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In the news today: Texas county deflects mounting questions over actions before the deadly flood; investors snap up a growing share of US homes; and the IRS says pastors who endorse political candidates from the pulpit should not have to risk losing their tax-exempt status. Also, China extends visa-free entry to more than 70 countries. |
Firefighters from Ciudad Acuna, Mexico, aid in search and rescue efforts Monday near the Guadalupe River days after a flash flood swept through the area in Ingram, Texas. (AP Photo/Eli Hartman)
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Texas county deflects mounting questions over actions before deadly flood
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As deaths from catastrophic Texas flooding surpassed 100 on Monday, local officials in one of the hardest-hit counties have still revealed little about what, if any, actions they took to safeguard residents, tourists and visitors in an area known as "flash flood alley." Read more. |
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- Dalton Rice, the city manager of Kerrville, said Monday that authorities were reluctant to "cry wolf" and order evacuations, adding that rainfall "significantly" exceeded the projected amounts. He said officials had little time to react in the middle of the night, adding that qualified first responders were being "swept away" driving through the initial rainfall.
In the 48 hours before the floods, the potential for heavy rains put precautions in motion as the state activated an emergency response plan and moved resources into the central Texas area. The National Weather Service issued a flash-flood warning at 1:14 a.m. Friday to mobile phones and weather radios, more than three hours before the first reports of flooding at low-water crossings in Kerr County at 4:35 a.m. The warning was updated at 4:03 a.m. to a flash-flood emergency.
- Local officials have known for decades that flooding posed serious risk to life and property in the region, and a county government report last year warned the threat was getting worse. The river authority has cited the need to develop a flood warning system in Kerr County as a top priority in its last three annual strategic plans.
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Pastors who endorse political candidates shouldn't lose tax-exempt status, IRS says in filing
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The IRS says pastors who endorse political candidates from the pulpit should not have to risk losing their tax-exempt status. The move effectively calls for a carve out for religious organizations from the rarely used IRS rule called the Johnson Amendment, put in place in 1954 and named after then-Sen. Lyndon Johnson. Read more. |
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In a joint court filing intended to end an ongoing case against the IRS, the tax collection agency and the National Religious Broadcasters Association — an Evangelical media consortium — and other plaintiffs have asked a federal court in Texas to stop the government from enforcing the Johnson Amendment against the plaintiffs. The Johnson Amendment is a 1954 amendment to the U.S. tax code that prohibits tax-exempt organizations, including churches, from endorsing or opposing political candidates.
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Investors snap up growing share of US homes as traditional buyers struggle to afford one
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Nearly 27% of all homes sold in the first three months of the year were bought by investors – the highest share in at least five years, according to a report by real estate data provider BatchData. Read more. |
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The U.S. housing market has been in a sales slump since early 2022, when mortgage rates began to climb from pandemic-era lows. Home sales fell last year to their lowest level in nearly 30 years. They've remained sluggish so far this year, as many prospective homebuyers have been discouraged by elevated mortgage rates and home prices that have kept climbing, though more slowly.
Investor-owned homes account for roughly 20% of the nation's 86 million single-family homes, according to BatchData. Of those, mom-and-pop investors, or those who own between 1 and 5 homes, account for 85% of all investor-owned residential properties, while those with between 6 and 10 properties account for 5%. Institutional investors that own 1,000 or more homes account for only about 2.2% of all investor-owned homes, the firm said.
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Tomato salad with peanuts, cilantro and chipotle-sesame dressing. (Milk Street via AP)
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Savory-spicy peanut dressing complements the sweetness of this tomato salad
This robustly seasoned, almost meaty tomato salad was inspired by Mexican salsa macha, a savory-spicy condiment made with dried chilies, garlic, nuts and seeds that are fried in oil, then pureed to add texture that contrasts beautifully against the colorful tomatoes. |
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