S.C. Press Association 2011 News Contest Winners, part 3 of 5.

1. NEWS HEADLINE WRITING
Daily Under 20,000 Division
FIRST PLACE
Index-Journal
Scott J. Bryan

2. NEWS HEADLINE WRITING
Daily 20,000 - 50,000 Division
THIRD PLACE
Herald-Journal
Phillip Randall

3. NEWS HEADLINE WRITING
Daily 20,000 - 50,000 Division
SECOND PLACE ■
■
“It is so good it
makes me want to
Independent Mail
■
go back to school.”
■
Randy Hayes
Pendleton mayor
■
It’s a
Mike McMillan ■
■
■
KEN RUINARD Independent Mail photos
wrap!
MORE
MORE Video and photos
of food tasting at
Mount Lebanon Elementary School students Chandler-Brooke Wilkinson, 12, right, and Kennedy Harrison, 11, left, ONLINE
ONLINE www.independent
discover the chef hat is too big for Colt Martin, 12, as student council members prepare to serve a chicken wrap that is a mail.com.
semifinalist in first lady Michelle Obama’s Recipes for Healthy Kids competition.
Hawaiian Chicken entry at Mount Lebanon school gets good grades from judges
BY VINCE JACKSON
Special to Independent Mail
PENDLETON — A Pendleton el-
ementary school received a visit
Friday from a team of national
judges who came to taste the
school’s new lunch food.
The new dish vaulted the
Hearsay school into the semifinals of
first lady Michelle Obama’s
Recipes for Healthy Kids compe-
The Bee Man gets an A for his response to uninvited guests
tition.
Last year the U.S. Department
of Agriculture launched a cam-
paign to develop school lunch
foods that are healthy taste good
,
A
big thank-you to the bee ■ News from 13-Year Cicada Cen- where it was coming from.” Several and are fun to eat.
man! Hearsayer Audrey B. tral! “It’s like being in a sci-fi hours later, Ms. M said, she discov- PSST … The first lady made the initia-
PASS IT ON tive part of her Healthy Kids
of Hart County had a lot to movie!” Hearsayer Cynthia of ered “these huge bugs on the play
campaign to remove sugars and
say about a recent encounter with Abbeville opined on May 3. “I was set. Lots of them — cicadas! I would fats from school lunch menus. A Crunchy Hawaiian Chicken Wrap, one of several made for Pendleton Mayor Randy Hayes, right, sitting beside Todd
a bunch of honeybees on Easter outside with my dog, PJ, and the never have predicted the sounds HEARSAY is written Mount Lebanon Elementary judges at Mount Lebanon Elementary School in Pendleton. Bedenbaugh, director of the South Carolina Department of
weekend. “They were hugging the noise was like we were getting at- coming from such small creatures.” by Salley M. McIner- School answered the call with Education Office of Health and Nutrition, tries a chicken wrap.
side of a tree about 10 feet up and tacked. You could hear them crawl- Well, all you fine Hearsayers who ney. If you have a their Crunchy Hawaiian Chick- beans and peas. legumes) - $1,500; second place
the swarm was about five inches ing around. They were flying every- have been hearing cicadas, thank contribution for en Wrap entry in the Dark “Recipes for Healthy Kids (dry beans and legumes) - $1,000; with student chef assistants by dents, creativity and presenta-
Green and Orange Vegetable draws on America’s culinary Popular Choice Award - $1,500. her side, Lorett Arnold-Hayes tion, according to Chartwells
thick!” Mrs. Aud allowed as how where and hitting the house. It was you for letting Hearsay know about Hearsay — some- category . creativity and dedication to For a complete list and to vote demonstrated for the judges School Dining Services.
her fam didn’t know what to do really spooky!” Thanks, Cyn, and the noise. Just wish they’d come to thing you’ve seen or The wrap was the brainchild healthy lifestyles,” said Tim on your favorite recipe, visit the how the wrap is made. Chartwells provides dining
about the bees but remembered read this from Hearsayer Moma- Hartwell so Hearsay could hear ‘em heard that struck of team members Vikki Mulli- O’Connor, USDA associate ad- Recipes for Healthy Kids web- “It is really very easy eco-
, services for more than 550 pub-
having “bought a quart of honey gain45: “I live near the Ebenezer too! you as funny, silly, in- nax, a school nutrition profes- ministrator for Special Nutri- site at www.recipesforkids nomical and time efficient,” she lic school districts and private
at Morgan Hardware (in Lavonia, Fire Department, just off Highway ■ Fried cicadas for supper? Now teresting, entertain- sional; Chef Lorett Arnold- tion Programs. “Chefs are pro- challenge.com. Voting ends May said. schools nationwide.
