Lots of rain/Stronger storms later

An extended period of moderate to heavy rain for most of the morning today. Some areas are likely to see at least some flooding. This afternoon new thunderstorms are expected to develop.  Those could be severe, especially if we get some sun this afternoon. Keep an eye on the weather and be careful driving in the heavy downpours.

Money Came From Gaming Fund

City Council Meeting April 21, 2014: http://youtu.be/iMEK_QiKmoY

Here is last night's council meeting.

During the meeting the council voted to donate $5,000 to The Jeffersonville High School Theater to help pay for their trip to Nebraska.

The money came from the Gaming Fund. The fund is not allowed to be used in the budget and thus is available for discretionary use.

I can't think of a better way to promote our city to outsiders than to help the city's only high school make a trip for the theater department. The kids needed help and the city was able to step up and contribute. We're always told by Tina how important schools to a city's attractiveness. Well, if looking for a place to locate and raise a family, I've got imagine that the city supporting the high school has to look pretty damn good.

Of course Debbie is always trying to scare people by coming up with the worst case scenario. But I not even sure that her scenario applies because there are guidelines for the council to follow when the council makes such moves.

Can they afford to donate to everyone?  No.

But you're not going to be able to make everyone happy no matter what you do.  Especially in this city.

But helping out the city high school? Well that's about as harmless as it gets and a good use of discretionary spending.

WINTER STORM WARNING!

From the National Weather Service:

...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 5 AM EST /4 AM CST/ SUNDAY TO 1 PM EST /NOON CST/ MONDAY... * TIMING: EARLY SUNDAY MORNING THROUGH MID-DAY MONDAY. * MAIN IMPACT: THREE TO SIX INCHES OF SNOW AND SLEET ALONG WITH UP TO A QUARTER INCH OF ICE ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED. TRAVEL WILL BECOME TREACHEROUS AT TIMES. TREE DAMAGE AND POWER OUTAGES ARE LIKELY. * OTHER IMPACTS: GUSTY NORTHERLY WINDS OF UP TO 30 MPH SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY MAY CAUSE BLOWING SNOW AND WORSEN TREE DAMAGE. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... TRAVEL WILL BE TREACHEROUS WITH SOME ROADS NEARLY IMPASSABLE. HAVE AN EMERGENCY KIT OF BLANKETS...FOOD...WATER AND FLASHLIGHTS IF YOU MUST TRAVEL. POWER OUTAGES ARE LIKELY.

What The NWS Is Thinking As Of Right Now

This will probably change as we get closer.  I will update tomorrow as I can.  Be prepared to possibly lose power. 

WINTER STORM WATCH FOR SUNDAY NIGHT/MONDAY

...WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH MONDAY EVENING... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LOUISVILLE HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH MONDAY EVENING. * TIMING: SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH MONDAY EVENING. * MAIN IMPACT: SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF WINTRY WEATHER INCLUDING FREEZING RAIN...SLEET AND SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THE WATCH AREA. THIS WILL RESULT IN NEGATIVE TRAVEL IMPACTS SUNDAY EVENING THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT. * FORECAST CONFIDENCE: AT THIS TIME...THERE REMAINS A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF UNCERTAINTY WITH RESPECT TO THE DEVELOPMENT AND EVENTUAL TRACK OF THIS SYSTEM. RESIDENTS OF SOUTHERN INDIANA AND CENTRAL KENTUCKY SHOULD KEEP ABREAST OF THE LATEST FORECASTS THIS WEEKEND AS ADDITIONAL EXPANSIONS OF THE WATCH MAY BE REQUIRED. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... SIGNIFICANT WINTER PRECIPITATION MAY DEVELOP...BUT THE EXACT TIMING...LOCATION...AND INTENSITY ARE YET UNDETERMINED. STAY TUNED FOR UPDATES.

Moore Supporters Are Running Out Of Excuses

 

Edit to add: I don't believe this guy is who he says he is.  He has pretty damn good rrecollection of events that happened while he was supposedly gone. I call BS!

So when you reasonably (and correctly) point out that Mike Moore advocated for the change in lighting on the walking bridge, and that change has been part of the delay, this is the response you get.  Translation: I have to protect the mayor no matter how dumb it makes me look.

