By Beacon Staff



The local community is rallying around a teen who was struck by a vehicle on June 9 while riding his bicycle on Summer Street in Burlington.



That support will become visible this Sunday during a fundraiser at Kenny’s Roller Ranch in Burlington designed to raise money for his medical expenses.



Spencer Weir, 14, of Burlington is at the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics in Iowa City. He suffered severe head trauma, broken bones, spinal fractures, and lacerations, and has been on a ventilator.



His family has raised over $10,000 for Spencer’s medical expenses online, but the cost of rehabilitation will be much greater.



That’s why Kenny’s Roller Ranch is getting involved. Spencer is a regular at the skating rink, and local businesses are donating items that will be raffled off at the fundraiser.



The event will be from 5 to 8 p.m. on Sunday (June 21) at Kenny’s Roller Ranch, 8989 Koestner Ave. Admission by donation, all of which will be given to Spencer's family.



To follow Spencer’s progress, visit “Spencer’s Story”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Spencers-story-111243270624090/?__tn__=K-R&amp;eid=ARDyLEw2oXgOf9WFrbCajcomvgUdzBvTcYFoqFg313GCZHeVz09kJFhoaNHUKbv7eKk0IJ3_JKPMHHnD&amp;fref=mentions&amp;__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARCyL9tqwv-Xc_wkhwkGR4Blvif7P5MJ9NRS5Jofaeh35gGv0bqY4Po1qIONrgJg_VgUFJJFKNfRGBVp7g4yCTh2RB7NVJL8Us3-ED8x4a1m0roAItZf7GXRPnBwUafyxXUs_AbU9Cp4U-r280kTEtm3z5j7RBbXDxj4uo0GHl1V_Fkxd2OmgS1GVM7BLakHut4WkxPJf63CrOlFTmsozdVLNU5JVGe_xD8NcGqZK-2O3G7JhbuP16HSQo4aHhDPf7p6EEsPhx-FC9JhUAIvifINRWh_OPcpO6glUkpzsRPRFkGMubzuxs1gb6EUyPSxfzqGKozP0jI0dmCLBJQ-7IM">https://www.facebook.com/Spencers-story-111243270624090/</a>&nbsp;on Facebook, which is updated regularly by his family.

Roller Rink Fundraiser Will Benefit Burlington Teen Struck By Car

By Beacon Staff



In the wake of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, many businesses, government buildings, and organizations were temporarily closed this spring.



Now that Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has lifted most COVID-19-related restrictions, government buildings are set to reopen while some businesses and institutions will remain closed for the near future.



Burlington City Hall, Burlington Public Works, and the Burlington Wastewater Treatment Facility will reopen to the public this Monday (June 15) after nearly three months of lockdown. As with all city and county reopenings, it comes with a few caveats.



Staff at those buildings must self-screen for illness, and the city will provide protective equipment or safety shields. The city also has established hygiene expectations, including hand-sanitizing stations and increasing the frequency of cleaning.



The Burlington Public Library building remains closed to the public, but the library itself never closed. In addition to allowing online check-out and regular programming on YouTube, the library has curbside checkout. Patrons can also make an appointment to come inside the library and use a computer for one hour, or check out a laptop to use in the parking lot for one hour.



Museum Closures



The Garrett-Phelps House Museum on Columbia Street and the Hawkeye Native’s Log Cabin in Crapo Park, both in Burlington, will remain closed to the public for the rest of the year. The locations are usually opened to the public from the first weekend in May through the last weekend in October.



Several volunteers and employees at the Des Moines County Historical Society are older and thus more vulnerable to the worst effects of COVID-19.



“Their reluctance to act as tour guides and docents right now is certainly understood,” museum director LaVon Worley said.



The Des Moines County Heritage Center Museum, housed in the former public library building, has been shuttered since mid-March. While Reynolds has lifted the restriction allowing museums to reopen, the DMCHS board has not determined when the historic building will resume operation.



“Catfish Corners, our children’s play area, is a big consideration in this decision,” said Robin Schneiderman, executive director of the Des Moines County Heritage Center Museum. “We are disappointed that many tourists will miss out on all three of the museums this season.”



The historical society’s annual fundraiser, Desserts by Design, has also been canceled. The event committee and the Players Workshop volunteers put time and effort into organizing a 100th-anniversary celebration of the Women’s Suffrage Movement and hope the program will be presented at another time.



Swimming Pools



For the most part, the status of the swimming pools in Des Moines County is undetermined. Reynolds has lifted shutdown restrictions on pools, but it is up to each organization to make the final decision.



The Mediapolis Aquatic Center has begun offering season passes. The date for reopening will be announced after this Monday’s city council meeting and announced on the aquatic center’s Facebook page.



The fate of the West Burlington Aquatic Center will be determined by June 19, pool officials said. Burlington city officials have not set a date for the reopening of Dankwardt Park Pool.



“We are currently waiting for repair work to be completed on the liner that was installed in 2016. When the repair is completed, (the) city council will discuss options for the swimming season,” according to a statement on the pool’s Facebook page.



The Huck’s Harbor water park at FunCity in Burlington remains closed. No announcement has been made as to when it will reopen. Catfish Bend Casino and FunCity are back open, as well as the Catfish Bend Casino, Cold Stone Creamery, CocoLoco’s Gift Shop, and Restore RX at The Spa.



The Boogaloo Sports Bar and Grill, arcade, KingPins Bowling, and ZOOM! Go-Karts opened on Thursday, June 11. The Catfish Bend Inn and Spa are reopening on June 18.



PZAZZ! Resort Hotel, Indoor and Outdoor Huck’s Water Park, Tiki Bar, LazerTown, Ballocity, SkyTrail, Gasoline Allie’s Candy Alley are currently closed at this time.

Re-openings, Cancellations, and Uncertainties

By Beacon Staff



A man was taken to Great River Medical Center in West Burlington Saturday morning (June 13) after being shot in the lower leg in the area of Summer and Angular streets in Burlington.



According to Burlington Police Sgt. John Stirn, officers responded to the call around 4:35 a.m. Saturday. Police discovered shell casings in the area, and witnesses reported hearing three or four gunshots. Police have yet to identify the man due to the ongoing investigation.



No suspect description or further details about the man were available Saturday morning, though police may release more information as the investigation continues.



