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The annual Mascots Marching for Meals event returns this weekend. The event is organized each year by the Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri to help fund its Buddy Pack Program, which provides meals to area kids. The 1.8-mile march in Kirksville starts at 9 a.m. tomorrow at the YMCA Pavilion. There’s also a march in Macon, happening at 5:30 p.m. today at Long Branch Lake.

K-12 test scores dropped in Missouri amid the pandemic. This week, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education released preliminary statewide 2020-21 Missouri Assessment Program data. The tests show 45 percent of students are proficient or advanced in English, 35 percent in math and 37 percent in science. Results from social studies exams will be available in the coming weeks. Compared to results from the 2018-19 school year, that represents a drop of four points in English, seven points in math and five points in science.
State education officials say that because the 2020-21 MAP tests were taken under unprecedented circumstances during the COVID-19 pandemic, the State Board of Education voted in December 2020 to waive the results for state and federal accountability purposes.

This week the United Way of Northeast Missouri kicked off their 2022 campaign. Chade Shorten is serving as the Campaign Chair and Stephanie McGrew is the Assistant Campaign Chair. They are working to help the United Way achieve their goal of reaching $180,000. The drive will raise funds to support 11 area not-for-profit agencies during their 2022 fiscal year of operations. Donate online at: liveunitednemo.org

A 48-hour boil advisory is in effect for some in Kirksville. The affected area includes Ely Street between Fillmore and Scott Streets. The boil advisory lasts until 2:50 pm tomorrow.

A Truman student is facing charges for making a terrorist threat on September 11th. According to police, 20-year-old Patrick Akins made the threat on a social media app. The post mentioned blowing up Centennial Hall. Someone who saw the post contacted Truman’s Department of Public Safety. The Director was able to obtain information about who the social media account was registered to. Akins was taken into custody and appeared in court Monday. He pled not guilty to the charge of third-degree terrorist threat.

The Adair County Health Department confirmed 16 new cases of COVID-19 yesterday, and another COVID-related death. A 90-year-old female whose case was confirmed Sept. 7 passed away Sept. 9. There have now been 3,384 confirmed cases and 31 confirmed deaths. There are currently 88 active cases and 3,265 people who have left isolation. Five of the new cases reside at addresses with at least one other confirmed case, five are in the K-12 schools sector and one is in the higher education sector. Three are breakthrough infections of fully vaccinated individuals.

For nine decades, the Missouri State Highway Patrol has answered the call to serve and protect the citizens of this state. Yesterday was the 90th Anniversary of the start of the Missouri State Highway Patrol. In recognition of the anniversary, Governor Mike Parson proclaimed it to be Missouri State Highway Patrol Day in Missouri. In 1931, Governor Caulfield signed into law an act of the 56th Missouri General Assembly establishing the Patrol. Present day, the Patrol consists of over 1,500 Troopers and 1,200 civilian employees. Thirty-one Troopers have been killed on duty since 1931 with one member dying in World War II. Colonel Eric T. Olson, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, says they are committed to being professional, courteous, compassionate, resourceful, and responsible.

The Adair County Health Department confirmed 15 new cases of COVID-19 since Friday, September 10th. Among the newly confirmed cases are a 64-year-old female hospitalized at Boone Hospital since Sept. 2 and a 57-year-old female admitted to Northeast Regional Medical Center Sept. 10. Neither of the women require use of a ventilator. Also among the new cases is one fully vaccinated female in the higher education sector. On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a study which shows that unvaccinated individuals are 11 times more likely to die from COVID-19 than fully vaccinated individuals. The CDC reports that 53.8% of the eligible population in the United States is fully
vaccinated. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services reports that only 46.3% of eligible Missourians and 36.9% of eligible Adair County residents are fully vaccinated.

Truman State University has reached a milestone after being recognized as the No. 1 public school in the Midwest Region for the 25th consecutive year according to U.S. News & World Report. In the 2022 Best Colleges rankings, Truman came in at No. 6 overall among both public and private institutions in the Midwest Region, an improvement of one spot from last year. In addition to being the No. 1 public university in the region, Truman was the only Missouri public school in the top 70 spots. Truman secured an additional No. 1 award on the Best Value Schools rankings. Among both public and private schools, Truman was again tops in the Midwest Region in terms of affordability. It was the only Missouri public school included in the top 50 spots. University President Susan Thomas said, “Twenty-five years as the top public Midwest Region university is a spectacular accomplishment and a true testament to the sustained excellence exhibited by every member of our campus community.”

Adair County’s overall case count reached 3,353 with another 15 new cases confirmed Friday by the Adair County Health Department. There were 84 new cases over seven days and one more resident passed away. There are currently 97 active cases, 3,224 people who have left isolation, and 30 COVID-related deaths.

As of last Thursday, 56% of the active cases in the county were among residents ages 30 and under. One-fifth, or 20% of the active cases were in the K-12 Adair County schools sector. Adair County health officials say these percentages reflect the nationwide trend of rising infections among children and young adults since the Delta variant became the prevalent COVID strain.

Breakthrough infections among fully vaccinated residents represent 10.5% of the 815 confirmed cases from June 25 through Sept. 9. Among breakthrough cases,
70% are ages 12-60 and 30% are 61 and older. The COVID vaccines are designed to prevent serious illness requiring hospitalization and death. Only two fully vaccinated residents have required hospitalization, which is 2% of the 86 breakthrough cases. An 85-year-old male was hospitalized for two days. A 63-year-old female died while hospitalized for eight days.