News Staff

The Kirksville Police Department says Polls have shown that Americans believe crime is on the rise nationwide. They say local data shows that overall crime in Kirksville is down. The Kirksville Police Department compiles crime totals each year. Figures for the last seven years were recently reported to the City Council to see trends. Crimes of violence stayed level, with a downward trend in recent years. The information shows the majority of local violent crimes are from and against people who know each other, not random acts of violence. Drug crimes remained level for the last seven years, with a dip in 2023. Erno, the City’s K-9 officer, has been crucial in drug enforcement. KPD deployed Erno 66 times between March and December of 2023, with 55 related to traffic stops. Those deployments resulted in 37 arrests, two firearm seizures and the recovery of drugs and currency. Those would not have been possible without the K-9. The biggest decline is with property crimes, which dropped 27 percent from 2022 to 2023. And traffic collisions, both injury and non-injury collisions, were significantly reduced for 2022 and 2023. This could be attributed to increased officer presence and traffic stops for moving violations. Though traffic stops significantly increased, 50 percent fewer citations were issued per traffic stop, indicating the stops are mostly educational and positive interactions between the driver and law enforcement. Additional figures to note include an upward trend in calls for service over the last three years, with 26,632 in 2023. Also, KPD hit an all-time high of arrests with 942.

A resurfacing and pavement improvement project is scheduled to begin Monday, March 11, on U.S. Route 36 in Livingston County. The Missouri Department of Transportation has contracted with Magruder Paving, LLC to complete the project which extends from the bridge over Coon Creek in Chillicothe to the Caldwell County line. All work is expected to be complete by the end of June. Route 36 will remain open throughout the project, but one lane may be closed in either direction. Single-lane closures could remain up around-the-clock.

The City of Kirksville’s Parks and Recreation Department is now accepting registrations for the Tiny Tykes Soccer program. Tiny Tykes Soccer, is a four-week program, for children ages 3 through 5, that teaches soccer using play-based learning.

Tiny Tykes Soccer will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays starting April 9th.

Governor Mike Parson’s decision to shorten a particular prison sentence is getting a lot of flak. He announced Friday that he was commuting the rest of the sentence of former Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid to house arrest. Reid, the son of Chiefs coach Andy Reid, was sentenced to three years in prison two years ago after pleading guilty to driving while intoxicated and causing serious bodily injury.

Prosecutors said Reid was drunk when he was driving his Dodge truck about 84 in a 65 mile-per-hour zone on an entrance ramp near Arrowhead Stadium . A girl inside one of the cars, five-year-old Ariel Young, suffered a traumatic brain injury.

To encourage Missourians to prepare for severe weather and learn how to protect themselves, the National Weather Service, SEMA and local emergency managers will observe Severe Weather Preparedness Week March 4 – 8.

Missouri’s annual statewide tornado drill will also be held on Wednesday, March 6 at 11 a.m. as part of the week’s preparedness activities.

The Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been working to update its floodplain maps in our area. Preliminary maps have now been released and there is a 90-day public appeal period before the maps are finalized.

It is important to view the preliminary maps because if your property is in or near a flood zone, there may be impacts on your property. These flood hazard determinations are the basis for local floodplain management measures, as well as keeping the community qualified for the National Flood Insurance Program.
The appeal process opens on February 7 and will remain open for 90 days.

In April 2023, an EF-2 tornado swept through Bollinger County, Missouri, devastating a community and claiming the lives of five people. In July, two more people were killed in separate incidents after massive trees uprooted by a severe storm in the St. Louis area fell onto a house and a car. That same month, another individual was killed when a tree crushed a camper during a round of severe storms in southwest Missouri. These tragedies all serve as reminders of the importance of being prepared for severe weather anytime, anywhere, and that it’s not just tornadoes that can prove deadly. To encourage Missourians to prepare for severe weather and learn how to protect themselves, the National Weather Service, SEMA and local emergency managers will observe Severe Weather Preparedness Week March 4 – 8, 2024. Missouri’s annual statewide tornado drill will also be held on Wednesday, March 6 at 11 a.m. as part of the week’s preparedness activities. Some Missouri communities may choose to conduct the drill on a different day due to conflicting local events. At 11 a.m. on the day of the tornado drill, NOAA Weather Radios set to receive the Routine Weekly Tests (RWTs) will alert listeners that the tornado drill has begun. Outdoor warning sirens will also sound across participating Missouri communities. At that time, participants should practice taking cover in a designated shelter area or an interior room on the lowest level of a secure structure.

One person suffered moderate injuries after hitting a deer on Tuesday morning. The Highway Patrol says it happened on Route O, seven miles north of Macon. 57-year-old Gail Riley was driving a Yamaha Star, and hit a deer in the roadway, and Riley was ejected. He was taken to Univeristy of Missouri Hospital.

The City of Kirksville says business license renewals are coming due soon. Business license renewals are due back to the City on or before February 29, 2024. Return the completed renewal form, along with all required documents and fees, to the Finance Department at City Hall. If you have not received your renewal notice, please contact the Finance Department at 660.627.1251.

The Missouri Department of Transportation Northeast District Office will host a job fair to hire full-time maintenance workers, construction technicians and inspectors, highway designers, signal/lighting electricians, and mechanics/equipment technicians to start as soon as possible. The event will be from 10 am – 2 p.m., Saturday, March 9, at the MoDOT New Florence Maintenance Facility, 540 Tree Farm Road, New Florence, MO, 65803. MoDOT offers full training and benefits including medical insurance, paid annual and sick leave, educational assistance, paid holidays and more. Applicants must be at least 18 years old, have a high school diploma/GED and a valid driver’s license. Applicants also must successfully complete a criminal background check, drug screening, work simulation and physical – comfortable clothing and closed-toe shoes for the job fair are encouraged.