Anyone with information about the shooting is encouraged to contact the Burlington Police Department at (319) 753-8366 or Burlington Area Crime Stoppers at (319) 753-6835.

Early Morning Shooting In Burlington Leaves One Injured

By Beacon Staff



There is always a wide variety of fresh produce at the Jefferson Street Farmers Market in Burlington. The market features several vendors each Thursday who sell fruits and vegetables, among other items. On Thursday, patrons walked up and down downtown Burlington browsing the many vendors in search of the freshest produce and fruit.



Photo by Joy Mack

Farmers Market A Feast For The Eyes And Stomach

By William Smith



Mr. Bojangles doesn’t know why his family locked him in an outdoor cage and abandoned him outside the Burlington Animal Shelter this past Memorial Day weekend.



He didn’t even know his name. Like most of the animals who end up at the shelter, he didn’t come with any kind of history or identification from a previous life.



So the Des Moines County Humane Society gave him a new name, based on his penchant for cutting a rug with his toenails. Figuratively, that is.



Mr. Bojangles was likely an outdoor dog and isn’t crazy about the feeling of a man-made floor beneath his feet. But he’s getting used to it.



“Bojangles has happy feet. He loves people so much and his feet don't stop moving when he sees you!” shelter director Kandi Hillyer said.



When Hillyer first met Mr. Bojangles a few weeks ago, the 8-to-10-month-old Labrador retriever (and possible German Shepherd mix) was hot, tired, and terrified. Southeast Iowa had endured its first warm streak of the summer, and the shelter is not open Mondays.



Mr. Bojangles had been left in one of the shelter’s outdoor cages without water to drink on Sunday night. There was no one around to help him until Tuesday afternoon.



When Hillyer came back into work the following Tuesday and found Mr. Bojangles in the cage, she was mortified and angry. The dog was frothing at the mouth due to dehydration and had spent the previous day or so barking for help.



The only thing his previous owner left in the cage to keep Bojangles company was a sealed bag of dog food.



Hillyer posted about the dog’s situation on social media, her outrage reciprocated by the community.



“To the person that dumped this poor dog with a cheap bag of food in the outside runs at the animal shelter last night or early this morning ... Shame on you! He has no water and is extremely hot and tired from barking for help. He is terrified! We need you to contact the shelter and surrender your dog properly if that is what you were attempting to accomplish,” Hillyer said in a post-Facebook post when she found Bojangles.



Hillyer hoped to find the original owner so they could be turned over to the Burlington Police Department for animal abandonment. She didn’t have any luck.



But there were more important matters, such as making Mr. Bojangles feel loved. Mr. Bojangles returned that love almost immediately — he danced.



“He's quite the dancer,” Hillyer said.



Mr. Bojangles was cleared for adoption late last week, and so far, there haven’t been any takers. Hillyer said a meet and greet would be required with other dogs in a household, should that family choose to adopt him.



“We are sure that he will bring a whole lot of love to his new family,” Hillyer said.



To learn more about Mr. Bojangles, call the Burlington Animal Shelter at 319-753-8389 during business hours. The shelter is open from 3 to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 1 to 5 p.m. on weekends.



Appointments are no longer required at the shelter, so Mr. Bojangles can be visited anytime during those hours.



Photo: Mr. Bojangles as he was found abandoned at the animal shelter.

Abandoned Shelter Dog Regains Faith in Humanity

Burlington has a new Tupperware lady! Contact Siarra Jones for all the cool products offered by Tupperware. She can be reached at 772-713-0188, on FB at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/siarrajonesTW/?__tn__=K-R&amp;eid=ARB-zG7AEivo7MhP6uHVzaOVaULa34A2Cl5mpIgg_9dNF5KXp8is85LSJ6tVkXegZ4MSkDwPA2ZSl6bm&amp;fref=mentions&amp;__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARBkbmj31CTUc_I2X7uY0MtY6H4jjcomQY2_80cZ9J-emdG-ByI7burNXhFDXlRLwsrMsfZ7usWy6odTD46Z0HqzKIPiyLLgbYczQw7nKKNaO7b0PGl0pF6Gyk6xS3XcJTVpSKSlEvnKWfbcP7Tm7smZhRNrSwnPXQ4sHOyAOUnPM7Qi4hPDNyUrJA5dntsF5FF6RHXYYeBM6RNehISqGTrUXpthRuh9a9kOsutH5dG6fM2TIzk4ff3mH5b42mRelWqWL4TeG7niBryD67P3L9CxaGx3F1KJWjP2hs69ucE8_-vZZhhsvagBfRkFOnsuNK1a17l8fMFEjLWrYxUxmuw">Siarra's Tupperware</a>, or&nbsp;<a href="https://siarrajones.my.tupperware.com/?fbclid=IwAR13qVXS3kQHxJ6YHkUJ3-4fTI6JYg1E9FGjheg_oZWfL-sIn23deho2LCY" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://siarrajones.my.tupperware.com</a>



(This is a paid ad)

Burlington Has A New Tupperware Lady!

By Beacon Staff



The second novel coronavirus (COVID-19) death in Des Moines County was confirmed Saturday by the Iowa Department of Public Health.



No further details, including who the person was, their location, or when they died, was provided. The first coronavirus death in Des Moines County was reported by the state health department on April 26.



The news comes on the heels of a reported outbreak at Prairie Ridge Care and Rehabilitation in Mediapolis, where three residents and one staff member tested positive. One of those four already had recovered by the time the outbreak was reported.



As of 1 p.m. Saturday, 69 cases of COVID-19 had been reported in Des Moines County, and 50 of those have recovered. Nine additional COVID-19 deaths in Iowa have been reported since 10 a.m. Friday, raising the death toll to 598.



Another 386 cases have been reported since 10 a.m. Friday, bringing Iowa's total to 21,479 confirmed cases. Of that number, 12,697 have recovered.



Across Iowa, 23 COVID-19 patients were admitted to the hospital in the last 24 hours, bringing the state total to 299 hospitalized. Of those in the hospital, 102 are in intensive care while 62 are on ventilators.



One in every 17 Iowans has been tested at a positive rate of 11.6 percent.



Three counties in Iowa have been designated as possible hotspots by the Centers for Disease Control — Buena Vista County, Woodbury County, and Wright County.



