The Scott County Sheriff’s Office is in the process of setting up three military tents at the Scott County Sheriff’s Office, (1), and the Scott County Health Department, (2). 

These tents are being set up with the assistance of the Indiana National Guard as a precautionary and training action only.

“We want to be prepared for any possible needs we may encounter in the future due to the Coronavirus, (Covid-19), or any other disaster that could hit us medically, weather, etc.,” according to Scott County Sheriff Jerry Goodin.

The Scott County Sheriff’s Office has been working with the Scott County Health Department and others to help keep citizens, employees and prisoner’s safe.

Sheriff Goodin believes in being prepared for anything that can happen and being prepared means being trained.

Sheriff Goodin also stated, “It is a lot easier to explain why we did something to be prepared than to explain why we did not do anything”.

According to the Indiana State Department of Health, there are 20 cases of Covid-19 in Washington County with 68 total residents tested. 

The ISDH reported 18 cases on Monday, which was no change from Sunday. 

There have still been no deaths reported in Washington County. 

Statewide, there were 563 new cases reported, with 34 new deaths and 2,573 additional tests administered. 

Tuesday’s Indiana Totals

• Total Cases – 5,707
• Total Deaths – 173 
• Total Tested – 28,764

Updated totals from around the WSLM Listening Area:

• Lawrence County – 44 total cases (up by 5 from Sunday)
• Jackson County – 40 total cases (up by 4 from Sunday)
• Scott County – 8 total cases (No change)
• Clark County – 82 total cases (up by 16 from Sunday)
• Floyd County – 74 total cases (up by 24 from Sunday)
• Harrison County – 48 total cases (up by 15 from Sunday)
• Crawford County – 9 total cases (up by 4 from Sunday)
• Orange County – 14 total cases (up by 7  from Sunday)

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

• Lawrence County – 5
• Jackson County – 0
• Scott County – 1
• Clark County – 7
• Floyd County – 1
• Harrison County – 1
• Crawford County – 0
• Orange County – 2
• Washington County – 0 

INDOT contractor Duncan Robertson Inc. will close the S.R. 135 bridge over Wayman Ditch on or after Monday, April 13, weather permitting, for a total bridge replacement project. The bridge is located just north of U.S. 50 in Jackson County.

State Road 135 is scheduled to close for 180 days, through mid-October. The official detour will follow U.S. 50 to S.R. 446 to S.R. 58. 

The $1.8 million contract was awarded in November 2019 and is expected to be complete by October 31, 2020. All work is weather dependent.

Today, Senator Erin Houchin joined 28 other Senators from around the state in signing a letter to the Indiana Supreme Court in response to a petition filed by the ACLU of Indiana that asks the court to change existing rules on the release of prisoners during the
COVID-19 pandemic.

The letter states the position of the undersigned Senators that such a broad rule change is a risk to public safety and a violation of the separation of powers. Most notably, under the proposed rule change, the court could direct local Judges, by rule, to not only release prisoners awaiting trial, but also to modify sentences of those already convicted.

Current law requires local Prosecutors to approve sentence modification petitions filed in cases where plea agreements have already been established.

The rule, if changed, would allow Judges to make decisions to release convicted prisoners into the public without the approval of Prosecutors, and contrary to what is currently Indiana Law.

Houchin and others made the argument that the current Department of Correction and local officials already have the ability to work together to make decisions in the best interest of both public health and safety and the ACLUs request to change the rules goes too far. Houchin and the 28 other signers to the letter respectfully ask the court to deny the petition.

The petition filed by the ACLU-IN follows similar filings by the ACLU across the country.
Houchin said the following today of the filing.

It is deeply concerning in this time of uncertainty that the ACLU would take such a broad approach in mitigating potential health threats within the criminal justice system.

These threats are prevalent in any institution and our existing laws, as well as ample available space in our Indiana Department of Correction to allow for separation of
prisoners and mitigation of risk, make the request invalid. We cannot and should not undermine our very system of justice or the separation of powers in taking such an action.

Local officials have already been implementing allowable procedures to reduce jail populations while balancing public health and safety under current law.

The ACLU request goes too far and I urge the court to deny the petition.

FINAL ACLU Inmate Letter