Photo: Science Photo Library RF
1 Weekend Tornado Outbreak Sees EF3 To EF5 Tornadoes Rip Through Nebraska, Iowa And Oklahoma
A massive outbreak of tornadoes ravaged several states over the weekend, leaving at least five dead, over a hundred injured, and scores of homes destroyed. The town of Sulphur, Oklahoma suffered extensive damage, with Gov. Kevin Stitt saying “It seems like every business downtown has been destroyed” after visiting to tour the devastation. Around 30 people were injured in the town of 5,000, with hospitals across the state reporting around 100 injuries. Among the four killed in Oklahoma during the severe weather was an infant according to Hughes County Emergency Management Director Mike Dockrey. Stitt issued an executive order yesterday declaring a state of emergency in 12 counties. The tornadoes that hit Sulphur and Marietta, Oklahoma were estimated by the National Weather Service as EF3s, which can produce sustained winds of between 136 and 165 mph. A tornado ripped through homes in Minden, Iowa on Friday, killing at least one person. About half of the small town was destroyed by the storm according to the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office. Roughly 80 tornadoes were reported in Douglas County, Nebraska along with closeby communities in Nebraska and Iowa. Omaha, Nebraska Mayor Jean Stothert said there were no deaths and few minor injuries after tornadoes hit her city. Despite the relatively good report on casualties, there was heavy damage to enough homes that Stothert said she planned to declare a state of emergency to allow those affected to have access to state and federal recovery aid. Two tornadoes hit the Omaha area on Friday afternoon, with one assessed as potentially an EF3 and the other an EF2. Two of the 106 tornadoes reported over the weekend were near Waco, Texas, with golfball-sized hail reported with the storms.
2 College Campus Protests Continued Over The Weekend, As Did The Arrests
The unrest on college campuses around the country continued over the weekend, as did the arrests. Around 275 people were arrested on Saturday at various campuses including Indiana University, Arizona State University, and Washington University. This weekend’s police activity took the number of total arrests since protests began to almost 900. It’s not just the students, however; faculty members at universities in California, Georgia, and Texas have initiated or passed symbolic votes of no confidence in their leadership. Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein said in a social media post that she and two of her campaign managers were among those arrested at Washington University in St. Louis on suspicion of trespassing. The Missouri chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned the arrests at the college as “heavy-handed.”
3 ASI-Progressive Canceling Homeowners Insurance In South Florida Right Before Hurricane Season
With hurricane season officially starting in just over a month, it’s an awkward time for those who live along the coast to have to start shopping for homeowner’s insurance. ASI-Progressive started sending letters out this week to homeowners to inform them that their insurance is being dropped. The company announced last year that it planned to drop about 100,000 policies. According to some who received a letter, it said the company was reducing their hurricane exposure. According to insurance agent Doug Nellans, “ASI-Progressive has partnered with another insurance company to effectively rescue a lot of the policyholders.” The company is expected to send out more letters in May and June; hurricane season starts on June 1st.