The designation, which comes from an internal CDC document dated May 27 that was distributed to federal agencies, has not been made public. The CDC’s areas of concern are described as those counties “with the greatest burden who are still demonstrating growth.”



The CDC has declined to discuss the document.

Another COVID-19 Death Confirmed in Des Moines County

By Beacon Staff



The visible trail of smoke wafting Saturday evening from Mosquito Park in Burlington wasn’t as serious as it may have looked.



The Burlington Fire Department made sure of that.



Firefighters responded to the tiny park at 7:43 p.m. Saturday (June 13), where they discovered a small blaze consuming dead leaves and vegetation.



The initial call to the fire department cited fireworks as a possible cause, and fireworks residue was discovered on the scene. There wasn’t enough evidence to name an official cause, however, fireworks are considered the likely cause.



Firefighters deployed a booster line to extinguish the fire, clearing the scene 10 minutes after they arrived. A booster line is a rubber-covered, thick-walled, flexible hose used to fight small fires. It retains its round cross-section when it is not under pressure and is usually carried on a reel on the fire truck, rather than being stored flat.



Mosquito Park, located on the corner of Third and Franklin streets, sits on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River.



Burlington Police fielded nine fireworks calls between 7:43 p.m. and 11:22 p.m. Saturday, but no other fires were reported.



Burlington city ordinance prohibits exploding those fireworks within city limits, though they are legal to purchase.

More Smoke Than Fire in Mosquito Park

By Beacon Staff



Four cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) have been confirmed at Prairie Ridge Care and Rehabilitation in Mediapolis, but one of those infected already has recovered.



The Iowa Department of Public Health did not clarify if the four cases were patients, employees, or both.



Des Moines County has 66 cases of novel coronavirus as of Wednesday morning (June 3). Of that number, 50 have recovered, and one person has died.



Henry County has reported 72 cases, with 58 recovered and two deaths. Louisa County has reported 346 cases, with 255 recovered and 11 deaths. Lee County has reported 27 cases, with 19 recovered and zero deaths.



About 314 Iowan were in the hospital for coronavirus as of Wednesday morning, compared to 327 the day before. Of those, 116 are in the ICU, an increase of two from the day before. Fifteen Iowans have been admitted to the hospital for coronavirus in the last 24 hours, compared to 12 from the previous 24-hour period.



A total of 20,012 Iowans have tested positive for coronavirus, and 11,892 have recovered. The death toll stood at 564 as of Wednesday morning.

Coronavirus Reported at Mediapolis Nursing Home

By Beacon Staff



Burlington firefighters responded to a fire at the Autumn Heights apartment complex early Monday morning, only to find a stovetop fire that had already been extinguished.



Local police helped evacuate the seven-story apartment around 2:30 a.m. when the fire alarm sounded. One resident was evaluated for several breathing issues but refused treatment. No one else was injured.



A Burlington police officer who was in the area responded to the first, automated alarm. A resident assistant informed police of a stovetop fire in a sixth-floor apartment by an onsite resident who had mostly extinguished it. Firefighters finished the job and helped remove smoke from the six-floor, staying on site until 4:22 a.m. Monday.



The fire damage was contained to the stove at Apartment 603, as well as surrounding cabinets and counters. The resident was alerted to the fire by smoke alarms.



The fire is considered accidental.

Autumn Heights Apartment Complex Evacuated in the Middle of the Night Due To Stovetop Fire Scare

By Beacon Staff



A Henry County resident has died of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).



According to the Iowa Department of Public Health press release published Saturday, the resident was between 41-and 60 years old.



Two additional COVID-19 deaths were reported Saturday as well — a 61-to-80-year from Linn County and 61-to-80-year-old from Polk County. There are now 786 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Iowa and 14 deaths from the virus.



There have been a total of 9,454 tests in Iowa so far.



The Lee County Health Department confirmed the county’s first COVID-19 diagnosis on Friday.



Health Department officials said the diagnosed individual is self-isolating at home. Officials said no further information about the person will be released.



Lee County is the last county in southeast Iowa to confirm a case of the virus. Des Moines County also has one confirmed case, as does Louisa County. Henry County has six confirmed cases, and Van Buren County rose to five cases on Friday.

Henry County Resident Dies From COVID-19

Column by Jeff Abell



Over the years, Burlington has produced more than its fair share of the famous and infamous. When scanning the list of notable people, several prominent names stand out, while others more obscure but equally important remain only a footnote.



In the annals of rock ‘n’ roll history, few people outside of Iowa know the name of O.W. Appleton. The music pioneer was inducted into the Iowa Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for inventing the earliest known solid-body electric guitar. Appleton had a love of music from an early age. In his teens, he traveled the country as a musician before settling down in Burlington in 1936.



Soon after, he opened a music store and began tinkering with musical instruments to improve their sound, including his favorite instrument, the guitar.



With the hands of an artist and the mind of an engineer, Appleton spent his free hours working on a new design, a closely guarded secret he believed would take the guitar to a new level.



In 1941, he carved the body of the now-conventional guitar, attaching a stock neck. The new design soon became the guitar of choice for rock musicians.



Appleton was never fully credited for his creation due to a chain of events that resulted in guitar maker Leo Fender building on his design, and later marketing it, according to an Iowa music historian.



Then there’s the rise and fall of chemist Wallace Hume Carothers.



On an April evening in 1937, Philadelphia police were called to the hotel room of a man who was unresponsive to staff. Breaking down the door, officers observed a man lying lifeless on a bed.



Police observed no signs of a struggle but did discover an empty bottle and a squeezed lemon near the body. The man was 41-year-old Carothers, who is credited with inventing nylon.



Despite early reservations, the Burlington native began work on creating synthetic rubber or neoprene after being hired by DuPont Chemical.



In the summer of 1934, Carothers became severely depressed and suddenly disappeared. He was later found at a psychiatric clinic. Upon his release, Carothers began the work that led to his greatest discovery — the creation of the synthetic polymer known as nylon.



Then, tragedy struck.



In January 1937, his sister died of pneumonia. The loss led Carothers to Philadelphia to see his psychiatrist.



Two months later, he checked into a hotel room, and using the cyanide capsule he carried attached to a watch chain, Carothers dissolved the poison in lemon juice to speed up its effect.



Thus concluded his final chemical experiment.



