By BILL McMILLEN
Morning Sun News Editor
FRANKLIN - Tim Sayre took a deep breath as he looked
over what had been the site of his family home near the intersection
of Seventh and Broadway in Franklin.
All that was left was a concrete porch, with indoor-outdoor
carpet still firmly attached, and concrete blocks that had served
as the foundation for the house where Sayre and his family had lived
the last 14 years.
"It was right here," he said. "Right here."
Until Sunday afternoon, when a tornado ravaged
Crawford County, leaving a 20-mile-long, half-mile wide path
of debris in its wake. At least four people were killed, including
an elderly woman who lived across the street from Sayre.
"It's the first time I've been in one," Sayre said.
One was more than enough.
"We were in the neighbor's basement," Sayre said
as he surveyed his property, looking for belongings that were
few and far between. "As soon as they sounded the sirens, we were
gone."
And about half an hour later, so was much of Franklin.
But in the basement of the home of Gayle Hribar,
Sayre and his family were safe. Hribar's house also was destroyed
- dozens of homes in a two square milearea essentially disintegrated.
"I guess we were down there for about 30 minutes,"
Sayre said as he assured a neighbor that his wife and three children
were safe. "Everybody (in the family) is OK."
"It's just unreal," said Tracy Whetzell, who lived
on Grapevine Street about half a mile from the main path of the
tornado. Unlike many in Franklin, Whetzell still had a house.
"We had a tree uprooted, dumped across the driveway,"
he said. "The house? It's fine."
May Jeffrey also considered herself fortunate.
Jeffrey, at 1004 S. Broadway in Franklin, just north of the U.S.
69-Kansas 57 junction, wasn't home when the storm hit. Concerned
about her dog, Cheyenne, Jeffrey drove toward Franklin but pulled
off the road across from Frontenac Express when she heard the storm
warnings.
After the storm passed, she continued home to find
many shingles gone from her roof. A section of her fence is gone
from the backyard and a utility shed had been moved a couple of feet
off its moorings.
"It blew part of my fence away," she said, looking
over the debris and trying to figure out where all of it came
from. "I'll have to have a new roof."
But Jeffrey - and Cheyenne - were fine.
"She probably hid under the bed," Jeffrey said
with a laugh. "She was glad to see Mama."
Jeffrey said she was glad she wasn't home to experience
the storm, even though the worst of it hit about half a mile north
of her house.
"I'd probably been scared spitless," she said.
Continuing north on Broadway - Old 69 Highway -
the damage got progressively worse. In Jeffrey's neighborhood,
treetops were ripped off, roofs were damaged and cars were peppered
with hail ranging in size from marbles to baseballs. Just north, however,
entire trees were uprooted, tossed onto houses. And north of that, near
Seventh Street, the damage was devastating.
"It don't take long to lose everything you've got,"
said one Franklin resident.
"I've never seen anything like this," Whetzell
said.
"My house is gone and my van is gone," said Sayre,
loading up what few things he could find into the back of a heavily
damaged pickup truck. The van, like the house that had been there
only an hour earlier, was nowhere to be found.
"I've got to go find my van," he said. "And my
gun cabinet."
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top
May 5, 2003
Officials: At least four dead in Crawford County
By The Morning Sun
-
Four people were killed and more than a dozen were
injured by the biggest tornado to hit Crawford County in recent
history. Storms claimed at least 10 lives in southeast Kansas
and southwest Missouri.
Cutting a path nearly half a mile wide, the tornado
touched down near McCune, in western Crawford County, around 4:40
p.m. Sunday and churned its way across the county through the outskirts
of Girard, the tiny community of Ringo, into Franklin and the fringes
of Mulberry before moving into Missouri.
Two deaths were reported in the Girard area and
a third was an elderly woman in Franklin. The fourth Crawford
County death was reported by the state adjutant general's office
and had yet to be confirmed by Crawford County officials.
"We have three confirmed fatalities right now,"
said Crawford County CoronerDr. Adam Paoni from a makeshift
morgue at Smith-Carson-Wall Funeral Home at Girard. "I don't have
any more information than that right now."
Names of the Girard area victims were not available.
The Franklin victim was identified at the scene as Josephine
Maghe, whose body was found by emergency personnel in the rubble
about 50 yards north of where her house once stood on Broadway Street
in Franklin.
They are the first tornado related fatalities in
Crawford County since a Mulberry woman was killed by a storm
in the 1983. And they were among at least 10 people killed in southeast
Kansas and southwest Missouri on Sunday.
Cherokee County Sheriff Bob Creech said three people
were killed when a tornado hit south of Columbus around 6 p.m.
One death came when a mobile home "disintegrated" about three miles
south of Columbus, Creech said. The other two were in a house that
was destroyed near Crestline.
Another person died west of Liberal, Mo., according
to Barton County Sheriff's Deputy John Simpson, and the Jasper
County Sheriff's Department reported two fatalities near Carl Junction,
Mo. There were no available reports of injuries in those counties.
Mt. Carmel Regional Medical Center in Pittsburg
reported treating at least 15 victims from the Crawford County
tornado Sunday evening.
"Two in surgery, two in (intensive care unit),"
reported nursing shift supervisor Henry Ford. "The rest were minor
injuries, cuts and things like that," he said.
Ford said a couple of people treated for chest
pains Sunday night were apparently stricken after weathering
the storm or learning of it.
At Hospital District No. 1 of Crawford County at
Girard, five people were treated for storm-related injuries,
according to Connie Womble, director of nursing. Two victims were
transferred - one to the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas
City, Ks. ., and the other to St. John's Regional Medical Center at
Joplin, Mo.
Hospital District No. 1 and Mt. Carmel both were
prepared for the influx of storm victims.
"We had a tremendous response," said Dennis Nehls,
director of the Girard hospital, which put in place a disaster
plan, mobilizing staff and volunteers.
Mt. Carmel took similar preparations.
"We had two (operating room) crews, extra lab,
extra x-ray folks and extra (emergency room) folks waiting,"
said Krista Postai, vice president for marketing and planning.
"From the storm until the time we got our first patients was an
hour to an hour and a half, so we were very well equipped and actually
relieved that there were fewer injuries that we expected. Initial
reports sounded pretty scary."
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Tornado
leaves trail of rubble
May 5, 2003
By BILL McMILLEN
Morning Sun News Editor
It was believed to be the worst tornado in Crawford
County history. It left death, injury and destruction in its wake.
And it changed the lives and landscapes of the Pittsburg area so
quickly, few people had taken the time to figure out what they were
going to do next.
"You can stay with us," said a woman hugging a
suddenly homeless relative after the storm Sunday afternoon devastated
a neighborhood at Franklin. "Don't worry about that. You can stay
with us as long as you need to."
The state adjutant general's office reported four
fatalities in Crawford County. At least 20 people were treated
at area hospitals for injuries caused by or related to the tornado
that touched down near McCune and mowed a half-mile swath for nearly
20 miles.
Makeshift shelters were set up in three area communities
as dozens of homes were destroyed, maybe as many as 100 were damaged
and scores of residents were without power or other utilities.
A temporary shelter was set up at the Mulberry
Senior Citizens Center. Red Cross relief shelters also were opened
at St. Joseph's Catholic Church parish hall at Arma and St. Michael's
Catholic Church parish hall at Girard. Many Arma-area residents went
to USD 246 schools for safety during the storm; Arma schools plan on
serving meals today to persons who have been displaced by the tornado as
well as to emergency personnel. Schools will be closed to classes.
"We're hoping to have school on Tuesday," said
USD 246 Superintendent Marvin "Buddy" Bualle. "We'll try to get
back to normal as quickly as possible, but with Franklin and Mulberry
both being hit... we can't get buses around in those areas."
The school buildings, he said, were not damaged.
The Franklin Post Office was destroyed - along
with more than a dozen homes in the community south of Arma. According
to postal officials, mail for Franklin residents will be sent to
Arma, where patrons may pick it up at the service window.
The Crawford County Sheriff's Department was manning
two command centers Sunday night, at Chicken Annie's east of
Girard and near Seventh and Broadway in Franklin.
The tornado touched down around 4:40 p.m. near
McCune and followed a path that took it through portions of Girard,
through Ringo, into Franklin, south of Mulberry and into Missouri.
It took roughly 15 minutes for the tornado to tear up a large chunk
of the county.
Bill Davis, meteorologist with the National Weather
Service in Springfield, Mo., said he could not categorize the
tornado until NWS officials survey the damage today. County, state
and federal officials also are expected to assess the damage.
Richard Mapes, of Mulberry, said he saw the tornado
pass. It touched down about two blocks from Mapes' house.
"It was only a quarter mile," he said. "I was there."
He said he stood in the street and watched as the
tornado tore through Franklin before approaching Mulberry.
A woman who identified herself only as "Ms. Bellamy"
said she saw the tornado from her home about a quarter of a mile
east of the Kansas 57-U.S. 69 junction, known in Crawford County
as Ginardi's Corner.
"I watched it go across the middle of the field
across from my house," she said. "The wind was very strong. I tried
to close my back door but I couldn't because of the wind, and that
was the inside door. The storm door was already closed."
She said she rode out the storm, despite the high
winds, heavy rain and tennis ball-sized hail.
"I didn't take cover. I didn't think it was that
bad," she said. "Believe it or not, I wasn't really scared.
I've been here 38 years and this is the first time I ever saw anything
like this."
At Franklin, few people stayed to watch the storm.
Most sought shelter or left home to get out of the path.
"It's just unreal," said Tracy Whetzell, surveying
what had been a residential area in Franklin that now was scattered
piles of rubble. Whetzell's home suffered no apparent damage. But
about a quarter of a mile away, on the main street through town, destruction
was everywhere. Dozens of houses were gone; some were marked by
piles of rubble, others only by the remnants of their foundation.
Emergency personnel sifted through that rubble
looking for survivors while others tried to locate residents,
going door-to-door in areas where houses still stood. Collecting
names, addresses and whereabouts of residents was about the only
way county officials could keep track of who was safe, who was
injured and who was missing.
Emergency efforts were complicated by a swelling
number of onlookers and relatives who were searched for loved
ones; it was difficult at times to sort emergency workers, volunteers
and residents from those curious to see the devastation.
"We've got to get this area closed off," said Crawford
County Sheriff Sandy Horton from the Franklin command post on
the middle of Broadway.
Broadway - old 69 Highway from Ginardi's Corner
to the south edge of Arma - eventually was closed to all but emergency
traffic. Kansas Highway 57 was closed from the U.S. 69 junction at
Ginardi's Corner to the Kansas 7 junction in Girard, although many
people snaked through county roads to view the storm damage.
Back to top
Many left without
electricity
May 5, 2003
Sunday's storms left thousands of Crawford County residents
briefly without power. Others may be without lights for days.
Don Hill, regional supervisor for Westar Energy, said
late Sunday that crews were still doing damage assessment, but
miles of 69,000 and 160,000 volt transmissions lines were down.
Hill said crews from throughout southeast Kansas were
in the field and more were on the way.
"Our big problem is that we have a substation - the
Mulberry substation - that was totally destroyed and we are in
the process of figuring out how we can build something in there,"
Hill said. "We have temporary substations, but there is a lot of
work and repairing to get something online. We are just in the planning
stages there."
The substation served Arma, but by 11 p.m. Westar
switched the city to another source. The substation also served
Franklin and Mulberry.
The transmission line to Girard was also down, but
with the supply lines down the city fired its own power plant and
power was restored by 9 p.m.
Back to top
Residents
sift through damage, organize relief efforts
May 6, 2003
By OLIVE L. SULLIVAN
Morning Sun Staff Writer
ARMA - Buddy Bualle is exhausted. Like many others
in Crawford County, he spent Sunday evening helping friends and
neighbors sift through tornado damage and organizing relief efforts.
As Superintendent of Schools for Northeast USD 246,
Bualle called off school for Monday, although school will be held
today. He said parents of students who have been displaced by the
storms need to contact the school to arrange transportation.
"We'll get them to school if we just know where they
are," he said.
Bualle said sports events scheduled for Monday and
Tuesday were canceled as well.
"Our priorities switched on us very quickly.
"We've got kids without homes," he continued. He knows
of at least six Franklin families without homes. "And there may
be more."
Among the homeless are his son's in-laws. "I walked
through there last night. I saw a lot of parents without homes,
or just thankful they had just a little damage."
Bualle headed home Sunday night about 9:30 p.m., but
found he couldn't sleep. At 2:30 a.m., he gave up the battle and
got up.
"Even if it doesn't physically affect you, the emotional
toll does," he said. "First you go numb. It's a small town, you know
everybody. A lifetime of stuff's gone."
Eric Whetzell, Mulberry, was in that numb state. "Tornado
wiped out my house," he said at the Red Cross shelter in Arma's
St. Joseph's parish hall. "I was there 'til the last minute. Seen
the neighbors leave, then I heard the roar and then I just got out."
His wife and four children are safe, but the house
is gone, along with everything they own, including clothes.
"Tried to scrounge around for clothes, but most of
them were mangled up," he said.
Half his house is across the street from its foundation,
while the other half is in a nearby strip pit.
Whetzell applied to the Red Cross for immediate relief,
receiving boxes of food and packets of personal items like toothbrushes
and toothpaste. The Red Cross volunteer also told him how to apply
for Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance to find shelter
later on.
But that means he needs proof of residence.
"I lost all my paperwork," Whetzell said. "Everything."
The volunteer assured him he could go to the city hall for a copy
of his utility bill.
Even though the parish hall was equipped with cots
for at least 50 people, no one spent the night there Sunday night.
Whetzell said his family spent the night with his mother.
A shelter at St. Michael's Parish Hall in Girard also
stayed empty Sunday night, according to caretaker Jim Davied.
Aaron Phillips, director of the Pioneer Chapter of
the Red Cross, said many victims wanted to stay close to their homes
in spite of the damage. "Right now we have shelter here," Phillips
said at St. Joseph's.
"Last night we had people in and out looking for family
members, not anyone willing to stay the night," he said. "That's
pretty common in these situations. We're expecting an influx tonight."
St. Michael's will also be open to provide shelter
tonight. Other shelters are located in Mulberry at the senior citizens'
center and at the Golden Era home in Arma.
Monday morning, Red Cross shelter director Paul Fairbanks
said, "Quite frankly, we're trying to get our feet on the ground."
He was organizing the efforts of emergency relief vehicles (ERVs),
which were delivering meals to rescue personnel and volunteers in
Franklin and Mulberry.
Karen Nugent, a volunteer from Coffeyville, explained,
"Right now they are processing people at the shelter trying to find
hotels and motels to put them up, those who have no place to go,
no relatives, trying to give them food and find the local agencies to
help them with clean- up."
After Sunday's storms had passed, 10 guardsmen from
the National Guard 891st Company A were deployed to help provide
security in and around the Franklin and Arma area. Those guardsmen
will remain on duty through Wednesday at the site.
Meals for the rescue workers and tornado victims were
prepared by Janet Pommier and Jeanette Simon, cooks at Northeast
High School, and delivered by the Red Cross.
Nugent and Tom Alexander, another Red Cross volunteer
from Coffeyville, took their ERV to Northeast to load up more than
a hundred meals for workers at the "Ground Zero" command post in
Franklin.
Nugent and Alexander drove into town last night to
help set up the shelter at St. Joseph's.
"What we needed the most that first night was basic
information," she said. "People were coming up emotional crying,
'I can't find my grandpa' and we did not have the information because
it was just to early. So we felt pretty helpless and it was pretty
chaotic. What we needed was what we couldn't give them. And yet everyone
responded as quickly as they could it was just a matter of timing. People
were in shock and in tears and there was not much we could do but be
there and offer some compassion."
She called the aid the Red Cross is receiving from
Northeast schools and others "just amazing."
Northeast High School Principal John Underwood helped
custodians Danny Rhodes and Ed Babcock load vats of mac and cheese
casserole and green beans, packs of cookies and chips, a pan of
hot dogs and buns, and cartons of milk into the rescue vehicle.
"We cooked what we thought would be easy to handle,"
Underwood explained. In addition, he said, the cooks served 150
breakfasts Monday morning.
The kitchens will continue serving meals to rescue
workers and tornado victims today, Bualle said. "People can come
get it or we'll take it out to them," he said. "We're going to have
school tomorrow, but still anyone who wants meals, we'll provide them,
just whatever we can do."
He said the shower facilities at the high school are
also open. "We left it open all last night," he said.
Recalling the 1983 tornado which killed one Mulberry
woman, Bualle said, "This is twice we've had tornadoes hit our community."
He said school was closed simply because so many students
were affected by the damage to their homes, but added, "We had
kids wanting to do things to help. We've even had other schools
calling wanting to help. It's been unbelievable. It's something special."
John Shore, a Pittsburg resident, showed up at Northeast
to drop off a load of clothing for the victims. He said he had heard
a call for donations on the radio.
He wasn't the only one. The Arma Police Department
asked Underwood to move buses out of the bus barn so donations of
food, clothing and other supplies could be stored there.
Shore said he was in the process of moving. "I'm packing
up and heard on the radio they needed clothes, so I thought I'd
bring them on over."
Even though Pittsburg wasn't hit directly, he said
he's still trying to locate a friend from Carl Junction.
Another volunteer was going on 30 hours of service
in spite of the pain she was in, and yet another was working in spite
of the loss of a good friend, killed in the tornado that struck Ringo.
Bualle echoed their feelings. "I'm worn out, but I
don't know if I can rest."
Nugent said, "I think the community has come forth
and we have had so many offers of what we need, from food to blankets
to toys. One guy came up and offered his chainsaw and tractor. So it
is amazing what the community has done to give us the tools we need
to help these people."
One thing the rescue volunteers still need, she said,
is sunscreen. "That's one thing we didn't think of."
Finally, the Crisis Resource Center of SEK (formerly
Safehouse) is offering clothing to those in need. Staff noted that
they have women's and children's clothing and some men's closing,
as well as household items and some personal care items. For more
information, call 1-800-794-9148 or 620-231-8251.
Staff Writer Olive Sullivan can be reached at olive.sullivan@morningsun.net,
or by calling 231-2600, Ext. 134.
