Coronavirus News

The number of active COVID-19 (coronavirus) cases in Barry County fell 37 percent in the last week, though the positive test rate for residents remains above 10 percent. According to the Barry County Health Department and Barry County Office of Emergency Management, there have been 1,965 (+114) confirmed positive cases of COVID-19...

Changes this week to COVID-19 quarantine guidelines in schools have given administrations some options for allowing students to stay in class in-person, but the changes have not come without some raised eyebrows. Gov. Mike Parson, the Department of Health and Senior Services and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education announced the changes on Nov. ...

The number of active COVID-19 (coronavirus) cases in Barry County has fallen closer to the 200 mark again, and hospitalizations and quarantines have also fallen ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. According to the Barry County Health Department and Barry County Office of Emergency Management, there have been 1,851 (+177) confirmed positive cases of COVID-19...

Area residents needing to be tested for COVID-19 (coronavirus) may now do so at Old Town Pharmacy locations in both Monett and Pierce City. Two tests are available, an antigen test, which is completed by nasal swab, will yield results in about 20-30 minutes in Monett, and in 30-45 minutes in Pierce City. Employees will call or e-mail patients with the results. Positive test results will be reported to the Barry County Health department...

A change in contact tracing guidelines within schools is prompting local districts to reevaluate their masking requirements, as there are new possibilities to keep students and staff from being forced to quarantine for 14 days at home in the event of a school-related positive COVID-19 case...

The days of turkey and thanks are upon us, and even though this cluster of a 2020 is flowing as slow as burnt gravy, there are still plenty of things to be thankful for. I’ve come up with 20 things myself, in honor of this magical year, which I’m writing in the style of Jimmy Fallon’s “Thank You Notes.” If you are reading, just imagine the heartfelt music typically played by The Roots when Fallon performs his notes. ...

The number of active COVID-19 (coronavirus) cases in Barry County has fallen slightly but still remains well above 200, and with an 11 percent positive test rate. According to the Barry County Health Department and Barry County Office of Emergency Management, there have been 1,674 (+220) confirmed positive cases of COVID-19...

Gov. Mike Parson, the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) have announced modifications to Missouri’s K-12 school reopening and operating guidance. The large number of students and school staff members quarantined in recent weeks has presented a significant strain for educators, school leaders and Missouri families alike...

Officials at CoxHealth are managing higher and higher numbers of COVID-19 hospitalizations, most of whom are people that live in rural areas. Steven Edwards, president and CEO of CoxHealth, said the Cox system is setting a new record every week for patients fighting COVID. As of Monday, Cox had 130-142 patients...

After falling below 200 last week, the number of active COVID-19 (coronavirus) cases in Barry County has climbed back above the figure, and sharply. According the Barry County Health Department and Barry County Office of Emergency Management, there have been 1,454 (+226) confirmed positive cases of COVID-19...

The number of active COVID-19 (coronavirus) cases in Barry County has fallen back below 200. According the Barry County Health Department and Barry County Office of Emergency Management, there have been 1,228 (+164) confirmed positive cases of COVID-19...

Barry County officials have announced two more residents have died because of COVID-related illness. This brings the total number of deaths in Barry County to 15. The individuals were a 55-year-old female and a 72-year-old male, both of whom lived independently in their homes and had a history of underlying health conditions...

The number of active COVID-19 (coronavirus) cases in Barry County is above 200 for the first time, and one-third of the new cases have been recorded in a Cassville nursing home. According the Barry County Health Department and Barry County Office of Emergency Management, there have been 1,064 (+182) confirmed positive cases of COVID-19, including one presumptive and four antibody positives. ...

It started as a bit of sinus congestion and a sore throat, but before the week was out, Mike Hemphill, of Monett, was in a fight for his life against COVID-19 (coronavirus). “I don’t remember anything from [the time I was watching] ‘Wheel of Fortune’ to when I woke up in the hospital five weeks later,” he said...

The Barry County Health Department has announced four new deaths related to COVID-19 (coronavirus). “We are deeply saddened to announce the loss of four more Barry County residents to COVID related deaths,” a press release said. “This brings the total number of deaths in Barry County to 13.”...

The number of active COVID-19 (coronavirus) cases in Barry County nearly doubled in the past week, climbing to its highest point at any one time thus far at 181. According the Barry County Health Department and Barry County Office of Emergency Management, there have been 882 (+166) confirmed positive cases of COVID-19, including one presumptive and four antibody positives. ...

