COVID-19: The latest from around the state, US

<p><strong>City’s two largest hotels suspend operations</strong></p><p>The two largest hotels in Indianapolis have suspended operations, following more than two weeks of occupancy and staffing struggles caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.</p><p>The 1,005-room JW Marriott Indianapolis and 650-room Indianapolis Marriott Downtown closed Monday after they stopped taking reservations late Sunday. Signs posted on the front doors of each building refer guests to the JW-adjacent Fairfield Inn &amp;amp; Suites.</p><p><strong>Holcomb orders enforcement of in-dining prohibition</strong></p><p>Gov. Eric Holcomb has ordered state and local boards of health and the Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco Commission to take “all available administrative and enforcement actions” against bars and restaurants that continue to offer in-house dining services, in violation of his executive order on March 16.</p><p>State officials said departments will first deliver letters to non-compliant restaurants, ordering them to cease such operations. If they do not comply, those official will levy fines.</p><p>The ATC will order establishments with alcohol permits that continue to offer in-person dining to stop. If the activity continues, the ATC will suspend the entity’s liquor license and will consider the non-compliance at the time of permit renewal.</p><p><strong>TechPoint postpones annual technology awards program</strong></p><p>The Mira Awards—Indiana’s largest and longest-running technology awards program—will be postponed to a yet-to-be-determined date, TechPoint officials told IBJ on Monday.</p><p>The 21st annual Mira Awards had been scheduled to take place April 18 at the JW Marriott Indianapolis, and was expected to draw about 1,500 attendees.</p><p>“Because the Mira gala is an event where in-person networking can yield so much for the tech community, we are postponing rather than holding the event virtually,” said Mike Langellier, CEO of TechPoint, a not-for-profit industry-led growth accelerator. “We’re working now to confirm a new date later in the year when we can safely gather again.”</p><p>The event has grown considerably in the last five years, and last year sold out the JW’s biggest ballroom with 1,400 attendees. In 2016, the event drew 950. In 2018, the event moved from the Westin Indianapolis to the JW to accommodate growth.</p><p>The event annually has more than 100 nominees for more than a dozen awards and draws a who’s who in the local tech industry.</p><p><strong>Michigan governor to issue stay-at-home order</strong></p><p>Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will announce a statewide stay-at-home order to curb the spread of the coronavirus, with an exemption for certain workers, a government official told The Associated Press on Monday.</p><p>Michigan would join at least eight other states nationally including two of the three states neighboring Indiana: Illinois and Ohio.</p><p>The order, which will take effect at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, will allow “essential” employees necessary to sustain and protect life to continue going to work, said a high-ranking administration official who had direct knowledge of the measure. The person was not authorized to speak publicly before the Democratic governor’s scheduled 11 a.m. Monday news conference.</p><p>Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb has an announcement about the pandemic scheduled for noon Monday but has not disclosed the purpose. Speculation has grown that Indiana might take the same action as Illinois and Ohio.</p><p><strong>Allison Transmission tells employees that co-worker has virus</strong></p><p>Allison Transmission Holdings Inc. on Sunday notified employees that one of their co-workers was presumed to have COVID-19, WTHR-TV Channel 13 reported.</p><p>Company officials said the employee works in Plant 6 near bay location R-81. The plant is on the west side of Indianapolis, north of Michigan Street and west of Holt Road.</p><p>According to WTHR, the company said it was still waiting for official test results. No other employees were thought to have had close contact with the employee, so the company has not asked any workers to self-quarantine. The employee hasn’t been on site since Tuesday.</p><p>Allison has 2,600 employees in Indiana.</p>