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'Four Out Of 6 Survived It When It Should Have Been Zero' Near Pryor
From left to right, Claremore City Manager John Feary, District 1 Rogers County Commissioner Dan Delozier, and Rogers County Emergency Management Deputy Director Steve Massey held a news conference on Sunday afternoon, following severe storms on Saturday night.
Larry and Edward Lee spent Sunday morning picking through the fragments that remained of a trailer home where their sister and her daughter-in-law were killed just before midnight.
"We're trying to clear the road so trucks can get through and also see if we can salvage any of their belongings — that's about all we can do at this point," said Larry, shaking his head in disbelief, as Edward found a battered Barbie doll and added it to a pile of eight plastic dinosaurs and an upended pink bicycle.
Two women reportedly died in this trailer home after it was destroyed by storms Saturday night into Sunday in a rural area in Mayes County between Claremore and Pryor.
Mike Simons, Tulsa WorldLarry's son owns the rural plot near West 470 Road and North 426 Road in between Claremore and Pryor.
A couple of years ago, their relatives returned from Washington State and rented a single-wide mobile home there to live in.
"My son called them about 15 minutes before and told them it was coming their way," Larry said. "The next time they spoke, my nephew said it blew him off the porch and knocked him out and when he came to, everyone was gone.
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"He had been trying to get them in the cellar, but it was too late."
A storm shelter is seen on the Lee property Sunday near Pryor. Larry and Edward Lee spent Sunday morning picking through the fragments that remained of a trailer home where their sister and her daughter-in-law were killed just before midnight.
Mike Simons, Tulsa WorldLarry and Edward identified the two dead as their sister, Linda Lee, 62, and her daughter-in-law Tawna Lee, who was in her 30s.
Their adult nephew and his three children who were home at the time were injured and are at a Tulsa hospital, they said.
Larry said their sister often sent cell phone photos of the squirrels she like to watch on the property, and she enjoyed walking her three grandchildren she lived with down their long gravel drive to catch the school bus each morning.
"It used to be a really beautiful spot out here," he said.
All that remains are concrete steps over a small cellar and a rectangle of bare earth where the mobile home used to rest.
Mark Hadley works on his chainsaw on the steps that used to lead to the Lee home which was destroyed in Saturday night's storms Sunday, May 26, 2024 in Pryor, Ok.
Mike Simons, Tulsa WorldA co-worker of the Lees' nephew drove up from Tahlequah to help any way he could.
"I got a call from his cousin saying they took a direct hit," said Mark Hadley, stopping to repair the chainsaw he was using to clear downed trees on the property. "There's no reason anybody survived but for the sovereignty and grace of God. This could have been so much worse. It's a tragedy, but 4 out of 6 survived it when it should have been zero."
One wood-siding house to the south was badly damaged and a large metal barn was demolished from atop its concrete slab, but 23-year-old Dylan Baldridge said both of his grandparents survived inside the house.
"I live in Pryor and it came right over us, but the second it cleared out, I got in the car and drove out here," he said.
The two neighbors to the north of the Lees' had wind and tree damage and were badly shaken but grateful for their relative good fortune.
"Our cell phone warning went off, but our cellar is in this other building and we did not have time," said Rachel Miller, who also lives in a trailer home. "Me, my husband and our three kids took cover in a closet and we didn't know what was going to happen.
The next thing I knew, our neighbor — the dad — came running down this road saying 'Everyone's gone!' I called 9-1-1 and ambulances, police got here so fast."
Miller said it was shocking that they only had the skirting on their trailer home blown in and a dumpster out front blown around, when a mother with children just like her next door died.
"The storm came through in such a horrible way. She was my friend — our kids played together," Miller said, her voice cracking. "But she would've wanted her kids to be safe."
Edward Lee and his wife Tammy Lee salvage toys from the wreckage of a trailer home where he said his sister died in Saturday night's storms near Pryor. Three children from the home remain in a hospital and Lee was looking for toys for them.
Mike Simons, Tulsa WorldMiller's uncle lives next door and has a massive red oak downed on the front of his wood and brick house.
His American flag was tattered but still flying on an upright aluminum pole just a few feet from the 100-year-old, downed tree.
"I was having a hard time falling asleep because of all this weather. We lost electric maybe 10 minutes before. I heard what sounded like hail falling, but it must have been this tree," said John Cummings. "We went in the bathtub and I told the wife if the house starts shaking, take cover. It's crazy — everything's gone a quarter of a mile that way."
Edward Lee salvages a doll from the wreckage the home where he said his sister died in Saturday night's storms near Pryor. Three children from the home remain in a hospital and Lee was looking for toys for them.
Mike Simons, Tulsa WorldIn Claremore, at a Sunday afternoon news conference in front of the Rogers County Courthouse, Claremore City Manager City Manager John Feary said, "Everybody in the city limits of Claremore is without power."
The city's hospitals were operating off of generators, Feary added, and the expectation was that their power will be restored by the end of the day.
Partial restoration of power to other parts of the city was also expected Sunday evening, Feary said.
Twenty-three people were injured in the storm, including 19 who were transported to local hospitals, three of whom had possible life-threatening injuries, Feary said.
A man views damage at First Baptist Church near downtown Claremore on Sunday.
Mike Simons, Tulsa World"We have all but finalized the search and rescue portion and, by the blessing of God, we have not found any other fatalities yet, any other casualties," Feary said.
Feary said the city plans to implement a curfew from 10 p.M. To 6 a.M.
Rogers County District 1 Commissioner Dan Delozier said the plan is to impose a similar curfew in unincorporated portions of the county to address possible looting.
"The fact of it is, it almost always happens in these incidents," Feary said. "So we're going to be really proactive."
Feary said most streets in the city are passable and that the city is no longer in need of any volunteers or donations.
But for many in the community, he said, it will be a long time before things get back to normal.
"Here in town or out east but, certainly here in town, significant, significant damage … damage that changes people's lives forever," Feary said. "So we would just all ask that you continue to pray for these folks."
The roof blew off Tom Jones' home near downtown Sunday in Claremore.
Mike Simons, Tulsa WorldFor more information about the storm response in Claremore, including frequently asked questions, go to www.Claremore.Com/weatheralerts.
The National Weather Service in Tulsa said on Sunday the tornado had preliminary EF-2 (winds of 111 to 135 mph) damage in Claremore, according to its survey team in the area.
Steve Piltz, meteorologist in charge at the Tulsa weather service office, said in a text to the Tulsa World, "We're between Pryor and Claremore now. We are at EF-2, but haven't seen the worst of it yet."
He later texted that survey crews found EF-3 (winds of 136-165 mph) damage in eastern Rogers County.
The weather service reported that a damaging tornado was moving east of Claremore along Oklahoma 20 around 11:30 p.M. Saturday. Shortly after that, the NWS-Tulsa social advised on social media that a tornado was on the ground 6 miles west-northwest of Pryor.
In the hardest hit area, 30 houses were damaged and at least 10 destroyed in a rural area just north of Oklahoma 20 in between Claremore and Pryor, according to Mayes County Emergency Management Director John Janzen.
One person was killed on site, while a second person died after being transported to a nearby hospital.
Five others were transported, and some are in critical condition, Janzen said.
"The weather service did a great job, so there was lots of warning. We had a long leadway, so we set sirens off well and advance. The fatalities and injuries were in a rural area, so they would not have sirens out there."
The American Red Cross has opened evacuation centers for those affected by the storm:
Claremore: Memorial Heights Baptist Church, 1500 W. Will Rogers Blvd.
Pryor: Mayes County Fairgrounds, 2200 NE First St.
Saturday night's tornado would be at least the 95th in the state so far this season — two in March, a record 55 in April and 38 in May, according to a preliminary 2024 count by the National Weather Service.
The most tornadoes ever in the month of May for Oklahoma was 105, set in 2019.
The state averages 24 tornadoes per year in May, the most on average of any month, according to records that date to 1950.
The fatalities in eastern Oklahoma were among at least 15 people killed in severe storms on Saturday night in Oklahoma, Texas and Arkansas, the Associated Press reported.
Pryor also was the site of the fifth-deadliest tornado in Oklahoma history on April 27, 1942. That storm killed 52 people and injured 350.