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May 6, 2003
Sebelius visits area, promises quick help for victims
By JEFF WELLS
Morning Sun Staff Writer
FRANKLIN - Officials from county, state, and federal
government are in the preliminary stages of offering assistance
to victim's of Sunday's tornado outbreak.
Gov. Kathleen Sebelius visited the wrecked unincorporated
town of Franklin Monday afternoon and said the state is trying
to rush federal aid, including cash payments, to the area.
The governor talked with Debi Fager-Maghe. Fager-Maghe,
of Riverton, was collecting from the debris items belonging to
her mother-in-law Josephine Maghe. Maghe was one of three Crawford
County fatalities in Sunday's tornado.
"I'm so sorry," the governor told a weeping Fager-Maghe.
Sebelius told her state and federal agencies will
provide relief.
"I was insurance commissioner before this and they
should be sending someone down shortly," she said.
Sebelius conducted a news conference among the
rubble that was the homes lining Broadway Street.
"This is a tragedy that will be difficult to recover
from," she said. "Stuff can be put back together, but you will
never recover those loved ones."
The governor arrived in Franklin via a Kansas Highway
Patrol motorcade after flying over the damage and into Pittsburg's
Atkinson Municipal Airport. Dick Hainje, regional director for
the Federal Emergency Management Agency, State Sen. Jim Barone, D-Frontenac,
and three state representatives joined Sebelius in the trek from
Topeka.
"We are here today to tell the people of Crawford
and Cherokee counties how very sorry I am on behalf of all of the
citizens of the state for the losses you have suffered and the lives
that are lost."
Sebelius said she telephoned Michael Brown, undersecretary
of FEMA, before leaving Topeka. She said he would travel to the
region in the next few days.
"Expediting that help and assistance will help
people get their lives back to normal as quickly as possible,"
she said.
The governor said the insurance department will
assist residents in gathering the necessary paperwork. The Kansas
Department of Health and Environment will establish a temporary headquarters
in the area so residents will be able to obtain copies of vital records
such as birth certificates.
Seven counties in Kansas, including Cherokee and
Crawford, have been declared state disaster areas and the governor
said she will ask President Bush to do the same on the federal
level. She said she is trying to coordinate the state's request with
Missouri, also devastated by storms Sunday.
"It has more impact at the federal level when there
is a multi-state effort under way," she said.
Hainje said FEMA has been in contact with state
officials since the beginning of the calamity.
"We started tracking the activity right away,"
he said. "We work real close with state emergency management -
just like they work with local emergency management. I made it clear
in my discussions with the folks at headquarters in Washington D.C.
that it was a very devastating situation out here."
In the midst of a trying fiscal crisis, Kansas
will likely need to use state funds to match federal aid.
"We will find the money to match the federal aid
and make sure that people have the help they need to recover,"
Sebelius said. "That is our number one priority to take care of
Kansans with the budget dollars available."
Republican Senators Pat Roberts and Sam Brownback
and Rep. Jim Ryun, R-Kansas, also sent letters to Bush requesting
a disaster declaration.
Hainje said after the governor signs a formal request
for a disaster status, the document will go to FEMA's regional
office in Kansas City, and then the national office.
"What we've tried to do is work with them all day
to see that those requirements will get done as quickly as possible
and then get them forwarded to Washington D.C.," he said.
FEMA will then determine if it the damage is sufficient
for a declaration.
"This is a very major significant event in Kansas
so I'm quite sure that we are going to reach those levels, but
only the president declares a disaster," Hainje said.
Hainje said it will take several days for FEMA
to conduct damage assessment and up to 10 days for the declaration.
Meanwhile, the local, state, and private agencies will be delivering
support.
"We have already mobilized most of the forces that
we can and we will continue to do that," said Rep. R.J. Wilson,
D-Pittsburg.
Wilson said that the delivery of disaster relief
will occur in steps - starting with providing emotional comfort.
"We are going to do everything we can," said Rep.
Bob Grant, D-Cherokee. "Whatever they need, they need to give
us a call and we will do our best to get it done."
Sebelius complimented the public and private agencies
which rushed to help victims.
"Neighbors and friends feel themselves to be neighbors
and friends whether they live across the street or 200 miles
away," she said.
Later in the day, Sebelius visited a similar scene
in Wyandotte County.
Back to top
County death
toll remains at three
May 6, 2003
By JOE NOGA
Morning Sun Staff Writer
The Crawford County death toll from Sunday's tornado
remained at three as Sheriff Sandy Horton declared that all residents
in affected areas had been accounted for Monday.
"We've checked the water files. We've checked the
area. We've had dogs come in from Wichita and work the area early
this morning, so right now the residents have been accounted for
and we have just opened it up for the residents of Franklin to come
back in to the community to check their homes and gather any belongings
they can find," Horton said Monday from a makeshift command post on Franklin's
main street. "This is going to be a real tough time for a lot of people."
The Crawford County Sheriff's Department released
the names of the three people killed in Sunday's storm.
Sharon Lashbrook, 48, lived on 200th Street approximately
one mile from Ringo; George Bolte, 68, of Ringo; and Josephine
Maghe, 87, of Franklin, all died as a result of the twister, which
was first reported on the ground five miles north and four miles
west of McCune.
Nineteen other people were hurt and taken to Mt.
Carmel Regional Medical Center in Pittsburg and Hospital District
No. 1 of Crawford County in Girard. Two people were taken to St.
John's Regional Medical Center in Joplin, Mo., and one was taken
to KU Medical Center in Kansas City, Ks..
Horton said officials are now starting from where
the tornado began and going back through to check every farm house
and damaged structure to make sure no one else was injured during
the storm.
"There is a lot of damage out there so we are still
checking. But to our knowledge, we don't have anybody missing."
Crawford County Emergency Preparedness Director
Eldon Bedene said officials from the state Emergency Management
Agency would be going house to house in the area that was damaged
to assess whether individual structures are safe and post them accordingly.
Bedene said about 95 homes in Crawford County were
destroyed. It was unclear how many had been damaged. He said
the main concentration of damage was in Ringo and Franklin.
Bedene said he has declared the area a disaster
area.
"The county commission will sign the paper at (today's)
commission meeting and I will send it to Topeka," he said. "The
governor declared. But really they can do it on my say so, but
I still have to send an official letter signed by the president of
the commission to Topeka. But we've got to get the president to declare
it a disaster."
According to the sheriff's department, the twister
traveled in a northeast direction for 26 miles leaving a path
of destruction in its wake until it exited Crawford County, entering
Barton County, Mo.
Horton said the tornado first was spotted by deputies
northwest of McCune, allowing many people time to prepare. But
the fact that it stayed on the ground most of the way across the
county was unexpected.
"Did it catch us off guard? I think any tornado
is going to catch you off guard no matter what," Horton said. "But
did it surprise us as to the length of it? Absolutely. We did not
expect it to traverse the whole county. It really took us in several
different directions. We had Ringo damage, we have this, we had rural
farm houses damaged."
Horton said that he called everybody out that they
could find Sunday from the sheriff's department and the rural
township fire departments to deal with the storm. Many other area
agencies volunteered services and all remained in Franklin, Ringo
and other parts of the county Monday afternoon.
"We have every local agency in the county," Horton
said. "Pittsburg, Frontenac, Arma has been here, plus several
surrounding counties. We have had eight or nine ambulances from
other counties. It has just been tremendous the amount of help we've
had. The state flew some emergency preparedness people in here.
So we are very happy with the response we've had. I just can't even
tell you how many different agencies were represented."
The adjutant general of Kansas, Maj. Gen. Gregory
B. Gardner, said the National Guard unit from Pittsburg, 891st
Engineer Battalion, also lent a hand Sunday night securing the area.
"This is the beginning part so what they did (Sunday)
night was security and helping wherever they could help," Gardner
said. "We will continue that as long as the sheriff says he needs
it. These folks belong to the 891st Engineer Battalion, so we'll probably
end up shifting them from security to debris removal with all the
trucks and loaders. But that still remains to be seen."
Horton said the current focus of emergency officials
will be helping people get their personnel belongings and the
restoration of utilities.
"We still have areas to the east of us without
power," he said. "We need to get the electric set up here and
get that working. Gas service is here. We've got the main gas service
shut off, but we still need to shut off some of the meters that are
under the debris right now. We are going to help the residents as best
we can and still secure the perimeter."
Late Monday afternoon there was no one in Franklin
with power and, according to Horton, there was no indication
when it would be restored.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment
issued a boil water advisory for Franklin. KDHE officials issued
the advisory because of a loss of water pressure in Crawford County
Rural Water District No. 7 following Sunday's tornado. Low water
pressure increases the possibility of back siphonage which could
result in the water supply being contaminated. The advisory will remain
in effect until rescinded by KDHE.
Customers of the water system are asked to boil
water for one minute before use, dispose of ice cubes and do not
use ice from a household automatic icemaker, and disinfect dishes
and utensils by immersing in tap water containing one teaspoon of
unscented household bleach per gallon of water. Water used for bathing
generally does not need to be boiled.
For more information persons may call Henry Ashbacher
at (620) 249-2900.
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Power
company employees working to restore power
May 6, 2003
By The Morning Sun Staff
As the sun came up Monday, the lights came back on
for some Crawford County residents who lost power after Sunday's
tornados.
Westar Energy said more than 200 of its employees
were working to restore power in southeast Kansas Monday evening.
The company said 66 transformers in southeast Kansas were damaged,
along with 656 primary lines and 234 poles.
As of Monday afternoon, Westar said 16 transformers
had been replaced and 65 primary lines and 56 poles had been repaired.
Westar said about 180 customers in an area stretching
from Ringo to Franklin remained without power Monday evening because
the tornado destroyed a substation in Mulberry Sunday evening.
That substation also served the city of Mulberry,
which provides service to its residents through its own distribution
system. Westar said it will construct a temporary substation until
the permanent substation can be repaired.
"Our crews will continue to work around the clock
until we can get the equipment fixed and restore power to our
customers, including the city of Mulberry," said Don Hill, Westar
operations director. "We've brought in crews from Westar Energy divisions
throughout the state."
Westar said that 16,000 of its customers lost power
during the storms in both southeast and northeast Kansas.
Girard City Administrator Mike West said Westar Energy's
transmission lines to the city were repaired early Monday morning.
The city returned to Westar power at 8:30 a.m. The city operated
its own generators overnight to keep power after a Sunday afternoon
tornado barely missed the county seat. West said there was no significant
damage in the city of almost 3,000.
Mike Willis with Westar said all of the company's
southeast Kansas crews, 12 outside crews, and 10 contract crews
were in the area.
"We are in the process of cleaning up the downed lines
until the poles we've ordered get in and we can set them," Willis
said.
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Josephine
Maghe
May 7, 2003
FRANKLIN - Josephine Maghe, 87, of Franklin, died
Sunday, May 4, 2003, at Franklin.
She was born Nov. 15, 1915, in Dade County, Mo., to
Amos and Daisy Alexander Rhodes, and grew up in southwest Missouri
and southeast Kansas. She was a homemaker who lived in Franklin
most of her life.
Mrs. Maghe worked for Stanley Products, the Crawford
County Treasurer's Office and later for the U.S. Census Bureau.
She was a member of the Arma United Methodist Church, Mt. Carmel Regional
Medical Center Auxiliary and the Arma Eagles Auxiliary.
She was a former Democrat Precinct committeewoman
and a former member of the Franklin Water Board.
She married Joe Maghe on Oct. 26, 1935, at Lamar,
Mo. He preceded her in death July 8, 2002.
Survivors include one daughter, Jo Anne Swezey, of
Franklin; one son, Joseph Maghe, of Riverton; one brother, William
Rhodes, of St. John; nine grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
She also was preceded in death by two sisters, Arelva
Cernes and Dolly Rhodes, and five brothers, Floyd Rhodes, John
Rhodes, Alfred Rhodes, Herbert Rhodes and Vern "Tuffy" Rhodes.
Funeral services will be 10 a.m. today at Bedene Funeral
Home, Arma, with the Rev. Steve Cole officiating. Burial will be
in Pittsburg Garden of Memories Cemetery. The casket will remain
closed. Arrangements are under the direction of the Bedene Funeral
Home, Arma.
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Bush issues disaster declaration
May 7, 2003
By The Morning Sun Staff
President Bush on Tuesday issued federal disaster
declarations for seven counties in Kansas and 39 in Missouri,
an action that allows federal emergency assistance to flow to the
affected areas.
Two Federal Emergency Management Agency inspectors
from Kansas City were working in Franklin Tuesday, but Director Mike
Brown did not visit the devastated southeast Kansas community.
Brown visited victims in Kansas City, Ks. ., Pierce
City, Mo. and Tennessee.
"He reluctantly can't visit southeast Kansas because
of time constraints," said Crystal Payton, a public information
officer.
Qualifying residents and business owners in the following
Kansas counties are eligible for federal aid: Cherokee, Crawford,
Labette, Leavenworth, Miami, Neosho and Wyandotte.
Among the potential benefits of the federal aid:
* rental payments for temporary housing for victims
whose homes are not livable
* grants for home repairs and essential household
items that were damaged
* grants to defray costs of certain medical, dental,
funeral and transportation needs
* unemployment payments for individuals who temporarily
lost jobs
* loans for small businesses and farmers
* crisis and legal counseling
* assistance to the state and local governments for
debris clean-up and hazard prevention projects
Affected residents and business owners can get more
information starting Wednesday by calling 800-621-FEMA or 800-462-7585
for the hearing and speech impaired.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Back to top
May 7, 2003
By JOE NOGA
Morning Sun Staff Writer
FRANKLIN - Sadie Pichler was one of the lucky ones.
Pichler, who is listed in good condition at Mt. Carmel
Regional Medical Center, reluctantly went to her basement just before
the tornado that ripped through the county Sunday destroyed her
home.
"They found her down in the basement. Part of the
house fell on her," said her son, Frank Pichler, from the house
that used to stand at 505 Lasota in Franklin.
"She is getting transferred out of the ICU today to
a regular room," Pichler said of his mother, now 85.
Frank Pichler, who was raised in the house but now
lives in Bartlesville, Okla., said that his mother was against the
west wall of the basement when the house collapsed on top of her.
Pichler said that, even though his mother had lived
in the house these 61 years, he doesn't think she will rebuild
in Franklin.
He was there with other families member sifting through
the debris looking for anything of value.
"We were in here yesterday and we picked up mementos
all over the place," he said. "My dad died died about five years
ago and my mom has stuff of his here if we can find it. But I don't
know if we can find it. There are a lot of memories here."
Crawford County Sheriff Sandy Horton said that he
believes cleanup efforts are going well.
"Our goal is to open the road ways early today. Any
of the residents who wanted back in are in with volunteer help
and they are doing a good job, " Horton said from the county's mobile
command center, which was set up in Franklin.
At 4:22 p.m. on Sunday, the National Weather Service
issued a tornado warning for Crawford. Officials in Labette County
notified the Crawford County sheriff's department of a funnel cloud
in their county heading towards Crawford County.
Crawford County sheriff's deputies reported a tornado
on the ground five miles north and four miles west of McCune. The
tornado traveled in a northeast direction for 26 miles until it exited
Crawford County.
In the storm's wake, 19 people were taken to area
hospitals and three Crawford County residents were dead. Nearly
100 homes were destroyed, several livestock killed, crops destroyed,
a radio tower fell, power lines were down and at least 19 railroad
cars derailed near Mulberry.
"A lot of plans are being made and a lot of work is
being done," Horton said of clean up efforts. "The county is working
on a dumpsite near Franklin. Some of the debris will need to be
buried, any of the wood products that can be burned we'll need to
get burn permits. But we do have a dump site location and we are trying
to prepare that site today."
Horton said he was not sure when the mobile command
center would be taken out of Franklin or when official activity
near Ringo will dissipate. But he did say that he will begin scaling
down security in both areas once he is confident that the residents
have retrieved everything they could from their homes.
"We're hoping to scale down the security crew today
and open the roads," Horton said. "We will be determining on a
day-by-day basis how long we will be on site and patrolling."
According to Horton, who will be cleaning up debris
is yet to be determined.
"We need to see whether this is declared a disaster
or not. If it is then we will be looking not only at the county
but also the National Guard and that type of help. But it is too
early to say that.
Back
to top
Workers close
to returning power to storm victims
May 7, 2003
By JACK DIAMOND
Morning Sun Staff Writer
A second wave of storms dodged Crawford County on
Tuesday, allowing workers to make huge strides in restoring electricity
to damaged areas. Westar Energy officials said they expected power
to be restored to almost all locations by this morning.
"Assuming that something doesn't go on, we expect
to have that one before daylight tomorrow," Westar operations director
Don Hill said. "Š Come tomorrow morning, if we have 20 customers left
(without power) I'm going to be surprised."
Power was restored in Franklin to all but six houses
Tuesday evening, Hill said, and had been restored to the Ringo,
Radley and McCune areas by Tuesday afternoon, although some homes were
damaged and unable to receive electric service.
Hill said the new Mulberry substation was expected
to become operational early Wednesday morning and that the city
of Mulberry had its distribution system repaired and ready for power.
Beyond that, Hill said all that was needed to restore
power to Mulberry was repairing a few miles of lines between the
new substation and the city.
Progress apparently was made rapidly on Tuesday. Late
in the morning, Westar said it still needed to repair 127 poles,
50 transformers, and 591 primary lines. It already had repaired
107 poles, 16 transformers, and 65 primary lines. The big fear was
more storms, which hit Bourbon and Cherokee counties but missed Crawford.
"The ground is wet and muddy, but it isn't unbearable
yet," Westar spokesman Kent Myers said Tuesday morning. "If we
get much more rain, it's really going to slow us down quite a bit."
Myers said the new temporary substation is functionally
the same as a permanent one, but it will be built on a rock base
and wood poles rather than a concrete base and metal poles.
"It's still reliable but it's not meant to stand for
20 or 30 years," he said. Points in Franklin had been served by the
Mulberry substation, but power was back-fed through another substation
before the new substation was online.
