Austin, TX
Here’s what we know about the flood victims from the Austin area
More than 100 people died in Central Texas after historic flooding over the July Fourth weekend.
Most of the deaths were in Kerr County, two hours west of Austin. That includes roughly two dozen campers attending an all-girls’ Christian camp along the Guadalupe River. At least two of these girls were from Austin.
The Austin area also experienced catastrophic flooding, claiming at least 14 lives. Here’s what we know about the flood victims from Austin and the surrounding towns:
Braxton Jarmon
Braxton Jarmon, 15, was a rising sophomore at Glenn High School in Leander, just north of Austin. The school principal confirmed his death in an email to students and families.
“The void he leaves behind is immense, and he will be deeply missed,” reads an Instagram post on the school’s marching band account.
Linnie McCown
Linnie McCown, 8, was among the 27 campers and counselors at Camp Mystic who died in the Kerrville floods. Her father, Michael McCown, confirmed her death to the Austin American-Statesman. According to the Statesman, he wrote on Instagram that Linnie “filled our hearts with so much joy we cannot begin to explain.”
Linnie had been a student at Casis Elementary. Hundreds of people attended a vigil at the Austin ISD campus Sunday to pray for the flood victims and their families.
Mary Stevens
Eight-year-old Mary Stevens, a camper at Camp Mystic, attended Highland Park Elementary, according to KXAN.
The station reported that Mary’s mother confirmed her death in a social media post.
“Our world is shattered, but I have peace getting your letters and knowing you were having the time of your life at camp and had a dance party with all of your friends before the Lord decided to take you from us,” Stacy Stevens wrote.
Sherry Richardson
Sherry Richardson, 64, was the office manager and human resources director for Hope House, a long-term residential home for children and adults with profound intellectual disabilities in Liberty Hill.
David Gould, the executive director of Hope House, said Richardson “was the glue that kind of held everybody together.” He described her as the “office mom.”
“She was lit up with being able to work on this mission of taking care of kids and giving them the best life ever,” he said.
Gould said Richardson was living in a cabin on the property when it flooded. He said first responders were able to evacuate 12 children and two staff members on the main campus, which is farther from the creek.
He said Richardson’s death is a huge loss for the organization.
“She was the one that set the tone as far as how we’re going to take care of each other and how we are going to be kind and how collectively we’re going to take care of this mission together by taking care of each other,” he said.
Courtesy Betty West family
Betty West
Betty West, 84, was “hilarious and blunt,” two of her children said by phone Tuesday. Sherry McCutcheon said it often took her mom hours just to leave the grocery store because the Austin-area native had friends constantly stopping to chat.
West was living in Sandy Creek, a neighborhood in northwest Travis County that was ravaged by floodwaters early Saturday morning. She was living with her sons, Doug West and Gary Traugott, both of whom are still missing. West did not survive the floods and was found early Saturday, her daughters said.
West had been retired from Texas Instruments for 20 years.
Malaya Hammond
Malaya Hammond was a student at One Day Academy in Marble Falls. Her school confirmed her death in an Instagram post on Monday.
This story will be updated.
Austin, TX
How Texas’ road, bridge conditions compare to other states
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas’ highway system dropped two spots since 2025, and now ranks at No. 27 in the country for its cost-effectiveness and overall conditions, according to the Reason Foundation’s 2026 Highway Report.
The report assessed pavement conditions, fatalities, deficient bridges, infrastructure costs and congestion levels across the United States. Texas earned the following rankings:
- 33rd in urban interstate pavement conditions
- 21st in rural interstate pavement conditions
- 39th in urban arterial pavement conditions
- 12th in rural arterial pavement conditions
- 3rd in structurally deficient bridges
- 26th in urban fatality rate
- 42nd in rural fatality rate
- 41st in traffic congestion
“More than 42,000 of the nation’s 618,923 highway bridges, nearly 7%, are still structurally deficient. Arizona, Nevada, and Texas reported the lowest percentages of deficient bridges,” the report said.
The full report can be found online.
Austin, TX
Storms dump small hail throughout Austin area Saturday
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Small hail peppered the Austin area as strong thunderstorms moved through Saturday.
A few of the storms dropped rain and up to pea-sized hail in San Marcos, Dripping Springs and the Austin metro area.
A Severe Thunderstorm Warning was issued for Williamson County around 8:15 p.m., and then canceled shortly after. However, it was enough for the Two Step Inn music festival in Georgetown to cancel shows for the rest of the evening. Event organizers say the festival will run as planned Sunday.
KXAN’s First Warning Weather team is monitoring the storms. We will update this post as the evening continues.
Austin, TX
Abbott unveils monument dedicated to Texas Revolutionary War soldiers
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Governor Greg Abbott and the Texas Society Sons of the American Revolution unveiled a new monument at the Texas State Cemetery on Saturday, dedicated to Texas Revolutionary War soldiers.
“We must educate every generation about why it is that America grew from a tenuous 13 colonies into the most powerful country in the history of the world,” said Governor Abbott. “This monument here is an enduring testament to the heroes who fought for the freedom that is unique to America.”
The monument was dedicated to 69 soldiers who fought in the American Revolutionary War and later settled in Texas, according to a press release.
Among those that were honored, Abbott recognized:
- José Santiago Seguín, grandfather of Texas Revolutionary hero Juan Seguín.
- Peter Sides, who fought in the 2nd Battalion of the North Carolina Regiment of the Colonial Army, and was later killed in the 1813 Battle of Medina, fighting for Mexican independence against Spain.
- Antonio Gil Y’Barbo, the founder of Nacogdoches.
- William Sparks, who fought as a mounted rifleman in the American Revolution and later settled in Texas. He had two sons and two grandsons who fought in the Texas Revolution.
“This year marks the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, which not only gave freedom to the British colonies of North America, but inspired movements for freedom and liberty all over the world,” said TSSAR President Mel Oller. “Texans played a role in the war too, and it’s important to recognize them, and the sacrifices they made for our freedom.”
At the monument unveiling, Abbott was also inducted into the Sons of the American Revolution and received its Silver Good Citizenship Medal.
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