Despite the mandatory closing of all Indiana schools as a result of the outbreak of COVID-19, school safety still remains a priority. Although teachers and students are eLearning at home for the remainder of the school year, administrators and office staff are maintaining daily operations while custodians and other key support staff at Milan Community Schools have been cleaning and sanitizing the school buildings and maintaining “operational readiness”.

By Monday afternoon, April 13, the National Weather Service confirmed that two tornadoes came through Versailles last week. It was classified as an EF-1 tornado with winds at 86 mph. The estimated time it was on the ground was only two minutes with a maximum path width of 450 yards and 2.5 miles in length. The damage west of Versailles was considered straight line winds.

“You’re doing the right things – don’t stop now,” is advice from Ripley County Health Officer Dr. David Welsh. Dr. Welsh told The Versailles Republican that even though some of the numbers look grim, progress is being made in Ripley County in the fight against COVID-19. “People (for the most part) are doing what we’re asking them to do and we are ahead of schedule,” he said.