By BJ Austin, KERA News & Wire Services
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-980115.mp3
Dallas, TX – Dallas County reports nine "heat deaths" -- the total for all of last summer. County Health Department director Zach Thompson says at least two of the "heat deaths" were elderly residents who refused to run their air conditioners because of the high cost.
Thompson: This is a personal responsibility that I'm challenging during this extreme heat condition that we need churches, civic groups and neighbors to check on their neighbors. If you know that someone who is living in your community without a working air conditioning unit, you can assist them. You don't have to call Dallas Health and Human Services. You can make the difference in their lives.
Thompson says the county's heat hotline is getting about 300 calls a day. He says they've installed 400 window-unit air conditioners so far this summer to qualified low-income residents that are without ANY air conditioning.
Reliant Energy, TXU and Dallas County have programs to help with electric bills.
The Salvation Army is operating 15 daytime cooling stations at its centers across North Texas.
Salvation Army Cooling Stations
Dallas Rec Centers
FW Community Centers
Hot And Dry: Conserve Water
The North Texas Municipal Water District kicked-in its "Stage 2" Water Conservation Emergency Response plan today.
The District provides water to McKinney, Plano, Frisco and other cities north and east of Dallas. It's asking cities to limit landscape sprinker systems to 2 days a week; no residential lawn watering between 10am and 6pm; no city street cleaning or vehicle washing; and turn off city ornamental fountains.
The goal is to reduce water usage by 5%. Officials say the drought has several lowered lake levels. And Lake Texoma water is temporarily off limits because of an invasion of the Zebra Mussels. They don't contaminate the water, but attach to pipes and equipment.
The Tarrant County Regional Water District says reservoir levels are at 80%. Mandatory drought restrictions take effect at 75%. Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price says NOW is the time to conserve.
ERCOT: Heat Straining The Grid
ERCOT, the Texas electricity grid operator, is asking folks to conserve!
Officials are asking the consumers cut demand between 3 and 7pm each day this week. Suggestions include: no dishwashers, hair dryers or laundry from 3-7pm. Use the microwave instead of electric range, and set the thermostat at 78.
Because of the intense heat, the grid is seeing very heavy demand. ERCOT says if Texas power generators cannot keep up with demand, consumers across the state could see "rolling outages" to prevent a total blackout.
Study: Red-light cameras reducing crashes in Texas
A study of nearly 300 intersections in Texas found that red light-related crashes dropped 25 percent statewide after traffic cameras were installed.
The Texas Transportation Institute released the report Monday. Researchers at the state agency say the data reinforces the safety benefit of the cameras despite the controversy the traffic controls have caused in Houston and other places.
Houston voters passed a referendum in November to turn off the cameras that the city began installing in 2007. But a federal judge invalidated that ballot measure, and the cameras were turned back on.
Critics say red-light cameras are unproven and a scheme to generate revenue from traffic tickets.
The Texas Transportation Institute study looked at crash data from 275 intersections in Texas both before and after red-light cameras were installed.
Expert: Polygamist leader had child with girl, 15
A forensic analyst says DNA evidence shows with 99.99 percent certainty that a polygamist religious leader fathered a child with a 15-year-old girl.
Warren Jeffs is head of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which believes polygamy bring exaltation in heaven. He faces charges of sexual assault with two underage girls and, if convicted, could go to jail for life.
Amy Smuts, of the Human Identification Center at the University of North Texas, testified Monday that Jeffs' DNA had 15 markers match a DNA sample taken from a girl born to a 15-year-old mother. She said that made her more than 99.99 percent certain Jeffs was the child's father.
FLDS followers believe the 55-year-old Jeffs can speak for God on earth.