News Staff

Governor Mike Parson announced he has selected Michael Leara as the next State Supervisor for the Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control within the Missouri Department of Public Safety. Mr. Leara, of St. Louis, has served as the Chairman of the Missouri Gaming Commission since August 2019. He has also owned and operated Gateway Advisors, LLC, in St. Louis since 1999. He has grown his business from a financial consulting firm offering public and private pension services to a now corporate and governmental retirement and pension plan consulting firm. Mr. Leara also served as a State Representative for the 96th District from 2009-2017. During his time as a State Representative, he served as Vice Chair on the Board of Trustees for the Missouri State Employee Retirement System. Mr. Leara attended Saint Louis University.

The Annual Wooden Nickel 4 Person Golf Tournament held July 14 th raised $16,730 for the United Way of Northeast Missouri. Winners of the Champ Flight included Lefty’s Barbershop 1 st Place, Lovegreen Ford 2 nd , and Team
Williams got 3 rd . A Flight winners were Team Snyder 1 st . Place, Team Mills 2 nd Place, and Kirksville Motors placed 3 rd . B Flight winners were Team Mallett 1 st Place, Coy’s Boatworks 2 nd , and Edward Jones came in
third. The United Way of Northeast Missouri provides funding for 11 not for profit agencies. Agencies funded include Adair County 4-H, Adair County YMCA, Boy Scouts of America/Great River Council, Community Opportunities Workshop, Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri, Hospice of Northeast Missouri, Macon Diversified Industries, NEMO Senior Citizens Services, RSVP/Senior Adult Services, Salvation Army and the Community Child Development Center.

The indoor pool at the Kirksville Aquatic Center will be closed July 23 through July 30, 2023, for routine annual maintenance. This includes deep cleaning, paint touch ups and water replacement. During this time, lap swimming will be available at the outdoor pool Monday through Friday from 6:00 am to 9:30 am, and 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm. Water walking will be available in the outdoor current channel on those same days and times. The arthritis class will meet at its usual time, Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 9:00 am, in the outdoor pool. The Friends Aerobics class will move to 11:00 am to 12:00 pm on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.

The City of Kirksville says The Street Maintenance Division of the City of Kirksville’s Public Works Department will begin mill and overlay work on East Hamilton Street, from Jamison Street to South Cottage Grove Avenue, starting Monday, July 24, 2023. The street will have alternating traffic lanes during construction. This project is expected to be completed by August 4, depending on the weather.

The Kirksville Arts Association says Summer on the Square is taking a break this week, because of the fair. Matt Kennedy and the Busted String Band will be performing on July 28th at the courthouse lawn.

The NEMO Drug-Free Communities Taskforce is working to raise awareness about the dangers of underage alcohol consumption and what people can do to help reduce it. The Taskforce is taking advantage of the number of teens and adults who attend the NEMO Fair in Kirksville to spread the word about how to “Summer Responsibly.” The Taskforce works to reduce youth alcohol, marijuana, and prescription drug use in Adair and surrounding counties. This week, members of the Taskforce will be getting the word out using banners and signs placed throughout the NEMO Fairgrounds, including at the gates, show barns, and campground. Research shows the earlier kids try alcohol or another substance, the more likely they are to become addicted. The goal of “Summer Responsibly” is to encourage community members and parents to do their part by not providing alcohol or other substances to minors.

Missouri’s education department has decided not to apply for federal relief money that was helping to provide food assistance to families. The Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer Program started in 2020 with a goal of offering $120 food help to families with children who are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, or who attend a school in a low-income area when many schools were shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The state participated in the past, but has decided not to take part in the program this year. It means more than 350,000 Missouri kids will not benefit from that federal food program. This year the education department cited a number of challenges throughout the process due to the federal requirements with accessing and administering the benefits, plus the limitations of the state and local data collection systems.

Missouri marijuana sales have topped half a billion dollars since recreational marijuana was legalized in February of this year. New numbers from the state show Missouri recorded $121.2 million dollars in sales in June, which includes a new record high for recreational marijuana sales. If Missouri keeps going at this rate, over $1 billion in marijuana will be sold this year alone. In May of this year, Missouri hit $1 billion in marijuana sales since when medical marijuana was legalized. About $3 million worth of marijuana has been sold on an average day in Missouri since it was made legal.

The Kirksville Firefighters Local 2952 announces the Ranch Rodeo and Barrel Race on Saturday, September 16th, at the NEMO Fairgrounds. Barrel Races start at 3 p.m. The Ranch Rodeo will not start before 6 p.m. Supper will be avilable on-site. Full RV hookups are available upon request. Stalls will be available on a first-come, first-served basis, with a $30 deposit.

Truman State University says this year’s recipients for the Dr. Kay Clapp Children’s Literacy Award are Jacquelyn Wheeler and Teresa Davidson. Jacquelyn recently earned her MAE with an emphasis in elementary education at Truman. She is a fourth grade teacher at Bartley Elementary in the Fulton School District. Teresa is a reading specialist at the Kirksville Primary School.