Texas Smart Home Experiment May Change How We Conserve Water, Build and Live

Texas Smart Home Experiment May Change How We Conserve Water, Build and Live

On the banks of the Llano River, just south of Junction, Texas, amongst the cactus and mesquite trees sits a house that researchers hope will change the face of conservation.    Atmospheric scientist Brian Ancell walked along the edge of this mesquite field. He walked past a small wind turbine, past a beige double wide prefabricated home with a solar array and around the corner to a central piece of his experiment, a 10,000 gallon…

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Raging wildfires trap 4,000 at Australian town’s waterfront

Raging wildfires trap 4,000 at Australian town’s waterfront

Share on Facebook Tweet on Twitter PERTH, AUSTRALIA (AP) — Wildfires burning across Australia’s two most populous states have trapped residents of a seaside town in apocalyptic conditions, destroyed many properties and caused at least two fatalities. About 4,000 people fled to the waterfront of a southeastern town as winds pushed an emergency-level wildfire towards their homes. – Advertisement – The town of Mallacoota was shrouded in darkness from the smoke before turning an unnerving…

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Raging wildfires trap 4,000 at Australian town's waterfront

Raging wildfires trap 4,000 at Australian town's waterfront

By TRISTAN LAVALETTE, Associated Press PERTH, Australia — Wildfires burning across Australia’s two most populous states Tuesday trapped residents of a seaside town in apocalyptic conditions and killed at least two people while more property along the country’s east coast fell victim to a devastating fire season. About 4,000 residents in the southeastern town of Mallacoota in Victoria state fled toward the water Tuesday morning as winds pushed an emergency-level wildfire toward their homes. The…

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Bastrop County wildfire under control, officials say

Bastrop County wildfire under control, officials say

BASTROP COUNTY, Texas — A wildfire in Bastrop County is now 85% contained, according to officials. The Bastrop County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) said Monday night that at 4 p.m. Monday, Bastrop County ESD #2 was dispatched for a report of a wildfire near Cassel Way and FM 1441.  The first arriving fire units reported active fire behavior. Due to dry and windy conditions, multiple agencies were called for assistance and six other fire…

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'Fire-breathing' storm system forms over Australian wildfires

'Fire-breathing' storm system forms over Australian wildfires

What NASA describes as a “fire-breathing storm system” has formed over a region of Australia threatened by wildfires. Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology tweeted Monday that a pyrocumulonimbus cloud developed 16 kilometers (10 miles) over the East Gippsland region of Victoria, where out-of-control wildfires were forcing thousands of residents to evacuate. NASA describes pyrocumulonimbus clouds as a “dragon” of a cloud. A normal cumulonimbus cloud is dangerous enough: The massive, anvil-shaped storm systems can hurl thunderbolts,…

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New Year's fireworks OK'd in Sydney as wildfire risk worsens

New Year's fireworks OK'd in Sydney as wildfire risk worsens

By TRISTAN LAVALETTE, Associated Press PERTH, Australia — Sydney will set off its iconic New Year’s Eve fireworks after being granted an exemption to a total fire ban Monday, with other Australian cities canceling their celebrations due to a worsening wildfire risk. Pressure had built for Sydney’s spectacle to be scrapped before the New South Wales Rural Fire Service approved the event on Monday. The popular celebrations are expected to attract around a million people…

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Thousands of koalas feared dead in Australia wildfires

Thousands of koalas feared dead in Australia wildfires

By TRISTAN LAVALETTE, Associated Press PERTH, Australia — Thousands of koalas are feared to have died in a wildfire-ravaged area north of Sydney, further diminishing Australia’s iconic marsupial, while the fire danger increased in the country’s east on Saturday as temperatures soared. The mid-northern coast of New South Wales was home to up to 28,000 koalas, but wildfires have significantly reduced their population in recent months. Koalas are native to Australia and are one of…

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Our 10 Most-Read Political Stories Of 2019 Reflect A Shifting Capitol Power Dynamic

Our 10 Most-Read Political Stories Of 2019 Reflect A Shifting Capitol Power Dynamic

