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Readers in all cities, especially Florence, have asked us why more was not done to prepare roads for the 8" of snow. It had been predicted days in advance. Florence citizens were particularly unhappy. Many main arteries went untouched by anything even resembling a snowplow.
Municipal elections are still two years away. Think about what you want your hometown to be. It won't simply morph into something better. You have to vote to replace the dead weight. Ask our Florence Detective (flodetective@gmail.com) some questions about city problems. He's working to make a better Florence, and so should you be.
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There are two important dates coming up. The first applies to our state only. In three days, barring a judge's order, Alabama will execute former Florence resident Kenneth Smith. The State will use a new method...or try to. The world will be watching. You need to decide how you feel about the death penalty. Admittedly, Smith is no poster boy for abolishing such punishment. We all need to pray about this.
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Did none of the area municipalities learn anything from the 1994 ice storm?
ReplyDeleteOne defense that I hear for Florence not being more prepared for snow and ice is it is such a "rare" occurrence. I have read a comment from a commentator I usually agree with that this sort of ice event happens "once every thirty years". My advise is to check your weather log. Whether some want to believe in science or not, we WILL have more extreme weather events if recent history is an indicator. But, if we never had another droplet of ice fall on Court Street again, if anyone would simply take a look at the city of
ReplyDeleteFlorence budget for the fiscal year, they would see there is no reason not to spend some of the taxpayer money on snow removal equipment. The one million dollars appropriated to UNA for a math and computer building could have bought a few plows! Salt trucks could get a healthy boost from the money spent on the "rebranding" project of the F! logo. And what about the fruit murals? Andy Betterton and company are governing the city of Florence as if it is a garden club. While Florence citizens pay the highest retail sales tax in North Alabama, what we get for our money instead of improved infrastructure and city services are fruity murals and "dedicated" building projects.
I remember when so-called 'extreme weather events' were called 'blizzards, ice storms, tornadoes, hurricanes, heatwaves, etc'. Contrary to what the 'sky is falling' crowd wants everyone to believe, such instances AREN'T increasing. It's part of my job to know this.
ReplyDeleteA great many weather professionals say it is increasing. Whether this is a centuries long phenomenon that will eventually swing the other way is a good question: https://scijinks.gov/polar-vortex/
DeleteRe: 'weather professoonals': I have socks older than most of them. I'll defer to James Spann.
ReplyDeleteRe: 'weather professoonals': I have socks older than most of them. I'll defer to James Spann.
ReplyDelete