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Death toll rises to over 80 after devastating central Texas flash flooding

A catastrophic flash flood has claimed the lives of over 80 people in central Texas, as heavy rains battered the Hill Country region causing a sudden surge of of 20-26 feet of the Guadalupe River near Kerrville, leading to widespread damage and road washouts – leaving to a wave of emergency rescues.

The death toll rose across six counties as of Sunday evening. In Kerr County, officials reported 68 deaths — those of 40 adults and 28 children. Officials said 10 children are still missing from Camp Mystic.

Governor Greg Abbott noted that some of those rescued had been clinging to tree branches to avoid being swept away. Abbott also revealed that he had signed an amended federal disaster declaration to include additional counties impacted by the severe weather.

Secretary Noem, present at the briefing, said President Trump had expressed his intention to support the updated declaration. Texas Senator Ted Cruz shared on social media: “Please pray right now for everyone in the Hill Country, especially Camp Mystic. Today, I’ve spoken with Gov Abbott, Lt. Gov Patrick, the head of TDEM & President Trump. Multiple helicopters are performing search & rescue. President Trump committed ANYTHING Texas needs. 🙏🙏

Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly also spoke during the briefing, revealing that his own property had been ravaged by the floodwaters and that he narrowly made it home on Friday. Kelly shared that he had visited a local funeral home and witnessed the overwhelming toll firsthand. He later toured the devastation by helicopter alongside Senator John Cornyn and Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring.

Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick told reporters Friday that the Guadalupe River surged more than 26 feet in less than an hour. He said there had been no rainfall in the area until shortly before the flash flood hit, and emergency alerts were sent out early Friday morning between 4 and 5 a.m.

Speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One late Friday night, President Trump described the flooding as a “terrible thing.” On Saturday, he said his administration was actively working alongside Texas state and local officials to provide relief. Trump wrote in a Truth Social post: “The Trump Administration is working with State and Local Officials on the ground in Texas in response to the tragic flooding that took place yesterday. Our Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, will be there shortly. Melania and I are praying for all of the families impacted by this horrible tragedy. Our Brave First Responders are on site doing what they do best. GOD BLESS THE FAMILIES, AND GOD BLESS TEXAS!”

President Donald Trump later announced he had signed a major disaster declaration for Kerr County; which allows first responders to have access to the resources they need as they continue to work on search and recovery efforts. The Department of Homeland Security said Sunday that the Federal Emergency Management Agency is on the ground in the region to provide assistance.

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News Daypop

2 teens killed, 5 wounded after mass shooting in Indianapolis

Two teens were killed and five others wounded after a mass shooting early Saturday morning in downtown Indianapolis. Police have not determined a motive but detained seven for questioning and recovered several firearms.

The Indianapolis Star reported that two boys, ages 16 and 15, were fatally struck at about 1:30 a.m. near the intersection of South Illinois and West Washington streets in downtown Indianapolis. The 16-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene, while the other boy died after being taken to a nearby hospital. Five other shooting victims were hospitalized.

Police found the victims while responding to a report of a fight at the same location. Two of the injured are 19-year-olds, the others are ages 16 and 17, while the fifth person injured is 21-years-old.

Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Chief Chris Bailey said in a statement that the parents who allowed hundreds of teens to go unsupervised while out at night are partly to blame: “This kind of violence … is completely unacceptable and unnecessary We are not your children’s keepers. You are. Parents and guardians have got to step up.”

The mass shooting was among several violent incidents that occurred after the annual 4th of July fireworks, with Police Chief Bailey stating that police made 20 arrests during the night and recovered firearms from two juveniles in the downtown area before the mass shooting took place.

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Sports Daypop

Bobby Jenks, White Sox World Series champion, dies at 44 after cancer battle

Bobby Jenks, a two-time All-Star closer and 2005 World Series champion with the Chicago White Sox, has died at the age of 44.

The team announced on X: ‘Former Chicago White Sox All-Star pitcher and 2005 World Series Champion Bobby Jenks passed away yesterday, July 4, in Sintra, Portugal, where he had been battling adenocarcinoma, a form of stomach cancer. He was 44 years old.’  Jenks had revealed his diagnosis during a February 2025 interview with MLB.com from Portugal, where he moved with his wife in 2024.

The White Sox posted a video tribute on X with the caption: ‘Bobby will forever hold a special place in all our hearts 🤍

White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf said in a statement: “We have lost an iconic member of the White Sox family today. None of us will ever forget that ninth inning of Game 4 in Houston, all that Bobby did for the 2005 World Series champions and for the entire Sox organization during his time in Chicago. He and his family knew cancer would be his toughest battle, and he will be missed as a husband, father, friend and teammate. He will forever hold a special place in all our hearts.”

