National – Page 190

Judge to hear arguments over transfer of Abrego Garcia to Maryland from Tennessee

July 7, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — The federal judge overseeing Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s deportation case in Maryland will hear arguments Monday over whether Abrego Garcia should be transferred to Maryland as he awaits trial on human smuggling charges in Tennessee.

Abrego Garcia’s attorneys filed an emergency motion last week seeking to have him returned to Maryland should he released on bond, but government attorneys say they will seek to deport him to a country other than his native El Salvador, where he is prohibited from being sent due to a 2019 court order.

U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis, who has been handling Abrego Garcia’s Maryland case, will also hear arguments from the Trump administration seeking to have Abrego Garcia’s Maryland case dismissed.

Abrego Garcia, who was deported in March to El Salvador’s CECOT mega-prison despite a 2019 court order barring his deportation to that country due to fear of persecution, was brought back to the U.S. last month to face charges in Tennessee of allegedly transporting undocumented migrants within the U.S. while he was living in Maryland. He has pleaded not guilty.

The magistrate judge overseeing the Tennessee case is expected to release him on bond as he awaits trial, setting up a battle over his potential removal.

In a court filing last week, Abrego Garcia’s attorneys said he had been subjected to severe mistreatment including “beatings, severe deprivation, inadequate nutrition and psychological torture” while he was held in CECOT, arguing that he “could face persecution or torture if removed directly to various other countries, including but not limited to countries with notorious human rights abuses like Libya, South Sudan, and Eritrea.”

The next hearing in Abrego Garcia’s criminal case is set for July 16 in Tennessee.

Robert McGuire, acting U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee, filed a motion last week to set a jury trial date “within 70 days of his initial appearance.”

At least 27 dead at Camp Mystic as officials say they were caught off guard by storm

July 7, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — At least 27 people, both children and counselors, are dead at Camp Mystic after historic flooding wiped out the the Christian summer camp housing hundreds of young girls in the middle of the night.

“Our hearts are broken alongside our families that are enduring this unimaginable tragedy,” Camp Mystic said in a statement. “We are praying for them constantly.”

“We have been in communication with local and state authorities who are tirelessly deploying extensive resources to search for our missing girls,” the statement continued. “We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of support from community, first responders, and officials at every level.”

At least 80 people are believed dead in six counties across Texas after the deadly floods that struck the state on the Fourth of July, according to the latest information from state officials.

The majority of the deaths — 68 in all, including 28 children — occurred in hard-hit Kerr County after heavy rain pounded the Texas Hill Country region early Friday, leading to “catastrophic” flooding, Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said at a news conference Sunday afternoon.

At least 10 campers from the girls-only Camp Mystic summer camp, along with a counselor, remained unaccounted as of late Sunday afternoon, Leitha said.

A Flood Watch was in effect for parts of New Mexico and western Texas Thursday afternoon as rounds of slow-moving thunderstorms packing heavy rain moved through the area. By Thursday evening, five inches of rain had fallen in parts of western Texas, including Midland and Odessa.

The flooding caught local officials off guard as the torrential rains caused the Guadalupe River to rise to near-historic levels in a matter of minutes, officials said at a press conference Saturday.

The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for Kerr County, where the Guadalupe River is located, around 1:14 a.m. Friday.

The river rose 26 feet in 45 minutes that morning, Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring told reporters on Friday.

“This came at night when people were asleep in bed,” he said.

The Guadalupe River reached its second-highest height on record, surpassing a 1987 flood level, the National Weather Service said.

Stuart Gross, the code enforcement officer for the city of Ingram, Texas, in Kerr County, told ABC News Live that the damage and flooding levels in his town were unprecedented.

“They came up high, never seen it come up this high in my 45 years,” he said. “It was horrific.”

Gross also told ABC News that he didn’t recall receiving a warning about the flood but that the town’s volunteer fire department brought speakers to alert residents during the torrential storm.

“The only reason we got out is because of our volunteer fire department,” he said. “It’s tragic. The screams for help, and there’s nothing you could do.”

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick told reporters that it is up to local mayors and counties to evacuate if they feel the need and many were unsure where the storm would land.

At a news conference Friday, Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly said the county does not have a warning system on the river.

Kelly was pressed by a reporter as to why evacuations didn’t take place Thursday, but the judge said, “We didn’t know this flood was coming.”

“We have floods all the time. This is the most dangerous river valley in the United States, and we deal with floods on a regular basis. When it rains, we get water. We had no reason to believe that this was going to be anything like what’s happened here, none whatsoever,” he said.

Rain continued to hit the region Saturday, prompting flash flood emergency warnings for much of Burnet County and western parts of Williamson County and Travis County.

