Locals react to pandemic in spurts, with smiles

Shortly before the first Idahoan tested positive for the coronavirus Friday, Press reporters spread out to see how the pandemic threat was affecting daily life in North Idaho.

Here’s what they saw.

12 Items or Less

Shoppers gathered in a single line at the Coeur d’Alene Costco entrance on Friday morning, eager to get inside. The store’s greeter held a sign announcing what everyone feared: the store was still out of toilet paper, sanitizing wipes, hand sanitizer and bleach.

“We’re doing our best to get items,” said Steph Suko, Costco’s general manager.

Costco implemented a policy this week selling only one of each key item per member.

The store is also running low on all cleaning supplies and protein, including beef, chicken and canned meats.

Richard Bice, Costco’s Foods Manager, said employees have signed up to work overtime, coming in at 2 a.m. to get the shelves stocked. Deliveries on high demand items arrive as quickly as the company can procure them, often not on schedule.

Several customers muttered at the ridiculousness of the panic, carefully placing their weekly groceries in their carts. Other shoppers wheeled carts stacked high with dog food and frozen goods.

“We are doing the best we can to serve everyone,” Suko said. “It is our goal to serve everyone fairly, to be helpful to everyone equally.”

Post Falls resident Kasey Lauro has three children at home under the age of 5.

“We actually need toilet paper,” Lauro said with a laugh. “We worry other stuff might be sold out.”

Fred Meyer was running low on some dry goods like rice and pasta. A friendly cashier helped people through the self-checkout line. “All I wanted was for someone to buy a doughnut,” the cashier said. “I don’t want people to be afraid to live life.”

While grocery stores like Costco reported a nearly 40 percent increase in daily traffic in the last few days, the Silver Lake Mall was mostly quiet. Well, almost.

A man dressed in camo paced back and forth in the mall’s atrium, talking loudly to his friend on speaker phone.

“This is North Idaho. We’ll eat the Californians if we have to,” the man said with a chuckle.

North Idaho indeed, but in stores throughout Coeur d'Alene on Friday people were courteous and helpful to one another. In “The Nail Lounge,” two nurses from Kootenai Health visited while they got pedicures. They agreed enough preparation was being done throughout the community to care for the collective good of all residents. — Jennifer Passaro

Schools Adapting

The Coeur d’Alene School District canceled all indoor activities that bring together more than 250 individuals, and where social distancing of 6 feet or more is unlikely or not possible, until further notice. This may include student assemblies and musical performances. Regular instruction and meals during the school day have not been canceled. The district will suspend use of indoor school facilities by outside organizations until further notice.

Canceled events: Now and Next Summit, Monday; the Career and Technical Education and Transition Program Roadshow, Friday; and the Math is Cool competition, Friday.

Post Falls School District Superintendent Jerry Keane said Post Falls will honor Panhandle Health District’s recommendation to postpone or cancel big gatherings and activities. Cancellations are being determined on a case-by-case basis.

“The Reverse Job Fair sponsored by the Post Falls Chamber and the (Post Falls School) District will not take place as scheduled on March 25 at Real Life Ministries," Keane said. "Most of the cancellations we are dealing with are being determined by the sponsor or host of events scheduled for outside the district. For example, the DECA nationals have been canceled. We had a number of students scheduled to attend.”

The Lakeland Joint School District is following suit with PHD's recommendation. The same guidelines will be followed for use of school facilities by outside organizations.

“As part of our current practices, we continue to thoroughly disinfect high traffic and frequently touched surfaces,” Superintendent Becky Meyer stated in an announcement Friday. “We are ready to implement mitigation strategies recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which may include further limits on gatherings, altering schedules and restricting interactions within schools.” — Devin Weeks

Hard Times on the Menu

The inside of the Capone’s on Fourth Street hummed Friday with lunch hour customers, though not as many as they’re accustomed to serving.

“We have signs posted on every door telling people what we’re doing,” said co-owner Teresa Capone. “We have an hourly cleaning list that we’re checking off in addition to what we’ve always done to protect our customers. We’re wiping down everything from handles to doorknobs to menus. We do that anyway, but now we’re doing it on an hourly basis. We’re making sure the door handles are all sprayed down. We want people to feel safe and comfortable when they come into our restaurants.”

