to provide food and other critical services. 

For assitance, doantion and info : https://ulstercountyny.gov/projectresilience

Woodland Valley COVID-19 Updates

Hello WV friends, in light of the current pandemic I am activating the blog for community information. Right now there are no cases of the virus in Woodland Valley or Shandaken. I will be posting as needed with updates.

The Town of Shandaken is organizing food deliveries free of charge for those at risk because their health is too compromised to go to the store safely. Here is a message from their website with the contact numbers for anyone who would like to take part in that service. Stay healthy everyone!

At Risk or Want to Help?
Shandaken Residents: IF you are at risk & shouldn’t leave your house. We will have volunteers leave food or supplies on your doorstep. Please contact Joyce Grant – Town Clerk 845-688-5004 townclerk@shandaken.us or Robert A. Stanley Supervisor 845-688-7165 supervisor@shandaken.us 

Shandaken Needs Volunteers to deliver food & supplies to home bound residents. If you can help Please contact Joyce Grant – Town Clerk 845-688-5004 townclerk@shandaken.us or Robert A. Stanley Supervisor 845-688-7165 supervisor@shandaken.us