South
Hail cripples massive solar farm, sparking resident concern about vulnerable 'green' tech
An onslaught of hail in southeastern Texas that destroyed large portions of a massive solar farm is highlighting the perils of trading traditional power sources for vulnerable “green” alternatives and sparking concern about the potential for chemical leaks from the broken panels.
Aerial footage captured the significant damage suffered by the Fighting Jays Solar farm in Fort Bend County, Texas. The March 15 storm shattered hundreds of panels and prompted a nearby resident to question if the solar panels were leaking chemicals such as cadmium telluride, which is linked to serious health risks in humans.
“My concern is the hail damage that came through and busted these panels – we now have some highly toxic chemicals that could be potentially leaking into our water tables,” Needville resident Nick Kaminski told Fox affiliate KRIV-TV. “I have a family — two children and a wife. My neighbors have kids and a lot of other residents in the area who are on well water are concerned that the chemicals are now leaking into our water tables.”
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Images captured by Fox affiliate FOX26 Houston KRIV show extensive damage to Fighting Jays Solar in Fort Bend County, Texas. (FOX26 Houston KRIV)
The Fort Bend County Environmental Health Department is investigating the incident and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has also been contacted regarding any potential chemical contamination, Needville Mayor Chad Nesvadba told Fox News Digital. Fort Bend County officials didn’t respond to multiple requests for comment.
Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, represents the community surrounding the solar farm and is engaged with those whose homes, businesses and property were destroyed by the storm, according to spokesperson Emily Matthews, who noted the incident underscores the importance of an “all-of-the-above” approach to energy policy.
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“As far as solar farms being damaged where hail and tornadoes are common, those companies knowingly run the risk of building solar panel farms in these areas,” Matthews told Fox News Digital. “Events like this underscore the importance of having an all-of-the-above energy approach to meet our energy needs and showcase how our country cannot solely rely on or fully transition to renewable energy sources like this.”
Denmark-based Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, the parent company of the Fighting Jays Solar project’s developer, AP Solar Holdings, confirmed the storm had taken out much of the farm, but there was currently no risk to the nearby community of chemical exposure.
Local resident Nick Kaminski is interviewed by Fox affiliate FOX26 Houston KRIV. (FOX26 Houston KRIV)
“On March 15th, a hailstorm caused solar panel damage to Fighting Jays Solar, a 350 MW project located in Fort Bend County, Texas,” CIP told Fox News Digital in a statement. “We are currently assessing the extent of the impact of the storm on the generation of the project, while the plant continues to safely operate at a reduced capacity.”
It added: “The silicon-based panels contain no cadmium telluride and we have identified no risk to the local community or the environment.”
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The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which oversees the state’s power grid, said it was aware of the situation, but had not identified any grid reliability concerns. The Texas Public Utilities Commission added that it has yet to receive any reports about the incident.
Still, Daniel Turner, the executive director of energy watchdog group Power the Future, said the storm’s impact could foreshadow future threats to the U.S. power grid if the nation transitions to a heavy reliance on solar energy.
Rep. Troy Nehls, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials, appears during a hearing on June 6, 2023. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
“There’s this enormous shell game happening by the Biden administration, by the environmental left, presenting wind and solar as perfectly green, clean, and carbon-neutral,” Turner told Fox News Digital. “They use all of these buzzwords. But they’re none of that and they also have enormous drawbacks. And it’s doing the American people a great disservice to obfuscate these very obvious shortcomings.”
He noted that, because solar panels are largely manufactured in China, the destruction of solar farms could be leveraged in geopolitical disputes between the U.S. and China.
“Why would we expect them to race to our aid when our grid is down nationwide, and they are the ones holding the goods that we need to get back up?” Turner said.
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Fighting Jays Solar came online in July 2022 and spans more than 3,000 acres, according to AP Solar Holdings. It is located about 40 miles from downtown Houston.
The destruction of the project, meanwhile, comes as the nation broadly races to replace existing fossil fuel power with green energy alternatives. But those plans have been criticized by experts who warn of those energy sources’ reliance on certain windy and sunny weather conditions.
Kentucky
Kentucky Cares, Lexington Humane Society offer free pet food after floods
LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – Kentucky Cares has partnered with the Lexington Humane Society to offer free pet food to residents affected by recent flooding.
