St. Joseph Police Chief Chris Connally says the police force
needs more officer candidates and he is taking a direct approach to recruit
officers.

Connally is carrying a business card soliciting candidates
that he passes out during public gatherings even as he delivers a message to
those he gives it to.

“Give that card to somebody that you know would be a good
police officer, somebody that you would be proud to have come up to your door
if you had an issue and help you with it,” Connally tells host Barry Birr on
the KFEQ Hotline. “Ask them to consider contacting us.”

Connally says those interested will be introduced to the
department and might even be given a ride-along with a police officer to gauge
their interest.

Though Connally is soliciting public input on potential candidates,
he does have an ideal candidate profile in mind.

“We need to look for people that have the cognitive skills,
emotional skills, the social skills, the moral fabric or makeup; those are all
important,” according to Connally.

The St. Joseph Police Department has 11 vacancies. Connally
says that likely will grow to as many as 14 with pending retirements.

The St. Joseph Police Department has 138 commissioned
officers.

Connally says the department is having difficulty both with
recruiting and retaining officers and he blames the problem, in large part, on how
the media portrays police shootings.

“They don’t portray the 60 million calls for service a year across
the country. We actually have very few of those events (police shootings). Some
of those events are unacceptable, absolutely,” Connally says. “It’s never good
to paint any group of people with a broad brush.”

Connally says as the department seeks officer candidates, there
are no age restrictions as some might assume.

“We’ve hired younger folks. We’ve hired older folks. All have
been successful, “Connally says. “We’ve had some people who have had a career in
something and just said, hey, I’ve felt it’s my calling to become a police
officer.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623968075591.jpeg" alt="Business card being passed out by St. Joseph Police Chief Chris Connally" />
 <figcaption>Business card being passed out by St. Joseph Police Chief Chris Connally</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623968125415.jpeg" alt="Back of the card" />
 <figcaption>Back of the card</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph Police Chief Chris Connally says the police force
needs more officer candidates and he is taking a direct approach to recruit
officers.Connally is carrying a business card soliciting candidates
that he passes out during public gatherings even as he delivers a message to
those he gives it to.“Give that card to somebody that you know would be a good
police officer, somebody that you would be proud to have come up to your door
if you had an issue and help you with it,” Connally tells host Barry Birr on
the KFEQ Hotline. “Ask them to consider contacting us.”Connally says those interested will be introduced to the
department and might even be given a ride-along with a police officer to gauge
their interest.Though Connally is soliciting public input on potential candidates,
he does have an ideal candidate profile in mind.“We need to look for people that have the cognitive skills,
emotional skills, the social skills, the moral fabric or makeup; those are all
important,” according to Connally.The St. Joseph Police Department has 11 vacancies. Connally
says that likely will grow to as many as 14 with pending retirements.The St. Joseph Police Department has 138 commissioned
officers.Connally says the department is having difficulty both with
recruiting and retaining officers and he blames the problem, in large part, on how
the media portrays police shootings.“They don’t portray the 60 million calls for service a year across
the country. We actually have very few of those events (police shootings). Some
of those events are unacceptable, absolutely,” Connally says. “It’s never good
to paint any group of people with a broad brush.”Connally says as the department seeks officer candidates, there
are no age restrictions as some might assume.“We’ve hired younger folks. We’ve hired older folks. All have
been successful, “Connally says. “We’ve had some people who have had a career in
something and just said, hey, I’ve felt it’s my calling to become a police
officer.”

St. Joseph Police Chief Connally actively recruiting new officers

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — Hy-Vee, Inc. announces the launch of Hy-Vee Financial Services, fueled by Midwest Heritage, according to a media release from the company.

Customers across Hy-Vee’s eight-state region can now enroll in and apply for financial services, including checking and savings accounts, auto and home insurance, home mortgages, consumer loans and pet insurance. Additionally, Hy-Vee Fuel Saver + Perks and Hy-Vee Plus premium members can also access exclusive insurance services and additional savings on mortgage loans and pet insurance. Customers can visit Hy-Vee Financial Services online at <a href="http://www.mhbank.com/financial-services">www.mhbank.com/financial-services&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;to learn more.

“Customers are now seeking more affordable and more convenient financial options,” said Hy-Vee Chairman, CEO and President Randy Edeker. “By leveraging our ownership of our subsidiary Midwest Heritage, we are able to serve our customers in a new way that meets those needs, while also bringing more value to our Hy-Vee Fuel Saver + Perks and Hy-Vee Plus members.”

Additional offerings such as life insurance policies, health insurance plans and more are expected to be added to Hy-Vee Financial Services within the year.

Over the past several months, Hy-Vee and Midwest Heritage have installed contactless kiosks inside 210 Hy-Vee locations to allow a convenient spot for customers to access an overview of the offerings available through HyVee Financial Services. Using the kiosks, customers can access QR codes to learn more about specific services on their mobile device or pick up brochures for more information.

“The in-store kiosks serve as a gateway for Hy-Vee customers to learn more about the affordable offerings available to them,” said Tony Kaska, chairman, CEO and president of Midwest Heritage. “Customers who inquire to learn more about Hy-Vee Financial Services can expect to receive a personalized, high level of service as we help them select the best offerings based on their tailored financial needs and goals.” 

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — Hy-Vee, Inc. announces the launch of Hy-Vee Financial Services, fueled by Midwest Heritage, according to a media release from the company.Customers across Hy-Vee’s eight-state region can now enroll in and apply for financial services, including checking and savings accounts, auto and home insurance, home mortgages, consumer loans and pet insurance. Additionally, Hy-Vee Fuel Saver + Perks and Hy-Vee Plus premium members can also access exclusive insurance services and additional savings on mortgage loans and pet insurance. Customers can visit Hy-Vee Financial Services online at <a href="http://www.mhbank.com/financial-services">www.mhbank.com/financial-services&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;to learn more.“Customers are now seeking more affordable and more convenient financial options,” said Hy-Vee Chairman, CEO and President Randy Edeker. “By leveraging our ownership of our subsidiary Midwest Heritage, we are able to serve our customers in a new way that meets those needs, while also bringing more value to our Hy-Vee Fuel Saver + Perks and Hy-Vee Plus members.”Additional offerings such as life insurance policies, health insurance plans and more are expected to be added to Hy-Vee Financial Services within the year.Over the past several months, Hy-Vee and Midwest Heritage have installed contactless kiosks inside 210 Hy-Vee locations to allow a convenient spot for customers to access an overview of the offerings available through HyVee Financial Services. Using the kiosks, customers can access QR codes to learn more about specific services on their mobile device or pick up brochures for more information.“The in-store kiosks serve as a gateway for Hy-Vee customers to learn more about the affordable offerings available to them,” said Tony Kaska, chairman, CEO and president of Midwest Heritage. “Customers who inquire to learn more about Hy-Vee Financial Services can expect to receive a personalized, high level of service as we help them select the best offerings based on their tailored financial needs and goals.”

