Face Mask photo from Unsplash

Study: Saint Louis University face mask policy reduced quarantines, COVID cases

(Missouri Independent) – Tying quarantine requirements to the Saint Louis University face mask requirement successfully reduced the number of students sent to isolation and helped cut COVID-19 infections this spring, according to a study published Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Under the university’s rules, students without masks who had close contact […]

Garrett Hawkins

Audio: Missouri Farm Bureau President Garrett Hawkins addresses members at annual meeting in Trenton

Grundy County Farm Bureau members heard Missouri Farm Bureau President Garrett Hawkins addressed multiple topics at the county organization’s annual meeting in Trenton on September 9, 2021.  One of the topics was climate change.     Hawkins said he is tired of people “pointing fingers” at farmers and ranchers and saying they are the problem. […]

Audio: Two hundred plus attend vaccine mandate protest at Wright Memorial Hospital

It is estimated more than 200 people attended a rally near Wright Memorial Hospital in Trenton on Tuesday, September 7, 2021, to show support for personal choice involving whether to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Spokesperson Nathan Rorebeck said the rally was for the vaccine mandate involving employees for the Saint Luke’s Health System, which includes Wright […]

Steve Schieber on Wright Memorial Background

Wright Memorial Hospital Chief Executive Officer issues statement on rally protesting COVID-19 vaccination mandate

Wright Memorial Hospital Chief Executive Officer Steve Scheiber issued a statement this morning in response to the local rally that will be held today from noon to 1 o’clock.  Rally participants are to park across the street from the hospital campus, on the Red Barn property in Trenton.  The rally itself will take place at […]

COVID-19 or Coronavirus Update

Grundy County Health Department to hold vaccine clinic; two health departments report on COVID-19 cases

The Grundy County Health Department will hold a Moderna COVID-19 vaccine clinic on September 7th. Anyone at least 18 years old can receive the free vaccine from 2 to 4 o’clock that afternoon. The health department reminds residents the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend vaccination even if someone has already had COVID-19. Schedule […]

COVID-19 Delta Variant

COVID cases among children rising as Missouri Delta variant wave enters fifth month

(Missouri Independent) – Clay LaRue, superintendent of the Van Buren R-1 School District, made a tough decision Sunday. With COVID-19 cases spiking in Carter County in southeast Missouri, and many of those infections among very young children, LaRue shut down the district’s pre-kindergarten program for two weeks. He had previously directed faculty, staff, and students […]

COVID-19 or Coronavirus Update

Three area health departments report on COVID-19 cases

COVID-19 cases increased in Mercer County September 1st: one more confirmed and three more probable. The health department reported 211 confirmed cases and 225 probable cases. Thirty cases were active. There were three current COVID-19-related hospitalizations for Mercer County. The Livingston County Health Center reported September 1st three COVID-19 cases had been added since August […]

Chronic Wasting Disease CWD

Missouri Department of Conservation reminds deer hunters to get harvested deer sampled for Chronic Wasting Disease

With deer hunting in Missouri opening for archery season on September 15 and firearms portions in the coming months, the Missouri Department of Conservation wants hunters to know key information about chronic wasting disease.  MDC will be holding mandatory CWD sampling during the opening weekend of firearms season and voluntary CWD sampling all season for […]

Hospital Bed (Photo by Frederic Köberl on Unsplash)

Missouri ICUs filling as Delta variant wave moves into northeast, southeast regions

(Missouri Independent) – New cases from the Delta variant wave that has killed more than 1,150 Missourians since June 1 have plateaued, but hospital ICUs continue to fill — and small, rural hospitals are among the hardest hit. There were 690 patients in ICU beds across the state on Tuesday, the most recent day reported by the state Department of Health […]