But all they have is sand and cinders. This hilly, rural county cannot afford road salt. The roads are a sheet of ice. The county's 1,400 students were kept at home on Monday and Tuesday, and started classes two hours late on Wednesday and Thursday. Chances are good that the Tristate will get snow this weekend, said Steve Wilkinson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Wilmington.
Forecasts show snow is likely to start falling by tonight.
Just the threat makes Switzerland County officials ner vous. If the roads aren't in good enough condition, if I think they're unsafe, I'm going to call it off. If I'm in doubt, I'm going to call it off. Longtime Switzerland County residents are used to the winter routine. But newcomers to the growing area are demanding road salt, said highway Superintendent Danny Hehe.