Latest news with #MarinIndependentJournal
Time of India
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Former MLB pitcher Tyler Walker joins desperate search for brother Mark Walker's family lost in deadly Texas floods
A tragic situation is unfolding in Texas, and it involves former MLB player Tyler Walker and his family. Over the weekend, Tyler Walker flew into flood-hit Central Texas with his wife and close friends. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The reason: to search for his missing brother Mark Walker, sister-in-law Sara Walker, and 14-year-old nephew Johnny Walker. Their vacation home was destroyed in the Fourth of July floods, and the family hasn't been seen since. Tyler Walker searches for Mark Walker and family after July 4 flood in Texas On Saturday, July 6, 2025, Tyler Walker, who once pitched for the San Francisco Giants from 2004 to 2008, landed in Texas to help find his missing family. His brother Mark Walker, Mark's wife Sara Walker, and their teenage son Johnny Walker went missing after flash floods wiped out their vacation house near the Guadalupe River. Their 16-year-old daughter Ellie Walker survived the disaster at nearby Waldemar Camp and was later picked up by Tyler Walker and his wife. Their mother, Kathy Walker, spoke to Marin Independent Journal from her home in San Rafael, California. She shared that there has been no contact from Mark Walker since early July 4, before the flood hit. 'All we can do is wait and pray for a miracle,' she said . 'Ellie is distraught. It's dreadful to wait without answers.' Tyler Walker, along with other relatives and friends, is actively helping the rescue teams search the devastated riverbanks, where trees, cars, and debris are piled up everywhere. Ellie is currently staying with friends from camp, receiving emotional support, but the family is still hoping for good news. Governor Gavin Newsom confirms the Walkers are among the missing in Texas floods On Monday, July 8, California Governor Gavin Newsom spoke about the incident in a press conference. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now He confirmed that Mark Walker, Sara Walker, and Johnny Walker were still missing. He also noted how close their family is to his own, stating that Johnny was friends with many kids, including his son. Kathy Walker also revealed that someone sent her a photo showing the wreckage of their riverside home, now completely destroyed. Multiple vigils are being held for the Walkers in Marin County and nearby towns. Also Read: So far, Texas Governor Greg Abbott confirmed 120 deaths due to the flood. As of Thursday, search teams are still looking for 170 missing people across Central Texas. The Walker family remains one of the many affected by this tragedy.
New York Post
10-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Former MLB pitcher searching for family after they disappeared in Texas floods
Former San Francisco Giants pitcher Tyler Walker flew to Texas over the weekend with his wife and friends to search for his brother Mark, sister-in-law Sara and 14-year-old nephew Johnny, who are all missing after their vacation home was destroyed in the deadly Fourth of July floods in Texas. '[Mark, Sara and Johnny are] missing and not identified yet, so we're waiting on that,' Kathy Walker, Tyler and Mark's mom, told the Marin Independent Journal from her home in San Rafael, Calif on Tuesday. Walker, who played for the Giants from 2004-08, and his wife picked up their niece, 16-year-old Ellie, who survived flooding at Waldemar Camp — which is nearby the family's vacation home, 'River House,' along the Guadalupe River. 5 (L-R) Mark Walker, his wife Sara Sharkey Walker, and their son Johnny Walker. Courtesy of family 'All we can do is wait and pray for a miracle at this point. In a situation like that, waiting to find out if her dad and mom or brother, it's just, it's just dreadful,' Kathy said, adding that she spoke with Tyler on Sunday. 'They're doing what they can to look on the river. He said there's just so much devastation it's impossible to comprehend. The debris piles everywhere, cars and trees and limbs. Just everything is piled up.' 5 Closing pitcher Tyler Walker of the San Francisco Giants pumps his fist after the final out against the Mets during the first game of their double header at Shea Stadium on June 5, 2005 in New York. The Giants won the game 6-3. Getty Images Kathy added that some of Ellie's friends from the summer camp are with her while Walker, Sara and their family friends continue searching for her parents and brother. 'She does have support, but not enough — there's never enough,' Kathy said, adding that Ellie is 'distraught' and praying hard. 'In a situation like that — waiting to find out if her dad and mom or brother — it's just, it's just dreadful.' 5 Former Giants pitcher Tyler Walker flew to Texas with his wife to search for his brother Mark, sister-in-law Sara and nephew Johnny, who are all missing after their vacation home was destroyed in the Fourth of July floods in Texas. Courtesy of family Kathy told reporters she had been in regular contact with Mark last week, but hasn't heard from him after the flash flooding early on the Fourth of July. During a news conference on Monday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom confirmed that Mark, Sara and Johnny were missing and that their families are close. 