Hayes of 1826 on the Green in viding culinary expertise, 31. “All of the students here at “We are excited about the op-
Ga.) and it was Mr. Walker’s Hon- 413. I noticed the buzzing sound Hearsayer Martha, who lives in the ing, odd or other- Pendleton; community member school nutrition professionals A host of school officials and the school have really gotten in- portunities that this recipe con-
ey from Martin, Ga. We got the The Bee Man Sunday (May 1). The buzzing never Slabtown community near Ander- wise — get in touch Kristi Martin; parent and are sharing insight as to what dignitaries, from the South Car- to this contest,” said school test brings to the school commu-
telephone number of Mr. Walker stops and seems to get louder dur- son, tuned in with — believe it or with Salley. Her e- teacher Edie Wilkinson; and can be accomplished in a school olina Department of Education Principal Mona Fleming. “We nity in Anderson County School
from the jar of honey. He came in into the box … Our family ing the day!” And from Hearsayer not — a really fine fried cicada mail address is sal- student Chandler Wilkinson. setting, and kids and parents to the mayor of Pendleton, filled have seen a rise in interest in District 4,” said Barbara Gard-
his overalls and beard and said he learned so much that day and re- JRB1953: “They have been buzzing recipe! “I found an Indian cookbook ley@hartcom.net. The Mount Lebanon recipe are making sure that students the school cafeteria as the na- healthy eating spurred by this ner, director of dining for
was among 15 chosen to move will choose these nutritious tional judges set about their event.” Chartwells in District 4.
has been keeping bees and mak- alized the miracle of pollination all day today (May 3) in the Cray- at a yard sale,” Mrs. M mentioned. forward in the competition from items in school and beyond.” work. After tasting a sample of the After sampling the chicken
ing honey since he was a young and new life. Thank you, Mr. tonville area.” And from Hearsayer “This is one of the recipes: ‘LO- schools in 11 states, including Winning recipes will also re- “It is exciting that Mount chicken wrap Pendleton Mayor wrap and marking their score
boy. Mr. Walker climbed a ladder Walker, for all your experience Mdale, who lives between Iva and CUST. Gather locust (cicada) at Arizona, South Carolina, Flori- ceive monetary prizes totaling Lebanon is a semifinalist,” said Randy Hayes said, “It is so good cards the judges awaited the ar-
and gently swept the bees into one and knowledge!” And by the bee Antreville, on S.C. 184. “I came night, then pick up those out of da, California, Massachusetts, $12,000: Grand prize winner - Lee D’Andrea, superintendent it makes me want to go back to rival of the first group of stu-
of his boxes. As long as the queen way, Mr. Walker’s first name is home to an irritating noise today shell, remove shell from others. Do Colorado, North Carolina, Min- $3,000; first place (whole grains) Anderson District 4. “All of this school.” dents to eat lunch. USDA nutri-
nesota, Ohio, New Mexico and - $1,500; second place (whole fits into our healthy lifestyles The judges will determine tionist Ann Hall said she was
bee enters the box, they will all “Rollo” (pronounced “Rah-lo”) (May 6). It sounded like a lot of not let sunshine on them or they Connecticut. From among the grains) - $1,000; first place (dark and wellness teaching. We are which three entries, in each cat- anxious to gauge the acceptance
follow. Mr. Walker asked for a cup and if you are beset by a swarm of emergency vehicles. I rode up the will spoil. Wash and then fry in a 340 entries submitted, five were green and orange vegetables) - addressing childhood obesity egory will move on to the na-
, of the food by the students.
of coffee, waited a while and con- bees, by all means, call the bee road and down the road but didn’t small amount of grease. Eat hot or selected in each of three cate- $1,500; second place (dark green and positive eating habits in our tional competition in July The
. “That is what it is all about,”
tinued another sweeping of bees man at (706) 599-1073. see anything and couldn’t tell cold.’ “ Or maybe not at all? gories: whole grains, dark green and orange vegetables) - $1,000; schools.” finals will be in Texas. Judging she said, “The kids have got to
and orange vegetables, and dry first place (dry beans and Dressed in the attire of a chef is based on taste, appeal to stu- like it, too.”

