Flooding closes schools

In the wake of a major storm that swept through Southwest Missouri on Monday night, floodwaters caused one school district to cancel classes today.

According to East Newton R-6 School District Superintendent Tanya Vest, the decision was made to cancel classes about 5:30 a.m. today.

"Currently, there really is no way into Stella or out," Vest said in a telephone interview at 8 a.m. today with the Neosho Daily News.

Vest said Route O is covered down by Wanda, and near the other way into Stella by Indian Creek was flooded.

"We don't have flooding in the north part of our district," Vest added. "But down south, we have it. It (water) was rising so fast. It really got up there quick."

Triway Elementary School is located in Stella. The district also has the Granby Elementary School and the East Newton High School, near Granby.

Asked if school would be back in session on Wednesday, Vest said it was not determined as of press time.

"We are just going to watch it throughout the day," Vest said, "and kind of see what happens."

Shortly after 9 a.m. today, Stella Mayor Bill Alsop responded to the flooding that struck the village, population 178.

"It (water) has receded now," said Alsop. "You can get in and out of Stella."

Alsop, who lives near Indian Creek near the former Cardwell Hospital, said that the flooding at Indian Creek was a "mess."

"The water was about two feet from the top of the new bridge (on Ozark Street)," Alsop said. "I would say that it went down about 12 feet, easy, maybe more."

In the 12 years since Alsop and his family has lived in Stella, he said he has never seen anything like that before.

Alsop and his family escaped their home and headed up to Click's Convenient Store.

"That was the first time that we have had to do that," commented Alsop.

According to Alsop, there were power outages around the area, but not in town.

"We had no touchdowns of tornadoes, but plenty of hail," said Alsop. "I have never heard of hail so much and so deep. Sheets of rain came down here in town. I have never seen hail swirl in circles. It was just ungodly."

Alsop said there were not a lot of people on the roads during the storm.

Neosho Daily News