Rates have jumped dramatically as extreme weather events have become more frequent  Although Hurricane Helene wound up unleashing its fury on Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas, people elsewhere on the Gulf Coast know all too well that it easily could have been us—and it might be us next time. The toll living in such a disaster-prone region takes on its residents' mental health can be difficult to quantify, but it's real. view article

Multiple deaths have been reported in Florida from tornadoes, spawned by Hurricane Milton, that ripped through the state, downing buildings and trees and leaving millions without power.  The St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office confirmed there have been “multiple fatalities” in the county after numerous tornadoes struck the area in quick succession, wreaking devastation.  Sheriff Keith Pearson confirmed to Florida’s WPBF 25 News that there had been a “loss of life” in the Spanish Lakes Country Club community in Fort Pierce but did not state exactly how many fatalities had been reported. view article

John Ghrist used Snapchat and a school-approved app to message a 15-year-old girl, and police fear there could be more victims.   view article

A MacGregor Elementary teacher has been recommended for termination after reportedly getting into a verbal altercation with a parent shortly before dismissal Thursday, according to Houston ISD. view article

The Lorena Independent School District on Tuesday morning released all students early after several reports of smoke at three of its four schools. The Lorena Fire Department confirmed the smoke at the schools was caused by a city-wide power surge that damaged the schools’ AC units. According to the district, evacuations started sometime between 8:30 a.m. and 9 a.m. after students at the middle and high school reported smelling smoke. view article

MORGAN CITY, La. (AP) — Hurricane Francine slammed into the Louisiana coast Wednesday evening as a dangerous Category 2 storm that knocked out electricity to more than a quarter-million customers and threatened widespread flooding as it sent a potentially deadly storm surge rushing inland along the Gulf Coast. Francine crashed ashore in Terrebonne Parish, about 30 miles (50 kilometers) southwest of Morgan City, the National Hurricane Center announced at 4 p.m. CDT. Packing top sustained winds near 100 mph (155 kph), the hurricane then battered a fragile coastal region that hasn’t fully recovered from a series of devastating hurricanes in 2020 and 2021. Morgan City Fire Chief Alvin Cockerham said the hurricane quickly flooded streets, snapped power lines and sent tree limbs crashing down. “It’s a little bit worse than what I expected to be honest with you,” Cockerham said of the onslaught. “I pulled all my trucks back to the station. It’s too dangerous to be out there in this.” view article

As Hurricane Francine wheels through the Gulf of Mexico toward Louisiana, a new named system has formed in the far eastern Atlantic Ocean.National Hurricane Center (NHC) forecasters announced Wednesday morning the formation of Tropical Depression Seven near the Cabo Verde Islands off the coast of Africa. The system is beginning to show signs of further organization, according to NHC meterologists, and is tacking to the west-northwest at 10 to 15 mph. There is a 90-percent chance of Seven strengthening into a tropical storm over the next 48 hours, according to the NHC. If this were to pass, Seven would become Tropical Storm Gordon, the seventh named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, which has seen wild swings in activity since its beginning on June 1.There is a 90-percent chance of Seven strengthening into a tropical storm over the next 48 hours, according to the NHC. If this were to pass, Seven would become Tropical Storm Gordon, the seventh named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, which has seen wild swings in activity since its beginning on June 1. view article

On America’s darkest day, September 11, 2001, innocent civilians were targeted and a total of 2,977 people were killed in what became the worst terrorist attack to ever take place on American soil.  Among the fatalities that day were 406 first responders, made up of 343 members of the New York City Fire Department, 23 members of the New York City Police Department, 37 members of the New York and New Jersey Port Authority Police Department and 3 members of the New York State Office of Court Administration. There was a catastrophic loss of life that day, and many more lives have been lost since. More than 100,000 people continue to suffer today from 9/11-related illnesses. Americans were driven to enlist in our military ranks to fight terrorism after September 11, 2001, and over 7,000 U.S. military members have died in the line of duty fighting the War on Terror.  The following materials are educational 9/11 resources that are verified by the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, created from the tragedy of 9/11. Tunnel to Towers helps America keep its promise to NEVER FORGET the 2,977 people who gave their lives for us, including the brave first responders, those who continue to suffer with 9/11-related illnesses, those who made the ultimate sacrifice serving our communities and our country – and all who continue to. view article

The new list includes many right-wing priorities, and would escalate Republicans’ wars against diversity, equity and inclusion programs and review laws to keep noncitizens off voter rolls.  Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick wants the Texas Senate to reexamine how the state conducts runoff elections and recommend new laws aimed at stopping protesters from covering their faces when the Legislature meets next year. On Tuesday, Patrick — who oversees the Senate and has serious power over what bills it passes — released a second round of directives for Senate committees, building on a list of 57 items from earlier this year that focused on, among other things, housing costs, school vouchers, property tax relief and strengthening the power grid.The new list includes a number of right-wing priorities, and would escalate Republicans’ wars against diversity, equity and inclusion programs.  Last year, Texas lawmakers banned such programs at public universities — prompting layoffs and protests at some schools. Now, Patrick wants lawmakers to “examine programs and certificates” at higher education institutions that still have DEI policies, and then “expose” them as “damaging and not aligned with state workforce demands.” He then wants lawmakers to recommend “any needed reforms to ensure universities are appropriately educating students to meet workforce needs.” view article

