Updates
- Residents sift through the rubble
Residents of the Rancho Brazos neighborhood were allowed back in this past weekend to begin sifting through the rubble of their tornado ravaged homes. Mary Vinson/Hood County News
- Multiple 911 calls reporting lines sparking or down from strong, gusty winds
Staying home the rest of the night may be your safest option the rest of the night unless you have to get to work. Hood County not only was placed under a tornado watch earlier this evening (Monday), but shortly after 1o p.m., 911 dispatchers had to notify power companies that supply electricity here that there were lines down or wires were arcing in a few locations across the county, including a location on North Crockett Street in Granbury. A report of a structure fire on Spanish Flower Drive, called in at about 10:45 p.m., turned out to be a lightning strike but the residence was not on fire when firefighters arrived. A short time earlier, firefighters extinguished a grass fire near Mambrino Highway south of Granbury.
- County wants to meet with insurance reps Tuesday morning
Hood County Emergency Operations officials are asking that representatives of insurance companies attend a meeting at Annex 1, 1410 W. Pearl St., at 11 a.m. Tuesday (May 21). The purpose of the meeting is to help connect reps with tornado victims and also to address some other issues. The meeting will take place in the meeting room at the back of the building by the parking lot.
- United Co-op working to restore power to tornado-affected areas
According to a statement from United Cooperative Services, which provides electrical power to the Rancho Brazos subdivision that was devastated by the May 15 killer tornado that flattened much of that area, all United members who have been temporarily or permanently displaced by the disaster are being urged to contact the power company’s office as soon as possible this week in order to provide good contact information through the restoration process. “Our board of directors approved an additional measure Friday to forgive current electric bills of any member whose primary residence has been completely or severely damaged by the tornado,” said Mauri Montgomery, vice president of media and community relations. “Once debris has been cleared for our engineering and construction crews, we estimate the first phase of that reconstruction work will be completed in days, not weeks.” He noted that in the span of 10 to 12 hours following the tornado strike, United crews were able to restore power to all but about 380 members, mostly in the Rancho Brazos area.
- Robert, Glenda Whitehead joint services Thursday
Joint services for Rancho Brazos tornado victims Robert Whitehead and his wife Glenda Whitehead will be Thursday at 2 p.m. at Stonewater Church in Granbury. Visitation is Wednesday evening from 6-8 at Wiley Funeral Home. Robert, 69, a retired carpenter, was a Vietnam veteran and avid restorer of classic vehicles. Glenda, 63, retired from Kroger. They married in 1965 and lived in Granbury 25 years.
- Joint services for tornado victims Wednesday
Joint graveside services for tornado victims Marjorie “Ann” Davis and her son-in-law Tommy Martin will be Wednesday at 3 p.m. in Brock Cemetery. They were killed in the Wednesday, May 15 Rancho Brazos tornado.
- Brush yard, CCS open 8-5 today through Wednesday in aftermath of tornado
The Hood County brush yard, on Weatherford Highway, as well as the Citizens Collection Station, 244 Bray St., will be open for county residents who can show proof of their address, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today (Monday, May 20) through Wednesday, Mary 22, officials said. Go online for more information.
- Photos: Residents sift through rubble
Members of the media were allowed in Sunday as Rancho Brazos residents and support crews return for a second day to survey damage and sift through the rubble from last week’s deadly tornado. Click to view photo gallery.
- Postal service asking those displaced by tornado to contact local post office
The U.S. Postal Service is attempting to coordinate mail delivery to those impacted by last week’s tornado. Officials ask that customers from the Rancho Brazos area contact the Acton Post Office to provide instructions for temporarily forwarding their mail to another address or arranging for in-person pick-up. Identification will be required for pick-up. The Acton Post Office is located at 5563 N. Gate Road. The phone number there is 817-910-2552.
- Disaster assistance center open again today through Wednesday
The disaster assistance center for victims of Wednesday’s Hood County tornado damage, which opened for the first time on Saturday at the Granbury Church of Christ, 1905 W. Pearl St., is open today (1-6 p.m.) as well as Monday through Wednesday (9 a.m.-6 p.m.), officials said. The Hood County Emergency Management Office is coordinating its efforts through the center so that victims can have easy access to fill out forms for various insurance companies and contractors. Representatives from the American Red Cross and Mission Granbury will be there to offer services and to find out what is needed. No donations will be accepted there. Attendees must park off of Pirate Drive in the church’s south parking lot. Contractors and insurance company representatives should call the Hood County Fire Marshal’s Office at 817-579-3335 for more information.
- Congressman views tornado damage
U.S. Rep. Mike Conaway, who represents District 11, was scheduled to view tornado damage at Rancho Brazos at approximately 12:30 p.m. Saturday. A staffer for the congressman said he had flown into D/FW after last votes were taken in Washington.
- Tornado victims asked to meet today at Church of Christ
Victims of Wednesday’s Hood County tornado damage are being encouraged to meet between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. today (May 18) at the Granbury Church of Christ, 1905 W. Pearl St., according to Stephanie Parker with the Hood County Emergency Management Office. The meeting will give the disaster victims easy access to fill out forms for various insurance companies and contractors. Also, representatives from the American Red Cross and Mission Granbury will be there to offer services and to find out what is needed. No donations will be accepted there. Attendees must park off of Pirate Drive in the church’s south parking lot. Contractors and insurance company representatives should call the Hood County Fire Marshal’s Office at 817-579-3335 for more information.
- United Cooperative Services sets up customer plan for tornado victims
United Cooperative Services, which had 1,037 meters out of power immediately after the tornado strike Wednesday evening in Hood County, made this announcement through Communications Manager Mauri Montgomery: “Our board of directors … approved a … measure to aid co-op members who have been displaced following the disaster. The funds will be administered through Operation RoundUp (an annual program made possible through the voluntary contributions of members who allow their montly electric bills to be rounded up to the next even dollar amount. The difference between the amount owed and the next even dollar amount is put into the program to aid members every day, all year long). We intend to distribute flyers at the Hood County Emergency Management meeting at the Granbury Church of Christ (9 a.m.-6 p.m. today, May 18, at 1905 W. Pearl St.).
