Churchill Downs Racetrack announced that after consultation with Gov. Andy Beshear and state public health officials the 146th runnings of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve and Longines Kentucky Oaks will occur with spectators under strict guidelines.

Kentucky Derby Week will be held Sept. 1-5 with the Oaks on Friday, Sept. 4 and the Derby on Saturday, Sept. 5.

“We truly appreciate the leadership of the Governor of Kentucky, Andy Beshear, and all of the hard work, collaboration and guidance that state and local officials and public health experts have provided us to safely and responsibly host Kentucky Derby Week in September with spectators,” said Churchill Downs Racetrack President Kevin Flanery.

“Our team is deeply committed to holding the very best Kentucky Derby ever, and we will take all necessary steps to protect the health and safety of all who attend and participate in the Derby. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have established a comprehensive set of operating procedures, which include a multitude of precautionary measures to be followed while fans are in attendance at our facility. We are determined to keep our customers, employees and communities as safe as we responsibly can.”

Churchill Downs’ plan was developed in conjunction with advice and counsel set forth by the Louisville Metro Health Department and Kentucky’s Healthy at Work guidance.

Some of the steps that will be taken to ensure guest and employee safety include:
 Venue capacity reductions to limit overall crowd density, including general admission, outdoor reserved seating, premium dining, and suites. More information on ticketing and seating areas will be released in the coming days and also will be sent directly to ticket holders.
 General admission tickets will be limited to a specified number and only grant access to the infield. No general admission will be allowed in the “front side” or paddock areas of the facility.
 Access throughout the facility will be severely limited.
 Credentials for employees, media, and guests will be reduced.
 Barn area access will be restricted to essential personnel. Guests and parties in the barn area for morning workouts and during race days will be eliminated.
 Changes in venue operations to limit person-to-person touchpoints.
 Team member protocols established to protect employees and guests.

 A revised Fan Code of Conduct that establishes expectations for guests coming to the Derby. Guests will be consistently and frequently encouraged to wear a mask at all times unless seated in their reserved seat or venue. This includes when:
 Riding on a shuttle
 Traveling through the venue
 Going to the restroom
 Placing an in-person wager
 Purchasing food or beverages from a concession stand
o Guests will be asked to wash their hands for 20 seconds or sanitize them frequently.
o Guests will be encouraged to socially distance themselves from others when possible.

“The impact of the Kentucky Derby extends well beyond the Twin Spires of Churchill Downs,” Flanery said. “It is an incredibly important time for the City of Louisville and the Commonwealth of Kentucky both culturally, economically and with respect to our time-honored traditions. Both employees and guests are asked to take an active role in following all guidelines. We must all do our part to ensure everyone has a safe and
enjoyable experience.”

Tickets purchased for the originally scheduled Kentucky Derby Week dates are automatically valid for the new race dates.

Guests may arrive on the new dates in September with their printed ticket or mobile ticket to be scanned for entry at the gates.

Guests that have purchased a ticket and are not able to attend the newly
scheduled race dates, can visit www.KentuckyDerby.com/TicketStatus for more information.

Guests who purchased tickets from a vendor or secondary market website other than Churchill Downs, Ticketmaster.com or Derby Experiences must contact those sites directly. Churchill Downs is unable to process refunds for those tickets.

Washington County residents have had an extra two months to pay their spring installment of property taxes and it’s about time for the July 10 deadline to hit. 

According to Washington County Treasurer Shirley Batt, “the deadline is drawing near for penalties to be added to property taxes.”

Batt said the executive order which allowed the waiver of penalties after the May 11, 2020 spring installment of property taxes will be up on July 10^th. 

Any unpaid Spring taxes for payable 2020 and any unpaid delinquent taxes from 2019 will have penalties added beginning July 11, 2020. 

Batt said payments may still be made at First Savings Bank locations (with payment coupon), or by mail and the drop box located on the south side of the courthouse. 

If the public has questions, they can call 812-883-3307 or email sbatt@washingtoncounty.in.gov

Under an executive order signed by Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb, all 92 Indiana counties were ordered to waive late payment penalties regarding property taxes for 60 days after the May 11 deadline.

Several counties are concerned about maintaining orderly operations of government services with the extension, the governor said.

But Holcomb emphasized the state will work with counties that may experience cash flow stress because of the delay.

The waiver does not apply to property tax payments which have been escrowed by financial institutions on behalf of property taxpayers, according to the executive order.

However, it does apply to property tax liabilities for both real and personal property, she said.

Governor Eric Holcomb for his announcement this afternoon of his commitment to fully fund K-12 education in the state budget for the rest of Fiscal Year 2020 and all Fiscal Year 2021.

This funding commitment includes an increase of $183 million in funding for schools during the next fiscal year. Governor Holcomb stated that this decision was reached in agreement with legislative leaders.

This commitment is nothing short of tremendous news considering the decline in state revenue projected to be as much as $2 billion by the end of the Fiscal Year 2020 on June 30, 2020, the Indiana School Board Association today released.

The decline in state revenue is a result of the coronavirus recession and historic unemployment rates not seen in more than 80 years, dating back to the Great Depression (1929-1939), the release stated. 

Governor Holcomb stated during the press conference that this plan “underscores the top priority placed on K-12 education, a longstanding priority (of the administration), and I hope it will relieve anxiety” about budgeting decisions of school corporations for the school year ahead.

The governor went on to say that the ability to fully fund K-12 education illustrates how prudently the state has managed its financial resources and have reserves to assist during this global pandemic.

Indiana PK-12 schools and higher education institutions can now apply for a needs-based, competitive $61.6 million grant program providing funding to improve remote learning, Gov. Eric Holcomb announced Monday.

“Teachers, administrators, and superintendents have faced this pandemic with innovative solutions to ensure our students continue to receive the best education possible,” Holcomb said. “Our Governor’s Emergency Education Relief funds will help meet technology needs and grow educator development while working to reduce the disparities between districts.”

The $61.6 million Indiana received in Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) funding, provided through the federal CARES Act, will be focused on three areas:

· Device Availability — Address the need for access to digital learning devices to support remote learning for students in PK-12.

· Connectivity — Develop comprehensive community-level and regional-level solutions to address gaps in internet connectivity for remote learning.

· Educator Capacity — Support partnerships between higher education and PK-12 to develop professional development and curriculum opportunities as educators throughout Indiana continue to build expertise in remote learning.

In a collaboration among the Governor’s Office, the Indiana Department of Education, the Commission for Higher Education and the Indiana State Board of Education, the state expects to award dozens of grants.

There is no minimum or maximum threshold, however, grants may not be funded at the full amount requested.

Traditional public school corporations, public charter schools, accredited non-public schools, higher education institutions, and other education-related entities are eligible to apply.

The deadline is Friday, July 17.

More information may be found at the ISDH website at coronavirus.in.gov and the CDC website at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.