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Camp Mystic, following deadly flooding incident, files for bankruptcy

Search and recovery workers dig through debris looking for any survivors or remains of people swept up in the flash flooding near Camp Mystic on July 6, 2025 in Hunt, Texas. . (Photo by Jim Vondruska/Getty Images)

(HUNT, Texas) -- Camp Mystic, the Christian all-girls sleepaway camp, filed for bankruptcy on Wednesday, according to court records.

The Chapter 11 filing comes nearly a year after a deadly flood killed 25 girls and two teen counselors at the camp's Guadalupe River location, which is located in the Texas Hill Country.

According to the Wednesday filing, Camp Mystic has a debt exceeding $10 million.

Paul Yetter, an attorney representing seven victims' families, said in a statement Wednesday, "Bankruptcy will not stop all responsible parties from being held accountable."

"These innocent girls deserve justice," he added.

In April, Camp Mystic said it had planned to welcome more than 800 girls to its Cypress Lake location this summer before withdrawing its application.

Families of the flood victims and some officials, including Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, had called on the Texas Department of State Health Services to block Camp Mystic's license for the summer.

Patrick contended the camp shouldn't reopen until the flood was fully investigated.

The parents of one of the deceased campers -- 8-year-old Cile Steward, whose body has yet to be recovered after she was swept away in the Guadalupe River -- have also been vocal about the camp not reopening while their daughter remains missing.

Casey Garrett, a Houston attorney hired by the state legislature to investigate the deadly flood, presented a review of the camp's policies in April based on interviews with approximately 150 people, including campers, counselors, the camp's owners and the victims' families.

The attorney said there was inadequate training or drills for counselors and campers regarding a flood threat.

A written report of the investigation's findings is expected later this year, The Associated Press reported.

The Texas Rangers have also opened a criminal investigation of Camp Mystic, Patrick said.

Families of the victims have also filed a lawsuit against the camp.

In a previous statement to ABC News in response to the lawsuits filed by families, Camp Mystic said, "We continue to pray for the grieving families and ask for God's healing and comfort."

Jeff Ray, legal counsel for Camp Mystic, said in a statement, "We intend to demonstrate and prove that this sudden surge of floodwaters far exceeded any previous flood in the area by several magnitudes, that it was unexpected and that no adequate warning systems existed in the area."

"We disagree with several accusations and misinformation in the legal filings regarding the actions of Camp Mystic and Dick Eastland, who lost his life as well. We will thoroughly respond to these accusations in due course," Ray added.

-ABC News' Olivia Osteen, Meredith Deliso and Ivan Pereira contributed to this report.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Former chief of staff to ex-NYC Mayor Eric Adams arrested in federal bribery case

handcuffs fingerprints (ATU Images/Getty Images)

(NEW YORK) -- Frank Carone, a former chief of staff to ex-New York Mayor Eric Adams, was arrested on Wednesday morning along with his brother Anthony and two others as part of a federal bribery case, according to federal investigators.

While serving as chief of staff, Frank Carone allegedly "agreed to accept a series of bribe payments" as part of a scheme to "exploit the city's migrant crisis for profit," according to an indictment unsealed Wednesday in Brooklyn federal court.

In 2022, during the influx of migrants into New York, the city needed to rent entire hotels to accommodate asylum-seekers using emergency contracts.

Frank Carone allegedly accepted $120,000 in bribes from two co-defendants, Crystal Chen and Yan Po Zhu, in exchange for steering a multimillion-dollar emergency contract to a Microtel in Long Island City, Queens, that they controlled, federal prosecutors alleged.

To conceal the bribes, the payments were allegedly funneled through an account that Frank Carone's brother, Anthony Carone, controlled, the indictment said.

"In total, Zhu and Chen paid approximately $120,000 to F. Carone in exchange for an Emergency Shelter Contract for the Microtel, which was laundered through the Law Firm #2 account by A. Carone and his co-defendants," the indictment said.

The indictment included photographs of Zhu and Frank Carone socializing at Zhu's Long Island home in June 2022, a time when the indictment said Zhu and Chen's efforts to secure an Emergency Shelter Contract through other means were stalling.

"Zhu leveraged his burgeoning personal relationship with the defendant, Frank V. Carone," the indictment said.

The city ultimately awarded Microtel a nearly $7 million contract, even though it was smaller than another Long Island City hotel under consideration.

The indictment quoted an unnamed city employee who allegedly "lamented that replacing the professional's staff's recommendations with the Microtel 'meant a loss of 75 units,' which would necessitate opening more locations to make up the difference."

The defendants are charged with 13 counts, including conspiracy, federal program bribery and obstruction. All four defendants pleaded not guilty during a hearing Wednesday and were released on bond with restrictions on travel and communications.

Prosecutor Sara Winik singled out Frank Carone during the hearing.

"Frank Carone was entrusted to run our city government," Winik told the judge, adding that he "put his own status" above his duties, leveraging the need for emergency migrant housing to accept $120,000 in bribe payments.

Frank Carone was released on a $2 million bond secured by his property in Boca Raton, Florida and cash, records show.

Frank Carone helped with Adams' transition into office in January 2022 and served as the mayor's chief of staff until December that year, when he departed the administration.

As he departed, he said that in his position it had been an "honor keeping the trains running for this administration," according to a press release at the time.

Arthur Aidala, an attorney representing Frank Carone, said in a statement to ABC News that Frank Carone was notified that he was under federal investigation three years ago and denied the allegations.

"Frank Carone was part of an administration that publicly challenged what it viewed as the previous White House's dangerous immigration policies and their harmful impact on New York City," Aidala said in a statement to ABC News. "Following an extensive three-year investigation that examined numerous aspects of Mr. Carone's personal and professional life, prosecutors ultimately brought these charges."

"Mr. Carone maintains his innocence and looks forward to addressing these allegations through the legal process. He is confident that the facts will demonstrate that he acted lawfully and appropriately at all times," Aidala added.

Attorney information for the other defendants was not immediately available.

Todd Shapiro, a spokesperson for former Mayor Adams, said in a statement that his "prayers are with [Carone's] family"

"Frank Carone has dedicated decades of his life to public service, the legal profession, and helping countless individuals, businesses, and charitable organizations throughout New York," he said.

FBI, NYPD search sites around city amid corruption investigation, sources say

Close up of the NYPD logo on a police car. (Tim Drivas Photography/Getty Images)

(NEW YORK) -- The FBI and New York Police Department conducted searches on Wednesday morning at various locations around the city as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged corruption at the nation's largest police department.

The investigation is targeting current and former police executives, sources familiar with it told ABC News.

Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch issued a statement confirming the searches, saying the NYPD's Internal Affairs Bureau was working alongside the FBI in executing search warrants "as part of a criminal investigation being pursued by the NYPD, the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York."

"The investigation is ongoing and concerns conduct by former and current members of the NYPD," she said.

The investigation is examining, among other things, promotions and assignments and how they were carried out, the sources said. Tisch in her statement did not identify potential suspects or charges.

"When I became Police Commissioner, I promised New Yorkers that under my leadership the NYPD would conduct itself with integrity and that there would be a thorough investigation of any claim that members of service failed to meet that standard," Tisch said. "This investigation and our actions this morning are part of the ongoing effort to fulfill that commitment and hold the Department to its highest ideals."

The investigation was targeting the current chief of Manhattan South, Jimmy McCarthy, who has been placed on modified duty, according to the NYPD. Another target is the department’s former chief spokesman, Tarik Sheppard, sources said.

FBI agents were spotted outside the Brooklyn home of Jeffrey Maddrey, formerly chief of Department, the highest ranking uniformed officer. It was not immediately clear whether Maddrey was a part of the investigation

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

France confirms 1st Ebola case linked to DRC as UN warns outbreak is fastest-growing in Africa’s history

Ebola virus test, conceptual image. (DIGICOMPHOTO/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY/Getty Images)

(NEW YORK) -- France has confirmed its first Ebola case linked to the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) as the United Nations warned that the outbreak is the fastest-growing in Africa's history.

