LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — The death toll has risen to 80 as a result of the wildfires that decimated parts of the island of Maui this past week, officials in Hawaii said Friday.

The number of confirmed fatalities in the 9 p.m. announcement by the County of Maui increased from the previous figure of 67.

Gov. Josh Green had previously warned the death toll would likely rise as search and rescue operations continue. Authorities set a curfew from 10 p.m. until 6 a.m. Saturday.

“The recovery’s going to be extraordinarily complicated, but we do want people to get back to their homes and just do what they can to assess safely, because it’s pretty dangerous,” Green told Hawaii News Now.

Cadaver-sniffing dogs were deployed to search for the dead, Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen Jr. said.

Blackened hulks of burned-out cars, the pavement streaked with melted and then rehardened chrome. Block after block of flattened homes and businesses. Incinerated telephone poles and elevator shafts rising from ashy lots where apartment buildings once stood. A truck bed full of glass bottles, warped into surreal shapes by the furious heat.

Anthony Garcia assessed the devastation as he stood under&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfire-hawaii-lahaina-historic-kindom-capital-396463f6eba6580bfc80d75538b0adf3">Lahaina’s</a>&nbsp;iconic banyan tree, now charred, and swept twisted branches into neat piles next to another heap filled with dead animals: cats, roosters and other birds killed by the smoke and flames. Somehow it made sense in a world turned upside-down.

“If I don’t do something, I’ll go nuts,” said Garcia, who lost everything he owned. “I’m losing my faith in God.”

Garcia and other residents were faced with widespread destruction as they took stock of their shattered homes and lives Friday resulting from the wildfires that tore through parts of Maui this week and were still short of full containment.

A new fire Friday evening triggered the evacuation of Kaanapali in West Maui, a community northeast of the area that burned earlier, the Maui Police Department announced on social media.

The fire, which was completely extinguished before 8:30 p.m., occurred in an area where a county fueling station was set up to distribute about 3,000 gallons (11,356 liters) of gasoline and 500 gallons (1,892 liters) of diesel fuel for about 400 waiting vehicles. Fuel would not be distributed on Saturday, the county said in a statement.

Attorney General Anne Lopez announced plans to conduct a comprehensive review of decision-making and standing policies impacting the response to the deadly wildfires.

“My Department is committed to understanding the decisions that were made before and during the wildfires and to sharing with the public the results of this review,” Lopez said in a statement.

The wildfires are the state’s deadliest natural disaster in decades, surpassing a 1960 tsunami that killed 61 people. An even deadlier tsunami in 1946, which killed more than 150 on the Big Island, prompted development of a territory-wide emergency system with sirens that are tested monthly.

Many fire survivors said they didn’t hear any sirens or receive a warning giving them enough time to prepare, realizing they were in danger only when they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/live-updates-maui-fire-hawaii-wildfire-162a9fcdefe648d6bcd6557af70d894f">saw flames or heard explosions</a>.

“There was no warning," said Lynn Robinson, who lost her home.

Hawaii emergency management records do no indicate warning sirens sounded before people had to run for their lives. Officials sent alerts to mobile phones, televisions and radio stations, but widespread power and cellular outages may have limited their reach.

Fueled by a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-wildfires-climate-change-92c0930be7c28ec9ac71392a83c87582">dry summer</a>&nbsp;and strong winds from a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-wildfire-maui-dora-winds-ec23c16abfbeb6ba689f1a98263720db">passing hurricane</a>, at least three wildfires erupted on Maui, racing through parched brush covering the island.

The most serious blaze swept into Lahaina on Tuesday and left a grid of gray rubble wedged between the blue ocean and lush green slopes. Associated Press journalists found the devastation included nearly every building on Front Street, the heart of historic Lahaina and the economic hub of Maui.

There was an eerie traffic jam of charred cars that didn’t escape the inferno as surviving roosters meandered through the ashes. Skeletal remains of buildings bowed under roofs that pancaked in the blaze. Palm trees were torched, boats in the harbor were scorched and the stench of burning lingered.

“It hit so quick, it was incredible,” Kyle Scharnhorst said as he surveyed his damaged apartment complex.

Summer and Gilles Gerling sought to salvage keepsakes from the ashes of their home. All they could find was the piggy bank Summer Gerling’s father gave her as a child, their daughter’s jade bracelet and watches they gifted each other for their wedding. Their wedding rings were gone.

They described their fear as the strong wind whipped the smoke and flames closer, but said they were happy to have made it out alive with their two children.

“Safety was the main concern. These are all material things,” Gilles Gerling said.

The wildfire is already projected to be the second-costliest disaster in Hawaii history, behind only Hurricane Iniki in 1992, according to disaster and risk modeling firm Karen Clark &amp; Company. The fire is the deadliest in the U.S. since the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-business-environment-and-nature-gavin-newsom-paradise-dbae2ef725b32d91ff4c612de38f01e2">2018 Camp Fire</a>&nbsp;in California, which killed at least 85 people and destroyed the town of Paradise.

The danger on Maui was well known. Maui County’s hazard mitigation plan updated in 2020 identified Lahaina and other West Maui communities as having frequent wildfires and several buildings at risk. The report also noted West Maui had the island’s second-highest rate of households without a vehicle and the highest rate of non-English speakers.

“This may limit the population’s ability to receive, understand and take expedient action during hazard events,” the plan stated.

Maui’s firefighting efforts may have been hampered by limited staff and equipment.

Bobby Lee, president of the Hawaii Firefighters Association, said there are a maximum of 65 county firefighters working at any given time with responsibility for three islands: Maui, Molokai and Lanai.

The department has about 13 fire engines and two ladder trucks, but no off-road vehicles to thoroughly attack brush fires before they reach roads or populated areas, he said.

Maui water officials warned Kula and Lahaina residents not to drink running water, which may be contaminated even after boiling, and to only take short, lukewarm showers in well-ventilated rooms to avoid possible chemical vapor exposure.

Andrew Whelton, a Purdue University engineering professor whose team assisted with the Camp Fire and Colorado's 2021 Marshall Fire, said showering in water potentially containing hazardous waste levels of benzene is not advisable and a do-not-use order would be appropriate until analysis is complete.

Lahaina resident Lana Vierra, who filled out FEMA assistance forms Friday at a relative’s house, fled Tuesday and was eager to return, despite knowing the home where she raised five children and treasured items like baby pictures and yearbooks were gone.

“To actually stand there on your burnt grounds and get your wheels turning on how to move forward — I think it will give families that peace," she said.

Riley Curran said he fled his Front Street home after climbing up a neighboring building to get a better look. He doubts county officials could have done more due to the speed of the onrushing flames.

“It’s not that people didn’t try to do anything," Curran said. “The fire went from 0 to 100.”

Curran had seen horrendous wildfires growing up in California, but “I’ve never seen one eat an entire town in four hours.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691662929011.png" alt="mage taken from a helicopter shows the vast destruction of Lahaina, a historic town in Hawaii. Courtesy: Vince Carter/Air Maui" />
 <figcaption>mage taken from a helicopter shows the vast destruction of Lahaina, a historic town in Hawaii. Courtesy: Vince Carter/Air Maui</figcaption>
 </figure>LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — The death toll has risen to 80 as a result of the wildfires that decimated parts of the island of Maui this past week, officials in Hawaii said Friday.The number of confirmed fatalities in the 9 p.m. announcement by the County of Maui increased from the previous figure of 67.Gov. Josh Green had previously warned the death toll would likely rise as search and rescue operations continue. Authorities set a curfew from 10 p.m. until 6 a.m. Saturday.“The recovery’s going to be extraordinarily complicated, but we do want people to get back to their homes and just do what they can to assess safely, because it’s pretty dangerous,” Green told Hawaii News Now.Cadaver-sniffing dogs were deployed to search for the dead, Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen Jr. said.Blackened hulks of burned-out cars, the pavement streaked with melted and then rehardened chrome. Block after block of flattened homes and businesses. Incinerated telephone poles and elevator shafts rising from ashy lots where apartment buildings once stood. A truck bed full of glass bottles, warped into surreal shapes by the furious heat.Anthony Garcia assessed the devastation as he stood under&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfire-hawaii-lahaina-historic-kindom-capital-396463f6eba6580bfc80d75538b0adf3">Lahaina’s</a>&nbsp;iconic banyan tree, now charred, and swept twisted branches into neat piles next to another heap filled with dead animals: cats, roosters and other birds killed by the smoke and flames. Somehow it made sense in a world turned upside-down.“If I don’t do something, I’ll go nuts,” said Garcia, who lost everything he owned. “I’m losing my faith in God.”Garcia and other residents were faced with widespread destruction as they took stock of their shattered homes and lives Friday resulting from the wildfires that tore through parts of Maui this week and were still short of full containment.A new fire Friday evening triggered the evacuation of Kaanapali in West Maui, a community northeast of the area that burned earlier, the Maui Police Department announced on social media.The fire, which was completely extinguished before 8:30 p.m., occurred in an area where a county fueling station was set up to distribute about 3,000 gallons (11,356 liters) of gasoline and 500 gallons (1,892 liters) of diesel fuel for about 400 waiting vehicles. Fuel would not be distributed on Saturday, the county said in a statement.Attorney General Anne Lopez announced plans to conduct a comprehensive review of decision-making and standing policies impacting the response to the deadly wildfires.“My Department is committed to understanding the decisions that were made before and during the wildfires and to sharing with the public the results of this review,” Lopez said in a statement.The wildfires are the state’s deadliest natural disaster in decades, surpassing a 1960 tsunami that killed 61 people. An even deadlier tsunami in 1946, which killed more than 150 on the Big Island, prompted development of a territory-wide emergency system with sirens that are tested monthly.Many fire survivors said they didn’t hear any sirens or receive a warning giving them enough time to prepare, realizing they were in danger only when they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/live-updates-maui-fire-hawaii-wildfire-162a9fcdefe648d6bcd6557af70d894f">saw flames or heard explosions</a>.“There was no warning," said Lynn Robinson, who lost her home.Hawaii emergency management records do no indicate warning sirens sounded before people had to run for their lives. Officials sent alerts to mobile phones, televisions and radio stations, but widespread power and cellular outages may have limited their reach.Fueled by a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-wildfires-climate-change-92c0930be7c28ec9ac71392a83c87582">dry summer</a>&nbsp;and strong winds from a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-wildfire-maui-dora-winds-ec23c16abfbeb6ba689f1a98263720db">passing hurricane</a>, at least three wildfires erupted on Maui, racing through parched brush covering the island.The most serious blaze swept into Lahaina on Tuesday and left a grid of gray rubble wedged between the blue ocean and lush green slopes. Associated Press journalists found the devastation included nearly every building on Front Street, the heart of historic Lahaina and the economic hub of Maui.There was an eerie traffic jam of charred cars that didn’t escape the inferno as surviving roosters meandered through the ashes. Skeletal remains of buildings bowed under roofs that pancaked in the blaze. Palm trees were torched, boats in the harbor were scorched and the stench of burning lingered.“It hit so quick, it was incredible,” Kyle Scharnhorst said as he surveyed his damaged apartment complex.Summer and Gilles Gerling sought to salvage keepsakes from the ashes of their home. All they could find was the piggy bank Summer Gerling’s father gave her as a child, their daughter’s jade bracelet and watches they gifted each other for their wedding. Their wedding rings were gone.They described their fear as the strong wind whipped the smoke and flames closer, but said they were happy to have made it out alive with their two children.“Safety was the main concern. These are all material things,” Gilles Gerling said.The wildfire is already projected to be the second-costliest disaster in Hawaii history, behind only Hurricane Iniki in 1992, according to disaster and risk modeling firm Karen Clark &amp; Company. The fire is the deadliest in the U.S. since the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-business-environment-and-nature-gavin-newsom-paradise-dbae2ef725b32d91ff4c612de38f01e2">2018 Camp Fire</a>&nbsp;in California, which killed at least 85 people and destroyed the town of Paradise.The danger on Maui was well known. Maui County’s hazard mitigation plan updated in 2020 identified Lahaina and other West Maui communities as having frequent wildfires and several buildings at risk. The report also noted West Maui had the island’s second-highest rate of households without a vehicle and the highest rate of non-English speakers.“This may limit the population’s ability to receive, understand and take expedient action during hazard events,” the plan stated.Maui’s firefighting efforts may have been hampered by limited staff and equipment.Bobby Lee, president of the Hawaii Firefighters Association, said there are a maximum of 65 county firefighters working at any given time with responsibility for three islands: Maui, Molokai and Lanai.The department has about 13 fire engines and two ladder trucks, but no off-road vehicles to thoroughly attack brush fires before they reach roads or populated areas, he said.Maui water officials warned Kula and Lahaina residents not to drink running water, which may be contaminated even after boiling, and to only take short, lukewarm showers in well-ventilated rooms to avoid possible chemical vapor exposure.Andrew Whelton, a Purdue University engineering professor whose team assisted with the Camp Fire and Colorado's 2021 Marshall Fire, said showering in water potentially containing hazardous waste levels of benzene is not advisable and a do-not-use order would be appropriate until analysis is complete.Lahaina resident Lana Vierra, who filled out FEMA assistance forms Friday at a relative’s house, fled Tuesday and was eager to return, despite knowing the home where she raised five children and treasured items like baby pictures and yearbooks were gone.“To actually stand there on your burnt grounds and get your wheels turning on how to move forward — I think it will give families that peace," she said.Riley Curran said he fled his Front Street home after climbing up a neighboring building to get a better look. He doubts county officials could have done more due to the speed of the onrushing flames.“It’s not that people didn’t try to do anything," Curran said. “The fire went from 0 to 100.”Curran had seen horrendous wildfires growing up in California, but “I’ve never seen one eat an entire town in four hours.”___

