Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) Commissioner Peter L. Lacy announced today a portion of the state’s 131 branches reopened on Monday, May 4 with an appointment-only service.

Area locations currently open are:

Bedford, Bloomington, Clarksville, Columbus, Corydon, Jasper, Madison, Paoli, and Seymour. 

Locations in Salem and Scottsburg remain closed for now. 

Customers will be able to schedule an appointment for transactions that are not available online.

BMV Connect kiosks located at branches opening by appointment only will also be available.

The BMV has modified its operations to ensure the safety of its employees and customers.

To get more information on available transactions and to schedule a branch appointment, customers can go to the BMV website, https://www.in.gov/bmv/2405.htm. Customers with verified appointments will be required to check-in upon arrival.

Branch appointments will be limited to the following transactions:

• Knowledge Testing
• Commercial Driver License
• New Driver License/Learner Permit or Identification Card*
• Amend a Current Driver License/Learner Permit or Identification Card
• Replacement Driver License/Learner Permit or Identification Card
• Title Transfer
• Update to an Existing Title
• New Registration
• Disability Placard

*Driving skills exams are not available from the BMV at this time.

Part of Executive Order 20-05 waived Administrative Penalty Fees (late fees). Effectively, this extends expiration dates of registrations, driver’s licenses, and identification cards without changing the expiration date printed on documents in an individual’s possession and temporarily waives late fees during a future renewal. This same executive order also extends the deadline required to process a title transfer.

The Indiana BMV continues to encourage Hoosiers to complete transactions online, visit a BMV Connect kiosk, by calling the contact center, or through USPS whenever possible. You can read a full list of modifications, closures, and available services on this page: https://www.in.gov/bmv/4363.htm

As Indiana’s Covid-19 cases continue to rise, but at a lower rate, numbers continue to fluctuate around the state.

There were 16 new cases in the 10-county Kentuckiana area in the past 24 hours and Washington County’s numbers have stayed the same for the past two days – at 45 cases.

As Indiana Governor Eric J. Holcomb begins to open the economy of the state, the number of cases continues to increase.

Around the state today, there were 583 new cases, 19 new deaths and 4,471 new tests administered. 

There have been 113,297 total Hoosiers tested (18.1 percent), 1,151 total deaths and 20,507 total cases. 

According to the Indiana State Health Department, Washington County has had an average increase of one case of Covid-19 per day since April 20 when it was reported there were 31 cases locally. 

Here’s a breakdown of Washington County numbers and dates:

• April 20 – 31
• April 21 – 31
• April 22 – 31
• April 23 – 33
• April 24 – 36
• April 25 – 40 
• April 26 – 40
• April 27 – 40 
• April 28 – 41 
• April 29 – 41
• April 30 – 43
• May 1 – 44
• May 2 – 45
• May 3 – 45

As of Monday, 45.4 percent of ICU beds were in use with only 16.3 percent used for Covid cases. 38.3 percent of ICU beds were being used for non-Covid cases. 

Only 8.2 percent of ventilators are being used for Covid cases with 11.3 percent are being used for non-Covid cases. There are 80.5 percent of the ventilators in Indiana available. 

There are 25 new Indiana Long Term Care facilities with Covid 19 cases and 173 total facilities reporting cases. 

There were 20 new LTR deaths reported with a total of 105 since the state began recording this information. 

There were 849 new LTR patients reported to have Covid-19 for a total of 2316 total patients. 

There were a total of 160 new Covid-19 deaths at LTR

With the rise in numbers of confirmed cases for COVID-19 in Orange County, Health Officer Dr. Josez Lopez would like to let area residents know the local medical community and their support staff are doing all that can be done to care for those affected and to keep this virus from spreading.

There are some things that might help in the understanding of this rise in numbers, according to Lopez. 

In the two weeks since April 20, Orange County’s Covid-19 cases have ballooned from 34 to 104. 

As the state reports confirmed cases, even though accurate, there is an occasional delay in those reporting, said Lopez.

These numbers are reported from each county in the state from entities doing the testing for Coronavirus.

The places testing and reporting include medical providers, hospitals, and long term care.

The drastic jump in confirmed cases in Orange County this past week was mostly due to a delay in documentation causing these numbers to be updated in a large quantity even though the cases were not all confirmed at the same time, Lopez said. 

Dr. Lopez also said the numbers are cumulative, meaning persons who were confirmed but have since recovered and finished their quarantine are included.

This number also includes those who have unfortunately passed away due to this virus.

Another group of those who are included in this cumulative number are those who are being treated and cared for outside of Orange County but who have residency within the county.

The Health Officer, Public Health Nurse, other health department staff, Emergency Preparedness Coordinator, Orange County EMA, and all local providers and support staff are caring for those under
their care in manners consistent with medical protocol and CDC guidance.

