Des Plaines residents, businesses buckle down to the cleanup
The sign on the marquee read: "Wanted, really large sponge."
Matthew Feikes of Studio One Photography put up the message before he dragged rolls of flood-soaked carpet out of the studio at the corner of River Road and Elk Boulevard.
Feikes' joke summed up the efforts Tuesday as Des Plaines residents spent another day getting their lives back together in the aftermath of another flood. He spelled out the marquee using a limited selection of letters, as many characters were lost in the studio's flooded basement.
"I had my photographer call each and every bride and tell them this does not affect their wedding," he added.
Des Plaines Police Chief Jim Prandini said he expects most roads within the city to reopen by this afternoon. River Road will probably remain closed for longer, he said. National Weather Service officials predict by 1 a.m. Thursday the Des Plaines River will dip below five feet.
Looking down River Road, a puddle remained and fast-food joints like McDonald's and White Castle weren't serving up burgers. A worker at the McDonald's museum on Lee Street said the basement sustained drywall damage.
Given Des Plaines history of floods, Prandini praised the response of city department heads.
"Unfortunately, we've had the experience of doing this a few times," he said.
Bricklayers scurried in front of the Des Plaines city hall Tuesday fixing the sidewalk. A hint of mildew greeted residents who entered with their flood-related questions. City employees replied, advising residents to immediately contact their insurance companies before scheduling visits with a contractor for repair work. They also said to question the contractor, to check references and to make sure they have liability insurance.
Stacks of sandbags remain lining many streets. Residents can leave them in front of their homes and the public works department will pick them up. Prandini said crews will also pick up sandbags placed in front of businesses, though business owners should check with their private waste removers for hauling other items.
The general consensus is that though the flooding is worse than during the infamous 1986 storm, residents are better prepared.
Diana Corvington and her family have lived in their home on Campbell Avenue for 26 years. Since the 1986 storm, they've made improvements like installing an industrial-grade sump pump and though they struggled hauling sandbags back and forth using a cherry-red Radio Flyer wagon, they consider themselves lucky, escaping major damage.
However, Corvington's sister remains perpetually frustrated with the city, county and state's reactions. Officials billed the storm of 1986 as a once every 100 years event. But the flooding has returned 22 years later without the needed pumping stations.
"They haven't improved the river in 20 years," Marlene Lenart said.
Meanwhile on Oak Street, Ricardo Ortega stayed at home, taking a day off from work at a restaurant in Norwood Park. He's got transportation issues, as his car won't start. Water nearly covered the car's tires.
Paul Jados, a co-owner at Diamond Paint and Home Center on Oakton Street, said his store has flood insurance and adjusters were scheduled to visit Tuesday. A worker pointed a hair drier at a cash register that appeared salvageable, but Jados said his store sustained "a couple of hundred thousand dollars" worth of damage.
That included a new computerized paint dispensing system installed earlier this year that's about a $25,000 loss, Jados said. The store was open, but it was hard to get the word out to callers because only one of the store's four phone lines worked.
While Lenart Tuesday held up the broom given to her in 1986 by American Red Cross volunteers, this time around, it's the Salvation Army providing cleanup kits from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. today, Sept. 17, at Christ Church on Cora Street and Henry Avenue, and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday at the 7-Eleven at Rand and River roads. Food and water will also be provided.