4. NEWS HEADLINE WRITING
Daily 20,000 - 50,000 Division
Rubber meets the road
uck flips, spills hundreds of tires on I-85/
Feeling taxed?
As deadline looms, how states stack up TAX DEADLINE
Federal taxes are due
FIRST PLACE
typical April 15, which fa
BY THOMAS HARGROVE is delayed only for weeke
Scripps Howard News Service April 15 is not a federa
Every spring, millions of D.C., typically celebrates
Americans rush to the post dent Abraham Lincoln’s f
office to file their taxes be- 16, but moved the celeb
fore the April deadline. The April 18 deadline w
Paying taxes unites us. It government shutdown, a
also divides us. Payment of tax refunds,
People can pay five and down happens and lasts.
even six times more in state
and local taxes than other
folks in similar circum-
stances making similar in-
comes, according to recent
studies of relative tax bur-
dens.
South C
“Taxes vary by a pretty
significant amount in Amer-
ica,” concluded Mark
Robyn, a staff economist at
is a low
Independent Mail
the Tax Foundation, a con- BY MIKE ELLIS
servative study group based Independent Mail
in Washington, D.C. ellism@/260.1277
“The highly taxed states
tend to be in the Northeast South Carolina’s ove
and in the mid-Atlantic re- taxes are the second-low
gion. They have more gov- in the nation, according
ernment services, bigger study by the conserva
government, and so they Tax Foundation.
raise more revenue to sup- “South Carolina is ju
port that government,” low-tax state, genera
Robyn said. “The South and said Mark Robyn, autho
Southwest tend to be lower- the tax burden study .
taxed.” But other studies —
For example, a married the government of Wa
Kylie Yerka
couple with three children ington, D.C., and by Li
earning $50,000 will pay ty Tax Service, which
about $10,348 a year in state based in Virginia — put
and local income, property , Palmetto State at 37th
sales and automobile taxes 31st in terms of its tax b
if they live in Bridgeport, den.
Conn., according to a study When it comes to s
the District of Columbia tax, the state’s 6-percent
city government released in is tied for 13th highest in
September 2010. country .
But if that family lived in Its income taxes, ho
Cheyenne, Wyo., it would ing around 7 percent for
pay only about $2,186, ical residents, are aver
thanks to modest property Robyn said. Property ta
taxes and no state income are lower than the natio
tax. average, but close to it.
“We are a very conserva- All told, South Carol
tive state, very frugal in our winds up as a strikingly
spending. It’s always been tax state, Robyn said.
that way,” said Wyoming “When I think of s
State Revenue Director Ed and local taxes, I think
going broke to pay for
Schmidt. His state, the na- come, sales and prope
tion’s top coal producer, taxes,” he said. “South C
levies mineral-production olina isn’t particularly
taxes that help hold down in any of those. But if
other taxes, he suggested. add it all up, it’s there. O
Although methods of cal- er states tend to tax
culating tax burdens vary thing or something else p
enormously — as do the con- Independent Mail file photos ty highly .”
clusions they draw most J d Elli tt f A d i fl g l g S C 28 B i A d t tt t Robyn said his study
23a
GA$
Prices in South Carolina nearly a dollar more
than this time last year, but headed down
BY KIRK BROWN a week on gas.
Independent Mail E li thi th th U S

