face masks

Friday St. Joseph County and South Bend leaders provided an update on an ever worsening situation with COVID-19 locally.

Dr. Mark Fox, Deputy Health Officer for St. Joseph County, says he expects the county will move into a "red" designation from the Indiana State Dept. of Health by the Wednesday after Thanksgiving. County Commissioner Andy Kostielney echoed that concern saying that he is also concerned about hospitals being able to provide care. 

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana lawmakers won’t be compelled to wear face masks as they meet next week at the Statehouse for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic was first sweeping across the country in March. The Legislature’s organizational meeting set for Tuesday will occur as the state’s rates for COVID-19 deaths and hospitalizations have soared in recent weeks and a statewide mask mandate issued by Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb has been in effect since July.

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Republicans who control the Michigan Legislature have spent about $542,000 suing Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer over her use of emergency powers during the coronavirus pandemic. The Senate and House released the figure to a liberal group, Progress Michigan, last week. It was the same day the state Supreme Court ruled against the governor in a similar lawsuit to the Legislature’s. The Whitmer administration has quickly reinstituted a mask requirement and gathering limits under a law that's not an issue in the legal challenges.

NEW:

The Elkhart County Health Board has rescheduled its meeting that abruptly ended this week for Sept. 29. The meeting will take place virtually at 7pm. A link will be available to the public on the Elkhart County website. 

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Discontent among some conservatives about Gov. Eric Holcomb's statewide mask mandate and other coronavirus restrictions poses a possible disruption to his reelection campaign. Some longtime reliable Republican voters complain Holcomb’s coronavirus orders have been “overbearing" and say they intend to support Libertarian candidate Donald Rainwater. Holcomb defends the mask order has helping keep the coronavirus spread in check.

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer says it doesn't make sense for Michigan to enforce coronavirus restrictions at President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign rallies and also points to people's constitutional rights. The Democrat has expressed safety concerns with thousands attending a Trump rally last week, calling it a potential superspreader event. Her order restricts outdoor gatherings to no more than 100, though there's an exception for political speech.

The Indiana State Department of Health reported 69 additional confirmed deaths over the last week, bringing the state’s total to 3,072. The state announced more than 93,000 total confirmed cases – including two days with more than 1,000 reported cases – and more than 1,065,000 Hoosiers tested.

The president-elect of the Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan says residents have to wear a mask inside businesses and police can step in to enforce it.

Beginning today Michigan residents must wear a face covering both inside stores and in crowded outdoor areas.

The Indiana State Department of Health reported 21 additional confirmed deaths since Tuesday, bringing the state’s total to 2,469. The state announced more than 46,000 total confirmed cases, with more than 496,000 Hoosiers tested.

NEW:

Today the LaGrange County Health Department announced that the Indiana State Dept. of Health will offer mobile COVID-19 testing in the county Thursday and Friday (June 18 and 19.)

More information is below. 

St. Joseph County Health Officer, Robert Einterz, MD, issued a Public Health Order Sunday night.