— Tulsa World assistant editor Michael Dekker contributed to this story.
Correction: This story originally misstated the preliminary figure for tornadoes so far in May, as well as the state record for tornadoes in May. The story has been corrected.
Photos: Storm damage near Pryor and in Claremore WeatherTammy Lee gathers items from the wreckage of her sister-in-law's home Sunday, May 26, 2024 in Pryor.
Mike Simons WeatherLarry Lee walks through tornado damage on Sunday, May 26, 2024 in Pryor.
Mike Simons WeatherMax Comer and his sons, Finnegan, 9, and McCoy, 5, view storm damage to their next-door neighbor's home Sunday, May 26, 2024 in Claremore.
Mike Simons WeatherPeople view damage at First Baptist Church near downtown Sunday, May 26, 2024 in Claremore.
Mike Simons WeatherPeople view the damage at First Baptist Church Sunday, May 26, 2024 in Claremore.
Mike Simons WeatherA man views damage at First Baptist Church near downtown Claremore on Sunday.
Mike Simons, Tulsa World WeatherA woman views damage at First Baptist Church near downtown Sunday, May 26, 2024 in Claremore.
Mike Simons WeatherA woman looks inside a residence on Sunday, May 26, 2024 in Claremore following tornado damage.
Mike Simons WeatherThe roof blew off Tom Jones' home near downtown Sunday in Claremore.
Mike Simons, Tulsa World WeatherA Claremore Police officer works to secure the RCB Bank Corporate Offices Sunday, May 26, 2024 in Claremore.
Mike Simons WeatherConnie Buckingham views storm damage from the front door of her son's home where she also lives on Sunday, May 26, 2024 in Claremore.
Mike Simons WeatherPeople view storm damage Sunday, May 26, 2024 in Claremore.
Mike Simons WeatherA large tree lies on a home Sunday, May 26, 2024 in Claremore.
Mike Simons, Tulsa World WeatherEdward Lee and his wife Tammy Lee salvage toys from the wreckage of the home where his sister died in Saturday night's storms Sunday, May 26, 2024 in Pryor. Three children from the home remain in a hospital and Lee was looking for toys for them.
Mike Simons WeatherThe remains of the Lee home after it was destroyed by storms Saturday night Sunday, May 26, 2024 in Pryor. Two women at the home were killed in the storm.
Mike Simons WeatherThe remains of the Lee home after it was destroyed by storms Saturday night Sunday, May 26, 2024 in Pryor. Two women at the home were killed in the storm.
Mike Simons WeatherThe remains of the Lee home after it was destroyed by storms Saturday night Sunday, May 26, 2024 in Pryor. Two women at the home were killed in the storm.
Mike Simons WeatherStorm damage at a home Sunday, May 26, 2024 in Pryor.
Mike Simons WeatherStorm damage at a home Sunday, May 26, 2024 in Pryor.
Mike Simons WeatherMark Hadley works on his chainsaw on the steps that used to lead to the Lee home which was destroyed in Saturday night's storms Sunday, May 26, 2024 in Pryor.
Mike Simons WeatherPeople clean up storm damage at the Baldridge family home Sunday, May 26, 2024 in Pryor. Two women were killed during the storm at a home next door.
Mike Simons WeatherRachael Cavin helps clean up storm damage at the Baldridge family home Sunday, May 26, 2024 in Pryor. Cavin is friends with the family. Two women were killed during the storm at a home next door.
Mike Simons WeatherEdward Lee salvages a doll from the wreckage the home where his sister died in Saturday night's storms Sunday, May 26, 2024 in Pryor. Three children from the home remain in a hospital and Lee was looking for toys for them.
Mike Simons WeatherA storm shelter is seen on the Lee property Sunday, May 26, 2024 in Pryor.
Mike Simons WeatherLarry Lee gathers jewelry from the property where his sister was killed by Saturday night's storms Sunday, May 26, 2024 in Pryor.
Mike Simons WeatherLarry Lee looks through the property where his sister was killed by Saturday night's storms Sunday, May 26, 2024 in Pryor.
