Though the damage wasn’t nearly as bad as other states experienced, the remnants of Hurricane Ike made their way to Michigan over the weekend, putting a damper on several events in Orion.
Last Saturday’s Fall Family Fun Fest in downtown was all but cancelled, as businesses set to host sidewalk sales kept merchandise inside.
The Senior Center Car Cruise at Golling Pontiac-GMC was shortened, and turnout was sparse given the early morning rain. (A rain date of Sept. 27 was approved Monday by the township board.)
A flood watch was issued around the same time the car cruise came to a close, and rain continued into Sunday, where it greeted visitors at the Scripps Days: Art, Autos & Architecture festival at the Scripps Estate. (For more coverage of that event, see this web edition.)
Wind gusts as high as 45-miles-per-hour were reported Sunday and some township roads, including the ‘impassable? intersection of Silverbell and Giddings, experienced heavy flooding.
Still, police reported no major accidents, with most of the damage caused by fallen branches, trees and wires.
‘High winds and heavy rain is a bad combination, especially when you have a lot of old trees,? noted Lake Orion Police Chief Jerry Narsh.
Narsh said the damage here was not nearly as bad as what was reported in other parts of the state and Ohio. An estimated eight inches fell in Orion.
‘Being 970 feet above sea level has its advantages,? he said.