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Officials in Hard-hit Texas County Explain Missing Flood Briefing Call; Biden Administration's SAVE Repayment Program Set to End Tomorrow; Suspect Arrested in Killings of Couple Hiking With Two Daughters in Arkansas; Widespread, Life-threatening Flash Flooding Likely in Major I-95 Corridor Cities During Evening Commute. Aired 1:30-2p ET
Aired July 31, 2025 - 13:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[13:30:00]
MAYOR JOE HERRING JR., KERRVILLE, TEXAS: -- the email. I do.
SHIMON PROKUPECZ, CNN SENIOR CRIME AND JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Look, this is significant because finally, we are getting some acknowledgment that perhaps things could have been better here, that the preparation could have been better. And why this is important, why this is important here is because there is a person sitting at the table behind me here at this hearing who's from a neighboring county.
What he just said just a short time ago was that the reason why that county took this so much more seriously was that they were in contact with the Texas Department of Emergency Management and it was based off of that, they had some concern that this was going to be worse. That did not happen in Kirk County and in Kerrville, none of the officials, it appears, from everything we know now were in contact with the National Weather Service in the day before, with the Texas Department of Emergency Management.
And there was a member of the legislator who asked a very significant question, and I'm going to wrap with this. He said, that's fine. What you guys did on the day off on July 4th, the rescues, yes, but it is a question of what did you do to prevent the loss of life? And that remains still a big question.
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CO-ANCHOR OF "CNN NEWS CENTRAL": Yeah. These kinds of things are heartbreaking because you want to know how could lives have been saved. Nothing is going to bring back those kids, those people who were lost, but we're getting a clearer picture. Shimon, we appreciate the reporting. Thank you so much.
Still ahead, nearly 8 million student loan borrowers could see their monthly payments skyrocket starting tomorrow. Up next, what you need to know about the changes coming to a popular loan program.
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[13:35:50]
KEILAR: Tomorrow, millions of student loan borrowers will start accruing interest again on their outstanding balances. And it has a lot of people worried about how they're going to make ends meet. These are folks who were enrolled in the Biden era's SAVE Repayment Plan.
BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN CO-ANCHOR OF "CNN NEWS CENTRAL": Yeah. And that program helped to reduce monthly payments based on income and family size. It also worked to prevent interest from ballooning and to accelerate loan forgiveness for some low-income borrowers. Last year though, federal courts blocked key parts of that program. CNN Washington Correspondent, Sunlen Serfaty, joins us now.
And Sunlen, these borrowers just learned about these changes about three weeks ago. So, what happens next?
SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: That's right. This was very abrupt and it took a lot of people by surprise that it was announced just three weeks ago by the Department of Education. So, it's really causing a lot of borrowers to have to scramble. Now, here's what you need to know. Starting tomorrow, people who are on the SAVE Plan and there are 8 million borrowers on this plan, they will start to see their interests tick up and accrue. This has not happened in one year. They were in no issue forbearance since last summer. So now, they will see that bottom line, big balance start to grow. That's a surprise to many people.
Now, they can still be in forbearance, meaning that their monthly payment will potentially stay the same or essentially be frozen. But seeing that big bottom line tick up for many borrowers is very scary, very disheartening. And I spoke to many people who will be impacted by this change. One woman I spoke to is 31-years-old, she just finished medical school and she says, look, I'm only making $4,000 a month now. I'm in my residency. But she's facing $300,000 of student loans. And she spoke, you can hear the emotion in her voice, as she talked about this change.
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BRONTE REMSIK, "SAVE" PLAN BORROWER: I've spent my entire 20s in school and so now, in my 30s and as a young professional, I would love to have a life. I would love to be able to go on vacation and to eat dinner out and to live a normal human life in the very limited free time that I have. And now, the financial walls just feel like they're crushing down around me when I thought graduating medical school was the big win.