Mike Simons ClaremoreHomes damaged by a tornado east of downtown May 29, 2024 in Claremore, Ok.
Mike Simons, Tulsa World ClaremoreA home damaged by a tornado east of downtown May 29, 2024 in Claremore, Ok.
Mike Simons, Tulsa World ClaremoreWorkers from ER Restoration work on the tornado damaged Bill Shaw Building near downtown May 29, 2024 in Claremore, Ok.
Mike Simons, Tulsa World ClaremoreAn aerial view of Kelly Clark's tornado damaged home east of downtown May 29, 2024 in Claremore, Ok.
Mike Simons, Tulsa World ClaremoreKelly Clark works to salvage items from his tornado damaged home east of downtown May 29, 2024 in Claremore, Ok.D
Mike Simons, Tulsa World ClaremoreKelly Clark cleans off family photos in his tornado damage May 29, 2024 in Claremore, Ok.
Mike Simons, Tulsa World ClaremoreKelly Clark, left, and his son Carson Clark work to cover items in Kelly's tornado damaged home east of downtown May 29, 2024 in Claremore, Ok.
Mike Simons, Tulsa World ClaremoreUtility crews work near downtown May 29, 2024 in Claremore, Ok.
Mike Simons, Tulsa World The Tulsa World is where your story lives The Tulsa World newsroom is committed to covering this community with curiosity, tenacity and depth. Our passion for telling the story of Tulsa remains unwavering. Because your story is our story. Thank you to our subscribers who support local journalism. Join them with limited-time offers at tulsaworld.Com/story.Follow us at: FacebookTwitterInstagramYoutube
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Two People Dead After Crash Near Glenwood
LEVEN TOWNSHIP (WJON News) -- Two people died in a crash near Glenwood on Saturday.
The Minnesota State Patrol says at about 7:45 p.M. A car driven by 39-year-old Nicholas Bergman of Oakdale was going east on Highway 28, and a pickup driven by 33-year-old Isaac Carlson of Glenwood was going west when they crashed head-on near the intersection of County Road 57.
Both Bergmand and Carlson died at the scene.
The housing market still seems to be going pretty strong, nothing like the last 2-3 years when homes lasted just hours on the open market, but there are still plenty of homes listed for sale in Central Minnesota. One of those homes is a million-dollar listing right here in St. Cloud. The home is described as 'an exquisite palatial paradise', and the photos online seem to prove it.
Gallery Credit: Listed by: Christopher Hauck Coldwell Banker Realty
Pitbull-ravaged Tourist Questions Dog Laws
A black pitbull terrier (File photograph)
A tourist from the United States said he "dodged a potentially fatal incident" after a mauling from a loose pitbull knocked him into oncoming traffic on South Road.
The tourist, who reported the attack to dog wardens, was set upon early on May 21 as he and his wife took a stroll to the Southlands park in Warwick.
The visitor, who asked not to be identified, said he was fortunate a westbound car stopped in time while he was down, causing the animal to release his leg.
His account of the attack added: "Otherwise, I would have been run over by the car or had a worse mauling by the dog."
He told wardens that dog "should never be allowed to attack anyone else".
Visitor queries Bermuda's dog laws
Lawmakers in 2018 lifted a ban on pitbulls and other breeds, listing them as restricted.
The move was applauded by dog advocates, who said the breed was not the issue — but rather bad owners.
A US visitor who ran afoul of a suspected pitbull said this week that the island's approach might be due a rethink.
"I was informed that recently the regulations regarding American Bully and pitbull dogs were changed, and are less restrictive.
"Given the attack I suffered from a restricted breed, this change in regulations of these dogs is quite disturbing to me.
"There is no way to ensure 100 per cent of the time that these dogs will not get out of their confined areas and attack someone.
"If the outcome of my attack had been worse and the news of it widely publicised in the foreign press, the impact to Bermuda tourism could have been devastating.
"People should not be subject to this risk, which is now higher given the change in regulations.
"I encourage the Bermuda authorities to revisit this issue, and come up with some better commonsense regulations and consequential penalties for dog owners whose dogs attack or threaten innocent individuals."