Hy-Vee launches new financial services across its 8 states

A major issue for state legislators during the Missouri
legislative session this year was the state gas tax.

Efforts to increase the tax and pump more money into the
Missouri Department of Transportation budget have failed the past few years.

State Rep. Brenda Shields of St. Joseph understands an
increase from 17 cents a gallon to 29 ½ cents a gallon will pinch pocketbooks a
bit.

“Even though it sounds like a lot, it’s a little bit that we
can all pay to make our roads better.,” Shields tells St. Joseph Post. “We
haven’t had a gas tax increase in the state of Missouri since 1996.”

Shields estimates the average motorist will pay $125 more a
year once the increase if fully implemented.

Shields points out vehicles now get better gas mileage,
spending less at the pump, while the cost of road construction keeps going up.

The Missouri Department of Transportation estimates Missouri
faces a transportation annual funding shortfall of $745 million. The gas tax
increase, once fully implemented in 2025, is expected to add $500 million to
MoDOT’s budget.

The legislation calls for the gas tax to increase by
two-and-a-half cents per gallon, beginning in October. The gas tax increase
will be fully implemented by July of 2025.

State Rep. Bill Falkner, the former St. Joseph Mayor, says Missouri
has paid a price for keeping its gas tax so low.

“I hope that when they get the additional funding that it will
go to keeping the highways l0oking nice and functioning correctly to where they’re
not a danger to the people driving on them,” Falkner tells St. Joseph Post.

Falkner recalls a meeting of regional mayors held in Kansas
City after he first was elected St. Joseph mayor in 2010. He says improving the
area highway system was at the top of the list of priorities for the mayors,
who always thought northern Missouri got shortchanged in transportation
funding.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostA major issue for state legislators during the Missouri
legislative session this year was the state gas tax.Efforts to increase the tax and pump more money into the
Missouri Department of Transportation budget have failed the past few years.It passed this year.State Rep. Brenda Shields of St. Joseph understands an
increase from 17 cents a gallon to 29 ½ cents a gallon will pinch pocketbooks a
bit.“Even though it sounds like a lot, it’s a little bit that we
can all pay to make our roads better.,” Shields tells St. Joseph Post. “We
haven’t had a gas tax increase in the state of Missouri since 1996.”Shields estimates the average motorist will pay $125 more a
year once the increase if fully implemented.Shields points out vehicles now get better gas mileage,
spending less at the pump, while the cost of road construction keeps going up.The Missouri Department of Transportation estimates Missouri
faces a transportation annual funding shortfall of $745 million. The gas tax
increase, once fully implemented in 2025, is expected to add $500 million to
MoDOT’s budget.The legislation calls for the gas tax to increase by
two-and-a-half cents per gallon, beginning in October. The gas tax increase
will be fully implemented by July of 2025.State Rep. Bill Falkner, the former St. Joseph Mayor, says Missouri
has paid a price for keeping its gas tax so low.“I hope that when they get the additional funding that it will
go to keeping the highways l0oking nice and functioning correctly to where they’re
not a danger to the people driving on them,” Falkner tells St. Joseph Post.Falkner recalls a meeting of regional mayors held in Kansas
City after he first was elected St. Joseph mayor in 2010. He says improving the
area highway system was at the top of the list of priorities for the mayors,
who always thought northern Missouri got shortchanged in transportation
funding.

Gas tax hike seen as necessary by area Missouri lawmakers

BROWN COUNTY—A Kansas man died in an accident just after 7p.m. Tuesday in Brown County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2008 Chevy Trailblazer driven by Irvin Jessepe, 73, Horton, was southbound on Falcon Road eight miles west of Horton.

The vehicle left the roadway struck a fence then an embankment.

Jessepe was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported&nbsp; Dishon-Maple-Chaney Mortuary. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

BROWN COUNTY—A Kansas man died in an accident just after 7p.m. Tuesday in Brown County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2008 Chevy Trailblazer driven by Irvin Jessepe, 73, Horton, was southbound on Falcon Road eight miles west of Horton.The vehicle left the roadway struck a fence then an embankment.Jessepe was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported&nbsp; Dishon-Maple-Chaney Mortuary. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dies after SUV strikes fence, embankment

HOLT COUNTY—A Missouri man was injured in an accident just after 12:30p.m. Wednesday in Holt County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2003 Chevy Truck pulling a goose-neck trailer and driven by April L. Hawkins, 25, Edgerton, was northbound on Interstate 29 five miles south of Oregon.

The truck traveled through the median when the vehicle's front left tire blew. The pickup struck the crossover and the trailer became unhitched. Both the truck and trailer came to rest in the southbound lanes of the I-29.

Holt County EMS transported Hawkins to Mosaic Life Care. She was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the MSHP.

HOLT COUNTY—A Missouri man was injured in an accident just after 12:30p.m. Wednesday in Holt County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2003 Chevy Truck pulling a goose-neck trailer and driven by April L. Hawkins, 25, Edgerton, was northbound on Interstate 29 five miles south of Oregon.The truck traveled through the median when the vehicle's front left tire blew. The pickup struck the crossover and the trailer became unhitched. Both the truck and trailer came to rest in the southbound lanes of the I-29.Holt County EMS transported Hawkins to Mosaic Life Care. She was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the MSHP.

Missouri woman injured after truck's tire blows

ANDREW COUNTY—A Missouri woman was injured in an accident just after 11a.m. Wednesday in Andrew County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2016 Mercedes GL550 driven by Naomi F. Henson, 54, Savannah, was southbound on Interstate 29 five miles west of Savannah.&nbsp; The car traveled off the east side of the road and struck guardrail.

Andrew County EMS transported Henson to Mosaic Life Care. She was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the MSHP.&nbsp;

ANDREW COUNTY—A Missouri woman was injured in an accident just after 11a.m. Wednesday in Andrew County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2016 Mercedes GL550 driven by Naomi F. Henson, 54, Savannah, was southbound on Interstate 29 five miles west of Savannah.&nbsp; The car traveled off the east side of the road and struck guardrail.Andrew County EMS transported Henson to Mosaic Life Care. She was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the MSHP.&nbsp;

Savannah woman injured after SUV strikes guard rail

With school out for the summer, remodeling plans are well underway at St. Joseph Christian schools as enrollment numbers continue to climb.