Capone said she conservatively estimates her business is down 20 percent. Despite the proactive steps she and other restaurateurs in the area are taking, the weight of what their industry — particularly sports bars — are about to endure literally hangs over everyone’s heads. While customers chewed and bantered and paid their tabs, giant televisions flashed image after image of what should’ve been: past years’ NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournaments, re-runs of a since-canceled golf tournament, video of dodgeball matches held in crowdless gymnasiums.

Thursday’s announcement by the NCAA that canceled all men’s and women’s winter championships — including March Madness — was followed Friday by the cancellation of Coeur d’Alene’s St. Patrick’s Day parade, a one-two punch Capone said some companies will struggle to recover from.

“It’s something that’s obviously going to have an impact on our business,” Capone said. “Our business is down already, but we rely so heavily on St. Patrick’s Day and March Madness, and their [cancellations] are going to impact us.”

Still, not all in Capone’s is doom and gloom.

“We’re actually considering doing some other things to keep customers happy and involved,” she said. “We’re looking at doing trivia or bingo or something along those lines just to try to get people in a more fun and upbeat mood. It’s such a scary time right now. People need to be able to come to a place and unwind.”

The nonprofit CDAIDE, which supports Coeur d’Alene-area restaurant and hospitality workers in need of resources and assistance, is preparing for a wave of requests and emergency needs as the coronavirus empties their places of work.

“We probably will see a significant financial impact at restaurants and hotels that’s going to quickly affect workers and their ability to pay rent and buy food,” said CDAIDE board president Rebecca Smith.

She said CDAIDE has contacted partner agencies such as the Post Falls Food Bank, the Idaho Community Foundation and the Innovia Foundation to mobilize resources ahead of the surge in assistance needs.

“It’s a time when we need to collaborate and coordinate efforts,” Smith said. “There’s going to be some pretty significant needs that people are facing. If we can get ahead of it, maybe we can avert some true crises.”

The Panhandle Health District and the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare emphasize Capone’s sentiment that keeping and maintaining basic hygiene habits is critical to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. It’s a sentiment Capone echoed with more vigor than government agencies often allow.

“Just wash your damn hands,” she said. “It’s that simple.” — Craig Northrup

Keeping the Faith

Local churches are taking steps to protect their congregations from the coronavirus.

Worldwide, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has suspended all worship services.

The Coeur d’Alene Seventh-day Adventist Church has stopped its usual fellowship potlucks and ministry meals. The church is a “no handshake and no hug zone” for the time being. Members of the congregation have been asked to stay home if they’re sick.

Office manager Patti Schultz said the congregation’s reaction to these precautions has been mixed so far.

“Some think it’s overkill, and others are taking it seriously,” she said.

Community United Methodist Church in Coeur d’Alene has suspended in-person worship and other gatherings for the next two weeks.

Lake City Church, which has locations in Coeur d’Alene and Rathdrum, confirmed that this weekend’s schedule will go on as normal. There will be no “meet and greet” during services and offering baskets will not be passed around. Lake City Church also plans to live-stream services for those who can’t attend.

First Presbyterian Church in Coeur d’Alene has a congregation comprised mostly of older people who are especially vulnerable to the virus.

“We’ve really encouraged anybody who might be at risk, especially some of our really precious older congregation, to stay home,” said church administrator Bonnie Piovesan.

The church is keeping in close contact with homebound members and arranging for healthy people to help with grocery shopping and other necessities. Sunday services will also be live-streamed for those who aren’t able to attend.

“Instead of living fearfully or panicking, we’re directing our energy toward taking care of those of us who are at risk,” said Pastor Craig Sumey.

Sumey said the church offers an open sanctuary from noon to 1 p.m. on Wednesdays. The community is welcome, and the space is large enough that people can typically remain several feet away from each other.

“It’s an opportunity mid-week if folks need a time for prayer and quiet,” he said. — Kaye Thornbrugh