Valley coronavirus updates: School lunches, YSU, MetroParks changes
As testing for novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, confirms more suspected cases of the virus in Ohio, state and local officials are preparing for increasingly isolated communities and working to keep critical social programs afloat.
Local leaders in the Mahoning Valley are urging residents to stay home, and warning that big changes to daily life in the Valley are very likely in the near term. Lack of local testing for coronavirus continues to be a big concern among local health officials, who say there are simply not enough tests available.
Here's everything you need to know about the latest closures and cancellations in the area, as well as other important developments:
MAHONING COUNTY
YOUNGSTOWN
• Youngstown State University is suspending in-person classes for the remainder of the semester. All on-campus courses will be delivered remotely for the remainder of the spring semester starting March 23, according to a release from President Jim Tressel. The university is currently preparing "alternative instruction delivery methods." The university's spring semester schedule has changed:
- March 9-15: Spring break
- March 16-22: Extended spring break; no classes except for regular, fully online courses
- March 23 to the end of the semester: Spring semester classes resume with remote instruction; students do not come to campus.
• Many restaurants, including those holding St. Patrick's Day celebrations, remain open, though they say they are taking precautions to limit crowds and keep gatherings under 100 people after a directive from Gov. Mike DeWine.
• The Youngstown City School District will provide bagged breakfasts and lunches during the three-week state-mandated school closure. The closure begins Tuesday as an attempt to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus. School is in regular session Monday, and students also will be given their schoolwork and assignments for the three weeks they won't be in school. On Monday, each student will receive bagged breakfasts and lunches for two days. After that, the school district will have mobile food distribution on school buses at designated bus stops twice weekly throughout the closure. The locations of the designated stops will be announced next week.
• Mercy Health — Youngstown is restricting visitors from visiting any patients currently in St. Elizabeth Boardman, St. Elizabeth Youngstown and St. Joseph Warren hospitals. This also includes Mercy Health's long-term care sites, which include Humility House, The Assumption Village and Marian Assisted Living Center. Exceptions will be considered based on specific needs and circumstances such as end-of-life, mother/baby and pediatric patients. For more information on visitor restrictions and Mercy Health-related COVID-19 information, go to www.mercy.com.
• The Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County plans to stay open at least through end-of-business on Tuesday (March 17) in order to "facilitate school wind-down and the primary election," unless instructed by the state to close, according to a Friday release. Three branches are also polling places: Boardman, East and Newport. The library branches' hours of operation will not change, except for the Campbell Library Express, which has closed and will remain closed until Campbell schools reopen.
• Mill Creek MetroParks is canceling all previously scheduled programs, events, lectures and facility rentals through at least April 5. It also is closing several indoor public facilities through at least April 5. If a registration fee or rental fee was paid, a full refund will be processed. Beginning Friday (March 13), the following Mill Creek MetroParks indoor locations will be closed to the public: MetroParks Farm Education Building and Animal Barns; D.D. & Velma Davis Education and Visitors Center; all pavilions, cabins and reservable shelters; Yellow Creek Lodge; Lanterman's Mill; and Wick Warming House. All Mill Creek MetroParks outdoor locations will remain open. As a designated polling location, McMahon Hall at the Mill Creek MetroParks Farm will be open to the public March 17 for voting.
• The Diocese of Youngstown announced Friday that Catholic bishops in Ohio are encouraging church members not to attend Mass for the weekends of March 14-15, 21-22 and 28-29. Gov. Mike Dewine issued an order Thursday banning mass gatherings of 100 people or more to help limit the spread of the coronavirus. Despite religious gatherings being excluded from the order, Ohio bishops are cooperating out of concern for the common good and everyone's physical and spiritual well-being, according to a news release.
• The Youngstown Area Jewish Federation has canceled or postponed existing programs that include large gatherings. However, the Jewish Community Center building and the Early Learning Center at the Jewish Community Center will remain open. For closure information about specific classes and programs, call the JCC at 330-746-3251.
• The Butler Institute of American Art has canceled or postponed all events and programs scheduled for March and April. The museum will also be closed from March 16 to 31, but will remain open to the public through the weekend. Only one of the museum's events was postponed: A meet-the-artist reception for "Life Examined: The Impressionistic Realism of Sam Rosenthal," which will be rescheduled for a date yet to be determined. All others were canceled until further notice.
