Monday, June 23, 2014

This Is Just Fun To Watch - Trey Gowdy Indulges IRS Commissioner Koskinen At Oversight Hearing (VIDEO)

This is from the House Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing about the IRS losing Lois Lerner's emails. This hearing ended at 9:53PM CST tonight.

IRS Commissioner John Koskinen is a royal smartass, which, I actually appreciate. I, however, don't appreciate it so much in corrupt governmental officials.

Go, Trey, go! Ha! Ha!

This was fun & the fun begins at about 1:35 into this video. It's beautiful.





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Friday, June 20, 2014

An Afternoon of Tornadoes - Stanton & Pilger (My VIDEO)

Please heed the language warning if you choose to watch or listen to this video. I got sick of editing out my own bad language...so, I quit doing it about 19-minutes into this video. This video is 1 hour & 40 minutes long (yes, even after editing). This is how the afternoon storms developed...from before they were spotted until people were being transported by ambulance to the hospital from Pilger.

This is the description I put under this video on YouTube:
***Language Warning*** This video is a collection of the video I shot while following the tornadoes that hit the Stanton, NE area and the town of Pilger, NE. Scanner traffic from Stanton County storm spotters & Norfolk Fire & Rescue, as well as local radio station reports as this day unfolded, can be heard in this video.

I'm a "storm chaser", basically out of necessity,...my home is not the kind you stay in when tornado sirens are blaring. I've been "storm chasing" for about 15 years. I've lived in north central & northeast Nebraska my whole life & I'd never seen a tornado...until this day, when I saw two of them (or more - you decide).


An Afternoon of Tornadoes - Stanton & Pilger 6-16-14



If you'd prefer to go directly to YouTube to watch or listen to this video here is the direct link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wg9fRzaQmRg

One other note: I am working on conducting an interview, of sorts, with one or two survivors of the Pilger tornadoes. Their comments will not be edited - their stories will be "in their own words", not in mine (at least, that's how I'm hoping this goes). We all just have to find the time to complete this. Please subscribe via email to this blog or follow me on my Facebook account HERE, or you can subscribe to my YouTube channel.




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Thursday, June 19, 2014

Can You Help Us Find This Woman? She Stopped To Help After The Pilger Tornado

The original story is below the photo.

*****UPDATE***** 8:30AM Central time - June 19, 2014
I think we have located her! I'm awaiting confirmation from HER. Thank you to EVERYONE that has helped! Gotta love the POWER of "social media", eh? ;) #PrayForPilger

*****UPDATE***** 2:41PM Central time - June 19, 2014
We HAVE located her. I'm waiting to find out if she wishes to be identified here or not. She and Charlene are meeting now. Thank you again to everyone that helped spread the word.

*****UPDATE***** 2:08AM Central time - June 20, 2014
The woman in the photo is Kendra Jo Liibbe from Norfolk. The following is a statement she publicly published on her facebook wall about 3 hours ago:
So I have to say after today, wit the floods of gratitude ive recieved over the pilger tornado, an seeing all the ppl helping, the generous donations of food an labor assistance, volenteers, the celebritys puttin the word out (Larry the Cable guy) an offerin their time an help (pausing on tour... Bret Michaels) speaks volumes!! Echos really! Im so blessed to even be a part of it but make me proud to be, not only american, but a NEBRASKAN!!! We may not have it all together but together we got it all, an clearly we can accomplish an overcome daily battles.... this is goin to be the basis on which I myself rebuild my life an what makes it even better is I know now, im not doin it alone!!!




A friend of mine (Charlene) lived through the tornado in Pilger. Charlene was inside the local CO-OP/convenience store when the tornado hit Pilger. She suggested that everyone move to a different cooler...and, everyone who was inside the CO-OP lived.

After the storm passed Charlene found comfort in this woman (in the photo above) who had seen the storm pass through Pilger...she was not a "local" woman...she was just passing through and stopped to help. Charlene, herself, was giving comfort to the sister of the young girl who died as a result of this tornado. Charlene is seeking the identity of the woman in this picture. If you know who this woman is or think some of your friends may be able to assist in identifying this woman, please share this post. Thank you.

I will post this as a "public" post on Facebook on Charlene's wall and, on my Facebook wall as well. You can comment on Facebook or you can leave a comment on this blog.




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Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Pilger, Stanton & Northeast Nebraska Tornadoes - A Collection of Stories, Links & Video

This is a collection of links to the massive number of news stories and videos relating to the "twin tornadoes" that struck northeast Nebraska on the afternoon of Monday, June 16, 2014. These links are included in no particular order. There are so many stories and videos that it would be impossible for me to organize them all in chronological order. This post will be continually updated with more information as I become aware of it. All UPDATES will be added to be bottom of this post.

***It may take some time for this page to fully load due to the high number of links and videos embedded in this post.***

(Photo source: Screen grab from TVNweather's "EXTREME up-close video of violent Pilger, Nebraska! Part 2" video posted below.)


MASSIVE wedge tornado and unusual rope-out near Stanton, NE - June 16, 2014
(Source: TVN Weather)



Stanton Tornado...June 16 2014
(Source: Eric Stone)



Two VIOLENT tornadoes on the ground at the same time! Pilger, NE; June 16, 2014
(Source: TVN Weather)



EXTREME up-close video of violent Pilger, Nebraska! Part 2
(Source: TVN Weather)



NEW VIDEO: Two simultaneous violent tornadoes in northeast Nebraska - June 16, 2014
(Source: TVN Weather)






(Source: Me)






Tornado Damage, June 2014 - Pilger, NE
(Source: NEMA - Nebraska Emergency Management Agency)



A total of 70 aerial photos of the damage in Pilger, NE are available HERE on the NEMA Facebook page. I've included just ONE of NEMA's aerial photos below:






Quote at the end of the following story about Glenn Beck's charity, Mercury One:
"Mercury One charity announced on Monday night that they would be deploying five tractor trailers full of supplies to the affected areas."

