The Turner Report

The Books That Got Me Fired

2013-05-23T23:30:00.000-07:00

(The following is my latest Huffington Post blog.)

Two weeks ago today, I walked out of my classroom for perhaps the last time.

It wasn’t anything I planned. Even when I wrote for Huffington Post a couple of weeks ago recommending that young people not become teachers, I never stopped loving my job. I never lost my enthusiasm for teaching eighth graders the finer points of writing.

My students are still in my classroom every day and will be until May 21. I miss them greatly and hope, perhaps against all hope, that I will get a chance to be with them at least one more time before the school year ends.

That usually doesn’t happen, however, for teachers who have to be escorted from the school building by a police officer in full view of students who were boarding school buses to leave for the day.

You would think that I committed murder or engaged in one of those horrific relationships that bring shame to the teaching profession. That is not the case.

My crime- I write books.

It was just 15 minutes before my police escort that the assistant principal at Joplin East Middle School came into my room during my planning period and said, “They want to see you in the conference room.”

I went into the conference room and found the assistant principal, the principal, and a lady whom I had never seen before. She introduced herself as the school’s human resources director.

The first thing she did was whip a document out. “We prohibit the recording of district meetings like this,” she said, showing me the policy, “so I am going to ask you do you have your cell phone on you and is it turned on?”

“Feel free to check,” I said, as I took it out of my pocket.

“So I’m just going to ask that you turn it off, completely please, and I’m going to ask you to leave it out.”

Once I placed the phone on the table, the questioning began. I was asked about a number of blogs I have, including The Turner Report, my classroom blogs and a few blogs I started, but which had never really taken off.

One of those, which the woman took a particular interest in, was called Room 210 Discussion. I started the site 10 years ago when former students told me they would like to continue having the sorts of discussions they had when they were in my class. I created it and for a few months it was popular then it died down and for the most part, I had just put it out of my mind. During the fall of 2010, I thought once again about starting a discussion site. I changed the description at the top of the blog home page to indicate it was a place for discussion for students and former students, but I never followed up on it. I only used it sometimes to copy and paste some of my blog posts to increase the chance they might catch the attention of a search engine.

After asking me about my blogs, the woman caught me off guard by asking, “Did you write a sexually explicit book called No Child Left Alive?”

I told her I had written a book by that title and that it had sex scenes, but it was not sexually explicit.

She then asked if I had ever encouraged students to download the book and discuss it.

“No.”

With a dramatic flair, she whipped out a page that had been printed from that Room 210 Discussion site and pointed out to me a part that encouraged people to download the book for free and discuss it. I knew what had happened and tried to explain the website was not used for classroom purposes, probably had only about 5 to 10 visitors a month and it was unlikely any of those were students.

She cut me off, saying I would get my chance to give my side.

I never did.

She wasn’t finished, however. She asked me if I wrote a book called Scars from the Tornado. I said I had. It was a book that I wrote, along with students from East Middle School who shared their experiences in the May 22, 2011, tornado and during our first year in our warehouse school.

“Did you advertise that book on your classroom websites?”

“Yes.”

No further questions were asked. I was told I would be placed on “paid administrative leave” while an investigation was conducted.

The bell had just sounded and the shouts of students joyously dashing into the halls, another school day behind them, forced the woman to raise her voice.

After that, I was escorted to my room by the principal, assistant principal, the human resources director, and the police officer. ‘

“We don’t want to draw a lot of attention,” she said, as our parade began, drawing a lot of attention. I handed my school keys to the principal, removed a few personal belongings, and was taken out of the school by the policeman.

As he took me past students and out to my car, I realized I had left my jacket in my classroom, so he escorted me back into my room and back out to my car.

And I left East Middle School, perhaps forever.

For the next 10 days, I waited to hear the results of this “investigation.” Since I had provided the woman with a telephone number, I assumed I would be called for more questions.

That never happened.

On Thursday, I was reading when there was a loud knock on my door. A man sent by the school district delivered an envelope containing 28 pages of charges against me.

Much of it centered on what they termed as “immoral conduct” because I had allegedly encouraged students to read obscene material. I was never allowed to explain that the download reference on my blog, which was not a classroom blog, was from a December 16,2012, Daily Kos diary written just after the murders at Sandy Hook, in which I noted at the end of the piece that No Child Let Alive dealt with the subject of school violence. I invited the Daily Kos readers to download it and discuss it. I had then copied and pasted it into Room 210 for Teachers and Room 210 Discussion. It obviously was never intended for children. That is one of the reasons why the book was published under my real name, William Turner, instead of Randy Turner, the name I normally use.

I was also charged with profiting from the work done by my students in the Scars from the Tornado book and of not getting parental permission to use the material. I had never been asked about either thing, only if I advertised it.

I gave away 1,111 free e-copies of Scars to fulfill a promise I made that all students and staff at East would get one and I had also offered the same deal to the community. Tough way to make a profit.

In addition, as I had written in another blog post, I invested nearly $5,000 in the book and despite that, I had been talking to my fellow teachers, students, and parents about ways to put proceeds into a charity. One of my fellow teachers had suggested a Scars from the Tornado Foundation, with money going to other schools like Joplin’s, Tuscaloosa’s or Sandy Hook that went through tragedies. The students who contributed to the book would serve as a board of directors. All of this had been publicized in my Turner Report blog, as well as on Facebook, and I had also talked the idea over with my principal.

