News Staff

Get ready for a night of spooky fun as the Kirksville Parks and Recreation Department invites you to the 8th annual Free Halloween Flashlight EGGstravaganza! Join us on Saturday, October 26, 2024, at 7:00 pm at the North Park Complex, located at 2710 Novinger St.
Prepare for an egg-hunting adventure like no other as we scatter 11,000 eggs filled with candy and toys across the ballfields. Don’t forget to bring your flashlight and a bag because. The egg hunt begins promptly at 7:00 pm!
To ensure that every child has an enjoyable experience, we’ve organized the egg hunt into three age-appropriate zones:
• Yellow Field: Children ages 5 and under
• Orange Field: Children ages 6 through 8
• Green Field: Children ages 9 to 12
The best part? This incredible Halloween event is entirely FREE! So, gather your friends and family and join us for an unforgettable evening of Halloween fun.

United Way of Northeast Missouri (UWNEMO) will hold their semi-annual Texas Hold’em tournament Fundraiser, Wednesday, October 23, at the Dukum Inn in #DowntownKirksville . Registration for the tournament will start at 5:30 p.m. First hand will be dealt at 6:30 pm. Initial buy-in is $25 per person with buy back options available. $850 in guaranteed cash prizes await the first, second and third place finishers. 1st Prize is $500 plus a Texas Hold’em Trophy, 2nd Place is $250 and 3rd Place is $100. All proceeds will go to benefit the United Way’s agencies.

Weather permitting, motorists can expect short delays when traveling on U.S. Route 61 as rolling closures are planned for the week of October 28 between midnight and 4:00 a.m. while crews set girders for the new Missouri Route 47 bridge over U.S. 61 at Troy in Lincoln County. This work is part of stage 2 construction on the diverging diamond interchange project. Missouri Route 47 remains reduced to one lane in each direction, including a 12-foot width restriction, from North Lincoln Drive to East Cherry Street. U.S. 61 off-ramp traffic continues to be restricted to right turns only at the ramp terminals onto MO 47. Motorists should utilize the signed detour in reaching their destinations. Stage 2 is scheduled to be complete by December 15, 2024.

The Missouri State Emergency Management Agency resminds, Many recognize the southeast region of the state as Missouri’s Bootheel, but did you know it is also at the center of the New Madrid Seismic Zone – one of the most active earthquake zones in the U.S.? Wherever you are, it’s important to know what to do when the shaking starts! Register for the #ShakeOut to practice with thousands of Missourians on Oct. 17. At 10:17 am (local time) on 10/17, you can join more than a million people across the Central U.S. practicing earthquake safety. While we encourage you to participate with everyone, you can register your ShakeOut drill for any day of the year, and drill at a time of your choice. You can also include people in multiple locations through video conferencing. You can register and learn more by going to shakeout.org.

Downtown Kirksville is the place to be for Bolognafest on Saturday, October 19, 2024, from 3:00 pm to 5:30 pm. There will be free food, games, prizes, music and much more. New this year is a trunk or treat! You won’t want to miss this uniquely Kirksville event.

The Carroll/Chariton County Route M bridge over the Grand River east of Bosworth is now open after a rehabilitation project. The bridge, built in 1983, carries approximately 300 vehicles per day. The project included replacing the bridge’s deck, barriers and approaches, along with sealing the bridge structure and various drainage work.

Governor Mike Parson ordered the U.S. and Missouri flags to be flown at half-staff at government buildings in the City of St. Louis and all sheriffs’ offices in Missouri on Friday, October 11, 2024, to honor St. Louis City Sheriff’s Office Deputy Dennis Boyd. Before joining the St. Louis City Sheriff’s Office, Deputy Boyd had served for two years with the St. Louis City Division of Corrections. On the morning of September 25, Deputy Boyd suffered a medical emergency as he returned to the Sheriff’s Office after beginning work before dawn.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol, a premier law enforcement agency, is testing for new troopers. The Patrol is encouraging qualified individuals of all backgrounds to apply and will offer testing at nine different locations in Missouri. Those who successfully complete testing will be eligible to continue in the selection process for the 124th Recruit Class, scheduled to begin training on June 30, 2025. To be eligible, candidates must possess a high school diploma or GED equivalent and be 21 years of age upon graduating from the Patrol’s Law Enforcement Academy. Upon graduating from the Patrol’s Academy, troopers are eligible to earn 46 credit hours through Mineral Area College in Park Hills, MO, or 30 credit hours through the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, MO, toward a degree, or 57 credit hours through Missouri State University in Springfield, MO, toward a degree. During the Academy, recruits may also be eligible to receive an associate of applied science degree at Mineral Area College by completing an additional 16 general education credit hours through online courses with Western Governors University.

Crews from the Missouri Department of Transportation will be closing Route EE in Sullivan County, east of Newtown, Wednesday, Oct. 9, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The road will be closed between Routes K and KK for a culvert replacement. Motorists will need to use an alternate route during the closure. All work is weather-permitting, and schedules are subject to change.

Several Kirksville parks will receive new furniture pieces after the City was awarded a Non-Playground Scrap Tire Grant from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. The grant will add 14 picnic tables, eight benches and four ADA-accessible tables across Brashear, Rotary and P.C. Mills parks – at no cost to the City. These pieces are constructed from recycled tires, diverting thousands of pounds of rubber from landfills while creating durable features for park patrons. Including ADA-accessible tables will further improve park accessibility so all residents can use and enjoy Kirksville parks. Brashear Park will receive 10 tables, two being ADA-accessible, and four benches. These will be placed in the new shelter and around the splash pad once those new amenities are constructed. Rotary Park will receive six tables, one being ADA-accessible. P.C. Mills Park will receive two tables, one being ADA-accessible, and four benches. They will create a new seating area around where the planned splash pad will go.