'Mark, his wife, and his 14-year-old son who was very close with so many kids, including my own son, in the Marin County area, they're missing,' Newsom said. 'Thankfully, their 16-year-old daughter was found. It's just another reminder of how devastating this tragedy is and obviously continues to unfold in just excruciating ways. Anyone with kids understands that.' 5 First responders are searching for missing people after the catastrophic flash floods in central Texas over the Fourth of July. REUTERS Ellie's camp was separate from Camp Mystic, a girls' summer camp in Kerr County where at least 27 campers and counselors died in the floods. Kathy said someone sent her a photo of the remains of her son's home. 'It's crashed and gone,' she said. Multiple vigils have been held for the Walkers. 5 First responders are searching for missing people after the catastrophic flash floods in central Texas over the Fourth of July. AP At least 120 people have been confirmed dead after the flash floods hit Central Texas, according to local law enforcement and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. As of Thursday, first responders are searching for 170 people still missing, according to CBS.
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
3 members of California family missing in catastrophic Texas floods
Three members of a California family are missing after their vacation home in Hunt, Texas was swept away in the devastating floods that have claimed the lives of more than 100 people, multiple media outlets reported. The Walker family, Mark, 51, his wife Sara and their 14-year-old son Johnny are from Kentfield in Marin County. Mark's younger brother, Tyler Walker, who pitched for the San Francisco Giants from 2004 to 2008, flew to Texas over the weekend after learning the devastating news, the Marin Independent Journal reported. Tyler was able to reunite with the missing family's daughter, his niece, 16-year-old Ellie, who escaped the flooding Guadalupe River at nearby Waldemar Camp. Heavy rains sent water downhill, causing the river to rise 26 feet in less than an hour around daybreak on July 4. The massive wall of water overwhelmed tents, trailers and cabins along the river's banks, including Camp Mystic where at least 27 campers at the Christian girls' camp died, and another 10 girls and counselors remain missing. Many of the survivors were found clinging to trees above or in the rushing waters. Kathy Walker, Mark and Tyler's mother, told The Journal that she'd been in contact with Mark while the family was at the riverside vacation home, but had not heard from him since the floods. Details emerge in deadly California fireworks explosion that killed 7 'All we can do is pray and wait for a miracle at this point,' she told the outlet. The missing couple's 14-year-old son was entering his freshman year at Marin Catholic High School where a prayer service for the family was scheduled for this evening, the Los Angeles Times reported. 'In heartbreaking times like this, we turn to God and to prayer for the Walker family and all the victims of the devastating floods in Texas,' according to the statement. 'We are still praying for a miracle in hopes that Ellie will be reunited with her mom, dad and brother.' As of the latest update from state officials in Texas, more than 160 people are still believed to be missing as a result of the catastrophic flood. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
New report warns that iconic coastal town is at risk of destruction: 'Without action ... impacts will worsen'
A new report revealed that a picturesque coastal town in California is dangerously underprepared for the potential destruction rising sea levels could cause, the Marin Independent Journal reported. Stinson Beach is a small settlement in Marin County about half an hour's drive north of the Golden Gate Bridge. Home to a little over 500 residents, it's known for its pristine white sand beach, which is among the best swimming beaches in the state. But this idyllic town faces some ominous threats in the near future. According to the Marin Independent Journal, a new report found that the town requires approximately $1.2 billion in infrastructure improvements to be ready for the projected rise in sea levels by the end of the century. James Jackson, an engineer with the firm that created the report on behalf of the county, explained to the outlet: "Without action, you know, sea-level rise projections and hazard modeling show that these impacts will worsen. … We're here to understand the full extent of those impacts and develop a plan." Rising sea levels are a direct result of the planet-heating pollution from dirty energy. As critical sea ice is lost because of rising temperatures, the ocean level rises, putting coastal communities such as Stinson Beach at grave risk. Plus, the warmer seas are a perfect breeding ground for increasingly severe extreme weather events. While extreme weather events