Reporter
Keely Brewer is a Report for America corps member covering environmental impacts on communities of color in Memphis. She is working in partnership with the Ag & Water Desk, a sustainable reporting network aimed at telling water and agriculture stories across the Mississippi River Basin.
There are 322 articles by Keely Brewer :
Straight line winds downed 11 power poles on Winchester Road, knocking thousands off the grid. Lightning also tripped breakers at utility substations, which McGowen said “had a pretty dramatic impact that we don’t typically see.”
Historical data from MLGW shows the worst storms in its history, based on the number of customers who lost power. More than a third of those happened in the past year and half. Power outages spike Tuesday during severe thunderstorms, heat advisoryRelated story:
The area is under a severe thunderstorm watch until at least midnight and an excessive heat warning Wednesday from noon to 8 p.m., meaning the heat index could reach 112 degrees.
Friends for Our Riverfront, a local group dedicated to protecting the city’s riverfront promenade for public use, is legally challenging the museum’s right to build at the Downtown site.
As demand for overnight river cruises on the Mississippi increases, the industry also faces increasing climate threats. Recent years have seen wild swings between heavy rainfall and severe drought, making the river tougher to navigate.
With the return of river travel, three companies are currently offering overnight cruises on the Mississippi while nearby cities look to cash in.
Overnight cruises returned to the Mississippi River a decade ago, and many passengers say the river’s storied past is part of the draw. But what history do they learn, and how?
“As a member of the community that works in Memphis but lives in Arlington, I certainly have strong feelings about having a more responsive utility for suburban communities,” Butler said.
If MLGW had met its tree-trimming goals, trees would have caused an estimated 25 circuit outages in 2020, according to utility President and CEO Doug McGowen. Instead, they caused 120.
The City of Memphis is getting more than $100 million from the state to improve water infrastructure.
“Memphis has very large parks, but those large parks are not dispersed in a way that they can benefit the majority of residents.”
By Wednesday evening, fewer than 500 MLGW customers were dealing with outages.
Collierville Mayor Stan Joyner called the latest outage ‘a gut punch’ to those already affected. MLGW President and CEO Doug McGowen said weather-related repairs delay long-term reliability improvements. ‘I don’t want customers to lose hope’: Second week of storms knocks out power for 35,000Related story:
Another weekend storm with winds up to 60 miles per hour has left crews with more downed trees and power lines to address.
Even after the sun sets, there won’t be much of a break from the heat, especially for the remaining Memphis Light, Gas and Water customers whose power is still out.Related story:
The Environmental Protection Agency has proposed tighter restrictions on ethylene oxide, or EtO, which is used in a South Memphis facility. But 20 state attorneys general are urging the EPA to forgo or defer the regulations.
“I’m going to ask is that everyone uses sensible measures to conserve electricity where and when you can, irrespective of electrical outage,” MLGW’s McGowen said. MLGW expects current power outages to continue through the weekendRelated story:
Tennessee is the 24th state to argue that ‘forever chemical’ manufacturers should pay to clean it up.
The utility replaced more than 350 wooden utility poles in three days.
For a time, Doris Bradshaw walked miles around the neighborhood nearly every day, telling her neighbors about the toxins at the Defense Depot — arsenic, lead, mercury and a host of other chemicals — that seeped into their soil and water. Within the first year, Doris had organized a group of about 1,500 people.
MLGW needs to clear about 1,400 miles of vegetation each year to maintain its tree-trimming schedule; in the past four years combined, however, it hasn’t been able to meet that goal.
MLGW President and CEO Doug McGowen said the roughly 30,000 customers still without power Wednesday could be without power for days, as triple-digit temperatures sweep the region.
The 50,000 customers still waiting on power to be restored can cool down at Baker Community Center as temperatures approach triple digits. MLGW expects boil water advisory to end tomorrow 55,000 MLGW customers without power as triple-digit temperatures approachRelated stories:
MLGW President and CEO Doug McGowen said Tuesday that power has been restored to the pumping stations and water pressure is continuing to build. 55,000 MLGW customers without power as triple-digit temperatures approachRelated story:
By Tuesday morning, power had been restored for about half of the Shelby County residents who lost electricity during Sunday night’s super cell thunderstorms. Why does Memphis lose power after storms? That and a few more questions answeredRelated story: