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Severe storms crossing northeast Ohio early Saturday morning

A ferocious line of thunderstorms swept through the Great Lakes area Friday night into Saturday morning with reported gusts over 60-80 mph, toppling trees and knocking out power to hundreds of thousands.

CHICAGO – A ferocious line of thunderstorms swept through the Great Lakes area Friday night into Saturday morning with reported gusts over 60-80 mph, toppling trees and knocking out power to hundreds of thousands.

The line of storms was still active into Saturday morning, sweeping across Ohio as dawn neared, triggering numerous Severe Thunderstorms Warnings.

The storms pushed into western Pennsylvania and weakened after sunrise, but were expected to reenergize later Saturday, refueling from daytime heating with their eyes eventually on the I-95 corridor.

A three-hour radar loop showing where showers and thunderstorms are ongoing. Severe Thunderstorm Warnings are indicated in yellow. Tornado Warnings are indicated in red, while Tornado Warnings with a confirmed tornado are indicated in purple. Flash Flood Warnings are indicated in green, while Flash Flood Emergencies are indicated in pink.(FOX Weather)

Over 300,000 left without power Saturday morning

The storms formed in Iowa earlier Friday evening with several wind gusts clocked a over 70-80 mph. A spotter reported an unofficial gust of 95 mph in Martelle, Iowa while Cedar Rapids hit a gust of 80 mph, according to the National Weather Service. One spotter reported a possible tornado in Franklin County – one of three reported tornadoes.

Spotters witnessed damaged shingles on roof in Park View, Iowa while an entire roof was blown off just across the Illinois border in the town of Red Oak.

The storms continued their march through the Chicago area Friday night with gusts of 40-60 mph. Downed trees were reported in Momence, Illinois and a gust reached 60 mph in Mount Prospect.

VIDEOS SHOW TORNADOES MARCHING ACROSS NORTHERN ILLINOIS, CHICAGO METRO

Thunderstorms trekked into Indiana and Ohio with a gust to 79 mph reported in Lowell, Indiana and a 74 mph gust registered at Grissom Air Force Base. A home suffered tree damage as the storms crossed into the Ohio town of Hicksville, as wind gusts hit 62 mph.

At the storm's peak, over 300,000 people lost power in the Great Lakes area as of early Saturday morning, according to PowerOutgage.us, but that number had dropped to about 250,000 bypass 9:30 a.m. CT.

So far there are no reports of any injuries.

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Severe weather risk shifts into mid-Atlantic, Northeast Saturday

As the storms continue their eastward trek a much quieter Saturday is expected around the Great Lakes as the severe threat shifts to the mid-Atlantic and Northeast.

The SPC has placed around 50 million people from the Appalachian Mountains to New England under a level 2 out of 5 on its severe weather risk scale on Saturday.

Severe weather threat moves from Great Lakes into Northeast on Saturday

After thunderstorms hit the southern Great Lakes with 60-80 mph winds Friday night, severe weather eyed the I-95 corridor for Saturday evening.

Communities under the heightened threat include Washington, D.C., Baltimore, New York and Boston.

THE 5-POINT SEVERE THUNDERSTORM RISK CATEGORY SCALE EXPLAINED

(FOX Weather)

Hail and tornadoes reported in Iowa and Nebraska on Friday

On Friday afternoon, hail the size of baseballs was reported to have fallen outside of Omaha, Nebraska. The hail was estimated to be just shy of 3" in diameter and was one of several reports across the state.

The SPC also received at least three reports of twisters across the Hawkeye State on Friday. One of the tornadoes was caught on video moving through fields in Franklin County, Iowa.

PowerOutage.US reported over 150,000 outages across half a dozen states, with many a result of gusty winds downing trees and power lines.

TECHNET CYBER 2023 — While the US military is eager to make use of generative artificial intelligence, the Pentagon’s senior-most official in charge of accelerating its AI capabilities is warning it also could become the “perfect tool” for disinformation.

“Yeah, I’m scared to death. That’s my opinion,” Craig Martell, the Defense Department’s chief digital and AI officer, said today at AFCEA’s TechNet Cyber conference in Baltimore when asked about his thoughts on generative AI.

Martell was specifically referring to generative AI language models, like ChatGPT, which pose a “fascinating problem”: they don’t understand context, and people will take their words as fact because the models talk authoritatively, Martell said.

“Here’s my biggest fear about ChatGPT,” he said. “It has been trained to express itself in a fluent manner. It speaks fluently and authoritatively. So you believe it even when it’s wrong… And that means it is a perfect tool for disinformation…We really need tools to be able to detect when that’s happening and to be able to warn when that’s happening.

“And we don’t have those tools,” he continued. “We are behind in that fight.”

RELATED: Pentagon should experiment with AIs like ChatGPT — but don’t trust them yet

Martell, who was hired by the Defense Department last year from the private sector, has extensive AI experience under his belt. Prior to his CDAO gig, he was the head of machine learning at Lyft and Dropbox, led several AI teams at LinkedIn and was a professor at the Naval Postgraduate School for over a decade studying AI for the military.

