Latest news with #JohnHodgson
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Proposed 'weather control' bans surge across US states
Fake stories that atmospheric experiments are triggering natural disasters have led to US states pushing blanket bans on weather modification, which experts say may jeopardize current local scientific programs and hinder future research. From recent deadly flooding in Kentucky to the Florida and North Carolina monster hurricanes of 2024, Americans have amplified increasingly conspiratorial explanations for extreme weather events -- even blaming manufactured clouds blocking sunlight for the devastation. In response, lawmakers are moving to criminalize legitimate scientific experiments in the atmosphere. In Kentucky, Republican John Hodgson told AFP he introduced a bill because his constituents "do not want to allow any government attempts to modify the solar radiation or weather." But no such government program played a role in the state's weather whiplash. "None of this is government control," said Shane Holinde, a meteorologist at the Kentucky Climate Center. "It is all Mother Nature," he told AFP of the "rollercoaster of a month." The severe weather events claimed 23 lives across the state, according to Democratic Governor Andy Beshear. The actions in Kentucky and other states highlight how misinformation has become entrenched in political discourse, driving legislative efforts in response to conspiracy theories. Tennessee is the first and only state to have passed such a law, despite witness testimony citing chemtrails -- a conspiracy that purports toxic chemicals are being sprayed from aircraft. Kentucky bill co-sponsor, Republican Steve Rawlings, also alluded to them, telling local media his efforts address constituents' concerns of "streaks in the skies." The efforts reflect general confusion over beneficial, small-scale activities, such as targeted cloud seeding programs in the arid West and large-scale geoengineering projects that are still decades away from possible implementation. For example, the text targets stratospheric aerosol injection -- a futuristic technique that the wider public knows little about. Scientists hope the method might allow them to shift the total energy balance between the Earth and the Sun and reduce some of the most blatant effects of climate change, including supercharged floods and storms, but it is currently only at a research stage. The Kentucky legislation mirrors bills advancing in Florida and Arizona since the start of the year. Edward Parson, environmental law professor at UCLA, said such bills often seek "to prohibit something that is not happening." He warned that as more states consider these laws, people will be misled to believe they are "a sensible, legitimate" issue. - Blanket bans - As global warming makes weather extremes more likely, each new natural disaster brings further pushback against "weather control" from an increasingly loud crowd, including prominent political figures such as Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. Blanket bans also run the risk of hindering projects shown to benefit farmers by managing hyper-local precipitation and reducing crop losses from hail. "These state legislations feel a little bit like a knee-jerk reaction," said Deborah Sivas, environmental law professor at Stanford University, while cautioning regulation around larger geoengineering experiments may prove necessary on an international scale. "There is a bigger conversation to be had about if you can do things to manipulate weather patterns" over the ocean or other large shared areas, she said. Dana Willbanks of Columbia University's Climate Science Legal Defense Fund is tracking science-silencing initiatives nationwide. She pointed to a surge of climate-skeptic discourse and censorship at all levels of government since the start of the second Trump administration, down to city councils and school boards. "We are going to start seeing more and more outrageous bills" like bans on weather control, she said. mja/mgs/rl/sms
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Proposed Kentucky house bill would create emergency volunteer corps
FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56) — State lawmakers are hard at work during the legislative session, already filing several bills in both the state house and state senate. One proposed house bill could greatly impact how the state responds to emergencies in the future. If passed, House Bill 41, filed by Rep. John Hodgson (R-Jefferson) and Sen. Aaron Reed (R-Shelbyville), would establish the Kentucky Emergency Volunteer Corps, or KEV. This group of volunteers would help assist first responders and emergency management personnel across the state whenever Kentucky faces an emergency like flooding, tornadoes, or, as was the case this month, extreme snow and ice. Read more of the latest Lexington & central Kentucky news In recent years there's been an uptick in those kinds of events and with more likely in the future, Hodgson said now is the time for Kentucky to prepare. He said the KEV would be a key resource for quicker response while also preventing first responders from getting overworked. 'I think people take a lot more ownership in the community when they volunteer for it; they get some fulfillment of that,' Hodgson said. 'I think we could create a group of volunteers at each county that are reporting to that county emergency manager that have been trained to standardize levels and have a uniform. So, when the disaster occurs. But the county emergency management manager can call everybody out; let's go to work. Let's direct traffic loss, distribute water, get on the radio, remove storm damage.' If the bill does pass this legislative session, there would be a few requirements one would have to meet to become a KEV member. Proposed Kentucky house bill would create emergency volunteer corps Fayette County board renews Superintendent Liggins' contract after weeks of controversy Respiratory illnesses are widespread in the Bluegrass Those requirements include: Being between the ages of 18-64. Pass a background check. Be physically able to perform various tasks (depending on the role). Complete one-week basic training and FEMA training class. Regardless of whether or not the bill passes, Hodgson said it highlights something that has become a part of the Kentucky way. That is Kentuckians' willingness to always help their neighbors before helping themselves. Specifically, in some of the more rural parts of the state, Hodgson said there has never been a moment where he hasn't seen people helping someone else during a time of need, from changing a flat tire to when we have seen tornadoes or floods destroy parts of the state. He's confident that should this bill get passed, there will be no shortage of people wanting to volunteer. Child sex offenders could be banned from trick-or-treating under Lexington lawmaker's bill Hodgson also feels this bill could also be an avenue for young people who have an interest in giving back. 'They say that as a nation, our readiness of youth that are eligible to join the service, about 77% of them can't meet the qualifications because they're out of shape,' Hodgson explained. 'I think that's a national security concern, so it'll help kids get more active, get more, get training, get more competency in responding to emergencies. Stuff that my generation may have had to learn growing up but the modern electronic generation might not.' Hodgson said he's confident if the bill passes as well, it will be a great connector between generations, as there will be a shared commitment to service from those young and old that volunteers can use to relate with one another. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
