VOLUME 141 d ISSUE 38 | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2020 d $1.00 DIGEST MISSOURI COMMUNITY BETTERMENT Changes ahead ‘Amazing and historic’ for PCSD plan Virtual presentations highlight local projects By Robert Cox brief shift in By Robert Cox In fact, the MCB web- ents each of its projects in [email protected] learning was [email protected] site lists Albany, Caledonia, person to judges, often tour- part of the Two weeks after making and Perryville as the three ing facilities related to each. district’s ini- Since 1963, Perryville communities that have been This year, the COVID-19 the decision to temporarily tial reopening has participated in the an- participating throughout the pandemic prevented in-per- Gubernatorial forum transition to 100-percent on- plan, but after nual Missouri Community existence of the yearly rec- son presentations, moving the The Republic-Monitor, KOMU- line learning and a week after seeing it in ac- ceasing in-person classes, stu- Betterment Program, which ognition. judging process online. TV in Columbia, and the Missou- tion and based ndy This year’s projects — ri Press Association will partner dents at Perry County School on consulta- omstoc highlights the hard work and That participation conin- District had their second first dedication that individuals ued this year, despite a few the downtown mural, the to livestream a gubernatorial tion with the Perry County Hometown Heroes banner forum beginning at 2 p.m. on Fri- day of school on Monday. Health Department, that plan have poured into their com- changes. day, Sept. 25, from the Missouri PCSD superintendent munities across the state, Under normal circum- project, the Lucas & Friends Theater in Columbia. The MPA/ Andy Comstock said the SEE CHANGES/PAGE 9 winning multiple awards. stances, the committee pres- SEE PROJECTS/PAGE 9 KOMU-8 Gubernatorial Forum is being produced in coopera- tion with the Missouri School of Paying tribute Journalism. It will be held in the Early University of Missouri’s historic Missouri Theatre. This forum will be the fi rst time all four candidates, including Gov. Mike voting Parson, R; State Auditor Nicole Galloway, D; Libertarian nomi- nee Rik Combs; and Green Party begins nominee Jerome Bauer share a common stage to discuss their positions on issues affecting the Tuesday state. David Lieb, the Associat- ed Press’ chief correspondent in Jefferson City, will moderate. By Robert Cox [email protected] Candidates will be questioned by media members representing KOMU, the Missouri School of If there’s one thing Per- Journalism, and the Missouri ry County Clerk Jared Kutz Press Association. wants county residents to know regarding to the Nov. 3 general election, it’s that vot- ing in person is safe — or at least, as safe as his office and election officials can make it. “Voting in person is safe,” Kutz said. “That’s the mes- sage I want to get out. It’s safe and it is also the surest way to ensure your ballot counts.” In Missou- ared ri, voters who ut are concerned about voting in person or who won’t be able to make it to the polls on election day will be able to request absentee or mail- Changes to Week 4 in ballots beginning Tuesday, Instead of playing Hercula- Sept. 22. neum in Week 4 as scheduled Concerns over in-person the St. Vincent football team SUBMITTED PHOTO voting began cropping up in will have to adapt on the fl y. erry ounty heriffs euty Lonnie ohnson taes a moment to re ect during a secial - triute held riday the spring, as preparations The Indians will now play at et. at Missouris ational eterans Memorial in erryville. he secial triute mared the th anniversary of for the scheduled municipal Kelly High School on Saturday the day a coordinated attac against the nited tates y al-aeda on et. claimed lives and inured election in April were under- at 6:30 p.m. as both squads more than eole maing it the single deadliest terrorist attac in human history. he attac also claimed the way, just as the COVID-19 had opponents dealing with pandemic began spreading COVID-19 issues. 