9 pm a block 3-13-20

9 pm a block 3-13-20

Crowd bans across the tr?state.

The latest look at events and games?

Cancelled due to the covi?19 outbreak.

### and introducing a little girl battling a rare heart disease in the tr?state.

Her supe?

Hero status?

And how she's living life.

Your news at nine starts now.

Breaking tonight at nine?

Coronavirus cases on the rise across the area?

Putting many people on edge.

The number jumped to 14 in kentucky?

While indiana sits at 12?

And illinois tops the list at 46.

Across the united states?

A national state of emergency.

The president taking a big step as congress moves to passing a bill?

Helping with the cost to fight coronavirus.

Lauren blanchard reports from washington.

Trump says: "to unleash the full power of the federal government in this effort today, i am officially declaring a national emergency, two very big words."

From the rose garden, president trump announcing a national emergency... as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases continues to rise in the u.s. trump says: "no resource will be spared, nothing whatsoever.

We don't want people to take a test, if if we feel that they shouldn't be doing it.

And we don' want everyone running out and taking it., only if you have certain symptoms."

Freeing up $50 billion dollars in relief...annou ncing he's waiving federal student loan interest for the time being.

And filling up oil reserves.

Pelosi says: "the three most important parts of this bill are testing, testing, testing."

Meanwhile, nancy pelosi, from the speaker's balcony, announcing the house will pass what she calls bipartisan legislation pelosi says: "the american people expect and deserve a coordinated, scienc?based and whole of government response."

Here are some of the things 'the families first coronavirus response act' would guarantee: free covi?19 testing, two weeks paid sick leave and it would strengthen food security.

But the president is not on board with the bill.

Trump says: "we don't think the democrats are giving enough, we're negotiating, we thought we had something."

That was lauren blanchard reporting governor eric holcomb's executive order to limit crowds of more than 250 people has made its way to the tr?

State.

Many school districts in indiana, kentucky and illinois have cancelled i?

Person classes for the next couple weeks to keep everyone safe.

That includes indiana's to?

Ranked signature school.

They're suspending class for the time being?

And even had to cancel an annual celebration where students play games at the ???a.

Wee making lemonade out of lemon.

Wee having a pancake breakfast outside.

Everybody has their social distance but we will have to cancel the spring fling?

While signature school is planning to do distance learning?

They're hoping to resume classes at their downtown evansville campus?

With graduation still planned for this spring.

And all ???c schools are now closed through march 27th.

Evansville catholic*and lutheran schools are also following suit.

Warrick county canceled classes today.

Local colleges have extended their spring breaks while moving classes online.

There are currently 12 confirmed cases of covi?19 in indiana.

And it's the same story in the bluegrass.

The list grows with public schools canceling class in henderson?

Hopkins?

Union muhlenberg?

Daviess?

Mclean?

And ohio counties.

The number of coronavirus cases in kentucky now sits at 14 so far.

Meantime?

Athletes and fans are*really feeling the pinch this week?

As games have been cancelled and postponed.

Sports director john rawlings joins us now with the details.

Hey john.

The ????a annoucning this afternoon that the boys basketball state tournament is postponed.

Commissioner bobby cox stated that due to the number of schools closing for an extended period of time..

The boys basketball tournament cannot be completed as scheduled.

The ????a does remain hopeful that a later date can be agreed upon to complete that tournament.

As for the spring sports at the high school level in the state of indiana..

The ????a stated that regular season contests are to be conducted at the discretion of the schools.

That being said..

High schools around the state of indiana have not finalized plans just yet..

But member schools of the ???c have suspended athletics until may 30th.

Meanwhile..

In the bluegrass state..

The ????a has announced all spring sports are cancelled through the 12th of april.

Currently..

There are no plans to cancel state championship play in spring sports..

But it could be considered with the potential of abbreviated seasons.

The affects of the corona virus are also being felt locally at the collegiate level..

This morning..

The ?mac officially announced the cancellation of all spring athletic competitions and championships ..

While this afternoon..

The ???c has suspended all spring sport activities..

And cancel the remaining 2020 conference championships .

The ???c will reconvene on april 6th..

To see if athletic competition can resume.

Around 7 o'clock tonight..

The missouri valley conference decided to cancel all intercollegia te competitions..

As well as the conference championships ..

Through the end of the academic year.

As for professional sports..

The list continues to grow.

Nascar announcing they are postponing their races..

And the masters tournament will be pushed back as well.

Be sure to stay with us on air and online..

As we continue to update you on how this pandemic is affecting sports across the world.

John rawlings..

44 news.

Every day more business owners are shutting their doors?

Turning away customers and employees.

Most people seem concerned about the virus?

And it's having a big impact on business.

Three carrots restaurant owner in indy?

Ian phillips?

Has been implementing new polices because of the virus.

That includes new and improved cleaning efforts to make sure food and customer space inside his restaurant are free from any germs. he says he hasn't noticed a big drop in business just yet?

But he's bracing for it.

"three carrots owner"we just want to take this thing seriously and do what we can to prevent like whatever we can."

Meantime the indy chamber of commerce says they've already reported a drop in local business?

