SNOW STORM IN STERLING

Sterling was snowbound by six a.m. and most roads were impossible to get through for most of the morning.

Plows and shovels were put to work by hundreds of workers and an army of bobcats, snow plows and shovelers.

Schools are closed today and tomorrow, Thursday.

>>>> LOTS OF DIGGING

There is a lot of digging out going on all over. All the primary roads are plowed. Most of the side roads have had one plow go through and I expect there to be follow up by VDOT. There are roads that are not passable and unless you have experience in driving in snow, please do not go out.

>>> OVERALL PICTURE STILL DEVELOPING

Most of the HOAs have plows and some have shoveling of sidewalks done by now.

Most of the food stores (Grand Mart, Shoppers, Giant, Safeway) have their lots plowed. Bottom Dollar does not.

Churches will be plowed later it seems except for Our Lady Of Hope which had Knights of Columbus working all night.

>>> LARGE AND SMALL PROPERTY OWNERS

Note to Commercial Properties, slow reacting HOAs, and Shopping Center managers: GET THE PLOWS TO THE SIDE ROADS. This will help your customers actually get to your property. You may have plowed your lot, but the roads leading to your property are still blocked. Thank you.

Note to Car-owners, private homes: if you have shoveled out, thank you for doing that; if you have not shoveled out, please do it today while it is warm. Do not wait until LATE tonight when the temperature drops. Please get all the ice off the car as it will fly off or slide off the roof and blind you or someone else in traffic.

In general most roads are passable, but there are stretches where there has been no plow at all or sloppy plowing. There is a whole lot of snow all over and the bobcat bulldozers, large trucks and pickups are doing what they can.

>>> WARNING SOME ROADS STILL UNPLOWED.

The major roads have pavement showing: Sterling Boulevard, Route 7, Route 28, Church Road, Lincoln, Holly, and streets like that.

Some banks, stores and gas stations have not shoveled off due to lack of employees showing up, so call ahead to all smaller shops to see if they are safe or use caution. Some are closed so keep that in mind. Some are closing early. Some did not open at all.

If you have a road that is still not plowed, please let me know.

>>> DO YOU HAVE AN ERRAND FOR ME TO RUN?

If you have an errand you need me for, please let me know. If you need me to shovel your walk please write me back. If there is someone in the neighborhood you need me to call, tell me.

And check on people. Now is the time to make sure people are okay, before it gets dark and colder.

I see most everybody getting out and enjoying the great weather and working to shovel out, but lets get together and make sure everyone is okay.

In general this is a good "first day response". However, in too many places it is still a disaster to a very large extent and dangerous for all of Sterling until further notice.