JoMo

Extreme Makeover Home Edition was awesome. Looks like a lot of people cried through the entire episode from what I'm seeing on twitter and Facebook.

Joplin Extreme Makeover Home Edition is airing tonight on ABC. 8 Eastern. One of the families selected was a Vietnam prisoner of war that survived 11 years in a communist prison camp. His house was destroyed in the tornado. http://www.joplinglobe.com/local/x1770108420/Ex-prisoner-of-war-says-Extreme-Makeover-gave-him-his-life-back *Brady Connell, one of the two executive producers of the show, said it was the biggest project the show took on during its nine seasons. It involved 21 builders and attracted about 13,000 volunteers from around the world. “We were just so moved by the volunteers and the spirit in Joplin,” Connell said. “It was truly incredible. It was the best experience in my entire 25 years (in reality television shows).” Connell said it is hard to see the show’s episodes end. While it is a television show, “Ultimately what the show is about is stepping up to help a neighbor,” he said. “Everyone knows that’s what America is all about.” He actually wrote this as well: For 199 episodes, Ty Pennington and his design team have led a television phenomenon that has helped deserving families in all 50 states. This Friday, January 13, at 8/7c, the 200th episode and series finale of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition airs on ABC. To all who have ever cried or laughed watching an episode of this series over the last 9 years, I hope you will set aside the two hours to watch what I believe is the most impressive feat of non-fiction television in a long while. From my experience, no factual television series has attempted to accomplish so much, by so many, for such a good cause, in one single episode. The day after a massive F5 tornado hit the heart of Joplin, Missouri on May 22, 2011, George Verschoor and I asked the EM:HE team to commit to helping the people of Joplin however we could, as much as we could, as soon as we could. After all, Extreme Makeover was known for rebuilding lives, and here was a town in the heartland of America that was terrorized by one of the most devastating tornados on record. 8,000 residential dwellings were destroyed leaving 9,200 people to be displaced. 162 lives were lost. We knew we couldn’t help just one family. So along with Sam Clifton, a builder who had helped us before from Springfield, MO, we challenged ourselves with something we had never done: 7 HOMES FOR 7 FAMILIES IN 7 DAYS. The logistics and casting began immediately. Of the seven families chosen (all of whom lost their homes completely), 2 lost children… literally ripped from the mothers’ arms while they tried to protect their families in their bathtubs. We knew the effort would be an emotional challenge as well as a physical challenge. During the clean up of Joplin (prior to the build), 90,000+ volunteers came from all over the country to clear 3 million cubic yards of debris, to help families get into temporary housing, and to help over a thousand pets reunite with their original owners or find new homes. We were afraid that the people and businesses of Joplin might not be ready for another massive volunteer effort… would they come out to help seven of their neighbors when so many were still grieving, pulling their lives back together? During the 7 days in October when we built the new homes, an astonishing 13,000 volunteers arrived to make the impossible happen. It was the greatest volunteer effort I have ever witnessed, and it was not only a testament to the spirit of the people of Joplin and the surrounding towns, it was a reaffirming tribute to the nature of Americans… when we get knocked down, we do what it takes to get up and come back stronger than ever. Neighbors helping neighbors is truly what America is all about, and it was displayed with infinite solidarity and humility that week in Joplin, MO. The coordination was massive… the skilled workers, the materials, the transportation, the media, the food. Thanks to the generosity of the people of Missouri, to numerous non-profits and church organizations, to our steadfast partners Sears and CVS Pharmacy, and thanks to the stellar builders and volunteers who stepped up in incomprehensible ways, not only was the build successful and on time, but many additional inspiring deeds occurred that week: over 2,000 emergency kits were distributed to Joplin residents; each high school senior residing in the city of Joplin received a $1,000 scholarship to college; a stunning volunteer memorial was created; a new basketball court and play structure were constructed at the city park; a mobile art studio was created to help children deal with the trauma of the tornado through innovate art programs; each of the families was given a dependable storm shelter to provide solace and security; and $1,000,000 -- that’s one million dollars, a cash amount that drives entire seasons of hit shows -- was pledged to help additional Joplin families affected by the storm. After a terrific trip to Walt Disney World (thank you for 9 faithful years WDW!), the seven families came back to Joplin and stood behind 7 different buses. When the buses moved, not only did the families see seven new, distinctive, affordable homes, they saw a new beautiful neighborhood with pristine sidewalks and aesthetic landscaping. These families, although humble, are pioneers -- all of them desired to return to the center of Joplin to spearhead the rebuilding efforts that still lie ahead. Despite what they have been through, they all look forward to helping others rebuild lives, and helping Joplin restore its glow as one of the great small towns in America. From ABC, Endemol, Ty and the design team, and the entire 200+ staff and crew of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, a public THANK YOU to the city and people of Joplin, to the thousands of volunteers who came from as far away as Alaska and Australia, to the local universities and organizations, to the amazing build teams, and most of all to the families who allowed us to tell their stories so that millions will be inspired by their strength, character, and gratitude.

