Bertha was moving westward off the Louisiana coast and "is expected to make landfall along the northwestern Gulf Coast today," the National Hurricane Center said, adding that the storm was traveling at 13 mph.

"Bertha is forecast to maintain tropical storm intensity up until it reaches the upper Texas coast later today," then "is expected to dissipate inland over Texas by tonight or Friday," the Miami-based center said.

Map shows projected path

Bertha, the second named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, had maximum sustained winds of 45 mph after a gradual decrease since Tuesday night.

"On the forecast track, the center of Bertha will move near or along the Louisiana and upper Texas coasts through this afternoon, and then move farther inland into Texas this evening and tonight," the center said.

Louisiana state climatologist Jay Grymes said Wednesday he expected some pockets of flooding, but added, "With luck, this will be an in-and-out kind of situation." It appears to have been.

Warnings in effect

A tropical storm warning is posted for the Gulf Coast from the Terrebonne/Lafourche Parish line in Louisiana to Sargent, Texas.

"Tropical storm conditions will continue spreading across portions of the northern and northwestern Gulf Coast within the warning area through today," the center said.

"Bertha is expected to produce total rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches with isolated totals to 6 inches through tonight along the Texas Gulf Coast and South Texas. This rainfall may produce isolated flash flooding, especially in urban areas," the center cautioned.

The system could also produce storm surge, raising waters up to 3 feet in some locations along the coast.

Bertha comes weeks after the 2026 hurricane season's first named storm, Tropical Storm Arthur, which made landfall in June along the Gulf Coast of Texas.

Anthony, who was convicted of murder in June 2026 and sentenced to 35 years in prison, has two post-conviction hearings scheduled at the Collin County Courthouse in McKinney.

The first hearing is set for 9 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 19, when the legal team will argue its motion to recuse State District Judge John Roach Jr. from overseeing the appeals process. Judge Sid Harle, of the Fourth Administrative Judicial Region in San Antonio, is scheduled to hear that motion.

A second hearing is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 20, when Anthony's attorneys are expected to present arguments in support of their motion for a new trial.

In June, a group of well-known civil rights and criminal defense attorneys announced they would represent Anthony pro bono in his appeals. Dallas appellate attorney David Coale, who has handled appeals for decades, told CBS News Texas after the trial that Anthony's team could have several strong arguments over whether the trial was handled correctly.

The hearings mark the first major step in Anthony's post-conviction appeals process following his sentencing.

"Cyclospora is a parasite infestation that you can acquire by eating contaminated food, particularly fresh produce and drinking contaminated water," Dr. Carla Carreno said.

Carreno is the Director of Infection Prevention and Control at Children's Health in Plano, where no cases have been confirmed. She did not know of the Dallas campus' confirmation. However, Carreno is versed in the microscopic parasite.

"It's very important that parents watch for signs of dehydration," Carreno said. "Babies, decrease the amount of wet diapers. In the older kids, decrease the amount of times that they go to the restroom for number one. So that will be one of the earliest signs."

The illness, she said, may take up to 14 days to incubate. Federal officials believe the source of sickness may come from Mexican-grown iceberg lettuce through the produce supplier Taylor Farms.

According to Carreno, the outcome is watery diarrhea, abdominal cramps, bloating, nausea, and low-grade fever. She said if the stomach bug and long-lasting diarrhea continue for more than three days, parents need to get their child medical attention.

"They need to seek medical care to arrange testing because there is treatment available for this parasite," she said.

Kinetra Whitby said her son and daughter were fine. She's changed the lettuce selection in their home due to the outbreak.

"I feel like everything that is affected has been pulled, and I've really consumed less organic or lettuce in general. Like, not just organic, but just less of it," Whitby said.

The mother of two said she's not a fast-food eater, and she did her research on places carrying products that may cause illness. She's still watching the refrigerator for herself, but not the kids.

"They don't have access to lettuce. They don't eat lettuce," she said.

