Photo: Science Photo Library RF
1 850 Maui Residents Still Missing Amid Fires
A total of 850 people are still missing in connection with the wildfires that tore through Maui recently. Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen announced on social media that there is actually a silver lining to this terrible update. "There is positive news in this number, because when this process began, the missing person list contained over 2,000 names," he said, stating that more than 1,280 people have been located and are considered safe from the disaster. As for the deceased, at least 114 people died in the wildfires, unfortunately making it the deadliest fire in modern US history. Bissen added that 27 victims far been identified thus far, and 11 victims' families have been contacted. The FBI has also announced a site where people can provide DNA samples to be matched with the remains they’ve found in an effort to expedite the process of identifying victims. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden arrived on the island yesterday to survey the area and to let residents know during a press conference that he’d provide whatever help the island needs to get through this crisis. Biden also intimated that he wouldn’t let developers come in and change Lahaina into something locals don’t want.
2 Hilary Aftermath Leaves Locals Trapped In Palm Springs, California
Residents in and around the Palm Springs, California area have found themselves trapped in their homes, following the heavy rain and mud hills from tropical storm Hilary. People in Cathedral City, just south of Palm Springs, experienced a “debris flow” of that mud and sand stopping in front of some of their homes and businesses. The aftermath caused firefighters to go house-to-house ensuring that people could get out, according to fire chief Michael Contreras, who stated, “Right now, they are trapped for all intents and purposes. If you don't need to get out, give us time to clear the streets before attempting to leave.” Much of the mountain and desert in Southern California received between 5 and 10 inches of rain, which is the amount they see in a year. Palm Springs received more than half a year's worth of rain in just a few hours on Sunday. As California Governor Gavin Newsom tours the state, he says Palm Springs experienced “the most significant rainfall over a 60-minute period any time in the history of Palm Springs.” As the state works to recover damage to public and private property in the area, residents have also been warned that 911 lines have been down due to flood damage.
3 Teen Sentenced 15-To-Life For Crash That Killed Boyfriend
The Ohio teen who was convicted of crashing her car into a building on purpose, killing her boyfriend, Dominic Russo, 20, and his friend, Davion Flanagan, 19, was sentenced to two concurrent 15-years-to-life sentences yesterday. Mackenzie Shirilla, 19, was convicted last week on 12 counts, including murder, for the crash that occurred in July of 2022. When Shirilla was 17, she intentionally drove into a brick building in Strongsville, Ohio. The men were pronounced dead at the scene. Though she didn’t testify, Shirilla read a statement before her sentencing, saying how “deeply sorry” she was for the pain she’s caused and thanking her family for their support. After that, Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Nancy Margaret Russo admitted she’d been grappling with whether to give Shirilla consecutive or concurrent sentences. Russo had previously announced that what Shirilla did “was not reckless driving. This was murder”. However, when it was time to make her decision, the judge stated, “I understand that the pain in this room wants me to impose the harshest sentence, but I don’t believe that would be the appropriate sentence, because I do believe that Mackenzie won’t be out in 15 years.”