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Friday, December 18, 2020
REPUBLICAN-TIMES TRENTON
Trenton, MO 64683
Check out the Republican-Times on the Internet: www.republican-times.com ©W.B. Rogers Printing Co., Inc.
Ten Pages
Established Sept. 4, 1864 - 157th Year - No. 30
GRUNDY COUNTY COMMISSION
Briefs...
Local Entities Benefit
County Disburses All CARES Act Funding The Grundy County Commission has spent the final funds allocated to the county through the CARES Act, with more than $1 million disbursed since June to help meet needs incurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During a special commission meeting held on Wednesday morning, Presiding Commissioner Phillip Ray told members of the CARES Act Task Force they played a vital role in helping to establish the guidelines and disburse the $1,155,620 in funding that became available to the county last summer. All taxing entities were allowed to apply for funding with the amount of funding based on the entity’s tax levy. It was noted tnone of the townships in the county had applied for funding. Ray said much of the money spent went to local merchants, who were able to provide needed items at a competitive cost. Some of the items for which funding has been utilized include: • overtime for employees at the Grundy County Health Department, who have worked many additional hours during the pandemic. • the city of Trenton, which utilized a portion of its money to purchase tele-conferencing equipment as well as personal protective equipment for the Trenton Fire Department, the Trenton Police Department and other city employees. • North Central Missouri College, which used a portion of its money to purchase equipment to allow administrators to work remotely when needed. • air purifiers throughout numerous public buildings in the county. • hand sanitizers, wipes, barriers, etc. throughout the county. • items used to deliver meals to senior citi-
COVID-19
75¢
per copy
Early R-T Dea adlline e
zens through the North 65 Center and a walkin cooler for the Community Food Pantry. • numerous items throughout the county for school districts, including three dishwashers, air scrubbers, remote learning items, substitute pay and a nurse in every school that did not have one. • items for the isolation wing of Sunnyview Nursing Home and Apartments. • Phillips heart monitors for the ambulance service, which have video, audio and transmission capabilities, as well as self-enclosed hoods for each individual ambulance employee. “It has been an honor to help improve our communities, “ said Ray in a statement released to the media. “It is most unfortunate that this program came about by such horrific circumstances. There is no doubt the needs will far outlast the program, but these are just a few ways that CRFs have made a difference here at home. There has been no official announcement on the extension of this program or the establishment of any further CRF funding opportunities of this kind.” After all of the expenditures, the county still had $193,188.14 left to be spent and the commission voted on Wednesday to divide those funds and disburse them to first responders, based on the number of employees of each entity. It was agreed the city of Trenton would receive $64,396.05 of those funds to be used by the police department and fire department. The remaining $128,792.09 will be divided by the Grundy County Ambulance Service and the Grundy County Sheriff’s Department. The county will return the $500 in interest earned during the time it had control of the money. See County, Page 4
SCHOOL BOARDS Princeton, Laredo, N-H, Tri-County
Insurance, COVID Top Area Agendas
The Republican-Times will have an early news/advertising submission deadline for its Thursday, Dec. 24 newspaper due to the Christmas holiday. Persons wanting to have a classified advertisement included in the paper must have it to the R-T no later than 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 22. Display advertising for that newspaper must be received no later than 4 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 21. The deadline for news will be 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 23. There will also be an early deadline for submission of Power Points entries, which must be received for that week no later than 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 23. The Republican-Times newspaper office will be closed on both Thursday, Dec. 24 and Friday, Dec. 25, reopening for regular business hours on Monday, Dec. 28.
COVID D-19 Upd date e Active COVID-19 cases in Grundy County continue to climb, according to information provided by the health department. As of Thursday there are 109 active cases being monitored in the county, up nine from the number of actives reported on Monday. Grundy County has recorded 789 total cases, up 28. COVID death numbers remain at 23. Area county numbers include Livingston, 973 (70 active, including 9 in hospital, 32 deaths); Linn, 804 (69 active, 20 deaths); Carroll, 726 (76 active, 14 deaths); Sullivan, 643 (30 active, 10 deaths); Caldwell, 583 (48 active, 7 deaths); Harrison, 572 (35 active, 11 deaths); Daviess, 430 (110 active, 11 deaths); Putnam, 364 (40 active, 3 deaths); and Mercer, 110 (87 active, 2 deaths).
Utillity Commiittee Me eets The Utility Committee of the Trenton City Council met on Tuesday, discussing two items. City Administrator/Utility Director Ron Urton reported replacement of the main transformer at the south substation is under way, with RS Electric Utility working with city crews. Power will not need to be turned off during the work as electric service can be transferred to the other two substations. Asplundh is scheduled to trim trees along electric lines throughout town, beginning either the week of Dec. 28 or Jan. 4.
