News Staff

Join Kirksville Parks and Recreation and the Adair County Family YMCA for the 2024 Indoor Triathlon Challenge. The challenge will be held January 8 through March 10, 2024. During this nine-week challenge, participants will complete either a half triathlon, full triathlon, or ULTRA triathlon. Participants will have full access to the YMCA and the Kirksville Aquatic Center, as well as all classes offered at those facilities. Biking mileage can be earned through the use of a rowing machine, recumbent or spin bike, outdoor cycling, or participation in group aerobic classes. Swim distance can be accumulated by lap swimming, water walking, or water aerobics classes. Running mileage can be tallied while on the treadmill, elliptical machine, running outside, or participating in group aerobic classes. Those who complete their goal will receive the 2024 Indoor Triathlon sweatshirt.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol wishes everyone a merry and safe Christmas. One way for it to be merry is for everyone to arrive at their holiday celebrations safely. Remember to wear your seat belt, obey all traffic laws, pay attention, and please, don’t drive impaired. Over the 2022 Christmas holiday, there were 1,017 traffic crashes statewide. In those crashes, four people were killed and another 318 were injured. This year’s traffic crash counting period begins at 6 p.m. on Friday, December 22, and ends at 11:59 p.m. Monday, December 25, 2023. Travelers are reminded that holiday drivers will affect traffic patterns. If you’re planning a trip during the holiday, please keep this in mind. Drivers are encouraged to make sure they are well rested, no matter how short their driving distance. Check the weather forecast and plan accordingly. Downloading the MoDOT Traveler Information app to your smart phone allows you to check road conditions before you travel. Be proactive: Make sure your vehicle is in good condition and allow enough time to reach your destination safely. Winterize your vehicle before bad weather arrives, but realize that sometimes, it’s safest to stay home.

First Day hikes are popular ways to kick off the new year in a healthy, outdoors-oriented fashion. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) invites people to take part in a First Day Hike Jan. 1 at MDC’s Ruth and Paul Henning Conservation Area on the west side of Branson. The 1,534-acre Henning Area is primarily forested and features a variety of wildlife viewing opportunities so participants should bring binoculars and cameras. MDC staff from MDC’s Shepherd of the Hills Conservation Center will lead the hike. This event, which is open to all ages, will be from 10 a.m.-noon. Participants will meet at the Henning Area’s main parking lot, which is located on U.S. Highway 76/376 three-fourths of a mile west of the Butterfly Palace. Hikers should wear weather-appropriate clothing and hiking shoes and should bring their own water.

Two people were moderately hurt in a crash in Ralls County early yesterday morning, on U.S. 61, two miles south of Hannibal. While crossing U.S. 61, 26-year-old Jeremy Conrad, driving a Jeep Wrangler, failed to yield to a Ford Escape and the Frd Escape was hit on the side. Conrad, and a passenger in the Wrangler, were hurt.

Serious injuries in a head-on crash in Lewis County early yesterday morning. The Missouri State Highway Patrol says 40-year-old Franklin Riley of Hannibal was driving a Chevy S10 on Missouri 6, just west of Durham, when the vehicle crossed the center line and hit an Acura RSX head-on. Riley was taken to Blessing Hospital in Quincy. The driver of the Acura, 21-year-old Bodey Perry of Ewing, was taken by air to University Hospital in Columbia. Neither driver was wearing a seat belt. Both vehicles were totaled.

The City of Kirksville is still seeking applicants for openings on the Kirksville Historic Preservation Committee. If you or someone you know has education and experience in the fields of History, Archeology, Architectural History, Architecture and Historic Architecture, head over to kirksvillecity.com/p/boards-commissions and apply. The deadline is Friday.

Not every bird migrates south in winter. Some of the species that can be found in the Ozarks at this time of year make alterations to their routines so they can survive times of colder temperatures and leaner food sources. People can learn more about how birds survive winter at the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) virtual program “Birds: Birds In Winter.” This online program, which will be from 10-10:30 a.m. on Dec. 27, is being put on by the staff of MDC’s Shepherd of the Hills Conservation Center in Branson. This program is open to all ages. At this program, MDC Naturalist Lead Eden will discuss various adaptations birds make to help them survive winter. She will also provide some tips on what people can do to help birds at this time of year.

As the hunting season comes to a close, the Kirksville Police Department would like to remind residents and visitors of some important safety practices as they conclude their activities and store firearms. The Kirksville Police Department has a supply of gun locks that are available for free to the public. These gun locks come courtesy of Project Childsafe, a national foundation that promotes firearms safety and education. Anyone can stop by the station during business hours to receive one while supplies last. Individuals can receive a maximum of three. Roughly 1.4 million homes have firearms stored in a way that makes them accessible to almost 2.6 million children, according to SafeFirearmsStorage.org. Help keep your firearms safely secured. The majority of firearms thefts occur when the firearm is left in a vehicle. Make sure to secure your firearms in your home or hotel room and not in an unattended vehicle. Keep a record of all of your firearms including make, model, and serial number.

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) announces changes to turkey hunting regulations for the spring season and has proposed regulation changes for the fall seasons. The Missouri Conservation Commission approved the changes for the spring season at its Dec. 8 open meeting in Jefferson City and also gave initial approval on proposed regulation changes to fall turkey hunting. Spring shooting hours for private land only will be extended from a half-hour before sunrise to sunset. Shooting hours on public land will remain a half-hour before sunrise to 1 p.m. These changes will be effective for the Spring 2024 turkey season.

At 11:00 a.m. on December 16, 2023, volunteers will lay wreaths on more than 20,000 graves in Veteran Cemeteries across Missouri to honor our nation’s heroes as part of Wreaths Across America. Five Missouri Veteran Cemeteries will be participating in this event. The Missouri Veterans Commission will host Wreaths Across America, a holiday wreath-laying event, to honor and remember our nation’s Veterans. The Missouri Veterans Commission has collaborated with Wreaths Across America since 2009. Wreaths Across America started in 1992 when the Worcester Wreath Company began donating wreaths to be placed at the headstones in Arlington National Cemetery. Building on that tradition, in 2006, the company began donating seven ceremonial wreaths to each state and national Veterans cemetery in the country. Today, many individuals and organizations hold campaigns to purchase additional wreaths to be placed at headstones in these cemeteries. To learn more about the Wreaths Across America, visit wreathsacrossamerica.org/.