LITTLE ROCK — Power was restored Friday to a majority of the nearly 50,000 Arkansas homes and businesses that lost service amid strong winds and thunderstorms the day before.
About 3,000 Entergy customers in the company’s statewide service area remained without power as of 10 p.m. Friday, according to the company’s Web site. Spokesman Julie Munsell said crews would work today to finish restoring service.
More than 42,000 Entergy customers were left without power Thursday morning after the storm system, which carried 70 to 80 mph winds, crossed the state.
Southwestern Electric Power Co. reported Friday evening that it had restored power to all but about 200 customers in Howard County.
Rob Roedel, a spokesman for Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas, said its customers’ power was out only in “scattered areas” Friday afternoon.
The storm system formed in west Texas and toppled trees and utility poles as it passed through Arkansas. It also spawned two small tornadoes — one in Grant County and another near Lavaca in Sebastian County, said John Robinson, a National Weather Service warning coordinator in North Little Rock.
One person was injured in Grant County when the shortlived twister demolished his mobile home.
After touring Jefferson County on Friday, Robinson said damage near the Samples community there was caused by winds of up to 80 mph — not by a tornado. The National Weather Service’s new dual-polarization radar picked up a “debris cloud” in the area indicative of a possible tornado Thursday evening.
“The radar showed a signature debris cloud,” Robinson said. “But we’re speculating [the radar] may have picked up some weak circular motion of leaves or pine needles.”
He said the path of dam- age was about 3.3 miles long and about half a mile wide. Shingles were blown off several houses, and a carport was blown from a home, he said. Several cars were damaged by fallen trees.
In Little Rock, a tree that fell into David Jackson’s home on Martin Street on Thursday morning remained there Friday.
The tangle of branches and tree trunk nearly split Jackson’s home in half.
Jackson said Friday that he was watching TV news about 8:30 a.m. Thursday when he heard the creak and crash of the 50-foot tree coming down on his home. The tree’s roots tore up a piece of concrete, and the lower trunk landed on his carport and car before the rest came down almost on top of him, he said.
“It happened pretty fast, but after it had settled into the house, the ceiling was this far from my head,” he said, holding his fingers about an inch apart. “In a way, I’m glad it hit the car, because that took some of the weight. If it hadn’t have hit that, it would have been right on my head.”
Jackson, whose 80th birthday is Christmas Day, said he’s taking the loss in stride.
“I was born on Christmas and I’ve always been special. I mean, things happen to me, good and bad,” he said. “My dad always used to say, ‘Nobody deserves the good they get in life, and nobody deserves the bad they get either.’
“This too will pass, and all this can be rebuilt.
“I have a warm place to stay, and good people helping me. And people to spend my birthday with.”
Arkansas, Pages 9 on 12/22/2012