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VANDERBURGH COUNTY FELONY CHARGES

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 Below are the felony cases to be filed by the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office today.

Teena Renee Bartlett: Theft (Level 6 Felony)

Donald Ray Brigham Jr.: Unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon (Level 4 Felony), Resisting law enforcement (Level 6 Felony), Criminal recklessness (Level 6 Felony), Theft of a firearm (Level 6 Felony), Resisting law enforcement (Class A misdemeanor), Leaving the scene of an accident (Class B misdemeanor), Operating a motor vehicle without ever receiving a license (Class C misdemeanor), Reckless driving (Class C misdemeanor), Disregarding stop sign (C infraction), Disregarding automatic signal (C infraction)

Antwion D. Daniels: Carrying a handgun without a license (Level 5 Felony), Dealing in marijuana (Class A misdemeanor), Possession of marijuana (Class A misdemeanor)

Michael D. Jewell: Possession of methamphetamine (Level 4 Felony)

Destiny May Glover: Invasion of privacy (Level 6 Felony)

David Allen Townsend: Operating a motor vehicle after forfeiture of license for life (Level 5 Felony)

Trepan David John Williams: Criminal trespass (Level 6 Felony)

Jeffrey D. Waltman: Strangulation (Level 6 Felony), Domestic battery (Class A misdemeanor)

AG Curtis Hill: Be wary of work-from-home scams during coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic

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Attorney General Curtis Hill today warned Hoosiers to beware of work-from-home scams during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

“Fraudsters have long tried to make money by offering bogus work-from-home opportunities,” Attorney General Hill said. “Typically, these scammers lure would-be victims to spend money up front by falsely promising future earnings.”

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reports that many fraudsters are currently using illegal robocalls to make such pitches. Work-from-home scams might also come via emails, websites or print publications. Learn more at the FTC website.

“Obviously, people are particularly susceptible to these kinds of tactics during the current health crisis,” Attorney General Hill said, “when many individuals are already staying home and sometimes facing layoffs or job uncertainties.”

Anyone receiving an automated call from an unknown source offering a work-from-home opportunity is best-advised to hang up immediately, Attorney General Hill said.

Common “opportunities” supposedly available include starting an internet business, stuffing envelopes, craftwork, rebate processing, medical billing, undercover shopping/dining, or illegitimate multilevel marketing.

The FTC’s Business Opportunity Rule requires many sellers of work-from-home opportunities to supply a one-page disclosure that identifies the seller; certain legal actions involving the seller; refund and cancellation policies; a separate earnings claim statement (if making specific promises about how much one might earn); and a list of references. These disclosures are required seven days before an offeree signs a contract or makes any payments.

If a seller offers a disclosure, one should review it closely and independently research the company. One should consider asking specific questions about the job duties; the nature and frequency of compensation; and any costs that the at-home worker is expected to pay in advance.

Go online to report any suspected scams to the Consumer Protection Division of the Office of the Indiana Attorney General. If you need additional information regarding the Office’s Consumer Protection Division, please call 1-800-382-5516.

Michael Meador Charged With Possession, Transportation, Delivery Of A Destructive Device (L5) And Booked Into The Vanderburgh County Confinement Center

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On March 25, 2020, Evansville Police Department officers were dispatched to 1825 Conlin Avenue in reference to check welfare. The caller reported Michael Meador had made a statement that he wanted to die with all his children. The caller stated they were concerned with Meador`s health and mental state and had information that Meador was in possession of an explosive from a former military friend and that the explosive was located in his backpack which was inside the residence.  

When officers arrived at the address, Meador was located in the driveway of the home. Meador advised the officers he had simulator explosives in a backpack inside the home. They were described by him as large fireworks.  Once it was determined there was an explosive device in the home all the residents were taken out of the home and moved down the street. The Evansville Police Department Hazardous Device Unit (HDU) was called to the scene to investigate.  HDU officers located the backpack and recovered four devices inside.  

Meador advised HDU that his wife and three children recently drove to Florida for vacation. He said that he got into an argument with his wife and she left Florida and returned home to Colorado. Meador stayed in Florida with his three children.  At a later time, he began driving back to Colorado. Meador stated he stopped at a military friend’s home in Georgia and his friend gave him the explosive devices. Meador advised he transported the devices from Georgia to Indiana in the bed of his truck. He stopped in Evansville to visit his family and planned on continuing back to Colorado. 