Carreno said keeping kids from eating vegetables and fruit may not be the solution. She recommends choosing fruit like bananas with a peel. Raspberries, she said, may be more challenging to clean.

"Wash hands with soap and water. Wash all your fresh produce with running water," she said. "It doesn't a hundred percent eliminate the parasite, but it will decrease the chances of having the food contaminated."

CBS News Texas contacted Cook Children's to see if the pediatric medical facility had any confirmed cases. In a statement, they said, "We do test for Cyclospora, and we have seen an increase in the number of orders during the current outbreak. Despite the increased orders, as of today, we have not had any positive samples."

Parkland Health said it did not have any cases either.

CBS Miami and Neighbors 4 Neighbors are partnering with Global Empowerment Mission (GEM) to launch an emergency relief campaign for families impacted by the devastating earthquakes in Venezuela.

The initiative, called Hope 4 Venezuela, is collecting both monetary donations and essential supplies to help communities affected by the disaster. 

The campaign is accepting non-perishable food, hygiene products, baby items and clothing, with donated goods being collected at Global Empowerment Mission's distribution center in Doral, located at 1850 NW 84th Ave., Suite 100.

Financial donations can be made through the Neighbors 4 Neighbors website or by using the QR code featured on CBS Miami broadcasts and the station's social media platforms.

The relief effort builds on a longstanding partnership between CBS Miami and Neighbors 4 Neighbors, which have worked together on numerous disaster response initiatives.

"For decades, CBS Miami, in partnership with Neighbors 4 Neighbors, has worked tirelessly to help communities affected by tragedy. Now our brothers and sisters in Venezuela need our help," said CBS Miami Vice President/News Director Miguel Fernandez. "We ask our South Florida community to come together in this time of need to help those affected in Venezuela."

Neighbors 4 Neighbors President and CEO Katy Meagher said: "For more than 34 years, Neighbors 4 Neighbors has stood beside communities during times of crisis, providing hope, resources and support when they are needed most."

For more information about the Hope 4 Venezuela campaign or to make a donation, visit Neighbors 4 Neighbors.

Flipping through old photo albums, Amy Birch can't make sense of what she experienced at a young age.

"When I think about it, that's not who I see," she said. "I can only think of how I am now."

She's one of three childhood victims who took the stand in the trial of Nicholas Carney this past January, where he was found guilty of the 1991 kidnapping and sexual assault of an 8-year-old Plano girl.

Witnesses, called by Collin County prosecutors, painted the attack as part of a pattern of behavior by Carney, linking him to similar crimes over the decades.

The ice cream man

Birch's childhood in Tulsa, Oklahoma was fairly normal, she said. Warm summer days were broken up by visits to her neighborhood from the ice cream truck.

"We were always super excited when the ice cream man came down our street. Who, you know, who's not excited?" she said.

On July 17, 1980, at the age of 6, she heard the truck coming.

Her cousin was with her that day, she recalled, and the ice cream man had a request.

"Hey, would you mind go putting some ice and some water in this for me? It's really hot outside," Birch remembers him asking as he held out an empty thermos. "And of course, my cousin was, 'oh yeah, no problem.'"

Suddenly, she was alone with the man.

"He was like, 'Hey while we're waiting, do you want to come see my ice cream truck?' I was like, 'Oh yeah, that's cool.' So I walked over and I was just kind of leaning in, looking inside the truck, and he asked me if I wanted to get in," she said.

Birch said she immediately said no.

"And when I started to step back, he had unzipped his pants, and asked me if I wanted to touch him," she said.

Setting a trap

Birch ran inside where she remembers sitting on the couch for what felt like hours.

"My mom said it was more like 20 minutes, and she said that I just said, 'Mom, when Joe Kelly went to go get water for the ice cream man, he asked me if I wanted to look in his truck.'"

She recounted what had happened for her mother and then her father, who called the police.

Without a name, officers didn't have a suspect, so Birch's father enlisted a friend to help catch the man.

Two days later, when the same ice cream truck driver returned, they were ready.

