The town has grown so much just in my 13 years here that it must look very different from when way young you were here! Do you have any idea what the population was then?
As for the thunderstorms, I've had a TV and two VCRs damaged by nearby lightning strikes. Now I have mega-maxi-surge protectors on all of my electronics. And there are two trees in my neighborhood (I live right up against the mtns) with lightning scarring. Me, I do not go outside when there's a thunderstorm coming!