The devices located included three military-ordnance burst charges and one military-use smoke grenade. Possession of these types of explosive devices pose a danger when not handled properly, are not generally found outside the military and illegal to possess across the country. The Evansville Police Department takes finding these devices seriously; our professional Hazardous Devices Unit is charged with removing such items when called upon. The suspect was charged with Possession of a Destructive Device. If you are aware of items like these in the (illegal) possession of others, please report them to law enforcement by calling 911 or the WeTip line at 1-800-782-7463.  

Meador was charged with Possession, Transportation, Delivery of a Destructive Device (L5) and booked into the Vanderburgh County Confinement Center.  

Gov. Holcomb Signs Executive Order in Fight Against COVID-19

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Governor Eric J. Holcomb today signed a new executive order in a continuing effort to slow the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Click here to see the executive order: https://www.in.gov/gov/2384.htm

 

Gov. Holcomb outlined these new additional efforts in the executive order:

 

  • The Department of Workforce Development (DWD) has suspended the one-week waiting period that is required before paying unemployment benefits to allow claimants to receive their checks more quickly. The suspension is retroactive to March 8, 2020.
  • Hoosiers with chronic health issues will be able to receive a 90-day supply of their non-controlled prescription medication, such as insulin or cholesterol medications.
  • Medicaid recipients can use their benefits to cover costs of using alternate forms of transportation, such as ride-sharing services, for appointments to see their healthcare providers.
  • The Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) has additional funding flexibility to allow for additional home delivery of meals.
  • The Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF) has extended deadlines related to local government finances.

 

Click here to download public service announcements (PSAs) recorded by the state for your use: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/egf210ognxxyx4h/AADYd7E-tBn7P6gtiLSZUiVBa?dl=0

 

More information may be found at the ISDH website at coronavirus.in.gov and the CDC website at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.

 

Gov. Holcomb to Provide Updates in the Fight Against COVID-19

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INDIANAPOLIS – Gov. Eric J. Holcomb, the Indiana State Department of Health and other state leaders will host a media briefing Thursday to provide updates on COVID-19 and its impact on Indiana.

 

WHO:             Gov. Holcomb

State Health Commissioner Kristina Box, M.D., FACOG

 

WHEN:           2:30 p.m., Thursday, March 26

 

WHERE:         Indiana Statehouse

South Atrium

200 W. Washington St.

Indianapolis, IN 46204

 

A mult box will be provided. Two microphones will be set up on stands for reporters to ask questions. A live stream will be available. Direct Link: https://livestream.com/accounts/18256195/events/9054752/player?width=960&height=540&enableInfoAndActivity=true&defaultDrawer=feed&autoPlay=true&mute=false

VANDERBURGH COUNTY ARREST WARRANTS

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Vanderburgh County Arrest Warrants

VANDERBURGH COUNTY REENT BOOKING RECORDS

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https://www.vanderburghsheriff.com/jail-recent-booking-records.aspx

BREAKING NEWS: Senate Passes Massive $2 Trillion Coronavirus Spending Bill

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Senate Passes Massive $2 Trillion Coronavirus Spending Bill

Among other things, the legislation boosts unemployment insurance, sends checks to many Americans and bars Trump from receiving any aid.
By Lauren Egan, Rebecca Shabad, Dartunorro Clark, Julie Tsirkin and Alex Moe

WASHINGTON — The Senate overwhelmingly passed a massive stimulus package late Wednesday night meant to soften the economic blow of the coronavirus pandemic for American workers and businesses.

The bill includes billions of dollars in credit for struggling industries, a significant boost to unemployment insurance and direct cash payments to Americans. The fate of the bill now rests with the House, which House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said would not vote until Friday.

A small group of senators opposed to an unemployment funding provision for out-of-work Americans in the $2 trillion bill failed to get enough support for a change, clearing the way for the Senate to pass the emergency measure aimed at propping up an economy severely wounded by the coronavirus pandemic.

The amendment, offered by Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., did not reach the 60 vote threshold. It failed 48-48 largely along party lines.

The final vote was passed 96-0.

“At last, we have a deal. After days of intense discussions, the Senate has reached a bipartisan agreement on a historic relief package for this pandemic,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., announced from the Senate floor shortly before 2 a.m. on Wednesday. “In effect, this is a wartime level of investment for our nation.”

House Democratic leaders said that they need to see bill text and review the package before deciding whether to take it up or when.

“The Senate is going to stand together, act together, and pass this historic relief package today,” he said, addressing the chamber around noon on Wednesday. “Struggling Americans are going to go to their mailboxes and find four-figure checks to help with their bills. Why? Because the Senate stepped up.”

