Calhoun County's Joint Operations Center (JOC) will release Joint Information Center (JIC) briefings via email every Monday and Friday, as well as hold a live presentation mid-day Wednesdays.
As of 11:30 a.m., Friday, April 10, Calhoun County Public Health Department reports 65 positive cases for COVID-19.
Changes in data reporting from the CCPHD
As our understanding of COVID-19 rapidly develops, we continue to gather data to better inform our response. It is our duty to share as much information as we can with our community, while also complying with the federal laws established through HIPAA. Because Calhoun County now has enough cases to provide more specific breakdowns of information without compromising personal privacy, CCPHD will be adjusting the way we report COVID-19 data to the public going forward.
Beginning Monday, April 13, CCPHD will alter data reporting as noted below.
- Persons Under Investigation (PUI), Negative Results, and Test Results Pending will be removed. With the addition of private lab testing, it is no longer possible to accurately record the number of tests submitted for processing.
- Positive Case counts, number of hospitalized cases, and deaths will continue to be recorded and shared twice daily. Below this table, visitors to the calhouncountymi.gov alert page will find a link to “cumulative data” where positive case counts will be broken down into the following categories once daily:
- Breakdown by age groups
- Breakdown by gender
- Breakdown by reported race
- Please note any category where the reportable number is equal to or less than 6 shall be suppressed in compliance with HIPAA.
CCPHD will also begin providing an epidemic curve once daily. This is a helpful tool that is used in epidemiology to visualize the onset of a disease outbreak.
Facility closure extension
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Thursday signed Executive Order 2020-42 extending her previous “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order through April 30. This order still limits gatherings and travels, and requires anyone who is not working to sustain or protect life to stay home. The new order also places stricter limitations on stores to reduce foot traffic, slow the spread of COVID-19, and save lives.
To follow this order, Calhoun County and City of Battle Creek facilities will remain closed to the public through April 30.
Their reopenings will be determined over the next few weeks.
Community message
The Calhoun County Joint Operations Center Unified Command – the community leaders in our emergency response to COVID-19 – recorded a message to the community that is airing now on AccessVision.
Battle Creek City Manager Rebecca Fleury, Calhoun County Public Health Department Officer Eric Pessell, and Calhoun County Administrator and Controller Kelli Scott recorded the update remotely via Zoom.
It will air on AccessVision at the top of each hour, with the exception of times when regular programming airs (like government meetings). Watch on Comcast 17/917, AT&T 99, or at accessvision.tv at the Live 17 tab.
COVID testing available at Grace Health
In response to state-wide efforts to increase testing to COVID-19, Grace Health is partnering with Bronson Lab to provide on-site collection of tests. Individuals using this test site MUST have an order from a primary care provider for a COVID-19 test or can call Grace Health at 269-441-3463 to determine if testing is appropriate. The testing will take place in the East Building parking lot at 181 W Emmett Street, Battle Creek from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday-Friday., by appointment only.
Virtual City and County Commission Meetings
To follow the governor’s stay-home order, and her order allowing remote and electronic meetings of public bodies, both the City of Battle Creek City Commission and Calhoun County Board of Commissioners will meet remotely on Tuesday, April 14.
The Battle Creek City Commission will meet via Zoom, starting at 7 p.m. The public can participate in the public comment portions of the meeting by calling in to the meeting at 312-626-6799. Callers will enter the meeting ID number 878-725-830. You can also submit public comment to be read at the meeting by email, to
vlhouser@battlecreekmi.gov
, or by writing the comment on paper, placing it in an envelope addressed to the city commission by noon on April 14, and placing it in the bill payment drop box in the City Hall parking lot, 10 N. Division St.
The public can watch the entire city commission meeting, as usual, live on AccessVision on cable, Comcast 17/917 and AT&T 99; or online at accessvision.tv, via the Live 17 tab at the top of the page. The city also will broadcast the meeting on Facebook Live, at
facebook.com/CerealCityMichigan
.
The Calhoun County Board of Commissioners Meeting will meet via Zoom, as well. To watch and then participate in the meeting, visit the
Calhoun County Youtube Channel
. It will stream live on that channel starting at 7 p.m., Tuesday, April 14.
Albion recycling event cancelled
Due to COVID-19, the recycling event for electronics, scrap tires, and scrap metal scheduled to be held at Ketchum Field in Albion on April 25 has been cancelled. We will work toward rescheduling these collections later in the year. Visit the
County's recycling website
for more information.
Burn permits
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has issued a statewide moratorium on open burning. That means that you may NOT burn a pile of yard waste on your lawn or driveway. Communities are not issuing burn permits right now – unless the ground is snow-covered.
This will free up our firefighters for medical situations, as needed, and protect firefighters from potential COVID-19 exposure.
You can still build small, recreational fires, as long as you keep on eye on them, then thoroughly douse the when you are done.
Parks and trash
Following up to the parks conversation in Wednesday’s Zoom chat – We have received communication from both Battle Creek Public and Lakeview schools that they are asking the community
NOT
to use school playgrounds and athletic fields at this time. Neither district plans to tape around the equipment at this time, but both have placed some signs to reflect their message.
The city maintains parks on school property at the Lakeview elementaries – Minges Brook, Prairieview, Riverside, and Westlake – and operates more than 20 other parks. City staff have placed the accompanying, bilingual flyer at city parks, and at the Lakeview school parks without signs.
JOC leaders encourage the community to get outside, but only at a distance of six feet from others. At this time, there are many parks and open spaces across the county to enjoy, and you can read more about that here:
https://conta.cc/3bPoyF8
.
We are glad neighbors are following the guidance to wear masks and gloves while on essential errands, and using cleaning wipes, but as you spend time outside, please take your trash with you.
Parks have trash cans that staff are able to empty a couple of times per week, however, they fill up quickly with increased visitors’ park use right now. Any trash visitors can take with them and keep off the ground is appreciated.
Yard waste update
The Cities of Battle Creek and Springfield have worked with Waste Management to provide waste drop-off until curbside services restart. WM suspended curbside yard waste and bulk item pickup across the country, as they reduce on-the-road staff due to the many state emergency declarations and stay-home orders.
Those who live in
Battle Creek city limits
can take
yard waste only
to the dumpster in the front parking lot of the Department of Public Works, 150 S. Kendall St. Please observe hours of 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Please place grass clippings, leaves, and other loose waste in the paper yard waste bags available at local stores, to keep it contained. Please dispose of sticks/branches no larger than four inches in diameter, in four-foot bundles.
Those who live in the
Springfield city limits
can take
yard waste and bulk items
to the two dumpsters at Springfield City Hall, 601 Avenue A. Each dumpster has a sign designating it for either yard waste or bulk items (furniture, mattresses, carpet rolls, etc.) – please place your items in the appropriate dumpster.
Reminder that Waste Management’s temporary customer service phone number is 269-969-7530.