During the dark days of the Vietnam War, Jimmie Howard was a shining example of bravery. Howard, a Marine gunnery sergeant, was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for valor for his leadership of a platoon before and after he was wounded severely by a Viet Cong grenade on June 1966.



Then there is space shuttle astronaut Jim Kelly with missions under his belt that include NASA’s return to space flight after being grounded due to the 2003 Columbia accident that claimed the life of its crew.



Others include:



• Mary "May" Naudain, an actress and singer who gained fame on the stage during the vaudeville era, was born in 1881 in Burlington. She was raised in Omaha, Neb., before traveling to New York City to appear on stage, including Broadway where she was a sensation.



During World War I, Naudain gave benefit concerts and raised money for war bonds. She died suddenly at the age of 41 from a heart condition.



• William Frawley, famous for playing Fred Mertz in "I Love Lucy," was born Feb. 26, 1887 in Burlington. In a 1955 interview with the Des Moines Register, Frawley fondly recalled growing up in the North Hill neighborhood, which he saw for the last time in the 1920s. Frawley grew up at the house at 1203 N. Sixth St.



In 1960, Frawley landed the role of "Bub O’Casey" on "My Three Sons," which he starred in for six seasons before becoming too ill to work. His final on-camera performance was in 1965 on "The Lucy Show."



• German-born paleontologist Charles Wachsmuth’s study of fossilized crinoids in Burlington Limestone offered a significant contribution to the field in the 19th Century.



• Inventor and entrepreneur John Winegard’s antenna company had a hand in the growth of broadcast television and a role in the nation’s space program. He died in 2002.



• Helen Elswyth Thane, a writer of romance novels and historical fiction, was born in Burlington in 1900. She began her career in the 1920s as a freelance writer for newspapers. During her lifetime, she had seven novels published.



• Former director of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory Edward Stone worked on the Voyager I and II deep space exploration missions. He was the recipient of the 1999 Carl Sagan Memorial Award and a middle school in Burlington bears his name.



And the list goes on.



Burlington residents, native or transplant, have contributed to the success of the country in science, entertainment, and innovation. Their lives tell the story of Burlington. But, more importantly, their story is the story of America.

Tales of the Famous and Not-So Famous

Photo by Jeff Abell



The view of Jefferson Street in downtown Burlington marked a stark contrast from a typical busy Saturday afternoon. Rather than cars filling parking stalls and shoppers darting in and out of retail shops, Jefferson Street was mostly silent save a few retail stores offering curbside delivery.



On Thursday, non-essential retail shops were ordered by Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds to close their storefronts to foot traffic in an attempt to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. Downtown retailers are offering delivery and shipping for their customers and those who do shop are urged to support small businesses.

Silent Street

By William Smith



Frank Hawkins’ eyes filled with dog-eared memories, his recollections of the first Community Thanksgiving Day Dinner ripened by the past quarter-century.



Hundreds of volunteers swarmed the Burlington High School cafeteria Thursday, preparing a Thanksgiving meal that would feed nearly 2,000 people.



Hawkins was nearly at a loss for words as he looked on, his heart swelling with what he called the eternal Thanksgiving paradox. Every act of giving is automatically packaged with the personal satisfaction of having given — no refunds accepted.



“I am an instrument of giving thanks, yet I am thankful,” he said.



Hawkins was one of the founders of the dinner 25 years ago, and still makes the trip from his home in Overland Park, Kan., every five years to offer words of encouragement to the volunteers. Following the opening prayer Thursday, Hawkins watched the controlled cafeteria chaos unfold around, a smile twitching at the corners of his mouth.



“It is ... ” he said, pausing as he searched for the appropriate superlative, “Wonderful.”



Not all the founders were able to see the 25th anniversary of the dinner. Sharon Ford, the late director of Community Action of Southeast Iowa, died a few years ago. Her adopted children showed in her stead, sharing memories of their late mother.



Lois Blythe, another Thanksgiving dinner founder, still works the event every year, rounding up volunteers months ahead of time. Her entire family works at the event.



“It’s just what we do,” she said.



The Genesis of a Thanksgiving Tradition



Hawkins came up with the idea of a free Thanksgiving dinner after attending a similar free feast in Illinois. As the manager of JC Penney at the time, he wanted a way to enjoy Thanksgiving while still being nearby to get the store ready for Black Friday.



But the convenience soon becomes a secondary motive, irrelevant compared to the joy of feeding the community. The dinner was and still is for everyone. Those who couldn’t afford a Thanksgiving meal. Those stuck at home while the family is elsewhere. Families that don’t have the time to cook. Passerbys who hear about free turkey.



There was no specific “type” at Thursday’s dinner. Just people who wanted to share an experience that is often taken for granted every other day of the year.



“We’re receiving as we’re giving,” Hawkins said.







&nbsp;


<img width="1024" height="768" src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2019/11/78845147_447721612599702_6926690648149983232_o-1024x768.jpg" alt="" srcset="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2019/11/78845147_447721612599702_6926690648149983232_o-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2019/11/78845147_447721612599702_6926690648149983232_o-300x225.jpg 300w, https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2019/11/78845147_447721612599702_6926690648149983232_o-768x576.jpg 768w, https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2019/11/78845147_447721612599702_6926690648149983232_o-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2019/11/78845147_447721612599702_6926690648149983232_o-600x450.jpg 600w, https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2019/11/78845147_447721612599702_6926690648149983232_o.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"> 
										<img width="1024" height="768" src="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2019/11/79483750_447721745933022_8339900038616449024_o-1024x768.jpg" alt="" srcset="https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2019/11/79483750_447721745933022_8339900038616449024_o-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2019/11/79483750_447721745933022_8339900038616449024_o-300x225.jpg 300w, https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2019/11/79483750_447721745933022_8339900038616449024_o-768x576.jpg 768w, https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2019/11/79483750_447721745933022_8339900038616449024_o-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2019/11/79483750_447721745933022_8339900038616449024_o-600x450.jpg 600w, https://d2eftiauov6o73.cloudfront.net/public/2019/11/79483750_447721745933022_8339900038616449024_o.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px">											
Photos by William Smith
Two founders of the Community Thanksgiving Dinner, Lois Blythe (in photo 1 shown working at the volunteer stand) and Frank Hawkins (in photo 2 shown taking a moment to pray), attended the event on Thursday at the Burlington High School cafeteria.

