HOUSTON (AP) — After the floodwaters earlier this month just about swallowed two of the six homes that 60-year-old Tom Madigan owns on the San Jacinto River, he didn’t think twice about whether to fix them. He hired people to help, and they got to work stripping the walls, pulling up flooring and throwing out water-logged furniture. What Madigan didn’t know: The Harris County Flood Control District wants to buy his properties as part of an effort to get people out of dangerously flood-prone areas. Back-to-back storms drenched southeast Texas in late April and early May, causing flash flooding and pushing rivers out of their banks and into low-lying neighborhoods. Officials across the region urged people in vulnerable areas to evacuate. Like Madigan’s, some places that were inundated along the San Jacinto in Harris County have flooded repeatedly. And for nearly 30 years, the flood control district has been trying to clear out homes around the river by paying property owners to move, then returning the lots to nature. |
Twins' Castro hits birthday homer, lifts Minnesota to 6Trump will be in NY for the hush money trial while the Supreme Court hears his immunity case in DCTwins' Castro hits birthday homer, lifts Minnesota to 6Authorities confirm 2nd victim of exNo one is above the law. Supreme Court will decide if that includes Trump while he was presidentColleges nationwide turn to police to quell proParis Hilton excited to 'reclaim her narrative' by producing Toxic docuseries about 'popCounty in rural New Mexico extends agreement with ICE for immigrant detention amid criticismUS growth likely slowed last quarter but still pointed to a solid economyParis Hilton excited to 'reclaim her narrative' by producing Toxic docuseries about 'pop