Due to the recent cancellations and closures.

And please stay with 44news on air and online as we continue to watch the spread of covi?19 across the region.

You can also follow us on social media?

Or download the 44news app to your smartphone or tablet.

Developing tonight?

Owensboro police are investigating after a man's body was found inside a hotel.

Police say they found 3?

Yea?old christopher riggs' body wednesday.

If you know anything about this homicide investigation?

Please call police.

Summer is right around the corner and holiday world is set to open its doors.

The theme park opens this may?

And they're looking for qualified workers to fill those open spots.

The santa claus indiana staple is still planning to unveil their latest and greatest amenities on time this year.

Erran huber reports.

"i've enjoyed it over the years, and i've enjoyed the people around here."

So following his retiremen?

Don foerster is looking to go from guest to team membe?

Helping to make every day a holiday this upcoming season.

More like in security.

I think this would be a great place to meet people, be around people, and help people as much as possible.

He's joining those from all walks of life around the tr?state at holiday world and splashin' safari's job fair.

Amid growing economic uncertainty and the cancellation of thousand of events nationwid?

The major tr?

State employer is moving forward with their hiring event?

And with the promise of opportunity.

"we have a job for everyone.

So it's not a matter of 'can i get a job?'

You will get a job.

It's just a matter of where we will put you."

While those as young as fourteen can step into certain role?with sixteen being the lowest age for many other?

"we are here to entertain the public, and to make memories, and to entertain families.

We're looking for individuals who are happy and have smiles, and just want to have a really good time with the job that they have.

You want to have fun at your job, and if you can't have fun at a theme park, where can you have fun, right?"

"we're always specifically looking for food and beverages.

It's a big place and people are having a lot of fun.

And they want to stay all day and eat.

There's rides all over the park.

Rides and slides.

And they're always looking for people eager to have a good time."

But the job fai?which runs through saturda?

Doesn't just come with the opportunity to get seasonal work.

One lucky seasonal employee will walk away with a 10,000 cash prize.

And there are programs for teachers to earn gift cards for their classrooms. "being a teacher, everybody says we have the summers off, but we do still do things throughout the summer as well, getting a part time job.

So it's a little extra incentive to be able to get that job and have fun in the summer as well."

And holiday world and splashin' safari wants to make sure those who are looking to join their team have every opportunity to get to wor?

Through a transportati on system that stretches through the tr?state.

But should you not be able to participate in the fair or group interviews saturda?

Don't worry.

It's not the only shot at getting onboard.

If you're interested in learning more about the opportunities available at holiday world and splashin' safar?or applying for a job yoursel?

We'll have that linked on our websit?

Wevv dot com.

Eh 44news there's a little girl battling a rare heart disease in the tr?state.

Thankfully?

She's celebrating another year of life?

And she even has dreams of growing up to become a super hero.

But as joylyn bukovac reports?

It seems as though she's already earned her cape.

Joylyn?

"meredith just turned four but she's been defying the odds since day one.

Her strength and resilience paired with medical treatments are expected to keep her heart beating for years to come."

"when her feet hit the ground, the earth shakes.

She's going to move mountains."

Nat pop: "my name is meredith."

This bubbly and energetic little girl loves to color and play doctor.... nat pop: knee flex and she's a pro at brushing off the adversity life throws her way.

"i thought i'd be strong for you she said, 'i can't do this.'

She said, 'i can't handle that this is happening to my niece.'" meredith was born at deaconess gatewa?

Little did her parents kno?

They would soon build an eve?

Lasting bond with the staff.

"we thought that she would be born healthy and for the first 24 hours we presumed that she was."

That's when nurses and doctors discovered there was something wrong with her heart.

The next thing they kne?

Their precious little girl was being life flighted to indianapolis for open heart surger?

Her first of several surgeries.

"we heard it lift off."

The horrifying moment is forever etched in their memory.

"i think my heart stopped."

The nurse?

Preparing the parents for the worst outcome.

"they took pictures and printed them off because we didn't know if that was going to be our last time holding her."

Meredith was born with an extremely rare congenital heart disease... a terrifying reality.

"after discussion with the parents we opted to withdraw care and the child died.

That's what we kept reading in case studies."

Most infants?

Diagnosed with pulmonary veins stenosis?

Don't live to see their third birthday.... but meredith's parents say she's doing great.

"our local visits have been very positive."

"dr. elshawshari stepped in and did n't want to settle for bad news."

Doctor elshershari knows exactly what it's like to be the one receiving this kind of bad new?

Her brother had a very serious heart condition?

Inspiring her to become a heart doctor.

"whenever i see meredith, i remember my brother.

When they came to me, i felt there's always hope.

I have faith that things can change."

In newburgh, jb 44news.

Tonight on fox 44news at nine the latest actors affected by the potentially deadly coronavirus.

But first?

Protecting your phone from germs. introducing phone soap and explaining how it works.

And tonight at ?30?

Stocking up.

The bare necessities to make it through sel?

Quarantine for two weeks.

But first?

We're feeling a little relief in the forecast after a rocky week across the tr?state.

Chief meteorologis t cameron hopman will have your full forecast