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Christian girls summer camp devastated by floods holds decades-long history with presidents, Texas politicos
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More than two dozen children have died from the devastating flash floods gripping Texas’ Hill Country, which is home to popular youth summer camps, including Camp Mystic, a Christian girls’ summer program that holds deep roots with Texas politicians and presidential families stretching back decades.
Flash floods inundated Kerr County, Texas, and the surrounding area in central Texas’ Hill Country early on the Fourth of July holiday. Warnings over the flooding were issued Thursday, but the devastation hit the area in the early morning hours of Friday, taking residents by surprise.
Kerr County, Texas, is home to a handful of youth summer camps, including Camp Mystic, a Christian girls summer camp established in 1926 by University of Texas football and basketball coach «Doc» Stewart.
At least 27 campers and counselors were confirmed dead, and the camp was devastated by the waters that flooded the Guadalupe River and tore through the surrounding communities, according to Camp Mystic’s website.
TEXAS FLOODING KILLS MORE THAN 80 AS SEARCH CONTINUES FOR DOZENS OF PEOPLE
Heavy rainfall caused flooding along the Guadalupe River in central Texas with multiple fatalities reported. (Eric Vryn/Getty Images)
«Today I visited Camp Mystic. It, and the river running beside it, were horrendously ravaged in ways unlike I’ve seen in any natural disaster,» Abbott posted to X Saturday. «The height the rushing water reached to the top of cabins was shocking. We won’t stop until we find every girl who was in those cabins.»
The camp describes itself as one that focuses on promoting spiritual growth and bringing out the best in campers during their stays, according to its website.
«Camp Mystic is a private Christian summer camp for girls,» the camp says on its website. «Established in 1926, Mystic is nestled among cypress, live oak, and pecan trees in the hill country of west-central Texas on the banks of the beautiful Guadalupe River. Mystic is located near the geographical center of Texas, 18 miles northwest of Kerrville. The staff at Mystic strives to provide young girls with a wholesome Christian atmosphere in which they can develop outstanding personal qualities and self-esteem.»
TEXAS SUMMER CAMP EVACUATED 70 STAYING NEAR RIVER AHEAD OF FLOODING: ‘SAW IT COMING’
Camp Mystic has long and deep roots with Texas politicians and their families, including former first lady Laura Bush, who worked as a counselor there while attending Southern Methodist University in her youth, and former President Lyndon B. Johnson, who sent his daughters to the camp.
Former U.S. President George W. Bush and former first lady Laura Bush published a statement on the devastation in Texas following flash floods that have claimed dozens of lives.
Jenna Bush Hager, daughter of former President George W. Bush and Laura Bush, said in a media appearance on Monday that her mother worked as a drama counselor at the camp in her youth, while many of her friends attended the camp or sent their children to the camp.
«My mom was a counselor there, but also so many of my friends were raised at this camp,» Bush Hager said on NBC’s «Today» show Monday. «Texas camps are institutions, as you just heard, where were many family members — generations — this camp was 100 years old, so grandmothers, mothers, kids have all gone there.»
«The stories that I heard over the last couple days were beautiful and heartbreaking,» she said. «Texas has a type of resilience where they’re generous people, where people want to reach out and help.»
NEW JERSEY COAST GUARD SWIMMER RESCUES NEARLY 200 PEOPLE IN DEADLY TEXAS FLASH FLOODS
The former first daughter continued that families flock to the Hill Country’s summer camps despite the hot Texas weather because «of the love that’s there.»
Officials inspect an area at Camp Mystic along the banks of the Guadalupe River after a flash flood swept through the area July 6, 2025, in Hunt, Texas. (Julio Cortez/The Associated Press)
«Texas camps are really special because you’re thinking about 90-degree weather, no air conditioning,» she added. «My kids are at camp in Texas, and my husband said, ‘Why are we sending our kids to Texas, to camp? It’s hot!’ And it’s because of the love that’s there.»
