Tuesday, March 4, 2003

HIGHWAY 17 REOPENED
Thessalon, Ont.

A winter storm had closed highway 17 between Iron Bridge and Blind River early this morning. Snow and blowing snow had made the highway impassable. Also closed were Highway 129 at Lafoe Creek to Highway 17 at Thessalon and all of Highways 546 and 554.

These highways have all been opened and are ploughed and sanded.

The O.P.P. asks that you do not call police for road conditions but rather call the MTO hotline at 945-5924.


BREAK IN AT ECHO BAY BUSINESS
Echo Bay, Ont.,

Sault Ste Marie OPP is investigating a break in at a Echo Bay variety store this morning.

At about 3:00 a.m. Sault Ste. Marie OPP responded to an alarm at the combined gas bar and variety store. Officers and the business owner arrived to find a front window of the business smashed.

So far the owner is able to determine that a quantity of cigarettes have been taken and is still doing an inventory to determine if anything else is missing.


SNOW PLOW COLLISION
Laird Twp, Ont.,

Passing a snow plow in poor visibility has cost one person a lot of extra time on his trip.

This morning at about 6:30, a snow plow was west bound on Hwy 17 in Laird Twp just east of Echo Bay. This plow is a bit unusual as it has a wing blade mounted on the left side of the truck. This is to enable the plow to effectively clear both lanes of the two lane section of highway.

A pick-up truck driver caught up to the plow and was trying to use the left lane to pass the plow. Because of the blowing and drifting snow and the poor visibility he did not see that the wing blade was down and in use.

The truck driver drove right into the blade. No one is injured but a tow truck is needed at the scene to remove the pick-up from the ditch. Officers will be at the scene until the truck is removed.