New Oxford

I don’t think there’s a "return to normal" in Oxford. I think there’s a before the storm and an after the storm. There’s a new normal now — a new way to look at Oxford and our community.

I’ve had a unique perspective watching the aftermath of the storm because my husband, Rob, is the General Manager of Oxford Utilities — the local power, water, and sewer provider for the City of Oxford. I’ve seen and heard firsthand what it took to get Oxford and the surrounding areas the help they needed.

I had a lot of anxiety as the storm approached. I just had a feeling it was going to be bad, probably because my husband doesn’t typically worry — and he was worried. The noises the trees made under the stress of the ice were unforgettable. Gunshots, bombs, explosions — I’ve heard all of those terms used to describe the sounds, and every one of them feels accurate.

We woke up on January 25, 2026, to a different Oxford. The first power outage hit the night before, on Saturday, January 24th at 11:00 p.m. Rob and his Oxford Utilities linemen were out the door immediately and didn’t spend any meaningful time back at their homes for over a week.
All of city government hit the ground running. It became clear very quickly that Oxford was in trouble. And when we called for help, it came — from far and wide.

There’s been plenty of negativity — hateful comments on social media (mostly anonymous), unscrupulous contractors and clean up crews trying to take advantage of us in our time of need.  But the positive has far outweighed the negative.  Linemen from neighboring states POURED into the city and county. Food is being cooked and served to those in need from more organizations I can count.  Supplies like water, propane, and gas are being handed out. Neighbors are helping neighbors all over town.

Our local utilities and local leaders really rose to the occasion when hard decisions had to be made and action had to be taken. I am coming out of this experience more grateful than I have ever been to be part of the Oxford community. We are not out of the woods yet.  Plenty of people are still struggling.  But I know Oxford will not stop taking care of its own until everyone is safe, warm, fed, and put back together. Oxford truly is Stronger Together.

Most of the pictures below are from our linemen working in the field. Some are from OXMS.NET. Visit their website to see many, many more pictures and article about the amazing individuals and organizations that have come to our aid in so many ways.