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Ind. 1 paving work What could be next Eskridge, WMU coming to an end for a coronavirus drug find ways to train Area State Page 8 Page 2 Sports Page 6 The News-Bannerwww.News-Banner.com FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2020 BLUFFTON, INDIANA • Wells County’s Hometown Connection $1.00 Fauci: Love in the time disease of coronavirus could ‘We didn’t want to wait’: The Wolfs of Ossian get married during pandemic on short notice rebound By JUANITA McLELLAN A Bluffton native, Tom Wolf is By KEVIN FREKING Melody and Tom Wolf planned an avid reader and became involved and JILL COLVIN their wedding in less than a day. with the library as a teenager. Associated Press The celebration was originally “He started out as a (student) WASHINGTON (AP) — The set to take place in the meeting volunteer when he was in school,” nation’s top infectious disease room of the Wells County Public Melody said. “But he aged out of expert said Thursday that new Library in Bluffton where they met, it. So, they let him volunteer (as an cases of the coronavirus are a cer- but then COVID-19 happened. adult) instead. It’s kind of become tainty as states begin to roll back Instead, they got married in the his second home.” restrictions. States need to pro- back yard of pastor John Reinhard, The couple spoke briefly sev- ceed carefully as they take steps who is a friend of Tom’s. eral times, always at the library in to reopen businesses and allow “He texted us and said he would Bluffton. It didn’t take long for greater freedom of movement, Dr. do it,” Melody Wolf said. “Both them to see they wanted to take Anthony Fauci said. of our best friends, and the pas- their relationship further. “We will get blips ... there’s no tor and his wife were there. It was “We decided to get married in doubt,” Fauci told NBC’s “Today” supposed to be 100 people, but we October of 2019. We were sup- show. “When you pull back there can’t do that anymore.” posed to get married April 4, ’cause will be cases, and what we need Melody laughs when describing that was a Saturday, so we could to do is make sure (states) have in the way she and her husband met. use the library,” Melody said. “Of place the capability of identifying, “He was a volunteer at the course we knew a month ahead that isolating and contact tracing indi- Bluffton library. I worked as an we might not be able to because of viduals.” intern. It just kind of sparked from the quarantine. So we decided to Fauci urged states that don’t there,” she said. (Continued from Page 1) have that capability to go very slowly. “You can’t just leap over Couple postpones Saturday wedding Above, newly- things and get into a situation weds Melody where you’re really tempting a to September: ‘I had my heart set’ and Tom Wolf rebound. That’s the thing I get met at the library concerned about,“ he said. By JUANITA McLELLAN years ago. We have been engaged in Bluffton. They His warnings came a day after Kristen Smallman knows all for two years.” were married April President Donald Trump said the about making last minute chang- 3, with six hours federal government would not The pandemic’s resulting stay- notice prior to the es when life throws you a curve. at-home order and its continuous wedding. Melody extend its social distancing guide- The 30-year-old lifetime resi- extension was instrumental in the and Tom have put lines past Thursday, and Trump’s dent of Bluffton and her fiance, couple postponing its ceremony. their honeymoon son-in-law and adviser, Jared Cody Thompson, had to put their “When they extended the plans on hold until Kushner, predicted that by July wedding plans on hold due to stay-at-home order to May 1, the COVID pan- the country would be “really rock- COVID-19. Smallman originally I thought, ‘We better do this,’ demic is over. At ing again,“ despite health experts picked May 2 as the date for their because the next day was our left, Kristen Small- assessing that as highly unlikely. man and Cody nuptial. wedding,” Smallman said. Trump planned to meet on Thompson had Thursday with Gov. Phil Mur- “We were inviting over 200,” The date has been moved to to postpone their she said. Sept. 5. May 2 wedding phy, D-N.J., as the president aims Thompson lives in Fort Wayne “Unfortunately it’s not a date due to COVID- to focus on the reopening process and has been a fixture in Small- that I would have originally cho- 19. The couple that has started in many places. man’s family for many years. sen. Sept. 5 is (during) Labor is now planning Murphy told Fox News before “I have actually known him Day weekend,” Smallman