INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Tighter business restrictions have been imposed in a northern Indiana county where a coronavirus outbreak prompted the closure of a Tyson Foods meatpacking plant. State health officials say test results over the weekend confirmed about 700 more COVID-19 cases in Cass County, boosting the county’s total to 1,025. The new orders in Logansport and Cass County prohibit more than one family member and anyone younger than 16 from entering retail businesses. The state health department reports 31 additional coronavirus deaths, boosting the state’s confirmed COVID-19 death toll to 844 . á
GM looks to hire more than 1,000 to make ventilators
KOKOMO, Ind. (AP) - General Motors in Kokomo is hiring for more than 1,000 full- and part-time workers in Kokomo to help it meet demand for medical ventilators during the coronavirus outbreak. GM has said it wants to produce 30,000 ventilators by the end of August. The starting wage for the temporary positions starts at $16.67 per hour. The work is for a minimum of eight to 10 hours per day. áPart-time employees will work 16-32 hours per week. A virtual job fair will be held at 11 a.m. May 6 to help applicants learn more about the opportunities. To register, visit https://on.in.gov/vjfr4 .
Not so fast: Excise police halt drive-in theater’s opening
PLYMOUTH, Ind. (AP) - State excise police have halted a northern Indiana drive-in theater's plans to open for the season, telling county officials current coronavirus restrictions prevent drive-ins from throwing open their gates to cars loaded with moviegoers. The Tri-Way Drive-In Theatre had announced that it would start its season this weekend in the city of Plymouth, about 25 miles south of South Bend. But the Marshall County Health Department's administrator, Ashley Garcia, tells the South Bend Tribune that State Excise Police told her the drive-in can't open until Gov. Eric Holcomb lifts his stay-at-home and "essential business" restrictions amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Indiana freezes much state hiring with coronavirus tax hit
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Indiana’s state government has imposed a widespread hiring freeze and other limits on spending as officials brace for a major financial hit from the coronavirus crisis. A memo issued this week by the State Budget Agency directs department leaders to take action for reducing expenses, along with no vehicle or furniture purchases. The state’s office of management and budget said no state employees have been laid off yet but officials will look closely before filling any jobs other than those directly helping with the COVID-19 outbreak.á
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