Commercial Roofing Contractors in Copeville, TX

Researchers have mapped more than 250 potentially earthquake-causing underground fault lines stretching across 1,800 miles in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in North Texas.

And, they say, they are just as likely to cause earthquakes as previous faults that have done so.

The study, published this week in the journal Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, is the most comprehensive fault information ever compiled for the region, according to a press release from Southern Methodist University, where some of the research was done. The study identified a total of 251 faults in the Fort Worth Basin, but the researchers suspect there are even more.

Earthquakes used to be rare in North Texas. But more than 200 have been recorded in the region since 2008, ranging in magnitude from 1.6 to 4.0. Previous studies have found a link between the quakes and the high volume of wastewater injected deep underground from oil and gas operations. The influx of water has been shown to trigger "dead" faults.

The new research concluded that the faults remain fairly stable if left undisturbed, but poorly managed wastewater injection greatly raises the chances that the faults will slip and cause earthquakes, according to SMU.

“That means the whole system of faults is sensitive,” Peter L. Hennings, lead author of the study at a research scientist from University of Texas at Austin’s Bureau of Economic Geology, said.

Earthquakes in the region have decreased since 2015 as deepwater injection has slowed down, according to a press release from UT-Austin. The researchers pointed out that while the fault system means earthquakes are possible in many areas, none of the quakes that have occurred so far have been major temblors like those that hit California and other areas.

The strongest of the bunch, a 4.0 earthquake, shook Venus, Texas, about 32 miles southwest of Dallas, in May of 2015. While residents reported feeling it, there were only a few reports of very minor damage and no one was injured.

“This study provides key information to allow the public, cities, state, the federal government and industry to understand potential hazards and to design effective public policies, regulations and mitigation strategies,” SMU professor and study co-author Heather DeShon said.

Researchers say that while the new maps are important to understanding the earthquake hazards for Dallas-Fort Worth, they can also be used to study similar impacts in other areas.

Meanwhile, they plan to continue studying the faults under Texas' most populated region.

“In 2020, we will be publishing an updated version of the fault map as well as a comprehensive model that indicates the degree of pressurization that each of the earthquake faults has experienced from wastewater disposal,” Hennings said. “Combined with this current work, the future research will give industry and our regulators powerful tools to use in managing the hazard and reducing risk.”

"I'm worried about my kids, my grandkids, and my mom," said Tina Esquivel.

NEVADA, Texas — Tina Esquivel is feeling a lot of things as she walks through her charred living room. There isn't much left after the Tuesday fire. What hasn't been claimed by fire, is drenched, caked with ash or ruined by smoke.

"I'm worried about my kids, my grandkids, and my mom," said Esquivel.

The Esquivels have lived in their Nevada, Texas home for 12 years. The family of 10 has made many memories in the home, and they were excited to get together for Christmas.

"We were all going to get together here. This has put a big damper on everything," said Esquivel.

She said the house can be rebuilt, and said she's mostly thankful to have her family alive and well. She shared the home with seven other adults, including her three children, her mother, and two grandchildren -- ages 7 and 3 months.

Esquivel was most concerned for her elderly mother, who is on oxygen and disabled. She was in the home at the time of the fire and was rescued by a neighbor named Matt Reising.

Reising is a complete stranger, and a former Marine who sprung into action.

"I just pulled in, parked, I was on 9-1-1 and I heard voices. At that point, I went in," said Reising.

Thanks to Reising, no one was hurt.

Esquivel's daughter, who is expecting, was also in the home at the time of the fire. She is OK.

There is never a good time to lose most everything, but there are worse times -- being that it's just days before Christmas. The gifts under the tree for the grandkids are ruined. This family of 10 is now split up -- staying with friends and other family.

"Strike the holidays, just being together now... that's what we're worried about, just getting back together," said Esquivel.

She told WFAA that getting the home fixed up will take at least six months. Thankfully, they do have insurance.

It's unclear what started the fire, but Esquivel said it is likely electrical.

It is in these times, in these holidays, we are reminded of what is important, and especially who.

"I always fix everything, and this is one thing I don't know how to fix," said Esquivel.

A funding site has been created to help the family with unexpected expenses related to the fire. Click here if you would like to donate.

