KIRX News

The Adair County Health Department confirmed six new cases of COVID-19 yesterday, bringing the total case count to 2,364. There are 21 active cases and 2,323 people who have left isolation. Yesterday’s cases include females ages 20 and 65, and males ages 26, 37, 40 and 61. One case is in the higher education sector.

Since moving into the Sue Ross Arts Center nine months ago, The Kirksville Arts Association has been patiently waiting for the building to be completed. The exterior mosaic murals were installed over the weekend and this project is finished. Management and staff are thanking everyone who donated to building the new arts center. The Arts Association had a dream of bringing a state-of-the-art facility to Kirksville for the community to enjoy and they appreciate everyone who helped make that dream a reality.

Lt. Governor Mike Kehoe announced yesterday that he won’t be among those running to replace GOP Senator Roy Blunt next year and instead plans to run for governor in 2024. Current Governor Mike Parson is term-limited. Kehoe said while he was encouraged by the support to serve as a Senator, he feels his true calling remains to work on behalf of Missourians in Missouri as Lieutenant Governor and as a candidate for Governor in 2024. Meanwhile, Former Missouri Governor Eric Greitens announced yesterday that he will run for the United States Senate seat of Roy Blunt in 2022. Blunt announced he would not seek re-election in 2022. Other potential Republican contenders include U.S. Reps. Ann Wagner and Jason Smith, and Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt.

After a slow rise in confirmed cases of COVID-19 among Adair County residents, the number increased by 10 in three days, including five confirmed on Saturday and another five confirmed yesterday. The number of active cases moved up from a recent low of nine to 20. Adair County’s confirmed case count is now 2,358 with 2,318 people who have left isolation.

The Moderna vaccine for COVID-19 (a two-dose shot, twenty-eight days apart) will be available on Wednesday March 24 and 31, at Scotland County Hospital in Memphis. Call their Vaccine Hotline to schedule your appointment at 660.342.6295.

4 people were injured when a horse drawn buggy was hit in Schuyler County. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the accident happened on Route K, just west of Greentop yesterday morning. The driver of a vehicle, 69-year-old Ralph Miller, was blinded by the sun, and struck the rear of the buggy, which was occupied by 4 people, two adults and 2 juveniles. The children and one of the adults had minor injuries. The adult female had moderate injuries. All were treated at Northeast Regional Medical Center.

A Special Meeting of the Kirksville City Council has been scheduled for tomorrow at 4:00 pm. On the agenda is a motion and second to allow food trucks at North Park for a period of time as determined by the Parks and Recreation Director. You can watch the meeting live on the City of Kirksville’s Youtube Channel.

The CDC is relaxing COVID social distancing guidelines for schools paving the way for in-person learning to resume. The CDC has updated its school guidance and said students can sit three feet apart in classrooms rather than six feet. Elementary school students can be spaced closer together as long as everyone wears masks. Middle and high school students can also sit feet three apart as long as coronavirus spread in their area is not high. The change in guidelines comes after a study found no difference in COVID case rates among pupils or staff in districts that had students spaced more closely together.

The Sullivan County Health Department received 216 doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine and will be hosting a clinic tomorrow targeting Phase 1A, Phase 1B, Tiers 1, 2 and 3. There are three numbers to call for an appointment – find them on the Sullivan County Health Department’s Facebook page.

A former sheriff for Putnam County passed away following complications with a heart procedure. 71-year-old Danny Peto died at Saint Luke’s on the Plaza in Kansas City, on Friday, March 12th. Peto was born in Higbee, on July 13, 1949. He grew up in Mercer and Putnam Counties and graduated from Unionville High School in 1967. Peto was elected as Putnum County’s sheriff in 1981. At that time, he was the youngest county sheriff in Missouri. A Celebration of Life will be held at the First Baptist Church in Unionville at 11:00 am tomorrow, with visitation at Playle & Collins Family Funeral Home in Unionville from 6:00 – 8:00 pm this evening.