The patient in France is a humanitarian doctor who recently returned from the DRC and has been transferred to a specialist hospital, authorities confirmed.

French health officials said the case was detected quickly, the necessary precautions are in place and that there is no indication of local spread.

"France has specialized capabilities for managing highly transmissible infectious diseases," France's Ministry of Health said in a statement announcing the case. "Patients are treated in a designated healthcare facility, following strict biosafety protocols (negative pressure room, dedicated equipment and protocols). Health authorities are fully mobilized and the situation is being continuously monitored."

"All precautionary measures, including the patient's isolation, were taken upon his arrival in the country, with transfer to the hospital under secure conditions to prevent any risk of contamination," the statement continued.

Officials said a thorough epidemiological investigation is underway to identify individuals who may have been in contact with the patient and that they will be contacted "without delay" by the regional health agency before undergoing 21 days of home isolation while being closely monitored the entire time.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said on Wednesday that the risk of infection is "low" for European residents and travelers to areas of active transmission, and "very low" for the general European population.

The development comes as U.N. officials warned on Tuesday that the Ebola outbreak in the DRC is spreading at an unprecedented pace.

As of Monday, there were 1,048 confirmed cases and 267 deaths, making it the largest number of confirmed Ebola cases recorded during the first month of an outbreak in Africa, according to Dr. Abdirahman Mahamud, director of heath and emergency alert and response operations at the World Health Organization.

Mahamud said it took just 37 days for the current outbreak to reach 250 deaths, compared to 78 days during the 2014 and 2016 West Africa outbreaks and 130 days during the 2018-2019 DRC outbreak.

Mahamud added that there are some signs the response has been scaled up to match the pace of the outbreak's spread.

The number of beds available for treatment has risen in the last two weeks, "going from a handful to over 500 beds across 19 health zones," he said.

Additionally, the U.N. said laboratory capacity has also increased from 30 tests a day in Kinshasa, the DRC's capital, at the start of the outbreak to more than 2,000 tests per day through eight labs in the three provinces at the center of the outbreak.

Paolo Cravero, senior office of communications and media relations at the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said there is "a lack of trust in the response" among affected communities and that the organization is "working hard with communities to bridge that gap."

"Rumor and misinformation are creating some difficulties," he said.

Camp Mystic files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy

HOUSTON (AP) – Camp Mystic filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization on Wednesday, nearly a year after catastrophic floods killed 25 girls and two teenage counselors at the all-girls Christian camp in Texas. In paperwork filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Southern District of Texas in Houston, the camp listed its debt as exceeding $10 million. The camp along the Guadalupe River said it had assets in the range of 100,001 to $500,000.

Families of the victims filed a lawsuit in November saying the camp operators failed to take the necessary steps to protect the girls as life-threatening floodwaters approached on July 4. Camp owner Richard Eastland also died in the flood. All told, the destructive flooding killed at least 136 people along a several-mile stretch of the river, raising questions about how things went so terribly wrong.

The bankruptcy filing comes weeks after Camp Mystic halted plans to reopen this summer in the face of outrage from victims’ families and lawmakers that the century-old camp intended to welcome girls back while lawsuits and investigations remained ongoing.

Cervical cancer deaths 49% higher for women living in poverty: Report

Female doctor talking with young woman in exam room (MoMo Productions/Getty Images)

(NEW YORK) -- Cervical cancer deaths are 49% higher for women living in poverty, a major report released on Thursday finds.

Women living in poverty were also 23% more likely to develop cervical cancer compared to those living in higher-income areas, according to the report from the American Association of Cancer Research (AACR).

"The disparities in this situation arise from an access to care issue," Dr. Paul DiSilvestro, division director of gynecologic oncology at Women and Infants Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island, who was not involved in the report, told ABC News.

"I think we often don't understand the pressure on women as it relates to screening. Sometimes you have to make a choice between going to work, caring for your children, putting food on the table and getting a screening test," he added.

Cervical cancer is typically caused by a virus called human papillomavirus (HPV). The disease is now largely preventable thanks to the introduction of the HPV vaccine nearly two decades ago. Studies show the vaccine has drastically reduced mortality rates from cervical cancer.

If cervical cancer is caught early, it is usually easier to treat, according to the National Cancer Institute. However, not all women are able to get vaccinated as a teenager or get regular screenings in adulthood.

Some public health specialists say that new data suggests stark racial disparities appear to be easing, although there is still a long way to go.

In 2000, Hispanic women were 70% more likely to die of cervical cancer compared to white women, according to the AACR report. By 2024, Hispanic women were 10% more likely to die of cervical cancer, the report found.

Efforts and strategies to decrease these disparity gaps have been in effect nationally. The AACR reports that cervical screening increased by 62% after incorporation of patient navigation services.

A study in the AACR summary combined data from 20 trials done across the country, which included information about services including transportation assistance, interpreter services, home visits, patient education, scheduling assistance and individualized financial support.

It found that lay Hispanic/Latino community members who receive specialized training to provide basic health education in the community, known as promotoras, played key roles -- alongside social workers, telephone counselors and social workers -- in delivering these services.

Policy changes, such as Medicaid expansion, have also produced measurable increases in screening uptake among previously uninsured populations, according to the study.

Despite these efforts, patients living in poorer counties are still experiencing worse outcomes, DiSilvestro said.

"We need to do a better job of delivering the screening to the community as opposed to expecting the community to present itself to us for the screening," he said.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends two doses of the HPV vaccine at age 11 or 12, a shot that has proven to prevent up to 90% of cervical cancer cases.

The CDC also recommends that screening pap smears start at age 21. Pap smears look for cell changes on the cervix that could develop into cervical cancer.

"I think we can't forget that in this situation, cervical cancer screening works," DiSilvestro said. "But it only works if we can provide it to the people."

Areta Bojko, MD is a board-certified OBGYN and gynecologic oncology fellow at Women and Infants Hospital and a member of the ABC News Medical Unit.

In brief: ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ gets streaming date and more

The Devil Wears Prada 2? For streaming? Groundbreaking. The sequel film will make its streaming service debut on July 29. It will be available on both Disney+ and Hulu starting on that day. The film also arrives on digital platforms for purchase on June 30, as well as 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray on July 28. Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci star in the film that's directed by David Frankel ...

Haven't seen The Drama yet? Don't make any drama about it. The film is set to make its streaming debut on July 31. The A24 film starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson will be available to stream exclusively on HBO Max on that day. It follows an engaged couple who put their connection to the test when an unexpected revelation sends their wedding week into a tailspin. Kristoffer Borgli wrote and directed the film ...

The Summer I Turned Pretty star Sean Kaufman is the latest actor to join Daniels' upcoming untitled event film. Deadline reports that Kaufman is in negotiations to join Matt Damon, Sandra Oh and Charles Melton in the Universal film. This marks the latest film from directors Daniels, who are the filmmaking duo of Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, who helmed the best picture-winning film Everything Everywhere All at Once ...

