News Staff

Weather permitting, the week of August 26, work is set to begin on a slide repair project located in Warren County on Route U, between Rodgers Drive and Lake Ridge Lane, approximately 1.25 miles north of Missouri Route 94. The contract was awarded to Karrenbrock Construction, Inc. in the amount of $1,485,763. All work is scheduled to be completed by November 6, 2024. The route was initially closed on May 9 due to roadway damage caused by shifting and unstable soil resulting from excessive rainfall. Route U will remain closed until the project is complete. The preferred detour around the closure is to use Missouri Route 94 to Missouri Route 47.

Serious injuries in a single-vehicle crash that happened in Chariton County early Saturday morning. The Highway Patrol says 49 year old Chuck McKinstry was driving a Polaris Trailblazer at the intersection of Ridge Street and State Street in Keytesville and failed to negotiate a curve. The vehicle hit a utility pole. McKinstry was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle. He was taken to University Hospital in Columbia.

MoDot says U.S. Route 63 at Kirksville is NOW OPEN following the completion of a bridge rehabilitation project at the following locations:
Over Business U.S. Route 63
Over Steer Creek
Over Patterson Street
Over Bear Creek
Motorists are reminded to pay attention at intersections along U.S. Route 63 and obey all traffic signs.

Three vehicles were involved in a crash on U.S. 63, a mile east of Renick, on Wednesday afternoon. The Highway Patrol says 20-year-old Sarah Dowling of Moberly was driving a Chrysler 200 and failed to yield to southbound traffic and was hit by a GMC Yukon Denali driven by 27 year old Caitlin Magers of Novinger. A Ford F150, driven by 51 year old Daniel Hager of Wellsville, then hit the Yukon, and all three vehicles went off the road. All three drivers were taken to hospitals.

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) announced on Monday that three people at a resort in Cassville, Mo. have been diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , Legionnaires’ disease is a serious type of pneumonia caused by a bacteria called “Legionella.” People can contract the disease by breathing in small water droplets containing the bacteria.

The DHSS said the cases involved guests who had been in contact with a water source at the Roaring River Lodge and RV Park, located at 23349 State Highway 112 in Cassville.

Three individuals allegedly had no association with each other and were diagnosed within 14 days of their stay at the resort in July.

After the three cases were confirmed, DHSS conducted a facility assessment and collected samples. The preliminary results revealed the Legionella bacteria in the water.

A single-vehicle accident on Highway U, three miles west of Gorin, Missouri, resulted in serious injuries for five men on Sunday evening.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the crash occurred around 8:30 p.m. when a 2020 Ford Edge, driven by Charles D. Horst, 18, of Memphis, Missouri, veered off the roadway, striking the ground and a tree. The vehicle sustained total damage and was towed from the scene.

Injured individuals:
” Charles D. Horst, 18, of Memphis, Missouri: driver, serious injuries, transported by Scotland County Ambulance to Scotland County Hospital.
” Dale Hoover, 19, of Downing, Missouri: occupant, serious injuries, transported by MU4 to University Hospital in Columbia.
” Le Edwin S. Horst, 21, of Memphis, Missouri: occupant, serious injuries, transported by Scotland County Ambulance to Scotland County Hospital.
” Phares E. Hoover, 24, of Gorin, Missouri: occupant, moderate injuries, transported by Scotland County Ambulance to Scotland County Hospital.
” Richard E. Martin, 30, of Pulaski, Iowa: occupant, serious injuries, transported by Scotland County Ambulance to Scotland County Hospital.

The Missouri State Fair Commission held a groundbreaking Thursday for a new indoor arena which will be named the Governor Michael L. Parson Arena.

Commissioners say they recognize the Parson’s dedication to the state fair during his time as a Missouri elected official.

The indoor, climate-controlled arena will measure 150,000 square feet, with the ability to host a wide variety of events throughout the year and during the annual Missouri State Fair.
It replaces the outdoor State Fair Arena located on the southwest corner of the Fairgrounds. Events typically held in the State Fair Arena are canceled for 2024 as construction begins on the new facility. Construction is expected to be completed in 2026.

Parson said the Missouri State Fair Commission caught him by surprise.
“It is truly an honor to have an arena sharing the Parson name that will bring so much joy, new tradition, and cherished fair memories… we are proud that the support our administration has prioritized for the Missouri State Fair will continue serving future generations of fairgoers for years to come,” Parson said.

Federal authorities have charged 18 members and associates of the Pagan’s Motorcycle Club with multiple crimes, including armed assaults targeting rival motorcycle gangs.

The operation, involving more than a dozen law enforcement agencies in Kansas and Missouri, yielded a haul of illegal items: more than 40 firearms, thousands of rounds of ammunition, body armor, and a marijuana grow operation.

They face a range of charges related to violent criminal acts, including assault with dangerous weapons and the discharge of firearms during violent crimes.

The accusations stem from several incidents between 2022 and 2023.

The indictment alleges that Pagans members used violence and intimidation to protect their territory and eliminate competition.

The requested recount was heard in court yesterday for the Adair County Sheriff race. Judge Frederick Tucker presiding.

Candidates Jason Lene and Jason Underwood and Adair County Clerk Sandy were summoned to attend the hearing.

Jason Underwood asked for a special election but was denied.

Underwood’s attorney Patrick Nolan said they had concern about the absentee ballots how they were gathered and stored.

The judge said he did not feel there was enough evidence presented to substantiate that claim.

A full recount was decided and it would consist of two Republicans and two Democrats in a manual recount.

Hundreds of electric cooperative members lost power as storms moved through parts of mid-Missouri on Thursday night.

According to the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives outage map, nearly 1,700 members across Missouri were affected as of 10 p.m.

Of those members, 205 were in Phelps County. Maries County reported 65 customers without power. Another 75 customers were affected in Gasconade County.

Other counties south of Mid-Missouri reported larger outages. Cooperatives in Wright County reported more than 500 customers affected by power outages