PENTWATER, MI. - For the small Oceana County beach town of Pentwater, the Labor Day weekend means big business. It's why on Thursday chainsaws were cutting and wood chippers were grinding limbs and trees knocked to the ground during Tuesday night's powerful storm.
"It's huge for our town," said Jeff Hodges, Pentwater Village President.
Winds from the storm knocked out power to the village's businesses and residences. It knocked down 100-year-old trees and street lights in the village's business district.
"It was like wow, just crazy," said Hodges.
Because the village relies on business from tourists, Hodges says everyone is working together to remove storm debris from around the community before the weekend. The business district didn't have power Tuesday night and all day Wednesday.
"Loss of power for several days is a big problem," says Hodges.
A refrigeration trailer offered restaurant owners space to keep food from spoiling in freezers that couldn't run because of the wide spread power outage. Space inside the cold trailer was available to area residents too.
By Thursday afternoon, power was back on at most business and is expected to be restored to homes in Pentwater sometime on Friday.
And Hodges says it should be close to business as usual for the holiday weekend.
"Do come, the weather is going to be great; our beaches are great," said Hodges.
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