News Staff

A group promoting the idea of legalizing weed says they have enough signatures to force the issue onto the November ballot for Missouri voters to decide. But they’re still collecting signatures before handing in the petitions on May the 8th. The ballot initiative would allow Missourians over 21 to smoke weed, and grow it for personal use.

In Macon and Linn counties, you could say this is “slow down Thursday.” State troopers will be running radar on Highway 36 looking for speeders, as well as other traffic violations. The blue-light special runs until six this evening.

Covid count: the Adair county health department reports 15 new cases of the virus in the past week. That’s six more than the prior week. The health department offers the Pfizer’s shot, for adults, next Tuesday afternoon from 2 to 4.

Gas prices are going up again. The national average for a gallon of regular gas was $4.10 on Tuesday. In Missouri, AAA says the average is 3.72 a gallon.

Adair county, a little cheaper, at $3.65 a gallon. Analysts don’t believe prices will come down much — if at all — as the sumer driving season begins.

No swimming, boating or fishing at Forest Lake in Thousand Hills State Park. It will be closed for all recreational activities this week from Tuesday through Thursday. The city will treat the invasive species known as curly-leaf pondweed and activity is prohibited while the treatment is happening.

Once again Kirksville police are asking you to lock your car and put valuables out of site.

Over the last week, police say several instances of thieves stealing items from unlocked vehicles with items left in plain view.

Also, police are trying to find a red GMC Sierra extended cab truck, stolen from the 700 block of East Cottonwood Street Monday morning. And this is not just happening in Kirksville. There have been similar reports in surrounding communities, including LaPlata and Lancaster

Drugs in Kirksville and stolen guns. Police made arrests in two separate drug cases on Friday.

In the first, 31-year-old Marion Anthony Aldridge of Kirksville was arrested during a traffic stop near Osteopathy and Northtown Road. He was driving without a license, and when his car was searched, they found a stolen gun, marijuana, methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, and a substantial amount of cash.

The second case…also on Friday…officers spotted 34-year-old Matthew Ves Lester. They’d been looking for him for outstanding warrants. Lester took off running, but he fell and was caught. Lester had a stolen gun on him, as well as meth.

Should biological boys play on girls sports teams in Missouri? The state House has decided to let you vote on it, passing a bill to allow local elections over the issue.

Right now in Missouri, boys who identifies as a girl can only play on girls teams if they’re undergoing hormone therapy. And that’s only happened a couple of times.

Truman State’s Track & Field Coach died Thursday. Tim Schwegler was surrounded by family at the time of his passing. He was on the track team when he was a student at Truman and graduated in 1980. He took the head coaching position in 2013 — Schwegler leaves behind a wife and two sons.

In the Republican Senate race, Attorney General Eric Schmidt — who’s hoping to replace retiring Senator Roy Blunt — has been endorsed by Texas Senator Ted Cruz.

Cruz was also a presidential candidate and his endorsement is considered a plum among conservatives. Cruz issued a statement saying Schmitt will hold China accountable, defend religious freedom and protect jobs.

The primary is in August.