Saline digs out of powder snow quickly

If you measure the severity of winter storms by the number of fender benders and accidents with injury, as do most law enforcement personnel, then Wednesday night's 5 to 10 inches of snowfall was not a severe storm.

"We didn't have a lot of wrecks," said Sgt. Michael Riden of the Harrisburg Police. "There was one wreck with no injuries."

Harrisburg Police Chief Bob Smith said, "Drivers should use extreme caution, but travel is improving. Allow yourself extra time to get to your destination. The creeks are receding so when the snow melts the runoff will have a place to go."

Saline County Sheriff Keith Brown said, "Our roads are pretty good already. We probably had half a dozen cars in ditches. There was a house fire in Hardin County but nothing in Saline County."

Saline County Engineer Jeff Jones said, "It could have been better for us. The timing was such that we were working from midday to into the evening. We took a break after 12 hours and got back to it this morning. We have only four trucks and seven personnel. We are doing better today due to the sunshine. Even where no plowing has been done the roads are passable due to the nature of the snow. It is light powder and it did not freeze. By Saturday all county road will be snow free."

By afternoon Jones said county highways were 90 percent clear.

Harrisburg Street Superintendent Rick Brown said, "We had two plows go into ditches overnight and we needed Bishops Towing to get them out. We tried with a backhoe but couldn't get them out. It was the ice under the powder snow that got them. What helped us most was that people stayed off the streets last night. It made our job a whole lot easier. We ran all night and now every street has been plowed, salted and cindered."

Eldorado Street Commissioner J.B. James said, "It kept us going until 1 a.m. and we were right back at it at 6 a.m. We got a pretty good handle on it and the sun helps tremendously, especially on the blacktop roads."

Chad Lambert of Galatia did not answer because he was out plowing.