This first phase of the school's remodel includes seven new classrooms, a new band room and a new storage and restroom facility, which will be added onto the Lions Athletic Complex.

St. Joseph Christian Secondary Principal Danny Maggart says this expansion comes as the school's record enrollment numbers continue to go up.

"We've needed a new band room for quite some time," said Maggart. "Even before our enrollment was starting to go up here. So, we were fortunate to be able to do a lot of things by adding on to our current weight room facility. That frees up a lot of space for our band kids."

St. Joseph Christian saw a record enrollment of 353 students from Pre-K through 12th grade in the 2020-21 school year, and that number is expected to exceed 425 for the upcoming year.

"So, we are trying to do everything that we can to provide space for students to come at all levels for those families who desire for their kids to have a quality education," Maggart added.

This first phase is just the beginning of expansion and remodel plans at St. Joseph Christian. Other ideas include a second gymnasium, a fine arts wing and additional secondary and early education classrooms.

Maggart clarified that those plans are only ideas at this time. There's no specific timeline as to when those things might happen.

"The next phase might be a new gym or more early education or secondary classrooms," Maggart said. "So, we've tried to be open-minded to keep things flexible, but there are about 6-7 total phases that we're looking at. We're trying to be as fiscally responsible as possible. We're just excited to see what God is going to do."

Maggart is hopeful that the most of this first phase will be finished by the start of the school year. This first phase will cost around $800,000, which is being funded by seed money set aside for the project.

Beyond that, the school will continue to raise money and figure out what part of their expansion plan comes next and when that might be.

"So, that's kind of the beauty of it," Maggart said. "We're not bound by a certain date. Selfishly, of course, we'd like to have it all built as soon as possible, but we're just thankful to have what we have currently."

You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623875270985.jpeg" alt="Crews are working on a new 50x100' foot storage and restroom facility, which will be added onto the Lions' Athletic Complex. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Crews are working on a new 50x100' foot storage and restroom facility, which will be added onto the Lions' Athletic Complex. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostWith school out for the summer, remodeling plans are well underway at St. Joseph Christian schools as enrollment numbers continue to climb.This first phase of the school's remodel includes seven new classrooms, a new band room and a new storage and restroom facility, which will be added onto the Lions Athletic Complex.St. Joseph Christian Secondary Principal Danny Maggart says this expansion comes as the school's record enrollment numbers continue to go up."We've needed a new band room for quite some time," said Maggart. "Even before our enrollment was starting to go up here. So, we were fortunate to be able to do a lot of things by adding on to our current weight room facility. That frees up a lot of space for our band kids."St. Joseph Christian saw a record enrollment of 353 students from Pre-K through 12th grade in the 2020-21 school year, and that number is expected to exceed 425 for the upcoming year."So, we are trying to do everything that we can to provide space for students to come at all levels for those families who desire for their kids to have a quality education," Maggart added.This first phase is just the beginning of expansion and remodel plans at St. Joseph Christian. Other ideas include a second gymnasium, a fine arts wing and additional secondary and early education classrooms.Maggart clarified that those plans are only ideas at this time. There's no specific timeline as to when those things might happen."The next phase might be a new gym or more early education or secondary classrooms," Maggart said. "So, we've tried to be open-minded to keep things flexible, but there are about 6-7 total phases that we're looking at. We're trying to be as fiscally responsible as possible. We're just excited to see what God is going to do."Maggart is hopeful that the most of this first phase will be finished by the start of the school year. This first phase will cost around $800,000, which is being funded by seed money set aside for the project.Beyond that, the school will continue to raise money and figure out what part of their expansion plan comes next and when that might be."So, that's kind of the beauty of it," Maggart said. "We're not bound by a certain date. Selfishly, of course, we'd like to have it all built as soon as possible, but we're just thankful to have what we have currently."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623875334401.jpeg" alt="A new and larger band room is included among the changes and expansions coming in St. Joseph Christian's first phase of their remodel project. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>A new and larger band room is included among the changes and expansions coming in St. Joseph Christian's first phase of their remodel project. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6Sp7qQXnwfM" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

St. Joseph Christian remodel underway, future plans could include new gym

A
St. Joseph pesticide manufacturer is in the crosshairs of federal authorities,
who accuse the company of failing to comply with a 2011 settlement over alleged
violations of state and federal environmental laws.

The
U.S. Department of Justice, leading the prosecution, has filed a motion in
federal court to hold HPI Products, its owner Willam Garvey, and St. Joseph
Properties in contempt for failing to comply with the settlement.

“For years, HPI
Products Inc. has failed to comply with its legal requirements to safely store
and dispose of hazardous waste,” Acting EPA Region 7
Administrator Edward H. Chu said in a written statement released by the EPA.
“Members of the community have expressed concerns in the past, and this motion
is aimed in part at addressing those concerns. Although HPI has partially
complied with cleanup requirements, the effort has fallen far short of what is
needed and required, and we are hopeful the court will grant the governments’
request to finally get the job finished.”

HPI operates six
pesticide manufacturing, storage, and distribution facilities in St. Joseph.

Federal and state
authorities claimed in court filings that the defendants stored thousands of hazardous
and non-hazardous wastes at its facilities since at least 2007. EPA and state
inspectors found rusted and leaking containers. Some buildings had partially
collapsed or were in danger of collapsing.

HPI entered into a
consent decree which required the company to take an inventory, then properly
clean up and dispose of waste. A federal court granted a contempt decree
against HPI in 2018, but HPI established an escrow account and regulators gave
the company more time to clean up.

The DOJ claims
that though the company made attempts to comply with the 2018 order, it has
fallen behind schedule and potential threats to human health remain. Regulators
have asked the court to reinstate the 2018 court order.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostA
St. Joseph pesticide manufacturer is in the crosshairs of federal authorities,
who accuse the company of failing to comply with a 2011 settlement over alleged
violations of state and federal environmental laws.The
U.S. Department of Justice, leading the prosecution, has filed a motion in
federal court to hold HPI Products, its owner Willam Garvey, and St. Joseph
Properties in contempt for failing to comply with the settlement.“For years, HPI
Products Inc. has failed to comply with its legal requirements to safely store
and dispose of hazardous waste,” Acting EPA Region 7
Administrator Edward H. Chu said in a written statement released by the EPA.
“Members of the community have expressed concerns in the past, and this motion
is aimed in part at addressing those concerns. Although HPI has partially
complied with cleanup requirements, the effort has fallen far short of what is
needed and required, and we are hopeful the court will grant the governments’
request to finally get the job finished.”HPI operates six
pesticide manufacturing, storage, and distribution facilities in St. Joseph.Federal and state
authorities claimed in court filings that the defendants stored thousands of hazardous
and non-hazardous wastes at its facilities since at least 2007. EPA and state
inspectors found rusted and leaking containers. Some buildings had partially
collapsed or were in danger of collapsing.HPI entered into a
consent decree which required the company to take an inventory, then properly
clean up and dispose of waste. A federal court granted a contempt decree
against HPI in 2018, but HPI established an escrow account and regulators gave
the company more time to clean up.The DOJ claims
that though the company made attempts to comply with the 2018 order, it has
fallen behind schedule and potential threats to human health remain. Regulators
have asked the court to reinstate the 2018 court order.

