In the midst of the ongoing novel coronavirus global pandemic, Salem Mayor, Justin Green, is encouraging businesses to apply for newly announced assistance programs through the Federal CARES Act and to remind residents of the importance of following Governor Eric Holcomb’s stay-at-home order.

“I know families and businesses are struggling as we disrupt our daily lives to ensure our own health and safety and that of others, but I do want to continue to encourage us all to look out for each other. I want to, again, stress the importance of taking the
Governor’s order to heart and to take it seriously. The programs that have been put in place by the state and federal government should help get us through the next several weeks and I hope citizens will take advantage of them,” said Green.

Green says he is optimistic these programs will begin to provide relief quickly. For instance, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation recently announced several resources available to small business owners, including Federal Paycheck Protection
Loans and Small Business Administration Disaster Loans.

“Under the paycheck protection loans, Salem and Indiana businesses can apply for up to eight weeks of cash-flow assistance. If these companies maintain their payroll during
this period, the portion of the loans used to cover payroll costs, interest on mortgage obligations, rent and utilities would be forgiven. Programs like these, can be a saving grace right now,” said Green.

Additional programs include the SBA disaster loans, which allow small business owners to apply for a loan advance of up to $10,000, and SBA debt relief which will forgive six
(6) months of payments on existing SBA loans.

The debt relief program may be of importance to businesses who accessed these loans during the last major flood in Salem.

City of Salem 201 East Market Street, Salem, IN 47167 Ph#812-883-4265 info@cityofsalemin.com / www.cityofsalemin.com

“Even though there is no treatment for this virus and no vaccine as of today, I know Salem residents will work together by practicing social distancing and staying home until we can begin to emerge from this safely. I wanted to highlight a few of these programs that I believe can be helpful and to encourage Salem businesses to take advantage of them until we can get back to business as usual,” said Green.

In addition to the programs for businesses, there are also a variety of programs designed to help individuals and families. A full list of COVID-19 resources can be found at https://coronavirus.in.gov/.

City of Salem Mayor, Justin Green, recently announced the city has begun construction on road projects in and around Salem that were made possible through the State of Indiana’s Community Crossings grant awards from last year. 

In 2019, the City of Salem received $694,059 in grant funds from the program for area road improvements.

Mayor Green stated, “I am excited to see another project start to improve our roadway and I am grateful to the State for their partnership through these very important grant awards.”

The projects, started on Monday, April 6, 2020, includes improvements to the intersection on North Shelby Street near the intersection of West Market.

Motorists should expect slight traffic disruptions in this area, but the roads will remain open.

Another area of the city that will see improvements in a section of Fair Street off Jackson Street. Residents will see crews in that area in the coming days as they are working to relocate utilities.

The Mayor also notes the efforts that construction workers are taking to be safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Contractors have been diligent about the use of limited
crews and of abiding by the recommended CDC guidelines for social distancing. They are using two small crews and following protocols to stay healthy and safe,” said Green.

SlidesForApril10Governor Eric J. Holcomb today announced a task force to plan, administer and account for federal relief funds the state of Indiana receives from the CARES Act.

Indiana’s Economic Relief and Recovery Team will be chaired by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Cris Johnston and Secretary of Commerce Jim Schellinger.

A committee of business leaders with extensive public service background will advise the chairs.

· Al Hubbard, former economic policy advisor and director of the National Economic Council for President George W. Bush

· Luke Kenley, former Indiana state senator

· Ryan Kitchell, former OMB director

· Kristin Marcuccilli, Indiana Economic Development Corporation board member

· Becky Skillman, former lieutenant governor

The slides from today’s press conference are attached.SlidesForApril10

No new cases of Covid-19 have been reported by the Indiana State Health Department over the past 24 hours in Washington County. Also, no deaths have been reported in Washington County. 

One new death was reported in Clark County, bringing the total there to eight. 

Around the WSLM Listening area, there are now 23 total deaths. 

There were 22 new Covid-19 cases reported in the area since yesterday. 

In Indiana, there have been 556 new cases reported in the last 24 hours along with 55 new deaths. 

There have been 2,907 new tests given around the state since Thursday. 

Statewide totals are:

• 6,907 Total Cases in Indiana
• 300 Total Deaths in Indiana
• 35,040 Total Tests in Indiana

In the WSLM Listening area, totals today are:

Updated totals from around the WSLM Listening Area:

• Lawrence County – 59 total cases (up by 3 from Thursday)
• Jackson County – 57 total cases (up by 4 from Thursday)
• Scott County – 12 total cases (No change)
• Clark County – 104 total cases (up by 8 from Thursday)
• Floyd County – 93 total cases (up by 5 from Thursday)
• Harrison County – 50 total cases (down by 1 from Thursday)
• Crawford County – 12 total cases (up by 1 from Thursday)
• Orange County – 13 total cases (up by 1 from Thursday)
• Washington County – 23 total cases (No change)

Total deaths caused by Covid-19 in the WSLM Listening Area include:

• Lawrence County – 7
• Jackson County – 0
• Scott County – 2
• Clark County – 8
• Floyd County – 3
• Harrison County – 1
• Crawford County – 0
• Orange County – 2
• Washington County – 0 

Governor Eric J. Holcomb and State Health Commissioner Kris Box, M.D., FACOG, today issued guidance for places of worship in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19.

