The Dow hits a record as most of Wall Street rises, but slumping AI stocks keep indexes mixed

The Dow hits a record as most of Wall Street rises, but slumping AI stocks keep indexes mixedNEW YORK (AP) — Most U.S. stocks rose on Thursday, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average rallied to another record, but more drops for computer chip companies and other winners of the artificial-intelligence boom kept indexes mixed.

The S&P 500 finished the day virtually unchanged and edged up by less than 0.1%, even though seven out of every 10 stocks within the index rose. The Dow jumped 594 points, or 1.1%, while the Nasdaq composite dropped 0.8% after erasing an early gain.

Stocks broadly got some help from a report showing that U.S. employers added 57,000 jobs to their payrolls last month. That’s growth, which is good for the economy, but it was also short of the 100,000 jobs that economists expected and a slowdown from May’s hiring pace.

The bright side of the weaker-than-expected result is that it could keep pressure off inflation, which has been accelerating worldwide because of jumps in oil prices caused by the war with Iran. And now that oil prices are back below where they were before the war, if inflation slows in upcoming months, the Federal Reserve may feel less need to raise interest rates several times this year.

That would be a relief for investors, who tend to love lower interest rates because they can give the economy a boost by making it less expensive for U.S. households and businesses to borrow money and spend. Lower rates also tend to push upward on prices for stocks and other investments.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury got to 4.50% in the morning, up from 3.97% just before the war. But after the release of the U.S. hiring data, it immediately fell back to 4.46% before drifting to 4.48%.

Traders now see an 82% chance that the Fed and its new chairman, Kevin Warsh, will not raise the federal funds rate at its next meeting later this month. That’s up from the 71% chance seen a day earlier, according to data from CME Group.

“The labor market isn’t overheating,” said Brian Jacobsen, chief economic strategist at Annex Wealth Management. He said the data could allow the Fed to wait through the summer to get more clues about how inflation is behaving before having to decide on hiking rates.

On Wall Street, the company behind LaCroix sparkling waters climbed 7.5% after National Beverage said it will pay a special dividend of $3.25 for each share that investors hold.

Dollar Tree rose 2.4% after the retailer said it approved a program to send up to $2.5 billion to its shareholders by buying back its stock.

Stocks of companies in the crypto industry were also strong after the price of bitcoin rose roughly 2%, a day after dropping near its lowest level since 2024. Robinhood Markets rose 3.8%, and Coinbase Global gained 3.9%.

But more drops for computer chip companies weighed on indexes. They’ve come under pressure because of worries that their stock prices shot too high in the frenzy around AI and that all the spending on chips and data centers may not result in as much profit and productivity growth as hoped.

Memory maker Micron Technology erased an early gain to drop 5.5%, a day after plunging 10.6%. Nvidia fell 1.4%, and Lam Research sank 10.2%. They were some of the heaviest weights on the S&P 500 because they’ve grown so huge in size amid AI mania.

Nvidia has a total value of nearly $4.7 trillion, for example, which means that its stock’s movements have more weight on the S&P 500 than any other.

All told, the S&P 500 rose 0.01 to 7,483.24 points. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rallied 594.83 to 52,900.07, and the Nasdaq composite sank 207.36 to 25,382.67.

In stock markets abroad, continued drops for chip companies sent indexes sharply lower in several Asian markets. South Korea’s Kospi index sank 7.9% due to losses for companies like SK Hynix. That’s its worst drop since a 10% plunge a little more than a week ago.

Indexes also fell 2.5% in Tokyo and 2% in Shanghai.

European indexes were stronger, and France’s CAC 40 rallied 1.7%.

In the oil market, prices dropped in the morning but pared their losses as the day progressed. Brent crude, the international standard, settled at $71.80 per barrel, up 0.3%.

‘Large and growing’ parasitic infection outbreak spreading in Michigan, health officials say

Cyclospora cayetanensis is a unicellular parasite that causes an intestinal infection called cyclosporiasis. (CDC)

(MICHIGAN) -- A "large and growing" outbreak of a parasitic infection is spreading in Michigan, health officials warned this week.

As of Thursday, more than 300 cases of cyclosporiasis, an intestinal infection, have been confirmed, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) told ABC News. Typically, the state only sees about 50 cases per year, according to MDHHS.

The parasite usually spreads through food or water contaminated with feces, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

"We are working closely with our state and local partners to identify the source of this outbreak that is making so many people ill as quickly as possible," Lynn Sutfin, public information officer for MDHHS, told ABC News.

The outbreak comes as the CDC reports 145 cases have been infected in 17 states, excluding Michigan, as of June 15, with at least 20 people hospitalized.

The CDC, the Food and Drug Administration, state and local authorities are investigating several clusters of cyclosporiasis cases in multiple states.

Doctors told ABC News that cases usually start in May, so the Michigan outbreak occurred during the time or year when public health specialists typically would see a rise in cases. However, the number of cases in Michigan is particularly high, doctors said.

Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious diseases specialist and associate dean for regional campuses at the University of California, San Francisco, told ABC News that in years past, the U.S. used to see many cases cyclosporiasis acquired outside of the U.S, or from imported vegetables and fruits.

"But now we're starting to have more domestic cases as well," Chin-Hong said.

Foodborne outbreaks of cyclosporiasis have been linked to various types of imported fresh produce, such as raspberries, basil, snow peas, mesclun lettuce and cilantro, according to the CDC. The agency further said it takes about one week from the time of infection to become symptomatic, but that time can range from two days to two weeks.

Some patients do not experience any symptoms but, for those who do, the most common symptom is "explosive watery diarrhea," Dr. Zoe Weiss, director of clinical microbiology at Tufts Medical Center, told ABC News.

Other symptoms can include cramping, bloating, low-grade fever, nausea and vomiting, Weiss said.

"Though in most cases this illness causes discomfort from cramping, bloating and watery diarrhea, we are concerned about individuals who may be immunocompromised due to cancer treatment or an organ transplant as the effects may be more severe," Sutfin from MDHHS said.

Weiss said the infection is very unlikely to spread from person-to-person "because the parasite is passed in the stool, and then it requires days to weeks of formulation in the environment before it can become infectious."

Chin-Hong said that oftentimes people dismiss watery diarrhea, but it is important to get a diagnosis to get treatment as soon as possible.

Cyclosporiasis is treated with the oral antibiotic trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX), commonly sold as Bactrim, Septra and Cotrim, taken for 10 days, according to the CDC.

Doctors told ABC News that people can prevent infection by thoroughly washing produce, cutting away bruised or damaged parts of fruits and vegetables, and refrigerating pre-prepared or pre-cut produce.

"If you're in an area that's been affected and you have sudden ongoing watery diarrhea, you should definitely seek a physician and get treatment," Weiss said.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Mortgage rates fall to lowest level since May

Crude oil tankers, bulk carriers and vessels sit anchored around Qaboos Port June 22, 2026, in Muscat, Oman. The Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route for the region's oil and gas. (Elke Scholiers/Getty Images)

(NEW YORK) -- Mortgage rates have dropped to their lowest level since May as negotiations between the United States and Iran ease financial markets.

