Texas
For many Central Texans, latest bout of cold weather and outages reopens old wounds
For twenty-four/7 psychological well being assist in English or Spanish, name the Substance Abuse and Psychological Well being Companies Administration’s free assist line at 800-662-4357. You may also attain a skilled disaster counselor via the Suicide and Disaster Lifeline by calling or texting 988.
Energy outages, downed timber and icy roads. Missed paychecks, broken roofs and burst pipes. Little aid from the biting chilly.
Massive swaths of Central Texas are but once more combating the sequels of extreme winter climate — a narrative that has turn into too acquainted and too painful for a lot of — and a few specialists fear these repeated winter crises are having a unfavourable influence on individuals’s psychological well being.
Luz Maria Garcini, assistant professor of psychological sciences at Rice College and a licensed medical psychologist, mentioned climate occasions have been traumatic for Texans over the previous couple of years.
“The lack of management and autonomy of their atmosphere results in anxiousness,” she mentioned. “This sustained anxiousness results in despair since you get exhausted and other people begin isolating.”
Adam Fetterman, assistant professor for the psychology division on the College of Houston, mentioned this phenomenon is an outdated idea often called realized helplessness.
“You haven’t any management over your life and might’t predict what will occur. So it retains occurring and you retain getting traumatized,” he mentioned. “At a sure level, there may be nothing you are able to do and also you simply shut down and it may result in despair.”
Garcini mentioned Winter Storm Uri in February 2021 was significantly annoying as a result of it hit at a time when Texans have been already on edge.
“It was throughout a time of monetary disaster and the pandemic. Folks have been dropping their jobs and there was a number of uncertainty when it got here to immigration,” Garcini mentioned. “Then this tragedy struck and other people weren’t capable of have a heat house or misplaced their house all collectively. It was fairly traumatic. It’s not only one stressor, however all the things that surrounds it.”
A number of days of freezing rain this week have paused regular life for a lot of in Central Texas as soon as once more. The ensuing energy outages aren’t as widespread as in 2021 and are largely because of localized points like downed energy strains, however they’re nonetheless reminding Texans of the catastrophe from two years in the past — and the ache related to it.
San Antonio resident Kim Mair mentioned she skilled most of the identical anxieties this week. She mentioned the 2021 freeze led to damaged pipes at her house and was a catastrophe for her household. Chilly climate now provides her anxiousness concerning the energy going out.
“After I heard some individuals say it was snowing by them, it was dread. As an alternative of it being happiness and pleasure, it was dread,” Mair mentioned. “How many individuals are going to die this time?”
Awais Azhar, a Ph.D. candidate on the College of Texas at Austin, misplaced energy early Wednesday morning in his condominium about 3 miles from the primary campus.
He was residing in the identical place two years in the past and remembers how annoyed he and different classmates have been with the shortage of immediate communication and options for college kids with out energy from the college. He mentioned he felt most of the identical emotions over the previous two days as he and different residents struggled to get solutions and details about assets.
“How are we going via the very same factor two years later?” he requested. “That’s one thing very onerous to grasp as a resident.”
The winter climate has additionally had an influence on working households with youngsters at school.
Esmeralda Alvarado, a Pflugerville resident who works as a housekeeper, mentioned she has not labored since Monday and has misplaced about $700 to this point. She has needed to rethink her household’s funds in the course of the winter months. If she doesn’t work, meaning much less cash for groceries and Christmas presents. The unpredictability of the climate has made it a lot tougher to funds.
“We by no means know what’s going to occur,” Alvarado mentioned of the workdays she may need to overlook due to the acute climate. “We by no means know if it’s going to be one week or two weeks or three weeks.”
She mentioned that she misses the construction faculties present. Many faculty districts in Central Texas have been closed since Tuesday.
Alvarado mentioned her youngsters don’t wish to work on something academic-related when courses are canceled. Being caught at house additionally means her youngsters can’t launch any power, she mentioned. They’ve a tough time going to mattress and typically get into fights over toys or what to observe on TV.
Christa Stoebner, an Austin resident and mom, mentioned she misplaced energy in her condominium constructing and has been staying some other place since Wednesday. The meals she purchased earlier than the storm hit went unhealthy.
Because the 2021 winter storm, Stoebner mentioned she feels a way of nervousness and stress any time there may be speak about extreme winter climate.
“I’m principally nervous as a mother or father,” she mentioned. “I fear about what the state of affairs goes to be for my 8-year-old when one thing is coming.”
