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The Missouri Department of Transportation has contracted North Central Bridge, LLC to replace the Hickory Creek Bridge on Holt County Route B. The project, which will replace the current bridge that was built in 1938, is scheduled to begin Monday, May 5. During construction, Route B will be closed at the Hickory Creek Bridge. Motorists will need to seek an alternate route during the closure.

Kirksville will be the site of the 2025 Special Olympics Missouri State Summer Games, May 30 through June 1, and the Truman State University campus will host all the events. Volunteers are a crucial component of making the games a special event for athletes, families and spectators. There are more than 300 volunteer opportunities available during the event, from help at the athletic competitions to many of the support efforts. In addition to assistance for swimming, track and field, and powerlifting, volunteers will be needed for the opening ceremony, the Healthy Athletes stations, move in, bingo, crafts, photography and more. Individuals and organizations can sign up for multiple volunteer opportunities as long as there is no time conflict between events. A complete list of volunteer needs can be found online at somo.volunteerhub.com/vv2/lp/state.

The City of Kirksville celebrates Arbor Day on April 25, 2025, with a proclamation from Mayor Zac Burden and tree planting. Trees increase property values, enhance the economic vitality of business areas and beautify our community. They also reduce the erosion of our precious topsoil by wind and water, cut heating and cooling costs, moderate the temperature, clean the air, produce life-giving oxygen and provide habitat for wildlife. The Kirksville Parks and Recreation Department would like to invite residents to a tree-planting event on Arbor Day. New trees will be planted at 11:00 am on Friday, April 25, 2025, at Detweiler Park, 411 E. McPherson St. Join Parks and Recreation staff to learn more about planting and the City’s commitment to being a Tree City USA. Kirksville is pleased to be recognized as a Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation for 26 years.

Individuals are invited to a public informational meeting that will share information about the future interchange improvement project on U.S. Route 63, over U.S. Route 36 in Macon. The public meeting is planned for Monday, May 5, 2025, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Comfort Inn & Suites Macon at 1821 N. Missouri Street in Macon, Missouri. Details about the project, including a project schedule, will be shared at the meeting through displays and discussions with Missouri Department of Transportation engineers. The meeting is open-house style, so there will be no formal presentation; attendees can attend anytime between 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. The project is scheduled to be under contract this Fall and will include bridge rehabilitation, off-ramp realignments and turn lane improvements at the ramp terminals, traffic signal and lighting upgrades at the U.S. 63 and Bus. 36 intersections, and safety improvements at Kellogg Avenue median crossover.

Household hazardous waste (HHW) drop-off for Kirksville City residents will be Saturday, May 17, 2025, between 8:00 am and 12:00 pm at the Public Works Complex, located at 2001 N. Osteopathy St. Citizens must call Public Works to schedule an appointment. Citizens will not be allowed to drop off waste without an appointment. Appointments are limited and no additional appointments will be made once the schedule is full. HHW applies to any leftover household products that contain corrosive, toxic, ignitable, or reactive ingredients. Commercial hazardous waste is not accepted. Latex paint is not accepted. You can dispose of latex paint in your trash as long as it is in a dry, solid, hardened state. You may use kitty litter or sand to harden it, or simply leave the lid off so it can dry out. A maximum of 10 total gallons of paint will be accepted from each citizen who has a scheduled appointment. Along with latex paint, additional items that are not accepted are syringes, items containing mercury, knives, electronics, computer batteries, containers over five gallons, and cylinder items such as fire extinguishers, freon, helium, and propane bottles. Positive and negative battery terminals must be covered with masking tape. If they are not taped, they will not be accepted. No computer batteries or cylinders of any kind will be accepted.

MoDot says weather permitting, as early as April 24, a bridge replacement project is scheduled to begin on Route V in Adair County, over North Timber Creek, 0.86 mile south of Missouri Route 6, near Brashear. Work is estimated to be completed by late summer. Included in this contract is an additional bridge replacement project, scheduled to begin late May, located on Route E over Bear Creek, 1.6 miles west of Route V, near Gibbs in Adair County. All work is weather dependent and schedules are subject to change. Bleigh Construction Company was awarded the contract in earlier this year in the amount of $2.7M.

The City of Kirksville says, as part of National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, a Kirksville resident donated a new flowering dogwood tree at Rotary Park to honor dispatchers at the Adair County Emergency Communications Center. The flowering dogwood is Missouri’s state tree. We look forward to seeing this one grow in the coming years. If you are interested in a tribute tree of your own, contact Kirksville Parks and Recreation at 660.627.1485.

Mark your calendars and hop on over to the 47th annual Kirksville Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 19, 2025, at 10:00 am, at the Truman State University Quad! Kirksville Parks and Recreation, Kraft Heinz and Truman State University’s Cardinal Key are partnering to host this event free of charge. Children ages 2 to 12 are invited to join and find as many eggs as possible. The hunt begins promptly at 10:00 am and is over quickly, so make sure to arrive early. Remember to bring a basket for all the eggs and your camera for a picture with our special guest, the Easter Bunny!

The City of Milan is pleased to announce that it has successfully secured a Risk Management Grant in the amount of $2,250 through the Missouri Intergovernmental Risk Management Association (MIRMA)’s Risk Management Awards Program. This funding will be used to purchase new tasers for the Milan Police Department, enhancing officer safety and improving overall public safety in the community. The Risk Management Grants are part of MIRMA’s commitment to supporting municipalities in mitigating potential risks and improving safety measures. The grant funds will go toward replacing outdated equipment and ensuring that Milan’s police officers are equipped with the latest non-lethal tools to effectively handle various situations, ensuring both officer and community safety. The Milan Police Department is dedicated to serving and protecting the residents of Milan, and the new equipment will further enhance its ability to carry out this mission effectively. The city will work closely with the police department to ensure the seamless integration of the new tasers into daily operations.

MoDot says Individuals are invited to a public informational meeting that will share information about a future project that will include resurfacing, signal work and sidewalk improvements at various locations in Mexico in Audrain County. The public meeting is planned for Thursday, May 1, 2025, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Audrain County Courthouse at 101 N. Jefferson Street in Mexico, Missouri. Details about the project, including a project schedule, will be shared at the meeting through displays and discussions with Missouri Department of Transportation engineers. The meeting is open-house style, so there will be no formal presentation; attendees can attend anytime between 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.