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(NEW YORK - June 30, 2009) - This week's July 6, 2009, issue of SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, on newsstands tomorrow, features Ed Thomas, head football coach at Aplington-Parkersburg (Iowa) High School, with the billing A GOOD MAN DOWN - TRAGEDY IN THE HEARTLAND: THE MURDER OF A BELOVED HIGH SCHOOL COACH. It was Thomas who had led the townspeople of Parkersburg out of the rubble of a tornado last year, showed them how to live a Christian life and brought honor to a football field he mowed himself. What they can't understand is why Thomas was gunned down by a former...

This is an extraordinary video feature from ESPN, aired in September, about Aplington-Parkersburg football's role in Parkersburg's recovery from the devastating EF-5 tornado that struck the town last May. The football team, and particularly coach Ed Thomas, was one of the keys to the town maintaining its identity through the tragedy. Over 200 homes, dozens of businesses, and the high school were all destroyed by the tornado on May 25, 2008. The tornado killed 8 people and destroyed nearly half the town. Coach Ed Thomas, a living legend, was instrumental in the rebuilding process. The high school coach of four...

Aplington-Parkersburg High School football coach Ed Thomas has died after being shot multiple times among students at the school’s weight room this morning, officials have confirmed. Thomas was shot at point blank range, including once in the head, according to the school's business manager Pat Gosch. No one else was injured in the incident. The suspected gunman is in custody. The family of Ed Thomas released a statement through Covenant Medical Center in Waterloo: "The family of Ed Thomas would like the media to know that Ed passed away shortly after arriving at Covenant Medical Center," the statement read. Sports...

A crew from the Weather Channel, as part of the VORTEX2 tornado study, caught the full life cycle of a tornado in Wyoming the other day -- including an incredible look inside tornado as its top leaned down toward the camera. Can anyone get a screencap of the tornado about 1:45 in? Amazing stuff.

Statement as of 6:04 PM CDT on June 10, 2009 The National Weather Service in Fort Worth has issued a * Tornado Warning for... southwestern Denton County in north central Texas... northeastern Parker County in north central Texas... northern Tarrant County in north central Texas... southeastern Wise County in north central Texas... * until 645 PM CDT * at 604 PM CDT... storm spotters and Doppler radar observed a developing tornado near Springtown... moving east at 45 mph. This updates and replaces the previous Tornado Warning. * The tornado will be near... Reno and Sanctuary by 610 PM CDT... Briar......

Fast moving tornado on the ground in Flowermound.

Tornadoes do strange things, says storm chaser Jay Antle. Antle on Thursday night came to the Basehor Community Library to talk about his experiences on the hunt for storms and to set the tornado story straight. Kansas is commonly referred to as “Tornado Alley,” but Antle says this term is somewhat of a simplistic myth. “Tornadoes are actually a rare phenomena in Kansas, despite what your out-of-town relatives might say,” Antle said. “I know they ask you, ‘How do you live in Kansas with all those tornadoes?’ But the truth is, only one tornado happens per two counties in Kansas...

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 309 NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK 740 PM EDT FRI MAY 15 2009 THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF PARTS OF CENTRAL AND NORTHERN INDIANA WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST OHIO EFFECTIVE THIS FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY MORNING FROM 740 PM UNTIL 200 AM EDT. TORNADOES...HAIL TO 2 INCHES IN DIAMETER...THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS TO 70 MPH...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS. THE TORNADO WATCH AREA IS APPROXIMATELY ALONG AND 65 STATUTE MILES NORTH AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM 25 MILES WEST SOUTHWEST...

If you've ever, or never, been in a tornado watch this video (I cant post video so just follow the link and scroll down the page)

Officials say a woman was killed in her mobile home near Green City in Sullivan County. State Emergency Management Agency Susie Stonner says there are reports of injuries in the Kirksville-Novinger area, but she had no other details. According to storm spotters, the tornado was a rain-wrapped wedge-shaped storm that was estimated at a quarter-to half-mile in width. Stonner said the storm left several people trapped in basements. According to the Adair Count Emergence Operations Center, 30 to 40 homes sustained at least some damage in the storm, with at least one home completely destroyed. Diane Western of the Northeast...

