By JEFF AMY, Associated Press

GULFPORT, Miss. (AP) — Rocking on his front porch overlooking the Mississippi Sound, former Gulfport Mayor Billy Hewes questions how anyone wouldn’t want to live there.

“People are always going to gravitate to the water,” he said. “And we have a beautiful waterfront.”

But it was far from certain that people would return after 2005’s Hurricane Katrina, which killed 238 people in Mississippi and left only concrete slabs in many areas. With beachfront rebuilding crawling along a decade later, Gulfport began offering property tax breaks to those who built near the water. Hewes said the goal was for people to “build back better, quicker, help kick-start the economy.”

Overlooking the Mississippi Sound, former Gulfport Mayor Billy Hewes stands in front of his home Aug. 12, 2025, in Gulfport, Miss. (AP Photo/Jeff Amy)

Where to encourage building is a thorny decision for local governments in areas exposed to floods or wildfires. Despite risks including rising sea levels, places need residents and taxpayers. Like other Gulf Coast cities after Katrina, Gulfport required residents to build at higher elevations and enforced a stronger building code. But most residents near the water are in at least a moderate-risk flood zone. Nationwide, many more homes are being built in flood zones than are being removed.

“The local government was not necessarily thinking we need people to build in this flood-prone place,” Miyuki Hino, a professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill who researches flooding, said of such decisions. “They were thinking we have this land that’s underutilized and we can increase our property tax revenue.”

Storm left a ‘postapocalyptic’ wasteland

Allen Baker lived through 1969’s Hurricane Camille in neighboring Long Beach and thought he knew what to expect after Katrina. But the 2005 storm was far worse. His historic beachfront home was blown to bits by what witnesses said was a tornado spun off by the hurricane.

“Coming back, there was no home,” Baker said.

All along the coast, neighborhoods between the beach and a railroad track just to the north were shredded by a battering storm tide and winds. Recovery was slow for years.

“It was kind of spooky down here,” Baker said. “I mean, it looked like one of your postapocalyptic movies.”

FILE – Moe Llaren makes his way through the debris of destroyed homes as he tries to find his own house in Gulfport, Miss., on Aug. 31, 2005. (AP Photo/Denis Paquin, File)

Baker and his wife waited. They didn’t move into a new home until 2016, after Gulfport began waiving city property taxes for seven years when owners invested certain amounts in building south of the railroad tracks. Property owners still had to pay county and school taxes.

Sixty properties received Gulfport’s tax break before the city stopped approving new applicants in 2021, tax records show. The savings weren’t huge, typically $500 to $1,000 a year, depending on property value. But Baker and others said it was a sign to stop hesitating and start building.

“In simple terms, it was a green light,” Baker said.

Overlooking the Mississippi Sound, Allen Baker talks in front of his home, Aug. 12, 2025, in Gulfport, Miss. (AP Photo/Jeff Amy)

Steel rods and thick foundations

Not every area has recovered equally. In a lower-lying area on the west side of Gulfport, where rotting chicken and giant paper bales washed up from the port, many lots are still vacant. But one block inland on the east side, attractive new houses mix with structures that survived.

Hewes also benefited from the tax break, building a new home on a beachfront site owned by his family since 1904 — the second-most valuable house built under the program, according to tax records. Hewes said he and his wife used their tax savings to build stronger.

“We put a lot more money into actually hardening this home to a much higher standard,” Hewes said.

Baker’s current house also exceeds Gulfport’s building code, with steel rods inside walls that tie into a 3-foot-thick concrete foundation and fasten down the roof. That qualified the home for an insurance industry standard called “fortified,” which provides savings on expensive wind insurance. But only 1,500 homes in Mississippi have fortified status, according to the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety. That compares with 9,000 in Louisiana and 50,000 in nation-leading Alabama.

Baker, who became a civil engineer after flying airliners, argues beachfront areas need an extra-strict building code.

“Everything about this house is built to be punished,” he said. “If you seriously want to live in this environment, you have to plan for that.”

Some progress, but not enough?

Katherine Egland, a Gulfport resident who chairs the NAACP’s national Environmental and Climate Justice Committee, fears the community may not be prepared for the next big storm.

“I’m not saying we didn’t make some progress,” Egland said. “What I’m saying is we didn’t make nearly the amount of progress that we should have made.”