The Wonderful Thanksgiving Paradox

The Des Moines County Public Health Department has opened a “virtual” emergency operations center (EOC) to serve as the centralized command and control for the area’s response to COVID-19.



The EOC will receive and distribute COVID-19 related information. They will also assist area emergency responders and health care agencies with supply acquisitions related to the virus.



The EOC is open in conjunction with the Des Moines County Emergency Management Agency and Great River Health Systems.



Iowa is experiencing a surge in new positive cases of the coronavirus with 56 new cases and two additional deaths, public health officials reported Friday.



Iowa now has 235 positive cases, including cases in Des Moines and Henry Counties, and three deaths.



The Department of Public Health identified the latest deaths as an adult over the age of 81 in Poweshiek County and an Allamakee County resident between 61 and 80 years old. Both died Thursday night.



Public health officials said 32 Iowa residents are hospitalized. The virus now has been found in 46 of Iowa's 99 counties.



The most recent cases mark the largest single-day increase. On Thursday the state reported 34 new cases.

Fighting Coronavirus Through A Virtual Operations Center

By Jeff Abell



It was a bittersweet feeling for retail businesses forced to close their shops to the public on Thursday.



Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds ordered all non-essential retail owners throughout Iowa to shutter their doors to in-store foot traffic to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus or COVID-19 outbreak sweeping the globe. The order remains in effect until April 7.



In downtown Burlington, some retail stores stayed open later as the 10 p.m. closure deadline loomed large for businesses who will take a financial hit from prolonged closure. Most small business owners expect to remain operational despite storefronts being closed to the public.



B-Town Comics and Games, Burlington By The Book, and Red Screen Door were a few of the downtown stores that stayed open late before the closure order took effect. Red Screen Door owner Doreen Johnson Roy scrambled to get the word out that her business would be open later than normal to accommodate walk-in customers.



"I was having a hard time getting my video to post last night saying that we were going to stay open later. So, we only had one person come in," she said.



Johnson, like most small business owners, has been working hard to offer customers alternative shopping options, such as curbside pickup, delivery, online gift cards, and social media.



"We are running a shipping special until further notice. I will continue to be at the stores as much as possible, however, all my people will be going on unemployment, so I'll be running back and forth," she said.



Not all retail businesses heeded the governor's call to temporarily close, including Family Video in Burlington. Manager Dane Feenstra said he was uncertain if Family Video was required to close. He added the decision to close is not his but rather that of regional managers.



"It was confusing on whether we had to close so we continue to operate. We've been busy today but that may be because other places are closed. At this point, I'm going to obtain all the relevant information and pass it along," Feenstra said, adding: if he is told to close, he will comply.



Burlington Mayor Jon Billups said he has addressed confusion regarding the closure order. He said business owners uncertain of whether to close should seek guidance from the state or the city.



"There are questions about what is essential and what is not," he said.



As for small businesses struggling during this new economic reality, Steve Frevert, executive director of Downtown Partners, reminded area residents to shop locally at this difficult time.



"Our downtown merchants pride themselves on customer service and are working to provide goods to their customers in every way possible. I encourage people to keep supporting them," he said on Friday. "This crisis will pass, and we want our retailers to emerge strong and ready."



Billups praised Burlington residents for adhering to public health guidelines during the pandemic. He added that the city response to the coronavirus, including closing facilities and buildings, has been effective so far.



"Thankfully, Iowans are law-abiding and respectful," he said.



Feenstra echoed the mayor's sentiment, adding, "I've seen a lot of true human kindness and empathy."



Photo by Jeff Abell



 B-Town Comics and Games stayed open Thursday evening before the 10 p.m. state-mandated deadline for the closure of non-essential businesses took effect. The business offers customers curbside delivery, home delivery, online gift cards, and free shipping on most items.

Retail Businesses Cope With Closures

By William Smith



When she’s at school, 11-year-old Grace “Red Death” Copeland hardly makes a squeak, her introverted nature at odds with her bombastic moniker.



Not that she goes by “Red Death” in the classroom.



“They say at school she is very shy,” her mother Tabitha Copeland said.



But every Monday night (which will resume after the coronavirus threat passes) at Kenny’s Roller Ranch in Burlington, Grace embodies a crimson reaper. She roars as a youth member of The Big City Brawlers roller derby team, her long red hair bound by a hard-shelled helmet.



“I enjoy it because I get to hit people,” Grace said, casting her eyes downward after the uncharacteristic admission.



“Hit” is a pretty broad term in roller derby, more accurately described by a hip or shoulder bump. It’s the only legal way to make contact in the sport and by far the safest.



Big River Brawlers coach Carrie Vass demonstrated in early March on fellow team member Dominick Schaefer, who just happens to be her son. With only nine current team members, including three adult coaches, age and gender classifications hardly matter.



“You have to try to get underneath them and go up,” Vass said, nearly knocking Schaefer over as she demonstrated.



Any kind of hitting or striking is strictly forbidden. The biggest hazards are errant elbows flying in close quarters, the danger fairly equivalent to a basketball game. Vass is a certified member of the regional Dark River Derby Coalition, providing her the qualification to run the team safely.



“We stress safety first, but it can get pretty rough. We’ve had some bloody noses,” Vass said.



Just like learning to dribble in basketball, the first, second and third lessons in roller derby cover the basics of skating. It’s an increasingly rare skill in the digital age.



“My very first job was at a skating rink. I was on the speed skating team, and my mom used to watch roller derby all the time,” Vass said.



Back then, roller derby was more akin to pro-wrestling — part sport, part staged entertainment — with ladies duking it out while avoiding alligator pits.



Vass joined the team shortly after it was founded nine years ago, still harboring fond memories of her skating past. Her dry-rotted skates from a decade earlier fell apart on first use, but it didn’t matter. Vass was hooked again.



“It’s so much fun you don’t realize how tired you are until it’s over,” she said with a laugh.



Roller derby is 100 percent legit these days, but don’t confuse it with the hard-hitting action in the movie “Whip It,” either. The Big River Brawlers only participate in the much safer flat-track derby, not the banked courses that look like NASCAR tracks from the movie and old TV broadcasts.



“We play wherever we can find a scrimmage,” Vass said.