Death toll from Maui wildfires rises as survivors return to communities in ruins

WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Friday he has appointed a special counsel in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/robert-hunter-biden">Hunter Biden</a>&nbsp;probe, deepening the investigation of the president's son ahead of the 2024 election.

Garland said he was naming David Weiss, the U.S. attorney in Delaware who has been probing the financial and business dealings of the president's son, as the special counsel.

Just as his appointment as special counsel was announced, Weiss notified a federal judge in Delaware that plea deal talks in the Hunter Biden case were at an “impasse.”

Garland noted the “extraordinary circumstances” of the matter as he made the announcement at the Justice Department. He said that Weiss asked to be appointed to the position and told him that “in his judgment, his investigation has reached a stage at which he should continue his work as a special counsel."

“Upon considering his request, as well as the extraordinary circumstances relating to this matter, I have concluded it is in the public interest to appoint him as special counsel,” Garland said.

The move is a momentous development from the typically cautious Garland and comes amid a pair of sweeping Justice Department probes into Donald Trump, the former president, and President Joe Biden's chief rival in next year's election.

It also comes as House Republicans are mounting their own investigation into Hunter Biden’s business dealings.

Last month, Hunter Biden’s plea deal over tax evasion collapsed after U.S. District Court Judge Maryellen Noreika, who was appointed by President Donald Trump,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-plea-deal-taxes-gun-drugs-690d38f1ffae4dfce2c171d21e7d3594">raised multiple concerns</a>&nbsp;about the specifics.

Republicans had derided that agreement as a “sweetheart” deal as they pushed their own probe.

The Republicans claimed Weiss was being blocked from becoming a special counsel a claim he and the Justice Department denied.

By being named special counsel Weiss will have broader authority to conduct a more sweeping investigation across various areas.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Friday he has appointed a special counsel in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/robert-hunter-biden">Hunter Biden</a>&nbsp;probe, deepening the investigation of the president's son ahead of the 2024 election.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Attorney General announces appointment of David Weiss as Special Counsel: &quot;Beginning in 2019, Mr. Weiss in his capacity as U.S. Attorney...began investigating allegations of certain criminal conduct by, among others, Robert Hunter Biden...that investigation remains ongoing.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/eeAdVtBAxX">pic.twitter.com/eeAdVtBAxX</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1690040363329761294?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Garland said he was naming David Weiss, the U.S. attorney in Delaware who has been probing the financial and business dealings of the president's son, as the special counsel.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">This action by Biden’s DOJ cannot be used to obstruct congressional investigations or whitewash the Biden family corruption. If Weiss negotiated the sweetheart deal that couldn’t get approved, how can he be trusted as a Special Counsel? House Republicans will continue to pursue…&mdash; Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerMcCarthy/status/1690049403824807939?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Just as his appointment as special counsel was announced, Weiss notified a federal judge in Delaware that plea deal talks in the Hunter Biden case were at an “impasse.”Garland noted the “extraordinary circumstances” of the matter as he made the announcement at the Justice Department. He said that Weiss asked to be appointed to the position and told him that “in his judgment, his investigation has reached a stage at which he should continue his work as a special counsel."“Upon considering his request, as well as the extraordinary circumstances relating to this matter, I have concluded it is in the public interest to appoint him as special counsel,” Garland said.The move is a momentous development from the typically cautious Garland and comes amid a pair of sweeping Justice Department probes into Donald Trump, the former president, and President Joe Biden's chief rival in next year's election.It also comes as House Republicans are mounting their own investigation into Hunter Biden’s business dealings.Last month, Hunter Biden’s plea deal over tax evasion collapsed after U.S. District Court Judge Maryellen Noreika, who was appointed by President Donald Trump,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-plea-deal-taxes-gun-drugs-690d38f1ffae4dfce2c171d21e7d3594">raised multiple concerns</a>&nbsp;about the specifics.Republicans had derided that agreement as a “sweetheart” deal as they pushed their own probe.The Republicans claimed Weiss was being blocked from becoming a special counsel a claim he and the Justice Department denied.By being named special counsel Weiss will have broader authority to conduct a more sweeping investigation across various areas.

🎥 Trump-appointee named special counsel in Hunter Biden probe

Column by Nebraska Senator Pete Ricketts

Our nation faces significant domestic challenges. Massive and reckless spending to fund big government programs has given us a national debt of over $32 trillion. That’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usdebtclock.org/" target="_blank">over $253,000</a>&nbsp;per taxpayer. Families and businesses are struggling under the burden of inflated costs, high taxes, and rising interest rates in President Biden’s economy. A wave of job-killing regulations from agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is harming agriculture and raising energy prices. The president refuses to engage the ongoing humanitarian and security crisis at our southern border. Deadly drugs like fentanyl are flooding our streets and kill Americans. Meanwhile, the federal government can’t even perform the most basic of its functions. The Biden State Department is taking months to issue passports, forcing some of my constituents to delay or cancel long-scheduled trips. This is wrong. America must change course.

Despite all these challenges, I wholeheartedly believe that America’s future is bright. Why? Because Nebraska has lit the path forward with proven solutions that will work for America – if we choose to embrace them.

During my time as Nebraska’s Governor, we kept the size and scope of government small. We kept kids in school, people at work, and were named the #1 best state for pandemic response. I signed $12.7 billion in tax relief. This includes tax relief for veterans and seniors by phasing out taxes on military retirement income and Social Security. We ran government more like a business. We improved the level of service to families in need. We cut in half permit turnaround times. We created the SNAP Next Step Program, which helped families on SNAP increase their income, improve their quality of life, and get off government assistance.

This past week at the annual Federal Legislative Summit, I outlined my plan to make these proven Nebraska solutions the focus of my legislative agenda. I introduced the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ricketts.senate.gov/press-releases/ricketts-introduces-first-proven-nebraska-solution-bill-to-help-americans-find-better-jobs-move-off-government-assistance/" target="_blank">SNAP Next Step Act</a>.&nbsp;My bill will enable workers on SNAP nationwide to access the same job training, resume writing, and job search coaching that helped Nebraska families increase their yearly income by more than $25,000. By embracing this successful program, we can give people the tools they need to get off welfare and into new and better jobs. We can do so without spending any additional taxpayer money. Additionally, I’ve co-sponsored legislation to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.capito.senate.gov/news/press-releases/capito-barrasso-unveil-comprehensive-permitting-and-environmental-review-reform-legislation" target="_blank">streamline</a>&nbsp;the permit process for infrastructure, transportation, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.barrasso.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2023/5/barrasso-capito-unveil-comprehensive-permitting-and-environmental-review-reform-legislation" target="_blank">energy</a>&nbsp;projects. I’m working to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ricketts.senate.gov/press-releases/ricketts-colleagues-re-introduce-bill-to-permanently-repeal-death-tax/" target="_blank">eliminate</a>&nbsp;the death tax and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tuberville.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/tuberville-leads-colleagues-in-fight-to-save-title-ix-womens-sports/%23:~:text=" target="_blank">protect</a>&nbsp;women’s sports. I’m&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cornyn.senate.gov/news/cornyn-senate-gop-introduce-back-the-blue-act/" target="_blank">backing</a>&nbsp;the blue and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ricketts.senate.gov/press-releases/ricketts-announces-co-sponsorships-of-three-pro-life-bills-following-nebraska-march-for-life/" target="_blank">defending</a>&nbsp;the right to life. I’m also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ricketts.senate.gov/press-releases/ricketts-backed-bill-to-fight-fentanyl-crisis-advances-with-bipartisan-support/" target="_blank">fighting</a>&nbsp;the fentanyl crisis by bringing accountability to the drug cartels and chemical manufacturers who profit from the deaths of Americans.

In addition, I’m fighting the many detached-from-reality mandates coming from far-left bureaucrats in Washington and elsewhere. In response to the Biden EPA mandates that would require up to two-thirds of new cars and trucks sold in the U.S. to be electric by 2032, I&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ricketts.senate.gov/press-releases/ricketts-klobuchar-introduce-bill-to-level-playing-field-for-flex-fuel-vehicles-counter-biden-ev-push/" target="_blank">introduced</a>&nbsp;The Flex Fuel Fairness Act with Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota. Our bill will counter this mandate by leveling the playing field for flex fuel vehicles and protecting consumers’ ability to choose biofuels like ethanol. I’ve also co-sponsored bills to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ricketts.senate.gov/press-releases/ricketts-backs-two-key-agriculture-bills-following-farm-bill-for-nebraska-listening-tour/%23:~:text=The%20bill%20would%20prevent%20efforts,in%20a%20devastating%20blow%20to" target="_blank">protect</a>&nbsp;Nebraska agriculture from burdensome mandates coming from California bureaucrats and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.capito.senate.gov/news/in-the-news/capito-colleagues-reintroduce-bill-to-prevent-biden-administration-from-declaring-climate-change-a-national-emergency" target="_blank">prevent</a>&nbsp;the president from using fake national emergency declarations to usurp more power.&nbsp;

There’s a lot of work to do, and I’m just getting started. I will soon introduce additional pieces of legislation to bring more of Nebraska’s proven solutions to Washington. My commitment to you is this: I will work to make the federal government effective and efficient, not bigger and worse. I will support agriculture, fight unnecessary regulation, and reject every effort to restrict our fundamental freedoms. Working together with my colleagues, I will continue to hold this administration accountable for its incompetence and misplaced priorities.&nbsp;&nbsp;

I am confident that America’s best days remain ahead of us. By embracing these proven Nebraska solutions, America can overcome the challenges we face and ensure that a better future for our children and grandchildren.&nbsp;

Along with Senator Fischer and the rest of my colleagues in the Nebraska delegation, my team and I are here to serve you. Contact my team and I anytime by phone at 202-224-4224 or on my website at <a href="http://www.ricketts.senate.gov/contact" target="_blank">www.ricketts.senate.gov/contact</a>. I am honored to serve our great state and will continue to work to protect the Good Life from Washington overreach.

