Making Hawaii safer, 1 year after the fire. And, Dems embrace 'Tampon Tim'

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Today's top stories

Today in Maui, residents are remembering the 102 people who lost their lives one year ago when a wildfire tore through Lahaina, destroying more than 2,000 homes and buildings. Many died trying to flee the flames. Since then, Maui officials have been working to rebuild the city and ensure this kind of evacuation disaster doesn’t happen again. Still, fire experts say Maui has a long way to go to reduce its wildfire risk.

• 🎧 “There was a lot that went wrong one year ago,” NPR’s Lauren Sommer tells Up First. Some residents were not alerted to evacuate in time because the notification came after the cell phone network went down. Roads were completely jammed with traffic, forcing some people to jump into the ocean to escape the flames. Officials are now moving to a zoned evacuation method to prevent gridlock and keep traffic flowing. Seven road projects are underway to connect dead-end roads and outlets. The work may require taking some residents' property. Sommer says this highlights a big tension: Some residents are eager to rebuild and return home, while others feel there's more to be done to improve evacuations for them to feel safe again.
• ➡️ As the town recovers from this disaster, another one looms: Many buildings along the shoreline were built directly on the water, and as the climate gets hotter, oceans are rising.
• ➡️ Mindi Cherry, a Maui teacher, is still processing the Lahaina fire, which destroyed her family's home and the school she taught in for 14 years. She tells Here & Now about how she’s rebuilding her and her students' lives. (via WBUR)

Vice President Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz's introductory tour continues tonight in Phoenix before the duo heads to Las Vegas. Yesterday, thousands of people gathered to see them in Wisconsin and Michigan. Harris' campaign raised $36 million in the first 24 hours after she announced Walz as her running mate. Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance is shadowing the Harris campaign this week. He arrived in Wisconsin as Harris was preparing to take off on Air Force 2 and accused her of ducking interviews.

• 🎧 NPR’s Tamara Keith, who is traveling with the candidates, says the Harris-Walz rally crowds were the size you normally would see in October and early November. This level of enthusiasm hasn’t been seen for Democrats since the Obama era. Keith says Harris has her stump speech down, but she hasn’t put herself in a position to be pressed on what her political stances are or how they might have changed since she ran in 2019.
• ➡️ Walz's Republican critics have given him a new nickname: "Tampon Tim." Here's what the moniker has to do with his political record, and why Democrats are embracing it.

Ukraine's military has sent a large ground force across its northeastern border into western Russia in a surprise attack, according to Russian officials. It's one of the most brazen operations in the Ukraine-Russia war. Russia's Defense Ministry said the incursion began Tuesday when about 300 troops, backed by more than 30 armored vehicles, crossed into Russia’s Kursk region. Ukraine is remaining tight-lipped about the operation.

• 🎧 Russia is sending reinforcements to counter the Ukrainians, NPR’s Greg Myre says. Officials predict they will be able to regain control of the border. Myre talked with one of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s closest advisors yesterday, who said Ukraine needs to drive Russia away from border areas where it’s launching so many attacks. Military analysts have questioned this move, as Ukraine has far fewer troops than Russia and needs all the forces it can muster to defend its own territory.
• ➡️ As the war continues, in their home country, a group of Ukrainian athletes are in Paris competing in the first Olympic breaking, or breakdancing, competition. See photos of their practice sessions and read about what it means for them to represent Ukraine.

Deep dive

Mental health in high school students has largely worsened in the past decade, except between 2021 and 2023, when things slightly improved. This is according to a new CDC report, which features results from the latest Youth Risk Behavior Survey, conducted every two years. Even though overall reports of poor mental health are down, Kathleen Ethier, director of the CDC's Division of Adolescent and School Health, says we’re not out of the woods yet.

• 🧠 Girls and LGBTQ+ students are still more likely to report feelings of sadness and hopelessness. In 2023, 53% of girls reported this compared to 57% in 2021.
• 🧠 The percentage of Black students who said they had attempted suicide in the past year decreased from 14% to 10% within the two-year period. The portion of Black and Hispanic students who made a suicide plan also dropped.
• 🧠 Substance use has declined. The share of students who reported drinking alcohol fell from 35% in 2013 to 22% in 2023. Reported marijuana use fell from 23% to 17%.
• 🧠 The improvements are likely due to recent efforts to address teen mental health after the pandemic began, Ethier says.
• 🧠 Reports of violence experienced in schools, including being threatened or injured with a weapon, have increased.
• 🧠 Two out of 10 girls reported experiencing sexual violence and 1 in 10 said they have been forced to have sex.

If you or someone you know may be considering suicide or be in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Picture show

The Paris Olympics have brought more than 10,000 athletes from all over the world together to compete in the French capital. Spectators descended on the area for two weeks of patriotism potential drama. From the U.S.’s Katie Ledecky swimming ahead of her competitors to South Korea’s Kim Yeji becoming a meme during the 10-meter air pistol competition, there is no shortage of picture-worthy moments.

• 📷 See some of our favorite Olympics photos so far before this weekend's closing ceremony.

3 things to know before you go

1. Taylor Swift has canceled three scheduled Eras Tour shows in Vienna, Austria after authorities said they thwarted a suspected terrorist attack.
2. As a new academic year approaches, NPR wants to hear from elementary, middle and high school students. Let us know one tip to ensure a successful school year.
3. A federal judge has dismissed most of a Black Texas high school student's claims alleging that school officials violated his civil rights by insisting he cut his natural locs to fit school policy.

This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.