The American Red Cross is helping people across the Midwest after tornadoes slammed into parts of Kansas and Missouri early this morning, injuring dozens of people, destroying buildings and leaving thousands without power. This is the third time tornadoes have devastated parts of Missouri in less than a year. The storm threat continues today with officials warning severe storms will continue in the Mississippi, Ohio and Tennessee valleys.

One of the areas affected is Branson, Missouri where officials reported some people were trapped in their homes and buildings in the city’s famous theater district are heavily damaged. In Kansas, Governor Sam Brownback declared a state of emergency for the affected areas southwest of Topeka.

Red Cross workers in Missouri have opened shelters and are providing meals for displaced residents. Additional workers are fanning out in affected neighborhoods to begin assessing the extent of the tornado damage. In Kansas, tornadoes damaged homes and search and rescue teams are searching for missing residents in the wreckage. Red Cross chapters are preparing to open shelters and are serving meals to those affected as well as emergency responders.

To find an open Red Cross shelter, visit www.redcross.org or call 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767). iPhone users can download a free Red Cross shelter view app from the app store.

With the threat of more storms today, residents should be on the watch for tornado warning signs such as dark, greenish clouds, large hail, a roaring noise, a cloud of debris or funnel clouds. It’s a good idea to secure outside items such as lawn furniture or trash cans, which could be picked up by the wind and injure someone.

If a tornado watch is issued, it means tornadoes are possible and people should be ready to act quickly. If a tornado warning is issued, it means a tornado has been sighted or indicated by radar and people should go under ground immediately to a basement or storm cellar or to an interior room such as a bathroom or closet.

As residents begin to deal with the aftermath of today’s deadly storms, the Red Cross reminds people to stay out of damaged buildings and immediately report any fallen power lines or broken gas lines to the utility companies. If people are out of their homes, they should return to their neighborhood only when officials say it is safe to do so. Other safety steps include:

• People should use flashlights, not candles, when examining buildings. If someone smells gas or hears a hissing noise, they should open a window and get everyone out of the building immediately and call the gas company or fire department.
• Check for injuries. If someone is trained, they should provide first aid until emergency responders arrive.
• People should listen to their local news or NOAA Weather Radio for updated information and instructions.

For more information about how to stay safe if tornadoes threaten someone’s community, people can visit the preparedness section of www.redcross.org.

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A federal prosecutor reported Thursday that a southeast Missouri man told his father he was guilty of murdering his own wife. Clay Waller, who was a suspect in his wife’s disappearance, told his father that he killed his wife and dumped her body in a hole, St. Louis News KSDK reported.

Jacque Waller, a 39-year-old mother of 5-year-old triplets from the southeast Missouri town of Cape Girardeau, has been missing since June 1, according to the Associated Press. Jacques family had suspected that Clay was involved in her disappearance. “It wasn’t any big shock to us. We’ve known about this for two and a half months,” said Stan Rawson, Jacque’s father.

According to KSDK, police told Jacque’s parents about Clay’s confession immediately after Clay confided in his father. Jacque’s parents said that in addition to the police telling them, Clay’s father told them directly. “He’s worried about Clay. He wants Clay to get mental help. He says the boy’s crazy. That’s what he told me,” said Mr. Rawson.

Clay initially denied any involvement in his wife’s disappearance and said that authorities were on a “witch hunt” to accuse him. In July, Waller told the Southeast Missourian, that he thought his wife had been abducted off of Interstate 55, where her blue Honda Pilot was found abandoned in the hours after she was discovered missing.

Since her disappearance, authorities and volunteers have looked for Jacque Waller. Hundreds of people have searched ponds, woods, and construction sites where Clay worked, the AP reported. According to KSDK, Clay is currently in jail on federal charges of making a death threat online to his sister in law, Cheryl. He also faces other charges on stealing and harassment.

Chief James Humphreys said he’s still in the process of building that case of Jacque’s disappearance. 

”We haven’t found Jacque. We haven’t found our victim. We’re going to focus on that before we go forward with prosecutors for charges,” said Chief Humphreys. Clay’s confession is helpful to the search party’s efforts.

They now have a better idea of which areas to search in. “The comment is helpful because it makes us think that she’s on land, not water,” said Lt. David James. On August 17, an article on Gather.com reported that a team of divers searched a nearby pond for Jacque’s body. The massive body of water measured nearly 40 feet deep.

As the search for her body continues, Clay remains locked behind bars. Authorities say he is due back in court on Monday.

