Unprecedented Push To Educate Remotely Means Big Ask Of School Technology In Texas And Beyond

Unprecedented Push To Educate Remotely Means Big Ask Of School Technology In Texas And Beyond

When Gov. Greg Abbott closed schools on March 19 to slow the spread of COVID-19, he kicked off an unprecedented push to educate students remotely in Texas. Kenneth Thompson has been running nonstop for weeks, and he is tired. The Chief Information Technology officer for the San Antonio Independent School District is trying to put a device in each students’ hands — 4th through 12th grade.   “We’re doing in three weeks what we have planned…

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Father-son photo taken days before tornado destroys home

Father-son photo taken days before tornado destroys home

Share on Facebook Tweet on Twitter JONESBORO, AK (AP) — Three days after a photo posted on Facebook showed an Arkansas doctor looking through a glass door to see his 1-year-old son crawl for the first time, the family’s home was destroyed by a tornado. Alyssa Burks of Jonesboro posted the photo on Wednesday that shows her husband, Dr. Jared Burks, touching a glass door from the outside while their son, Zeke, touched it from…

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Severe weather likely this afternoon, Fayetteville could beat a heat record

Severe weather likely this afternoon, Fayetteville could beat a heat record

By Peta Sheerwood, WRAL meteorologist Raleigh, N.C. — Sunday will be another hot day, but a chance for rain and severe storms could move into the region by this afternoon. The storm system from the west could move into the Triangle by 4 p.m., bringing rain to the area. Counties north of the Triangle have a greater chance for severe weather and are under a level 1 risk for severe weather. Isolated hail and gusty…

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Arkansas tornado destroys home of doctor whose touching photo with 1-year-old son went viral

Arkansas tornado destroys home of doctor whose touching photo with 1-year-old son went viral

JONESBORO, Ark. — A powerful tornado ripped through northeast Arkansas on Saturday, injuring six people and destroying homes and businesses. Among those who lost their homes was a doctor whose touching photo with his son went viral recently. Dr. Jared Burks is a first-year resident on the front lines of fighting the coronavirus pandemic at a hospital in Arkansas. As his one-year-old son Zeke learns to crawl, Burks can only visit him separated by glass….

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Tornado tears through Arkansas college town, with 6 hurt

Tornado tears through Arkansas college town, with 6 hurt

JONESBORO, Ark. — A tornado ripped through northeast Arkansas on Saturday, leaving six people hurt after hitting commercial and residential areas in the college town of Jonesboro. The six people reported injured were taken to a local hospital with minor juries, Jonesboro E-911 Director Jeff Presley said. The tornado did major damage at the Mall at Turtle Creek and Jonesboro Municipal Airport. Like much of the rest of the world, Jonesboro is working to fight…

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Roofs, walls and ceilings scattered after tornado hits Jonesboro, Arkansas

Roofs, walls and ceilings scattered after tornado hits Jonesboro, Arkansas

JONESBORO, Arkansas — Officials say a tornado ripped through northeast Arkansas and hurt three people in the college town of Jonesboro. Local media coverage showed buildings missing walls and with roofs ripped away Saturday. Jonesboro E-911 Director Jeff Presley tells the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that three people hurt were hospitalized and that first responders were searching the area. Forecasters with the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, warned that a severe weather outbreak was possible for…

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Life On The U.S.-Mexico Frontier Dramatically Altered By Partial Border Shutdown

Life On The U.S.-Mexico Frontier Dramatically Altered By Partial Border Shutdown

The streets of downtown Laredo, Texas, are deserted. For decades, this dense retail district has catered to Mexican shoppers coming across the bridge from Nuevo Laredo. But these days, stores like Cindy’s Electronics, Classic Perfumes, and Casa Raul Mens’ Clothes are shuttered. “Now our business has dropped 80 to 90%,” says Natividad Dominguez, leaning on a glass case full of empanadas, turnovers and donuts at Pano’s Bakery. “People would come across the bridge and pick…

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How Disaster-Tested H-E-B Navigates The Coronavirus Pandemic

