Bruce Bentley

May 2 - Local business owners embark on a recovery process that can take months after a severe thunderstorm on Norman Wednesday dropped baseball-sized hail, causing hundreds of millions of dollars in damage. Winds above 70 MPH and hail the size of baseballs hit Norman just before 9 p.m. on Wednesday, causing damage to cars, buildings and windows. Now entrepreneurs are looking at insurance claims and assessing damage after one of the more costly storms in the city's history. Rebecca Bean, owner of STASH on Main Street, said she got to her store and found six broken windows. "We're pretty lucky that it wasn't worse," said Bean. "We have been spared floods and injuries, and all of our goods have been spared." STASH was closed all day on Thursday while the outside windows were worked on and glass and ceilings were removed. In an AccuWeather report, senior vice president and chief meteorologist Jonathan Porter said while tornadoes get more coverage, ha...

  The Oklahoma Insurance Department (OID) is offering help to Oklahomans affected by the storm last Wednesday evening. The OID has set itself the goal of helping victims of damage deal with their insurance claims promptly and fairly. "Filing an insurance claim can be an intimidating process," said Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready. “But we are here for those who suffered from the storms on Wednesday. We want to make sure they are getting the support they need to recover as quickly as possible. " The OID's Consumer Assistance division stands ready to help anyone who has been harmed by this week's storms. Here are some tips for storm victims: Has your roof checked by a trusted roofer? If the damage is less than your deductible, you would have to pay for the repairs; If they are much greater than your deductible, check with your insurance carrier. Contact your insurance company or agent as soon as possible. Ask which forms, documents, and information you n...