This Week in Citizen-Times History (January 20, 1994)

The January 20, 1994 edition of The Citizen-Times shared a similar situation to what Allen County is facing as of writing, in that of a winter storm that blanketed the region in ice and snow.

Six inches of snow fell over the county, after freezing rain had swept through the county from late Sunday night until Monday evening, and temperatures dropped to sub-zero levels, with the salted roadways proving fruitless due to the cold temperatures, a familiar phrase for those today.

Robert Harwood, the assistant city superintendent at the time, explained that the ice had caused several traffic problems in the city, due to the city at the time not owning specialized snow removal equipment.

“We used two backhoes Monday afternoon to clear driveways and parking lots at the Allen County Ambulance Service building on Hillview Drive and the nursing homes,” Harwood said in an interview. “The ice was frozen so solid we had to quit. We will continue to do some scraping on the city streets and will remove snow piled up near the City-County Building and other acres when possible.”

Harwood spoke with then-Mayor Dell Hall the following Tuesday, saying that the city might purchase a scraper to be attached to a truck for future use, which has seen said use thirty or so years later.

“The city has a good supply of salt but salt doesn’t do any good when the temperature drops below 20 degrees,” Harwood added.

A press release was issued by Kentucky State Police, explaining that all Kentucky interstates would be closed until further notice, as ordered by the State Police Commissioner Lovitt and Governor Brereton Jones.

Exceptions to the order included vehicles obtaining food or medicine, those transfering food products, including agriculture products, and home heating fuel, with other emergency situations being at the discretion of police officers.

Vehicles that were prohibited include gasoline trucks, vehicles carrying hazardous materials, and vehicles used for non-essential travel, with motorists being cited for violating the emergency order if they are performing unnecessary travel.

The Citizen-Times, consolidated of The Citizen (1908) and Allen County Times (1890) on Oct. 10, 1918, has proudly served Scottsville and Allen County for 136 years.