ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, January 12, 1996 TAG: 9601120059
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JAN VERTEFEUILLE STAFF WRITER
NOTE: Below
Last weekend was just a dress rehearsal.
If the predicted 6 to 12 inches of snow fall on Southwest Virginia, the storm could cause serious problems. This storm was expected to bring wet, heavy snow - not the light, fluffy powder of last Sunday - and will be falling on a region that has barely dug itself out from under last week's 2 feet-plus.
Agencies and municipalities were gearing up for possible power outages and extensive snow cleanup.
The Virginia Department of Transportation asked people to stay home today.
"That's the best thing they can do," said Fred Altizer, administrator for the Salem district.
In Roanoke, City Manager Bob Herbert held a news briefing Thursday to outline the city's plans for this storm.
City crews hoped to reach the neighborhoods in the highest elevations Thursday afternoon to give them a going-over before the new snow began. Officials have fielded complaints from residents this week about the city's strategy of trying to partially clear all city roads, side streets and main drags alike. This time, the city may concentrate on clearing primary roads, Herbert said.
"In all honesty, it seems we've had a mixed response from the public on that," he said at City Hall on Thursday, as passing cars slipped and got stuck on ice-rutted Second Street and Church Avenue. "We'll probably put additional emphasis on the primary roads."
Public Works Director William Clark, who noted that the city had rented six front-end loaders and other equipment, said, "We would acknowledge there are some locations of the city that seem to still be packed with hard snow."
Fire Chief Jim Grigsby stressed fire safety in the event that electric power goes out. Fill kerosene heaters outdoors, and remember that cold fuel expands when heated, so don't fill them to the top, he said.
Altizer also asked that people not park on the street, if possible. Park in your driveway, a nearby church lot or somewhere down the road that you can walk to, he urged.
"Anything to get the vehicles off the roadway helps us," he said. "It allows us to plow easier and quicker."
Herbert reiterated that suggestion and said the city doesn't have a snow emergency ordinance that would allow it to ban on-street parking during storms, but that officials are considering one.
Roanoke police plan to be "very aggressive" when they find abandoned cars blocking roads that plows are trying to clear, Maj. Don Shields said at Thursday's news briefing.
Some motorists this week have parked wherever they could find a clearing - sometimes illegally. Since Tuesday, Roanoke police had doled out only a handful of tickets to those who parked in no-parking or fire zones. A no-parking zone violation brings a $5 penalty; parking in a fire zone nets a $50 fine.
City officers towed at least six cars this week that were blocking the streets.
VDOT was trying Thursday to push snow off the secondary roads that hadn't yet been cleaned. But with the storm expected to move in by early evening, equipment was being pulled back to VDOT facilities to have spreaders put back on and chemicals loaded.
"I hope people can stay with us and have patience," Altizer said. "We will be back on their roads again." |n n| Around the region Thursday, folks geared up for more bad weather.
Spokeswoman Victoria Ratcliff said customers should report power losses to American Electric Power. The utility has added more telephone lines since the 1994 ice storms, so getting through should be easier. Then, people should turn off all major appliances to prevent a drain on power when it comes back on.
Volunteers in four-wheel-drive vehicles helped Meals on Wheels get ready for the storm Thursday by delivering three days' worth of meals to clients. Canned food and microwaveable frozen meals were delivered to the shut-ins and elderly who rely on the service for hot food, since the next delivery won't be made until Monday.
Meals on Wheels plans for inclement weather by giving its clients several days' worth of meals in the winter for times when the program can't get to folks. Those extra meals ran out Wednesday, said Kevin McCullough, director of public relations.
The Thursday delivery was taking much longer than usual; not only were the streets difficult to negotiate, but most of the homebound clients had been unable to shovel their walkways.
Fuel oil companies trying to make deliveries to customers were hampered by icy roads and snow that workers had to wade through to reach customers' homes.
Marshall Price, with Roanoke Oil Distributors, said the company was making only about 30 percent of its normal deliveries this week. Regular customers and those with automatic service came first, and then the trucks were trying to deliver to others. Price said those who don't get oil delivered can use diesel fuel in No.2 furnaces. Lancer Oil Co. in Vinton was selling five-gallon cans to customers they couldn't get to.
The weather hasn't created any serious problems for Roanoke Gas Co.'s natural gas operations, but its propane business has been another story.
The Highland Propane subsidiary had five propane trucks on the road attempting to make deliveries Tuesday through Thursday, Roanoke Gas Vice President John Williamson III said.
The biggest problem, Williamson said, was unplowed driveways. Two trucks got stuck in snowdrifts in Botetourt County on Wednesday.
Complicating the delivery problems was a cold snap at the end of December that meant some of the company's 6,000 customers needed deliveries sooner than usual.
