Joplin News

Multiple Injuries After Amtrak Train Derails in Montana

JOPLIN, Mont. (AP) — Multiple people were injured Saturday when an Amtrak train that runs between Seattle and Chicago derailed Saturday afternoon in north-central Montana, the train agency said. The Empire Builder train derailed at 4 p.m. near Joplin, a …

Fire Destroys Buildings in Joplin

A fire on Joplin, Mo.,’s Main Street destroyed two buildings but firefighters were able to stop the blaze from spreading to other buildings. No injuries were reported after the fire Tuesday night. The Joplin Globe reports the fire destroyed a …

FEMA Trailers in Joplin Slowly Emptying

The nearly 600 federal trailers that housed Joplin residents since the May 2011 tornado are slowly emptying, with only about 80 of the trailers still occupied. Those who remain in the trailers will soon have to start paying rent in …

Tornado Fraud Costs Joplin Residents Prison Time

Two people have been sentenced to prison for fraudulently obtaining federal disaster benefits after a deadly tornado hit Joplin, Mo., in May 2011. Fifty-one-year-old Wanda G. McBride of Joplin was ordered Friday to spend six months in federal prison without …

$15K Reward for Info on Missouri Mosque Fire

The FBI today has announced a $15,000 reward for information leading to charges in a fire at a Joplin, Mo., mosque. The fire was reported July 4 at the Islamic Society of Joplin. No injuries were reported, and firefighters extinguished …

Some Missouri Tornado Victims Frustrated with Payment Delays, Reductions

While insurers responded quickly after the tornado struck Joplin, issuing payments for destroyed homes within weeks, they took longer to resolve contents payouts. According to Ron Richard, a Missouri state senator who sponsored legislation (SB 619) designed to address the …

Crew Rebuilding Joplin Hospital Salvage Trees

The crews rebuilding a tornado-damaged Joplin hospital are trying to save as many trees as possible from the site where a new building is being constructed. St. John’s Mercy Hospital in Joplin was virtually destroyed in the May 22 twister …

Report: Joplin Might Not Have Debt From Tornado

A new report says the city of Joplin might not end up with any debt related to the May 22 tornado. The report from the city finance director estimated that costs to the city, including damage to city property, would …

Insurers Pay Out $1.13B for Joplin Tornado Damage

Insurers have spent about $1.13 billion in claims tied to the Joplin tornado and payouts continue to grow. The head of the Missouri Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions and Professional Registration says total insured losses could be $1.8 billion to …

Workers’ Comp Insurer Agrees to Pay Joplin Injury Claim

Mark Lindquist, whose against-the-odds story of survival and heroism in the Joplin tornado touched people around the world, got some good news Monday: The insurance company that initially denied his medical claim agreed to pay. Lindquist, 51, was hurt while …