Former President George W. Bush released a statement on the devastation and death Sunday, saying he and his wife are heartbroken by the loss.
TEXAS FLOODING VICTIMS INCLUDE DALLAS CATHOLIC SCHOOL SISTERS, CAMP COUNSELOR, WALMART EMPLOYEE
«On this day of prayer, Laura and I are holding up our fellow Texans who are hurting,» he said on Sunday of the tragedy. «We are heartbroken by the loss of life and the agony so many are feeling. Those who have lost their precious children are facing a grief no parents should ever know. We are grateful to the first responders and volunteers who are working to find the missing and comfort the grieving at Camp Mystic and along the Guadalupe. We know our words cannot help, but we believe the prayers of so many Americans will,»
Debris at Camp Mystic after deadly flooding in Kerr County, Texas, U.S., July 5, 2025. The girls’ camp has long attracted attendance from the families of Texas politicians. REUTERS/Sergio Flores. (REUTERS/Sergio Flores )
The camp also drew multiple generations from former President Lyndon B. Johnson’s family. A digital copy of Texas Monthly’s May 1975 edition outlined that Johnson’s two «daughters were also Mystic campers,» while the Texas Tribune reported recently that the 36th president’s granddaughters and great-granddaughters also attended the camp.
YOUNG TEXAS CAMP SURVIVOR DESCRIBES HARROWING MOMENT SHE PREPARED FOR WORST DURING DEADLY FLOOD
At least three generations of former President Lyndon B. Johnson’s family attended Camp Mystic across the decades, according to local media. (Getty Images)
The camp, across its nearly 100 years in operation, has seen multiple Texas political families take part, including former Govs. Dan Moody, Price Daniel and John Connally sending their daughters to the camp, according to Texas Monthly, while James Baker, who served as chief of staff to former Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, also sent his daughter and a granddaughter to Camp Mystic.
Officials ride a boat as they arrive to assist with a recovery effort at Camp Mystic along the Guadalupe River after a flash flood swept through the area, July 6, 2025, in Hunt, Texas. (Julio Cortez/AP Photo)
Republican Texas Rep. August Pfluger’s daughters and Georgia Republican Rep. Buddy Carter’s granddaughters were attending the camp during the flooding and survived the tragedy.
The camp’s longtime director and co-owner, Dick Eastland, was among those who tragically died in the floods while trying to rescue the campers. Eastland purchased the camp in 1974, Fox Digital previously reported.
«Camp Mystic’s Dick Eastland no doubt gave his life attempting to save his campers,» Pfluger wrote on X of the death. «For decades he and his wife Tweety poured his life into loving and developing girls and women of character. Thank you Mr. Eastland. We love you and miss you.»
TEXAS SCHOOL GATHERS SUPPLIES TO HELP FLOOD-IMPACTED LOCALS AFTER SPOTLIGHT MOVES ON
President Donald Trump signed a disaster declaration Sunday for Kerr County, Texas, and told the media he will likely visit the area Friday.
«These families are enduring an unimaginable tragedy, with many lives lost, and many still missing,» Trump posted to Truth Social Sunday of the devastation in Texas. «The Trump Administration continues to work closely with State and Local Leaders. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem was on the ground yesterday with Governor Greg Abbott, who is working hard to help the people of his Great State. Our incredible U.S. Coast Guard, together with State First Responders, have saved more than 850 lives. GOD BLESS THE FAMILIES, AND GOD BLESS TEXAS!»
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«We wanted to leave a little time. I would have done it today, but we’d just be in their way. Probably Friday,» Trump added in comment to reporters from New Jersey on Sunday when asked about plans to visit.
Fox News Digital’s Stephan Sorace contributed to this report.
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Chicago’s budget shortfall puts spotlight on Mamdani’s ‘socialism’ agenda for New York City
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Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson warns that finances in the nation’s third most populous city have «reached a point of no return.»
