Diane Feffer (third from left) of Lobello Drive shared this photo. The man in the middle near the flag drove down from Tulsa, Oklahoma, to help neighbors clear Ursula. After the storm, neighbors are helping one another.

“We still have no known casualties, which is remarkable considering the strength of the tornado and the extent of the damage it caused.” — Mayor Eric Johnson

Here are updates on the storm:

  • Power has been restored to about 120,00 customers, according to an Oncor news release. But about 32,000 people were still without power. The company said power should be restored by late Wednesday to homes and businesses without significant damage. However, some power structures were destroyed and need to be rebuilt.
  • Mayor Eric Johnson reported on Twitter that Dallas Fire-Rescue counted 67 buildings destroyed, 202 buildings with major damage and 175 with minor damage.
  • A City of Dallas spokesperson reports that crews are working around the clock to clean up debris. Call 3-1-1 if you encounter debris in rights-of-way or downed trees.
  • Street closures can be found on the City’s website at ly/stormstreetclosures

In the meantime:

·    Sanitation Services has contracted additional crews to assist with storm debris collection in the impacted area.

·      Additional information on resources and how to help can be found at: http://www.dallascitynews.net/october-20-storm-update.

·      Find out more about the stores at Preston and Royal. People are devastated about Interabang Books.

·      Neighbors are also devasted about North Haven Gardens.

·      Dallas ISD announced that 12 schools are closed, due to tornado damage, according to NBCDFW.com. Six campuses are waiting for Oncor to restore power: Hillcrest High School, Medrano Middle School, Franklin Middle School, Dealey Montessori, Joe May Elementary School, Kramer Elementary School. Six DISD schools received more significant storm damage.

  • The district is temporarily relocating Burnet, Cigarroa and Pershing Elementary Schools to Loos Field House, starting Wednesday.
  • Walnut Hill Elementary is probably a total loss, according to DISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa.Walnut Hill’s students and staff will move to vacant space at Tom Field Elementary.
  • Cary Middle School may never be occupied again, according to Hinojosa. Cary’s students will be reassigned based on geography to Franklin and Medrano, starting Wednesday.
  • Students at Thomas Jefferson High School will have the most dramatic change. They will be moved to West Dallas’ Thomas Edison Middle School, which is a vacant facility DISD was using as a teacher training space.

City Council member Jennifer Staubach Gates said, “I spent most of the day out in the district surveying the damage with other City leaders and our power and gas providers. The devastation is unprecedented, and I’m so grateful that everyone is safe and no one was seriously injured.”

Robert Wilonsky at the Dallas Morning News had a moving column about the destruction in his neighborhood. He’s a graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School.
In the meantime, neighbors are helping one another. Diane Feffer, who lives on Lobello Drive, reports that someone drove in from Tulsa to help people. He brought two chainsaws, and neighbors all worked together to clear Ursula.

Other stories of neighbors helping neighbors:

  • Bridgett Shippey: “My son’s school Travis TAG (a DISD school) in Uptown Band Department is collecting clothing donations.” brshippey@gmail.com.
  • Alan Hargrove of Merriman Park North: “If anyone needs a free bag of ice to protect your perishables I have two ice vending machines that still have power and I can drop a free bag for you.  One is located at 9041 Forest Lane in the shopping center at Forest & Greenville and the other is located at 9231 Skillman, just north of LBJ.  Call me at 214-755-4595 when you’re at the machine and I can drop a free bag from my phone while you’re there!”
  • Lisa Nelson of Preston Hollow North said, “We are on Glendora and were on the periphery of the tornado. We are devastated at the loss felt by our neighbors. If a neighbor needs a blower, or tools or manpower or electricity or water or food or a truck please let me know.”
  • U-Haul offered 30 days of free self-storage to North Dallas Tornado victims.
  • Campisi’s delivered pizzas to neighbors in need.
  • Neighbors at Ross & Hall delivered sandwiches to Fire Station 28.

  • To help tornado victims in need, restaurants are offering free meals for those affected by the storms, according to the Dallas Morning News. Amberjax Fish Market Grill in West Dallas’ Trinity Groves, at 3011 Gulden Lane, is offering free dinner for tornado victims and immediate family members. So is Shell Shack, at 2326 N. Henderson Ave. in Dallas. Tornado victims at Shell Shack can order anything that’s not shellfish. At both restaurants, free dinner extends through Thursday evening. Anyone who wants free dinner should bring in their insurance claim as proof.