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SERFATY: And you can certainly hear the concern there in her voice. And that's what many borrowers talk to me about, this worry, the financial, concern obviously, but also just massive confusion across the board from everyone I talk to. This is one part of massive changes in the student loan landscape, especially with the Big Beautiful Bill passing and all changes in the loan space coming up. So, a lot of borrowers very confused what they need to do and when.
KEILAR: What options are out there for these borrowers? Anything? SERFATY: There are options, but it involves being proactive. And that's why this time, only three weeks to scramble and find another plan is not a lot of time for people. So, the Department of Education is encouraging people to try to switch plans, call your borrowers, call them if you need help, but it's a lot to navigate through. And also notably, we've reported that there's already a backlog of roughly 1.5 million applications from borrowers hoping to switch plans. So, the time that you have to wait to potentially get that approved is notable and certainly, adding to the worry that a lot of these borrowers are feeling in this moment.
KEILAR: Yeah, tough stuff. Sunlen Serfaty, thank you so much. Really appreciate it.
Coming up, a man has been arrested in connection with that killing of a couple that was out hiking with their two young daughters. Police are now trying to piece together a motive and also figure out why the young girls were thankfully spared. Stay with us.
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SANCHEZ: A days-long manhunt for a suspected killer in Arkansas ended at a barbershop. This surveillance video just into CNN shows the suspect coming in for a haircut, shortly before plain-clothed officers arrive. Andrew James McGann was arrested and faces two counts of capital murder for the killings of Clinton and Cristen Brink. The couple were attacked last week while hiking with their two young daughters, who fortunately were unharmed. CNN's Dianne Gallagher is following these developments for us. Dianne, what more do we know about this suspect and how he was identified and detained?
DIANNE GALLAGHER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Boris. Well, what we know is he was an element -- he's an elementary school teacher, which is chilling in itself when you consider the crimes and the fact that, look, the Brinks were killed with their seven and nine-year-old daughters with them on that trail. Now, we do have that surveillance video from Lupita's Beauty Salon and Barber Shop in Springdale, Arkansas that shows 28-year-old Andrew McGann coming in.
The owner says that he didn't really talk much besides asking for a specific style. And she says after the arrest, they did give the hair on the ground to police for additional evidence. Now, investigators have not given any details on what led them to arrest McGann for the murders of Clinton and Cristen Brink. They also say that they are still working to determine a motive, but it was clear last night, just how difficult this case has been for authorities.
[13:45:00]
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COL. MIKE HAGAR, ARKANSAS STATE POLICE: We were able to take a monster off the streets and bring relief to Clinton and Cristen's precious girls and to the rest of citizens of Arkansas. (END VIDEO CLIP)
GALLAGHER: He had just moved to Arkansas after being hired at a local elementary school in Springdale for the upcoming school year. So, he hadn't started yet at that school, but he'd also worked at other schools in different states as well, Boris. There was an upcoming press conference with police where we hope to learn more. At this point, McGann is still in jail. We have not been able to identify an attorney for him at this point.
SANCHEZ: Dianne Gallagher, thank you so much for bringing us that reporting.
Still to come on "CNN News Central," he's one of the biggest stars in broadcasting, but now, Pro Football Hall of Famer, Shannon Sharpe is out at ESPN, after settling a sexual assault lawsuit. Ahead, hear how he is reacting to his dismissal.
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[13:50:24]
SANCHEZ: Now to some of the other headlines we're watching this hour, cities like Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia are bracing for torrential rainfall that could bring some life-threatening flash flooding. Storms could dump several inches of rain in just a few hours, flooding roads during the busy evening commute. Much of New Jersey and New York City could also see dangerous flooding. Flood watch is already in effect for much of the region.
Plus, the Trump Administration has reached a $50 million deal with Brown University to restore federal funding. Besides the financial payment, Brown will adopt the government's definition of male and female. The school is also removing any consideration of race from its admissions process and dismantling certain diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. In return, the Trump Administration will restore the school's eligibility for future funding and close all pending investigations into Brown. It's the Administration's second major deal with an elite university after last week's $221 million settlement with Columbia University.
