Pandemic Complicates Preparations for Hurricane Season
Hurricane season starts June 1. That’s nothing new for those who live along the Gulf Coast, but what is new this year is the fact hurricane season will happen during the coronavirus pandemic. Evelina Burnett of Mississippi Public Broadcasting, Tegan Wendland of WWNO in New Orleans and WBHM’s Andrew Yeager described how officials in their respective states are preparing.
How Shelters May Change
- Mississippi officials estimate shelters may only hold a third of normal capacity because of social distancing.
- Louisiana emergency leaders have discussed checking temperatures and separating those who may show signs of COVID-19.
- Another concern is that some volunteers are older and could be at higher risk of complications if they are infected.
Challenges for Emergency Responders
- Alabama’s Emergency Management Agency director said they’d normally operate with 125 people in a command center. Instead, they’re figuring out how to best communicate with people working remotely.
- Officials in Louisiana held an exercise with the National Weather Service this week to identify weaknesses. They’re hoping any major storms will come later in the season when presumably the pandemic will have waned somewhat.
How Residents Should Prepare
- Officials recommend taking more time to put together hurricane kits since stores may be out of some supplies.
- They suggest including protective items such as hand sanitizer and masks.
- If evacuating to another family member or friend’s home, check first to make sure he or she is comfortable with it.
This conversation was part of a regional collaboration of public radio stations in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.
Ivey, Ledbetter go to court to try and allow voucher students to participate in athletics
Gov. Kay Ivey and House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter filed the complaint in Montgomery Circuit Court against the Alabama High School Athletic Association. They are asking a judge to block the association's ruling on eligibility and pave the way for the students to participate in athletics this year.
The world’s oldest and largest iceberg will soon be no more
The iceberg, known as A23a, has been on a journey following the current into warmer waters for months. Now, it has begun the predicted and natural process of breaking apart, and eventually melting.
Etsy sellers are being hit hard by tariffs and the end of the de minimis rule
For years, the U.S. was essentially "an extension of our domestic market," says an Etsy seller in Canada. But now the rules and costs are far more imposing.
What ICE agents can and cannot legally do during arrests
Tactics by immigration agents attempting to arrest undocumented immigrants have shocked the public and led to protests. But what is, and isn't, allowed by law when it comes to ICE arrests?
Trump’s D.C. takeover has led to more arrests. NPR looks at cases of those swept up
NPR combed through court records and other data related to Trump's takeover of D.C. police to get a better understanding of who has been swept up in the federal surge and what charges they are facing.
Who did a Fox News executive call a ‘reckless maniac’? Find out in the quiz
This week, we have monopolies (not the game), casting decisions and fashion passings. Plus a new Stephen King book! Have you been paying attention?
