Vol. 115, No. 16 $1 THETHE NORTONNORTON TTELEGRAMELEGRAM WEBSITE: nwkansas.com 6 PAGES Wednesday Parks closed to slow the spread... April 15, 2020 Spring Sports Honoring State Champions Inserted in today’s issue Briefly Get your senior details turned in Graduating Senior Class of 2020, On April 1, 2020, by order of the Board of Health/Health Officer is- ther notice. Walkers are still allowed to walk through parks as long if you have not turned in your black sued under the authority granted by K.S.A. 65-119, it was announced as strict social distancing measures are taken. All affected locations and white photo, photo release form, and information sheet, please do so that effective immediately all parks and playgrounds within Norton were taped off and set vacant in the hopes of slowing the spread of immediately. These can be turned into County be closed. All City parks, playgrounds and equipment, pic- the COVID-19 virus. – Telegram photo by Dana Paxton your senior sponsor or directly to the nic equipment, restrooms, and athletic courts be closed until fur- Norton Telegram. Church services to take place at lake Not too late to respond to Census The Norton Christian Church will By LISA HERMAN had responded. As of April 11, Norton As of April 11, 700,000 Kansas congressional and state legislative dis- hold services at Prairie Dog State Park [email protected] County’s responses had risen to 47.0 households have responded to the 2020 tricts. Responses also help to direct bil- April 19 at 11 a.m. Church Deacons To help determine congressional percent, with Kansas’ overall response Census. The national response rate is lions of dollars in federal funds to local will direct you where to park and you representation, direct hundreds of bil- rate also rising to 52.2 percent. Based 47.9 percent, with 70,800,000 house- communities for schools and school will have to stay in your vehicle during lions in federal funding, and provide on responses received as of April 11, holds having responded thus far. lunch programs, hospitals, new clin- the services. A sealed Communion can data that will impact communities Kansas and Illinois are tied for ninth The 2020 Census, according to the ics, fire departments, new roads, and be picked up at the Church from 9:30 for the next decade, the United States place in the overall state ranking, with United States Census Bureau, provides other critical programs and services for to 10:15 a.m. Census Bureau’s 2020 Census invita- 52.2 percent response rate. The top a snapshot of our nation - who we are, families, older adults, and children. In tions began arriving in Norton County five rankings by state are: 1. Minne- where we live, and so much more. Re- addition, the 2020 Census results also Continued support mailboxes a little over a month ago. sota (57.2 percent); 2. Wisconsin (54.7 sults from this once-a-decade count de- inform how hundreds of billions of On Census Day, April 1, 42.4 percent percent); 3. Michigan (54.5 percent); 4. termine the number of seats each state dollars in federal funding are allocated of Norton residents had responded; Nebraska (53.6 percent); and 5. Iowa has in the U.S. House of Representa- (Census - Continued on Page 5) of local businesses on that date, 46.1 percent of Kansans (53.6 percent). tives, and results are also used to draw Please remember to support our area restaurants. Several are still open and offering curb side pick up as well as delivery. Norton’s State Street needs your votes By LISA HERMAN Independent We Stand America’s Main will be contacted on or about Tuesday, $25,000 in cash and related prizes to Markets [email protected] Streets contest gives small business April 21 for notification. help revitalize that Main Street. Addi- Monday, April 13, 2020 Quarterfinalist voting will remain owners the opportunity to share their Semifinalist voting will be conducted tional contest prizes include: a STIHL Wheat . .$4.40 open until 11:59 p.m. this Sunday, Main Street stories nationwide,” says from April 27 to May 25, with 10 semi- equipment certificate for $1,000 worth Milo .......................$2.45 April 19 for the STIHL-sponsored Independent We Stand co-founder, Bill finalists to be determined based on the of STIHL equipment, good at any STI- Soybeans ...................$7.48 America’s Main Street contest. State Brunelle. “But we know it takes a com- highest number of public votes. Each HL dealer in the United States; a Do it Corn ......................