Column by Nebraska Senator Pete RickettsOur nation faces significant domestic challenges. Massive and reckless spending to fund big government programs has given us a national debt of over $32 trillion. That’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usdebtclock.org/" target="_blank">over $253,000</a>&nbsp;per taxpayer. Families and businesses are struggling under the burden of inflated costs, high taxes, and rising interest rates in President Biden’s economy. A wave of job-killing regulations from agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is harming agriculture and raising energy prices. The president refuses to engage the ongoing humanitarian and security crisis at our southern border. Deadly drugs like fentanyl are flooding our streets and kill Americans. Meanwhile, the federal government can’t even perform the most basic of its functions. The Biden State Department is taking months to issue passports, forcing some of my constituents to delay or cancel long-scheduled trips. This is wrong. America must change course.Despite all these challenges, I wholeheartedly believe that America’s future is bright. Why? Because Nebraska has lit the path forward with proven solutions that will work for America – if we choose to embrace them.During my time as Nebraska’s Governor, we kept the size and scope of government small. We kept kids in school, people at work, and were named the #1 best state for pandemic response. I signed $12.7 billion in tax relief. This includes tax relief for veterans and seniors by phasing out taxes on military retirement income and Social Security. We ran government more like a business. We improved the level of service to families in need. We cut in half permit turnaround times. We created the SNAP Next Step Program, which helped families on SNAP increase their income, improve their quality of life, and get off government assistance.This past week at the annual Federal Legislative Summit, I outlined my plan to make these proven Nebraska solutions the focus of my legislative agenda. I introduced the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ricketts.senate.gov/press-releases/ricketts-introduces-first-proven-nebraska-solution-bill-to-help-americans-find-better-jobs-move-off-government-assistance/" target="_blank">SNAP Next Step Act</a>.&nbsp;My bill will enable workers on SNAP nationwide to access the same job training, resume writing, and job search coaching that helped Nebraska families increase their yearly income by more than $25,000. By embracing this successful program, we can give people the tools they need to get off welfare and into new and better jobs. We can do so without spending any additional taxpayer money. Additionally, I’ve co-sponsored legislation to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.capito.senate.gov/news/press-releases/capito-barrasso-unveil-comprehensive-permitting-and-environmental-review-reform-legislation" target="_blank">streamline</a>&nbsp;the permit process for infrastructure, transportation, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.barrasso.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2023/5/barrasso-capito-unveil-comprehensive-permitting-and-environmental-review-reform-legislation" target="_blank">energy</a>&nbsp;projects. I’m working to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ricketts.senate.gov/press-releases/ricketts-colleagues-re-introduce-bill-to-permanently-repeal-death-tax/" target="_blank">eliminate</a>&nbsp;the death tax and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tuberville.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/tuberville-leads-colleagues-in-fight-to-save-title-ix-womens-sports/%23:~:text=" target="_blank">protect</a>&nbsp;women’s sports. I’m&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cornyn.senate.gov/news/cornyn-senate-gop-introduce-back-the-blue-act/" target="_blank">backing</a>&nbsp;the blue and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ricketts.senate.gov/press-releases/ricketts-announces-co-sponsorships-of-three-pro-life-bills-following-nebraska-march-for-life/" target="_blank">defending</a>&nbsp;the right to life. I’m also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ricketts.senate.gov/press-releases/ricketts-backed-bill-to-fight-fentanyl-crisis-advances-with-bipartisan-support/" target="_blank">fighting</a>&nbsp;the fentanyl crisis by bringing accountability to the drug cartels and chemical manufacturers who profit from the deaths of Americans.In addition, I’m fighting the many detached-from-reality mandates coming from far-left bureaucrats in Washington and elsewhere. In response to the Biden EPA mandates that would require up to two-thirds of new cars and trucks sold in the U.S. to be electric by 2032, I&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ricketts.senate.gov/press-releases/ricketts-klobuchar-introduce-bill-to-level-playing-field-for-flex-fuel-vehicles-counter-biden-ev-push/" target="_blank">introduced</a>&nbsp;The Flex Fuel Fairness Act with Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota. Our bill will counter this mandate by leveling the playing field for flex fuel vehicles and protecting consumers’ ability to choose biofuels like ethanol. I’ve also co-sponsored bills to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ricketts.senate.gov/press-releases/ricketts-backs-two-key-agriculture-bills-following-farm-bill-for-nebraska-listening-tour/%23:~:text=The%20bill%20would%20prevent%20efforts,in%20a%20devastating%20blow%20to" target="_blank">protect</a>&nbsp;Nebraska agriculture from burdensome mandates coming from California bureaucrats and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.capito.senate.gov/news/in-the-news/capito-colleagues-reintroduce-bill-to-prevent-biden-administration-from-declaring-climate-change-a-national-emergency" target="_blank">prevent</a>&nbsp;the president from using fake national emergency declarations to usurp more power.&nbsp;There’s a lot of work to do, and I’m just getting started. I will soon introduce additional pieces of legislation to bring more of Nebraska’s proven solutions to Washington. My commitment to you is this: I will work to make the federal government effective and efficient, not bigger and worse. I will support agriculture, fight unnecessary regulation, and reject every effort to restrict our fundamental freedoms. Working together with my colleagues, I will continue to hold this administration accountable for its incompetence and misplaced priorities.&nbsp;&nbsp;I am confident that America’s best days remain ahead of us. By embracing these proven Nebraska solutions, America can overcome the challenges we face and ensure that a better future for our children and grandchildren.&nbsp;Along with Senator Fischer and the rest of my colleagues in the Nebraska delegation, my team and I are here to serve you. Contact my team and I anytime by phone at 202-224-4224 or on my website at <a href="http://www.ricketts.senate.gov/contact" target="_blank">www.ricketts.senate.gov/contact</a>. I am honored to serve our great state and will continue to work to protect the Good Life from Washington overreach.

Sen Ricketts: Proven Nebraska Solutions, Ready for America   

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration on Thursday asked Congress to provide more than $13 billion in emergency defense aid to Ukraine and an additional $8 billion for humanitarian support through the end of the year, another massive infusion of cash as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">the Russian invasion</a>&nbsp;wears on and Ukraine pushes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-counteroffensive-major-push-12334bbee83b608221dafced4727369e">a counteroffensive</a>&nbsp;against the Kremlin's deeply entrenched forces.

The package includes $12 billion to replenish U.S. federal disaster funds at home after a deadly climate season of heat and storms, and funds to bolster the enforcement at the Southern border with Mexico, including money to curb the flow of deadly fentanyl. All told, it’s a $40 billion package.

While&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-europe-congress-government-and-politics-bddc8fc02afcc2a072bbdd388dc1a658">the last such supplemental spending request</a>&nbsp;from the White House for Ukraine funding was easily approved in 2022 despite reservations from Republicans, there’s a different dynamic this time.

A political divide on the issue has steadily grown, with the Republican-led House facing enormous pressure to demonstrate support for the party's leader, Donald Trump, who has been very skeptical of the war. And American support for the effort has been slowly softening.

White House budget director Shalanda Young, in a letter to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, urged swift action to follow through on the U.S. “commitment to the Ukrainian peoples’ defense of their homeland and to democracy around the world” as well as other needs.

The request was crafted with an eye to picking up support from Republicans, as well as Democrats, particularly with increased domestic funding around border issues — a top priority for the GOP. The Republicans have been been highly critical of the Biden administration’s approach to halting the flow of migrants crossing from Mexico.

Still, the price tag of $40 billion may be too much for Republicans who are fighting to slash, not raise, federal outlays. As a supplemental request, the package the White House is sending to Congress falls outside the budget caps both parties agreed to as part of the debt ceiling showdown earlier this year.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a statement there was strong bipartisan support in the U.S. Senate.

“The latest request from the Biden administration shows America’s continued commitment to helping Americans here at home and our friends abroad,” he said. "We hope to join with our Republican colleagues this fall to avert an unnecessary government shutdown and fund this critical emergency supplemental request.”

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who has championed of support for Ukraine, was more subdued.

“I look forward to carefully reviewing the Administration’s request to make sure it is necessary and appropriate," McConnell said in a statement, "to keep America safe, secure our borders, support our allies, and help communities rebuild after disasters.”

President Joe Biden and his senior national security team have repeatedly said the United States will help Ukraine&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/putin-zelenskyy-washington-4d5fc23be5518e689fbbcac334769d59">“as long as it takes”</a>&nbsp;to oust Russia from its borders. Privately, administration officials have warned Ukrainian officials that there is a limit to the patience of a narrowly divided Congress — and American public — for the costs of a war with no clear end.

“For people who might be concerned the costs are getting too high, we’d ask them what the costs — not just in treasure but in blood, perhaps even American blood — could be if Putin subjugates Ukraine,” White House national security spokesman John Kirby said this week.

Support among the American public for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-politics-military-and-defense-0f550a262fb6178a7d91b8be6e2c601b">providing Ukraine weaponry</a>&nbsp;and direct economic assistance has softened with time. An AP-NORC poll conducted in January 2023 around the one-year mark of the conflict, found that 48% favored the U.S. providing weapons to Ukraine, down from the 60% of U.S. adults who were in favor sending Ukraine weapons in May 2022. While Democrats have generally been more supportive than Republicans of offering weaponry, their support dropped slightly from 71% to 63% in the same period. Republicans’ support dropped more, from 53% to 39%.

Dozens of Republicans in the House and some GOP senators have expressed reservations, and even voted against, spending more federal dollars for the war effort. Many of those Republicans are aligning with Trump’s objections to the U.S. involvement overseas.

That means any final vote on Ukraine aid will likely need to rely on a hefty coalition led by Democrats from Biden’s party to ensure approval.

The funding includes money to counter Russian and Chinese influence elsewhere by bolstering the World Bank and providing aid to resist Russian-aligned Wagner forces in Africa. Domestically, there’s an additional $60 million to address increased wildfires that have erupted nationwide. And the request includes $4 billion for the Southern border, including $2.2 billion for border management and $766 million to stop the flow of fentanyl and provide prevention and recovery support. There is also $100 million earmarked for the Department of Labor to ramp up investigations of suspected child labor violations.

To ease passage, Congress would likely try to attach the package to a must-pass measure for broader government funding in the U.S. that’s needed by Oct. 1 to prevent any shutdown in federal offices.

Members of Congress have repeatedly pressed Defense Department leaders on how closely the U.S. is tracking its aid to Ukraine to ensure that it is not subject to fraud or ending up in the wrong hands. The Pentagon has said it has a “robust program” to track the aid as it crosses the border into Ukraine and to keep tabs on it once it is there, depending on the sensitivity of each weapons system.

