Watch live- Arkansas governor provides COVID-19 briefing at 1:30 p.m.

Springfield City Council to conduct meetings electronically during COVID-19 crisis

(From the City of Springfield)

Upcoming Springfield City Council meetings will be held electronically, via Zoom videoconferencing technology, with the usual live stream and broadcast viewing options provided.

Council meetings can be seen on Mediacom cable channels 15.1, 22 and 80 and AT&T Uverse channel 99, or viewed online at Cityview.springfieldmo.gov/livestream. The Council meetings are also live streamed on the @CityofSgf Facebook page.

City Council members will be participating via videoconference to follow physical distancing requirements as indicated in the Mayor’s proclamation declaring a state of civil emergency and Stay-At-Home order. 

 

A Special City Council meeting, will be held at noon, Tuesday, March 31. 

It is not anticipated that public comment will be taken at this meeting based on the agenda only containing second reading items that have already received public comment. 

Additionally, City Council will be considering a motion to temporarily adopt a rule coinciding with the Mayor’s proclamation declaring a state of civil emergency. This rule would require citizens to contact the City Clerk by 5 p.m. on the Friday before a meeting to sign up to speak to any agenda item or to remove an item from the consent agenda. The purpose of the proposed motion is to allow for planning to protect public health and safety during this time of emergency.

City Council will continue to meet electronically, resuming its regular schedule of every other Monday evening, at 6:30 p.m., beginning Monday, April 6, 2020. 

Citizens who have signed up with the City Clerk in accordance with the new rule, if adopted, will be provided an option to view the virtual meeting and participate via a camera at Historic City Hall (first floor) connected to the Zoom meeting. Physical distancing requirements will be followed at Historic City Hall, managed by staff.

Public Service Commission urges cities to classify utility employees as essential workers

(From the Missouri Public Service Commission)

The Missouri Public Service Commission today sent a letter to local officials throughout the state urging them, whether they have enacted shelter-in-place orders due to COVID-19 or who may be looking to enact such orders shortly, to recognize employees of the various utilities as essential workers.

The Commission’s letter states, “Workers in the telecommunications, electricity, natural gas, water and sewer sectors are performing crucial and necessary work on critical infrastructure. 

It is important that they continue working so Missourians can receive essential utility services during this pandemic.” 

A copy of the Commission’s letter is below:

Dear Local Officials: 

We realize you are evaluating and enacting measures to protect your community during these uncertain times. 

Some cities and counties have enacted shelter-in-place orders, while others may be looking to enact such orders shortly. We all need to work together to fight the spread of COVID-19, so we urge you to recognize the employees for the various utilities as essential workers. 

These workers are indispensable to ensuring Missouri’s citizens receive safe and reliable access to water, heat, power, and information. 

Workers in the telecommunications, electricity, natural gas, water, and sewer sectors are performing crucial and necessary work on critical infrastructure. 

It is important that they continue working so Missourians can receive essential utility services during this pandemic. 

Even though utility crews are trying to minimize their contact with the general public, sometimes they must perform work in the field. It is for this reason the Commission urges you, whether you have already issued a shelter-in-place order or may in the future, to designate utility workers as essential. 

Sincerely, 

Commissioners of the Missouri Public Service Commission

Macy's furloughs workers, will continue to pay health insurance through May

The Macy's anchor store at Joplin's Northpark Mall closed earlier this month. The company issued the following news release this morning:

The COVID-19 outbreak continues to take a heavy toll on Macy’s, Inc. business. Our top priority is the health and safety of our customers, colleagues and communities during this unprecedented crisis. All of our stores have been closed since March 18th and will remain closed until we have clear line of sight on when it is safe to reopen.

While the digital business remains open, we have lost the majority of our sales due to the store closures. 

We’ve already taken measures to maintain financial flexibility, including suspending the dividend, drawing down our line of credit, freezing both hiring and spending, stopping capital spend, reducing receipts, canceling some orders and extending payment terms, and we are evaluating all other financing options.

While these actions have helped, it is not enough. 

Across Macy’s, Bloomingdales, and Bluemercury brands, we will be moving to the absolute minimum workforce needed to maintain basic operations. 

This means the majority of our colleagues will go on furlough beginning this week. There will be fewer furloughs in our digital business, supporting distribution centers and call centers so we can continue to serve our customers online. 

At least through May, furloughed colleagues who are enrolled in health benefits will continue to receive coverage with the company covering 100% of the premium. We expect to bring colleagues back on a staggered basis as business resumes.

Carthage's 66 Drive In won't be source of entertainment during pandemic

Some area residents had expressed the hope that the 66 Drive In in Carthage would show films to provide some much-needed entertainment during the COVID-19 crisis, but that is not going to happen.

