'Same old again': Malvern's bad luck with hail storms

Last year, Malvern was hit with multiple, damaging hail storms. The little town got another one on Tuesday.

• Damage was less this time than a year ago, but there were still broken car windows as well as damage to the greenhouse at The Blooming Barn Garden Center.
• Contractors going door-to-door in Malvern soliciting business must get a license from city hall before contacting residents

KMTV

BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:

Here we go again! Malvern residents are getting tired of hail damage. I’m your southwest Iowa neighborhood reporter, Katrina Markel.

Last year the community had multiple damaging hailstorms and now, another.

It could have been worse. Last year it was worse.

In May of 2023, hailstorms struck Malvern twice over a short period, and then a third time later in the season, doing serious damage around town, including to the local cafe.

So, when golf ball-sized hail pelted the town last night...

“Just the same old again.”

Jessica Burdic owns Blooming Barn Garden Center. During last year’s storms, the hail was so big it broke through all the layers of plastic in the greenhouse.

“It was a mess.”

Burdic says the damage to her business was less severe this time. Only the outer layers of plastic were punctured by the hail. But she learned to not be under sheets of plastic this time around.

"It could happen, get out of the way, take cover."

A few branches down, broken lamp posts and car windows, but nothing like last year. .And the cafe? Perfectly fine this time.

There were plenty contractors in town, already prepping to repair roofs, siding and gutters. I talked to one roofing salesman who said he was unaware that solicitors in Malvern are required to have a license to go door-to-door.

I had a conversation with the city clerk who tells me that these types of salespeople must get that license before going into neighborhoods.