5. NEWS HEADLINE WRITING
Daily Over 50,000 Division
THIRD PLACE A mom’s
Hoax world
The Post and Courier spurs falls apart
bank
PROVIDED
Boys’ daring adventure leads to tragedy for 12-year-old
Beth Harrison hoopla
Scare captivates onlookers,
ties up traffic, first responders
BY DAVID W. MACDOUGALL
macdougd@postandcourier.com
Craig and Gayle Voelker of Illi-
nois were enjoying their first visit
to Charleston on Wednesday when
they walked out of the Daughters of
the Confederacy Museum and into
what looked like a scene from “Dog
Day Afternoon.”
“We walked out, and the first thing
3. we see is cops with machine guns,” WADE SPEES/STAFF
y Gayle Voelker said. City police offi- Teal Baptiste, mother of 12-year-old Corion Baptiste (top), talks about her son who was found dead
cers were kneeling behind their police late Sunday, several hours after he and three others entered a locked shipping-container facility
Awendaw beaver population a gnawing problem cars with rifles and semiautomatic
weapons aimed at the entrance to the
Wachovia Bank at the corner of Meet-
ing and Market streets, she said. Her
husband began shooting video.
and drove heavy machinery through the yard at ConGlobal Industries off Spruill Avenue in North
Charleston. On the right is a friend, Ajanaclair Lynch.
BY GLENN SMITH
and ANDY PARAS
gsmith@postandcourier.com
00 Rumors spread quickly in the aparas@postandcourier.com
78)
BY PRENTISS FINDLAY causes his flooding problems. The Mike Taylor said throngs of tourists who were watching
Teal Baptiste felt a knot form in her stomach when
11 pfindlay@postandcourier.com state is taking aim at the issue. But stagnant water all the commotion. It was a bank rob- her 8-year-old son came through the door without his
bery. There were guns and hostages.
82 that may not be enough. in the drainage Someone tried to rob the bank with a
older brother by his side.
Young Ahmad had gone off to play Sunday after-
AWENDAW — When night falls Last week, the Department of canal next to his bomb strapped to his body. noon with his 12-year-old brother, Corion, and two
other boys during a family visit to North Charleston’s
None of it was true, police later said.
here, the problems start. Transportation awarded a $55,000 house does not No robbery. No hostages. No weap-
Union Heights neighborhood. Now, Ahmad had re-
turned alone, wet and dirty.
That’s when the beavers come out contract to the state Department of drain because ons. No bomb. She asked him what happened. Ahmad wouldn’t say.
9B to build dams and create their own Natural Resources to trap and re- beavers build Though no one was injured, the bi- He seemed out of sorts. He kept asking for a blanket,
though it was 100 degrees in the house.
zarre incident tied up dozens of police
4B private pools. locate beavers that affect highway dams that block and firefighters and snarled traffic in
Baptiste took to the streets to search for her miss-
ing son, the sensitive boy she called her hero. Hour FILE
1C Trouble is, they also flood about drainage in Berkeley and Charles- the canal. The the heart of Charleston’s tourist dis- after hour, calling his name, looking in yards, ask- This is an example of a top loader much like the
ing others if they had seen him. Sunset came, then one that was involved in the accident in which a
2B trict for more than three hours.
an acre of Mike Taylor’s land on ton counties. backup causes At 2:43 p.m., police received a call
darkness. Quickly, hope began to fade for the single 12-year-old boy was killed.
mom of six.
7B Sewee Road. “Beavers take up residence in about an acre from a clerk at the Wachovia office “I could feel it in my stomach, like a mother’s intu-
at 177 Meeting St., police spokesman ition,” she said, a tear sliding down her cheek. “I just MULTIMEDIA
2A He joked about setting up a stand pipes throughout the state system,” of his land to be Charles Francis said. knew something bad had happened to him.” To hear a 911 call about the top loader
tragedy, go to postandcourier.com/
on his property offering three shots said Kirk Richards, DOT assistant under water. A man had gone to a teller and said Please see TRAGEDY, Page 7A audio.
he was being held against his will and
at the rodents for $5. district maintenance engineer. PRENTISS FINDLAY/
He waved and said ‘Bye Mama.’ That was the last time I saw him.
Taylor said a beaver dam in a STAFF Please see INCIDENT, Page 5A
drainage pipe under Sewee Road Please see BEAVERS, Page 7A

