We’re Here for You
Turn to Bay Weekly as a Resource Amid COVID-19 Realities
What happens when everything is canceled, the older population is fearful, and local businesses are ordered to close? When everyone is asked to stay out of the community as much as possible, where does a community newspaper fit in?
That’s the question that’s been keeping us up at night, to be honest. Our staff is reeling just like everybody else, full of anxiety for the future and wondering how to proceed in a public health climate we’ve never known before.
The answer? We set aside “business as usual” to serve you, our community of readers—however socially-distanced you may be. We want to help you help your local businesses. That’s why we’re giving you a quick reference to restaurants offering carryout while dine-in is banned. You can keep from dipping into your stockpile of frozen chicken, and the restaurants get to continue operating so that they can welcome you back when this is all over.
We also want to help you cope with the isolation, cabin fever, and stress that comes with social distancing. That’s why we’re giving you a comprehensive local roundup of outdoor spaces and parks that are open, shared resources for parents, local gyms taking their exercise programs online, and other ideas to stay busy. Our intrepid Moviegoer columnist Diana Beechener even picked out the best binge-watching material from each TV streaming service, since we won’t be going to the theater anytime soon.
Most of all, we want to give you hope during this pandemic, the likes of which we’ve never seen in our lifetime. Right now, there’s no end date—we haven’t flattened out the curve yet. We don’t know for how many weeks—or months—our society will be at a virtual standstill. But we do know that in challenging times, people emerge to act selflessly, helping those who are suffering from more than the inconvenience of social distancing. That’s why we’re gathering stories from “Compassionate Chesapeake,” in which neighbors help each other, communities step up to make sure children are fed and cared for, and even watermen offer fresh catch to people in need.
It’s clear that the Bay region is resilient. Its people are already finding ways to adapt to the rapid changes imposed on our way of life by an extremely contagious disease. We’ll continue to show you how Calvert and Anne Arundel communities are making the best of the challenge. Since things are changing by the day, we’re doubling down with our online coverage as well. We’ll be updating our lists of open businesses and posting new announcements on the web between Bay Weekly issues. You may see CBM videojournalist Cheryl Costello around town, capturing the positive stories that are unfolding as we settle into these strange, new times. You can stay up to speed on all of the extra content at www.bayweekly.com and on our Bay Weekly Facebook page.
Stay safe, Bay country. We’re here for you.