After a record-setting cold snap across the region, forecasters are predicting temperatures closer to and above normal.

Just how cold has it been these last couple of weeks? The National Weather Service office in Pleasant Hill/Kansas City hasn't recorded an above freezing temperature since February 6.

That should change soon, with forecasted highs on Saturday and Sunday in the mid-to-upper 30s, and 40s and 50s expected next week.

"The good news is, we'll start to see a west-southwesterly flow develop this weekend,"&nbsp;National Weather Service meteorologist Brad Temeyer said. "That's going to draw warmer air into the region. That should allow that snow to start melting and conditions continue to warm."

Even so, that'll be a 14-day stretch of sub-freezing temperatures - the 15th longest below freezing duration in 133 years of NWS Kansas City records.

"It's not completely unheard of here," Temeyer says, "but, it's very unusual."

The unusualness was most apparent Monday night and Tuesday morning, when the Southwest Power Pool conducted controlled power outages as a way to lighten the load on the strained power grid.&nbsp;

More than 170,000 Evergy customers lost power during the temporary power outages, which lasted between half an hour to an hour, according to Evergy spokesperson Andrew Baker.

"(Tuesday) was the coldest day that our service area has experienced to date," Baker said. "We saw temperatures as low as -22. It's the cumulative effect of long-term cold we've been in. Everything requires more energy to stay warm. Every day that goes by, it requires more energy."

Evergy has since resumed "normal operations," and no longer requires power conservation from customers. But, he was right about Tuesday morning being one of the coldest ever.

St. Joseph's low&nbsp; Tuesday was -22. That shattered the previous record of -13 set in 1979 and was a whopping 44 degrees below normal.

Lincoln, Nebraska hit 31-below Tuesday morning - the coldest temperature recorded in the city since 1887. Omaha and Lawrence, KS also set records Tuesday with a -22 reading.

Topeka hit -21 Tuesday, which was the seventh coldest temperature ever recorded there. And how about a -34 reading in York, NE?

Monday night and Tuesday was the worst of it, but for two weeks, temperatures across the region struggled to make it out of the teens and consecutive nights of below-zero lows became commonplace.

Temeyer says this pattern was the result of a Polar vortex - an air mass that brings in frigid north winds from the north pole.

"Usually, we'll see a flow out of the north that will draw down some colder temperatures," he said. "But, it won't be as prolonged as what it's been, and that's what made this one so unique. It's allowed that colder air to settle as far south as Texas, where they've seen some all-time record lows."

"It's just been a prolonged, light north-northeast wind originating at the poles, and that's allowed that colder air to filter in."

As of Thursday morning, more than 485,000 Texas homes and businesses were still without power due to the extreme cold.

It's been a long, cold spell, but Midwesterners have already noticed improvement. Highs on Thursday reached the mid 20s, and the mercury will continue to rise in the coming 7-10 days.

"We're looking at this cold streak starting to come to an end," Temeyer said. "By the end of the weekend, we could be looking at temperatures return to above freezing, which is about two weeks of below freezing temperatures.

"We're changing the trajectory of where our air is coming from. So, instead of coming from the north and polar region, it's coming more from the four-corners region, which is a much warmer region obviously, and that's going to lead to a warm-up across the Central U.S."

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

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">It&#39;s the 3rd Thursday of the month and you know what that means!?! The Spring 2021 (March-May) Outlook is here. Above normal temperatures are favored with a equal chance of above, below, or near normal precipitation. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ThinkSpring?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ThinkSpring</a> <a href="https://t.co/suOafAZ8wx">pic.twitter.com/suOafAZ8wx</a>&mdash; NWS Kansas City (@NWSKansasCity) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSKansasCity/status/1362471457251500034?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 18, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostAfter a record-setting cold snap across the region, forecasters are predicting temperatures closer to and above normal.Just how cold has it been these last couple of weeks? The National Weather Service office in Pleasant Hill/Kansas City hasn't recorded an above freezing temperature since February 6.That should change soon, with forecasted highs on Saturday and Sunday in the mid-to-upper 30s, and 40s and 50s expected next week."The good news is, we'll start to see a west-southwesterly flow develop this weekend,"&nbsp;National Weather Service meteorologist Brad Temeyer said. "That's going to draw warmer air into the region. That should allow that snow to start melting and conditions continue to warm."Even so, that'll be a 14-day stretch of sub-freezing temperatures - the 15th longest below freezing duration in 133 years of NWS Kansas City records."It's not completely unheard of here," Temeyer says, "but, it's very unusual."The unusualness was most apparent Monday night and Tuesday morning, when the Southwest Power Pool conducted controlled power outages as a way to lighten the load on the strained power grid.&nbsp;More than 170,000 Evergy customers lost power during the temporary power outages, which lasted between half an hour to an hour, according to Evergy spokesperson Andrew Baker."(Tuesday) was the coldest day that our service area has experienced to date," Baker said. "We saw temperatures as low as -22. It's the cumulative effect of long-term cold we've been in. Everything requires more energy to stay warm. Every day that goes by, it requires more energy."Evergy has since resumed "normal operations," and no longer requires power conservation from customers. But, he was right about Tuesday morning being one of the coldest ever.St. Joseph's low&nbsp; Tuesday was -22. That shattered the previous record of -13 set in 1979 and was a whopping 44 degrees below normal.St. Joe certainly was not alone.Lincoln, Nebraska hit 31-below Tuesday morning - the coldest temperature recorded in the city since 1887. Omaha and Lawrence, KS also set records Tuesday with a -22 reading.Topeka hit -21 Tuesday, which was the seventh coldest temperature ever recorded there. And how about a -34 reading in York, NE?Monday night and Tuesday was the worst of it, but for two weeks, temperatures across the region struggled to make it out of the teens and consecutive nights of below-zero lows became commonplace.Temeyer says this pattern was the result of a Polar vortex - an air mass that brings in frigid north winds from the north pole."Usually, we'll see a flow out of the north that will draw down some colder temperatures," he said. "But, it won't be as prolonged as what it's been, and that's what made this one so unique. It's allowed that colder air to settle as far south as Texas, where they've seen some all-time record lows.""It's just been a prolonged, light north-northeast wind originating at the poles, and that's allowed that colder air to filter in."As of Thursday morning, more than 485,000 Texas homes and businesses were still without power due to the extreme cold.It's been a long, cold spell, but Midwesterners have already noticed improvement. Highs on Thursday reached the mid 20s, and the mercury will continue to rise in the coming 7-10 days."We're looking at this cold streak starting to come to an end," Temeyer said. "By the end of the weekend, we could be looking at temperatures return to above freezing, which is about two weeks of below freezing temperatures."We're changing the trajectory of where our air is coming from. So, instead of coming from the north and polar region, it's coming more from the four-corners region, which is a much warmer region obviously, and that's going to lead to a warm-up across the Central U.S."You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

After historic cold snap, NWS Kansas City forecasts weekend warm-up

The number of new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations remain very low in Buchanan County, however St. Joseph health officials two additional virus-related deaths Thursday.

