Power efforts paid off following storm

If this week has taught us anything it should be the obvious - we cannot control the weather. Now granted, this is simply stating the obvious but sometimes, it's the obvious that seems to elude us.

February in our neck of the woods is supposed to be exactly what we're experiencing. Yet when Mother Nature strikes, for some reason we seem surprised and woefully unprepared. You'd think by now we would have learned a lesson.

Don't confuse unusual weather with the global warming hysteria that is all the rage these days. The alarmists would have you believe that every change in the weather is somehow related to our reckless behavior on the energy front. But that is clearly not the case. In fact, there's ample evidence that the weather patterns of today are not far different from any period in the past.

What this weather has taught us here in Sikeston especially is the advantage of having dependable electricity generated by a municipal utility company and not dependent on some outside source of power. Those who took the leap of faith in building Sikeston's power plant should be fully commended at times like these. Credit former utility director Dick Inman with much of that vision.

I have requested the city consider some plan to help residents remove the limbs that are virtually everywhere around town. This freak ice storm wreaked havoc on the trees and there are few homes here without some limbs in their yards. The elderly and those without resources will need some help in recovering from this ice storm. I look forward to hearing suggestions from the city.

When weather like this strikes anywhere, there is always someone pointing an accusing finger at the global warming issue as somehow causing these weather patterns. On the national stage, the presidential candidates too are trying to be the first in line to connect the dots between unusual weather and global warming. Yet few pay attention to the thousands of brilliant scientists who say the issue of global warming is just so much hot air. When will we learn?

I again commend the Board of Municipal Utilities for the lack of damage this past week. The utilities here have for years spent ample money to remove trees from around power lines and it's times like these that those programs pay for themselves. Other nearby communities were without electricity for days but not Sikeston. Our power plant provided dependable power even in the worst of times. Try putting a price on that!