On the natural gas front, about 86 Kansas Gas Service
customers in Franklin were without service Tuesday afternoon,
according to Joe Sinnett, KGS community relations manager.
"The gas probably will not be able to be back on there
until the end of this week or possibly the first of next week,"
Sinnett said. "We have to go through, abandon those services that the
houses have been destroyed on, and then make sure the system is up
to standards there before we can Š energize the line."
Sinnett said there were three KGS crews in Franklin
working 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. shifts.
The state's order to boil water in Crawford County
Rural Water District No. 7, serving the Franklin area, remained
in effect Tuesday.
"It's nothing to be completely alarmed about. It's
standard procedures by KDHE," said Henry Ashbacher of the water
district. He said four water samples - two on each side of the damaged
area - were taken on Monday and sent to a lab in Topeka. Results are
expected today.
Ashbacher said all customers have water available,
but some lines are being disconnected in the damaged area before
bulldozers begin to clear the debris.
"I have not been notified of anybody without service,"
he said.
Chuck Kunshek of Crawford County Rural Water District
No. 2, which serves Ringo, said that water had been shut off at
damaged properties but the rest of the district was still being served.
No boil orders were in effect for that district.
Westar and KGS customers can report outages by calling
(800) 544-4857. Gas leak emergencies can be reported by calling
KGS at (888) 482-4950. Before digging, people should call Kansas One
Call at (800) 344-7233 so that lines can be located.
Telephone company SBC Communication said it is offering
30 days of free call-forwarding and voice mail services to residents
who were forced from their homes by the storms. It also said it would
install new SBC local service at their new locations for free.
Customers who have evacuated their homes can sign
up for the services by calling (800) 464-7928.
Staff Writer Jack Dimond can be reached at jack.dimond@morningsun.net
or at 231-2600, Ext. 138.
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Assessing
the damage
May 7, 2003
Official says Franklin likely was devastated by F4 tornado
By JEFF WELLS
Morning Sun Staff Writer
FRANKLIN - A veteran weather observer said the tornado
that struck Franklin Sunday afternoon was one of the strongest he
has seen in almost 30 years with the National Weather Service.
Bill Davis of the service's Springfield, Mo. office
said that the winds which flattened a large part of Franklin were
more than 200 mph.
Davis and a colleague surveyed affected areas of Crawford
County Tuesday morning. Among the debris, they found evidence
of the storm's fury. The pair gave special attention to the aspects
of the damage that others ignore. They photographed the foundations
of homes which were lifted into the air, examined the trunks of trees
stripped of bark, and measured the distance vehicles were thrown.
"A lot of these houses are what we call sliders so
it is hard to tell because they were not battened down very well,"
he said. "A wind speed over 100 mph would take those off their foundation;
but, there is a lot of other evidence here for 200 mph winds."
Davis said he would assign the tornado's classification
on the Fujita Scale of Tornado Intensity after an aerial survey;
however, he said it was worse than the "very severe F3" tornado which
hit Pierce City, Mo. Davis said the tornado which hit Badger and Carl
Junction, Mo. was an F2.
On the Fujita Scale, an F4 is described as a "devastating
tornado" with winds of 207 to 260. Well-constructed houses are
leveled by an F4; structures with weak foundations are blown off
some distance. It throws cars and turns other large objects into
missiles.
Davis said contrary to popular belief the level of
official disaster assistance is not tied to tornado's F rating.
"I think people think that it is tied to that, but
it isn't," he said. "You can get the same aid with an F0 tornado
or strong straight-line winds as you can an F5 tornado. There is
nothing, as far as aid, tied to it."
Davis said Sunday's tornado was a quarter of a mile
wide and left a 26-mile path across Crawford County from where
the tornado first touched down northwest of McCune to where it
crossed the Missouri border near Mulberry. The storm killed three
in Crawford County and destroyed 95 homes. It claimed another victim
just across the state line in Barton County, Mo.
"The same storm that spawned this continued up to
the Stockton, Mo., area and then up into the Camdenton, Mo., area,"
In Stockton, the storm killed three more persons and
ripped into the business district. Later Sunday evening, it passed
south of Camdenton killing three and destroying several homes along
Missouri Highway 5.
The storms were fueled by three very strong super
cells. Davis, who has been with the NWS since 1974, said they were
among the worst of his career.
"It looks like a battlefield - it is a cliché
- but it looks like a battlefield," Davis said while viewing the
damage.
Staff Writer Jeff Wells can be reached at jeff.wells@morningsun.net
or at 231-2600, Ext. 137.
Back to top
Praeger offers
reassurance to victims
May 7, 2003
By JEFF WELLS
Morning Sun Staff Writer
FRANKLIN - Victims of Sunday's tornado outbreak may
face higher insurance premiums or the loss of coverage after they
rebuild.
Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger met with tornado
victims in Franklin Tuesday morning before the threat of more
storms forced her to cut her southeast Kansas visit short. She said
that the residents' biggest concern is increased rates or the inability
to gain coverage in the future.
"They feel so helpless because they had nothing to
do with this," she said. "This is not anything that they had any
control over and we just need to give them reassurances. I want them
to know that the Kansas Insurance Department is going to do everything
we can do to make sure they are made whole again, as much as they can
be."
"That is a scare - that we will all have higher rates
and the loss of companies out of the area," said Rob Lessen of
Fox Insurance Agency.
Praeger said her role is to make sure the insurance
companies deliver.
"I'm not anticipating any problems. The response has
been very positive," she said.
Tim Thielen, a State Farm claims representative from
Hutchinson, said his company visited its policy holders with damage
within 48 hours of the tornado.
Sharon Scholes was among the customers Thielen visited
Tuesday. Scholes' mother, Irene Sipes, was inside her home when
the winds ripped off a section of the roof and sent debris flying
inside. She survived, but her house at 803 S. Broadway may be beyond
repair. Scholes said she was happy with State Farm's response. Thielen
visited the home several times starting Monday, she said.
State Farm had approximately 200 claims in the area
with 18 homes destroyed, Thielen said. He said he wrote some checks
Tuesday for policy limits on homes which were totally lost.
Dale Endress, 501 S. LaSota St., called his agent
Monday morning, but had not heard from anyone as of noon Tuesday.
Endress' two-bedroom home was destroyed, but he was not home when
the storm hit.
Gayle Hribar worked Tuesday in the rubble of the home
owned by her mother, Alice Baldwin, at 601 S. Broadway. Baldwin
carried insurance on the property and had talked with the insurer,
but Hribar was concerned that her mother may not have enough coverage
to cover the loss.
"Our goal is to see that the companies respond quickly
so that people begin the healing process," Praeger said.
With chainsaws blaring in the background, Praeger
said in an interview that the companies seemed to be responding
and were sending in additional adjusters.
"I think that the companies are coming together,"
she said. "I think they realize this was a big storm."
Praeger planned to meet with the presidents of the
state's five largest insurers Tuesday afternoon.
"We will also talk to companies about the importance
of not letting something like this count against a person and their
homeowners insurance," Praeger said.
Lessen, who had several customers lose homes in the
disaster, said people should work their agents and call the commissioner
if they have any questions.
"We will do everything in on power to make sure that
people get what they need quickly," Praeger said.
In a press release Monday, Praeger offered victims
the following tips:
* Contact your insurance company immediately to report
losses.
* If you have difficulty in reaching your insurance
agent or company, call the Kansas Insurance Department's Consumer
Hotline (1-800-432-2484) for assistance.
* Take notes summarizing your conversation with your
insurance company and write down the name of the person with whom
you spoke.
* Take photographs showing damaged property.
* Make temporary or emergency repairs only as needed
to protect your property from further damage - including boarding
up broken windows, placing plastic over the roof where it is leaking
and drying out wet carpets and furniture. Get instructions from
your adjuster BEFORE calling anyone to repair or replace damaged
property. Your insurer's visual inspection of your loss may be required
before claims are paid.
* If you must move out of your home, keep your receipts
of hotel bills and meals. Your policy may reimburse these additional
living expenses.
* Beware of questionable contractors who arrive in
town to cash in on damage repair. Check references and deal with local
businesses, if possible. Consult the Better Business Bureau before
using out-of-town contractors.
Staff Writer Jeff Wells can be reached at jeff.wells@morningsun.net
or at 231-2600, Ext. 137.
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Kline warns victims
of potential scams
May 7, 2003
By JOE NOGA
Morning Sun Staff Writer
Kansas Attorney General Phil Kline was in Franklin
Tuesday surveying the damage, encouraging local residents and offering
advise for dealing with con artists, people who following tragedy
looking for opportunities to exploit.
"It's unbelievable," Kline said of the damage in Franklin.
"It's hard to take it all in. I can't imagine stand there seeing
my life spread out in that fashion before me. It's amazing that there
wasn't more loss of life. Our prayers and thoughts are with those
who are suffering."
But Kline's visit was more than just offering condolences.
He was here to coordinate the efforts of local law enforcement and
the attorney general's office to combat unscrupulous con artists who
often approach disaster victims in an effort to take advantage of
those who have already suffered injuries and property damage.
"Our roll is primarily is to inform the citizens,"
Kline said Tuesday. "There are those who watch these things from
afar and use people's vulnerability to exploit for their own benefit."
The Consumer Protection Division of the Attorney General's
office works with local law enforcement in the aftermath of disastrous
events.
"A multi-disciplinary Consumer Protection Emergency
Response Team (CPERT) makes contact with law enforcement and media
in areas affected by disaster within hours of the event. This team
serves as the conduit between harmed Kansans, local law enforcement,
and my office, to ensure that those affected are not then re-victimized
during the clean up and rebuilding phase," Kline said.
The information released by the attorney general's
office is designed to provide an overview of scams that have been
documented in the wake of natural or manmade disasters.
"We are providing materials to be distributed. We
are asking local law enforcement to keep us informed if they see
and of that so we can act but also so we can communicate that to
Wyandotte County, because these people tend to migrate where the
problems are and we just need to keep an eye on them," Kline said.
Kline said that it is understandable that local homeowners
will be anxious to have repairs done to homes damaged by the storm.
Media coverage of storms often results in con artists moving into
an area to make a quick profit.
Kline suggests homeowners remember the following:
* Only deal with contractors who have an established
local business. Outside contractors may not complete the work and
any warranties will be worthless if they are no longer in the area
when the homeowner or business owner later discovers defects.
* Obtain at least three bids on any major repair or
rebuilding project and check references to avoid a contractor
who does substandard work. Be especially cautious if one of the
bids is much lower than the others.
* Check to see if the contractor has a complaint history
with: The Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division, 1-800-432-2310
or (785) 296-3751; BBB of Greater Kansas City (816) 421-7800; BBB
of Northeast Kansas (785) 232-0454; or the Wichita Area Better Business
Bureau, (316) 263-3146.
* Ask for proof of the contractor's liability and
worker's compensation insurance to help protect you as a property
owner against any claim in the event someone is injured while the
work is being done on your property, and confirm that the policies
are current by calling their insurance agent.
* Make certain that all important details concerning
the work are written into the bid and contract including: The dates
the work will begin and is expected to be completed, the total cost
of the work, the type and quality of materials to be used, how and
when payments will be made, and the provisions of any and all express
warranties on the materials and labor.
* Find out from the appropriate building code enforcement
office which permits and inspections are required for the work
being done, and avoid a contractor who wants you to secure the permit(s).
Staff Writer Joe Noga can be reached at joe.noga@morningsun.net
or at 231-2600, Ext. 132.
Back to top
The long
road ahead
May 7, 2003
As one local official put it, there is a lot to do. In the
wake of Sunday's deadly storms and tornados, many of our friends and neighbors
have lost their property, their homes and, tragically, a few have lost their
lives.
Now that the storms have passed, the process of cleaning
up - and healing - begins. And, help is needed.
Anytime a tragedy such as this occurs, a number of
agencies and organizations jump into action to help the stricken.
After Sunday's storms, these organizations reacted quickly, setting
up shelters and helping those who lost all to regain their lives.
Both the American Red Cross and the Pittsburg Salvation
Army unit are working hard right now to help, but they need supplies
and they need volunteers.
Staff with the Red Cross, speaking Tuesday from the
organization's shelter at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Arma,
noted that they need items such as rakes, shovels, gloves, face
masks and lots of cleaning supplies as they help with cleanup efforts.
Additionally, the Red Cross continues to need items such as sunscreen,
but say they have more than enough clothing at this time.
Red Cross officials note that the Seventh Day Adventists
Church has established a distribution center at Northeast High School,
1003 E. South St., in Arma, and shelter organizers are asking that
all donations now go to the high school.
Meanwhile, staff at the Salvation Army are in great
need of bottled water, snacks and meals which are easy to prepare,
fruit and, again, sunblock, which is important for workers laboring
in the hot sun. Salvation Army officials say they also need work
gloves, shovels and rakes, but note that they also have lots of clothing.
Those wishing to donate to the Salvation Army can
drop off items at the organization's warehouse at 717 N. Broadway.
Still another need that must always be addressed after
any disaster is volunteers.
Staff at the Red Cross believe they will be working
on relief efforts for at least six weeks and, although they anticipate
they will need volunteers to help with clean-up after effected areas
are completely opened, they add that right now they need help from
those who know the affected areas, including streets, neighborhoods
and people, to go with volunteers and complete damage assessments.
They add that volunteers should go to the disaster
command center at Seventh and Broadway in Franklin and find out
what needs to be done.
Salvation Army officials, on the other hand, say they
need volunteers to help cook and deliver meals to storm victims.
Those interested in volunteering can go to the Salvation Army's Pittsburg
office at 307 E. Fifth St. at 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., which is when
their staff begins preparing meals each day.
Moreover, warehouse support volunteers are needed
to help categorize items to be given to storm victims.
Finally, donations are always badly needed. Providing
services to the victims of Sunday's storms will undoubtedly come
at a staggering price for organizations which are already stretched
thin.
The Pittsburg Area Community Foundation has established
a Crawford County Relief Fund to help those effected by the storms.
Funds donated to the foundation will be disbursed though the local
American Red Cross and other agencies.
For more information on donating to the foundation
fund, call 620-231-8897. Donations are tax deductible and may be
sent to: The Pittsburg Area Community Foundation, P.O. Box 1115, 117
W. Fourth St., Pittsburg, KS 66762-1115.
To give to Red Cross efforts, donations should be
made out to the Pioneer Chapter of the American Red Cross and sent
to: The American Red Cross, 128 W. Eighth St., Coffeyville, KS 67337.
Donations to the Salvation Army should be made payable to the Salvation
Army, earmarked for Crawford County relief efforts, and can be dropped
off on the west side of the parking lot at the Salvation Army Thrift
Store at the intersection of Fifth and Joplin streets in Pittsburg.
Lastly, University National Bank, in partnership with
the Salvation Army, has set up an account for victims of the tornado.
Cash donations will be accepted by mail or may be hand delivered
to the bank at 1206 S. Broadway, Pittsburg, KS 66762. Checks should
be made payable to: Disaster Relief Fund, care of University National
Bank, P.O. Box 1418, Pittsburg, KS 66762-1418. Call 231-4200 or 231-0415
for more information.
Work has begun to help those who were left helpless
by the recent storms, but we have a long road ahead. We urge local
residents to help wherever they can and to give of their talents
to help our community heal after this dreadful disaster.
Back to top
Residents
ponder Franklin's future
May 8, 2003
Community center, post office were town's centerpieces
By JEFF WELLS
Morning Sun Staff Writer
FRANKLIN - Sunday morning the unincorporated town
of Franklin consisted of 155 homes, a civic center, and a post
office. That evening, a devastating tornado destroyed dozens of
homes, the post office and the civic center.
"These were really the things that would bind the
community," said Shelley Phillips Corley.
In the weeks before the storm, town pride was emerging
after lying dormant for years. New faces were interested in maintaining
and improving the center, a community newsletter was published,
and the state announced a surprise grant for the water district. But,
Sunday night the whispers began. Would Franklin recover from losing
the two buildings which tied the neighbors together?
Kathy Shaffer, postmaster for almost five years, hiked
through a field of debris Sunday night to find the block and brick
building reduced to a small mound of twisted stone and metal.
"It sure didn't look like a large enough pile to be
the whole post office," Shaffer said.
The Franklin Post Office first opened in the late
19th century and had been in its present building for 40 years.
There were 90 post office boxes and 120 rural route customers served
by Shaffer. Now the Franklin mail is going to Arma. Rural delivery
is still going to those residences with intact mailboxes. The other
Franklin customers may pick up their mail in the neighboring town
while using their regular address on outgoing posts.
A postal inspector from Kansas City came to Franklin
Wednesday, but Shaffer said it was to soon to determine if the USPS
would rebuild there.
Jim Allen, field representative for Rep. Jim Ryun,
R-Kan., said he discussed the issue with the Congressman's Washington,
D.C., staff and post office officials. He declined to give further
details, but said more information may be available when Ryun visits
Franklin next Monday.
Meanwhile, Shaffer endeavors to make sure that the
mail goes through - even those letters that had to be removed from
the leveled building. Fortunately, she said, there was mail service
on Saturday and all rural route mail went out.
"So what was left in the post office was what people
didn't pick up," Shaffer said.
Social Security checks arrived in Franklin on Friday,
but only one remained in the post office when it was blown away.
Norine Laird came to the rubble Wednesday afternoon looking for
her benefit check, but Shaffer handed her only a rain-soaked magazine
and an undamaged bill.
Laird, a 72-year resident of Franklin, bemoaned the
loss of the post office.
"That is about the only thing we had left in this
town besides the community hall and it is gone as well," she said.
Veda Maxwell, another longtime resident, said there
are only three things notable about the community: the world's
longest intercity sidewalk stretching to Arma, the post office,
and the Franklin Community Civic Center.
With no schools or churches in the community, the
center served as Franklin's voting precinct and a meeting place
for local government and community organizations. Margaret Kennedy
remembered attending a World War II victory party at the center. Other
residents recalled thousands of birthday parties, wedding and anniversary
showers and receptions, graduation celebrations, and holiday events.
When someone in the community died, Josephine Maghe
called Shaffer and asked her to display a notice in the post office.