Federal regulators claim St. Joseph pesticide company has failed to clean up waste

The Daviess County Sheriff's Office and Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop H are asking for the public's help in locating a police officer impersonator.

Authorities say a white male wearing a law enforcement-like uniform was seen Tuesday morning driving a black Dodge Charger with police markings on it near Gallatin.

The vehicle's driver apparently stopped a citizen on Missouri Highway 6 and issued the citizen citations from New York state.

Authorities say there was also a white cargo-style van near the traffic stop that may have been working in conjunction with the impersonator.

The Daviess County Sheriff's Office is handling the investigation. Anyone with relevant information should call the sheriff's office at 660-663-2031.

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe Daviess County Sheriff's Office and Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop H are asking for the public's help in locating a police officer impersonator.Authorities say a white male wearing a law enforcement-like uniform was seen Tuesday morning driving a black Dodge Charger with police markings on it near Gallatin.The vehicle's driver apparently stopped a citizen on Missouri Highway 6 and issued the citizen citations from New York state.Authorities say there was also a white cargo-style van near the traffic stop that may have been working in conjunction with the impersonator.The Daviess County Sheriff's Office is handling the investigation. Anyone with relevant information should call the sheriff's office at 660-663-2031.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">The Missouri State Highway Patrol is seeking the public’s assistance in locating the individual and or vehicle involved in the incident in the link below. If you have information contact the Davies County Sheriffs office at (660)663-2031. <a href="https://t.co/ZpDLRsGc29">https://t.co/ZpDLRsGc29</a>&mdash; MSHP Troop H (@MSHPTrooperH) <a href="https://twitter.com/MSHPTrooperH/status/1405213527460229120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>

Daviess County Sherriff investigating potential officer impersonator

St. Joseph has named its new city attorney, Lisa Robertson.&nbsp;

Robertson graduated from The University of&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;School of Law with her Juris. She also has a&nbsp;Bachelor of Science in Journalism and Mass&nbsp;Communication/Public Relations&nbsp;from Kansas State University.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Robertson began her career in St. Joseph as assistant city attorney in 1993 and was named city attorney in 1994. She then moved in 2015&nbsp;to Kansas as city attorney for Topeka, Kansas.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Robertson will begin her duties as city attorney on July 19th&nbsp;with a salary of $120,000.&nbsp;&nbsp;

By WHITNEE ICESt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph has named its new city attorney, Lisa Robertson.&nbsp;Robertson graduated from The University of&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;School of Law with her Juris. She also has a&nbsp;Bachelor of Science in Journalism and Mass&nbsp;Communication/Public Relations&nbsp;from Kansas State University.&nbsp;&nbsp;Robertson began her career in St. Joseph as assistant city attorney in 1993 and was named city attorney in 1994. She then moved in 2015&nbsp;to Kansas as city attorney for Topeka, Kansas.&nbsp;&nbsp;Robertson will begin her duties as city attorney on July 19th&nbsp;with a salary of $120,000.&nbsp;&nbsp;

St. Joseph has a new city attorney

Former Holt County Commissioner Carla Markt will come
out of retirement to serve once again as First District County Commissioner.

Gov. Mike Parson has appointed Markt to the position left
vacant with the death of Commissioner Roger Brock.

Markt served as First District Commissioner from 2016 until
she retired in 2020. Markt also served as the Holt County Assessor and Holt
County Floodplain Coordinator.

Markt is a member
of the Missouri River Recovery and
Implementation Committee and is a past member of the Missouri Assessor’s
Association.

Holt County Presiding Commissioner Tom Bullock
says Markt will serve in the position until a special election can be held to fill
the seat.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostFormer Holt County Commissioner Carla Markt will come
out of retirement to serve once again as First District County Commissioner.Gov. Mike Parson has appointed Markt to the position left
vacant with the death of Commissioner Roger Brock.Markt served as First District Commissioner from 2016 until
she retired in 2020. Markt also served as the Holt County Assessor and Holt
County Floodplain Coordinator.Markt is a member
of the Missouri River Recovery and
Implementation Committee and is a past member of the Missouri Assessor’s
Association.Holt County Presiding Commissioner Tom Bullock
says Markt will serve in the position until a special election can be held to fill
the seat.

Former Holt CO Commissioner Markt to serve once again on Commission

Buchanan County Presiding Commissioner Lee Sawyer says he
understands some believe having two tax issues on the August ballot might hurt
their chances of passage.

“You do kind of wonder is that maybe the best practice? I don’t
know for sure,” Sawyer tells host Barry Birr on the KFEQ Hotline.

The Buchanan County Commission is asking voters to approve a
quarter-cent law enforcement sales tax increase. Also on the August ballot will
be the St. Joseph city proposal for a half-cent parks sales tax increase.

Sawyer says there has been no coordination between the county
and city.

“The city maybe didn’t know that we were looking at this for
sure. And we didn’t know for sure that they were looking at that,” according to
Sawyer. “Sometimes, it’s just you’re both trying to solve challenges.”

Sawyer says the county commission hopes to use the $3.6 million
a year the tax increase is expected to generate to help the Sheriff’s
Department retain veteran officers as well as recruit up to 16 new officers.

Sawyer says the county has been struggling with recruiting and
retaining quality deputies for years.

“Quite frankly, sheriff’s office pay for deputies and individuals
in the sheriff’s department hasn’t kept up with other law enforcement,” Sawyer
says.

The tax increase would allow Buchanan County to be more competitive
with Sheriff’s Departments in Platte and Clay Counties as well as the St.
Joseph Police Department.

“We have too many open positions and we’re having trouble
keeping them filled and we’re having trouble recruiting.”

Sawyer says Buchanan County has had trouble filling all the
positions in the Sheriff’s Department, let alone adding needed staff.

“And quite frankly, we need to have our positions filled and
we need to add some positions, because the challenge continues to increase. It
doesn’t stay the same,” Sawyer says. “And not only have we not really stayed
the same, but we‘ve fallen behind. And that’s something that I really believe
needs to be corrected.”

