There was horrifying news over the weekend, and as you would expect, both the Democrats and their lapdogs in the media attempted to unfairly blame the Trump administration.
Deadly floods struck across Texas on July 4, and at least 90 people are feared dead as a result. The majority of those deaths, including at least 28 children, occurred in Kerr County.
This isn&#8217;t a rarity. Unfortunately, in these parts of Texas, there have been situations like this before. According to Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, the river rose 26 feet in 45 minutes, which is a shocking, shocking increase — and it happened in the middle of the night.
<div id="attachment_943769" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-943769" class="wp-image-943769 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-2223864073-864x576.jpg" alt="CENTER POINT, TEXAS - JULY 06: People stand together beyond caution tape on the banks of the Guadalupe River on July 06, 2025 in Center Point, Texas. Heavy rainfall caused severe flooding along the Guadalupe River in central Texas, leaving more than 70 people reported dead. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-2223864073-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-2223864073-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-2223864073-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-2223864073.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Brandon Bell/Getty Images</div>
President Trump put out <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114806881411557795">a statement</a> saying that he had signed a major disaster declaration for Kern County to ensure responders would immediately have the resources they need:
<blockquote>These families are enduring an unimaginable tragedy, with many lives lost and many still missing.</blockquote>
Despite the fact that the Trump administration was working closely with state and local leaders in the wake of the tragedy, it didn’t stop the media from immediately spinning out a lie.
Whenever there is a terrible situation that occurs in the United States, the first move is to try to find the person to blame politically. Sometimes that&#8217;s justified. Sometimes it turns out that there could have been measures that were taken on a state or local level that could have prevented these things.
But notice how the media immediately turned to the national government as the source of the problem as soon as a Republican is in power.
Remember when there were those massive wildfires earlier this year in Southern California that ate up a huge percentage of the acreage? A lot of the blame fell on local leadership as well as on California Governor Gavin Newsom. That was putting the blame where it probably ought to lie, if you&#8217;re going to make public policy decisions. That’s because you&#8217;re talking about natural disasters, the first line of defense is the local government, and then the state government.
During the Lahaina fires in Hawaii, the first line of blame never went to Joe Biden. It always went to the governor of the state or the local leadership in Maui, which was appropriate.
But as soon as a Republican is the president, immediately the media spins it as the president’s fault. We&#8217;ve seen this for decades.
<h3><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/bss-ep-2232-dems-lie-blame-trump-for-storm-deaths-plus-illegal-immigrant-superman?elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowHeadline=The+Ben+Shapiro+Show&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Carousel">WATCH: The Ben Shapiro Show</a></h3>
During Hurricane Katrina, the entire media decided that despite the fact that the New Orleans flooding was the fault of the state and local leadership, and the poor response was the fault of the state and local leadership, it was the responsibility of George W. Bush and FEMA&#8217;s failures that led to the problems.
The media are trying to do the same thing this time. They&#8217;re blaming President Trump for the deaths in Kerr County by suggesting that DOGE cuts to the National Weather Service were somehow responsible for all of this.
George Stephanopoulos, Mr. Clintonista, a Clinton apparatchik from back in the 1990s who is now perceived supposedly as an objective, neutral news anchor on ABC&#8217;s “This Week,” had <a href="https://x.com/BrentHBaker/status/1941867108624699499">this to say</a>: 
<blockquote>We’re also learning that there were significant staffing shortfalls in the National Weather Service&#8217;s offices in the region.</blockquote>
Al Sharpton, who, of course, is a clown, was on MSNBC claiming that all of this was happening because Trump was making cuts to FEMA and to the National Weather Service, saying: 
<blockquote>The incident comes as the Trump administration is making deep cuts to weather forecasting services and openly discussing shifting more of the burden for disaster recovery from FEMA to state governments.</blockquote>
Sharpton said this as Hakeem Jeffries, the House minority leader, nodded along.
Ron Filipkowski, editor-in-chief of Meidas Touch <a href="https://x.com/RonFilipkowski/status/1941456923263631811">wrote on X</a>: 
<blockquote>When experts warned for months that the NDS ‘is being destroyed’ by rump’s personnel cuts, Howard Lutnick assured Congress that forecasting won’t be affected. Now TX officials are blaming a faulty forecast by NWS for the deadly impact of the storm.</blockquote>
There&#8217;s a big problem with this. It’s not true.
Kristina Dahl, Vice-President for Science at Climate Central, <a href="https://transcripts.cnn.com/show/cnr/date/2025-07-06/segment/19">told CNN</a>:
<blockquote>It&#8217;s clear that &#8230; many, many people did not see those warnings, did not have any chance to respond to them to get to safety before the waters rose, because they were rising so, so quickly. And so obviously there&#8217;s a need to investigate what happened and where that communications breakdown happened. But to be clear, the National Weather Service did its job in warning first to a large area to say there is flood risk in this area, and then over time, as the risk became clearer and clearer, they kind of refined those warnings and issued updates. But obviously the loss of life here really indicates how unprepared we are as a nation for disasters of this scale.</blockquote>
She is saying that the National Weather Service did its job.
Tragedy occurs in life. That’s reality. Not every tragedy is preventable. You do the best that you can.
There are no indicators, none, that DOGE cuts led to the failure of a federal response. This is an excuse by the media to attack the Trump administration.
According to Wired — which is definitely not a Trump outlet:
<blockquote>Meteorologists who spoke to Wired say that the NWS accurately predicted the risk of flooding in Texas and could not have foreseen the extreme severity of the storm. What&#8217;s more, they say that what the NWS did forecast this week underscores the need to sustain funding to the crucial agency.</blockquote>
The staffing levels were not just fine, they were actually larger than normal. The National Weather Service office in Austin, San Antonio, was staffed with five meteorologists throughout the storms on Thursday and Friday, according to NWS meteorologist Jason Runyan.
They usually have two when the weather is clear.
<div id="attachment_943773" style="width: 875px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-943773" class="size-large wp-image-943773" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-2223208053-865x576.jpg" alt="HUNT, TEXAS - JULY 6: Vehicles sit submerged as a search and rescue worker looks through debris for any survivors or remains of people swept up in the flash flooding on July 6, 2025 in Hunt, Texas. Heavy rainfall caused flooding along the Guadalupe River in central Texas with multiple fatalities reported. (Photo by Jim Vondruska/Getty Images)" width="865" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-2223208053-865x576.jpg 865w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-2223208053-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-2223208053-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/GettyImages-2223208053.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 865px) 100vw, 865px" />Jim Vondruska/Getty Images</div>
The Department of Homeland Security put out its <a href="https://x.com/DHSgov/status/1942282490653335622">own thread</a>, which stated:
<blockquote>The mainstream media is deliberately lying about the events leading up to the catastrophic flooding in Texas. The National Weather Service executed timely, precise forecasting and warnings, despite unprecedented rainfall overwhelming the region. Here is the timeline of NWS’s proactive response: 
Morning, July 3rd: NWS Austin/San Antonio conducts forecast briefings for emergency management, flagging flash flood risks. Morning, July 3rd: National Water Center issues Flood Hazard Outlook, identifying flash flood potential for Kerrville and surrounding areas. 1:18 PM, July 3rd: NWS issues Flood Watch for Kerr County, effective through Friday morning. 6:10 PM, July 3rd: Weather Prediction Center issues first of three Mesoscale Precipitation Discussions, warning of excessive rainfall and flash flood potential. 6:22 PM, July 3rd: National Water Center warns of considerable flooding risks north and west of San Antonio, including Kerrville. 11:41 PM, July 3rd: First Flash Flood Warning issued for Bandera County.
1:14 AM, July 4th: Flash Flood Warning with “Considerable” tag issued for Bandera and Kerr Counties, triggering Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) and NOAA Weather Radio notifications. 4:03 AM, July 4th: Flash Flood Warning upgraded to Flash Flood Emergency for south-central Kerr County, including Hunt. 4:35 AM, July 4th: Kerr County Sheriff’s Office reports flooding at low water crossings, 201 minutes (over 3 hours) after the 1:14 AM warning. 5:00 AM, July 4th: National Water Center warns of widespread considerable and catastrophic flooding. 5:34 AM, July 4th: Flash Flood Emergency issued for the Guadalupe River, signaling a “large and deadly flood wave.”
The National Weather Service provided over 12 hours of advance notice via the Flood Watch and over 3 hours of lead time for Flash Flood Warnings, with escalated alerts as the storm intensified.</blockquote>
This is a manufactured scandal out of whole cloth. But it shows you the tremendous, tremendous animus so many members of the media and the Democrats have for the Trump administration.
This pattern has been continuous throughout my lifetime. When there is a Republican president and there is a natural disaster, the immediate response is to blame the Republican president. When there&#8217;s a Democratic president and a natural disaster, the immediate response is to try to shift the blame to climate change, something that is utterly uncontrollable by mankind.
That is always the goal, always and forever.
The media and the Democrats are dishonest hacks.
And that’s putting it mildly.