$2.79 Street, located in downtown Norton, munity to make that possible, so we’re voter may visit the website and follow Best Corp. $500 shopping spree; a free Markets Courtesy of Norton Ag Valley Co-Op was nominated as a deserving Main inviting consumers to help recognize the instructions to cast votes each day One Day Downtown Assessment from Street. To advance into the next round their favorite indie businesses.” for his or her favorite submission. The Flip This Town; a Nationwide Market- of competition, however, Norton’s Votes may be cast by visiting https:// voting limit, regardless of the number ing Group $500 shopping spree; a PPG Weather State Street needs all the votes it can www.mainstreetcontest.com/pro- of entries voted for, is twenty-five (25) Paints $500 shopping spree; public re- file/15, and you can vote up to twenty- within 24 hours, per IP address. lations and social media recognition; Wednesday - Mostly sunny with a high possibly get. five (25) times within 24 hours, regard- Once the semifinalists have been de- and a special plaque for the winner to near 61. Wednesday Night - A slight On February 24, Independent We less of the number of entries voted for, termined, a panel of contest judges will proudly display. chance of rain and snow showers between Stand, a national small business per IP address. Quarterfinalist voting judge and rate the submissions, with For questions or additional informa- 1 a.m. and 2 a.m., then a slight chance of movement, kicked off the fifth annual will remain open until 11:59 p.m. this the Grand Prize Winner to be notified tion about the contest, please e-mail snow showers after 2 a.m. Mostly cloudy America’s Main Streets contest to help Sunday, April 19. The twenty-five (25) on or about May 29 and announced on [email protected]. with a low around 26. Chance of precipi- consumers, small business owners, and submissions that receive the highest the website and through social media tation is 20 percent. Thursday - A chance Main Street organizations reward a de- number of public votes will be deemed on June 2. of snow showers before noon, then a serving Main Street with $25,000 in the quarterfinalists. The quarterfinalists The winning Main Street will receive chance of rain and snow showers between cash and sponsor-related prizes. “Our noon and 1 p.m., then a chance of rain showers after 1 p.m. Mostly cloudy with a high near 43. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent. Thursday Night - A chance Hospital’s visitor restrictions further enhanced of rain showers. Friday - A slight chance of snow showers before 11 a.m., then a By LISA HERMAN Environment (KDHE) to have at least employees, including taking tempera- can stay home while communicating slight chance of rain showers between [email protected] one positive case of COVID-19. As of tures, as they enter the facility. Patients with their provider. Providers are deal- 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Mostly sunny with a Last Friday, April 10, the Norton April 12, there have been no positive still may only enter at two locations: ing with each patient on an individual high near 51. County Hospital and Norton Medical cases reported for Norton County, al- the Medical Clinic and Outpatient basis to determine if he or she needs to Clinic announced they have enhanced though testing continues with patients Clinic entrances; and (4) More internal be seen physically or if a telehealth ap- their visitor restrictions in response to who match the symptoms and meet the changes are being made as well to con- pointment is a viable option. Telehealth Prayer the growing numbers of COVID-19 testing criteria. tinue limiting areas where staff and/or is also being used as a tool to connect cases in the state of Kansas. The following visitor restrictions are patients may congregate and to keep patients with some specialty clinic pro- Heavenly Father, thank you for our ability According to a press release, the de- now in effect for the Norton County the facilities as clean as possible. viders.” to serve. Even when we’re doing things cision to enhance the security of the Hospital and its clinic facilities: (1) No “It’s important to note that the hos- The Norton Medical Clinic’s hours we don’t want to do, help us to reflect your hospital and clinic facilities was made visitors are allowed into the hospital pital and clinic are still open and serv- are still the same. Since March 31st, all joy to others. Amen. after lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 and clinic facilities. Exceptions to this ing patients’ needs, many of which are well-patient appointments have been were reported in counties that are in rule may apply if a patient is at end of non-COVID related,” the hospital’s scheduled in the morning, while after- close proximity to Norton County.