The Sky that Wouldn’t Clear: Surviving Linton’s Year of Two Storms

For a small town, a single EF-2 tornado is a generation-defining event. On May 16, 2025, Linton faced that reality when 128-mph winds impacted 85 homes and claimed a life. We spent the summer cleaning debris and the fall finally beginning to breathe again.

Then came December 28. Just as the Christmas lights on Main Street offered a sense of peace, the sirens wailed again. This time, an EF-1 hit the heart of our downtown, taking the roof off the Sportsman’s Pub and shattering the windows of our local shops.

The Margin of Survival: A Fragile Future for Main Street

While the structural damage is visible, the most dangerous damage is often invisible: the financial strain.

Most of the businesses lining Main Street are not corporate giants with deep pockets; they are local families operating on razor-thin margins. National data shows that the median small business has only about two weeks of cash reserves on hand. For many in Linton, those reserves were already drained by the disruption of the May storms.

Now, with storefronts boarded up and State Road 59 facing closures, these owners are looking at an indefinite shutdown.

Fixed Costs Don't Stop: Even when the doors are locked, the bills for property taxes, insurance premiums, and equipment leases keep coming.

• The Revenue Void: For a local boutique or a corner pub, a week of closure can mean the difference between making payroll or letting a long-term employee go.
• The "Out-of-State" Obstacle: As we have previously reported, many of these damaged buildings are owned by out-of-state landlords. If these owners refuse to move quickly on "significant repairs," local business owners are left in a state of purgatory—unable to open, yet unable to move on.

The question looming over Main Street isn't just how we rebuild, but who will be left to turn the lights back on when the repairs are finally done.

A Community of Grit

Linton has proven it can survive the wind. Now, the challenge is ensuring our local economy survives the aftermath.

Do you own a business that has been impacted by both storms? Or are you a worker whose livelihood is on hold? We want to help bring attention to your situation and the need for immediate support.

📩 Message us or email lintonnews2025@gmail.com to share your story.