x
Breaking News
More () »

Sherwood family still recovering from March 2023 tornado

It’s been over a year since the devastating March 31 tornado, and one Sherwood couple is still navigating through red tape to rebuild and recover.

SHERWOOD, Ark. — It's been over a year since the devastating March 31 tornado, but we've learned that rebuilding differs for everyone.

People are still trying to get their insurance claims and contractors. One couple from Sherwood is still navigating through the red tape.

Jason and Heather Bays were at work when the tornado hit their house.

They said all the trees, except one, had been knocked down around their house. The inside of the house was untouched, but a tree landed across the roof.

The roof remained damaged for more than a year.

"Our deck was destroyed," Jason Bays said. "Our fence was destroyed. Fortunately, we've been able to replace the fence and the deck with what little savings we've had, but right now, we are still in dispute with insurance to fix it."

The Bays told us they have been going back and forth with insurance on what needs to be covered, and they hired attorneys to try and get it settled.

Then, the Bays began receiving notices to get their property up to code. The latest one was from this month, mandating that they appear in court for code enforcement citations. The letter states that if they do not appear, an arrest warrant will be issued.

"It's frustrating at the same time for me to take a few extra steps out of my day to let somebody else know, 'Hey, something that I want done and fixed... I'm still working on it,'" Jason Bays said.

The City of Sherwood said they gave these notices to a handful of houses that have yet to meet code enforcement. They told us they are working with everyone and there's no risk of jail if you appear for the court date or call the court to reschedule.

"I just hope that through all of this, anyone else going through similar situations can find some resolve and be able to heal from the traumatic events that happened that day, and we can all just move on," Heather Bays said.

The City of Sherwood said that if you have received these citations and have questions, you can call the main number for help.

Before You Leave, Check This Out