New forecasts for the system show intensifying power and Tropical Storm Watches for the Upper Texas coast. view article

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Association of School Administrators, or TASA, on Wednesday released its list of finalists for the 2025 Teacher of the Year program, and two of them are from the Central Texas area. view article

The low-pressure system bringing nasty weather to the Bay of Campeche will likely become a tropical storm by Monday, according to forecasters, who are becoming more convinced it will impact the Gulf Coast as the latest named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season.  The low-pressure system bringing nasty weather to the Bay of Campeche will likely become a tropical storm by Monday, according to forecasters, who are becoming more convinced it will impact the Gulf Coast as the latest named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season.   view article

A Navarro County educator who was injured by a student earlier this month said she could lose her eye due to the incident — and she's calling on the Texas governor to make changes in the education system. Collins Intermediate School Assistant Principal Candra Rogers was airlifted to Parkland hospital in Dallas after a student threw a wooden hanger at her. view article

For years, Amanda Smith and her husband were jolted awake at night by a buzz-buzz-beep — an alarm warning that her blood sugar was too high or too low. She would reach for juice boxes stored in her nightstand or fiddle with her pump to release a bolus of insulin.  Smith, a 35-year-old nurse from London, Ontario, has Type 1 diabetes, which wipes out critical islet cells within the pancreas that produce insulin. Without them, Smith relied on vials of insulin from a pharmacy and constant vigilance to stay alive. “You have to pay attention to your diabetes, or you die.” view article

There was a regular dismissal at Collins Intermediate School on Monday after a turbulent start for its first week of school. On Friday, Aug. 16, the Corsicana Independent School District said that Assistant Principal Candra Rogers was attacked so severely inside a classroom she had to be airlifted to a medical facility in Dallas. "We need to protect our teachers. They’re rare and hard to come by, and we’re not protecting our teachers or our students," said Terry Garner, a parent at Collins Intermediate School. view article

A Navarro County educator is in the hospital Friday after the Corsicana Independent School District said she suffered severe injuries due to a disruption in a classroom. Gabriel Diaz, whose child is a fifth grader at Collins Intermediate School, expressed concerns after hearing about the incident at his daughter's school on Thursday. "The teachers and the students are under a lot of pressure, and I believe parents should make an effort as much as possible to help out," Diaz said. view article

A staff member at Collins Intermediate School in Corsicana, Texas was airlifted to the hospital Thursday after getting injured in a classroom disruption. According to a letter sent to parents by Principal Tiffany Boortz, there was a "disruption in a classroom" which resulted in an injury to the staff member. No other students or staff were in danger and the campus was placed on "Hold" status while the staff member was tended to, the letter stated. view article

As districts face an ever-increasing number of community “watchdogs” and social media warriors posting opinions on issues based on, at best, 50% of the actual facts, it is common to question what the legal remedies are for defamed districts, employees, and officials. On the other hand, districts may also question what recourse the public may have against them and their employees and officials when defending themselves in a public forum on a controversial issue. Below is a brief analysis of each of those situations.

Generative AI requires massive amounts of power and water, and the aging U.S. grid can’t handle the load  Thanks to the artificial intelligence boom, new data centers are springing up as quickly as companies can build them. This has translated into huge demand for power to run and cool the servers inside. Now concerns are mounting about whether the U.S. can generate enough electricity for the widespread adoption of AI, and whether our aging grid will be able to handle the load.  “If we don’t start thinking about this power problem differently now, we’re never going to see this dream we have,” said Dipti Vachani, head of automotive at Arm. The chip company’s low-power processors have become increasingly popular with hyperscalers like Google, Microsoft , Oracle and Amazon — precisely because they can reduce power use by up to 15% in data centers. view article

The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association voted in favor of a 10-percent premium increase for residential and commercial policyholders.  The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association voted in favor of a 10-percent premium increase for residential and commercial policyholders. view article

Jessica Flores awoke her young son about 7 a.m. March 22. By then, she had made breakfast and driven her husband, Christopher Reza, to work in time for his 6 a.m. start as a stonecutter. She also had prepared her son’s lunch: a ham sandwich, cookies, water, juice, diced apples and a mandarin.  It was the first day Mauro was to be farther away than school. She felt a strong desire to keep him home. She called her husband.  view article

Third suspect in Round Rock mass shooting allegedly used 'Glock switch,' lost control of gun. A third suspect arrested in the Round Rock mass shooting may have lost control of his gun while using a machine gun conversion device.  Court documents obtained by KVUE reveal 18-year-old Keshawn Dixon is a documented gang member with an "extensive history" with Round Rock police. Dixon is the latest person to be arrested in the deadly shooting at the Juneteenth festival at Old Settlers Park.  According to the affidavit, Dixon told authorities he was only at the festival before the shooting that left two women dead and 14 others hurt.  Witnesses stated that they recognized Dixon even though he was wearing a white ski mask and a gray hoodie. One of Dixon's family members also allegedly admitted to a witness that he was involved in the shooting.  During their investigation, authorities learned that Dixon has a history of violent offenses, including terroristic threat, assault, evading arrest and multiple robberies. The affidavit states that Dixon also had pictures of himself on his Instagram holding a handgun with a "Glock switch," which can turn semi-automatic pistols and rifles into fully automatic weapons. view article