66 Drive-In owners stressed safety of employees in the following Facebook message posted Sunday:

As with everyone in our great Nation the 66 Drive In Theatre has been monitoring the COVID19 virus and it effects on our lives and small businesses. We have been asked time and time again, “when are you opening, that is a perfect example of social distancing”? 

While we agree is it unique example of distant measures there is much more than just opening.

As a business we must understand the risk vs reward. Are we willing to accept the risk for a small reward? Right now the answer is no, but we want help you understand our thought process as to WHY.

Risk to our workers - someone still must man the gate and accept tickets fees. Someone must monitor the restrooms and clean after every use and limit the amount of people who enter at any one time.
Our concessions must stay closed. We are not capable of online food ordering and delivery nor do we want to right now. 

The concession stand is the majority of our profit as the movie companies take most of our ticket sales. We also have to mark off every other parking spot to ensure physical distancing, to name a few other complications.

Last but not least is the movie companies - they are not releasing any new movies right now, it’s all going straight to streaming service. We know we can do throwback movies, but that only gets us so far.

We care far greater for the safety of our employees and the community to open for movies at this time. Our projected date is Friday April 17th but that is subject to change depending on how things in the World at that time.

We promise you - no one wants to open more than we do, but we also have a social responsibility to the community we must uphold.

Thank You - see you soon.

Major Neosho employer La-Z-Boy shuts down, cuts employee pay

(From La-Z-Boy)

(Note: The La-Z-Boy plant in Neosho employs more than 800 people.)

La-Z-Boy Incorporated (NYSE: LZB), a global leader in residential furniture, today announced its response to the COVID-19 crisis.

 The company is taking the following actions based on its ongoing assessment of the accelerating spread of the coronavirus and to ensure the well-being of its employees and their families, its customers and the communities where it operates: 

 
-Temporary closure of its U.S. manufacturing facilities, effective immediately, to be re-evaluated on April 13, 2020

-Temporary closure of all company-owned La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries® stores is in process, with 130 of 155 stores currently closed

-Temporary closure of its Regional Distribution Centers once in-process orders are delivered

During this time, the company remains committed to serving its customers at La-Z-Boy.com and Joybird.com. Customers may still place orders which will be delivered when operations resume.

In light of these temporary closures, the company is taking the following measured actions to facilitate a strong ramp up once it resumes operations:

The furlough of approximately 6,800 employees, or approximately 70% of its global workforce
A salary reduction of 50% for senior management and 25% for salaried employees until further notice; additionally, the board of directors will forego the cash portion of its compensation until further notice

-A freeze of the company’s 401(k) match

-Elimination of all non-essential operating expenses and capital expenditures

-Elimination of the June quarterly dividend and termination of the share repurchase program indefinitely to prioritize near-term financial flexibility

In addition to almost $200 million in cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, and investments on hand, to strengthen its financial position and preserve liquidity, the company has proactively drawn $75 million under its $150 million revolving credit facility.

Kurt L. Darrow, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, of La-Z-Boy Incorporated, said: "As we move through this unprecedented global pandemic, keeping our employees, customers and the communities in which we operate safe and healthy is of paramount importance. 

"Throughout this period, La-Z-Boy has followed all government regulations and recommendations and implemented best-practice health and safety protocols. 

"At this time, the company is not aware of any confirmed coronavirus cases across the enterprise and will continue our efforts to keep facilities clean and safe. However, our leadership team has determined that more significant measures are necessary to protect the health and safety of our employees, and to assist in the national effort to combat the spread of COVID-19. We will continue to assess the evolving situation to determine the cadence to restart operations and open stores. During this challenging time, we will focus on managing our business to preserve cash and to ensure the continued liquidity of the company.

“While the decisions made were extremely difficult and we deeply regret the impact they will have on those affected and their families, they are deemed necessary as we face one of the most challenging periods in our history. 

" Moving forward, with a strong financial foundation, the powerful La-Z-Boy brand, and our dedicated and hard-working people, I am confident the company will weather this storm. Although the path forward will likely be complex and unpredictable, we expect to return to full operations when the crisis lifts, and emerge with strength,” Darrow concluded.

The company plans to report its fiscal 2020 fourth-quarter and full-year results in the second half of June, and will update the investment community with more details on its various initiatives at that time. Until that time, the company undertakes no obligation to update the investment community.

La-Z-Boy remains committed to paying dividends over the long-term and will seek to resume dividends as business conditions improve. Likewise, the company will reinstate share repurchases when it deems appropriate.

Petition demands mayor issue stay-at-home order for Joplin

An online petition demanding that Mayor Gary Shaw issue a stay-at-home order for the City of Joplin has more than 2,800 electronic signatures.

The petition, which was started by Destiny Corkle on the change.org website says Shaw is not prioritizing the needs of Joplin residents:

It is clear a stay at home order is needed. The sooner everyone complies the sooner we can move past this. People are not complying on their own. HELP STOP THE SPREAD OF COV-ID 19 

Mayor Gary Shaw is not prioritizing the health and well being of Joplin residence. Despite the desperate pleas from the medical community. Please sign the petition demanding he act!

