Attorney General Curtis Hill today urged Hoosiers who believe they have been subjected to excessive prices for consumer goods during the coronavirus pandemic to file a complaint online with the Office of the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division.

While specific price-gouging authority in Indiana law refers to fuel prices during a state of emergency, the Office of the Attorney General has the authority to enforce the Deceptive Consumer Sales Act, which permits appropriate enforcement of any unfair, abusive, deceptive or unconscionable conduct. In an executive order issued Monday, Gov. Eric Holcomb said Hoosiers who believe they’ve been subjected to excessive prices for consumer goods should contact the Attorney General’s Office.

In accordance with the executive order and the authority of the Office within Indiana law, the Office of the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division is accepting complaints related to excessive prices for all consumer goods. 

To submit a price-gouging complaint, the Office is encouraging Hoosiers to utilize the online consumer complaint form, which can be found at www.indianaconsumer.com, click on “File a Complaint”. If you have questions about the types of complaints handled by the Consumer Protection Division, you may call the Consumer Protection Division at 1-800-382-5516 or 317-232-6330.

For more information about the coronavirus outbreak, please contact the Indiana State Department of Health at 877-826-0011, or go online to www.in.gov/coronavirus/.

All DNR Fish & Wildlife Area (FWA) shooting ranges, excluding the one at Tri-County FWA, will resume normal operating hours beginning tomorrow, March 19. 

All FWA ranges closed today, March 18, as staff takes extra precautions to sanitize facilities amid coronavirus concerns.

Tri-County FWA will remain closed until at least March 24. 

The DNR wants to provide Hoosiers with outdoor activities they can do amid concerns about the coronavirus and is doing its best to ensure the safest possible environment for visitors to FWAs.

For more information on DNR shooting ranges, see on.IN.gov/DNRShootingRanges.

Sheriff Jerry Goodin wants the citizens of Scott County to know and be aware that there has been reports of spam calls involving COVID-19. 

We have received notification that calls are being made to Scott County Citizens about COVID-19 test kits.

The caller is asking if individuals would like to sign-up to receive COVID-19 test kits at their personal residence.

This is a SPAM/SCAM call. Test kits like this do not exist and are not available for public use. Do not provide personal information to these callers.

If you need to be tested for COVID-19 from possible exposure you will receive information from the Scott County Health Department or Indiana State Department of Health.

The following instructions are provided by the Indiana State Department of Health for people who have or are being evaluated for novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and their families and caregivers.

If you have or are being evaluated for COVID-19, you should follow the prevention steps below until a healthcare provider, the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH), or your local health department determines that you can return to your normal activities.

If you are not sure if you have COVID-19, contact your healthcare provider. Your healthcare provider, in consultation with the health department, will determine whether you meet the criteria for COVID-19 testing and will determine the most appropriate care plan for you.

IN_COVID-19_Home_Care_3.18.20

More than $118 million awarded to fund 630 projects nationally  

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Ben Carson announced over $118 million in grants to support local homeless assistance programs across the country.

This round of HUD’s Continuum of Care grants will provide critically needed support to approximately 630 local programs on the front lines, serving individuals and families experiencing homelessness.

Earlier this year, HUD announced $2.2 billion in grants to support thousands of local programs working towards addressing the needs of homeless individuals and families.

 View a complete list of all the state and local homeless projects awarded funding.
 

Of this round of national funding, the State of Indiana was awarded more than $1.6 million to support 6 projects. 

The state was awarded more than $24 million for 89 projects in the first round of funding, bringing its total Continuum of Care award total for the fiscal year 2019 to $25.4 million. See the project names and amounts here.
 

 “The path to self-sufficiency begins with a safe place to sleep and ultimately, an affordable place to call home,” said Secretary Carson. “These grants will help service providers across the Nation continue their work of reducing homelessness in their communities and help our most vulnerable neighbors. The Trump Administration is committed to lifting up all Americans and this announcement is yet another example of our unwavering commitment to empower this great nation through investing in our people.”
 

“We are committed to empowering Indiana and its communities with the needed tools to help individuals and families experiencing homelessness,” said HUD Midwest Regional Administrator Joseph P. Galvan. “We are working collaboratively to ensure that no one experiences homelessness, but if they do, that it be a rare, brief and non-recurring experience.”