Shaffer would collect money for the deceased's family and then use
the funds for flowers or a meal at the center. Maghe, 87, died in
the twister.
Phillips Corley, president of the center board, spent
Tuesday afternoon salvaging folding chairs from the destroyed
building.
The board has some savings and insurance, but she
wasn't sure if that would be enough to replace the center.
"If we can't rebuild it - I'd like to see a nice storm
shelter for the community," she said.
John Houck, secretary and treasurer of the center's
board, said he recovered some New Year's decorations and a fire
extinguisher. He also found some paper plates and plastic cutlery
still wrapped and gave them to the Red Cross.
Last month, a new board including Phillips Corley
and Houck assumed operation of the center. They installed a new
sink, range, siding, and outdoor sign. Now all that remains is the
foundation and hardwood floor.
Two weeks ago, the Kansas Department of Commerce &
Housing unexpectedly awarded $350,000 in federal Community Development
Block Grant money to improve Crawford County Rural Water District
No. 7 - which serves Franklin. The water district sent the first edition
of a community newsletter with last month's bill.
Houck believes the community will not perish, but
recovery will fuel its pride. He said some residents planned to
talk with county officials about getting a storm warning siren and
even incorporating.
"There are so many outsiders living here that it has
been hard to get volunteers, but I think this will bring the community
together," he said.
Staff Writer Jeff Wells can be reached at jeff.wells@morningsun.net
or at 231-2600, Ext. 137.
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Agencies
attempting to reduce health risks of cleanup efforts
May 8,2003
By JOE NOGA
Morning Sun Staff Writer
Environmental health risks that occur after a tornado
can be great. But, emergency personnel are doing their best to
stay on top of the situation.
Officials face health issues on several fronts following
Sunday's devastating tornado, not the least of which is the Kansas
Department of Health and Environment continued order to boil water
in the Crawford County Rural Water District No. 7, Franklin. Officials
are also dealing with tetanus, dead animals and an enormous amount
of building material, some hazardous, as cleanup efforts continue.
"Primarily, prevention is what we are here to do,"
said Janice Goedeke from the Crawford County Health Department.
Goedeke, along with more than a dozen other volunteers
from health departments across southeast Kansas, were out at the
beginning of the week administering more than 200 tetanus booster
shots to everyone working around debris.
"Any wound that someone gets here can be dangerous,"
Goedeke said. "The bacteria level is high and we are certainly going
to get into infections. Wounds requiring further medical care are
being referred to personnel health care professionals."
Goedeke said there is a high demand for tetanus boosters
and workers have had to go out on foot and administer shots to
each individual house.
"The government has given us money to combat bio-terrorism
but it's not only for bio-terrorism but for other disasters as well,"
she said. "I have staff that I can pull in from other health departments,
so we are going to have 14 going out to give tetanus boosters."
Crawford County Sheriff Sandy Horton said he is dealing
with a different set of issues, such as how to properly dispose
of bloating animal carcasses and building material that might pose
health threats to the community at large if not disposed of properly.
"We have permission from the KDHE, to deal with dead
animals on a case-by-case basis," Horton said. "We are required
to bury dead animals. The county has sent equipment out, at the request
of property owners, to dig holes and bury livestock that has been deceased.
That's all you can do."
Horton suggests that if people don't know what to
do with their dead, decomposing animals they need to call the sheriff's
department.
"We'll have the county engineer people get in touch
with them and take care of it immediately," he said.
Another issue Horton faces is the burning and dumping
of housing material cleaned up after Sunday's deadly twister.
"The county has set up and been licensed to operate
a construction and demolition landfill, which is located just
west of Franklin," Horton said. "The county also has a burn permit.
KDHE has been on scene for several days and basically people are not
supposed to burn. All those items are supposed to be brought to this
location and either burned or buried."
Horton said a burn permit is required by the State
of Kansas for all material. Residents are to secure a burn permit
from the state by calling Victoria S. O'Brien, from the KDHE, at
1-620-431-2390.
Horton said the people from KDHE are present and driving
around looking for areas of smoke.
Horton said they called the command center twice Tuesday
reporting possible unauthorized burning.
"What we don't want is people burning shingles, asbestos
insulation, things like that," Horton said. "That stuff needs to
be buried. But, it all needs to get to the road and either the county
or the National Guard will pick it up and bring it here to the burn
pile or the landfill under the license and supervision of the county
or the guard."
According to Horton, the Kansas Department of Transportation
is going to put up flashing signs that indicate a burning zone in
Franklin and to indicate to drivers to beware of the possibility of
smoke on the highway.
Staff Writer Joe Noga can be reached at joe.noga@morningsun.net
or at 231-2600, Ext. 132.
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Cleanup
efforts progressing in Crawford County
May 8, 2003
By JOE NOGA
Morning Sun Staff Writer
Access to Franklin remains limited as scores of volunteers
line up to help victims of Sunday's deadly tornado clean up debris
and move it to the street.
"We are still going to have this area closed," Crawford
County Sheriff Sandy Horton said Wednesday. "There will be no
normal traffic pattern through here for quite some time."
Horton said he has kept the three roads that connect
Franklin to U.S. Highway 69 closed by barricade and taped off.
"We are certainly asking no one to go through those.
The access point to this area will be from the north end on Alternate
69 which will be manned every day for I don't know how long," Horton
said. "If people want to come in to help friends, that's fine, but
we need to verify they are here to help friends and who those friends
are."
Horton said emergency officials will be working at
contacting everybody and asking them where they are on cleanup efforts
and if they need more help.
Horton said that many organizations, including three
large church groups, have volunteered to help with cleanup efforts.
The main goal, he said, will be separating material
and getting debris to the side of the road.
"We are going to instruct homeowners and volunteers
that wood must be piled separate from other material and that this
all needs to be placed near the road, not in the road," Horton said.
Horton said cleanup in Ringo is going well.
"They have done an enormous amount of cleanup in Ringo
and here in Franklin too, really," Horton said. "But we've got trees
that are eight-foot around and there is no way to move them without
equipment."
Horton said the reason people need to move material
to the roadside is because county employees and/or National Guardsmen
who are going to assist in cleanup efforts are not allowed on private
property.
"We need to keep the cleanup process going because
if we are authorized to use the National Guard for cleanup, when
they pull in here they're going to be working. We've requested two
loaders and 10 dump trucks, but they cannot go on private property. So
everything on private property needs to be moved to the easement to
be removed. And that is going to be a headache," Horton said.
Horton said that he understands there are things that
will not be able to be moved by hand. He said he would talk to
the county to see if there are things emergency workers can do to
help with those items.
"But we still can't go on private property. So one
thing we need to ask the people, if you are a resident here, please
come to the command post, we will need information from you about what
help you are going to need," he said. "Right now, it's almost a shame
because there is so much work to be done and so many people who want
to help but they can't because we are still talking about people's
private property. We don't want to get to the point where we are just
moving things and homeowners are unaware of what we are doing. A lot
of people are going to want to be there."
Staff Writer Joe Noga can be reached at joe.noga@morningsun.net
or at 231-2600, Ext. 132.
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Boil order
lifted for residents with undamaged water service
May 9, 2003
FRANKLIN - Franklin-area residents with undamaged water
service lines are no longer being advised to boil water, the Kansas
Department of Health & Environment said.
Greg Taylor, KDHE environmental scientist, announced
the change, along with some conditions, in a fax to Henry Ashbacher
of Crawford County Rural Water District No. 2.
Taylor said, "Water service to properties with damaged
service lines will not be allowed to resume until substantial residential
property cleanup is complete and damaged service lines are located,
repaired, flushed, pressure tested, and demonstrate the ability to
maintain a chlorine residual for at least 24 hours."
He also said that abandoned service lines must be
sealed or removed to reduce the chance of contamination.
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Crawford
County, agencies set up disaster hotlines
May 9, 2003
By JOE NOGA
Morning Sun Staff Writer
In an effort to organized relief and volunteer help,
the Crawford County Sheriff's Department and the American Red Cross
have set up disaster hotlines for those in need.
"If you need assistance removing debris from your
property, we have a list of volunteers that are willing to help.
But, your permission is required for them to work on your property,"
said Crawford County Sheriff Sandy Horton.
Please call the sheriff's department on a designated
phone line at 1-620-724-6601.
Horton also said a burn permit is no longer required
by the State of Kansas to burn brush and wood. He said there are
temporary tree, brush and wood burn sites.
The Ringo burn site is located at 201 S. 190th St
and the Franklin burn site is located at 501 S. Vine St.
Horton said, although he has not heard officially
that the National Guard will be made available to help remove debris,
he is anticipating that happening.
The American Red Cross also has a disaster hotline
and according to Joanne Wittner, disaster director for the Pioneer
Chapter of the Red Cross in Coffeyville, they are taking calls from
anyone effected by Sunday's tornados.
"What we are doing is taking the calls for people
in the service center in Arma and we are referring people to where
they can get help. If we get people from Missouri that call in then
we are referring them to the Joplin chapter of the Red Cross," Wittner
said.
Things are kind of hectic. We are trying to get food
and drinks into the damaged area around Franklin and down in Cherokee
County. It's just so wide spread there are a lot of places to go.
We will stay in there as long as needed."
The number to call for assistance from the Red Cross
is 1-888-460-1050.
Other phone numbers include:
Kansas Gas Service for gas leak emergencies - 1-888-482-4950
Westar Energy to report power outages - 1-800-544-4857
Kansas One Call for digging 1-800-344-7233
Red Cross Assistance - 1-888-460-1050
FEMA - 1-800-621-3362
Red Cross - 1-888-460-1050.
Staff Writer Joe Noga can be reached at joe.noga@morningsun.net
or at 231-2600, Ext. 132.
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Pets also tornado
victims
May 9, 2003
By NIKKI PATRICK
Morning Sun Family Living Editor
Not all the victims of Sunday's tornado are human.
Pets were also injured and left homeless, and the Southeast Kansas
Humane Society has been working to help them.
"The tornado hit Sunday night, and I got called out
of bed at 1:30 a.m. Monday," said Pat Wininger, Humane Society shelter
employee. "My daughter Becky and I went 40 hours without sleep trying
to rescue animals."
"Some people are really hurting and really desperate,"
added Mary Kay Caldwell, Humane Society president. "People's pets
become part of their family, and they're very concerned about them.
A friend of mine finally found her cat, who was over 20 years old and
diabetic, and she just sat and cried. Another cat was claimed at the
shelter by its owner, and she was just ecstatic. These happy stories mean
so much to us."
Because of the magnitude of the disaster, American
Humane activated its Red Star Emergency Services and sent two trained
national responders to the area to assist the Humane Society.
"The Southeast Kansas Humane Society is completely
overwhelmed with trying to care for animals that are lost, injured
or homeless as a result of the tornadoes," said Jodi Buckman, American
Humane director of shelter services. "They are beyond their capacity
and so American Humane is providing our rescue expertise to assist
them in any way we can."
"We're very grateful for American Humane's help,"
Caldwell said. "The national responders have been helping in our
search and rescue operations. They've also suggested that we put
up a lost and found board at the shelter, and we're doing that. We're
also going to run found ads in the newspaper."
American Humane will also help the society establish
temporary shelter for animals left homeless, and has been working
with PETsMART Charities to coordinate the contribution of large
airline crates to assist with moving and holding animals.
Right now the Humane Society has about 20 dogs that
have been rescued from tornado debris.
"At one place in Franklin we rescued a little dog
who was sitting in a boat on top of a big pile of debris," Wininger
said. "He looked so cute sitting there."
Only five cats have been picked up so far, and Caldwell
said that traps will be set to catch some of the panicked animals.
"Cats are much harder to get than dogs," Wininger
said. "Dogs may back off from you or growl a little, but you can
talk to a lot of them and kind of coax them. The cats run off and
hide in tiny little places where you can't reach them. But their
eyes shine out at you at night, and that will help us know where to
put the traps."
Some pets have already been claimed by owners, but
some of the owners don't have a home left to take the pets to. "We
may need to look at having some foster homes for them," Caldwell said.
She and Wininger said they were deeply grateful for
donations of food for the animals. The Triple T Dog Food Company
and Natural Live have donated food, and the Pittsburg Police Department
has provided five 40-pound bags of dry dog food.
"Tornado victims who need food for their pets can
come out to the Humane Society and pick up food," Wininger said.
"If they can't come out to get it, we can deliver it to them."
She said that many pets injured in the storm have
been taken for medical treatment.
"Some of them belong to people who've lost their homes,
their cars, everything," Wininger said. "They can't pay for the
vet, so we've set up a 'Save the Animals' fund to pay their expenses."
Donations to the fund may be mailed to the Southeast
Kansas Humane Society, P.O. Box 783, Pittsburg, Ks.., 66762. Anyone
wishing additional information may call the society at 232-1840.
Back to top
Victims warned
against fraud scams
May 9,2003
By JOE NOGA
Morning Sun Staff Writer
Victims of the deadly tornados that swept through
the southeast Kansas Sunday night are being warned about to watch
out for contractor fraud and offered free legal assistance from
Kansas attorneys for questions concerning contracts with contractors.
Crawford County Attorney John Gutierrez and Eric Rosenblad,
project director with the Kansas Legal Services, were in Franklin
Thursday to warn people affected by the storms to beware of contractors
who may not be legitimate.
"People are going to be receiving checks from insurance
companies. We know there are not enough local contractors to start
rebuilding right away. People should not be in a hurry to start
rebuilding. We are worried about transient contractors coming and
parting people from their money," Gutierrez said.
Rosenblad expressed concern that storm victims could
be preyed upon by dishonest individuals who arrive at the scene of
disasters and offer to do repair services to damaged property, but
then take the money and leave town.
"We want to help protect residents from unscrupulous
companies and scam artists who prey on the misfortune of others,"
Rosenblad said. "Storm victims need to know that if they need to
speak to an attorney, they can do it for free. We want residents to
know that these lawyers are well acquainted with their local contractors
and business people and they will help ensure that no one is taken advantage
of."
Crawford County Sheriff Sandy Horton was also in Franklin
Thursday. He said that the roads going into Franklin will remained
closed and the entrances will be manned by deputies and identifications
checked.
Gutierrez said he was not aware of any problems in
Crawford County yet.
But he did mention the two men arrested Monday for
looting and that he has had reports of people in Carl Junction,
Mo., trying to scam victims out of money.
"That's what we are afraid will start happening in
Crawford County," Gutierrez said.
Gutierrez gave several tips for hiring contractors.
They include:
* Never hire a contractor who solicits you.
* Never hire a contractor who uses high pressure sales
tactics.
* Never hire an unregistered contractor.
* Never hire a supposed registered contractor and
not check his registration.
* Always get more than one bid. But beware of the
lowest bid, especially if it is significantly lower than the others.
* Always ask for references of local houses they have
fixed or built.
* Never agree on a handshake. Get a contract in writing
and have your attorney review it.
Attorneys with the Kansas Legal Services (KLS) in
Pittsburg, the Crawford County Bar Association, and the Cherokee
County Bar Association are offering free legal consultation to
residents whose lives have been affected by the storms.
Rosenblad noted scam victims often contact legal representation
many months after entering a contract with a fraudulent contractor,
after they realize they have been duped.
"By then it's too late," he said. "The scam artists
have taken the victim's money and left town for good."
Rosenblad recommended that storm victims visit with
local contractors and insurance companies that they, their families,
or friends, already know and trust in order to avoid potential problems.
"These unfortunate people have been victimized once
by the storms," Rosenblad said. "We don't want them to be victimized
a second time because of their vulnerability and desperation. A
simple phone call can make all the difference."
Those with questions can contact Kansas Legal Services
Inc. at 1-800-723-6953 or the KLS Pittsburg office at 1-620-232-1330.
Staff Writer Joe Noga can be reached at joe.noga@morningsun.net
or at 231-2600, Ext. 132.
Back to top
Businesses
doing their part during relief effort
May 9,2003
By OLIVE L. SULLIVAN
Morning Sun Staff Writer
As the communities in Crawford County have mobilized
to help victims of last Sunday's tornadoes, local businesses have
chipped in where they could.
"Cooking is my talent," explained Shawn Horseman of
Jim's Steak House in Pittsburg. That's why his contribution was
to set up his grill and flip nearly 200 burgers for Red Cross and
National Guard work crews, volunteers and tornado victims Tuesday.
"Those people have really supported our business for
the last 60-something years," he said. The cookout, and donation
of the meat, buns, chips and baked beans, was something he could
do to return the favor.
"I try to be a good Christian, and that's something
I could definitely do," he said.
The Pepsi-Cola Bottling Co. in Pittsburg helped with
the cookout, held at the Red Cross shelter in St. Joseph's Parish
Hall in Arma, by donating pop.
"It's just helping a friend," explained CEO C.L. Farabi.
"We're willing to help whatever we can do up there."
Peter Farabi added, "It's minimal, but we tried to
do something at least to show that our support's there with them."
He added, "My cousin was up there that evening (Sunday)
and helped round up some cattle. He's the cowboy of the family."
The "cowboy" said he didn't want any publicity for those efforts
- he was just trying to help.
Besides feeding the hungry recovery crews, local businesses
provided clothing for the victims who lost everything except the
shirts on their backs.
"We donated more than 1,400 shirts, both long-sleeved
and short, for the Red Cross," said employee Bob Scifers.
Mandy Cummings, another employee, said, "We had an
employee that lost his house (in Franklin), but we're doing it also
as a community effort."
Scifers said he wasn't sure what the company was doing
for the employee other than the donations through the Red Cross.
Wal-Mart and Dillon's Stores in Pittsburg also donated
food and other goods to the tornado victims.
Wal-Mart spokesperson Wendy Sept explained, "It's
a wonderful feeling to give back to the community and to help
those in need." She said the store also donated $5,000 to the Pioneer
Chapter of the American Red Cross, which operates the shelter and
service center in Arma.
Staff Writer Olive Sullivan can be reached at olive.sullivan@morningsun.net,
or at 231-2600, Ext. 134.
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Salvation
Army volunteers making presence known
May 10,2003
By NIKKI PATRICK
Morning Sun Family Living Editor
FRANKLIN - Cold bottled water, salty chips and sandwiches
were on the menu Friday at the Salvation Army canteen, along with
sunblock, work gloves and cheering words.