Thanks, foster Kobe Bryant, and some of the Chiefs will make guest appearances on EMHE as well. Ply Gem, a sponsor of the show, has uploaded pics of the destroyed houses of some of the families picked for the show. http://www.facebook.com/PlyGem The Howard family house post-tornado: The Nevins family house pre-tornado: And after the tornado:

Don't forget to watch or set your DVR for Extreme Makeover Home Edition tomorrow (Fri 13th) on ABC! EMHE article: http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/tv/most_extreme_yet_Gdzr19eJ46Xme10dNqT3MI Home Depot opened up, well actually they open up at 6 AM today, I believe 7 people lost their lives in Home Depot. There's a plaque that reads " “In remembrance of the lives lost and to a future of rebuilding in their memory.” http://www.joplinglo...iness-in-Joplin And a local business decided to get a large storm shelter to protect its employees. The cost was $86,000. Pretty cool article. http://www.joplinglo...otect-employees Samaritan's purse is building 20 homes in Joplin. The first is actually pretty close to me. http://www.newstalkk...s/11969966.php?

Don't forget to set your DVR or watch Extreme Makeover Home Edition on Fri, Jan 13th! Home Depot will reopen this Wednesday, they are donating $500,000 to the Joplin Tornado Relief fund as well. http://www.kspr.com/...0,7449031.story A story about how a specific contractor from California took homeowners money but didn't fulfill his end of the bargain. It seems there are a lot of these stories around from people I've talked to. Out of state contractors coming in and taking advantage of people. Always choose a local contractor that has been in business in your area for years, or go with your local Home Builders Association! http://www.joplinglo...-California-man And I miss the trees, Joplin is very urban forest with trees that provided a canopy over most areas. The tornado killed 98% of the trees along it's path. The trees that looked like they were going to come out of it and turned green after the tornado pretty much all had to be cut down due to missing bark and other damage that would have eventually killed them. It's really weird being on the edge of the tornado, you can look one way and see trees and houses and everything looks normal, then you look the other way and you see nothing but sky and dirt. http://www.stltoday....28e94b0c3f.html Also there has been a small drop at the FEMA housing area.. 586 units were occupied. Now that number has dropped to 523. More about Home Depot reopening: http://www.joplinglobe.com/local/x608926469/Home-Depot-preparing-for-reopening-of-store

Thanks Indystorm. Catching up on some things here......... *Don't forget the Joplin Episode (and final episode) of Extreme Makeover Home Edition is on Jan 13th!!! The video says the final 2 episodes start Jan 6th, but Jan 6th is Iowa. *St. Johns is going to break ground on the new hospital and start demolition of the old at the end of January. They hope they will have the site cleared of the old hospital by the anniversary of the tornado. *Both St. Johns and Joplin high School received FEMA money for rebuilding, I don't know if this is the initial payment or what since the high school is eligible for 75% off the new school. But Mercy/St. Johns will get $20 million and Joplin High School will get $2 million http://www.joplinglo...ornado-recovery A couple of articles about the recovery and road ahead: *Joplin recovery still has long road ahead http://www.tulsaworl...19_ULNSoc939802 *Relying on the kindness of strangers http://www.nytimes.c...-strangers.html Edit: Stories from people in a neighborhood SE of me. http://www.voxmagazi...-starting-over/ And Academy Sports will be back soon: After the tornado: This is what it looks like now:

