Greensburg

Tragedy struck Greensburg six years ago when a horrific EF-5 tornado nearly leveled the town of 1,500 people. The monstrous vortex killed 11 people, and injured 63 others when it moved through the small Kansas community on a Friday night. Two other people died weeks later as a result of their injuries. But many lives were saved that night because of advanced warning and residents taking cover before the tornado hit.  The tornado caused about $250 million in damage. But since then, the town has worked to rebuild as a green town aimed a saving energy.

By Megan Strader (GREENSBURG, Kan.) It took nearly three years, but Greensburg's Kiowa County Memorial Hospital is back. The May 2007 tornado destroyed the original, leaving staff working out of trailers and army tents for years. On Friday, the building was opened for all to see. The crowd included FEMA's Deputy Director, Governor Mark Parkinson  and hundreds of Kiowa County residents, all wanting their first look at the new $25 million facility. The hospital will employ 90 people and also house an ambulance service and two rural health clinics.

(GREENSBURG, Kan.) It's been one of the more talked about buildings in Greensburg. An incubator giving small businesses a place to set up shop while their more permanent location is under construction. The building was officially dedicated Friday by city leaders. Three businesses have already moved in, two that are brand new to Greensburg. Greensburg city officials say getting businesses back up and running has to be one of the top priorities in the rebuilding process.

by The Associated Press Greensburg school officials are trying to decide what to do with a newly discovered time capsule.       The small copper box was found hidden in a cornerstone of the town's high school. It was severely damaged by the May fourth tornado that destroyed most of Greensburg.       Sixteen-year-old Kenny Cesmat was the first to touch the box. He says it's heavy and guessed it could contain money or important documents. School superintendent Darin Headrick says revealing the time capsule's contents could bring the devastated town's residents closer together.

by John Boyd As Greensburg and Kiowa County rebuild, city leaders are looking for a few good workers. They are searching for professionals who know how to plan for the anticipated needs. Community leaders say, they typically processes about 100 building permits a year. Now several hundred will need to be approved in just a few short months to ensure families and business owners aren't delayed in their plans to rebuild. Available positions include assistant city administrator, inspector for building and community development, planner, financial manager, economic development director, public works staff, administrative positions, construction and heavy equipment operators and truck drivers among others.

by Jim Grawe His first visit was to offer comfort and hope to this town ripped apart by a killer tornado.  His next visit will be to see how Greensburg is sprouting back to life and congratulate Greensburg's senior class for weathering the storm. "He is usually at college graduations," says senior David Cesmat.  "He's never at high school graduations so I think that's a major honor. " "The president coming is huge," says senior Eric White.  "Not many people get to say the sitting President came to their graduation.

by Jim Grawe   Last year a tornado, this year a landslide.  Less than a year after Greensburg was nearly wiped off the map by an EF5, the mayor loses re-election 3 to 1. "Somebody with more tact might have survived a little better," says Mayor John Janssen. Janssen was appointed to post shortly after the tornado when his predecessor resigned.  During the toughest times this little town ever faced, Janssen says he and the city council had to take some controversial stands to ensure Greensburg was rebuilt right.

As we move toward the one-year anniversary of the devastating tornado that leveled Greensburg, we want to hear from you.  Tell us how the tornado affected you and what you've learned as the town works to rebuild.  You'll find a message board at the bottom of this page.  If you have pictures you'd like to share, send them to stormshots@kwch.com .  I had only been working in KWCH's Dodge City Newsroom for about a week when the Greensburg tornado hit. One of my managers called me about 10:00 that night and told me that the town had some damage and I should head east and check it out. I had no idea what to expect since all the phone lines were down and there was no way to get information.

by Tracy Crockett Some say it's amazing just how much help the town of Greensburg has gotten, but this time, where the help is coming fro may be even be more amazing. Seven Year old Artist Emma Marten says, "I really like to draw it what I see, like I like to go sit somewhere and draw what I see and then I like to color it in, that's my favorite part. " Marten enjoys art, she practices both at home and at school. Marten says, "mostly my whole life once we started, first grade we started doing art so I think I just did art my whole life.

by CBS News and Megahn Snyder This Sunday will mark one year since an EF5 tornado hit Greensburg. The twister wiped out the town. Residents lost everything. The community is still rebuilding and people who still live there say the Federal Emergency Management Agency was a lot of help. Residents who live in FEMA trailers call the area Femaville. It is where many Greensburg residents live now. Missy Hesser calls one of the temporary houses home. She says, "If FEMA wasn't here, if FEMA hadn't come in Greensburg wouldn't be here.