Death Toll Rises After Flash Floods In Texas Hill Country

Surprise: Dems, Media Lie, Blame Trump For Storm Deaths

Al Sharpton

Ben Shapiro

Democrats

Floods

George Stephanopoulos

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Opinion

Texas

While the nation mourns the devastating floods that wreaked havoc in Texas, some are taking to TikTok to use the disaster as a jumping off point for shocking racial commentary.
Sade Perkins, a former member of the Houston Food Insecurity Board, posted a video on TikTok pointing out the “double standard” between attitudes towards the girls at Camp Mystic and children of families being deported.
&#8220;Camp Mystic is a Whites-only girls Christian camp. They don&#8217;t even have a token Asian, they don&#8217;t have a Token Black person, it is an all White, White-only conservative Christian camp,&#8221; Perkins claimed.
&#8220;They want you to have sympathy for these people. Meanwhile, they are deporting your family members. And I need you all to keep that in mind before you all get out there and put on your rain boots and go find these little girls.&#8221;
Houston Mayor John Whitmire&#8217;s office <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/former-houston-appointee-claims-flood-ravaged-camp-mystic-whites-only-viral-video" target="_blank" rel="noopener">condemned</a> Perkins’ comments: &#8220;The comments shared on social media are deeply inappropriate and have no place in a decent society, especially as families grieve the confirmed deaths and the ongoing search for the missing,&#8221; the statement from the mayor&#8217;s office read.
The mayor’s office told FOX News they would not reappoint Perkins and would be “taking immediate steps to remove her permanently from the board.”
She’s not the only one trying to politicize the flood, which has claimed the lives of at least 82 people.
Another TikToker, who goes by the username <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@bossysptenstarsimon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bossysptenstarsimon</a>, implied that some higher power sent the floods to target white people in particular in a video under the caption “I hope this is a lesson 2 ppl in the floods.”
“I find it ironic that it was the deep southern [sic] of Texas that it happened to,” the user, who is black, says. “Are we not paying attention to the certain” — at this point, she stops speaking and brushes her face, to suggest skin tone —&#8221;that’s on the videos?”
“Hopefully this is opening up some eyes and showing people that he watches,” she adds.
A number of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/libs-dragged-for-blaming-texas-flood-disaster-on-trump?author=Amanda+Harding&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Libs+Dragged+For+Blaming+Texas+Flood+Disaster+On+Trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">leftwing celebrities</a> and political figures have also politicized the flooding, with many implying that Texas — a largely Republican state — brought the disaster upon itself by voting for President Donald Trump, who they say cut disaster response funding. But meteorologists agree that the devastation in Texas was in no way caused or made worse by the administration&#8217;s cuts, as The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/theres-no-evidence-to-suggest-doge-cuts-caused-texas-flood-devastation-meteorologists-say?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Sam+Korkus+and+Isabel+Garcia&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=There%E2%80%99s+No+Evidence+To+Suggest+DOGE+Cuts+Caused+Texas+Flood+Devastation%2C+Meteorologists+Say" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.