Quite a year this year in the Joplin area. I don't think many people will forget 2011 even though they will probably want to. In Feb, we had the worst blizzard in 40 years. We don't usually get blizzards around here but I'm not complaining about that though. In May, we had the third worst tornado in US history. After that, we lapsed into a horrible heat wave and drought for a few months, then we ended up with an earthquake across OK that was felt in Joplin. http://www.joplinglobe.com/local/x1477837219/2011-a-year-impossible-to-duplicate The church response was incredible and one of the main reasons Joplin was able to do so well after the tornado. I joke that we have a church on every block here and it may actually be every few blocks but the support and volunteers they were able to provide was nothing short of amazing. Individual donors played a big part as well. If you don't believe in religion, you can't deny that people 'coming together' for a cause does work wonders, and the churches were able to get people together. Over the Summer, I saw many many church organizations that had sent volunteers from far off places. I saw church busses here from PA, NC, CA, IL and other areas I've probably forgotten. There are church groups here that are rebuilding homes for people right now and many that are planning trips back in the Spring and Summer. http://www.joplinglobe.com/local/x1818104610/A-place-with-character

yeah I hope it's never needed but you can never be too sure. After seeing what was left of the houses after the tornado, being on a slab with open interior rooms wasn't going to cut it. This way there is some protection from projectiles since the outside is made of steel and the cage itself can withstand a cadilac being dropped from 40 feet on top of it. Pretty much every house I've seen that's been going up has had some type of tornado shelter. I've seen a few inground shelters, a lot of concrete shelters poured as part of the foundation near the garages but inside the houses and a couple of concrete interior shelters. If it was a new house that was being built, I'd go with an interior concrete shelter as a closet or something.

Very unlikely it will be knocked over. It is 5' x 4' x 6' 4" high. The bottom is part of the frame as well, there's a couple of frame pieces that go across that bolt down as well, plywood is screwed in on top of that to provide a 'floor' to stand on. There's a way to release the pin locking mechanism for the door in the top inside. It is possible that debris would pile up in front of the door and make you unable to open the door. That is why it's recommended you have food and water inside but eventually rescuers would reach you.

Thanks. Got a late Christmas Present today.... Received my tornado shelter today. Above ground steel shelter in the garage, exceeds FEMA specifications due to numerous braces. No wifi signal in there but I do get cell signal. Opted to have it painted OSHA blue due to looking at pictures after the tornado and seeing common colors such as whites and browns and silvers but the blue tarps really stood out and were easy to see. The 4 things in the back are vents. The yellow sticker on the door says to insert the safety pin during severe weather, it prevents the door from opening. It's bolted down into the concrete by 5-6" screws that were pretty huge, I think there was around 10 of them and they are sealed with epoxy. Academy Sports plans to reopen Jan 27th. Around 30% of businesses taken out by the tornado have got their permits to rebuild so far. http://www.koamtv.com/story/16407266/academy-plans-to-reopen-january-27 Also, as of last Friday, 50% of property owners have received permits to repair or rebuild homes that were damaged or destroyed in the tornado.

Thanks for the Christmas wishes. It was a beautiful 55 degrees here today. Might as well be warm if it isn't going to snow. New York Times: For Joplin, A Love Letter in Ruins http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/26/us/joplin-mo-ponders-future-of-a-love-letter-in-ruins.html And stltoday.com both had stories about Joplin today: How 80,000 volunteers showed Joplin, Mo., that 'the world cared' http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/how-volunteers-showed-joplin-mo-that-the-world-cared/article_ceede6f5-7025-56d9-b0c3-00444234db5e.html

