Odessa

Today, there were many people without power due to damaged equipment and downed power lines from storms that went through the area yesterday. Then today we were oppressed with 90+ F temperatures. Between a weakened infrastructure and higher than normal demand, someone had to pull the short straw and lose power.

My city pulled that short straw and at 11 am National Grid plunged it deep into our rectums while they plunged us into non-air conditioned darkness without so much as warning or advisory on how long they expected it to last. At City Hall, new police cadets were being sworn in. Businesses, who struggle in this post-industrial city and rely on daytime customers, were getting ready for lunch rush.

My gripe isn't that we had to lose power for the greater good - my gripe is that the arrogant bastards at National Grid decided to pull the plug without even a courtesy call to the city mayor and the larger office buildings. Its not like this was an outage caused by outside factors - it was a conscience decision.

No one should ever be willfully forced into an "emergency" situation. If they had given a mere hour's notice to officials: The city could have gotten police to direct traffic at affected lights. Larger commercial structured could have removed the less mobile out of the buildings more safely. Area businesses could have prepared by sending home unneeded staff and food establishments could have made less food. Their careless act could have endangered our community's safety and cost businesses money in a town were times are tough.

A big fat boo to you National Grid!