Carbondale continues clean up

By Gus Bode

Jay Adams, of Carbondale, works to clear her truck of storm debris collected at Thompson Point Tuesday. Adams, who has been working on campus for two weeks, said she averages 14 loads of brush per day. Roughly $5 million worth of damage was done to the campus during the storm, which featured wind gusts of up to 106 miles per hour.

Phil Gatton, director of the university Physical Plant, said at least 20 people have been hired to help cleanup after the May 8 windstorm. He said parts of campus, such as the trail around the Lake on Campus and Thompson Woods, might not be reopened until the beginning of the fall semester. ‘

Contracted tree removal crews should be converging on campus to remove fallen debris next week, he said. Right now, workers are focused on repairing any structural damage as nearly a dozen windows and window frames in Mae Smith Hall have been repaired and tarpaulin stretched across weak roof spots, Gatton said. He said high wind speeds forced debris through sections of roof on several buildings.

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