In a sport as niche as roller derby, that isn’t always easy. Though the team mostly sticks to Iowa and the tri-state area, they’ve traveled as far as St. Louis for a game. The combined comraderies and adrenaline rush is too addictive to ignore.



“I do a spin class and I do yoga, but that’s not enough,” Tabitha Copeland said, “There’s no challenge.”



While much safer than it used to be, roller derby still maintains the over-the-top spirit of the sport’s heyday. Schaefer goes by the name “Deadpool” on the court. Grace’s personality transforms when she’s wearing skates, opening a spigot of pent-up aggression that defines her moniker of Red Death.



And much to her delight, Grace’s mother has watched her carry that newfound confidence off the court, into everyday life. The sport doesn’t define Grace, but it has made her a more well-rounded person.



And she expects to keep rolling for years to come.



(Editor's Note: During the coronavirus outbreak, roller derby has been put on temporary hiatus. The interview for this story was conducted before mandates were issued.)



Photo by Anthony Dewitt



The Big City Brawlers roller derby team members are shown earlier this month practicing at Kenny's Roller Ranch in Burlington. The flat-track roller derby organization offers co-ed adult and co-ed junior, ages 8 to 17, teams.

The Mean Mugging Brawlers Of Kenny’s Roller Ranch

The first official case of coronavirus was confirmed Wednesday by Des Moines County Public Health.



The person is self-isolating at home. Officials did not say where in Des Moines County the person lives.



“While this is Des Moines County’s first case, it may not be the last, and that’s why we encourage all residents to continue to make prevention a priority,” Des Moines County Public Health Director Christa Poggemiller said.



Also, the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) has been notified of 21 additional positive cases of Iowans with COVID-19 Wednesday, for a total of 145 positive cases. There have been a total of 2,578 negative tests to date, which includes testing reported by the State Hygienic Lab and other labs.



Iowa had its first coronavirus death Tuesday, March 24, in Dubuque County.



According to IDPH, the locations and the age range of the 21 individuals (not including the person from Des Moines County includes:



• Allamakee County 1 middle-aged adult (41-60 years) • Benton County, 2 middle-aged adults (41-60 years) • Hancock County, 1 middle-aged adult (41-60 years) • Johnson County, 4 adults (18-40 years), 1 middle-aged adult (41-60 years), 1 older adult (61-80 years) • Linn County, 1 middle-aged adult (41-60 years) • Muscatine County, 1 adult (18-40 years) • Polk County, 3 older adults (61-80 years) • Poweshiek County, 2 older adults (61-80 years) • Scott County, 2 middle-aged (41-60 years) • Washington County, 2 adults (18-40 years)

Coronavirus Now In Des Moines County

By Elizabeth Meyer of Iowa Starting Line For The Beacon



Last week, the Lee County Board of Supervisors authorized an emergency $36,000 payment to Lee County EMS so it could meet payroll obligations for March.



Discussions between the county, cities, and ambulance service are happening at a time when Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has advised no more than 10 people gather together at one time due to the novel coronavirus or COVID-19 outbreak, further complicating the negotiations and forcing much of the local government’s business to be conducted over the phone.



A financially endangered ambulance service, serving a countywide population of 34,785, is troubling under any circumstances, let alone during a pandemic.



“It’s the reality that there is a crisis in EMS reimbursement right now,” said Bill Young, executive director of Lee County EMS, according to the Pen City Current. “We’re not being reimbursed at the cost of services we provide on a daily basis.”



On March 16, the day before Iowa lawmakers voted to suspend the legislative session, House File 2602 was set for debate in the House Ways and Means Committee.



State Rep. Jeff Kurtz, D-Fort Madison, a member of the committee, was wary of leaving the Capitol for 30 days (at least), knowing this piece of legislation, among others, was critical for his constituents in District 83.



Committee meetings were canceled for the day as lawmakers grappled with whether to continue working in close quarters as the number of COVID-19 cases in the state and country grew. On March 17, the 2020 session officially was suspended.



The intent of HF 2602 is not headline-grabbing, though its importance is being felt now more than ever.



The bill, led by Rep. Stan Gustafson, R-Cumming, allows counties to designate emergency medical services (EMS), such as ambulance services, as an “essential county service.” In doing so, local governments could levy a separate tax to collect EMS-designated revenue. Currently, counties primarily use dollars from their general fund to keep EMS operational.



In Lee County, and in other rural communities across the state, funding ambulance services has become increasingly difficult since the state privatized Medicaid in 2016. Like hospital systems, health clinics and mental health providers, ambulance services have suffered from low reimbursement rates, or non-payment, from the managed care companies that now run Iowa’s Medicaid system.



In 2019, according to Iowa Department of Human Services Data, about 25 percent of Lee County residents received monthly Medicaid benefits.



“Especially the way this virus hits, it hits people my age and older the hardest,” said Rep. Kurtz, whose House district covers a majority of Lee County.



“Especially my House district, it has a lot of older people in it, so that’s why this is so serious right now. I think people are just starting to understand we haven’t seen the worst of this yet. God only knows what’s going to happen when that happens. I think the unknown holds a lot more fear than what we know.”



As of Tuesday morning, Iowa has confirmed 124 positive cases of COVID-19 in 30 counties.



Kurtz and state Sen. Rich Taylor, D-Mount Pleasant, are in touch with local, state and federal officials to try and reach a short-term solution for Lee County EMS. Because the Legislature is out of session and Congress is consumed with the coronavirus response, it is unclear what can be done legislatively.



The release of an IRS lien on its bank account, Taylor said, will free up some funds for the locally-owned ambulance service, but only enough to cover immediate expenses.



Lee County has a hospital in Fort Madison and one in Keokuk. Between the two medical centers, the county has a total of 10 intensive care unit beds, according to a national analysis of ICU bed availability by Kaiser Health News.



Of the county’s roughly 34,000 residents, 26 percent are over 60 years old, leaving one ICU bed per 912 residents over 60.



The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers people 65 and older among “those at high-risk for severe illness” from COVID-19, in addition to people with certain pre-existing health conditions and those who live in a nursing home or long-term care facility.



Neighboring Des Moines County, home to Burlington and Great River Medical Center, has 12 ICU beds.



If Lee County arrived at a point where an influx of patients required ICU beds, some likely would be taken to Iowa City, which has a hospital system already housing some of the state’s most medically vulnerable patients and is experiencing a shortage of personnel protective equipment for its employees as they try to treat and mitigate the spread of COVID-19.