Changes made to county bridge project

TYLER – In order to help with the construction required to reopen the North Northeast Loop 323 extension to U.S. Highway 271, Smith County commissioners approved on Tuesday allowing Texas Department of Transportation workers to enter a portion of Camp Ford. Due to excessive rainfall in May 2024, a culvert washed out, closing that portion of Loop 323 to traffic for more than two years. There, a bridge will be constructed by the Texas Department of Transportation. In the coming weeks, construction is anticipated to start. Commissioners authorized a temporary construction easement for TxDOT workers to help build the bridge during their Tuesday meeting. Continue reading Changes made to county bridge project

Scoreboard roundup — 6/23/26

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

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
Astros 9, Blue Jays 7
Royals 12, Rays 5
Yankees 4, Tigers 3
Mariners 3, Pirates 2
Rangers 4, Marlins 6
Phillies 14, Nationals 9
Cubs 9, Mets 6
Brewers 2, Reds 0
Guardians 1, White Sox 2
Dodgers 12, Twins 3
Diamondbacks 4, Cardinals 3
Red Sox 5, Rockies 2
Orioles 1, Angels 5
Braves 6, Padres 7
Athletics 1, Giants 3

FIFA World Cup
Portugal 5, Uzbekistan 0
England 0, Ghana 0
Panama 0, Croatia 1
Colombia 1, Congo DR 0

School revamped into lofts

MARSHALL — A Waco-based real-estate company has secured a contract to start landscape and renovation work at the former Marshall High School to transform it into a new lofts, they announced on Tuesday. After working with the city and visiting the site to take bids, Versatile Real Estate Company will begin its extensive work on the property’s landscape and renovations to the building on July 6, the company said.

According to our news partner KETK, the building will be restored and given a new purpose through Versatile’s contract by creating modern loft residences and community gathering areas. According to the company, the soon-to-be Marshall Lofts “celebrate the character of the past while creating a vibrant, connected community for the future.”

We are excited to share this wonderful rendering of what the old Marshall High School will look like once our project is complete,” Versatile said. “Thank you to the City of Marshall and most of all the people who live in the community for your extreme patience, and enduring the experience of seeing the Historic site in its current state.” Continue reading School revamped into lofts

City celebrates groundbreaking of new park

TYLER – The Tyler Parks and Rec Department held a groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday to celebrate Stewart Park, which will be the newest park to open in Tyler in more than 20 years.

The park is located on Frankston Highway and is named after the Stewarts family, who previously sold their land to the city and made an important impact on the city’s education in the community.
Additionally, the park will serve as the starting point for the Legacy Trail Extension, a 12-foot-wide multipurpose trail that runs through W.E. Winters Park and connects to Peete Elementary School.

The park will also include playground equipment, a pavilion, and picnic areas as well as new bathrooms. The city said the goal is to complete the park by the end of this year.

Could data centers pump unlimited groundwater in parts of East Texas? Lawmakers raise concerns

AUSTIN, Texas (KETK) — As Texas continues to attract major technology investments, state lawmakers are raising concerns about how the rapid growth of data centers could affect water supplies, particularly in rural parts of East Texas.

The Texas House Committee on Natural Resources held a hearing Tuesday to examine the industry’s water demands as state officials work on the next Texas State Water Plan ahead of the 2027 legislative session.

Much of the discussion centered on whether the state has enough information to accurately predict future water needs as more data centers move into Texas.

Temple McKinnon, director of Water Supply Planning Divisions for the Texas Water Development Board, testified that the agency surveyed industrial facilities, including 341 data centers, earlier this year to better understand water usage in 2025. However, only about 17% of facilities responded.

That response rate drew criticism from lawmakers.

McKinnon acknowledged the low participation and said the agency relies on historical data and estimates when survey responses are unavailable.

“Many facilities, there’s low response rates across the board, there can be, and when we don’t get a response, we do whatever we can to estimate around it. We might roll that over depending on past use,” McKinnon said.

Lawmakers questioned whether those estimates are sufficient given the pace at which data centers are being developed across the state.

State Rep. Trent Ashby, R-Lufkin, shifted the conversation toward East Texas, where he said some counties lack groundwater conservation districts that monitor and regulate groundwater use.

Ashby asked McKinnon whether a data center located in a county without a groundwater conservation district would face any restrictions on groundwater pumping:

“So if you’re in a county with a data center or proposed data center and there is no GCD (groundwater conservation district), there is no requirement or obstacle if you’re a data center to overcome to pump as much groundwater as you want, am I correct?” Ashby asked.

“There would be no entity in place to regulate that use, yes,” McKinnon responded.

The exchange highlighted concerns from some East Texas residents who worry that growing industrial water demands could strain local groundwater supplies in areas with limited oversight.

Ashby said he has heard from constituents concerned that future data center development could impact water availability for rural communities that depend on wells and aquifers.
Google announces $10M Texas water impact fund; makes data center water use pledges

Lawmakers emphasized that additional studies and more accurate reporting will be necessary to understand the long-term impact that data centers could have on Texas water resources and to determine whether current planning efforts adequately account for future growth.

Texans remain wary of the rapid growth of data centers, citing concerns like noise, water use, energy demand, and land impact. A UT Austin Texas Politics Project poll reflects that sentiment, showing 56% oppose local data?center construction while 29% support it. Still, lawmakers noted a competing pressure: the national?security risk of falling behind China in the race for advanced artificial intelligence.

Throughout the hearing, multiple county?level officials urged the Legislature to give local governments more authority to block or regulate data?center projects. They argued that communities should have a stronger voice in deciding whether these facilities fit their long?term development goals.

The hearing remained underway Tuesday afternoon. Committee Chairman State Rep. Cody Harris, R-Palestine, said discussions could continue into the evening as lawmakers gather information to help shape future water policy and planning efforts across Texas.

Officials to ramp up scam protection

SMITH COUNTY — Amid a surge in cryptocurrency scams sweeping East Texas, Smith County Sheriff Larry Smith convened regional lawmakers Monday in an urgent bid to confront what he warned is becoming a rapidly escalating threat. According to our news partner KETK, the meeting was attended by several lawmakers, including Sen. Bryan Hughes, State Representatives Cole Hefner and Daniel Alders, and the Captain of the Texas Federal Crimes Intelligence Center, Jeff Roberts.

Driven by a spike in cases, Smith convened the meeting after a growing number of East Texas seniors were coerced into depositing thousands of dollars into Bitcoin ATMs, funds that vanish instantly and are rarely recoverable.

Unfortunately many East Texans have failed to realize they were being scammed before being left in financial ruin. In early May, a Georgia inmate orchestrated a crypto kiosk scam by directing an elderly Smith County woman to a local crypto kiosk after claiming they were a sheriff’s office employee. The scam resulted in the woman losing $13,000 and the scammer was charged with theft from the elderly. Continue reading Officials to ramp up scam protection

Revivals of ‘The Sound of Music,’ ‘A Few Good Men’ headed to Broadway

Jasmine Amy Rogers attends the 78th annual Tony Awards Meet The Nominees Press Event at Sofitel New York on May 8, 2025, in New York City. (Jenny Anderson/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions) | Tom Blyth attends Dom Pérignon Révélations 2026 at Guggenheim Bilbao on June 4, 2026, in Bilbao, Spain. (Pierre Mouton/Getty Images for Dom Perignon)

Revivals of The Sound of Music and A Few Good Men are headed to Broadway.

Both productions will make it to the Great White Way as part of Lincoln Center Theater's 2026-27 season.

The Sound of Music revival will open at the Vivian Beaumont Theater in spring 2027. Tony nominee Jasmine Amy Rogers will star as Maria von Trapp in this production of the classic musical. The role was made famous by Julie Andrews in the beloved 1965 film adaptation.

The Sound of Music originally opened on Broadway in 1959. It has not been revived since 1998. Performances start on March 23, 2027, with an opening night of April 15.

Headed to the Vivian Beaumont Theater this fall is a revival of the play A Few Good Men.

Bradley Whitford and Tom Blyth are set to star in the production, with Blyth making his Broadway debut. Tony winner Michael Arden will direct the first-ever Broadway revival of Aaron Sorkin's courtroom drama, which starts performances on Oct. 8 and has an opening night of Oct. 29.

Blyth took to Instagram on Tuesday to celebrate his upcoming Broadway debut.