How Disaster-Tested H-E-B Navigates The Coronavirus Pandemic

From Texas Standard: When it comes to disaster, no one beats Texas. Federal Emergency Management Agency records show that since 1953, Texas has filed more federal disaster declarations than any other state: a total of 355. And few Texas retailers have been as battle-tested by the state’s natural disaster history as H-E-B, the San Antonio-based grocery chain that began as a single store in 1905 and has grown to more than 300 stores in Texas…

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Texas Workforce Commission Says It Will 'Help Everyone That Needs Help' With Unemployment Benefits

Texas Workforce Commission Says It Will 'Help Everyone That Needs Help' With Unemployment Benefits

The agency that handles Texas’ unemployment benefits system says the situation unfolding because of the COVID-19 pandemic is unlike anything it has ever dealt with before. On a normal day, one of the Texas Workforce Commission’s four call centers gets around 13,000 calls. But on March 22 alone, one of the centers received 100,000 calls, Executive Director Ed Serna said during a Facebook Live video Wednesday.  RELATED | COVID-19 Is Costing People Their Jobs. Here’s How…

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3.3 Million File For Unemployment Claims, Shattering Records

3.3 Million File For Unemployment Claims, Shattering Records

Updated at 10:51 a.m. ET A record 3.28 million Americans filed for unemployment benefits last week as the coronavirus pandemic shut down much of the country. The Labor Department’s report for the week ended March 21 was one of the first official indicators of how many people have suddenly been forced out of work nationally. In the prior report, for the week ended March 14, initial claims totaled 282,000. “This marks the highest level of…

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Hurricanes president, team owner deny reports of halting pay for full-time employees

Hurricanes president, team owner deny reports of halting pay for full-time employees

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — It was just last week that the Carolina Hurricanes announced a plan to provide some income to part-time PNC arena employees throughout the pandemic. Today, the News and Observer reported that full-time employees of the Hurricanes would cease being paid starting next week. The Hurricane’s team owner, Tom Dundon, denies those claims. “This is not something that’s really come up yet so I don’t know what happens in the future but…

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WEATHER MINDS CLASSROOM: Severe Weather 101

WEATHER MINDS CLASSROOM: Severe Weather 101

SAN ANTONIO — Severe weather can occur often in South Texas, especially during the spring months. When severe weather threatens the area, it is important to know what risks a storm can bring and what you should do to stay safe. One of the most important things to know is where you are located on a map, so when a watch or warning is put into place, you can identify if you are at risk….

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AccuWeather: 2020 Atlantic hurricane season forecast calls for 'above-normal' tropical activity

AccuWeather: 2020 Atlantic hurricane season forecast calls for 'above-normal' tropical activity

Though coronavirus is in the spotlight right now, it would be handy to remember that we are nearly two months out from the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season. On top of last year’s hectic hurricane season, forecasters are anticipating another busy year. Hurricane season starts on June 1 and lasts until Nov. 30, AccuWeather’s meteorologists believe the Atlantic basin will see 14 to 18 tropical storms during this upcoming season. Of those storms, seven to nine…

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AccuWeather predicts above-normal Atlantic hurricane season

AccuWeather predicts above-normal Atlantic hurricane season

Meteorologists with AccuWeather are predicting an above-normal hurricane season for the Atlantic basin in 2020. The AccuWeather hurricane team, led by meteorologist Dan Kottlowksi, said 14 to 18 tropical storms are expected during the 2020 season, which starts June 1 and ends Nov. 30. Seven to nine of those storms are expected to become hurricanes, and two to four could strengthen into major hurricanes. “It’s going to be an above-normal season,” Kottlowski said in a…

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State awards more than $22M to coastal towns for Hurricane Florence recovery

State awards more than $22M to coastal towns for Hurricane Florence recovery

Share on Facebook Tweet on Twitter Bald Head Island on September 18, 2018 post Florence. (Photo: Steve Montgomery) RALEIGH, NC (WWAY) — The state Division of Water Resources has awarded $22 million to 13 coastal towns and counties to help with recovery efforts following Hurricane Florence. “Coastal communities are still in the rebuilding and recovery phase more than a year after Hurricane Florence left its devastating impact,” said Michael Regan, Secretary of the N.C. Department…

