IR)--Seeking information about the coronavirus pandemic? Information is available from federal, state and local resources. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has comprehensive information on its website at cdc.gov/coronavirus.

 

*The Oklahoma State Department of Health has provided a statewide COVID-19 Call Center: (877) 215-8336. Hours of operation are: 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. weekdays and 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. weekends.

 

*To stay updated with City information regarding COVID-19, residents should access the city website regularly at: www.Enid.org/coronavirus or on social media at: Facebook.com/cityofenidoklahoma.

 

FA)—An Enid woman was killed in a fatality collision west of Enid that closed parts of State Highway 132 and U.S. 412 for nearly 8 hours earlier today. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol said 36 year-old Amy Marie Logsdon of Enid was pronounced dead at the scene by LIFE EMS. Two passengers in Logsdon’s vehicle, a 3 year-old and 14 year-old boys, were transported to St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center where they were treated and released.  According to the report, the accident occurred around 7:05 this morning when Logsdon’s 2010 Dodge Caravan was northbound on SH132 and failed to yield at the stop sign. The van was hit by a Volvo semi driven by a Missouri man, who was not injured. OHP officials said Logsdon was ejected some 20 feet from the vehicle. Authorities say there was heavy fog at the time of the crash. The accident as well as Logsdon’s condition are under investigation. The roadways were reopened just before 3:00 this afternoon.  

 

                                           --00--  23  Mar  20  4p

 

LF)--Loaves and Fishes at 701 East Maine continues to distribute food Tuesday and Thursday from 3:00 to 6:00, and Wednesday from 1:00 to 4:00. But, it's set up as a drive through. Clients are able to come through every 30 days. You'll need to bring your ID to get food. Lydia Kelly, of Loaves and Fishes, tells us how people can help.

 

                                                        Lydia

 

You can donate online at www.loavesandfishesnwok.org, or at the drive through on East Maine.

 

                                           --00--  23  Mar  20  7a

 

MT)--Enid police are asking for the public's help in identifying a man who burglarized an Enid dispensary last week. At about 2:00 a.m. March 18, Firehouse Dispensary, in the 1900 Block of South Van Buren, was burglarized. The business was entered from a window and items reported stolen include a small safe containing about $5,000 and an undisclosed amount of marijuana. Police have released a photo of the suspect in this burglary captured on video surveillance.

 

 

Anyone with information leading to the arrest or prosecution of this or any crime can report an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers at (580) 233-6233, www.enid.org/departments/police or text to 274637, typing “Enid” and a message in the text box. Those submitting a tip could earn a reward up to $1,000 and will not be required to testify nor be identified.

 

                                           --00--  19  Mar  20  2p

 

SM)—A reminder… Enid Public Schools is offering FREE “grab and go” sack lunches and breakfasts for all children under the age of 18 at the following locations: Garfield Elementary School, Glenwood Elementary School and Enid High School. Breakfast will be served from 7:30-8:30 am, and lunch will be provided from 11:15 am-12:30 pm. Parents are asked to pull through the school drive, and meals will be delivered to the family’s car. Due to US Department of Agriculture guidelines, students must be present in the car to receive a meal.

 

Also, The Denny Price Family YMCA is offering free grab and go meals Monday-Friday from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Meals are for children under 18 and will be handed out in a drive-thru setting in the Y’s south parking lot.

 

                                           --00--  19  Mar  20  2p

 

VU)--The number of Oklahomans testing positive for coronavirus COVID-19 has increased to 81, with the Oklahoma State Department of Health reporting today that community spread is in Oklahoma. OSDH no longer is reporting the number of negative tests nor pending PUI's (persons under investigation) now that "there is community spread of COVID-19 in Oklahoma. "This is largely driven by the high volume of people being tested at labs independent of the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) Public Health Laboratory. Therefore, we will no longer report daily PUI numbers to prevent causing confusion as we transition to an expanded process of testing for COVID-19 in Oklahoma," according to the OSDH coronavirus COVID-19 website. The health department has stated all residents should assume COVID-19 is in their communities and take precautions.

 

COVID-19 Oklahoma Test Results 03/23/20
Positive (In-State)	81
Positive (Out-of-State)	2
Negative	694
Hospitalized	15
Deaths	2

 

 

COVID-19 Cases by County
County	COVID-19 Cases by County*
Canadian	2
Cleveland	16
Custer	1
Garvin	2
Grady	1
Jackson	1
Kay	5
Logan	1
McClain	1
Muskogee	1
Noble	1
Oklahoma	29
Pawnee	3
Payne	3
Pontotoc	1
Tulsa	11
Washington	2
Total	81

                                        

 

                                         --00--  23  Mar  20  1p

 

RW)--Comedian Ron “Tater Salad” White’s performance at Stride Bank Center has been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to center officials, "Ron White LIVE!" is now slated for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22. All tickets for the original performance, which has been scheduled for April 16, 2020, will be honored for the rescheduled show,

                                           --00--  23  Mar  20  1p

 

RC)--The City of Enid Engineering Department announced that a portion of North Washington Street, from West Maple Avenue to West Elm Avenue will be closed starting today due to road construction. The closure will last approximately one week. Access will be provided for businesses.

 

Road construction will be occurring on the north side of West Maple Avenue from North Washington Street to North Independence Avenue, but this location is not anticipated to be closed to traffic.

 

Motorists are encouraged to follow posted traffic signs and drive with extreme caution in the areas during construction. Residents can sign up for mobile app notifications to get communication about road construction, trash schedules, holiday closings, water outages, and other important events by going to: www.Enid.org/RequestCenter or by downloading the SeeClickFix app.

 

                                           --00--  23  Mar  20  1p

 

ED)--Mayor George Pankonin has signed an emergency declaration for the city of Enid.

