The storms that ripped through the region Sunday caused wide-spread damage and power outages across Kosciusko County, officials said. Storms also damaged “Ruby,” a Warsaw business. Some 3,250 homes were left without power for two hours late Sunday afternoon, the result of an aggressive thunderstorm with high winds that brought “major issues” to power lines, according to Kosciusko REMC Communications Specialist Doris Lemert. Lemert said workers rushed to switch customers to alternative substations, leading to a speedy restoration of power for customers. Trees and structures throughout the county were left battered, as well. Reports of downed and split trees, and roofs pulled from barns, among other damages, were reported. Sgt. Chad Hill of the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department said the county fielded several calls reporting damage to limbs and trees down in the northern portion of the county, including Syracuse, where a few roads in the Turkey Creek Township area and CR 1000E were rendered impassable with trees downed across them. Storms last week also caused damage to a downtown Warsaw business. Owners Jennifer Mink and Julie Hall spent most of their Memorial Day weekend trying to get inventory out of their clothing store, Ruby. Around noon Wednesday, when severe weather blew through the area, Hall was in the store with customers. Hall said water started gushing through the ceiling of their store on West Market Street in Warsaw. The basement flooded with much of Ruby’s supplies and inventory. The building is owned by Caleb France, who told Hall and Mink he’ll work to reopen the location but it could take as long as three months. For the time being, they will run as much as they can out of their other location, The Mix. Hall and Mink said they got a hold of people on their mailing list to let them know they weren’t closed for good. For more information, call 574-267-7355. Storms in Syracuse Sunday afternoon caused significant damage in and around town. The roof a barn was partially peeled away at a farm on North Huntington Street north of Ind. 13. A home across the street also sustained damage as a tree fell against it. Several trees were down at Maxwelton Golf Course. Trees from the golf course fell across East Shore Drive, knocking out power to several home. Trees also were down in several neighborhoods in Syracuse, including along Lake Street where a tree fell on a house and a garage.
