Posted on 01/30/2009 9:12:11 AM PST by Star Traveler
By RHETT MORGAN World Staff Writer
Published: 1/29/2009 7:02 PM
Last Modified: 1/30/2009 5:33 AM
COOKSON — Sun-warmed temperatures that climbed near 50 degrees boosted — and sometimes hindered — power restoration efforts Thursday in areas gripped by the recent ice storm.
According to the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, nearly 26,000 homes and businesses statewide remain without electricity because of the storm Thursday afternoon. The Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives reported more than 24,000 electric cooperative customers are without power, with the highest number of outages concentrated in Cherokee and Adair counties.
While the thaw allowed tree limbs and electric lines to shed ice, it also caused additional outages, officials said. With the release of weight, lines “bounce” and come together briefly, causing fuses to blow and circuit breakers to operate or lock out. Tree limbs that snapped back and hit lines led to outages as well.
In Cherokee County, icy roads have caused major delays in power restoration efforts, which could last through the middle of next week, officials said.
Meanwhile, conditions began returning to normal in the Tulsa area, where most school districts will reopen for classes on Friday following two days of gradual melting of ice and snow from city streets.
The Emergency Medical Services Authority reported that as of Thursday, it had responded to 100 falls and 96 vehicle crashes in the Tulsa area since Monday. Of the falls, 77 people were transported to local hospitals.
Still powerless
In eastern parts of the state, more than 100 people were staying in American Red Cross shelters in Stilwell, Westville, Tahlequah and Cookson, a small town on Tenkiller Lake in Cherokee County.
At the Tenkiller Area Community Organization building in Cookson, Fred Hamon and his wife, Daphne, were among those housed in the Red Cross shelter there.
“I wanted to stay (home), light fires and tough it out,” said Fred, whose family lost electricity early this week. “Daphne wanted to stay warm, so I decided we’d go with her plan.”
The couple’s twin daughters, ninth-graders Allie and Samantha, said they appreciated having a cozy place to stay.
“At home, no matter how many blankets you get, you cannot keep warm at all,” Samantha said. “We have two rooms that stay warm, and if you’re not in those rooms, you freeze to death ... We all had to pile in one big bed for a while.”
At a country store Thursday in Cookson, owner Shellie Lemler conducted business in the shadows. A generator provided some electricity to the building; its interior was lighted by lamp and lantern.
She said items such as candles, propane, wood firestarter and bread were going fast. “It’s was kind of slow until we got the 'Open’ sign on,” said Lemler, who lost power Tuesday. “Then once we got the gas hooked up, it’s picked up.”
Lemler worried about perishables kept at her family’s restaurant next door.
“You’re losing all your frozen food,” said Lemler, who operates the store with her husband, Mark. “We have like five full freezers that we’re trying to switch plugs out of every hour to keep things cold. Chances are we’ll lose it, but we’ll try. It’s amazing. Nineteen degrees outside, but it won’t stay frozen.
“There’s nothing you can do. You just go with it and hope for the best.”
Earlier in the day, a pair of Cookson firefighters delivered a bag of wood pellets to Imogene “Frosty” Stratton for use in her heating stove.
“The neighbors and the fire department are real good,” said Stratton, who had electricity Thursday. “I don’t know what I’d do without them.”
Firefighters on Wednesday came to the aid of Stratton’s disabled daughter, Janice Sharp, using a tarp to cover a hole in her roof caused by a falling limb.
“Everybody here pretty much works and lives in this area,” Cookson firefighter John Flores said. “It’s pretty tight-knit.”
Stuck is right. My Mom lives in N. Tulsa and the road she lives on doesn’t get graded. With the hills and ice she stayed home, lit up the fireplace and watched old movies.
My sisters didn’t have a problem but they are in a flatter area.
Of course, I’m back in Tulsa now..., but before that, I was in Oregon for many years. Now, when I was smaller and my parents lived in Houston at the time (moving there from Tulsa), I did go back and stay with my Grandparents (and some aunts and uncles), for sometimes a summer or two and one time for a year. My Grandparents lived around in the area of Pine and N. Lewis (a bit south of there). It’s not as nice a neighborhood now, as it was then. And it was the same area that my parents grew up in Tulsa, in the Great Depression days, too.