The tornado that struck Moore on Monday was a rare EF5, the highest rating the National Weather Service assigns in classifying the strength of tornadoes. It was the second of that magnitude to hit the community in 14 years. Some Kansans have been through a similar violent storm, and still have nightmares about that day. Families in Greensburg are reminded daily about an EF-5 tornado that destroyed their community six years ago. Siblings Carolyn and Jason Irvin said watching the images out of Oklahoma have been hard to watch.

Storm Team 12 Chaser Scott Roberts has seen a few tornadoes during his career, and like any other, he won't soon forget the deadly tornado that hit Moore, Oklahoma. "Standing there and looking up at it and seeing it overcome the right hand side of my view...that will stick," Roberts tells us. Roberts was in his vehicle, just less than a mile away from the tornado.  When it lifted, he made his way to Briarwood Elementary. "I saw it collapsed in the middle," Roberts remembers.  "Then, I heard there were 675 kids in there.

It's a love story that spans decades.  One Kansas couple is celebrating a milestone this week, 70 years of marriage. The Greensburg lovebirds married back in 1943 and have been together ever since. Click here for photos of the couple Laurence and Pauline Schwarm admit they've had their share of ups and downs but love has carried them through the years, even when a tornado threatened to tear everything apart. "I do not remember when I proposed to her, in fact, she may have proposed to me," said Laurence Schwarm laughing.

The people of Greensburg  came together Sunday for a community worship service.  They remembered the EF 5 tornado's destructive force that leveled the town five years ago. "Five years ago, we didn't have the opportunity to meet like this,” a preacher said. That's because five years ago, following the aftermath of an EF 5 tornado, the Greensburg community had to wait a week to come together like this. "This really is a nod to that and in remembrance of that service, for all of us to gather as a community.  And this, five years later, to celebrate five years later as a group everything we've been able to accomplish,” resident Stacey Barnes said.

Five years ago, a western Kansas town was nearly wiped off the map. Today, the community gathers to show how they've transformed Greensburg from rubble to something unique. Today was a day to celebrate a recovery that many say was nothing short of remarkable.  Greensburg resident, Judy Kirk says, "It has been really fun to see people enjoying what has built and what has been done. " People who lived through the tornado and recovery welcomed visitors, some of whom are getting their first look at a new Greensburg.

May 4 falls on a Friday this year. The last time it did was in 2007. That night, an EF-5 tornado leveled most of Greensburg. The storm killed 11 people in the town. Two more died in Pratt County. Five years later, Greensburg is remembering those killed. Friday afternoon, a headstone was dedicated to the victims outside the Big Well. Claude Hopkins, 79 Larry Hoskins, 51 Evelyn Kelly, 75 David Lyon, 48 Colleen Panzer, 77 Ron Rediger, 57 Harold Schmidt, 77 Sarah Tackett, 72 Beverly Volz, 52 Richard Fry, 62 Max McColm died in September from tornado-related injuries.

The EF-5 tornado killed 11 people as it blasted through Greensburg on May 4, 2007.  In a matter of moments 95 percent of the town was ripped to shreds. The survivors wondered if Greensburg was history. "If we built the town back the way it was before the disaster we were destined for the same future we were headed down," school superintendent Darin Headrick says.  "We were a typical rural community with a dying population, fewer businesses, young kids moving away to college and not moving back.

This May marks the five-year anniversary of the EF-5 tornado that hit Greensburg.  Today, US Senator Pat Roberts was in the city to see first hand how far it has come after 90% of all its buildings there were damaged. During today's tour, Roberts met with some of the people who are responsible for renovations throughout the city.  Greensburg is about halfway through their recovery plan.  Roberts says the Greensburg has come a long way in almost half a decade, " My wife and I came not too long after that.

They make environmentally friendly products, and now a German company will call Kansas' most environmentally friendly town home. HIB-Systems AG has signed a letter of intent with the city of Greensburg to build its first U.S. manufacturing plant in the city's new business park. Officials with HIB says the 10,000 square foot plant will employ 27 people when it first opens. The plan is expected to open in May of 2012. The company produces environmentally friendly modular wall systems for residential and commercial purposes.