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A4 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 24 augusT 2023
Deadly heat wave in the central U.S. strains infrastructure,

transportation

By ACACIA CORONADO spokeswoman Kristen South
and JUAN LOZANO said Tuesday.
Associated Press Costs in the U.S. for road
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Tem- maintenance and replace-
peratures have soared in ment due to rising temper-
the central U.S., leading to atures could reach $26.3
deaths in some states as billion by 2040, with most of
more dangerous heat is ex- the damage expected to
pected, a national weath- hit Texas, California and Il-
er service official said. linois, according to a 2017
The harsh heat wave has study by University of Ari-
broken records, caused zona and Arizona State Uni-
damage, shortened school versity researchers.
days and forced the evac- The heat has already
uation of a nursing home caused an unusual number
this week as some cities of Texas water line breaks
brace for triple digit tem- and roadway issues.
peratures through August. Texas officials are monitor-
There have been 25 heat- ing the heat, roadways
related deaths this summer and tips from residents to
in Louisiana, officials said address issues as quickly
Tuesday, and in Nebraska, as possible, said transpor-
a 1-year-old left in a hot tation department spokes-
van died. A cyclist tops a hill at sunset, Sunday, Aug. 20, 2023, in San Antonio, where temperatures continue man Danny Perez. Houston
The heat is expected to to hit the triple digit mark. officials learned of likely
become “dangerous to Associated Press heat-related damage to a
the average person” if ida to New Mexico, he said. pendent energy analyst Experts warn infrastructure road Sunday after about 10
they don’t have air condi- The Electric Reliability and former adviser to the like roads can buckle un- other similar reports in June,
tioning, said Alex Lamers, Council of Texas asked resi- state’s energy regulator. der the extreme strain of he said.
warning coordination me- dents twice last week to But there are risks the lon- enduring and recurring Houston’s high tempera-
teorologist at the National conserve energy because ger this drags on, Silverstein heat waves brought on tures and a lack of rain
Weather Service’s Weather of high demand and low said, comparing it to a car by climate change. Union have caused the ground to
Prediction Center. reserves. The agency is- overheating. Pacific has imposed more shift and damage the city’s
It has felt hotter than 110 sued a weather watch from “At least your car on a long speed restrictions this sum- aging pipes. Residents’
degrees in cities in Texas Wednesday to Aug. 27. trip has a chance to rest mer across its network of top service request is for
and Louisiana more of- The council hasn’t had an overnight and cool off,” more than 32,000 miles water leaks, according to
ten than at any time since outage all summer despite she said. “A lot of these (51,499 kilometers) of West- city data. Reports of water
World War II, Lamers said. unrelenting heat and high plants have been running ern track as a “precaution leaks from the past month
The brunt of the enduring demand, said Alison Silver- nonstop, or pretty close to to reduce the impact on were up 25% from the same
heat has hit states from Flor- stein, a Texas-based inde- it, since June.” the rail when it gets hot,” period last year.q

New Jersey to require free period products in schools for grades 6

through 12

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — New new law Gov. Phil Murphy moting equity “at every islation. The legislature’s requirements for free men-
Jersey will require school signed Wednesday. level” in the state. nonpartisan Office of Leg- strual products in schools
districts to offer free men- Murphy, a Democrat, said “When students can’t ac- islative Services estimated since 2010, according to
strual products for grades in a statement that the cess the menstrual prod- the requirement will cost the National Conference of
six through 12 under a measure is aimed at pro- ucts they need for their re- between $1.8 million and State Legislatures. Among
productive health, the po- $3.5 million for the first full the states that passed simi-
tential stress and stigma too school year and from $1.4 lar measures recently in-
often distracts them from million to $2.9 million in sub- clude Alabama, Delaware
their classes or forces them sequent years. The cost is a and Utah.
to skip school entirely,” he fraction of the state’s $54.3 The bill passed the Demo-
said. billion budget. crat-led Legislature nearly
Under the bill, school dis- The requirement will affect unanimously, with only one
tricts are required to ensure about 1,400 schools. Total “no” vote.
that students in schools enrollment of female stu- “Menstrual hygiene prod-
with students from grade dents in grades six through ucts are a necessity, not a
six through 12 have access 12 in these schools approxi- luxury. When this becomes
to free menstrual products mated 354,497, according an obstacle and decisions
in at least half of the fe- to the Legislature. are made to not attend
male and gender-neutral New Jersey joins at least 10 school, the loss is greater
bathrooms. The state will other states and the Dis- than just the one day,” Sen-
Boxes of tampons are displayed in a pharmacy in New York, bear any costs incurred trict of Columbia that have ate Majority Leader Teresa
March 7, 2016.
Associated Press by schools under the leg- established or expanded Ruiz said.q