!Que Onda Magazine!
El Líder del Clima.
Mantente informado.
Click on the map to view details or click here: QOHW0225
Tokyo Olympic torch relay to kick off in one month
The torch relay for the postponed Tokyo Olympics is to start in a month, which should be a sign that the troubled Olympics are on track to begin on July 23.
It was at this stage at the start of the torch relay just under a year ago — just after the Olympic flame arrived from Greece — that the Olympics were postponed because of the coronavirus.
Organizers on Thursday read out a list of rules regarding health measures for the 10,000 torchbearers and others who are to take part, including fans. They also cautioned that changes to the route or runners could come without much notice.
“No shouting, no cheering. Please cheer by clapping your hands and maintain appropriate distance in case there is overcrowding,” Yukihiko Nunomura, the vice director-general of the organizing committee, told a briefing.
Torchbearers will be allowed to run without wearing a mask, but all others are required to wear one.
The relay begins on March 25 from the northeastern prefecture of Fukushima and will crisscross the country. It ends on July 23 at the opening ceremony in the National Stadium in Tokyo.
Fukushima is the part of Japan that was heavily damaged on March 11, 2011, by an earthquake, tsunami, and the meltdown of three nuclear reactors.
The precise starting point of the relay will be J-Village located in the town of Naraha.
There was talk after the postponement of dropping all or part of the torch relay for safety reasons or to save money and simplify the games.
But it was kept, partly because it is a heavily sponsored event backed by Coca-Cola and Toyota, and other large sponsors such as Nippon Telegraph and Telephone, Nippon Life Insurance, Panasonic, All Nippon Airways, Japan Airlines, and Visa.
Local sponsors have poured in about $3.5 billion to these Olympics, many without much chance of a return because of the COVID-19 pandemic, limited tourism for the games — if any — and the one-year delay.
The local sponsorship contribution is at least twice as large as any previous Olympics.
The International Olympic Committee and organizers announced earlier this month the so-called Playbooks for the Olympics. They spell out how the Olympics in Tokyo will be held. They are to be updated in April and June with more details.
The cost of the Tokyo Olympics continues to soar. The official price tag is $15.4 billion, but Olympic costs are notoriously difficult to track. Several government audits have said costs are at least $25 billion and maybe more.
Source: www.khou.com
Should you switch electricity providers or stay where you are?
Last week’s electric shortage has given some customers a jolt. Some people who were on variable rate wholesale electricity plans now owe thousands of dollars for just one month of power. It has many consumers worried and wondering what to do next.
-
If you are on a fixed-rate plan, you won’t likely notice a difference in your electric bill at all.
-
If your electric provider goes out of business, you will be switched to what’s called a “Provider of Last Resort.” If and when that happens, you want to find a new provider and plan as soon as possible because POLR rates are typically much higher than what you would normally be expected to pay.
If you were to switch providers today, Jesson Bradshaw, the CEO of Energy Ogre says rates are not bad.
“The rates are a little bit higher now than they were before,” Bradshaw explained. “So we’re looking at you know, 9.5 to 10.5 cents (per kilowatt).”
He said this week, the electric market in Texas is already looking much better than just a few days ago. On the Power to Choose website Wednesday, there were 107 plans to choose from. Last Wednesday, there were only 27 since electric companies were nervous to take on new customers not knowing how much they would be expected to pay for power.
Spring and fall are typically great seasons to sign up for a new plan. In the summer, rates are generally higher, but there is still a bit of uncertainty right now because of last week’s outages.
“I don’t think a lot of the retailers understand exactly where they are with their customers because some of the metering information hasn’t been correct,” Bradshaw said.
Bradshaw said when CenterPoint loses connectivity with its smart meters, its software estimates how much electricity people used. That happened when 1.4 million customers lost power last week. CenterPoint’s software automatically estimated usage. But, almost half of CenterPoint customers used no electricity for up to four or five days. CenterPoint is now going back and correcting that usage data to send to retail electric providers so they know what to charge customers.
“The good news is, by statute, every one of the retail electric providers has to work with you,” said Bradshaw. “They have to offer you a payment plan or some way to try to spread that out.”
But, beware of working out payment plans with your power provider. Electricity broker Lisa Davies with Energy Procurement Services says that could prevent you from switching providers.
“If your supplier puts you on a deferred plan where you can go ahead and make payments and pay off your balance, they put you on something called a switch hold. And if you’re on a switch hold, you can not switch from your provider,” said Davies.
If your fixed-rate contract is expiring soon, start shopping around to see what kind of rate you can get. If it doesn’t expire until April, set a calendar reminder at least three weeks before to start shopping around.
Bradshaw said you should know your expiration date and the rate you’re currently paying.
Source: www.click2houston.com
159 million in rental relief opens for Houston, Harris County renters in need
Renters in Houston and Harris County who are struggling to make ends meet because of the COVID-19 pandemic can begin applying for assistance on Thursday.
This latest round of rental assistance totals $159 million. BakerRipley and Catholic Charities will administer the program.
