Tropical Storm Ernesto to bring rain, flooding to Puerto Rico: Path
ABC News
(NEW YORK) — The next tropical system is forming in the Atlantic and is forecast to strengthen into Tropical Storm Ernesto before it reaches the eastern and northern Caribbean.
A tropical storm watch has been issued for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, where up to 10 inches of rain and flash flooding are possible Tuesday night through Wednesday.
After hitting Puerto Rico, most computer models show Ernesto strengthening into a hurricane.
Ernesto is forecast to move east of the U.S. mainland and approach Bermuda by Friday night into Saturday morning.
Ernesto is expected to bring rough surf and rip currents to the East Coast next weekend, but it isn’t forecast to make landfall on the U.S. mainland.
(NEW YORK) — The murder trial against Robert Telles — the former Clark County public administrator accused of killing journalist Jeff German in September 2022 — began with opening statements on Wednesday.
Telles, 47, has been accused of stabbing the Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter to death outside his home after an investigation into corruption in his office destroyed his political career and marriage. German’s story detailed the alleged hostile work environment in Telles’ office, which included accusations of bullying, retaliation, and an “inappropriate relationship” between Telles and a staffer. Telles denied the allegations.
In her opening statement Wednesday, Chief Deputy District Attorney Pamela Weckerly walked through the timeline of the murder and how Telles came to be pinpointed as the suspect.
“In the end, this case isn’t about politics,” Weckerly said. “It’s not about alleged inappropriate relationships. It’s not about who’s a good boss or who’s a good supervisor or favoritism at work — it’s just about murder.”
Telles was arrested days after German was found dead outside his Las Vegas home. DNA evidence found in Telles’ home tied him to the crime scene, according to police, and a straw hat and sneakers — which the suspect was seen wearing in surveillance video — were found cut up in his home.
His DNA was also found on German’s hands and fingernails, police said.
Police took Telles into custody with what they said were non-life-threatening, self-inflicted stab wounds.
Telles’ attorney, Robert Draskovich, defended his client in his opening statement, suggesting he was framed for German’s death.
Draskovich said the “old guard” in the public administrator’s office was upset by Telles’ efforts to root out and eliminate internal corruption.
He also claimed that, due to German’s track record of reporting on corrupt figures, other people may have wanted him dead.
“There were others that had far more motive to make it look like [Telles] was the killer, and to conduct this killing because Jeff German was a good reporter — he would ultimately get to what the truth was,” Draskovich said.
Draskovich suggested Telles should be presumed innocent due to a lack of DNA evidence found in his car and on his clothing, and said police “never positively identified” a car present at the crime scene — which matched a description of Telles’ car — as his.
He also emphasized that Telles’ cellphone was not detected in the area at the time of the murder. Police have said they believe Telles left his phone at home during the alleged murder.
His suicide attempt, Draskovich contended, was not out of guilt, but because his “life was coming apart.”
Draskovich praised Telles, detailing his career and describing him as a “loving father and husband.”
“He’s a family man,” the defense attorney said.
Testimony in the case against Telles is now underway, and Draskovich has said Telles will testify during the trial.
Telles has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder and could face life in prison if convicted.
German was the only journalist killed in the United States in 2022, with a total of at least 67 journalists killed worldwide that year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.
Las Vegas Sheriff Joseph Lombardo previously described the case against Telles as “unusual,” and said that “the killing of a journalist is particularly troublesome.”
“It is troublesome because it is a journalist. And we expect journalism to be open and transparent and the watchdog for government,” Lombardo said. “And when people take it upon themselves to create harm associated with that profession, I think it’s very important we put all eyes on and address the case appropriately such as we did in this case.”
(BIRMINGHAM, Ala.) — Officials have announced up to $100,000 in reward money for information leading to the arrests of the gunmen behind a mass shooting in Birmingham, Alabama.
Multiple shooters are wanted for killing four people and injuring 17 others outside a lounge in the Five Points South Entertainment District on Saturday night.
Five of the injured victims remain in the hospital on Monday, Birmingham Police Chief Scott Thurmond said at a news conference.
Investigators have received a “significant number” of tips but are asking for more, the chief said.
The FBI is offering a reward up to $50,000 for information leading to the gunmen’s arrests and convictions, FBI Birmingham Special Agent in Charge Carlton Peeples announced at Monday’s news conference.
