News Staff

The City of Kirksville was announced as a recipient of a Water Fluoridation Quality Award from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Fluoridation is the adjustment of fluoride in drinking water to a level effective for preventing tooth decay. The award recognizes communities that achieved excellence in community water fluoridation by maintaining a consistent level of fluoride in drinking water throughout 2022. For 2022, 1,209 public water systems in 27 states received one of these awards. There were 53 in Missouri. The CDC has recognized community water fluoridation as one of 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century. CDC recommends water fluoridation as one of the most practical, cost-effective, equitable and safe measures a community can take to prevent tooth decay and improve oral health.

A Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper was involved in a shooting after a vehicle pursuit in western Illinois. Emergency communications called for help located a suspect who was believed to have fled from Adams county and Quincy, Illinois. The suspect vehicle was believed to have entered Missouri while driving west on Highway 36. Troopers found the vehicle on U.S. HIghway 36, west of Hannibal, and ended up chasing the suspect while trying to stop him. The driver stopped after taking the exit at highway 151. The suspect then got out of the vehicle, and started to shoot at troopers. Troopers shot back and hit the suspect, who was taken to a local hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. The trooper also was hit by gunfire, and had non-life-threatening injuries. Yesterday that suspect, 51 year old Erik Prange of Moberly, was formally charged with four counts of felony assault first degree of a special victim (law enforcement officer) and four counts of armed criminal action.

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and partners invite the public to a series of warm-season grass establishment workshops around northeastern Missouri. Native warm-season grasses have deep root systems which make more efficient use of water and soil nutrients. They can grow and thrive during the summer when cool-season grasses cannot, and they tend to need less fertilizer and lime than cool-season grasses. For all workshops, the doors will open at 9:30 a.m. and the event will run from 10 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Registration is required by Feb. 7 and can be done at http://short.mdc.mo.gov/4mY. Available workshops in northeastern Missouri are as follows:

Feb. 21 in Shelbina at the First Baptist Church (125 W. Chestnut Street)
Feb. 22 in Elsberry at the Plant Materials Center (2803 MO Hwy 79)
Feb. 27 in Milan at the Milan Communications Center (205 N. Market Street)
Feb. 28 in Chillicothe at the Litton Ag-Center (10780 Liv 235)

A fatal wreck in Ralls County yesterday. The Missouri State Highway Patrol says 44 year old Frederick Thompson of Higginsville was driving a Nissan Altima on Missouri 19, three miles snorth of Center, and lost control. 64 year old Cynthia Kilby was driving a Chevy Malibu and hit the Altima on the passenger side. Thompson died. Kilby suffered serious injuries. Thompson was not wearing a seat belt.

The south Buchanan County Route Y Bee Creek culvert is now open. Phillips Hardy, Inc., working with the Missouri Department of Transportation were able to reopen the roadway between Missouri Route 116 and the Buchanan/Platte County line, yesterday morning.The box culvert replaced a bridge at that location. The north bridge, located between Old Frame Road and Route 116, was opened in December 2023. Crews will still be on site to complete remaining shoulder work as weather allows.

The City of Kirksville would like to let residents know there will be a brief phone outage at City Hall around 12:00 pm on Thursday, January 25, 2024, due to utility work. The outage should only last about five minutes. If you try to call during this time and can’t get through, please try again a few minutes later.

The City of Kirksville says, if you own or manage a Kirksville business, it’s time to complete your business license renewal for 2024. Business license renewals were mailed the first week of January on green paper to valid business license holders. 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. Licensed contractors, plumbers, and electricians: renewals received after the February 29, 2024, deadline will be considered late and will require the applicant to pay a penalty and complete the process over again, including the contractor testing/waiver process.

Additionally, the City would like to remind businesses of the Student Discount program. More than 20 local businesses are offering discounts or specials to students attending A.T. Still University, Moberly Area Community College’s Kirksville campus and Truman State University. If this is something your business is interested in, visit kirksvillecity.com/p/student-discount for information and to see which businesses are currently participating.

Moderate injuries in a crash of a Polaris side-by-side on Saturday. The Missouri State Highway Patrol says 52 year old Lisa Clark of Darlington was on the vehicle southbound on 535th road, about two miles west of Gentryville, when the vehicle started sliding on the snow and ice-covered roadway. The vehicle went off the west side of the road and overturned. Clark was ejected and was pinned underneath. She was taken to Mosaic St. Joseph Hospital. She was not wearing a safety device.

The Kirksville Police Department is asking for the public’s assistance in identifying individuals in connection with a reported theft that occurred on the 1700 block of South Baltimore Street on December 22, 2023. Police believe the four females and one male depicted in the included photos were involved in the theft. Pictures are up on the department’s FB page.
Anyone with information regarding this press release or any suspicious activity is encouraged to contact the Kirksville Police Department at 660.785.6945, Central Dispatch at 660.665.5621, Adair County Sheriff’s Office at 660.665.4600 or anonymously at 660.627.BUST (2878) or email police@kirksvillecity.com.

The 25th Annual National Project Linus “Make A Blanket Day” Sew-In event will be held on Saturday, February 17, 2024, at the Kirksville Moose Lodge. The mission of Project Linus is to provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need through the gifts of new, handmade blankets and afghan, loving created by volunteer “Blanketeers”. Blankets for children in need will be assembled at the Moose Lodge, located at 2405 E. Illinois St., in Kirksville, and we would like to invite the community to attend.