Mduke update!
April 4, 2006 -- Posted at 5:24 p.m. CST
JONESBORO, AR -- In our effort to help residents of Marmaduke who lost everything in Sunday night’s storms, the Triple FM radio group and KAIT have teamed up for “Operation: Mending Marmaduke”.
We set up in the parking lot of Indian Mall taking donations from “Good Neighbors” in Region 8.
“My heart just goes out to the people of Marmaduke. I just wanted to do anything I could to help them,” said Pam Kale.
“We asked the officials up in Marmaduke how we could help out and they said they need cleaning supplies, they need bottled water, and they need tarps really bad,” said Bill Pressly of the Triple FM radio group.
By noon Tuesday, Region 8 residents filled the empty pallets and the empty money jar.
“I just wanted to help. I just heard it and I couldn’t help wanting to come here,” said Janet Woodruff.
However, it wasn't just adults who responded to the need. Students at Annie Camp Junior High School donated a total of over $270.
This all goes to show the type of response residents in Region 8 have for their “Good Neighbors”.
“Whenever we have a crisis like this, everyone always comes through. You don’t ever have to ask more than once. They always come right to the rescue,” said Pressly.
“Everyone does their part. We have a great – I don’t live here, I live in Walnut Ridge, but I always see Jonesboro coming together to help people,” said Peggy Dame.
We delivered the truck full of supplies to Marmaduke on Tuesday afternoon for our “Good Neighbors” in need.
Collected items include: bottled water, cleaning supplies, paper towels, work gloves, tarps, and sheets of plastic.
In cash, Region 8 has donated $11,433.22.
The command center in Marmaduke is located at the high school. Families seeking assistance can go there for help.
***************************
April 4, 2006 – Posted at 6:27 p.m. CST
CARUTHERSVILLE, MO -- Everything from mobile homes to century-old brick homes were destroyed in Caruthersville when an F3 tornado ripped through Southeast Missouri Sunday afternoon. National Guard soldiers are headed to the Bootheel for the recovery effort, but residents are working hard to pick up the pieces and hold themselves together as a community.
More than 60% of all the buildings in Caruthersville were damaged or destroyed, tearing apart this close-knit community of 6,700 people.
“It's just devastated...I was scared for them. I was just scared for the kids,” said survivor Pam Grubbs through tears.
Grubbs rode out the tornado in her sister-in-law's house...just across the street from her own. She and her husband Gary now have the only livable house on West 16th Street in Caruthersville. They both wear blue wristbands to show they are living in the devastated area. A mandatory curfew keeps them home after 8 p.m.
“I'm just glad that we are blessed and God was looking over us,” said Gary Grubbs. Caruthersville is now an eerily familiar place. Spray paint marks homes and signs warn potential looters.
“This looks just like what Katrina did and what Charlie did. There's just no difference, there is just as much devastation,” said Jean Hunt of the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief Team.
Pam Grubbs works along side her friend Jean Hunt with the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief Team...they travel across the country helping to clean up. Now they are the ones in need the help.
“That's the hardest part is waiting for the help...people are wondering, where's the help at? But the help is here. There's just so much devastation,” said Hunt.
And as the town begins again...residents are thankful it wasn't worse.
“Everything's ok. We will survive, we'll just pick up and start over,” said Grubbs. “God's grace was on this town, he spared their lives,” said Hunt.
Residents in Caruthersville are still without water, gas and electric, but the mail is still running, giving this town some sense of normalcy after this disaster.
The Southern Baptist Disaster Relief Team has a feeding unit set up in Hayti at the First Baptist Church. Also, the One Step Ministries is organizing a water drop for Caruthersville tornado victims. Burton 's Quick Shop on Highway 412 in Cardwell is serving as a drop-off point.
The Caruthersville School also took a beating in Sunday's storms. Damage to the high school and middle school has cancelled classes for the rest of the week.
Fortunately, students will be on spring break next week, giving officials more time to clean up and asses the damage. However, students were in the middle of taking their "MAP" tests.
Assistant Superintendent Sherry Copeland says they are working with the state to figure out what they are going to do next.
“We're looking at possibly doing a split schedule and bringing each of the middle school and high school in at one time and bringing in the elementary in at another time. Our elementary school sits across town and is just fine,” said Copeland.
The elementary holds 800 students and there are a little over 700 students between the middle and high school.
**************************************
APRIL 4, 2006 - Posted at 7:43 a.m. CST, updated at 11:22 a.m., updated at 1:04 p.m.