An overarching and important theme of 2019 was the shifting power dynamic in Washington. The 2018 midterm elections put Democrats in control of the House of Representatives after eight years of Republican control — and made Nancy Pelosi House speaker for the second time in her career. That had consequences, including the use of the ultimate check on presidential authority, impeachment. Many of this year’s most-read political stories on NPR.org centered on what the newly…

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Hurricane Matthew victim, vet celebrates Christmas with children in their new home

Hurricane Matthew victim, vet celebrates Christmas with children in their new home

By Gilbert Baez, WRAL Fayetteville reporter Fayetteville, N.C. — Christmas 2019 took on an added layer of celebration for a former Fort Bragg soldier and victim of Hurricane Matthew. For the first time in three years, Tomeka Rich and her five children woke up on Christmas morning in their own home. “This has been amazing,” she said. Since Hurricane Matthew chased her out of her house, Rich and her children bounced around. For awhile, they…

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Spring Lake family forced out by Hurricane Florence finally home for the holidays

Spring Lake family forced out by Hurricane Florence finally home for the holidays

SPRING LAKE, N.C. (WTVD) — Christmas is a big deal at the Evan’s household. For the first time since Hurricane Florence, they finally have a home to deck the halls. “Hurricane Florence came in, left five feet ten inches of water here in the house,” said Regina Evans. ABC11 first introduced you to Regina Evans back in March. The disaster recovery specialist and grandmother recently adopted her grandkids and was struggling to recover herself. Spring…

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Hurricane, slur, dogs top list of most memorable videos in 2019

Hurricane, slur, dogs top list of most memorable videos in 2019

By Deborah Strange, WRAL digital journalist Thousands of videos were published on WRAL.com in 2019, including coverage of a devastating hurricane, tension amid racist words and acts and some very good dogs. Here are some of the most memorable videos of the year. A racial slur and no apology In July, a white woman was filmed calling two black women a racial slur at a North Hills restaurant. Chanda Stewart and Lakesha Shaw said they…

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Deadly storms, deep freezes, raging wildfires: How 2019's wild weather impacted US

Deadly storms, deep freezes, raging wildfires: How 2019's wild weather impacted US

The final year of the decade once again came with its share of extreme weather events and other natural disasters. But they came with a backdrop of increased global awareness of climate change and the fear that continued warming of the planet could result in weather events that are even more severe. Here is a look back at just some of what our planet endured in the past 12 months. Hurricane Dorian After Puerto Rico,…

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Hurricane victims in North Carolina brace for another Christmas without their wish granted

Hurricane victims in North Carolina brace for another Christmas without their wish granted

RALEIGH (WTVD) — Hurricane victims in North Carolina are bracing for another Christmas without their wish, even as state officials work hard to answer their questions. Monday was the last day for them to submit comments before officials submit their plan for storm relief and mitigation efforts for federal approval. North Carolina’s Office of Recovery and Resiliency, known as NCORR, is the lead agency in the Tar Heel State’s restoration efforts from Hurricanes Matthew (2016),…

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Only hours left for public to weigh in on draft hurricane relief spending plan

Only hours left for public to weigh in on draft hurricane relief spending plan

RALEIGH (WTVD) — Thousands of North Carolinians will be spending another Holiday Season wishing for a full recovery from recent storms, and state officials are giving some those affected one last chance to speak up about how to spend millions in new federal relief money. North Carolina’s Office of Recovery and Resiliency, known as NCORR, is the lead agency in the Tar Heel State’s restoration efforts from Hurricanes Matthew (2016), Florence (2018) and Dorian (2019)….