The average interest rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage stands at 6.43%, down from last week's rate of 6.49%, Freddie Mac data on Thursday showed.

Still, mortgage rates register above their level before the war with Iran. Prior to the Middle East conflict in late February, a 30-year fixed mortgage clocked in at an average just below 6%.

“Rates did drop, which does provide some relief. But they’re still high,” Julia Fonseca, a professor at the Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, told ABC News.

A decline in mortgage rates over recent weeks has come in response to a drop in oil prices and Treasury yields, some analysts told ABC News. The shift has partially reversed a trend that took hold after the Iran war broke out.

At that time, mortgage rates surged in response to a jump in U.S. Treasury yields, or the amount paid annually to a holder of government debt. The rise in bond yields is owed to fear of a renewed bout of inflation as oil prices climbed.

Since bonds pay a given investor a fixed amount each year, the specter of inflation risks higher consumer prices that would eat away at those annual payouts. In turn, bonds often become less attractive in response to economic turmoil. When demand falls, bond yields rise.

High bond yields make borrowing more expensive for average Americans, since 10-year Treasury rates influence the rates offered for a variety of loans, including mortgages.

Bond yields eased in recent weeks as negotiations unfolded between the U.S. and Iran, pushing down oil prices and softening inflation expectations, Ken Johnson, a real estate economist at the University of Mississippi, told ABC News. In turn, Johnson said, mortgage rates have fallen.

“The big driver has been the cooling of tensions in the Gulf,” Johnson told ABC News.

Despite the recent drop, mortgage rates remain higher than their pre-war level. Even more, mortgage rates stand well above their level as recently as 2022, when the average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage came in below 5%.

Elevated mortgage rates have contributed to a phenomenon known as the "lock-in" effect.

Mortgage rates remain well above the rates enjoyed by most current homeowners, who may be reluctant to put their homes on the market and risk a much higher rate on their next mortgage.

“Rates are still pretty high relative to what they were a few years ago, but every drop in mortgage rates helps. This is not going to go all the way toward unlocking people. We might see this gradual unlocking as time goes by and as rates tick down,” Fonseca said.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

City issues water conservation alert

EDGEWOOD – The City of Edgewood has issued an alert to its residents to conserve water after finding themselves in severe water shortage conditions on Thursday.

According to our news partner KETK and the city, customers are requested to practice water conservation and to minimize non-essential use as they initiate stage 3 of water shortage conditions. Stage 3 of the water plan is entered when total daily water demands equal or exceed 350,000 gallons in a single day or over five consecutive days.

To reduce water use, customers are asked to only water landscaped areas, wash vehicles or fill pools during the following allotted times. Customers with a street address ending in an even number should only water landscapes with hand-held hoses, hand-held buckets or an automatic sprinkler system on Thursdays or Sundays from 12 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. Continue reading City issues water conservation alert

Texas comptroller releases military installation economic impact analysis

(AUSTIN) — Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts today released an updated Economic Impact Analysis of Texas Military Installations report. The analysis estimates that the state’s military installations contribute nearly $148.8 billion annually to the Texas economy and support more than 628,800 jobs statewide.

Developed in collaboration with the Texas Military Preparedness Commission, the analysis measures the direct and indirect economic contributions of military installations in Texas through employment, economic output, gross domestic product and disposable personal income.

“Texas has a long and proud tradition of supporting our nation’s military,” Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock said. “The men and women who serve at our military installations strengthen our national security while making a tremendous contribution to the Texas economy. This analysis demonstrates the far-reaching impact these installations have on communities across our state through jobs, economic activity and continued investment.”

In 2025, Texas military installations supported 212,541 direct jobs, including more than 124,886 active-duty and full-time National Guard and Reserve personnel. When indirect employment is included, military installations supported an estimated 628,884 jobs across Texas.

Besides the $148.8 billion the military installations contribute to the Texas economy, the analysis also estimated that the installations generated $91.4 billion in Texas gross domestic product and $43.6 billion in disposable personal income.

Texas is home to 14 military installations representing the U.S. Army, Navy and Air Force, as well as National Guard and Reserve components. Encompassing more than 1.4 million acres, these installations play a critical role in supporting the nation’s defense while serving as major economic drivers for communities throughout Texas.

The 2025 Economic Impact Analysis of Texas Military Installations includes statewide findings and detailed economic impact information for each of Texas’ 14 military installations.

East Texas fire chief retires after more than 50 years of service

MOUNT PLEASANT (KETK) — After decades of battling fires and keeping his community safe, an East Texan fire chief announced on Thursday that he’s hanging up his helmet and retiring.

The fire department said Mount Pleasant Fire Chief Larry McRae has officially resigned from the position, concluding a 50-year, dedicated commitment to the city and residents across Titus County.

McRae first began working with the city in 1976 as a volunteer firefighter before rising to the rank of fire chief in 1984. Since then, he’s led the fire department for over forty years and through more than 10,000 calls, never missing a beat and being the glue that holds the department together.

The fire department says McRae was inspired to become a firefighter when he was in high school.

“He was working at an Exxon service station and had lots of volunteer firefighters as customers,” the fire department said in a dedicated social media post to McRae in 2025. “Just hearing them talk about being volunteer firefighters excited Chief McRae and he knew exactly what he wanted to do. His advice for future firefighters is to always be willing to put in the effort and have a servant’s heart!”

As the city prepares posting for the fire chief position soon, Deputy Chief Aristeo Rodriguez has been named the acting fire chief in the meantime. Rodriguez has worked with the department for the past 27 years.

Pomp and Parade, Bonfires and Illuminations

(AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

As this is being written on Thursday, July 2 America looks forward to celebrating its 250th birthday on the Fourth of July. It’s one of the two biggest dates on the American calendar, the other being Christmas.

It might not have been so. John Adams didn’t think so. That’s because it was on July 2, 1776, and not July 4, that the Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution introduced by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia that said,

…that these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States…”

It was that act of the Continental Congress that officially severed the ties with Great Britain. It was at that moment – on July 2 – that the colonists formally ceased to recognize the sovereignty of the British crown. It was, in the eyes of that crown, an act of treason.

Writing to his wife Abigail on July 3, John Adams said,

The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America.”

He went on to say that he imagined that July 2 would be marked with,

…Pomp and Parade… Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other.”

He got that part right. He was just off by two days.

July 4 is the day that the Congress approved the final wording of the document written by Thomas Jefferson with edits from Congress. That document was dated July 4 and the “Pomp and Parade, Bonfires and Illuminations” that John Adams imagined have taken place on the Fourth of July ever since.

Pundits speak often of American exceptionalism and appropriately so. Because the American Revolution is, in the grand sweep, a true exception. It’s the only revolution in history to accomplish what it set out to do. While the colonists were resentful of many of the things that have propelled revolutions down through time – taxes being big among them – in the final analysis it was a set of principles, more than anything else, the drove the American colonists to revolt against Great Britain.

