Puerto Rico schools cancel classes due to excessive heat
The Puerto Rican Department of Education announced school closures last week amidst record-breaking temperatures, with the heat index in some areas hitting 114 degrees. Most schools in Puerto Rico lack air conditioning and heat-related emergencies have been reported in about half of the public schools on the Island. Temperature records have been broken throughout the summer, including 47 straight nights with the thermostat over 80 degrees. August was also the hottest month in recorded history on the Island. To address the current crisis, the Department of Education is considering adjusting school hours.
Hurricane Lee to bypass Puerto Rico but damage still expected
Hurricane Lee is expected to continue to grow and slow down this week as it moves up the east coast, though the National Hurricane Center forecasts that its intensity will likely drop from the current Category 3 storm level. The storm, even if it misses hitting land this week, is still expected to bring rainstorms, strong winds, and coastal flooding. There will be huge waves hitting the east coast that will likely cause coastal erosion, dangerous surf, and potentially life-threatening rip currents.
UCF Puerto Rico Research Hub celebrates five years
The University of Central Florida’s Puerto Rico Research Hub (PRRH), which marks five years this week, has received a $500,000 research grant from Congress. The PRRH has conducted research on housing, jobs, healthcare, social integration, and education of the Puerto Rican diaspora in Florida and around the country. Hurricane Maria, led to hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans to resettle in Central Florida. Beginning in 2018, the research hub also provided in-state tuition for displaced Puerto Ricans.
Puerto Rico receives $158 million for broadband infrastructure
Puerto Rico will soon receive $158 million from the U.S. Department of Commerce to develop broadband infrastructure. The funding will cover two initiatives. The first is $85.7 million for the Submarine Cable Resiliency Program that will construct an underwater fiber optic route between Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The second initiative is $64.7 million to fund Puerto Rico’s Multipurpose Community Technology Center program, which will create internet access centers across the Island. The remaining $7.9 million will go toward administrative costs.
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