"broadway debut baby! back to the old stomping ground," Blyth wrote. "You can’t handle the truth!!!"

A Few Good Men was first produced on stage in 1989. It was then adapted into the 1992 film that starred Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson and was directed by Rob Reiner.

‘I did not know’: Former Epstein secretary Lesley Groff denies any awareness of boss’ sex crimes

Lesley Groff (C), a former assistant to Jeffrey Epstein, arrives to testify at a closed-door interview with the House Oversight Committee on Capitol Hill on June 09, 2026, in Washington, DC. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

(WASHINGTON) -- Lesley Groff, the former executive secretary of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, attempted to deflect any culpability in Epstein’s crimes, telling lawmakers that she routinely scheduled massages for her boss but never booked appointments for anyone she knew to be underage, according to a House Oversight Committee transcript released Tuesday.

"I never met these women, so I didn't know if they were young or how old they were," Groff said during her appearance earlier this month. "I thought that it was just something that he did, like going to the gym."

Groff, who worked for Epstein in New York for more than 18 years, was previously described by her boss as an "extension of my brain." She appeared as part of the committee's ongoing inquiry into the federal government's handling of investigations into Epstein and his alleged accomplices.

Once identified by federal prosecutors as a potential co-conspirator in Epstein's crimes, Groff said she hoped her interview would "dispel the false notions" that she "knowingly enabled or conspired with him to commit his evil acts."

Over the course of an eight-hour interview, Groff faced at times skeptical inquiries from committee members and staff, who questioned how she could have been unaware of Epstein's predilection for sexualized massages, the transcript shows.

"You want us to believe that after 18 years working in the employ of Mr. Jeffrey Epstein that not on one occasion did you believe that any of your contacts in setting up these appointments with Jeffrey Epstein were either a minor or an underage person, correct?" asked Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill.

"That is correct," Groff replied.

"This strains credulity, Ms. Groff," Krishnamoorthi said.

"Ms. Groff, do you think that a 14-year-old sounds the same as a person in their 20s or 30s or 40s?" asked an attorney for the committee.

"It's possible. I don't know. I was not evaluating voices," Groff replied. "Nobody ever sounded like they were underage."

Groff, now 59, appeared voluntarily for the interview, which was not under oath and not recorded. It marks the first time she has faced questions since speaking to the FBI in New York in 2021, two years after Epstein's death. Later that year, prosecutors informed her that she would not be charged, according to her attorneys.

Groff told the committee that she was hired by Epstein in 2001 and was immediately "astonished by the truly impressive people in his circle," including past presidents, actors, musicians and scientists.

"I actually felt lucky to have found such an amazing job. I was thrust into the lifestyles of the rich and famous," she said in her prepared opening remarks.

She said Epstein's directive for daily massages was a "very small part" of her duties in coordinating Epstein's schedule. From the moment she was hired, Epstein and his then-partner Ghislaine Maxwell "established guardrails" and made it clear that she was never to associate with their friends.

"Their business was none of my business," she said she was told.

When Epstein came under law enforcement scrutiny in Florida in the mid-2000s -- first by the Palm Beach police and later by the FBI -- Groff said he told her he had been set up for blackmail by a girl who lied about her age.

"It was a shakedown, he claimed, for money," Groff said. "At the time, I actually felt sorry for him. I thought, 'Wow, this must be really difficult to be a wealthy person and not know who you can trust because everybody wants your money.'"

Groff said she first learned of the criminal investigation when the FBI showed up at her home in Connecticut in 2007.

"I let them in my house and sat with them on my sofa, and they started asking me some questions. That's how I found out," she said. "I think my head was probably spinning. I had no idea."

Groff told the committee she excused herself to check on her son and then called Epstein's in-house lawyer about the FBI visit. She said she was advised not to talk to the agents without a lawyer.

"And so I went downstairs and said, 'I don't think I should be speaking to you without an attorney present.' And they didn't really like that, and then they left," she said.

Groff said that after Epstein went to jail in 2008, she considered resigning. She stayed, she said, because she "actually believed he had been set up" and because she saw that the "same VIP's continued to surround" him after his conviction.

"I looked around the office and I felt people smarter than me were still there and stayed there. All his contacts and business people, no one left," she said, according to the transcript.

After Epstein's arrest in July 2019, federal prosecutors in New York included Groff in a list of potential co-conspirators and sent her a subpoena. Her attorney informed the government, just four days after Epstein's arrest, that Groff "would invoke her Fifth Amendment privilege against compelled self-incrimination" if called to appear before a grand jury, according to DOJ records released in response to the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

Prosecutors informed Groff's lawyer that "numerous victims [of Epstein] had indicated that she was responsible for scheduling massages during which they were sexually abused," and that she should consider cooperating with the investigation, according to the DOJ records.

Groff eventually interviewed with the investigators two years later, telling prosecutors that "making massage appointments was just another appointment she had to make" for Epstein.

The DOJ files also include an account from a witness -- who was a minor at the time of her alleged abuse by Epstein -- who told the FBI that she felt Groff "knew that the massage appointments were sexual" and "felt it was pretty obvious Lesley knew what was going on." The witness also alleged that she explicitly told Groff she was not 18 years old and needed money for an abortion, according to the FBI report.

Asked by a committee attorney about those allegations, Groff said she felt "terrible for this survivor" but contended the witness's recollections were inaccurate.

"I'm not saying that what she's thinking -- that she told someone -- but she did not tell me," Groff said. "I think she is mistaken. I know she is mistaken."

Groff said that after Epstein was released from jail in 2010, she was never again asked to book a massage appointment for him. She acknowledged she booked travel -- at Epstein's direction -- for women who would later allege to have been sexually exploited. But she contended she had no reason to think the women were being abused.

"I believed them to be traveling assistants, and none of them ever looked unhappy or under duress," she said. "In hindsight, it's terrible, I can't imagine what they were going through."

She said she was not alarmed by now-public email messages from Epstein's associates sharing photographs and information about foreign women -- because of Epstein's connections in the modeling and fashion industries. She conceded that some of the emails released by the Justice Department appear alarming in retrospect, but insisted she had no reason to be concerned at the time.

"I did not know that this was occurring. I never saw anything inappropriate," she said. "Everything to me -- that I was doing, I feel like now, looking through a dirty lens, things look dirty. But at this time, I was unaware of anything that was going on."

Groff said that since Epstein's arrest in 2019, she has struggled to sleep and eat, been the target of harassment and death threats, and been "shunned" by many of her friends and acquaintances.

She was one of four women listed as potential co-conspirators in Epstein's controversial non-prosecution agreement in 2007, which she said, "remains her scarlet letter."

Bill Gates told House panel Epstein was plotting to blackmail him about extramarital affairs

Microsoft Co-Founder Bill Gates stops to speak to the media as he arrives to testify at a closed-door interview with the House Oversight Committee on Capitol Hill on June 10, 2026, in Washington, DC. The committee is continuing to hold closed-door interviews as part of their investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. (Photo by Tom Brenner/Getty Images)

(WASHINGTON) -- After Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates tried to end his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender attempted to use compromising information about Gates' extramarital affairs to force his way back into Gates' life -- but never explicitly threatened him, Gates told the House Oversight Committee earlier this month, according to a transcript of the closed-door session released Tuesday.

Gates appeared before the panel on June 10 as part of its ongoing probe into the government's handling of its investigations into Epstein.

Gates, according to the transcript, said Epstein used an adviser to send him "veiled" threats, appeared to coach Gates' adviser on how to potentially blackmail him, and mixed fact and fiction to leverage compromising information against the software billionaire.

"I was not blackmailed, but, you know, as you look at these emails, you know, it looks like Mr. Epstein's brainstorming was going in that direction," Gates said about materials from the Epstein files released earlier this year by the Department of Justice. "It appears that in many cases he, at least in emails to himself, was sort of rehearsing how either he or he coaching someone else might choose to blackmail me, but none of those messages were ever sent to me."