Luca Maxwell Gibreath, an Austin resident, mentioned his house’s energy has been out for a few days, leaving the condominium chilly and with little or no meals. He mentioned he damage himself in the course of the 2021 winter storm and now has a incapacity that makes it onerous to stroll.
“I received’t say I’m traumatized by the ice now, however it does make me hypervigilant and over-cautious about going exterior,” he mentioned. “I don’t wish to exit, however my canine want walks, in order that they’ve been maintaining me going out and going through it.”
Many have struggled with leaving their pets at house whereas temperatures drop inside. Susanna Sharpe, a communications coordinator on the College of Texas at Austin, was with out energy for greater than 20 hours and mentioned her greatest trigger of tension throughout this storm has been her aged cat that can’t go away her house. Her home was constructed within the Nineteen Fifties and has little insulation, forcing her and her husband to hunt heat at buddies’ houses when temperatures dropped to 50 levels inside.
Sharpe mentioned the winter storm in 2021 brought about a number of anxiousness about feeling trapped. This yr has been extra tolerable as a result of she has been capable of get heat at buddies’ houses with out being afraid of getting COVID-19 from having contact with others. However Sharpe mentioned she worries that these sorts of issues will proceed to occur each time it will get chilly.
“It provides me this slight feeling of foreboding that extra of that is in our future due to the extremes of temperatures which are growing,” she mentioned.
Fetterman mentioned the sensation of frustration or worry is just not unusual in some of these conditions.
“We as people don’t like uncertainty,” Fetterman mentioned. “We prefer to predict the long run. It’s why individuals get so aggravated when a forecaster will get the climate flawed. We wish that feeling of management.”
Fetterman mentioned having climate preparation plans and emergency ready kits can assist ease a number of the stressors related to climate trauma.
“Having these plans and provides in place may be very useful and might present some peace of thoughts,” he mentioned.
He additionally encourages everybody no matter their psychological standing to do a psychological well being check-in.
“Folks suppose they need to be within the throes of despair to get assist, however that isn’t the case,” he mentioned.
Disclosure: Rice College, College of Texas at Austin and College of Houston have been monetary supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan information group that’s funded partially by donations from members, foundations and company sponsors. Monetary supporters play no function within the Tribune’s journalism. Discover a full listing of them right here.
Texas
2025 4-Star OT Lamont Rogers Commits to Missouri over Texas
The Texas Longhorns are looking to bolster their o-line for the future in order to provide necessary protection for quarterbacks Trey Owens, K.J. Lacey and Dia Bell, but they’ll have to search elsewhere after missing out on securing one of the nation’s top offensive tackles.
After losing to Oregon for the privilege to secure a pledge from five-star receiver Dakorien Moore, the Longhorns have also lost the chance at landing the valuable in-state services of four-star offensive tackle Lamont Rogers.
He chose the Missouri Tigers and coach Eli Drinkwitz on Saturday among a final group that also included Texas, Oklahoma, and Texas A&M, announcing his decision on his Instagram.
A Mesquite (Dallas) native, Rogers, who stands about 6-6, 311 pounds is the No. 7 offensive tackle in the country, per 247’s composite rankings.
He took his official visit to Texas on June 14, the same weekend that Moore and a slew of others made a trip to campus. Rogers also officially visited SMU, Mizzou, Florida State, Texas A&M and Oklahoma. He fielded offers from other big-name programs like Georgia, Alabama, Ohio State, Oregon, Michigan and Penn State.
Here’s part of what 247Sports’ scouting report has to say about Rogers:
“Bona fide high-major O-line prospect with tackle traits,” 247Sports writes. “Could become a quality multi-year starter at the P5 level with an NFL Draft ceiling.”
As it stands, the 2025 class features four-star talents like defensive lineman Lance Jackson, linebacker Elijah Barnes, quarterback KJ Lacey, tight end Emaree Winston and running back James Simon. Texas is also awaiting the potential commitments of five-star receivers Kaliq Lockett and Jaime Ffrench along with five-star offensive tackle Michael Fasusi.
Texas
Beryl moves into the Gulf of Mexico after battering Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, takes aim at Texas
Beryl moved into the the Gulf of Mexico Friday and took aim at the south Texas coast after battering Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. Texas officials issued disaster declarations and urge coastal residents to prepare as the storm headed their way.
Beryl hit Tulum as a Category 2 hurricane and toppled trees but caused no injuries or deaths before weakening to a tropical storm as it moved across the peninsula. The U.S. National Hurricane Center expects the storm to regain hurricane strength in the warm waters of the Gulf and hit south Texas by late Sunday or early Monday.