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How Three Corners Of Texas Are Faring Amid Pandemic

How Three Corners Of Texas Are Faring Amid Pandemic

From Texas Standard: As of Monday morning, there is no statewide shelter-in-place order in Texas like the ones in New York and California. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order last week requiring bars and gyms to close and restaurants to limit service to takeout orders. But he said expanding that to shelter in place would be up to local officials. Abbott is also looking to grow the state’s supply of safety equipment for…

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FEMA's Fight Against Disinformation, From National Lockdown Rumors To Stockpiling

FEMA's Fight Against Disinformation, From National Lockdown Rumors To Stockpiling

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is trying to knock down a series of rumors and falsehoods that have been spreading along with the coronavirus pandemic. It launched a page on its website called Coronavirus Rumor Control to fight the misinformation, as officials work to assure the public there is, in fact, no “national quarantine,” nor has FEMA has deployed “military assets.” “No, FEMA does not have military assets,” the site notes. Acting DHS Secretary Chad…

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How Hurricane Harvey Prepared Houston for the Coronavirus

How Hurricane Harvey Prepared Houston for the Coronavirus

Businesses shuttered. People trapped in their homes. Normal life grinding to a halt. Neighbors helping neighbors, knowing that help may not be coming.  To Houstonians like me, this is all starting to feel very familiar. In August 2017, Hurricane Harvey dumped 1.2 trillion gallons of water on Harris County over the course of just four days, turning highways into rivers, parks into lakes, and downtown skyscrapers into moated citadels surrounded by fetid brown slurry. Around…

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Network Of Hospitals, First Responders Prepare For Coronavirus Surge In Southwest Texas

Network Of Hospitals, First Responders Prepare For Coronavirus Surge In Southwest Texas

Federal and state governments have important roles when it comes to fighting COVID-19 in the United States, but the rubber really meets the road at the local level. In a 22 county region that includes San Antonio, that work is done by STRAC — the Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council — a network of 35 hospitals and first responders. Eric Epley is STRAC’s Executive Director, and right now he’s running the show at the Regional…

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Graduation, Financial Aid, Admissions — For This Year's College-Bound, The Future Is In Turmoil

Graduation, Financial Aid, Admissions — For This Year's College-Bound, The Future Is In Turmoil

This spring was supposed to be an exciting time for Xander Christou. He’s a senior in high school in Austin, Texas, and was looking forward to all the fun: prom, senior skip day and of course, graduation. But all that’s now out the window. “There’s a sense that it’s incomplete,” says Christou. The school district has closed until April 3rd and Christou says he has this feeling that a unique chapter in his life —…

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Wild video: Tornado with 100 mph winds hits Abilene prisons

Wild video: Tornado with 100 mph winds hits Abilene prisons

ABILENE, Texas — Cars were damaged and fences were knocked down at two Abilene prisons after a tornado touched down early Thursday morning. The tornado damaged the Robertson and Middleton units with winds reaching upwards of 135 mph. Video shared by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, which oversees the state’s prison system, shows security footage as the tornado blows through. A car rolled down the street, fences shook in the wind and dust and…

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How to prepare for severe weather in the age of social distancing

How to prepare for severe weather in the age of social distancing

The coronavirus pandemic has changed life on Earth dramatically over the last several months. Countries have completely closed their borders, businesses have shuttered, schools have emptied, and major cities have turned into ghost towns as millions self-quarantine in their homes to help reduce the spread of the disease. But one thing that hasn’t changed in the U.S. is that with the return of spring comes a spike in severe weather, and in turn, an increase…

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NWS: Confirmed tornado caused damage in rural North Texas

NWS: Confirmed tornado caused damage in rural North Texas

Published 6:32 pm CDT, Thursday, March 19, 2020 FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — A tornado is to blame for damage in parts of rural North Texas, the National Weather Service confirmed Thursday. A weather service survey team ex amined damage caused by the storm late Wednesday night south of Graham, about 80 miles (130 kilometers) northwest of Fort Worth. Team members concluded the damage caused was consistent with a tornado with winds of 105 to 110…

