GOOD EVENING, AND THANKS FOR JOINING US.
I'M AMY AUBERT, AND THIS IS EYEWITNESS NEWS AT SIX.
STORMS IN THE MIDWEST HAVE WEAKENED BUT THERE IS STILL A CHANCE FOR MORE TORNADOS.
DOZENS OF REPORTED TWISTERS HIT THE MIDWEST THIS WEEKEND - KILLING AT LEAST FIVE PEOPLE.
ONE OF THE HARDEST HIT AREAS IS WOODWARD, OKLAHOMA AND MANUEL GALLEGUS IS THERE.
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PKG
(VO-STORM CHASER MATERIAL)
The massive twisters tore through several states - from Oklahoma to Iowa- ripping through homes and buildings.
There are reports of more than 120 tornados across the midwest -
Storm chasers even caught this rare sight.
SATU307 (NAT-SOT))
"TWO TORNADOS, TWO TORNADOS"
(NAT)
Several people were killed - including five inside this Woodward, Oklahoma mobile home park.
The storm ripped through this area in the middle of the night with little warning.
PIPE TORNADO 08:54:58 (SOT-?)
"IT JUST HIT SO FAST AND SO QUICK AND NOBODY HAD TIME TO REACT TO IT."
(NAT - 15:57:24)
There isn't much left of Jean Schwab's home.
She was actually asleep in her bed when the tornado was bearing down.
Her daughter Casey Forrest woke her up and they both got into a storm shelter behind the house just before the storm hit.
(SOT-Casey Forrest/Woodward, OK Resident)
"IF I WOULDN'T HAVE COME I MIGHT NOT HAVE MY MOM."
(BRIDGE: Manuel Gallegus/CBS NEWS/Woodward, Oklahoma)
This truck is overturned
SUND026 (NAT-SOT)
"THERE IT IS - THAT'S A BIG TORNADO."
Officials warned about this widespread storm system for days.
It packed lightenining and golf ball sized hail.
The high winds cut off power to hundreds of thousands.
PIPE 1 TORNADO 08:49:58 (SOT-)
"OUR BEDROOM AND OUR CLOSET AND OUR SUNROOM THAT'S ALL THIS BACKWALL AND ITS DOWN HERE."
(HAULING DESK)
Neighbors here are now salvaging what they can (NAT) and leveling what can't be saved.
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WOODWARD'S CITY MANAGER SAYS THE TORNADO DESTROYED AT LEAST 89 HOMES.. AND 13 BUSINESSES.
MACON POLICE ARRESTED A MAN THEY SAY BEAT ANOTHER MAN WITH A METAL BASEBALL BAT.
POLICE SPOKESWOMAN... JAMI GAUDET SAYS THEY ARRESTED...
32-YEAR-OLD JOSEPH MOORE AROUND 4-30 SUNDAY MORNING.
GAUDET SAYS WITNESSES TOLD POLICE THAT MOORE BEAT THE VICTIM WITH THE BAT.
A NEWS RELEASE SAYS OFFICERS FOUND THE VICTIM QUOTE... LYING FACE DOWN IN THE STREET... VISIBLY BLEEDING FROM THE HEAD.
IT SAYS POLICE SAW MOORE NEAR HIS VEHICLE... WITH A METAL BAT IN THE FRONT SEAT.
MOORE TOLD POLICE THE TWO BEGAN FIGHTING AS HE WAS DRIVING HIS VEHICLE... WHEN HE STOPPED... HE SAYS... THE FIGHTING MOVED TO THE STREET.
THE VICTIM WAS TAKEN TO THE MEDICAL CENTER FOR TREATMENT... MOORE IS BEING HELD AT THE BIBB COUNTY JAIL.
MACON POLICE ARRESTED A MAN THEY SAY STOLE 12 THOUSAND DOLLARS... WORTH OF MERCHANDISE FROM WAL-MART.
A NEWS RELEASE FROM THE MACON DEPARTMENT SAYS JOHN JONES JUNIOR... IS ACCUSED OF STEALING SHOPPING CARTS FULL OF MERCHANDISE FROM THE RETAIL GIANT... AND BEING IN POSSESSION OF BURGLARY TOOLS AND METHAMPHETAMINE.
