http://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2012/12/21/belated-commuter-warning Comments On: Wind storm leaves trees down, power outages by Max Brantley en-us Copyright 2013 Arkansas Times. All rights reserved. This RSS file is offered to individuals, Arkansas Times readers, and non-commercial organizations only. Any commercial websites wishing to use this RSS file, please contact Arkansas Times. robert@arktimes.com (Arkansas Times Webmaster) Wed, 19 Jun 2013 00:00:01 -0500 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:00:00 -0500 Foundation http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss You can bet that if Stodola had to drive down Kavanaugh to city hall it would be gone.
Posted by Tim Eubanks]]> Fri, 21 Dec 2012 11:45:47 -0600 Arkansas Times For outage updates: http://viewoutage.entergy.com/ar.aspx

“Your chances of getting struck by lightning go up if you stand under a tree, shake your fist at the sky, and say "Storms suck!"”
Johnny Carson
Posted by Zatharus]]> Fri, 21 Dec 2012 11:05:47 -0600 Arkansas Times
Since we are in a rural area and on teh end of a service line, we have been out as long as 9 days at a time. Fortunately, I have 2 meters because of the construction of a storage building after we moved back to the state so we are always counted as 2 customers on one line so we were up before the other single user at the end of another line (the last 3 in the area).

I have nothing but respect for the crews that risk their lives but I don't want them up when it is still lightning or when the wind is still whipping around since my truck was being blown all over the road by the lower speed winds at ground level.
Posted by couldn't be better]]> Fri, 21 Dec 2012 10:03:03 -0600 Arkansas Times
Back in 1983-84, my father still worked for Entergy. He had worked up through the service linemen ranks since the 1950s, and had a remarkable skill for clearing storm damage after a tornado, ice storm, etc. It's like a map formed in his head, and he instinctively knew how to restore power to the most people the fastest way, while serving emergency functions (police, fire, hospital) first.

But in 1983-84 my father had moved into middle-upper management. Entergy had laid off a lot of experienced linemen due to their high salary needs (my dad had fought this but lost.) Then a big snow and ice storm raged across north Arkansas. Entergy asked my dad to take over the storm repairs from the local foremen. My dad had limited crews to work with, and they were not as experienced as the crews in the past.

So my dad spent our Christmas and New Years that year restoring power to hundreds of small towns in north Arkansas. Even though he was no longer union, he would get out with the crews and work hand-in-hand with them, sometimes up to 18 hours a day. The crews followed the example he set. The repairs were coming along ahead of schedule but had still extended over a week.

Then a certain mayor (not going to say which town) decided to make a name for himself in the newspapers. He was upset that he went without power for a week. That mayor blasted the storm repair efforts, blasted Entergy, insulted the crews and in general acted like an ass.

To be honest, my dad was an asshole at times. And after working almost two weeks nonstop (before and after the storm) and after so many overtime hours, he was furious. So when the newspaper came to him for comment he remained calm and said:

"Well, since Mayor xxxx New Years' party is being inconvenienced, I'll pull all the crews from working on the police department, the hospital, the ambulance and the fire department. We'll have the major's power back up in two days. Then we'll start working on those less-important services."

The newspaper ate it up and kept bringing it back to life all year following. The major lost the election the following November.

I miss my dad, especially this time of year!
Posted by Slingerland]]> Fri, 21 Dec 2012 09:47:46 -0600 Arkansas Times Posted by HolyGuano]]> Fri, 21 Dec 2012 09:11:38 -0600 Arkansas Times