Ukraine is pushing through with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-counteroffensive-explainer-ff774fce8608b464a406ae087b1a3607">its ongoing counteroffensive</a>, in an effort to dislodge the Kremlin’s forces from territory they’ve occupied since a full-scale invasion in February 2022. The counteroffensive has come up against heavily mined terrain and reinforced defensive fortifications.

The U.S. has approved&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-us-republican-party-texas-michael-mccaul-114e61bdd752d387a3df813638dab68a">four rounds of aid</a>&nbsp;to Ukraine in response to Russia’s invasion, totaling about $113 billion, with some of that money going toward replenishment of U.S. military equipment that was sent to the frontlines. Congress&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kevin-mccarthy-nancy-pelosi-ed54dbd327c4362ee052f851f497fcd4">approved the latest round of aid</a>&nbsp;in December, totaling roughly $45 billion for Ukraine and NATO allies. While the package was designed to last through the end of the fiscal year in September, much depends upon events on the ground.

“We remain confident that we’ll be able to continue to support Ukraine for as long as it takes,” said Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder.

There were questions in November about waning Republican support to approve the package, but it ultimately passed. Now, though, House Speaker McCarthy is facing pressure to impeach Biden over unproven claims of financial misconduct and it’s not clear whether a quick show of support for Ukraine could cause political damage in what’s expected to be a bruising 2024 reelection campaign.

Trump contends that American involvement has only drawn Russia closer to other adversarial states like China, and has condemned the tens of billions of dollars that the United States has provided in aid for Ukraine.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676898415388.png" alt="Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a&nbsp; February visit in Ukraine -White House photo" />
 <figcaption>Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a&nbsp; February visit in Ukraine -White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration on Thursday asked Congress to provide more than $13 billion in emergency defense aid to Ukraine and an additional $8 billion for humanitarian support through the end of the year, another massive infusion of cash as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">the Russian invasion</a>&nbsp;wears on and Ukraine pushes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-counteroffensive-major-push-12334bbee83b608221dafced4727369e">a counteroffensive</a>&nbsp;against the Kremlin's deeply entrenched forces.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">It’s Groundhog Day - again. The Biden Family LLC is asking for another $24B from your family’s paycheck to Ukraine. Remember when Congress didn’t have the fortitude to spend $20B to build the wall &amp; secure the Mexico border? We could’ve paid for it 8x w/ the money sent to Ukraine&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1689983630158811136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The package includes $12 billion to replenish U.S. federal disaster funds at home after a deadly climate season of heat and storms, and funds to bolster the enforcement at the Southern border with Mexico, including money to curb the flow of deadly fentanyl. All told, it’s a $40 billion package.While&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-europe-congress-government-and-politics-bddc8fc02afcc2a072bbdd388dc1a658">the last such supplemental spending request</a>&nbsp;from the White House for Ukraine funding was easily approved in 2022 despite reservations from Republicans, there’s a different dynamic this time.A political divide on the issue has steadily grown, with the Republican-led House facing enormous pressure to demonstrate support for the party's leader, Donald Trump, who has been very skeptical of the war. And American support for the effort has been slowly softening.White House budget director Shalanda Young, in a letter to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, urged swift action to follow through on the U.S. “commitment to the Ukrainian peoples’ defense of their homeland and to democracy around the world” as well as other needs.The request was crafted with an eye to picking up support from Republicans, as well as Democrats, particularly with increased domestic funding around border issues — a top priority for the GOP. The Republicans have been been highly critical of the Biden administration’s approach to halting the flow of migrants crossing from Mexico.Still, the price tag of $40 billion may be too much for Republicans who are fighting to slash, not raise, federal outlays. As a supplemental request, the package the White House is sending to Congress falls outside the budget caps both parties agreed to as part of the debt ceiling showdown earlier this year.Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a statement there was strong bipartisan support in the U.S. Senate.“The latest request from the Biden administration shows America’s continued commitment to helping Americans here at home and our friends abroad,” he said. "We hope to join with our Republican colleagues this fall to avert an unnecessary government shutdown and fund this critical emergency supplemental request.”Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who has championed of support for Ukraine, was more subdued.“I look forward to carefully reviewing the Administration’s request to make sure it is necessary and appropriate," McConnell said in a statement, "to keep America safe, secure our borders, support our allies, and help communities rebuild after disasters.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671657547305.png" alt="Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a visit to Washington in December-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a visit to Washington in December-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>President Joe Biden and his senior national security team have repeatedly said the United States will help Ukraine&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/putin-zelenskyy-washington-4d5fc23be5518e689fbbcac334769d59">“as long as it takes”</a>&nbsp;to oust Russia from its borders. Privately, administration officials have warned Ukrainian officials that there is a limit to the patience of a narrowly divided Congress — and American public — for the costs of a war with no clear end.“For people who might be concerned the costs are getting too high, we’d ask them what the costs — not just in treasure but in blood, perhaps even American blood — could be if Putin subjugates Ukraine,” White House national security spokesman John Kirby said this week.Support among the American public for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-politics-military-and-defense-0f550a262fb6178a7d91b8be6e2c601b">providing Ukraine weaponry</a>&nbsp;and direct economic assistance has softened with time. An AP-NORC poll conducted in January 2023 around the one-year mark of the conflict, found that 48% favored the U.S. providing weapons to Ukraine, down from the 60% of U.S. adults who were in favor sending Ukraine weapons in May 2022. While Democrats have generally been more supportive than Republicans of offering weaponry, their support dropped slightly from 71% to 63% in the same period. Republicans’ support dropped more, from 53% to 39%.Dozens of Republicans in the House and some GOP senators have expressed reservations, and even voted against, spending more federal dollars for the war effort. Many of those Republicans are aligning with Trump’s objections to the U.S. involvement overseas.That means any final vote on Ukraine aid will likely need to rely on a hefty coalition led by Democrats from Biden’s party to ensure approval.The funding includes money to counter Russian and Chinese influence elsewhere by bolstering the World Bank and providing aid to resist Russian-aligned Wagner forces in Africa. Domestically, there’s an additional $60 million to address increased wildfires that have erupted nationwide. And the request includes $4 billion for the Southern border, including $2.2 billion for border management and $766 million to stop the flow of fentanyl and provide prevention and recovery support. There is also $100 million earmarked for the Department of Labor to ramp up investigations of suspected child labor violations.To ease passage, Congress would likely try to attach the package to a must-pass measure for broader government funding in the U.S. that’s needed by Oct. 1 to prevent any shutdown in federal offices.Members of Congress have repeatedly pressed Defense Department leaders on how closely the U.S. is tracking its aid to Ukraine to ensure that it is not subject to fraud or ending up in the wrong hands. The Pentagon has said it has a “robust program” to track the aid as it crosses the border into Ukraine and to keep tabs on it once it is there, depending on the sensitivity of each weapons system.Ukraine is pushing through with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-counteroffensive-explainer-ff774fce8608b464a406ae087b1a3607">its ongoing counteroffensive</a>, in an effort to dislodge the Kremlin’s forces from territory they’ve occupied since a full-scale invasion in February 2022. The counteroffensive has come up against heavily mined terrain and reinforced defensive fortifications.The U.S. has approved&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-us-republican-party-texas-michael-mccaul-114e61bdd752d387a3df813638dab68a">four rounds of aid</a>&nbsp;to Ukraine in response to Russia’s invasion, totaling about $113 billion, with some of that money going toward replenishment of U.S. military equipment that was sent to the frontlines. Congress&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kevin-mccarthy-nancy-pelosi-ed54dbd327c4362ee052f851f497fcd4">approved the latest round of aid</a>&nbsp;in December, totaling roughly $45 billion for Ukraine and NATO allies. While the package was designed to last through the end of the fiscal year in September, much depends upon events on the ground.“We remain confident that we’ll be able to continue to support Ukraine for as long as it takes,” said Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder.There were questions in November about waning Republican support to approve the package, but it ultimately passed. Now, though, House Speaker McCarthy is facing pressure to impeach Biden over unproven claims of financial misconduct and it’s not clear whether a quick show of support for Ukraine could cause political damage in what’s expected to be a bruising 2024 reelection campaign.Trump contends that American involvement has only drawn Russia closer to other adversarial states like China, and has condemned the tens of billions of dollars that the United States has provided in aid for Ukraine.

Biden wants billions in additional funding for Ukraine

LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — Maui residents who made desperate escapes from oncoming flames, some on foot, asked why Hawaii’s famous emergency warning system didn’t alert them as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/live-updates-maui-fire-hawaii-wildfire-162a9fcdefe648d6bcd6557af70d894f">fires raced</a>&nbsp;toward their homes.

Hawaii emergency management records show no indication that warning sirens were triggered before a devastating wildfire killed at least 55 people and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfire-hawaii-lahaina-historic-kindom-capital-396463f6eba6580bfc80d75538b0adf3">wiped out a historic town</a>, officials confirmed Thursday.

Hawaii boasts what the state describes as the largest integrated outdoor all-hazard public safety warning system in the world, with about 400 sirens positioned across the island chain to alert people to various natural disasters and other threats. But many of Lahaina’s survivors said in interviews at evacuation centers that they didn’t hear any sirens and only realized they were in danger when they saw flames or heard explosions nearby.

Thomas Leonard, a 70-year-old retired mailman from Lahaina,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-fire-maui-lahaina-homes-burned-1b15d9bc4cc0e92cd309928cff865577">didn’t know about the fire</a>&nbsp;until he smelled smoke. Power and cell phone service had both gone out earlier that day, leaving the town with no real-time information about the danger.

He tried to leave in his Jeep, but had to abandon the vehicle and run to the shore when cars nearby began exploding. He hid behind a seawall for hours, the wind blowing hot ash and cinders over him.

Firefighters eventually arrived and escorted Leonard and other survivors through the flames to safety.

Hawaii Emergency Management Agency spokesperson Adam Weintraub told The Associated Press on Thursday that the department's records don't show that Maui's warning sirens were triggered on Tuesday. Instead, the county used emergency alerts sent to mobile phones, televisions and radio stations, Weintraub said.

It’s not clear if those alerts were sent before widespread power and cellular outages cut off most communication to Lahaina.

Communications have been spotty across Maui, with 911, landline and cellular service failing at times. Power was also out in parts of the island.

Fueled by a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-wildfires-climate-change-92c0930be7c28ec9ac71392a83c87582">dry summer</a>&nbsp;and strong winds from a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-wildfire-maui-dora-winds-ec23c16abfbeb6ba689f1a98263720db">passing hurricane,</a>&nbsp;the fire started Tuesday and took Maui by surprise, racing through parched brush covering the island and then flattening homes and anything else that lay in its path.

Maui Fire Department Chief Brad Ventura said the fire moved so quickly from brush to neighborhood that it was impossible for to get messages to the emergency management agencies responsible for emergency alerts.

The wildfire is already the state’s deadliest natural disaster since a 1960 tsunami, which killed 61 people on the Big Island. During a Thursday press conference, Gov. Josh Green said the death toll will likely rise further as search and rescue operations continue.

“Lahaina, with a few rare exceptions, has been burned down,” Green said after walking the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/maui-wildfires-journalist-account-8d6628953db012bfe14b35fc8cb2403e">ruins of the town</a>&nbsp;Thursday morning with Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen. “Without a doubt, it feels like a bomb was dropped on Lahaina.”