The mayor said this week that the city will need to take steps to deal with looming budget shortfalls and that key systems that Chicago provides, including education, housing, health care and transportation, are «woefully underfunded.»
Eight-hundred miles to the east, there are concerns in the nation’s most populous city that if democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani wins the election in November as New York City’s next mayor, the city could be headed for a fiscal abyss similar to the crisis half a century ago, when it came close to bankruptcy.
CHICAGO TRIBUNE WARNS ‘HALLOWEEN COMES EARLY ‘ AS CITY FACES SHORTFALLS
Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic Party’s mayoral nominee in New York City, speaks to reporters on Aug. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, who dropped out of the 2025 race for New York City’s Democratic Party mayor nomination and who is running for re-election as an independent, struck a deal with the city council on a roughly $116 billion budget for fiscal year 2026.
«There are no perfect budgets. But we have come a long way, and this one gets pretty close,» City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams said at a press conference announcing the deal in late June.
CUOMO FLIPS SCIPT ON MAMDANI IN NEW YORK CITY MAYORAL RACE
But the 33-year-old Mamdani, who is the polling frontrunner over Adams, former New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and two other contenders in November’s general election, is running on an expensive platform to tackle affordability and inequality in one of the nation’s most expensive cities.
Mamdani grabbed national attention in late June after topping Cuomo and nine other candidates in the Democratic Party primary, as he took a big step towards becoming the first Muslim and first millennial mayor.
Former New York Governor and independent candidate for NYC Mayor Andrew Cuomo attends the funeral of slain NYPD officer Didarul Islam at Parkchester Jame Masjid on July 31, 2025 in the Parkchester neighborhood of the Bronx borough in New York City. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
Mamdani, a Ugandan-born state assemblyman from the New York City borough of Queens, is proposing to eliminate fares to ride New York City’s vast bus system, making CUNY (City University of New York) «tuition-free,» freezing rents on municipal housing, offering «free childcare» for children up to age 5, and setting up government-run grocery stores.
There are concerns that the significant spending increases to pay for Mamdani’s proposals, along with the possibility of revenue shortfalls, could put a strain on New York City’s budget.
And at the center of Mamdani’s proposals to pay for his pricey plans is a «millionaire’s tax,» which critics say will spur ultra-wealthy New York City residents to flee.
Mamdani’s agenda has given Republicans plenty of fodder to use to go on offense, as they spotlight his «socialist» policies and try to anchor him to Democrats facing challenging re-elections next year. President Donald Trump has gone further, accusing Mamdani of being a «communist.»
And Mamdani’s rivals in November’s mayoral election are also taking aim at him.
Adams has said Mamdani is making «false promises» that will hurt low-income New Yorkers. And the mayor argues that Mamdani’s proposal to set up government-run supermarkets will «devastate the local bodegas and local stores.»
New York City Mayor Eric Adams officially launches his independent re-election bid on June 26, 2025, in New York City. (AP)
Cuomo, as he proposed his own plan to address affordability in New York City, said on Thursday that Mandani is «proposing a theory of socialism that has never worked anywhere.»
«What is the best answer to affordability? It is business development. It is opportunity. It is jobs. It is economic growth. It is not anti-business socialism,» Cuomo said as he asked and answered his own question.
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Firing back, Mamdani campaign spokesperson Dora Pekec claimed that «trusting Andrew Cuomo to address New York’s affordability crisis is the equivalent of tasking an arsonist with putting out a fire — he created this crisis.»
«Trusting Andrew Cuomo to address New York’s affordability crisis is the equivalent of tasking an arsonist with putting out a fire — he created this crisis,» Mamdani spokesperson Dora Pekec said in a statement.
zohran mamdani,donald trump,andrew cuomo,ericadams,new york city,chicago,2025 2026 elections coverage,elections
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Vice President JD Vance struck a conciliatory tone on Friday after touching down in London when he told reporters the U.S. and U.K. may disagree on strategy when it comes to ending the war in Gaza, but they «share» the same goal of peace.
