02/09/09 MONDAY
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Todays Gazette is brought to you with all of the "transparency" it can.
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The current temperature is 33 ABOVE
The "feels like" temperature is 24
Yesterdays H/L temperature was 30/9
Normal H/L temp for this date is 20/1
It was 40 degrees on this date in 1977
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"Profanity makes ignorance audible."
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L O C A L news & stuff,.. mostly stuff.
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Todays is the day the Lord gave to our local body shops and emergency
rooms. However, it wouldn't surprise me if some Washington Politicians
figure out a way to claim it's part of their small town "economic
stimulus" program.
However, according to the local weather service we can expect the
weather to go along like this for awhile,... and then get worse. The
unofficial Gazette rain gauge registered one mark short of a quarter of
an inch of rain since midnight. All of our sidewalks and roads are glare
ice but, so far at least, there isn't any ice on the telephone and
highline wires.
It's not supposed to get to cold, so all the folks with those gold
plated electric heaters will be able to save a bunch more money on their
heating bills.
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Speaking of expensive electric heaters. I received the following "vote
of doubt" in that regard. >>>>>
Hi Gary, I really enjoy your newsy tidbits on the Shivercity
Gazette. Keep them coming. On the reading of the Eden Pure
heaters.. Whow!!!!!!! What a joke they are. Last year my
daughter from Edinburg ordered two of them. In using them for about a
month she was spending almost twice the amount of electricity for them
and her furnace besides because they did not keep it warm enough. So
don't waste the time and effort to buy them. She ended up returning
them to the company, at their expense I might add. Keep up the good
work. Marian <<<<
Thanks a million for caring and sharing Marian. In all fareness to the
Amish and the heater folks I maybe should say that it is possible that
some of those heaters are better than others. I've heard some folks
actually do swear by them. On the other hand, there's a whole pile of
folks that swear at them as well.
Or so it seems to me.
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Most folks are aware. There are three topics of taboo. They are, in no
particular order, Politics, Religion and Water. For some reason that
doesn't seem to stop some folks from sharing their opinions.
Denise sent the following thoughts. >>>
Gary:
I have to respond to your comments about the flood, especially the
comment "To expect ordinary people to understand the specifics of a plan
that involves so many aspects simply defies logic." The citizens of
Grafton and the surrounding area had every opportunity to learn and
understand about the flood plan. The City officials had informational
charts, community information sessions, and articles in the newspaper.
If people didn't understand what they read in the newspaper, they were
welcome to the informational sessions where everyone who wanted to speak
was allowed to speak. The representatives from the Corps of Engineers
were very articulate and laId out the short- and long-term expenses and
consequences. Also, there is no lack of intelligence in this community.
The "ordinary people" of this community were and are entirely
capable of understanding the flood plan. It is my personal belief that
apathy is often the culprit in the lack of progress. Too often people
feel that someone else should do it--like demonstrating initiative,
taking risk, shopping locally, joining a service group, or volunteering.
I was sorry to see the plan defeated. For many, it's just easier to not
take a stand. To quote you, "or so it seems to me."
Denise Sevigny <<< Thanks a million for caring and sharing Denise. I
can only add that I feel exactly the same way Denise does,... but
different. Someone must first inform the uniformed before the process of
understanding can begin.
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This is a subject that chaps my butt as a lifelong citizen of
Grafton. It's one of those "it doesn't effect me so I don't see why I
should care" issues. It's been nearly 60 years since the entire town
was inundated with floodwaters,a flood which while our largest yet, is
still smaller than a projected 100 year event used by FEMA as a minimum
protection level. Flooding indirectly hurts everyone in Grafton and to
some extent the area around it. I believe Grand Forks lost around 10% of
it's businesses after the flood of "97". Can Grafton afford to lose 10%
(or likely twice that) of it's businesses due to a major event? We don't
need anymore sailboat storage facilities. Unfortunately the flooding
issue is an "out of sight out of mind." problem. Few worry about it
til the call for sandbaggers is made at which point it really is too
late.
In hindsight, if the community had followed thru with flood
protection when it had initially been introduced in the 80s that system
would already be paid for and likely proven it's worth.
While I respect Mr. Tallackson as he has much more experience with
the flood issue than I have I'm not sure his "alternative" is
a complete solution either. After all water is the king of the
trickle down effect. I have heard both the terms retention dam and low
head dam used in regards to Mr. Tallacksons recommendations. I'm not
sure if it was an error on his part or a misinterpretation of
others. While I am no expert, reason and experience would tell me
that they are to some extent two different beast. While it is true low
head dams serve to retain water, it is in a manner to store smaller
quantities and preserve water levels in a normally dry area, for
future use. They do little to retain flood waters as they are generally
at full capacity all the time. A retention structure with it's
high dam, larger storage capacity and provisions for release of overflow
are what is needed and what I would assume Mr. Tallackson is referring
to. I agree that the construction of more retention dams would be a
valuable asset not only to Grafton but to alleviate flooding in the
county as a whole.
One point I like in this idea is that the costs and benefits would be
shared by the County and not only the City of Grafton. However even if
such structures are built it is likely Grafton may still need some level
of protection on it's own. I don't think we can totally abandon such
an idea but sadly fear if upstream dams are built it will make flood
protection in Grafton a totally dead idea.
Unfortunately this is just another example of our leaders having
vision and our citizens failing to follow through with those visions and
wonder why Grafton is struggling. <<<<
Thanks a million for caring and sharing. That's the trouble whenever
the topic is water and what should be done about it. We're "damned" if
we do. and "dammed" if we don't. Or so it seems to me.
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GOTTA GO WORK ON MY DASH
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"Life is to short for long answers." GLM
Write if you can, call if you can't, and, tell your loved ones they
are,..... before it's too late.
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