Storm Helene Causes Massive Flooding Across Swath Of Western North Carolina

TikTok Users Try To Make Texas Floods All About Race

Liberals

TikTok

As Texas battled floods over the weekend, some politicians and commentators rushed to blame the Trump administration for the ensuing devastation.
Around 1:00 p.m. CT Thursday, a flash flood watch was issued for Kerr County. At approximately 4:00 a.m. CT Friday, the warning level was elevated to a flash flood emergency, according to the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-floods-hill-country-weather-warnings-238d4325bb58f0b410015f74684738b6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Associated Press</a>.
The death toll from the floods, which began Thursday night, has risen to at least 82 people. The search <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/search-for-missing-texas-flood-victims-intensifies-as-death-toll-rises?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Search+For+Missing+Texas+Flood+Victims+Intensifies+As+Death+Toll+Rises" target="_blank" rel="noopener">continues</a> for 10 girls still missing from Camp Mystic, a Christian girls&#8217; summer camp that was at the center of the flooding.
In a post on X, Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisMurphyCT/status/1941571878105297216" target="_blank" rel="noopener">suggested</a> that President Donald Trump&#8217;s Department of Government Efficiency could have exacerbated the crisis in Texas by cutting staff and funding from federal weather agencies.
&#8220;Accurate weather forecasting helps avoid fatal disasters,&#8221; Murphy wrote. &#8220;There are consequences to Trump&#8217;s brainless attacks on public workers, like meteorologists.&#8221;
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) echoed Murphy&#8217;s claims in a <a href="https://x.com/RossOKeefe2/status/1942180517396336816/photo/1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a> urging the Commerce Department&#8217;s Inspector General to investigate whether <a href="https://www.weather.gov/ewx/about" target="_blank" rel="noopener">staffing shortages</a> hindered local officials&#8217; response times. CNN host Dana Bash <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dana-bash-blames-climate-change-donald-trumps-administration-for-texas-floods?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=4&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Dana+Bash+Blames+Climate+Change%2C+Donald+Trump%E2%80%99s+Administration+For+Texas+Floods" target="_blank" rel="noopener">suggested</a> the same in an interview with Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX), who said, &#8220;I don&#8217;t think it&#8217;s helpful to have missing key personnel from the National Weather Service not in place to help prevent these tragedies.&#8221;
But meteorologists have largely concluded that local officials performed their jobs to the best of their ability, and that they were not hindered by federal cuts. They say the floods were simply the result of a rare confluence of circumstances — a true worst-case scenario.
&#8220;There is little evidence that any of the recent cuts to NOAA/NWS negatively impacted services for this event, regardless of what may be being said on social media,&#8221; Alan Gerard, a former director of the Analysis and Understanding Branch in the National Severe Storms Laboratory at NOAA, <a href="https://balancedweather.substack.com/p/balancedwx-special-tragic-flash-flooding" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said.</a>
&#8220;Obviously, having both of these positions vacant for a prolonged time is not optimal, and certainly could have had negative impacts at some level,&#8221; Gerard <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/national-weather-service-nws-staff-cuts-trump-budget-texas-floods-rcna217139" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. &#8220;However, just looking at the actual warning services that NWS provided during the event, they were solid and provided the level of warning and alerts that the public should expect to receive for an event such as this.&#8221;
Matt Lanza, a Houston-based meteorologist, <a href="https://theeyewall.com/making-sense-of-the-weather-that-led-to-a-horrible-texas-flooding-tragedy-plus-tropical-storm-chantal/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> in a blog post, &#8220;In this particular case, we have seen absolutely nothing to suggest that current staffing or budget issues within NOAA and the NWS played any role at all in this event. Anyone using this event to claim that is being dishonest.&#8221;
In response to the claim that staffing vacancies at the National Weather Service&#8217;s local Weather Forecast Offices exacerbated the disaster, Tom Fahy, the legislative director for the agency&#8217;s labor union, noted that there were employees acting in vacant leadership roles.
&#8220;The WFOs [weather forecasting offices] had adequate staffing and resources as they issued timely forecasts and warnings leading up to the storm,&#8221; Fahy <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/national-weather-service-nws-staff-cuts-trump-budget-texas-floods-rcna217139">said</a> on Saturday, per NBC News.
Rather than blaming DOGE cuts, most meteorologists say the devastation can be explained by the difficulties of predicting flash flooding in such a specific area.
Chris Vagasky, a meteorologist from Wisconsin, noted that &#8220;Quantitative precipitation forecasting, called QPF, is one of the hardest things meteorologists have to do.&#8221;
&#8220;The reality is that the state of the science does not allow us to know that a small location like the south fork of the Guadalupe River is going to get 8&#8243; of rain in a 3 hour period even a couple of hours ahead of time,&#8221; Gerard continued.
&#8220;This was truly a low probability, worst case scenario where the absolute maximum in rainfall happened to coincide with the headwaters of a particularly flash flood prone river with a lot of human beings along it. In this case it also happened in the middle of the night on the 4th of July, exacerbating the human toll.&#8221;
At Camp Mystic, campers likely wouldn&#8217;t have seen the warnings to move to higher ground, since the program did not allow them to bring their electronic devices, KXAN <a href="https://www.kxan.com/investigations/kerrville-didnt-have-weather-sirens-used-by-other-cities/">reported</a>.

There’s No Evidence To Suggest DOGE Cuts Caused Texas Flood Devastation, Meteorologists Say

Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)

National Weather Service

Trump Administration

Camp Mystic, the Christian summer camp for young girls at the center of the catastrophic flooding in Central Texas, said on Monday that the death toll of campers and counselors has risen to 27.
The camp posted an <a href="https://www.campmystic.com/">update</a> on its website Monday morning, revealing the current death toll and adding, &#8220;Our hearts are broken alongside our families that are enduring this unimaginable tragedy. We are praying for them constantly.&#8221;
&#8220;We have been in communication with local and state authorities who are tirelessly deploying extensive resources to search for our missing girls,&#8221; Camp Mystic added. &#8220;We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of support from community, first responders, and officials at every level.&#8221;
The record-breaking torrent from the Guadalupe River reaped <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/search-for-missing-texas-flood-victims-intensifies-as-death-toll-rises?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=4&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Search+For+Missing+Texas+Flood+Victims+Intensifies+As+Death+Toll+Rises">destruction</a> over the July Fourth weekend, with Camp Mystic and the surrounding area of Kerrville facing the brunt of the devastation. People in the camp had little time to flee as the river rose more than 30 feet in an hour in some spots during the middle of the night.
Throughout Central Texas, at least 82 people have been killed in the flooding. In Kerr County alone, where the camp is located, 68 people have been confirmed dead, 28 of whom were children. It&#8217;s unclear if Camp Mystic&#8217;s update adds to the total death toll or if the 27 campers and counselors were already included. It&#8217;s also unclear if any campers are still missing.
Some of the young girls who were killed in the flooding have been identified, including 8-year-old Renee Smajstrla, 9-year-old Lila Bonner, 8-year-old Eloise Peck, 9-year-old Janie Hunt, and Sarah Marsh, who was about to start third grade.
The camp&#8217;s director, Richard &#8220;Dick&#8221; Eastland, died while trying to rescue campers from the floodwaters.
&#8220;He died doing what he’d done for 50 years—protecting the girls of Camp Mystic,&#8221; <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ryanwolftvnews/posts/1260843148735770?ref=embed_post">wrote</a> FOX San Antonio anchor Ryan Wolf. &#8220;Richard &#8216;Dick&#8217; Eastland, beloved camp director and co-owner, was swept away in the Hill Country floods while trying to reach campers in danger. His final act was one of courage, devotion, and love.&#8221;
Counselor Chloe Childress, who had just graduated from high school, was also identified as a victim who &#8220;lost her life upholding this selfless and fierce commitment to others.&#8221;
“Chloe Childress lived a beautiful life that saturated those around her with contagious joy, unending grace, and abiding faith. Returning as a counselor to the place she loved so dearly, Chloe was looking forward to dedicating her summer days to loving and mentoring young girls at Camp Mystic,” the Childress family said in a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AmandaHTV/posts/%EF%B8%8Frest-in-peace-chloe-childress%EF%B8%8F-the-camp-mystic-counselor-is-being-honored-by-he/1151242190156476/">statement</a>. “Our family was shocked to hear of the horrific tragic flooding in the hill country, and we were devastated to learn that our precious Chloe was among the victims. While we know that her joy is now eternal and her faith has become sight, our hearts are shattered by this loss and the similar heartbreak of other families like ours.”

US-FLOOD-WEATHER

‘Unimaginable Tragedy’: Camp Mystic Says 27 Campers And Counselors Killed In Sudden Flash Floods

Death

Disasters

Severe Weather

U.S.

