Here are some local businesses, organizations and events that have been affected by COVID-19.

CITY OF MERIDIAN

The city of Meridian plans to implement a citywide curfew beginning Monday at 9 p.m. and ending at 6 a.m. through April 6. Residents may still travel to and from work or pharmacies or seek medical care.

LAUDERDALE COUNTY

County offices remain open to the public with essential staff, with the exception of the Agri-Center, tax collector’s office and the Meridian/Lauderdale County Tourism Bureau. 

Certain tax collector office services will be available online and through the mail. 

Beginning Monday, all visitors and employees at various county facilities, including the courthouse and Raymond P. Davis County Annex Building, will be required to have their temperature checked by health care professionals and answer a screening questionnaire before they are permitted to enter.

Access to the courthouse, annex building and youth court will be restricted to one entrance, beginning Monday.  The public will enter the courthouse and annex building through the west entrances of each building off Constitution Avenue. Only the front entrance of youth court will be open.   

Animal Control is open by appointment.

The 10th Circuit Court District is closed through March 27. Lauderdale County pre-trial conferences scheduled for March 20 are canceled and a Grand Jury scheduled for March 23 is canceled.

Meridian-Lauderdale County Public Library is closed through Saturday.

City of Meridian Parks and Recreation suspended all indoor recreational activities, including the Meridian Activity Center, Velma Young Community Center and the Dentzel Carousel. Outdoor facilities such as athletic fields, playgrounds and parks will remain open. 

EDUCATION

Mississippi public schools will be closed through April 17, following a directive by Gov. Tate Reeves.

St. Patrick School and all Catholic schools in the Diocese of Jackson are closed through April 17.

Lamar School in Meridian transitioned to distance learning until Friday, March 27 when it will re-evaluate. The campus is restricted to essential personnel only between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Pentecostal Christian Academy in Meridian will be closed throughout next week, after which decisions will be made.

Russell Christian School is closed through April 17.

Meridian Community College canceled all on-campus activities through the spring semester, including graduation. Campus rentals are canceled.

East Central Community College essential personnel are to report to work on Monday. Students and members of the public should not visit the campus or off-campus sites. Essential personnel will prepare for a transition to virtual or alternative instructional delivery formats beginning on Monday, March 30. For details visit www.eccc.edu/coronavirus.

East Mississippi Community College canceled all campus activities and events for the remainder of the semester.

Mississippi State University Meridian moved all classes online and canceled all on-campus activities through the spring semester, including campus rentals. Upcoming shows at MSU Riley Center have been rescheduled, visit msurileycenter.com for updates.

The University of West Alabama will move all classes online starting April 6. 

The Mississippi State University Extension Service postponed all of its in-person events, trainings and meetings across the state. Resources are available at http://extension.msstate.edu/coronavirus.

HEALTH CARE FACILITIES

Mississippi Department of Health states all non-essential surgeries, procedures and appointments, including dental appointments, must be rescheduled.

East Mississippi State Hospital and the James T. Champion and Reginald P. White nursing facilities in Meridian suspended all off-campus visitors.

All four Mississippi State Veterans Homes implemented a no-visitor policy.

Bedford Care Centers, including its facility in Marion, are restricting visitors to all centers.  

The Queen City Nursing Center is restricting visitors. 

J.T. Champion Nursing Home is not accepting any visitors.

Anderson Regional Medical Center: Individuals who are sick should avoid coming to the hospital to visit patients. People who have traveled in the past 21 days to regions where COVID-19 is present, will not be permitted to visit the hospital until 14 days after their return.

Rush Health Systems: 

Visitation hours are from 7 a.m. -6 p.m. Visitation is limited to one adult per patient. No minor family members or visitors, ages 18 and under, will be allowed. Only one person may accompany a patient to the hospital, ambulatory clinic, or other offices for appointments or scheduled procedures. Rush is temporarily suspending visitor access into isolation rooms across the health system.

Alliance Health Center and Rush Health Systems Spring Conference scheduled for March 19, at the MSU Meridian Branch has been postponed.

BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS

Multi-County Community Service Agency in is closed through March 30 for office sanitation.

Mississippi Department of Health recommends all restaurants close their dine-in facilities. It also recommends state residents avoid attending funerals, weddings or any event of more than 10 people.

The Citizens Bank will limit branch lobby traffic beginning Monday, March 23. All branch lobbies will be available by appointment only. Drive-thru services will be available normal business hours.

The Meridian Star business office is closed to walk-ins. Our office will still be open and we will able to assist you by phone 601-693-1551 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday. In person appointments may be made by calling in advance.