Beryl, the earliest storm to develop into a Category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic, caused at least 11 deaths as it passed through the Caribbean islands earlier in the week.
The storm’s center Friday afternoon was in the Gulf just off Mexico, about 615 miles (995 kilometers) southeast of Corpus Christi, Texas. It was moving west-northwest at 13 mph (about 20 kph) with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 kph), the hurricane center said.
Once in the Gulf, Beryl could regain wind speed of 90 mph (150 kph) before hitting Texas, though it is hard to tell now where it could make landfall, forecasters said. Hurricane watches were in effect from the Rio Grande north, covering most of the Texas coast.
Some Texas counties have already issued voluntary evacuation orders in low-lying areas, and Texas officials urged coastal residents to prepare.
Along the Texas coast in Corpus Christi, city officials announced it had distributed 10,000 sandbags in less than two hours Friday, exhausting its supply.
“This is a determined storm that is still strong,” Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said at a news conference.
Patrick issued a pre-emptive disaster declaration for 40 counties that allows state and local authorities to start planning and contracting for response.
Nim Kidd, chief of state emergency operations, said oil companies have started moving employees off rigs along the coast that may be in the path of the storm.
Northeastern Mexico and southern Texas were already soaked by Tropical Storm Alberto just a couple of weeks ago.
Beryl spread destruction in Jamaica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Barbados this week. Three people have been reported dead in Grenada, three in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, three in Venezuela and two in Jamaica, officials said.
The head of Mexico’s civil defense agency, Laura Velázquez, said Beryl hadn’t caused any deaths or injuries there and that “damages were minor,” though tens of thousands of people remained without power.
Tulum was plunged into darkness when the storm knocked out power as it came ashore. Screeching winds set off car alarms across the town. Wind and rain continued to whip the seaside city and surrounding areas Friday morning. Army brigades roved the streets of the tourist city, clearing fallen trees and power lines.
After seeing Beryl tear through the Caribbean, 37-year-old Lucía Nagera Balcaza was among those who stocked up on food and hid away in their homes.
“Thank god, we woke up this morning and everything was all right,” she said. “The streets are a disaster, but we’re out here cleaning up.”
Before the storm hit Mexico, official had set up shelters in schools and hotels. When the wind began gusting over Tulum’s beaches Thursday, officials on four-wheelers with megaphones rolled along the sand telling people to leave and authorities evacuated beachside hotels. Sea turtle eggs were even moved off beaches threatened by storm surge.
Tourists also took precautions. Lara Marsters, 54, a therapist visiting Tulum from Boise, Idaho, said she had filled up empty water bottles from the tap.
“We’re going to hunker down and stay safe,” she said.
While many in the Yucatan Peninsula took a deep breath, Jamaica and other islands ravaged by the hurricane were still reeling. As of Friday morning, 55% of Jamaica still without electricity and most of the country was without running water, according to government figures.
Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness promised swift relief for residents affected by Hurricane Beryl after visiting one of the worst-affected areas of the island, the southern parish of St Elizabeth on Thursday afternoon.
“I know some of you are experiencing discomfort and displacement, and I want to assure you that the government will move as quickly as we can to get you the help you need,” he said.
Earlier in the week, the hurricane damaged or destroyed 95% of homes on a pair of islands in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, jumbled fishing boats in Barbados and ripped off roofs and knocked out electricity in Jamaica.
On Union Island, part of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, a man who identified himself as Captain Baga described the storm’s impact, including how he had filled two 2,000-gallon (7,570-liter) rubber water tanks in preparation.
“I strapped them down securely on six sides; and I watched the wind lift those tanks and take them away — filled with water,” he said Thursday. “I’m a sailor and I never believed wind could do what I saw it do. If anyone (had) ever told me wind could do that, I would have told them they lie!”
The island was littered with debris from homes that looked like they had exploded.
Texas
LIVE UPDATE: South Texas braces for Tropical Storm Beryl
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – FRIDAY, JULY 3 – 9 P.M. CT – As Tropical Storm Beryl enters the Gulf of Mexico, the once Category 5 hurricane is expected to re-intensify before making a final landfall along the Texas Gulf Coast.
KPRC 2′s Gage Goulding is LIVE in Corpus Christi, Texas as the community prepares just two weeks after Tropical Storm Alberto battered the region.
While some locals are preparing by using the more than 14,000 sandbags made by Corpus Christi city workers, vacationers to the barrier islands are soaking in every bit of sun they can get.
This story will be updated to bring the latest reports from KPRC2′s Gage Goulding along the Texas Gulf Coast.
Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.
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