LAGRANGE â Saying it would be tough to enforce a county building mask mandate once the state backs away from a state-wide mask mandate, the LaGrange County Commissioners voted Monday to ease rules their regulations and no longer require those entering county buildings to wear a mask. Instead, the mandate is now merely a recommendation.
The move comes as coronavirus pandemic policies across the state are being eased. LaGrange County remains a blue county, meaning it has one of the lowest metrics for community spread of the coronavirus as calculated by the Indiana Department of Health. LaGrange is one of 53 blue counties in the state, down from more than 60 last week.
LAGRANGE â Jim Young, a LaGrange County native and area businessman, was elected by the Republican Party Thursday night to take over the open seat on the LaGrange County Council.
That seat opened when former county council president, Peter Cook was elected at a Republican Party caucus last month to fill the open seat on the LaGrange County Board of Commissioners.
Young was one of five people vying for the open seat. Those candidates included LaGrange businessman Joe Billman, former Lakeland School Board member Carey McKibben, former LaGrange County Sheriffâs Department Deputy Tyler Randol, and retired LaGrange County Sheriffâs Department employee Kim McKibben.
Noble, Steuben counties gain yellow ratings
INDIANAPOLIS â For the first time since the end of October, Noble and Steuben counties have made it back to a yellow rating for âmoderateâ spread of COVID-19, as the state continues to see weekly improvement.
LaGrange and DeKalb counties also showed improvement, but not quite enough to get to a lower grade yet. Both stayed in orange but also saw some improvement in their metrics.
The improvement locally matches improvement statewide as now close to a third of all 92 counties are in yellow across the state, which also hasnât happened since the end of October.
LAGRANGE â Candidates interested in filling the open LaGrange County Board of Commissioners South District seat have until today at 6 p.m. to file the required paperwork with Pat Brown, chairman of the LaGrange County Republican Party.
The party will meet Monday at 6 p.m. in the Commissioners Chambers in the LaGrange County Office Building to hold a party caucus. There the party will select the next person to fill the south district commissionerâs seat on the countyâs board of commissioners. That seat became open in early January when former LaGrange County Commissioner Larry Miller died at his home.