NPR News: 07-13-2025 4AM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now: July 13, 2025, 4AM EDT – Episode Summary

Host: Dale Willman
Release Date: July 13, 2025

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Tragic Floods in Central Texas: Counselor Found

At the beginning of the episode, Dale Willman reports the harrowing discovery of the remains of counselor Catherine Ferruzzo amidst the devastating July 4th floods in Central Texas. The floods along the Guadalupe River resulted in the loss of at least 128 lives, with 160 individuals still missing.

Celia Aranda provides a poignant account from Kerrville's Water Street, highlighting a makeshift memorial adorned with photographs of the victims. Ferruzzo, a 19-year-old recent graduate from Memorial High School in Houston, had aspirations to attend the University of Texas at Austin and become a special education teacher. Her family has announced the establishment of a foundation in her honor to support individuals with special needs and learning differences.

Quote:
Celia Aranda (00:37): “The family sets it's launching a foundation in her name for those with special needs and learning differences.”

Timestamp: [00:11 – 01:19]

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Environmental Concerns: Flood Watch and Wildfires

Dale Willman updates listeners on the environmental challenges facing Texas and Colorado. A flood watch remains in effect for the Texas Hill Country until Sunday night, indicating ongoing risks from severe weather conditions. Concurrently, the South Rim Fire in western Colorado has expanded to over 3,000 acres, posing a significant threat to the Bostwick Park community in Montrose and leading to the closure of Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. As of now, the fire remains completely uncontained.

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Controversy at the Everglades Immigration Center

A bipartisan congressional tour of the new Everglades Immigration Center has sparked debate. Dale Willman outlines the differing perceptions between Republicans and Democrats regarding the facility's conditions.

Republican Perspective:
Republican members observed the center as "a clean and well-run facility."

Democratic Concerns:
Conversely, Democrats criticized the center, citing inadequate and unhealthy food options for detainees. An unnamed reporter details the disparity in meal portions between employees and detainees:

Quote:
Unnamed Reporter (01:55): “The portions available for employees, large pieces of roast chicken, large sausages and the detainees lunches were a small turkey and cheese, gray turkey and cheese sandwich, an apple and chips.”

Additionally, Democrats raised alarms about overcrowded, unsanitary, and bug-infested conditions within the facility.

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Tragic Incident in the West Bank: U.S. Citizen Killed

Dale Willman reports on a fatal incident in the occupied West Bank where Palestinian health officials confirmed that Israeli settlers killed Sayfullah Mislet, a 21-year-old U.S. citizen born in Florida. The incident occurred in the village of Sinjil amid heightened tensions between Palestinians and Israelis.

Hadil Al Shalchi of NPR provides further insights:

Quote:
Hadil Al Shalchi (02:29): “Israeli officials rarely prosecute offenders, and when they do, a very small percentage end in conviction.”

Mislet's family expressed disappointment over the lack of action from the U.S. government, drawing parallels to a previous incident in April involving a 14-year-old Palestinian American killed by Israeli forces.

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Escalation of the Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Dale Willman highlights Russia's intensified bombing campaign against Ukraine, which involved launching nearly 600 drones and missiles targeting multiple regions. Ukrainian authorities report approximately six fatalities and dozens of injuries resulting from the attacks. Ukraine's air force claims success in intercepting or jamming the majority of the incoming threats.

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U.S. Political Spotlight: Hakeem Jeffries Opposes Medicaid Cuts

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries vocally opposes the substantial Medicaid reductions included in the recently passed Trump budget bill. Drew Hawkins from the Gulf States Newsroom reports on Jeffries' remarks at Crescent Care, a federally qualified health center in New Orleans.

Quote:
Hakeem Jeffries (03:57): “The one big ugly bill that has been jammed down the throats of the American people represents the largest assault on Medicaid and health care in American history.”

The legislation entails over a trillion dollars in healthcare cuts, potentially stripping coverage from 17 million Americans. Clinics like Crescent Care are bracing to operate with significantly reduced resources, despite Republican justifications that aim to curb waste and fraud.

Timestamp: [03:10 – 04:28]

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Sports Update: Rory McIlroy at the Scottish Masters

Concluding the episode, Dale Willman reports on Rory McIlroy's performance at the Scottish Masters golf tournament. Tied for first place with Chris Goddarup, who set a course record by shooting a 61 in his opening round, McIlroy is optimistic about maintaining his top form with just one round remaining in the competition.

