Abbott recommends sweeping data center regulation, including eliminating sales tax exemption
AUSTIN, Texas (THE TEXAS TRIBUNE) — Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday released sweeping regulatory recommendations on data centers for the Legislature to pass in the 2027 session, as Texas grapples with an explosion of artificial intelligence-driven development and soaring power demands.
In a letter to state regulators, Abbott outlined a series of proposals designed to ensure data centers shoulder the costs of their growth rather than Texas ratepayers.
Angelina County residents call for action against AI data centers
Among his legislative priorities:
Requiring new facilities to add power generation to the state’s power grid
Requiring data centers pay for their own grid interconnection and infrastructure costs
Mandating the use of “closed-loop” water systems, which draw a large amount of water at the start but reuse it over some period of years
Require annual reporting by all data centers on electricity and water use
Establishing best-practice standards to address community concerns like noise
Repealing data center sales tax exemptions and “other outdated or unnecessary incentives for data centers”
The Texas Tribune reported earlier this year that the state is poised to lose $3.2 billion in sales tax revenue over the next two years because of a sales tax exemption.
“The rapid scale of data center development requires oversight to ensure everyday Texans are not burdened with the costs of infrastructure driven by data center expansion, and to ensure that as data centers interconnect to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) grid, residential electric bills are not negatively affected,” Abbott wrote in the letter first obtained by the Texas Bullpen.
It’s a striking call for industry regulation by the Republican governor in a state that has long prided itself on being a favorable environment for business. In recent months, Abbott has toed the line of championing the industry, declaring Texas the “epicenter” of AI development, and issuing statements about how his office was sensitive to the concerns about strain on resources and quality of life.
The Data Center Coalition welcomed the governor’s proposals saying the industry already follows many of the recommended practices and is committed to working with agencies to support “responsible infrastructure growth.”
Locals sound alarm over data center planned near Henderson County water source
“It’s important to recognize that data centers are a diverse industry serving a wide range of needs, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to facility design, cooling technology, or regulation. The right approach in one community may not be the right approach in another, which is why siting and operational decisions are made in close coordination with local utilities, water providers, and management districts,” said Dan Diorio, the organization’s vice president of state policy.
In the immediate, the governor directed the Public Utility Commission of Texas to “initiate action to reduce residential transmission costs” by July 31 and start requiring data centers to pay for all of their costs associated with building power infrastructure for their operations, to ensure residential ratepayers bear none of it.
He’s also asked the PUC and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, the state’s main grid operator, to submit a joint memorandum by July 17 summarizing what they’ve done to prevent that data center development have caused risks and added costs onto Texans.
The move comes as opposition to large-scale data center projects grows across Texas. Community groups have organized against proposed developments over concerns about water use, noise, land impacts, and strain on local infrastructure. A March Quinnipiac poll found that 65% of Americans oppose the building of an AI data center in their community.
A Texas Tribune analysis found that nearly 60% of data centers that are planned or under construction would be in red state House districts that voted for President Donald Trump.
As of May, ERCOT reported that large projects requesting to connect to the grid totaled 439 gigawatts of power capacity — five times larger than the all-time peak demand on the state’s grid. Of those projects, about 89% are data centers, though energy experts say it’s unlikely that all of them will be built.
ERCOT CEO Pablo Vegas previously described the influx of requests as “an unprecedented change in the pace of growth.”
Toll 49 expansion plans adjust to safety
LONGVIEW — As a proposed expansion to Toll 49 takes shape, contractors and officials have presented changes and adjustments at the North East Texas Regional Mobility Authority (NET RMA) meeting on Tuesday, after East Texans’ voiced concerns for safety. At Longview’s Mod Cobb Convention Center, locals gathered for the NET RMA’s public information meeting to hear about the expansion project, which would stretch from State Highway 110 to US 271 and give drivers another option for traveling east from Tyler.
This was the second part of the public meeting — the first half happened in Tyler on June 2 — as the project undergoes an Environmental Impact Statement study. Some residents have raised concerns regarding the road’s proximity to schools, such as the Save Kids from Loop 49 advocacy group, which looks to keep school children safe from the effects the expansion may have.