"My dad's friend Bill was already parked over there," she said, pointing to the driveway of a vacant home across the street from where her childhood home had stood, "and when he passed, they made a roadblock."

The ice cream truck was left trapped on their dead-end road.

"And my mom called 911 and said, 'We got him,'" Birch said.

Nicholas Carney was arrested, but made a deal with prosecutors to plead guilty to a misdemeanor.

"I remember sitting on a bench outside the courtroom," Birch said. "A gentleman came out and said, 'I've got good news. You don't have to testify.'"

She said she assumed Carney went to jail, and did not think about or talk about what happened for decades.

That all changed in 2024, when she got a voicemail.

A pattern of behavior

"It said, 'Hi Amy, my name is detective whatever, and I'm hoping that you remember a case that happened over 40 years ago,'" Birch said. "And instantly, I mean, I instantly got sick. I mean, I instantly knew what it was."

Carney, she would learn, had been sentenced to one year of probation for exposing himself to her. Oklahoma did not have a sex offender registry until years later, so he never appeared on it.

Police in Texas, though, looking into a pair of kidnappings and sexual assaults in 1991 and 1999 involving young girls, had matched previously unidentified DNA found on both victims to Carney.

"I was pretty dumbfounded," she said.

In January, Birch travelled to Collin County where Carney was on trial for the 1991 case involving Ashley Keith, who was just 8 years old when she was snatched while walking to the neighborhood pool with a friend.

Three women – Birch, Keith, and the victim of the 1999 assault – all testified to help Collin County prosecutors establish a pattern of behavior.

"I was very nervous. I have a lot of bad memories," Birch said. "And looking at him, when you're testifying and he's just sitting there kind of with a smile on his face."

Despite how difficult it was, Birch said it was important for her to testify.

"What these girls went through was much worse than I could ever imagine, and, you know, I want him not to get a slap on the wrist again. I want him to be punished," she said.

In an interview with CBS News Texas, Keith spoke of the support she received.

"It was just incredibly moving that, yes, they were there for me, but that they told their stories, and that they were brave enough to do it," she said. "It takes tremendous courage because I know that so many times, people can feel – victims specifically – can feel like, 'I don't know if my words will be enough.' And they were."

Life in prison

The trauma, and the decades that have passed, have left gaps in Keith's memory.

"Getting up on the stand, saying you don't remember things, talking to a jury of people about it," Keith said, "you feel very vulnerable. And so to feel vulnerable again in front of your abuser is hard."

It didn't take long, though, for the jury to return a guilty verdict and sentence Carney to life behind bars.

As the verdict was read, Keith visibly exhaled, dropping her head into her hands.

"It was just an immense relief that they got it right, that they did it right," she said.

Birch sat nearby.

"I think all of us were just trying to hold in our screams and celebration, because it was a long time coming for everybody," she said.

The next chapter

For police, prosecutors and survivors, though, the work of uncovering Nicholas Carney's crimes is not over. Carney is now awaiting trial on charges relating to the 1999 kidnapping and sexual assault in Dallas. 

There are also suspicions among his survivors and law enforcement that he may be responsible for other assaults. A phone call he made from jail has fueled those beliefs.

For our report on the ongoing investigation into Carney, watch CBS News Texas at 10 p.m. on Thursday, July 22.

At the Mark Cuban Heroes Basketball Center, volunteers are packing free hydration kits with water, cooling towels, handheld fans and other supplies designed to help outdoor workers stay safe in the extreme heat. 

"Last year we gave out about 800... and this year, we're probably on track to do that or more," CEO Trina Terrell-Andrews said. 

The effort, backed by the Mark Cuban Foundation and the Dirk Nowitzki Foundation, began back in 2023 after the heat-related death of local USPS letter carrier Eugene Gates Jr. 

Parkland says it has already treated more than 30 patients for heat-related illnesses this year.

 "The biggest thing is obviously hydration," Parkland Health Chief of Emergency Services Dr. Jeffery Metzger said. "That's one of the big problems that we see with heat in these levels. Something people also don't think about is their electrolytes. If you're drinking more than a liter or a liter and a half of water... You need to start thinking about replacing the sodium there." 

