News

Local hospitals and clinics have all taken steps to increase precautions while continuing to provide care for those who need it.

Facilities have shared if a person has symptoms associated with the coronavirus— coughing, fever, shortness of breath—to first call their medical provider, instead of going straight to the facility.

Quality Healthcare in Sutton states they are screening patients prior to them coming into the building, and those with signs/symptoms who call ahead will be set up with telehealth. This program is a HIPPA-compliant system where Quality Healthcare sends the patient a link they can use to have a face-to-face conversation with a provider through the use of a computer.

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Educating students when they’re not in school can be a challenge, but Sutton Public Schools has taken that into consideration should it be closed for more than the already-stated two weeks, due to being proactive against COVID-19 spread.

For now, while being closed March 18-27, students will not be given homework or lessons online. Instead, supplement and enrichment activities will be posted to the school’s website and Facebook page that students can access and use.

These activities will not be graded, but simply serve as provided resources at the student’s discretion.

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As the coronavirus continues spreading throughout the world, closer to home closings, cancellations and postponements are becoming more and more common.

On Sunday, March 15, Harvard Public School became the first county school to close its doors through Friday, March 20. This closing included no practices and no activities, including the postponement of the spring musical, which was supposed to open for the public March 21 and 22.

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How to handle nuisance properties was a large discussion point during the Harvard City Council’s March 10 meeting.

Harvard Police Chief Wayne Alley and Lacie Kaiser, a program support specialist with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, approached the council about developing a health board to deal with nuisance properties.

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Clay County and surrounding areas felt an early spring snowfall March 14, with 1.6 inches falling, according to the National Weather Service in Hastings. Additionally, .52 inches of rain hit the area March 14, with another .30 inches falling March 15.

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Clay County Clerk Deb Karnatz reminds all registered voters that your ballot will be automatically mailed to you 22 days prior to the Primary Election set for May 12, 2020.

The ballot will arrive in a large white envelope clearly marked Official Election Mail. Inside the white envelope will be a brown envelope and your ballot. Please use a black ink pen to mark your ballot, insert the voted ballot in the postage paid brown envelope, seal it, and affix your signature at the bottom of the brown envelope.

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The Clay County Courthouse strongly encourages all members of the public to call ahead before coming into the courthouse—if people are unable to find a way to get their county business done via mail, online or phone options.

The County Board of Supervisors issued a public statement with this request, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, during its regular meeting on March 17, at the courthouse in Clay Center. The statement is available on Clay County News’ Facebook page.

There was also much discussion during the meeting among board members as to what is possible with paid time off (PTO) options, given that many courthouse functions cannot be completed in a work-from-home position due to security reasons.

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COVID-19: highly contagious, capable of closing businesses and schools down, and throwing people into isolation and disrupting daily routines.

The coronavirus infection numbers increases every day, and with it have come rules, suggestions, and more.

“We’re going to have to make a difference by how we do things,” Clay County Emergency Manager Tim Lewis said during Coffee and Conversations at the Sutton Legion Wednesday.

Lewis noted how quickly the virus transfers from person-to-person and how important taking social distancing is.

As of Friday, March 27:

• Clay Center Community Club, Fairfield Community Club, and Edgar Community Club Easter egg hunts have been cancelled. See each community club's Facebook page for details on what each club is doing for their communities.

• Clay County Health Department Foot Clinics in March, including in Clay Center, Sutton and Edgar (Cancelled)

• Sutton Public School's Kindergarten Round-up (Cancelled)

• Racing at Junction Motor Speedway for Saturday, March 21 (Cancelled)

• The Sutton City Hall building will be locking down to further minimize any exposure to city staff of the COVID-19 (known or unknown) in the area. This lockdown will began March 17 and will continue to be in effect for an undetermined time.

• The Sutton Memorial Library building will be closed for access to patrons to come and go from March 17 unitl March 29. 

Harvard Rest Haven and Sutton Community Home are taking extra precautions due to the recent updates with the coronavirus (COVID-19).
In a March 10 post on the Centers for Disease Control website: “Given their congregate nature and residents served (e.g., older adults often with underlying chronic medical conditions), nursing home populations are at the highest risk of being affected by COVID-19...”
Wednesday, March 11, Sutton Community Home released information regarding visitors to the home stating:
“Effective immediately based on CDC guidance, no visitor will be permitted into our community who meets any of the following criteria:
• Signs or symptoms of a respiratory infection such as fever, cough, shortness of breath or sore throat.
• In the last 14 days, has had contact with someone with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19, or under investigation for COVID-19, or are ill with respiratory illness.