Sioux City Journal from Sioux City, Iowa • 3

Keith Baker is candidatepage A4 DTornado hits second timepage A5 The Sioux City Journal Thursday, March 15, 1990page A3 eoins in wake tornadoes John Quinlan Sorry about that, Bill. The other day I yelled at a colleague because he had the unmitigated gall to walk away from the lunchroom refrigerator without closing the door. I couldn't believe it it being my reaction. By The Associated Press Volunteers worked to clear debris Wednesday in central and southeastern Nebraska, where tornadoes damaged more than SO buildings, killed livestock, slightly injured three people and derailed train cars in a night Railroad workers tried to reopen a Burlington Northern track where Tuesday's twisters caused dozens of empty rail cars to derail. Twenty-five counties apparently suffered damage from the storms, said Ralph Medina, civil defense operations officer.

The storms spawned at least 10 separate tornadoes in central Nebraska, said Don Davis, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Grand Island. A tornado that tore a quarter-mile path through Sutton damaged at least 12 businesses and 20 homes in that area, officials said. A state Department of Environmental Control official was checking damage at a tank owned by Schroetlin Tank Line Inc. containing 4,500 gallons of gasoline that was ruptured by the tornado, said Jack Byrkit deputy assistant of civil defense in Clay County. They contained the spill but we still had a possible explosion hazard with the gas being contained in the dike," he said.

"At this point, it was all soaked in the ground. We don't know how much. Some was" left in the tank." Kearney County civil defense officials estimated damages from a tornado that struck in the Lowell area at $1.3 million. Deputy Sheriff Steve Jackson, who is also civil defense director, said the estimate was made after officials made an aerial assessment of damage and compiled reports from ments that occurred, said Jim Blosser, a Burlington Northern spokesman. He said 47 cars of an empty coal train were derailed about 8 miles west of Grand Island at 5:45 p.m.

Tuesday. Fifty-seven cars on a second empty coal train were derailed near Waco about 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Blosser said. "Both of those trains are on a stretch of our main line between Lincoln and Alliance," Blosser said. "Because of that derailment, we are holding trains at both Lincoln and Alliance." Crews worked Wednesday to right the cars and reopen the line, he said.

A tornado that passed through Webster County caused extensive damage to a feedlot a mile south of Red Cloud. Veterinarian Carl Guthrie said 12 to 15 cattle were killed instantly. "Everything you could possibly imagine out there has happened," he said. "Anywhere from 15 to 20 cattle have broken legs and some have broken backs." The Clay County Civil Defense director declared Sutton and the immediate vicinity a disaster area because a tornado ruptured a tank of anhydrous ammonia, making cleanup dangerous, radio station KAWL reported. The storms caused an estimated $250,000 in damages at Husker Harvest Days, with the destruction of three center irrigation pivots, officials said.

Husker Harvest Days show manager Wayne Venter said the grounds also lost a bin, telephone poles and signs, but he predicted the farmland would be ready for the spring planting season. In Butler County, the tornadoes pummeled outbuildings and caused more than $350,000 in damage to power lines, officials said. Butler County Rural Public Power manager George Cunningham said about 700 customers were without power Wednesday morning. A egg producing plant near Octavia was demolished with debris strewn over a three-, mile area, said Norm Hoeft, Butler County civil defense director. "It's real bad," Butler County-Sheriff Leo Meister said.

"We lost-lots and lots of farm buildings. We've got cattle running all over the county," 'n -sew- I mm. Two Burlington employees stand atop a loaded coal train and watch as an approaching tornado nears railroad tracks along Highway 2 northwest of Grand Island. The tornado hit and derailed 24 cars of the empty moving coal train Tuesday evening. (AP Laserphoto) It was a purely involuntary reflex.

One that I regretted before I had finished speaking. "Shut the danged door," or words to that effect, rolled from my tongue before I'd realized it. It was a tremendous faux pas in terms of traditional newsroom etiquette, if there is such a thing. It just isn't something one adult says to another unless, of course, they're married. Geez, I thought, I have become my father.

Again. This isn't the first time something like this has happened. Nor is it likely to be the last The realization that I have become my father came to me soon after the birth of our daughter. Kids change you, and, if you're lucky, you survive. But it is something that, as a former young person, you try to forget about and can't From time to time, throughout your adult life, this grim realization is brought home with frightening clarity.

