Effects of Recent Winter Weather Linger in the Triangle

Mother Nature has been sticking it to us in more ways than one. The ice storm may be gone, but the cleanup remains across the Triangle.

The storm debris and Christmas trees have backed up the solid waste pickup schedule in Cary.

It will take crews there another three weeks to finish the job, and that frustrates some residents.

"There's so much everywhere, and we aren't even in the worst position. But it's ruining the grass underneath, and we just planted new grass. My husband of course, in the fall, so I'd like it picked up real soon," said Vance.

While the bad winter weather has left Cary and other Triangle towns with debris, it has left theRed Crosswith a shortage of another kind.

The wintry weather has kept the Red Cross from getting it's usual supply of donors.

"If things don't get better soon, the hospitals will begin having to look at non-emergency surgeries and the possible postponement of those surgeries until we have an adequate blood supply," said Sherry Mitchell, a Red Cross spokesperson.

Over the next few days, the Red Cross will increase its hours in hopes people will respond to its national appeal.

Right now, the Carolina's Region of the Red Cross says its blood supply is hovering at 16 percent of the amount usually required.