AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — More than 100,000 customers in the southern U.S. remained without power Monday following damaging storms, leaving residents searching for relief as sweltering temperatures continued to scorch the region.
Power outages for some customers in the piney woods of Texas could stretch late into this week as crews scrambled to make repairs. In some parts of Louisiana and Mississippi, the heat wave has been accompanied by heavy rain, punishing winds, thunderstorms and hail.
In Louisiana, officials closed nearly two dozen state offices Monday because of the risks of severe weather.
“It’s been unbearable,” Leigh Johnson, a resident of Mount Vernon, Texas, told Dallas television station KXAS. She had not had power for about three days.
“It’s been horrible because it’s like, the heat index has been so bad that literally, we’re having to sit in the cold baths to cool ourselves down. Our animals as well, we’re having to stick them in the bathtub just to keep them from having a heat stroke, it’s been that bad," she said.
More than 120,000 customers were without power as of Monday morning in the eastern parts of Texas and portions of Louisiana and Oklahoma, according to Southwestern Electric Power Company. Another 4,000 customers were still waiting for electricity to come back in the Texas town of Perryton after a devastating tornado ripped through last week.
Officials projected hot and humid conditions across the South Monday, with temperatures climbing into the upper-90s over much of the region, according to the National Weather Service. Excessive heat warnings were in effect for wide swaths of Louisiana and Texas, pushing many cities to open cooling centers.
In Austin and San Antonio, highs were expected to again surpass 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37 degrees Celsius).
As temperatures reached the mid-90s in central Mississippi, high winds pummeled the state early Friday, blanketing the region with power outages. Electricity crews in Mississippi worked through the weekend, some on 16-hour shifts, to restore power to tens of thousands of homes.
Some people had trouble obtaining medication after power forced pharmacies and grocery stores to close, according to WLBT-TV. As crews were working to restore power a Mississippi, multiple tornadoes swept through the state overnight into Monday, killing one and injuring nearly two dozen.
Anyone who remembers the 70s and 80s will probably remember acid rain. Industrial emissions acidified precipitation around the globe, which killed forests and crops, rendered lakes inhospitable, corroded buildings, and exacerbated human health problems.
But anyone who follows environmental news will be surprised to learn this: we solved it! Countries came together to limit acid rain-causing emissions, eliminating the problem altogether.
…kind of. Acidic precipitation may not be a thing of the past after all.
Natalie Ginsberg, Global Impact Officer, MAPS, joins Cheddar Reveals to discuss MAPS organization and its current initiatives and their work to get FDA approval for MDMA to treat PTSD.
Kelsey Ramsden, Co-Founder, President & CEO, Mind Cure Health, joins Cheddar Reveals to break down what 'psychedelic therapy' could look like once it's legalized and how Mind Cure Health is using AI to help treat everything from addiction to depression.
On this episode of Cheddar Reveals, Natalie Ginsberg, Global Impact Officer, MAPS, discusses the MAPS organization and its current initiatives and their work to get FDA approval for MDMA to treat PTSD; Kelsey Ramsden, Co-Founder, President & CEO, Mind Cure Health, breaks down what 'psychedelic therapy' could look like once it's legalized and how Mind Cure Health is using AI to help treat everything from addiction to depression; Cheddar gets a look at Curiosity Stream's 'Pain, Pus and Poison.'
Stan Farnsworth, chief marketing officer at PulseForge, joined Cheddar to talk about his company's debut at CES 2022 and how it plans to innovate the sustainable tech manufacturing space. PulseForge is bringing a new approach to industrial thermal processing, which contributes to 30 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to Farnsworth. "By using 85 percent less energy in the processing of materials through a variety of manufacturing processes, we can make a direct impact in reducing carbon output and reducing carbon footprint associated with manufacturing," he said.
The U.S. will be implementing a vaccine mandate for all people entering through its land borders, removing exemptions for "essential" travelers such as truckers, students, and business people. While the Canadian Trucking Alliance argues that the new, stricter rule might exacerbate ongoing auto supply chain issues, some health experts see the potential for helping curb the ongoing pandemic. Anthony Santella, a professor of health administration at the University of New Haven, joined Cheddar to give his take on the updated border crossing restriction. "We can't just focus on one type of travel. We need to ensure that it's clear and consistent across all types of travel," Santella said.
Mona Zhang, states cannabis policy reporter at POLITICO Pro joins Cheddar News to discuss major factors that caused Canada's retail marijuana sales to drop last year.
To encourage and inspire young women to pursue careers in STEAM, or science, technology, engineering, arts, and math, Space VIP has officially launched its New York Space Prize Challenge. Young women enrolled in the public school system within New York's five boroughs and are between the ages of 15 to 18 are welcomed to participate. Executive Director of Space Prize, Kim Macharia, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
According to a recent report from NASA and NOAA, the last eight years have been the eight hottest years on record. Director of NASA's Goddard Institute For Space Studies Gavin Schmidt, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