The afternoon practice ended in horrifying fashion when the Cowboys' indoor facility collapsed. While a violent thunderstorm pounded rain down on the roof, the lights started shaking back and forth. Then chaos broke out, as the facility collapsed and players, coaches, reporters and team personnel scrambled for safety. Several people were trapped under the wreckage. Police and emergency personnel have arrived on the scene. More to come.

A tornado headed east down I70 towards the Kansas City speedway causing motorists to jump out of their cars and head for the ditch.

As of mid-afternoon, a line of tornadic thunderstorms was moving through eastern Tennessee and northern Alabama. At least one tornado touched down in Murfreesboro, Tenn. killing at least 2 people and injuring 13 others. 3 neighborhoods were heavily damaged and an elementary school had its roof destroyed. As of 2:25 P.M. CDT, Interstate 24 in central Tennessee was backed up near Murfreesboro due to a tractor-trailor crash possibly caused by the tornado. Many tornado warnings remain in effect from south-central Kentucky through central Tennessee and now, northern Alabama. These powerful thunderstorms will shift to far eastern Tennessee and northern Georgia...

Large outbreak...of super size storms.

At this time discrete Tornadic supercells developing over TN into MS...these will sweep east into AL/TN and GA later for once everything is coming together to maximize the potential strong tornadoes very possible..MODERATE risk out..waiting for update live updates from stormchasers and meteorologists CLICK HERE

FOX16 is getting reports that a tornado has hit downtown Mena. There are reports that the courthouse took a direct hit and the downtown area has major damage. We do not yet know about injuries in this area. FOX16 is working on getting more information and will bring it to you here and on FOX16 News.

Hunker down Southeast FReepers, it's supposed to be a bad one..

<p>A tornado swept through central Mississippi as residents slept early Thursday morning, injuring at least 20 people and damaging more than 60 buildings, including a church and a water treatment plant, state emergency management officials said.</p> <p>Even as residents of rural Simpson County dug out, the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency warned that an onslaught of tempestuous spring weather was likely to continue through Saturday morning in the form of even stronger tornadoes, flooding and hail, said Greg Flynn, an agency spokesman.</p>

RDMORE — With at least 15 confirmed dead after a massive tornado Tuesday evening, Carter County emergency officials were forced to suspend the search for survivors shortly after 1 a.m. until daylight Wednesday. “It’s just too dangerous,” Sheriff Ken Grace said, referring to jagged metal and livewires hidden in rubble and debris. “We don’t need to be adding any more injuries to what we already have.” heriff’s officials said this town of about 5,000 people was devastated when a tornado estimated to have been about a half-mile wide tore through the middle of Lone Grove, ripping buildings from their slabs,...

Was going out to local Walmart in Norman when I heard this on the radio and came back home. They have parts of the Northwest Expressway in OKC closed down as well as I-35 N of OKC. Details Live on The Oklahoman site. Weather is perfect for bad weather and it is headed to Stillwater in Payne County.

Any fans of Discovery Channels 'Storm Chasers' on here? I really enjoyed last season, and this season has been a blast so far. The scientists and filmmakers are a really interesting group of people.

Excerpt - The National Weather Service has issued a tornado warning for a swath of the south metro region that includes Castle Rock, Castle Pines, the Denver Technology Center, eastern Arapahoe County and northwest Elbert County until 6 p.m. ~ snip~

<p>We're getting rocked!! Lit up like daytime, big winds. Hook echo on radar. Sirens continuous. All Central Ohiop FReepers take shelter.</p>

I'm marking this "Caring for the Defenders," because of what the Boy Scouts did for their fallen companions after the tornados at Little Sioux. These boys have done far more than many for the common defense. Jim Cannon, of the Letters From Home project, writes to let us know about an effort to help rebuild the Little Sioux Scout Ranch.

