Latest news with #CountyCommissioners
CBS News
23-07-2025
- General
- CBS News
Colorado county prohibits dispersed camping in Sandstone Ranch Open Space
After months of fighting plans to allow camping on an open space near homes, some Colorado residents in Douglas County can breathe a sigh of relief. On Tuesday, Douglas County Commissioners passed a resolution prohibiting dispersed camping on Sandstone Ranch Open Space in Larkspur. The commission had been exploring the idea of camping at Sandstone, but some neighbors said the risk of fire in that area was too great. "I absolutely was not expecting to hear this, and I had put together a presentation for the commissioners that said almost exactly what they did. I could not be more grateful. Their actions are exactly what was needed for the preservation of Sandstone and for all of us that live in the area, protecting our property, our lives, and our insurance rates," said Larkspur resident Gary Wood. While camping isn't allowed in Sandstone, it's not off the table in other places in Douglas County. Commissiners directed staff to evaluate wildfire risk in the county in order to come up with guidelines for future decisions on camping. Sandstone Ranch Open Space is located about 45 miles south of Denver.
CNN
14-07-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Live updates: Disaster response under scrutiny after catastrophic Texas floods
Update: Date: less than 1 min ago Title: NOW: Kerry County commissioners hold first meeting since catastrophic Texas flooding Content: Commissioners in Kerr County, Texas, are meeting in their first official court hearing since more than 100 people in the county, including children and counselors at a summer camp, were killed in catastrophic flooding last week. The first item on the agenda at the bimonthly meeting: the July 4 flooding. The commissioners will 'consider, discuss, and take appropriate action following update on status of recovery efforts,' according to a meeting agenda. Other agenda items will focus on authorizing overtime pay for employees who responded to the flooding and establishing a central location to assist affected citizens. The meeting is currently being livestreamed. You can watch the meeting at the top of the page. The Kerr County commissioners' court consists of County Judge Rob Kelly and four commissioners and is the main governing body for the county, responsible for budgetary, tax and revenue decisions for the population of about 50,000 people. Update: Date: 12 min ago Title: Kerrville councilmember requests "additional security," citing "targeted threats" Content: City council members in Kerrville, Texas, have requested additional security, citing 'targeted threats,' as emotions run high amid search and recovery efforts following devastating floods that have killed more than 100 people in the city and the surrounding county. During the first meeting of city officials since the floods, Councilmember Brenda Hughes requested that the city provide additional security for staff members. 'We're not only dealing with all the aftermath from this tragic event, but now we have to worry about threats that are coming to staff,' she said. 'I want it on the record that I would like additional security here and I'm not leaving here until we get it.' Hughes did not elaborate on the nature of the threats but said she wants the city to be proactive rather than reactive. City Manager Michael Hornes reassured the council that their security remains a priority as the city navigates the massive recovery effort. Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring Jr. concluded the meeting by thanking the city's staff. 'This flood was impossible to accurately and precisely predict,' Herring said. 'But what (the council) could predict absolutely is that we … knew that city staff would go above and beyond the call of duty to meet the needs of our community.' Update: Date: 41 min ago Title: Power now restored to Camp Mystic site Content: Power has been restored to Camp Mystic, the nearly 100-year-old camp on the banks of the Guadeloupe River that lost 27 campers and counselors as well as longtime co-director Dick Eastland during flash flooding on July 4. 'We have restored power at Camp Mystic for the primary purpose of communicating with our Mystic family,' the camp said on its website. Leaders of the Christian camp cited a bible verse that said 'You are the light of the world.' 'Our Mystic girls will forever shine just like Matthew 5:14-16,' the camp message said. In a subsequent post over the weekend, the camp thanked the efforts of its counselors to save campers during the flooding. 'We want to take time as we continue to grieve the loss of our precious girls, to thank all of our counselors that embodied the Mystic Spirit and put their campers first as they guided them to safety,' camp leaders wrote. 'There are many counselors and others that we claim as heroes that night and we will be forever grateful.' Update: Date: 59 min ago Title: More rain pummels flood-ravaged central Texas as death toll climbs to 132 Content: At least 150 people are still missing 10 days after abysmal flooding devastated central Texas, claiming at least 132 lives. Heavy rain is pounding some of the same areas already devastated by the July 4 floods, including Kerr County – where more than 100 people were killed in the flooding. Now, county commissioners are set to have their first official meeting since the disaster. Here's what to know for today: Fresh flooding: 'A dangerous situation is occurring' in parts of central Texas, including southwest Kerr County, the National Weather Service's Austin/San Antonio office said Monday morning. 