3 deaths in Missouri as tornado strikes state capital

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A “violent tornado” touched down in Jefferson City, causing heavy damage in Missouri’s capital city as severe weather swept across the state overnight, causing three deaths and leaving many people trapped in the wreckage of their homes.

The service reported that a “confirmed large and destructive tornado” was observed over Jefferson City at 11:43 p.m. Wednesday, moving northeast at 40 mph (64 kph). The capital city has a population of about 40,000 and is located about 130 miles (209 kilometers) west of St. Louis.

“Across the state, Missouri’s first responders once again responded quickly and with strong coordination as much of the state dealt with extremely dangerous conditions that left people injured, trapped in homes, and tragically led to the death of three people,” Governor Mike Parson said.

“I want our responders and all the neighbors who acted selflessly to help their neighbors to know how much their heroic efforts are appreciated by all Missourians.”

Missouri Public Safety confirmed in a tweet that three people were killed in the Golden City area of Barton County, and several injured in the Carl Junction area of Jasper County

Jefferson City Police Lt. David Williams said around 2:15 a.m. Thursday that there were no reports of fatalities in the capital, but authorities had received multiple calls of people being trapped in homes.

The tornado hit during a week that has seen several days of tornadoes and torrential rains in parts of the Southern Plains and Midwest.

“It’s a chaotic situation right now,” Williams said.

Williams spoke from the Cole County Sheriff’s office, where debris including insulation, roofing shingles and metal pieces lay on the ground outside the front doors.


Area hospitals did not see an immediate influx of patients but set up command centers in case the need arises.

“We have four patients with minor injuries,” said Jessica Royston, spokeswoman at St. Mary’s Health Center.

Power outages were reported in parts of the city.

Missouri Public Safety tweeted that there was a possibility of more tornadoes and flash flooding.

Austin Thomson, 25, was in the laundry room of his apartment complex to do his wash and noticed the wind started picking up.

He saw sheets of rain coming down and a flagpole bend and then slam to the ground.

The windows broke and he dove behind the washers and dryers.

After it calmed down, he walked outside to check the damage.

“There’s basically one building that’s basically one story now. Every building there is two stories.”

The National Weather Service said it had received 22 reports of tornadoes by late Wednesday, although some of those could be duplicate reporting of the same twister.

One tornado skirted just a few miles north of Joplin, Missouri, on the eighth anniversary of a catastrophic tornado that killed 161 people in the city. The tornado caused some damage in the town of Carl Junction, about 4 miles (6.44 kilometers) north of the Joplin airport.

Storms and torrential rains have ravaged the Midwest, from Texas through Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri and Illinois.

Two barges broke loose and floated swiftly down the swollen Arkansas River in eastern Oklahoma on Wednesday, spreading alarm downstream as they threatened to hit a dam.

Authorities urged residents of several small towns in Oklahoma and Kansas to leave their homes as rivers and streams rose.

The Arkansas River town of Webbers Falls, Oklahoma, was one such town. Town officials ordered a mandatory evacuation Wednesday afternoon because of the river’s rising level.

But Wednesday evening, a posting on the town’s official Facebook page sounded the alarm about the runaway barges for its 600 residents: “Evacuate Webbers Falls immediately. The barges are loose and has the potential to hit the lock and dam 16. If the dam breaks, it will be catastrophic!! Leave now!!”

There was no word by midnight Wednesday where the barges were on the river, but local television stations showing live video of the river and the lock and dam said they had not yet arrived.

The Arkansas River was approaching historic highs, while the already high Missouri and Mississippi Rivers were again rising after a multi-day stretch of storms that produced dozens of tornadoes. Forecasters predicted parts of Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas could see more severe weather on Thursday.

Deaths from this week’s storms include a 74-year-old woman found early Wednesday morning in Iowa.

Officials there say she was killed by a possible tornado that damaged a farmstead in Adair County. Missouri authorities said heavy rain was a contributing factor in the deaths of two people in a traffic accident Tuesday near Springfield.

A fourth weather-related death may have occurred in Oklahoma, where the Highway Patrol said a woman apparently drowned after driving around a barricade Tuesday near Perkins, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) northeast of Oklahoma City.

