Heavy snowfall blankets region Accumulation in some areas exceeds 12 inches

The January thaw was never bound to last, Mainers learned abruptly Monday as a nor'easter pummeled central Maine and most of New England with more than a foot of snow in many places.

The snow lasted throughout the day, limiting visibility on roadways and complicating the lofty task before plow operators. The January thaw was never bound to last, Mainers learned abruptly Monday as a nor'easter pummeled central Maine and most of New England with more than a foot of snow in many places.

The snow lasted throughout the day, limiting visibility on roadways and complicating the lofty task before plow operators.

Unofficial snowfall totals Monday night ranged from 10 to 20 inches across Kennebec County. Some reports had 20 inches blanketing Gardiner and 13 inches in Augusta. Waterville reported 10 inches and South China had 15.

The area will see little to no precipitation today, said Carl Erickson, a meteorologist at AccuWeath er.com.

Local and Maine State Police spent much of the day responding to snow-related car accidents, but nothing serious, a state police dispatcher said. The southbound lanes of Interstate 295 closed for more than an hour Monday afternoon after a tractor-trailer jackknifed and crashed near Topsham.

In Augusta, Public Works Director John Charest said he reported for work at 5:30 Monday morning and was not planning to leave until the storm had run its course.

While most of Augusta's city employees were dismissed from their duties at 2 p.m., the city's 31 public works employees were working overtime.

"It's going to be a long day, long night," Charest said Monday afternoon.

Each of the city's 21 plows was in use the entire day, struggling to keep ahead of a storm that was at times dumping more than an inch an hour on streets.

In Waterville, where most city employees checked out at 2:30 p.m., public works staffers were also putting in overtime hours. The city's 13 plows were out in full force all day, according to Bob Gilchrist, operations manager for the Waterville Department of Public Works.

The storm, mostly during daytime hours, was a mixed blessing for those charged with clearing the snow.

"The traffic always creates problems," Charest said. "If it was midnight, we'd be out there and no one would be on the roads."

Most students in the area enjoyed an extended weekend.

Nearly all school districts canceled Monday's classes for the entire day. School districts based in Farmington, Anson and Madison were among the few to keep schools open.

In Augusta, students reported for classes but the day ended before noon. Students in grades seven through 12 saw their school day end at 10 a.m. while younger students remained in classes until 11.

Because the state counts half a day as a full school day, those students may not be assessed a makeup day in June.

State offices in Augusta closed at 3 p.m. and many business in the area allowed employees to leave early.

Those hoping to get off the ground at Augusta State Airport were forced to defer their plans until today. Airport officials decided to close all runways at noon due to poor visibility and to allow plows a chance to clear them.

"Visibility is real bad," airport maintenance supervisor Peter Couillard said.

While few imagined a storm of this size last week -- as the mercury hit 60 degrees and December's snow melted away -- residents were taking the snowfall in stride Monday.

Joel Lyons, of Richmond, said he had no plans of changing his schedule to accommodate the snowfall.

"I don't think snow has kept me in since I was 16," Lyons said at the Hannaford Supermarket on Willow Street in Augusta. "The weather doesn't stop you. If you live in New England and the weather stops you, move somewhere else."

David Brouillette, of Augusta, found a silver lining in the storm's arrival and his car's simultaneous breakdown.

"You're probably safer right now walking to the stores," he said Monday.

Residents had apparently geared up for the storm in advance.

Lowe's home improvement store at Augusta Crossing was "really busy" Sunday as customers stocked up on the essentials, manager Jeff Hines said. But business slowed down noticeably on Monday.

The most popular item?

"We can't keep roof rakes here," Hines said. "People want them so bad."Source

Do police have right to, nor right for all motorists blood

For years, truckers have fought random requests for roadside urine tests. As it turns out, the government doesn’t want your urine.Big brother wants your blood.

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I-70 eastbound closed at Ward Road

Eastbound Interstate 70 at Ward Road will be shut down through most of this evening's rush hour due to an accident. A tractor-trailer jackknifed, and three vehicles also are involved, said police spokeswoman Lisa Stigall. There is no word about injuries.

Traffic is being diverted to West 32nd Avenue. Drivers are asked to avoid the area.

The accident occurred at about 3:30 p.m., and the interstate eastbound will be closed until at least 5:30 p.m. Stigall said a crane would be brought in to right the semi. Source

Truck Driver Barely Escapes Tons Of Falling Steel

A truck driver was injured when steel trusses fell from a crane and crushed the tractor-trailer he had just exited. The accident occurred around 10 a.m. Monday on the construction site of Casino Snoqualmie near North Bend.

A spokesman for the Snoqualmie tribe said a mobile crane was unloading steel trusses from a tractor trailer when possible metal fatigue caused a problem in the crane mast and caused the trusses to fall onto the tractor-trailer, crushing the cab.

The spokesman said the truck driver had just exited the cab when the accident occurred.

Video from Chopper 7 showed a steel truss resting on top of the crushed cab of the tractor-trailer.

The driver, who was standing next to the truck at the time of the accident, was struck in the head by a piece of debris.

He was transported to Overlake Hospital and is expected to be OK.Source

Man Thrown From SUV, Run Over By Tractor-Trailer On I-91

Vermont State Police said a man was killed after being thrown from his car and run over by a tractor-trailer early Monday morning. Police said 45-year-old Michael Watson, of Berlin, was driving in the southbound lane of Interstate 91 when he lost control of his SUV and drove into the median. Police said the vehicle rolled over several times and Watson, who was not wearing his seat belt, was thrown from the vehicle into the path of a tractor-trailer travelling in the Northbound lane. Police said the driver of the truck was not able to stop and ran over Watson.

