In a continuing effort to slow the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19), Governor Eric J. Holcomb has announced additional efforts.

Here are additional directives from Governor Holcomb:

• Gov. Holcomb signed an executive order Monday memorializing that day’s announcements. A copy of the executive order is attached. Here is a link to Monday’s press release: https://calendar.in.gov/site/gov/event/gov-holcomb-announces-more-steps-to-slow-the-spread-of-covid-19/
  • The governor’s executive order also actives the Indiana National Guard to be on duty to assist as needed.
  • The governor’s executive order also delays non-essential public meetings. For essential meetings, one member is required to be physically present, but other members will be allowed to participate electronically.
• Bars, nightclubs and restaurants should now be closed to dine-in patrons. They may provide take-out and delivery services through the end of March. The Governor expects those businesses to comply with the directive for the safety of Hoosiers in their communities without the need to call for enforcement measures.
• Indiana Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program has provided guidance to WIC agencies to help them continue to serve clients while protecting staff and their families. https://www.in.gov/isdh/19691.htm
• The CDC has issued new guidance for when people can come out of self-isolation or quarantine. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/steps-when-sick.html
• The ISDH call center continues to experience high volume. Hoosiers with general questions are encouraged to visit the website in.gov/coronavirus for more information. ISDH has implemented a toll-free call center at 877-826-0011 that includes options for healthcare providers as well as the public. Call center staff will not offer medical advice or provide test results.
• The Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD) has 12 Workforce Regions throughout the state. At least one WorkOne is open in each region, except Marion County. DWD is working with that local WorkOne to ensure unemployment insurance claimants who need access to a computer have that access.
  • The DWD office in the Indiana Government Center South in Marion County is open from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. and has computers available for use. 
  • Here is a link to FAQ on Unemployment Insurance: https://www.in.gov/dwd/files/Indiana_Unemployment_FAQ.pdf
• The Indiana State Library is now closed to the public. Access to the library’s online services, such as Ask-A-Librarian, INSPIRE, and the Digital Collections, will continue to be available without interruption.

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

At an emergency meeting of the Washington County Commissioners and County Council, the board voted 3-0 to close all county offices to the public for the next few weeks. 

“Work will carry on,” said Marshall. “The general public will not be allowed in county offices. Everyone is to come to work. We’re going to try to carry on like it’s every day. We’re going to try to do the best we can to give you answers.”

However, Marshall acknowledged that these are volatile times.

“What we say today may change in two hours,” he said on Tuesday.

Marshall said all offices have email and phone numbers listed at http://washingtoncounty.in.gov/

“We’re hoping everything can be handled this way,” said Marshall. 

Salem Mayor Dustin Green was at the meeting and said he was working with the county government to coordinate efforts. 

“As I said yesterday, it was important for the city and county to do the same thing. Sally [Hattabaugh] and I have been discussing what would be the best approach,” said Green. “It’s very important we follow Gov. Holcomb’s directive. It’s a directive and not a suggestion.”

Green said both county and city government work would go on. 

“I don’t have a department I can shut,” said Green. “We will continue to operate. There will be no closures of department or services. But we will close the public from our buildings.”

The county said they will be evaluating these decisions in the days to come. 

CITY OF SALEM CLOSURES

“More than anything, I want city residents and our employees to be safe and healthy as
we endure the next few weeks of uncertainty concerning the spread of novel
coronavirus,” said Green.

“Undoubtedly, I want to assure the public that these protocols are in place
to slow the spread of this highly contagious virus, to protect vulnerable populations, our
healthcare system, and first responders.”

The new protocols include closures of city offices to public access; however, employees
will still be available by phone and through the drive-through window.

As a reminder, the Little League season has been postponed and all park and
recreation activities, including practices, have been temporarily suspended.

The following protocols will remain in effect until further notice:

Effective March 18, 2020, all city buildings will be closed to public access beginning at
8:30am. This includes City Hall, the Salem Fire Department, the Animal Shelter, and
the Senior Citizens Center. All activities for the Senior Center have been suspended.
All departments will remain staffed and employees will be available to help residents by
phone.

The Water Utility Office will accept payments through the drive-through, drop box, by
mail, or check by phone, only.

As always, utility customers can continue to make credit card payments online. Building department permits and fees can also be accessed via the Water Utility Office drive-though.

The Salem Police Department remains open and will begin handling all boat permits.

The Fire Department will continue to be on-call for emergencies.

Please call City Departments as needed for assistance:

• Salem City Hall (812) 883-4265
• Clerk Treasurer (812) 883-4264
• Water Utility Office (812) 883-3937
• City of Salem Police Dept (812) 883-5100 or (812) 883-1524
• City of Salem Fire Dept (812) 883-4970
• Salem Animal Shelter (812) 883-3673
• City of Salem Parks Dept (812) 883-2895

As always in case of an emergency, call 911.

“I am thankful for our city workers, police officers, fire department, and everyone in the
city working together to slow the spread of this virus. We are experiencing something
new to all of us, but I am optimistic we will get through this together by abiding by local,
state, and federal protocols to slow the spread,” said Green. 

