Register editor
In the lead-up to the televised debate Wednesday night between New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Cynthia Nixon, a former TV star who has turned into a policy wonk, one of the details to be ironed out was the agreed-upon temperature of the room.
Cuomo prefers it meat-locker cold, while Nixon aides requested the thermostat be set at 76 degrees.
Nixon herself said she would not make a big deal about the temperature, adding shed appear in a ski parka if necessary. She wasnt off the mark. At his State of the State addresses members in the audience are shown swathed in hats, coats and mittens due to Cuomos internal thermostat, which must be that of a woolly mammoth. At one such address the sergeant-at-arms distributed blankets to those who came unprepared.
Women, particularly, suffer during the warmer months from chilly office interiors if their male counterparts continue to dress in full suits and request thermostats be set to keep them cool, calm and comfortable. Whats the sense of buying summer-weight fabrics if you have to wear a knee-length cardigan all day?
The need for AC is only going to get worse. According to a recent study by the Climate Impact Lab, Iola currently averages 56 days a year at or above 90 degrees. By the end of the century, thats predicted to jump to 82 days, due to global warming.
TALKING ABOUT summer, I was dismayed to learn the City of Iola will cease its weekly mosquito spraying due to budget cuts.
Not so long ago, friends and I enjoyed a lovely evening on the patio without a single mosquito hovering about. I gave the credit to the citys service.
Sometimes I wait around outside on Tuesday evenings specifically to bow in gratitude of the city sprayer slowly making his way down our street.
According to City Administrator Sid Fleming, the decision to eliminate the $20,000 service was fairly easy because its a readily identifiable line item in the massive $1.2 million street and alley budget.
Whether the service is of value wasnt really discussed by council members, Fleming said, rather its singularity made it an easier target than deciding to repair every two of three potholes, for example.
While Im not disputing that, I do think the quality of life by having fewer mosquitoes about should count for something.
But perhaps next year well not notice any difference without the service. In that case, my slice of humble pie will taste mighty good.