Jenks spent six of his seven MLB seasons with the White Sox, saving 173 games for the White Sox from 2005-10 before finishing his career with 19 appearances in 2011 for the Boston Red Sox.  Jenks helped the White Sox win the 2005 World Series, saving four games in six appearances during the postseason. He was an All-Star in each of the next two seasons while saving 41 games in 2006 and 40 in 2007 (during which he retired 47 consecutive batters). His career ended with a 16-20 record, including a 3.53 ERA and 351 strikeouts in 348 appearances, all in relief.

In May 2021, Jenks began working as the pitching coach for the minor-league Grand Junction Rockies. The next season, he was promoted to manager and won the league’s Manager of the Year award after helping the team win a championship. He went on to spend the 2023 season as the Princeton WhistlePigs’ pitching coach before he returned to managing with the Windy City ThunderBolts later that year

Jenks is survived by his wife, Eleni Tzitzivacos, their two children, Zeno and Kate, and his four children from a prior marriage: Cuma, Nolan, Rylan and Jackson.

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Sports Daypop

Houston Rockets trading Cam Whitmore to Wizards for two 2nd-round picks

ESPN’s Shams Charania reports the Houston Rockets are trading forward Cam Whitmore to the Washington Wizards for two second-round picks.

Charania wrote on X: ”The Houston Rockets are trading Cam Whitmore to the Washington Wizards for two second-round picks, sources tell ESPN. The deal gives Whitmore a tremendous opportunity for an increased role as he turns 21 on Tuesday and returns to the DMV area.”

The Athletic’s Josh Robbins clarified that the second-rounders are for 2026 and 2029: “The Washington Wizards will be sending a 2026 second-round pick (via Chicago) and a 2029 second-round pick (via Sacramento) to the Houston Rockets in this deal for Cam Whitmore, a league source told @TheAthleticNBA.”

Whitmore, a 6-foot-7 wing who will turn 21 on July 8, was a 2023 first-round pick (No. 20 overall) by the Rockets out of Villanova. Whitmore averaged 10.8 points over two years in Houston; last season, he averaged 9.4 points and three rebounds per game, shooting 36% on 183 3-point attempts.

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Country Daypop

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum to feature new Lainey Wilson exhibit

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum will feature Lainey Wilson in a new exhibition, “Lainey Wilson: Tough as Nails,” open from July 18 until June 2026 in downtown Nashville.

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum chief executive officer Kyle Young said in a statement: “From a young age, Lainey Wilson had an unwavering vision and faith in herself. This exhibit will examine the seeds of her career, including the requisite talent, hard work and ingenuity throughout her ten-year journey in Nashville that fueled her emergence as a globally popular and beloved artist. As her career has flourished, she continues to reflect these roots and core values in her music and life.”

Wilson added via a press statement: “It’s a dream come true to have my own exhibit in the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and such an incredible honor to be included next to so many of my heroes and legendary artists. These past few years have been a complete whirlwind, and it’s going to be really amazing to see the whole journey captured in the exhibit, along with some special items from growing up in Louisiana. I can’t wait to see how it turned out and for my family, friends and fans to check it out.”

Lainey Wilson: Tough as Nails will be open from July 18 to June 2026, and admission will be included in the cost of a museum ticket. For more information, visit the Hall of Fame’s website.

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Country Daypop

Dierks Bentley shares video for “Standing in the Sun”

Dierks Bentley has released the video for his single “Standing in the Sun,” taken off his new album Broken Branches. 

Written by Kyle Sturrock, Bentley said of the song’s significance: “This is one of those songs I never could have written myself, but I’m so thankful someone in this town did and let me have it for a while. Love is such a timeless theme in country music, but Kyle wrote it in a way that feels deeply personal to me. It captures how I experience love. I also love how the song builds sonically, like a sunrise, which ties perfectly with the lyrics.”

Broken Branches is Bentley’s 11th studio album and features 11 new tracks, including the lead single “She Me”. The album also includes collaborations with Miranda Lambert, John Anderson, Riley Green, and Stephen Wilson Jr.

To celebrate the new album, Bentley is on the road this summer on the 2025 Broken Branches Tour, joined by rising country star Zach Top and new Warner Music duo The Band Loula.