Sawyer says pay at the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Department
needs to be competitive with neighboring law enforcement agencies.

“We don’t think we have to be the highest paying; we just can’t
be the lowest.”

Buchanan County voters first approved the county law
enforcement sales tax in 1990. The quarter-cent increase would provide
approximately $3.6 million annually in additional funding.

Buchanan County Sheriff Bill Puett says he plans to increase deputy
pay and add eight patrol deputies, six investigators, a patrol supervisor, and
another investigator if voters approve the increase in the sales tax. Other
positions could be added in the future as needs arise, according to Puett.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostBuchanan County Presiding Commissioner Lee Sawyer says he
understands some believe having two tax issues on the August ballot might hurt
their chances of passage.“You do kind of wonder is that maybe the best practice? I don’t
know for sure,” Sawyer tells host Barry Birr on the KFEQ Hotline.The Buchanan County Commission is asking voters to approve a
quarter-cent law enforcement sales tax increase. Also on the August ballot will
be the St. Joseph city proposal for a half-cent parks sales tax increase.Sawyer says there has been no coordination between the county
and city.“The city maybe didn’t know that we were looking at this for
sure. And we didn’t know for sure that they were looking at that,” according to
Sawyer. “Sometimes, it’s just you’re both trying to solve challenges.”Sawyer says the county commission hopes to use the $3.6 million
a year the tax increase is expected to generate to help the Sheriff’s
Department retain veteran officers as well as recruit up to 16 new officers.Sawyer says the county has been struggling with recruiting and
retaining quality deputies for years.“Quite frankly, sheriff’s office pay for deputies and individuals
in the sheriff’s department hasn’t kept up with other law enforcement,” Sawyer
says.The tax increase would allow Buchanan County to be more competitive
with Sheriff’s Departments in Platte and Clay Counties as well as the St.
Joseph Police Department.“We have too many open positions and we’re having trouble
keeping them filled and we’re having trouble recruiting.”Sawyer says Buchanan County has had trouble filling all the
positions in the Sheriff’s Department, let alone adding needed staff.“And quite frankly, we need to have our positions filled and
we need to add some positions, because the challenge continues to increase. It
doesn’t stay the same,” Sawyer says. “And not only have we not really stayed
the same, but we‘ve fallen behind. And that’s something that I really believe
needs to be corrected.”Sawyer says pay at the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Department
needs to be competitive with neighboring law enforcement agencies.“We don’t think we have to be the highest paying; we just can’t
be the lowest.”Buchanan County voters first approved the county law
enforcement sales tax in 1990. The quarter-cent increase would provide
approximately $3.6 million annually in additional funding.Buchanan County Sheriff Bill Puett says he plans to increase deputy
pay and add eight patrol deputies, six investigators, a patrol supervisor, and
another investigator if voters approve the increase in the sales tax. Other
positions could be added in the future as needs arise, according to Puett.

Buchanan County hopes to boost deputy pay, add officers if voters approve tax

Northwest Missouri has seen a recent uptick in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.&nbsp;

Mosaic&nbsp;Life Care’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Davin Turner, says getting vaccinated is the key to stopping the spread of the coronavirus.

“Even&nbsp;if you contract it and you’ve been vaccinated, is that you’re not becoming severely ill, you’re not ending up in the ICU, and&nbsp;you’re not dying from the disease,”&nbsp;Dr. Turner tells reporters during a news conference. “They’re finding that these vaccines are very effective against all the&nbsp;variants&nbsp;at this time.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Turner says there has been an increase in positivity rates across the board&nbsp;and for a few reasons.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“One, people are getting out,” says Dr. Turner. “It’s warmed up. We've had graduations, graduation parties. People are having bigger gatherings and our vaccination rate is low.”&nbsp;

Turner says the hospital has been sending some tests off to the state to check for variants, however the hospital is still awaiting a response from the state.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Several weeks&nbsp;ago,&nbsp;when they released, we did have all four variants in the state,” says Dr. Turner. “At that time the UK variant was the most prominent&nbsp;but we’re waiting for that update.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Turner says, nationally, health officials are hoping to get 70% of the population&nbsp;vaccinated for herd immunity.&nbsp;

By WHITNEE ICE&nbsp;St. Joseph Post&nbsp;Northwest Missouri has seen a recent uptick in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.&nbsp;Mosaic&nbsp;Life Care’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Davin Turner, says getting vaccinated is the key to stopping the spread of the coronavirus.“Even&nbsp;if you contract it and you’ve been vaccinated, is that you’re not becoming severely ill, you’re not ending up in the ICU, and&nbsp;you’re not dying from the disease,”&nbsp;Dr. Turner tells reporters during a news conference. “They’re finding that these vaccines are very effective against all the&nbsp;variants&nbsp;at this time.”&nbsp;&nbsp;Turner says there has been an increase in positivity rates across the board&nbsp;and for a few reasons.&nbsp;&nbsp;“One, people are getting out,” says Dr. Turner. “It’s warmed up. We've had graduations, graduation parties. People are having bigger gatherings and our vaccination rate is low.”&nbsp;Turner says the hospital has been sending some tests off to the state to check for variants, however the hospital is still awaiting a response from the state.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Several weeks&nbsp;ago,&nbsp;when they released, we did have all four variants in the state,” says Dr. Turner. “At that time the UK variant was the most prominent&nbsp;but we’re waiting for that update.”&nbsp;&nbsp;Turner says, nationally, health officials are hoping to get 70% of the population&nbsp;vaccinated for herd immunity.&nbsp;

Mosaic CEO urges Buchanan County to get vaccinated

Buchanan County Prosecuting Attorney Ron Holliday announced the first sentencing of a 'Career Criminal' following the establishment of a Career Criminal Prosecution Program within his office.

51-year-old Shane Adams is the first individual in Buchanan County to be charged under this program as a career criminal.

Adams was charged with&nbsp;with first-degree burglary, first-degree assault and possession of meth - all connected to an alleged crime in March 2019.

Adams was found guilty of both first-degree burglary and assault in April. He was then sentenced on June 14th to 20 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections on each count to run concurrently to each other.

Adams had been previously convicted of distribution and possession of controlled substances, along with multiple misdemeanors.&nbsp; He was released recently from federal prison after serving time on a separate conviction for felony possession of a firearm.

The intent of the county's Career Criminal Prosecution Program, according to Holliday, is to seek the most severe punishment for the most dangerous criminals as authorized by law.

"It was our goal to select individuals who had been preying upon the community for some time as career criminals in Buchanan County," Holliday told The Post. "What we're looking for is maybe lesser crimes that could potentially slip through with a lesser punishment than maybe what is warranted with that person's record and their impact on the community."

