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Friday, March 27, 2020
REPUBLICAN-TIMES TRENTON
Trenton, MO 64683 COVID-19
75¢
per copy Check out the Republican-Times on the Internet: www.republican-times.com ©W.B. Rogers Printing Co., Inc.
Ten Pages & 1 Insert
Established Sept. 4, 1864 - 156th Year - No. 59
GRUNDY COUNTY FEMA Update
Grundy County, Surrounding Area
WMH Doing COVID-19 Testing Wright Memorial Hospital CEO Steve Schieber says the local medical facility at Trenton is prepared to deal with COVID-19 and is already addressing the situation through testing and treatment. Schieber said both in-patient and out-patient testing is being done and that so far, no positive results have been reported. The turnaround time for getting results has dropped since the initial testing began, with most results now available in about two days. The hospital recently began using a new testing vendor, which Schieber said should decrease the turnaround time even more. Those who believe they may have COVID-19 symptoms are being encouraged to contact their personal physician, who will ask a series of questions to determine whether or not any testing for the virus is required. If so, the patient will be referred for further care, either at WMH or another facility, depending on the patient’s condition. Everyone coming into the hospital is screened at the door, Schieber said, with potential COVID-19 patients being taken to the emergency department for testing. The hospital is currently working to set up a pre-screening area where all patients with possible symptoms would initially go before proceeding to the emergency department for testing so as to keep those individuals isolated from patients who are in the emergency department for other reasons. He said that area should be set up by the weekend. While some hospitals are utilizing mobile testing (including Putnam County Memorial Hospital in Unionville and Sullivan County Me-
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Cart Rock Bids Get Approval
dence halls will cost $3,104 per year, with a single occupancy room costing $4,965. A 12-meal plan will
Operating a safe distance from one another due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Grundy County Commission held its regular Tuesday meeting at the courthouse, accepting bids for CART rock and trash service. According to information provided by Presiding Commissioner Phillip Ray, the commission accepted bids for CART rock from both Norris Quarries and Trager Limestone, with the townships able to use either provider. The prices, per ton, from Norris Quarries was $11.75 for 3/4inch, 1-inch and 1 1/4-inch rock, $10.75 for 2-inch rock, $11.40 for rip rap and $14.65 for 2-inch blanket. The bid from Trager Limestone was $11 for 3/4-inch and base, $10.75 for 1- inch, 1 1/4-inch 1 1/2-inch and 2 inch; and $15 for rip rap and 2-inch blanket. A bid from Advanced Disposal to provide trash service at the Grundy County Courthouse and Grundy County Road and Bridge facility was accepted. The bid of $75 per site per month was the only bid received and has a 12month price lock. There were no bids received for concrete, so it is being rebid, with bids due by 10 a.m. on April 7 in the commission office. The commission is also seeking bids for metal and double wall plastic culverts, due by 9:30 a.m. on April 7, as well as for fuel, which is due the same day by 9 a.m. Ray said the Missouri Department of Public Safety grant deadline has been pushed back to April 30. The grant is for 911 call-handling equipment and would be for up to $200,000, with a 60/40 split. The state would pay 60 percent, with the county paying the 40 percent. In other business, the commission heard an update on FEMA Disaster 4451, with site inspections currently taking place, and held a conference call with Ambulance Director Steve Tracy, who briefed the commission on operations and precautions surrounding COVID-19. A conference call was also held with Grundy County Health Department Administrator Elizabeth Gibson concerning COVID-19 and preparedness. In response to a question from the Trenton RepublicanTimes as to whether or not the courthouse will remain open during the pandemic, the commission said they are having those discussions with officials from other counties to see how the issue is being handled. As of Tuesday, the Grundy County Clerk’s office was closed as was the Grundy County Assessor’s office. Doors were closed at all other offices but personnel were working. Ray said Grundy County Clerk Betty Spickard
See NCMC, Page 3
See County, Page 3
R-T Photo/Seth Herrold
Lunch is being served by the Trenton R-9 School District which, during the first three days, has prepared meals for 535-plus youth age 18 and under residing in the district. School personnel will be preparing lunches for pickup daily, Monday through Friday, between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Youth needing a meal can contact the school each day from 8 to 9:30 a.m. The telephone number is 359-4643.
morial Hospital in Milan), WMH is working on a location off campus where testing could be done so that patients do not even have to enter the hospital building. That site, he said, should be up and running sometime next week and the hospital will provide more information to the community when it becomes available. Schieber said the local hospital continues to have the supplies needed to deal with the virus situation, noting that the Saint Luke’s Health System has been able to obtain medical items and has made sure that its affiliate hospitals, including Wright Memorial, are able to meet their supply needs as well. “That’s where the Saint Luke’s connection has really paid off ,” he said. He credited WMH personnel in their
R-T Offiice Clo osin ng Ea arly The Trenton Republican-Times will be closing its business office at 4 p.m. each day until further notice. Office hours will now be 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. The early office closing will not affect publication of the newspaper, which will still be published on Tuesday and Friday.