Luckily for all of us, the people of Jeffersonville are not so easily confused.

A Little House Cleaning

Just some things that I haven't had time to comment on, that I want to briefly touch on.  Hopefully a little more in depth writings on a few these down the road.

-Lets get to the biggest one.  The city's snow removal/road treatment.

Quite frankly, I believe that it has gone downhill the last few years and this year has just been horrible.  We haven't even had a snow event that big, yet the roads have been dangerous and more  importantly neglected. 

Now my point is not that the roads should be in perfect shape 100% of the time, but that the quality of the job done by the city has worsened under Mike Moore.  And while some will try to paint you the picture that I only say this because I dislike Moore as the mayor, the fact is that this is simply not true.  There are many more who share this opinion.  There have been others on the Chatter who have shared this opinion.  But they have been ignored because Moore proponents can't use that excuse against them.  And the fact is that my personal Facebook page has been lit up with post from others Jeffersonville residents who share this same opinion.

It seems that in the last few years that the city has gone from a proactive approach to a reactive approach, and public safety has suffered because of it.

-It seems that Moore stuck the proverbial foot in his mouth this past week.  On top of telling businesses to look else where and disparaging a neighboring city, it seems he's not up on his zoning either. The current zoning allows for a small store or car wash or repair shop basically.  Yet Moore cited lack of jobs as one of the reasons that he didn't like the idea of changing .the zoning.  Well really how many number of jobs are we talking about here?

If Moore had thought about it and been a good city leader, he would have sought a compromise from both sides.  Perhaps requiring a plan that would be more aesthetically pleasing to the residents before supporting a change in zoning.

But instead he went down there guns a blazing and said the stuff above and knocked it because it had metal buildings.  Oh yeah, the Big Four Station has metal buildings.  But I guess they don't count.  Oh yeah, and Moore used to live close by the area.

-Now lets get to the Moore defenders.  They quite frankly are running out of ways to defend him and are now attacking the people that criticize him.  Much like the Wizard Of Oz, its a "pay no attention to the man behind the curtain" and look over here. 

It's not working.  Average citizens are noticing.  I see and hear about it all the time from people who don't know who I am.

But what is even more sad, is that these people's only reason for defending him seems to be they are under the impression that he is saving them a few bucks a month and that is all that matters to them.  How petty and self-centered.  Maybe that should be Kelley's campaign slogan if she decides to run again.  "Its not about growth or public safety, it's about keeping an extra quarter a month in my pocket."  Maybe that might get the voters to like her.

-On to something that isn't the mayor.

Shea Van Hoy, editor of the News & Tribune, is upset because Judge Jacobi won't talk to them anymore. 

Well first of all, he should in no way be speaking to anyone right now until the internal investigation is complete.  Actually, no one in county government should, but people who want to get elected will do stupid things. 

But more to the point, Van Hoy is upset because Jacobi made this decision a while ago because he didn't like how the paper was covering him.  When I pointed out that he was basically saying "no matter how the paper treats an elected official, that official should talk to the paper and that the paper should not face any repercussions" he made the lame excuse that "this is how citizens hear from their elected officials." 

Well, I hate to break it to Mr. Van Hoy, but it is 2014 and elected officials have a wide variety of ways to speak to the voters besides the dying newspaper business. 

Van Hoy will also claim that the paper has no political bias.  

Yes that's right. A paper that printed writings from the previously mentioned Kelley Curran that were not only anti Tom Galligan, but also directed readers to the Chatter who's posters were also very anti Galligan at the time.  And then Curran ran for office, on basically an anti Galligan platform.  

Yeah, no agenda what so ever.

-Now on to some personal matters.  It seems that some people are under the impression that the Oracle and myself are one and the same.  This was brought to my attention recently as some people have been interested in my identity.

Let me assure you not that this is not the case.  We are indeed two very different people.  He is a much better writer than I am, and I am much better looking than he is.

Let me also say, that you have no idea who I am.  I'm not some Jeffersonville "big wig".  I've never held political office.  And you've almost certainly never heard of me.  I think that the few online who I've at least talked about who I am with, will testify to this.  I'm just an average citizen of Jeff who you've probably passed more than a few times in town, who just cares about the future of the city.

