NEWS – Audrain County

Last week, the Children’s Therapy and Early Education School in Mexico held a ribbon cutting for their new playground renovations, hosting an event for students, families, and community members. Tony Robertson slid down the slide to cut the ribbon in honor of his late wife Sara C. Robertson, who worked at the facility for many years before her passing in 2023. Tony Robertson said that Sara’s legacy will be more than in just the equipment, but the enjoyment that every child takes from using it. The playground was resurfaced to make it more accessible to children with mobility aids. It also had other safety improvements, as well as a new spinner and shade structure.

The Country 96 St. Louis Cardinals Red Cross Media Blood Drive in Mexico exceeded its goal Monday. Organizers were hoping to collect 23 units of blood, but donors gave 28 units during the drive at the Mexico Elks Lodge. The blood drive comes as the Red Cross continues to face a blood shortage across the country. Organizers say every donation can help patients in need, and donors were also eligible for an Amazon gift card.

A Mexico man was arrested Monday for drug charges. Authorities executed a search warrant early this week for 32-year-old Jeremy Farris. According to court documents, Farris had prior drug-related convictions. Upon searching the residence, officers found a chrome cylinder with white powdery substance and other drug paraphernalia. The probable cause statement says that there were also two children under 18 living in the residence at the time. Farris was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance, Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and two counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child. Farris was being held in the Audrain County Jail on a $15,000 bond, cash or surety. He has a bond review hearing scheduled for August 18 at 10 a.m.

The family that donated the land for Green Estate Park has filed a lawsuit against the City of Mexico, saying that the city has failed to maintain the property under the terms of their agreement, and is asking that the city comply with those terms, or alternatively, return ownership back to the donors. The suit was filed on August 6 by Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, was brought by Warren C. “Renny” Smith, Jr. Smith donated approximately 143 acres to the city in November 2005. The complaint says that the city accepted the gift subject to the terms that they would performing ongoing maintenance of the bridges, Rabbit’s Foot Lake, the property’s split rail fence, the Churchill Gate, and the rest of the grounds, while also limiting what could be built there. The original agreement reportedly included a reversion clause, meaning that the land would see ownership returned to the Smith family if any deficiencies were not remedied within 90 days of a formal notice. The complaint states that Smith’s counsel made a formal notice to the city in September 2024, and that the city failed to take sufficient steps to make improvements. A court date has not yet been set.

A 63-year-old Mexico man suffered serious injuries after his 2023 Harley Davidson street glide motorcycle hit a deer as he was driving northbound on Route C, two mile south of Audrain County Road 132. The accident happened Saturday afternoon, north of Centralia, at approximately 2:17pm. The man was transported by Audrain County EMS to University Hospital in Columbia.  

A man was arrested in Mexico Wednesday after a traffic stop uncovered multiple felonies. A Mexico Public Safety Officer reportedly pulled over a Chevy Impala that had improper license plates, and found out the plate actually belonged to a Kia. The driver, who was identified as 52-year-old Shawn Flowers, had a revoked drivers’ license. After a search of the vehicle, the officer found seven bags of white crystal substance that tested positive for methamphetamine totalling 14.2 grams, as well as $115 dollars cash in his pockets. Flowers’ current registration showed an address in St. Louis, but Flowers stated that he was residing on South Muldrow Street in Mexico, about 800 feet away from a school. Officers found out that Flowers is a registered sex offender and was not allowed to live within 1,000 feet of a school. Flowers was booked into Audrain County Jail and is being held without bond. Prosecutors have charged him with the following: Deliver Controlled Substance Except 35 Grams or Less of Marijuana or Synthetic Cannabinoid Displayed/Possessed Motor Vehicle/Plates of Another Person Driving While Revoked/Suspended Fail to Register as a Sex Offender Possession of Controlled Substance Prior Offender Reside within 1,000 Feet of School/Child Care Facility After Conviction

One man was arrested this week in Mexico after officers responded to a domestic assault call. Court documents say 18-year-old Konner Gipson struck a victim on the cheek with a hard object and fled the residence. Another witness backed up the statement of the victim. Gipson was located by officers and has now been charged with Domestic Assault in the 3rd degree. He has been released on his own recognizance and has a hearing scheduled for 9 a.m. on Tuesday, August 18th.

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) in Vandalia will move to a new building starting next Thursday. The Audrain County Health Department announced that WIC services will be moving from the Lange Building, located on E. Park Street, to 204 W. Washington Street. The new service site will be open on August 13. WIC services are also provided in Mexico at 1130 S. Elmwood Drive. The WIC provides services to pregnant women, new mothers, as well as infants and children up to age five, based on nutritional risk and income eligibility. For applicants to be eligible, they must have an income equal to or less tan 185% of the poverty level and be at nutritional risk.

Two Laddonia residents were injured in a crash in a two-vehicle crash in Montgomery County on Tuesday. The crash reportedly happened at 4:35 p.m. yesterday on West Hudson St. at North Madison St., when a 2008 Dodge Ram tried to make a right turn when a Dodge Dart crossed the center line, colliding with the driver’s side of the Ram. The 27-year-old man driving the Dodge Dart had moderate injuries and his 4-year-old passenger was seriously injured. Both were taken to University Hospital by ambulance.

A tractor trailer carrying turkeys crashed in Audrain County on US 54 late Wednesday night. According to the Missouri Sate Highway Patrol, the truck temporarily blocked U.S. 54 at Missouri 19. The driver was not injured. However, the roadway was closed as crews cleaned up the crash and removed the truck.

A Mexico teen is behind bars after being accused of firing a handgun while intoxicated which hit a child in the chest. 19-year-old Christopher Smith Jr. is being held without bond after an incident on Saturday, July 25 at an apartment complex in Mexico. According to probable cause statements, Smith originally told officers that he discharged the weapon by accident while cleaning it. However, during a post-miranda interview, Smith reportedly said he had just been holding it when it went off. Smith allegedly admitted to drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana, and had a blood alcohol content of 0.223%. Prosecutors charged Smith with First Degree Endangering Welfare of Child causing Serious Physical Injury, Unlawful Use Of Weapon While Intoxicated, and Armed Criminal Action. He was also charged with two misdemeanor counts of Second Degree Endangering the Welfare Of A Child and being a Minor Visibly Intoxicated/Blood Alcohol Content More Than .02%. On Tuesday, July 28, Smith entered a plea of not guilty to the charges.

A criminal summons was issued yesterday for a Mexico woman accused of drug charges last year. According to court documents, police found 22 grams of methamphetamine during a search of a residence where Gretchen Whipple was in October 2025. There was reportedly also a child living at the residence at the time. Prosecutors charged Whipple with Deliver Controlled Substance, Possession of Controlled Substance, and First Degree Endangering Welfare of Child Involving Drugs. A criminal summons was issued for Whipple for September 1 at 9 a.m.