aren't new, scientists have found that our changing climate is making them more intense and dangerous for communities and the environment. Stinson Beach is one of the most vulnerable communities to coastal erosion in the county. If a projected 3.3 feet rise is realized by 2085, most of the town's properties could be lost. Even a smaller rise of 1 to 2 feet could seriously jeopardize access to and from the community. The report outlined the available options and emphasized the need for flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances. The Stinson Beach Adaptation and Resilience Collaboration is intended to be a blueprint for public education and local action. The widespread adoption of clean energy sources such as solar will help slow the rise and buy more time for coastal towns to prepare. With power outages becoming more frequent, it pays to plan ahead, and solar panels with battery storage offer greater resiliency for the grid. With EnergySage's online service, you can compare quotes for free in one convenient place and save up to $10,000 on installation. Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Definitely Only in some areas No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
San Francisco Chronicle
31-05-2025
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
Enthusiasm ‘sky high' as Sonoma-Marin rail service expands northward
After 67 years, a train rolled out of the city of Windsor on Saturday, with 80 souls aboard. It was the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit District's latest expansion of a transit route that snakes from Larkspur in Marin County to Healdsburg and Cloverdale in Sonoma County. The train system sits on refurbished tracks of the Northwestern Pacific Railroad, which last carried passengers in 1958. State lawmakers created the SMART district in 2002, but the rail service did not start carrying passengers along a 43-mile section of rail until 2017 — but that didn't include the route's three northernmost stations in Windsor, Healdsburg and Cloverdale. In the years since, the district has been working to extend service north, SMART spokesperson Julia Gonzalez said. 'It's taken years to secure funding to complete this northern section,' Gonzalez said. 'That's what made today particularly meaningful — the opening of the first stations of the northern extension.' While many transit systems around the U.S. have struggled to regain ridership that fell off during the COVID pandemic, Gonzalez said SMART rail use has grown significantly — and this month reached more than 1 million rides over the past fiscal year. The SMART dIstrict's rail service involved refurbishing the old tracks once used by the Northwestern Pacific Railway's freight trains and replacing wood ties with concrete ones, which allowed trains to run up to 80 mph. SMART also had to rebuild and renovate former station buildings in Petaluma, Healdsburg and Windsor, replace a century-old bridge with a newer one, and obtain federal authorization to run trains on the moribund tracks. Residents voted to fund the railway's construction in 2008. The district completed a 43-mile route between Northern Santa Rosa and downtown San Rafael in mid-2017 and extended service to Larkspur in late 2019. District officials say they hope to open Healdsburg's station in 2028 and later extend service to Cloverdale, a small town near the Sonoma-Mendocino counties' border. The agency has no estimated timeline for a Cloverdale station to open. On average, 3,500 to 4,000 riders per day travel SMART, said Gonzalez, adding that Windsor could see as many as 500 passengers a day. The agency has yet to meet its projected ridership of 5,100 daily riders, the Marin Independent Journal reported, with the pandemic setting back early progress. On Saturday, the first train departed from Windsor at 7:12 a.m., Gonzalez said, with the last arriving at the station at 9:07 p.m. Saturday's start of service to Windsor corresponded with the SMART district's opening of the multiuse pathway that runs adjacent to the railroad tracks, part of a 307-mile protected path for runners and cyclists that will ultimately connect San Francisco Bay and Humboldt Bay. Gonzalez and other SMART officials are hoping that ridership will include visitors to Sonoma County's vineyards and wineries, as well as students traveling to school and commuters heading to jobs in Petaluma, Larkspur or as far as San Francisco by way of the rail service's connection to the ferry terminal in Larkspur. Foot traffic into the Windsor Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center was about three times higher than normal Saturday, said Denyce Carrillo, the center's visitor coordinator. 'Enthusiasm is just sky high,' she said. Carrillo said she spent much of Saturday morning and early afternoon greeting visitors who'd arrived in town on the train, many asking about tasting rooms and restaurants. 'It's encouraging and delightful to see this much enthusiasm and excitement,' she said. 'Particularly because it's not just from locals but from visitors as far away as Larkspur and Marin.' SMART plans a grand opening for the station and service extension on June 13.