“During this time of uncertainty, faith is more important than ever, and I am deeply grateful to our religious leaders for their efforts to find safe and creative ways to serve their communities,” Gov. Holcomb said. “The purpose of this guidance is not to restrict religious liberty, but to save lives during these extraordinary times. I look forward to the day where we can once again worship side-by-side without the threat of spreading coronavirus.”

Gov. Holcomb’s executive order 20-18 states all public and private gatherings, including religious and spiritual, should follow CDC guidance, which restricts gatherings to ten or less people. Click here to see executive orders: https://www.in.gov/gov/2384.htm

To continue safely serving their communities, faith institutions are directed as follows:

• Church buildings and other physical locations for worship should be closed.
• Livestream or other virtual services are best.
  • The minimum number of necessary personnel should be used at all times for any services.
  • Staff and volunteers who are not speaking should wear masks.
• Drive-in services may be conducted only under these conditions:
  • Attendees must be inside vehicles at all times.
  • Attendees should not interact physically with clergy, staff or participants in other vehicles.
  • Vehicles should contain only members of a single household. Do not bring your neighbors or others outside of your household.
  • Cars must be spaced the equivalent of every other parking spot or approximately 9 feet apart.
  • No one may exit a vehicle at any time.
  • Portable bathrooms are not allowed on the premises and no church facilities may be used by attendees.
  • It is preferred that no communion be distributed.
    • In instances when communion is distributed, only prepackaged communion may be used and must be prepared and distributed in a manner that meets food safety standards.
  • The following individuals who are vulnerable and at higher risk for illness should not attend:
    • Persons who are 65 years and older.
    • Those who have severe underlying medical conditions, like heart or lung disease or diabetes.
    • Individuals who are sick.
• The CDC has provided the following guidance for the faith community: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/organizations/guidance-community-faith-organizations.html

For the 27th year, the Indiana Pacers have teamed with the Indianapolis Public Library to present Call-A-Pacer, a collaboration that allows callers to listen to featured Pacers’ players and
personalities read from fun, basketball-inspired children’s books.

While the library remains closed during the Coronavirus pandemic, fans of all ages can hear excerpts from pre-selected favorites 24-hours a day by calling (317) 275-4444 or (877) 275-9007 or logging onto Pacers.com.

Additionally, fans can download a new Call-A-Pacer phone wallpaper every Wednesday on the @PacersSportsEnt
Instagram account.

The schedule of Pacer readers and stories is listed below, with one featured each week beginning April 6 and running through June 27, 2020. Call-A-Pacer, part of the Pacers Cares education initiative, was created to encourage school-age children to read and visit their neighborhood library.

For more information on Call-A-Pacer or any of the Pacers Cares community programs, visit www.Pacers.com.
Contact is Kelli Towles, 317.440.2122.

April 6 Justin Holiday The Basketball Ball Esme Raji Codell
April 13 T.J. McConnell Dino-Basketball Lisa Wheeler
April 20 Alize Johnson The Real Slam Dunk Charisse K. Richardson
April 27 Goga Bitadze Basketball Break CC Joven
May 4 TJ Leaf Brendan & Belinda & The Slam Dunk Anne Rockwell
May 11 Naz Mitrou-Long Short Takes: Fast-Break Basketball Poetry Charles R. Smith, Jr.
May 18 Edmond Sumner Jimmy’s Boa & The Bungee Jump Slam Dunk Trinka Hakes Noble
May 26 Doug McDermott Crazy About Basketball Loris Lesynski
June 1 Malcolm Brogdan The Basketball Blowout David A. Kelly
June 8 Myles Turner Salt in His Shoes Deloris Jordan
June 15 Domantas Sabonis I Got Next Daria Peoples-Riley
June 22 Victor Oladipo Tall Tales: Six Amazing Basketball Dreams Charles R. Smith, Jr.

In efforts to defeat the Coronavirus (COVID 19) our behavior this week and next is crucial.

The Orange County Health Department, with support from Orange County Commissioners, want to strongly ask all businesses to reevaluate their essential business operations. If you cannot really justify that you are an essential business (retail, manufacturing, and others), you should seriously consider closing.