The nonprofit said it is focused on providing family-friendly service opportunities to anyone who needs them across Central Kentucky.
Players with Kentucky Baseball Club volunteered to distribute food to pet owners in need on Monday.
One volunteer said the experience was meaningful.
“Just happy to help people who can’t afford food for their animals and glad to help animals that sometimes don’t get to eat every day,” Clayton Johnson said. “It just feels good.”
A representative with Kentucky Cares said the event reflected the value of community service for young people.
“We’re just really thankful to them,” said executive director Madison Carey said. “I think we all feel better when we serve and this is a really great example of how kids can have fun and help others at the same time.”
Copyright 2026 WKYT. All rights reserved.
Louisiana
Louisiana man sentenced in child sex crimes case involving dolls now banned by state law
BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – A 53-year-old Louisiana man will serve 22 years in prison following a child sex crimes case that included possession of handmade childlike sex dolls — items that state lawmakers have since moved to ban.
Sabine Parish prosecutors say Yancy Elie Normand was sentenced after investigators received a tip that he forced someone to view child sexual abuse material. A search of his home allegedly uncovered more than 200 illegal files — including child sexual abuse material and bestiality — along with two handmade childlike sex dolls.
New state law bans child sex dolls
Louisiana lawmakers passed a law banning the possession, trafficking, and importation of child sex dolls statewide in 2024. State Sen. Beth Mizell said the push began after conversations with Homeland Security about human trafficking during the Super Bowl in New Orleans, at a time when the state had no specific law covering the dolls. The measure passed with near-unanimous support.
“I think the importance is that it’s a precursor to actual crimes against children,” Mizell said.
Mizell said the issue extends well beyond Louisiana’s borders.
“It’s a nationwide problem…when you look at just the volume of child abuse cases, to the point where our Attorney General now has multiple task forces in place all over the state,” Mizell said.
Task force expands statewide reach
The Louisiana Attorney General’s Office says protecting children remains the focus of its Louisiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Supervisory Special Agent Chris Masters leads the group, which now includes more than 80 agencies and 250 detectives.
Masters said the dolls are often misunderstood by the public.
“When people hear sex doll, they think of the blow-up thing. These things are thousands of dollars, and they’re anatomically appropriate to a child,” Masters said. “They’re gonna look like a child. It’s not just what you think on TV.”
Masters said coordination across agencies is essential to the task force’s work.
“It’s completely impossible if law enforcement is not together on the same page with the same type of training, the same access, the same type of equipment,” Masters said. “We can tend to continue expanding our partnerships until there is no safe haven for any sex predator or child predator in this state.”
Lawmakers urge parents to monitor children’s online activity
Mizell said the volume of harmful material accessible online makes parental awareness critical.
“You have access to abhorrent material online in your hand all day, every day,” Mizell said. “Pay attention. Don’t be afraid to look at your child’s phone.”
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Maryland
Maryland man sentenced for making online threats toward Black and Muslim communities
A Maryland man was sentenced to 15 months in prison for making online threats toward Black and Muslim communities and politicians.
Raymond Pumphrey, 47, from Brooklyn, Maryland, pleaded guilty to making threats transmitted by interstate communication with the cybercrime, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland announced.
Social media sites used for hateful comments
Pumphrey made threatening posts on the social media platform YouTube and other social media sites, according to the guilty plea. He commented primarily on news stories.
According to court records, he used the social media platforms for hateful rhetoric, particularly attacking Black and Muslim communities. He threatened to participate in the killing of Black multiple large cities across the country.
Pumphrey also threatened to kill multiple politicians and members of their families.
CAIR Maryland responds to sentencing
The Maryland Office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR Maryland) applauded the court’s sentencing. The organization condemned the threats, saying that “threats of violence targeting minority communities would not be tolerated.”
“We welcome today’s sentence as another important step toward accountability for those who use online platforms to target Black, Muslim, and other vulnerable communities,” CAIR Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry stated. “Hate-filled threats are not protected expressions of opinion. They are criminal acts that inflict real fear, undermine public safety, and can inspire acts of violence.
Chaudry continued, “We thank federal prosecutors and law enforcement agencies for pursuing this case and demonstrating that those who target minority communities with threats of violence will face serious consequences. At a time when hate incidents continue to impact communities across our nation, it is essential that authorities respond swiftly and decisively.”
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