The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1222437
Local ����������� A1-8 To Go Guide �� A4 Sports ������������ B1 Opinion ������� B2-3 School ����������� B4 East Gibson ���� B5 Classifieds ��� B6-8 Church �������� C1-3 Home Life ��� C4-7 Obituaries ������ C7 History ����������� C8 WHAT'S INSIDE: Phone: ���������������������812-354-8500 Fax: ��������������������������812-354-2014 E-Mail ����editor@pressdispatch�net NEWS TIPS: PIKE PUBLISHING Wednesday, March 18, 2020 Volume 150 Number 12 Phone 812-354-8500 Petersburg, IN 47567-0068 (USPS 604-34012) $ 1 Three sections 24 pages Three inserts See MEALS on page 2 See COVID-19 on page 8 See CITY HALL on page 2 Carry-out dining guide for area restaurants Due to the major interruption of dining rooms being ordered to be closed, area food businesses have offered information on their carry-out services during this hiatus. You can find a special page with infor- mation of area businesses, listing how they can be contacted, how to place an order and how to pick up your order. See the listings on page A-4, and be sure to patronize them during this current din- ing room "shut-down." Free classified ads for childcare providers Many parents must cope with lack of childcare since school has been suspended. The Press-Dispatch is offering free classi- fied ads to high school and college students up to age 22 who want to offer their servic- es to parents in need of childcare. You can stop by the office at 820 E. Poplar Street in Petersburg, or e-mail your infor- mation to: classifieds@pressdispatch.net. Be sure to provide information concern- ing hours you are available and contact in- formation. It can be a phone number or an e-mail address. This service will be provided as long as school is suspended, or until May 20, whichever comes first. Grab-and-go meals provided while schools are shut down Pike County schools' food service for those on free or reduced lunches will con- tinue through this week and the next two weeks. Even though students are not at- tending class at the high school, middle school or elementary schools, a grab bag with breakfast and lunch for two days is being made available for students on Mon- days, Wednesdays and Fridays. Pike County schools are doing eLearn- ing this week and have Spring Break from March 23 to March 27. They will then have another week of eLearning. During these weeks, any child eligible for free or reduced meals can get the pre- pared sacks of two meals. They will include cold cuts and other items, but not hot meals. Superintendent Dr. Suzanne Blake said younger siblings of students at home are also eligible for the meals. They can be picked up at sites in every township in Pike County from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mon- day, Wednesday and Friday through April 3. Blake said anyone wanting to receive the meals can go to a distribution site and tell staff they want to be included. Below are the distribution sites: • Petersburg Elementary School back drive entry to cafeteria; Water customers can pay by mail or at the drop box By Andy Heuring Petersburg City Hall will con- tinue to operate, but they will close their doors to the public. It is one of many actions being take by local agencies as Coronavirus is the main topic of not just any public meeting, but practically all group conversations. Petersburg Mayor R.C. Klipsch ran the idea past city council members Monday night at their meeting. "We will still be there working, but as far as day-to-day traffic, councilmen agreed it was a good idea. "I think it is okay," said council member Jody Hoover. "I think it is important," added councilman Gary Leavitt. Klipsch said last week they put two tables across the front of City Hall just as a way to try and keep the public at the front of the office and not approaching the workers in City Hall. "It is just a good practice during flu season, regardless of Corona- virus," said Klipsch. A letter from the mayor states: The City of Petersburg will be following the Governor's directive concerning COVID-19 by closing City Hall and the water depart- ment to the public effective March 17, 2020, until further notice. Water bills may be mailed or placed in the locked drop box lo- cated next to the front door. Any overpayments will be credited to the customer's account. City employees will continue with emergencies and regular service orders. We will continue to follow the U.S. Centers For Dis- ease Control and Prevention safe- ty guidelines including social dis- tancing. Question or concerns will be an- swered by calling City Hall at 812- 354-8511. We apologize for any inconve- nience this may cause. It is our be- lief that this is in the best interest of our community to protect our- selves and family members. Please be safe. R. C. Klipsch, Mayor of Peters- burg. In other Coronavirus-related matters, Mayor Klipsch urged residents to patronize their local businesses, especially the res- taurants. "If we don't, some of them may not survive this. I can't imagine having the government tell people to stay away from my business," said Klipsch. Indiana ordered restaurants and bars to close to the public and only do carryout or drive-thru as of yesterday. He also said whether or not they have their April public meetings is in doubt. Klipsch said they will have to see what happens. He said the State Board of Accounts