4.0 quake hits Youngstown, Ohio. Yes, Ohio

In the waning hours of 2011, Mother Nature offered up yet another seismic surprise to round out a year of earthquakes in unexpected places — this time a 4.0 quake in Ohio.

The quake struck around 3:05 p.m. Saturday near Youngstown, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It was the strongest of 10 quakes recorded in the region in 2011, the agency said.

No major damage was reported, though readers of The Vindicator newspaper in Youngstown certainly had things to say about it on the paper’s website.

“The dogs went crazy!” wrote someone only identified as “HonestAbe.” “I thought a plane went down as we live about 5 miles from the airport. Hadn't felt previous ten earthquakes ... but this one was big!"

The USGS says that the region is no stranger to quakes, though they are indeed rare. Its website notes:

“The Northeast Ohio seismic zone has had moderately frequent earthquakes at least since the first one was reported in 1823. The largest earthquake (magnitude 4.8) caused damage in 1986 in northeasternmost Ohio, and the most recent damaging shock (magnitude 4.5) occurred in 1998 at the seismic zone's eastern edge in northwestern Pennsylvania. Earthquakes too small to cause damage are felt two or three times per decade.”

Still, the Youngstown quake isn’t that surprising when one considers all the other shaking recorded outside of California in 2011.

Earthquakes jangled nerves in Arkansas this year, and another bunch of quakes in Oklahoma — including a 5.6 in November — prompted scientists from all over to descend on the Sooner State in search of answers for all the ground-moving activity.

“Everyone's saying we'll take the tornadoes,” Ashley Gilbreth of Meeker told The Times after feeling another 3.6 temblor in November. “At least you know they're coming.”

And, of course, on Aug. 23 there was the 5.8 earthquake in Virginia that was felt up and down the Atlantic seaboard.

Just this week the National Park Service reported on the extent of the damage suffered by the 555-foot-tall Washington Monument. Cracks and chipped stones were discovered up and down the monument, and extensive cracking near the peak leaves it vulnerable to rain.

But months before the Virginia earthquake, a smaller, though highly noticeable, quake struck the Chicago area. Yes, Chicago.

It hit Feb.10, packed a magnitude of 3.8 and was centered in Elgin, a community about 40 miles northwest of Chicago. Illinois residents, clearly not accustomed to such things, offered up 601 comments, exclamations and questions on the Chicago Tribune website.

Californians, who barely look up when a 3.8 hits, might find them of particular interest -- free of smugness, of course. A sampling of the remarks:

“I thought my apartment building was collapsing.”

“This thing scared the heck out of me.”

“I thought so! At least now I know it wasn’t a ghost shaking the bed!”

“I literally got thrown out of bed. I thought at first my dog was laying next to my bed scratching the heck out of herself. Then I got up and ran downstairs – I’m not sure what for though.”

“I thought the snow plow had hit the house!!!”

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-- Steve Padilla

Map: Shows location of Saturday's quake. Source: USGS, Google maps

Stories that grabbed us in 2011: Rogues, thieves, porn and more

A philandering governor. An inmate, an ex-girlfriend and an accusation of rape. A sprawling hodgepodge of buildings that has neighbors up in arms. And an earthquake and tsunami that killed thousands.

Stories on these topics were the most-read of the year at latimes.com.

But before we get to the headlines that made us cheer, jeer and tear up, take a moment to slap yourself on the back, dear readers. It seems that media pundits are constantly wringing their hands and lamenting the state of long-form journalism, or complaining about the public's seemingly insatiable desire for all things Kardashian. You've proved them wrong.

The stories that were most widely read were largely hard-hitting investigative pieces or breaking news. There wasn't a Kim, Khloe or Kourtney in the bunch.

PHOTOS: The most-viewed stories of 2011

In fact, the single most popular story on latimes.com in 2011 was the disturbing two-part tale of Louis Gonzalez III, a Las Vegas father who found himself facing life behind bars for allegedly assaulting his ex-girlfriend and mother of his child by tying her up in her Simi Valley home, burning her with matches and sexually assaulting her with a wooden hanger.

"One of the most brutal attacks I have ever seen," is the way one Simi Valley law enforcement officer described the crime scene. A dogged Simi Valley detective set out to collect the evidence to support the woman's claim -- that her ex-boyfriend attacked her -- but the evidence would end up pointing to a more surprising conclusion.

