Local Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts and other volunteers are busy today preparing for the Memorial Day holiday by placing flags at local veterans graves.
Details On State Road 64 Work In Gibson County
GIBSON COUNTY, Ind. - The Indiana Department of Transportation announces a closure on State Road 64 in Princeton for a pavement rehabilitation project.
Beginning on or around Monday, June 1, contractors will close S.R. 64 from just west of Lyle's Station road to the business district in Princeton. During this project, crews will mill down and resurface the roadway.
During the project the road will be closed to through traffic. Access will be maintained for local residents, but all others should use the official detour following U.S. 41, S.R. 168 and S.R. 65. Work is expected to be complete by the end of July depending upon weather conditions.
INDOT urges drivers to slow down and stay alert near crews.
Judge Offers Updates On Mt. Carmel's Summer Favorites
At Monday’s Mt. Carmel City Council meeting, Mayor Joe Judge offered an update on two summertime favorites and whether they’ll be held in light of the pandemic. First, the outlook this summer for the city pool….
As for the other big event of the summer…
As for next week’s Memorial Day holiday, Judge said the brush harbor will be closed Saturday and Monday while City Hall will be closed on Monday of next week.
City Approves Using TIF Money To Help Building Of New Subway
The Mt. Carmel City Council has approved helping a Walnut Street restaurant with building a new location. The council approved $15,000 in TIF funds to help with the demolition of the Subway on Walnut Street. Once the current Subway and adjacent vacant space are demolished, the new Subway will be built on that site by R-HUB Investments. The dog grooming business on the north end of the structure will remain intact.
WGH Board Approves Proposal To Demolish Two Houses On 13th Street
The Wabash General Hospital Board of Directors has approved tearing down two 13th Street houses to make way for future expansion and development.
At their monthly meeting on Monday held via conference call, hospital President and CEO Karissa Turner said the homes located at 13th and College Drive and the one to the immediate west will be torn down at a cost of $52,403. She explained the demolition is part of a two phase plan.
The second phase, which the board did not act on Monday, calls for the demolition of the oncology building and the former Leonard Koger home on College Drive at a cost of $82,248.
Turner said even though the pandemic has slowed expansion plans at this point, tearing down the houses in phase one will prepare the 13th Street property when the building projects do move forward.
These two houses on 13th Street will be demolished as part of the WGH expansion project.
This house at 13th and College Drive will be demolished as part of the WGH expansion project.
The WGH Oncology building on College Drive would be demolished under Phase 2 of the plan.
The Koger House on College Drive would be demolished as part of Phase 2 of the project..
INDOT: Drive safely and plan ahead over Memorial Day weekend
INDIANA— While fewer drivers are expected to hit the road this Memorial Day weekend due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Indiana Department of Transportation wants to remind motorists to slow down and travel safely, especially in work zones. AAA predicts record low travel volumes across the U.S. with social distancing guidelines still in place. This follows the second-highest volume on record set last year at 43 million travelers.
In Indiana, residents are starting to get "Back on Track" as various businesses and services are reopening. Because of this, Hoosiers may experience increased traffic in some areas.
Construction hiatus
Where possible, road construction and maintenance activities will be suspended by noon on Friday, May 22. However, a number of restrictions and closures will remain in place due to long-term projects, including:
Northern Indiana
Lane closures on I-65 from U.S. 231/Crown Point to Ridge Road/Hobart
Lane closures on I-80/94 at I-65 interchange in Lake County
Multiple projects on I-469 with lane restrictions and reduced speeds in Allen County
Central Indiana
I-70 WB reduced to one lane between Exit 3 (Darwin Road) and the Illinois state line in Vigo County
Shifted lanes on I-70 EB between S.R. 267 and Ronald Reagan Parkway in Hendricks County
I-70 EB closed between Ronald Reagan Parkway and the South Split in Indianapolis
Lane closures on I-70 EB/WB between Mt. Comfort Road and the Ohio state line in Hancock, Henry and Wayne Counties
Southern Indiana
Bridge replacement on U.S. 41 over the White River between Knox and Gibson Counties
U.S. 41 NB to I-69 NB ramp closed in Evansville
Lane restrictions on I-69 NB/SB in Greene, Daviess and Vanderburgh Counties
Lane restrictions on S.R. 37 and S.R. 39 in Martinsville
Lane restrictions and shifts on I-65 NB/SB between Seymour and Columbus
U.S. 31 closed over I-65 in Jackson County (south of Seymour)
S.R. 256 closed between S.R. 203 and U.S. 31 in Scott County
Lane restrictions on I-74 EB/WB between Exit 156 (S.R. 101) and the Ohio state line in Ripley/Dearborn Counties
Know before you go
Drivers can learn more about existing work zones and other traffic alerts by visiting indot.carsprogram.org, dialing 1-800-261-ROAD (7623) or 511 from a mobile phone, or downloading the INDOT mobile app.
Subscribe to email and text alerts about INDOT projects here and be sure follow district pages on social media for the latest updates.
INDOT urges motorists to buckle up, follow posted speed limits, avoid distractions and allow extra time when traveling over the holiday weekend.
Pritzker Announces Updates to Phase 3 of Restore Illinois Plan
Chicago –Building on a robust, statewide effort to ensure Illinois can safely reopen and following the data, science, and guidance from public health experts and stakeholders across the state, Governor Pritzker announced updates to Phase 3 of the state’s Restore Illinois plan.
“We are by no means out of the woods, but directionally, things are getting better. And because of these advances, we are able to make some modifications to allow more activity during Phase 3 of our reopening plan Restore Illinois,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Our mission has always been to get people back to work, get students back to school and return to as much normalcy as possible without jeopardizing the health and safety of Illinoisans.”