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14 months after Florence, Wilmington family back home for the holidays

14 months after Florence, Wilmington family back home for the holidays

The Riggs family weren’t home when a century-old tree fell through through roof during the hurricane WILMINGTON — The family photos are stacked on the kitchen table. The Christmas ornaments are boxed away beside the front door. The manufacturer stickers are still stuck to new windows out front. For the Riggs family, their home is a work in progress, but they are finally back in it for the first time since Hurricane Florence dropped a…

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Record rain, darkness: Seattle braces for floods, mudslides

Record rain, darkness: Seattle braces for floods, mudslides

SEATTLE — Record rainfall and darkness has hit Seattle as a major storm begins to lift across western Washington on the first day of winter, though the region is still at risk for flooding, mudslides and avalanches. Friday became the wettest day in Seattle in the past 10 years, and the most rain recorded for Dec. 20 since record-keeping at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport began in 1945. The National Weather Service said the airport recorded 3.25…

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'Catastrophic' Wildfires Continue To Rage Across Australia

A large portion of Australia is on fire after weeks of extreme heat, strong winds and drought have created ideal conditions for hundreds of bushfires to thrive across the country. Several fires have been burning since November, particularly in the Eastern state of New South Wales. The fires threaten many of Australia’s largest population centers, including Sydney, a city of more than 5 million, which has been cloaked in smoke. Blazes have destroyed hundreds of…

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Veterans Affected By Hurricane Harvey Can Get Free PTSD Treatment In San Antonio

Veterans Affected By Hurricane Harvey Can Get Free PTSD Treatment In San Antonio

Veterans in the Texas Gulf Coast area can receive a three-week, intensive-outpatient treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder in San Antonio at no cost, thanks to a grant that pays for therapy, travel and lodging. Funding for the program, called Project Remission, was made possible by the Bob Woodruff Foundation and the Qatar Harvey Fund.  “Through our work in the region, we’ve learned that storm recovery isn’t just about property damage. Ensuring mental health and wellness…

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NC schools awarded nearly $3.4M for help with Hurricane Dorian damage

NC schools awarded nearly $3.4M for help with Hurricane Dorian damage

Raleigh, N.C. — North Carolina has been awarded nearly $3.4 million from the federal government to help local school districts that suffered damage during Hurricane Dorian in September. The state Department of Public Instruction applied for the grant in October and announced the award Thursday. School systems that are eligible to receive the funds are: Dare County Schools Edgecombe County Schools Hyde County Schools Lenoir County Schools The school systems cited needs including instructional materials,…

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Florence survivors receive gift cards

NEW HANOVER COUNTY (WWAY) — Hundreds of families across the Cape Fear are still recovering from Hurricane Florence. For the holiday, a local disaster team is showing survivors that they are not forgotten. – Advertisement – The recovery process is ongoing and despite their losses, one family still has something to look forward to, another Christmas holiday together and a free meal. Since Hurricane Florence destroyed a New Hanover County family’s home, they’ve had to…

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Repairs to 70 locations damaged during Florence underway in Wilmington

Repairs to 70 locations damaged during Florence underway in Wilmington

Share on Facebook Tweet on Twitter [embedded content] WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The City of Wilmington began work this week on another major project to repair stormwater drainage pipes damaged during Hurricane Florence. Failures to underground pipes during Florence’s torrential rains have caused cave-ins on city streets at more than 70 locations throughout the city. The project started on Shirley Road and work at all locations is expected to be completed within six months. Shirley…

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Judge Rules Federal Government Liable For Harvey Flooding In Some Areas

Judge Rules Federal Government Liable For Harvey Flooding In Some Areas

HOUSTON (AP) — A federal judge on Tuesday ruled the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is liable for damages to a group of Houston-area homes and businesses that were flooded by two federally owned reservoirs during Hurricane Harvey because the inundation was due to how the federal government built and maintained the dams. The ruling by Senior U.S. Judge Charles Lettow on the U.S. Court of Federal Claims in Washington. D.C. is part of a…

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Weather officials: 24 tornadoes hit South over 2 days

Weather officials: 24 tornadoes hit South over 2 days

Updated 8:08 am CST, Wednesday, December 18, 2019 Cathie Morris, right, tells Red Cross volunteer Laurie Howell on Tuesday, December 17, 2019 that her sister was killed by one of the April 2011 tornadoes, not far from what they’re standing, in front of Morris’ house, damaged by the Monday, December 16, 2019 storms off Neely Hill Loop in Limestone County, Ala. (Jeronimo Nisa/The Decatur Daily via AP) less Cathie Morris, right, tells Red Cross volunteer Laurie…

