State: Campgrounds closed, parks still open during stay-at-home order

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UPDATE 10:54 a.m. April 7:

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources has suspended certain activities at state properties starting April 8.

Horse and mountain bike use is being suspended out of concern that those activities pose a greater risk of accidents that could be serious enough to warrant intervention by DNR staff.

Biking on paved trails and roads will still be allowed.

Other activities still allowed include hiking, fishing, boating, birding, hunting, and geocaching.

ORIGINAL STORY, 6 p.m. April 6:

Gov. Holcomb is closing campgrounds effective April 7, but state parks will remain open to daily visitors, according to new executive orders issued this afternoon.

“All campgrounds will be closed except for those who use recreational vehicles or cabins as their primary residence. State parks remain open to daily visitors,” Gov. Eric Holcomb’s office said in a press release.

Visitors are still asked to observe six-foot social distancing guidelines between themselves and people who do not live with them.

Over the weekend, as local health officials expressed concern about what appeared to be increased travel to Brown County for recreation, debate began on social media about whether or not the parks should be closed; if locals should still be allowed to use them, but not visitors; and if visitors really posed a public health threat to local people.

Brown County officials had pleaded for changes to the way state recreational properties were operating here. In a letter to Gov. Holcomb sent Saturday, county commissioner Diana Biddle wrote: “Please, do the ‘RIGHT THING’ by us and close the state properties (Brown County State Park, Yellowwood State Forest campgrounds, etc.) to discourage the continued unessential and unnecessary travel into our community!”

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After the April 6 press conference, a governor’s spokesman clarified that rental cabins in parks were closed, but other vacation rentals, like AirBnbs, can continue to operate, as they are also considered “essential” businesses like hotels and motels are under the governor’s orders.

Over the weekend, a petition began circulating on change.org asking the governor to shut down tourism during the pandemic and to “please enforce the stay-at-home rule and protect Brown County!” It had received more than 1,300 signatures as of April 6. Posted with it was a photo of a full parking lot taken at Yellowwood Lake on April 4.

Brown County EMA also urged locals and visitors to stay home, issuing an “orange” level travel status on April 4. It recommends “only essential travel, such as two and from work or in emergency situations,” or for grocery shopping, gas and medications.

“We encourage everyone, both residents and visitors, to pay attention to this and follow the guidelines, as the next step is a travel warning where travel will be shut down completely,” reads the letter from EMA Director Susan Armstrong and Brown County Public Health Preparedness Coordinator Corey Frost.

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Holcomb has extended the state’s stay-at-home order for another two weeks, until April 20. This includes the current restrictions on restaurants, bars and nightclubs, which cannot have patrons in their establishments.

The governor’s office has repeatedly encouraged people to get outside, either in a state park near their home or in their own neighborhood.

“Hoosiers have done a great job adapting to the new rules put in place during this public health emergency, but I believe the next two weeks to month could be the most critical for all of us,” Holcomb said in a press release today.

“So I am asking you to take even more precautions: only make in-person purchases when absolutely needed and use other delivery and pickup options when available. Limit who is traveling with you and entering stores.”

While the stay-at-home order chiefly continues as is, modifications and restrictions have been made to limit interactions among people. Those include:

  • Retail businesses that provide necessities of life may remain open but should limit the number of customers in the establishment at any given time; implement hours for elderly and other vulnerable populations, as well as limit hours of operation to restock and clean; and comply with all mitigation measures to protect employees and the public. A list of such businesses is included in the executive order.
  • All other retail business may remain open if they restrict sales to online or call-in ordering with delivery or curbside pickup.
  • Professional services should be conducted virtually or by telephone.
  • All campgrounds will be closed except for those who use recreational vehicles or cabins as their primary residence. State parks remain open to daily visitors.
  • Hoosiers are reminded that all public and private gatherings of any kind that include more than 10 people are prohibited.
  • All employers, regardless of type, must continue to comply with the Indiana Occupational Safety and Health Administration (IOSHA) standards and safety and health standards established and enforced by IOSHA. IOSHA is actively accepting and investigating complaints of violations. The complaint process may be accessed at https://www.in.gov/dol/
  • In addition to IOSHA investigations, Holcomb has directed the creation of a multi-agency enforcement response team, led by the Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco Commission to respond to and investigate other violations of the new order. Much like the enforcement of the restaurant, bar and nightclub executive order, this team will be charged with helping business owners comply with the order before issuing a directive to close a business.

The Critical Industries Hotline will be available from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET Monday through Friday to respond to business and industry questions about whether a business is considered essential. The center may be reached by calling 877-820-0890 or by emailing [email protected]

Answers to frequently asked questions and instructions to file for COVID-19-related unemployment are available at Unemployment.IN.gov.

A link an updated Stay-At-Home Order FAQ may be found here: https://www.in.gov/gov/3232.htm Refer to this FAQ page for guidance and clarifications.

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