For anyone in need, the free hydration kits are available Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the Mark Cuban Heroes Basketball Center. Outdoor workers can pick one up with a work ID.

Braden Montgomery scored all three times he reached base. Meidroth's fourth career four-hit game helped the White Sox move out of a tie with Cleveland atop the American League Central as the Guardians lost to Minnesota 10-6.

Texas rookie Cam Cauley hit his first major league homer as the Rangers dropped back to .500 but stayed in first place in the AL West by a half-game over Seattle with the defending division champion Mariners' second consecutive loss to Cincinnati.

Kay (7-4) allowed five hits and two runs to end a six-start winless streak. The left-hander hit his majors-leading 19th batter to put Cauley on and load the bases with no outs in the fourth. Elias Díaz's double-play grounder brought home Brandon Nimmo, and Kay preserved a 3-2 lead by striking out Alejandro Osuna.

Four Chicago relievers finished with four hitless innings. Bryan Hudson had two strikeouts in a 1-2-3 ninth for his fourth save.

Tyler Alexander allowed a run for the first time in the left-hander's fourth start as an opener for Texas. Cal Quantrill (3-3) walked two in the fourth before giving up consecutive RBI singles to Meidroth and Benintendi.

Texas third baseman Josh Jung didn't start a day after leaving a 10-0 Texas win with tightness in his left calf. He is expected to be available for the opener of a four-game home series against the Mariners on Friday night.

Both teams are off Thursday before playing at home Friday. The White Sox are set to start RHP Davis Martin (9-5, 3.31 ERA) against Houston. Texas is set to go with LHP MacKenzie Gore (6-8, 4.80) against Seattle.

For decades, the 55-foot-tall cowboy was dressed by Dickies. That's not happening this year. 

Tuesday, the State Fair of Texas announced Cavender's Boot City as the official western wear store of Big Tex. They will design his shirt. The western brand Resistol is expected to create the 95-gallon cowboy hat. 

Resistol is headquartered in Garland, and Cavender's is based in Tyler. Last year, Dickies moved its headquarters out of Fort Worth. It is now based out of California.

"The State Fair of Texas has been bringing families together for generations, just as Cavender's has welcomed generations of families into our stores," said Mike Cavender, the Vice President of Cavender's Boot City. "It's a privilege to play a small role in one of Texas' most cherished traditions. We're honored that Big Tex will wear a Cavender's shirt, and we're proud to stand alongside Resistol and the State Fair in celebrating the heritage, craftsmanship and values that make Texas so special."   

Big Tex began wearing Dickies in 1997. Before that, the iconic State Fair of Texas mascot's apparel was supplied by H.D. Lee, according to the Fair.   

The state fair released the following statement:

"We are incredibly grateful for Dickies' longtime partnership and the role they've played in helping outfit Big Tex over the years. They have been a valued partner, and we appreciate their many contributions to one of the State Fair's most recognizable traditions and our nonprofit mission.

As with many sponsorships and partnerships, relationships naturally evolve over time. As we looked ahead to the future, we saw an exciting opportunity to bring together two iconic Texas brands in a new way. Cavender's and Resistol are deeply rooted in Texas heritage and Western tradition, making them a natural fit to help tell Big Tex's story and celebrate the spirit of the Lone Star State.

We are excited for fairgoers to see Big Tex's new look this year and to celebrate this new chapter in Big Tex's history."

Big Tex's boots

Every year, creatives compete to help design Big Tex's pair of boots for the following year. The boot design contest launched in 2019 to honor that year's theme – "Celebrating Texas Creativity." A Keller artist won, highlighting Texas bluebonnets, the Alamo, armadillos and the Texas flag.

Artists are asked to draw, paint or illustrate their designs on templates provided by the fair online and to submit them with an entry form.  

