Photo: Science Photo Library RF
1 Flood Victim Search In Texas Briefly Interrupted By Heavy Rains And Risk For More Flooding
New storms forced search crews to halt work along the Guadalupe River yesterday, where record flash floods since July 4th have already killed at least 132 people and left more than 170 missing, most of them in Kerr County. Officials said the river jumped 26 feet in 45 minutes during the initial flood event on the Fourth, sweeping away homes, roads, and the cabins of girls’ Camp Mystic, where 27 campers and counselors died. Helicopters, boats, dogs, drones, and high-water trucks had combed the riverbanks for a week, but heavy rain and lightning grounded aircraft and flooded low roads Sunday, pausing the effort for the first time. The fresh downpours also damaged about 100 houses in San Saba County and triggered high-water rescues from Sonora to Kerrville, where deputies knocked on doors overnight to warn of a new surge. Texas Task Force 1 kept crews on standby while shelters opened in schools and fairgrounds. State and local leaders admit warning systems failed in several spots: Kerr County has no sirens, past grant requests for gauges were denied, they rejected some government money, and many cell phones never buzzed. Governor Greg Abbott has expanded his disaster declaration to 17 counties, and President Trump has approved federal disaster aid.
2 Two Women Killed In Kentucky Church Shooting Yesterday
A multi-victim shooting in Lexington began at 11:36 a.m. yesterday when a gunman shot a Kentucky State Police trooper near Blue Grass Airport, then carjacked a vehicle and sped six miles to Richmond Road Baptist Church. There, the suspect, whose name has not yet been released, walked into a service of roughly 50 people and opened fire, killing two women, ages 72 and 32, and wounding two men. Police quickly surrounded the church, and during the standoff they exchanged shots with and fatally wounded the attacker. Lexington Police Chief Lawrence Weathers called the scene “devastating,” noting many inside were related or lifelong friends.
3 Fed Probing Fed Renovation Costs, Looking For Leverage To Eliminated Fed Chair Powell
White House adviser Kevin Hassett said over the weekend that the administration is investigating why a planned overhaul of Federal Reserve headquarters has ballooned to $2.5 billion, about $700 million over budget. Budget chief Russ Vought likened the costs to renovating France’s Palace of Versailles. Officials are also reviewing whether President Trump could fire Fed Chair Jerome Powell “for cause” if mismanagement is found, though many lawmakers and legal analysts doubt a president has that power. The Fed defends the pricey project, citing asbestos removal and aging infrastructure in its 1930s-era building, while former Fed governor Kevin Warsh calls for wider reforms at the central bank.