The deaths were in a man in his 70s and a woman in her 90s. The Buchanan County death toll is now 162.

The county saw only seven new COVID cases Thursday, bringing the case total to 9,962.

Mosaic Life Care reports just five total COVID-19 patients as of Thursday afternoon - all of whom are being treated in the St. Joseph hospital.

Statewide, Missouri reports 718 new cases (473,459 total) Thursday and 7,695 total fatalities.

Kansas has reports 288,717 total cases and 4,521 total deaths.

Doniphan County, Kansas reports 926 total cases.

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe number of new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations remain very low in Buchanan County, however St. Joseph health officials two additional virus-related deaths Thursday.The deaths were in a man in his 70s and a woman in her 90s. The Buchanan County death toll is now 162.The county saw only seven new COVID cases Thursday, bringing the case total to 9,962.Mosaic Life Care reports just five total COVID-19 patients as of Thursday afternoon - all of whom are being treated in the St. Joseph hospital.Statewide, Missouri reports 718 new cases (473,459 total) Thursday and 7,695 total fatalities.Kansas has reports 288,717 total cases and 4,521 total deaths.Doniphan County, Kansas reports 926 total cases.

Two new COVID-19 related deaths in Buchanan County, new cases and hospitalizations low

BROWN COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 11:30a.m. Thursday in Brown County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2018 Ford F150 driven by Roland Keller, 59, Hiawatha, was&nbsp; northbound on U.S. 73 Highway five miles south of Hiawatha.

The pickup rear-ended a 1999 Peterbilt semi driven by Dale G.&nbsp;Stirton, 74, Horton, that was slowing to turn westbound onto 170th Street.

EMS transported Keller to the hospital in Hiawatha. Stirton was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

BROWN COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 11:30a.m. Thursday in Brown County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2018 Ford F150 driven by Roland Keller, 59, Hiawatha, was&nbsp; northbound on U.S. 73 Highway five miles south of Hiawatha.The pickup rear-ended a 1999 Peterbilt semi driven by Dale G.&nbsp;Stirton, 74, Horton, that was slowing to turn westbound onto 170th Street.EMS transported Keller to the hospital in Hiawatha. Stirton was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

Kansas man hospitalized after pickup rear-ends semi

Nebraska ranks in the middle of the pack in the rate of
administering coronavirus vaccines.

Still, Gov. Pete Ricketts says vaccine distribution is going
smoothly in Nebraska with nearly all of the first dose of the vaccine given the
state distributed and 62% of the second dose.

“If there’s a frustration I have it’s with the federal
pharmacy program,” Ricketts tells St. Joseph Post. “The companies like CVS and
Walgreens are being slower than say, Community Pharmacy, which is a Nebraska-based
company, in getting those vaccines distributed.”

Ricketts says the federal pharmacies have only distributed 65%
of the first dose and 35% of the 2nd dose.

Ricketts also hopes to persuade the federal government to drop
its plans to conduct its own mass vaccination clinic.

“I think the better solution is for the federal government
just to give the vaccines to the states and let us manage it, because we will
do it better than the federal government is going to do it,” according to
Ricketts.

Nebraska ranked 33rd among
states and the District of Columbia by administering 14,770 shots per 100,000
people as of Sunday, according to data from the federal Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention. Overall, Nebraska has administered 285,708 of the
407,500 doses it has received — or roughly 70% of the doses.

Ricketts says he’s satisfied with the supply of vaccine the
state has gotten.

“The supply that we have received has been very consistent and
we’re getting a look into three weeks down the road that will allow us to plan
to be able to continue to deliver the vaccine and make sure we’re getting it
out as quickly as possible,” Ricketts says.

Nebraska expects more than 60,000 doses of coronavirus vaccines
to be available in the state this week. The Nebraska Department of Health and
Human Services says it expects to receive 59,450 doses of the vaccines this
week as officials continue to focus on vaccinating everyone 65 and older across
Nebraska. 

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostNebraska ranks in the middle of the pack in the rate of
administering coronavirus vaccines.Still, Gov. Pete Ricketts says vaccine distribution is going
smoothly in Nebraska with nearly all of the first dose of the vaccine given the
state distributed and 62% of the second dose.“If there’s a frustration I have it’s with the federal
pharmacy program,” Ricketts tells St. Joseph Post. “The companies like CVS and
Walgreens are being slower than say, Community Pharmacy, which is a Nebraska-based
company, in getting those vaccines distributed.”Ricketts says the federal pharmacies have only distributed 65%
of the first dose and 35% of the 2nd dose.Ricketts also hopes to persuade the federal government to drop
its plans to conduct its own mass vaccination clinic.“I think the better solution is for the federal government
just to give the vaccines to the states and let us manage it, because we will
do it better than the federal government is going to do it,” according to
Ricketts.Nebraska ranked 33rd among
states and the District of Columbia by administering 14,770 shots per 100,000
people as of Sunday, according to data from the federal Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention. Overall, Nebraska has administered 285,708 of the
407,500 doses it has received — or roughly 70% of the doses.Ricketts says he’s satisfied with the supply of vaccine the
state has gotten.“The supply that we have received has been very consistent and
we’re getting a look into three weeks down the road that will allow us to plan
to be able to continue to deliver the vaccine and make sure we’re getting it
out as quickly as possible,” Ricketts says.Nebraska expects more than 60,000 doses of coronavirus vaccines
to be available in the state this week. The Nebraska Department of Health and
Human Services says it expects to receive 59,450 doses of the vaccines this
week as officials continue to focus on vaccinating everyone 65 and older across
Nebraska.

Nebraska about in the middle in COVID-19 vaccine distribution

St. Joseph public libraries have reopened with the exception of the downtown
branch, which closed due to an employee coming in contact with some testing positive
for the coronavirus.

The East Hills Library will be open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m.
to 6 p.m. It will be open Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Carnegie Library will be open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to
6 p.m.

The Washington Park Library will be open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday from noon to 8 p.m.

Patrons will be limited to half an hour each day. The number of patrons
at a library will also be limited. If you need an extended computer session,
schedule to arrange a longer period to use a computer at the Downtown Library,
once it reopens by calling 232-8151.

