Coronavirus impacting many events, services in Sikeston

SIKESTON, Mo. -- While there have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19, otherwise known as coronavirus, in the immediate area, local events and services are being impacted.

According to Sikeston city manager Jonathan Douglass, several municipal actions have been taken.

• Effective Tuesday, all indoor city facilities are closed to the public through at least April 3, including City Hall, the Clinton Building, fire stations, P.A.W.S. Animal Shelter and Sikeston Department of Public Safety headquarters. DPS headquarters will remain open to the public for normal law enforcement related activities, but public tours and educational visits will be suspended.
• City employees at the facilities will continue to report to duty unless they are sick or on leave.
• Public contact with the city will need to occur via phone, email, fax, mail or other means that minimize person-to-person contact.
• A dropbox for applications and payments (including court payments) will be available in the vestibule of City Hall.
• All City Council meetings and advisory board meetings through April 3 are canceled. Decisions regarding rescheduling and electronic/phone participation in public meetings will be announced by April 3.
• All Clinton Building reservations through the end of April are canceled and refunds will be issued. The city will not be accepting new reservations until further notice.

Chamber

Sikeston Regional Chamber has postponed the 2020 Awards Banquet scheduled for March 26. In a statement from the chamber, the banquet will likely be postponed until the fall.

"We will continue to monitor the situation and are working with the Banquet Committee and SRC Board of Directors to determine what is best," the statement said.

Also, the chamber's membership luncheon, scheduled for Friday, has been canceled.

The Sikeston Jaycees instead will announce the entertainment lineup for this year's Rodeo virtually on their Facebook page.

The Sikeston Regional Chamber office will also be closed through the month of March.

The Kenny Rogers Children's Center canceled all remaining telethon events scheduled for Saturday. Those events include the pancake breakfast, the 5K walk/run, the blood drive and the live telethon streaming event. Refunds for the 5K will be available.

"Please know that these are difficult times and our decision was based on keeping our patients and staff safe," the statement from the center said. "We are still asking that everyone continue their fundraising efforts. We are extending our Telethon fundraising until April 3. It is more important than ever that we reach our goal of raising $350,000."

The center is asking that teams bring in any donations and pledges they have collected this week to allow them to get an accurate total.

Courts

Sikeston Municipal Court is urging all defendants with citations with a court date of March 26 through April 9 to contact the court to see whether their citation is payable. The court office phone number is (573) 475-3705. Business hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. The Municipal Court website is on sikeston.org under the "Departments" tab to pay online.

All trials for March 26 have been postponed indefinitely.

Law enforcement

The coronavirus is also impacting the Sikeston DPS. In a statement released Monday, officers are modifying responses to calls for police services.

"If non-emergency police services are requested the department will assign an officer to obtain the information for the police report over the telephone instead of providing a physical response by a police officer. This criteria applies to crimes that previously occurred, where a suspect is no longer present and there is no imminent threat to personal safety.," according to the statement

The public is encouraged to avoid traveling to Sikeston DPS and instead to report incidents by telephone. The police department can be reached at (573) 471-6200 for non-emergency assistance and 911 remains available for all emergency calls.

"Officers will still respond to all calls where there is a crime in progress and when life is in danger. Callers are encouraged to inform 911 operators if they believe they or someone at the scene of the incident is experiencing flu or COVID-19 symptoms so that officers can take appropriate precautions when responding," the statement said.

The police department is also suspending non-criminal fingerprinting services.

Scott County Sheriff's Department is also modifying its law enforcement response and business practices. In a release issued Tuesday afternoon, the department will take reports for all non-emergency calls over the telephone instead of a physical response.

Deputies will still respond to emergency calls where a crime is in progress and when personal safety is in danger.

Citizens of Scott County are encouraged to call the sheriff's department instead of physically coming into the office. The phone numbers are (573) 545-3525 and (573) 471-3530 for non-emergencies.

Like Sikeston DPS, the sheriff's department is encouraging callers to tell dispatchers whether they believe they or someone else at the scene or residence are experiencing flu or COVID-19 symptoms.

Also, the business office of the sheriff's department will be closed to the general public. Anyone in need of a concealed-carry permit or to complete sex-offender registration can call the sheriff's office to make an appointment. All group tours, public meetings and any non-criminal fingerprinting services are also suspended and jail visits will be suspended until further notice except for legal counsel purposes.

Closings, cancellations

The YMCA of Southeast Missouri is also being impacted by COVID-19. Brandy Johnson, member and program experience director, said in a release Monday night the YMCA facility will close beginning today and all programs will be canceled through at least March 31.

"We will re-evaluate an opening date prior to March 31 as we continue to take into consideration the future recommendations of the CDC," Johnson said. "We know this is a difficult time for all of us. Please know that Y staff are praying for our members, our community, and our nation during this challenging situation."

The Sikeston Public Library also announced it will be closed beginning today and will reopen April 6. Also, AARP tax aide volunteers will be suspending their service indefinitely at the Sikeston Public Library.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol is also suspending all driver road testing at all locations in Missouri through March 31.

"The Patrol is monitoring the status of the COVID-19 pandemic and will update the public on testing after March 31 as more information becomes available," said Col. Eric T. Olson, superintendent of the MSHP. "Written testing services will continue, but the Patrol will restrict the number of applicants allowed in each facility at one time to ensure recommended social distancing measures are followed. The location of services is subject to change due to building closures in some jurisdictions."

A final town hall on the Sikeston school bond issue will be online only with Facebook Live at 5:30 p.m. March 24 from Wing Elementary. There will be access through the district website at sikestonr6.org.

SEMO Shriners will still host a fish fry from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at the SEMO Shrine Building, Garwood Avenue (behind the VFW Ball Park) in Sikeston. However, all the following fish fries planned by the SEMO Shriners will be postponed.