Business Unusual for ‘The Avenue News’
The following “Business Unusual” account is part of our new initiative, Collecting in Quarantine. With current mandates for all non-essential businesses to close, business is anything but usual in Maryland. In the Business Unusual series, MdHS is asking business employees, owners, customers, passers-by and neighborhood residents to visually share their experiences during the COVID-19 crisis.
Monday, March 30, 2020 – On this day, Kaitlin Kulich, Editor of The Avenue News, shared the photo here, along with this dispatch below:
I have been the Editor of The Avenue News (a local paper that covers the towns of Essex, Middle River, White Marsh, Perry Hall, Chase, and Parkville) for almost 9 months now – my first job out of college and my first job outside of my home state of Ohio. Every single day as the editor I learn more and more about the state of Maryland and Baltimore County – there is a lot of history to learn about and so many amazing people making history every day! Sadly, I am temporarily working from home in Aberdeen and away from Baltimore County as we wait out this COVID-19 storm. It certainly is a stressful time for many people, including people in the news industry. Suddenly, all of our planned story ideas have gone out the window due to all public events being canceled and most businesses being closed. All employees at the paper have received a 25% pay cut due to fewer people being able to advertise with the paper and the fact that the overall national and world economy has taken an enormous hit. Nonetheless, I keep writing. For the past several weeks my paper has been drenched with stories about COVID-19. We have made a strong effort to not only inform our readers about the regulations that arise to slow the spread of the virus but provide them with stories of how people in the community are helping others during this bizarre time. People are sewing homemade masks for medical workers, a woman who runs her own wedding venue business is offering free (10 person max) wedding ceremonies to any couple who had to cancel theirs, a car detailer who had to shut down is using his equipment to disinfect school busses, a personal trainer if offering free virtual work out to help people stay active while quarantined in their home – the list goes on. It really is inspiring to see how people are using their unique gifts and talents to help others who have been greatly affected by COVID-19 and I hope that I can use my writing as a way to tell these empowering stories.
Please note: The views, information, and opinions expressed and shared on the underbelly through the Collecting in Quarantine project do not necessarily represent those of the Maryland Historical Society. Our staff does not verify for accuracy the information contained within these submissions. The primary purpose of this series, with the permission of contributors, is to share and collect the experiences of Marylanders living through quarantine at this moment in time.
To learn more about the Collecting in Quarantine project and how to share a story and/or photos of your own, click here.