-And lastly, those few that I have talked to, know that this has been a trying past six months or so for the JAML family.  I would like to take this time to let you know that things seem to be very much going in a good direction and are better.  And also want to say thank you so much for your kind words and thoughts and prayers.  More than anything, they have given me reason to smile when I have read them, and gave me strength during a very challenging and scary time.  I can not emphasize enough how much the kind words of people I only barely know have meant to me.  Thank you so much!

WINTER STORM WARNING

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM EST /3 PM CST/ THIS AFTERNOON TO 7 AM EST /6 AM CST/ WEDNESDAY... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LOUISVILLE HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR SNOW AND FREEZING RAIN...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM EST /3 PM CST/ THIS AFTERNOON TO 7 AM EST /6 AM CST/ WEDNESDAY. THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

* TIMING: PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN AROUND MID-AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE EVENING AND INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO BE HEAVY AT TIMES THIS EVENING. THE PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO DIMINISH LATE TONIGHT. * MAIN IMPACTS: SNOWFALL AMOUNTS OF 4 TO 7 INCHES ARE EXPECTED ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN INDIANA...NORTH OF A LINE FROM JASPER INDIANA TO MADISON INDIANA.

SOUTH OF THIS LINE...
FREEZING RAIN WILL BE THE MAIN PRECIPITATION TYPE. SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF FREEZING RAIN ARE LIKELY WITH ICE ACCUMULATIONS OF ONE QUARTER TO AS MUCH AS ONE THIRD OF AN INCH.

THE SNOW AND FREEZING RAIN WILL MAKE TRAVEL EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS THIS EVENING. THE FREEZING RAIN WILL ACCUMULATE ON TREE BRANCHES AND POWER LINES. SHOULD SIGNIFICANT ICING OCCUR...POWER OUTAGES ARE A STRONG POSSIBILITY IN SOME AREAS.

WINTER STORM WATCH

This is for tomorrow evening.  Keep an eye on this one.  This could be anything from rain to ice to snow.  More later as new information comes out.

WHAT TO EXPECT TOMORROW MORNING

From The National Weather Service...

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM EST /MIDNIGHT CST/ TO 4 PM EST /3 PM CST/ SATURDAY...

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM EST /MIDNIGHT CST/ TO 4 PM EST /3 PM CST/ SATURDAY.

* TIMING: THE HEAVIEST SNOW WILL FALL BETWEEN 2 AM AND 8 AM EST SATURDAY.

* MAIN IMPACT: ENOUGH LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WILL BE IN PLACE AS THIS SYSTEM MOVES THROUGH TO ALLOW FOR A RELATIVELY QUICK BURST OF SNOW. SNOW TOTALS LOOK TO BE THE HIGHEST ALONG A MADISON INDIANA TO GEORGETOWN KENTUCKY LINE...WHERE TOTALS WILL RANGE FROM 2 TO 4 INCHES. THE LOUISVILLE AND LEXINGTON METRO AREAS CAN EXPECT ANYWHERE FROM 1 TO 3 INCHES OF SNOW.

* OTHER IMPACTS: SUSTAINED WESTERLY WINDS OF 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AT LEAST 30 MPH WILL CREATE SIGNIFICANT BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES...AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.

