Goal: Have power to all by midnight

MANSFIELD — Ohio Edison estimates 5,000 to 6,000 residents remained in the dark Sunday evening, but all power should be restored by midnight tonight.

“We have a lot of crews out tonight,” company spokesman Kirk Gardner said. “I’m very hopeful we’ll be at full restoration by midnight.”

At the peak of the winter ice storm, Ohio Edison had 50,000 to 60,000 residents without power. Since then, Gardner said, crews have come from far and wide to assist, including from Pittsburgh, Kentucky and Maryland.

…American Electric Power spokeswoman Suzanne Priore said everyone in Bellville and Lexington should have power restored. Those who do not should call AEP at (800) 672-2231.

The company will continue to work on problems in that area, she said. Near Willard, nearly 4,000 people remain in the dark. Most should have power by midnight Tuesday. Isolated areas may take until midnight Thursday to have power restored.

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Ontario and Galion weren’t included in that “restored by midnight” jazz, I guess — Mom and Dad have been without power since late Wednesday night. They’re camped out at Chez Dahlberg (Columbus) now, enjoying some extra stolen time with Carl. Val and I are having a hard time with the thought that at some point, OhioEd/First Energy and AEP will get their acts together and we’ll lose our four-to-one advantage over the boy.

But wow, five days, no power (and, to my dad’s eternal chagrin, a partially flooded basement — since the pump that would normally shunt the groundwater away from the basement isn’t working without juice…) OhioEd/First Energy’s not really having a good couple of years, are they?