6. NEWS HEADLINE WRITING
Daily Over 50,000 Division
SECOND PLACE
The State
Robert J. Venturella

7. NEWS HEADLINE WRITING
Daily Over 50,000 Division
chain hoists.
d
y
t
Hunley on a slow roll
FIRST PLACE s,
nd
Confederate sub rotated a few millimeters at a time; should be upright today
BY BRIAN HICKS
bhicks@postandcourier.com
VIDEO perfectly aligned.”
Barring any complications, the ro-
The Hunley has rested on its star-
board side since it was recovered from
See provided video of tation should be finished sometime the Atlantic Ocean in 2000. Archae-
The H.L. Hunley was never a fast the Hunley rotation at today. ologists wanted the sub lifted in the
ain boat, but it probably never moved postandcourier.com/ This is a major step in the Hunley position it was found to avoid moving
The Post and Courier .
this slowly.
On Wednesday, engineers and sci-
videos. project, one last engineering puzzle
before conservators put the sub
entists at the Warren Lasch Conserva- by slowly adjusting the 15 straps that through the restoration process. The
tion Center began rotating the Con- cradle the Hunley, and keeping a la- move attracted the attention of myri-
federate submarine into an upright ser sight running from stern to bow ad people who have had a hand in the
position — 3 millimeters at a time. that would detect any twisting of the project, from State Archaeologist Jon-
The pace was plodding, the progress hull. athan Leader to former Friends of the
artifacts inside the sub. The Hunley
has remained in that position ever
since.
But now the entire hull needs to be
exposed so that conservators can re-
move the crusted sand and shell that
covers the hull in preparation for the
Tony Brown
Roadhouse blues
Music, liquor, young crowds can be magnet for trouble, authorities say
Declaration of ‘war’
Be alert: BY BO PETERSEN
bpetersen@postandcourier.com
Portuguese man-of-war — the gorgeous,
jellyfish-like creature with tentacles that
can hang as long as a tree is high and a sting
Painful ‘blue FOLLY BEACH — It looked like a shiny
blue balloon, bobbing across the surf be-
that burns like fire. The man-of-war spot-
ted Wednesday was one of at least three or
bottle jellyfish’ tween the Washout and the Morris Island
Lighthouse. The woman wading started to
four spotted near Lowcountry beaches over
the past few days. A beachgoer reported
are lurking in go see when someone on shore screamed
for her to stop Please see ‘WAR’ Page 6A

8. SPOT NEWS REPORTING
Daily Under 20,000 Division
THIRD PLACE
The Item
Nick McCormac,
Jade Anderson
and Robert J. Baker
For Many, Quake Hits
Close to Home

9. SPOT NEWS REPORTING
Daily Under 20,000 Division
SECOND PLACE
The Times and Democrat
Richard Walker
Woman Dies in Train Crash