'More heavy rain is on the way. Flooding is already happening.' An important meeting: The Kerr County commissioners' court will have its first bimonthly meeting Monday since more than 100 people died in the county and officials came under scrutiny over flood preparations. The commissioners' court is the main governing body for the county of about 50,000 people. Presidential visit: President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump visited Kerrville, Texas, on Friday and met with families affected by the flooding. The president commended first responders and expressed condolences for the lives lost. Major disaster declaration: The federal government added additional counties to Trump's major disaster declaration in central Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott said. That allows qualifying Texans who sustained damage to apply for grant funding to assist with repair and recovery expenses. Support and charity: The governor also announced the launch of the Texas Flooding Emotional Support Line, a new crisis support service for affected residents. And the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country said it has received more than $30 million in donations that will be distributed as grants. Update: Date: 1 hr 16 min ago Title: Kerr County officials will assess flood recovery at a meeting today Content: The Kerr County commissioners will hold a regularly scheduled meeting this morning in the wake of the deadly floods that swept through the central Texas community. The meeting comes as scrutiny intensifies over the disaster response at all levels of government. The commissioners will 'consider, discuss, and take appropriate action following update on status of recovery efforts,' according to the meeting agenda. Local officials are facing questions over their actions in the hours — and even the years — leading up to the catastrophic flooding that killed more than 100 people in the county earlier this month. We will have live coverage starting this morning. Update: Date: 1 hr 2 min ago Title: Ground searches were temporarily suspended Sunday in Kerrville due to new flood threat Content: Ground search operations were suspended for several hours in Kerrville, Texas, Sunday due to flood danger brought on by another round of storms, authorities said. 'All search crews need to evacuate the river corridor until further notice,' the Kerrville Police Department wrote in a Facebook post that morning. 'Any volunteer search parties in the Guadalupe River corridor need to heed this warning. The potential for a flash flood is high.' Several hours later, the department wrote on its page that the flash flood warning had been lifted. A Kerrville government spokesperson told CNN search operations had resumed. Slow-moving thunderstorms produced heavy rain, flash flooding and rapid river rises across parts of central Texas on Sunday, complicating the recovery from the devastating floods that killed more than 120 people ahead of Fourth of July weekend. The storms prompted evacuations in San Saba County, which is about 2 hours north of Kerrville by car. Update: Date: 1 hr 4 min ago Title: Slow-moving storms on Sunday trigger more flooding and evacuations in Central Texas Content: Just over a week after deadly flash floods swept through central Texas, slow-moving thunderstorms brought heavy rain, and a potential for flash flooding and rapid river rises to the region Sunday. While the most significant rain happened Sunday morning, more thunderstorms are continuing this morning and rivers are forecast to continue to remain swollen early this week. A flash flood emergency was issued for southeastern San Saba County, including Colorado Bend State Park, where six to eight inches of rain fell in six hours. In Sutton, Texas, flooding caused cars to stall on Interstate 10 and water was approaching some homes, according to the National Weather Service. San Saba County is about three hours north of Kerr County where officials have reported 106 deaths and at least 140 people still missing following flooding on July 4. The state conducted water rescues in San Saba County and nearby Lampasas and Schleicher counties Sunday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said on X. Read more here. Update: Date: 1 hr 7 min ago Title: FEMA search and rescue teams took days to reach Texas as agency navigates overhaul Content: Multiple urban search and rescue teams from across the country that responded to the deadly floods in central Texas told CNN they were not deployed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency until at least Monday evening — days after any victim had been found alive. CNN has previously reported that the decision to authorize deployments from a federal network of Urban Search and Rescue teams more than 72 hours after the calamity frustrated FEMA officials. In the past, the agency would have quickly staged these teams near disaster zones in anticipation of urgent requests for assistance, they said. Multiple officials also said a new rule requiring DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to sign off on relatively small expenditures from her agency, which oversees FEMA, created bureaucratic hurdles during a critical time. That meant the response was slowed down at a time when quick action was most needed, officials inside FEMA told CNN. What DHS is saying: 'Secretary Noem is leading a historic, first-of-its-kind approach to disaster funding: putting states first by providing upfront recovery support — moving money faster than ever and jump-starting recovery,' a spokesperson for the department said. Noem has defended her handling of the disaster, and the response by FEMA appears consistent with the Trump administration's view for how emergencies should be handled under their vision of a restructured FEMA: States take the lead in the response, and the federal government provides support when necessary.
