Ice Cold, Snow, Put Skids on Many Local Activities

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

— While no records were set, the area experienced snow, ice and colder-than normal temperatures last week, closing schools and many businesses.

Snow and winter driving conditions hit again on Jan. 2 and 3. Then, just when things were starting to look better, freezing rain and more snow hit again on Jan. 6. On Thursday and Friday, temperatures dropped, with overnight lows falling below zero and daytime highs in the single digits and teens. Finally, on Sunday, temperatures climbed above the freezing mark and sunshine began to melt off some of the ice and snow.

Gentry schools remained closed all last week, with games and activities canceled. While city streets cleared of the ice and snow, country roads remained snow-covered, icy and treacherous for travel, making bus routes and travel for students in rural areas hazardous. Schools re-opened on Monday morning for the first time since classes dismissed for the Christmas break in December.

The Gentry School Board, at its Jan. 6 special meeting, requested that the school district’s personnel policy committee take a vote among Gentry teachers regarding a calendar change to use some upcoming teacher in-service days for instructional days, and moving the in-service days to the end of the school year. The request was suggested by board member Ted Dorn, who said, without the change in schedule, classes Ice, snow, cold put skids on many local activities

would continue into early June with the April test days remaining the same.

A calendar change for the current contract year can only be made with the approval of a majority of the teachers.

On Thursday, when temperatures were the coldest, the Red Cross set up a warming shelter at the First Baptist Church in Gentry. Hot coffee and hot chocolate, along with a place to warm up from the cold outside were offered, but there were no takers at the Gentry location.

No serious accidents were reported in the Gentry area, but a number of cars and trucks slid off roadways as a result of the slippery road conditions.

A number of residents were troubled by frozen water pipes because of the extreme cold. Local farmers had to work harder to keep chicken houses heated and to feed and keep water available to their livestock.

On Monday, temperatures climbed up into the 40s, and the extended forecast is for warmer temperatures over the next week, some days with highs near 50 degrees.