Court documents show Adams unlawfully entered a residence for the purpose of stealing in March 2019. While inside, he assaulted the home owner, who was attempting to detain him. Adams had been under the influence of meth for days prior to the offense.

Adams was subsequently charged as a 'prior and persistent' offender due to his prior felony convictions for both burglary and forgery.

Missouri law provides for potential enhancement of punishment for 'prior and persistent' felony offenders, which is defined by those who have two or more prior felony convictions.

Holliday says that identifying these career criminals, however, goes a lot further than that. The prosecutor's office seeks counsel from the Sheriff's Office, the St. Joseph Police Department, along with members of the street crimes unit and drug strike force unit.

"It's a difficult program, because we know every person who we select, we know it's going to be a trial," Holliday said. "We know it could take some extra time in prosecuting the case. We want to make sure that not only we choose the individuals carefully who we target but also the case warrants this type of prosecution.

"We met and discussed a multitude of people we were currently prosecuting and trying to select this first individual as a trial run."

The Career Criminal Prosecution program was established in 2019, but COVID-19 prevented jury trials from happening for over a year, and the progress of criminal cases basically slowed.

"We had no jury trials for 13 months," said Holliday. "We've had three jury trials in the last eight weeks and the system is gradually picking up speed, but without a doubt it greatly affected the program."

Holliday indicated that his office will be targeting the next career criminal in the near future.

"We're going to have another meeting next week to select our second (career criminal)," he said. "Now that COVID is pretty much hopefully waning in the community and we will get back to going 100 percent in the court system again."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1623785402706.jpeg" alt="Shane Adams in 2019." />
 <figcaption>Shane Adams in 2019.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostBuchanan County Prosecuting Attorney Ron Holliday announced the first sentencing of a 'Career Criminal' following the establishment of a Career Criminal Prosecution Program within his office.51-year-old Shane Adams is the first individual in Buchanan County to be charged under this program as a career criminal.Adams was charged with&nbsp;with first-degree burglary, first-degree assault and possession of meth - all connected to an alleged crime in March 2019.Adams was found guilty of both first-degree burglary and assault in April. He was then sentenced on June 14th to 20 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections on each count to run concurrently to each other.Adams had been previously convicted of distribution and possession of controlled substances, along with multiple misdemeanors.&nbsp; He was released recently from federal prison after serving time on a separate conviction for felony possession of a firearm.The intent of the county's Career Criminal Prosecution Program, according to Holliday, is to seek the most severe punishment for the most dangerous criminals as authorized by law."It was our goal to select individuals who had been preying upon the community for some time as career criminals in Buchanan County," Holliday told The Post. "What we're looking for is maybe lesser crimes that could potentially slip through with a lesser punishment than maybe what is warranted with that person's record and their impact on the community."Court documents show Adams unlawfully entered a residence for the purpose of stealing in March 2019. While inside, he assaulted the home owner, who was attempting to detain him. Adams had been under the influence of meth for days prior to the offense.Adams was subsequently charged as a 'prior and persistent' offender due to his prior felony convictions for both burglary and forgery.Missouri law provides for potential enhancement of punishment for 'prior and persistent' felony offenders, which is defined by those who have two or more prior felony convictions.Holliday says that identifying these career criminals, however, goes a lot further than that. The prosecutor's office seeks counsel from the Sheriff's Office, the St. Joseph Police Department, along with members of the street crimes unit and drug strike force unit."It's a difficult program, because we know every person who we select, we know it's going to be a trial," Holliday said. "We know it could take some extra time in prosecuting the case. We want to make sure that not only we choose the individuals carefully who we target but also the case warrants this type of prosecution."We met and discussed a multitude of people we were currently prosecuting and trying to select this first individual as a trial run."The Career Criminal Prosecution program was established in 2019, but COVID-19 prevented jury trials from happening for over a year, and the progress of criminal cases basically slowed."We had no jury trials for 13 months," said Holliday. "We've had three jury trials in the last eight weeks and the system is gradually picking up speed, but without a doubt it greatly affected the program."Holliday indicated that his office will be targeting the next career criminal in the near future."We're going to have another meeting next week to select our second (career criminal)," he said. "Now that COVID is pretty much hopefully waning in the community and we will get back to going 100 percent in the court system again."You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

First Career Criminal sentenced in Buchanan County for burglary, assault

We have seen an uptick in coronavirus cases in Buchanan County.

The St. Joseph Health Department reports 46 new cases of COVID-19
since last releasing a report on Thursday; 15 on Friday, 10 on Saturday, 15 on
Sunday, and six on Monday.

St. Joseph health officials say the positivity rate for
Buchanan County has risen from 2.95% to 4.97%.

Mosaic Life Care reports it is treating 10 coronavirus patients
in its system as of today, all being treated at the St. Joseph hospital.

Buchanan County has now recorded 10,692 cases since
the pandemic began, resulting in 183 deaths.

Nearly 18,000 Buchanan County residents have
received at least their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine with 18.5% of county residents completing vaccination. Statewide, 45.8% of Missouri residents have completed vaccinations.

Andrew County health officials report three new cases,
bringing its total to 2,095. Doniphan County, Kansas reports a total
of 1,018 cases.

Missouri health officials report a total of 516,441
cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began and 9,222 deaths.

Kansas reports 316,014 cases and 5,125 deaths.


By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostWe have seen an uptick in coronavirus cases in Buchanan County.The St. Joseph Health Department reports 46 new cases of COVID-19
since last releasing a report on Thursday; 15 on Friday, 10 on Saturday, 15 on
Sunday, and six on Monday.St. Joseph health officials say the positivity rate for
Buchanan County has risen from 2.95% to 4.97%.Mosaic Life Care reports it is treating 10 coronavirus patients
in its system as of today, all being treated at the St. Joseph hospital.Buchanan County has now recorded 10,692 cases since
the pandemic began, resulting in 183 deaths.Nearly 18,000 Buchanan County residents have
received at least their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine with 18.5% of county residents completing vaccination. Statewide, 45.8% of Missouri residents have completed vaccinations.Andrew County health officials report three new cases,
bringing its total to 2,095. Doniphan County, Kansas reports a total
of 1,018 cases.Missouri health officials report a total of 516,441
cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began and 9,222 deaths.Kansas reports 316,014 cases and 5,125 deaths.

Health officials disclose increase in COVID-19 cases

DEKALB COUNTY—A Missouri woman was injured in an accident just before 3p.m. Monday in DeKalb County.&nbsp;

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2013 International truck driven by Krista L. Smith, 52, Eaton Colorado, was southbound on MO 31 three miles west of Stewartsville.