The unidentified woman’s body was sent to the state medical examiner’s office to confirm the cause of death. Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management spokeswoman Keli Cain said she isn’t yet listed as what would be the state’s first storm-related death. /gg

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Automobile Accident Injuries: Great Tips From A Personal Injury Attorney In St. Louis

Are you a victim of an automobile accident? Have you sustained some serious injuries? If yes, do you have a feeling you deserve more than what the insurance companies are offering you? Hiring an automobile attorney in St. Louis can get you back to your feet. Apart from helping you get a higher settlement, a personal injury attorney understands the legal process than any other person, knows the exact amount your claim is worth and the best part is, they’ll save you some costs. However, to get the best out of this partnership, you need to be well acquainted with the injuries you sustained. Here are some of the typical automobile accident injuries.

Common Automobile Accident Injuries That You Must Watch Out For

1. Neck Injuries

Among the most common automobile accident injuries are neck injuries known to result from rear-end collisions. One collision might result in a serious ligament or neck muscle injuries that might force you to spend days, weeks or even months in the hospital. Some of the obvious symptoms are swellings on the neck or inability to move your neck. If any of this is your case, you need to call an attorney.

2. Chest Injuries

Chest injuries fall in the same category as neck injuries. They can also result from rear-end collision that propels your upper body to hit the steering wheel. As a result, you can break your ribs, collapse your lungs and more. This can also result in a severe internal bleeding or damage internal organs and more that requires immediate medical attention. Call an attorney or have someone call him immediately the doctor confirms this.

3. Head Injuries

 
Head injuries are among the most serious automobile accidents. If you don’t act too fast, chances that you will survive are low. Just like chest injuries, they can result from hitting the steering wheels, windows or dashboards resulting in brain injuries such as concussions or the worst, commas. If this is or was your case, call an automobile accident attorney to take you through the legal process.

Other injuries

• Back injuries: This can be the damage caused to the spinal cord
• Limb injuries: Broken bones, cut flesh or torn muscle limbs and more.

 How you’ll benefit by calling an Automobile Accident Attorney

Serious injuries require an immediate medical attention. Whether it’s a neck, a chest or a head injury, leaving it for another one hour, a day, a week or a month can result into something much bigger. Don’t stress yourself trying to convince some stubborn insurance company. Hiring an automobile accident attorney will not only help you get a payment you deserve but will also help you recover quickly by taking care of your medical bills. If you are having a hard time convincing an insurance company, don’t even waste a minute. Call an automobile accident attorney and save yourself all the trouble.

source: hoffmannpersonalinjury.com

Starting School Later Can Help Reduce St. Louis Teen Car Accidents

Car accidents are a leading cause of death among teenagers – 20 percent are caused by drowsy driving.

In 2014, the National Healthy Sleep Awareness Project launched the Awake at the Wheel campaign to educate young drivers about the risks associated with drowsy driving. It is a campaign that may have made a difference for someone like Ronnie Lynn Thompson, who died at age 16 after being killed in an accident when his friend fell asleep while driving.

No Drowsy Driving (NOD.D.)

Ronnie’s mother founded No Drowsy Driving (NOD.D.) to bring more awareness to the growing number of car accidents caused by young teenagers not getting enough sleep. This has been a huge problem for teenagers as studies have shown that teenagers who do not get proper sleep are at a higher risk of being involved in car accidents; possibly because of the increased drowsiness combined with the inexperience they have behind the steering wheel.

Car accidents are a leading cause of death among teenagers and about 20 percent of those deaths can be linked to someone not getting a good night’s rest. More than half of all accidents involving someone being tired behind the wheel involve young drivers aged 25 and younger.

 Sleep Recommendations For Teenagers

According to reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, only about 31 percent of children in high school are getting the recommended nine hours of sleep per night that is required for good health and alertness. The reason for this lack of good sleep is what some sleep experts call the adolescent phase delay – a natural shift in a teen’s circadian rhythm. Researchers have found that an optimal sleep schedule for a teenager is from 11 p.m. to 8 a.m.

Changing School Schedules 

Considering this sleep schedule, there is a push for schools to change the starting time for school. Dr. Timothy Morgenthaler, the President of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, reports that about 50 percent of the communities that have later school start times have seen teenage car accident rates decrease between 65 and 75 percent.