The organization has a canteen set up at Seventh and
Broadway in Franklin to serve residents as well as workers helping
clean up the debris left by Sunday's tornado.
A mobile canteen unit is also traveling throughout
the area, stopping to serve people at country homes that were hit
by the storm.
Virginia and Frank Soyez, Wichita, have been taking
out the canteen van. "We've been retired since 1992, so we've
got time to volunteer," she said. "We spent two weeks in Hoisington
when they had their tornado."
The couple arrived in Franklin on Tuesday, and will
be returning home today. "We'd stay longer, but I'm getting ready
to have eye surgery, Mrs. Soyez said.
Food is prepared at the Salvation Army Corps in Pittsburg,
then taken to the canteen area for distribution. After just a few
days in the area, Soyez has become familiar with the county roads
around rural Girard, Franklin and Ringo.
"One nice thing about working at these little towns
is that people are so kind," he said. "We've been meeting some
of the nicest people in the world."
At each stop his wife opens the van window and offers
sandwiches, bottled water or Gatorade, chips and an assortment
of packaged cookies and candy bars.
"We push the chips, nuts and sunflower seeds when
we have them because people working out under the sun like this
need salt," she said. She also loads them down with beverages to help
prevent dehydration.
She also had a pot of coffee ready, but only one person
wanted any of that.
Along with dispensing food and drink, the couple also
takes a few moments to provide a sympathetic ear. As a result,
they have heard some amazing stories.
"An older couple lives over there," Soyez said, pointing
at a pile of rubble and a tin shed. "They went into the shed, got
into the car, figured they didn't have time to go any place so they sat
there in the car and prayed the whole time."
The house was destroyed, but the shed, car and couple
are fine.
"They usually don't want to take anything from us,"
Soyez said. "A lot of people are like that - they don't want to
ask for help, and they tell us to give to people who need it more
than they do. But I don't care what a person has - he could have
$1 million for all I care - if he needs a sandwich, he needs a sandwich."
At the Chet Sweet home - or what's left of it - the
couple gives out sandwiches, drinks, fruit, chips and cookies.
Sweet, who has lost his home and car, remembers the peanut butter
sandwich Mrs. Soyez gave him Thursday. "That was the best peanut butter
sandwich I ever had," he said.
"If I had any bread, I'd make you one now," she replied.
And, after he said that he did have some bread, she spooned some
crunchy peanut butter into a cup for him.
"Sometimes it doesn't take much to mean a lot," she
noted.
She also gave out sunblock and work gloves. At one
work site, her husband stuck his head out the van window and ordered
a young woman to "go get some of that sunblock we just gave your
mother and put it on. We worry about you."
Mrs. Soyez tries to keep track of what she gives out,
and estimates that she distributed 225 sandwiches Wednesday, and
about the same Thursday and Friday, plus heaven knows how many
cookies, bags of chips and bottles of water.
After the lunch run, she and her husband will be back
around later with supper. "We're going to the Corps office in Pittsburg
tonight and get the van all clean, stocked and ready for tomorrow,"
her husband said.
Ila Wood, originally from the Leavenworth area but
now living in Camp 50, has been working at the stationary canteen
in Franklin.
"I'd seen the need, called the Salvation Army and
they put me to work," she said. This canteen has similar supplies
to the mobile one, and Wood has been giving out lots of work gloves,
sunblock and toiletry items such as toothbrushes and toothpaste.
Shortly before lunch, Merlin Unruh of Christian Disaster
Relief came to the canteen. "We've got a crew of 12 in the field,"
he said. "Can you throw something salty and sweet for them to chew
on?"
Wood filled a box with cookies, cupcakes and bags
of spicy chips, then added fruit cups and fruit juice.
"This canteen came from Fort Scott, where it's maintained
by the Fort Scott Fire Department for the Salvation Army," said
Capt. David Womack of the Pittsburg Salvation Army. "It was the first
vehicle on the scene."
A large tent was set up Friday by the canteen, with
tables and benches, to give people a place to eat.
Womack said that Wood and her fellow volunteers would
be even busier next week. "The National Guard will increase its
presence next week, and that will mean a lot of mouths to feed," he
said.
Numerous religious groups have sent volunteers, and
Womack said that he is deeply grateful. "It's amazing how many church
groups get out there, roll up their sleeves and get to work," he
said.
However, Womack added, many of these visitors will
soon have to return to their own homes.
"It's the local volunteers who really make the difference,"
he said. "Nothing can replace the local citizens who care enough
about their neighbors to come out and help."
Anyone wishing to volunteer their services with the
Salvation Army may call the Pittsburg office at 231-0415. American
Baptist Men Disaster Relief has been cleaning up debris, and anyone
wishing to work with them may contact Warren Scott, Scammon, 620-396-8567.
Back to top
County
asked to consider Franklin's future
May 10, 2003
Temporary landfill to help cleanup efforts
By JEFF WELLS
Morning Sun Staff Writer
GIRARD - Franklin residents are trying to strengthen
their community less than a week after a tornado leveled up to
one-third of its homes.
John Houck, secretary and treasurer of the Franklin
Community Civic Center board, said there will be a public meeting
to "discuss the future of Franklin" at 7 p.m. Sunday night at Henry
Ashbacher's home on the northeast corner of Second and Broadway.
"Is this a good time to incorporate Franklin?" Houck
asked the county commission at its regular Friday meeting.
He also asked the commission to place storm warning
sirens and put more effort into a pending sewer system project.
Houck said during Sunday's tornado residents could not hear sirens
in Frontenac or Arma.
"I assure you that your concerns are our concerns,"
said Commission Chair Bob Kmiec.
"As far as incorporating," said Commissioner Anthony
Pichler, "that is something we will have to look at."
Houck urged the county not to relax restrictions prohibiting
single-wide manufactured homes.
"It could be a model community if the rebuilding is
done properly," Houck said.
Zoning Administrator Judy Freeman said zoning regulations
will not allow a single wide manufactured home to be placed on
a temporary basis for more than six months.
Commissioner Tom Moody then verified that regulations
will allow all residents to rebuild.
The commission voted to waive building and wastewater
permit fees for victims of Sunday's tornados. Residents will still
have to complete building and wastewater permit applications.
Houck said the community once tried to get sirens,
but the effort faltered. Eldon Bedene, emergency preparedness director,
said a siren with a battery backup unit will cost $30,000 to $40,000.
Some grant money will be available, but a local match will be needed.
"My personal view is you could raise the money," Houck
said.
The commission then asked who would activate the siren.
Currently, each city in the county triggers its own sirens. Sheriff
Sandy Horton said his office would set off any placed in unincorporated
areas.
Over 20 people including Sen. Jim Barone, D-Frontenac;
Rep. R.J. Wilson, D-Pittsburg; and Rep. Jerry Williams, D-Chanute,
attended the meeting.
Sheriff Sandy Horton combined a sincere thanks with
a grime reminder of the tasks ahead during a presentation to the
commission.
"I want all the department heads and office holders
in the county to know what we are up against," he said before showing
an aerial tape of damage.
A deputy first spotted the tornado when it touched
down one-mile into the county near McCune. Horton followed it until
it left the county.
"We had this thing spotted the whole way," Horton
said.
All the county's deputies were heroes and help pull
people from the rubble, Horton said.
"I want you to know we did the best we could do with
the resources we had available," Horton said.
The sheriff also complimented dispatchers, volunteer
firemen, the Kansas Highway Patrol, county road crews, the media,
and countless volunteers for their efforts during and after the storm.
"This county is fortunate to have people like this,"
she said.
In another matter, Bedene said the Kansas National
Guard will deploy 40 citizen soldiers, 10 dump trucks, 10 loaders,
and a bulldozer to Crawford County on Monday.
Staff Writer Jeff Wells can be reached at jeff.wells@morningsun.net
or at 231-2600, Ext. 137.
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Brownback
promises aid
May 10,2003
Senator tours area, visits with survivors
By JEFF WELLS
Morning Sun Staff Writer
FRANKLIN - Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., spent more
than an hour Friday walking through the rubble which once was Franklin.
Brownback listened to survivors' tales and talked
with officials about recovery efforts.
The senator questioned Sheriff Sandy Horton about
the warning people received before the storm hit, the specifics
of the fatalities, and the emergency response.
He also urged victims to contact the Federal Emergency
Management Agency for assistance. FEMA will be establishing a disaster
recovery center in Arma today to help victims of last weekend's severe
storms with disaster aid. The disaster recovery center will open at
1 p.m. today at the Arma Community Center, 508 E. Washington in Arma.
The center will remain open until 7 p.m. today and will then be open
from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Sunday through May 17.
Additionally, registration for disaster help can begin
immediately by calling FEMA at 1-800-621-3362. For those who are
hearing impaired, the number is 1-800-462-7585. The call is free and
recovery specialists can take registrations from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven
days a week until further notice.
FEMA officials note that the disaster recovering center
has been established to help those who have already called the
1-800-462-7585 number for aid and need help filling out forms or
need face-to-face answers. Additionally, there will be telephones
at the aid center for those who need to call the number, but do not
currently have a home phone.
Brownback said the federal relief will try to make
it to where people will want to return to the community. He vowed
to help rebuild Franklin's post office, civic center, and improve
the sewage system.
"In working some of these in the past, now is the
time to address some of those issues that can actually let your
community come back because otherwise you don't know if some of these
communities will even come back if you don't really give them an
anchor to build around," Brownback said.
"I hope people in the area will put together a plan
of what it is we need to rebuild Franklin and what are the specifics,"
he said.
Robert Craig Stokes, chairman of Crawford County Water
District No. 7, said the majority of the community's residents have
low incomes and 22 percent are over age 65.
"When you have something of this scale happen - it
is seen across the world," Brownback said. "I have had a number of
people in Washington come up to me and say 'you really got hit by
storms.' The last thing the federal government wants to do is contribute
to the long term debilitation of an area. Losing a post office hurts
an area. I think we will be able to get that rebuilt and we'll work
to get that done."
He said the federal government usually pays for a
portion of the disaster cleanup in the form of reimbursing local
communities for the work that they have done and the time and overtime.
Assistance for victims can include:
* Rental payments for temporary housing for those
whose homes are unlivable. Initial assistance is provided for
up to three months for homeowners and at least one month for renters.
Assistance may be extended if requested after the initial period
based on a review of individual applicant requirements.
* Grants for home repairs and replacement of essential
household items not covered by insurance to make dwellings safe,
sanitary and functional.
* Grants to replace personal property and help meet
medical, dental, funeral, transportation and other serious disaster-related
needs not covered by insurance or other federal, state and charitable
aid programs.
* Unemployment payments up to 26 weeks for workers
who temporarily lost jobs because of the disaster and who do not
qualify for state benefits, such as self-employed individuals.
* Low-interest loans to cover residential losses not
fully compensated by insurance. Loans available up to $200,000
for primary residence; $40,000 for personal property, including renter
losses. Loans available up to $1.5 million for business property losses
not fully compensated by insurance.
* Loans up to $1.5 million for small businesses that
have suffered disaster-related cash flow problems and need funds
for working capital to recover from the disaster's adverse economic
impact. This loan in combination with a property loss loan cannot
exceed a total of $1.5 million.
* Loans up to $500,000 for farmers, ranchers and aquaculture
operators to cover production and property losses, excluding primary
residence.
* Other relief programs: Crisis counseling for those
traumatized by the disaster; income tax assistance for filing casualty
losses; advisory assistance for legal, veterans benefits and social
security matters.
"For all the devastation, I'm amazed that there was
not more harm and loss of life," Brownback said. "There must have
been some real miracles that happened. It is terrible to have
any loss of life and I'm thankful that there is not more."
Staff Writer Jeff Wells can be reached at jeff.wells@morningsun.net
or at 231-2600, Ext. 137.
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Twisters
unfortunately synonymous with Kansas
May 11, 2003
Crawford County history filled with violent storms
By NIKKI PATRICK
Morning Sun Family Living Editor
According to "Kansas, a Cyclopedia of State History,"
edited by Frank Blackmar in 1912, the cultivation of the land and
planting of trees across the state made it "probable that in a few
years destructive storms will be a thing of the past."
"Kansas" is considered to be a reliable source of
information on the state's early history, but the authors obviously
should have stuck with history and not tried to predict the weather.
Aside from the years 1883 and 1884, when no tornadoes
were reported anywhere in the state, Kansas has been plagued by
the violent windstorms and even achieved national notice because
of them.
One of the most famous works by artist John Steuart
Curry, born in Dunavant, ., Ks.was "Tornado Over Kansas," showing
a farm family taking refuge in their cellar as a twister approaches.
Crawford County has its own share in this history.
The latest entry, of course, is the May 4 tornado which demolished
much of Franklin and Ringo and killed three persons.
These were the first tornado deaths in the county
since March 15, 1982, when a tornado killed Judith James, 41,
Mulberry.
According to Morning Sun accounts, that storm entered
southeast Kansas by way of Montgomery County, killing one person
in Tyro, near the Oklahoma state line, and another in Hallowell
in Cherokee County.
The storm entered Crawford County near McCune around
7 p.m., where it destroyed two mobile homes, then followed Gooding
Road south of Girard and inflicted heavy damage on several farms.
The funnel followed a zigzag path across the county
first apparently headed for Girard, then moving in the direction
of Pittsburg. Both towns escaped with little damage, though the
roof was blown off Medicalodge South.
After flattening a few homes in the Arma area, the
twister moved into Mulberry around 8 p.m. and unleashed it's full
fury.
In addition to killing James, who was found surrounded
by the debris of her mobile home, the storm leveled 50 homes, damaged
another 90, and also demolished a grocery store which Francis Buche
had operated for 35 years in downtown Mulberry. Damage was estimated
at around $2.5 million.
Later storms caused no deaths, but did inflict notable
damage. On June 22, 1987, a tornado touched down at Crawford State
Lake, Farlington. Two witnesses saw the funnel moving across the
lake, downing two boat docks and severely damaging the marina and restaurant
at the lake. Three concrete pillars, weighing between 50 and 100
pounds each, were blown onto the marina roof.
Damaged less seriously were the fish hatchery, several
campers with tents and a boat storage building.
Tornadoes usually occur in the spring and summer,
which was why everybody was so surprised at 4:55 p.m. Nov. 9,
1988, when Pittsburg, which was under a severe thunderstorm alert
at the time, was struck by a funnel.
A Pittsburg Police Department patrol unit spotted
the twister as it touched down at 20th and 69 Bypass. Two county
buildings there - one of brick and the other of tin - were destroyed,
and windows of the Social and Rehabilitation Service building were
blown out.
As the twister moved on, it blew out windows and damaged
the roof of Dillon's, and hit the sun room on the west side of Wendy's.
Overall damage was estimated at around $250,000, but only a few
minor injuries were reported.
The Mulberry tornado was probably the most destructive
Crawford County storm of the 20th century - and the May 4 tornado
is certainly an early entry for the worst storm of the 21st century.
However, the most deadly tornado so far in recorded
Crawford County history occurred on May 22, 1873. An account of
it can be found in Andrea's "History of Kansas," published in 1883.
This storm twister came across the southeast corner
of Neosho County and crossed Crawford County in a northwesterly
direction. By the time it left, the storm had claimed seven lives,
including three children.
Victims, according to "History of Kansas," were "Mrs.
Hezekiah Smith, Uriah Spurgeon, a baby of Mr. Roseberry's, one
of G.W. Surgeon's, Frankie Dumbauld, a child of Mrs. Hooper's and
Ellen Hammond."
A total of 34 people were injured, 15 houses were
demolished and property loss was estimated at $4,457.
The tremendous winds carried one boy, identified only
as "a son of Mr. Black," over a peach orchard. He was not injured.
Not quite as lucky was John Spurgeon, 8, who was carried about
100 yards by the wind and suffered a broken thigh.
Two horses were in a log stable hitched to one of
the logs. Their stable was blown down and the horses were found
a quarter of a mile away, uninjured and still hitched to the log.
Survivors of the May 4 tornado will be eligible for
federal assistance and insurance benefits. Such things weren't
available in 1873, but, according to "History of Kansas," the Crawford
County Commission did provide what assistance it could.
According to the Andreas account, the commission paid
out $625 to Mrs. Hooper, $200 to John Frogge, $100 each to William
Blaylock, F.H. Dumbauld and B.R. Addis, and $50 each to W.T. Gunn
and Theodore Metcalf.
Back to top
Franklin incorporation discussed
May 12, 2003
FRANKLIN - Sitting on chairs salvaged from the ruins of
their civic center, Franklin residents gathered Sunday at the home
of Henry Ashbacher to discuss the future of the small community.
"We just want to get Franklin rebuilt in a cost-effective
way, quickly," said Robert Craig Stokes, chairman of Crawford
County Rural Water District No. 7, which covers Franklin.
Issues discussed included reconstruction of the Franklin
Civic Center and the post office, the proposed sewer system and
formally incorporating the community as a city.
The sewer had been a need for some years, Stokes said.
"Ron Pommier and I have been trying to get a sewer for the past
five years," he said, and a grant of more than $350,000 had been obtained
before the tornado hit.
There is also a signed contract with the city of Arma
to treat Franklin sewage, he added. "This would benefit both our
communities," Stokes said. "Sewers will be a key element in rebuilding
Franklin."
He advised letting legislators know how desperately
Franklin needs a sewer. "I think it would be stupid if the state
didn't help us get a sewer now," Stokes said.
"State Sen. Jim Barone and U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback
have both told me that they'll do everything they can to help us
obtain grants," said Franklin resident Joe Cukjati.
Franklin's post office was housed in a leased building,
said postmaster Kathy Shaffer. She added that the owner has indicated
her intention to rebuild it.
Stokes said that funding to replace the community
center would likely come from the Public Assistance Program. "I've
looked at the eligibility guidelines, and as far as I can tell,
we fall under them," he said.
"I think we should shoot high for our community center,"
Cukjati said. "It could be the binding force for our community."
Shelly Phillips Corley, president of the civic center's
board, said the board believes the new center should include a
community storm shelter.
