County cleans up after massive wind damage Wednesday

City and county crews worked around the clock to clean up Butler County after winds upwards of 80 miles per hour tore through the area Wednesday evening.

Mitch Nordmeyer, Butler County Emergency Management Coordinator, said the damage was “widespread.” Winds uprooted full trees; tore roofs, doors and siding off buildings and snapped utility poles around the county.

Nordmeyer said the winds also proved to be deadly. Information provided by county officials said James Budlong, 70 of Dike, was killed on Highway 57 near Sinclair when a gust picked up his tractor-trailer and tipped it over, pinning the driver in the cab.

Read the full article in the May 24 edition of the Eclipse.