News Staff Gas prices going back up as we start the new year.
AAA says the statewide average is $2.86 a gallon — that’s up 17-cents a gallon in the past week.
And we’re still more expensive in parts of our area than the rest of the state. Unleaded regular is $2.98 a gallon in Adair county. 12-cents higher than the state average. And the price is $2.99 in Sullivan county.
A Missouri prison nurse to get a big payday for sexual harrassment. The state has been ordered to pay
$2-million dollars, after a jury found that the woman was harrassed by two prison guards who talked of plans to kidnap and rape her. No word on whether the state will pay or appeal.
In Putnam county, an accidental shooting killed a 20 year old man.
It happened last Thursday afternoon near Lucerne. The sheriff’s office says that the man was trying to unload a handgun when he accidentally shot himself. He’s indentified as Jesse Miller of Indianola, Iowa. He had been staying with family in Putnam county.
In Scotland County, you will have to wear a mask at the county hospital.
The reason, so much flu, RSV and covid. Scotland County hospital’s CEO said they can’t afford to have employees get sick when theere are so many sick people to treat. The mask mandate will run through early January.
The hopsital is also limiting visitors.
The sad side of the holiday: the crash statistics for the Christmas holiday weekend from the State Patrol.
Three people died in wrecks during the 72 hour period. That’s down from eight deaths last Christmas. And there were about 500 fewer wrecks this year. Still, 306 accidents in all, with 84 injuries. And there were 52 DWI arrests.
The patrol will also track crashes on the New Year’s week-end. They’re urging anyone who plans to drink while ringing in the new year — to have a plan to get home without driving themselves.
A wreck on Christmas eve near Bevier. The patrol says a 64 year old woman had a medical problem which led to her driving she into oncoming traffic in the left lane then she hit a sign. Pamela Garrett of Brookfield was flown to University Hospital. She had minor injuries in the wreck.
And on Christmas day, a Moberly man was hurt on Route BB. The road was covered with snow, the patrol says that 27 year old Christopher Johnson started sliding and hit several small trees. He was taken to Moberly Regional with moderate injuries.
A 20 year old from Memphis was killed last Thursday night after hitting a deer. The patrol says Jason Gingerich ran off the road after hitting the animal and flipped over. He was not wearing a seat belt and was partially thrown from his jeep.
New state troopers — 19 of them — graduated from the State Patrol’s Law Enforcement Academy this week.
The new troopers will report to duty across the state on January 9th.
In our area — which is Troop B — two of the graduates will work in Linn and Chariton Counties. They are Jorden Billings who is from Bowling Green and Carter Munch who is from Hannibal.
The City of Kirksville is under a Snow Emergency — that means all vehicles parked on city streets that are designated Snow Emergency Routes — have to be moved or they may get towed.
This is being called a once in a generation storm across the midwest. Dangerous windchills locally, at 35 below zero — along with the snow.
The winter storm warning is in effect until six tomorrow evening. The windchill warning is with us until noon on Satruday.
Using Marijuana in Missouri — voters approved toking-up — now politicians want you to pay-up with higher sales taxes on weed.
The Kirksville City Council wants a 3% sales tax on pot, and they will put that idea on the ballot next April for local voters to decide.
If approved, half of the toke-tax will go to Kirksville police, the other half to be used for community improvment projects
A winter storm watch in in effect for our area from Thursday morning through Friday afternoon. We may get up to six inches of snow with winds whipping around at 50 miles an hour. That means dangerous wind chiills as low as 35 below zero. That kind of situation can cause frostbite on exposed skin in just 10 minutes.
Forecasters say plan on slippery roads. And poor visibility.