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record numbers
Average high in July was 98.2 degrees 90 degrees 29 of 31 days
From 41 Action News Brett Antony
Written by Alex Kampman | Photos by Katelynn Downey Summers are hot, but this summer has been extremely hot. The temperatures have been in the three-digit rage constantly and have been breaking records across the nation. The 2012 summer drought has affected everything from the environment to the activities the people in the community take part and the food being purchased at the grocery store. This June has been the driest since 1988. The rainfall for June was three inches below normal. The limited amount of rain and the sweltering temperatures have led to huge impacts on the environment. Plants and animals depend on water and with the inadequate amount of rain this summer there can be very adverse side effects. When the drought began water supplies acutely shrunk and animal habitats were damaged. According to University of Missouri Climate Center, the damage can be temporary and the habitats, food and water supply can return to normal after the drought is over. When the drought is long term, like this summer, the damage can be long lasting (Missouri Climate Center). Some impacts that this summer’s drought has already had on the environment are lack
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of food and drinking water for wild animals, migration of wildlife, lower water levels in rivers, lakes and ponds, more wildfires and poor soil quality. The drought is not only affecting the environment it is also affecting everyday life. The sports student’s play are seeing changes as well. “The drought is really affecting the soccer fields,” sophomore Nat Davis said. Davis is a sophomore playing varsity soccer, which means he has spent time on the soccer field this summer. “The drought usually makes the field we play on pretty hard and dry. That often times makes our touches on the ball suffer,” Davis said. The soccer field is not the only place being affected, though. The softball players are also taking a hit this summer. “Outside it is hot and dry so during tournaments I get dehydrated much faster. We also have to take five minute game breaks every thirty minutes because of the heat,” junior Olivia Atkinson said. Sports outside of Liberty North are also having difficulties with the heat. The owner of Midwest
Sports Production and United States Specialty Sports Association, Doug Morrison, is also taking extra steps to help players defeat the heat. “The drought is affecting some fields in Kansas City because they are having water shortages. They cannot water the fields as often. We are also taking five minute breaks during the games,” Morrison said. At the tournaments they have also been setting up tents and sprinklers to make sure tournament Spectators stay cool. Sports are not the only thing being affected by the drought. The local markets are also experiencing changes due to the drought. “The drought is affecting the prices of our produce greatly. Here at Price Chopper, we are having meat sales. Large numbers of cattle are being slaughtered because there is a shortage of grain for them to eat. Corn prices on the other hand, will be rising. Corn is a major ingredient in many different foods. Due to the drought, the corn crop will be significantly reduced, causing all prices of corn produces to rise.” Price Chopper Manager Lou DeMarco said.
The drought this summer has really hit home for some students and teachers at Liberty North. “My grass is really dry because of the drought. On the Fourth of July, when my family was shooting off fireworks, sparks got on the grass and caught fire. Luckily my sister hand a glass of water to put out the fire or else it could have spread,” sophomore Laken Kroge said. People in the community have started to see their air conditioning bills rising because of the drought. “I just paid my highest air conditioner and electric bill. I live in a two-bedroom apartment and my bill was over two hundred dollars. Also my grandparent’s gave up on their garden for the first time this summer because of the drought. They couldn’t handle being out in the heat for long periods of times. So they had to stop working out it,” said chemistry teacher Jessica Robinson. This summer’s drought has greatly impacted students and faculty at Liberty North as well as the nation. It is a possibly that in years to come people will still be talking about the drought of summer 2012.
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