 

The following regulations will go into effect Saturday, March 21 11:59PM:

• Social gatherings of more than ten are prohibited.
• Religious services are limited to gatherings of ten or less.
• Public restaurants are limited to drive through, take out, or delivery options.
• Bars, gyms, exercise facilities, miniature golf, bowling alleys, arcades, skating rinks, and movie theatres are closed to the public.

 

The regulations will expire April 13, 2020, at 11:59pm unless extended.

Mayor George Pankonin said, “After much research, thought and discussion, I have decided to take our Emergency proclamation to the inevitable next step. It would be irresponsible to hold off until someone is critically ill or deceased in our city to make this tough decision.” OSDH has provided a statewide COVID-19 Call Center: (877) 215-8336. Hours of operation are: 9AM – 7PM weekdays and 9AM – 3PM weekends. To stay updated with City information regarding COVID-19, residents should access the city website regularly at: www.Enid.org/coronavirus or on social media at: Facebook.com/cityofenidoklahoma.

 

 

HC)--St. Mary's Regional Medical Center and Integris Bass Baptist Health Center have tightened restrictions on visitors to their facilities, due to the threat of spreading the coronavirus. Bass now has a policy of only allowing one visitor per patient for the length of the hospital stay. No visitors younger than 17 are allowed, and people who are sick are asked not to visit. Visitation is 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. daily, with the exception of patients in isolation. All visitors need to enter through the Emergency Room entrance and will be screened. St. Mary's is not allowing visitors to inpatient rooms, with the exception of a patient  at the end of life.

 

 

CR)--The City of Enid is taking further precautions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in an effort to minimize the potential community spread of the virus.  Beginning Thursday, March 19 the City Administration building will be closed to the public, however, employees will continue to provide essential services to serve the public. Residents are encouraged to utilize services online, by phone, by mail, by drop box, or by email. For services that require in-person communication, contact the department for an appointment time and date.  See a staff listing at www.enid.org/staff and for a department listing www.enid.org/contactus.

 

Municipal court will continue at regular times and dates, but appearances will occur by telephone or by other remote means.

 

Additionally, the Stride Bank Center, Senior Center and RSVP are closed to the public. Staff will continue to work in those facilities to provide services to the public. Mobile meals will continue to be provided.

 

In accordance with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance, all events or community gatherings more than 10 people should be cancelled or postponed through the end of the current emergency declaration on April 13, 2020.  This declaration may be extended further based on the future situation. Individual businesses in Enid are taking proactive steps, following the CDC guidelines.

 

City Service Online

• SeeClickFix – Request Services or Report Issues – Enid.org/RequestCenter.
• Search Traffic Cases – Enid.org/citations
• Traffic Fine Payments – Enid.org/fines
• Utility Payments – www.xpressbillpay.com

 

City Service by Phone (8AM – 5PM, Monday thru Friday)

• PAYMENTS: Pay utilities, traffic fines, and permits by phone: (580) 616-7271, 580-616-7272, or 580-616-7273.
• Contact Utility Services at: (580) 616-7170.

 

City Service by Mail

• The City’s mailing address is: City of Enid, P.O. Box 1768, Enid, OK 73702.

 

City Service by City Drop Box

• The City drop box is located in front of City Administration Building, Martin Luther King, Jr. Municipal Complex, 401 W Owen K. Garriott Road, Enid, OK.

 

City Service by Email

• Email addresses for each department are listed on the online staff directory: www.Enid.org/staff.

 

To stay updated with City information regarding COVID-19, residents should access the city website regularly at: www.Enid.org/coronavirus or on social media at: Facebook.com/cityofenidoklahoma.

 

 

WD)--If you’re having symptoms of COVID-19, don’t go straight into the doctor’s office, state health officials say. According to the Oklahoma State Department of Health, county health departments do not offer testing for coronavirus. If you develop symptoms, such as fever, cough, and/or difficulty breathing, and have been in close contact with someone known to have COVID-19 or have traveled from an area with ongoing spread of coronavirus, call your health care provider or COVID-19 hotline at 877-215-8336 for recommendation first. Before going into a doctor’s office, you should call ahead and discuss your symptoms.

To help prevent and slow the spread of COVID-19, following these guidelines:

*Wash hands often

*Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth

*Cover your cough or sneeze

*Avoid close contact with people who are sick

*All Oklahomans are advised to take social distancing precautions such as implementing telework and avoiding large gatherings when possible.

 

 

SC)—Schools across the state will be closed until April 6. State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister said state education officials will continue to monitor the coronavirus situation to determine if it’s necessary to extend the closure. According to the Oklahoma State Department of Education, the department has received approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture on two requested waivers allowing meal service to continue during school closures. Meals will be available at no cost to low-income children and are not required to be served in a group setting to avoid possible exposure to COVID-19.

 

 

The U.S. Small Business Administration is offering low-interest federal disaster loans for working capital to Oklahoma small businesses suffering substantial economic injury as a result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). This funding will be provided by the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act that was recently signed by President Trump. To qualify for the program, the state must submit documentation of business losses for at least five businesses per county. If approved, an SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance declaration will make disaster loans of up to $2 million available to small businesses and private, nonprofit organizations to help alleviate economic injury caused by COVID-19. Oklahoma businesses affected by the Coronavirus are asked to fill out the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management’s Small Business Disaster Economic Injury Assessment survey by clicking HERE. When SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan applications are made available, the Oklahoma Department of Commerce will have staff available to assist small businesses with filling out the forms. Companies needing assistance with the application forms and economic development organizations providing assistance to businesses in their communities should contact Ray Little at ray.little@okcommerce.gov or 405-815-5227.