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The Texas pediatrician who mocked Trump voters after violent Texas floods, posting that victims deserve to “get what they voted for,” no longer works for her pediatric group.
Over the weekend, Dr. Christina B. Propst , who had been employed by Blue Fish Pediatrics, posted on Facebook in a now-deleted message that she wished for the safety only of people who didn&#8217;t vote for MAGA.
 “May all visitors, children, non-MAGA voters and pets be safe and dry,&#8221; she posted under Facebook user name, Chris Tina. &#8220;Kerr County MAGA voted to gut FEMA. They deny climate change. May they get what they voted for. Bless their hearts.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
This is the sort of pediatric clinician employed at <a href="https://twitter.com/BlueFishMD?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BlueFishMD</a> in Houston. The ethics, humanity and empathy illustrated here is unfathomable. <a href="https://t.co/yW0TbEMGN7">pic.twitter.com/yW0TbEMGN7</a>
&mdash; Dr. Lynn Fynn-derella🐭 (@Fynnderella1) <a href="https://twitter.com/Fynnderella1/status/1941567217155571958?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
At least 80 people, including 28 children, have been declared dead from the raging flood that struck Central Texas on July 4. 10 girls from the all-girls Camp Mystic are still missing. “Two sisters, 13-year-old Blair and 11-year-old Brooke Harber, were killed in the Texas Hill Country floods and found with rosaries and their ‘hands locked together,’ their family said.” <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/central-texas-flooding-sisters-found-holding-hands-2095335">Newsweek</a> reported.
On Sunday, Blue Fish Pediatrics issued the <a href="https://bluefishmd.com/announcements/the-2025-summer-newsletter-is-here/">following statement</a>:
<blockquote>
This past weekend, we were made aware of a social media comment from one of our physicians. The individual is no longer employed by Blue Fish Pediatrics. As we previously mentioned in our original statement, we strongly condemn the comments that were made in that post. That post does not reflect the values, standards, or mission of Blue Fish Pediatrics. We do not support or condone any statement that politicizes tragedy, diminishes human dignity, or fails to clearly uphold compassion for every child and family, regardless of background or beliefs.
We continue to extend our full support to the families and the surrounding communities who are grieving, recovering, and searching for hope.
</blockquote>
Meanwhile, Democrats tried to seize upon the tragedy to impugn the Trump administration. Arch-leftist Connecticut senator Chris Murphy posted on X, “Accurate weather forecasting helps avoid fatal disasters. There are consequences to Trump’s brainless attacks on public workers, like meteorologists.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Accurate weather forecasting helps avoid fatal disasters. There are consequences to Trump’s brainless attacks on public workers, like meteorologists. <a href="https://t.co/CRteXdFvL0">https://t.co/CRteXdFvL0</a>
&mdash; Chris Murphy 🟧 (@ChrisMurphyCT) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisMurphyCT/status/1941571878105297216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
There is no indication that the weather service failed ahead of the floods.
As the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-floods-hill-country-weather-warnings-238d4325bb58f0b410015f74684738b6">Associated Press</a> noted, “The National Weather Service sent out a series of flash flood warnings in the early hours Friday before issuing flash flood emergencies — a rare alert notifying of imminent danger.&#8221;
According to Jason Runyen, a meteorologist in the National Weather Service office, the local weather service office had extra staff on duty when the storms hit. They normally have two forecasters when the weather is clear but had up to five when the storms came.
“There were extra people in here that night, and that’s typical in every weather service office — you staff up for an event and bring people in on overtime and hold people over,” Runyen said.

Search and rescue operations in Comfort, Texas

Texas Pediatrician Fired After Saying ‘MAGA’ Flood Victims Got ‘What They Voted For’

MAGA

Pediatrician

Catastrophic flash floods kill dozens in Texas. What exactly is in Trump’s One Lovely Law? Plus, New Yorkers are beginning to wake up to the possibility of a socialist mayor.
It’s Monday, July 7, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
Morning Wire is available on video! You can watch today’s episode here:
 
