From the desk of Missouri Governor Mike Parson

‪This evening, we led a COVID-19 briefing call with hundreds of mayors, county commissioners, and emergency response personnel from across the state.‬

‪We know local communication is critically important to keeping Missourians healthy and safe, and we appreciate their feedback! ‬

Missouri National Guard | Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services | Missouri Department of Public Safety | Missouri State Emergency Management Agency

Dollar General Announces First Hour of Operations to be Dedicated to Senior Customers

Goodlettsville, Tennessee – March 16, 2020 –  Dollar General Corporation (NYSE: DG) announced plans to dedicate the first hour of each shopping day to senior shoppers, as well as amend store operating hours beginning tomorrow, March 17, 2020.
  
Senior Hour Encouragement
Beginning tomorrow, Dollar General is strongly encouraging that the first hour of operations each day be dedicated solely for the shopping needs of senior customers, who are one of the groups most vulnerable to the COVID-19 coronavirus. In keeping with the Company’s mission of Serving Others, Dollar General wants to provide these at-risk customers with the ability to purchase the items they need and want at the beginning of each day to avoid busier and more crowded shopping periods.

Other customers are encouraged to plan their shopping trips around this window of time to allow the most susceptible customers in our communities the ability to shop during the first hour that stores are open.

 
Store Hour Adjustments
Additionally, all stores plan to close one hour earlier than current close times to allow employees to clean and re-stock store shelves, as well as for their health and wellbeing.  Stores will continue to maintain current opening hours. Normal operating hours by individual store locations are available here.
 
Dollar General remains committed to providing customers and employees with a safe, clean and pleasant shopping environment at all stores and seeks for customers to feel confident when shopping its stores.
 
 
Quote from Todd Vasos, CEO
“In keeping with our mission and our ongoing commitment to serve our communities, we are dedicating the first hour of each day to seniors.  We appreciate our customers’ understanding of our decision and request they visit our stores later in the morning to allow at-risk populations the ability to purchase the items they need at affordable prices,” said Todd Vasos, Dollar General’s CEO. “During these unprecedented times, Dollar General is diligently working to meet the ongoing needs of our customers and communities. We are proud to live our mission and provide customers with everyday low prices on the household essentials that are used and replenished most often.”
 
 
For additional information, photographs or items to supplement a story, please visit the Dollar General Newsroom or contact the Media Relations Department at 1-877-944-DGPR (3477) or via email at dgpr@dg.com.

From MoKan In Passaic

St. Clair County Sheriff's Office News Release March 10 through 17, 2020

St.Clair County Sheriff Scott Keeler reported deputies made 10 arrests and took multiple reports during the week of March 10 through 17, 2020.

Click on link for more information. 

https://www.scsomo.org/press_view.php?id=921

Public Service Announcement from Butler Public Water District #6

Butler PWSD#6 will not be accepting payments in person. Please either mail or put in our payment slot. 

If you have any further questions please call us at 660-679-6516. Thank you

Announcement from the Meat Shoppe In Butler

All Kansas Schools K-12 closed for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year

Today, March 17, 2020 Kansas Governor Laura Kelly announced all school facilities will be closed for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. This will place tremendous hardship on our families and staff, and impact the social and emotional well-being of our students. We have been working on contingency plans since mid-March, including how we can meet the ongoing learning needs of our students as well as provide breakfast and lunch for our students.

The administration will be planning meetings for individual staff members in small groups (Less than 10) to go over tentative plans and get the ball rolling on instruction. These meetings with staff will start Monday, March 23rd and will ramp up to resume instruction by the 30th, if not sooner. Realizing that not all families have access to internet connections, KSDE has provided schools with 3 different instructional delivery methods. We are able to instruct via worksheets, small groups, as well as online computer based. At this point I think it would be safe to assume that your student will see a combination of the three teaching delivery methods being utilized.

As you know, our teachers are all trained to teach face to face. This will be a challenge for everyone involved, however, I can promise you that we will do the very best job we can to assure that students are meeting curriculum standards. You should also know that the instruction will evolve throughout the next few weeks that we have remaining. In the end, it is our desire to do all that we can to keep students and staff safe while following local, state and national guidelines/protocols.

In addition to instruction, I am sure everyone is also wondering what will happen to spring activities. The Kansas State High School Activities Association has cancelled all spring activities. At this point in time everything on the calendar is considered cancelled with the exception of graduation. It is our desire to schedule graduation once the "all clear" has been given. At this point though all activities etc. are cancelled until June 1. No plans will be made for anything after June 1st until we are given the green light to do so.

Our staff and board of education will also be working on other critical issues, such as what this means for our seniors, how this will affect the next school year, and what impact this will have on our employees. We will provide updates on these issues as soon as the information is available. 

We are committed to working together as a community to support one another throughout these unprecedented times, and communication will remain a top priority.

As a reminder, this school closure is in response to the current public health crisis. The focus should remain on preventing the spread the coronavirus, or COVID-19 as it is also referred to.

Update from the Drexel R-4 School District

DREXEL R-IV UPDATE

TERRY MAYFIELD

TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2020

RELEASE ISSUED 5:25 PM

March 17, 2020

Dear Parent/Guardian,

A family member of a student at Drexel R-IV has tested positive for COVID-19. At this time, the family is following health department and CDC guidelines and is in self-quarantine at home. Those who test positive for COVID-19 will be required to isolate at home until they are able to test negative for COVID-19 twice, according to health officials. As you are aware, we are currently on an extended Spring Break, and the family will not be back in District buildings until after their period of quarantine has elapsed. 

Though we know you will have many questions and concerns, in order to protect the privacy of the individuals involved, the District is incredibly limited as to the information it can share with the public. However, the District is working directly with health officials regarding next steps, and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) and the CDC will identify and contact people who may have come into contact with the individual while they were infectious and will monitor them for fever and respiratory symptoms. Unless you are contacted by health officials, it is unlikely that you were exposed to COVID-19 by the current positive case. 

The Cass County Health Department is working diligently to respond quickly and provide additional recommendations. Please follow their website or Facebook page for updates about the response to COVID-19 in Cass County and review the newest recommendations. Information about extended school closure, meals for students during closure and providing remote instruction during closure will be coming out in the near future. 

We continue to thank our community for your support and patience during these unprecedented times. We are continuing our work to ensure staff, students, and the community are safe and informed.

Respectfully,

Terry Mayfield
Superintendent