No rhyme or reason to storm's path

Nature's wrath seemed to pick favorites during this week's powerful storms, whose path of destruction through Northwest suburban neighborhoods, strip malls and industrial parks recognized no apparent logic.

While many residents and businesses immediately returned to normal life Friday, others endured structural damage, power outages, closed schools, canceled soccer tournaments and delayed retirement celebrations.

Jeff Myers, manager of The Car Doctor in Schaumburg, was still reeling Friday morning from seeing the roof peeled off the repair shop his father opened 27 years ago.

"I'm 36 and I've never seen anything like it," Myers said, as he and friends filled a dumpster with the remains of his still-new roof.

At about 3 p.m. Thursday, he and his co-workers knew the storm was coming, but his biggest concern was making sure his computer was off before a power glitch.

While trying to get a repair bay door closed, however, he was surprised by a sudden burst of wind that pulled it shut in an instant.

A moment later, the roof was gone.

"That's a sound I'll never forget," he said.

Everything happened so fast, there was never time to be worried about personal safety. Though there was still metal sheeting below where the rubber roof had been, it had so many holes in it that rain poured directly onto the repair room floor and office.

Immediate cleanup and the spreading of a tarpaulin over the missing roof took until 10 p.m. Thursday. Then Myers was back at 4 a.m. to clear out the 3 or 4 inches of water that had accumulated and continue the repairs.

Another roof about a block away was also peeled away by the wind. But the half-dozen buildings between them showed no signs of damage.

Fire Chief David Schumann said both ruined roofs were similar in design, which may have made them more vulnerable. But bad luck probably had the most to do with it, he added, with the wind simply finding an edge on both roofs and peeling them back.

Schaumburg's hardest hit neighborhood was northwest of Wise and Plum Grove roads. There, too, wind damage was hit-or-miss.

While some homes were unscathed, others sported broken chimneys, shattered trees and peeled off siding. Blue tarpaulin covered obvious holes in a few roofs. A twisted trampoline lay half on the street, where it had been blown from a backyard.

But wind damage wasn't the only painful aftermath of the storms.

Power outages, including street lights, in the Rolling Meadows area kept traffic to a crawl through much of the day, while the Jewel store on Kirchoff Road had to close and fought to keep its frozen and refrigerated food in shape by moving it to cooling trailers behind it.

An employee stood near the door to direct customers to the nearest open store as car after car pulled up through the deserted parking lot.

The Jewel -- which lost electricity at 5:30 p.m. Thursday -- was given no idea how long it had to maintain this vigil, though. An automated ComEd recording only promised the restoration of power within 48 to 72 hours, said the employee at the door said.

A combination of power outages and other storm-related problems closed several area school districts, including Maine Township High School District 207, Des Plaines Elementary District 62 and Mount Prospect Elementary District 57.

Oakton Community College closed both its Des Plaines and Skokie campuses on Friday due to flooding.

Though all Palatine Township Elementary District 15 schools were open, some in Rolling Meadows were without power or phone service.

Prospect Heights Mayor Rodney Pace declared a state of emergency after watching the Des Plaines River rise. Pace last declared a state of emergency four years ago.

Soggy basements are common in Prospect Heights. Officials have sought the expansion of the Buffalo Creek reservoir near Buffalo Grove for years to curb the flooding.

"This could all be alleviated if the Department of Natural Resources wouldn't be so stubborn," Pace vented.

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin expressed concern Friday for residents of the greater Chicago area affected by storms and flooding, and reported the progress of relief efforts.

"My staff and I will be working today, and in the coming weeks, with state and federal emergency management officials, as well as local and state officials, to address fallout from the storm," Durbin said.

Hoffman Estates public works crews will be out Monday and Mayor William McLeod urged residents to place debris on their parkways for pick up by Wednesday.

Wheeling spokesman James Lang is prepping for more soggy weather, and said damage could be worse than two years ago.

Sandbags in Wheeling can be picked up behind fire station 24 at 255 W. Dundee Road or east of the public works building.

Des Plaines Mayor Tony Arredia also declared a state of disaster, drawing Cook County President Todd H. Stroger to tour the city.

Des Plaines Fire Chief John Heavey was to celebrate his retirement Friday night with a formal dinner, but rising flood waters instead forced him to operate a nerve center to prepare for the worst.

The Buffalo Grove Park District closed down Willow Stream Park and canceled the Friends of the Park Foundation's annual Soccer Classic scheduled for this weekend.

The event is one of the main fundraisers for the Friends, but will likely not be rescheduled.