WYNNE, AR - Governor Huckabee says areas of northeast Arkansas hit hard by tornadoes should be eligibile for federal aid. Huckabee flew over a number of damaged areas before landing in Marmaduke today to get a first-hand look at the wreckage. State legislators are already working to pass an assistance package.
No one was killed in Arkansas, but the storm system claimed 27 lives, 23 of them in Tennessee.
About half of the buildings in Marmaduke were destroyed. An American Railcar Industries plant was damaged and the company shut down the facility. A number of rail cars in inventory were also damaged. The company says it is insured.
Huckabee did a helicopter fly-over of Marmaduke this morning before landing at approximately 10 a.m.
Huckabee has declared disaster areas in five Region 8 counties: Cross, Fulton, Greene, Randolph and White. Disaster areas have also been declared in Conway and Hot Spring counties. The governor also has released $200,000 from a disaster fund to help people with storm losses
*****************************
April 4th, 2006 -- Posted at 5:30 p.m. CST
Marmaduke, AR -- On a weekday morning in early April most schools are filled with bustling students making their way through the halls to their classrooms.
On Tuesday morning, Marmaduke's halls have no children.....their rooms are a disaster.
Teachers are not teaching.
Judy Bell teaches junior high at Marmaduke.
"Well we're just trying to get the elementary put in boxes, and get everything moved out so we can clean up, and we can start rebuilding and that's what you have to do," said Bell.
Quite simply, there's just no way to tell how long it will take to replace and rebuild what this tornado blew away in a matter of seconds.
Part of the roof is gone, brick walls are caving in, there are wires hanging from the ceiling, and debris is scattered everywhere.
Debbie Smith is Marmaduke's superintendent.
"We're going to evacuate the elementary building--that's the preschool through the sixth grade. That building will not be able to be used for the remainder of the school year. We will have to figure out what to do with those kids, and that's what we're doing now," said Smith.
Smith is hopeful the high school students will be able to return once their building has been thoroughly checked to make sure the structure is sound.
"We're anxious to get back. The teachers that were able to come in, came back this morning, and they are looking forward to having the students back.
Before these students come back, Smith says the top priority is ensuring a safe place to come back to.
As for these teachers, the task of cleaning up, and rebuilding is tremendous.
"We're just all pitching in to get that process going. I think we'll be back in school before long, and the little darlins' will be happy to be back....this is their home," said Bell.
***********************************8
JONESBORO, AR -- In our effort to help residents of Marmaduke who lost everything in Sunday night’s storms, the Triple FM radio group and KAIT have teamed up for “Operation: Mending Marmaduke”.
We set up in the parking lot of Indian Mall taking donations from “Good Neighbors” in Region 8.
“My heart just goes out to the people of Marmaduke. I just wanted to do anything I could to help them,” said Pam Kale.
“We asked the officials up in Marmaduke how we could help out and they said they need cleaning supplies, they need bottled water, and they need tarps really bad,” said Bill Pressly of the Triple FM radio group.
By noon Tuesday, Region 8 residents filled the empty pallets and the empty money jar.
“I just wanted to help. I just heard it and I couldn’t help wanting to come here,” said Janet Woodruff.
However, it wasn't just adults who responded to the need. Students at Annie Camp Junior High School donated a total of over $270.
This all goes to show the type of response residents in Region 8 have for their “Good Neighbors”.
“Whenever we have a crisis like this, everyone always comes through. You don’t ever have to ask more than once. They always come right to the rescue,” said Pressly.
“Everyone does their part. We have a great – I don’t live here, I live in Walnut Ridge, but I always see Jonesboro coming together to help people,” said Peggy Dame.
We delivered the truck full of supplies to Marmaduke on Tuesday afternoon for our “Good Neighbors” in need.
Collected items include: bottled water, cleaning supplies, paper towels, work gloves, tarps, and sheets of plastic.
In cash, Region 8 has donated $11,433.22.
The command center in Marmaduke is located at the high school. Families seeking assistance can go there for help.
***************************
April 4, 2006 – Posted at 6:27 p.m. CST
CARUTHERSVILLE, MO -- Everything from mobile homes to century-old brick homes were destroyed in Caruthersville when an F3 tornado ripped through Southeast Missouri Sunday afternoon. National Guard soldiers are headed to the Bootheel for the recovery effort, but residents are working hard to pick up the pieces and hold themselves together as a community.
More than 60% of all the buildings in Caruthersville were damaged or destroyed, tearing apart this close-knit community of 6,700 people.
“It's just devastated...I was scared for them. I was just scared for the kids,” said survivor Pam Grubbs through tears.
