Joplin Devistated by F5 Tornado

Major destruction from a huge tornado has leveled parts of Joplin the evening of Sunday the 22nd.   First responders are dealing with mass destruction, fires, gas leaks, and multiple fatalities.  Officials are having difficulty dealing with the magnitude of the situation.

Man is told to destroy his motel room in elaborate phone prank

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Spartanburg County sheriff’s deputies responded to the Motel 6 on Jones Road on Sunday night after a guest nearly smashed a hole through to an adjacent room with a wrench, saying later that a man who called his room told him to free a little person trapped there.

At about 11 p.m., a hotel worker called authorities, reporting that she responded to the room after guests complained about noise. When she arrived at the room, she found a guest destroying his room with a wrench in his hand, according to an incident report.

The man later told deputies that he was sleeping when his room phone rang. The male caller, who claimed to be management with the hotel, told the man a previous guest had placed highly sophisticated cameras in the room, but not to bother looking for them. The caller told the man to unplug the TV, which the man did. He then said to remove the back toilet cover and smash the TV, which the guest also did. When the TV didn’t break, the caller told the man to throw the TV outside, and the man complied, the report states.

At some point, the guest gave the caller his cell phone number so the guest wouldn’t have to keep running back to the landline. The caller then reportedly told the man to smash the room’s mirrors, after which the guest grabbed a wrench and began breaking the mirrors. According to the report, the caller then gave the guest an “elaborate story” in which a 4-foot, 3-inch person was barricaded in the adjacent room, and the police needed the guest’s help to free the smaller man. The guest began breaking through the sheetrock with his wrench, stopping short after realizing that if he created a hole, someone on the other side would see him, the report states.

The motel employee arrived at the room, saw the scene and called deputies. No charges were filed. The employee told deputies she did not hold the guest responsible, but she wanted him to leave.

7.7 Magnitude strikes Sumatra

This is becoming the year of the earthquake.


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Jogger had no clue he was about to die

A jogger on a quiet beach in South Carolina had no idea that he was in the direct path of an emergency landing. In an unusual accident the pilot had his vision obstructed by fluids on his windscreen, the jogger had his hearing diminished because of music playing is his headphones. The jogger was struck from behind and killed on impact. The pilot and his passenger were not injured in the incident. The airplane was a Lancair IV-P high performance full composite aircraft with retracting landing gear. The Lancair is able to fly at 29,000 feet with it's pressurized cabin. The aircraft is capable of flying at 330mph. The owner had little to say about the situation.
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In Chile a 6.7 Magnitude earthquake is just an aftershock

As the aftershocks continued in Chile this week, a 6.7 magnitude earthquake struck on March 15th. Anywhere else on earth a 6.7 magnitude earthquake would be a large one.

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Shootout at Pentagon Metro Station

Two police officers were injured by a gunman firing shots outside the Pentagon tonight. Hundreds of employees there were ordered to go into "Code Red" -- the entire building locked down, with no one allowed to enter or leave.

ABC's Steven Portnoy reported that Pentagon police had a suspect in custody. ABC's Martha Raddatz reported that three ambulances were on the scene, and all parking lots at the massive Defense Department headquarters were closed off.

The shooting occurred at the Pentagon Metro Station, which is just outside the Pentagon's main entrance.

The shots were fired at about 6:30 p.m. ET.

Pentagon Police spokesman Chris Layman told ABC News the initial report was that two police officers were shot. But local television station WUSA reported three people were injured. Two were taken to George Washington Hospital in Washington, the station said.

"All I know right now is that there was a shooting. We believe two officers, police officers, were hit. And I believe we have one person in custody," Layman told ABC News.

"Metro is locked down until further notice," Pentagon police said in a message over the building's intercom.

Some witnesses reported hearing gunshots being fired in the station and people screaming.

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8.8 magnitude earthquake strikes Chile

One of the largest recorded earthquakes has struck off the coast of Chile.

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Sea World Trainer attacked by Killer Whale "Shamu"

A 40-year-old female trainer was killed Wednesday by a killer whale at SeaWorld in Orlando Florida, a public information officer for the Orange County Sheriff's Office said. The trainer was introducing the show when one of the whales attacked. The show was immediately evacuated and Orange County authorities were called to the scene.

