KIRX News

The Kirksville Regional Computer Crimes Unit arrested a sex offender this week. According to a press release from the Kirksville Police Department, the KRCCU began an investigation after they received a complaint that 41-year-old Eugene Horton had been sending inappropriate messages to a 15-year-old female through social media. During the investigation it was found that Horton was a registered sex offender and was using unregistered social media profiles which is against the sex offender registry law. A detective with the KRCCU used an undercover profile of a 13-year-old girl and made contact with the profiles suspected to be used by Horton. On Monday, Horton sent a nude image of himself to the profile of the 13-year-old female and had a sexually charged conversation. Horton arranged to meet the 13-year old at a local business where he was met by police. Horton is facing three felony charges.

There are several bridge projects getting started in Northeast Missouri. MoDOT crews are scheduled to perform bridge maintenance today and tomorrow on Route F in Knox County – the work will be done between the hours of 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. both days. During those hours there will be one-lane traffic with a 10-foot width restriction one mile before the bridge of Little Fabius River to one mile after the bridge.

Two bridges in Sullivan County will be rebuilt. Both are on U.S. Route 6 near Milan. Both bridges will get roadway improvements and safety enhancements – including 32-foot wide lanes and new four-foot wide shoulders. The West Locust Creek Bridge east of Route 5 is scheduled to close April 30 and should reopen in early July. The West Yellow Creek Bridge west of Route 6 is scheduled to close May 13 and should reopen in early August.

New census data shows, while Missouri’s population increased slightly in 2018 compared to 2017, more than 52 counties lost population…and Adair County was one of them, though the drop was a slight one. According to the United States Census Bureau, the population recorded in Adair County in July of 2018 was 25,339, that’s down from 25,377 the year prior. The county first topped 25,000 in 2008, and peaked at 25,709 in 2013.

A resurfacing project on Missouri Route 6 in Adair and Sullivan Counties is underway this week. The project will go from the Chariton River east of Novinger to Missouri Route 129,for a total length of approximately 14.5 miles. Crews will first do shoulder widening on the project. After the shoulders are complete, the roadway will be resurfaced with new asphalt. MoDOT advises that traffic will be reduced to one lane through the work zone while the work is completed. A pilot car will be used to move traffic through the work zone. Message boards will also be in place to alert motorists of the work. The contractor has 120 days to complete the project that is projected to cost about $2,600,000. Stay up-to-date on road work by visiting www.modot.mo.gov/northeast.

A Northeast Missouri school will be recognized today for their participation in the It Only Takes One Program. The campaign is a competition between Missouri high schools that gives student groups the opportunity to educate teens, parents and their community about the dangers teens face while driving. The competition includes educational campaigns, surprise safety belt surveys and the creation of a public service announcement. A special presentation will be held at 1:30PM today at Scotland County High School for being a regional educational campaign winner in the safety program. The High School is also a statewide public service announcement winner. Representatives with the Northeast Coalition for Roadway Safety and other safety partners will be on hand to recognize Scotland County High School for these accomplishments.

A man is facing several charges after a standoff with Adair County authorities. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, 51-year-old Kendal J. Tade, of Novinger was arrested just after midnight Saturday. Preliminary charges against Tade include: Felony unlawful use of a weapon, felony resisting arrest and felon in possession of a firearm, and numerous traffic violations. Tade was transported to the Adair County Jail where he was placed on a 24 hour hold while awaiting formal charges.

A plane had to make an emergency landing at the Kirksville Regional Airport on Friday. The small private plane, carrying 5 passengers, was on its way to Macon – but when it was discovered there was a malfunction with landing gear, they landed here instead, as Kirksville Regional Airport has emergency response support for such a situation. Fire trucks and ambulances quickly responded to the scene before the plane landed safely.

A teen driver was injured in a single vehicle accident Friday afternoon in Northeast Missouri. According to the Highway Patrol, the driver, 16-year-old Alexis Jacobus, lost control of his vehicle while driving on gravel on Macon Lake Road, approximately one mile north of Macon. The teen over-corrected, and the vehicle ran off the north side of the road. Jacobus, was taken to a hospital and was treated for minor injuries.

Legislation that could prevent the Grain Belt Express project from using eminent domain across northern Missouri is heading to the state Senate. The House voted 115-35 on Thursday to give final approval to the bill, which says no private entity has the power of eminent domain to build above-ground merchant lines. The Grain Belt Express Clean Line – an approximately 780-mile overhead, direct current transmission line – was proposed in 2014 to transport wind energy from Kansas, through power lines in eight Missouri counties, into eastern states.

A northeast Missouri woman was injured in a one-vehicle accident and she’s accused of several violations. According the Missouri State Highway Patrol, 24-year-old Carly Smith of Clarence received moderate injuries in a crash on Wednesday in Mercer County. Smith is suspected of driving while intoxicated for alleged drugs with another person under 17 in the vehicle.Smith also is accused of failure to drive on the right of the road resulting in a crash; operating a vehicle without a valid license; and no proof of insurance.