Melting Today

Our 3-inch coating of sleet should start melting today. The forecast is for 56 degrees. Mountain View is almost back to normal. The highways are clear, side streets are sleet-covered but passable. We did not lose electrical power. Most businesses are back to normal.



The weight of the ice on roofs has been a problem. Curtis Department Store roof in Ava collapsed. Wal-Mart stores in Branson and Mtn. Grove were closed for a time yesterday because of fears of roof damage. In Mountain View Smith Flooring lost a metal building when the roof collapsed and the Mountain View Community Church also fell in. Several hay barns have fallen under the weight of the ice.

South of here, things are anything but "normal".

Here are some electrical outage numbers from utilities, as of Friday afternoon: --Entergy-Arkansas, 89,000 --Howell-Oregon Co-op, based in West Plains, 7,000 outages --Ozark Border Co-op, based in Poplar Bluff, 24,000 outages --White River Valley Co-op, based in Branson, 2,905; --North Arkansas Electric Co-op, based in Salem, 30,000 [1,500 broken poles] --Carroll Electric, based in Berryville, 30,000; --SWEPCO, serving northwest Arkansas, 59,000 --Pemiscot-Dunklin Co-op, based in Hayti, 6,000 --SEMO Co-op, based in Sikeston, 10,000 --AmereunUE, in Missouri Bootheel counties, 34,600. ---- from KY3 website.

People are living in emergency shelters at at least 14 locations from Harrison, AR, to Sikeston, MO. The Red Cross will be there as long as they are needed.

As the ground warms today, the electrical crews will have more difficulty traveling the hills and valleys of the Ozarks.

That's the news from My Corner of the Ozarks. But ...

Does God know what's going on in the Ozarks? Does God care? Is God to blame?

In Romans 5 the Apostle Paul says that we should rejoice in our suffering. That is certainly not easy for anyone, especially in the midst of the storm. The Apostle goes on to say that "suffering produces perserverance, perserverance character, and character hope." Our hope is a certain hope that "does not disappoint". Our hope is in Jesus Christ.

Ice Storm, Day 2

Today the sun is out, the 2-inch sheet of ice is covered by a dusting of snow and the thermometer is struggling to get above 15 deg. F. Our electricity flickered a few times last night. That wasn't much of an inconvenience.

As it warms up this morning, we will start to see the school children emerge from their homes that are by now infected with "cabin fever". About 300 schools are closed again today in the Ozarks.

All across northern Arkansas, it is much worse. Our precip at Mountain View, Missouri, came mostly as sleet. South of here it came as freezing rain adhering to trees and power lines. Over 100,000 homes are without electricity in Arkansas. Some major transmission lines were damaged. It will be weeks, not days, before power is restored to everyone. It is reminiscent of Springfield, Missouri, in 2007.

Emergency shelters are open. Churches are mobilizing. Electrical workers from all over the Midwest are headed to the Natural State. In a few days volunteer chainsaw crews will begin the cleanup. It is the worst of times for those in the midst of the storm, but many people will demonstrate their best.

Ice Storm

The Weather.

We moved back to southern Missouri 4 1/2 years ago partly for the warmer winters. Sure, we want four seasons, but only at our convenience. Today's forecast is not convenient. Last night we had sleet. See photo at right. Schools are closed from Joplin to Winona including Mountain View.

Today we are getting more sleet and some freezing rain.

The weatherman says there could be snow after that. And the ice could build up, breaking power lines.

I know. I know. Be content. Relax. Read a book. Sure.

I'll try. But this wasn't in my plans.

Actually our cupboard is full and the propane tank is full.

I should just enjoy this. Look. I have time to "blog", for whatever that's worth.

Last winter we had a few days of snow cover in February. Our back hill is a great place for sledding. The neighborhood kids gathered a couple of afternoons to slide on it.

I was glad for the kids to get to play in the snow. They may get another chance tomorrow. But I had other plans.

According to Tony Dungy in his book, Quiet Strength, in his study of Nehemiah he learned that opportunity comes in God's time and that we should prepare to be ready when God's time arrives.

I wonder what opportunities are ahead today.

Transportation

In my corner of the Ozarks, transportation has always been a problem. The rugged terrain makes road-building (railroads and highways) difficult. During the Civil War, much of the Ozarks was spared from large armies of either side because of transportation problems. Of course, that didn't keep small parties of bushwackers from terrorizing the countryside.

U. S. Highway 60 runs coast-to-coast through Mountain View, Missouri. From my personal perspective, going through Mountain View makes Rt. 60 a significant transportation route. When we lived in Virginia in 1970, we saw the eastern terminus of Rt. 60 at Virginia Beach. Last year we drove on a stretch of Rt. 60 in southern California.

Currently, Rt. 60 is undergoing an upgrade from 2-lanes to 4-lanes in our area. When this 59 mile stretch is completed in about a year, travelers can take 4-lanes all across southern Missouri between Illinois and Oklahoma, mostly on U. S. 60.

On December 3rd the completion of the lane expansion through Mountain View was dedicated. Pictured here is U. S. Senator Kit Bond cutting the ribbon at the opening. Actually through the town of Mountain View, we have 5 lanes including the center turning lane.

I remember when Rt. 60 was re-aligned in the late 1950's. The earlier alignment had followed the ridge-tops and snaked its way generally east and west through the southern part of the state. The 1950's version was a major improvement with a much straighter alignment. The trip to Springfield was reduced by about a half hour.

This photo is an example of the straighter, but still 2-lane Rt. 60 of the late 1950's. From about Winona west to Springfield, most of the highway was fairly straight. The section between Van Buren and Poplar Bluff was the most crooked and that stretch was improved and widened to 4 lanes a couple of years ago.

Some sections of the Rt. 60 of the 1940's and early 50's are still in use. There were many sharp curves and several were locally called "Dead Man's Curve". This photo is one of those old sections of highway.

Now we have a modern highway through Mountain View. Soon the whole project will be complete and we'll really "be on the map". That means our friends can find us here in our corner of the Ozarks.