Storm leaves streets deserted and salted on Thursday

Rebecca Klar
Following Thursday’s snowstorm cleanup, much of Nassau County has been dotted with mountains of leftover snow. Some roads are also coated in a mix of salt, dirt and snow. (Photo by Janelle Clausen)

While many residents across the Town of North Hempstead spent Thursday cooped up indoors watching the snowstorm on TV and through windows, about 80 workers braved the cold to clear the roads.

The members of the snow removal team were not the only ones providing a service to the public during the storm, which dropped 10 to 14 inches of snow on the North Shore.

The Black Sheep Ale House opened its doors, too.

“It’s just part of being the community,” said Vincent Minutella, owner of the craft beer bar. “We like to be there for our regular folks.”

The bar, located at 78 Second St. in Mineola, typically opens at 4 p.m. If the storm had continued, Minutella said, he probably would  have decided to remain closed.

Since the snow stopped falling by late afternoon, Minutella said he and his staff made the decision to open at 8 p.m. on Thursday.

Throughout the day, Nassau County Executive Laura Curran urged residents to stay off the roads. Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued a state of emergency for Long Island as winds gusting up to 50 miles per hour created white-out conditions.

Schools were closed across the North Shore.

Minutella said the bar encouraged people to walk or take a train, which would heed Cuomo’s and Curran’s advice throughout the day.

Minutella said he operated a snowblower around the bar around 6:30 p.m., and by then most of the main roads were cleared.

The town used 997 tons of salt on Thursday, and another 486 tons on Friday, according to town spokeswoman Carole Trottere.

“The recent snow storm was quite the challenge for everyone due to the extremely frigid temperatures and strong consistent winds, which blew snow back onto the roads after plowing,” Town Supervisor Judi Bosworth said. “Our Highway crews worked throughout the day and into the night making numerous passes with the plows to ensure that roadways were cleared of snow and safe for our residents.” 

Minutella said his bar manager lives within walking distance of the bar and was able to come in. He said he also called the bartender who lives closest to see if he would be willing to come in.

By 8:30, Minutella said, the bar had about dozen customers. He said the crowd peaked at about 20 people.

“A snow night in the old days … bars would get packed with people saying, ‘You know we’re not going to work tomorrow and we shoveled our walkways, what are we going to do? Let’s go to the bar.'”

That trend has changed, Minutella said, with people instead opting to stay in and watch Netflix as soon as the first snowflake falls.

Which, he admits, he’d probably do too if he didn’t have to plow around the bar.

The storm had some lingering impacts.

Most, if not all, schools shut down Friday, too.

Town plows were still out moving snow Wednesday, according to Rebecca Cheng, a Town of North Hempstead spokeswoman.

Within a week, though, the forecast went from single-digit temperatures and white-out conditions to temperatures up to 50 degrees and blue skies.

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