ABC News’ Emily Shapiro and Kyle Reiman contributed to this post.

DOJ, FBI review finds no Jeffrey Epstein ‘client list,’ confirms suicide: Memo

July 7, 2025 by WDNY Radio

NEW YORK — A review ordered by President Donald Trump-appointed leadership of the Justice Department and the FBI found no evidence that notorious deceased financier Jeffrey Epstein kept a “client list” of associates whom he blackmailed or conspired with to victimize dozens of women, according to a new memo reviewed by ABC News.

The department has also released hours of purported footage as part of its review, which officials say further confirms Epstein died by suicide while in custody in his jail cell in Manhattan in 2019 — contradicting conspiracy theories long embraced or spread by allies of President Trump and others.

The memo is also likely to generate outrage among those who have claimed Epstein’s known high-profile associates could be implicated in his crimes. According to the FBI and DOJ review, no further charges are expected in connection with their probes into Epstein, as investigators “did not uncover evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties.”

Attorney General Pam Bondi had previously promised the public release of scores of records associated with federal probes into Epstein, though in recent interviews, she has claimed the delay was attributed to “tens of thousands” of videos within the FBI’s possession showing potential pornography of minors.

In late February, Bondi handed out binders with Epstein case files to pro-Trump social media influencers at the White House — files that ultimately contained little new information. As ABC News reported at the time, the move caught White House officials off guard and outraged some supporters of the president, who had been promised that more details would be made public.

Bondi has faced growing criticism from some Trump supporters over the delay in releasing the records. The Epstein files for years have been the subject of widespread speculation and conspiracy theories that the government was covering up information and a supposed “client list” to protect powerful businessmen and politicians. Multiple sources have told ABC News that no such list has ever surfaced.

In explaining their determination not to release further records from the investigation, the DOJ memo states that one of the government’s “highest priorities is combatting child exploitation and bringing justice to victims,” before adding, “Perpetuating unfounded theories about Epstein serves neither of those ends.”

President Trump and the White House have been peppered with questions in recent months over the timing of the release of the next “phase” of documents previously promised by Bondi.

In an exchange in the Oval Office on April 22, Trump said he was unaware of when the Epstein files would be released.

“I don’t know. I’ll speak to the Attorney General about that,” Trump said. “I really don’t know.”

Tech billionaire Elon Musk, in the midst of a public falling out with Trump in the wake of his departure from the administration last month — shared a post on X that claimed the delay in releasing the Epstein files was due to Trump’s name appearing in them.

“Time to drop the really big bomb: @realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files,” he wrote. “That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT.”

The post was among several critical of Trump that Musk later removed from his account.

Trump soon after dismissed Musk’s claims in an interview with NBC News.

“That’s called ‘old news.’ That’s been old news. That has been talked about for years. Even Epstein’s lawyer said I had nothing to do with it — it’s old news,” he said.

“This has been talked about for years and years. And as you know, I was not friendly with Epstein for probably 18 years before he died. I was not at all friendly with him,” Trump added.

In tense private conversations, Bondi had previously pressed FBI Director Kash Patel to review the still-secret information from the case involving one of the most infamous sex trafficking criminals in modern history, sources told ABC News.

As many as a thousand FBI agents, many of whom were typically focused on national security matters, were enlisted to help with the effort, sources added.

In an interview in March, Bondi was asked about the increasing pressure from Trump’s base to release more files, and confirmed that the department was working to make them public.

“The MAGA group is mad that we don’t know more about the Epstein files…are you going to give us any more information? Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo asked the attorney general.

Bondi responded that FBI Director Kash Patel was working on providing the DOJ with a timeline for the next document release.

“We will get out as much as we can, as fast as we can to the American people,” Bondi said.

Axios was first to report the release of the DOJ and FBI’s memo.

Camp Mystic counselor who died in Texas flooding remembered as ‘loyal and beloved’

July 7, 2025 by WDNY Radio

HUNT, TEXAS — 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.

She graduated from The Kinkaid School earlier this year and was set to attend the University of Texas at Austin in the fall.

Jonathan Eades, the head of The Kinkaid School, remembered Childress as someone who had a “remarkable way of making people feel seen” and “steady compassion that settled a room.”

“Whether it was sharing her own challenges to ease someone’s burden or quietly cheering a teammate or classmate through a tough day, Chloe made space for others to feel safe, valued, and brave. She understood what it meant to be part of a community, and more than that, she helped build one,” Eades wrote in a letter to the school community.

While in high school, she was the co-president of her school’s honor council, ran varsity cross country and founded a club devoted to helping senior citizens, according to her LinkedIn.

