W W W. S E M I S S O U R I A N . CO M
ESTABLISHED 1904, CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO. $1.00
TUESDAY
REGION / 4A
Vote delayed
MARCH 17, 2020
Jackson aldermen do not approve special-use permit for reptile rescue SPORTS / 1B
DENIED
MSHMAA cancels tourneys; Notre Dame seasons end FIRST BAPTIST DISTRIBUTES FREE TOILET PAPER
Area schools to close amid COVID-19 concerns Cape, Scott County schools to offer meals for students during shutdown BY RACHAEL LONG AND JAY WOLZ
SOUTHEAST MISSOURIAN Several school district in Cape Girardeau County and the surrounding area will close beginning this week. Beginning on Wednesday, Cape Girardeau schools will shut down through April 3, as approved by the Cape Girardeau School Board during a special meeting Monday evening. The decision comes in response to concerns over COVID-19, as area superintendents have worked closely with local and state health officials to monitor the latest developments in its spread. “As you know, we’re approaching some unchartered waters here,” said Neil Glass, superintendent of the Cape Girardeau School District. “These are waters that we’ve not encountered before and it takes some strategy and some thinking through on our part to figure out how we’re going to deliver an education.” Glass said district officials had been hoping to
Inside Missouri records seventh case of the coronavirus, Page 3A. How social distancing works and what it means for you, Page 7A. Virus shutdown threatens jobs, Page 7A.
BEN MATTHEWS ~ bmatthews@semissourian.com
First Baptist Jackson volunteers Jonathan Shirley and Emma Harris stand along East Jackson Boulevard with signs advertising the distribution of free toilet paper Monday in Jackson. The church collected about 150 rolls of toilet paper from its congregants Sunday, and the volunteers distributed about half of the collection to the public Monday afternoon. Pastor Daniel Maasen said the remaining rolls will be kept at First Baptist Jackson for those in need.
Lockdowns, stocks down as virus fight shifts away from China, Page 8A. postpone school closures but ultimately made the decision to close sooner due to the community concerns about COVID-19. At the end of the school day today, students in seventh through 12th grade will take home their 1:1 devices, said Howard Benyon, deputy superintendent of secondary education. Should the school closures be prolonged, the school district will work to identify alternative methods of instruction, Glass said, noting the district is “not really set up to do that at this moment.”
City of Cape Girardeau takes steps to limit residents’ possible exposure to coronavirus BY BEN MATTHEWS
SOUTHEAST MISSOURIAN The virus responsible for COVID-19 has not made a public appearance in Cape Girardeau as of Monday, but city officials announced a number of actions to lessen residents’ possible exposure.
See SCHOOLS, Page 4A
City manager Scott Meyer announced the following actions, effective Tuesday through April 3, at Monday night’s City Council meeting: Parks and Recreation community centers, gyms, workout facilities and meeting rooms will be closed. Rentals and parks programs have
been postponed or canceled. City hall will be restricted to employees only. All public offices, including customer service/utility billing and Development Services are closed to the public. Utility bill payments may be made online or over the phone with a credit/debit card. Those
wishing to pay in-person with cash or check can use the secure dropbox near city hall’s customer service entrance. Municipal courts will be canceled, and court offices will send out summonses with new court dates. See CITY, Page 4A
Cape Girardeau County officials discuss COVID-19 preparations BY JAY WOLZ
SOUTHEAST MISSOURIAN Cape Girardeau County government officials are working with health authorities, emergency management staff and municipal leaders to make contingency plans for coping with the COVID-19 pandemic, should they be needed. “We’re currently coordinating with other stakeholders around the county, including government and
WEB:
folks in the health field,” Presiding Commissioner Clint Tracy said Monday, following a brief commission meeting dominated by a coronavirus discussion. “In this case, an ounce of prevention is definitely worth 20 pounds of cure.” Meetings began earlier this month and are continuing this week to discuss various scenarios ranging from public coronavirus screenings to the possible need for quarantine of anyone who may test
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Classified...................... 6B Comics .......................... 4B Crossword ................... 4B
COVID-19 For all of the Southeast Missourian’s COVID-19 coverage or to sign up for our COVID-19 newsletter, visit semissourian.com/ coronavirus. positive for the virus in the weeks ahead. “We’re having discussions and asking, ‘What does this
plan look like if we have to implement it? What does Plan B look like? What does a drive-through screening look like? What does a quarantine look like?’ You have to look at all those plans and all the possible courses of action and then say, ‘OK, what do we need to do to be prepared?’” Tracy said. With regard to countywide screenings for coronavirus, Second District Commissioner Charlie Herbst said he doesn’t anticipate that will
be needed in the immediate future. “It’s not necessary at this time,” he said. In addition to discussing various scenarios, government and health officials are also establishing a format for providing a reliable source of local information about the virus. “With all the stakeholders — the university, hospitals, local governments, the county government — you don’t want five different sets
WEATHER
Strange but true ‘Hinkle Tree’ from ‘79 Open uprooted
Photo gallery
TOLEDO, Ohio — A tree that appeared overnight during the 1979 U.S. Open to become a part of golf lore has met its end. The Black Hills spruce known as “The Hinkle Tree” was partially uprooted by a gust of wind earlier this month at Inverness Club in Toledo and was cut down. The tree dated to the 79th Open, when Lon Hinkle came up with a way to outsmart the course during the first round. Hinkle noticed he could take a shortcut by hitting through a gap of trees near the eighth tee and drive his ball on the adjacent 17th fairway, shaving off 75 yards. U.S. Golf Association officials were not amused and had the course’s greens chairman bring in a tree from a nursery and block the shortcut. Overnight, the Black Hill spruce, about 20 feet tall, appeared in the gap. — Associated Press
More than 1,000 people attended Cape First Church’s centennial services Sunday. See photos from the celebration in a gallery at semissourian.com.
INDEX
ONLINE
Daily Record ...............6A Dear Abby ................... 8B Entertainment ........... 8B
Obituaries....................6A Opinion ........................5A Sports............................ 1B
H:58 L:48 An a.m. shower
TV listings .................... 8B
Volume 116 • Issue 134
Copyright © 2020 Rust Communications
of messages coming out,” the commissioner said. “We want everybody to be on the same page and rowing in the same direction.” It is likely, he said, a webpage will be set up either through the county or the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center with the latest COVID-19 information. “We want to keep people calm and we want them to know we’re working on this See COUNTY, Page 4A