Public Safety

Early Thursday morning, the waters of Town Creek flooded a row of homes along its banks in Kerrville, damaging homes that were spared the year before.

Nearly a year after deadly flooding prompted Texas lawmakers to overhaul the state's flood preparedness laws, officials say some of those changes are already helping. But many of the state's biggest flood mitigation projects remain years from completion.

Gov. Greg Abbott said South Central Texas should expect "life threatening catastrophic floods," through Thursday, mainly concentrated around the Nueces River Basin.

Leaders promised a lot of change after floodwaters tore through Kerr County in 2025, killing more than 100 people. A year later, where do things stand?

Residents got an update on a new flood warning system, but some still have questions about who will be responsible for it.

The Federal Aviation Administration has selected Angelo State University as the first school in Texas to join a national initiative to recruit more air traffic controllers. Texas Public Radio’s Kory Cook reports the agreement comes as the FAA works to address staffing shortages across the country. Excavators have a long history of damaging natural gas pipelines in Texas. KERA analysis has found that more than 4,800 pipeline strikes have been reported so far this year.

State law requires excavators to notify Texas811 so underground pipes can be marked — but many do not. An explosion that leveled an Oak Cliff apartment complex has been linked to gas pipe damage.

Emergency officials in Lincoln County, New Mexico have confirmed four people died in a medical transport plane crash northeast of Ruidoso yesterday. The cause of the plane crash remains under investigation. After approval from the U.S. House, a bill permitting year-round sales of up to 15% ethanol gasoline blends is heading to the Senate. Harvest Public Media’s Macy Byars reports supporters say this could boost the farm economy and give consumers cheaper options at the gas pump.

A state law passed after July 4th floods in the Texas Hill Country requires camps to have redundant internet access in order to receive an operational license. Texas Public Radio's Marian Navarro reports The Texas Department of State Health Services has reached an agreement with these camps over fiber optic requirements. Texas prisons saw a 2,400 percent increase in drug overdose deaths over the past seven years. As KERA's Toluwani Osibamowo reports, officials say it's the result of an influx of contraband into state correctional facilities.

The $4 million system could provide up to several hours of advance warning, giving residents more time to evacuate before floodwaters become dangerous.