Since the first public hearing, changes have already come about, moving the route farther from the elementary school. Despite the approved reroute, some still think the project is too close to schools and highly populated roads. Continue reading Toll 49 expansion plans adjust to safety
Investigation underway in drowning
LONGVIEW – An investigation has been launched after one person was discovered to have drowned at Lake Cherokee on Wednesday afternoon. According to the Elderville-Lakeport Fire Department and our news partner KETK, firefighters were dispatched to the north side of Lake Cherokee at around 12:40 p.m. after receiving reports of a missing person.
Once on the scene, firefighters began searching the area and it was reported that the missing individual was last seen on a boat dock 45 minutes prior to when emergency personnel arrived at the lake. The individual was later discovered to be dead in the water, according to the fire department.
The Gregg County Sheriff’s Office has launched an investigation following the death and any further information regarding the incident will be released when deemed appropriate.
“At this time, the Elderville-Lakeport Fire Department would like to extend its sincere condolences to the family and loved ones affected by this tragic incident,” the fire department said.
42nd annual Jacksonville tomato festival set for downtown
JACKSONVILLE — The annual Jacksonville Tomato Festival is back for its 42nd year this Saturday, set to take over downtown with festivities. The festival will run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and continues the debate on whether a tomato is a vegetable or a fruit, according to our news partner KETK. The event is set to feature a variety of attractions for all ages in the heart of Jacksonville, including a car show, farmers market and more. Continue reading 42nd annual Jacksonville tomato festival set for downtown
One fatality in two vehicle accident
MARSHALL – The Marshall Police Department is investigating a fatal two-vehicle crash Wednesday afternoon at East End Boulevard South.
At around 3:40 p.m., officers responded to a report of a collision involving a pick-up truck and a passenger vehicle. When officers arrived, they determined the driver of the car had died at the scene. The driver and the passengers in the pick-up truck were not injured.
The identity of the deceased is being withheld pending notification of next of kin. The crash remains under investigation by the Marshall Police Department.
Trump claims more than 100 million barrels of oil, 200 ships have safely made way through Strait of Hormuz
(WASHINGTON) -- Soon after President Donald Trump said in the Oval Office on Wednesday that the United States has been secretly ferrying "millions of barrels" of oil through the Strait of Hormuz, Trump announced on social media that "more than 100 MILLION Barrels of Oil" and "more than 200 Commercial Ships" have successfully traveled through the strait.
"Last month, I directed our Great U.S. Military to execute a secret mission to support Oil Tankers and other Commercial Ships through the Strait of Hormuz," Trump wrote on his social media platform.
"Today, I am pleased to announce that this effort has resulted in more than 100 MILLION Barrels of Oil making its way through the Straight, and into the Open Market. More than 200 Commercial Ships have safely traveled through the Strait."
The president referred to it as a "secret mission" that he says was conducted last month amid the ongoing war with Iran, which has led the strait to be closed to regular commercial shipping.
ABC News could not immediately verify the accuracy of Trump's claims and the numbers of oil barrels and ships that he claims have passed through the Strait of Hormuz.
Earlier Wednesday, in the Oval Office, Trump alluded to apparent U.S. operations to stimulate shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, with Trump claiming that the U.S. recently "took" 22 ships, amounting to millions of barrels of oil, through the strait.
"Do you know, we've been taking out millions of barrels of oil? Nobody knows it. You know who doesn't know about it? Iran, until right now. We took out the other night 22 ships late at night with no lights, because they don't have any radar, because we blasted the crap out of it,” Trump said.
In his post Wednesday afternoon, Trump referred to the alleged operation as a "wildly successful effort" that is due to the U.S. blockade on the Strait of Hormuz.
“This wildly successful effort is because the UNITED STATES of AMERICA CONTROLS the Strait of Hormuz — NOT Iran,” Trump wrote.
Since last month, there have been reports of the U.S. Navy helping ships navigate through the Strait of Hormuz -- though U.S. officials have said that the efforts have not been a revival of Project Freedom, the short-lived U.S. military initiative to escort commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. Trump announced Project Freedom in early May -- pausing the effort just two days later.