preparation efforts, noting staff meets on a daily basis to review and discuss best practices needed to deal with the COVID-19 situation. “They are taking this very seriously and are prepared for this situation,” Schieber said. The hospital has also been working closely with local health officials, in particular the Grundy County Health Department and long-term care facilities
“The health department in Grundy County has been very proactive and has been keeping us engaged in what is going on,” he said, adding the hospital also keeps in contact with local nursing homes on a daily basis. ********** The Grundy County Health Department reports there have still been no positive COVID-19 test results in See Health, Page 3
Tuition, Fee Increases Approved
NCMC Closes Campus Until April 13 North Central Missouri College trustees approved a Pandemic Response Policy during a meeting Tuesday evening which resulted in a lock down of the campus until April 13. Changes to college policy that address pandemic situations, such as COVID-19, were approved by the board. The “pandemic response policy” grants 10 days (75 hours) of paid emergency leave for current, full-time employees who are unable to work due to the need to care for a minor and/or qualifying child if the child’s school or care facility hs been closed or is unavailable due to a pandemic and full-time and permanent part-time employees would be paid as usual. In addition, the president was given authority to close the campus if needed as the result of an emergency and the authority to assign employees to work from home in order to limit the number of individuals on campus but continue college operations. The president’s authority is not to exceed 45 days without reauthorization by the board. As a result, the college will be locked down from Thursday, March 26 to April 13, with online instruction and services continuing to operate remotely. Employees will be working from home with exceptions involving the business office, IT and custodial staff. An announcement regarding re-opening or extending the lockdown will be made on Thursday, April 9. Additional information regarding the lockdown is on the Trenton Republican-Times webpage (republican-times.com) and Facebook page. Trustees took action to implement a four-day workweek through the end of the semester due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, with employees working Monday through Thursday and using a flexible schedule. Trustees also approved a four-day workweek, Monday through Thursday, from May 11 through Aug. 7, operating on a similar schedule as was used last summer. In addition, faculty and staff will be allowed to dress in casual attire. Trustees also approved the 2020-21 tuition and fee schedule. Tuition for in-district and in-state students
will remain steady for the 2020-2021 year, although those attending the institution from out of state will pay more to attend classes as will those taking online, outreach and courses by arrangement. Tuition for indistrict students will remain at $87 per credit hour and other Missouri residents will continue to pay $148 per credit hour. Other U.S. residents and international students will see an increase of $6 per credit hour to $185. All students taking online, outreach and courses by arrangement will see an $8 per credit hour increase to $170. No tuition increases were proposed for students in the nursing program. All NCMC students will see an increase in fees, with the student development fee and the facility fee both increasing by $1 per credit hour to $17 and the technology fee will also increase by $1 per credit hour to $7. No increases were proposed for dual credit and early college courses. President Dr. Lenny Klaver said the tuition and fee increases were recommended to help the college meet its budgetary obligations, including implementation of the new Bright Space Learning Software, which would be paid by the technology fee increase. With the closing of the college to on-ground classes, NCMC will also be making refunds for items such as room and board, etc. There is also a possibility NCMC could be asked to refund some of the state money it receives. Included in the information provided to the board was a cost comparison of tuition rates at other Missouri community colleges. North Central has the lowest rate for in-district students; the third-lowest rate for in-state but out of district students; the secondlowest rate for out-of-state students; and the lowest rate for international students. Students who are living on campus will see an increase in the cost of a room at one of the two residence halls, with the board approving a 2 percent increase in room rates and a 3 percent increase in board rates. A double occupancy room in the resi-
National Weather Service
Rain is likely on Friday night and Saturday with a high on Saturday of 69. The sun returns on Sunday with a high in the low 60s and a low of 40. Monday will be mostly sunny with a high of 67. The high at Trenton on Monday, March 23 was 50 and Tuesday’s high was 59. The high on Wednesday was 63 with the low dipping to 43. There was no report from the Government Weather Station near Spickard.
NCMC Honoring Grads
With commencement exercises cancelled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, North Central Missouri College is making plans to honor its 2020 graduates. Students are invited to put on their favorite NCMC t-shirt and send a picture of themselves to the student services office. Students will then vote for their favorite shirt, with the graduate submitting the winning picture to receive a $50 gift card and hand sanitizer. All graduates would then receive that shirt as well as a cap and tassel. In addition, the college will be soliciting wellwishes from families and friends in a Facebook guestbook-type of page and will develop a virtual commencement with comments from the student senate president and others. Gowns will be lent to students who wish to have a picture taken in them. Other options for honoring the graduates are also being explored. The 2020 graduating class includes 519 unduplicated applicants, with 558 total degrees and certificates to be awarded. That number includes 174 associate in arts; 14 associate in arts in teaching; 217 associate in applied science; seven associate in general studies; two associate in science; and 144 certificates. The class, which includes 363 females and 156 males, has an average age of 24.9, with the oldest graduate being 58 and the youngest graduate being 18. In addition to students from the Missouri, the class includes graduates from 13 other states - Alabama, California, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania - as well as the countries of Aruba, Belize, Curacao, Germany and the Philippines.
What’s Inside... Trenton spring sports events missed due to COVID-19 will not be made up should students return to school on April 6. See the story on page 2 of today’s Republican-Times, with comments from Trenton R-9 Athletic Director Wes Croy.
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What’s Inside
Sports/NASCAR...........page 2 Local News ....................page 3 Op/Ed ............................page 4 Calendars ......................page 4 Thank a Farmer ...........page 5 Agriculture....................page 6 Comics ...........................page 7 Crosswords....................page 8 Dear Annie ....................page 8