• National News

What we know about COVID-19 in the U.S.

Nationwide, stay-at-home orders have been lifted in most states and retail stores and other “nonessential” businesses have begun reopening. Despite the gradual nationwide reopening, public health officials warn of a second wave of cases in late summer or early autumn. As of June 17, 21 states have seen increases in new cases over the last two weeks. Iowa is among 12 states where new cases have largely remained the same over the past two weeks. But many states are currently experiencing dramatic increases in new cases. 9 states—Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, and Texas—have experienced record numbers of new cases in the past seven days.

• Local News

Decorah Community School District featured in food service video

Chad Elliott, DCSD Food Service Director and Culinary Specialist, was asked to participate in a YouTube video entitled “Honoring School Food Heroes” created by the Chef Ann Foundation to promote school food service during the COVID crisis. Decorah was recognized for their use of local and hyper-local ingredients they incorporated into the Grab and Go bags offered to families during the shutdown of school due to the pandemic.

• Local News

East Water Street to be Closed Starting June 23rd

The City of Decorah is notifying residents that East Water Street will be closed Tuesday, June 23rd through Friday, June 26th. The closure will occur on East Water Street between Day Street and Montgomery Street.

• Commentary

“Jaws” can teach us a lot about our response to COVID-19

Across the country, as businesses re-open amid rising coronavirus cases in 22 states, “Jaws” is once again in theaters. But the beloved classic, re-released during a pandemic, looks very different in light of the coronavirus.
In part a story of a shark threatening a beach community, “Jaws” is also the story of a bombastic, anti-science mayor who willfully ignores the threat of an invisible murderous force for the sake of “summer dollars.” (Sound familiar?)

• Commentary
• Recommendations

Please stop watching “The Help”: 5 white savior movies to skip–and what to watch instead

A white savior movie is a film that portrays white self-sacrifice as necessary to “help” or “fix” a black person’s situation. In a white savior film, black characters are represented as victims who are desperately in need of the help of white people in order to thrive in society. As Chris Rock noted in the movie Top Five: “In any civil rights movie, there’s two heroes. There’s the black hero, and the white person who’s ‘equally’ as important.”

Selected here are five white savior movies you should skip–and what to watch instead.

• Commentary
• Recommendations

Black Filmmakers Matter: 15 essential black filmmakers

During the past and continuing to the present, major black voices have found artistic expression in filmmaking, creating some of cinema’s most memorable moments. From the liberating catharsis of the blaxploitation genre to the genre-defying films of Spike Lee, black filmmakers have made an indelible imprint on the history of film. And new filmmakers like Jordan Peele, Barry Jenkins, and Ryan Coogler have ushered in new and challenging voices to contemporary cinema. Collected here are 15 of history’s most influential and successful black filmmakers.

• Community

Luther College hosts virtual symposium exploring Juneteenth, the 1921 Tulsa race riot, and why these pieces of our national history are so little known by the general public

On Friday, in commemoration of the 155th anniversary of Juneteenth, Luther College hosted and filmed a mini virtual symposium featuring Guy Nave, Professor of Religion; Novian Whitsitt, Professor of English and Identity Studies; and Jacqueline Wilkie, Professor Emerita History. The faculty members addressed the history and meaning of Juneteenth, the historical context and impact of the 1921 Tulsa race riot, and reasons why much of the racial history of the U.S. remains little known by the general public.

• Community

Helping Services for Youth & Families opens Domestic Abuse Survivor Chat Line

Helping Services for Youth & Families’ Domestic Abuse Resource Center has implemented a Domestic Abuse survivor chat line, which can be reached at HelpingServices.org/chat. There is also the option to call our 24/7 resource phone line at 800-383-2988, but during the time of social distancing our advocates noticed a decline in calls. We responded by implementing a secure chat option for anyone in need of reaching a local advocate. Whether you chat or call, a trained Advocate will respond to you 24 hours a day.

• Community

Luther College launches Decorah Community Writing project centered on COVID-19

The Luther College Center for Ethics and Public Engagement (CEPE) invites members of the Decorah community to take part in a Decorah Community Writing Project titled “de-isolation.”