SUMMARY
More than 70,000 people in northwestern Indiana were without power more than a week after a series of storms downed trees, knocked out power lines and flooded neighborhoods. Local officials have scrambled to restore electricity as frustrated residents accuse them of not doing enough. Stephanie Sy reports.
View the transcript of the story.
NOTE: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this See, Think, Wonder activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think about? What would you want to learn more about?
News alternative: Check our recent segments from the News Hour, and choose the story you’re most interested in watching. You can make a Google doc copy of discussion questions that work for any of the stories here.
WARM-UP QUESTIONS
- Where did storms knock out power lines and leave whole communities without power?
- How many residents were left without electricity?
- What are some of the difficulties residents are facing without electricity?
- Why has restoring power in the area been so difficult?
- Who are some of the people affected by the outage?
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
- Do you think the federal government should provide aid to communities like Gary if local officials are not able to quickly restore power on their own? Why or why not?
- What are some ways you can think of to make sure residents stay safe and healthy during extended power outages?
Media literacy: Why do you think News Hour producers chose this story as the focus of a segment? What issues are at stake that might be interesting to a national audience?
WHAT STUDENTS CAN DO
Due to changing weather patterns across the U.S., parts of the U.S. are increasingly subject to damaging storms. One of the most impactful storms of recent years was Hurricane Helene, which struck the southeast U.S. in September 2024 and left millions without power or roads open for aid to impacted residents.
A recent graphic novel called "Islands in the Sky" captures the history of that storm through a series of short stories and oral histories. Check out this lesson to learn more about the event and the ways communities and individuals responded to the long-term loss of power and services.
After reading some of the stories from Islands in the Sky, discuss —
- What to residents impacted by damaging storms most seem to need to help recover?
- What are some of the challenges outside aid agencies or officials face in helping those affected?
- What are some ways your community could prepare for a weather disaster such as a major storm?
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