Contactless
library service continues to be offered. You can call each branch or email <a href="mailto:notices@sjpl.lib.mo.us">notices@sjpl.lib.mo.us</a>.&nbsp; East Hills: 236-2136, Downtown: 232-7729,
Carnegie: 238-0526, Washington Park: 232-2052.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph public libraries have reopened with the exception of the downtown
branch, which closed due to an employee coming in contact with some testing positive
for the coronavirus.The East Hills Library will be open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m.
to 6 p.m. It will be open Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.The Carnegie Library will be open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to
6 p.m.The Washington Park Library will be open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday from noon to 8 p.m.Patrons will be limited to half an hour each day. The number of patrons
at a library will also be limited. If you need an extended computer session,
schedule to arrange a longer period to use a computer at the Downtown Library,
once it reopens by calling 232-8151.Contactless
library service continues to be offered. You can call each branch or email <a href="mailto:notices@sjpl.lib.mo.us">notices@sjpl.lib.mo.us</a>.&nbsp; East Hills: 236-2136, Downtown: 232-7729,
Carnegie: 238-0526, Washington Park: 232-2052.

St. Joseph public libraries reopen

A COVID-19 vaccine clinic
scheduled for today in Troy, Kansas has been rescheduled.

The Doniphan County Health
Department reports vaccine doses did not arrive due to harsh winter weather.

Those with appointments for the
clinic today will be rescheduled for next Thursday, February 25th,
at the same time. Coronavirus vaccinations will be given at the Troy Community
Building.

Health officials say if you are
unable to come to this appointment, you are required to call the Health Dept.
785-985-3591 immediately to avoid wasting vaccine. 

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostA COVID-19 vaccine clinic
scheduled for today in Troy, Kansas has been rescheduled.The Doniphan County Health
Department reports vaccine doses did not arrive due to harsh winter weather.Those with appointments for the
clinic today will be rescheduled for next Thursday, February 25th,
at the same time. Coronavirus vaccinations will be given at the Troy Community
Building.Health officials say if you are
unable to come to this appointment, you are required to call the Health Dept.
785-985-3591 immediately to avoid wasting vaccine.

Vaccination clinic set for Troy today has been rescheduled

A new early childhood program is coming to the Savannah R3 School District this fall. 

Curriculum Director Ashley Anderson says the program Kindergarten Jumpstart is a transitional Kindergarten program. 

"Maybe age ready for kindergarten but not intellectually or socially or maybe even physically ready for a traditional kindergarten classroom setting," Anderson tells St. Joseph Post. 

Anderson says Kindergarten-aged students are screened in the community before being place in the program. 

"You can't call and say, 'We want our kid in this.' It's all based off of screening and the specifics that our admins are looking for," says Anderson. 

Anderson says there are students each year that are not ready to start Kindergarten quite yet and need a program like Kindergarten Jumpstart. 

"Age ready for Kindergarten but they're not ready and just knowing that we can better serve those students I think is just a really great thing."

By WHITNEE ICESt. Joseph PostA new early childhood program is coming to the Savannah R3 School District this fall. Curriculum Director Ashley Anderson says the program Kindergarten Jumpstart is a transitional Kindergarten program. "Maybe age ready for kindergarten but not intellectually or socially or maybe even physically ready for a traditional kindergarten classroom setting," Anderson tells St. Joseph Post. Anderson says Kindergarten-aged students are screened in the community before being place in the program. "You can't call and say, 'We want our kid in this.' It's all based off of screening and the specifics that our admins are looking for," says Anderson. Anderson says there are students each year that are not ready to start Kindergarten quite yet and need a program like Kindergarten Jumpstart. "Age ready for Kindergarten but they're not ready and just knowing that we can better serve those students I think is just a really great thing."

New early childhood program coming to Savannah this fall

A St. Joseph man has been charged with murder by Andrew County law enforcement in connection with the death of a child.

38-year-old Donald Tipton faces 13 charges, including first and second-degree murder, endangering the welfare of a child, domestic assault and abuse, and neglect of a child resulting in death.

A felony complaint accuses Tipton of causing the death of a child by striking and strangling the victim on Nov. 30, 2020.

The Andrew County Sheriff's Office requested the public's help in finding Tipton, reporting later that he had been taken into custody.

The name of the child has not been released.

This article has been updated since first published.

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostA St. Joseph man has been charged with murder by Andrew County law enforcement in connection with the death of a child.38-year-old Donald Tipton faces 13 charges, including first and second-degree murder, endangering the welfare of a child, domestic assault and abuse, and neglect of a child resulting in death.A felony complaint accuses Tipton of causing the death of a child by striking and strangling the victim on Nov. 30, 2020.The Andrew County Sheriff's Office requested the public's help in finding Tipton, reporting later that he had been taken into custody.The name of the child has not been released.This article has been updated since first published.<div><div id="fb-root"></div>
<script async defer crossorigin="anonymous" src="https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v9.0" nonce="p0mbT5qS"></script></div><div><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/andrewcountysheriff/posts/3531260093667380" data-width="500" data-show-text="true"><blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/andrewcountysheriff/posts/3531260093667380" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore">*ANDREW COUNTY MOST WANTED*

Donald J. Tipton is wanted for Murder-1st Degree, Murder-2nd Degree, Child Abuse -----NO...Posted by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/andrewcountysheriff/">Andrew County Sheriff&#039;s Office</a> on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/andrewcountysheriff/posts/3531260093667380">Wednesday, February 17, 2021</a></blockquote></div></div>

St. Joseph man wanted for murder in death of a child is in custody

CLINTON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 5p.m. Wednesday in Clinton County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol a 2020 Acura MDX driven by Tara D. Richardson, 32, Kidder, was northbound on Bob F. Griffin Road in Cameron.

The car traveled into the intersection at East Grand Avenue. A westbound 2010 Chevy Malibu driven by Johnny F. Templeton, 42, Cameron, struck the Acura.

Cameron EMS transported Templeton to Cameron Regional Medical Center. Richardson was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the MSHP.

CLINTON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 5p.m. Wednesday in Clinton County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol a 2020 Acura MDX driven by Tara D. Richardson, 32, Kidder, was northbound on Bob F. Griffin Road in Cameron.The car traveled into the intersection at East Grand Avenue. A westbound 2010 Chevy Malibu driven by Johnny F. Templeton, 42, Cameron, struck the Acura.Cameron EMS transported Templeton to Cameron Regional Medical Center. Richardson was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the MSHP.

Man from Cameron hospitalized after 2-vehicle crash

GENTRY COUNTY — Two people were injured in an accident just after 2:30p.m. Wednesday in Gentry County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2003 Toyota Sequoia driven by John T. Laxson, 29, Moberly was northbound on Route A nine miles south of Albany.