As for those parental permission slips, as I write this, I am sitting a few feet from a folder full of signed parental permission slips.

She never asked.

So a book that has been nothing except positive for Joplin, Scars from the Tornado, is being used to remove me from a job I love.

Why is this happening?

It appears the biggest problem is that in No Child Left Alive, a novel about a year in a dysfunctional high school, I wrote about problems I had heard about from teachers across the United States, including those in Joplin.

I would surmise, that perhaps one of the characterizations in the book offended an administrator. All I know is that when our superintendent issued a statement about my leave, he did not say it was a parent who turned me in, or a student. The complaint came from “a district employee.”

My understanding is that district officials are challenging my claim that I received no opportunity to defend myself. Not only was I treated the way I said I was, but my students and fellow faculty members were treated the same way as they were interrogated in efforts to get them to say something bad about me.

Hopefully, the audio will prove how, in a school district which prides itself on a no tolerance policy for bullies who prey on children, there seems to be no protection from bullies who prey on teachers.

Homeland Security director presents award to Jane Cage

2013-05-22T20:39:00.004-07:00

(From the City of Joplin)

Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano today announced that Jane Cage, Chair of the Citizens Advisory Recovery Team (CART) in Joplin Mo., and the citizens of Joplin have been awarded the Rick Rescorla National Award for Resilience, recognizing their contributions in the aftermath of the devastating tornadoes that struck Joplin in May 2011.

“The Rick Rescorla National Award for Resilience recognizes outstanding response to a catastrophic incident and leadership in fostering resilient and prepared communities," said Secretary Napolitano. “Jane Cage and the Joplin community demonstrate this spirit of resilience and strength, serving as models for communities across our nation.”

As Chair of CART in Joplin, Jane Cage demonstrated exceptional leadership in helping the Joplin community recover from the devastating May tornado. After the tornado, the Citizens Advisory Recovery Team was established to provide a forum between citizens and the City Council as the community recovers and rebuilds. Jane Cage created the “Listening to Joplin” plan, which served as the foundation of the community’s recovery efforts. CART used a variety of opportunities to reach members across the community, including those who were personally overwhelmed by their own losses from the storm.

The entire Joplin community played an important role in the recovery process, deciding together to build more resilient schools outside of the floodplain, develop stronger standards for home construction, and to develop shared facilities to use as storm shelters.

The Joplin tornado, which killed 161 people and injured approximately 1,000, ranks as one of the deadliest disasters in United States' history, and is the costliest tornado in U.S. history.

Earlier this year, Secretary Napolitano announced the creation of the Rick Rescorla National Award for Resilience, in memory of Richard "Rick" Rescorla, who on September 11, 2001 led a massive evacuation of Morgan Stanley's 2,700-person workforce located in the South Tower, saving the lives of many of his coworkers.

The Rick Rescorla National Award for Resilience is the Department of Homeland Security’s first national resilience award for superior leadership and innovation by a non-governmental individual or organization who exemplifies the qualities and achievements of Rick Rescorla, emphasizing leadership in effective preparation, response, and recovery in the face of disasters.

Economic Development Administration announces $20 million grant to assist Joplin's economic recovery

2013-05-22T19:44:00.002-07:00

(From the City of Joplin)

Acting U.S. Secretary of Commerce Rebecca Blank today announced that the Economic Development Administration (EDA) will award a $20 million grant to Joplin, Missouri, to assist with the city’s economic recovery following a significant tornado in 2011. The grant will help fund the redevelopment of Joplin’s 20th Street corridor. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Matt Erskine participated in a city-organized event in Cunningham Park today, along with other federal and local officials, to commemorate the second anniversary of the tornado’s touchdown.

“This $20 million investment is an example of the Obama administration’s commitment to helping communities impacted by natural disasters rebuild their infrastructure and their economies,” said Acting Secretary Blank. “The EDA grant announced today will help revitalize the 20th Street commercial corridor, which is critical to the city’s economic activity. Ensuring that Joplin is open for business is crucial to the city’s long-term recovery efforts.”

The 2011 tornado had a tremendous impact on the city’s economy, damaging or destroying more than 550 businesses and approximately 7,500 housing units, according to the city. The 20th Street corridor project will incorporate mixed-use space for retail, residential, dining, and entertainment uses, making it an integral part of Joplin’s long-term master plan for recovery.

“Two years after the devastating Joplin tornado, we’ve witnessed remarkable rebuilding and recovery efforts across the region,” said U.S. Senator Roy Blunt. “I’m thankful Joplin received this grant, which will continue to revitalize the community and spur new economic development opportunities in the City’s 20th Street Corridor.”

“We are grateful for this grant as it spurs additional redevelopment activities within Joplin and demonstrates what can be accomplished through collaboration among many. We are pleased with this economic development effort, as it creates opportunities for new business which will provide jobs for our citizens,” said Joplin Mayor Melodee Colbert-Kean.

In addition to the funding announced today, EDA previously awarded two disaster recovery grants to Joplin. Shortly after the disaster in 2011, EDA invested $341,537 in the Harry S. Truman Coordinating Council of Carl Junction, Mo., to support the appointment of both regional and local Disaster and Economic Recovery Coordinators who have worked to advance economic recovery efforts in the tornado-impacted Joplin region.

Earlier this year, EDA also invested $3 million in Joplin to support the rebuilding and equipping of the Franklin Technology Center. Operated by the Joplin School District, the Franklin Technology Center will provide skills training to students in the school system, as well as specialized training to adults already in the workforce, allowing for the enhancement of the career training program focused on manufacturing and technology.