In 2006 a trainer was injured at SeaWorld Adventure Park after a killer whale grabbed him and twice held him underwater during a show.


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6.7 Earthquake Strikes Russia

An earthquake has struck an area near the Russia, China, North Korea Borders.  


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Colorado Springs Can't Afford to Waste Electricity

As a cost-saving measure, Colorado Springs, Colorado is turning off most of its streetlights.   This is expected to save $1.2 million in electricity bills.   NRR has reported this as a terrible circumstance of budget shortfalls.   MapSpy sees a few positives.    Less demand for coal to produce electricity is good for  our environment.   The reduction in light pollution will make Colorado Springs a destination for star gazers.

Climber Falls Into Mount St. Helens Crater

A 52 year old climber fell 1500 feet to his death into the Mount St. Helens Crater.




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Man saved by webcam

A woman watching the sunset on a web cam overlooking the North Sea in northern Germany spotted a man who was lost on the frozen ice and probably saved his life by alerting authorities.
The man had climbed over pack ice to photograph a sunset near the town of St. Peter-Ording, then became disoriented on the ice.  When he was unable to locate the beach, the man began using his camera to flash for help. That got the attention of a woman hundreds of miles away who was watching the sunset on her computer.  The woman contacted local police, who located the man's flashes and guided him to shore by flashing headlights.

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Pennsylvania Ice Rink Roof Collapses

A Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area Ice Rink roof partially collapsed while the ice was being resurfaced during a youth hockey tournament. No injuries were reported.

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Kite Boarder Attacked by Sharks

A south Florida man was attacked by sharks in the waters off of Stuart Florida. A lifeguard pulled Stephen Schafer, 38 500 yards to Stuart beach. Schafer died from the attack at hospital.


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Earthquake Shakes Chicago

A revised 3.8 magnitude earthquake hit 48 miles north west of Chicago. Residents were jolted awake at 4 a.m. In April 2008 a 5.2 quake hit the region.

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California Mudslides Damage Homes

A heavy rainstorm has triggered a major mudslide along Ocean View Boulevard in the La Cañada Flintridge. Of the reported 43 mud-damaged homes in La Cañada Flintridge and La Crescenta, nine were red-tagged, meaning entry was temporarily prohibited. In addition, 25 vehicles were damaged.
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Power Plant Explodes

An explosion has occurred at the power plant on River Road in Middletown,Connecticut.
At least 5 dead in Middletown CT Power Plant explosion.

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Arizona storms cause Major Tent Collapse

A classic car auction in Scottsdale Arizona was hit by high winds, collapsing two large tents covering hundreds of classic cars and trucks. One tent was blown onto highway 101, closing it for over one hour. The annual Russo and Steele is one of the largest specialty car auctions in the country. Russo and Steele reported over $1.5 million in damage was caused by the storm.

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Bowling Alley Owner Strikes a Match

In the competitive world of bowling alley ownership one man has put his competition in the gutter. The owner of Pike Bowling Lanes is accused of hiring two men to burn down his competitor's operation.

Loyle Lanes was a neighborhood bowling center in Vineland, New Jersey, until it burned to the ground. Police have charged the owner of Pike Lanes in Deerfield Township, New Jersey with hiring two men to set the fire.

Charles Loyle, the co-owner of Loyle Lanes was quoted as saying "he wasn't a very good businessman." "We got comments that he would put us out of business in two years. Well, it took him a little over two years. But to get us out of business he had to burn us down."


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Police find Underground Bud Bus.

In North Carolina, a local jack of all trades was discovered to have built an underground grow bus that contained a school bus full of high quality pot plants. The bus was buried in the back yard under his shed. The Man had managed to power his operation with stolen electricity from the town of Kinston, North Carolina. The man was able to grow a fertile crop with, Heat lamps, LED grow lights, Fans, a watering system, timing systems, and a radio that played rap music 24 hours a day.

Police found the buried pot bus with the help of a pot sniffing K-9 that reportedly fell through a trap door that lead to the hemp crop.


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