The SUV traveled off the road and overturned. Grand River EMS transported Laxson and a passenger Monica R. Rainey, 28, Moberly, to Mosaic in Albany. Laxson was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

GENTRY COUNTY — Two people were injured in an accident just after 2:30p.m. Wednesday in Gentry County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2003 Toyota Sequoia driven by John T. Laxson, 29, Moberly was northbound on Route A nine miles south of Albany.The SUV traveled off the road and overturned. Grand River EMS transported Laxson and a passenger Monica R. Rainey, 28, Moberly, to Mosaic in Albany. Laxson was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

2 from Moberly hospitalized after SUV overturns

St. Joseph health officials reported two additional COVID-19 related fatalities Wednesday that had gone unreported in December and January.

The two deaths were reported in men - one in his 70s and another in his 80s. Buchanan County's COVID-19 death toll now stands at 160.

Officials Wednesday report just nine new cases of coronavirus in Buchanan County, putting the county’s case total at 9,955.

Mosaic Life Care reports it's treating only three COVID-19 patients in its system - all being treated in St. Joseph.

The coronavirus positivity rate in Buchanan County has dropped from 7.4 percent two weeks ago to 4.1 percent this week.

Statewide, Missouri reports 598 new cases (472,741 total) and 12 new deaths (7,470 total) Wednesday.

Since Monday, Kansas has reported 1,267 new cases (288,717 total) and 115 new deaths (4,521 total). More than 9,000 Kansans have been hospitalized with virus complications since the pandemic began.

Doniphan County, Kansas reports 926 total cases. Atchison County, Kansas reports 1,507 total cases, while Brown County reports 1,193.

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph health officials reported two additional COVID-19 related fatalities Wednesday that had gone unreported in December and January.The two deaths were reported in men - one in his 70s and another in his 80s. Buchanan County's COVID-19 death toll now stands at 160.Officials Wednesday report just nine new cases of coronavirus in Buchanan County, putting the county’s case total at 9,955.Mosaic Life Care reports it's treating only three COVID-19 patients in its system - all being treated in St. Joseph.The coronavirus positivity rate in Buchanan County has dropped from 7.4 percent two weeks ago to 4.1 percent this week.Statewide, Missouri reports 598 new cases (472,741 total) and 12 new deaths (7,470 total) Wednesday.Since Monday, Kansas has reported 1,267 new cases (288,717 total) and 115 new deaths (4,521 total). More than 9,000 Kansans have been hospitalized with virus complications since the pandemic began.Doniphan County, Kansas reports 926 total cases. Atchison County, Kansas reports 1,507 total cases, while Brown County reports 1,193.

Two previously unreported COVID-19 deaths included in Buchanan County update

    BRENTWOOD, Tenn. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Tractor Supply Company, the largest rural 
lifestyle retailer in the United States, today announced that it has 
entered into an agreement to acquire Orscheln Farm and Home in an 
all-cash transaction for approximately $297 million, net of acquired 
estimated future tax benefits of $23 million. Orscheln Farm and Home 
operates 167 stores located in 11 states: Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, 
Iowa, Indiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas, Kentucky, Illinois and Ohio. 
The acquisition is conditioned on the receipt of regulatory approval and
 satisfactory completion of customary closing conditions.



“This is an exciting step for Tractor Supply as we expand our footprint 
in the Midwest with the high-quality assets of Orscheln Farm and Home. 
We have always had great respect for Barry Orscheln and the team at 
Orscheln Farm and Home for the strong connection they have with 
customers in the communities they serve, along with their industry 
knowledge and capabilities. With our shared values and passion for the 
Out Here lifestyle, we are honored to welcome Orscheln Farm and Home to 
the Tractor Supply family. We look forward to bringing together our 
highly complementary cultures and teams to realize the long-term value 
and benefits that we expect this acquisition to deliver,” said Hal 
Lawton, Tractor Supply’s President and Chief Executive Officer.



Barry Orscheln, Chairman and CEO of Orscheln Farm and Home, commented, 
“For more than 60 years, my family, our Orscheln Farm and Home employees
 and I have been committed to serving the needs of rural communities 
across the Midwest. I am very proud of all that we have accomplished 
over this time. I am confident that with Tractor Supply our stores will 
be well-positioned to continue Orscheln’s tradition of taking care of 
our customers and communities for the next phase of growth.”



Tractor Supply’s preliminary estimates indicate the acquisition will be 
immediately accretive to earnings per share upon closing. The earnings 
accretion is anticipated to grow over time as planned synergies are 
achieved. Tractor Supply intends to fund the acquisition through 
existing cash on hand.



For Tractor Supply, Goldman Sachs &amp; Co. LLC is acting as financial 
adviser, and Bass, Berry &amp; Sims PLC is acting as legal adviser. 
Fifth Third Securities is acting as financial adviser to Orscheln Farm 
and Home, while Stinson LLP is acting as legal adviser.

Check the Post for more as details become available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613595329521.jpeg" alt="Tractor Supply" />
 <figcaption>Tractor Supply</figcaption>
 </figure>News release BRENTWOOD, Tenn. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Tractor Supply Company, the largest rural 
lifestyle retailer in the United States, today announced that it has 
entered into an agreement to acquire Orscheln Farm and Home in an 
all-cash transaction for approximately $297 million, net of acquired 
estimated future tax benefits of $23 million. Orscheln Farm and Home 
operates 167 stores located in 11 states: Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, 
Iowa, Indiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas, Kentucky, Illinois and Ohio. 
The acquisition is conditioned on the receipt of regulatory approval and
 satisfactory completion of customary closing conditions.

“This is an exciting step for Tractor Supply as we expand our footprint 
in the Midwest with the high-quality assets of Orscheln Farm and Home. 
We have always had great respect for Barry Orscheln and the team at 
Orscheln Farm and Home for the strong connection they have with 
customers in the communities they serve, along with their industry 
knowledge and capabilities. With our shared values and passion for the 
Out Here lifestyle, we are honored to welcome Orscheln Farm and Home to 
the Tractor Supply family. We look forward to bringing together our 
highly complementary cultures and teams to realize the long-term value 
and benefits that we expect this acquisition to deliver,” said Hal 
Lawton, Tractor Supply’s President and Chief Executive Officer.

Barry Orscheln, Chairman and CEO of Orscheln Farm and Home, commented, 
“For more than 60 years, my family, our Orscheln Farm and Home employees
 and I have been committed to serving the needs of rural communities 
across the Midwest. I am very proud of all that we have accomplished 
over this time. I am confident that with Tractor Supply our stores will 
be well-positioned to continue Orscheln’s tradition of taking care of 
our customers and communities for the next phase of growth.”