The proposal to change school start times has also been recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics because of reasons beyond the car accidents. In a statement that was published in September 2014, parents and physicians were reminded that children who do not get enough sleep at night also develop mental problems (i.e. problems performing in the classroom) and physical problems in addition to the increased chances of being involved in a car accident.

Talk with a St. Louis Car Wreck Lawyer

If you have been injured by a negligent driver, consult a St. Louis car wreck lawyer to understand your legal rights. Call The Hoffmann Law Firm, L.LC. at (314) 361-4242 for a free consultation.

source:  hoffmannpersonalinjury.com

Finding the Best Lawyer for Your Car Accident Case

If you have sustained injuries in a car accident caused by another person’s negligence, you have the right to seek compensation for your injuries and damages.

To ensure that your legal rights are protected, consult with a St. Louis car accident lawyer to represent your case. The lawyer that you hire should be experienced in litigation of car accident cases, should be able to assess the positives and negatives of your case, and be able to guide you through the compensation process.

Looking for a St. Louis Car Accident Lawyer

Identifying potential candidates is the first step in finding the best lawyer for your case. Referrals can be sought from friends, family members, and associates, or you can go online and search for a suitable candidate on various legal referral websites. Once you have identified lawyers who suit your requirements, ask for an initial consultation visit with each one of them. The purpose of a consultation visit is to decide whether you want to hire the particular lawyer or not. Ask about his or her qualifications and experience, especially in personal injury cases. Explain your case and understand all the possible outcomes of the case. The mode of payment for the lawyer’s services should also be discussed. Once you have met all the candidates, assess and compare the strengths and weaknesses of all the lawyers. The following checklist may be of help to make an informed decision.

1. Experience

The experience of the lawyer in handling similar cases is important. Ask yourself whether the lawyer understands the legal issues pertaining to your case and is familiar with the other players that will be encountered in the process of the lawsuit.

2. Legal Strategy

The legal strategy of the lawyer explains how he or she intends to proceed with your case. You should ask yourself whether you agree with the legal strategy proposed and if the legal strategy is realistic or not. Make sure you understand all the possible legal outcomes of the case.

3. Billing Rates

Most Missouri car accident lawyers charge their customers on a contingent fee basis. There are others who charge by the hour. There may be other legal expenses associated with your case. Estimate the total cost and ask yourself whether you can afford the expenses. The lawyer’s rates and the extra fees that must be paid should also be taken into consideration.

4. Comfort Level

A lawsuit can extend for a prolonged period of time. It is essential that you are comfortable with the lawyer. Did the lawyer address all your concerns and can you trust the legal advice provided by the lawyer?

source: hoffmannpersonalinjury.com

Ferguson, Missouri on edge awaiting grand jury decision on police shooting

FERGUSON, Mo. - An uneasy quiet settled over Ferguson, Missouri, on Saturday evening after another day without a decision from a grand jury on whether to bring charges against a white police officer for fatally shooting a black teen.

With the St. Louis suburb and the rest of the country waiting for an announcement, activists and police have been taking steps to avert more street violence. The Aug. 9 shooting triggered months of protests and a national debate over police violence.

Officer Darren Wilson has said he fired on 18-year-old Michael Brown in self-defense, while Brown's companion has said the teen had his hands raised and was trying to surrender.

On Saturday, the dead teenager's father, Michael Brown, and some of the family's supporters handed out Thanksgiving turkeys to residents in the street where his son was gunned down. Many were surprised when he knocked on their doors.

"I had to come and just give back to the people," Brown told reporters. He wore a red T-shirt bearing a picture of his son's face and the messages "Gone Too Soon" and "I Will always Love You."

"Everyone is suffering over this," he added. "I just feel that this was needed, so I came back to make sure that people have a nice Thanksgiving."

Looking across the street, over the memorial of flowers and stuffed toys placed on the spot where his son fell in August, he held up a bird and called to a young woman: "You get one yet?"

She smiled and waved back, yes.

St. Louis prosecutors have said they will hold a news conference to announce the grand jury decision, although the date, time and location remained undetermined.

NBC News reported on Saturday that the 12-member panel will resume meeting behind closed doors on Monday, meaning a decision whether to bring charges in the emotive case could still be some way off. Reuters could not independently confirm that report.