Almost all airlines have a place they call home - the main hub, where they station crew and have their maintenance base. The United States is home to the world's largest single airline hub, but also to more nomadic low-cost point-to-point models of operation. Let's take a look at where the US's major carriers like to park their wings, ranging from legacy carriers to those in the low-cost sector.

American Airlines

American Airlines, and its regional service branch American Eagle, operate out of ten hubs across the country. However, its largest is that of Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) in Texas, where it also has its headquarters. American's operations span several terminals and make DFW the second-largest single airline hub in the world.

According to data provided by OAG, DFW is presently the fifth-busiest airport in the world in terms of available seats on the routes that it serves. This marks a significant increase compared to pre-COVID, as it ranked 14th in 2019.

Alaska Airlines

You would imagine Alaska Airlines to have its major hub in the state where it was inaugurated and for which it is named. The carrier does maintain a hub at Ted Stevens International Airport (ANC), five miles southwest of downtown Anchorage. However, one of the US's largest carriers could be forgiven for not keeping its main activities at an airport serving a city of 288,000 people.

Anchorage remains one out of Alaska's five hubs across the US, but its main home is at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), Washington. The city of Seattle, outside of which SEA is located, is also where Alaska Airlines has its headquarters. Before the pandemic, the airport was considered one of the fastest-growing in the US. Last year, it was the 11th-busiest in the US by passenger boardings.

Allegiant Air

Ultra-low-cost carrier Allegiant operates out of various bases across the country, but its main home is at Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport (LAS), Nevada. Other main low-cost carriers, such as Frontier, Southwest, and Spirit, also list Las Vegas as a focus city. However, none of the three main US legacy carriers are present in this capacity. Las Vegas was the country's eighth-busiest airport in 2021.

Delta Air Lines

For some time, Delta Air Lines operated the world's largest single airline hub at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), Georgia. In 2019, ATL saw 110.5 million passengers pass through its gates. This made it the busiest airport in the world by passenger numbers, followed by Beijing Capital with 100 million.

The first time ATL greeted its 100 millionth passenger in a single year was in 2015. Last year, it was the busiest airport in the US, processing more than 36 million boarding passengers. It currently ranks first in the world in terms of the busiest airports by available seats, with OAG noting that it has over 4.6 million this month.

Frontier Airlines

Frontier Airlines, a 28-year-old ultra-low-cost carrier, maintains a crew and maintenance base at Denver International Airport (DEN), Colorado. It is the largest airport in the US by land area, and Frontier is the third-largest airline to fly out of it. Denver is also known for its long runways, due to being at a high altitude.

At the end of 2019, Frontier announced that it would invest $10 million into a new training center in Orlando and open up a new base at Miami International Airport (MIA). While the events of 2020 demonstrated the fundamental uncertainty in making plans, Frontier nonetheless went ahead with both. Simple Flying took a closer look at the airline's growth plans for Miami International Airport last year.

JetBlue

Hybrid carrier JetBlue has its home base at New York's JFK Airport. Located in Queens, it has historically been the busiest international air passenger gateway into North America. This is something that JetBlue has looked to profit from in recent years, with the launch of transatlantic services to and from London, UK.

JFK opened in July 1948, at which time it was known simply as New York International Airport. It was also known as Idlewild, the name given when the airport was first proposed, after the golf course that it would displace. It was renamed after the US's 35th President, John F Kennedy, following his assassination in 1963.

Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines is a little bit of a special case in this matter, as the carrier doesn't call its bases hubs. Instead, it has long prided itself in point-to-point routes, operating its all Boeing 737 fleet to less busy airports.

Nonetheless, the airline has identified a few main connecting airports. These include Atlanta (ATL), Baltimore/Washington (BWI), Chicago Midway (MDW), Denver (DEN), Houston Hobby (HOU), Nashville (BNA), Oakland (OAK), Phoenix (PHX) and St. Louis (STL). However, one more airport also stands out.

Specifically, Southwest Airlines has long had a history with Dallas Love Field (DAL), with its headquarters at the airport. Nonetheless, the firm shies away from strictly identifying with hubs, as its CCO, Andrew Watterson, told TPG in 2020:

"It’s not a hub like [Dallas/Fort Worth] is a hub for American [Airlines]. We don’t schedule the whole thing for connectivity in banks. (...) There’ll be a time of day in these big cities where it’ll be scheduled for connectivity, which is what a hub is. The rest of the day is not scheduled for connectivity — connectivity happens, but it’s just a big city."

