This is TPR's roundup of the latest headlines and news developments. It provides a summary of the stories TPR is following.
Today's weather: Forecast calls for a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Otherwise it will be mostly sunny with a high near 92, but it could feel as hot as 100 outside.
161 still missing from Hill Country floods
There have been 94 fatalities reported from the 4th of July Guadalupe River flooding. At least 108 people are dead across six Texas counties. Many are still missing.
"Just in the Kerr County area alone there are 161 people who are known to be missing. That comes from combined law enforcement efforts." said Gov. Greg Abbott during a press conference Tuesday.
Five campers and one counselor from the Christian summer camp, Camp Mystic, remain missing.
Search and rescue efforts in Kerr County continue.
Kerrville holds first city council meeting since floods
Kerrville City Council renewed its disaster declaration and began discussing how the cleanup will work during a council meeting on Tuesday.
The city of Kerrville plans to use 28 acres of soccer fields to pile up tree debris but still needs to figure out what to do with other debris like metal — downed chain link fences are scattered everywhere.
"We need a massive amount of space. I'm not sure exactly the numbers of debris, but it's in the millions of cubic yards, and it's kind of an unimaginable concept," said Michael Hornes, the Kerrville city manager.
The city will need to make repairs to a water plant, as well as to bridges and sidewalks.
Floods a topic in upcoming special session
Gov. Greg Abbott says the top agenda item for this month's special legislative session will be helping communities impacted by flooding in the Hill Country.
"We will have those hearings, we will synthesize what we get, and we will come up with legislation that I believe will make it to the governor’s desk, and make us a stronger, better, more resilient Texas," said Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows.
Some lawmakers want the legislature to create a council tasked with improving communication between first responders and outside departments.
The special session begins July 21.
Rep. Castro calls for full restoration of NWS
The National Weather Service predicted the Texas July 4th storm and sent out alerts. Local officials said they didn’t get them in time for an evacuation.
San Antonio Democratic Congressman Joaquín Castro says Weather Service needs to be returned to full strength after Trump administration layoffs.
“Cutting so many people — 600 from the National Weather Service in such a short period of time — is going to affect an organization. This is very much a statewide and a national issue," Castro said.
The Trump administration has reduced the Weather Service staff by about 25 percent. The White House is proposing slashing NOAA’s budget by roughly 25%.
Listen to Castro's longer conversation with TPR's The Source below:
Bexar County aids search & rescue efforts
Bexar County sent equipment and personnel to Kerr County in the wake of deadly flooding.
The personnel included members from the county's emergency services districts, which deployed five boats, and the sheriff's department drone team. The county's IT department set up a mobile communications tower to get help where it was needed.
Bexar County departments are also aiding to identify victims of the deadly flooding.
The Bexar County Medical Examiner's Office says it received 36 people who were transported to Bexar County from Kerr County for examination. The Sheriff's Office is also assisting with identification efforts.
Project Marvel workshops wrap up
The City of San Antonio has begun its last round of community workshops over its proposed downtown sports & entertainment district known as Project Marvel .
More than 60 residents participated in the District 1 forum on Tuesday night.
Several attendees expressed concerns about the speed of the project and timing of the public feedback sessions.
The city council must vote by Aug. 18 if they wish to call a bond election in the fall, and they are on recess until next month.
