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As rain poured outside her home, a New Jersey woman could only think about her “chunk of gold” – her 3-year-old golden retriever that had disappeared into F-Cove’s woods on June 6.

With thunder striking and soil slushing, Marie Zangara and her husband, Jim, worried her dog Chunk would get stuck in the mud – or even worse, they wondered whether the dog would even survive.

Yet, after 16 days filled with futile attempts at tracking down Chunk, the couple got a phone call that brought them to tears: Their beloved pooch had been spotted in Barnegat Bay. Now, Marie and Jim are holding Chunk a bit closer – despite the ticks he brought from his travels – after a rescue mission that included the joint efforts of two joggers, a fisher and two New Jersey state troopers.

Chunk was not one to run away, his owner said, but he had always been shy around strangers – a reason Jim attributes to his going astray when the two visited F-Cove, the Brick Township cove whose waterways are often frequented by boaters.

“Maybe he got a little overloaded,” Jim said. “Just things going around his head because he is a little skittish.”

The dog, an “avid swimmer and fetch enthusiast,” according to Marie, was playing with a child. Racing after his favorite toy five or six times, Chunk then ventured into the woods as Jim talked to the child’s mother.

Marie, who had stayed at home, said her husband chased him through the marshy area and circled the perimeter for an hour to no avail. Then police officers were called, but Chunk was nowhere to be found.

For the Zangaras, Chunk is more than a pet. His disappearance felt like losing a child, Jim said.

“He’s our little boy,” he said. “That’s what it is. Our son is gone. Our daughter’s gone. So he’s the little boy of the family now.”

But perhaps no one missed Chunk – whose loving personality has dazzled his owners ever since he was a puppy – more than Riley, his 10-year-old golden retriever “sister,” who is also a rescue dog.

“Chunk really bonded with and adored her,” Marie said. “Riley has epilepsy, and whenever she has a seizure, Chunk runs right over to her side and stays with her to make sure she’s safe.”

Marie said the dog is slowly returning to his playful self after some initial exhaustion.

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likely that new, more nefarious variants evolve, Osterholm explained. “The variants have just continued to throw curveball after curveball,” he said. “I liken it to having a curveball, a spitball, a forkball and a fastball all in the same pitch.”

His latest concern is the Delta variant, which appears to be both more transmissible and more capable of causing more serious illness. “It kind of becomes the top of the virus food chain wherever it hits,” Osterholm said.

So far, fully vaccinated people have maintained strong protection against the variants. But those with only a single dose are faring worse against Delta than other variants so far. If a variant that can cause serious illness in fully vaccinated people emerges overseas, it would eventually come to the U.S. and neutralize the progress we’ve made, Osterholm said.

To understand the pandemic’s long-term trajectory, the number to watch, he stressed, is the global vaccination rate. He noted that in low- and middle-income countries, where some 6.4 billion people live, less than one half of 1% have had access to Covid-19 vaccines so far.

“I look forward to it being done,” Osterholm said of the pandemic. “I just know we have a long way to go.”

Scientists generally agree that the coronavirus will eventually become a routine virus, similar to the flu.

Even when a threat is largely eliminated, it will take time for some of us to feel safe, said Ryan Van Wyk, a clinical psychologist with North Memorial Health and founder of the MN Trauma Project.

“The nervous system doesn’t calibrate just based on information,” he said. “We don’t think our way to safety. We have experiences in which we feel safe, and then that begins to help our system to recalibrate and accept that as a new normal.”

But many people, Taylor said, will be vulnerable to post-pandemic emotional problems. He’s particularly concerned that those who lost close loved ones to Covid-19 will experience prolonged grief.

Taylor also is concerned about the mental well-being of those who survived a serious bout with Covid-19, pointing to a recent JAMA study that suggested 30% of people who were hospitalized with the disease developed posttraumatic stress disorder.

Even though most people are largely resilient, Taylor’s recent research found that those with a previous history of emotional problems (such as a mood or anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or an inability to tolerate uncertainty) experienced great distress during the pandemic and will likely continue to struggle.

“Most people will bounce back, and the people who are scarred and have problems are going to ask themselves, ‘What’s wrong with me?’“ he said. “My concern is that could create a sense of alienation for the people for whom the pandemic hasn’t ended.”

As we move into a new phase of the pandemic, Taylor advises people to think of the marathon metaphor and take it day by day. .

Van Wyk suggests people acclimate at their own pace and respect others’ boundaries as we slowly stretch beyond our Covid-19 comfort zones.

“We can only move as fast as our as our nervous system feels safe, and that will look different for each person,” he said.

Personal belongings will not be allowed to save seats in advance. No masks are required for those fully vaccinated against the coronavirus.

Creekwalk Concerts start Sunday

The 2021 Creekwalk Concert Series kicks off with a star-bangled bang with Fourth of July fireworks and music from Project 4 Band, a group with a mix of soul, pop and R&B sounds.

Eight more concerts follow and they are all free to the public.

Advance registration is required only for the Fourth of July event and begins a week before the concert at the city’s website.

There will be some Covid-19 restrictions. No personal belongings will be allowed to be used to save spots in advance at Andrews Park. Any belongings put in the park before the event will be cleared from the space and will be available for pickup at the event check-in booth.

People are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs once the doors open at 5 p.m.

No glass or outside alcohol is allowed in the venue. No pets are allowed, except for service animals.

Face masks are not required for fully vaccinated individuals, as of policies announced Monday. Those who are not fully vaccinated must continue to wear masks in all settings. Those who want to wear a mask and are fully vaccinated may do so as well if it makes them feel more comfortable.

The concert series will continue July 9 with Hey Jude, a Beatles tribute band. Groove Ride, with a catalog of funk, soul and R&B, will be on the stage July 16. Los Cochinos will bring a Latin-Salsa sound to the park July 23. The Time Bandits will offer a wide variety of cover songs July 30.

August begins with a concert Aug. 6 featuring Running With ScissorZ and its selection of pop. Billy Martini offers up rock tunes Aug. 13. The Houserockers play rock and soul and are scheduled Aug. 20. The concert season closes Aug. 27 with country music from Crossman Connection.

For more information, check the city website at cityofvaca ville.com/creekwalk.

3 gov’t meetings on week’s calendar

Three government meetings will occur this week in person and online. They are all open to the public. The meetings are: n Rio Vista Public Safety Commission, 4 p.m. Monday, City Hall council chamber, 1 Main St. Info: www.riovistacity. com/public-safety-commission-agenda. n Fairfield Suisun Sewer District Board, 6 p.m. Monday, 1010 Chadbourne Road, executive conference room, Fairfield. Info: fssd.com. n Suisun City Council, 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, City Council chamber, 701 Civic Center Blvd. Info: www.suisun.com/ government/city-council.

The Daily Republic DeliveRs. call 427-6989.