You know I just remembered tonight that a street in the tornado disaster area always had a luminaria. (candles in bags that were along the street on Christmas Eve) People would drive down that street with their lights off and the bags were quite a sight to see since nearly everyone participated for a few blocks. However, people are starting new traditions and the Joplin Globe has a story in the paper on Christmas about new beginnings and traditions. http://www.joplinglobe.com/local/x1477832003/A-Home-for-the-Holidays The last story caught my eye as it took place just down the road from me. Below is an excerpt: Enough of the trees remained that once the debris and foundation had all been cleared, they would provide a backdrop for the one question that would start Levels on her way to a new start, a new life, a new future: “Will you marry me?” “We got the lot clear, finally, and all that was left were those two trees,” he said. On Sept. 15, the couple returned to the lot for what they decided probably would be the last time. It was there — not on bended knee, because it was raining — that he asked her to marry him. --- ​I inadvertently got a picture of those two trees the other day. This is what it looked like before: --- I know a posted the story of a woman that was trapped under debris in Dillons grocery store, Desiree Rodgers. She was pregnant at the time and they thought she had lost the baby. Well, she had the baby on Friday, Dec 23rd. http://www.joplinglobe.com/local/x1477832406/Tornado-victims-celebrate-birth-of-little-storm-survivor Excerpt: Rodgers was pinned in a squatting position beneath slabs of concrete when the EF-5 tornado that struck Joplin destroyed Dillons. About a half hour into her ordeal, a woman who had been stuck in the debris escaped and flagged down a Carthage fire crew that had arrived to help Joplin rescuers. Carthage fire Capt. Jason Martin said last summer Rodgers was trapped with over a ton of debris on her back. The debris was so heavy that the jacks the rescuers used to lift it faltered at first but then dug in and gave about two inches of lift, enough for the firemen to slide Rodgers out. “She wouldn’t have lived much longer,” Martin said. “She couldn’t breathe because of the amount of weight on her.” Merry Christmas from Joplin!

7 months today, a couple of pic updates from pics I took earlier after the tornado. This is what this house looked like in July. It says "Do Not touch" And someone finally decided to touch it and now it looks like this, complete with garland decoration on the front bush. This is what the area looked like after cleanup of the debris and demolition. Same side of the street but farther back so I could get some of the other houses taken today. Same street but looking up the street... this was a picture taken just last month. And a pic taken a month later, today.

Mercy/St. John's Hospital donated 12.5 acres of land to the Joplin School District. The school district plans to do a mine study on the area then build a combined Irving/Emerson elementary school. Irving was destroyed in the tornado and Emerson sustained damage. They also plan to combine nearby Duneweg/Duquense schools into a new school near East Middle School which is also being rebuilt. St. Johns will be demolished starting in February, but due to possible mine shafts they will have to take it down via wrecking ball which will take them until April/May, then construction will begin on the school. JHS/Franklin Tech will also be combined. The school district will have a $21.3 million shortfall due to the construction, which of course will probably be more by the time construction is complete. http://www.joplinglobe.com/local/x1996144960/Joplin-district-to-merge-elementary-schools Cunningham Park gets a lot of news but Parr Hill Park was also destroyed in the tornado. There are some big plans for Parr Hill including skate pods, a small and large dog park, and a splash pad. All were requested by residents before the tornado happened. City of Joplin has entered a Reader's Digest voting contest and say they will use the funds won from this contest to help pay for those improvements at Parr Hill Park. http://www.joplinglobe.com/local/x1759194586/Plan-calls-for-new-features-at-Parr-Hill You can sign up and vote here: http://wehearyouamerica.readersdigest.com/index.jsp Joplin High School vocal department won $25,000 from a similar voting contest that was put on by 'Glee' the tv show. One of the Grand Prize $50,000 winners was Phil Campbell HS in Alabama, which was destroyed by the Apr 27 outbreak. http://www.joplinglobe.com/local/x1996144984/JHS-vocalists-win-25-000-through-Glee-contest An Indianapolis, IN endowment group donated $1.5 million to the Joplin Recovery Fund that is earmarked for affordable housing. http://www.newstalkkzrg.com/Joplin-Recovery-Fund-Receives--1-5-million-Grant/11788061 Saw this letter to Santa on Twitter.

Better add these before I forget. These are from the KC Star. Housing troubles mount, especially for Joplin’s poor http://www.kansascit...especially.html Dubious deals add to tragedy in Joplin http://www.kansascit...tragedy-in.html Life still in limbo for many people in Joplin http://www.kansascit...or-many-on.html The last article is over in my area... well Kingsdale/Winfield area. Kingsdale is still pretty bare, but Winfield is rebuilding back nicely, slowly.. but nicely. I've been taking monthly pictures of the area since June or July. Edit: And yet another one. Joplin still bears scars of deadly tornado http://www.kansascit...-of-deadly.html And another: http://www.kansascity.com/2011/12/17/3325756/a-city-rising-from-the-rubble.html