This project is part of a $200 million appropriation made by Congress to EDA to help communities that received a major disaster designation in fiscal year 2011 with long-term economic recovery and infrastructure support.

Within the context of the administration’s National Disaster Recovery Framework (NDRF), EDA serves as the Coordinating Agency on behalf of the Department of Commerce for the Economic Recovery Support Function (RSF) to coordinate the activities of a diverse group of partner agencies supporting recovery in disaster-impacted communities. The activities consist primarily of improved information sharing and the leveraging of existing resources to make a positive impact for communities affected by disasters.

About the U.S. Economic Development Administration (www.eda.gov)
The mission of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing the nation's regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. An agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, EDA makes investments in economically distressed communities in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth.

Joplin Tornado survivor rides out Moore tornado

2013-05-22T09:35:00.002-07:00

Video of 2013 Joplin High School Graduation

2013-05-22T09:21:00.000-07:00

Some of my former students were among those who received their diplomas Sunday afternoon during Joplin High School Graduation ceremonies shown in this Jet 14 video.

Former Joplin Globe publisher to Moore, Oklahoma: Things will get better

2013-05-22T09:16:00.001-07:00

From NBC Action News Kansas City

Residents can sign banner for Moore at Joplin Tornado anniversary observance

2013-05-21T21:18:00.000-07:00

(From the City of Joplin)

During the second anniversary event of May 22, 2011, Joplin City officials will have a large banner for all wishing to send messages of hope and encouragement to sign. Citizens can sign a 20-foot long banner stating “Miracle of the Human Spirit” the message that the City of Joplin has adopted as their mantra these past two years as everyone works together to rebuild their community.

“We remember receiving these types of messages from people of all ages depicted on various types of artwork and items,” said City Manager Mark Rohr. “These inspirational gifts really did lift up our spirits, and we hope we can do the same for them.”

In addition, Joplin officials have been in contact with Moore officials and suggest that those looking to help the Moore community may want to consider donating to a reputable organization, agency or church that has a mission of helping citizens following a disaster. Some of these might include American Red Cross, The Salvation Army, Convoy of Hope, and Habitat for Humanity. Please note this is not a definitive list, but provides examples of organizations that assist with disaster recovery for citizens.

“We know people have a lot of compassion for their fellow citizens facing a difficult situation,” said Rohr. “In respect to the Moore community’s wishes, we suggest a consideration of a cash gift to a reputable group, agency, or church that is providing relief services in their community and will assist these groups address unmet needs of their citizens as they move through the various recovery phases.”

Students under 18 will not be allowed into my hearing without a parent

2013-05-21T13:54:00.000-07:00

If anyone wonders why I haven't given an interview to the Joplin Globe since I was escorted out of East Middle School by a police officer April 8, the article posted online pretty much says it all.

Reporter Emily Younker has made numerous efforts to get me to talk, both through e-mail and by phone over the past six weeks. I have politely declined all of those requests.

Today's article, just like the first and only other article the Globe has published about this situation, is heavily weighted toward administration's side of the issue.

The superintendent issued a statement on the situation in which he stated, for no apparent reason, that there were 28 pages of charges against me and if you want to know what Mr. Turner has been charged with, you are going to have to ask him.

At one point, I offered to provide the Globe reporter with information off the record so that she would have a better understanding of what is going on here. She said she did not do things that way. I ended the conversation.

The question remains if she doesn't do things that way, why is there a mention in both of her articles that No Child Left Alive contains "graphic sexual content." Did she download the book and then offer her own opinion of it or, and this seems much more likely, she accepted a description of the book from someone in administration and then dropped it into both of her stories, something which benefits the administration's efforts to paint me as a pornographer, a description that does not coincide with those of people who have actually read the book.

The reporter is also misleading the Globe readership when she quoted me as saying, "I don't have any plans to comment." She left ouf the part where I told her I had already made my statements on the Turner Report and she could use any or all of what I have written. Apparently, my side of the story is only worthwhile if it comes in response to her questions, while administration can simply issue a news release and it goes straight to page one.

If there was any justice, the administration should have to prove that I assigned this book and deliberately tried to get students to "download and discuss" it before they can start reading graphic passages during the hearing. This looks to be another method of cutting down on the number of people who will show up to support me.

American Red Cross: How you can help Moore, Oklahoma

2013-05-21T10:12:00.002-07:00

(From American Red Cross, Southern Missouri Region)

The American Red Cross volunteers opened several cases for disaster relief Seneca and Taney County overnight and are continuing to respond as other calls for sporadic assistance come in from across the 40 county Region.

While we continue to work with individual cases here in Missouri, our teams of trained Volunteers are also prepared to respond to help our Neighbors in Oklahoma who are suffering. Debi Meeds, American Red Cross, Southern Missouri Regional CEO will be leaving for Oklahoma City first thing on Wednesday 5/22/13 to support the CEO in the Central and Western Oklahoma Region. Sadly on what is the 2nd anniversary of the tragedy in Joplin Missouri, she knows all too well the response that will consume the next days, weeks, and months as the Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to the people affect by this most recent disaster.

We recognize that people want to help during this very large response effort and are so thankful to live in an area where people have such a heart for service to others in need. If you would like to help here is the information that we have at this time.

Monetary donations are the very best way to help. Your donations allow us to purchase supplies and relief items locally as well as to provide shelter, food and emotional support to those in desperate need in Oklahoma and across the Midwest.

