Two Christmas Day Tornadoes Confirmed In Alabama

| December 26, 2015 

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2015/12/Storm11-scaled.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:6:{s:5:"width";i:2560;s:6:"height";i:1696;s:4:"file";s:26:"2015/12/Storm11-scaled.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:14:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:19:"Storm11-336x223.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:223;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:5:"large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:19:"Storm11-771x511.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:511;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:19:"Storm11-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:12:"medium_large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:19:"Storm11-768x509.jpg";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:509;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"1536x1536";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:21:"Storm11-1536x1017.jpg";s:5:"width";i:1536;s:6:"height";i:1017;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"2048x2048";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:21:"Storm11-2048x1356.jpg";s:5:"width";i:2048;s:6:"height";i:1356;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:17:"Storm11-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:19:"Storm11-600x338.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:338;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:19:"Storm11-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:19:"Storm11-470x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:470;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:19:"Storm11-400x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:400;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:28:"ab-block-post-grid-landscape";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:19:"Storm11-600x400.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:400;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"ab-block-post-grid-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:19:"Storm11-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:19:"Storm11-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}s:14:"original_image";s:11:"Storm11.jpg";}
        )

    [_media_credit] => Array
        (
            [0] => Sherrel Wheeler Stewart
        )

    [_navis_media_credit_org] => Array
        (
            [0] => WBHM
        )

    [_navis_media_can_distribute] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:4935531;s:14:"optimized_size";i:1435974;s:7:"percent";d:70.909999999999997;}s:5:"sizes";a:9:{s:4:"full";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:47:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/12/Storm11.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:4729720;s:14:"optimized_size";i:1285784;s:7:"percent";d:72.810000000000002;}s:9:"thumbnail";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:6:"medium";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:5:"large";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:55:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/12/Storm11-771x511.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:114151;s:14:"optimized_size";i:83051;s:7:"percent";d:27.239999999999998;}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:55:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/12/Storm11-510x338.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:59583;s:14:"optimized_size";i:43528;s:7:"percent";d:26.949999999999999;}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:55:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/12/Storm11-300x300.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:32077;s:14:"optimized_size";i:23611;s:7:"percent";d:26.390000000000001;}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => success
        )

)
1677427159 
1451161883

Alabama residents are dealing with the aftermath of two Christmas Day tornadoes that damaged homes and churches in east Tuscaloosa and southwest Birmingham. Crews worked Saturday to restore power in the Hillman community in southwest Birmingham. Residents began repairing and trying to salvage their belongings.

Stained glassed windows were blown out of Hopewell Baptist Church. Next door at Gloria Hardy’s house, only part of the walls were left standing. Clothes and appliances were scattered.

The National Weather Service says the tornado in east Tuscaloosa was an EF0 and the storm in Birmingham was an EF2.

“It just came so fast. I had no idea of the magnitude of this,” says Gloria Hardy. “My daughter was screaming for help. People came from everywhere. They were trying to pull out debris and free us. I really didn’t get out until the firemen came and pulled me up.”

Crews work Saturday to restore power in Southwest Birmingham near Hopewell Baptist Church.

Sherrel Wheeler Stewart,WBHM
Crews work Saturday to restore power in Southwest Birmingham near Hopewell Baptist Church.

Hardy’s home was one of two of the ones destroyed. Roofs were damaged on others, and some had windows blown out. Hardy surveyed the damage with family members. She says she hopes to rebuild.

 

 

Pentagon shifts toward maintaining ties to Scouting

Months after NPR reported on the Pentagon's efforts to sever ties with Scouting America, efforts to maintain the partnership have new momentum

Why farmers in California are backing a giant solar farm

Many farmers have had to fallow land as a state law comes into effect limiting their access to water. There's now a push to develop some of that land… into solar farms.

Every business wants your review. What’s with the feedback frenzy?

Customers want to read reviews and businesses need reviews to attract customers. But the constant demand for reviews could be creating a feedback backlash, experts say.

‘Get back to integrity’: Oklahoma’s Kevin Stitt on Republicans after Trump

NPR's Steve Inskeep asks Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt about his spat with President Trump, immigration and the future of the Republican Party.

Civil rights leaders say the racial progress Jesse Jackson fought for is under threat

Activists say racial progress won by the Rev. Jesse Jackson is under threat, as a new generation of leaders works to preserve hard-fought civil rights gains.

Tariffs cost American shoppers. They’re unlikely to get that money back

After the Supreme Court declared the emergency tariffs illegal, the refund process will be messy and will go to businesses first.

More Front Page Coverage