Northwestern Salt Shortage Equals Peril for Students

If there was any doubt that this winter has been worse than most, let's go to Evanston, Ill., home of Northwestern University. Forget the typical slip-and-slide sob stories; we've got hard numbers. The Midwest's rough winter has caused a spike in road salt usage—placing Evanston in the midst of a severe salt shortage. The town has already used 8,000 tons of road salt this year, in contrast to the typical 5,000 tons; all this at an additional cost of about $75,000. With salt stockpiles stretched thin, suppliers across the region are struggling to meet demand and won't be able to fill orders until the end of winter.