KORG Radio, FM 95.3, in Cleveland, Texas, is currently off the air due to the devastating impact of Hurricane Beryl, which swept through the Houston area on Monday, July 8.
In a time when residents rely heavily on local media for updates on recovery efforts, KORG has become a victim of the storm itself, with hurricane-force winds snapping the radio tower in Cleveland in half.
Frieda White, founder of Operation Refuge, which operates the non-profit radio station, expressed her determination to restore the service.
“We have operated the radio station through that tower for all these years and never had a problem with any storm until now,” White said.
The radio tower, which had stood on the Operation Refuge property on N. Blair in Cleveland for more than two decades, was a key component of the station’s operations.
The collapse of the tower was dramatic, with it landing in the northbound feeder lane of US 59 north. White recounted how members of her church, Liberty Church, assisted in removing the tower from the lane of travel, ensuring safety and preventing further disruption.
White plans to pursue an insurance claim to repair the tower and bring the radio station back on the air.
“I don’t know what we are going to do yet. We will have to see what our insurance says,” she said. Additionally, she plans to meet with the board to discuss a feasibility study for the radio tower’s restoration.