WFHB Bloomington Community Radio
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This is the WFHB Local News for Monday, May 4th, 2020.
Later in the program, WFHB Correspondent Katrine Bruner breaks down Governor Eric Holcomb’s plan to reopen the economy. Also coming up in the next half hour, I talk to Mayor John Hamilton in the latest installment of “A Few Minutes with the Mayor.”
But first, your local headlines.
Indiana State Department of Health reports 583 new positive cases of coronavirus with 19 new deaths. Total positive cases are now at 20,507 people, while the total death toll rises to 1,151 people.
Meanwhile, Governor Eric Holcomb released his plan to reopen Indiana’s economy, despite the increasing number of positive cases. The governor laid out four guiding principles to “get back on track:”
1. The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients statewide has decreased for 14 days
2. The state retains its surge capacity for critical care beds and ventilators
3. The state retains the ability to test all Hoosiers who are COVID-19 symptomatic, as well as healthcare workers, essential workers, first responders, and others as delineated on the ISDH website
4. Health officials have systems in place to contact all individuals who test positive for COVID-19 and complete contact tracing
After the governor announced his plans to reopen the economy, Monroe County Health Department extended the stay-at-home order locally from May 1st until May 15th at 11:59 p.m.
In the health order, all food and beverage sales, including alcoholic beverages, remain restricted to carry-out and delivery-only. Lines for carry-out must maintain at least a 6-feet social distance.
The order also states that all people living in Monroe County must continue to stay in their homes with some exceptions. Those exceptions are travel necessary for certain essential activities: buying groceries, medicine, or other products essential to maintain safety, sanitation and essential operations of the home, including essential automotive supplies.
Outdoor exercise is permitted, although people should maintain at least 6 feet apart at all times, unless you’re with your family members.
Depending on circumstance, travel to and from work will be permitted. If you are performing minimum basic operation for a business whose facility is temporarily closed, you can travel to and from work. This includes inventory, improving physical condition of a plant and equipment, security, payroll and employee benefits.
Traveling to and from work is also permitted for essential employees of an employer in the healthcare industry.
Today, May 4th is the last day to register to vote for the June primary election.
Primary elections are held in each state to determine which candidates will be placed on the general election ballot on November 3rd, for both state and presidential legislative seats. You can register to vote by visiting Indiana Voters DOT in DOT gov.
County officials are encouraging voters to request an absentee ballot and cast their primary votes by mail. Due to COVID- 19, anyone can request an absentee ballot for any reason. The absentee ballot application can be found on the Monroe County website.
Feature Reports:
- WFHB News Correspondent Jake Jacobson reports on IU Student Body President’s Support Of the All Dependent Children Count Act. For more on the story, we turn to WFHB Correspondent Jake Jacobson.
- Now, with more coverage on Governor Holcomb’s decision to reopen Indiana’s economy, we turn to WFHB News Correspondent Katrine Bruner.
- Now it’s time for the latest installment of A Few Minutes with the Mayor. We turn to WFHB Assistant News Director Sydney Foreman as she interviews Bloomington Mayor John Hamilton.
