Storm Kills Four In Volusia County
(DeLand, FL) -- Hurricane Milton is partly responsible for four deaths in Volusia County. The sheriff's office announced the deaths last night. Two were caused by trees falling on homes. A 79-year-old woman in Ormond Beach and a 54-year-old woman in Port Orange were killed. The other two deaths were medical events. One happened while they were boarding up before the storm, and the other medical event was during the storm, and conditions at the time prevented EMS from responding.
Polk County Employee Killed During Storm Recovery Efforts
(Dade City, FL)-- A Polk County employee is dead after cleanup efforts turned tragic. Maintenance Unit Service Worker Bruce Kinsler was hit by an SUV yesterday morning near Fort Meade at the cross street of Brooke Road and US Highway 98. The 68-year-old Bartow resident was helping clear roads of debris. He had worked for the county for about a decade. The 57-year-old driver who hit Kinsler also works for the county. The Fort Meade man was taken to the hospital, treated and released. County Manager Bill Beasley says Kinsler was dedicated to serving county residents, and officials want his family to know they're deeply sorry for their loss.
Two Homes Swallowed By Hole In Polk County
(Kathleen, FL)-- Two homes are destroyed after they fell into a large hole in Polk County. It happened yesterday in Kathleen on Willow Wisp Drive. There's no word on what caused the hole to open. Officials tell News Channel 8 they'll investigate to see if it was water damage or a sinkhole. No one was injured in the incident.
Hundreds Of People Rescued In Tampa Bay Following Milton
(Clearwater, FL) -- Hundreds of Tampa Bay residents are safe following a string of rescues in the wake of Hurricane Milton. In Pinellas County, more than 400 people were safely evacuated by boat from a flooded Clearwater apartment complex. Sheriff Bob Gualtieri says it was the most significant water rescue he has ever seen in the county. Hillsborough County deputies have helped rescue more than 130 residents of the Great American Assisted Living Community in Tampa as of earlier this morning. More than a dozen victims were helped by Tampa first responders after a tree fell on their home. Governor Ron DeSantis says nine-thousand National Guardsmen and 14-hundred search-and-rescue first responders have been mobilized to help with response to the storm.
Five Killed By Tornado In St. Lucie County
(Port St. Lucie, FL)-- A tornado is responsible for five deaths in St. Lucie County. The sheriff's office announced the deaths yesterday. All five were living near Fort Pierce at Spanish Lakes Country Club when the tornado hit Wednesday. So far, five tornadoes were confirmed to have touched down Wednesday in South Florida. One tornado damaged about a hundred homes in Palm Beach County.
FL Judge Rules Against Voter Registration Extension Request
(Tallahassee, FL) -- Florida residents who failed to register to vote before Monday's deadline are out of luck. A federal judge rejected an emergency request Wednesday night that would have extended the deadline for the 2024 General Election by ten days. The League of Women Voters of Florida and the state's N-double-A-C-P chapter had filed a lawsuit earlier this week, claiming many residents were not able to sign-up to vote due to hurricanes Helene and Milton. U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle made his ruling after Governor Ron DeSantis opposed the group's request. He says residents could have registered online or by phone, even if they were forced to evacuate.
Woman Arrested For Dismembering Corpse, Cooking Body Parts
(Mount Olivet, KY)-- A woman is in custody after cops say they found a dismembered corpse and cooked body parts in her Kentucky home. Torilena May Fields was arrested Tuesday in Mount Olivet and charged with abuse of a corpse. The police say they were checking on a report of a deceased woman when they found the body along with body parts inside a folded mattress. They also found what appeared to be body parts inside a pot in the oven. The body reportedly belonged to Fields' mother.
Today in History
1984, space shuttle "Challenger" astronaut Kathy Sullivan became the first U.S. woman to walk in space.
1975, the phrase "Live From New York, It's Saturday Night Live" ushered in the debut episode of "Saturday Night Live" on NBC. George Carlin hosted the premiere episode.