St. Louis mayor complains FEMA isn't on the ground after major tornado

St. Louis mayor complains FEMA isn't on the ground after major tornado

St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer says FEMA still has no presence on the ground, several days after a mile-wide tornado cuta nearly 23-mile path through the areaand damaged an estimated 5,000 buildings. Five people died in the city. Dozens were injured. "On the local level, every organization, community member, elected official, has been on point. What we need right now is federal assistance," Spencertold MSNBCMay 19. "This is what the federal government is for." Spencer, a Democrat, estimated the damage at approximately $1 billion. At a press conference Sunday, she said her office worked with the St. Louis Community Foundation to create the City of St. Louis Tornado Response Fund,which is collecting donations. Spencersaid on social mediathat the city is actively working with state and federal authorities to get FEMA resources, but it could take weeks. FEMA doesn't automatically provide assistance after a storm or disaster. Their presence must be requested by the state. Agency officials generally take a few days to arrive, during which time state and local emergency officials manage the disaster. On Monday, Gov. Mike Kehoe,a Republican, asked President Donald Trump to issue a federal Emergency Declaration and requested that FEMA participate in joint Preliminary Damage Assessments. Kehoe visited the city earlier in the day. Altogether, storms on May 16 caused seven deaths across Missouri and widespread damage in St. Louis and other areas of southeast Missouri. More:Weather forecast calls for even more storms in central US Accordingto a news releasefrom the governor's office, Kehoe has been in direct contact with Trump and other administration officials about getting federal help. On Capitol Hill Tuesday, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) pushed Homeland Security SecretaryKristi Noemto get the request for Friday's storm and two other unanswered disaster declaration requests before Trump as soon as possible. "We are desperate for assistance in Missouri," he said. Noem promised to get the disaster declarations to Trump and expedite FEMA assistance once he approves them. Missouri is still waiting for a response to requests for federal disaster declarations related to storms, tornadoes or flooding on March 14 and 15, March 30 through April 8 and April 29,according to the governor's office. On the afternoon of May 20, at the first meeting of a new FEMA review council created by Trump, Noem spoke about how FEMA is sometimes politicized, saying that governors submit disaster declaration without filling out the application or providing the proper supporting documents "so that they could say they did their part when necessarily even the basics weren't provided." A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for more information. At least2,000 of FEMA's roughly 6,100 full-time employeesare believed to have either left or plan to leave because of terminations and voluntary retirements ordered by Elon Musk's Department of Governmental Efficiency. Further layoffs are expected in the coming weeks as the Trump administration's review of FEMA continues. USA TODAY reporter Dinah Pulver contributed. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:St. Louis mayor: FEMA isn't helping after tornadoes' historic damage

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St. Louis mayor complains FEMA isn't on the ground after major tornado

St. Louis mayor complains FEMA isn't on the ground after major tornado St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer says FEMA still has no presence on t...

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Venezuelan man accused of posing as a teen to attend Ohio high school for more than year

Venezuelan man accused of posing as a teen to attend Ohio high school for more than year

A 24-year-old Venezuelan man is accused of posing as an unaccompanied minor to attend an Ohio high school in a case school officials described as "highly unusual and deceptive." Anthony Emmanuel Labrador Sierra, who attended Perrysburg High School for more than a year beginning as an apparent 16-year-old in January 2024, was arrested during a traffic stop on felony forgery charges, school and police officials said Tuesday. Labrador, who had been a member of the school's JV soccer and swim teams, used fraudulent documents during the enrollment process, Perrysburg police said in a statement. The school district described the allegations as "heartbreaking" and said staff members and local families had sought to support someone "they believed was a vulnerable teen. Their compassion reflects the best of our community. Though trust was violated, we remain proud of those who chose to help." Labrador was scheduled to appear in a Wood County courtroom Tuesday. It wasn't immediately clear whether he has a lawyer to speak on his behalf. In a statement, Perrysburg Schools said that Labrador portrayed himself as an unaccompanied minor when he sought to attend the district and that he was enrolled in accordance with federal and state requirements for students without legal guardians or experiencing homelessness. At the time, he provided documentation showing that immigration authorities had given him Temporary Protected Status and that a juvenile court had granted guardianship to a family in Perrysburg, the school district said. Labrador also had an Ohio driver's license and a Social Security card, the statement said. The district alleged that the documents were falsified. After his guardians contacted the school last week saying they had obtained information that he was a 24-year-old adult, administrators met with Labrador, who denied the allegation and said the birth certificate he provided during enrollment was accurate, according to the district. Labrador was ordered to stay away from school grounds while officials investigated the allegations and reached out to local police, according to the statement. The school's investigation uncovered social media posts from people claiming to be Labrador's real family, the district said. "This case involves highly unusual and deceptive circumstances that impacted many local, state and federal agencies," the district said. "The school district has reviewed its actions regarding enrollment and is confident proper legal channels were followed to provide support for an individual presenting themselves as an unaccompanied minor as spelled out in the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act." That law, passed in 1987, requires states to ensure that homeless youths have access to the same public education as other students.

