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Rocky Lee Tullis

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Now Habersham
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Rocky Lee Tullis, age 54 of Mount Airy, Georgia, went home to be with the Lord on Friday, July 4, 2025, in Gainesville, Georgia.

Born on May 28, 1971, in Toccoa, Georgia, Rocky was the son of Jerry & Teresa Tullis of Mount Airy & the late Nancy Wade Browning.

A dedicated professional, Rocky worked for Kelkad Project Management, where he was known not only for his exceptional skills but also for his unwavering commitment to helping others. His colleagues admired him for his ability to tackle any challenge, as he possessed a remarkable knack for fixing anything that came his way. Beyond his career, Rocky took immense pride in helping those around him, always lending a hand and offering his expertise without hesitation.

Rocky’s personality was marked by a genuine warmth and determination. He could often be found tinkering in his workshop, immersed in various projects that allowed him to express his creativity and passion for craftsmanship. Those quiet moments in his shop were a true reflection of his character—dedicated, thoughtful, and alive with purpose. Rocky was a member of Mount Airy Baptist Church and attended New Vision Worship Center.

In addition to his mother, he was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Harlan & Fannie Mae Burgess Tullis; maternal grandparents, Woodrow B. & Freder Roberts Wade; uncle, Melvin Tullis; & aunt, Phyllis Stanich.

He is survived by his devoted wife, Edwina Simmons Tullis, whose partnership brought joy and strength to his life. Rocky was a proud father to his daughters, Christina Cody and Chassatie Swain (Jacob); grandchildren, Brantlee, Camden, Jax, Wyatt, E.J., Emma—and a grandchild that is on the way; step-sister, Jana Osteen; aunts, Eva Mae Tyler & Frances Tullis; cousins, other relatives, & friends.

Funeral services are scheduled for 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, July 09, 2025 from the Chapel of McGahee-Griffin & McEntire with Rev. John Huebner & Rev. Mickey Umbehant officiating. Interment will follow in the Eastview Cemetery in Mount Airy.

The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 08, 2025.

An online guest registry is available for the Tullis family at www.mcgaheegriffinandmcentire.com.

McGahee-Griffin & McEntire Funeral Home of Cornelia, Georgia (706/778-8668) is in charge of arrangements.

David C. Loggins

By
Now Habersham
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David C. Loggins, age 76, of Demorest, Georgia, passed away on Thursday, July 3, 2025.

Mr. Loggins was born on July 31, 1948, in Habersham County, Georgia, to the late Carl and Tence Tench Loggins. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Judy Lynn Loggins; daughter, Kimberly Lynn Whitworth; brother, Russell Loggins; niece, Cari Loggins; and infant nephew, Jamie. David was a Veteran, having served in the United States Navy during the Vietnam War. He retired from Habersham Metal with over 35 years of dedicated service. David will be remembered as a loving father, grandfather, and brother.

Survivors include her son and daughter-in-law, Chris and Shann Loggins, of Demorest; daughter and son-in-law, Candace and Michael Reid, of Demorest; brother and sister-in-law, John and Cheryl Loggins, of Demorest; sister and brother-in-law, Jeanette and Clarence Smith, of Cleveland; sister and brother-in-law, Carlita and Leon Reid, of Demorest; eight grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren; as well as several nieces and nephews; and his beloved puppy, Mollie.

A Private Family Service will be held.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the charity of one’s choice.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the Whitfield Funeral Homes & Crematory, North Chapel at 245 Central Avenue, Demorest, Georgia 30535. Telephone: 706-778-1700.

Margaret Lee Todd Whitman

By
Now Habersham
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Margaret Lee Todd Whitman, age 93, formerly of Autun Road, Pendleton, South Carolina, passed away peacefully on Friday, July 4, 2025, at The Phoenix at Lake Lanier in Gainesville, Georgia.

Born on June 8, 1932, she was the daughter of the late Joe Master Todd and the late Bonnie Howard Todd. She worked at J. P. Stevens, a textile plant in Seneca, South Carolina, where she later retired. She was a faithful member of La France Church of God. She was a cherished daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Throughout her life, Margaret was known for her deep love for her family, her unwavering faith, and her ability to find joy in life’s simple pleasures. Her home was always filled with warmth and the comforting aroma of home cooking and produce from the garden.