He implored industry at the conference to build the tools necessary to make sure information generated from the all generative AI models — from language to images — is accurate.

“If you ask ChatGPT ‘Can I trust you,’ its answer is a very long ‘No,’” he said to the audience. “I’m not kidding. It says I’m a tool and I’m going to give you an answer and it’s incumbent upon you to go verify it yourself. So my fear about…using ChatGPT, as opposed to fears about our adversaries using it… is that we trust it too much without the providers of the service building in the right safeguards and the ability for us to validate it.”

Martell’s warning comes as Pentagon leaders are anticipating ways to use generative AI for intelligence gathering and future warfighting. On Tuesday at the conference, Lt. Gen. Robert Skinner, director of the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), began his keynote address using a generative AI that cloned his voice and delivered his opening remarks.

“Generative AI, I would offer, is probably one of the most disruptive technologies and initiatives in a very long, long time,” Skinner said after revealing his introduction was AI-generated. “Those who harness that and can understand how to best leverage it, but also how to best protect against it, are going to be the ones that have the high ground.”

When asked today to respond to Martell’s thoughts, Skinner told reporters that he’s “not scared of generative AI,” but that it’ll be a “challenge to where the innovative spirit within the Department of Defense will shine.”

Stephen Wallace, DISA’s chief technology officer, said that the agency is looking at taking advantage of generative AI in several ways, from “back office capabilities… contract generation, data labeling.”

“The number of applications is very wide-ranging,” Wallace told reporters. “We always say that we can’t ‘people our way out of problems.’ And this is a way for us to augment our teams, make our teams better and ultimately deliver capabilities across the board.”

Scale model replica of proposed Harpers Ferry Area Museum ... Photo above shows a model replica of the Harpers Ferry Area Museum being proposed by the Harpers Ferry Area Heritage Society (HFAHS) in the Martelle Heritage Park, next to the Oil Springs School, which is the smaller white building on the right in the above model. The replica was built to scale by HFAHS member Wayne Hasek to offer an idea of what the museum would look like once completed. Submitted photo.

Planned location of proposed Harpers Ferry Area Museum ... The empty green space in Martelle Heritage Park in Harpers Ferry to the left of the Oil Springs School in the above photo is the proposed building site for a new Harpers Ferry Area Museum being planned by the Harpers Ferry Area Heritage Society. A 60-foot x 120-foot structure is being planned for construction in that location, with a capital campaign fund getting underway. Standard photo by Brianne Grimstad.

The Harpers Ferry Area Heritage Society (HFAHS) is moving forward with plans to build a 9,000 square foot museum dedicated to preserving and displaying the history and heritage of the Harpers Ferry area. The idea of building a museum is something that has been in the works since 2014, when the group began to look for a place suitable for building a museum.

“It’s important to tell the Harpers Ferry area story,” HFAHS President Jane Hasek said.

Hasek explained that over the years, the group has acquired many artifacts related to the Harpers Ferry area. These items have been scanned or cataloged, but there really isn’t a place to display them. Some of the items pertaining to rural schools have found a home in the Oil Springs School transplanted from its original home north of Harpers Ferry and restored in its home community within Harpers Ferry several years ago, but there is still a lot of other history to be shared with the public.

The proposed building site for the museum will be next to the Oil Springs School, in the Martelle Heritage Park in Harpers Ferry. Hasek noted that the school has been very successful in attracting and educating visitors about the one-room schools of the past. HFAHS tried to find an existing building in Harpers Ferry for its proposed museum, but couldn’t find one that met the needs for such a facility. The decision was made to begin plans for a new building.

“There is so much to share,” Hasek noted. “The stories are out there, we have to capture them before it’s too late.”

Planning for the museum began prior to COVID, but when the pandemic happened it put a halt to the planning stages. However, things are now moving forward once again.

The proposed building would be a 60-foot by 120-foot structure with a wrap-around porch. There would also be a viewing window through which ice harvesting equipment would be on display year-round. The plan is to make the front of the museum look like the former Harper Hotel, which was built and run by Harriet and David Harper, whom Harpers Ferry was named for. Prior to becoming Harpers Ferry, the town was originally called Vailsville, and was also known as Winfield.

David Harper received land from the Federal government to settle and establish businesses. He ran a ferry that took items such as produce and lumber between Iowa and Wisconsin. Harpers Ferry has since grown and evolved from a small fishing village to a bustling river town.

The museum will feature exhibits from local groups and organizations important to the history and identity of Harpers Ferry and the surrounding area. Exhibits will include organizations like the American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary, local churches, local schools and alumni, businesses, the Harpers Ferry Fire Department, the Rescue Squad, the Harpers Ferry Boosters, Inc. and City and civic groups.

There will also be exhibits focusing on river history, the story of the City of Harpers Ferry, Paint Rock and Emma Big Bear, among others. Some exhibits will be interactive and some will be changeable. The museum will also feature a radiant heat floor, in order to help maintain a constant temperature.