Hospital, Nursing Home
Local Health Care Officials Prepare For Vaccine Arrival Local health care officials are preparing for the arrival of the COVID-19 vaccine in the next few weeks. Health care workers and long-term care facility residents are scheduled to be first in line to receive the initial doses, according to Center for Disease Control and Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services guidelines, and both Wright Memorial Hospital and Sunnyview Nursing Home are making preparations to move forward with the innoculation process. Wright Memorial Hospital Marketing and Public Relations Director Jordan Ferguson said the hospital anticipates receiving its vaccine allotment within the next few weeks as it awaits final FDA approval of the Moderna vaccine, which is expected to happen this week. The Moderna vaccine is being used by the hospital due to its ease of storage. Ferguson said the first doses at WMH will be for hospitalbased employees who come into contact with COVID-19 positive and high-risk patients, with the next doses then distributed to other hospital staff. Those employees who work from home will receive a vac-
cine at a later date. Any WMH employee wanting the vaccine will be able to receive it, however, the innoculation will not be required, Ferguson said. He anticipates it will take four to six weeks for all staff wanting the vaccine to receive it. Ferguson went on to say that while the vaccine is not widely available to the public as of now, WMH will be ready to administer it when the time comes. It is anticipated the vaccines would be ready for the general public through WMH by the spring or summer of 2021. At Sunnyview Nursing Home and Apartments, Administrator Jerry Doerhoff said it is anticipated COVID-19 vaccines will be available between Dec. 21 and Dec. 28. Once they arrive, both residents and staff would receive a vaccination, which he said will not be mandatory. The Grundy County Health Department has been approved to give the COVID-19 vaccine, however it will not be administering vaccine doses during the initial phase (Phase 1A) for long-term care facility residents and staff as well as See Vaccine, Page 4
R-T Photo/Diane Lowrey
Trenton Municipal Utilities Electric Department employees were busy on Tuesday replacing an electric transformer at the south substation at the intersection of Johnson Drive and First Street. This is the second transformer to be replaced by TMU this year, which installed a new unit at the north substation in April. A third unit is also scheduled to be replaced in the future. According to City Administrator Ron Urton, the transformers have far outlasted their 25-year design life due to proper maintenance by TMU and not being loaded to maximum capacity.
National Weather Service
Temperatures will be increasing as we go through the weekend and into next week, with Friday’s high hitting 37 and Monday’s high forecast at 51. Lows will be as low as 23 on Saturday night. The high at Trenton on Monday, Dec. 14 was 33 and Tuesday’s high was 29. Wednesday’s high was 34, the low was 21. The high on Wednesday at the Government Weather Station near Spickard was 32, the low was 18.
What’s Inside... The THS boys and girls wrestling teams were at home Tuesday night, hosting a triangular meet. See page 2 of today’s Republican-Times for results from the matchup with Marceline and Lathrop.
Trenton Republican-Times “News Every Day...When YOU Want It”
RISING TEMPS
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COVID updates and insurance topped agendas of recent area school board meetings at Princeton, Newtown-Harris, Laredo and Jamesport. Princeton R-5 The Princeton R-5 Board of Education heard a COVID-19 update during its meeting on Monday night. Superintendent Jerry Girdner said that as of Tuesday morning, the district had just three active cases with 17 recovered. The COVID “dashboard” on the district website continues to be updated to reflect current active and recovered cases. Approval was given to the renewal of liability and property insurances with CPSK and Missouri Public Entity Risk Management Fund at a cost of $68,227. This is an increase of $11,122 over the previous year. The board approved the 2019-20 school audit as presented by Conrad and Higgins as well as a resolution to accept USDA funding to help purchase an SUV for the district. Board members were reminded of the filing dates for the April 6 election (Dec. 15 to Jan. 19) and were told school would not be in session from Dec. 23 to Jan. 4 for Christmas vacation. There will be a teacher in-service on Jan. 4, with classes to resume on Jan. 5. An executive session was held with no announcement made. The next meeting of the board will be on Monday, Jan. 11. Newtown-Harris The Newtown-Harris R-3 Board of Education heard several reports at its meeting on Monday night. Superintendent Dr. Lucas McKinnis reported approval of the Missouri Consultants for Education as the district service provider for policies, regulations and forms. The board discussed the current COVID situation and potential measures the district may need to take to address the situation. There was also discussion regarding the shift in contracted transportation pay to payroll for full-time employees as well as results of the four-day week survey of teachers. Dr. McKinnis reviewed the DESE district report card and reminded board members of the April 6 election filing dates of Dec. 15 to Jan. 19. Two positions are to be filled. The next meeting of the board is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 11. Laredo R-7 The Laredo R-7 Board of Education took action on sevSee Boards, Page 4
What’s Inside
Sports ..............................page 2 Local News...............page 3 & 5 Op/Ed ..............................page 4 Calendars ........................page 5 Agriculture......................page 6 NASCAR.........................page 6 Comics.............................page 7 Crosswords .....................page 8 Dear Annie ......................page 8