The Doonesbury comic strip made the same point recently with one character's sudden realization that he no longer understands or likes young people's music, and is, in; fact ignorant about the latest songs and performers. "Anyone who has a child crazy preventing further injuries. The tornado near Lawrence was one of several that twisted through Nebraska Tuesday. At least 20 reports of tornadoes were telephoned into the Buffalo County Sheriffs Department, Chief Deputy Neil Miller said. Some of the reports may have been of the same tornado as it moved northeast, Miller said.

A National Weather Service observer reported a tornado damaged seven farms near Surprise, about 8:15. Damaged farms were reported near McCool Junction, Fullerton, Wood River and Grand Island, as well as Sutton, York and David City. Power was knocked out for an hour at Cairo. The conductor of the Burlington mhouses, downed power lines and derailed rail cars, snow fell in the western part of the state. Arnie Svoboda and his father laid in a ditch when the tornado changed directions while they were checking calves near their farm north of Lawrence and the two men were unable to beat the tornado back to the house.

"It was a half-mile wide. It was terrible now," Svoboda said. "We could see stuff 300 feet in the air flying around tin and tree branches I was too scared to even breathe." Three people in Lawrence received minor injuries and were transported to a hospital in Hastings, said Allen Ostdiek, a spotter for the Lawrence Volunteer Fire Department. Zadina credited a 15-minute war- working to clear roads and pick up debris, he said. Gen.

Stan Heng, head of the Nebraska National Guard, flew by helicopter to assess the damage near Lawrence, a community of about 350 people about 14 miles north of the Kansas border, said Doug Parrott, a spokesman for Gov. KayOrr. The governor's office notified federal officials "to let them know we have had some severe damage in Nebraska," said Parrott. Zadina said a total of 68 homes, business and outbuildings were damaged in the Lawrence area, including six homes that were destroyed. No dollar estimate of damages was available, said Zadina who estimated the tornadoes damaged a fourth to one-third of the community.

While tornadoes tore up far- farmers. It includes damage to four farm homes, farm equipment and out buildings, but does not include livestock losses, he said. No one was injured in the tornado at Lowell, he said. "The damage is about twice of what we thought it was last night" Leo Zadina, Region 13 Civil Defense director, said Wednesday from a Civil Defense base in Lawrence, Neb. "There's a lot of dead animals on the outskirts" of town, Zadina said.

Power was restored to the area about 2 a.m. and volunteers were about New Kids on the Block or Milli Vanilli or any of the rapper-type people knows what I'm talking about 'As for heavy metal, heck, I didn't even like that when I was young and. yes, it was around even way backthen. Northern train that was derailed, ning by volunteer firefighters who John Horn, said no one was hurt were out on a storm watch with The train was one of two derail West Central senior aide proud of achievement fice: iL. related to placement in an unsub- "I think the best thing about the sidizedjob.

Senior AIDES Program is that they Ueding's position at WCDC is ad-try really hard to place you accor- ministrated through the National ding to your interests. That's why I Council of Senior Citizens (NCSQ, wjv. uuut lUBiam du wnicn tormed the WEST CENTRAL DEVELOPMENT CORP. mm ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM senior program much," she says. "I'm kind of the through a contract with the United States Department of Labor in 1968.

The Senior AIDES Program is funded under Title of the Older American Act and provides more than 10,500 jobs to men and women 55 and over who are economically disadvantaged. Currently, NCSC operates 146 Senior AIDES projects in 27 states and the District of Columbia. The Senior AIDES Program, which is neither a welfare proeram nor a "giveaway" program, operates under a twofold purpose: To pro FUEL ASSISTANCE APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED HERE motherly type. But now that I'm at the office, I like that too because I like social work. "My goal is to find employment in an unsubsidized position where I can use the work skills I have learned here at West Central.

I am grateful to the Senior AIDES Program for giving me a chance to improve my social status and for enabling me to give encouragement to the less fortunate." To show just how rewarding the job can be, Ueding recalls the HOURS By Carole Johnston Journal correspondent ONAWA, Iowa Doris Ueding says receiving the Senior Aide Recognition Award for excellence in providing services to the community is her "greatest achievement." The award is given as part of National Employ the Older American Week. The special week began Sunday and ends Saturday. Ueding is one of 115 senior aides employed by West Central Development a- community action agency serving 10 western counties in Iowa. Ueding works in the agency's Onawa office. The slogan for Employ the Older American Week is "The youth of yesterday are the resources of today and tomorrow," and Ueding serves as an example of that as she per' forms a wide variety of duties.