United Airlines

United's main hub is located at Chicago-O'Hare International Airport (ORD), Illinois. It is also the location of the Star Alliance founding member's headquarters. O'Hare was the busiest airport by flights operated in the US in 2019.

Today it has eight runways, the highest number of any airport in the world. However, it came from humble beginnings, having been constructed in 1944 to serve a Douglas manufacturing plant for C-54 Skymaster military transport planes.

How many of these airports have you flown from or to? Which of the US's main carriers is your favorite? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments!

There's been a chlorine-like smell flowing from faucets in several North Texas cities. It's been raising concerns over the last couple of weeks, but it was a Facebook post from advocate Erin Brockovich warning people that the water was dangerous that really started the pandemonium.

"I immediately thought of all of the homemade baby food I've made, and my little guy likes to take a bath, and he'll drink the water as he's bathing, and I'm horrified thinking about what's gone into his body that can't be undone," said Rebecca Clinard.

Clinard and her sister, Rachel Barfield, say they've questioned the safety of the water in their Rockwall homes for years.

Barfield uses a filtration system for drinking water, but it doesn't do anything for the water she uses for other household tasks. Barfield is now convinced the water is the cause of the rashes she and her children get each time they bathe.

"I'm worried about what else it could be doing besides just surface stuff, besides the rashes and the hives. What is it doing to the inside of me and my children and my husband?" Barfield said.

That is why she says she felt vindicated when she found the Facebook post from Brockovich.

The well-known advocate pointed to the ammonia and chlorine mixture, known as chloramine, used by the water district to remove dangerous bacteria and byproducts.

Brockovich said, in part:

"Good people of North Texas... this is a cheap dirty trick and a really bad idea. It does not reduce the DIRT in the drinking water... it masks or covers up the ability for chlorine to react with the remaining DIRT and form 'regulated' disinfection byproducts. Sadly... they only care about 'regulated' toxins. Chloramine actually forms toxins 1,000 time more dangerous... they are just not yet 'regulated.' They know this and frankly just don't care.

"So... the ammonia (which is nitrogen) is pumped into your drinking water... it is not 'Safe'... it is a weaker disinfectant... which allows (actually feeds) bacteria and biofilms in the pipes, plumbing systems and appliances. This biofilm exhausts the chlorine freeing up the ammonia (nitrification) which is like candy to bacteria and your system begins to fail. After this failure... the free chlorine burnout becomes necessary. Again... it is not 'Safe' it is toxic and dangerous. Just where do you think the broken down biofilm ends up? Yuck!"

Mike Rickman, deputy director of operations and maintenance for the North Texas Municipal Water District, called her allegations false, saying she was missing a big piece of the puzzle.

He says the district recently adopted ozone treatment, which removes most of the byproducts before it's treated by chloramine.

He also denied Brockovich's claims that chloramine isn't safe, adding that it's used by 45 percent of water systems across the United States.

"Our water is absolutely safe to drink and use and meets all state and federal regulatory requirements. We do not cut any corners. What we're doing right now is simply to help control and continue to produce that high quality water," Rickman said.

Part of Brockovich's claim referenced a process called "burnout," which happens every year at this time when the water district switches from chloramine to free chlorine to help flush the lines. Both Rickman and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality call it a common practice.

The NTMWD says it's this routine maintenance that can cause a strong chlorinated taste and smell. They expect it to end on March 26.

The NTMWD serves the following member cities: Allen, Farmersville, Forney, Frisco, Garland, McKinney, Mesquite, Plano, Princeton, Richardson, Rockwall, Royse City and Wylie.

Additionally, the NTMWD lists the following towns as customers: Ables Springs Special Utility District, College Mound Special Utility District, BHP Water Supply Corporation, Copeville Special Utility District, Bear Creek Special Utility District, East Fork Special Utility District, Caddo Basin Special Utility District, Forney Lake Water Supply Corporation, Cash Special Utility District, Gastonia-Scurry Special Utility District, City of Bonham , Greater Texoma Utility Authority, City of Crandall, Milligan Water Supply Corporation, City of Fate, Mount Zion Water Supply Corporation, City of Josephine, Nevada Special Utility District, City of Kaufman, North Collin Water Supply Corporation, City of Lucas, Rose Hill Special Utility District, City of Melissa, Seis Lagos Utility District, City of Murphy, Town of Fairview, City of Parker, Town of Little Elm, City of Rowlett, Town of Prosper, City of Sachse, Town of Sunnyvale, City of Terrell, Wylie Northeast Special Utility District.