If you are interested in volunteering, we ask at the request of the local Emergency Management in Oklahoma that you not self-deploy. This can cause delays in the current efforts which are search, rescue and recovery.

Please visit (http://www.redcross.org/support/volunteer ) or your local office's page and complete the volunteer application.

Inside the Affected Area:

If you are inside the affected area, the best thing to do is to sign up online right now. This will be where the list is pulled from once we are able to put folks to work and provide them with a little bit of training. You should expect to receive a call within a week at most, please be patient; they are dealing with a lot and are going to be trying their best to answer calls for assistance until a Spontaneous Volunteer Centers is set up. Listen to the news and as soon as something is set up as far as a volunteer center goes, please follow the local instructions.

Outside the Affected Area:

The Red Cross depends upon a highly skilled and trained volunteer workforce. The best bet is for folks to sign up with their local chapter now, and get trained for the next disaster. Chances are you will not be deployed to this disaster because of the time it takes to train a volunteer for a job function, but we always encourage preparedness for the next time.

We will get more information to you as we have it. Additional questions or to set up an interview about the relief efforts, please contact Nigel Holderby 417-207-6349 or email nigel.holderby@redcross.org

You can help people affected by disasters like this devastating tornado as well as countless crises at home and around the world, by making a donation to support American Red Cross Disaster Relief. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for and provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance in response to disasters. Visit www.redcross.org , call 1-800-RED-CROSS or text REDCROSS to 90999. Contributions may also be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013.

KZRG, Ignite Church collecting materials for Moore, Okla.

2013-05-21T09:37:00.002-07:00

(From KZRG)

News Talk KZRG is teaming up with IgniteChurch.tv to collect much needed items for the Moore, OK Tornado survivors. We are collecting items right now at our studios on 32nd street next to Food For Less in Joplin!

Here are the items we're collecting: Please share this with everyone you know! The truck will be staffed until 6 p.m. today and again tomorrow unless we get it filled today!

Hygiene Products (Combs, Tooth Paste & Tooth Brush, Deodorant, Feminine Products, Soap, Shampoo)

First Aid

Baby Items (Diapers & etc. No Baby Clothes)

Batteries

Flash Lights

Gallon Ziploc Bags

PLEASE No Clothes at this time! Help spread the word!

Moore Oklahoma Tornado Info Site created

2013-05-21T09:27:00.005-07:00

Those of us who were in Joplin on May 22, 2011, and the weeks and months afterward remember what a positive impact the Joplin Tornado Info website had.

The founders of that site have since gone on to provide a similar service in other times of disaster, including the Feb. 29, 2012, Branson Tornado.

Genevieve and Rebecca Williams have created a Moore Oklahoma Tornado Info Site and it already has 34,767 likes at last glance.

If you are looking for a clearinghouse for information and ways to help those in Moore, the Williams family is again providing a wonderful public service.

City of Joplin sends support to Moore, Okla. tornado victims

2013-05-20T18:34:00.005-07:00

(From the City of Joplin)

Joplin City officials have organized a support team of public safety employees and deployed them to Moore, Oklahoma to arrive later tonight. The team included approximately a dozen members from the police and fire departments.

This group will offer assistance and conduct an assessment to determine the areas of support that may be needed as the community of Moore continues their search and rescue efforts and begins the cleanup work in their city.

“As we saw the devastation that the tornado caused in their community, we began the preparation to send personnel to assist the city of Moore,” said Joplin City Manager Mark Rohr. “We remember the amount of assistance that we received following the tornado two years ago, and we want to help others as they helped us. We know too well what their community is facing, and we feel an obligation to serve them as they have served us.”

Joplin City officials will work with their community to offer other types of assistance after receiving the assessment from the initial team and talking with their city officials in upcoming days.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with our neighbors in Oklahoma, and will provide assistance following this destructive storm.” Rohr said.

Storm chasers reunite with teen they rescued during Joplin Tornado

2013-05-20T16:58:00.001-07:00

A KOAM report

KOAM TV 7

Tornado sirens sound in Joplin

2013-05-20T16:50:00.003-07:00

Just two days shy of the two-year anniversary of the Joplin Tornado and the sirens are sounding once again.

Jasper and Newton counties are under tornado warning until 7:15 p.m.

At the moment, the heavy rains are in Seneca in Newton County, but heading up 43 toward Joplin.

(From the National Weather Service)

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NEWTON AND SOUTHERN JASPER
COUNTIES UNTIL 715 PM CDT...

AT 643 PM CDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO
WAS LOCATED NEAR SENECA...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 60 MPH.

HAZARD...DEVELOPING TORNADO.

SOURCE...RADAR INDICATED ROTATION.

IMPACT...MOBILE HOMES WILL BE HEAVILY DAMAGED OR DESTROYED.
         SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO ROOFS...WINDOWS AND VEHICLES WILL
         OCCUR. FLYING DEBRIS WILL BE DEADLY TO PEOPLE AND ANIMALS.
         EXTENSIVE TREE DAMAGE IS LIKELY.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
AIRPORT DRIVE...CARTERVILLE...CARTHAGE...DIAMOND...DUENWEG...
DUQUESNE...GRANBY...IRON GATES...JOPLIN...LEAWOOD...NEOSHO...
SAGINAW...SENECA...SHOAL CREEK DRIVE...SILVER CREEK AND WEBB CITY.

