TSA Shoe Policy, Flooding Update, & Affordable Vacation Spots

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Adam Rogers
July 09, 2025

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Travelers can now keep their shoes on at airport security.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced Tuesday the end of the two-decade shoe removal mandate implemented after the failed 2001 'shoe bomber' attempt. The change affects all passengers at airports nationwide, though some individuals may still be asked to remove their shoes for additional screening. TSA PreCheck members previously were the only travelers who could keep shoes on.
Noem said the agency can eliminate the requirement due to layered security improvements, including additional officers, new scanning technology, and the REAL ID implementation that took effect this year.
TSA PreCheck will still offer benefits like keeping belts and coats on and leaving laptops in bags. However, the agency also plans to test fully automated security checkpoints at some airports by early 2026, allowing travelers to go through screening without interacting with officers or removing devices from bags.

Measles cases have hit the highest level since the US eliminated the disease in 2000.

The US has reported 1,277 measles cases since the start of the year, including the first measles deaths in a decade - two children in Texas and an adult in New Mexico, all unvaccinated. CDC officials warn the US could lose its "elimination" status if measles continues spreading through January 2026.
The resurgence began with a major outbreak in a West Texas Mennonite community where only 82% of children received recommended MMR vaccines, well below the 95% rate needed to prevent spread. Nationwide kindergarten vaccination rates have also dropped from 95% to 93% between 2019 and 2024, leaving communities vulnerable.
Health Secretary RFK Jr. has promoted vaccination while also emphasizing personal choice and alternatives like vitamin A, which experts say are not substitutes for the MMR vaccine. Meanwhile, doctors say that misinformation is complicating outbreak control.

The IRS has rolled back its ban on political endorsements in churches.

The IRS agreed that churches can endorse political candidates without losing their tax-exempt status, ending the 70-year Johnson Amendment restriction. The 1954 rule, created by then Senator Lyndon B. Johnson to block conservative nonprofits from backing his opponent, prohibited churches and other nonprofits from endorsing candidates.
Notre Dame Law School professor Lloyd Hitoshi Mayer predicts churches will now feel freer to endorse candidates, while pastors who prefer staying out of politics may face pressure from candidates and congregants. The change could introduce financial incentives, with donors potentially trying to sway church positions through contributions.
Trump had promised to 'totally destroy' the amendment in 2017, calling it unfair to religious institutions. The IRS agreement still needs a federal judge’s approval, and other tax-exempt organizations like charities and universities remain restricted from endorsing candidates.

The Supreme Court cleared the way for President Trump’s federal job cuts, potentially impacting hundreds of thousands of workers across agencies, including Agriculture, Commerce, Health, and the VA. (More)

Search and rescue operations entered their fifth day Tuesday in central Texas after devastating Guadalupe River flooding killed 109 people, including 27 children and counselors from Camp Mystic girls camp. (More)

The State Department warned US diplomats about AI-powered impersonators posing as Secretary of State Marco Rubio to contact foreign ministers, senators, and governors. (More)

Saudi Arabia executed almost 600 people for non-violent drug crimes over the past decade, with three-quarters being foreign nationals, according to a new Amnesty International report. (More)

A man stolen as a newborn during Argentina's military rule was reunited with his sister after 48 years through DNA testing, becoming the 140th missing baby found by the Grandmothers organization. (More)

Haiti's historic Hotel Oloffson, a treasured 19th-century cultural landmark that hosted celebrities and writers for many decades, was destroyed by fire in a wave of gang violence in Port-au-Prince. (More)

US stock markets closed mixed on Tuesday (S&P -0.07%, Nasdaq +0.03%, Dow -0.37%). President Trump announced there would be no exceptions to his Aug. 1 tariff start date, and that there would be a 50% tariff on copper imports. (More)

Boeing delivered 60 aircraft last month, its highest total since December 2023, as the troubled plane maker continues working to recover production following the damaging January 2024 door plug crisis. (More)

Apple announced that Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams will retire later this year after 27 years. Current operations leader Sabih Khan will take over most COO responsibilities starting this month. (More)

Shohei Ohtani hit his 31st home run of the season Tuesday, setting the Dodgers’ pre-All-Star break record and staying on pace to match his 2024 total of 54 homers. (More)

Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark expects to return tonight against Golden State Valkyries after missing five games with a left groin injury. She will return from her second major injury this season. (More)

Americans Taylor Fritz and Amanda Anisimova both reached the Wimbledon semifinals. Fritz is the first US man since 2018 in the semis, while Anisimova seeks America's first women's title since 2016. (More)

Waymo announced Tuesday it's offering ride accounts for teens ages 14-17 in Phoenix, allowing parents to invite their children to use fully autonomous vehicles with special safety monitoring features. (More)

Scientists at UC Berkeley created a new at-home test technology using the "coffee-ring effect" and tiny particles that makes virus detection 100 times more sensitive than currently available rapid tests. (More)

Michigan State researchers discovered that lignin from wood can make lithium-ion batteries much safer and last longer by preventing dangerous overheating that causes fires, improving cycle life by 60%. (More)

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