Those principles were indeed revolutionary. The idea was that humans are born with personal sovereignty and that individual liberty is a part of God’s creative act and not something granted at the dispensation of a monarch – an appalling idea to someone like King George III.

Most revolutions wind up replacing something bad with something worse. Examples include the French Revolution 13 years later, the Russian Revolution, the revolutions in the American hemisphere (Cuba comes to mind), and of course the Iranian Revolution.

But the American Revolution brought about a bursting forth of human liberty that built the nation that would lift more people out of poverty and free more people from servitude than any society before or since.

It wasn’t perfect. Human advancement has never been, nor will it ever be, linear. This is what the über-educated liberal elites that too often dominate our culture get wrong. They would have us all dwell on America’s (acknowledged) shortcomings, as if in the absence of perfection, nothing can have value. Today’s left fixates on America’s sins while completely ignoring its many virtues.

Among those virtues is the fact that no other nation in history has created the kind of opportunity for its citizens that Americans enjoy from birth. Maybe without specifically intending to, what the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence did was midwife a nation wherein the little guy – even the lowliest born — gets a chance.

And no, that wasn’t always true for every American. We didn’t always live up to our founding principles. On this day in 1776, many of the signers of the Declaration owned slaves. Later, even in my lifetime, we denied the opportunity implicit in the Declaration to the descendants of those slaves.

To acknowledge those sins is appropriate. But to dwell on them to the exclusion of all that redeems them denies future generations their inheritance.

The American Revolution was and is the exception among revolutions. And it created a nation that is the exception among nations.

We should indeed celebrate it with “Pomp and Parade, Bonfires and Illuminations.”

And we should challenge those who deny our greatness to show us something better.

To make it a safer July 4th

TYLER – Here’s a reminder from the Tyler Police Department in regards to the July 4th holiday. It is a violation of a City of Tyler ordinance to detonate fireworks inside the city limits. You could receive a citation, and your fireworks could be seized.

Discharging a firearm inside the city limits of Tyler is illegal. Celebratory gunfire could injure someone or worse.

There are multiple approved fireworks shows around Tyler to enjoy. Have a safe and happy 4th of July.

Injuries reported in motorcycle crash

SMITH COUNTY – Emergency crews responded to a crash involving a motorcycle and a van Thursday morning in Smith County. The collision occurred at the intersection of East Northeast Loop 323 and FM 14 shortly before 8 a.m., according to Smith County ESD No. 2 spokesperson Nikki Simmons. Injuries have been reported, but officials have not identified those involved, the extent of the sustained injuries or announced how many people were injured in the crash. The crash’s cause is still being looked into.

East Texan sentenced after fatal crash

ALTO – Samuel Schlemmer was given a 12-year prison sentence on Wednesday for driving while intoxicated last year, killing two women and injuring another.

In relation to a collision on Highway 69, close to FM 1911 in Alto, Schlemmer, who was 21 at the time of the May 2025 collision, entered a guilty plea to two counts of intoxication manslaughter and one count of intoxication assault. He was sentenced to 10 years for intoxication assault and 12 years for each charge of intoxication manslaughter. The sentences will be executed concurrently.

Police say an SUV and truck collided in the crash. Three people were hurt in the SUV. Continue reading East Texan sentenced after fatal crash

Hantavirus outbreak linked to cruise ship over after last contact completes quarantine: WHO

The cruise ship MV Hondius docks in the Port of Rotterdam to be disinfected following the recent hantavirus outbreak, on May 18, 2026 in Rotterdam, Netherlands. (Omar Havana/Getty Images)

(GENEVA) -- The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday that the hantavirus outbreak linked to a cruise ship is over.

It came after the final contact of a person exposed to the virus on the cruise ship completed their quarantine period, according to WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. The recommended quarantine and monitoring period for hantavirus exposure is 42 days.

The individual tested negative and returned home. No further cases have been reported since May 25, Tedros said during a media briefing.

As of Thursday, there have been a total of 13 cases of hantavirus -- 12 confirmed and one probable -- and three deaths, of which at least two have been confirmed, according to the WHO. All cases have been passengers or crew members on the ship.

Tedros said more than 650 contacts were identified and followed up by health authorities in 33 countries and territories. 

"Although the outbreak is over, WHO will continue working with governments and partners to advance our understanding of this outbreak and of hantavirus more generally," Tedros said. "We are also coordinating a study involving 21 countries to understand how the disease develops, which will support the development of diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines for future outbreaks."

Last week, quarantine ended for the 18 Americans who were cruise ship passengers on the MV Hondius and exposed to hantavirus.

The WHO said it received notification on May 2 of a cluster of "severe acute respiratory illness" aboard the MV Hondius, including two deaths and one critically ill passenger

The working hypothesis behind the cluster is that the first case was infected with hantavirus while on land, before boarding the cruise ship, according to the WHO.

At least 11 confirmed cases tested positive for Andes virus, a rare strain of hantavirus, and the only one that is known to transmit between people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Health and Human Services announces new WIC cards for families

AUSTIN – The Texas Health and Human Services Commission launched upgraded EBT cards for clients of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, popularly known as WIC, to make it easier for families to manage their benefits.

The new WIC card integrates with the upgraded myWIC app, allowing clients to track benefits and purchases in real time. With the new card, WIC benefits can be added remotely. Clients will also be able to freeze and unfreeze their benefits in the myWIC app for enhanced security.

“We want Texas families to feel supported every time they use WIC,” HHS Executive Commissioner Stephanie Muth said. “These upgrades make it easier for families to see their benefits, plan their shopping and feel confident they are getting the nutritious foods they need.”

The cards were distributed to clients at their scheduled appointments and can be used beginning July 1. Clients must create a PIN for their new cards in the myWIC app or by calling the Texas WIC Card Management Line at 833-966-1382.

Texas WIC clients receive fruits and vegetables, milk, eggs, cheese and other healthy foods to help meet their family’s nutritional needs. WIC also offers free classes on breastfeeding and healthy eating, along with one-on-one nutrition counseling.

Women can apply for WIC as soon as they learn they are pregnant. Anyone with children under the age of 5 can apply for WIC, including dads, foster parents, guardians or grandparents.

The HHSC WIC program serves more than 760,000 women, infants and children each month. For more information or to apply for benefits, visit here or call 800-942-3678.

The Onion’s new parody of Alex Jones’ Infowars starts with $100,000 to Sandy Hook families

AUSTIN (AP) – The satirical news site The Onion isn’t waiting to take possession of Infowars to launch a parody of Alex Jones ’ conspiracy platform.

More than a year after first trying to buy Infowars, The Onion on Thursday will debut a send-up under its own website with plans to give some of the revenue to families of the victims in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

The families have still received no money from Jones since courts ordered him to pay more than $1 billion for falsely calling the 2012 shooting a hoax.

The Onion will start by sending the families $100,000 from merchandise sales that combine the conspiracy empire’s brand with the The Onion’s logo in rainbow colors, according to CEO Ben Collins, whose company is still in court trying to take control of Infowars.

