SALEM, Ore. — All the winter weather has caused a huge headache for people living in Marion County where ice was a major issue.
Now, people all over the county are still dealing with the fallout. Some are still searching for reception and internet service while others are cleaning up the mess leftover from the ice and snow over the weekend.
In the City of Hubbard in Marion County, Laura Cox said about an inch or so of ice-covered many parts of the town. She said the power as well as cell and internet service have been out since Saturday.
“When the sun goes down, it’s pitch black and there’s no way to contact anybody for anything,” said Cox. To get reception and internet access, Cox had to leave town. “This morning I drove out of town, about five miles out of town, and was able to connect."
People in her area are cleaning up, trying to remove trees, and hoping utilities are restored. Meantime, in South Salem, people there are dealing with similar issues.
“This morning our house was 43 degrees inside and we’ve got a fire burning, but that just doesn’t do a whole lot,” said Jordan Truitt.
He said it’s an issue many of his neighbors are also dealing with. Electricity and internet have been out since Saturday morning and some people don’t have hot water to take a shower.
“I mean we knew the weather was coming but we didn’t know the level of destruction that was gonna happen,” said Truitt. He said power and connectivity have been restored in parts of Salem, but other parts are still a tangled mess.
“There are power lines still, today right now, that are tangled up on trees that are laying on top of houses and the estimates to get power restored is, I think, wishful thinking at this point because so much of it is still intertwined and tangled up in people’s backyards,"
Over the weekend, mainly Friday night into Saturday morning, he didn’t get much sleep.
“It was terrifying. There was debris falling from the sky, all over the place,” said Truitt. “Everywhere around was just trees coming down, branches snapping, powerlines coming down, transformers blowing up, substations going up. I mean the sky was just aglow. It was incredible.”
He said his weekend was spent holding a chainsaw, freeing up driveways and trying to help people out of their house.
“So many trees have come down that the areas and roads have been closed and blocked so people haven’t been able to get to the store,” Truitt said.
He and his family have been able to keep their devices charged thanks to camping supplies and their car. He said he’s trying his best to help others in his neighborhood and the United Way of the Mid-Willamette Valley has been active in trying to connect people who need help with resources.
Further south in Turner, in a Facebook post, the Enchanted Forest showed damage caused by downed trees. The destruction of some of its attractions and structures comes on top of the COVID-related financial issues it was already facing. It has a GoFundMe running to help with costs that insurance won’t cover.
Back in Hubbard and probably elsewhere, people are coming together to help one another.
“Everybody’s taking care of everybody. It’s the Oregon resiliency of neighbors helping neighbors,” said Cox.