“This program will bring much-needed relief for those tenants who are due to pay rent,” said Cristina Cave, community relations manager for BakerRipley. “This will go back to April of last year. It will cover rent up to present.”
She said the program is for renters in the city or county who have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and are behind on rent or facing eviction.
Applicants will need to show proof and there are some income limits.
“An average for a family of four is a little over $63,000 of annual income,” said Cave, who provided an example of the income limits.
The program can also cover some past-due utilities.
“We will be addressing first those tenants that need it the most,” Cave said.
Cave said priority will be given to people who are low income or have been unemployed for at least 90 days.
The program is not first-come, first-serve and is expected to stay open for several months.
You can find out more information and apply online at HoustonHarrisHelp.org.
In addition, a special phone line will open Thursday to take questions and provide applicants with the status of their applications. The number is 832-402-7568.
Source: www.click2houston.com
Abbott promises action to prevent future power grid failures
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott promised action to prevent a future power grid failure like the one last week that left millions of people without electricity for days as an arctic blast gripped the state.
“Tragic does not even begin to describe the devastation and the suffering that you have endured over the past week,” Abbott said as he spoke to Texans from the State Emergency Operations Center during a statewide address Wednesday.
Abbott repeated his statement that puts the onus of the crisis at the feet of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, where six board officials resigned this week. He said ERCOT assured state officials that the grid was ready for the record-setting cold and ice that swept the Lone Star State. He said the agency charged with managing the state’s electric grid should’ve acted faster to get it stabilized.
“Many of you are angry, and you have a right to be,” Abbott said. “I’m angry too.”
Abbott said the system that was needed the most during the storm “broke” and he laid out a set of priorities aimed at stopping future problems.
First, the governor said lawmakers are working on ways to help Texans slapped with sky-high energy bills after last week’s storm. He said companies are prevented from disconnecting people from their water or power services until the Legislature has had time to act.
Abbott said his second priority is to overhaul ERCOT. He said he’s pleased with the resignations of several board members but “more must be done.” He said he wants to add more power to the grid and ensure that Texas never runs out of power again.
Finally, Abbott again called on lawmakers to mandate winterization of Texas’ power infrastructure and to set aside the money need to do it.
The governor said the legislative session will not end until the problem is addressed.
Source: www.click2houston.com
Front stalls out near Houston Thursday
A weak front moving through Texas will stall out near Houston Thursday, keeping plenty of clouds and fog around.
Temperatures will dip into the low 60s overnight, and fog will be most prevalent south of I-10, especially along the coast. A few breaks in the clouds will allow temperatures to warm into the mid-70s south of the front. Meanwhile, some neighborhoods north of Houston will struggle to climb out of the 50s. Widely scattered light showers are possible anytime as the front stalls out near Houston.
Why is the sea fog coming back and how long will it stick around?
Last week’s severe cold snap cooled off-the-shelf water temperatures into the 50s, which is anywhere from 10-20 degrees below normal. When humid Gulf air blows over the top of these chilled waters, the moisture condenses out of the air from the fog. The colder the water, the dense the fog gets and the longer it lingers. The sea fog is likely to linger all the way through the weekend as it will take some time for the cold shelf waters to warm up and stop making the fog. The only other way it can move out is if a front can blow in and push the moisture back out into the Gulf.
How cold will it get behind the next cold front?
That’s difficult to determine at this time because we expect the next front to stall out somewhere near Houston on Thursday. If the front clears your neighborhood, you’ll have a tough time warming out of the 50s under a cloudy sky. If the front stalls to your north, you’ll be stuck in the 60s and 70s with clouds and sea fog. It now looks like the front may never push through Houston, and if that’s the case, temperatures will not dip below 60 until another front arrives next week.
Will we get any rain with this front?
There is a 40% chance of showers with the front, but we expect total rainfall to generally average under one-quarter of an inch.
How is the weekend shaping up?
At this time we expect the front to lift north on Friday night, bringing in mild, humid air for the weekend. That means you can expect lows in the 60s and highs near 80 with lots of clouds and, yes, more sea fog. A few showers are also possible both days ahead of another front arriving late Monday.
Source: abc13.com
President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden to visit Houston on Friday
President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden plan to visit Houston on Friday, Feb. 26.
The president is also expected to be accompanied during the visit by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.
The president said earlier he doesn’t want to be a burden, as communities struggle to recover from last week’s winter storm.
“They’re working like the devil to take care of their folks,” Biden said last week of Texas officials.
The White House announced on Saturday that the president had declared a major disaster in Texas, and he has asked federal agencies to identify additional resources to address the suffering.
Part of the job of being president is responding to the destruction left behind by earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, and other natural disasters, or events like deadly mass shootings, or even acts of terrorism.
Abbott also said he planned to request a federal emergency declaration from the White House ahead of severe winter weather.
The death toll from the storm and resulting power outages has reached at least 22 in the greater Houston area.