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Escambia voters to decide elected vs. appointed superintendent again. The question is when
Voters will have the opportunity to decide if Escambia County's school superintendent is elected or appointed, but first Escambia County commissioners must decide when the vote will happen. The Escambia County School Board voted to put the issue on the ballot earlier this year, however the Escambia's Board of County Commissioners must approve adding the referendum to the ballot. At this week's regular meeting, Escambia's Board of County Commissioners is expected to schedule a public hearing for Thursday, Aug. 7 at 5:30 p.m. to consider adopting an ordinance that would establish when the issue would be on the ballot. There are three options for scheduling the vote. All three include authorizing a county-wide referendum to determine if the Escambia County school superintendent should be an elected position, but each is for a different election. The three options are: General Election Ballot on Nov. 03, 2026 Statewide Primary Election Ballot on Aug. 18, 2026 Special election with the date set in 2026 at the discretion of the supervisor of elections to meet compliance with state election laws Appointed vs. elected: Escambia School Board wants to put elected vs. appointed superintendent back on the ballot If the referendum passes in 2026, Escambia County voters will elect a superintendent during the November 2028 general election. In February, the school board voted 3-2 to approve a resolution to put a referendum on the August 2026 midterm primary election giving voters the option of choosing to elect or appoint the Escambia County schools superintendent. District 5 Board Member Tom Harrell introduced the measure at the board's workshop on Feb. 13. Harrell, Kevin Adams and Paul Fetsko voted in favor of the resolution while Carissa Bergosh and David Williams opposed it. In 2018, Escambia County voters supported a referendum for an appointed superintendent. After a nationwide search, the board hired Tim Smith, but he was terminated in a surprise 3-2 vote in 2023. Since that time, Keith Leonard has been leading the school district. Leonard, however, is set to retire in 2027 or 2028. Escambia County's next board meeting is scheduled for Thursday, July 10, at 5:30 p.m., 221 Palafox Place. This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Elected vs. appointed Escambia school superintendent 2026 ballot
Washington Post
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Section of South Florida roadway could be renamed 'President Donald J. Trump Boulevard'
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A busy stretch of South Florida roadway could soon be called 'President Donald J. Trump Boulevard.' The Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners is set to vote Tuesday on a resolution that would rename a 4-mile (6.4-kilometer) stretch of South Boulevard that runs from Palm Beach International Airport to the president's home at the Mar-a-Lago resort.
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
County Election Board moves locations
The Pittsburg County Election Board has moved locations. On June 30, the Pittsburg County Election Board announced its move to 1609 N. Strong Blvd., Ste. 200 in McAlester. The previous location had been at 7 E. Chickasaw Ave., McAlester. Pittsburg County Commissioners are the ones who supply the building for the Pittsburg County Election Board. During the County Commissioner meeting on May 27, they moved forward with leasing the new building for a year through First Realty. The location for the election board has moved over the last few years. This move is from the cost of rent going up, according to District 2 County Commissioner Ross Selman. The current agreement the commissioners have come to with First Realty is cheaper than at their previous location and they plan on staying there for the foreseeable future. The election board is in the process of moving all the furniture to the new building, according to Tonya Barnes, secretary of the Pittsburg County Election Board. They plan to put up signs soon and to have its name on the billboard outside of the building. There are no other changes to the election board with this move, Barnes said. Everything done at the old location can be done at the new location, such as registering to vote and participating in elections. 'It's a nice place, and it will fit us well,' Barnes said. The building is bigger than the previous building and has enough room to accommodate for the number of voters they have every election, Barnes said. There are no more elections planned for the remainder of the year. Voters who have questions or concerns should contact the Pittsburg County Election Board at 918-423-3877 or pittsburgcounty@ The County Election Board, now located at 1609 N. Strong Blvd., Ste. 200, McAlester, is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and closed 1-2 p.m. for lunch, Monday through Friday.
