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Ballard County Hit by Ike
    Residents across the region were surprised Sunday morning when strong winds struck the area.  The surprise wasn’t from the winds but from their source.  What was once a category 3 hurricane, roared into our region early Sunday morning bringing 50-MPH winds and wind gusts.  

   The national weather service is reporting that “Ike” roared into our region after being refueled by several fronts as it approached.  The combination of air temperatures and pressure cells caused the remnants of the storm to gain strength as it would if it were over warm ocean waters.  Radar showed the storm gather strength and return to its rotation pattern over the area and even form an “eye” like a hurricane would have.  

    Whatever the cause, destruction came in all shapes and sizes as limbs and trees were torn apart and, in some cases, even uprooted, landing on homes, barns, automobiles and anything else in its reach.  

   Most of Ballard county was without power for several hours on Sunday and some were still without power at print time Tuesday.  Jackson Purchase Rural Electric reports they hope to have all customers back on before Tuesday evening.  Phone calls to Kentucky Utilities were not answered.

   Ed Adami, Superintendent of Ballard County Schools, issued an announcement on Monday that families without power who would like to use the school facilities to shower should contact the school at 665-8400, Ext. 2000 and make arrangements for a time to do so.  The school also offered meals at the schools price of $2.00 for adults and $1.00 for children to those who didn’t have power or the ability to cook or who have lost their refrigerator contents due to no power.  The shower provision initially began for Monday only, however, due to demand, the school extended the available hours to Tuesday evening at 9 p.m.  

   Businesses were without power all day Sunday and into most of Monday in Wickliffe.  Town and Country Supermarket remained closed until just before noon on Monday due to power outages as did the Family Dollar store in Wickliffe.  Travelers were not able to pump gas at most of the counties fuel stations and those that did have power to the pumps did not have access to their ATM?card readers as that system was down.

   Ballard County Chamber of Commerce Director Barbara Jones assisted many residents without water by helping fill water containers at the Ballard County Chamber and Tourism Center.  The Chamber Building, which has been designated as a Shelter, has not received funding as of yet to complete the purchase of the building and necessary renovations to make it accessible to the residents in need of showers and bathroom facilities.

   Ballard County Judge Executive declared the county in a state of emergency on Sunday evening.    “We have such destruction and loss of power that it has literally shut us down,” said Viniard.  

    Several calls to the Judge’s office inquired on a Red Cross Shelter in the county.  American Red Cross Director for Paducah and McCracken County Glenda Adkisson explained the difference between a shelter and a warming or cooling center when needed.  “Our organization is based upon volunteers and funding from the communities we are in.  A power outage per se, does not constitute a disaster unless it should take place in extreme temperature conditions such as extreme cold or heat.  If people have been displaced because of severe damage to their homes, then we have provisions in place to take are of those people.  We  continue to stress the need for individuals to be prepared for situations such as this.”

   Ballard County will be holding Disaster Assistance Training in the near future at the Ballard County Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Center in LaCenter and Wednesday, the American Red Cross is sponsoring a Business Continuity Planning meeting for area businesses and individuals to be prepared for incidents just as the one we have experienced this weekend. 

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