Let's see if I can put together this shopping critique I promised. It might be informative to some of you or it might be a wasted read. You decide.
A couple of you already know that we live so far out in the boondocks that I only go shopping one day a month (usually the fourth Wednesday), and that drive is about 250 miles through four counties with stops to shop in five cities/towns. I will add some comments regarding each stop and maybe that will help.
Stop 1: Town: Newell, population appx. 500, Store: Dollar General.Nothing different than the last time I stopped for a pop and snack. No employee was wearing a mask, store hours appeared to be normal, no areas blocked off
Stop 2: Town: Belle Fourche, population 5,622, Store: Dakota Mill and Grain. You couldn't tell it wasn't last year. There was no indication anyone was in the least concerned about some stupid-ass flu bug.
Stop 3: Town: Belle Fourche, population 5,622, Store: Runnings. Same comments as Dakota Mill except a couple employees were wearing face masks.
Stop 4: Town: Spearfish, population 11,688, Store: Walmart. This place has two large entrance/exit areas and one of them was blocked off to customer use (the sign said Associates Only). Inside, most employees wore face masks, but all shelves were fully stocked and there were no requirements to purchase only one item (an improvement over last month). I got everything on my shopping list, but in a couple instances I had to get brands I didn't normally get because obviously some customers were still buying more than they used to.
Stop 5: Town: Rapid City, population 70,638. Store: Sam's Club. Almost all the things that were hoarded last month were back in stock, some slightly less than normal (toilet paper) and some overstocked (paper towels). Most employees and about half the customers were wearing something on their faces, though Gawd help me, I cannot understand why anyone would think wrapping a scarf or bandana around their face will protect them from any aerosol virus. The really funny part of this store was that most aisles had yellow tape X's on the floor about six feet apart and there were signs everywhere that we should keep a distance of six feet between us and the next customer. No one was paying any attention to that rule.
Stop 6: Town: Rapid City, population 70,638. Store: Sam's Club gas station. Same as normal but the price was down to $1.629.
Stop 7: Town: Rapid City, population 70,638. Store: Menards. For those who don't know, this is kinda like Home Depot or Lowes, but cheaper. Inside the store, everything was the same as if it was last year. Employees and customers appeared to be doing business as normal, though again many were wearing masks that couldn't possibly stop a bug. The thing that threw me here was a big sign outside the entrance announcing the COVID-19 rules: No one under 16 years of age or pets were allowed in the store until the government declared the crisis over. Must be an order from corporate headquarters (as I suspect was also the case for Walmart and Sam's) because this is simply NOT a South Dakota attitude. And I thought children were less susceptible to this than us old pharts. Oh well...
Stop 8: Town: Sturgis, population 6,627, Store: Dakotamart. A friendly local chain grocery store (I needed some coffee the other stores didn't carry). The only thing different here was plexiglass shields at the checkout, presumably so I couldn't sneeze on the checker. I asked her about it and she couldn't hear me, so she leaned around the end, as did I, and I then informed her it wouldn't help because I was now breathing on her.
Stop 9: Town: Newell, population appx. 500, Store: Conoco gas. Same as Dollar General (across the street), but they also had a large plexiglass sheet in front of the cash register. No one was wearing masks. Gas price was $1.799.
Don't know if that information has any value to you, but the day before (Tuesday) when I went over to a neighboring ranch to get about 500 pounds of oats for my chickens, I was informed that the national bullshit information (online) suggested that Meade County (where I live, containing Sturgis as the only city, one small town, pop. 390, and a couple villages of 50 or less) has 5,000 cases of COVID-19. My friend then laughed because he knows the chief of the county health council personally, who told him on the QT that there is only one verified case in our entire county (an elderly guy in Sturgis). Why is the government and media telling the world that a county that is 99% ranchers has 5,000 cases when we have only one? Because they want to SCARE you and it is a bald-faced LIE! So how many of the other numbers (NYC? LA?) are pure bullshit?