For two weeks, Khai Shelton has been unable to buy road salt.
Shelton, the owner of Extraordinary Detail, usually spends about $100 for a ton of salt, which he uses to melt ice in the parking lots and driveways of commercial businesses. Earlier this year, he paid $175 a ton. But now, the price is up to $300 a ton, if he can find it — and Shelton cannot.
For a business that makes its money plowing and salting, not having a main component makes it impossible to do part of the job. And Shelton is feeling it…