right now on "america this morning," police chief fired. >> turn in your badge and step down. you don't deserve to wear one. >> the uvalde school board ousting pete arredondo after outraged families demanded accountability for the delayed response to the massacre. how arredondo is fighting back and why his lawyer calls it a public lynching. loan forgiveness fallout. new backlash after president biden announces his plan to cancel some student debt. why the price tag is drawing criticism from both sides of the aisle. closure for kobe's widow. vanessa bryant's victory in court in her legal battle against first responders who shared graphic photos of the helicopter crash that killed her husband and daughter.

walmart is on fire, bro. >> plus, customers flee a massie fire spreading through this walmart. in medical news, the dirty little secret about hand dryers. the hot debate about wet hands and fighting germs. and later, how much is too much when it comes to tipping your servers? critics speak out against tipflation. good wednesday morning, everyone. we begin with the emotional moments in uvalde, texas, last night as the public demanded ation for the delayed police response to the massacre at robb elementary school. >> after months of outrage the school board voted to fire the school police chief, but that's doing little to satisfy the families of the children who were killed. >> and the chief is fighting back. abc's christine sloan reports. [ crowd chanting ] >> reporter: this morning, the uvalde school board firing school police chief pete arredondo. >> i move that good cause exists

to terminate the noncertified contract of pete arredondo effective immediately. >> reporter: the decision coming three months after 19 children and 2 teachers were gunned down at robb elementary school. family and survivors packing the school board meeting demanding justice. >> i have messages for pete arredondo and all the law enforcement that were there that day. turn in your badge and step down. you don't deserve to wear one. >> reporter: the outraged community taking the mic while the board met in closed session to determine the school police chief's fate. >> our babies are dead, our teachers are dead. the least y'all can do is show some respect and do this in the public. >> if it was one of your children. >> reporter: arredondo not showing up, but his attorney released a 17-page statement saying, quote, chief arredondo will not participate in his own illegal and unconstitutional public lynching and respectfully

requests the board immediately reinstate him with all back pay and benefits and close the complaint as unfounded. the grandfather of layla salazar who was killed in the shooting spoke to abc's john quinones after the meeting. >> i think that the determination was long coming. i think it should have been done immediately, but it wasn't. i think he should be charged with manslaughter. >> reporter: arredondo has been heavily criticized for lacking leadership during the shooting telling "the texas tribune" that he never considered himself the scene incident commander. a blistering report found a command post was never set up leading to a breakdown in communication between officers. arredondo testified that the officers prioritized evacuating children over taking down the attacker. police cameras captured arredondo's attempts to talk to the shooter. >> please don't hurt anyone. >> reporter: this as children

inside the classrooms frantically called 911 for more than an hour. it was the border patrol that breached the classroom 77 minutes into the attack finally taking down the gunman. arredondo is now threatening a lawsuit. meanwhile, some of the victims' families are now planning a $27 billion lawsuit. andrew, rhiannon. >> christine, thank you. a developing story overseas. u.s. forces launched a counterstrike in northeast syria last night after three american troops were injured in a rocket attack. central command says the u.s. responded with attack helicopters killing several iranian-backed fighters. it follows a u.s. air strike tuesday in retaliation for a rocket attack on a u.s. base. iran has denied having any ties to those militants. new fallout after president biden announced his plan to cancel some student loan debt for more than 40 million americans. now, polls show americans are sharply divided on the issue, and now the question is, who is going to pay for this? abc's em nguyen is now here with

more. em, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, andrew. the president's plan will forgive thousands of dollars in student loan debt for millions of americans, but critics say it's unfair to everyone who worked hard to pay back their loans. this morning, the debate over student loan forgiveness is growing more heated after president biden announced his plan forgiving student loan debt up to $10,000 for people who earn less than $125,000 a year or couples making less than 250,000, and the plan forgives $20,000 for low income borrowers. >> people can start to finally crawl out from under that mountain of debt to get on top of their rent and their utilities, to finally think about buying a home or starting a family or starting a business. >> reporter: many republicans and some democrats blasting the plan. senator mitch mcconnell calling it a slap in the face to every family who sacrificed to save for college, every graduate who

paid their debt, and ohio congressman tim ryan, a democrat running for senate, says the president is sending the wrong message. a nonpartisan budget group estimates biden's plan could cost taxpayers $500 billion over the next decade. reporters pressed the white house on the cost. >> you can do that and not -- >> here's the thing, this is something that is going to be important for middle class americans. and you think about what republicans did just a couple of years ago, they signed off on a $2 trillion tax cut for the wealthy and did not provide any way to pay for that. >> who is paying for this? >> again, here's what we have done -- >> you talk about what it might cost, what it might not cost. who is paying for this? >> reporter: the administration is trying to reassure americans comparing the plan to the financial assistance that businesses got during the pandemic. >> small business owners needed a little bit of support, and we provided that to keep them open