has already notified Petersburg that Clerk-Treasurer Tammy Selby is allowed to go ahead and pay the bills. Normally, the council has City Hall closed to public Fire damages Winslow house A passerby in Winslow noticing smoke coming from a house prevented fire from spreading throughout a Winslow home last week. A fire that appears to have started in the kitchen of Jim and Tammy Warner's house at 106 Union St. was limited to the kitchen. Patoka Fire Chief Brandon Truitt said Elijah Parker was going by the Warner's house when he saw what he thought was heavy fog at first, but decided to stop and check on it. When he did, he saw it was smoke coming from the back of the house and called 911. Truitt said Conservation Officer Kendrick Fuhrman stopped and helped Parker spray wa- ter inside the house to try and control the fire. Winslow and Patoka fire units responded. They made entry in the rear of the house. Truitt said they found fire in the kitchen near the stove and knocked it out. Petersburg fire assisted with searching walls and ceilings for hidden fire, while Winslow ventilated the fire. Fire crews were on scene for about two hours. Lenten Day breakfasts cancelled The Men's and Women's Lenten Day breakfasts have been discontinued for the remainder of the schedule. The Petersburg Ministerial Association has held the Lenten breakfasts for sever- al years to raise funds for college scholar- ships given to seniors in their congrega- tions, and for the Clothe-A-Child campaign in December. COVID-19 fears drastically changing life in Pike Co. By Andy Heuring Nearly overnight, the fear of Coronavirus has changed life drastically for most peo- ple, in ways they have never experienced and to the extent that only world wars af- fected them. Currently in Indiana, there have been 30 cases confirmed, two deaths and 159 peo- ple tested as of midnight on Monday, which was the latest information available on Indi- ana Department of Health website. "Luckily, it isn't here yet. We don't have any confirmed cases or even any cases un- der investigation," said Pike County Health Nurse Amy Gladish on Monday. Health Officer Dr. Nathan Grow said Tuesday afternoon there weren't even any cases in surrounding counties. The closest counties in Indiana to have confirmed cases are Floyd County to the east and Bartholomew County to the north. Both of those have one case each. Still, the measures being taken started quickly last week. At noon on Wednesday, March 11, local nursing homes imposed a lockdown, not allowing visitors. On Friday, areas schools started closing their doors and switching to eLearning for the next three weeks. Pike County Schools were one of the last in southern Indiana to close. They intend to have students do eLearning this week. They will be on Spring break next week, and then return for another eLearning week until Monday, April 6. Other schools such as East Gibson and South Gibson will do eLearning until April 13. The schools were not mandated to close. However, out of 291 public school districts in Indiana, 273 have shut down the schools for eLearning and Spring Break. Otwell Miller Academy is one of only a handful to continue with regular classes. All Indiana High School Athletic Asso- ciation sporting events including the boys state basketball tourney have been post- poned until further notice. Not even Kaiser Wilhelm II or Adolf Hitler and their Ger- man armies were able stop the Indiana bas- ketball state tourney. It is the first time the boys tournament has been cancelled since it began in 1911. Originally, Indiana Governor Eric Hol- comb announced people should not be in groups of more than 250 people. Then lat- er Monday he reduced the number to 25 and eventually 10. He also ordered all restaurants and bars to close their dining-in facilities and only do carry-out or drive-thru on Monday. "It's horrible," said Cakes & Coffee own- er Randy Harris. "We were having a really good month and then they just cut us off at the knees," said Harris. He said they are offering carry-out, but added, "We have good food, but we are a social gathering place in downtown Peters- burg." He said many of his customers use the restaurant as a place to gather and vis- it while eating. The China Wok closed temporarily Tues- day night, saying their supplier has shut- down. They gave away food Tuesday after- noon and evening until they ran out. They had no definite reopening date. Several businesses are having their em- ployees work from home. The jolt to the system has sent the stock market into a wild roller coaster ride. In mid-February the Dow Jones average was above 29,000. It began large swing, drop- ping 1,300 and 1,800 in single days with a few big days gaining as much as 1,893 on alternate days. Monday it had its largest drop ever, falling more than 2,900 points. By Tuesday it made some of that back to close up 1,049 points at 21,237. People are being asked to self-quar- antine, especially if they are more than 60 -years-old or have underlying health con- ditions such as high blood pressure, diabe- Pike County Schools Superintendent Dr. Suzanne Blake is with Stacy Whitehead and Delores Henson, who helped prepare meals for students on free and reduced lunches. The meals will be available on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays while schools are not in session. How to cope with COVID-19 See page A-7