News Staff

Former ATSU President Jack Magruder has died. Magruder served as ATSU’s 11th president from 2008-2012. Before becoming ATSU’s president, Dr. Magruder was a member of its Board of Trustees, bringing his visionary leadership and commitment to education to our University. During his tenure as president, Dr. Magruder was instrumental in the founding of ATSU’s Missouri School of Dentistry & Oral Health. Magruder began his career at Truman State University in 1964 as an assistant professor of chemistry, later advancing to professor, head of the Division of Science, and eventually, vice president for academic affairs. In 1994, he became Truman’s 13th president, leading with distinction. He died on November 17th. A funeral service will be Saturday November 23rd at 1pm at First United Methodist Church in Kirksville. Public visitation/Memorial service will be Sunday November 24th at 2pm in the Georgian Room at Truman State University.

The bridge replacement project on Adair County Route A, over North Fork South Fabius River, located 1.2 miles west of Route J near Willmathsville, has been completed and opened to traffic earlier yesterday, November 19. Capital Paving & Construction, LLC was awarded the contract this summer in the amount of $1.3M.

MoDot says the bridge replacement project on Missouri Route 161, over Elkhorn Creek, 1.6 miles south of Route CC near Buell in Montgomery County, has been completed and opened to traffic. The new two-lane bridge replaced the previous single lane structure built in 1932.

As the hunting season approaches, the Kirksville Police Department wants to remind residents and visitors of some important safety practices.
The four basic rules of firearms handling are:
1. Treat all guns as if they are always loaded.
2. Never let the muzzle cover anything that you are not willing to destroy.
3. Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on target and you have made the decision to shoot.
4. Be sure of your target and what lies beyond it.
Additionally, you should follow all the safety guidelines from the firearms manufacturer and all regulations from the Missouri Department of Conservation.

The Kirksville Parks and Recreation Department is excited to announce that tickets are available for its annual Breakfast with Santa program. This year’s enchanting event will happen on Saturday, December 14, 2024, at 8:30 am and 10:00 am at Mi Casa, located at 512 S. Baltimore St. Indulge in an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet that includes an array of delicious offerings such as breakfast burritos, hash browns, breakfast nachos, donuts, muffins, and fresh fruit. And, of course, the morning’s highlight will be a special visit from Santa himself! Tickets for this festive occasion are $15 for each adult and child 5 and up. Children 4 and under eat for free.

The City of Kirksville wants to inform residents of an upcoming street closure for private utility work. The 700 block of North Centennial Street will be closed on Monday, November 18, 2024, for sewer work. Please use alternate routes and pay attention to signage in the area.

The City of Kirksville wants to inform residents of a water service line inventory project and a letter they may soon receive, as well as seek their help to complete said project. All water systems across the country are federally mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to complete an inventory of water service line materials, both publicly and privately owned, to check for lead. Every public water system is required to identify the primary material of each service line, specifically if it is lead, galvanized, or non-lead (copper or PVC). Currently, the City has not identified any lead service lines in our system and regular testing has not produced any results showing elevated lead levels. However, there are still service lines of unknown material and we will continue working until all are identified. Letters are being sent to properties with unknown service line materials. The City of Kirksville needs help from residents and property owners who receive one of those letters to identify their private service line material. Please complete a short survey on our website at www.kirksville.gov/p/lead to help us efficiently complete this inventory.

Kirksville R-III Schools has announced the retirement of Superintendent Robert Webb, effective June 30, 2025. Webb is currently in his sixth school year serving as Superintendent of Kirksville Schools. Since arriving in the summer of 2019, he has guided the district through the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and initiated changes to the district’s health plans for employees, resulting in substantial savings for the community. He led the district through the transition to Missouri’s School Improvement Plan (MSIP 6), which sets district-wide goals for improvement each year. He also oversaw the early stages of facilities planning, including preparation for the recent school bond initiative that will bring a performing arts center and updated facilities with enhanced safety to the district. . He has served as superintendent for 16 years in three different districts. In a letter to the school board, Webb shared that he has long intended to ‘end my professional career where it began, as a teacher.’ He plans to return to teaching in some capacity.

A 53-year-old man died after being hit by an SUV in Adair County early Sunday morning. The Missouri State Highway Patrol says a 51-year-old man was driving a Mercury Mariner SUV on U.S. Highway 63, a mile south of Sublette, around 4:45 a.m. Sunday, and was going northbound when he hit the pedestrian in the roadway. That pedestrian, who was from Greentop, was pronounced dead at the scene.

One person was killed in a wreck involving a Honda Accord and a Volvo tractor in Lewis County last night. The Missouri State Highway Patrol says An 18-year-old man was driving a Honda Accord southbound in the northbound lane of U.S. 61 north of Canton, and a Volvo tractor hit the Accord. The 18-year-old, who was from Wentzville Missouri, was pronounced dead at the scene.