Source: abc13.com
ACTUALIZACIÓN: Recursos de recuperación tras la tormenta invernal
El clima invernal de la semana pasada dejó a miles de residentes con pérdidas de propiedad, daños en el hogar y una infinidad de necesidades. Por ello, la Oficina de Manejo de Emergencias del Condado Harris (HCOHSEM, por sus siglas en inglés) está trabajando con socios de toda la comunidad, con el fin de ayudar y asociar a los residentes con los recursos disponibles.
La Página de Recuperación de la Tormenta Invernal de ReadyHarris es el sitio ideal para obtener información de recuperación. Los residentes pueden encontrar enlaces para solicitar ayuda de FEMA, ayuda de agencias sin fines de lucro, información sobre cómo encontrar ayuda para la limpieza e incluso recursos de salud mental.
Incluso, la línea telefónica 2-1-1 es una de las formas más rápidas para encontrar ayuda durante el proceso de recuperación. Sus operadores pueden evaluar rápidamente las necesidades y conectar a los residentes con las organizaciones indicadas para brindarle la ayuda necesaria.
Así mismo, pedimos a los residentes que completen una breve encuesta sobre los daños que se registraron en el hogar. Esta información es importante, ya que nos ayudará a comprender las necesidades inmediatas de los residentes, así como los recursos que puedan requerir y solicitar a través de FEMA. La encuesta está disponible en inglés y español.
También se anima a los dueños de negocios a completar una encuesta para identificar la condición de nuestro sector comercial y empresarial. Esto incluye a todas las empresas, grandes y pequeñas y también está disponible en inglés y español.
Cómo puede ayudar
Volunteer Houston ha abierto un Centro de Recepción de Voluntarios virtual para coordinar a los voluntarios con las necesidades de la comunidad. Dicho centro está abierto al público en general, los interesados pueden registrase aquí (click here) como voluntario. Las organizaciones (es decir, organizaciones sin fines de lucro, organizaciones religiosas, oficinas gubernamentales) que necesitan voluntarios para la respuesta a desastres también pueden publicar sus requerimientos.
Por otro lado, United Way of Greater Houston y Greater Houston Community Foundation se han unido para proporcionar subvenciones a organizaciones sin fines de lucro locales que compensarán las necesidades insatisfechas de las familias en toda la comunidad. Haga clic aquí para donar al Fondo de Ayuda para Tormentas Invernales del Condado Harris en Houston.
Los residentes pueden enviar un mensaje de texto con la palabra FREEZE al 888777 para recibir actualizaciones sobre los recursos de recuperación a medida que estén disponibles.
UPDATE: Winter Weather Recovery Resources
Last week’s winter weather left thousands of residents with loss of property, home damage, and a variety of other needs. The Harris County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management (HCOHSEM) is working with partners from across the community to help connect residents with available resources.
The ReadyHarris Winter Weather Recovery Page is the one-stop-shop for recovery information. Residents can find links to applying for FEMA aid, help from non-profit partners, information on finding clean-up assistance, and even mental health resources.
Dialing 2-1-1 is one of the fastest ways to find recovery assistance. Their operators can quickly assess needs and link residents with the organizations best able to provide help.
How to Help
Volunteer Houston has opened a virtual Volunteer Reception Center to connect volunteers with community needs. Click here to go register as a volunteer. It is open to the general public for those interested in volunteering. Organizations (i.e., nonprofits, faith organizations, government offices) who need volunteers for disaster response may also post their needs.
The United Way of Greater Houston and the Greater Houston Community Foundation have joined to provide grants to local non-profits that will meet the unmet needs of families across the community. Click here to donate to the Houston Harris County Winter Storm Relief Fund.
Residents can text FREEZE to 888777 for updates on recovery resources as they become available.
HCOHSEM Working to Connect Residents and Businesses with Resources for Winter Weather Recovery
The Harris County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management (HCOHSEM) continues working with partners from across the region to help connect residents and businesses with available resources as they recover from the recent winter weather, which left thousands of people with loss of property, home damage, and a variety of other needs.
The ReadyHarris Winter Weather Recovery Page is the one-stop-shop for recovery information. Residents can find links to FEMA assistance, help from non-profit partners, information on finding clean-up assistance, and even mental health resources.
Harris County residents are encouraged to complete a brief survey on home damage to help us understand and identify damages across the county, needs, and resources that may need to be requested through FEMA. The survey is available in English and Español.
Business owners are also encouraged to complete a survey to identify the status of our commercial sector. This is for all businesses, big and small, and is also available in English and Español.
The survey is not an application for assistance and does not replace reporting damage to an insurance company. In addition, the survey does not guarantee any federal disaster relief assistance. The information provided will be beneficial in assisting with the damage assessment process in Harris County related to the February winter weather event. The personal information provided on the survey will be kept confidential.
The United Way of Greater Houston and the Greater Houston Community Foundation have joined to provide grants to local non-profits that will assist the unmet needs of families across the community. Click here to donate to the Houston Harris County Winter Storm Relief Fund.
Residents can text FREEZE to 888777 for updates on recovery resources as they become available.