Hip-Hop Lives Here
Hip-Hop Lives Here
More than 160 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed so far among people who attended the Watershed Music Festival at the Gorge Amphitheatre in central Washington.
More than 20,000 fans packed the Gorge, in George, Wash., for the three-day outdoor country music festival in late July, The Seattle Times reported.
The Grant County Health District said Friday (Aug. 13) the cases are tied to residents in counties including King, Grant, Pierce, Skagit, Kittitas, Okanogan, Whatcom, Kitsap, San Juan, Lincoln and Stevens. There’s also one case tied to an Oregon resident.
Officials expect more cases associated with the festival to be confirmed in the coming days and investigators are working with those who have tested positive to identify other cases.
Public Health officials urge people who attended the festival to self-quarantine and get tested for the virus. On average, symptoms of the virus develop five to six days after exposure, but the incubation period can be as long as 14 days, officials said.
In eastern Oregon, Umatilla County Public Health officials have tied at least 66 COVID-19 cases to the outdoor Pendleton Whiskey Music Fest on July 10. Sixty-one of the people who tested positive were unvaccinated, officials said.
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Willie Nelson has criticised the development of data centres and encouraged communities to unite and “fight” the construction of the large server facilities.
The country music legend has supported environmental causes for decades and helped establish Farm Aid. For more than 40 years, the organisation has assisted local farmers while challenging the expansion of industrial farming operations that threaten family operated land.
On Tuesday, July 28, Nelson posted an open letter on social media condemning environmentally harmful data centres throughout the United States. He also drew attention to the serious effects these facilities can have on nature and nearby businesses.
“I grew up in Abbott, and I still have a home there with farmed land where I can still see stars at night,” his post began. “And now our community, like many others, needs to fight against data centres invading our land.”
Nelson described the facilities as “loud”, “water-thieving” and “light polluting”. He added that “the last thing we need” is to have them located “anywhere near our town (or any others for that matter)”.
“The strength of rural America has never come from big industrial footprints. It comes from generations of people, open spaces, local businesses, and a connection to the land,” he wrote, adding that the nation deserves “thoughtful stewardship that doesn’t steal farmland” and small family farms, “not data centers that only destroy the environment around them.”
Bringing his message to a close, Nelson wrote: “Whoever controls food and water, controls the masses. Let’s not allow our own demise or give up control over necessary resources in the US, and especially in Abbott”.
Concerns surrounding data centres are increasing across the United States because of the enormous quantities of water they consume, along with the land and electricity required to power AI services. Several areas around the country have already blocked or delayed new data centre projects in response to these issues.
According to Variety, Nelson has generated more than $70million (£52.6million) through Farm Aid to assist rural agricultural communities. He has also helped collect millions for military veterans, disaster survivors, and people experiencing hunger or homelessness.
Nelson released his latest project, ‘Dream Chaser’, in May, marking the 79th solo album of his career.
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