Snow Greets New Highway Super's Arrival

There was no honeymoon for Huntington's new highway superintendent. 

Pete Gunther, whose term officially began on Wednesday, was on the job Monday, checking on available equipment. He found about 120 vehicles available in addition to the department's. 

And he was in the department office in Elwood at 6 a.m. Thursday, lining up the deploy of payloaders, trucks and workers, in anticipation of the blizzard expected to arrive in the evening.

"All workers have to come in by 2 p.m. for the snow emergency," he said. After that, contractors can be called in.  "We want to make sure all roads are clear fo Monday wehn school are open. Of course we want to open the roads Friday. We want to make sure Asharoken is open and have payloaders stationed there; we have equipment in Dix Hills plus equipment here in case of an emergency."

Gunther was elected in November, defeating William Naughton, who had served as superintendent since his election in 1988.