The fair announced 31-year-old Aaliyah McNeal as the 2026 winner of its Big Texas Boot Design Contest in March. McNeal takes home the honor with a design that blends both Texas and state fair icons.

McNeal, who now lives in Georgia, said she attended the fair year after year with her family and has cherished those memories for a lifetime. As the winner, McNeal will work with both the State Fair and Lucchese to put the finishing touches on Big Tex's new boots.  She said she hopes visitors see the heart of her design.

Last summer, another pair of Big Tex's boots traveled to Washington, D.C. and was put on display at the Smithsonian Institution as part of a new exhibit.

You can check out Big Tex's new look at the 2026 State Fair of Texas, themed "Stars, Stripes, and Howdies," Sept. 25, through Oct. 18.     

Our official heat index at DFW airport for the day came in at 116°. This is tied for fourth hottest on record. We have only reached a heat index of 116 or higher (the highest is 117° ), seven times, including Wednesday.

The most recent time it was this hot was on June 20, 2023 (117°). Prior to that, it was 1998.

Actual high temperatures on Wednesday across North Texas will range from 100 to 106°. 

The heat continues into Thursday with a heat advisory in place, as feels-like temperatures will still be as hot as 108°.  

There will be a slight uptick in humidity levels on Thursday and Friday, so temperatures will be a few degrees cooler.

Looking ahead to next week, more triple-digit heat is ahead. 

DFR said the leak was reported around 1:21 p.m. near the four-story MAA Meridian apartment building along the 2400 block of Allen Street, just west of Griggs Park. The agency said a company working near the apartment building hit what is believed to be a six-inch commercial gas line. Multiple units, including a HazMat team, were called.

DFR notes there have been no gas readings inside the building, but crews decided to order an evacuation of the building out of an abundance of caution. DFR said about 183 apartments are inside the building, and that MAA has multiple properties where residents could be temporarily housed until the situation is resolved. 

Dallas police closed down State Street between Fairmount Street and Hall Street, as well as Allen Street, between Thomas Avenue and Woodside Street while Atmos technicians addressed the leak. The leak was reported as being fixed between 5 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. and all residents were allowed back into their apartments.

 DFR said the scene was cleared by 5:46 p.m.

The uptick follows increased pressure from the White House on ICE to increase arrests, with agents being instructed to target 2,000 arrests per day, sources inside ICE previously told CBS News. June's arrest total averages out to 1,438 arrests per day, and data for the first 11 days of July averages to 1,593 arrests per day. A DHS spokesperson said ICE does not have arrest quotas.

ICE arrests have continued without the large-scale, highly publicized operations like those previously carried out in Minneapolis, Chicago, Los Angeles and other cities. Monthly arrest totals declined after the Minnesota crackdown, Operation Metro Surge, wound down in February, but have since rebounded.

Even as ICE officers' fatal shootings of two men during vehicle stops in Texas and Maine this month brought a wave of fresh scrutiny on immigration enforcement tactics, administration officials have indicated that the deportation efforts will continue. 

"ICE isn't leaving the streets at all," border czar Tom Homan said on Fox News on Monday.

"Numbers were down for a few months because the department was shut down," he told reporters after the interview, referring to a congressional standoff earlier this year over Homeland Security funding.

Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin indicated at his confirmation hearing that his goal was to shift to an enforcement strategy that would keep the agency out of daily news headlines. 

Speaking to reporters on Friday, he reiterated that goal and defended the agency's enforcement efforts, boasting that arrests are "hitting single-day records every single day." 

"I've turned down the temperature of the stove to try to get it correct without boiling over," he said. "When I say turn down the temperature, I turn down the temperature with you guys. We're turning up the heat on the streets. We're out there working harder than we ever have because we've empowered our law enforcement to do their job."

In the aftermath of the recent shootings, ICE agents were ordered to immediately pause on most vehicle stops. But President Trump quickly posted to Truth Social reversing the order, calling vehicle stops one of the agency's "most important and effective Crime Fighting tools." 

