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8 people test positive for COVID-19, 67 quarantined after Missouri church revival

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The Stone County Health Department in southwest Missouri has confirmed eight individuals who attended a church revival in Crane last week have tested positive for COVID-19. A department press release says the individuals are from multiple counties, had symptoms, and were contagious during the six-day event at New Life Fellowship Church.

8 people test positive for COVID-19, 67 quarantined after Missouri church revival

More than 100 individuals were at the revival with no social distancing measures taken. Sixty-seven of the churchgoers have been told to quarantine for 14 days and several of them have symptoms.

Some individuals have not been in contact with the department.

“This is an unfortunate situation for our community and specifically the town of Crane. In order to contain the spread of the virus we have to know who attended and whether or not they have become ill since attending. We sincerely hope that if the attendees are not willing to contact the health department they will consider that they could be contagious and spread the illness to someone who is not able to recover. We urge anyone who attended to quarantine, monitor for symptoms and get tested if symptoms develop,” Pam Burnett, Administrator of the Stone County Health Department, says in the press release.

The church has moved to live feed services for the duration of the quarantine period.

The department has not yet requested the state’s help with testing and contact tracing.

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Southwest Missouri company to lay off 127 workers soon

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Southwest Missouri company to lay off 127 workers soon

Joplin-based Lozier has notified the state that it plans to permanently reduce its workforce by about 127 people. The business makes retail store fixtures.

In a letter to the state, Lozier says the layoffs are expected to begin in October and be completed by the end of January 2021. The Joplin site is reportedly switching to more distribution and what one employee describes as “light assembly”.

The company currently has about 350 workers.

Rob Rauch of Missourinet affiliate KZRG in Joplin contributed to this story

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Business picks up at Missouri’s 13 casinos since reopening in June

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Operations at Missouri’s 13 casinos are getting back to normal, at least as normal as they can be during the ongoing spread of COVID-19. Due to the pandemic, they were closed from mid-March through May 31.

Business picks up at Missouri’s 13 casinos since reopening in June

St. Jo Frontier Casino officials in northwest Missouri has welcomed its customers back, while working to maintain safe conditions both for the slots players and its workers. It allows staggered entry. Meals are being offered once again, but no buffet.

Roxanne Miller with the casino tells Missourinet affiliate KFEQ in St. Joseph that customers have returned to play and to eat.

“We’ve pivoted with the times and we’re doing new things to keep the property clean,” she says. “We’re just are making adjustments as we move forward just like any company.”

Chef Victor Luna says it appears customers are becoming more comfortable with dining at the casino.

“The beginning was quite challenging because people were not very comfortable coming in in a restaurant setting,” he says. “But as they progressed and see how we take care of the customers when they come in, they feel more confident coming in. And now they are getting a little more comfortable in coming in, and sitting down, and seeing what we’re doing.”

Luna says his employees have been trained well on how best to sanitize the kitchen each day with tables kept separate to maintain social distance.

“And so far right now, the feeling that I get from our employees and customers is that we are doing the right thing to keep everybody safe,” he says.

Casinos can also be found in St. Charles, St. Louis, Kansas City, central Missouri’s Boonville, southeast Missouri’s Caruthersville and Cape Girardeau and La Grange in northeast Missouri.

Brent Martin of Missourinet affiliate KFEQ in St. Joseph contributed to this story.

Earlier stories:

Missouri Gaming Commission to allow casinos to reopen Monday  https://wp.me/p16gMv-wAc

Missouri’s casinos to remain closed through May 31  https://wp.me/p16gMv-wwM

Missouri’s casinos to temporarily close  https://wp.me/p16gMv-win

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Protesters hit streets of Jefferson City to oppose governor’s special session crime bill

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Protesters marching down High Street in Jefferson City

Protesters marched the streets in the heart of Jefferson City today to voice their opposition to the governor’s crime package. They walked down High Street in front of the Missouri Capitol and made a pitstop at the Governor’s Mansion. Police were on the scene to try and keep protesters from blocking the streets.

