Situation Report

Members of the D.C. homeless community have constructed an encampment in front of the Central Union Mission. These crowded spaces can become breeding grounds for diseases such as the flu. (Carmen Heredia Rodriguez/KHN/Carmen Heredia Rodriguez/KHN)

washingtonpost.com - by Carmen Heredia Rodriguez - March 3, 2018

 . . . For the healthy, the flu represents a serious health concern. But for the homeless — who deal with higher rates of chronic illness, fewer resources and crowded conditions in shelters — catching the flu can be a matter of life or death.

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Alora Freeman, 8, watches as ice builds along a downtown water fountain in Atlanta, Jan. 3, 2018.  David Goldman / AP

wired.com - by Megan Molteni - January 3, 2018

NOW, THE FIRST thing you should know about a bomb cyclone is it’s just a name—and unlike a sharknado, it’s not a literal one. The very real scientific term describes a storm that suddenly intensifies following a rapid drop in atmospheric pressure. Bombing out, or “bombogenesis,” is when a cyclone’s central pressure drops 24 millibars or more in 24 hours, bringing furious winds that can quickly create blizzard conditions and coastal flooding.

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CLICK HERE - ‘Bomb Cyclone’: Rare Snow in South as North Braces for Bitter Cold

CLICK HERE - Winter storm slams Southeast, forecast to explode as 'bomb cyclone' in Northeast

Rachel Clement picks purple mustard before the first hard freeze of the season at Owl’s Nest Farm in Upper Marlboro, Md., on Nov. 9. Many women, highly educated and city-bred, are taking to the farm life. Clement has worked at the farm since August. (Michael Robinson Chavez/The Washington Post)

washingtonpost.com - by Caitlin Dewey - November 23, 2017

Liz Whitehurst dabbled in several careers before she ended up here, crating fistfuls of fresh-cut arugula in the early-November chill.

The hours were better at her nonprofit jobs. So were the benefits. But two years ago, the 32-year-old Whitehurst — who graduated from a liberal arts college and grew up in the Chicago suburbs — abandoned Washington for this three-acre farm in Upper Marlboro, Md.

She joined a growing movement of highly educated, ex-urban, first-time farmers who are capitalizing on booming consumer demand for local and sustainable foods and who, experts say, could have a broad impact on the food system.

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Sources: DOE, Reuters - By Travis Hartman | REUTERS GRAPHICS

Power relief efforts for Hurricane Wilma and Irma were aided by utilities’ ability to access power from utilities in other states through the existing interstate transmission system and the nearby availability of workers to help restore the system. Hurricane Maria knocked out power to all 1.5 million customers in Puerto Rico, and its island locale means it cannot draw on other nearby electrical grids. Additionally, with key infrastructure like ports and airports out of service, workers have been prevented from arriving, and efforts to assess the damage have been much slower.

http://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/rngs/STORM-MARIA-POWER/010050ZK27Z/index.html