Courtland News

A tornado touched down in Jewell at approximately 9 p.m. Thursday, leaving many without homes or businesses and blocking Highway 14 until debris was cleared. The community's water tower was destroyed as well as many utility poles and lines, leaving residents without water and electricity. The American Red Cross is on the scene, along with Jewell County emergency management and other county officials and agencies.

Most heavily damaged was the northwest part of Jewell; Some homes along Highway 14 were either damaged or destroyed and the Jewell Cafe was destroyed. A new large metal building was destroyed at Bohnert Welding and Seed. Two other metal buildings north of Bohnert were also destroyed -- Bourbon Trucking and Smith Cutom Harvesting. Further north, the Broadbent house was also heavily damaged.