If Lee County EMS is unable to operate or has to dramatically reduce its fleet of ambulances, officials have discussed scenarios under which coronavirus patients would need to be transported to a hospital with more ICU beds.



“That’s something we’ve looked at,” Sen. Taylor said, “and Henry County has said that they will try to help, but Henry County I believe only has four ambulances for the entire county, so they’ve barely got enough. If they barely have enough for Henry County, I don’t know how they’d be able to help Lee County.”



Rep. Bobby Kaufmann, R-Wilton, and member of the Ways and Means Committee, also is an advocate of the legislation to allow counties to designate EMS as an essential service under Iowa Code.



"This is an extremely important bill,” Kaufmann said, in a video message before the session was suspended, “and I’ll repeat the motto that I think defines the bill best: where you live should not depend on whether someone shows up to save your life.”



Taylor noted that while Lee County EMS and other businesses like it were struggling before the coronavirus outbreak, the urgent public health crisis “exacerbates the entire situation” and increases the stress on local officials.



“Hopefully this coronavirus will go through quickly,” Taylor said. “Doesn’t really look like that’s going to happen, but I guess all we can do is sit back and hope people that can isolate themselves do and bring the curve down.”



(Note: Elizabeth Meyer is a reporter for Iowa Starting Line, and the original version of the story can be found at&nbsp;<a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fiowastartingline.com%2F2020%2F03%2F24%2Famid-pandemic-lee-county-struggles-to-fund-ambulance-service%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR3Uoiaxfua3VgVzKpapZV307W5Gj7jW2bxOX1tgC3OC2URA7A0jJ0dvxOQ&amp;h=AT1Wm5fBR-hZ9KfFYPGAjITzToyCGVXac_GhSIe9Vjwi03MjQ4CIxcH170hHAi6pnYBB7OpRtLdxm3mWB4DjhQMYLDzYFrvFJ7no2veMxp2MjR_9fmDVW5dvRrSW_VoPOAnLqDFU03_hTkbFzCY8W6wwlRO1aFZQ0Xd4SNIlxIvt8lSxeIrBSzwl57bf3pDuDVKJEv6_yY55oT9TFeBFLMmrikz96lZtUriMSnnLeui5A__ILpk__fLt4G-pcgfSa3rS6t_Pw6Tzga73RyooP8mPc7CVLKpojv6UsV5k6kRcTc0sBCjCaCNYQYniS7vJ0GfLyIKVWnyc19m_ra0uQNC2DlTy9WKRMUk9VEb7YhGz_xqGnBYQVgQxNANb_BDkAFnGMImywvugORcG53_1QfIQdXQ_oSpIu4lHQZ2SaeuNc_GKabaiF5j8pKT2EGekCDAV8CmMEHShMN9akBimsJSAeYSN8o9tQnZZpE--OLLIvneszclwqOq3mnCZnBoBuqEB5GydwYMSZbZjPJ2ThpwcUeokzccJmrPgTUlW_V2W3aQ_aCXQs4C-baCkYrKN7Prj6RK9BoObvH4ZIEhtazzWXlpGsOM6h6iSA8uN82RyG52Kw1egmVq5rufeJfxt9xrZQ4c" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://iowastartingline.com/…/amid-pandemic-lee-county-s…/…</a>

Lee County EMS Services Saved By $36K Emergency Payment

Column by Robert Critser



This is a story from St. Patrick’s Day:



I just happened to be in the office when the phone rang. I glanced down at the caller ID and I recognized the name, so I answered it. I still would have answered the phone, regardless, but the call would not have been quite the same.



“Good morning and thank you for calling the Walmart Supercenter. This is Assistant Robert speaking. How can I help you today, Randy? How you doing?”



I said the last part like Joey, from the TV show, Friends. The caller chuckled.



“Well, good morning, Robert. Hey, listen, I was wondering what you have left on the shelves...”



He had heard stories about people panic-buying in the midst of this coronavirus pandemic and wondered if it was true.



“Oh, it’s true.”



I ran through a shortlist of things we had sold out of toilet paper, water, ramen noodles, milk, eggs, bread ... I told him he should see the cereal aisle, I had never witnessed anything like it.



He told me he could use a few other things, but what he was really looking for was toilet paper, specifically.



I jokingly explained that this was the Walmart Apocalypse and the piranhas had picked apart the last pallet of toilet paper before it even made it all the way to the floor — we didn’t even put a price on it.



I didn’t know when the next pallet of paper would come in, but I told him we get a truck every day, and I would call him when and if I saw it.



I was stocking water when the truck showed up. True to my word, I called him the moment it came in.



“Randy, I have some TP for your bunghole if you’re anywhere close to getting here.”



“Well, to be honest, I’m still at home and I’m back in my pajamas and I don’t know that I feel like going anywhere,” he replied, like a man who was set in his ways, a man who knew that being seventy years old offered certain privileges.



Since his mind was made up, I told him I would see if there was anything left when my shift was over. If he was lucky, I would be able to bring a package to him after work.



“Will it be Charmin? Or something else?” I heard just a wee bit of skepticism in his voice.



I told him I didn’t know what we had or what would be left. He understood that beggars can’t be choosers, but he told me he could do without single-ply, if possible.



We joked about “John Wayne” toilet paper but told them there might not be a lot of options.



Anyway, there was some two-ply toilet paper left when I was finished working and I was able to buy some TP that was as soft as angels on my way out.



A coworker asked about the toilet paper as I was heading out the door.



“Well, an older gentleman called the store and he needed some toilet paper, but he can’t make it out, so I’m making a delivery,” I continued, lowering my voice to conspiratorial levels, “He’s my first — I’ve never bought toilet paper for an old man before.”



Despite what my wife says, sometimes I can be funny.



When I delivered the goods, I shared the conversation with Randy. He loved it. We exchanged banter for a few minutes and then he asked what he owed me.



“For toilet paper? Don’t worry about it.” I waved the thought away.



“How much was it?” He stared at me, one hand on his wallet on the table.



“I don’t know, I didn’t look. I just paid for it.”



“You just paid for it, huh? You really don’t know?” He continued to interrogate me.



“Well, I also bought a soda.”



He stared at me some more.



“Well, if I did you a favor, you owe me one, Randy.”



