FROM THE ARCHIVES: 1977: Arctic weather, snow intensifies winter woes

Icicles on Gainesville square buildings Icicles reach from roof to ground on buildings along the alley in back of the stores on the west side of the square. Icy pillars have now [in 1977] been there almost a week.
Jan. 20, 1977, Ozark County Times: Continuing arctic temperatures, additional sleet and snow and high winds are making normal activities in the Ozarks almost impossible.
The county court, Presiding Judge Earl Holmes said, is asking persons who cannot travel from their homes to main roads to call...for assistance in getting food, wood or medical supplies.
“If anyone knows of a family without a phone that might be in need of help, we would appreciate hearing about it,” Holmes said.
Highway Department and Ozark county road crews have done an outstanding job of keeping the main roads open, but many people cannot get to their main roads from their homes.
In many instances, friends and neighbors with 4-wheel drive vehicles have made trips to town possible for those unable to make it, even with chains, with their cars.
Gas and plumbing companies have done heroic round-the-clock work in supplying fuel or in handling frozen water pipes and well pumps.
Garages and service stations have provided equally remarkable service in starting dead batteries, transporting stranded people and hauling ditched vehicles back on the road.
The Ozark County Ambulance Service has made 12 calls the past week, and no trouble has been encountered. Bob Sullivan, who operates the service, said. The ambulances are heavy and are equipped with snow tires and chains are used when necessary.
Schools in some districts in the county were in session Monday but were closed again Tuesday. In some districts schools have not been opened since the Christmas holidays, while in others, schools were open for only two days since the first of January.
County farmers are struggling to supply feed and water to cattle. But there are several accounts of dead cows in fields where water and feed cannot be brought to them in adequate amounts. There have been reports, too, of cattle breaking through the snow covering on ponds and being trapped. Some cattle lying down last Thursday when it rained and sleeted were reported to have frozen to the ground.
Stores and feed and grain companies have done a booming business in sale of bird feed for quail and songbirds The Conservation Department advises quail feed be put in secluded spots to protect the quail from predators. If song birds are fed, then the feed should be put out daily until the weather moderates.
Last week, stores have sold out of snow shovels, sleds, heat lamps and tire chains. Most of these items have been restocked and are again available.
The members of the State Highway Department crews who have done remarkable, round-the-clock service in Ozark county during the past week and a half include those working out of the Gainesville, Wasola, Dora and Moody sheds.
The Gainesville crew members are: Coy Runion, shed foreman; Marlin McGinnis, Ralph Young, Bob King and Ronnie Beavers, maintenance men; and Albert Chritton, field mechanic.
Barney Douglas, also of Gainesville, serves as area supervisor and his territory includes sheds in the county and at Moody and West Plains. He said that in the seven days ending Saturday, some 3,349 miles had been logged by motor graders in the section served by the Gainesville shed. He said that the men at all the sheds working 24-hour shifts several nights and that he, himself, had worked 123 hours during those seven days.
The Wasola crew members are: Ermal Roberts, supervisor; and Loren Turner, Robert Jones, Mark Ray and Leon Potter, maintenance men.
The Dora crew members are: Lester Lovan, foreman; Murl Watkins, crew leader; and Noel Shipley, Estel Smith and Leroy Collins, maintenance men. Lovan said that in his 31 years with the Highway Department he had never seen such a prolonged spell of zero temperatures.
The Moody crew members are: Gayle Surface, foreman; Harold Cawvey, crew leader; and Ruben Belcher, J. T. Durham and Ronald Johnson, maintenance men. The Moody crew serves roads in the Bakersfield area.
Working equally long hours to clear county roads and roads leading to cemeteries, when required, were these members of the Ozark County Road and Bridge Department:
Western District - George Twitty, Gordan Peacock, Gene Bradley, Roy Murrill, Ronnie Trent, H K. Silvey and Arnold Jennings. Also employed as special road crew workers were Red coons of Hill Country Construction Co., Basil Coffey, Ralph Brown and Gene Snell.
Eastern District- Henry Judson Shipley, Steve Shipley and Jerry Ford. Also working with this crew and the western district was Loyd Hambelton, county highway service foreman.