By Meghan McCormick
The Norman Transcript
NORMAN — State Rep. Wallace Collins (D) of District 45 has reported dozens of his political signs have gone missing from at least two Norman neighborhoods.
Collins said betweeen 60 and 70 signs went missing beginning Aug. 21 in the Shadowlake and Woodcrest neighhorboods. The vast majority were posted in residential yards.
Most of his political signs were small yard signs, but some larger signs were gone, too. Collins said that adds up to about a $500 monetary loss for him.
“It not only costs me money but costs me time,” Collins said.
Collins was first elected to the house seat in 1996. He was defeated in the 2000 election.
In 2006, Collins won the post again. He has retained the seat for the past four years.
Norman attorney Aaron Stiles, a Republican, is challenging Collins for the house seat. Stiles said he doesn’t know what happened to Collins’ missing signs.
Stiles said he also lost about 20 political signs during that same period in the same neighborhoods.
A heavy thunderstorm packed with strong winds hit northeast Norman on Aug. 21, knocking down power lines along East Robinson Street. Stiles said he attributes the missing signs to the microburst storm.
“It went right through there,” Stiles said, describing the area affected by the storm. Most of the signs he lost were small yard signs.
Meghan McCormick 366-3539 mmccormick@normantranscript.com