and keep them in business, and we're investing in americans right now. >> reporter: but white house adviser susan rice refused to give an estimate on the plan's costs. >> that remains to be determined, and it will be a function of what percentage of eligible borrowers actually take up this opportunity. >> reporter: the president's also extended the pandemic era pause on federal student loan repayments through the end of the year. andrew. >> all right, em, thank you. new details this morning about the investigation into documents allegedly taken from the white house by former president trump. "the washington post" reports the national archives emailed trump's lawyers in may of last year asking for records that trump kept in the white house before leaving office. "the post" reports trump held on to the documents even after his white house counsel agreed that they should be turned over. a developing story now from georgia. firefighters near atlanta battling a fire at a walmart. video posted online shows customers there fleeing. you can see the flames from the video there as they shoot out of an aisle.

three police officers were taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation. no word yet what caused the fire. now to the flash flood emergency unfolding across more of the south, and the rain is still falling. from the southwest to the gulf coast, flash floods and swollen rivers swamping cities and swallowing streets. >> a lot of flooding all the way up almost over mailboxes. >> they had to come get you out of it? >> twice. >> reporter: in arizona, monsoon rain triggered flash flood warnings in flagstamp, and in mississippi towns are getting slammed by life-threatening floods. outside of jackson at least three feet of floodwaters swamped this day care trapping more than 100 kids inside. officials jumping into action driving the students out in groups of 14. in another neighborhood, the deep waters left the driver of a school bus stranded. thankfully no children were on board. east of the city an assisted living facility was evacuated

after waist deep water poured into the building. >> about 2 1/2 foot of water all through the building. >> reporter: the u.s. has seen unprecedented storms this summer, five so-called thousand-year storms have hit in the last five weeks. scientists warn climate change will make storms like these more common. let's take a look now at your thursday forecast. good morning. another day of drenching downpours across the gulf coast states of louisiana, mississippi and alabama, and you could get hit for the second time in two days in places like jackson. water over the roads going to be widespread. into this morning we're waking up with thunderstorms from houston to new orleans all the way to atlanta. these storms are really going to intensify this afternoon along the gulf coast and the lower alabama especially will see some widespread flash flooding. by friday the storms shift to the east. i'm accuweather meteorologist kevin coskren.

coming up, the "home alone" star in trouble with the law. but first the major legal win for kobe bryant's widow in the crash that killed her husband and daughter. husband and daughter. whoa look at that! ♪ this is the beginning of something great. ♪ yes! ♪ hahaha. let's do this! ♪ that was very, very impressive. ♪

back now with a cruise ship becoming a rescue ship. a carnival cruise liner rescued these people here. they were on a makeshift raft near cuba. the same ship recovered two dozen refugees off cuba last month. scary moments on a flight from mexico to los angeles. an engine on this viva aerobus plane caught fire after taking off from guadalajara. the pilots turned around and landed safely. we turn to the major legal

victory for the widow of former nba star kobe bryant in her fight over graphic photos from the day of his death. overnight closure for kobe bryant's family after a year's long legal battle with los angeles county. a jury unanimously deciding the county should be held responsible for first responders who took unnecessary and graphic photos of the fiery helicopter crash that killed bryant along with his 13-year-old daughter gianna and seven others. officials defended taking the photos claiming they were for official documentation, but during the 11-day trial one sheriff's deputy admitted showing the images to people at a bar. bryant took the stand last week arguing the photos added to the grief of losing her husband and daughter saying, i trusted them not to do these things. my husband and daughter deserve dignity adding, they violated her, taking advantage of the fact her daddy couldn't protect her. he was at the morgue. it took the jury four hours to reach the verdict. a tearful bryant listened as it

was read. she was awarded $16 million for invasion of privacy and the emotional distress caused by the knowledge that firefighters and paramedics were showing pictures of the crash including close-up images of kobe's body, and chris chester, who also lost his spouse and daughter in the crash, was awarded 15 million. bryant praised the decision on instagram posting a photo of kobe and gianna along with the caption, all for you, i love you. justice for kobe and gigi. lawyers for the county released a statement after the verdict saying, while we disagree with the jury's findings as to the county's liability, we believe the monetary award shows that jurors didn't believe the evidence supported the plaintiff's request of 75 million for emotional distress. last year los angeles county paid $2.5 million to two other families who lost loved ones in that crash. the actor who played the big brother in home alone is under investigation for an alleged rape.

