'Bringing in a skeleton crew:' Waukesha businesses go extra mile to make 'snow day' work





Good Harvest Market in Waukesha



WAUKESHA -- Some Waukesha businesses had to go the extra mile on Monday, Jan. 28 to make the "snow day" work for them.

It is a grocery store known for organics -- and all-natural products. But on Monday, Good Harvest Market in Waukesha was recognizing Mother Nature in a very different way.

"We decided to open up at noon today -- bringing in a skeleton crew for the afternoon," said General Manager Ross Easton.



Easton decided on the late start to give employees and customers plenty of time to get in. It also allowed the plows to clean up the parking lot.

Waukesha County was shut down. A winter weather emergency was declared -- shutting county offices like the courthouse. Schools were closed too -- with buildings like Meadowbrook Elementary looking more like a ghost town.

"We have had our trucks out since about 2:30 this morning," said Waukesha County Executive Paul Farrow.

The early start here was to try and get to county roads before temperatures drop. Farrow said 50 trucks have been working non-stop as the snow and mercury continues to fall.



"We will be looking at Wednesday as the temp gets very cold again, to determine if we need to shut down again," Farrow said.

At home, people like Doug Anderson kept digging out.

"Just going in short spurts. Doing an hour here, an hour there," Anderson said.

Another round of snow at noon had many in a hurry to head back indoors.

"Just turn up the heat and warm blankets," Anderson said.



Farrow said thankfully, there have been no reports of significant accidents on the roads -- just a lot of spin-outs.