Updates
- Help for Hood County
Among the scores of volunteers at the Granbury Church of Christ disaster center Saturday were (from left) Kathryn Mullins, Rhonda Ship and Irma Chick. Mary Vinson/Hood County News
- Donations made for four-legged tornado victims
Animal Control has received just over $6,000 in donations from local residents who are concerned about pets displaced by last week’s tornado. Sheriff Roger Deeds said the next Commissioners Court agenda will have an item calling for the county to officially accept those monetary gifts.
- Sheriff: No federal aid for Hood County
Sheriff Roger Deeds and Fire Marshal Ray Wilson said late Wednesday (May 22) that the total tornado damage sustained by Hood and several other Texas counties does not meet the $34 million criteria to qualify for federal aid. A comprehensive figure for the dollar damage in Hood County has not yet been firmly established.
- Boil water notice canceled for Rancho Brazos system
SouthWest Water Company announced today that it has canceled the boil water notice that had been in effect since the day after the May 15 tornado destroyed or heavily damaged much of the subdivision, according to Tim Williford, environmental health and safety manager. “Our system has taken the necessary corrective actions to restore water supply, disenfectant levels, and/or bacteriological quality and has provided TCEQ (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality) with testing results that indicate that the water no longer requires boiling,” Williford said. If you have questions, call SouthWest Water Company at 866-654-7992.
- LGMC Disaster Information Line in place through today
The Disaster Information Line (817-579-2888) that had been set up by Lake Granbury Medical Center to help assist family members who were attempting to locate loved ones affected by last Wednesday’s tornado that devastated the Rancho Brazos subdivision will remain in place “until the end of the day Wednesday, May 22,” according to the hospital’s marketing director, Dixie Lee Hedgecock. Looking forward, the best source for finding ways to help and for locating victimes who may still be hospitalized in surrounding facilities is to go online to www.redcross.org, Hedgecock said.
- Hero paramedic to serve as pallbearer for tornado victim
Dale Alexander, an Arlington firefighter and paramedic who lives in deCordova Ranch, has been asked by the family of Tommy Joe Martin to serve as a pallbearer today (Wednesday, May 22) at graveside services in Brock for Martin and his mother-in-law, Marjorie Ann Davis. Alexander and others came to the aid of Martin and Davis, as well as Martin’s wife, Betsy. The three were flung 300 yards when Davis’ home just outside deCordova Ranch was destroyed by the tornado. Betsy Martin is in a Fort Worth hospital with multiple injuries. Though a family member had thought Alexander had placed Betsy Martin in the back of his pick-up, it was actually Tommy, said Alexander, who happened to have emergency medical equipment with him and administered an IV to the mortally wounded man. Tommy died just as he was being placed in an ambulance, said Alexander.
- Photos of the many forms of help for tornado victims
A photo gallery of the help that flooded in from near and far to help the victims of the deadly tornado that ravaged the Rancho Brazos neighborhood. Governor Rick Perry and Attorney General Greg Abbott gave a press conference after touring the devastated area last week. Click for photo gallery.
- 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.