Then there was the revelation that former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and his wife, Maria Shriver, had separated because she discovered that he had fathered a child with a longtime member of their household.

Readers were also drawn to our extensive coverage of Japan's worst earthquake in recorded history. The temblor occurred March 11, rocking the northeast coast of Japan and triggering a deadly tsunami, the effects of which were felt as far as the Pacific Northwest. In all, more than 15,000 people perished.

Other stories that struck a chord with readers included the tale of Alan Kimble Fahey's homemade, ramshackle labyrinth of buildings that he calls Phonehenge West. Located in Acton, the structure is Fahey's 30-year labor of love. But authorities say it violates practically every building and fire code in the book. And officials are trying to force him to tear it down.

An estimated 15 million poker-playing Americans were affected by this next story: The founders of the three largest online poker sites were indicted on charges including bank fraud and money laundering. Many poker players fretted about the fate of their bettings, and the fate of on-line poker playing. But one of the sites, Full Tilt Poker, defended its business practices and the rights of Americans everywhere to gamble away their hard-earned money. 

Rounding out the rest of our list: the colossal failure of Falcon Hypersonic Technology Vehicle 2, an experimental aircraft capable of traveling at 20 times the speed of sound; a U.S. Supreme Court ruling ordering California to improve inhumane conditions for state prison inmates; an in-depth look at Mexico's Sinaloa drug cartel; and the Los Angeles-based porn industry's shutdown after an adult film performer tested positive for HIV.

But we all know that readers cannot live on news alone. Here's a look at our most-viewed photo galleries of the year.

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--Rene Lynch
Twitter / renelynch

Photo: In happier days, newly-elected California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and wife Maria Shriver celebrate at the Century Plaza Hotel in Century City. Credit: Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times

Quake-rattled nuclear plant in Virginia powers back up

A Virginia nuclear power plant forced to shut down in August by a 5.3-magnitude earthquake that rattled the East Coast is powering back up after receiving the go-ahead to resume operations.

Two nuclear reactors at Dominion Virginia Power’s North Anna Power Station, about 11 miles from the Aug. 23 earthquake’s epicenter, were automatically shut down after the earthquake caused about twice as much ground movement as the plant was designed to sustain.

Inspections by the energy company and federal regulators uncovered no functional damage to the 1,800-megawatt reactors or other safety components at the plant about 50 miles from Richmond. Dominion said it devoted more than 100,000 hours and $21 million for inspections, testing and evaluations to get the plant operating again.

The company received permission to resume operation from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission on Friday. The plant initiated the restart process for one of the reactors the same day.

Dominion estimates it will take 10 days for both reactors to be fully operational.

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— Stephen Ceasar

Photo: Steam in vented from secondary cooling systems at the North Anna Nuclear power plant in Mineral, Va., on Aug. 24, one day after the quake. Credit: Steve Helber / Associated Press

Penn State puts Mike McQueary, who reported sexual abuse, on leave

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/nationnow/2011/11/penn-states-mike-mcqueary-administrative-leave.html

 

Nebraska's Sand Hills become sand trap for Keystone XL pipeline

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/nationnow/2011/11/nebraska-keystone-xl-pipeline-ranchers.html

 

Baby Lisa turns 1 today; parents done with 'interrogation'

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/nationnow/2011/11/baby-lisa-turns-1-wherever-she-is-parents-done-with-interrogation.html

Magnitude 4.7 aftershock hits central Oklahoma

Yet another attention-grabbing earthquake has hit Oklahoma, the latest a magnitude 4.7 shaker near the town of Prague.

The quake hit at 6:46 p.m. Pacific time, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Aftershocks to Saturday’s record 5.6 earthquake have rattled structures and nerves throughout central Oklahoma. Before Monday evening’s quake, Prague experienced a 3.0 quake Sunday and two more — of magnitude 3.3 and 3.4 — earlier Monday. The epicenters for the quakes, and the 4.7 temblor Monday evening, were all about five miles northwest of Prague, the Geological Survey reported.

Prague, a town of about 2,100 settled in the early 1900s by Czech immigrants, is located about 50 miles east of Oklahoma City.

The seismic activity is no surprise. Seismologists had warned residents to expect aftershocks, and at least 17 of magnitude 3 or greater have shaken the state.

Meanwhile, the state which has endured a year of extreme weather, was bracing Monday for storms and tornadoes.

