Tornado: Columns

Federal, state leaders salute Joplin’s recovery

A deadly May twister may have punched a hole in Joplin and Duquesne two years ago, but the resolve to repair it will help other communities stand strong when they face similar disasters. That was the message of state and national diginitaries to a crowd of about 2,500 who observed the second anniversary of Joplin’s devastating May 22, 2011, storm during a ceremony Wednesday in Cunningham Park.

Tornado: Columns

Stephanie Denham, columnist: Weather changes like crazy, but volunteers are steadfast
It’s July already? How time has flown this year and the things we have experienced have been from one end of the scale to the other. We have seen cold weather, blizzards, rain and flooding, strong winds, hail and tornados. Now that July is here, we can look forward to temps of 100 degrees or above.

July 6, 2011
Allison Riddle, columnist: Watch for fraud when repairing tornado damage
Survivors are being cautioned about scam artists coming out of the woodwork after the May 22 tornado. The Federal Emergency Management Agency says it’s important to be vigilant in protecting your property and money by looking out for those that want to take advantage of a dire situation.

July 6, 2011
Joe Hadsall, columnist: At least Limbaugh said the right things in person
The stage was set for ugly politics on the Fourth of July. Instead, we got an uplifting message.

July 6, 2011 1 Photo
Ryan Atkinson: Relax and let the kids play
We’re a society with a bit of a sports problem.
For better or worse, part of the daily lives of a lot of people revolve around games played by kids or college students or overpaid adults.
Heck, my entire workday revolves around them.

July 3, 2011
Susan Redden: Senate fireworks stay in Washington
Members of the U.S. Senate were staying in Washington over the Independence Day weekend after Majority Leader Harry Reid canceled their holiday break in an attempt to address the national debt.

July 3, 2011
Frankie Meyer: Tornado a reminder to protect photos
The recent tornado serves as a reminder that all of us need to take good care of slides, prints, negatives and documents, and we need to make digital copies of them so that they can be shared and thus saved for future generations.

July 3, 2011
Rich Brown: Pastors, chaplains have hands full in aftermath of tornado
Tim Sumners had already been through enough. The loss of two homes in his family, including his own, would have caused a weaker man to collapse in despair.

July 3, 2011 1 Photo
Ron Richard, guest columnist: A time to hold families close
July 4 is a special day to my family and our community. We have always celebrated our nation’s independence with family and friends. Hamburgers and homemade ice cream are on our menu. Everyone brings a lawn chair, cold drinks, sparklers and night fireworks.

July 3, 2011
Taylor Camden, guest columnist: JHS history saved a page at a time
Traditionally, I was taught that I shouldn’t spend my school days at the mall, but when a tornado ripped through my town leaving my school in rubble, tradition flew out the window.

July 3, 2011
Cindy Dagnan, guest columnist: Finding shelter in the storm
For all of us, time is divided: before and after May 22. When Joplin was hit by an EF-5 tornado, packing 200 mph winds and a 20,000-foot debris column like a monster on a feeding frenzy, it ate 13.8 miles of our community.

July 3, 2011
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