The Mississippi Children’s Museum has temporarily closed the Jackson facility to children and families.

Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians Tribal government officials and Pearl River Resort Executive leaders temporarily closed all Pearl River Resort properties through March 31. The Pearl River Resort properties impacted include: Silver Star Hotel and Casino, Golden Moon Hotel and Casino, Bok Homa Casino. Not affected by the closure are the Dancing Rabbit Golf Course, Dancing Rabbit Inn, Pearl River Graphics Printing and the Welcome Center.

Winn-Dixie designated 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. Monday to Friday as special hours for seniors and high-risk customers. The grocer will also open all pharmacy locations at 8 a.m. on weekdays to for those same customers.

All local Social Security offices will be closed to the public for in-person service.  Phone service is available 1-800-772-1213 or www.socialsecurity.gov/onlineservices.

AARP Tax-Aide programs that were scheduled for Tuesdays and Thursdays have been suspended. 

Bonita Lakes Mall events have been canceled including The Easter Bunny. This includes all common area events, outdoor events, and activities, until further notice. The mall will operate between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. every day except for Sunday when the hours are 1 pm to 6 p.m. Retailers and the theater may implement their own corporate policies regarding modified hours or temporary store closures. 

Belk at Bonita Lakes Mall is closed until March 30.

All TJ Maxx stores closed for two weeks.

The Mississippi Museum of Art galleries are closed. The gardens will remain open.

EMEPA offices are closed to walk-ins; drive-up windows remain open.

Mississippi Power suspended customer disconnections for the next 30 days, beginning Sunday March 15. 

Dixie Electric Power Association closed its lobbies, but drive-through windows at all three locations will continue to remain open. Any current or future Dixie Electric member who needs to start or stop service can call (601) 425-2535 to handle those needs over the phone or make an appointment.

Rotary Club of Meridian suspended its weekly Wednesday meetings until May 6.

The Public Employees’ Retirement System of Mississippi (PERS) suspended visitors to the PERS building.

The Meridian Activity Center suspended all scheduled classes and activities until March 30. 

FOOD AID 

The Lauderdale County School District will provide free to-go breakfast and lunch for children up to 18 years old starting on Wednesday, March 25. Children do not have to be a Lauderdale County student but must be present to claim their meal. No identification is required.

Meals will be distributed 11:00 a.m – 1:00 p.m. Monday – Friday via car rider lines at Clarkdale Attendance Center; Southeast High Northeast Elementary and West Lauderdale Middle. Children should remain in the vehicle and no admittance into the school will be allowed. All meals must be consumed off-site.

The Meridian Public School District and The Boys and Girls Club offer grab and go lunches from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Boys and Girls Club at 1717 45th Ave. and the Boys and Girls Club at Velma Young Park, 1530 24th St. All children 18 and under can receive a lunch at no cost. Children must be present to receive a meal.

The Enterprise School District is offering free to-go breakfast and lunch to all students under 19 from 11 a.m. to noon at the high school cafeteria. Buses will also deliver meals to students and the time of delivery will vary depending on location and distance from the high school. Parents and children are asked to wait at the nearest bus stop for meals. 

The Newton Municipal School District provides free to-go lunches for children ages 18 and under, including infants and toddlers from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. through Friday at all school cafeterias. Adults may purchase a meal for $4. No eating is allowed on campus.

The Union Public School District offers to-go meals, from 10:30 a.m. to noon at Union High School. The meals are free for anyone 18 years old and younger, including infants and toddlers. Children do not have to be UPSD students and no identification is required, but children must be present to receive a meal. Adult meals are $3.50 (cash only). The district is also delivering meals at the following times and locations: 10:30 a.m. at North Street Apartments and County Line Baptist Church; 11 a.m. at Evans Tabernacle; 11:15 a.m. at Emmanuel Baptist Church and 11:30 a.m. at Neshoba Baptist Church. 

Neshoba County Schools offers to-go meals, from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Neshoba Elementary School. The meals are free for anyone 18 years old and younger, including infants and toddlers. Children do not have to be NCSD students. Adult meals are $3.50 (cash only).

The Philadelphia Public School District is offering free to-go meals for any child 18 years and younger at the Philadelphia High School cafeteria. Children must be present to receive a meal. Adults may purchase a meal for $3.75, cash only. Breakfast is available from 7:30 – 8:30 a.m. and lunch is available from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Drive-thru lunches for Choctaw Tribal Schools students can be picked up from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. at their respective schools.

