As a reporter, you might be having a lazy Sunday... reading the paper, idly doing some household chores... sleeping in, maybe. And you don't watch tv or turn on the computer until well after noon... but when you do, you're reminded: there's weather coming. After you do a bit of research, you realize the weather might actually be severe. After it all rolls through, you -- as a reporter -- have two options: go to the newsroom, or go to the scene. I knew we had reporters at the scene, so I opted for the newsroom.

Ever since, we've been in the field and in the newsroom. Interviewing people, making calls, fielding calls, typing everything, checking facts, going to press conferences and, finally, publishing the stories. I've been impressed with the stamina of our editorial staff, and the reporters who get out there and see what's going on, to inform all of you through our website, then the morning paper. That's our job. The tornadoes in Prattville made national headlines, but also meant personal upheaval for some. I'm glad that we don't have any reported fatalities, but the devastation is no less real.

From my point of view, when I'm up in the newsroom calling Alabama Power for outage numbers, it's important to stop for a second and think: nearly 11,000 of their customers in Prattville were without power last night. 99% of those have already been restored, but last night, when parents were explaining to children what "tornado" was, they did so by candlelight or flashlight. Or in a hotel. A shelter.

Things seem to be going pretty smoothly with immediate needs and recovery in Prattville. I hope it continues to.