Rather, this most recent effort was a coordination effort where shippers could contact U.S. Central Command and in turn, receive information about where to transit through the Strait of Hormuz, according to a U.S. official.
The coordination effort was first reported by The New York Times.
ABC News confirmed the Times' report that, as of late last month, approximately 70 commercial ships had been guided through the strait. In addition to the U.S. coordinating safe passageways, the Times reported that many of the vessels traveling through the strait had turned off their transponders to "avoid detection."
During the Oval Office event earlier Wednesday afternoon, Trump had also indicated that he was choosing to reveal this "secret" mission now because the Iranians had "figured it out."
"But now I'm going to tell you, because they just figured it out. So now that they figured it out, I can tell you it was very hard for me. I wanted to say it so bad, but it was. I didn't want to ruin it, but it was very hard," Trump said.
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Former NYPD detective pleads guilty to sending inappropriate texts to victims, having sex with woman he arrested
(NEW YORK) -- A former NYPD detective pleaded guilty Wednesday to charges of misconduct and receipt of unlawful gratuities after he sent inappropriate messages to two women and had sex with a woman shortly after she was arrested.
Matthew Lambert resigned from the NYPD in December 2025. He was sentenced to two years' probation and is no longer eligible to be a police officer elsewhere in New York state.
“The defendant’s disturbing conduct is unacceptable for a member of law enforcement,” said Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg in a statement announcing the guilty plea.
In March 2024, while investigating a missing package, Lambert texted the victim, “Not to be inappropriate, but do people tell you that you look way younger than you are.” He also sent a message saying, "Celebration drinks when this is over?” and “If you say no, I’m still gonna work hard on your case. I promise.”
The woman eventually blocked Lambert's phone number. Lambert and his lawyer did not answer questions going into and out of court.
During a separate investigation, Lambert texted an assault victim, "You are absolutely beautiful. I was shocked when I met you. I mean no disrespect to you and your relationship. I’m saying this in a respectful way. If that’s even possible.”
In May 2024, Lambert arrested a woman for petit larceny and told her he could “probably” issue her a desk appearance ticket and release her from custody.
Lambert also showed her a picture of his penis and, as they walked out of the station house, said, “I told you I was going to get you out,” prosecutors said.
Later that day, Lambert texted the woman, "If you want I could come say hello. Up to you. You tell me if you want me to.”
Lambert drove to the woman's house, and they had sex in his car. Afterward, he sent additional texts, including “You’re so cool,” and “Thanks for hanging out.”
“In addition to sending extremely inappropriate messages to victims while he was investigating their cases, he abused his power to engage in a sexual encounter with a woman he had arrested just hours earlier. This is not how anyone should be treated – whether a victim, witness, or person accused of a crime," Bragg said.
Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
40 million people in the Midwest in path of severe weather, possible tornadoes
(NEW YORK) -- More than 40 million people from Kansas City to Chicago are in the path of severe weather on Wednesday, a day after a tornado tore through a Michigan town, damaging numerous homes.
Destructive winds in excess of 70 mph, tennis ball-sized hail, and strong tornadoes are all possible across the Midwest on Wednesday afternoon and into Thursday.
Some areas of the Midwest are at risk of multiple rounds of storms that could produce flash flooding.
Minneapolis; Omaha, Nebraska; and Wichita, Kansas, are also under a level 2 out of 5 threat for severe weather on Wednesday afternoon.
On Thursday, the threat for severe weather will be at a 3 out of 5 for parts of Missouri, Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana and Illinois -- including the cities of Chicago, Milwaukee, Grand Rapids, Michigan; Madison, Wisconsin and Springfield, Illinois. The areas are at risk of destructive winds of up to 80 mph, large hail and strong tornadoes.
On Thursday morning, Iowa is expected to see a destructive storm complex roll through the state and into Wisconsin.
