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Americans are Seeing Gas Prices Plummet Across the Country

Carrie Moritz
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March 16, 2020 - As crude oil prices trend close to $30/bbl, Americans are seeing pump prices plummet across the country. On the week, gas price averages in 35 states decreased by double-digits, pushing the national average to $2.25, the cheapest price point of the year.

“The national gas price average is 13 cents cheaper on the week and nearly 20 cents less than the beginning of the month. These are significant decreases in just 7 and 16 days,” said Marilyn Buskohl, AAA spokesperson. “AAA expects gas prices to continue trending cheaper, with the high likelihood of the national average hitting $2/gallon before the end of March.”

South Dakota Gas Prices

Today $2.20
Yesterday$2.24
Last week$2.30
Last month$2.35
Last year$2.47

During this uncertain time of COVID-19, gas prices are declining despite increasing gasoline demand and decreasing U.S. stock levels.

Quick Stats

  • The nation’s top 10 largest weekly decreases are: Ohio (-27 cents), Kentucky (-21 cents), Michigan (-21 cents), Wisconsin (-21 cents), Indiana (-19 cents), Illinois (-19 cents), Oklahoma (-15 cents), Iowa (-15 cents), Maine (-15 cents) and Minnesota (-15 cents).
  • The nation’s top 10 least expensive markets are: Oklahoma ($1.92), Texas ($1.96), Mississippi ($1.96), South Carolina ($1.97), Ohio ($1.97), Indiana ($1.97), Missouri ($1.98), Kentucky ($1.99), Louisiana ($2.00) and Alabama ($2.00).

Great Lakes and Central States

Some of the largest weekly pump price savings in the country can be found in the Great Lakes and Central states. Eight out of the top 10 largest weekly decreases are states from the region: Ohio (-27 cents), Kentucky (-21 cents), Michigan (-21 cents), Wisconsin (-21 cents), Indiana (-19 cents), Illinois (-19 cents), Iowa (-15 cents) and Minnesota (-15 cents). All states in the region saw double-digit decreases, with South Dakota (-10 cents) seeing the smallest decrease on the week.

With the substantial drops at the pump, state gas prices in the region are relatively cheap, ranging from as low as $1.98 in Missouri to a high of $2.30 in Illinois.

With a draw of 1.8 million bbl, the Great Lakes and Central states region saw its first substantial drop in gasoline stocks in two months, according to the Energy Information Administration’s latest report. At 58 million bbl, stock levels remain healthy and in line with levels this time last year. If stocks were to decrease again in the coming week that would traditionally mean a pump price increase, but given current trends it’s more likely gas prices would decrease.

Oil Market Dynamics 

At the close of Friday’s formal trading session on the NYMEX, WTI increased by 23 cents to settle at $31.73. Fears about COVID-19 and the crude price war between Russia and Saudi Arabia pushed crude prices lower last week. After President Trump announced that the U.S. Department of Energy would purchase oil to top off the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, crude prices rallied briefly. However, the announcement is unlikely to help increase crude prices further since the limited number of barrels the U.S. could purchase is small when compared to the dramatic reduction in global crude demand as a result of reduced economic activity due to COVID-19. Moving into this week, crude prices are likely to continue decreasing as the world grapples with how to contain the ongoing international public health crisis and associated economic challenges that could lead to a global recession. Until the price war ends and fears about COVID-19 subside, domestic crude prices are likely to remain low.

Motorists can find current gas prices along their route with the free AAA Mobile app for iPhone, iPad and Android. The app can also be used to map a route, find discounts, book a hotel and access AAA roadside assistance. Learn more at AAA.com/mobile.

AAA provides automotive, travel, and insurance services to 60 million members nationwide and more than 104,000 members in South Dakota.  AAA advocates for the safety and mobility of its members and has been committed to outstanding road service for more than 100 years.  AAA is a non-stock, non-profit corporation working on behalf of motorists, who can now map a route, find local gas prices, discover discounts, book a hotel, and track their roadside assistance service with the AAA Mobile app (AAA.com/mobile) for iPhone, iPad and Android.  For more information, visit www.AAA.com.

