KIRX News

Join the Kirksville Parks and Recreation Department, #For660 and more than 100 community partners for the 5th annual Halloween Town event. Halloween Town is a safe, fun and interactive trick-or-treat experience all in one location. Join us October 31 from 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm in front of Kirksville High School and William Matthew Middle School. This event is free for everyone! Have a business and interested in having a booth at this great community event? Sign up online. For more information, please contact Luke Callaghan with the Parks and Recreation Department at 660.627.1485.

A reminder, The City of Kirksville is still accepting applications for an opening on the Lakes, Parks and Recreation Commission. September 22 is the deadline to apply. If you think you’d be a good fit, head over to kirksvillecity.com/p/boards-commissions and complete the application.

The Kirksville City Council is set for a regular meeting tonight at 6. The agenda shows the group will consider adopting the Kirksville Fire Department’s Strategic Plan for 2024-2034. They’re also set to approve the Kirksville Parks and Recreation Scholarship Program Policies and Procedures. They’ll consider a liquor license application, and approve the appointment of Don Crosby to serve as the City of Kirksville’s Employer Representative to the Missouri Local lGovernmet Employees Retirement system. they’ll go into executive session after the regular city council meeting.

The Missouri Emergency Management Agency says recent disasters in Morocco and Turkey serve as reminders of the destructive power of earthquakes. It’s also an important reminder that one of the country’s most active earthquake zones is located right here in Missouri. In 1811-12, the New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ), centered in southeast Missouri, produced some of the most powerful earthquakes in U.S. history. Similar earthquakes today would lead to major damage and destruction. To prepare for any future earthquakes, registration is now open for the 2023 Great Central U. S. ShakeOut earthquake drill on Thursday, Oct. 19. Missouri is one of 14 participating central U.S. states that could be impacted by a NMSZ earthquake. At 10:19 a.m. on Oct. 19, hundreds of thousands of Missourians will practice the “Drop, Cover, Hold On” technique:

DROP to your hands and knees;
COVER your head and neck with your hands and arms under a table or desk if you can; and
HOLD ON until the shaking stops.

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey filed suit against Dollar General for deceptive and unfair pricing in its more than 600 retail stores throughout the state. The lawsuit asserts that Dollar General violated Missouri’s consumer protection laws by advertising one price at the shelf and charging a higher price at the register upon checkout. The petition states, “Dollar General is routinely overcharging Missouri consumers for every day staples and the necessities of life. Worse still, consumers are being deceived as to the prices they are actually paying for these items. Candles, toilet paper, lip balm, lemonade, tire foam and drink coolers all have one thing in common at Dollar General stores across the state of Missouri: the prices charged at the point of sale are frequently higher than the prices listed on the shelf.”

The 48 th Red Barn Arts and Crafts Festival will be returning to downtown Kirksville on September 16, 2023. The festival, which began in 1974, celebrates arts, crafts, food, and music bringing thousands of visitors to downtown Kirksville annually. The festival is held during Family Weekend at Truman State University attracting visitors from throughout Missouri and the Midwest. The festival is a juried event, exhibitors are selected based on creativity and originality. All work must be handcrafted or enhanced creatively or artistically by the exhibitor. Commercially produced items are not accepted. Cash awards are presented to exhibitors for Best of Show, First Place Arts, First Place Crafts and Best First-time Exhibitor.

Kirksville Parks and Rec has announced a drop-in disc golf tournament coming up on Saturday, September 30th. The event is perfect for all skill levels and ages. It’s a flex start, so you can drop by anytime from 10am until 4pm. It’s at Rotary Park. The fee is $40. The discs provided must be used in the tournament.

The City of Kirksville wants to make all of its utility customers aware of upcoming changes that impact the City’s utility billing system. The City is implementing new computer software that requires the creation of new account numbers for all of its utility customers. This new computer software will allow improved payment options and other enhancements for customer service improvements.
New account numbers will be established for all customers, which will have minimal impact on our customers who pay by cash or check, through mail or in person. For customers whose method of payment is through electronic means, each customer will need to create a new online account. Information regarding when and how will be sent out in October with the September statement. Utility customers will receive the September utility statement a little later than usual, in early October. In that statement, there will be instructions on how to set up an online account. Until that time, nothing needs to be done.
New customers to our service beginning September 13, 2023, and during this computer software transition will need to register for City utilities in person at City Hall.
The City’s current online payment system will close at 11:00 pm on September 20, and this includes the pay-by-phone service. The City will not be able to take online payments from that time until the new site is expected to launch during the first week of October. Payments can still be made in person at City Hall and Hy-Vee, or placed in the drop box outside of City Hall or across the street in the payment receptacle.

The Red Cross has announced a national blood shortage. The American Red Cross national blood supply has fallen to critically low levels-dropping nearly 25%– since early August, and potentially threatening the medical care of patients with an emergency need for blood, or those living with critical conditions such as cancer and sickle cell disease and who depend on lifesaving blood transfusions. Back-to-back months of worsening climate-driven disasters have further strained the blood supply, resulting in blood drive cancelations and reducing much needed blood and platelet donations in affected areas. To make an appointment to give blood or platelets, donors can use the Red Cross Blood App, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Truman State University says Pickler Memorial Library is hosting a fall book sale from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Sept. 19-20 outside on the south side of the library. Accepted payments are cash or check. This year will include a variety of used books, CDs, DVDs and more.