For essential businesses who remain open, your employees must be able to:
-practice social distancing.
-practice frequent hand washing.
-cloth face coverings need to be worn in any community setting including work
environments

If your business cannot provide these essential practices for your employees, then we urge your business to close.

To protect the health and safety of our residents and your employees we must be
diligent in following guidelines.

Dr. Lopez believes that many people in Orange County are trying to follow the guidelines set forth.

He is encouraging you, as an employer in this county, to take your responsibility toward your employees seriously. Now is not the time to try to find the loopholes in an executive order that will enable your company to carry on as usual.

This is NOT a normal situation.

We must stay strong, support each other, stay optimistic and work together for the benefit of our people.

A nonformal complaint can be made anonymously by anyone and does not require a signature.

Nonformal complaints result in IOSHA contacting the company by phone, mail, e-mail or fax to investigate alleged hazards.

To fill submit a complaint go to: https://www.in.gov/dol/3144.htm

As more and more lives are being impacted by COVID-19 in Indiana, Dr. Lopez, Orange County Health Officer, stated, “The next two to three weeks will be some of the most crucial to contain the virus in our community.”

 

Orange County Health Department, with the support of Orange County Commissioners, is strongly recommending for essential retail stores and grocery stores to make the following necessary guidelines to prevent crowding in the store and allow for social distancing:

• Limit the number of customers and staff allowed in the store at a time. Require staff to count the number of customers entering and exiting the store and to enforce those limits.
• Clearly mark 6’ spacing lines and other high-traffic areas and consider ways to encourage spacing if there are lines outside. Consider posting signage or using ropes to direct customers and to limit bottlenecks.
• Designate employees to monitor social distancing and assist customers.
• Maximize space between customers and employees at checkout.
• Designate employee(s) to ensure the cleaning guidelines set by the CDC are followed.
• Discontinue self-serve foods and product sampling.
• Establish exclusive hours for those in high-risk populations, including seniors, but make sure and follow the customers limited rule during those hours as well.
• For larger grocery stores and retailers, encourage customer pickup and/or delivery options.
• Allow only one member of family to enter the store at a time and consider not allowing children (under 16) or pets in the facility.
• Cloth face coverings need to be worn by all persons including employees.

According to the Indiana State Department of Health, Washington County has two new cases of Covid-19 for a total of 23. 

There have been 74 reported tests and no deaths. There has been no record of any infected patients who have recovered. 

There were 408 new cases of the virus reported since yesterday by ISDH.

They reported 42 new deaths and 1,264 more people were tested in the last 24 hours. 

Totals are:

• 6351 Total Cases in Indiana
• 245 Total Deaths in Indiana
• 32,133 Total Tests in Indiana

In the WSLM Listening area, totals today are:

Updated totals from around the WSLM Listening Area:

• Lawrence County – 56 total cases (up by 1 from Wednesday)
• Jackson County – 53 total cases (up by 7 from Wednesday)
• Scott County – 12 total cases (up by 1 from Wednesday)
• Clark County – 96 total cases (up by 10 from Wednesday)
• Floyd County – 88 total cases (up by 11 from Wednesday)
• Harrison County – 51 total cases (up by 3 from Wednesday)
• Crawford County – 11 total cases (no change from Wednesday)
• Orange County – 23 total cases (up by 2 from Wednesday)

Deaths caused by Covid-19 in the WSLM Listening Area include:

• Lawrence County – 7
• Jackson County – 0
• Scott County – 2
• Clark County – 7
• Floyd County – 3
• Harrison County – 1
• Crawford County – 0
• Orange County – 2
• Washington County – 0 

Gov. Eric J. Holcomb signed a new executive order this week with new advice for local business. 

Retail businesses providing the necessities of life as described above may remain open to the public under the following conditions and restrictions.

• Such businesses should limit the number of customers in their facility at any given time to achieve the CDC’s required social distancing;
• Such businesses should limit their hours of operations and consider implementing separate operating hours for the elderly and other vulnerable customers; and 
• Such businesses shall comply with social distancing and sanitation of application areas and other mitigation measures to protect its employees and the public. 

The Governor ordered all other retail businesses could remain open after April 8 only for online or call-in ordering with delivery or curbside service pickup. 

These retail businesses shall comply with social distancing and sanitation of application areas and other mitigation measures to protect the public and employees. 

Those essential businesses include:

• Grocery stores
• Supermarkets
• Supercenters or mass merchandisers
• Speciality Food Stores
• Certified Farmer’s Markets
• Farm and Produce Stands
• Convenience Stores and Gas Stations
• Pharmacies
• Auto Sales
• Auto Supply
• Auto Maintenance and Repairs
• Farm Equipment
• Construction Equipment
• Bicycle Shops
• Hardware and Supply Stores
• Office Supply Stores
• Pet Supply Stores
• Club Stores