Town of Luther Updates
- Luther Municipal Court closed until April 1, 2020, for now.
- Paying Bills
“We have gloves, disinfectant, etc., and are cleaning all door handles after people take care of their business. We are practicing social distancing in the office. We are paying close attention to announcements from the President, Oklahoma Department of Health Dept and CDC. We are prepared to close the lobby and take only phone calls if we feel it appropriate. We can’t work from home unfortunately,” said Scherrie Pidcock, Town Manager.
- Water. Working on replacing the main water line continued Thursday and will resume next week. Pidcock says while the work is going well without any recent problems, she recommends that Town water customers save up some water in containers just in case, especially with our extra hand washing. “My worry is that people won’t gather some extra water so they can wash their hands and flush their toilets if we have to turn the water off for a repair. The contractor and our maintenance are prepared to work quickly to make repairs if the water line does break during the replacement process,” she said. Pidcock said there was some discussion about delaying the work during this time, but with scheduling and equipment rentals, the cost on an already expensive project would increase.
BLOOD DRIVE
BancFirst Luther is having a Blood Drive, continued as scheduled, Monday, March 30, 1 – 4 pm.
19280 E Highway 66. Make an appointment at 405.968.4919 with the Oklahoma Blood Institute.
OBI says that blood is needed now more than ever.
OPEN AND USING PRECAUTIONS
BancFirst Luther is open and assisting customers as usual. Access to accounts and customer service continues in the lobby, on the phone and online. In the lobby, customers are asked to provide other custoemrs and employees as much space as possible.
Check on your other Luther businesses for adjustments in hours and services.
SCHOOL NEWS
Free breakfast and lunch will begin Monday.
The Deal About Tests
The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) Friday announced it has entered into a new public-private partnership with Diagnostic Labs of Oklahoma (DLO) to increase the State of Oklahoma’s capacity for delivering results for COVID-19 tests. As a result of the new partnership, more than 300 test specimens were immediately shipped yesterday to DLO’s facility in Dallas, Texas, for results within the next couple days.
“The Oklahoma State Department of Health appreciates the strengthened partnership with DLO to send COVID-19 test kits to its facilities in Dallas for rapid results,” said Commissioner of Health Gary Cox. “The state is committed to expanding testing and result capacity by building out more public-private partnerships here at home and across the United States. Thanks to action taken at the federal level, we are expecting more supplies to come online in the coming days to support our efforts.”
The state’s partnership with DLO will allow current demand for COVID-19 test results to be met within a two- to three-day time frame. The Public Health Laboratory will continue to prioritize its limited in-house supply for delivering results within 24-hours for Oklahoma’s most vulnerable populations. Vulnerable populations are identified as follows:
- Where a cluster of individuals are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, such as a nursing home.
- Individuals who are age 60 or older
- Children or adults who have compromised immune systems
“As this new public-private lab partnership expands Oklahoma’s capacity to deliver timely results, it will allow the OSDH, county health departments, hospitals, health care providers and others begin pursuing innovative options for increasing access to COVID-19 testing,” Cox said.
For more information about COVID-19, visit coronavirus.health.ok.gov.
RESOURCES FROM OG&E.
OG&E has compiled a resource for businesses and other helpful information that they allowed The Luther Register to share.
SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan
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.
According to the SBA, these loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that cannot be paid because of the impact of COVID-19. The interest rate is 3.75% for small businesses without credit available elsewhere and 2.75% for nonprofits. Businesses with credit available elsewhere are not eligible for this program.
https://www.sba.gov/page/coronavirus-covid-19-small-business-guidance-loan-resources
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.
Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers to Plan and Respond to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), February 2020:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/specific-groups/guidance-business-response.html
https://www.publichealth.va.gov/n-coronavirus/?utm_source=Homepage&utm_campaign=Coronavirus
Facebook announced that it’s creating a $100 million grant program for small businesses. Applications aren’t open yet, but the company says this will include both ad credits and cash grants that can be spent on operational costs like paying workers and paying rent. It will be available to up to 30,000 businesses in the 30-plus countries where Facebook operates.
Facebook has also created a Business Hub with tips and resources for businesses trying to survive during the outbreak.
Ideas/Examples of How Communities Have Responded to the Coronavirus
The Strong Towns Community would like to compile and celebrate examples of how citizens across the globe have served their neighbors in response to the coronavirus. Have you or someone from your community helped a neighbor or group in need? Share it with the other stories at Strong Towns Community: https://community.strongtowns.org/topic/coronavirus.
Veterans
https://www.publichealth.va.gov/n-coronavirus/?utm_source=Homepage&utm_campaign=Coronavirus
Other Useful Links
Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 Global Cases Dashboard (Website Link)
CDC Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers (Website Link)
US Chamber Coronavirus Resource Page (Website Link)
CDC Workplace School Home Guidance Infographic (Uploaded 3/15/20)
CDC COVID-19 Self-Check Guide (Uploaded 3/15/20)
CDC Share Facts About COVID-19 (Uploaded 3/15/20)
US Chamber Guidance for Employers to Plan and Respond to the Coronavirus (Uploaded 3/15/20)
US Chamber Coronavirus Customizable Flyer (Uploaded 3/15/20)
US Chamber Coronavirus Workplace Tips for Employees (Uploaded 3/15/20)
US Govt — “15 Days to Slow the Spread” Infographic (Uploaded 3/17/20)
CDC COVID-19 Daily Key Points 3_12_2020_FINAL (Uploaded 3/15/20)
OSHA3990 Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19 (Uploaded 3/15/20)
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