Kohl's donates $500K to Red Cross for Harvey relief, $1M to associates impacted by storm

MENOMONEE FALLS -- Kohl's is donating $500,000 toward Harvey relief and recovery efforts in Texas, the company announced Tuesday, August 29th.The donation is being made to the American Red Cross, according to a release from Kohl's officials.In addition, Kohl's plans to provide an estimated $1 million in financial support to Kohl’s associates who have been significantly impacted by the storm.Kohl’s officials will continue to monitor the impact of the flooding throughout the region to evaluate the need for additional assistance, according to the release.“Hundreds of thousands of families have been displaced or impacted by Hurricane Harvey and at Kohl’s, we are grateful to be in the position to provide financial support to aid in emergency relief services,” said Michelle Gass, Kohl’s chief merchandising and customer officer. “In addition to supporting the communities we serve, we are also providing assistance to our associates who have been directly impacted by the storm to help as they recover.

Stranded dogs left on family boat amid Harvey have been rescued

HOUSTON -- Two dogs that were left on a boat after their family was forced to evacuate during Hurricane Harvey have been rescued.The dogs were apparently left behind when their owners had to evacuate due to flooding caused by heavy rains from Harvey.CNN reporter Ed Lavandera shared the original photo on Monday with this caption:

Harvey flooding western Louisiana on anniversary of Katrina

LAKE CHARLES, La. — Twelve years to the day after Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast, another deadly storm forced hundreds of people to be rescued from floodwaters in southwestern Louisiana and prompted New Orleans to shut down its schools and other key institutions as a precaution.Tropical Storm Harvey flooded neighborhoods overnight with chest-deep water in the Lake Charles area, near the Texas line.More than 200 miles to the east, New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu urged residents to say home Tuesday due to the threat of potential flooding.

Pair of 70-year-old dams protecting Houston overflow

HOUSTON — A pair of 70-year-old reservoir dams that protect downtown Houston from flooding began overflowing Tuesday, adding to the rising floodwaters from Harvey that have crippled the city after five consecutive days of rain.Engineers began releasing water from the Addicks and Barker reservoirs Monday to ease the strain on the dams.

Amid Harvey floods, Houston chief worries 'how many bodies?'

HOUSTON — Crews overwhelmed by thousands of rescue calls during one of the heaviest downpours in U.S. history have had little time to search for other potential victims, but officials acknowledge the grim reality that fatalities linked to Harvey could soar once the devastating floodwaters recede from one of America's most sprawling metropolitan centers.More than three days after the storm ravaged the Texas coastline as a Category 4 hurricane, authorities had confirmed only three deaths — including a woman killed Monday when heavy rains dislodged a large oak tree onto her trailer home in the small town of Porter.

Coldplay writes a new song for Houston's Harvey victims

Hurricane Harvey may have forced Coldplay to cancel its concert in Houston last week, but the city is clearly on the band's mind.At its concert in Miami on Monday night, the band performed a song it wrote for the flooded Texas city."This is because we all grew up loving country music, and of course that's kind of what we think of when we go to Texas," frontman Chris Martin told the crowd at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium.He then added:"This is a new song and we'll never play this again.

Restoration companies gear up to help Harvey victims rebuild: "You're seeing them at their lowest"

HOUSTON, Texas -- After Hurricane Harvey, now a tropical storm, restoration crews from across the country will be along the Gulf Coast in the coming weeks, working to save homes and the treasured items inside.Those who've taken part in past hurricane cleanups say it's incredible to consider just how quickly water damage can add up, and so many essential functions can be ruined by flooding.

Coast Guard, Red Cross, BloodCenter of WI helping in Texas: Unique boat from Milwaukee utilized

MILWAUKEE -- Floodwaters reached the roof lines of single-story homes Monday and people could be heard pleading for help from inside as Harvey poured rain on the Houston area for a fourth consecutive day after a chaotic weekend of rising water and rescues.The nation's fourth-largest city was still largely paralyzed by one of the largest downpours in U.S. history.