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If you’d rather listen to your news, today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
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<h2>Tragedy In Texas</h2>
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Topline: Catastrophic flooding has killed at least 82 people in Central Texas, including 28 children. Officials describe the situation as a once-in-a-century event.
Dozens are still missing in Central Texas after flash floods caused the Guadalupe River to surge early in the morning on Independence Day – an especially popular time for camping. In many cases, people didn’t realize the danger until the water had already reached their beds. Kerr County, west of Austin, was the hardest area hit – where the river rose 26 feet in just 45 minutes.
The episode that has garnered the most national attention is the Camp Mystic case– a Christian, all-girls camp in Kerr County. Every year, hundreds of girls visit to camp by the river and participate in a spiritual retreat. The flood caught the camp by surprise, and dozens of campers and counselors were killed, and at least 11 girls are still missing.
Hundreds of volunteers have turned out in each of the affected counties and are helping officials comb through the debris and mud for any sign of missing persons. Due to the flood damage to roads, helicopters have become indispensable. 
“There&#8217;s about half a dozen helicopters with all volunteers,” Gary Heavin, a pilot with the disaster response charity organization Operation Helo, told The Daily Wire. “We&#8217;re flying National Guard out… fire department, all sorts of emergency rescue people.. They trudge along in the debris because a lot of times the bodies will be caught in the debris… hopefully, we also get to find people that are alive and bring them back.”
 Heavin said they’ve also gotten some outside help from the federal government and Elon Musk. Musk sent Starlink devices to the impacted areas for use by first responders. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has been on the ground to provide assistance wherever it&#8217;s needed. President Donald Trump also signed a disaster declaration on Sunday, making additional resources available for emergency response.
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<h2>Inside The Big Bill</h2>
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Topline: After months of heated debate, President Trump’s so-called &#8220;Big, Beautiful Bill&#8221; is now the law of the land.
President Trump’s July 4 deadline for passing his &#8220;Big, Beautiful Bill&#8221; looked implausible at the end of last week, because House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) had promised members they would have 72 hours to review the changes made by the Senate – but when it became clear that timeline would push the vote past Trump&#8217;s deadline, he changed course and started the vote on July 3, when it passed 218 to 214. 
That allowed President Trump to sign his signature legislation from the White House lawn on Independence Day, complete with a band blasting patriotic tunes and a flyover from B-2 bombers — an apparent nod to last month’s strikes on Iran. President Trump has made it clear that he views this bill as a means of codifying many of his campaign promises and delivering to the American people what they voted for in November. 
“We delivered no tax on tips, no tax on overtime and no tax on social security for our great seniors,” Trump said, claiming that the newly signed legislation is “the biggest bill of its kind ever done by far…It makes the child tax credit permanent for 40 million American families.”
Among other things, the &#8220;Big, Beautiful Bill&#8221; allows taxpayers to write off interest payments on car loans, and it establishes new “Trump accounts” for babies born between 2025 and 28 — those will include a one-time $1000 federal contribution to an investment fund on the child’s behalf. From there, families can contribute up to $ 5,000 annually, and the funds can be withdrawn once the individual is 18. 
The bill will put $46 billion towards the construction of the border wall, and tens of billions more towards deportation efforts. 
In order to offset the massive tax cuts, the bill includes around a trillion dollars in reductions to entitlements like Medicaid over the next decade, and will add work requirements for able-bodied Medicaid applicants aged 18-64 – going forward, people in that cohort will have to work at least 80 hours a month to qualify, or prove that they’re actively looking for work, and once they’ve enrolled they’ll have to prove they still qualify for benefits every six months.
Democrats say this will force millions of Americans off of Medicaid and cut funding to hospitals nationwide. 
On the other side, Republicans say Medicaid has become bloated in recent years with folks who are taking advantage of the system. They note that Medicaid enrollment increased significantly during the COVID pandemic, when continuous enrollment was implemented. Eight million people were added to the program in the last four years alone, while disenrollments were put on pause. 
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<h2>The Mamdani Effect</h2>
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Topline: New York City elites are panicking about the prospect of Zohran Mamdani becoming mayor and enacting his socialist policies.
A few weeks after his upset victory in New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary, critics of outspoken socialist Zohran Mamdani – from high-ranking Democrats and finance and tech figures to bodega owners and cops – are sounding the alarm about what his policies might do to America’s largest city. During the campaign, Mamdani focused on the high cost of living in New York City and proposed several schemes to bring it down, including, among other things, government-run grocery stores and rent control. Mamdani has also pledged to raise taxes on wealthier and “whiter” neighborhoods to fund his reforms, and has stated that he “[doesn’t] think billionaires should exist.”
Billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman is throwing his full endorsement and financial weight behind current Mayor Eric Adams. Ackman called Mamdani a socialist/communist and said his policies would be “catastrophic for NYC.” Previously, Ackman was considering funding a new challenger just to beat Mamdani and said he was ready to spend “hundreds of millions of dollars” backing a challenger.
The tech elite are also panicking. On election night for the primary, New York-based venture capitalists and crypto exchange founders melted down on X, posting messages like, “New York City on the brink of becoming Gotham City.”
The president of the Police Benevolent Association, Patrick Hendry, called Mamdani “anti-cop” and said he has an “extremist attitude and it’s going to scare other cops and they will go out the door.” In 2020, Mamdani was a vocal supporter of <a href="https://x.com/ZohranKMamdani/status/1324520792231714816">defunding the police</a>. The NYPD is already having trouble recruiting and retaining officers — more than 1500 cops have quit this year — and with Mamdani’s anti-police stances, union officials are warning that his election would only make it harder to keep cops on the streets.
NYC bodega owners have also expressed concerns that Mamdani’s proposal for government-run grocery stores will put them out of business. 
“Most bodega owners are immigrants,” Fernando Mateo, spokesperson for the United Bodegas of America, said. “They come here to try to make a living and do the right thing by the city… if you’re able to infiltrate government into the private sector, you’re basically ruining the dreams and the spirits of all these small businesspeople who have risked everything they have, borrowed everything they could borrow to open their small business.”

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Morning Brief: Tragedy In Texas, Trump’s Big Win & The Mamdani Effect

Bill Ackman

Donald Trump

Eric Adams

flooding

Media

Morning Wire

New York

New York City

Politics

Zohran Mamdani

At least 82 people have been found dead from the catastrophic flooding that hit Central Texas over the July Fourth holiday, and the search continues for missing victims.
Among the missing are 10 girls who were attending Camp Mystic, a Christian girls&#8217; camp in Kerrville, the small town that took the brunt of the record-breaking flash flooding, FOX 26 Houston <a href="https://www.fox26houston.com/news/live-updates-texas-flooding-more-than-80-people-dead-10-girls-still-missing">reported</a>. Rescuers intensified their search efforts on Monday as the region faced more rain and possible flooding into the early morning hours.
Most of the deaths reported have come from Kerr County, where at least 68 people have died after the Guadalupe River rose more than 30 feet in an hour in some areas. Of the 68 deaths there, 28 were children, including two sisters whose bodies were found 15 miles from where the flood waters washed them away from a cabin near the river, according to the <a href="https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/article/sisters-found-hands-locked-together-following-20630269.php">Houston Chronicle</a>. Blair and Brooke Harber, ages 11 and 13, were found clinging to each other while holding rosaries, their aunt said. The aunt, Jennifer Harber, said that Brooke sent a final text to her family at 3:30 a.m., saying, &#8220;I love you.&#8221;
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“Blair and Brooke Harber clung to each other as they were swept away by ravaging floods in Kerr County early Friday with rescuers discovering the bodies of the 11- and 13-year-old sisters from Dallas with rosaries and hands locked together” <a href="https://t.co/afEj0trvvc">https://t.co/afEj0trvvc</a>
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryMargOlohan/status/1942043307552501959?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The girls&#8217; parents, RJ and Annie, were staying in a different cabin slightly farther from the river, the WSJ <a href="https://www.wsj.com/us-news/a-texas-dad-tried-to-kayak-to-his-daughters-the-girls-texted-i-love-you-99eaaaaf?mod=article_inline">reported</a>. When RJ woke up to pounding rain and flood waters pouring into the cabin, he borrowed a kayak, a life vest, and a flashlight to help alert other sleeping families to the flooding and attempt to reach his daughters. But the water was moving too rapidly, and debris, including floating vehicles and other cabins, was piling up.
“There were cars floating at me and trees floating at me. I knew if I took even one stroke further, it was gonna be a death sentence,” RJ said.
Authorities also confirmed on Sunday that the dead body of a Camp Mystic counselor who had just graduated from high school was found. Chloe Childress &#8220;lost her life upholding this selfless and fierce commitment to others,&#8221; according to the Kinkaid School, where Childress had attended.
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Chloe Childress, a counselor at Camp Mystic, was killed during the devastating flooding in Hunt, Texas, over the holiday weekend, according to a representative of her high school.
Read more: <a href="https://t.co/tW5rujrFKn">https://t.co/tW5rujrFKn</a> <a href="https://t.co/WKNUjMkxs6">pic.twitter.com/WKNUjMkxs6</a>
— ABC News (@ABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ABC/status/1942037657183195237?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
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“Chloe Childress lived a beautiful life that saturated those around her with contagious joy, unending grace, and abiding faith. Returning as a counselor to the place she loved so dearly, Chloe was looking forward to dedicating her summer days to loving and mentoring young girls at Camp Mystic,&#8221; the Childress family said in a statement. &#8220;Our family was shocked to hear of the horrific tragic flooding in the hill country, and we were devastated to learn that our precious Chloe was among the victims. While we know that her joy is now eternal and her faith has become sight, our hearts are shattered by this loss and the similar heartbreak of other families like ours.&#8221;
The flooding has also devastated other counties in Central Texas. In Travis County, five deaths have been reported, three people have died in Burnet County, two more deaths were confirmed in Williamson County, and Kendall and Tom Green Counties each reported one death due to the flooding.
Authorities have rescued more than 850 people trapped by floodwaters. One U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmer, Petty Officer Scott Ruskin, was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/an-american-hero-kristi-noem-praises-coast-guard-rescue-swimmer-for-braving-texas-floodwaters">credited</a> with saving the lives of 165 flood victims.
“This was the first rescue mission of his career and he was the only triage coordinator at the scene,&#8221; said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. &#8220;Scott Ruskin is an American hero. His selfless courage embodies the spirit and mission of the @USCG.”
President Donald Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/god-bless-texas-trump-issues-disaster-declaration-as-texas-reels-amid-devastating-floods?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=%E2%80%98GOD+BLESS+TEXAS%E2%80%99%3A+Trump+Issues+Disaster+Declaration+As+Texas+Reels+Amid+Devastating+Floods">signed</a> a disaster declaration for Kerr County on Sunday, directing federal resources to support the area&#8217;s recovery. Trump also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-shares-plan-to-visit-site-of-texas-flood-damage?author=Tim+Pearce&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Trump+Shares+Plan+To+Visit+Site+Of+Texas+Flood+Damage">said</a> that he expects to visit the devastated region on Friday.
“We wanted to leave a little time. I would’ve done it today, but we’d just be in their way,” the president said.

