‘Purely Survival’: Kentuckians Made Homeless By Twister Face Cold

Good morning! It’s Tuesday, Dec. 14. People in Kentucky, the epicenter of damage from the deadly tornado that cut a more than 200-mile swath of destruction, and multiple other Midwest states are waking up with holes in their hearts less than two weeks before Christmas. Before we go on:

• 5 Ways To Directly Help Kentucky Tornado Victims, via Charlotte, North Carolina, Patch

Here are some of the other stories we’re following:

• Police who found five AR-15 rifles and ammunition at a student’s home, and a prosecutor says a tragedy was likely averted.
• A server’s thumb in the coleslaw was a restaurateur’s “aha!” moment.
• Two big settlements for victims of sexual abuse were reached — one resulting in a $800 million fund for victims in the Boy Scout sexual abuse scandal; the other is a $350 million fund for the gymnasts sexually abused by Larry Nassar.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear made a pledge to residents of the state Monday: Despite the powerful tornado that leveled their homes, “We’re not going to let any of our families go homeless,” he said.

Dozens of people died in the swarm of twisters that slammed five states Friday, killing at least 88 people, including 74 in Kentucky.

Nowhere is the devastation more apparent than in Mayfield, Kentucky, a community of about 10,000, where it was difficult to find any property that escaped damage.

Temperatures were expected to be below freezing Monday. There wasn’t a single utility humming in town.

“Our infrastructure is so damaged. We have no running water. Our water tower was lost. Our wastewater management was lost, and there’s no natural gas to the city. So we have nothing to rely on there,” Mayfield Mayor Kathy Stewart O’Nan said on ”CBS Mornings” Monday. “So that is purely survival at this point for so many of our people.” » Thousands Without Heat, Water After Tornado Kills Dozens: Photos, via Across America Patch

In Illinois, workers at an Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville, Illinois, had only a few minutes' notice before the building partially collapsed. Six people were killed and a seventh person was severely injured. Gov. J.B. Pritzker included more than two dozen counties in a disaster declaration, and local officials are asking questions about whether Amazon followed proper procedure and if its building was up to code. The federal Occupational Health and Safety Administration is also investigating. » Pritzker Declares Disaster; OSHA Launches Amazon Probe, via Chicago Patch

Terror Charges In School Threats

Two Pennsylvania teenagers face charges of conspiracy to commit terrorism and conspiracy to commit aggravated assault charges after authorities said they foiled a school shooting attempt. They are the latest students in the state to face charges in incidents that led to numerous arrests and lockdowns.

Local, state and federal law enforcement officials were involved in the investigation. A search warrant turned up five AR-15 rifles, other guns and ammunition, investigators said. “I do believe that tragedy was prevented,” the district attorney prosecuting the case said. » School Threat Foiled; 2 Teens Charged, via Across Pennsylvania Patch

A state away in New Jersey, a 16-year-old student is charged with two counts of terroristic threats. Authorities said the student has been identified as the person who sent another teen an anonymous Instagram message that threatened “to kill all of you and your Egyptian friends.” » Jersey City Police Patrol High School After Online Threat, via Jersey City, New Jersey, Patch

• Terror Charge, Charges Against Parents, Questions Of School Culpability: A Different Approach To School Shootings, via Across America Patch

Feel Instantly Better About Your Coleslaw

The pandemic has tested America’s restaurant industry in multiple ways, including on the most basic level of food safety. Here’s the problem, according to longtime Atlanta restaurateur Christian Valvo: It’s impossible for servers to pick up plates of food without their thumbs or some part of their hand touching the eating surface.

The “aha!” moment for Thumby — a reusable silicone cover that goes over the index finger and thumb — came several years ago when a server at a barbecue restaurant accidentally stuck his thumb in Valvo’s coleslaw.

“The servers are on their phones, just like we all are. There have been studies that a phone is 10 times dirtier than a restaurant toilet, so you can imagine the germs that are on a phone,” Valvo said. “Servers are also picking up food, eating, making salads ... the spread of foodborne germs, it's everywhere in a restaurant. Some people don't notice if a server's thumb is in their food, but it's a problem. It's a problem that's gone on for way too long.” » Thumbs Up For Device That Keeps Servers’ Hands Out Of Your Food, via Marietta, Georgia, Patch

Come Have A Little Party With Us

This never gets old. Police in Verona, New Jersey, arrested Grinch for attempting to steal holiday cheer. We have video. » Watch It: Holiday Cheer Safe From Grinch, via Jersey City, New Jersey, Patch

Also, Patch readers have chosen one entry from the five finalists to win the grand prize in our second annual gingerbread house contest. » Patch Gingerbread House Contest: And The Winner Is ..., via Across America Patch

• This Guy’s Gingerbread House Still Cracks Us Up, via Across America Patch

Around ‘The Patch’

Flying Squirrel Zooms In: Doorbell cameras can give us some hilarious nighttime moments, via Fairfax, Virginia, Patch.

Government Hacked: Hackers reportedly hit a Virginia legislative office with a ransomware attack, using an extremely sophisticated malware, via Richmond, Virginia, Patch.

Murder-For-Hire Indictment: An auto dealer is among three Texas men indicted by a federal grand jury, via Austin, Texas, Patch

FedEx Driver Arrested: A driver accused of dumping more than 400 FedEx packages in a ravine has been arrested, via Birmingham, Alabama, Patch.

Genius — Professional Personal Shoppers: Top-rated professional personal shoppers are at your service during the busy holiday season, via Arlington, Virginia, Patch.

• Cop Who Contracted COVID-19 In Line-Of-Duty Laid To Rest, via Sachem, New York, Patch
• Can These ‘Tiny Houses’ Help Ease Homelessness? via Newark, New Jersey, Patch
• Drunken Driver Leaves Injured Son At Store Then Flees, via Joliet, Illinois, Patch

National Headlines

The House panel investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection voted for contempt charges against former Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows about the thousands of emails and texts he provided before he ended his cooperation with the committee. » Panel Votes For Contempt Charges Against Mark Meadows, via Across America Patch.

Here are some of the latest national headlines from Across America Patch and other Patch sites:

• USA Gymnastics, USOPC Reach $380M Settlement For Victims
• Insurer Agrees To Pay $800 Settlement In Boy Scouts Bankruptcy
• U.S. Government Tracking Journalists: AP Seeks Answers
• Omicron Raises COVID-19 Worry, But Not Precautions: Poll
• Justices Won’t Block Vaccine Mandate For NY Health Workers
• No Troops Disciplined In U.S. Strike Killing Afghan Civilians

Today In History

George Washington, a Revolutionary War leader and the nation’s first president, died on this date in 1799 at his Mount Vernon, Virginia, estate. He was 67, via History.com.

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