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A4 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 22 augusT 2024
Heat dome moves into Texas with record highs expected

By KEN MILLER and Texas state Capitol since
NADIA LATHAN April 1 are up by about one
Associated Press per day compared with a
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A year ago, though July was
heat dome that has led to somewhat milder this year.
nearly 90 consecutive days “The vast majority of what we
of triple-digit temperatures see is heat exhaustion, which
in Phoenix moved into Tex- is good because we catch
as Wednesday, with record it before it’s heat stroke, but
highs expected to fall by the it’s bad because people are
weekend, according to the not listening to the red flags,”
National Weather Service. such as heat cramps in the
Meanwhile, energy demand arms, legs or stomach warn-
in Texas hit an unofficial all- ing that the body is becom-
time high Tuesday, accord- ing too hot, Stedman said.
ing to data from the state’s Despite the record heat
grid operator. in Texas, residents haven’t
A major heat alert is in place been asked to cut back on
for Texas, reflecting what their energy use like in years
the weather service called prior. This contrasts with the
“rare and/or long-duration 11 conservation notices is-
extreme heat with little to no Tubers float the cool Comal River as temperatures in South Texas hit triple-digit numbers, sued last year.
overnight relief.” An extreme Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024, in New Braunfels, Texas. Associated Press One reason is that the agen-
heat alert was issued for east- cy, which manages Texas’ in-
ern New Mexico. cities such as Corpus Christi, said. sought emergency care, dependent energy grid and
A heat dome is a slow mov- San Antonio and Amarillo. In About 14.7 million people according to MedStar am- deregulated providers, has
ing, upper-level high pressure Phoenix, monsoon rains have are under an excessive heat bulance in Fort Worth, Texas. improved the grid’s capabili-
system of stable air and a provided brief respites since warning, with heat indexes The service responded to 286 ties with the addition of more
deep layer of high temper- Sunday, although daytime expected at 110 degrees heat-related calls during the than 15 gigawatts of power
atures, meteorologist Bryan highs continue to top 100 Fahrenheit (43.3 degrees first 20 days of August, about supply since last summer.
Jackson said. degrees Fahrenheit (37.8 Celsius) and above. Another 14 per day, compared to Although the agency has
“It is usually sunny, the sun is degrees Celsius). 10 million people were under about 11 per day in August gotten better at controlling
beating down, it is hot and The dome was expected a heat advisory. 2023, according to public the demands of the grid,
the air is contained there,” to move into western Okla- There were 38 heat-related information officer Desiree their criteria for when to
Jackson said. “There are doz- homa and eastern New deaths in Texas from Janu- Partain. notify residents to conserve
en or so sites that are setting Mexico beginning Saturday, ary through July, according Austin-Travis County EMS energy has also changed,
daily records ... mostly over then into the mid-Mississippi to the Texas Department of Capt. Christa Stedman said Doug Lewin, an energy con-
Texas.” Record high tem- Valley, where it was forecast State Health Services, and calls about heat-related ill- sultant and president of Stoic
peratures were expected in to weaken slightly, Jackson hundreds have already ness in the area around the Energy said. q

Florida quietly removes LGBTQ+ travel info from state website

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — “It’s just disgusting to see friendly places despite the lic relations director. and acceptance.”
Key West, Fort Lauderdale, this,” said Keith Blackburn, elimination of the section. Visit Florida is a public-pri- Blackburn said the change
Wilton Manors and St. Pe- who heads the Greater Fort John Lai, who chairs Visit vate partnership between and other anti-LGBTQ+
tersburg are among several Lauderdale LGBT Chamber Florida’s board, didn’t re- the state of Florida and the policies out of Tallahas-
Florida cities that have long of Commerce. “They seem spond to an email seeking state’s tourism industry. The see make it more difficult
been top U.S. destinations to want to erase us.” comment Tuesday. Dana state contributes about $50 for him to promote South
for LGBTQ+ tourists. So it The change to Visit Florida’s Young, Visit Florida’s CEO million each year to the Florida tourism since he en-
came as a surprise this week website was first reported and president, didn’t re- quasi-public agency from counters prospective trav-
when travelers learned that by NBC News, which noted spond to a voicemail mes- two tourism and economic elers or travel promoters
Florida’s tourism marketing a search query still pulls up sage Wednesday, and nei- development funds. who say they don’t want to
agency quietly removed some listings for LGBTQ+- ther did the agency’s pub- Florida is one of the most do business in the state.
the “LGBTQ Travel” section popular states in the U.S. Last year, for instance, sev-
from its website sometime for tourists, and tourism is eral civil rights groups is-
in the past few months. one of its biggest industries. sued a travel advisory for
Business owners who cater Nearly 141 million tourists Florida, saying that policies
to Florida’s LGBTQ+ tour- visited Florida in 2023, with championed by DeSantis
ists said Wednesday that it out-of-state visitors contrib- and Florida lawmakers are
marked the latest attempt uting more than $102 billion “openly hostile toward Afri-
by officials in the state to to Florida’s economy. can Americans, people of
erase the LGBTQ+ commu- Before the change, the color and LGBTQ+ individu-
nity. Republican Gov. Ron LGBTQ+ section on Visit als.”
DeSantis previously cham- Florida’s website had read, But visitors should also un-
pioned a bill to forbid class- “There’s a sense of free- derstand that many Florida
room instruction on sexual dom to Florida’s beaches, cities are extremely inclu-
orientation and gender the warm weather and the sive, with gay elected of-
identity, and supported a myriad activities a draw for ficials and LGBTQ+-owned
ban on gender-affirming Hundreds of people line Central Avenue and cheer during the people of all orientations, businesses, and they don’t
care for minors, as well as a 10th Annual St. Pete Pride Street Festival & Promenade in St. but especially appealing reflect the policies com-
law meant to keep children Petersburg, Fla. on June 30, 2012. to a gay community look- ing from state government,
out of drag shows. Associated Press ing for a sense of belonging Blackburn added.q