MILWAUKEE — With thousands of people across the area still without power Sunday night following the snowstorm at the start of the weekend, many are having to adjust their plans as bitter cold temperatures settle in.
For some people at home with no heat or lights, that meant moving to a hotel.
Ruby Miller and her grandmother secured two nights at a hotel in West Allis after their power went out Friday night. When it didn’t come back on Sunday morning, they decided they needed to leave.
“It was freezing cold and my grandma is way too old to be living in that house. It felt like windows were open during a snowstorm,” Miller said.
At 10:00 p.m. Sunday, there were 10,000 customers out of service according to We Energies’ outage map.
As extreme cold sets in overnight, local businesses without power are also feeling the impact.
Bombshell Theatre Co. canceled almost all of their last weekend of shows after the theater, Sunset Playhouse in Elm Grove, lost power. The company was performing “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes”.
“We really depend on the income of this show specifically to fund the whole season,” Tim Albrechtson, Producing Director at Bombshell Theatre Co., said.
On Sunday afternoon, the company was getting ready to tear down their set when the lights flashed on. They decided they would put on one last show.
“Everyone’s going to get that closure they needed after such a disappointing weekend,” Albrechtson said.
“Losing money for art and theatre as a nonprofit is bad, but I just feel horrible for people who don’t have heat in their homes at all.”
We Energies officials said late Saturday afternoon crews have been working 24/7 to restore power. They said they hoped to have 98% of customers power restored by Sunday night.
That goal was achieved Sunday. As of 10:00 p.m. Sunday, more than 99% of the company's customers were reporting no outages, according to the We Energies Outage Map. Just over 10,000 customers were still waiting for their lights to come back on.
“I feel horrible, especially to those who can’t afford places like this,” Miller said.
“I’m a happy person and I’m okay with cold. It’s everyone else I’m worried about.”
Officials in Milwaukee said the city has six warming centers, which have the capacity for about 220 people and will be open from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.
For information on warming centers, shelters, and other resources dial 211. You can also click here.
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