Mayor’s Message: Our Numbers, Juneteenth, Teen Benefit, Coffee with a Cop, Welcome Back Saturday, and Dads Everywhere
Posted on: June 19, 2020 - 6:36pm
Several of you have written to me concerned about the number of positive Covid-19 cases in our Village and you’ve developed a range of theories as to why they appeared to spike. In this missive I’ll do my best to explain the numbers, and to let you know what’s being planned in our Village this weekend as we cautiously begin to open up.
Covid Cases in Hastings-on-Hudson
As of last night, we’ve had a total of 129 cases of Covid-19 in the Village. The Westchester County map, which we circulate as we receive it, indicates we have 15 active cases. The map also flags “new cases” but, despite what you might see on the County map, all our cases date to June 5th or before. It turns out the cases are concentrated at Andrus on Hudson and, all but one, date to when the State conducted its mandatory comprehensive nursing home testing for the first time in our Village. The results of that effort have been coming in over several days which is why it seems as if there is a gradual increase in the number of cases, but 14 of our active cases date back to the mass-testing event on June 5th. One other case is from June 2nd and, given that more than 14 days have passed since then, we expect it to be removed from the system in the next few days as the County catches up with the State numbers. When I checked in with the team at Andrus they explained the mass-testing event, confirmed the numbers, and told me they had already informed the relatives of all their residents. Andrus is home to some of our most vulnerable citizens and we have been in regular touch providing support through our amazing EMS team, procuring PPE and sharing information. To put Hasting’s numbers in the context of Westchester as a whole, we have consistently been in the lowest quartile of cases per municipality despite having a nursing home (the municipalities that have lower overall numbers than us don’t have eldercare facilities or hospitals). This is both a tribute to the care provided at Andrus and to all of you for taking the guidance from the Governor, the County and the Village on Covid-19 protocols seriously. The main take away is that most people in the Village seem to be doing things right – they are washing their hands and keeping surfaces clean, they are wearing a mask when they are out and about, and they are trying to maintain social distance. Some people tell me they are operating in “pods” with other families – please if you are doing that be very, very honest with one another about the exclusivity (or not) of your pod. New York is opening up – people are beginning to take public transportation, they are returning to their offices, they are frequenting shops, they are socializing.… We are all craving real contact with other people (many of you have told me you are zoomed out!), but as you start to get social, please don’t forget about everything we’ve learned together – please continue to protect yourself and others. And finally, as discussed in prior messages, as grim as it sounds, please start keeping a diary of who you are in contact with when, so if you do contract Covid-19 you can help contact tracers alert other people quickly.
Today is Juneteenth
On June 19th, 1865, two years after the emancipation proclamation, the last enslaved Africans in Galveston, TX were set free. The proclamation, read to the slaves in Texas by General Granger, stated that, "On the first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free”. This day is now celebrated as Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day and Liberation Day. Thanks to Trustee Lopez and her mother Gloria Walters, an accomplished African American studies scholar, we are sharing the following resources for those of you who want to learn more:
Juneteenth.com
Juneteenth.com
While Juneteenth is certainly a day for celebration, recent events also give us reason to pause and reflect. How far have we come and what are we willing to do as a community to make real change? There is still much work to be done ….
Virtual Teen Benefit/Auction to Benefit Local Families in Need: Tonight!
Tonight at 7:30 pm there will be a virtual teen benefit and auction – the proceeds will go to Hastings' Family-to-Family and South Church supporting the Dobbs Ferry Food Pantry. You can make a donation on the teenbenefit.org website and reserve tickets to watch the event which will feature rock, jazz, musical theater, classical, dance, magic, and more from local teens! You'll be supporting both our talented Hastings youth who have worked incredibly hard to make this happen AND local families in need. Here's a preview: Rivertowns Teen Benefit Promo Video .
Coffee With A Cop Tomorrow!
Tomorrow, Saturday June 20th, from 9:30 am to 11:30 am our local Police force will be hosting a socially distant “Coffee with a Cop” in the outside circle at the Good Witch Coffee Bar at the train station. So pop by before or after your visit to the Farmer’s Market – they would love to chat to you.
Welcome Back Saturday
This Saturday, June 20th, from 4 to 10 pm the Village is hosting "Welcome Back Saturday!" We encourage you to come and support our local businesses by shopping and dining downtown. Warburton Avenue will be closed from Main to the Post Office parking lot, and Boulanger Plaza parking lot will also be closed to traffic and cleared of cars. Business owners will be sanitizing their tables and will be placing the tables at least 6 feet apart. All staff and servers have been asked to wear masks and we are asking the public to wear masks everywhere except when dining. We want everyone to have fun and be safe so please do your part. See you tomorrow!
Father’s Day
To all Dad’s near and far (including the ones across the oceans) – we love you, we thank you and we wish you a wonderful Father’s Day for Sunday.
As always, feel free to reach out to me if you have specific questions, concerns or stories to share: mayor@hastingsgov.org
Sincerely,
Nicola Armacost
Mayor