Winter Storm Warning

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM EST /6 AM CST/ SUNDAY TO 1 AM EST /MIDNIGHT CST/ MONDAY... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LOUISVILLE HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW...BLOWING SNOW...AND DANGEROUSLY COLD TEMPERATURES...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM EST /6 AM CST/ SUNDAY TO 1 AM EST /MIDNIGHT CST/ MONDAY. THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. * TIMING: PRECIPITATION WILL BEGIN BEFORE DAYBREAK ON SUNDAY AS A LIGHT WINTRY MIX. STEADY PRECIPITATION WILL MOVE INTO THE AREA AFTER SUNRISE SUNDAY AND REMAIN MOSTLY A MIX OF RAIN AND SNOW ALTHOUGH SOME LOCATIONS OVER SOUTHERN INDIANA WILL SEE ALL SNOW THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS. A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE AREA SUNDAY AFTERNOON CHANGING PRECIPITATION OVER TO ALL SNOW BY MID TO LATE AFTERNOON. SNOW WILL FALL HEAVILY AT TIMES SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING...AND THEN TAPER OFF SUNDAY NIGHT. * MAIN IMPACT: SNOWFALL TOTALS OF 5 TO 9 INCHES ARE LIKELY IN SOUTHERN INDIANA...WITH 3 TO 6 INCHES OF SNOW LIKELY IN NORTH CENTRAL KENTUCKY FROM HARTFORD TO BEDFORD INCLUDING THE LOUISVILLE METRO AREA. THESE TOTALS COULD CHANGE DEPENDING ON THE EVENTUAL TRACK OF THE STORM. * OTHER IMPACTS: HEAVY SNOWFALL RATES WILL BE AGGRAVATED BY RAPIDLY FALLING TEMPERATURES AND GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS. SLICK ROADWAYS AND REDUCED VISIBILITIES ARE LIKELY DURING THE HEAVY BANDS OF SNOW. AFTER THE SNOW ENDS SUNDAY NIGHT...BLOWING SNOW WILL CONTINUE AS NORTHWEST WINDS GUST UP TO 30 MPH THROUGH THE NIGHT. TEMPERATURES WILL RAPIDLY FALL TO INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS BELOW ZERO BY DAWN ON MONDAY. THE ASSOCIATED WIND CHILL VALUES WILL RANGE IN THE -15 TO -30 DEGREE RANGE BY DAWN ON MONDAY. BE PREPARED FOR THIS DANGEROUS SHOT OF COLD AIR THAT WILL LAST AT LEAST UNTIL TUESDAY MORNING. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS. ONLY TRAVEL IN AN EMERGENCY. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL...KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT... FOOD...AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY

Snow On The Way

Expect rain to move into the area tonight.  The rain will eventually change over to snow.  About 2 inches of snow can be expected.  Temps were relatively warm today and the sun was out most of time so if the roads are treated they should stay in decent enough shape.  The only exception would be during and right after any heavier burst of snow.  Keep that in mind tomorrow and drive safe.

City Employee To (forced?) Retire

Sources have told me that a city department head is abruptly retiring and that a replacement has already been chosen.  My source indicated to me that the retirement may have been a leave or be thrown out type situation.  I'll have more information as it becomes available.

Tornado Watch Till Midnight

We are under a Tornado Watch until midnight tonight.  While there is a threat for tornadoes, the biggest threat from these storms will be very strong straight line winds and torrential downpours causing flash flooding.

A DECLARATION OF NEUTRALITY

With the recent declaration of war by the giant Goliath on the CCC it became apparent that the JAML blog make it stance clear.  And that stance is one of neutrality. 

While the JAML Blog may have a rooting interest on one side, the simple matter of the fact is that this will remain neutral ground. 

The truth of the situation is that the JAML Blog has friends on both sides as well as enemies on both sides.  So to declare for one side or the other is neither in our interests or our desire.  At this time.

Furthermore, the JAML Blog will accept a limited number of refugees.  The likes of Grumpy Granny, Jules, Leah and others will be allowed to pass into our boarders for safety until the conflict is resolved.

However, do not let our neutrality be misinterpreted to mean that we will standing by idly waiting to see who wins.  We will also be monitoring the combatants boarders to ensure that there are no outsiders trying to influence the outcome for one side or the other.  Or worse, arming both sides hoping for double annihilation.  We realize that there are other blogs out there that would like a long draining war for both sides so that they can use the opportunity to rise up and try to assume control.   Abbysnanna and j-pol, we will be watching.

We have sent delegates to the Oracle to discuss their current position as well.

To both parties: We are neutral at this time.  But make no mistake.  Any attempt to involve us without our permission will be met with severe sanctions.  And any act of hostility or aggression towards the JAML Blog will be met with a severe and immediate response from both us and our allies. We will use any and all force to defend our boarders.

Early (TOO EARLY) Friday Morning Update

The National Weather Service has updated their forecast.  Expect between a .25 to .5 of ice before it transitions to sleet and snow.  Sleet and snow amounts are now expected at 3-5 inches.  This put power outage in play.  Keep updated as ice is already accumulating.

