White House Nominates Science Adviser

President Trump has nominated Dr. Kelvin Droegemeier, a meteorologist and Vice President for Research at the University of Oklahoma, to be the Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. If confirmed by the Senate, Dr. Droegemeier will serve as the President's chief science adviser.

U.S. Senate votes to extend federal flood insurance program; critics urge private alternative

On the day it was scheduled to expire, the U.S. Senate voted Tuesday to extend the National Flood Insurance Program for four months through Nov. 30. The bipartisan vote for the extension was 86 to 12. Louisiana Congressman Steve Scalise authored the bill that also passed in the U.S. House of Representatives, 366 to 52. It now heads to President Donald Trump for his signature or veto.

Colorado cleans up after storm spawns at least 3 tornadoes

This Sunday, July 29, 2018, photo provided by Colorado Sen. Cory Gardner shows damage from a storm just after it hit the area near Brush, Colo. People on the plains of northeastern Colorado were cleaning up Monday from a powerful storm that swept through the state, ripping off roofs, flipping trucks and damaging crops.

The Daily 202: Puerto Ricans who fled to Florida after…

Hurricane Maria ravaged Puerto Rico last September and prompted a mass exodus of more than 100,000 residents to the mainland United States. The Category 4 storm destroyed much of the island's infrastructure, which was already decaying and crumbling amidst a financial crisis and a bankrupt territorial government.

Today in History: July 23, 2018

Today's Highlight in History: On July 23, 1829, William Austin Burt received a patent for his "typographer," a forerunner of the typewriter. In 1885, Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th president of the United States, died in Mount McGregor, New York, at age 63. In 1914, Austria-Hungary presented a list of demands to Serbia following the killing of Archduke Franz Ferdinand by a Serb assassin; Serbia's refusal to agree to the entire ultimatum led to the outbreak of World War I. In 1945, French Marshal Henri Petain, who had headed the pro-Axis Vichy government during World War II, went on trial, charged with treason.

Flooding Could Severely Damage Internet Infrastructure by 2035

US engineers have identified a problem nobody had ever expected to confront so soon: the approach of the flooded internet, caused by worldwide sea level rise. Within 15 years seawater could be lapping over buried fibre optic cables in New York, Seattle, Miami and other US coastal cities, according to a new study.

Senator meets with Crossroads leaders for Harvey recovery update

Sen. Ted Cruz met with leaders from throughout the Crossroads on Saturday afternoon to receive an update on Hurricane Harvey recovery efforts. Victoria County Judge Ben Zeller said Cruz reached out to him to set up a roundtable discussion in Victoria in order to get a better idea of what challenges residents continue to face almost a year after Hurricane Harvey struck the area.

It could take a year to get answers on the duck boat tragedy, official says

The investigation into the sinking of a duck boat that killed 17 people in southwestern Missouri --- including nine from one family -- could take up to a year to complete, the National Transportation Safety Board said. The Ride the Ducks Branson amphibious tour boat had 31 aboard when it sank Thursday evening during an intense squall on Table Rock Lake near Branson.

Puerto Rico Morgue Moved Cadavers at 4 a.m. Amid Rising Scrutiny

Puerto Rico 's beleaguered forensic sciences department moved two corpses from stop-gap refrigerator trailers in the early hours of Tuesday, after there were complaints about a foul odor and before federal inspectors arrived. The grisly episode sheds new light on the challenges at the morgue, which has become a symbol of dysfunction in the bankrupt commonwealth .

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers resumes Lake Okeechobee discharges Friday

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers resumed releasing water Friday morning from Lake Okeechobee into the St. Lucie Estua... The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers resumed releasing water Friday morning from Lake Okeechobee into the St. Lucie Estuary after discharges were suspended over that last few days. The Corps said in a written statement the water level in the lake is approaching 14.5 feet, up 1.65 feet from its 2018 low in May. "We will implement pulse releases with variable flows that simulate rainfall events in an effort to reduce some of the environmental impacts, said Jacksonville District Commander Col.