What was meant to help St. Louis residents’ winter preparedness turned into a salty scramble last week after commercial trucks allegedly depleted the city’s free salt supply intended for homeowners ahead of Winter Storm Fern.
The City of St. Louis announced Friday on Facebook that it distributed 1.5 tons of free salt at five firehouses ahead of winter weather, but the “bring your own bucket” program ran out so fast that many residents couldn’t get any.
City officials said that crews will use most of it to treat roads. But residents, neighborhood associations and other groups were allowed to pick up the plentifully provided salt. However, the salt available on Friday was cleared out within hours, and when officials refilled it on Saturday, it was gone in just 30 minutes, city chief operating officer Ben Jonsson told KSDX…