July 7, in any other context, would seem a short way off.

But when it comes to sweltering temperatures coupled with no air conditioning, no fans and no relief, it looms like an eternity.

The brutal wind and thunderstorm that blew through central Ohio on Friday afternoon, June 29, toppled trees and chopped the tops of utility poles in parts of Clintonville, leaving most of the neighborhood without power as a heat wave continued to grip the region.

“Much of the area is still without power,” local blogger Jason V. Advani wrote Sunday, July 1. “There are a few pockets here in Clintonville that do have power; they are very lucky. For the rest of our area, 90 percent, restoration is now expected by midnight on July 7, according to the latest from AEP.”

As parents coped with children made grumpy by the heat and humidity, and residents throughout Clintonville faced the prospect of throwing out the contents of non-functioning refrigerators and freezers, some looked to find ways of preventing future power outages caused by storms such as the one that swept in last week.

“Perhaps this is an opportunity to push for underground power lines in Clintonville,” Lauren Newsom posted on a local chat room. “There would have been significantly fewer outages if the lines weren't able to be knocked down.”

Some pointed out on that same chat room that members of the Clintonville Area Commission are seeking input from residents on what might be done with Urban Infrastructure Recovery Funds, for which the community might be eligible. Mayor Michael B. Coleman established the fund in 1992 “to address capital improvement needs in central city neighborhoods,” according to a website devoted to the subject.

“These areas were sometimes overlooked within the traditional capital improvements planning process,” the site states. “UIRF was created to reverse the trend of urban decline while sharing public investment decisions directly with residents in the central city.”

“The CAC has the opportunity this month to request UIRF funds for infrastructure improvements,” North Broadway Street Association President Carole W. Tomko wrote in response to Newsom’s post.

“Perhaps people should ask their ‘commish’ to put this on the list.”

“You and Lauren make good points,” District 1 CAC representative Rob Wood replied. “I have asked if funding sources like UIRF can be applied for the purpose of burying power lines.”