Ideological fortresses are threat to Democracy

Carrie Moritz
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By Philip S. Hall, Spearfish, S.D.

Democracy is a wonderful, empowering and uplifting gift that we the people have given ourselves. However, it is as fragile as it is beautiful.

At times our democracy has depended on the just-right person appearing at each of several precarious moments in our history. Such was the case at the dawning of our democracy, specifically July 3, 1775, when George Washington accepted the daunting task of commanding the Continental Army.

History suggests no other man could have welded our citizen-farmers into an army that eventually, after a long struggle, defeated what was, at the time, the best trained, best equipped army in the world. Washington was able to give us our nascent democracy because he was a selfless man of uncommon integrity and honesty.

Not quite a hundred years passed when, in February 1861, seven southern states succeeded from the Union, threatening to rip apart the United States of America. That likely would have happened had it not been for our newly elected president, Abraham Lincoln, a man of conviction and tenacity with an unfailing moral compass.

The next threat against our democracy came in 1932 when our country was nearly washed from its moorings by a worldwide depression. Unemployment spiked to 24 percent and ten thousand banks failed. To compound the economic crisis, the American West beyond the 100th meridian entered into a decade-long drought.

In response, newly elected President Franklin Roosevelt thought outside the box to develop innovative, bold programs such as the Civilian Conservation Corps that provided jobs to 300,000 unemployed young men; the Emergency Relief Administration that bought emaciated cattle from bankrupt farmers and ranchers; and the Works Progress Administration that put 3.5 million people to work, primarily at infrastructure projects.

When Roosevelt announced plans to implement graduated taxing to redistribute wealth from the ultra-rich to the poor, DuPont, J.P. Morgan, and other ultra-rich tried to launch a military coup that would remove Roosevelt and install a fascist government. They were nearly successful in doing so.

It seems threats to our democracy arrive every other generation. In 2020, we are facing yet another threat. This threat is not because there are differences of opinion on the usefulness of trade wars, whether the current changes in our climate are human caused, or even purported disregard of our hallowed constitution.

Rather, our democracy is endangered because our elected officials at almost all levels of government have become so polarized that they spend their time and energy launching vitriolic diatribes against each other instead of finding bipartisan compromises that address the people’s pressing issues.

They can do this because we, the citizens of this country, have entrenched ourselves into two tribal camps, Fort R and Fort D. We have surrounded our ideological fortresses with alligator-filled moats of emotion that effectively fend off logic that would expose inconsistencies in our beliefs and keep out information and objective evidence that would reveal the flaws in our belief systems.

The price of democracy is eternal vigilance. If our democracy is going to survive, we, the citizens, must come out of our ideological fortresses of self-centered interests and support at all levels people who are committed to governing by the rule of law, solving problems by finding consensus, and upholding the institutions that enable us to have a democracy.

We have done it before. We can do it again.

Philip S. Hall, Ph.D., of Spearfish, is a licensed psychologist with experience working with troubled children and adolescents. This article was originally published in the Feb. 26 edition of the Rapid City Journal.

Sunshine Week: Fighting a virus with truth and transparency

Carrie Moritz
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By Ken Paulson

As the scope and threat of the coronavirus pandemic becomes clear, people all over the world hunger for two things: an effective vaccine and truthful information about the disease.

The former may be more than a year away, but the latter is critical to stemming the pandemic in the meantime.

This is Sunshine Week, a time each year when people like me write columns about some legislature’s wrong-headed move to limit access to public records, and then try to make the case for greater access to public information and transparency in government.

But we’re facing something far more dangerous than any state legislature could conjure up. It’s a worldwide crisis worsened by governments whose impulse is to hide, control and censor news and information.

When a Chinese doctor shared with his colleagues his concerns that a mysterious new virus might be emerging, he was reprimanded and silenced. The doctor, Li Wenliang, died last month of coronavirus. After China mishandled and hid the virus from the public, the epidemic dramatically worsened. The Chinese government “is now leading a sweeping campaign to purge the public sphere of dissent, censoring news reports, harassing citizen journalists and shutting down news sites,” according to the New York Times.

Similar suppression has appeared in other nations, according to the Committee to Protect journalists. In Thailand, the prime minister has threatened to arrest journalists who publish “fake news” about the virus and Iran detained a journalist for posts critical of the government’s response, according to the CPJ.