Gov. Mike Parson’s special session crime plan would let judges choose whether children 14 to 18 years old should be tried as adults for certain weapons crimes. It would also allow the Missouri attorney general to prosecute some St. Louis murder cases. Parson says out of at least 161 St. Louis murders so far this year, 33 suspects have been charged.

Rep. Rasheen Aldridge

State Representative Rasheen Aldridge, D-St. Louis, participated in the protest.

“Charge them as an adult because that is how we are going to fix violence – by being tough on crime to individuals that have made a mistake and should be held accountable but you are charging our youngest babies,” says Aldridge. “When does we go to ten? When do we go to nine? What’s going to be next? Eight? Seven? Are we locking up literally babies and putting them in jail with serial killers?”

Missouri Congressional candidate Cori Bush

Cori Bush of North St. Louis County, who defeated longtime St. Louis Democratic Congressman Lacy Clay in this month’s primary election, was among the crowd of protesters. They marched to the Cole County Jail and Bush had a message for law enforcement.

“We are about saving lives,” she says. “And so if you think we want to destroy your property – we don’t. If you think that we want to just disrupt just to disrupt – we don’t. We’re disrupting because you won’t stand up and do the right thing and make sure your work is to save lives.”

The legislation would also scrap a requirement for St. Louis police officers to live within the city and would create a witness protection fund to compel more witnesses to come forward in crime cases.

The Missouri House of Representatives gets back to work next week on the legislation. Three committees have scheduled hearings for Monday afternoon.

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Missouri Board of Education to consider proposal intended to boost substitute teacher population

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Missouri is in the market for more K-12 substitute teachers during the COVID-19 time. The level of need varies around the state depending on the district, grade, subject, and region.

Missouri Board of Education to consider proposal intended to boost substitute teacher population

According to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), the number of candidates preparing to become full-time teachers has been declining steadily over the past six years. This challenge has increased the demand for long-term substitute teachers and the demand could grow even more if any full-time teachers have reservations about being in a traditional classroom setting this fall.

Currently, substitutes must complete at least 60 semester hours of college-level credit to get a license. Tyler Madsen, DESE Assistant Director of Communications, says the state Board of Education could decide Tuesday whether to give them the alternative of instead completing a minimum of 20 hours of state-approved online training.

“So that would give a couple of options to help districts and charter schools throughout the state fill a potential a shortage for substitute teachers this fall,” Madsen tells Missourinet.

Under the proposed emergency rule change, topics covered in the training would include professionalism, honoring diversity, engaging students, foundational classroom management techniques, basic instructional strategies and working with at-risk youth as well as students with special needs.

“It would be wide variety of areas a teacher encounters every day in the classroom. It would give those substitute teachers a solid baseline for entering into the classroom,” says Madsen.

The cost to the state and to the job seekers is also expected to be discussed during the board meeting – and whether the proposed training goes far enough. The training cost could be very minimal – between $100-$200 per candidate, and the certificate could be an additional $50. Until the board weighs in, the exact cost is unknown.

“Because it’s an emergency rule, if they do vote on it as it stands, it could go active in a matter of days. So, what we’re doing right now is trying review that online training so that it will be ready as soon as that rule goes into effect,” says Madsen. “There is work already being done here at DESE on that behalf to try to make sure that if everything stays in line and approved by the state board, that we would be ready to roll out with it ideally within days of next Tuesday’s state board meeting.”

Missouri has 555 public school districts and charter schools.

Tuesday’s State Board of Education meeting is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. in Jefferson City.

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Missouri prosecutors oppose governor’s bid to let attorney general take on St. Louis murder cases

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Gov. Mike Parson expanded his special legislative session call this week on violent crime to include giving the Missouri Attorney General the power to prosecute some St. Louis murder cases. He says out of 161 murders there so far this year, 33 suspects have been charged.

Gov. Mike Parson

A group of 115 Missouri prosecutors is not on board with the governor’s bid to let the State Attorney General get involved in local cases. The Missouri Association of Prosecuting Attorneys says it has consistently fought for decades against proposals that would give the state attorney general that type of jurisdiction. In a press release, the group says the measures undermine the independence and autonomy of locally elected prosecutors.