She is survived by her children, Debbie Black, of Batesburg-Leesville, SC; Connie Porter (Larry) of Cornelia, GA; sister, Rachel Fowler; grandchildren, Stacy Osment (Pete), Natalie Etheridge (Scott), Nathan Porter (Noelle); William Black; and seven great-grandchildren (Emma, Anna-Claire and Chloe Osment; Bennett and Sydney Etheridge; Chase and Addison Porter) who will carry her memory and legacy forward with love.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Lois Guy Whitman; brother, Lamar Todd; and sisters, Mildred Hunnicutt and Frances Woody.

The Funeral Service will be held at the La France Church of God on Thursday, July 10, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. with the Reverend Roger Allison officiating. Interment will follow at Memory Gardens, Clemson, SC.

The family will receive friends at the church on Thursday from 1:00 p.m. to 1:45 p.m., prior to the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to LaFrance Church of God or the Alzheimer’s Association.

Well done, good and faithful servant… enter into the joy of your Lord.” — Matthew 25:21

Arrangements have been entrusted to the Whitfield Funeral Home & Crematory, North Chapel at 245 Central Avenue, Demorest, Georgia 30535. Telephone: 706-778-1700.

2 dead, 18 injured in 4th of July boating accidents in Georgia

By
Joy Purcell
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Baldwin County divers and local officials search Lake Sinclair near Milledgeville for a 30-year-old man who fell from a jet ski on July 4, 2025, and is presumed drowned. The search was called off late Friday and resumed early Saturday, July 5, 2025. (Baldwin County Fire Rescue/Facebook)

A boat explosion on Lake Lanier that injured seven people is among a series of serious boating incidents reported across Georgia on the Fourth of July.

According to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division, 13 boating incidents on the Fourth resulted in 18 injuries and two deaths statewide.

Explosions rock Georgia waterways

One of the most severe incidents occurred Friday evening on Lake Lanier when a 23-foot cabin cruiser exploded while being towed in Landshark Cove. Five people were hospitalized, and two others were treated at the scene.

A second explosion was reported Friday on Lake Nottely in Union County. DNR says a boat had just refueled and was idling out of the no-wake zone when the engine stalled. As the operator attempted to restart it, the vessel exploded, injuring all seven people aboard. The boat burned to the waterline and sank.

That same afternoon, a 19-foot boat exploded without warning on the Altamaha River in Wayne County. The vessel was drifting in neutral when it caught fire. A nearby boater rescued all three occupants before the burning boat drifted to the bank and sank. One person suffered minor burns.

4-year-old, teens injured in separate incidents

In Fannin County, an 18-year-old riding a personal watercraft on Lake Blue Ridge was struck by lightning. He was taken to Blue Ridge Medical Center in stable condition.

On Lake Allatoona, a 13-year-old girl suffered a serious leg injury after being struck by a boat propeller while swimming behind a ski boat. Game wardens applied a tourniquet before she was transported to Kennestone Hospital.

Later that day, four adults were thrown into the water when their boat capsized on Lake Allatoona. Two swam to shore, while two others were rescued by passing boaters. No injuries were reported.

In Putnam County, a 4-year-old girl was rescued from under an overturned pontoon boat on Lake Oconee. Witnesses said the boat capsized after passengers panicked and rushed to one side during a large wave. A former lifeguard located the girl underwater, and CPR was administered before she was flown to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

Also in Putnam County, a 30-year-old man went missing after being thrown from a personal watercraft on Lake Sinclair. He was not wearing a life jacket. The Baldwin County Dive Team recovered his body on Sunday, July 6, after an intense two-day search.

More near-misses and one confirmed fatality

Five people swam to safety after their boat began sinking on West Point Lake in Troup County following a fireworks show. All were wearing life jackets and were rescued by nearby U.S. Army Corps of Engineers personnel.

Tragedy struck in Wheeler County, where a fisherman drowned after falling from a boat into a private pond. His body was later recovered by sheriff’s deputies. His death marked the second boating-related death in Georgia on July Fourth, but it does not appear in DNR stats because it occurred on private property.

Other incidents reported on July 4 included a man thrown from his boat on the Chattahoochee River after hitting a large wake—he was uninjured—and two juveniles colliding on jet skis on Lake Harding in Harris County, also without injury.

In McIntosh County, two boats collided in narrow, shallow waters along Rattlesnake Creek. Both vessels were damaged, but no injuries occurred.

