We want information

I know that a lot of people refuse to have anything to do with Facebook. My mother, who is hands down the most curious person in the world, claims she just doesn't have time for it -- although, of course, she insists that I promptly forward any photos or snippets of news that her grandchildren post.
But this winter Facebook has been a huge boon to me and a lot of other locals, thanks to people who post frequent updates about weather and road conditions from their various mobile devices. For instance, my friend Kelly just this minute (6 p.m. Feb. 8) posted that the power's out in Jennersville. Another friend of mine is a township road crew member and provides predawn descriptions on his Facebook page about what roads are icy and where he'll be plowing next.
One snowy morning a farm owner on Route 926 posted that her employees had no trouble getting to work, so I decided it was safe to head out to Perkins. Another morning, a friend posted that his employer, Jackson ImmunoResearch in West Grove, was having a delayed opening, so I thought I'd probably stay put at home. Similarly, store owners, the library, and the Y have all been posting their schedule changes.
Facebook's like having an ultra-local weather report. When storms head in from the west, folks in Oxford and Parkesburg are the first to report signs of snow or power outages. And it's bizarre how different the weather can be in Unionville versus Exton, Swarthmore or Germantown. We can be getting freezing rain and they'll be getting nothing -- or vice versa.
Another reason to love the Internet.