Page 4 - ARUBA TODAY

A4 U.S. NEWS
Tuesday 22 May 2018
School shooting may not bring change to gun-loving Texas

By WILL WEISSERT and JIM challenged at the state
VERTUNO level," Jillson said. "Even the
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas young people from Santa
has more than 1.2 million Fe are not full-throated ad-
licensed handgun owners vocates of gun control to
who can openly carry their keep the children safe."
weapons in public. The In fact, at a church service
state hosted the National Sunday, Santa Fe High stu-
Rifle Association's annual dent Monica Bracknell,
meeting two weeks ago. who survived the shooting,
And until Monday, the gov- told the governor the at-
ernor's re-election website tack should not be turned
was raffling off a shotgun. into a battle over gun con-
Guns are so hard-wired trol.
into Texas culture that last "People are making this into
week's deadly rampage a political issue," she said.
at Santa Fe High School is "This is not a political issue.
considered unlikely to result It's not a gun-law issue."
in any significant restrictions Similarly, Callie Wylie, a
on access to weapons in 16-year-old Santa Fe High
the Lone Star State. student who dropped off
Republican Gov. Greg Ab- Television newscasters prepare to give updates near a memorial in front of Santa Fe High School flowers Monday at a me-
bott reacted to the killings on Sunday, May 20, 2018 in Santa Fe, Texas, where a student shot and killed eight classmates and morial for the shooting vic-
of eight students and two two teachers at Santa Fe High School. (Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle via AP) tims, said the violence is not
teachers by calling for a a "gun problem."
series of roundtable dis- dominance by the Repub- political science professor bloodbath, Florida politi- "Obviously things need to
cussions on school safety, lican Party all but guar- at Southern Methodist Uni- cians defied the NRA and change. Something needs
starting Tuesday in Austin. antees the meetings will versity. passed a gun control pack- to happen. This has hap-
He said last week that he be dominated by calls to That's in sharp contrast to age after a lobbying cam- pened way too much," Wy-
wants to find ways to keep boost school security and the response to the Feb. paign led by student survi- lie said. "But I don't think at
guns away from those who "harden" campuses — an 14 shooting rampage at vors of the attack. this time people need to be
pose an "immediate dan- idea backed by the NRA — a high school in Parkland, "The difference in Texas is pushing politics on us and
ger to others." instead of demands for gun Florida, that left 17 dead. the Republican Party is in telling us, 'Oh, this is gun
But the state's 20-year restrictions, said Cal Jillson, Three weeks after the complete control. It is un- control.'"

What is lava haze? A look at Hawaii's latest volcanic hazard

By JAE C. HONG and AU- WHAT IS LAVA HAZE? named after the Hawaiian pear on the shoreline, but ground because the glass
DREY McAVOY It is made of dense white goddess of volcano and trade winds on Sunday would mix with the Earth.
PAHOA, Hawaii (AP) — clouds of steam, toxic gas fire. carried plumes about 15 WHAT OTHER THREATS DO
Lava from Hawaii's Kilauea and tiny shards of volcanic WHY IS IT DANGEROUS? miles (24 kilometers) to the PEOPLE NEED TO BE WOR-
volcano is pouring into the glass. Janet Babb, a geolo- The clouds contain hydro- southwest. The cloud was RIED ABOUT?
sea and setting off a chem- gist with the Hawaiian Vol- chloric acid, which is about offshore, running parallel to Methane explosions could
ical reaction that creates cano Observatory, says the as a corrosive as diluted the coast. When the winds be a problem as lava flows
giant clouds of acid and plume "looks innocuous, battery acid. It can irri- die down, the plume can into areas with a lot of veg-
fine glass. but it's not." tate the skin and eyes and flatten out. Its size, mean- etation. Babb said that is
The lava haze, or "laze," is HOW IS IT CREATED? cause breathing problems. while, depends on the vol- because decaying veg-
created when molten rock Laze is formed when lava Babb says protective masks ume of lava falling into the etation creates pockets of
hits the ocean and marks enters the ocean and trig- that officials have been dis- sea. The hazards minimize methane, which the lava's
just the latest hazard from gers a series of chemical tributing to protect people once the shards fall to the heat can ignite.q
a volcano that has been reactions. from volcanic ash will filter
generating earthquakes The seawater cools the particles from laze but not
and spewing lava, sulfur di- lava, which forms a glass the hydrochloric acid.
oxide and ash since it be- that shatters. Tiny pieces No major injuries have
gan erupting in Big Island are picked up by the steam been reported from the
backyards on May 3. cloud, which contains hy- lava haze. The U.S. Geo-
The dangers have forced drochloric acid that also is logical Survey says laze
at least 2,000 people to created by the interaction contributed to two deaths
evacuate and destroyed of lava and the ocean. in 2000, when seawater
more than 40 buildings. It's "Just like if you drop a washed across recent and
also created anxiety for glass on your kitchen floor, active lava flows.
thousands of others about there's some large pieces WHO NEEDS TO BE CON-
the possibility of lava head- and there are some very, CERNED ABOUT IT?
ing their way or cutting off very tiny pieces," Babb Mostly people who are on
roads they depend on to said. "These little tiny pieces the coast, either on land
get to work, school and are the ones that can get or in boats just offshore.
grocery stores. wafted up in that steam Where the plume wafts de- Jack Jones, visiting from Madison, Wis., takes pictures at a coun-
Here are key things to know plume." pends heavily on wind di- try club in Volcano, Hawaii as a huge ash plume rises from the
about the latest volcanic Scientists call the glass Limu rection and speed. summit of Kiluaea volcano Monday, May 21, 2018. (AP Photo/
threat: O Pele, or Pele's seaweed, The gas clouds initially ap- Jae C. Hong)