Tractor Supply’s preliminary estimates indicate the acquisition will be 
immediately accretive to earnings per share upon closing. The earnings 
accretion is anticipated to grow over time as planned synergies are 
achieved. Tractor Supply intends to fund the acquisition through 
existing cash on hand.

For Tractor Supply, Goldman Sachs &amp; Co. LLC is acting as financial 
adviser, and Bass, Berry &amp; Sims PLC is acting as legal adviser. 
Fifth Third Securities is acting as financial adviser to Orscheln Farm 
and Home, while Stinson LLP is acting as legal adviser.Check the Post for more as details become available.

Tractor Supply reaches agreement to acquire Orscheln stores

Missouri teachers are among those who will be eligible to next receive the COVID-19 in Phase 1B - Tier 3, once that's activated by the state.

Missouri educators are trying to speed up that process.

Darbie Valenti-Huff, the curriculum advisor for the St. Joseph School District, was named the Missouri Teacher of the Year in 2017.

She, along with the last four Teacher of the Year winners in the state, penned a letter to Missouri's Department of Health and Senior Services Director, Dr. Randall Williams.

The other signees are Darrion Cockrell (Lindbergh), Melissa Grandel (Fordland), Shelly Parks (Francis Howell) and Beth Davey (Ritenour).

The intent, the letter says, is to "prioritize Missouri school teachers and support staff for immediate vaccination."

"We are connected with teachers in rural, suburban and urban areas," Valenti-Huff said of the Teacher of the Year recipients who signed the letter. "So, we just try to do our best to represent them and be a voice for them. This is something we've had a lot of teachers express concern over. So, we felt like it was time to step up and be a voice for those teachers."

Over 94 percent of Missouri educators support keeping kids in school. Valenti-Huff is among those. The St. Joseph School District made the return to full-time, in-person learning this semester.

Valenti-Huff commends the district for the work they've done to keep students and staff safe. Now, she wants state health officials to do their part.

"I want our kids in schools," Valenti-Huff said, "but I also want our students and staff to be safe. To insure that, we need to make sure our teachers are vaccinated so we can insure our teachers are healthy and so our students remain healthy, too."

Valenti-Huff and the four other Teachers of the Year penned their letter on February 10. As of Tuesday afternoon, they had not received any correspondence or feedback from Dr. Williams or anyone at the state level.

"There's been lots of people advocating on behalf of teachers," Valenti-Huff said. "So, I think (Dr. Williams) is very well aware of our concerns. So, hopefully this letter just reiterated that our teachers are still wanting these vaccines."

Of the eight states that border Missouri, seven of them have at least some COVID-19 vaccines available to educators. Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Arkansas, Kentucky, Illinois and Tennessee are among the 26 U.S. states currently vaccinating school staff.

The one state bordering Missouri that hasn't started vaccinated teachers yet is Oklahoma, though they're set to start offering the shot to educators on February 22.

Missouri activated Phase 1b - Tier 2 of its COVID vaccination plan on January 14. This includes anyone age 65 or older, first responders, emergency management and public works employees and any individual considered to be "high risk" with underlying health conditions.

Medical personnel and residents of long-term care were among the first Missourians to receive the COVID vaccine.

Valenti-Huff says the expectation is for Missouri teachers to be vaccinated in April, which she worries may be too late.

"We'd love to see it happen a little sooner," she said. "Even if we remain in the same tier. But, I'm just afraid that (April) will be too late in the school year."

A study published by the CDC in December found that "attending school and child care was not associated with children receiving positive COVID-19 test results."

While it's unknown exactly how many teachers have died of COVID-19, a report from the American Federation of Teachers, one of the nation's largest teachers' unions, knows of at least 530 educators nationwide who have died from virus complications.

There's no indication that teachers are being infected, or dying, at a higher rate than people in other professions. It's also difficult to exactly say how the teachers who died contracted the virus.

It's also not known how many Missouri educators have died from COVID-19, but 34-year-old AshLee DeMarinis, a special education teacher at John Evans Middle School in Potosi, Missouri, was among them.

Valenti-Huff would rather Missourians be safe than sorry, and not add to the trend.

