“Name that Year” is designed to put your knowledge of Tracy and its newsmakers of the past to the test. Each week, we will publish a news item that ran in a past edition — maybe it was a major event, or a story about a Tracy resident — it’s up to you to determine in what year that particular news item hit the pages of the paper:
• WHAT STARTED OUT TO BE “JUST ANOTHER WEEKEND BLIZZARD” IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR in the Tracy area turned out to be the worst storm of a winter which has already been noteworthy for its excessive snowfall.
Many local residents were saying that in terms of snow accumulation and size of drifts both in town and the rural areas, it was the worst winter storm in 10 years.
Drifts estimated to be 10 to 14 feet high plugged Greenwood Avenue and other parts of Tracy and one of the most massive snow accumulations in the region blocked Highway 14 near the spot known locally as Muedeking’s Hill west of town.
The snow started falling Friday evening, and near-zero visibility caused by blowing and drifting snow continued all day Saturday and Sunday, finally subsiding somewhat by late Sunday afternoon and evening.
Although the actual snow accumulation throughout this region was said to be 6 to 9 inches, Tracy Director of Public Works Donald Polzine said it seemed more like 10 inches blew into Tracy. Polzine and city employee Kenneth Sletten worked one shift for 22 hours straight during the weekend, and the other three members of Tracy’s snowplowing crew worked similar hours to keep the streets clear in town. The Tracy crews were out from 10:30 p.m. Saturday to 11 a.m. Sunday, then 7 p.m. Sunday to 6 p.m. Monday and 3 a.m. Tuesday to 5 p.m. Tuesday.
“It’ll be another week before we get everything back to the curb,” said Polzine, who explained that the city’s snowblower is the only piece of machinery which can handle some of the massive drifts.
The wind finally stopped blowing snow at about 9 p.m. Sunday and by 3 a.m. Monday, the streets were clear enough for travel to just about any portion of the town, he said.
• Last week’s answer: A season-best performance propelled the Panther 4x800 meter relay team to a state Class A Championship to close out the 2002 season.
