Extreme weather with hail as large as softballs hit a zoo in Missouri on Tuesday, April 28, killing a female emu and injuring a male rhea. The storm, which rolled quickly through the area, also damaged vehicles and roofs.

Dickerson Park Zoo in Springfield said in an April 28 Facebook post that its 21-year-old female emu, Adam, died during the storm, while a male rhea was injured and is under veterinary care. The zoo also sustained significant damage and remained closed on Wednesday, April 29.

In a follow-up post on April 29, the zoo said the male rhea, Oscar, was “doing well” and thanked everyone for the “well wishes.” The zoo also said it plans to open on Thursday, April 30, though some “small birds will be off exhibit until skylights are repaired.”

“Thank you to all staff and volunteers who are working right now to be ready for tomorrow,” the zoo said. “There is still much to be done, but please come visit.”

Emus, native to Australia, are tall, flightless birds, according to the San Diego Wildlife Alliance. The emu is the second-largest living bird in the world after the ostrich, with adult females being larger and heavier than their male counterparts. Emus live up to 35 years in zoos and between 10 and 20 years in the wild.

Storm caused significant damage in Missouri

An intense storm rolled through parts of Springfield, Missouri, and Greene County on April 28. Justin Titus with the National Weather Service office in Springfield said meteorologists measured 4-inch hail after the first wave of the storm in the early afternoon.

Cars across the region suffered significant damage, the Springfield News-Leader, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported. Power outages and damage to gas meters were also reported.

Springfield-Branson National Airport said passengers who parked cars at the airport should expect to see hail damage.

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@usatodayco.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.

LINCOLN, Neb. (KSNB) – Nebraska has some new millionaires, so check your tickets to see if you are one of them.

Two lucky players who bought Powerball tickets for the Wednesday, April 29, drawing are holding tickets worth $1 million.

The Nebraska Lottery has confirmed that two tickets sold for Wednesday’s $143 million Powerball drawing matched the first five numbers, but not the Powerball number itself.

• Trotter’s Whoa & Go Express IV, 1111 S. 2nd St. in Ord.
• Mega Saver, 4725 S. 77th Ave. in Omaha.

The winning numbers from Wednesday’s Powerball drawing were 3, 19, 35, 51, 67; the Powerball was 15.

Thirty-four $1 million Powerball winning tickets have been sold in Nebraska since the $1 million prize was added to the game in January 2012.

Winning Nebraska Lottery Lotto tickets expire 180 days after the drawing.

If your prize is $20,000 or more, you must claim it in person at Lottery headquarters in Lincoln. Additional information about claiming prizes can be found at the Nebraska Lottery website, nelottery.com, or by calling 800-587-5200.

Click here to subscribe to our KSNB Local4 daily digest and breaking news alerts delivered straight to your email inbox.

BISMARCK, N.D. – Gov. Kelly Armstrong has directed all U.S. and North Dakota flags to be flown at half-staff from dawn to dusk Friday, May 1, and encourages North Dakotans to do the same at their homes and businesses, in honor and remembrance of state Rep. Liz Conmy of Fargo. 

Conmy died Saturday, April 25, at age 67, along with her partner, Joe Cass, in a plane crash in Minnesota. Conmy had represented District 11 in the North Dakota House of Representatives since 2022.

A celebration of life service for Conmy will be held from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday at RiverHaven Events Center, 700 1^st Ave. N., Moorhead, Minnesota.