They strongly urged all residents to prepare for cold weather by remembering the Four Ps: people, pets, plants and pipes. The tips below come from the city, county and its partners. Protect pets, plants, and pipes, and if you don`t have to spend extended periods of time outdoors during the coldest conditions, stay inside and stay warm."ĮRCOT said it expected sufficient power generation to meet forecasted demand, but CPS Energy urged energy conservation to help residents save money on their bills. Check on your neighbors and take steps to winterize your home. The National Weather Service released the following guidance to residents in South Texas and the Hill Country: "Take action to protect vulnerable communities such as the elderly and the unhoused. Below zero wind chills are most likely in the Hill Country and Austin.įor Maverick, Dimmit, and Zavala Counties including the city of Eagle Pass, wind chill values will remain slightly less cold, in the 8 to 15 degree range.Ī hard freeze warning is also in place beginning Thursday evening, and that will continue through Saturday. A wind chill warning will be in effect for the entire area Thursday evening through midday Friday. Those winds will generate wind chills in the single digits in the city and below zero across the Hill Country.Ī wind advisory will be in effect for the area except Maverick, Dimmit, and Zavala counties on Thursday afternoon and evening. The NWS reported that when the front reached Amarillo, temperatures dropped 25 degrees almost immediately.įorecasters said winds of 20 to 30 miles per hour were likely in San Antonio, with gusts up to 40 mph at times. It will reach San Antonio by midday with gusty winds and a fast drop in temperatures, according to the National Weather Service.īy Thursday morning, Texas was already feeling the cold front's strength. “Even though we have a historic surplus in Minnesota, we’re being asked to pay for this program through a new tax,” Funk told reporters.A strong cold front will bring temperatures to near or below freezing before sunset Thursday over the Hill Country and Austin. He estimated it would cost his district about $480,000 annually, with half being paid by employees. Mike Funk, superintendent of the Stillwater Area Public Schools, said the tax would use up much of the education aid increase the Legislature is considering. Local governments have also raised concerns. Her amendment was defeated on a party-line vote.Ĭhristine Fenner, president of the Waconia Area Chamber of Commerce, said at the GOP news conference that employers want to offer good benefits so they can be competitive in the tight labor market, but that the new tax would compound costs of doing business that are already growing. But employers would not be mandated to provide the benefits. It would authorize insurance companies to offer products providing varying degrees of paid family and medical leave. Companies offering more generous benefits than the state requires could opt out.ĭuring the debate, Coleman offered an amendment for a voluntary alternative she introduced last year that would rely on tax credits for employers who choose to participate. Employers could charge half that expense to employees. The benefits would be funded by a 0.7% payroll tax. Replacement wages would range from 55% to 90%, averaging 66%. The legislation would create an insurance-like system to allow workers to collect up to 12 weeks of partial wages when they take medical leave, including for pregnancy, and up to 12 weeks to take care of family members, starting in 2025. Tim Walz is expected to sign the final version that emerges from a House-Senate conference committee. The proposal passed the House last week on a 68-64 vote, and Democratic Gov. While Senate Democrats hold only a one-seat majority, paid family and medical leave has been a priority of the party for several years, and the final 34-33 vote followed party lines. (AP) - The Minnesota Senate approved a plan Monday to entitle workers across the state to paid leave when they’re sick or caring for relatives who are ill.
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