UPDATE: (Saturday at noon) Knox County is downgrading to a Level 2 Snow Advisory, according to Sheriff David Schaffer. Although some major roads and areas in Mount Vernon and the villages are cleared, there are many secondary and rural roads that are still heavily drifted and some are still impassable. Winds are expected to cause issues in outlying areas throughout the day and evening. Thank you to all of the road crews, first responders, dispatchers, utility workers and all of the other workers that continue to conduct business no matter what the conditions.
Previously, the county was placed under a Level 3 Snow Advisory on Friday night. That story is below:
MOUNT VERNON — Knox County was place under a Level 3 snow emergency on Friday night to give plow crews less interference while clearing roadways.
“The purpose of the update is to allow plow crews to work with less interference,” a Knox County Sheriff’s Office Facebook post stated. “They are not able to keep up with all roads and some areas are not passable.
“There does not look to be improvements before tomorrow morning.”
All roads are closed to non-emergency personnel during a Level 3 snow emergency, according to the Ohio Department of Transportation. No one should be driving during these conditions unless it is absolutely necessary to travel or a personal emergency exists.
All employees contact their employer to see if they should report to work. Those traveling on the roads may subject themselves to arrest, according to Ohio’s Snow Emergency Classifications.
Deputies and road crews are still responding to stuck vehicles, the post continued.
“Please do not contact the dispatch center for calls about road conditions, if you should go to work, or if you will be arrested for driving,” the sheriff’s office post states. “They are already busy with other duties. (There have been a large number of medical calls today).”
The conditions will be evaluated in the morning and we hope to be able to downgrade, the post stated.
“We realize it creates problems. The road crews, and the first responders thank you for understanding.”