Her tasks include filing, filling out applications for the energy assistance program, keeping the clothing room in order, assisting with the food pantry and Women Infant and Children (WIC) program, and on some days managing the office while her supervisor, Gladys Mordhorst, is out. Ueding, who is 61, says she feels a "special kindness toward the less fortunate." She has been a senior aide employee since the fall of 1985 when she began working with the Head Start Program as a classroom aide. Since 1987 she has been a clerkreceptionist at the Onawa of- for the refrigerator yell, well, it's one of those irritating things my father used to do that I swore I would never do that I now do almost daily. "What are you trying to do? Freeze us out of house and home?" ''What's the matter? Is it too hot foryou?" the door!" 'Close that the danged Words from the past that won't go away. TV season has come and nearly gone.

So it's time to provide the ratings for this past season's TV shows again. Only one new show, "Life Goes On" made the list and just barely, at that, but it's a good one that thankfully boasts parents who are as real and interesting as the adults parents who may even yell at their kids about that open door. A couple of other sitcoms, "The onder Years" and "Roseanne" do well with the same kind of reality-based family situations. 'However boring Roseanne's tabloid life may be, or however bor- ing she may be as a human being, with Big John Goodman as a TV husband and a fine supporting cast, "Roseanne" does what it's supposed to do. It makes you laugh.

villains James Bond would die for, "Wiseguy" has emerged, 1 hands down, as the best drama show on the tube. And even without the bad guys, Vinnie and his comrades do it up right on their own. "As for No. 2, "Cheers" just keeps getting better. It's as funny now as it was five years ago no small accomplishment.

In fact, if I think about it another few seconds, I'll probably have to move "Cheers" up to the number one slot Only the top 4 shows fall into the must-see category, but I am supremely relieved that "China words of one thankful mother upon vide socially useful part-time receiving a box of groceries, warm employment and to improve and clothing and toys specified to meet expand existing community services r. her family particular needs and create needed new services, through the Christmas Adoption Senior aides are limited to 20 Program of the agency: hours a week and are employed by "I took that stuff home and put it non-profit organizations. Home under the tree, and it was the only health care, physical therapy Christmas we had," the mother told assistance, visitation to shut-ins, inner, formation and referral, teacher Ueding, a native of Decatur, assistance, paralegal and consumer but an Iowa resident for most of her affair services, transportation life, acquired her GED. She has assistance and home repair are just taken classes through Sioux Empire a few examples of senior aide activ-College and presently is enrolled in ities. a class through Western Iowa Tech NCSC chose to call the program Community College, the costs of Senior AIDES to emphasize that which are being partially funded older employees give: A (Alert) I through the Senior AIDES Program.

(Industrious) (Dedicated) The program subsidizes schooling (Energetic) (Service). Doris Ueding shows off the Senior Aide Recognition Award she received for community service during National Employ the Older American Week. (Photo by Carole Johnston) Ankeny school concert credited with saving lives ANKENY, Iowa (AP) A school Moines and its suburbs still are people were at home when the Beach" is moving to another night concert that attracted hundreds of cleaning up the mess leu behind by storm plowed into a neighborhood so I no longer nave to aeciae De- Ankeny residents the night a tor- a freezing rain storm on March 7 about two miles away. 'We were very fortunate," said tween it and "Quantum Leap" while naQ0 roared through the city was watching Vinnie and the guys on the credited Wednesday with helping other station. prevent injuries and possibly saving Some of us, after all, can't afford iives, more than one VCR.

And in northeast Iowa, Dubuque The best comedy anaor arama County officials said they are amaz shows on the tube are: ed there were no serious injuries that toppled thousands of trees and disrupted electric service. Gov. Terry Branstad on Wednesday toured the damage area in Ankeny and said that while the damage is severe, residents will recover. really proud of Iowans. We can handle pretty bad disasters.