The driver attempted to cross U.S. 36 and failed to yield to a westbound 2017 Ford Escape driven by Janet R. Drummond, 69, Hopkins. The Ford struck the International in the driver's side.

DeKalb-Clinton County ambulance transported Drummond to Mosaic Life Care. Smith was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

DEKALB COUNTY—A Missouri woman was injured in an accident just before 3p.m. Monday in DeKalb County.&nbsp;The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2013 International truck driven by Krista L. Smith, 52, Eaton Colorado, was southbound on MO 31 three miles west of Stewartsville.The driver attempted to cross U.S. 36 and failed to yield to a westbound 2017 Ford Escape driven by Janet R. Drummond, 69, Hopkins. The Ford struck the International in the driver's side.DeKalb-Clinton County ambulance transported Drummond to Mosaic Life Care. Smith was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

Missouri woman hospitalized after 2-vehicle DeKalb Co. crash

DAVIESS COUNTY—Two from St. Joseph were injured in an accident just before 2p.m. Monday in Daviess County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2008 Pontiac G6 driven by&nbsp; Tyler C. Barnes, 25, St. Joseph, was westbound on&nbsp; Route T three miles north of Pattonsburg.

The driver fell asleep. The car crossed the center line, traveled off the south side of the road and struck a ditch.

NTA ambulance transported Barnes and a 2-year-old boy from St. Joseph to Cameron Regional Medical Center. Barnes was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

DAVIESS COUNTY—Two from St. Joseph were injured in an accident just before 2p.m. Monday in Daviess County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2008 Pontiac G6 driven by&nbsp; Tyler C. Barnes, 25, St. Joseph, was westbound on&nbsp; Route T three miles north of Pattonsburg.The driver fell asleep. The car crossed the center line, traveled off the south side of the road and struck a ditch.NTA ambulance transported Barnes and a 2-year-old boy from St. Joseph to Cameron Regional Medical Center. Barnes was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

St. Joseph man, toddler hospitalized after driver falls asleep

A recent COVID-19 spike in Worth County has Tri-County Health officials trying to figure out the cause of this increase.

Worth County has reported 15 active cases from June 11-14 and currently ranks second in the state in cases per 100,000 people. Its 32 percent positivity rate also ranks second statewide.

Tri-County Health Emergency Planner Rachel Brown helps with contact tracing in Worth, Gentry and DeKalb counties. She says the Crossroads-First Assembly of God Church in Grant City has been identified as a place of likely COVID exposure.

"Late last week, we started to see a sharp increase of cases within Worth County, which is a pretty small county to begin with," Brown said. "It was a very sharp increase with a lot of testing happening. Once we started investigating each case and connecting the dots, that's when we realized that there may have been a larger exposure."

Those who attended service at the Crossroads-First Assembly Church in Grant City on June 6 and then a bible study there on June 9 are being asked to quarantine for 10 days.

In addition,&nbsp;Mercer, Grundy and Tri-County health officials have been notified of positive cases found in those who attended the Ashes to Beauty Conference in Roach, MO on June 4-6.

Officials are working to identify, isolate and quarantine those who might have been exposed.

With several variants confirmed in nearby Livingston County, Brown says they're awaiting their own test results to see if a variant is circulating in the Tri-County area as well.

"We're awaiting testing," she said. "So, we sent some samples off to the state lab to be tested and we're waiting for that to come back. There is no real way of telling until we get that confirmation to tell what we're dealing with."

Three different variants, including the U.K. and Indian variants, have been confirmed in Livingston County. While cases have started to slowly come down there, Livingston County has seen 65 new cases of COVID in the last week alone and 134 in the month of June.

There are currently 73 active cases in Livingston County. The Missouri Department of Health has confirmed that over 80 percent of new cases there are being driven by the highly contagious U.K. variant.

"We've been watching it very closely," Brown said. "We don't know if there's any correlation between (Worth and Livingston County's spikes). It's still too early to tell. Even though we're all few and far between since we're rural communities, there's still that possibility of spread across county lines."

This comes as vaccination rates remain low in parts of northwest Missouri. The daily average of doses administered in Missouri has dropped from about 60,000 or more in mid-April to just 10,000 or so doses per day through the first half of June.

Livingston County has seen nearly 30.9 percent of its population complete vaccination. Gentry County's rate stands at 30.3, Worth's is 28.5 and DeKalb's vaccination completion rate is especially low at 18.7 percent.

Buchanan County is in a similar spot. They have reported 96 new cases in the last seven days and only 18.5 percent of its population has completed vaccination. In addition, Mosaic Life Care reports 11 COVID patients in its St. Joseph hospital - its highest total in weeks.

Brown hopes that perhaps these local outbreaks and new surges might encourage more people in the Tri-County area and beyond to get the COVID vaccine.

"Do we hope that this kind of spurs some enthusiasm to get vaccinated? Yes," she said. "That's always our hope. Is it unfortunate? Yes, because we'd hope that people would go out and get vaccinated before this happens again, but we're not sure if we're going to see an increase in vaccination rates or not."

Fortunately, new deaths and hospitalizations in the Tri-County area have remained at or near zero for the last couple of months. However, Livingston County reported three new deaths last week and Hedrick Medical Center last reported four COVID patients.

Brown says the return to normalcy and relaxing of restrictions could be part of why the vaccination rates have slowed, and could be a cause for these recent upticks.

"But, I don't know if that's the only reason or if it goes back to just there are some people who just truly will not get it or who are just very, very resistant to getting the vaccine."

That said, Brown says the key to slowing these current spikes and preventing variants from spreading further is getting vaccinated.

Despite a handful of mild breakthrough cases in vaccinated patients, all three types of vaccine being used in the U.S. have proven effective against the variants by lessening symptoms and reducing hospitalization and death.

"Get vaccinated," Brown said. "If you can, if you're able. Get out there and get vaccinated and stay home if you're sick."