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Oklahoma battered by tornadoes, hail

Dangerous thunderstorms and tornadoes erupted across the southern Plains states Monday afternoon and were expected to continue overnight, meteorologists said.

The National Weather Service issued tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings Monday for portions of southern and western Oklahoma, as well as a tornado watch for 17 counties, warning of hail "the size of golf balls" and winds up to 90 mph. Winds up to 92 mph had already been recorded at weather stations late Monday, they reported.

The dangerous storms were expected to spread east Monday night, threatening the state capital, Oklahoma City, according to Accuweather meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski.

Also at risk: damaged homes and buildings near the central Oklahoma epicenter of the state's record 5.6-magnitude earthquake on Saturday.

No major injuries from the storms had been reported late Monday.

An Oklahoma State University extension field office was destroyed as tornadoes touched down in southwestern Oklahoma on Monday, university officials told the Associated Press.

Some residents two miles south of Tipton, Okla., were trapped after their house was damaged by the storms, but they were eventually rescued and were not injured, Tillman County emergency management director Jeffrey Rector told the Associated Press.

At about 3 p.m. Central time Monday, storm spotters reported a large tornado south of Tipton, about 130 miles southwest of Oklahoma City, headed toward Snyder.

The same tornado apparently touched down in Tillman County, destroying a structure and damaging at least three others, according to KOCO-TV. The tornado weakened before striking Snyder, but additional tornadoes associated with the same storm system have also touched down in the area, the station reported.

At 4:15 p.m., another dangerous tornado was headed toward Alden, Okla., about 100 miles southwest of the capital, Accuweather meteorologists said.

Additional tornadoes have been sighted with other thunderstorms in southwestern Oklahoma, including near Hobart, 120 miles west of Oklahoma City.

Golf-ball-sized hail was reported with thunderstorms west of Hollis, Okla., 170 miles west of the capital, on Monday afternoon

The powerful thunderstorms will press eastward tonight with Oklahoma City, Tulsa and McAlester, Okla., and potentially Dallas and Austin, Texas, in their path.

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--Molly Hennessy-Fiske in Houston

Rattled by quake aftershocks, Oklahoma now braces for storms

Aftershocks from two powerful weekend earthquakes centered in Oklahoma have continued to rattle the area, and weather experts warned that some of the same areas of the state were likely to be struck by dangerous thunderstorms and tornadoes Monday.

At least 17 aftershocks of magnitude 3 or greater have been recorded since the biggest quake of the weekend, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. That record-setting 5.6 temblor occurred at 10:53 p.m. CDT on Saturday, with an epicenter in Sparks, Okla., about 55 miles northeast of Oklahoma City.

The quake, the state's strongest in recorded history, damaged 14 buildings and buckled a highway, but left only two people with minor injuries, emergency managers said Monday. It was felt as far away as Wisconsin and South Carolina, Reuters reported.

The largest aftershock, a 4.0 quake, was reported Sunday in Meeker, about 40 miles east of the capital.

Before the record-setting temblor, a 4.7 quake had hit earlier that same day, in the center of the state near the rural town of Prague. Two aftershocks of 3.3 and 3.4 were reported in that area late Sunday.

Researchers at the Oklahoma Geological Survey have set up additional seismographs along the fault where the quakes originated, called the Wilzetta fault or Seminole uplift. They warned nearby residents to expect more aftershocks.

Meanwhile, meteorologists at Accuweather predicted an outbreak of "potentially damaging" thunderstorms and tornadoes in the southern Plains on Monday.

"While spring is by far the most active time of the year for severe weather and tornadoes, there is a second severe weather season that develops in the fall," said Heather Buchman, an Accuweather meteorologist.

Hail-producing thunderstorms were expected in west-central Oklahoma and Texas on Monday morning, followed by numerous "violent thunderstorms" and possibly tornadoes later in the day, according to Accuweather.

The thunderstorms were expected to head east Monday night, toward Tulsa and McAlester, Okla.; Dallas and Austin, Texas.

On the plus side, the thunderstorms are expected to bring much-needed rain to parts of Texas and Oklahoma that continue to suffer from a long-running drought.

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Photo: Maintenance workers inspect the damage to one of the spires on Benedictine Hall at St. Gregory's University in Shawnee, Okla., on Sunday. Two earthquakes in the area in less than 24 hours caused one of the towers to topple, and damaged the remaining three. Credit: Sue Ogrocki / Associated Press

Oklahoma earthquake: More aftershocks, no major damage reported

Aftershocks continue to rattle Oklahoma on Sunday morning after a swarm of weekend quakes, including the largest in state history, buckled a highway, damaged several homes and gave residents the jitters.