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Venezuelan man accused of posing as a teen to attend Ohio high school for more than year

Venezuelan man accused of posing as a teen to attend Ohio high school for more than year A 24-year-old Venezuelan man is accused of posing a...

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Beloved '90s Band Member, 48, Shocks Fans With Impromptu Subway Performance

Beloved '90s Band Member, 48, Shocks Fans With Impromptu Subway Performance

As any New Yorker can tell you, even major celebrities take the subway — but they don't usually bust out with a surprise performance of their most famous dance moves on the platform. Still, that's exactly what NSYNC memberJoey Fatonedid, much to the delight of his fans. Fatone, 48, who recently wrapped up his very first Broadway run in the hit musical& Juliet(and subsequently announced he would be returning for an encore engagement in April), proved he hasn't forgotten the classic choreography for NSYNC's "Bye Bye Bye" when he flawlessly performed the dance with a small group of fans while waiting for the train in the Times Square subway station in New York City. In a video shared to Instagram by the official& Julietaccount this week, Fatone was just as energetic as ever, wearing jeans and a black t-shirt printed with the classic NSYNC reference "It's Gonna Be May." View this post on Instagram A post shared by & Juliet Broadway (@andjulietbway) Fans loved seeing Fatone bring back the retro routine. "This is so cool!!😍😍😍" raved one person, with someone else adding, "He's so awesome ❤️." Another Instagram user called the clip "the best thing ive seen alll year! ❤️😍🔥" "This. Is. EVERYTHING!!!!! 👏🏽👏🏽🔥🔥" declared yet another fan. While Fatone will be returning to his role as Lance in& Julietat the Stephen Sondheim Theatre from April 22 through July 31, according toBroadway News, he's not ruling out the possibility of an NSYNC reunion at some point in the future. As he toldParadein an exclusive interview earlier this year, a reunion "sounds great" to him. "It would sound fabulous for me, but I have absolutely no idea until we have a conversation," he added. "People have been asking me when that conversation is. It's hopefully freaking soon." Related: *NSYNC Reunion at 'Deadpool & Wolverine' Premiere Melts Millennial Hearts

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Beloved '90s Band Member, 48, Shocks Fans With Impromptu Subway Performance

Beloved '90s Band Member, 48, Shocks Fans With Impromptu Subway Performance As any New Yorker can tell you, even major celebrities take ...

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Tom Cruise and Jimmy Fallon reunite mom and her Navy sailor son in emotional moment: 'That was beautiful'

Tom Cruise and Jimmy Fallon reunite mom and her Navy sailor son in emotional moment: 'That was beautiful'

NBC Tom Cruiseis making magic happen on more than just the big screen. On Monday's episode ofThe Tonight Show, theMission: Impossiblestar teamed up with hostJimmy Fallonto facilitate a surprise reunion between a U.S. Navy sailor and his mom after two long years apart. Cruise and Fallon kept the secret under wraps by playing a game called "What's Behind Me?" which saw one person attempt to guess what kooky high jinks were unfolding on the stage behind them while the other gave them clues. After a few rounds, Fallon asked if anyone in the audience would like to give the game a try and casually selected Shontavia, a community health center worker living in Buffalo, N.Y. Fallon then asked if she had any children. "Yes, I do," Shontavia said. Pressed on whether they lived in Buffalo too, she replied, "No they don't. All over. Europe. My son's in the military." NBC Shontavia explained that her son, Bruce Gary, had been stationed in Europe and so she hadn't seen him for the last two years. "Bruce, if you're watching, your mom's onTheTonight Show," Fallon said as Shontavia blew a kiss to the screen and made a heart with her hands. "That's a big deal! Thank you for your service, Bruce. Right?" "Definitely," Cruise said. "Thank you, Bruce!" Fallon then rotated the stage so Shontavia was facing away from the curtain, which was pulled up to reveal Bruce standing patiently in his Navy uniform with a beautiful bouquet of flowers in hand. After Cruise coached Shontavia through the game — which saw her identify the words "son," "flowers," and "New York City" — Fallon gave her credit for the puzzle and told her to take a look as her chair spun around to reveal her son. She burst into tears upon spotting Bruce, standing up and pulling him into a big hug as she wept. "We flew him all the way in to surprise you!" Fallon said. When Bruce handed his mother the bouquet, the host said, "That's for you, Mom!" Shontavia touched her son's face, seemingly still in shock over his surprise visit. "How's he look?" Fallon asked. "He looks good, right?" Shontavia, visibly emotional, simply nodded in response. Shaking Bruce's hand, Fallon added, "Thank you for your service." Cruise and Fallonreflected on the sweet moment during the actor's sit-down interviewafter the break. "That was beautiful. That was really — I've seen stuff like that on television before, and to be part of it was really special," Cruise admitted. "It's beyond cool." Bruce wasn't the only sailor at the show that evening. After discussing how the Navy helped Cruise film a submarine sequence forMission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning, Fallon revealed that several service members were in the audience. Sign up forEntertainment Weekly's free daily newsletterto get breaking news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more. "The servicemen and women are here tonight," he said as the cameras revealed a group of sailors dressed in their naval uniforms. "Thank you all for being here," Cruise added. Watch Bruce and Shontavia have their extra-sweet reunion in the video above. Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly

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Tom Cruise and Jimmy Fallon reunite mom and her Navy sailor son in emotional moment: 'That was beautiful'

Tom Cruise and Jimmy Fallon reunite mom and her Navy sailor son in emotional moment: 'That was beautiful' NBC Tom Cruiseis making ma...

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US judge says deportations to South Sudan likely violate court order

US judge says deportations to South Sudan likely violate court order

By Nate Raymond BOSTON (Reuters) -A federal judge said on Tuesday it appeared the Trump administration had violated a court order by deporting several migrants to South Sudan without ensuring they had a meaningful chance to raise any concerns they had for their safety. U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy in Boston told a lawyer with the U.S. Department of Justice during a hastily arranged virtual hearing that the potential violation might constitute criminal contempt and he was weighing ordering a plane carrying the migrants to the African nation to turn around. The judge had previously barred the Trump administration from swiftly deporting migrants to countries other than their own without first hearing any concerns that they might be tortured or persecuted if sent there. Lawyers for a group of migrants pursuing a class action lawsuit on behalf of migrants before Murphy said they learned that nearly a dozen migrants held at a detention facility in Texas were flown to South Sudan on Tuesday morning. The migrants included an individual from Myanmar whose lawyer received an email on Monday from a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement official stating the agency's intent to deport his client to South Sudan. The migrant's lawyers said they learned their client had been flown to South Sudan on Tuesday morning. The spouse of a Vietnamese man who was also held at the Port Isabel Detention Center in Texas emailed his lawyer saying that he and 10 other individuals were believed to have been deported as well, the email filed as an exhibit showed. The group also included nationals of Laos, Thailand, Pakistan and Mexico, the spouse said in the email. "Please help! They cannot be allowed to do this." Lawyers for the migrants said conditions in South Sudan have long been dangerous even for locals. The United Nations has warned that the country's spiraling political crisis could reignite the brutal civil war that ended in 2018. The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The department in February instructed immigration officers to review cases of people granted protections against being removed to their home countries to see if they could be re-detained and sent to a third country. Murphy, an appointee of former Democratic President Joe Biden, issued a preliminary injunction on April 18 designed to ensure the migrants were provided due process under the U.S. Constitution's Fifth Amendment. The judge required the administration to provide written notice to migrants before removing them to a country not explicitly listed on their final orders of deportation and a "meaningful opportunity" to raise any fears for their safety if sent there. The judge said any migrants who officials deemed to have not demonstrated a reasonable fear must be given at least 15 days to seek to reopen immigration proceedings to challenge their deportation. Murphy has since further modified his injunction to guard against the possibility of DHS ceding control of migrants to other agencies to carry out rapid deportations, after the administration took the position that the U.S. Department of Defense was not covered by his orders. It made that argument after acknowledging the Defense Department flew four Venezuelans held at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba to El Salvador after Murphy's initial ruling. The judge said this month if the military similarly flew migrants to Libya, that would "clearly violate" his ruling. (Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston; additional reporting by Ted Hesson in Washington and Kristina Cooke in San Francisco; Editing by Richard Chang and Stephen Coates)

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US judge says deportations to South Sudan likely violate court order

US judge says deportations to South Sudan likely violate court order By Nate Raymond BOSTON (Reuters) -A federal judge said on Tuesday it a...

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