• The Youngstown Symphony Society, owner and operator of the DeYor Performing Arts Center, will cease performances and events scheduled at DeYor until further notice. For updates, visit www.youngstownsymphony.com.
• The Mahoning County Democratic Party's 2020 Hall of Fame Dinner and Induction Ceremony, scheduled for March 26, has been postponed. Chairwoman Joyce Kale-Pesta said, "We will reschedule the event as soon as we can and inform everyone on the new date."
• Youngstown City School District's Visual and Performing Arts Department's district-wide art show set for the end of March into April and the 5 p.m. art reception set for April 2 at the main branch of the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County have been canceled. The VPA Unity Project exhibit has been delivered and will continue to be on display at the main library from March 18 through April 8.
• Youngstown Promise Neighborhoods will begin distribution of 25 coronavirus prevention kits on Monday, March 16 at 10 a.m. at their location at 3025 South Ave., Youngstown. The kits, including information, hand sanitizer, tissues and other items, will be distributed to local residents on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last. YPN is also accepting donations including new household items like toliet paper and cleaning supplies to assist local families.
• The Mahoning Valley Historical Society has canceled all programming scheduled at the Tyler History Center and the Arms Family Museum, both in Youngstown, starting March 14 and running through April 3, 2020. Both facilities will be temporarily closed during regular hours through April 3.
TRUMBULL COUNTY
CORTLAND
• St. Robert Catholic Church's rummage sale and CHOW Quiz Night have been canceled. All CCD and Youth Ministry sessions have been canceled through April 5.
WARREN
• The 55-year-old Warren man who was the first Valley man to be diagnosed with the new coronavirus told the Warren Tribune Chronicle that he was initially diagnosed with the flu. The man, who is still a patient at St. Joseph Hospital, said he came into contact with few people in the days before he got sick and right after. Those people, including a woman who brought him soup and is related to some of the Lakeview school district students who are now in quarantine, are being tracked. The man, who is still being treated at St. Joseph Hospital, said the illness feels much worse than what he would expect of a regular flu. "People should listen," the man told the Tribune Chronicle. "People like Mayor (Doug) Franklin and (Eddie) Colbert are doing the best they can to warn people and make the city safe."
OHIO
• Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine on Friday suggested that the state may consider closing daycare facilities in the state. He urged parents to remove their children from those facilities if possible — as is recommended by medical experts — or start considering childcare alternatives, should a closure be instituted.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved two waiver requests from the state to keep Ohio schools' breakfast and lunch programs going despite an upcoming three-week closure, DeWine said. Schools will be permitted to provide every child younger than 18 with "grab and go" meals. The Ohio Department of Education is also developing a home meal delivery system. DeWine said he also plans to issue an order banning visitation at community jails and correction facilities across the state and requiring health screenings for vendors or contractors working there. State officials have also been working with juvenile justice facility operators — which would include Mahoning County Juvenile Court — on new visitor protocols.
• State Rep. Michele Lepore-Hagan of Youngstown on Friday asked Gov. Mike DeWine and leaders of the General Assembly to utilize Ohio's $2.7 billion rainy day fund to support small businesses that will be negatively impacted by the coronavirus.
NATIONAL
• As of Friday, the U.S. has reported 1,875 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 41 deaths, according to a New York Times database.
• President Donald Trump declared a national emergency Friday over the spread of the novel coronavirus. The declaration makes available up to $50 billion of federal funds to help stop the spread of the disease and frees up other federal resources. The president also announced a public-private partnership to make available more tests. A new test already has been approved for the marketplace by the FDA. And he said that 1.4 million new tests will be available by next week, 5 million in a month.
• The Dow Jones Industrial Average rebounded from an almost 10 percent loss yesterday to close at 23,185.62 points. That's up 1,985 points, or about 9 percent, from Thursday's close.
• Congress reached a deal to spend tens of billions of dollars on sick leave, unemployment insurance, food stamps and other measures to address the unfolding crisis..
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To keep up to date on the coronavirus, check out these links:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Ohio Department of Health and here.
Here is a collection of stories from Mahoning Matters
Here is a collection of stories from Mahoning Matters' partner, The Center Square
Here are stories from YaleMedicine.org
Here are stories from AARP.org
Here are stories from National Geographic
Here is a map of all confirmed coronavirus cases from the New York Times
This story was originally published March 14, 2020 at 3:52 AM with the headline "Valley coronavirus updates: School lunches, YSU, MetroParks changes."