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Local News

Sunday, February 07, 2010

Crews work to clear roads after a wintry blast
Diamond Mine Direct
By ALISON KEMP

COPY EDITOR

City crews planned to work through the night Saturday in hopes of clearing snow from most Findlay streets by 3 p.m. today.

A seven-man team was out during the day Saturday and an eight-man team at night, Public Works Superintendant Jim Rhodes said.

The crews were aiming to clear primary, secondary and most residential streets by today.

The snow-clearing effort started at 5 p.m. Friday in the midst of a windy storm that dropped six inches of snow on Findlay and left drifts throughout the city.

This morning, crews are expected to pick up the snow that was plowed to the middle of Main Street and dump it at the city-owned Brandman property next to the Blanchard River, Rhodes said.

Hancock County remained under a Level 2 snow advisory Saturday night, which means roadways are extremely hazardous with blowing and drifting snow. Only those who feel it necessary to travel should be on the roadways.

Findlay Mayor Pete Sehnert urged residents Saturday to stay put, be patient and allow city street crews to complete their clearing operations.

The mayor said high winds Friday night put crews behind schedule, adding that almost as soon as a street was plowed the wind caused drifting.

A Level 2 advisory Friday night in Hancock County was changed to Level 3 early Saturday. It returned to Level 2 at 4:15 p.m. Saturday.

The United States Postal Service suspended delivery and collection operations at the Findlay office Saturday. Carriers attempted to make deliveries only where safe and passable, the postal service said.

As motorists slid off snow- and ice-covered roads or got stuck in drifts, towing companies experienced a deluge of calls Friday and Saturday.

Shorty's Truck Repair in Findlay had more than 100 calls between 7:30 p.m. Friday and 6:30 a.m. Saturday, and probably another 100 Saturday afternoon, Bob Lambert said.

“It's as much as I can handle,” he said.

Most calls were about cars and semis stuck in ditches and drifts.

It was the same for Lowery's Towing and Repair, also in Findlay.

“It's been rough. I don't even know how else to describe it,” Cindy Cain said, laughing. Employees were on call nonstop since Friday, responding to about 75 calls. A normal day has 20 to 25 calls.

Cain said it was slowing down Saturday evening, and the company was able to catch up with earlier calls.

Most calls Saturday night were from people sliding off Interstate 75 between Findlay and Bowling Green, Cain said.

Hancock County crews were also out plowing on Saturday. The county crews were not working Saturday night and were scheduled to begin again today at 6 a.m.

Plows were sent out by the Ohio Department of Transportation's Findlay office as soon as the snow started sticking to the ground Friday in the early afternoon.

Kevin Kliesch, transportation manager, said 14 trucks plowed the state and federal highways in Hancock County. Drivers were working 12-hour shifts.

All the plows were expected to come off the roads at midnight Saturday because the wind stopped blowing, Kliesch said. With the cold temperature and no blowing, roads that have been cleared will stay passable.

State crews may begin again this morning if necessary, he said.

“We will be here until we feel like everything's safe. If not, we don't leave (the roads),” Kliesch said. “We try to get everything in as good shape as we can.”

Roughly 100 tons of salt had been used by state crews. Salt is not used when the wind is blowing, Kliesch said, because the salt would stick to the snow and blow off the road.

In Hancock and most surrounding counties, roads remained treacherous Saturday night and winter weather advisories were still in effect.

In Hancock County, the sheriff's office said there were reports of 71 disabled vehicles -- vehicles that are not driveable, likely because they are stuck in ditches or snowdrifts -- from 9 p.m. Friday to 6 p.m. Saturday.

But the sheriff's office said there had been only a couple of accidents since Friday, none of which involved injuries.

The county's weather advisory was reduced to a Level 2 at 4:15 p.m. Saturday. The alert might be reduced to Level 1 overnight, the sheriff's office said.

The Findlay branch of the state Department of Transportation reported 1 inch of snow fell on Saturday and 5 inches of snow on Friday.

In Hardin County, the weather alert was reduced to Level 2 at 4:15 p.m. Most calls to the Hardin County Sheriff's Office were to report disabled vehicles. The sheriff's office cautioned drivers about secondary roads because there was still a lot of drifting Saturday.

Snowfall in Hardin County was reported as 2˝ inches on Saturday and 7˝ inches on Friday.

In Seneca County, a Level 2 warning continued Saturday. Several disabled vehicles had been reported since Friday night, the Seneca County Sheriff's Office said.

The wind was still blowing and causing drifts. Snowfall in Seneca County was reported at 2 inches on Saturday and 4 inches on Friday.

In Allen County there is a Level 2 warning and drifting may still be a problem, the Allen County Sheriff's Office said.

Snowfall in Allen County was reported as 2˝ inches on Saturday and 5 inches on Friday.

