April, 2020 – 6 Feet Apart
By Krista Martinelli, Editor
Hope everyone is staying safe and staying six feet apart. It’s a different world now that we’ve been quarantining for a month. Everyone is recommended to wear masks when we go out. It can be very isolating, especially for those who live alone. But we still want to bring you some good news and some food for thought this month, in the midst of the pandemic.
I had the pleasure of interviewing Victoria Jolson, former Rockette and award-winning singer. She was originally married to Al Jolson’s son and went on later to have a relationship with comic Red Buttons. Read her story in this month’s “AW Spotlight” story.
I’m happy to introduce you to a new writer this month, Joyce Gropper who is the owner of My Animal Palace in Wellington. She is taking turns with Cristina Anzures, owner of Anzer Animal Hospital, and writing “Paws-itive Press” for us. Read her tips for keeping your pet safe this summer.
In “Cultural Corner,” Denise Marsh interviews the members of one of my favorite local bands, Americana Jones. While their gigs are cancelled for the moment due to COVID-19, there’s a video that shows off some of their songs inside the story.
If you need a little diversion from the harsh reality of self-quarantining, read “Cat Talk” by Jon Frangipane. In “Hairballs,” he goes off on a tangent with his neurotic cat Berkel and dips into Berkel’s “crass form of jocularity.”
In “Living Green” this month, Bryan Hayes writes about Environmental Protection during Precarious Times. The need for clean air and clean water is always essential, but especially needed now.
Our terrific “Teen Talk” writer is always thinking outside the box. In this month’s article, Summer Wadleigh explores the affects of COVID-19 on xenophobia and the experiences of Asian Americans right now.
I was worried about our travel writer, Terri Marshall, who tested positive for COVID-19 a couple weeks ago and is living in NYC. Thank goodness, she has recovered and did not have a fever that reached high enough to require her to go to a hospital (105 degrees and above). I learned a lot about the symptoms and the painstaking precautions she had to take in dividing up a one-bedroom apartment with her husband, who works for the NY subway system. Anyway, she is back to normal! And she writes on a particularly apropos topic, “Dream Today, Travel Tomorrow.”
And that is just the beginning as there are many other articles to explore this month. And Terri is right – all we can do right now is make plans for tomorrow and be safe today. So stay safe, my friends! And if possible, support local businesses. Here’s a list of Delivery & Take Out options for the Wellington area, compiled by the Village of Wellington. https://www.wellingtonfl.gov/768/Delivery-Take-Out-Options?fbclid=IwAR0gPlRiMwwtCN16u9LIc5AbkY8huyiy59UVSwwBbKiZpAXqmLI1vwZXjfI