Shortly afterward, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said on the Senate floor, “Help is on the way, big help.”

Earlier Wednesday, Schumer said that while the bill was “far from perfect,” it had “improved significantly to warrant its quick consideration and passage.”

Overnight, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin told reporters that President Donald Trump would “absolutely” sign it if Congress passes it.

Trump praised the legislation at the White House coronavirus briefing Wednesday night.

“I encourage the House to pass this vital legislation and send the bill to my desk for a signature without delay. I will sign it immediately,” Trump said.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said in a statement Wednesday morning that the legislation “takes us a long way down the road in meeting the needs of the American people,” but she did not say whether or how the House would take up the legislation if the Senate passes it.

House Democrats would review the provisions of the measure “to determine a course of action,” she said.

She told CNN in an appearance Wednesday that once the Senate passes the bill, Hoyer would give members 24 hours notice that the bill will be on the floor and give them a chance to review it. Pelosi said she believes she has the votes to pass it once it reaches the floor.

“I believe that at that time, one option we will not have is unanimous consent because there are those who might object to that but we can take a voice vote and if someone calls for a recorded vote, we are prepared to go in that direction as well,” she said.

The speaker told PBS NewsHour on Wednesday that if there is an objection, there is a plan in place where members could safely participate on the floor in debate and in voting.

Although the full text of the bill is not yet known, lawmakers indicated Tuesday that it would include the initial GOP proposal for direct cash payments to Americans.

Under the plan, people making up to $75,000 a year are expected to receive checks for $1,200. Couples making up to $150,000 would receive $2,400, with an additional $500 per child. The new agreement removed the phased-in provision that would have excluded lower-income Americans from receiving the full benefit.

The payments would decrease for those making more than $75,000, with an income cap of $99,000 per individual or $198,000 for couples.

“Our expectation is within three weeks we will have direct payments out,” Mnuchin said at the White House briefing.

The bill is also expected to include roughly $100 billion in assistance for hospitals; $350 billion in assistance to small businesses; $500 billion in aid for corporations, including airline companies and cruise lines, that have been hurt by the outbreak; and about $150 billion for state and local stimulus funds.

Unemployment insurance would also be significantly bolstered for four months by increasing payments and extending the benefit to those who typically do not qualify, such as gig economy workers, furloughed employees and freelancers. Specifically, the bill would increase the maximum unemployment benefit that a state gives to a person by $600 per week and according to Schumer, “ensures that laid-off workers, on average, will receive their full pay for four months.”

The agreement also would prohibit businesses controlled by Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, members of Congress and heads of executive departments from receiving loans or investments from Treasury programs.

The White House first pitched a stimulus plan to Senate Republicans early last week and then McConnell introduced the Republican proposal last Thursday, giving lawmakers less than a week to negotiate a deal, draft legislative text and vote on a package.

Negotiations, however, came to a head over how much additional unemployment insurance should be extended, as well as aid for distressed corporations. Democrats, specifically, opposed what they called a $500 billion “slush fund” for big corporations, but the final deal includes oversight measures for that money. Schumer said the initial Republican plan would not have dedicated enough money to hospitals, and he called for a “Marshall Plan” for the health care system.

Senators, along with representatives from the White House, huddled in the Capitol over the weekend and early this week to hammer out a deal.

Legislation rarely moves this rapidly in Washington, especially a bill of this size. But both parties appeared motivated to act quickly as unemployment numbers continue to rise and more businesses are forced to close their doors.

Tensions flared earlier in the week as the White House and Republican leadership fell short of their goal to have a bill on the president’s desk by Monday.

Democratic leaders in the House, whose members are at home in their districts, are now deciding how they will vote on the bill. Two members announced last week that they had been diagnosed with the coronavirus, forcing a handful of their colleagues who had been in close contact to self-isolate for the recommended two weeks. House leadership was exploring voting by unanimous consent and other alternatives before the deal was announced.

On Sunday, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., announced that he had also been diagnosed with the coronavirus, sending some colleagues who had been in close contact with him during negotiations over the weekend back home to self-quarantine.

The spending package is now the third round of emergency legislation that Congress has approved to combat the outbreak. Lawmakers approved an $8.3 billion bill for health agencies and a roughly $100 billion bill aimed at providing free coronavirus testing, some paid leave and unemployment benefits, as well as additional Medicaid funding and food assistance.