Search For Missing Texas Flood Victims Intensifies As Death Toll Rises

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem shared the story of a Coast Guard rescue swimmer on Saturday, praising him for his efforts and crediting him with saving 165 victims of the devastating flash floods that tore through central Texas.
Noem said in a post to X that Petty Officer Scott Ruskin was &#8220;directly responsible&#8221; for an incredible number of saves, and noted that Saturday was Ruskin&#8217;s first-ever rescue mission.
&#8220;United States Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer and Petty Officer Scott Ruskin, directly saved an astonishing 165 victims in the devastating flooding in central Texas,&#8221; Noem posted. &#8220;This was the first rescue mission of his career and he was the only triage coordinator at the scene. Scott Ruskin is an American hero. His selfless courage embodies the spirit and mission of the @USCG.&#8221;
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United States Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer and Petty Officer Scott Ruskin, directly saved an astonishing 165 victims in the devastating flooding in central Texas.
This was the first rescue mission of his career and he was the only triage coordinator at the scene.
Scott Ruskin is…
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sec_Noem/status/1941703036725862403?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 6, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Coast Guard rescue swimmers, formally known as Aviation Survival Technicians, are trained and must earn National Registry Emergency Medical Technician (NREMT) certification in addition to intense physical training and water rescue techniques in a number of different scenarios. The grueling training lasts approximately one year and has one of the highest attrition rates in the United States military — nearly an 80% fail rate.
The Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer program has been in existence since 1984, and requires trainees to undergo a series of tests monthly that include: push=ups, pull-ups, chin-ups, a one-and-a-half mile run, four 25-yard underwater swims, a 200 yard swim towing a survivor, and a 500 yard timed swim.
Rescue swimmers have been integral to numerous missions since the scchool&#8217;s creation, and saved dozens during the devastating flooding in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina.

Kristi Noem

‘An American Hero’: Kristi Noem Praises Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer For Braving Texas Floodwaters

'An American Hero': Kristi Noem Praises Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer For Braving Texas Floodwaters

Rescue

Deadly tornadoes and violent storms tore through the South and Midwest on Thursday, killing at least six people in a “generational flooding” forecasted to continue to devastate the region in the days to come.
Violent winds and tornadoes killed at least six people when storms began late Wednesday night into early Thursday morning, with tornadoes in Arkansas launching debris nearly 5 miles above the ground.
A Tennessee man and his 16-year-old daughter were killed after a tornado tore through their modular home, according to the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office.
The storm has left half a million customers without power across nine states early Thursday, <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/deadly-storms-rip-through-the-south-and-midwest">according</a> to PowerOutage.us.
National Weather Service meteorologists <a href="https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/discussions/hpcdiscussions.php?disc=pmdspd">warned</a> of a “life-threatening, catastrophic, and potentially historic flash flood event” through Saturday, calling it an <a href="https://forecast.weather.gov/showsigwx.php?warnzone=ARZ016&amp;warncounty=ARC063&amp;firewxzone=ARZ016&amp;local_place1=Newark%20AR&amp;product1=Flood+Watch&amp;lat=35.7017&amp;lon=-91.4415">event</a> that &#8220;happens once in a generation to once in a lifetime.&#8221;
Up to 15 inches of rain is forecast for parts of Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri, Kentucky, Illinois, and Indiana over the next week, with the Oklahoma-based Storm Prediction Center reporting that 90 million Americans were at risk of being directly impacted by the severe weather.
Nashville has also experienced severe flooding.
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Heavy flooding due to extreme rainfall in Nashville of Tennessee, USA 🇺🇲 <a href="https://t.co/XWBzNSf7Up">pic.twitter.com/XWBzNSf7Up</a>
&mdash; Disaster News (@Top_Disaster) <a href="https://twitter.com/Top_Disaster/status/1907819101021454738?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The severe weather outbreak ravaging the heartland has already put an unprecedented strain on local emergency services in multiple states, with volunteers and first responders working through dire conditions to save lives, AP News <a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-weather-flash-flooding-tornadoes-7d078f3549048935fe760aacf494c96b">reported</a>.
In Jeffersontown, Kentucky, aerial photos showed a trailer sitting atop a semi-truck along with smashed vehicles under collapsed warehouse walls.
In Owasso, Oklahoma, a tornado damaged the roofs of homes and knocked down power lines, trees, and fences.
In Lake City, Arkansas, a tornado tore off roofs, destroyed homes, and even threw cars into trees.
In western Kentucky, four people were injured while taking shelter in a vehicle under a church carport, with multiple buildings and homes badly damaged.
Emergency crews in Brownsburg, Indiana, worked for hours to free a worker trapped when a roof collapsed at a distribution center.
Five semis were blown over on Interstate 65 near Lowell, Indiana, state police reported, <a href="https://wsbt.com/news/local/semis-roll-over-toppled-blown-gusty-wind-strong-crash-accident-police-investigation-i-65-lowell-lake-county-indiana">according</a> to WSBT.
Two workers were injured on Wednesday when the roof and a wall collapsed at a Sur La Table distribution center in Brownsburg, Indiana, per <a href="https://www.wtae.com/article/violent-storms-tornadoes-south-midwest/64373221">WTAE</a>.
A man and his daughter were killed as strong winds tore through his home in Moscow, TN, FOX 13 <a href="https://www.fox13memphis.com/news/storm-and-tornado-damage-across-the-mid-south/article_152c7c0a-6823-430d-aadc-ddc6a8dd3bb5.html">reported</a>.
Chief Garry Moore of the Whitewater Fire Protection District died in the storm while on duty, said Clark Parrot of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, although the exact cause of death has yet to be determined, per <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/weather/floods/live-blog/severe-weather-live-updates-life-threatening-catastrophic-flash-floodi-rcna199446">NBC News</a>.
Water rescue teams are being staged as the Federal Emergency Management Agency prepares supplies for affected regions, CBS News <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/severe-storms-south-midwest-deadly/">reported</a>.
National Weather Service meteorologist Marc Chenard warned that tornadoes are in the forecast every day through Saturday for a dozen states in the Midwest and South.

