News Staff

The City of Kirksville is excited to invite residents to a ground-breaking ceremony for the new terminal at Kirksville Regional Airport at 4:30 pm on March 17, 2025. Hear from the federal, state and local leaders who helped make this project happen and learn more about what this new building can offer. Additional details such as the construction timeline will also be announced.

After nearly 39 years of service to local United States Postal Service offices, customers, and residents, Edina Postmaster Chris Harrison is retiring.

Harrison, a well-known USPS staffer, spent his last day on the job at the Edina Post Office on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. His official retirement date from USPS is expected to be this summer. Until then, he will be on leave.
The Edina postmaster spent his career climbing the USPS ranks locally and has spent decades leading postal teams across the region.

The City of Kirksville says that construction of a new trail at North Park will begin the week of March 17th.

Work will commence alongside Emmett Street before progressing throughout the park. There will be times during construction in this area that Emmett Street will have one-way traffic. There will also be no street parking in the area during this phase of construction.

A single-vehicle crash early Monday morning left a man with minor injuries after his truck struck a cow in the roadway on Highway U, six miles north of Highway 136.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the crash occurred at 4:40 a.m. when a 2023 Ford F-250 traveling northbound struck the animal. The truck sustained total damage and was towed from the scene.

The driver, a 25-year-old man from Unionville suffered minor injuries and was transported by private vehicle to Putnam County Memorial Hospital for treatment.

Blaten Conrad-Alan Kemble, 20, Ponca City, entered no contest pleas in Kay County District Court to a host of charges filed in three different felony cases.

On July 28, 2023, Kemble was charged with knowingly concealing stolen property. In that case he is now convicted of stealing a vehicle from the 300 block of Lansbrook. In that case he is sentenced to five years in prison and one year in the county jail.

In a second case filed on Nov. 7, 2023, Kemble is now convicted of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and possession of a weapon on school property. In that case he reportedly pulled a knife on school employees. In that case he is sentenced to 10 years in prison.

The City of Kirksville invites residents to join City staff for multiple informational public events in March regarding Proposition B: Purpose-Built. Presentations willhappen at 5:30 pm on March 26, 31 and April I at City Hall.

These sessions will examine each piece of the proposal and offer residents a chance to ask questions and learn more about the project

As part of Missouri Severe Weather Preparedness Week, the Kirksville Fire Department and Adair County Emergency Communications Center would like to answer some frequently asked questions about storm sirens.
Why I can’t hear the sirens in my house?
Storm sirens are meant to be heard by people who are outside. The sirens are not designed to reach people inside buildings.
Then how will I know when there is a weather emergency?
Smartphones should receive emergency weather alerts without you needing to sign up for them. You should also pay attention to a NOAA weather radio or local media (TV, radio, mobile device, etc.) for local weather alerts.
When will the sirens go off?
Sirens can be activated due to a warning from the National Weather Service or if something credible has been seen by local authorities or spotters.
Are the sirens only for tornadoes?
Most people assume storm sirens only activate for tornadoes, but they can also activate for other dangerous weather situations such as extreme winds or large hail.

The City of Kirksville’s Parks and Recreation Department is now hiring seasonal staff for the summer of 2025. Apply at kirksville.gov/p/parks-recreation in the Join Our Team tab. Positions are available for admission desk attendants, concession stand workers, park maintenance workers, lifeguards, swimming lesson instructors and umpires. Positions are also available for the Public Works Department, including water treatment maintenance, wastewater maintenance, utility maintenance and streets maintenance. All applicants must be at least 15 years old (16 years old for maintenance applicants) by their first day of work. Selected applicants will receive free training and certifications, including the American Red Cross Lifeguard Certification.

One of Kirksville’s finest traditions returns to the Sue Ross Arts Center on Sunday, April 27th from 2-4 pm. A Tea to Remember is a fundraiser for the arts association and over the past nineteen years has become an event people enjoy and look forward to attending. Tickets are available at the Sue Ross Arts Center. The cost is $25 for KAA members and $30 for non-members attending. All proceeds benefit the Kirksville Arts Association. Purchase your ticket early and support Kirksville Arts while attending a lovely event.

Traffic on the Cook Road Bridge will be narrowed to one lane for roadside work that is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, March 5. The Missouri Department of Transportation will secure rocks at the east end of the bridge that were originally placed as an erosion-control measure during the bridge replacement project in 2024. Flaggers will guide motorists through the work zone. Motorists should expect delays. The work is scheduled from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day and is expected to be completed by Thursday, March 6. MoDOT asks drivers to work with us by always buckling up, keeping your phone down, slowing down and moving over in work zones. Know before you go and check what work zones you might encounter at traveler.modot.org.