News Staff

A Missouri woman died after she was trampled by a protective mother cow. Sullivan County Coroner Bob Wyant identified Jane Heisey as the victim. The death was ruled an accident. Heisey died Thursday morning on her family farm just outside of Harris. According to KTVO, she and her husband were tagging a newborn calf’s ear in a lot near their house when the mother cow knocked Heisey to the ground and stepped on her head.

The Sullivan County Memorial Hospital in Milan reopened Friday morning after being closed due to a fire. Crews responded to the fire at the hopsital on Thursday. Everyone was safely evacuated, and two patients were transported to other area hospitals. A hospital spokesman says fire started in an electrical outlet in the dietary manager’s office. Firefighters were able to keep the fire contained to that room. Three neighboring rooms in the housekeeping and laundry areas received smoke damage. The hospital was temporarily closed while electrical repairs were made.

Adair County ended last week with a total COVID-19 case count of 2,473. There are six active cases and 2,447 people who have left isolation. Positive test results for females ages 20 and 24 were confirmed Thursday by the Adair County Health Department. As for vaccinations, an estimated 29.7% of residents have been fully vaccinated. An estimated 33.3% have initiated vaccination. In total, 15,555 doses have been administered.

The Kirksville Founders Day Ceremony rescheduled for this weekend because of weather, was once again impacted by inclement weather. Organizers took the annual event online for a virtual ceremony. A video of the event will be posted this week on the
City’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/kirksvillecity, and the City’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/cityofkirksville.

The Macon Police Department has provided an update on Officer Dylan Wertz since his car accident. He is home recovering. His fellow officers surprised him yesterday with pizza and an impromptu visit. They also delivered the cards and donations the department has received for him so far. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol report, Officer Wertz, was southbound on Highway 63 Sunday evening, when his police department vehicle hydroplaned, ran off the right side of the roadway and struck a tree. Wertz suffered serious injuries.

A lawsuit was filed yesterday to require the state to expand its Medicaid program in accordance with the constitutional amendment supported by 53% of voters last August. The lawsuit is in response to Governor Mike Parson’s recent announcement that he had withdrawn Missouri’s Medicaid plan because lawmakers did not include the $1.9 billion estimated cost in the state budget. More than 275,000 Missourians would be eligible under expansion, which would have taken effect July 1.

The Kirksville R-III School District celebrated Mary Magruder yesterday, who will be retiring after serving the district for the last 40 years. Magruder, of Brashear, started her job as administrative assistant to the superintendent and school board in June 1981.

The Kirksville Fire Department will be providing free car seat checks today at the Kirksville Fire Station, from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. Over 83% of car seats are out-of-date, facing the wrong direction, or installed incorrectly. The Fire Department wants to help you protect your children. You can stop by, with or without your children to get this assistance. The free car seat checks are provided as part of the Child Passenger Safety Technician Class, hosted by the Fire Department and the Northeast Missouri Alliance for Passenger Education and Safety.

The suspect in an attempted bank robbery is facing multiple charges. 30-year-old Caleb Sharp, of Kirksville, entered the Bank of Kirksville on Tuesday, said he had a bomb strapped to his chest, and demanded money. Bank employees were then orderd into the bank vault. Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper Graydon Gaines arrived at the bank and took Sharp into custody without incident. There was no bomb and no money was taken. So far, Sharp been charged with one count of attempted robbery and one count of making a terrorist threat.

A Linn County man has been charged with more than 30 child sex felonies. 40-year-old Jason Jones has been charged with 24 counts of class A felony child molestation with a child under the age of 12, occurring between July 2011 and June 2013. Other charges include seven counts of felony statutory rape involving a child under the age of 14, allegedly occurring between August 2013 and June 2016, and there are additional charges for offenses that occurrd from January 2017 to October 2019.