Power could be out until Friday for people affected by storms
The National Weather Service has determined straight line winds up to 95 miles per hour ripped through the area last Friday night, taking down trees, knocking out power and causing damage to several homes.
When WVUA 23 rode down Shepard Park Road in Ralph we found Carol Turner working to clean up dozens of trees on her property.
“They counted about 40 trees down on our property that we know of so far and we have not even gotten to the back part yet,” Turner said.
Her husband Ralph described what it was like to go through the storm.
“It was very scary,” Ralph Turner said. “We were here at the house and all of the sudden, we just heard the wind get up real loud. We started looking at the window and the trees were just dancing like crazy. It was over within just a short time. It didn’t last any time at all. Then we came out and saw the trees laying on the ground everywhere.
Fortunately, no one was injured.
Just down the road at Robertson BBQ and Country Store, you could hardly find a place to park.
Power crews were fueling up for another long shift of turning the lights back on. They were down to about 50 homes as of Wednesday afternoon.
“We worked until about 1:30 Friday night and then we hit it back at 6 o’clock Saturday morning,” Perry Solomon with Black Warrior Electric Cooperative said. “It has been every day since 6 a.m. until 9, 10 o’clock at night and they are doing a wonderful job.”
Solomon said working nonstop away from their homes and families is hard. It’s comforting to have warm meals and warm smiles to keep them going.
“Well, Robertson BBQ has always been home to us when we are having to work storms and stuff,” Solomon said. “She takes care of us every time a storm comes up and feeds us good food. That is one thing that helps us guys out is a good meal every day and it is a blessing to have someone like her.”
Robertson BBQ owner Renee Robertson has fed nearly 2,000 people since Friday night’s storms and she’ll keep going as long as there’s a need.
She continues to serve up helpings of her delicious food with her servant’s heart.
“I always tell people the Lord put me in this place. He has taken care of us and I am supposed to be a servant for him,” Robertson said. “I know what he has me on Earth for. He has taken care of me and I am going to serve through Him and get everybody fed and everybody taken care of.”
Black Warrior hopes to have all power restored to the area by Friday.
