Professional crisis communicators watched the news conferences with dismay. Deflecting blame is not helpful if politicians want to build trust with the public, they say.

Colorado Buffaloes football coach Deion Sanders saw the Texas Tech Red Raiders' spending this offseason and asked for an NIL salary cap. The judge lifted the gag order days before Kohberger's July 23 sentencing.

The floods in Texas were particularly devastating: more than 130 deaths, 101 people still missing, and an estimated $18 billion to $22 billion in damage. Those were followed by floods in North Carolina,