Wicked weather

Penny Dugger of Morley watches as her parents, Paul and Florence Dugger, and neighbor Jay Cookson (right) put a tarp over her damaged roof. Winds proved so strong early Wednesday, the Morley city limits sign, which was bolted to a post, blew into the yard of resident Dick Griffin. (Photo by Leonna Heuring, Staff)

Storm cleanup begins

leonnah@standard-democrat.com

MORLEY -- Wednesday marked a Leap Day many residents in Southeast Missouri and surrounding states will never forget.

Among those is Penny Dugger of Morley.

Dugger, who lives on Phillips Avenue just off U.S. Highway 61 in Morley, was sound asleep Wednesday when around 4:45 a.m. she awoke to a loud noise.

"I thought: 'This is awful,'" Dugger recalled. "I heard the roar -- just like they tell you about a tornado: the roar of a freight train. That's what it sounded like."

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