Small Business Disaster Declaration
On Tuesday, March 17, Governor Reeves requested a disaster declaration by the U.S. Small Business Administration to help small businesses and nonprofits who expect to feel a drastic impact on their business from COVID-19. To begin collecting data for the need, Mississippi Emergency Management Agency has created an estimate of disaster impact worksheet that all small businesses are encouraged to fill out and send back to Todd DeMuth at MEMA by April 1 (tdemuth@mema.ms.gov).
Formal communication by mail will be distributed to all small businesses with a privilege tax license for the City of Hattiesburg.
Below are links to the disaster estimate worksheet for download and the instructions sheet.
Spring Break Continued for Hattiesburg Schools:
The Hattiesburg Public School District will be extending Spring Break until Friday, March 27, 2020 while they await guidance from state officials. They are currently working on plans for online learning and Grab and Go feeding set to begin sometime next week once approvals are granted from the Mississippi Department of Education. More information will be released as those plans are finalized. Buildings and the central office will re-open on Monday, March 23, 2020, with limited staff. Employees will receive guidance from their immediate supervisor on work expectations during the extended spring break period. During designated opening hours of HPSD buildings, only delivery staff are allowed to enter the buildings. For more details, visit Hattiesburg Public School District.
Emergency Blood Drive at Forrest General:
Forrest General is in critical need of blood and donating is one of the easiest ways to give back to your community. Due to the response of social distancing, there’s been a shortage in blood supplies due to fewer donations. Emergency Blood Drives, coordinated by Forrest General Hospital and Vitalant, will be held on the following dates:
- Friday, March 20, and Saturday, March 21 – Forrest General Hospital, in the Adeline parking lot adjacent to the hospital’s parking garage and water tower, 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.
- Monday, March 23, The Orthopedic Institute, 27 Southern Pointe Parkway, 7 a.m. until 12 p.m.
- Monday, March 23, Pine Grove Behavioral Health & Addiction Services, 2255 Broadway Drive, 1 p.m. until 5 p.m.
To comply with social distancing and gathering guidelines, tents will be set up with volunteers. If there is a wait, volunteers will take donors’ cell phone numbers and text them when it is their turn, this way donors can wait in their vehicles until they receive a text.
While there is a pressing need for Type O-specific blood, all types are needed. If residents donated at the last Forrest General blood drive on December 10 and 11, 2019, they can still give one unit. They will not be able to give double units.