But even a democracy is going to be tempted to manage the messaging, as the U.S. did by initially channeling the government’s comments through a single spokesman – Vice President Mike Pence. That has improved significantly over the past week.

When the public is desperate for information, government needs to maximize authoritative information from scientists and experts on the public payroll. That appropriately gives Americans what they need to know, and counters irresponsible pundits who have sought to minimize the threat to score political or ratings points.

Most encouraging, though, has been the response of state and local governments, schools and the private sector. Governments at every level resist disclosure and scrutiny, but this has been a refreshing change, with leaders saying: “Here’s what we need to do, here’s why we’re doing it and here’s how you can find out more.”

Sports leagues and private businesses, not known for transparency, have been refreshingly transparent. How many emails have you received this week that began “Out of an abundance of caution…”? There are a lot of institutions making tough decisions these days, but they’re largely doing it in partnership with the American people.

More than anything, else, though, this crisis reminds us of how wise the first generation of Americans was in demanding a free press. Despite the inevitable accusations by some that the news media were “hyping” this threat, traditional media have been measured and thorough in their coverage, making the most of their on-air medical and scientific consultants. Closer to home, local newspapers and broadcasters have devoted extensive resources to reporting how the virus will affect the communities they serve.

President Trump told the nation last week that “we are all in this together” and that’s exactly what needs to happen: the government sharing what it knows truthfully and without spin or bravado, private and public institutions engaging constructively with America’s most pressing challenge and news organizations keeping the public informed in a thorough and even-handed way.

In the end, science will prevail in curbing this virus. Yet the path to that victory can only emerge from true collaboration and collective sacrifice, fueled by a shared understanding of exactly what we’re up against. That can only come from the free flow of information.

Ken Paulson is the director of the Free Speech Center at Middle Tennessee State University.

What’s Next for Dyslexic Students?

Carrie Moritz
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by Margaret Samp, Miss Rushmore

With the legislative passing and Governor Noem signing of HB 1175, South Dakota joins 49 other states in having laws on Dyslexia. State Rep. Nancy Rasmussen (R-Hurley) spearheaded the passing of the law. Gov. Noem has been diligent on ensuring a better South Dakota for generations to come to that struggle with Dyslexia. Dyslexia is a bio-neurological condition affecting one in five people. HB 1175 defines Dyslexia for all those affected.

Contrary to popular belief on the learning disability, Dyslexics do not “see” words backward. The “b-d” letter reversal, for example, is mainly caused by deficits in interpreting left and right. “Dyslexia is thought to be one of the most common language-based learning disabilities. It is the most common cause of reading, writing, and spelling difficulties. Of people with reading difficulties, 70-80% are likely to have some form of Dyslexia,” according to a University of Michigan study.

Legislators from around the state spoke on the impact of student testimony throughout the legislative process. Non-profits like Decoding Dyslexia, Beyond Dyslexia Inc., and The International Dyslexia Association all testified at the congressional education committee hearings in favor of passage. I was honored to testify before the S.D. House Education Committee and speak with our legislators at the Legislative Coffee. With the passing of this bill, South Dakota is on the map for having legislation on Dyslexia.

Beyond Dyslexia’s next steps are working with the Department of Education to put into policy their plans for Dyslexic education in South Dakota through Secretary Ben Jones' support. As President of Beyond Dyslexia, I hopes to add progressive intervention and screening to the department’s policy, these ideas replicate laws like those in Mississippi and Minnesota. Also, Beyond Dyslexia hopes to build on the federal level the intervention strategies, like Mississippi’s “Lexercise” dyslexia screener, set up for student intervention and success. We hear about how huge of an issue literacy is, but one substantial factor to our literacy problem is undiagnosed and untreated Dyslexia. Our schools do not have the resources and often only teach with a cookie-cutter mentality; leaving those who learn differently in the wake. By HB 1175 becoming a law, the Department of Education’s Dyslexia handbook could be provided at every 504 and IEP meeting. The created handbook does a great job of outlining Dyslexia, but the knowledge of the handbook is minimal to the general population.