The CDC continues to recommend avoiding being exposed to the virus by avoiding
close contact (within about 6 feet) with an infected person.

Clean your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after you have been in a public space, or after sneezing, coughing or blowing your nose. If soap and water isn’t available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

Most importantly, to help protect others, stay home if you are sick, except to get medical
care. Call your doctor ahead of a sick visit to explain your symptoms.

Staying home as much as possible is the best way to avoid getting sick or infecting
others.

Please continue to call City Hall if we can be of any assistance. 

Visit cdc.gov for more information about COVID-19 and locally follow https://www.facebook.com/Kentuckiana-Covid-19-Information-101594311478507/?modal=admin_todo_tour

Additional updates to these protocols will be posted as they become available.

At the Washington County Family YMCA, the safety and well-being of our members, staff, volunteers and the broader Washington County community have always been and will always be a top priority.

We have been diligently monitoring all national and local updates surrounding the COVID-19 (coronavirus) situation.

“In order to best ensure the health of our entire Y community, we have decided to close our YMCA facility to the public effective March 18 through at least March 29,” said Washington County Family YMCA CEO Kristy Purlee.

She noted all programs will remain closed until further notice.

The Y administrative office will remain open Monday-Friday from 9:00 am- 3:00 pm in order to continue our community response to feed youth and seniors during this time.

The Y will continue to take donations of packaged healthy foods for distribution to those in need.

“We understand this is a very concerning situation. The decision to close our facility was made to best ensure the safety of everyone in our community,” said Kristy Purlee, CEO. “We recognize that these actions are necessary to help prevent the spread of this virus. We also know that the programs that we run are important for our members and participants, and they contribute to making the community a better place. In an effort to help keep things as normal as possible, we will be paying all of our staff for the next 2 weeks.”

Purlee asks the public to be patient during this unprecedented time.

“We ask that you please keep your membership active so we can keep our community together and vibrant during these significant challenges,” encouraged Purlee. “We will continue to monitor this evolving situation and will work with local officials to determine what future actions will be necessary.”

During this closure, they YMCA will provide updates and information directly to staff, members and participants via email. We will also be posting information to our website and social media channels

The YMCA’s wellness instructors will be sharing at-home workouts on our Facebook page, as well as providing some links to other YMCA resources on You Tube.

“We are asking everyone to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines and take their own measures to protect themselves, including not putting themselves in situations with large crowds or where they come in close contact with others, staying home if they do not feel well, frequently washing their hands with soap and water and covering their coughs and sneezes,” noted Purlee. 

AEG Presents/ Concerts West regret to announce the postponement of the Rolling Stones upcoming NO FILTER tour of North America due to the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic.

This includes the June 10 show at Cardinal Stadium in Louisville. 

The Stones 15-date NO FILTER summer tour was due to kick off in San Diego on May
8 and end in Atlanta on July 9.

The Rolling Stones commented, “We’re hugely disappointed to have to postpone the
tour. We are sorry to all the fans who were looking forward to it as much as we were,
but the health and safety of everyone has to take priority. We will all get through this
together – and we’ll see you very soon.”

AEG Presents/ Concerts West advises ticketholders to hold onto their original tickets and
await further information.

WSLM will hold all tickets and prepare a giveaway and promote the new date when it is announced. 

The National Weather Service Indiana offices in conjunction with Indiana Department of Homeland Security have decided to cancel the planned test tornado drill on Wednesday, March 18th, 2020.

This is due to numerous reasons related to the COVID-19 virus and sheltering actions being taken by the public. 

While we feel it is important to test our communications and safety action plans, we feel it more prudent right now to focus on the active societal response to the virus.

There are no plans for a makeup date at this time.

The American Red Cross now faces a severe blood shortage due to an
unprecedented number of blood drive cancellations in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

Healthy individuals are needed now to donate to help patients counting on lifesaving blood.

Individuals can schedule an appointment to give blood with the Red Cross by visiting
RedCrossBlood.org, using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, calling 1-800-RED-CROSS or
enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device.

As the coronavirus pandemic has grown here in the U.S., blood drive cancellations have grown at an alarming rate. To date, nearly 2,700 Red Cross blood drives have been canceled across the country due to concerns about congregating at workplaces, college campuses and schools amidst the coronavirus outbreak. These cancellations have resulted in some 86,000 fewer blood donations. More than 80% of the blood the Red Cross collects comes from drives held at locations of this type.

Here in the River Valley Blood Services Region, 79 blood drives have been canceled, resulting in 2189 units fewer blood donations. The Red Cross is adding appointment slots at donation centers and expanding capacity at many community blood drives across the country over the next few weeks to ensure ample opportunities for donors to give.

Volunteer donors are the only source of blood for those in need

The Red Cross expects the number of cancellations to continue to increase, which is causing heightened concern for blood collection organizations and hospitals across the country. This blood shortage could impact patients who need surgery, victims of car accidents and other emergencies, or patients suffering from cancer.

“I am looking at the refrigerator that contains only one day’s supply of blood for the hospital,” said Dr. Robertson Davenport, director of transfusion medicine at Michigan Medicine in Ann Arbor. “The hospital is full. There are patients who need blood and cannot wait.”