In the coming days, the state and IDPH will be issuing formal industry-specific guidance, particularly around workplaces and childcare, for business owners and employees in these and other sectors.
Bars and Restaurants
With Phase 3, bars and restaurants will have the option to resume operations for outdoor seating only. Tables must be six feet apart and away from the sidewalks, masks and distancing measures for staff must continue to be followed, and other precautions and guidance will be issued.
These measures will allow restaurants to re-open at a risk comparable to other outdoor activities, while giving the state’s hospitality industry a much-needed boost.
Municipalities are encouraged to help restaurants and bars expand their outdoor seating options.
To date, the administration has delivered over $14 million in small business grants averaging $20,000 to 699 bars, restaurants, and hotels across 270 individual cities in Illinois.
Outdoor Activities
With the start of phase 3, all state parks will reopen on May 29. All concession will reopen as well under guidelines set for our retail and food service businesses in Phase 3. Illinois will permit the re-opening of indoor and outdoor tennis facilities with Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) safety precautions and capacity limits.
For golf, in Phase 3, courses can allow foursomes out on the same tee times. Carts will also be permitted with one person per cart, or one immediate household per cart.
With the new ten person gathering limit for all activities in Phase 3, boating or camping with up to ten people will be permitted.
The state will be providing guidance on how other outdoor recreational businesses, such as driving ranges, outdoor shooting ranges, and paintball courses can safely open their doors in Phase 3.
Health Clubs, Retail, and Personal Care Services
In Phase 3, health clubs, gyms, and fitness studios can provide one-on-one personal training in indoor facilities and outdoor fitness classes of up to ten people.
Personal care services, like nail salons, tattoo shops, hair braiders, spas and barbershops, can open with IDPH safety precautions and capacity limits.
And all retail stores can open their doors to in-person shopping with IDPH safety precautions and capacity limits in place.
Local governments retain the right to establish stricter restrictions in any areas.
“The Governor’s action to allow for expanded outdoor dining options will benefit many restaurants at a time when every dollar counts and provides a glimmer of light at the end of this long, COVID-19 tunnel. Innovative outdoor dining strategies extend a lifeline – restoring jobs and offering guests the hospitality experience they’ve been missing while prioritizing public health and safety. Outdoor dining will not help every restaurant, but it is a constructive step in the right direction,“ said Sam Toia, President & CEO of the Illinois Restaurant Association.
"The Allied Golf Associations of Illinois are grateful that we had the opportunity to collaborate with the Governor's office to propose safely lifting some of the restrictions that had been in place for golf. The Phase 3 changes will allow more people to enjoy the physical and mental benefits of the game, and do so in a way that is safe for both golfers and facility staff," said Carrie Williams, Executive Director of the Illinois PGA and Illinois PGA Foundation.
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Bailey Gets Kicked Out Of Illinois House After Refusing To Wear Face Mask
State Representative Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) was booted from the Illinois House on Wednesday after refusing to wear a face covering during the first of three House sessions.
The House vote to remove Bailey from session at the Bank of Springfield center Wednesday afternoon came after he refused to comply with a facial-covering requirement which had just been adopted in House rules.
In a bipartisan vote, the Illinois House adopted rules on Wednesday that included a requirement for members, staff members and visitors to the special session to wear a face-covering over their nose and mouth, if they are medically able to do so.
Democratic Rep. Chris Welch of Westchester made a motion to remove Bailey from the House proceedings after Bailey responded “I will not,” when he was asked to come into compliance with the face covering requirement in the newly-adopted rules. The House voted 81-27 in favor of Bailey’s removal.
“It’s time to put an end to this stuff and say enough is enough,” Bailey told reporters after being escorted out.
Asked about Bailey’s removal during his COVID-19 briefing, Pritzker called Bailey’s decision to “a callous disregard for life, callous disregard for people’s health.”
Prior to the vote on the new House rules, Representative Bailey said all of his recommendations for the new rules, dealing with transparency and accountability, were ignored. He then talked about the facemask rule.
IDPH Misdemeanor Rule Is Withdrawn
The Governor’s office has withdrawn a controversial rule that could have imposed a misdemeanor to Illinois businesses that open in defiance of the stay at home order.
The move by the Governor’s office was seen as a way to avoid a confrontation with the state’s Republicans and some Democrats who were upset over the executive decision.
Republican Rep. Tom Demmer says during the JCAR meeting they are done with the issue for now.
Legislation could be pending that might include harsher penalties for businesses
ignoring the order. That would have to be voted on by lawmakers.
The House and Senate are in session through Friday.
Illinois Sheriff's Association continues to push back on Pritzker order
The Illinois Sheriff’s Association is pushing back against Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s threat to withhold federal funding for areas where local officials refuse to enforce his executive orders. The governor’s stay-at-home rules say no area of the state is ready to reopen in May and restaurants are banned from offering dine-in service through June. The orders were imposed to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Jefferson County Sheriff Jeff Bullard says the rules are not law. He says when Gov. Pritzker brought this emergency rule into place to allow for a possible misdemeanor to be issued to businesses not following a public health order, he eliminated due process.
Sheriffs in Kane, Kendall, Grundy, Douglas, Ogle, and Hancock counties have all recently announced they will not use their deputies to enforce Pritzker’s orders.
However, Sheriff Bullard says if a restaurant or non-essential business chose to defy the Governor’s order, they could face ramifications that even local law enforcement and local government could not protect them from even though they are not enforcing the executive orders.