"I've been really impressed with how it's gone locally," Valenti-Huff said. "I just know at the state level, we've unfortunately lost so many teachers and students through this, and we don't want to see that be a trend that continues."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613598287068.jpeg" alt="Darbie Valenti-Huff, a curriculum advisor for the St. Joseph School District, and Missouri's Teacher of the Year in 2017, co-wrote and signed a letter to the state's Department of Health and Senior Services, asking for immediate vaccination of Missouri educators." />
 <figcaption>Darbie Valenti-Huff, a curriculum advisor for the St. Joseph School District, and Missouri's Teacher of the Year in 2017, co-wrote and signed a letter to the state's Department of Health and Senior Services, asking for immediate vaccination of Missouri educators.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostMissouri teachers are among those who will be eligible to next receive the COVID-19 in Phase 1B - Tier 3, once that's activated by the state.Missouri educators are trying to speed up that process.Darbie Valenti-Huff, the curriculum advisor for the St. Joseph School District, was named the Missouri Teacher of the Year in 2017.She, along with the last four Teacher of the Year winners in the state, penned a letter to Missouri's Department of Health and Senior Services Director, Dr. Randall Williams.The other signees are Darrion Cockrell (Lindbergh), Melissa Grandel (Fordland), Shelly Parks (Francis Howell) and Beth Davey (Ritenour).The intent, the letter says, is to "prioritize Missouri school teachers and support staff for immediate vaccination.""We are connected with teachers in rural, suburban and urban areas," Valenti-Huff said of the Teacher of the Year recipients who signed the letter. "So, we just try to do our best to represent them and be a voice for them. This is something we've had a lot of teachers express concern over. So, we felt like it was time to step up and be a voice for those teachers."Over 94 percent of Missouri educators support keeping kids in school. Valenti-Huff is among those. The St. Joseph School District made the return to full-time, in-person learning this semester.Valenti-Huff commends the district for the work they've done to keep students and staff safe. Now, she wants state health officials to do their part."I want our kids in schools," Valenti-Huff said, "but I also want our students and staff to be safe. To insure that, we need to make sure our teachers are vaccinated so we can insure our teachers are healthy and so our students remain healthy, too."Valenti-Huff and the four other Teachers of the Year penned their letter on February 10. As of Tuesday afternoon, they had not received any correspondence or feedback from Dr. Williams or anyone at the state level."There's been lots of people advocating on behalf of teachers," Valenti-Huff said. "So, I think (Dr. Williams) is very well aware of our concerns. So, hopefully this letter just reiterated that our teachers are still wanting these vaccines."Of the eight states that border Missouri, seven of them have at least some COVID-19 vaccines available to educators. Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Arkansas, Kentucky, Illinois and Tennessee are among the 26 U.S. states currently vaccinating school staff.The one state bordering Missouri that hasn't started vaccinated teachers yet is Oklahoma, though they're set to start offering the shot to educators on February 22.Missouri activated Phase 1b - Tier 2 of its COVID vaccination plan on January 14. This includes anyone age 65 or older, first responders, emergency management and public works employees and any individual considered to be "high risk" with underlying health conditions.Medical personnel and residents of long-term care were among the first Missourians to receive the COVID vaccine.Valenti-Huff says the expectation is for Missouri teachers to be vaccinated in April, which she worries may be too late."We'd love to see it happen a little sooner," she said. "Even if we remain in the same tier. But, I'm just afraid that (April) will be too late in the school year."A study published by the CDC in December found that "attending school and child care was not associated with children receiving positive COVID-19 test results."While it's unknown exactly how many teachers have died of COVID-19, a report from the American Federation of Teachers, one of the nation's largest teachers' unions, knows of at least 530 educators nationwide who have died from virus complications.There's no indication that teachers are being infected, or dying, at a higher rate than people in other professions. It's also difficult to exactly say how the teachers who died contracted the virus.It's also not known how many Missouri educators have died from COVID-19, but 34-year-old AshLee DeMarinis, a special education teacher at John Evans Middle School in Potosi, Missouri, was among them.Valenti-Huff would rather Missourians be safe than sorry, and not add to the trend."I've been really impressed with how it's gone locally," Valenti-Huff said. "I just know at the state level, we've unfortunately lost so many teachers and students through this, and we don't want to see that be a trend that continues."<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/987657139&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/tommy-rezac" title="KFEQ Radio, St. Joseph Post" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">KFEQ Radio, St. Joseph Post</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/tommy-rezac/darbie-valenti-huff-discusses-getting-missouri-teachers-vaccinated" title="Darbie Valenti-Huff discusses getting Missouri teachers vaccinated." target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Darbie Valenti-Huff discusses getting Missouri teachers vaccinated.</a></div></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I’m scheduled for my second vaccine this Thursday. I wish that other states would prioritize educators as <a href="https://twitter.com/GovCox?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GovCox</a> and the <a href="https://twitter.com/UtahDepOfHealth?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UtahDepOfHealth</a> have.&mdash; Kellie May (@kellie_holm_may) <a href="https://twitter.com/kellie_holm_may/status/1361434273962545152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

St. Joseph educator signs letter to Missouri DHSS, urging vaccines for teachers ASAP

Due to weather related vaccine shipment issues, Mosaic Life Care announced Wednesday that all first dose COVID-19 appointments at the East Hills Shopping Center in St. Joseph scheduled for this Thursday and Friday have been moved.

All first dose appointments on Thursday, February 18 have been moved to Thursday, February 25 at the same time. 

All first dose appointments on Friday, February 19 have been moved to Friday, February 26 at the same time as well.

Mosaic says in a Facebook post that second dose appointments are not affected by these changes.

The St. Joseph Health Department says nearly 9,000 Buchanan County residents have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine so far.

<div><div id="fb-root"></div>
<script async defer crossorigin="anonymous" src="https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v9.0" nonce="lmjLwrhT"></script></div><div><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/MosaicLifeCare/posts/3892992274092507" data-width="500" data-show-text="true"><blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/MosaicLifeCare/posts/3892992274092507" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore">❗️❗️Due to weather related vaccine shipment issues, all first dose appointments at the Community COVID Vaccine Site at...Posted by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MosaicLifeCare/">Mosaic Life Care</a> on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/MosaicLifeCare/posts/3892992274092507">Wednesday, February 17, 2021</a></blockquote></div></div>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostDue to weather related vaccine shipment issues, Mosaic Life Care announced Wednesday that all first dose COVID-19 appointments at the East Hills Shopping Center in St. Joseph scheduled for this Thursday and Friday have been moved.All first dose appointments on Thursday, February 18 have been moved to Thursday, February 25 at the same time. All first dose appointments on Friday, February 19 have been moved to Friday, February 26 at the same time as well.Mosaic says in a Facebook post that second dose appointments are not affected by these changes.The St. Joseph Health Department says nearly 9,000 Buchanan County residents have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine so far.

COVID-19 vaccine appointments in St. Joseph this Thursday, Friday postponed a week

St. Joseph’s downtown library is closed until at least
Saturday due to an employee being exposed to COVID-19.

Library officials report the library could remain closed if
additional staff members test positive for the coronavirus.

No services will be available at the downtown library. Library services will continue at the
other three branches of the St. Joseph Public Library.&nbsp; 

Patrons who have items
on reserve will be contacted so the pick-up library may be changed or the
pickup date extended.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph’s downtown library is closed until at least
Saturday due to an employee being exposed to COVID-19.Library officials report the library could remain closed if
additional staff members test positive for the coronavirus.No services will be available at the downtown library. Library services will continue at the
other three branches of the St. Joseph Public Library.&nbsp; Patrons who have items
on reserve will be contacted so the pick-up library may be changed or the
pickup date extended.

Downtown St. Joseph library closed after COVID exposure

Around 5 o’clock last night, health departments across the state of Missouri received an email from Governor Mike Parson stating all COVID-19 vaccination events in partnership with the Missouri National Guard, Department of Health and Senior Services, and State Emergency Management Agency scheduled for this week are cancelled due to severe weather. 

This came as quite a surprise to Administrator Andrew Hoffman for the Andrew County Health Department. . .

"We had planned for these types of weather conditions and we had been looking at the possibility of maybe needing to reschedule some here and there but a total stop to all of them across the state was a surprise," says Hoffman to St. Joseph Post. 

Hoffman says the Governors email did not clearly state why the weather caused the vaccine clinics to be cancelled. 

"I would imagine that their statement that it was due to weather is probably fairly broad. It's probably a combination of getting the vaccine where it needs to go," says Hoffman. "There's a lot of weather events in the southern part of the United States that may inhibit the transportation of the vaccine and it's also partly related I'm sure to the harsh conditions that we're all being exposed to with the weather conditions. Again, I can't speak for the Governer but I would imagine that there's probably a couple fronts on that weather that's affecting all of this." 

Hoffman says they can't schedule the next vaccine days until they know when they are getting the next vaccine shipment. 