Officials credit life jackets with preventing further tragedy and continue to urge safe boating practices on Georgia’s waterways.

Floods turned beloved Texas camp into a nightmare. At least 23 girls remain missing

By
Associated Press
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A wall is missing on a building at Camp Mystic along the banks of the Guadalupe River after a flash flood swept through the area Saturday, July 5, 2025, in Hunt, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

KERRVILLE, Texas (AP) — Texas parents frantically posted photos of their young daughters on social media with pleas for information as at least 23 campers from an all-girls summer camp were unaccounted for Friday after floods tore through central Texas overnight.

At least 27 people, including nine children, are dead after a storm unleashed nearly a foot of rain just before dawn Friday and sent floodwaters gushing out of the Guadalupe River through the region known for its century-old summer camps. Many more are still missing, and authorities said about 850 people had been rescued so far.

State officials said 23 to 25 girls from Camp Mystic, a riverside Christian camp in Hunt, Texas, still were unaccounted for.

“I’m asking the people of Texas, do some serious praying,” Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said. “On-your-knees kind of praying that we find these young girls.”

Flood turns storied Camp Mystic into a nightmare

The camp was established in 1926. It grew so popular over the following decades that families are now encouraged to put prospective campers on the waitlist years in advance.

Photos and videos taken before the flood are idyllic, showing large cabins with green-shingled roofs and names like “Wiggle Inn,” tucked among sturdy oak and cypress trees that grow on the banks of the Guadalupe River. In some social media posts, girls are fishing, riding horses, playing kickball or performing choreographed dance routines in matching T-shirts. Girls ranging in age from 8 to 17 years old pose for the camera with big smiles, arms draped across the shoulders of their fellow campers.

But the floodwaters left behind a starkly different landscape: A pickup truck is balanced precariously on two wheels, its side lodged halfway up a tree. A wall is torn entirely off one building, the interior empty except for a Texas flag and paintings hung high along one side. A twisted bit of metal — perhaps a bedframe — is stacked next to colorful steamer trunks and broken tree limbs.

First responders are scouring the riverbanks in hopes of finding survivors. Social media posts are now focused on the faces of the missing.

Rescuers evacuate some campers by helicopter

By Friday afternoon, Texas Game Wardens had arrived at Camp Mystic and were evacuating campers. A rope was tied so girls could hang on as they walked across a bridge, the floodwaters rushing around their knees.

Elinor Lester, 13, said she was evacuated with her cabinmates by helicopter after wading through floodwaters. She recalled startling awake around 1:30 a.m. as thunder crackled and water pelted the cabin windows.

Lester was among the older girls housed on elevated ground known as Senior Hill. Cabins housing the younger campers, who can start attending at age 8, are situated along the riverbanks and were the first to flood, she said.

“The camp was completely destroyed,” she said. “It was really scary.”

Her mother, Elizabeth Lester, said her son was nearby at Camp La Junta and also escaped. A counselor there woke up to find water rising in the cabin, opened a window and helped the boys swim out. Camp La Junta and nearby Camp Waldemar said in Instagram posts that all campers and staff were safe.

Among those confirmed dead was the director of another camp just up the road from Camp Mystic.

Elizabeth Lester sobbed when she saw her daughter, who was clutching a small teddy bear and a book.

“My kids are safe, but knowing others are still missing is just eating me alive,” she said.

Families of missing campers worry

Dozens of families shared in local Facebook groups that they received devastating phone calls from safety officials informing them that their daughters had not yet been located among the washed-away camp cabins and downed trees.

Camp Mystic said in an email to parents of the roughly 750 campers that if they have not been contacted directly, their child is accounted for.

On Friday afternoon, more than a hundred people gathered at an Ingram elementary school that was being used as a reunification center, watching for the faces of loved ones as buses full of evacuees arrived. One young girl wearing a Camp Mystic T-shirt stood in a puddle in her white socks, sobbing in her mother’s arms.

Camp Mystic sits on a strip known to locals as “flash flood alley.”

“When it rains, water doesn’t soak into the soil,” said Austin Dickson, CEO of the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country, which was collecting donations. “It rushes down the hill.”

State officials began warning of potential deadly weather a day earlier. The National Weather Service had predicted 3 to 6 inches of rain in the hilly region northwest of San Antonio, but 10 inches fell. The Guadalupe River rose to 26 feet within about 45 minutes in the early morning hours, submerging its flood gauge, Patrick said.

