Southern Illinoisan from Carbondale, Illinois • Page 3

HE OUTHERN I LLINOISAN HURSDAY ARCH 1,2012 3A OCAL www.thesouthern.com Ridgway hardly spared BYBECKYMALKOVICH THE SOUTHERN RIDGWAY More than a dozen people were injured, one severe weather whipped through Ridgway in rural Gallatin County on Wednesday. While a tornado has not been confirmed in the area, a clear path of destruction cut through the town from the southwest to the northeast. Farm fields on the outskirts of town were filled with mangled steel and other debris while trees were covered with puffs of cotton-candy colored insulation. In the town and emergency responders were removing trees from cars and homes, hugging one another and shaking their heads at the damage. The town of about 900 people was hit Ridgway firefighter Art Brown said.

have no idea how many structures were damaged at this a lot of them said as he drove along the out damaged homes. trailer was lifted right off its foundation, and a trailer that blew plum across the road. The fire department had to dig an 8-year-old little boy out from under the The old popcorn plant that gave the town its claim as Capital of the heavy damage as did the venerable St.Joseph Catholic Church. Established in 1870 and consecrated in church was the tallest structure in town and a Ridgway landmark.The bricks were made locally, the marble imported from While the altar is still of the building was reduced to rubble. are a lot of people in town who lived their whole lives in this church; were baptized in this church 70 years ago; were married in this church; buried their parents in this Rev.Steven Beatty said as he surveyed the at the same time we keep looking at each other and all Parish members gathered at the church throughout the day to look at the damage and to pray for the church and the community.

thing that came to mind in that circle was thank God for all the grace experienced through the beauty of this church; thank God for the incredible passion and drive that brought people here in the late with no more than what they had did that for the glory of said, pointing to the church. an amazing church it was.But the St.Joseph parish fallen down. The St.Joseph parish is what you see walking around here picking up The town was under curfew from 9 p.m. Wednesday until 6 a.m. police trooper Bridget Rice said.

Roads are closed to through traffic and volunteers are asked to sign in at the fire department beginning at 7 a.m.today. 618-927-5633 On Twitter: Church in parish lives on thing that came to mind in that circle was thankGod for all the grace experienced through the beautyof this What an amazing church it was. But the St.Joseph parish fallen HE EV TEVEN EATTY OSEPH ATHOLIC HURCH PAULNEWTON THE SOUTHERN Lifelong church member John Holmes of Ridgway looks over the damage to St.Joseph Catholic Church in the Gallatin County town after a tornado went through Wednesday. HARRISBURG State Rep.Brandon commute from Springfield to Harrisburg was never longer than it was Wednesday. After learning of the tornado that ripped through his toward cellphone keeping him abreast of the toll.

Several of those calls concerned a personal friend Jaylynn Ferrell, who once worked in his office and was the granddaughter of a longtime staffer. lived in an apartment complex behind Walmart.They told me they heard from her; they find said. later confirmed as one of the those who lost their lives in the tornado.Her obituary appears on Page 5C. was the sweetest, nicest young girl you could ever tragic.All the lives tragic.Please keep everybody in your BeckyMalkovich Rep. Phelps comes home to heartbreak Longtime family friend killed ALAN ROGERS THE SOUTHERN State Rep.Brandon Phelps speaks during a news conference Wednesday in Harrisburg.

Gov.Quinn declares disaster area BYBECKYMALKOVICH THE SOUTHERN HARRISBURG Gov. Pat Quinn issued a state disaster declaration for Southern Illinois after touring parts of tornado- ravaged Harrisburg on Wednesday. The declaration covers the entire southern third of the state and assures can summon all state resources to make sure we have everything we need to get back on our Quinn said. focus of the state right now is to coordinate with local emergency response officials in the affected areas to determine what state resources are needed for response and recovery from the storms. that assessment from enforcement and emergency management mutual aid organizations are on the ground and assisting with response efforts.That’s what here to do help you The governor arrived in Harrisburg just hours after the tornado ripped through parts of the city.

saw how devastating the damage is the overturned semis and apartment buildings shredded to said. really something when you see totally devastating. Something that was a bustling commercial center yesterday is debris The state can help with the rebuilding effort, Quinn people get back on feet. But first we help those who are injured.We deal with that first and fore- most.It’s also very important at this time of tragedy to say a prayer for those who have lost lives and lost While the state declaration an assurance of federal did say that he spoke with President Barack Obama just before the start of an afternoon news conference in Harrisburg. The president expressed his concern for his home state said, to make sure we work together with the federal government and local responders.We want to work During a visit later in the afternoon at a commercial retail strip center that was destroyed by the storm, Quinn said the emergency response on the federal level was already sprung in action.

Quinn said he had spo- ken directly to Federal Emergency Management Agency Regional Administrator Andrew Velasquez is a former director of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and homeland security advisor to the governor. is headed in the right Quinn. The governor and Lt. Gov.Sheila Simon of Carbondale visited some of the devastated Harrisburg neighborhoods after the news conference. Quinn praised the response efforts.

something bad happens in all come together to help our neighbors.The (Harrisburg) Bulldogs are strong.It takes more than a tornado to keep them said. 618-927-5633 On Twitter: ALAN ROGERS THE SOUTHERN Gov.Pat Quinn speaks during a news conference in Harrisburg. something bad happens in all come together to help our neighbors.The (Harrisburg) Bulldogs are strong.It takes more than a tornado to keep them OV AT UINN Insurance agent Jim Williams looks over the church bells that had fallen to the ground at the St.Joseph Catholic Church in Ridgway. PAULNEWTON THE SOUTHERN Longtime church member Debbie Fromm of Shawneetown looks over the damage to the St.Joseph Catholic Church in Ridgway. PAULNEWTON THE SOUTHERN CLICK CONNECT: See the news conference and some of the damage left behind in Ridgway in our online videos at www.thesouthern.com.