"We don't want to schedule anything without the assurance that the vaccine is going to be in our hands so that we can give it to community members. That's the first thing we have to nail down, is when are we getting our vaccine shipment? Then at that point we'll have to look at dates and there's a lot of volunteers and there's a lot of community partners that it takes to set up a big event like that," says Hoffman. 

Residents are showing their concern and worry about the vaccine clinic cancellations. 

"Before seven o'clock this morning I already had emails that were coming in and phone calls started," says Hoffman. "People are a little bit confused by the governors actions, they wanted confirmation that yes our event has been cancelled so we're taking a lot of phone calls on that."

Hoffman wants to reassure residents that the Andrew County Health Department is working hard to get the vaccine out to the community. 

"We've been working hard for this entire year trying to deal with COVID-19 and help our community through this and it's not changed. We are still working very long hours. We're working very hard trying to make sure our community is going to be taken care of, so people just need to rest assured that we're doing the best that we can to make sure that their second doses are available and that we'll have future doses for initial and secondary doses," says Hoffman. 

As of right now, they do not know when the clinics will be rescheduled. To stay up to date, sign up on vaccine navigator for the latest notifications on clinic availability. 

By WHITNEE ICE St. Joseph PostAround 5 o’clock last night, health departments across the state of Missouri received an email from Governor Mike Parson stating all COVID-19 vaccination events in partnership with the Missouri National Guard, Department of Health and Senior Services, and State Emergency Management Agency scheduled for this week are cancelled due to severe weather. This came as quite a surprise to Administrator Andrew Hoffman for the Andrew County Health Department. . ."We had planned for these types of weather conditions and we had been looking at the possibility of maybe needing to reschedule some here and there but a total stop to all of them across the state was a surprise," says Hoffman to St. Joseph Post. Hoffman says the Governors email did not clearly state why the weather caused the vaccine clinics to be cancelled. "I would imagine that their statement that it was due to weather is probably fairly broad. It's probably a combination of getting the vaccine where it needs to go," says Hoffman. "There's a lot of weather events in the southern part of the United States that may inhibit the transportation of the vaccine and it's also partly related I'm sure to the harsh conditions that we're all being exposed to with the weather conditions. Again, I can't speak for the Governer but I would imagine that there's probably a couple fronts on that weather that's affecting all of this." Hoffman says they can't schedule the next vaccine days until they know when they are getting the next vaccine shipment. "We don't want to schedule anything without the assurance that the vaccine is going to be in our hands so that we can give it to community members. That's the first thing we have to nail down, is when are we getting our vaccine shipment? Then at that point we'll have to look at dates and there's a lot of volunteers and there's a lot of community partners that it takes to set up a big event like that," says Hoffman. Residents are showing their concern and worry about the vaccine clinic cancellations. "Before seven o'clock this morning I already had emails that were coming in and phone calls started," says Hoffman. "People are a little bit confused by the governors actions, they wanted confirmation that yes our event has been cancelled so we're taking a lot of phone calls on that."Hoffman wants to reassure residents that the Andrew County Health Department is working hard to get the vaccine out to the community. "We've been working hard for this entire year trying to deal with COVID-19 and help our community through this and it's not changed. We are still working very long hours. We're working very hard trying to make sure our community is going to be taken care of, so people just need to rest assured that we're doing the best that we can to make sure that their second doses are available and that we'll have future doses for initial and secondary doses," says Hoffman. As of right now, they do not know when the clinics will be rescheduled. To stay up to date, sign up on vaccine navigator for the latest notifications on clinic availability.

Mass COVID-19 vaccines cancelled across the state of Missouri

DEKALB COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 10p.m. Tuesday in DeKalb County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2015 Toyota Tacoma driven by Richard T. Churchill, 62, Maysville, was southbound on Route A five miles north of Maysville.

The driver failed to negotiate a curve. The pickup traveled off the east side of the road.

A private vehicle transported Churchill to Mosaic Life Care. He was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the MSHP.

DEKALB COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 10p.m. Tuesday in DeKalb County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2015 Toyota Tacoma driven by Richard T. Churchill, 62, Maysville, was southbound on Route A five miles north of Maysville.The driver failed to negotiate a curve. The pickup traveled off the east side of the road.A private vehicle transported Churchill to Mosaic Life Care. He was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the MSHP.

Maysville man hospitalized after pickup accident

St. Joseph health officials report 34 new cases of COVID-19 in Buchanan County since Friday and one new fatality in that time as well.

The victim was a woman in her 80s, bringing the Buchanan County death toll to 158. The county's case total is now 9,946.

What's good - the positivity rate in Buchanan County has dropped to 4.1 percent, which is down from 7.4 percent two weeks prior.

Local hospitalizations are also down. Mosaic Life Care reports only four COVID-19 patients in its system - which is down from 10 the day before.

The amount of vaccines being distributed continues to go up with 8,998 total doses being administered in Buchanan County to date.

Statewide, Missouri reports 472,143 total cases (+260 since Monday) and 7,458 fatalities, an increase of three since Monday.

Kansas reports 287,450 total cases and 4,406 fatalities. Doniphan County, Kansas reports 925 total cases.

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph health officials report 34 new cases of COVID-19 in Buchanan County since Friday and one new fatality in that time as well.The victim was a woman in her 80s, bringing the Buchanan County death toll to 158. The county's case total is now 9,946.What's good - the positivity rate in Buchanan County has dropped to 4.1 percent, which is down from 7.4 percent two weeks prior.Local hospitalizations are also down. Mosaic Life Care reports only four COVID-19 patients in its system - which is down from 10 the day before.The amount of vaccines being distributed continues to go up with 8,998 total doses being administered in Buchanan County to date.Statewide, Missouri reports 472,143 total cases (+260 since Monday) and 7,458 fatalities, an increase of three since Monday.Kansas reports 287,450 total cases and 4,406 fatalities. Doniphan County, Kansas reports 925 total cases.

One new COVID-19 death in Buchanan County, positivity rate and hospitalizations falling

HARRISON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 7:30p.m. Tuesday in Harrison County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2019 Jeep Cherokee driven by Jennifer C. Russell, 40, Bethany, was eastbound on Route W one mile north of Bethany.

The jeep began to slide on the ice. The vehicle slid through the stop sign at the intersection of Route F and overturned in the ditch.

NTA ambulance transported Russell to Harrison County Community Hospital. She was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the MSHP.

HARRISON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 7:30p.m. Tuesday in Harrison County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2019 Jeep Cherokee driven by Jennifer C. Russell, 40, Bethany, was eastbound on Route W one mile north of Bethany.The jeep began to slide on the ice. The vehicle slid through the stop sign at the intersection of Route F and overturned in the ditch.NTA ambulance transported Russell to Harrison County Community Hospital. She was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the MSHP.