a woman accuses devin ratray of sexually assaulting her at his new york apartment. ratray denies the allegation and has not been charged. a victory for disgraced movie mogul harvey weinstein. a new york judge has agreed to hear an appeal challenging weinstein's conviction on sex crime charges. he still faces trial in los angeles on similar charges. coming up, the new move to ban gasoline-powered cars in california. also ahead, how this car ended up here. announcer: type 2 diabetes? discover the power of 3 in the ozempic® tri-zone. in my ozempic® tri-zone, i lowered my a1c, cv risk, and lost some weight. announcer: ozempic® provides powerful a1c reduction. in studies, the majority of people reached an a1c under 7 and maintained it. ozempic® lowers the risk of major cardiovascular events such as stroke, heart attack, or death in adults also with known heart disease. and you may lose weight. adults lost up to 14 pounds.

ozempic® isn't for people with type 1 diabetes. don't share needles or pens, or reuse needles. don't take ozempic® if you or your family ever had medullary thyroid cancer, or have multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2, or if allergic to it. stop ozempic® and get medical help right away if you get a lump or swelling in your neck, severe stomach pain, or an allergic reaction. serious side effects may include pancreatitis. gallbladder problems may occur. tell your provider about vision problems or changes. taking ozempic® with a sulfonylurea or insulin may increase low blood sugar risk. side effects like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea may lead to dehydration, which may worsen kidney problems. join the millions already taking ozempic®. ask your health care provider about the ozempic® tri-zone. announcer: you may pay as little as $25 for a 3-month prescription. okay everyone, our mission is to provide complete balanced nutrition for strength and energy. woo hoo! ensure, complete balanced nutrition with 27 vitamins and minerals. and ensure complete with 30 grams of protein. ♪ ♪ nurtec odt is the only medication

that can treat my migraine right when it strikes and prevent my next attack. don't take if allergic to nurtec. most common side effects, in less than 3%, were nausea, indigestion/stomach pain. treat & prevent - all in one. ♪♪ ♪ free to feel ♪ experience the perfectly balanced rich flavors of lindt excellence. by the lindt master chocolatier. ♪♪ ♪♪ age before beauty? why not both? visibly diminish wrinkled skin in just two days. new crepe corrector lotion only from gold bond. champion your skin. [sfx: stomach gurgling] it's nothing... sounds like something. ♪ when you have nausea, heartburn, indigestion, ♪ ♪ upset stomach, diarrhea. ♪ pepto bismol coats and soothes for fast relief... when you need it most.

sflmplt call this a stolen getaway. a man drove his car and got stuck on the stairs. he was arrested. police said he also had cocaine in his system. and thieves targeting catalytic converters. police seized nearly $4 million. thieves nationwide are stealin the car parts for the precious metals inside of them. a major decision could be made to change the rules of the road when it come to pollution. today, regulators in california are expected to approve new rules that will ultimately ban the sale of gas-powered cars in the state by 2035. >> this is really important for reducing climate changing emissions. i mean, simply put, we can't address climate change without addressing transportation emissions. it's the largest source of emissions in california.

>> the new rules will require 35% of new cars sold by 2026 to produce zero emissions. that number climbs to 68% by 2030. by 2035, all new cars sold in california must be free of greenhouse gas emissions. >> having this standard means that automakers will have to make more electric vehicles. more models, different sizes, different price points. >> reporter: supporters call this a major step in the decision to electric vehicles. not only is california the largest auto market in the u.s. but more than a dozen states typically follow california's ahead on following emissions sandards. >> about one-third of the new car market is covered by california's clean car rules. we expect that other states will adopt these california standards. >> but the rules could face legal challenges. the biden administration granted california a waiver that allows the state to document emission rules stricter than federal standards. 17 republican-led states are now

challenging that waiver in court. if the rules take effect, californians will still be able to drive existing gas-powered cars and buy them on the used car market. coming up, what happens to your personality when you don't get enough sleep? also ahead, the athlete had a just did something incredible a just did something incredible at age 48. meet febreze's miracle spray: febreze fabric refresher. i literally use this every day, to make my house smell amazing. after i make the bed... after i catch my dog on the couch... so i can wear my jacket or jeans one more time, before i wash them again. it even makes shoes smell fresh! it doesn't cover up odors with scent... but actually eliminates them. over one thousand uses. febreze fabric refresher.

