Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, February 16, 1995                   TAG: 9502160096
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: A-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: MELISSA DeVAUGHN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

REMEMBER LAST WINTER? NOW THAT WAS A STORM

Ice on the trees. Ice on the roads. Warm up the car for 20 minutes just to melt the ice on the windshields.

The scene was familiar Wednesday as the New River and Roanoke valleys were coated with up to a quarter-inch of ice - schools closed, businesses operating late, buses off schedule. But the region got off lucky.

At least it wasn't like February a year ago.

Last year, Vasie and Victor Simpkins of Indian Valley were in bad shape after an ice storm broke electric poles like toothpicks, leaving them without power for more than a week.

The electric oxygen tank the Floyd County couple used to help keep Vasie Simpkins' mother breathing didn't work, and the house was cold. The Simpkinses had to get water from an outdoor well, and they could barely get in and out of the steep hollow where they live.

This year, the scene was familiar - the Simpkinses lost their power for half a day - but they were thankful it wasn't as severe as last year.

"We [were] all out, even my cousins out toward the Church of God," said Vasie Simpkins on Wednesday afternoon. "We haven't had power since 11 o'clock last night, but it's much better than it was last year. At least we haven't gone days and days without electricity."

The Simpkinses are better prepared, too.

Vasie Simpkins' mother, 86-year-old Lettie Sutphin, no longer needs an oxygen tank, and the family bought a generator after last year's storm so they would be prepared. The roads are a little better, too, Vasie Simpkins said.

"The sleet is heavy, it looks like, on the lines, but I saw some people going up and down the road, so it must not be too bad," she said.

A year ago this week, Calvin and Elizabeth Barnett of Elliston faced the same problems as the Simpkinses. They, too, were victims of the ice storm - without power as their neighbors enjoyed warm, well-lit homes.

The Barnetts had no electricity or running water and had to cook meager meals on the basement wood stove.

This year, Calvin Barnett said, the ice has not been as cruel.

"We're doing pretty good here," Barnett said. "There's a little sleet on the ground and the rain's about gone, but we've got power. This is minor compared to last year."

Barnett, whose wife died of cancer two weeks ago, said he is fighting loneliness more than ice these days.

Overall, the region got through Wednesday's ice with no major problems. There were no serious traffic problems in the New River or Roanoke valleys No power outages were reported in Appalachian Power Co.'s Roanoke Division. Only scattered outages were reported in Apco's Pulaski District.

Glenda Wohlford, administrative assistant for the Pulaski Division, said last year was a "nightmare" compared to this year.

In the '94 storm, line crews worked overtime, often stopping only long enough to grab a bite to eat. Power companies from as far away as Ohio were called in to assist, and customer service representatives were on the telephone around the clock.

"I'm sure it was very frustrating because it was such a widespread storm, all the calls overloaded our phone system, and customers were getting busy signals," Wohlford added.

Apco credits this year's lower number of outages to the generally milder winter and last summer's extensive tree-trimming mission, conducted by more than 200 crews.

Staff writer Breea Willingham contributed to this story.