High winds rip through Kansas City, damage homes

Hurricane-force winds, hail and heavy rain moving through Missouri have left hundreds of Kansas City-area homes and businesses damaged, and some destroyed.
Authorities say the worst damage is in the city's northern and eastern suburbs, where power was knocked out to thousands of customers. Firefighters say one Gladstone home was blown off its foundation.
Fire officials say several people were injured.
An 18-wheeler was blown over on Interstate 29 in Riverside, near five empty train cars that were toppled. The National Weather Service says winds reached 80 miles per hour in the Kansas City area.
Tornado warnings were posted in southwest Missouri overnight. The town of Ava is reporting several buildings are damaged or destroyed, including a school. Ozark schools are closed because of a power outage.
Other states also have been hit. The National Weather Service says a tornado likely touched down Friday morning in central Arkansas. There were injuries and damage reported, but no further details were available.
At least two tornadoes and large hail was reported in Oklahoma late Thursday, though no injuries or significant damage was reported there.

Parents in suspected kidnapping plead for son

Growing more anxious with each passing day, the parents of a suspected kidnap victim in Florida are increasing the reward for their son's return from $10,000 to $250,000.
"We want him back. We love him. We miss him," Thomas Wiles said of his son, weeping.
Robert Wiles, 26, of Lakeland, Florida, disappeared April 1. He was last seen at National Flight Services at Lakeland Linder Regional Airport, where he worked for his family's flight maintenance company as a business development manager.
Two days later, his father received a ransom note demanding money. The FBI won't say how much, nor will it release the name on the note because it doesn't want to spark copycats. The bureau only describes the name as unique and specific.
"It threatened Robert with harm if the terms were not complied with exactly as they say," said Thomas Wiles. "I think when I first looked at it, I felt it wasn't for real, but then subsequently I realized it was for real, and I'd best comply with the terms."