He rolled his eyes. “Well, I can see where this is heading. It’s getting deep in here.”



“I know, that’s why I bought you toilet paper,” I laughed, and I headed out the door.



I wanted to share this story as a reminder to be considerate and kind during this difficult time.



There is no need to hoard toilet paper or to be selfish with staples like milk, bread, and eggs. There’s no shortage of these things, except when the consumer exhausts a store’s daily supply. We’re going to get more tomorrow. And the day after that. And the day after that — it’s what we do.



Please, let other people have a chance to purchase the things they need. A 70-year-old man shouldn’t have to call me at 6 a.m. to see if he can purchase toilet paper. Don’t get me wrong, we both enjoyed our visit. But, as a community, I think we’re better than that.

The Luck of the Irish

The swollen Mississippi River is about to level out.



Just don’t expect it to drop below the moderate flood stage any time soon.



The river, which was sitting at 16.41 feet at 8 p.m. Monday night, March 23, is expected to slowly rise to a crest of 17 feet Friday, March 27.



Barring heavy rain, the river will rise incrementally until March 27. Burlington city workers sprang into action this past Friday (March 20), quickly erecting a wall of sand-filled Hesco barrier that extended the partially complete flood wall.



The river will begin to drop just as slowly as it rose the evening of March 27, dropping to 16.6 feet a week from today, which is about where the river sits now.



The National Weather Service’s flood projection does not extend beyond 7 days.



Photo by Joy Mack



Hesco flood barriers have been erected along Burlington's riverfront as the Mississippi River rises to a crest 17 feet this Friday.

Rising Mississippi River About To Steady At 17 Feet

West Burlington Walmart employees work Tuesday to restock shelves made bare by shoppers stocking up amid concerns regarding the recent outbreak of the novel coronavirus or COVID-19.



The job of stocking shelves has seemed like a mission impossible due to high customer demand for items such as ramen noodles, canned goods, and toilet paper. Due to the high demand for toilet paper, employees bring out one pallet at a time to reduce panic buying.



Employees shop after 8:30 p.m. or on breaks due to an increase in customer volume. The West Burlington store has reduced its hours of operation to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.



Photo by Anthony Dewitt

Mission Impossible

Throughout the day, 30-year-old Sarah Hall of Burlington sews.



She typically sews wedding gowns, prom dresses, and similar attire, making alterations between all-out creations.



Then, novel coronavirus or COVID-19 happened, and business dropped off.



Now Hall spends eight hours a day sewing surgical masks, which she donates to local hospitals and other health care workers in need. Some of her masks have been used at the Great River Hospice House in West Burlington.



“Right now, I have a big order for the Keokuk Fire Department,” Hall said.



Hall is a seamstress by trade, born and raised in Burlington, and owner of her own business — Sarah Hall Unique Designs. Due to the virus outbreak, no one is ordering dresses right now, not even prom dresses.



“Everything has stopped,” she said.



Hall has the sewing bug, and her Christian upbringing compels her to use her talents in helping others.



“I sew all day anyway,” she said Monday evening, having just finished 100 masks in an hours-long sewing marathon.



“There’s so much demand (for masks),” she added. “God is pretty much telling me I should be doing this right now.”



Hall has sewed more than 500 masks in the past week, starting with a request for St. Louis Cardinals-themed surgical masks for healthcare workers in Fort Madison.



Since then, Hall’s masks have come in every design, color and pattern imaginable. The visual diversity is for Hall’s sanity (no one wants to sew the same pattern all day), representing positivity in the face of a long-term crisis. She’s a constant at JoAnn Fabrics and asks only for donations to cover the costs of materials.



Hall has a 5-year-old daughter and an 11-month-old son at home and is more worried about her daughter’s lack of socialization than her own. It’s her kindergarten year, and she’s already made plenty of friends.



“She misses them,” Hall said.



Like many of her classmates, Hall’s daughter Genesis understands the situation more fully than many might believe. She knows there’s a sickness going around, and she knows has to stay home to stay healthy. She’s been rewarded with more TV time than usual, which isn’t much.



“We don’t watch a lot of TV in my house,” Hall said.



Hall doubts her daughter will be going back to school this year, given the increasing number of COVID-19 infections breaking out throughout the country. And, despite the arrival of warm weather, the playgrounds in Burlington were officially closed because of coronavirus.



Fresh air, however, is still unrestricted.



“It’s been getting nice, so I’ve been taking the sewing machine outside, so she (Genesis) can play,” Hall said.



Photo by Mack



Sarah Hall of Burlington, a seamstress, spends eight hours a day sewing surgical masks, which she donates to local hospitals and other health care works.

Beautiful Life-Saving Masks

So basically, while there is no single universal, one-fits-them-all recipe or a guideline set for picking a hair, there are many nuances in your complexion which after a thorough analysis will help you in sorting out a perfect hairstyle which will look good on you.



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Nunc ornare, justo eget volutpat porttitor, massa felis rhoncus dui, eu convallis enim lectus vel velit. Nam ac aliquam ligula, ultrices blandit leo. Suspendisse sed semper libero. Integer bibendum orci non mauris pharetra scelerisque. Nunc vitae tempor augue, in condimentum mi. In eu velit hendrerit, tempor tortor at, hendrerit erat. Donec feugiat tristique turpis non sagittis. Donec pharetra hendrerit vulputate.



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Playing Tennis Takes a Lot of Work

Burlington School food service employees distribute meals to area children Monday afternoon at Burlington High School. Meals will be provided between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., every weekday (through Friday) via curbside delivery at North Hill Elementary School and main office driveway off Terrace Drive at Burlington High School.



People will not need to enter the building to pick up their meals. Staff will bring them out. Those walking to pick up meals will be asked to wait for their meal in designated spots separate from workers.



No identification or proof of school enrollment is required, but the child must be present for meals to be provided. The program is open to all children 18 and under.



Those who plan to participate in the meal program are asked to complete a form before the first day of service so the district has an idea of how many meals to prepare. The form is available at&nbsp;<a href="https://tinyurl.com/mealprogram2020?fbclid=IwAR1XWTczkDojuLq4vXWzOWizV5YbtKGzI2jgw_7SCKH2g4FJr2m6ucUrNHk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://tinyurl.com/mealprogram2020</a>.



Photo by Joy Mack