Paris, Tenn. –Henry County Mayor John Penn Ridgeway has announced that due to the forecasted Winter Ice Storm tomorrow Henry County General Government will close offices Thursday, February 3.
Weather conditions are expected to become hazardous during the early morning hours Thursday as a winter storm moves through Northwest Tennessee. Rain will change over to sleet and then to ice with the potential of coating trees, power lines, and roadways with up to 0.5 inch of ice.
Mayor Ridgeway said, “ We want to insure the safety of our employees by allowing them to remain at home and I encourage residents to stay home and off roads if you can as well.” Roads are expected to remain hazardous through out the day Thursday. A decision to re open county offices on Friday will be made Thursday.
General Government Offices closed Thursday February 3, include: Henry County General Sessions Criminal Court, Henry County Courthouse, Courthouse Annex Building, Central Community Building, Health Department, Election Office, Recycling Center, Election Office, Archives and Airport. Any scheduled county garbage pick up by Republic Services will be delayed as well.
Mike Wilson, Henry County Court Clerk has announced changes to Court schedules due to weather. Henry County General Sessions Criminal Court scheduled for tomorrow, Thursday, February 3, 2022 is canceled. Also, Henry County Chancery, Probate, and Circuit court all scheduled for Friday, February 4, 2022, are cancelled.
Those who had court cases scheduled for General Sessions Criminal Court and are represented by an attorney should contact their attorney to ask about their new court date on Wednesday, February 9, 2022, as it will take the Court a couple of days to process the rescheduling. Those who are representing themselves without legal counsel should contact the court clerk’s office on Wednesday, February 9, 2022, to ask about their new court date.
For clarification sake, the February 9th date is NOT the new court date, this is the day you should call to inquire of the new court date that has been set.
Those who had Chancery, Probate, or Circuit Court set for this Friday, February 4, 2022, should also either contact their attorney or the appropriate court clerk’s office on Wednesday, February 9, 2022, to inquire of their new court date. Their phone numbers are listed below.
There is no Juvenile Court scheduled for this week.
At this point no court planned for next week is affected by this announcement. They are still being held as currently planned.
Court office phone numbers:
Circuit & General Sessions, 731-642-0461
Juvenile Court, 731-642-5271
Chancery Court, 731-642-4234
Probate Court, 731-642-2310
According to Ron Watkins, Henry County Emergency Management Director: “The National Weather Service has issued an Ice Storm Warning beginning at 6AM Thursday morning and is expected to end around midnight Thursday. Temperatures are expected to drop into the low twenty’s with windchills reaching 10 degrees Thursday night. Friday’s high will reach 34 degrees.”
Residents should prepare now for possible power outages by having extra drinking water available, alternative heat source if possible, extra blankets, extra candles, extra batteries for radios and flashlights and a charged cell phone. Keep in mind each person’s specific needs, including medication. Remember the needs of your pets. Watkins adds, “Residents need to be mindful when using generators. Do not use indoors or in any part attached to your home to be safe from carbon monoxide poisoning. Make sure generators will not back feed into the main utility system power. Generator back feed could pose danger to utility workers and equipment. Residents are urged to stay off the roads should they become hazardous and to monitor weather conditions closely.
Shannon McFarlin photo.