“In our experience, the American public comes together to support those in need during times of shortage and that support is needed now more than ever during this unprecedented public health crisis,” said Chris Hrouda, president, Red Cross Biomedical Services. “Unfortunately, when people stop donating blood, it forces doctors to make hard choices about patient care, which is why we need those who are healthy and well to roll up a sleeve and give the gift of life.”

The Red Cross is committed to blood drive safety

“We know that people want to help, but they may be hesitant to visit a blood drive during this time. We want to assure the public that blood donation is a safe process, and we have put additional precautions in place at our blood drives and donation centers to protect all who come out,” said Hrouda.

The Red Cross has implemented new measures to ensure blood drives and donation centers are even safer for our donors and staff, including:
 Checking the temperature of staff and donors before entering a drive to make sure they
are healthy.
 Providing hand sanitizer for use before the drive, as well as throughout the donation
process.
 Spacing beds, where possible, to follow social distancing practices between blood
donors.
 Increasing enhanced disinfecting of surfaces and equipment.
At each blood drive and donation center, Red Cross employees already follow thorough safety protocols to help prevent the spread of any type of infection, including:
 Wearing gloves and changing gloves with each donor.
 Routinely wiping down donor-touched areas.
 Using sterile collection sets for every donation.
 Preparing the arm for donation with an aseptic scrub.
There is no data or evidence that this coronavirus can be transmitted by blood transfusion, and there have been no reported cases of transfusion transmission for any respiratory virus including this coronavirus worldwide.

“Volunteer donors are the unsung heroes for patients in need of lifesaving blood transfusions. If you are healthy, feeling well and eligible to give, please schedule an appointment to give now,” added Hrouda.

A 26-year-old Salem man was arrested Monday for possession of approximately 74 counterfeit one-hundred-dollar bills. 

As a result of a search warrant, Brearton Long, 26, Salem was arrested. 

On March 15^th, 2020 at approx. 9:49 pm. Major Eric Mills, members of the Salem City Police Department, and The Washington County Sheriff’s Department executed a search warrant in Salem, Indiana.

The search warrant was in an attempt to locate counterfeit currency.

The Salem Police Department had been receiving complaints from local businesses over the last few weeks.

During the search warrant officers located approximately  $7,400.00 in counterfeit one-hundred-dollar bills.

Long was booked into the detention center on the charge of Counterfeiting Level 6 Felony.

Due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, Sheriff Brent Miller has made some necessary changes to the daily operations of the Washington County Sheriffs Department and the Detention Center.

“We are asking that the public please try to be understanding during the coming weeks as efforts are being made to reduce the risk of spreading the Coronavirus to the inmates and staff,” said Miller. 

Inmates coming into the facility are currently being screened before being inducted. 

Miller said the following policies will be in effect until further notice.

• ALL on-site video visitations have been suspended.
  
• Any on-site visits that have been previously scheduled at the Sheriffs Department have been canceled.
  
• Visitation booths will remain closed.
  
• There will be no classes or church services that involve citizens other than personnel entering the jail.
• The public is no longer allowed to enter the Sheriffs Department lobby area to put money on inmate phone accounts or commissary accounts.
• Inmates are still allowed to make telephone calls and use remote video visitation, where family members can schedule video visits from home.
• Family members must have a computer with video visit capabilities.

FOR VISITING INMATES FROM HOME OR TO PUT MONEY ON AN INMATES PHONE ACCOUNT, GO TO:
www.inmatesales.com where you must create an account.

TO PUT MONEY ON AN INMATE’S TRUST ACCOUNT TO USE FOR COMMISSARY, GO TO www.jailatm.com
Note: For a fee, Inmates can also transfer money from their commissary account to their phone account.

IF YOU NEED FURTHER ASSISTANCE WITH EITHER WEBSITE, YOU MAY CALL TOLL FREE (877) 398-7700.

Sheriff Jerry Goodin spoke with the Scott County Commissioners, the Scott County Health Department, the Scott County Jail Nurse and The Scott County Attorney, in reference to limiting access to the Scott County Jail to all visitors as a precautionary step in preventing the Coronavirus from entering into the jail. 

The decision was made with total support from the entities listed above.

Because the jail is self-contained and living quarters are close for not only the prisoners but the jail staff, the possibility of spreading a virus such as a Coronavirus is greater than in the normal public. 

Sheriff Goodin wants to stress that this is a precautionary step and at this time there are NO CURRENT CASES of the Coronavirus in the Scott County Jail.

Sheriff Goodin also wanted the public to know normal policing operations, jail operations with inmates, arrests, etc. will continue as usual.

There will be no public fingerprinting, jail classes or non-essential programs.

Though it may be an unpopular decision to limit access to the jail to some, it is a step that must be taken for the best interest of not only the prisoners but also the Scott County Sheriff’s Employees and Scott County as a whole.  Sheriff Goodin stated, “it is much wiser to be pro-active than reactive”.

Prisoner access and remote visits will still be available online by going to www.inmatesales.com

Any further questions can be answered by calling the Sheriff’s Office at 812-752-8400.