INTERSTATE 44 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 1 AND 26 WILL ALSO BE IMPACTED BY
THIS DANGEROUS STORM.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW. MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A
STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF IN A MOBILE HOME...A VEHICLE OR
OUTDOORS...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER AND PROTECT
YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

THIS LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING TORNADOES AND
WIDESPREAD SIGNIFICANT WIND DAMAGE. DO NOT WAIT TO SEE OR HEAR THE
TORNADO. FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR OF YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS.

&&

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM CDT MONDAY EVENING
FOR SOUTHEAST KANSAS AND SOUTHERN MISSOURI.

Wichita TV news staff takes cover during tornado

2013-05-20T15:39:00.002-07:00

KOAM ranked in top one percent among CBS affiliates

2013-05-20T15:14:00.003-07:00

(From KOAM)

KOAM-TV finished in the top 1% among all CBS affiliates in the United States according to the A.C. Nielsen Company’s February 2013 report.

KOAM-TV president and general manager Danny Thomas said that “KOAM has been fortunate over the last several years to finish in the top ten percent of CBS Affiliates. The February performance was really over the top.”

The rankings were compiled by Nielsen Media Research using Household Shares.

“It feels like we have the best coordination of our 85 employees we’ve ever had, continued Thomas, “it’s really about the staff and, more importantly, their coordinated efforts that made this happen.”

Of the other affiliates in the market FOX affiliate KFJX-TV finished 77 out of its 206 affiliates. ABC affiliate KODE-TV came in 69 out of 212 affiliates. And KSNF-TV finished 129 out of 212 NBC affiliates.

The Joplin/Pittsburg market is ranked 149 in overall market size out of the 212 national markets. The local market includes five counties in southwest Missouri, one county in northeast Oklahoma and eight counties in southeast Kansas.

Tornadic weather to reach Joplin area around 7 p.m.

2013-05-20T15:04:00.001-07:00

(From City of Joplin)

NWS advises a confirmed tornado N or Tulsa, moving NE. Should be in our area around 1900 hours. Tornado threat has increased due to the fact the atmosphere has destabilized. We encourage people to not be out and about tonight but to seek shelter and remain there.

Rita Hunter sentencing scheduled for June 20

2013-05-20T13:57:00.002-07:00

Former Jasper County Public Administrator Rita Hunter' sentencing has been scheduled for 10:30 a.m. June 20 in U. S. District Court in Springfield.

Mrs. Hunter, the wife of former Rep. Steve Hunter, R-Joplin, pleaded guilty to document fraud November 6 as part of a plea bargain agreement. She had also been charged with two counts of health care fraud, two counts of theft of public money, two additional counts of document fraud, two counts of Social Security fraud, and two counts of Medicaid fraud.

Court documents indicate Mrs. Hunter could be sentenced to up to five years in prison, be fined $250,000, and be placed on supervised probation for three years after her release.

Tornado watch issued for Jasper, Newton counties until 10 p.m.

2013-05-20T10:50:00.002-07:00

(From the National Weather Service)

TORNADO WATCH 190 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM CDT FOR THE
 FOLLOWING LOCATIONS

MOC009-011-013-015-019-027-029-033-037-039-043-047-051-053-057-
059-077-083-085-089-095-097-101-105-107-109-119-125-131-135-141-
145-151-159-161-167-169-177-185-195-209-217-225-229-210300-
/O.NEW.KWNS.TO.A.0190.130520T1745Z-130521T0300Z/

    MISSOURI COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE

BARRY                BARTON              BATES
BENTON               BOONE               CALLAWAY
CAMDEN               CARROLL             CASS
CEDAR                CHRISTIAN           CLAY
COLE                 COOPER              DADE
DALLAS               GREENE              HENRY
HICKORY              HOWARD              JACKSON
JASPER               JOHNSON             LACLEDE
LAFAYETTE            LAWRENCE            MARIES
MCDONALD             MILLER              MONITEAU
MORGAN               NEWTON              OSAGE
PETTIS               PHELPS              POLK
PULASKI              RAY                 SALINE
ST. CLAIR            STONE               VERNON
WEBSTER              WRIGHT

C. J. Huff: We're seeing various degrees of post-traumatic stress disorder

2013-05-20T10:11:00.001-07:00

The Springfield News-Leader offered an update as the two-year anniversary of the May 22, 2011, Joplin Tornado approaches, including this assessment of Joplin schools from Superintendent C. J. Huff:

Four major school projects are rapidly moving forward, after six schools were destroyed and four more were substantially damaged.

"The tornado will forever be on our minds, but as a community, we're moving on," Superintendent C.J. Huff said.

Huff said the district remains focused on helping youths and families recover from the tornado, which killed seven Joplin students. Out of a school population of 7,600, Huff said, about 1,400 are receiving mental health care through the district.

"We're seeing various degrees of post-traumatic stress disorder," Huff said. "The older ones are better able to verbalize their concerns, while the younger ones are more likely to act out. Fear of storms is an ongoing challenge for some of our kids."

Storms cause damage in Carthage

2013-05-20T09:52:00.002-07:00

From Spirit of Hope: the 2012 Joplin High School Graduation

2013-05-20T09:10:00.001-07:00

(Sunday marked the second Joplin High School graduation since the May 22, 2011, tornado. And while it was certainly an eerie feeling to hear the weather reports talking about possible tornadoes once more, everything turned out all right for the Class of 2013.In this sample chapter from Spirit of Hope: The Year After the Joplin Tornado, I write about the 2012 Joplin High School Graduation ceremony with the emphasis on Sarah Kessler, a graduate and one of my former students, who lost her home during the tornado.)