Some of this group are working directly with patients, others are working as support to be sure those medical providers have
what they need.

As more testing is being administered, more confirmed cases will come to light.

There have most likely been people with the virus who were not symptomatic, and therefore not tested. Much speculation is being made throughout the county and on social media about where these cases are.

With over 20,000 residents in Orange County, these confirmed cases are throughout the county. It is important to remember
that these people are being cared for.

The fact that they are confirmed means that the health department has contacted them and is working closely with them to ensure their recovery and their good health returning as soon as possible.

“As the county is preparing to re-open in stages we are at this time adhering to guidance from our governor, our local county commissioners, and CDC. We encourage everyone to also adhere to this guidance. We must remember that we have been social distancing and following other protocol because
this is a serious health issue,” Lopez noted in a press release.

“Our goal is to keep this virus from spreading, taking care of those who are affected and get back to a more normal way of life,” he said. “[I] would like to offer a special thanks to all of those following the guidelines given. Even though it may be difficult at times, the end result of bringing a more normal way of life back to Orange county will come quicker if guidelines are followed.”

To protect healthcare workers and address the PPE shortage across the U.S., a Battelle CCDSTM Critical Care Decontamination System is arriving in Louisville to help decontaminate masks worn by healthcare workers.

The Battelle CCDSTM will provide healthcare facilities throughout the state a process to decontaminate N95 or N95-equivalent respirators for reuse up to 20 times without degrading the respirator’s performance.

The system can decontaminate up to 80,000 N95 respirators a day.

The deployment includes a complete system, logistic planning, and an onsite Battelle CCDSTM team to operate the system.

Healthcare facilities will be provided with a procedure to collect used masks, properly bag masks, and track masks in process.

This process is available to hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, physician offices, dental offices, and others. Additionally, you may use this for healthcare facilities in your operational unit, even if across state lines.

Battelle CCDSTM, through a federally awarded contract, will provide N95 respirator decontamination at no charge to healthcare providers.

Facilities are asked to immediately register and begin using this service this week. For more information, and to register, please visit the website:

https://www.battelle.org/inquiry/offerings-and-services/covid-response

The Big Ten Conference announced today that it will extend the previously announced suspension of all organized team activities through June 1, 2020, and will re-evaluate again at that time.

This is an additional measure to the previously announced cancellation of all-conference and non-conference competitions through the end of the academic year, including spring sports that compete beyond the academic year.

The Conference also has previously announced a moratorium on all on- and off-campus recruiting activities for the foreseeable future.

The Big Ten Conference will continue to use this time to work with the appropriate medical experts and institutional leadership to determine the next steps relative to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The main priority of the Big Ten Conference is to ensure the health, safety, and wellness of our student-athletes, coaches, administrators, faculty, fans, and media as we continue to monitor all developing and relevant information on the COVID-19 virus.

Seventeen total fairs in Indiana are now in jeopardy of being canceled or moved due to limitations to stop the spread of the coronavirus, including the one in Salem. 

The Washington County Fair Board has announced the fair will be canceled for the first time in 81 years due to the Covid-19 Pandemic and Indiana Governor Eric J. Holcomb’s order that no county fair can be held before July 4. 

The Washington County Farmers and Merchants Fair Association was formed in 1939 and there have been fairs each year since then. 

Friday, Holcomb outlined his Back On Track plan to open up the state to regular business in five stages. The fifth stage, taking place in early July would allow conventions, sports events, fairs, festivals, the state fair, and like events to resume after that date if certain guidelines around the state are met. 

In April, Purdue University requested that there be no “face-to-face” events until June 30 and a decision was made by the fair board to continue with plans for the fair. 

The Washington County Fair was scheduled for June 13-20 with a kick-off parade on June 7th. 

Washington County Fair Board President Cheryl Lee appeared on WSLM’s Coffee Club morning show in April and said that the board would re-evaluate on May 17th. 

However, due to Friday’s announcement, she said today that the state’s plan effectively ends any hope for the fair before July 4. 

“[Having activities in another month] will be open for discussion. We’re looking at other options. The fair itself is canceled,” said Lee. “No parades or anything. We’re looking at all options.”

“We are saddened by this decision, but we understand the reasoning and pray everyone stays healthy and safe as our community and state begin to recover from the pandemic,” said Lee. 

Lee said the 4-H portion of the fair was on hold until May 18 to find out from Purdue University if they will be allowed to do anything in July. 

The fair has been held in June since 2013 when the board moved the fair from its previous date of late July because of a rumor, at the time, of local schools going to a balanced calendar in which students could start back to school as early as July 29.