By Associated Press
St. Louis, MO – A winter storm packing everything from sleet to freezing rain to snow is turning Missouri and Illinois roads into ribbons of ice and forcing hundreds of schools to scrap classes.
There's no immediate word of fatalities, although dozens of accidents have been reported. Around Collinsville, the voice mail on Illinois State Police Master Trooper Ralph Timmins' cell phone urged callers to page him and he added: "I'll try to help you out after I get done with the next car in the ditch."
Ice storm warnings are in effect until tomorrow for much of Missouri and southern Illinois.