<div style="margin-top: 20px;"><img src="http://www.como.gov/CMS/pressreleases/citylogo-default.jpg" alt="City of Columbia Logo" width="106" height="116" style="float: left; margin-right: 20px; margin-left: 0px;">
<img src="http://www.como.gov/CMS/pressreleases/spaceholder.png" alt="spaceholder image" width="106" height="116" style="float: right; margin-right: 0px; margin-left:20px;">
<div style="padding-top:40px;
text-align:center;">
<p style="font-weight:bold; display: inline; line-height:150%; font-size: 105%;">CITY OF COLUMBIA, MISSOURI<br />P.O. BOX 6015 COLUMBIA, MO 65205</p></div>
</div>
<div style="clear:both; text-align:center; padding-top: 20px;">
<h2 style="font-size: 180%;">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</h2>
<p style="font-size: 120%; margin-top: -5px; font-weight:bold;">January 13, 2019</p>
<p style="float:right; font-weight:bold; margin-bottom: 35px; font-size: 120%; text-align:right;">CONTACT: Steven Sapp
<br />Community Relations Director
<br />City of Columbia
<br />573.874.7257
<br />Steven.Sapp@CoMo.gov
<br />
<br />Brian Adkisson
<br />Communications and Marketing Manager
<br />City of Columbia
<br />573.874.7330
<br />Brian.Adkisson@CoMo.gov</p>
</div>
<div style="font-size: 110%; line-height:145%;"><h3 style="clear:both; margin-top: 75px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-weight: bold; font-size: 170%;">Sunday, Jan. 13 update from City of Columbia on winter storm</h3>
<div class="content"><span style="padding-left: 50px;">(COLUMBIA, MO)</span> - <p style="display:inline;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The major winter storm that began on Friday, Jan. 11 continues to affect some travel, power and City services in Columbia. All available City resources continue to be utilized in responding to the storm to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our community members. The City of Columbia appreciates the community’s continued patience and understanding as we work to recover from this large winter event.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Updates will continue to be posted on the City’s various social media accounts.<br /><br /></span><strong>Power Outages: </strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">Less than 100 City of Columbia Utilities customers are currently without power. Numerous power outages occurred due to the heavy snow causing trees and limbs to sag on power lines. Crews are working 16 hour shifts to restore p
ower as soon as possible. As of this afternoon, power has been restored to approximately 8,000 customers. The City requested mutual aid assistance from other electric utilities to help in restoring power to the customer outages throughout the city. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Crews from Macon, Palmyra, Waynesville and Rolla responded to our request. Contractors PAR Electrical and Asplundh are also helping in their areas of expertise. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">You may report a power outage by calling 573.875.2555 and view current outages via the Outage Viewer: </span><a href="http://outageviewer.gocolumbiamo.com"><span style="font-weight: 400;">http://outageviewer.gocolumbiamo.com</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. While thousands of customers’ power was restored today, there is the possibility that some customers will go without power into Monday, Jan. 14, due to severe tree damage caused by the storm, leaning into power lines in some p
arts of the City.<br /><br /></span><strong>Roads:</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Road crews from Columbia, Boone County and MoDOT are out in force. Almost 70 City of Columbia team members from various departments are working on plowing and treating Columbia streets today concentrating on residential and downtown areas (see CoMoSnow.com for details). Crews will continue to work 24 hours a day until the job is done. Restrictions on Priority Snow Routes in Columbia are being enforced and residents are asked to remove vehicles from marked priority routes to allow for easier snow clearing. Vehicles not removed may be ticketed or towed at the owner’s expense. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">You can check "Progress on City Residential Roads" online at </span><a href="https://www.como.gov/Maps/streets"><span style="font-weight: 400;">https://www.como.gov/Maps/streets</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Crews plan to continue to work 24/7 until all streets are passable by a front wheel drive vehicle. Generally speaking, the plows not working downtown are working from the edge of the City toward the center.<br /><br /></span><strong>Solid Waste:</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> The Solid Waste Utility will run its normal collection schedule this week, though delays are possible. Curbside customers should place secured materials on their driveway or in an area that’s accessible by crews without them having to step over snow banks. Customers signed up to receive updates from the </span><a href="https://www.como.gov/citychannel/2017/01/03/columbia-recycle-and-trash-app/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">COMO
Recycle and Trash app </span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">will be notified directly of service. Download it for Apple or Android devices today to receive schedule reminders, service notifications and to access our Waste Wizard feature. </span></p>
<p><strong>Public Safety:</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> When driving in the winter road conditions, please be as prepared as possible. Try to keep your fuel tank full and put together an </span><a href="https://www.consumerreports.org/emergency-preparedness/winter-car-emergency-kit-be-prepared/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">"emergency car kit"</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> of various items to keep in your vehicle. Try to remove as much of the snow from your vehicle as possible to prevent it from distracting the vehicle behind you. If you do have to get out on the roads and are involved in a non-injury motor vehicle crash, please exchange information with the other driver(s) and continue to your destination. You can report the accident online at </span><a href="https://www.como.gov/police/online-reporting-forms/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">https://www.como.gov/police/online-reporting-forms/</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, but i
f someone is injured, call 911 immediately.<br /><br /></span><strong>Transit: </strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">Go COMO, Columbia’s public transit system, is scheduled to resume its regular fixed route service Monday, Jan. 14. Para-transit service is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. for medical appointments and employment rides only. <br /><br /></span><strong>Airport:</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Columbia Regional Airport’s main runway is open to commercial and general aviation traffic. Individual airlines will determine their flight status into and out of COU. Travelers should check their flight status with their airline<br /><br /></span><strong>Parks and Recreation:</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> The Activity & Recreation Center (ARC) will resume operations Monday, Jan. 14. The facility is scheduled to open at its normal time of 5:30 a.m.</span></p></div>
<br />
<div class="content"></div>
<br />
<div class="attachments"></div>
</div>
<div id="footerline">
<div style="margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 20px; text-align:center;"><p>City of Columbia Vision<br>
<em>Columbia is the best place for everyone to live, work, learn and play.</em></p>
<p>City of Columbia Mission<br>
<em>To serve the public through democratic, transparent and efficient government.</em></p>
</div>
<p style="text-align:center;">-30-</p>
</div>
<style>
#pressrelease table, #pressrelease th, #pressrelease td{
border: 0px;
}
#pressrelease{ margin:40px; margin-top: 0px !important;}
.attachments{margin-top: -10px;}
@media print {
#pressrelease{font-size: 75%; margin:10px !important; margin-top: -40px !important;}
#pressrelease div{line-height: 125%;}
#copyright{text-align:center; margin-top: -30px;}
}
</style><p>______________________________________________________</p>
<p>You have received this message because you subscribe to the City of Columbia's Web Mail service. To view linked material click on provided links or copy and paste them into your browser's address menu.</p>
<p>______________________________________________________</p>
<p>Archived press releases can be viewed online at:
http://www.como.gov/CMS/pressreleases/directory.php</p>
<p>______________________________________________________</p>
<p>If you would like to stop receiving messages, modify list options, or subscribe to other lists visit the Web Mail section of our Web site and follow the instructions provided at http://www.como.gov/Web_Mail/ </p><style>div{margin: 10px;}</style>