$50 billion dollars has been allocated to the Small Business Administration for Economic Injury Disaster Loans. In order for small businesses to gain access to the funding, the East Central Indiana Small Business Development Center in Muncie needs your help completing a form that will collect economic impact data. Small business owners can find the announcement and a link to the form on the homepage of MuncieJournal.com
Ball State President Geoffrey Mearns has announced that effective Sunday, March 29th at 5pm Ball State residence halls will be closed. Students are free to leave their residence hall as soon as is practical. Students will receive a credit to their bursar accounts in the appropriate pro-rata amount, subject to applicable federal financial aid regulations, to be applied to future expenses. For more information visit bsu.edu/coronavirus.
The Muncie Sanitary District has announced that it will be closing all offices to the public effective immediately as a preventative measure to combat the spread of the coronavirus. No Muncie Sanitary District employees have been diagnosed with the virus. The temporary closure will last for at least two weeks. All Muncie Sanitary District services will continue to operate and trash/recycling pick-up will run as regularly scheduled.
Dollar General stores are reserving their first hour of daily operations for senior customers who are the most vulnerable to the coronavirus. The new window gives at-risk customers the ability to purchase the products they need at the beginning of each day to avoid crowded shopping periods through the rest of the day.
Some local restaurants are dealing with unintended losses due to closing their inside dining services. Residents are encouraged to contact their favorite eateries by phone or by looking up their Facebook page, to see if the business is offering a carryout or delivery service.
The Muncie newspaper reports that Ana Quirk Hunter has been elected as the next chairperson of the Delaware County Democrats after a democratic party caucus. Quirk replaces Allie Craycraft who resigned his position.
The National Weather Service Indiana offices in conjunction with the Indiana Department of Homeland Security have decided to cancel the planned test tornado drill scheduled for today. This is due to numerous reasons related to the coronavirus and sheltering actions being taken by the public.
After speaking with Hoosier business owners, healthcare administrators, non-profits and Indiana workers, Indiana Senator Todd Young is back in Washington. Young says he is going to work hard with his colleagues to come up with responsible but bold measures to make sure congress can respond to the needs of Hoosiers and all Americans during the pandemic.
The Town of Yorktown has decided to close Town Hall to the public. Pete Olson, town manager has asked that residents who need to contact the town, do so by phone. Water and sewer bills can be made via the mail, the town drop box outside town hall’s front door or online at yorktownindiana.org. For emergencies, dial 911.
In an executive order, Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness announced a local state of emergency in the City of Fishers, IN. The order places significant restrictions on travel around the city. For more information visit (fishers.in.us)
All public Catholic masses in the State of Indiana have been suspended until further notice. The five Catholic bishops of Indiana made the announcement yesterday, suspending all public Sunday and weekday masses at the recommendation of health officials amid the current coronavirus pandemic.
The Herald Bulletin reports Anderson city and Madison County government will continue to operate during the coronavirus emergency, but residents are being encouraged to contact government offices, when possible, by telephone or email rather than in person.
There’s no need to go stir-crazy in your home from coronavirus mandates. Hop in the car with your pet and visit an Indiana State Park! Indiana State Parks, lakes and inns are currently open during the virus pandemic with slight operational changes. Inns will only be serving carry-out meals and swimming pools are closed for now. Still, you can enjoy long walks, beautiful scenery and wild life at your Indiana State Parks.
Effective immediately, IU Health is rescheduling elective, non-urgent surgeries and procedures at all hospitals and facilities. Primary care and specialty follow-up visits will be conducted virtually or rescheduled. Well-child visits for children 2-years and older will be conducted virtually or rescheduled. Physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy visits will be conducted virtually or rescheduled. Finally, Health screenings and elective imaging will be rescheduled.
South Madison Community School Corporation Nutrition Services will be providing free grab-and-go meals for ALL students and any sibling through age 18 beginning NEXT week. There will be drive-through pickup times established for one-day-per-week pickups at multiple school locations.
The regularly scheduled meeting of the Lapel Town Council on Thursday March 19, 2020 has been moved from 110 E 9th Street to the Lapel Town Hall 825 N Main Street, Lapel, IN. The Meeting begins at 7pm.
Now here’s some good news thanks to the coronavirus! If you find you owe money to the IRS when you work on your taxes, you will now get a 90 day extension to PAY what you owe without interest or penalty. (Up to $1 million dollars in individual tax owed or $10 million dollars for corporations.)
Amazon.com is hiring 100,000 warehouse and delivery workers to deal with a surge in online orders due to the coronavirus pandemic. To apply, visit amazondelivers.com/jobs