We have some new video into CNN that shows the aftermath of a Navy fighter jet crash yesterday in California. You see thick black smoke coming off the crash site. According to the Navy, the pilot of the F- 35 was able to safely eject. The Navy says this happened over a farmland near Air Station in Central California. This is the second crash of an F-35 this year. The aircraft is priced around $100 million. The cause of the crash is still under investigation. Brianna?
KEILAR: President Trump has sent his Mideast Envoy, Steve Witkoff, to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel and come up with a plan to fix the aid crisis in Gaza and the starvation crisis there. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt spoke about this just moments ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) KAROLINE LEAVITT, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Tomorrow, Special Envoy Witkoff and Ambassador Huckabee will be traveling into Gaza to inspect the current distribution sites and secure a plan to deliver more food and meet with local Gazans to hear firsthand about this dire situation on the ground. The special envoy and the ambassador will brief the president immediately after their visit to approve of a final plan for food and aid distribution into the region. And we will provide more details for all of you once that plan is approved and agreed on by the president of the United States.
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KEILAR: We'll continue to monitor that briefing for any other headlines. And in today's Home Front, a new home away from home for service members and veterans undergoing medical treatment, or their families and caretakers supporting them through a medical crisis. The Fisher House Foundation has long supported military and veteran families, building and maintaining Fisher Houses around the country and world so they can stay free of charge while they or a loved one are in a military or VA medical center.
Fisher Houses have become an indispensable part for families who otherwise might find themselves driving back and forth to a treatment facility, breaking the bank to stay in a hotel or even worse, sleeping in a car. The homes have served 534,000 families according to the Pentagon, saving them more than $600 million in lodging and transportation costs. And on Tuesday, the Fisher House Foundation officially dedicated its 100th Fisher House in North Chicago.
I'm joined now by Ken Fisher. He's the Chairman and CEO of Fisher House Foundation, which was founded by his late great uncle Zachary Fisher. Ken, first off, congratulations to you and everyone at the foundation on this milestone. Just talk to us a little bit about how critical this support is for these families and service members and veterans.
KEN FISHER, CHAIRMAN AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, FISHER HOUSE FOUNDATION: Well, first, thanks for having me, Brianna, and thank you for the congratulations. It was a, certainly, a big but very hot day. The Fisher House has become indispensable to these families because they basically, have two things in common. They come from all over the country and they don't know in so many cases, where they're going or how they're going to pay. And they have a loved one in the hospital.
And so, what Fisher House has done is remove that stress off of these families, which bear burdens and make sacrifices that the average American will never understand.
KEILAR: Yeah, it's a clear need that you have met for years and years, decades now. I visited the first Fisher House at Walter Reed a few years back and I'll forever remember how much it meant to a veteran staying there that I spoke with, who was getting yet again his prosthetic adjusted.
[13:55:00] And there was also a family there who wouldn't have been able to provide that critical support and advocacy for their service member who was getting treatment if they hadn't had the Fisher House. There were hot meals; there were toys for families who had little kids. There was a sense of community. I wonder for you, so many Fisher Houses now, including one at Dover, we should mention, is there a particular story that sticks with you from over the years?
FISHER: Brianna, it would be tough because 535,000 to 540,000 families to identify one, because every story is unique. You brought up Dover. Dover was a house that we built in six months when we were made aware of the need down there because, so many times, families were going to Dover, but very late at night. And after doing the unthinkable, welcomed their loved one home, they'd have to drive to a cheap motel. And we just didn't think that that was worthy of the sacrifice that they had just made. So, I think Dover stands out to me as one of the most important Fisher Houses out of the hundred that we built.
KEILAR: Yeah, it's really amazing. And Ken, I know you got 101 coming in Arkansas soon. So, Ken Fisher, thank you so much and again, really appreciate all the work that you do.
FISHER: Thanks, Brianna. Thanks for having me.
KEILAR: And we'll be right back.
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