During the interview, Gates acknowledged having at least three extramarital affairs, though he said that Epstein was involved with none of the women and that Epstein only learned about them after he and Epstein had cut ties.

The testimony offers a rare window into how Epstein allegedly tried to use compromising information to manipulate at least one powerful public figure. The Department of Justice said last year it found no credible evidence that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals.

Gates told lawmakers that his interactions with Epstein were limited to business, that he never witnessed Epstein commit a crime, and that he did not suspect that the women who were traveling with the disgraced financier were victims of sex trafficking. Asked about photos showing him with some of Epstein's victims, Gates said Epstein occasionally asked to take photographs of Gates with women who Gates said he believed were Epstein's assistants.

"I have never victimized anyone. While he may have sought to foster a personal relationship, I was never interested in that and never reciprocated," Gates told lawmakers.

Gates told the Oversight panel that he first began to meet with Epstein in 2011 because he thought the financier's purported connections with the wealthy could help advance the Gates Foundation's global health work. When they first began to meet, Gates said he was aware of Epstein's "bad reputation stemming from his criminal conviction," but continued to see Epstein.

"I was aware that he had a criminal conviction," Gates said. "I knew that it was of a sexual nature, but, no, I don't think I knew, dug into the specifics, although I probably should have."

Gates said he only became aware of the full extent of Epstein's crimes in 2018 after the Miami Herald's in-depth reporting on Epstein's lenient deal with federal prosecutors.

Gates said he thought the other high-profile individuals with whom Epstein socialized helped create an "image of legitimacy," acknowledging that his own relationship with Epstein likely bolstered that image.

"I was so focused on the possibility of raising funds for global health that I allowed that goal to override my better judgment," Gates said. "If the time I spent with Epstein lent him credibility, I am deeply sorry. I've learned a significant lesson and am now far more careful about who I engage with, even in a limited capacity."

Describing Epstein as a "dilettante" with a surface-level knowledge of science and academics, Gates said that Epstein suggested he "provided advice to lots of billionaires" who might be able to advance philanthropic causes.

"He talked about Wall Street billionaires, he talked about Middle East billionaires. He made it sound very extensive ... maybe for me to have a good impression of him," Gates said.

While Gates insisted that his meetings with Epstein "weren't social," he recounted that some of those dinners involved "wide ranging discussion" with academics and bankers, including one dinner that included entertainment from magician David Blaine. Gates also said that Epstein repeatedly invited him to his private island, as well as an erotic show in Paris -- invites that Gates said he refused.

According to Gates, his science adviser claimed they could likely go backstage to meet some of the performers that Epstein had dated, but Gates said he did not want to be spotted at an erotic show with Epstein.

"It wasn't consistent with the relationship I had with Epstein," Gates said. "I guess not only is my appearing at an erotic event a risk to my reputation, it would be compounded by appearing with somebody who, although I didn't know the full extent of it, had been convicted of a sexually related crime."

After occasionally meeting with Epstein for about three years, Gates said he began to express concerns that Epstein was "stringing" him along with his claims that he could deliver "meaningful philanthropic support." According to Gates, Epstein set up a series of meetings in 2014 with high-profile individuals including hotel billionaire Thomas Pritzker, media billionaire Mort Zuckerman, and private equity investor Leon Black to demonstrate his connections to purportedly help Gates' philanthropy work, though Gates said the meetings were a "dead end."

"At that point, I concluded Epstein would never deliver on his promises. I told him we would go no further and stopped communicating or meeting with him," Gates told the panel.

After Gates tried to cut ties with Epstein in 2014, he said the disgraced financier attempted to force his way back into his life, including by leveraging his knowledge of Gates' extramarital affairs.

While Gates said he never disclosed the affairs to Epstein, he speculated that Epstein learned about the indiscretions through his relationship with Gates' science adviser Boris Nikolic. Gates said that Nikolic was aware of the affairs because of their close relationship, including at least one instance when he used meeting with Nikolic as an alibi to rendezvous with one of the women.

"One time it was a scheduling thing, when we were in London, where I said to him I was going to disappear and wanted him to show that I was meeting with him at that time," Gates said.

When Nikolic began the process of leaving the Gates Foundation, he engaged Epstein to help him negotiate the terms of his departure, Gates said. Epstein traveled to Seattle at one point to assist in Nikolic's negotiation, Gates said, and Nikolic eventually began to make "veiled" threats via email.

"It's hard to characterize the Epstein stuff because there was never a direct threat of any kind. There was always this veiled language like 'we should remain friends,' you know, which made me wonder what Dr. Nikolic had shared with him," Gates said.

Asked about two draft emails released by the Department of Justice seemingly written by Epstein on behalf of Nikolic, Gates said the notes -- which vaguely referenced the affairs and suggested that Gates has contracted a sexually transmitted disease -- appeared to be part of a plot to attempt to "blackmail" him.

While Gates acknowledged at least three affairs, he explicitly denied contracting a sexually transmitted disease from the affairs, suggesting Epstein mixed falsehoods with known compromising information to use as leverage.

"If those emails that contained some truth and some false things were ever sent, then we could say there was an attempt at blackmail that never happened," Gates said.

After he severed his relationship with Epstein, Gates claimed that the disgraced financier attempted to force his way back into his orbit, including by seeking reimbursement for money he claimed to have paid a woman with whom Gates had an affair. He told lawmakers that Epstein had nothing to do with the relationship and said he was unaware of any money that Epstein may have paid the woman, telling lawmakers that he believed the requests for payment were a "tactic [for Epstein] to reengage" him.

"I'd never asked him to do anything with respect to the person we're discussing, so I was rather surprised. That was the first time I knew explicitly that he'd become aware of that affair," Gates told lawmakers.

ABC News' John Parkinson contributed to this report.

Another hydrothermal explosion has occurred at Yellowstone National Park

Looking south, toward Black Diamond Pool (steaming blue area in the left middle ground) along a fissure that formed during a small hydrothermal explosion on June 13, 2026, in Biscuit Basin, Yellowstone National Park. The fissure is about 18.5 meters (61 feet) long and filled with near-boiling water. (USGS)

(WYOMING) -- Another hydrothermal explosion has occurred at Yellowstone National Park, highlighting the unstable nature of the reserve's extensive volcanic network, the U.S. Geological Survey says.

On June 13, a small hydrothermal explosion occurred at Yellowstone's Biscuit Basin -- a popular thermal area located less than 2 miles northwest of Old Faithful, according to the USGS.

The explosion occurred at 5:09 a.m. local time and did not cause any injuries, according to the USGS. A new pool formed as a result of activity.

Monitoring equipment at Biscuit Basin registered anomalous activity, including seismic activity and infrasound -- a low-signal acoustic signal -- coming from the direction of the Black Diamond Pool, where a hydrothermal explosion occurred on July 23, 2024.

When park rangers went to investigate, they noticed that water in the Firehole River flowing downstream from Biscuit Basin included a light-gray to milky runoff, an "odd" observation, according to the USGS.

A camera installed at the Black Diamond Pool in 2025 recorded a dark-colored stream jetting out of the ground north of the pool. Geologists assessing the activity discovered that large volumes of hydrothermal water had surged into the Firehole River from three sets of newly formed vents in the Black Diamond Pool.

The vents allowed pathways to the surface for water measuring at or slightly above boiling temperatures. As the water converted to steam, it triggered a hydrothermal explosion, the USGS said.

One of the vents was found to be a crack to the north-northwest of the pool measured about 61 feet long and 5 feet wide in some places. The crack was surrounded by several rocks that had been ejected during the explosion. Another linear vent located to the northeast measured about 49 feet long.

