LINCOLN PARISH CORONAVIRUS TIMELINE
• April 3 — Lincoln Parish records 17 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Cases statewide are now at 10,297, a jump of 1,147 reported since April 2. The death toll stands at 370.
• April 2 — Gov. John Bel Edwards extends the Louisiana COVID-19 “Stay at Home” order until April 30.
• April 1 — Lincoln Parish reports 13 confirmed cases of COVID-19.
• March 31 — Lincoln Parish records 12 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Cases statewide stand at 5,237. Some 239 people have died.
• March 30 — President Donald Trump said the federal government will be extending its social-distancing guidelines through April 30.
• March 24 — The Lincoln Parish Police Jury announced its administrative office will be staffed from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday-Friday.
• March 24 — The parish highway department is reducing staff to essential personnel only and limiting hours of operation to 7:30 a.m. to noon Monday-Friday. Previous hours were 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
• March 24 — Lincoln Parish Landfill hours were changed to 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Friday and 8 a.m. to noon Saturday. Previous Monday-Friday hours were 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Solid waste collection activities were limited to dumpster sites only. House calls were suspended until further notice.
• March 23 — The Lincoln Parish Sheriff ’s Office begins delivering groceries to older residents and students at the Louisiana Center for the Blinds who use local online ordering services.
• March 23 — Lincoln Parish school system stops meal distribution in light of the stay-at-home order. The Lincoln Parish Police Jury cancels its meeting scheduled for March 24 and closes the courthouse, annexes and Homer Street complex to the public.
• March 22 — Lincoln Parish reports its first two cases of coronavirus.
• March 22 — Gov. Edwards announces a stay-at-home order, effective at 4 p.m. March 23, until April 13 for all non-essential businesses and employees.
• March 20 — Louisiana Tech tells is students to go home but continue to attend online classes.
• March 20 — Both Ruston police and Lincoln Parish Sheriff ’s Office confirm they’ve cut back on proactive policing and are primarily responding to emergency calls and traffic accidents. The Lincoln Parish Detention Center also freed up beds in case I has to house arrestees symptomatic for the virus. The Ruston Fire Department announces new protocols for patients requesting ambulance transport.
• March 18 — Lincoln Parish Library closes because of the virus.
• March 17 — By now, the city of Ruston has cancelled all events scheduled for the Civic Center and for the municipal sports complex. Officials are beginning to consider contingencies for employees to work at home.
• March 17 — Lincoln Parish School Board declared a public emergency.
• March 16 — Lincoln Parish school system began handing out bagged breakfasts and lunches to students now not in school. This is also the first day of online classes are Louisiana Tech and GSU. Also on this day, Conference USA cancelled all athletics through the end of the academic school years. Louisiana Tech is a member of Conference USA.
