Taneytown Businesses Closed, Work Crews Busy

TANEYTOWN – Snowfall this Thursday has turned Taneytown into a winter dream the rest of the week. Businesses remained closed while roads that were covered this morning had to be cleared – much like the rest of the county. But before the roads were officially clear, the foot-deep snowfall had some citizens wondering whether or not they would be able to get back to work by Friday. Carl Ebaugh, town council member, spent the morning shoveling snow and boasted that the State Highway administration had success in clearing the roads of snowfall. Once he cleared his own driveway, he said he “took a run around town,” and by noon the roads had been cleared, thanks to the State Highway Administration. “Kudos to the SHA for that!” he said, “our crew got out [on the streets] early,” and by noon, “I had no problems driving on any of the town streets.”

At Sheetz convenient store, when the last of the heavy flakes were coming down, a man was pumping gas into a personal snowmobile as more than a foot of snowfall continued to accumulate around him. Because he was occupied with refueling, he declined to comment on his own experience of the storm so far, but others nearby could be heard calling out that this man with the snowmobile was a “smart man” in this slippery, snowy weather.

Nearby, trucks could be seen running up and down main-street, engines booming, while people in scarves and camouflage coats were shoveling their sidewalks or walking and up the road for gasoline. Those who stayed inside could admire the beauty of the dense snowfall from windows or doorways, which has made it nearly impossible to walk outdoors without the proper clothing.

“It’s beautiful out,” Taneytown resident Bonnie Ledliek says, leaning from her doorway, “I love the snow! And it all turns to water when it melts. It’s so beautiful.”

But despite the weather’s beauty, many are still more aggravated than in awe. One resident, Ralph Little, said that the snow is “ridiculous. I’m a roofer and there’s no way that I can return to work within two or three days.” Little has been living in Taneytown for two years and said this is the first time he’s seen snow this severe.

Other residents commented that they do not know whether or not they will get back to work tomorrow due to conditions.

Alisha Ecker, who was shoveling outside of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, said, “It’s too much, I’m done and over-with it.”

One resident, shoveling out his car outside his apartment, noted that while he had lived in Taneytown for over forty years, he still wasn’t used to this much snow. “I don’t know,” he said, “I’ll get back to work when I can.”

Diane Foster, city councilwoman, noted that Taneytown was well prepared since last week’s ice storm, which resulted in widespread power outages. “Prior to this storm we experienced fallen trees which led to a disruption of power to our well system, and the water supply,” she said, “I am pleased to say that all were swiftly handled by Verizon and our public works department, actually the same day, and full power to the wells and water supply was restored before this storm arrived.”

Reach Community Blogger Nick Galinaitis at nickvgalinaitis@gmail.com.