Evansville's Mayor Increases Restrictions on Gathering Sizes

Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke on Friday announced new restrictions on gathering sizes in the River City following his recent meeting with state and local health officials.

Mayor earlier today- currently social gatherings in indiana are limited to to 500 people.

But starting on monday, oct.

19th, in evansville that number will be restricted even further to 125 people.

Evansville city mayor lloyd winnecke announced this new executive order along with deaconess and st.

Vincent health leaders on friday morning -- just one day after indiana state health commissioner kristina box visited with the mayor to discuss better ways to contact trace and keep case numbers down.

The new order is in part due to a record number of positive covid-19 cases in the city over a week.

And the vanderburgh county health department says this is largely due to events in which people are not practicing social distancing or wearing masks both indoors and outdoors.

This includes high school volleyball games, country clubs, bowling alleys, worship centers and funeral homes.

And mayor winnecke says while he does not like imposing new restrictions -- it is a necessary measure "by state statue and local ordinance -- mayoral executive orders can only be in effect for periods of seven days.

I think it's likely to assume that we will extend it beyond seven days at the appropriate time.

I think it's also important to note this is not meant to be a punitive action.

This is really meant to protect public health."

Event organizers must submit their plan ten days beforehand to the vanderburgh county health department, who can then either approve, modify or reject the plan.

Reporting in evansville 44news governor