The water measured between 185 degrees and 200 degrees Fahrenheit, the USGS said.

Days after, geologists found that a new pool containing "vigorously" boiling water -- described as gray in color and full of silt -- had formed near the middle of the vent group.

The pool likely formed as a result of collapse of the land beneath it.

Camera observations taken on June 18 showed intermittent episodes of spouting within the pool. Some of the water spouts reached between 20 feet and 30 feet, geologists said. When not displaying geyser-like activity, the pool was actively boiling.

The explosion emphasizes the unstable and hazardous nature of hydrothermal activity in the region, the USGS said.

No one was impacted by the latest incident because Biscuit Basin has been closed since the 2024 explosion.

Temporary seismic monitoring stations have been installed within the basin to record signals related to the evolution of the newly formed vents, the USGS said.

Federal officials plan to offload some warehouses purchased for immigrant detention

DETROIT (AP) – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is retreating from a plan to use warehouses to hold up to 10,000 people on a single site, jettisoning a key piece of former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s $38-billion plan to rapidly expand detention capacity this year.

The federal government, which was sued by Michigan and a Detroit suburb, informed a judge Monday that a warehouse purchased in Romulus will be sold. Plans also are unraveling in Social Circle, Georgia, and the El Paso suburb of Socorro, local officials said.

The three cities are among 11 where the federal government spent a combined $1.074 billion on warehouses.

The New York Times first reported last week that federal immigration officials now plan to get rid of seven of the 11 warehouses — either giving them to other federal agencies or selling them outright.

DHS didn’t confirm the reports but said in a statement that it is “moving swiftly to utilize EXISTING detention space with our state and county partners.”
Pushback to warehouse purchases was immediate

“Wildly foolhardy” is how Claire Trickler-McNulty, a former ICE official under the Obama, Trump and Biden administrations described the plans to convert the buildings into immigrant detention.

One issue was that Noem’s purchases were largely carried out of public view and angered communities that were caught by surprise. Some only learned about ICE’s ambitions after the agency bought or leased space for detainees.

After Noem was fired, her replacement, Markwayne Mullin, quickly paused the purchase of new warehouses.

Objections came from Republicans and Democrats alike

Some were opposed on moral grounds to ICE’s presence in their neighborhoods, while others questioned whether the facilities would be a drain on local resources, such as sewer and water systems.

Seven federal lawsuits were filed, and regulatory roadblocks created hassles elsewhere.

Meanwhile, questions about how much DHS paid for some warehouses triggered an internal audit. The agency shelled out double what the New Jersey warehouse was valued at in tax records and nearly five times more than the assessed value of the Social Circle warehouse.

Trickler-McNulty, the former ICE official, said ICE does have a few facilities that it owns that it inherited from its predecessor agency, the Immigration and Naturalization Service, but generally ICE has contracted out its detention needs.

“Facilities over 2,000 people just break down. It’s very hard to run a very big facility, to keep it staffed, to keep all of it moving,” she said.
Former head of plumbing business takes over for Noem

Mullin, who took over and expanded his family’s plumbing business before representing Oklahoma in the U.S House and Senate, acknowledged there had been issues at his confirmation hearing.

He noted that most municipalities don’t have the capacity in their infrastructure for waste and water.

Indeed the water issues were such a challenge that a federal lawsuit filed over the Salt Lake City warehouse, the costliest purchased at $145.4 million, said ICE officials told the mayor that they might need to truck water and sewage from the facility as an “interim solution.”

Plans begin to unravel

The New York Times story, which cited internal documents that the newspaper obtained, said the Salt Lake City warehouse is among those that federal immigration officials plans to hand off or sell. Also on the list is the Romulus warehouse, as well as one in New Jersey and two each in Georgia and Pennsylvania.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said it would have been an “abomination” if the 249,000-square-foot Romulus warehouse was transformed into immigrant detention, as was planned when it was purchased for $34.7 million,

“The ICE warehouse proposal was every bit as ill-conceived as it was cruel and unnecessary, and I am relieved that this chapter is coming to a close,” Nessel, a Democrat, said.

Social Circle, Georgia, announced last week in a statement that it has received notification from U.S. Rep. Mike Collins, a Republican, that the Department of Homeland Security is no longer pursuing an ICE detention facility there.

Meanwhile, acting ICE Director David Venturella told officials in the El Paso area during a visit there earlier this month that the agency has changed its plans for three warehouses it purchased in nearby Socorro for $122 million, said Rep. Veronica Escobar, who was present for the visit.

Escobar, a Democrat who represents El Paso, said during a news conference that ICE no longer plans to detain up to 8,500 immigrants in the facilities as originally envisioned, and instead will convert the property into an ICE campus, she said. The site will include an unspecified smaller number of detainees but also ICE offices and training space, she said.
Frustrations persist as communities seek details

However, many of the communities remained frustrated, as they struggled to get information about possible sales.

In Pennsylvania, state and local officials said Tuesday that they hadn’t received any new information from DHS about two warehouses bought earlier this year by the department. Both are being held up by the state’s denial of permits over concerns that drinking water and sewer service are inadequate to handle thousands of inhabitants.

U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser, whose district includes both warehouses, said he met Friday with DHS personnel, but that the agency hadn’t made a decision whether to use them as detention centers or sell them.

In Georgia, the city manager in Oakwood, said Tuesday he is talking to his state congressional delegation, trying to confirm rumors that a warehouse there will be sold. “I have not heard anything yet,” B.R. White said.
Work appears to continue on other warehouses

In Maryland, where a judge extended a stoppage on transforming a sprawling warehouse into a processing facility for immigrants, ICE is currently collecting public comments about the environmental impacts of the facility. And an announcement earlier this month disclosed more details on plans for the facility, including six secure recreation yards.

Patrick Dattilio, the founder of Hagerstown Rapid Response, which formed in opposition to housing ICE detainees in the warehouse, said there has been little communication outside of the lawsuit. But he remains committed to keeping it from opening.

“It’s a big warehouse,” Dattilio said. “It’s not meant for people.”

Water donations made to VFDs

MINEOLA – Ahead of wildfire season, Anheuser-Busch, delivered over 1.5 million cans of emergency drinking water to volunteer fire departments across the country, including several in East Texas.

The donations provide volunteer firefighters with vital resources during wildfire season as their resources are often restricted due to limited department budgets.

“Anheuser-Busch is proud to periodically pause brewing beer at several of our breweries in order to produce clean emergency drinking water that is then provided to volunteer firefighters across the country,” External Affairs Officer Cesar Vargas said. “Our partnership with the National Volunteer Fire Council to support front-line first responders builds on our 100-year legacy of being there to support our communities when natural disasters strike.” Continue reading Water donations made to VFDs

Toddler thrown against bathtub, man arrested

HENDERSON COUNTY – A Chandler man has been incarcerated for allegedly pushing and striking a two-year-old, causing fractures to his legs and skull. Joshua David Brooks, 23, is accused of causing harm to a minor. On June 15, Henderson County deputies received reports of a two-year-old child who had been taken to a hospital in Tyler due to head injuries. This prompted the start of the investigation. An arrest affidavit listed a six-millimeter fracture of the skull, tibia fracture, brain shift of four millimeters, swelling of the brain, and a bruised and swollen eye as injuries. The two-year-old’s mother was dating Brooks, who later admitted to deputies that he had bathed the child and placed her on a rug. Continue reading Toddler thrown against bathtub, man arrested

Man convicted of murder in connection to 2024 Kickapoo Marina shooting

POLK COUNTY (KETK) — After a two week trial, a Polk County jury has found David Stimmell guilty of murder on Friday in connection to a 2024 shooting in Onalaska that left one person dead and two injured.