Decades prior, floodwaters engulfed a bus of teenage campers from another Christian camp along the Guadalupe River during devastating summer storms in 1987. A total of 10 campers from Pot O’ Gold Christian camp drowned after their bus was unable to evacuate in time from a site near Comfort, 33 miles (53 kilometers) east of Hunt.

Happy camp memories are now tinged with grief

Chloe Crane, a teacher and former Camp Mystic counselor, said her heart broke when a fellow teacher shared an email from the camp about the missing girls.

“To be quite honest, I cried because Mystic is such a special place, and I just couldn’t imagine the terror that I would feel as a counselor to experience that for myself and for 15 little girls that I’m taking care of,” she said. “And it’s also just sadness, like the camp has been there forever and cabins literally got washed away.”

Crane said the camp is a haven for young girls looking to gain confidence and independence. She recalled happy memories teaching her campers about journalism, making crafts and competing in a camp-wide canoe race at the end of each summer. Now for many campers and counselors, their happy place has turned into a horror story, she said.

By Hannah Schoenbaum and Jim Vertuno Associated Press

Athens-Clarke County seeks public input to help make streets safer

By
Staff Report
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Athens leaders are seeking public input on how to make the city and county streets safer for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists. (Photo of Five Points in Athens by ACCG)

Athens-Clarke County is asking residents to help shape the future of roadway safety as it continues work under the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program.

The county joined the SS4A initiative last year to address rising concerns about traffic-related injuries and fatalities. Funded by a federal grant, the project is focused on developing strategies that make streets safer for everyone — including pedestrians, cyclists, transit users, older adults, children, and people with mobility challenges.

So far in 2025, five people have died in traffic crashes in Clarke County, according to the Athens-Clarke County Police Department. More than a thousand crashes have already occurred countywide this year.

Now, county leaders are asking for the public’s help identifying solutions. Residents are encouraged to complete an online survey that asks what types of traffic calming measures they would like to see implemented. These could include things like roundabouts, speed bumps, narrower lanes, or other design features meant to slow traffic and improve safety.

Last fall, the county gathered input about which roadways felt the most dangerous. This new round of feedback will help guide the next phase of planning.

The survey is open through August 3 and can be accessed at www.accgov.com/safestreets.

WUGA’s Emma Auer contributed to this report

Georgia DNR says 7 injured in boat explosion on Lake Lanier

By
Joy Purcell
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Now Habersham readers shared images of the boat explosion on Lake Lanier on Friday, July 4, 2025. (Dustin Fry via Now Habersham/Facebook)

HALL COUNTY, Ga. — Authorities have updated the number of people injured in a boat explosion Friday evening on Lake Lanier, now saying seven individuals were hurt—two more than initially reported.

According to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the 23-foot cabin cruiser exploded around 7 p.m. while being towed in Landshark Cove near Margaritaville. Flames quickly engulfed the vessel, rising as high as five feet. DNR Public Information Officer Mark McKinnon says the boat was carrying seven people, ranging in age from 5 to 45. All sustained second- and third-degree burns.

A quick-thinking operator towing the vessel managed to rescue everyone on board and transport them to waiting paramedics at Margaritaville.

Emergency responders rushed four patients to Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, one by AirLife helicopter. A fifth patient was transported to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville, and two were treated at the scene, according to Hall County Fire Rescue PIO Kimberlie Ledsinger. All victims were reported to be in stable condition.

Firefighters used a portable pump and were assisted by Gainesville Fire’s Marine Rescue boat to extinguish the flames. The vessel was later towed to shore.

The cause of the explosion is still under investigation by the Hall County Fire Marshal’s Office.

Your guide to more fireworks and fun this Fourth of July weekend

By
Staff Report
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(Daniel Purcell/NowHabersham.com)

Happy Independence Day! Here are some places where you can celebrate our nation’s 249th birthday this weekend in Northeast Georgia:

Saturday, July 5

10 AM – 10 PM: Sky Valley Independence Day (Rabun Co.)

Where: Downtown Sky Valley
What: Rubber duck race, parade, hot dog cafe, kids activities, bbq, fireworks

4 –10 PM – Summer Fest 2025 (Franklin Co.)

