News Staff

Kirksville R-III is proud to announce that Kirksville Primary School and Ray Miller Elementary have been awarded the Capturing Kids’ Hearts National Showcase Schools® Award. The Capturing Kids’ Hearts National Showcase Schools® Award recognizes and celebrates schools producing exemplary outcomes using the Capturing Kids’ Hearts® Process. Award winners demonstrate a high level of performance and a positive culture and climate for learning. For the 2022-2023 school year, the Capturing Kids’ Hearts National Showcase Schools® Award was granted to 468 school campuses across the United States. Only four schools in the state of Missouri received this award, Kirksville R-III received two of the four.

Kirksville Parks and Rec says Block Parties are back, and there’s another one coming up this weekend. Check it out at PC Mills Park from 3 until 5pm on Sunday, July 9th. They’ll have hot dogs, lemonade, cotton candy, snow cones, water fights, a suds machine, a fire truck, a police car, and more. If you miss that one, there will be a Block Party at Jaycee Park on July 16th, Memorial Park on July 30th, and Brashear Park on August 6th.

The Missouri Highway Patrol reports eight traffic fatalities over the 4th of July holiday. The counting period ran from 6 p.m. on Friday, June 30th, through 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, July 4th. Troopers worked six boating crashes, which included two injuries and zero fatalities. Troopers made 10 boating while intoxicated arrests. Four people drowned over the holiday weekend. Troopers worked 390 traffic crashes, which included 152 injuries and seven of the eight fatalities. The Kansas City Police Department worked the remaining fatality. Troopers also made 116 DWI arrests and 21 drug arrests over the holiday weekend.

Governor Mike Parson announced that he has named Kelli Jones as his new Deputy Chief of Staff for the Office of Governor. Jones previously served as Communications Director and chief media spokeswoman for the Office. Her appointment is effective immediately.

The City of Kirksville says Mayor Zac Burden has signed a proclamation recognizing July as National Parks and Recreation Month. Parks and recreation programs are an integral part of communities throughout this country, including the City of Kirksville. Our parks and recreation programs are vitally important to establishing and maintaining the quality of life in our communities, ensuring the health of all citizens, and contributing to the economic and environmental well-being of a community and region. Parks and recreation programs build healthy, active communities that aid in the prevention of chronic disease, provide therapeutic recreation services, and improve the overall mental and emotional health of all citizens. Parks and recreation areas are fundamental to the environmental well-being of our community by improving water quality, protecting groundwater, prevent flooding, improve the quality of the air we breathe, providing vegetative buffers to development, and producing habitat for wildlife

Kirksville Parks and Rec reminds that this Saturday is Dollar Swim Night. Join us this Saturday night from 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm for our third Dollar Swim Night of the Summer. Admission will be $1 during this time, though capacity is limited. Admission will be granted on a first come, first serve basis.

The annual United Way Pie Event which was held June 30 th on the Adair County Courthouse lawn raised a total of $1,563 for the United Way of Northeast Missouri. The winners of the Apple Pie contest were Jane Story 1 st Place, NEMO Senior Citizens 2 nd Place, and Cindy Baxter 3 rd Place. The monies from the event go toward the United Way of Northeast Missouri 2024 Campaign which supports 11 not for profit agencies located in Adair and Macon counties.

“Thank You For Your Service”, a photography exhibit of men and women who have served in the military, opens Wednesday, June 28th in the Ellebracht Gallery of the Sue Ross Arts Center. The exhibit runs through Saturday, August 26th. The art center is open Monday through Friday 11 am to 4 pm and Saturdays 10 am to 2 pm. The exhibit includes former military members from Adair, Macon, Schuyler, Sullivan and Putnam counties. A closing reception will be held Thursday, August 24th from 5:30 to 7 pm and will include a presentation of five quilts by the Hands of Friendship Quilt Guild. This is the second year the arts association and the quilt guild have collaborated on this event. The quilts are also on display in the arts center.

The Kirksville Arts Association says the Veterans Clinic at the School of Law at the University of Missouri is doing Tigers for Troops Kirksville, free legal consultations for veterans regarding disability compensation and discharge upgrades. That’s today, July 6th, from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. at the Kirksville Arts Association at 215 South Franklin Street in Kirksville. These are one-on-one consulations. You can register for free online, or by calling 573-882-7630.

The Kirksville Arts Association says the Aaron Russell Band, one of the area’s favorite groups, will be performing at Summer on the Square, Friday, July 7th at 7 pm. Bring your lawn chairs or blanket and enjoy an evening of great music. Aaron Russell plays country, classic rock, gospel, original and patriotic music-something for everyone! Join us on the Adair County Courthouse lawn for this free performance.