The coronavirus pandemic has changed the world as we know it. As the majority of people remain in quarantine to respect social distancing measures, it's quite apparent that mayors and politicians across the world are pushing to reopen the economy. Unfortunately, relaunching the economy at this point comes with the possibility of spreading the virus even further.
Missouri has successfully flattened the curve but it's still dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. However, the governor of Missouri has now announced that live events will be able to resume this week. This is a major move for Missouri since the pandemic isn't completely over with and social gatherings have proven to cause outbreaks. However, per Missouri's Show Me Strong recovery plan, live events and gatherings of that sort will still have to abide by social distancing measures. Concert, theatre or venue "seating shall be spaced out according to social distancing requirements."
Despite the order that concerts can resume, major hubs in Missouri like St. Louis, Springfield and Kansas City won't be rushing to host concerts anytime soon since the Stay At Home orders are still in full effect.
The new plan also allows retail stores and restaurants to resume business, though they too will have to adhere to social distancing regulations in order to keep residents of the state protected from coronavirus.
Missouri To Allow Live Concerts To Resume Next Week
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson is beginning to reopen the state by allowing live concerts to resume.
Missouri is set to be the first state to allow live concerts to resume, starting on May 4.
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Gov. Mike Parson is taking steps to reopen the state through the Show Me Strong recovery plan. Retail stores and restaurants will be able to resume business, but must limit capacity to a safe number of patrons.
Concertgoers will still be required to observe social distancing guidelines and stay at least six feet apart.
“There are currently no limitations on social gatherings as long as necessary precautions are taken and six feet of distance can be maintained between individuals and/or families,” the Show Me Strong recovery plan says.
“We are currently assessing the details of the announcement and the latest information from health experts,” Matt Gerding of FPC Live, the company which manages The Blue Note, a live venue in Columbia, tells Billboard. “We hope to chart a path to reopening as soon as possible but have not determined the timing of that just yet.”
“No matter how long it takes, I assure you we will recover from this and come back better than before. I look forward to seeing Missourians safe, healthy, and back to work,” Governor Parson said in April.
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Man Charged With Terrorist Threat For Licking Items In Walmart
A man has been charged with making a terrorist threat after he mocked the severity of the coronavirus pandemic by licking various items in Walmart on camera.
A Missouri man was charged with making a terrorist threat after footage spread of him licking a number of items inside a Walmart store, in an attempt to mock the panic surrounding the coronavirus pandemic. 26-year-old Cody Pfister uploaded the video of himself on social media, in which he can be heard asking his viewers “who’s afraid of the coronavirus?” He then proceeds to run his tongue across some of the merchandise inside the Warrenton, Missouri store. The video was widely shared across the Internet, leading numerous complaints to be filed about the threat that Pfister’s actions pose during these dire times.
The City of Warrenton Police Department issued a statement earlier this week, addressing the situation. “A local resident who took a video of themselves licking the merchandise after making a ‘Corona Virus’ statement at Walmart and posting it to social media has been taken into custody,” the statement reads. “This particular video, which won’t be shared here, has gained some international attention and we have received numerous reports about the video from locals, nearby residents, as well as people from the Netherlands, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. We take these complaints very seriously and would like to thank all of those who reported the video so the issue could be addressed.”
The Warren County Sheriff’s Office applauded the police department for taking action, noting how “frustrating” it is “that we have to waste valuable resources on calls like this during these trying times.”
Pfister has officially been charged with making a terrorist threat due to his reckless behaviour. The charge is considered a low-level felony.
Yo Gotti Now Has His Own Day In St. Louis
Many are confused as to why Memphis, Tennessee native Yo Gotti just got a day named after him in the city of St. Louis, Missouri.
Most people who are awarded the prestigious honor of having a day named after themselves usually, you know, hail from the city or state that is crowing them with the honor. That wasn't the case for rapper Yo Gotti, who just received his own day in St. Louis, Missouri although he was born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee.
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for EA Sports Bowl at Bud Light Super Bowl Music Fest
It's worth noting that Gotti apparently spends a lot of time in St. Louis, particularly when it comes to the prison reform initiative Team Roc that he spearheads alongside Jay-Z. Still, many were very confused as to how that meant he should get an entire day when actual St. Louis natives like Nelly, any of the St. Lunatics or even former hitmaker Chingy weren't awarded the same recognition during their rap peaks. What's even funnier is that Gotti already has a day named after himself in his own city, with Memphis honoring "Yo Gotti Day" as well on June 29. Whether you agree with the decision or not, make sure to celebrate "Yo Gotti Day" if you're ever in St. Louis on February 22 though.
Peep some of the most agreeable, wild and downright hilarious responses to Yo Gotti getting his own day in St. Louis below:
Donald Trump Congratulates Kansas City Chiefs; Gets The State Wrong
Donald Trump got it wrong.
Donald Trump may need to brush up on his geography.
Sunday night as the Kansas City Chiefs landed their first Lombardi Trophy in 50 years, the president of the United States naturally hopped on Twitter to congratulate the squad on their win.
However, he would soon have to delete the post after mistaking the state that the team represents.
"Congratulations to the Kansas City Chiefs for a great game and fantastic comeback," Trump penned in the now-nonexistent tweet. "You represent the Great State of Kansas and, in fact, the entire USA so very well."
The issue here is that the Kansas City Chiefs don't play in Kansas City, Kansas, but rather in Kansas City, Missouri. For those unfamiliar with the unique situation, the Kansas City metropolitan area actually incorporates two separate cities of the same name as Kansas City, Missouri and Kansas City, Kansas share a border. However, it is common knowledge among football fans that the Chiefs lay their hats on the Missouri side at Arrowhead Stadium. Such knowledge would seemingly be made clear to the commander in chief. Guess not.