"The president made it clear this morning: He wants ICE out there doing their job, and that's what's gonna happen," Homan said in an interview with the Center for Immigration Studies on July 15, the same day as the president's post.

Likely driven by the spike in arrests, the average number of people held in ICE detention also increased in June for the first time this year, the ICE data shows. 

An average of about 59,400 people were held in June, up from 58,200 in May. Data from the first 11 days of July shows an average of more than 65,600 people in detention. 

The detention population had declined in the months following the end of Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota in February, dropping from a peak of about 72,000 in January.

Arrests of non-criminals continue

Both victims in the Texas and Maine shootings were not the original targets of ICE operations. Such arrests are referred to as "collateral" arrests by DHS, and those detained in collateral arrests often lack criminal charges or convictions. 

Since President Trump's deportation crackdown began, changes in the detained population have largely been driven by shifts in the number of people without criminal records being detained. 

Last year, as the detention population surged, those without criminal records were the fastest-growing group in ICE detention. As the detention population declined in the first five months of this year, the non-criminal population fell by 36%, compared with a decrease of 3% among those with criminal convictions and 7% among those with pending criminal charges, the ICE data shows.

Now that the detention population is ticking upward, the non-criminal population is again seeing the largest increase. 

While the increase from May to June was more modest, at 3% among the non-criminal population and 1% among those with criminal records, data from the first 11 days of July show the average non-criminal detained population increasing by 20% from June, from nearly 22,000 to just over 26,000. Those with criminal convictions and pending criminal charges each increased by 5% over the same timeframe.  

The July 11 data shows that 29% had criminal convictions and 31% had pending criminal charges. Homan emphasized the combined total in his Fox News interview.

"When it comes to immigration enforcement, the majority of people we are arresting, despite the lies being told by the left, are criminals," he said.

Already high insurance rates are escalating, rendering large portions of the nation's largest cities unaffordable, according to a study by First Street Foundation which analyzes the effects of climate change on real estate. As property values across the country decline by almost $1.5 trillion in total, other properties will increase in value to the tune of $244 billion.

By 2055, climate-driven weather is expected to hike homeowners' insurance premiums nationwide by an average of 29.4%, the organization found. At the same time, climate-related migration from extreme heat, wildfires and flooding will have 55 million Americans relocating within the U.S. over that 30-year period, beginning with more than 5 million this year. 

"Climate change is no longer a theoretical concern; it is a measurable force reshaping real estate markets and regional economies across the United States," according to Jeremy Porter, First Street's head of climate implications research. "Our findings highlight the urgent need to understand how rising insurance costs and population movements are transforming the economic geography of the nation."  

The three biggest Sun Belt states — California, Florida and Texas — have taken on more than 40% of the country's $2.8 billion in natural disaster costs since 1980. And in another 30 years, the First Street data estimates a more than fourfold increase in premiums in Miami, a tripling in Florida's Jacksonville and Tampa, and in New Orleans, and a doubling in Sacramento, California. 

The data projects that some counties in California, Florida and Texas will experience net declines of 10% to 40% in their property values by 2055. 

The last month saw dozens of people killed, tens of thousands evacuated and thousands of structures damaged or destroyed in the Los Angeles area due to wildfires. 

The Trump administration is investigating attacks at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan that led to the deaths of two of the soldiers, and the presumed death of one other who was initially described as missing. The dignified transfer also included an Army sergeant killed at a base in northern Iraq during a controlled detonation of an Iranian drone. 

The service members who were killed were:

• Lt. Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Hawaii
• Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Texas
• Sgt. Angel Rampersad, 28, of New York
• Sgt. Michael Emmanuel Swinton, 30, of North Carolina

The White House said the president met with each of the soldiers' families. 

"We're going to Dover," the president told reporters before attending the transfer. "Some of you are going with us, to honor our heroes, and they are indeed great heroes, actually. They said, and they — all of them said very strongly — we can't let, we cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon. They won't have a nuclear weapon. So we're going to honor them. And it's one of the hardest things to do. For me, it's one of the hardest things to do as a president. But, has to be done."

