did y'all see this? (Louisville, Frankfort: how much, home, public schools)

[missymomof3]

This was in the paper today:




Into the snowy breach


Snow fell in Louisville yesterday, however sparsely. Alert the media.

Actually, of course, there's no need for that. Snow(flake) Teams sprang into action, especially on television, where newscasts on some stations Monday night had three separate segments on the imminent dusting, saving the actual prediction of how much (or how little) for last.



Local denizens, fearful of running out of milk, beer or cigarettes, presumably made late-night shopping forays to ensure that they weren't caught snowbound without essentials.

The Jefferson County Public Schools started classes on a two-hour delay, which is just about worst case for parents who try to juggle their kids' school with their own jobs.

There are, to be sure, legitimate traffic and other precautions to be taken anytime there is snow, especially with children.

But Louisville remains a city in which one-inch snowfalls have been described as "paralyzing." Why this should be so, given that Metro Louisville government's Web site says that the city receives an annual average snowfall of more than 18 inches, remains a bit of a mystery.

For whatever reason, one often hears Louisvillians express a variant of the notion that "we don't know how to handle (or drive in) snow like they do in the North."

Well, you know what? The big secret of northeastern and Midwestern cities is that they clear the snow off the roadways.

It's understandable to fear the kind of economically disastrous shutdown Kentucky faced in 1994. But the city and state are actually far better prepared now for a truly major storm.

And as for driving? Well -- and this is a lesson lost on motorists creeping down Frankfort Avenue yesterday -- what Yankees know about driving in the snow is: Easy as she goes, but keep moving. No sudden stops or turns. Allow extra distance between vehicles and extra time to reach your destination.

Really. That's all they do and all they know differently up North. Exhale.

[louroclou]

Hear, hear! As a native Louisvillian who lived in Rochester NY for 35 years - and returned home - I have to say that the reaction here to snow is, well, comic. Shovelling our sad, angry little inch yesterday, I had to laugh. When you can live through a 24-hour storm that lands 3 feet on your sidewalk, a crippling inch is kind of funny. You're right: Louisville - Get over it!

[mdawg]

i lived in buffalo, ny for 8 months,and unfortunately, 6 of those month there was snow on the ground (just joking, but not reallly). I can remember there was still school after a snow storm dropped a foot of snow overnight, being from the ville, i was kind of shocked about this, but up north they have the equipment to clear the streets fast, and they are more used to the snow, i cant remember the last time we had a heavy snow here (over 6"), it had to have been about 5 years ago. Its not like it snows everyday here or even once a week, so we arent really prepared for it. We have gotten better about putting the brine treatment down, in fact, i saw trucks putting it down today on shelbyville rd.

[louroclou]

Allow me some reminiscences: I was a teacher in a public high school in Rochester. These were my own guidelines to determine whether the superintendent would close schools: there had to be a foot of snow, but the fall had to start after midnight. The temperature at 5 am had to be below 15. There had to be wind of some significance. Snowfall could be less to close schools - if the windchill was colder than -15. Otherwise... buck up and come to school. I walked to school - a mile and a half - and I left around 5 am. There were times I clawed my way through feet of snow only to find out I had to turn around: the criteria had been met while I was in the mess.


But you know what? The one thing I miss about Rochester is that debilitating weather. It was the only time Rochesterians helped each other, talked... and laughed, as Louisvillians do all the time.

[missymomof3]

Originally Posted by louroclou

But you know what? The one thing I miss about Rochester is that debilitating weather. It was the only time Rochesterians helped each other, talked... and laughed, as Louisvillians do all the time.

That is so sad that that is the only way they do! Personally it kinda makes me mad that if the person who wrote that article doesn't like it then they are free to move. How often do we really get snow that it should be such a big deal?