By CHRISTIE MASTRIC

Journal Staff Writer

MARQUETTE — Cancellations still keep coming because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dancing With Our Stars Marquette County Style, which was scheduled for April 24, has been postponed to May 26-27, 2021, at Forest Roberts Theatre on the campus of Northern Michigan University.

U.P. Home Health & Hospice, which has hosted DWOS for the last seven years, said the event benefits the nonprofit U.P. Hospice Foundation.

U.P. Home Health & Hospice said in a news release that while it was a difficult decision to postpone DWOS Superheroes and Villains Edition, it was made for the well-being of the dance couples, dance professionals and logistics coordinators.

Cindy Nyquist, president; David Aro, executive director of the foundation; and Jennie Garrett-Bureau, executive director/administrator of U.P. Home Health & Hospice, along with the event team, had looked into alternative options, but it was decided the uncertainly of the next few weeks would affect the production quality, U.P. Home Health & Hospice said in the news release.

All the dance couples, dance professionals, judges and hosts have committed to the 2021 show, with the same DWOS Superheroes and Villains theme. Sponsorships will carry over to the 2021 performance.

People who purchased tickets for the performance may keep their existing seats and use them for next year’s show. Anyone who wants a refund can call U.P. Home Health & Hospice at 906-225-4545.

Upper Peninsula Rainbow Pride announced on its Facebook page that Pride Fest 2020, scheduled for June 20 at Mattson Lower Harbor Park in Marquette, has been canceled. It would have been the seventh annual event.

Virtual Easter service set

Bishop David Alan Bard of The Michigan United Methodist Church will lead a 45-minute virtual Easter service at 10 a.m. Sunday in response to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s “Stay Home, Stay Safe” executive order.

The event marks the first time since the Michigan Conference of the United Methodist Church was created in 1969 that worshippers have been asked not to gather in person on Easter.

Worshippers who view the service at michiganumc.org/easter-2020 will hear a sermon from the bishop as well as organ and piano music by Connie Gamage, music director with University United Methodist Church, with accompaniment featuring Michigan State University student soloists Nora Feldpausch and Matthew Greenberg.

Prayers and liturgies will be offered by the Rev. Kennetha Bigham-Tsai, chief connectional ministries officers for the Connectional Table of The United States Methodist Church, and Paul Hahm, senior pastor of Grace United Methodist Church in Lansing. A children’s time with the Rev. Kathy Pittenger, Michigan Conference Children’s Ministry coordinator, will be included.

“We are at a critical juncture in stemming the reach of coronavirus, and as a church, we can play an important role in slowing the spread of the COVID-19 disease,” Bard said in a news release.

Participants in Sunday’s digital service will adhere to safe social distancing protocols.

Improved data provided

To offer more information about the COVID-19 pandemic, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is providing additional and improved statistics on its website at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus, the Michigan State Police State Emergency Operations Center announced.

The following information will be included:

≤ The number of people recovered. Going forward, this information will be updated weekly and includes the number of people with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases who are 30 days out from their onset of illness. Recovered is defined as the number of persons with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis who are alive 30 days post-onset or referral date if onset is not available.

≤ Testing data by state preparedness region, which will be updated daily.

≤ Hospital utilization information. This will include the number of emergency department discharges, number of inpatients, number of patients in critical care and number of patients on ventilators. This information will be updated daily.

Whitmer also has signed an executive order that will reduce unnecessary in-person contact through the use of electronic signatures, remote notarizations, remote witness attestations and acknowledgments, and remote visitations. The order is effective through May 6.

“Encouraging the use of e-signatures and alternative means of notarization will protect more people and help us slow the spread of COVID-19 in Michigan,” Whitmer said in a news release. “I will continue to work around the clock to ensure we protect the most people we can from this virus.”