KENNETT, MO -- The winter weather has left our area, but people who live in the boot heel of Missouri are still dealing with the aftermath.
Several inches of ice still coat trees and power lines in Kennett, Missouri. This area is said to have taken the brunt of the storm.
In town, there are only two places to get gas, Walmart and Green Oil Company. People waited in line for three hours to fill up.
“In 30 years I've never seen anything like this," says Crystal Grills. "We’re just trying to stay warm.”
According to Kennett "City, Light Gas and Water", it is having to rebuild the city's power grid from the ground up. At this time, only one circuit supplying power to four customers is working and it could be up to a month before everyone's electricity is working again.
The ice was so bad it took down not only power lines, but entire electric poles. Patients and staff at the CNS Nursing Home in Kennett are running on emergency generators.
Staff had to bring in refrigerated tractor trailers to store food. And they received a shipment of blankets from a sister company in St. Louis.
One good bit of news is that the city's water supply is still alright. Missouri Governor Jay Nixon was supposed to tour Kennett to assess the damage, but as of 3:00 p.m. city officials were told Nixon is stranded in Farmington, Missouri and cannot make it. National Guard Linesmen crews will be arriving Friday, January 30, 2009 to help with the power restoration and cleanup.
In the meantime there is a shelter set up at the Slicer Street Church of Christ for any residents needing food or a place to stay. The Kennett VFW is also serving as a warming station.