'It literally sounded like a freight train'
The blustery weather comes on the heels of an EF-1 tornado that ripped through the town of Freeland, Michigan, about 13 miles north of Saginaw, on Tuesday afternoon. The twister damaged 40 homes and businesses in the community, local officials said.
The tornado ripped the roof off an auto shop as workers hunkered down inside.
"I was in my shop, and then it was like all of a sudden, my brother came running out. He said, 'We got to take cover.' When somebody says, 'We gotta take cover,' it's too late," Al Wisniewski, owner of AW Racecars, told ABC affiliate station WJRT in Flint, Michigan.
Wisniewski said he sheltered in place in his automotive shop as the twister hit.
"It literally sounded like a freight train coming through here," said Wisniewski, adding that neither he nor other workers in the shop were injured. "The whole building was shaking and everything, and there's no place to go."
Also on Tuesday, the town of Lanesville, Indiana, about 17 miles west of Louisville, Kentucky, was hit with flash flooding after more than a half-foot of rain fell in two hours, officials said.
Storm threat moving East amid summer-like heat in New York City
On Thursday, New York City, Philadelphia, Detroit, Indianapolis, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and Richmond, Virginia, are forecast to be at a level 2 out of 5 threat for severe weather.
Meanwhile, temperatures across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast are expected to rise along with the humidity.
New York City and Washington, D.C., are forecast to reach the 90s on Thursday and possibly on Friday and Saturday.
Meanwhile, Raleigh, North Carolina, is forecast to hit the century mark on Thursday and Friday.
Heat indices, or what the temperature feels like, are expected to be in the mid-90s to near 100 degrees from New York to the Vermont border.
But the summer-like weather in the Northeast is also expected to come with severe weather. Storms are expected to reach cities along the I-95 corridor in the Northeast on Thursday evening.
The mix of hot and severe weather in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic is expected to continue into Friday.
Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
Trump’s arch construction to run 20 hours a day for 2 to 3 years, documents show
(WASHINGTON) -- To complete Donald Trump's "Triumphal Arch" by the time he leaves office, the National Park Service plans to have construction take place 20 hours per day over the next two to three years, according to planning documents released by the Department of the Interior.
The National Park Service last week released designs, renderings and reports related to the planned arch as it seeks public comment about the controversial addition to the D.C. skyline.
"Because the Arch is intended to celebrate 250 years of American independenc. ... smaller heights were not considered representative of this milestone, unlike the 250-foot Arch proposed in the undertaking," one of the reports said about the size of the project.
The project is being challenged in federal court, though lawsuits challenging the arch, and other projects like Trump's White House Ballroom, planned golf course renovations and the repainting and sealing of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool have so far been unsuccessful in stopping work.
Current designs call for the massive arch to be constructed out of concrete and clad with U.S.-sourced granite -- a departure from some of the older D.C. monuments which are constructed from marble or limestone. According to planning documents, construction workers will require multiple cranes up to 320-feet tall -- taller than the U.S. Capitol building -- and other heavy construction equipment, including concrete pumps, forklifts, skid steers and other tools.
Because the monument will sit near the complicated flight paths for D.C.'s Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), architects included "aviation required safety lighting" into the design of the arch, using the "least intrusive technology available" to minimize light pollution, according to planning documents.
The FAA recently completed a feasibility study about the arch and concluded it would have "no significant adverse effect on airspace and visual/instrument procedures" for the airport and that it would only require red obstruction lights.
"Career safety experts found no adverse impacts to operations at DCA. Their review determined the only requirement would be the top of the structure would need to be lit with red obstruction lights -- a common safety tool," an FAA spokesperson said in a statement, adding that it will next conduct a full aeronautical study with the National Park Service.
According to the documents, the project will include seven phases of construction over a two-to-three-year period. After workers excavate the site, construction would involve about five months of "continuous heavy equipment operations" to drive the foundation system down about 75 feet to bedrock. The NPS report estimated that removing material for the foundation would require about 30 trucks to move 100 loads of soil per day for months.
Once the foundation is completed, workers plan to spend about 10 months constructing the primary concrete structure of the arch and then affix granite panels to the concrete.
