CORONAVIRUS UPDATE

There have been 1,297 confirmed cases of COVID‌-19 in Ottawa and 76 deaths.

Mayor Jim Watson directs City staff to reinstate window visits at care homes [CBC]

"There will continue to be many deaths over the next days and weeks," says Quebec premier François Legault  [CBC]

Canadians are divided 60/40 on whether a future COVID-19 vaccine should be mandatory  [Ottawa Matters]

IN OTHER NEWS

Support Ottawa musicians by buying their music today
Music platform Bandcamp is waiving its cut (15 per cent) on all music it sells today. And some bright spark has made a list of Ottawa musicians selling on Bandcamp. [Apt13]

Stop being gross at the pump, says gas station attendant
Forget about masks, people are spitting on the handles and wiping snot on the pay pads [CBC]

Meet the 613 Flat, a proposed building to intensify the City
The 613 Flat is a building that houses three familes in the space of a traditional city lot. The City will have a meeting May 11 to discuss expanding the urban core. [CBC]

City’s largest taxi firm, Coventry Connections, has cancelled fleet insurance, forcing drivers to pay for their own
Only 10% of beforetime taxis are on the road now [Ottawa Citizen]

City bylaw office says padding in the Ottawa River is a banned activity — from a park
If you can get in the river somewhere else, it's allowed [Ottawa Citizen]

+ Related Boats in Rideau Canal are banned until May 31

City transit commissioner Sarah Wright-Gilbert is having her own transit commission meeting, since the City keeps cancelling theirs
Members of the public, up to 90, are invited to take part [CTV] [Eventbrite]

THINGS TO DO

? Vimy Brewing is the sponsor of tonight’s Facebook live concert by Ottawa recording artist/comedian Rory Gardiner. [Facebook]

? Obviously, IRL farmers’ markets are a thing of the before COVID-19 times. But you can still buy locally grown and made food and products by utilizing one of the new, pandemic-era platforms. This Sunday May 3rd, check out Farm Score, for locally produced food like maple syrup, honey, veggies and fruit. Farm Score was formed by 14 of the vendors who usually appear at the Ottawa Farmers’ Market, and their virtual shop is open Sunday to Wednesday. [Farm Score]

? Build your own standing desk to work at home. Hootsuite CEO Ryan Holmes didn't like the standing desks on the market, so he designed his own (pictures). Now he has open-sourced the plans so you can make one out of cardboard. [Oristand]

? Download 10 free Giller prize-winning audiobooks for two months (then you have to pay.) Choose from Margaret Atwood's Alias Grace, Mordecai Richler’s Barney’s Version, Rohinton Mistry's A Fine Balance, Alice Munro's Runaway, Joseph Boyden's Through Black Spruce, Johanna Skibsrud's The Sentimentalists, Will Ferguson's 419, Lynn Coady's Hellgoing, Sean Michaels' Us Conductors and Andre Alexis's Fifteen Dogs. [Audible]

GET ORGANIZED FOR MOTHER’S DAY (MAY 10)

We hope you realize that there are only six more shopping days until Mother's Day. Herewith, yet more terrific Ottawa-sourced gift ideas:

? Check out Maker House for a large variety of Mother’s Day gift boxes. Ranging in themes from Maple Lovers to Bath and Body to Coffee, the products are made in Ottawa and from further afield in Canada. One caveat, however: the boxes are sent out via Canada Post, so there could be delays. [MakerHouse]

? Meg’s Pottering of Carp, ON is offering flowers on barn board to brighten up your Mum’s day. Everything this small-batch potter does is to order, so ping her a DM for prices and delivery/porch-side pickup info. [Instagram]

? Gray Jay Canadian Restaurant on Preston street is offering a sweet Mother’s Day package that includes flowers, wine, and breakfast in bed. Yup. We’re pretty sure she’ll be talking about this one for years. [Gray Jay]

? The Stalk Market’s got loads of plants for bright, medium and low light, but their hand tied bouquets are some of the lushest around. Delivery only, no curbside pickup. Mother’s Day orders must be placed by May 6th. [Stalk Market]

? Bloomfields Flowers also does Ottawa delivery, with no pickup at this time. Mother’s Day flowers include hand-tied bouquets. floral arrangements and more, with prices from $40 to $200.  [Bloomfields] 

Cut us and we bleed Ottawa. Reply back to us with your comments or suggestions. We read every single email. hello@theottawan.com