News Staff

Moderate injuries in a two-vehicle crash in Linn County yesterday. The Missouri State Highway Patrol says it happened on Fair Drive, a mile north of Purdin, at 1:20 p.m. 60-year-old Jerry Mullany of Purdin was driving a Jeep Grand Cherokee, and collided with a Polaris Ranger UTV at the crest of a hill. He suffered moderate injuries and was taken to Hedrick Medical Center. The UTV was being driven by a 13-year-old male, who suffered minor injuries and was taken to Missouri Children’s Hospital. Neither was wearing a safety device.

Visit Kirksville says Get ready to put those leftover Christmas gift boxes to good use!
Join the Kirksville Parks and Recreation Department on Sunday, January 21, 2024, from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm, and take part in the Kids Cardboard Boat Race!
Children ages 5 to 16 can sign up as an individual or as a team of up to four people and put their building skills to the test. Participants must construct a boat structure using cardboard, duct tape and water-based paint, and attempt to make it across the pool in the fastest time. Teams will compete in age divisions based on the mean age of the team and can win in multiple categories, including Fastest Time and Best Design!
This event is completely free for all participants and spectators! Register today at parks.kirksvillecity.com.

Moderate injuries in a single-vehicle wreck that happened on December 21st. The Missouri State Highway Patrol says it happened as a 2006 Freightlner was headed northbound on Highway W, three miles south of Missouri 6, four miles southwest of Trenton. The Freightliner went off the east side of the road and hit a guardrail before overturning and coming to rest on its passenger side partly in Wolf Creek. The driver of the Freightliner, 67-year-old Randall Romesburg of Trenton, was taken to Wright Memorial Hospital in Trenton by private vehicle.

The City of Kirksville says are you wondering what to do with your old Christmas tree? The City will offer a free Christmas tree drop-off from Wednesday, December 27, 2023, through Wednesday, January 3, 2024. Christmas trees may be dropped off within the orange fenced-in area in the northeast corner of the Missouri Street and Main Street public parking lot. All decorations, including ornaments, lights, tinsel, etc., must be removed prior to drop-off.

Kirksville Parks and Rec says they are excited to announce the addition of a Free Sled Library in Rotary Park! This treasure chest of sleds contains free sleds that can be used by community members and returned when finished. This awesome park amenity was built and donated by the team at Vorhees Plumbing & Drain Services, LLC. This sled shed will be available on snowy days on our designated sledding hill, accessible from the Kirksville Aquatic Center parking lot.

The scheduled reopening of the box culvert that replaced the south Bee Creek Bridge, on Buchanan County Route Y, located between Route 116 and the Buchanan/Platte County line, has been delayed until early January. Phillips Hardy, Inc., working with the Missouri Department of Transportation, began the bridge replacement project in March with plans to be complete in early December. Contractor scheduling and weather caused delays from the original schedule. Crews are now working to complete the final stages of the project, including continued grading and dirt work.

The bridge rehabilitation project on Missouri Route 149, located over Walnut Creek, 1.2 miles south of Missouri Route 156 near Gifford, in Macon County is now complete and opened to traffic today, December 22, 2023. Contractors from E & C Bridge, LLCs working with the Missouri Department of Transportation, began work on the project October 16, which involved removing a flood damaged culvert and replacing it with the newly completed bridge.

Catch some fresh air and fish, too, at the Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) free family fishing event from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 29, at the Lost Valley Fish Hatchery in Warsaw. The catch-and-release fishing opportunity at the hatchery’s education pond is a great way to introduce youths or adults to fishing. MDC staff will be on hand to assist anglers.

The City of Kirksville is accepting applications for multiple positions on its Citizen Advisory Commissions. There is currently one spot available on the Planning and Zoning Commission and two on the Kirksville Historic Preservation Commission. For more information on the commissions and to view the application, head to www.kirksvillecity.com/p/boards-commissions. January 12 is the deadline to apply.

The new bridge on U.S. Route 136 in Schuyler County, over North Fork Middle Fabius River, 1.1 miles east of Route C near Lancaster, opened to traffic on December 20. Bleigh Construction Company of Palmyra, Missouri was awarded the contract last year in the amount of $2,263,616. This contract also includes an additional bridge replacement project located on Missouri Route 15 in Scotland County, over North Fork Wyaconda River, 0.4 miles south of Route EE near Memphis. This bridge was completed earlier this summer.