For those who are unaware, these 5 semi-trailers full of supplies will NOT be going through governmental sources, who will turn away such items. They will be going DIRECTLY to those in need. (At least, that's my understanding about how Mercury One reacts during this type of crisis. Commonly, they work with a local church...although, Pilger's Lutheran Church doesn't PHYSICALLY exist anymore...the building is gone.)
STORY: ‘Unbelievable’: Stunning Photos, Video Show Two Tornadoes Touching Down Simultaneously in Nebraska




Couple take a beating protecting 5 kids at day care near Stanton


Pilger Tornado Destroys Cattle Farm


Jerry Weatherholt on FOX News From Pilger, NE - Tornado Destruction 6-17-14
(Source(s)- Original Story: FOX News / Uploaded to YouTube: Me)






Massive Tornado in Wisner, NE | June 16, 2014



Stories posted on the Norfolk Daily News website:
Tornadoes' destruction seen in Pilger and rural areas (Pilger, NE)

'Two minutes is all it took' (Pilger, NE)

Everything wiped out on Wisner area farm (Wisner, NE)

Lone fisherman holds on for dear life (Maskenthine Lake near Stanton, NE)

Owner of destroyed home: Everything here is gone (Wayne, NE)

What's going to happen to Pilger? (Pilger, NE)

Volunteers not needed Tuesday (Pilger, NE)

Started with slight risk of severe weather

Hospitals kept busy dealing with tornado-related injuries

Pilger, rural area hit hard by tornadoes (Pilger, NE)

Emergency Operations Center opened

Relief efforts underway in area

Tornado damage defies logic in Pilger (Pilger, NE)

Heineman says Pilger looks like Middle East (Pilger, NE)



Stories posted on the 94Rock website:
Total Devastation - Updated with Victim ID's

What Can I Do to Help?

Wakefield Hit By Storms As Well

Heineman To Tour Tornado Damage in Pilger

Monday's Severe Storms Caused Fatal Accident in Cuming County

Faith Regional Treats Almost 20 Tornado Victims

Evacuees Staying at Wisner-Pilger High School

This is a post from the 94Rock Facebook page (no embed link available). This comment was posted around 2PM central time on Tuesday, June 17th, 2014 (direct link to the post):
PILGER VOLUNTEER UPDATE: Emergency officials say anyone willing to volunteer in Pilger tomorrow is to check in at Wisner-Pilger High School at 7 a.m. Wednesday. They will be bused in and out of Pilger. Volunteers MUST be 18 years or older and be wearing work-ready clothes. Anyone who is volunteering heavy equipment will be allowed to drive their equipment directly to Pilger, also starting at 7 a.m.

***UPDATE*** 7:44PM Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Nebraska tornado victim, 5, was from N. AL



CBS News: "We could feel the suction try to pull us out of there"



CNN: Twin tornadoes tear through Nebraska town; 2 dead


6/16/2014 Wakefield Nebraska Twin Wedge Tornado B-Roll



6/16/2014 Pilger, NE Twin Tornadoes - Laubach



6/16/2014 Twin Pilger Tornadoes LIVE
This video is 7 hours and 36 minutes long. It is this crew's entire day of chasing storms. There are on-screen links at the beginning of the video for you to click on that will take you to the point in the video where each tornado is sighted.




***UPDATE*** 6:13AM Friday, June 20, 2014
More from the Norfolk Daily News:
Day 2 of tornadoes in Northeast Nebraska (Coleridge, NE)

Warning text can't save 5-year-old Pilger girl (Pilger, NE)

No bank records lost (Pilger, NE)

Volunteers descend on Pilger to begin cleanup efforts (Pilger, NE)

Hundreds of volunteers come to help; residents still in shock (Pilger, NE)

Maskenthine closed for now


Feedlots issues in aftermath of tornado
(Wisner, NE)


Suggestions for those recovering from tornado damage



Furbaby Rescue helps locate animals after tornado
(Pilger, NE)

Bret Michaels to help in Pilger (Pilger, NE)

Tornado survivor: We wanted to stay out here until we died (Wayne, NE)




***UPDATE*** 11:38AM Friday, June 20, 2014
More from the Norfolk Daily News:
Behind the scenes of Pilger’s recovery (Pilger, NE)

Johanns sees Pilger damage (Pilger, NE)

Gravel pit gets rocked by twister (Pilger, NE)

At school, 'a lot of history' lost amid tornado debris (Pilger, NE)

Welcome to Mediaville (Pilger, NE)




***UPDATE*** 12:20AM Thursday, June 26, 2014 This is the last time I will be notating the time and date of any new updates to this post. From now on, as I come across links I will post them.***


Nebraska town leveled by twin tornadoes (KETV)



Storm recap: Deadly tornadoes rip through Pilger (KETV)



Aerial view shows tornado's path



Before & after pictures of the town of Pilger, NE
http://dataomaha.com/media/pilger/damage-map/


My video. ***Language Warning***



Pilger, NE just after tornado struck





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