The smile never vanished from Sarah Kessler’s face as she listened to the names of one student after another being called onstage to receive their diplomas.

It takes a while to go through 431 names. Fortunately for Sarah, her name was closer to the beginning of the alphabet so she would have to stand in line for much less time than some of her classmates.

It had been an exciting evening for the tall, slender (“I’m a beanpole,” she says) senior. About an hour and a half earlier she had been in a room with the President of the United States. It was not her voice that said, “Oh, my God, the leader of the free world,”-that was a classmate- but she could understand the awe.

The Joplin High School Class of 2012 listened to seemingly endless speeches- from High School Principal Kerry Sachetta, Superintendent C. J. Huff, Gov. Jay Nixon, and yes, from President Barack Obama “the leader of the free world,” in a ceremony that started a few minutes late.

All of the speakers had praised Sarah and her classmates. “You are an inspiration,” the president had said, but somehow Sarah did not feel like an inspiration. As she waited, she thought back over the past year, the path that led her from the most horrifying moments of her life, some spent in this same building, the Leggett & Platt Center on the Missouri Southern State University campus, to where she was today, a few moments from receiving her diploma- her ticket into adulthood.

It still brought a shudder to her every time she thought about the events of May 22, 2011.

That weekend had been a big one for the Kessler family. A day earlier, the wedding of Sarah’s older sister, Kate, had taken place. Sarah and her brother, Will, had provided music for the occasion- Sarah on her beloved violin, Will on guitar.

“My entire family was in town,” Sarah recalled. The family stayed for another big event the next day, Will Kessler’s graduation with the Joplin High School Class of 2011.

The family watched with pride as Will received his diploma, had pictures taken afterward, and then Will left. “He had a party he was going to, so he left before the rest of us,” Sarah said. It was shortly after Will left that the tornado siren sounded.

As the rest of the Kessler family was about to leave, a security guard stopped them. “He told us we had to go to the basement. We didn’t have a choice. We were all wanting to leave.”

The guard escorted the family to the locker room area with five or six other families to wait out the storm. “We were down there for a quite a while,” Sarah said. It was there that they received word that Home Depot had been hit. “That’s when we started to get nervous about my brother because we live a block from the high school. One of the easiest ways to get from the college to my house was down 20^th.”

Scaring the Kesslers even more was their inability to contact Will. There was no phone coverage in the locker room. “That was the scariest 30 minutes in my life, not knowing where my brother was, or even if he was still alive.”

Finally, they were able to contact Will. He had been driving through the heart of the storm. “He said he prayed the whole time he was in the car. He just got a new car and he is a good driver. Thank God for both of those things. He said was dodging flying cars, flying trees,” Sarah lowered her voice, “flying people.”

Will Kessler ended up at a church at 26^th and Connecticut.

Now that they knew Will was all right, the family piled into two cars to head toward their home, which they now knew had been in the path of the tornado.

“We went down Rangeline, but that wasn’t going to happen. It was mass chaos everywhere, so we drove down side streets. It was terrifying; the closer we got to home, the worse the destruction. We wondered if home was going to be there.”

As what would normally be a 15-minute trip had already taken more than a half hour, Sarah’s dad received a call from Will.

“Where are you?” her father asked.

“Home.”

“Do we have a home left?”

“Sort of.”

Still seven blocks from home, Sarah’s dad stopped the car, jumped out and began walking. Sarah’s cousin took the wheel. After what seemed an eternity, Sarah was close enough to see her house.

“I will never be able to forget that. We were on Indiana and I can remember driving up to 20^th Street. I could see clear to the hospital. There was nothing there. I saw the school, then I looked slightly to the left. Our house was built a little better than the ones around us. It was the least damaged. The lower level was still standing. You could see a part of the upper story where my brother’s room was.”

The first words she said when she saw what was left of her home will be forever burned into her memory. “I remember looking at it, crying, and saying to my cousin, ‘That’s my house. That’s my house.’ All I could think was it was gone.”

At that point, Sarah got out of the car, stepping over downed power lines, walking between cars. “I walked the path between the school and my house, the same as I had done every day since my freshman year.”

She spotted Will and ran to him, hugging him. The two stood crying. They checked on neighbors to make sure they were all right and then went into their house to see what had survived.

Much of the family’s irreplaceable sentimental items, including photo albums and papers, were unharmed since they were under their parents’ bed in the lower level. “We were able to salvage quite a bit,” Sarah said. “We were fortunate.”

And the one possession that Sarah cherished above all others- her violin- was also undamaged, as was her brother’s guitar. “We had played my sister down the aisle at the wedding and when we got home, we left the instruments downstairs in the hallway.” Had they taken the instruments upstairs where they were normally kept, they would have been swept away.

“That was about the only happy thing that happened that night. I love playing the violin. It has always been special to me.”

For the next few weeks after the tornado, Sarah and her family stayed with Matt Proctor, president of Ozark Christian College, his wife, Katie, and their six children. Some of the time Sarah stayed with Rebecca McMillin, her best friend since kindergarten.

The Kessler family lost some of its animals, but “we found two of our rabbits and two of our cats.” The family also had two dogs, Hank, a yellow lab, and Rusty, a golden retriever.

