Work to restore power to residents is 'in the home stretch' after ice storm

Lenawee and Monroe counties were hit with another weather blow to start the work week Monday, days after an ice storm rolled through Michigan’s southern countries and left thousands without power.

Instead of freezing rain and ice this time around, consistent rain showers throughout the day Monday soaked the two counties with even more precipitation on top of an already water-logged area.

Rivers and bodies of water throughout the two counties saw rising levels and many lawns were puddled with pockets of water from Monday’s rain and the thaw out from last week's ice storm.

Wednesday's winter weather spectacle, which looked scenic with ice glazed on outdoor objects and coating tree branches, turned out to be anything but scenic, as the heavy half-inch ice cover caused widespread damage and power outages that left many people in the dark for several days.

The ice was also short-lived as the very next day, temperatures climbed well above freezing to melt nearly everything away. In doing so, cleanup efforts ensued which saw communities working together to remove brush, tree branches and limbs from roadways and off of houses. Utility crews worked nearly around the clock to restore power to residents, schools and businesses.

By Monday, nearly all school districts in Lenawee and Monroe counties were back in session. Many districts only had classes for two days last week, closing Wednesday, Thursday and Friday because of weather conditions and a lack of power.

Some Monroe County neighborhoods were still without power Monday in the aftermath of last week’s ice storm. Ida Public Schools were closed because of a power outage, and Monroe Public Schools also were closed Monday as was Rainbow Preschool and Kids Club. There were some buildings, specifically Orchard Center, Learning Bank, Manor Elementary and Waterloo Elementary, that did not have power into Sunday.

The decision to close MPS Monday, according to an announcement from the district, was “due to the continued power outage and the inability to make or receive phone calls.”

In Lenawee County, the Madison School District shared on social media Sunday it had power restored throughout its campus and was anticipating being open for school on Monday. The district, meanwhile, said it understood many of its families were still without power and if that was the case, families could inform the school via the attendance line indicating they were still without power and absences from school would be coded as “excused” and not counted toward a student’s number of unexcused absences.

“We understand the amount of physical and emotional strain this can place on the impacted students and families,” Madison HS Trojans shared on Facebook.

Consumers Energy said Monday it is keeping crews on its system as line workers work to finish restoration efforts in Michigan’s southern counties. More than 600 Consumers Energy crews, contractors and line workers from outside Michigan have been restoring power to houses and businesses affected by last week’s ice storm, the energy provider said in a news release.

“The work to restore power in our southern communities after this devastating ice storm is in the home stretch, and we are so grateful for our customers’ continued patience and understanding,” Amanda Wagenschutz, one of Consumers Energy’s officers in charge, said in the release.

Another potential ice storm for northern and mid-Michigan communities was being monitored Monday by Consumers Energy, it said. If ice and freezing rain led to outages in those areas, crews would be mobilized as quickly as possible.

Midwest Energy & Communications (MEC) said Saturday it expected to fully restore power to all of its southeast Michigan customers over the weekend.

Thirteen Consumers Energy customers were without power Monday in Monroe County and 9,885 DTE Energy customers had no power Monday, according to www.poweroutage.us/area/state/michigan. For Lenawee County residents, 11,042 Consumers Energy customers were without power Monday and 20 DTE Energy customers were affected. All 5,151 MEC customers were back on line, according to poweroutage.us.

Power had been restored Monday to all Lenawee County government buildings and they were operating normally, the county said in a news release. As for the Lenawee County Department on Aging, the Tecumseh Senior Center was without power Monday and did not offer site or curbside meals. Home-delivered meals, meanwhile, were sent out as usual for those in the Tecumseh, Britton, Clinton and Tipton areas, Director Cari Rebottaro said in an email.

“Things are looking better with our sites,” Rebottaro said. “Phones around the county continue to be a challenge. Anyone attempting to reach a senior center can call the main office at 517-264-5280.”

Multiple communities have scheduled winter storm brush pickup hours. The city of Adrian is offering a branch pickup for its residents Friday, March 3. All brush and branches, no longer than 6 feet, must be out to the curb by 7 a.m. Friday so that city crews can haul the items away. This service is just for tree limbs, branches and brush, the city said in a news release. A leaf pickup will occur in April as part of Adrian’s spring yard waste collection.

Adrian’s compost site will also be open this week for residents to drop off their brush and branches only. Leaves and trash will not be accepted, the city said. Compost site hours are: noon to 7 p.m. today; noon to 7 p.m. Thursday, March 2; 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 4; and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, March 5. The compost site is on Oakwood Avenue just past Oakwood Cemetery, 333 E. Siena Heights Drive. Those with questions can contact Adrian Department of Public Works at 517-264-4888.

Hillsdale County remained one of the hardest hit counties in the state from last week’s storm. On Monday, 8,429 customers in Hillsdale County remained without power.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Power restoration efforts 'in the home stretch' following ice storm