THE RELEASE SAYS POLICE FOUND JONES HIDING IN THE REAR OF THE STORE ON SUNDAY.
ALL MERCHANDISE WAS RECOVERED... AND JONES IS BEING HELD AT THE BIBB COUNTY L-E-C.
RESCUE OFFICIALS PULLED THE BODIES OF A FATHER AND HIS TEENAGE SON FROM LAKE LANIER ON SATURDAY.
THE A-J-C SAYS THE 40-YEAR-OLD DAD WAS TRYING TO RESCUE HIS 14-YEAR-OLD SON.... WHEN BOTH WENT UNDER AT MOUNTAIN VIEW PARK.
INVESTIGATORS BELEIVE THE TEEN ATTEMPTED TO SWIM ACROSS THE COVE... WHEN HE BECAME DISTRESSED.
OFFICIALS LOCATED THE VICTIMS IN LESS THAN TWO HOURS.
MACON-BASED MID-GEORGIA AMBULANCE IS EXPANDING FURTHUR INTO SOUTH GEORGIA.
STARTING MAY FIRST... THE PRIVATE AMBULANCE COMPANY WILL TAKE OVER EMERGENCY SERVICES IN MITCHELL COUNTY.
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MADE THE DESICION TUESDAY.
MITCHELL COUNTY MAKES THE NINTH COUNTY THAT MID GEORGIA AMBULANCE COVERS.
AMY ABEL-KIKER WITH MID-GEORGIA AMBULANCE SAYS THEY MAY HAVE TO MOVE RESOURCES AROUND... BUT SHE SAYS THE CHANGE WON'T AFFECT ANY OTHER COUNTIES.
"If for some reason we need to move staff at certain points, we can. We have a division in cook count which is not terribly far from Mitchell county so we're able to adapt that way as well but we will be accomodating for the growth in Mitchell County."
COUNTY COMMISSION CHAIRMAN BENJAMIN HAYWARD SAYS THE MOVE WILL SAVE THE COUNTY ABOUT 400-THOUSAND DOLLARS.
OUT OF THE 22 PEOPLE WHO CURRENTLY WORK FOR THE COUNTY AMBULANCE SERVICE... HAYWARD SAYS 6 WILL LOSE THEIR JOBS.
MID-GEORGIA AMBULANCE WILL TAKE OVER SERVICE IN MITCHELL COUNTY MAY FIRST.
THE SERVICE WILL COST THE COUNTY 30-THOUSAND DOLLARS A MONTH.
MORE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE DROPPING OUT... THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT.
GEORGIA'S GRADUATION RATE JUMPED TO 67 POINT 4 PERCENT... THAT'S ACCORIDNG TO NUMBERS REPORTED BY THE A-J-C.
THE NEWSPAPER USED A NEW METHOD TO CALCULATE GRADUATION RATES.
THEY SAY EARLIER SCHOOL CALCULATIONS... COVERED DROPOUTS AS TRANSFERS... AND COUNTED STUDENTS AS GRADUATES REGARDLESS OF HOW LONG IT TOOK THEM TO FINISH.
SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT JOHN BARGE.. SAYS 5 TO 10 PERCENT OF SENIORS REQUIRE A FIFTH OR SIXTH YEAR TO EARN THEIR DIPLOMAS.
HE SAYS GRADUATION RATES COULD LOOK EVEN WORSE IN 20-12.
HUNDREDS SHOWED UP TO HONOR SEVERAL HOUSTON COUNTY TEACHERS AT THE 2012 TEACHER HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CEREMONY.
nats :05 "today we honor six extraordinary teachers."
SUPERINTENDENT ROBIN HINES ADDRESSED THE CROWD AND THANKED THE SIX INDUCTEES FOR THEIR DEDICATION AND SERVICE IN THE COMMUNITY.
HALL OF FAME CANDIDATES MUST SERVE AT LEAST TWENTY YEARS IN THE CLASSROOM IN HOUSTON COUNTY... AND NOW BE RETIRED.