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VA Secretary Wilkie: 'We Are The Surge Force'

VA Secretary Wilkie: 'We Are The Surge Force'

In an interview with NPR News, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert Wilkie said the VA stands ready to back up the nation’s health care system, but has not yet been asked to deploy resources by the Department of Health and Human Services. “We have been preparing for what has been coming for a while now,” Wilkie said. “In war and in case of natural disaster or an epidemic, we are the surge force.” The VA…

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National Weather Service Issues Tornado Watch For 11 North Texas Counties

National Weather Service Issues Tornado Watch For 11 North Texas Counties

NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) — The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for 11 North Texas counties. A Tornado Watch is in effect until 10 PM Thursday night across the northeast portion of North Texas. Isolated tornadoes, damaging winds and large hail will all be possible with the strongest storms. #txwx #dfwwx pic.twitter.com/rnQ8Gtukmb — NWS Fort Worth (@NWSFortWorth) March 19, 2020 The tornado watch is in effect until 10 p.m. Mar. 19 for the following…

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$1.25M awarded to Battleship’s Living with Water plan to reduce flooding

$1.25M awarded to Battleship’s Living with Water plan to reduce flooding

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation has awarded Battleship North Carolina $1,250,000 for its Living with Water project to address flooding and increase resiliency. The grant will help restore more than 800 feet of shoreline and 2 acres of wetlands, upgrade the Battleship site’s stormwater collection and management system, and elevate the parking area. The nature-based infrastructure aims to mitigate the risks posed by ongoing tidal flooding and improve water quality in the…

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Tornado causes damage in North Texas

Tornado causes damage in North Texas

Updated at 5:20 a.m. Thursday with additional forecast information.  A tornado formed in Wise County at 9:25 p.m. Wednesday, the National Weather Service said.  It started near Chico, Texas, and continued northeast at 35 mph toward Alvord, according to the NWS. Power flashes were reported in the area around that same time.  RELATED: Check the current severe weather alerts here The tornado then crossed U.S. Highway 287 near Alvord, causing damage, according to officials. At 10:38 p.m.,…

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Charlotte at-home daycare faces second crisis in matter of weeks after tornado, coronavirus crisis

Charlotte at-home daycare faces second crisis in matter of weeks after tornado, coronavirus crisis

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The last couple of weeks have been brutal for Sherri Wellman after a tornado ravaged her at-home daycare in February. She since reopened but is closed again as she tries to protect her kids from the coronavirus outbreak.  “This has not been our year,” Wellman said. “It’s been a roller coaster.” In early February, WCNC Charlotte shared Wellman’s story of survival after she, her husband, and five babies managed to escape as…

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Unconfirmed tornado tears through rural North Texas

Unconfirmed tornado tears through rural North Texas

Published 10:35 pm CDT, Wednesday, March 18, 2020 DALLAS (AP) — At lease one unconfirmed tornado tore through part of rural North Texas on Wednesday night, damaging numerous roofs and outbuildings, officials said. There were no immediate reports of injuries. Storm spotters reported that a suspected tornado tore through a rural area just south of Graham, about 80 miles (130 kilometers) northwest of Fort Worth. The storm moved northeastward toward Lake Bridgeport and on to the…

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Carolina Hurricanes promise to pay PNC employees, event staff during coronavirus suspension

Carolina Hurricanes promise to pay PNC employees, event staff during coronavirus suspension

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — The Carolina Hurricanes will compensate team event staff and PNC Arena employees for hourly wages they would have earned during the remainder of the 2019-2020 NHL season, the team said in a news release Tuesday. According to the release, Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon and the Hurricanes Foundation will provide the funds necessary to pay the part-time workers for their expected workload during the final seven Hurricanes home games. The NHL paused…

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Texas STAAR Test Requirements Waived Due To Coronavirus Outbreak

Texas STAAR Test Requirements Waived Due To Coronavirus Outbreak

In an unprecedented move, Gov. Greg Abbott announced Monday he would waive testing requirements for this year’s STAAR exam, as many schools expect to be closed at least through the April testing window due to the new coronavirus. He also said he would ask the federal government to waive this year’s federal standardized testing requirements, which apply to all states. According to the state, as of Sunday afternoon, 569 school districts had announced closures due to coronavirus concerns. Texas…