Coca-Cola delivered the $25,000 check that was earned by people voting for Cunningham Park in the Live Positively campaign, today. This was a pic I posted of the park as Lowe's was working on the bridge.... And here's the finished product minus the trees that will be planted in the Spring. Kansas City Chiefs staffers/front office surprised 4 Elementary schools today and they brought gifts for the kids. Each kid got a present from their wish list. Wal-Mart gave $10,000 to Misti's Mission, a local relief organization that sprang up after the tornado. Bank of America gave St. Johns Medical Center $100,000. Also, Extreme Makeover Home Edition (the show) has been canceled. The Joplin episode on January 13th is the last show that will air, it is also the series 200th episode. http://insidetv.ew.com/2011/12/15/extreme-makeover-home-edition-canceled/

The Police Officer, that was photographed carrying the little girl, and that was in the Top 3 Weather Heroes on The Weather Channel in this post above has resigned: Apparently a day after the Christmas Makeover, he resigned because he 'rescued' a couple of bottles of whiskey from a destroyed liquor store. http://www.joplinglobe.com/local/x1561648994/Joplin-officer-resigned-amid-conduct-probe --- Quinton Anderson lost both parents and nearly his own life in the tornado. He's a finalist for the Rudy Award (football) for a scholarship. Despite being unable to play due to leg injuries in the tornado, he showed up to every practice and game to cheer his team on. http://www.highschoolrudyawards.com/content/224_73/FINALISTS.aspx He received an early Christmas Present from Relief Spark, a new car. He had only requested two minor things since he didn't want someone buying him something expensive. http://fourstateshomepage.com/fulltext-sports/?watch=1&nxd_id=241227 --- This house is over by me. I've noticed Christian Disaster Relief trucks over there, so I thought the guy was a pastor or something, turns out he was underinsured so a bunch of church organizations got together and helped rebuild his house for him. http://www.newstalkkzrg.com/Joplin-Family-Gets-New-Home/11711744 --- And 5,000 gifts were given to children in Will Norton's honor. Relief Spark and the St. Louis Crew organized and gave the gifts out. http://fourstateshomepage.com/fulltext/?nxd_id=241197

I just read this story, they 'track' the storm system that would cause the Joplin tornado from it's 'birth' to it's death. http://www.kansascit...racing-the.html So late Sunday afternoon, when Andy Foster saw a bright pink stain on a radar scan, he knew this was no isolated twister taking out a chicken house on the edge of town. Pieces of houses, churches and barns had been blasted 10,000 feet into the sky over Joplin. “That’s when our hearts sank.’’ *Foster placed a third and final call to Stammer. Whatever is out there, it’s headed straight for Joplin. *The forecasters in Springfield stared at the radar in disbelief: The messy blob from minutes earlier had morphed into a near perfect comma shape, with wind speeds maxed out in opposite directions.

The 'hotel district' is pretty much right along and south of 32nd street and Range Line. The track of the tornado went near 20th and Range Line so there wasn't much damage that far south at that time.

Been a few days.... Demolition started today on Franklin Technology Center and Irving Elementary school. It may be a short little bit before demolition begins on Joplin High School due to asbestos issues. The back of Irving pre-demolition. And part of the front of Franklin Tech: The first two pieces of St. John's component hospital arrived yesterday. This will be a concrete and steel structure that will house around 110 beds. They have gone from Tent -> Modular -> Component -> Actual Hospital in 2014-2015. Jasper County sheriffs deputies will finally get their overtime pay for working the tornado. http://www.koamtv.com/story/16213139/sheriffs-deputies-to-finally-get-paid-for-tornado-overtime The Joplin City Council is recommending 8 housing projects. Developers are getting $122 million in tax credits to build. Some developers wanted to build outside of Joplin and some wanted to build affordable housing in expensive neighborhoods. The council rejected those bids and selected these but it's up to the Missouri Housing Development Commission. http://www.joplinglobe.com/tornadomay2011/x1331365045/City-Council-backs-eight-housing-projects-proposed-in-storm-zone NIST has interviewed nearly 100 people (probably over that now) about the tornado in interviews, the report will be released next Spring: http://www.joplinglobe.com/tornadomay2011/x1202029522/Researchers-seeking-more-storm-accounts

Extreme Makeover Home Edition (Joplin Edition) will air Friday, Jan 13th. It is scheduled to be a 2 hour long show, with a 1 hour long behind the scenes before the show. Mark your calendars! $635,000 in grants have been given to Joplin to replace the park equipment at the schools and the Parks from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. http://www.koamtv.com/story/16137514/department-of-natural-resources-awards-635000-in-scrap-tire-grants-for-playground-projects-in-joplin Will Norton's monument/gravestone is finished, it's 6'3", the same as he was.