Emergency officials and seismologists are surveying the damage following the record magnitude-5.6 earthquake Saturday night. The largest aftershock of 4.0 was reported at 3:40 a.m. CST Sunday, according to Paul Caruso, a seismologist with the U.S. Geological Survey in Golden, Colo.

The USGS is installing more sensors in the region to better analyze the quake series.

The largest quake, which occurred at 10:53 p.m. CDT, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, caused major damage to at least five homes, mostly when  chimneys caved in, according to Aaron Bennett, a dispatcher with the Lincoln County emergency management. His office covers the area surrounding the epicenter near Sparks, Okla., about 55 miles northeast of Oklahoma City.

One man was reportedly injured when he tripped and hit his head while attempting to flee his home near Prague, Okla., according to local dispatchers. Prague Community Hospital did not report any other injuries associated with the quake.

Oklahoma officials survey damage after strongest quake in state history

Jim Greff, the city manager of Prague, Okla., said "we're a little shook up" following Saturday night's 5.6 earthquake near Oklahoma City, the most powerful in state history.

"This last one shook much harder than the one this morning," Greff said, referring to a 4.7 magnitude quake in the early morning hours Saturday. 

As he fielded a call from the county emergency operations director, he said he had not received reports of serious injuries from the latest quake, which struck at 10:53 p.m., Central Time.

The latest and strongest quake sent shockwaves for about 20-30 seconds, authorities said.

Survey officials said the earthquake was at a depth of 3.1 kilometers and most likely occurred on the Wilzetta fault, also known as the Seminole uplift.

After the 5.6 quake, Greff said he began surveying city buildings for damages. A piece of ceiling had fallen in one of the local libraries, but there were no other major damages, although he said, "it's still a little early to tell what we've got."

At his own home, a few dishes fell and pictures were tilted on the walls, he said.

"We're not really expecting earthquakes--that's for California, not Oklahoma," he said.

He said he planned to continue investigating the quake's impact overnight.

Lincoln County sheriff's dispatchers for the surrounding area said no serious injuries had been reported after the latest quake.

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Photo: Location of the epicenter. Credit: Google Maps

Magnitude 5.6 earthquake strikes near Oklahoma City

A 5.6-magnitude earthquake struck near Oklahoma City at 8:53 p.m. Pacific Time, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.

The quake was a shallow 3.1 miles deep and was centered four miles east of Sparks, which is east of Oklahoma City.

The quake was the largest in a series of temblors to hit the area Saturday. A 4.7-magnitude earthquake rattled the region at 2:12 a.m. and was felt as far away as Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Texas.

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Photo: Location of the epicenter. Credit: Google Maps

Virginia to receive earthquake aid after all

The Virginia county that was at the epicenter of the rare East Coast 5.8-magnitude earthquake will receive federal aid after all.

The federal government has granted the state's appeal for assistance to Louisa County. President Obama signed a disaster declaration clearing the way for aid.

"Many of our fellow Virginians who call Louisa home are hurting, and this is critically needed aid during a very trying time," Republican Gov. Robert F. McDonnell said in a statement. "The once-in-one-hundred-year earthquake that struck Virginia in August caused significant damage that was not covered by homeowners insurance. Many homes and businesses have been extensively damaged."

The Federal Emergency Management Agency's earlier denial of the state's request set off political aftershocks, with Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) pondering: "If damage from a once-in-a-generation, 5.8-magnitude earthquake does not qualify for federal disaster relief, then I don’t know what does."

FEMA earlier said it had determined that the damage to dwellings "was not of such severity and magnitude as to be beyond the capabilities of the commonwealth, affected local governments and voluntary agencies," a finding that the state's elected representatives from both parties disputed.

Louisa County was in the national spotlight the day of the quake, but Virginia officials feared it might be forgotten as damge to the Washington Monument and Washington National Cathedral drew the spotlight.

The governor said that the damage from the Aug. 23 quake was more extensive than what was originally reported in more than 1,400 homes. Some damage that was first categorized as minor has become worse as a result of more than 40 aftershocks, his statement said.

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 --Richard Simon in Washington

 Photo: A sign in Mineral, Va., after the Aug. 23 earthquake. Credit: Getty Images