Record-breaking flooding swept cars and debris down to the corner of North Marie Street and Koberlin Street after 14 inches of rainfall in San Angelo on Friday, July 4, 2025.
(New York, NY) – Officials and volunteers in Texas are continuing to brave the storms and floods in a search for any victims. Members of the Trump administration are defending the Big Beautiful Bill. We are also recapping the big trial of the week, here is the top 5 headlines to start your week:
Texas Flood Death Toll Rises
Texas officials held a news conference on Sunday morning updating the casualties to over 50 people. The catastrophic flooding began early Friday morning when torrential downpours caused the Guadalupe River to rise by 26 feet in under an hour. Along the river bank sits several summer camps. One of those camps, Camp Mystic, had the flooding sweep through cabins resulting in over two dozen children missing. Officials are not giving up their rescue efforts as they are holding out hope.
Big Beautiful Bill
Reactions continue pouring in this long holiday weekend over the Big Beautiful Bill Act. The massive tax and spending package cleared the House of Representatives 218-214 after undergoing some changes in the Senate. Economic advisors in the White House, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Director of the National Economic Council Kevin Hassett, appeared on the Sunday morning shows where they were defending the legislation against Democrats. Bessent also said that the White House continues working on different trade deals as tariffs are set to resume at the end of the month.
Return Travel Rush
As the extra long holiday weekend comes to a close, many people are leaving wherever they spent their Independence Day. According to Triple A, 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. are the worst times to be on the road as around 61 million people will also be driving home Sunday. It is also expected to be a busy day at the airport. Travel experts say that while arrivals are usually spaced out, the returns typically fall on the same day. TSA expects a whopping 2.9 million travelers to pass through checkpoints on Sunday.
Alligator Alcatraz Opens
The immigration detention center in the Everglades known as “Alligator Alcatraz” is now open following a quick 8-day construction. The facility was toured by President Donald Trump this past Tuesday. Several Florida lawmakers also attempted to tour the facility but were denied entry. The facility is designed to be “self-contained” according to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. There is currently room for 3,000 migrants with the ability to add more capacity.
Jury Rules Diddy Semi-Guilty
The Sean Diddy Combs federal sex trafficking trial finally came to a close this week after the jury convicted the hip hop mogul on two lesser charges, but not guilty on the more serious allegations. The 12 jurors found Diddy guilty of prostitution-related offenses, but not on the sex trafficking and racketeering charges which carried a life sentence. The proposed sentencing date has been set for October 3rd. The maximum possible sentence for each of Combs’ two guilty counts is 10 years in prison. Prosecutors may seek more than 5 years while the defense is seeking 21 months including Combs’ time already served.
For more headlines, listen to today’s News Hour: Weekend Edition below
