SNOWSTORM News and notes

Here’s a look at some of the more noteworthy weather-related events and cautions:

Columbiana emergency

Columbiana County commissioners declared a state of emergency for the county. Commissioner Jim Hoppel said that the declaration may help the county and other subdivisions recoup some of the their expenses for fighting the latest storms. Darren Dodson, the director of the Columbiana County Emergency Management Agency, said that the declaration will be sent to the state, which would forward it to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for consideration.

Clear fire hydrants

Area fire officials are urging residents and businesses to take the time to dig out the fire hydrants on their properties.

East Palestine plans

Gary Clark, the city manager for East Palestine, had flown into Pittsburgh on Sunday night after vacation and had to clear 2 feet of snow off his car with a window brush. He said that some residents were irate that back streets and alleys in the city haven’t been cleared. The city will clean up from the last storm and get ready for the new one heading for the Mahoning Valley. After the new storm passes, Clark said street workers will go out at night with equipment to remove the snow downtown without disrupting traffic. The city has cleaned snow at night before, which he said is easy when there is no traffic.

Big push in Lowellville

In Lowellville, crews were “trying to push snow back,” said village administrator Bill Meehan. He said streets were good, with a few icy spots. There is enough salt for the next round, he said. Police Chief William Vance said people will need to get their cars off the streets if it snows. Parking on the streets makes the job harder for road crews who are plowing, he said.

Progress in Struthers

In Struthers, safety services director Ed Wildes said crews were concentrating Monday on clearing intersections where high snow piles were preventing visibility. Salt, slag and sun was melting the ice still on the roads, he said. He said that during the parking ban, only one or two cars had to be towed. He said police knocked on doors to let people know that if they didn’t move their cars, they’d be towed.

Poor timing in Trumbull

In Trumbull County, a traffic accident Jan. 29 in Girard has put the snow-shoveling inmates of the Trumbull County jail temporarily out of commission. The trailer that hauls the snow blowers and shovels the inmates use is out of commission. Don Guarino, chief deputy with the Trumbull County Sheriff’s Office, said the department received about 100 calls asking for service after the area’s last big snowfall on Saturday.

Source: Various officials