10. SPOT NEWS REPORTING
Daily Under 20,000 Division
FIRST PLACE Cut draws workers’ ire
Proposed budget cut protested by Social Security employees
Aiken Standard By JEREMY TIMMERMAN
Staff writer
A proposal in the U.S.
House of Representatives
to cut $1.7 billion from the
“We struggle to pay people
in the right amount, on time,
all the time,” she said.
One option that might be
given to qualified workers
who are 55 years of age and T
budget of the Social Security have been working for the p
Jeremy Timmerman Administration will have
side of the administration’s
The main issue for the 12
to 14 protesters, who were
agency for at least 20 years is
local consequences, according a buyout. Campbell said that
to protesting employees out- she was “not in a position”
to take the buyout, but if she
office on Corporate Parkway. met qualifications, she would
“have to think long and hard”
about leaving under buyout
Cut Draws Workers’ Ire
giving up their lunch breaks terms.
for the demonstration, was Campbell added that the
the monthlong furloughs that number of experienced work-
could result from the cut. ers who would potentially
Ardell Campbell, who has accept a buyout and leave
been working for the admin- the agency would also have
istration for 15 years, said negative consequences on the
that the level of service the quality of service offered.
office is able to deliver will Multiple media outlets
suffer if workers are forced reported similar protests C
to take a month off from their across the country in response t
duties. to the proposal. c
“The federal government The reports also indicated r
is proposing furloughs of that the other protests had
Social Security employees, been organized by a national t
so we wouldn’t be able to trade union. t
produce the kind of world- Not all of those involved
class service we have been,” with the Aiken demonstra- t
Campbell said. “The Ameri- tion were current employees. i
can public deserves the kind At least one retiree, Glenda n
of world-class service we’ve Corbett, donated her time for o
been providing.” the cause. i
Campbell added that, due Corbett, a 2002 retiree b
to the amount of work she after more than 38 years with A
and her coworkers face in a the administration, agreed t
given day, they find it dif- that expecting the necessary
ficult to keep up, even when amount of work with employ- h
the office, located off Whis- ees taking monthlong fur- t
key Road, across from South loughs was unreasonable. Staff photo by Michael Gibbons
p
Aiken High School, is fully Ardell Campbell stands on the sidewalk on Corporate Park- n
staffed. Please see PROTEST, page 5A way during her lunch break from the Social Security office.

11. SPOT NEWS REPORTING
Daily 20,000 - 50,000 Division
HONORABLE
MENTION
Independent
Mail
Nikie Mayo
Haven Struck
by Blaze

12. SPOT NEWS REPORTING
Daily 20,000 - 50,000 Division
THIRD PLACE
Morning News
Tucker Mitchell
DOJ Weighs in on Vote Map