The Quitman School District is serving free lunch for all children 18 and under. A child must be present to receive a lunch and no more than 10 people can be in a receiving line at one time. Meals are offered at the following locations:

Bus #1: Quail Run Apartments 10:30 – 11:05 a.m.; McKenzie Apartments 11:15 a.m. – 11:50; Piggly Wiggly 11:55 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Bus #2: Desoto Fire Department 10:30 – 11:05 a.m.; Shubuta Fire Department 11:15 a.m. – 11:50 a.m.; Shubuta Apartments 11:55 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Bus #3: East Quitman Fire Department 10:30 – 11:05 a.m.; Carmichael Fire Department 11:15 a.m. – 11:50 a.m.; Theadville Fire Department 11:55 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Bus #4: Harmony Baptist Church 10:30 – 11:05 a.m.; Pachuta Library 11:15 – 11:50 a.m.; Beaverdam Fire Department 11:55 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Wesley House

Families can stop at the Wesley House at 1520 Eighth Ave. from 1-4 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Adults must present identification and will receive a food bag for children in their care. Quantities may be limited and food will be distributed based on availability.

The Wesley House will also distribute its regular family food bags on a drive-thru basis. from 9 a.m. – noon daily and from 1- 4 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Other assistance will be handled on a case-by-case basis via fax and email. For more information, contact the Christian Relief Office at 601-485-4736 for this help. Donations may be sent to the Wesley House, P.O. box 1207, Meridian, MS 3930.

Cash Saver on Frontage Road in Meridian is offering free breakfast and sack lunches to children. Breakfast can be picked up from 7 a.m. and 8 a.m., and lunch is served from 1-2 p.m. The child must be present to receive a meal, and there is a one meal per child limit.

PUBLIC SAFETY

The Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Department asks anyone who has flu-like symptoms or who is under quarantine or self-quarantine to notify dispatchers so first-responders will prepared when they answer your call.

The Lauderdale County Detention Facility has suspended visitations.

Mississippi Department of Public Safety: All driver’s license stations are closed to the public, except for the nine Mississippi Highway Patrol district troop stations across the state until March 31. The troop stations will provide only the following services: sex offender registry transactions, commercial driver’s license card renewals (no testing) and commercial driver’s license medical card updates. Visit www.dps.ms.gov for certain online transactions such as regular driver’s license renewals.

Mississippi Department of Corrections suspended the transfers of inmates from all county jails to MDOC custody. Visitation at all facilities suspended.

Kemper Regional Correctional Facility: all visitation is suspended.

EVENTS

State Games of Mississippi has postponed Netfest 2020.

Mississippi Valley State University Green White Banquet scheduled for April 3 has been canceled.

Your Health Matters event scheduled for April 24 at the Neshoba County Coliseum has been canceled.

Mississippi Industrial Heritage Museum is closed. Maker Faire Meridian 2020 scheduled for April 4-5 has been canceled. All other museum events have been canceled or rescheduled.

Relay for Life of Lauderdale County has been postponed. 

Mississippi Veteran Affairs has canceled the Mississippi County Veterans Service Officer Training, Biloxi, MS; April 14-17

The 7th annual Martin Day scheduled for March 28, is canceled. 

The American Legion Post  Poker Run Fundraiser scheduled for March 28, in Decatur, is postponed. FMI: kc5aws@aol.com.

The Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Experience (The MAX) will be closed through Monday, March 23. Events affected include: all facility rentals.

Meridian Little Theatre’s “Murder on the Menu” Dinner Theatre has been rescheduled to April 23, 24 and 25.

The MSU Riley Center postponed Bruce Hornsby and Lula Del Ray shows. MSU suspended all university-sponsored events and gatherings, including events sponsored by any registered student organization, through March 23. 

At the Temple Theater, artist and songwriter Zach Williams’ headline tour “The Rescue Story Tour” has postponed its visit to Meridian until the fall. Newsboys United – 2020 Greatness of Our God Tour scheduled for April 25 has been postponed. The Price is Right Live scheduled for April 3  has been postponed until Friday, July 31. Tickets are available at the Box Office.

The Meridian Symphony Orchestra postponed Symphony Doo-Dah.

The Threefoot Festival in Meridian has been postponed to a later date, possibly in the fall. 

Earth’s Bounty canceled its April 4 market, postponing the start of its season until  May 2.

Salem Baptist Church canceled the gospel concert featuring “The Kingsmen Quartet” scheduled on March 29.

Ebenezer Baptist Church in Newton has canceled the gospel concert featuring the “Marksman Quartet” scheduled on April 2.

If you have a business, organization or event affected by COVID-19, please email editor@themeridianstar.com.