News Staff

The Missouri State Highway Patrol will participate in “Operation CARE” and Operation Dry Water, for the July Fourth holiday weekend. The 2021 counting period for the July Fourth holiday starts at 6 p.m, and lasts through 11:59 p.m., Monday, July 5th. During the 2020 counting period, 15 people were killed and 671 injured in Missouri over the holiday in 1,356 traffic crashes. Troopers arrested 145 people for driving while intoxicated. There were 14 boating crashes, which included seven injuries. Two people drowned during last year’s July Fourth holiday. Troopers made six boating while intoxicated arrests. Colonel Eric T. Olson, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, reminds Missouri’s travelers to make smart choices for a safe July Fourth holiday.

After confirming only 20 COVID-19 cases throughout the month of May, the Adair County Health Department confirmed 79 cases in June. As of yesterday, the total case
count reached 2,563. There are currently 44 active cases. Nine new cases closed out the month on June 30, and seven new cases were confirmed on the first day of July. One person, a 91-year-old woman, was admitted to Northeast Regional Medical Center. She does not need a ventilator.

The Health Department has been notified that two cases confirmed in April were positive for the B.1.1.7 variant first identified in the United Kingdom. The cases involve a 34-year-old male who tested positive April 1 and a 22-year-old male who tested positive April 2.

The All-American Red White and Blue Festival kicked off last night with Cemetery Theater. Events still to come include the Red, White and Blue Pancake Breakfast, Community Band Concert, Summer on the Square Concert, the Classic Car Show, Apple Pie Contest and the Fireworks Display at dusk on July 4th. See the full schedule online at: visitkirksville.com/redwhiteandblue.

The Missouri House sent renewal of a major tax that funds the state’s Medicaid program to Governor Mike Parson yesterday. If the Federal Reimbursement Allowance tax was not approved, the Governor said he would need to make deep budget cuts. A deadlock over abortion and birth control funding killed the renewal bill in the regular session that ended May 14. The bill that passed during this special session includes a restatement of the state’s current ban on using public funds to pay for abortions and does not attempt to bar Planned Parenthood as a Medicaid provider. Passage of the Federal Reimbursement Allowance paves the way for Governor Parson to sign the $35 billion budget approved by lawmakers.

The Knox County Health Department has received confirmation from the State of Missouri that the COVID-19 British Variant B.1.1.7 is present in Knox County. This variant was first detected in the U.S. in December. Based on data, variant B.1.1.7 is the most common variant across the country. This variant seems to spread more easliy and quickly than other variants, which may lead to more cases of COVID-19. Health officials say vaccination is the most effective and long-lasting tool for protection from this infection.

There were 22 new cases of COVID-19 from June 23 – June 29 in Macon County. Currently, there are 28 active cases with 7 residents hospitalized. Of these 22 new cases, 4 were vaccinated and 1 was a reinfection who was not vaccinated.
Macon County is continuing an upward trend in cases in mainly unvaccinated residents. Of the last 127 new cases, only 6 were vaccinated. The health department says that In April Macon County had an average of 6 new cases each week; May had an average of 9.5 new cases each week; and, June so far, is averaging 20.5 new cases each week.

The City of Kirksville’s Fire Department was recently awarded “Training Entity Accreditation” by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services – Bureau of Emergency Medical Services. This certification will allow the Fire Department to provide First Responder Classes and Continuing Education (Basic Life Support and Advanced Life Support) for department personnel. All firefighters are required to obtain Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) at a minimum as part of their employment which requires many hours of continuing education to maintain their license as EMT’s and Paramedics. The Fire Department will now be able to provide these continuing education hours in-house rather than send firefighters elsewhere, saving taxpayer dollars. The Fire Department currently has four Emergency Medical Responders, 19 Emergency Medical Technicians, and four Paramedics employed in the department.

The Adair County Health Department confirmed 32 new cases of COVID-19 over six days according to a press release issued yesterday. The new cases bring the
total count in the county to 2,547. There are currently 37 active cases and 2,490 people who have left isolation. Eight cases were confirmed June 24 and One of those cases had received the first of two doses of vaccine. Nine of the 32 cases are break-through cases involving fully vaccinated individuals and 15 reside at addresses with at least one other confirmed case. Two cases are employed at an area meat-processing plant.

The Macon County Health Department is holding two COVID-19 vaccine clinics this week. Today, the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine will be offered at the health department from 1 p. m. to 3 p. m. The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine will be administered tomorrow at the health department. Call 660-395-4711 if you want to get a shot. Both vaccines are available to anyone 18 and older.

Troop B investigated 15 injury crashes and 1 fatal crash for the week of June 20 thru June 26. With 22 people being injured as a result of those crashes and 1 fatally injured. 4 occupants of those vehicles were unrestrained.

The fatal accident happened on Saturday at 12:20PM in Clark County. According to the crash report, 31-year-old Ashley Strum, of Keokuk, Iowa, was driving a Ford Fusion on US 136, two miles west of Wayland, when she went off the right side of the roadway, struck an embankment, and overturned. Strum was pronounced deceased at the scene. The crash report states that Strum was not wearing a seat belt.