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Tornado tears through West Texas RV Park; 1 injured

Tornado tears through West Texas RV Park; 1 injured

Published 10:31 pm CDT, Friday, March 13, 2020 PECOS, Texas (AP) — An unconfirmed tornado tore through a remote West Texas recreational vehicle park Friday night, leaving a dozen RVs on their side and injuring one person, officials said. The injury was not thought to be life-threatening, said Jerry Bullard, Reeves County emergency management director. The suspected tornado struck the Highway 285 RV Park near Orla, Texas, about 22 miles northwest of Pecos, about 8 p.m….

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Carolina Hurricanes announcer John Forslund in coronavirus quarantine after staying in same hotel room as Rudy Gobert

Carolina Hurricanes announcer John Forslund in coronavirus quarantine after staying in same hotel room as Rudy Gobert

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — John Forslund is not a man of varied interests, he is all hockey, all the time. “My life is so boring,” he told ABC11’s Mark Armstrong during an interview Friday. “All I do is watch hockey to prepare to talk about hockey.” Forslund, the Hurricanes revered play-by-play man will have to find some new hobbies for the next couple weeks as he is quarantined in the basement at his house. It’s…

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Elizabethtown approved for $5.2 million to repair hurricane damaged cemetery

Elizabethtown approved for $5.2 million to repair hurricane damaged cemetery

Share on Facebook Tweet on Twitter Soil shifting due to excessive rain has damaged the Elizabethtown Cemetery. (Photo: Matt Bennett/WWAY) ELIZABETHTOWN, NC (WWAY) — The State of North Carolina and FEMA have approved more than $5.2 million to reimburse an Elizabethtown cemetery following Hurricane Florence-related damage. Hurricane Florence’s heavy rainfall saturated the cemetery adjacent to the Cape Fear River to cause about half of its grounds to sink. Ground saturation also shifted many of the…

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Pender County wildfire has potential to spread

Pender County wildfire has potential to spread

John Staton @JohnStatonSN Friday Mar 13, 2020 at 3:15 PM Evacuations not issued yet, but could come later. Public advised to monitor the situation. A wildfire burning in Pender County’s Holly Shelter Game Land has the potential to spread, according to a Facebook post from Pender County Emergency Management. The fire is currently just under three acres in size and is 50 percent contained. But a cold front is expected to bring wind gusts of up to 30 mph to…

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Coronavirus delays Hurricane Florence repairs

Coronavirus delays Hurricane Florence repairs

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A viral pandemic is now affecting victims of a natural disaster. Some still waiting for repairs from Hurricane Florence after a year and a half must now wait even longer thanks to coronavirus. – Advertisement – “In the region, there are over 300, I think 325 today, Florence home repair jobs still to do,” said Wilmington Area Rebuilding Ministry or WARM Executive Director JC Lyle. Several groups planning to spend Spring…

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Tornado relief agencies ask volunteers to take a day off

Tornado relief agencies ask volunteers to take a day off

By TRAVIS LOLLER, Associated Press NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Nashville nonprofits were so overwhelmed with volunteers and donations for tornado relief over the weekend that they had to ask the helpers to take a day off. Hands on Nashville, which operates as a clearing house for volunteers, posted on its blog Saturday, “Thousands of volunteers continued to knock out projects at an insane speed today! Volunteers were so effective that multiple agencies and locations have reached…

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Texans, Colts, Jaguars donate $100,000 to help Tennessee communities after tornadoes

Texans, Colts, Jaguars donate $100,000 to help Tennessee communities after tornadoes

HOUSTON — They may be AFC South rivals, but when it comes to helping a community in need, the Texans, Jaguars and Colts didn’t hesitate to help out the Tennessee Titans after destructive tornadoes ripped through the state last week. The NFL teams teamed up to donate $100,000 to the relief efforts. The Titans are directing all donations to the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. Eighteen people were killed when a tornado swept through Putnam…

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