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JANUARY 24, 2014
SERVING NORTHERN WORCESTER COUNTY
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A light snow leads to heavy work for some No matter what you call it, storm creates opportunities
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By Zack Hoopes Staff Writer (Jan. 24, 2014)Perhaps the Weather Channel gets more viewers if a snowstorm has a name like a hurricane. Somehow, “Janus” could never be mentioned even in the same breath as a “Super Storm Sandy.” The channel’s dubbing of Tuesday’s snowfall after the two-faced Roman god of transition served as a descent enough metaphor for the storm, which pressed local governments and businesses into a role they seldom have to take on. “These are landscapers, demolition crews, and towing companies – anybody who has big trucks you can put plows on,” said Igor Conev of Mann Properties, which is responsible for dozens of buildings in the resort area. “It’s actually a pretty good deal for them, because obviously they’re not doing as much work in the winter.” Like Conev, many local business and residential owners find themselves putting together a crew of snow removal staff from other industries. Given the sporadic nature of the work, and the recent spell of warm winters on the East Coast, many have found it difficult to justify the cost of keeping snow gear on hand. “It’s a good hustle when it happens, but the cost of materials will drag you under,” said local contractor Scot VanFossen, who gave up his commerciallevel supplies several years ago. “If I ever get back into it, I would do cash-in-hand jobs, the homeowner-type stuff.” Tuesday night and Wednesday morning saw four inches of snow fall in the resort, according to weather data. It was much higher in many places, given the drift from strong winds that piled snow several feet high along some structures. The Weather Channel started naming winter storms in 2011 – even those that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration would not normally give titles to. Picked up by other media and
OCEAN CITY TODAY/LISA CAPITELLI
An empty Coastal Highway was the immediate result of the midweek snowfall, which also brought out Ocean City government crews as well as entrepreneurs, looking to bolster their winter incomes with snow-clearing jobs.
government outlets, the personification of weather as a Lex Luthor-style villain – Monday’s weather.com headline was “Janus Targets Millions” - only adds to the frenzy. “The way they were talking about it, I was expecting some sort of catastrophe,” Conev said. “But this wasn’t really that much.” Amplifying this is the relative rarity – and thus novelty – of snow on the shore. “I came down here five years ago and we heard there would be ‘a dusting,’ and it was a mass panic,” said Dave Messina. Originally from Bergen County, N.J., Messina now runs a maintenance company in Ocean Pines that offered snow clearing services this week. “I looked at my wife and said ‘what is this?’” Messina said. “I don’t get why everyone freaks out about it.” Worcester County schools were closed Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. The Town of Ocean City had a liberal leave policy in effect for employees as of 2 p.m. Tuesday, and Worcester County encouraged anyone without adequate heat to seek See GOVT. Page 15
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OCEAN CITY TODAY/NANCY POWELL
Emily Sandt, 9, of Ocean Pines has fun sliding down an embankment in Ocean Pines on Wednesday. She and other children could play in the snow because schools were closed due to the inclement weather.
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