Archives for April 2012

Authorities say a Kirksville man who was about to be reported to police for repeatedly stealing Lego toy sets from Wal-Mart was arrested after he tried to branch out in his theft efforts:

Kirk Ammons is accused of going into Wal-Mart on Thursday, loading up a grocery cart, then taking it to the pet department and pulling used Wal-Mart sacks from his pockets, bagging up the merchandise, and walking out without paying for it. This time around, according to Wal-Mart loss-prevention personnel, Ammons took mostly food items, worth a total of less than $100. However, this is the fifth time he’s allegedly pulled the scheme, according to security videos. Four times since mid-February, Wal-Mart cameras have recorded Ammons putting a Lego set in a sack and carrying it out without paying. Each of those were worth $140. All together, the total merchandise stolen is worth almost $600, enough that authorities have sought a warrant for Ammons on a Class C Felony theft charge.

Highway Patrol troopers say a LaPlata man was taken to Northeast Regional Medical Center after a crash last night in Adair county. 75-year old Alven Campell was the driver of a 1997 Dodge Ram Van that collided with a tractor on Route V about a mile north of Gibbs shortly after 8:30 last night. According to a crash report, Campell was southbound and crossed the center line, hitting one of the tractor’s tires. His van spun and hit a trailer being towed by the tractor, then went off the road and came to rest on its wheels in the ditch. Campell was taken to the hospital for treatment of moderate injuries.

An Arbela woman had to be airlifted to Columbia following a single-vehicle crash yesterday morning in Scotland County. Highway Patrol Troopers say 36-year old Mary Norton was northbound on Scotland County Route A about a mile out of Arbela just before 7am yesterday when she crashed. Her 2001 Dodge ran off the left side of the road and into a bridge railing, pushing it into the vehicle, and then it went on over the railing and landed on its side. Norton was alone in the vehicle. She was reported to have had serious injures.

Four people are behind bars in Livingston county, facing charges in relation to a armed burglary in a home east of Chillicothe. Sheriff Steve Cox says a fifth person has been charged, but is still on the loose. Deputies are looking for Jessie C. Perez, who is 31 years old. The sheriff says the robbery happened last Wednesday just before 10 am at a home on Route V east of Chillicothe, A person called 9-1-1 after stopping at a relative’s home to do some work. As they walked up to the door,t he person found two people inside the home, one of them armed and one wearing a mask. No one was hurt in the burglary. The four people currently held are identified as 33-year old Jeffery Stevens of Chillicothe; Jeremy and Jeffery Orona of Chula, who are both 23; and 41-year old Jennifer McMullen, who is homeless.

Many Novinger residents need to boil water for drinking today:

A water line break yesterday leads to a 24-hour boil order, in effect until 5:30 tonight. Officials say the break happened at the corner of Second Street and Frankford Avenue yesterday afternoon, when volunteers preparing to clean up some demolished buildings accidentally drove a skid-steer loader over the line.

Work to repair it started about 4:30pm, and was done within the hour. Because the line was open to outside air and possible debris, the state requires a precautionary boil order for the next 24 hours. Those in Novinger living south of Second Street and west of Frankford Avenue should bring any drinking water to a full boil before using it.

Three people were treated and released from Northeast Regional Medical Center following a three-car pileup at the west end of the Highway 6 construction zone near Novinger yesterday. The wreck, which troopers say happened shortly before 11am, was the result of a car running into the back end of a line stopped for the light on the west edge of the construction zone. That car hit a pickup, which was pushed into another car. The driver and passenger in the car that caused the wreck were taken to the hospital, along with the driver of the pickup in the middle. The driver of the front car, Kirksville resident William Lake, walked away without injury. The injuries to the three people taken to the hospital were minor.

Visit the Ray Miller Elementary School grounds this Sunday afternoon for a ground breaking ceremony for The Green Thumb Project’s new garden and the celebration of Earth Day. Green Thumb’s Brockell Briddle has more information about this Sunday’s event.

T-shirts, raffle tickest and garden items can be purchased all throughout the day, as well as the bar-be-que lunch. The tree planting will start at two p.m. and anyone in attendance can plant a tree. New plants and trees will help start the new Green Thumb garden which is made possible, in part, by the Lowe’s grant the project has received. Ashley May explains that the new garden has even greater possibilities and gardeners won’t have to move too far.

The new garden will have space for a much greater amount of flowers and plants and this Sunday’s ceremony will start the growing process. Come celebrate Earth Day from twelve-thirty to four at Ray Miller Elementary.

Kirksville Police have announced their fugitive of the week.

He’s Bryce Mitchell Ross, who has arrest warrants out for burglary and stealing in Adair county, and for minor in possession of alcohol in Sullivan county. Bryce Ross is a white male, 5’10” tall, 160 lbs, with brown hair and blue eyes. Ross has tribal design tattoos on his abdomen, back, left arm, right arm and right knee. Ross has ties to the Adair and Linn County areas but it is unknown if he is still in the Kirksville area. Anyone with information regarding Ross’ location is encouraged to contact the Kirksville Police Department at 785-6945 or make an anonymous tip at 627-BUST (2878).

They went into court under a 25-thousand dollar cash-only bond, and came out of court released on their own recognizance. A Kirksville couple facing charges they had sexual involvement with a girl under the age of 17 appear to have a defense to the allegations, according to three witnesses who testified yesterday. After hearing what the witnesses had to day, Judge Russell Steele ordered the release of Joseph and Lindsay Christman. Now it’s up to prosecutors to sort out what, if any, claims made by the girl are true and whether they justify proceeding with the case.

Tickets are almost sold out for the Kirksville Parks and Recreation Department’s spring Broadway in the Park performance of “The Butler Did it, Singing.” Only 25 tickets are left for Thursday night’s performance, and just nine for Friday. Saturday’s show is sold out. Tickets are available at the Aquatic Center; they will not be sold at the door. For more information contact the Parks and Recreation office at (660)627-1485.