TOP STATE CORONAVIRUS NEWS FROM PEW/STATELINE NEWS

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TOP STATE CORONAVIRUS NEWS FROM PEW/STATELINE NEWS

NY: Surge in New York City leads to quarantine warning

nytimes.com

White House officials expressed growing alarmed about the coronavirus outbreak in New York City, advising people who have passed through or left the city to enter a 14-day quarantine. Officials warned that the outbreak could reach its peak in New York City much sooner than expected and said they had begun treating the region as a coronavirus hot zone.

OR: Oregon governor: Trump’s economic aims don’t negate stay-at-home order

oregonlive.com

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, a Democrat, said that President Donald Trump’s desire to scale back social distancing measures to benefit the economy will not overrule the stay-at-home order she has issued.

MD: Maryland begins turning convention center into a makeshift hospital

baltimoresun.com

Maryland is preparing to create a makeshift field hospital at the 1-million-square-foot Baltimore Convention Center, part of an effort to add 6,000 beds statewide ahead of an anticipated surge of patients.

MA: Massachusetts launches coronavirus text message alert system

cbslocal.com

Republican Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker said people can text “COVIDMA” to 888777 to sign up. They will receive one or two alerts a day about news, updates, public health tips and alerts on services.

KY: Person who attended coronavirus party just tested positive, Kentucky governor says

whas11.com

Kentucky’s Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear shared his frustration that some aren’t taking social distancing seriously.

FL: National Guard called for new Florida airport screenings

miamiherald.com

Florida National Guard will be deployed at Miami and Fort Lauderdale airports to collect information from visitors coming off flights from New York City, asking for the Florida address where they will self-isolate for 14 days.  Republican Gov. Rick DeSantis ordered self-isolation for anyone arriving in Florida from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

VA: Virginia governor says the crisis will go on for two or three months

richmond.com

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, a Democrat, said he expects the state to be actively grappling with COVID-19 for at least the next few months, pushing back on comments by President Donald Trump about reopening the country by Easter, April 12.

CO: Colorado provides emergency child care for workers on front lines

denverpost.com

An effort to provide care for the children of hospital staff and emergency responders in Colorado kicked off with around 900 children linked up with nearby child care providers. The initiative covers a small slice of the tens of thousands of children estimated to need care so their parents can work at essential jobs during the coronavirus pandemic.

More Coronavirus News

NJ,NY: ICE detainees in New Jersey, New York ask courts for release

nj.com

Different legal groups and individual attorneys have separately asked judges in New York and New Jersey federal courts to immediately release their clients, pointing to corrections officers and a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainee who recently tested positive for the new coronavirus.

LA: ‘Thanks, but no thanks’: Louisiana hospitals are turning away homemade face masks

nola.com

The coronavirus crisis and its corresponding drain on Louisiana’s medical supplies have created an altruistic cottage industry in New Orleans, as citizens turn to their sewing machines to produce surgical masks. But the Center for Disease Control guidelines stipulates that “homemade masks should be used as … [a] last resort.”

MS: Mississippi governor: Abortions must be canceled during coronavirus pandemic

clarionledger.com

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, a Republican, promised to take action against the state’s lone abortion clinic if it continues to provide abortions during the coronavirus pandemic.

CA: You can still get a parking ticket in California capital. Here’s why.

sacbee.com

With more Californians working at home, it’s vital that garbage pickup takes place, officials say. And if that means moving your car on a trash day, that means moving your car on a trash day.

CT: Connecticut courts ponder the release of low-risk inmates

courant.com

State and federal courts in Connecticut have begun slowly releasing small numbers of prison and jail inmates vulnerable to complications from infection while defense lawyers try to accelerate the process to avoid what some fear is an approaching health crisis in the prison systems.

DE: Laid-off Delaware restaurant workers could get $500

delawareonline.com

The Delaware Restaurant Association has formed a relief fund that will provide direct cash to restaurant workers following a state order to shut down dining room service. The goal is to raise $1 million and provide $500 grants to as many qualifying displaced workers as possible.

AR: Arkansas pot delivery set to grow

katv.com

A growing number of medical marijuana dispensaries in Arkansas have expressed an interest in delivery service as more people stay home during the coronavirus pandemic, according to the state Department of Finance and Administration.

MN: Minnesotan’s storm liquor stores, and an ‘essential’ debate emerges

startribune.com

Minnesotans stormed the state’s liquor stores over the past week, leaving some in complete disarray as shoppers stocked up in the face of coronavirus. Now, drinkers and distributors alike wonder: If Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, orders Minnesotans to “shelter in place,” will the places that sell beer, wine and liquor get to stay open as “essential services”?