-Margaret Samp, Sioux Falls

Margaret, a Senior at New Tech High School in Sioux Falls, is the first diagnosed Dyslexic student to be named president of the National Honor Society at her school. She has been crowned as “Miss Rushmore” as a part of the Miss America Organizations. She will compete in the Miss South Dakota Competition, working to promote her Not for Profit Beyond Dyslexia Inc.

Protecting Our Seniors During a Pandemic

Carrie Moritz
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By Rep. Dusty Johnson

March 13, 2020

Over the last few days, South Dakota has confirmed several cases of COVID-19, known as the coronavirus. While I am confident that our state and local governments will work together to protect the health of our communities, it is important that we all take extra precautions to support vulnerable populations during this time.

The information we have on the coronavirus thus far shows that older adults and people with serious medical conditions are at higher risk of getting seriously sick from this illness. If you or a loved one is at higher risk, please note the following CDC recommendations:

  • Take precautions to limit close contact with others, especially with those who are sick.
  • Avoid large crowds, cruise travel, and non-essential air travel.
  • Reasonably stock up on supplies such as necessary medications, medical supplies, and groceries.
  • Stay home as much as possible.

While these practices will work best to halt the spread of the coronavirus and protect high-risk individuals, Congress has been working overtime to provide extra protections for older Americans. On Wednesday, Congress passed the Supporting Older Americans Act of 2020, which reauthorizes and expands several critical social and nutrition services for older Americans. I am an original cosponsor of the bill and am encouraged to see it heading to the president’s desk at a time when seniors need support the most.

This bill can help combat the coronavirus in a few ways. First, it directs states to minimize burdensome administrative processes to more easily transfer funds between nutrition programs for home-delivered meals. This will help maximize the delivery of meals and minimize groups of elderly folks from coming into contact with COVID-19 at places like the grocery store. This bill also directs the Department of Health and Human Services to assist states with delivering senior aid to rural areas and local communities, so all seniors have access to these services.

Along with this funding, last week we passed the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act into law. The bill provided $7.8 billion in additional funding for federal, state, and local government responses to the coronavirus, which included funding for additional diagnostic tests, treatments, and vaccine development.

While outbreaks like these can certainly be overwhelming, it is important to not panic, and rather take the necessary precautions to keep you and your loved ones safe. This is a rapidly evolving situation, and I will be sure to continue to update South Dakotans with new information as it becomes available.

First coronavirus case surfaces in Minnehaha County, Pennington sees first death

Carrie Moritz
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First coronavirus case surfaces in Minnehaha County, Pennington sees first death

By Dave Baumeister, County Correspondent

sandy frentz
Sioux Falls Public Health Manager Sandy Frentz (Photo by Dave Baumeister)

SIOUX FALLS – During the Tuesday, March 10, Minnehaha County Commission meeting, no cases of the novel coronavirus had been reported in South Dakota, according to Sioux Falls Public Health Manager Sandy Frentz.

However, within a few hours of that briefing, five cases were reported in the state, including one death in Pennington County.

And as of Saturday, March 14, the count had climbed to nine people testing positive, including three in Minnehaha County.

But when Frentz briefed commissioners, before anyone had tested positive, she told them that local plans were already in the works for dealing with the coronavirus (COVID-19).

She said work in the county had mainly been divided into three areas: situational awareness, planning and communication.

At a meeting the week before, members of several health and government agencies came together to discuss the pandemic.

Frentz explained that there is much erroneous information circulating about the virus, but websites for the South Dakota Department of Health (https://doh.sd.gov) and the Center for Disease Control (https://www.cdc.gov) are two places people could go for credible information.

And while there is currently no vaccine for COVID-19, the main dangers of the virus exist for older people or those with already compromised immune systems, according to the CDC website.

Otherwise, the symptoms of coronavirus can be similar to those of the flu.

To be safe, people need to practice “respiratory hygiene,” such as always covering coughs, washing vigorously with soap for 20 seconds or more, properly disposing of tissues, etc., Frentz said.

“Keeping people at a distance” is also a good prevention tip, she said.

She advised that if people think they might be infected, they should call their physician to get instructions on what to do.