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Judge: Federal government liable for Harvey flooding

Judge: Federal government liable for Harvey flooding

Juan A. Lozano, Associated Press Updated 7:02 pm CST, Tuesday, December 17, 2019 HOUSTON (AP) — A federal judge on Tuesday ruled the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is liable for damages to a group of Houston-area homes and businesses that were flooded by two federally owned reservoirs during Hurricane Harvey because the inundation was due to how the federal government built and maintained the dams. The ruling by Senior U.S. Judge Charles Lettow on the…

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In win for Harvey victims, federal judge finds government liable for reservoir flooding

In win for Harvey victims, federal judge finds government liable for reservoir flooding

Houston’s natural vulnerability to flooding — worsened by development that officials left unchecked for decades — was exposed like never before in 2017, when Hurricane Harvey slammed into Texas and turned into a tropical storm that lingered for days over America’s fourth-largest city. One of the starkest examples emerged on the west side of town, where thousands of flooded-out Houstonians learned that their homes and businesses were located inside federally owned flood control reservoirs. The…

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Property owners upstream reservoirs entitled to compensation from Hurricane Harvey flooding, judge rules

Property owners upstream reservoirs entitled to compensation from Hurricane Harvey flooding, judge rules

HOUSTON — A federal court has ruled that homeowners and business owners who have property upstream of the Addicks and Barker dams in Houston should be compensated by the federal government for the flooding that happened during Hurricane Harvey. The U.S. Court of Federal Claims found that the Army Corps of Engineers built, maintained and operated the Addicks and Barker dams to store excess stormwater on private property. But over several decades, thousands of homes…

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Federal Judge Rules Army Corps Liable For Flooding Homes In Addicks And Barker Reservoirs During Harvey

Federal Judge Rules Army Corps Liable For Flooding Homes In Addicks And Barker Reservoirs During Harvey

This aerial photo shows businesses and neighborhoods near Addicks Reservoir that flooded during Hurricane Harvey. A federal judge has ruled the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is liable for homes flooded inside the Addicks and Barker reservoirs during Hurricane Harvey. Judge Charles F. Lettow’s ruling asserts the government effectively took homeowners’ property by allowing the reservoirs to fill up with water and denies the government’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit. “The government’s suggestion that this…

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Incoming storms to bring heavy rain, damaging winds to the Triangle

Incoming storms to bring heavy rain, damaging winds to the Triangle

By Elizabeth Gardner & Aimee Wilmoth, WRAL meteorologists Raleigh, N.C. — Strong thunderstorms are expected to roll into the Triangle early Tuesday afternoon, as parts of North Carolina are under a level 1 threat for severe weather. A level 1 threat means isolated severe thunderstorms are possible, and they’ll be limited in intensity and duration, according to the National Weather Service. The storms are part of a system that’s responsible for three deaths in Louisiana…

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Damaging winds possible as strong storms move into Triangle

Damaging winds possible as strong storms move into Triangle

By Elizabeth Gardner, WRAL meteorologist Raleigh, N.C. — Strong thunderstorms are expected to roll into the Triangle early Tuesday afternoon, as parts of North Carolina are under a level 1 threat for severe weather. A level 1 threat means isolated severe thunderstorms are possible, and they’ll be limited in intensity and duration, according to the National Weather Service. The storms are part of a system that’s responsible for three deaths in Louisiana and Alabama. Suspected…

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Snow, tornadoes and freezing rain are coming to a wide swath of the country

Snow, tornadoes and freezing rain are coming to a wide swath of the country

By Mihir Zaveri, New York Times A storm system that was sweeping across the country Monday left at least seven people dead over the weekend and placed more than 60 million people under winter weather advisories and warnings with threats of continuing snow, freezing rain and other types of severe weather. The seven people all died in crashes on slick, icy roads Sunday in Nebraska and Missouri, authorities said. And multiple tornadoes touched down across…

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Severe weather risk for NC could bring thunderstorms, damaging winds

Severe weather risk for NC could bring thunderstorms, damaging winds

Showers and a few thunderstorms will move across North Carolina on Tuesday, bringing a severe weather risk to the area. Temperatures are above normal this morning, showing 60s in some spots, with clear skies. But a line of showers moving in from our west will change that. Counties south and east of the Triangle are under a marginal risk for severe weather. There’s a small chance for an isolated storm that could produce gusty winds….

