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Storm sends people to stores looking for supplies

BY BECKY MALKOVICH, The Southern

Thursday, January 31, 2008 2:19 PM CST

FRANKLIN COUNTY -- Grocery clerks were restocking shelves as fast as they could today as Southern Illinoisans prepared for what could be the first major winter storm of the season.

Much of the region remains under a heavy snow warning and snow accumulations of four to eight inches are possible by Friday morning.

West City's Wal-Mart Supercenter was handling the rush of customers by opening up grocery check-out lanes in the store's jewelry and vision departments. Customers' carts were filled with items like bread, water, meat and snacks. Other customers were grabbing up the snow shovels and anti-icing material that were prominently displayed in the store.

Side roads in Benton were covered with a light layer of snow by 12:30 p.m., but main roads remain mostly clear.