Cape Girardeau municipal actions

Cape Girardeau municipal officials announced several moves Friday regarding COVID-19.

As of Monday, the Customer Service office at City Hall will begin accepting utility bill payments by phone -- (573) 339-6322 -- in addition to the online and auto-payment options, so residents who would prefer to limit their public exposure may choose to do so. A secure dropbox is also located near City Hall's Customer Service entrance for cash/check payments.

Water service disconnects for non-payment have been postponed so all households will have water for hygiene purposes.

At this time, the City's Parks and Recreation Department has not made any changes or adjustments to currently scheduled programs and events; although this is subject to change in the future. Staff is advising event coordinators to help educate participants to stay home if ill or at-risk. Anyone attending events in City facilities exhibiting signs of illness could be asked to leave. Cleaning protocols have increased and additional signage and hand sanitizing stations have been installed.

SEMO cancels events through April 17

Southeast Missouri State University announced Friday night officials had chosen to cancel events, on and off campus, through April 17.

This includes rental and use of University facilities by external individuals and groups. Inluded in the cancellation are:

• All River Campus events, performances and productions.
• First STEP orientation, originally scheduled for March 27.
• Show Me Day, originally scheduled for March 28.
• All Southeast Missouri State University Alumni events.

For more information, visit the university's COVID-19 webpage, semo.edu/sealerts/covid-19.html.

Lincoln Day celebration postponed

The 51st annual Lincoln Day celebration, which had been scheduled for Saturday night at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Jackson, has been postponed, according to Lisa Reitzel, president of the Cape Girardeau County Republican Women's Club, sponsor of the event.

Reitzel said the event is being postponed "for the public's safety and out of concern for all the issues going on right now."

A new date for the event has not been announced. Reitzel said tickets for the event will be honored when it is rescheduled.

SEMO brunch canceled

The annual St. Patrick's Day brunch for retired faculty and staff members at Southeast Missouri State University, scheduled for Tuesday morning at Wehking Alumni Center, has been canceled.

EPA offers disinfectant guidance

Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is releasing an expanded list of EPA-registered disinfectant products that have qualified for use against SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

To view the list of EPA-registered disinfectant products, visit epa.gov/pesticide-registration/list-n-disinfectants-use-against-sars-cov-2-0.

Stock market soars Friday

Wall Street roared back from its worst day in 30 years Friday with a broad rally that sent the Dow Jones Industrial Average nearly 2,000 points higher -- its biggest point gain ever -- after President Donald Trump declared the coronavirus pandemic a national emergency.

Fueled by a late-day surge while Trump was speaking, the Dow saw its largest percentage gain since 2008. The rally recouped many of the losses from a day earlier, when the index experienced its worst slide since the Black Monday crash of 1987 and European indexes had one of the worst drops on record. The major indexes each closed with gains of more than 9%.

Testing expansions announced

The Trump administration scrambled Friday to broaden testing for the coronavirus with a flurry of new measures, and public confusion persisted over who should be tested and how to get checked for the disease.

"We want to make sure that those who need a test can get a test very safely, quickly and conveniently," Trump said at a news conference in the Rose Garden. But he added that the test is not intended for everyone, such as those without symptoms.

The moves come a day after one of the government's top health officials called the initial testing effort "a failing" and health care professionals, politicians and patients across the country complained about lack of access to testing.