Residents already devastated by the April 10 tornado that ripped through the area now must deal with the storm’s aftermath slowing an already fragile economy. Lincoln County had the 10th-highest unemployment rate in the state -- 10.8 percent -- before the storm struck. Then the tornado wiped out portions of the city’s industrial park, sparking layoffs and slowdowns. And residents who lost their entire homes aren’t out spending the way they normally would. That leaves merchants hoping insurance checks arrive soon and work gets back to normal."The weather has killed our spring sales," Tim Haight, owner of Merrill’s Ace Hardware, said.