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COVID-19 impacts local government, organizations, businesses

Posted

--The Galena Historical has shut down all of its facilities until further notice. All staff members are furloughed.

--Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White announces that all offices, including Driver Services facilities statewide, will extend their closures to the public through April 7 due to Gov. Pritzker’s “Stay at Home.” Expiration dates for driver’s licenses, identification (ID) cards, vehicle registrations and other transactions and document filings will be extended for the duration of the disaster proclaimed by Governor Pritzker and 30 days after the disaster ends.

--Effective March 17, St Matthew Lutheran Church of Galena will cease all physical meetings until March 30, at which time church leaders shall re-evaluate the situation and decide if there is a need to cancel for longer. This includes activities previously announced in the Gazette. In the interim, the plan is to record church services as is done every weekend. It will be available on Sunday at stmat.net. There will be four people present in the sanctuary: the pastor, musician, vocalist and audio-visual system operator. The service will be based on the Lutheran Book of Worship, Setting 2 without Holy Communion. Congregation and other community members are invited to partake in this online worship experience in the comfort and safety of their own homes.

--Sinsinawa Mound is closed to the public and all programs, events, concerts, prayer services, meetings, tours and retreats have been canceled effective immediately through at least April 15. Although the Mound is closed to visitors, Sinsinawa Bakery Sinsinawa Book & Gift Gallery for online purchases.

--First Community Bank and Apple River State Bank have closed their lobbies due to COVID-19.  The drive-up facilities at its branches are still operating and bank business can be conducted there. If you need to meet with someone to discuss a loan, open a new account or visit your lock box, you can schedule an appointment by calling your local branch.

--Dupaco Community Credit Union's main lobby will be closed Wednesday, March 18, until further notice. The drive-up facility will be closed. Banking staff can be contacted by email or telephone.

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--City halls in East Dubuque and Galena are closed to the public. Staff in both Jo Daviess County cities are available by phone (Galena, 815-777-1050; and East Dubuque, 815-777-815-747-3416) due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Authorities in both communities want to assure the public that services such as police protection, road and street maintenance and utility services will continue without interruption.

--Law Jones Funeral home is limiting the number of people in its facilities at any given time for visitations. Matt Jones, owner, notes, “We will be offering longer visitation times and providing a parking lot attendant. We ask that when you arrive, you remain in your vehicle until the attendant allows your party to enter. It is our goal to keep folks comfortable, with proper spacing, to diminish person-to-person contact while still being able to pay respects to the family." Those who do not wish to attend due to health concerns can leave a condolence message on the website for the family. Jones said the funeral home is taking steps to live-stream many of the services with the family’s permission.

--The Galena Territory Owners Club and recreation facility will be closed to the public from Monday, March 16-30.  All group activities are cancelled. The association's business center will be open from 8:30 a.m. to  8 p.m., for property owenrs who have no access to WIFI. The Shenandoah Riding Center will remain open to boarders. Trail rides will continue, but limited in size.

--The Senior Resource Center is limiting entrance to its buildings in Stephenson and Jo Daviess counties to employees only.

--The Galena Center for the Arts will be closed for the next couple weeks. The situation will be reassessed at that time.

--The Galena Public Library will be closed starting Monday, March 16 through Monday, March  30. Patrons should hold onto their checked out items. All fines will  be waived.