On Jan. 2, 2024, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office responded to a shooting in the Kickapoo Marina subdivision. Upon arrival, detectives then located and identified a dead male at the residence, identified as 50-year-old James McClanahan.

Detectives later found and identified another person injured and Stimmell, who had gunshot wounds. Polk County Sheriff’s Office detectives and Texas Rangers were able to locate several witnesses who identified many involved parties. Following an investigation, Stimmell was booked into the Polk County Jail and charged with murder, tampering with evidence and violation of protective order with a bond totaling over $1 million.

During the trial this month, evidence presented established that a confrontation at the residence had occurred, which escalated into the deadly shooting, the Polk County District Attorney’s Office said.

“Multiple witnesses testified regarding the events leading up to the shooting and the actions that occurred during the incident,” the DA’s office said. “The jury heard testimony from eyewitnesses, law enforcement officers and other expert witnesses as the State presented evidence detailing the circumstances surrounding the offense.”

On Tuesday, the DA’s office announced that Stimmell had been convicted of murder in the death of McClanahan.

“The successful prosecution of this case reflects the teamwork, dedication, and professionalism of all law enforcement involved, including the investigators, prosecutors, paralegals, and victim assistance staff who worked tirelessly to seek justice for James McClanahan and his loved ones,” Polk County Criminal District Attorney Shelly Sitton said. “The District Attorney’s office joined by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to holding violent offenders accountable and ensuring the safety of our community.”

Person sought for dumping puppies

SMITH COUNTY – Smith County Animal Control is seeking the public’s help in identifying a person who recently abandoned multiple puppies in front of a community office near Lake Palestine. According to our news partner KETK, the Smith County Animal Control said the individual who unloaded the puppies from his truck and left them in front of their office on Saturday.

Smith County was able to obtain video of the person dumping the pupies and is asking anyone who regonizes the person or their truck to call animal control at (903)-266-4303.

You can view that video from KETK here.

Elizabeth Banks to star as Ms. Frizzle in live-action ‘The Magic School Bus’ film

Elizabeth Banks attends the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards at Peacock Theater on Sept. 14, 2025, in Los Angeles, California. (John Shearer/WireImage via Getty Images)

Get ready for a new field trip.

A live-action film adaptation of The Magic School Bus is coming to the big screen from Legendary Entertainment and Scholastic Entertainment, ABC Audio has confirmed.

Elizabeth Banks is taking on the role of everyone's favorite teacher, Ms. Frizzle. She will also produce the film. Detective Pikachu director Rob Letterman will write the treatment and helm the movie, which will be based on the book series created by Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen.

The Magic School Bus celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2026. It started off as a book series, which currently has over 90 million books in print. It then expanded to TV with the original PBS animated series that starred Lily Tomlin as Ms. Frizzle. That series aired from 1994 to 1997 in more than 100 countries, according to a press release.

A newer TV adaptation of the story, called The Magic School Bus: Rides Again, aired from 2017 to 2021 on Netflix. It starred Kate McKinnon as Ms. Frizzle's younger sister, Ms. Fiona Felicity Frizzle.

Iole Lucchese and Caitlin Friedman will produce the new film for Scholastic; Banks, Max Handelman and Alison Small will produce it for Brownstone Productions; Marc Platt and Adam Siegel will produce for Marc Platt Productions; and Mary Parent, Ali Mendes and Cale Boyter are set to produce the movie for Legendary.

Eight convicted in Texas immigration center shooting and protest are sentenced to decades in prison

FORT WORTH (AP) — Eight protesters accused by the Justice Department of having ties to antifa were sentenced Tuesday to decades in federal prison over a shooting outside a Texas immigration detention center that wounded a police officer and prosecutors called an act of terrorism.

One of the defendants, a former U.S. Marine Corps reservist convicted of opening fire during the July 4 demonstration outside the Prairieland Detention Center near Dallas, was sentenced to 100 years in prison, the maximum punishment.

The lengthy sentences were condemned by family members and supporters in a news conference outside the federal courthouse in Fort Worth. Hope Song, whose son Benjamin Song received the heftiest sentence, disputed prosecutors’ claims that her son shot the officer and said he didn’t intend to hurt anyone.

U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor, one of two judges overseeing the proceedings, said what happened wasn’t a protest but “an assault on democracy.”

“The need to deter this type of conduct is high,” O’Connor said.

The seven other protesters received prison terms ranging from 30 to 70 years.

Prosecutors said the eight are members of antifa, a decentralized anti-fascist organization and a target of the Trump administration. Antifa is not a single organization but rather an umbrella term for far-left militant groups that confront or resist neo-Nazis and white supremacists at demonstrations.

President Donald Trump last fall signed an executive order designating antifa a domestic terrorist organization, even though there is no domestic equivalent to the State Department’s list of foreign terror organizations.

The defendants deny any affiliation with antifa and maintain they attended the demonstration in support of detained immigrants.

Prosecutor Frank Gatto urged the judge to impose stiff penalties.

“People with that kind of extremist beliefs need extra time in prison,” Gatto said. “They believe violence is justified.”

Phillip Hayes, Song’s attorney, said outside the courthouse that he takes issue with the idea that the protesters are extremists.

“This is a bunch of kids and young adults who really have a really big heart and really wanted their voice to be heard,” Hayes said. “It was never intended that anybody get hurt. It was never intended that any shots would be fired.”

Prosecutors said in court that Song had yelled “get to the rifles” and opened fire, striking a police officer who had just pulled up to the center.

Hayes argued that Song’s shots were “suppressive fire” and that a ricochet bullet hit the officer after he arrived on the scene and “aggressively” pulled out his firearm. He said his client will appeal the 100-year sentence.

“Song, aside from this day, has had an impeccable life. A former Marine. A good student,” Hayes said. “He had a lot of good qualities that were just ignored. The judge went ahead and gave as much as he could.”

Other defendants and their family members pleaded for leniency in court.

Autumn Hill said the gathering “seemed more like a party to me than anything else” and that she and others who participated “didn’t expect or want any violence or destruction of property to occur.”

Amber Lowrey told the judge that her sister, Savanna Batten, is a compassionate person with dreams of opening a bakery. She said Batten’s activism started with animal rights and evolved into anti-war and human rights advocacy.

“She’s the best person I know,” Lowrey said.

Hill and Batten both received 50-year sentences.

Other defendants previously pleaded guilty to providing material support to terrorists rather than take their case to trial.

Critics warn the case could have wide-reaching impact on protests given that organizations operating within the U.S. are supposed to be protected by First Amendment free-speech rights.

Last week, federal prosecutors charged 15 people with impeding the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota. They claimed the demonstrators were members of antifa who conspired against the federal government to block arrests and deportations by setting up blockades around government buildings and throwing chunks of ice at federal vehicles, among other actions.

County receives safety award

SMITH COUNTY – Smith County earned the 2025 Safety Achievement Award from the Texas Association of Counties Risk Management Pool for its record of commitment to safety in the workplace.

Several TAC representatives presented the award during Smith County Commissioners Court Tuesday, June 23.

TAC representative Harold Hall said Smith County was one of only 17 counties out of 254 in Texas to receive the honor. He and other representatives talked about their work with some of the county’s largest departments, like the Road and Bridge Department and the Sheriff’s Office. They also work with the Human Resources and Purchasing Departments.

Hall said he often works with the Smith County Road and Bridge Department and called them one of the best to work with. Continue reading County receives safety award

2 dead in Northern California library shooting

Police line tape. Crime scene investigation. Forensic science. (D-Keine/Getty Images)

(LOS ANGELES) -- Police arrested an 18-year-old suspect in a shooting Monday evening at a Northern California library, which left two dead and one injured, according to the Chico Police Department.

Shots were fired soon after 5 p.m. at the Chico branch of the Butte County Library in Chico, California. Law enforcement took the suspect into custody as he fled the library out the back, Chico Police Chief Billy Aldridge said in a news conference on Monday.