The Ministry of Home Affairs said in January that changes to the legislation would be tabled this year to deal with rising numbers of dog incidents.
Visitor queries Bermuda's dog laws
Lawmakers in 2018 lifted a ban on pitbulls and other breeds, listing them as restricted.
The move was applauded by dog advocates, who said the breed was not the issue — but rather bad owners.
A US visitor who ran afoul of a suspected pitbull said this week that the island's approach might be due a rethink.
"I was informed that recently the regulations regarding American Bully and pitbull dogs were changed, and are less restrictive.
"Given the attack I suffered from a restricted breed, this change in regulations of these dogs is quite disturbing to me.
"There is no way to ensure 100 per cent of the time that these dogs will not get out of their confined areas and attack someone.
"If the outcome of my attack had been worse and the news of it widely publicised in the foreign press, the impact to Bermuda tourism could have been devastating.
"People should not be subject to this risk, which is now higher given the change in regulations.
"I encourage the Bermuda authorities to revisit this issue, and come up with some better commonsense regulations and consequential penalties for dog owners whose dogs attack or threaten innocent individuals."
The Ministry of Home Affairs said in January that changes to the legislation would be tabled this year to deal with rising numbers of dog incidents.
The man, a doctor, said he suffered "several bite wounds to my left calf", which he treated and bandaged with the help of his wife, a nurse.
The attack marred a five-day visit with the couple's son, who is engaged to a Bermudian woman, with the family planning a large wedding on the island.
This week, the victim described his wound as a combination of punctures and scratches.
Everyone was delightful: a suspected pitbull attacked and bit a visiting physician, on South Shore Road, on May 21, outside the Southside property, before running off. The doctor treated his own injuries, and has appealed for 'commonsense regulations' addressing the issue (Photograph supplied)
He told The Royal Gazette: "I'm used to dogs. I was surprised by the aggressiveness of the attack — I've never had that happen to me before.
"It could have been one of those headlines: 'Tourist gets mauled by dog and run over by car'. That wouldn't do Bermuda any good."
He added: "The person who stopped was very nice; she could see I was shook up, and she ushered us to the side of the road."
He said he had been left impressed by the kindness of Bermudians.
"It's a beautiful island, we had a nice week, and we'll definitely be returning for many reasons."
The mother of the bride-to-be said the bite to their guest's leg would likely leave permanent scars.
"It's upsetting — they hadn't been here 24 hours before they were attacked. When they saw the dog he immediately stood still. He was not doing anything to provoke or antagonise it.
"It just came at him and hit him hard enough to knock him into the road. It had a collar on and didn't seem to be a stray, but it was definitely a dog out with no owner."
She said the owner of the Airbnb near by where the couple was staying was "mortified".
"The woman said she'd never had anybody attacked by a dog, and that she had small children who could have been attacked."
In the chaos at the scene, the visitor was unable to tell which direction the dog ran off, but described it to dog wardens as grey and white, either a pitbull or an American Bully.
"He said while the dog still had his leg, he looked up and saw traffic coming. I don't know which would have terrified me more."
She said wardens were told the animal likely came from a lane next to Southlands, but could just as easily have come through Southlands itself, making it difficult to link the dog to an owner.
"The wardens were so pleasant. They said the frustrating thing is they don't have enough manpower. But if it's a pitbull, that's a restricted breed.
"I don't know what the answer is, but my gut feeling is if you see something, say something. If you see a dog out loose, take a picture of it and send details to the animal wardens. We need to be part of the community and help with this problem."
She thanked drivers who stopped to help the couple.
"Everyone there was delightful — it's just a shame this was part of his five days here."
The incident comes against a backdrop of rising dog attacks and negative encounters.
In April, the four staff in animal control underwent extra training, with the Ministry of Home Affairs reporting that complaints had doubled from 2021 to 2023.
The ministry said seizures of live animals tripled during that time, as did complaints of chasing or threatening behaviour.
Euthanising of animals doubled, along with reports involving biting or injury to a person — while cases where an animal was injured almost doubled.
The ministry confirmed last night that the matter has been reported to animal wardens and was under investigation.
A spokesman added: "As such, no details can be shared at this time."
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