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Watchdog report finds air pollution monitoring fell short during Hurricane Harvey

Watchdog report finds air pollution monitoring fell short during Hurricane Harvey

HOUSTON — *KHOU Editor’s Note: The above video was originally published March 5, 2019* As Hurricane Harvey churned toward Texas in August 2017, oil refineries and other facilities on the state’s heavily industrialized upper Gulf Coast shut down, initiating the release of what companies, government regulators and environmental groups estimated to be millions of pounds of hazardous air pollution. They spewed out even more when they restarted. But the exact extent and human impact of…

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1 dead from dangerous tornado outbreak across Louisiana

1 dead from dangerous tornado outbreak across Louisiana

VERNON PARISH, Louisiana — At least one death has been reported in Vernon Parish, Louisiana, amid dangerous storms on Monday, local authorities said. Images posted by the Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Office show widespread damage including downed power lines and a tree fallen on top of a home. At least seven tornadoes have been reported in Louisiana and Mississippi. This is part of a major storm system stretching from the South, to the Midwest and into…

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Williamson Co. starts defensible space work in Georgetown to prevent wildfires

Williamson Co. starts defensible space work in Georgetown to prevent wildfires

GEORGETOWN, Texas — Saturday and Sunday, crews from Team Rubicon will remove dead trees and underbrush that could play a vital role if fire burns through the area. “We’re cutting ladder fuels, the fuels going up to the trees about up to 9 feet,” Kimberly Stevens said. “We’re leaving the canopy, we’re leaving the trees. We’re not creating a fire break where you cut down everything – it’s just the fuels in between.” Team Rubicon…

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2 tornadoes twist road signs, rip off roof in Central Florida

2 tornadoes twist road signs, rip off roof in Central Florida

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Early morning storms brought a bout of severe weather to parts of Florida, including two tornadoes in the eastern half of the state. The strongest of which was a confirmed EF-1 tornado in Flagler County. At 110 mph, the tornado tore through trees, downed power lines and ripped the roof off a home, according to the National Weather Service in Jacksonville. Most of the damage occurred in the town of Korona,…

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The 2019 US tornado season included an 'extraordinary' occurrence

The 2019 US tornado season included an 'extraordinary' occurrence

A pair of unforgettable tornadoes bookended the 2019 U.S. tornado season, which is effectively over; the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has no reports of tornadoes so far in December. The U.S. tornado season typically runs from March through November or sometimes into early December, although tornadoes can occur at any time. The year’s deadliest event was an EF4 tornado that killed 23 people in Lee County, Alabama, in early March. Tornadoes and their…

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Galveston Advocates Warn Hundreds Could Miss Out On Hurricane Harvey Assistance

Galveston Advocates Warn Hundreds Could Miss Out On Hurricane Harvey Assistance

When Hurricane Harvey made landfall in August 2017, floodwaters marooned Christine Lopez at her cousin’s house for six days. The scene when she returned to her ranch-style home in Friendswood was devastating; at least 5 feet of water had ruined her family’s car, furniture, photos and documents and much of the house itself. More than two years later, Lopez and her husband and 13-year-old son are still living in an RV while they make repairs…

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Hurricane Florence survivor can rebuild after winning $50,000 Mega Millions prize

Hurricane Florence survivor can rebuild after winning $50,000 Mega Millions prize

RALEIGH, N.C. — Sometimes, you just need a win.  That’s exactly what a Hurricane Florence victim got.  David Burnette of Newport won $50,000 in the Mega Millions drawing last Friday. He says he plans to repair the damage Hurricane Florence caused to his home.  Burnette bought his ticket at the Handy Mart on Arendell Street in Morehead City. The retiree says he couldn’t believe it when he realized he had a winning ticket.  “I called…

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