Where: Downtown Franklin Square
What: Food, live music (4–7:30 PM DJ, 7:30 PM Righteous Revolver), dance performances, patriotic show, fireworks

6-10 PM: Baldwin “Pit”-nic (Habersham Co.)

Where: Downtown Park and Farmers Market, 110 Airport Road
What: Communitywide celebration with free hamburgers, hot dogs, and fireworks. Bring a lawn chair

6:30 – 10:30 PM: Fireworks at Tiger Drive-In (Rabun Co.)

Where: Tiger Drive-In, Tiger, GA
What: Gates open at 6:30 p.m., fireworks show followed by Jurassic World: Rebirth (movie admission fee)

7 – 10 PM: Cleveland Freedom Park Fireworks (White Co.)

Where: Freedom Park, Cleveland
What: Music & food vendors from 7 PM, then fireworks after dark

9:30 PM – Lake Burton Fireworks (Rabun Co.)

Where: South end of Billy Goat Island
What: Boat parade and fireworks over lake (fireworks visible from the water and may also be viewed from LaPrade’s Marina)

Sunday, July 6

12 – 3:45 PM: Ski Patriots Salute to America Show (Rabun Co.)

Where: Begins and ends at Magness Cove by Billy Goat Island
What: ski show across Lake Burton – from Magness Cove to Moccassin Creek

Saturday, July 12

5-10 PM: Red, White, and Tunes (Habersham Co.)

Where: Pitts Park, Clarkesville
What: Kids activities, food and beverages, Dylan Armour Band concert, fireworks

Tradition and patriotism mark Glorious Fourth

By
Chaz Mullis
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The Glorious Fourth fireworks display ends stunningly over the skies of Demorest. (Chaz Mullis/NowHabersham.com)

Demorest Springs Park was filled with lawn chairs, picnic blankets, and red-white-and-blue pride as the city’s beloved Glorious Fourth celebration returned in full spirit Friday. This community celebration has been a tradition since the 1890s.

The day began with Demorest’s traditional Fourth of July parade, which made its way through downtown, delighting crowds with classic cars, veterans, costumed children, and marching bands. Patriotic decorations fluttered from nearly every building and float.

Sarah Rumsey, the City of Demorest’s Utilities Clerk and one of the event’s chief organizers, was thrilled with the turnout.

Demorest cake walk participants await the number called that may score them a free cake. (Chaz Mullis/NowHabersham.com)

“We were guessing over 2,000 people would show up today,” she said, but was not aware of the turnout at the time. “I think a lot of people came out for the parade and then went home to cool down, but I think they’re gonna come back for the music. I’ve seen nothing but sweaty, smiling faces.”

Rumsey also highlighted one of the day’s traditions: “We had 29 cakes at our cake walk and I think all of them went to a good home.”

RELATED Demorest’s Glorious Fourth Parade

Food, fun and fireworks

Among the many vendors who lined the park was Lynn Madison, who has been part of the Glorious Fourth for more than a decade.

“We’ve been doing the 4th of July thing here for 12 years,” she said from behind her concession stand. “We used to only sell Italian ice, and then we did lemonade, and now we do food. It just depends.”

Vendor Lynn Madison serves customers during Demorest’s Glorious Fourth Festival. (Chaz Mullis/NowHabersham.com)

According to Madison, the event had evolved in recent years, especially in the wake of the pandemic. “After COVID it changed,” she noted. “A lot of the vendors here found another event to go to. But we just came back when we could.”

Next year, Madison said she “probably won’t be doing food.”

“It’s a lot of work to come and set up. It takes a week just to get ready for it.” Reflecting on earlier days, she added, “I usually work out of my bus through the back window. We used to travel all over Georgia. We used to go to Robbinsville, but it got too far and we got too old.”

By late afternoon, families had settled into the shaded green space surrounding the playground, waiting for the live music from Tad Boemer and Troubadour Project to begin. Children climbed slides and played tag while parents sipped drinks from coolers or caught up with old friends. At 9:45 the night’s big finale began: a fireworks display shot from behind City Hall.

Among those smiling faces watching the fireworks was Dominic Benson, who attended the event with his family. “We come as often as we can,” he said. “I grew up coming here, and now my kids are doing the same.”

Benson said his favorite part of the day is always the parade. “Seeing the veterans ride through and everyone clapping, that’s always a fun time,” he said. “You feel like part of a good community here.”