In addition to exhibits, the museum will have a library and archive research room, for visitors who may want to do some work on family history. The museum will be staffed by volunteers.

The HFAHS has begun a capital campaign to raise funds for the project. Hasek noted that it’s been challenging to get bids for the project, as prices have been increasingly high for building materials and some materials are hard to come by right now. The project is going to be funded mainly through gifts and donations, as well as through the services of individuals, businesses and organizations of the area and elsewhere. HFAHS is also pursuing grants. The projected price tag for the project is $800,000.

The HFAHS will be hosting an Old-Fashioned Pie and Ice Cream Social this Sunday, October 16 from 1-3 p.m. as part of its fundraising efforts. Those wishing to make a donation can send that gift to the Harpers Ferry Area Heritage Society, P.O. Box 224, Harpers Ferry, IA 52146. Donors are asked to include “HFAHS Building Fund” in the memo line of checks. If anyone is interested in other ways to give, such as a gift of grain, bonds/stocks or from an IRA, contact Jane Hasek at 319-240-2460.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) - “We don’t have to go to Hollywood. Don’t have to go anywhere else. You can build a star here,” Will Martel, owner of Dragon Whip Entertainment, said.

That is Martel’s dream for Dubuque — to build an all-inclusive film studio. He says his visit to Tyler Perry Studios in 2008 inspired him to bring Perry’s playbook to Iowa.

“We could use construction people to build sets, we could use welders,” Martel said. “It would be artists no longer having to run to L.A. to become an actor or going to places like New York to realize their dream.”

He says his biggest challenge is getting the city on board with the plan.

“Those things have been have been kind of hard, but I think belief, and you know if you push at something long enough, it actually breaks through,” Martel said.

But he says it won’t deter him from his goal of inspiring the next generation of filmmakers, like Dubuque-native Clint Heiberger. He works with Martel at Dragon Whip Entertainment.

“I always thought about [going in the industry] ever since I was growing up,” Heiberger said.

He’s making his directorial debut with his upcoming film “Blind Faith.” It’s one of two films Heiberger and Martel are set to shoot in Dubuque this summer.

“Right now the seeds we’re planting is this double-feature,” Heiberger said.

Produce Iowa is also working to bring more productions to the state. Leaders say they get requests almost everyday from producers wanting to film in Iowa.

“They want to come in hire our Iowans on their crews and they want to spend money here on production,” Liz Gilman, film commissioner with Produce Iowa, said. “It’s pretty amazing the amount of projects that are happening here and we don’t give out [a tax] incentive.”

Iowa lost its tax incentive that made it cheaper to film here 2009. That’s after the Iowa Film Office was connected to a multi-million dollar tax fraud case.

Martel says the industry is slowing bouncing back — but says a studio could make it stronger than ever.

“We’re just in the early stages,” Martel said. “I mean about a year or two, two three to five years from now, I think it’ll be huge.”

Bringing Hollywood to Iowa, one dream at a time.

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UNLV Football: Cameron Friel To Start vs. Iowa State, Tate Martell Will Play

True freshman Friel will get his first career start on Saturday night for the Rebels, while former top recruit Tate Martell will see the field.

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A big surprise ahead of the night.

UNLV will host the Iowa State Cyclones at Allegiant Stadium on Saturday night, but the big news for the Rebels before kickoff is a significant change under center.

According to Franchise Sports Media’s Joe Arrigo, true freshman Cameron Friel will get the start for UNLV, though that buries the lead just a bit. Tate Martell, the former top quarterback recruit who transferred his hometown Rebels after stints with Ohio State and Miami (FL), will be the backup and get “extensive” playing time “early and often”.

UNLV's Tate Martell warming up before tonight's Iowa State game. pic.twitter.com/5pLYgdFvcx

— COFIELD (@stevecofield) September 19, 2021

Friel assumes the starting job after Justin Rogers started in the season opener against Eastern Washington and Doug Brumfield did so against Arizona State last weekend. Brumfield got banged up against the Sun Devils, however, and is not dressed against Iowa State while Rogers has been generally ineffective, so UNLV will bank on Friel, who played at Hawaii high school powerhouse Saint Louis before transferring to and graduating early from Kailua to compete for the QB1 spot in the spring.

Martell, meanwhile, could give the Rebels a spark after playing only sparingly with the Buckeyes and Hurricanes in 2018 and 2019. In his collegiate career, he’s completed 24-of-29 passes for 276 yards and one touchdown while rushing for 135 yards and two scores on 29 attempts.

Arrigo also noted that both Friel and Martel split snaps throughout practice this week and expects that UNLV head coach Marcus Arroyo will lean toward whichever player is able to seize the upper hand on the field against a tough Iowa State defense. As a team, UNLV has completed just 19-of-42 passes in its first two games, averaging a Mountain West-low 4.9 yards per attempt with zero touchdowns and one interception.