REMINDER | “We are having a public meeting on Wednesday, July 1st, at 6:00 PM in the High School Auditorium for grades 5-12 to discuss the Reopening School Year 20-21 . You are invited to attend and share any thoughts regarding the safe return of our students. Hope to see you there!” – Columbia Borough School District

Obituary of local interest | Alex J. “Joe” Farley

Just as in the 1918-1919 pandemic | The real enemy then and now is publicity. Political leaders, particularly despotic ones and crazy ones, want to withhold and color news that exposes the weakness of their leadership. Nearly half of UN member countries have obstructed coronavirus coverage. – Reporters Without Borders

“It is particularly disturbing to see that, in some countries, it’s the presidents themselves who are responsible for press freedom violations. In the United States, Donald Trump has verbally attacked at least eight journalists in his daily press conferences since the start of the coronavirus crisis. Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro has also distinguished himself by his harassment of the media rather than dedication to combatting the pandemic.”

A bounty on America’s sons and daughters | “Trump views US troops as disposable – the Russian bounty scandal makes that clear. Time and again, the president has failed to protect military personnel. For Trump, he always comes first, no matter who dies” – The Guardian

Mask Up | When you’re in public.

“The US isn’t in a second wave of coronavirus | the first wave never ended” – The Conversation

Some people just love their “FreeDumb” | “Fire Departments Anticipate Busy Fourth of July as Fireworks Sales Skyrocket” – Route Fifty

Fireworks safety | The National Fire Prevention Agency reminds everyone: “Each July 4th, thousands of people, most often children and teens, are injured while using consumer fireworks. Despite the dangers of fireworks, few people understand the associated risks – devastating burns, other injuries, fires, and even death.”