News Staff

The Missouri State Highway Patrol would like to make the public aware of a telephone scam. In each case, a suspect contacted an individual associated with someone who was involved in a motor vehicle crash, identified themselves as the investigating trooper and attempted to solicit money from the victim. The suspect may intimidate the victim with false claims of impending or nonexistent court charges/proceedings. The public should understand Patrol employees will not contact individuals and solicit funds or demand any form of payment. Furthermore, the Patrol employees do not process bonds or accept money to prevent or dispose of charges. Never provide any personal information or banking information over the phone.

On the evening of Wednesday, October 2, 2024, the Kirksville Police Department received an anonymous tip from the Courage2Report line that there was a potential threat against area schools. This potential threat was thoroughly investigated and deemed not credible. Out of an overabundance of caution, additional officers were present at the schools this morning and will continue an increased patrol presence. The Kirksville Police Department is dedicated to the safety of our children and takes any threat against the schools seriously. We will continue to work with area school officials and other law enforcement agencies to maintain school safety. The Courage2Report system is another reporting option for students, parents, or others who hear, witness, or know of any threat to the schools. It can be accessed at mshp.dps.missouri.gov/MSHPWeb/Courage2ReportMO.
If you or your children receive, witness, or know of any threats against the schools, immediately contact dispatch or the Courage2Report system.

The City of Kirksville says The annual Adopt-A-Child Christmas Program is designed to provide a special Christmas gift for more than 400 children in Adair County, ages newborn to 16, who otherwise might not receive a gift. Sign-up for Adopt-A-Child begins on today, and lasts through December 11, 2024. Sign-up can be done at the Community Action Partnership of Northeast Missouri (215 S. Elson St.) on Tuesday and Wednesday, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, or by calling 660.665.9855 between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm from Monday through Thursday. Only the child’s legal guardian may apply. Please provide proof of guardianship, SNAP benefits and number, names and ages of children in the household (can be obtained through the Adair County Family Services Office in Kirksville).

City of Kirksville: Don’t forget that fall brush and limb pick-up begins next week. City crews will make their way across town to grab what you’ve put out. City crews will begin picking up tree limbs and large brush on Monday, October 7. Although the work is expected to take the entire week, your brush must be placed curbside by 7:00 am on Monday, or it may not get picked up. This includes limbs that are no longer than 10 feet in length, and/or no wider than 18 inches in diameter. For more information, contact the Public Works Department at 660.627.1291.

You’ll want to stay home for the holidays this year as Kirksville’s Hometown Holiday returns with plenty of festive fun on Saturday, November 30, 2024. The 13th annual Kirksville Kiwanis Christmas Parade begins at 5:30 pm, led by Grand Marshal John Garlock. The theme for this year’s parade is “Tinseltown,” so decorate floats based on your favorite holiday movies. Stick around after the parade for the ceremonial tree lighting at Dover Park. The fun continues through the night as Santa will be in the Adair County Courthouse for pictures, along with living windows, food and music around the square. Kirksville Parks and Recreation will once again host an ice-skating rink in the courthouse parking lot. The rink will be open from November 28 to December 1. More details will be announced closer to the event.

The Kirksville R III school district says we’re getting closer to starting our bond projects around campus! You might have noticed the tiling recently dropped off in front of the high school-this will be used for drainage in our new parking lot by the upcoming performing arts building. We’re looking for local contractors interested in bidding on our projects! Join us for a Meet the General Contractors Event on Wednesday, October 23, 2024, from 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM at our Board of Education Office, located at 1901 East Hamilton, Kirksville, Missouri. If you have any questions, please reach out to Matt Nigh at matt@navigatebuildingsolutions.com.

The Kirksville Police Department wants to warn the public of a new phone scam hitting the area. This new scam involves the caller using the actual names of police department members and claiming the victim missed a court date or other type of court proceeding. Then they try to convince the victim to purchase gift cards or transfer money in some other form to avoid arrest.
The Kirksville Police Department will never attempt to collect funds in any form over the phone.
This goes for all other government offices. If you have questions about a call from anyone claiming to be from a government agency demanding payment, call the number listed on the official website for that agency to confirm the identity of the caller or claim.
A few other tips to consider:
– If you receive a call like this, hang up and block the number.
– Never give out personal information over the phone unless it’s a verified company.
– Never allow anyone remote access to your computer.
– Never pay any agency or company for gift cards.
– Don’t trust anyone calling you about your bank accounts, computer subscriptions, or any other topic that leads them to ask for access or personal information.
– If you pay any bills by phone, make sure YOU initiate the call to their office using a verified phone number.

The City of Kirksville is inviting residents to a ribbon cutting to commemorate the completion of the FLATS-Theta Psi Trailhead and the grand opening of the Rotary Nature Playscape. The event will be at 5:30 pm on October 3 at the trailhead on the corner of North Osteopathy and West Missouri Street. This occasion celebrates the hard work of multiple local groups, such as the Forest Lake Area Trail System, Rotary Club of Kirksville, A.T. Still University and the City of Kirksville, along with other community partners who contributed to bringing this project to life. It stands as a testament to the dedication and community spirit that makes Kirksville thrive.
The trailhead adds another recreation amenity to Kirksville. It features a nature playscape, shelter and parking lot. A paved trail then extends 0.7 miles from the trailhead along Big Creek. The City of Kirksville will oversee the trailhead’s operation as part of its park system.

Don’t forget! the city of kirksivlle The Fall Brush and Limb Pick-Up is scheduled for October 7 to 11, 2024. This is the perfect time to remove dead branches and smaller dead trees from your yard.
City crews will begin picking up tree limbs and large brush on Monday, October 7. Although the work is expected to take the entire week, your brush must be placed curbside by 7:00 am on Monday, or it may not get picked up. This includes limbs that are no longer than 10 feet in length, and/or no wider than 18 inches in diameter.
For more information, contact the Public Works Department at 660.627.1291.

Weather permitting, September 27, U.S. Route 63 at Kirksville, in Adair County, is scheduled to close between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. while crews make bridge approach repairs at the bridge over Steer Creek, between Route P and Illinois Street.