Science writer David Quammen gets to say "I told you so," even if he's not likely to take the opportunity. Because eight years ago he published Spillover , a book about viruses jumping from animals to humans. Which is exactly what the Covid-19 virus appears to have done.

A medical emergency brings out the best in people, doesn't it? There's a chance you answered that question NO. Because we've already had conversations about states having to compete in bidding wars for scarce medical equipment, and about people seeking to profit from shortages of household goods, or "cure" scams, or both. There will be more before life returns to whatever will pass for "normal."

Generic drugs can seem like lifesavers for people in need of medicine. They cost less than the name-brand drugs with the same formulation, and insurance plans tend to steer patients to them for that reason. But the generics are generally made offshore, and shortcuts are made to keep costs down. Katherine Eban wrote about this in the highly acclaimed 2019 book Bottle of Lies , and now she says the coronavirus pandemic has laid bare the issues in the book .

Social separation has the major upside of potentially slowing the spread of Covid-19 to rates manageable by the health care system. But there are lots of downsides to people having to stay home most of the time. One of them is the heightened possibility of domestic abuse in households of people cooped up together.

Several political and health leaders say this is a crucial time in the coronavirus pandemic. This part of April will likely feature a continued increase in cases, and deaths, but the huge numbers of people staying home could finally "flatten the curve" of increase. Southern Oregon has not been hit as hard as the rest of the state, but health workers are braced for a possible surge.

Three bored freshman-year college students decided to liven up their lives by stealing millions of dollars worth of rare artwork and manuscripts from a university library. How and why they did it gets spelled out by one of the perps, Eric Borsuk, in his true crime memoir American Animals , which was made into a movie in 2018. Borsuk wrote the book with pencil and paper while he was serving a seven-year prison sentence. OK, so we kind of gave away the ending. But the beginning and middle make for

The slowing of the economy has by no means stopped all activity. The federal Bureau of Land Management still has a directive to sell timber from its lands in western Oregon. And BLM is getting some local resistance to the planned Bear Grub timber sale in and near the Applegate Valley. Applegate Neighborhood Network members have many questions, including why so many large fire-resistant trees are being slated for removal.

We may be using them a lot less these days, but our vehicles still get us around, and still can break down now and then. That keeps Ashland Automotive busy with repairs. Owner Zach Edwards visits once a month to discuss car care issues in a segment we call The Squeaky Wheel.

Any resident of our region can tell you about the recent history with wildfires. They have grown larger and more destructive over time, as temperatures warm and droughts suck the moisture out of forests. Portlander Daniel Mathews observes and celebrates the natural history of the western states. He looks at the challenges facing forests from the Rockies to the Pacific in Trees in Trouble: Wildfires, Infestations, and Climate Change .

April gets a first Friday, just like any month. But coronavirus concerns mean this month does not get a First Friday, with capital letters. First Friday Art walks are cancelled, and other arts events have been postponed or cancelled. So let's talk... we invite arts organizations to call and tell us how they are coping with the social distancing regime. And we want to hear from you: in the absence of live music, live theater, or even cinema, what are you doing for diversions in this time?