6 lives of fi refi ghters and olice offi cers who were illed in the collase of the orld rade enter in ew or. he two sotlights that served as the heart of the local triute a re ection of the much larger triute in ew or across the country. lit the sy from - .m. reaching thousands of feet into the air. he event was organied y erryville resident That election, which Glen Morgan who said he was ecited to e ale to mae the triute a reality. ts honoring all the olice offi cers would have fallen during the fi refi ghters and the thousands of eole that were murdered and inured that day Morgan said. SEE VOTING/PAGE 4A Wall Run hits town Friday CHESTER BRIDGE By Justin Hotop the eighth annual Bikers on tember 18, with a contingent MoDOT: Repairs [email protected] the Square event on Saturday of motorcycles starting early in downtown Perryville. in the morning and riding to Indians fall There will be plenty of “It will be a little easier Perryville and arriving at 3 Valle Catholic put a sour tone motorcycles around town on people who want to par- p.m. They will attend the can- complete for now on St. Vincent’s fi rst football this weekend. That’s because ticipate in both events,” Wall dlelight vigil later that night By Robert Cox on the Friday before Labor game of the season as they the second annual Missouri Run event organizer Terry at the Missouri’s National [email protected] Day weekend.” scored in bunches, handing the Vietnam Wall Run, sponsored Willey said. Veterans Memorial. That con- MoDOT’s decision to re- Indians a big loss in Week 3. 6 by the Veterans in Defense of This year’s edition of the tingent will then ride to Fred- Repair work on the Ches- duce the weight allowance on Liberty and Liberty Riders of Wall Run has been changed ericktown on Saturday and ter Bridge took much less the 78-year-old bridge came America, will be timed to co- to a two-day event that will meet up with another group time than engineers original- after a detailed inspection by INDEX incide with National POW/ begin in Willey’s hometown from St. Louis and around the ly estimated. HDR, an engineering con- MIA Recognition Day and of Springfield on Friday, Sep- SEE WALL/PAGE 10 When the project — along sulting firm contracted by with a significant reduction MoDOT. Ring Day at St. Vincent in the bridge’s weight allow- “They had a whole list of Public Safety ...................2 City board ance from 40 tons to 25 tons problems with [the bridge] and News ...............................3 that could have caused signif- came back with load-rating rec- Obituaries ........................4 discusses icant issues for local industry ommendations and we weren’t News ...............................5 — was first announced Sept. SEE REPAIRS/PAGE 3 4 by the Missouri Depart- Sports .............................6 subdivsion ment of Transportation, ini- News ...............................7 tial estimates put the length Faith .............................8-9 By Robert Cox [email protected] of the project at potentially Puzzle ............................10 two months. Classifi eds ..................9-12 Tuesday’s meeting of the In the end it was more like Perryville Board of Alder- a short week. men wasn’t exactly typical. Last Wednesday, MoDOT The meeting featured announced that the work had FOLLOW US ON... a relatively small agenda, been completed and the 40- along with a missing may- ton weight allowance would or, an alderman, and a city be restored the next day. administrator that attended MoDOT’s Southeast Dis- @PERRYVILLENEWS virtually as he completes an trict engineer Mark Croarkin isolation period related to told the Republic-Monitor the COVID-19. rapid completion came down That didn’t mean there to fortunate circumstances. wasn’t plenty of discussion. “It couldn’t have gone After approving the con- REPUBLIC-MONITOR/JUSTIN HOTOP better,” Croarkin said. “We SUBSCRIBER ADDRESS HERE t. incent seniors Genevieve Lie and esse oinson sent agenda — which fea- had good weather, we had show off their rings during the ing ay ceremony ri- tured items ranging from the good details, we didn’t have day at t. incent de aul hurch in erryville. uring monthly financial report to to contract it out — just ev- © 2017, Pe r r yvi l l e project payments ($252,687 Ne w sp a p e r s, In c. the ceremony an annual tradition that dates ac to erything fell in place. That ather ich ehrmeyer lessed the rings of seniors. SEE BOARD/PAGE 5 really wasn’t where we were 2 • Th u r sd a y , Se p t e m b e r 17, 2020 PUB LIC SAF ETY Th e Re p u b l i c- Mo n i t o r • w w w .p e r r yvi l l e n e w s. co m Police Reports Perry County Weather Cast Perryville Police Department: (573) 547-4546. Perry County Sheriff’s Offi ce: (573) 547-4576. were: Pugh, 37, Perryville by of- TODAY FRIDAY ■ Cade Isaiahh Beck, 22, ficers on Sept. 6 on a Perry 79High, 53Low 74High, 49Low Partly Cloudy Sunny Oak Ridge by officers on County warrant for domes- 7 day forecast! Sept. 2 on a Perry County tic assault second degree. warrant for delivery of a ■ Richard Clay Jackson controlled Perryvillesubstance and WeatherSr., 54, homeless Forecast by offi- unlawful possession of cers on Sept.