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Note: Advertisements from Capital One and Warby Parker were omitted in accordance with the summary guidelines.

Transcript

[Capital One]

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[Dale Willman]

[e-mail] Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Willman. The remains of the last missing counselor from Camp mystic have been found by a search and recovery team in Central Texas where at least 128 people have died and 160 people remain missing. Saly Runda of Texas Public Radio reports that counselor Catherine Ferruzzo d in the July 4th floods along with at least 28 others from the all girls camp on the Guadalupe River.

[Celia Aranda]

A growing makeshift memorial sits on Kerrville's Water Street a few hundred feet away from the river. One of the many pictures on the flower covered chain link fence is that of 19 year old Catherine Ferruzzo. In a statement, the Ferruzzo family said her remains were found on Friday and they thinked the search and rescue team. She was a recent graduate of Memorial High School in the Houston area and had planned to attend the University of Texas at Austin and eventually become a special education teacher. The family sets it's launching a foundation in her name for those with special needs and learning differences. I'm Celia Aranda in Kerrville, Texas.

[Dale Willman]

A flood watch, meanwhile, is in effect for the Texas Hill country until Sunday night. The South Rim Fire in western Colorado has now reached more than 3,000 acres in size. It's threatening the Bostwick park community in Montrose and it has forced the closing of Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. That fire is so far completely uncontained. There's more controversy surrounding the new Everglades Immigration Center. A bipartisan group of Congress members toured the facility on Saturday. Afterward, Republicans said they saw a clean and well run facility, but Democrats disagreed. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida says the diet for detainees is not healthy.

[Unnamed Reporter]

The portions available for employees, large pieces of roast chicken, large sausages and the detainees lunches were a small turkey and cheese, gray turkey and cheese sandwich, an apple and chips.

[Dale Willman]

Democrats also said conditions in the facility were crowded, unsanitary and bug infested. Palestinian health officials say Israeli settlers in the occupied west bank have killed a Palestinian U.S. citizen. NPR's Hadil Al Shalchi reports from Tel Aviv.

[Hadil Al Shalchi]

21 year old Sayfullah Mislet was born in Florida and visiting family in the occupied West Bank. Israeli settlers beat him to death in the village of Sinjil, according to a municipality official. A US Embassy spokesperson confirmed Maslit's death. The Israeli military said that a confrontation broke out between Palestinians and Israelis there and it was investigating reports of a Palestinian civilian killed. Israeli officials rarely prosecute offenders, and when they do, a very small percentage end in conviction. In April, a 14 year old Palestinian American was killed by Israeli forces in Turmo Saiya. Family members said there has been no action taken by the US Government. Hadil Al Shalchi, NPR News, Tel Aviv.

[Dale Willman]

And you're listening to NPR News. Russia is intensifying its bombing campaign on Ukraine. It sent hundreds of drones and missiles Friday night and Saturday morning aimed at many regions of the country. Officials in Ukraine say it approximately six people were killed in the attack and dozens of others were wounded. Ukraine's air force says it intercepted or jammed most of the almost 600 drones and cruise missiles launched by Russia. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries continues to rail against sweeping Medicaid cuts in the recently passed Trump budget bill. As the Gulf States Newsroom's Drew Hawkins reports, Jeffries says more hospitals and clinics will struggle to treat the uninsured.

[Drew Hawkins]

Speaking at Crescent Care, a federally qualified health center in New Orleans, Jeffries said the newly signed law represents a massive rollb of public health coverage.

[Hakeem Jeffries]

The one big ugly bill that has been jammed down the throats of the American people represents the largest assault on Medicaid and health care in American history.

[Drew Hawkins]

The law includes over a trillion dollars in health care cuts. Nationally, 17 million people could lose coverage, and clinics like Crescent Care say they'll be forced to do more with less. Republicans say the intent is to reduce waste and fraud. For NPR News, I'm Drew Hawkins in New Orleans.

[Dale Willman]

Rory McIlroy is tied for first at the Scottish Masters golf tournament underway this weekend. He won the Masters in April, but he's been performing sluggishly ever since then. He now says he's back to his normal form with one round left. He's tied with Chris Goddarup, who shot a course record tying 61 in his first round on Thursday. I'm Dale Wilman, NPR News.

[Warby Parker]

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