Drudge has this up on a story of the Iowa twister.

I'm not sure where to publish this so I put it in Personal and Misc. This is a link to a sermon that Sam Thomsen (one of the Scouts that died in the Little Sioux tornado) wrote and delivered to his church. He wanted to be a minister. He was my son's patrol leader. Here is another link to a page about all of the Scouts that died. Please remember them and their families in your prayers.

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN 731 PM CDT THU JUN 12 2008 CASS MN- 731 PM CDT THU JUN 12 2008 ...A tornado warning remains in effect until 8:00 p.m. CDT for Northern Cass County... AT 727 PM CDT...National Weather Service Doppler Radar continued to indicated a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado. This possible tornado was located near Walker... or 12 miles West of Leech Lake moving Northeast at 33 MPH. This possible tornado will be near... 7 miles Southeast of Steamboat Lake by 735 PM... Crooked Lake and 6 miles Southeast of Wilkinson by...

Live streaming videos of what may be a busy night in Kansas and Missouri

KCCI is getting early word tonight of a tornado touchdown that hit a Boy Scout camp in western Iowa, injuring as many as 40 people. Our sister station in Omaha, KETV, reports that the Boy Scouts confirm four of those injuries are fatalities. Courtney Greene, a spokeswoman for Governor Chet Culver, says the tornado hit the Little Sioux scout camp. Speaking from the state Emergency Operations Center, which is mobilized because of flooding across Iowa, Greene said authorities have been told of multiple injuries and the potential loss of life. Hospitals in the area have been told to be on...

A possible tornado has struck the Litle (spelling from site?) Sioux Scout Camp in Iowa. Very large response is being reported by media. Large number of injuries.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED TORNADO WATCH 499 IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS IN CONNECTICUT THIS WATCH INCLUDES 1 COUNTY IN NORTHWESTERN CONNECTICUT LITCHFIELD IN MASSACHUSETTS THIS WATCH INCLUDES 1 COUNTY IN WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS BERKSHIRE IN NEW YORK THIS WATCH INCLUDES 15 COUNTIES IN EAST CENTRAL NEW YORK ALBANY COLUMBIA DUTCHESS FULTON GREENE HAMILTON HERKIMER MONTGOMERY RENSSELAER SARATOGA SCHENECTADY SCHOHARIE ULSTER WARREN WASHINGTON IN VERMONT THIS WATCH INCLUDES 2 COUNTIES IN SOUTHERN VERMONT BENNINGTON WINDHAM THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF...ALBANY...AMSTERDAM...ARLINGTON... ATHENS...BEACON...BELLOWS FALLS...BENNINGTON...BRATTLEBORO... CAIRO...CAMBRIDGE...CATSKILL...COBLESKILL...COXSACKIE... DOLGEVILLE...FORT EDWARD...FRANKFORT...GLENS FALLS... GLOVERSVILLE...GRANVILLE...GREENWICH...HERKIMER...HUDSON... HUDSON FALLS...ILION...JEFFERSON HEIGHTS...JOHNSTOWN...KINGSTON... LITTLE FALLS...MIDDLEBURGH...MOHAWK...NEW...

Dog Survives Toto Impression During Tornado RICHTON PARK, Ill. (CBS) Chase certainly doesn't look like Toto from "The Wizard of Oz." He's a big rottweiler, not a little cairn terrier. But he certainly does a wonderful impression. On Saturday, when a tornado swept through Richton Park, Chase was hanging out the backyard of Sandra Holmes' house. That is, until the tornado picked him up and took him on the ride of his life. "People started coming up and saying 'we saw your dog in flight,'" said Holmes, Chase's owner. Neighbor Tatyiana Smith saw it. "The dog was in the air,...

