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Rated PG: Washington will be back

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At 10 a.m. today (Tuesday, March 4), from my house on the far west side of Washington, I could hear only one thing  ̶  a lone tornado siren blowing somewhere in town. I will admit, there was an eeriness about it.

I heard no other sirens, including the East Peoria siren that is closer to where I live and is loud enough to wake the comatose. They didn’t start wailing until a minute or so later. It was as if all the other emergency departments in the area let Washington go first, a symbolic gesture to the city most affected by the Nov. 17 tornado that ripped through central Illinois, killing two and destroying hundreds of homes.

Even my old dog, who howls as if in fear or even agony every time the sirens blow, stayed silent this time.

I have no way of knowing what was going through the heads of the residents who lost their homes or the school children in Washington and East Peoria and Pekin who will never react the same to that sound most of us have grown up with.

Tuesday was the first time the sirens were tested since that fateful November day. A drive through the town now isn’t the same as in the days immediately following Nov. 17, nor will it ever be the same as it was before then.

Just as it starts to look as if nothing happened, heavily damaged buildings appear on both sides of Peoria Street, including the destroyed Georgetown Apartments and the La Gondola restaurant on the south side of the road. It’s hard to miss the twisted frame and netting of the Hillcrest Golf Center driving range or notice that the pro shop isn’t there any longer. I’ve wondered where those thousands of golf balls ended up; they would have been like hard, round missiles.

On the north side the John Bearce automotive building stands, but all the windows are boarded. Trees are gone or twisted and it is obvious to those familiar with Washington where the damage occurred along that street, the busiest in Washington, as the twister tore its way into residential subdivisions. A positive sign is that the Advanced Auto Parts store, obliterated by the tornado, is well on its way to being rebuilt and signs for businesses along the route are being replaced. So are the street lights.

There has been a television commercial airing lately in which Washington Mayor Gary Manier and businessman Gary Uftring urge people to visit Washington. The town is still there and strong, they say. Businesses remain open and ready for customers; the town square was unscathed in the storm and the quaint shops are open every day.

What they don’t say but what most Washington residents feel now is that there isn’t much to gawk at any more. Most of the heaviest damage has been cleared and houses are being repaired or rebuilt. Come to Washington to shop, not to gawk. But if you come to gawk, stop and shop while you’re in town.

Like Manier and Uftring say, recovery will need all of us. If you liked the community before, you still can. It’s still here, it’s still viable. A few months ago, when the Washington Chamber of Commerce kicked off a campaign to urge people to shop there, Manier said, “Try to make a commitment of maybe one time a month come over and buy groceries, fill up your tank, or eat in a restaurant. And that’s not asking a whole lot, but it sure will help.”   

For the past decade or more Washington has been perhaps central Illinois’ most thriving and fastest growing community. There is no question the Nov. 17 storm slowed the community’s momentum, but it didn’t stop it. There is still so much potential in Washington and I am among those who believes the setback from the storm will only make it stronger, prouder and thrive even more. It will be back; you can count on it.

About the Author
Paul Gordon is the editor of The Peorian after spending 29 years of indentured servitude at the Peoria Journal Star. He’s an award-winning writer, raconteur and song-and-dance man. He also went to a high school whose team name is the Alices (that’s Vincennes Lincoln High School in Indiana; you can look it up).