«We have no plans to recognize a Palestinian state,» Vance said ahead of a meeting with U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy. «I don’t know what it would mean to really recognize a Palestinian State, given the lack of a functional government there.
«Obviously, it’s not an easy problem to solve, or it would have already been dealt with,» he added, noting the need to not only eradicate Hamas but to end the humanitarian crisis across the Gaza Strip. «But we share, I think, that focus and that goal.
«We may have some disagreements about how exactly to accomplish that goal, and we’ll talk about that today,» Vance added.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance shakes hands with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy during a meeting at Chevening House on August 8, 2025, in Sevenoaks, England. (Suzanne Plunkett – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
ISRAEL SECURITY CABINET APPROVES PLAN TO OCCUPY GAZA CITY
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced in late July a major shift in UK policy toward Israel and said that if Jerusalem does not agree to a ceasefire by September, it would recognize a Palestinian state – a status that Israeli leaders have long objected to.
Starmer’s warning, which echoed similar positions taken by France and Canada, was in direct response to growing frustration with Israel over its continued military operations and the dire humanitarian situation that Palestinians have been facing for months.
Though the U.K.’s approach to dealing with the escalating situation runs counter to President Donald Trump’s position when it comes to recognizing a two-state solution, Trump has also increasingly expressed his concern over access to food aid and the «real starvation» there.
It is unclear how the U.S. will be increasing its involvement to help with food aid, but the Trump administration has distanced itself from its top allies when it comes to Israel’s military operations in Gaza, with Trump telling reporters on Monday that it was «pretty much up to Israel.»
Palestinians, carrying pans, gather to receive hot meals on July 23, 2025. (Khames Alrefi/Anadolu via Getty Images)
NETANYAHU VOWS TO TAKE FULL CONTROL OF GAZA STRIP, ‘LIBERATE’ PEOPLE FROM HAMAS
Israel’s security cabinet on Friday approved a plan formed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to occupy Gaza City despite international pushback.
But Netanyahu countered any immediate geopolitical outcry in a post on X and said, «We are not going to occupy Gaza – we are going to free Gaza from Hamas.
«Gaza will be demilitarized, and a peaceful civilian administration will be established, one that is not the Palestinian Authority, not Hamas, and not any other terrorist organization,» he added. «This will help free our hostages and ensure Gaza does not pose a threat to Israel in the future.»
Destroyed buildings lie in Gaza, as seen from the Israeli side of the border, July 28, 2025. (Reuters)
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The plan is still expected to be met with international condemnation, but it’s not the only issue at the top of Western minds as Vance and Lammy meet on Friday.
«We have a lot to discuss. There’s a lot going on in the world,» Vance said. «Of course, the situation in the Middle East, the situation with Ukraine and Russia. There’s a lot of news there and a lot of things to update each other on.»
Apart from the major international security concerns, the duo are also expected to address economic partnerships, which could include recent U.S. tariff announcements.
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Alemania suspendió las exportaciones militares a Israel: Netanyahu criticó la medida de Merz
Alemania anunció este viernes la suspensión “hasta nuevo aviso” de las exportaciones de material militar que podría ser utilizado por Israel en operaciones en la Franja de Gaza, según declaraciones del canciller Friedrich Merz. La decisión se produce después de que el gabinete de seguridad israelí aprobara en la madrugada un plan militar destinado a ocupar la Ciudad de Gaza, en el marco de un conflicto armado que se acerca a dos años y ha suscitado una creciente presión internacional.
El primer ministro israelí, Benjamin Netanyahu, trasladó personalmente su “decepción” a Merz tras comunicarse telefónicamente, de acuerdo con la oficina de Netanyahu. El mandatario expresó en un comunicado que, “en lugar de apoyar la guerra justa de Israel contra Hamas, que llevó a cabo el ataque más horrendo contra el pueblo judío desde el Holocausto, Alemania premia el terrorismo de Hamas con su embargo de armas a Israel”. Netanyahu subrayó que el objetivo de su gobierno “no es tomar Gaza, sino liberar Gaza de Hamas y permitir que se establezca un gobierno pacífico” en el enclave.
