Rain a mixed blessing, as rock slide closes Signal Mountain's W Road

Substantial rains in recent weeks and months have been a blessing so far as relieving dry conditions in our region.

But "every silver lining has a cloud," and heavy rains are being blamed for the rock slide on Saturday evening that has temporarily closed the historic W Road on Signal Mountain.

Officials were trying to devise the best way to clear the rock and mud so they can reopen the heavily traveled road, perhaps by Wednesday or Thursday. Dynamite is not an option because it could bring down still more rocks from above the slide, which was unusually large.

Meanwhile, drivers to and from the mountain face the inconvenience of taking other routes.

They can take some comfort in the fact that the closing evidently won't be for too long, and that no one was hurt in the rock slide.