Anthony Gray, an attorney for the Brown family, told reporters on Friday that the deliberations could last an hour, a day, a week, or a month. "No one can forecast when that decision will actually be reached," Gray said.

For three nights running, small groups of demonstrators have gathered outside the Ferguson police station to chant slogans and wave placards, sometimes outnumbered by members of the news media expecting a confrontation.

There have been a handful of arrests since Wednesday night. Almost all of them were for failure to disperse after officers told protesters not to block traffic, and were ignored.

The killing became a flashpoint for strained US race relations, triggering weeks of sometimes violent protests in Ferguson calling for the arrest of Wilson. He has instead been placed on administrative leave and gone into seclusion.

Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has declared a state of emergency and called in National Guard troops to back up police. Groups across the country have said they would take to the streets again in large numbers if charges are not brought. — Reuters

Missouri suburb braces for more racial unrest but calm prevails

FERGUSON, Mo. - Police in Ferguson, Missouri, braced for another night of racially charged unrest on Tuesday as the governor and US attorney general renewed appeals for calm 10 days after the fatal shooting of black teenager Michael Brown.

Street protests in the predominantly African-American community of 21,000 people have been punctuated by looting, vandalism and clashes between demonstrators and police every night since the unarmed, 18-year-old Brown was killed by a white police officer.

In the hours after darkness fell Tuesday, protesters were notably fewer in number and more subdued than on previous nights, with more onlookers milling about the fringes as civic leaders, members of the clergy and even Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster mingled with demonstrators.

Two dozen police in military-style uniforms took positions across the street from a burned-out gas station where protesters on Monday threw at least one gasoline bomb.

But confrontations between police and protesters seemed mostly isolated. A group of people playing music and dancing on top of a white truck bearing the slogan "Don't loot don't shoot" were ordered by police to move on.

Earlier in the day, St. Louis metropolitan police said they shot and killed a 23-year-old black man who brandished a knife at officers and yelled at them to "shoot me now, kill me." Two officers opened fire after he refused repeated orders to drop his weapon, police said. The incident occurred a few miles from the scene of the protests.

While apparently unrelated to the Brown killing or protests surrounding it, the shooting sparked concerns about an escalation of public anger over what many perceive as a pattern of excessive police force against minorities.

Tuesday's shooting drew scores of angry protesters who lingered well past dark outside the convenience store where the man with the knife had snatched some drinks and snacks before he was confronted by police. Police remained in a show of force to keep a lid on any potential trouble there.

Grand jury review commences

The aftermath of the Brown shooting was due to take a new turn on Wednesday, when the St. Louis County prosecutor's office said it expected to begin presenting evidence to a grand jury investigating the case.

In an appeal for public conciliation and calm on Tuesday, Governor Jay Nixon promised a "vigorous prosecution" of the case and "justice for the family of Michael Brown."

US Attorney General Eric Holder, who planned a visit to Ferguson on Wednesday to be briefed on a separate civil rights investigation he ordered into the Brown shooting, likewise called for demonstrators to remain law-abiding in an opinion piece published online by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

The officer involved in Brown's shooting, Darren Wilson, has been placed on administrative leave and went into hiding as Brown's family and supporters called for his arrest.

Accounts of Brown's slaying differ. According to police, Wilson reported that Brown reached into the policeman's cruiser when Wilson approached him on the street, then grabbed for the officer's gun.

A companion of Brown said the teenager was initially shot after the officer tried to grab him through the car window and again after Brown staggered back with his hands in the air.

An independent autopsy arranged by Brown's family found he had been shot six times, including twice in the head.

Sharp words from the UN

The turmoil in Ferguson, while generating international headlines, has exposed simmering racial tensions in a mostly black town whose police force, political leadership and public education administration are dominated by whites.

It also has reignited a national debate over racial disparities in the US criminal justice system, even drawing sharp words from the United Nations' top human rights envoy, Navi Pillay, a native South African.

"I condemn the excessive force by the police and call for the right of protest to be respected," she said in Geneva.

At least 57 people were arrested in Ferguson on Monday night and early Tuesday, most accused of disobeying police orders to disperse, during hours of clashes marked by volleys of tear gas fired at demonstrators and rocks, bottles and gasoline bombs hurled at police.

