| Today's Feature Storm Bites.
The Emergency Response Center
in Joplin is in desperate need of food and water.
The Carthage Y has agreed to be a drop off point
and will deliver the items to the Beimdiek
Recreaton Center on the campus of MSSU.
"If you can help, please
send food and water here and we’ll
deliver," says Bob Brower, Executive
Director. "We are being told that the food
needs to be ready to serve, i.e., sandwiches,
etc. They do not have a prep area at this point.
"Leggett & Platt
brought a large trailer to the Y’s parking
lot this afternoon where people can drop off
donations to the victims in Joplin. Thank you so
much Leggett & Platt.
"Mark Williams, President
and CEO of H.E. Williams, has also offered a
truck. So we’ve got plenty of help to get
goods to the emergency shelter.
"Red Cross told us that
what they are really in need of are blankets and
water. Please keep this in mind if people ask you
what things they need.
"They also said they are
not in need of clothing at this time. However, if
you bring clothing to donate please mark your
plastic bag or container carefully so the Red
Cross Volunteers know the size & gender your
donation is for.
You can drop them off at our Y
until 8 pm tonight.
McCune Brooks Regional Hospital
reports that they have treated approximately 300
victims of the storm and admitted 30 to 35
patients.
A crew of five doctors arrived
at the hospital from Springfield Sunday night to
assist and stepped in to give local doctors
relief.
Some supplies that are used in
hip fractures were stored at St. John’s
Hospital and are causing some disruptions.
The hospital also had six or
seven surgeries performed during the aftermath.
Approximately sixty percent of
the total staff were on duty for the night.
The Regular Tuesday meeting of
the Jasper County Commission has been canceled.
The Council Meeting Training
(Gary Markenson) scheduled for Tuesday May 24,
2011 at 7:30 AM has been cancelled. At this time
the regularly scheduled Council Meeting later
that evening at 7:30 PM has not been cancelled.
CW&EP has offered Empire
Electric assistance but as of press time was
waiting to hear of the final assessment of
damages.
Attorney General Chris Koster
has warned individuals and businesses against
price-gouging following the devastating tornado
in Joplin.
"Missouri law is clear
– price gouging is illegal and the Attorney
General’s Office will investigate and
prosecute instances of price-gouging to the full
extent of the law," Koster said. "The
unimaginable disaster in Joplin will take
everyone working together to recover. There is no
room for anyone to try to take advantage of
tornado victims in need."
Koster’s office is sending
investigators to the area to monitor for
price-gouging and to examine any allegations
on-site. The Attorney General urged any person
who believes a business has suddenly and
artificially raised the prices on necessities
including gas, food, diapers, clean-up equipment,
etc., should contact his office at
1-800-392-8222, or online at ago.mo.gov to file
the complaint.
Koster said those who violate
price-gouging laws can face penalties of up to
$1,000 per violation.
Joplin Storm -
for the record.
PoliticMo -JOPLIN, Mo.
— A tornado ripped through the southwest
region of Missouri Sunday night causing
significant structural damage and dozens of
fatalities in the Joplin metro area.
""It was like an
atomic bomb went off," said one Joplin man
on his way to a make-shift shelter on Duquesne on
the eastern side of town.
In response, Governor Jay Nixon
dispatched the Missouri National Guard to the
region and pledged the full assistance of the
state in reaction to the disaster.
The tornado destroyed much of
the Plaza Apartment complex on 20th and
Rangeline. (PoliticMo Photo)
"These storms have caused
extensive damage across Missouri, and they
continue to pose significant risk to lives and
property," Nixon said. "As a state, we
are deploying every agency and resource available
to keep Missouri families safe, search for the
missing, provide emergency medical care, and
begin to recover. I have ordered the Missouri
National Guard to deploy Citizen-Soldiers and
assets to support local law enforcement agencies
with emergency coordination and recovery, and
other state assets have been mobilized to provide
emergency support as well."
The scene on the ground is
simply catastrophic. On Rangeline Road south of
Seventh Street, the Academy Sports store, Wal
Mart Supercenter, and Home Depot have all been
flattened. The Plaza Apartments on 15th street
have also been destroyed. Additionally, parts of
Joplin High School have been damaged, and the
Franklin Technology Center has been completely
destroyed.
On the southernmost part of
Joplin, a fire and significant damage caused St.
Johns Regional Medical Center to be evacuated. A
reporter for KSNF-TV reported a makeshift morgue
has been set up in the area.
President Barack Obama, en
route to Ireland for the G8 summit, issued a
statement late Sunday.
"Michelle and I send our
deepest condolences to the families of all those
who lost their lives in the tornadoes and severe
weather that struck Joplin, Missouri, as well as
communities across the Midwest today," Obama
said. "We commend the heroic efforts by
those who have responded and who are working to
help their friends and neighbors at this very
difficult time."
14th and Duquesne on the east
side of Joplin, where a gas station and dozens of
homes were destroyed.
"At my direction, FEMA is
working with the affected areas’ state and
local officials to support response and recovery
efforts, and the federal government stands ready
to help our fellow Americans as needed," he
said.
Nixon announced the
Missouri’s Disaster Medical Assistance Team
1 has been dispatched to the region. The team
specializes in structural collapses, Nixon told
CNN, and had been dispatched to New York City in
the wake of the September 11 attacks.
State Rep. Charlie Davis,
R-Joplin, was on Rangeline Sunday night with a
generator hoping to offer a hand to the relief.
Davis, who said he spoke with House Speaker
Steven Tilley Sunday, said, "I just
don’t know what to do. I don’t know
where to start. This is just devastating."
Jasper
County Jail Count
Monday182
Total
Including Placed out of County
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