Russia launches largest missile and drone barrage on Kyiv since war in Ukraine began

By
Associated Press
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Smoke rises after a Russian strike on Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, July 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Yehor Konovalov)

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Waves of drones and missiles targeted Kyiv overnight in the largest aerial assault since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began more than three years ago, officials said Friday, amid a renewed Russian push to capture more of its neighbor’s land.

Hours after the barrage that killed one person and wounded at least 26 others, including a child, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had a “very important and productive” phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump.

The two leaders discussed how Ukrainian air defenses might be strengthened, possible joint weapons production between the U.S. and Ukraine, and broader U.S-led efforts to end the war with Russia, according to a statement by Zelenksyy.

Asked Friday night by reporters about the call, Trump said, “We had a very good call, I think.”

When asked about finding a way to end the fighting, Trump said: “I don’t know. I can’t tell you whether or not that’s going to happen.”

The U.S. has paused some shipments of military aid to Ukraine, including crucial air defense missiles. Ukraine’s main European backers are considering how they can help pick up the slack. Zelenskyy says plans are afoot to build up Ukraine’s domestic arms industry, but scaling up will take time.

The seven-hour bombardment of Kyiv caused severe damage across multiple districts of the capital in a seven-hour onslaught, authorities said. Blasts lit up the night sky and echoed across the city as air raid sirens wailed. The blue lights of emergency vehicles reflected off high-rise buildings, and debris blocked city streets.

“It was a harsh, sleepless night,” Zelenskyy said.

Russia has been stepping up its long-range attacks on Ukrainian cities. Less than a week ago, Russia launched what was then the largest aerial assault of the war. That strategy has coincided with a concerted Russian effort to break through parts of the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line, where Ukrainian troops are under severe pressure.

Russia launched 550 drones and missiles across Ukraine during the night, the country’s air force said. The majority were Shahed drones, but Russia also launched 11 missiles in the attack.

Alya Shahlai, a 23-year-old Kyiv wedding photographer, said that her home was destroyed in the attack.

“We were all in the (basement) shelter because it was so loud, staying home would have been suicidal,” she told The Associated Press. “We went down 10 minutes before and then there was a loud explosion and the lights went out in the shelter, people were panicking.”

Five ambulances were damaged while responding to calls, officials said, and emergency services removed more than 300 tons of rubble.

Trump, Zelenskyy talks

In Friday’s call, Zelenskyy said he congratulated Trump and the American people on Independence Day and thanked the United States for its continued support.

They discussed a possible future meeting between their teams to explore ways of enhancing Ukraine’s protection against air attacks, Zelenskyy said.

He added that they talked in detail about defense industry capabilities and direct joint projects with the U.S., particularly in drone technology. They also exchanged views on mutual procurement, investment, and diplomatic cooperation with international partners, Zelenskyy said.

Peace efforts have been fruitless so far. Recent direct peace talks have led only to sporadic exchanges of prisoners of war, wounded troops and the bodies of fallen soldiers. No date has been set for further negotiations.

Ukrainian officials and the Russian Defense Ministry said another prisoner swap took place Friday, though neither side said how many soldiers were involved. Zelenskyy said most of the Ukrainians had been in Russian captivity since 2022. The Ukrainian soldiers were classified as “wounded and seriously ill.”

‘I’m very disappointed’

The attack on Kyiv began the same day a phone call took place between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Asked if he made any progress during his call with Putin on a deal to end the fighting in Ukraine, Trump said: “No, I didn’t make any progress with him today at all.”

“I’m very disappointed with the conversation I had today with President Putin because I don’t think he’s there. I don’t think he’s looking to stop (the fighting), and that’s too bad,” Trump said.

According to Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s foreign affairs adviser, the Russian leader emphasized that Moscow will seek to achieve its goals in Ukraine and remove the “root causes” of the conflict.

“Russia will not back down from these goals,” Ushakov told reporters after the call.

Russia’s army crossed the border on Feb. 24, 2022, in an all-out invasion that Putin sought to justify by falsely saying it was needed to protect Russian-speaking civilians in eastern Ukraine and prevent the country from joining NATO.

Zelenskyy has repeatedly called out Russian disinformation efforts.

