AltWeeklies Wire
Disaster Experts Debate Three Different Methods of Dealing With an Earthquakenew
Following major earthquakes in different regions of the world, three explanations of what to do if you are in a building during an earthquake have emerged. But which is the best approach?
Pasadena Weekly |
Justin Chapman |
03-15-2010 |
Disasters
From Chile, a Toast 'A La Vida'new
"A la vida," says my small circle of friends, raising our cups of wine and pausing. The window behind me frames the jagged drop of one of the famous hills of Valparaíso, Chile, congested with vertically stacked tin houses and a fairy-tale web of streetlights.
Life in Texas, One Year After Hurricane Ikenew
Back in December, we spoke with a number of people in Galveston, Bolivar and along the bay about how they were coping with the storm. For the one-year anniversary, we tracked most of those same people down and talked to a few more. Here are their stories.
Houston Press |
John Nova Lomax |
09-15-2009 |
Disasters
Will the Border Patrol Use Hurricane Evacuations to Snag Undocumented Immigrants?new
If a violent hurricane hits South Texas, 150,000 undocumented immigrants will want to flee the Rio Grande Valley. But U.S. Border Patrol checkpoints might keep them from evacuating.
The Texas Observer |
Kevin Sieff |
08-12-2009 |
Disasters
Panic, FEMA, Empty Shelves: The Only Hurricane Guide You'll Need This Yearnew
The experts say 2009 will be a "normal" hurricane season, meaning not so bad, really. Which, given the track record most of these experts have demonstrated, is even more cause for worry.
Houston Press |
Richard Connelly |
06-09-2009 |
Disasters
Shades of Gray: Confusion Reigns in the Wake of Tennessee Coal-Ash Spillnew
TVA's Dec. 22 coal-ash spill attracted an array of scientists, attorneys, politicians, and provocateurs to Kingston, Tenn., including environmental advocate Erin Brockovich who hosted a town hall meeting.
The Memphis Flyer |
Chris Davis |
01-23-2009 |
Disasters
Galveston and the Texas Gulf Coast Struggle After Hurricane Ikenew
While Katrina's destruction of New Orleans monopolized the eyes of the country and the world for weeks in 2005, Galveston was not as fortunate.
Dallas Observer |
John Nova Lomax |
01-12-2009 |
Disasters
Ike Was Bad for Galveston's Poor, but it Might Get Worsenew
The hurricane devastated the city's North Side, an historic African-American community. Four of the area's six housing projects have been condemned and many residents have lost everything. Will the community be rebuilt or will it suffer the same fate as New Orleans' Lower Ninth Ward after Katrina?
The Texas Observer |
Forrest Wilder |
12-17-2008 |
Disasters
The Brief but Violent Life of the Tea Firenew
At least 210 homes -- including 130 within city limits -- were destroyed by the devastating fire, which has been determined to have been caused be a bonfire started by a group of 10 18- to 22-year-olds the previous night.
Santa Barbara Independent |
Chris Meagher |
11-24-2008 |
Disasters
Using Lessons from Katrina, Neighborhood Groups Stepped Up During Gustavnew
Patricia Jones and members of NENA and other neighborhood groups organized a campaign in which they passed out flyers to Lower Ninth Ward residents informing them of ways they could evacuate before Hurricane Gustav arrived.
New Orleans Photo Essay: Katrina's Anniversary and the Gustav Evacuationnew
What was supposed to be just a vacation, became so much more on my most recent trip to New Orleans. Over the weekend we found ourselves caught up in the mass evacuation as Gustav prepared to hit southern Louisiana. These are the photos from that experience.
Slideshow: Houston Prepares for Edouardnew
Scenes from Spec's, Home Depot and Kroger on Monday, Aug. 4, the eve of Tropical Storm Edouard's anticipated arrival in Texas.
Houston Press |
Daniel Kramer |
08-05-2008 |
Disasters
Burned by the Gap: Not Everyone Escaped Goleta Blaze Unscathednew
Much of the community breathed a sigh of relief when the Gap Fire entered its final days, having only claimed a few outbuildings and some lemon and avocado orchards. Not everybody was fortunate, however, as residents of the county's wilderness-adjacent communities can attest.
Santa Barbara Independent |
Ben Preston and Kathleen Zaratzian |
08-05-2008 |
Disasters
Summer Blazes Reveal the Real Cost of California's Money Problemsnew
As Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger explained how he's get a handle on the fires, a man-made disaster erupted, as the annual financial crisis that paralyzes the state every budget season reeled out of control.
Metro Silicon Valley |
Eric Johnson |
07-17-2008 |
Disasters
A Look at the Ecological Impacts of the Big Sur Wildfiresnew
Big Sur enthusiasts may be horrified to see the wildfires turn postcard-quality forests into black moonscapes. But scientists remind us that fire is a critical ingredient in Big Sur's fire-adapted beauty, and the ecological challenges arise less from the flames than from human meddling. As long as the wildfires are burning, their precise ecological impacts will be shrouded in smoke -- but experts do have a sense of how the flames will affect non-human life in Big Sur.
Monterey County Weekly |
Kera Abraham |
07-11-2008 |
Disasters