“Don’t give comedy writers a grudge for 18 months,” Collins said.

The parody will include a series of shows and other content under Infowars branding that spoof Jones’ aggressive mashup of conspiracies linking major news events, dubious scientific claims, attacks on people suffering in tragedies and sales of supplements and survival gear.

Jones’ claims that the 2012 shooting that killed 20 first graders and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut is a hoax have no truth, but Jones continued to amplify them. His followers started to harass victims’ families, suggesting they were “crisis actors” and even making death threats.

Jones’ Infowars empire had 10 million visitors a month and generated more than $50 million in annual revenues at its peak, according to the company. But the $1.4 billion judgements in defamation cases in Connecticut and Texas, where Jones is based, forced him into bankruptcy and broke Infowars apart.

“All he’s been left with is an iPhone and a fancy microphone,” said Chris Mattei, an attorney for nine of the Sandy Hook families.

Jones has moved his show to a different website. An email sent to an address to request interviews went unanswered.

The families knew they could never stop Jones from getting his message out, and he has managed to avoid paying the judgement so far. But they could expose what he said and assure he can never profit again, Mattei said.

“Every dime Alex Jones makes from here until the end of eternity is going to be claimed by the families,” Mattei said.

The Onion stepped in when Collins saw Infowars’ assets were going to be sold at auction.

Collins spoke to Sandy Hook families, who said they were briefly skeptical, but then saw how The Onion’s staff could use the Infowars style and branding to take the moral high ground and make fun of the people who not only caused them so much pain but they felt also poisoned society.

Collins didn’t want to give away too much of the new stuff before it goes live Thursday.

But the new Infowars will maintain The Onion’s sharp satire sprinkled with shock value. Collins said there will be a section selling a penis flattening device, a fake “pro oxygen” supplement pill that the host claims can replace breathing, as well as an extended debate on how many Bozo the Clowns there are.

“It’s old-fashioned Infowars — using the tricks that they use to get people addicted to outrage and, I would say, addicted to anticipation, trying to find the thing that’s around the corner that’s going to save your life,” Collins said.

The Onion will keep chasing Jones’ property. Collins thinks they will soon get control of the Austin, Texas, studio Infowars once used.

Some families can’t wait for that day. Collins said that Robbie Parker, whose daughter died at Sandy Hook, plans to read his book about fighting Jones while dealing with so much grief in the place Jones once sat.

The families at first wanted Infowars shut down forever and Jones never heard from again. But they are now looking forward to seeing what The Onion has planned, attorney Mattei said.

“The idea that it could be turned to some social good. I think it’s even better,” Mattei said. “So, yeah, I think the families are both pleased and amused with what they’ve been able to achieve here.”

Trump administration’s $46 billion ‘smart wall’ races ahead on the US-Mexico border

PHOENIX (AP) — For decades, all that separated the U.S. from Mexico was barbed wire.

Now, after a massive infusion of cash from Congress, President Donald Trump’s administration is swiftly building what it has dubbed a “smart wall,” a combination of 30-foot-tall (9-meter-tall) steel fencing and an array of sophisticated technology like sensors, cameras and towers allowing Border Patrol to surveil the territory.

The wall is under heavy scrutiny for the billions of dollars being dedicated to it when border crossings are at their lowest in decades. Critics say the U.S. is militarizing the border as it increasingly deploys sophisticated surveillance technology to the area, impacting local communities.

“We are seeing a massive expansion of surveillance and surveillance technology across the borderlands,” said Ricky Garza, border policy counsel at the Southern Border Communities Coalition, an advocacy group. “The wall in all its forms is harmful to communities.”

Officials say the technology is complementary to the physical wall and frees up agents for other tasks.

“It’s a smart wall. It’s not just a barrier,” Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott said during recent congressional testimony. “It maximizes the use of our most valuable resource, which is our agents.”

Contracts for hundreds of miles of wall already inked

The wall has been a top priority for Trump, a Republican, since he first ran for president.

During the administration of President Joe Biden, a Democrat, the border emerged as a flashpoint, with thousands of people seeking to cross into the country each day. Those numbers started to taper off shortly before Trump returned to office last year and then slowed to a trickle, with his broader immigration crackdown serving as a deterrent for would-be migrants.

Flush with $46 billion to finish the wall after an infusion by Congress for immigration enforcement, CBP is inking tens of billions of dollars in contracts to build the wall and push along the president’s signature project.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said recently that a preliminary part of the wall will be finished by “this time next year.” Scott said his agency is putting up 6 miles (10 kilometers) of wall a week.

Hundreds of miles had already been built before Trump returned to office. As of mid-June 2026, CBP has erected another 74 miles (119 kilometers) and aims to build hundreds more. There is no wall planned for roughly 535 miles (861 kilometers) of the roughly 2,000-mile-long (3,200-kilometer-long) border, because rugged terrain already serves as a barrier. Ground sensors and towers will be used instead.

CBP is also going back to hundreds of miles of already built wall and adding more technology, lights and roads. Along the long stretches of river in Texas that mark the border with Mexico, they’re deploying 12- to 15-foot-long (3.7- to 4.5-meter-long) cylinder-shaped buoys meant to keep migrants or smugglers from crossing the border.

More technology being deployed on the border

Technology is playing a greater role in the Trump administration’s effort to make illegal crossings along the border more difficult, part of a broader transformation of CBP in the years since Sept. 11, 2001, into an intelligence operation with a mass surveillance network whose reach extends far beyond the nation’s frontiers, according to reporting by The Associated Press.

And critics say the border technology poses a threat.

The Southern Border Communities Coalition says surveillance technologies can push migrants into more dangerous routes to avoid being detected.

Garza, the group’s policy counsel, warned that surveillance technology infringes on the privacy rights of border residents and that locals have found ground sensors used to detect smuggler or migrant traffic placed on their property without their consent.

Nayda Alvarez and her relatives own land along the Rio Grande roughly 125 miles (200 kilometers) inland from the Gulf of Mexico. She has found cameras placed on her family’s land, and just last week she spotted a surveillance tower about a quarter of a mile (almost half a kilometer) down the river from her house.

“Are we expecting a war or something?” she said. “It doesn’t make me feel safer.”

Dave Maass, director of investigations for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a nonprofit that focuses on civil liberties related to digital technology, said the technology has made the border area “a hostile environment” for locals and would-be migrants.

The foundation has published a guide on the various types of surveillance towers in use along the southern border designed to help local residents.

These can range from fixed towers with video, infrared and radar technologies that have a range of roughly 8 miles (13 kilometers) to remote video surveillance systems that have cameras and a spotlight fixed on top. Some are mounted on the backs of trucks so agents can drive them to different parts of the border.

Increasingly, these towers are autonomous. They can scan an area, analyze what they’re seeing using artificial intelligence and alert Border Patrol agents to something suspicious. Proponents say this helps keep Border Patrol agents out in the field instead of sitting in front of computer screens watching for activity. But it also increases AI decision-making along the border when experts have warned about the technology’s potential for bias or other problems.