Missouri woman hospitalized after jeep slides, overturns

Thousands of area residents experienced a temporary loss of
power this morning as Evergy used rolling blackouts to reduce energy use in
Missouri and Kansas.

Evergy spokesperson Andrew Baker says the utility received an energy
emergency alert from the Southwest Power Pool at 6:45 this morning,
requiring a 10% reduction in power use. Baker says several factors determine
whether Evergy resorts to temporary power outages, including a spike in electricity
use as homes struggled to keep warm during a long cold spell, which culminated with temperatures plummeting to minus-22 in
some of the utility’s service areas.

“It’s the accumulative effect of the long-term cold that we’ve
been in,” Baker tells St. Joseph Post. “Everything requires more energy to stay
warm. Every day that goes by it requires more energy.”

Baker says there is plenty of energy for Missouri and Kansas,
but the extreme cold which has drifted south into states such as Texas put additional
strain on the power grid, making it difficult to keep up with demand. It
triggered an energy emergency alert from the Southwest Power Pool. Evergy is
part of the pool which covers 17 states.

Approximately 170,000 Evergy customers lost power during the temporary
power outages, which lasted between half an hour to an hour.

“What we’re trying to avoid with these temporary blackouts is
so we can avoid those longer blackouts and larger outages that people are
seeing right now in the state of Texas, millions of people without power,”
according to Baker. “Taking people off in small blocks, we’re trying to avoid
that and avoid that situation that they’re seeing down south.”

The
region's coldest weather in decades is creating a high demand for
electricity.&nbsp; It's also driving high demand for natural gas, straining the
gas supply available to generate electricity.

Evergy
began the rolling blackouts Monday afternoon to conserve energy.

Evergy
is encouraging customers to turn their thermostats a little cooler, between
65-68 degrees. They also ask that you avoid using space heaters. You should
also close blinds and shades to reduce the amount of heat lost through windows.

Tommy Rezac contributed to this story.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostThousands of area residents experienced a temporary loss of
power this morning as Evergy used rolling blackouts to reduce energy use in
Missouri and Kansas.Evergy spokesperson Andrew Baker says the utility received an energy
emergency alert from the Southwest Power Pool at 6:45 this morning,
requiring a 10% reduction in power use. Baker says several factors determine
whether Evergy resorts to temporary power outages, including a spike in electricity
use as homes struggled to keep warm during a long cold spell, which culminated with temperatures plummeting to minus-22 in
some of the utility’s service areas.“It’s the accumulative effect of the long-term cold that we’ve
been in,” Baker tells St. Joseph Post. “Everything requires more energy to stay
warm. Every day that goes by it requires more energy.”Baker says there is plenty of energy for Missouri and Kansas,
but the extreme cold which has drifted south into states such as Texas put additional
strain on the power grid, making it difficult to keep up with demand. It
triggered an energy emergency alert from the Southwest Power Pool. Evergy is
part of the pool which covers 17 states.Approximately 170,000 Evergy customers lost power during the temporary
power outages, which lasted between half an hour to an hour.“What we’re trying to avoid with these temporary blackouts is
so we can avoid those longer blackouts and larger outages that people are
seeing right now in the state of Texas, millions of people without power,”
according to Baker. “Taking people off in small blocks, we’re trying to avoid
that and avoid that situation that they’re seeing down south.”The
region's coldest weather in decades is creating a high demand for
electricity.&nbsp; It's also driving high demand for natural gas, straining the
gas supply available to generate electricity.Evergy
began the rolling blackouts Monday afternoon to conserve energy.Evergy
is encouraging customers to turn their thermostats a little cooler, between
65-68 degrees. They also ask that you avoid using space heaters. You should
also close blinds and shades to reduce the amount of heat lost through windows.Tommy Rezac contributed to this story.

Evergy uses rolling blackouts to reduce energy consumption by 10%

After one of the coldest snaps ever across the Midwest and Plains region, temperatures will start to rebound this week and into the weekend.

National Weather Service meteorologist Brad Temeyer from the Pleasant Hill office says low temperatures will likely drop slightly below zero again on Tuesday night and then start to rebound Wednesday.

However, another round of light snow is coming along with that.

"We'll start to see clouds moving in (Tuesday) evening," Temeyer said. "Initially, temperatures could fall back to zero or below across the region. Once those clouds do move in, I would expect conditions to warm slightly, but that comes with additional amounts of precipitation."

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">.<a href="https://twitter.com/NWSKansasCity?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NWSKansasCity</a> confirms that the low in St. Joseph this morning was -21, which is a new record. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/mowx?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#mowx</a>&mdash; St Joseph Post (@StJosephPost) <a href="https://twitter.com/StJosephPost/status/1361755162784665602?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
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</div>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostAfter one of the coldest snaps ever across the Midwest and Plains region, temperatures will start to rebound this week and into the weekend.National Weather Service meteorologist Brad Temeyer from the Pleasant Hill office says low temperatures will likely drop slightly below zero again on Tuesday night and then start to rebound Wednesday.However, another round of light snow is coming along with that."We'll start to see clouds moving in (Tuesday) evening," Temeyer said. "Initially, temperatures could fall back to zero or below across the region. Once those clouds do move in, I would expect conditions to warm slightly, but that comes with additional amounts of precipitation."The latest round of snow is expected to start after midnight Tuesday night and last through at least noon Wednesday. Accumulations should be light, but a dusting to three inches is possible with higher amounts likely toward Kansas City and areas south of St. Joseph."St. Joe will get kind of a glancing blow of this system," Temeyer pointed out, "with higher amounts along the Missouri River and south. Areas to the north (of KC) should see, generally, around an inch or so."Temeyer says the snow that's already on the ground has helped keep temperatures low, and it will continue to do so over the next couple of days, though highs by Friday should be in the upper 20s, with 30s expected this weekend and low-to-mid 40s by early next week.But until then, lows will still be pretty cold. Lows on Wednesday and Thursday night should be anywhere from single digits below or above zero."Lows are still going to be extremely cold overnight the next few nights," Temeyer said. "Once we get that warmer air mass into the region, then we're looking at conditions improving. So by Friday or Friday night is when we'll start to see a significant warm up."You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">Bitter <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cold?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#cold</a> remains across the Great Plains this morning and has spread to areas along the central and western Gulf Coast. More record lows were recorded today: <a href="https://t.co/7ZPAEJIMgU">pic.twitter.com/7ZPAEJIMgU</a>&mdash; NWS Weather Prediction Center (@NWSWPC) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSWPC/status/1361674571884101633?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
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