The “Reopen Evansville Task Force” Continues Its Work As COVID-19 Cases Increase

1) Testing – The city of Evansville worked with Governor Holcomb to open a free testing site at CK Newsome Center. Since July 6th, approximately 130 people per day are being tested. Anyone can be tested, although an appointment is recommended. To register, simply go to https://lhi.care/covidtesting. The testing site is open Monday – Friday from 8 am to 8 pm and will be in place until the end of August.

2) Food Security – The Task Force has supplied Feed Evansville with over 8,000 cloth face masks that continue to be distributed on Mondays when 6,000 food/dairy boxes a week are provided to anyone in need. In addition, the Task Force secured a refrigerated truck capable of storing produce/dairy and allowing for deliveries to be made throughout the entire week. A Food Summit will be held on August 26th for all area organizations that distribute food or operate a food pantry/bank. The goal of the Food Summit is to better organize community efforts and avoid duplication to maximize resources.

3) Medical Advisory Group & Face Masks – Medical professionals from Deaconess, Ascension St. Vincent, and the Health Department continue to meet with event organizers and provide guidance to the city and county leadership. The recent face mask order issued by Mayor Winnecke was a result of recommendations by the group, as well as the Evansville-Vanderburgh School Corporation.

4) Public Awareness – The Task Force has participated in the #MaskUpHoosiers campaign and produced several videos locally. Providing news updates and explaining current regulations, restrictions, and information is important to keep the public engaged.

Mayor Winnecke’s Mask Order Explained – https://youtu.be/vXNsOkdAS5w

Deputy Mayor Schaefer in “Mask On. Mask Off.” – https://youtu.be/Po2rfH_jE2A

“Mask On. Mask Off.” Video #2 – https://youtu.be/XH2vHRMP94M

5) Business Assistance – Over the past few months, various programs have distributed funds to local businesses. These funding sources include PPP, NRSA & CDBG and are administered by the Small Business Development Center. In the near future, the Task Force will provide more details on the funding that has been distributed to ensure transparency in the process. In addition to the temporary outdoor dining program that was established, the city also recently worked with downtown businesses to establish dedicated ” curbside spaces for easy access for customers.

I’ll also forward you the press release sent out today regarding the moratorium on utility shut-offs. The city has developed a program for over 2,600 customers to become current on their utility bills over a 6 month time period and identified several assistance programs.