ugh-stipated... feeling weighed down by a backedup gut" over one thousand uses. miralax is different. it works naturally with the water in your body to unblock your gut. ...free your gut. and your mood will follow. ♪ ♪ this is the moment. for a treatment for moderate-to-severe eczema. cibinqo — fda approved. 100% steroid free. not an injection, cibinqo is a once-daily pill for adults who didn't respond to previous treatments. and cibinqo helps provide clearer skin and less itch. cibinqo can lower your ability to fight infections, including tb. before and during treatment, your doctor should check for infections and do blood tests. tell your doctor if you've had hepatitis b or c, have flu-like symptoms, or are prone to infections. do not take with medicines that prevent blood clots. serious, sometimes fatal infections, lymphoma,

lung, skin and other cancers, serious heart-related events, and blood clots can happen. people 50 and older with heart disease risk factors have an increased risk of serious heart-related events or death with jak inhibitors. this is the moment. but we've only just begun. speak with your doctor about cibinqo today. an innovation from pfizer. time to check the pulse. we begin with the latest debate when it comes to tipping in restaurants. because of inflation, some restaurants are going to new lengths to make sure their staff is tipped. this has gone viral. this is a restaurant bill. it gives the choice of a 25, 30, or 35% tip. but there is a write-in as well. critics argue tip-flation is

getting out of hand. >> that's a third of the bill itself. >> the states with the befrt and worst timers. people from indiana are most generous. californians tip the least. i say go with your gut. >> yeah. if you have great service, give a little more. next, many of us are getting the hand-washing process all wrong. >> i had no idea drying was such a big part of it. a new study found how you dry your hands can spread germs even if you scrub them clean at the sink. certain jerel like e. coli thrive in moisture. damp hands can spread more germ than not washing at all. >> then there is a different study that found hand dryers can contaminate your hands by blowing bacteria on to them so use those paper towels. and even after you wash your hands, you can use hand sanitizer for good measure. next, a heart warming house

warming. >> one family has a new home thanks to a hard working wood shop class. they built the house throughout the school year building the elements in their classroom throughout thor 82. now the project is finally finished. >> take a good look at the house and every single day, the day we did the windows or the siding. >> it is the most heart warming thing they can do. i come from somewhere where i know what that's like to not have a home. and it is the worst feeling. >> a family plans to move in this fall. next, another reason to get a good night's sleep. >> a new study finds not getting enough sleep makes you more selfish. even losing an hour of sleep affects people. terrell owen just ran the 40-yard dash in under 4.5 seconds, beating guys 20 years younger than him. he's still got it. >> still got it

from prom dresses to workouts and new adventures you hope the more you give the less they'll miss. but even if your teen was vaccinated against meningitis in the past they may be missing vaccination for meningitis b. although uncommon, up to 1 in 5 survivors of meningitis will have long term consequences. now as you're thinking about all the vaccines your teen might need make sure you ask your doctor if your teen is missing meningitis b vaccination. think dad's searching doggy diet plans for josie? no, he's switching his choice cash back category to home improvement, so he earns more on a new doggy door. extra large. with the bank of america customized cash rewards card, you just can't stop getting rewarded. when you find your reason to go on. let it pull you. past the doubt. past the pain. and past your limits.. no matter what, we go on.

biofreeze. ♪ so i climbed into the cab, and then i settled down inside ♪ ♪ i've been everywhere, man ♪ ♪ i've been everywhere, man ♪ ♪ of travel i've had my share, man ♪ ♪ i've been everywhere ♪ ♪♪ (swords clashing) ♪ i've-had enough?here ♪ -no... arthritis. here. aspercreme arthritis. full prescription-strength? reduces inflammation? thank the gods. don't thank them too soon. kick pain in the aspercreme. want a worry-free way to kill bugs? zevo traps use light, not odors or chemical insecticides, to attract and trap flying insects. they work continuously so you don't have to. zevo. people-friendly. bug-deadly. ugh-stipated... feeling weighed down by a backedup gut"o. miralax is different. it works naturally with the water in your body to unblock your gut. ...free your gut. and your mood will follow.

i'm mark and i live in vero beach, florida. my wife and i have three children. ruthann and i like to hike. we eat healthy. we exercise. i noticed i wasn't as sharp as i used to be. my wife introduced me to prevagen and so i said "yeah, i'll try it out." i noticed that i felt sharper, i felt like i was able to respond to things quicker. and i thought, yeah, it works for me. prevagen. healthier brain. better life.

>> building a better bay area, moving forward, finding solutions, this is abc 7 news. reggie: fighting climate change.

california could be the first in the world to ban the sale of gas powered cars. >> i do not want to wander if i will be able to see my kids or make my car payment. kumasi: relief for student loan borrowers. reggie: monkeypox vaccine clinic tour. advocating for more doses. kumasi: good morning, it is august 25. drew: we are starting off with fog along the south bay. half moon bay at three miles of visibility. san jose was at four miles. right now, temperatures, waking up to similar numbers compared to this time yesterday. we are finding those numbers generally in the 50's close to