Sandra Cason, Gail K. Beil and Rebecca Wyatt Hopkins
DEADLINE WRITING
Marshall News Messenger

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Pathos and color often come pouring out of big weather stories. As storms ravaged Marshall, employees of a pizzeria rode out a tornado in the freezer.

"That store was pretty much destroyed except for that freezer," said Managing Editor Karla DeLuca. "We did follow-up stories and when Domino's Pizza finally re-opened, it got a new oven."

Gail Beil, Sandra Cason and Rebecca Wyatt were the reporters up to the task as multiple tornadoes tore through Marshall on Easter Sunday.

"Gail and Sandra in particular live in the same general area where the storm hit, and when they heard about it they just went out, they didn't have to be told," said DeLuca.

"For a good reporter it's like a fire horse hearing a bell. You want to be near the action, you want to be where the storm is."

Rebecca Wyatt, now Rebecca Hopkins, remembers vividly that big news day.

"I have pages and pages of notes from that storm," she said. "Most people weren't able to drive through the area where the storm hit, and they wanted to find out anything they could fast. As a reporter you just try to pick the best information you have and get it to your readers as quickly as you can."

Gail Beil has a master's degree in history from Stephen F. Austin University. She was the Marshall News Messenger's environmental and historical reporter at the time. At this writing she reports on a free lance basis for the paper while working on a book project and awaiting a grandchild. Her daughter is a reporter for the Dallas Morning News.

Rebecca Wyatt Hopkins remains the News Messenger's city reporter. Sandra Cason now works for the chamber of commerce.

Big weather stories are random. They don't get neat budget lines having pre-cast leads for convivial chats round a table at news meetings.

"We want to always be ready," said DeLuca. "We have what we call the Marshall Style Book with all the local officials phone numbers, and we update it constantly."