"Work would occur year-round, with work occurring in two 10-hour shifts per day (20 hours per day, year-round) for the duration of the construction period," a NPS report said.
Around the same timeframe, construction workers will begin to assemble the inner structure of the arch, including stairs, elevators, roofing, plumbing, and electrical work. After about two years of work, plans call for a 300-foot mobile crane to be used to install a gold statue atop the arch.
The National Park Service said the construction would likely result in significant traffic disruptions around the Arlington Memorial Bridge.
The design for the arch has not yet been approved by the National Capital Planning Commission. During a hearing last week, the commission asked the Trump administration to address a series of issues with their design, though Trump falsely claimed the design had been approved.
A group of Vietnam veterans also sued over the arch earlier this year and are asking a federal judge to block the construction, arguing the arch should be approved by Congress.
"With every passing day, Defendants' arch moves closer to construction," they wrote in a recent court filing.
The Trump administration has argued that a 100-year-old statute related to the building of the nearby Arlington Memorial Bridge authorizes construction of the arch. Department of Justice lawyers have also argued that the plaintiffs lack standing and that the lawsuit is premature.
"Forcing such disclosures of internal deliberations -- before NPS has concluded its decision-making process -- would 'wreak havoc' on the Executive Branch," DOJ lawyers wrote in a court filing.
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‘Every Year After’ starring Sadie Soverall, Matt Cornett is this summer’s love story
Less than a year after the beloved Prime Video series The Summer I Turned Pretty wrapped, a new series is stepping in to deliver all the swoonworthy summer romance audiences have been yearning for.
Prime Video released all eight episodes of the series Every Year After on Wednesday, starring Sadie Soverall and Matt Cornett. The streaming platform has described the new show as "the love story of the summer."
The series follows Percy (Soverall) and Sam (Cornett), childhood best friends who fall in love over the course of six summers at Barry's Bay, an idyllic lakeside town.
Ten years after their heartbreaking split, they are reunited when Percy returns to Barry's Bay to attend the funeral of Sam's mother.
"It's a story that's told over quite an incredible span of time," Soverall told ABC News in an interview. "It follows them from the age of 13 to their mid-to-late 20s."
Cornett added, "You get to see them grow together and then see their hardships that caused them to separate. And you see them come back together to try and regrow together."
The series already has a loyal fanbase thanks to Carley Fortune's New York Times bestselling novel Every Summer After, on which the show is based.
Going into the series, Cornett said that he wasn't familiar with Fortune's novel, but when he found out he booked the role of Sam, he said he went to the bookstore and saw the book displayed on one of the first tables in the shop.
"I was like, 'OK, I guess this is a little bit bigger of a deal than I think it is,'" he recalled, adding that he was "blown away by it."
"Carley's writing is spectacular," Cornett said. "And I remember reading the book and crying a lot, so the idea of getting to bring that to life was fun."
Soverall added that she wanted to do the story justice knowing how beloved the characters are.
"I think that we're both such big fans, so we get how important it is for these characters to be represented in a way that you want to see them as a fan," she said.
The new series also stars Aurora Perrineau, Abigail Cowen, Michael Bradway, Joseph Chiu and Elisha Cuthbert.
Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
Fabio Luisi and Dallas strip Wagner’s Ring Cycle of staging and issue audio recording
DALLAS – Fabio Luisi wanted his Ring Cycle to be heard and not seen.
Wagner’s four-opera epic “Der Ring des Nibelungen,” approaching the 150th anniversary of its premiere in 1876, has been reinterpreted and deconstructed by directors finding various meanings in the conflicts among gods, humans, giants and dwarfs.
While most new recordings are on video, Luisi led his Dallas Symphony Orchestra in concert performances that were released on 13 compact discs by Delos on May 22 and are available on streaming services.
“Wagner conceived this as a total immersion in visual and acoustic, but I could focus really only on the music, and this was the point actually — not to be distracted by staging and not to have to cope with maybe strange ideas of staging,” Luisi said. “I think the music tells everything.”
Luisi became DSO music director in 2020 and broached the idea while dining two years later with Morton H. Meyerson, a longtime board member.
