The Oxford City Council unanimously passed a resolution that would encourage the Area I Court of Butler County, located on High Street, to suspend evictions caused by the novel coronavirus for at least 60 days after the stay-at-home order is lifted.
Miami University President Greg Crawford sent out a university-wide email announcing the decision to move all face-to-face instruction online for the rest of the spring semester on Friday, March 13, due to the threat of the novel coronavirus. Three days later, Dean of Students Kimberly Moore sent out an email with the message, “We strongly urge you to promptly leave campus while you are able to do so.”
The streets of Oxford are quiet. Uptown no longer bustles on Friday nights. High Street businesses that stay open late are closing earlier and, in some cases, closing up shop all together until Governor Mike DeWine’s stay-at-home order is lifted. But still, some Miami University upperclassmen remain in Oxford, living in the homes they rented through the end of the semester. For students living in apartment complexes, the stay-at-home order means restricted access to amenities they’ve already paid for.
Current Miami University students have faced a variety of struggles due to the spread of the novel coronavirus, such as switching to online classes and having to say goodbye to their friends and return home. But today’s students aren’t the first to live through a pandemic. There have been four influenza pandemics since the beginning of the 20th century — the most deadly being the Spanish flu of 1918.
With the constant barrage of novel coronavirus news updates, it can be hard to stay informed. Here’s a list of some important coronavirus related questions The Miami Student has answered over the past month:
In Oxford, local owners and managers struggle to keep their businesses afloat while city officials scramble to pass a stimulus grant proposal into law. The college town, which depends on revenue from the Miami University student body — most of whom have left campus, hopes to avoid the worst of the virus’ economic consequences. But at this point, it’s unclear if it will.
Sushi Nara, a popular Japanese restaurant in Oxford, has closed after its building was sold. The restaurant’s owner informed his employees of the closure Monday, April 6.
An unclassified Miami University employee who works in Campus Services has tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
Miami University’s Department of Chemistry contributed 125,000 masks and 750 pairs of safety goggles to be donated to the Cincinnati Children's Hospital and Butler County Health Commission as cases of the novel coronavirus continue to grow in Southwest Ohio.
For Ann Fuehrer, director of the Talawanda Oxford Pantry & Social Services (TOPPS), a single day hosts an array of activities. From shopping at Kroger, to making sure the shelves are stocked, to answering emails and phone calls, to supervising volunteers, Fuehrer, who took over as director in July 2019, leads one of many efforts to help those struggling with food insecurity in Oxford.
Miami University President Greg Crawford announced in a university-wide email Wednesday that a member of the Miami community has tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
On March 19, Jason Osborne, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, released a statement that Miami University would immediately freeze hiring for non-essential faculty and staff. New hires now require special approval from either Osborne or David Creamer, treasurer and vice president for finance and business services.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced a state-wide stay-at-home order which will go into effect at 11:59 p.m. Monday night and end on April 6. The new order comes after DeWine’s multiple attempts over the past week to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus through other executive orders such as the closure of restaurants and bars and banning gatherings of more than 50 people.
On March 11, the Knolls of Oxford, an assisted and independent living community for elderly community members, began restricted access for outside visitors due to the novel coronavirus.
We’ve all heard that, in the face of the novel coronavirus, the best practices are to wash your hands and avoid contact with others. But both the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommend several other things to keep yourself and others safe.
Miami University and the City of Oxford have partnered to renovate a Miami-owned building to create the Technology, Entrepreneurial, Creativity Hub (TECH). The project will be housed in a building currently used for storage on South Elm Street.
The Butler County Health Department asked about 10 Miami students to self-quarantine after they returned from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference in Washington D.C., where, according to The Times of Israel, five attendees tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
Economic development director Alan Kyger and Assistant City Manager Jessica Greene presented their plan for introducing a Business Improvement District (BID) during the March 3 City Council meeting.
“While I make an effort to be [environmentally] conscious, it’s not my major focus. I like to cook, so it’s more important to me to have better quality, fresher things,” she said. “If the sustainability piece comes along with it, that’s desirable. [Sustainability] is a secondary goal, a bonus.” To student CSA subscribers, however, the simplicity of the program is appealing. “I do think it’s an incredible opportunity for students, and honestly community members, to subscribe,” Siegel said. “As you leave on Thursday nights, you can just go pick up your box and have an incredible amount of veggies for the week. That’s it.”
Students at Miami University will count toward the population of Oxford — not their hometowns — in the upcoming census. They will receive forms in the mail with instructions on filling out the census online beginning on March 12.