“The best control is local control. Vesting the Attorney General with new original or concurrent jurisdiction erodes the ability of local voters to decide who will seek justice on their behalf should they be victimized by crime. Further, any attempt to vest the attorney general with jurisdiction to prosecute homicides without the request of the elected prosecuting attorney fundamentally changes our system of local, independent prosecution that has served the citizens of Missouri well since 1875,” the release says.

The organization says any prosecutors seeking help can reach out to the association and they will get the support they need.

“MAPA, through our individual members, stands ready to assist any fellow prosecutor. Our prosecutors routinely come to each other’s aid: assisting with cases; sharing resources; and ensuring that all Missourians receive effective prosecution services.”

Parson denies his expanded call being a personal move. Parson and Attorney General Eric Schmitt, both Republicans, have publicly disagreed with St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner, a Democrat, for prosecuting an affluent couple who pointed guns at protesters walking through their neighborhood in June.

The Missouri House of Representatives is scheduled to get back to work Monday on the crime package.

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Letter of intent reveals new information about planned $25 million hospital in southeast Missouri (AUDIO)

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New details have emerged about plans for a new $25 million hospital in southeast Missouri’s Kennett, which is located in the state’s poorest region.

State Rep. Herman Morse, R-Dexter, speaks on the House floor in Jefferson City on March 3, 2020 (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

A Georgia-based company has submitted a 62-page certificate of need application, about the project. They plan to demolish the former Twin Rivers Regional Medical Center, which closed in 2018.

According to the plan, construction would begin in April on a 49-bed full-service hospital. The hospital will open on May 1, 2022, according to the plan. It will be about 70,000 square feet. There would be 37 adult acute beds, six pediatric acute beds, and six intensive care unit beds.

Plans also call for a 24-hour emergency room with seven beds and an urgent care clinic for non-emergency patients. The new hospital will also include a four-room inpatient/outpatient surgical suite, with a surgical recovery unit. It also will have a 24-hour clinical lab and 24-hour medical imaging, including CT and MRI.

State lawmakers from across southeast Missouri have written letters supporting the planned new hospital. State Rep. Herman Morse, R-Dexter, the House Special Committee on Aging’s vice chairman, notes Kennett has a large elderly population.

“That hospital (Twin Rivers) was the only hospital that was actually in Dunklin County. The other closest places are Paragould, Arkansas or Piggott, Arkansas, which is an 18-bed facility I believe,” Morse says.

Kennett residents now have to drive to Arkansas, Cape Girardeau, Sikeston or Poplar Bluff for emergency room care and for hospitalization. Supporters of the new hospital say it will help about 70,000 residents across southeast Missouri and northeast Arkansas.

Representative Morse, whose wife graduated from Kennett High School, tells Missourinet that Dunklin County must have a functioning hospital. He says Paragould, Jonesboro, Hayti and and Poplar Bluff are too far from Kennett, in an emergency.

“Jonesboro is almost 50 miles from Kennett. And so, it’s just difficult, and I think there would be lives lost in just not having the hospital that close,” says Morse.

State Sen. Doug Libla, R-Poplar Bluff, and State Reps. Andrew McDaniel, R-Deering and Dale Wright, R-Farmington, have also written letters in support of the new hospital plan.

Kennett is located in the Bootheel, the state’s poorest region. There have been five hospital closings in southeast Missouri since 2014, including Kennett.

Consultant Kerry Noble, a former chief executive officer at the Pemiscot Memorial Hospital in Hayti, is working with Main Street HealthVenture on the project. Noble told Missourinet Kennett affiliate KBOA (AM 1540) this summer that building a brand-new facility is best for safety code requirements.

Kennett Mayor Chancellor Wayne also backs the new hospital plan, describing it as a big step forward for health care in Kennett and southeast Missouri.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full four-minute interview with State Rep. Herman Morse, R-Dexter, about the planned $25 million hospital project in southeast Missouri’s Kennett. The interview was conducted on August 12, 2020:

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