Depending on the severity of symptoms, a person might be evaluated and tested at a clinic, or they might be told to go to an emergency room for treatment.

When the DOH reported five cases on Tuesday, March 10, they were listed as “presumptive.”

Even though the virus is tested and confirmed at the state laboratory, the national CDC has to confirm the cases before they become “official.”

As of Saturday evening, the DOH website showed nine COVID-19 cases in South Dakota.

Media releases show that of the people believed to be infected in the state, one, a man in his 60s from Pennington County has died. It was reported that he suffered from underlying health conditions.

The first person testing positive in Minnehaha County was a man in his 40s who has children at West Central High School in Hartford, and that led to the school being closed on Wednesday, March 11, for “deep cleaning.”

School officials said that while the man had not been at the school since testing positive, his children were there, which is why they had the school cleaned.

Also, the DOH website reports two other positives in Minnehaha County. The rest are from Beadle, Bon Homme, Charles Mix, Davison and McCook Counties.

Supposedly, none of the cases are interrelated and all involve some type of travel outside of the state.

Other information

The county commission meeting was also heavy on other reports, with commissioners hearing from County Coroner Dr. Kenneth Snell, the Sioux Falls Area Humane Society, and Emergency Management Director Jason Gearman, who talked about the spring flooding situation.

While the city and county currently have 20,000 pre-filled sandbags in storage, Gearman didn’t believe they would need to be used – if the weather stays the way it is now.

However, he was quick to point out that a major event with strong rains could change that in a hurry.

He said that the Big Sioux River is currently running right at flood stage, but the mild weather has already melted most of the snow here and to the north, so, if conditions remain the same, the river isn’t expected to rise any higher.

The Minnehaha Commission has its regular meetings each Tuesday at 9 a.m. on the second floor of the county administration building at 6th and Minnesota in Sioux Falls.

These meetings are open to all, and public comment is always encouraged.

Options Available for Minnehaha County Residents to Conduct Business Online and by Mail

Carrie Moritz
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Sioux Falls, SD – Minnehaha County residents have options available to conduct business online and by mail as citizens consider cautionary steps and social distancing to prevent illness. Common services available online include property tax payment, license plate tag renewal, application for owner occupied property status, voter registration, and absentee ballot requests.

License plate tag renewal can also be conducted at kiosks, operated by the State of South Dakota, at the following locations:

Hy Vee at 4101 S. Louise Avenue in Sioux Falls Get-N-Go at 5400 E. Arrowhead Parkway in Sioux Falls

“Given the emergence of the Coronavirus, we want to remind residents that a trip to the county campus is not always required to conduct many common transactions,” said Commissioner Jean Bender.

The same previously listed transactions can also be conducted by mail in addition to title transfers, document recording, and vital records requests. Residents can call county offices to conduct certain business by phone as well. Further information including department phone numbers and online services can be accessed at www.minnehahacounty.org.

Please follow instructions at the links below to access online forms and options for services including: License plate renewal and property tax payment - https://www.minnehahacounty.org/dept/tr/tr.php Voter registration and absentee ballot requests - https://www.minnehahacounty.org/dept/au/au.php Property tax freeze and owner-occupied information - https://dor.sd.gov/government/director-of- equalization/

Links for license plate renewal and property tax payments will take residents to pages operated by separate vendors to conduct transactions securely.

For Further Information Please Contact: Craig Dewey – 605-367-4206 or

 

Local Church Services Move On-line in Lieu of Canceled Services

Carrie Moritz
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Local Church Services Move On-line in Lieu of Canceled Services

As part of the COVID-19 pandemic, gatherings have been limited and discouraged. This affects area churches, and many have moved their services online in an effort to continue the sense of community and to keep up with teachings among the faithful. If you are currently looking for a church, or your church's services, we have listed below what information and links we could find for this coming week's services.

Palisades Lutheran Church, Garretson & First Lutheran Church, Valley Springs

As of Wednesday, March 18, services for the next two weeks have been canceled. Alternative options for parishioners have not yet been posted. Please keep an eye on their Facebook Page for more information.