In Wyandot County the weather alert was reduced to Level 1, which means roadways are snow-covered and icy, at 6 p.m. Saturday.

There is still drifting on back roads, but there have not been injury accidents and all disabled vehicles have been taken care of, the Wyandot County Sheriff's Office said.

Wyandot County received 2 inches of snow on Saturday and 3˝ inches on Friday.

In Wood County, the weather alert was reduced to Level 1 at 3:10 p.m. Saturday.

The Wood County Sheriff's Office cautioned that roads are still slippery and snow-covered.

Snowfall in the county was reported as 2 inches on Saturday and 1 inch on Friday.

In Putnam County, the weather alert was reduced to Level 1 at noon. No accidents were reported Saturday, but an occasional disabled vehicle, the Putnam County Sheriff's Office said.

Putnam County received 1˝ inches of snow on Saturday and 3˝ inches on Friday.

In Henry County, there is no weather alert. There was a reported 1 inch of snow on Saturday and 2 inches on Friday.

Many events in the counties were canceled or postponed Saturday. In the Courier's circulation area, all but four high school basketball games were postponed.

The Ohio counties receiving the most snowfall over the two days were Columbiana, Mahoning and Summit counties in northeast Ohio. The Ohio Department of Transportation recorded 18 inches of snow in all three counties.

Kemp: 419-427-8410,

Send an e-mail to Alison Kemp


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4 Comments

Latest comments listed first.
Lynne wrote:
Streets
“ The problem is this.....if I can't get out of my own street to go to work, I can't make any money, if I can't make money I can't pay taxes. They say there just aren't enough people to work the plows and keep things going, make the higher ups get their CDL and put them to work plowing to fill in the void. This is a win win for the city, they don't have to hire people back, pay benefits and holidays, plus the residents are happy, they no longer feel resentful for passing a tax levy to help the city. ”
Monday, February 08, 2010 6:39:03 AM
Steve wrote:
Which street Dawn?
“ Is it in the city limits? Is it a public street? ”
Monday, February 08, 2010 12:06:26 AM
Interested Observer wrote:
Quit complaining...
“ Boo Hoo Dawn. Your street isn't the only one. This is what happens with the city doesn't have the budget to keep the level of service we've enjoyed for the last several years. Get used to it. Complaining isn't going to change anything. ”
Sunday, February 07, 2010 10:18:06 PM
Dawn Rose wrote:
Street clearing
“ We are still waiting for our street to just get one pass by a plow, I know that some residential streets have gotten two or three passes. This happens to us every snow storm. Sometimes we go two to three days after a snowfall before seeing a plow. ”
Sunday, February 07, 2010 12:10:28 PM
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News Briefs Firefighters discover 20 marijuana plants in house
After fighting a house fire early Monday at 815 Howard St., firefighters found 20 marijuana plants in the residence.

"They ran across it and called us," said police Sgt. Justin Hendren with the Hancock County METRICH Drug Enforcement Unit.

Police seized all 20 plants, and Hendren said charges are pending.

High-powered growing lights, fans, and a box filled with dried marijuana were also found in the house, according to a police report.

Investigators said an electrical short started the fire before 3 a.m. Monday.

The blaze caused an estimated $12,000 in damage to the residence, owned by Amanda Crawford. No one was injured, according to the Findlay Fire Department.

Carey announces holiday closing
CAREY -- Carey offices, including administrative, income tax and utilities, electric, wastewater treatment plant, and public works, will be closed Monday in observance of Labor Day.

The curbside recycling program will be held Tuesday through Thursday, Sept. 7-9.

Findlay trooper named sergeant
Trooper Jacob L. Fletcher, assigned to the Findlay post of the State Highway Patrol, was promoted to sergeant Wednesday by Patrol Superintendent Col. David Dicken.

With the promotion, Fletcher will stay at the Findlay post and serve as an assistant post commander, according to the patrol.

Fletcher began his patrol career in 2002 after graduating from the 139th Academy class and has been assigned to the Findlay post since.

Owens announces holiday schedule
The Toledo and Findlay campuses of Owens Community College will be closed Saturday through Monday for the Labor Day holiday.

There will be no classes and the college offices will be closed.

Classes will resume and offices will open again on Tuesday.

Holiday changes ad deadlines
The Courier won't be published on Monday, in observance of the Labor Day holiday.

Because of the holiday, some advertising deadlines have been moved up this week:

Black and white display advertising for Tuesday's newspaper must be placed by noon Friday. Display advertising for Wednesday's newspaper must be placed by 2:30 p.m. Friday.

Color display advertising for the Thursday, Sept. 9 newspaper must be placed by Friday.

Classified advertising and City and Country advertising for Saturday's newspaper must be placed by 2 p.m. Friday. Classified ads for Tuesday's newspaper must be placed by 2:30 p.m. Friday.

Courier business and advertising offices will close at 3 p.m. Friday for the holiday.