State Highway Patrol Captain Ron Johnson, placed in command of security in Ferguson last week after local police tactics that were criticized as overly harsh, said officers had come under "heavy gunfire" on Monday night but did not return it.

The governor and some civic leaders have suggested that the most of the trouble was generated by thugs or outside agitators bent on goading police into action. Many people heeded city officials' appeal for citizens to stay off the streets after sunset on Tuesday.

"Our innocent people need for a moment to go into their homes and not allow this criminal element to hide behind them," Johnson said Tuesday evening.

National Guard troops ordered by Nixon to assist with security in town have mostly kept their distance from demonstrators, and a mandatory curfew imposed days earlier to little effect was lifted on Monday.

Emotions could run high again next Monday, when a funeral service for Brown is scheduled.

Wilson has yet to make a public statement, but investigators said he had been cooperative in interviews with detectives.

Support for the officer was growing in the form of fundraisers and street demonstrations. A Facebook page titled "I SUPPORT OFFICER WILSON," which describes itself as a voice for law enforcement, said Wilson acted in self-defense. A separate Facebook page was offering T-shirts for sale with proceeds to go to Wilson and his family. — Reuters

One shot, seven arrested in clashes after curfew in Ferguson, Missouri

FERGUSON, Mo. - One person was shot and critically wounded and seven arrested early on Sunday as police in Ferguson, Missouri, clashed with protesters when a curfew was imposed following days of unrest over a black teenager being shot dead by a white police officer.

Scores of demonstrators had remained in the streets after the curfew took effect at midnight (0500 GMT). Law enforcement officials used loudspeakers to warn protesters to disperse immediately. Officers, equipped with gas masks and full-length shields, stood among and on top of armored vehicles.

Governor Jay Nixon declared a state of emergency and announced the five-hour curfew after a week of racially charged protests and looting over the shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson, 28, in the suburban St. Louis community in the Midwest US state on Aug. 9.

Missouri State Highway Patrol Captain Ron Johnson said the person shot at a restaurant was in critical condition. Police were unable to identify the victim, who he said was not shot by police, and that the alleged shooter was still at large.

Seven people were also arrested for failing to disperse after the curfew took effect.

Johnson said canisters of smoke and later teargas were fired as part of police attempts to reach the victim of the restaurant shooting, "and not in relation to the curfew." The shooting victim was taken to hospital by bystanders before police could reach him.

Johnson also said someone had shot at a passing police car but was not apprehended, adding "I was disappointed in the actions of tonight," noting "the crowds we've had for the last two nights [were] citizens obeying, protesting."

The smoke and teargas canisters largely dispersed the crowd, some of whom had been chanting "No justice, no curfew, no peace", while others implored the crowd not to move forward towards police.

On Saturday evening the mood among the protesters on a main road in Ferguson had been tense and defiant following days of demonstrations and some looting.

"The curfew is going to make things worse," said protester Phones Scott, 24. "I think the cops are going to get violent tonight, but they can't lock us all up."

Prayer rally

Tensions had been running high over the past week but escalated on Friday, pitting mostly black protesters against mostly white police as the demonstrators overran a residential and retail district that has become a center of the unrest.

Brown's family and supporters have demanded that the officer who shot Brown be held accountable. The US Department of Justice is investigating the shooting for any civil rights violations, and the St. Louis County Police department has also launched a probe.

The police version of how Brown was shot differs from witness accounts, including that of the friend who was walking with Brown at the time, Dorian Johnson, 22.

Police say that after Wilson asked Brown to move out of the road onto a sidewalk, Brown reached into the patrol car and struggled with Wilson for the officer's service gun. Wilson, who sustained a facial injury, then shot Brown a number of times.

Johnson and at least one other witness have said the officer reached out through his car window to grab at Brown and the teenager was trying to get away from the officer when he was shot. Brown held up his hands in a sign of surrender but the officer got out of his patrol car and shot Brown several times, they said.

FBI agents were at the scene of Brown's shooting on Saturday interviewing residents. Civil rights activist Jesse Jackson also visited the site, leading a prayer near a makeshift memorial to Brown just a few feet from where he died.

The Reverend Al Sharpton has said he would lead a rally with Brown's family in Ferguson on Sunday. — Reuters