The big GOP tax cuts and spending bill passed by Congress last summer requires that CBP buys only the autonomous towers, and the department is deploying an additional 95.

Underground, buried fiberoptic cables can sense movement, capturing data that is also then analyzed by AI.

“We follow the contour of the land. We go through trees. We go down into the river banks. We can go absolutely everywhere,” said Magnus McEwen-King, CEO of Sintela, which has a contract with CBP to install the cables. He spoke at a recent border security expo in Phoenix, where some of the technology was on display.

CBP also uses ground sensors and trail cameras to detect smuggling routes.

Concerns over cost and future plans

The nonpartisan watchdog group Taxpayers for Common Sense has questioned both the huge amounts of money for the wall-building and whether taxpayers are getting their money’s worth.

In 2011, under Democratic President Barack Obama, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano pulled the plug on a project to build a “virtual wall” of integrated technology like radars, sensors and cameras across the entire border after it ran over budget, faced technological glitches and was behind schedule.

Josh Sewell, director of research and policy at Taxpayers for Common Sense, said the organization would like to see more “robust evaluation” of the technologies being used to avoid similar scenarios. And he criticized the Trump administration for lack of oversight on how the money is being spent, a charge CBP has denied, citing “oversight mechanism.”

In the Big Bend area of southern Texas, opposition to the department’s wall-building plans gathered strong bipartisan support especially in the most sensitive areas that run through a state and national park and a wildlife area.

CBP now says it is not planning to build a 30-foot-high (9-meter-high) bollard wall in those areas. Its recently announced plans include installing patrol roads and some barriers designed to stop cars and using detection technologies.

Clara Benson, who is one of the founders of the No Big Bend Wall coalition, says bright lights in the area designed to illuminate the border could pollute the skies in an area renowned for having some of the best views of the stars. Even without a 30-foot-tall (9-meter-tall) steel wall running through the land, there is concern about CBP’s plans.

“There’s still a lot of fear and dread that the plan is still going to be quite damaging,” she said.

Hiring worse than expected in June amid elevated inflation

HR recruitment manager holding resume in hands while having an interview in a modern office. (Xavier Lorenzo/Getty Images)

(NEW YORK) -- Hiring slowed markedly in June, falling short of economists' expectations and displaying a wobbly labor market amid elevated inflation set off by the Iran war.

The U.S. added 57,000 jobs in June, according to the federal government's monthly jobs report, which marked a decline from 172,000 jobs added in May.

The sluggish pace recorded in June departs from strong performance for the labor market so far in 2026. Employers added a robust average of about 114,000 jobs each month from January to May, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data showed.

The unemployment rate fell slightly from 4.3% in May to 4.2% in June, the BLS said. Unemployment remains low by historical standards.

The professional and business services sector led job gains, adding 36,000 positions in June. Significant job gains also came in healthcare, though the pace of job growth slowed in that sector.

Hiring had proven unexpectedly resilient, despite a rise in costs borne by businesses and shoppers.

The Middle East conflict, which began on Feb. 28, prompted the Iranian closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a maritime trading route that facilitates the transport of about one-fifth of the global oil supply. The standoff triggered one of the largest oil shocks ever recorded.

The pace of annual inflation stands at 4.2%, clocking in at more than twice the Federal Reserve’s target rate of 2%.

The combination of elevated inflation and a resilient labor market has raised the chances of an interest rate hike, futures markets show, posing a risk for corporations eager to keep borrowing costs relatively low.

Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh briefly sent stocks tumbling this month during his first press conference atop the central bank. Warsh voiced a commitment to bringing inflation down to the Fed's desired level.

"Persistently high prices are a burden for the American people," Warsh told reporters in Washington, D.C. "This committee will deliver price stability."

Futures markets peg the odds of an interest rate hike in September at about 64%, according to the CME Group's FedWatch Tool, a measure of investor sentiment.

To be sure, the path forward for interest rates remains highly uncertain. Oil and gasoline prices have eased in recent weeks in response to negotiations between the U.S. and Iran, offering hope of a cooldown of inflation in the absence of rate increases.

On Wednesday, Warsh weighed in on the bullish side of an ongoing debate among policymakers, investors and the general public about the potential impact of AI on the labor market and wider economy.

The technology could create jobs and boost productivity, strengthening the economy of the U.S. and other nations, according to Warsh.

"This is a big paradigm shift both for the conduct of our policy and for our economies," Warsh said. "I think the jobs will be greater. Prosperity will be stronger."

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

20 dead, dozens injured in Kyiv as Ukraine hit with ‘massive’ Russian strike

Smoke is seen as two major fires burn after a drone and missile attack by Russian forces on July 2, 2026 in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Photo by Paula Bronstein/Getty Images)

(LVIV, LONDON and NEW YORK) -- At least 20 people were killed and dozens of others were injured after Kyiv came under attack from a "massive" barrage of Russian ballistic missiles and drones overnight, Ukrainian officials said, describing multiple explosions across the capital.

Tymur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv City Military Administration, published an updated death toll on his Telegram channel. The State Emergency Service of Ukraine said the attack's main target was Kyiv. More than 90 people had been injured across the country.

Kyiv's Mayor Vitali Klitschko described the attack as "massive." President President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said first responders in the capital were "clearing the rubble, searching for people, and providing assistance."

"Damage has been reported at more than 20 sites across the city, most of them ordinary residential buildings," Zelenskyy said. "There was also damage to an ambulance station, a research institute, a hotel, and businesses."

Moscow targeted Ukraine with more than 70 missiles, nearly half of which were ballistic, along with almost 500 drones in the overnight attack, Zelenskyy said.

Damage has been reported in every district in Kyiv. The worst hit was the Darnytskyi district, where part of a nine-floor apartment building collapsed, leaving people trapped inside, Klitschko. Search and rescue teams are still looking for those thought to be under the rubble, including a 15-year-old girl and her family.

Another air raid alert has been issued in Kyiv right now due to Russian drones.

In Holosiivskyi district, the roof of a multi-story residential building was on fire, Klitschko said. In the Shevchenkivskyi district, in the center of the capital, there was a fire on the roof of a hotel.

During the strikes, the mayor urged residents to stay in shelters. Klitschko said earlier that of the 34 people initially recorded as injured in the strikes, 32 were taken to the hospital; two others were treated on the spot.

The strikes targeting Kyiv came hours after the Ukrainian military struck a large Russian oil refinery in Ufa, and a military complex in the Penza region, Zelenskyy said. The night before, Ukraine also struck a satellite communications center in the Moscow region, Zelenskyy said.

Ukraine's strikes on Russia came amid a mounting pressure campaign by Kyiv seeking to push Russia to end the war, which in February entered its fifth year.

An analysis from a U.S. think tank published on Wednesday said troop casualties in the war -- missing, killed and wounded -- had surpassed 2 million, including as many as 600,000 deaths.

The Center for Strategic and International Studies said in that report that the figures heavily skewed toward Russian losses, with roughly three Russians killed or wounded to every one Ukrainian killed or wounded.