The Lawrence County Health Department has confirmed at least three people who attended Apple Butter Day on Oct. 10 have tested positive for COVID-19. The Mt. Vernon Christian Church organized Apple Butter Day event, a 54-year-tradition in Lawrence County, after the original three-day celebration had been canceled by the Mt. Vernon Chamber of Commerce in response to the pandemic...

The Barry County Health Department has announced its ninth COVID-related death. The individual is 79-year-old man who had no serious underlying medical conditions and lived independently in his home with his wife. Health Department and Emergency Management officials extend their deepest condolences to the family and friends on their loss...

The number of active COVID-19 (coronavirus) cases in Barry County grew by 84 in the last week, 31 more than the week before. According the Barry County Health Department and Barry County Office of Emergency Management, there have been 716 (+84) confirmed positive cases of COVID-19, including one presumptive and three antibody positives. ...

Barry County has announced an eighth COVID-related death has been confirmed. The individual was a 77-year-old man, with underlying health conditions, who was a resident of a congregant care facility. Health Department and Emergency Management officials extend their deepest condolences to the family and friends on their loss...

The Mt. Vernon Veterans Home is battling an outbreak of COVID-19, as 27 veterans and four staff were reported to have active cases on Oct. 3, and seven people have died. “From the first day that COVID-19 was detected in Missouri, the Veterans Homes implemented an extensive plan based on best practices to attempt to keep the virus out of our homes and protect our veterans,” said Paul Kirchhoff, Missouri Veterans Commision Executive Director. ...

Barry County has had a seventh resident die of COVID-related complications. The person was an 83-year-old man, known to have underlying health issues. Health Department and Emergency Management officials are saddened by the loss of another Barry County neighbor, and officials extend their deepest condolences to the family and friends on their loss...

The Barry County Health Department is notifying the public of potential exposures from a COVID-19 positive individual. A recent positive person visited: • Oct. 2 Game Commander • Oct. 5, State Farm (Kyler St.) Additionally, three Burger King employees have tested positive for COVID-19...

The number of active COVID-19 (coronavirus) cases in Barry County grew by 53 in the last week, 15 less than the week before. According the Barry County Health Department and Barry County Office of Emergency Management, there have been 632 (+53) confirmed positive cases of COVID-19, including one presumptive and three antibody positives. ...

Monett Athletic Director Daryl Bradley issued a tweet on Saturday stating that all football activities, including Friday night's varsity game at Lamar, have been cancel for the week.
“Due to injuries, COVID-related issues and concern for player safety, we felt it was the best decision for the athletes and program,” said Russ Moreland, Monett superintendent. ...

The number of active COVID-19 (coronavirus) cases in Barry County grew by 68 in the last week, but the number of quarantines fell significantly. According the Barry County Health Department and Barry County Office of Emergency Management, there have been 579 (+68) confirmed positive cases of COVID-19, including one presumptive and three antibody positives. ...

The number of active COVID-19 (coronavirus) cases in Barry County climbed in the last week, and the number of quarantines rose 77 percent. According the Barry County Health Department and Barry County Office of Emergency Management, there have been 511 (+58) confirmed positive cases of COVID-19, including one presumptive and three antibody positives. ...

The Verona school district has defined how it will handle any COVID-19 positive cases or quarantines within the district, aiming to keep all health information as private as possible. Tony Simmons, Verona superintendent, said the district will not release any personal information about positive cases, nor will the district announce to the public how many cases the district may or may not have...

The Monett Chamber of Commerce has found that the final third of 2020 has become a much slower period that usual in light of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic disrupting many regularly scheduled events. Jeff Meredith, executive director of the Chamber, usually holds classes for Leadership Monett in the fall, where most participants are employees of major industries. Those plans changed this year...

After a long wait, the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) will now announce classification and district assignments for some fall sports on Monday. The sports of girls tennis, girls golf, fall softball and boys swimming and diving will have their classifications released, while the classifications for cross country, volleyball, boys soccer and football will be released no later than Wednesday...

As much as I try to avoid it, here I go again discussing the topic of the year — COVID-19. Frankly, I’m tired of talking about it, hearing about it, thinking about it, writing about it and any other “-ing” about it that you can come up with. But, no matter how much I want to ignore it, COVID is a daily topic of conversation...