FILE – A cyclist rides by the remains of the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer while ministers conduct religious services on the beach in Gulfport, Miss., on Sept. 11, 2005. (AP Photo/Rob Carr, File)

She still rejects how Mississippi prioritized business recovery and says some development farther inland has worsened rainwater flooding in historically Black neighborhoods. Areas targeted by the tax break are whiter and more affluent than the city overall.

“You’re giving incentives to residents south of the tracks, but at the same time, you are imperiling residents that live north of the tracks,” Egland said.

Most of the first block facing the beach in Gulfport is rated as having a 1% yearly chance of flooding, although what’s called the 100-year flood zone sometimes stretches farther back. The Federal Emergency Management Agency considers almost all of the rest of the area south of the railroad track to have between a 1% and a 0.2% risk of flooding annually. Flood insurance generally isn’t required in that moderate risk area.

Hino said it’s “absolutely true” that elevating a building reduces risk but said risk grows over time with rising sea levels, which could require someone to elevate a house multiple times over decades. And while a 1% yearly risk of flooding sounds low, those odds add up over time.

“Over the course of your 30-year mortgage, you have a 40% chance of flooding,” Hino said.

It’s not unusual that houses were built in a flood zone in Gulfport. From 2001 to 2019, more than 840,000 homes were built in flood plains nationwide, according to a 2024 University of Miami study. That’s in part because the federally subsidized National Flood Insurance Program will repeatedly pay to rebuild, no matter how high the risk

“The incentive for local governments is to build, and in some ways the incentive for people is to stay where they are,” Hino said.

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The buyout that didn’t happen

There was a plan to get more people out of Mississippi flood zones. Federal officials considered buying out 2,000 properties at highest risk of being damaged by hurricane storm tides. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projected that a $408 million buyout, in 2008 dollars, would lower potential yearly storm damage by $22 million to $33 million. But Congress never appropriated the money.

Hino said buyouts can create parkland that serves both as an environmental buffer and an amenity. But Hewes said he thinks Gulfport’s choices “may have done more for our recovery than any sort of federal buyout.” He said it took years for Gulfport to productively reuse land from a pre-Katrina buyout along a flood-prone bayou.

“Do you create an area that is blighted, that is abandoned, that is neglected after the fact?” Hewes asked.

Even without the tax break, construction is continuing in beachfront areas. But it may not be clear how successful recovery has been until those new buildings are tested by the next major hurricane.

“Some people have built out of concrete,” Baker said. “Some people have built out of better materials. Some people have not. And those people are going to be in for a shock.”

By HALLIE GOLDEN and JOSH FUNK, Associated Press

A foreign truck driver’s deadly U-turn on a Florida highway has become a national political flashpoint over immigration, trucking safety and millions of dollars in federal funding for several states.

Governors, high-ranking Trump administration officials and advocacy groups have all traded accusations in the aftermath of the crash, which killed three people in a minivan that slammed into the semitrailer.

Here’s what to know about the crash and the political fallout:

The crash that started it all

The Florida Highway Patrol says Harjinder Singh, a 28-year-old from India, was driving a semitruck north of West Palm Beach on Aug. 12 when he tried to make a wide left U-turn across the highway median, which left his trailer blocking the northbound lane. The minivan behind Singh wasn’t able to avoid the truck in time, killing the driver and two passengers. Singh and a passenger in his truck were uninjured.

Video from inside the truck’s cab shows Singh making the turn and the van’s impact.

Harjinder Singh is escorted to an airplane by Florida Lt. Gov. Jay Collins and law enforcement on Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025, in Stockton, Calif. (AP Photo/Benjamin Fanjoy)

Charged with three state counts of vehicular homicide and immigration violations, Singh was denied bond on Saturday. The federal government wants him transferred to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody after his criminal case is complete.

Diamond R. Litty, the elected public defender whose office was provisionally assigned to Singh on Saturday, said she cannot recall a case garnering more attention.

“Unfortunately, Mr. Singh has been caught in the crosshairs of politics,” Litty said.

Singh’s immigration and license status

Florida authorities say Singh entered the U.S. illegally from Mexico in 2018. However, California officials say the federal government told them he was in the country legally with a work permit when they issued him a driver’s license.

