WFHB Bloomington Community Radio
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Good morning. Welcome to your WFHB Local News Brief for Monday, March 23rd, 2020.
Latest Numbers: The Indiana State Department of Health reported three cases of COVID-19 in Monroe County as of 10 a.m. today.
State health department reports the total number of positive cases jumps to 259 people, as the number of those tested increased to almost 2,000 people. So far, there are 7 reported deaths in Indiana.
The Monroe County Health Department reported a limited number of students and faculty at Edgewood High School came into contact with an individual who tested positive for coronavirus.
According to a Richland Bean Blossom Community School Corporation press release, the Monroe County Health Department is in the process of contacting these individuals. The county health department says it will follow up with these individuals to decide when they can be released from isolation.
The health department is in the middle of conducting contact tracing to determine others who might have come into contact with the individual.
So far, 3 cases are confirmed in Monroe County, 2 cases in Owen County, 3 cases reported in Morgan County and 14 total cases confirmed in Johnson County.
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Stay-At-Home Order: Governor Eric Holcomb discussed Covid-19 at a press conference at noon today. He declared a Stay-at-Home executive order for non-essential business operations. This will last from March 25th to Arpil 7th. The executive order allows for essential business to remain open. If not followed, he said the state will suspend food and beverage licenses.
“Stay at home,” he said, “unless you’re going out on an essential errand or essential work.”
Holcomb said the state will close non-essential work, while utilizing remote work. This means licenses given by the state will be temporarily extended by at least two months.
The state will be reduced to only the absolute essential workforce level,” he said.
He also announced an emergency healthcare initiative to combat the spread of coronavirus.
“We’re activating a comprehensive, healthcare-oriented emergency operation center,” he said.
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Road Report: We have some road closings this week for flooding. Dillman Road will be closed between Victor Pike and State Road 37. Rogers Street will also be closed between Phyllis Street and Old State Road 37.
More road closings at the Curry Pike, Woodyard Road and Smith Pike Intersection. The Monroe County Highway Department says this area will have periodic land closures at the intersections for soil borings and pavement cores throughout the week. Caution is advised while traveling through this area.
Fairfax Road at Cherry Lane is restricted to one lane of traffic with a traffic signal for a Stormwater Project.
Reed and Sons Construction, Inc. will be replacing a water main as part of the City of Bloomington Water Main Replacement project.
QC Communications will be installing fiber at Curry Pike between Harmony Road and Burch Road. This is apart of the Metro E Great Western Project.
QC Communications will also be installing a fiber optic cable to the cell tower in the 7700 block of Evans Road.
On Fairfax Road, between McCormick Lane and Moffet Lane, Smithville Telephone will be installing a fiber optic cable in this area.
