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I live in Virden, 20 miles south of Springfield. Virden was spared last night. The local ISP had its tower bent over, but it had internet service back up by noon. The town to the south, Girard, was without power this morning, as was the town to the north, Auburn. REA customers are without power in many areas. Ameren CIPS has nearly 200 poles down, mainly south and west of Springfield.

The southwest side of Springfield is a disaster area. Businesses such as Wal-Mart at Parkway Point got hit, as did Gordman's, Best Buy and the Wabash Avenue corridor all the way to MacArthur Blvd., which itself had a lot of damage. The close-in suburb of Jerome on Springfield's SW side has so much damage, vehicular traffic is being kept out. Power is still out is much of the capitol city.

Large highway signs along the interstates were severely damaged. Some underpasses flooded. Gas leaks were also reported in parts of the city. Two gas pumps at a convenience store in Parkway Point were knocked over and the smell of gasoline permeated the air.

The local TV station and several radio stations survived and using their generators got back on the air. Amazingly, the State Journal Register printed its Monday edition and got it delivered, at least to the outlying areas.

Lots of light poles and power lines down around Parkway Point, Veterans Blvd., Wabash Avenue, Chatham Road on across the town to the eastside. A house at 7th and Oak was completely destroyed and the resident missing. 7th and Oak is several blocks south of the downtown area, in the center of town. Only a few blocks south of Abe Lincoln's home. Most of the trees at Bergen Park snapped in two. I-72 between Springfield and Decatur is shut in places due to debris.

Governor Rod gave the day off to state employees--without pay.

Don't worry. We'll manage. And come roaring back.

I live in Springfield and was huddled in my basement last night with my family. Luckily I was semi-away from the damage, but I could hear the twister when it got a bit closer than I would have liked. I just moved to springfield from jacksonville in September and personally I find the school's tornado education appalling! In Jacksonville they have a drill about every two weeks in tornado season. They tell you what to pack in a bag to put in your basement. Everyone packs such a bag and throws it in the basement! My sisters' elementary school doesn't do any of that education here! And these idiotic residents of springfield were out and about IN THEIR CARS right in the eye of the storm, which every idiot knows is RIGHT BEFORE THE TORNADO WILL HIT YOU AND DESTROY EVERYTHING!!! grr. Makes me mad! My favorite restraunts have all been blown to pieces, but the mall stands. My basement windows almost blew in on us!

Does anyone know what this twister rated on the Fujita scale? I know its not really a complete tell all scale, but it'd be nice to know so I can freak out the kids in my highschool class with actual numbers. They're scared to death of tornados. Funny, that. While my friends were calling everyone and freaking out, I was sitting on my front porch documenting cloud developement in my notebook and watching channel 17 to track the storm system and predicting its path and all that jazz. Sorry, I'm a tornado freak. Love em! The schools here baffle me though. In Jacksonville, two years ago, a tornado hit the night before the third to last day of school. We were in school the next morning for the awards ceremony. Half the town had damage of some sort, but there we were. Here, some power lines go down and they run around in circles flapping their hands and screaming. My school, Ursuline Academy. No damage. We could be in school studying for our upcoming midterms! But no. We're at home. Not that I don't appreciate the time off, its wonderful. But it just.....baffles me! Well this is the end of my wonderous rant.

Reports indicate that around 10 people in the surrounding area are dead, and people were being airlifted into Memorial Hospital last night. (I live down the road, I watched the medicopters.) Any information, and the radio stations would love for yall to call it in. WTAX.com has pictures!

If yall are religious, pray for the subdivision of Jerome. Some houses are completley DEMOLISHED.

Thanks for yalls time
Tiggy