Christmas Without Lights

OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma (AP) -- An official with an electric cooperative in Kansas says the utility hopes everyone who lost power in the ice storm more than a week ago will have electricity back by Christmas.
Line crews work to restore electrical power Monday in Tulsa, Oklahoma. But he said that may not be a realistic goal. About 24,000 rural customers in Kansas are still out.
More than 88,000 homes and businesses across the Midwest remained without power early Tuesday. Overnight temperatures in the past week have dipped into the teens.
Rebeca Rascon's two children were bundled up against the brisk wind when she went to report power was still off at her south Oklahoma City home.
Rascon speaks little English, but her 7-year-old son, Josue Velasquez, described the house Monday as "very cold."
"We've got eight days without lights," the boy said. "We just sit on the couch and wait for the lights to come on. More wet and cold weather was on tap for the West early Tuesday as a series of Pacific storm systems push through.
Up to 3 feet of snow was possible above 3,500 feet to 4,000 feet across the California and Oregon coastal ranges, southern Cascades and the Sierras.
Rain showers were expected to spread across southern California and the Four Corners region by Wednesday. More coastal rain and interior snow was forecast Wednesday from the northern California to the Northwest.
Back in the Plains, residents struggling to get by have a new problem to rival dwindling temperatures: dwindling bank accounts. Many have depleted their money on food that has now spoiled, or on hotels.
Some stocked up on food before the storm, while others used money to stay in a hotel, thinking power would be restored within a day or two.
"We've had people using generators who ran out of money for fuel to operate the generators," said Vince Hernandez, chairman of the American Red Cross of Central Oklahoma.
Hundreds of people found a place to sleep and hot meals over the weekend at a temporary shelter established at the Cox Convention Center in downtown Oklahoma City.
Don't Miss
Oklahoma Gas & Electric, the state's largest electric utility, set up temporary walk-up stations in nine central Oklahoma cities for customers to report power failures. Officials are projecting crews to have restoration completed by late Wednesday or Thursday.
Margy Knight, who owns several rental and commercial properties in south Oklahoma City that are without power, said she's getting frustrated with the lack of progress.
"I'm trying real hard not to be tacky," Knight said. "I think they're doing the best they can, but they need more manpower."
Jerry Odom said he's tried to make the best of the situation, attending a Blazers hockey game at the Cox Center and taking a walk through the nearby Oklahoma City Botanical Gardens.
"I'm trying to make a vacation out of it," Odom said. "I'm dealing with it the best I can."
The state medical examiner's office said the ice storm that struck the Midwest and Northeast last week hit Oklahoma hardest, contributing to at least 27 of the 38 total deaths.
In Kansas, restoration of power could be hampered by another storm expected later this week, said Larry Detwiler of the Kansas Electric Cooperatives.
"We all hope for everybody to be back on by Christmas," he said. "I'm not sure that's a realistic goal."