Around Edmond: City Announces postponement of 4/18/20 Farmer’s Market. OESC holds town hall for Unemployment benefits. Citizen’s Bank unlocks wifi for free in Downtown Edmond.

Hi everyone, and Happy Easter eve.

First, I want to say that Othello’s will be open on Sunday for Easter, Edmond Wine Shop will be closed to spend time with immediate family, and Interurban has closed for the remainder of this event (we can’t wait until their reopening!).

The Edmond Animal Shelter is having a free adoption event as the need to have all animals out of the shelter by Monday.

This week felt like a year, more so than the rest. There are so many in limbo right now, and I am so sorry to all of you experiencing a loss of work, uncertainty in your food, utility and housing.

The Friday town hall held by OESC was really informative. They are staffing up to serve the 200,000 unemployment claims received this week. Stunning number from the 1500 to 2000 they are used to handling within a week’s time. Be patient, and if you hit a snag, call in as their wait time has been reduced from 8 hours to approximately 13 minutes.

As I reported Thursday night, last Tuesday the City’s Parks and Rec department was actively promoting and preparing to allow 50 people at a time in at their April 18, 2020 Festival Market Place Farmer’s Market, which appeared to go against the City Council’s Monday Emergency Order under the guise it qualified to do so as an essential business for groceries.

Thursday night at 11:30 pm the marketing director from the City Parks and Rec department FB surprisingly FB messaged me, inappropriately without any working relationship in place between myself and any City agency, making stances clear, then after I made my opinion clear, I was clearly told in writing that this marketing director was “ordered” to open the Farmer’s Market. She didn’t say who ordered her to do so, but I can’t imagine it was the marketing department from the City, the Mayor or the City Council.

Friday afternoon the City announced on Twitter that in fact the Farmer’s Market was not going to occur, then the Edmond Farmer’s Market FB page “updated” and asked people not to get into a “tizzy” and that their opening unfortunately had to be postponed.

Again. Tone deaf, yes, but also irresponsible and a danger to our community.

If you are in need of locally grown fruits and vegetables from local farmers, Edmond has a couple of resources available at all times. Urban Argrarian in Downtown Edmond is a great place to shop and pay by phone with contactless delivery curbside!

According to the Oklahoma Department of Health, Oklahoma’s peak will be April 21, 2020, and had this Farmer’s Market taken place, could have been a medically logistic nightmare. My alarm comes directly from the personal opinions shading the reluctance to take this public health emergency seriously by many in the City’s employment.

Citizen’s Bank continues to lead the way, not only with pushing through SBA lending, but with community access to wifi for those in need – Posted Saturday morning by CEO and President – Jill Castilla

If you know of a family that needs access to WiFi for school information, Citizens Bank of Edmond installed free, public WiFI throughout the streets of Downtown Edmond to support the crowds at Heard on Hurd. Accessibility is generally available at any of our parking lots or if you park anywhere on Broadway. I was inspired by OSU-OKC who is providing a similar service in their parking lot. Oklahoma City Community College is also providing free access in the lots during daylight hours. If you have any issues, please text me at 405-808-8993. Edmond Public Schools

Happy Easter to all of you. Remember, positive perspective may be hard to come by right now, and certainly isn’t expected during this unprecedented event. If you’re reading this, I am so glad you can, and chose to.

Stop by Monday to see what’s happening around Edmond.