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Friday, July 10, 2020
REPUBLICAN-TIMES TRENTON
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per copy Check out the Republican-Times on the Internet: www.republican-times.com ©W.B. Rogers Printing Co., Inc.
Established Sept. 4, 1864 - 156th Year - No. 88
Trenton, MO 64683
Ten Pages & 1 Insert GRUNDY COUNTY Commission Meets
Bridge Bids Opened
Photo Courtesy of Jim Bush
With the old 17th Street Bridge now completely removed, excavation work is now under way in preparation for construction of the columns that will support the new structure. City Administrator Ron Urton said the bridge should be open to traffic in early- to mid-November, with the project to be entirely finished by early December. Boone Construction of Columbia is the contractor for the bridge work.
2020 MISSOURI DAY FESTIVAL
Briefs...
Marching Band Event Is Oct 17
COVID-19 Numbers
Missouri Day Festival Plans Moving Forward Planning continues for events to be held during the 2020 Missouri Day Festival, which is scheduled to take place on Friday, Oct. 16 and Saturday, Oct. 17 in Trenton. In a statement issued this week, Marching Festival officials said they are moving forward with the annual band competition, scheduled to take place on Saturday, Oct. 17. While there are many unknowns regarding the COVID19 pandemic and how it might affect the event, efforts are under way to hold an event while keeping the safety of both participating schools and spectators in mind. “2020 has proven difficult to plan anything,” the officials said in the statement. “This festival has always put stu-
MODOT ROAD WORK
dents first (and) 2020 is no different. We fully intend to work with local officials and participating schools to ensure a meaningful educational experience for students, directors and band families. “ Band festival officials said the Trenton R-9 School District has “graciously offered” use of its facilities to host the event and the committee “remains optimistic” about being able to hold the festival “as close to business as usual while maintaining a safe, conducive learning environment.” Officials said communication regarding the marching festival has already begun among directors, festival committee members and music educators from throughout the state and that commitments
have been received from several schools. Should the festival need to be cancelled due to COVID-19, the committee will be notifying participating schools and issuing refunds to those schools that have paid their registration fees. “We have an outstanding panel of adjudicators and a top-notch line-up of bands from the region planning to attend this year,” the statement said. “We hope to see (everyone) in Trenton for the 2020 Missouri Days Marching Festival.” Trenton Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Debbie Carman said that as of now, other activities during the two-day Missouri Day Festival See Festival, Page 5
Continues Through Sept. 1
Highway Resurfacing Project Gets Under Way Resurfacing began this week on Highway 69 from Interstate 35 to Highway 6 and on Highway 6 from Highway 69 to the Muddy Creek Bridge just east of Highway 65 in Trenton. The Missouri Department of Transportation has contracted with Emery Sapp & Sons, Inc. to complete the multi-stage project, which includes resurfacing and shoulder improvements throughout the project limits and rehabilitation of sidewalks within the city of Trenton. The current planned schedule of work is: • May 7-End of August: Sidewalk rehabilitation within the city of Trenton. • July 9-July 24: Asphalt overlay on Highway 69 and Highway 6 from I-35 to Route V west of Jamesport (the roadway between Route V and Trenton will receive a different surface treatment under a separate contract). • July 13-24: Signal work on Highway 6 at Harris Avenue in Trenton.
Back To Sc cho ool Surve ey The Trenton R-9 School District is asking parents/guardians to provide their input to help district personnel make plans for the start of the 2020-21 school year this fall. A survey appears on the R-9 School District website (www.trentonr9.k12.mo.us) as well as on the Trenton school app, both under the news tab. Parents have until Wednesday, July 15 to fill out the survey, which contains nine questions, and district officials are encouraging all parents/guardians to take time to answer the questions. The district is seeking information regarding student attendance, re-opening scenarios (face-to-face, remote or a combination), safety precautions (teacher/student masks, social distancing, limitation of large group activities, etc.), preschool and K-12 transportation, Internet access and availability of electronic devices for distance learning.
FFA Cookshack Signup
• July 27-30: Asphalt overlay on Highway 6 within the city limits of Trenton from the railroad bridge to the the Muddy Creek Bridge. • July 27-Aug. 14: Rumble strips, guardrail and pavement marking installation. • Aug. 3-12: Signal work on Highway 6 at Main Street in Trenton. • Late August: After all sidewalk work is completed, asphalt overlay on the remaining sections of roadway in Trenton. • Aug. 26-Sept. 1: Pavement marking within the city limits of Trenton. During the resurfacing west of Trenton, roadways will be narrowed to one lane and a pilot car and flaggers will direct motorists through the work zone. Where the roadway is four-lane in Trenton, one lane each direction may be closed. A 12-foot width restriction throughout
Trenton FFA members and their parents are being asked to come by the high school ag room on Tuesday, July 14 and Thursday, July 16 to sign up to work at the cookshack during the North Central Missouri Fair. The open house-style event will be held from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on both days. For more information, persons can contact FFA advisors Kabel Oaks at koaks@trentonr9.k12.mo.us or Sadie Roy at sroy@trentonr9.k12.mo.us. The NCM Fair is scheduled for Tuesday, July 28 through Saturday, Aug. 1.
