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Two Truman alumni are helping with global vaccine efforts. Rachel Humphrey (class of ’95) and Bryan Heartsfield (class of ’92) are two of the leaders in the fight against the coronavirus. Humphrey, an Army Colonel, is the chief of plans for the COVID-19 Countermeasures Acceleration Group. Through his role with the Health and Human Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, Heartsfield is the Strategic National Stockpile lead public health advisor. The alumni, who are also friends, are working together in Washington D.C. to make sure everyone in the world has access to the COVID-19 vaccine.

A repeat DUI offender was arrested in Macon County on Sunday. The highway patrol in Macon County reports 62-year-old Rodney Butterfield is accused of felony driving while intoxicated, driving while his license was revoked, and failure to park a vehicle, not in motion.

Kirksville Police Chief Scott Williamson took his official oath of office as Chief of Police yesterday morning. The oath of office was administered by City Clerk Wanda Cagle. The city conducted a nationwide search after the unexpected passing of former chief, Steve Farnsworth last October. In May, the city announced the hiriring of Williamson, who previously served as a lieutenant with Kauai Police Department. Williamson said Kirksville was one of two communities he had considered as he looked for a department in the Midwest to relocate his family.

The county’s overall COVID-19 case count has risen to 2,707 after the Adair County Health Department confirmed 15 new cases since last Friday. There are now 57 active cases and 2,627 people who have left isolation. Seven of the new cases reside at addresses with at least one other confirmed case. Four are employed at an area meat processing plant. Two are breakthrough cases involving fully vaccinated individuals. The remaining 13 cases are unvaccinated. As for hospitalizations, a 63-year-old female admitted to Northeast Regional Medical Center July 21 was discharged to her home July 23. A 39-year-old male was admitted July 23 and a 26-year-old male was admitted July 25. None require use of a ventilator.

Troop B with the Missouri State Highway Patrol will be conducting a Child Safety Seat check day from 8 am till 10 am. To schedule a seat inspection, call Troop B at 660-385-2132 and request to speak with Cpl. Justin Dunn.

Be sure to dring plenty of fluids and plan to stay cool as dangerous heat comes our way. A heat advisory will be effet for the area from noon tomorrow to 9 PM Thursday. Heat index values up to 108 are expected. The combination of hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat illnesses to occur.

A bridge replacement project in Adair County is set to start today. Crews will close Missouri Route 11 at Steer Creek, located 4.7 miles east of U.S. Route 63 near Kirksville, for bridge replacement. The bridge is currently striped as one lane. Missouri Department of Transportation Area Engineer Amy Crawford says once completed, Steer Creek will be 26 feet wide and have two-foot shoulders, while allowing two-lane traffic to cross. This bridge is included in Gov. Mike Parson’s $351 million Focus on Bridges program, which will repair or replace 250 bridges across the state. The contractor for this project was awarded nearly $531,000.

The Missouri Supreme Court unanimously ruled last week in favor of the voter-approved expansion of Medicaid. Their ruling vacates a circuit court ruling that said expansion violates the state constitution’s prohibition on voters creating new programs that aren’t funded. The decision by the Supreme Court sends the case back to the circuit court who is instructed to enter a judgment in favor of those who sought expansion of the program. Three women who were eligible under the expansion sued the state in May after the legislature failed to appropriate extra money for the program and Governor Mike Parson instructed his administration not to expand eligibility because it wasn’t funded. The expanded eligibility was set to begin July 1st. Voters approved the amendment to expand Medicaid for low income people last August.

A teenager was seriously injured in a crash in Monroe County last Thursday. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol Crash report, the 16-year-old male was travelling east in a small pickup when it ran off the left side of the road and overturned. The pickup came to rest on its wheels. The teen was taken by ambulance to University Hospital in Columbia.

The Adair County Health Department confirmed 16 new cases of COVID-19 yestrerday, the highest one-day total since February 2nd. The Health Department
also confirmed the county’s 23rd COVID-related death, an 84-year-old female who had been at Northeast Regional Medical Center since July 8th. The total case count has now climbed to 2,686 with 67 active cases and 2,596 people who
have left isolation. yesterday’s cases include a 31-year-old male and a 63-year-old female admitted to NRMC Wednesday. Neither are currently on a ventilator. The 63-year-old female is fully vaccinated. Breakthrough cases requiring hospitalization are rare. According to the CDC, 97% of patients hospitalized due to COVID-19 are unvaccinated. The local woman lives with other COVID-positive cases, none of whom are vaccinated.