The goal is to obtain 5,000 signatures.







City officials have put together what is needed to issue a stay-at-home order, but during a briefing Thursday, Shaw indicated after receiving considerable input from citizens and consulting with former Joplin Mayor and state legislator Ron Richard, Jasper County Presiding Commissioner John Bartosh, Rep. Cody Smith, R-Carthage, who is the chairman of the House Budget Committee and others he had opted not to issue the order.

"Right now, we are going to continue to do business as we have been doing recently."

The petition can be found at this link.

Sixteenth Oklahoma resident dies from COVID-19

(From the Oklahoma State Department of Health)

As of this advisory, there are 429 positive cases of COVID-19 in Oklahoma. New counties with cases include Garfield, Rogers, Seminole and Texas counties. These counties will now be required to come into compliance with Governor Kevin Stitt's "Safer at Home" executive order that calls for non-essential businesses in counties with COVID-19 cases to temporarily suspend services until April 16.
There is an additional death in Oklahoma:

One in Oklahoma County: a male age 50-64

There are 16 total deaths in the state.

Governor Stitt’s “Safer at Home” Executive Order remains in place thru April 30 for all 77 counties in Oklahoma, requiring those over the age of 65 as well as immunocompromised children and adults to shelter at home unless getting groceries, attending a medical appointment, or participating in a daily exercise. 

The Stitt administration and Oklahoma hospitals are together working on a plan to increase ICU capacities by 40%. In addition, the Governor on Friday requested FEMA to begin a survey for additional locations where the State could expand hospital locations for treating COVID-19 patients. More details will be released in the coming days. 

The State has expended its public-private partnership with labs to increase overall capacity for processing COVID-19 tests, to include new partnerships with Regional Medical Laboratory (RML) in Oklahoma City and Clinical Pathology Laboratories (CPL) in Austin, in addition to the ongoing partnership with Diagnostic Laboratory of Oklahoma (DLO).

For more information, visit coronavirus.health.ok.gov.

Kay Hively: Kids and computers

I have a friend who is a single dad. He really loves his four-year-old daughter, as most men love and care for their daughters. When he is at work, his parents mind the little girl.

At all other times, he is very engaged with her. He takes her to the zoo, to museums, out to dinner and, most of all, he takes her outdoors. She loves to walk in the woods and the pasture. She loves going for rides with him in an off-road vehicle.

She likes the garden and playing in the leaves each fall. She is really an outdoor girl.

Last fall, she had reach age four and he enrolled her in pre-school at the local school. He was excited that she would meet children other than those she knew from Sunday School. He knew she would learn to get along with others and have people she had to obey other than her father and grandparents.

My friend was so happy that his daughter loved school and, after the first day, she told her father that she could go all alone after being somewhat scared the first day.

But after Christmas, things changed.The school introduced these four-year-olds to computers. Each child got a laptop and was trained to use it. The computers were full of small stories and games aplenty.

The children were allowed to take it home, but the computer has changed my friend’s life as his daughter is “hooked” on her laptop. According to him, all she wants to do is sit somewhere and play games.

My friend has been encouraging her to go outside and play as before, either alone or with him or her grandparents. She fights the idea.

This has caused my friend much pain and he hasn’t solved the problem yet. He’s determined to get her back to having a fuller life with many interests.

Not having young children these days, I know that raising them is different than it used to be. But I cannot believe that children have changed much They have different toys, different interests and more worldly views, but they still like to have fun, still enjoy having friends, still like to compete in everything and still need compassion and love.

I don’t think four-year-old children need a computer to compete with such things as playing and learning outdoors, just as I believe that all kids don’t need to go to college. They can do well in life in the trades. I don’t think kids should have things forced on them that early in life.

Now that warmer weather has come, flowers are blooming, calves are being born, pastures are green and fish are biting, I hope all four year olds get to have a life in the sunshine and fresh air.

Just between you and me, I hope my friend can solve his problem with his child. There’s more to life than a computer.

(Kay Hively is a historian, author and former editor, reporter and columnist for the Neosho Daily News and Neosho Post.)

Third and fourth COVID-19 cases reported in Jasper County

The Jasper County Health Department today announces the third and fourth confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Jasper County.

To protect the patient's right to privacy, identifying information will not be provided.

As part of the regular practice of disease investigations, the Jasper County Health Department will notify people who have had contact with the patient.

The individual of the third case was a contact to a confirmed positive.







The individual of the fourth case is a person in their 70s who resides in northwestern Jasper County. Investigation has been initiated for both cases.

Jasper County Health Department staff are working with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services to determine any close contacts of both individuals who were possibly exposed.

If exposed, health officials will provide guidance to those individuals and monitor them closely for the development of symptoms.

For more information, call 417-358-3111.