The fire is also the deadliest U.S. wildfire since the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-business-environment-and-nature-gavin-newsom-paradise-dbae2ef725b32d91ff4c612de38f01e2">2018 Camp Fire</a>&nbsp;in California, which killed at least 85 people and laid waste to the town of Paradise.

Lahaina’s wildfire risk was well known. Maui County’s hazard mitigation plan, last updated in 2020, identified Lahaina and other West Maui communities as having frequent wildfire ignitions and a large number of buildings at risk of wildfire damage.

The report also noted that West Maui had the island’s highest population of people living in multi-unit housing, the second-highest rate of households without a vehicle, and the highest rate of non-English speakers.

“This may limit the population’s ability to receive, understand and take expedient action during hazard events,” the plan noted.

Maui’s firefighting efforts may also have been hampered by a small staff, said Bobby Lee, the president of the Hawaii Firefighters Association. There are a maximum of 65 firefighters working at any given time in Maui County, and they are responsible for fighting fires on three islands — Maui, Molokai and Lanai — he said.

Those crews have about 13 fire engines and two ladder trucks, but they are all designed for on-road use. The department does not have any off-road vehicles, he said.

That means fire crews can't attack brush fires thoroughly before they reach roads or populated areas, Lee said. The high winds caused by Hurricane Dora made that extremely difficult, he said.

“You’re basically dealing with trying to fight a blowtorch,” Lee said. “You’ve got to be careful — you don’t want to get caught downwind from that, because you’re going to get run over in a wind-driven fire of that magnitude.”

Mandatory evacuation orders were in place for Lahaina residents, Bissen noted, while tourists in hotels were told to shelter in place so that emergency vehicles could get into the area.

The mayor said that downed power poles added to the chaos as people attempted to flee Lahaina by cutting off two important roads out of town. Speaking at a Thursday afternoon press conference, he said that 29 poles fell with live wires still attached, and leaving only the narrow highway toward Kahakuloa.

Marlon Vasquez, a 31-year-old cook from Guatemala who came to the U.S. in January 2022, said that when he heard fire alarms, it was already too late to flee in his car.

“I opened the door, and the fire was almost on top of us," he said from an evacuation center at a gymnasium. “We ran and ran. We ran almost the whole night and into the next day, because the fire didn’t stop."

Vasquez and his brother Eduardo escaped via roads that were clogged with vehicles full of people. The smoke was so toxic that he vomited. He said he's not sure his roommates and neighbors made it to safety.

Lahaina residents saw the Hale Mahaolu senior living facility erupt in flames as they were escaping.

Chelsey Vierra's great-grandmother, Louise Abihai, was living at Hale Mahaolu, and the family doesn't know if she got out. “She doesn’t have a phone. She’s 97 years old,” Vierra said Thursday. “She can walk. She is strong.”

Relatives are monitoring shelter lists and calling the hospital. “We got to find our loved one, but there’s no communication here,” said Vierra, who fled the flames. “We don’t know who to ask about where she went.”

Tourists were advised to stay away, and tens of thousands of people have crowded airports to leave the island. Officials turned the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu into an assistance center, stocking it with water, food, and volunteers who help visitors arrange travel home.

President Joe Biden declared a major disaster on Maui. Traveling in Utah on Thursday, he pledged that the federal response will ensure that “anyone who’s lost a loved one, or whose home has been damaged or destroyed, is going to get help immediately.” Biden promised to streamline requests for assistance and said the Federal Emergency Management Agency was “surging emergency personnel” on the island.

LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — A search of the wildfire devastation on the Hawaiian island of Maui on Thursday revealed a wasteland of obliterated neighborhoods and landmarks charred beyond recognition, as the death toll rose to at least 53 and survivors told harrowing tales of narrow escapes with only the clothes on their backs.

A flyover of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfire-hawaii-lahaina-historic-kindom-capital-396463f6eba6580bfc80d75538b0adf3">historic Lahaina</a>&nbsp;showed entire neighborhoods that had been a vibrant vision of color and island life reduced to gray ash. Block after block was nothing but rubble and blackened foundations, including along famous Front Street, where tourists shopped and dined just days ago. Boats in the harbor were scorched, and smoke hovered over the town, which dates to the 1700s and is the biggest community on the island’s west side.

“Lahaina, with a few rare exceptions, has been burned down,” Hawaii Gov. Josh Green told The Associated Press. More than 1,000 structures were destroyed by fires that were still burning, he said.

Already the state's deadliest natural disaster since a 1960 tsunami killed 61 people on the Big Island, the death toll will likely rise further as search and rescue operations continue, Green added.

Many businesses, including one of the town’s oldest shops, were destroyed. As owner Tiffany Kidder Winn assessed the damage Wednesday at the Whaler's Locker gift store, she came upon a line of burned-out vehicles, some with charred bodies inside.

“It looked like they were trying to get out, but were stuck in traffic and couldn’t get off Front Street,” she said. She later spotted a body leaning against a seawall.

Winn said the destruction was so widespread, “I couldn’t even tell where I was, because all the landmarks were gone.”

Fueled by a dry summer and strong winds from a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-wildfire-maui-dora-winds-ec23c16abfbeb6ba689f1a98263720db">passing hurricane,</a>&nbsp;the fire started Tuesday and took Maui by surprise, racing through parched growth covering the island and then feasting on homes and anything else that lay in its path.

The official death toll of 53 as of Thursday makes this the deadliest U.S. wildfire since the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-business-environment-and-nature-gavin-newsom-paradise-dbae2ef725b32d91ff4c612de38f01e2">2018 Camp Fire</a>&nbsp;in California, which killed at least 85 people and laid waste to the town of Paradise. The Hawaii toll could rise, though, as rescuers reach parts of the island that had been inaccessible due to the three ongoing fires, including the one in Lahaina that was 80% contained on Thursday, according to a Maui County news release. Dozens of people have been injured, some critically.

“We are still in life preservation mode. Search and rescue is still a primary concern,” said Adam Weintraub, a spokesperson for Hawaii Emergency Management Agency.

Search and rescue teams still won't be able to reach certain areas until the fire lines are secure and access is safe, Weintraub added.

The flames left some people with mere minutes to act and led some to flee into the ocean. A Lahaina man, Bosco Bae,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/681387130/videos/pcb.10159000941762131/995043825254569">posted video on Facebook</a>&nbsp;from Tuesday night that showed fire burning nearly every building on a street as sirens blared and windblown sparks raced by. Bae, who said he was one of the last people to leave the town, was evacuated to the island's main airport and was waiting to be allowed to return home.

Marlon Vasquez, a 31-year-old cook from Guatemala who came to the U.S. in January 2022, said that when he heard the fire alarms, it was already too late to flee in his car.

Lahaina residents Kamuela Kawaakoa and Iiulia Yasso described their harrowing escape under smoke-filled skies. The couple and their 6-year-old son got back to their apartment after a quick dash to the supermarket for water, and only had time to grab a change of clothes and run as the bushes around them caught fire.

“We barely made it out,” Kawaakoa, 34, said at an evacuation shelter, still unsure if anything was left of their apartment.

As the family fled, they called 911 when they saw the Hale Mahaolu senior living facility across the road erupt in flames.

Communications have been spotty on the island, with 911, landline and cellular service failing at times. Power was also out in parts of Maui.

Tourists were advised to stay away, and about 11,000 flew out of Maui on Wednesday with at least 1,500 more expected to leave Thursday, according to Ed Sniffen, state transportation director. Officials prepared the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu to receive thousands.

In coastal Kihei, southeast of Lahaina, wide swaths of ground glowed red with embers Wednesday night as flames continued to chew through trees and buildings. Gusty winds blew sparks over a black and orange patchwork of charred earth and still-crackling hot spots.

The fires were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-winds-fires-evacuations-7137adb0fe7612a465f6ae2be7f96afb">fanned by strong winds</a>&nbsp;from Hurricane Dora passing far to the south. It's the latest in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/climate-and-environment">series of disasters</a>&nbsp;caused by extreme weather around the globe this summer. Experts say&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-wildfires-climate-change-92c0930be7c28ec9ac71392a83c87582">climate change</a>&nbsp;is increasing the likelihood of such events.

Wildfires aren't unusual in Hawaii, but the weather of the past few weeks created the fuel for a devastating blaze and, once ignited, the high winds created the disaster, said Thomas Smith an associate professor in Environmental Geography at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Hawaii's Big Island is also currently seeing blazes, Mayor Mitch Roth said, although there were no reports of injuries or destroyed homes there.

With communications hampered, it was difficult for many to check in with friends and family members. Some people were posting messages on social media. A Family Assistance Center opened at the Kahului Community Center for people looking for the missing.

Maj. Gen. Kenneth Hara, of the Hawaii State Department of Defense, said Wednesday night that officials were working to get communications restored, distribute water and possibly add law enforcement personnel. He said National Guard helicopters had dropped 150,000 gallons (568,000 liters) of water on the fires.

The Coast Guard said it rescued 14 people who jumped into the water to escape the flames and smoke.

Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen Jr. said Wednesday that officials hadn't yet begun investigating the immediate cause of the fires.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691662929011.png" alt="Image taken from a helicopter shows the vast destruction of Lahaina, a historic town in Hawaii. Courtesy: Vince Carter/Air Maui" />
 <figcaption>Image taken from a helicopter shows the vast destruction of Lahaina, a historic town in Hawaii. Courtesy: Vince Carter/Air Maui</figcaption>
 </figure>LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — Maui residents who made desperate escapes from oncoming flames, some on foot, asked why Hawaii’s famous emergency warning system didn’t alert them as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/live-updates-maui-fire-hawaii-wildfire-162a9fcdefe648d6bcd6557af70d894f">fires raced</a>&nbsp;toward their homes.Hawaii emergency management records show no indication that warning sirens were triggered before a devastating wildfire killed at least 55 people and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfire-hawaii-lahaina-historic-kindom-capital-396463f6eba6580bfc80d75538b0adf3">wiped out a historic town</a>, officials confirmed Thursday.Hawaii boasts what the state describes as the largest integrated outdoor all-hazard public safety warning system in the world, with about 400 sirens positioned across the island chain to alert people to various natural disasters and other threats. But many of Lahaina’s survivors said in interviews at evacuation centers that they didn’t hear any sirens and only realized they were in danger when they saw flames or heard explosions nearby.Thomas Leonard, a 70-year-old retired mailman from Lahaina,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-fire-maui-lahaina-homes-burned-1b15d9bc4cc0e92cd309928cff865577">didn’t know about the fire</a>&nbsp;until he smelled smoke. Power and cell phone service had both gone out earlier that day, leaving the town with no real-time information about the danger.He tried to leave in his Jeep, but had to abandon the vehicle and run to the shore when cars nearby began exploding. He hid behind a seawall for hours, the wind blowing hot ash and cinders over him.Firefighters eventually arrived and escorted Leonard and other survivors through the flames to safety.Hawaii Emergency Management Agency spokesperson Adam Weintraub told The Associated Press on Thursday that the department's records don't show that Maui's warning sirens were triggered on Tuesday. Instead, the county used emergency alerts sent to mobile phones, televisions and radio stations, Weintraub said.It’s not clear if those alerts were sent before widespread power and cellular outages cut off most communication to Lahaina.Communications have been spotty across Maui, with 911, landline and cellular service failing at times. Power was also out in parts of the island.Fueled by a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-wildfires-climate-change-92c0930be7c28ec9ac71392a83c87582">dry summer</a>&nbsp;and strong winds from a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-wildfire-maui-dora-winds-ec23c16abfbeb6ba689f1a98263720db">passing hurricane,</a>&nbsp;the fire started Tuesday and took Maui by surprise, racing through parched brush covering the island and then flattening homes and anything else that lay in its path.Maui Fire Department Chief Brad Ventura said the fire moved so quickly from brush to neighborhood that it was impossible for to get messages to the emergency management agencies responsible for emergency alerts.The wildfire is already the state’s deadliest natural disaster since a 1960 tsunami, which killed 61 people on the Big Island. During a Thursday press conference, Gov. Josh Green said the death toll will likely rise further as search and rescue operations continue.“Lahaina, with a few rare exceptions, has been burned down,” Green said after walking the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/maui-wildfires-journalist-account-8d6628953db012bfe14b35fc8cb2403e">ruins of the town</a>&nbsp;Thursday morning with Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen. “Without a doubt, it feels like a bomb was dropped on Lahaina.”The fire is also the deadliest U.S. wildfire since the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-business-environment-and-nature-gavin-newsom-paradise-dbae2ef725b32d91ff4c612de38f01e2">2018 Camp Fire</a>&nbsp;in California, which killed at least 85 people and laid waste to the town of Paradise.Lahaina’s wildfire risk was well known. Maui County’s hazard mitigation plan, last updated in 2020, identified Lahaina and other West Maui communities as having frequent wildfire ignitions and a large number of buildings at risk of wildfire damage.The report also noted that West Maui had the island’s highest population of people living in multi-unit housing, the second-highest rate of households without a vehicle, and the highest rate of non-English speakers.“This may limit the population’s ability to receive, understand and take expedient action during hazard events,” the plan noted.Maui’s firefighting efforts may also have been hampered by a small staff, said Bobby Lee, the president of the Hawaii Firefighters Association. There are a maximum of 65 firefighters working at any given time in Maui County, and they are responsible for fighting fires on three islands — Maui, Molokai and Lanai — he said.Those crews have about 13 fire engines and two ladder trucks, but they are all designed for on-road use. The department does not have any off-road vehicles, he said.That means fire crews can't attack brush fires thoroughly before they reach roads or populated areas, Lee said. The high winds caused by Hurricane Dora made that extremely difficult, he said.“You’re basically dealing with trying to fight a blowtorch,” Lee said. “You’ve got to be careful — you don’t want to get caught downwind from that, because you’re going to get run over in a wind-driven fire of that magnitude.”Mandatory evacuation orders were in place for Lahaina residents, Bissen noted, while tourists in hotels were told to shelter in place so that emergency vehicles could get into the area.The mayor said that downed power poles added to the chaos as people attempted to flee Lahaina by cutting off two important roads out of town. Speaking at a Thursday afternoon press conference, he said that 29 poles fell with live wires still attached, and leaving only the narrow highway toward Kahakuloa.Marlon Vasquez, a 31-year-old cook from Guatemala who came to the U.S. in January 2022, said that when he heard fire alarms, it was already too late to flee in his car.“I opened the door, and the fire was almost on top of us," he said from an evacuation center at a gymnasium. “We ran and ran. We ran almost the whole night and into the next day, because the fire didn’t stop."Vasquez and his brother Eduardo escaped via roads that were clogged with vehicles full of people. The smoke was so toxic that he vomited. He said he's not sure his roommates and neighbors made it to safety.Lahaina residents saw the Hale Mahaolu senior living facility erupt in flames as they were escaping.Chelsey Vierra's great-grandmother, Louise Abihai, was living at Hale Mahaolu, and the family doesn't know if she got out. “She doesn’t have a phone. She’s 97 years old,” Vierra said Thursday. “She can walk. She is strong.”Relatives are monitoring shelter lists and calling the hospital. “We got to find our loved one, but there’s no communication here,” said Vierra, who fled the flames. “We don’t know who to ask about where she went.”Tourists were advised to stay away, and tens of thousands of people have crowded airports to leave the island. Officials turned the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu into an assistance center, stocking it with water, food, and volunteers who help visitors arrange travel home.President Joe Biden declared a major disaster on Maui. Traveling in Utah on Thursday, he pledged that the federal response will ensure that “anyone who’s lost a loved one, or whose home has been damaged or destroyed, is going to get help immediately.” Biden promised to streamline requests for assistance and said the Federal Emergency Management Agency was “surging emergency personnel” on the island.___LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — A search of the wildfire devastation on the Hawaiian island of Maui on Thursday revealed a wasteland of obliterated neighborhoods and landmarks charred beyond recognition, as the death toll rose to at least 53 and survivors told harrowing tales of narrow escapes with only the clothes on their backs.A flyover of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfire-hawaii-lahaina-historic-kindom-capital-396463f6eba6580bfc80d75538b0adf3">historic Lahaina</a>&nbsp;showed entire neighborhoods that had been a vibrant vision of color and island life reduced to gray ash. Block after block was nothing but rubble and blackened foundations, including along famous Front Street, where tourists shopped and dined just days ago. Boats in the harbor were scorched, and smoke hovered over the town, which dates to the 1700s and is the biggest community on the island’s west side.“Lahaina, with a few rare exceptions, has been burned down,” Hawaii Gov. Josh Green told The Associated Press. More than 1,000 structures were destroyed by fires that were still burning, he said.Already the state's deadliest natural disaster since a 1960 tsunami killed 61 people on the Big Island, the death toll will likely rise further as search and rescue operations continue, Green added.“We are heartsick,” Green said.Many businesses, including one of the town’s oldest shops, were destroyed. As owner Tiffany Kidder Winn assessed the damage Wednesday at the Whaler's Locker gift store, she came upon a line of burned-out vehicles, some with charred bodies inside.“It looked like they were trying to get out, but were stuck in traffic and couldn’t get off Front Street,” she said. She later spotted a body leaning against a seawall.Winn said the destruction was so widespread, “I couldn’t even tell where I was, because all the landmarks were gone.”Fueled by a dry summer and strong winds from a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-wildfire-maui-dora-winds-ec23c16abfbeb6ba689f1a98263720db">passing hurricane,</a>&nbsp;the fire started Tuesday and took Maui by surprise, racing through parched growth covering the island and then feasting on homes and anything else that lay in its path.The official death toll of 53 as of Thursday makes this the deadliest U.S. wildfire since the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-business-environment-and-nature-gavin-newsom-paradise-dbae2ef725b32d91ff4c612de38f01e2">2018 Camp Fire</a>&nbsp;in California, which killed at least 85 people and laid waste to the town of Paradise. The Hawaii toll could rise, though, as rescuers reach parts of the island that had been inaccessible due to the three ongoing fires, including the one in Lahaina that was 80% contained on Thursday, according to a Maui County news release. Dozens of people have been injured, some critically.“We are still in life preservation mode. Search and rescue is still a primary concern,” said Adam Weintraub, a spokesperson for Hawaii Emergency Management Agency.Search and rescue teams still won't be able to reach certain areas until the fire lines are secure and access is safe, Weintraub added.The flames left some people with mere minutes to act and led some to flee into the ocean. A Lahaina man, Bosco Bae,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/681387130/videos/pcb.10159000941762131/995043825254569">posted video on Facebook</a>&nbsp;from Tuesday night that showed fire burning nearly every building on a street as sirens blared and windblown sparks raced by. Bae, who said he was one of the last people to leave the town, was evacuated to the island's main airport and was waiting to be allowed to return home.Marlon Vasquez, a 31-year-old cook from Guatemala who came to the U.S. in January 2022, said that when he heard the fire alarms, it was already too late to flee in his car.“I opened the door, and the fire was almost on top of us," he said from an evacuation center at a gymnasium. “We ran and ran. We ran almost the whole night and into the next day, because the fire didn’t stop."Vasquez and his brother Eduardo escaped via roads that were clogged with vehicles full of people. The smoke was so toxic that he vomited. He said he's not sure his roommates and neighbors made it to safety.Lahaina residents Kamuela Kawaakoa and Iiulia Yasso described their harrowing escape under smoke-filled skies. The couple and their 6-year-old son got back to their apartment after a quick dash to the supermarket for water, and only had time to grab a change of clothes and run as the bushes around them caught fire.“We barely made it out,” Kawaakoa, 34, said at an evacuation shelter, still unsure if anything was left of their apartment.As the family fled, they called 911 when they saw the Hale Mahaolu senior living facility across the road erupt in flames.Chelsey Vierra's great-grandmother, Louise Abihai, was living at Hale Mahaolu, and the family doesn't know if she got out. “She doesn’t have a phone. She’s 97 years old,” Vierra said Thursday. “She can walk. She is strong.”Relatives are monitoring shelter lists and calling the hospital. “We got to find our loved one, but there’s no communication here,” said Vierra, who fled the flames. “We don’t know who to ask about where she went.”Communications have been spotty on the island, with 911, landline and cellular service failing at times. Power was also out in parts of Maui.Tourists were advised to stay away, and about 11,000 flew out of Maui on Wednesday with at least 1,500 more expected to leave Thursday, according to Ed Sniffen, state transportation director. Officials prepared the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu to receive thousands.In coastal Kihei, southeast of Lahaina, wide swaths of ground glowed red with embers Wednesday night as flames continued to chew through trees and buildings. Gusty winds blew sparks over a black and orange patchwork of charred earth and still-crackling hot spots.The fires were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-winds-fires-evacuations-7137adb0fe7612a465f6ae2be7f96afb">fanned by strong winds</a>&nbsp;from Hurricane Dora passing far to the south. It's the latest in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/climate-and-environment">series of disasters</a>&nbsp;caused by extreme weather around the globe this summer. Experts say&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-wildfires-climate-change-92c0930be7c28ec9ac71392a83c87582">climate change</a>&nbsp;is increasing the likelihood of such events.Wildfires aren't unusual in Hawaii, but the weather of the past few weeks created the fuel for a devastating blaze and, once ignited, the high winds created the disaster, said Thomas Smith an associate professor in Environmental Geography at the London School of Economics and Political Science.Hawaii's Big Island is also currently seeing blazes, Mayor Mitch Roth said, although there were no reports of injuries or destroyed homes there.With communications hampered, it was difficult for many to check in with friends and family members. Some people were posting messages on social media. A Family Assistance Center opened at the Kahului Community Center for people looking for the missing.Maj. Gen. Kenneth Hara, of the Hawaii State Department of Defense, said Wednesday night that officials were working to get communications restored, distribute water and possibly add law enforcement personnel. He said National Guard helicopters had dropped 150,000 gallons (568,000 liters) of water on the fires.The Coast Guard said it rescued 14 people who jumped into the water to escape the flames and smoke.Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen Jr. said Wednesday that officials hadn't yet begun investigating the immediate cause of the fires.President Joe Biden declared a major disaster on Maui. Traveling in Utah on Thursday, he pledged that the federal response will ensure that “anyone who’s lost a loved one, or whose home has been damaged or destroyed, is going to get help immediately.” Biden promised to streamline requests for assistance and said the Federal Emergency Management Agency was “surging emergency personnel” on the island.___

Death toll continues to grow from the wildfires on Maui

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Thursday, VA announced that Veterans and survivors who apply (or submit their&nbsp;<a href="https://www.va.gov/resources/your-intent-to-file-a-va-claim/" target="_blank">intent to file</a>) for PACT Act benefits by 11:59 p.m. Eastern on Monday, August 14, 2023 will be eligible to have their benefits backdated to August 10, 2022 – the day that President Biden signed the PACT Act into law.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"The easiest way for folks to sign up for PACT Act benefits is to go to <a href="https://www.va.gov/disability/file-disability-claim-form-21-526ez/introduction">VA.gov</a>, and click on a button there to apply for a disability claim," said VA Press Secretary Terrence Hayes. "What that does is, even if you don't have all the necessary documents, you're filing an Intent to File and it holds your place in line and you, too, will be eligible for those backdated benefits."&nbsp;

VA has made this decision out of an abundance of caution after experiencing technical difficulties with <a href="https://www.va.gov/resources/the-pact-act-and-your-va-benefits/">VA.gov/PACT</a> in recent days. Specifically, due to extremely high demand, some Veterans who have sought to submit their&nbsp;<a href="https://www.va.gov/resources/your-intent-to-file-a-va-claim/" target="_blank">intent to file</a>&nbsp;for PACT Act benefits have received error messages while doing so.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Despite these messages, VA has successfully logged every one of these <a href="https://www.va.gov/resources/your-intent-to-file-a-va-claim/">intents to file</a> – meaning that every Veteran or survivor who has received an error message while applying for PACT Act benefits can consider their intent to file complete. VA is working on contacting these Veterans to clarify their status.