said. on a Labor Day leaving for Washington that he weekend wed- intended to discuss with Trump for a long time,” Smallman said. “But there were parts we had ding. They plan “He is best friends with my older deposits on. I had to email all of both testing capacity and federal to honeymoon in money for New Jersey, among the brother, Brennen. We turned it them to try and get them to line Tennessee. (Pho- (Continued from Page 1) states hardest hit by the pandemic. into more than that about three tos provided) “We need help with the here (Continued on Page 2) State still not offering testing in Wells County By JESSICA BRICKER sites are at 20 Indiana National Increased availability of Guard Armory locations. The COVID-19 testing across the state The latest local, state COVID-19 numbers armory in Bluffton is currently will soon be offered, but as of right undergoing a major renovation • Wells County remains at five positive cases facilities. now no public testing has been project. and no confirmed deaths. There have been 113 • There are 3,114 intensive care unit beds in provided in Wells County. The remainder of the sites are county residents tested. the state and 42.5 percent are available. Of those The Wells County Health in Angola, Columbus, Conners- • Statewide, 17,835 have tested positive and in use, 17.6 percent are by COVID-19 patients Department knows of “none at this ville, Danville, Elkhart, Elwood, there have been 1,007 confirmed deaths. Nearly and 39.9 percent are by non-COVID-19 patients. time” coming to the community, Jasper, Johnson County, Lafay- 95,000 have been tested. • There are 3,031 ventilators in the state’s sup- Deputy Administrator Marlene ette, LaPorte, Logansport, Mun- • There are 148 long-term care facilities in the ply and 80.6 percent are available. Of those in Hoag said Thursday. cie, Peru, Richmond, Scottsburg, state with at least one positive case, and 95 with use, 9.1 are by COVID-19 patients and 10.3 per- On Tuesday, state health offi- South Bend, Terre Haute, Valpara- at least one death. cent are by non-COVID-19 patients. cials announced new testing sites iso and Vincennes. • There are 1,467 total positive cases in long- — Thursday’s data compiled by Jessica Bricker being opened within the next “In the first 30 days, 100,000 term care facilities and 260 total deaths in the from www.coronavirus.in.gov week. Hoosiers are expected to be “These free tests will be avail- tested,” Tuesday’s release said. able in locations across the state, “Testing is for any symptomatic ensuring even more Hoosiers who family member can get tested for said in a release. offered in Wells County. The clos- Hoosier, close contacts of positive have symptoms or an affected coronavirus,” Gov. Eric Holcomb But no sites are currently being est site is in Huntington. The new (Continued on Page 2) GOP lawmakers reject Michigan’s virus order; Whitmer unfazed By DAVID EGGERT to combat the pandemic. “putting their heads in the sand and putting her emergency declaration before it was and MIKE HOUSEHOLDER The governor, unfazed, responded with more lives and livelihoods at risk. I’m not to expire late Thursday. But at the same Associated Press orders stating under one law that an emer- going to let that happen.” time, she believes she has other powers to LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The Repub- gency still exists, while under another law The Legislature’s moves came as hun- respond to the crisis and does not need a lican-led Michigan Legislature refused declaring new 28-day states of emergency dreds of conservative activists, including legislatively-approved extension — which Thursday to extend the state’s coronavirus and disaster. The latter measure will ensure some who were openly carrying assault Republicans dispute and plan to challenge emergency declaration and voted to autho- health care workers continue to have special rifles, returned to the Capitol to denounce in court. rize a lawsuit challenging Democratic Gov. legal protections, she said. her stay-at-home order. The declaration is the foundation for Gretchen Whitmer’s authority and actions Whitmer accused GOP lawmakers of Whitmer wanted legislators to extend (Continued on Page 8) Inside Outside Online CONCRETE How to contact us: AND MORE NOW! Call us: 824-0224 Local/Area or 1-800-579-7476 Follow us on Facebook! POLE BARN FLOORS Obituaries. 3 Fax us: 824-0700 Police Notebook . .3 Go to www.facebook.com/ DRIVEWAYS newsbanner STAMPED CONCRETE [email protected] ————— On the Web: Opinion Not so bad today and Place Your Classified Indiana, Michigan & Ohio’s premier www.news-banner.com Jerry Battiste .