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Singh first obtained a regular full-term commercial driver’s license in Washington state in July 2023, a type of license that people without legal status are not eligible for, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. The following year, California issued him a limited-term commercial license.

Both states issue licenses regardless of immigration status, as do 17 other states and the District of Columbia, according to the National Immigration Law Center. Supporters say that lets people work, visit doctors and travel safely.

Civil rights and religious groups weigh in

The Sikh Coalition and Sikhs For Justice advocacy groups warn that the heated rhetoric risks fueling more discrimination against members of their faith.

Gurpatwant Pannun, the general counsel for Sikhs For Justice, said Singh fled India due to religious persecution. The Sikh Coalition said they hope he can get a fair trial amid the loud public debate.

Pannun met with Singh and said he is “carrying heavy mental anguish over what has happened” and that it was clear he did not set out to harm anyone. “To portray him as a malicious killer, it would be very unfair and wrong at this time.”

Sikhs for Justice promised to set up a $100,000 fund for the crash victims, administered by the Florida governor’s office.

Federal government threatens millions in state funding

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy accused California, Washington and New Mexico of failing to enforce federal requirements that commercial drivers read and speak English proficiently.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, speaks during a news conference at the U.S. Department of Transportation headquarters, announcing formal action against three states for failing to enforce federal English Language Proficiency (ELP) requirements for commercial motor vehicle drivers, Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

He threatened to withhold $33 million from California, $10.5 million from Washington and $7 million from New Mexico unless the states comply within 30 days. California and New Mexico insist they follow federal rules, while officials in Washington state want to review Duffy’s letter before responding.

DeSantis and Newsom trade blows

The case quickly escalated into a public feud between Florida’s Gov. Ron DeSantis and California Gov. Gavin Newsom, both viewed as having national political ambitions.

DeSantis, a Republican, sent Florida’s lieutenant governor to California to personally criticize its licensing policies, saying Singh should have never been behind the wheel.

Newsom, a Democrat, said the federal government not California issued Singh a work permit renewed earlier this year, although Homeland Security officials have disputed that. Newsom’s office accused the Trump administration of “shifting blame” to the states for its own oversight failures.

English language debate fuels controversy

The crash came just two months after President Donald Trump ‘s executive order increased the penalty for commercial drivers who can’t show English proficiency.

Duffy said Singh failed a roadside inspection in New Mexico because he couldn’t read or understand English well enough to meet federal standards.

But the New Mexico governor’s office said police body-camera video shows Singh speaking in broken English, following instructions and asking about the citation for driving 10 mph above the speed limit.

Duffy says the English rules are about safety not politics, because drivers engaged in interstate commerce need to understand road signs and be able to communicate with law enforcement.

By TOM MURPHY, Associated Press

Will you get a COVID-19 vaccine? That has become a complicated question for many people.

The answer may depend on your age, insurance coverage, health and finding a health care professional who will give you the shot.

A once-straightforward seasonal vaccine process has become muddled this year because of new federal guidance on who can get the shots. It raises questions about whether pharmacists will provide the shots and if insurers will cover them.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has OK’d new shots from Pfizer, Moderna and Novavax, but the approvals came with some new caveats. And it’s not clear yet how that will play out.

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What has changed?

The shots were approved for people who are 65 and older and those who are younger and have a health condition that makes them vulnerable to severe COVID-19.

That includes people with asthma, cancer, heart or lung problems, obesity, depression, a history of smoking or physical inactivity.

“A high proportion of people would qualify for these vaccines even if they’re not over 65,” said Dr. Paul Sax, clinical director of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

Until now, the U.S. — following guidance from independent experts who advise the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — has recommended yearly COVID-19 vaccinations for everyone age 6 months and older.

But Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fired every member of that Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices earlier this year. The replacements he selected have yet to make new recommendations.

Where can I get a shot?

Most Americans visit drugstores to get their COVID-19 vaccines, according to the CDC. It’s not clear yet how easy that will be this fall, depending on where you live.

Nineteen states have laws or regulations that only let pharmacists administer vaccines recommended by ACIP, according to the American Pharmacists Association.

In those states, pharmacies may not be able to dole out shots even for people who fit the FDA’s narrowed range until the committee makes its recommendation.

