29 MAR 09: Wetter Now
So did you join in the "Earth Hour" event Saturday night -- where people turned off their lights at home for an hour? Or did you do what thousands of people in the Columbus area did? They took Earth Hour early, because their power went out.
Thousands of people lost electricity Saturday because of the grand finale from a three-day.... well, perhaps I shouldn't call it a storm. Meteorologists like to call these things "rain events" now. It's as if they're encouraging stores to have special sales on umbrellas and galoshes.
The church service I attend had to be cut short, because the power went out during the "sermonette" message. The speaker finished his message in the dark - yet for some reason, he did NOT encourage our group to be "lights of the world."
Did you see what the high water apparently did to a different Columbus church? A sewage backup covered the floor of New Bethel Tabernacle Church of God in Christ on Winston Road with filth -- and the same thing happened 28 February. The Pastor ought to do a Bible study, to see if 28 is a number of the devil.
The wife of the New Bethel Tabernacle pastor told WXTX "News at Ten" the city took responsibility for the February sewage spill through the toilets. She says that one included dead rats on the church floor. There are a few Georgia churches which might have rooted for snakes to come out....
Columbus had more than 3.6 inches of rain Saturday alone. We've received approximately six inches over the last three days - yet it still isn't enough for the Aflac duck to go swimming in the Chattahoochee River. Stardom seemingly has inflated this animal's ego.
The latest federal drought map shows Muscogee County barely inside the "moderate drought" zone. Hopefully the last few days will take care of that. If it doesn't, some people might consider it an Obama administration plot to seek more money for wetland protection.
Enough rain fell to move the level of West Point Lake above full pool. It's gained 13 feet of water in the last 18 months - so the fishermen in Apalachicola are welcome to drive up with big buckets, and take some to save their livelihoods.
Flash flood alerts were posted in parts of the area Saturday night. Several creeks in Harris County overflowed, including Ossahatchie Creek. Where are those Native American dancers when we need them - to do a "pow-wow" and appeal for sunshine?
Flash flooding occurred across east Alabama as well. A creek in Hurtsboro overflowed, leaving parts of the town flooded for the first time in four years. This is simply the wrong way to resolve the city's problems with trash removal....
In a rare public appearance, Hurtsboro Mayor Rayford Tapley said he hopes to obtain federal stimulus money for flood control. And former Constable Robert Schweiger had better not complain about it, or the sewer lines might be directed toward his house.
The Chattahoochee River in Columbus rose more than two feet between Friday morning and Saturday morning. On Saturday night, there was scattered flooding on the Riverwalk - but when I went running (yes, I turned the lights out), the only thing I saw was people fishing. You'd think at least one kayaker would have tried it.
Yes, I went jogging after sunset on the Riverwalk. The rain had stopped for several hours, and the 1.2-mile section I ran had standing water in only one or two places. It was nicer than the three-mile run I made in the rain two weeks ago - which was more like the song, "Splish splash, I was taking a bath/ 'Long about a Saturday night...."
The Chattahoochee was about one foot from Riverwalk level at South Commons, with water stopping about five yards from the trail. A large number of people were out fishing in the high water - as if their Saturday morning trip to the grocery store was canceled because of rain.
The Riverwalk includes a short wooden bridge between the Georgia State Docks and Port Columbus. The west gate to that bridge was open, but the east gate was closed. Being the good law-abiding citizen that I am, I obeyed both of them - and thankfully, I saw the west gate first.
But my southbound run down the Riverwalk had to turn around near the V.F.W. hall, when flood water covered the course. I remembered the warnings they issue on TV at times like this - if you can't tell the depth of the water in the dark, you might drown. And on top of that, your nice running shoes might be ruined.
At least the Columbus area escaped damage from thunderstorm and tornadoes this time. But who decided to proceed with the regular Saturday test of the severe weather sirens, as the rain was falling? Was it a double test, to see how many scared residents would turn on the TV for updates?
As you might expect, the weekend rain canceled several activities. One was connected to "The Big Read" of a Mark Twain classic, as a "community fence painting" was called off. Don't worry, though - enough college students are still doing Habitat for Humanity spring break projects to take care of that.
-> How did our Thursday night poker game? Check the results and more at our other blog, "On the Flop!" <--
BLOG UPDATE: The front page of Saturday's Ledger-Enquirer was startling on several counts. A page-one commentary?! Supporting the death penalty?!? And actually criticizing a Democrat?!?!
Ledger-Enquirer Executive Editor Ben Holden wrote a blistering commentary against Muscogee County District Attorney Julia Slater, for a series of "missteps." And he didn't go all the way with his attacks -- because he could have challenged that post-election haircut.
Ben Holden says the last straw for the Ledger-Enquirer was Julia Slater's decision NOT to seek the death penalty for accused Doctors Hospital killer Charles Johnston. He actually indicated that was an acceptable time to seek capital punishment. Such a commentary simply couldn't appear in the paper if Kaffie Sledge was alive - although based on another Saturday column, she still might be.
Ben Holden raises a good question: if District Attorney Julia Slater doesn't consider the Doctors Hospital killings a capital crime, then what is? The widow of one victim told WRBL she wanted Slater to seek the death penalty. Was that widow outvoted? Or has the D.A. decided the voters last November wanted THAT much change?
Now let's see what else is interesting this weekend....
+ Columbus State University held its spring "visitation day" for prospective students. I saw a sign promoting this on Gentian Boulevard - and for some reason, my first thought involved visits to see jail inmates.
+ An Acworth, Georgia man claimed a million-dollar Georgia Lottery prize at a Columbus convenience store. He bought the winning ticket here, while visiting his mother to repair her house. Of course, now he may have a lot more renovation to do....
+ The Chattahoochee Valley Beekeepers Association held a "short course" for the public. Lesson one: don't try to pet one like you would a dog.
+ The Columbus Lions lost their first game of the year, 55-36 to Florence. And if that's not enough, someone burglarized several players' cars which were parked outside the Columbus Civic Center. Whoever did this should be sentenced to a game against the Lions - one player versus eight.
+ The Columbus Cottonmouths lost game two of their semifinal series 7-3 to Fayetteville. Coach Jerome Bechard changed goalies in the second period, when the score reached 6-1. At the University of Kentucky, they might have changed coaches.
+ Instant Message to WEAM-AM: You're "Sports Radio 1580," right? Yet Saturday night you had no Lions game, no Cottonmouths game - and I had to turn to WWL in New Orleans to hear the Villanova-Pittsburgh basketball game in my car. How much are you paying Mike Vee, anyway?
SCHEDULED MONDAY: E-mails about a local merger, and a man upon a horse....
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