Nashville Flooding

‘Catastrophic:’ Six Dead, Half A Million Without Power As Tornadoes And Floods Hit U.S.

Tornado

Search and rescue operations are ongoing in Kentucky after it was hit with torrential rain over the weekend causing widespread flooding. 
Democratic Governor Andy Beshear said Monday that at least 11 people had been killed by the weather and flooding and that the death toll could still rise. He added that “there is impact and damage everywhere” and warned residents that dangerous conditions throughout the state persisted. 
“We are still in the search and rescue phase of this emergency,” he <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKrI_u-OBT0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> during a press conference on Monday morning. “We still have multiple different missions that are underway. There are still people that are in harm’s way.”
Beshear that there have already been more than 1,000 rescues across the state with around 175 National Guard troops on the ground. Both Indiana and Tennessee have sent personnel to assist with rescue efforts. 
Two National Guard troops had a dangerous escape after their truck was overcome by water during relief efforts over the weekend, Beshear said. 
“And its very important today that we continue to remind folks not to drive through standing water, not to drive around barricades, they are there for a reason. We need to make sure that we are not creating additional emergency situations,” he said. 
Beshear said that a storm relief fund has been created to provide relief for victims and that the funds will first go toward the funerals of those killed by the flooding.
”All of Kentucky still has standing water in different areas,” he said, noting that around 344 federal and state roads were impacted by the flooding. 
More than 14,000 <a href="https://poweroutage.us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">customers</a> in Kentucky are currently without power, while 17,000 customers are without access to water. 
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President Donald Trump <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/02/president-donald-j-trump-approves-kentucky-emergency-declaration/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">approved</a> an emergency declaration for Kentucky on Sunday, authorizing both FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security to coordinate the disaster relief response. 
“Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide, at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency.  Emergency protective measures, limited to direct federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent Federal funding,” Trump’s approval said. 
Beshear said Monday that he has applied for additional aid from the Trump administration and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. 
In the coming days, Kentucky is likely to experience more weather hazards as parts of the state are expected to get up to six inches of snow. Much of the water that hasn’t drained will likely freeze and could create hazardous black ice.

US-NEWS-KENTUCKY-FLOODING-LX

Kentucky Still Searching For Flood Survivors As It Braces For Another Winter Storm

Andy Beshear

Kentucky

Winter storm

Remember Outlaw Country?
Mega-stars like Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/legendary-performer-kris-kristofferson-dead-at-88">Kris Kristofferson</a> and Willie Nelson upended the genre with their uncompromising sound. That rebel brand stuck, and some rough-and-tumble country tunes (and antics) followed.
Sadly, only Nelson is still with us, but a new wave of country rebels is here. These singers defy narratives on the Left and the harder Left.
<div id="attachment_811343" style="width: 889px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-811343" class="wp-image-811343 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-135294263-879x576.jpg" alt="The Highwaymen perform on stage, L-R Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson, Ahoy, Rotterdam, 20th April 1992. (Photo by Rob Verhorst/Redferns)" width="879" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-135294263-879x576.jpg 879w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-135294263-300x197.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-135294263-768x503.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-135294263.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 879px) 100vw, 879px" />The Highwaymen perform on stage, L-R Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson, Ahoy, Rotterdam, 20th April 1992. (Photo by Rob Verhorst/Redferns)</div>
They give ‘til it hurts, no matter the politics in play. They speak out for free speech and patriotism and crush anti-Semitism when it raises its ugly head. Unfortunately those positions are suddenly counter-culture, but that’s the state of play.
Take Hurricane Helene and Hollywood’s (lack of) response. Celebrities rallied en masse 19 years ago when Hurricane Katrina battered New Orleans. Star-studded telethons. Wallets and purses opened wide. Housing restoration projects funded.
Celebrity Nation could hold its head high, even if <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/brad-pitt-charity-mess-katrina-victims-stranded-1235371222/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">not every rescue effort</a> proved fruitful.
The same Nation has been mostly quiet following the devastation left by Hurricane Helene.
Not country music superstars.
Dolly Parton was among the first to open her checkbook for Hurricane Helene survivors, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cpdq65185qdo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">donating $1 million</a> to the cause. Morgan Wallen followed, leveraging his charitable foundation for hurricane relief. He also got a hand from <a href="https://countrychord.com/morgan-wallen-joined-by-theo-von-at-donation-drive-for-hurricane-helene-victims-in-knoxville-tennessee/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rebel comedian Theo Von</a>.
<div id="attachment_811345" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-811345" class="size-large wp-image-811345" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-2156369957-864x576.jpg" alt="NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - JUNE 06: Dolly Parton speaks onstage during Kicking Off CMA Fest: A Special Conversation With Dolly Parton Hosted By Rachel Smith at Music City Center on June 06, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Terry Wyatt/WireImage)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-2156369957-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-2156369957-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-2156369957-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-2156369957.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE &#8211; JUNE 06: Dolly Parton speaks onstage during Kicking Off CMA Fest: A Special Conversation With Dolly Parton Hosted By Rachel Smith at Music City Center on June 06, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Terry Wyatt/WireImage)</div>
Later, country superstars Eric Church and Luke Combs announced a <a href="https://www.kptv.com/2024/10/08/luke-combs-eric-church-teaming-up-concert-carolina-aid-hurricane-helene-recovery/">fundraising “Concert for Carolina</a>” effort along with James Taylor.
The list of celebrities who rallied following Hurricane Katrina was a who’s who of Hollywood, music and more. You’d be hard-pressed to pick a big name who sat out the effort.
This time around, country musicians are leading the way, blazing a trail for the thousands impacted by the crushing storm.
<div id="attachment_811351" style="width: 833px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-811351" class="size-large wp-image-811351" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-1464824919-823x576.jpg" alt="PHOENIX, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 09: Luke Combs performs during Luke Combs Live from Arizona Financial Theatre for SiriusXM and Pandora on February 09, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for SiriusXM)" width="823" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-1464824919-823x576.jpg 823w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-1464824919-300x210.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-1464824919-768x538.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-1464824919.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 823px) 100vw, 823px" />PHOENIX, ARIZONA &#8211; FEBRUARY 09: Luke Combs performs during Luke Combs Live from Arizona Financial Theatre for SiriusXM and Pandora on February 09, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for SiriusXM)</div>
It’s hard to ignore the political component on two fronts.
The corporate media hasn’t covered Helene like Katrina. Journalists also refuse to hold the Biden/Harris administration accountable for any issues tied to the government response.
Progressive celebrities may be ignorant to the devastation on display. Few read The Daily Wire or watch Fox News on a regular basis. That, or they realize that pooling their resources for hurricane relief might have an unintended consequence for Kamala Harris’ election chances. While Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis flexes his considerable chops in hurricane relief again and again, the FEMA response (from, “we’re broke” to, “here’s up to $750, good luck!&#8221;) could have political implications.
Other country crooners are letting their voices be heard on other pressing matters. Comedian/country singer Chad Prather’s new song is a thumb in the eye to the status quo, a protest song that might fit in with the Flower Power era.
“Watered Down,” featuring John Rich, takes a blowtorch to media bias and government chicanery.
“Been fed a lot of lies and fear, still hurting from taking the last few years on the chin …”
“We’re exactly where the devil wants us to be, far away from God and everything that makes us feel complete … If the truth is what we breathe we’d all drown”
When mainstream superstars speak up these days, it’s to support the system a la Bruce Springsteen endorsing Kamala Harris.
Rich also took part in a remarkable party last month on behalf of young patriots. In May, pro-Palestinian protesters torn down an American flag on the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill campus and replaced it with the Palestinian flag. Some patriotic fraternity brothers rushed to the rescue, restoring Old Glory while fending off debris thrown by the protesters.
Musicians like Lee Greenwood and Five for Fighting (John Ondrasik) joined country superstars Aaron Lewis and Big &amp; Rich for a free September celebration of their all-American pluck.
Rich riled up the crowd, getting a huge response to a simple question: &#8220;Do you still love America?&#8221;  If you think a patriotic gala isn’t controversial in 2024, think again.
Journalism major Matthew Broderick told Fox News some of his fellow students <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/unc-flagstock-erupts-usa-chants-john-rich-lee-greenwood-tells-students-its-ok-patriotic">didn’t like embracing the U.S. flag in such fashion. </a>&#8220;There&#8217;s a lot of people who are in huge favor of this. They love this. And then there&#8217;s a lot of people who think this is a really bad idea … I don&#8217;t think there&#8217;s a consensus about this.&#8221;
As recently as 2020, country crooners recognized the need to protect the First Amendment. How &#8230; radical. Brad Paisley, Kane Brown, Loretta Lynn, Jason Isabell and Darius Rucker rallied behind the &#8220;My Free Speech&#8221; national ad campaign.
And Oliver Anthony became a literal overnight sensation with his populist anthem, &#8220;Rich Men North of Richmond.&#8221; The tune&#8217;s Everyman cry spoke volumes about the state of the country, catapulting him up the music charts.
<div>
<div id="attachment_811355" style="width: 817px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-811355" class="size-large wp-image-811355" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-2173837735-807x576.jpg" alt="KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE - SEPTEMBER 22: Morgan Wallen performs onstage for night two of his One Night At A Time tour at Neyland Stadium on September 22, 2024 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images for for Morgan Wallen's One Night At A Time 2024)" width="807" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-2173837735-807x576.jpg 807w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-2173837735-300x214.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-2173837735-768x548.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-2173837735.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 807px) 100vw, 807px" />John Shearer/Getty Images for for Morgan Wallen&#8217;s One Night At A Time 2024</div>
</div>
Country music may lean to the Right, but its corporate side still favors a center-Left worldview. The aforementioned singers would rather be true to themselves than appeases their corporate masters.
Country’s original outlaws saw the bottom of a bottle, the inside of a jail cell or both. They took their rebel streaks seriously, sometimes putting their health in harm’s way. Their legends only grew as a result.
Today’s country rebels are more polite and less interested in law breaking. They just love taking progressive narratives by the scruff of the neck and giving them a good ol’ shake.
* * *
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://x.com/HollywoodInToto?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@HollywoodInToto</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