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL 614 PM CDT SAT JUN 7 2008 ILC031-197-080015- /O.CON.KLOT.TO.W.0024.000000T0000Z-080608T0015Z/ COOK IL-WILL IL- 614 PM CDT SAT JUN 7 2008 ...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 715 PM CDT FOR CENTRAL AND EASTERN WILL AND SOUTHEASTERN COOK COUNTIES... AT 613 PM CDT...TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED A LARGE TORNADO ON THE GROUND ONE HALF MILE WIDE APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE WEST OF MONEE. NUMEROUS REPORTS HAVE DAMAGED HAVE BEEN RECEIVED FROM THIS TORNADO. THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR MONEE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 26 MPH. THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR... MONEE...UNIVERSITY PARK...AND FRANKFORT BY 620 PM...

TORNADO WARNING ILC133-163-MOC099-189-510-062000- /O.NEW.KLSX.TO.W.0053.080606T1921Z-080606T2000Z/ BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST LOUIS MO 221 PM CDT FRI JUN 6 2008 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ST LOUIS HAS ISSUED A * TORNADO WARNING FOR... NORTHEASTERN JEFFERSON COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL MISSOURI SOUTHERN ST. LOUIS COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL MISSOURI SOUTHERN ST. LOUIS CITY IN EAST CENTRAL MISSOURI NORTHWESTERN MONROE COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS WESTERN ST. CLAIR COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS * UNTIL 300 PM CDT * AT 217 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WITH STRONG ROTATION 6 MILES SOUTHWEST OF HIGH...

THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA WESTERN AND CENTRAL MARYLAND SOUTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA NORTHERN AND CENTRAL VIRGINIA EASTERN WEST VIRGINIA INCLUDING THE PANHANDLE COASTAL WATERS EFFECTIVE THIS WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING FROM 1250 PM UNTIL 800 PM EDT. TORNADOES...HAIL TO 2 INCHES IN DIAMETER...THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS TO 70 MPH...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS. THE TORNADO WATCH AREA IS APPROXIMATELY ALONG AND 95 STATUTE MILES NORTH AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM 55 MILES NORTHWEST OF STAUNTON VIRGINIA TO 30 MILES NORTH NORTHEAST OF PATUXENT RIVER MARYLAND. FOR...

Quarter to golf-ball sized hail, Tornado on the ground near College Corner. 46,000 foot tall storm. Strong rotation.

Obama says 10K people died in Kansas...

WASHINGTON, May 29, 2008 – About 175 Iowa National Guard soldiers and airmen are serving on state active duty in support of tornado-relief and -recovery missions for northeastern Iowa. The servicemembers were activated the evening of May 26 and the next morning following tornadoes and severe storms in the Butler County area May 25. It is estimated the soldiers and airmen will remain on duty for the next several days. With numerous power lines down, leakage from damaged vehicles, severed natural gas lines, debris, rubble and unstable structures, about 160 soldiers from 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry, are providing security and...

Last updated at 4:30 p.m. Tues. May 27, 2008 Summary NWS personnel have rated the Parkersburg-New Hartford-Dunkerton tornado as a Low-end EF 5 (correlated to wind speeds up to 205 MPH) on the Enhanced Fujita Scale at the locations of maximum damage. Additional details on path length, width, etc. will be posted on this webpage Wednesday, May 28. This is the first EF5 tornado in Iowa since the Jordan tornado of June 13, 1976. A large and destructive tornado moved across Butler and Black Hawk counties on Sunday May 25th. The initial touchdown occurred near the Butler and Grundy county...

Details sketchy but massive tornadoes have it towns in IA this are reports from scanners and spotters..no link yet also north suburbs of Min-ST paul MN has taken tornado hits with lots of damage MN MIN| Washington County (Hugo)| Search & Rescue| | US-61 IAO 159th St|U/D: MSP on Fenway St w/2 kids full code, many other reports of entrapment, 5 city blocks wiped out| ILL113| 17:26 MIN| Washington County (Hugo)| Search & Rescue| | 170th St @ Manning Trail|Multiple houses struck by tornado, searches in progress, FD O/S| ILL113| 17:10 QUOTE MIN| Washington County (Hugo)| Search & Rescue| |...

