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Melton, who said three of his employees were injured, said his facility is insured.

Greg Johnston was one of the Complex Chemical employees on the job when the tornado struck.

"The winds picked up and all of the sudden, one of my buddies shouted, 'Tornado!'" Johnston said. "The walls started shaking, we got down in the break room, and in a few seconds, everything was gone. it happened that fast."

State Sen. Francis Thompson, D-Delhi, said the port will need help from the state to repair infrastructure damage in order for the businesses there to operate.

"(Gov. Bobby Jindal) has been instrumental in helping us make improvements, and I'm confident he'll weigh in and provide the necessary funds to get this parish's industrial park back into operation," Thompson said. "Without it, we won't be able to hold onto all of these jobs."

Thompson estimated that businesses within the port complex employ about 300 workers.

Jindal, who declared a state of emergency in the parish, said he will travel to Madison Parish on Sunday to personally assess the damage.

"I've instructed our state officials to remain in close contact with local emergency first responders, and they will remain on the ground to help the community get back on its feet as quickly as possible," Jindal said. "The safety of our citizens is our top priority, and we are ready to assist the parish with any and all needs in the aftermath of this natural disaster.

"As I've said before, when one part of our state hurts, our entire state hurts. I know that the people of Northeast Louisiana and our entire state are ready to assist the people of Madison Parish as they begin to recover."

Ann Patten, director of Red Cross of Northeast Louisiana, said she sent a team of volunteers to Tallulah headed by Emergency Services Director Carroll Babb. "They were told to meet at the East Willow Baptist Church," Patten said.

Patten said several Red Cross volunteers, who had been preparing for the annual BASH fundraiser that was scheduled for Saturday night, left Monroe to report to Tallulah. they were carrying water, snacks, comfort kits and items for children, and they would assess other needs.

Nick Filo, National Weather Service meteorologist, said the tornado "was just getting going as it went through Tallulah."

"We're talking about one tornado," he said. "Basically grab a map, find Tallulah, find Yazoo City (Miss.) and draw a straight line between two cities because it nailed them both," Filo said.

At least 10 people were killed in Mississippi, the associated Press reported.

Tornado cuts swath

The show, which opens its two-week run at 7 p.m. Friday at the Johalla Projects gallery, at 1561 North Milwaukee Avenue, features portraits of Chicago’s 50 aldermen (including two who recently left their seats), created by 50 Chicago artists.

Parameters for the art were, shall we say, minimal: every piece had to be 16 by 22 inches. beyond that, the artists had complete freedom in the way they chose to represent their subjects. The results include photographs, collages, tile mosaics and, yes, Lego portraits.

Lauri Apple and Jeremy Scheuch, who organized the show, will be on hand to greet the potentially awkward mix of artists, their subjects and the curious public.

“I’m excited,” Mr. Scheuch said. “And a little bit nervous. I think there are going to be a lot of people there.”

As a precaution, someone has been hired to handle matters at the door. “I’ve been putting on shows for 10 years,” Mr. Scheuch said. “This is the first time I’ve ever had to even think about having a door guy.”

Visitors will include someone from nearly every alderman’s office — Aldermen Scott Waguespack and Willie Cochran, among others, will be there, while others are sending staff members. No word yet on whether Aldermen Sandi Jackson or Patrick Levar (shown above in photographs provided by their offices and in their exhibit portraits), will be on hand.

Downstairs, at the Earwax Cafe, patrons can partake of the “50/50” specials, including the Todd Stroger Meal — in honor of the recently voter-ousted Cook County Board president.

“It’s going to cost a dollar,” Mr. Scheuch said. “But the service charge will be $10.25.”

Back to the art: A sneak preview revealed plenty of conversation starters: Dick Mell, tortured by his son-in-law Rod R. Blagojevich, and John Rice, the subject of a funny cartoon; a couple of old-school portraits, including a regal JoAnn Thompson; and a few that could easily double as campaign posters in 2011 — in case anyone is looking for a bigger office at City Hall.

As 50 Aldermen Strike a Pose, Exhibit's Artists Take Full Advantage of Free Rein

Captain Han SoloThe Han Solo figure shows the influences of the WWII bomber pilots on the Han Solo character. the figure bares the likeness of actor Harrison Ford with the classic WWII pilot hat. the bomber jacket comes complete with fur collar and detailed bomber nose art on the back of the "Millennium Falcon". the figure comes with a gun, the German Mauser, which was actually the base for the prop used in the Star Wars movies.

ChewbaccaThe Chewbacca figure continues the look of the bomber crew. Chewbacca's uniforms shows the rebel insignia and his name on his chest. his machine gun is a modified Thompson made to be reminiscent of Chewie's crossbow.

Luke Skywalker (Rebel Pilot)The Luke Skywalker figure has a slightly more stylized look. the figure bares the resemblance of actor mark Hamill. his removable helmet displays the rebel logo and removable goggles that can be lowered and raised. the orange leather is reminiscent of the classic orange jumpsuit from the films. the figure comes with a parachute and chest pouch that is suggestive of the control panel on Luke's jumpsuit. Although not very accurate to the WWII era, you can not have Luke with out the lightsaber. the lightsaber looks like an older flashlight, has a removable blade and is connected to a battery worn on the belt.

Imperial SnowtrooperThe Imperial Snowtrooper is based on the look of WWII soldiers during the siege of Stalingrad. the troopers face still obscured, but by a scarf this time not by a face plate. the goggles have the look of the classic helmet's visor and the helmet has the classic Nazi flared edges. the long coat that juts out is suggestive of the skirt worn by the film's version and the hard ammo pouches are like those of the film as well.

Imperial Biker ScoutThe Imperial Biker Scout is a blend of a Nazi motorcycle soldier and the film's Biker Scout. the chest armor and pouches are suggestive of the classic look. He wears a German Luger on his boot, like his movie counterpart. the bike is of classic WWII design but has the same color scheme as the speederbike and the saddlebags which are suggestive of the rear of the speederbike.

Darth VaderThe main idea behind this figure was to 'devolve' the suit into something that resembles 40's technology. the helmet is basically a glorified gas mask, and the chest box is intended to look like an old-fashioned guage. the uniform isn't 100% Nazi, but I wanted to have the armband with an imperial symbol instead of a swastika. the base figure is a LOTR prologue elf.

StormtrooperThis was the first concept that solidified in my mind when Sillof approached me about this concept. this was perhaps the most literal fusion of Star Wars and WWII aesthetics, and I am quite pleased with the result. the base figure is a ML Longshot, with Gambit hands.

Boba FettI wanted Fett to look like he was wearing chunks of damaged, modified tank armor. the missing hand was an afterthought, but I thought it would be an extreme and amusing divergence from the character's usual appearance. He's the least successful in terms of capturing the intended period, but he makes for a menacing Mandalorian. Base figure is a ML Bullseye, with ML Punisher boots.

Created by Sillof & Glorbes (Sillof@Sillof.com).Web site: www.sillof.com

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Star Wars WWII Action Figures