Jasper ELC, Highland Lutheran, and First Lutheran of Sherman

As of Tuesday, March 17, all services and church activities have been canceled until further notice. Services will be held on Facebook Live starting at 8:45 a.m. Sunday on Jasper ELC's Group Page.

St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church

The Bishop of the local diocese has lifted the obligation to attend Mass due to the virus. Read more here. No further information is available regarding St. Rose services at this time.

Zion Lutheran Church

All activities and church services at Zion have been canceled until March 27. Join the Facebook Live service on their Page that will start at 9:00 a.m. on March 22.

Renovation Church

All church services have been canceled until further notice. They have moved their activities on-line to their Facebook Page, and will be holding an on-line service via Zoom on Sunday at 10:00 a.m. To learn more about how to access this service, see their Facebook Page Event.

United Church of Garretson

Church service for March 22 is canceled and the sermon will be available via YouTube or Facebook.

COVID-19, the Coronavirus, what you need to know! (Subscribers)

Carrie Moritz
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COVID-19, the Coronavirus, what you need to know! (Subscribers)

COVID-19 hits South Dakota, Causes Closures

by Carrie Moritz, Gazette

The coronavirus that causes the disease COVID-19 has been the main headline throughout the past several weeks. Last week, the consequences were hitting South Dakota and the US as a whole.

On March 10, it was announced that five people in South Dakota had confirmed diagnoses of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. At that time, there was one recorded death, of a 60-69 year old male from Pennington County. On March 11, the West Central School District closed for deep cleaning to help prevent the spread of this novel virus due to a positive diagnosis in a parent. The dominoes kept falling throughout the week, with social distancing measures becoming increasingly pertinent.

On Friday, President Trump declared a National Emergency, and Governor Kristi Noem requested all schools in SD close for one week, and on Tuesday, March 17, she announced a further week of closure was needed. Garretson Schools soon announced their closures, and Palisades Healthcare closed its doors to all visitors until further notice.

By March 17, 11 people were diagnosed positive throughout South Dakota, with 5 of those cases being listed in Minnehaha County.

COVID-19 is caused by a "novel virus," which means that this version of the coronavirus has not been seen among the general population before. Due to this, immunity is low and the potential for virulent spread is high. At press time, the virus was not found in community spread in South Dakota, meaning all cases had been diagnosed in people who had traveled outside the state. This is expected to change soon. The likelihood that healthcare systems get overwhelmed is also high, meaning that ethical calls such as who receives ventilators, could have to be made. Italy, which is trending 10-14 days ahead of the US in its number of cases, saw its healthcare system overwhelmed last week.

Mortality appears to be highest for those aged 65+ and those with underlying medical issues, especially those with compromised immune systems and those with lung or cardiovascular issues. COVID-19 affects respiratory systems most of all, causing shortness of breath, coughing, and pneumonia-like symptoms.

The CDC states, "Reported illnesses have ranged from mild symptoms to severe illness and death for confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases. The following symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure: fever, cough, shortness of breath."

Reports have shown that people can be highly infectious well before they start showing symptoms, and many have been entirely asymptomatic. Incubation periods range from 2-14 days, but some studies have shown continued infectiousness even after symptoms have passed.

Last week, Italy shut down all non-essential travel and had banned group gatherings, and the US started following suit, especially after sports stars such as Utah Jazz basketball player Rudy Gobert tested positive.

Throughout last week, colleges and universities in the US were closing all in-person learning opportunities, and major events were canceled. By Monday this week, the SD Board of Regents had asked all public universities to move to online learning by March 23. SDSU, the SD School of Mines, and USD quickly followed those recommendations. Augustana University and USF made the call to extend their spring breaks at least one more week.

The Garretson School District, after releasing an initial letter on March 11 discussing prevention measures, followed the governor’s request on Friday and closed its doors after school let out.

They used Monday and Tuesday this week to restructure lessons and curriculum for distance learning, and will proceed as needed throughout these upcoming weeks. In his letter to the parents and students of the high school and middle school, Principal Chris Long outlined expectations that learning objectives will be moving forward. As of press time, the school was also providing grab-and-go lunches for students in need through Thursday of this week.