After a few days, Rebecca McMillin talked Sarah into going to the Humane Society to see if her dogs were there. “I didn’t want to go. I was afraid I wouldn’t find them.” When they walked into the building with the dogs, “I saw Rusty right off the bat. I went up to the cage and he started barking.” When he was released, he ran into Sarah. “Basically, he almost knocked me over. It was so good to see him.”

Sarah was never able to find Hank.

A new home had to be found for Rusty after the Kesslers moved into an apartment, where they would have to stay for quite a while before their house could be rebuilt.

In the days following the tornado, many friends helped the Kessler family through its ordeal, including some they had never met before. “The people from our church (Central City Christian Church) were there for us. They helped us with our house and helped us move into our apartment.”

The summer was a blur for Sarah. After a couple of weeks dealing with the aftermath of the worst night of her life, Sarah had an opportunity to get away from it all for a short time, as she traveled with Ozark Christian College’s Highest Praise Choir, playing her violin. “It was nice to get away,” she said. “It was such an encouraging environment.”

When she returned, it was not to the home she had known for her whole life, but to a place she had never seen before. “I didn’t quite have a room. My room was full of boxes, so I stayed on the couch in the living room for a while, but that was okay. It took us quite a while to get everything put in its place. It was mass chaos.”

It was also not the home she knew. “We had just remodeled our house, spent the last two or three months before the tornado just totally redoing it. We had a beautiful new deck. I told everyone that next year, we would have to have all of our study parties at my house.

“Obviously, that didn’t happen.”

Sarah threw herself into volunteer work, helping Forest Park Baptist Church’s Mission Joplin. Sarah’s plans to spend her summer looking for colleges were tossed aside. That would have to wait.

Before she knew it, it was time for her senior year of high school to begin, not at the historic building she could walk to every morning, but in a box store at Northpark Mall. “I thought it would be poorly put together. When school actually started, it was so much better than I could have possibly imagined. It’s not the best, obviously, because it is not a permanent facility, but it worked.”

Sarah will never forget the first day of school at Northpark Mall. “It was all hugs and laughter and smiles. Even with people you barely knew, it was like, ‘Oh, my goodness. I know you. You’re alive.’ “

That spirit continued throughout the school year. “The student body seemed to be closer. There is something that links us all together.”

As the school year passed, there were many positive moments such as using another tornado survivor, her violin, to earn a I rating at state and being a part of the Prom Court. “That was something totally unexpected.” Her fourth year as a member of Key Club, a service organization, was also a highlight. Sarah was lieutenant governor on the Missouri/Arkansas Board.

And while she didn’t have a deck for study parties, she had something even better. “We have a roof at our apartment,” she said. “The other night my dad and I had a candlelight dinner of beans and weenies on our roof.”

Even though the Kessler family will soon move back into a house, Sarah confided, “I kind of like our little apartment. We all secretly kind of like it.”

The experience of living through the tornado has helped strengthen Sarah Kessler’s faith. “I’m a Christian. I’m very proud of that. One of the biggest lessons I have learned is to trust in Him no matter what. No matter what the situation is, He will take care of you.”

God helped provide for her family, Sarah said, with everything from saving her brother Will the day of the tornado to helping them to cope with the aftermath of the storm.

“I went through, maybe not quite depression, but I wasn’t my normal, bouncy self for a while,” Sarah said. “When that happened, I needed to reconnect with Him. I learned that the more I make an effort in my relationship with God, the more joyful and hopeful I was, the more content I was.”

By this time, Sarah had moved to near the front of the line. In a few moments, her name would be called and she would leave Joplin High School forever. The next stop for Sarah will be Missouri State University in Springfield where she will study music education.

“I’ve always wanted to be a teacher since I was little. I like helping other people learn and I have a lot of patience. Teaching comes naturally to me.”

“Sarah Kessler.”

A smile spread across her face and there was a spring in her walk as she stepped forward to receive her diploma. She turned to her family in the audience and smiled, then she took a brief moment to give thanks.

The path to graduation had not been an easy one for Sarah Kessler, but the moment had arrived and she knew this was never something she could have done alone.

“One big lesson I have learned this year is that even when you can’t feel God’s presence, that doesn’t mean He’s not there. God has promised us he will never leave us.”

This time, Sarah felt His presence.

(Spirit of Hope: The Year After the Joplin Tornado is available at Amazon.com and can be ordered from the ad in the upper right hand corner of this page.)

Rep. Hampton tells how legislature wasted its time this session

2013-05-20T09:03:00.001-07:00

In his latest report to constituents, Rep. Kent Hampton, R-Malden, offers a rundown of everything that was done during the recently completed legislative session...and he is actually proud of this stuff.

The session has officially ended (some would say that’s good for all of us). Listed below are a few of the bills that were truly agreed and finally passed by both chambers and sent to the governor’s desk for his signature to become law.

In the midst of an alarming trend towards gun control at the national level, the Missouri legislature took action to guarantee our citizens’ Constitutional right to self-defense.

The most important piece of Second Amendment legislation undertaken this session was the Second Amendment Preservation Act or HB 436. This bill affirms some basic tenets that supporters of the Constitution hold true: that the states created the federal government as an agent to resolve international disputes and regulate interstate commerce. HB 436 declares that while some states may unconditionally submit to Washington, the state of Missouri reserves the power to make laws regarding the everyday life, liberty, and property of its citizens.