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostA recent COVID-19 spike in Worth County has Tri-County Health officials trying to figure out the cause of this increase.Worth County has reported 15 active cases from June 11-14 and currently ranks second in the state in cases per 100,000 people. Its 32 percent positivity rate also ranks second statewide.Tri-County Health Emergency Planner Rachel Brown helps with contact tracing in Worth, Gentry and DeKalb counties. She says the Crossroads-First Assembly of God Church in Grant City has been identified as a place of likely COVID exposure."Late last week, we started to see a sharp increase of cases within Worth County, which is a pretty small county to begin with," Brown said. "It was a very sharp increase with a lot of testing happening. Once we started investigating each case and connecting the dots, that's when we realized that there may have been a larger exposure."Those who attended service at the Crossroads-First Assembly Church in Grant City on June 6 and then a bible study there on June 9 are being asked to quarantine for 10 days.In addition,&nbsp;Mercer, Grundy and Tri-County health officials have been notified of positive cases found in those who attended the Ashes to Beauty Conference in Roach, MO on June 4-6.Officials are working to identify, isolate and quarantine those who might have been exposed.With several variants confirmed in nearby Livingston County, Brown says they're awaiting their own test results to see if a variant is circulating in the Tri-County area as well."We're awaiting testing," she said. "So, we sent some samples off to the state lab to be tested and we're waiting for that to come back. There is no real way of telling until we get that confirmation to tell what we're dealing with."Three different variants, including the U.K. and Indian variants, have been confirmed in Livingston County. While cases have started to slowly come down there, Livingston County has seen 65 new cases of COVID in the last week alone and 134 in the month of June.There are currently 73 active cases in Livingston County. The Missouri Department of Health has confirmed that over 80 percent of new cases there are being driven by the highly contagious U.K. variant."We've been watching it very closely," Brown said. "We don't know if there's any correlation between (Worth and Livingston County's spikes). It's still too early to tell. Even though we're all few and far between since we're rural communities, there's still that possibility of spread across county lines."This comes as vaccination rates remain low in parts of northwest Missouri. The daily average of doses administered in Missouri has dropped from about 60,000 or more in mid-April to just 10,000 or so doses per day through the first half of June.Livingston County has seen nearly 30.9 percent of its population complete vaccination. Gentry County's rate stands at 30.3, Worth's is 28.5 and DeKalb's vaccination completion rate is especially low at 18.7 percent.Buchanan County is in a similar spot. They have reported 96 new cases in the last seven days and only 18.5 percent of its population has completed vaccination. In addition, Mosaic Life Care reports 11 COVID patients in its St. Joseph hospital - its highest total in weeks.Brown hopes that perhaps these local outbreaks and new surges might encourage more people in the Tri-County area and beyond to get the COVID vaccine."Do we hope that this kind of spurs some enthusiasm to get vaccinated? Yes," she said. "That's always our hope. Is it unfortunate? Yes, because we'd hope that people would go out and get vaccinated before this happens again, but we're not sure if we're going to see an increase in vaccination rates or not."Fortunately, new deaths and hospitalizations in the Tri-County area have remained at or near zero for the last couple of months. However, Livingston County reported three new deaths last week and Hedrick Medical Center last reported four COVID patients.Brown says the return to normalcy and relaxing of restrictions could be part of why the vaccination rates have slowed, and could be a cause for these recent upticks."But, I don't know if that's the only reason or if it goes back to just there are some people who just truly will not get it or who are just very, very resistant to getting the vaccine."That said, Brown says the key to slowing these current spikes and preventing variants from spreading further is getting vaccinated.Despite a handful of mild breakthrough cases in vaccinated patients, all three types of vaccine being used in the U.S. have proven effective against the variants by lessening symptoms and reducing hospitalization and death."Get vaccinated," Brown said. "If you can, if you're able. Get out there and get vaccinated and stay home if you're sick."<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Ftricountyhealthdept%2Fposts%2F4204390499617396&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="265" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Tri-County Health Department eyeing recent COVID spike in Worth County

Missouri Western State University will begin offering a
cybersecurity degree even as high-profile cyber-attacks have been in the news.

Missouri Western President Elizabeth Kennedy says she began
considering the new program after talking with an alum who turned a math and
computer science degree into a 20-year career in international computer
security.

“I spent some time talking with him and he graciously offered
to help us design a program that’s going to be unique,” Kennedy says. “It’s not
going to be just your generic, quote-unquote, cyber-security, but it’s going to
focus on threat penetration, detecting that in ways that will provide graduates
from our program a little bit of a cutting edge.”

Meat packer, JBS, paid an $11 million ransom after a cyber-attack
shut the company down. Colonial Pipeline paid $5 million to cyber pirates and
Solar Winds also suffered a cyber-attack that actually compromised a top
cybersecurity firm.

Kennedy says the university is currently hiring faculty and
creating labs. She says the program needs to incorporate IT professionals and
networks.

“A lot of what the students may be doing will be in a network
virtually,” according to Kennedy. “Looking at do we want to, for example, develop
a cyber range? A lot of people say, ‘What’s a cyber range?’ and I say, well it’s
kind of like a gun range, right? When you want to practice shooting your gun,
you go to a gun range. Well, a cyber range is where you practice your cyber
skills.”

Kennedy believes the program has great room for growth,
because of the threat posed by computer hackers.

“It’s not only getting hacked, but it’s the ransomware that
folks have been paying, whether it’s pipeline or a bank or another agency,”
says Kennedy. “Being able to protect your data and doing so is very important.
So, I think this is going to be very helpful for our region.”

The new program begins this fall on the St. Joseph campus with
basic computer programming classes. Kennedy says it will slowly build as the
university adds faculty and creates partnerships with IT firms.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostMissouri Western State University will begin offering a
cybersecurity degree even as high-profile cyber-attacks have been in the news.Missouri Western President Elizabeth Kennedy says she began
considering the new program after talking with an alum who turned a math and
computer science degree into a 20-year career in international computer
security.“I spent some time talking with him and he graciously offered
to help us design a program that’s going to be unique,” Kennedy says. “It’s not
going to be just your generic, quote-unquote, cyber-security, but it’s going to
focus on threat penetration, detecting that in ways that will provide graduates
from our program a little bit of a cutting edge.”Meat packer, JBS, paid an $11 million ransom after a cyber-attack
shut the company down. Colonial Pipeline paid $5 million to cyber pirates and
Solar Winds also suffered a cyber-attack that actually compromised a top
cybersecurity firm.Kennedy says the university is currently hiring faculty and
creating labs. She says the program needs to incorporate IT professionals and
networks.“A lot of what the students may be doing will be in a network
virtually,” according to Kennedy. “Looking at do we want to, for example, develop
a cyber range? A lot of people say, ‘What’s a cyber range?’ and I say, well it’s
kind of like a gun range, right? When you want to practice shooting your gun,
you go to a gun range. Well, a cyber range is where you practice your cyber
skills.”Kennedy believes the program has great room for growth,
because of the threat posed by computer hackers.“It’s not only getting hacked, but it’s the ransomware that
folks have been paying, whether it’s pipeline or a bank or another agency,”
says Kennedy. “Being able to protect your data and doing so is very important.
So, I think this is going to be very helpful for our region.”The new program begins this fall on the St. Joseph campus with
basic computer programming classes. Kennedy says it will slowly build as the
university adds faculty and creates partnerships with IT firms.

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