Constant buzzing of drones

The Ukrainian response needs to be speedy as Russia escalates its aerial attacks. Russia launched 5,438 drones at Ukraine in June, a new monthly record, according to official data collated by The Associated Press. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said earlier this week that Russia also launched more than 330 missiles, including nearly 80 ballistic missiles, at Ukrainian towns and cities that month.

Throughout the night, AP journalists in Kyiv heard the constant buzzing of drones overhead and the sound of explosions and intense machine gun fire as Ukrainian forces tried to intercept the aerial assault.

“Absolutely horrible and sleepless night in Kyiv,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote on social media platform X. “One of the worst so far.”

Ukraine’s Economy Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko described “families running into metro stations, basements, underground parking garages, mass destruction in the heart of our capital.”

“What Kyiv endured last night, cannot be called anything but a deliberate act of terror,” she wrote on X.

Kyiv was the primary target of the countrywide attack. At least 14 people were hospitalized, according to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko.

Zelenskyy called the Kyiv attack “cynical.” In Moscow, the Defense Ministry claimed its forces targeted factories producing drones and other military equipment in Kyiv.

Russia strikes 5 Ukrainian regions

Ukrainian air defenses shot down 270 targets, including two cruise missiles. Another 208 targets were lost from radar and presumed jammed.

Russia successfully hit eight locations with nine missiles and 63 drones. Debris from intercepted drones fell across at least 33 sites.

In addition to the capital, the Dnipropetrovsk, Sumy, Kharkiv, Chernihiv and Kyiv regions also sustained damage, Zelenskyy said.

Emergency services reported damage in at least five of Kyiv’s 10 districts.

By Hanna Arhirova

US completes deportation of 8 men to South Sudan after weeks of legal wrangling

By
Associated Press
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U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks at the start of a signing ceremony at the Palacio Nacional de la Cultura, in Guatemala City, Thursday, June 26, 2025. (Anna Moneymaker/Pool Photo via AP)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Eight men deported from the United States in May and held under guard for weeks at an American military base in the African nation of Djibouti while their legal challenges played out in court have now reached the Trump administration’s intended destination, war-torn South Sudan, a country the State Department advises against travel to due to “crime, kidnapping, and armed conflict.”

The immigrants from Cuba, Laos, Mexico, Myanmar, Vietnam and South Sudanarrived in South Sudan on Friday after a federal judge cleared the way for the Trump administration to relocate them in a case that had gone to the Supreme Court, which had permitted their removal from the U.S. Administration officials said the men had been convicted of violent crimes in the U.S.

“This was a win for the rule of law, safety and security of the American people,” said Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin in a statement Saturday announcing the men’s arrival in South Sudan, a chaotic country in danger once more of collapsing into civil war.

The Supreme Court on Thursday cleared the way for the transfer of the men who had been put on a flight in May bound for South Sudan. That meant that the South Sudan transfer could be completed after the flight was detoured to a base in Djibouti, where they men were held in a converted shipping container. The flight was detoured after a federal judge found the administration had violated his order by failing to allow the men a chance to challenge the removal.

The court’s conservative majority had ruled in June that immigration officials could quickly deport people to third countries. The majority halted an order that had allowed immigrants to challenge any removals to countries outside their homeland where they could be in danger.

A flurry of court hearings on Independence Day resulted a temporary hold on the deportations while a judge evaluated a last-ditch appeal by the men’s before the judge decided he was powerless to halt their removals and that the person best positioned to rule on the request was a Boston judge whose rulings led to the initial halt of the administration’s effort to begin deportations to South Sudan.

By Friday evening, that judge had issued a brief ruling concluding the Supreme Court had tied his hands.

The men had final orders of removal, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials have said. Authorities have reached agreements with other countries to house immigrants if authorities cannot quickly send them back to their homelands.

Texas families plead for information on at least 23 girls missing from summer camp after floods

By
Associated Press
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Families line up at a reunification center after flash flooding it the area, Friday, July 4, 2025, in Ingram, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

KERRVILLE, Texas (AP) — Texas parents frantically posted photos of their young daughters on social media with pleas for information as at least 23 campers from an all-girls summer camp were unaccounted for Friday after floods tore through the state’s south-central region overnight.

At least 24 people were dead and many missing after a storm unleashed nearly a foot of rain just before dawn Friday and sent floodwaters gushing out of the Guadalupe River, Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha told reporters Friday evening. The flood-prone region known as Hill Country is dotted with century-old summer camps that draw thousands of kids annually from across the Lone Star State.