Feehan and Gonzales were both killed in action during the strikes on the base in Jordan, according to the Pentagon. U.S. Central Command had announced Rampersad as missing in action, but updated her status Tuesday to whereabouts unknown, and she is believed to have been killed in the same attack.

Swinton, a father of two, was killed at Erbil Air Base in northern Iraq during the detonation of an Iranian drone.

The president told reporters Wednesday that the administration would share the results of the probe into the attacks in Jordan. 

A dignified transfer is a nonceremonial movement of a fallen U.S. service member killed in a theater abroad back to the United States. The fallen are moved in flag-draped cases, not caskets, and carried by members of the military. It is customary for the president or other high-ranking administration officials to attend.

But Jimmy Suter is helping a classmate build something for the A/V lab. That's just the kind of guy Suter is.  

"I lead to serve, not to be served," he said.

He has a level of maturity and selflessness not seen in many grown adults, let alone an 18-year-old.  

It's something our nation's military institutions took notice of.  

"I got into the Naval Academy, West Point, and the Air Force Academy as well as a Navy ROTC scholarship to Notre Dame," said Suter.

Just one of those appointments is coveted by students around the country; Suter received all three and turned them down. He took the ROTC scholarship to his dream school.  

"I know I want to fly jets in the military, so that's my goal after college, but I also just want to be a good servant leader and be of use to our country's military," said Suter

Again, not words you usually hear from an 18-year-old... But apparently, service is contagious at Nolan Catholic High School.  

"We've got six kids this year with eight different appointments and/or ROTC scholarships, which is pretty unheard of," said Clint Weber, the president of Nolan Catholic High School.

Five of Suter's classmates are headed to military academies. Two to the Naval Academy, one playing football for the Air Force Academy, one to the Coast Guard Academy and one to the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.  

All of them show a level of service and maturity that Principal Susan Lococo just isn't used to seeing among young people.  

"These young men and women, I know they're looking forward to their freshman year, but I know they're looking further. They're more mature, they're more put together. They think these four years are probably going to be tough in some aspects, but what they're going to do afterward is going to be so remarkable," said Susan Lococo, the principal at Nolan Catholic High School  

Suter says even though he and his classmates are young, they understand what a life of service really means.

"I signed up for this. It's part of the sacrifice to serve in the military. People say if not me, then who? I want to be able to protect others who can't protect themselves and just be willing to make the sacrifice for others," he said. 

With students like the Nolan Catholic Six signing up to protect us, the future of our country couldn't be in better hands. 

Wednesday, Little Elm residents CBS News Texas spoke to said they were shaken by the news.

"It's very heartbreaking," said Cathy Sagal. "It's really sad."

Sisters Emersyn and Rustyn Owen live down the block from where the incident happened.

"It's always a different guy, but yeah, it's really sad, like everything, like we literally just saw his truck. That's awful," said Emersyn Owen.

A spokesperson with the Little Elm Fire Department said they responded to an incident involving a postal vehicle near the 1600 block of Thornhill Lane around 2 p.m. Members of the department administered CPR, but the postal worker didn't survive.

"Like, a whole bunch of cop cars and the ambulance was there, a fire truck, and then we saw the mail truck, but we didn't think anything of it, so we didn't really know what was happening," Rustyn Owen said.

The USPS confirmed the employee's death, saying, "The postal service said it is deeply saddened by the tragic loss of a postal family member on July 20. Our thoughts are with their family, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time".

The agency would not say if the death was heat-related, but added that they are investigating the incident, saying, "We don't know why it occurred." 

The employee's name has not been released.

"I come from the desert, so I'm a big proponent of frequent breaks for those who do work in the heat, construction and stuff, and for any of the delivery drivers," said neighbor Susan Houce.

Kimetra Lewis, the president of the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Branch 132, who does not represent the employee, said she hopes this incident brings more attention to working conditions for postal workers.

