Southeast donates two shuttle buses to Joplin

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KRCU) - Southeast Missouri State University donated two shuttle buses to Joplin Missouri. As Hannah Parent reports, they replaced buses that were destroyed by last May’s tornado.

The tornado last May devastated Joplin in many ways. One of the consequences was the loss of transportation vehicles.

The Missouri Department of Transportation discovered a surplus of two vehicles at Southeast Missouri State University. The university chose to donate them to the tornado-ravaged town.

Mike Hopen, the university’s Director of Transportation, was excited to be part of this charitable act after he saw the devastation first hand.

"I’ve never seen actually seen a tornado of that magnitude or with those damages," Hopen said. "When they talked about it being a mile wide tornado I was a skeptic. Until I saw the mile wide destruction path...made me a believer."

The buses went to a mental health facility in Joplin that lost three buses during the tornado.

Hannah Parent, KRCU

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Arne Duncan and Janet Napolitano visit Joplin high school

JOPLIN, MO (KSMU) - High school students in Joplin, Missouri, told US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan Thursday that they are passionate about school, despite losing their high school building to a tornado in May.

Business students served Duncan up a cup of joe from their new coffee bar in the makeshift school, which used to be a mall. Each 11th and 12th grader now has a personal laptop, a gift from the United Arab Emirates after the tornado. While touring the facility, Duncan said Joplin’s recovery efforts are stunning.

"I think as Joplin reinvents itself, post the disaster, Joplin can actually help to lead the country to where we need to go educationally," Duncan said.

Duncan called the makeshift school "stunning" and said it reminded him of "a mini-college campus."

Joining Duncan in Joplin was Secretary of the US Department of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano.

The May 22 storm that killed 162 people also destroyed or damaged 10 schools in the area.

Jennifer Moore, KSMU

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Koster files suit against Joplin landlord for price gouging

JOPLIN, MO (KMSU) - The Missouri Attorney General’s office continues to go after those trying to take advantage of victims of the tornado that tore through Joplin on May 22nd.

Attorney General Chris Koster says his office has filed suit in the Jasper County Circuit Court against a Joplin landlord for price gouging and other violations in the aftermath of the tornado.

Thirteen renters at two apartment complexes owned by David Box Jr. complained that their rent was being increased and that they were given only three days to either pay the difference or be evicted.

Koster says it appears the price increases were directly related to the storm...

"The primary reason that we're here today has to do with significant price increases that appear to us by all indications to have no bearing in his cost structure and are completely related to the storm, and, as long as the governor has the city of Joplin under an emergency declaration, that is considered price gouging by the legislature and by the governor's office," Koster said.

Koster says his office has received around 260 complaints following the Joplin tornado.

Michele Skalicky, KSMU

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Danforth unveils "Joplin Tomorrow"

JOPLIN, MO (KSMU) - Joplin business leaders have found a friend in former US Senator John Danforth as they try to rebuild their city after the May 22 tornado left nearly 5,000 people without jobs.

Danforth is spearheading a new non-profit organization called “Joplin Tomorrow.” It will provide low or no-interest loans to businesses that want to call Joplin home. The offer is also good for businesses hoping to expand in Joplin.

The former politicians said he will travel the state raising money for the fund.

“A lot of this is business helping business to create business for the future. That’s going to have a lot of appeal to people, I think, throughout our state, who want to do something for Joplin,” he said.

Danforth said other business recovery loans and programs are helpful—but they only seek to maintain the status quo a business held before the tornado. In contrast, he said, the “Joplin Tomorrow” loans will help businesses expand, even beyond what they previously were.

Five members of the Joplin business community will volunteer their time to administer the loans. Contributions will be tax-deductible.

The fund already has one million dollars: half a million from the Danforth Foundation, which ceased operating last month, and another half million from Joplin business owners.

For more information on the fund, you can visit www.joplintomorrow.org.

Jennifer Moore, KSMU

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Rebuilding begins in Joplin

JOPLIN, MO (KBIA) - Amid the destruction caused by the tornado that hit Joplin, Mo., May 22nd, residents are beginning to pick up the pieces and think about rebuilding their city.

One man has already found a new home.

Surrounded by family, friends and volunteers, Joplin resident Dan Florry is sorting out his life, searching through a pile of rubble that once was his home. It’s been a tiring ordeal. Florry is helping volunteers pack up several items he missed last week: tools, a deep freezer and some food. He says he hasn’t stopped working since last week.

"It was kind of incredible to me," Florry said. "The tornado was Sunday night, and Tuesday at lunch time, my wife told me my face was dirty and I needed to wash it. And when I put the soap in, I realized that was the first time I had soap in my hand was Tuesday."

With the help of friends, Florry and his wife have signed a contract for a new home across town, in a less affected area. He says he still hopes to eventually restore this home – to help with what he sees as an inevitable housing shortage. But rebuilding his home – and Joplin – will be a much longer process.

Courtney Flatt, KBIA

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Death toll grows in Joplin

JOPLIN, MO (KBIA) - 116 are confirmed dead in Joplin.

Police and rescue forces spent Monday searching for survivors amongst the rubble. Seventee people were found alive.

Senator Claire McCaskill will visit Joplin today. President Barack Obama says he will tour Joplin on Sunday.

14,000 residents in Joplin remain without electricity.

Scott Kanowsky, KBIA

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State responds to tornado in Joplin

The State Emergency Management Agency continues to work with Missouri state and local agencies to deploy all available response resources to Joplin following the deadly tornado that ripped through the city Sunday evening.

Sunday evening, Gov. Jay Nixon activated the Missouri National Guard to respond to the area. The Missouri State Highway Patrol has also sent additional troopers to the Joplin area.

The State Emergency Management Agency is helping to coordinate the deployment of search and rescue teams, a disaster medical assistance team, communications vehicles, mobile command vehicles, heavy equipment and an incident support team.

The incident support team will provide support to the emergency operation center.

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Tornado rips through Joplin

JOPLIN, MO (KSMU) - Officials in Joplin fear the death toll from Sunday night's tornado is as high as 89.

Eastern Kansas and southern Missouri were pummeled by severe thunderstorms Sunday evening, the strongest of which struck Joplin around five o’clock.

The National Weather Service in Springfield says that the tornado’s path wasn’t particularly long, especially for a tornado of this strength, but it was devastating because it hit a heavily-populated area, according to meteorologist Andy Boxell.

"Some of the pictures we've seen thus far do suggest the tornado was likely at least half a mile wide in some locations, so it was a very large, a very strong tornado," Boxell said.

St. John Regional Medical Center in Joplin evacuated nearly 100 patients after the hospital took a direct hit from the tornado.

Some were moved to Freeman Hospital in Joplin while others were being moved to St. John’s Hospital in Springfield and to a hospital in Arkansas.

At least two National Weather Service survey teams will head to Joplin early this morning to begin to assess the damage.

"They'll go out and evaluate the structures that were damaged," Boxell said. "Meteorologists and engineers in the past have done studies to determine what kinds of wind speeds result in a particular amount of damage for a particularly built structure, whether it's a commercial building or a single-family home, an apartment complex, things like that, and so, by evaluating that damage, we should be able to start to get an idea that suggests how strong that tornado was."

Southwest Missouri isn’t out of the woods yet. Boxell says the area has a chance for strong to severe storms through Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has activated the National Guard following Sunday’s storms. President Barack Obama says the Federal Emergency Management Agency is working with state and local agencies in response to last night’s tornado. He says the federal government is prepared to provide help as needed.

Michele Skalicky, KSMU

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