Party like it's 1999? Probably not this year

How will you spend New Year's Eve?

A new survey released a few days ago has revealed more people than usual plan to stay home Thursday night and ring in the new year by watching television coverage of the ball drop in New York's Times Square.

That's not surprising, as coronavirus continues to surge and as health and government officials urge people to stay home and avoid large social gatherings.

Many bars, restaurants and other venues that otherwise would have been teaming with New Year's Eve revelers have had to modify any plans they had for celebratory parties in order to comply with social-distancing regulations.

As for the aforementioned Times Square ball drop Thursday night, organizers have announced this year's event will be "virtually enhanced" and "socially distanced," the exact antithesis of the iconic celebration, which typically draws shoulder-to-shoulder masses of people from all over the world.

To borrow a line from an early '80s song by Prince, not many people will be partying this year like it's 1999 (or like it's 2019, for that matter).

A study released earlier this month by www.DrugAbuse.com, provider of drug and alcohol addiction treatment resources, indicated on average only about 1 in 10 Americans who normally would have gone to a New Year's Eve party plan to do so this year.

In Missouri, the number was slightly higher with 15% of survey respondents saying they were optimistic they would be out partying on New Year's Eve.

Meanwhile, in Kansas and South Dakota, 21% of survey participants said they plan to go to a New Year's Eve gathering, while only 7% of those surveyed in Nevada, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming said they plan to do so.

Survey results were based on responses of 3,260 Americans representing all 50 states who were asked if they were optimistic about going to a New Year's Eve gathering this year.

Among other survey findings is that 14% of survey participants said they would ignore social-distancing rules on New Year's Eve if they were put in place and more than half of all respondents (60%) said they doubted their local police will enforce social-distancing rules at a New Year's Eve celebration.

More than a third of those surveyed (35%) said they think there should be exceptions made for social distancing on New Year's Eve, while nearly three-quarters of them (74%) believe there will still be some social-distancing rules in place a year from now on Dec. 31, 2021.

Finally, the survey found more than 1 in 10 (12%) of the single survey participants admit they would risk getting coronavirus for a New Year's Eve kiss.

Changing hands

It appears a pair of commercial properties in Cape Girardeau are on the verge of changing ownership in early 2021.

The former home of Bennett Family Dentistry (and the original home of Cape Bible Chapel) at 1200 N. Cape Rock Drive is reportedly under contract to be sold. However, it has not been announced who has purchased the property.

Also, the building housing Smokehouse 61 at the intersection of William Street and Kingshighway has been sold. In a Facebook video posted last week, Smokehouse 61 owner Eileen Gates said the business will be open through Thursday and encouraged anyone with gift cards to use them between now and then. In the video, Gates said she and her husband, Dwight, plan to "semi-retire," but will focus on catering in about two or three months.

The new owner of the property, which was once a service station, has not been announced.

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