"It takes maybe five or ten minutes for you to actually do it," Hayes said. "We're routing folks to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.va.gov/disability/file-disability-claim-form-21-526ez/introduction">VA.gov</a>&nbsp;to apply today."

You do not have to have all of your paperwork in order to submit an <a href="https://www.va.gov/resources/your-intent-to-file-a-va-claim/">Intent to File</a>. It is important to do so in order to get access to the backdated benefits for the past year.

Jeff Herndon at the Dole VA Medical Center in Wichita also contributed to this story.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1651018039114.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — Thursday, VA announced that Veterans and survivors who apply (or submit their&nbsp;<a href="https://www.va.gov/resources/your-intent-to-file-a-va-claim/" target="_blank">intent to file</a>) for PACT Act benefits by 11:59 p.m. Eastern on Monday, August 14, 2023 will be eligible to have their benefits backdated to August 10, 2022 – the day that President Biden signed the PACT Act into law.&nbsp;&nbsp;"The easiest way for folks to sign up for PACT Act benefits is to go to <a href="https://www.va.gov/disability/file-disability-claim-form-21-526ez/introduction">VA.gov</a>, and click on a button there to apply for a disability claim," said VA Press Secretary Terrence Hayes. "What that does is, even if you don't have all the necessary documents, you're filing an Intent to File and it holds your place in line and you, too, will be eligible for those backdated benefits."&nbsp; VA has made this decision out of an abundance of caution after experiencing technical difficulties with <a href="https://www.va.gov/resources/the-pact-act-and-your-va-benefits/">VA.gov/PACT</a> in recent days. Specifically, due to extremely high demand, some Veterans who have sought to submit their&nbsp;<a href="https://www.va.gov/resources/your-intent-to-file-a-va-claim/" target="_blank">intent to file</a>&nbsp;for PACT Act benefits have received error messages while doing so.&nbsp;&nbsp;Despite these messages, VA has successfully logged every one of these <a href="https://www.va.gov/resources/your-intent-to-file-a-va-claim/">intents to file</a> – meaning that every Veteran or survivor who has received an error message while applying for PACT Act benefits can consider their intent to file complete. VA is working on contacting these Veterans to clarify their status."It takes maybe five or ten minutes for you to actually do it," Hayes said. "We're routing folks to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.va.gov/disability/file-disability-claim-form-21-526ez/introduction">VA.gov</a>&nbsp;to apply today."You do not have to have all of your paperwork in order to submit an <a href="https://www.va.gov/resources/your-intent-to-file-a-va-claim/">Intent to File</a>. It is important to do so in order to get access to the backdated benefits for the past year.Jeff Herndon at the Dole VA Medical Center in Wichita also contributed to this story.

PACT Act backdated deadline extended to Monday

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Biden administration attorneys were set to ask appellate court judges in New Orleans on Thursday to block a Louisiana-based federal judge's broad order limiting executive branch officials and agencies' communications with social media companies about controversial online posts.

U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty of Monroe issued the order last month in a lawsuit brought by Republican attorneys general in Louisiana and Missouri, who will be asking the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of appeals to uphold the order. Plaintiffs also include a conservative website owner and four individual critics of government COVID-19 policies.

Critics of the ruling say it could hamper attempts to squelch misinformation on topics such as public health and elections. Supporters of the order say it keeps the government from illegally censoring points of view.

The 5th Circuit granted a temporary pause on enforcement of the order on July 14, giving both sides time to file briefs and prepare for Thursday's hearing. A panel of three judges was scheduled to hear arguments: Edith Brown Clement and Jennifer Walker Elrod, nominated to the court by former President George W. Bush; and Don Willett, nominated by former President Donald Trump.

Filed last year, the lawsuit claimed the administration, in effect, censored free speech by discussing possible regulatory action the government could take while pressuring companies to remove what it deemed misinformation. COVID-19 vaccines, legal issues involving President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter, and election fraud allegations were among the topics spotlighted in the lawsuit.

Doughty, nominated to the federal bench by Trump, issued an Independence Day order and accompanying reasons that covered more than 160 pages. He said the plaintiffs were likely to win the lawsuit. His injunction blocked the Health and Human Services Department, the FBI and multiple other government agencies and administration officials from “encouraging, pressuring, or inducing in any manner the removal, deletion, suppression, or reduction of content containing protected free speech.”

Administration lawyers said the order was overly broad and vague, raising questions about what officials can say in conversations with social media companies or in public statements. They said Doughty’s order posed a threat of “grave” public harm by chilling executive branch efforts to combat online misinformation. And they said there has been no evidence of threats by the administration.

“The district court identified no evidence suggesting that a threat accompanied any request for the removal of content," the administration said. “Indeed, the order denying the stay — presumably highlighting the ostensibly strongest evidence — referred to ‘a series of public media statements.'"

In response, the attorneys general say in briefs that the order ended an “egregious campaign” by the administration that “fundamentally distorted online discourse in America on great social and political questions.”

The White House has said publicly it disagrees with the ruling but has said little about how and whether it has affected communication with social media companies so far.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667963892129.png" alt="Republican U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt was the Missouri attorney general when the lawsuit was filed-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Republican U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt was the Missouri attorney general when the lawsuit was filed-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Biden administration attorneys were set to ask appellate court judges in New Orleans on Thursday to block a Louisiana-based federal judge's broad order limiting executive branch officials and agencies' communications with social media companies about controversial online posts.U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty of Monroe issued the order last month in a lawsuit brought by Republican attorneys general in Louisiana and Missouri, who will be asking the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of appeals to uphold the order. Plaintiffs also include a conservative website owner and four individual critics of government COVID-19 policies.Critics of the ruling say it could hamper attempts to squelch misinformation on topics such as public health and elections. Supporters of the order say it keeps the government from illegally censoring points of view.The 5th Circuit granted a temporary pause on enforcement of the order on July 14, giving both sides time to file briefs and prepare for Thursday's hearing. A panel of three judges was scheduled to hear arguments: Edith Brown Clement and Jennifer Walker Elrod, nominated to the court by former President George W. Bush; and Don Willett, nominated by former President Donald Trump.Filed last year, the lawsuit claimed the administration, in effect, censored free speech by discussing possible regulatory action the government could take while pressuring companies to remove what it deemed misinformation. COVID-19 vaccines, legal issues involving President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter, and election fraud allegations were among the topics spotlighted in the lawsuit.Doughty, nominated to the federal bench by Trump, issued an Independence Day order and accompanying reasons that covered more than 160 pages. He said the plaintiffs were likely to win the lawsuit. His injunction blocked the Health and Human Services Department, the FBI and multiple other government agencies and administration officials from “encouraging, pressuring, or inducing in any manner the removal, deletion, suppression, or reduction of content containing protected free speech.”Administration lawyers said the order was overly broad and vague, raising questions about what officials can say in conversations with social media companies or in public statements. They said Doughty’s order posed a threat of “grave” public harm by chilling executive branch efforts to combat online misinformation. And they said there has been no evidence of threats by the administration.“The district court identified no evidence suggesting that a threat accompanied any request for the removal of content," the administration said. “Indeed, the order denying the stay — presumably highlighting the ostensibly strongest evidence — referred to ‘a series of public media statements.'"In response, the attorneys general say in briefs that the order ended an “egregious campaign” by the administration that “fundamentally distorted online discourse in America on great social and political questions.”The White House has said publicly it disagrees with the ruling but has said little about how and whether it has affected communication with social media companies so far.

Biden admin. continues court fight on interference in social media content

YUMA COUNTY —A supercell EF3 tornado generated winds at 150 mph near the Kansas, Nebraska border in Northeast Colorado just after 6p.m. CDT Tuesday,&nbsp; according to a preliminary storm survey from the National Weather Service in Goodland. 

The tornado with a maximum width of 161 yards moved east-southeast from Hyde, Colorado to Yuma, Colorado and remained just south of the city. 

It damaged two homes, trees, numerous power poles and irrigation pivots.&nbsp; Grain bins and a slanted metal building containing agriculture equipment were also damaged.

The tornado lasted approximately 25 minutes and traveled just over six miles. There were no injuries reported.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691680235608.png" alt="Storm damage photo courtesy KDVR TV" />
 <figcaption>Storm damage photo courtesy KDVR TV</figcaption>
 </figure>YUMA COUNTY —A supercell EF3 tornado generated winds at 150 mph near the Kansas, Nebraska border in Northeast Colorado just after 6p.m. CDT Tuesday,&nbsp; according to a preliminary storm survey from the National Weather Service in Goodland. The tornado with a maximum width of 161 yards moved east-southeast from Hyde, Colorado to Yuma, Colorado and remained just south of the city. It damaged two homes, trees, numerous power poles and irrigation pivots.&nbsp; Grain bins and a slanted metal building containing agriculture equipment were also damaged.The tornado lasted approximately 25 minutes and traveled just over six miles. There were no injuries reported.

NWS: Tornado in northeast Colorado had winds of 150mph

WAILUKU, Hawaii (AP) — Several thousand Hawaii residents raced to escape homes on Maui as the Lahaina fire swept across the island, killing at least 36 people and burning parts of a centuries-old town.

The fire took the island of Maui by surprise, leaving behind burned-out cars on once busy streets and smoking piles of rubble where historic buildings had stood. Flames roared throughout the night, forcing adults and children to dive into the ocean for safety.

<a href="https://www.mauicounty.gov/">Maui county announced</a> the updated death toll on its website late Wednesday, writing that no other details were currently available on the deaths. Officials said earlier that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-wildfire-maui-dora-winds-ec23c16abfbeb6ba689f1a98263720db">271 structures were damaged or destroyed</a>&nbsp;and dozens of people injured.

On Wednesday, Maui crews continued to battle blazes in several places on the island. Authorities urged visitors to stay away.

Lahaina residents Kamuela Kawaakoa and Iiulia Yasso described a harrowing escape under smoke-filled skies Tuesday afternoon. The couple and their 6-year-old son got back to their apartment after a quick dash to the supermarket for water, and only had time to grab a change of clothes and run as the bushes around them caught fire.

“We barely made it out,” Kawaakoa said at an evacuation shelter on Wednesday, still unsure if anything was left of their apartment.

As the family fled, a senior center across the road erupted in flames. They called 911, but didn't know if the people got out. Fire alarms blared. As they drove away, downed utility poles and fleeing cars slowed their progress.

