GNM_04-15-2020

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April 15, 2020

UPSP 213-200 Vol. 155, No.47

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A Gallatin High School alumnus, Brig. Prior to that time Sears was the 14th FlyGen. James R. Sears Jr., has been pro- ing Training Wing Commander where he moted to commander of the U.S. Air Force led more than 3,000 Airmen and civilians in Operational Test and Evaluation Center at conducting Specialized Undergraduate PiKirtland AFB, NM. His new responsibilities lot Training for US Air Force and allied ofbegan April 1. ficers. The wing possessed the largest fleet The Brigadier General most recently of aircraft in the Air Force inventory with served as director of Plans, Programs and 222 aircraft and produced more than oneRequirements, Headquarters Air Educa- third of all USAF pilots. tion and Training Command at Joint Base Brigadier Gen. Sears will begin his 29th San Antonio-Randolph, TX. During that year in the USAF on May 30, 2020. He is the time he was responsible for planning and son of Jim Sears, Sr., who once owned and programming $7.6 billion annually sup- operated Pill Box Pharmacy on the east porting 60,000 personnel across 22 bases side of the Gallatin square and resided here Commander Brig. Gen. James R. Sears, Jr. charged with recruiting, training, and edu- for 11 years before moving to live in Arizocating for the United States Air Force and na. Gen. Sears and his wife, Vikki, have two our international partners. daughters. He developed AETC’s inputs to the Pro“He is living proof that success can be gram Objective Memorandum, led AETC achieved using a small town education,” Strategic Planning, and managed flying says Jim Sears, Sr. “His success is a real training and technical training operational tribute to all educators in Daviess County.” capability requirements. Prior to this asLieutenant Gen. Jacqueline D. Van Ovost, signment he was the AETC Director of Intelligence, Operations, and Nuclear Inte- USAF Director of Staff (in background), used digital conferencing to preside over the gration. promotional ceremonies for Brigadier Gen. The Gallatin Class of 1987 graduate was Jim Sears, Jr., conducted April 6 at Kirtland commissioned in 1991 as a graduate from AFB, New Mexico. A reception followed. the U.S. Air Force Academy. He has commanded at multiple levels and held staff assignments at Pacific Air Forces and U.S. European Command. Jim Sears, Jr., is a command pilot with over 3,200 flight hours and operational experience from C-130 low level special operations to every conventional mission in the F-16. In 2003 he was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross for heroism after successfully leading an 11.3-hour combat search and rescue that resulted in the safe recovery of seven U.S. Marines in a downed helicopter in Afghanistan. This promotion is only the most recent in a distinguished military career. While servOutgoing commander Major Gen. Michael T. Brewer presents a ceremonial saber for the ing at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, TX, James R. Sears, Jr., was appointed AFOTEC unit to incoming commander Brigadier Gen. James R. Sears, Jr. Senior officers shared personal comments lauding Gen. Sears during the promotion ceremonies. brigadier general in 2016.

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As a marijuana dispensary prepares to open in Gallatin, city officials are reviewing ordinances and wish to ask: “Should the distance requirement of 1,000 feet (from a church, school or daycare center) be reduced to enable the establishment of a medical marijuana dispensary in Gallatin?”

The immediate question focuses on the proximity of Red Stag Retail LLC, at 509 North Main Street, to the Friends in Christ at 400 North Main. Express your opinion at city hall or use the survey now online at www.NorthMissourian.com. For more info about the latest meeting of the aldermen, see page 10.

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Gallatin grad now commander at Kirtland AFB as a 2-star general

Aldermen want opinions...

About that time...

Pattonsburg rural carrier Larry Rouner retires Larry Rouner, a rural carrier at the Pattonsburg Post Office, will officially retire on April 30. Rouner has been with the post office for 37 Larry Rouner years. He started out as a rural carrier associate, substitute carrier, in 1983. He substitutecarried at both the Pattonsburg and Winston post offices. In 2005, he began working as a full time

regular rural carrier, following the retirement of Carl Crone. After retirement, Larry plans on playing a lot of golf and taking care of the farm as well as to continue officiating basketball. His brother, Garry, previously retired from the post office in Albany where he served as a letter carrier for 31-1/2 years. A card shower is suggested for Larry on his retirement. Please send cards to Pattonsburg PO, %Larry Rouner, 105 2nd Ave., Pattonsburg, MO, 64670.

