KIRX News

Troop B investigated 5 injury crashes and 1 fatal crash for the week of May 16 thru May 22. With 7 people being injured as a result of those crashes and 1 fatality. 3 occupants of those vehicles were unrestrained or not wearing a helmet on a motorcycle. Troop B is conducting Click-It-Or-Ticket operations through June 5. Hours for this operation are from 8 am to 4 pm. Troopers will also be detecting speeding and hazardous moving violations that are contributing factors for traffic crashes.

A state high court appointment is making history. Governor Mike Parson appointed the Honorable Robin Ransom as the next Judge of the Supreme Court of Missouri. She will fill the vacancy created by the retirement of the Honorable Laura Denvir Stith in early March. Judge Ransom was appointed to serve on the Eastern District Court of Appeals by Governor Parson in 2019. Before serving on the appellate bench, Judge Ransom was appointed as a Circuit Judge for the City of St. Louis by Governor Matt Blunt in 2008. Prior to her appointment to the bench, Judge Ransom served for six years as a Family Court Commissioner in the City of St. Louis. She also previously served in the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office as well as the St. Louis County Public Defender’s Office. With her appointment, Ransom has made history, as she becomes the first Black woman to sit on the Missouri Supreme Court. The Missouri Legislative Black Caucus said they are pleased to see black women finally represented in the state’s highest court with the appointment of Judge Ransom.

The Adair County Veterans’ Organizations will host a Memorial Day Ceremony at 11:00 am, Monday, May 31 at Adair County Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2508, on Parallel Road in Kirksville. Mr. Eric Sullivan, Missouri State Commander, Veterans of Foreign Wars will be the featured speaker. The public is invited to attend.

The Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety is joining with state and local law enforcement now through June 6 in the national “Click It or Ticket” enforcement campaign to highlight the importance of buckling up.

Along with wearing a seat belt, they want to remind motorists to slow down, put the phone down and never drive impaired.

For 2020, preliminary data indicates 428 individuals killed in Missouri traffic crashes were not wearing their seat belt. It is the highest number of unbuckled fatalities in Missouri during the last 5 years and an 18% increase from the year before. Seat belt use in Missouri has consistently risen over the last two decades, but in 2020, that momentum was stopped.

Missouri’s new strategic highway safety plan, Show-Me Zero, Driving Missouri Toward Safer Roads, identifies four key focus areas to help reduce traffic deaths, including the importance of seat belts, car seats, and motorcycle helmets. Other focus areas in the plan include distracted driving, speeding and impaired driving.

The furniture for the Kirksville Aquatic Center has arrived The Kirksille Parks and Recreation Department says this purchase was funded in part by the NEMO Solid Waste Management District Region “C” and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. All of the furniture purchased is made from recycled plastic content. Parks and Rec Management says that In addition to looking nice, they have a much longer life span than traditional plastic, and it is estimated that this purchase diverted 4 tons of plastic from landfills.

Sergeant Luke Bachman was recently recognized for 15 years of service with the Kirksville Police Department. During his time at the Kirksville Police Department, Sgt. Bachman has served as a patrol officer, master police officer, lake patrol officer and field training officer. KPD is thanking Sergeant Bachman for his dedication to the department.

A Missouri woman died after she was trampled by a protective mother cow. Sullivan County Coroner Bob Wyant identified Jane Heisey as the victim. The death was ruled an accident. Heisey died Thursday morning on her family farm just outside of Harris. According to KTVO, she and her husband were tagging a newborn calf’s ear in a lot near their house when the mother cow knocked Heisey to the ground and stepped on her head.

The Sullivan County Memorial Hospital in Milan reopened Friday morning after being closed due to a fire. Crews responded to the fire at the hopsital on Thursday. Everyone was safely evacuated, and two patients were transported to other area hospitals. A hospital spokesman says fire started in an electrical outlet in the dietary manager’s office. Firefighters were able to keep the fire contained to that room. Three neighboring rooms in the housekeeping and laundry areas received smoke damage. The hospital was temporarily closed while electrical repairs were made.

Adair County ended last week with a total COVID-19 case count of 2,473. There are six active cases and 2,447 people who have left isolation. Positive test results for females ages 20 and 24 were confirmed Thursday by the Adair County Health Department. As for vaccinations, an estimated 29.7% of residents have been fully vaccinated. An estimated 33.3% have initiated vaccination. In total, 15,555 doses have been administered.

The Kirksville Founders Day Ceremony rescheduled for this weekend because of weather, was once again impacted by inclement weather. Organizers took the annual event online for a virtual ceremony. A video of the event will be posted this week on the
City’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/kirksvillecity, and the City’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/cityofkirksville.