Kawaakoa, 34, grew up in the apartment building, called Lahaina Surf, where his dad and grandmother also lived. Lahaina Town dates back to the 1700s and has long been a favorite destination for tourists.

“It was so hard to sit there and just watch my town burn to ashes and not be able to do anything," Kawaakoa said. “I was helpless.”

The Hawaiian fires were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-wildfires-climate-change-92c0930be7c28ec9ac71392a83c87582">whipped by strong winds</a>&nbsp;from Hurricane Dora passing far to the south. It's the latest in a series of disasters caused by extreme weather around the globe this summer. Experts say climate change is increasing the likelihood of such events.

As winds eased somewhat on Maui, some flights resumed Wednesday, allowing pilots to view the full scope of the devastation. Aerial video from Lahaina showed dozens of homes and businesses razed, including on Front Street, where tourists once gathered to shop and dine. Smoking heaps of rubble lay piled high next to the waterfront, boats in the harbor were scorched, and gray smoke hovered over the leafless skeletons of charred trees.

“It’s horrifying. I’ve flown here 52 years and I’ve never seen anything come close to that,” said Richard Olsten, a helicopter pilot for a tour company. “We had tears in our eyes."

About 14,500 customers in Maui were without power early Wednesday. With cell service and phone lines down in some areas, many people were struggling to check in with friends and family members living near the wildfires. Some were posting messages on social media.

Tiare Lawrence was frantically trying to reach her siblings who live near where a gas station exploded in Lahaina.

“There’s no service, so we can’t get ahold of anyone,” she said from the Maui community of Pukalani.

Maj. Gen. Kenneth Hara, from the Hawaii State Dept. of Defense, told reporters Wednesday night that officials were working to get communications restored, to distribute water, and possibly adding law enforcement personnel. He said National Guard helicopters had dropped 150,000 gallons of water on the Maui fires.

State Department of Education Superintendent Keith Hayashi said in a statement that a team was working on contingency plans and preparing for the possible loss of the King Kamehameha III elementary school that had been in Lahaina for more than a century.

“The department is striving to maintain regular school schedules to provide a sense of normalcy, but will keep most Maui schools closed for the remainder of this week,” he said.

The Coast Guard said it rescued 14 people who jumped into the water to escape flames and smoke, including two children.

Among those injured were three people with critical burns who were flown to Straub Medical Center’s burn unit on the island of Oahu, officials said. At least 20 patients were taken to Maui Memorial Medical Center, officials said, and a firefighter was hospitalized in stable condition after inhaling smoke.

Richard Bissen Jr., the mayor of Maui County, said at a Wednesday morning news conference that he didn't have details on how or where on the island the six deaths occurred. He said officials hadn't yet begun investigating the immediate cause of the fires, but officials did point to the combination of dry conditions, low humidity and high winds.

More than 2,100 people spent Tuesday night in evacuation centers. Another 2,000 travelers sheltered at Kahului Airport after many flights were canceled. Officials were preparing the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu to take in thousands of displaced tourists and locals.

Mauro Farinelli, of Lahaina, said the winds had started blowing hard on Tuesday, and then somehow a fire had started up on a hillside.

“It just ripped through everything with amazing speed,” he said, adding it was “like a blowtorch.”

The winds were so strong they blew his garage door off its hinges and trapped his car in the garage, Farinelli said. So a friend drove him, along with his wife Judit and dog Susi, to an evacuation shelter. He had no idea what had happened to their home.

“We’re hoping for the best,” he said, “but we’re pretty sure it’s gone.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691662929011.png" alt="Image taken from a helicopter shows the vast destruction of Lahaina, a historic town in Hawaii. Courtesy: Vince Carter/Air Maui" />
 <figcaption>Image taken from a helicopter shows the vast destruction of Lahaina, a historic town in Hawaii. Courtesy: Vince Carter/Air Maui</figcaption>
 </figure>WAILUKU, Hawaii (AP) — Several thousand Hawaii residents raced to escape homes on Maui as the Lahaina fire swept across the island, killing at least 36 people and burning parts of a centuries-old town.The fire took the island of Maui by surprise, leaving behind burned-out cars on once busy streets and smoking piles of rubble where historic buildings had stood. Flames roared throughout the night, forcing adults and children to dive into the ocean for safety.<a href="https://www.mauicounty.gov/">Maui county announced</a> the updated death toll on its website late Wednesday, writing that no other details were currently available on the deaths. Officials said earlier that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-wildfire-maui-dora-winds-ec23c16abfbeb6ba689f1a98263720db">271 structures were damaged or destroyed</a>&nbsp;and dozens of people injured.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Leeward areas of the state will remain under a Red Flag Warning through tonight. Stay updated with our watches, warnings, and advisories at <a href="https://t.co/ZtuCL9tVrL">https://t.co/ZtuCL9tVrL</a>. The wildfires on Maui were captured on satellite imagery as shown here. <a href="https://t.co/ix1MR58DHS">pic.twitter.com/ix1MR58DHS</a>&mdash; NWSHonolulu (@NWSHonolulu) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSHonolulu/status/1689447349800800256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>On Wednesday, Maui crews continued to battle blazes in several places on the island. Authorities urged visitors to stay away.Lahaina residents Kamuela Kawaakoa and Iiulia Yasso described a harrowing escape under smoke-filled skies Tuesday afternoon. The couple and their 6-year-old son got back to their apartment after a quick dash to the supermarket for water, and only had time to grab a change of clothes and run as the bushes around them caught fire.“We barely made it out,” Kawaakoa said at an evacuation shelter on Wednesday, still unsure if anything was left of their apartment.As the family fled, a senior center across the road erupted in flames. They called 911, but didn't know if the people got out. Fire alarms blared. As they drove away, downed utility poles and fleeing cars slowed their progress.Kawaakoa, 34, grew up in the apartment building, called Lahaina Surf, where his dad and grandmother also lived. Lahaina Town dates back to the 1700s and has long been a favorite destination for tourists.“It was so hard to sit there and just watch my town burn to ashes and not be able to do anything," Kawaakoa said. “I was helpless.”The Hawaiian fires were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-wildfires-climate-change-92c0930be7c28ec9ac71392a83c87582">whipped by strong winds</a>&nbsp;from Hurricane Dora passing far to the south. It's the latest in a series of disasters caused by extreme weather around the globe this summer. Experts say climate change is increasing the likelihood of such events.As winds eased somewhat on Maui, some flights resumed Wednesday, allowing pilots to view the full scope of the devastation. Aerial video from Lahaina showed dozens of homes and businesses razed, including on Front Street, where tourists once gathered to shop and dine. Smoking heaps of rubble lay piled high next to the waterfront, boats in the harbor were scorched, and gray smoke hovered over the leafless skeletons of charred trees.“It’s horrifying. I’ve flown here 52 years and I’ve never seen anything come close to that,” said Richard Olsten, a helicopter pilot for a tour company. “We had tears in our eyes."About 14,500 customers in Maui were without power early Wednesday. With cell service and phone lines down in some areas, many people were struggling to check in with friends and family members living near the wildfires. Some were posting messages on social media.Tiare Lawrence was frantically trying to reach her siblings who live near where a gas station exploded in Lahaina.“There’s no service, so we can’t get ahold of anyone,” she said from the Maui community of Pukalani.Maj. Gen. Kenneth Hara, from the Hawaii State Dept. of Defense, told reporters Wednesday night that officials were working to get communications restored, to distribute water, and possibly adding law enforcement personnel. He said National Guard helicopters had dropped 150,000 gallons of water on the Maui fires.State Department of Education Superintendent Keith Hayashi said in a statement that a team was working on contingency plans and preparing for the possible loss of the King Kamehameha III elementary school that had been in Lahaina for more than a century.“The department is striving to maintain regular school schedules to provide a sense of normalcy, but will keep most Maui schools closed for the remainder of this week,” he said.The Coast Guard said it rescued 14 people who jumped into the water to escape flames and smoke, including two children.Among those injured were three people with critical burns who were flown to Straub Medical Center’s burn unit on the island of Oahu, officials said. At least 20 patients were taken to Maui Memorial Medical Center, officials said, and a firefighter was hospitalized in stable condition after inhaling smoke.Richard Bissen Jr., the mayor of Maui County, said at a Wednesday morning news conference that he didn't have details on how or where on the island the six deaths occurred. He said officials hadn't yet begun investigating the immediate cause of the fires, but officials did point to the combination of dry conditions, low humidity and high winds.More than 2,100 people spent Tuesday night in evacuation centers. Another 2,000 travelers sheltered at Kahului Airport after many flights were canceled. Officials were preparing the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu to take in thousands of displaced tourists and locals.Mauro Farinelli, of Lahaina, said the winds had started blowing hard on Tuesday, and then somehow a fire had started up on a hillside.“It just ripped through everything with amazing speed,” he said, adding it was “like a blowtorch.”The winds were so strong they blew his garage door off its hinges and trapped his car in the garage, Farinelli said. So a friend drove him, along with his wife Judit and dog Susi, to an evacuation shelter. He had no idea what had happened to their home.“We’re hoping for the best,” he said, “but we’re pretty sure it’s gone.”President Joe Biden said he'd ordered all available federal assets to help with the response. He said the Hawaii National Guard had mobilized Chinook helicopters to help with fire suppression as well as search and rescue efforts on Maui.“Our prayers are with those who have seen their homes, businesses and communities destroyed," Biden said in a statement.Former President Barack Obama, who was born in Hawaii, said on social media that it’s tough to see some of the images coming out of a place that is so special to many.Alan Dickar, who owns a poster gallery and three houses in Lahaina, said most tourists who come to Maui visit Front Street.“The central two blocks is the economic heart of this island, and I don’t know what’s left," he said.Dickar took video of flames engulfing the main strip before escaping with three friends and two cats.“Every significant thing I owned burned down today,” he said. “I’ll be OK. I got out safely.”Wildfires were also burning on Hawaii’s Big Island, Mayor Mitch Roth said, although there had been no reports of injuries or destroyed homes there. Roth said firefighters had needed to extinguish some roof fires and there were continuing flareups of one fire near the Mauna Kea Resorts.Acting Gov. Sylvia Luke said the flames had wiped out communities and urged travelers to stay away.“This is not a safe place to be,” she said.Luke issued an emergency proclamation on behalf of Gov. Josh Green, who was traveling. Green's office said he'd cut short his trip and was returning Wednesday evening.Fires in Hawaii are unlike many of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bonny-fire-york-california-nevada-wildfires-mojave-3fe4fc9ea8bb500bb48e7589f16911ad">those burning in the U.S. West</a>. They tend to break out in large grasslands on the dry sides of the islands and are generally much smaller than mainland fires. A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fires-environment-and-nature-droughts-hawaii-wildfires-ca2f8cbf76abf6affbbee9fce3be69a8">major fire on the Big Island in 2021</a>&nbsp;burned homes and forced thousands to evacuate.The 2018&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-business-environment-and-nature-gavin-newsom-paradise-dbae2ef725b32d91ff4c612de38f01e2">Camp Fire</a>&nbsp;in the Sierra Nevada foothills of California killed at least 85 people and destroyed nearly 19,000 homes.Yasso, who fled her home with boyfriend Kawaakoa, said residents are going to need time to regroup and that people shouldn't plan to visit right now.“It’s everybody losing their memories of growing up,” she said. “It’s the memories for everybody. We all lost our homes with this.”