Humane societies in Milwaukee area on standby, ready to help 4-legged Harvey victims

MILWAUKEE -- Humane societies in the Milwaukee area are on standby, prepared to help four-legged victims of Tropical Storm Harvey.Shelters like the Wisconsin Humane Society likely won't see dogs and cats displaced from the Houston area, but they could get a call as early as Tuesday to take animals from crowded shelters in Texas' neighboring states.It was a quiet Monday at WHS after a busy weekend filled with adoptions -- and devastating images coming out of SE Texas.

Senior citizens seen in viral nursing home photo during Harvey are "all doing fine"

DICKINSON, Texas -- The senior citizens who appear in a now-viral photo showing them submerged in waist-deep water in a Texas assisted-living center flooded by Hurricane Harvey over the weekend have been relocated to a nearby facility and a hospital.Tim McIntosh, whose mother-in-law owns the facility in Dickinson, Texas, told The Associated Press Monday the National Guard rescued 20 people Sunday, about three hours after he shared on Twitter the harrowing photo of the living room of the La Vita Bella facility.

"That's our city:" JJ Watt launches fundraiser for Harvey victims, donates $100K

HOUSTON, Texas -- Former Wisconsin Badgers DE JJ Watt, a Pewaukee native, has created a fundraiser to help victims of Tropical Storm Harvey, calling the devastation he's seen in the Houston area "very tough," and asking "if you can donate, please donate."Watt on Sunday, August 27th posted a video to his Facebook page, along with a link to a YouCaring fundraiser he's launched in an effort to help those impacted by this storm.Flooding from Tropical Storm Harvey is overburdening resources as authorities in and around Houston scramble to save those trapped by the high waters.Hopes for an immediate respite from Harvey's wrath seem unlikely as the National Weather Service Sunday called the flooding "unprecedented" and warned things may become more dire if a record-breaking 50 inches of rain falls on parts of Texas in coming days.The rainfall threatens to exacerbate an already dangerous situation, as Harvey's rains have left many east Texas rivers and bayous swollen to their banks or beyond."The breadth and intensity of this rainfall are beyond anything experienced before," the weather service said. "Catastrophic flooding is now underway and expected to continue for days.""Seeing everything that's going on is very difficult.

More rain, more dead: Harvey floods keeps Houston paralyzed

HOUSTON — Floodwaters reached the rooflines of single-story homes Monday and people could be heard pleading for help from inside as Harvey poured rain on the Houston area for a fourth consecutive day after a chaotic weekend of rising water and rescues.The nation's fourth-largest city was still mostly paralyzed by one of the largest downpours in U.S. history.

Amid criticism, officials say Joel Osteen's megachurch cannot be opened to Harvey victims due to flooding

HOUSTON, Texas -- Amid Tropical Storm Harvey, Joel Osteen has been criticized for not opening his Houston megachurch for flooding victims, but TMZ is reporting the floodwaters just won't allow them to open the 17,000-seat Lakewood Church.Osteen, a mega-televangelist is catching flak for tweeting about his hometown flood, but not doing anything to help out -- especially because his megachurch could shelter thousands of people displaced by the rising water.

Believe it or not? Don't! 5 fake Hurricane Harvey photos going viral

HOUSTON -- Hurricane Harvey has done significant damage to the Texas coast, ripping apart buildings in the Corpus Christi area and dumping near-record rainfall on Houston.Incredible images have come out of the area, which has resulted in several fake photos being circulated online.Here are five fake photos making the rounds on social media:

Country star Chris Young donates $100,000 for Harvey relief

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Country music star Chris Young is donating $100,000 for disaster relief efforts in Texas.Nashville-based Monarch Publicity says in a news release that Young lived in Arlington, Texas, before signing with RCA records and has family and close friends in Hurricane Harvey's path.Young says in the statement that communities in Texas "are going to be dealing with so much damage and loss of life for a long time to come."Young's donation through his foundation will benefit the Red Cross and other disaster relief groups.