MixCollage-11-Oct-2024-10-24-AM-8498

Country Stars Make Their Voices Heard On Hurricane Relief

Country Music

Country Singers

Dolly Parton

fundraiser

Hurricane Helene

Luke Combs

Morgan Wallen

North Carolina

A family in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/north-carolina" target="_blank" rel="noopener">North Carolina</a> is devastated after 11 of their loved ones were killed by a mudslide caused by the flooding from Hurricane Helene.
The Craig family — whose ancestors first settled in Fairview, North Carolina, in the 1950s — was so well-known to locals that they nicknamed their group of neighboring homes &#8220;Craigtown,&#8221; ABC 11 <a href="https://abc11.com/post/mudslide-north-carolina-helene-rain-wiped-craigtown-killing-11-family-members-communitys-namesake/15405701/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. The family&#8217;s life in Fairview changed forever at the end of September when Hurricane Helene brought catastrophic flooding to the southeast U.S.
Several of the Craig family members who lived next to each other were in the direct path of a deadly mudslide caused by the flooding, according to ABC 11. Everyone who was in the homes at the time of the mudslide was killed.
&#8220;My mother and father, my aunt and uncle, my great aunt and uncle &#8212; I&#8217;ve lost cousins, second cousins, things like that, but 11 people overall from this mudslide,&#8221; said Jesse Craig.
Jesse&#8217;s grandfather was the first Craig to move to Fairview when he bought land in the 1950s, and since that time, much of the Craig family has lived in Fairview.
&#8220;I haven&#8217;t been able to process it yet. It&#8217;s still &#8212; it&#8217;s not new because it feels like it&#8217;s been forever; I don&#8217;t even know what day it is,&#8221; Jesse&#8217;s wife MeKenzie said.
&#8220;We&#8217;ll never make sense of it. You know, it&#8217;s our community and our town. I don&#8217;t &#8212; I don&#8217;t know that it&#8217;ll ever be the same,&#8221; MeKenzie added. &#8220;It&#8217;s been that life-altering a situation.&#8221;
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amiracist.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726313279401000&amp;usg=AOvVaw115_qPFFEePDP86-Fvo-Vd">Am I Racist? Is In Theaters NOW — Get Your Tickets Here!</a>
A <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-the-craig-family-after-tragic-loss" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> was started for the surviving members of the Craig family to help pay for funeral costs, medical expenses, clean up, and construction. As of Thursday night, the GoFundMe has raised $127,748.
&#8220;We are personal friends of the Craig family and wanted to support them by putting this together to help them with whatever needs they currently have and will have in the coming weeks/months,&#8221; the GoFundMe states.
More than 230 people have been found dead across the southeast following Hurricane Helene. In Buncombe County, North Carolina, where Fairview is located, <a href="https://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/2024/10/10/latest-updates-western-north-carolina-asheville-flooding-helene-death-toll-recovery/75586826007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">72 people</a> were killed in the storm, according to Sheriff Quentin Miller. Authorities in North Carolina continue to search for those who have been missing since Helene hit the state, but they <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/hurricane-helene-more-than-90-reported-dead-north-carolina-authorities-cant-confirm-how-many-missing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cannot confirm</a> exactly how many people are missing.

11 Members Of NC Family Found Dead In Helene Destruction

Natural Disaster

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