HUD Continuum of Care grant funding supports a broad array of interventions designed to assist individuals and families experiencing homelessness, particularly those living in places not meant for habitation, located in sheltering programs, or at imminent risk of becoming homeless. Each year, HUD serves more than a million people through emergency shelter, transitional, and permanent housing programs.
 

In 2019, most of the country experienced a combined decrease in homelessness, however significant increases in unsheltered and chronic homelessness on the West Coast, particularly in California and Oregon, offset those nationwide decreases, causing an overall increase in homelessness of 2.7 percent. HUD’s 2019 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress found that 567,715 persons experienced homelessness on a single night in 2019, an increase of 2.7 percent since 2018, but a nearly 11 percent decline since 2010. The number of families with children experiencing homelessness declined 5 percent from 2018 and more than 32 percent since 2010. Local communities also reported a continuing trend in reducing veteran homelessness across the country—the number of veterans experiencing homelessness fell 2.1 percent since January 2018 and by 50 percent since 2010.

To see all grants awarded this round, click here. HUD awarded the following grants across Indiana:

While there continue to be no known cases of COVID-19 among staff or offenders at Indiana Department of Correction (IDOC) facilities, the previously announced suspension of all facility visitations has been expanded to include all facility volunteer staff.  This change became effective at 5:00 p.m. March 18, 2020.

The decision to expand the visitor suspension to include volunteer staff is precautionary in nature.  Any decision to end or extend the suspension of visitations or the admittance of volunteer staff will be made in the best interest of our staff and the offenders housed at IDOC facilities.  This decision will be reviewed every two weeks.

“This is a necessary step in our continued efforts to avoid the introduction of the COVID-19 virus into our facilities,” stated Rob Carter, Commissioner of the IDOC.

Here are Various Resource Links COVID-19 Related:

To learn more about COVID-19 click this link to the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) website where you can subscribe to ISDH email updates, or click this link for the Center for Disease Control (CDC) coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) information.

To learn more about actions related to COVID-19 taken by the Indiana Department of Correction click this link.

Family and friends affected by the suspension of visitations to offenders may be able to connect by telephone or video from the approved IDOC service provider. For more information click this link.

Attorneys with offender clients at IDOC facilities should click this link for updated information about client visit policies presently in place the result of the COVID-19 virus event.

The Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD) will host two live webinars for Hoosiers impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. 

The 30-minute live programs will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 24, and at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, March 25.

The program will cover unemployment eligibility requirements, the formula and amounts determined by Indiana State Statute for benefit amounts, frequently asked questions—and how to apply for benefits. 

“We are taking these measures to help the public better understand the process and, most importantly, how to apply for benefits,” DWD Commissioner Fred Payne said. “During this time of uncertainty, we want to provide as much information to the public as we possibly can, and the live webinars are part of those efforts.”

Important notice: The number of attendees on live will be limited to the first 500 who are online for each event. Up to 5,000 can register for each of the two. The program will be recorded and made available to all who register. Once recorded, the program will then be posted on the special landing page established by DWD: www.in.gov/dwd/19.htm. 

To register, visit: https://on.in.gov/UI2020

Ascension St. Vincent has updated temporary visitor restrictions at hospitals in the North and South regions to reduce the spread of viral respiratory infections, including COVID-19.

This is being done in alignment with the latest recommendations from public health authorities and city and state officials. 

Given the unique circumstances related to COVID-19, the following restrictions reduce the risk of exposure for visitors, patients, caregivers, and associates and have been implemented at Ascension St. Vincent Anderson, Carmel, Clay, Dunn, Evansville, Fishers, Jennings, Kokomo, Mercy, Randolph, Salem, Warrick, and Williamsport. 

Hospital entrances – All hospitals have limited hospital entry points.

One visitor per patient at a time

• Age minimum – Visitors must be at least 18 years of age, unless they are an emancipated minor, the parent of a patient or other case-by-case exception. 

• Exceptions – Exceptions to visitor restrictions may be made on a case-by-case basis. In particular, compassionate exceptions will be made. 

Screening for visitors – All visitors will be screened for the following symptoms: 

• Fever greater than 100.0 F

• Cough

• Difficulty breathing

If the visitor screen is negative, the visitation may proceed provided the visitor’s movement within the hospital is limited to the patient’s room.

Ascension St. Vincent appreciates the cooperation of the communities we are privileged to serve.