Road conditions slow public services

Because of the conditions of the streets and roadways, the garbage and trash pickup will be delayed for at least one day, Blytheville Public Works Director Marvin Crawford said Tuesday.

"Providing the weather cooperates, pickup should resume tomorrow," Crawford said.

Tonight's (Tuesday) Blytheville Health and Sanitation Committee meeting has been canceled because of the dangerous streets.

Meanwhile, all the local schools were out Monday and Tuesday because of the bad road conditions.

This morning, Blytheville Superintendent Richard Atwill said Blytheville will be closed Wednesday as well.

Most of the county offices were closed Monday and Tuesday. Also, city of Blytheville offices were closed Monday with some business resuming on Tuesday.

The Mississippi County Clerk's offices in Blytheville and Osceola were open from 9 a.m.-noon Monday to allow potential candidates for office to file. Monday was the final day to file for the May primary election.

Crawford said he had a light crew working Monday, though there would be no garbage or trash pickup on that day.

Mayor James Sanders said Wastewater and Waterworks both had skeletal crews as well.

Blytheville Police Chief Ross Thompson emphasized Monday that folks should stay off the roads if at all possible.

He pointed out police were responding to emergency calls and they were doing so in four-wheel-drive vehicles.

"If you don't have a four-wheel drive, chances are you're going to get stuck," Thompson said Monday.

The chief noted cars were abandoned in several places around town.

He said those abandoned can be towed and it would be at the owner's expense, a reason to stay home.

"The roads are really, really bad," Thompson said.

On Tuesday, the roads remained coated with ice with snow packed on top of them.

Also Monday, utility crews were working to restore services to a number of homes in the area.

mbrasfield@blythevillecourier.com