Morning Reads for World Bee Day (May 20)
Good morning! It’s World Bee Day, a day first designated in 2017 by the United Nations to recognize the importance of bees because of their role as pollinators. Did you know that nearly 90% of the world’s wild flowering plant species depend at least in part on animal pollination, along with more than 75% of the world’s food crops and 35% of global agricultural land?
I depend on them for my garden, but I’m also a bit unnerved by the idea of keeping bees. I elect, instead, to put up pollinator hotels, garden without pesticides, and plant a variety of pollinator-friendly flowers. Here are some suggested activities for you on World Bee Day, if you’re so inclined.
And now, the news!
Pat Conroy
- State data shows that hospitalizations for COVID-19 are down by a third in Georgia.
- UGA’s College of Public Health is trying to forecast the next COVID-19 hotspots for the state before they happen. See their vulnerability index map here.
- With state revenues way down, state agencies are facing up to 12 furlough days per employee.
- How University System of Georgia campuses are planning for fall.
- Despite higher parking fees, Tybee Island saw holiday-level traffic last weekend.
- Speaking of Tybee, it’s been named one of the nation’s Best Restored Beaches by American Shore and Beach Preservation Association.
Alice Walker
- Goldman Sachs economist Blake Taylor’s data shows that states that “reopened” didn’t see much of an economic boost compared to others that did not. As a whole, however, the U.S. is on an upward shift economically.
- The Centers for Disease Control was finally allowed to release its guidance for reopening, now that several states have already done so.
- A federal judge in Texas has ruled that fear of COVID-19 is a valid reason to vote by mail in that state.
- A study out of Hong Kong using hamsters has found that wearing masks can reduce the transmission of COVID-19 by 75%.
- Getting the promised help from broadband companies during this pandemic has often been difficult and frustrating for poor Americans.
Flannery O’Connor
- A Virginia strip club is offering drive-through pole dances to meet social distancing guidelines.
About Author
Holly Croft
Holly is an archivist at one of Georgia's institutions of higher learning. In a past life, she was a legislative assistant on Capitol Hill. She cares a lot about records management, open records laws, and privacy laws. Political persuasion? It's complicated. What's not complicated is that she's proudly equal parts Bulldog and Tar Heel.
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“It became necessary to destroy the town to save it.” This is a famous saying from the Vietnam War. How did we get this expression?
This rural map shows that most all the areas outside of MSA’s are mostly medium high or high infection rates. We in Dade in the Chattanooga MSA remain at 20.
That info on hospitalizations cannot be right. Brian Kemp has set out to kill all Georgians. Every single one if us. I know he has. I heard it on the national news.
Bees are also the only kosher insect- a nod to their importance.