Thanks for coming to help out Wx 24/7. Joplin Globe did a LOOOOOOOOONG article on how they have to rethink what to do during a tornado at schools now. They talked with William Gallus from Iowa State, Bill Davis with the NWS and the school officials. They included 5 videos from JHS as well, 2 I had not seen before. Great article all in all: http://www.joplinglo...ng-May-22-storm On Franklin Tech: “I think it had a second surge there,” Davis said. “Estimates are that at Franklin Tech, the winds were up to 200 miles per hour, or at least around 180-190 miles per hour. There was increasing intensity there, kind of a sweet spot for the tornado, where part of the tornado was a little more destructive.” Gallus, who has observed a lot of tornado damage around the country, said Franklin Tech also would have been a dangerous place to be, in part because rebar didn’t reach high enough into the wall or deep enough into the foundation to hold the building together. “You can picture walls on a hinge — it wasn’t enough to support the walls with those kinds of winds and forces on them,” he said. “There should be at least 18 to 24 inches of rebar extending into the concrete floors and into the walls. I think it would have been a horrible experience if they had been in school.” The two vids I had not seen, looks like it would have been pretty hellish:

Happy Thanksgiving to all. Story about WIll Norton's family and how they are dealing with the loss of Will. http://www.joplinglobe.com/local/x646422680/Norton-family-continuing-Wills-tradition Will Norton's last 9 months of life in Twitter form: http://www.joplinglobe.com/willnorton Memories of 3 families that had loved ones that died, including one who would have a birthday today. Glenn and Lori Holland didn't live that far from me. http://www.joplinglobe.com/local/x1295783806/Families-share-memories-of-previous-Thanksgivings-with-those-killed-in-tornado Now for some updated 6 month pics... these are pics posted in this thread, then updated at the 6 month mark: This was taken 2 days after the tornado. And 6 months later, the twin rental houses are back: Other pics... one of this house going up: And at the 6 month mark This was a 2 story house that had lost (blown away) part of it's upper story, this was as it was being reconstructed: And 6 months after, the front is finished. I wasn't sure how it would look when he told me he was going to make it rock, it looks pretty nice. And this entire block is rebuilding pretty well... this is what it looked like after the tornado and clearing of debris: At the 6 month mark, this pic was taken on the opposite side of the street looking forward toward the location the previous picture was taken. You can count 6 skeletons of houses going up:

I enjoy having everything in one place and this thread is a running history of something that will be remembered here for a long, long, time. I figured I'm already finding the information, I might as well share it so others who are interested can see what happens when an EF-5 tornado comes barreling through your area. There's a lot of people who will have their first Thanksgiving and Christmas without loved ones due to the tornado. They say time heals all wounds, but there are some wounds that will never heal, and the scars will remain forever. Enjoy the time with your families, even if you don't always see eye to eye and argue, because in a matter of minutes your entire life can be changed and they can be gone forever.

Greg Forbes ranks the Joplin tornado the 3rd worst in US History. http://www.joplinglobe.com/local/x229375934/Expert-ranks-tornado-possibly-as-third-worst-in-U-S-history JOPLIN, Mo. — Greg Forbes, the severe-weather expert with The Weather Channel, has crunched the numbers to offer a convincing argument that the May 22 tornado in Joplin was the third worst on record in U.S. history. *Forbes then combined the number of deaths and the amount of damage to come up with a ranking of worst tornadoes. The worst was the Tri-State Tornado on March 18, 1925. It killed 695 along a 219-mile path in Missouri, Illinois and Indiana, the longest on record. The second worst was the St. Louis tornado of 1896, which killed 255 people. The third worst was the Joplin tornado.