Why is this news? That is the question posted by a reader on the Times-Enterprise Facebook page underneath the link to the latest story involving embattled Meigs Mayor Linda Harris.

Harris called Thomas County 911 operators four times on Sunday about a dispute involving her brother, a nephew and a washing machine. You read that correctly — a washing machine.

The mayor deserves credit for trying to keep her relatives from harming each other, but warrants criticism for trying to block the Meigs Police Department from responding to the situation. She repeatedly demanded that the sheriff go to Meigs instead.

Harris didn’t want Meigs officers to intervene because she would “hate for them to go because they don’t like (her relatives).” She, her brother and nephew have been arrested by Meigs police for a string of infractions.

Meigs officers got involved anyway and we think they deserve credit doing so even though they knew their arrival would unite the washing machine adversaries against them. Perhaps they figured Harris, who has long been determined to shut down the Meigs Police Department — would have used it against them if they didn’t show up.

So why is this news?

During the series of 911 calls and before a deputy arrived in Meigs, an operator asked for Harris’ patience because public safety officials were “very busy.” We don’t know for certain, but we doubt the other calls involved a washing machine or any other household appliance.

It isn’t effective in regard to cost or time for the sheriff or one of his deputies to travel about 20 miles to Meigs to resolve a washing machine dispute when the city has its own capable police force. We believe Harris’ demands about which agency should respond to her situation was a misuse of 911.

It is also a good reminder that Harris’ desire to close the police department is misguided. If she is successful in evening a score with the department because it has arrested her and her family members multiple times, it will harm the citizens she is sworn to serve.

So how is this not news?