Covering all of Baldwin County, AL every Friday. Virtual Spirit Week PAGE 6 Food pantries The Baldwin Times PAGE 5 MAY 1, 2020 | GulfCoastNewsToday.com | 75¢ County restoring services, planning recovery Coming By GUY BUSBY available by phone, email or together [email protected] online.,” Underwood said. On Monday, Baldwin County to make ROBERTSDALE — Limited Probate and Revenue Depart- county services will resume ment offices will reopen on Monday as Baldwin officials an appointment basis to allow an impact begin to work on reopening residents to register vehicles offices as well as planning an and conduct other business. Submitted economic recovery from the Anyone wanting to make an COVID-19 outbreak. appointment can call 251-943- GUY BUSBY / STAFF PHOTO Impact 100 Baldwin The Baldwin County Com- 5061 to arrange a meeting. County announced their mission voted Tuesday, April Lobbies will still be closed, Dana Jepsen, South Baldwin director of Ecumenical Ministries and 2020 grants in a Face- director of Baldwin County Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster, 28, to begin a phased reopening and residents will be required book Premiere event on discusses plans to set up the Baldwin County Recovery Working Group to of offices closed since March. to practice social distancing help local businesses affected by the economic impact of the coronavirus. April 27. In spite of the Commission Chairwoman while using the offices. restrictions around the Billie Jo Underwood said the The commission met Tues- and some small businesses to came as some local businesses pandemic, the women reopening will be in phases. day morning before Gov. resume operations. are running short of time. of the county came to- “What we really wanted to Kay Ivey issued her “Safer at Casey Williams, president “Right now, businesses gether and are awarding do is get some county services Home,” order that would allow of the Eastern Shore Chamber $450,000 resulting in five back and available that are not Alabama beaches to reopen of Commerce, said the order SEE COUNTY, PAGE 2 $90,000 grants that will fund transformative programs — and make a difference in the qual- ity of life in Baldwin County. Local YMCA supporting first responder families Each year, Impact 100’s grants are given in SEE IMPACT, PAGE 3 OUR COMMITMENT TO OUR READERS Wind, rain or quarantine, we’ll keep you updated. In the event that we are unable to deliver newspapers, we can deliver the full edition right to your inbox. Please send us your email address so we can add you to our electronic delivery list if SUBMITTED PHOTOS needed as developments continue Food distribution for children in collaboration with Feeding the Gulf Coast. Making Easter baskets with bags of eggs given to the kids by OWA. in the COVID-19 pandemic. Send your email to [email protected]. By JESSICA VAUGHN COVID-19 shut down, first in to help, opening a special gram as we go because we’ve [email protected] In an effort to help keep our neigh- responders and critical care daycare for children of first never had to do something bors safe, you can read the most workers were left without responders and healthcare like this before,” said VP of up-to-date information about the While many local parents schools and daycares during workers when the shutdown Operations, Baldwin County virus for free everyday at are able to stay home with the crisis. began a month ago. www.gulfcoastnewstoday.com their children during the The YMCA has stepped “We’re developing this pro- SEE YMCA, PAGE 4 COVID-19 Signs & Symptoms Coronaviruses (CoV) are a family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more severe diseases. COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2 is a strain of coronavirus that had not been previously identified in humans, making it a novel coronavirus. The Updates: disease caused by this virus is known as COVID-19. Source: World Health Organization Updates on COVID-19 can be found at the World Health Organization Protect Yourself & Others website at who.int. Updates can also Fever • Cough • Shortness of Breath be found at www.cdc.gov/COVID19. Symptoms can range from mild to severe. Senior citizens and those Updates on Baldwin County closures, with underlying medical conditions like cardiovascular disease, testing, and more can be found at lung disease, cancer or diabetes are at increased risk for severe www.gulfcoastnewstoday.com. symptoms, which can lead to viral pneumonia and even death. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure. 1 2 3 4 Source: Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) 1. Wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, If you think you need to be tested, for and always before eating; after using the bathroom; and after testing locations and hours call 1-888- blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing. Getting 264-2256. For general questions call 2. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands. 1-800-270-7268 or email covid19info@ 3. Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then dispose of the tissue in the trash. adph.state.al.us. Calls are answered 4. Stay at home when sick until your symptoms are gone. Tested from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Source: National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD) Deaths Page 5 Gulf Mildred Walker Hanson Coast Media VOLUME 129 • ISSUE 51 1 SECTION • 20 PAGES 2 • The Baldwin Times • May 1, 2020 • Gulf Coast Media COUNTY and, so far, with our ex- a health care crisis dur- who have complied with perience on the islands ing this for those who restrictions and social The Baldwin Times CONTINUED FROM 1 over the last month ev- were actually affected by distancing guidelines erybody for the most part the virus personally. So, have helped keep local 901 N. McKenzie St., Foley, AL 36535-3546 aren’t coming forward has,” Kennon said. “All what we are trying to do cases down. saying we’re going to of our visitors have been is organize a recovery “Our case numbers PHONE: (251) 943-2151 | FAX: (251) 943-3441 close tomorrow, but they very respectful of the plan so that we will have look very good consider- [email protected] have all said we’re hang- rules and tried to abide something available for ing the circumstances ing in there, but we can’t by them.” our citizens so that they and I certainly want to Allison Marlow Classified Advertising do it much longer. That’s The commission also can reach out with ques- say that the reasons our Managing Editor Lindsay Walker the overall message we’re voted to establish the tions,” Underwood said. case numbers look like allisonm@gulfcoast lindsay@gulfcoast getting,” Williams said. Baldwin County Recov- “I don’t know that we’ll they do is because you media.com media.com “They were, for the most ery Working Group to have all the answers, but have followed the direc- part, telling us that if we help officials, business what we will do is try to tions given from the Tony Whitehead Legal Advertising can just begin to resume leaders and nonprofits steer them in the right di- medical officials and as Sports Editor April M. Perry and get some normalcy, deal with the economic rection to where they can we continue to do that, tony@gulfcoast legals@gulfcoast we will be OK, but then, effects of the outbreak receive help.” I have no doubt that media.com media.com of course, there’s the big, and closings. Willliams, who will be we will have a positive ‘what if.’ What if we get “This is a different a chamber representative outcome for us in the fu- shut down again?” type of situation,” Un- on the group, said the ture,” Hood said. Parks Rogers Orange Beach Mayor derwood said. “I don’t small businesses hardest He said local first Publisher Tony Kennon said local think anybody has been hit by the downturn are responders and govern- [email protected] officials are ready for in this arena before. We the backbone of Baldwin ment agencies have crowds to hit the beaches. don’t know what our citi- County’s economy. also worked together to To subscribe, make an address change or vacation delivery He said police will be out zens are going to need. “To have a thriving provide the equipment stop, you may call our office at (251) 943-2151, go online at enforcing rules on social We know that this was retail and small business needed to deal with the www.gulfcoastnewstoday.com and click on the “e-edition” link in distancing. a health crisis that cre- community, we must outbreak. the black toolbar. Under “don’t have an id’ there is an option for “We’re going to be ated an economic crisis. have healthy individuals “Those needs were in how to become a subscriber, or email amber@gulfcoastmedia. out in force and treat it It has put fear in a lot of who can work there and the form of face shields, com. as though it’s a spring minds.” manage and the owners masks, gowns and gloves. ©Gulf Coast Media 2019. No part of this newspaper may be break,” Kennon said. The group will include of the small businesses, We have continued reproduced without the prior written consent of the group “We’re going to make county and city officials so critical to our econ- through the last 46 days publisher or associate publisher. Opinions of editorial or sure there’s no large as well as representatives omy,” Williams said.