Police said Watson suffered severe head trauma and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Interstate 91 between exits 2 and 3 was closed for approximately two and a half hours while police investigated the crash.

An investigation into the incident is ongoing and anyone with information or who may have seen the crash is asked to contact Sgt. Mike Sorensen at the Brattleboro police barracks at 802-254-2382.Source

Trucks Collide Close Stretch of I-78 During AM Rush

The crash of two trucks stopped rush hour traffic on Interstate 78 in Berks County for awhile this morning. Officials say a tractor trailer and a smaller truck hauling a trailer collided in the eastbound lanes of the bridge over the Schuylkill River between the Route 61 and Hamburg exits in Tilden Township. Police say the smaller truck had just come off the ramp from 61 when he was struck from behind by the tractor trailer. The smaller truck then struck the concrete median and rolled onto its right side. It was then pushed about 400 feet by the tractor trailer. The driver of the smaller truck, 53-year-old Rodney Hummel of Schuylkill Haven, Schuylkill County, was injured. State Police cited the driver of the tractor trailer for driving at an excessive speed. The eastbound lanes of the highway were shut down between Exit 23 (Shartlesville) and Exit 35 (Route 143) for about two-and-a-half hours. The accident also caused a significant gaper delay in the wesbound lanes of I-78 and slowed traffic on Route 61.Source

Tractor trailer accident blocking lanes on Interstate 26 in Unicoi County

Tennessee Highway Patrol and Unicoi County dispatchers say a tractor trailer has jackknifed on Interstate 26 just along the North Carolina border. Dispatchers tell us this happened around 5:30 a.m. in the Sam’s Gap area.
Officials say it's blocking 15 feet of the westbound lane, and completely blocking the eastbound lane of Interstate 26.


Crews say they're seeing patches of black ice in the mountains of Unicoi County, and are working to reroute traffic at this time. Source

Truck Possibly Hauling Asbestos Overturns

A tractor-trailer believed to have been carrying asbestos-contaminated material hit a median divider and overturned on the Clearview Expressway near the Long Island Expressway about 3 p.m. on Sunday, the police said. What makes these drivers want to drive a truck, if they are not legal? It never made any sense to me, because they are in a job where the police can stop you for anything. We are constantly being watched, and yet these guys want jobs driving trucks.

Cleanup efforts lasted late into the night, and traffic was snarled for hours on both highways. The driver, identified as Artur Gaska, 39, initially fled but returned and was arrested on a charge of leaving the scene of an accident, the police said.

It really amazes me when they catch truck drivers trying to smuggle drugs into the US. How freaking dumb is that? "Oh yea, billy bob I will bring them their drugs up from Mexico for ya" I guess in this Industry we can say we have all kinds..

Trucks belong in the right lane

Oh boy!, here we go again. Another hell bent reporter against truck driver's. I ask you why do you want to pick on the tractor trailers? I will answer this for you. Because we are a easy target, nobody likes trucks being on the highways anymore. Well I gotta say this, if there were no trucks on the highways then you would not have a DAMN thing you own today!

Here we have a reporter that has nothing better to do than to go on and harp about 18 wheelers speeding and not running in the right lane. Well let's decipher this ignorant news reporter's article shall we?

Over the years I have observed the millions that has been wasted by the Department of Transportation on thousands of signs that state that truck speed is 55 mph. This because the Highway Patrol chooses not to enforce this law.

OK, so he rides around in his car with a radar gun shooting all these speeding "18 wheelers" while all the time he is obeying his posted speed limit as well? Then blames the Highway patrol for doing nothing about it.

Whether this is at the direction of the patrol supervisor or the governor's office is unknown because the area commander of the CHP chose not to answer my letter regarding this matter. I mention the governor's office because the trucking industry lobby contributes to the governor's slush fund; thus he will most likely meet their needs.

Yea, I am sure this happens even with the "new NO IDLE law that just came about! Buddy, I will guarantee you that truck drivers in California would rather be able to idle their trucks to sleep in comfort than to pay the Governor off in his so called "slush fund" so they can speed up and down the highway.

OK, I will let you people read the entire article of lies and you decide for yourself.

The lies are located here

Officials mum on overweight truck violations

Here we have another news paper reporter who just types what he knows his viewers want to read! He states that a 1/3 of the trucks operating in and around Florida all operating illegally. He states that they are carrying more weight than they are allowed legally. BUT then also states that the office that takes care of weighing trucks is grossly understaffed. OK so how would HE know that a 1/3 of the trucks operating in and around Florida all operating over weight! This article really gets to me, when they say we did a 2 day study showing that 1/3 of these trucks running up and down the hiway are operating illegally. WOW a whole 2 day study? Then they want to know why the department heads will not talk to them about it.

Well here is the article it speaks for itself you decide..

BY FRED HIERS
STAR-BANNER OCALA - A third of big rig trucks on Florida's highways are operating illegally overweight. But despite that, Florida lawmakers behave like the three monkeys of a Japanese myth: They see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.

In fact, many of them, including several who represent Marion County residents, won't speak at all about the issue.

After the Star-Banner published a two-day report last October detailing how many trucking companies routinely violate state and federal laws restricting how much weight their trucks may carry, the newspaper sought responses from lawmakers, including the chairmen of the House and Senate committees that oversee transportation issues.

The newspaper asked the legislators if they intended to do anything about the problem. The short answer - at least from those who responded - is not much.

The rest of the lies written here