County lists its first case of COVID-19 One individual in Daviess County has been confirmed positive for COVID-19, according to the Daviess County Health Department. In a press release on April 9, Cheryl Alexander, Administrator at the Health Department, noted that the Daviess County resident is currently in isolation in his/her home and in regular contact with health officials. Due to Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations, the health department will not release the person’s name. All close contacts to the case have been notified; and if you have not been notified then you are not a close contact.

Coronavirus Update Confirmed Cases

Grundy County ........................... 0 Daviess County .......................... 1 Caldwell County.......................... 1 Gentry County ............................ 1 Livingston County ....................... 1 Dekalb County ............................ 3 Harrison County.......................... 6 Clinton County .......................... 11 Missouri 4,686 cases, 133 deaths Source: Missouri DHSS as of 8 a.m. April 15

USA: 614,180 confirmed cases, 49,857 recoveries, 26,061 deaths Worldwide: 1,997,321 confirmed cases, 500,819 recoveries, 127,601 deaths

Source: Wikipedia; Daily situation reports available via the World Health Organization .

COVID-19 Hotline:

877.435.8411

The local Health Department was prepared for this situation to occur locally, and took the appropriate action under local, state, and federal guidance. The public should continue to follow the protocols issued by the Daviess County Health Department for slowing the spread of Coronavirus. ● Cover coughs or sneezes with your elbow. Do not use your hands ● Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available. ● Clean surfaces frequently, including countertops, light switches, cell phones, remotes, and other frequently touched items. ● Contain: if you are sick, stay home until you are feeling better.

This is an evolving situation. For COVID-19 updates, visit the Daviess County website at www. Daviesshealthonline.com

Hot asphalt street projects now underway after a year’s delay A new hot asphalt deck was laid over West Van Buren Street on Monday, marking the beginning of street improvements in Gallatin this season. The work was overdue. The original contract for street paving in Gallatin was for $218,244 before any change orders were let last year. But due to floods lasting from last April through October, contractor Herzog Construction worked almost exclusively repairing I-29 north of St. Joseph until cold weather made “hot mix” paving in Gallatin undesirable. The City then re-advertised bids for paving all of Van Buren and Daviess streets last month. The bids were written so as to include work on East Grand Street, all of Van Buren, all of Daviess

Street, Grant Street, David Drive, Gina Drive, and Shona Drive. During Monday night’s meeting at city hall, Gallatin aldermen approved paving Brook Street this year for $17,160 and a change order on Daviess Street for $13,650. The contract was approved for cleaning the existing pavement, application of an adhesive tack coat for approximately 26,730 square yards, construction of a 1-inch compacted asphaltic concrete leveling wedge course of approximately 26,730 square yards, and construction of a 2-inch compacted asphaltic concrete overlay of approximately 26,730 square yards. It was estimated that East Van Buren would take 369 tons of material, West Van

Buren 863 tons of material, and Daviess Street 1,566 tons of material. The cost for the work was bid at $78 per ton. Gallatin uses a transportation tax to finance “hot mix” asphalt projects. The budget in 2019 was $145,000 from this tax. “Since we didn’t get to utilize those funds in 2019, we rolled the funds into the 2020 budget,” says City Administrator Lance Rains. “Thus, the budget in 2020 for the hot mix projects is $265,000. “We have created a policy of doing an east/west street on odd years and a north/ south street on even years.” Remaining funds of $15,946 will be utilized for materials that Gallatin crews will use to fix potholes and to install a chip-inseal repairs on other streets around town.

“Some might notice that we have been grinding out some of the potholes around town,” says Mr. Rains. “While that is just a band-aid treatment, it helps reduce some of the more aggressive holes into a more manageable problem.” Street grindings and cold-mix are used to fill potholes. “Jeff and Jonathon are doing a great job with the materials that we have available,” says Rains. “We realize that the grinding isn’t a permanent solution but it will help in creating a road base that is more level for future improvements. “This will help Gallatin in the future when a new road covering is placed on the ground streets whether that would be a chip-n-seal covering or a hot-mix.”


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