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 nightly citywide curfew from 9 p.m. to 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. 

• 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. Grand Jury scheduled for March 23 is canceled.

• Meridian-Lauderdale County Public Library is closed until March 31.

• 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 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. Classes have moved online. Campus rentals are canceled.

• 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.

• Mississippi State University is temporarily waiving GMAT and GRE testing requirements for students applying to the university’s graduate programs. All other requirements will still need to be met for admission into a student’s graduate program. For more information, call 662-325-7400 or email gradapps@grad.msstate.edu or visit www.grad.msstate.edu.

• 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.

• 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: No hospital visitors will be allowed until further notice, with the following exceptions. One visitor is allowed per day. Laboring moms – spouse/partner; Pediatric patients (including NICU) – parent/guardian (one per day); End of life situations – spouse/significant other/adult children; Patients undergoing emergency surgery – one support person. All essential visitors will be screened through temperature checks and appropriate questioning. • Patients with a visitor who we have deemed essential will be limited to one visitor per day. • Visitors should stay in the patient room for the duration of the visit. Clinic visitors • There should be NO visitors for clinic visits, except for pediatric visits with one parent/guardian.

• Internal Medicine Clinic of Meridian is offering tele-medicine/tele-health physician and nurse practitioner visits to their patients by using an audio/video internet connection. Patients that do not have this option can have a telephone consultation with their provider. To scheduled an appointment, call Internal Medicine Clinic at 601-483-5322!

BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS

• The Urology Health Foundation’s free prostate cancer screening scheduled in Livingston, Alabama on Saturday, April 11, has been postponed.

• NAS Meridian commanding officer has directed his employees to conduct distributed workforce protocol by teleworking from home. Other offices are reducing their workforce to half and tenant commands onboard the installation have their own procedures in place.

All visitors, without a military issued ID card, must complete a health questionnaire before being admitted.

All events and tours have been canceled or postponed through May 11. Facilities closed: barber and beauty shop; Andrew Triplett Library;  Auto Hobby Shop; Subway and bowling located inside the McCain Recreation Center; Ponta Creek Community Recreation Complex including the office, paintball, retail/ticket sales and rentals; Fitness Center’s racquetball courts and steam rooms.

The chapel has suspended services and will be conducting them online. The Protestant pastor and Catholic Chaplin remain on duty for all counseling services or religious needs for the military.

The Regional Counterdrug Training Academy has postponed all classes and is closed.

The branch health clinic and pharmacy remain opens but is screening patrons when they arrive for the safety of our healthcare providers. Dental and optometry are open to active-duty only. No exams or appointments for retirees.

The Commissary is open but has implemented a 100-percent ID check. Only ID cardholders are admitted and no visitors are allowed at this time. The Navy Exchange store remains open. The golf course will remain open for golfers who would like to walk the course. The Sonny Montgomery Fitness Center will be open for active duty and reservists only from 4-8 p.m. on weekdays and noon-8 p.m. on weekends.  

• East Mississippi Realtors office is closed.

• Multi-County Community Service Agency 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.

• Community Bank is restricting lobby access at its locations. Digital banking is encouraged. The staff is available in the lobby by appointment.

• The Citizens Bank 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.

• 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 through April 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 suspended visitors to the PERS building.

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

PUBLIC SERVICE

• 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 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: suspended all visitation.

EVENTS

• The Gathering of Eagles/Silver Beaver Council Banquet scheduled for March 26 at the Soule Steam Works in Meridian has been postponed till a later date to be determined.

• The Meridian Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. 2020 Debutante Ball scheduled for May 9 has been canceled.

• The Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc., Scholarship and Achievement Ball scheduled for April 4, has been postponed till further notice.

• The Jackson State University Meridian/Lauderdale County Alumni chapter annual scholarship banquet scheduled for March 28 has been canceled.

• 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 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) is closed through Monday, April 6. All events are canceled through April, including all facility rentals. Advance tickets will be honored on the rescheduled dates. For additional information, email, aaron@msarts.org or call 601-255-4845 ext 0 and leave a message.

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

• The MSU Riley Center postponed spring shows. Rescheduled at www.msurileycenter.com.  MSU suspended all university-sponsored events and gatherings, including events sponsored by any registered student organization. 

• 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.