Heat

An 11-year-old boy died in the intense heat of Death Valley National Park after he and his mother became stranded and survived for several days on bottled water, Pop-Tarts and cheese sandwiches, authorities said Friday. Alicia Sanchez, 28, of Las Vegas was found severely dehydrated and remained hospitalized in that city a day after being found with her dead son, her dog and a Jeep Cherokee buried up to its axles in sand. She told rescuers in San Bernardino County that her son Carlos died Wednesday, days after she fixed a flat tire and continued into Death Valley, relying on directions from a GPS device in the vehicle.

In the heat of August, many plants look as if they are barely hanging in there. Not so cannas. Cannas thrive on scorching days. These tropical plants resemble tiki torches aflame with flowers in lipstick red, banana yellow and the orange of a ripe apricot. Some of the most vigorous and dramatic cannas can shoot up 5 to 7 feet. Ventura County horticulturist John Schoustra says the trick to spectacular cannas is pruning. "The minute you see seedpods, cut off that stem all the way to the ground, which makes room for a new vigorous one," he says.

Brett Favre will get the press. Aaron Rodgers will get the pressure. That's how it's looking for Sunday's game, when Minnesota plays at Green Bay and Favre makes his first return to Lambeau Field. When these teams played at the Metrodome in Week 4, Favre played brilliantly, throwing for 271 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Vikings to a 30-23 victory. Although Rodgers also looked exceptional, throwing for 384 yards and two touchdowns, he was harassed all night.

Re "Mixed legacies," Opinion, Jan. 18 The Times is right on target. We need to remember that the best presidents were not perfect and the worst of the lot had some redeeming qualities. In the heat of partisan debate, this is often forgotten. But we need to keep this in mind as we look forward too. We are always in danger of expecting too much of a new president and making too much of his perceived failures and too little of his successes. We shouldn't have to wait for history to correct our perspective.

Citing a need for "someone in the middle," Miami Heat President Pat Riley on Friday traded forward Shawn Marion and point guard Marcus Banks to the Toronto Raptors for center Jermaine O'Neal, forward Jamario Moon and a future first-round pick. "Somewhere you've got to get honest with yourself and say if you're going to compete with the big boys, you need someone in the middle," Riley said. "It was the best move for now, competitively. And it sweeps the table for 2010." The trade provides the height-challenged Heat with a proven post presence in O'Neal, a five-time All Star and a definite upgrade on Jamaal Magloire, Joel Anthony and Mark Blount.

The corrections department is ending its use of outdoor prison cells after an inmate died in triple-digit heat last month. Marcia Powell, 48, died from heat-related complications after collapsing in an uncovered outdoor cell May 19. Powell had been in the cell for nearly four hours.

Meteorite bombardment: In Section A on June 7, an article about a meteorite barrage that may have provided ingredients for life on Earth said that the meteorites may have been stripped of "oxygen- and water-rich outer layers" by "frictional heat" as they entered the atmosphere. It should have said carbon dioxide instead of oxygen; and the heat from such events is caused not by friction but by "ram pressure," in which compression heats air around the meteorite.

Eighty-two-year-old twin sisters were found dead in their San Antonio home after the city sweltered through days of 100-degree heat. The bodies of Florence and Emma Jernigan were found Thursday in the home where they had lived all their lives. Police say the single air conditioner in the home was off. Authorities said no one had heard from the women for several days. A neighbor called police after noticing a foul odor. The cause of death was pending but was believed to be heat-related.