Another issue is obtaining a storm siren to let Franklin
residents know when they need to take shelter. While people living
in some areas of the community can hear the Arma siren when it sounds,
others can't.
John Houck said the cost of one siren could run from
$30,000 to $40,000. "There could be grants that would cover 75 percent
or more of the cost," he added.
Stokes took names of people to serve on committees
for the center, siren and sewers. Another committee also was formed
to explore the steps needed to incorporate Franklin.
One member of that committee is Ron Pommier. "I feel
that incorporation is about five years past due," he said. "We need
to be Franklin, not Girard rural route or a suburb of Arma. Then
we can be a community and go to the polls to vote for what we want."
Stokes said that if Franklin did become incorporated,
the community would be responsible for its own street repairs,
street lights, police and fire protection.
"I have spoken with the League of Kansas Municipalities,
and was told that we could contract with the county for road maintenance
and police service," Pommier said.
Little disagreement was voiced about incorporation.
However, there was controversy when Cukjati passed out copies
of a petition he had drafted opposing doublewide (manufactured) home
construction in Franklin for a three-year period.
He said that he feared "unscrupulous investors" would
buy up property in Franklin and put up substandard rental housing.
"If we get people in here building insubstantial structures
instead of nice substantial homes, if we get full of doublewide
houses, we're not going to grow and nothing will want to come in
here," Cukjati said. "We have a chance to start a new town."
"I've lived in a doublewide since 1971, and I see
a lot of doublewides that look better than regular houses," said
Walt Swezey.
"I run a construction company, and I feel Joe's opinions
are very good on one hand," Ashbacher said. "On the other hand,
I feel people should have the right to do as they please on their own
property."
"I ordered a new modular home Friday, and it will
be here in two weeks," said Allen Napier. "It will be nice - I'm
not putting trash in."
Ashbacher suggested contacting the Crawford County
Regional Planning and Zoning Commission to see what measures could
be taken to prevent landlords from buying up lots in the community.
"I really fear this will snowball on us unless we act immediately,"
he said.
Other items discussed included the old sidewalk that
ran from Franklin to Arma. "It was a WPA project in the 1930s, and
I remember when it was built," said Margaret Kennedy. "While we're
talking about rebuilding the rest of the community, we shouldn't forget
the sidewalk."
Phyllis Liposek Bitner, of Arma, said that she has
established a Web site for Franklin, www.franklinkansas.com. Anyone
who wishes may put memories of the community or list needs on the
site. She added that she has been getting numerous inquiries from
people around the nation who want to know how they can help Franklin
recover from the disaster.
Another community meeting to discuss all these issues
is set for 7 p.m. on May 18.
Family Living Editor Nikki Patrick can be reached
at 231-2600, Ext. 142, or nikki.patrick@morningsun.net.
Back to top
Surveying
the devastation
May 13,2003
By JOE NOGA
Morning Sun Staff Writer
U.S. Rep. Jim Ryun traveled to Franklin Monday, surveying
the damage left by the devastating tornado that tore across Crawford
County on May 4, leaving piles of rubble, broken trees and vacant
lots in its wake.
Ryan, R-Kansas, said he was amazed and shocked at
the amount of damage and said government leaders are doing everything
they can to help storm victims.
"And at the same time, the fact that only one person
was killed here seems like an answer to prayer if you can bring
that into the equation when you consider the size and magnitude," he
said. "I lived through the Topeka tornado that went through in 1966. In
fact, I was working as a staff photographer and was out photographing and
this reminds me so much of that tornado. It's like a flashback."
Ryun said staff from his office have been in Franklin
from the beginning and he has heard reports of a community that
rushed to the aid of their fellow citizens. Not just in Franklin,
Ringo and in other parts of the county, but also in other communities
effected by their own ravaging tornados.
"We are going to do everything we can to help," he
said. "We have already been working with FEMA. We are trying to
find some other assistance. But when you see this, what do you say?
It's just so shocking to see this devastation. To think that there
were 50 homes in here is amazing."
Ryun said he was unsure as to how much the federal
government will be able to help, but added that he plans to request
as much aid as possible.
"We are asking the federal government to step in,"
he said. "Often when they come in, they ask the state to take care
of 25 percent. But we are asking them to take up 100 percent because
of state budget issues. So we are looking at that and there are other
alternatives we are looking at too."
Curt Musgrave, director of response and recovery for
region seven of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and David
Talley, public information officer for the U.S. Small Business Administration,
were with Ryun Monday.
"We have set up the disaster recovery center in Arma
where a lot of state and federal agencies have gathered and give
information out on what programs are available to people who have
been impacted by this," Musgrave said.
Musgrave noted that there are two separate declarations
for damage assistance from FEMA.
"The first is individual assistance. The main point
with individual assistance is that everybody who received any damage
needs to call 1-800-621-3362. They need to call that and get registered,"
he said. "Secondly, the public assistance side has to do with infrastructure
damage - city hall, building and that type of stuff. That will be
handled differently. The main point we want to get across right now
is that everybody, whether they had insurance or not, if they had any
type of damage, call the 1-800 number and register."
Talley added that anyone with any damage should register.
"People do not have to take a loan," he said. "Some
people are on a limited or fixed income. It is important that they
still go ahead and register because if they don't qualify for a
loan, they will be referred back to FEMA for a grant. But if they
don't fill the application out the process stops. We've got people
at the center to fill out the applications for them. They have better
things to be doing than sitting under a tree filling out an application."
Ryun said the purpose of his visit was to gain a first
hand look of the extent of the damage, and to see where the most
help was needed.
"We are doing everything we possibly can. I know in
this particular area there are a lot of senior citizens and quite
a few who are disabled," he said. "That adds to the incredible experience
they had and the wonder that there weren't more injured and killed."
Staff Writer Joe Noga can be reached at joe.noga@morningsun.net
or at 231-2600, Ext. 132.
Back
to top
Emerson
outlines procedure for Franklin to pursue incorporation
May 14, 2003
By OLIVE L. SULLIVAN
Morning Sun Staff Writer
GIRARD - Franklin could try to incorporate, according
to County Counselor Jim Emerson, who reported on the idea at the
regular county commission meeting Tuesday morning.
The question came up at Friday's meeting, when John Houck,
secretary and treasurer of the Franklin Community Civic Center board,
asked how to go about it.
Emerson reported that the first step is for Franklin residents
to submit a petition requesting incorporation to the county clerk.
It must be signed by at least 50 members of the territory. The territory
to be incorporated must have at least 300 residents.
That could be a problem for Franklin, since the population
of the little town is estimated at about 200. Another complication
is that Franklin is within five miles of an incorporated city. Emerson
said that means there are six additional factors to be considered by
the county commission when it holds a public hearing between 30 and
90 days after the petition is filed.
One of Houck's goals for incorporation is to get storm
sirens; that's a separate issue, according to county zoning administrator
Judy Freeman. She reported by memo that the county could apply for
a Hazard Mitigation grant through FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management
Agency. The grant would have a match of 25 percent; moneys could be
earmarked for sirens and community storm shelters.
There are also Project Impact Grants available which could
be used for storm shelters at private residences.
The commission will continue looking into these issues.
Commissioner Tom Moody said he had visited Franklin before
the meeting. He reported that National Guard units started cleanup
work there Tuesday morning.
"We've made some headway," he said, but he said he believes
the National Guard, with its heavy equipment, will quickly make
a big difference.
Labette County also has sent some 25 youth from the county
boot camp to help with the cleanup in Franklin. "They've really worked
hard up there," Moody reported.
"I don't think it will ever be the same after the devastation
that went on up there, but we're making headway," he added.
Moody also reported that the county health department
is providing tetanus shots for cleanup crews.
He said, too, that the roads in Franklin are suffering
some damage due to the heavy truck traffic. He hopes FEMA will be
able to help with the expense of future repairs.
In other business, Emerson reported on the idea of using
a sales tax to fund county health services. He said it would have
to go before the voters for approval if the commission wants to proceed
with the idea.
Commissioner Anthony Pichler said he does want to look
into it, but doesn't want to hold a special election at additional
cost. He also suggested tying road and bridge funding to a sales tax.
"I think more people would be happy with sales tax for
six months or so," he said.
"I think it's the fairest tax," Commissioner Bob Kmiec
agreed.
However, since the next scheduled election won't take
place until August 2003, the proposal won't help with the rest of
this fiscal year, Pichler said.
He said he has also been considering liquor sales on Sunday
to help the state and counties out of the budget crunch. Already
Sunday liquor sales are taking place in Wyandotte County, and Pichler
pointed out Crawford County residents already travel just three miles
to Missouri if they wish to imbibe on Sundays.
"If that's more revenue, we should do it," he said. "I'm
against selling it on Sunday, too, but why not get that revenue?
Why not propose it?"
Pichler said he wants to wait to see how the plan works
in Wyandotte County, adding, "I just cannot see putting a mill levy
on the people, but they're forcing us to do it, the state is."
The commissioners also discussed the Alamo mowers, purchased
last year, saying road crews have had "nothing but trouble" with them.
Two are currently down. Pichler said he wants Caterpillar to make
good on the machines or replace them.
"I agree. We've been fighting this since day one," Moody
said.
In other business, the commission:
* approved a transfer of funds from Baker Lighting District
to the county general fund for 2002;
* authorized cancellation of outstanding warrants (checks)
over two years old.
The commission meets twice a week, Tuesdays and Fridays
at 10 a.m. in the commission room at the courthouse in Girard.
Staff Writer Olive Sullivan can be reached at olive.sullivan@morningsun.net,
or at 231-2600, Ext. 134.
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National Guard
joins cleanup efforts
May 14, 2003
By JOE NOGA
Morning Sun Staff Writer
Guardsmen from the National Guard 891st Company A of Pittsburg
were in Franklin again Tuesday, but this time they were cleaning up
the debris left by the deadly tornado that laid a path of destruction
across Crawford County on May 4.
After the storms had passed, 10 guardsmen from the 891st
were deployed to help provide security in and around Franklin. Now,
according to Crawford County Sheriff Sandy Horton, the guardsmen will
be loading and hauling all the debris to the temporary dump sites.
"What can be burned will be burned and what can't be burned
will be put in the landfill and covered up," Horton said. "They brought
in 10 dump trucks, two loaders, a bulldozer and the crew total will
be about 45 guardsmen."
At 4:22 p.m. on Sunday, the National Weather Service issued
a tornado warning for Crawford. Officials in Labette County notified
the Crawford County sheriff's department of a funnel cloud in their
county heading towards Crawford County.
Crawford County sheriff's deputies reported a tornado
on the ground five miles north and four miles west of McCune. The
tornado traveled in a northeast direction for 26 miles until it exited
Crawford County.
In the storm's wake, 19 people were taken to area hospitals
and three Crawford County residents were killed. Nearly 100 homes
were destroyed, several livestock killed, crops destroyed, a radio
tower fell, power lines were down and at least 19 railroad cars derailed
near Mulberry.
"The guard was in there for five or six days doing security
and then they were released once the sheriff's department was able
to take over 100 percent of it," Horton said. "It's mostly the same
crew, but they are no longer providing the security functions."
Lt. Brent Neal of the 891st said they also have detachments
from Fort Scott and Coffeyville helping with the cleanup efforts.
"We have some front loaders and then we have dump trucks
loading debris and moving it to the dump pile," Neal said. "We will
be moving the debris from the road edge to the dump pile."
Neal said the group is set up to stay for two weeks, but
he said, if it takes longer to get the county cleaned up then they
will stay.
"But, hopefully, we can get done soon enough we can all
have a nice holiday weekend. That is what we are shooting for," Neal
said.
Neal said that the guard will work through the rain but
if lightning starts striking close to where men are working, they
will shut their equipment down.
Horton said he appreciates the National Guard's help.
According to Horton, the county has been cleaning up,
along with help from the cities of Arma, Fort Scott and Parsons
Horton said the plan now is for the guard to do most of
the cleanup work in Franklin while county crews clean up south of
Mulberry and in Ringo.
"Hopefully, within two weeks a lot of the debris will
be removed and disposed of properly," Horton said.
Staff Writer Joe Noga can be reached at joe.noga@morningsun.net
or at 231-2600, Ext. 132.
Back to Top
Some examinations
provided by life, not classroom
PSU students forgo final to help clean up tornado-wracked
Ringo
May 15, 2003
By OLIVE L. SULLIVAN
Morning Sun Staff Writer
RINGO - Given the choice of taking a two-hour final or
spending the day helping clean up tornado damage in Ringo and Franklin,
a group of Pittsburg State University students unanimously chose to
help out.
"The Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation
has a long history of providing service to the community," explained
Dr. Scott Gorman, professor at PSU.
Besides, he was spending his own free time volunteering
in Carl Junction to help clean up damage from the devastating storm
system that nearly leveled Franklin and Ringo as well. "If you don't
see something like that first-hand, you don't know," he said.
He explained that picking up debris also helps the mental
state of storm victims, making their houses look a little more like
home even before the major damage is fixed.
Gorman gave the students the choice between taking a regular
written final or joining the clean up crews, then started looking
for someplace nearby to work.
Gorman said he first asked students if they had friends
or family that needed help. Jill Smardo, Frontenac junior, led a crew
Tuesday to help family in Franklin area. "Their entire house was knocked
down," the professor said.
The rest of Gorman's classes spread out in Ringo.
Taking a break from clearing debris from the back yard
of 77-year-old Esther Askins Wednesday, Gorman said, "Today we've
got two classes out here." Another class will meet at Askins' house
today.
And even with several students working all day, there's
plenty to do. Askins was one of the lucky ones in that her house was
relatively untouched. Some roof shingles blew away, but that wasn't
much of a problem until the rains hit this week. Now, her son Cliff
Askins says, "It leaks like a sieve."
There are two houses and a couple of sheds on the Askins
property. One house was used as a "library." Its roof is intact,
but the wind blew out every single window and actually moved the structure
off its foundation. "We'll probably pull it down," Cliff Askins said.
The shed, built solidly of brick, was missing a roof -
and most of two walls. Another shed made of World War II vintage
ammunition cases, was mostly gone.
The house next door was much more severely damaged. Askins
said, "What hit us hit us from the north, but the guys to the south
of us really got plastered."
The worst damage, from Esther Askins' point of view, was
to the yard she called "her little corner of Arkansas," according
to her son. She had an orchard of fruit trees and flower beds that were
stripped clean (although the blackberry bushes survived). Her chicken
pen was demolished, but the chickens are fine, pecking about the feet
of the students who rebuilt their pen.
"The chickens have been going crazy all day long. I don't
think they're used to this many people around," said Maureen "Mo"
Williams, one of the students. "The dog was excited, too. I don't think
he usually sees them out of the pen."
Williams said she spent her whole day at the Askins place,
talking to Mrs. Askins as well as picking up shingles, pop cans and
debris of all types. "I got a tetanus shot, too. That was fun," she
said wryly. The health department is giving shots to all clean up crews,
just to be safe.
"We helped clean out her garage, which was horrible," Williams
continued. "Inside she had a bunch of pictures and old letters,
and they were just soaked. ... The only thing she wanted out of the
shed was a real pretty green lamp. That was the only thing that made
her smile."
Her son, however, said she'll be OK. "She's pretty tough."
Aaron King, a sophomore from Pleasanton, was hard at work
on the chicken pen. "I like hard work," he said. "I'd rather do hard
work than sit in a classroom anyway."
Like the other Pitt State students, he was surprised by
the storm's aftermath.
"I saw some weird stuff - a toilet set up in a tree, and
then some of the small stuff you'd think it would tear up, it didn't.
The bird houses are still up, and other stuff is just gone."
Askins has a number of bird houses and yard ornaments hanging
in the trees. One tree was badly damaged - the branches were literally
wrapped around the trunk, woven into an impenetrable mass. In another,
the branch above the bird house was ripped away. But the bird houses
were untouched.
Chris Lutz, Eureka senior, and Caleb White, Minneola senior,
said they have seen tornado damage before, in the 1996 storms that
wiped out Andover. Still, they saw some interesting things at Askins'
where they were helping with the chicken pen. "There's old, old trees,
huge trees, just uprooted," Lutz said. "It's crazy."
"We cleaned out a lot of old fence that was just wrapped
around the trees out back," Williams added. She said she also saw,
in Franklin, a trampoline wrapped around a light pole like a hot dog
bun.
The students also found a three-legged cat, a storm survivor
whose injury was an old one, hiding in a culvert. They called animal
control to rescue it. "That's one of the most interesting things
we've found," Williams said.
"We're really grateful for these guys," Cliff Askins said.
"We had no idea they were coming. We've had Mennonites and convict
labor and Boy Scouts and a lot of relatives helping out. The Salvation
Army, Red Cross, insurance companies and FEMA have also stopped by
to see what could be done to help.
"We had no idea we were going to get this much help," he
said.
Joking, he added, "I wonder, since they're the physiology
class and they're building the chicken pen, what are the construction
students going to do?"
Even though a lot has been accomplished in the week and
a half since the storms, from the sight of Askins' neighborhood, there
will still be plenty of work for any volunteers that come along, construction
students or not.
Gorman said the students' efforts were augmented by help
from local businesses: Broadway Lumber donated fencing supplies and
True Value provided landscape timbers.
Staff Writer Olive Sullivan can be reached at olive.sullivan@morningsun.net,
or at 231-2600, Ext. 134.
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Disaster
Child Care offering free services for many area residents
May 16, 2003
By NIKKI PATRICK
Lifestyle Editor
Starting today, free child care will be provided for southeast
Kansas and Carl Junction, Mo., area residents who were impacted by
the May 4 tornadoes.
Care will be available from noon to 8 p.m. for children
aged 6 and younger at the United Methodist Campus Center, 201 E. Williams.
Disaster Child Care is a program of Emergency Response/Service
Ministries of the Church of the Brethren General Board, based at
the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md.
"While their parents or guardians work with clean-up and
other activities related to the disaster, they may bring the children
to us," said Lorna J. Grow, project manager.
She said that a crew of five persons, all volunteers, will
come in from Iowa to serve as staff. "All of the caregivers are trained
and certified, and have undergone background checks," she said.