Superintendent Guy Johnson stated in his letter to the parents of Garretson School students, “We will continue to adjust our planning based on the best information that becomes available and will communicate those adjustment with you as we are able to. As we have stated before, the situation is changing rapidly, and we will work with the best information we have from the CDC, the SD DOH, and a variety of other experts from the medical field to keep our students and staff as healthy and safe as we are able to.”

The South Dakota High School Activities Association has postponed or canceled all events until at least April, with reports that practices are left up to the decision of individual schools.

Churches also started to reduce or eliminate activities. In Garretson, Zion Lutheran Church and the United Church of Garretson made the decision not to hold its Sunday services or activities until March 27th. Renovation Church moved its services to O So Good and then to an on-line-only format for this coming Sunday. St. Rose canceled its Wednesday evening activities for this week. Other churches proceeded as normal, with the encouragement that those who are ill or concerned about becoming ill stay home, and have made changes to communion, passing of the peace, and offering.

As of Tuesday this week, CHS had canceled its planned Chili Feed benefit, and was encouraging supporters to order raffle tickets to help support the Food Pantry. O So Good had announced that they were suspending all eat-in dining for the next two weeks and transitioning to carryout and delivery only, with this week’s hours as Thursday through Saturday at 4:30-8:00 pm daily, and the two weeks after that will be Tuesday through Saturday evenings. Dollar General is limiting their hours to 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. daily, and encouraging senior citizens and high-risk individuals to shop during the first hour past opening.

The City of Garretson does have a contingency plan for the pandemic, but they were not ready to make it public as of press time. Mayor Greg Beaner states that right now, the City is following all Federal and State protocols. They have limited visitors at City Hall to only staff and necessary visitors, and request all other items of business be taken care of by phone or email. The City Council discussed holding its April meeting via an on-line format such as Zoom, and will be updating the public as that information becomes available.

The best way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is handwashing, and if you are feeling ill, to stay home. Those who have been exposed knowingly to COVID-19 may have to quarantine for up to two weeks, so some preparation is key. As some panic has occurred, grocery stores are finding it difficult to keep some essentials such as toilet paper in stock, so it is important to keep from over-buying. Purchase only what is needed for two weeks.

Expect more disturbances to public life as the virus moves through the area, such as cancellations of other events, and possibly the temporary closure of restaurants and bars. However, with level-headed thinking and preparation, most people will likely move through this without issue. But keeping community-protection in mind, protecting our most vulnerable, has to stay at the forefront.

Social Security Local Offices to Close to Public

Carrie Moritz
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All local Social Security offices will be closed to the public for in-person service starting Tuesday, March 17, 2020. This decision protects the population we serve—older Americans and people with underlying medical conditions—and our employees during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. However, we are still able to provide critical services.

Our secure and convenient online services remain available at www.socialsecurity.gov. Local offices will also continue to provide critical services over the phone. We are working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), state and local governments, and other experts to monitor COVID-19 and will let you know as soon as we can resume in-person service.

If you need help from Social Security:

  • First, please use our secure and convenient online services available at www.socialsecurity.gov/onlineservices. You can apply for retirement, disability, and Medicare benefits online, check the status of an application or appeal, request a replacement Social Security card (in most areas), print a benefit verification letter, and much more – from anywhere and from any of your devices. We also have a wealth of information to answer most of your Social Security questions online, without having to speak with a Social Security representative in person or by phone. Please visit our online Frequently Asked Questions at www.socialsecurity.gov/ask.
  • If you cannot conduct your Social Security business online, please check our online field office locator for specific information about how to directly contact your local office. Your local office still will be able to provide critical services to help you apply for benefits, answer your questions, and provide other services over the phone.
  • If you already have an in-office appointment scheduled, we will call you to handle your appointment over the phone instead. If you have a hearing scheduled, we will call you to discuss alternatives for continuing with your hearing, including offering a telephonic hearing. Our call may come from a PRIVATE number and not from a U.S. Government phone. Please remember that our employees will not threaten you or ask for any form of payment.
  • If you cannot complete your Social Security business online, please call our National 800 Number at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778). Our National 800 Number has many automated service options you can use without waiting to speak with a telephone representative. A list of automated telephone services is available online at www.socialsecurity.gov/agency/contact/phone.html.
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