KIRX News

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has received several reports of a fish kill at Beuth Park Lake in Moberly. After investigating, MDC determined the incident was likely a natural fish kill, and there is no cause for public concern. MDC thanks the members of the public who reported the issue. Fish kills can occur naturally in Missouri and refer to the sudden death of fish in a lake or stream. Each year, MDC handles around 100 fish kills and other water quality events that pose a threat to fish, wildlife, and recreation. Of these events, 75 to 80 percent are caused by natural events, as is the case at Beuth Park Lake. The remaining events typically are the result of pollution, chlorinated water, or chemical spills that contaminate waterways.

The City of Kirksville says portable space heaters have become a popular way to heat single rooms or areas in a home. With colder temperatures arriving, the Kirksville Fire Department wants to remind residents of some simple ways to use these devices safely. Each year, the department responds to fires caused by the misuse of these heaters. Follow these recommendations to remain warm and safe this season:
Only buy a heater with the seal of a qualified testing laboratory.
Plug the heater directly into a wall outlet and never into an extension cord.
Keep the heater at least three feet away from anything that can burn, including people.
Choose a heater with a thermostat and overheat protection.
Place the heater on a solid, flat surface.
Make sure your heater has an auto shut-off function if it tips over.
Keep heaters out of the way of foot traffic and never block an exit.
Heaters should be turned off and unplugged when you leave the room or go to sleep.

In observance of Veterans Day, all Kirksville City offices will be closed on Tuesday, November 11, 2025. The Kirksville Aquatic Center will be open for regular hours that day. The City of Kirksville would like to express its gratitude to the men and women who have served. We encourage residents to attend the Adair County Veterans Organizations’ Veterans Day Ceremony at 11:00 am on November 11 at the VFW Adair Post 2508, located at 21464 Parallel Road.

Kirksville Mayor Zac Burden has signed a proclamation recognizing November as National Hospice and Palliative Care Month. Beyond providing physical treatment, hospice attends to the patient’s emotional, spiritual, and family needs, and provides family services like respite care and bereavement counseling. Hospice of Northeast Missouri provides quality and dignified end-of-life care to local residents, serving Adair, Clark, Knox, Lewis, Macon, Putnam, Schuyler, Scotland, Shelby, and Sullivan counties. Staff at Hospice of Northeast Missouri go wherever the patient and their loved ones need care, whether that is in their home, the home of a family member, a nursing home, or an assisted living facility.

MoDot says the next bridge replacement project included in the Northwest Bridge Bundle project is scheduled to begin this month. The Chariton County Route PP Chariton River Overflow Bridge, near Salisbury, is scheduled to begin Monday, Nov. 17. Route PP is already closed for the replacement of the Mid Fork Chariton River Bridge to the east. The roadway is expected to reopen in early March 2026 following completion of the Chariton River Overflow Bridge project. During construction, motorists should seek an alternate route around the closure. The Chariton River Overflow Bridge was built in 1959 and has a traffic volume of approximately 426 vehicles per day.

Weather permitting, as early as October 27, resurfacing repair work is scheduled to begin on Route F in Marion County, from Route E at Woodland to 0.2 mile west of U.S. Route 61 near Palmyra. Traffic will be reduced to one lane with a 10-foot width restriction at the location where crews are actively working. Flaggers and a pilot car will be utilized for traffic control to guide traffic through the work zone. All work is weather dependent and schedules are subject to change.

Kirksville Mayor Zac Burden has issued a proclamation recognizing Red Ribbon Week from October 23 to October 31, 2025. Red Ribbon Week offers citizens the opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to drug-free lifestyles. Businesses, government, law enforcement, media, health care providers, religious institutions, schools, and other community-based organizations will demonstrate their commitment to drug-free lifestyles by wearing red ribbons and participating in drug prevention activities. Visible, unified efforts by community members can help prevent drug abuse.

Last week at Sullivan County Title, Harve Rhodes, Chairman of the North Central Missouri Regional Water Commission (NCMRWC), and Tricia Burkhardt, Executive Director of the Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation (MCHF) finalized agreements to establish a perpetual conservation easement around the Roy Blunt Reservoir (RBR). The conservation easement is established to mitigate for the 1,236 acres of Indiana Bat and Northern Long-eared bat habitat impacted by the construction of the RBR. Under the Endangered Species Act, adverse impacts to the habitat of endangered species warrants compensation. Because of this, the NCMRWC established a 1,644-acre conservation easement. The goals and restrictions within the easement align with the NCMRWC’s plan to preserve clean water.

From the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. Missouri WIC families should continue to attend appointments and shop with their WIC cards until further notice. Missouri WIC is still working with USDA to determine the status of November WIC benefits. Last week, Governor Kehoe’s office said the Missouri Department of Social Services (DSS) announced that, due to the federal government shutdown, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (USDA-FNS) has informed state agencies that November 2025 SNAP benefits cannot be issued. SNAP benefits are 100 percent federally funded, with each recipient receiving benefits from the federal government via their Electronic Benefit Transfer card. There is no mechanism for state appropriations to be transferred to cover this funding.

The City of Kirksville says, did you know one in 10 Missourians has unclaimed property with the Missouri State Treasurer’s Office, with the average return being $300? There are more than $3.1 million in unclaimed assets in Adair County. Unclaimed property or assets usually come from:

• Cash from bank accounts
• Stocks and bonds
• Contents of abandoned safe deposit boxes
• Uncollected insurance policy proceeds
• Government refunds
• Utility deposits and wages from past jobs
  To find if you have unclaimed property, visit ShowMeMoney.com, click on the “Search for Unclaimed Property” box, and enter your information. If you have any unclaimed property, it will then guide you on claiming it.
  To learn more or contact the State Treasurer’s Office, visit Treasurer.mo.gov.