Great California ShakeOut: 9.3 million to take part in quake drill

Commuting is the focus of today's Great California ShakeOut, which is being billed as the "largest earthquake safety drill in U.S. history."

Across the state in schools, offices, hospitals and -- for the first time -- Union Station in downtown Los Angeles, people will be asked to drop, cover and hold on during the annual drill. Metro trains will also slow down at 10:18 a.m. as if a real earthquake occurred.

More than 9.3 million Californians are expected to take part. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/10/great-california-shakeout-earthquake-drill.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+lanowblog+%28L.A.+Now%29

Article courtesy of The Los Angeles Times-LA Now

 

 

 

Cow manure to power Killington K-1 gondola

Arizona Snowball made headlines in September when it announced plans to make artificial snow this season 100 percent from sewage, which sounds gross, but is reportedly very clean, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Well, while no Northeast resorts will employing the same tactics, waste will be a factor in how one local resort plans to power its gondola this season.

Killington Mountain Resort announced Thursday that the K-1 will be fueled by methane gas from cow manure, a process called "Cow Power."   http://www.boston.com/travel/explorene/specials/ski/blog/2012/10/cow_manure_to_p.html

Article courtesy of The Boston Globe by Eric Wilbur

 

 

 

Earthquake rattles New England

The U.S. Geological Survey said the 4.0 magnitude quake hit around 7:12 p.m. and its epicenter was about 3 miles west of Hollis Center, Maine. It was about 3 miles deep.
Read more: http://www.wcvb.com/news/local/Earthquake-rattles-New-England/-/9848876/17020494/-/m5jjr7z/-/index.html#ixzz29YUz7vvz

Article courtesy of Boston's WCVB TV

Some climate scientists, in a shift, link weather to global warming

The worst drought in half a century has plagued two-thirds of the nation, devastating farms and stoking wildfires that scorched almost 9 million acres this year. Withering heat blanketed the East Coast and Midwest, killing scores of people and making July the hottest month ever recorded in the U.S. And in the Arctic this summer, polar snow and ice melted away to the smallest size ever observed by man. http://www.latimes.com/news/science/la-sci-weather-climate-change-20121013,0,2353619.story

Article courtesy of The Los Angeles Times by Monte Morin

Federal plan designed to create large solar energy plants

The Obama administration has formally adopted a plan to help create large-scale solar energy plants, offering incentives for solar developers to cluster projects on 285,000 acres of federal land in the western U.S and opening an additional 19 million acres of the Mojave Desert for new power plants.  http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-1013-solar-zones-20121013,0,2819109.story

Article courtesy of The Los Angeles Times by Julie Cart

Drought leads restaurants to raise prices, cut portions

The effects of the Midwest drought on prices for corn, meat and poultry are showing up on restaurant menus. Small eateries are being hit hardest.

Scorching weather this summer in the Midwest left crops parched and livestock famished. Restaurants, already struggling with high fuel costs and a sluggish economy, are starting to feel the pinch of higher food costs. http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-fi-drought-restaurants-20121014,0,3803482.story

Article courtesy of The Los Angeles Times by Taffany Hsu

Gas prices suddenly skyrocket in California

Skyrocketing gasoline prices caused some local service stations to shut off their pumps Thursday while others shocked customers with overnight price increases of 30 cents or more.

California's fuel industry isn't running out of gasoline — supplies are only 2.5% lower than this time last year — but recent refinery and pipeline mishaps sent wholesale prices to all-time highs this week. As a result, some station owners weren't buying fuel for fear they couldn't sell it. Those who did buy simply kicked prices higher and bet customers would understand.http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-gas-prices-20121005,0,2326954.story

Article couresy of The Los Angeles Times by Ronald D. White and Dalina Castellanos