Be Prepared For Everything

This will be my only post this evening.  I have to get up early for work tomorrow.   Turned out that the office manager at The JAML Corporate HQ heard about the storm and jumped on the first flight to the Bahamas.   SOB.

As it stands right now we just in the middle of the transition zone.  Just a few miles north they are expecting a hefty snow storm.  Just a few miles to our west and southwest they are expecting a pretty decent icing event.  Just to our south and southeast they are expecting heavy rain finishing up as a brief period of snow. 

And here we are expecting primarily a sleet and snow event.  As it stands right now the forecast is for a period of freezing rain followed by an extended period of sleet and snow (which could be heavy at times tomorrow) and finishing up as all snow tomorrow night. 

A accumulation of snow and sleet of 2-3 inches is expected at this time with a thin layer of ice underneath that.  But given our close proximity to the other zones, do not rule anything out.

With the cold air moving in quicker than expected it is becoming very unlikely that this will remain mostly rain, however.  (At 6pm, Paoli was already at freezing.)  Quite frankly at this time it is more likely that this will be a bust than mostly rain.  And that is still a remote possibility.

Keep an eye and ear on the weather and proceed cautiously if you are traveling tonight and tomorrow.

It's On Its Way

It will take its time getting here but it is getting stronger and heading this way.

WINTER STORM WARNING

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM EST /9 PM CST/ THIS EVENING TO 1 AM EST /MIDNIGHT CST/ SATURDAY... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LOUISVILLE HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM EST /9 PM CST/ THIS EVENING TO 1 AM EST /MIDNIGHT CST/ SATURDAY. THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. * TIMING: THE INITIAL CHANGE OVER TO A WINTRY MIX OF SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN LOOKS TO OCCUR ACROSS SOUTHERN INDIANA LATER THIS EVENING. IT SHOULD TRANSITION AGAIN TO JUST SNOW DURING THE MORNING HOURS...WITH THE INTENSITY FORECAST TO PICK UP DURING THE AFTERNOON. * MAIN IMPACT: SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS WILL RANGE FROM 4 TO 8 INCHES ACROSS THE WARNING AREA...WITH THE HEAVIEST INTENSITY OF SNOW EXPECTED TO FALL FRIDAY AFTERNOON. * OTHER IMPACTS: THERE WILL BE A BRIEF PERIOD DURING THE LATE EVENING AND OVERNIGHT HOURS WHERE FREEZING RAIN WILL MAKE DRIVING DANGEROUS. TEMPERATURES WILL RAPIDLY FALL ACROSS THE ENTIRE WATCH AREA ON FRIDAY NIGHT. ANY PRE-EXISTING WET SURFACES COULD QUICKLY FREEZE CREATING MORE HAZARDOUS DRIVING AND WALKING CONDITIONS. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS. ONLY TRAVEL IN AN EMERGENCY. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL...KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT... FOOD...AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.

A Quick Weather Update

Here's what we know is going to happen:

-Rain will spread over the area Thursday.

-At times the rain will be heavy.  Flash flooding is possible.

-At some point cold air will drop into the area changing the rain to wintry precipitation.

-This should all wrap up sometime Friday night.

Here is what is unclear at this time:

-How soon does the cold air get here?

-How quickly does the air above us cool?

Right now the computer models are just now starting to come together after being all over the place the last few days.  And right now they are showing a good amount of snow for us.  But these forecasting models have trouble with sleet.  And just a couple of hours of sleet mixing in with the snow would greatly reduce the snow amounts.

It looks as though the models are going away from freezing rain, which is good.  But the last time I saw the Weather Channel forecast they were forecasting an ice storm here.  But overall the rest of the thinking is going away from that.

Here's my thoughts at this time.  As long as this stays away from being an ice storm, this will just be a pain in the rear end.  You may want to stay home Friday or you may want to head home early.  But if you wanted or needed to get out and about it would be very manageable. 

By this time tomorrow night we should know what is on its way.

WHAT I CANNOT STRESS ENOUGH IS TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE STORM FOR SUNDAY.

If we get any type of snow and/ice cover we may have big problems on Sunday.  Right now a lot of things have to come together so it is a watch and see situation at this time.

More updates tomorrow.