News Staff

Fatal wreck Thursday on highway 36 near Macon. The State Patrol says a big rig was stalled in the road — when it was rear-ended by a 71 year old woman in an SUV. She’s identified as Mary Kliethermes of Independence.
She died at the scene. The truck driver had only minor injuries.

If you’re doing some fall yard work — put this date on your calendar for the City’s Fall Brush and Limb Pick Up next month.

It’s October 3rd through the 7th. City crews will begin picking up tree limbs and large brush on Monday, October 3rd. The work is expected to take all week, but to guarantee pickup, your brush must be curbside by 7:00 am, Monday, October the 3rd.

Limbs no longer than 10 feet — no wider than 18 inches in diameter.

Kirksville city council put off a major healthcare decision until the next meeting. Hannibal Regional Healthcare wants to buy 240 acres for a new health care facility. But the land has to be rezoned.

Council expressed excitement over more health care in town — which doesn’t sit well with Northeast Regional Medical Center. The CEO says it will hurt their business if a new facility opens.

Just the clothes on their backs — that’s all a local family has left after a week-end house fire. That’s according to a Go Fund Me page set up for Johnnie Howell, her partner Justus, and their three young daughters. The fire happened on their youngest child’s birthday. Their house on Highway 129 near Unionville burned to the ground. The family was not home at the time

Kirksville city council will consider a report Monday evening on housing in Kirksville that was prepared by a consultant. The report says the city will be short of rental homes and apartments by nearly 800 units over the next five years — with the shortage hitting low income families the hardest.

The report has several recommendations including trying to encourage developers to start building.

Health care controversy. Hannibal Regional Healthcare System wants to build in Kirksville — possibly a 100 million dollar development. But Northeast Regional Medical opposes Hannibal coming.

Last week, the planning and zoning commission said turned-down rezoning land for the project. But a lawyer for Hannibal Regional says on his Facebook page that the city council will revisit that decision Monday evening. He says the development would give area residents a choice in health care.

Traffic note: LaHarpe Street – from South Franklin Street to South Baltimore Street – will be closed to traffic until 7 pm today (9/15). They’re putting down new asphalt. Also Friday, work will begin on First Street – from Jefferson Street to Shepard Avenue – so you should use a different route.

An unusual practice for first responders on Wenesday in Moberly. They will practice a big what if — what if a vehicle crashed into a train car that was carrying used nuclear fuel from the Navy.

They will actually have a vehicle hit an empty car in the rail yard to practice the response. Federal and local authorities are taking part in the drill. Spent fuel shipments do move through the area — accompanied by armed couriers — as they travel to an Idaho facility.

The Adair county sheriff’s office will try something new on their Facebook page. On Fridays, they will post what their deputies have been up to, and what they’ve encountered in the previous week. The idea, the sheriff says, is to maintain a safe community. The new Facebook feature will be called, ” Friday Facts.”

Blood tests. The Sullivan County Health Department in Milan will let you walk in form 8:30 to 10 on the 29th and get lab work done. They will draw blood for the PSA test to check the prostate. That’s $10, so is an A1C test. Other tests are $30 such as a complete blood county, a lipid panel or thyroid test, again that’s 8:30 to 10 on the 29th.