THE NEWEST MEMBERS TO THE TEACHER HALL OF FAME ARE MRS. INEZ BREWTON... MRS. DONNA HAVRILLA... MRS. SHERIN HINNANT... MRS. JOYCE JONES... MRS. JEANNE MCDONALD... AND MRS. CAROLYN STONEHOUSE.
TWO WESTERN KENTUCKY FOOTBALL PLAYERS... INCLUDING ONE FROM GEORGIA... CONTINUE TO RECOVER... AFTER BEING SHOT OUTSIDE A BAR LAST NIGHT.
A STATEMENT FROM THE SCHOOL'S ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT SAYS TEVIN HOLLIMAN AND RICARDO SINGH WERE SHOT... BUT THE INJURIES ARE NOT LIFE THREATENING.
THE SHOOTING HAPPENED.. OUTSIDE OF THE LAVA LOUNGE... AN OFF CAMPUS BAR IN BOWLING GREEN... JUST HOURS AFTER THE TEAM PLAYED ITS ANNUAL SPRING GAME.
OFFICIALS SAY IT APPEARS SOMEONE SHOT INTO A CROWD OUTSIDE THE BAR... AND THE BULLETS HIT THE PLAYERS.
HOLLIMAN IS A SOPHMORE FROM TUCKER.. GEORIGA... AND SINGH IS FRESHMAN FROM FLORIDA.
TODAY MARKS THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE TITANIC'S SINKING.
A MOMENT OF SILENCE WAS HELD AT 1-20 A-M. EASTERN TIME... THE EXACT MOMENT THE SHIP SLIPPED INTO THE ICY WATERS OF THE ATLANTIC.
THE TITANIC HIT AN ICEBERG HOURS BEFORE IT SANK.
PEOPLE FASCINATED BY THE DISASTER BOARDED A CRUISE TO COMMEMORATE THE ANNIVERSARY.
SOME OF THE 450 PASSENGERS HAD PERSONAL TIES TO THE VICTIMS.
Sharon Willing: Passenger I almost feel like I've seen him (grandfather) now I can go home. My life is going to be a little different. I won't have as much of an obsession of him I think. It's almost as though...while I was here he was alive for me, now I can let it go.
THE BLOCKBUSTER MOVIE PROTRAYING THE NIGHT THE SHIP SANK.... IS MAKING SOME HISTORY OF ITS OWN THIS WEEKEND.
THANKS TO THE 3-D RE-RELEASE.. JAMES CAMERON'S TITANIC.. SAILED BEYOND THE 2 BILLION DOLLAR MARK IN LIFETIME TICKET SALES.
THIS WEEKEND ALONE.. THE RE-ISSUE TOOK IN ABOUT 100 MILLION DOLLARS.
ONLY ONE OTHER FILM HAS REACHED THE 2 BILLION DOLLAR MARK.. AND IT'S ALSO ONE OF CAMERON'S.
HIS SCI-FI SMASH AVATAR EARNED 2 POINT 8 BILLION WORLDWIDE.
THIS WEEKEND FIVE CENTRAL GEORGIA GREAT CLIPS PARTNERED WITH JAY'S HOPE... TO SUPPORT KIDS WITH CANCER AND THEIR FAMILIES.
NATS : 01 "CLIPPERS"
A DOLLAR FROM EVERY HAIRCUT WENT TOWARD THE FOUNDATION.
JAY'S HOPE HELPS EASE THE FINANCIAL BURDEN FOR FAMILIES STRICKEN WITH CHILDHOOD CANCER.
THE PARTNERSHIP WITH GREAT CLIPS IS PART OF BLESSING OF THE BIRDS... A CELEBRATION THE SLAVIN (SLAVE-IN) FAMILY TAKES PART IN EVERY YEAR.
Janice Slavin (slave-in): "When my daughter Holly was diagnosed with cancer the first time and lost her hair she told me not to be sad because we could throw it out in the yard for the birds and they would find it and feel blessed to use it for nests for their babies."
SLAVIN'S DAUGHTER HOLLY IS A TWO TIME CANCER SURVIVOR.
SHE'S A FOURTH GRADER AND PLAYS SOFTBALL.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
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HAVE A GREAT NIGHT. WE'LL SEE YOU BACK HERE FOR EYEWITNESS NEWS AT ELEVEN.