Welcome to the city of St Joseph's weekly digital newsletter. City Link is your source for timely and relevant information from your local government.
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Time to Be Counted
Have you filled out your 2020 Census yet?
For every person counted, our state receives federal funding for education, public transportation, emergency food and shelter, and health services. You will not be asked to provide your citizenship status as both
your privacy and confidentiality are protected by law.
Do your part and make sure to
#BeCounted
in the 2020 Census! For more information, visit
my2020census.gov.
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Stepping Up Personal Protective Care
As many communities
begin to ease
restrictions and shelter-in-place orders, one thing remains certain – the virus will still be here and it will continue to spread.
Social or physical distancing means keeping at least six feet of space between yourself and others. The risk of severe illness is different for everyone, but anyone can get and spread COVID-19. Keeping space between yourself and others is one of the best tools to slow the spread of this virus. Here are some tips to follow to continue to protect yourself and others:
- Use a cloth face cover over your mouth and nose in public.
- Keep at least 6 feet between yourself and others, even when wearing a mask.
- Avoid gathering in private places and public spaces. This applies to people of any age, including teens and younger adults. No in-person play dates for children.
- Work from home when possible.
- Clean hands often. Wash with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- No soap and water? Use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
- Cover your cough or sneeze, then immediately dispose of tissue and clean your hands.
- Disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily such as tables, countertops, light switches, doorknobs, handles, phones, desks, keyboards, toilets, faucets, sinks, etc.
- Use grocery apps and curbside pick-up or delivery.
- If you develop typical coronavirus symptoms (fever, dry cough, shortness of breath), contact your primary health care provider for testing options.
- If you do not have a primary health care provider, options in the St. Joseph area include:
- Northwest Health Services COVID-19 Triage is 596-2301
- Mosaic Life Care Nurse Line is 271-4000
- The city of St. Joseph COVID-19 Call Center is 271-4613, answered Monday-Friday from 8am-9pm.
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Time for a Walk
With many shelter-in-place orders still in place to help slow the spread of COVID-19, people are desperate to get outside. The stay-at-home orders allow people to leave their homes for essentials like the grocery store, the pharmacy or to get some fresh air if they aren’t already sick or experiencing symptoms.
Fresh air and exercise can do wonders to help cope with the stress and anxiety of the pandemic. However, with the public trying to reduce the spread while dealing with cabin fever, places to go outside can easily become too crowded to feel safe. Protecting yourself and your loved ones is extremely important. Remember to always maintain the recommended 6-foot social distancing. Wear a mask if it makes you feel safer. Wear sunglasses to shield your eyes. Walk alone or with members of your household. Be aware of your surroundings and make others aware of your presence. Additionally, if you are considered to be in the CDC's high risk category group, it may be best to limit these activities.
Walking is probably the easiest way to get fresh air and exercise, but it may be more difficult to maintain distance on some of the busier trails around the area. There are over 20 miles of hike and bike trails throughout the city. If possible, you should find a time to get outside when there could be less people on the trails. If the trail in your neighborhood is frequently used, take a short drive and use a trail less travelled.
St Joe Fit is a fitness program organized through the parks and health departments. They have designed maps with courses all along the trail system for the beginning walker up to the experienced walker. These courses are posted on the
St Joe Fit Facebook page
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Answering the Call While Staying Safe
COVID-19 has brought about many new changes to how we go about our everyday life. We have had to adjust how we...
read more
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Making it Greener
The Sustainable Environment Advisory Committee is celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day in conjunction with the national Green Cities and Earth Day Network. St. Joseph is a Green City partner as this special anniversary was celebrated on April 22. The city is also a part of the Climate Mayors network, which nationally seeks to be a leader in climate change through meaningful actions in a community.
The committee has been meeting monthly since October 2018, reviewing the work of many city departments related to environmental sustainability. For example, the public works department captures methane gas at the city landfill. The water protection division and others developed a wetland area north of Corby Pond which contains 25 native species of plants that will help absorb and clean toxins out of the water and lowers the water level of Corby Pond before heavy rains. Also, the city has been working on plans to use LED lighting, which is much more energy and financially efficient.
The
Sustainable Environment Advisory Committee invites you to care for our city and our planet by decreasing single-use plastics along with planting and caring for native trees and plants. They invite businesses, organizations and educational facilities to think and be green. It's important for us all to rethink (before you buy), refuse, reduce, reuse and try to recycle!
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