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BY JOHN MARUSKIN

Clark County Public Library

2020 and 2021 Seed Library Bags and Small Business Relief Applications.

Garden Sampler Bags of 2020 Seed Library seeds will be available from the Clark County Public Library until Feb. 20 while they last.

Those bags will contain an assortments of 2020 seed varieties that still have good viability but will not be available for the 2021 Seed Library either because distributors no longer have them in stock, or they could not be inexpensively bought in bulk quantities.

There’s a limit of two bags per address, and there is no guarantee of the types of seed in each bag. Think of it as a gardening grab bag. The bags are already made up, so at this point specific 2020 seeds cannot be reserved or delivered.

If you’d like to get one of the 2020 Seed Garden Sampler Bags, call the Library at 744-5661 and ask to have it put out for you like a regular curbside pickup.

Starting Monday, Feb. 22, 2021 Seed Library Garden Bags will be available.

The process for obtaining 2021 Seed Library bags is different this year.  Instead of making a choice of 30 varieties from 75 to 80 available, envelopes of all seeds will be bundled in one of two types of bags, a vegetable bag and a flower bag.

The vegetable bag will include over 40 varieties, and the flower and herb bag will include more than 20 varieties. All bags will contain the same assortments.

There will be a limit of two bags per patron. Patrons can receive BOTH bags or choose either vegetables only or flowers and herbs only. There is a limit of four bags total per household.

This will be the safest way to distribute Seed Library seeds during the COVID19 pandemic, but we will miss meeting with you.

Please wait until Monday, Feb. 22, to start requesting seeds from the 2021 Seed Library. Again, 2021 Seed Library bags will be available for curbside pickup.

Here’s important news for small business owners in Winchester.

At the Jan. 19 city commission meeting, the Mayor and Board of Commissioners approved a COVID-19 Small Business Relief Program to help businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The City of Winchester recognizes the burden placed on local businesses. The city pledges support by offering business relief assistance of up to $1,000 to aid small businesses during recovery of their operations.

An application for funds must be completed and submitted to COVID-19 Small Business Relief   Program, City of Winchester Finance Office, P.O. Box 4135, Winchester, KY 40392-4135.  Applications will be accepted until 4 p.m. Friday, Feb. 5.

Businesses most significantly impacted by the Executive Orders of the Governor are encouraged to apply. Applications can be dropped in the box in front of City Hall. Please place it in a sealed envelope marked “COVID-19 Small Business Relief Program.”

The application can be downloaded from the city’s website: www.winchesterky.com.  Type “Covid” in the search box on the home page to get to the application link.

If you’d like a copy of the application but you don’t have a printer, call the Library and connect to line 2. A reference librarian will print it for you, and you’ll be able to pick it up curbside later in the day.

Submit questions about the COVID-19 Small Business Relief Program to mlucas@winchesterky.com or call 859-744-2821.

Health care professionals are warning not to take basic COVID-19 precautions for granted just because they’ve been done for almost a year now. With new, more highly transmissible strains at large, it is even more important to wear a good mask, social distance, avoid large crowds and wash your hands. Think safe. Be well.

John Maruskin is director of adult services at the Clark County Public Library. He can be reached at john.clarkbooks@gmail.com.