The number of active COVID-19 (coronavirus) cases in Barry County dropped in the last week, but the number of those quarantined as close contacts skyrocketed. According the Barry County Health Department and Barry County Office of Emergency Management, there have been 453 (+38) confirmed positive cases of COVID-19, including one presumptive and three antibody positives. ...

After more than 14 days of in-person schooling in Barry and Lawrence counties, the majority of districts have avoided having even a single school-related case of COVID-19 (coronavirus). As of Thursday, Exeter, Purdy, Wheaton, Verona and Pierce City had not seen any school-related cases. As of Monday, Cassville had four, Monett had seen five and Southwest had one...

Parents pockets will be a little heavier for the rest of this calendar year, as the USDA has extended its free breakfast and lunch program, and area schools are taking advantage. Children 18-and-under may eat breakfast and lunch for free at Monett, Cassville, Southwest, Exeter, Wheaton, Pierce City and possibly Purdy, likely through the end of 2020...

The Barry County Health Department has announced two more COVID-19-related deaths in the county, bringing the total to six. A 79-year-old male patient has died of COVID-related complications, and a 69-year-old man died of what is believed to be COVID-related complications, though the final cause of death has not been received from the State of Missouri...

The number of active COVID-19 (coronavirus) cases and the positive test rate in Barry County both climbed in the last week. According the Barry County Health Department and Barry County Office of Emergency Management, there have been 415 (+43) confirmed positive cases of COVID-19, including one presumptive and three antibody positives. ...

The Barry County Health Department is announcing a person employed at Taco Bell in Monett has tested positive for COVID-19, and an additional case at Angus Branch Restaurant is a presumed positive. Both cases are associated and may be the result of recent travel. Both people are in isolation, and close contacts are being identified, and when appropriate, ordered to quarantine...

A patron of the Purdy School District recently approached the board asking they allow students the option to decide if they wanted to wear masks while on campus or not. Terry Billingsley, who, along with his wife, a microbiologist, researched the effectiveness of cloth masking, reported CDC statistics concerning the effectiveness of cloth masks...

A second student at Monett High School has tested positive for COVID-19 (coronavirus). The student was last at school on Aug. 29, and the case is not related to the first case or a result of community spread at the campus. The student was also masked while on campus...

The number of active COVID-19 (coronavirus) cases fell in the last week, but still remains above 40, and with six hospitalized. According the Barry County Health Department and Barry County Office of Emergency Management, there have been 372 (+36) confirmed positive cases of COVID-19, including one presumptive and three antibody positives. ...

A student at Monett High School has tested positive for COVID-19 (coronavirus), leading to about 30 more students being quarantined, some of whom are athletes. Russ Moreland, Monett superintendent, said the student who tested positive was at school on Friday and was symptomatic. Upon discovery of symptoms, the student was sent home...

Classes began in the Monett, Purdy and Pierce City school districts on Tuesday, introducing students to the new world of precautions in light of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. Superintendents reported smooth openings despite the changes and innovations, and a generally universal relief to see school start again...

Each year, the Southwest Research Center, located in Mt. Vernon, opens its doors to the public to share research findings and information related to agriculture and natural resources during its field day. This year, the event is going to look a little bit different...

The number of new COVID-19 (coronavirus) cases is again holding steady, but doing so at a higher rate than when it stabilized for a few weeks in July. According the Barry County Health Department and Barry County Office of Emergency Management, there have been 336 (+39) confirmed positive cases of COVID-19, including one presumptive and three antibody positives. ...

The economic pattern of local shoppers traveling less and shopping locally more has once again surfaced in sales tax to local cities and government entities. Receipts to bi-county recipients jumped up by 25 percent, the fourth consecutive double digit rise, showing the effects of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic have not impacted consumption of products from local stores, unlike the use of gasoline or witnessing live entertainment...

Classes opened Aug. 17 at the Verona school district, bringing a number of changes for returning students. Enrollment numbers appeared comparable to the start of last year, with a shift in concentration to the higher grades. Superintendent Tony Simmons said the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education granted Verona a waiver to start school a week ahead of the new standard because of COVID-19 (coronavirus). ...

Students arriving at Monett High School Tuesday for the first day of classes chatted in the parking lot prior to being directed straight to class, rather than allowed to congregate in the commons, as in the past.

First day of class at Pierce City Central Elementary School saw a flurry of activity as students, eager to see their friends and classmates again, arrived in droves to get back to learning on Tuesday morning.