Local News – Friday, September 18th, 2020
Over 92% of housing units have been accounted for in the 2020 Census, with 26.6% counted by census takers and other field data collection operations, and 65.9% of housing units responding online, by phone or by mail. Every day, the U.S. Census Bureau releases the 2020 Census housing unit completion rate for the nation, all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. In addition, the Census Bureau releases the completion rates for the Nonresponse Followup operation by area census office. The Census Bureau is committed to a complete and accurate count, and urges every household to respond when a census visits or to respond on their own by using their census ID online, by phone or by mail. Your census data should include anyone who was living with you as of April 1st who did not have a permanent address elsewhere. The census is for everyone, children, adults, siblings, roommates, foster children, etc. If you haven’t completed your 2020 census, time is running out to do so. You only have until September 30th to respond to a census taker if they come to your door, online at 2020census.gov, and by phone at 844-330-2020. If you still have your invitation from the census bureau from back in April, you cans till fill that out and mail it in. Remember, being counted is important as census numbers help dictate the distribution of federal funds as well as representation in congress.
The Dent County Commission want to remind businesses and public entities that the county has CARES Act money available to reimburse those expenses that occurred directly because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This morning on KSMO Radio and online at ksmoradio.com near 8:30, Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles will have Kelly Sink from the MRPC on the air to discuss in detail how businesses and public entities can apply for these funds and the process of how they would get reimbursed. If you can’t listen in or just want to find out more information on how to apply, contact the MRPC and speak with Kelly Sink or Eva Voss at 573-265-2993. There is a limit of $125,000 that public entities can apply for to be reimbursed while the amount for businesses was limited to $20,000. These amounts could be changed in the future depending upon how many applications for reimbursements are received and how many dollars remain. The last day to submit an application for reimbursement through the CARES Act will be December 10th.
Join Healthy Dent County for their second Community Wellness Challenge. This program is designed to help you live an all around healthy lifestyle. We will use a point system that will not be based on weight loss. You can get points by drinking 64 ounces of water each day, getting 8 hours or sleep, and other daily changes to help you start or continue being healthy before the holidays. This challenge will also have fun daily activities, such as squats and lunges along with paying it forward and going on walks at the Tiger Trail. There will also be ways to win prizes, gain a new support system within our private Facebook group, and learn new ways to live a healthy lifestyle. This challenge is a team challenge to help you maintain support along the way. You must have at least 2 members but there is no limit on how many are on your team. Each week, the team captain will be expected to report your team points. We will average the points based on how many are on your team, so just because you have 10 people on your team, doesn’t mean you will automatically have the most points in the challenge. At the end, the winning team will receive half of the registration fees from signups! The more teams we have, the most money your team could win in the end! Last years winners received around $450. To sign up, you can come into the Salem Community Center @ the Armory and pick up a registration form, sign up online by sending the form to kelsey@salemcommunitycenter.org or print out a form and drop it off and pay your fee in person. This challenge is $15 per person for fitness center members or $30 per person for non-members. You can register at the Salem Community Center@The Armory or sign up online by sending the registration form to kelsey@salemcommunitycenter.org. If you have any questions please call 729-8163.