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In a complaint against Missouri prison mental hospital, Jared Lee Loughner’s lawyers claim that authorities have forced antipsychotic medication on their client despite an appeals court order.

Defense attorneys filed an emergency motion with the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals for enforcement of a July 12 order that Loughner not be medicated against his will with antipsychotic medication that could harm him.

The motion signed by Loughner’s lead attorney, Judy Clarke of San Diego, Calif, also asked the court to require the U.S. Bureau of Prisons to provide her with daily records of his treatment. By doing so, his defense team and the appeals court can monitor prison authorities’ compliance with the order against involuntary medication.

Loughner was charged with 49 felony counts in the Jan 8 shooting rampage that killed six and injured 13, including U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. In May, a federal judge deemed him incompetent to stand trial. Loughner was then sent to the Missouri prison hospital for treatment of schizophrenia.

According to the 9th Circuit Court’s order of halting forced administration of antipsychotics allow prison doctors to give Loughner sedatives if he was deemed a danger to himself or others. However, drugs were forced on the inmate “on an emergency basis,” according to prison reports.

The report showed that Loughner was given a low dose of risperidone, which is used to treat schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and other mental illnesses. The drug was to be administered twice daily, under the threat of injection with a powerful antipsychotic drug if he refused the oral medication, the defense lawyers said.

Robert Sherwood of the U.S. attorney’s office in Tucson said prosecutors have no role in Loughner’s treatment in prison. However, prosecutors state that the shooter is violent in prison and needs to be forced to take medications. In papers filed to court, prosecutors noted several instances of violence including during an interview.

The interview, administered by the prison psychologist, on March 28 determined whether Loughner was competent to stand trial. During the interview, the inmate “suddenly became enraged, used foul language and hurled a plastic chair against the psychologist.”

On April 4, Loughner spat on one of his attorneys, lunged at her and had to be restrained by staff. A month later, he threw chairs in his cell.

After finding the shooter incompetent, U.S. District Judge Larry Burns asked doctors to try to restore Loughner’s mental health. But, he refused to take his antipsychotic medications.

The Associated Press reports that in court on July 21, Loughner’s attorneys questioned whether the forced medication violates the court’s order. The filings state forced medication was resumed on an “emergency basis” because prison officials said Loughner was a danger to himself.

Prison authorities say he has been on 24-hour suicide watch, even though Loughner denies having suicidal thoughts.

The appeals court’s decision will be reviewed at a hearing scheduled for Aug 29.

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The deadliest single tornado since 1953 barreled down on Joplin, Missouri on Sunday, dividing the city in half. The death toll continues to rise and currently 117 people are believed to have lost their life in the massive twister. Missouri Governor Jay Nixon’s spokesman, Sam Murphey, said Tuesday morning that the death toll in Joplin had risen to 117.

According to the National Weather Service, the single deadliest tornado prior to this week was in Flint Michigan in 1953.  That tornado killed 116 people.  The National Weather Service began tracking tornadoes in 1950. From their research, they believe that there were deadlier tornadoes before 1950. The agency says the single deadliest day that it is aware of was March 18, 1925, when tornadoes killed 747 people.

This spring has been an active tornado season.  A series of twisters ripped through the southern states in late April killing 314 people.  Alabama was the hardest hit of the six states that suffered destruction from the pack of twisters.

Sunday’s massive twister went right through the Missouri town of about 50,000 people. St. John’s Regional Medical Center was hit and five patients were confirmed dead, along with one hospital visitor. The tornado destroyed possibly “thousands” of homes, according to Fire Chief Mitch Randles.  It leveled hundreds of businesses, including massive ones such as Home Depot and Walmart.

President Barack Obama said he would travel to Missouri next Sunday to meet with people whose lives have been turned upside down by the twister. He vowed to make all federal resources available for efforts to recover and rebuild. “The American people are by your side,” Obama said from London. “We’re going to stay there until every home is repaired, until every neighborhood is rebuilt, until every business is back on its feet.”

Craig Fugate, director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, told NBC’s “Today” show Tuesday that Obama has declared a disaster in the area, which means residents are eligible for his agency’s assistance. “We’re here for the long haul, not just for the response,” Fugate said.

This week Missouri continues to have the threat of severe weather with the increasing possibility that the same area could be struck by tornadoes again. The Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla., said a repeat could be setting up, with a possible large tornado outbreak in the Midwest on Tuesday and bad weather potentially reaching the East Coast by Friday.”This is a very serious situation brewing,” center director Russell Schneider said.

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