Russian casualties amounted to 1.4 million people, according to the data, including 450,000 who had been killed in the war, the report said. Ukrainian forces have suffered 525,000 to 625,000 casualties, including 125,000 to 150,000 deaths, the study said.

Neither the Ukrainian nor the Russian military releases data detailing their own battlefield casualties.

The report's authors, drawing on information collected from Western governments, including the U.S., and on open source information, said Russia also lost territory in April and May. Overall, the report's authors said, 2026 has been counterproductive for the Russian military, and that Moscow may be losing the war.

Offering historical perspective, the report says Russian fatalities in Ukraine are more than four times greater than all U.S. fatalities in all wars combined since World War II, and more than nine times greater than all Soviet and Russian fatalities in all wars combined since World War II.

Russia's advances in key Ukrainian areas "are among the slowest rates of advance in any war over the last century," the report stated.

In Kyiv on Thursday, Ruslan Stefanchuk, the chair of Ukraine's parliament, accused Moscow of using missiles and drones to deliberately target civilians, which turned "an ordinary night in the capital of a European state into a struggle for survival."

"This crime, like every one before it, must be met not only with condemnation, but with a resolute response: stronger air defence for Ukraine, tougher sanctions against Russia, and inevitable accountability for everyone responsible," he said on social media.

ABC News' Patrick Reevell and Morgan Winsor contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

What to know about the Social Security fix proposed by Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Moreno

Ranking member Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) delivers an opening statement during the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs confirmation hearing for Kevin Warsh, U.S. President Donald Trump's nominee for Chair of the Federal Reserve, in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on April 21, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

(NEW YORK) -- The Social Security fund will run out of money in as little as six years, a shorter time frame than previously estimated, according to a report released earlier this month by the programs' trustees.

News of the funding cliff prompted a pair of lawmakers to reach across the aisle and propose a rescue plan in an opinion piece last week for the New York Times.

Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., called for lifting a cap on the amount of annual income subject to the payroll tax that funds Social Security. Currently, the cap stands at $184,500.

In other words, the plan would require individuals making more than $184,500 per year to pay taxes on the entirety of their income, potentially generating trillions in additional funds for the program over the next 10 years.

The proposal could, in theory, help administrators avoid painful solutions for recipients, such as a reduction of Social Security payments.

Legislation reflecting the proposal has not been introduced. In the New York Times, Moreno and Warren said they are "working on legislation." Spokespeople for Moreno and Warren declined to comment on the status of the measure.

Here's what to know about a new bipartisan proposal for safeguarding Social Security:

Is Social Security in financial trouble?

Yes, the program faces an ever-tightening budget squeeze over the next handful of years, according to a report this month from the Social Security fund's trustees.

The Social Security trust fund will run dry in 2032, unless Congress combines the program's old-age and disability funds, in which case insolvency would arrive in 2034, the report found. A finding last year from the program's trustees predicted Social Security would become insolvent in 2033 or 2034.

The program generates revenue through a payroll tax paid by employees and employers, setting the income apart from the overall federal budget. Since the early 2010s, however, Social Security has paid more in benefits than it takes in through taxes, shrinking the program's available funds, according to a study issued by the Urban Institute earlier this year.

The budget shortfall has been exacerbated by a decline in births and a reduction of immigration, resulting in fewer taxpayers at the same time that many Baby Boomers have begun receiving benefits. The One Big Beautiful Bill also removed a tax on Social Security benefits, depleting another source of the program's revenue.

What is the Social Security reform proposal from Warren and Moreno?

The bipartisan reform proposal would tweak the payroll tax that funds Social Security.

The program is funded by a 12.4% payroll tax, which is evenly split between employers and workers. The tax, however, applies only to a maximum of $184,500 in annual income, meaning any income beyond that amount remains tax free.

The proposal put forward by Warren and Moreno would lift the cap on taxable income, allowing the tax to apply to the entirety of a person's income even if they make more than $184,500 per year.

"Since the vast majority of Americans make less than that, most people are paying Social Security taxes on 100 percent of their earnings while the highest earners are paying on only part of theirs," Warren and Moreno said in a co-authored opinion piece in the New York Times.

The elimination of the cap on taxable income would generate about $3.4 trillion in added revenue over the next decade, according to an analysis from the non-partisan Peterson Institute. The policy change would close more than half of the program's funding gap, the group said.

"With rising prices and artificial intelligence causing economic uncertainty for the future, Social Security must remain a stable foundation to help retirees afford life's basic necessities," Warren and Moreno said.

The proposal drew opposition from at least one conservative lawmaker. Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, faulted the plan for what he described as a "giant tax increase."

"We need to secure social security, we need to protect it, we need to make it stronger," Husted told “The Guy Benson Show" last week. "But I'm not on board with the approach that they've outlined."

What are some alternative reforms for funding Social Security?

As the program's budget woes have deepened in recent years, elected officials and researchers have proposed a range of solutions. As with any financial shortfall, the fixes either increase revenue or slash expenses.

An alternate means of increasing tax revenue for the program involves ratcheting up the payroll tax by one percentage point from 12.4% to 13.4%, the Peterson Institute said. That move would generate $601 billion in additional revenue over 10 years, closing about a quarter of the program's funding gap, the group added.

If Congress fails to address the projected budget shortfalls, automatic cuts will dial back Social Security benefits by about 25% in 2032, the Social Security fund's trustees said earlier this month.

Earlier this month, a bipartisan bill introduced in the House proposed establishing an independent commission composed of 13 members appointed by leaders in Congress and the president. The commission would seek out fixes for the long-term sustainability of the program. The bill, which counts three cosponsors, has been appointed to two House committees for consideration.

As the years pass, the task of reforming Social Security becomes a greater and greater challenge, the Urban Institute said.

"Waiting only makes the changes larger and more difficult," the group added.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Record number of West Nile virus cases since 2004, CDC warns ahead of holiday weekend

A Culex mosquito, primary vectors for several viral and parasitic diseases inside a house in Tehatta, West Bengal, India, March 3, 2026. (Soumyabrata Roy/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

(NEW YORK) -- A record number of West Nile virus cases have been recorded for this time of year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned on Wednesday ahead of the upcoming holiday weekend.

At least 48 cases of West Nile have been reported so far this year compared to an average of 10 typically by the end of June. This is the highest number of infections reported at this point in year since 2004, according to the federal health agency.

Additionally, at least 23 states are reporting West Nile activity, which is the highest number recorded over the last 10 years, CDC data shows.

The illness is the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the contagious U.S., with several thousand cases and over 100 deaths reported on average each year.

With millions gathering outside for Fourth of July, the CDC is urging Americans to take precautions and reduce their risk of mosquito bites.

Since 1999, the disease has killed more than 3,300 Americans. Cases have historically peaked in August and are mostly reported from June through October.

While many people infected do not develop symptoms, about one in five do. Symptoms include fever, headache, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea or rash, according to the CDC.  Most symptoms soon disappear, though weakness and fatigue may last for weeks or months.

