Press Play with Madeleine Brand
What are the ongoing threats to health, safety and shelter after Harvey?
Houston is home to chemical plants, oil refineries, and Superfund sites. There are health problems looming. Contaminated water could lead to cholera; mosquitoes could bring zika. Also, most homeowners there don’t have flood insurance, so how much will they be able to fix?
By Madeleine Brand • • 46m ListenPhoto: Raeann Barber, 36, formerly of the 9th Ward in New Orleans and now of Southeast Houston, sits on a cot in the George R. Brown Convention Center after her home was flooded in Houston, Texas, U.S. August 29, 2017. Picture taken August 29, 2017. (Brian Thevenot/Reuters)
In this episode
5 storiesThe health risks brought by Tropical Storm Harvey
The flooding in Texas and Louisiana pose major health and environmental risks to the region. Explosions were reported at a chemical plant just outside Houston, sending plumes of smoke into the air. That’s not to mention mosquitos, mold, and the potential for contaminated drinking water.
Read the story10 minHow will Texans without flood insurance fix their homes?
The recovery in and around Houston is going to take years. FEMA says it’s registered tens of thousands of people already, and some federal assistance is already being processed. But the vast majority of people in the Houston area don’t have flood insurance.
Read the story7 minCalifornia considers letting low level sex offenders off the lifetime registry
The California legislature is considering changing the sex offender registry law. It would remove some low-level offenders from the registry. Now, they’re on it for life.
Read the story12 minTexas Gov. Greg Abbott's rise in conservative politics
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has been in the national spotlight thanks to Tropical Storm Harvey. At a church in Texas, he announced Sunday, September 3 would be a day of prayer. He’s a Christian conservative and climate change skeptic. Abbott has been governor for three years, and was attorney general before that.
Read the story8 minWho owns your personal info online?
A Pasadena internet company offers an easy way to find phone numbers, social media accounts and addresses for pretty much everyone. But what if that information is wrong? Do you have a right to have your information taken down?
Read the story7 min