En respuesta, Merz afirmó que Israel “tiene derecho a defenderse del terrorismo de Hamas” y reiteró que la liberación de los rehenes israelíes y las negociaciones para un alto el fuego son “la máxima prioridad” para su gobierno. El canciller argumentó que la reciente ofensiva israelí “dificulta cada vez más” la posibilidad de lograr estos objetivos, y explicó que, en consecuencia, el Gobierno Federal no aprobará exportaciones de armamento hacia Israel que puedan ser utilizadas en Gaza mientras continúe la actual situación militar.
La medida marca un cambio notable en la política exterior de Alemania, que, junto con Estados Unidos e Italia, figura entre los principales proveedores de equipos militares del ejército israelí. El Instituto Internacional de Investigación para la Paz de Estocolmo (SIPRI) reportó que Alemania suministró el 30% de las importaciones de defensa de Israel el año pasado, incluidas corbetas Sa’ar y motores para tanques Merkava y transportes Namer que operan activamente en el terreno gazatí. El Ministerio de Economía alemán cifró en 485 millones de euros (alrededor de 565 millones de dólares) el valor de aprobaciones de exportaciones de defensa a Israel entre octubre de 2023 y mayo de 2025.
El canciller Merz insistió en que “Hamas no debe tener ningún papel en el futuro de Gaza”, pero enfatizó que una acción militar más severa “obliga a Israel a asumir una responsabilidad aún mayor hacia la población palestina”. Solicitó explícitamente el acceso sin restricciones de ayuda humanitaria, incluso para organizaciones de la ONU y otras ONG, ante una situación humanitaria calificada como crítica por Naciones Unidas y diversos organismos internacionales de derechos humanos.
La posición alemana cobra especial relevancia debido a la histórica política proisraelí de Berlín en el contexto europeo, forjada en gran parte por la memoria del Holocausto. Alemania se había resistido en los debates de la Unión Europea a endurecer colectivamente la postura frente a Tel Aviv, o secundar anuncios como los de Francia y Reino Unido en torno al reconocimiento de un Estado palestino o la imposición de sanciones a colonos israelíes.
Diversos gobiernos europeos, entre ellos Países Bajos, Dinamarca y Eslovenia, aumentaron recientemente la presión diplomática y militar sobre Israel. Eslovenia prohibió ya las exportaciones e importaciones de armas con destino al país a raíz de las operaciones israelíes en Gaza. La presidenta de la Comisión Europea, Ursula von der Leyen, manifestó en la red X que la ampliación de la ofensiva israelí “debe reconsiderarse” y pidió aumentar la entrada de ayuda. Funcionarios de República Checa y Países Bajos también advirtieron sobre los riesgos de escalar la operación militar.
Desde el inicio de la guerra, desencadenada por el asalto de Hamas el 7 de octubre de 2023 que dejó 1.200 muertos y 251 secuestrados en Israel, la ofensiva aérea y terrestre israelí ha provocado decenas de miles de muertes en Gaza, vastos desplazamientos y extensos daños a infraestructuras, acercando al enclave a una situación de hambruna.
La medida anunciada por Berlín sigue sin detallar qué sistemas concretos quedan afectados, y el gabinete de Merz evitó especificar los equipos incluidos. Analistas internacionales estiman que el freno será temporal y especializado en componentes susceptibles de uso directo en Gaza. El gobierno alemán también instó a Israel a “no dar más pasos hacia la anexión de Cisjordania” y advirtió que su responsabilidad humanitaria “aumenta” bajo la nueva ofensiva, mientras decenas de miles de civiles palestinos se preparan para nuevos desplazamientos y se mantiene la incertidumbre sobre la suerte de los rehenes israelíes todavía cautivos en el enclave.
(Con información de Europa Press y AP)
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