News Staff

Kirksville police say A 38-year-old Chicago man was arrested in Kirksville Tuesday for Financial Exploitation of the Elderly or Disabled. On October 6, 2023, a local elderly resident reported being the victim of a telephone scam. The scammers continued to contact the victim, and Kirksville Police Department detectives took over communications with the suspect. With the assistance of a local bank, KPD detectives posed as the victim and set up a meeting with the suspect, where the suspect expected to collect another large sum of cash from the victim. On the evening of Tuesday, October 17, 2023, the suspect, later identified as Muhammad Sabar from Chicago, arrived at the meeting place and was arrested for Financial Exploitation of the Elderly or Disabled. The Kirksville Police Department wants to remind everyone that anyone calling and demanding money over the phone is most likely a scam. Hang up and block the number. If you have fallen victim to one of these scams, report it immediately.

Missouri Commissioner of Education Margie Vandeven announced she will be stepping down from her position effective July 1, 2024. She has served as the Commissioner of Education for more than seven years, from January 2015 to December 2017, and again January 2019 to present. Commissioner Vandeven said she announced her resignation now to give the State Board of Education ample time to complete the process of finding a successor, pledging to work tirelessly in her final months on behalf of Missouri students and educators.

Weather permitting, October 24 – 25, Knox County Route K in Baring is scheduled to close temporarily for work on the BNSF Railroad crossing. The road will be closed 0.78 miles east of Missouri Route 15 beginning at 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 24 and will reopen at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 25. Motorists will need to use alternate routes during this work. For more information on this and other projects in your area, you can visit us online at www.modot.mo.gov/northeast, or call our customer service number at 1-888 ASK MoDOT (275-6636).

A 36-year-old woman from Kahoka was taken to Scotland County Hospital after a wreck in road construction yesterday. The Highway Patrol says Tressa Boyd was driving a Buick Enclave on U.S. 136 four miles west of Wayland, when she hit the back of a Peterbuilt while stopped in road construction. Boyd suffered serious injuries.

A man from Huntsville, Missouri, was seriously injured in a wreck on Highway JJ, two miles west of Moberly. 34-year-old Leland Coonce was driving a Toyota Camry, when he ran off the left side of the road and hit a tree. His vehicle was totaled. He was taken to University of Missouri Hospital. He was not wearing a seat belt.

Two people were seriously hurt in a two-vehicle wreck in Howard County yesterday. The Missouri State Highway Patrol says 20 year old Hope Chappel of Fayette, Missouri, was driving a Yamaha Vino on Missouri 124 at Route H, when the vehicle crossed the center of the road and hit a Chevy Traverse. Chappel and a passenger on the Yamaha were ejected, and both were taken to University Hospital. The Yamaha was totaled. There was moderate damage to the Traverse.

MoDot says the northbound on and off ramps at the intersection of U.S. Route 71 and Route T in Andrew County are scheduled to close for resurfacing beginning Tuesday, Oct. 24. The Missouri Department of Transportation, contracted with Herzog Contracting Corp. LLC, are resurfacing the ramps as part of a project which will also include portions of U.S. Route 71 between Maryville and Savannah and Business 71 between Savannah and Interstate 29. The ramps are scheduled to be completed by the beginning of November. During the closure, motorists should seek an alternate route. All work is weather permitting, and schedules are subject to change.

Colonel Eric T. Olson, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, encourages everyone to have a safe Halloween. While some local events take place in large parking lots the weekend prior, many trick-or-treaters will be out on Halloween night. It’s imperative that drivers and pedestrians stay alert. Young children excited by Halloween could dart in front of a vehicle. Slow down and drive with extra caution. Expect an increase in the number of slow-moving vehicles in neighborhoods as motorists pick up and drop off trick-or-treaters. Please be courteous and stay alert for trick-or-treaters of all ages. Distracted drivers are dangerous drivers?when you’re driving, keep your eyes on the road, not on your phone! Parents, please remind children to approach only familiar houses that are well-lit. Remind them they should never enter a stranger’s house or vehicle. Consider trick-or-treating with your children for their safety and because it’s a fun way to spend an evening. Give some thought to safety when choosing a costume. Consider using make-up rather than wearing a mask, which can obstruct a child’s vision making it difficult to see an oncoming car. A light-colored costume is easier for drivers to see at night and adding reflective tape to dark costumes makes them visible. Flame resistant costumes are encouraged.

K-REDI and Kids Win MO have partnered together for a community assessment of childcare in Kirksville and Adair County. The purpose of these surveys is to adequately identify post-COVID gaps and needs. There are three surveys, please take the survey that applies to you. Survey closes October 31st, with chances to win gift cards for participating! The link to the survey is up on the Facebook page for the Kirksville R-3 school district.

Eight people were injured in a two-vehicle crash on U.S. 36, two miles west of Brookfield, on Sunday morning. The Highway Patrol says the driver of a 2013 Dodge Caravan slowed to make a right turn, and was hit in the rear by a Chrysler van. Four juveniles in the Chrysler van, along with two adults in that vehicle, suffered minor injuries. They are all from Bethany, Missouri. Two adults in the Grand Caravan had minor injuries. They were both from Brookfield, Missouri. The occupants of the Chrysler who were injured were taken to Pershing Memorial Hospital. The occupants of the Grand Caravan who were hurt were taken to Samaritan hospital. The Chrysler van was totaled. There was extensive damage to the Grand Caravan.