Some NTMWD customers contract with other cities to provide them with water service. Though those cities are not served by the NTMWD directly, they are receiving water from the NTMWD through a contract with a NTMWD customer. Those cities and customers receiving NTMWD water are: Air Park Estates, Altoga Water Supply Corporation, Beach and Tennis Club HOA, Becker Jiba Water Supply Corporation, BHP Water Supply Corporation, Bois d’Arc Municipal Utility District, Caddo Basin Special Utility District, City of Caddo Mills, City of Honey Grove, City of Lone Oak, City of Quinlan, City of The Colony, City of Van Alstyne, City of West Tawakoni, City of Windom, Combined Consumers Special Utility District, Country Wood Estates, Culleoka Water Supply Corporation, Elmo Water Supply Corporation, High Point Water Supply Corporation, Jacobia Water Supply Corporation, Kaufman County FWSD 1A, Kaufman County Municipal Utility District 11, Kaufman County Municipal Utility District 12, Kaufman County Municipal Utility District 14, Lawrence Water Supply Corporation, Markout Water Supply Corporation, Nevada Water Supply Corporation, Shady Grove Water Supply Corporation, Southeast Kaufman Water Supply Corporation, Talty Special Utility District.

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WALTHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Vistaprint, the leading online provider of professional marketing products and services to small business owners, plans to open a new 322,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility in Southern Dallas to support its continued growth in North America and further improve the Vistaprint customer experience. The company expects to invest $50 million over the next couple of years in the new site near the International Inland Port of Dallas and aims to have initial sections of the plant up and running by the end of 2019. The plant is due to reach its full production potential by 2023. The investment will include building costs as well as the equipment used to produce customer orders.

This will be Vistaprint’s third manufacturing facility in North America and second in the U.S., adding to locations in Windsor, Ontario and Reno, Nevada. The Dallas facility will enable Vistaprint to reduce the company’s shipping costs and provide improved value to its customers by shortening delivery times. Having a third location also offers redundancy in the event of a natural disaster or other major issue that might hinder production, ensuring Vistaprint can continue to serve its customers without interruption.

“We view this expansion of our manufacturing capabilities as an investment in both our business and in the satisfaction of our customers. As they increasingly demand service on their terms, our new Dallas facility provides a great opportunity for us to exceed their expectations,” says Christian Vaillant, VP Manufacturing North America at Vistaprint. “When we opened our Windsor plant in 2005 our global annual revenue was around $100 million. Today it’s around $1.5 billion and growing, so we need to put ourselves in the best possible situation to continue supporting that growth. Additionally, we’re proud that the new plant will offer a major benefit to the surrounding area through high-quality job creation and training opportunities.”

By 2023, Vistaprint expects to employ around 600 full-time employees at the new site, including operators, engineers and administrative professionals. An additional 120 seasonal, temporary positions will be available to service times of peak demand. With a robust job training program in place, Vistaprint and the City of Dallas are working together to fill manufacturing job opportunities at the new facility.

Vistaprint estimates that Phase I of construction of the leased facility will be completed by the end of 2019 and will create 200,000 sq. ft. through an initial investment of about $15 million. The phase II expansion will increase the size of the facility to 322,000 sq. ft. with construction estimated to be completed by 2021.

About Vistaprint

Vistaprint is a global e-commerce brand empowering more than 17 million small business owners to professionally promote their business with quality printed and digital marketing products at an affordable price. Our world-class online design studio allows customers to easily customize their products including business cards, marketing materials, signage, promotional products, apparel, websites, digital marketing, cards and stationery at www.vistaprint.com. Our patented printing technique allows us to maximize efficiency and consistently deliver quality and value to customers. This innovative process is supported by 22 localized websites serving various global markets; world-class manufacturing facilities around the globe, including North America, Western Europe and Australia; and thousands of employees in offices worldwide. Vistaprint is a Cimpress (Nasdaq:CMPR) brand.

Vistaprint and the Vistaprint logo are trademarks of Cimpress N.V. or its subsidiaries. All other brand and product names appearing on this announcement may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.