“Fabio came back from lunch sort of giddy but sort of sheepishly saying: `Do you think that this would ever be possible?” recalled Kim Noltemy, the Dallas CEO at the time. “So, I said, well, let’s give it a try. So, we called around to see if there were people who wanted to support it and did a budget.”
After securing a waiver from the orchestra allowing for the needed rehearsals and performance length, recordings were made during four concerts from May 1-5 and six more from Oct. 5-20. Each opera was performed two or three times.
Americans in cast fill big roles
American singers featured prominently, with Mark Delavan as Wotan, Lise Lindstrom as Brünnhilde and Sara Jakubiak as Sieglinde, part of a cast that included Christopher Ventris (Siegmund), Daniel Johansson (Siegfried), Deniz Uzun (Fricka), Tómas Tómasson (Alberich), Michael Laurenz (Mime) and Stephen Milling (Hagen).
Delavan sang Wotan at New York’s Metropolitan Opera in 2013 after Luisi took over from an ailing James Levine in Robert Lepage’s much-maligned production staged on a 45-ton set of 24 rotating planks.
“We’re accessible and they know that we’re hungry and we have a chip on our shoulders,” Delavan said. “What conductors like about American singers is their technique is sound. Even a European conductor would say: Well, I’m going to give up some of the communication skills, only one degree of separation with the language, but I’m going to get a solid technique, and I’m going to get pretty good acting chops.”
Lindstrom has been in Atlanta to sing in its production of “Götterdämmerung,” the concluding night of the tetralogy, leading to what is being billed as the first complete Ring Cycles in the America South in 2029.
“The wonderful thing about it is the intimacy between the orchestra and us, because we’re not separated by a chunk of stage or a chunk a scenery or a chunk of concept,” she said of the Dallas performances. “And for people like me, who have had the opportunity to perform the role before, I have all those iterations to rely on for my portrayal that I can sort of filter myself through.”
A younger Luisi listened to famous renditions
Luisi, 67, first heard a Ring recording in Georg Solti’s famous studio set with the Vienna Philharmonic from 1958-65. He also admires Karl Böhm’s live recording from the 1967 Bayreuth Festival and Marek Janowski’s 1980-83 studio version with the Staatskapelle Dresden.
He first conducted Ring when he was music director of Dresden’s Semperoper from 2007-10. Luisi’s Dallas performances include more legato and softer sound than his rendition a decade earlier at the Met. He tries to keep an arc from the first notes of “Das Rheingold” to the final strains of “Götterdämmerung.”
“I have a deeper understanding about the meaning of this piece,” he said. “I consider the ring to be a big Bruckner symphony. So we have the introduction, then we have the first movement, this is “Walküre,” which happens to be a slow movement, and then we have the scherzo, which is “Siegfried,” of course, and then the long, long, last movement. There is a unity.”
Highway 69 Mission will close
JACKSONVILLE – The faith-based nonprofit Highway 69 Mission announced on Monday that it will be permanently closing at the end of this summer.
According to our news partner KETK, the Highway 69 Mission, based in Jacksonville, was founded in 2018 and has always tried to provide spiritual, psychological and social assistance to those seeking refuge. The mission also provides outreach services to homeless people along with those suffering from mental illnesses, substance abuse and PTSD.
The organization said the decision to close was made after seeking God’s guidance along with much prayer and thoughtful consideration. Continue reading Highway 69 Mission will close
How to stay safe while traveling during extreme heat
PARIS (AP) – As travelers prepare to set off on summer trips, scorching temperatures lie in wait.
Above-average temperatures could be on the books this summer, according to forecasters, and a developing El Nino event could spell out warmer weather later in the year or next summer. Sizzling temperatures are more than an inconvenience: They can cause heat exhaustion and life-threatening heat stroke.
Travelers can take precautions to have fun with heat preparedness in mind.
“The same way that we prepare for more extreme travel in the cold, we should start to consider those tips to keep us safe in the summer months,” said Dr. Alexander Azan with NYU Langone Health, who co-directs the Project HEATWAVE initiative.
