Mayor Gere’s COVID-19 Briefing - July 22, 2020

Art Shotwell 14 minutes read
Currently there are 707 cases in Skagit County, 17 deaths, and 70 hospitalized. That is an increase of 80 cases in one week. The County is seeing an increase in cases due to the 4th of July holiday and summer travelers.

Another Problem on the Health Horizon: Medicare Is Running Out of Money

Art Shotwell 5 minutes read
With millions out of work because of the coronavirus pandemic, fewer payroll taxes are coming in to help keep Medicare’s trust fund intact.

How to Understand COVID-19 Numbers

Art Shotwell 18 minutes read
Viewed in isolation or presented without context, coronavirus numbers don’t always give an accurate picture of how the pandemic is being handled. Here, ProPublica journalists Caroline Chen and Ash Ngu offer insight on how to navigate the figures.

Police Blotter, July 10 - 17, 2020

Art Shotwell 7 minutes read
Leading off this week's edition of the Anacortes Police Blotter: Shots fired, but not shots fired. Read on...

Pandemic-Inspired Food Labeling Raises Alarms for Those With Food Allergies

Art Shotwell 7 minutes read
The Food and Drug Administration released new “temporary guidance” for manufacturers facing supply chain shortages that allows them to make some ingredient substitutions without changing food labels. The pandemic had already made finding trusted foods difficult for some people with allergies. Now they're worrying about what's actually in their go-to products.

As Coronavirus Patients Skew Younger, Tracing Task Seems All But Impossible

Art Shotwell 6 minutes read
Younger people are less likely to be hospitalized or die of COVID-19 than their elders, but they circulate more freely while carrying the disease, and their cases are harder to trace. Together, these facts terrify California hospital officials.