Local News
Governor Greg Abbott Confirms 109 Dead, 161 Missing Amid Catastrophic Flooding in Kerr County
KERR COUNTY, TX — Governor Greg Abbott confirmed on Tuesday that at least 109 people have died and 161 remain unaccounted for in Kerr County following catastrophic flooding in central Texas.
The announcement came during a visit to the region, where Abbott was joined by House Speaker Dustin Burrows to assess the devastation and discuss the state’s emergency response efforts.
Texas Game Wardens Lt. Col. Ben Baker stated that his agency responded in the early hours of Friday, July 4, and has since deployed over 300 game wardens to the area.
The search and rescue teams have covered more than 26 miles of the Guadalupe River, conducting approximately 444 rescues and confirming 30 recoveries.
Resources deployed by Texas Game Wardens include:
- 2 helicopters with hoist-equipped rescue teams
- 10 K-9 search and recovery units
- 9 swift water rescue boat crews
- 15 airboats
- 16 utility terrain vehicles (UTVs)
- 169 four-wheel drive vehicles
Lt. Col. Baker emphasized that Texas Game Wardens will remain on-site in Kerr County for the foreseeable future and urged continued prayers and support for the victims, their families, first responders, and the affected communities as the search and recovery efforts continue.
Governor Abbott has issued a disaster declaration for multiple counties impacted by the historic floods and pledged to allocate all necessary state resources to support ongoing operations.
Local News
29-Year-Old Alex Rodriguez Found Dead on University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, No Foul Play Suspected
URBANA, Ill. — A 29-year-old Champaign man found dead on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus Monday morning has been identified as Alex C. Rodriguez, according to the Champaign County Coroner’s Office.
The University of Illinois Police Department (UIPD) responded to the area of Green and Wright streets at approximately 6:42 a.m. after receiving a report of an unresponsive person near the Alma Mater statue.
Officers arrived and found Rodriguez on a concrete bench. Emergency medical assistance was requested at the scene.
The Champaign County Coroner’s Office responded, and Rodriguez was pronounced dead at approximately 7:16 a.m., according to Coroner Laurie Brauer.
Authorities said Rodriguez was not affiliated with the University of Illinois.
UIPD provided an update Monday afternoon, saying preliminary observations at the scene revealed no signs of foul play.
Police also said there was no evidence of an ongoing threat to the university campus or surrounding community based on the information available when officers responded.
Because investigators did not identify an active threat, the university did not issue an Illini-Alert emergency notification.
The circumstances surrounding Rodriguez’s death have not been determined.
An autopsy has been scheduled, and the death remains under investigation by the University of Illinois Police Department.
Authorities have not released additional information about the circumstances leading to Rodriguez’s death.
The investigation remains ongoing, and additional details are expected as investigators receive further information from the autopsy and other evidence.
No foul play has been indicated based on the preliminary investigation.