Furthermore, some powers – including the right to bear arms in defense of one’s life, home, and family – belong to the people of this country. Because the Constitution does not grant the federal government the power to infringe on the people’s right to self-defense, any attempt by the federal government to usurp this power will be invalid in this state.

The dubious actions of the Department of Revenue regarding scanning source documents and submitting lists of CCW holders to the federal government have caused an uproar this spring, and rightly so. Individuals need to go through government agencies to get licenses and permits, but personal information should be private, not carelessly tossed in the mail or made readily available to hackers.
To prevent such breeches of privacy from occurring again, the Missouri Legislature has passed two bills that will safeguard confidential information and move responsibility for issuing concealed carry permits to county sheriffs.

SB 252 prohibits the Department of Revenue from scanning and retaining images of any source documents needed for approving licenses. The state of Missouri doesn’t need a one-stop site for privacy invasion. DOR will also be required to dispose of the scans of personal documents they have made in the past few months, by January.

Another step towards protecting women and babies from exploitation by abortion groups was achieved with the passage of HB 400. This piece of legislation requires that when the abortion chemical RU-486 is administered, the prescribing physician must be physically present. While it unfortunately doesn’t prohibit abortions, it does ensure that abortion clinics cannot push women to undergo substandard chemical procedures. In states that don’t have this requirement, clinics are making easy, cheap money from women in crisis by authorizing chemical abortions via telecam. In these abortions, the clinic doesn’t have to pay a doctor to come in, yet they can charge the woman the same amount. In Missouri, we care about infants and the health, physical and mental, of women who face tough circumstances.
Agriculture is foundation of our state’s economy. This session we took several measures to empower our family farms and to continue growing Missouri as a hub of agricultural innovation.

One such major piece of agricultural legislation is HJR 11 and 7, or Right to Farm. This resolution forever guarantees the right of farmers and ranchers to engage in farming and ranching practices. There are organizations whose mission is to destroy agriculture in this state and every other. These groups would put in place environmental regulations and restrictions on the treatment of animals that would amount to a death sentence to Missouri’s top industry. The Right to Farm bill would protect farmers – and every consumer of agricultural products – from undue burdens. Because this is a change to the state Constitution, HJR 11 and 7 will be on the ballot this November.

Another measure, SB 16, secures the right of minors to work on family farms. These family enterprises could not survive without kids’ help. Furthermore, taking an active role in keeping the family business alive teaches children responsibility and gives them a head start in entering the job market. That’s why employment on family farms should continue to be exempt from child labor laws. Governor Nixon has signed SB 16 into law.

One of the first pieces of legislation to be signed by the Governor this session was SB 20, which extends the sunset on several benevolent tax credits. Benevolent tax credits include the Children in Crisis, Pregnancy Resources Centers, Residential Dwelling Accessibility, and Public Safety Officer Surviving Spouse tax credit programs, as well as donations to food pantries.

These programs were designed to give individuals an incentive to make their communities a better place. The government doesn’t always know which programs best serve those going through hard times. Individuals, however, are familiar with the track records of food pantries and crisis pregnancy centers in their areas.

Severe thunderstorm warning for Jasper, Barton counties until 12:30 a.m.

2013-05-19T21:39:00.001-07:00

(From the National Weather Service)

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SPRINGFIELD HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  BARTON COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST MISSOURI...
  NORTHERN JASPER COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST MISSOURI...
  SOUTHERN VERNON COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL MISSOURI...

* UNTIL 1230 AM CDT

* AT 1129 PM CDT...A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WAS LOCATED ALONG A
  LINE EXTENDING FROM 20 MILES NORTHWEST OF MINDENMINES TO 15 MILES
  WEST OF CARL JUNCTION...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 55 MPH.

  HAZARD...QUARTER SIZE HAIL AND 70 MPH WIND GUSTS.

  SOURCE...EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. CHEROKEE COUNTY EMERGENCY
  MANAGEMENT OBSERVED 70 MPH WIND GUSTS ACROSS WESTERN CHEROKEE
  COUNTY.

  IMPACT...HAIL DAMAGE TO VEHICLES AND CROPS IS EXPECTED. EXPECT
           CONSIDERABLE TREE DAMAGE. WIND DAMAGE IS ALSO LIKELY TO
           MOBILE HOMES...ROOFS AND OUTBUILDINGS.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  AIRPORT DRIVE...ALBA...CARL JUNCTION...CARTERVILLE...CARTHAGE...
  EXTREME NORTHERN JOPLIN...GOLDEN CITY...JASPER...LAMAR...LIBERAL...
  MINDENMINES...NEVADA...ORONOGO...PURCELL...SHELDON...VERDELLA...
  WALKER AND WEBB CITY.

THIS WARNING ALSO INCLUDES PRAIRIE STATE PARK.

Weather Service notes on supercells that may come through tonight

2013-05-19T16:35:00.003-07:00

(From National Weather Service)

ANY SUPERCELLS WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE HAIL TO THE
SIZE OF TENNIS BALLS...TORNADOES...AND DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE
WINDS. AS THE STORMS CONGEAL INTO A LINE...DAMAGING STRAIGHT
LINE WIND GUSTS UP TO 70 MPH WILL BECOME INCREASINGLY LIKELY.
ISOLATED TORNADOES WOULD ALSO REMAIN POSSIBLE EMBEDDED WITHIN
THE LINE OF STORMS.

Nearly all of southwest Missouri, including Jasper and Newton counties are under a tornado watch from now until 1 a.m.