Spickard Al de ermen To Me eet The Spickard Board of Aldermen will hold its monthly meeting at 6 p.m. on Monday, July 13 at Spickard City Hall. Items on the announced agenda include nuisance properties, setting the date for the annual tax levy hearing, water and sewer updates, the clerk’s report, a financial report (including payment of claims) and public comment.
See Road, Page 5
National Weather Service
Mostly sunny skies are forecast for the weekend with highs in the upper 80s and low 90s and lows in the mid to upper 60s. There’s a slight chance of showers on Friday night and Saturday. The high at Trenton on Monday, July 6 was 93 with a high on Tuesday of 95. Wednesday’s high reached 96 with a low of 73. The high on Wednesday at the Government Weather Station near Spickard was 93, the low was 71.
Grundy County has experienced its first death related to COVID-19. The Grundy County Health Department officials reported on Tuesday they were notified COVID-19 was responsible for the death of an individual who was listed as a county resident. No other information was made available. As of Thursday, Grundy County had NO active cases of COVID-19, with 20 total positive cases having been reported since testing began. Other area county numbers include (not all counties provide their numbers regarding active cases, isolated cases, etc.) Sullivan, 116 (3 active) Carroll, 33 (22 active); Livingston, 27 (16 active); Harrison, 26; Linn, 23 (6 under isolation precautions, 1 death); Caldwell, 14 (2 active); Daviess, 10; Mercer, 6; and Putnam, 3. Statewide, there have been 25,204 positive COVID-19 cases reported as of Thursday morning with 1,046 deaths.
What’s Inside... The effect of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes on the professional football landscape is the subject of a column written by Republican-Times Sports Editor Seth Herrold, which appears on page 2 of today’s newspaper.
Trenton Republican-Times “News Every Day...When YOU Want It”
WARM WEEKEND
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The Grundy County Commission opened bids for a bridge replacement project during a meeting held on Tuesday morning. According to information provided by the Presiding Commissioner Phillip Ray, five bids were opened for construction of a bridge on Southwest 80th Street. The project had been estimated to cost $492,806, but all of the bids came in higher. The low bid of $520,897.05, was submitted by Decker Services of Lathrop. Other bids included: Widel Incorporated of Blackwater, $522,562.62; Boone Construction Company of Columbia, $559,571.13; Brookfield Box and Bridge of Brookfield, $565,078.75; and MS Contracting of Brookfield, $613,401.72. Project engineer Shannon Howe of Howe Company, which had provided the earlier estimate, was present for the opening of the bids and noted all submitting firms did supply a bid bond with their packets. Howe will review the bids this week and will come back with a recommendation at next week’s meeting. A total of 80 percent of the project cost will be paid for with state and federal funds while the remaining 20 percent will be paid for with county funds. Several reports were give. The road and bridge crew indicated work is continuing on FEMA projects, with the bridge deck repair located on Southeast 98th Avenue completed. Repairs are under way to repair back wall erosion on a bridge located on Northeast Talc Lane and crews will be adding fill around a large culvert on Northwest 60th as a result of flooding incurred in 2019. That damage has been submitted to FEMA for funding approval. Planning is under way for the 2020 countywide disaster preparedness drill, which will explore the response of local officials and agencies to a hazardous materials incident. Annual exercises are required by the Center for Medicaid Services for any entity that receives Medicaid funding. Ambulance Director Steve Tracy reported information is being gathered to replace cardiac monitors for county ambulances. The existing monitors are at the end of their service life and will require replacement in the near future. In other reports, commissioners learned from the Grundy County Health Department that the county has recorded its first COVID-19related death. It was also noted Ray took part in a Next Generation 911 Grant Compliance Workshop. Items discussed included audit requirements, procurement See County, Page 5
What’s Inside
Sports.............................page 2 Agriculture....................page 3 Opinion/Editorial .........page 4 Community ...................page 5 Calendars ......................page 5 Comics ...........................page 6 Dear Annie ....................page 7 Crosswords....................page 7 Tax Sale .........................page 9