Grubbs rode out the tornado in her sister-in-law's house...just across the street from her own. She and her husband Gary now have the only livable house on West 16th Street in Caruthersville. They both wear blue wristbands to show they are living in the devastated area. A mandatory curfew keeps them home after 8 p.m.
“I'm just glad that we are blessed and God was looking over us,” said Gary Grubbs. Caruthersville is now an eerily familiar place. Spray paint marks homes and signs warn potential looters.
“This looks just like what Katrina did and what Charlie did. There's just no difference, there is just as much devastation,” said Jean Hunt of the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief Team.
Pam Grubbs works along side her friend Jean Hunt with the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief Team...they travel across the country helping to clean up. Now they are the ones in need the help.
“That's the hardest part is waiting for the help...people are wondering, where's the help at? But the help is here. There's just so much devastation,” said Hunt.
And as the town begins again...residents are thankful it wasn't worse.
“Everything's ok. We will survive, we'll just pick up and start over,” said Grubbs. “God's grace was on this town, he spared their lives,” said Hunt.
Residents in Caruthersville are still without water, gas and electric, but the mail is still running, giving this town some sense of normalcy after this disaster.
The Southern Baptist Disaster Relief Team has a feeding unit set up in Hayti at the First Baptist Church. Also, the One Step Ministries is organizing a water drop for Caruthersville tornado victims. Burton 's Quick Shop on Highway 412 in Cardwell is serving as a drop-off point.
The Caruthersville School also took a beating in Sunday's storms. Damage to the high school and middle school has cancelled classes for the rest of the week.
Fortunately, students will be on spring break next week, giving officials more time to clean up and asses the damage. However, students were in the middle of taking their "MAP" tests.
Assistant Superintendent Sherry Copeland says they are working with the state to figure out what they are going to do next.
“We're looking at possibly doing a split schedule and bringing each of the middle school and high school in at one time and bringing in the elementary in at another time. Our elementary school sits across town and is just fine,” said Copeland.
The elementary holds 800 students and there are a little over 700 students between the middle and high school.
**************************************
APRIL 4, 2006 - Posted at 7:43 a.m. CST, updated at 11:22 a.m., updated at 1:04 p.m.
WYNNE, AR - Governor Huckabee says areas of northeast Arkansas hit hard by tornadoes should be eligibile for federal aid. Huckabee flew over a number of damaged areas before landing in Marmaduke today to get a first-hand look at the wreckage. State legislators are already working to pass an assistance package.
No one was killed in Arkansas, but the storm system claimed 27 lives, 23 of them in Tennessee.
About half of the buildings in Marmaduke were destroyed. An American Railcar Industries plant was damaged and the company shut down the facility. A number of rail cars in inventory were also damaged. The company says it is insured.
Huckabee did a helicopter fly-over of Marmaduke this morning before landing at approximately 10 a.m.
Huckabee has declared disaster areas in five Region 8 counties: Cross, Fulton, Greene, Randolph and White. Disaster areas have also been declared in Conway and Hot Spring counties. The governor also has released $200,000 from a disaster fund to help people with storm losses
*****************************
April 4th, 2006 -- Posted at 5:30 p.m. CST
Marmaduke, AR -- On a weekday morning in early April most schools are filled with bustling students making their way through the halls to their classrooms.
On Tuesday morning, Marmaduke's halls have no children.....their rooms are a disaster.
Teachers are not teaching.
Judy Bell teaches junior high at Marmaduke.
"Well we're just trying to get the elementary put in boxes, and get everything moved out so we can clean up, and we can start rebuilding and that's what you have to do," said Bell.
Quite simply, there's just no way to tell how long it will take to replace and rebuild what this tornado blew away in a matter of seconds.
Part of the roof is gone, brick walls are caving in, there are wires hanging from the ceiling, and debris is scattered everywhere.
Debbie Smith is Marmaduke's superintendent.
"We're going to evacuate the elementary building--that's the preschool through the sixth grade. That building will not be able to be used for the remainder of the school year. We will have to figure out what to do with those kids, and that's what we're doing now," said Smith.
Smith is hopeful the high school students will be able to return once their building has been thoroughly checked to make sure the structure is sound.
"We're anxious to get back. The teachers that were able to come in, came back this morning, and they are looking forward to having the students back.
Before these students come back, Smith says the top priority is ensuring a safe place to come back to.
As for these teachers, the task of cleaning up, and rebuilding is tremendous.
"We're just all pitching in to get that process going. I think we'll be back in school before long, and the little darlins' will be happy to be back....this is their home," said Bell.
***********************************8
posted by Mustang Sally at 8:47 PM
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