“If you, or you know someone, who has information about those involved in Saturday’s mass shooting, know that you can remain anonymous,” Peeples said.
Frank Barefield, chairman of Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama, also announced a $50,000 reward — the group’s biggest reward ever.
“You can receive up to $100,000 if you have credible information that leads to, one, an arrest, and another, an actual conviction,” Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin said. “It’s your time to step up. And we need you.”
“We cannot give safe harbor or shelter to people who want to just simply kill people. We cannot give them cover,” the mayor said. “They should not feel safe in our community — they should not feel safe anywhere.”
The chief said to the unknown gunmen, “We’re gonna hunt you down and we’re gonna arrest you.”
At least one person at the shooting scene was believed to have been targeted, police said.
Investigators believe the guns used were “converted to fully automatic,” Thurmond told ABC News on Sunday.
Fully automatic weapons “do not belong on the streets,” the chief said Monday.
Gabriel Eslami, who was shot and injured, said he was in a long line outside the lounge when he heard the gunshots.
“There’s bodies on the sidewalk. There’s smoke from the guns,” he told ABC News, describing the scene as like a “horror movie.”
Eslami said his friend rushed him to the hospital.
“I get there, I’m screaming, ‘Help! Help! I’ve been shot, I’ve been shot,'” he said.
“I’m so lucky,” he added.
The names of three of the four people killed have been released by police: 21-year-old Anitra Holloman, 27-year-old Tahj Booker and 27-year-old Carlos McCain.
ABC News’ Stephanie Ramos contributed to this report.
(WASHINGTON) — Housing costs are top of mind for voters across the country, as rising prices force many renters and potential home buyers to empty their pockets.
Nearly half of all renter households were cost-burdened by their rent in 2023 — meaning they spent more than 30% of their income on housing costs, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
And housing costs? They’ve outpaced inflation since the 1960s, rising 2.4 times faster, according to an analysis of housing data published by property advice site Clever Real Estate in March.
The study found that if home prices only kept pace with inflation, the median home could cost about $177,000 instead of the roughly $431,000 it actually costs.
Housing policy was mentioned during Tuesday’s presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, as Harris touted her newly released policy proposals several times.
“We know that we have a shortage of homes and housing, and the cost of housing is too expensive for far too many people,” she said.
When it comes to housing and rent, here’s a look at the policies Harris and Trump have signaled support for if elected in November.
Harris’ proposals
Harris is calling for the construction of 3 million new housing units to address the supply shortage, she said, by proposing a tax incentive for companies who build units to be sold to first-time homebuyers.
The vice president’s proposal also includes a $40 billion fund to support local governments in “innovative methods” of building affordable housing that have proven to be successful, referencing the construction of housing units in Wake County, North Carolina.
She supports the Stop Predatory Investing Act, which is aimed at removing tax benefits for major corporate or Wall Street investors who acquire large numbers of single-family rental homes and mark up prices.
Harris also backs the passage of the Preventing the Algorithmic Facilitation of Rental Housing Cartels Act, which would prohibit the use of algorithmic systems to artificially inflate the price or reduce the supply of leased or rented residential dwelling units.
Additionally, Harris plans to provide $25,000 in down payment support for first-time home buyers, with expanded support for first-generation home owners.
Trump’s proposals
Trump has promised to eliminate certain regulations on the construction of new homes, which he says will help with the cost.
The former president did not say which specific regulations he hopes to eliminate. During his term as president, he signed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in 2017, which lowered the corporate tax rate and created Opportunity Zones, in which people can invest in low-income areas and temporarily defer tax on eligible gains.
Trump also plans to open up portions of federal land for large-scale housing construction.
“These zones will be ultra-low tax and ultra-low regulation,” he said in a Q&A at The Economic Club of New York on Sept. 5.
Trump claimed that undocumented immigrants are behind the rise in housing costs in his policy proposals and speeches, adding that he would ban mortgages for undocumented people. Researchers and officials have attributed rising housing costs to high interest rates, the housing shortage, rent gouging and an increase in construction costs and supply chain constraints to the rising costs.
Trump’s Agenda47, which outlines his plans if he’s elected in November, also notes that he intends to “promote homeownership through Tax Incentives and support for first-time buyers.”
