News Staff

The Adair County Health Department is hosting a curbside vaccine event for COVID-19 Pfizer-BioNTech first, second and third doses and boosters at their offices on South Jamison Street. Call 660-665-8491 to register. In Adair County, 40.1 percent of residents have been fully vaccinated.

Other COVID-19 updates in Northeast Missouri…

The Sullivan County Health Department repoted a total of 10 new cases yesterday for a atotal of 1,211 cases with 17 deaths and 22 active cases. All of the new cases are determined to be community related.

The Macon County Health Department reported that during the week of October 6 – 12, there were 17 new cases. Currently, there are 23 active cases with 1 resident hospitalized.

The City of Kirksville’s Public Works Department, at the suggestion of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, had been conducting a free a chlorine conversion starting September 1st. This normal water treatment process is used to make sure the outer limits of the Adair County water supply is sanitized and provides quality tasting drinking water. This conversion process has been completed, and the city will be switching back to chloramines (the normal disinfection combination of chlorine and ammonia), beginning Tuesday, October 19th. If you have any quesitions, contact the Public Works Department at 660.627.1291.

Troop B investigated 5 injury crashes for the week of October 3 thru October 9. With 5 people being injured as a result of those crashes. 3 occupants of those vehicles were unrestrained which is a 60% unbuckled occupancy rate.

Troop B will be participating in a statewide speed enforcement operation on October 15-17th. During these dates enforcement personnel will concentrate their efforts on speeding, hazardous moving, seat belt, and distracted driving violations.

The Kirksville License Office is closing on November 5th. The office has been open for nearly 30 years. the closure is due to ongonig staffing issues that began with the pandemic.

Since last Friday, the Health Department has confirmed 13 new cases of COVID-19. The overall count is now 3,567 with 32 active cases, 3,501 people who have left isolation, and 34 deaths. A previously reported unvaccinated 63-year-old female was admitted to Northeast Regional Medical Center Oct. 11. She is not on a ventilator. New cases include females ages 14, 18, 26, 27, 43, 53, 56, 60 and 61. Males are ages 25, 51, 77 and 82. Four reside at addresses with another confirmed case, two are in the K-12 schools sector, and two are breakthrough cases.

Governor Mike Parson announced that new Acting Directors will take over at the Department of Economic Development, Department of Mental Health, Department of Social Services, Office of Administration, and Department of Revenue. As for the Department of Social Services, Acting Director Jennifer Tidball is stepping down from her current role to resume her position as Chief Operating Officer of DSS. Her transition will be effective October 18th. Robert Knodell, Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Parson, will become Acting Director of DSS. Knodell will resign from the Office of the Governor, effective October 17, prior to joining DSS.

Farm equipment is made to perform specific tasks on the farm, in addition to navigating roadways. The Northeast Coalition for Roadway Safety encourges drivers to keep everyone safe, by giving farmers plenty of room to operate. The most common collisions occur when the approaching motorist hits a farm vehicle from behind (rear-end collision), or when a passing motorist hits a farm vehicle that is attempting to make a wide left turn (left sideswipe).

The American Red Cross continues to experience an emergency blood shortage that has caused the blood supply to drop to the lowest post-summer level in at least six years. In addition, blood donor turnout decreased by about 10% as summer came to an end. While donations have dropped, hospital demand for blood remains strong. Donors of all blood types – especially type O – are urged to make an appointment to give now to help meet the needs of patients this fall. Visit .redcrossblood.org to schedule an appointment.

Today is the Corporal Webster Blood Drive in Macon. On October 2, 1993, Corporal Michael E. Webster was killed in the line of duty by a drunk driver while standing next to a vehicle he had stopped for a traffic violation. Since his untimely death, blood drives like this one have honored his service to the community. The Webster family, Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the American Red Cross encourage everyone to support the blood drive. It’s at the Macon Community First Baptist Church in North Rutherford Street in Macon from 10AM-3PM today.

Truman’s Speech and Hearing Clinic was selected as recipient for the 2021 SPEAK OUT! & LOUD Crowd grant by the Parkinson Voice Project. As a grant recipient, the Communication Disorders Department will have access to training for two more of its faculty members, as well as online SPEAK OUT! & LOUD Crowd training for all graduate students. This is the third year in a row the University has received the grant. Julia Edgar, associate professor of communication disorders said, “The faculty and graduate students of the Truman Speech and Hearing Clinic, as well as a trained therapist at Northeast Regional Medical Center in Kirksville, have proudly served individuals in our community who have a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease with SPEAK OUT! since 2019 thanks to consecutive grants.”

The Kirksville City Council will hold a Study Session this evening. The session provides an opportunity to learn from those invited to present. City staff typically make the presentations, and from time to time, other individuals from outside of the City’s organization are invited to present information to the City Council. Items on the agenda include: A street update, Utility rate review, the 2020 Census summary of results, Parks and Recreation master planning, and more. The City Council invites citizens to listen and learn with them. The meeting starts at 6PM in Council Chambers.