Wanda Reed, Roanoke's emergency services director, advised people to wrap their pipes in insulation to keep them from freezing and to make sure every faucet in the house is dripping when the temperature reaches zero. People who use wells should draw water to use in case they lose their supply.
She also reminded people to dress in layers to prevent hypothermia - even inside - and to check on elderly neighbors who are especially vulnerable to hypothermia.
Some businesses are giving customers a break because of the weather.
Bell Atlantic, for instance, said Thursday that it would give customers a one-week grace period to get their telephone payments in.
"The Blizzard of '96 made it impossible for even the most conscientious customers to pay their bills on time," vice chairman James Cullen said. "For those who could not, we'll offer extra time so that people can dig out and get their finances back in order."
Snow shovels, rock salt and chemical ice melt are scarce in stores around the valley. "I don't have any snow shovels in the store right now," said Ace Place manager Gloria Nolen on Thursday.
Nolen said she expects more shovels to arrive this morning if delivery trucks aren't hampered by the snow. Lee Overstreet, manager of Northwest True Value on Williamson Road, said he has only a few shovels left after going through several hundred since Saturday, but more are on the way.
Although stores have been stripped clean of such essentials, batteries, kerosene cans, heaters, oil lamps and the like are still in good supply.
Gutters will become a problem for many Roanokers if it continues to snow over the weekend.
"If they're already filled with ice ... unless [people] take them down or somehow support them, they will probably fall off," said Betty Allard of Richard's Guttering & Siding Co. Workers were out Thursday removing gutters before the weight of the snow damaged them. Allard said some had already fallen down.
Although roofs have fallen in certain areas, most are in no danger of collapsing.
Holiday Homes salesman Dave Mitchell said roofs on mobile homes are fairly safe. "If you have one of the older flat roofs, you may have a problem, but the newer homes shouldn't be a problem," he explained.
Mitchell added that it's not a bad idea to try to remove the snow before it has a chance to settle.
Snow did collapse part of the roof of a Westvaco paper facility in Low Moor early Wednesday morning, halting production for part of the day. One employee went to the hospital with a head injury and later was released, the company said Thursday.
Plant officials said they thought they had confirmed the flat sheet metal roof was sound on Tuesday, just hours before the accident at 2 a.m. Wednesday at a finishing plant and warehouse eight miles east of Covington on U.S. 64., company spokesman Ron Downing said.
A worker who ducked for cover struck his head on a hard object.
Al Alexander, director of the Roanoke Valley Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said pet owners should bring their dogs and cats inside during the storm.
"If you think anything of the poor animal, bring him in," Alexander said.
He said for animals to weather the storm outside, doghouses must by insulated, off the ground and protected from the wind.
If dogs are brought into the garage, they should be able to sleep on a pallet or something that is up off the concrete, which is too cold for them to sleep on, Alexander said.
Mike Quesenberry, supervisor for the Roanoke Animal Control Department, said state law requires pet owners to provide adequate shelter for their animals, which can be seized if owners fail to do so.
Quesenberry said his department has received several calls this week from people concerned about dogs without shelter, and said such calls often are the only way for officers to learn about unprotected pets. |n n| The snow will extend the semester for Virginia Western Community College, which won't begin classes until Monday, a week late. Spring vacation dates won't be affected, a spokesman said, but graduation will be a week later than planned.
Also, registration for day classes has been extended until Jan. 22. People can register for evening classes until the class has met the second time.
As Virginia Tech students return to Blacksburg from winter break, the town has asked residents to try not to park their cars on the streets.
Virginia Tech is still planning to open dorms Saturday at noon, but was waiting late Thursday to see what the new storm produced before making any decisions about canceling classes, scheduled to start Monday.
"We intend to be very flexible [with] what we do this weekend," said Tech Police Chief Mike Jones. "Our main emphasis is getting [students] in, getting their cars parked, and getting them into their dorms safely."
As of late Thursday, Jones expected to close Washington Street - where snow still fills parking spaces - and arrange for students to be bused to their dorms from the major parking lots, known as the stadium lot and the cage, said Jones.
About 8,300 students live in the dorms, said residence hall director Ed Spencer.
University closing information is available by calling 231-6668.
Staff writers Sandra Brown Kelly, Diane Struzzi, Michael Croan, Jeff Sturgeon, Greg Edwards and Allison Blake contributed to this story.
LENGTH: Long : 196 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: DON PETERSEN STAFF. 1. Virginia Department ofby CNBTransportation driver Richard Britts prepares his plow Thursday for
more snow. 2. A VDOT front-end loader in Salem scoops up gravel
Thursday to mix with salt in preparation for a predicted winter
storm. 3. CINDY PINKSTON/Staff. Ruth Hicks, 90, (left) gets three
meals delivered by League of Older Americans program directors
Barbara James (center) and Gerrie LaManna on Thursday. color.