According to Eades, Childress “lost her life upholding this selfless and fierce commitment to others.”

“A loyal and beloved friend to all who knew her, Chloe led with empathy. Her honesty gave others the courage to speak up. Her resilience helped others push through. Her joy, so present in all the little things, reminded all who knew her to keep showing up with heart,” he said.

Catastrophic flooding over the Fourth of July weekend in Texas left at least 80 people dead and many more are missing, according to officials.

By far the greatest number of fatalities occurred in Kerr County, where 68 people are believed to be dead, according to officials, including 28 children.

There are several major camps in the area. At one of them, Camp Mystic, on the banks of the Guadalupe River, at least 11 of its 750 young female campers and counselors, including Childress, died in the flooding.

The Guadalupe River in Kerr County rose a staggering 26 feet in 45 minutes, officials said. The river reached its second-highest height on record, surpassing a 1987 flood level, according to the National Weather Service.

Tropical Storm Chantal makes landfall over South Carolina with 50 mph winds

July 6, 2025 by WDNY Radio

Tropical Storm Chantal made landfall at about 4 a.m. on Sunday near Litchfield Beach, South Carolina, according to the National Hurricane Center.

As of 8 a.m. ET, the center of Chantal was about 15 miles to the northwest of Conway, South Carolina, or about 100 miles north of Charleston, according to the National Hurricane Center. Chantal’s maximum sustained winds had decreased slightly from around 60 mph early Sunday to 40 mph, with the storm moving north-northwest at 8 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.

A tropical storm warning remains in effect from the South Santee River, South Carolina, to Surf City, North Carolina, including Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Peak winds in the area are forecast to be 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 45 mph.

About an hour after making landfall, Chantal had weakened, with sustained winds then up to 50 mph.

Scattered showers and thunderstorms from Chantal’s outer bands continue to impact portions of inland South and North Carolina, with the more concentrated showers and thunderstorms from Chantal’s inner bands moving from the South and North Carolina coastline inland.

The tropical storm watch has been discontinued from Edisto Beach to South Santee River, South Carolina, including Charleston.

Chantal is expected to continue to weaken as it moves inland, likely becoming a tropical depression later today and dissipating by Monday.

The storm is forecast to produce scattered showers, and some areas will see heavy rain and gusty winds from thunderstorms throughout the day.

Flood watches remain in effect at least until Sunday night from Myrtle Beach to the west of Wilmington, North Carolina. Flood watches are expected to extend into parts of inland North Carolina, including Fayetteville and Raleigh, until Monday.

Chantal, the third named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, was forecast to bring 2 to 4 inches of rain to portions of the eastern Carolinas, with isolated amounts up to 6 inches that could cause flash flooding.

Thunderstorms from the bands of Chantal may also produce isolated tornadoes, as well as lightning and gusty winds.

The storm was also expected to bring minor storm surges to parts of the Carolina coastline, with between 1 to 3 feet of storm surge possible during high tide for coastal areas under the tropical storm warnings.

Texas flooding timeline: How rapidly rising waters killed dozens

July 6, 2025 by WDNY Radio

Heavy rain poured over parts of central Texas, dumping more than a month’s worth of rain for places like San Angelo, killing at least 43 people.

Dangerous amounts of rain caused dangerous flash flooding in parts of Texas, destroying homes and cars on Independence Day.

Here’s a timeline of the disaster:

Friday, July 4
Flash flooding is occurring and with a continued threat through the time period. This is mainly west of Austin and San Antonio.

A flash flood emergency was issued for Friday morning for South-central Kerr County, including Hunt – a “particularly dangerous situation” with up to 10 inches of rain having fallen and more rain still coming down at rates of up to 4 inches per hour.

Another flash flood emergency is north of San Angelo, Texas, with up to 10 inches of rain falling there already with another 3 to 4 inches of rain possible.

7 a.m.: Kerr County, Texas, begins to evacuate people near the Guadalupe River in Hunt amid major flooding caused by 6 to 7 inches of rainfall.

10 a.m.: The Kerr County Sheriff’s Office confirm there have been “multiple fatalities” from “catastrophic flooding.”

“The entire county is an extremely active scene. Residents are encouraged to shelter in place and not attempt travel. Those near creeks, streams, and the Guadalupe River should immediately move to higher ground,” the Kerr County Sheriff’s Office said.

1 p.m.: The “devastating and deadly flood” has far surpassed the flood of 1987, becoming the highest flood on record, Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly said at a press conference Saturday.

Officials say there have been dozens of water rescues.

“This came at night when people were asleep in bed. Please pray for our community,” Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring, Jr. said during a press conference.