Fewer than 1% of people infected develop severe illness that affects the central nervous system, including inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) and the membranes around the brain and spinal cord (meningitis), the CDC says.

Risk of severe disease, hospitalization and death increase with older age; certain medical conditions including cancer, high blood pressure and kidney disease; and a weakened immune system.

There are currently no vaccines for West Nile virus, nor disease-specific treatments. The CDC recommends rest, fluids and over-the-counter medications to treat the infection. Those with severe illness may need to be hospitalized and receive additional support treatments, such as intravenous fluids.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

‘Revolution’: Fed Chair Kevin Warsh says US likely ‘big winner’ in AI race

Businessman typing on laptop computer keyboard at desk in office. (tadamichi/Getty Images)

(NEW YORK) -- Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh on Wednesday voiced optimism about artificial intelligence, describing the technology as a "paradigm shift" that would likely make the United States a "big winner in the medium-term."

"We are in the first or second inning of this revolution," Warsh said in Sintra, Portugal, at a conference organized by the European Central Bank.

Warsh, who took the helm of the Fed last month, weighed in on the bullish side of an ongoing debate among policymakers, investors and the general public about the potential impact of AI on the labor market and wider economy.

The technology could create jobs and boost productivity, strengthening the economy of the U.S. and other nations, according to Warsh.

"This is a big paradigm shift both for the conduct of our policy and for our economies," Warsh said. "I think the jobs will be greater. Prosperity will be stronger."

Business investment in AI has helped drive recent U.S. economic growth, some studies show.

A surge of AI spending accounted for roughly two-thirds of gross domestic product growth over the first half of 2025, JPMorgan Asset Management found, outpacing the contribution made by hundreds of millions of U.S. consumers. Many of the nation's largest companies have poured funds into the chips and data centers necessary to operate AI.

AI chipmakers, meanwhile, have helped deliver stock market gains this year, allowing the major indexes to overcome a lackluster stretch for many of the tech giants that previously lifted markets.

Shares of fast-rising AI chipmakers have boosted major indexes. Micron has soared 265% in value this year. Sandisk has climbed a staggering 750% over that period.

For now, however, AI has failed to achieve gains on a scale near its immense costs, some analysts previously told ABC News. A product like AI would typically generate revenue in the form of sales either direct to consumers or to third-party businesses using the technology to enhance their offerings. AI has faced challenges on both fronts, some analysts said.

Speaking on Wednesday, Warsh signaled that he expects a shift in sentiment among businesses regarding the impact of AI.

"While we might see business surveys that say 'no big deal,' my speculation is six months from now the surveys will be saying quite the opposite," Warsh said.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

US defeats Bosnia-Herzegovina 2-0, advancing to World Cup round of 16

A soccer ball on the grass in the field by the net (Marcia Straub/Getty Images)

(NEW YORK) -- The U.S. men's national team defeated Bosnia-Herzegovina 2-0 on Wednesday night in their highest-stakes 2026 World Cup match so far, clinching a spot in the round of 16.

It was the U.S. men's team's first World Cup knockout win in 24 years.

The U.S. takes on Belgium on July 6.

U.S. forward Folarin Balogun, who scored a goal in the first half, was handed a controversial red card in the 64th minute following a clash with an opposing player. The red card makes him ineligible for the next match.

Later, Malik Tillman followed up Balogun's goal with a free kick in the 82nd minute, padding the U.S. lead.

Wednesday's win, at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, came after the team's impressive first-place record in the group stage. The USMNT finished the group stage with a 2-1 record, with wins over Paraguay and Australia before a loss to Turkey, which occurred once the team had already secured a spot in the next round.

The matchup versus Bosnia-Herzegovina was the U.S. men's team first knockout game following the earlier group stage.

After 48 teams descended upon Canada, Mexico and the United States, 32 teams remained in the knockout stages, which started earlier this week, vying to hoist the trophy on July 19.

With its loss, Bosnia-Herzegovina is eliminated from the World Cup.

Earlier Wednesday, Belgium defeated Senegal 3-2, securing its spot in the next round.

On Tuesday, Mexico defeated Ecuador to advance.

The round of 32 kicked off to a dramatic start on Monday, with Brazil coming from behind to beat Japan 2-1 before Paraguay eliminated Germany in penalty kicks , in one of the most shocking upsets of the tournament so far.

Morocco also topped Netherlands on Monday to clinch a spot in the next round.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Charges announced after club assault

Charges announced after club assaultLONGVIEW – Following an incident at a Longview nightclub early on June 21, three women have been taken into custody as part of an assault investigation. New details regarding an alleged assault on a woman in the parking lot are revealed by arrest documents that WFAA was able to obtain.

Alana Mumphrey, 21, of Longview, Dejae Brown, 21, of Pittsburg, and Ciarrianne Fuller, 21, of Longview are all accused of assault causing bodily injury in relation to an alleged assault at Whiskey J’s, which is situated at 300 TX-63 Spur in Longview. Continue reading Charges announced after club assault

Man arrested for inappropriate photos

TYLER – According to an affidavit from the Tyler Police Department, a man was detained on Sunday after taking pictures of an unconscious woman and then threatening to send the pictures to her relatives. The affidavit states that in February, Otto Pablo, 44, photographed the unidentified victim in a compromising position. The woman told police that Pablo had taken more pictures and had threatened to send the photos.

Authorities say Pablo did send a family member at least one cropped photo. Multiple copies of the pictures were discovered when investigators confiscated Pablo’s phone. Pablo was charged with invasive visual recording and placed under $200,000 bond in the Smith County Jail.

Scoreboard roundup — 7/1/26

(NEW YORK) -- Here are the scores from Wednesday’s sports events:

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
White Sox 1, Orioles 6
Rangers 4, Guardians 9
Tigers 6, Yankees 2
Nationals 10, Red Sox 2
Padres 3, Cubs 23
Mets 3, Blue Jays 9
Pirates 6, Phillies 10
Cardinals 1, Braves 5
Rays 4, Royals 0
Reds 2, Brewers 4
Twins 8, Astros 3
Marlins 3, Rockies 6
Dodgers 1, Athletics 7
Giants 6, Diamondbacks 4

FIFA World Cup
England 2, Congo DR 1
Belgium 3, Senegal 2
United States 2, Bosnia-Herzegovina 0

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Inmates hospitalized after prison bus overturns

Inmates hospitalized after prison bus overturnsPALESTINE — Eight people were hospitalized on Wednesday morning following a single-vehicle crash involving a prison bus carrying several inmates as they headed to the Palestine Unit. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) said one of their bus was in a single-vehicle crash between Donie and Groesbeck on Highway 164, east of Highway 139. The bus was transporting 26 inmates from local jails to the Gurney Unit in Palestine for intake.

TDCJ said all inmates were accounted for, and three staff members were on the bus.

Seven inmates and a staff member were taken to a local hospital and law enforcement believes there are no life-threatening injuries.