Grow said that Disaster Child Care was established in 1980.
"Our national disaster coordinator at the time realized that children
weren't being cared for during times of disaster," she said. "He went
to the national office and worked with a child development specialist
to develop this program. In 1980 we provided our first child care, at
a flood in Kalamazoo, Mich."
While this is a Church of the Brethren ministry, Grow said
that the program is ecumenical, with volunteers from many denominations
and faith communities.
They are trained to provide personal attention, comfort
and acceptance to children whose homes and families have been impacted
by a disaster, as well give these children the opportunity and encouragement
to express their feelings through appropriate play activities. They
can also provide information, counsel and comfort to parents, other
disaster workers, churches, schools and the community concerning the impact
of disaster on children.
Volunteers sometimes have to provide these services in
difficult situations.
"We've done child care under stairwells, in closets and
garages," Grow said, adding that she is very grateful to have the
use of facilities at the United Ministries Center.
Disaster Child Care works in cooperation with the American
Red cross, and also networks with other agencies.
Grow said that no time line has been set regarding the
presence of Disaster Child Care in the area.
"This will be dictated by the need," she said. "If there
aren't any children who need care, we'll pack up and go home. If
there are, we'll be here."
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County urges
continued work on Franklin sewer district
May 17, 2003
By OLIVE L. SULLIVAN
Morning Sun Staff Writer
GIRARD - Crawford County Commissioners urged continued work
on the Franklin sewer district during their regular meeting Friday
morning.
Michelle Black, Midwest Assistance Program, who coordinates
the project with USDA Rural Development Service, said there was some
concern over how many people in Franklin would rebuild. If very few
did so, she said, the sewer project would have to be revised.
Commissioners Bob Kmiec and Anthony Pichler said there was
no doubt the community would rebuild, and John Houck, representing the
town, said the rebuilding has already started.
"We want to get all of them going," Pichler said, referring
to sewer projects in Farlington and Radley as well as Franklin, "but
right now, Franklin No. 3 is the one we need to push real hard."
He added, "I think if you had the sewer going in, I think
more people would build.
The question is one of funding. The system is paid for by
a charge to each household hooking onto the system, but if there are
no houses there, who should be charged? Pichler suggested adding a special
assessment to the lots for the time being, just to get the project started.
The assessment would cover debt service; there would be no monthly wastewater
treatment charge until there was a house hooked to the system and using
it.
"It didn't blow the land away," Pichler said.
Black said if too few people choose to rebuild, there could
still be a sewer project, it would just have to be scaled down.
"I disagree with that," Pichler said. "You're going to have
them back." He said the people in Franklin need some definite information
before rebuilding so they know what's in store.
Houck said, "There's been so much desire for these lots already.
There are probably 10 houses under construction right now. The houses
will be there before the sewer's done." He explained, "Because of the
proximity to Pittsburg, it's a good sleeper community."
Pat Misasi, county environmental director, said USDA Rural
Development agent Dale Yeager has scheduled a meeting at Franklin this
week to discuss these issues. The commission asked to be kept informed.
In other business, Crawford County Sheriff Sandy Horton appeared
before the commission to ask about assistance from the Federal Emergency
Management Agency in the wake of the tornadoes which struck the county
May 4. He asked whether commissioners wanted the road and bridge department
and sheriff's department to apply as separate entities, or whether they
preferred to apply as the county as a whole. Commissioners said for
him to apply as the county entire.
The commission also announced that the courthouse would be
closed May 26 for the observance of Memorial Day.
Staff Writer Olive Sullivan can be reached at olive.sullivan@morningsun.net,
or at 231-2600, Ext. 134.
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Franklin
sewer financing in question after tornado
May 19, 2003
By NIKKI PATRICK
Morning Sun Family Living Editor
FRANKLIN - Franklin residents gathered for the second time
Sunday to discuss plans for the community's recovery from the May
4 tornado.
Dale Yager of Iola, a rural development specialist with the
federal Rural Development Agency, was present to discuss the community's
proposed sewer project.
The project had been well underway before the tornado struck,
he said. "They've been working on this for five or six years, and had
pretty well gotten over the humps," Yager said. "We'd gotten a pretty
workable project, with us as the lender to fund the sewer development."
He had been in the process of doing his environmental review
and had, he said, no adverse comments.
However, since the tornado struck, funding has become an
issue. User fees would be needed to pay for the sewer system, and
the proposed system was based upon having approximately 159 houses
hooked up to it.
"We want to target an average rate that is reasonable, around
$25 per user per month," Yager said.
Now there are fewer homes to hook into the sewer - 50 homes
were totally destroyed by the tornado, and others were severely damaged.
The owners may or may not choose to rebuild in Franklin.
"We don't want to put in a nearly $2 million sewer project,
and the folks who are left have to pay for it," Yager said. "We don't
want to saddle you with a debt you can't handle."
"I believe that once the sewer system goes in, the number
of users will increase dramatically," said Henry Ashbacher, who owns
a construction company. "The sooner the sewer goes in, the sooner this
community will prosper."
For the time being, Yager said that he would complete his
environmental review, and asked for a copy of the agreement the Crawford
County Commission had signed with the city of Arma to treat sewage
from Franklin. The community will look at the number of potential sewer
users.
If the sewer project does go forward, Yager said it could
be in operation in about a year.
Another proposed way to help the small community to grow
was for it to become incorporated. However, community's size may be
a stumbling block.
"In order for us to become incorporated, we have to show
that we have 300 inhabitants," Ron Pommier reported.
Because Franklin is located within five miles of an incorporated
city, other factors also must be considered, according to Kansas
statutes, including the size and population of that city, its growth
in population, industry and business during the past 10 years, extension
of its boundaries in the past 10 years, the probability of its growth
toward the unincorporated territory during the ensuing 10 years,
the willingness of the city to annex the territory and its ability
to provide city services in case of annexation, and the general effect
upon the entire community should there be additional cities in the area.
Also discussed was the need to rebuild the community center.
Shelly Phillips Corey said that a committee had gone to Hepler to
see its new community center, built with a Community Block Development
Grant.
Joe Cukjati said that he spoke with Ken Webb of Gold Bank
regarding the possibility of a Pritchett Trust grant for the community
center.
"He was friendly and optimistic that he could get some funds
for Franklin," Cukjati said. "He said that the project would have
to be associated with women and children, so we might consider something
like a basketball court for the kids outside the center."
Petitions are also being circulated to call for the rebuilding
of the Franklin Post Office. Postmaster Kathy Shaffer said that the
U.S. Postal Service had not made a decision on the rebuilding.
To keep the community informed about rebuilding efforts,
a community bulletin board will placed in the parking lot of the
old community center.
Also, an Internet site has been established at www.franklinkansas.com
where the public can leave notes, ask questions and provide suggestions.
It also has a number of photographs.
Another town meeting will be at 7 p.m. on May 25. "Hopefully,
people will keep coming to the meetings and we can get thinks done
quickly," said Robert Craig Stokes, chairman of Crawford County Rural
Water District No. 7, who conducted the meeting. "We need to do things
quickly so that we can keep people in Franklin."
Family Living Editor Nikki Patrick can be reached at nikki.patrick@morningsun.net
or 231-2600, Ext. 142.
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Leaders invite Franklin to join Arma
By NIKKI PATRICK
Lifestyle Editor
FRANKLIN - Residents of tornado-battered Franklin received an
invitation Sunday night to become part of Arma.
Rock Anderson, Arma mayor, and Bill Toschi, Arma City Council
member, were present at the latest Franklin community meeting to discuss
the possibility of Arma's annexing the smaller community.
"We want you to know that Arma has no intention of coming down
and gobbling up Franklin," Anderson said. "Our intent is to lend a helping
hand."
He said that, if Franklin's recovery efforts don't work out
as planned, the City of Arma "is willing to merge our two communities,
and a lot of good things can happen with the merge. If all else fails,
give us a yell."
Bill LaSota, Franklin resident, asked for details about those
good things, and Anderson responded by listing police and fire protection,
electric utilities, water service and sewer service.
"In Arma we pay $15 per month for sewer service," Anderson said.
"We've also got two cable companies for those who like to watch TV."
Toschi acknowledged that, in the past, there had been some ill
will between the two communities.
"We should throw out all those bad things we said about each
other 30 or 40 years ago," he said. "If we become all one big community,
it will give us a voice in Crawford County."
"I don't think that Franklin will grow unless it's annexed,"
LaSota said. "I think a lot of people here feel the same way."
"You say that a lot of people here want annexation, Bill, but
you're the only one I hear saying it," said Henry Ashbacher, Franklin.
"You're talking about a lot of studies that would have to be
done, and a lot of paperwork," said Robert Craig Stokes, chairman of
Rural Water District No. 7, who presided at the meeting.
He suggested that Arma officials put together a packet of information
about water rates, city ordinances, etc., and bring them to the next
Franklin community meeting.
"If anybody has any questions, we'll do our best to answer them,"
Toschi said.
Stokes added that Franklin residents appreciated all the help
Arma had given following the May 4 tornado.
"You were among the first here to help, digging out people,"
he said. "The help from all the area communities has been phenomenal."
Reports were also given on the proposed Franklin sewer project.
Stokes said that the environmental report had been completed and would
be published as required. The signed contract between the Crawford
County Commission and the City of Arma to treat Franklin sewage has been
sent to Topeka for approval.
"This is a pretty positive step," Stokes said. "We've got a
lot of support for the sewer."
Ron Pommier said that the projected sewer cost, based on 155
users, was $26 per month. Because the tornado destroyed 50 homes, there
would be fewer uses, at least initially.
"Assuming a 25 percent reduction in population, the sewer cost
could go up to around $30 per month," Pommier said. "But that's an imaginary
number, a ballpark estimate."
Stokes also reported on efforts to fund construction of a new
community center.
"It's not official, but I've heard that we were turned down
on a Small Business Administration loan for this," he said. "If I get
notification of that, the next step would be to go to FEMA. They would
replace the center at the same size it was, with another portion of the
grant for a storm shelter. I understand that we could apply any money
we get with this to enlarge the center or put a full basement under it."
The idea of incorporation of the small community "is probably
a dead issue until we get these other things settled," Stokes added.
Work is being done to put up a community bulletin board in the
parking lot of the old community center. Stokes said he hoped this could
be done over the weekend, so that updated information could be posted
for Franklin residents.
"We just need to be sure that we take advantage of all the good
opportunities we can and keep moving with our projects," Stokes said.
"We're trying to work on our projects and succeed. That's not to say
that our community and Arma can't work a little closer."
The next community meeting will be June 8, starting with a Rural
Water District meeting at 7 p.m.
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Cleanup
proceeding at rapid pace
May 28, 2003
By JOE NOGA
Morning Sun Staff Writer
Cleanup efforts in Franklin and other parts of the county are
more than half done, due in large part to the efforts of the National
Guard and volunteers.
"I was just in Franklin, and the waste manager for the county,
Bob Krumsick, said he thinks we have about 60 percent of Franklin and
Ringo cleaned up," Crawford County Sheriff Sandy Horton said Tuesday
afternoon.
Horton said he was pleased with the progress of the volunteers,
the National Guard, the state and highway departments and the county.
At 4:22 p.m. on May 4, the National Weather Service issued a
tornado warning for Crawford County. Officials in Labette County notified
the Crawford County sheriff's department of a funnel cloud in their
county heading towards Crawford County.
Crawford County sheriff's deputies reported a tornado on the
ground five miles north and four miles west of McCune. The tornado traveled
in a northeast direction for 26 miles until it exited Crawford County.
In the storm's wake, 19 people were taken to area hospitals and
three Crawford County residents were dead. Nearly 100 homes were destroyed,
several livestock killed, crops destroyed, a radio tower fell, power lines
were down and at least 19 railroad cars derailed near Mulberry.
Emergency Preparedness Coordinator for the county, Eldon Bedene
said the National Guard has been moving 200 to 250 loads of debris per
day.
"The guard is doing really good. It's unbelievable," Bedene said.
"We have requested the guard for another two weeks, but I don't know
if we will have them that long. Right now, we have them for sure this week,
but hopefully next week too."
Bedene said that once the guard gets down to a certain number
of loads per day, the state will step in and tell the guard to pull out.
"Right now, we're just going day by day," he said.
Bedene said at this point most of the cleanup efforts have been
concentrated on Franklin, Ringo and Mulberry, but not in the more rural
areas of the county because of the size of the equipment the guard uses.
"It is difficult for them to move throughout the county," he
said. "We are trying to let the guard do everything they can in Franklin,
close by where they can easily move stuff around. Of course, the more
roads we get on the more roads we tear up."
In addition to the National Guard, Bedene said that there have
been many church groups volunteering to help with the clean up efforts.
He said that the Ministers Alliance is coming Thursday to help clean
up the county.
"We have asked them to do farmers fields," Bedene said. "They
just walk through them and pick stuff up."
However, Horton said that even once the guard and the volunteers
leave, there is still going to be a lot of things to clean up.
"There are buildings that are damaged that are on private property
that owners and insurance companies will have to deal with at some point,"
Horton said. "There are trees that are still standing that at some point
in the next few years will be issues. They aren't going to re-grow. I
think we will be dealing with this devastation and the removal of debris
for a long time. Officially, we will be scaling down here shortly. After
the guard leaves it will be up to the county commissioners then as far as
what individual efforts are being done by their crews."
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County continues
discussing Franklin annexation
May 28, 2003
By OLIVE L. SULLIVAN
Morning Sun Staff Writer
GIRARD - In a follow-up to Sunday's community meeting in Franklin,
Bill LaSota met with Crawford County Commissioners Tuesday to determine
the next step in a proposed annexation to Arma.
The community of Franklin had proposed incorporating, following
the devastating tornadoes of May 4, in an effort to bring the town back
to life. However, a community must have at least 300 residents to incorporate,
while Franklin, before the tornadoes, had about 200. Many people are rebuilding,
but there is as yet no way of knowing how many residents will return
to the battered community.
LaSota asked commissioners what the next step would be in the
proposed annexation. County Counselor Jim Emerson told him he would have
to submit a petition of Franklin residents to the commission to get proceedings
under way.
Arma's city council already has agreed to annex the smaller town,
just a mile south of the city limits. Arma Mayor Rock Anderson spoke
at the community meeting Sunday, and Tuesday afternoon, reiterated his
comments.
"Arma is willing to help out," he said. Anderson pointed out
there would be a lot of advantages for Franklin, including water and
sewer service, improved response time for police and fire services, street
repairs and city amenities like parks and pools.
"They enjoy a lot of that now, of course," Anderson said, adding,
"The whole infrastructure is what they'll be looking at."
He said Arma police and fire departments are "right there," and
can respond to emergencies closer than the county entities.
In addition, he said, the two cities are enjoying a closer sense
of community all the time, already mingling at local events in both
towns. "We'd just be one big community," he said.
At Sunday's meeting, Anderson also cautioned, "We want you to
know that Arma has no intention of coming down and gobbling up Franklin.
Our intent is to lend a helping hand."
LaSota said he didn't think Franklin would grow without annexation;
however, the idea does not have unanimous support within the community.
Anderson said he intends to attend the next Franklin community
meeting June 8 at 7 p.m.
The county commission also heard Tuesday from Janis Goedeke,
county public health officer.
Goedeke presented a contract between the county Health and Family
Services Department and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment
for HIV services. She said such services have been provided by the county
for about 15 years now, and include training and outreach. No money is
required for the contract.
"We also do a lot of outreach for this," she said, citing about
250 people served so far. Clients must meet risk and income guidelines
to use the services.
The commission approved the contract as recommended.
Commissioners meet twice a week, Tuesday and Friday at 10 a.m.,
in the county courthouse in Girard. The meetings are open to the public.
Staff Writer Olive Sullivan can be reached at olive.sullivan@morningsun.net,
or by calling 231-2600, Ext. 134.
Back to
top
Residents want
specifics on annexation
June 9, 2003
By NIKKI PATRICK
Morning Sun Family Living Editor
FRANKLIN - There were many questions - but few answers - Sunday
night as an overflow crowd of Franklin residents met to hear discussion
about the pros and cons of being annexed by the city of Arma.
"Now I live in the country, but then I would be living in a city,
and I want to know if I can still burn my trash at 8 p.m. at night?" asked
Linda Rohner.
Another resident asked about what breeds of dogs are not allowed
inside the Arma city limits.
"I didn't bring the complete city ordinances - that's too massive
an amount of information to bring," Arma Mayor Rock Anderson said. He
referred those questions to the Arma city clerk's office.
Other questions dealt with the costs of water, electricity, sewer
service, and other items.
Anderson said that Arma currently has a flat sewer rate of $15
per user per month, which could go up to $18. Comparing water costs,
10,000 gallons of water cost $31.60 in Arma, and $47.50 from Crawford
County Rural Water District No. 7, which serves Franklin. Gas service
costs the same for both communities.
Taxes were another matter, and Craig Stokes, water district chairman,
pointed out that these taxes would go up for Franklin residents if they
become part of a city. Currently, he said, Franklin residents are assessed
at the county rate of around 90.3 mills per $1,000 assessed value of the
property, but Arma residents pay 107.90 mills.
Stokes also had some questions of his own for Anderson, including
whether the entire Arma City Council agreed with the idea of annexing
Franklin.
"We're in agreement to talk about it," Anderson answered.
Stokes also questioned whether the city could afford to annex Franklin.
"Annexation could be very expensive, and I don't know how the city can
do it and still keep the sewer rate at $15 and not raise taxes," he said.
"Arma has a good base," Anderson said.
Stokes pointed out that annexation would require Arma to buy out
Rural Water District No. 7 and pay for the water lines in the ground,
put in improved streets and street lights, maintain the streets, and
possibly assume the debt associated with Franklin's pending sewer project.
"Are the people of Arma prepared to pay for our sewer?" he asked.
Franklin has received around $2 million in grants for the sewer
project, and this would probably transfer if the community was annexed.
However, FEMA money to rebuild the community center would not transfer,
according to Shelly Phillips Corey, who is chairing the committee in charge
of the center.
