Latest news with #DeepSouthConnectTeam
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Mobile couple, granddaughter still missing after Texas flood. Daughter-in-law's body found
A Mobile, Ala. couple and their five-year-old granddaughter remain missing after catastrophic flooding swept through a Texas campground over the early morning hours of July 4. Ileana and Eddie Santana Sr., their son Eddie Santana Jr., his wife Camille and their daughter Mila Rose were staying at the HTR TC Hill Country Campground in Kerrville, Texas, when their cabin was swept away by rapidly rising floodwaters. The Guadalupe River, which borders the campground, rose 26 feet in just 45 minutes. Santana Jr., who is reported by a fundraising link to be an active-duty member of the military, managed to escape the flood waters after being sucked in by climbing onto a tree, where he held on for hours before being rescued. He was hospitalized with head and side lacerations and released on July 6. It was reported that when he was in the hospital, he was notified that his wife, daughters and parents were still missing. Camille Santana's body recovered, sister confirms in Facebook post On July 8, search crews recovered Camille's body. Her sister, Kali, confirmed the news in a Facebook post. "As of today, my beautiful sister Camille was found and was called by God to be by his side," she said. As of Wednesday, the search continues for Ileana and Eddie Santana Sr. and Mila Rose. 119 reported dead, an Alabama girl reported among victims The flooding has claimed the lives of at least 119 people, and at least 170 people are still missing, according to a USA Today report. The hardest hit county, Kerr County, reported 95 deaths, with at least three dozen of them being children. Among the victims was Sarah Marsh, an eight-year-old from Mountain Brook, Alabama. She was attending Camp Mystic, a Christian retreat for girls located near the Guadalupe River. Greg Abbott, President Trump respond to relief efforts Gov. Greg Abbott vowed that authorities would "work around the clock" to locate those still unaccounted for. In a post on X, Abbott called the search efforts the state's "#1 job." On Sunday, President Donald Trump approved a major disaster declaration for Kerr County, activating FEMA to aid in recovery and search efforts. Jennifer Lindahl is a Breaking and Trending Reporter for the Deep South Connect Team for Gannett/USA Today. Connect with her on X @jenn_lindahl and email at jlindahl@ This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Search for missing Alabama couple, child after Texas river flood
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Bodies of missing Mobile couple, granddaughter recovered after deadly Texas flood
Rescuers in Texas have completed the search for a missing Mobile couple and their granddaughter that were swept away from their cabin in Kerrville in the catastrophic Texas flood on July 4. The bodies of Ileana Santana and her 5-year-old granddaughter, Mila Rose, were found on Tuesday, according to family members on Facebook. Rescuers recovered Eddie Santana Sr.'s body on July 11. Ileana and Eddie Santana Sr. were staying at HTR TC Hill Country Campground in Kerrville with their son, Eddie Santana Jr., his wife Camille and their daughter Mila Rose when their cabin was swept away by the rapidly rising floodwaters. The Guadalupe River borders the campground, and water levels climbed 26 feet in just 45 minutes. Santana Jr. managed to escape the flood waters after being sucked in by climbing onto a tree, where he held on for hours before being rescued. He was hospitalized with head and side lacerations and released on July 6. On July 8, search crews recovered the body of Camille with her sister, Kali, confirming the news in a Facebook post. 134 reported dead, an Alabama girl reported among victims The flooding has claimed the lives of at least 134 people, and crews are still searching for at least 101 individuals who are still missing. The hardest hit county, Kerr County, reported 107 deaths, with at least three dozen of them being children. It is reported that at least 97 people are still missing in the county. Among the victims was Sarah Marsh, an eight-year-old from Mountain Brook, Alabama. She was attending Camp Mystic, a Christian retreat for girls located near the Guadalupe River. Gov. Kay Ivey deploys special teams from Alabama to aid in search efforts On Saturday, Gov. Kay Ivey announced additional Alabama firefighters have been deployed to assist in search and rescue efforts after her initial deployment of Alabama Task Force 1. 'Alabama's response to Texas is growing even stronger,' said Gov. Ivey. 'We are sending more boots on the ground from Central and North Alabama, and these brave men and women are trained, prepared and committed to making a difference. Our state is proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with Texas in this critical hour. As long as there's help to be given, Alabama will be in the fight.' Two Type III Swift Water Teams were deployed to aid in rescue efforts. The teams are specially trained and equipped to operate in large-scale flood zones, as flooding continues and new forecasts warn of more to come. Jennifer Lindahl is a Breaking and Trending Reporter for the Deep South Connect Team for Gannett/USA Today. Connect with her on X @jenn_lindahl and email at jlindahl@ This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Bodies of Mobile couple found after deadly Texas flood on July 4
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Alabama sees 15% spike in teacher retirements. Are classrooms ready for school year?