East Texas county passes resolution pushing for data center regulation

MORRIS COUNTY, Texas (KETK) — In an effort to encourage economic growth while protecting its natural resources, the Morris County Commissioners Court has adopted a resolution to work with state legislators and agencies to support further regulation of data centers in Texas.

On June 22, commissioners signed the resolution, outlining their request to the state to require data center projects to undergo rigorous review to address their environmental impacts and to adopt standards that promote efficient use of resources.

The court said it recognizes that data centers are “essential to the future economy” but aims to ensure that economic growth is pursued responsibly, with sustainability in mind.

“Economic development and resource stewardship are not competing priorities. These two goals go hand in hand,” Morris County Judge Doug Reeder said on a social media post, where he shared the full resolution. “Morris County can continue to welcome investment while also insisting that growth be responsible, sustainable, and respectful of the people and communities who call this county home. To that end, we are asking state lawmakers to enact legislation giving local governments more control over the planning and regulating of development directly affecting our local infrastructure and resources.”

In its resolution, the court supports state requirements for the transparency and disclosure of projected electricity and water use and the anticipated impacts on county roads, infrastructure and public safety.

Additionally, the court asks legislators and related agencies to adopt standards for data centers that require them to prioritize efficient resource use, such as using water and power-efficient technology and coordinating with regional planning groups.

At the end of the resolution, the county requests state lawmakers adopt the following legislation to ensure incoming data centers use resources responsibly:

Evaluate and implement policies to improve the transparency of projected electric demand and water consumption of large-scale computing facilities
Establish reasonable requirements for infrastructure planning, resource impact review and mitigation of significant public impacts
Promote coordination among state agencies, counties, municipalities, utility providers and developers
Ensure that local governments are provided opportunities to participate in planning processes affecting local infrastructure and resources
Preserve Texas’ ability to attract technological investment while protecting taxpayers, ratepayers, landowners and natural resources

The resolution will be sent to the governor, lieutenant governor, legislators representing Morris County, the Public Utility Commission of Texas, ERCOT and other state and regional entities.

State sales tax revenue totaled $4.2 billion in June

AUSTIN — Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock today said state sales tax revenue totaled $4.2 billion in June, 4.2% more than in June 2025. The majority of June sales tax revenue is based on sales made in May and remitted to the agency in June.

Receipts from the sectors mainly affected by business spending were mixed last month, with the construction and wholesale trade sectors coming in above their June 2025 totals, and the mining and manufacturing sectors falling below collections from a year ago.

From the large sectors driven primarily by consumer spending, remittances from the retail trade sector were once again up more than 3% compared with the same month a year ago, and remittances from the services sector increased by nearly 9%.

Within the retail trade sector, collections from electronic shopping outlets had the largest increase, showing a double-digit increase for the fourth consecutive month. Receipts from the general merchandise subsector were down approximately 2% compared to last June.

Receipts from restaurants were up 4.8% from a year ago, well above the rate of inflation for food away from home.

Total sales tax revenue for the three months ending in June 2026 was up 6.9% compared to the same period a year ago. Sales tax is the largest source of state funding for the state budget, accounting for 58% of all tax collections.

Texas collected the following revenue from other major taxes:

motor vehicle sales and rental taxes — $641 million, up 2% from June 2025;
motor fuel taxes — $336 million, down 2% from June 2025;
oil production tax — $736 million, the largest monthly collections on record, up 82% from June 2025;
natural gas production tax — $212 million, down 1% from June 2025;
hotel occupancy tax — $74 million, up 9% from June 2025; and
alcoholic beverage taxes — $163 million, up 2% from June 2025.

Lawmakers react to high court rulings

Lawmakers react to high court rulingsEAST TEXAS – The U.S. Supreme Court made several monumental rulings on Tuesday, inciting mixed reactions from East Texas politicians and Gov. Greg Abbott as decisions on transgender and birthright citizenship issues were handed down, according to our news partner KETK.

Two of the rulings made by the Supreme Court that caught the attention of East Texans included the decision to uphold state laws preventing transgender women from playing on school athletic teams and striking down President Donald Trump’s executive order declaring that children born to people who are in the U.S. illegally or temporarily are not American citizens.

In a 6-3 vote, the Supreme Court ruled that states may continue to uphold bans on transgender girls from competing on girls and women’s school sports teams, after findin that banning transgender women from school athletics does not violate Ttle IX, according to a report from The Hill. Continue reading Lawmakers react to high court rulings

Court sentences seven more to prison over shooting at Texas immigration detention center

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Seven more people were sentenced to prison Wednesday over a shooting outside a Texas immigration detention center that wounded a police officer and has left many protesters facing decades behind bars.

All but one of the defendants sentenced in Fort Worth courtrooms pleaded guilty to charges related to the shooting outside the Prairieland Detention Center near Dallas last July 4. They each were sentenced to between nearly two and 15 years in prison.

The same judges have already handed down harsher sentences to eight people who were convicted at trial, including a former Marine reservist who received a 100-year prison term.

The U.S. Justice Department alleges the shooting was carried out by members of the leftist militant group antifa — a claim attorneys for the protesters have denied.

U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor called the protest an “assault on democracy” before he and another judge handed down lengthy prison sentences last week to eight others who were convicted on terrorism charges.

The six defendants who did not stand trial had pleaded guilty to providing material support to terrorists. One of them testified at the earlier trial that he spray-painted a guard shack and vehicles in the parking lot.

The seventh defendant, Ines Soto, was sentenced to 50 years in prison after being convicted of providing material support to terrorists, riot and explosives.

The case has been closely watched by critics who say the prosecution could have serious implications for protesters nationwide and First Amendment free-speech rights.

The protesters’ attorneys have insisted there was no planned ambush and that the people who took firearms to the demonstration did so for their own protection. They argue the gathering was planned as a late-night demonstration with fireworks to show support for immigrants detained inside the facility.

Prosecutors told jurors at trial that the group’s actions — including bringing firearms, first aid kits and wearing body armor — signaled nefarious intent.

Benjamin Song, the former U.S. Marine reservist who was convicted of attempted murder in the shooting, was sentenced to 100 years in prison, and seven others received prison terms ranging from 30 to 70 years. Some of them, including Song, have filed notices of appeal.

Extra officers for the holiday

TYLER – Starting on Friday, July 3rd through Monday, July 6th, the Tyler Police Department will be adding additional officers on the street utilizing STEP . STEP stands for Selective Traffic Enforcement Program.

With increased traffic in the city and at Lake Tyler for the 4th of July weekend, officers will be specifically watching for impaired or intoxicated drivers. Please be responsible and don’t drink and drive. Have a safe and happy holiday!

TYLER – Here’s a reminder from the Tyler Police Department in regards to the July 4th holiday. It is a violation of a City of Tyler ordinance to detonate fireworks inside the city limits. You could receive a citation, and your fireworks could be seized.

Discharging a firearm inside the city limits of Tyler is illegal. Celebratory gunfire could injure someone or worse.

There are multiple approved fireworks shows around Tyler to enjoy. Have a safe and happy 4th of July.