Plus some pharmacists may be reluctant to give shots to customers who fall outside the FDA’s approval range, said Brigid Groves, a pharmacist and vice president with the American Pharmacists Association.

Will COVID-19 vaccines be covered by insurance?

For people age 65 and older, the FDA’s decision means Medicare will cover the shots.

For everyone else, the answer is still evolving. Check with your insurer or the employer who provides coverage.

Employers and insurers have been covering the full bill for the shots because they have been recommended by ACIP.

Some may continue to do so. Walmart will cover the shots for employees and the health system Kaiser Permanente, which provides coverage for more than 12 million people, says it will keep covering them too.

Why might the shots still be covered?

They can save money for an insurer or employer by preventing expensive medical care like hospital stays.

The vaccines can keep workers from getting sick and spreading the virus to colleagues. Companies also are concerned about health care affordability, especially for their lower-paid workers, said Beth Umland, director of health and benefits research for the benefits consultant Mercer.

The shots can cost $150 or more without insurance.

Insurers say they look at more than just that CDC committee’s recommendation when they decide coverage. Some also may consider the opinions of doctor groups like the American Medical Association, which strongly encourages vaccinations.

Sorting conflicting opinions

In May, Kennedy — a longtime leader in the anti-vaccine movement — announced COVID-19 vaccines would no longer be recommended for healthy children and pregnant women.

Since then, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has said pregnant women should continue to get the shots — counter to what Kennedy announced. The American Academy of Pediatrics is continuing to recommend them for all children ages 6 months to 2 years, another contradiction to Kennedy’s decision.

Conflicting advice like this has stirred a lot of questions from patients about what guidance they should follow, Groves said.

“There’s just a lot of confusion out there,” she said. “People are thinking, ‘Why should I get it?’”

Do we still need a vaccine?

People who want shots typically seek them in the fall to prepare for a possible winter surge in cases.

The vaccinations are strongly recommended for older people and those with a health condition, said Sax, the Brigham and Women’s physician.

Doctors and researchers say most people have some immunity from either previous COVID-19 infections or vaccines. But an annual shot is still a good idea.

The built-up immunity means your body will respond faster to an infection or vaccination than it did in the pandemic’s early days, said Andrew Pekosz, a virus expert at Johns Hopkins University.

“That’s one of the reasons why COVID hospitalizations has gone down: That population immunity is high,” he said. “But population immunity isn’t perfect, and it does wane over time.”

AP Medical Writer Mike Stobbe contributed to this report.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

By WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS

NEW YORK (AP) — Ford is recalling more than 355,000 of its pickup trucks across the U.S. because of an instrument panel display failure that’s resulted in critical information, like warning lights and vehicle speed, not showing up on the dashboard.

According to documents published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the recall covers certain Ford F-150s from the 2025 model year — as well as other Ford “Super Duty” trucks, including 2025-2026 F-550 SD, F-450 SD, F-350 SD and F-250 SDs. A recall report dated Aug. 22 notes that the instrument panel cluster (IPC) can fail at startup, resulting in drivers seeing a blank screen.

As a result, the NHTSA notes, drivers may not be able to read critical “safety-related telltales and gauges,” increasing the risk of crash. The recall report notes that Ford isn’t aware of any accidents or injuries related to this issue — but had received 95 warranty claims as of June 26.

To address the display failure, Ford is offering a free IPC software update to impacted owners. This fix will be available at authorized dealers or through an “over-the-air” update, the NHTSA notes.

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In a statement sent to The Associated Press, Ford said that the over-the-air software update is “more convenient for customers compared to an in-person dealer visit.” The Michigan-based auto maker added that owner notification letters will soon be sent out with more information and instructions about the remedy.

A total of 355,656 vehicles are covered by the recall, all of which are estimated to have the defect. Recall documents note that the now-recalled IPC software was introduced into production in June 2024, and was taken out in July 2025.

Ford has rolled out several sizeable recalls this year — including 694,000 Bronco Sport and Escape vehicles recalled over a fuel injector issue last month, as well as a recall covering over 850,000 cars due to potential fuel pump failure.

Kumar Galhotra, chief operating officer at Ford, addressed the recent uptick in recalls at Ford earlier this month — writing in a company blog that the increase “reflects our intensive strategy to quickly find and fix hardware and software issues and go the extra mile to help protect customers,” which includes heightened safety testing.