State officials said 23 to 25 girls from Camp Mystic, a riverside Christian camp in Hunt, Texas, still were unaccounted for. They declined to estimate how many people were missing across the region but said a massive search was underway, with 237 rescued so far.

“I’m asking the people of Texas, do some serious praying,” Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said. “On-your-knees kind of praying that we find these young girls.”

Rescuers evacuate some campers by helicopter

Texas Game Wardens said Friday afternoon that they had arrived at Camp Mystic and were starting to evacuate campers who had sheltered on higher ground.

Elinor Lester, 13, said she was evacuated with her cabinmates by helicopter after wading through floodwaters. She recalled startling awake around 1:30 a.m. as thunder crackled and water pelted the cabin windows.

Lester was among the older girls housed on elevated ground known as Senior Hill. Cabins housing the younger campers, who can start attending at age 8, are situated along the riverbanks and were the first to flood, she said.

Campers in lower cabins sought shelter up the hill. By morning, they had no food, power or running water, she said. When rescuers arrived, Lester said they tied a rope for the girls to hold as they walked across a bridge with floodwaters whipping up around their calves and knees.

“The camp was completely destroyed,” she said. “It was really scary. Everyone I know personally is accounted for, but there are people missing that I know of and we don’t know where they are.”

Her mother, Elizabeth Lester, said her son was nearby at Camp La Junta and also escaped. A counselor there woke up to find water rising in the cabin, opened a window and helped the boys swim out. Camp La Junta and another camp on the river, Camp Waldemar, said in Instagram posts that all campers and staff there were safe.

Elizabeth Lester sobbed when she finally saw her daughter, who was clutching a small teddy bear and a book. She said a friend’s daughter, who was a counselor for the younger children at Camp Mystic, was among the missing.

“My kids are safe, but knowing others are still missing is just eating me alive,” she said.

Families of missing campers worry

Families are reunited at a reunification center after flash flooding hit the area, Friday, July 4, 2025, in Ingram, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Dozens of families shared in local Facebook groups that they received devastating phone calls from safety officials informing them that their daughters had not yet been located among the washed-away camp cabins and downed trees.

Camp Mystic said in an email to parents of the roughly 750 campers that if they have not been contacted directly, their child is accounted for.

At an elementary school in nearby Ingram that was being used as a reunification center, more than a hundred people stood around a courtyard Friday afternoon with hopes of seeing their loved ones emerge from buses dropping off those who had been evacuated. One young girl wearing a Camp Mystic T-shirt stood in a puddle in her white socks, sobbing in her mother’s arms.

Many families hoped to see loved ones who had been at campgrounds and mobile home parks in the area.

Camp Mystic sits on a strip known as “flash flood alley,” said Austin Dickson, CEO of the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country, a charitable endowment that is collecting donations to help nonprofits responding to the disaster.

“When it rains, water doesn’t soak into the soil,” Dickson said. “It rushes down the hill.”

State officials began warning of potential deadly weather a day earlier. The National Weather Service had predicted 3 to 6 inches of rain in the region, but 10 inches fell.

The Guadalupe River rose to 26 feet within about 45 minutes in the early morning hours, submerging its flood gauge, Patrick said.

Decades prior, floodwaters engulfed a bus of teenage campers from another Christian camp along the Guadalupe River during devastating summer storms in 1987. A total of 10 campers from Pot O’ Gold Christian camp drowned after their bus was unable to evacuate in time from a site near Comfort, 33 miles (53 kilometers) east of Hunt.

Flood turns Camp Mystic into a horror story

Chloe Crane, a teacher and former Camp Mystic counselor, said her heart broke when a fellow teacher shared an email from the camp about the missing girls.

“To be quite honest, I cried because Mystic is such a special place, and I just couldn’t imagine the terror that I would feel as a counselor to experience that for myself and for 15 little girls that I’m taking care of,” she said. “And it’s also just sadness, like the camp has been there forever and cabins literally got washed away.”

Crane said the camp, which was established in 1926, is a haven for young girls looking to gain confidence and independence. She recalled happy memories teaching her campers about journalism, making crafts and competing in a camp-wide canoe race at the end of each summer. Now for many campers and counselors, their happy place has turned into a horror story, she said.

By Hannah Schoenbaum and Jim Vertuno

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