AUSTIN, Texas — A year after floodwaters tore through Central Texas over the Fourth of July weekend, the damage is still measured in lives lost, families forever changed, homes not yet rebuilt, and questions still unanswered. From Kerr County to Sandy Creek, the floods swallowed roads, homes, cabins and camps in minutes. More than 130 people […]
Month: July 2026
Husband and Wife Narrowly Escaped Fourth of July Floods. Months Later, Strangers Helped Get Them New Home (Exclusive)
Looking back on that July night, Valerie Mares has no doubt that the only reason she and her husband, Danny, are alive today is because of a neighbor who pounded on the front door of their riverfront home in Hunt, Texas, shouting, “You got to get out of here now.” It was 2:45 a.m. on July […]
One year later, construction continues across flood-ravaged Kerr County
Walking us through his home along the banks of the Guadalupe River, Scott Allen’s quick to note that not much has changed since we last saw it back in late August. “We said initially, I don’t know how we even said it. I feel silly. We said Memorial Day, by Memorial Day 2026. Now that seems ridiculous to […]
Hill Country flood relief fund distributes $82 million one year after disaster
In the days after floodwaters tore through the Texas Hill Country on July 4, 2025, donations poured in from across the country. The Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country quickly launched a relief effort, directing millions of dollars toward emergency assistance for survivors and affected communities. Like many across the Hill Country, the foundation’s CEO Austin […]
Celebrating our 250th year
Kerrville’s Symphony of the Hills will commemorate the country’s 250th birthday with a free concert, flag art display and tribute to flood victims on Saturday, July 4, at the Cailloux Theater. The concert is a non-ticketed event with seating offered on a first-come, first-served basis. The lobby will open at 3 p.m., and the concert […]
A year on, Habitat Kerr County expects 30 flood-impacted families home
A year after the July 4 flood, Habitat for Humanity Kerr County expects to have 30 flood-impacted families back in their homes by the anniversary, the nonprofit said. The work has ranged from major repairs to complete rebuilds and new construction across Kerrville, Center Point and Comfort. Ten of the 30 families are moving into […]
The flood ended a year ago. Sandy Creek’s emergency continues
It’s been a year since the muddy floodwaters of Big Sandy Creek destroyed her home, and Brandy Gerstner is still living in an RV. Along the creek, no network of gauges or sirens has appeared — even though the flood that caught everyone by surprise after 1 a.m. last July 5 killed eight of Gerstner’s […]
Report shows 130 households return to stable, permanent homes
Standing in the middle of a brand new neighborhood that did not exist before last summer’s devastating flood, community leaders gathered Thursday at Habitat for Humanity Kerr County’s Mariposa subdivision to announce a milestone that few dared predict in the immediate aftermath of the catastrophic July 4, 2025 flood: more than 130 households have already […]
Community healing one year after the July 4 flood
The Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country became a central source of housing assistance after the July 4, 2025, flood devastated Kerr County, destroying homes and displacing hundreds of residents. The Kerrville-based nonprofit opened the Kerr County Flood Relief Fund while floodwaters were still rising. Within a week, it awarded $5 million to organizations […]
After 8-Year-Old Daughter Died at Summer Camp, Her Broken-Hearted Parents Are Determined to Save Others (Exclusive)
The human heart craves routine, especially after it has been battered by chaos and inconsolable loss. So it’s hardly surprising that on any given day, as Clarke Baker drives from his home in Beaumont, Texas, on his way to the golf course, he swings by the cemetery where his 8-year-old daughter, Mary Grace, is buried […]