Alabama is experiencing a 15% increase in teacher retirements this year, raising concerns about school staffing, classroom stability and student support across the state. According to State Superintendent Dr. Eric Mackey, approximately 3,500 teachers are expected to retire in 2025. This number is up from 3,094 in 2024 and 2,810 in 2023, according to reports. Most of Alabama's recent teacher retirements are coming from educators who have delayed leaving the profession in order to take advantage of better retirement income opportunities. A 2022 law passed by state lawmakers offered significant pay raises for experienced teachers. Some saw up to a 20% increase. The increase prompted many educators to delay their retirement and reset their pensions. In Alabama, monthly retirement benefits for educators are calculated using their highest three to five years of salary, depending on when they were hired. That means recent pay raises, especially the 2022 increase, can have a significant impact on retirement income. For many longtime educators, staying in the profession a little longer meant a better pension and more financial security in retirement. Those retiring this year do have the option to return on a part-time basis through agreements with their local school districts. Still, educators say the pay bump hasn't solved deeper issues. Many are dealing with high stress, worsening student behavior and growing demands, often without enough compensation to match the pressure. The COVID-19 pandemic only added fuel to the fire, intensifying burnout and pushing more teachers to consider stepping away. Jennifer Lindahl is a Breaking and Trending Reporter for the Deep South Connect Team for Gannett/USA Today. Connect with her on X @jenn_lindahl and email at jlindahl@ This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Why is Alabama seeing a surge in teacher retirements this year?
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Alabama's most famous cryptids: Legends told around the campfire that haunt the backwoods
Something is lurking in Alabama's woods, or so the stories go. Tales of strange sightings and eerie encounters have been passed around campfires for generations. Whether it's backcountry whispers or blurry photos, the legends endure and they're as much a part of Alabama as the pine trees and red clay. There are Alabama's creepiest cryptids, perfect for your next campfire story. The White Thang is Alabama's most legendary cryptid, and no one can quite agree on what it is. Some say it looks like a white Bigfoot, while others swear it's more like a giant cat or wolf. Standing nearly eight feet tall with glowing red eyes, the creature is fast, elusive and known for an eerie screech. Most sightings of the White Thang occur in north Alabama between Morgan, Etowah and Jefferson counties. However, it has also been spotted in Wheeler Wildlife Refuge, Walnut Grove and Happy Hallow. The creature's reach isn't limited to one corner of the state; reports have popped up in other areas of Alabama and even in neighboring states. The last major sighting was reported in the early 2000s, but some say White Thang is still out there. Reports surfaced as recently as last year, and a Facebook group dedicated to the creature has locals swapping stories and asking, "Have you seen it, too?" The Wolf-Woman of Mobile is one of Alabama's most mysterious legends. In 1971, people in Mobile reported seeing a creature with a woman's head and a wolf's body. Witnesses described glowing eyes and eerie howls. Though dozens claimed to see her, no proof had turned up, and then she seemed to disappear. But stories keep popping up, with locals and students saying they've heard strange sounds deep in the swamps. Whether real or just a spooky tale, the Wolf-Woman remains a haunting part of Alabama folklore. Alabama's cryptid stories don't stop with the White Thang and Wolf-Woman. There's Hugging Molly, the Witch in the Woods, the Sipsey Creature, the Coosa River Monster and plenty more strange legends lurking in the state's backwoods. Jennifer Lindahl is a Breaking and Trending Reporter for the Deep South Connect Team for Gannett/USA Today. Connect with her on X @jenn_lindahl and email at jlindahl@ This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: What are Alabama's most famous cryptids? Here's what to know about them
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Alabama's most famous cryptids: Legends told around the campfire that haunt the backwoods
Something is lurking in Alabama's woods, or so the stories go. Tales of strange sightings and eerie encounters have been passed around campfires for generations. Whether it's backcountry whispers or blurry photos, the legends endure and they're as much a part of Alabama as the pine trees and red clay. There are Alabama's creepiest cryptids, perfect for your next campfire story. The White Thang is Alabama's most legendary cryptid, and no one can quite agree on what it is. Some say it looks like a white Bigfoot, while others swear it's more like a giant cat or wolf. Standing nearly eight feet tall with glowing red eyes, the creature is fast, elusive and known for an eerie screech. Most sightings of the White Thang occur in north Alabama between Morgan, Etowah and Jefferson counties. However, it has also been spotted in Wheeler Wildlife Refuge, Walnut Grove and Happy Hallow. The creature's reach isn't limited to one corner of the state; reports have popped up in other areas of Alabama and even in neighboring states. The last major sighting was reported in the early 2000s, but some say White Thang is still out there. Reports surfaced as recently as last year, and a Facebook group dedicated to the creature has locals swapping stories and asking, "Have you seen it, too?" The Wolf-Woman of Mobile is one of Alabama's most mysterious legends. In 1971, people in Mobile reported seeing a creature with a woman's head and a wolf's body. Witnesses described glowing eyes and eerie howls. Though dozens claimed to see her, no proof had turned up, and then she seemed to disappear. But stories keep popping up, with locals and students saying they've heard strange sounds deep in the swamps. Whether real or just a spooky tale, the Wolf-Woman remains a haunting part of Alabama folklore. Alabama's cryptid stories don't stop with the White Thang and Wolf-Woman. There's Hugging Molly, the Witch in the Woods, the Sipsey Creature, the Coosa River Monster and plenty more strange legends lurking in the state's backwoods. Jennifer Lindahl is a Breaking and Trending Reporter for the Deep South Connect Team for Gannett/USA Today. Connect with her on X @jenn_lindahl and email at jlindahl@ This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: What are Alabama's most famous cryptids? Here's what to know about them