"Watch them. If you're home, and you see, and you know you have a routine time for your letter carrier to come and make his delivery or her deliveries, if you don't see them there, if they're not there at the normal time, look out for them," Lewis said. "Make sure that if you're able to, provide them with some water."

The postal service said it's providing counseling services to our employees at the Little Elm Main Post Office. Officials said the investigation is ongoing.

Crump said Wednesday there was "red discoloration" in the tissue in the back of the head, according to the autopsy, but added the reason was unknown. 

The body was in a state of decomposition when it was received for the autopsy, Crump said, which made it difficult for the forensic pathologist to ascertain information. Also, pieces of Wells' throat were retained by the state medical examiner, but the autopsy report said this was "a common forensic pathology practice." 

The autopsy was conducted on July 10, six days after Wells' body was found. The date of Wells' death was ruled unknown, according to Crump. 

A toxicology report was not performed, according to the autopsy.

"This has been a difficult journey," Wells' mother, Christine Wonsley, said at a press conference Wednesday. "Losing a child truly breaks your heart. It is a pain, you just can't measure it."

Crump said the autopsy was done in the "ferocious search for the truth of what really happened to Nolan Wells."

"It is our hope that our local authorities will do what they need to do," Christine Wonsley said. She called the lack of information from the police investigation "concerning."

The autopsy, which was paid for by former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, was conducted by former Washington, D.C., chief medical examiner Dr. Roger Mitchell. He has conducted thousands of autopsies in his career, according to lawyer Lisa Park, part of Crump's law firm.

Mitchell received the body for his autopsy after the state did its own on the morning of July 7. The results of the state autopsy have not been released. 

The Mississippi State Medical Examiner said in a statement Wednesday that its autopsy "was performed in accordance with the standard procedures and protocols followed for all autopsies." The medical examiner said it would not comment on the independent autopsy.

"We understand the public's interest in this case, but we continue to urge everyone to remain patient and avoid making assumptions or drawing conclusions before the investigation is complete," the state medical examiner said in a statement. "Sharing unfounded speculation only serves to create unnecessary obstacles during the investigative process. Investigators remain committed to following the facts wherever they lead and ensuring this investigation is thorough, comprehensive, and complete."

Wells' body was discovered in the water on July 6 just off the coast of Horn Island, which is about 10 miles south of the Mississippi mainland, following a search by the U.S. Coast Guard, the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources and the National Park Service. Dental records confirmed the body was Wells, Jackson County coroner Bruce Lynd previously told CBS News. 

Wells traveled to the island with his friends but did not return to the mainland with them that afternoon, Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter said. His friends have told authorities Wells chose to stay behind on the island to speak with a girl and said he would come back to the mainland later.

His parents, Christine and Elmore Wonsley, told "CBS Mornings" earlier this month they didn't believe their son would've stayed behind by choice.

"No, he wouldn't. Nolan always stays with the group," Elmore Wonsley, Nolan's father, told "CBS Mornings." "If you be with me, you come back with me. So that I don't understand, and with me being a parent, if I was in that situation, I would have told them, 'You're going to get back on this boat with me because I don't want to answer to your parents if something happens to you.'"

He was last seen on the island at about 3 p.m., according to Crump's office. His mother reported him missing later that night and a search began.

NAACP President Derrick Johnson criticized the police investigation into Wells' death and said it was important to do a full investigation before speculating whether it was an accident.

Horn Island, which is little more than a 10-mile strip of sand and scrub brush, is a popular hangout spot for adults and young people. It is only accessible by boat and was packed with people on July Fourth, as seen in video from that day.

"There were so many people — I mean, boats, they were practically on top of each other. It was intense," Nolan's friend Lucas Aviz, who was on the island on the Fourth of July, told "Inside Edition."

Wells, who Crump said was a good swimmer, went to Ocean Springs High School and was a rising sophomore wide receiver on Southwest Mississippi Community College's football team. 

There is a $125,000 reward, including contributions from the Rev. Al Sharpton, Tyler Perry and Terrell Owens, for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for Wells' death, though authorities have said no criminality has been determined.