VA: Virginia offers flexibility so high school seniors can still graduate

richmond.com

In light of the decision by Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, a Democrat, to shutter school buildings for the remainder of the academic year, seniors who were on track to earn a diploma will be able to graduate.

TN: Sanitizer, toilet paper, and AR-15s: Tennesseans snap up guns and ammo

tennessean.com

With job losses and disrupted income streams fueling anxieties locally and globally, many Tennesseans are evaluating their means of protection.

OK: Oklahoma governor tightens restrictions but stops short of medical groups’ requests

tulsaworld.com

GOP Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt declined to issue a statewide shelter-in-place order sought by several medical organizations. The governor instead issued a “safer at home” order requiring all “vulnerable populations” to stay at home until April 30, except for essential travel such as trips to the grocery store or pharmacy.

TX: Crisis shuttering needed daycare centers in Texas

texastribune.org

Parents in Texas pulled their kids from daycare, and thousands have closed. But essential workers like nurses, police officers and grocery store clerks desperately need safe places to leave their children.

MO: Missouri loosens testing criteria

stltoday.com

Missouri state health officials loosened the criteria for getting tested for COVID-19 this week following weeks of complaints that tight guidelines meant few sick people were eligible. The state said health care professionals should now use their judgment in deciding whom to test.

AL: Alabama governor: No current plans for statewide ‘shelter-in-place’ order

al.com

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, a Republican, said there are no current plans for a statewide “shelter-in-place” order because of the coronavirus pandemic. Ivey said state officials are trying to strike the balance between protecting public health and stressing the need for people to return to work.

GA: Georgia to mail absentee ballot request forms to all active voters

ajc.com

All of Georgia’s 6.9 million active voters will be mailed absentee ballot request forms for the May 19 primary, a major push to encourage voting by mail during the coronavirus pandemic, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger announced.

LA: Louisiana parishes suspend meal distribution after governor’s ‘stay at home’ coronavirus order

nola.com

Grab-and-go meal distribution programs in Louisiana parishes have been suspended due to the “stay-at-home” order Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards issued.

UT: Utah restaurants pressure government for help

sltrib.com

Utah restaurant owners want the governor’s help to require insurance companies to pay for how the pandemic has interrupted their businesses. Supporters of the idea say these “business interruption claims” would rapidly infuse cash into Utah’s hurting economy, letting restaurants pay workers and then open dine-in options later without having to absorb heavy losses.

NM: New Mexico halts eviction cases

koat.com

The New Mexico Supreme Court ordered a temporary halt to eviction proceedings for inability to pay rent. Under the court’s order, tenants will have to provide evidence that they cannot pay their rent.

CO: Colorado public transit operator considers service cuts

denverpost.com

Since March, ridership in the Regional Transportation District — which provides bus, rail and light rail transit services to Denver and surrounding cities in Colorado — has plummeted by about 70%. That has delivered a new budget hit for the agency even as services remain vital for plenty of lower-income workers and residents.

NV: Nevada election officials plan mail-in only election

thenevadaindependent.com

Nevada election officials are planning to effectively cancel in-person voting and move the state’s primary election on June 9 to mail ballots only in the wake of the coronavirus crisis gripping the nation, two knowledgeable sources confirmed. In the 2018 general election, only about 9 percent of ballots were cast through the mail or absentee.

WA: Washington waives job search requirements for unemployment benefits

seattletimes.com

The Washington State Employment Security Department announced that workers affected by the coronavirus pandemic won’t be required to be actively searching for a job in order to qualify for unemployment benefits.

AZ: Arizona mayors slam edict keeping golf courses open

apnews.com

Municipal leaders criticized Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, a Republican, over his decision to classify some businesses like golf courses as “essential” during the coronavirus pandemic. Mayors also requested a statewide moratorium on evictions and foreclosures.

CO: Colorado officials ask people applying for unemployment benefits to do so on certain days

denverpost.com

Colorado’s unemployment insurance application system is so overloaded, state labor officials are asking applicants to only apply on certain days at certain times based on their last name in hopes that will break up the logjam.

PA: Pennsylvania lawmakers gather at Capitol despite remote voting and calls for ‘social distancing’

spotlightpa.org

Despite emergency measures to allow Pennsylvania lawmakers to vote remotely and avoid contact with one another, many in the state House did not heed health officials’ calls to stay home and gathered for their first session focused on the coronavirus.

VT: Vermont schools set up delivery services to get food to families

vpr.org

When Republican Gov. Phil Scott ordered Vermont schools to close, one of the first concerns was how kids would get school meals.