One week after Hurricane Beryl made landfall in Texas, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick is creating a Special Senate Committee on Hurricane and Tropical Storm Preparedness to address recovery, electricity and reliability in the name of improving utility companies' response to future storms. view article

CORPUS CHRISTI, Tx — Flour Bluff school leaders expect a 10% increase in their insurance premium for the upcoming school year, which they said affects things like teacher pay, building renovations and more. They, along with State Representative Todd Hunter, believe the increase is unfair.Hunter, whom attended the workshop gave his thoughts on the higher-than-most premiums that school districts along the coast, including FBISD pay. view article

Hurricane Beryl had the audacity to strike at the peak of Galveston’s tourism season, and on a Fourth of July weekend, no less. Officials have estimated that as many as 300,000 visitors were prematurely hastened over the I-45 causeway during the later hours of July 7. view article

Dozens of towering pine trees have long been a signature of Sinclair Elementary School, a 65-year-old campus nestled in Houston's Timbergrove neighborhood. The majority of those trees have come crashing down in recent months, with many being toppled by the derecho windstorm on May 16 and more falling during Hurricane Beryl last Monday. The downed trees destroyed most of the 16 temporary buildings utilized by the school, according to Sinclair PTO president Kim Ludlow, who said a playground structure and campus garden also were significantly damaged. view article

PISD remained closed until July 15, according to a social media post from the district. PISD also had the second session for multiple summer school programs, including special education extended school year services, or ESY, scheduled for elementary, junior and high school from July 8-18, as well as high school credit recovery from June 24-July 11, according to the district’s website. view article

CenterPoint officials anticipate having power restored to 90% of affected customers Monday, a week after Hurricane Beryl ripped through the region and knocked out electricity for millions of Houstonians. Nearly 2 million affected customers’ power had been restored as of 6:20 a.m. Monday, while 264,768 remained without electricity, according to the energy company’s website. The company drew criticism from customers and government officials for its response time and communication issues. CenterPoint officials said in a statement they would conduct a thorough review of the company’s response. view article

Dozens of Houston ISD campuses sustained damage from Beryl, and more remain without power on Friday, the district says. According to HISD, at the beginning of the week, a majority of campuses didn’t have power, and about 70 are still experiencing outages at this time. view article

Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz is urging the Department of Justice to make a decision on whether former Santa Fe ISD police officer John Barnes is entitled to certain federal benefits. Barnes was the first to confront the gunman during the mass shooting at Santa Fe High School in 2018. view article

Summer school was suspended this week in Houston's largest school district, which like much of the city is trying to recover from Hurricane Beryl. Houston ISD said Friday the "overwhelming majority" of its 274 campuses lost electricity on Monday, when Beryl made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane and blew through the region while causing multiple deaths, widespread flooding and damage to trees, structures and infrastructure. Roughly 70 of its schools remained without power as of Friday morning, the district said. view article

Beryl power outage updates: Hundreds of thousands of CenterPoint customers won’t have electricity until next week CenterPoint Energy estimates that hundreds of thousands of customers will remain without power into next week. As of Friday morning, 877,000 households and businesses it serves lacked electricity. Across the state, more than 1 million businesses and households across several counties still lacked electricity as of Friday morning. The longer-lasting outages were likely to be in the hard-hit areas of Matagorda County, Brazoria County and parts of Galveston County, along with some pockets elsewhere, said Jason Ryan, executive vice president of regulatory services and government affairs for CenterPoint, at a Public Utility Commission of Texas meeting on Thursday. view article

Gov. Greg Abbott wants an investigation into why more than 2 million Texans lost power after Hurricane Beryl barreled ashore Monday and why up to one-fourth of them might have to wait until next week before electricity is fully restored. "What I'm going to be doing immediately is instructing the Public Utility Commission to undertake an immediate study to find out why this is repeatedly happening in Houston, Texas," Abbott told Bloomberg TV in an interview from Asia where he is on an extended trade mission. "They should not be losing power." The target of Abbott's ire was CenterPoint Energy, an electricity transmission company that serves the Houston area where the outages have been concentrated. view article

More than 870,000 CenterPoint customers were still without power four days after Hurricane Beryl struck the Texas coast, according to the company's website Friday morning. In an update Thursday night, the company said it expects to restore power to 80% of affected customers by the end of the day Sunday. view article

We regret to announce that due to prolonged power outages at more than half of our summer school campuses, we are canceling all summer school classes and summer activities on Thursday, July 11, 2024, and Friday, July 12, 2024," the district wrote in an email to parents. "We have been in regular communication with CenterPoint, and it is clear they will not be able to retore power to our schools quickly enough to allow us to cool campuses and provide students a safe and comfortable learning environment." HISD will also close its Summer Meal sites this Thursday and Friday. The district plans to return to usual operations by Monday, July 15. view article