Before taking off, check the air temperatures for both day and night as well as the heat index, which takes humidity into account, Azan said.
If temperatures look scorching, stay flexible. Relocate to cooler regions along the coast or at higher elevations. Plan more strenuous outdoor activities like hiking or long walks during early morning or late evening hours, outside of peak heat windows. A midday movie, museum visit or coffee shop break may be more suitable.
Check whether your lodging will have reliable conditioning and whether the region has had recent power blackouts or brownouts. You can also search for public facilities like cooling centers, and note key phone numbers to report medical emergencies.
In addition to what you’re bringing, think about who you’re bringing. People with certain medical conditions or medications may be more vulnerable to heat while traveling.
Older adults, those who may be pregnant, young children and infants are also especially susceptible — so adjust plans accordingly. Carrying a baby against your body can transfer additional heat, for example.
Pack a reusable water bottle and bring light-colored, breathable clothing that will keep you cool. Don’t forget sunscreen, sunglasses, a wide-brimmed hat and a cooling towel. A portable fan can be useful too, but avoid using it during particularly high temperatures since it’ll just blow hot air back at you.
Keep car safety in mind during road trips
If you’re planning a road trip, get your vehicle inspected a few weeks before to make sure everything is in good condition, especially the engine cooling system and the car battery. If you’ll be driving abroad, ask whether the rental car will have air conditioning.
Pack water and snacks to keep passengers and pets energized during the drive and take breaks to hydrate and stretch — but don’t leave young children, pets or older adults alone in the car even for a few minutes.
Keep the car as cool as possible by parking in shaded areas and using a windshield protector. When entering a steamy car, turn on the air conditioning but turn off recirculation to keep stale air from cycling. Roll down the windows a bit, then close them and turn recirculation on once the car starts to chill.
To avoid getting stuck in the heat, don’t drive on less than a quarter tank of gas, said AAA senior automotive manager David Bennett. If you do get stuck and the engine is still running, you can cycle it on and off every few minutes so AC can still cool the car. Don’t walk along the side of the road in searing temperatures to search for help: instead, stay in the car or nearby shade and put reflectors or cones in front of the vehicle. Bring an extra charger that plugs into the car so you can call for help if needed.
Stay flexible and recognize signs of heat illness
Travelers should be mindful of how their behavior changes on vacation. Spending long hours outdoors, participating in intense activities or consuming more alcohol than usual can increase heat-related risks.
People often get into trouble when they ignore both environmental conditions and the warning signals their bodies are giving them. “They think they can push through. That is a mistake,” Ward said.
During the day’s exploring, employ the buddy system and look out for signs of heat illness like feeling dizzy, experiencing nausea or muscle cramps and sweating with cool and clammy skin. If you or a travel partner start to feel sick, get to a shaded area and take sips of water while loosening tight clothing.
If symptoms worsen to slurred speech, falling unconscious, extreme confusion or feeling hot to the touch, seek help immediately. That could indicate something more serious, like heat stroke.
If extreme heat makes a trip untenable, there are ways to recoup costs. Adding a cancel-for-any-reason benefit to your travel insurance can offer partial reimbursement if things get too hot. There are also services like Sensible Weather and WeatherPromise which reimburse travel and lodging costs for every day a trip is dashed by rain, heavy snowfall or high heat. Customers can add a weather guarantee to their cart at extra cost when booking with these organizations’ registered travel and hotel partners.
As temperatures continue to climb, experts say the most important thing vacationers can do is listen to their bodies and remain flexible.
By staying aware, taking steps to cool down and adjusting plans where necessary, travelers can help ensure their trip remains both safe and enjoyable.
Southern Baptists vote to advance a formal ban on churches with women pastors
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Thousands of Southern Baptists overwhelmingly voted Wednesday to advance a formal ban on women pastors in the nation’s largest Protestant denomination, sending a clear message that men alone should preach to these conservative evangelical congregations.
The amendment would tighten existing restrictions in the Southern Baptist Convention, which already has a faith statement opposing women pastors.