Last year the plane crash, then the ice storm and now this devastating tornado and thunderstorms. We've got a lot of good people in this state," he said. In Ankeny, the storm swept in from the southwest and destroyed 20 homes. Sixteen others were substantially damaged. As storm sirens wailed in the northern suburb of Des Moines, about 650 students were performing at the city's "Bandorama" concert City Manager Carl Metzger.

"The band concert made a great difference in the number of injuries, if it did not save a life or two." Metzer estimated damage in the city at $1.5 million to $2 million. The only injuries in the Ankeny storm occurred as a roof blew off a condominium and onto Interstate 35, causing a chain-reaction wreck. Seven people were hurt, none seriously. Just outside Ankeny, Rick and Marge Vencil were picking glass shards out of their carpet Wednesday as they waited for an insurance adjuster. A plastic sheet nailed to the roof covered a large hole where a chimney once stood.

"I never thought I'd be picking glass pieces out of a carpet and sopping up water and feel lucky," she said. Mrs. Vencil said the bright side is that the smaller children in her neighborhood will have an easier time making basketball shots in a nearby driveway. Thanks to the storm the basketball pole leans at a sharp angle, putting the basket much closer to the ground. Across a street stood acres of fallen trees at Ankeny's Heritage Park.

Many of the trees that had survived the vicious ice storm a week earlier were leveled by the tornado Tuesday night In Worthington, which is about 20 mile southwest of Dubuque, the storm rammed the town of about 460 people at 5:15 p.m., striking first near St Paul's Catholic Church and churning a path to the northeast "I saw it coming and it skipped past St. Paul's church and took out some trees and hit Burger's Tavern," said Wayne Oberbreckling, Worthington feed building," he said. The storm continued northeast, ripping the roof off of the Kwik Shop convenience store. Gooch said one man escaped injury when the twister lifted his house away and put the family car in the basement, perching it directly over the area in which the homeowner was standing. "It was about 20 after five and I told Vince I was going to take a shower," said Mary Rubner, who along with her husband Vince Rubner escaped injury.

"Then I looked out the door and there it was. I said, 'Oh, my God, Vince, there it is." Their house was destroyed. When the electricity went out volunteer firemen turned on the fire truck's siren to warn residents of the storm. Gas, electric and telephone service to the town were all severed and there was no word on when services would return. Eleven homes were destroyed in Worthington and numerous cars, commercial buildings and agricultural outbuildings were damaged.

Disaster officials estimated damage in the town at $1.37 million. I. Wiseguy 2. Cheers 3. The Wonder Years 4.

Murphy Brown 1 5. Quantum Leap (tie) 5. China Beach (tie) 7. LA Law 8. Newhart 9.

Roseanne 10. Midnight Caller (tie) 10. Life Goes On (tie) Earning honorable mention and Second 10 status are "Doctor, Doctor," "Married With Children," 'Xity," "Designing Women," "Star Trek The Next Generation," and the Beast," "Night Court," "Dear John," "Elvis," and 3n the Heat of the Night" The list Is pretty heavy with sitcoms, but that's one thing TV does well- John Quinlan is a Journal copy when a twister wrecked a large section of Worthington, wiping out telephone and electric service and leaving 40 people homeless. "We're very lucky," said Bob Gooch, Dubuque County Disaster Services director. "There could have been a lot of serious injuries because this was a solid strike.

This is the first time a tornado has displaced families in Dubuque County in my 15 years here," he said. The Ankeny and Worthington tornados were two of at least 14 twisters that muscled their way around the state Tuesday night There were no serious injuries, but barns were ruined, roofs blown away, cars thrown into heaps and trees flattened. For central Iowa residents, it was the second time in a week that they faced weather wreckage. Des "Last night was OK, but I'm not so for grades five through 12 and hun- dreds of parents and relatives were good today," said Vencil, who was at watching in the high school gym- home with his wife and two small nasium. The concert was inter- sons when the storm blew across a rupted as the audience and stu- farm field and into his house, dents soueht shelter in a reinforced "The sound of glass I never who witnessed the twister from his room and interior corridors of the heard anything like that before.

It home. school until it was safe to resume. was like someone kept throwing It wasn't quite as narrow as you With more than one out of eight stuff at the windows," Mrs. Vencil residents safely at the concert, few said. might think.

Windows blew out at Burger's and then it leveled the old Sdltdr. f-.