Public Safety · Pagosa Springs, CO
More than 20 trillion gallons of rain fell across the Four Corners states and Nevada over two weeks, killing at least one person and leaving communities in cleanup mode as floodwaters receded Tuesday. In San Juan County, New Mexico, rivers remained above flood stage with evacuation orders affecting at least 20,000 residents expected to lift soon. Pagosa Springs, Colorado's downtown closed to traffic Tuesday while crews cleared mud and debris from roads and damaged bridges. Flooding also disrupted Election Day voting: hundreds of voters in Rock Point, Arizona, on the Navajo Nation were stranded by bridge closures, while at least 20 polling places changed locations across eight Florida counties after Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an emergency declaration.
Local Politics · Palm Beach County
Yvette Drucker, a two-term Boca Raton City Council member, won the Palm Beach County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller election Tuesday night in a decisive victory over suspended incumbent Mike Caruso. Caruso was arrested in August on five felony child sexual abuse charges and removed from office by Gov. Ron DeSantis but refused to withdraw from the race; his trial is set for Orange County. Drucker pledged to restore public trust, strengthen financial oversight, and modernize digital services through public dashboards. The clerk's office oversees court records, audits county spending, and manages billions in public investments, including an Israeli bond portfolio that surpassed $1 billion.
Public Safety · Palm Beach County
Nine Palm Beach County schools, including West Boca High, will be closed to students, staff and visitors on Wednesday after flash flooding affected campuses. Record rainfall hit the county Monday: West Palm Beach recorded 7.39 inches, breaking a 1925 record for Nov. 2, while the Town of Palm Beach saw 9.41 inches in 24 hours. Fourteen people were rescued by Palm Beach County Fire Rescue's Swift Water USAR Team, and residents in the Canterbury neighborhood of Century Village in West Palm Beach were evacuated to a shelter. The county's Emergency Operations Center remains at Level 2 activation with a State of Local Emergency in place. A coastal flood statement is active through at least Wednesday evening for South Florida coastal areas ahead of higher tides near the Nov. 9 new moon.