The suspect, identified as Bradley Scott Sayer, was arrested and is currently being held in the Butte County Jail on two counts of murder, according to Chico police.

Officers said the suspect wanted a Columbine massacre-style shooting and did not know the victims, who were all patrons of the library.

On April 20, 1999, two students opened fire at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, gunning down 12 of their fellow students and a teacher before killing themselves.

According to law enforcement officials, Sayer was wearing clothing like that of Columbine killer Eric Harris. And Sayer, the officials tentatively believe, is associated with an online fandom group of mass killers that has been linked to previous shootings. The officials believe he acted alone over his Columbine obsession.

"The incident this evening was obviously very sad, traumatic for a lot of people," Aldridge said in the news conference. "Very traumatic for our community."

Approximately eight total rounds were fired, with one victim fatally struck at the main entrance and the other in the back of the building, police said.

One of the victims, 74-year-old Robert Johnson, was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

The other shooting victim, 46-year-old Cody Hull, was accompanying a friend's daughter to the library when he was killed, his brother told ABC News.

"I'm completely devastated to have lost my brother," Benjamin Heneberry said.

Hull was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said.

The girl who was with Hull was taken to the hospital with minor injuries, Aldridge said. She appears to have been injured by broken glass and has since been released, police said Tuesday.

A shotgun was recovered from the library floor, and two additional firearms were found in the suspect's vehicle in the library parking lot, authorities said.

All branches of the Butte County Library are closed on Tuesday.

Law enforcement said they are continuing to investigate the shooting, and there is no current danger to the public. They believe the shooter acted alone. The Chico Police Department is collaborating with the Butte County Sheriff's Office and the FBI in the investigation, which remains ongoing.

ABC News' Megan Fahrney, Matthew Claiborne and Chris Looft contributed to this report.

3 women dead in Philadelphia double murder-suicide

(PHILADELPHIA) -- Three women are dead in a double murder-suicide in a South Philadelphia home, police said.

Janice Picano, 67, is believed to have shot Angelina Picano, 18, and Denise Grottini, 55, before turning the gun on herself on Monday, according to a preliminary investigation by the Philadelphia Police Department.

Officers responded to a report of a person with a gun at around 5:30 p.m. on Monday. When officers arrived on the scene, they found three women shot, police said.

All three women were pronounced dead shortly after 5:30 p.m., police said.

The investigation into the incident remains active and ongoing.

Teacher had nearly double legal BAC limit

UPSHUR COUNTY – A new state report revealed that Longview ISD teacher Kimberly Law was driving with a blood alcohol level nearly double the legal limit before the April crash that killed her and a Longview nurse practitioner.On April 19, DPS responded to a collision at around 3 a.m. on Sunday in the Diana area involving Law and Hospitality Health ER nurse practitioner Joel Mack.

According to our news partner KETK, Law was allegedly driving south on the northbound lane of U.S. 259 when she struck Mack’s vehicle, which was driving north in the same lane, a preliminary investigation revealed. Law was pronounced dead at the scene and Mack was transported to a local hospital for his injuries.

Mack later died from his injuries, DPS said.

KETK News obtained a TxDOT crash report, which says Law was found to have a BAC of 0.157%. The legal limit in the U.S. is 0.08%. According to Alcohol.org, a BAC over 0.15% is considered “very high,” with symptoms such as a less control over balance and voluntary muscles, which makes walking and talking difficult.

“However, a person’s BAC level is not only affected by how much alcohol is consumed but by other factors such as an individual’s weight, gender, pattern of drinking and genetics,” the website said. Continue reading Teacher had nearly double legal BAC limit

‘Stuart Fails to Save the Universe’ gets official trailer

Lauren Lapkus, Kevin Sussman, John Ross Bowie and Brian Posehn in 'Stuart Fails to Save the Universe.' (Colin Remas Brown/HBO Max)

The Big Bang Theory spinoff series Stuart Fails to Save the Universe now has an official trailer.

The new series stars Kevin Sussman as Stuart, Lauren Lapkus as Denise, Brian Posehn as Bert and John Ross Bowie as Barry.

"Comic book store owner Stuart Bloom is tasked with restoring reality after he breaks a device built by Sheldon and Leonard, accidentally bringing about a multiverse Armageddon," according to its official logline. "Along the way, they meet alternate-universe versions of characters we’ve come to know and love from The Big Bang Theory. As the title implies, things don’t go well."

The official trailer shows off some of the other familiar faces who will appear in the high-concept series, including Christine Baranski, Riki Lindhome and the comedian Teller. Jon Cryer also appears in a kaleidoscope graphic in the trailer.

Stuart Fails to Save the Universe comes from Chuck Lorre Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television. It is created, written and executive produced by Lorre, Zak Penn and Bill Prady.

Stuart Fails to Save the Universe is not the first Big Bang Theory spinoff. Young Sheldon, which followed the origins of the original show's protagonist, Sheldon Cooper, aired on CBS from 2017 to 2024. A spinoff of Young Sheldon, titled Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage, currently airs on CBS. It premiered in October 2024 and recently concluded its second season.

Stuart Fails to Save the Universe makes its streaming debut to HBO Max on July 23. It will consist of 10 episodes that will be released weekly every Thursday.

LA warehouse fire continues to burn as officials warn residents of air quality issues

This photo released by the Los Angeles Fire Department, shows the Boylan Heights storage facility fire in Los Angeles, on June 21, 2026. (Los Angeles Fire Department)

(LOS ANGELES) -- Firefighters continue to battle a massive blaze at a Los Angeles warehouse that has been burning for nearly a week, which has spread heavy smoke for miles.

As of Tuesday morning, the fire at the Boyle Heights Storage Facility, which stores frozen food, is still ongoing, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Due to the facility's architecture and cold storage shelving, crews have to battle the blaze from the outside as they cannot ventilate the insulated roof, Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Jaime Moore told reporters Monday.

"The entire roof has been compromised, and it is sitting on top of those 65-foot towers," he said. "Imagine going to Costco, or any other large convenience store, [like] Home Depot, any of those that have the large racks. Imagine the ceiling sitting down on top of those racks. It's extremely dangerous, and I don't foresee ever putting our firefighters in that type of danger."

The fire at the facility, which Moore said contains about 85 million pounds of frozen food, began June 17, and a shelter-in-place order was temporarily in place.

Lineage Logistics, which operates the warehouse, said in a statement Monday that the fire began "while testing was being conducted by contractors of the third-party owner of the solar array located on the facility's roof."

Lineage said that no hazardous materials are stored in the facility and that it pumped out the ammonia inside and transported it.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Saturday, and additional resources were sent to assist, including specialized aircraft with high-capacity water cannons.

While the fire has not spread to other buildings, residents and businesses near the area have been feeling the effects from miles away.

Heavy smoke from the blaze raised the Air Quality Index to unhealthy levels in East Los Angeles, Boyle Heights, and the San Gabriel Valley since last Wednesday, officials said.

In Boyle Heights, the air quality was at "very unhealthy" levels Sunday evening with an AQI of 298, prompting warnings for people to stay indoors, according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District.

AQI values at or below 100 are generally thought of as satisfactory, according to federal air regulators.

By Monday morning, many of the affected neighborhoods saw lower levels, with Boyle Heights recording an AQI of 79, but they were still high enough to affect some residents with respiratory issues, according to officials.

Although a shelter-in-place order was not issued, LA Mayor Karen Bass and other city officials offered over 1,000 air purifiers and face masks to residents who needed them.

Lines for those purifiers stretched outside locations on Monday.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District's Particle Pollution Advisory remained until Tuesday afternoon.

-ABC News' Jenna Harrison and Matthew Claiborne contributed to this report.