13. SPOT NEWS REPORTING
Daily 20,000 - 50,000 Division
HOSPITALIZED GRAHAM ‘IN GOOD SPIRITS’ ● 3A
SERVING YORK ● CHESTER ● LANCASTER COUNTIES
The Herald 50 CENTS
SECOND PLACE THURSDAY May 12, 2011
SPECIAL STORM COVERAGE | UPDATES AND PHOTOS AT HERALDONLINE.COM
Storms pack a punch
Rock Hill ● South Carolina heraldonline.com
■ Rain and hurricane-force winds hit York, ■ Extensive damage reported as fallen trees,
The Herald
Chester and Lancaster counties overnight power lines leave thousands without power
By Nicole E. Smith
and Jamie Self
nsmith@heraldonline.com
jself@heraldonline.com
Severe thunderstorms with hur-
ricane-force winds pummeled York
County early Wednesday causing
widespread power outages and, for
some, severe damage reminiscent
of Hurricane Hugo.
Mike and Shirley Brown woke to
Nicole Smith,
news that midnight winds sheared
off the roof of their church, Living
Hope Freewill Baptist, on old North
Main Street in Clover. Only blue sky
covered their flooded sanctuary
Wednesday afternoon.
“It’s a total loss,” said Ed Le-
mieux, an owner of the building the
church leases. He drove to the
Browns’ home to break the news.
“They just put in all new bath-
rooms, all new walls,” he said.
“This is sister Shirley calling,”
Shirley said to church members
from her couch Wednesday morn-
James Self,
ing. “The wind has torn our church
down.”
Winds between 60 and 80 mph
swept the Piedmont after midnight
Tuesday in a storm with rare intensi-
ty, meteorologists from the National
Weather Service said. A line of tight-
ly packed thunderstorms developed
late Tuesday in Ohio and moved
south through York County before
reaching the coast.
The storm was more severe than
similar storms in this area, NWS
meteorologist Neil Dixon said.
Tuesday night’s storm front
Shawn Cetrone
spanned more than 100 miles, pro-
ducing hurricane-force winds.
Meteorologists are now survey-
ing damage in York, Cherokee, and
Chester counties to determine how
high the winds speeds were, he
said.
Local authorities reported hun-
JAMIE SELF - jself@heraldonline.com
Members of the Living Hope Freewill Baptist Church in Clover survey the damage in the sanctuary. The church was recently renovated, but the building was not insured. See STORMS ● 5A
HICKORY GROVE CHESTER COUNTY
Couple: Chester’s ‘hard hit’ draws
and Andrew Dys ‘Everything
was falling
down’
By Shawn Cetrone
scetrone@heraldonline.com
HICKORY GROVE — Rebecca
Blackwood was lying in bed at mid- MICHAEL CARR
Hugo, war comparisons
By Andrew Dys
adys@heraldonline.com
CHESTER — Storms with winds that reached 90
mph ripped through Chester County early Wednes-
day, causing damage emergency officials are saying
is the worst since Hurricane Hugo in 1989.
Damage totals could reach into the millions of dol-
Storm Packs a Punch
night watching the weather on tele- Tom Blackwood of Hickory Grove stands next to an oak tree that lars, emergency workers said, as dozens of homes
vision, when she saw that a danger- crashed through his home during Wednesday’s overnight storms. and businesses were smashed by falling trees or had
ous thunderstorm was encroach- roofs ripped off.
ing on her Hickory Grove home. As Thomas, 66, and Rebecca, 61, Storm coverage No injuries had been reported by late Wednesday.
Outside, lightning flashed amid headed for the cellar, two more oaks The only deaths were scores of baby turkeys at a
roaring thunder and bawling collapsed on their home of 32 years. SCHOOLS: Chester County schools farm in northwestern Chester County – but property
winds. “Everything was falling down,” on two-hour delay. Most other damage is severe over much of the county. DAN O’MARA - domara@heraldonline.com
She elbowed her husband, who he said. districts on regular schedule. 5A “There are spots where it looks like a war zone,” Landscaping clings to the rootball of a huge
awoke, saw the TV and glanced out Their path was blocked. THE REGION: Residents and said Ed Darby, the county’s deputy emergency man- tree that toppled over in the yard of this home
the window. Wearing only shorts, Thomas business owners share their agement director. “The city of Chester seems to have near downtown Chester.
“I jumped up and grabbed my grabbed a blanket and wrapped it gotten it the worst.”
storm stories. 5A
flashlight and said, ‘Let’s get to the around himself and Rebecca, who After meeting with National Weather Service in- Tornados probably were not the culprit, he said,
cellar,’ ” said Thomas Blackwood. was in pajamas. PHOTO PAGE: How nature left its vestigators who had done a field survey Wednesday because damage to most structures was on the wind-
As they rushed through the bed- They rushed for the back door mark in York and Chester afternoon, officials determined the storm was most ward side of the buildings.
room door, an enormous oak tree and stepped out into pouring rain. counties. 1B likely “straight-line winds” of up to 90 mph. “Safety, with all these power lines down, is first
crashed through the roof and land- Barefoot, they pushed aside fallen ONLINE: See video of damage to a The same storm line running northwest to south- priority for all of us,” Murphy said. “From what we
ed on their bed. tree limbs and stumbled over de- Lowrys turkey farm, plus more
east damaged western York County and areas in have seen so far, this is the worst we have had since
“It fell right where we were ly- North Carolina, said Eddie Murphy, Chester Coun-
photos.
ing,” Thomas said. See ESCAPE ● 5A ty’s emergency management director. See CHESTER COUNTY ● 6A