Camp Mystic, a girls only camp along the Guadalupe River, said it lost power, water and Wi-Fi. In a letter, the camp told parents that if they have not been personally contacted, then their daughter is accounted for.

“The highway has washed away so we are struggling to get more help,” Camp Mystic said in a statement.

3 p.m.: Heavy rain remains ongoing in parts of Texas, dumping more than a month’s worth of rain for places like San Angelo.

A Flash Flood Emergency remains in effect for south-central Kerr County, including Hunt — a “particularly dangerous situation” with up to 12 inches of rain already have fallen and more rain still coming down through this evening.

Another Flash Flood Emergency for the Guadalupe River from Center Point to Sisterdale, as well as to the north for the Llano River south of Mason remains in effect as the extreme runoff from the heavy rain makes its way down the rivers.

Several major camps in the area are likely impacted by the flooding.

Just before 5 pm: Patrick said they are working to evacuate camps with some of the kids, announcing that there are around 23 campers unaccounted for at Camp Mystic.

Once rain clears, they have 10 buses ready to go and get kids to reunite them with their parents, Patrick said.

Thirteen people are confirmed dead, according to Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha.

10 p.m.: At least 24 people have been confirmed dead, according to Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha.

Around 23 to 25 campers are still unaccounted for from Camp Mystic.

Saturday, July 5
3 a.m.: A flash flood emergency has been issued by the National Weather Service for Northwestern Travis County and far eastern Burnet county around Lake Travis in south-central Texas

Flash flooding is already occurring as 3 to 7 inches of rain have fallen and the expected rainfall rate is 6 inches in an hour. Additional rates of 2 to 5 inches are also possible.

7 a.m.: This earlier Flash Flood Emergency has been expanded to include much of Burnet County and western parts of Williamson and Travis County.

Tropical storm warnings extended up to North Carolina as Chantal approaches

July 5, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(SURF CITY, NC) — Tropical storm warnings have been extended up to Surf City, North Carolina, as Tropical Storm Chantal is offshore from the southeastern U.S. on Saturday, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The storm has maximum sustained wind of up to 45 mph and is moving north at just 3 mph.

The center of the storm is located about 105 miles southeast of Charleston, South Carolina.

Scattered showers and thunderstorms from Chantal’s outer bands are impacting portions of the South and North Carolina coastline Saturday afternoon along with increasing rough surf and dangerous rip currents.

Chantal is forecasted to continue tracking north towards South Carolina later Saturday, where it is forecast to make landfall on South Carolina on Sunday morning as a weak tropical storm.

Tropical storm conditions are expected to begin Saturday evening for portions of the Carolina coastline from South Santee River to Surf City, where the Tropical Storm Warning is in effect.

Tropical storm conditions are possible beginning later today south of the South Santee River to Edisto Beach in South Carolina where the Tropical Storm Watch is in effect.

Heavy rainfall across the coastal Carolinas will cause some flash flooding through Monday, with storm total rainfall of 2 to 4 inches and local amounts up to 6 inches expected for the Carolinas.

Chantal will bring minor storm surge for parts of the Carolina coastline, with between 1 to 3 feet of storm surge possible for coastal areas under the Tropical Storm Warning.

The system is also expected to bring life-threatening surf and rip currents along parts of the East Coast from northeastern Florida to the Mid-Atlantic states over the next couple of days.

The third named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season forms on average around Aug. 3, according to the National Hurricane Center.

‘Came at night’: Texas officials say they were caught off guard by deadly rainstorms, flooding

July 5, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(AUSTIN) — The deadly floods that struck Texas on the 4th of July caught local officials off guard as the torrential rains caused the Guadalupe River to rise to near-historic levels in a matter of minutes, officials said at a press conference Saturday.

The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for Kerr County, where the river is located, around 1:14 a.m. Friday.

The Guadalupe River rose 26 feet in 45 minutes that morning, Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring told reporters Friday.

“This came at night, when people were asleep in bed,” he said.

The river reached its second-highest height on record, surpassing a 1987 flood level, the National Weather Service said.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick told reporters that it is up to local mayors and counties to evacuate if they feel the need and many were unsure where the storm would land.

At a news conference Friday, Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly said the county does not have a warning system on the river.

Kelly was pressed by a reporter as to why evacuations didn’t take place Thursday, but the judge said, “We didn’t know this flood was coming.”

Rain continued to hit the region Saturday, prompting flash flood emergency warnings for much of Burnet County and western parts of Williamson County and Travis County.

ABC News’ Emily Shapiro and Kyle Reiman contributed to this post.