I guess I’m back (in Tulsa) where I started, a long while back... :-)
Tell Something Bad “Bout Tulsa”.
North of there, huh? Sand Springs?
My brother and I use to go to a bar in Sand Springs and lots of country and western stars would perform there. The first performance I remember was Steve Wariner.
Ummm..., my grandparents (dead now, along with my folks, too) were just a few blocks south of Pine and N Lewis intersection (being on Lewis). Now, Sand Springs would be about 8 miles west and about 2 miles south of that intersection (you can see from Google maps). Pine is about 1.5 miles north of Admiral. That should give you some bearings...
But, as far as bars and stuff, I’m not into that, but more the museums, and taking pictures of interesting buildings and perhaps some plays and some community activities, and traveling around in the local area (of this part of Oklahoma, and perhaps over into Missouri and Arkansas, now...)
Ummm..., something bad about Tulsa? Well, Tulsa is known as being in the “Bible Belt” (and that’s good for me, being an Evangelical Christian, and especially after seeing how it is in Oregon... LOL...). And also, Tulsans like to say they are the “buckle of the Bible Belt”, too... But, I’ve noticed that being the Buckle of the Bible Belt is good, in one way (for an Evangelical Christian), but it’s also an invitation for all sorts of crazy religious ideas to creep in too.
Carlton Pearson (and his Universalism) is one example...
http://www.letusreason.org/Curren35.htm
Then there are those “health, wealth, and properity” preachers (which don’t have any Scriptural support) along with the “name it and claim it” crowd. They all find a good footing in Tulsa, it seems, along with the many others of a solid Christian faith.
Another possible negative, and in the same area of thought, is that the current generation seems to be slipping away from the foundations of the Christian faith, and operating, more or less, on their parent’s faith or the “cultural standing of faith” in the area. They seem to lack a firm foundation of Christianity and what it’s about, for the most part, and looking across-the-board with the younger generation.
In considering some “secular matters” regarding this question, perhaps “potholes” in the streets... LOL... I was driving north along Highway 75 through Tulsa and just about knocked off my front end (of the car) bouncing through a huge pothole, the other day... :-) There always seems to be more around after some bad weather.
Regarding “Tell me Something Bad ‘Bout Tulsa”, It is a George Strait Song.
I was attempting some humor, which is difficult to do in writing.
Carlton Pearce!? I have been to that crazy man's church before. I think on Memorial or Sheridan. I personally did not care for his message or style, but a nice man.
In terms of Christianity, it is a personal experience and people make of what they will. Your observations are valid but I tend to think many people presuppose biblical scripture that doesn't exist or are full of themselves (pride) I am a better Christian than you or my faith and the way I worship is superior. They marginalize other people with their self centered views which is a shame.
We are called to God to worship in our individual way and what makes you unique may not be true for another.
The biggest thing I see is relativism or “qualifism”(made that one up). Many people qualify a belief without substantiation and qualify their actions.
Why? They will not allow themselves to take responsibility for their lives.
The roads! Don't get me started I had friends that lived in the area of Pine, Garnett, 129th, through 21st. Ugh!! I couldn't stand driving through there.
I preferred to stay in the area occupying Sheridan to the river.
I had been in the Brookside area for quite a while (the area being from the river, to Lewis and from about 31st to 51st, or so...). I liked it there a lot, and it seemed convenient to travel anywhere else in Tulsa. Now, I’m closer in, near to downtown. I was always up and down S Peoria and/or Riverside Dr. and then up and down 71st, too... :-)
I like being around business areas and districts, especially like Brookside and also up and down 71st, in addition to have nice neighborhoods to be in. I like being not too far from the river, too. The city is really tearing up the trail along Riverside Drive right now, down to about I-44 and making it a lot wider and better.
Well..., anyway you’ll have to come on back and visit again...
I use to live at the University Towers and then moved to some street off Denver and 17th area. Don’t remember where exactly but I will use Google streets for fun and look it up.
I do need to come back there. I would like to go to some the old fishing holes for fun.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.