CLEVELAND, Ohio — After weeks of frustration over some downed wires, tossed in a bush near her backyard, a Cleveland area mom is finally breathing a sigh of relief.
"As a mom, as a homeowner, as a community liaison, as an advocate, I wanna say thank you," Chrishawndra Matthews, founder of Literacy in the Hood, said.
Chrishawndra Matthews came to News 5 downright frustrated and exhausted.
She said she wasn't getting anywhere with the power company.
The power companies got to work and made a full-scale repair after we reached out.
When we returned to Matthews' Cleveland home, she was visibly having a great morning for one particular reason.
"Voila! They're gone. They're gone! Everything is gone," Matthews said.
What she described as a "hula hoop sized eyesore" of a downed power line is officially gone.
It's since been cut down and removed entirely from the fence and bushes of her East 154th Street property, thanks in part to FirstEnergy crews.
"When I come back and looked, I got so excited," Matthews said.
The non-profit founder of Literacy in the Hood and a busy mom came to us a few days ago feeling defeated after she claimed no one helped with the issue.
Recent strong storms brought down the large and long line.
It was left in her neighbor's yard, wrapped like a hula hoop multiple times and tossed in a bush up against her fence.
"No reason why no wires is in the bush," Matthews previously said.
News 5 got to work, contacting Cleveland Public Power by phone and e-mail.
News 5's Mike Holden then contacted FirstEnergy to figure out whose line it was and why it was left there in the first place.
"My son Derrick came home from school, and he said 'mom there's a big old wheel of wire in the front yard.' I said it's OK. Mike Holden was out this morning. I'm sure he's making some phone calls," Matthews said.
Despite some initial confusion, FirstEnergy came out to Matthews' home and removed the downed line as a courtesy, even though it was technically Cleveland Public Power's line.
Cleveland Public Power later said in a statement in part:
"The wires were de-energized and were not a danger. The wires were a service loop and normal procedure is to leave them on the property for later use, but they should have been left at the rear of the property."
"Mike, thank you so much, I really appreciate you. I don't know what you did in 48 hours but you made it happen," Matthews said.
Matthews says, despite some initial frustration and holdups, she has no ill will. There's only gratitude to the various agencies.
"Thank you to the Illuminating Company for coming out and cleaning those wires up and Cleveland Public Power for finally getting it right," Matthews said.
Now that it's warmer out and the wires are gone, she says her son Derrick can put down the books and get outside to play basketball again with his buddies.
"I trust TV 5 for coming out and getting me together—not only just taking the story, you could write a story but then going back and advocating for Derrick and I," Matthews said.
If you have a story you want News 5 to follow through on, fill out the form or email mike.holden@wews.com and put We Follow Through in the subject line.
