Just days after the first novel coronavirus cases were confirmed in Michigan, sweeping changes are coming to communities across the state to prevent the disease’s spread – including a mandatory three-week closure of all K-12 school buildings announced by Governor Gretchen Whitmer late Thursday night. The impacts are being felt across the Grand Traverse region, where campus closings, visitor bans at nursing homes, event cancellations, and changes to the local court system are already underway.

Schools
All K-12 school buildings - including public, private, and boarding - have been ordered to close their doors in Michigan starting Monday (March 16) until Sunday, April 5, with classes able to resume on April 6. Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced the closures late Thursday night, calling it a "necessary step to protect our kids, our families, and our overall public health." There are now 12 presumptive positive cases of COVID-19 in Michigan, up from two on Tuesday.

"I am working with partners across state goverment to ensure educators, parents, and students have the support they need during this time, and to ensure our children who rely on school for meals have access to food," Whitmer said. "I know this will be a tough time, but we're doing this to keep the most people we can safe. I urge everyone to make smart choices during this time and to do everything they can to protect themselves and their families." Governors in other states have enacted similar school closure measures to slow the spread of coronavirus, including in Ohio, Kentucky, and Maryland.

Prior to Whitmer's announcement, Interlochen Center for the Arts had already announced Thursday it will close its campus effective Monday. Students can start leaving campus as soon as today (Friday) at 4pm. All public events on campus are cancelled until further notice, and all school-sponsored travel is also cancelled. Interlochen will start spring break a week early, then transition to online instruction beginning April 6. Students who reside in countries with travel restrictions and are unable to get to their homes have the option to stay on campus through the break.

“Our goal is to reopen residence halls on Friday, May 1, and to resume normal operations on Monday, May 4,” Interlochen said in a statement. “We very much hope that long-anticipated events such as MORP, Festival, and commencement will continue as scheduled. We will continually assess what is possible, what would be in our students’ best interests, and what will serve to safeguard our community.” Interlochen President Trey Devey tells The Ticker there are no confirmed cases of coronavirus on campus, but the “potential for the situation to change cannot be ignored.”

Northwestern Michigan College (NMC) has not yet closed its campus, but is closely monitoring the COVID-19 outbreak and is prepared to transition to online instruction if needed. The Dennos Museum Center remains open for the time being, but will close if campus shuts down, according to NMC Executive Director of Public Relations, Marketing, and Communications Diana Fairbanks. Before Whitmer's announcement, TCAPS had already announced Thursday it would restrict or cancel any performances, assemblies, or spectator events where audience attendance could exceed 100 through at least April 5, and is suspending all school-sponsored travel through April 30. All Michigan High School Athletic Association winter tournaments are suspended effective immediately.

Nursing Home Visitor Bans
A majority of nursing homes in the region are enacting strict bans on visitors to protect their elderly occupants, who are at the highest risk of dying from COVID-19 infection. Visitors are banned at all long-term facilities within the Munson Healthcare system, which has also introduced new guidelines for visitors at its hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies. The Grand Traverse Pavilions is restricting all visitors “until further notice for purposes other than approved medical care and services.” French Manor Assisted Living and other private senior living communities have also enacted visitor restrictions. Family members are encouraged to stay in touch with their elderly relatives by phone, email, social media, or other electronic means during the lockdown.

Event Cancellations
Numerous event cancellations flooded in across northern Michigan Thursday after Whitmer called for gatherings of more than 100 people to be cancelled. The Fifth Third Bank Leapin’ Leprechaun 5K scheduled for Saturday has been converted to a “virtual race,” which allows participants to complete the event on their own over a period of time. Executive Director Kat Paye of the National Cherry Festival, which puts on the event, says that planning is still continuing as normal for the Cherry Festival in July. The annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in downtown Traverse City, pre-parade event at Kilkenny’s, and Nolan’s breakfast have all been cancelled Saturday.

Traverse Area District Library (TADL) has suspended all library events at its Woodmere, East Bay, and Kingsley branches though April 15 and is extending due dates on all items to April 15. The State Theatre and Bijou by the Bay announced the annual Free Spring Break Staycation Week has also been cancelled. Founder Michael Moore said in an email that both theaters will remain open and operational, but given that "Spring Break draws hundreds upon hundreds of people to enjoy the movies in packed houses all day, we regretfully will have to hit pause on this year’s event in the interests of public safety.”

Several events at the City Opera House have been cancelled or postponed, and Executive Director Diana Baribeau says the venue is looking up to four weeks ahead to try and change or reschedule events that could attract over 100 attendees. The National Writers Series’ Battle of the Books this Sunday will now limit its audience to only immediate family members of participants, and the Postmodern Jukebox concert scheduled for March 21 has been postponed. The Scale Up North Awards, TCNewTech, and the Banff Mountain Film Festival could also be affected, though discussions on those events are still ongoing, Baribeau says. Meanwhile, several local places of worship – including Central United Methodist Church and St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church – have posted on their websites that they are monitoring the disease, but have not yet cancelled services.

Court & Government
Several changes are being enacted at the 86th District Court in Grand Traverse, Leelanau, and Antrim counties to combat the spread of COVID-19. All jury trials are being adjourned until further notice, and all hearings with vulnerable persons can be adjourned upon request. Civil cases can also be adjourned by either party upon request. Criminal defendants not in custody can have hearings adjourned upon request, and collection show causes scheduled for March 26 in Grand Traverse County have been adjourned. Defendants on probation are asked to contact their probation officer by phone or email before reporting to the court in person.

In other areas of government, Traverse City Clerk Benjamin Marentette says his office is continuing to issue event permits as normal, but is closely monitoring the outbreak. The city has the ability to stop issuing permits and to revoke permits it’s already issued for events – including major festivals – if needed to protect the public health and safety, Marentette says. “But obviously those aren’t decisions that are made lightly, and they have huge ramifications,” he says.

Marentette’s office is also planning for scenarios in which city commission meetings may need to be held in a different manner, possibly physically spacing out audience members or holding virtual meetings. However, Marentette expresses wariness of any moves that would limit public input or engagement in meetings. “Those decisions would have to be carefully thought through and be in compliance with all public meeting laws for transparency purposes,” Marentette says. Grand Traverse County commissioners also discussed the need this week to start planning soon for emergency contingencies, such as a commissioner contracting coronavirus, by potentially allow commissioners to call in remotely or using a different meeting format for public safety.