The streets of Shaker Heights are lined with tall stately trees. Many of the large oak, and sycamore that line this particular block on Sherrington Rd. are half a century old - and when the wind blows -- as it did Sunday - weak and decaying branches, and sometimes entire trees, land in yards, on cars or on roofs. Craig Williams works for Shaker Heights Department of Public works - he's part of the cleanup crew that that's been clearing storm debris from the streets. He's driving a giant dump truck filled with enormous branches.
WILLIAMS: There's a lot more down than I thought it was.
CUDA: Have you filled it yet?
WILLIAMS: Oh yeah maybe the fifth or sixth time today.
Just up ahead is a man in a forklift who is scooping up the branches and dumping them into the truck - when full it holds more than 3000 pounds.
Sound of forklift dumping branches.
The neighborhood streets are fairly empty - but a few residents venture out to do some damage control in their own yards. Jim Radford has lived on this street for several decades. He was out raking leaves in his driveway. Next door an enormous tree is sprawled out across his neighbor’s lawn.
RADFORD: I heard it when it came down because it shook the whole foundation - it just cracked and peeled right over...I looked out the window and I saw the tree and I said, aw my god, here we go again.
Radford explains that a decade ago he lost two trees in much the same way. He points to two spindly trees in front of his house he has since replanted. Luckily no one on Radford's street was hurt by falling trees, or lost any power. But just a few blocks away on Warrensville Center Road residents there have been without power for more than 24 hours. Local resident Kelly Tayer leads me up four flights of pitch black stairs to her apartment. The elevators, along with emergency backup lighting are out of service. She tells me she even stayed home from work today because he car is parked in the garage, and the manager couldn't figure out how to get override the electric door openers.
TAYER: We got hungry, and all we have is cookies to eat and we can't cook. We were going to go out and get something to eat but everything is blocked off outside and we were afraid to walk too far. We're camping at this point. My son thinks it's awesome.
Her 12 year old son beams in the corner. This adventure got him out of school, and he clearly doesn't mind eating cookies for dinner.
Nearby businesses are also out of power - the local gas station is closed due to its electrically powered pumps, and the ice rink in neighboring Thornton Park is slowly becoming a puddle. First Energy says while additional crews have been deployed from Pennsylvania and New Jersey to help restore power as quickly as possible many residents may be waiting for several days.
Gretchen Cuda, 90.3