See the video for ‘Standing in the Sun’ – HERE.
Stream ‘Broken Branches’- HERE.

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Entertainment Daypop

See the trailer for Netflix’s ‘Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Destination Wedding’

Netflix released a trailer for Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Destination Wedding, the 13th installment in the comedic ‘Madea’ franchise.

The film also marks the 20th anniversary of the Madea franchise, which began with Diary of a Mad Black Woman in 2005. Written, directed and produced by Perry, Madea’s Destination Wedding sees Perry’s Madea traveling to the Bahamas with her family to celebrate the surprise wedding of her nephew’s daughter, Tiffany (Diamond White), to a rapper she met on a yacht.

Perry, who plays multiple roles in the film, shared: “It’s been 20 years now since ‘Diary of a Mad Black Woman’ came out. To see that this character is still enduring, and people are still watching and enjoying and laughing, it’s really mind-blowing to me. I keep coming back because some of this is just escapism. Just let’s leave the world behind for a moment and come to Madea’s house, and have some good food and laugh, and cry and celebrate and be all of those things.”

Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Destination Wedding also stars Cassi Davis Patton, David Mann, Tamela Mann, Taja V. Simpson, Jermaine Harris and Xavier Smalls. The film debuts July 11, and is Perry’s second Madea film to be released in creative partnership with Netflix. See the trailer: HERE.

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Entertainment Daypop

Ryan Kiera Armstrong to star opposite Sarah Michelle Gellar in ‘Buffy’ reboot series

Hulu’s upcoming revival of the beloved Buffy the Vampire Slayer franchise has officially cast Ryan Kiera Armstrong as the next slayer. Armstrong is known for her roles as Alma in American Horror Story: Red Tide and Fern in Star Wars: Skeleton Crew; casting was also confirmed by Deadline.

Sarah Michelle Gellar, who famously played Buffy Summers in the original series, shared the news through an Instagram video: “From the moment I saw Ryan’s audition, I knew there was only one girl that I wanted by my side. To have that kind of emotional intelligence, and talent, at such a young age is truly a gift. The bonus is that her smile lights up even the darkest room”. 

Gellar revealed earlier this year that she had been working for three years on this reboot alongside writers Nora and Lilla Zuckerman, with the initial concept coming from Chloé Zhao. In the revival, Gellar will reprise her iconic role, with Armstrong playing the new slayer (described in casting materials as an introverted high-school student) in the untitled Buffyverse project, which Gellar will executive produce for Hulu.

No additional information has been provided about the project, which comes from 20th Television and Searchlight TV.

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Rock Daypop

Jerry Cantrell shares ‘I Want Blood’ video, reveals U.S. tour dates

I Want Blood, the title track from Jerry Cantrell’s recently released album, has been released in video version featuring a live performance from Cantrell with Guns N’ Roses’ Duff McKagan and Faith No More’s Mike Bordin.

The Alice In Chains guitarist is also hitting the road again with new U.S. tour dates scheduled for 2025. The tour begins on August 16th in San Diego and includes stops in major cities such as Dallas, Orlando, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh, among others, before wrapping on September 14th in Kansas City. Fellow ’90s rockers Filter will provide support.

For ticket information head HERE.

See the video for ‘I Want Blood’ – HERE.

 

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Rock Daypop

Judas Priest documentary in the works, co-directed by Tom Morello

A new documentary titled The Ballad of Judas Priest is currently in development, aiming to spotlight the legendary British metal band’s more than 50-year career. Per a press release, the film “will celebrate the legendary band’s lasting impact on music and culture with their influence reaching far beyond metal.”

The project is being helmed by acclaimed documentarian Sam Dunn alongside Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello, who will co-direct for the first time. Dunn and Morello shared in a press release: “While some may know Judas Priest for their huge hits that have shaped the heavy metal genre, there is so much more to their story. Tracing their incredible 50-year journey, this film will capture how Judas Priest both defined the sound and look of metal, but also made it a more inclusive place along the way. We are grateful to the band for allowing us such intimate, unfiltered access to their lives and look forward to bringing this film to the metal masses around the world.”

In their own statement, Judas Priest added, “We have lived and breathed metal for over five decades, and finally in this documentary we are summoning our congregation to officially witness our lives uncensored, in a never-before-seen way…the cassock comes off, revealing Priest in all its metal glory!”

No date or window was given for the release of the documentary. Until then, Judas Priest fans can also look forward to the band’s upcoming North American co-headlining tour with Alice Cooper, kicking-off September 16th in Biloxi, Mississippi.

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