"We've met with FEMA representatives, and FEMA will pay up to 75
percent of the cost of rebuilding the Franklin Community Center," she
said. "But if we're annexed, we will not get this money because there
won't be a Franklin any more. We'd be part of Arma, and Arma already
has a community center."
Anderson repeated what he had said at an earlier community meeting
- that Arma "will not come in and gobble you up if you don't want it.
We want to do what's best for the people of both communities."
He said that, if a majority of Franklin residents favored annexation,
Arma's city engineer could come into the community and do a study of how
the transition could be managed.
"We can't make a decision without information, but he's saying
that they can't do a feasibility study without a decision," said Marge
Snyder.
Stokes asked Anderson for additional information on how Franklin
residents would be affected by such a change and what procedures would
be necessary.
"I want to hear both sides," Rohner said. "Could we put out a flyer
and vote? I don't want somebody else deciding what I do with my property."
Stokes said that information could be mailed out with water district
statements, and another public meeting set to discuss the issue further.
Some Franklin residents have already decided, according to Bill
LaSota, who said that a considerable number favor annexation.
"And a considerable number do not," Corey replied.
"The timing of this bothers me," Snyder said. "We haven't had a
chance to heal from the tornado, and now this is tearing us apart again."
Stokes said that he personally believes it would make more sense
for Franklin to get its sewer system and a new community center and
then consider the issue of annexation.
"I really think that would be a much more cost effective way to
go about it for both Franklin and Arma," he said. "Arma has been a big
help to us, and I want what's best for both communities, too."
Back to Top
A temporary
place to call home
June 11, 2003
Tornado victim moves in to FEMA-supplied domicile
By JOE NOGA
Morning Sun Staff Writer
Nancy Kinsworthy, a victim of last month's deadly tornado, has
a temporary new home, thanks to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Kinsworthy took delivery of the mobile home last week and representatives
from FEMA were on hand Tuesday to give her the keys.
"I was amazed it was happening this quick," Kinsworthy said.
Kinsworthy said she filled out the applications for aid the second
or third day after the tornado hit and was denied twice.
"I just kept working," she said. "A lot of people give up with
FEMA, but you have to stay after them. You get turned down, then you
go to SBA (Small Business Administration) and they turn you down and
then it goes back into FEMA."
Kinsworthy lives directly two miles east as the tornado went from
Franklin in rural Mulberry and she wasn't the only one who lost everything
in the twister.
On May 4, Crawford County sheriff's deputies reported a tornado
on the ground north and west of McCune. The tornado traveled in a northeast
direction for 26 miles until it exited Crawford County.
In the storm's wake, 19 people were taken to area hospitals and
three Crawford County residents were killed. Nearly 100 homes were destroyed,
several livestock killed, crops destroyed and at least 19 railroad cars
derailed near Mulberry.
Kinsworthy said a tree fell on her trailer home and it just blew
apart.
"My neighbor said I left about six minutes before it hit," Kinsworthy
said. She said she out ran the tornado by heading east then south.
"It's been a long drawn out ordeal. It's been depressing and hard.
But I am so thankful for all this," she said.
Kinsworthy received a brand new, all electric, fully furnished
mobile home from FEMA, one of more than 100 coming to the area.
According to Emory Strong, a site inspector for FEMA, there is
a staging area in Neosho, Mo., where more than 100 mobile homes and
travel trailers are awaiting delivery.
"Over in Liberal, Kan., they have just identified a number of homes
that need to be replaced, so they are ordering more," Strong said. "Right
now in the staging area in Neosho Mo., they have over 100 so that number
may change. That includes both travel trailers and mobile homes."
Strong said some people will get the mobile home and some will
get the travel trailer, it depends on their plan to secure permanent
housing.
"What defines the difference is how long we think the people are
going to be out of their home," he said. "In other words, if a housing
plan is going to take more than six months then we put them in a mobile
home, regardless of the family composition. Which is Nancy's case. If
it is going to be less than six months, then we put them in a travel trailer.
But it depends on the circumstances. Obviously, if the family is too big
for a travel trailer then we put them in a mobile home. It depends on
the needs of the applicant."
According to Strong, no one gets temporary housing from FEMA without
a plan for permanent housing.
"Everybody has to have a housing plan that is part of the deal,"
he said. "They have to tell us what they are going to do to get into
permanent housing. Somebody with FEMA will check with them every month.
How long can they stay in here? As long as they need it. As long as they
can prove to us that they need it, that they are actually working on a
plan. There are some limits set. For a travel trailer it is six months,
for a mobile home, it is 18 months."
According to Strong, after their use, FEMA will get rid of the
homes and the trailers, but he wasn't sure what would happen to them.
"We don't know exactly what happens," Strong said. "They may be
offered to another government entity. That would include the local fire
department, sheriff department, that kind of thing. If there is no need
there, FEMA may gather them together and auction them off. They may actually
move from here to another disaster, if there is an ongoing disaster, but
FEMA doesn't store them. FEMA will get rid of them one way or another."
Kinsworthy said she isn't entirely sure what she is going to do
yet, it sort of depends on her insurance company and how much federal aid
money she can get.
"FEMA is supposed to help with some money but my insurance company
is the hold up," Kinsworthy said. "I had a mobile home up here and I
don't really know if I want to go that route again. But it doesn't matter
if it is a mobile home or a house, it will get you."
Strong said FEMA is still accepting applications for assistance.
"It's not a handout," he said. "You pay for it with your tax dollars.
If anyone needs help they should contact us."
Anyone who suffered losses or damages from the recent tornado can
register fro disaster assistance by calling FEMA at 1-800-621-3362.
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Opposed to Franklin
annexation
June 22, 2003
Letter to the Editor:
Dear Editor,
There are some important considerations that have not been addressed
or presented to the residents of Arma and Franklin. I would like to present
some issues that seem important to both communities on annexation.
There are many issues and questions that need addressed before
an offer of this magnitude is made by the City of Arma to the community
of Franklin. The issue of cost incurred to the City of Arma is unknown.
This cost would be of an amount that may not be feasible or realistic
for Arma to incur. Cost would include, but not limited to, the purchase
of the Rural Water District #7 to be determined by negotiations between
the two entities. The amount, at this time, is unknown, but the Water
District just received a grant for improvements amounting to about $398,000
at a debt service of $48,500, which does not include all lines and infrastructure
currently in the ground and future lost revenue.
Sewer District #3 is in the process of obtaining a grant for the
purpose of system installation. This system will go in, annexation or
not. This will incur a service debit at about $400,000. Are Arma residents
willing to pay for this?
There also is the issue of electricity. Franklin will receive
an increase in electrical rates if annexation is approved. Will Arma
incur the cost of purchasing the rights from Franklin's current supplier?
What will it cost Arma to obtain rights so it can receive revenue from
Franklin residents? Can Arma's budget cover the cost of maintenance to
maintain all roads, extension of utilities, street lights, fire hydrant
replacement, snow removal and maintenance of all utility infrastructures.
Can this be done without a tax increase to both communities involved?
Is the tax base that Arma will gain large enough to cover these cost?
Does Arma have enough employees and resources to cover an increased physical
and monetary debt of this magnitude?
The issue that concerns me is that no one, or very few, have enough
information that can support any kind of a decision at this time. Why
would a city want to annex an area that is in the process of rebuilding.
It would seem to me that it would be much more cost effective to have
the major projects completed before you would attempt annexation of this
magnitude. I don't see the residents of Arma willing to pay for Franklin's
sewer, but maybe they are!
I don't see them paying for our water district debt or the purchase
of the system. What I do see is Franklin paying for their own sewer.
I don't think Arma can charge Franklin residents $15 a month for sewer
without Arma residents paying for some of it as well!
In my opinion, the issue of annexation is not feasible or realistic
for either communities at this time. Everyone needs to stop and determine
the short term and long term costs and effects of a proposal of this
magnitude. It's not a cost effective or a financially sound investment.
Annexation does not support the best solution for either community at
this time.
Franklin has been growing each year in size on its own. The percentage
of growth and pace of growth have exceeded most communities in relationship
to size of the community. Franklin, as a community, has made tremendous
progress in the improvement of the water district infrastructure and is
well on the road to the installation of a sewer system. That will only
increase the growth and independence of Franklin.
Without a doubt, Franklin will expand and grow in size. Most of
the growth is to the south of the community. We, as the community of
Franklin, need to focus on our current projects to their completion. There
is no doubt that the residents have the ability and the initiative to
do so. Past performance proves that. We have been solid and united for
many years and should stay so. We, as residents of Franklin, and the
Arma City Council, need to do what is best for the residents of both communities.
Annexation is not the answer at this time.
As I have stated, there are many questions unanswered. I have
not heard whether the entire Arma City Council supports the issue of
annexation, nor if the residents of Arma support annexation. Budgets
are tight right now and the only thing that adds to them are some type
of revenue increase, not debt incurred. Electric revenues are not enough
so that only leaves one thing - tax increases across the board which will
affect all involved!
We, in Franklin, appreciate all that Arma has done to help us
during the tornado devastation. We appreciate the helping hand and are
willing to work with Arma, but annexation is not the best answer at
this time. The spirit of Franklin remains strong and willing to keep
growing.
Robert Craig Stokes, Franklin
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PHS student raises
funds for relief effor
June 22, 2003
Pittsburg High School senior Catherine Guo presented the Crawford
County Tornado Relief Fund with nearly $200 she collected from students
and staff at the high school.
Guo, who had been part of a student work group that helped with
tornado clean-up in Franklin, said the experience really inspired her.
"I felt that day when we went to Franklin and saw the damage and stuff
that it would be a really long time before everything would be cleared up,"
she explained.
She knew that many students hadn't been able to attend the work
day May 17, and she felt they needed to have a chance to help as well.
"I took several sessions of seminar and I went around to each of
the different classrooms and I collected money from PHS students and
staff," she said. "I got anything from $10 at once to two cents."
The money, a total of $190.46, went to the tornado relief fund.
But Guo didn't stop there.
"I also collected food donations, household and personal stuff,"
she said. Those goods went to the Salvation Army for distribution to
tornado victims as well.
Guo said community service just comes naturally to her. She has
been involved in community service since middle school. "I just love it,"
she said. "In high school, not a lot of us do much for the community,
when we have so much to be thankful for, we don't even realize. We have
to give something back to the next generation. It's just human nature."
Guo, the daughter of Andrew Guo and Joanne Wang of Pittsburg, is
also a member of Key Club, National Honor Society, and Spanish Club.
She is on the Honor Roll and works for the Crawford County Health Department
as a peer educator with Straight Talk. Guo plans to attend college after
graduating from PHS, majoring in pre-med and eventually becoming a doctor.
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Future of Franklin
Post Office topic of Sunday meeting
June 27, 2003
A meeting will be held Sunday night to discuss the future of the
U.S. Post Office in Franklin.
Franklin's post office was destroyed during the tornado on May
4 and postal service officials hope to discuss the future of the community's
post office.
The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Sunday at Henry Ashbachers'
shop, which is located behind Ashbachers' home at 108 S. Broadway in
Franklin.
Since the tornado, postal service to Franklin has been provided
through the Arma Post Office through rural delivery and post office boxes.
However, to ensure the postal service continues to provide the
best service to the Franklin community, officials are asking that residents
attend the meeting and voice their concerns on the issue. Representatives
from the postal service, as well as from Sen. Sam Brownback and Rep. Jim
Ryan's office, will be at the meeting and postal service representatives
will provide a presentation.
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Combo may be post
office's best shot
June 30, 2003
By OLIVE L. SULLIVAN
Morning Sun Staff Writer
FRANKLIN - The best option for Franklin to rebuild its post office
may be to combine it with the community center rebuilding project, according
to regional postal services manager Keith Coleman.
Coleman spoke Sunday evening at a Franklin community meeting. The
meeting was attended by about 50 residents, post office officials, local
political leaders including County Commissioner Tom Moody, state Sen.
Jim Barone, and representatives from the offices of U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback
and Rep. Jim Ryun.
Coleman told the assembly that a new post office would cost about
$150,000 and take at least two years to complete, if that was the recommendation
after the study process was completed. He said the community meeting
was in response to a petition submitted by concerned Franklin residents,
and a way to dispel rumors about the demise of the Franklin office.
"Technically speaking, the post office is still open. The building
is just gone," Coleman said, explaining that service was not disrupted
since residents had postal delivery by the next day through the Arma post
office. "Nobody has lost service," he said. "They may have some inconvenience."
He said Franklin would still have its community identity and its
own zip code even if mail service came from surrounding communities.
But community members spoke out passionately about their desire
to reopen a post office in Franklin, not just for convenience - although
a post office within walking distance and extended hours were both frequently
praised features - but for community pride.
"It's really a focal point for the small communities," explained
Melvin Patrick, a former postmaster himself and longtime Franklin resident.
"It would really be an asset to keep our post office."
Barone said he felt it would be "foolish" to take away a vital
service since the community is struggling to rebuild itself after the
May 4 tornado which destroyed much of the town, including the community
center and post office. The flag still flies in front of the former post
office each day, as a statement of community pride.
While Coleman said the process to build a facility could take years,
community members insisted that wasn't an option.
"I would expect the community could come up with a place to put
a post office, I expect by daylight if the post office wanted it," Barone
said, to applause.
Coleman pointed out that a new building would have to meet current
government specifications, including adequate parking and handicapped
access. The project would also have to be put out for bid.
"This community is going to rebuild," said Henry Ashbacher. "We're
going to make this community thrive. You can mark my words."
"You're here tonight, and this isn't a post office," pointed out
Connie Mori, manager of consumer affairs from the Postal Service office
in Kansas City. "The community is you all."
Trying to overcome Coleman's insistence that a new post office
would be a long-term goal, Cecil Lovelady said, "If we build it, will
you come?"
That's when community members came up with the suggestion of incorporating
the post office into the new community center. The center, funded by
the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the USDA Rural Development
Agency, will have to meet similar government specifications as a new post
office, and could be rented to the postal service in the same way the
former building was.
Shelley Phillips-Corley, president of the Franklin Community Civic
Center board, said there is plenty of room available on the new building
site to integrate a post office. "It's something we discussed right after
the storm. We've got the funding and we're ready to go," she said. "Quit
tabling this and studying this and just move forward. Wherever you're
standing in our way, just step aside and let us get on our way. We're asking
for you to help strengthen us and rebuild."
Ashbacher said the joint venture with the community center seemed
the most logical and feasible option.
Janice Rake, postmaster in Ottawa and one of the postal service
representatives, said, "That would be more economical from our point of
view."
"We do that all the time," Coleman added.
Rake told the assembly that their passion for their post office
is commendable. "Everybody wants their post office," but she said Franklin
residents have backed up their desire with a real plan and funding.
"You're willing to do that," she pointed out.
"I think it's wonderful," Mori said.
Coleman didn't offer a timeline for a final decision on the status
of the post office, but did say he will immediately research installing
a collection box in Franklin. He also said he would send specifications
for a free-standing building or for one that would be part of the community
center to Ashbacher, who will present the information at a future community
meeting.
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Crawford
County Commission Meeting
July 2, 2003
Commissioner Tom Moody reported on a Franklin meeting with representatives
of the U.S. Postal Service, which he attended June 29. He said residents
are pushing hard to get their post office, destroyed in the May 4 tornadoes,
up and running again.
"It was the hub of that small community," he said.
The postal service representatives really didn't give the community
an answer, Moody said, and he asked the commission to send a letter of
support for Franklin to the regional post office manager who led the meeting
Sunday night.
The commission directed Emerson to draft the letter.
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Emergency
landfill available - for a fee
July 9, 2003
By OLIVE L. SULLIVAN
Morning Sun Staff Writer
GIRARD - Crawford County on Monday finished its free collection
of debris from the May 5 tornados because funding from the Federal Emergency
Management Agency has ended. However, the emergency solid waste landfill
in Franklin will remain open under the operation of Fred VanBecelaere
as long as it is needed.
Crawford County Commissioners discussed the end of the county's
affiliation with the landfill at their regular meeting Tuesday. The landfill
will still be open for tornado-related debris, but now those using it will
have to pay a tipping fee. FEMA had been funding the free use of the temporary
landfill, but that money ran out as of Monday, according to County Counselor
Jim Emerson.
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Grant to help Franklin
build new community center
August 20, 2003
By JOE NOGA
Morning Sun Staff Writer
Franklin will be receiving a $50,000 grant from the United States
Department of Agriculture's Rural Development Office for the construction
of a new community center.
The new building will replace the previous facility that was destroyed
in the May 4 tornado and will serve a population of about 275 in the
unincorporated community.
John Houck is the treasurer and secretary of the Community Center
Committee and he said the group applied for the grant shortly after the
tornado came through Franklin.
"We kind of knew it was coming but there is a lot of detail work
involved in actually getting the funding," Houck said. "We've got $231,000
in funding besides this $50,000 that we are getting through FEMA and
through local involvement, including insurance. That grant hasn't been
completed as yet, but this is additional. The money from this grant is
for the furnishing and finishing of the building. The $231,000 will involve
the purchase of the land and the construction of the actual building."
Houck said state Sen. Jim Barone, D-Frontenac has been instrumental
in helping secure funding, but he said it would probably take most of the
$280,000 to build the 4,500 square foot facility.
"We hope it to be the best facility in the area," Houck said. "We
plan on putting all oak crown molding, chair-railing, all oak doors, all
Mexican floor tile inside, hardwood flooring on the dance floor and stage.
We hope to make it the Class A facility in this area."
Houck said that the facility would be used for wedding receptions,
funerals, bingo and other events.
"Besides the grand ballroom, we're having a smaller conference room
which we hope will be used by the water district, the Boy Scouts, 4-H and
various clubs of that nature."
Fees for usage will be used for building upkeep and paying bills.
Robert Craig Stokes, chairman of Crawford County Rural Water District
No. 7, which covers Franklin said the Community Center Committee has been
working hard to get the center rebuilt.
"I think that is great, we've been working really hard for it," Stokes
said. "The community has been working real hard on that issue and we've
had a lot of support. "They've done a great job.
Stokes said that there have been several committees formed since
the tornado. They are designed to work on different issues to get Franklin
rebuilt.
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