The news yesterday that Cherriots is temporarily shutting down really strikes at the heart of "we're all in this together." It's a prudent thing, but also a costly move.
Our system of compulsory autoism already distributes access disproportionately, and when transit stops working the disproportion is sharpened.
Even more,
all of our arrangements reveal class and race and shows ways we really aren't a "classless" society.
From the NY Times:
But the American response to the virus is laying bare class divides that are often camouflaged — in access to health care, child care, education, living space, even internet bandwidth....
“This is a white-collar quarantine,” said Howard Barbanel, a Miami-based entrepreneur who owns a wine company. “Average working people are bagging and delivering goods, driving trucks, working for local government”....
[A] kind of pandemic caste system is rapidly developing: the rich holed up in vacation properties; the middle class marooned at home with restless children; the working class on the front lines of the economy, stretched to the limit by the demands of work and parenting, if there is even work to be had.
Over at
Beervana, they've got
what has to be one of the most closely reported series' on the impact to small business. They're doing an ongoing set of first-person histories with Portland brewery owners frankly discussing layoffs, shifts to direct sales and home delivery, fear, cash flow, real fine grained detail about what it means to try to keep a business going right now. The issues will map to many other businesses and contexts.
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| One of several oral histories - via twitter |
The City has also closed some parking garages and made more curbside parking free:
Beginning Wednesday, Apr. 1, 2020 at 4 p.m., downtown Salem visitors and residents will experience the following changes:
- Temporary closure of Chemeketa and Marion Parkades; Liberty and Pringle Parkades will remain open
- Temporary suspension of 3-hour time limits in downtown parking district
- Temporary suspension of fees at meters
See the City's note for more details, including reminders to leave open ADA spots and zones for fire hydrants.
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| Air travel and emissions (November 2018) |
Airlines are going to get a bailout, but maybe we can rethink air travel more deeply in light of emissions.
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| Air travel is also down (today) |
One writer talks about taking travel much less for granted, but this too is a product of privilege, and we need to talk about traveling less also.
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