This ... is ... SO ... *WRONG* ... :-(

[SchoolGirlHeart]

WWII Veteran Freezes To Death In Own Home
Bay City Electric & Light Restricted Power To Man's Home After Not Paying Bills

POSTED: 2:20 pm EST January 26, 2009
UPDATED: 6:33 pm EST January 26, 2009
BAY CITY, Mich. -- Officials in central Michigan say a 93-year-old man who owned more than $1,000 in unpaid electric bills froze to death inside his home -- where the municipal power company had restricted his use of electricity.

http://www.wnem.com/news/18566890/detail.html#-

[sonofabeach]

I thought this was gonna be about a Magnum movie

I wish it was

[flipflopgirl]

i have no postable words at this time!

[Crazy Navy Flyer]

So sad.

[ScarletB]

I hope they find a way to press charges. That is SO sad.

[nutmeg]

Oh dear! Bay City is just 20 miles from here.

Sail on sir.

And Shame on Bay City Power and Light for not checking on him and making sure he knew about the shut off and making arrangements for him.

[popcornjack]

I love the "we're examining ways to make sure this doesn't happen again" line. A fat load of good that's gonna do for this guy.

[docandjeanie]

[VanillaGrl]

[SMLCHNG]

[dnw]

So sad.

[Glorfindel7]

Somehow I hope the Bay City Power goes out at City Hall in the middle of a cold spell like the one we just experienced... Would serve them right

(Looks like he had every intention to pay the bill just either didn't have the energy to get to the local post office, or it got way too cold for him )

I know one way they could prevent this in the future... Instead of just showing up to turn off the electricty they should have just knocked on the door .... But some people are just too stupid....

[pbans]

I read this earlier and it made me so sad.......

One thing they did say in the article is the importance of checking on neighbors......so, so true.

It sounded like the poor guy didn't have a soul in the world to watch out for him and he got steamrolled by bureaucracy....

[East Texas Parrothead]

They can't do that in Texas. For real. Someone from the power company HAS to work with customer. They are hyper-aware of this during the blazing heat and the winter, too.

Sail on. God Bless. Godspeed.

[citcat]

Somehow I hope the Bay City Power goes out at City Hall in the middle of a cold spell like the one we just experienced... Would serve them right .

Somebody up there in Bay City, Michigan got any wire cutters ?


Poor guy.

[blowinupinmissoula]

revolting. simply revolting

[flyboy55]

The solution is simple: NEVER shut the power off on old folks who can't afford to pay, regardless of whether or not they also happen to be veterans. Same goes for others who don't have the means to pay. Simple.

But I guess some would call that socialism . . .

[Glorfindel7]

The solution is simple: NEVER shut the power off on old folks who can't afford to pay, regardless of whether or not they also happen to be veterans. Same goes for others who don't have the means to pay. Simple.

But I guess some would call that socialism . . .

The sad part is that he may have had the money to pay (see part about bill with a lot of cash attached..) but he probably didn't have any way to get the payment in.....

[nutmeg]

This was just on our local news. It was -5 here last night. This is just unbelievable.

I can't believe they don't have to talk to someone personally and make arrangements for them to get help somewhere or to make sure they don't have disabled, babies or elderly in the house.

The spokesman for the power company said that neighbors should be sure to look out for each other. Since a 93 year old probably seldom goes out in the middle of the winter, I'm sure the neighbors didn't' see anything odd. (It was a neighbor who discovered him) Nice for the power guy to try to put the responsibility elsewhere....

[Wino you know]

The solution is simple: NEVER shut the power off on old folks who can't afford to pay, regardless of whether or not they also happen to be veterans. Same goes for others who don't have the means to pay. Simple.

But I guess some would call that socialism . . .

No, slick!
What is truly SOCIALISM about it is the fact the man could've probably OWNED that G.D. electric company if he wasn't taxed to death. (In this case, apparently LITERALLY).

That bit of intelligence put forth by flyboy notwithstanding, the electric company HAD to know of his plight, and, as such, had no business cutting off his electricity.
Utility companys have personal information on ALL of their customers, including their age.
I would think even being in a blue state they'd still know that a WORLD WAR II VETERAN is not a 20-something Chip-&-Dale's lookalike in excellent health.
His age alone should've told those baffoons at the electric company that his ability to pay may be an issue, and had NO BUSINESS shutting off his power.
Especially if none of them tried contacting the poor guy.

What a country.