By Ray King
On Monday, the City of Pine Bluff will join cities across the nation to remember and honor the now more than 100,000 people who have died as a result of COVID-19, including 28 or 29 in Jefferson County.
Appearing on the Oldies 101.3 morning show Friday morning, Pine Bluff Mayor Shirley Washington talked about what the day is all about.
The Mayor said that at noon, church bells will ring, sirens will sound, and flags will be lowered to half-staff while residents not only in the city but all over the country observe a moment of silence. She went on to say that residents are asked to buy green lights if they can and shine them in their houses and homes, particularly on Monday, but it does not have to end on Monday.
She said residents are being asked to wear ribbons or even wear green and tie green ribbons around trees in their yards.
Washington said the University of Arkansas has agreed to ring the bell in their historic bell tower Monday and sirens which normally signal an emergency will be activated, but with a different tone.
“We’ve lost so many in our community,” she said. “I think we’ve lost 28 in Jefferson County. Nine in Pine Bluff. At the Waters Nursing Home between 13 and 15, these are unofficial numbers, at the Village out on Hazel Street lost one resident there and five in our county that were inmates.”