The vote at the annual meeting was 6,028 to 2,026 — a 3-to-1 margin — which easily exceeded the required two-thirds majority. It will require a similar two-thirds vote at next year’s meeting to become part of the constitution.
Its sponsor, Albert Mohler, characterized the amendment as addressing a defining issue.
“This is an opportunity for Southern Baptists to speak in truth, in unity, in conviction,” said Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. “There’s a great line that divides liberal and biblical evangelicalism, and you can see it on this very issue. The trajectory of liberal denominations is clear.”
There was only brief debate — and none of it contained support for women pastors.
The sole opposition came from South Carolina pastor Doug Mize. He said the measure wasn’t necessary because the denomination already has a mechanism to expel churches with women in senior pastoral positions, and it’s done so on multiple times.
“What we have already works,” he said.
Southern Baptist leaders cite biblical passages that limit pastors to men. Advocates for women’s ministry cite biblical passages that proclaim men and women as equal under God and where women are called to proclaim the gospel.
Southern Baptists can expel churches
While the SBC can’t tell its self-governing churches what to do, it does have the power to expel churches from convention membership, declaring them not in “friendly cooperation.”
There’s already wide agreement within the denomination that its faith statement rejects the appointment of women as senior pastors who lead churches. Debate has persisted on where to draw the line regarding churches with women serving in assistant pastoral or preaching roles.
“We need constitutional clarity on this issue,” Mohler said. He had a lead role in drafting the ban, which passed in 2000.
The amendment’s language requires the exclusion of any church that acts “to affirm, appoint, or endorse a woman serving in the office or function of a pastor/elder/overseer, specifically preaching to the assembled congregation.”
Wednesday’s vote came on the last day of the convention’s two-day annual meeting in Orlando, Florida. More than 11,000 delegates, known as messengers, were attending.
Churches were removed in recent years for having women pastors
In the previous three annual meetings, a majority of representatives voted to amend the SBC constitution to ban churches with women in any pastoral role. But only in one of those years did the measure get the needed two-thirds supermajority, so the matter languished.
The denomination has also expelled churches with women in senior pastoral roles, including the large Saddleback Church of California, on the grounds of an existing clause in the constitution barring churches whose “faith and practice” was out of harmony with the denomination’s.
The SBC debate stands in stark contrast to the practices of numerous historic, more liberal Protestant denominations, which ordain women and have opened their highest offices to them. Practices vary widely in conservative, evangelical denominations — particularly in Pentecostal and charismatic circles, where prominent women pastors include Paula White-Cain, head of President Donald Trump’s White House Faith Office.
But other, more conservative Protestant groups do not ordain women as clergy. And the Catholic and Orthodox churches — the world’s two largest Christian communions — ordain only men to the priesthood.
The organization Baptist Women in Ministry, which works with female ministers in a variety of Baptist denominations, issued a statement lamenting the vote.
“We express our solidarity with the women in ministry who have been harmed by this vote, the hateful rhetoric and propaganda leading up to the vote, and the damaging theology the vote represents,” it said. “Women in ministry deserve affirmation, respect, and the opportunity to follow God’s call. We are heartbroken that they have been denied those fundamental freedoms in the process of this vote.”
Southern Baptists pick new convention president
Later Wednesday, SBC messengers will also consider a nonbinding resolution with similar language opposing women pastors. It requires only a simple majority to pass. They will also vote on resolutions addressing a range of issues, from immigration to antisemitism.
On Tuesday, delegates elected Florida pastor Willy Rice to be its next president. He won 58% of the votes over South Carolina pastor Josh Powell.
Rice supported the amendment barring churches with women pastors, as did Powell and the SBC’s departing president, Clint Pressley.
Rice, senior pastor of Calvary Church in Clearwater, drew support from advocacy groups such as the Center for Baptist Leadership, which have argued SBC leadership has gone “woke” on issues ranging from race to gender to immigration.
The denomination is already staunchly conservative in areas such as its advocacy against abortion to its faith statement declaring the office of pastor is limited to men. But the main debates within the SBC in recent years have been over how far to move on the religious and political right.