Timeline: Catastrophic flooding in Texas claims the lives of 27

July 5, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(AUSTIN) — Heavy rain poured over parts of central Texas, dumping more than a month’s worth of rain for places like San Angelo, killing at least 27 people.

Dangerous amounts of rain caused dangerous flash flooding in parts of Texas, destroying homes and cars on Independence Day.

Here’s a timeline of the disaster:

Friday, July 4

Flash flooding is occurring and with a continued threat through the time period. This is mainly west of Austin and San Antonio.

Another flash flood emergency is north of San Angelo, Texas, with up to 10 inches of rain falling there already with another 3 to 4 inches of rain possible.

7 a.m.: Kerr County, Texas, begins to evacuate people near the Guadalupe River in Hunt amid major flooding caused by 6 to 7 inches of rainfall.

10 a.m.: The Kerr County Sheriff’s Office confirm there have been “multiple fatalities” from “catastrophic flooding.”

1 p.m.: The “devastating and deadly flood” has far surpassed the flood of 1987, becoming the highest flood on record, Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly said at a press conference Saturday.

Officials say there have been dozens of water rescues.

“This came at night when people were asleep in bed. Please pray for our community,” Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring, Jr. said during a press conference.

“The highway has washed away so we are struggling to get more help,” Camp Mystic said in a statement.

3 p.m.: Heavy rain remains ongoing in parts of Texas, dumping more than a month’s worth of rain for places like San Angelo.

Several major camps in the area are likely impacted by the flooding.

Just before 5 pm: Patrick said they are working to evacuate camps with some of the kids, announcing that there are around 23 campers unaccounted for at Camp Mystic.

Once rain clears, they have 10 buses ready to go and get kids to reunite them with their parents, Patrick said.

Thirteen people are confirmed dead, according to Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha.

10 p.m.: At least 24 people have been confirmed dead, according to Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha.

Around 23 to 25 campers are still unaccounted for from Camp Mystic.

Saturday, July 5

3 a.m.: A flash flood emergency has been issued by the National Weather Service for Northwestern Travis County and far eastern Burnet county around Lake Travis in south-central Texas

Flash flooding is already occurring as 3 to 7 inches of rain have fallen and the expected rainfall rate is 6 inches in an hour. Additional rates of 2 to 5 inches are also possible.

7 a.m.: This earlier Flash Flood Emergency has been expanded to include much of Burnet County and western parts of Williamson and Travis County.

Human remains found after explosion, fire at California warehouse filled with fireworks

July 4, 2025 by WDNY Radio

(ESPARTO, Calif) — Human remains have been found at the warehouse filled with fireworks that exploded in Northern California this week, officials said.

The number of fatalities was not released and no positive identifications have been made, Yolo County officials said. Seven people were considered missing on Wednesday.

“Recovery efforts are expected to continue throughout the weekend as investigators, coroner personnel, and fire crews work carefully and respectfully through the process,” county officials said on Friday. “The Coroner’s Office has been in contact with the families of those previously reported missing and will continue to provide them with timely updates as information becomes available.”

The blast occurred Tuesday night at a pyrotechnics facility in Esparto, about 40 miles from Sacramento, triggering a series of massive explosions, according to fire authorities.

Cal Fire and the Esparto Fire Protection District said crews were working to find the missing.

“We obviously do our best to train for every type of incident, but an incident like this is like a once-in-a-career type of incident,” Esparto Fire Chief Curtis Lawrence said at a news conference Wednesday.

The new conference was interrupted by an angry family member who said her boyfriend and brother-in-law were in the building.

“We’re all sick to our stomach, and we’re all waiting on the information [officials say] we should receive until Saturday, when I want to know today,” she said.

The origin and cause of the blast remains under investigation, county officials said Friday.

Cal Fire’s Office of the State Fire Marshal said it believes the facility belongs to a licensed pyrotechnics operator. Investigators are working to determine if the operation complied with California’s strict pyrotechnics regulations and federal explosive storage requirements.

“This type of incident is very rare,” Cal Fire officials said, noting that such facilities must follow stringent safety protocols.

“Our hearts and thoughts are with those we lost, their families, and everyone impacted in our community,” the management for Devastating Pyrotechnics, the company that owns the pyrotechnics business, said in a statement. “We are grateful for the swift response of law enforcement and emergency personnel. Our focus will remain on those directly impacted by this tragedy, and we will cooperate fully with the proper authorities in their investigation.”

The explosion led to the cancelation of multiple Fourth of July celebrations. The Cloverdale Lions Club announced Thursday that they were canceling their annual aerial fireworks display, as the Esparto facility was their designated supplier.

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