More footage of one of several tornadoes to hit the US this weekend has emerged. Several people have died following two days of tornadoes in Kansas and Oklahoma. Video courtesy KWTV

100 kids saved by quick thinking day care workers By Sean Tobin FOX 31 reporter WINDSOR (MyFOXColorado.com) - It was a moment Richard Dykstra will never forget. When a tornado destroyed the windmill day care building.Teachers and kids were inside at the time the tornado approached. "One of them is my grandson," said Dykstra. As the tornado bore down, a bank across the street huddled the kids into the bank's vault for safety. "We brought them from the day care over to the bank, and there wasn't one kid who had a scratch on them," said bank manager Harry Souvall.It's...

The National Weather Service has issued a tornado warning for West Central Weld County and East Centrla Larimer County until 1 p.m. today. A tornado already has touched down in Gilcrest and Milliken, and there are reports that the storm has caused heavy damage near Promontory in west Greeley. The Weather Serivce tracked a large tornado three miles southwest of the New Windsor reservoir, eight miles east of Fort Collins. The National Weather Service reports that the safest place to be is in the basement. Get under a work bench or other piece of sturdy furniture. If there is no...

Looks like they've spotted something on the TVN stream, near Garden City, KS - http://www.tornadovideos.net/index.cfm/do/s.LiveTracker

Recently received this picture from my brother who is in the oil "bidness". Not something you want to see at night when the lightening flashes.

Three hot-air balloons dropped asphalt shingles, lumber, sticks, leaves and pine needles onto the Morgan County Landfill near here on Sunday so scientists at The University of Alabama in Huntsville could gather data needed to improve tornado warnings. The payloads dropped by the balloons were similar to the types of debris thrown into the air by tornados that touch the ground. Scientists at UAHuntsville's Earth System Science Center hope the Doppler radar data collected will be a first step toward programming National Weather Service Doppler radar to recognize tornado debris, so more timely and precise tornado warnings might be issued....

May 10, 2008: Jim Bishop and MaryLeigh Sanders documented at least two violent tornadoes in Oklahoma and Missouri. One tornado, a violent wedge/stovepipe, destroyed Picher, OK. Another tornado was a long-track wedge across southwestern Missouri. Sadly, 19 people lost their lives on this day a result of this deadly tornadic supercell.

A tornado that spun across the Oklahoma-Missouri border killed several people as severe storms raked the nation's heart Saturday, taking at least 11 lives, mangling buildings and trapping people in rubble in the storm-weary region. At least six people were killed as the tornado flattened the northeastern Oklahoma town of Picher before the funnel struck about 15 miles away near Seneca, Mo., and killed at least three, authorities said. The death toll in Oklahoma could climb, said state Emergency Management spokeswoman Michelann Ooten. The tornado in Picher — a depressed and pollution-scarred mining town that many residents had already fled...

here is the leatest info. Picher, OK Several people have been reported killed in Picher after at least five tornadoes reportedly touched down Saturday in eastern Oklahoma, officials said. The south end of the city has been completely destroyed. Medical examiners are on their way to the area, an Oklahoma Highway Patrol dispatcher said. Troopers are helping local authorities with search and rescue operations in the area. 2) At least 3 dead in SW MO 3) Major damage reports coming in on the SE side of Stuttgart AR

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 296 NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK 335 PM CDT SAT MAY 10 2008 THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN ARKANSAS NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI EFFECTIVE THIS SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING FROM 335 PM UNTIL 1000 PM CDT. ...THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION... DESTRUCTIVE TORNADOES...LARGE HAIL TO 2.5 INCHES IN DIAMETER... THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS TO 70 MPH...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS. THE TORNADO WATCH AREA IS APPROXIMATELY ALONG AND 75 STATUTE MILES NORTH AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM 65 MILES...