News Staff

Another 11 cases of COVID-19 confirmed since Friday, July 16, has put Adair County’s active case count at 50. The number of active cases on any given day
has not been that high since February. Among the 50 active cases, 50% involve residents ages 11 through 30.

The Acting Director of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services is urging continued vaccination as close monitoring of the Delta variant continues. Robert Knodell said in a recent press release that “With this variant being easier to spread and possibly causing more severe illnesses among unvaccinated people of all ages, vaccinations are the best way to stop this virus in its tracks.”

The COVID-19 Delta variant is present in Northeast Missouri.

As of now the Kirksville R-III School District is not planning to have any mask requirements at the start of the coming school year. A message from the Superintendent, says they’ve had a successful summer school experience and feel a mask mandate is not warranted at this time. The school district will continue to monitor any further spread and make additional announcements if any changes to the reopening protocols need to be made.

The Kirksville Police Department announced the hiring of a new Police Officer, Ronald “Ron” Collinge. Officer Collinge began his duties with KPD on July 14th. OfficerCollinge is a 2015 graduate of Missouri Sheriff’s Association Academy. He has prior law enforcement officer experience from past employment with the Adair County Sheriff’s Department and Truman State University Police Department.

The City of Kirksville’s contractor will begin asphalt street surface repairs today. Construction is expected to last approximately two to four weeks, dependent upon weather. Locations include several streets. See the full list on the City of Kirksville’s Facebook page.

Adair County’s one-day total of new COVID-19 cases hit double digits again. The Adair County Health Department Friday confirmed 12 new cases. That puts the county’s overall case total at 2,636 with 47 active cases, and 22 COVID-related deaths, including two deaths last week alone. Friday’s cases include five people who reside at addresses with at least one other confirmed case. One new case was a male who is fully vaccinated. There is one case each from the higher education and skilled nursing facility sectors.

The name of the Kirksville man who drowned at Forest Lake last week has been released. Around 3:54 p.m. last Wednesday, Kirksville police and other first responders went to the swim beach at Forest Lake after a report that 32-year-old Nathan Stafford went under the water and did not surface. Witnesses said he swam from the beach to the buoy line separating the swim area from the rest of the lake. When Stafford reached the buoy line, he was in distress and went under the water surface. Witnesses went to help Stafford, but could not locate him. Emergency crews then began searching the water with the use of a patrol boat, specialized equipment and first responders in the water with flotation devices. After several minutes Stafford was recovered from the water and life saving measures were attempted. He was later pronounced deceased at the scene.

Staff from the Adair County Health Department will be in the Multipurpose Building at the NEMO Fairgrounds each night this week from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m to make it easier for you to get a COVID vaccine. You can complete a form, specifying which vaccine you would like to receive and the Health Department will call anyone who wants a vaccine to schedule a time and location to receive one.

Adair County has lost a second resident to COVID-19 this week. The Health Department was notified yesterday that a 30-year-old female who had been hospitalized for COVID-19 at Northeast Regional Medical Center on July 6 has died. The overall number of deaths in the county now stands at 22. Confirmed cases of COVID-19 continue to rise in Adair County with four new cases on July 14 and 10 new cases confirmed yesterday. The overall case count now stands at 2,625 with 39 active cases. A previously identified 30-year-old male was admitted to NRMC July 14 and is currently not on a ventilator. The Health Department was also notified that three females who were reported as positive earlier were determined in random testing to have had the Delta variant. Two of the women, ages 40 and 50, were fully vaccinated when they tested positive. The third, a 32-year-old female, was not vaccinated. All three are out of isolation.

MoDOT crews will close Baltimore Street again next week between Jefferson Street and Normal Street for a culvert installation that is taking place in front of Lincoln Square Shopping Center. The road will close at 7:00 a.m. Monday, July 19, and reopen in the evening on Friday, July 23. Motorists will be able to access businesses in Lincoln Square, but no thru traffic will be allowed. The following week of July 26-30, the road is planned to be closed in the exact same location so that the pavement can be replaced over the new culvert. The work is all weather dependent and could be rescheduled.

The City of Kirksville’s P.C. Mills Park Summer Block Party will be Sunday, July 18, from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm in P.C. Mills Park. The city says the block party is an opportunity for residents to learn more about plans for P.C. Mills Park and the wider neighborhood. City staff will be on hand and want your input. There will also be an afternoon full of games, water, and treats, courtesy of the Parks and Recreation Department and their community partners. P.C. Mills Park is located at 1506 S. Baird Street. For more information, please contact City Administration at 660.627.1225.