KIRX News

The Macon County Health Department announced a second death due to COVID-19 yesterday. No further information is being provided. The first virus-related death was announced on Wednesday afternoon. As of yesterday’s release, 2 new COVID-19 cases were confirmed. Both are men age 60-69 and are attributed to community spread. Macon County has 11 active cases, and 3 of those cases are hospitalized.

There was a fatal crash in Northeast Missouri yesterday. The Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report identifies the victim as 44-year-old Joseph Powers, of Edina. Police say he was on Highway 6, one mile west of Durham, in Lewis County when his SUV ran off the right side of the roadway, struck a tree, and came to a rest on its side. Powers, who was the only occupant, was pronounced deceased at the scene. The report says he was not wearing a seat belt.

13 new cases of COVID-19 among Adair County residents brings the total to 529. The new cases reported yesterday involve females ages 18, 19, 29, 37, 38, 41, 42 and 54. Males are ages 18, two 20-year-olds, 61 and 75. Five cases are in the higher education sector, two are related to area meat-processing plants and two are community spread. Four of the cases are travel related. Two of those cases traveled out of state together. Six cases reside at addresses with at least one other previously
confirmed case. There are now 65 active cases and 464 people who have left isolation.

This is the weekend for the Kirksville Parks and Recreation Department’s annual Halloween Flashlight EGGstravaganza!

It’s Saturday at 7:00 pm. Thousands of Halloween eggs stuffed with candy and toys will be scattered on the ballfields at the North Park Complex. Bring a flashlight and a bag. This event is free.

To allow for social distancing, Children ages 5 and under will hunt eggs on the Yellow Field, ages 6 – 8 on the Orange Field and children ages 9 to 12 on the Green Field

Macon County Health Department has recorded its first death due to COVID-19. No details have been released to respect the privacy of the family. The health department says their thoughts and prayers go out to all who have been impacted by this tragic news.

Ten new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Adair County yesterday bringing the total case count to 516. There are 63 active cases and 453 residents out of isolation. Adair County Health Department staff has topped 1,700 contact tracing calls. The new cases are females ages 15, 18, 20, 21 and 62, two 21-year-old males and other males ages 29, 53 and 57. Five of yesterday’s cases are in the higher education sector and one is in the K-12 schools sector. Two cases reside at addresses with previously confirmed cases.

In this week’s report to governors from the White House Coronavirus Task Force, Missouri remained in the red zone with the 10th highest case rate in the country. Missouri is also in the red zone for positivity rate, ranking 8th in the country. In the report, Kirksville and Adair County are listed in the orange zone for the seven-day period of Oct. 10-16. Adair County logged 66 cases during that time.

The Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri is getting some extra funding. Governor Mike Parson announced $5 million in Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding to be divided among Missouri’s six regional food banks to help citizens who continue to rely on food assistance. Governor Parson said. “This additional funding for food banks will help ensure continued access to good nutrition for Missouri’s vulnerable citizens during these challenging times.” The Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri will receive just over $708,000. The state’s regional food banks serve the needs of more than 1,000 food pantries, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, domestic violence shelters, and other meal sites across the state.

MoDOT vehicles are on state highways this week to conduct the department’s annual winter operations drill. During the drill, the department’s maintenance employees simulate a statewide significant snow event. Equipment is inspected, procedures are reviewed, and emergency communications systems are tested. The should be completed this afternoon.

Kirksville Police have charged an out-of-state man in a weekend shooting. A press release states that officers responded to a motel just after 2:30 a.m. Saturday. A male and female were reportedly seen arguing, and a witness said the male fired shots. Officers found several semi-automatic casings and surveillance video reportedly showed the male, 32-year-old Markeyon Rogers, of Columbus, Ga., fired the gun into the air and not in the direction of the female during the alleged dispute. Rogers has a prior criminal history including felony drug and weapons convictions. He’s been charged with unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful possession of a firearm, and possession of marijuana.

Adair County has 506 cases of COVID-19 after eight new cases were confirmed yesterday. According to the health department, 140 people tested positive for COVID-19 in September, and in the first 20 days of October, the county has seen 137 cases