NH: New Hampshire governor says shelter-in-place order not necessary

nhpr.org

Republican Gov. Chris Sununu says a mandatory shelter-in-place order is not necessary at this time in New Hampshire because many people are already limiting their travel. But he said today he may have to take stronger action as the coronavirus spreads. He is prohibiting gatherings of more than 10 people.

WY: Wyoming city urges people not to flush their sanitizing wipes

laramieboomerang.com

Jackson, Wyoming’s wastewater treatment director reminded people that sanitizing wipes should not end up in the town’s sewage.

IA: Iowa officials defend not issuing statewide shelter-in-place

desmoinesregister.com

Iowa officials defended not issuing a statewide shelter-in-place order as not necessary at this stage of the coronavirus pandemic. Several other states, including Illinois directly to the east, have issued those orders to limit residents from leaving their homes except out of necessity.

NC: North Carolina stands out for no deaths so far

newsobserver.com

North Carolina, the ninth-most populous state in the country, stood out Tuesday for having no deaths from COVID-19.

Coronavirus in Prisons

‘Thanks, But No Thanks’: Hospitals Are Turning Away Homemade Face Masks Amid Coronavirus

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‘Thanks, But No Thanks’: Hospitals Are Turning Away Homemade Face Masks Amid Coronavirus

BY DOUG MACCASH | STAFF WRITER

New Orleans Advocate

The coronavirus crisis and its corresponding drain on medical supplies have created an altruistic cottage industry in the Crescent City, as creative citizens turn to their sewing machines to produce homemade surgical masks for hospital workers and others facing the contagion close up.

But while the masks are turning up in some area institutions, many are declining the gift.

At the LCMC Health group of New Orleans hospitals – including Children’s, Touro, West Jefferson, New Orleans East, and University Medical Center — the masks aren’t being accepted.

“We certainly appreciate the community’s generosity and care, and their efforts to sew surgical masks to those of us working in healthcare,” said LCMC spokesman Dr. Jeff Elder, an emergency room physician at University Medical Center. But the masks aren’t needed now, he said.

Elsewhere the homemade masks have made it onto hospital floors.

“I started small,” said a nurse at a medium-sized area hospital who asked not to be identified because she is not authorized to speak publicly, “I gave out about 40 so far.”

The anonymous nurse said the cloth masks, which were made by a friend, were welcome considering the short supply of disposable paper masks at the hospital. But, she explained, the paper masks and homemade masks could only be worn while interacting with “standard precautions patients” — not with coronavirus patients.

Treating patients with coronavirus requires a special respirator mask that must be covered with a single-use paper mask. The homemade cloth masks could be laundered, ironed and reused until the shortage of paper masks was resolved, she said.

There’s “been no official word” from that hospital’s supervisors about the use of the masks, she said.

A spokesperson for the Ochsner Health System said the chain of hospitals and clinics is following the Center for Disease Control guidelines, which stipulate that “homemade masks should be used as an effort of last resort.”

CDC regulations do not consider homemade masks an official form of “personal protective equipment,” the Ochsner spokesperson explained.

“We’re blown away and truly humbled by the offers of donations and support from our community,” she wrote, but at this point, the hospital group “has a sufficient supply of personal protective equipment.”

The word that the masks might not be as useful as hope is beginning to spread. Some mask-makers believe the grass-root mask-making will benefit first responders and even grocery clerks, even if the CDC considers them a last resort.

Several popular Facebook groups have popped up over the past few days to allow mask-makers to swap tips and organize the distribution of their creations. Members of the Merry Antoinettes, a Mardi Gras marching group, have begun producing homemade masks, which they drop off at collection points in several neighborhoods.

The Christwood Retirement Community in Covington has purchased five sewing machines so that residents can volunteer to produce masks.

Jo-Ann fabrics stores are offering free do-it-yourself “care packages” with enough thread, fabric and elastic to make five masks. The stores also act as drop-off points for the masks. Artist-activist Katrina Brees, known for her fabric sculptures and costumes, has begun recycling her “old linens” into masks.

“Working with your hands can be a calming activity,” said Penny Wyatt a Tulane University employee, who has produced 10 masks from patterns she’s found on the Internet. “It gives you a place to channel your frustration or concern into something positive.”

Wyatt said the sewing masks are like knitting socks for soldiers in World War II.

“You say, ‘Finally, there’s something I can do to help,’” she said,” while we’re stuck at home and we need to remain at home.”

 

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